New Stuff at DLF

This is the Baby Surprise jacket (Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern) that is oh so popular. Natalie knit it for the shop (and as a gauge for her adult version and is now knitting a larger one for herself). It takes one large skein of my Salsa yarn.


I finished the baby blanket out of 'Swing', an organic cotton in a soft blend of sage green and cream. I LOVE this yarn, even though it's a muted color. It's perfect for baby things because it's machine washable and very cuddly.


I had enough out of two large skeins to knit these cute socks and even a hat. Lucky baby.






Another baby blanket (no, I'm NOT pregnant! nor am I having a grandchild) out of BeeBop, my new machine washable superwash merino.


BeeBop socks, very practical cuz they're washable. I love these for wearing to bed, I swear they help me sleep!


I think I'm allergic to size 1 needles. I started these socks a month ago and I can't seem to get them off this foot and finish them. The pattern is called 'Apple Blossom Harvest.' You'd think the name alone would spur me on to finish them, but they just might become 'ankle cuffs'.


I finally found the ribbon I've been searching for. I've always wanted to dye my own ribbon but couldn't find it in white. Lo and behold, right across from me at Stitches last month, was this beautiful white ribbon just waiting to be thrown into my dyepots. When dyeing my skeins of yarn, after I put the dye on the yarn, I gently lay this on the top and press down. It magically absorbs the dye immediately. Can't wait to incorporate it into a shawl. It'd make a great little purse for the holidays too.


'Mist' is a new color of yarn at DLF. It's very unlike me, just grey and cream, but I have to appeal to other's tastes too. I'm knitting an amazing cardigan/shrug out of it and I'm not finding it boring at all.



I'm knitting it with 'Waltz', a 50/50 alpaca/wool blend in the Mist color, striping it with a hazy grey brushed mohair. It can be worn as a cardigan, (top pic), or as a shrug, (bottom pic). It's really cute on, as witnessed at Stitches, by a darling woman in the same booth as the wonderful ribbon I purchased. Every 1/2 hour or so, she'd change garments. When I saw her take this sweater off and turn it upside down and put it on, I said, "What the hell!" and ran over to see what was what. She designed the pattern and I just had to have it. Hopefully I'll be able to finish before the holiday tour in a couple weeks.


'Copper Canyon' is a bolder version of Desert Tapestry. The plums, golds and mauves remind me of Bryce Canyon.


Two of the felted hats I've done in the fall.


And some of the felted brooches out of unfinished knitted sweaters.


I don't know how many felt bags I've done, but I can't seem to get enough. I love doing them. Sometimes they turn out butt-ugly but once I've embellished them, they seem to come into their own and can proudly go out into the world.

Fall Studio Tour

The last few weeks have been busy on the farm. I've been getting ready for the shows and tours that took place in October and a couple more in November and two others in December. I dye yarn in 1/2 pound skeins, eight at a time on eight stove burners. I have a dye kitchen in my basement (I'll post pics sometime). After spinning out the water from the skeins in the washing machine, I run them out to the sheep fence to dry in the sun. The sheep are always interested and saunter over for a look. It's like they're coming over for a color inspection, scrutinizing the colors and after approving, walk away and graze, happy for their contribution in the process. This is Maybelle, Inspector #3, peeking through the autumn colored yarn, giving her nod to my dyeing.


Casey and Tasman also get into the act. They're not exactly my color consults, they just don't want to miss any action on the farm. They're always hoping I'll make a detour to the barn where they're fed and maybe get a bit more to eat. You can tell they aren't starving! They've both gained 10 pounds since last year. Diet time for the goldens.


Annabelle inspecting the Carnival colorway.



Our Countryside Artisans Autumn Studio Tour was held October 19, 20, 21. We had a beautiful weekend. Thanks to all for supporting our tour and the craftsmen who make this their life.





One of my customers had bought roving from me a month back and came to the tour to show me what she'd done with it. These turtles were so adorable! She did a great job and I was so impressed with her workmanship.


They're checkin' out the Salsa yarn.

Sugarloaf in Autumn

Sugarloaf Mountain is only a few miles from my home. It is a real grounding element in my life. We can see it from our farm and I never take that view for granted. It's beautiful in all seasons. In the spring it hints at the first greens, then bursts forth with that nearly chartreuse color of the leaves. The summer brings a darker green of the trees and the yucky haze that now define our summers. I can tell what the humidity level is by how clearly I can see the mountain. Fall is its show-off season. In the morning sometimes there's a misty veil around it, lifting to show its myriad of colors. Ahhhh! At the base of Sugarloaf is a brick courtyard of sorts, where 4 roads come together. This is where this lovely pond is. Ducks and geese live here and hatch their offspring here in the spring.


I've been so busy preparing for the tours this fall that I mentioned to my friend that I didn't even know if the moon was waxing or waning. She laughed and said she didn't think most people even know when there's a full moon, let alone if it's waxing or waning. I did feel bad that I was out of touch with the cycle of the moon because I do look for it at night and like to see it during the day, peeking between the clouds. I did finally find time to ride near the mountain. I try to ride my bike here every few days. 'Around the mountain' is 18 miles, mostly on gravel roads, but occasionally on pavement. My friend, Tina, and I ride this together. I'll call and say,"Around the mountain or just to the bridge and back?", depending on how much time we can give. We also hike the trails and we keep threatening to just sit by a creek and paint and knit. Above is the view leading to the pond.

The Most Beautiful Horse in the World

This is my new neighbor, Peter the Great, a Percheron. They're an old breed, said to be a crossbred between a heavy 'forest horse' and an Arabian. They were used as battle horses in the Middle Ages. He's used for a pleasure horse for Emma, who's just 15. She needs a ladder to get up on him. He is truly magnificent and is such a sweetheart. I call out, "Pete", and he comes running over for a pet.


A dapple grey has always been my favorite type of horse and I can't believe how lucky I am to have him living next door.

Kiparoo Farm

I visited Kiparoo Farm, the cottage business of Annie Kelley. She raises over 100 sheep near Adamstown and uses all their wool for her lustrous yarn. I've known Annie for over 15 years and she's such an inspiration. If I ever feel like I have so much to do, I think of Annie, up at 4:00 a.m. to milk her cows and care for her sheep, fix a tractor or manure spreader, make hay, dye yarn, pull up a cow with milk fever, and whatever else her busy day calls for. She's one of those people who need only 4 hours of sleep. I don't now how she does it, but it's hard to feel sorry for oneself when her day is so packed with farmstuff.


Casper welcomes you to Kiparoo Farm.


Annie's driveway is 1 mile long. Folks complain about how rough it is. Not used to gravel roads, I guess. It's just all part of the adventure!



The porch just outside of Annie's studio/shop. Sit a spell and knit!


Annie tucks still lifes into various places on the farm.



I pass this falley downey barn on the way home and wish someone with lots of money would rescue it. There aren't many stone barns left in our area. It may be beyond repair now.




I call this the 'Ghost Truck', shrouded in mystery.

Gourds, Squash and Pumpkins

Spring is still my favorite time of year, but autumn is running a close second. We do have the most beautiful falls here. This year it's been rather hot and dry so I didn't think the colors would be that great. But somehow the leaves did their magic and have left the trees aglow in color. An autumn tradition has been getting my pumpkins and gourds from David Heissler's cute country pumpkin place in Comus at the foothills of Sugarloaf Mountain. He raises heirloom and heritage pumpkins and gourds on the fields surrounding the mountain. Some are known for their succulent and sweet insides and David really knows his varieties. He'll tell you which ones are good for a side dish, which make the most delicious soups, which are the best for pumpkin pies. It's the most charming squash market around and a visit there always makes me smile and puts me in an autumnal mood.


The traditional pumpkin in all shapes and sizes.


I wish I knew all the names of these varieties. I'll have to do more research. But these are just lovely with their pale peachy color.


The dark green and orange squash are Lakota. I remember that variety because I grew up right near the Lakota Sioux reservation. I'm going to cook this one with butter and brown sugar sprinkled on top. Yumm!




We have friends from Alaska coming for Thanksgiving so will save many of these for our dinner. It's difficult to grow pumpkins in Alaska so I think they'll enjoy these.



This one is called 'Cinderella' because it resembles Cinderella's carriage. I'll slice this one up and cook it with butter and brown sugar sprinkled on top. Yumm!


And many more types that I'll cook with butter and brown sugar sprinkled on top. (I know, it's the only way I know to cook it except for some fabulous squash soup.)





Thanks David for working so hard to bring all these beautiful squash to market. I hope it brings him as much joy as it does to the hundreds of non-squash growers who buy them.

Fall is Here, Sort of.

The temperatures are a bit cooler, a welcome relief after the July weather we've been having. This is the view across the road from us. I walk out to get the paper early (sometimes even in the dark) and get to rest my eyes on this view every day. I love the mist in the lowland blanketing the fields in a soft veil.





When my husband, Houston, doesn't leave enough time in the morning to walk to the train station just down the hill from us, I drive him down. This is the farm across from the station. The corn is nearly 9 feet tall and has turned an amber color, ready to be harvested. It caught the morning light and I'm sorry the picture does not do the scene justice. I sat for a bit and just drank it all in.


And there's the Marc train, whisking working folks off to their jobs in the city.