Snow Day

Jake doing his impression of a teddy bear

I can't believe I went through the whole Christmas vacation and never posted anything. Returning to grad school has been overwhelming. But, I'm happy to say I passed all of my courses and have started the Spring semester.

I'm back working at Pineridge X-Country ski area a few days a week. It is fun to go back to something you did ages ago and see changes (and what hasn't changed!) The conditions this year have been the best in the past 10-15 years! And still we get people who complain. It's groomed too much, groomed too little, too cold, too warm. While Tim and I always talk about owning another business, I'm not sure I can handle the whiners.

So, we got about a foot of snow between yesterday and today, and the University canceled classes, so I get an unexpected day off. No time for knitting however, homework and baking are the tasks today.

I remember my mom always liked to bake her Portuguese potato bread when we had snow, and I have tended to keep up that tradition, snow days usually turn into baking days. So, today I made pain au chocolat from the King Arthur Flour catalog Winter 2011. I made a few modifications to fit my budget and pantry:
-We were nearly out of white flour, so I used all White Wheat flour (King Arthur Brand)
-I used Idahoan Yukon gold instant potatoes I got free with a coupon stack ages ago. We never eat instant potatoes, but it was free, and they never go bad, so I got them anyway. They are a great addition to bread recipes.
- we didn't have any grapeseed flour, so I left that out.
I also made the dough in the bread maker- (I really love that thing $5 at a yard sale!) almost thru through the first rising, then I took it out and put the dough on the woodstove to rise further. One thing I noticed, this dough doesn't rise a lot, but it should be puffy. I then followed the followed the directions in the recipe from #4 on

- I couldn't afford the chocolate sticks from King Arthur, so I warmed up some Nutella, spread it on the dough and added some semisweet chocolate chips (10-12 chips) to each roll.

They came out great and are a nice snack with a mug of hot Ovaltine! Mmmmm!


Knitting

Not a whole lot of knitting going on- I started a new sweater and got bored with it. The Cloisonne I started in the Fall needs some work, so that is on hold as well. Lately I am doing some plain toe up socks using stash yarn I got in a swap ages ago. It seems like all of my socks are wearing out at the same time. I am doing both socks at the same time and am ready to do the leg portion, I just need a find an interesting pattern to use to get this project done.



But I did make Tim a new hat to his specifications-  he wanted a chullo type hat with no ties and with pine trees on it.  I used yarn from Stonehedge Fiber Mill, Shepard's Wool.  This is seriously nice and soft and it was great to work with.  We bought our mill equipment from Stonehedge years ago, so I have a soft spot for their mill. 

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updates

It has been a busy summer and already we are into Fall! November 1 no less. Tim is saying that it is winter already, I'm not buying into it, but it is cold out today. I wore my Arwen cardi and a mohair scarf and I'm still cold.

I'm back to school full time, studying Forensic Accounting, it has been a lot harder than I thought it would be. So while I am loving being back in school, and I really do enjoy the classes, the work is all consuming sometimes. I have three major projects due in less than three weeks, so I really need to get going and get some work done.

I hope to graduate in May, get a job and then I take the CPA exam in another year.
So, knitting is happening as it happens, some days more than others.

Things I'm working onThe Cloisonne Cardigan made in the same colors as the Interweave one but I went cheap and bought knitpicks yarn instead. I couldn't picture wearing alpaca in colorwork, it would just be too warm
In addition, I tried to do the colorwork as the pattern said, but gave up in frustration - I ripped it out and re-knit it with a steek. I can understand why Interweave may not want to use a pattern with a steek, but seriously who can stand to do that colorwork while purling! Ridiculous, it would be a great opportunity to teach people about steeks. They are easy to do and simple to work with.
I'm past the colorwork and now working up to the armpits. I made a mistake when setting up for the arms and ended up putting it down for a while.

So, I got bored with that and I started the Lady Eleanor stole yesterday. I had a ton of handspun mohair that a former customer gave us. So, I handdyed with purples, greens and blues and I have all of that to make into something warm and fuzzy. Our house is cold in winter, so last year I dreamed of a warm and snuggly shawl, so this is a good in front of the file project.

I still have to finish two sweaters and get going on Christmas knitting. Oh well.
Dyeing has been going on as well, new yarns should be up on etsy later this week- early next week depending on when I get my corp financial stmt paper done.

Best reason to spend money

Puppies!
After months and months of shelter searches and major disappointments, we brought home Ben and Trinny yesterday. Nate and Trinny are on the left, Jake and Ben are on the right.

They are 8 weeks old English Shepard puppies that we got from a breeder about an hour from here.

They are very sweet and doing really well, hardly any whining last night and no accidents in the house yet!

Someday I'll share all of the shelter stories, some of them are just ridiculous-one shelter wanted us to bring in the other dogs in the neighborhood to make sure they got along with the 4 year old dog we wanted to adopt.

Vote for this cool idea in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge!

http://www.refresheverything.com/playforpower

Its been quite a year

Yes, it has been a year. And I'm not going to make any excuses.

Well, there is too much news to share it all, so here is a quick synopsis, I'm no longer in Syracuse, we moved to a farm in Pittstown, the kids are back in public school, I'm in school to become an accountant and I am dyeing yarn again.

Lots and Lots of yarn. This order went out yesterday, more yarn to come. Not a whole lot of knitting going on, but a lot of dyeing and studying. That and bread baking.

March Madness

I have to say, I'm not much of a sports fan, but when your team is in playoff for the NCAA tournament, I do watch a bit of basketball. Go Orange!

Lately, when I'm not watching basketball, I've been watching old episodes of twin peaks online http://www.mahalo.com/Watch_Twin_Peaks_Online. I remember this show and how creepy it was from the 80's, but I never saw the end, or I don't remember seeing all of it. It is good to bring back the old days.

I was amazed at how much tv is now online, before I moved to the new house in SYR, I thought I had to have cable in order to have anything to watch. But, really all I ended up watching was network tv and HGTV shows. How many house hunters can one girl watch anyway? So, now that I'm moved and I don't have cable, I don't miss it at all. Some nights, like tonight (Wednesday) tv stinks, but I can always find an episode of something on line to watch, or get a movie from hulu.

I think living frugally is beginning to settle on me. Now if I could get the food bills down. I was reading this frugal moms blog about margarine over butter and why she gets margarine. Is margarine that much cheaper that it makes that much of a difference? I buy butter, for me it is like decent yarn, you get what you pay for and butter is worth the sacrifice in my household anyway. I'll give up oreos and orange juice first.

Forgot my knitting

I can't believe it, since I moved to Syracuse in July, I have been traveling back to my home in Eastern NY every weekend, plus traveling all over the US for work. So, this weekend, when I am inches away from finishing up the Vanda sweater from the summer 08, Knitter magazine.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vanda

It has been a pretty easy knit, and I have been finishing up the sleeves all week in anticipation of doing the neck this weekend, and getting the damn thing finished. I don't know where my mind is. So, as I didn't have anything else to do, I had to cast on a new pair of socks.

This was a yarn blank that was a gift from my yarn wholesaler last summer. It is Blue-faced Leicester in one of those flat pieces you dye and then knit from. i thought these were all two strands, but apparently not, this one is just one. I dyed it with cochineal and logwood purple, and really like the colors I got. It is nice to save some yarns out for yourself and not feel too guilty about it!

I have new yarns up on ETSY, so go take a look. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5055805

Back from beyond

Well, back anyway. The fall travel has ended at long last, I returned from Buenos Aires with no yarn to show for it. it amazes me that I was given the opportunity to travel to South America again and I missed the chance to get great yarn at fabulous prices. True, i did get yarn last time I was in BA, but this time I promised myself I would make it Scalabrini Ortiz (we were only 10 blocks away in the hotel) and get yarn.

Well, that didn't happen, but I did get to see two different sides of the Argentine health care system.
One was a bit scary, like the emergency room gurney in the photo below, with another patient next it- (a real lack of privacy here). Best part was, the hospital was only going to ask for a 8 peso donation for 2 xrays, an ambulance ride, all of the blood tests and the doctors visits. We donated quite a lot more.
The otherhospital was outrageously overpriced, but very clean and lovely ($5000 US for an overnight inpatient stay- US not pesos, so I would have been over 15000 pesos!) I had two students who had medical emergencies when we were there, so as the leader I had to go along.
For a bit, it looked like I wasn't going to make it home for Christmas, but then finally things worked out and we all made it home safe and sound.

Tomorrow I go back to work after begin off for 9 days, the longest time I have been home since I had Nate in 1999. I got some work done, including sone new yarns to go on Etsy.

For those of you who have asked, yes, I am still dyeing yarn. But, the majority of that yarn is being sent to Cherry Tree Hill Yarn who buys it wholesale and resells it to her customers, some shops here in the US, some online retailers in the US and in Europe. I stopped the Etsy store when my travel schedule and work life made it impossible for me to consistitently fill orders and mail packages on time. (This fall I was on the road two to three weeks at a stretch). So while I could dye yarn when home for a few days, I couldn't get photos and posts done)

So, we are now in the spring and I hope to devote myself again to posting and selling yarns through the etsy store.

I've also been toying with the idea of a natural dyes podcast. It is really amazing how many questions I get via email about dyeing with natural dyes. So, I thought it would be a good way to help teach other people about this great creative way to get new, unique colors and blends of colors.

It was June- are you sure it was June?

The last time I posted was wayyyyy back in June- I really don't think it has been that long. But since it took me twenty minutes to convince Google I was who I said I was and remember my freaking password, maybe it has been since June.

Well, I did it, moved to Syracuse. I have my own apartment, my own space for the stash and my own tv to watch and enjoy. Things are going.... not great, not bad but going. It is really weird to be away from home every night. It's like when I traveled a lot when doing sales, you are away in a hotel and everything is surreal. You hear about the issues at home but are helpless to do anything about them.


I also thought I would have soooooo much time for knitting. Well, I do have more time for knitting, I just don't have much ambition to get any done. I did notice last week when things got cooler for a few days I really worked diligently on a sweater I'm making.

This was going to be called Rhinebeck and I dyed the yarn hoping to make some Fall leaf colors, dark rich oranges, and reds with some yellows and browns added in. Well It is more of a tomato orange with some great reds. I like it, but with much of my natural dyeing, the results can be unpredictable. It has a ruffled edge and I may rename it something else after the A fine fleece book came out and has a nicer pattern named Rhinebeck - a great book by the way, I was quite inspired after reading it. Not enough tobegin spinning again, but they say winters are long in Syracuse.

I'm hoping as the weather gets cooler, my knitting mojo returns. Otherwise, I have to force myself to get motivated. Next week I start traveling for work, so in the space of three weeks I hit
Toronto, Boston, Washington dc, NYC, Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle then home for the weekend, then Houston, Atlanta, Miami, home again then , Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, followed up with a quick trip to Dallas for a conference.
I have to figure out what knitting to bring with me, lots of socks I think. It will be a good time to burn thru some of the sock yarn stash that has built up.

Speaking of sock yarn, I have a pile of yarn waiting to be labeled and sent to Cherry Tree Hill. My yarn is now being carried by Yarnmarket as well! Whoo-hoo- this is a great part time job, when you are lonely for home and have no money to spend so have to stay home. Don't worry, itlooks much neater when it is twisted into skeins and labelled. Thanks to my big sister Eileen who came last week and learned how to dye yarn to help me keep up.
I've had to send my regrets to Rhinebeck for this year, I just can't get anymore dyeing done in time. With my planned travel, I am home, in Albany or Syracuse only 10 days between next Saturday and when Rhinebeck starts.

If anyone is looking for cones of undyed yarn, let me know, I have bamboo/merino sock yarn, sport weight, lace weight and some worsted weight I can sell for cheap. Not much merino superwash left, there are some severe shortages of that going arounf this year.

Talk to you soon,

L

my yarn is in the UK!

I've been doing quite a lot of dyeing lately. Since I met Cheryl from Cherry Tree Hill she has certainly kept my busy. 50 skeins went out last week, an additional dozen this week. and look my yarn is now being sold in the UK at The Wooly Workshop.

That plus the impending move to Syracuse life has been busy- but I found a new home, and how many knitters can say they rented an apartment, just so the stash could have its own bedroom!

I went to my mecca last week- IKEA, and was overwhelmed. I've wanted to go to Ikea ever since I heard about them during mu undergrad nearly 20 years ago. I spent quite a bit of money and really didn't buy too much furniture.

Took it- moving news and more!

Well, I took the job at SU, and now the whole world knows. We announced it to the classes today, and it is really gratifying to have everyone say such nice things about me.

In other really exciting news, I met Cheryl Potter of Cherry Tree Hill Yarns at MA Sheep and Wool and she is going to sell some of my yarn under the Ancient Threads Farm name. It feels like things are really taking off. So, I bought myself an electric skeiner and a whole new shipment of base yarn!

We sold quite a bit at MA, so I need to get the etsy shop updated again. Now to take the photos and do the loading of the yarn!

Now to get that done, find an apartment in Syracuse and get some new furniture while trying to clean up my job at Albany- oh the fun never stops!

more Syracuse news

No- I haven't accepted the job yet- but I found out that Syracuse has an MFA in fiber arts http://vpa.syr.edu/index.cfm/page/graduate-fiber-gallery


and I get free tuition! How can I say no to that?

Looking up

Yes, things are looking up! We finally hired someone! He starts on Wednesday, so while I have to work this weekend and most likely next, my marathon spring is nearly over.

And.... da..da...da I got a new job ... in Syracuse. Syracuse isn't that far- only two hours away so it isn't like I can't come home every weekend- and I plan to. But, it does mean I have to leave my husband and kids for a while, until the house sells, and Tim makes a decision on what he is going to do. So, while I'm very excited about this opportunity, I'm nervous if we can make it through.

The salary is nearly a 50% raise for me, and the job looks really interesting, so if you are from Syracuse and know of an apartment in the SU area, let me know. I'm looking forward to living close to work and walking if possible most days. I just don't want to live in a dive. Tim and I have to travel out there after graduation next week to try and find a place. I keep looking at the IKEA catalog and thinking about decorating a place all on my own.

I'm also looking for some knitting groups or guild that meet mid-week in the Syracuse area.

Things have not improved...or have they?

Good Karma Spinning Co. has asked me to update their web address to http://www.karmayarn.com/. This is the company that bought our mill equipment.

Wool n Word is now carrying Ancient Threads Yarn in the shop- thank you Stephanie!

Kathy M from PA sent me some pictures of her crocheted raglan cardigan - out of Ancient Threads Yarn- it is really pretty and it is nice to know other have time to create even if I don't.

sock photos

Knitty Digital used some of the my yarn to make a beautiful pair of socks- they look great!

Things are good- really I mean it- good

It really funny as i look back over the past few years how things change- we sold the mill, I start a weird little yarn company that is actually successful in its own way-

We were mentioned in the Daily Chum Today- so I hope to leave work early today and get more yarns loaded. I'm getting more customers, and to my eternal thankfulness, repeat customers. Things are really good- so I hate to complain, but

in the real life, my assistant is leaving me mid semester. This isn't totally unwelcome news. The relationship has certainly been in deterioration mode over the past few months and now she seems to be brain dead currently.

That plus the fact that I started on my PhD last semester have left me with little time- I love to dye, I love to knit, but when did life get so complicated? We had a knit-out last Sunday that I was determined to go to- I stopped going to the guild meetings, there just is no time, but this was a must, I wanted to be there. So of course, Jake begins throwing up at 10 am that morning and Daddy is gone- He id get home and Nate and I went, but again I saw the opportunity to do what I wanted and really needed to do for me slipping away. It worked out, I'm fine and no longer a raving lunatic and I actually sat and knit for about an hour last night, so I was talked down from the ledge-

Thanks for listening-

Yarny Goodness

Wow, Yarny Goodness is up and running! Go visit there now-

Just got the news!

I just heard that I have been chosen to be in Lime & Violet's Daily Chum this week! I have so many yarns to photograph and put up- new ones too- there just isn't enough time!

just got the word...

I just heard from Yarn Goddess that her new store Yarny Goodness will be opening on Feb 7th. Pam from Yarny Goodness is selling Ancient Threads yarns for me and I'm really excited to have been added to her impressive list of indy suppliers.

As soon as I get the URL I will add it to the blog.

Now onto the knitting- remember a few days a go I was going to work on the diagonal ribbed sweater from knitpicks, well i could never get past the first 2 rows- maybe it was me, but it just made little sense. I done quite a bit of knitting in my day and followed a few quite complicated patterns, but this one was beyond me. So, I have moved in a new directions and it is going along well- Syncopated Ribs from the Fall 04 Interweave knits, here is photo from lollyknits flickr- I can't find it on the Interweave site any longer. I;'m not too far along, but it is going really well- it helps that they are knit on size 10- I was thinking that the fabric would be too holey and revealing, but it looks just fine. The swatch looks great post washing and drying.


It strange, I used to love these Addi Turbo needles, then I tried the knitpicks one and I far prefer them, the tips are pointy and they even seem smoother than the Addi's- also the cord is superior, more flimsy, but that isn't a bad thing, the Addi's seem stiff and unyielding now. I think I need to order another set of the wooden ones in size 10.

and the usual pair of socks- I'm making the heel flap on this one, the other one's flap is done. When I knit two on two circulars, I can;t figure out how to knit them at the same time for turning the heels. I just can't get that information in my brain, so I do then separately until all the decreases are done after the heel, then I knit the feet all at one.

New yarns!

I just put in a big order for some new stuff from the distributor! So excited! I reordered some of the original DK merino/silk I had a Rhinebeck. i only had about 10 skeins there and it sold ok- not great but ok. I know there was some fear that the shorter yardage wouldn't make a pair of socks. I then knit a pair for the boss for Xmas and I had plenty left over. I also got back in some of the superwash and nylon that went well and the merino lace. (different supplier for those)

So that is coming back for a limited run- I also ordered some worsted weight, really for me, but I'll share if there is any left. I ordered 3000 yards of Andee, a worsted alpaca/ merino blend I think. i have been thinking lately about a naturally dyed sweater for Rhinebeck next year to show off the colors and see how it goes. Now I just have to decide on the colors, pinks or reds- I'm thinking of a red/brown/orange mix for fall- leaf colors. And I'm thinking about this pattern- Eve from magknits with a different neckline. Or this Rossnyev
or there was another I found in purples and ruffle edge I liked, but can't find at the moment-

And I bought some merino roving to try out- I can spin, I have a wheel, but have always avoided merino for some odd reason (like I have 17 sheep in the backyard and they are all Shetlands or soays? plus I have a billion lbs of Shetland to use up at some stage and no time to spin?)

Anyway, I was gifted some merino last year in a swap and finally spun it up and had a great time, I also bought some from Spunky Eclectic last year at MA sheep and wool. Still have not spun it yet, but I look at it often.

Well we are supposed to be getting a massive ice storm tonight, so Friday night class is canceled, so maybe I can get my reading and paper done for Monday and actually have some fiber fun this weekend? Oh, but then there is always dyeing to do as well-