Chick-A-Dee

THE yarn is here!

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:56:00 +0000

The other day I came home to a note on the door from the UPS. I wasn't sure what it was for at first. I did have a few skeins of yarn coming but I didn't think it would be coming this soon nor does it usually come by UPS. Then I read the note- Zelinger's Wool. THE YARN IS HERE!!! I ran up to the leasing office hoping it was up there. CLOSED. So unfair! I would have to wait until morning to get it (if it was in the office) or wait until the evening when I got home from work. Luckily, it was in the office and I got a call in the morning from our sweet landlord saying there was a package for me. I ran up (hair still wet from a shower) and got my box. I opened it and oh the delight! So much yarn! I ended up getting 2ply worsted and 2ply sport. Both are lovely. Lots of pictures -enjoy!

I Heart Wool

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Thu, 20 May 2010 00:23:00 +0000

The first part of my wool is back from being processed! 20+ pounds of wool came to my door the other day. Here are some pictures of a sample of the combed top. It is for sale so let me know if you are interested in any of it.

Springtime in Hollis Pattern

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:01:00 +0000

I am so excited to be a licensed knitter of Comfort Wool Co. "Springtime in Hollis" pattern! I am absolutely in love with the pattern and cannot wait to cast on a couple different ones and try out all the different options provided in the pattern. I have a couple different colorways in mind, I just need to decide which to use first (decisions, decision!). Here are the three that I am considering...hopefully WIP pictures very soon!

CWC "Sweet Grass" CWC "Jules"CWC "Cosmos"

Good Bye Fleece...Hello Yarn!

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:02:00 +0000

This past weekend I headed up to Bowling Green for the Black Swamp Fiber Festival. My mission: to send off my bags of merino fleece I have been hoarding for a while to get processed. I’ve been holding on to these fleeces since they are the last from my merino, Elizabeth who sadly passed away. In the past, I’ve always sold her fleece at whatever fair or function I exhibited them at-she never placed lower than reserve grand champion-so usually I had a handful of notes from spinners offering to buy them from me.

Now that she is gone, I didn't want to sell them and want to keep them for myself! I have been reluctant to send them off to be processed, partly because I didn't know where to send it, I didn't know what to do with it, and well it's costly. I was referred by a LYS owner to use Zeilinger’s in Michigan. The issue: shipping. I had quite a few bags of fleece and they are quite heavy. Anyone who's dealt with merino fleece knows it's rather spongy and doesn't pack easily. Much to my delight, Zeilinger's was at the fiber festival and brought their trailer to haul fleeces back up to Michigan with them. Which for me means no shipping costs! Plus, they also are having a sale for the month of March when you send fiber in for processing into roving, batting, or combed top. So my mom and I make the drive up to BG with all the bags of wool in the car. We estimated the weights but we only weighed a few bags, not the whole batch. When we got there and they weighed it, it totaled to 78lbs! Quite a bit more than I expected but I was thrilled.

The people from Zelinger's were rather excited about my fleece and commented on how they hadn't seen fleece that nice in a long time, commenting on the staple length and the crimp of the fiber. They helped me decide how to have it processed and my options. So here is what we settle on: yarn and combed topsYou need 30lbs to do a yarn run so I clearly had plenty for that! The rest will be made into combed tops, perfect for spinning. I still have to decide how to have the yarn run- what weight/ply. So if anyone has suggestions or requests, let me know. I am thinking nothing more than 3ply based on the fine fiber that it is.

Now, I am excited to have plenty of yarn for my own use, but I am going to have SO MUCH YARN AND FIBER! I am planning to sell a lot of it so I am looking for ideas as to where to market it, how to market it, etc. Anyone who might be interested or has ideas... let me know! I'd like to try my hand a spinning some of the combed top, but I am not planning to spin 50 lbs of it. I also would like to attempt to dye some but also, no experience in that area either.

So many options... at least it takes a good 4-5 months in order to get the wool fully processed. Lots of time to figure out my options!

Pretties from the Fiber Festival

A Lucky Find x2

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:22:00 +0000

A while back I saw the most adorable set on Universal Mama. A little shirt made by {cake.} and a beautiful pair of longies by Dwell Wool Knits. I wanted this little shirt so badly! At the time I thought I could get it for my nephew (one of the two that it would fit). But alas, two things stopped me from getting it. A) The cost since it was paired with the longies (and therefore exceeded the Christmas shopping budget per child) and B) It was snatched up so fast I wouldn't have been able to anyway. Well as the fates have it, I was browsing through Spots and I saw that little shirt listed on there. I had to have it! Of course my nephews are both now too big for it but I am adding this to my someday stash. Perhaps I will find a little one to give it to before then, but I am holding out hope that I'll need it sooner rather than later for one of my own!

THEN a few days later, browsing around Spots again, I came across this gorgeous colorway. A Mosaic Moon colorway called "Noellaig" which matches the shirt perfectly! I am pretty sure it is the same colorway that was used to make the longies that were originally with the shirt because I checked around on Ravelry. The colorway was listed as an OOAK, but now is listed as Noellaig which means Christmas. I am so excited about these lucky finds...this is going to make a perfect set!

A Pair of Little Longies

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:31:00 +0000

I purchased this awesome OOAK colorway from Tree Frog Knits and I thought they would make a sweet pair of longies. Boy was I right! I had no one to make them for in particular but either I will hold on to them until either I have a little one or until a friend or family member has someone to wear them. Or perhaps if I ever get enough knits together to open a shop on say Hyena Cart or for a craft show. Who knows. They will find the right owner in due time.

I just love the way that it knit up and the colors look so neat together. I don't know if I would have ever thought to combine all those colors but I am sure glad someone did! I still have some left over, probably plenty enough to make a hat. I am thinking a Hudson Hat. Hopefully that will come soon!

Additions to Yarn Stash

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:08:00 +0000

It's always dangerous when your local yarn shop has a "Spring Cleaning" sale. I set off on the first day of the sale with a $50 spending limit (which I *almost* stuck to). Debblie Bliss Rialto DK was on sale and since I have about 100 baby knit patterns that all call for DK yarn, I snatched some up. Rialto DK is an extra fine merino is an all season yarn: cool in the summer and warm in the winter so I am hoping to make some versitle garments with it. I grabbed a handful of colors in hopes to make a cute sweater.

"Chocolate""Berry"

"Beige"

"Pale Pink"

Bloom

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:18:00 +0000

Maybe it's the approaching spring season or the want to have my own yard to plant flowers. Regardless, When I saw this beautiful wall hanging, I just had to buy it. The wall hanging is by Mimi of the Smiling Octopus. I cannot wait to get it in the mail and hang it up to brighten up the place.

New Needles+New Yarn=Bliss

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:18:00 +0000

Last year for my birthday, my mom bought me the most beautiful pair of knitting needles. They are Rosewood wooden needles made from Cocobolo, a rosewood, in size 7. The makers of the needles, Turn of the Century, were at the Art in the Park show in Medina, and when my mom came across their booth, she said she just had to get me a pair- and I am so glad she did! They are so beautiful! The wood turning on the tops is so intricate. I find myself just staring at them when knitting! If you have a knitter in your life and you need to get something for them, I totally recommend you look into them (and get a pair for yourself too). I just started a new project on them with Spud & Chloë sweater yarn in "Firecracker." I was so excited to finally find a LYS that sells this yarn. The color is so rich and it is knitting up lovely!

Treetops Earflap Hat

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:26:00 +0000

Finished an earflap hat for my godson Nicholas. The main yarn is Laines Magnifiques "Treetops" on Rayonnant Organic Merino. The trim yarn is a wonderful yarn I purchased at the Upper Valley Fiber Fest, 50% Merino, 50% Alpaca from Mount Ampato Alpacas. This hat matches the pair of longies I made him before. Luckily they still fit him (for now!) and he can sport his matching set and get more awwwws from the ladies at his daycare.

"Splash Monkey" Hat

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:23:00 +0000

I finished this hat the other day for my dear friend's son Jayce. This was an experimental hat. I wrote up my own pattern as I couldn't find one that was exactly what I wanted to do. So I am hoping xxxcrossing fingersxxx that it will fit him! The yarn is Alligator Knits "Splash Monkey" and it's such a cute colorway. I am glad that I still have quite a bit of this left to knit up something else wonderful with it!

Ready for a Close-up

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:39:00 +0000

Horton for a Horton is finished! I absolutely love, love, love the way this hat turned out. This colorway is wonderful and even more so knitted up. The colors complement each other so well and it's just such a sweet combination of blue and berry. Apparently Maddie Cat loves it too. She's definitely a diva and she loves to have her picture taken. She was sleeping peacefully on the back of the couch but the moment she heard the camera shutter open, she made her way over and plopped right on top of the hat. I appeased her and snapped a few pictures of her sitting happily atop the hat. Kenzie, I sure hope you don't mind a cat hair or two in your hat!

Next Must Have

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:10:00 +0000

Alright so I will admit, I have an obsession (ok maybe a few but...). I absolutely love knitted toys. The more vintage looking, the better. Animals of all shapes and sizes, finger puppets, little monsters, you name it, I love it. A few of the books I have include a pattern or two of little knitted critters. However, I want to start putting together a collection of books that dedicate themselves to knitted toys. The Itty-Bitty Toys book by Susan B. Anderson is now on the top of my list of must haves. Ever single pattern that I've seen knitted up from that book makes my heart melt. I have this future goal that when we do decide to start a family and I get pregnant, I am going to knit a toy a month for the baby. I figure that is a sure way to make sure that he or she has a good start to a handmade toy collection (and a way to pass the time). I don't have to wait to start making some now right?

Both of the above photographs: Alana of Never Not Knitting

Who Doesn't Love a Lamb?

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:56:00 +0000

As I scrolled through the blogs that I frequent, I learned that this adorable knitted lamb pattern from Susan B. Anderson's Itty-Bitty Toys book is available on the Petite Purls website. I just love love love it! Since the Columbus City limits will not allow me my own live flock, perhaps I could knit up an entire herd of these sheep. I believe a trip to a LYS to find the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan yarn to for the sheep's knobby wool is in order...

Image from ITTY-BITTY TOYS by Susan B. Anderson (Artisan Books).
Copyright 2009. Liz Banfield photographer.

And even if you aren't interested in the lamb pattern, you should definitely check out Petite Purls. So many cute patterns and fun things to browse.

Anne Geddes Cute

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:45:00 +0000

My wonderful photographer friend Ashley (Ashley Horton Photography) asked me if I could knit up a cocoon and hat for her to use when doing newborn photoshoots. She had sent me a picture of something she had in mind so I set out to find the perfect neutral color yarn to knit up. After much searching (4 local yarn shops later) I found the most perfect yarn at Wonder Knit. Only problem was that it was all dyed into fun colors, nothing quite neutral enough. Somewhat defeated, I was getting ready to go home and start searching online. Then, the girl who was working the shop had a brilliant idea- the woman who spins and dyes the yarn had just moved all her supplies to the shop to start spinning and dying from there. She went searching in the back and found a full skein of undyed beautiful yarn. She called the woman who gladly sold the undyed skein. I was so excited! This yarn was absolutely perfect. The extreme thick and thin spun yarn, its incredible soft touch, and the complete natural color, it was just what I needed. I knit up a cocoon and modified a hat pattern I found to create the items. Ashley loved them and has used them in a handful of her newborn shoots. She has sent me a few pictures of the items in action and I hope you'll agree, these shots are so cute. Anne Geddes cute.

Horton for a Horton

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:47:00 +0000

A new project is on the needles and I am rather excited about it. I told a dear friend of mine to pick out a few yarn colorways I have in my stash and that I would make her kiddos some hats. One of the colorways she selected for her daughter happens to be just perfect. Their last name is Horton and I just so happen to have a colorway titled, "An Amusing Elephant, Horton!" by BugSnuggler. The yarn base is aran BFL and it's so squishy and soft. I love the colors and it's knitting up so lovely. I cannot wait to finish it and send it off to her.

Valentine's Day Love

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:14:00 +0000

I made these Valentine's cards for my nieces and nephews. I had extra supplies so I sent a couple out to friends and family. You never get too old to send out Valentine's right?

Brown Owls Longies

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:54:00 +0000

The Brown Owls longies are finished!!! Cannot wait to see Nicholas wear these this coming weekend. Pictures of him sporting them will get posted soon. The longies were made using Julibeans "Brown Owls" on BFL Aran yarn. It knit up like a dream and is so incredibly soft!

Chick-A-Dee Grayson

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 15:06:00 +0000

Last night I received these photos of Gracie modeling her longies and hat. I am sure you will all agree that she is absolutely adorable! Plus her mommy is such a wonderful photographer! Check out her work here at Ashley Morgan Photography. I couldn't be more pleased with the way these longies and hat turned out!

Yarn is Family Roots "Grapefruit Love" on Willow Merino.

Another Day for Browsing Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:00:00 +0000

I came across this site awhile ago but every time I visit it I find something new and wonderful. The Purl Bee is filled with so many crafty things from knitting to patchwork to embroidery and crochet. I have found so many items on the site that I want to rush home and make myself! Here is one item in particular that I cannot wait to make someday. Purl Bee Snuggle Sack.

This sleep sack is absolutely adorable! I am even willing to try my hand at fair isle to make this. Plus this is such a wonderful combination of colors. It may take me a while to figure out all the skills needed to make this, including adding in the zipper... perhaps I should get started now.

I Feel Crafty

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:52:00 +0000

Today while browsing through some blogs looking for something inspiring, I came across this blog and these little guys and they brought a smile to my face. I now feel compelled to make a rainbow of them for myself.

WIP Brown Owls

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:42:00 +0000

This pair of Julibeans "Brown Owls" longies continue to knit up beautifully! This BFL yarn is so soft and squishy. I am hoping to have them finished by this weekend. I get to see my adorable godson then and I hope to see him wear them! Pictures of this WIP below!

forget about the butterflies, cupcakes and dump trucks...

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:14:00 +0000

The title for this post is inspired by a conversation had via facebook last night and the wise words of a dear friend. There was the most adorable shirt available on Universal Mama by {Cake.} last night. I was so tempted to buy it.

I kept thinking to myself, there are so many little ones in the family, someone will be able to wear it! The more I thought about it however, all of the little ones are not so little and not a single one of them could ever fit into this itty bitty shirt. Disappointed but not discouraged, I thought to myself, I should add it to my "someday collection". My dear friend (another country farm girl like myself) who saw my comment about this item said that she (who btw is expecting her first in March-yay!) started her "someday collection" before she was even married but that it's really come in handy-picking up those outfits and items that you'll "probably never see again". As she said, "forget about butterflies, cupcakes, and dumptrucks, I pick up the stuff with cows, sheeps, horses, etc. ...not very often you see that stuff. Take advantage of it!" and " if you don't ever use it, you can garage sale it!"

Now I must admit, I already started my "Someday Collection". And like my friend, mine too started before I was even married. It is small but growing. There are just some things that cannot be passed up. For example-I found the most adorable little sweater at Old Navy for only $3.00 on their extreme clearance rack. Wonderful knitted little sweater in blues and browns and creams. Way too much intarsia knitting for me for one thing and I couldn't even buy the yarn for the price I got it for! The other thing I have a habit of buying are little shirts on the clearance rack that I see when we go on vacation places- like the little shark shirt I snagged at the New England Aquarium on our first anniversary trip to Boston. The day that shirt finally gets put into use, I will be able to reflect on all the great memories we had on that trip and how far we've come since then.

In addition to the things I've bought like shirts and sweaters and books (tons of books), I also have a "someday" yarn stash. Yarns that I love so much I just can't part with them and I want to make something lovely for my own little ones someday. I never know if those colorways will still be around by that time. Of course there will be more new and beautiful colorways but some are just too lovely not to have. One example of these special colorways is Nurturing Threads "Hummingbird". Oh how I love this colorway. I was lucky enough to snatch up a custom dye slot with Stacy and had her dye me up 6 skeins of this wonderful colorway. I decided that I wanted enough that if I made something today for someone, I would still have enough when that someday comes along!

Nurturing Threads "Hummingbird"

WIP Brown Owls Longies

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:07:00 +0000

Started knitting up a pair of wooly longies for my godson. The yarn, Julibeans "Brown Owls" on BFL Aran is so incredibly soft! So far it's knitting up wonderfully and I am absolutely in love with the colorway. I am using a trim skein of orange for the waistband and cuffs-the color reminds me of cheetos!

Sometimes things just speak to me...

noreply@blogger.com (LiserLoo) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:41:00 +0000

When my parents decided to move from our first house out to the area they now live in, we went from having a half acre to seven acres. For some reason this inspired my father to buy sheep. His plan of course was thinking they would make a nice lawn mower and save him the trouble of cutting all the grass. The property they bought had a large barn so there was a place to keep them-and we could show them in 4-H right? So why not? I distinctly remember coming home from school and there being a message on our answering machine "Yes, we still have some lambs available. We will be in this evening if you'd like to come see them." And so began our family's venture into sheep farming.

When we arrived at the farm, they introduced us to two bottle fed twin lambs. I was smitten instantly. We ended up taking them home, one for me, one for my brother. He named his Henrietta. I named my lamb Posie. For those of you familiar with the American Girl series and have ever read Felicity's books, you would know that her lamb was also named Posie. Posie was the sweetest sheep you'd ever find. As she grew from a small lamb to a full grown ewe, she never lost her gentleness. It was very common to find her laying in her pen with one of our cats snuggled right up with her. She never turned away a lamb who tried to nurse from her (mother sheep are usually very unwilling to let lambs that are not theirs nurse from them). Two sheep somehow turned into twenty or more (especially at lambing season). There were plenty of wonderful sheep that passed through our barn doors but Posie will always hold a special place in my heart. As my brother and I grew older and our 4-H showing days ended, so did the sheep farm. One by one they have aged and passed. We have only one sheep left, Rose, one of Posie's daughters. Unfortunately, we lost Posie to illness and malnutrition after she was improperly cared for at a breeder's. She was cremated and her ashes were spread in a flower bed that surrounds the flag pole in the center of the yard. It is known as Posie's Garden.

When I saw this colorway by Tree Frog Knits, it spoke to me. Not only was it named "Posie"(Posie v.2 actually is it's name), but the colors reminded me of the flowers in her garden that will begin to show themselves when the spring season comes. I find comfort in the renewal of life that occurs in those flower beds every spring. It was hard to say goodbye to such a loving little friend, especially the way that things happened.

Those who don't have pets may find it hard to understand the connection that can be made between a human and an animal. Even those with pets may find it hard to believe that something other than a cat or dog could show a person love. Let me tell you, as a person who has had nearly every type of animal at one point or another, be it farm animal or house pet, that bond can exist. I cannot wait to knit up something wonderful with this yarn.

Tree Frog Knits "Posie V.2"