We are into the final days of autumn here in NW Ohio.  Actually, our season has lasted longer than normal, I think.  It's beginning to get chilly overnight, but the days are rather warm and very breezy.  Towards evening we often get short, fast-moving showers.  Then the sun tries to peek back under the clouds just before sunset and makes beautiful rainbows. Last week we had rainbows two evenings in a row!



In the kitchen we're working on putting up apples.  We have over 30 quarts of apple pie filling, a multitude of applesauce, and a fair amount of apple butter.  After three days of cranking the apple peeler/slicer/corer and processing jar after jar of produce, I have had my fill of the smell of apples and cinnamon!  

This year's crop of alpaca fiber is back from the mill.  This year I have skeins and skeins of yarn in different natural colors and weights.  I also have rovings to spin, great heavy bumps for large-needle knitting, and felted sheets for sewing.  By special request I've dyed some fiber...my first foray into professional dyes.  I used my trusty old crockpot and dyed three or four skeins at a time.  The yarn came out of the pot bright and variegated.  Happy dyer, happy customer!

I've been working on my knitting over the last year or so.  I now consider myself to be a confident advanced beginner!  I've just finished this watermelon-colored shawl.  Making the triangles was a slight challenge, but I'm very pleased with the results!  Next I will try to conquer cables!

And last, but certainly not least...reading material!  When I can find a quiet moment, I've been working my way through the Murdoch Mysteries by Maureen Jennings.  I started reading them after I finished the Murdoch Mysteries tv series.  I would say that the programs are loosely based on the books.  The William Murdoch in the books is now a completely different character in my head.  But I love the historical nature of the novels and will be very disappointed when these are finished as well. 

Enjoy!

Cinderella's Midnight Belle of the Ball

Here's our new baby, Belle, with mommy, Cinderella.  She's the first cria born on our farm.  She was born May, 26th.  Now, at six months old, she's nearly as large as our smaller female, C.Me.  She's going through her teenage ornery stage, but all the ladies are teaching her her alpaca manners!  I can't wait to get into her fiber in the spring.  We believe she's medium or dark silver gray...lovely!

Lately I've been working on spinning and my knitting.  The knitting is going better, but I discovered last night that I'm making my knit stitch backward.  Hmm.  Well, I'm going to finish what I'm working on...I don't think anyone will notice...and change my style on the next project.  Onward!

I've started a small quilt group at my local library and we're each making a Farmer's Wife Sampler.  These larger blocks seem so enjoyable after working on Jane.  And using my scraps is a great way to remember so many of those past projects.

Poor Jane

Sigh.  Poor Jane.  I haven't worked on her in a week!  I'm in a crochet mode right now. 

I love this little tote.  I found the pattern here at Red Heart Yarn.

This bag was very easy to make.  I love working with the nylon thread that I used for it.  It makes a wonderful finished product that is durable and easy to care for.  I'm tempted to keep it, but I'll try to sell this one.  I'm already working on another bag and I have a hard time making something twice.

But wouldn't it be gorgeous in purple?

ttfn!
Beth

Dear Jane and Crocheting

I've been working diligently on Jane.  Trying to catch up because I'm so far behind!  Bad me!

But I love my crocheting right now!  I've been working on a crochet-a-long with Bernat online. 


We're done with our weekly crocheting and I think we will begin to assemble them next week.  Can't wait to see what it will look like all put together!

Cooking

Also, I've been dying some of Fin's fiber.  This is my first foray into dying and I have to admit I'm loving it!  Put white in the crock-pot and take out beautiful colors! 

Drying

Draining

Fin before and after

Four colors so far!

Got a few more colors at the store...some orange and blue.  Can't wait to try those!

ttfn
Beth

Now, where were we?

Not that you could tell from the blog updates, but I've been very busy!  I have, however, been finding the most fun apps on the right of my blog...the Flickr carousel and as of last night, my Jane layout.  I'm very proud of my Jane picture.  Used a free photoshop program called Gimp to transfer my pdf graph into a jpg file.  Love it!

Now...here is an update on Jane!

 I think that's all of them!

I've also been working on some crochet and trying out some new joining methods for granny squares.

Have a great day!

Has it really been a month??

Apparently it has been an entire month since last I shared my projects with you!  I've been busy, busy, especially on custom projects to be ready for Christmas.  I'm chugging along and have a few to share!

For my cousin, a hand-spun, hand-crocheted hat and scarf set to match the convertible gloves I made her last month.  The yarn wasn't ready, so a-spinning I did go!  Used up the rest of Matar's fiber and produced about 800 yards of yarn!  So pretty!



I wanted to add a little color accent on the hat so worked up a bit of Marco's dark fawn fiber.  I hadn't worked with his fiber yet and I have to admit that I think the next project will be all mine!  His fiber is so fine and soft.  Its like a dream!

Made a pretty machine-embroidered Christmas tree for a friend.  This are popular around here, but time-consuming.  And I really do like hand-work best of all...but once in awhile it's fun to try something new.  Have at least two more of these to make, but in different colors, so that will be exciting!

 

Three little beaded, crocheted purses all in a row!  These were an order for a friend.  They are made of nylon crochet thread and glass beads.  I've been making them for years for myself.  They are becoming very popular this year and I've made about a dozen for other people.

I especially like the little natural one with its green beads mixed in!

Another custom order for a friend who needed something handmade in Ohio for an out-of-state gift swap.

I could make anything I wanted, in any color, so I chose to sew up this little set of four coasters with two matching potholders using some of my shop's fabric.  I just LOVE how they turned out and am considering a set for myself after the holidays.


Also, for the same friend, a crocheted pair of booties for her little one...

A set of 11 machine-embroidered shirts for my oldest daughter's quiz bowl team...

And finally--

#100-Weathervane

I have been working on my Farmer's Wife Sampler and my Dear Jane, although it is hard to fit them in!

 (Don't you just love the way the wind blows across the block?)

I will have to be extra diligent after Christmas--even though the mill called and the fiber is ready for pick-up...

ttfn
Beth