coming in for landing

Can you imagine my delight when on Sunday I went out to the garage to check the yarn stash for a suitable match for the binding and found this little treasure?

It almost looks as if it was dyed in the same dye bath with the wool for the antlers!

Took me about three hours to do my stitching all the way around, but now Rudi is blocking! I'll give him until tomorrow to rest, then you'll get to see him in all his off-seasonal glory.

Until then, just one more shot with sweet Ikie, okay?!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

fanclub

If you are allergic to cats you might click away at this point, because it is all about my furry friends today.

They do share my passion for all things wooly and sure look adorable in the fluff!

Munchkin and Ike take turns with their naps in the pile of dyed roving on the couch.

Ike never fails to find new wooly nap spots - skeins of yarn in the studio in this case!

And then there is hooking - looks like an almost finished hooked mat is irresistible.

Lots of floor space, but it's got to be the mat!

The mat is on the frame? Who cares - let's get on it!

You get a glimpse of Rudi - I am working on the border now and I am getting close to the end - patience, my friends, picture will follow when I am done.

The other day I got a treasure chest in the mail. Well, actually it was a package from my friend Ulrike with belated birthday gifts (lots of wonderful wooly goodies!) and again the furry guys were all over it.

Silly Ike even stole one of the cute little mohair chicks - I guess he took it for a mouse!

Last, but not least some hooking without cats! Here is my eye of New Mexico.

You may remember that I am working on a response rug project with my friend Amy in Virginia. When I had completed the addition to her mat, I had to start a mat that will be mine in the end. (Finally I can talk about this here because she has received the package with this.)

I wanted to incorporate something about New Mexico, because we both not only share a love for rug hooking, but for the Land of Enchantment as well. We see New Mexico with similar love, through similar eyes, this is how my idea evolved. I am very happy with the result.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

colors and loops

This is what I have been spending my time with. I have dyed loads of spinning fibers for the yarn store at Nob Hill. Didn't my bathroom look pretty?

The first load has already been delivered, mainly rambouillet fine wool, and there will be some more mystery roving coming, that I still need to bundle up and label.

Ike always enjoys when the fibers are out. He picks a napping spot right on top of the fluff. Always.

Dyeing the fibers brought me to another UFO, which slept in the closet since last Christmas season, yep, twenty-ten.

Somehow this is a repeating pattern in my life... I get to a holiday and wish I had started hooking a holiday theme early enough to be done by then, but I have not! I had started Rudolf about 2 weeks before Christmas and put him away when I took down the Christmas decorations, nose and face only were done.

I have decided to finish him now and dyed the purple and blueish white woolens for him.

Last night Lewis asked me, why Rudi's antlers are purple, choosing his words quite carefully (he did not want me to be offended and/or think that he doesn't like it). I told him I chose an unexpected color to add that extra interest. - That he asked showed that it is doing its purpose, right?!

Rudi will be ready next Christmas. Maybe I will hook a little Valentines mat in March?

glimpses

Boy, that was a fast week.
So many things that I need to show.

Let's go, but beware - picture heavy post!

Last week brought more joy in a box:

A cutter for rug hooking.

And a very fine one, too!

It has already been put to work and the star rug, our current guild project, is growing.

And growing.

Have I ever mentioned how good it feels to the bare feet to stand on a hooked rug? One day I will make a biiiig rug!

The pink ballet wrap is all done.

If you want to see it for real you should come to the Yarn Store at Nob Hill. I will be teaching this in a class there soon.

A green Ballet wrap #2 is in the make.

Last, but not least there is our newest family member Munchkin.

While Romeo finally found a more suitable home in Santa Fe (where he is not being harrassed by a fellow feline..), harmony has been achieved here as well.

Munchie fits right in with our gang.

I know I know, it's a crappy dark picture, but I just could not bother them with a flash..!

And yes, Ikie, you are cute, too.

More to come soon, since you have yet to get an idea of how magically/brutally I manage to transform parts of this house, when I am in a crafty and colorful mood.

Happy Valentine's Day, my friends!

it's all about the sheep - almost

Summer break is in full swing.

The weather is splendid and perfect for daily dips in the pool. Breakfast is outside. Allways.
We stay up late and sleep in.
The kids have playdates. Almost every day.
The cats are happy, because everyone is around.

I went on my first run on the trails. Don't ask.

But it is just as beautiful as ever.

We went on a great little trip to Las Golondrinas and ran into their first ever Fiber Fest. Lots of yarn, spinning fibers and fiber related activities, including sheep shearing.

If I had to imagine a sheep shearer, he'd have to look like this gentleman, don't you agree?

Of course I could not resist and came home with more fibers, some of it I've already spun - I think even though it is just a picture, you can tell how soft this is - 100% angora fibers!

The knitting has slowed down tremendously since I'm back from Germany, three cardigans finished there, just buttons to add and I am thrilled about possibly adding some of Mary's latest creations!

I am still able to work a few stitches every day, so the next fluffyness is growing.

Also did I start sewing the "green line" dresses, where recycled fabric skirts are added on to handknit tops.

The idea to use recycled women's garment was born through my sweet Fiona's wish/demand for flowy, drapy skirts. It called for rayon fabric, but that is very hard/near impossible to find in stores. However, a lot of woman's dresses or skirts, produced f.ex. in India, are made from rayon fabric and are easily available in thrift stores, if you are willing to spend some time and effort to search, clean and reconstruct.

Usually I tend to accumulate a stash of dresses/skirts and dress tops (most of those knitted by my mom) before I start playing with different colors and patterns and try various combinations of skirts and tops, fun and definitely my favorite part in the whole process.

This is the first dress of the season.

What can I say... thank you, Goodwill!

But guess what...

I had a playdate, too.

While I was in Germany my friend Amber bought fluff - fleeces straight from the sheep, Rambouillet and Rambouillet cross, and yesterday we had our first go with the fine, soft, crimpy, smelly, greasy fluff that came from Princess. What a suitable name for the first ever bought fleece!

We worked on the husband's new ping pong table in the garage and it took us a bit over two joyful hours to sort through everything. - One fleece of four that is.

We planned to go for the next one in a week.

Earl, that'll be you!

you, too

And then, yesterday, on the way to bed I found the other fuzzball snuggled up in purple handspun in my favorite basket.

Yes, Ike, I love you, too.

chain of events

Some greenish spots on my kitchen countertops.
Newly dyed skeins of yarn on a rod above the tub to dry.
Little girl puts moist skeins on bathroom floor, because she is going to take a bath.
Mother comes to check on her and finds this:





That's my sweet cat. Real furry and a real good taste in yarn!