Merry Christmas!!! The secrets out/ or everything I made for Christmas

Emily's Rauma puppies of Rauma Finullgarn

Sophia's Rauma Angels of Strikkegarn

These mittens were a fairly last thought and I was

 knitting like a madwoman for the past few weeks.

Puppies for miss Emily, and Angels for Sophia. They called

themselves this am and the mittens were a huge success and fit!

Not so pretty on the Loom!!! Very hard to keep it "open" and not beat hard.

Ugly duckling to swan when washed!!!!

Madelyn Van der Hoogt's lovely Huck pattern of Mora wool

This is 2 scarves I wove. My second ever project. One I kept,
and one for Tracy, my dear daughter. It is woven with the Swedish Mora
yarn which is gossamer thin, but really strong. Never broke on the loom.
It really is an easy Huck lace pattern. Fairly ugly on the loom but
turns into a real beauty when washed. I had a blast when weaving this.

4 shaft twill in cotton

3 tea towels and one runner Two towels for littlest sweet daughter Darcy.

One runner for Lisa (DDIL)

Closer of Lisa's runner

My runner

I put on enough warp for 2 sets of 3 tea towels but got adventurous
and after 3 towels made a runner in the red for present for my darling
daughter in law, Lisa. Then I made another runner with cotolin for the warp and
kept that one. It was 5.5 yards of fabric This is the fabric before it was
cut apart and washed. I started weaving for the very first time in November 
and finished everything, plus sent for Christmas! 
I am more impressed with this than any one else. I never thought 
it would go so smooth or fast and that I love to weave like I do. 
With knitting, embroidery and now weaving I am NEVER BORED!!!!! 
It makes me HAPPY!!! Of course housework and cooking are at the
bottom of the list, but no one is starving either.

 

LOVE my Glimakra loom "Geirdriful" (the spear flinger in Valkerie talk)

NWRSA Redmond Spinning group Christmas Party

Best ladies Christmas Party ever!!! You will never find sweeter more lovely,
talented ladies. Terrific group to hang out with. Always ready to teach and share.
We spun, knit, ate, played games and visited. Michele was our gracious host
at her farm in Powell Butte. Home to many, many Shetland sheep and mohair goats.

spinning of course

Playing games with presents

time to visit

Super yummy deserts!!!

"Silly" The mohair goat, exceptional fleece!!!

some of the Shetland Ladies

The Sisters mountains in the Cascade range

Lovely day, snow almost melted away

Given many choices, this is how I love to spend a day!! Such fun.

Weaving Lessons at Crooked River Ranch, Oregon

I was blessed with the opportunity to take a full week of lessons 

with Jolene Northup a few miles north of my home, at Crooked

River Ranch. I have never learned anything so well or quickly. She

is an especially gifted teacher. The class was lots of work, sprinkled with

fun and new learning opportunities. I had never woven anything in my

life! Not at least on a real loom. Now I have my beautiful Glimakra 42"

Countermarch loom, (Her name is Geirdriful- spear flinger), I would

do well to learn to use her properly!

Lovely studio with great light and FIVE looms!!!
this one is my favorite and is a Gilmore.

The famous Crooked River just minutes from the studio

700 foot drop off. I got a little scared just standing by the edge.

Color sampler woven by Jolene. Fantastic!!!

Huck Lace sample, example for our class

Overshot sample for us

Twill gamp for us to follow

My plain weave color change sample in progress

A wonderful Overshot place mat of Jolene's I think
woven at Madelyn Van der Hoogt's studio

Jolene's Color change sampler

Jolene's Overshot sampler

Jolene's twill gamp closer up

My color change sampler off the loom

My twill gamp on the loom

My twill off the loom with extra playful parts in black. I
was having a very fun time. There is at least one mistake in
every block! So what!!! This was after what? weaving maybe 10 hours!!!
(in my whole lifetime!!!)

My overshot... I think this may be my favorite type of design.

My huck lace. Much, much easier than it looks!

                  I certainly don't remember having so much fun in a class and am
 just thrilled that I will be able to use my loom. Jolene is even a member of 
my new guild and is around for questions, as are many other good weavers. 
I love it that I have a guild!!! for great support.   So... I am  buying books, more 
books, tools, warping board and waiting for a used bobbin winder from Sweden.
When next I blog, dear reader, maybe I will have Geirdriful warped!!!
Oh, and when our class was finished last evening, we had a celebration

with champagne, brie and pears!! Lovely end to the class.

Fiber Arts and Farms

I was able to attend the Wool Gathering in Madras Oregon yesterday. 

The best part was spending the day with my friends, who are also fiber addicts. Fiber show, nice lunch then the farm. The drive there was beautiful, only 25 miles.

The major difference I noticed in Central Oregon, from the coast by Newport,

is there is way more alpaca and mohair here. Very many of my friends have animals.

Thunderhead Farm Mohair and Projects

    Thunderhead Farm : Exceptional luxury fiber.

                   Go to this link... great pictures. The scarves and
                    neck pieces from Toni Selk are just gorgeous.
                   She is quite a talented artist.

Shaggy Bears wonderful colors
Every show I attend, she is getting more breeds of wool and more great colors

Fleece, ready to spin

The Butterfly is because Debbie, on right, is a favorite teacher there!
(downtown Redmond: Butterfly Yarn Shop)

High Desert Fiberworks
Lovely yarns Web site: High Desert Fiberworks

                                  This site has wonderful pictures of bunnies and fiber!!!

From the fiber to the farm. Best sunny, not to hot, weather ever.
Can see for miles!!!


   

Sandra's donkey (one of many)

View to the east

and... to the west

Mt Jefferson from the east. At our house it is north

Trace the Border collie, super nice dog!!!

The horse that wouldn't look at me!

More donkeys. Didn't realize how friendly they are.

                                  Fun day in Central Oregon!!!!