Friday Foto

Sharing the breakfast buffet...

Adding to the wood pile...

I heard the roar of a semi.  What's up?  Oh yes, it's a sure sign of Fall when the neighbors get a semi-load of logs delivered for firewood! 

It was interesting to watch this guy unload the logs.  His experience and skill made it look so easy.

I suspect I'll be hearing the hum of a chainsaw in coming days... and the crack of wood on the wood-splitter. 

Fortunately, I have plenty of wood of the next couple of winters, so I can relax while watching the neighbors prepare their woodpile.  Hot chocolate, anyone?

Wet-felting a scarf...

I received in the mail some very soft, fluffy, Cria-mix,  Alpaca roving.  Linda says it's bits and pieces from the babies, all thrown in together.  It's not combed, so it's called Cloud.  It's the softest fiber ... well named... light as a cloud and soft as butter. It feels great!! No itchiness at all!!

I couldn't get into it fast enough to see how many ounces would make a nicely shaped scarf.  I discovered that I could make this one with just under 2 ounces.  Linda said that because it's a very fine fiber, and because it's so fluffy, the fiber goes a long way and actually take less to create a scarf.  It did not take me long at all to lay out 3 layers of fiber and get the felting (kneading with hot water and bit of soap) underway.  Easy-peasy. 

This scarf is narrower and thinner (lighter) than the scarves I've felted in the past, and I really like it better. 

I'm ready for the November wet-felting scarf class!!

More music in the outdoors...

Speakeasy

Arts in Action kicked off their concert series with a free concert on the lawn at the college campus.  They featured The Craft Brothers (from Sheridan).  The opening act was Speakeasy, a local band new to the area.  Loved the music.  (I wish Speakeasy had played a little longer; love their music!) Wonderful talent.  Head-bobbin', foot-tapping tunes.

The Craft Brothers

A place to put your cards...

This project is a great way to use up yarn scraps and old buttons.

I had to have a travel project...but what??  Nancy S. sent me a link for a pattern: Quick & Handy Business Card Case.  Make it with scraps.  Perfect.  Use DK weight yarn.  No problem.  Knit with size 5 double-pointed needles.  Got it.  I used two different skeins of color-changing sock yarns.  I'm going to use one to carry all my coffee house punch cards. 

Friday was a trip to Jackson Hole for a Fiber Show... and by time we were stopped for road construction in front of the Tetons, I had one case half-way finished.  And over the weekend I finished a 2nd case. 

As for the Tetons, they looked majestic, as usual.  I wondered if the leaves would be starting to turn.  Not so much.  We saw the hint of yellow in the tops of a few trees, and the foliage along the rivers was just starting to make the color change.  It was a beautiful day for a trip over the mountains, knitting needles in hand.

Back to a WIP...

It's been nearly 3 months since I put this project on a back burner, and now it's time to put it back on a front burner and finish it! 

This is that wonderful yarn I purchased in Estes Park, and it has Qiviuk (45%) in it.  It's so soft.  The yarn is two-ply; one strand is dark purple and the other is cream, so it creates a heathered look.  The lace pattern (Lizard) has these points on the edges, and I have about 5 more points to make.  This is not a long scarf... just long enough; it's made from one ball only.

I don't have another project on the needles.  Yeah, that won't last long...but I'm still determined to put my time in on this scarf.  In the meantime, however, I have found several patterns I'd like to try; they are not quick projects, though.  And I need at least one travel project...not sure what that will be.  Decisions, decisions...

I talked to two ladies on the phone yesterday who raise Alpacas here in WY and have roving for sale.  I bought about 12 oz. from each gal.  From one I'll be receiving soft, combed roving.  From the other, washed, but not carded roving she calls CLOUD.  I'm going to use both to see how many ounces I will need to make a light-weight wet-felted (fulled) scarf.  (The scarves I've made in the past have been wider and a bit heavier than I want this one to be.)  Evidently, when using the Cloud roving, the texture is more organic, messy, and may create interesting holes.  So, it will be fun to experiment before I offer the class in November.  Both gals only sell the natural colors, which works for me. 

A cool, quiet Labor Day...

I stayed home, read, walked, enjoyed the fresh (autumn) air, and the view from the porch.  Late in the day, the neighbors on both sides of me drove their campers back into their yards to park them...at least until hunting season, I suspect.

It was tempting to plan something to be "out and about" over the weekend, but it seemed more right to stay home and take care of a number of tasks around the house and yard.  I did spend one day visiting with my cousin and watching his daughter play in a volleyball tournament. Otherwise, I simply enjoyed being home.

Both a friend and a family member attended concerts over the weekend, and they shared some new names of artists with me... they have been fun to check out.  Don't you love it how you can YouTube and/or Google these folks and immediately find so much info??  If you like contemporary Folk Music, you might check out Darryl Purpose from Colorado.  http://www.darrylpurpose.com/  
Or check out the Canadian, Dave Gunning, singing "These Hands." http://www.davegunning.com/

So, gals, as Labor Day passes, do you put away your shorts, tank tops, and white shoes??  I'll be wearing my capri pants for as long as possible, as well as my Keen sandals.    But, the chill in the morning air is telling me that I better start pulling out the long-sleeved t-shirts, sweatshirts, long pants, and my favorite knitted socks; they are coming back into season.

In previous Septembers, I well remember driving to work a little after 7:00 a.m. with the heater blowing... and driving home in the late afternoon with the air-conditioning.  And so... September has arrived again.  Who knows what little surprises she is packing.