A Whole Mess of Wheels

Its good to be back in Germany again! The family home is a very peaceful place to be. That's not to say that the weather is always cooperative--we've had drizzle 75% of the time we have been here. It is nonetheless so nice to be back, and I always think of it as my home across the pond. I do miss the Blue Bungalow of course, but I suppose absence makes the heart grow fonder.

The plane ride went as well as one can expect with 2 little kids in tow--much easier now that the kids are older and can occupy themselves a little. The Boy jabbered most of the trip, and only fell asleep as the plane was on its final descent. Man does that kid have energy. Of course we were all exhausted and jet lagged the first couple of days, but I think we have pretty much recovered aside from the occasional fit of tiredness and/or insomnia. It goes with the territory, I suppose.

One thing I would have like to have brought with me is a little variance in terrain. Its flippin flat here. Not many places to go adventuring unless you like rye fields. It makes walking quite tedious. I miss my mountains, my rock, my dramatic sunrise. There isn't much of that here. But the food, the house, the pool, the garden, the wickedly old buildings all make up for that. Oh, and of course the yummy beer.

Here are some photos I snapped. I realize I tend to get a little crazy with the pics when I blog (and have tons more to show you for this entry!) so I put these in a slide show. They are all plucked from my flickr account and if you scroll over "notes" (located under each on-deck picture)you will see a more detailed description. And apologies, it takes a sec to load:




In Spinning News

Its been raining all day today, so I thought it might be a good time to go to the attic and drag out the spinning wheels I discovered the last time we were here, 2 years ago. Even though I knew what to expect, my jaw still dropped upon seeing them:



Any spinner will tell you the the above picture is a sight to behold. Spinners--whether they like it or not--are connected to the past. When I see something like this--a whole array of spinning wheels tucked into a corner of the attic--I can't help but feel that the art of spinning is in my blood. I instinctually want to grab some wool, yank a wheel out of the corner and just start spinning. I want to gather some women, sit them down and give them some wool while chatting away and making yard after yard after yard of beautiful thread.

Unfortunately many of them are in various states of disrepair, and I am definitely the only spinner hanging around this (other) neck of the woods. So lets redirect ourselves and take a closer look at what is there.

Here are the traditional, saxony-style wheels. There are 3, two of which are missing a treadle:





This is my favorite wheel, and obviously the most loved. It is one of 2 double-flyer, double drive wheels. This is a wheel with vibe.



It has amazing details: hand-turned spokes, various woods, decorative ivory elements, and a very cool plaque made of copper(?) filigree and stamped leather. It has the name of my husband's great great grandmother (Marie Nienaber) and the date 1866.



Unfortunately this one is missing a treadle too. I am pretty sure I could rig it to work with a small plank of wood, but lets face it: it would ruin the beauty. I would love to know if any of you have tried to restore wheels, and if so, how. I know that the wheels are constructed using only wood pegs and leather. Some pegs are poking out and need to be somehow pushed back in--I hesitate to go hammering on them, but some of them are sticking out in the drive band grooves, which causes the band to "jump". This is a terrible photo, but it shows you what is happening:



And the leather joints need to be replaced, but I have no idea what kind of leather I need to use, at what thickness, etc. As you can see, I'm sort of going into this rather blindly. Any and all help is appreciated.

The wheel that I worked on the last time I was here is definitely the one that needs the least attention. Its a castle-style flax wheel and has pretty much all its parts. I can spin wool on it, but I can't quite figure out how to fiddle with the tension. Spinning on it is not the smoothest, at least just yet. Betzi is working on it.

The attic also contains a mountain-load of swifts. I like this one in particular. Check out those cool wooden gears:



There are also some interesting pieces of equipment I am totally unfamiliar with, probably having to do with the processing of flax. I'll be sure to get some pics of those too the next time I enter the attic. Hopefully some of you can help me identify them!

Well that's it for now! I'll post again soon and let you know what kind of progress I have been making. Remember you can always find out what I'm up to on plurk, twitter (from my plurk feed), and facebook. 'Til next time!

So what about knitting?

Yeah Betzi has been a knitting slacker lately. I was really trucking along on Madli (ravelry link) before the move, once we got settled in couldn't seem to sit still long enough to work on it. I am quite sure it has much to do with this place. All I want to do is be out in it, to really experience where I am. So I've taken to dyeing outside (see previous post), spinning on the porch, and hauling my drop spindle with me on walks. Which I go on a lot, epsecially since the kids are at Grandma's this week and I am even antsier than usual.

As you can see, spinning is far more conducive to my current state of mind. Also, take a look at Betzi's new office. You can't beat it, really:


That's where I do a lot of writing for the blog (and myself), answering emails, posting etsy listings and pics (which aren't ready to go quite yet btw), and just about anything else that needs doing. Plus spinning of course. And drinking coffee. You know, the necessities.

Yeah, I could knit there, but the spinning bug has bit and I'm just gonna go with it.

In a week we are going to Germany. We'll be visiting hubby's family home, which has been there for literally generations. It is so relaxing there, out in the country. Its wide open spaces and windmills as far as the eye can see. But that is not all that I'm looking forward to, no no.

In the attic, there are spinning wheels. Yup, you heard me: spinning wheels as in plural. They are gorgeous. I attempted to refurbish one the last time I was there, but there are a few of them and they all need a little work to get going. This time around I will definitely haul them all out and have a good look. And of course take a mountainload of pics. It is so interesting to spin on an antique wheel, particularly one that has been in the family. Talk about getting in touch with the past!

Because I now have ample access to spinning equipment, this year I won't be missingout on Tour de Fleece. I have no idea what kind of challenge I'll set for myself--perhaps getting some ancient spinning wheels to work is enough-- but I'm mulling it over. I'm definitely taking a spindle with me and as much fiber as I can smoosh in my suitcase. And Madli of course, who is suffering from serious neglect. Time to get back to her.


Everything Else

I used to go barefoot a lot. Around the house, in the yard, driving, spinning...even in the winter. But I was out on my morning walk to Jefferson Rock when I thought "wow getting up this rock would be way easier without these big honkin' running shoes." Later that day I hoofed it to the post office to pick up the mail in bare feet. It was so liberating that I swore of shoes then and there. And have not looked back. Now I go barefoot everywhere and all the time. Ok, I have yet to go barefoot in stores and restaurants--when I know I'm going I stick a pair of flip flops in my giant bag--but every where else is all barefoot all the time. Seriously folks, its the way to go. Take of your shoes right now and take a walk around the block. I promise you will experience your block in a whole new way. Heck, maybe you'll even want to go another block...

While the kids are away I decided to take full advantage of my freedom and explore my own little world a little more. Yesterday I went down to the river and sploshed around, barefoot of course. I snapped some pics.


About 3 seconds after I took this picture I promptly fell on my ass in the river. That's what I get for being a klutz. Thank god my ipod was tucked safely away in the depths of my L.L.Bean backpack. (I am a die-hard L.L.Bean backpack fan. They have yet to fail me, even this time.) Everything was dry and ok except for my clothes. I felt that gave me license to get even wetter and see how far I could get across the river. I'll just say that I didn't get very far and leave it at that.

I did have a little company while I was there. This guy followed me all the way up river:


We both went as far up river as we could, before the current got too strong to wade in. Its a funny thing to have a goose escort. Not sure exactly why I didn't get a better picture of him!

I had forgotten what a pleasure it was to walk in the river. I swear it makes you feel 10 years younger. I can't wait to do it again.

Oh, I musn't forget the barefoot picture. All those shells and pebbles look like they might hurt, but they don't. They are a very interesting texture actually!



I took a few pics of the graveyard on the way down, you can check those out on my Flickr page, where they keep good company with a ton of sunrise pics from Jefferson Rock (and other Harpers Ferry pics).


One More Thing...

I am completely overwhelmed and just plain tickled pink by all the comments about my "100 things about me" post. I never expected such a response. I want to thank you all for the compliments. I am so glad that you all found them interesting and in a couple of cases inspiring--the highest compliment of all. You all apparently think I am far more interesting than I think I am! I am still so encouraged by my readers, who ignore my bad spelling and grammar and are able to see through to some (hopefully) good content. You all make it worth it. I take every email and comment to heart, and it keeps me blogging. Thank you thank you thank you.

Well that's it for now. The next time you hear from me I will be across the pond, spinning up some stories from Germany. Till next time!

How Betzi Dyes (the quick and dirty version)

I get so many questions about what I do and how I do it by people that I meet that I thought I would spend some time clearing things up. Today I'm going to give you a low-down on what I do. We'll call it...

Dyeing Wool 101,
or
"How Betzi pays for her Wool Habit"

First I should tell you that there are many different ways of dyeing wool, but the method I'll be using is called "space dyeing". I prefer using this method when the weather is nice, so I can stretch out, and I can enjoy the sun and fresh air.

Here is what you need for dyeing:

--wool
--acid dyes
--cheapy roasting pan
--vinegar
--squeezable ketchup containers
--vinyl tablecloth

Some people get freaked out by the term "acid" dyes. They aren't as menacing as they sound, and have almost the same pH as Kool Aid, which can also dye wool and which clocks in with a pH 3.0- 3.5. I prefer to use acid dyes over food dyes hands down. They colors are richer, more vibrant, and you have so much more control over how it looks. I really *do not* want to use natural dyes, given that you often need to use heavy metal and other pure-form chemicals (like Chrome) as a mordant. I prefer a huge $2 jug of vinegar any day.

But I digress. Lets just say that acid dyes are pretty safe.

I am also often asked where I get my wool from. Usually its an online wholesaler, but I actually prefer to buy from the Indie market. Much better customer service and you don't have to buy 50 pounds. Wool can come in many forms, but the most commonly used form for indie dyeing is called top which looks like a very long strip. Dyers often refer to top as roving, even though we know darn well its not right.

Already with all that out of the way, lets get started, shall we?

Before I do anything, I soak the wool. I like to let it soak up the sun as well as water, but of course that is just because my rovings love the sun. Usually 20-30 minutes is sufficient, but I often will forget about it and sometimes leave it for a couple of hours.

Next I choose what colors I want. Sometimes I have an idea of what I want, other times I just grab colors and let it happen organically. I almost always prefer the way the rovings turn out when I *don't* plan the colorways in advanced. I usually have some stock dyes already mixed up, ready to be diluted as needed. I pour the colors I will be using from the stock into the little ketchup squirt bottles and leave room for a glug of vinegar (which is used to fix the dye).

Dye stock, mixed and ready to make some magic:


I then lay a vinyl or plastic table cloth out on the grass. This will collect the excess dye and give me a smoother surface to work on. Don't worry, any dyes that leak onto the grass will not contaminate the ground water.

Next I squeeze most of the water out. It doesn't need to be sopping wet. If it is, your colors will blend as you start to paint. Then I squiggle the wool out on the table cloth in little lines, or I can also do it in a circle or in teenier squiggles or whateve. Each will give a different end effect once I stretch the roving out again.

Now comes the fun part! I get to paint away using the squirt bottles! You can do it Pollock-style and just stand over and "thwap" the color over your lovely blank canvas, or you can do nice solid blocks of color, ala Mondrian. In any case, think modern art and be inspired. This colorway wasn't planned, by the way. It just happened:



Once I'm all done playing I very gently pick up the wet roving and stick it in the roasting pan. In the kitchen I drain out a bunch of the water, being careful to leave just a bit in the bottom. I cover it up tightly with some foil and bake in a 350 oven for about 1/2 hour.

Keep in mind, it might look a little unappetizing. Don't worry, I am quite sure it wil end up just fine!



Take it out and let it cool. If I can, I let it cool overnight. The colors can really "cure" and you won't have a lot of excess dye run-off. Either way I'm very careful to rinse the roving with water that is the same temperatur as the damp roving. This prevents felting. Which is very very very bad. I then rinse until the water runs clear.

Next I either wring out the excess water, or stick the roving in a laundry bag and spin out the excess using the spin cycle of the washing machine. If its nice weather (like today)I hang it out to dry in the sun. My rovings love sun--did I mention that? While the finished rovings are hanging out to dry I cross my fingers and hope that the birds don't make off with bits of it for their nests.



I love how it floofs out after it is completely dry (which sometimes takes a couple of days in this climate!)

Once it is all happy and dry I photograph it, braid it or just smoosh it together and slap a label on it. Viola, now its ready for my Etsy shop!

Well thats about it in a nutshell. That is how Betzi dyes wool. If I forgot to cover something please post a comment and I'll do my best to answer any questions!


Everything Else

What else have I been up to, here in this charming mountaintop bungalow? Getting out of it, of course! Many mornings I wake up, throw on my shoes and head out the door. I love to see the sunrise at Jefferson Rock. Even though you can't see the sun itself, you can see the effect it has on the river, the bridge, the town itself. Here is what I see, which makes it so worth waking up literally before the crack of dawn:



Time permitting I hang out a little longer and wait for the sun to kiss Loudoun Heights, then slowly melt down the mountain. Or I keep on truckin and end up at the church ruins, where I can watch the trains come through the tunnels.


(the lights in the tunnel are the train of course!)

What really baffles me is that no one is there to see this but me. I am literally the only person there. Who on earth *wouldn't* want to see this? Apparently people who are sane enough to stay in bed, thats who! But I can't imagine that it's a scene that I will ever tire of. Every sunrise is different, and they are all spectacular. I have yet to be dissappointed.

What else? I'd like to take this opportunity to reiterate how much I adore this house. I love everything about it. And just when you think it can't get any better, you suddenly have a concert out your front door!

Yup, our friend (and landlord as it happens!) told us abut the annual jazz concert taking place right across the street--the Don Redmond Heritage Concert--and of course we were excited. Plans were promptly made to grill, share some brews and great conversation. I think we met just about every single person in the neighborhood and beyond. It was a great evening and I'm thrilled of course to get to know everyone a little better. I took a metric ton of pics, but instead of posting them here I will direct you to my Flickr account, where they reside happily unobtrusive. If you are on Facebook, you might already know most of them. I realize that not a metric ton made the cut. Suffice it to say my camera settings were off and sadly I lost some really great shots.

That's it for now! Let me leave you with a video of one of my favorite songs. I have it in my head every time I leave the house to watch the sunrise, and everytime I hear it, I find new meaning in its deceptively airy lyrics. To those of you who aren't too blue to fly:

100 Things About Me

I know this is sort of a bygone trend in blogging, but I recently read some interesting "100 things" and decided to give it a whirl myself. Without further ado, here are 100 things about me that you may or may not have known:

1. I used to rock climb.
2. I grew up on a farm. When I was little I used to love to feed the cows apples.
3. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't make lace. It is my meditative escape.
4. I catch myself being way too overprotective of my kids.
5. I was once part of a "Sustainable Agricultural Community".
6. I adore wine but it gives me wicked heart burn every time.
7. I do not own a watch that works.
8. I live for fall.
9. I love thunderstorms.
10. I'm a sucker for windchimes.
11. I often won't finish a book because I love it so much.
12. I love drinking coffee in my new kitchen. I love to listen to the purple martins chat, I love to smell the dew and grass and mountain air.
13. I can't remember the last time I dried my hair with a hair dryer.
14. I'm still not sure about how I feel about being a stay-at-home-mom.
15. I love to walk to take early morning walks, even though I am not necessarily a morning person. I love the quiet that comes with walking and thinking. I take it with me the entire day.
16. I very much want to podcast, and have even recorded a couple of episodes just to test the waters.
17. When I'm in "dyeing mode' the only thing I can think about is color. I enjoy using color schemes from my surroundings. And I love Violas:


18. I used to work at a 5 star resort as a horticulturalist. I loved it.
19. I once spent 2 weeks hiking the Appalachian Trail with my college roommate.
20. I can't stand romance movies, but I LOVE sci-fi. I'm also a total sucker for zombie movies.
21. I love Hitchcock. Rear Window is one of my favorite movies.
22. An Instance of the Fingerpost is one of my favorite novels. Admittedly it isn't for everybody. I rarely recommend it because the few times I have the reader didn't even want to finish it. I do always recommend The Life of Pi. It nearly always results in great conversation.
23. I'm a gadget freak. I love electronics.
24. My second child (The Girl) was the first baby born in our area in 2006. She was born just 28 minutes into the New Year. She was breech and was born via c-section. They nearly had to crack my ribs to get her out. For weeks I had a huge bruise on my ribcage. My first was born via emergency C section after hours of pushing.
25. I rarely use my cell phone and am always shocked when it rings.
26. Even though they are completely harmless Walking Sticks really freak me out.
27. I have been forever resisting the urge to do a "100 things about me".
28. I am adopted and have no idea who my birthparents are.
29. I'm not crazy about Facebook, but use it because pretty much everyone I know does.
30. I have the coolest cat on earth. I suspect he thinks he's a dog.
31. I don't really have a favorite color.
32. I love The Grateful Dead, and saw them in DC with Bob Dylan in 1995. Best. Concert. Ever.
33. I was dubbed Betzi by some friends in Germany who had a difficult time pronouncing my real name, which is similar. I think that was over 10 years ago.
32. Oh, and I lived off and on in Germany in the past 10-12 or so years. Cities I have lived in: Bremen and Berlin.
34. I am a freak for handbags, but I am usually only loyal to one. Current handbag: a Namaste Laguna. It is seriously ginormous.
35. I honeymooned on the island of Crete. It was incredible.
36. I love the island of Burano. I photographed countless rows of colorful little houses. I think that perhaps it was there that the lace-making seed was planted, even though I hadn't yet knit a stitch.
Burano (this is a stock photo. my own are not yet digitized):

37. Murano was memorable too. I collected some millifiori workshop cast-off beads by the shore. They are quite stunning--you definitely can't find that kind of beach glass anywhere else in the world.
38. I get a little preachy when I talk about knitting and spinning, but especially about knitting and spinning in public. I can't seem to stop myself.
39. I have had laser eye surgery. I had horrible vision: nearsightedness 20/1000
and astigmatism to boot. Now I see better than perfect, 20/10 as a matter of fact.
40. But I have terrible hearing.
41. Despite living on a farm and traipsing through miles of poison ivy, i have never actually gotten hives from it.
42. It bothers me when people say "bug" for any and all insects, even if I know they don't know any better. Yes, my entomology prof was a drill sargent.
43. I once built 11 bee hive frames for an apiculture class. And I let myself get stung every week in lab in order to build up an immunity to bee venom. It worked.
44. I actually hate insects. I just love the taxonomic challenge they offer. Most recently I have been stumped by the whole winged ants vs. winged termites issue. Yes, I am rusty.
45. I consider it a high compliment when someone asks me to knit something for them.
46. When I knit something for someone I know (by request or not), I usually am only thinking about that person while I am doing it. Much thought and attention goes into these pieces, even if its "just" a hat.
47. I really love to give my kids hand knit things. They are always so excited!
48. I wish I was far more social than I am. I would rather get to know one person really well than 20 people just a little. In other words, I'm terrible at parties!
49. That said, one of the things that bugs me about being a stay at home mom is not having "real" conversations with adults.
50. I make a pretty good cup of coffee.
51. I love to watch birds.
52. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I love playing video games. So much so that I even worked at a video game store, and knew more about gaming trends than anyone else at the store.
53. I have a very eclectic music library.
54. I abhor pictures of myself but love taking pictures of others.
55. This is my favorite painting:

Its Edward Hopper's "New York Movie".
56. I am terribly uncoordinated.
57. Which means I can't dance to save my life.
58. I think graveyards are fascinating, particularly old ones.
59. But I can't stand clowns.
60. I have a hand-sized tattoo of a dragonfly on my leg. I would love to add to it. 61. Oh, and I really want a bee tattoo.
62. I am extremely prone to migraines. The debilitating kind, where can't stand even the slightest sliver of light or teensiest sound.
63. I have been known to go through bouts of both embroidery and sewing. I'm not really passionate about either (not like knitting), but I do find them to be useful skills.
64. If I had to choose only eat one type of food for an entire month, it would be strawberries.
65. I go barefoot whenever I can.
66. I love NPR
67. Fox News news can suck it.
68. Yep, I'm pretty liberal.
69. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant (both times), and I'm supposed to check my blood sugar randomly.
70. But I don't. In fact, I'm terrible at taking medications on a regular basis.
71. I played both the piano and the saxophone for years.
72. I used to collect comics, especially Marvel comics. I have sold many, but still have several first issues, all in near mint condition.
73. Even though I hate everything walmart stands for, I still shop there.
74. I love the Wii Game Animal Crossing. Its oddly relaxing to plant virtual flowers, and I love blabbing with my ravelry buds.
75. In fact, I really love my Wii. I got it within the first 2 weeks it was out. And yes, I had wait in line forever for it.
76. I love board games but rarely play them. Settlers of Catan is hands down my favorite.
77. I met Stephanie Pearl-McPhee *twice* but was far too star struck both times to say anything. Yes, I regret it.
78. I have a great memory for faces and voices, but I'm terrible with names.
79. I am claustrophobic, but didn't find out until I had to have an MRI (for the migraines). I genuinely freaked out.
80. I don't believe in astrology, but I am a Libra if there ever was one.
81. I really can't stand wearing makeup.
82. I am an insomniac. I really only sleep about 5 hours a night on a good night.
83. But when I get a good nights sleep I'm a very vivid dreamer. A lucid dreamer in fact.
84. Halloween is probably my favorite holiday.
85. I have an overactive imagination.
86. I frequently worry what others think of me, even though I try very hard not to.
87. I love making up stories for people if I'm waiting somewhere, or just people-watching. Sometimes they are quite good.
88. I LOVE going to the movie by myself. Even more so if its an almost empty (but not quite) theater.
89. I have always wanted an Old English Sheepdog.
90. My husband is German and doesn't like dogs.
91. I hate math with a burning passion.
92. I could listen to "This American Life" for hours.
93. Guilty TV pleasures: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Star Trek Voyager.
94. TV show that I am a shameless, die hard fan of: Battlestar Galactica (the new one of course)
95. I am starting to see grey in my hair, but it doesn't bother me. I have black hair.
96. If I could pick a career right now that I could have for the rest of my life, it would have to be fiber arts shop owner.
97. And that has nothing whatsoever to do with my horticulture degree.
98. When I was pregnant with my first child, I had PUPPPS at 22 weeks, until 2 weeks after birth. It was torture. I wanted to crawl out of my skin. No amount of benedryl or perscription creams would help. Apparently it is very rare. I had it again with my second child, more severely. Apparently this is never supposed to happen. It is probably the first and only time I will ever be called a statistical anomaly.
99. If I lose something, I'm always afraid I have accidentally thrown it away. Once, during a move, I threw all of our shoes into a garbage bag. I accidentally threw that bag in a trash compactor and didn't realize it until it was far too late. I'm pretty sure thats where that fear came from.
100. I have a nagging feeling that I will be able to think of other, far more interesting facts about myself as soon as I click the button "publish post".

Well, there it is! I couldn't believe it took me so long to do. You would be surprised how difficult it is to come up with 100 things about yourself. And what a learning experience it can be. Now its your turn! Leave me a comment with a link to your post when you are finished and I'll compile them in the sidebar.

Greetings from Harpers Ferry!

We made it! I almost can't believe it. It seems like we have been packing and unpacking for a year. All but one or two token boxes are left--you know, the ones labeled "misc. stuff"--and I consider us officially done. We have settled in very nicely and are utterly enjoying ourselves. This place is bliss.

I have lived in Harpers Ferry WV before--when I studied at Shepherd College--and it was an amazing experience. Everywhere you look there is an amazing view. You step out your door and you are within walking distance of the Appalachian Trail (for us, its half a block away!). To be living here again is both unexpected and amazing. Needless to say we are far happier living here than living in dinky apartment in DC.

Our house is beautiful. It was built in the 1920's and is filled with lovely details, including some gorgeous stained glass windows. The entire house has wood floors, even the kitchen. We have a nice back yard with 2 purple martin houses, some lovely trees, and a nice old garden. And of course, the font porch is simply divine. The view we have is of Storer College and its fantastic grounds.

Here are some pics:

This is our entryway. All the light fixtures are original to the house, with the exception of the kitchen and master bedroom.



Then there is the livingroom. See the windows flanking the fireplace? They are stained glass, detailed below.

Yeah thats a bowl of yarn on the coffee table!



There a large stained glass panel in the entryway too:


Our dining room. Behind the built-in cabinets we have toyboxes and a dollhouse. I love that you can't see them at all, or the mess surrounding them.



And of course my wheel needs a place to hang out. My pretty rovings can be on display too, in one of those gorgeous built-ins. How freakin rad is that?



Did I mention the kitchen? At first I thought it was a really wierd kitchen. its sort of smallish, has so-so cabinetry and is blazing hot without the air conditioning on. But the first time you experience this kitchen on a bright sunny morning all those things just wash right out of your brain. This kitchen is so sunny and sweet, with light pouring into it you don't mind its shortcomings one bit. My husband opts to eat his breakfast standing up, so he can view the church steeple against the mountain backdrop. I myself love sipping the first hot sips of my coffee doing exactly the same an hour later. And its a cozy kitchen. Its just plain pleasant to be there. Oh, and the giant island in the center with the beautiful marble top doesn't hurt either!



I have already spent quite a bit of time spinning on the porch, listening to the birds and enjoying the mountain breeze. Here is the view I have from my spinning chair. It is amazing, isn't it?





There are about a trillion pics of the house on my Flickr page, so feel free to stop by and have a look there. They include the basement (where my craft room remains unfinished), playroom, "dye studio" (the kitchenette next to my craft room), and jacuzzi. yes, thats right jacuzzi. I haven't taken any great pics of the garden yet, but thats because we've had thunderstorms off and on for days and I'm sure its muddy as all heck back there. I'll be sure to have some pics of my craft room once it is looking halfway decent. And I absolutely have to include some pics of all the yarn that is being spun on my front porch!

I don't want to leave here, so if please please please somebody in the DC metro area hire my husband next year. Give him a big salary so we can buy this place and give it the love it deserves!

How to knit a Nupp without Losing Your Mind

As many of you know we are preparing to move, so I've been incredibly busy with that end of things, as well as putting together my son's 6th birthday party (Mad Scientist Theme. I'm sure you will hear about it later!). Its been crazy town around here once again. I got pretty sick last week with some sort of bug. I didn't feel like knitting or spinning or doing anything really, but laying around on the sofa blowing my snotty nose. Which sucks because the kids both have swimming class every night. Which of course means I have swimming class because my littlest is in the class where Moms have to be in the pool too.

But somewhere in the midst of all that hullabaloo I managed to knit a bit. I haven't really been in the mood to knit lately, what with all the insane spinning thats been going on (see last post), but I did pick up the Knitted Lace of Estonia book at the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival, along with some lovely merino/silk Zephyr yarn. What I expected was a challenging knit that would take a while and be frustrating beyond words. After all, this book is full of nupps. Nupps have a reputation for being a pain in the sassafrass.

My humble opinion? I love nupps. I'm not kidding. I don't think they are fun to do, per se, but boy are they impactful. When I say they aren't fun to do, I don't mean that they are difficult. In fact, I encourage anyone to give them a go. Really they are just a glorified bobble. They do have a learning curve--and that isn't to say that the technique is difficult, its just tricky to get the hang of.


How To Knit A Nupp Without Losing Your Mind

Knit one without dropping the stitch off the left needle, yarnover beside that first sitch and repeat 3 times, all without dropping the stitch. Then knit the last leg of that stitch and finally drop it. Purl or knit (depending on the pattern) all of those increases together on the next row. My tip for knitting nupps? Knit them as loosely as possible. After I'm done knitting the nupp I insert the left hand needle through all the loops of the completed nupp at the base of those loops and give a gentle but effective tug just to loosen the stitches. I thought about getting a needle which is 3 or so sizes bigger with which to knit the nupps, but that could get clunky and cumbersome if you have a nupp every 10 stitches. I tried holding the first leg of the nupp down while i knit to reduce the tension to almost nothing, but that also got cumbersome. The speediest technique to me was the knit-then-tug-loose method. I'm sure there are six billion different ways to do it--please if you have one you like post a comment! I'd love to hear other versions of this technique!

Anyway, here is my shawl so far. I admit I had to swatch a lot to practice with the nupps, but I think it was worth it. These look pretty decent:





And from above:



I think you can see (especially in the last pic) the impact that nupps have. They really turn out so beautifully and make such an impact! Go try one, they aren't that bad! Remember: they are simply a glorified bobble.



In Spinning News

I don't have a ton of spinning news since last time. I am still spinning away at the Shetland that I got from Spunky last year. I am also progressing with the light fingering weight merino/tencel, just a bit more slowly than last week. Its easier to drag out a spindle when you are sick than a big ol' wheel, so I worked with "Ruby" while I was snotting around.

I am happy to report, however, that yesterday I felt good enough to pile the kids in the card to go pick up my fleece. YAY! As predicted, it is a gorgeous fleece. Lots of crimp, just what I love.

Here it is, at least a portion of it:




Nice huh? I can't wait to wash it up, but I have a feeling I will have to, what with the moving and all. And I packed up my combs and flicker anyway and don't really feel like digging them out from whatever moving box they are buried in.


In Other News

Moving. Its all consuming at this point. I won't bore you with the details. Instead, let me show you what I did the other day in lieu of packing.



Yup, I made my kids a box fort. They loved it and played there all afternoon. Unfortunately its gone now, and many of those boxes are packed up already. But it was fun to break the monotony a bit and let them have their "cave".

Thats it for now! Surprised to see a post so soon after the last? Me too! But procrastination can bring great things. I hope to have one more post before we move.

P.S. Podcast. Just sayin.

Spinning Here, Spinning There

In Spinning News
Since I haven't done much knitting at all, save for swap knitting (which for obvious reasons I can't post about yet!) I am devoting today's post to spinning! Its definitely that time of year, when all I think about is spinning. MMMM wool...

I'll jump right in and blog about the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival first. I can't really put my finger on it, but I wasn't quite as excited about it this year as I have been in years past. Don't get me wrong, I did want to go, but I knew that I wouldn't really be buying a whole lot, what with the "Big Move" coming up and all. Plus, lets face it folks: I have a pretty decent stash. A no-longer-hideable stash. And shoot, I still have a huge batt from Spinner's Hill leftover from last year's haul! Yes, I wanted to visit the sheepies and 'pacas (all of them super cute)and try to see the lady spin from her angora, but I won't be doing much actual purchasing. And I think we can all safely say that 80% of the reason we fiber junkies go to fiber festivals is for the shopping.

But I also love to see what the latest trends in spinning and knitting are when I head to a fiber festival. Its always so much easier to spot the "next big thing" when all those trends are so closely packed together. This year blends of plant fibers (sea cell, bamboo, tencel) and merino or other fine micron wools were very popular, as well as many exotic fibers like qivuit and camel. I also spotted a surge in drumcarders--or maybe that was just my brain noticing them more (I want).

I am also so struck by the amazing array of handknit items. Fiber festival-goers love to show off their latest and greatest works by wearing them, be it 90 degrees or 30. I for one was so busy getting my family loaded in the car I plum forgot to grab my kiri shawl on the way out the door(not my latest work, but its silk and not wool. I didn't want to roast in case it got hot). Since it was somewhat hot, many folks opted to wear accessories instead of sweaters, but of course there are those who brave the heat. And of course the sweaters were freakin gorgeous and worth braving every sweaty degree.

What was in my haul you ask? Here it is:

One book--Nancy Bush's work of genius Knitted Lace of Estonia-- and 2 skiens of pearly-grey silk/wool Zephyr. That's it. Not those aren't fabulous scores, but it pales in comparison to last year's roving bonanza.



Why no pics of the festival, Betzi? Sit down folks and let me spin a tale of woe: I had a terrible migraine that day. Terrible. I also took my family with me this year. The kids dug the first hour of looking at cute sheep and petting the alpacas, but they wore out pretty fast. And of course I had forgotten the stroller, since we never use it really--that is, unless we go on trips where we walk a lot (*slaps forehead*). But I blame the lack of pictures mainly on the migraine. I used to get them a lot. I took medication every day to prevent them. They were the kind of migraines that send you to lay in bed, but only after blocking every little crack of light coming through the windows and doors. They eventually got better and I was able to be off of the medication for almost a year. Sadly I think its time to go back to the neurologist: once again they are becoming a dreaded part of my day.

Ok ok I'll stop lamenting and get back to it:

For Mother's Day my family got me a fleece! That is to say, I was to pick it out. Isn't that the coolest present EVAH? Here is a picture of Karma's fleece, from the website of Mad About Ewes, a local spinning and yarn shop. She is a Corriedale/Rambouillet/CVM mix. Isn't that a fantastic combo? And check out that crimp! I just got an email today--she was sheared on Mother's Day and ready for pick up any time. I will definitely go later this week and pick it up! Woot! I am anxious to try and wash this myself, using the washing machine method. Libby--owner of Karma-- suggested this method as a great way to easily clean a fleece. I have cobbled together suggestions from her and others to create the following tutorial.

Here is the short and sassy description of how to wash a fleece in the washing machine:

1. Fill the washing machine with hottest water possible. DO NOT CLOSE THE LID.

2. Gently press the fleece into the water without agitating and let the fleece soak for about an hour. Libby suggested putting the locks in a mesh laundry bag--the kind you use for delicates (or stuffed animals, if you have some that end up in the jelly jar).

3. Bypass the agitation cycle (it must be said!)and use the spin cycle to let the water spin out of the fleece.

4. Repeat as often as you need to to get all the lanolin out. Apparently the finer the fleece (breeds like merino and cormo fall into this category) the more lanolin it will have, and therefore the more washings you will need.

5. Dry as usual. I like to use the sun when I dry my rovings, but in the winter I like to utilize the radiators for drying. Just spread your fleece on a towel and be patient.

I will let you all know how my experience is with washing using this method. Of course I plan on testing it out on just a small portion before sticking the whole shebang in there. If it doesn't work out I'm going to take it to a local mill and have it washed there for a few bucks per pound. I think Karma's fleece was taken to the mill I have in mind last shearing and supposedly it turned out great. Of course I would like to try and process it on my Ramer Combs, but I know it will take forever and a day to do pounds and pounds of wool on combs. Especially because I am not yet that adept as using them.


Latest spinning projects:

I am currently spinning up some gorgeous 50-50 merino/tencel from Spunky Eclectic. Its very thin, but not quite laceweight (heavy laceweight?). I love spinning this blend, but it can be a little bit of a challenge due to the slipperiness of the tencel. (A side note: did you know that tencel is actually a fiber that is "thrown" from tree pulp? For more detailed info check out this link.) At any rate, I am using the method that Libby taught me at last month's lesson. I practiced using some gorgeous wool she had, though for the life of me I can't remember what breed it was. Here is a pic of the practice thread:



Notice how thick the yarn is above the penny? Thats the thickness I usually get using that whorl. After looping my yarn around the hooks (see previous post) I got the thickness seen on the penny using that same whorl! Amazing, eh?

I used the following yarn for practicing my plying, so its a little funky in spots but so fluffy and squishy I just love it. This stuff was so incredible it almost spun itself. Once again, its from Spunky Eclectic, romney dyed in the Gin Tonic colorway. I haven't checked the wpi yet, but I'm pretty sure its bulky weight.



I have been so obsessed with spinning lately I have had the desire to spin on-the-go. I got a lovely new spindle (and fiber!) from Butterfly Girl Designs to stick in my bag in lieu of a knitting project. Let me tell you, relearning to spin on a spindle was no easy thing! I forgot how tricky it can be, and was reminded of exactly why they are called "drop" spindles. I have 2 other spindles--a Louet that I learned on, which has a cracked shaft and is outrageously heavy, and a horribly unbalanced one that I got from an independent seller. This one is a lovely rim-weighted spindle, and weighs something like .5 oz. I am so in love with it! I am now spinning up some shetland into what will probably be a fingering weight yarn. I should add that even though I adore the portability of spinning on a spindle, I loathe plying with one, so any yarns produced on my cute little spindle will be plied on my wheel.

Here is my new baby. I call her Ruby:




Future Projects

Speaking of Spunky Eclectic, over at the Spunky ravelry group there is a Lace Singles spin-along going on. Of course I will be participating, lace junkie that I am. The tricky thing about spinning lace singles is that you have to try to get as balanced a yarn as possible without compromising strength. Ideally, longwools would be used--something like Wenslydale or even Romney. Laceweight normally requires tons of twist, which is exactly what you shouldn't have when you are spinning a single, in order to keep it as balanced as possible. Many times, singles yarn is fulled to increase its strength. You can do this by simply agitating it *just a little* when you wash it. Not too much agitation, or you will end up felting your yarn. Thwacking the finished skein against a wall will also help to settle all those fibers into place, but I tend to do that to all my yarns.

I like to cuddle up in my shawls, so using an itchy longwool is completely out of the question. I chose my favorite old standby, BFL. Its not as long as Wenslydale, but I really wanted to do it. Hell bent, in fact, once I discovered it came in the Zodiac colorways.

Um, what? why? Well, for a long time now I have been thinking about knitting the Adamas shawl. It looks like a nice design that would go with almost anything. I am also a HUGE Battlestar Galactica fan. I friggin love that show, and was so sad to see it end. (Don't know it? You can still catch full episodes on SciFi!) Fellow fans will get where I'm going with this. For the uninitiated, the population (of the humans in the show) were divided among 12 colonies, each named for a sign of the zodiac, and the Admiral of the fleet is named Adama, as is his son, who becomes president in later episodes. So here is my next project: Spin singles from Spunky's Zodiac sampler, which contains an ounce of each of the 12 signs. Use them to knit the Adamas shawl. Wow fellow Battlestar fans and astonish others with my boundless nerdiness.


Other Stuff

Well this post is already super long, but I did want to let you all know that I will be moving to Harper's Ferry at the end of May. We have found a cute little house with wood floors, a nice yard, and lovely stained glass. Here is the only pic I have right now of the outside:




I am selling off the last few items in my Etsy Shop before I move, but will add lots more mid-June at the latest. I just want to move with as little stock as possible.

And since I can't resist leaving you with pics of the fam, here are a few:

These are the lovely tulips I got for Mother's Day. Aren't they gorgeous?


My handsome hubby and cutie pie daughter (who looks a little grouchy). We went to a local amusement park recently, and took a break by eating Ice Cream and watching "live" Word Girl at the Band Stand:



And of course the Boy, who looks super intense:




Video of the Week

You thought I forgot, right? Not so! Here is a cool video I found of a DIY Electric Spinning wheel. How rad is that? If you follow the link he gives you in the beginning (its here, in case you didn't catch it), you will see a fairly detailed description of how he made it--along with all the versions that didn't work. Very cool. He made the final version for about $100 and some know-how.

And here it is, in action: