Tour de Fleece--Tour de France

 It's that time again!  Tour de fleece!  Are you ready?  Gathered your fibers?  Prepared your fibers?  Oiled your wheel?  Emptied your bobbins? Ready, Set, Go!

Tour de Fleece starts on Friday, July 1, 2022 and runs until Sunday, July 24, 2022.

Guidelines (Not Rules):

• Spin every day the Tour rides, if possible. Friday July 1 through Sunday July 24. Days of rest: Monday, July 11 and Monday, July 18. (Just like the actual tour.)

• Spin something challenging on the challenge days (usually the toughest high mountain stage: this year, the first one is Stage 9, on Sunday July 10, when a demanding week comes to an end with the first authentic mountain test. The riders will have to adjust to a new tempo on the consecutive stages in Switzerland, although they won’t push them to their limits. . The second is stage 18, on Thursday, July 21, with the last mountain test presenting all kinds of possibilities. Unexpected collapses, ambushes and twists of all kinds could be on the cards thanks to the linking of the Aubisque and Spandelles passes, the latter appearing on the route for the first time, followed by the final ascent to Hautacam.

• Wear yellow on Sunday July 24th to announce victory. Why not wear yellow on any day you feel particularly successful? (Yellow is the color of the race leader in the Tour - but here we are all ‘race leaders’) Other colors if desired: Green (sprinter - think FAST), Polka-dot (climber - as in uphill), and White (rookie).

• Have Fun!

The purpose of the Tour is to challenge yourself.

Here is my challenge fiber--Cotton!  

Sometimes, when I can not watch the Tour de France live, I will record and watch later in the day--

My challenge is to spin at least 15-30 minutes a day!  A goal I can likely achieve!

Good luck to you!  Happy treadling!

Summer Project

I need a summer time project!  One that I can pick up, lay down when bored with it—something that fits in my hands!  I settled on embroidery that I've put off for some time now.  It's perfect to work with during these hot days, stay inside days, being lazy days.  Besides--the title of the book is 

"Snow Happy"!  Maybe, that will make me feel cooler as I work on snowmen!

Look at all those tiny snowmen!  So much fun to stitch such small delights!  I have the cloth already--it was tucked inside the book--can't believe I planned that far in advance!

I'll be using this handspun, indigo dyed silk thread--it's been in my stash forever!  It's a single yarn, just perfect for this stitching.

Every time I did natural dyeing I would skein off a small amount of handspun silk to throw in the dyepot.  Once rinsed and dried, the yarn was wound around a card--wish I'd written the dye that I used--but ME, thinking I"d remember many moons later, didn't do such a small thing as write the name of the dye plant!!  Of course, not!  that would too easy.  I can remember blue is indigo, yellow is most likely osage orange or onion skins (which to this day I still save for another dye day); deep purple and red shades are cochineal (this I know as I have about 5 pounds of those little beetles)  If it remotely looks like green--then it's an over dye of yellow in indigo.  

 

when I did natural dyes at the plantation, where I was education coordinator, I would dye these skeins for a fellow docent, who loved to stitch authentic pieces for the house (dated 1800--it is a French Colonial plantation, very simple and plain for that time period--not an antebellum)

Anyway, I would wind these little scraps of handspun for her to use in her stitching--she was thrilled!

One of the first skills I learned as a young girl was to embroider.  I only knew one stitch--don't know the name of the stitch but it's what I used for years.  Embroidery is something anyone can learn and use. 

Through the years I learned many of the other stitches that can be used to create lovely handwork.

I have a number of hand embroidered tea towels that my mother-in-law did--she learned as a young girl too--stitching on feed or flour sacks--another history lesson in the world of using throw away products.

ready to take thread and needle to cloth!!

 

Heads, Shoulders, Knees, Toes

 Come on, let's move!  

Do you remember this rhyme from your younger days?  It was a great way to wake up your youngsters, giving them a chance to stretch, learn some simple song lyrics, as well as learn the parts of their body!

while destashing, I found this forgotten pattern--Heads, shoulders, knees, toes-- and I also found

parts of the pattern fabric that had been colored, cut out and sewn--I do remember giving my granddaughter these to color--must have been 15-20 years ago (She's 30 now!) Wow!  Time does slip by--

There were silly parts of the body, which you can re-connect anyway you wanted.

I have all the pattern pieces--all 9 of them--

All the pieces and top part of the pattern were jammed inside of this fabric--guess I planned to use this for background.  

I can not find any details or instructions on how this goes together--guess it will be another one of my "orphan" quilts and I'll 'wing it' to put it together--just need to put pen to paper and figure out a plan--

oh wait!  I don't do that--I just go with the flow, or sew!  

In my research to find more information about this pattern (oh why! did I let the whole instructions go??), I didn't find a darn thing! I did learn that if you search fabric companies--you can find a TON of free patterns!  Just what I needed!

Lazy!

 This summer—It’s hot!! Very hot!! Scorching hot!  No way I want to venture outdoors!  I’m not into sweat!! If indoors, there are chores to be done—do I want to do them—NOT!! 

Dust gathers and rejoices that it’s not removed!  Floors feel gritty; good to build calluses on my feet!  Laundry—no problem, I can wear same shirt two or three days in row!  I’ll wait till laundry basket is overflowing to wash clothes! That’s even lazy work—washer to dryer—oh, how I hate to fold clothes! 

Cooking—throw on paper plate whatever is found in refrigerator or pantry—want it heated—there’s the microwave!  Or—throw hubby outside, with ingredients to cook away on his griddle!  Ahhh! Perfect!  He has the clean up to contend with as well, while I sit with knife and fork in hand!  

I’ll just recline on the sofa, with cool drink close, switch on movie or just surf the web; think about far away places in cooler locations.  Grab a good book to read before it hits me in the face—I’ll just doze awhile!  Wake, yawn, stretch—then it hits me! 

That took only couple hours and I’m bored with being lazy!!  That doesn’t mean I’ll grab a mop or broom, cook a fantastic meal, or move from my cozy chair—nah, I’m just bored!  Only for a few minutes before I snap out of it—back to being lazy!  Heat does something to you!!

Seeing Stars!

1. Seeing Stars: see flashes of light, especially as a result of being hit on the head.

Nope!  I've not been hit on the head!  But, I’m back to making Star quilts!  Just can’t get away from them!  I can make them in my sleep!  Cut your center, add star points and fill in with top and bottom squares--couldn't be easier!!

This top has a few stars—work from quilt along with Moda Christmas theme, C. 2019–gave up after 12 blocks!  Time to move onto another UFO or PhD— down the road of completion of more stars!

More stars!! Scrappy stars!  Yes, definitely scrappy—every fabric must come from my scrap bin!!

Love these 6.5” stars!  Method—cut several, sew!  Wait a week—repeat!!  Why wait a week??   Will need 33 for this layout--almost there!

Lisa Bongean/ is hosting this super great sew along!  Of course, I'm hooked because it is 

STARS!!

Look!! More stars!  This is June block from BOM, hosted by A Quilting Life!  This BOM features a frame each month

Pat Sloan has another quilt along, already begun--I'm betting since it's a summer camp theme, there will be stars!

En-tre-lac? What??

What the heck is entrelac?  One of my favorite ways to knit!  I learned this technique many moons ago—fell in love with it.  But,alas, as all good things do—put it aside! Guess what?  There is a new interest in knitting entrelac now, introducing new knitters to the technique—

I know it looks difficult but it's like anything else, one bite at a time!

spruce crafts has a nice step by step plus of course, there are lots of youtube videos to assist you along the way.

Interweave has a free booklet with six patterns that are ready to knit!

Learn this new technique!

I have knit socks (which I gave to my bestest friend--and she loved them!)  

I've knit a scarf (which I gave to another friend)

There are various number of entralac items I knit and gave away--at some point, you decide you can't keep everything!!

I'm taking up my needles again to entralac knit away!! 

Travel The World From Your Chair

 Why not travel the world from your favorite arm chair? 

Cloth Roads offers some of the most fascinating fiber exhibits from around the world!  Sit back, click and travel--no cost, no air travel--just some delicious viewing of wonderful art works done in fiber!  Some of these presentations require registration; a zoom style viewing.  Below is just a sampling of programs presented--let's travel!!

Dressed by Nature: Textiles of Japan

June 25 – September 11, 2022
Minneapolis, Minnesota

https://new.artsmia.org/exhibition/dressed-by-nature-textiles-of-japan

International Folk Art Market 

July 6 - 10, 2022
Museum Hill in Santa Fe, New Mexico

https://folkartmarket.org/

TOKo Santa Fe

The Color Blue with Keith Recker

Wednesday, June 15, at 4 p.m. MDT.

This is an online presentation via Zoom; no registration required. 

Join Keith Recker, a trend and color forecaster, as he presents “Blue: Feeling Blue and Other States of Awe”. Recker is the author of True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments. His new book, Deep Color: The Shades That Shape Our Souls, releases late September. Just click this Zoom link to join the program. 

DeStashing 2.0

Word of the Day:  DeStash:  To remove (a yarn, fabric, equipment, etc.) from one's collection.

I'm still on a destashing campaign!  Slowly but surely, I'm moving fibers out of the house--

mainly, I'll give it to another fiber person so they can fondle it for awhile.

Gee, can't believe I forgot about this luscious stuff!  I found it tucked behind a box, filled

with what else--but fiber!  It's a lovely silk roving--I did spin some of it and then put it away from the looks of the bag--well, it went to the top of my "to keep" pile!!

Then there is this:  pouch of more goodness!  More silk inside my little red carry bag--

I forgot about this too!  mercy me, too old to remember what's in my fiber stash closet?  There are two nice products in this little bag, along with one of my favorite drop spindles--Lollipop spindle!  Yes, it spins wonderfully!  I have several of these lollipop spindles but this one is my favorite--sorry to say, the lollies went away.  The maker is no longer doing these--what a shame--but, we all must retire sometime.

This little bag was given to me by my least favorite SIL--when I received it, I thought "what am I going to do with this?"  and now, it's my favorite carrying bag for my fiber and lollies as I travel--although, I did forget about it for the longest time!

 

Inside the bag, I found little tube of handcream--need this every once in awhile as you spin silk, it covers those rough patches on your fingers; also, found these tidy little balls of spun silk.

When the spindle becomes too full, I wind the fiber off into a neat little ball--it's nice to have on hand if you plan to ply with another color--I usually ply three together--I'm bragging now--my fiber is very very fine!!

Okay, I paused long enough to remember the 'good old days"  Back to destashing!

De-stashing

As I grow older, I know there is no way I can knit all the yarn or spin all the fiber stash in my closet.  I also believe those items multiply overnight!  This week I’ve been de-stashing!  Some yarns have been stock piled for 30+ years ain’t no way I’m suddenly going to use it now.  If it wasn’t touched in those 30 years, going bye bye!  I loaded up two large bags of yarn, took it to charity shop for someone else to hoard for 30 years! 

Same as fiber—I’ve tried to turn it over as fast as my wheel will turn but it’s not fast enough to empty one bin.  Part of me wants to keep all this lovely stuff to finger and part of me wants to give it away.  I found a whole fleece that needs to be dyed—that could be another day’s adventure!  Surprisingly, I find all sorts of fiber I forgot I had—

As to quilt magazines!  Going through that bin, I discovered quilt magazines going back to 1994!  Quilters in those days used templates—today there is a faster easier way to build a top.  I bundled up those magazines and handed them off to charity shop too. 

I think there is something funny going on in my yarn closet!  Those leftover balls of yarn keep multiplying!  

With these few balls, I'm working on another hat--easy to knit while relaxing or watching TV show.

Years ago, we called this a gap cap--we'd seen some at the Gap Store (does store still exist?)  Take two yarns together, cast on 80 or 88 stitches and knit!  That's it!  Just knit!! till you reach the length you like, start decrease--knit 6, k 2tog one row, then knit;  Continue to the decrease reaches crown; k2tog. pull last few stitches together and tie off.  Add a pom pom--that uses more yarn!!

I also found some "peaches and cream"cotton  yarns in the yarn closet==decided to knit some of those Grandma dishclothes! Easy to knit.

No one knows who wrote this pattern originally but it's such a simple basic pattern for all who knit and love dishclothes. I have many variegated yarns so this is perfect pattern!  Also, lots of hand spun cotton—perfect for this pattern

I begin my pattern on double pointed needles, using variegated hand spun cotton

Then switch to long circular needles—I like to use tablet for pattern notations

Finished!  Ready for bathing or kitchen scrubbing!

This one is designed by The Kitchen Sink and will work well with my solid color yarns

For years, I loved knitting Kris Knits patterns-- but I have most of her patterns and love them to this day.  I like using my handspun cotton yarn for patterns--I hold two 2 ply together--it makes for a really nice size cloth and since it's handspun you can't go wrong with one of these as a gift!

As to de-stashing, that’s a never ending job!!

Step Two

 Now it's time to make those dyed backing fabrics work!

First dyed backing!  I love the look of mottling!  

I love star quilts!  This wasn’t a planned project—r found these 3” squares already cut don’t know for which project (I need to label) anyway, stars came to mind!  There are 24 blocks, each bordered by 2.5” dyed strips. 

All the fabric came from my scrap bin—somehow, the scraps aren’t diminishing; just seem to grow!!

There were 24 blocks--so it's a very long quilt for a tall person!

My friend claims she doesn’t have a scrap bin—she’s fairly new at this quilting scheme—she buys new fabric—

Here is her latest project on quilter frame.  

Her quilting is quite good on the long arm—some day soon she’ll have a scrap bin to dig through!  

Two more quilt tops for blue backings—onward we go!!

PHD

Doctor of Philosophy is one of the PhDs I hold! Didn’t know that, did you? I can be philosophical about almost anything! So today, while the house is quiet and spouse is out mending fences ( yes! He is actually mending fences on our daughter’s property—which is a story in its self!)  I’m sitting in my comfy chair philosophizing—with myself, of course! Being philosophical doesn’t work unless you have someone to share those taunting thoughts with. So, there is me, myself and I who are listening—well maybe! My thought process today consist of “should I” “or will I”! It’s constant tug of war with myself……..finally, myself gives in to get out of my chair, grab cup of coffee, take myself to the studio to begin…we’ll go back to philosophizing next time I sit in my comfy chair!

To work on my other PhD! It’s a real challenge!

Tossing out this Challenge today--will you take it up?

For the month of June, I'm taking up this project to complete at least ONE

half done project!  What will it be?  Hard to choose with so many PHDs waiting in the wings.

Warp my loom?

Ply my yarn? 

Sew some pinks?

Make three or is it six blocks for Pat Sloan’s last quilt?  

Soooooo many PhDs to chose from!!

Really???!!! How can somebody do this? I always say, “Somebody lives in Florida” not here!  This will be the first PhD tackled!!