November Air

Frozen Blueberries and Creatively Dyed

2011-03-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

I've been working off and on with 2lbs of a 75% Coopworth wool, 25% Bombyx silk roving, and it was dragging on and on. I finally got over my motivation issues with it and finished up the lot, yielding an estimated 1200 yards of worsted to heavy worsted, 2 ply yarn. It was spun in the supported long draw style, which worked well with the fiber. I think I'll knit a nice beefy and heavily textured coat style cardigan with it, perhaps cables, but we'll see what actually happens when I actually start working with it.

Almost as soon as the wool/silk was off the wheel, I started working on this Creatively Dyed 50% Merino, 50% Bamboo braid (4oz) that I bought a few years ago at a fiber festival. I've shown here for you photos of the fiber, the singles on the wheel, and the finished and washed yarn. I chose to spin at a higher ratio with the single looped across the flier arm to reduce draw in rate and increase twist in order to reduce the grist of the single. The fiber was split in half-ish, spun on seperate bobbins, and the two plied together. I obviously either didn't split it right or the singles overall were not the same and also seems some of the color blocks do not go all the way through the roving section, so there was variation in the plied yarn and the colors did not match up perfectly. However, I am very pleased with the overall result. There is a large section of green, and the rest of the yardage is varying shades of copper, warm yellows, peach and a touch of purple. It is approximately fingerling weight.

At the moment, I'm planning to knit the Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl by Fragrant Heart Creations.

More Gluten Free Cupcakes

2011-03-06T06:16:00.000-08:00

I don't know what to call these muffins, but just like the last recipe I shared, they're going to indulge the lazy side of the gluten free chef as they're based on a cake mix. But that makes them no less awesome, I assure you. These disappear at record speed. Here's what you'll need:

* 1 bag Namaste Foods, Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix
* 1/2c oil - I used about 3tbs butter and filled in the balance of the measuring cup with coconut oil
* 2oz (Approx.) cream cheese
* 3 large eggs
* 1/2c (Approx.) Pecans
* 4 - 5oz (Approx.) Chocolate chips
* Dried cranberries (I get these from the co-op, but "Craisins" might work as well)
* Macaroon coconut for topping

Heat oven to 350*F, as directed by the mix package. Put paper liners into muffin pan (I prefer a stoneware pan for nice, even baking).

Chop or grind pecans to taste. I usually pound them into powder, but if you prefer chunks, that's fine too. Set aside.

Soften cream cheese, butter, and coconut oil briefly in microwave, but be careful to not overheat them or they'll cook your eggs. Mash up then whip with the eggs. Add cake mix and pecans gradually, mixing after each addition.

Add chocolate chips and/or dried cranberries, as desired, and mix.

Portion into miffin/cupcake tins. I usually fill about 3/4 full or so. Sprinkle coconut on top. Bake 20-25 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pans and cool muffins until cool enough to eat without burning your tongue. Enjoy.

Makes 24+ muffins.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins

2011-02-12T13:00:00.001-08:00

Mmmmm....super yummy by themselves or with a cream cheese or peanut butter topping, these muffins are easy to make since they're based on a cake mix. I just made a few modifications to the mix instructions. Here's what you'll need:

* 1 bag Namaste Foods, Gluten Free Spice Cake Mix
* 3 large eggs
* 15oz can pumpkin puree
* 2.5oz (Approx.) cream cheese
* 2tbsp (Approx.) Blackstrap Molasses

Heat oven to 350*F, as directed by the mix package. Put paper liners into muffin pan (I prefer a stoneware pan for nice, even baking).

Soften cream cheese in microwave, mash it up then whip with the eggs, pumpkin, and molasses. Add spice cake mix gradually, mixing after each addition. It will be thick. Resist the temptation to add additional liquids.

Portion into miffin/cupcake tins. I usually fill about 3/4 full or so. Bake 25-30 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pans and cool muffins until cool enough to eat without burning your tongue. Enjoy.

Makes 22-24 muffins.

General comment about Namaste Gluten Free baking mixes: They're awesome. Some of you might have been excited when Betty Crocker came out with Gluten Free mixes. I have to say, I really wasn't. I'd already fallen in love with Namaste. They're made with quality, whole food ingredients.

We also highly recommend their Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix.

Suggestions for Success and the Pea Vines Shawl

2011-02-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd show you all a recent finished object today. This is my rendition of Anne Hanson's Pea Vines Shawl. You can also view/buy this pattern directly on Ravelry. I have made the medium size shawl with Knitting Notions Merino/Bamboo in Azure. I had a little trouble - I only had one skein and it wasn't quite enough. But Katherine at Knitting Notions was very helpful in finding a skein of the same dye lot for me, and I was able to finish it with no modifications. Thanks bunches Katherine!

The design is well presented and interesting work. The main body of the lace work with the little nupps creating 'peas' is a little complicated, so maybe not the best for your first lace, but if you're past that beginner stage and comfortable working from charts, it is a fairly straightforward pattern to follow. It also has written instructions, for those of you crazy enough to not like charts.

I have three suggestions for you that might make the process easier.

First, as the shawl is started from the bottom, necessitating a lot of casting on, here is a simple way to make sure you have enough yarn to cast on all those stitches:
Cast on a sample by long tail. Note how many stitches wide your sample is for reference. Knit a bit. Check your gauge and they type of fabric produced. Carefully rip out, but when you get to the cast on edge, pinch the tail in your fingernails right where it joins the fabric edge and hold on. Rip out remaining stitches, leaving the slip knot in place. Without stretching or allowing sag in the yarn, measure the length of yarn between your fingernails and the loop. Divide this distance by the number of stitches used in the sample, then multiply by the number of stitches you plan to cast on, and add 10 or 20% of the distance, then measure out this distance on your yarn and tie a slip knot. Cast on. Rejoice that you only had to do it once.
HOORAY.

Second, I find nupps, at least the style Anne has used for this pattern, easier to create with a steel crochet hook, both for the making of loops and pulling through of the last. Try it - cuts down on the swearing.

Third, as suggested by another Ravelry user, I stuck a T-pin under/at the base of each pair of peas during blocking (see photo), to encourage them to pop out a bit. For the medium size shawl, you're going to need a lot of pins for this, maybe 75 or 80.

The last image is of the unblocked shawl. I remember hearing Kelley Petkun of Knit Picks saying in a podcast once that she would like to see more folks post images of their unblocked lace, so that the uninitiated to lace can see how different the final product looks from the in process item. See how scrunched up it is vs the photos posted at the top of this story? As you might guess, the blocking and stretching process also causes the shawl to grow considerably in size.

Bunneh in Repose

2011-01-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

Rosalind, taking a break.

She was shorn just before Christmas, below you can see exactly how poofy she was prior to her haircut. I haven't listed it on Etsy, but I could be talked out of her fleece. The clip was 4.5oz prime fiber this time.

Customer Appreciation: Kate's Scrumptious Handspun

2011-01-02T10:59:00.001-08:00

I was most gratified recently to get some lovely feedback from an equally lovely customer, Kate, in the form of two tempting photos and some comments on some of the roving I have available. Above, you'll see Kate's handspun made from the Coconut Truffle swirl roving. Doesn't her yarn look utterly squeezable and yummy?!

Here is what she had to say about her experience with the roving:

I'm just a brand new spinner working with some really nice fiber. I must say that the [roving] is extremely easy to work with and we all liked the effect of the blend. I think using this provided the "ah-hah" moment I was waiting for - when it all pretty much started working the way it was supposed to.

I'm just tickled to hear that she enjoyed it and even more excited to see the photos of her yarn. I have enjoyed my various conversations with Kate, as well, and hope to have many more. Thanks for your feedback Kate!

Exploring Houndstooth Patterns

2010-12-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

Houndstooth is generally woven as two colors in a twill pattern, alternating groups of 4 threads of each color, creating sort of color drag across the fabric rather than discrete checks. In plain weave, which is the easiest and most typically used texture when weaving with a rigid heddle loom, you can make some thing very similar looking by using just a 2x2 check. Here are two scarves woven in just such a way. For my fellow crafters, I've included some commentary on the yarns used. Both were woven with a 10 dent heddle.

First - Gray Area Houndstooth
55% Bamboo, 35% Wool, 10% Angora

Fabric is fabulously dense yet drapes luxuriously, and displays a slight aura from the Angora. It feels absolutely divine in hand.

The yarn used here was Paton's Angora Bamboo. The yarn sheds a bit in handling, but not excessively so - it does have some angora in it, after all - and otherwise has a nice solid feel. It is ‘toothsome’, like al dente spaghetti, if you’ll forgive the comparison. However, of the 4 balls used, 2 had splices in the form of enormous knots, which would have had to be cut out even in knitting they were so bloated.

It did not fuzz out as much as I expected with the angora, I suppose the bamboo keeps it in line mostly. Yarn held together nicely during washing, displaying no fraying, so the fringe was left loose.

Second - Dreamsicle Houndstooth
50% Silk, 25% Cotton, 25% Rayon

Please forgive my camera, it thinks this is far more toward red than it is in person. Actual color is closer to the color of a clementine's peel, perhaps a hint darker.

The fabric has a comforting weight and smells pleasant due to the natural fragrance of silk. The yarns are neither soft nor scratchy nor slick. The feel is more..."rustic". It was woven with the idea of a solid but not overly insulating spring scarf, but may also be at home as a table runner.

The yarns are slightly different in grist as well as texture, making the orange squares stand out a bit. It turned out very well. It was a delight to weave, both for the textural and color interest, and also for that lovely smell of silk.

The yarns used were Svale Dale of Norway/Dalegarn (white) and Shibu Ella Rae (orange). I have knitted with the Dale of Norway, and it is of very 'splitty' cabled construction with very little give. It has poor twist and is rather stringy, in fact. Weaving with it is fine, but due to the structure, or lack thereof, the fringe had to be twisted to prevent unraveling.

By contrast, Ella Rae has nice construction, with a puffy rustic feel, and a lovely natural fragrance as it is 90% silk. I suspect it would be nice to knit with, though I have not tried. Loose ends unravel only slightly after washing.

I very much liked weaving the 2x2 structure with the differently textured yarns, and would highly recommend trying it to all my weaving friends. It makes for a very interesting fabric.

Finished: Silken Tulips

2010-12-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

Although this has been off the loom for a while, I often procrastinate finishing details like washing/blocking and neatening fringe. This particular scarf, first posted about here, came off the loom November 6th. Somewhere along the way, I washed it, but only applied finishing details (trimming and twisting the fringe) this weekend. Now that it is completed, I'm able to realize how much I like it. In the beginning, I was on the fence, because the white wool/silk warp wasn't really what I had in mind. I wanted something darker, more mysterious. What I got was very Spring-like. But it works very well.

The fabric is light, despite the long length, with lovely drape and a soft, pleasing hand. The plump twisted fringe is delightful. But what really makes it is that wonderful painted warp look. I even love the way the fringe is differently colored.

Overall, the fabric is approximately 58% Merino, 30% Tencel, 12% Silk, and it might show out better if I were to press it, but I really hate pressing things for one, and for another, if it doesn’t sell at my show this week I think I might just keep it. So… no sense in tarting it up more than necessary. :P

What to do with your swatches

2010-11-23T13:56:00.001-08:00

We all know we're supposed to knit a swatch (and wash it) before starting a project, especially big ones. Whether we do or do not actually follow this protocol is another matter. Shown here is a swatch of alpaca in the lace style before and after washing. It was not stretched or blocked, just washed and laid out flat to dry. This was my test for the Memories of Ukraine tunic sweater found in The Natural Knitter (good book, by the way, excellent photography). Notice the difference in the fabric. I'll admit, I don't always swatch when working with a bounce-tastic wool, but with alpaca it is a must.

But once you're done with a project and you no longer need the reference or extra yarn, what do you do with that swatch? More solid swatches are often used as coasters in our house. You could also turn them into squishy blocks for toddlers, or felt them and sew a bunch together for a bag or trivet, or sew up a single felted swatch with some stuffing and catnip for your felines.

Or you could just make a sweet pink-cape-of-doom for your freezer bat.

Joyce Jr

2010-11-20T05:40:00.000-08:00

This baby blanket was finished and gifted this week, after what felt like forever knitting it. In reality, I finished it in about a month. But I was eager to be done with it because although the finished product looks awesome, it wasn't exceptionally entertaining to knit being garter stitch and simple black and white color. It also turned out rather enormous, and had I actually been paying attention I would have skipped the last two bands of color. But I just followed the pattern blindly.

The pattern is OpArt, published in Knitty, modifying only the increase method to knitting up from the bar between stitches. We chose to do the black and white version because the recipient is not interested in pink. Also black and white have the advantage of being the first colors babies can differentiate, meaning this blanket may offer hours of entertainment for the little one.

As it is knit in acrylic for easy care and hard wearing durability, I chose not to attempt blocking it into a square. Acrylic doesn't take well to what would be required for that and the house would end up smelling like burnt plastic. Besides, I like the curly-Q edges.

Sweet Peas and Celestial Alpaca

2010-11-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

Due to procrastination, the following two shawls have been completed and off the needles for some time, but I only just this weekend washed, blocked, and photographed them.

The first is a Citron, modified for length to accommodate not-quite-enough yarn, knit with Knit Picks Gossamer, which is lace weight merino that has been discontinued. Its a nice, squishy yarn, and this particular pattern is just the sort of thing that's great for a high-contrast multicolor yarn. Too much structural detail can get lost in the activity of the colors, but this pattern seems to work it. I've shown here the yarn for comparison and a clip of the finished shawlette. Size of the finished object is smallish, but enough to use as a colorful scarf.

Also blocked today was my take on the Celestial Trio pattern, using a boutique DK Alpaca yarn I purchased several years back at the first MD Sheep and Wool Festival I attended. - Totally worth attending, by the way, biggest festival of its kind I hear, with attendance in the 10's of thousands.

Both patterns are based on pi shawl shaping, and both are well written and easy to knit. The pi shawl style I believe was first introduced to knitting literature by Elizabeth Zimmerman in Knitting Around. This is a highly recommended book, as are all of EZ's books, by many knitters. She is well known for her preference to teach knitters to knit and think on their feet, rather than regurgitate pattern directions (not that there's anything wrong with that, it just limits you a bit). She's also rather entertaining.

Weaving Drama

2010-10-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

I recently started a new project on my rigid heddle loom. Actually, I warped it several weeks ago, then drama and procrastination ensued.

The photo above gives a serviceable view of the warp colors, which is a hand dyed sock yarn (50% Merino wool, 50% Tencel) from Spinning Bunny. I've had this a while, I'm not sure what the colorway was or if she still makes it, but it is pretty close at least to the description of butterfly bush. Also I tossed in a few stands of some blue leftover from a lace project. Working very carefully, I direct warped the loom across my living room pulling and tugging mercilessly on the yarn to keep the color changes relatively even to form a 'painted warp' look.

This photo was thrown in because of a recent discussion about using folded paper, paper towels or toilet paper instead of waste yarn to even out the warp and get the project started. Paper products are easier to get out later than scrap yarn, and they don't tend to leave presents behind (waste yarn likes to leave things like bright red acrylic fuzz). Paper products => better house-trained.

Anyway, back to the drama. The loom was warped through a 10-dent heddle and I began weaving with a dark blue Merino/Nylon yarn from Knit Picks. I wanted it to be dark and mysterious looking with glossy color changes. Instead I discovered the warp was spaced too far apart and it was totally dominated by the weft. I backed up the weaving and removed all the dark blue weft, then untied the warp and switched the heddle to 12-dent and retied the warp. Then I was grouchy, so there it sat for several weeks.

In the mean time, though I got several small shawls knit. Details on those after I actually wash and block them.

Finally today I came back to it and decided I spent all that time warping, I had to do something. Plus, its backing up my progress with my weaving plans, and sadly, being disillusioned with a particular project doesn't justify buying a new loom.

So, I dug out a skein of fingerling weight Merino/Silk (70%/20%, Knit Picks) and got moving. I had time to get about a foot woven, and I think it will work out ok. It does of course lighten the overall impression of the colors, but it will be a nice Spring shade scarf when its done, and I'm sure to find someone who will love it.

Interestingly, I realized while taking pictures that the colors of this are quite close to an orchid in my collection that recently bloomed.

Overheard at the festival...

2010-10-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

Someone commented to me that they considered knitting from their stash as "free knitting". After thinking a moment, I realized I pretty much think of it that way too. Just consider that sense of unique accomplishment you get when you knit with a yarn you purchased over a year ago. You consider yourself frugal, efficient, etc. You didn't buy anything for this project! You "used up" something you already had. The fact that this means you bought the yarn purely for the sake of buying yarn never enters into the equation. Nope. That fact just doesn't exist.

And that is what a multifaceted hobby is all about.

Aren't you glad I explained that to you?
You're welcome.

Bound Weaving at the Fall Fiber Festival

2010-10-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, Sister II and I enjoyed the lovely weather by visiting the Fall Fiber Festival & Montpelier Sheep Dog Trials in Montpelier Station, VA. As usual at any fiber festival, there was lots of lovely things to pet and drool over.

This year, we met the wonderful ladies from Fox Mountain Weaving Studio of Free Union, VA, who had on display some interesting items created in the bound weaving technique. As a shiny new weaver myself, I was very intrigued. They were quite happy to chat with me about technique, looms, and reference books, and were very lively and informative. I'm filled with new ideas and schemes now.

The following are photos of their weaving, though the last image is not of the bound weaving technique.

Rabbit care: Recycling assistant

2010-09-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

More photos of Rosalind, who has the biggest character of the bunnies in our house. Occasionally I give her a used box to "play with" (i.e. destroy). Those of you with cats and children already know boxes are awesome. Apparently bunnies know this too. Roz will dig at it, chew on it, move it, flip it over, and hide in it. Just before I took this photo she was completely in it, with only her periscope like ears peeking out. But also like cats, bunnies know when you're going for the camera.

This isn't just a funny post, though. Activity and entertainment is important for the health and happiness of bunnies, just as it is for any pet. Boxes are cheap or free and can provide hours of fun until they're destroyed, at which time the remnants can be swept into the compost pile or sent to the recycling bin. I generally remove all tape and labels, then fold one end of the box in the overlapping style and drop it in the cage. And of course, don't use any box that may have contained hazardous materials.

Available Babydoll Southdown fleeces

2010-09-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

For sale, several Babydoll Southdown fleeces in the grease, in natural shades of pale gray to charcoal with sunkissed, oatmeal-colored tips. This is still rather a rare breed, though I believe as of this year they have been removed from the rare breed 'endangered/watch' list.

For your spinning or felting pleasure, Babydoll fleece has a excellent spiraling crimp that gives that characteristic bounce to Babydoll wool. This is a fluffy and delightful wool with maximum springiness, any way you spin it it will have more stretch and snap back action than the average fleece.

Like many fine wools, this fleece is on the short side, averaging 2-3 inch staple length. But be not afraid! Due to the excellent spiraling curl, it holds together just enough to be easy to control. Another spinner who bought one of our fleeces commented that it made a lovely, bouncy yarn. This is the type of fleece that will give you “comfort yarn”.

Babydoll facts: Samples of Babydoll fleece were tested and found to be 19 to 22 microns. The Babydoll's fleece also has more barbs per inch then any other wool types, making it an ideal blend with either Angora rabbit or Angora goat. This is a miniature breed of sheep, standing typically 24 inches at the shoulder. They are adorable and typically friendly for sheep, and suitable for smaller acreage. They are making a comeback as pets and for small spinner’s flocks. These fleeces are from Sweetwater Farm in Hampstead, MD. You may also remember photos from shearing day. Please note sheep are not coated and may contain some VM.

Prices below are for fleece only, shipping from 21788, USA via USPS will also be added. To request a fleece, I can be contacted through Ravelry (username SapphireChild) or by leaving a comment on this post with email address attached (comments to this post will be delivered to my inbox but not published, so your email address will not be shown online).

Star, fleece weight 3lbs, 7oz, $40
Great color and texture, has a bit more VM than most, much of which should shake out or fall out during processing, but price is reduced to compensate anyway. NOW LISTED ON ETSY

Bacardi, fleece weight 4lbs, 1oz, $58
Staples have consistent color and quality. Slightly more open crimp than typical, but always an enjoyable fleece. ***SOLD***

Sadie, fleece weight 3lbs, 6oz, $48
Wonderful colors from oatmeal cookie to milk chocolate to granite, fantastic texture, delightful. ***SOLD***

Sophie, fleece weight 3lbs, $35
Color: palest vapor gray with short staple to medium-dark gray with longer staple. Price reflects variable staple length. ***SOLD***

Lizzie, fleece weight 2lbs, 2oz, $25
Very short (~1"), very dense and crimpy. NOW LISTED ON ETSY

Neverending Shearing Cycles and Snappy Mitts

2010-08-23T12:39:00.001-07:00

This is the fleece on our young doe Empire's Rosalind, litter-mate to Walter, who is called Sherman by his new owners, I believe. Both born on New Year's Eve 2009. You may also remember Ros' evil conference with Chutlulu. :)

The fiber on these babies has turned out wonderful. At clipping time, she had 4 inches of densely packed, lusciously soft bright white wool. (Ignoring the bits of hay she manages to get in there...)

Its impossible to get a good photo of her, seems she's always moving. Below you see her after part one of a three part haircut. Pretty funny looking, yes?

I find it is easier to trim in stages because it is a time consuming process. They get restless. So any shearing is done in 2-4 stages over a couple days. It might be easier if I were to actually invest in clipper, but I'm still doing this with a pair of ordinary scissors. For those of you who have never done this: The back is easy, the stomach and legs can be a fight. Invite a friend for backup.

And I've also added a photo of my Endpaper Mitts, made while at ASM conference in San Diego and on the flight. Great travel project.

The swatch for the project was also knit in pattern in the round. It was finished off with ribbing on both sides, and my sister now uses it as an extra snappy coffee sweater. No one else at Starbucks has a better dressed latte.

I found that my gauge was off, and rather than bother to try to fix it with a different set of needles, which would likely have required purchasing something smaller than sz1 for ribbing, I proceeded with the needles I had but altered the chart to remove stitches - 48 sts were cast on. A single seam st is used along the thumb, and the color pattern repeat is continuous between.

I used Knit Pick's Palette from my stash for this and it performed very well. The project uses hardly any yarn, however, so if you have partial balls of palette, you can probably make a pair of mitts. Admittedly, I made my mitts a little shorter than the pattern called for, but for reference total finished weight is 28g. So the pattern uses an estimated 15g of main color and 13g of contrasting color. Go forth, young knitters, and bust your stash.

Meet Marcus

2010-06-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
Meet Marcus. He's a relatively new addition to our family. I can't decide what color he is, but his breeder called him a chocolate marten. Marten is not a phenotype you usually see in angoras, to the best of my knowledge, but Marcus is not of completely angora parentage. Somewhere 4 or more generations back there was an actual silver marten, a non-wool color breed. Marcus has the correct markings on his face, so he could indeed carry the marten genetics. Its just that, combined with the long angora coat which stretches out the color as it grows, its hard to tell for sure.

Regardless, though, he is a very attractive bunny with soft, cottony wool, and excellent house bunny manners.

How To: Reinforced Buttonholes in Knitting

2010-05-31T11:05:00.001-07:00

I came across a very nicely done video today by Eunny Jang of Interweave fame. It describes an alternative single row buttonhole method that produces a strong, symmetrical buttonhole for your cardigans. I think many of you will find it useful. Have a peek:

Rabbit care: The 4-Leaf Clover diet

2010-05-29T14:29:00.001-07:00

Finding 4 leaf clovers is one of the things I have a freakish talent for. This bouquet of 15 was picked in about 5 or 6 minutes just after I put one of the bunnies out in their mini-grazing area. And yes, all of them are 4-leaf, but no, this isn't a sign of nuclear waste in my pasture. These were distributed among the bunnies here on the farm that weren't going to get to graze that day.

Rabbits are grazers. As such, they're designed to eat a lot of foliage. Yes, they also like fruit, grain, & veggies, but the overwhelming majority of their diet in nature would generally consist of grasses and foliage. Just read the label on your rabbit feed - what's the first ingredient? Usually alfalfa or similar.

So when the weather is mild, setup a pen in a nice shaded area with clover and tasty looking grasses and weeds, and turn your bunny out for some grazing time. If you haven't been giving your bunn stuff from the yard already, limit the first time out to 15 min or so (longer if they're investigating rather than grazing). First time out, if your bunn is a house bunn, you might also want to keep them in their cage for 12-24 hrs after, just in case they get a bit of loose stool. This is a normal reaction to a sudden introduction of large amounts of fresh, juicy food when they're used to eating hay, generally a result of the natural intestinal flora not being in quite the optimal balance for this food. You can make successive visits longer and eliminate the cage confinement as their intestinal flora adjust to the change in diet.

Just remember to keep watch over your fuzzy friend for their safety and protect them from the heat. They'll enjoy the change of pace and fresh yummy food, and you'll enjoy watching their joy.

Cthulhu attends conference with Evil Bunneh

2010-05-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

Cthulhu discusses tactics with Evil Red-Eye Bunneh at a recent conference. Evil Red-Eye Bunneh, who is well known for her work in eating Arthur's Knights during the Holy Grail Quest, is currently available for contract work. She specializes in gnawing. Cthulhu, easily recognizable from his squiddy head, is currently on assignment at our San Francisco office.
Full story at 11.

Ok, the bunny is actually not Evil at all. This is Empire's Rosalind, also known as GirliQ, after her first shearing. She is the critter we kept from the New Year's Eve 2009 litter. She has fantastic wool with excellent density, and enough personality for two rabbits. She recently proved to be an escape artist, managing to pop open her door at around 5AM I think. I'm sure she had to have been loose for at least an hour before she ran into the bedroom and spooked the cats, causing me to actually wake up fully. We do frequently let her out to run around the house, but 5AM? Not the best time for that. I'm more careful about fully latching her door now. Fortunately she is litter trained.

The Cthulhu amigurumi was a gift custom crochet for a friend. I used what I consider to be a 'standard amigurumi body shaping', and crochetted-on (crochet-on??) squiddy facial tentacles, angry eyebrows, and horns, adding two-hole button eyes, and wings that are essentially identical to the feet of my angry duckling pattern. His new owner found him very funny, and has since graciously employed him for the purpose of terrorizing glamazons.

Babydoll Shearing Day, 2010

2010-04-11T15:19:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the big shearing day for the Babydoll Southdown flock at Sweetwater Farm. Babydolls are still a rare breed, an old world variant of the modern Southdown stock. They are compact, standing only 24 inches at the shoulder, and come in a range of colors from white to black. The fleece is fine and extremely bouncy due to the tight spiralling crimp, lending an unparalleled stretch and memory to the yarns spun from this fiber. As a breed, they're gaining popularity as pets, spinners flock candidates, 4H projects, and weed control minions in places like wineries looking to minimize chemical applications.

The fleeces are always enjoyable, but this year they seemed exceptionally soft and yummy. It will be a delight to spin these up! this year I plan to try blending the Babydoll wool with some of our own Angora.

Above is a 'before picture'. Below are action shots and 'after' pictures.

Our esteemed shearer getting ready to start sheep #6. I think that was Dani, but its hard to tell from this angle. He starts with trimming hooves, then proceeds to shearing starting carefully around the head and neck, then proceeding to belly, sides and back. Sheep are supported against his legs, putting them in a more workable position while keeping them secure and calm. This a very physical technique, but generally yields very good results safely.

As the shearing progresses the ewe is moved around for better access to other parts. After the fleece is off, I take it aside to the skirting table to remove belly wool and tags, leaving only the best stuff.

Three of the ladies having a graze after their eventful day - Libby (black), Molly (silver), and Daisy (white).

One of the lambs re-discovers mom. The lambs kick up quite a fuss during shearing day, almost as if they're not initially sure which ewe is their mother without her fleece.

I will be working on taking photos and listing fleeces over the next few weeks. Right now we have roving listed. If you're looking for a particular shade of fleece or large quantity, feel free to email me or contact me through Etsy.

The Empire's Walter

2010-03-30T10:58:00.001-07:00

I'd like you all to meet Walter. Walter is one of the kits born Dec. 31st here on the farm, and one of only two still at the house. The rest have all found homes. Walter enjoys sunflower seeds, apple slices, harassing cats, and running on carpet as fast as he can.

Walter is possibly going to a new home this weekend (hope I don't jinx it!), just in time for Easter, but we are now assembling a list of interested parties for our next litter, soon to be bred of Sadie by Fritz. To be added to our mailing list, please send a message to our new rabbitry email address. We shall miss his sweet face but wish him the best!

Rabbit care: Hay rack idea

2010-03-12T18:50:00.000-08:00

Although you can just stick your bunny's hay anywhere in the cage, the use of a hay rack of some sort will keep the cage looking tidier and result in less hay spoilage. Hay on the floor often collects debris. They will often pull hay out of a rack, but even so much of the hay stays clean longer, and of course that also gives them an extra entertainment.

There are special hay racks and whatnot sold by various pet and livestock supply companies. We find, however, the easiest thing is a Closet Maid packet rack. These are available at Home Depot and most likely online for just a few dollars. If you have bunnies that like to pull the whole rack down and flip it over, you can secure it in place with a plastic zip tie or metal snap.

Crochet Pattern: Cabin Fever Scarf

2010-02-09T11:25:00.001-08:00

Folks all over the East coast have been enjoying a bout of snowy laziness, the likes of which we haven't enjoyed since 1996. I know for some, lack of stuff to do eventually leads to the dreaded Cabin Fever, characterized by boredom, restlessness, itchy fingers aching for stuff to do, and general cranky behavior. In an effort to help your recovery, I'm posting a free crochet pattern (or really, design guide).

For this scarf, start by raiding your stash. Pull out partial balls of yarn leftover from various projects, or small balls of handspun. Match up complementary colors and textures, and go! This project is meant for instant gratification.

DESIGN GUIDE:

Any yarn, any gauge, any width, any length. Can be a short scarf with buttons or a pin, a very long scarf with fantastic fringe, or even a shawl.

With hook size appropriate for yarn (check label, or just test a few), chain the length of your scarf/shawl loosely. Honestly, it's a lot to count, just gently chain away until it "looks about right". The beginning chain will be the lengthwise center.

Of the examples you see, two are made with Red Heart Acrylic yarn leftover from afghans, the third is Lion Brand Homespun from various projects. The beginning chain is in the center of all of these. Color progression details are as follows:

Blue/Brown: Foundation chain, blue. 5 rows blue. Flip. Starting at foundation chain, 5 rows brown.

Green: Foundation chain, White. 2 rows white, 2 rows mint green, 2 rows medium green, 1 row forest green. Flip. Starting at foundation chain, repeat color progression.

Homespun: Foundation chain, raspberry. 1 row raspberry, 1 row cream, 2 rows aqua, 1 row cream, 2 rows raspberry. Flip. Starting at foundation chain, repeat color progression.

Stitch Pattern:

First row - Skip first Ch, SC in next 3 ch, *Ch 1, skip one ch, SC in next Ch, repeat from * across to last 4 Ch, then SC in last 4 Ch. If the number of chains is off by one, fudge it by SC twice in one chain. Don't cringe, it is just a quickie scarf - it'll be fine. Mark this side as "front" with a piece of scrap yarn or safety pin.

Next row (change color if desired) - Ch 1, SC in next 3 Ch, *Ch 1, skip next SC, SC into next Ch 1 space. Repeat from * across to last Ch 1 space. SC in that Ch 1 space as normal, then SC in last 3 SC (makes 4 SC in a row).

Repeat last row, changing colors as desired, until half desired width is reached.

Flip scarf, returning to foundation chain. Make sure that the "front" is facing you. Attach yarn, Ch 1, SC in back/unused loops of next 3 Ch, *Ch 1, skip next SC space, SC in next unused Ch space, Repeat from * across to last Ch 1 space. SC in that Ch 1 space as normal, then SC in back/unused loops of next 3 Ch (makes 4 SC in a row).

Next row (change color if desired) - Ch 1, SC in next 3 Ch, *Ch 1, skip next SC, SC into next Ch 1 space. Repeat from * across to last Ch 1 space. SC in that Ch 1 space as normal, then SC in last 3 SC (makes 4 SC in a row).

Repeat last row, changing colors as desired, matching or not matching other half as preferred, until desired width is reached.

Enjoy!

For other knit & crochet patterns, please see my pattern page or find me on Ravelry as SapphireChild.

Bad Haircut Day

2010-01-31T15:31:00.000-08:00

Fritz says, "Oh dear heavens, what have you done to me!?"
To see what Fritz looks like in full coat, click here.

It was time for Fritz to be sheared. As always, he looks horrible now. I generally go for the quick haircut, rather than the stylish approach. We use a pair of rounded tip scissors, like you might buy your kid to cut construction paper with. Since they're not pointy, I won't accidentally stab him if he suddenly decides to make a break for it, and since they're not razor sharp, I'm not likely to cut skin with it (again, if he suddenly moves or something). We do this about every three months, with periodic combing and checking for mats in between. Since it is currently cold in our unheated bunny basement, I didn't clip him very close.

Some folks also use electric clippers for their buns. I understand that there are special brands designed specially for rabbits, but as I'm to cheap for that I can't advise you on it.

Keep in mind also that some angoras shed or molt naturally every 3-4 months. Usually such bunnies are double or even triple coated, so that even though the outer hairs are shed, there is still a full coat underneath. The mom of our recent litter does this. She is a French angora. When they are in molt, you can gently pluck the already loose hairs.

Baby 'Bits Growing FAST!

2010-01-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

The little rabbits are growing fast! They're now 28 days old and topping one pound each with an inch of soft fluff! Seems they've inherited their mom's lovely, delicate crimp as well. The photos below were actually taken last week, so the buns are a little bigger now. They seem to be gaining about an ounce of weight per day!

They'll be ready for new homes in a couple weeks. If you'd like to reserve one or ask more about them, please contact me.

Preserving Heritage Breeds

2010-01-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

The following is a snippet from a NY Times article:

Located on a 45-acre estate in Newport, Rhode Island, SVF is the only organization in the country dedicated to conserving rare heritage livestock breeds by freezing their semen and embryos.

About 45,000 semen and embryo samples from 20 breeds of rare cattle, sheep and goats are preserved there in liquid nitrogen. Each time the foundation freezes a batch of embryos from a new breed, it thaws a few and transplants them into surrogate animals.

While commercial livestock have been bred for consistency, heritage breeds have not been continuously "improved" by humans. They have been shaped more by natural selection and survival-of-the-fittest forces. They are a valuable resource to the livestock industry.

Before SVF, the preservation of heritage livestock was through natural reproduction and organizations like the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Read full article in New York Times

As a fan of heirloom plants, unique characteristics and genetic diversity, this piques my interest. Line bred plants and animals are for commercial farms. They're boring but predictable. They can be high output and uniform, but can also be rather demanding for feed and maintenance. Small farms and home growers have the opportunity to work with something more interesting and unique and self sustaining in heritage breeds and heirloom plants.

Looking further into the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, I find they also have several rabbit breeds listed. These are mostly rabbits originally selected for fur and meat, so not the true "naturally selected" hardy breeds I would consider heritage, but they are endangered as rabbits have fallen out of favor for fur, and though they are still bred for meat by some it is on a small scale only. Angoras, of course, are still kept and bred for *wool*, not pelts, but obtaining and propagating these heritage breeds, as well as careful interbreeding with angoras, may produce some lovely wool rabbits with hard to obtain color and different textures while improving genetic diversity of the angora. Of course, if you have space, you'll also want to help keep the heritage breed itself going, but by at least obtaining a kit from a breeder support is provided for those dedicated to the breed.

Something to think about.

Comments on Cages

2010-01-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the fuzzy photos here, folks. Can't seem to get the knack of photographing constantly moving bunnies. These photos were taken a few days ago (at 15 days). Over the past week they've been increasingly mobile, advancing from crawling to a little hopping. They groom and snuggle with each other still, and although they're still nursing they're also eating a little hay now. Good thing too, because mom occasionally give them the hairy eyeball- they have teeth now. We get them out at least once a day to handle everyone so they get used to it, but because they're young they go right to sleep as soon as we put them back. They're very cute.

Thought I'd talk a little about cages. Even if you're going to keep a bun as a housepet, he'll still need his own spot. They're good at getting into all kinds of trouble, such as chewing on cords along with an assortment of other troubles, etc, so its generally a good idea to both bunny proof and also keep your bun in a cage or pen when you're not at home. The cage will also be where the bun's litter box and food is kept. Primarily I'm going to talk to the house rabbit owner here, with one to a few rabbits.

At a minimum, I'd suggest a cage 36" long x 30" high (to allow "periscope" room for your bun to sit up and look around) per rabbit. Bigger will of course be appreciated, especially if the critter will be cage bound. You can find rabbit cages in the pet store, but I feel most styles are too small for French or German Angoras as they are average cat size. There are also an assortment of other types of commercial cages you can order online.

An easy cage to use is a dog crate. Dog crates with plastic tray bottoms are great. You can find them at the pet store, online, new or used. You can also modify them to have a suspended floor of hard wire cloth if you're not litter training. Fritz here (the little 'bits' dad) lives in a dog crate. You can see his littler box and hay rack (which is actually a spice or small item rack that works with modular pantry shelving) in the back there.

Look for a 36-48" crate with a removable plastic bottom (makes cleaning easier!) and a door on the long side and top for easy access if you can find it. Fritz' cage only has a door on the short size, which is ok, but that means sometimes I have to lean into the cage to clean or grab things. Sometimes crates are tall enough to build a second level perch if you like. Here's a really fantastic modified dog crate cage. Depending on your household, you may also find it acceptable to simply designate a bunny corner and use a dog exercise pen to contain the bun when you are not around. If you go this way, though, get the tallest one you can find. French angoras are spectacular jumpers. Go for a pen that is a minimum of 3 feet high, and/or get some extra panels to make a lid for the pen (especially if there's a hidey box inside the pen - they'll hop on top and over).

You can also build a rabbit condo. A really popular method is with the collapsible wire storage cubes, as it uses readily accessible materials and can be done with no woodworking skills. Here are several websites to get your creative juices flowing:
How to build a rabbit condo (with YouTube link)
Ed and Beth Bunny condo tutorial
Awesome gallery of home-made wire cages

There are lots of other cage styles that you can build with a few basic woodworking skills. Here's a different approach. I also recently saw a multilevel cage made from a cheap wood shelving unit. If you have the skills, have fun with it!

Photos of the 10 day old kits

2010-01-10T11:54:00.000-08:00

Maddie's kits are growing at a pretty fast pace. They're showing evidence that their ears are open and registering sounds, and they're eyes are starting to open a little too. So far, we think what we have is Ruby Eye Whites (which may carry either the Agouti gene or the Chinchilla gene) and Chinchilla babies. Most likely blue Chinchilla. They're all very adorable at this stage with their wobbly little legs and occasional peeps.

Mom is eating a lot these days, since she's nursing and regaining the weight she lost during pregnancy. We're giving her lots of alfalfa-grass hay blend, as well as still offering her typical timothy, and more pelleted feed with an added allotment of fruit and veggie slices, a few black oil sunflower seeds, and a little plain granola. She's happily gobbling it all up.

Baby Bunnies!

2010-01-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

Our girl Maddie, an Agouti French Angora doe, recently had this litter of 6 kits by our German Angora Fritz, who is a Chinchilla Blue. At a day old, three of the kits are pink, and three are dark. In a few days we'll have a better idea of what colors they'll actually be. Babies will be ready for new homes around Valentine's day 2010.

I thought I'd post some of what we've learned so far for anyone thinking of breeding their rabbits.

First, Maddie's demeanor changed while she was pregnant. She became less tolerant of intrusions into her space (i.e. she would give me the hairy eyeball and grunt when I cleaned the cage). Within perhaps a week of breeding, she began nesting. She was constantly re-arranging the hay in her cage to different corners and boxes. Gestation is 32-35 days in angoras, and at 31 days she began plucking large amounts of hair from her body for the nest. That evening, I pulled everything out of her cage and cleaned it out. I removed the fiber from the box, cleaned the box she had chosen as a nest and put in fresh litter and hay, then cut up the fiber and put it back in the box. The next morning when we peeked in the hair was twitching. Further inspection revealed 6 tiny little buns warm in their nest of momma's fiber.

In talking to other breeders, we learned that as prey animals, rabbits protect their nest by not actually spending much time in it, in hopes of not drawing attention to the kits. At this age they only nurse once or twice per day for 5-10 min at a time. You will likely not see mom do more than check over the nest unless you remove the nestbox and only place them in the cage for a short period of time. But as long as the kits have round, fat bellies, and are warm and toasty, you will know they are being cared for.

A look at a recent custom order

2009-02-09T19:28:00.000-08:00

Hi folks! My creating over the last couple months has unfortunately been limited due to time constraints, but I did complete a couple scarves by custom order. The request was for a multicolor crochet patchwork scarf, one for mommy, and one for her toddler. Given a choice of three colorways in a lovely wool yarn- warm, cool, and tranquil- she chose warm. I'm pleased with how it turned out. Nice color, texture and fairly light weight. Below is a little photo essay on the work.

(Note: The actual colors are very rich and warm. The uploaded photos do not seem to convey that on my monitor. Hopefully they'll work a little better on yours.)

Weaving!

2009-01-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Some time back I traded several orchids for a rigid heddle loom. This past week I broke it out finally to figure it out. A RH loom is fairly simple as looms go, but it still takes a fair amount of time to get it setup for weaving. I was surprised that it actually took me about three hours to prepare and tie on the warp yarn, get it tensioned evenly, then weave the waste yarn to even it out. Perhaps I will get faster with practice. I'm using a simple weave, with patterning based on color only, but still I get a quiet satisfaction from seeing the fibers come to life. It will be nice to see how it matures when finished and off the loom to relax. Below are photos of the work in progress.

Blog Treasury: Digital Finesse

2008-12-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

Swiping an idea from Sassa's Etsy Treasury, I've decided to make a blog 'Treasury'. Treasury is an Etsy feature where users can make a page containing their favorite things, things that fit a theme or color scheme, or items from their team members. They can be difficult to get. So why not make a blog Treasury with fun things you found on Etsy?

Dragon Tamer by Mizzdraconia

Thumbelina and the Berry Patch Adventure by Matchstickgirl

Fairy print by Rdirenna

Filodorma by Fayeillustration

Rose Quartz - Silk Lace Scarf

2008-11-27T06:31:00.000-08:00

Here's another 'sheep to scarf', although this is more of a 'worm to scarf'. This story started with a lovely skein of silk yarn, cool and soft to the touch. This was then kettle dyed, a process where I immerse the skein of yarn into a pot of water and acid, and apply dye and heat. The result is pools of color with variation in hue and saturation, creating an interesting texture of color. This yarn was then knitted into a classic lace pattern scarf to make you feel like a movie star! ;)

Featured Artist: Audiodef

2008-11-16T14:33:00.001-08:00

At a recent local craft show I met the producer/composer of Audiodef, Damien, who creates an indie instrumental techno type music. I received from him the above album, Coldest Dishes Instrumentals. I've quite enjoyed it in the week I've had it. It qualifies as techno with imaginative combinations of sound, but is not the hard techno that threatens to rattle you out of your seat. Instead the album style is accessible and relaxed, keeping your emotion on a steady chilled-out level, while still being active and complex enough to keep your interest. Highly recommended!

Coldest Dishes Instrumentals is currently available for free download at Kallisti Gold

A player which will cycle through all the music on the album is embedded below.

Diversity Celebration

2008-11-08T17:26:00.001-08:00

This is a little illustrated story of how a ball of hand-dyed fiber from Creatively Dyed became a November Air art scarf called Diversity Celebration.

This first photo shows what the prepared fiber looks like just before spinning. It always has a certain airy elegance at this stage, and is very nice to touch.

The next photo shows the yarn in production on the flier of the spinning wheel.

This of course is the finished yarn prior to knitting.

And the finished scarf! The design is a simple, bevel knit style that shows of the wonderful variety of color. This was clearly a case where the fiber & yarn were meant to do the talking! A more active design would have detracted from the harmonious yet diverse palette.

for more photos of this colorful beauty, please check out the Etsy listing.