Yeah! Isn't that wild? I knit the sweater before I knew her and now I'm suddenly all about marled yarn. This one is knit from one strand of dark grey hand spun cormo, one strand of Paradise Fibers Mazuma yarn--all fibers from the same Montana sheep farm. I wonder what else would be fun?
Congratulations to you and Beryl on finding each other, I hope for the long term.
About cordage and Sally pointer, I'm a big fan of Sally, have sent people to her YouTube channel and Twitter.
I learned from her videos to use day lily and iris foliage to make cordage. Not milkweed -- it's rare here and the monarchs need it -- but easily available foliage.
I taught a visiting next door grandchild, and her grandfather, my neighbor. She was very adept and I added in some silk roving in bright colors. Gave her some more fibers to take home. Once home she taught her mother, then her aunt!! Each one teach one.
It's great fun and everyone who sees it in action wants to try it. I throw in a history of how ancient this art is, where it's been used. Thanks so much for being involved in this and taking it so far.
YES -- so so many wonderful fibers that can become cordage. Sally is a fabulous source. My first cordage was also from day lily and Iris leaves. But Sally pointed me toward Burdock, Bramble/Blackberry, and Willow bark (particularly delicious). Also I I agree about the monarchs and milkweed -- it's one of the things I try to keep in mind, using green stalks only where there is abundance (or someone has ripped it out of their garden cuz its taking over), or now these winter-retted ones which are long past monarch time.
What bliss to get your neighbors, young and old, twisting glorious silk as well : spreading contentment and engagement and skill all at once. It's what this is all about , eh?
How wonderful that you got Beryl! She looks beautiful. You will be great side kicks!
The reason I was asking about spinning is exactly for the reason you mentioned - stress on the hands. Years of computer work mean that my hands get stressed easily and my fiber crafts and gardening don’t help any. I was thinking of avoiding the twisting but the combing might also stress the hands.
I am planting more milkweed this week. I hope the plants take - I have only had limited luck with it so far - food for Monarch caterpillars and milkweed bugs and fiber for me!
Ah, gardening -- it does do a number on the hands to be sure! I was pulling weeds yesterday, and preparing a bed for sets and my hands did protest mightily when I came back in to weave. Frustrating and... real. So whatever works. Be really fun to experiment though, and share "hand -kind" techniques for working with fibers we grow. Good luck with the milkweed plants.
Thank you! I do hope so too -- next generation wise that is. I feel like interest is growing, so we can only hope. And my granddaughter will certainly be exposed to it one way or another!
Oh thanks Katherine. She is adorable and super companionable--more every day as she relaxes and starts to trust every car ride doesn't mean she's going to some new person/place. And she's just brave enough now to be outside on the deck by herself for a few minutes now and again. But keeping an eye on the squirrels is important!
I might have hopped up and down a little bit in my chair when I read you had invited Beryl to share your life adventures. I'm SO thrilled for you! I have two myself, one an 11 yro gentle giant named Paver who I've had since he was a puppy. And Buddha, who I rescued some 8 years ago because she was abandoned in the rental behind my house. (Who does such things!?) She is a nervous one too. She'd never been out for walks with her previous people, another indication of their awful character. She's never going to like strange dogs but she loves Paver and she loves every cat she sees. Both of them are the dearest to me and I just can't imagine life without a dog. When I recover from my excitement over Beryl, I will look into Sally's videos. The milkweed is very exciting too!
Oh, yes -- so love hearing about your two! A gentle giant and a timid dog that loves cats. Such comfort all around. Indeed a kind of bodily contentment that just feels right when you and your canine companions are together. I"ll be interested to see how brave Beryl becomes as she gets more trusting of the world. She's already pretty confident that this is her back yard!
Love you got dog! Huge dog person myself and also a craftsperson in the sewing realms. I first saw your show at the Latimer Textile Center quite a few years ago and was blown away by the tapestries! You are a very creative soul!
Oh gosh Emily -- how lovely that you saw the Latimer Show! Or one of them anyway as I've been lucky enough to have work in several. WHAT a marvelous place that is. And thank you!
It's a top down round yoke sweater -- basically an Icelandic pattern I've knit before without the color patterns. I love how it fits so it seemed worth a try. The yarn is one strand of dark grey hand spun Cormo, one strand of Paradise Fibers Mazuma yarn (a mix of Targhee, Cormo and polworth I think) knit together to make a thick enough yarn. Both my fleece and the Mazuma came from the same Montana sheep farm!
So happy that you have found a companion, Sarah! I love the name Beryl - same as the gem mineral for Emerald, Aquamarine, and Morganite! And I did catch your pondering of her colors..."indigo, malachite, hematite, or carbon black". All of them! The gem crystalline form has wonderful healing properties (https://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/beryl/). Maybe Beryl, your new companion, will have some of those qualities? 😉 After John passed I was adopted by a cat - the one John wanted me to have "because you will need comforting, Bonnie". The morning after he passed, I called and made arrangements to get the cat, who I named JR. He was the PERFECT companion for me at the time. When I finally moved to MN, I had to part ways and return JR to John's cousin's horse farm from which he came. It was heartbreaking at the time, but for various reasons I couldn't bring him to MN. Now that I am settled, I am feeling the tug to get another animal companion - most likely cat.
My word Bonnie -- I had no idea Beryl (the mineral) had such properties -- and now am extra thrilled that this is her name. I might, indeed, need to see if I can find an actual stone to keep as near to me as Beryl the dog (who has, indeed, been very good for me so far in many ways). There's a cool little store in downtown Moscow called Gem State Crystals that has been there for decades -- perhaps Beryl and I will meander down and see! In the meantime, I hope you find your new animal companion -- or they find you--at just the right moment. That John wanted you to have a cat -- and even picked one out before he passed-- is adorable. Dan, too, was pretty sure I'd soon have a dog. He was right about so many things....
Oh yes, you & Beryl should meander down to the crystal store! I’ve been working with them for years - even helping other people discern what crystals they need.
Ah Melanie -- I thought of you right away when I got her! She is indeed quite the velcro girl -- though she just went outside all by herself to watch the squirrels.
Yeah! A Dog for you and a person for Beryl.
Sarah, your doggo is lovely! I wish you both the best of sidekickery.
Seems like a lot of the things you enjoy are found by the roadside...🤔
I am so glad you are doing all this fun stuff again, and sending it out, by blog, into the ether, where we can enjoy it vicariously.
Thanks Sally! Both dog and blog are ridiculously satisfying-- together providing lovely structured companionship. So happy you're here.
And she matches your sweater!
Yeah! Isn't that wild? I knit the sweater before I knew her and now I'm suddenly all about marled yarn. This one is knit from one strand of dark grey hand spun cormo, one strand of Paradise Fibers Mazuma yarn--all fibers from the same Montana sheep farm. I wonder what else would be fun?
I am so happy that Beryl has come to live with you.
Me too! I feel very fortunate.
Congratulations to you and Beryl on finding each other, I hope for the long term.
About cordage and Sally pointer, I'm a big fan of Sally, have sent people to her YouTube channel and Twitter.
I learned from her videos to use day lily and iris foliage to make cordage. Not milkweed -- it's rare here and the monarchs need it -- but easily available foliage.
I taught a visiting next door grandchild, and her grandfather, my neighbor. She was very adept and I added in some silk roving in bright colors. Gave her some more fibers to take home. Once home she taught her mother, then her aunt!! Each one teach one.
It's great fun and everyone who sees it in action wants to try it. I throw in a history of how ancient this art is, where it's been used. Thanks so much for being involved in this and taking it so far.
Beryl will like assisting.
Liz Adams
YES -- so so many wonderful fibers that can become cordage. Sally is a fabulous source. My first cordage was also from day lily and Iris leaves. But Sally pointed me toward Burdock, Bramble/Blackberry, and Willow bark (particularly delicious). Also I I agree about the monarchs and milkweed -- it's one of the things I try to keep in mind, using green stalks only where there is abundance (or someone has ripped it out of their garden cuz its taking over), or now these winter-retted ones which are long past monarch time.
What bliss to get your neighbors, young and old, twisting glorious silk as well : spreading contentment and engagement and skill all at once. It's what this is all about , eh?
How wonderful that you got Beryl! She looks beautiful. You will be great side kicks!
The reason I was asking about spinning is exactly for the reason you mentioned - stress on the hands. Years of computer work mean that my hands get stressed easily and my fiber crafts and gardening don’t help any. I was thinking of avoiding the twisting but the combing might also stress the hands.
I am planting more milkweed this week. I hope the plants take - I have only had limited luck with it so far - food for Monarch caterpillars and milkweed bugs and fiber for me!
Ah, gardening -- it does do a number on the hands to be sure! I was pulling weeds yesterday, and preparing a bed for sets and my hands did protest mightily when I came back in to weave. Frustrating and... real. So whatever works. Be really fun to experiment though, and share "hand -kind" techniques for working with fibers we grow. Good luck with the milkweed plants.
Such a handsome cattle dog. Thank you for sharing your talents. Sure hope the next generation will continue these arts.
Thank you! I do hope so too -- next generation wise that is. I feel like interest is growing, so we can only hope. And my granddaughter will certainly be exposed to it one way or another!
Congratulations on Beryl. She looks beautiful, the perfect model and companion. Katherine
Oh thanks Katherine. She is adorable and super companionable--more every day as she relaxes and starts to trust every car ride doesn't mean she's going to some new person/place. And she's just brave enough now to be outside on the deck by herself for a few minutes now and again. But keeping an eye on the squirrels is important!
I understand dog bliss perfectly. She looks perfect.
I'm so very happy for you both -- she is adorable!
I might have hopped up and down a little bit in my chair when I read you had invited Beryl to share your life adventures. I'm SO thrilled for you! I have two myself, one an 11 yro gentle giant named Paver who I've had since he was a puppy. And Buddha, who I rescued some 8 years ago because she was abandoned in the rental behind my house. (Who does such things!?) She is a nervous one too. She'd never been out for walks with her previous people, another indication of their awful character. She's never going to like strange dogs but she loves Paver and she loves every cat she sees. Both of them are the dearest to me and I just can't imagine life without a dog. When I recover from my excitement over Beryl, I will look into Sally's videos. The milkweed is very exciting too!
Oh, yes -- so love hearing about your two! A gentle giant and a timid dog that loves cats. Such comfort all around. Indeed a kind of bodily contentment that just feels right when you and your canine companions are together. I"ll be interested to see how brave Beryl becomes as she gets more trusting of the world. She's already pretty confident that this is her back yard!
Love you got dog! Huge dog person myself and also a craftsperson in the sewing realms. I first saw your show at the Latimer Textile Center quite a few years ago and was blown away by the tapestries! You are a very creative soul!
Oh gosh Emily -- how lovely that you saw the Latimer Show! Or one of them anyway as I've been lucky enough to have work in several. WHAT a marvelous place that is. And thank you!
Beryl is gorgeous ! And where did that marvelous sweater pattern come from? Is it top-down, or bottom-up?
It's a top down round yoke sweater -- basically an Icelandic pattern I've knit before without the color patterns. I love how it fits so it seemed worth a try. The yarn is one strand of dark grey hand spun Cormo, one strand of Paradise Fibers Mazuma yarn (a mix of Targhee, Cormo and polworth I think) knit together to make a thick enough yarn. Both my fleece and the Mazuma came from the same Montana sheep farm!
So happy that you have found a companion, Sarah! I love the name Beryl - same as the gem mineral for Emerald, Aquamarine, and Morganite! And I did catch your pondering of her colors..."indigo, malachite, hematite, or carbon black". All of them! The gem crystalline form has wonderful healing properties (https://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/beryl/). Maybe Beryl, your new companion, will have some of those qualities? 😉 After John passed I was adopted by a cat - the one John wanted me to have "because you will need comforting, Bonnie". The morning after he passed, I called and made arrangements to get the cat, who I named JR. He was the PERFECT companion for me at the time. When I finally moved to MN, I had to part ways and return JR to John's cousin's horse farm from which he came. It was heartbreaking at the time, but for various reasons I couldn't bring him to MN. Now that I am settled, I am feeling the tug to get another animal companion - most likely cat.
My word Bonnie -- I had no idea Beryl (the mineral) had such properties -- and now am extra thrilled that this is her name. I might, indeed, need to see if I can find an actual stone to keep as near to me as Beryl the dog (who has, indeed, been very good for me so far in many ways). There's a cool little store in downtown Moscow called Gem State Crystals that has been there for decades -- perhaps Beryl and I will meander down and see! In the meantime, I hope you find your new animal companion -- or they find you--at just the right moment. That John wanted you to have a cat -- and even picked one out before he passed-- is adorable. Dan, too, was pretty sure I'd soon have a dog. He was right about so many things....
Oh yes, you & Beryl should meander down to the crystal store! I’ve been working with them for years - even helping other people discern what crystals they need.
Now that is a fascinating and helpful skill. I'm most intrigued.
It is a gift I do not take lightly and gladly share with those who need help. ❤️
Dave and I are so happy for you and Beryl! She will be by your side like Velcro.
Ah Melanie -- I thought of you right away when I got her! She is indeed quite the velcro girl -- though she just went outside all by herself to watch the squirrels.
She's beautiful. Cherish the love.