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This spring we've watched as wild weather has wreaked havoc around the country. Earlier this week here in New England we witnessed an amazing lightning show complete with wind and rain. Tornadoes touched down in some areas. There was devastation and destruction, but nothing that compares to the losses in Joplin, Missouri.
Virginia from Gather Here was moved by all the destruction in Joplin to do something positive. She's sponsoring a fundraiser to raise money for Red Cross relief efforts in Joplin. Take a minute to read about her fundraiser. Then check out the list of prizes. It's quite impressive. Consider making a donation to the Red Cross and enter to win one of these terrific prizes. Thanks to Virginia for her compassion, time and effort in organizing this raffle.
I'm packing it up and heading to the Maine Fiber Frolic for the weekend. This lovely event includes shearing, workshops, fiber arts contests and a used equipment area. This is a wonderful family event. Stop by if you're in the area.
Packing always includes last minute details - twisting and labeling skeins of yarn.
And making up a few kits. Anything that's not ready this morning will just have to wait for the next event.
White. Is it a color or not? Lily of the valley provides my color inspiration for the week.
Sweet, delicate white.
I'm often bouncing back and forth between planning and production. It takes time and effort to organize and coordinate the events where I'm vending. And it takes time and effort to wind, dye and label the yarn.
Even though I have a planning list that is screaming for my attention, this past weekend I was clearly in production mode. I'm gearing up for another event, so there was a healthy amount of dyeing.
And to keep things lively I decided to push for another booth sample. I finished the pieces.
Body.
Sleeves.
I-cord ties.
All the pieces were assembled.
Sweet Bunting Cardigan, the booth sample. Last night I had a productive knit night. Sweet Bunting is finished except for weaving in a few ends. After blocking it will be good to go.
The sweater is just one piece of this project. Next up is assembling the kits that go with the sample. Production continues. It looks like that planning list will have to wait a bit longer.
Last week I was debating which color yarn to use for a new project - brown, gray or red. While I love all three colors, the red skein won out. We were in that cycle of gray, dreary days. The red definitely lifted my spirits.
Even though I am still in the midst of my Sweet Bunting obsession - dyeing yarn, knitting sweaters - I did manage to spend a little time with the skein of red. I didn't have a sock on the needles and felt lost without one.
Now I have Hedgerow Socks to keep me company.
A few weeks ago these tulips caught my eye.
The reflection of red on a glistening white fence.
If you knit stranded colorwork, you understand that sometimes color is all about the contrast. These red tulips wouldn't be nearly so striking without the white fence. They are my color inspiration for the week.
Red on white.
A few months ago I learned that not one, but two friends were having babies - babies with very close due dates. To a knitter new baby translates into new baby sweater. It's been a while since anyone in my family or circle of friends has had a baby, so I was excited with the prospect of knitting a couple of baby sweaters. I had plenty of advance notice. I would knit these sweaters and have time to spare.
I didn't give it much thought because I had so much time. I knew from experience that it didn't take long to knit a baby sweater. As we moved from winter to spring, from April to May my husband reminded me about the sweaters. The babies are going to be here soon, I was warned. I should note that one of the parents is a close friend of his, so he has a vested interest in this sweater project.
I started the process of looking at patterns for baby sweaters. I have made so many baby sweaters over the years that my collection of patterns is quite extensive, but I wanted something new. Something fresh. Then I had the bright idea that while I was at it, I might as well dye the yarn for the sweaters. These baby sweaters were going to be beyond special.
I picked a pattern and started playing around with colors. With so many options it was hard to choose. I finally settled on this combination for one of the sweaters.
The pattern is Sweet Bunting Cardigan by Laura Chau. The yarn is 100% superwash merino. Both the yarn line and the colorways are currently unnamed.
This design has charming details.
A seed stitch band along the bottom edge.
And around the neckline.
To make it interesting there's a bit of colorwork.
Little flags along the yoke.
The contrasting color continues.
I-cord ties for closure.
As so often happens one thing leads to another, and this project has taken on a life of its own. It dawned on me that I could offer this sweater as a kit - and that's what I'm doing. This sweater kit will be available in four different sizes, each with three different color combinations. That means I still have two sweaters to knit - one for the second baby, the other for a booth sample. And there's still time to spare. Neither of the babies has been born. Yet.
I spent a delightful Saturday this past weekend at the Rhode Island Wool and Fiber Festival. This one day event is held on the grounds of Coggeshall Farm.
All of the vendors were outside.
The day started with dense fog, clouds and a bit of drizzle. Given our recent wet weather pattern, vendors were concerned about rain. There was nothing to be worried about. By noon the sun was out, and the day turned warm.
Coggeshall Farm is in a beautiful location off a winding road with ocean views.
The farm is a living history museum with interpreters dressed in period costumes performing farm tasks from the late 18th century.
The farm has many animals.
There were donkey rides.
Chickens roamed around by the barn.
And this baby duck felt right at home. She came all the way from Maine with one of the vendors.
Her name is Harriet.
It was good to see so many of my Rhode Island friends. It was a relaxing day to hang out and spin or knit.
Beautiful setting, wonderful people. It was an enjoyable Saturday in Rhode Island.
I'm packing for Rhode Island Wool and Fiber Festival. I should be packing. I had the bright idea that I need to start a new knitting project, so I've taken a slight detour.
I have a pattern in mind and am considering this yarn.
Or this one.
I thought the situation was manageable - pick one color or the other. Things became a bit more complicated when I started thinking about a second pattern.
That's when I pulled this yarn.
I know I'm procrastinating. Packing isn't fun, but at least now I can contemplate these options while I load everything up. After an endless string of gray, foggy, drizzly, damp days there's a good chance the red one will win out. I don't need the sun to brighten my day.
Lilacs are one of my springtime favorites. Their delicate, rich purple is my color inspiration for this week.
And they smell good too.
I'm doing my best to go with the flow. Today is not taking shape the way I had intended, but my current knitting project is.
As evidence of how my day has gone awry this picture was taken at the car dealership where a "quick" appointment took all morning and then some. This wee sweater is Sweet Bunting. It has come together quickly, and I'm about to start the yoke colorwork. There's nothing like knitting a baby sweater to lift my spirits and salvage my day.
