stitches west 2011 part 2

Dang, i better wrap up my stitches west trip-before it's ancient history. we spent the entire day friday till 6pm on the market floor. oh the intensity!!! i found a few new vendors that i just adored and thought i'd share them with you.

there was WOOL CANDY from san carlos ,ca. adrienne had beautiful colors and ultra soft fibers. sorry, i didn't get a photo. i bought some roving from her-couldn't resist.

BECOMING ART was a definite must! Lisa was super sweet. here's rhodi and i modeling with our favorite colorways-merino and cashmere roving- buttery soft!


of course there was SANGUINE GRYPHON. amazing-about sums up their booth.

here's another booth photo- the photos don't do it justice. they had some awesome steam punk stuff too! i wish i'd gotten some photos of the gals working the booth-their costumes were amazing.

we spent a lot of time at the SUNSHINE YARN booth. dani put up with our weirdness and out came the credit card....shhh!!!!

SOXCHIK and i had the opportunity to meet ALI MacGRAW!!! OMG! she was so nice and sincere! ALI just loved my fraggles. she still looks fabulous! she was there promoting the ali hat from "love story."note her hand on my shoulder!


about half way thru the day-i was overcome with waves of intense nausea and faintness. oh no! i was beside myself-i just couldn't get sick at stitches. then my mom's instant cure popped into my head:

works every time!!! there's nothing like a cold icy coke when you need one. i was feeling refreshed and ready to walk the floor again, breath in more yarn fumes and spend more money.

found some awesome buttons- my computer has decided the picture should be sideways-????

this is the first year i took a class at stitches. i have realized that my knitting knowledge hasn't really deepened or expanded in the past years so, i decided to take a class- a real class. not a "fun" class but a "brain" class. i had to leave all my friends in the market place and head to my classroom. i was feeling a bit anxious. of course i was the last one to arrive to class-i wasn't late, but i wasn't there early getting all set up like a good student. i came in with fraggles, wearing a vintage apron, dropping all my stuff like the total geek that i am -at least i remembered my homework. but forgot my calculator-! i was taking J.C. BRIAR'S slick set in sleeves-seamless!!! after 5 minutes of the class i was ready to bolt. thinking about all my buddies having a gas in the market-and me sitting at a table in the back of the room, completely confused with a brain that was really hurting. wow! i realized- you haven't worked the old noggin in awhile. having a major conversation with myself-i talked myself into staying-mainly cause the class was not cheap. i'm sure glad i did. i ended up learning tons and J.C. was a great teacher. i'm hoping she can come and teach this class for our guild. i want to take it again!

after my class, i headed back down to the market to find my cronies. i had a fabulous surprise waiting for me. i had won one of the daily drawings-i felt like ed mcman just knocked on my door!

check it out:

i effin won a skein of BUGGA from sanguine gryphon!!!! blessed be! i chose a stormy ocean color, the name really got me too! potato leafhopper.

i plan on making the clothilde shawl with it. chomping on the bit to start-tying to be good and finish up some projects first.

needing a break, i sat at a table for needle felters... tatoos. right on!

here's the gals from girl on the rocks and pigeonroof studios. got some sock yarn and roving....wanted more.


saturday evening rhodi and i had to head back up to our hill before we turned into pumpkins- we said our goodbyes and sadly left the convention center.

as promised, my stash enhancement:

have a closer look!

the colors make my heart sing!

i reserved the fleece last year at stitches from judy gunn of judy's novelty knits in utah. the fleece is a from one of her merino sheep named "darlin." it's her 4th shearing. she has wonderful fleeces. last year at stitches judy taught us locker rug hooking.

nice! i also got many cool patterns. nice to see stuff knit up in real life before buying a pattern. another fabulous time at stitches...still floating!

stitches west 2011 part one

okay, i know it's been forever since i've posted-but i have good reasons. i went to stitches west(the most amazing knitting convention evar!!!) a few weeks back and was very excited about posting immediately. BUT- when i returned home the "courier" had to be done. for those of you that don't know , i do our monthy town newsletter. all my waking hours were spent doing the courier to meet my deadline. once that was finished-that very night,when i was about to start blogging- we had a major winter storm which knocked out our power, phones and internet.

i was S.O.S. what a bummer. finally the power has been restored(only 5 days this time!) internet still not quite right-but i am attempting to catch up today.

as usual, rhodi and i left the security of our "hill" and headed to the bay area in the blinding rain. as we hit sacramento we saw the coolest thing-a shuttle bus that said "The Llama Limo"on the back. we figured it was a chartered bus headed for stitches- when we passed ready to wave at the knitters we were met with a bus full of llamas!!! it was awesome.
unfortunately i didn't have my camera ready when we were right next to the bus-but there it is. the limo is from fallen oaks ranch. the journey continued and i got a lot of knitting done.

no, i wasn't driving! we arrived at the santa clara convention center around 2ish and had an immediate 'fraggle' party in luci and vail's room while waiting for soxy sue aka soxchik to arrive. luci is a hair braider extraordinaire. she always makes us look great at the celtic fest; so we figured braids were a must for this event as well. fraggles are my favorite braids-thanks luci!!! all the small photos courtesy of soxy -not sure how to make them bigger.

soxy arrived shortly and the party really began. we all got ready for the thursday nite market preview. it's my favorite part of stitches. the crowds are manageable and there are special deals to find and you get first pick of all the luscious fibery goodness. squeals of delight can be heard from around the market floor.

i bought some patterns from the fabulous designer rock star rosemary hill aka Romi.
she was so genuine and she blessed me with her magic wand-look closely at the photo below and you will see her wand and her tiara.
tiaras were big this year.normally we try real hard to have some sort of organization when walking the floor- so nothing is missed. this year-i had major ADHD and was willy nilly flitting all the over the place. i could barely contain myself, i wanted to run madly down the aisles shrieking with joy and delight. the colors, the fibers-the yarn fumes. it's all too much.

we headed to one of our all time favorite booths: VERB!
hey, look it's rock star podcaster, wonder mike of fiber beat running the register! nice view of the back of his head. at least we know he's not going bald.

the lovely proprietor, Kristine loved our braids so much, luci braided her hair as well.

you gotta see the back!


after an exciting market preview we headed to the ballroom for the ravelry party. here's soxy and i- not much happening here.

but i did manage to get a fiber rock star line up photo.

from left to right: mystery woman(so sorry! anybody know her?), rainy day goods(from ravelry), adrienne (verb), kristine(verb), cookie a., wonder mike, and dani from sunshine yarns(a new favorite of mine).

I need to get this posted before my internet goes out again. stay tuned for the next episode......photos of new favorite vendors, a movie star, and yes, embarrassingly so-a photograph of my new swag!!!! ta ta for now-

So you want to raise chickens?

So, you want to raise chickens? The first step in this fun adventure is having shelter ready and prepared before you get them. It’s easy to rush out and buy those cute little balls of fluff at the feed store and think- they can live in a box while the coop is built. Been there done that and the end result was very sad. Many of you faithful readers will remember the dog attack-large box was on the porch. Only one of the 8 survived. We still have her. Lucy the Lucky. she used to love hanging out on my shoulder. i had to put an end to that. click here to see why.

First you need to decide how many chickens you want; be sure to think of the future in case you want to expand your flock. Find a nice shady spot to build your coop. Chickens do not do well in the heat. Shade is a must! The coop includes the chicken yard and the hen house.

Lets start with the chicken yard or run. It’s important to fence your chicken yard in due to predators-wild and domestic. The idea of free-range chickens is wonderful and great for your birds but the reality of where we live is another story. Stray dogs and wild animals are a constant threat. We free-ranged in the beginning but couldn’t keep a constant eye on them and neighboring dogs were always showing up and coyotes would appear at all times of the day. We had one come up to our front porch at noon while the girls were out-luckily we scared him off before damage was done.

Chickens love to run around, stretch their wings and dig in the dirt. A good rule of thumb is giving your girls at least 4 sq. ft. each in the yard area. I know fencing is a pain but done right will help keep those predators out. Bury the bottom of fence line 8 or more inches to keep diggers out. A six-foot high fence should be tall enough. Lucy is the only one that can fly over-we let her have a little freedom when she does this. Bantams need a taller fence as they are lighter and can fly better. Covering your yard is up to you. It will keep your chickens safer and healthier. Wild birds carry parasites and disease. My yard is not covered. It’s too big and I guess I’m just too lazy to do it. Wild turkeys and neighboring peacocks find their way in occasionally, wanting that delicious organic chicken feed.

The hen house is for shelter, safe sleeping and egg laying. There are many ways to build a hen house. Get creative. There are plans on the web and many books that can be checked out of the public library to assist you. Hen houses that you can stand up in are easier to clean. Here’s the basics: Plan on no less than 2 sq. ft. per chicken-more is better! Not enough space stresses the flock out. Bad habits can form: pecking, biting, feather pulling, egg eating and cannibalism. Bantams need half the measurements.

the photo above is a picture of the building of our bantam coop.

Chickens like to roost at night. It keeps them warm and makes them feel safe. Roosts should be at least 2 feet off the ground. I use 1X2 wood - seems a little easier for them to grip than the rounded wooden rods. Be sure to paint or linseed oil the roosts as this helps with mites/lice that like to live on the roosts during the day then climb on board the chickens at night for a tasty dinner. The egg boxes should also be at least 2 feet off the ground. I make mine about a foot square. One nesting box per 3 birds is sufficient. They all seem to want to lay eggs in the same box. I have 2 nesting boxes that never get used. I do not have tall hen houses that you can walk into; our nesting boxes protrude outside the house and you lift the lid for easy egg gathering and cleaning. see the girls trying to lay in same box! there were open boxes to use but they have their favorite.

here you can see how i built the nesting boxes so i can easily gather eggs and clean the boxes from the outside.



When designing your hen house keep these things in mind as well. Make sure your design is set up for ease of cleaning or you will not want to clean your hen house. I have plywood floors covered with linoleum for easy cleaning. You will need a little pop hole for the hens to come and go as they please during the day but will lock at night. The structure should be weather tight and draft free. Damp conditions are dangerous for your chickens’ health. Ventilation is important as well, especially in the hot summer months. We are fortunate to have mild winters that require no heat source. Chickens actually tolerate the cold better than the heat. Elevated houses keep moisture out. If you have space under your hen house be sure to attach hardware cloth so the space under the house does not become a breeding ground for rodents and skunks- also, you may find that the hens want to their lay under the house and that makes for difficult egg collecting.

We keep the food and water in the yard not the house. This will keep the hen house drier and keeps rodents out. I built a little feeding shelter so the food stays dry when it’s raining. If you choose to keep it inside be sure and take the food out every night. Often it is the chicken feed that attracts predators in the first place. Hanging food and waterers should be at least 6 inches off the ground.

I think that about covers shelter for your chickens. If you start planning and building now you will be all set for baby chicks this spring. Good luck and happy building!

get away!

i just returned from a quick trip to pacific grove. i was fortunate to accompany hubby on a business trip. He was attending the ecofarm conference at asilomar. fabulous!!!! i love little get a ways with my man! especially to the coast. we always stay at borg's motel, right on lovers point:)

here's the view right out our motel door.

there are little beaches and a long trail that goes in both directions. you can walk to cannery row! i was enjoying the view when all of a sudden:

some eejit decides to eat their breakfast right in my view!!! yes, i could see them clearly- adding half and half to their coffee, letting the dog join them at the table, etc. total bummer. luckily it was only 2 hour parking and they did not extend their stay. i did manage to finish my thuja socks knit from orange flower yarn waiting for their departure. i used size 3 needles- my favorite for socks these days!

then i realized- OMG! the only other knitting project i brought was lace. nothing wrong with that but i can't knit lace with other folks around. i need something basic. like socks. an addictive knitter without a project is like a junkie without smack. you just gotta have it. my fingers were itching and beginning to sweat. my stomach was beginning to tighten. withdrawal symptoms were setting in. clearly the only thing to do was get a fix. forgetting my oath, i got my fix at 529 central avenue.

a skein of madeline tosh dk-settled my nerves and i quickly cast on 44 stitches and started another sock- i can quit anytime i want, really!

there's so much groovy history in the area that really fascinates me. remember our trip last fall? you all learned about my interest in Steinbeck and my fondness for Ed Rickets-. well, on our last night in pacific grove i was laying in bed looking at the local "things to do" rag and something grabbed my attention immediately. Ed Ricketts' Pacific Biological labratory was to be opened to the public!! a dream come true for me. i've seen the outside of his lab many times on Cannery Row- and always wanted to get inside.

they were giving hourly tours all day. there's no way i could miss this event . bare with me friends; i just gotta share some of the tour with you.

i entered into the living room area.


unfortunately none of this stuff is Ed's. the list of folks that used to hang out with Ed is quite amazing(Henry Miller and Joesph Campbell to name a few-and all the colorful locals!!!)-wish i could have been a fly on the wall! we were fortunate to have Frank Wright at the tour- he actually knew Ed back in the day and he told us stories.

That's Frank on the right. on the left is Michael Hemp author of "Cannery Row- the History of John Steinbeck's Old Ocean Avenue." we own that book-if i would have i was going to meet him i would have brought it for him to sign.

Author Scrap Lundy was also there.

i had to get his book, "Real Life on Cannery Row."

i can't wait to reread Cannery Row and then read Scrap's book. he researched for ten years to find out the truths behind Steinbeck's Cannery Row. here's more photos of the tour:

snacks were provided. too bad i just had a huge breakfast! here's Frank sharing more stories.

next we went out to the back of the lab. This piece of equipment was what Ed used to render shark liver oil.

the next photo was taken at the end of the pier looking towards the back of the laboratory.


next we got to go down below where Ed gassed cats and other "sciencey" things to get specimens ready to mail out. guess you'll have to read the book(s) if you don't know what i'm talking about. these filing drawers are supposedly the real deal- i just had to touch them! i'm such a geek!

if we hadn't had to hit the road i would have stayed all day-the folks putting on the tour are awesome! their love and passion for Ed, Pacific Biological Laboratories, Steinbeck and Cannery Row is phenomenal. they will be offering more tours in the future so check their website if you will be in the area. One more photo in honor of Ed. courtesy

it was a whirl wind trip but so worth it. i had a wonderful time. the ocean replenishes my soul.

i forgot- here's a piece on NPR for you listening pleasure!

beaver like!

dang i've been busy. eased back into schooling after the hollydaze-that was a feat in itself. sometimes i wonder if the breaks are worth it. seems so hard to start back up again.

let me start this post by showing you what i had to buy myself the other day:

"oh cute"-i can hear you saying. but that's not the point! (note the word bolded above) well. i'm not very happy about this purchase. these are not prescription glasses mind you. i don't wear them-athough maybe i need to be- but that's another story. these are freakin reading glasses. yes, magnified reading glasses-the kind you get at the grocery store. you know-the kind for "aging" eyes. yes, i've come to realize that i can't read the ingredient labels on food, medicine or supplements and i've shied away from books with small print. yep. age happens. sigh. at least i was able to get some fun ones! daisies how appropriate. and only $3.99.

i was amazed how much easier knitting was while wearing my new spiffy lenses. especially when i started the lace on my Fairwind Cardigan.

it's a fabulous pattern and my gurls and i are doing a knit-along, which we started back in November. okay as you can see i'm not very far-but hey the holidays hit and all good intentions flew out the window. i'm knitting mine out of cascade 220 heathers in a honey mustard colorway. the picture doesn't do it justice. out of the 5 that are participating you can check out the blogs of birdsong and mama spider to see their progress and yarn choices. i love seeing everyone's color and fiber choices.

i also finished my boy's holiday socks. they were supposed to be a gift for the Winter Solstice but now they were finished for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

these are made from cascade 220 superwash wool in his favorite color: grey. they were thuja inspired. but i used size 3 needles, casted on 48 stitches and did the k3, p1 pattern every round.

my dear friend anne always sends me yummy luscious yarns for xmas. waiting to open her gifts is excruciating. i can barely stand it. this year among the skeins was some Malbrigo Rasta-OMG! heaven in a ball i tell you!!! soft chunky squishy merino!!! this stuff rocks. with one skein i made this awesome neck warmer. knit on size 15 needles-i knit this in a day!!!

been doing a wee bit of spinning lately. not as much as i would like though.

within the last year i've decided that pink isn't so bad after all. i have a strong growing attachment to it. wow! life is stranger than fiction sometimes.

Darn It!

now that the hollydaze are nearing a close-ahhh! yes! maybe i can get back to my regularly scheduled life. always relieved when this happens. all in all in was low key and mellow-so i can't complain.

all you sock knitters out there know and understand the horrors of:


yes, that's right-holes in your precious beloved socks. all the hours of work spent knitting and bam-it happens. and like most of us sock knitters, darning socks is a dreaded chore. i hate it. let me repeat myself: I HATE IT!(yes, that statement deserves capitol letters!!!) until now! recently, while discussing this with a friend, she said- why don't you do what cat bordhi (sock knitter rock star extraordinaire) does? needle felt them baby!!!!! really? never thought of that. so here is my post about needle felt darning.

supplies: styrofoam ball or egg.

felting needles: be careful! extremely sharp torture devices!!!

felting fiber: preferably in a color that matches the socks. make sure your fiber is NOT superwash. you want this stuff to felt!!!

okay- so my fiber doesn't really match the sock but hey- when have i ever been a "matchy" type girl? go with the flo!

stuff a ball into your sock and grab a needle.

lay a piece of fiber over the hole and just start stabbing. if you have a 12 year boy around-this will become his favorite past time. stabbing stuff with sharp implements what more could a boy ask for? my boy was so excited about this project i couldn't get him to do his math-he just wanted to darn socks. in fact he said he'd darn all the socks that needed to be done. yes!!!!


we turned them inside out and did it on the other side as well. keep stabbing till the fabric is real dense and flat.

note math book in back ground!

wah-la! you're done in no time!!!! so quik and easy- and fun!!! great stress reliever too. stab stab stab stab!!!!!! i will keep you updated on how they wear and hold up. one thing i didn't like was using styrofoam-yuck! plus you get little pieces in your sock that you have to clean out. will work on finding an alternative(sponge?) any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

this is my last post of the year. i look forward to the new year. may 2011 be all that you want it to be. be careful what you ask for!!!!