Got Tri-loom? (by Pamela Kelly)

Start by getting a loom and some of your extra yarn because next month we will start weaving!  If you don’t have a loom and decide to purchase one you can do so by going to www.sunflowerfibers.com along with sending me an email ( sunflowerfibers@gmail.com )  and I’ll make sure you get a 10% discount on the purchase of your very own tri-loom.

So now you’re asking what can I do with a bunch of woven triangles?  You can do a lot of things with a two foot triangle.  For example, putting 8 together you can make the “8 Piece Woven Wrap”  which is pictured on the right .  You can also purchase the pattern for this wrap at www.sunflowerfibers.com. 

To get started designing with triangles, make yourself some paper triangles and laminate them.  Than just put those triangles together and see what you come up with.  Use your imagination.  You’ll have a blast!  It is also great fun to mix woven triangles with woven squares. 

I would like you to start thinking about what you can make with a bunch of woven triangles.  Next month I will be teaching you how to weave on a triangle loom.  Also in the coming weeks I will post complete triangle weaving instructions on my website - www.sunflowerfibers.com.  I’m also working on instructions for weaving on the  square loom. 

If you have any ideas, any questions or just need a little help contact me.  Thanks for reading.  Now, Got Tri-loom?

Summer-time knitting! (by Aubrey Mayes)

   

 

It’s that time of year again! Yes- summer! Know what that means? Christmas knitting! Yes, I know it seems like a long ways away, but I assure you, it’s closer than it seems.

There are only about 150 days left until Christmas, and that’s only 150 days to knit. If you are like me and panicking about the looming perpetual deadline, here are some tips for you.

1. Santa isn’t the only one that needs a list, and check it more than twice. I suggest making a master list with projects, then separate lists for yarn type, yarn color and needle size;  receiver personal information (age, measurements, favorite colors, fiber allergies), and completion status. Microsoft Excel is amazing for this. (openoffice.org has a free office suite that is compatible with any version of Microsoft Office. )
2. Knit a little every day. I have a bit of PADD, or Project Attention Deficit Disorder, so I have many projects going at once. I try to do at least a few rows every day. Need to fit a little extra time in? Well, a full article is coming soon about that, but here are some tips: I knit on the bus, in waiting rooms, and while watching movies, whether in the theater or at home. I also listen to audio books so I can enjoy my Harry Potter and fiber fun at the same time.
3. Stay calm, organized, and prepared. Now is the best time to stock up- grab some plastic storage tubs to keep FOs in (toss in some lightly scented soap bars to keep them smelling fresh!), and keep the project yarn together and separated from each other for quick and easy access. I mean, let’s face it- nothing kills motivation like having to clean. Store the needed needles with the yarn to be sure they are free for use.  Make photocopies of the patterns (esp. if they are from library books!) and store them with the yarn. Stock up on notions and post its (for tracking a place in a pattern).
4. Winter is the best time for yarn, so have fun with all of the fibers, colors, and textures! Step out of the sock box and test yourself. Learn something new, revive something old, and just have fun with it!

Happy knitting…err I mean Knit Happy!

 

   

Have you tried loom knitting yet – part 2? (by Jen Chambers)

Since Christmas is right around the corner, you might want to start now and try some loom knitting.

This is a fun project that is easy to complete and I think is the cutest thing ever!

The pattern is free at Provo Craft’s website.

The pattern calls for using a 12″ new sink plunger inside to give the snowman stability to stand.  I didn’t have this exact pattern when I made mine, but I did use a big zip top plastic bag full of beans to give the bottom round some stability.

I wanted my snowman to look a little fluffier, so I used one thread of white worsted weight yarn, and one thread of Fun Fur.  I held the 2 strands together as I worked the pattern.

I also used little Christmas light buttons I found at the craft store.  He needed a top hat rather than a knitted cap, which I found at the craft store in the doll making section.

Don’t you kill the bunny? (by Jennifer Green)

…and other angora questions

We just got back from our County Fair. It’s a week of fun and time spent with my children. It is a time for us to share what we’ve been working on, show off the livestock and home economics projects and to share some knowledge with people who haven’t had the opportunity to enjoy the lifestyle we have.

We answer many questions about the animals during the week. Some people want to know each animal’s name, what their breed is and what that animal’s job is. Sometimes, we have an opportunity to educate people about some of the myths and misconceptions that abound about livestock and how they are raised.

We fielded many questions about rabbits this year. In particular, we answered questions about the Angora rabbits my kids had on display. We are raising German Angora rabbits and the kids are head over heels in love with them, as am I. The German Angora rabbit is a fascinating animal. Bred to be one of the largest Angoras, the German’s job is to provide a quantity of quality wool with low maintenance and upkeep requirements. They are sweet and friendly, hardy, excellent mothers and the workhorse of their kind.

One of the questions we hear most often, and one that is very surprising when you first hear it, is, “Don’t you have to kill the rabbit to get the wool?” The first time the kids got asked that question, they were so astounded that they looked at each other and then at me for guidance. No, we do not have to kill the rabbits to harvest the fiber. Depending upon the breed of Angora, the fiber is harvested, on a schedule, by either shearing or plucking the rabbit.

German Angoras are shorn every 90 days. They can produce between 60 and 75 ounces of wool per year with some animals far overreaching that average. These rabbits do not typically shed their coats, and so must be shorn rather than plucked. We remove the coat on the rabbits for two reasons. One is to harvest the fiber for use in the creation of textiles and yarn. The second is for the rabbit’s health. As I mentioned, these rabbits don’t shed their coat on their own. It is up to us, who bred them for this purpose, to periodically remove the fiber.

In so doing we cool the rabbit down in warm weather, offer an opportunity for the rabbit to grow new fiber, remove the environment for pests to live and grow, and take the time to inspect each rabbit for injury or disease that might otherwise be hidden by all that fluff. Another benefit to removing the fiber is that the animal is less tempted to groom themselves. When an Angora rabbit is forced to groom their own coat, they wind up ingesting a certain amount of fiber. This wool tends to bind up in their digestive system and cause a serious, and often painfully fatal, condition called Wool Block.

Other breeds of Angora do shed their coats periodically and for those breeds, many raisers choose to pluck the wool. Plucking (also called rooing) is not painful or mean. It is gentle and quiet and the rabbits learn to enjoy the time with their people. They are, after all, the center of attention and who doesn’t love that? Generally, the handler will place the rabbit in their lap and will gently comb through the rabbit’s coat with their fingers looking for loose clumps of fiber. Any loose bits are simply taken off with the handler’s fingers. No pulling. No injury. Just a quiet time of grooming and loving on the rabbit.

Again, it is important for the rabbit to receive this attention to prevent them from ingesting this fiber. Removing the loose fiber cuts down on matting which can harbor pests and filth, thus helping the rabbit to maintain a healthy condition. It is time the raiser can use to inspect the rabbit for condition issues and time spent in bonding with these sweet and loving creatures.

We have found our time with the rabbits to be so rewarding and memorable. The kids have learned about responsibility, love, goals, rabbit care, record keeping, showmanship and sales. I have spent priceless moments with them in support and love that will be mine to treasure forever. We continue to look forward to sharing what we have learned with those who come to see us, whether it be at the farm or at the fair. We welcome the questions that come from excited visitors and now look forward to showing folks how wonderful and rewarding these creatures are. We are no longer shocked to be asked about killing the rabbits, but rather welcome the question as an opportunity to educate and share.

Have you tried loom knitting yet – part 1? (by Jen Chambers)

It’s a whole lot of fun.

Sure it looks a little spooky and doesn’t resemble your pointy sticks at all.  How do you begin?  What will you make?

I found patterns by Googling loom knitting or circle looms.  There are quite a few patterns on Provo Craft’s website as well.

The different color rings are for different size projects.  Using the Lion Brand Knitfy Knitters the blue ring is for baby size heads, the Red ring fits kids, The Green ring for adult heads.  The Yellow ring is for even bigger projects, and I used mine to knit flat projects back-and-forth rather than in the round.

Here’s the basics….you begin by looping the yarn around each peg  going in a counter clockwise pattern wrapping the pegs one at a time.  Once you’ve wrapped each peg with a loop one time, then repeat and put a second loop around each peg.  After this, use the hook that comes with loom and pull the loop on the bottom of each peg up and over and off the peg.  It’s the same principle you learned when you learned how to bind off stitches. 

This will leave one loop on each peg.  Stop and re-loop each peg with a second loop.  Then repeat using the hook and taking the bottom loop up and over and off the peg.  As you do this, you’ll grow your project into a connected tube of knitting.

It’s very easy to create hats, scarves and other fun projects.  Look for part 2 of this article…coming soon!