Wednesday Farmers Market

I am so far behind in my blogs and I have so many stories to share.  Last Wednesday I went to a farmers market in town.  Ours does not open until this Saturday.  I am really looking forward to our local one as there is more to choose from, but what is one to do when the family needs to eat?  Why you love the one you are at, of course!

Regards,

Karen

OPYF

The Perfect Vest - Mary Glendinning

As some of you know, I am working on the TKGA Master Knitter program.  I passed level one a few weeks ago and since then have been starting research for level two.  One of the requirements of level two is to knit a vest.  The vest must have side seams and stitches picked up around the neck and arms.  Other than that, it can either be a commercial pattern or one that you design yourself.

I'm not a big fan of vests to start with so I wasn't optimistic about finding a pattern I would really like.  I could knit the vest for one of my "twenty something" daughters but the patterns they would like might be too "funky" for what I needed to do.  I began  looking for inspiration at a number of sites on the web including Ravelry, checked out various designers, looked in books and checked out what the LYS had in stock but nothing really appealed to me.  I was beginning to think that a vest that I could wear, that fit the requirements of the program, and that was unusual, fun to knit and stylish may not be out there.

I began looking through the patterns at OPYF, specifically those by Ilga Leja.  I love this designer.  Her patterns are beautiful and stylish and.... there it was..... the perfect vest pattern.  "Skin of the Sea" by Ilga Leja was exactly what I wanted.  I could actually see myself wearing this vest once it is knitted.  It is a beautiful design, challenging enough to make the knitting fun and fits the requirements of the program.  Added bonus - I can use the Fleece Artist yarn called for in the pattern because Karen carries the yarn as well!
Score!

If you haven't taken the time to look through the patterns of various designers here at OPYF I encourage you to do so.  The designs are new and fresh, funky enough in some cases for my daughter and classy enough to satisfy an old broad like me.  The range is amazing and I can find more patterns than I can knit in a lifetime.  On top of that, Karen adds new and fun designers all the time!

I probably won't start the vest for several months - I have over 20 swatches to knit, fair isle mittens and argyle socks ahead of me, plus a paper on the history of knitting - so I have lots on my plate!  But the pattern and yarn is on order so will be waiting for me when I'm ready.  I'll keep you posted on the progress - oh and by the way, OPYF will be the perfect place to purchase the yarns I need for my mittens, lace work and socks as well.   Now, how am I going to fit spinning and weaving into my schedule as well.......

Regards,
Mary Glendinning
OPYF

PS from Karen - this pattern has been reordered, again, and should be back in stock in a week or two.

Sivia Harding Patterns Now In Stock!

There are so many wonderful designers out there.  Sivia Harding is one of them that I have chosen to add this fall.  Her patterns have just that certain something about them.  I would love to make Harmonia's Rings.  Now  I have to move to a cooler climate than Phoenix!

I have only stocked 4 patterns, but I will add more in the near future.  Let me know if there is a pattern not shown that you would like me to order in.  

Happy Knitting!

Regards,

Karen

OPYF

Journey Cable Socks

Harmonia's Rings

Blossom Dearies

Fluency

October Blog Contest!

October contest annoucement!  Enter to win this lovely knitting bag that was donated to me by Lynn of Yarn Place Yarns along with 2 skeins of Fleece Artist Woolie Silk in Rose.  That's enough to make one of Never Not Knitting's Cedar Leaf Shawlette!  How do you enter?  By writing a note under the October Contest blog as to why you would like this bag.  Please make sure that you leave me your contact information or I will be unable to send out this prize to you.  The winner will be drawn on October 31st by the online random number generator.

Good Luck, and remember, if you don't win this time, there will be plenty of other opportunites to win something coming up this fall and winter.

Regards,
Karen
OPYF

New Drop Spindles From Greensleeves!

After a long wait and much anticipation I was finally able to rebuild the Greensleeve Spindles page with these lovely new drop spindles by Elizabeth Dailey.  I have so much trouble parting with them once they arrive here.  Which is your favorite?

Happy Spinning!

Regards,

Karen

OPYF

Ta Da! Woolly Wormheads Patterns Now In Stock!

I have fallen in love.  With Woolly Wormhead.  I love making hats, but these patterns are so whimsical, they make me dream.  Dream along with me in the fairy tale world of Woolly Wormhead patterns.

Sigh.....

Happy Knitting!

Regards,

Karen

OPYF

In Praise of Spinning - Mary Glendinning

A few years ago, when I was in Canada, I found an antique store in a small town not far from our cottage. There, tucked in the back of the store was an old spinning wheel. I couldn't believe my luck! The owner of the store didn't know anything about spinning and she told me that a gentleman had brought it in telling her that it belonged to his grandmother. No one had used it in years he said. The drive band was missing but it treadled fine and everything else turned like it was supposed to. She was asking $100 for it and I happily paid her.

It is not a beautiful wheel by any stretch of the imagination. It is very “homemade” looking, stained a dark color. The wheel itself is quite large - compared to my Lendrum and Schacht wheels. There is no tensioning device. It had one bobbin that seems to have been broken at some point and fixed with wood bond. The wheel itself is rough, a few small notches out of it where I expect there were knots in the wood. Whoever made it did make the spindles in the big wheel slightly decorative but overall it is very plain.

When I got home I was very anxious to try it. I made a new drive band with some strong string and started treadling. Now, I am not a terribly experienced spinner. Iʼve done a bit on the two wheels at home and taken a few classes, but not pursued this hobby in a very intensive way. I had some roving with me and tried in vain to turn it into spun yarn. Try as I might the wheel just pulled the roving out of my hands onto the bobbin faster than I could draft it. Since there was no obvious tensioning device I couldn't figure out how to slow the thing down.

Four years later (this past summer) my dear friend, Elly, was visiting my cottage. Elly is a fabulous spinner and a spinning teacher.  Karen learned how to spin from her.  After playing with the wheel for a little while Elly was finally able to spin yarn. The “tensioning” came from moving the mother of all either closer to the wheel or further away. The problem was that the ratio between the wheel and the whorl on the bobbin was very large so that the wheel took up the yarn very quickly. I have come to find out that the wheel is probably a Quebec wheel made for production work and more than likely for linen and not wool.

Not wanting to give up I took the wheel with me to a spinning group. Another friend gave me an Ashford bobbin with a larger whorl to try. Believe it or not I was able to actually spin! And there I was, slowly treadling, listening to the old girl click, click, click along and actually spinning some wool. Mind you, slightly (truthfully very) over spun yarn but yarn none the less. I felt wonderful!

I left the wheel at the cottage and look forward to using it again next summer. In the meantime I am inspired to work more on my wheels here at home and get more experience under my belt before tackling the old girl again.

I can't help but wonder how many women used this wheel in the day. Did it encourage them the way it encouraged me? How much yarn was produced on this wheel and who were the knitters or weavers that ended up using the yarn it produced. It makes me feel connected in some strange way to all the women in its past. And, even if I never actually get a skein of spun yarn out of it - that connection is more than I could ever
hope to get.

Regards,
Mary Glendinning
OPYF

Restock of 4 Ilga Leja Patterns

Just arrived to fill in the holes in the inventory, some lovely Ilga Leja scarf patterns.  I can't decide which one I like the best!  Which one is your favorite?

Happy Knitting!

Regards,

Karen

OPYF

Superwash Merino Spinning Fiber Now In Stock

Where would the world be without Superwash Merino.  I've added in a few ounces for your spinning pleasure.  I see some socks in somebody's future!

Happy Spinning!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF

Artesano Super Chunky Now In Stock!

After purchasing the book Welcoming Home Baby and adding in patterns to the store from Jane Richmond, I realized that I really did not have much of a selection of bulky yarns in the shop.  Lucky for me Artesano contacted me about a new Super Bulky yarn that they were coming out with.  OPYF is the only US store with this brand, so I jumped on the chance to order this in.  


It is a wonderful, soft, squishy yarn and knits up quickly.  I love fast projects!  There is a pattern book available for the yarn also.  Most patterns in the collection only require 3 skeins to complete.  Some of the yarns have a beautiful heathery blend of colors.  I love the Forest and the Russet.                                                                                                                                                               


50% superfine alpaca / 50% peruvian highland wool.

Tension: 7.5 sts in 9 rows in 10 cm.

Needles: 12 mm / US 17.

Weight: 100g

Length: 33 m / 36 yards in 100g.

Washing: Handwash only, do not dry clean.



Happy Knitting!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF