Mood:  lazy

My trip last year to Scandinavia, Estonia and St. Petersburg unleashed my interest in history that had been lying dormant.  Since that time I have read so much more than before including several fiber history books.  One book hadbeen in my book stash for a long time was A Perfect Red by Amy Butler Greenfield.  This is the history of cochineal-- my all time favorite natural dye stuff.  Cochineal is so forgiving, so powerful and not so expensive if you keep using the dye baths over and over.  I always tell my students that they will wear out before the cochineal does. 

This story starts with Cortes and ends in the 1990's.  I'm not a big fan of conquistadors so the early part of the book was my least favorite because I could envision way too well how the natives were treated.   

Once the book  moved on to the Spanish cochineal monopoly  and English, French, and Dutch pirates and then Europeans taking several centuries determining the nature of the dye--plant or animal, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  The book discused the  history of natural philosophy and science, color and dyeing in  art and textiles, color preferences throughout the different eras and development of chemical dyeing and patent issues.  All in all a very good read which dovetailed into other history I'm reading. 

Now I'm off to my spinning wheel to start a "big" project I'll tell you about soon.   

Linda Shelhamer

Mood:  not sure

I'm not going to spend a long time telling you what happened to blogging in 2010.  A major problem I ran into besides facebook and lack of time is a limitation on showing my designs.  After my beginner's luck submitting my Xenocryst hat to Knitscene. I decided to submit my designs to various regular and email publications.  Most of them don't want your designs published on Ravelry or your blog before submission.  They consider this published.  I have to laugh that my seldom-read blog is publishing, but I'm playing along. 

If I can't talk about my knitting designs, I couldn't figure out what other fiber things to blog.  I almost gave up, but came up with some new ideas and here I go.

First-let's discuss Lucy Neatby and her wonderful pattern Bubbles Scarf. 

I loved this pattern and so has the rest of the knitting community.  It is the notoriously slow double knitting, but I thought this would be the pattern to start double knitting on.  I joined a Ravelry KAL and used one of my hand-dyed sock blanks for one side and a pretty navy yarn for the other side.  I knit for about 3 inches and figured it out sort of and then became distracted.  I'd love to finish it up and then do my own double knit design.  Let's see how that works out in 2011.  Meanwhile if you want to learn some very interesting knitting techniques in innovative, colorful and approachable patterns check out   http://www.lucyneatby.com/  I also follow her blog at http://happystitches.wordpress.com/   I have several of her DVD's.  I read in a magazine, Vogue Knitting, I think that Lucy is planning to offer part of her DVD's as downloads on Patternfish.  This might work great for me, since I'm not that good at sitting down and watching DVD's.  On the other hand when I want to look at a technique I could find it on my new computer with lots of storage space.  Happy New Year  and we'll see you this year.  Linda Shelhamer

Mood:  a-ok

I'm here knitting on my Moss Mansion sock and rocking out

I went to the John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan concert at our local ball park where I've gone for Stitch and Pitch before.  I'm sitting on grass knitting a very traditional looking sock--the Moss Mansion sock-- through a very good concert by John Mellenkamp.  Band change overs never went as well.  Then it was dark and Bob Dylan and no knitting.  But lots of fun.

Mood:  not sure

Noro Sekku version of Almost Lace.  Publishing knitting patterns is very rewarding although it takes an amazing amount of time doing not so fun stuff.  The conceptualizing and the knitting are great.  The writing, arranging test knitters, getting the pattern cover graphic design done, finding mistakes, printing and publishing on website.  This stuff is WORK. 

Another limitation is that I have to use commercially available yarns (that won't be discontinued soon)  to submit to magazines and also they make my patterns sell better.  This is big trouble for me is that I like to dye and/or spin my own yarn. 

But I bought this very lightweight Noro Sekku so that I could have a version on display at Wild Purls, my lys, which sells my patterns.  The trouble is that I like it so much that I wear it all the time and don't want to take it to the store.  It works well with my wardrobe of casual clothes and it is so light that it is perfect for airconditioning on these hot days. 

One last whine from me is that some publishers don't want you to have shown pictures of your designs in Ravelry or on your blog.  So this delays me from blogging which I already had enough trouble getting done even before I misplaced my camera. 

 Linda

Mood:  a-ok

I follow a few blogs including http://knittingincolor.blogspot.com She published recently some good links including a link to another blog which talked about new knitting software out there that only cost $44.  To date I have used Excel for my charts since I know Excel fairly well and didn't want to invest gobs into a program that would take me quite a while to learn.  After reading the reviews of this program and looking at the user group on Ravelry, I sprung for the $44 and am quite happy. 

The program is called Intwined and seems to work well with a lot of options especially for the money.  I can chart quickly with it which is much better than I could do before.  A new fun toy.   www.intwinedstudio.com

Mood:  happy

I'm a beginner at submitting knitting designs, just starting to submit my designs last fall.  I was amazed when Knitscene contacted me and had lots of fun knitting the hat and sending it off to them. 

Prior to submitting the hat I had knit this version in a Cascade 220 I had handdyed with Sabrasett dye.   After blocking the yarn I thought the cable wasn't predominant enough, so when I submitted my swatch to Knitscene I decreased the number of purl background stitches. Meanwhile I started wearing this version, but almost immediately lost it.  Perhaps it will come up in some obscure sack of knitting or fiber sometime, but I think it is gone. 

While the submission was off, I knit two versions of the hat and had it tested by two friends Shirley and Irene with the idea I would still self-publish the pattern myself if it was not accepted.  For my first version, I handdyed a skein of 220 with left over black tea bags from morning brew. 

On my self-published patterns, I always include  versions in several different yarn weights. 

I went to Wild Purls and picked out a wool/bamboo blend Classic Elite Yarns Wool Bam Boo.  Then I knit up the next version.  I like both of the hats.  Then I heard from Lisa Shroyer, editor of Knitscene, and I was so excited.  She had Cascade yarns send me the yarn to knit up the version for Knitscene.  This is the only time in my life that I willingly knit 4 versions of the same thing.  What great fun I had. 

Today I received a copy of the actual magazine from Knitscene and the check.  It is official.  I showed it to my Dad and step-mom and my dh.  Earlier this week, I had shown the on-line pictures to my 23 year old son who was quite impressed if I say so myself.  My dh takes wonderful pictures for me, but there is nothing like professional photography and models.  Today I linked to the Knitscene on Ravelry.  All in all a great time. 

Mood:  celebratory

For many months I have known that I had my braided hat pattern accepted by Knitscene.  I just have lived in fear that my hat would be left on the cutting room floor.  Last week--I had the thrill of receiving Knitting Daily's preview of the fall Knitscene and there it was--well photographed on a great model.  Interweave named it Xenocryst Hat.   http://www.knitscene.com/issue/Fall-2010-projects.asp#xenocryst-hat  

What does Xenocryst mean?  It didn't hit my Websters, but I found this explanation on line A xenocryst is an individual foreign crystal included within an igneous body. Examples of xenocrysts are quartz crystals in a silica-deficient lava and diamonds within kimberlite diatremes.  I like the name, I like the model, I like the photography--I'm just happy.

I'll be excited when the magazine hits the newsstands July 20.   Linda 

Mood:  rushed

I haven't blogged for a while, but it is not because I'm lazy.  The Montana Association of Weavers Conference  has dominated my life for the last 6 months and the last few weeks have been filled with dyeing roving and yarn and all the details of being a conference chair.  MAWS sponsors a conference every 2 years, but only every 12 years does it come to Billings.  The conference, held at MSU-B Student Union Building, has 44 classes and 21 instructors.  They range from internationally known Nancy Bush, Kathryn Alexander, Robyn Spady, and Jane Fournier to regional instructors.  In addition we have 25 vendors who are open to public Thurs. June 3 4-8 p.m.; Fri. June 4 11:30 to 6, Sat. June 5 11:30 to 6; and Sunday 8:30 to 1.  There are also shows open to the public too. 

This conference is very inspirational.  There are still openings in some classes. You can contact me at lindas5252@yahoo.com for a registration form.  Classes cost $35 for ½ day and $70 for all day.  Classes with openings are

Thurs. 10-4 Bobbie Brown-Beginning Spinning

Friday 9-4 Carolyn Wostenberg-Memory Book

Friday 9-4 Judie OverbeekColor Happens in Spinning

Friday 9-12 Jan Nordwick-Expand Skills in Knitting

Friday 9-12 K. Johnson-In Search of Golden Fleece

Friday 9-12 Kathryn Alexander-Making Art Wearable

Friday 9-12 Robyn Spady-Fab Four

Friday 9-12 Toni Little-Introduction to Crochet

Friday 1-4 Cheri Shelp-Surface Design

Friday 1-4 Denise Johnson-Knitted socks toe up

Friday 1-4 Jan Nordwick-Learn to Tatt

Friday 1-4 Kathryn Alexander-oodads in knitting 

Friday 1-4 R. Spady-Jewelry from thrums & leftovers 

Sat 9-4 Joanne Setzer-patterns for Handwovens 

Sat 9-4 Kathryn Alexander-Spinning Energized Yarn 

Sat 9-4 Nancy Bush-Knitting Triangle Lace 

Sat 9-12 Judie Overbeek-Sample Fleece in a Flash 

Sat 9-11 Kyle Foreman-Posture, Movement, Stretches 

Sat 9-12 Sandy Vellin-Brazillian Embroidery 

Sat 9-12 R. Spady-Putting Together Novelty Act 

Sat 2-5 Bob Garritson-Stone Age Cordage and Tools 

Sat 2-5 Denise Jackson-Judging Handspun 

Sat 2-5 Jane Fournier-Fiber Blending with Handcards 

Sat 2-5 Judie Overbeek-Care of your Spinning Wheel 

Sat 2-5 Robyn Spady-Less is More 

Sat 2-5 Toni Little-Crocheted Embellishment 

Mon 9-4 Jane Fournier-Spinning Flax 

Tues 9-4 Jane Fournier-Spinning Short Fibers 

Mon 9-4 Kathryn Alexander-Knitting Energized 

Tues 9-4 Kathryn Alexander-Entrelac

I am excited about the conference, but I want to have more time dyeing, knitting and weaving when its done.  Being around all the artists for this conference has really inspired me to get going.  I hope it does the same for others.  Linda

Mood:  a-ok

I predict complete recovery from a cold virus that has had me down for about 2 weeks.  Until a couple of days ago, I wasn't sure but I'm getting my voice back, skipped a nap today, and generally feel like I'm on the mend.

I have to admit that although I enjoy stranded knitting (such as Fair Isle or Scandanavian knitting) I just have dabbled in that area with a few projects.  I knit them with one color in each hand. I have taken workshops from Beth Brown Reisel and others and had them explain and demonstrate yarn dominance and take for granted that this is an issue.  To keep it simple for me I make a decision which color goes in which hand and stick with it.  I write it down on the directions.   There is an excellent discussion of this on http://knittingincolor.blogspot.com/2010/04/mysteries-of-yarn-dominance.html  This blog is great about  stranded knitting.  She also posted a few days ago that two Dale of Norway pattern books are available for free download.  She seemed to be saying that other of their patterns might be available later.  I love the Dale of Norway patterns so quickly downloaded them.  http://allegroyarns.com/dale/dale_patterns/olympic_patterns.htm

There is so much wonderful knitting information out there and thanks to bloggers, Ravelry etc. you could spend all your time learning.

 Sometimes I get a bit intimidated by others work, but then I press onward learning, experimenting, and making techniques my own.    Linda

Mood:  bright

I have a new shawlette pattern in the works for several months.  Although one version is done and the other 90 percent done, I'm not ready to post the picture yet.  I plan to submit the design to a couple places and have to keep it under wraps until then.  But I will tell you about 2 yarns I'm using for this easy triangle shawlette knit from the top down. 

I'm biased. I hate casting on a lot of stitches and I'm never sure I'll have the right amount of yarn so I prefer to start shawls from the neck and work down and that way I can finish the shawl when I'm out of yarn or sooner.  I'm thrifty when it comes to buying yarn.  I have lusted after some Mountain Colors cashmere but have held out.  Then last fall Wild Purls got in some Ecco Cashmere that was 354 yards for $30 I bought it.  It is a wonderful lace weight cashmere that feels beautiful in the shawlette.  I have worn it quite a bit and it doesn't seem pilly or shedding  (two very technical terms) 

I have another version of this shawl in a yummy yellow green Classic Elite Fresco.  This yarn is 60% wool, 20% baby alpaca and 10%angora.  It is a sport weight yarn.  I'm worried a bit about angora shedding but the yarn and shawl is so warm and cozy.

 I'll soon be on to finalizing the directions and sending this shawlette off to test knitters.  I can't figure out a name which makes it tough.  I might have to start naming them after my grandkids if I'm not careful.    Linda