Saturday, February 27, 2016

Time flies when you are....

Having fun?  Homesteading? Knitting, crocheting and spinning?  Playing with silly animals? How about all of the above?

A quick check in.  I promise I will return to my Granny Chic series very soon, but in the meantime, here is a little of what we have been up to at Fiberton!

In the business and crafting side of things:

Ric made me this adorable felty friend!  I wool always love ewe. little felty friend!  We will be releasing these in out etsy shop in the near future, too!


These lovely custom knitting needles are shipped off and on their way to their new home...


 Three more sets of dryer balls dropped into a lovely customer's mailbox this week!


And we are finishing one of these awesome pom pom rugs up for a customer as we speak!


On the animal front:

This guy got an awful haircut.  He would not stop fidgeting!  But he feels sooo much better!  (One person told me it looks like I glued cotton balls on him! hehe)



Rocky and Adrian (and Ric and I) are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a little lamb...


See?  Can't you see the excitement in Rocky's silly little face? (Oh, and mine...)


Then of course the house animals have been keeping us entertained, too....

Silly kitties!  Sister love...


I couldn't help myself but try for another animal selfie.  This time with the old guy.  We took a little drive in the '63 Comet and boy did he enjoy it! 




 And on the volunteer and business front:

I am on the Board of the small Chamber of Commerce in the area, and we put on a Business Expo this week.  I helped with planning and outreach, as well as had a table there.  It was a great success all around!


Whew!  Now that several big projects are off the plate, expect us to get back on the ball with posts!  Hope your February was filled to the brim like a tub full of good stuff! 

Ash

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Granny Chic a Week Knit and Fabric Heart Potholder

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you go through them to make a purchase I can earn a commission.  But I only link to products that I recommend based on my experience with them, not because of the commission. :)

Hey there fine friends! This is a little late...it is really last week's project.  But better late than never, right?

So to get ready for Valentine's Day, what better than a little hand knit gift, perfect for your bestie or great as a hostess gift!



Cute, right?  It is an awesome fast little project to whip up for you knitters out there.  Then just a little more cutting and some quick hand stitching, and you are set!


Here is what you need to make this project:
  • Scrap yarn in 2 contrasting colors - about 100 yards of main color (MC) and about 20 yards contrasting color (CC)
  • Size 10US Straight Knitting Needles
  • Scissors
  • Wool felt approx 8x8
  • Scrap of fabric approx 8.5x8.5in
  • Matching thread
  • Sewing Needle
  • Crochet hook (optional for hanger)




How to make the cute lil' potholder:

Knitted side:

Abbreviations:

Kn: Knit
P: Purl
MC: Main Color
CC: Contrast Color
RS: Right Side
WS: Wrong Side

NOTES: You will be working in seed stitch throughout, except for the contrast color, which is done in stockinette.  When you get to the heart color work, pay attention to the change in the pattern.  And you can leave the yarn behind on the wrong side while changing colors, but make sure not to pull too tight, which will cinch up your fabric and it will not lay flat.

Here we go....

In MC, cast on 40 stitches in your preferred method.  

Rows 1-6 :Seed stitch pattern - *kn1p1 - repeat from * across each row.  

Row 7 (RS): Switch to CC and knit across.

Row 8: Continue in CC, Purl.  Cut yarn and secure ends.

Row 9 (RS): In MC, knit.

Rows 10 -11: Seed stitch - *kn1p1 - repeat from * across each row.

Row 12 (WS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 10 times (20 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p1. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 13 (RS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 9 times (18 stitches).  Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, kn3. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, p1.  Return to kn1p1 to end.

Row 14 (WS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 9 times (18 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p5. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 15 (RS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 8 times (16 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, kn7. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 16 (WS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 8 times (16 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p9. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 17 (RS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 7 times (14 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, kn11. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 18 (WS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 7 times (14 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p13. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 19 (RS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 6 times (12 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, kn15. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 20 (WS - NOTE: No increases in CC): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 6 times (12 stitches). Kn1. Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p13. Keep tail at WS, return to MC. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 21 (RS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 6 times (12 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, kn15. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 22 (WS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 6 times (12 stitches). Kn1. Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p15. Keep tail at WS, return to MC. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 23 (RS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 6 times (12 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, kn15. Keep tail at WS, return to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 24 (WS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 6 times (12 stitches). Kn1. Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p15. Keep tail at WS, return to MC. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 25 (RS - NOTE - Decreasing of CC begins): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 6 times (12 stitches). Kn1. Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, kn6. Keep tail at WS, return to MC and p1. With CC, kn6. With MC, continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 26 (WS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 7 times (14 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p5. Keep tail at WS, return to MC and p1,kn1p1. With CC, p5. With MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 27 (RS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 7 times (14 stitches).  Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, kn3. Keep tail at WS, return to MC and p1,kn1,p1,kn1,p1(total of 5 stitches in MC). Then, with CC, kn3. Back to MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end.

Row 28 (WS): Kn1,p1 (seed stitch) 8 times (16 stitches). Keeping MC at back (WS), switch to CC, p1. Keep tail at WS, return to MC and p1.  Kn1p1 pattern 3times (total of 7 stitches in MC). With CC, p1. With MC, P1. Continue kn1p1 to end. Clip CC and secure ends.

Rows 29-32: Kn1,p1 across.

Row 33: With CC, kn across.

Row 34: With CC, purl across.

Rows 36-39: Kn1,p1 across.

Row 40: In kn1,p1 pattern, bind off.




Now you are done knitting!  Whew! Now to finish....

Take your finished square and lay it on your felt.  Cut out felt to match size of knitted fabric.



Now take your fabric, and cut about half an inch larger than the wool and knitted fabric size.

Take your handy iron, and press under about 1/2in of the fabric on each side.

Sandwich your felt in between your knitted fabric and regular fabric (making sure right sides are facing out.)  Hand stitch the sandwich closed with a whip or invisible stitch.


And you are done! If you would like a little hanger for the corner, grab your main color and a crochet hook and chain 10, and then secure onto a corner.

We hope you enjoy it!  We will try and get a grid of the pattern out asap, too!



If you make this cutie, make sure to use #fibertonacres on social media so we can check it out!  We would love to see your creations!  And if this is all too much, you can just buy one at our Etsy shop here!

Thanks again!

Ash

PS - If you want a PDF version to download, head here and click on the tutorial!



Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Adventures in Animals, Plants and Fiber

I love that even though we live right by a highway (like a stone's throw away), we can still take in plenty of nature.  Whether it's getting to walk with the sheep through the lush grass that this year's much needed rains have watered, watching the different birds of the area, new growth from the rose cuttings we planted, cuddling with our domesticated animals (I decided that fits here) or playing with fiber (I think that is kind of nature-y...right?)

So here are a few snapshots of our adventures with animals, both wild and tamed, plants and fiber as of late.


Cleaning and carding some beautiful onyx black alpaca fiber to make this lovely yarn...


The day when over 20 vultures decided our trees were a great place to rest.  (A few facts: 1) that many vultures just hanging out in your yard is a little unnerving, 2) it also prompts you to go check on every single one of your animals 3) a group of vultures is called a 'wake'.  Also creepy. 4) It was pretty spectacular, too.)


The rose that is growing from some lovely cut roses I received just before Christmas...



Or the cute little blue bird (not sure if it is a jay or blue bird) that let me take his picture while walking the dog...



Just loving our super silly-riffic animals....  

Like the shoulder kitty...


Contortionist kitty...


Goofy itch angora rabbit....


Sleep little bunny...


Or our Rocky the ram, who wiggles his tail when he gets scratches...



What fun nature-y things have you seen lately?

Ash