For instance… part of our daily ritual is to take a mid-morning break to walk our two beloved  dogs:

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Going for their walks is a very big deal for them,

and even though they have covered the same

ground at least twice a day for years and years,

it’s always unmitigated joy for them to know that,

miracle of miracles, Mummy and Daddy are -

can you believe it?

Going to take them for a walk!

It never fails to crack me up to see their

quivering anticipation and excitement at the

prospect of going down their road!

Today, we wanted to check the hayfield, and see how the freshly mown hay was looking:

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Jim cut the hay yesterday, and as we walked the dogs last evening announced that it had been a perfect day, because his trio had had a very fine gig in the morning/afternoon, and then he had an excellent cut of hay in the late afternoon/early evening.

So, his day had been the perfect combination of being and doing the things he loves to live: Musician and farmer.

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

As we walked along, admiring the beauty of the pattern of the newly mown hay, I was describing the combinations and permutations that I was contemplating in getting some yarn ready for spinning then, weaving.

I hadn’t thought of the ridiculously complex process of ‘making yarn’ that I had been mulling over in my mind as actually being really complicated, until I heard myself describing it to Jim.

I burst out laughing and said: ‘Or, I could just go buy a ball of yarn…..’

Jim grinned at me, and we both said, at the same time: ‘It’s just like making hay!’

You can probably tell that this is a conversation that we have had a lot…. that making hay isn’t one of those things that makes sense to someone who doesn’t love doing it….. (that would be me…. I absolutely ~loathe~ lifting those prickly, nasty, heavy bales, and just don’t do it anymore)……. but, Jim loves it…..

It’s contemplative and meditative and joy filled to someone who DOES love it. (that would be him. And, he is welcome to it)  

Spinning yarn (picking through the stinky fleece, washing it, rinsing it, sorting it, carding it, spinning it….) doesn’t make sense to anyone who doesn’t love it.  BUT…. to someone who does love doing that (me) it’s wonderful.

It’s contemplative, and meditative and full of joy…

yep….. it’s just like making hay…..

so,  when someone asks you,

How is a hay field like a basket of fleece?

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

You can tell them the answer!

Alright, I know that they AREN’T going to ask you that, so you can ask them…..

and then smile a mysterious little smile and tell them that Noreen told you so……

it’s meditation in motion, and a contemplation of contentment!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

I absolutely love the Potholder Loom.

It’s a loom that is seriously under appreciated.

Many people were introduced to the potholder loom when they were children.

They began weaving with loops of nylon or cotton that were offcuts from the sock industry.

This has tended to fix the idea in people’s minds that loopers are what potholder looms are all about.

No no no no no no no no!

Luckily, I didn’t have a potholder loom when I was a kid, because I would hate to be stuck with the looper misconception.

Potholder looms are simple, basic square looms that are delightfully portable and offer infinite creative possibilities!

My Weavagarumi Plushie Critters are my latest designs for the Potholder loom,  and I am tickled pink with them.

Here are a few of them:

Weavagarumi Kitty, Ladybug and Bluebird of Happiness photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

And

Weavagarumi Lemon, Orange and Apple photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

As I have been designing and weaving them, I have been grinning from ear to ear. They simply fill me with delight.

Potholder looms just plain rock! Here’s to simplicity, affordability and portability, as well as unlimited creativity!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

You can add a little embellishment to socks that you have knitted or crocheted,

like these ones that I just finished knitting.

Or, you can dress up purchased socks by stitching on purchased or crocheted or tatted

lace.

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I tatted super simple flowers onto these socks…. it took 4 attempts to get the sock

edging right.  I found that I liked it best when I cut the self striping yarn into colorways

that made sense for the flowers.

The flowers are rings of 3 ds, p, 3 ds, p, 3 ds, p,3 ds, p,3 ds, p,3 ds, p,3 ds, p,3 ds, close.  So, I put the flower colors onto the tatting shuttle, and used the green shades as the ch of 7 ds, to make them read as the stems for the flowers.

By cutting the yarn, and paying attention to where the colors were going to be, it made the flowers read much better than when I  just let the yarn come off the ball willynilly.

Don’t be afraid to cut the yarn! Make those stripey bits work for you.

AND…. have fun tatting with sock yarn. Sock yarn is springy and bouncy and tats up just beautifully.   So….. sock yarn is not just for knitting or crocheting! Get out your tatting shuttles and tatta-tat-tat with it!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

There have been a heap of changes and I am soooooooooooo excited to be part of the new direction !

One of the biggest changes is that Hankering for Yarn will soon be part of Bliss Tree, which is an oh so nifty website/community.  I am looking forward to seeing how this all unfolds!

I have all sorts of ideas and plans for Hankering for Yarn, so stay tuned!

I will be playing with all things yarn:

Which is why I combined all those things in the picture.

If you can tell me what everything in the picture is, leave a comment in the comments section below, and you’ll win a prize!

Alrighty… you have until Tues March 10 to list off everything in the pic, and tell me what it’s for….

and yes…. there is a  mystery object in the picture…. let’s see if anyone gets it!  LOL!

I feel like I have come home again…..  I am happy dancing! Won’t you join me?

Thank you so much everyone who has posted so far…. I had planned on masking the answers, but woke up this morning to discover that answers were showing up….. oops!
That really ticked one reader off, ~sorrrrrrrrrrry~
SO – being a very creative hoppitty bunny, I am going to award MORE than one prize!
Alrighty?

(image source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright)

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

I went into Hobby Lobby the other day for some cotton dishcloth yarn. You really can’t beat the craft stores for inexpensive cotton yarn.

They were having a sale on some items and bargain-loving woman that I am, I decided to buy this yarn I’ve never tried before. I’ve used Lion Brand before and it’s a good workhorse type of yarn. I’ve never tried their sock yarn, however.

So far, so good. It’s not as luxurious as Lorna’s Laces or Claudia’s Handpainted, but it’s similar to Opal. It feels like a sturdy, dependable sort. Of course, I won’t have a full review until after my socks are done and I’ve worn them and washed them a few times, but working them on my new nickel plated needles has made for speedy and enjoyable work.

But for $8.00 for one ball — and as you can see, “one ball makes a pair” — I thought it was too good a deal to pass up.

Ever used this yarn? What do you think?

Images: © D. Sandeen

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

If putting puzzles together is another pastime you enjoy, combine it with your love of yarn for something you’ll love looking at in the process.

Image: Springbok

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Of course, if you love winding hanks of yarn into balls by hand, then by all means, skip the winder. Your local yarn shop may even offer the service when you purchase yarn there (for a small fee). I’ve had online vendors offer yarn-winding, too (again, for a fee).

However, a ball winder can be a good investment. You can find a decent one that costs around $40.00. I’ve seen some for half that price, but can’t say how reliable it would be. And you can always find some that cost a lot more. For now, my kitchen chair backs work almost as well as a swift, but it’s nice to not have to wind 400+ yards of laceweight yarn by hand.  

Image: KnitPicks

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Does this include your yarn stash?

If so, here are some ideas on how you can organize your stash for the new year. This way, you’ll know where your supplies are and not waste precious crafting minutes (or hours) looking for what you need.

Clear, plastic storage units are always popular and a good way to store and organize your stash so you can see what you have. With lids on, these boxes keep out dust and dirt, and possibly pets and kids.

Plus, you can easily see your yarn inside without having to open anything.

They come in a range of sizes and stack well. They work great for natural fibers as well as artificial ones, but if you store wool in them, consider adding cedar chips, cedar balls, lavender sachets, etc. — things to keep the moths away.

You can also make use of a hanging unit. These come in canvas as well as plastic and if you’re short of space, you can store one of these in your closet, which won’t take up a lot of room.

Again, you can easily see what you have without having to dig through boxes or a chest (my current dilemma).

With either of these storage options, you can organize in a few ways:

* By color

* By fiber content

* By weight

* By animal vs. artificial

The good thing about organizing is that you can do it however you want, in whatever way works best for you. So how about it? Are you organizing your yarn stash today to get a fresh start on the new year?

Images: Rubbermaid and Bed Bath & Beyond

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Unlike previous years, I didn’t ask for yarn as a gift this Christmas. For one, I really do have a lot of yarn (it takes quite a lot of guts to admit that!), yarn that I probably won’t use all up in 2009.

Right now, I’m trying to see how I’m going to approach 2009 as far as being crafty. I want to try some new things; I want to use yarn I already own…and not just to make more room for new yarn.

Pictured is part of my stash (I’ll discuss proper storage for yarn another time), so as you can see, I’m pretty well-stocked. Did you get more yarn for Christmas? And if so, did you need it?

Image: © D. Sandeen

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Get 20% off all cashmere, silk and sock yarns. If you live in Atlanta, you can always visit. If you order online, enter “onedaysale” in the comments section to get your savings.

Fine print via the announcement:

“Discounts apply to in-stock items only. For cashmere and silk, the items must be at least 60% cashmere or silk.  Regular priced items only. No adjustments. Discounts do not apply on special orders, holds or previously purchased items. Discounts can not be combined. The greater discount applies! All items purchased on sale are FINAL SALE. No winding on sale items…” 

I’ve ordered from Knitch in the past and I can tell you, their customer service is excellent. The yarn is a dream and I think you’ll be more than pleased with whatever you get. They deal in some luxurious fiber; plus, a sale is always nice. Happy shopping!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn