Enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle on the Canadian Prairies it is possible to take a 5 mile horseback ride and not meet a single neighbor. Privacy and freedom of movement not enjoyed by much of
the population any more! Against this backdrop I spin, dye and knit various fibers, always eyeing that pet Llama and scheming...
CLICK on his sidebar pic about half way down the page and read about his first haircut!
CLICK on the second Llama pic for the story of his latest shearing!
CLICK on Caulisheep for pics from our farm
CLICK on "What addiction?" pic for Clara Parke's article on interesting ways to hide yarn!
CLICK on "CLASSIC POSTS" in Category Archives for the Best of the Lazy Knitter
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My original watercolors of Spinning Wheels, Spindles and Fiber Tools are now available as 4 x 5" blank note cards and mini-cards! In sets of 4 at my Etsy Shop
Click the pic for Clara Parke's article on how to hide your stash...
I Love My Llama
Click on this pic and read about his haircut!
Click on this pic for photos from our farm
Why I Love Wool
DID YOU KNOW? Unlike synthetic fibers, wool is fire retardant. Up until recently, the blankets firefighters used to rescue people from burning buildings were made of tightly woven wool. This is because wool will only burn if it is held on a flame and immediately stops burning if the flame is removed. Synthetics only need to be exposed to high heat before they combust (they don't even need an open flame) and will continue to burn even after being removed from the heat source. This makes synthetics HIGHLY DANGEROUS for infant bedding and clothing (if they're around smokers) because burning synthetics will actually melt right onto skin and continue to burn even after the flame has gone out.
Wool can be stretched up to 1/3 longer than it's resting length and still snap back into shape!
Wool is a 100% renewable resource that does not require chemicals or consumable energy to produce!
Superwash wool can be machine washed and dried without worry, making it easy care - perfect for infant wear & blankets!
With all the advances in sheep breeds (like Merino and Blue Face Leicester) plus the greater availability of specialty fibers like Alpaca, the days of "scratchy" wool are over!
Books I Recommend
Lovely children's books! All the illustrations are made of felted wool! Unique gifts!!
Chronicles of the Lazy Knitter: Friday Freebies for Frosty Mornings
Friday Freebies for Frosty Mornings
Yesterday we had another 3 inches of rain with intense lightning so we basically were internet-less. I'm thinking about chilly mornings and evenings and this week's free patterns reflect this...
I'm not sure which I love more about the Sequoia Shrug from Lion Brand, the lovely loose gauge, which makes it smooshy soft or the gorgeous color gradations of the yarn! Don't be shy to try this pattern - it's super simple structure and easy crochet stitches make for a done-in-a-weekend project!
For a project that may take a bit of time to knit, the Shoreline Lace Shawl from Lion brand pays back in spades! Pretty lace that's fairly sturdy that can be made wider or narrower by adding or subtracting repeats. I say break out the softest most decadent treasure in your stash for this one!
Putting a little diagonal twist into things is this Teak Set from Tahki Stacey Charles. The stockingette stitch curl is part of the design and gives this set that "something extra" that makes you want to knit it with high end mohair or vicuna! I say this would be a great vehicle for a space dyed yarn or something multi-tonal too. Stash attack and surprise yourself!
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