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 Little Folks
Friday Freebies for Little Folks
In keeping with this week's more lighthearted fare here are two patterns sure to please someone small - or perhaps someone young at heart!
Who could resist this adorable crochet Sheep Toy from Caron Naturally? I think what I love most about it is how child-safe it is! Even the loopy fleece on it could be made as short or as long as you'd like. I had another thought - how about using that going-out-of-style fake fur yarn instead of doing all those loops? All I know is I can't think of a chubby little hand that wouldn't grab covetously for this sweetie at first sight! LOL!
If you prefer a knit toy how about this Fuzzy Kitty also from Caron Naturally? If you're into color work then dig right in! If you're not too keen on it, how about using some self-striping yarn or a multi-tonal? Dare I say it again (ooo! TWICE in the same post!) get out that fake fur yarn and make a really groovy hip cat! Whatever yarn you choose this cat is poised to hug any child that will pick it up - which is more than you can say about most cats! LOL!! But oh the yarn this one will eat up! Good thing you won't have to take it to the vet after, eh? (OK I'm done with the silly cat jokes!) Maybe I'll allow the real professionals to put a smile on your face....
3/19/2011 7:08 AM
Kimberly wrote:
My granddaughter Ana has a herd of stuffed sheep. This will be a perfect present for her 4th birthday in June. Thank you. Reply to this
My granddaughter Ana has a herd of stuffed sheep. This will be a perfect present for her 4th birthday in June. Thank you.
Reply to this