Maple Tree Cowl!!!!

I published my first paid pattern on Ravelry!

Super excited, with a squee and dancing around the house as I made my first sale would be an understatement!!

It is hard to publish...anything. You are putting your baby out for judgement.  I am proud of my design and know that it will change over time and they will get better with time.  Please give a try and some love!

I love trees; big trees, little trees, growing green ones, even hibernating trees… I think you get the idea. They also represent family and knowledge. While designing this pattern I used five repeats of the tree motif. One for each member of my immediate family!

The cowl is knit from the bottom up starting with a shell edging that creates a scallop reminiscent of tree roots. Knits and purls create texture for the tree trunk and basic lace is used to create leaves and the effect of light filtering through the crown of the tree. A nice garter stitch edging finishes the piece for a clean look around the throat.

It is important to me that patterns can be used in many different ways and I designed this motif with endless possibilities in mind. The pattern is both charted and written. The cowl can be reversible and modified to fit the knitter’s needs. More repeats can be added to make a loose cowl, or needles and yarn can be changed to give a different look!

Level of Difficulty: Beginner and beyond (comfortable with knitting in the round, yo, ssk, and k2tog)

Yarn: 
Knit Picks Swish DK (100% Superwash Merino Wool – 123 yards) Allspice or 120 yards of a DK weight yarn

Needles: 
US 7/4.5mm – 16” circular

Notions: 
Tapestry needle to weave in ends 
Stitch markers (5 with one different to mark the beginning of the round)

Gauge: 18 sts per 4” and 26 rows per 4” – however, gauge is not critical

Finished Dimensions: 21” circumference and 6.5” tall

Little House on the Prairie Shawl

Pioneer Girl by Susan B. Anderson

Pet, Patty, and Bunny!

Yay!  We got all three!  Pet, Patty, and Bunny!

"Bunny" is a ram, born to "Astero" and "Acorn."  He is the first lamb from the set of girls we bred to "Acorn."

"Pet" is a ewe born to "Red Heart" and "Duncan."  You can see "Duncan" below.  He is standing in front of the lambing jugs.  Lambing jugs, what a great invention!!!

The panels from our lambing jugs can be rearranged into almost any position I need with the use of removable stakes.  That makes it easy to accommodate the needs of the ewes and lambs.  You just have to love them!

Lambs - Snowy, Snowdrop, and Patty

Hello World!  We have had three lambs this season; still more on the way.

This is "Snowy," he is the first all white lamb we have had!  Of course, he was born the day before a snowstorm.  It never seems to fail that lambs are born during the most miserable weather or right before, ewes seem to have unusual timing!

I should not have been surprised that he was all white when his father, "Duncan" is a beautiful white also.  However, check out his other babies below. . . 

"Patty" was born to my sweetest ewe, "Sage."  "Patty" has earned her name from Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  We have been reading the series as a family read aloud and it has been great fun!  Pet, Patty, and Bunny are three of the horses in the story.  Therefore, if we have two more ewes they will be named Pet and Bunny.  

"Snowdrop" was born during a snowstorm this week.  Her mama is a solid moorit with a beautiful chocolate brown fleece.  I am surprised to only see a couple brown spots on her lamb and two brown ears.  April seems to be one of the snowiest months here in Lander, WY.

Stay tuned for more lambing updates. . . 

"Brickless" Shawl

I am teaching this shawl class at our local art center: Lander Art Center, Lander, WY on Saturday, March 28 and Saturday, April 4 from 10 am to 12 pm.

This is another delightful pattern from Martina Behm!  This is an asymmetrical scarf with three pattern repeats; lacy pattern, garter stitch pattern, and a ribbing pattern.

I made a set of cards with the repeating patterns and put them on a ring to help keep track of my rows.  As I complete a row I flip the card to the next one and keep going!

I am blocking this shawl as I write this!  I decided to block all at once because it will be hard to keep my kids away from the table for one day, let alone two days.

"Yeah, Kitty is Done!"

This is what my son shouted as I presented her to him.  She has been dubbed, "Whiskers."  

This is not the best picture but it gives you an idea of my first knitted stuffed animal!  Pattern was from "Knitted Farm Animals" by Sarah Keen.  Up next, the ewe for my middle son. . . 

Musings of a Homeschool Shepherdess

Most people assess where their lives are at each year when the new year rolls around, so, I guess I am a little late or have a more difficult time sitting down to put pencil to paper.  I have realized that my life revolves around four main themes:

1. Homeschooling my three boys;

2. Acting as a shepherdess to a flock of woolly Shetlands;

3. Knitting and Fiber Arts;

4. Building a house (this all consuming endeavor will hopefully be over by the end of the year!)

You are probably wondering where I am going with this . . . I am going to manage only one blog for both knitting and the ranch, in addition, I am going to expand the scope of my blog to include my musings on homeschooling and education.  Enjoy!