Yarn Along...The Hat

It's been awhile!

So I mentioned "the hat" the other day.  It all started out innocently enough.  I had been gifted some beautiful yarn - handspun from one of my all-time favorite sheep, Mia.  I searched and searched for an appropriately special enough pattern, found one I liked, knew I was probably going to have trouble making the proper gauge, so did a swatch.

I'm a good swatcher.  Especially with handpun yarn (my favorite), it's always a really good idea to know where you stand before you start so you aren't surprised and disappointed by how your finished item fits.  Here's where yet again I become "an example for others"...

I was, indeed, unable to hit the required stitches per inch.  I don't have it in front of me, but say, for example, I was supposed to knit 6 stitches per inch and I could only get 5.  If I cast on the instructed number of stitches for a 22" hat (6 stitches/inch x 22" = 132) at 5 stitches per inch, the hat would end up being almost 26 1/2" around.  

This pattern was perfect though (I thought...yep, thinking ;-) as it was created/offered with different sizes.  The next smaller size, substituting my swatch math, would fit perfect.  I cast on, started knitting, pulled it off the needles a few inches in to try it on, fit perfect, I'm a genius!

So...the other part of useful swatching is your rows per inch.  I'm fully aware that you can go up or down a needle size to try and get closer to the stitches per inch gauge, but have never figured out how to change the rows per inch.  I mean, your rows are your rows, right?  Since I didn't think there was any way to affect that, I don't didn't even measure for that.

Let's do the math.  Okay, so if I'm supposed to be getting 5 rows per inch and I'm only getting 4 (again, just examples) and the colorwork pattern is based on, say, 60 rows, the hat should be (at 5 stitches per inch) 12" tall.  If I'm only getting 4 stitches over 60 rows...the hat then ends up 15" tall. 

Yeah...um...

The hat fits perfect around my head.  If I'd have realized the error of my thinking regarding the height ahead of time (using the aforementioned swatch), I could have modified the patterning to accommodate that.  It's a wonderfully cozy hat and the stranding of the colorwork makes it double thick and super warm especially with the bottom few inches folded up inside.  Quadruple thick over my ears?  Perfect for single digits. 

It's wrong though...and I know it. And I see that every time I put it on.  For the time being, the warm-ness trumps the wrong-ness, but as a graduate from Stella's Knitting School, it's headed for the frog pond.  Not the actual Frog Pond, but the rip it rip it "pond".  It won't really hurt (much) and Mia deserves better.

To end on a happier note, here's a cute iPhone shot from the Wool House yesterday.  I was working on threading the full size scarf and was happy to realize (for once before it was too late ;-) that I could turn my little loom around so I could sit right up next to the fire.  It's all about the warm-ness this winter!

As far as what I'm reading these days, I just finished listening to Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good by Jan Karon.  I've thoroughly enjoyed the entire sweet Mitford series.

Joining in with Ginny...

It's Beginning To Look A Little Bit Like Christmas

You wouldn't know it driving past our house though. Even the neighbors are starting to comment on it.  Today's the day!  But first, a little holiday cheer from the farm.  What are those crazy boys up to this year?!?

There has always been a bit of a rivalry between the older boys (Chocula, Hershey, Daniel and Burrnie) and the the younger boys (Baaxter, Woody, Murphy and Woody).  Girls, food, cookies, back scratches...you name it.

Chocula's usually the main enforcer.  Baaxter's smart enough to stay out of the way (usually ;-). Woody's mouth runs all the time and somehow cute, innocent little Spud keeps getting caught in the middle.  Daniel likes to take advantage of everyone's distraction and come over for extra attention.

I wasn't going to paint a new card this year.  Last year's number ten seemed like a nice ending point and really, other than a snowball fight or trying to figure out a way the sheep could make snow angels without looking dead, I couldn't come up with any other winter activities to portray.

When we lost Iris so unexpectedly this fall and quickly realized just how much she'd kept everyone in line, I decided the snowball fight would be a perfect design.  Kate's arrival last month tied in well, too.  She could be racing in to save the day...with Tilly happy to once again be "back up".

The neighbor kids are back again, as always, sitting on the three white pines from the last few posts. Hank and Maisie are together with Comby by Hank's side while Betsy is with Baaxter. Hickory's (always) eating while T-Bone is watching the events unfold.

Graham pretty much has to be on every card.  I'm not sure how he got that negotiated into his contract, but there he is ;-).  B. Willard is also a frequent cast member as is Mia.  Little Mia is a bittersweet inclusion this year.  After years of battling "something liver related" we knew it would not be fair to put her through another winter.  She will always be there in spirit though, another Angel Among Us.

Merry Christmas from Equinox Farm!

The Breakfast Club(s)

"Did you hear Mom coming?"

"MomMom?" 

That's exactly what it sounds like :-).

To get from this point to everyone eating breakfast is a bit of a blur and definitely not something I'm able to take pictures of.  You'll just have to imagine Baaxter and Woody standing up on the back gate. They haven't figured out yet that I can't actually open the gate if they're standing on it, but hey, they're excited ;-).  Henri bangs on the gate with her horns.  

Henri will also run over you without a thought, so make sure when you do open the gate that you get it open wide enough and quick enough that she doesn't crash into you...but that then only the boys can race through before Rebecca Boone and Chocula and sometimes Hershey bum rush you as well.  

Mia and Ford patiently wait at the side door and calmly step into the aisle when invited.

The old folks (Henri and Ford) and Mia (the puny one) eat on the mat in front of the feed room. This shot was taken on an auto setting.  The camera does the best it can to balance out the dark indoors with the bright outdoors.  Kind of an interesting shot.

This was taken using manual settings.  I bumped up the length of exposure so the sheep were brighter, but knew it was going to blow out the white trailer in the background.  Neither are great shots, but I like both if for no other reason than they tell me the story about how these three sheep eat breakfast.  With Weaslie and Claire Bear ;-).

There's a cut gate in the middle of the barn aisle.  Among other jobs, it also separates the kid's table from the adults.  I leave it open until all seven sheep are inside and the outside gate is latched. Mia and Ford politely go past the cut gate to their food.  Henri bulldozes over and starts chowing down at the lamb trough.  Where you could never get a Cotswold to raise their head from a feed tub, Henri, a Jacob, can be persuaded to move along.  Eventually.  And then that inside gate gets latched.

Baaxter has apparently decided he wasn't happy with where he was eating with his brothers and is jumping around, getting ready to jockey for a new position.  Hershey is looking on with disbelief as to why anyone would stop eating long enough to goof around.  Hershey's got some Cotswold in him ;-).

Baaxter has some "spoiled" in him.  Honestly, I think he's still completely surprised he's not still getting a bottle.  On days when he's being especially pitiful I'll let him sneak into the feed room with me and eat big ewe nuggets (see above) from my hand.  

But mostly he's pretty well integrated.

And that's the sheep feeding portion of the morning program.  After everyone goes back out, the Adventure Chickens move in and get their scratch grains on the mat.  And then Weaslie and I go back to the house for a second cup of coffee :-).

Hank's Hideout

During the day, especially hot days, Hank holes up in the single stall on the left side of the barn aisle. The big door slides over and covers enough of the small doorway that only Mia and Maisie and one time Blossom (how on earth?!?) can fit under there.  Mostly he has his hideout all to himself.  

Maisie joins him in the afternoons and I frequently find him turned over on his back, sleeping with all four legs in the air.  The mornings though he's still on duty, always watchful.

Some Sunday Sheep Shots

Mia Mia - Queen of the Tour de Fleece, which finished in fine fashion yesterday.  Pictures tomorrow.

Boudreaux

 Burrnie, Maisie, Casper Belly and Emily

Chocula

Keebs in the foreground and Daniel and B. Willard behind.

The boys.  Look at that thunderhead!  I love to watch them boil up.

Oops, no sheeps ;-).

Count Chocula again.  I love how this turned out with the aperture wide open.

Petunia and Ewen McTeagle - two of my all-time favorite sheeps :-).

Show's over!  Miss Maisie's propeller flying away :-).

Early Morning

We have a group of early risers that hit the green at daybreak. I saw them out by the pond and grabbed the camera.

Miss Renny

Coming in from way back - Daniel, Burrnie, Lila and Graham

Graham might be re-thinking the early breakfast.

"I was just resting my eyes!"

See all the lines in the dewy grass?  Those are the sheep paths.  Mia is always the farthest out.

And here's what she thinks about having her picture taken ;-).

Crazy Miss Maisie

The 2014 Tour de Fleece

It's time for the Tour de Fleece!  Some information from the TdF page on Ravelry...

This year, the Tour de Fleece starts on Saturday July 5 and runs until Sunday July 27th, 2014.
Guidelines (NOT RULES):

• Spin every day the Tour rides, if possible. Saturday July 5 through Sunday July 27th. Days of rest: Tuesday, July 15th and Monday July 21st. (Just like the actual tour.)
• Spin something challenging on the challenge day (usually the toughest high mountain stage: this year, it’s Stage 14, on Saturday, July 19th, when they climb over 3,000m at grades from 4-6%).
• Wear yellow on Sunday July 27th to announce victory. Why not wear yellow on any day you feel particularly successful? (Yellow is the color of the race leader in the Tour - but here we are all ‘race leaders’) Other colors if desired: Green (sprinter - think FAST), Polka-dot (climber - as in uphill), and white (rookie).

 

The Captain for this year's Team My Favorite Sheep is Mia :-).  Our group is very laid back, very encouraging and not competitive.  Please feel free to join in even if all you'd like to do is cheer the spinners on.  Everyone welcome!

My  2014 "bicycle" basket - some treasures in a stash of old roving bundles. I also am hoping to spin some Miss Ewenice, but the way my days are going right now...  Sigh.

I think there are 20 mixed ounces of Peabody, Jester, Beanie Baby, Popcorn PeePee Pants and Henrietta.  I was happy to find the Peabody and PPPP because most of their wool has been sold over the years.  Mine, mine all mine :-).

It's important to have your porch cats at the ready.

Including Claire Bear.  What?  If CB is joining the team, it's looking like it's going to be an odd race for sure!

Note the tipped over bucket, potting soil, fern tears strewn about...  I woke this morning to sheep bells.  Outside the bedroom window.  There should not be sheep bells outside the bedroom window.  GRAHAM LAMB!!!

Add install flower protecting gate to Wool House porch to the TdF list.  While keeping the barn gate shut seems like a more logical solution, it's apparently not in my skill set >:-o. 

A Winter Prediction

Good for me...but bad for probably everyone else around here ;-). Mt Devon Meanderings left a comment on yesterday's post saying the number of days of fog in the fall predicts the number of snows in the winter.  I am so excited!  We've had a LOT of beautiful foggy mornings this fall :-D.  Here are some more shots from the other morning.

Usually Renny (front left - still hard to believe that short fat blond is her ;-) is up with the early risers, but apparently slept in the other morning.  Keebs, Willard, Graham, Blossom, Maisie, Lila head out at first light.  With Hank.  The rest meander out after their second cup of coffee.

Mia leads the way.

And then the boys.

Down across the bridge.  Chocula and Daniel stay together and Hershey heads "off road".  Into the burr patch.  Saint Tim and I picked burrs off topknots and from around chubby cheeks much of yesterday afternoon.  The access to the creek and Frog Pond?  Over for awhile!

Clover Belly

Henrietta


*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Thank you for all the calendar orders!!!  We are going to try to have everything ready to ship in the next couple of days.  I'm working on the "over sea" shipping.  Looks like it might not be as bad as I'd feared :-).

From The Back Porch This Evening

I still get happy when I see Maisie out with the big kids :-). 

Keebler, Maisie, Rennie, B. Willard, Lila, Mia

Keebler, Lila and Renny.  Those three really look like they need an all you can eat pass at the smorgasbord :-o.

If You Have A House Full Of People...

...you might have to go out and pee behind a tree :-o.



But when you do, you might see something sweet like Blossom and Blizzard out eating together in the early morning.



Mia's not a big eater. She's more interested in watching the farm wake up so she's current on any new gossip.



Blizzard's obviously more into eating than gossiping (you all can make fat comments about him ;-), but he's always keeping a watchful eye out for danger. And for that we thank him. Little kids shouldn't have to worry.