New Directions....

Recently a friend directed me to a new blogland friend, teaching handwork. Following her blog has given me thought about what to do with this space. My personal fiber ramblings while interesting to me, are likely that, only interesting to me :) But I know personally that working in a Waldorf School, and the only Waldorf School in the entire state of Alaska with the exception of a charter using Waldorf inspired methodology, it is challenging at sometimes to get the support I need to stay inspired in the classroom.

I admire Teaching Handwork for recognizing this niche and filling it! Waldorf Education is a very hands on manipulative, creative, exploratory, visual, methodology and sitting with a computer is not the primary method of information exchange. So while there are links to fabulous educational opportunities for teachers online, there is not a lot of.... here we know you are isolated here is support... out there online! What a great idea Teaching Handwork! :)

So I think that transformation is in order as we'd say in our mainlesson books when there is something that needs a little beautifying or tweaking to correction.

This weekend I'll work on looking at sharing my curriculum and what challenges me and maybe together we can find ways to inspire each other!

I'll still be...

making peace, and spinning fleece!

Kiska Knitting!

Finished are the gloves knitted from the brown mystery wool handspun! I really like them. I still think that I will very lightly felt them.


Since then I have spun up 2 ply of the brown mystery wool and a single ply of Anshon's Biscotti (angora blend) from Susan's Spinning Bunny for a nice 3 ply heavy worsted not quite bulky wt yarn. I decided that I wanted to add some of my Kiska's fiber because it blooms just like angora. So I carded it with some colored merino and spun up a 2 ply that about matches the 3 ply.


And just for fun, I knit up a pocket monster out of a wool/silk blend. She's so cute, I put her in my own bag just for smiles :)

Names for her? How about She-ster?

Make peace, spin fleece!

Now I need another spinning wheel.....

I just love this Sit and Spin DvD. The problem that I have now is that neither of my wheels has a large orfice. And Neither one has the option of getting one any time soon :( What to do?????

YAaaa-Froggin-Hoooooo....

ok.... no frogging here! I just finished watching my much awaited DVD of the famous Jacey Boggs from Insubordiknit and it ROCKS ladies and gents. It was worth every long awaited breath abaited second! Fun yarn, sweet Jacey, great music, awesome spinning!

If you lust for fiber, love spinning, and you adore funky you will love this video. Now I guess you could spin up some non funk learning these techniques. But hopefully you will be insprired to think outside the spinning basket ;)

Go get yerself a DVD!

Spin on dooods!

Make peace, spin fleece!

Spinning during "Ice Days"....

....as opposed to the normal "snow days".

The following is wool that I picked up at the Fall Spinning retreat in 2008. I didn't work too hard at removing short cuts, so there will be some pilling. But I am making felted mittens and slippers with it so who cares right? :)







This is a wool/tencel blend, which I love so much from Susan's Spinning Bunny.


And this folks is a memorial to the lovely crisp clear and very cold winter we *were* having... that has now turned to craaaaaaaaaaaaap! It is now in the 40's and blowing hurricane winds every so often. School's been closed for the past 3 days because no one can walk to their cars without risking serious injury. Well, some of us can, but not too many (I may dislike people with heated garages).


make peace, spin fleece...

Dang it's cold out!

Okay minus 24F this morning. I realize that it is colder in other places, but this is just too cold to not have a garage! The good thing about it???? It is GORGEOUS out. Clear blue skies and lovely sunrises and sunsets.

This is what it looks like when someone you love goes on a 12 mile run at minus 10F


I spun this up last night... will ply it tonight :)


I felted up some small bowls over the holidays.


Henry always has to sit on or in something. For some reason he thought he'd fit in this one. After he squatted down on it he figured out it just wasn't working. So cute! :)

Make Peace, Spin Fleece!

Happy New Year!

Well... a few days late anyhow :) Celebrated my wedding anniversary on the 1st as well as welcomed 2009. The First Friday Art Exhibit for my school opened on the 2nd and that was a busy day. It was a success and costs were covered with a bit of profit.

New Year's Resolutions anyone?

1. Get Fit! Joined Gym (uh hem, it has been -5 to-15F so the outside must wait)
and have actually gone to gym and worked out.
2. Get to bed at reasonable time (ie 10pm) ok, that isn't happening tonight.
3. Knit more for self. All I really want this year is to make a duster sweater for myself. Ok, I want to knit a lot more than that, and I will... but I want to put the duster on the line up.

That is it :)

How about you?

Make peace, Spin fleece!