I Went to a Fiber Garden Party

Yesterday I went to a Fiber Garden Party, lots of fiber, spinning, and eating as is common with my  friends so of course it was a fun day! We gathered at Betty Neer’s home in Ranier. Her family has lived there since the mid 1800’s and played a large part in logging and developing the area. Her home is perched on a large rock bluff overlooking the Colombia River. She says the dirt is only a few inches thick but she has extensive gardens with some of the biggest dahlias I have ever seen. Betty maintains all the gardens herself. When she treated us to a tour of her home we got to see her indoor swimming pool, she says she works out an hour a day in it. I can believe it, she is a strong and interesting woman.

This Fiber Party was also Area 6010 of NwRSA’s quarterly spinning meeting so we had a little guild business to take care of, like electing an area representative. I volunteered to organize our meetings while Audrey Sinner volunteered to be Area Rep, Lyn Ward agreed to continue as our Alt Rep. Shelia January, Diane McKinnon and Marlyn Balzat volunteering to help with whenever needed we voted Audrey in. Yay .

With the business over we helped ourselves to our potluck lunch, salads, homemade pickled beets, squash casserole, deviled eggs, crackers with cream cheese and mango preserve, peach berry pie, and rhubarb crumble topped with whipped cream. Thus fortified we got to the meat of our meeting- the Fiber Garden Party.

Now what is a Fiber Garden Party you ask? We each brought at least 8 oz of colorful fiber, (most of us brought a lot more than 8 oz, a LOT more). It could be any fiber, coarse or fine, from batts to locks, wool, silk, Angora rabbit, mohair and camel. We took it out of various bags and basket, pulled it apart and threw it on Betty’s clean kitchen floor. Poor Betty, it was quite the mess.

We stirred up our big pile of fluff, roughly blending the wide variety of fiber and then we ran it through Shelia’s picker. Diane sat at the end of the picker with a gardening fork raking the fiber from the bottom of the picker into not one but two large garbage bags. We took turns pushing the picker.

 Each of us got to take home as much fiber as we brought. The intention is that it will be spun into art yarn, bumpy lumpy and full of color and texture but there is nothing saying that the fiber couldn’t be run through a carder to smooth it out. I can’t wait to see what everyone makes with it.

Not Funny!

Gack, I have become a cartoon character in my own life.
Frame one: Frumpy Old Lady yelling from her bed "Get away from my window you big mouthed loud faced obnoxious putz of a Blue Jay"

Frame two: Old Lady with her hair sticking up in irritated tufts " I'll send my Fat Cat out to deal with your squawking" Fat Cat doesn't flinch

Frame three: Red faced Old Lady with mad tufts of hair "My Good Dog will chase you outta here" Good Dog looks up from sofa and says "Huh"

Frame four: Gimpy frumpy irritated Old Lady with angry face, tufed hair and smoke coming out her ears " I'll shake my cane at you, you rotten bird"

Back to the Beginning- Spinning

I am spinning again! I think of myself as a felt-maker and I teach felt making professionally but I was spinning many years before I learned to make felt. It feels so good to be able to spin now especially as I recover from some surgeries that have limited my activity.

I learned to spin when we first moved to the country and got sheep, about 23 years ago. I loved it, the feel of the fiber in my hands, the growing length of yarn filling the bobbin , the rhythm of plying, counting the yards on my niddy noddy and the beauty of the twisted skein sitting on my shelf.

Then I started going to several different spinning groups. Some were guilds, some were just living room spinning groups. And because of spinning I made friends that have been with me for 20 years or more. Spinning introduced me to my tribe. The first fiber festival I went to I took my daughters with me and the youngest told me they all looked like me, long skirts, Birkenstock shoes and spinning wheels. I think she was exaggerating just a little, not all of them wore Birkenstocks.

Spinning has become a fixture in my life. It frames my year and tells me what season it it. Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene opens summer. Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival signals fall. The Aurora Colony Handspinners Guild Christmas party is the beginning of the holiday season. A weekend spinning retreat the first weekend in January with my NWRSA Area group is my New Year celebration and Madronna Fiber Arts is a warm spot in the middle of  winter's cold. I keep track of my month by which group I am spinning with that week.

The women I spin with have become my sisters. They cheer me on when I bring something for "Show and Tell" and they encourage me when I tell them of a new project or process I'm trying. Since my knee replacement they have supported me a lot. They have sent cards, flowers, coloring pencils and most recently an electric spinner on loan.

So because of a friend I am spinning again. I'm getting stronger but I can't treadle yet.  An electric spinner is the perfect type of wheel for me to use and since I tire easily spinning is the perfect activity. I don't have to focus my eyes to spin, I can trust my fingers to feel it. I don't have to count stitches like I do for knitting or concentrate on putting a cross stitch in the right place. I hold the fiber in my hands, let the spinner hum and I pinch the twist then let it slide, pinch the twist then let it slide. Just like I did when I learned to spin in the beginning.

Two in One Day

OMG what is this? Two blog posts in one day? Nothing for months then two. Better watch her, she is getting pretty wild with all this sharing.

I have a recovery throne in my living room. It's a sleeper sofa with an air mattress. It gives me a place to sit with my leg elevated above my heart. If I'm tired of sitting I can lounge or nap as the mood takes me. It has made my convalescence much more tolerable. I have my Nook, my tv remote, my computer, stitchery projects, well wishes from my dear friends, my Ipod, room for a dog or two, comfy pillows and windows to look out.

I am spoiled and it time to wash to dye out of my hair.

Goals in July

Hey I didn't know I could share my blog posts on Facebook! I think that will mean I can post the important stuff one place and all my friends will get the info. But it may mean I get long winded. Feel no obligation to read all of this.

As I move into my third week post surgery I am setting some goals. Yesterday's goal was to go to the  Spinning Guild Dye Day and Picnic. With Tim's help I got there, yakked with my spinning buddies, saw some of the beautiful colored concoctions coming from the dye pots and ate nummy stuff at the potluck. Then went home, fell onto my recovery throne in the living room and took a good nap. It was a very nice day.

Today's goals are to:
1. walk outside 3 times to build up my endurance and strength- this will be an on-going goal
2. brush Mila thoroughly (ha ha did this already this morning even got her tummy) Yay!
3. dye my hair- let's talk about this

I am vain about my hair, I love it's texture and the color it gets a week after I use a box of dye. I'm vain about my smooth skin and love scented lotions. And I'm vain about my feet, yes they are short and wide but they look sexy to me when I look at the sides of them. Silly, I know, but there ya go.

So the last week of May I planned ahead, I got my hair cut and colored before the first surgery, I wanted to look my best while feeling my worst. I expected to be up and around by the time it needed to be done again. Well the second and third surgery kinda put a crimp in my plans (boy howdy did they ever). So here I am eight-nine weeks out, the gray is showing and I'm wearing a bandana on my hair to disguise that it is too long to be curly.

So for today's goal, dyeing my hair. No big deal right? Stand in the bathroom, mix the dye, put on the funky  gloves and apply it to my hair, about a 15 minute exercise. Then hang around with the smelly gunk on my hair for about an hour. Well right now standing up for a 10 minute shower is a test of endurance. Once I'm done washing I grab a towel and sit down to dry off. Catch my breath, get up get my lotion and sit again to apply it. It's best if I plan what clothes I want to wear before I start so I can continue to sit and recover as I dress.

I realized yesterday hanging with my spinning friends, that many of them have gone through similar health challenges, some have on-going health issues and are facing more hardships than I am. It was very reassuring to me to hear about their trials and reminded me that I am not alone in my pity pool. So I am off to the bathroom to get out my box of hair dye.

Dyeing my hair

Me pre-surgery post- salon visit

And She's Back

I'm on a sewing kick. I shortened a dress I bought on clearance at Macy's. When I bought it I knew it didn't look quite right. It was a mid-calf formidable looking A-line dress, but the fabric enchanted me, a gorgeous bronzey brown cotton eyelet (I love eyelet) and it was severely marked down. I've had it for several months just waiting to inspiration to strike. Now it is a tunic top shorter in front and longer in back.

After finishing the tunic I made a Doo Rag for Tim using one of his old ones for a pattern. The fabric I used was leftover from a grandson's pajamas. The pattern still needs a little tweaking to fit Tim's 25" head better.

I love Marcy Tilton's stuff, over the past year I have made 4 pairs of her pants from Vogue pattern #8499

Here is the latest Marcy Tilton pattern I'm working on, Vogue 8813. I'm making view C in lightweight linen, 3 colors/prints- beige and white striped; a floral with beige, white, salmon and small amount of purple; and solid salmon. I will probably keep it tunic length too. I wear them more than dresses.

 

http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v8813-products-22895.php?page_id=4450

Holiday Madness

A friend of mine reminded me that I hadn't posted in a long time. She was right. I've gotten really tied up in the making of gifts for the season.

I've been so busy making gifts that my holiday decorating has fallen behind. I set up my favorite manger scene this morning. I got it in Mexico about 30 years ago. I love the blobby shapes especially of the sheep and little babe.

 I've been sewing gifts for everybody, starting with birthday gifts for my daughter Lacee and my Mom, they have birthdays in November (yes I know it's Dec and I'm, ehh, a little late). To test out the pattern I made one for myself (I love it) out of left over fabric and after a couple of modifications I was ready to make the top for each of them. Well it turns out that not all fabrics work the same, Lacee's came out great soft rayons, and velvet. It was a fabulous feeling getting it wrapped and into the mail with all the other gifts for her family. Mom's not so much, wool crepe and wool suiting trim, the edges of the crepe kept slithering out of the serging and all the stress points of the top (shoulders, neck, under arm) pulled open. At first I tried to fix the tears but they just kept popping open, it's a total loss. I will try again with other fabrics. Her box will go in the mail today with all the little gifts but no top.

I've made fleece lap blankets for all 4 grandkids, fleece capes for Tiernan and Rowan (so they stop wearing  the one I made for their sister last year). Fleece is so easy to work with it makes me look good, it almost makes up for the wool crepe disaster. Since Caulla already had a cape I've started knitting her a poncho, I've started it 7 times! This time it looks to be the right size so I'll knit like crazy and hope to get it done in time, thankfully big needles and big yarn.

In between sewing gifts I have been working out my travelling Lazy Kate design. I've got it perfected and have a dozen made. Now to set up an Etsy page to sell them (maybe after the holidays and Mom's top). Pictures later.

I would like to share with you the gift I have made for my Step-Dad. I've always found it hard to find the right gift for him even though we share a love of cooking. This year he and Mom are down-sizing so "things" are not wanted. I'm sending him some of my favorite recipes. Here they are:

Mushu Cauliflower and Pork

I worked up this recipe one night when I had a hankering for Chinese and was too tired to drive into town. I didn’t have any cabbage so I substituted cauliflower and it worked so well it has become a family fave.

Fast and Easy Version

1 cauliflower, chopped into smallish flowerettes

2 boneless pork chops sliced

1 jar of Plum or Hoisin Sauce (we prefer plum)

Cooking oil

Salt

Sesame Oil

Soy Sauce

Corn Starch if needed

1 package of flour tortillas warmed

Green onions- optional slivered for garnish

Using a wok on high heat, saute’ pork in oil, remove meat from pan, put cauliflower into wok and sauté. After the edges of the cauliflower soften add a tablespoon of soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil and a ½ cup of water. Cover and cook the cauliflower to the texture you like. Add meat back into wok and add enough Plum Sauce to coat the meat and veggies. If the sauce is too wet boil off extra and let steam escape or add corn starch to thicken. Serve in warm tortillas with extra Plum Sauce and diced onion.

Harder and Messier Version

Same ingredients

Marinate pork in soy sauce and sesame oil for 1-4 hours, roll in corn starch, fry in small batches in wok until crispy. Set aside. Follow the rest of the recipe above but add the pork just before serving to keep the crunch. Enjoy.

Zucchini Patties

This is an old family favorite; our daughters wouldn’t eat zucchinis so I told them these were made with cucumbers. Yes that’s right, I lied to them. We eat them for breakfast or dinner and they are great left over if you have any left.

4-5 zucchini grated

½- 2 cups of Bisquick

4 or 5 large eggs

Salt

Garlic Powder if you like

Grate zucchini, I use my food processor, and if I have time I sprinkle them with a little salt, put them in a colander and let them drain for an hour or two. If I don’t have time I use them straight from the food processor and add more Bisquick to compensate. Put the zucchinis in a bowl and add eggs until it good and gushy. I like a lot of eggs in mine so the patties are more egg-ish than pancake-ish. (When Tim makes them he uses less egg and more Bisquick) If you didn’t drain the zucchinis add salt to taste and if you want to add the garlic powder at this time. Add the Bisquick until the mixture looks like pancake batter. If you prefer a more pancake style patty add more Bisquick and then thin with milk as needed. Fry like pancakes. We eat them with ketchup, or salsa and sour cream. These patties are very versatile; you can add grated onion, carrots or apple. Bacon bits or chopped ham are tasty too.

 Happy Holidays to you all!