Tag Archives: LRB

Learn to Tat! No Ink Involved

Posted on May 9, 2012 by | Comments Off on Learn to Tat! No Ink Involved

 Saturday's class at the Little Red Barn has nothing to do with permanently drawing on your body.  It DOES involve using fine crochet thread to make gorgeous, heirloom-quality lace with your own two hands.

Hanane Elmoumi will take you through the simple steps to begin learning this vintage craft -- you can do it!  Amaze your friends!  Trim your sewing projects with your own handmade lace... You know you want to...

There are still a few seats left for our class on Saturday, May 12 at 10 AM.  Bring a lunch or snack to tide you over while you learn.  Also, bring one empty Clover shuttle (available at Hobby Lobby or other craft store).



Hanane will provide:
*a picot gauge
*thread
*two bobbins
*and a handout.

Cost: $20



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Vanni Owns Fourth Saturday

Posted on April 29, 2012 by | Comments Off on Vanni Owns Fourth Saturday
Fourth Saturday - a wonderful busy time with knitters and spinners coming and going from the Little Red Barn.  But it was also busy in the pasture, with a steady stream of visitors coming through the gates on this sunny and windy day.

For instance, while Mia was busy filling some bags with 'paca poo for her urban homestead, her son Levi was having a great time playing ring-around-the-rosey with Vanni.




A lovely group of girls came to visit the animals and learn about spinning wool.  They loved the alpacas, but, as usual, Vanni stole the show.


A sweet young couple came to see what alpacas look like in person, but had to deal with Vanni's... uh, curious nature.


Thanks to all the Barnies who dropped by today, including our first-timer, Debbie... Denise, Rita, Lisa, Lisa, Karen, Kris, Gail, CJ, and Anela (who'd I miss?).


Hopefully next time we get together, there won't be a huge moving van in the front yard... We'll let you know when the garage sale is on.  Some of Grandma's stuff is awesome.


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Learning Something New

Posted on April 26, 2012 by | Comments Off on Learning Something New

Sure, we could buy our socks at Walmart, but we like to knit them ourselves.  Sure, we could buy lace off a bolt, but we like to tat it ourselves.  Yes, we could find a nice shawl on sale at Kohls, but we enjoy crocheting our own.  It's not easy, and it's not for everyone, but we have chosen to slow down, apply our brains and our hands, and craft beautiful things for our own use, ourselves.


 Three awesome ladies came to the LRB last night to add a new competency to their textile toolboxes - spinning.  These gals are so good at so many other things.  But we all got the inevitable reminder that when you start a new craft, there is a period of time when you feel like you're all thumbs and not very bright.  And here's the key: this stage doesn't last, as long as you keep trying.  The truth is that you're very bright, and quite dexterous, but your digits need new training.


First, your brain mulls over the new intellectual understanding of the physics.  Then your eyes and your hands begin to experiment and try different things ("what happens if I do this?").  Then together, they begin making thousands of micro-decisions you may not even be aware of ("ah, it works better if I hold it this way") and before you know it, your yarn gets nicer and nicer. 

Getting the concept is not a very long process.  But refining the skill takes what our friend Liz calls, "time in the chair."  Practice.  Even just over the course of the evening, my new friends' yarn improved 100%.  Practice.

Are you learning something new that has you frustrated and about to give up?  Persevere.  The "AHA!" moment may be right around the corner.






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SRO at the LRB

Posted on April 22, 2012 by | Comments Off on SRO at the LRB
Like bees to honey, we flocked to the Little Red Barn today, to spend time together, meet new friends, and knit and spin for all we were worth.  I think we set a new LRB record for the number of people who spent at least part of the day with us today!


My neighbor, Ilene, brought tomato plants for us to share - because her beds were full, and there's nothing sadder than a lovely Roma without a good home.

Gloria got comfy, and Joy brought a box full of Spin Off back issues for us to paw through...
(Gloria's mom, Linda, somehow evaded the camera...)


Denise, Rita, Anela, Mary, Amy and Virginia

Karen tats...

Chiyo

Lisa and Kris

Chiyo and Peggy share a secret...

Peggy and Greta

Baby Shannon, who was a delight all day...


Hanane and Karen

Peggy's bionic knees


Maria and her amazing double knitting.  Maria has agreed to teach a class in this fascinating technique - mark down June 9 and stay tuned for the details.

Hanane has agreed to teach shuttle tatting, too.  Flag May 12 for this class, and watch for the details.


Huge thanks to Will Hulse for helping me with some gardening chores.  He has volunteered to take on the Garden Rehab project - I am so relieved and excited I could cry.  I hate to see a neglected garden, but there's only so much we can do.  Thank you, Will, for taking this on...

In addition to the tatting and double knitting classes, we'll be starting another Beginning Spinning class on Wednesday evening at 7 (three sessions from 7-9 PM, $50, all materials included).  And we're long overdue to Dye Trying - so we'll pull out the dye pots on May 19.  You guessed it - details coming.

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The Many Faces of the LRB

Posted on February 26, 2012 by | Comments Off on The Many Faces of the LRB
Fourth Saturday - a smashing time here on the farm at the Little Red Barn...  Dina got here early and started the coffee, but had to slip out early...

Gay arrived and I got to deliver her JRF Golding Spindle.  She promptly fired it up and made some sweet yarn on it!  It all comes back, doesn't it, Gay?

Got to meet Patricia for the first time - what an incredible blanket she's working on - a diagonal crochet project for a friend...

Carla came by the farm for the first time.  She's very interested in fiber and felting and well, soon we'll have her knitting and spinning - right ladies?

Shareholder Katy came by with her kids Will and McKenna - Ruthie made them feel right at home.

Vanni showed Carla how to reach just the right spot on the tummy for the perfect scritch.  Amy's ready to dive into farm life!

Denise and Lisa had very interesting projects to work on.  Today was Lisa's first time to the LRB, and she fit in like an old-timer.  So enjoy her company!  And Denise went home with a Golding spindle, too.  Spin on, my friend!

The other Lisa, and Linda compared notes on some knitting issue.  Linda was remaking the sweater pattern she was wearing, this time in green.  If it ain't broke...

Karen cracked Angela up over something.  It was so great to see Angela again after a long break.  Then she went out and brushed the dogs for me.  What a lovely gift!  (The dogs love to see Angela coming...)

 Karen told us that she had to put her kitty down a couple of weeks ago.  Smokey seemed to know that she needed some feline love and affection.  Good kitty.

Barbara came and brought lots of awesome snacks today.  Sorry for the blurry picture, B, but your smile was so sweet!


Virginia bought some yarn here at the barn last Saturday and returned to day with a completed crocheted scarf/cowl thing.  Beautiful and snuggly-warm!  Way to finish your projects, Virginia!

Beth and Maryann were about the last to come, so we had some catching up to do!  Hadn't seen these ladies in quite some time.

Yep, Lisa - blocking is going to make one awesome scarf out of that - so, so pretty!

Our new friend, Chiyo, is just as cute as she can be.  Who can resist Hello Kitty and red boots?  She's working on an incredible fair isle felted bag she learned from Alissa Barton.  You go, girl.

Also, Anela and her husband Matt dropped by to ply the alpacas with carrots and win their hearts.  Bonita and her husband Dennis got the quicky tour and promised to come back soon.  Kris from the Farmstead Museum got to spend some time with us today, but somehow avoided getting her picture taken...  It was a busy, busy day at the farm - please forgive me if I forgot to mention you.  We talked about how my memory has a thick coat of Teflon on it, and I have to write everything -- I mean everything -- down nowadays...  Who did I forget?

Regardless, we had a spectacular day today.  So warm, we kept the barn door open.  And the only downside to that was...

Uninvited guests...


 Uninvited guests with an attitude...

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Four New Knitters

Posted on February 7, 2012 by | Comments Off on Four New Knitters
The Little Red Barn was a happy place today.  When people come together to work with yarn and enjoy each others' company, the world is a little sweeter place to be.

Today friends Lisa, Robin and Dawn, and new friend Cyleena started learning to knit.  And every single one of them left with some wonderful stitches on her needles.  Cyleena is a precious young home schooled teen, who had no trouble keeping up with the ladies, and endured lots of "mom talk" while she diligently stitched along.  What a good sport!


It's a stretch to call this "work" for me - we had such a great time.  I can't wait to spend another five weeks with this group, passing on the simple skills that will empower them to create their own masterpieces.


We are going to make excellent progress.  We're working up to a fun sampler scarf project - it moves from block to block, adding a new competency with each one.  You can find it here on Ravelry, if you'd like to give it a go.






Would you like to learn to knit or spin?  Gather up some friends and check our calendar.  Tuesday mornings will be free again on March 27, and Wednesday evenings are currently free to book a class.  Free animal scritches included at no extra charge.

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A Fine, Fine Day for Fiber

Posted on January 29, 2012 by | Comments Off on A Fine, Fine Day for Fiber
Does it get any better than this?  Sunshine, brisk breeze, and a dozen sweet friends crafting together with fiber of all sorts - roving, yarn, delicate thread...


Anna brought new baby Ike by for his first visit to the barn.  The last time he'd been here, he was still a bump.  Now he's a doll--a gorgeous boy.

 

That's tough for big brother Brian to compete with, unless you blow bubbles in your water.  That makes everybody smile.

Peggy showed Leslie some spinning tips.  Leslie's going to be spinning soon.  She's already rocking the knitting thing.


Anela told her all about knitting with those mysterious double-point needles.  Nothing to be scared of...


Karen got to be with us again today, and this time, she brought her amazing Drudik wheel.  She got this wheel from the Oregonian wheel maker back when they didn't cost as much as a used car, like they do now.  It's a beautiful wheel that spins like buttah.


Her daughter, Lisa, brought her bobbin lace project with all its pretty bobbins and beads and pins, on the velvet pillow...  It's intricate and amazing, and I was fascinated watching her.


The lace formed steadily under her fingers, following the printed pattern, twist by twist and knot by knot.  Watching her helped me understand the experience of an uninitiated person watching a lace knitter or a talented drop spindler.  It's all magic, until you get the knack.


Rita took a break from knitting her wedding veil to work on knitting her lace garter.  How amazing will that be?


We enjoyed finally getting to visit with Karen and Gail, who hadn't been able to come to the LRB in a while.  Barbara came again this week, and invited her friend Linda.


Linda found herself adopted by Smokey, who draped herself across Linda's lap and didn't move for ages.


Virginia got to drop by, too, and she worked on a pretty kettle dyed wool purse.  Maybe she'll felt it, or maybe she won't.  Such are the quandaries of a fiber artist.


Leslie had really come to the farm to work, so we spent some time skirting and tumbling Solomon's black alpaca fleece.  She caught on quickly, and now has achieved the elite rank of Certified Fiber Tumbler here at Jacob's Reward Farm.  Solomon's pretty fleece is medium fine and open, so we had to spend some extra time opening the locks and blowing the dirt and grass away.  But that shiny black fiber is so, so worth it.  Great job, Leslie -- thanks!

You are always welcome at the Little Red Barn to share these days of friendship and fiber arts.  Learn something, share something, experience something beautiful in this sweet little community.  You make a difference...  At the bottom of this page is our Google Calendar.  That's where you'll find all of the goings on here at the farm.  We'd love to have you join us!

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