Tag Archives: yarn

Dyeing, Dyeing, And Even More Dyeing!

Posted on September 30, 2014 by | Comments Off on Dyeing, Dyeing, And Even More Dyeing!

A little while ago I received several large boxes full of Juniper Moon Farm Share Yarn. This is always super exciting for me because it’s my first peek at the actual finished product pulled off the backs of the sheep we know and love.

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My craft room overfloweth! (and my living room, and my garage…..)

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Can’t you just smell that sheepy, wooly goodness?

The Cormo feels divine, and I adore it in its natural state.

BUT.

I get to have fun playing with colors!

Susan gave me some suggestions for color idea this year, and combined with that and a look at previous year’s colors (to be sure I didn’t repeat anything too recent), I started playing around with the dyes.  I wanted colors that were rich but not overbearing, and I wanted to use colorways that I could get consistency from.  Since we dye in smaller batches I didn’t want each batch to be wildly different than the one before it. Reds are notoriously difficult (in my experience) with this, but after some experimentation I found one that worked.  The blue I loved immediately, and the purple gave enough variety in shading to be fun without looking blotchy.

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I am really pleased with the results.  I also love how nicely the yarn blooms out after a bath.

The dyeing will begin in earnest once everyone who bought a share indicates their color choice, and then it will be shipped out the very instant it is dry.

I hope everyone loves this fiber as much as I do!

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Etsy Shop is Back Open!

Posted on August 16, 2014 by | Comments Off on Etsy Shop is Back Open!

Good morning all. It is August 16th, and as promised, my etsy shop is back up and ready to go.

Stop in and browse around. I have new sock, lace weight and handspun yarns, as well as some new spinning fiber.

How do you like my new photographs? I’ve been meaning to do this for about two years now. In some ways, I am sorry it took me so long to get up off my ass and do it, but in others, I am glad I waited until I had all the right pieces. My dining room has some of the best natural light in the whole house, being lined with windows and all. That, paired with my vintage cherry blossom table cloth (the first thing I ever bought on etsy ever right after it opened) and my new pottery, everything came togther so beautifully.

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My table cloth, just to refresh your memory.

Now, I’m off to do some spinning so I have a bit more handspun to offer up for sale. What are you up to this weekend?

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Whistler Pillow Giveaway

Posted on June 23, 2014 by | Comments Off on Whistler Pillow Giveaway

 

Two of my favorite patterns that we’ve ever produced here at Juniper Moon Farm are the Whistler Pillow and the Smith Blanket. These designs by Pam Wynne are such a beautiful example of variegated and solid yarns used together.Whistler_detail_medium2

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Billie from Yarn Scout's Whistler Pillow

I love this version by Billie, a customer of Yarn Scout. There are a couple of other interesting variations of the pattern on Ravelry.

JMF Moonshine

Over the weekend, I realized that I have enough partial balls of Moonshine in the colors needed for the pillow to do a giveaway. (You will need to purchase 2 skeins of the main color at your local yarn store to make the pillow.)

 

To enter to win the variegated yarn needed to make the Whistler Pillow and a digital copy of the pattern, leave a comment on this post. I’ll pick a winner at random and post the name here on Friday, 7/27 in the morning.

Good luck!

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A Moonshine Design Contest!

Posted on June 2, 2014 by | Comments Off on A Moonshine Design Contest!

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Juniper Moon Farm and Jimmy Beans Wool are sponsoring a design contest with some really sweet prizes! We are looking for a really spectacular original pattern that uses three skeins of Juniper Moon Farm’s Moonshine. The kind of design that gets makes knitters stop you at Rhinebeck because they have to know the name of that pattern.

The winner of the contest will receive a prize package worth $1000, including $200 in cash, the complete library of Juniper Moon Farm patterns and a boatload of JMF yarns.

 

Juniper Moon Farm Moonshine

Here’s how it works:

1. Professional designers who have a had patterns published in a national knitting or crochet magazine can submit a design using our submission guideline, found here. The deadline for submission is July 14.

2. Previously unpublished designers are more than welcome to throw their hats in the ring. We will required non-published designers (and by published, we mean in a third-party publication) to knit their sample design and create a project page for it in on Ravelry.  Once you’ve set-up your project, just send us a link at susie@fiberfarm.com with “Moonshine Design Contest” in the subject line. The deadline for submission is July 14.

We’ll get together with the folks at Jimmy Beans and announce a winner right away! Now start sketching! Any questions? Post them here.

 

[For everything you ever wanted to know about Moonshine, read here. To find a store near you that carries Moonshine, click here and enter your zip code.]

 

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Sabine is a Cover Girl

Posted on May 6, 2014 by | Comments Off on Sabine is a Cover Girl

Not Sabine the dog, although she totally could be.

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Look at that face? She’s a beauty, isn’t she?

But I’m talking about the yarn that’s named for this beautiful dog.

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The Kayleen Pullover by Cassie Castillo is on the cover of the  Interweave Knits Summer 2014 issue. Get all the details here on Ann’s blog post over at KFI.

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FO’s: Baby Stuffs

Posted on April 14, 2014 by | Comments Off on FO’s: Baby Stuffs
Baby stuff is so satisfyingly quick to make!!  I guess there's extra motivation when you've only got a few more weeks left in a pregnancy to "finish" everything on your to-do list.  In my case, I've had to put the Zig-Zag Quilt on hold because my free-motion quilting foot is on back order.  If I don't get it by this week, I'll just do simple zig-zag echo quilting and call it a day.

In the meantime, here are a few of the things I've been knitting and sewing...

Baby Booties


These are one of the quickest and most satisfying knitted items you can make, and these are made with all the mini leftover skeins I wind after a project so they're a bit of a motley crew.  These booties used sock and sport weight yarns and this pattern is called Christine's Stay-On Baby Booties.



Baby Items & Accessories

I photographed my latest sewing and knitting exploits together.  These include knitted and sewn hats, leggings, sleep sacks, etc.



From the top...

A) Hipster Cred Hat - made with SMC soft merino yarn in 2 colors - pattern from Dilettant Knits
B) Baby Bedtime Bag - made from a recycled t-shirt - pattern from Running with Scissors
C) Tie-Top Baby Hats - made with knit scraps - pattern from Tie Dye Diva via Sew Mama Sew
D) Baby Leggings - made from knit fabric and scraps for waistband - free pattern that came with Baby Bedtime Bag from Running with Scissors
E) Reversible Baby Bonnet - fabric scraps featuring prints from Tula Pink's Prince Charming - pattern from the book "Hat Shop: 25 Projects to Sew..."

And, I'm hoping that everything goes well in the next few weeks!  I'd love to get the quilt finished before baby comes.  Yep, I think I'm going to forgo FMQ plans and get straight to it.

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FO: Mitered Detail Cardigan II

Posted on April 3, 2014 by | Comments Off on FO: Mitered Detail Cardigan II
Finished the second prototype!  I really like this version - I made one size larger, which extended the sleeves and front a bit, and that's made a huge difference in fit.  I should be releasing the pattern soon since the MKAL (machine knit-along) is almost done.


The pattern writing is nearly complete, and now that the sample is done, I can weigh it and make further yardage and yarn requirement estimates.  I can't wait to get it published!  I'm wondering, though, if I should get someone else to model the back... it's... well, it's a bit of an insecurity at the moment.  I'm feeling very large, and that's something I've never felt before.  It's taking some mental readjustment, but I'll come to terms with it soon enough.  I've just got this one body to inhabit, you know?


In the meantime, I'm so excited to have this very spring green, very wearable cardigan for the season!


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MK Tutorial: The Garter Bar

Posted on March 28, 2014 by | Comments Off on MK Tutorial: The Garter Bar
Ah yes, today we learn a little bit about the garter bar- that tool which gave me nightmares until it made my knitting machine dreams come true!

I have an old-fashioned garter bar that I purchased on e-bay a few months back after not realizing that there was a difference between transfer combs and garter bars.  You live, you learn. This kit is a couple of decades old, but is in pristine condition.  Sadly, it came with sparse instructions in Japanese and German.  I do speak and read German, but the technical nature of the writing made it a bit tough.  So, after a bit of internet researching, deciphering the 1970's mimeographed illustrations and instructions, and a bit of trial and error, I photographed my process to share with you all.  It's also here to remind me how to use it in case I need a mental refresher.  Here goes...


Note: I'm using an Empisal Knitmaster 324 and a Brother Garter Bar so the conventions of my machine and garter bar may not be the same for yours.  I've used terms that make sense to me to describe parts of the garter bar, but they are not official terminology by any means.

The garter bar has two sides: one side has all bumps, the other side has all grooves.

1. Place working needles in D position with sts past the needle bed's sinker posts.  Place the needle stop over the working needles, over the sinker posts, but behind the sts of the work. Open all the latches of the working needles.  Place the garter bar onto the needle hooks with the groove/ditch side up


2. Lift the garter bar so it's parallel with the working needles.


3. Use the live sts to close each needle's latch over each garter bar tine.


4.  Slide the live sts over the garter bar tines, past the "waist line" of each tine.


5. Release the yarn from the carriage, and use a clothespin to secure it to the garter bar.
Set the carriage so the Russel Levers do NOT knit the needles in D position.
Remove the claw weights from the work, and then remove the garter bar from the needles with live sts still attached.
Next, remove the needle stop from the needle bed and push the carriage to the opposite side. Breathe.



7. Replace the needle stop over the working needles.  Turn the garter bar bump side up with the knitting work on top.


8. Open all the latches.  Make sure the garter bar is parallel with the working needles, and place the openings of each tine over the latches.  Remove clothespin. All the sts must be as far from the tine openings as possible (behind the waistline of each tine) before you proceed.


9. Push down gently on the garter bar, and slide it toward you.  Keep the garter bar as even with the needles as possible.  Here's the magical part... Each needle's hook should catch the underside of a single stitch.


Check the needles from above.  Every needle has a stitch?  Yay!  You're ready to move on!


10.  Replace the yarn in the carriage.  Remove the garter bar. Remove the needle guard.  Push the sts back into working position. Replace the weights on your knitting and knit 1 row in garter stitch!


Phew!  You did it!


Rinse and repeat as necessary.

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The First Day of Spring for 2014!

Posted on March 20, 2014 by | Comments Off on The First Day of Spring for 2014!

It’s becoming tradition to re-post this on the first day of spring, and even though I’m far from home this year, we won’t disappoint.

Before I did this project myself, I did some research. I found a reputable source that recommended putting yarn scraps out for the birds (no less august an institution than  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has posted about this very thing.) I also talked to my local Audubon Society to get their approval.

Below is the original post, with a few changes I have made over the years as I learned more about nesting material  and an update to reflect what 2014 spring will bring.

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Today is one of my very favorite days of the year. Today we celebrate surviving another cold and gloomy winter, even though it doesn’t much look like spring at the moment:

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(Thanks for the photo, Amy! I saw snowy Colorado this week instead.)

 

 

At the farm we are eagerly anticipating a new arrival of goslings and watching to see if ewes start to show fuller mid-sections, hinting at the lambs that are due over a month away. Spring is a magical time. A time of promise and new beginnings.

This year I won’t be able to do this project today, like I traditionally do, but I eagerly look forward to retuning home so I can. It’s crazy easy, so easy that you could do it with even the smallest of children, inexpensive and environmentally friendly to boot.

You will need:

A cheap bird suet feeder. I got this one at Tractor Supply for $1.99.

A couple of handfuls of yarn scraps, cut into 3-6  inch lengths. (I only knit with natural fibers, so that’s what my yarn scraps are made of. It might not be a good idea to use acrylic yarn scraps, as they may not remain warm when wet.)

Put the scraps in your suet feeder and voila! You’ve just provided nesting materials for all the birds in your area.

I’ve been doing this for years and I never fail to feel a thrill when I see a bright strand of yarn carefully woven into a bird’s nest. You can also fill your suet feeder with raw fleece, if you have any handy. In the past, our beloved Ernie’s fleece scraps have always been particularly popular with the birds.

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Introducing: Sabine – The Touch of Lace Collection

Posted on March 5, 2014 by | Comments Off on Introducing: Sabine – The Touch of Lace Collection

We know that you’ve been eagerly awaiting the next collection release and we just couldn’t wait a minute longer to be able to tell you about the new patterns that Anniken Allis has thought up for Sabine. But first, a recap on the yarn in case you’ve forgotten what it is, or are new to JMF.

The Yarn

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We love Sabine so much, because it feels so nice to knit with (due it its blend of Royal Llama, Merino and Cotton). Because of its subtle tweediness. Because it is really a year round yarn in most of the world. And, last but not least, because it’s named after Susan’s sweet dog, Sabine. This season we’re introduction five new colors to the palate.

Sabine 2014 Color Card

The Designer

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Anniken Allis is a Norwegian designer who has lived in England for the last 23 years. She has been regularly published in several British magazines as well as Interweave Knits, Knitscene, Debbie Bliss Magazine, Verena (German magazine) and Knitty.com. She’s regularly published patterns for other yarn companies and has contributed to two books, Classic Elite: Shawls, Wraps, & Scarves and the Scrumptious Collection Volume 2. Anniken’s passion is lace knitting and she is considered one of the UK’s leading lace designers, although her designs also feature a variety of techniques including cables, and fair isle.

The Collection

The Touch of Lace Collection features four designs which celebrate the summer heat. Each pattern features a different lace motif combined with classic stockinette sections. Knitters everywhere will love the combination of the soft, subtly tweedy Sabine yarn with Anniken’s on-trend designs.

Sabine CollagePlease take a peak at our look book!

Where to Get It

You can find the patterns and yarn at retailers across the US by visiting our distributor Knitting Fever and using their store locator for a store near you. Those in Canada can visit our Canadian distributor Diamond Yarn. The patterns are sold as leaflets with as many pictures as we could cram in the limited space, schematics and charts (where applicable), as well as written directions.

We have a number of our older collection of Sabine patterns available as digital downloads in our shop.

Giveaway

To celebrate the pattern launch, we’re giving away two hanks of Sabine in color #19 Biscuit.

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To enter, please go to Ravelry and favorite or queue at least one of The Touch of Lace Collection patterns, then come back here and leave a comment telling us which one your favorite is. If you post about this on facebook, tweet the contest link, or pin a pattern, you can comment again for an additional entry. Entries open through Tuesday the 11th with the winner announced on Wednesday the 12th here on the blog.

Thank You

We wouldn’t be able to produce these patterns and yarn lines without the tireless efforts of those who support us.

Our models: Emily Karasz, Maddie Dreher, and Gabrielle Cruz
Our photography support crew: Tanya Brooks, Cris Ferguson, Amy Karasz and family, Ann McClure, Lisa Richey
Jen Fariello for allowing us to use her studio during the polar vortex 2014
Our one-of-a-kind tech editor: Alison Green
Pattern Leaflets Graphic Designer: Jonas Estevan
Look Book Graphic Designer: Michelle Lukezic
The staff at our yarn distributor Knitting Fever Inc
Our patient and detail-oriented sample knitters: Carolyn Cardenas, Nancy Lewis, Christina Williamson, Jennie Bowling

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