National Alpaca Farm Day

Saturday (yesterday) was national alpaca farm day, and the kids and I toured a bunch of local farms. I couldn't find the camera, so no pics, but I scored on a pound of batted alpaca fiber!!! A freaking pound of cleaned, and batted alpaca fiber for $25!!! Not only that, but she also had a bunch of alpaca yarn that was so well priced, that I plan to go back to her little shop in a couple weeks after the first of month bills are paid, I mean $12 for dk weight 580 yards!!! Oh yeah, and it is hand spun by her on her wheel. The kids had a great day learning all about alpacas on the different farms, touching them, the baby was mad every time we had to leave, he REALLY liked touching them!!! And we got to see a baby who had just been dropped a few minutes earlier at one of the farms. I really wish I could find my camera! But I cannot, so I will describe my new fiber to you, it is a gorgeous soft color of dark and light brown... there, that's what it is,lol. OK, I will make a deal with you, as soon as I find my camera, I will get a picture up, hope I didn't loose it somewhere?

Oh yeah, and like my previous post said, I AM ON RAVELRY!!! My name is the same as knitty, homesteadinmamma.
Also, I really have to find my camera, I need to take a pic of my disgusting dirty little mini van for blog stalkers by tomorrow night,uh oh, crap, let me go look for it. Maybe it is in the dirty disgusting mini van???????

Ravelry

I got my invite to Ravelry!!!!!!! Come visit, my hanger is homesteadinmamma...

Worried about my needle size

So, I am really starting to worry about my needle size for the upcoming secret stole kal. I chose size 6, as the pattern called for. I did a swatch, then frogged it, it just looked so frumpy and ugggh. I am gonna have to use them though, rent is due in a few days and I don't have the extra funds. I wish I had chosen either smaller needles, or thicker yarn. Was hard finding 2000 yards of yarn I could afford though. Well, will just have to see how it turns out! Gotta go finish blanching 30 pounds of tomatoes...fun..fun..fun..

The pic of bug and cat? Just because I have a weakness for cute little boys:)

WOYNW and... sock fo's!!!

Here we have some wip's and a sock fo. Been working hard, but feel like I am not getting far. Have sooo much going on with the boy's homeschooling and field trips, and baby and, well... just every thing. It is also time of year to pick all the veggies, get them processed, get my flowers dead headed and get the seeds ready for next spring.





First up we have the start of the matching hunting boots sock that I finished the mate to last month, I was thinking of not doing it, but... I m going to finish it, I cant stand having one sock laying on the back of my couch with no friend.
Here is the start to my Clapotis, I am in the 3rd section, repeat one. Personally I don't think I am doing it right, but time will tell.
Here is the bolero I am making from my own hand dyed and hand spun on my spindle, I am loving how it is turning out. Just love knitting with my own special yarn, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...
And here are ds bug's slipper socks done. They fit him perfect. When I get the matching hunting boot sock done, I plan on making the babies slipper socks and the tootall ds slipper socks.

So I have a few wip's going on, and a sock fo to show off.

Monday yarn review

Ok, today I will be reviewing knitpicks gloss yarn. It is fabulous!!! ( Have you ever watched the Grinch with Jim Carey? Say Fabulous like he does, cuz that's how I'm saying it, you know...to get the full effect...)

Here is a link to this great, soft, easily workable yarn!!! I am using it as one of the yarns in my clapotis, and am so very happy the kids decided they wanted me to use the yarn I was going to use on something for them. So I decided to use knitpicks gloss and a shaefer anne sock yarn for the clapotis. Yep, I am happy!!!
http://knitpicks.com/Gloss_YD5420151.html

I got it in a swap and am so very glad I did! The moral of this story, if you haven't tried knitpicks gloss yet, what are you waiting for? Hop on over and get you some!!!

Here is the new week theme for the blogstalker 2 webring! The guts of my purse. This is probably the first time in my whole life I am actually thank full for a crappy camera!!! With the glare you cannot really see just how bad the inside of my purse really is!!! I have had the same purse for over 5 years, and I don't remember ever cleaning it!!!
And, this pic is because every time I pull out the camera, ds beaner wants his pic taken, and this time he wanted piggies:) He is way too cute,...must.....resist.....cutenes......cant.....do....it........

A sock pair fo and A REALLY BIG spider

Here is ds cat's slipper socks, with a real heel and everything!!! They fit him perfect, every few minutes I would check to make sure they were just his size. He loves them, and wants lots more. But right now I have to make some for the other boy's. But, it does look like I am gonna have to put all my pretty sock yarn on a back burner that I wanted to make myself socks with, I did start knitting to be able to make the kids things after all. I have already started ds bugs, then I will make ds beaners and then ds tootall. I am very proud of myself for figuring out the gusset heel. I really wanted to do a shaped heel inside the gusset, but it just was not meant to be. I will learn that later I suppose.

I want to start by saying I am NOT a bug killer. When I find them in the house, I simply take them outside. But this GIANT spider attacked me, I swear it!!! It was even bigger before I was forced to squash it, now his legs are up under him. Here is the story. I was taking the trash out, with baby on hip because he had yet another up all night screaming gig, it was probably about midnight. I seen it on the porch, I walked around it, I was barefoot. It proceeded to RUN at me, so I just kept going, but then it started running at me almost getting me, so I dropped the trash can on him. What else could I have done? I feel horrible, but really, what could I have done? That GIANT spider had it out for me!!! Maybe my toes smelled good. Well, probably not, they never do.

My angel Jacob's birthday today

I posted earlier today, in hopes of trying to be normal, but today is my son Jacob's birthday. He is 4 years old today. I miss him so much. I wish I could see him blow out his candles today and tear open his presents, but he cannot. I just want to hold him so badly. I know I have my other children to be normal for, but days like today are so hard. He shouldn't have died, I just didn't know better. I thought I was doing what was right for him, what everyone always does, what the doctors recommend and schools insist upon. I was just trying to be a good mom, trying to keep him safe, and trying to keep him from getting sick. I didn't know that while trying to do that, I had a hand in losing him. It is something I will never forgive myself for. I should have known, but I didn't and now he is gone. I am so sorry Jacob, mommy loves you and will never forget you, I promise. And even on the days when it seems I am fine, and life is normal, it is NOT because you are not on my mind, it is because I HAVE to pretend to be normal, but I always think of you. When I see rain, I wish you could see it, when I hear a bird, I wish you could here it. When I look into your eyes in your pictures, I wish I could hug you. Mommy misses you Jake n bake, and I am so sorry I didn't save you.

oops, missed wip Wednesday...

So, first up is a sock, yes a real life sock, with heel and toe that fits!!! I really tried to "shape" a heel, but just couldn't, so I did a shaped gusset, and it worked. I needed to make my kids some slipper socks so I practiced learning how to make a wheel on acrylic worsted weight that was in my stash. It was so much easier trying to figure out than on my other sock with sock yarn, which by the way I ave really screwed up and need to rip it back about 30 or so rows and am just gonna put a gusset in, no heel shaping here...
And here he is wearing it!!! I made sure it fit him as I was knitting it, and it does ever so perfect, now lets hope he doest have a growth spurt!!!
Ahhhhhhh, here we have some new sock yarn from www.thankewe.etsy.com and I must say, I am happy. It is the softest sock yarn I have, and I have accumulated about 6 skeins. They had it on sale for $12.99 a skein, and each is 540 yards!!! So soft, and the colors are great!!! Also, they are really nice people to put up with me. Let me tell you, I was 4 days late getting payment out. I ordered it the day before Dan left and then forgot about it, and even after all that, they sent the kids a couple pieces of candy in the bag!!!
Here are the pants I just finished for the baby. They are a little big in the waist so I am going to put some stitches in the side. He loves them.

Ok, gotta go finish my dishes!!!

But, first I wanted to say something. There was a couple comments about our lifestyle. I just wanted to share a saying I have been teaching the kids since they were babies...
Leave no footprints other than the flowers you plant... Words to live by:)

( I mostly use this when they are fussing about having to take out the compost,lol)

IT IS 3:30 AM!!!!!!!

Here is the 3 pound cone of wool lace weight I got at the Fiber Fest this passed weekend for the mystery stole kal coming up next month, as well as the needles I went and got tonight. They are Addi turbos size 6. Also, the gold metallic beads to go with it. I wanted to get a swatch knit up but hasn't happened yet, maybe tomorrow while the baby sleeps?
Ok, well, you see....... here we have a "bag" sale at my local lys. I swear, I was only going to get the needles for the clapotis and the mystery stole but they were having said bag sale, and to give myself credit, the rest of the bags were like $75-$100. I got the cheapest one they had. It is 5 skeins of Berrocco Crystal FX. It says the value is $44.75. I paid $29.95. So, I am thinking of making this, well, I will have to post that later, it is saved on my AOL. And IT is not working right now. Gotta love road runner. I NEVER had this slow of a connection or this many problems getting kicked off line with phone line. Guess what cable company says? Yep you guessed it, not there prob. You would think that for the money they charge they would actually give a crap, you know??? eta: ok, aol fixed for a minute, here is the link of what I am thinking of making with this yarn. I am wondering if I will have enough though?
http://www.lanagrossa.com/service/mdm/01_2005/index.html

I really need a new camera, sorry for crappy pics, of well, everything. But here is the yarn my boys dyed the other day!!! I told them I am going to make a wash cloth set out of all the yarn and they are in there glory!!! I have already made 2 just so Tom and Joe could each use one to wash up with today.

here is the roving I dyed with kool aid last week. I am just about done spinning it now, real nice of me to finally post the pics though huh? It is spinning up really nice and I am gonna make some sort of shawl or bolero or something out of it...
And here is a pic of the baby because every time I pull out my camera, he sits down so very pretty and says me mama me. He is just so adorable!!!

Well, I just got a very fussy baby to settle down without having to hold him. We will see how long it lasts. Not sure if he is getting more molars or what, but tonight has been hell. I almost wonder if he isn't upset because I am upset, even though I am not showing it.Had a blow up with the boy;s daddy tonight, showed up at my house about 10pm to drunk to be talking to anyone, let alone his self. Anyhow, I was gonna knit, but my hands are too cold!!! I am sipping on a nice hot cup of black coffee, hoping to warm up. I had thought about going to bed, BUT, I am the kind of person, that if I go to bed now, I will NOT get up in the morning...

Ok, am off to drink more coffee and see if I can knit the swatch for the secret stole!!!

Who am I?

This is for the who am I theme on knitty blogstalkers!!!

I am a mom first!!! My whole life revolves around my kids. I home school, we do not vaccinate( well, I used to until one of my children died from them). I have had 5 boys, they are all intact( not circumcised). I nurse or have nursed all 5 of my children. I am very very recently single.

I love an organic garden and cannot wait till next year so I can buy a couple acres and live off the land!!! I have a three year plan to build a cabin from the ground up with my own hands, well anyone who would like to help is very welcome,lol.

I kit, dye yarn, and have started spinning with a drop spindle.

Flowers!!!I have as many indoor and outdoor flowers as I have veggies growing!!!

I also have a cat named Todd, and just this passed weekend I got the boys 2 baby bunnies. Hotrod and Snowball.

I love to be outdoors, camping, hiking, just sitting, taking walks, anything. If I can talk the kids intooing it, then we are there!!!


I guess I am a little weird in my ways... we use NOTHING disposable, right down to the cloth wipes for our tushes. Anything you find in my home to clean with is made by me and edible, well maybe not my laundry soap, though not toxic or harmful I doubt that borax and washing soda mixxed with peppermint essential oils tastes very good!!!
I am a vegetarian, as well as my kids... hmm, can't think of anything else about me.......

fo and fiber arts fair, and new bunnies!!!

We stopped at Tantanick Falls on the long drive to Hemlock to let the stretch their legs.

These are the latest additions to our family, it took $100 away from my fiber arts spending budget, but the boys really wanted them so I gave in. That left me with $50 to spend left, but they are just adorable and soo worth seeing the kids that happy! The white one is snowball and the red is hotrod.
These are the yoga socks I finished for Tom and Joe!
Here is $46 worth of fibery goodness, 3 pounds of wool lace weight for the mystery stole kal starting soon, and various roving types, including soy silk, which I just cannot wait to try!!! I ended up taking all the kids with me. I didn't get to attend any of the classes I wanted or anything, but the kids had a good time, and I am glad I took them, but next year they are NOT coming!!! I didn't get to meet anyone from knitty like I had hoped, but I really had my hands full with the boys, so I really didn't get a chance to try to find anyone.

WIPIT Wednesday

See the toe??????? It looks stupid, now I have to tear it out and figure out how to make it not so square, I think I will finish the other sock, do the toe, and see which way I like best. But the sock itself turned out perfect despite how funky it looks. It is serving a purpose, although not sure why I care about finishing his hunting socks anymore, I guess just cuz now that I have 1 done, I NEED to finish the other one...
Here are my earthwear socks... I love the way the color s are striping, and it is my first pair of socks using a sock yarn, it is cool! I love it!!! Yep, I.m hooked.
Here is my skein of homespun on my new drop spindle, I love it! Look how thin it is!!! This is my third try, and I cannot believe how well I have picked this up, yep, another addiction.
Here are 2 of my boys handying there own yarn, and when they dry they will tell me what they want made!!! ?How cute are they??? They were so excited , and they just loved hand painting the yarn!
Come Friday for more homespun, plus I had a bunch of fo;s this week, and cant wait to show them off!!!

Lets pretend life is normal, and do our Monday yarn review, shall we?

Life is perfect, life is fine. I took the younger kids to our small town local library today to get their very first library cards! They were so excited to be able to sign their own names!!! Yes, my husband has left, and to be honest, I am not sure that I even care.


Our normal Monday viewing pleasure:

First yarn on the table ishttp://www.modadea.com/cache.htm

LOVE it! It is mostly wool, and is a little thick and thin, slubbiesh. It knits up quick, easy and looks wonderful!!! best yet, it only cost me a buck at the dollar store.


Next up is Lillie's and Cream cotton yarn:http://www.sugarncream.com/product.php?LGC=sugarncream

It is just a tiny bit stringy if you are trying to use them on little needles. I was using it to knit one of my boys yoga socks on size 2 dpns, it wasn't too bad. I have noticed though that after him wearing them for just a little while, they seem to hang alot. I think I will use the other 8-9 skeins for dish cloth set.

Well, there you have it. Mondays yarn review. Tune in tomorrow for a book review, I should be just getting done with Bill Brysons A walk in the woods!!!

handspun dyed yarn, and ca couple other things.

Here is the first handspun yarn I ever did! It has been soaked, dyed with Wiltons cake dyes, it is a very small skein, maybe about 4 feet long, but the colrs turned out really cool, like tye dye colors.
Here is my second handspun attempt. I mixed green roving with white. It turned out much better than the first!!!

On another note, I am pretty sure my husband and I are splitting up. It really is for the better. His anger is really escalating again, and its just not something I want to go through again. I shouldnt have to beg him to at least pretend to like me and the kids. Anyhow, thats that. It will be hard because I am a stay at home homeschooling mom, not sure how I will wing it.

My new spindle and roving, oh yeah, and yarn

Yesterday my new drop sinlde and roving came, I opened it in the parking lot of the po office, and was barely in the door when I was already tearing into the roving and trying to figure out how to spin. I think i did it right, but, it sure seems to use ALOT of roving for just a little bit of yarn, seems it would be the other way around? Here is my goodies, yes, after I broke into them. Did you think I would stop long enough to take pics before playing with it???????? oh, wanted to let you know the wonderful wonderful lady I got my stuff from, it was a shop on Etsy.com, and she is just wonderful. Did I mention she was wonderful??? http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=50026

New hand painted yarn!!!

Here is the latest hand painted yarn! I wish my cam took better true to life photis, but it does not:(

It has bright and light blues, greys and mauves! I am going to use it for the second wave clapotis kal!

Stormy Weather...

more pics of camping!!!

Blogger never lets me put enough pics up at one time, so heres more of camping!!!

Oh what a week!!!

So after a 4 day camping trip, trying to get the kids stuff ready and paperwork copied and sent in for another fun filled:) year of homeschooling, I feel like I have done SOOO much with nothing to show for it!!! I did get some work done on my tank top, I have about 6 inches to go, I am altering it so it is longer than the pattern, so is taking a bit longer. I did get some dying in, so pretty pinks, yellows and lilacs!!! I also dyed 7 skeins this morning to get ready for the Clapotis 2nd wave kal, but it is outside drying, so no pics of that yet! Also, I have yet to finish my book, but am a little disappointed with what happened last in it. They cheated and took a plane, missing about, ohhhh 1000 miles, or more. Now, I am at the part where he is going back, well sorta, a little at a time, but it breaks my heart that he isn't taking Katz with him. But, we will see what happens next!!! OK, here are some pics of the yarn and some random pics from camping!!!

Oh, and last but NOT LEAST

MrsFaith and I set up our own personal swap between us, and I got my goody package today!!! Looky looky looky!!! I am so happy and so excited!!!