What did I do to deserve such good friends? Look at my Christmas present from Jackie.
These are four placemats. Jackie bought fiber from me, then spun it, knit it, felted it, and then needlefelted the designs. (Is that little red hen in the corner Jackie’s self-portrait?)
Here are close-ups:
Amaryllis
Hudson is the lilac ram so he is on a mat of lilac wool.
This is the bantum chicken that hangs out in the barn.
Stephanie
Thanks so much, Jackie. This is an amazing gift.
Chris and Meryl wanted to make Christmas cookies. They discovered that it didn’t work with chocolate chip cookie dough (although that didn’t stop us from eating the cookies). Next batch was using a more traditional recipe.
The original idea was to frost the cookies later, but then I got out the food coloring and sprinkles.
Each successive batch was more interesting (creative).
I had to leave before this batch was finished. What fun to have grown up kids in the house!
These are not all spinning projects but they are pieces made by the talented ladies who took this class.
Paula needle felted this cat…
…and this sheep.
She and her mom felted these bunnies. These kits and many more are available here.
This is some Jacob yarn. I think this is Yolanda’s.
Jean spun this blue yarn.
Debbie stayed a little after class to choose Jacob buttons for her in-progress cape. Isn’t this a beautiful project?
Today was the third and last class in a Learn to Spin series. I got distracted before I got photos of everyone’s yarn, but here are a few to share.
This is Debbie’s first yarn (Jacob, of course) and she is knitting a scarf. Isn’t that gorgeous?
This photo uploaded OK, but now nothing else will upload. This post Will Be Continued….
I spent the morning at The Artery. I December we spread into the gallery so that all the artists have more space for their displays.
This is my space.
This is one of three handspun wool scarves that I just finished.
The latest v-shawl.
A v-shawl I wove with handspun yarn. I wore this one at Black Sheep Gathering in the Spinners Lead.
As I was walking to my car I picked up these leaves. The colors reminded me of the last batch of scarves that I wove. However, they don’t look very brilliant in this photo. (I am happy with my new i-phone, but the photos are lacking something in the color–I feel like I’m looking through fog. Anyone else have that issue? I think I need to go back to the store and talk to someone.)
I got home just in time for WWW. We talked about weaving, but we also spent some time working on a felting project. I want to put together some kits for needlefelting Christmas ornaments and the WWW’s did my product testing.
Here are some results. We’ll be making these at our Holiday Market this weekend.
As soon as we were finished in the shop I helped my brother shoot a video for his business, Ranch Management Consultants. I thought I was going to be holding the camera, but I had to be the performer while he filmed. There are probably no Emmies in my future.
Shearing Day was yesterday. We had a great time and I owe a huge thanks to Farm Club and a few other friends who helped.
Some of the ewes waiting their turn.
Lola
Our shearer, John. Hailey is scooping up fleeces.
Tina, Kathy & Hailey bag the fleece.
Shelby & Alison as sheep wranglers.
It’s lunch-time. Rusty has his eye on someone’s sandwich.
This is one of John’s wool shearing shoes. It is made of thick felt.
My friend, Colleen, brought her sheep for shearing. This is her ram, Razor.
Look at this face under the skirting table. James was happy to scoop up wool that fell through the slats. He spent most of his time playing in the new sand we got for the parking area.
Here is some of the crew. Others were holding down the fort in the shop.
Faulkner, the BFL, after shearing.
Amaryllis watches, while Dazzle calls for her friends.
Terraza in the pasture.
Mary is glad to find the flock.
This is what is it all about. Beautiful fleeces. So far all the fleeces I have looked at are strong, clean, and gorgeous.
I gave a presentation called World of Wool to the Portland Weavers Guild on Thursday. There are two meetings and the morning group meets at Ruthie’s Weaving Studio. 
This is a fabulous place. Look at the number of looms here! At Ruthie’s weavers can pay a monthly fee and use the looms and all the other equipment at any time the studio is open.
This loom has 16 or 20 shafts.
This loom is set up with a long warp for overshot coverlets. There is a waiting list for the weavers who want to weave a coverlet using the warp that is already threaded and ready to go.
This is a rug loom designed by Peter Collingwood.
Being able to see this in person I finally can finally understand how shaft-switching works.
Here is a small Jacquard loom.
Look at the size of this warping reel.
Inspirational textiles abound, including this sampler using Moorman technique.
Ruthie’s Weaving Studio
I stayed with a friend (who used to be part of the Sacramento Weavers Guild) not too far over the border in Washington. You catch a glimpse of Mt. St. Helens on the way to her house. I hope to be back to Portland for more weaving related activities and some sight-seeing.
It’s been 3 weeks since the trip to New England but I am still enjoying my photos. Here are just a few. 
This is my sons and their SO’s on the coast of Maine.
Meryl awed us with handstands in unusual places.
Eating lobster and crab in a Maine restaurant. Chris has mac and cheese with lobster.
Not to be outdone, this is Matt’s handstand.
Matt, more at home in a canoe than upside down. We spent one night at a friend’s house on Squam Lake in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire foliage.
I have been avoiding my blog because I’m frustrated that I can’t separate my blog from Rusty’s, but I’ll have to wait now until the WP tech-support is back. Oh well. I want to share some of my favorite photos from our trip to New England and Katie’s (daughter) wedding.
Katie and her junior high friend, Camila, who now lives in Boston and was her maid of honor.
Walking down the aisle.
Presenting the bride and groom. Could you choose a more beautiful setting? This is the farm where Katie and Kurtis are living.
My sons and wife and girlfriend — one of each 🙂 .
Katie and her brothers.
Katie, Kurtis & Libby. Libby has been Katie’s horse since Katie was in junior high. She traveled with her to Cal Poly, then Texas, and now Vermont.
This is Robin, not Rusty, even though WP thinks I’m Rusty. (I have to do something about that.) Poor Rusty stayed home and will probably have his own version of events. I spent 5 days in New England and the culmination was my daughter’s wedding to Kurtis Jolander. I will post more photos of the wonderful New England adventure later.
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