It’s a been a busy two weeks with a Fiber Trek shoot and friend in town! But summer is settling in. This fibercast includes a Textiles in Time Segment, minimal knitting objects but a fair amount of enabling as I ventured out to the Fiber Frolic this past weekend!
Knit or craft away!
Brush Creek Cowlette (See previous show notes)
Burnham Wood Capelet (See previous show notes)
Field’s Edge Farm
Know that in this episode we introduce the Mega Fauna Minute with Morgan…and we talk about coyotes. We talk about their life cycle as well as “touch” on the implications of this life cycle for Mainers. This can go either way for Morgan and I. It contains a bit of biology so if you are not so interested in this discussion, tune in next time for another Textiles in Time!
We talk knitting prior to the ecology!
Brooklyn Tweed: Loft & Shelter
Guernsey Triangle by Jared Flood
Rhoda Brioche Cowl by Mercedes Tarasovich Clark
Brush Creek Cowlette by Carina Spencer
Burnham Wood Capelet by Romi Hill
Sullivan by Whitney Greg-Harrisson
I am solo this week. There is a FO and some spinning! Plus I introduce a new segment, Textiles in Time. A smidge of acquisitions and discoveries and a down the pike stories about bears.
Shield Maiden by Emily Estrada
Snowcapped Yarns at the Netloft
Morgan joins me this week to assist in recapping MS&W. I have a feeling more will unfold in the coming weeks. There is A LOT of acquisitions and discoveries but we try to break it up bit with some fun facts on guard dogs and long wool breeds. We’ll see if you think they are “fun”. The show notes this week will become there own page on the blog as there are a number of links to transfer over in the mean time I figured it would be best to get this published! Hope this finds you well and in good spirits!
You can find me & (Morgan):
Ravelry: Swenstea (Sarah) & SheKnitsaround (Morgan)
Ravelry Group: Fiber Trek
Instagram: fibertrektv
E-mail: fibertrekATgmail.com
On this edition there is a distracting dog guarding the house from…you guessed.. racoons! You get to hear my “firm” voice as I try to assuage her barking. Ai! I am preparing for Maryland Sheep and Wool as well as recovering from an epic weekend with Starcroft Fiber Mill & Mary Jane Mucklestone. Not a ton of knitting, but my hope is the 24 hour car ride will help to remedy that.
Show Notes:
I don’t know what happened in this episode but somehow I get a little anxious about working with Alpaca fiber. What this is about I don’t know? Is it gauge anxiety? Is it some sort of commencing panic? Forgive me. I promise to know more and do better next time. There is mucho enabling with Snow Capped Yarns and the prizes for the Island Wool KAL have arrived!
Blue Peninsula: Bonnie Sennott, Goodnough
Rhoda Brioche Cowl: Knitted Wit
Gyllis: Stephen West
Instagram: Fibertrektv
This week my friend Morgan joins me just for fun. We share her projects and acquisitions as I have not made a lot of progress on ANYTHING.
We also talk about an KAL for the group inspired by my husband and discuss a few fun facts about sheep husbandry as the plan for Maryland Sheep & Wool unfolds.
Links:
Instagram: Fibertrektv
Yeeesh, compressing video…ack! Tyler promised to help me understand this better. I am working on an iTunes feed and learning all about technology. You probably can’t tell! I hope you enjoy this week. I have a bit of rant about large breed sheep but it was more about the shepherds than the sheep. Forgive me if you have large breeds…I mean no harm or foul.
Fiber Trek Instagram: Fibertrektv
fibertrek@gmail.com
Flanagan’s Table: Food and the Maine Farm Trust
Rhoda’s Brioche Cowl & Knitted Wit Yarns
Gyllis & Lambs Quarters Montadale Wool at One Lupine Fiber Arts
Snow Capped Yarns at the Netloft
I repurposed this little reflective essay on spring I wrote a few years ago as an ode to the season. It is not fiber related but I was feeling philosophical so I thought I would share. If you want a little cheer up after…well you can take a few moments with Diane Langley a Maine Rug Hooker…sometimes those adjectives are REALLY important, eh? Tyler put this Mini Trek together and it is highlights the materials and craft. Enjoy!
I found it this year, the farewell season. Fumbling toward spring I happened upon it. The moment…the moment where we turn our face from winter. Hunched and pinched, we turn, we straighten. We notice light, growth and in the past, I have run to spring. Spring with her open, crocus filled arms teaming with new life. Here, we drag ourselves across the winter finish line, ready to sink deep into rich, moist soil. But not this year, this year I stumbled… How greedy I had been to run from winter, to run away from all that she took in her cold, bitter days. My stretch for the finish line left little space for remorse; after all, I had made it. Mesmerized by spring, I did not see those that I passed by, those that perhaps would not make the finish, not in great strides, not limping or hobbling, those that this year, we would leave behind.
Enter a young moose I had known and even shared a rather intimate winter moment with which involved an outhouse at South Branch Campground in Baxter State Park. This moose had made South Branch his winter home, nibbling on available twigs, shoots and branches. He made convenient use of our human trails, snowmobile and snowshoe alike. And he tolerated the visitors sticking around for camera calls, and yes, even, allowing us to use the outhouse without too much harassment. I spent two days at South Branch this year having skied in from Mattagamon Gate in the north end of the park. Each day the moose and I would find time together, by chance, by providence who knows? I reveled in watching him and felt the possibility of his wild, unpredictable nature. Time spent with this moose was well spent, quiet, observant time, time to rest in sunshine and snow. Really, I wanted to Mother him he was so little, but he nibbled away, moseyed around and looked quite content. He was the true king of the campground castle. So we said our goodbyes and I envisioned his summer escapades with campers even laughing at the mischief he’d make.
I do not need to tell you the end of the story. The ending that surprised me and wounded me, stopped me dead in my spring tracks, when my husband came home from work one day with news of a little death. I am sure this moose was only one of many who made an exchange this winter, who traded up, traded in, left. Only one of many, who I forgot or ignored on my way to Spring…until I found myself stumbling over the tale of a little moose found dead in South Branch campground. My moment in the farewell season calls me to acknowledge all who we lost this past winter. And I wonder if it takes far greater strength to acknowledge then ignore. I shed a tear for that little moose and all the others, but I feel ready to resume my path to spring, only this time I think I will mosey and make sure to look around. Make sure to farewell those that came so close to spring.
The Farewell Season is not a pretty season. It is not an acknowledgement of all that is to come, but an awareness of what we leave behind. It is the subtle time when Hades sorrowfully loosens his grip on Persephone and she reaches for her mother, Demeter. This is where we farewell Hades’ toll: the weak, the ill, the old, the young, here we say goodbye with one hand and like Persephone turn to welcome with the other.
Diane Langley and Rug Hooking Mini Trek
I think I may have mastered the quality issues from last time. I know, I know there is always room for improvement. Really, the next big hurdle is to get this feed on iTunes which I think is going to take some investment.
A couple things to be mindful of….1. at some point in the podcast my Pyr starts barking at the wild turkeys, I never went back and posted a warning. So be mindful if you are using earbuds.
I will be posting a little spring reflection this upcoming week so “readers” there will be something to read soon! Also, Tyler just finished a rug hooking Mini Trek we will post that ASAP. As always, thanks a million for your support!
LINKS:
Ravelry Group: FiberTrek
Instagram: fibertrektv
Knit FM with Pam Allen & Hannah Fetig
Woolen Rabbit-Emma polworth/silk
Marin by Ysolda Teague & Such a Winter’s Day by Heidi Kirrmaier
Mikado Cowl by StichNerd Designs & Bare Naked Wools: Kent Worsted
Burnham Wood Capelet by Romi Hill & Stansborough Grey
Highland Handmades: Black Ash Worsted & Barley by Tin Can Knits
Snow Capped Yarns the Blog and the YouTube Link
Root of the Tree 