Well here i am again, I have to look back on my photos and go oh yea and we did that too. August was lots of fun. The first week the Duchess arrived she showed off her stash that she procured in NY at School Products and I showed off several socks one pair finished. Koigu handpainted sock yarn and another on the needles. Sock yarn dyed by the Duchess, pattern from Interweave Socks, twisted cable.
This was done in the Queens courtyard (backyard). We also captured some photos of the King’s Mother, the Duchess and the Queen. Good Work camera, along with the shawl that the Duchess knit for the Queen Mother F. Beautiful isn’t it.
This little cake of yarn in my vacation yarn that the Duke and Duchess presented to me. I am rubbing my hands together deciding what it will become.
I am so proud of myself, finished JH sweater which included the sewing and weaving of at least a thousand ends and no one died. Therefore i am showing it off again as a finished project. 
We will throw in the Frisbee Kids because they think if you are outside you are there to throw the frisbee.
Archive for knitting
Knitting the Duchess & the Queen
Aug 16th & 17th Quilting, 18th Silk Spinning
Now after the shower for JH and the Duchess we sent the Princess to the Doctor to check W’s progress and then continued our quilting madness, no pictures but let me tell you the Princess was a strict task master. We had 2 sewing machines going at top speed, a cuting table wearing out rotary blades and a Queen Mother with smoking knitting needles. W are almost all caught up and JH has a good supply. The Queen was all confused (that would be me) because i was having a hard time keeping up with which prince we were working for the one that was due or the one that is 2 months away. Then Saturday the Duchess and i loaded spinning wheels and headed to the city and Three Wishes for a Silk Spinning class taught by Jill Dahle. We had a great time and are now very informed about the many different types of silk. Take the class if you get a chance. The Queen is quilting JH quilt for the shower on Friday before. Our Spinning teacher Jill and the different silk applications
The Duchess and the teacher.
Dyeing Naturally or How to do it. In Color not person.
Yesterday I had such a great day with some marvelous people. The owner of my favorite fiber store, (Three Wishes) Kristine hosted a Natural Dyeing Class with fiber artist Carolyn. (www.greenwoodfiberworks.etsy.com). What a blast, although I was totally overwhelmed by all the information, my processing chip must be getting rusty, dusty, and disjointed. I should have thought about it before hand and done a bit of educational reading, but I really didn’t know what to read. I’ve been busy, doing my other 101 hobbies and interests, plus getting ready for a visit from the Duchess, and the arrival of “W”, oh and the Queen Mother. Is that enough excuses? Yes I thought so. Well anyway back to this great class. We discussed mordants and dyes. We made natural reds and almost purple. Purple is a hard color to produce vibrantly. For instance when I rinsed my wool and the color went down the drain. Drats! We boiled and stirred wool over cauldrons of fire and I felt like one of the 3 witches. CACKLE! CACKLE! CACKLE! Suits me I know. It was great. I met some very fun new friends. Melinda, who volunteers at “This Is The Place or Pioneer Heritage Park” where she spins every Thur and on many different wheels (Jealous all you spinners?) Katy (who happens to be Carolyns’ favorite sister) is a great mother who won sweepstakes at the fair for her knitting, and Kat a special ed teacher and her son.
Nothing like a few Finished Objects
Well almost finished objects on some things. The sweater for J H is in a quandry and will wait for the Duchess to help solve the problem of the shoulder. I hope. The pattern is from KNIT IT! spring/summer 07. 
” mce_src=” The quilt that you see is a 6year project that is finished, I am very proud of myself. I even patted myself on the back and jumped up and down. You see i started it 6 years ago for PDiddy and when i was almost finished cutting between the stitching that had driven me crazy my chenille cutter malfuntioned and i sliced through the backing of the quilt ruining it. After throwing a royal temper tantrum i threw it against the wall to feel better and then shoved the quilt into a cupboard. Four years later i got it out looked at it fumed and stomped, but decided to talk to the quilt ladies at LQS. They had me try several different bonding and sewing remedies, nothing would work. I then begged Bernice (LQS) to consider sewing another back and stitching it all again, she accepted at least she would try to make it work. I was thrilled and it did work. I was to nervous to finish cutting the quilt so it went back in the cupboard until recently when i put on a brave front and cut away, bound washed it in MRS. MEYERS Clean Day Lavender Det. (it smells so wonderful just waiting to wrap up a baby) and jumped for joy at how great this little quilt turned out. 
There you have it 1 object out of the project stash. 
The other little item was from a friends show and tell for her granddaughter. i remembered and tryed it out and i think the little tag quilt turned out pretty darn well. For those who might not know what a tag quilt is its for baby to take along instead of a full size quilt in the car or stroller. Then Gnome is so happy to be just hanging around out in the back yard that i couldn’t resist taking some candid photos of him. He always seems to be relaxing, have you noticed? 
Schack and I are doing better
The Duchess made a strong point of practice makes perfect in the art of spinning. Well being the good Queen that i am i took her advice under advisement and have to agree. Schack and i are doing better, so now i am considering a traveling wheel to go with me like knitting needles and yarn. Possibly that will open up the idea to the King that we should travel a bit more than around the yard. Well we will see for now we have an 80th birthday celebration to tackle and a youth trek in Wyoming to tackle and then we start preparing for W.
But for now we have spun up some bobbins
And then we were so excited about the fiber we won from random picks on Yarnnation that we decided to spin it up next. What do you think, fabulous colors right. Just leave your comments below. It’s very easy to do. 
Camp & Babies
Yes, Margaret i have been busy it must be the beginning of summer. That means the Dukes graduation this week in Seattle. Another pharmacist in the family, Hurray! Then home to pack for girls camp therefore i will show you our camp flag. I bet you can’t guess what the theme for camp is this year.
That is correct handcart pioneers to go along with the Trek which is in July. The King and I are going as a Ma & Pa and we will have 8 children to shepard for 4 days. Yes we are accepting luck and condolences from one and all. That brings us to the apron.
This is where i want to scream… I edited this but it refuses to edit on the blog. Stupid thing… Anyway the dress is also done after much consternation and Queen Mother intervention. I just need to put dress and apron on body and take picture. Relativly easy you would think. Anyway you will have to wait for that.
I have been spinning, yes that is correct Margaret, spinning with Schack(the wheel). We are getting along better as time progresses. This is the fiber that i got at Weaving Works in Seattle on our road trip to see the Duke and Duchess. Now i just have to figure out what to turn it into. Problems Problems. 
Gnome was sunning himself out in the back yard, we have been having some beautifully warm days.
If you look very carefully you will see another Gnome cousin on the wall in the left hand picture. The royal dogs Johnny Cash & Sophie.
Gnome working on the Camp Flag and finishing up the Chunky Monkey Sweater. Surprise Post of sweater. Progress Progress. Gnome is everywhere.
Prince BTB, the Sister Sue, and Big Brother
Well at last you get to see the shrug on Sister Sue and she also has hand knit socks from Grandma the YarnQueen. Uncle PBTB is alway juggling the kids, Big Brother likes it now but Sister Sue says bopit PBTB. She also will tell you all about it on the phone. Here they are showing off for you after church. Princess P and PBTB take these two to church almost every week.
Mother’s Day for the Queen
This sweet lamb is Jael, and my sweet flock of royal children and grandchildren adopted her for me from the Schacht Fleece Farm. Can you think of anything more exciting, a real lamb to raise and then spin her fleece. Mandy Corry will be his shepherdess and keep me posted about Jaels growth and personality. I can hardly wait . She is an Icelandic lamb which will provide very soft and beautiful colored gray with black tipped fleece. To read more about my lamb and the program check out Schachtfleecefarm.com. Pretty amazing my kids and my new lamb.
Finishing Class **
Last Saturday i was able to attend a finishing technique class sponsered by the Wool Cabin, Rene Dickey from Seattle was the instructor. Knitsfinished.com What a very worth while class, i learned so much and feel like i have the ability to really improve my finishing knits. Rene is a darling young women and a great instructor.
Gnomes will play
While at knitting today i found a gome convention going on and wanted to share with Gnome N Clayture, so that he will forgive me for leaving him shuttered up for so long. What do you think?
The Henry Gnomes invited him to come over tomorrow. Great Deal.
Most exciting is our Wednesday knitting group. These 3 young women have caught the insiration of knitting. One of the Royal Ladies (previously known as ma kettle) has patiently taught them to knit and now they soar, this was there first crochet project and they like knitting better for now. The bunnies are done. Hurray Hurray. They were supposed to be for Easter but proved to be a little trickier (sp is this a word) than first expected. The ladies over came and the Royal Lady is a success in her own right.
And last but not least i thought you would like to see the finished project that at first looked like a giant thong. See previous posts on knitting for explanation. I think my shrug turned out great, it’s from Knitter’s Fall 2003 edition. And many thanks to LYS Unraveled Sheep for tuning me into this pattern. We have had a fun day last week-end it was 90 and today we are trying to get up to 60, so how do you like spring in Utah. Good thing i have a shrug is all i can say. 
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