Everything is beginning to bloom, and I am collecting my black hollyhock blossoms as they fall to the ground one by one. I have never dyed yarn with them before, and they are supposed to produce a lovely blue on wool. I’m excited to experiment with them. A friend of mine gave me a flat of dyer’s coreopsis, so I am saving those blossoms until I have enough for a dye bath.
Seth saw a little spotted fawn near our house a few days ago. He came straight to tell me, so I could hopefully catch a glimpse of it too, but I was in the midst of making soap. Not a task that can be abandoned for even a few seconds. By the time I was able to get away, the fawn was nowhere to be seen. And as it should be. I’m sure there will be others. We are talking about a trip to Big Meadows in the coming weeks. It’s been too long since we’ve visited, and there are sure to be spotted fawns there. Jonny has a sawmill job nearby, so we are hoping to combine the two. Always multi-tasking, and glad for the opportunity to combine a bit of work with a day trip.
While I didn’t get to see Seth’s fawn, we did accidentally come across a flying squirrel in the woods when Seth rapped on a hollow tree and it popped it’s little black-eyed head out! It’s the cutest thing- I love it! I posted a photo of it on Instagram, and more than one person commented about having trouble with them getting in their attic, and another mentioned getting up in the night to nurse her baby only to discover a flying squirrel in her bedroom! My only interaction with them has been in the woods around us. The last time we spotted one was back in 2012! That was the first time I had ever seen one.
I was able to photograph all of my yarn today, so I will update my shop this week on Thursday, June 7th, at 11 a.m. ET. I’m really pleased with my recent dyeing projects. I’ve been working for months to create skeins similar to all the speckled and multi-colored yarns that are popular right now-though with natural dyes. It is a more complicated process than doing something similar with acid dyes, but for me the challenge was well worth the results. I love that I am always learning something new, and am always a little unsure of what my results will be. I started my experiments on a small scale, so I will have several sets of mini skeins available, along with a limited number of speckled and multicolored 4 oz skeins in varying weights. For those of you who prefer more subtle variations in color, I have plenty of my semi-solid naturally dyed wool yarn ready for the update as well. My other big news is that all of my fingering and sport weight yarn is now available in 4 oz skeins, rather than the pairs of 2 oz skeins I typically list. It occurred to me to ask the mill if they could wind the larger skeins for me, and they did. I should have asked ages ago! I’ll put a shop preview post up on Thursday, so check back if you are interested! I’ll try to post some pictures in my Instagram stories in the coming days as well.
p.s. June Yarn Along is this Wednesday!
p.p.s Silas made me a flower pot helmet as well, though I didn’t get a cardboard backpack.
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Those are fabulous creations! Love each one of them.
Those are fantastic creations!
Just nabbed a skein of your sport weight…can’t wait to get it on my needles!!
I’m excited to see what you make, Laurel!
no backpack?? I love the helmets and that is what I miss most about having little children around. The toddler I babysit is starting to make ‘jokes’. I love it! She has some infectious giggles.
The flowerpot helmets and cardboard backpacks are fantastic! 😀 love it!
I also really like those orangey/pink/red yarns you created…I am not a knitter, but if I were, those would be the one I’d want!
Love the flower pot helmets! You look like space visitors. Your speckled yarn looks so lovely.
Your helmets are the best! And I so envy you your hollyhocks. I have some called “Blackberry Cheesecake” or something like that, which never bloomed last year — maybe this will be the year, but no buds yet.
Love sharing summer with you.
ooh black hollyhocks, I’ve never seen one before. That yarn is so pretty, so speckly. Are you re-purposing the yarn from the cardigan?
1. Your hat is fabulous.
2. I realized when I saw this that I never sent you those black hollyhock seeds that I promised! I think they’re probably still in my desk drawer, poor things. But it looks like you’ve taken care of yourself in that department.
3. I love seeing your art and skill blossom (no pun intended) with natural dyes! You’re brilliant.
Love, R
The yarn is quite lovely. You have beautiful flowers.
Joan
Love those flower pot helmets and the cardboard backpacks. Silas is a very talented boy.
Marion
I love the flower pot helmets !!! 🙂
What fun pictures and beautiful blooms! Love your helmets!
Ginny,
The cereal box backpacks and flower pot helmets are too precious. Was Silas reading Little Bear? It reminds me of the part when Little Bear tells Mother Bear he wants to go to the moon, so he makes a space helmet…
I enjoy reading your blog/looking at your lovely photos. I share the photos of your children and the sweet animals with my children.
We were graced yesterday to see a mama duck waddle off from our neighbor’s yard with her brand new baby chicks – 8 of them. I don’t know what the typical # of chicks is, but I thought it fitting that there were 8 as we have 8 children.
God bless you and yours,
Melisa
I love those flowers. They are so pretty. We have found squirrels twice in our cellar. The man said they came through our chimney. We had to put a cage over our open chimney on the roof. The squirrels mad a mess and we had to throw away a lot of things that were soiled,including sheets that were drying on the clothes line.
Marilyn
I’m super interested in how you achieved the speckles, as I do natural dyeing also.
Silas is a genius, we all need flower pot helmets and cereal box backpacks.
I love those cute little Christopher Robin photos. The woods is the BEST place for play as is evidenced by a fawn sighting!
Your yarn is glorious. I want some.
Maybe I’ll do a yarn along tomorrow! Take care, good Ginny.
I totally love the flower pot helmets and backpacks. I miss my young children, although I love them still as a teen and two adults. The yarn is amazing. I wish I could knit without messing up. It would go faster and I could justify more yarn.
Adorable!
What a wonderful accommodating mother you are to wear the kids creations. I love your new yarn. It is beautiful. Can’t wait to see what the black hollyhock produces.
The speckled yarn is so pretty – I wouldn’t even make anything with it – just fill a basket and look at it!
Love the helmets and your new speckled yarn – so beautiful Ginny!
Ohhh we’re overdue for a trip to Big Meadows too, we need to go soon!
The costumes are gorgeous! I’m so looking forward to shop update. I’m gathering your fingering weight in pretty blossom colours to knit a soft light cardigan – maybe some speckled will be just the thing 😊 You sound so at peace at the moment Ginny – may your summer continue to be full of love and good cheer.
Absolutely love the helmets and backpacks!! Maybe soon you will get a backpack as well 🙂
If I’m very lucky… 🙂