From Endless Simmer

You may think nothing exciting happens between the two meccas of elite food — Brooklyn, NYC (BS) and Mt. Pleasant, DC (gansie) — but, apparently there’s cake and fame in York, Pennsylvania.

Please continue reading HERE.

From Hands in Delight

The Ladies Fancywork Society are at it again. You may have heard about their recent “yarn bombing”  escapades. Truly a work of art! They even collaborated on a book about the phenomenon – Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti.

Please continue reading HERE.

From the BBC

From the Toronto Star

You have to be gentle if you’re going to knit with ramen noodles.

Knitter Carissa Browning learned that quickly when she decided to see if she could turn noodles and chopsticks into “something unusual.”

Please continue reading HERE.

From Smallholder

The significant increase in number of people attending the board’s shearing courses this year reflects the level of interest in shearing – at both competition level and in the wider context of providing a sound skill base for a full-time career.

Please continue reading HERE.

From msnbc.com

A real whopper of a fish tale is in the making in Lindstrom where women are working at all hours to knit the world’s largest fish hat.

Please continue reading HERE.

From The Independent

Food gets an exciting makeover in a new exhibition by textile artist Kate Jenkins.

Famous for crocheted food the Come Dine With Kate exhibition sees Jenkins portray her perfect fantasy dinner party, exploring themes including fine wine and food.

Please continue reading HERE.

From the British Wool Marketing Board

The Prince announced his official commitment to the sheep farmer and wool textile industry at a small gathering of the farming, wool textile and retail sectors at the National Woollen Museum in Llandysul, (Dyfed) Wales last week (28th June).

Please continue reading HERE.

Unfortunately I’m committed. I’ve already started knitting the jumper so I’ve got to persevere.

The fleece in question is a Ryeland x Wensleydale. Which in theory sounds lovely: all the softness and crimp of the Wensleydale with the more manageable Ryeland staple length. And it is, when it’s undergone a laborious, tedious and lengthy series of preparation steps, only discovered after much experimentation:

1) wash fleece: with the hottest water my failing boiler can put out. Squeeze, rinse, squeeze, rinse again…ad nauseum

2) spin in a mesh bag on the wool cycle in the washing machine

3) dry on the radiators (yes, yes I know you’re not supposed to; I had no choice, it was the coldest winter in 30 years). Pick out some of the enormous quantities of field still in the fleece.

4) comb the locks open with a dog comb. Pick more field out of the fleece.

5) card the combed locks into rolags. Pick yet more field out of the fleece (what on earth was this sheep doing?!?)

6) spin long draw, the only fast part of the entire operation. Pick more bits out

7) ply the singles, picking out yet more bits, and skein. Yes, picking more bits out

8 ) wash the yarn. Hang to dry and pick more bits out as it dries

I still have to pick bits of grass out of the yarn as I knit. But really, it is lovely when it’s done. My only worry is that I’ve got a white version of the same fleece in the shed. Do I dare even unroll it..?

From the BBC

Please continue reading HERE.