Sometimes, it takes a life-changing experience to realize what you really want to do with your life. That’s what happened to the owner of The Knitting Nook, Lisa Plourd, when she fell through the ice and ended up in the emergency room. After her recovery, Lisa decided to combine her...
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Portland, Maine – Music, Makers, Museums, Meals, and mmm Beer
Aside from lengthy European getaways, our favorite vacations are 2-day trips that we can make within easy distance of the homestead. Last weekend we went back to Portland, Maine, to revisit some favorite sites, hear one of our favorite bands, and of course, sample some great craft beers. We...
Art Yarn Spinning – First Time with Multiple Techniques
In my latest spinning session I decided to try my hand at an art yarn skein. It’s not a style, that I’ve had any experience with, and I would say the end product is also well out of my usual comfort zone. But, inspired by a spinning class I...
The FarmCam: Theme and variations on a multi-year timelapse project
Since 1996, Rick has experimented with long-term photography projects, and just recently completed a video to capture the view from our farm webcam at Noon every day, for a full year. In this week’s video, we chat about Rick’s long-standing interest in documentary photography, specifically time-lapse via webcam. Timelapse...
Chicken Curry: classic flavors combine for a delicious, quick supper
As I’ve mentioned before, we’re often looking for new recipes to make at home, to mix up our menus when we find ourselves stuck in a rut. While I’m not new to cooking curry dishes, many recipes I’ve tried in the past have involved more ingredients, steps, and time...
Sewing a Skirt & Sash – A Project for a Special Night
If you’ve been reading the blog or following on our YouTube channel for a while, you’ll know that I don’t talk about sewing much. That’s because I don’t sew much, or at least haven’t in a long time. This year I’m hoping that will change. I believe everyone should...
Overdye Yarn: How to shift shades for a happier result
A couple of weeks ago, I shared an experiment for dyeing yarn with food coloring. The results were interesting, but I decided the yarn didn’t have a cohesive, finished look. So, it’s back to the dye pot this week. Overdyeing can rescue failed dye experiments if you’re careful about...
Waterbury, Vermont Field Trip: Local Yarn, Food, Beers
This weekend, my mother and I made a quick trip up to Waterbury, Vermont a town about an hour from the homestead. Our venture was prompted by the relocation of our local yarn shop from Montpelier. We were happy to see the new space: bright, open, and buzzing with...
Dye yarn with food coloring: a fun and easy fiber experiment
In today’s yarn world, there are thousands of people dyeing yarn at home and achieving wild and interesting (and sometimes, even beautiful) results. Have you ever wanted to try your hand at dyeing your own yarn, but were too intimidated? Or, perhaps you just didn’t want to shell out...
September 7 – 8, 2019: Garden State Sheep & Fiber Festival
Hunterdon County Fairgrounds, Ringoes New Jersey, Outside Barn 3, Booth 3010 The Garden State Sheep Breeders’ Sheep & Fiber Festival is an event that has long had a focus on livestock competitions and breed conformation. Recently they’ve added more vendors and fiber arts workshops, so this event is educational...