A bag of purple colored wool locks spills out onto a table. The locks are long with curly tips. A pair of mini combs sits alongside.

Blue wool locks are being sorted into a basket, oriented so the curly tips are all pointing inwards. A pile of locks that are too felted to comb is building up in the corner of the basket.

Sorting through these dyed Lincoln locks before starting to comb. They're a bit felted but it was a steal at $5/pound, so we'll get what we get. 🤞

#handspinning #longwool

A white flower with six petals and a large yellow center blooms amongst dark green foliage

A small coral bells plant grows happily in a shady spot between oak branches and rocks. It has several tall flower spikes with tiny pink blooms.

A volunteer coral bells unexpectedly growing out of a small hole in a wooden walkway

Some fun surprises from the backyard. New flowers have opened on the Carpenteria californica, a small Heuchera Canyon Duet continues to bloom like a champ, and a volunteer Heuchera (maxima?) colonizing a tiny hole in the walkway.

#californianativeplants

Fabric being woven on a four shaft floor loom. The warp is 8/2 cotton, the left half in navy and the right half in cream. The weft is handspun merino wool yarn in shades of blue and green. The repeating overshot pattern is in the shape of a cat's eye with a long skinny pupil.

Sampling some fun overshot patterns with bits and pieces of leftover stash. This weft is some of my first handspun yarn from years ago! I especially like it against the dark blue tabby.

#handweaving #handspinning

An orange California poppy blooms above a background of grey-green foliage

First poppy flower of the year in the backyard 🧡

#californianativeplants #poppy

Our current guild challenge is to create several different towels using the same warp. Really interesting to see how different variables play out.

#handweaving #towels

Sheesh, I'm jealous. My gophers have a particular taste for yarrow 😢

A green and white twill towels in progress, woven in 8/2 cotton on a Fanny counterbalance loom. Pattern from Anne Dixon, pg 87.

Absolutely livid about the #SAVEact. Trying to weave my way back down to a normal blood pressure.

#handweaving

Hey I saw you all out there! Keep up the good work!

A small, mottled green and grey California tree frog inflates its throat pouch. The frog is inside a rain barrel, holding onto a stick.

A California tree frog has been chilling in our rain barrel. Every now and then we hear a loud "CRRROAK!" ❤️🐸

#frog

Called my senators this morning to state the obvious fact that allowing mining in the Boundary Waters is a terrible freaking idea.

#boundarywaters #fivecalls #publiclands

Finished skein of two ply Polwarth/silk blend in colors of plum, blue, rust, and acid green.

Two spinning wheel bobbins holding singles, ready to ply together. The first bobbin is spun as it comes so the color runs are much longer than the second bobbin, which was spun in three lengthwise sections.

Finished up the first braid of my Polwarth/silk fractal. Polwarth floofs up so much after washing!

#handspinning #knitting

This is amazing.

Yeah, might be time for some fortifications.

Heuchera maxima plant, dug halfway out of the ground and drooping sadly

Who dug up my Heuchera? 😢 Was it you, 🦝? Or you, 🦨? I thought we were friends!

#californianativeplants

How? Why?? 😭 But you're right, there are silver linings.

It's a small happy thing. Highly recommend!

Close up on an iridescent purple spinning wheel bobbin, which has started filing with a singles of Polwarth and silk, dyed in colors of purple, blue, and lime green.

Looking down on a Lendrum spinning wheel, with the purple, blue, and green combed top leading out of the frame

Pretty! And it matches my bobbin.

This is Polwarth/silk in "Moonlit Blossoms" from Wonderland Dyeworks.

#handspinning

Gaaaa so frustrating!

Vertical warping mill with 8/2 cotton spiraling around, measuring out a warp for a floor loom.

A cat is visible through the spaces on the full warping mill. He is carefully placed just outside the mill turning radius.

Are you interested in a hobby that makes you question your ability to count and do basic math? Let me recommend fiber crafts. Count, count again, swear, count again, multiply and carry the one, count again. Success.

#weaving #warp

Gold handknit sweater in progress, laying on a pink flowered chair. The sweater body is knit from the bottom up on a long circular needle. A large geometric pattern is emerging in the center panel, flanked by small cables on each side.

Two #smookie repeats (and bottom ribbing) complete and I've just barely cracked into my second skein. This bodes well for overall yarn consumption. #knitting

Thank you! Lots of trial and error, and lots of inspiration from other gardens as well.

Carmel Creeper lilac (Ceanothus var.) and Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) surround two small boulders. The lilac is beginning to display light blue flowers

Coffeeberry Eve Case, Heuchera maxima, Salvia spathecea, and Fragaria vesca share a shady spot under a Live Oak. Everything is green and growing after good soaking rains.

The rain has really perked up the backyard. Lots of new green growth, and some of the lilacs are putting out early flowers. The Heuchera was one of the first to attract native bees last year so I'm keeping an eye out 🐝

#californianativeplants

The bottom hem and first few inches of a handknit cardigan in golden wool. A geometric pattern is beginning to form as the sweater grows upwards.

Grey cat sits on a quilt covered lap, with the first few inches of a sweater in progress draped over her back.

Getting going on my #smookie pullover once again. Very enjoyable knitting, which is good because it takes me about 12 minutes to finish one row! Supervisor Thea approves my overtime, as long as I keep up with my cat furniture responsibilities. 🧶🐈

#knitting

Thank you!

Thanks! It turned out well, now I just have to visit somewhere cold so I can wear it for more than five minutes 😅

A forty something woman sits by a window, wearing a pink and white handknit cardigan. A colorful quilt is draped over her lap.

Handknit white cardigan with an all over geometric design in pink. The white yarn is Romney and the pink is BFL/silk.

My Spot cardi is complete, just under the wire! Spun, dyed, and knitted starting on Jan 1, 2025.

#2025sweaterchallenge #handspinning #knitting

Interesting. I'll have to give it a try.

Wowza. Do you always sley with the reed flat? Or just when using unicorn hair?

Tiny Turkey tail mushrooms fruiting on an oak log. This fungus grows in a plate shape and often has colorful stripes that look like a mle turkey's tail on display

A lowy, white fungus grows along the fissures in an oak log. It has a coral-like texture.

White fungus outlines the cracks in a large oak log

A little rain and the backyard mushrooms start poppin'. We get tons of Turkey Tail plus some Oyster and Candy Caps here and there. Not sure what this low white one is? #fungus #mushrooms

Handknit cardigan with a pink-on-cream colorwork pattern is almost ready for buttons. Handmade yarn buttons are loosely placed on the button band, looking like small cream colored donuts.

Making yarn buttons by wrapping around a fine point Sharpie 10 times, then using tapestry needle to work buttonhole stitch around the circle of yarn. Finished buttons look like small donuts.

Making yarn buttons for my #2025sweaterchallenge Spot cardigan. Partially because they're cute, partially because I don't want to leave the house in search of pre-made buttons.

#knitting