Well, as 2021 draws to a close we find ourselves ready for 2022 and a new line of farm products.

Our new line of products will be filled with whimsical, useful knitting project bags, hand dyed sock yarn and fun knitting accessories.

Happy New Year, we wish you a safe and healthy holiday.

Stay tuned for the new products to hit our Esty store, we'll post previews here on the blog and enhance our marketing with Instagram and Facebook.

Cheers!

Tina & crew

OMG!  I cannot believe how long it has been since I posted anything to the farm blog.  It is time to dust off the blog and bring it back to life!

Around the farm, there have been many changes, some of our beloved Animals have passed away since the last posting.  However, we still have several llamas, one alpaca, 7 sheep, 1 chicken and a multitude of barn cats.

We still grow our own yarn, and we have also expanded into custom knitting bags and other sewn items.

Studio Update Two!

Another studio update so quickly???  Well, some technical difficulties were the problem.  The pictures on yesterday's post were actually from two weeks ago. . .. here are last week's studio updates.  This weekend I am spending dyeing yarn.

The cubby holes in place:

Below are the finished cabinets - Jeff just needs to mount the wall cabinets.

We have some new fun lights - two are for the track lighting above the desk - and one is just a fun floor lamp that just so happens to match the flowers I bought for the studio way back when the idea came to life.

The track lighting - just need to find a couple more to go with these two.

What are the chances that these lights match the flowers. .. just have to pick up an orange flower.

Studio tour:

Looking left as you come in the door.  The big rug loom, the 4H LeClerc kind of hidden.

Back right corner, rug loom in center, desk and lake cabinet on the right.

The right corner as you come in - the sitting area.  Need to add some lamps, the TV and a  some tunes.

Well, I think that is the update for now. . .. back to yarn dyeing.  I have 30 batches of yarn to dye and package to be ready for the knitters retreat this coming Friday at Sauder Inn.

Studio Update!

Now that winter seems to have set in, it's going to be a high of 20 today, it is time to get back to working on the studio.  If you remember, spring came very early in 2012 and we abandoned the studio to work outside. . .. well, now we are back inside.

The wall still needs to be finished to separate the studio from the rest of the basement, it is started, but Jeff is very busy at work so it will have to be "fit in" as he can do it.  So, I've decided to keep working on the bits and pieces that I can get done . .. and magically, all will be in place just waiting for the wall . .. . LOL!  We'll see how this works out.

Here is a picture of the cubby holes - aka - shelves I painted this past weekend.

I spent a lot of time staining the cabinets for the studio.  Nothing like shopping in your own basement, this is a set of base cabinets and three top cabinets that have been in the basement "kind of" being used that I have moved into the studio.

Nope, didn't even take the contents out! LOL!  That was too much work and might slow down my progress.

Next update soon, I am planning to get the things put back together and clear out all the "non studio" stuff so I can begin using it.

Probably a shopping trip to Mom's basement to get my TV and a couple lights.

Stay warm!

Christmas Day at Winding Creek

Check out the following picture and . . .. .guess what it is . .. . yes, looks like some groceries and old bread . ..

This is the wonderful bounty that Santa left for our furry and feathered critters!  They are all well behaved, if you forget about all the getting out of the fencing, geting into stuff that is not theirs, etc, they were all good kids this past year.

Carrots for the llamas, alpacas and bunnies, cubed bread for the chickens, Vanilla wafers for the sheep, a bone for Hoover and furry mice for the cats!  Everyone enjoyed their treats.

It's a quiet holiday today, Jeff is under the weather and snuggled on the couch with various "medicine kitties" as they change shifts as to whose turn it is to snuggle with him.  They are very attentive when either of us are not feeling well.

Mom and I are are about the only ones well, we had a nice time attending Christmas Eve service last night and today will probably be a quiet dinner of ham and scalloped potatoes - we'll save our actual celebration and fun dinner for when Jeff is feeling better.  The Findlay crew is under the weather also, along with Jeff's Mom, so Christmas with family will be next weekend.  A quiet day of knitting, enjoying the critters and a nap are on tap for me today!

I am working on plans to update the blog - hoping to actually get to adding the "what is on the needles" and "what is on the loom" to the blog this year.  Along with some other website upgrades and more online sales.

I am participating in my first MKAL (Mystery Knit Along) starting December 27.  I have my yarn and needles ready to go to start a mystery shawl. .. . .yep, that's all I know right now. . .. .come on Dec. 27 - I am ready to start knitting . .. . LOL, I am always knitting. . .but this is a MYSTERY Shawl . .. should be fun.  I'll post updates of my progress.  The KAL takes about a month as we get a new clue every week starting this Thursday. 

Well. .. back to knitting or napping for me . .. . I'll decide when I get snuggled in my big chair with a cat, my kindle and my knitting.

Merry Christmas to all!

Open House Details

Short and sweet post, check out the new page - listed on the left - Holiday Open House. ..


Need directions?  Give us a call at 419-428-0303 or email llamaluv1@yahoo.com - put open house directions in the subject line, please

Or use mapquest - 4208 Evansport Rd, Defiance, OH 43512

See you at the farm!

Order Season!

As he holidays approach - there are lots of orders to fill.  Here are a couple pictures of orders I just finished, the hat was a Joy/Tina combo!

Hard to tell, but this is a matching hat and scarf set.  The black flower on black is hard to see.

Flower Detail

A ruffled hat for someone who purchased the matching mittens and scarf at McFarlands Open Barn

More flower detail

A nice, warm, snug beret - this one is for sale if anyone likes it.

So, what else has been going on around the farm?  We've been cleaning up for winter, hauling dirt around the back yard and waiting impatiently for the little chicks to start laying eggs.

Four of the "little girl" llamas were out for a frolic last Sunday . . . .. pushed through a week place in the fence.  I, of course, was not home. ....the young boy who hunts in the woods saw them and got help and got a hold of Jeff . .. .oh, Jeff was not a happy boy when I got home. . .just as he has told me since the girls arrived. .. . "Those girls are trouble" . .. . .yes they are . . .and they are lots of fun! ! ! !

Jeff had some dental surgery today, so it will be a quiet vacation week for me.  Getting things done here and there while helping Jeff get through the recovery.  He is doing quite well, sleeping peacefully with the cat, at the moment.  Daisy has appointed herself "medicine kitty" for this incident.  She will nurse him through.

I have a couple more pairs of fingerless mitts and a pair of gloves to finish to complete the current orders.  Also, need to get things around for the Thanksgiving sale at The Old Mill Shoppes just outside Fremont.

Better get back to some knitting or weaving or something productive!

Happy Weaving!
Tina

Weaving Lesson

The studio is coming along, although it has a long way to go. . .we had a weaving session on Saturday.  Nancy learned to weave with the 24" Rigid Heddle and I warped the new 12" knitters loom.  Nancy made a great cotton table runner and is hooked on weaving.  Pat, Roxy and Mom were here for the day with Nancy and I.  Mom and Roxy spent time in the living room knitting while we were weaving in the basement.

I warped the 12" knitters loom with Llama and novelty yarn.  We'll see how it goes.  The loom seems a bit small and cramped to use. . .but I'll weave a few items before I decide if it gets to stay.  It is a great size for demos and traveling.

Not only do we have a Bank Holiday this week, I have the entire week off to work around home and make products.  I made a list. .. . if you know me, you know that in reality the list cannot be done in a week. .so it goes.  I decided to break it down into manageable parts. . .. ..Blackie is helping . . .she's a bit overwhelmed! Her plan is to sleep on the list.

Started off today . .on the right track . .first up . .. do chores. .. .then I was supposed to come back in the house and clean up the kitchen .. ..but that did not happen .. .but the rafters in the barn are cleaned out and the cobwebs are gone . .. . ...so much for following a list. .. .I'm not so good at sticking to the rules. . .I prefer a bit of free form!  LOL!

Off to my next task. . ..

Beautiful, Overcast Fall Day!

Okay, so it seems very odd to think an overcast, chilly day as a beautiful day . .. . .to me, right now, it is! 

I have spent the last two weeks fitting way too much in my work, home and farm schedule!  I have been on the road and gone over night a couple times and working from a different banking center everyday . . .kind of forget what my own office looks like . .. .so this is a perfect day for me.  I have three pairs of mittens to have knit by the 28th of the month . . .I have 1 1/2 pairs done . .so, woo hoo - I'm 50% done!  I'll be spending the day alternating between working inside and knitting . .. the working inside will be the "time out" from the knitting . . .as I will be "power knitting"

As I walked around the farm this morning, I took some pictures to share .. .  .. enjoy!

The morning glorys don't seem to mind the overcast weather.

Now the Geraniums bloom!  The summer was too HOT for them.

The "little chicks" - they should be laying eggs next month, then soon they will be out with the "big" girls.

The "big" girls enjoying some scratch grains

Some of the big girls, getting their work done.

Included in my 10+ days of craziness. . .. I spent two days in Columbus at a Security Seminar, Including and overnight and great visit with my friend Sheila,Two days in Bowling Green at the Black Swamp Arts Festival, Two days in Yellow Springs at the Wool Gathering fiber show - which included a great visit with my friend Deb and it included a fun trip to MI with Mom, Aunt Skip and Aunt Mar for a great day of visiting, including AWESOME lunch at the home of my cousin Jim and his wonderful wife, Mary. (How about sending me the chicken salad and lemon muffin recipes?)

And, it ended with a farm tour for a great group of people from a church in Montpelier where I spoke last winter.  With the farm tour, comes a weaving and spinning demo - this cute little loom is what I used for the weaving demo - donated to our farm by a school teacher in Defiance.

Have a wonderful weekend - enjoy the chilly weather!

Fiber Room Make Over

As you know, I've been working on getting the studio together.  The LeClerc loom moved to the basement today so I worked on the transformation of the fiber room.  The LeClerc loom was just too big for this room, I could not walk around it to warp it and it just was not user friendly.

So, as we moved items out of the cottage that our family enjoyed for over 50 years and sold it to a family with young kids to enjoy it . .. I brought home a couple special things. .. .the red and white cabinet that is in the studio and the retro aqua chair and smoking stand.  These two items were in my grandparents house, prior to being lake furniture. . ..so they are quite old.  The "barrel" chair as we always referred to it is a GREAT chair to curl up and read a book . .so what better chair to be in the Fiber reading room?  And, of course, the "matching" smoking stand is in here also.. . .

The cleaning bug is still with me, she lays dormant during the week and comes out on Friday night to spend the weekend!  We cleaned off the back porch, starting Friday night and power washed it and the siding on Saturday . . ..

This porch has not been this clean since we moved in 12 years ago today!

The new fiber room . . .an area to read and relax in my retro barrel chair - Thanks Mom!

The smoking stand, repurposed and some of my favorite pictures

The never ending dish towel warp  . . 490 ends . .. and I am at 350 done . .. another 140 to wind, then off to the studio!

Have a great week!