Packing for a Tradeshow

Here are the hanging banners, or prayers flags, as I have been calling them as I pray that they get finished in time. We have twelve colors of our New Legacy 100% Organic Wool to show. These are made with the DK. The colors are available in a bulky weight as well.





It's quite a big project to pack for a booth a tradeshow. At O-Wool we are in the midst of it! More photos to come...

A moment in Time

We received a most beautiful light snowfall yesterday ..8-10 inches that coated our world, yet could be blown away with a single breath! Everything looked completely different, with large caps of snow on the bird feeder, the branches, the railings, the car. It gave all the familiar things around us new shapes and even an air of mystery.

As I hung the new calendar I noticed the familiar sight of heavily marked days of appointments and schedules replaced by an altogether new sight as well, the mystery and beauty of the empty page. A whole January page of empty squares stared back at me. Days to be orchestrated. Adventures to be had. Yarn to be knit. Meals to be created. Thoughts to be thought. All still suspended unformed.....


Sometimes at the beginning of the new year, out of the usual routine, I experience a moment of timelessness like this that leads to reflection. It seems like an opportunity to draw on a blank page, an empty snow field, an act of creation. But also, the moment asks me to reconsider my driving beliefs, priorities, inspiration. There seems to be the real possibility of making some new choices.
















As I ponder my first knitting project of the year I let the thoughts flow freely about what I am striving for..... to achieve simplicity yet elegance, to promote healthy relationship to the Earth and all her inhabitants, to maintain healthy lifestyle patterns for myself and my work, to be joyful and appreciative of gifts around me, to sow seeds of friendship, teach and learn well, take nothing personally, find humor often and occasionally stare into the vastness of the night stars.

Before I know it however, schedules have begun anew, and time is back to being serious. At O-Wool, here, we are suddenly in a great hurry to prepare for the upcoming National Needlework Association show, TNNA in San Diego. Although I will not be going this time, I feel the excitement! This means booth preparation, paperwork preparation, packing, planning. organizing etc. There is definitely no longer time for quiet reflection.


















I have been employing my trusty Brother Standard Gauge Knitting machine to make some hanging backdrops for the booth these past few days. The Legacy DK knits up very nicely on the #10 Stitch Dial setting, and so I have been enjoying creating some long flowing banners or flags. I'll post some photos tomorrow!

A Wreath to inspire creativity

In the northeast here, we are definitely starting to look forward to Solstice, or more specifically to the time when the days will start getting a little bit longer. Just a few minutes a day at first, but every bit helps. The shadows start to get very long and cold just after school gets out. Luckily the moon and planets are cheering us up with their light. And there is some wonderful homey time to catch up with indoor sewing and knitting projects.



This is also the season for donations and giving. The three of us in the Hand Knitting department at O-Wool have had a lot of fun this week, decorating a wreath that will become part of an auction to raise funds for a local child care center.

Wendy used her standard gauge Brother knitting machine to create these little stocking ornaments out of our new Legacy DK o-wool yarn, in the colors lava, grove and natural.



Lynn knit up this little snowman, who can be used as a tree ornament or a table ornament. He has some beans at the bottom to help him stand up! She used a great little pattern from the winter edition of the Living Crafts Magazine (p 22.), and our DK wools (on #4 needles) in the same holiday colors.




We really wanted to include the Peace dove that was also featured in the same issue of the Living Crafts magazine (p.18). Marin made a wonderful pair of peace doves out of the o-wool melton fabric in natural.

And then perhaps the best idea of all! Marin thought it would be great to include the patterns and all the materials to make the decorations. So we stuffed the little stockings with the o-wool yarn needed, enclosed the patterns in envelopes, and rolled up a bit of the fabric. Voila!





Here it is: our beautiful wreath which includes not only the ready made ornaments, but also the supplies needed to make a set of your own. We stepped back to admire our wreath, and all realized that we would love to bid on it ourselves!

TAKING CARE OF YOUR WOOL,

…While Taking Care of your Earth

Our O~Wool hand knitting yarn has already experienced
an alternative processing path to keep it, the
sheep and the environment healthy. Now that you
have bought this yarn, you too are participating in
this endeavor.
Begin your project by untwisting the hank. When
your hank is an open circle again, you can have a
friend hold it to make a round ball, or you can use
a swift and ball winder. If you use a swift and ball
winder, you can pull from the inside or the outside
of the ball, or both for double strand.
After you have finished knitting your project, continue with a final
soak, the last but very important part of your processing! Remember
that no softening chemicals were added earlier, so this
last step really brings out the loft and softness of the merino wool.
Use your favorite wool wash and let your knitting gently rest in
tepid water for 15-20 minutes. (We recommend Eucalan or Soak.)
Remove from water and roll in a towel to remove excess water.
Let your piece dry horizontally. You will notice how much softer it
has become once it has dried completely. And the wool continues
to soften as you wear it. So go out and change the world in comfort,
warmth and good cheer!



An important part of sustainability is continual caretaking. To take
care of your wool garment remember that this complex, multilayered
fiber is a protein animal product. Contrary to the frequent,
agitated washing that synthetics fibers require; wool responds
best to frequent airing, gentle handling, surface sponging and
rest between wearing. Wool fibers will naturally resist soil, odors
and wrinkles, and return willingly to their original shape. If necessary,
a steam iron (without direct touching) can further encourage
shaping. If you have suffered a direct spot or stain, washing the
area immediately with cold water is a good first response. See the
Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association website for a
complete listing of stain removal suggestions.
At O~Wool, we understand that our farmers, our spinners and
our customers are all part of a new awareness of the impact of
human activity upon the earth and its diverse ecosystems. When
every one of us alter some part of our daily pattern to promote
conscious change we feel the energy and mindset of problem
solving, and we know that everything is possible. We are all part
of a creative global movement.

What is new?

In Vermont this is the season of change, and it sure seems like there is plenty of change in the air! Astronomy is dictating the shortening of days, activating the color change in the tree leaves, and putting on the show of the year in these parts. The harvesting of gardens and apples is in full swing. This is a season of lush abundance and plenty, with a hint of exuberance even in the face of the looming knowledge that times will get cold and difficult in the next few weeks with the approach of winter.

But now is the time to harvest, prepare and share, and at O-Wool, we are in the final stages of preparing a new line of organic wool hand knitting yarn for sale.
This new line of yarn has a wonderful color palette that is both muted and timeless, yet has a depth and complexity that grows as you work with it. The colors take me back in time, to an era of hand tinted photographs, antique lace, strong dusty cowboys and wild distant hues reflecting the natural landscape.



There are a number of avid knitters here, and the knitting, planning, sharing and showing of projects and ideas has reached a new threshold of energy. We have all had a lot of fun exploring the colors and the new weights.

In the new DK line, a skein of yarn gives you 305 yards of wool! The gauge is 22-24 st = 4" on 4-6 needles (US size). In the Bulky line the Gauge is 11-13 sts =4" on 10-11 US needles. Both lines are available in the same 12 colors which are: Gamboge (a yellowish resin from a tree in Indonesia, Lava (red), Russet, Clay, Desert Blush, Olive, Sand, Natural, Sprig (lt green), Grove, Storm and Charcoal.

So now is the time to create something new that echos the old and pulls together those illusionary wrinkles in time. With 100% organic O-wool yarn you can knit up a subtle garment or eclectic accessory and create your own wearable Legacy while keeping the health and well being of the sheep in mind.

Wool and Knitting in Children's Literature

As my daughter and I were cleaning (deep cleaning because of a house renovation!) her picture books, we became immersed once again in the beauty and humor of some of these books for youngsters. Suddenly we were drawn right back to the time when we both enjoyed our nightime routine of my reading aloud a few books before sleep. I remember the amazement I first felt at discoving this whole world. I just had not realized how immense, and beautiful the selection of children's literature is.

And of course I was looking at books with the eyes of a knitter...haven't we all seen patterns in passing that we run home to sketch. Once, I was asked to take off a vest I was wearing at the food store, and the "cheese lady" returned with a xerox copy of my garment in her hands, a huge grin on her face, and a head full of plans for her next project!

Jan Brett is an author and illustrator that all knitters can enjoy. She is a fabulous artist that writes one glorious children's book every year, and travels to the geographical region she will highlight in order to get every tiny, amazing detail just right. The books that take place in Europe feature wonderful knitted clothing that serves both as background, and even as important plot features. The Mitten, which you can start reading to kids even before they can walk, has a knitted piece as one of the main "characters", and a well timed sneeze that delights every time. And of course,grandmother's "knitting held tight".



In The Hat, each animal tries on a garment of Lisa's, and so we view the entire winter knitted wardrobe as Lisa unpacks the big trunk.

Jan Brett draws knitwear in detailed perfection as we can see in Trouble with Trolls.

Another wonderful book which has appeal for fiber artists is Pelle's New Suit by Elsa Beskow. This wonderful book has already stood the test of time: it has a copyright date of 1912.








The lamb in this book has a coat that grows longer and longer, while Pelle's coat grows shorter and shorter, so Pelle decides to take action. He shears his lamb's coat, and then proceeds to trade for all the tasks involved in turning the wool into a garment for himself. We get a delightful look into the whole life of his extended family as the wool takes it journey through washing, carding, spinning, dying and sewing, becoming both a woven suit and a large family project. The story is at once more simple and grounded than our own O-Wool story could possibly be, but it surely exemplifies many of the ideals we hold as desirable and strive for in our company mission.

Something Old, and Something New

Well, it’s been too long, and really there are no excuses …although I can come up with a few. In any case, it sure is time to get back to this WEEKLY blog!

So, here at O-Wool we are getting closer to offering a new line of 100% certified organic wool hand knitting yarn in 12 wonderful colors inspired by nature. We are all looking forward to seeing the new shades, and are busy knitting up swatches for the sales reps kits. In the meantime, my job has included making up the little skeinlets that you see in the sample packets when you open a new account, or get a sample at a trade show. These little samples offer between 10 and 20 yds of yarn so that someone can actually knit a little swatch.



What I find interesting about this task is that the machine we use is truly a functioning antique. It weighs about 50 lbs, is made of heavy gauge indestructible iron, and has gears that work together like a dream. The crank just begs to be turned. It’s magnificent.


So, I feel like I take a step into the past when I use this wonderful tool. Its an amazing time we live in ...when one can go from this old machine to typing on a computer ...all in a quick minute. Globally I hope we can appreciate the well functioning old tools as well as the great advances of the new. Its an ongoing process of evaluation that we all take part in every day.