Learning to Knit 2 (Video) How to Cast on Stiches

In addition to the instructions below we have a video demonstration, so you can see the steps in motion. Enjoy! (Video Coming Soon) In the following few posts I'm going to introduce some of the basic steps in knitting. In this demonstration I'm using a thick store bought yarn so that the stitches are large, even and clear to see in the photographs and video. The needles are 10.5 bamboo needles. They are my favorite needles to use because they hold so comfortably in my hands. When you start working with patterns it will suggest a good size needle and yarn to use. You can check this by knitting a few rows and comparing the length you've knitted with the pattern's recomendation. To begin knitting you must start by pulling a good length of yarn from your skein. When I first started knitting I would always end up short so give yourself at least 24 inches. If your making a very large item like a quilt you'll need more yarn. This length of yarn is going to be what you use to cast stitches onto your needle. Which is really just small knots up your needle that will serve as the basic beginning size of your piece.

From this length of yarn you wll create a slip knot which is your first cast. Make a slip knot by making a loop, then slipping another loop around and underneath then through the original loop. Slip one of your needles through this knot and tighten. (Not too tight or the yarn won't move easily on your needles)

Taking the yarn you've pulled from your skein in your left hand, hold with your pinky, ring, and middle fingers. Wrap your thumb under and around the yarn creating a loop at the base of your thumb. Stick your needle through the loop going through the yarn that is crossed on the bottom, which should be resting at the base of your palm. Keep it there.

With your right hand wrap the yarn that is connected to the skein in a counter clockwise direction around the top of the needle.

With your left hand flip the yarn that is wrapped around your thumb over the top of the needle and over the yarn you wrapped counter clockwise. Pull slightly snug. You should have made a small knot above the first. This is your second cast stitch.

Continue this until you have casted on the amount of stitches that your pattern recomends. For this demonstration I will be using twenty stitches. Please check out the next post where I demonstrate how to move on from here in the Knitted Garter stitch.

Visit www.jenniferannmurphy.etsy.com to veiw hand made items from Iron Oaks Farm.

Learning to Knit 1 (Intro)

Learning to Knit I’ve always been interested in the fiber arts, but for the past ten years it was more from an observers stance. I would browse around knitting stores fingering the beautiful yarns. They were fascinating to me. All I had was the brief tactile pleasure of touching the soft, colorful fibers and it would quench a small part of my desire to make something. My love of all things fiber was encouraged by my now, mother-in-law, Kathy.

Zach and I were only dating when she crochet me the most beautiful afghan/quilt I had ever seen. (shown above) The following Christmas it was a knitted, multi colored purse in rich earth tones, and the following year I got a comfy hooded sweater in my favorite color green. It all seemed so complicated, I could do some basic crochet chains, but the idea of working with two needles baffled me. Finally, I could stand it no more, I had to give it a try. After Christmas one year, I asked her to teach me. I would go over on cold winter nights and we would drink tea and work the cozy yarn over the needles. I would come home with a simple project goal and bring back the knotted squares resembling something of a hot pad (everything was a hot pad) slowly I got the hang of it. We would try different patterns and I learned knitting, purling and cabling. Eventually the motions came more easily, I stopped dropping stitches, and I could knit and keep a conversation going, without messing up what I was doing...most of the time.) The wonderful thing about fiber arts is that there is always something new to try, and to learn. And receiveing a hand knitted item is unlike any other gift. Every ounce of that piece has passed through the makers hands. For our wedding Mom gave us a pair of adorable knitted Teddy Bears dressed in a hand made wedding gown and tux. The possibilities are endless.

I would like to share what I’ve learned so that you can get started too. Over the next few days I’m going to be going over the basics of knitting in a video series. Eventually I’d like to include instruction on shearing, washing, carding, and spinning mohair into yarn. Hope this peaks your interest. Happy Knitting!

Keeping Goats in Winter

The first and foremost important thing you can do for your goats in the winter is keep them well stocked with hay, we use Alfalfa. Nothing keeps a goat warmer than a big belly-full of hay. When the girls eat you can hear their tummies purring with warmth. The hay replaces the grass and weeds and leaves that they would be eating in the warm summer months. It’s important to keep the extra hay bales dry and away from the goats. Our girls love to rip out great big clumps and trample it, and they’re not crazy about eating the hay off the ground. Once they tear it out of their manger it becomes bedding.

We also give them a 3 to 1 mix of grain and sun-oiler seeds. The sunflower seeds have a lot of oils in them and this comes out in the girl’s mohair. It protects the curls and helps keep them warm in our Michigan winters, similar to the way a water bird coats its feathers with oils to keep them warm in frigid waters. When you pet them you can feel the oils in their coats, and that layer is protecting them from the winds and wetness.

We also have practicle coats for them. This isn’t a fashion show, (although they do look rather cute) the coats we have for them have a nylon outer to block the wind, and a quilted fleece inside. We purchased XL dog coats with Velcro closures and they work great. We had some extremely cold days this winter where the temperatures dropped below zero, and the wind was something fierce, so they wore their coats on those days. We can’t keep their coats on them all the time because it will matte their wool.

They also have a red heat lamp which raises the temperature slightly here in the barn. I prefer the red bulbs over the white, it seems to be more calming at night. On really wet days they stay in the barn all day. The mohair absorbs some water despite the oils and if the temperature drops before they dry, they could get pneumonia. When the sun finally does come out, we make sure we walk them in the woods, so they can have some fun and don’t get bored. We use regular nylon dog collars and leashes. Goats are extremely curious animals and if they are pent up too much they will become destructive. We try to stimulate them with walks about three times a week. It’s good for them and us, and our golden retriever Cedric who feels he has to lead the way.

Another thing to consider is keeping their water from freezing. We have electricity down at the barn, so we use a heated coil bucket which keeps the water liquid. This particular model is great for goats because the cord is wrapped in wire so they can’t chew it and get electrocuted.

Another thing we do in winter is muck layering. You can only do this in the winter because the low temperatures keep the odors down, and the bacteria levels. The technique to muck layering is, every day we put a fresh layer of straw down, the layers of straw and manure slowly rot, and like compost, produce heat, which rises through the fresh layer of straw and heats the barn considerably. You can clean the stalls completely if you have a few warmer days. Like here in Michigan we had a "heat wave" and the temps stayed around 35 for the week. We cleaned the barn and scrubbed the floor with a 5 to 1 mixture of bleach and hot water. Make sure to use hot water so that the moisture evaporates.

We also feel it’s important to provide the goats with tree branches, dried leaves, sliced apples and carrots. In the summer, goats like to nibble a little of this and a little of that. In the winter, their diet is narrowed to hay and grain only. We like to give them some variety to keep them happy.

Trimming Goat Hooves, (Video) The Girls Get a Manicure

Check out our video "Trimming Goat Hooves"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1iE-fxW8BA

Sometimes it helps to see someone else do something -Enjoy!

Today we will be trimming the goat’s hooves. This helps keep their feet healthy, and can cut down on their chances of getting hoof root which if left untreated, can lead to lameness. It also makes it more comfortable for them to walk. As you can see, the hoof of a goat is split and the outer edge grows around the hoof and folds underneath. By cutting this flap off it helps eliminate moisture, dirt and bacteria from getting trapped in their hooves. It doesn’t hurt them, but you have to be careful not to go too deep. We use a scissor like tool designed for trimming hooves. You can purchase them at http://www.tractorsupply.com/livestock/livestock-health/livestock-veterinary-supplies/other-livestock-veterinary-supplies/hoof-rot-shear-2221602 We trim their feet about every three weeks.

Beeswax Dipped Candles, A Soft Glow of Sunshine on a Winter Night

As the icy winds of January draft across the Michigan countryside, we are driven from the cold as even the sun tucks away earlier and earlier, and falls to the winter slumber. One activity I like to take part in is the making of dip candles. Dip candles can be made from any wax. Most candles I make are made from the remnants of other candles that have since spent their wicks. All my family members know I recycle candle butts so they save their "passed away" candles in boxes for me and I repay them by melting down the wax and giving them a newly born candle in return. Occasionally I run low so I replenish with paraffin blocks, which seem to last forever. It’s the process that I love. There is something satisfying about melting down all those ash blackened chunks of wax, pouring the hot glossy liquid into a mold and releasing a shiny new candle. The house always smells wonderful and it’s great for the skin on your hands. (So long as you don’t burn yourself) As hot as it is, I can never resist poking about impatiently at the melting wax, you inevitably get some on you and it’s great for the skin. When making recycled candles, my only caution is to keep the "flowery smells" from the "cinnamon smells" but other than that all the wax goes into the melting pot. Usually the colors melt into a deeper rich color, and you can add colors to the overall mix. I buy mine on line very inexpensive and a few shavings goes a long way. http://www.candlewic.com/ This year we had a special treat. My husband purchased 6 pounds of beeswax from a local apiary (bee keeper) for me for Christmas over two years ago.The wax was so beautiful that I didn't have the nerve to melt it down. Finally I decided to make dip candles. We melted the wax in a homemade double boiler. You need something taller as a standard pot won’t make a very tall candle. A tin coffee can works great for 6" candles. Just watch the bubbles that collect on the bottom, a couple of times they released all at once and it can splash the boiling water a bit. To make dipped candles you will need: -a medium to large pot for boiling water -a melting pot, coffee can or Zach's taller cylinder (see below) -candle wax -wick (most craft stores carry wick in spools) -washer or nut -scissors -a vessel as tall as your melting pot with cold water -scents and colors optional Place your melting pot filled with wax in a stove pot filled with water. Heat over medium heat until the water starts to simmer. You don't want a rapid boil as the bubbles can get trapped under the melting pot and splash you. Watch not to burn yourself even with a simmer. Wait for the wax to melt. In the mean time cut a length of wick about 3 inched taller than your melting pot. Tie one end to a nut or washer with a small knot. This will weigh down your wick so it dips straight until you have enough wax build up. Once the wax has melted, carefully, holding the opposite end of the wick from the nut dip slowly to the deisred length. Remove and dip in cold water. Repeat several times. You will get drips that collect along the bottom of your candle, just snip these with scissors occasionally. Eventually you will have enough wax on the wick that you can cut off the nut. Continue dipping until you have the desired width. Allow to dry. Beeswax will deepen in color as it dries. After we made a collection of 6" candles I felt like we needed something longer. Zach forged me a tall cylinder which we set in the double boiler. It is 15" tall and makes a 12" candle. For those of you who would like to try making some tapers for yourself he is selling the cylinders on our Etsy site at http://www.jenniferannmurphy.etsy.com/ Please use with caution. To purchase beeswax please visit Swarm Natural http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38316989 Or to skip the mess, we also have finished candles for sale in the 6" and 12" inch lengths. http://www.jenniferannmurphy.etsy.com All through the process our kitchen and home were filled with the rich smell of warm honey. Which has a way of cozying all of your senses. The whole process was like working with gold. I was reminded of the bees working all summer to bring us this heavenly scented wax, The candles themselves are like little statues of sunshine glowing their hardest. We can’t wait to fill our home this winter with the soft amber glow of the golden honey scented candlelight.

Angora Goats, The Love of Raising our Curly Girls

My husband and I have a passionate goal to enjoy a simple life by creating art, enjoying nature, raising animals and to continue a deep appriciation for all things old fashioned. I (Jennifer) have a Bachelors dregree in Liberal Arts from Oakland University where I majored in English and minored in Studio Art. My goal when I graduated was to become a writer, but other than a few independent publications, (poems, nature articles etc.) most of my focus has been on arts and crafts. In particular pet portrait drawings. I have to say that the job found me, but I love animals and I love to draw so it worked out wonderful. My husband has his degree from ITT Technical Institute. (the irony!) He has been a hobby blacksmith for the past 10 years and after losing his job in July has gone full time with his metal work.

Recently, after 8 years of dreaming, we've broken into the fiber art scene. The mohair we sell is from our very own AAGBA registered Angora Goats. We called them "Knit" and "Purl". They were five months old when this batch was sheared. This is their first shearing, which as goats go, is the softest fleece they will produce in thier life. The roving has a great sheen and spins nicely into a very soft pearl colored yarn. We are in the process of washing and hand carding, and are less than half way through. I have around 3 lbs left uncarded, and am willing to sell the washed fleece in it's original curly state. If you'd like to reserve an amount we should be able to ship within the week. We have a limited supply until next spring, when they will be sheared again. We are hoping to expand our herd, and breed the girls next fall. Angora goats are wonderfuly loving, gentle creatures, we are blessed to have them in our faimily. We hope you will enjoy creating with their fleece as much as we enjoy raising our curly girls. We hope to expand our herd in the fall, and perhaps add Angora Rabbits to the mix.

We are passionate about creating in an old world style and supporting artisinal crafts that were made naturally and beautifully. Our candles are made in the traditional hand dipped fashion with wax from a local apiary. My baskets are woven by hand, mostly Shaker style (but I weave in my own little flair) and the reed is purchased from a wonderful local lady who sells out of her home barn. Zach's goals with his metal is to turn cold hard steel into something with an organc feel. And my photography always reflects something in nature. We are eager to expand on our growing farm. Each spring seems to bring an addition to our home. We started with a simple garden and compost pile, then to chickens and ducks. One day we'd like to add our own apiary (bees) but for now, one thing at a time. Please enjoy our collection of work. To veiw our merchandise please visit us at http://www.jenniferannmurphy.etsy.com/ or http://pet-illustrator.com/