My newsest Noro Hat

This is my sister Mush wearing the Christmas present I made her. I took a gamble with it, in color but more so the fiber I chose. This was the first Noro hat I made out of more fiber than wool or silk and as a result is thicker gauge. To make Mush's hat, I used one skein of Noro Kochoran , with a fiber content of 50% Wool, 20% Silk, and 30% Angora. It is thicker than the Noro I typically use and has a wonderful halo effect when knitted.I got my first skein of this Noro from Steve last winter that. I then used for a hat for my MIL. The remainder of it I used for the first beer sweater SP now uses. The thickness of this Noro yarn on size three needles made blisters on my fingers.

Typically this Noro hat pattern is made using Noro Kureyon, 100% Wool recommended Needle size: 7, and I use roughly 1.5 skeins per hat.The Kocharan, hahaha , it calls for size 10 needles, I made it on 6 maybe 7. I have also made this hat using one of the Noro Silk Gardens which it acts just like the Kureyon. After seeing what a smashing success Mush's hat is, and I am sure its also toasty in windy cold winter, I am already decreasing the rows on a Kochoran hat for ME to replace my missing Silk Garden Hat. Pictures soon to follow I am sure.

I am contemplating custom making these, one at a time, on Etsy. Wonder what I would price them at. Any thoughts?

Common Ground Country Fair

We were at the fair this weekend.
Here's a photo essay of some of my special finds.

Fresh Maine Blueberries (which I had missed earlier in the season)













This Feta cheese from Long Fellow's Creamery was fabulous in my Chicken Feta Wonder





















And last but not least... meet Broodus.
He is my first angora bunny and will be my stud.
I got him from Beth at Akers Angora's

Sustainable Socks the Done Roving way!

I've been thinking about making some socks. It's a bit of a family joke actually, because my mother used to knit. HiHo once made a pair of socks for an old boyfriend in Stonington. He still has them, but we only learned about them when HiHo died - it was one of those stories that made us all laugh. Why did it make us laugh? Because HiHo only managed to make one sock for my father - Garro never got a full pair. I am thinking about making my first pair of socks, and mustering the courage to start such a feat, I realized that I might have to put down my Noro and move on. Noro does not seem to be washable. I was at the yarn warehouse in Bath called Halcyon on Friday. While searching for washable Noro yarn, I found that there is SOCK YARN! oh my... it's a whole new world out there when it comes to socks. I left with hands empty of sock yarn - but with one skein of bluesy Noro for the next Noro hat I will make. Anyway, after a long wonderful weekend of hockey tournaments, I wandered through Camden Maine and found a yarn store (cleverly hidden as a sweater store - almost tricked me). Low and behold, I found a new Maine yarn company that has some awesome yarns, including a sock yarn!!!!













SO I wanted to give a shout out to the new company I found!!! Done Roving Farms of Charlotte Maine - "Celebrating Rural Living and Folkart Tradition in Downeast Maine" They raise grass fed meats, "Our beef and lamb are grass fed eating only grasses, hay and supplemental minerals . We don't use growth hormones, steroids or antibiotics. All meats are processed at federal inspected butchers, packaged and labeled in this manner as well. We raise all our animals in the same manner while being committed to good pasture management practices to leave the smallest footprint behind on our land. "
I'm pretty excited to see they posted some Done Roving recipes but the best thing I found - A sock Pattern!!!
Looks like I am heading in a new directions, well I guess that will happen after a couple more Noro hats!

Noro... my new love

Someone please stop me... this stuff is far from local.























It's not too expensive.

It's just so much fun.

It's a surprise every time.

I love Noro.

I can't stop knitting thanks to Noro.

Thanks Noro!