The Hollyhock Blog

I did better than last week:

2 pair for charity

I got 2 pair of little mittens knit. 

This weekend is my spinning guild’s annual retreat.  This will be our third year to go to Linden Hills Mansion in Little Falls.  It is a relaxing, cozy, friendly weekend of fiber, friends and food.   It doesn’t get much better than that!

I have loved and owned (and killed) orchids for a long time – probably over 15 years.  I love that they mostly bloom in the winter.  I put them outside under the deck in the summer and early fall.  And then I get this:

One stem of dancing ladies

This is an oncidium, commonly known as dancing lady.

Two 'ladies'

The big yellow petal is the dancer’s skirt.  I have several of these in bloom.  Each blossom is about the size of a quarter.

First one open

This is a phalaenopsis.  Notice the buds.  This blossom is 3-4 inches across.

Flower stem

This is my favorite.  Another oncidium, variety is ‘sherri baby’.  It smells heavenly – like sweet chocolate!  This stem has lots of blossoms and another stem is just starting to bud.

Nothing, Nada, Zip, Zilch!  I didn’t even get one puny pair of mittens knit last week for charity.   I will do better this week!

I did get the red mittens felted.  This is a testimony to dyeing with Kool-Aid.  To felt the mittens, I put a big pot of water on my stove and heated to nearly boiling, added that to the hottest tap water I could get in my wash machine, added detergent (not gentle Aquilaun like I recommend for alpaca) and agitated the bejeebers out of those poor mittens for at least 15 minutes.  This is NOT the care I suggest be given to alpaca products – especially those dyed deep, dark colors.   But here is the set:

Red set

The felting gives the mittens a fuzziness the wrist warmers and scarf don’t have, so they do look a little different.  And they did fade some – the water was pink.  But I was amazed at how little they faded – since I did not think of that possibility when I started the set (duh!)

First – my grocery / project / carry-anything bag!

My bag

It doesn’t look like much until it is filled with something.  I stuffed a couple little pillows in it. 

Stuffed bag

It stretches, but the crochet cotton is so strong, I think it could carry groceries.  I can’t wait to try it out! 

This set is almost finished.  I have to felt the mittens yet. 

Scarf, mittens, wristwarmers

But then it will be mailed off to its destination, so I thought I would show you this – incase I forget to photograph the felted mittens.  Next set – scarf, mittens, wristwarmers, and hat from yarn I’ll dye with walnut husks!

I’ve not been very creative – just 3 more pair of mittens for the school kids of my hometown.

More mittens

 I must admit, the mittens have made a dent in the charity acrylic yarn stash that I have.   Each member of our Knit Wits group has a stash of varying size!   Seems like if one gal is running low, someone brings a big trash bag filled with a new donation to the group! 

On the alpaca front:  I’ve sent in the registrations for Sonny and Rolly – hopefully there will be no drama as with Georgie last year.   We’ve started weaning those little boys, too.    They are spending afternoons with Jose’ this week.  They act like they are starving when they get back to their moms!  Such babies!   I also reserved 2 stalls at the Minn Alpaca Expo in April.   Training will be starting soon!   I’m thinking we’ll take Sonny and probably Carley.  Decisions!