Tag: Romney Ridge Farm

Turkey Tracks: I Finished It!!!

Turkey Tracks:  June 21, 2012

I Finished It!!!

And I already miss making it and watching the diamonds shape…

To recap earlier entries on this sweater (click on knitting on the right sidebar or search for Romney Ridge Farm), I met Kelly Corbett of Romney Ridge Farm and Aloisia Pollack at the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association “Common Ground” Fair last fall.  Aloisia had made a sweater out of Kelly’s beautiful yarns, and I was instantly captivated.   Aloisia taught me and Giovanna McCarthy how to do the pattern and showed me how to make a cardigan from the pullover pattern.  I added the big collar, as I thought the sweater needed to be really grounded what with all that pattern and color.  And, Helen of Heavenly Socks in Belfast suggested these buttons, which I also really like and would not have found on my own.

The greyish yarn of the collar, front bands, etc., is the natural color of one of Kelly’s sheep.  The rest she dyes herself, and the colors are shaded and glow in the sweater.   You can see the shading in the dark purple yarn really well…

Here’s a close-up of the bottom of the sweater–and yes, the color lines do match up as the body was knit on round needles.

Giovanna used the narrower, two-color bands Aloisia’s pattern employed, and I think they make the sweater lighter–as you will see when she finished hers.

I have so enjoyed this project and working with these beautiful yarns.

TurkeyTracks: This One’s For You, Nancy

Turkey Tracks:  April 22, 2012

This One’s For You, Nancy

It’s a rainy Sunday.

We are delighted!

I can’t tell you how dry it is in Maine.  And, until the past few days, way too warm for April.

The new strawberry plants (50) arrived, and I planted them the other day.  I plant the most delicious little strawberry–Sparkle.  Strawberries get planted early spring, but one pinches off all the blossoms the first year to give the plants a year to develop.  So, we won’t eat these strawberries until June 2013.  It’s ok.  I think we’ll get another year or, even, two out of the old bed.  I’m just thinking ahead.

I also planted peas, the cold frame with lettuce, and raked back the straw from the asparagus bed.  I was planning in my head to go get some cool-weather plants, like broccoli, until my better sense kicked in as it’s really way too early.  I had to water everything deeply, and my muscles are still screaming from all this different, outdoor activity.

John and I had a delightful lunch in Belfast.  And, I found some red sock yarn for my niece, Nancy Howser Gardner.  We have a deal.  She’s making me a scarf, and I’m making her some red socks.  So, Nancy, this yarn is for you.  It’s 50% wool, but has some cotton in the blend.  It’s really pretty.  See those little blue flecks in the mixture?

God knows when Nancy will get these socks.  She’s got my sweater in front of her socks.  And some socks for the kiddos from leftover yarn.  And a linen shawl.  But, I’m down to the sleeves now.  And little socks and the shawl should go fast.  And, anyway, that red yarn is really drawing me.  I think I’ll pick a Cookie A sock pattern for Nancy’s red socks.

Here’s what the sweater looks like now.   I’ve sewn the shoulder seams since I took this picture, so I can now pick up the neck stitches.  I got a circular needle of the right size (7) in Belfast to do so.  I’ve got one sleeve mostly done.  The best news is that after sewing the shoulder seams, I could try it on.  I did, and IT FIT beautifully.

To remind, this yarn comes from Kelly Corbett’s Romney Ridge Farm down in Woolwich, Maine, just south of Damariscotta.  The yarn is all hand-dyed and the colors shade in and out–you can see that in the purple diamonds.  The yarn on the ribbing is the natural color of one of Kelly’s sheep.

Aloisia Pollock designed the pattern for the sweater and the carrying color pattern and taught Giovanna McCarthy and I how to do it.  You can view the yarn balls and get all the info on both of these terrific women from earlier blog postings in the knitting category.  Giovanna chose different colors, and her sweater is gorgeous too.  You can see Giovanna’s colors on the earlier posting as well.