Episode 22: A New Day — A New Host

Transient Wool Merchants

Transient Wool Merchants Episode

She’s Crafty

Amy is currently working on:

• • La Dame Blanche by Barbara Bensen (in our yarn too!)
  • Fairyhill Shawl by Helen Stewart from The Shawl Society 2
  • Hring Scarf by Laura Nelkin
  • Nugget Peds by Laura Nelkin
  • Creatrix MKAL by Laura Nelkin
• Spinning a braid of Polwarth/Silk from Dragonfly Fibers in the Cheshire Cat colorway on the Hansen e-spinner
• Spinning a sweater’s worth of Moonbear, our Romney ram on my Custom Classic wheel

Amy has finished:
• Brioche Basic Beanie
• Banksia Hat by Wooly Wormhead
• Volare Collar from the Lola’s Choice Club by Laura Nelkin
• Beeswax hat
• Artichoke French Mittens by Laura Nelkin in leftover Jill Draper Makes Stuff Empire
• All-Ways Cowl by Laura Nelkin
• Parthenon Shawl by Jo Strong
• Marala Cowl by Kyle Kunnecke
• Circo Cowl by Laura Nelkin
• Mystery Cowlette KAL by Corrina Ferguson
• Brioche Booster Cowl by Laura Nelkin
• Snazzy Scarflette by Laura Nelkin
• Boba Fett Socks in Must Stash Yarn
• Hale- Bopp MKAL by Ambah O’Brien
• Snowmelt Shawl by Helen Stewart
• Celandine Beanie by Romi Hill

In the Rear View Mirror

We’ve got so much to catch up on! We’ve had a very successful launch of the Tour T-shirts and our annual 12 Days of Rossmas, which features a different product each day on social media. Amy also had another profile published in Knit Edge Magazine Issue 10 featuring the one and only SpaceCadet! She spoke about Rare Breeds at PlyAway (twice!) and did a Q&A Session at the Steel City Fiber Collective on Preserving Rare Breeds.

We held our first knitting retreat at Walt Disney World. On January 25, we took over the Swan resort with awesome teachers Laura Nelkin and Corrina Ferguson for several days of fun.

We traveled cross-country to Santa Clara, CA for our first appearance at Stitches West and we really had a great time on our EPIC ROAD TRIP. We were super nervous to make the trip and vend surrounded by all the greatest names in our industry, but we gave it a shot!

February, March and April were LAMBING SEASON!! We had so many great babies this year! I’m sure you’ve seen them on social media! Don’t forget to join the Facebook group and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with our wild adventures!

Down the Road

Headed out this weekend to Great Lakes Fiber Show. July we are at the Super Summer Knitogether with The KnitGirlls in Nashville and the November is the next Disney retreat at Coronado Springs.

What’s Cookin’?

We received an Instant Pot from Santa this year and we’re trying to get up the nerve to try this thing out. If you have any great recipes for this gadget, please post them!

The Barn Report

As Scooterpie says, “Everyone fed. Everyone good!” We’re just feeding the flock and waiting patiently for our munchkins to pop out! We should have multiple genetic lines of Leicester Longwools coming – we used 4 rams this year – Phineas, Duke, Hamilton and… The Earl of Vlasic. I couldn’t make that one up. We have two different genetic lines of Hog Islands ‘in the works’ too as Baaston and Mad Max both got a group of ladies. Also expecting are the Romneys who are bred to Teddy as Moonbear was out of the rotation this year, Cotswolds to Warwick, Jacobs to Darwin, Cheviots to Ruckus and Shetlands to Ardbeg. Flynn was on loan to a friend to make Leicesters at her house and Scooterpie loaned his Shetland ram lamb Laphroaig to a Young Conservationist winner down the road to help her increase her flock.

Foodie Finds

The Jacobson

Plow Boy BBQ

Unforked

Harvey’s

Garden Bistro

Family Meal

We’re enjoying some interesting local whiskeys from Red Pump Spirits here in Washington, PA. Both distillers are trying to replicate the “Whiskey Rebellion Era” spirits of the late eighteenth century. Yummmm

Word on the Street

We’re also partnering with some local restaurants with grassfed heritage lamb. We’ve also partnered with a local distillery to recycle their spent distiller’s grains as feed for our flock. Believe it or not, it’s a very high quality, high protein, organic and non-GMO food source for our flock to supplement the hay that Drew made last summer. Being in the final weeks or months of pregnancy, our girls can use that extra boost to fuel those growing lambs! They love the slightly sweet, fragrant mash too! When we feed it right after pick-up, it’s still steaming… like a big bowl of oatmeal! (Except that it’s generally wheat or rye!)

Registration is open for our second Disney retreat! Join Laura Linneman, Laura Aylor, Tanis Gray and Liz Gipson for great classes, evening events, a mega market with demos and mini-classes – all at Coronado Springs resort November 8-11, 2017 – more details at www.magicalfiberfantasyretreat.com