Pop-Up Shop Last Weekend & Knitted Beanie

December 17, 2021 Emily Wallace Handwoven1 Comment

Last Saturday, I held a pop-up shop at Artisan’s Cove in Owens Cross Roads, AL (where I also teach classes). It was a first alert weather day–meaning tornado watches and thunderstorm warnings, but most of the bad weather had cleared out by the time I opened at 11am. I had a handful of people stop by despite the rain, so I’m thankful for the sales I got. This finished up my 2021 in-person events, so I’ve been taking it easy since then–only knitting beanies for Christmas gifts.

Sold objects from my Pop-Up Shop at Artisan’s Cove on Saturday, December 11th.

This beanie was knitted for my neighbor, but now I’m working on a similar one for my sister-in-law. I’m not sure how many more projects I’ll knit/weave this year, but this may be the last few until 2022. It has been a long, productive year, but I can honestly say I’m ready for a short break from spinning, weaving, knitting, fiber washing & processing, etc.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

100% Peruvian Highland wool knitted beanie

Another Handwoven Wallace Hunting Scarf & Handspun Wool/Alpaca blend Scarf

December 7, 2021December 7, 2021 Emily Wallace Handwoven2 Comments

After a crazy weekend selling at the Hartselle Holiday Market* (Hartselle, AL), I got a custom tartan scarf order for another Wallace Hunting Scarf (after just finishing one a few days before). Because I ran out of the yarn, I couldn’t begin weaving the second one until the yarn arrived yesterday. Normally, I give myself a few days to weave a tartan, but because my customer had already patiently waited for the yarn to arrive, I wove the scarf the same day and will be mailing it out today to New York.

Wallace Hunting Tartan Scarf in 100% Peruvian Highland Wool for a customer in NY

I also finished weaving a scarf on my other loom from some handspun wool/alpaca yarn I picked up from a yarn/fabric store in Florence, AL (Thread) back during the summer. I originally thought this would be a table runner project, but the finished item is next-to-skin-soft, so it will be a scarf instead.

*Items I sold at the Hartselle Holiday Market pictured below (the best results I’ve ever had at this event).

2021 Weaving/Knitting Projects (as of November 25)

December 2, 2021 Emily Wallace Handwoven1 Comment

Every year, I attempt to finish at least 52 projects (one project a week on average). This year, I’ve exceeded that goal by a small number as of November 25th. I’m not sure how many more projects I’ll squeeze into 2021, but I’m happy to have surpassed my goal with time to spare. (Many of these projects were sold or commissioned, which is why I make so many items each year. Otherwise, my numbers would be much lower.)

Finished Objects: GCN knitted beanie & Wallace Hunting Tartan Scarf

December 2, 2021 Emily Wallace Handwoven1 Comment

I finished the Gulf Coast Native handspun yarn (from raw fleece) knitted beanie over Thanksgiving. This is the second hat I’ve knitted from Freddie’s fleece and I absolutely love his wool. (Freddie is a GCN ram from a local farm in Arab, AL). Freddie’s fleece ranges from pure black to a silvery gray color.

I also wove a custom ordered Wallace Hunting tartan scarf for an Etsy customer–but in my haste to get it mailed, I forgot to take photos of the finished scarf, so I can only show a photo of it on the loom here. I’ve made many of these tartans before, though, so you can definitely find pics on my Ravelry page (username: southernemma) or my Instagram page.

Wallace Hunting Tartan Scarf (on the loom)

Fleece arrival from Brush Prairie Farms, Three Creeks Farm (NH), & Cactus Hill Farm

December 2, 2021December 2, 2021 Emily Wallace HandwovenLeave a comment

Nine fleeces arrived from Brush Prairie Farms (Brush Prairie, WA)–a farm I visited when I was in Washington/Oregon in late October. These fleeces are a mix of Gotland, Finn, BFL, + more. Since I knew I would be visiting the area, I contacted Tara, the owner of Brush Prairie Farms, a month before I visited to see if she had any local raw fleeces for sale. After looking them over, I decided to take all that she showed me and she was kind enough to ship them back to Alabama for me since I couldn’t take them on the plane.

Sheep from Brush Prairie Farms (Washington)

Raw fleeces from Brush Prairie Farms (Washington)

I also ordered more Dorset Horn raw fleece from Three Creeks Farm in New Hampshire. I ordered 2-3 pounds a few months ago because the price was so good and I LOVE working with Dorset Horn. This time, I ordered 5 pounds, so I should be set for a while with this breed.

Dorset Horn raw fleece from Three Creeks Farm (New Hampshire)

The final fleece that arrived was a Wensleydale cross lamb fleece (8.5 lbs) from Cactus Hill Farm (Colorado). I’ve lost count of the fleeces I’ve bought from this farm, but this is the first Wensleydale I’ve ever purchased. (All Cactus Hill Farm fleeces are organically raised.) And because they had another sale, I’ve ordered two more fleeces from this farm which should be arriving next week.

Wensleydale cross lamb fleece from Cactus Hill Farm (Colorado)

More knitted things, GCN handspun yarn and raw fleeces from Ballyhoo Fiber Emporium

November 22, 2021 Emily Wallace HandwovenLeave a comment

In two weeks time, I’ll be setting up shop at the Hartselle Holiday Market (Hartselle, AL) and the week after that, I have a pop-up shop at Artisan’s Cove in Owens Cross Roads, AL–so I’ve been knitting beanies like crazy to have something else to sell to those who don’t wear scarves (which is 85% of my handmade inventory).

Here is the most recent beanie I’ve knitted, using 100% superwash merino (handdyed in Vermont).

I’m currently knitting a beanie from Gulf Coast Native handspun yarn (from Freddie’s raw fleece–Yellow Bell Farmstead in Arab, AL), but I’ll just show the yarn here since I’m not finished knitting the beanie yet.

Last week, I received four raw fleeces from Ballyhoo Fiber Emporium. Two were 2021 fall shearings from Akoya the Icelandic ram and his daughter, Olwen, an Icelandic/Balwen Welsh Mountain cross. The one pictured here is from Cherry Pie, a Shetland wether. The fourth fleece is from a dark Finn sheep (not pictured). I’ll post pictures of the others when I start processing them.

Today, I’m waiting on fleeces from Brush Prairie Farms (Brush Prairie, WA) that I picked out on my recent trip to the Pacific NW. I think I have nine in total of various breeds, but they include Gotland, Friesian, BFL, and more. I’ll post pictures when they arrive.

I also ordered five more pounds of Dorset Horn raw fleece from Three Creeks Farm in New Hampshire. I had ordered three pounds a few months ago at a great price, so I decided to get some more before it’s all gone. Those will be arriving today or tomorrow. Stay tuned for pictures.

I finally have my own sheep! Meet Tillie & Mocha

November 12, 2021 Emily Wallace Handwoven1 Comment

Ever since my family moved out to the country (two years ago), I decided that I would eventually have at least a few sheep of my own. Our fenced-in backyard is just under an acre and we have to mow it constantly during the warm months (most of the year in Alabama). After meeting the owner of Alchemy Farms in April, I decided that I would like to have a couple of Gulf Coast Native sheep to start with–mostly because they’re acclimated to hot weather, they’re a conservation breed, and they have resistance to parasites, hoof rot, and other terrible sheep afflictions. My plan was to get a couple of lambs next summer, but because GCN sheep can breed all year long, I got the opportunity to buy some earlier.

So, last Saturday morning, my husband and I picked up our two lambs and brought them home–where we had set up a temporary shelter (a metal-framed 10′ x 10′ “Shed in a Box” and a portable electric fence to separate the yard for rotational grazing. One of the lambs (born in the spring) is a good bit bigger than the other. Her name is Mocha and she is a GCN/North Country Cheviot cross. The other lamb, who my daughter named “Tillie”, is pure GCN and she was born in September. So, at first glance, you might think they were mother/daughter, but they’re actually both lambs–just born at different times this year.

Luckily, I have several other local GCN sheep owners to use as a resource as a new sheep owner (one is 3 minutes up the road from me)–another reason I chose this breed. I would love to have Icelandics, Shetlands, etc., but because of the climate here, I wanted to be wise in choosing the best sheep for my area.

Gulf Coast Native X Fleeces from Summer Fields Farm (Monteagle, TN)

November 12, 2021 Emily Wallace HandwovenLeave a comment

I totally forgot to mention the nine fleeces I picked up from Summer Fields Farm in Monteagle, TN on October 20th. I had originally purchased three fleeces from this farm on Etsy, but after messaging the seller, I arranged to pick them up in person, since Monteagle, TN is less than two hours away from where I live in Alabama. So, I bought three online and came home with nine (purchasing the other six after seeing them). I purchased a GCN/Romney fleece (which I’m super excited about) and the others were mostly lamb fleeces that are GCN/Navajo Churro crosses.

mer Raw fleeces from Summer Fields Farm (Monteagle, TN)

This week, I sampled one of the lamb fleeces and knitted up a beanie (“Be Loving” pattern by Melissa Simpson) from my spun sample. Although the staple length was much shorter than I’m usually comfortable with, the finished yarn turned out good and I love the oatmeal/beige color of the yarn.

GCN/Navajo Churro cross lamb fleece (Fall 2020 shearing)

Duncan Scottish Tartan Woven Scarf & Several Knitted Beanies, and Misc.

November 8, 2021 Emily Wallace HandwovenLeave a comment

Before I left for my trip to the pacific northwest, I wove a pickup stick pattern scarf–more to just experiment with new patterns than anything else. The scarf below is the result of that project.

After I returned from my trip, I wove a Duncan Scottish tartan scarf for my friend from Washington, who happens to be a Duncan. This was the first time I had woven this tartan, and because of the width of the pattern, I was only able to do a portion of the warp design…but otherwise, it is a balanced tartan.

Since I’m planning to have a booth at the Hartselle Holiday Market this year (Hartselle, Alabama), I have started knitting beanies for those who might not want any of my woven items. The yellow/white beanie was knitted from GCN raw fleece that I handspun and dyed with annatto seeds.

Trip to Oregon/Washington State

November 8, 2021 Emily Wallace HandwovenLeave a comment

I finally got to visit the pacific northwest from October 27-30th…on a trip to meet my son’s girlfriend’s family. While I was there, I visited Brush Prairie Farms (Brush Prairie, Washington) where I checked out her raw fleeces (and am having several shipped to me since I couldn’t bring them on the plane)… and found some hand dyed fiber and yarn from High Fiber Artz at the Gresham Farmer’s Market (Gresham, Oregon). I also got to visit several locations from the movie ‘The Goonies’ — a 1980’s movie that I grew up watching. And, of course, I had to visit the North American Bigfoot Center since I was in the heart of Sasquatch country.

Tara from Brush Prairie Farms (Washington) was nice enough to allow me to visit some of her fleece…and pick out about 9 raw fleeces from her sheep. There are a mix of Finn, Friesian, BFL, Suffolk, and Gotland cross fleeces, so I’m excited to get those shipped to me.

Sheep from Brush Prairie Farms (Brush Prairie, Washington)

Since I’ve been home, I’ve spun the 100% Romney from High Fiber Artz (locally sourced and milled in Oregon) and knitted part of the yarn into a beanie.