Sunflowers are Blooming!
Hello Colorful Friends!
Can you believe it is Labor Day Weekend already? Whoosh! Where did the summer go? As you can see by the photo above, the sunflowers I planted in July are blooming with wild abandon. We have had an incredibly dry summer with only about 3 rainstorms. I was worried I would have no sunflowers to share with you all but Mother Nature pulled through for us. I'll be sharing some photos on my blog this upcoming week.
The past couple days has been busy with our sheep. Early fall is breeding season and Mark and I have been wrestling rams and trailing them to the assorted flocks of ewes who are grazing pastures hither and yon. I say we but it was mostly him. The rams are enormous - weighing about 100 pounds more than a ewe. They aren't handled much during the year except for shearing and so some of them have a wild streak. This morning, we finally moved the last ram to the last bunch of ladies. (That is him below meeting the girls.) Now we will hope breeding goes well so that there are lambs in February.
My last Creative Retreat of 2016 is being held September 24/25. There is still time to register. It features Color, Knitting, Steeking, and Embroidery on Knits:
• September 24-25 - Color + Embroidery for Knitters + Crocheters - 5 spaces are currently available. There are 1 and 2 day options.
More information on my website here. I provide morning snacks, lunch and beverages but dinner and lodging are on your own. Here's info for that:
"Where To Stay"
"Where To Eat"
In my last newsletter, I shared a linocut design that I was working on. This past week, I turned it into a digital fabric design. I have ordered some sample pieces and if I like them, I will use the design for a duvet cover backing that will be in my upcoming book. My book deadline is fast approaching and I am beginning to be in panic mode.
Craftsy is having a GIANT 50% OFF SALE on all of their classes. Use the following affiliate link to receive the discount:
http://www.craftsy.com/ext/KristinNicholas_holiday
(I receive a small commission if you use the link - Thank you!)
Did you know that I designed Wallpaper for Casart Coverings? You can see how one of their customers used my design in their foyer HERE.
Here is my progress on the embroidered pillow I shared in the last newsletter. I love tying down the Laid Work. Such fun. Laid Work is part of the Crewel Embroidery Class I teach on Craftsy. (All supplies available in my webshop.)
Here are some interesting things that I have found this week:
• Last week, Julia and I took a trip to Newburyport Massachusetts to visit our friends Rose Ann, Kristin and Leslie. We visited an incredible historic house called Cogswell's Grant. I wrote about it on my blog here.
• Artist and Pattern Designer Jessica Swift did a special project on Totem Animals. She has a nice print of a sheep available in her webshop here.
•Knitter/Author Sally Muir (Co-author of the "Knit Your Own Dog/Cat/Pet, etc. series) has some new dog themed plates out with Anthropologie. I love the pug! We had several when I was growing up.
• Do you remember the iconic Cote d'Azur print from the 1980's? I had bedsheets of the pattern along with thousands of others. The design was done by Collier Campbell Design - the sister duo of Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell from the UK originally for Liberty. Susan passed away in 2011 but her sister Sarah Campbell is still working and writes a very good blog. There was a retrospective of their work at the National Theatre and there is a book out too.
•The end of summer brings such an abundance of veggies. I'm making these Dill Pickles this weekend. Super simple and great to snack on in the dead of winter.
My best for a colorful and creative Labor Day Weekend.
Kristin Nicholas
A fun video of our farm, our farmhouse, and my family. A good preview for sure if you are thinking of coming to my Creative Knitting Retreat this September.