Knitting Pipeline is sponsored by my Longaberger home businessn and Quince & Co.

Knitting Pipeline is sponsored by Quince & Co. and Knitcircus Yarns

Friday, February 28, 2014

Episode 163 Two Different Paths to a Sweater


Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. Flash Player is not compatible with Internet Explorer.  Try a different browser like Safari.  Or jaunt on over to iTunes to find the show there.

This episode is sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business, Quince & Co and Klose Knit.

Quince & Co wool yarns are sourced and spun in the US. All our wool and wool-blend yarns are spun in New England mills with venerable histories. By sourcing our wool in the US and manufacturing our yarn locally, we minimize our carbon footprint. Find Quince wool and the other Quince fibers at www.quinceandco.com.

Fine Fibers and Friendly Service is the motto of Klose Knit and that is exactly what you’ll find in our store in Urbana IL. We have a great selection of yarns including Rowan yarns and patterns, Blue Sky Alpacas, Art Yarns, Tahki, Dream in Color, Malabrigo, and Spud and Cloe.  Sock yarns include Opal, Austermann Step, Trekking; the list is forever growing and changing.
Klose Knit is a quick hop off the I-74 in the heart of Urbana IL.  311 W. Springfield Ave.
Urbana, Illinois 61801 (across from Strawberry Fields).
Please join us at the store and share your knitting passion and projects with us. Connect with us on Facebook or check our blog for the latest knitting adventures!

See a news clip about Klose Knit here.

Retreat Sponsors
Knit4Together

Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.
Instagram: knittingpipeline
Twitter: knittingline

Pipeliner Notes
Adrienne has left a new comment on your post "Episode 161 Domino Knitting":
I keep meaning to ask...how do you know the sex of the baldies when they aren't next to each other? If I remember correctly, the only dimorphic trait in bald eagles is that the females are about 25% larger than the males...they both have the white heads & bums when mature. :)

Of course you are correct, Adrienne.  I should have said that it could have been male or female.  I am not savvy enough to tell the difference.  All mature Bald Eagles look like males to me (just as all poodles look female until you peer underneath) but of course they are not.  Immature Bald Eagles don’t have the distinctive white head and John James Audubon thought they were a different species.  That is always comforting.  We aren’t alone in our erring ways.

Dear Paula,
I am a long time listener, as is my husband who loves Nature Notes! Currently, we are both thoroughly enjoy listening to the podcast in the evenings by the fire… believe it or not, me knitting and him plucking the guard hairs from 2oz of Quivit we got in Alaska this past summer. He is a keeper!
I am writing as this past episode you talked about the reality TV show and Namaste Farms. I wanted to invite you to participate in a conversation I am starting about a TV show for fiber and travel, Fiber Trek. It is a project a videopgrapher friend and I have been working on for syndication.
It focuses on the stories of fiber, landscape and community and the hope is to promote powerful connections with textiles and people. I have been involved with the food movement for a while and have felt the textiles world lacking in education and interpretation for the mainstream population. All the same I would love to add your voice and thoughts to what we are doing. Eventually we plan to launch a kickstarter to generate the funds to cut our pilot for syndication.
I hope you can find a little time to explore the concept. Would you be amenable to lending a little PR to the project? I want to build an audience of interest and awareness as we move forward. I am happy to talk to you in person if that would be helpful…or even do an interview on the show!
I have included a link to our blog which as clips and also ourFacebook Page
My husband and I keep tuning in by the woodstove!
Sarah

Events:
Knitting Pipeline Spring Retreat March 14-15, 2014.
Ravellenics were so much fun!  Thanks again to our Team Captain Prairiegl, co-captain Windybrookspins, and Ravatar maker CPerrine.  We could not have done it without you!

Nature Notes
We are back into very cold weather after a few days of thawing last week.  It was 9 F this morning and the bad news is that 9 is the high for today.  At 10 AM it was 1 deg despite the sun.  The colder it is the more birds are at the feeder.  I saw some courtship behavior last week with a pair of cardinals.  The male and female were both at the feeder and the male fed the female a seed.  That is definitely courtship/mating behavior.  Bird behavior is almost always related to food/survival or breeding.  The Fee-bee call of the Black Capped Chickadee or Parus atricapillus is a call given by the male Chickadees to establish territory and warn off other birds. The familiar Chickadee-dee-dee call from which the Chickadee has its name is used by both male and female birds.  This call is used by both male and female to keep flock together as they feed and search for food. 
We are continuing in our quest to attract Baltimore Orioles to the feeder.  I read in Birds and Blooms that the earlier you put out the oranges and grape jelly, the better your chances of attracting these orange and black beauties.  Bob bought an inexpensive ($10) suet feeder and adapted it for orange halves.  He added a perch to it and hung it on the hook we have for the hummingbird feeder which won’t be out for a month or so.  Today the orange is frozen solid but we keep hoping…and hoping.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.”
Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Eyelet Yoke Baby Cardigan by Carol Barenys and Beret by Hannah Fettig
Beret Button on top!

Needle Notes
Berocco Comfort DK
Babies who Lunch by Sublime
Elizabeth Zimmermann Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) in Knitter’s Almanac
Beret from Mabel’s Closet by Hannah Fettig
Prairie Piper’s Beret
Babies Who Lunch Sweater by Sublime

Detail of tricky trim

The Blethering Room
Thank you so much for a wonderful and restful podcast. I thoroughly enjoy it!
I’m posing a question some of my most favorite podcasts, and I’d like your opinion on the subject.
About 10 years ago, I knit a scarf--a friend of my parents taught me how to knit back and forth, Continental style. That knit stitch is the only thing I know how to do, as well as one form of cast-on and a cast-off I invented because I didn’t have any assistance, and didn’t think to look online. Since then, I’ve not knitted, but I have learned to crochet some basic shapes and toys. I’m also learning the basics of spinning, which I LOVE.
Listening to fiber arts podcast has convinced me that knitted socks and sweaters must be about the most wonderful thing on the planet, and I’d like to learn. If you were going to start a young adult with extremely minimal experience on the wonderful path of lifelong knitting, where would you start--specifically, what sock pattern/yarn/needle combo would be simple, rewarding, and do-able without becoming a massive frustration (understanding that patience is necessary)? I’m sure that sweaters are more complicated and varied, but do you have a similar preference for a first sweater? Finally, are there some things I should try before I tackle socks?
Thank you so much!
SunDanceFunPants
·      
  •    Not a scarf!
  • ·        Mildred Mitts.  Instant gratification
  • ·        Hat with color pattern
  • ·        Triangular or crescent shawl (not rectangular as that is like a huge scarf).
  • ·        Find yarn and color you love
  • ·        No artsy yarns.  Something smooth and not slippery. Wool is my preference.
  • ·        Find a project you LOVE and want to wear. Make it for yourself because no one will appreciate it as much as you will.  Lots of people fall in love with knitting socks and you can too.  You might try starting out with sport weight or even worsted weight socks.
  • ·        Pipeliners what do you suggest?

Have a great week, haste ye back, and hold your knitting close.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Episode 162 One Million Downloads!


Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. Flash Player is not compatible with Internet Explorer.  Try a different browser like Safari.  Or jaunt on over to iTunes to find the show there.

This episode is sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business, Quince & Co and Klose Knit.
Quince & Co wool yarns are sourced and spun in the US. Known in the trade as "territory wool," our wool comes from Merino, Rambouillet, and Columbia-based sheep that roam the ranges of Montana and Wyoming. All our wool and wool-blend yarns are spun in New England mills with venerable histories. By sourcing our wool in the US and manufacturing our yarn locally, we minimize our carbon footprint. Find Quince wool and the other Quince fibers at www.quinceandco.com.

Klose Knit in Urbana IL
Fine Fibers and Friendly Service is the motto of Klose Knit and that is exactly what you’ll find in our store in Urbana IL. We have a great selection of yarns including Rowan yarns and patterns, Blue Sky Alpacas, Art Yarns, Tahki, Dream in Color, Malabrigo, and Spud and Cloe.  Sock yarns include Opal, Austermann Step, Trekking, Paca Peds; the list is forever growing and changing.
Klose Knit is a quick hop off the I-74 in the heart of Urbana IL.  311 W. Springfield Ave.
Urbana, Illinois 61801 (across from Strawberry Fields).
Please join us at the store and share your knitting passion and projects with us. Connect with us on Facebook or check our blog for the latest knitting adventures!

You can find my Longaberger Home Business at www.longaberger.com/paula.  Please send me a personal message or visit my web site to sign up for my customer email list.

You can also find me here:
Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.
Instagram: knittingpipeline
Twitter: knittingline

Pipeliner Notes
Shear Madness starts March 1, 2014. National Namaste Farms.  Natalie Redding.
Her audio cast is on blog talk radio every Thursday at 6pm pst at
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/namaste-farms

BirdNerdknitter wrote:
Thoroughly enjoyed the episode Paula, like usual! :) I wanted to ask a question: does the term “modular knitting” only apply to squares and diamonds? You mentioned you have to attach the knitted work as you knit the different pieces, and it reminded me of how the Ten Stitch Zigzag blanket (and others) are constructed. These in particular are long chevron strips that you attach to the entire blanket as you knit them. Do those count?

My reply:
That is a great question! Modular knitting (by my definition) does not have to be squares or diamonds. If the same shape (module) is replicated and is then joined to make the whole then I would call it modular. I would call Frankie Brown’s Ten Stitch Zigzag a modular piece.
Domino Knitting is a type of modular knitting. In the book I have, Domino Knitting by Vivian Hoxbro, all the projects have mitered squares. She has other designs and books that came after and I believe she branched out from the mitered square. And example is Domino Shells Jacket from 1998. My perception is that Domino Knitting is most often mitered squares that are joined together as you go but other shapes are possible.

Events:
Registration is closed for the Knitting Pipeline Spring Retreat March 14-15, 2014.
  • ·        Attendees will receive a PDF via email.
  • ·        Checks being deposited soon.
  • ·        Mini-skein Swap Thread—a lot of interest  Friday night.  More info later but it will be very relaxed and I’m sure there will be plenty of Magic Cakes in the making there.

We reached 1 Million downloads!



Many Thanks to:
  • Libsyn, the server for the podcast
  • Quince & Co
  • Listeners--You are wonderful!


Needle Notes

Paula

Paula’s Eyelet Yoke Baby Cardigan in Berocco Comfort DK




Bronwyn:
Crochet Circle Vest Shrug by Patricia Hodson
Bronwyn’s project page for Crochet Circle Vest Shrug



Bronwyn made a tag for her son’s hat using Ultrasuede.

High Note Low Note
Paula
  • High Note  Porch is open
  • Low Note Pomegranate season is over.

Bronwyn
  • High: One hundred days of School
  • Low: People still talking on cell phones while driving even though it is against the law in Illinois.

Have a great week, haste ye back, and hold your knitting close.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Episode 161 Domino Knitting



Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. Flash Player is not compatible with Internet Explorer.  Try a different browser like Safari.  Or jaunt on over to iTunes to find the show there.

This episode is sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business, Quince & Co and Knit 4 Together.

Quince & Co wool yarns are sourced and spun in the US. Known in the trade as "territory wool," our wool comes from Merino, Rambouillet, and Columbia-based sheep that roam the ranges of Montana and Wyoming. All our wool and wool-blend yarns are spun in New England mills with venerable histories. By sourcing our wool in the US and manufacturing our yarn locally, we minimize our carbon footprint. Find Quince wool and the other Quince fibers at www.quinceandco.com.

Knit 4 Together is a knitting and fiber shop in Dunlap IL just north of Peoria IL.  We are a cozy, friendly yarn shop with wall to wall fiber, especially natural fiber and specialty yarn. Knit 4 Together has unique yarn bowls made by our own pottery artist.  All the notions you will need for your project are here too. 
You can find us at www.knit4together.com or call 309.243.9499 Come join us for a cozy place to knit. Knit 4 Together is as much about our yarn as it is about community!

You can find my Longaberger Home Business at www.longaberger.com/paula.  Please send me a personal message or visit my web site to sign up for my customer email list.

You can also find me here:
Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.
Instagram: knittingpipeline
Twitter: knittingline

Pipeliner Notes
Thanks to everyone who was in touch with me in the past week. I heard from new Pipeliners SarahAA, MissMeredith1, catface85, windpins, pinstripe, casuey, sandinmysocks, GayleBN, krisluvswool, rambunctiousky, bridgetmaxine, and Theresa Schaber.

Note from Strid8 who is Astrid.  I asked her permission to share this story.
Hi Paula, I was reminded of a funny story when you talked about the recumbent bike in one of your recent episodes. I was helping out at a friend’s yarn store when two regular-ish customers were talking about a friend of theirs who had recently retired. She had gotten a recumbent bike, and was in heaven. Every day, in the late afternoon, she would get on her bike, audiobook on her iPod, glass of wine on the side table, and knitting in hand. Sounds like heaven to me! They went on to relate that this woman was totally knitting obsessed, saying, with amazement, that “she even knits in restaurants, at the table, while she’s waiting for her food.” When I didn’t make any comment, one of the ladies said to her companion “she (meaning me) doesn’t think there’s anything odd about that”, and turning I me she said “I bet you do that too.” “All the time!” I responded. They still tease me when they come in the store. 
My (long-winded) point is this: the recumbent bike offers great knitting time. Maybe not for the most delicate or complicated work, but for standard, mindless knitting, it’s great!
Well, I’ve prattled on enough.
Best,
Astrid
That woman is my new heroine and role model!


Events:
Registration is closed for the Knitting Pipeline Spring Retreat March 14-15, 2014.
  • ·        Mini-skein Swap Thread—a lot of interest  Friday night.  More info later but it will be very relaxed and I’m sure there will be plenty of Magic Cakes in the making there.

We should reach 1 Million downloads when this episode is released!  Thank you!

Team Pipeliners!  50+ and growing!



Nature Notes
I want to share with you the view from my window today.  It is so beautiful out there and I tried to capture a bit of it for my Instagram followers but it never quite makes the mark.  The snow is falling steadily but gently and has been for the past 3 and a half hours.  There are so many cardinals and other birds vying for their spots on the feeder.  I’ve estimated there are at least 30 cardinals within sight right now.  An occasional blue jay flashes blue and black as he finds a spot on the platform feeder.  A Red bellied Woodpecker looks for food on the locust tree. Below the feeder there are at least 20 smaller birds feeding including the dark eyed juncos we talked about lst week, goldfinches (also on the niger seed feeder), tree sparrows, and fox sparrows.  A fox sparrow, the largest of the sparrows came right up to the window a few minutes ago.  These sparrows have a funny way of scratching in the snow.  They have a heavily striped breast with a spot in the center, a rusty cap, and rusty tail.  One fox squirrel and two gray squirrels are also eating at the base of the feeder.


We broke a record cold this week along with a lot of other locales.  It was -13 in Peoria.  Yesterday, (Thursday) we reached 34 F which is the first day in February that the temperature was above freezing.

It is still good eagle watching weather.  I took a group of ladies down to the East Peoria Steak & Shake.  At first we didn’t see any bald eagles but suddenly one flew right towards the window where we were sitting and landed in the tree right above us.  The ladies were so excited I thought we might scare him away but he was nonplussed.  He kept his back to us so I didn’t get the greatest photos.


In backyard bird news there are more birds singing their mating and territorial calls.  The cardinals have joined the chickadees and tufted titmouse.  Last week when I talked about the Dark-eyed Junco I forgot to say the scientific name which is Junco hyemalis.  I’m thinking of trying to memorize the scientific names again.  Maybe we will take one bird per week and see how that goes.  For now let’s remember Junco Hyemalis.

Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special good fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration. I am glad to the brink of fear.”
― Ralph Waldo EmersonNature=

Needle Notes
I knit another garland of hearts.


Photo tutorial showing how I attached hearts to string.







Sock Yarn Blanket by Shelley Kang
·        
·        Domino knitting is modular knitting but all modular knitting is not domino knitting.
·        Modular Knitting can be any shape that is replicated and put together to shape a garment.  Hexipuffs for The Beekeepers Quilt is an example of modular knitting.
·       

There is a red ball of yarn in upper right corner that shows where I started for Ravellenics.  I work from right to left across a row although it does not have to be done that way.
Update on my blanket: Around 210 squares/diamonds.
Added in
  • ·        Auntea
  • ·        Nanaelliott
  • ·        Dpeach
  • ·        Quiltnknitnut
  • ·        Fun4tracy
  • ·        Chessie
  • ·        Aizome
  • ·        Funky
  • ·        Fernie
  • ·        KathyG
  • ·        TheLostGeek
  • ·        Elisann
  • ·        FloridaKelly
  • ·        Sillynilly
  • ·        Serenitty
  • ·        JoanieV
  • ·        LPStarr
  • ·        AnotherCraftyGirl
  • ·        Traci Frederick
  • ·        Kay116
  • ·        Prairiegl
  • ·        LoelKim
  • ·        Gumbygoogoo
  • ·        Twinsetjan
  • ·        Jaxie985
  • ·        Peaceof Yarn
  • ·        Goodstuff
  • ·        VTcrafter
  • ·        DeniseHarro
  • ·        Enw001
  • ·        Crochetster

Ralph Waldo Emerson
“the snow-banks melt, and the face of the earth becomes green before it, so shall the advancing spirit create its ornaments along its path, and carry with it the beauty it visits, and the song which enchants it; it shall draw beautiful faces, warm hearts, wise discourse, and heroic acts, around its way, until evil is no more seen. 

Have a great week, haste ye back, and hold your knitting close.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Episode 160 Beatrix Potter, Champion of Sheep

Note:  Due to many photos there are two blog posts for this episode.  Photos from my walk in the Lake District are in post below.

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. Flash Player is not compatible with Internet Explorer.  Try a different browser like Safari.  Or jaunt on over to iTunes to find the show there.

This episode is sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business, Quince & Co and Ewe-nique Yarns

Quince & Co wool yarns are sourced and spun in the US. Known in the trade as "territory wool," our wool comes from Merino, Rambouillet, and Columbia-based sheep that roam the ranges of Montana and Wyoming. All our wool and wool-blend yarns are spun in New England mills with venerable histories. By sourcing our wool in the US and manufacturing our yarn locally, we minimize our carbon footprint. Find Quince wool and the other Quince fibers at www.quinceandco.com.

Ewe-nique Yarns in the Field Shopping Center in Morton Illinois is a sponsor of the Knitting Pipeline Retreat and the host of our workshops by Laura Linneman on March 13thEwe-nique Yarns is a full-service yarn shop with a full of Addi needles, Chiagoo, Dreamz, and Knit Picks.  They also stock Malabrigo, Madelinetosh, Frog Tree, Elsabeth Lavold, Debbie Bliss, Claudia Handpainted, Louisa Harding, Rowan, Sublime and dozens more. Debbie and Jenny are happy to ship to Pipeliners.  http://www.ewe-niqueyarnsetc.com/

You can find my Longaberger Home Business at www.longaberger.com/paula.  Please send me a personal message or visit my web site to sign up for my customer email list.

You can also find me here:
Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.
Instagram: knittingpipeline
Twitter: knittingline

Pipeliner Notes
Thanks to everyone who was in touch with me in the past week. I heard from new Pipeliners gwilkin, pennyschwarze, averill73, JKnits51, lidysmok, victoriaBlue, Puccigram, and one2manyhobbies.
Thanks you for introducing yourself to the group and/or for writing to me. Welcome to all of you.
Thank you for the star ratings and reviews on iTunes. There were new reviews by Strid8, sarapomegranate, and goatlady1.  Thank you for the encouraging reviews and the 5 star ratings.

Events:
Registration is closed for the Knitting Pipeline Spring Retreat March 14-15, 2014.
We will be sharing with you in a future episode more about the retreat but some things to think about now:
  • ·        Freebie/Destash Table.  Magazines, needles, yarn,  books, etc.
  • ·        Mini-skein Swap Thread

Ravellenic Games starts Feb 7th!  We have Team Pipeliners!  Feel free to join us.  It is not too late.
Kindness of Knitters Blanket is my Ravellenics Project.
Goal is to add 50 units/squares to the blanket and have at least one square from everyone who has contributed so far.

Nature Notes

A friend of mine who lost her home in the tornado is temporarily living in a house in the country until their home is rebuilt.  They are feeding the birds and she is posting photos of the birds on Facebook.  She asked me to id one of the photos as either a Dark-eyed Junco or Slate Colored Junco.  I’ve heard these terms bandied about pretty much interchangeably so I did a little research. First I looked in my very old (and still my favorite) Peterson’s book and saw it as Dark-eyed Junco.  My Audubon Guide to the birds had notes that these variations are now all considered the same species (since 1980) which is Dark-eyed Junco.  I still like Slate Colored Junco better, or it’s nickname of Snowbird but either way, it is a pretty little bird.  I’ve been confused by the Junco at times because the gray can vary to the point that it appears almost brown on the breast.  I thought I might be overlooking a separate species and then determined it was not.

Dark-eyed Junco


Junco is from early 18th cent.: from Spanish, from Latin juncus ‘rush, reed.’ 

The junco likes to stay on the ground, cleaning up the seed scattered by the birds on the platform feeder and thistle feeder.  They move so quickly that I have trouble taking good photos of them but I finally took a few good ones this week while one was perched on the deck railing.  Soon these birds who spend the winters making our lives more pleasant here in Illinois will migrate to their northern breeding grounds.
Our quote today is from Beatrix Potter:

Thank God I have the seeing eye, that is to say, as I lie in bed I can walk step by step on the fells and rough land seeing every stone and flower and patch of bog and cotton pass where my old legs will never take me again.”

Needle Notes


I used Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill worsted/dk in the natural undyed and size 5 needle.
This is a great pattern and FREE! I like the way that garter stitch and short rows are used to shape the hat. The decreases are placed in a new way. I topped my off with a shot of red yarn just for fun.

Available in kits here:
http://goo.gl/DJwgE


Each heart takes about 3 g of this worsted/dk wool. There are 4 ends to sew in per heart so there is some waste yarn.  I used Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill worsted/dk in the natural undyed.
Great little pattern that is quickly memorized.  I knit 11 of these on a Sat afternoon and evening, probably about 4-5 hours of relaxed knitting time.  That includes weaving in ends.  Later on I timed one heart and it was 12 minutes knitting time while I was chatting at a Guild Meeting.
I changed the increases from M1 because these slow me down.  First I used a simple backward loop.  Then I changed to K1fb.  See my project notes for specifics.

I made 12 hearts and then joined them into a garland using a piece of rustic natural brown wool.  Threaded through loops on back so spacing can be adjusted.  Mounted on mantle with sticky Velcro and put remaining small balls of yarn on top of the Velcro.


The Blethering Room

Most people know Beatrix Potter as the author of childrens books and creator of characters such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Benjamin Bunny and many more but may not know her as a landswoman, farmer, and Champion of Sheep.  There has been a lot more written about this part of her life in recent years.

1997 Trip for Gardeners to England and Scotland. More photos from my walk alone outside the village of Grasmere are in the post below.

On my walk I saw quite a few of these cute little Herdwick Sheep


Even now I walk that path in my head and eventually I fall asleep in the most wonderful way.  I recommend “walking a path” as a way to fall asleep.  Helps keep your mind off of other matters.

Hill Top Farm Gardens in Sawrey




  • ·        The Real World of Beatrix Potter by Elizabeth Battrick (A National Trust Pocket Book)
  • ·        The National Trust Beatrix Potter and Hill Top.
  • ·        Piecework Magazine Nov-Dec 2010 The Two Lives and Two Legacies of Beatrix Potter by Deborah Robson and Donna Druchunas.
  • ·        The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius.
  • ·        The Beatrix Potter Society




  • ·        Beatrix Potter grew up in a strict Victorian family.  She had no formal education which she felt was a blessing as she was able to foster her creative side. Beatrix Potter’s family spent holidays in the Lake District and she became interested in preserving the land for the future.
  • ·        A family friend Hardwicke Rawnsley founded the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest and Natural Beauty, with Rupert Potter as a supporter.
  • ·        Planted seed for Beatrix Potter’s passion for the Lake District and in particular, the Herwick Sheep.
  • ·        Began writing books in her thirties, Beatrix Potter was secretly engaged to her editor, Norman Warne.  Warne died suddenly in 1905.  Grieving for him, Beatrix put her energies into Hill Top Farm near Sawrey.
  • ·        Began buying more property in Lake District with help of lawyer William Heelis. Married Heelis when she was 47 years old.
  • ·        Passionate about sheep:  Raised sheep in the Lake District, Studied sheep, became a judge for competition, was chair of the Herdwick Sheep Breeder’s Association, the first woman to hold this office..
  • ·        Beatrix Potter Heelis died on 22 December 1943.  She bequeathed fifteen farms and over 4,000 acres to the National Trust - a gift which protected and conserved the unique Lake District countryside.


Herdwick Sheep and their Wool
  • ·        95% of 50,000 Herdwick Sheep live within 14 miles of Coniston.
  • ·        Hefted Sheep are very much tied to where they were born.  Free graze because they always return.  Farms on the fells sell with the sheep.
  • ·        Hardy, hefted, obscure origin though probably brought to England by Norsemen.  Herdwick comes from herdvyck which means Sheep Farm.
  • ·        2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth (Hoof and Mouth) took 35% of Herdwick Sheep. 

Characteristics of Herdwick Breed
  • ·        White head, dark brown body.  Born completely black and color lightens.
  • ·        Not like most sheep.  4 types of wool in their fleece
  • ·        Good for rugs and wool insulation that is completely fire retardant and 100% biodegradable and recyclable.
  • ·        Long tail
  • ·        Hardy
Haste ye back!


About Me

My photo
I play the Great Highland Pipes, knit, observe nature, and read. My name on Ravelry is PrairiePiper. Find me on Instagram as KnittingPipeline.