Lantern Moon swag

Friday evening, Twisted, one of our wonderful local yarn shops, hosted a Lantern Moon trunk show. Lantern Moon is also a local Portland company. It’s just amazing how blessed we are here as fiber-ists. (Do I love my city? Oh yes, I do!)

Lantern Moon sources their wonderful products mostly from southeast Asia. They believe in being economically and environmentally responsible. They pay fair wages and help to provide training and safe working conditions while encouraging local artisans to continue the centuries-old hand crafts that are quickly disappearing. At Twisted, the Lantern Moon folks showed a very interesting slide show of their trips to Vietnam and some of the artists (I can call them nothing less) who create the beautiful products that Lantern Moon sells.

Twisted had a full range of Lantern Moon products available, and it was all on sale. So I think I showed admirable restraint.

From right to left… A set of US #0 Sock Sticks in ebony. Yes, I do use these every now and then. Really.

A silk needle cover for the two sets of Lantern Moon straight needles that I now have. (Before Friday I had one pair. Now I have two. You do the math.)

Two silk scarves – one that was hand batiked with this delightful picture of women carrying baskets, and a twisted scarf from Cambodia.

silk scarves

Then, when I had already gathered up my swag and paid for it, I happened to wander by Twisted’s wall of sock yarn (an entire wall of sock yarn, gentle reader), and spotted this skein of STR in the legendary colorway Calico which is not available on their website, and which I knew actually existed and wasn’t only mythical because I’ve seen Cindy knitting with it. Yeah. It came home with me. (There’s one left, Portland knitters!)

In this picture, I’ve untwisted the beautiful Cambodian scarf.

Yes, it really is those shades of green and dark berry, shifting together as the fabric moves. I have no idea how the weaver gets that effect. But it’s so cool and beautiful.

And please pop up the pick and biggy-size it so you can see the batik scarf. Look closely at what the women are carrying in their baskets. Balls of yarn. Is that not the coolest thing? Lantern Moon had this design exclusively made for them. There was one (ONE!) hiding under some other lovely silk scarves in a big basket, and yours truly snagged it. And that was followed by other knitters searching in vain for another one. But I wasn’t giving mine up!

In local news, I will be teaching a couple of sock classes this summer at All About Yarn. This is a four-week, toes-up, two-at-a-time class. If you are interested, please contact the shop.

I wanted to have coffee yesterday with K, because it was her birthday, but she was otherwise occupied, so I spent yesterday afternoon felting to make the materials for the slippers I am making. The picture shows the results. (click to embiggen)

The brown felt is for the soles. I made it from some Shetland moorit top and the reddish-brown is the natural color. I felted only loosly because the felt will be sandwiched between the slipper lining and non-skid material on the outside. I wanted the loose felt, with lots of airspace for insulating warmth and a cushy feel for walking on. I’ve already cut the sole out.

For the slipper upper, I wanted to use some great Targee top because it’s so soft, but I didn’t have enough. So I decided use a grey Wensleydale cross top with a layer of Targee on the outside for softness. But when the felt dried, the Targee shrunk more and the Wensleydale released its natural waviness and sheen. I decided that I liked the look of the Wensleydale more, so that will be the outside.

I feel so lucky to live within driving distance of Woodland Wool Works!

I’m lining the slippers with a black, non-pilling velour. I’ll post a pic when they are finished.

But tonight I’ll be crocheting wreaths and candy canes as I don’t have much longer to get those finished. Crochet is good for watching TV, and tonight The Legend Of Earthsea starts on The Sci Fi Channel.

I finished putting Farrah’s name on her stocking just in time! I was actually asked to put it on both sides, but hopefully one side will be sufficient. I can add the other side after Christmas. And maybe straighten out the “h”. I’m not very happy with the way that came out. Actually, I’m not very happy with the whole thing. But hopefully M and Farrah will be happy with it — that’s what’s important.

As always, click on the picture to embiggen.