My creation Originally uploaded by purlingswineLast week we celebrated our first year as shop owners! It seems impossible that it has been a full year already, but there you have it. And it has been a great year indeed. Much more work than either of us anticipated, but also many more laughs too. This picture is of a bucket that is kept on our winding station. We use it to gather up the little bits that get snipped when prepping a skein to be wound - it is holding the entire year's worth! After I took this picture, I loaded... Continue reading

IMAG0743 Originally uploaded by purlingswinecheck out the fantastic poncho that D#2 whipped up over her winter break! I'm kvelling over here! true confessions: the yarn is not from the shop. gasp! HOWEVER it was bought two years ago in Rhinebeck, long before any shop was on the horizon! It is Brook's Farm Riata and the pattern is a DROPS design. another true confession: I am a the fiber version of Mamma Rose. I just hacked into her Ravelry account to upload the project information. Continue reading

That is JOHNFALCONE carrying my Norm Hall Wheel to the car! I can hardly believe it!! And so many things had to fall in place to even make it happen. Cara joked that it took a village to buy me this wheel, and that is the complete truth! First of all, Norm Hall had to make it. Then the first person he sold it to in 2005 had to put it back out there. Then I had to be walking through barn 35 with Kathleen on Sunday morning for her to stop and say I should ask if any of... Continue reading

You will not believe who stopped by the shop on Saturday ... California Connie! Connie and I go way back, but I didn't realize how way until I did a search for her name on my purlingswine/wordpress site. 2005! I suspect that if I could find my original Typepad site it would be even further. Five + years and five years full of big changes! It was so great to meet Connie in person - it is a funny experience to catch up with a friend you've never met and one that sounds exactly like your cousin Barbara! The Blog,... Continue reading

I love you. I loved you when you were Price Club. I love buying in bulk. Bricks of cheese. Laying in provisions. The pioneer spirit in a giant shopping cart. I was sad to have to trade my Price Club card for a Costco card . I was a part of the original acolytes. But you wanted to be Costco and so I had to embrace the change. Last summer you saved me when I had that big traveling to Wisconsin fiasco and forgot my driver's license but the airline let me fly anyway because of my picture on my... Continue reading

IMAG0247_edit0 Originally uploaded by purlingswineAnd so begins the annual pilgrimage to the vet's. First on deck is Lucy. In the past I have wrestled all three for one big appointment, but we are going to try the single file system this year. Continue reading

My creation Originally uploaded by purlingswineWe took a drive to see D#2 today. What a glorious day for a drive - gorgeous weather, gorgeous views and our Garmin steered us around traffic! After taking her and some friends to lunch, we went to Poet's Walk and took in the scenery. Continue reading

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo. via Jezebel Continue reading

it's a good way to start the week -- a zappos delivery! A bit of late night internet browsing resulted in these on my doorstep. Now I just need the temperature to drop a bit so I can take them out walkin'! Continue reading

This is Feather Duster by Susan Lawrence. Here are my Ravelry deets. The yarn is Pashmina by madelinetosh. It was a quick and satisfying project and would be perfect for someone new to lace knitting. Love the yarn, love the pattern! I was told by a certain someone that my blocking job was not up to par, so that same certain someone has taken it off my hands to get those lace points extra pointy. We believe it was my failure to use blocking wires along the edges as well as the top. And here I was thinking it looked... Continue reading

When you take a picture for a blog post you never know what's going to happen. I took this picture over the weekend. It was morning, it wasn't blazing hot yet and I was sitting outside content with EVERYTHING! Which I can still say about two of the three things in this picture. You see that mug? I bought two of them at Rhinebeck last year and they are my favorites. I need to buy two more because I am such a big baby I try to only drink my coffee from them. I need more to sustain me between... Continue reading

It was and continues to be a scorcher around here. You will be happy to know that the pugs have found ways to beat the heat! why yes, the pugs have a pool of their very own! Continue reading

The Spinning Guild will be participating in a Sheep to Shawl this Saturday! My Boss has given me the day off from the shop so I can join in the fun! It just so happens that the shop is offering spinning lessons and some spinning supplies ;) Continue reading

Picture 014 Originally uploaded by purlingswineI finished this project awhile ago, but couldn't share since it was a surprise. This is OpArt from Knitty, a very clever, very simple and very versatile pattern! I knit this for Cara's new baby Cali, although at the time of the knitting was not sure if the recipient was going to be a girl or boy. I used Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece and cannot say enough good things about this yarn. Flair and I went a-visiting on Sunday and I got to smooch sweet baby cheeks! So now I can come clean with some... Continue reading

When I arrived at the shop today, there were festivities going on! The Old Town Hall has been restored and is now a museum and today is the dedication ceremony with more fun planned for tomorrow. so if you are in need of either: a.) yarn b.) old-timey trolley ride .... Babylon is the place to be! Continue reading

Mannequin head Originally uploaded by Vicki (Knitorious) / Victoria-PictoriaWould you look at what Vicki found?!! It's exactly like Samantha's cousin Serena! Continue reading

There has been an influx of daughters here at Chez Swine. D#2 arrived home from her sophomore year at college - but it is a quick layover on her way to a summer spent in Manhattan at an internship. Not a bad way to spend the summer! We will be helping her make that move on Sunday. In other excitement on Sunday D#1 will be arriving home for a visit and will be bringing her newest love interest, Meeko! With a bit of luck the dogs will decide to all get along -fingers crossed. She has just finished her first... Continue reading

Continue reading

Today someone told me that they miss purlingswine! :( I don't know if the shop or Facebook has killed my blogging mojo ..... but they are the two prime suspects! Things have been crazy busy, but in the best possible way. The shop is more everything ... more work than we thought, more fun than we thought . Another positive is that things seem less hectic and more routine - which is a good good thing. Continue reading

I got a surprise in the shop yesterday --- flowers from my bro & sil!!! aren't they pretty? Today we are hoping for a delivery from Isager - can't wait to see this yarn! pleaseohpleaseohplease Continue reading