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My Own Little House
United States
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 13 ต.ค. 2011
We live at Red Robin Farm in coastal North Carolina with two dogs and 7 chickens. MK writes books -- mostly children's books, and she makes soap, lotion, balms, crochets/knits/weaves/spins yarn, and dabbles in watercolors. MK is a retired teacher, and Adam is a pastor, science teacher, and writer. We're empty-nesters enjoying a quiet life, seeking peace and beauty. Welcome to our channel!
Fighting My Felted Fiber!
Felted fiber is NO FUN! After pulling and tugging with this fiber, I finally give up, give it to Adam, and start over with new fabric.
Come see a gorgeous sunflower field with me!
And are those apples we see in the old orchard?
Hand carders from Paradise Fibers
Fleece from Barnyard Farm
Music: Esther's Waltz by Esther Abrami
Come see a gorgeous sunflower field with me!
And are those apples we see in the old orchard?
Hand carders from Paradise Fibers
Fleece from Barnyard Farm
Music: Esther's Waltz by Esther Abrami
มุมมอง: 8
วีดีโอ
Should I Stop Making Soap?!
มุมมอง 7719 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา
The price of olive oil has risen so much that I wonder if I should keep making soap. In this video, I try a recipe that uses canola oil instead. Will it work? Plus, it's time to make that yummy, nutty granola again! Music: In My Dreams by Esther Abrami
PLYING: The Unsung Skill!
มุมมอง 163วันที่ผ่านมา
Finally, the finished yarn, made from the red batts! This video is all about plying this yarn, especially how to deal with a very large leftover single with the largest bracelet ply I've ever done! I hope you enjoy the short glimpses of the beautiful waters near our home. Music: The Day I Met Her by Esther Abrami
Spinning! Is It Time to Ply Those Red Batts?
มุมมอง 7714 วันที่ผ่านมา
Spin, spin, spin ... when will I get to plying? The red batts come from Wayward Fiber Studio, New Bern, NC The blue pot came from Fancy Gap Pottery: fancygappottery.com Music: Remembering Her by Esther Abrami
Tying Up Loose CREATIVE Ends ... Inside and Out!
มุมมอง 10714 วันที่ผ่านมา
There's a lot going I must repair the hole in my favorite hand-knitted socks, I long to use my potting table for the first time, I'm knitting a second shoulder shawl with handspun/hand dyed Cheviot wool. I've painted (for now) the ultimate pirate map and gotten prints made. It's been a busy week! Music: No. 1 A minor waltz by Esther Abrami
Let's Have a Catch-Up, Shall We?
มุมมอง 9021 วันที่ผ่านมา
This video is cram-packed with so much! First, the pasture has been cleared of all metal by my wonderful son and daughter-in-law, and all the fencing has been taken to the dump. Hooray! Adam finished upholstering the blue chair. Hooray! I attempt to fix a difficult bra situation. Hooray?? Also, there's a gorgeous new potting table for next spring! La Mia Tale yarn: www.amazon.com/Mia-Cotton-Acr...
A little spinning, A LOT OF PASTURE WORK!
มุมมอง 6028 วันที่ผ่านมา
We are back home, with lots of family visiting, and so many projects to do! Only two days of work on the farm so far, and so much improvement has happened. Before the company came though, I did get a little spinning done. And ... Adam is sewing again! Music: Lullaby by JVNA
Fancy Gap Trip
มุมมอง 88หลายเดือนก่อน
We're on the road again in this video! We took an early anniversary trip in June for a few nights, followed by lovely drives through the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, visits to family, and precious, peaceful time in nature. Enjoy! Mabry Mill, Virginia KOA Fancy Gap Blue Ridge Music Center Music: Lost & Found by Dan Lebowitz
DEEP Lichen Dye & Slipper Repair
มุมมอง 60หลายเดือนก่อน
MANY APOLOGIES ABOUT THE LACK OF MICROPHONE! I thought I'd fixed it, but I think the problem is in my new phone. Will keep trying! With lichen accumulating on the back porch, it was time to dye again! The richest, deepest lichen color yet, friends. And slipper repair time has arrived also. I hope they're wearable! And one more pirate map .... Romney fleece roving from The Woolery shop Music: Li...
Sketching a Middle-Earth Pirate Map
มุมมอง 51หลายเดือนก่อน
Pens used: Leto, set of 12, LT-112-12, from size 005 to brush Also used "Distress Ink" powder on the edges With thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien, the creator of wonderful stories in an amazing world, complete with his own maps! Music: Kiss the Sky by Aakash Gandhi
Sorting Fleeces and Spinning Batts
มุมมอง 96หลายเดือนก่อน
It's all about fiber in today's video: sorting out two raw fleeces, spinning red batts (yes!), finishing the Malabrigo shoulder shawl, and another look at my mellow-dyed bobbin. Music: Gymnopedie #by1 Kevin MacLeod Malabrigo Nube, Candombe and Mandragora Wayward Fiber Studio, New Bern, NC White Oak Farm, Renick, WV
KNITTING with Malabrigo Nube
มุมมอง 902 หลายเดือนก่อน
Remember that gorgeous, pain-in-the-neck Malabrigo Nube fiber? It was difficult to spin, and produced a thick/thin yarn, but it's knitting up into a lovely neck shawl. Music: Just Stay by Aakash Gandhi
Mellow Dye Wool Spinning!
มุมมอง 762 หลายเดือนก่อน
It's True Confession Time regarding my spinning I'm back on the wheel, this time blending lots of that lovely naturally-dyed wool from a few months ago. Remember all that dyeing with lichen and such? We also demolished a dead hot tub, and now IT IS GONE! Scrap fabrics from Pat at Mason Creek Designs. Check out her Etsy Shop! I spin on a Kromski Fantasia wheel. Beautiful red batts from Pam at Wa...
The BUNTING Is Finished!
มุมมอง 1652 หลายเดือนก่อน
The bunting was easy to finish, and it looks great! I highly recommend making bunting to perk up your life and use some scraps. And what a fun gift it would make for a friend too! Also on this video: I'm making Healing Herb Ointment again. And I share a few meals Adam and I have enjoyed lately, as we try to eat healthy spring/summer veggies. Music: Hickory Hollow by Dan Lebowitz
Just Watercolor Painting -- Good for Napping!
มุมมอง 532 หลายเดือนก่อน
Just Watercolor Painting Good for Napping!
Delicious Orange Cake (with the whole orange!)
มุมมอง 1293 หลายเดือนก่อน
Delicious Orange Cake (with the whole orange!)
Plying The Beautiful Batts, and Surprise Plantain!
มุมมอง 943 หลายเดือนก่อน
Plying The Beautiful Batts, and Surprise Plantain!
WALNUT DYEING ... meh. But that LICHEN!!
มุมมอง 924 หลายเดือนก่อน
WALNUT DYEING ... meh. But that LICHEN!!
The Brown Sweater Narrowly Avoids DISASTER!
มุมมอง 944 หลายเดือนก่อน
The Brown Sweater Narrowly Avoids DISASTER!
When you come for Christmas, we can go check out olive oil at Costco!!! Your soap is literally the only thing that keeps my hands from having eczema breakouts!
We will do that! I'm so glad the soap helps. I'll bring some with me at Christmas :)
Always make soap. It's simply the best. I make my own, too. All ingredients are getting pricey. I found the best prices at Costco. Your granola looks divine. I could almost smell it through the video. Yummy! Have you ever added dried fruit? If so, what temp do you bake it at and for how long? Mine often gets too dry. Hope you and Adam are having a lovely summer and keeping cool. ❤
I do wish I had a Costco anywhere close to me! That would help. I bake the granola at 350 F for about 20 minutes. I don't like it dry. And after I take it out, I usually sprinkle golden raisins and dried cranberries into it :)
Our great grandmothers would be proud of you. Using what they had was a way of life. I love how Ma Ingles made “apple” pie with green pumpkin. She was my inspiration as I raised my kids. Anyway, your soap looks wonderful. I would love to show up at your farmers market one day and buy a lot of your items! Is Lucy’s left eye bothering her? Your granola looks delicious. Not many people have that many pecans to put in it.
Nancy, I'm STILL using pecans from 2 years ago when we had such a huge crop! They've been in the deep freezer. I don't think Lucy's eye is hurt -- she was just looking funny :)
I love when you make soap. Maybe one of these days I will try it. Your granola looked wonderful though I can't eat pecans and walnuts..
Thank you, Diana! It really is a good skill to have, and having homemade soaps in your home is so nice. Plus, you always have lovely gifts for friends, right at hand.
Thank you for your video Would you be able to let me know how the bar is applied to the body please
Julie, when I made these bars in the molds, I sold them in small plastic bags, and encouraged customers to just apply them by rubbing them directly onto the skin. Later, I began buying deodorant-type dispensers, filling them with the liquid lotion, letting it harden, and selling them that way. They sold even better then.
What beautiful yarn! Excellent demo and instructions. Okay I am going to get my wheel adjusted to ply some singles today. Thank you for the motivation.
Thank you, Nancy! It was a joy to spin. I hope you enjoy your plying!
Your plied yarn turned out beautiful!!
Thank you so much!
I have recently been experiencing tension problems stemming (I think) from the back warping stick while using cotton yarn on my 16" Ashford. I have even stopped mid-project and retied the yarn, but that is hard on both my fingernails and my psyche! I'm wondering if my problem has to do with the back gear loosening as I'm working. Meanwhile, I'm going to find something around the house to use as you've suggested for added tensioning. Cool video! Thank you!
I hope it helps your loom tension! Thanks for watching!
I think it’s beautiful
Thank you!
Your bobbins came out almost identical. Can’t wait to see how evenly they ply! Send us some rain please.
I wish I could send you some of our rain! I'm thankful for it, but I think we've had enough for a while :) The plying is done. And those 2 bobbins were NOT even, haha!
So you can mark and then undo your zip tie to reuse again and again many many times. There is a little tab on the zip tie that you just need to get a thin needle in there to move it out of the way and then undo your zip. Saves you bundles on zips and you can open them back up. Just mark the zip so you can put it back into the same spot each time. Keep refreshing the mark just in case it wears off or gets hard to see. Simple trick for the cheapskate.
I love it when you are spinning. Loved the rain too.
Thanks, Diana! I've enjoyed spinning this past week. I have a lot of it that I need to do!
This video was exactly what I needed! Thank you!
That's great! Thanks for watching!
Wow! That chair looks phenomenal! You sure had a wonderful and busy week. Being with family is such a blessing. The planting bench is so very nice. Your son is amazing! Ty for the catch-up. ❤
He really is. I've never seen somebody work so hard as he does, when he comes each summer to do these projects. We're so thankful for him!
I loved the idea of making curtains for your studio with your new yarn!!
Diana, I'm thinking of using it as the weft, and using something more neutral for the warp. Pondering ....
The chair is fabulous!
Thanks, Kathy! I'll tell Adam :)
Your property is very lovely. Mowing is such a hard task if there are many garden beds on such a large scale. I totally underestimated that part when we got our home. Thank you for taking us into your home :)
Thank you! It was a large, fenced garden that we could no longer tend. So much more work to remove it, than it was to put in!!
What a wonderful time you are having! It was so lovely to see your beautiful mother. And that view of hers is so peaceful. There's something so extra happy when family comes to call. Very nice to meet Adam's mom too. I'm very excited to see how the chairs come along. Please do a video of that process. Good furniture at affordable pricing is always win! Enjoy your lovely visitors and ty for sharing with us.
Angel, I'll keep you apprised of the progress on the large chair. The smaller chair is finished! We've had a lovely month of time with family :)
Thanks for you video. I love watching and listening to you. You look a lot like your Mom.❤
Thank you, Diana :)
Thank you for a great video with clear instructions. Do you need to add dandelion to the oil? Sunday morning
You don't have to infuse dandelion into the oils, to make it insect-repellent. The essential oils are the most important ingredients for that. Dandelion is very good for your skin though, so that's a plus.
I think we’ve been right there at the high point. It is breathtaking. Allan loves to take the scenic route when we travel.glad you two had such a beautiful trip
Thank you! I do LOVE the parkway!
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing...😊
Thank you for watching - glad you enjoyed it!
That was enjoyable watch! Thanks for sharing
Glad you liked it!
You encouraged me today with a video you made two years ago. That is a wonderful thing.
I'm so glad, Nancy! You are kind to say so. I might need to go watch and encourage myself today too!
This is a tool I need. I love that you use stuff that you have. A rubber band or old broom handle is never tossed in my house! Thanks for this great idea. I appreciate your ability to take a comment that might not work for your loom but building on the idea. That is a creative mind!
Thank you so much! I hope I could help!
Every time I go to do a hem stitch,I have to figure it out all over again. I am enjoying this video very much.
Me too! I don't do it often enough to remember it. I need to weave more, but it has somehow gone down on my list of preferred activities.
Is your teacup from Jackson China?
Nancy, I don't think it's Jackson. I'm out of town right now, or I'd go look in the kitchen and tell you. It's an old diner pattern -- I think a company called Syracuse made it? I saw it once on a TV show, and fell in love with it. I have a few cups and saucers now, and one small bowl. Yes - go look on Google for Syracuse china green and white. They have quite a few, but I like this swirly design.
Do you ever add a job that you have already done to your list so you can cross it off? Forgive all these comments. I really identify with this video. I bet you got through this list. You do manage to get so much done.
Yes, I've encouraged myself by starting off my to-do list with things I just finished :) One must motivate oneself!
We have more than one dumping grounds. I’m making curtains right now.LOL
Oh Mary Katherine, my mother painted every wood surface too. I came home from school one day and she had painted my piano light green and then spackled it. Do you remember spackling? I haven’t thought of that in years! I had a challenging day today (It’s fine now) and I’m treating myself to some of your past videos. I’m so glad I chose this one.
You are so talented MK!!
Thank you, Diana! It felt good to do some dyeing again :)
The pirate maps are lovely.
Thank you, Nancy :)
I love lichens too. I used to mortify my sons picking up lichens everywhere to test them. To their chagrin, I even designed a lichen testing kit. Right now I have a dye vat going. It’s about a month old using lichens I collected near San Francisco in 2001. I won a reward for procrastination. I’m anxious to see how your slipper repair goes. I, too wear slippers all the time.
I cut felt soles for my felted slippers and buttonhole stitch them on when I get wear holes.. I use an old shoe last as well.
That's a very good idea, Julie!
Thankyou.Do these really work?
Yes, they do! I have many people come back to buy again, because the first stick worked so well.
Congratulations on getting rid of your hot tub!!! It’s a wonderful feeling isn’t it? I am putting out tomato plants and planting beans today. Do you think it’s too late? I came in for a break and saw that I hadn’t watched the end of this video. That yarn is beautiful. I like to dye fleece and then spin colors.
Not sure about tomatoes in your locale. I guess it's all about days until frost. I've eaten a couple thus far!
How do you tread it? Does it use a pick up stick or a second heddle?
I use two shuttles. This pattern does not need a pick up stick, nor a second heddle.
This shawl is gorgeous!!
Thank you so much, Nancy! I'm more pleased with it that I thought I would be :)
I would call your purl technique unique, not bizarre. I think I could knit a shawl like that. I had to give up on Elizabeth Zimmerman’s pie r square shawl
Oh, goodness! I just went and looked at it on Ravelry, and it looks HARD and big. I like small and easy, don't you??
Mary Katherine, I love your shawl. What a beautiful combination of colors. The batts you get are so pretty and such a reasonable price. They would cost so much more here. Sorting your fleece has inspired me. We are getting nice mild days now and I have one that I bought at the wool festival in Santa Fe last fall that I need to take outside and sort. I want to combine it with alpaca that I have had for years.
It's such a relief to know that other wool-lovers also keep their fleeces around for months. I worry about that, but it's a lot of work, and I'm not always up to it! Yes, those batts are very reasonable. I don't feel guilty about buying them!
Save the smaller stuff and wash it up and use it for stuffing a pillow
I do try to save some of the smaller bits that aren't filthy with poo :)
I wish I had some of your Cleese, but I wouldn't know what to do with it!! 😁 I also love the new shawl you made MK..
Thank you so much, Diana!
The neck shawl looks great
Thank you! I've finished it now, and it will be on the next video :)
Oh my gosh, Mary Katherine! Your caught in the door skirt story was so funny! I was laughing so hard! I am glad you did not have to disrobe to get the keys. I love your skirts! Very cute cards you have been painting, too.
thank you, Lori :) It WAS a very humorous moment, alone on the back porch. I'm also glad I got to keep my skirt on!!!
Thank u so much for sharing. Is there a medicinal purpose for the dandelion infused oil? Would infuses Calendula work as well? Thank you kindly.
Both dandelion and calendula are good for the skin, and I think they are in the same family -- not sure. I don't have calendula growing wild here. But I do think calendula would be a wonderful addition, infused into the oil. People make just calendula salve for their skin.
I love how your bunting came out and looks nice going into your living room. I wish I could make the salves and soaps you make!! Thank you MK for your great video!! ❤️🙏💐
You're so welcome, Diana!
Okay now I know what a bunting is. I was guessing a wrap for a baby. I made some salves this spring. It seemed intimidating,but it was pretty simple. I’m planning to make more. This first batch I gave to my family. It’s very satisfying.
Kate uses 3.25 mm needles which is European sizing. Your size 8 needles would be about 4.5 mm needles.
Thank you!
It takes me two days to recoupe from any trip we take. I have never heard of anyone making bunting before. Can’t wait to see what it is.
Nancy, the older I get, the harder any trip becomes. A one-day trip is tough. A two-day drive is grueling. Glad to be home!
Can't wait to see your finished bunting project MK!!
It'll be in the next video, Diana!
Looks great. You should wear it everywhere.
Thnaks, Lois!