wool – Ruth E. Hendricks

6 Cider Mill Sweaters Oct 15, 2022

I didn’t mean to remove the background but somehow I did
Here is part of our Knitting Buddies Zoom group who met in Rhinebeck NewYork at the Duchess County Sheep and Wool Festival. It’s happening again this weekend but only Karen, Patty and Rachel are attending.
We all hail from Pittsburgh, Ohio, New Hampshire, and Florida

Rachel (on the right). Did your mom give you her Cider Mill Sweater? I gave mine to my DIL Nataliya and Randi gave hers to her mom.

Say Six Cider Mill Sweaters six times fast!

Sweet memories of a fabulous fiber filled weekend.

The pattern is by designer Jen Geigley who joined us with other Cider Mill Sweater Knitters. Karen C found the pattern in Modern Day knitting Field Guide

Knit Designer Jen Geigley seated second from left holding our friend Flat Bonnie who couldn’t make the trip in person and another Knitting Buddy Flat Gayle from Australia in the front center

Our Knitting Buddies Group started in the Pandemic matched up with knitters via The Woolly Thistle store in New Hampshire. Karen C and U are the only two charter members left. We still zoom and knit together Monday nights. And we’ve a few more members not pictured.

October 14, 2025 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: Cider Mill, colorwork, Jen Geigley, knitting, memories, photography, postaday, Rhinebeck, wool 7 Comments

Needle Point Breeze

Last Thursday, I unearthed a needlepoint* project I started in 1981. In fact, I knew which bag in which closet to dig for it. More than halfway completed, I needed some wool fiber to finish it. A good friend recommended Needle Point Breeze. My project is my own design. Can’t spoil the surprise. Stay tuned….suddenly I was inspired to finish it. After all these years.

I came to the right place. Everyone was welcoming and helpful. I received good tips on how to prepare my project for professional finishing, too.

Now you know I do a lot of knitting these days. I’ve been through periods of counted cross stitch, English smocking, quilting, sewing, crewel embroidery, and needlepoint. But not for decades. I’ve enjoyed a multitude of fiber based handcrafts.

*nee·dle·point

ˈnēd(ə)lˌpoint

1. embroidery worked over canvas, typically in a diagonal stitch covering the entire surface of the fabric.

Store Hours
Tuesday and Thursday
10 AM–5 PM
Saturday
10 AM–4 PM

The store represents many canvas designers,
listed on the website

Welcome to **Needle Point Breeze**
you can order online
if you’re not able to come to the store

Fiber, Canvases, Accessories, Purses, Boxes, Bags, Kits,
Custom Designs and
Finishing Services available

Walls of rainbows.
Fibers varieties wooly, metallic, fuzzy, fluffy, frosty, sparkly, velvety, shiny,
I perused the fiber possibilities

Wool, silk, cotton, alpaca, angora to name a few and combination blends

Christmas ornaments.
Yes, you can needlepoint a partridge.

***Paternayan*** is the type of wool yarn I started my project and there was a basket full of so many colors like a woolly bouquet at **Needle Point Breeze** (even though the brand is now discontinued) Lucky Day

The top left is Perle cotton and wool
***Needlepoint projects I stitched in the early 1980’s that I display in my home in 2023***

September 24, 2023 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: canvas designers, cotton, fiber, Needle Point Breeze, needlepoint, needlework, neighborhood, photography, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, Point Breeze, postaday, silk, wool 6 Comments

The Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster Ohio

Last week when I was visiting my two Columbus, Ohio families, I popped into 614 Knit Studio to get a sock needle and some sock yarn to knit men’s socks. Believe it or not, I hadn’t taken enough knitting projects with me. I ended up staying almost ten days instead of five and had completed two projects. Thought I’d get a jump on some Christmas knitting.

When I was at the shop, a sign on the door said the shop was going to be closed Memorial Day Weekend because they were going to be a vendor at the Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster Ohio. When I entered Wooster into my Maps App it was a mere hour and fifteen minutes from Laura’s house and on the way home (sort of) to Pittsburgh.

Here’s owner 614 Knit Studio Owner Andrea Panzica

I bought a merit badge pin for a couple of knitting friends. I had to tell Andrea it was because of her sign at her shop that I came to the Great Lakes Fiber Show

Look at this gorgeous Studio Dog Fibers yarn they are featuring

Here are some of the vendors I met at the show. People at Work

Do you have a Spinning Wheel that needs repair or servicing? Here is Ed Jr. Ed the Wheel Healer. Located in Oberlin,Ohio you’ll have to email or give him a phone call as they are not on social media.

Look at all these Inkle Looms! Chuck and Angie own Egill’s Woostuffs

Here’s Chuck with a cutting board of Spalted Walnut, Cherry and ____?_____and Angie with a handmade loom.

Chuck ELECTROCUTES some of the wood for this effect. He showed me a video of the process

Recycled Yarn Co has an Etsy shop sells cranked tubes to make socks by adding cuff, heels and toes. I’ve knit several pairs of Opal yarn socks and it’s hardy and long wearing. Thanks to my friend Terry who introduced me to the brand.

Joanna’s Boutique has the most beautiful silk scarves and clothing with nature prints. She sells roving and fiber, buttons at her Etsy shop

Merino wool sneakers for sale from WOOLLOOMOOLOO

Knitting Needle Jewelry by Bur Oak Studio from Danville Indiana

I bought a basket (woven in Ghana) from Frog It Yarns I’ll use it to hold my front porch knitting

How about these custom wooden needles by Ann Carpenter? And the cotton cord is made in Poland from recycled clothing.

Watch a short Sheep Herding Demonstration on YouTube

thank you Andrea for telling me about the Great Lakes Fiber Show

May 29, 2023May 29, 2023 by Ruth Categories: dogs, Fiber Art, knitting, PhotographyTags: 614 Knit Studio, Columbus OH, crochet, Great Lakes Fiber Show, knitting, photography, postaday, rabbits, sheep, spinning, travel, Wayne County Fairgrounds, weaving, wool, Wooster Ohio, yarn 18 Comments

Signage in NYC

My sister saw this sign outside the West Village Knit & Needle and sent me these photos.

February 14, 2021 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: city scene, Greenwich Village, Guest blog., neighborhood, NYC, photography, postaday, signage, Valentine's Day, West Village Knit & Needle, wool 9 Comments

Rauma Yarn Factory Tour

We docked in Alesund. There were two buses taking our group of knitters from the ship to the yarn factory-an English speaking one and a Norwegian one

The factory founder’s grandson gave us the tour of the factory his grandfather started in the late ninteen thirties.

October 1, 2018October 1, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: Arnecarlos, Hurtigruten, knitting, Knitting cruise, Norway, Norwegian yarn, photography, postaday, Rauma yarn Factory, tourism, travel, wool, yarn 15 Comments

Aubergine Yarn Color in Two Lights

Aubergine yarn in two light- a great color name, isn’t it?

A friend gave me a sweater’s worth of Harrisville Designs Highland Yarn. Wooly warmth for next winter! I never worked with it before and it is nice to wind and knit. I’d like to finish it before summer’s full heat kicks in.

I used my iPhone to document progress of the sweater (pattern is Larch by Pam Allen, available on Ravelry).

I snapped the front, then the back. Ooops, the flash went off in the second shot.

Sweater in two lights

Available light-

Electronic Flash below –

some of you will want to pick off the little fuzzy lint in the photo There’s a bit of vegetative matter in this wonderful yarn

Watch this two minute video to see how wool is milled and spun into yarn – Harrisville, New Hampshire.

A Day in the Life of an American Woolen Mill

From their website-

“Highland is one of our flagship yarns, available in 64 tweedy, heathered, woolen spun colors. This yarn is perfect for a cozy New England sweater, or a favorite pair of mitts. The yarn was engineered to wear better and better with every wash. Don’t let the crunch fool you. After 10 years of constant wear, you’ll know why we spun it this way.”

May 14, 2018 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: aubergine, available light, design, eggplant, friend, Harrisville Designs, Harrisville New Hampshire, iPhone photography, knitting, Larch sweater, New England, Pam Allen, photography, Ravelry, skein, sweater, wool, woolen mill, yarn 17 Comments

Wooley Mama’s on Apple Street- Omak, Washington

Wooley Mama’s

Meet Laura Hayner. And Shadow. What a sweet doggie. She follows Laura everywhere.

She is spinning fleece of some local sheep.

Here’s a skein of some of her handspun yarn from a spinning workshop. It was a grab bag of different fibers and has a really cool and varied look to it.

Spoiler Alert for Christmas Gifts- Made in the U.S.A.- World’s Warmest Socks for Winter. I’m sure she’d be happy to send you some. They are thick and cushy. Perfect in a big boot or to wear around a drafty house.

Thanks Laura for welcoming us to your lovely shop. Love the name of your store.

Thanks for showing us your logo. My sister likes the buttons she bought, too.

I enjoyed seeing your spinning and will enjoy knitting all the yarn I bought and shipped to myself. It’s great you get your fiber from local ranches and farms- 4R Ranch in Tonasket and Good Farms in Okanogan for two.

September 20, 2016September 20, 2016 by Ruth Categories: People at Work, PhotographyTags: alpaca, dog, dreamcatcher, farm, handknit, handspun, knitting, Omak WA, people at work, photography, postaday, ranch, spinning, travel, wool, Wooley Mama's, yarn 9 Comments

Yarnphoria in Philadelphia

Knitters find yarn stores when they travel. It’s fun to buy souvenir yarn. Add to the stash. I bought sock yarn dyed after a Monet painting. When I wear them I’ll remember our time in Philadelphia. Of course I have to knit them first.

I bought a size one needle (similar to a toothpick) that is an 8 inch circular and will learn to master making a sock on it after I watch the video a few more times.

You can become creatively inspired in new directions in a new yarn shop.

I was fortunate I had time to knit on this trip.

I walked to Yarnphoria 1016 Pine Street from our hotel. Several times!

The wooden swift and ball winder, used expertly by Yarnphoria owner, Dona.

Gertie, the rescue dog who helps mind the store, liked my lap.

In fact, I think she likes everyone’s lap. There’s a sweet pic of her on the store’s FB page.

Fingering, sock, lace weight, worsted, bulky, chunky are all yarn weights.

Colors arrange like an artist’s palette.

Planning a project out of the “American Wildflowers Collection” cotton yarn made in Philadelphia by Made in America Yarns

(Those are Dona’s cool shoes she got on Etsy)

Rings Around the Collar Pattern. Now that’s a cowl!!!

Proprietor Donna, originally from New York, designs and knits the dresses with gorgeous yarns.

She has great energy to help calculate yardage, do all that knitting math- and I sat and swatched the yarn to get my correct gauge before I left the store. She wound all my yarn for a special project (SPOILER ALERT!)

Not just different weights but all types of fiber content from cotton, bamboo, mohair, silk, merino wool to super luxurious cashmere. You name it.
FB Yarnphoria page

Here’s a review I found online –

“Adorable shop! Fantastic yarn! The owner is amazing and will help you with anything you need. What yarn to use for what time of year, what yarn to use for babies, anything you need. If you’re a beginner or advanced, she is just amazing – and she knits/crochets? castles! And hats! And dresses! She can make anything and wants to help you make anything as well. A perfect location for a perfect shop. Of the 5 yarn stores I’ve been to in my life, this takes the cake by far.”

March 7, 2016March 8, 2016 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: cashmere, cotton, design, fashion, knitting, Philadelphia PA, photography, Pine Street, postaday, silk, travel, wool, yarn, Yarn bombing, yarn shop, yarn store 29 Comments

Man Tree Seen in Mendocino CA by a Friend

Thanks for sending the photo tonight from Mendocino, MaryAnne L. ( friends since 1984-we met in Grafenwoehr, Germany-MaryAnne L. is a fellow art teacher and a master quilter, living in Texas)

Here is what she wrote when I asked her if I could guest blog the colorful tree.

“It’s called ‘Man Tree’ by Corrine Bailey of The Crayon Box. There’s the artist’s name pinned to it. Didn’t ask questions. I don’t know if I have enough info to blog. I do have one more pic of wool wrapped columns but don’t have store name. Have beautiful coastal pics tho”

“All of Mendocino. The buildings are part of the town that faces the ocean. I was standing on a bluff overlooking Pacific with town behind me. Lots of art galleries. If you zoom in on town upper left, you can see the wool columns and part of the name. see the wool columns and part of the name.”

Great guest blog, MaryAnne. The coast looks wonderful. Enjoy your vacation and thanks for thinking of me when you saw the “Man Tree”

for more info go to Mendocino Yarn Shop link to see Corinne installing the “color bombing” as they call it

June 24, 2014June 24, 2014 by Ruth Categories: Guest Blog, knittingTags: California coast, knitting, Pacific Ocean, postaday, travel, vacation, wool, yarn art, Yarn bombing 6 Comments

Suzanne Creates Upcycled Sweater Scarves

Upcycled sweater scarves!

Talk about transformation. I never really knew the word UPCYCLED but that’s the term. Makes sense.

These two scarves were created by my friend Suzanne from a couple of tired, holey sweaters in my wardrobe.

Suzanne cuts the sweaters(after she washes them) into pieces and then crochets sock yarn all around with a little or a lot of fancy edging.

I was preparing to mail the green scarf to Laura in Columbus and had my own red scarf in the car on the passenger seat. They looked so good together I took a few photos (before I mailed the green one. No E, I wasn’t driving!)

Last Christmas I sent a couple to friends as gifts. I get a lot of compliments when I am sporting the red one. I fold mine in half and loop the ends through. Cozy!

Old cashmere sweaters that no longer fit or have a couple of moth holes are the softest to make into a scarf but lambswool or merino is nice, too.

Unfortunately photographed with the iPhone instead of the proper lens but still pretty and colorful contrast.

Closeup of detail on the green scarf.

And the red scarf detail

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: cashmere, crochet, fashion, handmade, photography, scarf, sock yarn, sweater, upcycled scarf, wardrobe, winter accesory, wool 14 Comments

Tag: wool

6 Cider Mill Sweaters Oct 15, 2022

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Needle Point Breeze

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The Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster Ohio

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Signage in NYC

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Rauma Yarn Factory Tour

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Aubergine Yarn Color in Two Lights

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Wooley Mama’s on Apple Street- Omak, Washington

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Yarnphoria in Philadelphia

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Man Tree Seen in Mendocino CA by a Friend

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Suzanne Creates Upcycled Sweater Scarves

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