One Crazy Fiber Lady

Sunny Sunday

I don't know why I keep a camera in my purse at all times because when presented with a fiber festival, I come down with fatal camnesia.   I finally remembered I had it as I headed home and saw the gorgeous view from the Rhinecliff Bridge.

The weather was gorgeous, maybe a tad warm for the lovely woolens that everyone was sporting.   

I took this picture shortly after, surprised (and not surprised) by the readings for late October..

It got to wear Minimalist, saw a number of Clapotis and best yet, saw up close and in person glorious Kauni sweaters.  At 4:30PM yesterday, my car was reading 75F.  I kind of liked the effect in this shot, you can see me in the rear view mirror.  That was so accidental.  The happy glow on the face totally disappeared not too long after when I got stuck for far too long in g-d awful traffic on the Thruway.  Stupid Thruway.  The drive up took just about 90 minutes.  It took me 2.5 hours to get home.

It was a wonderful day, but it usually is.  I did buy some things, but not much by a Crazy standard.  It was more about seeing and being with friends, some that I get to see regularly, and those that I only see during Festival Season.  I met up rather early with Jessica and spent a lovely day shopping and gabbing with her.  She makes a great festival buddy!  Thank you Jessica.  I won't spill as to her big purchase, but it was a good one :)

The blogger/Ravelry meetup at 1pm was much smaller than the Saturday showing, but still, a great opportunity to see old friends.  Cheryl and Kathy both tried on my newly finished Minimalist! I got to touch Stephanie's Kauni in person!  (BTW Lynne, it is not the softest of soft yarns.  I reminds me greatly of a shetland - much like that stuff I'm knitting Autumn Rose from.  I still send you a snip when mine arrives which should be seriously soon!).  I toured the Sheep to Shawl with Brooke, whom I'm always happy to see.  I ran into the MY SnB Gals, Ina, Katie and Nancy a number of times over the course of the day.  Quality time was spent in Brooks Farm and Merlin Tree with Laurie and Juno, both of whom I'm always happy to see.  I ran into Cassie and got to meet Sigga Sif, who probably came the furthest for the festival!  Travels through the festival also met with Cate, Manise, Marcy, Teresa (who was sporting a gorgeous Indigo Ripples Skirt!) and Norma.  I was also pleased to finally be able to put faces with the names to Danielle, Feminitmafia, Eklectika, Maia and Rachael.  (Boy does this linky love take time!)  I'm sure there were others who I'm sorry if I've forgotten you!  I was a seriously senile slacker who forgot to put on my Blogger Bingo Square button and didn't print out my game board either.  Sigh.  All in all, a fabulous day filled with those who get it.

Get it, I did.  But on a small scale.

Lace weight from Skaska that I now realize is about 1300 yds short of Wedding Ring Shawl (shall order another skein)

5 skeins of Four Play from Brooks Farm destined to be Ribby Pullover..

One ounce of totally yummy cashmere roving and a super small spindle from Golding to spin it on (which I started last night)...

closeup of pretty little spindle... ( can get the specs on this baby if anyone is interested )

A beautiful set of Lantern Moon DPNS in US1.  They might just become my gold standard for sock knitting..

And finally, 8oz each of Merino and a Merino/Tensel blend (Jordan's Choice) from Sheep Shed.  These will be spun to about a sport/dk weight to knit either Eunny's Argyle Vest or something similar.

That's pretty restrained by crazy fiber lady standards I'd say! 

I'll end with a picture of my mutant purebred cat with her serious underbite...

Oh yeah, I finished the first sleeve for Autumn Rose and started the second while rooting on those Red Soxs!!  Dudes they rock.

Craft on!

Weak

I know that Rhinebeck is six sleeps away but I've been completely taken by a pattern that I absolutely have to knit.  Forget that it seems to be the current fad through the blogosphere and that a number of folk are/have knit(ted) it. 

I just placed an order for this.....

... from here.  I'm definitely knitting Ruth's beautiful sweater(pdf).  I had initially cringed at the price of shipping, but after doing the math, discovered it was cheaper to get it from Europe than Canada.  Go figure.  I'm not sure what will happen to the current knitting project queue when the yarn arrives in 9 or so days.  Should be interesting, eh?  I love the whole many colored thing going without the plethora of ends to work in.   I can't wait!

Having experienced yet another PATH shutdown for "police activity" last week that got me home extra late, I decided to see if there was a more civilized way to commute.  There is:

I started taking the NY Waterway Ferry from Hoboken to Pier 11.  The upside is that I get to spend 10 beautiful minutes each way in the open air, not underground like a  mole, out on Hudson bay rounding the tip of Manhattan.  Instead of a 12 minutes crosstown walk, I have one that is less than 5.  The downside, and you knew there was one of those, is that the cost of the ferry is way, and I mean WAY, more than the PATH.  Wicked expensive, but if I can nip a few things from the budget, like finally emptying out my storage unit, the result is a wash.  I sure do like this new commute.  I'll just have to get over the minor queasiness or just get used to knitting only socks on the ferry ;) 

The Tina shawl came out of hiding and returned to my active knitting last night.  I'm a few rows short of finishing the center square.  I have to admit, I'm not looking forward to picking up all those stitches along the sides.  Ick.   So many projects, so little time!

Let's go Red Sox!  (just turned on the game and am not happy at the score at the bottom of the 7th.  I stayed up way way too late Saturday night watching game two.  I'm getting flashbacks of the 2004 series :)

Craft on!

Fiber P0rn

The kids have just fallen asleep after a very busy weekend which isn't over yet.  Normally the event recap happens before the SEX pictures, but for a change I took the pics while unpacking.  While the memory is fresh, I'll do the stuff first and all the wonderful events tomorrow (I hope).

Before getting to the MASW enhancements, while unpacking, I decided it was time to open the box of corrie recently returned.  It is gorgeous!

There's 3.75 lbs of processed roving  that is just stunning.  I'm looking forward to giving this a try.  Not sure which wheel is going to get the honor. :)

There was also a bit of binging at Loopy Ewe last week since sock yarn so doesn't count.  I got home today to find a box waiting.  The folks must have taken it in before heading off for the boat on Friday...

From left to right is:

• 2 skeins of Apple Laine's Apple Pie yarn in English Garden
• SKnitches Bebop Sock in Shrimp on the Barbe
• Gypsy Knits BFL Superwash in Ballet
• 2 skeins of Gypsy Girl Creations in Ominous Skies

Sara is making sure they are all safe for the yarn basket.  Nosy cat.

I was pretty restrained during the festival.  Having the kids afoot with the stroller still in the car made for a some interesting shopping.  Rest assured I did not come home empty handed...

• 4oz of Cormo/Silk from Foxfire Fiber (in back)
• 2oz of Cashmere/Silk in Greylock from Foxfire
• 2oz of Baby Camel/Silk in Oak Grove from Foxfire
• 1 sk of Fox Sox Yarn in Cerise (yeah I liked their booth)
• 2 sk of 100% cashmere (2/26) in a deep purple colorway and the Feather Shawl pattern from Just Our Yarn.
• 4oz of handpainted BFL in Winnipeg from Spunky Eclectic (just joined the fiber club too ;)
• Spunky Eclectic Skinny Socks in (wait for it.....) Neopolitan :)

Because I'm powerless in the face of cormo, especially that from Alice Fields, I came home with yet another fleece.  This one is just gorgeous.  So clean and white.  Beautiful.  Best yet, it is a partial that weighs in at about 1.25lbs.  A more manageable amount of fleece that I might just process myself.  Maybe if the monkeys cooperate, I can get this washed and drying tomorrow.  Stop snickering.

Finally, I left the festival and hit a place I've ordered from but had never seen in person.  Webs!  I was extremely restrained.  While tempted by an inordinate amount of yarn, I only bought 16 skeins of this..

It is the Valley Yarns Deerfield, 80/20% Baby Alpaca/Silk in my most favorite brick red color.  Mmmmm.  Initially I was thinking Ribby for it, but as it really is a DK, it would be great for Eyelet Cardi.  It definitely needs to be a cardigan and that should be a great one for it.

I'm exhausted and am going to call it an early night.  The good stuff tomorrow!

Craft on.

Darn that Juno

This past weekend is one of my two favorite of each year.  Might have my priorities a little outta whack, but boy I dig me a good fiber festival.  MDSW definitely rates as a good festival!  Thanks to everyone for all their comments regarding Ms. Kat accompanying me.  As I expected having only one kid when used to two was almost a breeze, though not quite that easy.  Ms K came along because Friday morning she awoke running a fever.  When I called into school to tell them she wouldn't be coming, I found out a number of kids had had a fever thing in their class.  Just a fever.  Take some tylenol and relax kind of illness.  All in all, not a bad one and when Ms. K gets sick, that's pretty much what she wants to do anyway, not to mention stick close to me.  Since she wasn't going to school, I couldn't say goodbye when I dropped them and make my exit for the highway.  Oh no.  Things definitely wouldn't be that easy.  After some serious tears (from both of us), I relented and brought her along.  Initially feeling like bad mother of the year for dragging my sick daughter along with me so I could go to the festival, but after the fever broke early Saturday, she really was a very pleasant kid (if not easier when she was sick). 

It marked the first extended separation of the twins.  Shortly after crossing the border into Maryland, Kat started crying to go home.  I called my mom after arriving at the hotel to let her know we'd arrived safe and sound, to find that Alex had a bit of a fit because Kat wasn't there.  It was very sweet when the two of them hugged yesterday when we got home.  Alex proclaimed "I so glad you came back" as he hugged her again. 

Anyway, Kat and I had good bonding time and I fed her budding fiber love...

She picked this fiber Saturday at the American Cormo Association booth.  The kid has some good taste in wool and definitely a girly tendency in her colors.  So far, she hasn't let me spin this, but did play catch with the ball in the hotel room Saturday night with it :)

Before I go into the purchases, I have to send big thanks to Kim, Jessica and Liz who I believe went out of their way to keep me company before, during and after the festival.  I had the best time and I thank you very much ladies!  Friday night Liz picked up dinner, adult tasty beverages and joined Kat and I at our hotel.  Kim, who was staying in the same hotel, came up for some pre-festival knitting.  It was a nice night for sure, even if I had a unhappy, warm child clinging to me.  Liz finished up the finish work on Kim's Poppy.  Seems Liz likes that sort of thing.  Here's Kim modeling it...

..isn't it gorgeous???

And the typical blogger-meet-blogger photo..

Saturday morning, Kim met us in the lobby for breakfast and by 8:30, we'd made it to the festival where we met up in short order with Jessica.  As always, my favorite part of these festivals is seeing/meeting people that I either only see at festivals (Sorry I missed you this time Shari, but it was wonderful to spend some time with your husband and beautiful children!) or haven't met outside the cyber world yet.  I bought a Mr. Plyer from Marcia, which I can't wait to try out!  I have no pictures at the actual festival as I couldn't find my camera in my bag and was convinced it was back in the hotel room.  I did find it in the bottom of my bag when we got back to the hotel, after not finding it anywhere in the room ;)  Amongst the blur of faces and names, I remember seeing Elaine, Christine who I hadn't the pleasure of meeting previously, Rosemary. 

The story behind the title of this post is a good one.  I have mentioned before that I was seriously considering CPW to add (replace the saxony) in the wheel stable.  I'd visit Dave Paul at the Merlin Tree early on Saturday and had checked out his antique CPW, which wasn't for sale as it needed work.  Kat got antsy at that point and we had to move feet.  I looked at various wheels during the course of the day but resigned myself to maybe Rhinebeck to get a CPW.  Anyway, at around 3pm, we're walking through the Main Exhibition Hall and I run into Juno.  Always a pleasure to see her!  We start talking about CPWs and then she suggests that if I really wanted a CPW that I had to try the Vermont Wheels by Pat Russo.  It was shortly after that when she took me over to his booth.  I was handed both some shetland roving and a batt of alpaca to play with as I tried out the first wheel in the booth.   Within moments I was really and truly in love.  I did glare up at Juno on a couple of occasions.  I bought it.  A beautiful cherry wheel with brass inlay.   Liz tried it Sat night back at the hotel and bought one for herself on Sunday, got his last too!  Kim and Jessica helped me get the wheel, stroller and Kat back to the car. 

Liz, who hadn't gone to the festival on Saturday, joined Jessica, Kat and I for a nice dinner out at the local Applebees where Nick, our waiter, definitely earned himself a good tip.  He brought a hot fudge sundae to lure the ornery Kat out of her stroller and up to the table and later a balloon after she'd spotted those.

After dinner we went back to my room for a spin-in where Kim rejoined us, along with her son Liam.  Poor Liz sustained a nasty finger injury when she jammed her finger opening the window, when she pinched it on the window stop.  Here she's using her head to keep the blood oozing finger above her heart while still keeping ice on it (it was swelling).

I do hope her finger is better in no time and that the suggested tetanus shot doesn't hurt.

I got to play with my new toy and feel head over heels for the wheel.  Juno was right.  This wheel can make you a better spinner.  Checking the spinner control card I bought at the festival, I consistently spun a 40wpi corrie cross single from a Grafton Batt faster than I've ever done before.  Sweet wheel.  Thank you Juno, I love it and wouldn't have it if not for you!

Sunday, Kat, Jessica and I went back to the festival for more stash enhancement and before long it was time to hit the road to go home.  It was a wonderful weekend and I thank everyone for making it so great!

Here's a look at the enhancements...

A spinner control card, a hi speed whorl for the schacht (which ships today iirc) and a sweet shawl pin!  Not pictured that I just remembered, was a woolee winder and 2 extra bobbins for the schact.

There's the Mr. Plyer underneath the soft stuff.  There's a little of this, and a little of that.  Some serious acquisitions of decadent fiber (alpaca, baby camel, silk and such) from Barneswallow Farms, some Cloverleaf braids, Ohio Valley Merino top, 2 grafton batts and a skein of sock yarn.  One skein.  That's all I bought.  Amazing isn't it.

And again, the big purchase was this...

Isn't she beautiful?  You can see the brass inlay on the wheel.  L O V E.

Thank you Juno!

Now what to do with the Lendrum Saxony....

Craft on!  (I took today off and am going to go spin until I have to pick up the kids)

Best Laid Plans

Doing the final packing before getting ready to hit the road.  I'm leaving in about 2 hours at around noon-ish.  There's been a slight change of plans though.  I'm not going entirely alone, I'm bringing this...

\
My parents and I are doing a divide and conquer weekend.  They'll have Alex and Kat will come with me.  She's in an exceptionally clingy state right now.  And while I would have optimally preferred to go alone (guess the spin in tomorrow night is out), only one kid when you're used to herding two is relaxing ;)  She's a good kid, if a little odd. 

Anyone who might be looking for me over the weekend, look for a single stroller and not the double monstrosity that I normally push around a festival.

We do what we gotta do, right?

Craft on!

Wheelin' and dealin'

Time for the weekly update.  Sadly, I have no photos of knitting to show right about now.  I've been too busy doing stuff and forgetting about the camera.  There has been progress on multiple fronts though beyond the wheeling and dealing. 

Speaking of wheeling an dealing, the Victoria will have a new home and she will be shipped out imminently.  I am replacing her with another highly portable wheel that makes more sense when the other wheels in the collection are taken into account.  I've ordered a Majacraft Little Gem 2.  As I already have a cache of standard bobbins ( Suzie and the Fricke E-spinner) and a Woolee Winder (Suzie) to fit it, as well as the skein winder, it just made more sense than a lone Louet. After I told mom that I was selling the Victoria, she asked which wheel I would use to spin on the boat?!  The Hitchhiker had served that role, but she too was in a new home. Not that I spin on the boat all that much, um only once if I recall correctly, but it was enough to put the bug in my head.  Add in I had just seen Deb's little Gem on Saturday, the seed was planted (btw she has an excellent recap of the day).  So I went for it.  Tax refund and yearly raise time :)  It should be here before MD$W, fingers crossed! 

So yes, there's been knitting going on.  Evenings have been devoted to finishing up Setesdal.  Sunday saw the end of the button bands, Monday I finished the collar and last night I got the sleeves sewed in.  Tonight I sew on the buttons and call this baby done.  I have some small round buttons from the button box that go perfectly with it.  I'll most definitely be taking pictures of it this evening.  Good timing too as the shower is Saturday.  I have to admit, I did not enjoy knitting the bands on this thing.  The Baby Ull was very splitty on the US0 needles, especially on the purl rows.  I was never so glad as to bind off the last one.

Speaking of splitty, I finished the Vesper Neapolitan socks.  The colors are gorgeous and I managed to get identical twin socks out of it, but honestly, it is too softly spun for my preferences.  I had major issues with splitting and had to watch each and every stitch.  Since socks are predominantly my mindless commuting knitting, I don't want to focus so very much on them.  The yarn required me to do so.  I finished the last one at the SnB Thursday night.  Friday morning I started the next pair.  This time using the discontinued and returned to production Trekking XXL 126.  I picked it up on eBay a couple of weeks ago (right around when I finally got my hands on the Vesper Neapolitan).  I finished the first one this morning.  For a change, I'm working cuff down, short row heel and grafted the toe.  I cast on for the second while standing on the PATH platform waiting for the train.  They're definitely going to be fraternal twins (unlike the Vesper pair).  I'm rather partial to frats for some reason ;)

Thursday night I also restarted Spring Things.  I wasn't thrilled with how it was coming out in the KSH.  While the KSH is a lovely yarn and definitely crack-worthy, I just wasn't feeling the love with this pattern, not to mention the less than spring color I had picked (though with the way the spring weather has been in this area lately it is appropriate if not gloomy).  So Thursday I wandered around MY when I spotted the right yarn.  Enter more Claudia Handpaint Silk.  The color is "Pink Posey" and if that doesn't shout SPRING I don't know what does.  And Dorre, after I got home, I did restart it with the smaller US4 needles ;)  I like it much better and have gotten through I think 4 of the 13 repeats of chart 1.

Other than that, I've been doing a little spinning.  About an arm's length of Spunky Eclectics beautiful BFL roving in the Rocky Mountain High is left on the Suzie.  It is spinning up at my standard sockweight.  Sunday night I started the Big Yellow Taxi roving from Crown Mountain on the Lendrum Upright.  Also spinning up at my standard weight of sock.  It goes without saying that the 8oz will take me just shy of forever to spin.  Now you know why I have so many wheels!  Its the only way I can get some spinning variety without mucking around with settings and changing bobbins.  New colorful rovings are on my list for MD$W purchases.

That's about it for the moment.  Pictures of actual knitting soon!

Craft on!

Coming Clean

I expect that most of you are now used to my rather sporadic posting.  I have to admit, I'm not.  I liked posting more often and well, miss it.  But then there's the whole time crunch thing.  There's a secondary problem that if I don't post for a while, I want to write about so much that I expect it will take forever to get that one out of me that I don't actually do it, compounding the short absence to a longer and longer one.  Someday I'll have it all figured out.   

This week has been rather crappy at work, but at least going rather well outside the office.  Which is good.  The kids finally went back to school yesterday.  The daycare center director apologized profusely for the length of the "spring break" and thanked us for our patience.  She's have a "parent appreciation dinner" next week and has changed the remaining vacation schedule to make up for the additional 6 days that they took now.  Nice lady.  Excellent center.   Miss Kat went wearing big girl panties yesterday for the first time.  She did rather well, with only a small accident.  Naturally I sent extra clothes for such emergencies.  She was so excited this morning that she announced she would hold it until she got to school.  Mom and I convinced her otherwise.   She's an odd duck ;)

This weekend another one of the wheels went off to a new home.  The cute little hitchhiker is now living with new spinner, Dorre.  I have to come clean now and announce publicly (beyond the comments dropped around blogosphere over the last day or two and in emails) that I ordered its replacement.  I ordered a Schacht Matchless ST from WoollyManor.  I've been looking at this wheel for a while and know that is quite popular around the blogosphere.  It just seemed the right time, what with tax refunds on their way.  Sadly, it won't arrive in time for the trip to MD$W (I booked my hotel on Monday - woot! - staying in the same place as 2 years ago.  Kim and Dorre are staying there too!)  According to the email I got yesterday, it is expected to ship from the factory around May 7. 

In preparation, I've been doing a little spinning recently.  I sat down at the Lendrum Saxony Sunday night and was finally motivated to see if I could figure out why the hell the thing squeaked so badly.  I knew it was coming from the front edge of the treadles where a metal bar went through and fit into the front legs.  After oiling and otherwise lubricating the heck out of it, mom sat and watched as I spun (and cringed listening to the squeak).  Result?  The metal bar flexes as I treadle.  It flexes enough that it rubs against one side of the treadle because while the metal is bending, the wood is not.  Little I can do to lubricate for that.  No wonder I oiled the hell out of it for naught.  I had a bit of a brainstorm and pulled a pole out of the closet that I use to get hangers up to the upper rod.  I put the pole against the block between the treadles, out back under the wheel with the other end jammed against a table leg to prevent the bar from flexing.  It worked!  I was able to spin without any squeaking!  Now I have to come up with some kind of permanent rigging, like a piece of wood from the bar to the back leg.  But at least I can use this wheel without the frustrating noise.

I finished knitting the body for Setesdal.  Sunday morning the sewing machine came out and I seamed and the cut the steeks.  Instead of knitting the neck area flat as the pattern suggested, I steeked there too.  I'd much rather do that than knit two color flat.  Bleh.  Unfortunately, while I was picking up the stitches for the first button band, some of the white ends slipped out of the machine sewing.  I grabbed them before they could unravel too far and hand sewed them into place.  I think I'm going to reinforce with some iron-on interfacing.  I have until next weekend (4/21) to finish and might just make it.

Because I'm really lacking in projects, I started a new one at the SnB last week.  It is the Susan's new pattern, Spring Things.  I'm using crack Kidsilk Haze in a color number I don't quite remember and can't check as it is at home.  The Vesper Neapolitan socks are the current commuter project.  I purchased silver lined crystal beads from EarthFaire, which arrived yesterday.  I'm up to a little over 100 stitches per row at this point, but it has taken a back seat to the socks, Setesdal and the Mitered Squares.

I found another sock yarn accidentally last week that I just had to order.  Pretty colors and I love the idea that it is packaged with a coordinating heel/toe color.  I went a little nutsy though and have 6 different skeins.  Two arrived after this picture was taken.  It is Duet Sock and I look forward to trying it out.  I'll probably hit one of these after the Vesper socks are done of which I'm well into the second sock now.  Unlike my standard, this yarn is DK weight so it should make for some fast socks. 

That's about it for now, hopefully another post sooner than later.

Craft on!

 

Knit Goes On

I can't believe the amount of time that elapses between posts these days.  Between work and the kids, it really comes down to knitting or blogging.  Recently, unfortunately, the blogging has been given the short shrift.  I've composed a dozen posts in my head, but actually sitting down and typing doesn't always happen. 

While I was in NYC on Thursday, I wasn't able to represent.  Damn.  Judging by all the posts, I missed some good fun.  Looking forward to MDSW all the more now.  Especially since the folks have already agreed that they'll watch the children for the weekend enabling me to go unencumbered.  I've been debating between staying with my sister in Lancaster area or getting a room near the fairgrounds again.  I'm leaning towards the hotel, probably the same one I stayed in two years ago with the twins.  It was a nice place and convenient to the grounds.  Oh wait, I think I've got the answer.  I head out to sister's house Friday night and use that as my launch base Saturday late morning.  Hit the fairgrounds Sat afternoon and then to the hotel for the night with the fair the main event on Sunday.  There we go.  Sounds like a plan to me :)

While potty training has, in the past, been less than successful around here, we've finally made a breakthrough with Kat.  I took Kristen's suggestion of M&M's for potty success.  Though the bag sat unopened for close to a month, it has finally worked.  That's not to say that we're down to periodic accidents, not by a long shot, and the boy doesn't even try, but at least Kat is starting to get it.  I got the first "I have to go potty" out while shopping yesterday!  We're close and maybe this week's vacation will do the trick. 

Speaking of which, due to the sale of the school building probably, they've had to reschedule their spring break from the first week of April to next week.  Fortunately my work is flexible enough that this isn't a problem, I can't imagine what someone with a less flex job has to face.  I'll be home thru Wednesday so I'll probably be scarce but you never now.

In all that, I have been knitting.  Icarus is now halfway through Chart 2.  Love it, but it comes out of the bag and can't be commuting knitting any more.  Its no longer the mindless knit it was.  It is a pain to photograph and is certainly at the shapeless lump of floss stage so any further photos will be at the finish line.

I finally cast on for the second STR sock yesterday morning.  I knit on sporadically during the day.

Friday night I finished the second sleeve for Setesdal.  Yesterday during nap, I cast on for the body.  I had some serious brain farts in trying to get 154 sts into a 2x2 rib.  Took me three tries, but now I have 3/4" of ribbing done.  Geez...

I managed to actually finish something too.  On Monday (3/19) I finally got to the end of the Swallowtail Shawl in the Sea Silk that I started a while ago.  Its now sitting in the pile of lace that needs to be blocked.  Someday.  Maybe today if the twins cooperate.  Ha ha ha.

Having seen a lot of links to Loopy Ewe, I finally went and bought something myself.  I had to get the German Stocking pattern and some Louet to knit them.  High in the queue these babies are.  Service was super fast.  I'll definitely be shopping there again.

 
The pattern indicates 3-5 skeins are necessary, but I figure with my little skinny feet that I should be able to get by with the 3.  I seriously hope so, I only bought 3 ;)

I have a few other projects in the prep stages too.  I'd like very much to knit the Mitered Square blanket from Mason-Dixon.  I ordered Mission Falls Cotton from Purl in a variety of colors.  It was on sale cheap and currently winging its way to me.   Its a cute blanket and I like the idea that each block doesn't get larger as in the Log Cabin.  I'll probably supplement with some other yarn I have in stash.  I recently did a little spelunking and came up with forgotten packs of Rowans All-Season Cotton, some Cotton-Ease, and quite the cache of TLC Cotton Plus.  Put together, it should make for a good blanket. 

Time for more coffee and a little knitting...

Craft on!

Moving Along

This past Saturday was the big day.  In an exhausting day of schlepping furniture, books, yarn and other necessities of daily life, I moved down the hall to the former master bedroom. 

A little odd if I might say so, though it was different enough with my own furniture and carpet-less floor that I wasn't totally creeped out being in my parents' room ;)  The painters started yesterday converting the two tone brown walls into sunny yellow and white for me.  The second coat goes on today, which should bring an end to work in my new room.  Tomorrow, what will be Kat's room gets a new coat to tone down the pepto-pink (all four walls, ceiling and trim in the same shade!) to something that shouldn't make the kid sick living there.  There's pink and then there's PINK.   Alex's room is being finished today too.  He got my parents' old beige carpeting that I ripped in favor of the oak instead of the rose carpet.   Anyway, the end is definitely in sight and I believe this week marks the end of this whole process, which, other than Sara's foot (fully healed) and her coat (growing back) was pretty much painless.

Needless to say that in the hub-bub that was this weekend, knitting was very much minimal.  That doesn't mean that there was no knitting.  I still have the train and lunch to contend with.  I finished off the first of the Decadence socks last night during 24.

(Yes, that is my newly yellow wall with the white chair rail, and my Ikea dresser).  I'm using the lace pattern from Hedera on this sock.  I love it.  Kristen at Modern Yarn was knitting a pair of Hedera's in Lorna's or maybe Claudia Handpaint (short term memory is rather weak) this past Thursday at the SnB.  It really is a cute pattern and she thought it would look stunning in the solid yarn.  She's absolutely right.  I cast on for the second sock immediately after finishing this one.  I have a lot of sock yarn to burn through :)

I might have mentioned a little sock yarn shopping last week.  I was a bit bummed by events at work and what does a girl do when she gets down?  The tough go shopping!  The two skeins at the bottom are Lornas Laces Shepherd Sock in Mineshaft (bottom)and I think Gold Hill.  They were in trade for the second skeins of the Black Purl and the Jeans.  Having discovered I only need one skein, MY was excellent enough to let me swap the second skeins for alternate colorways. 

The others, from left to right are, STR Lightweight in Lucy (which not so coincidentally is the same colors as my late and beloved Baron ), a lovely hand dyed merino sock yarn from fibersnthreads, Chocolate Pink Cherry from Fearless Fibers, and Neopolitan from Yarn Pirate.  Why yes, I spent some time on Etsy.  Nice.  Must knit faster!

Tomorrow is the hop-a-thon at the twins' school (provided they aren't snowed out!).  I want to thank everyone for their kind donations.  If anyone was thinking of donating and hadn't, today is the last day I can take it.  I need to write a check out to send to school with them tomorrow.  As a reminder (and I don't think I made this very clear in the initial posts), it is a flat donation.  Not a per hop pledge.  No way would I ask that!  Two hyper 3 year olds?  Who could count that! 

Time to go off and code something.

Craft on!

On a roll

First I hope that everyone had a happy and healthy Christmas.  I was a busy little knitter whilst trying to avoid the last minute crush at the mall and finding something to do while the whole area shut down :)

Thursday night was the Knit n Nog at Modern Yarn.  What a serious blast that was!  The place was packed with all the regulars PLUS I finally got to meet Deborah in person!  I did the finish work on Ariann but left the buttons for Friday night and moved onto STS edging for the remainder of the evening.  Wasn't much that got done thanks to the NOG and  shopping as I finally made use of my 25% discount and picked up enough Cascade 220 to knit two sweaters, including a second Ariann.

After getting home, I had to quickly wrap up the teacher gifts as they needed to go to school the next day.  Ain't nothing like leaving it to the last minute, huh?  Here they are all lined up with the supervisor looking on.

Friday night was devoted to finishing off Ariann, which got blocked on Saturday.  I need to do a little touchup work on the buttonholes.  Either the buttons are too small, or the holes are too big, whatever it is, the darn things don't stay closed.  As I love the buttons with the yarn, I'm going to sew the hole a tad smaller.  Right now though, I've taken to wearing it open!

Sorry.  None of the head shots are even remotely presentable so you'll have to live with the Ichibod Crane versions.

After blocking out Ariann, I went back to work on the Shetland Tea Shawl.  I finally finished the bugger around lunch time on Sunday.  Dad had taken the shorties out for hotdogs and a trip to the park.  That allowed me to finish it off and get it blocked out.  Whew.  Glad this anniversary shawl didn't hit the anniversary mark!  I fell about a month short of that date.  Lovely shawl and I'm so glad it is finally done.

Here she is hanging on the door to my desk armoire.

As an aside, the color in the second picture is true (at least on my monitor).  That picture is also courtesy of the Rebel.  Man that camera takes some lovely pictures. 

Now that I've finished off a couple of projects, that meant I could start something new!   As STS was drying, I had pulled out the yarn for the next one.  This time it is the Forest Canopy Shawl in Claudia's Handpaint, Plumicious colorway.  What a great project this one is.  I think it would be fabulous for a newbie lace knitter.  It isn't terribly difficult and very easy to memorize.  Par for the course though, it is terrible to photograph under way!

I found a sunny spot in the house this afternoon!  My new bedroom to be has a west facing window and this sun patch was on the folks' bed.  I quickly took advantage of it as my current room only has north facing windows.  The Rebel ate this one up!

Having spent a day playing with the new shawl, I started a new sweater yesterday.  I joined Julia in an informal KAL of Celtic Dreams.  I've been intrigued by this sweater forever.  So when she mentioned it as a possibility, I joined up, ordering Blackwater Abbey Yarn in Bracken, as well as, the pattern.  I'm pretty sure I mentioned this before.  Well before the others go too terribly ahead of me, and since I had promised to join as soon as Ariann was done, there was no time like the present.  I cast on yesterday!

It took me a little longer than I expected to get really underway.  Deb, you'll be amused to know that I had gauge issues with the shoulder saddles too.  The suggested needles are a US7/4.5mm.  Using that needle, my saddle was a 3" wide rather than the 2.5" the pattern indicated.  Ugh.  I dropped down in size and finally wound up with a 3mm Addi Natura.  Aran weight yarn on essentially a US2?  Oy.  I'm surprisingly far into it now.  Even further than this picture indicates.  I'm two rows from putting the back on hold and starting the front and have finished the second of the 24 row pattern repeats.

I'm off this week entertaining the monkeys during their school holiday so I'm hoping to get some bonus knitting time.  Tomorrow we're heading down to visit my sister and her boys.  Thursday we're hoping to get together with Lisa and her daughter for some ceramic painting and lunch. 

Today Mom and I keep them busy with a trip to Montclair looking for 32" wood circs in a 3mm.  Modern Yarn was closed, but I did get Naturas at Stix-n-Stitches.   I'm also incapable of leaving a yarn store with just needles.  I had to get the methadone of knitters:  sock yarn.  This time a skein of Austermann Step in Color 8.  I'm intrigued by that whole Aloe Vera/Jojoba Oil in the yarn.  It was one of those great mail days as well!  My Frangipani arrived today, as well as the next in the Sundara Petals collection (which puts me 3 behind now ;)  Also sitting in the mailbox was the skein of SeaSilk in Pumpkin that I bought from Knit-Purl last week earmarked to be Eunny's Print of the Wave scarf.

I'm pretty well set for stash knitting :)

Craft on!