Knit Pox!

Why, Hello, and Just a Little Test

2010-01-03T19:52:00.001-05:00

Well, I haven't posted in a long, long time. Maybe this will soon change. 2009 was a crazy year. What will 2010 have in store?

I did get an iPod Touch for my birthday in November. Tonight I downloaded a free app called BlogPress that should let me post from my happy little device. This is my test post. If you are reading this, it worked.

I have tons of bloggy material that has waited in the wings over the past year and I want to start blogging again. I do. I really do. So, I'm not going to make a New Years resolution, because, you know, those things never get done. I'm just going to say, "I'm gonna try", because you see, there's this chicken Viking hat I'm knitting, and you just can't not blog about that. Heh.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Moving On, Again!!!

2009-02-27T15:40:00.004-05:00

Eeek! Yep. We're moving again. Headin' back to Kentucky. Not too far from here, though. Less than two hours away. So, tomorrow morning, bright and early, we say goodbye to our mountain.

This is a frosty picture of it I took a few weeks ago. We didn't see sights like this in tidewater Virginia. Now we are headed to the foothills and the bluegrass!

So, since I've been packing and cleaning like a fiend, and all my yarn is already at our new house, I've had to find some tiny-little projects to work on when I needed a break. I have a pair of almost finished socks and...

tatting!

These are my first actual tatting projects that didn't involve endless chains and rings. Gnatly, you'll have to let Melissa-the-magnificent-tatting-monster know that I have mastered the split ring! Well, maybe not mastered, but look! I've got twelve of those babies, up there in the photo, end to end, see? Woo hoo!

I hope PH likes his new home. He will have a screened in back porch to relax in when he gets there. Right now, he is a little bushed. He got vaccinations yesterday and has been sleeping all day today. Poor little guy, he has a big day in store for him, tomorrow. Poor me, too, PH likes to sing in the car.

Winter Wonderland Shawl Finished!

2009-01-15T15:09:00.005-05:00

It was snowing today! A perfect day to take photos of the Winter Wonderland Shawl. I had some help from my dear friend, Madge. This shawl is hard to photograph because you want all the snowflakes to show and it's next to impossible to get them all in at once. Here goes!

I love it. Yay!

Oh, there were a couple of more corrections that I didn't have in the last post. Basically, when the second to the last row ends with 27 stitches, the last row should end with a k2tog instead of just a k2, because you want to end with 26 sts for each side of the hexagons. And if you accidentally end up with 27 sts on a hexagon (like I did) just take the two stitches that were supposed to be knit together up at the same time when you are grafting. It completely dissappears. No prob.

I have just finished winding up a skein of Skacel Merino Lace to start my next big lace project, even though I still have the Heere Be Dragones on the needles. I just can't help myself...

Snowflake Teaser

2009-01-14T11:35:00.003-05:00

After a very late start, I finished grafting the hexagons together late last night. I started the edging today, which is much less tedious as I feared it might be. I am actually enjoying it and it seems to be going very fast. I think the simple edging finishes the shawl off perfectly. You use the same Glimmer alpaca yarn that you use for the snowflakes, themselves, so the edge has a little more weight to it and will hang well.

The rest of today will be devoted to finishing up this shawl. I hope to find a pretty way to photograph it tomorrow. I'll have to consult my photo stylist, P.H.

Flaky Post

2009-01-12T16:05:00.011-05:00

Hey!

What is this stuff?

"Snow? You're pulling my tail!"

I finished the last of the snowflake backgrounds last night. This morning I pinned them all out. Here they are blocking peacefully.

There are thirteen of them. Please excuse the wrinkly background. Here are the rest.

There's been a lot of interest in this fabulous shawl pattern lately, so if anyone else is interested in making it, I'm going to offer this list of corrections for the little errors and typos I found in the pattern. One of the corrections I received from the designer, who was really great and willing to help me, the others are just simple things that I caught, but I think may save you some time and frustration. So here goes!

Snowflake 2 Background

Rnd 18: k1, (k2tog, m1) 8 times, k2 tog

Snowflake 3 Background

Rnd 13: k1, k1 in tCb, k2, k1 tog w tCb, k5, k1 tog w tCb, k2, k1 in tCb, k1

Snowflake 5 Background

Rnd 9: k1 in edgP, k10, k1 in edgP

Rnd 22: k1, (k2tog, m1) 8 times, k2tog

Snowflake 6 Background

Rnd 14: k2, m1, (k2tog, m1) 4 times, k1

Rnd 24: k1, (k2tog, m1) 8 times, k2tog

Snowflake 7 Background

Rnd 5: k1 in edgP, k3, k1 in tCb, k4, k in tCb, k3, k1 in edgP

That's it! Hope that this helps another crazy-for-snowflakes knitter. I have really enjoyed knitting this beautiful pattern. Sharon Winsauer is one talented lady! I have to finish the Heere Be Dragones shawl, another one of her designs. I have my eye on some of her others, as well. Have you seen the Dragon of Happiness shawl? She also has designed another wintery shawl called Dance of the Snowflake that features one large snowflake motif. The link takes you to the Aurora Alpacas site. You need to click on gallery of shawls and then the catalog link towards the bottom of the page to see all her designs. You can also check her out on Ravelry.

Hopefully, next post we will have the finished shawl, or close to it. There's mega grafting and an edging as well. Stay tuned...

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T22:27:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I promise I'll be back to posting soon.

Snow Clones!

"I got tuna for Christmas!"~PH

"My Garter Slipped" Scarf!

2008-12-05T11:01:00.012-05:00

Got two skeins of Noro? Need a last minute Christmas gift? Need some mindless travel knitting that isn't so mindless that you want to pull your hair out from boredom? The "My Garter Slipped" Scarf might just be the project you're looking for. The pattern is an easily memorizable four row repeat. The long slip stitch looks great with Noro and would look great with variegated yarns, too. It's simple, but pretty. Here's the pattern. Merry Christmas. I hope you like it!

"My Garter Slipped" Scarf

Project Specs:

Materials: Noro Silk Garden (2 skeins). Color 87 pictured.
Needles: Size 9
Gauge: Not that important, but row gauge @ 18 st/4 in (after blocking).
Finished Measurements: I blocked mine out to 6" x 60"

Pattern:

Cast on 26 sts.

Rows 1-4: knit.

Row 5: (k2, sl 1) 8 times, k2
Row 6: (k2, sl 1 wyif) 8 times, k2
Row 7: (k2, sl 1) 8 times, k2
Row 8: (k2, p1) 8 times, k2

Repeat Rows 5-8 (102 times)

Knit 4 Rows. Bind off.

This pattern is so easy to memorize because each row starts and ends with a k2 and rows 5 and 7 are the same. It's a cinch!

Close up.

Unblocked.

You can see the back here.

Since it's been quite chilly lately, I've been getting alot of use out of this scarf.

I am returning to posting after a bit of a break. I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November, and I did it! I squeaked by with over 50,000 words on the last day. It didn't help that I took about five days off to knit a shawl in the middle of the month. I've got lots of things to post about, and I've been taking photos, so stayed tuned.

Of Cats and Dumplings

2008-09-06T19:51:00.016-04:00

Inspired by PH's great work as yarn model in the photo shoot of December 12th, 2007, I ventured outdoors with my newly felted and dried Dumpling Bag, intent on pressing the young, orange talent into service once more. As always, the ever-obliging feline came when summoned.

Today, however, he seemed less than accommodating.

At first he refused, but then reluctantly relented after I agreed to his extortionist terms. He demanded a wardrobe fee for appearing in his own collar, travel expenses for having to come down the stairs and a special fee for being male and having to appear in print with a purse. He also demanded that craft services be set up not just for the time allotted for the photo shoot, but for the remainder of the day and evening so that he could snack whenever he wanted. Needless to say, his fee involved vast quantities of dry food, canned food, treats, chicken and then of course, bacon, as well. I think I am going to have to start auditioning the neighborhood cats. You know, some "unknowns."

Well, there are some pretty photos of my Dumpling on Ravelry. I'll post them here, tomorrow. As for marble-mania, the purple paper ended up going on the book. Here it is with some others that turned out pretty well.

In other news, today is DH's and my 11th wedding anniversary. He had to work today and he had a special program to do tonight, so we're celebrating next week. The 11th anniversary, that's the yarn and fiber anniversary, right? Just like the 10th was? Heh heh heh.

You know, he looked so professional in his head shot...

Knitting For Artillery

2008-09-05T22:07:00.006-04:00

The first clue for Mystery Stole 4 came out today. Though other people seem to really like it, I have to say that I am a wee bit disappointed. I loved MS3 (Swan Lake) because of the beads and the lacy wing. This one is starting out a little too geometric and stockinette heavy for me. I guess I just like the looks of, and enjoy knitting, very lacy lace. But, MS3 started out with a lot of stockinette, too, so I have to give it a chance. It's only the first clue, right?

Yesterday, I marbled up a whole slew of paper, as my oil paint stained fingers can attest to today. I managed to produce some decent ones amidst the bleah and just plain awful. I think that to make some really nice marbled paper you just have to use the sizing. I found that the paint just keeps moving around using only water to float it on. My colors started mixing together, as well. I think this may be one art that really requires watching someone else who knows what they're doing. Never-the-less, I covered the book, and it looks pretty cool. Plus, I have extra paper to recover the book when it gets trashed, which is bound to happen since it is a prop.

Oh, oh, oh! I felted the dumpling bag today. It is cute! DH calls it my cannonball bag. I have stuffed it with plastic grocery bags to give it that nice, round, large-caliber projectile appearance. I'd say it looks like about a 12 pounder, maybe more. Photos will appear tomorrow when I have the light to take them.

The End.

My Birthday Boy

2008-09-04T13:28:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was my sweet, DH's birthday! I wanted to post this yesterday, but I was busy making a big birthday supper complete with homemade ice cream and cake from scratch.

Wasn't he a beautiful baby? I can say with confidence that he is still quite easy on the eyes!

Happy Birthday Sweetie! I love you!!!

I Can See!

2008-09-02T21:29:00.012-04:00

Yep, I am the proud owner of a brand spankin' new monitor! I am happy to report that I can see actual colors again. Oh the joy, the freedom to post a photo without wondering what it really looks like, the carefree browsing on Ravelry for patterns and actually identifying the cables in that navy cardigan, and not having to pester my big sister to preview my photos.... Hmmm... now I will have to think of something else to pester her about.

Look! Yarn! As Knatly commented... plied...plyed...you know, twisted together!

Colors!

I think the real color is somewhere in between the first two photos and this one.

I looked back at previous posts where I had tried to lighten some of the photos before I posted them. I should have left well enough alone. They are too light. Ah, well. My new 20 inch monitor shall now change everything! My old monitor was probably close to fifteen years old, so you understand the primitive conditions I have been living under and will forgive me my exultant glee. Happy happy happy!

The other day I decided I needed a quick pick-me-up project. So I dug around in the stash for some bulky, felting-type wool and came up with some Lamb's Pride in black. Within a couple of hours I had knitted up a Dumpling Bag! The pattern is by Sharon Dreifuss, who hosts the She-Knits Podcast, and it was featured in this Fall's, Interweave Knits.

The bag is knit, embroidered, and then felted. The pattern calls for two rings attached to the straps, but I opted to go without. The straps still slide through each other. I still haven't felted it, but I think it is adorable, none-the-less. Once felted, it should turn out very round, like a little dumpling!

Great little pattern, Sharon! I think I'll make another.

And now I leave you with something that has become a daily occurrence...

Kitty in a basket.

Marbling, Meh.

2008-08-27T21:25:00.003-04:00

As promised, here are the results of my marbling paper experiment. Looks like I've got a ways to go. For one thing, I need to use a heavier paper than I did. I grabbed a pad of sketch paper, but I know that I have a larger pad of heavy drawing paper packed away. I'll have to find that. There are other things that I'm going to have to get before I try this again. Lots of newspaper, for one! It's a messy job! I need a sponge for dabbing excess away, better containers to mix paint and mineral spirits in and a better way to hang them to dry. Here are the sad results of my first attempt...

Not really usable for much...

Once I get the hang of it and get some nice ones (if ever), I'd like to cover some books with them for my DH.

After spinning the plain 'ol vanilla top, I got out the Mountain Colors roving in Alpine...

I wound them both up on a ball winder and plyed them both to themselves today. I took some photos of the skeins, but the light wasn't good. I'll try again to photograph them tomorrow.

We've had some much needed rain the past couple of days. DH and I like the rain. It is not a universal feeling in our household, however. The frustrated shut-in, Kittysperk, aka PH, feels otherwise. Here he is shown taking solace in one of my baskets, lying on my pennywhistle.

Vanilla Sheep

2008-08-25T21:49:00.005-04:00

Did a little vanilla spinning last night and finished it up tonight. Just some Coopworth I've had hanging around for some time. I'm shooting for a worsted weight. Maybe it will become a bunch of mittens. I'm thinking I could dye skeins in several colors. Coopworth just seems "mitteny" to me. Not terribly soft, but not itchy.

When I first started spinning, around the turn of the century, I leaned towards natural colored fleeces and roving. I figured that I could always dye them if I got around to it, right? Lately, all I want is color, color and more color. So, from now on all plain, white fleeces, roving and top that remains will have a date with the dye vat. I have some gorgeous natural colored fleeces that are deep brown and silvery grey that I won't have to dye, but I just need some unnatural color in my life!

Today, DH and I went to Hobby Lobby. I bought some oil paints, for, tomorrow, I am going to attempt marbling paper. The oil paints I purchased will be mixed with mineral spirits to a cream-like consistency, floated upon a vat of water, and then manipulated into pleasing patterns with skewers and suchlike. The resulting masterpiece will then be transferred swiftly, but carefully, to a piece of drawing paper and hung on a line to dry. This is what is supposed to happen. What actually happens, however, will be documented tomorrow whether it be success or utter failure. I am hoping that the oils will float upon the water without having to prepare a sizing. I read somewhere on the web that you don't need a sizing when you use oils and I am counting on that because I really don't want to have to go to all that trouble, though, I know of one artist who uses one anyway. Hey, oil and water don't mix, right? Oh, I hope not!

GKAS Project Specs (and What's Next)

2008-08-23T22:19:00.004-04:00

The Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl specs:

Size: 62" in diameter

Yarn: Jojoland Harmony - Colorway 06
(I used 2 balls, plus a little more of a third. This is a cobweb weight yarn. The colors are spun in an ombre fashion where one color is mixed with the next before it changes completely into the next, like Noro.)

Needles: Knitpicks Options - Size 4
(I love the points on these. You also have the option of threading a lifeline through the tightening hole and drawing it through the stitches as you knit. I used it for drawing the crochet cotton through so I could stretch it out for photos.)

Pattern choices:
Clue 1: A
Clue 2: B
Clue 3: D
Clue 4: D
Clue 4.5: Doubled again. Clue 2/A Rows 1-16
Clue 5: Edging as written. 192 repeats!
(I was going to morph clue 2 A and B together for Clue 4.5 as an enlarging option. It was just too much for me though. I think if I had made Clue 4.5 wider, the diameter of the shawl would have been larger and my edging points would have had more room to be blocked out at a diagonal, instead of being pulled straighter down in long points as I had to block them. By that time, each row was well over a thousand stitches. There are 192 repeats of the edging.)

This is a great pattern and it was a lot of fun to do it as a mystery lace knit-a-long. I highly recommend trying a Goddess Knits KAL for yourself.

Check out the other beautiful patterns on her website.

So what to do after all the excitement it over? Well, after I knit a little bit with some heavier yarn to clear my head, I'm going to start another KAL!

The Mystery Stole 4 KAL! Yay! My first mystery lace KAL was the MS3, the Swan Lake stole. It turned out beautifully and had beads! This year stole will also feature beads. I've been trying to match up beads and yarn. Here are some photos. *Disclaimer*-These photos have not been through SAP, the Sister Approval Process. I couldn't decide which one I liked better of the top two so I put them both in, even though I am not using these beads.

When I bought these beads, they looked just perfect. They are matte, but have a rainbow effect coating on them. (Gnatly, what are these kinds of beads called?) They match the yarn perfectly, but too perfectly--they blend in and disappear. I didn't even try a swatch with them.

Pretty, with feather, no?
I was sad about this until I remembered that my mom had given me some beads many years ago. They were left over from when she made some gorgeous crochet beaded clutch purses. She made them when I was 5 or 6 years old! These are some old beads! She bought them when my dad was stationed in Okinawa. There are three different kinds on this swatch. From the top is clear turquoise, then cobalt, then black. They had a shiny rainbow/oil slick color surface coating. (What are these called, Knatly?)

Can you all see them well enough in this photo to help me choose? I was wondering if I could use them all, you know, start with the darkest ones on the ends and get lighter? Opinions, please!

GK Anniversary Shawl Photo Spread!

2008-08-22T10:45:00.005-04:00

Ta DA!

Okay, perhaps if I had stayed up a little later and checked my e-mail, I would have gotten the e-mail from my sister. Did I tell you I have the best sister in the world? She got on my Flickr, oh, about midnight, and left me humorous comments. These are her top picks. Thanks, Amy! I love you, man!

The next one won in the "roundness" category. Heh heh.

I am so happy to be finished with this beauty. I wore it around the house last night for fun. I need to go grocery shopping and do laundry as well as other mundane tasks right now. I may post again this evening to give project specs and talk a little about this shawl.

Finally Finished...And Yet...

2008-08-21T10:12:00.004-04:00

I have finally finished knitting and blocking the Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl! Yay! I will post pictures tomorrow. I was going to post some today, but someone...cough cough....my sister...cough cough...wasn't available to preview them on her normal computer screen (mine being abnormally dark and useless when you want to see what a photo really looks like).

To be fair, she did proof some of the blocking shawl this morning and she noticed that they didn't look exactly like the others that I posted before. Later, I realized that I had blocked the shawl purl side up! I had to flip it and take some more photos.

Heh heh. I called her back on her cell while she was getting her classroom ready for school to start next week. While she was pushing heavy furniture about I told her that she had a whole new slew of photos to review. Good thing she lives about five states away, heh heh. Nah! She's always been very patient with her baby sister, and of course she's a knitter herself so she understands.

Understands! Right Amy, my dearest, sweetest, beeg seester? You know how tortured I must be, sitting here not having any photos to post on my blog. I feel...I feel...so helpless! Like needles without yarn...an empty, felted vessel...a...a...

Why haven't you called me back!!! I'm gonna tell Mom!

"Um. Pass me the Kleenex, will ya?"

I Can't Feel My Arms

2008-07-15T22:12:00.003-04:00

Last week, my social calendar was filled to the brim, so in the past few days I've been playing catch up on the Anniversary Shawl KAL. First there was the visit from DH's parents. Haven't seen them in a while so it was great to catch up for several days. When they went back home, our friends from Texas arrived. Between company, girls' coffee outings and singing on another local radio station, there wasn't much time for knitting the shawl. In fact, I had only a few rows of Clue 4 done when Clue 5 came out. But, I finished Clue 4 today! Yay!

Here's a close up.

When I started knitting Clue 4, I wondered if I had made a mistake in choosing Chart D because it really didn't look like anything at first. It took several rows before the pattern became apparent, and several more rows before the pattern became pretty. Then, after several more, it became gorgeous.

I think I do want to take the option to make the shawl larger before starting the Clue 5 edging. I am considering different charts and combinations of charts. I just want another six inches all the way around, adding a foot to the diameter. Over a thousand stitches per row is rather daunting, though. I'm thinking that one of the earlier charts that don't have as many stitches per chart row repeat might be easier to fool with. That way I wouldn't have to keep such a close watch on the chart as I knit those looooong rows.

I went ahead and stretched it out on a string to measure it and photograph it. I know it seems like it might be, but it really isn't such a tedious thing to do. I just stick the crochet cotton through the little tightening hole in my Knitpicks needles and knit the last row, which draws the string through the last row of stitches automatically. It takes less time to put the stitches back onto the needle, than it takes to knit a row, so it's not that bad, really. I think it's the only way to get an accurate idea of how big the shawl is if you are concerned about the size, which I was for this shawl.

Here is the picture I keep staring at, trying to decide which pattern to use next. I wish it was big enough to stop here!

I See Skies of Blue

2008-07-03T22:15:00.004-04:00

It's been so beautiful around here, lately. It's July, but temperatures have been in the upper 70's, lower 80's, and not humid at all. All blue skies and fluffy, white clouds. Imagine the sky looks like this photo but without the weird pixelating going on. Strange.

Thank you for all the kind comments about my Anniversary Shawl. I am enjoying knitting it so much. It's been fun to communicate with knitters all over the world who are working on the same project. It's a great group of people. If you've left a comment and have a blog, be forwarned! I'm going to be visiting it soon to see what y'all are up to!

So, what have I been doing now that Clue 3 is finished? Did I go back and finish a few more snowflake backgrounds? No.

Did I work some more on the fabulous pattern that is the Heere Be Dragone Shawl? No.

Did I get a few more rows in on the wrap cardi, or any, ANY other UFO?

No. (Well, I did do a couple of rounds on a sock while riding in the Jeep).

Okay, I'm an idiot. I started a new lace project.

It's the Curved shawl from Victorian Lace Today. I have always been intrigued by the little Cheerios shapes and wanted to find out firsthand how they were made. This is the orange Jojoland Harmony that I bought to make a gift for my friend. I sneakily leafed through this book at lunch with her one day and she liked this pattern, too. I didn't even steer her towards it...much. Heh.

The cast-on was a real pain. It calls for a backwards loop cast-on. Auugh! Can I tell you how hard it is to knit the first row with this type of cast-on and cobweb weight yarn? But, boy is it stretchy. It's a four-row repeat with a lot of knit three togethers, but once you get going and have something to hang on to, it goes fairly quickly.

I will leave you with something else that is orange. Honestly, lately every time I want to take a photo of PH he looks like this. I swear it's not the same photo!

Clue 3, Finis!

2008-06-30T20:14:00.003-04:00

Here is Clue 3, D!

So, to recap, Clue 1 - A, Clue 2 - B, Clue 3 -D.

Phew! Time to get some rest. Next weeks clue is going to be huge!

Clue 3 Spoiler!

2008-06-29T19:34:00.004-04:00

Here's my Clue 3 up to where I am just starting Row 33. The yarn looks awfully bright on my screen. It's more muted in person. It's not stretched out to its fullest potential, but can you see the little leaf shapes, complete with stems? There are what look like to be flower shapes, too. These pictures are not the greatest.

Here's another one. Can you guess which Clue it is?

Clue 3 Is Up!

2008-06-28T12:05:00.000-04:00

Got it printed off. See ya!

Still Life While Waiting

2008-06-28T11:01:00.006-04:00

It was a lovely gray day, yesterday. We got a nice bit of rain, but we could use some more.

The Heere Be Dragones shawl went from this....

To this.

Hey, I just realised that in the first photo, it's backwards. Doesn't look like much progress, does it? Just a little more belly and wings.

I've been knitting on my wrap cardigan this morning while waiting for Clue 3 to appear on the Anniversary Shawl Yahoo page. I've also been vacuuming, listening to a Librivox reading of Robinson Crusoe and closely observing PH for more hobbitlike tendencies. I noticed that, both yesterday and today, he asked for elevensies.

PH has not forgiven me for the scary photo of him in yesterday's blog entry.

I've got the button!

2008-06-27T10:44:00.004-04:00

Here's the button I bought at the yarn shop. It was the absurd little bird head that compelled me to buy it. There is a definate Asian influence, don't you think? I'll have to find the perfect project for this little guy. He is resting on the inside of my Wrap cardi, which is coming along famously. Soon, I'll be ready to start the sleeves.

Here is one of those skirts that I made. It's a bit wrinkled in front because had been wearing it and driving in it. See the serging at the bottom? I wore it like that! I still haven't hemmed them!
But see, the white t-shirt balanced it out....

Tomorrow, the Anniversary Shawl Clue 3 is coming out, so today, besides some mundane chores, I am going to either work on the Green Dragon shawl or my lavender cardi. Somehow, I don't feel like snowflakes.

I've had hobbits on the brain this morning. I told my friend Linda that PH was having his second breakfast, and she thought that he sounded very hobbit-like. Well, come to think of it, he is short and has hairy toes. But, curly hair?

"Hobbitses? I'll show you hobbitses! My puuuuuuurrrrrecious!"

Where's Keety?

2008-06-25T22:22:00.004-04:00

There he is! After searching all over for PH this evening, we found him in a wire sliding shelf, in our closet. A cosy nest made of boxers!

New yarn! We went to Knoxville, yesterday, where I happily ended up at The Yarn Haven. It happened to be Sandy, the owner's, birthday and she gave everyone a birthday discount! She had a great party crown on that made her look a bit like the Statue of Liberty, and come to think of it, she was knitting an American flag! She, and Diane, who works there, were very nice. I got to hear a bit about the Yarn Marke at TNNA, and the trends in knitting fashion. They are also bringing in some new yarns. Louisa Harding and Mountain Colors are the two that stuck in my brain. I had a hard time making up my mind what to bring home with me, but I finally settled on just a few things. I bought another skein of Jojoland Harmony in a bright orange/yellow combination. Not for me (not my color), but to make something for a good friend here that loves bright colors. Then, since I have never knit with Malabrigo before, I decided on a single skein of their silk/wool blend in the color Azul Azul. Now, that is my color! There were some gorgeous blues at The Yarn Haven. Oh, shucks, I forgot to photograph a button that I bought. I had to have it. It made me chuckle. I put it up here tomorrow.

EEK! A Jojoland Jellyfish attacking a skein of yarn!

Well. I guess the bed is still more comfy than boxers. Look at those back feet. He always curls his toes!

Clue 2, I adore U!

2008-06-23T20:53:00.007-04:00

Here's my finished Clue 2! My laptop is still out of commission, so I am still looking at these photos on a dim pc monitor. I had to call my sister to look at them on Flickr and Ravelry, and had her choose which ones she thought looked best. Thanks, Amy!

Clue 1A Clue 2B

Here's another shot in different lighting.

I had another angle, but for some reason I am having problems uploading that one. It's been on my Ravelry page since last night, though. I'm Bereni on Ravelry. MaryAnne, you were right! I really like how the Jojoland Harmony looks. The color changes just melt into one another. I'm happy with my chart choices, as well. You just can't go wrong with this pattern. Every one that I've seen on Ravelry is more beautiful than the next.

So, the UPS man did come. He brought me the cord for my laptop, but it turns out that the cord is not the problem. Grrrr. Now, I have to take it to a computer repair guy. I did some research on the internet, and the most likely cause of the problem is supposed to be a quick repair. I sure hope it is. Sigh.

PH had a bad morning. He didn't keep it to himself. He had to share it with the rest of us. It being DH's day off, we tried to sleep in a little bit. This didn't sit well with 'ol Furpants. He wanted us up, and front and center, at his food dish. He tried everything. He huffed and puffed, he stomped on us, he yelled at the top of his kittylungs.

When he finally dragged me into the kitchen, I confronted him with a terrible truth. There was only a teaspoonful of canned food left in the fridge. He had to eat his dry food, but there were some treats, and he could have some of them, too.

The little, stubborn, stripey guy refused to believe me. He thought I was holding out on him, and he told me so in strident tones. I offered him salsa and some red beans and rice. He was insulted. I showed him my empty hands. The empty can. He just knew I was trying to pull the proverbial wool over his amber eyes. I tried reasoning with him. Heh. I reminded him that there was a time when he only ate dry food. No use.

Finally, not being able to stand the sight of me any longer, he demanded to be let outside. I imagined him looking for an unsuspecting skink to smack around, or worse, packing his cat toys into a little handkerchief, tying it to a stick and hitting the road.

When DH left to fill the Jeep up with gas, he announced that he would be bringing home some Brat Food, not cat food, and true to his word, he returned with the much prized Chicken and Gravy.

As soon as that lid was peeled away, I could feel peace seeping back into the household. The world was, again, spinning smoothly on its axis. PH was once again a charming and likeable fellow.

Here's proof.

Purrrrrrrrr....sigh.

Can you buy Chicken and Gravy by the case?

Oh Goddess Knits, My Brain is Torn Asunder!

2008-06-22T09:56:00.007-04:00

I think I've gone insane. This Anniversary Shawl is making me do crazy things. Clue 2 came out yesterday and, wham, bang, I printed it out. Now, here's where something inside my brain started to come loose. Instead of just looking at the four charts and saying, "Oh, that one looks nice, I think I'll go with B," or "I'll just close my eyes and point to one," or even "I'll just draw from a hat or flip a coin,"......I said, "Hmmm....I just can't choose from looking at these charts. I'll just put on some Jane Austen films and make a little swatch from each one." So I did. Here's the proof.

B and A

D and C

But it didn't stop there, because you can't really see what happens between the 12 stitches, you can imagine it, but you can't really see it! Heh heh, unless you hold a mirror up to them....

I am ashamed to say it got worse. I had to take pictures of them and put them on my computer and crop and cut and paste with the photo of my Clue 1 and change colors and grayscale, oh, it was awful, awful! You see, all of this, it made it so much worse. I found out that the patterns are all so beautiful that now I want to make them all! I want to try different combinations, different clue 1's and clue 2's, in different yarns and colors. Now, I am starting to dread clue 3! It's madness, I tell you, madness!

I had to stop to go sing at the radio station last night (which was so much fun) and came back too late to torture my brain anymore with decisions, so the whole thing started again this morning. I looked on Ravelry and saw some people had already chosen and finished their Clue 2's. They are all gorgeous. I think that no matter which charts you decide on, you are going to end up with an amazing looking shawl. Thank you Renee for such a great experience and pattern.....oh, and....um....the mental anguish and torture...as well....yep. No, just kidding about that last part, that's entirely my fault. I've always had problems with decisions.

I will tell you, though, I have narrowed it down to two charts. B and D. When combined with my swirl center, one chart increases the "blazing sun" look and the other reminds me more of mineral patterns or snowflake, maybe. Hot or cold? Organic growing things or crystalline metallicness? I think I am obsessed.

Okay, I am without vehicle today and am unable to get to church. I will make a pot of tea and choose. Yes, I...will...choose. Errgh! I think that right now, (Right now, I tell you!) I am going to get out my A-D stitch markers for Cat Bordhi socks and put them in a hat for next Saturday's clue! Let's see, B or D. B or D....B.....D.....B.....D.....bee...dee...beedee....beedee beedee beedee beedee...........

What a Hoot

2008-06-20T09:42:00.006-04:00

I'm waiting for the UPS man. The UPS man should be bringing me a box. In that box, should be a cord. That cord should, and it better, fit into the back of my laptop. We have been sans laptop for just a few days, but it seems like an eternity. You see, I usually use the laptop to update this blog, because the monitor on our pc is old and getting dim. In fact, I can't really tell how the photos (taken by a camera whose batteries are threatening to die at any moment, by the way) on the last several posts actually look on a non-old, dim, crusty monitor. So, I am waiting for the UPS man.

The Honda Hoot came to town yesterday. What is that, you ask? It's an annual event that the Honda company organizes for people who own Honda motorcycles. They've been coming to the Smokies for several years now, and stay in Knoxville. They come, by the thousands, from all over the country, to ride in this truly gorgeous area. They get to choose from several different activities over the course of four days. We're on the list. Around seven or eight hundred of them descended on our town at around 11:00 yesterday morning. They got to sight-see and partake of a big 'ol country dinner catered by the only "real" restaurant in town, which has the best food for miles around here. The town makes it into a mini festival for them, complete with local vendors, speakers from historic state and national parks, and demonstraters. That's me!

I had a good time, I met some very nice people, and got to share something I love with other people who were actually interested in what I was doing. I've heard other spinners say that they get more interest from men when they spin out in public. It's funny, but somwhat true. Though I had plenty of women stopping by, the men seemed to linger longer. They were interested in the mechanics of the wheel, what made what happen and each step it took to get from sheep to finished product. The women commented more about the softness of different fibers and how they wished they could spin or knit. I met a very nice father/daughter combo from California who were riding together on one bike. The daughter was a pretty, elfin-like girl, with pixie-like, dark hair and big eyes. She has leukemia and taught herself to knit from a book during a lengthy hospital stay. Some folks came back a couple of times to check on my progress (how full my bobbin was). One man came back and asked if I sold any of my skeins, because he thought handspun would make a nice gift for his mother back home, who is a knitter. I hadn't planned on it, but I managed to find a couple I could part with. It was really nice. I was set up next to a high school lad who was drawing caricatures. I didn't realize that they still made teenaged boys so nice! What a great kid. We helped each other out, and when I wasn't looking, he had drawn a caricature of me and hung it up behind him to advertise his business! Lucky for him it was cute and not unflattering.

So today, though I was thinking about dyeing some silk,I think the most I'm going to do is knit, spin and think about what to make for dinner, before I have to sing tonight. Yesterday, was leftovers of the totally countrified supper I made the night before. Soup beans, cornbread, cole slaw, fried chicken and fried green tomatoes! Yumm-ay! Tomorrow I have a leeetle gig at a leetle local radio station.

Oh, have you seen this? I saw it awhile back and thought it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It's a glass spinning wheel, in motion, on YouTube! Incredible!

Do kitties get the blues?

Ready for Clue Two!

2008-06-18T14:13:00.003-04:00

Here are the two different versions of Clue 1, Chart A, for the Anniversary Shawl. This is the one I am going with. This one is knit with size 4 needles.

This is the first one, which I frogged. It's knit with size 3 needles.

I believe that the frogged version is the way the designer actually meant it to be knit, but some folks, including me, are knitting it the other, more spirally, way. I think they are both pretty, but the spiral looks better in this ultra thin laceweight. I've seen some knit up in the orginal way using a slightly heavier laceweight and it looks really nice, like a chrysanthemum. Makes me want to knit them both! My spyrograph center reminds me of the sun. I can't wait to see what the Jojoland looks like when it starts to change colors. The colors just fade into each other. Very cool.

I forgot to mention that I did knit in public last Saturday. I took a sock to the Fireman's BBQ and knit after we sang. I have a GoKnit pouch in camoflauge for just such occasions as these! It even has a "don't shoot me orange" cord! Tomorrow, I'll be spinning and weaving in public. I'll be doing some demonstrations here in the Gap. Perhaps, I'd better get some sleep. ZZZzzz...

Into the Jojoland Mystery

2008-06-17T23:56:00.003-04:00

I stayed up too late re-knitting Clue 1 of the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl. Oh, but I like it much better. At least, that is what I think tonight. I'll look at it by the morning's light and see if it actually looks as good as I think it does. I'll post pictures of both my first and second attempt tomorrow. I used the circular crochet cast on that you can see performed here. It worked great with the extremely thin Jojoland Harmony. G'night!

Can't We All Just Knit-A-Long?

2008-06-16T21:45:00.005-04:00

As if I didn't have enough to knit, I've joined up with the Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl KAL. The first clue came out on Friday and I've just knit it up today. I'm using the Jojoland Harmony that I posted about here. I think the ombre color changes will work well with the circular construction of the shawl. The unique thing about the Anniversary Shawl pattern is that you get to pick from several different charts as you knit, so all of the shawls won't look alike when they are completed. My camera batteries have died. Photos will have to wait until tomorrow.

This is a picture of PH when he was very young. I think he is almost one year in this photo. Oh, yes, he's always been devastatingly handsome...and orange.

Knittin' in a Winter Wonderland

2008-06-13T22:13:00.002-04:00

I made the skirt from the pattern I bought with no help from PH, as you can see. I'm not taking a photo of the skirt until I find a white slip to wear under it. I didn't realize how sheer the fabric is. I still haven't hemmed the other two. But, I might hem one in the morning so I can wear it tomorrow. I'm singing at a Firemans' BBQ. It'll be bluegrass and Patsy Cline tomorrow. Hee hee.

Here's another snowflake. Are you sick of them yet?

I reknitted the one that had that big hole in it. This one looks right.

I got to visit with my friend, Linda, this evening! She's a talented spinner and weaver, and, she has the added distinction of being the first one to give Punkinhead, aka Kittysperk, the distinguished moniker of, PH. She knew him when he was just a little tyke.

Other than the snowflakes, I knitted a bit more on the wrap cardi today. It's a bit longer, that's all. I am finished increasing for the wrapped fronts and am into the home stretch for the body of the sweater. Then it will be onto the sleeves.

Boy, I'm tired. I guess I better take one of my unfinished socks to the BBQ tomorrow so I can knit in public. Snowflakes aren't suited for that kind of thing. I've been living dangerously and not using the point protectors that are recommended for knitting the flake backgrounds with 7 dpn's. I've been working them with four wooden and three metal needles. The metal ones have only slipped out a few times....

The Post With No Name

2008-06-11T09:50:00.005-04:00

More snowflakes! Here's one.

Here's another...

and all three with backgrounds!

The top snowflake in the pyramid is one that I thought I might have to reknit because I thought it might have been a little smaller, but after I realized how forgiving the backgrounds are (stretchy!) I decided to try with that flake, and it worked! I may try one of the biggest flakes next to see if they aren't too big!

Here is how far along I am with the Knitting Pure and Simple Wrap Cardigan. I'm adding a little waist shaping to make it nice and huggy.

I still haven't hemmed the two skirts that I made so I haven't taken any photos of them, yet. I did, however manage to find a skirt and dress pattern that I like, along with more fabric, when I went out shopping with my friend, Madge, yesterday. The skirt is a big, simple, circular one with NO zippers! Yay! I think I'll make that today. The dress is a pullover one with NO zippers! Yay!

I have been listening to knitting podcasts all morning, so I'm itching to work on something! I'll leave you with an embarassing picture of PH to get him back for the last post. It's a bit dark, but I think his face looks so funny!

Heh heh heh.

Cartoon Life

2008-06-08T22:01:00.003-04:00

PH: So, um, what's going on here?

Me: It's a photo shoot. I'm blocking a snowflake. Stay off the sheet, okay? No cats allowed.

PH: Cats? I see no cats. I am the world famous photo stylist and knitwear photographer, PH, and you are in desperate need of my help and expertise.

Me: Oh, brother!

PH: Look. Wrinkles! These must go. Holey sheet!

Me: What?!

PH: Those holes! What are they doing there?

Me: Well, there's this story that goes along with the holes, see. I thought it might make a cute entry for my blog.

PH: Cute, is for puppies and squirrels. Well, maybe not puppies. Here, give me that.

Me: Whoa! Whoa! Wait a minute! You can't just take my camera! Wait! You don't have thumbs!

PH: Oh, yeah? Who needs thumbs.

**SWIPE!**

PH: Now hold me up.

Me: Sigh...okay.

Me: Why does my life feel like a Garfield cartoon?

PH: Are you calling me fat?!

Seriously, folks. That is what a snowflake looks like with a background attached. I finished another one since this one and it is blocking right now on the same holey sheet. You know, even the backgrounds are fun to do. It's a little different for each flake, so you have to pay attention, but you don't get bored.

So, why does the sheet have two holes in it? Well, it was just the best costume ever! Okay, maybe not the best, but after PH forced me into giving it a big build up, now I feel a little dumb saying that I went to a party with this sheet over my head, with two holes cut in it for eyes, and declared myself the "Gingham Ghost". Spoooooky! Kind of Charlie Brownish. Hee hee hee! The best part I saved for last. It's a fitted sheet! Har har har! So, I'm cheap. It wasn't even my own sheet. Heh heh.

Well, now that I've cracked myself up, I'm going to sign off and knit another snowflake background and watch, Silverado, with DH. He's big into westerns. I'm getting kinda fond of them myself. Please, come back!

Snow Day in June!

2008-06-07T19:19:00.004-04:00

While the rest of the southeast United States is sweltering in the heat, it's snowing at my house!

Blocking snowflakes takes sooooooo many pins! I had to empty several pincushions and then used needles and safety pins, as well. I was eyeing the push pins when I discovered that the last snowflake to be blocked had a mistake in it.

See that big hole in the upper left corner? I'll have to re-knit this one.

There are two more that I am going to re-knit as well. Somehow, when I started knitting these, I made, two, using the wrong size needle. They are smaller than the rest. I hope I haven't overcompensated knitting the rest of them. I seem to always knit a little tighter than the writers of lace patterns. My shawls always end up a little smaller when blocked out. Usually, it's not a problem, but I have been conciously trying to loosen up on these snowflakes. I hope I haven't carried the "binding off loosely" too far. I imagine I'll find out when I start knitting the backgrounds.

They look cool, don't they? Sharon Winsauer is so talented. The flakes go fast and are fun to knit. I might have to make another one of these shawls. Maybe a scarf? We'll see if I change my tune after I begin the backgrounds. I'm going to start one tonight.

On another note, I did make two skirts! They turned out really cute, and they fit, although my zipper sewing skills leave much to be desired. I need to hem them first, and then I'll take some photos. I have fabric to make even more and more skirts. I am determined that this will be skirt summer and I will wear nothing but cute, breezy skirts!

Oh, here is my excuse for not making my bed this morning....

Good kitty.

Dropped Stitch Shawl

2008-06-05T09:20:00.004-04:00

It's fun to finish things! The Dropped Stitch Shawl is done, but not blocked. It really might not need to be, it's so stretchy and will probably grow on its own, but I think I'll probably do it anyway. It's a fun, free pattern by Knitpicks and you can download it here. I made it on really terrible, old, gray, plastic, size 8, circulars with a stiff cord. Bleah! (Love my Knitpicks Options!) The yarn is called, Twist, in the Broadway Lights colorway, which is a dark navy with lots of other colors running through it. It's the Knitpicks yarn called for in the pattern (on sale for $1.99) and it is made of cotton, viscose, acrylic and nylon.

It is a great, mindless travel project with an easily memorized 6 row repeat. I kept holding it up to look at the shape of it to make certain that I was on the side that I needed to increase a stitch, when I had a "duh" moment. Gee, dummy, if you just use a different stitch marker on each side instead of using two alike, for symmetrical beauty, you will always know where you need to increase or decrease. Thus, the simple project became simpler.

Here is the fun part. At the end, you get to unravel the five stitch border to make fringe! Just slip that needle out and...
tie each unraveled row in an overhand knot!
Oooooh! Unraveling!
See? Fringe! (I did this in the car while waiting for DH.)
Here it is.
I guess I'll get to blocking it sometime, but, right now, I have the urge to finish some skirts I've started making. I went shopping the other day and bought a couple of cute skirts that actually fit me. I managed to draft a pattern off of them and have set to making some more for the summer. I've also pulled out the snowflakes for the Winter Wonderland Shawl by Sharon Winsauer. Someone on Ravelry asked me a question about the construction, which prompted me to want to work on it some more. Oh, and just in the past couple of days I've foregone the wheel to spin a bit on my Kundert drop spindle. It spins so nice. Then, there's that book I just bound in leather as an experiment....

F.O.!

2008-05-30T22:28:00.003-04:00

I've been spinning. In fact, I spent an entire day at the wheel. You can ask PH.
PH: Yep.
This was the BFL that I dyed the other day. This is the only handspun that I could get a decent photo of. I'll have to try again with the others. I spun some purple mystery roving and some natural. Then, I decided to finish another UFO! The Lace Dream Stole!
I have yet to get a good photo of it in all its blocked glory. This will have to do for now.
I am now working on another UFO. The Dropstitch Shawl, a free Knitpicks pattern. It is going so fast. I'll be done with it very soon! Then, maybe I'll spin some more!
PH: Oh, joy.

A Bird in the Hand...

2008-05-21T22:55:00.003-04:00

Le Peacock!

Here's the Blue-Faced Leicester that I dyed after the shawl. I used the turquoise and poured in some royal blue and some violet. I am spinning it up now.
See?
This little monkey came home with DH today! More monkeys for me! My DH is such a sweetheart to surprise me and to think of adding to my great wall of ape. DH has been away on business for five days. Now you know how I accomplished so much and lived to blog about it! Between the knitting and spinning and dyeing, I've also been altering a dress pattern to fit and doing a bit, just a bit, of cleaning and hiking. Oh, and, Natalie, I have finally, just today, finished spinning the last of the "big blue ball"! Hooray! I think I'm getting a little tired of blue, although I love it. I have lots more wool to dye, so I think I'm going to try for some very different colorways. I may try to dye some fleece in different colors and card them up into heathers. Gotta get out my dye books!

Can a Bird Change Its Feathers?

2008-05-20T23:15:00.004-04:00

A peacock can! Here's a reminder of what the Peacock Feathers Shawl looked like in its natural, scariegated colorway. Ewwwwwe!

Prepare to be amazed!

I tried everything, but I couldn't get accurate shots of the dye swatches. The colors turned out so much deeper and more saturated than they look on the computer. They came out a deep teal, and intense, jewel-like royal blue and a dark, deep-sea turquoise. The teal came out the most monochromatic, probably because it was the same color as the darkest color already in the yarn. The royal blue swatch had subtle darker shades in it where the blue covered the teal, but it was mostly one color. The turquoise swatch had the most variations in it, but they were still so subtle that it just looked like it was a trick of the light. It seemed to almost glow.

Well, I decided to ask my trusty assistant, PH, to give me his opinion.

PH: Yeah, so what do you want me to do with these things?

Me: I just want you to give me your opinion. What color would you dye this shawl if it were yours?

PH: Look at me. I'm short, hairy and orange. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a cat. And, besides that, I'm a guy.

Me: I'll give you canned food.

PH: (SWIPE!) I like these two. Let's make a deal. Throw in some cat treats and I'll narrow it down to one.

In the end, we both decided on the same color. So, back to the laboratory....

That little enamel pot that I did the test swatches in was a great find. I found it in the camping section of Wall-eye World. It's a great size for small batches.

I tried to do some fancy calculations to try to get the same result with the much larger shawl that I did with the little swatch. It came out a bit lighter, so I let it cool a bit and took it out and mixed up another batch of dye. But, as I spread the shawl out and started looking at it in the sunlight, I started to really like it the way it was. The stripey variegation was gone and you could really see the lace pattern, but there was still some color variation. Very peacock. Well, have a look for yourself!

The photos still seem a bit light, but if you click on them and make them big, you can get an idea. When you see it in person, it looks like light playing over irridescent bird feathers. Only it's yarn! Heh. I like it. It's purdy. Oh, and, by the way, PH and I decided on turquoise.

Tomorrow, I'll post a picture of the roving I dyed with the second batch of dye that I didn't use. You know, I don't think I've ever posted about spinning on this blog. Well, I guess that'll have to change. Spinning, coming up sometime this week!

Success!

2008-05-20T01:16:00.003-04:00

The dye.
The complicated, scientific, heating apparatus.

The swatches.

I waited so long to post, now I'm too sleepy. It was a good day. More on these tomorrow and better pictures, too. I ran out of sunlight, you see.

Just Bootieful!

2008-05-18T23:20:00.006-04:00

I started a pair of baby booties last night. This morning, I finished them. They are a gift! They're made with Regia sock yarn, in what I call a baby-neutral colorway, which means it has so many colors in it that you could hurt your brain trying to decide whether they should be for a boy or a girl. I enjoyed knitting these, and I'm going to make more of them for some other new babies. I almost always have leftover sock yarn after knitting a pair of adult socks. The pattern is, Christine's Baby Booties, it's easily memorized, and you can find it here.

Here they are, resting on an UF(Q)O. Unfinished quilted Object. I think they're pretty cute. Oh, and one of the reasons that I chose this pattern was that they are supposed to be constructed in a way that makes them stay on better than most baby booties. A plus for moms with bouncing babies and kickers, I guess.

I searched for someone to model these lovely booties. PH was too busy catching up on some reading.

So...I perused the "Wall of Ape". It was like something out of Cinderella, but I found the perfect fit. She's an...um, attractive gorilla. Cough, cough. Actually looks like an old supervisor of mine.

Meet, Lily!

I think I may start an Ape of the Week. Maybe Simian Sunday?

Here's a close up. The booties are very stretchy and comfortably accommodate even Lily's hand-like feet.

I hope the new baby will enjoy them.

Preparing the Plumage

2008-05-17T19:24:00.007-04:00

I made some little swatches today for testing the overdye colors. The big one was the actual swatch for the knitting of the Peacock Feathers Shawl itself. I learned the value of swatching when I made the, Shetland Tea Shawl, the brown one at the top of the page, and it came out an entire foot smaller in diameter than it was supposed to. Needless to say, I hadn't swatched. Now, look, another advantage of swatching! Less work for me today! Now, why on Earth did I go through with knitting this shawl, in the first place, after looking at that swatch and seeing the scareigated lace, I have no idea. But, I think it will be a fun experiment, so I don't mind too much.

I've also pulled out another UFO. The Lace Dream Stole, from The Best of Knitter's Shawls and Scarves. I have less than six pattern repeats left to knit, but each repeat is thirty-two rows long. It is a beautiful pattern, Ostrich Plumes, but it is a huge stole and pretty dull to knit. I worked on that a bit today. It's going to be pretty in this fuzzy, pink mohair, a little scratchy, though. PH doesn't mind.

Lace Dream.

I leave you with a photo I took of the Tennessee state flower.

The wild iris. Pretty, no?

Another Post? So Soon?

2008-05-16T23:24:00.003-04:00

What do you think?

This is a comfy sock I made from Drooling-Over-Yarn-Laura's sock yarn in a colorway called "Something Unusual". As I suspected, the colors go great with jeans. Great dye job, Laura! I think I will call them my, Drooling Socks. The second one is nearly completed.

I know that the socks I "designed" are, really, extremely simple ones, just socks with cables running down the sides, but I was thinking that I might try to write it out, for practice. If I do that, would anyone give me feedback on whether or not the pattern makes sense and is easy to follow? Then, I can work towards something more complicated. Please, please, please?

I did finish knitting the Peacock Feathers Shawl in the scareigated yarn. Here it is in its shriveled and unblocked state.

Here's what I am going to do to salvage it. I am going to knit some simple swatches with the leftover yarn and overdye them with different shades of blue and blue-green. I have sapphire, turquoise, teal and navy, acid dyes. I'll post the swatches so you can see the results and help me make up my mind. It will be an experiment. I hope it works.

PH made a bird buddy! He and this morning dove entertained each other on and off for an entire afternoon. The dove would come to the window, look in and call, until PH would come running and join him. Then, they would just sit and stare at each other. They did this over and over. I found this friend much more enjoyable than the skink PH carried into the house the other day, and let go.

The Lure of Lace

2008-05-15T12:54:00.008-04:00

It's been so long since I've posted. Thanks to those of you that haven't given up on me and e-mailed. DH and I are settling in here and things are starting to feel normal again and not like I am on some extended vacation. For a time there was no knitting being done, though there was yarn buying, but I am making up for that, now.

I am in a state of finish-itis, which I suppose is better than being in a state of start-tis. But, perhaps, this finish-itis has come upon me because of the guilt I know I would feel if I let the start-itis that is lurking behind it come to the forefront before finishing some more ufo's! But, before I tell you what I'm working on, let me show you a few yarn acquisitions.

I had to find out what all the noise about Tofutsies was about. That was my first purchase. You can see it was around Easter time. This is from my new LYS in Knoxville.

On a trip to Lexington, I found some sock yarn for DH. He's a drab color kind of guy.

Back in Knoxville, I found some really gorgeous lace weight called Jojoland Harmony. The colors seem to blend like trekking in an ombre fashion. I can't wait to find the perfect lace pattern. I've seen some really pretty things people have made out of it on Ravelry. The other sparkly stuff was on sale. I know I'll find something to do with it one day.

So what have I been working on? I put away the wrap sweater for a little while, because I've been itching to work on some lace again. I made some progress on my Heere Be Dragone shawl.

I am actually, farther along than this photo shows. I've started the wings. This pattern is so much fun. Every part of the creature is made from a different textured lace stitch. I am not so much fond of dragons as I was interested in learning the techniques used in this kind of pictoral lace knitting. The horizontal stitch is my favorite thing I learned from this shawl and it's so useful.

I was almost tempted to use lifelines making this shawl, but being kind of lazy and never using them before, I've just been knitting happily (and sometimes frustratingly) along. I find fixing lace mistakes kind of fun and challenging, especially if you have to drop (on purpose or not on purpose) down some stitches to repair something a row or two down. What a weirdo! The most difficult thing for me is to remember while knitting this pattern is that on the even numbered rows you still have to pay close attention to the last charted row, because there are some stitches that have to be slipped and they are not marked on the even row.

Yesterday, I put this shawl (which I am calling, The Green Dragon, in honor of the tavern by the same name in, Hobbiton, from Tolkien's trilogy) aside in order to finish the Peacock Feathers Shawl that I started long ago. I am now on the border, and should be done with it tonight. This is that variegated mess that I will be over-dying in order to bring the gorgeous lace pattern back out to the forefront.

Next post, which will be very soon, maybe even tonight, I will show you what I have been up to with yarn purchased from Laura at Drooling Over Yarn.

Posting From the Gap

2008-04-01T23:06:00.006-04:00

Yay! It's great to hear from you guys! I have only 54 minutes to get this post up before it is no longer today, and I did say that I would post today! Can you believe that I have only been here for a couple of weeks and I have already bought yarn? In two states! In fact, I've already been to one yarn shop, twice! The closest yarn shop to me is in Knoxville, TN, which is at least an hour away. The other yarn shop that I went to is one that I used to go to in Lexington, KY. I'll show you pictures of my new stash acquisitions in my next post.

So much has been going on here since we arrived. The one thing that we wished would not have happened was that one of our very favorite people in the Gap passed away, suddenly, a week after we got here. Her name was, Minnie, she was a wonderful, feisty, eighty-six-year old lady. We will miss her so much, but we are so glad that we got to spend some time with her before she left us. I'll tell you more about Minnie in my next post, too.

In all other ways we have been happy and trying to settle in and unpack. Thanks to Feliway and Rescue Remedy, PH had a good car trip. Here he is, unsuspecting little fellow, before we left Williamsburg, VA.

This is what we found waiting in our apartment for us when we got to the Gap. Our awesome friends Madge and Bill somehow managed to sneak in sandwiches, drinks, snacks and other gifts for us, even for PH! This was a godsend for us, because we ended up rolling in at about 1 a.m. and needed some nourishment. We slept (Ha! I use the term loosely) on an air mattress that night and movers came the next morning, early, to unload the U-Haul.

So, we are now spending time, visiting friends and family, and settling in. And PH?

I think he's adjusting pretty well.

After all, this is where PH was born. He's a little TN mountain cat. Very ferocious!

Horton Hears a....Huh?

2008-03-31T22:29:00.002-04:00

We are here! We are here! We are heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere!!!!

~Whoville Whos

I will be posting tomorrow. No matter what.

Oh, My Aching, Packing Back!

2008-03-04T20:22:00.001-05:00

Hi, everyone! I haven't been very good at keeping up with my blog lately. Why? My husband and I are MOVING! Needless to say, we are packing, packing and, yes, more packing. We have left our jobs here and are going back to Cumberland Gap, TN, where we lived three years ago. It's been calling to us for some time now, and when we went back for a visit last October, that sort of clinched it right there. We have good friends, family and church there. It's the place where we've felt the most at home in our ten and a half years of marriage. I think that you'll enjoy hearing about life there in the Gap. It's one of the last "Mayberry's" left in the U.S. I think there was actually a magazine or newspaper article about it that said just that. Life seems to move a bit slower there than on the east coast of Virginia. My DH and I, we like it like that. The funny thing is that we are moving into the same place that we lived in three years ago. PH found us and adopted us there. Do you think that we'll wake up our first morning back and think that we've been dreaming all this time?

PH dreams.

Wrap Redux

2008-02-13T23:02:00.003-05:00

I've decided to frog and start the wrap cardi over in the smaller size. The fabric seems to be very stretchy in this yarn and I think it will also grow, due to the alpaca content. I consulted with my friend, Natalie, over the phone this evening, and she comes to the same concensus. She has made a hat using the Ultra Alpaca, so I bow to her experience, as well. So, if it doesn't come out well, I don't have only myself to blame. Makes me feel better. Heh.

I would show you a picture of my meager progress, but my camera batteries died. It is just as well. I only have a bit more than an inch done from the neck, down. This yarn is so soft and pretty!

Say It With Yarn

2008-02-11T22:49:00.000-05:00

Today was the day that I started a new project and entered it from "day one" on Ravelry. I even put today's date down and started a notes-diary section, like I wanted. You see, today I got to pick out Valentine's Day yarn! Yay! Today was our day off, so DH took me over to my LYS and let me pick out whatever I wanted. He's so great!

Well, look what I chose!
It's Berocco Ultra Alpaca in a heathery lavender shade. It's a very soft, worsted weight, 50/50, wool/alpaca blend. There is a generous 215 yards in each skein. I don't usually go for purple shades, but this one just jumped out at me. The next photo shows it more true to color on my monitor.
I have decided to make the Knitting Pure and Simple, Neck Down Wrap Around Cardigan. It's #263 on the linked page. I started it this afternoon, before I had to run off for a rehearsal, but now I'm wondering if I should make a different size. The size I started would give me about two inches of ease. The pattern says that it is designed to be close fitting. A size down would give me two inches of negative ease, (in my fattened state), although it is a wrap style cardigan, so does that matter as much? I am going to lengthen it a little and also add some waist shaping, as others have done on Ravelry.

Thanks, Laura and Jules, for the nice comments about Airy Wrap cardigan. I think it turned out better than I thought it would. Jules, it's funny that you mentioned the Central Park Hoodie, I have the yarn and pattern to make it, in red! I was really thinking that I might start that next, until the V-day shopping spree today. I also decided that I needed something simple to knit next week while sitting in some dull, lecture-type training classes. Heh heh. I will probably start the hoodie next.

It's been a busy week, here, and it's going to get busier. I missed S-n-B, last Thursday, which I was bummed about. I needed to get some things done for a friends bridal shower. It was held on Saturday and was such a good time. I haven't laughed so much in a long time. It was a lingerie party and my gift turned out to be a hit. The bride-to-be couldn't stop laughing. It was pretty funny and involved do-it-yourself iron-on transfers, an old map and white, lacey panties. Hmmm...I'll stop there. The wedding is this coming Saturday, with the rehearsal the night before. Should be loads of fun!

It's a Wrap!

2008-02-06T22:29:00.000-05:00

PH and I share a love for storms. He is the only cat I know that loves to sit outside, on the porch or under the car to listen to the thunder, and to watch the lightning and rain coming down. Tonight there is an incredible wind. After DH went upstairs to bed, PH and I took the laptop and went outside in the dark, on the back deck, where the windchimes were in constant motion and song.

It's been so warm the past couple of days that it feels like springtime. We've had the sliding patio door open so now the air in the house smells fresh as the outdoors.

Anyway, I stretched out on one of the benches that line the railing, with PH, sphinx-style, next to me. We could hear and feel the wind roaring through the trees. Leaves swirled by and caught the light as they danced past us. Through the wind and the music of the chimes, we could hear, every now and then, a bird saying something to comfort himself up in one of the trees, and we heard other noises that sounded like birds until I realized that it was the trees, themselves, creaking.

Then, I looked up.

It was surreal. The trees around our house are so tall and slim that they looked like palm trees swaying back and forth. Then I remembered how sandy the soil is around here and how some of the trees have very shallow root systems, how in the first summer we lived here a tree came down and stretched the whole length of the backyard, and how the house next door was flattened by six trees during a hurricane.

PH and I are listening to the windchimes from inside, now. The wind, itself, sounds like the ocean from where we are. We had been stretched out in front of the patio doors, but have since retired to the comfort of the couch--me on the couch, proper, and PH on the back of said couch, where he is pleasantly resting on top of my Airy Wrap-Around Sweater, after long since giving up kneading it to death.

Speaking of the finished Airy Wrap-Around Sweater from Fitted Knits, here it is!

It's really not that bad, in fact, it's kind of cute. Even DH humored me with some appreciative comments. I do think that I will like it much better after getting rid of the extra blubber that's been plaguing me lately. I swear it just snuck up on me! One day I looked in the mirror and went, "Auuggh! Where did that come from?!" It's got to go. Hey, this blog has helped me to finish three sweaters that were languishing, maybe it can help me slim down a bit, too? It's worth a shot.

Remember that I gave myself permission to start a new sweater after I finished these three? Now I have to decide which one will be next. Any suggestions for worsted weight? At the moment I'm all into cardis. Of course, I could still wait until I finish that Rabbit Ears Cardigan....

Airy Update

2008-02-05T22:37:00.000-05:00

This is how much help PH was while I was agonizing over whether or not to finish the Airy Wrap-Around. Actually, I should be glad that he is as disinterested in my knitting and in my yarn as he is. He hardly ever bothers me while I'm knitting, unless he just wants to climb into my lap. He doesn't chew on needles or yarn, or carry my things around the house. He's much more interested in birds and feathers.

I began by pinning Airy Wrap-Around out to block it, but it was hard to do it that way because of the length of the wrappy parts. So, eventually, I unpinned it and let it hang. It really didn't change all that much, maybe because of the acrylic content. I tried to stretch the back out a bit. I'll try to get a picture of it wrapped around me tomorrow. Oh, and I did get rid of all those leaves after I saw them in this picture!

Here's the Rabbit Ears Raglan. It's my own design. I wasn't sure how much yarn I had for the sleeves, so I made them short. However, I think I may have enough to make them three quarter length. I may put a band of the cable pattern where the sleeves end, now, and then extend the sleeves from there. I knitted the neck up into a scoopneck style and then frogged it back. I want it wider, more ballet-like. I think I'll put just a few buttons at the top. The yarn is a linen/wool blend. It has a nice, almost rustic, texture.

I spent some time tonight knitting a design swatch. It looks pretty cool so far, but I'm not tellin' what it is, until it's done. So there. Heh.

Another finished UFO!

2008-02-05T12:48:00.000-05:00

Ha! Bit the bullet and went ahead and finished the Airy Wrap-Around sweater. It's blocking now. We shall see....

Warts and All That

2008-02-04T22:03:00.000-05:00

Today was a shopping day for DH and I. We had to go to a specialty shop and get some of our favorite Irish teas, (Bewley's and Barry's), before we ran out. We drink a lot of tea. Next, we shopped for our friends' wedding in which we are both participating. I got some funny stuff for the bridal shower, as well. DH even suffered through a stop at an oriental grocery store with me. Well, actually, he waited in the jeep and played bluegrass music while I bought miso and other Japanese goodies. Then, we stopped and ate barbeque. Of course, I brought some mindless "car knitting"! I worked on a Kidsilk Haze scarf. Plain stockinette. I'm going to felt it with beads or hazelnuts so it will look all warty. Perhaps I'll go for "bubbles" or "berries", but most of these usually just turn out looking plain 'ol, warty. The color is gorgeous, though. It's a very saturated raspberry/cherry red. Delicious...and, yet...probably...still warty.

Egad!

St. Brigid! Check!

2008-02-03T22:08:00.000-05:00

Introducing, St. Brigid!!!

It's done! It's done, and what's more? It's finished!!! It feels so good! I took it over to Natalie's Super Bowl party and wove in all the ends, then, Jennifer took the pictures. (Well, I thought I wove in all the ends. We celebrated, and then I found one end that escaped my notice, so I wove it in and we had to celebrate all over again. Yay! Gotta love friends who will cheer for you twice like that.) Love the blue background. I look pretty happy, though I am unmakeupy and shiny. Don't really wear makeup much these days, anyway.

I think it turned out pretty well. The sleeves could be just a bit longer, but the overall length came out fine. I'm glad that I added the braid edging, it really helped the length. It finishes the somewhat unfinished looking edges, too.

Speaking of unfinished edges, I took a bagful of projects over to Natalie's tonight. See.

That pink, Cervinia Softer, is an almost completed Airy Wrap Around sweater from Fitted Knits. When I checked on Ravelry, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of people who have made this sweater that are thrilled with the results. I am vascillating between finishing and frogging. I tried it on at Natalie's and we found a way to tie it that seemed to look okay. It would mean that I could actually finish the last wrap-around tie right now and it would be done. However, only one side would actually wrap around my waist all the way. This eliminates the extra bulk, but I don't know.... The back of the sweater seems short, too. It's also strange that the back has all these lovely cables at the bottom, but they are completely covered up by the wrap-around part. I don't know how this yarn blocks out, either. It's fifty percent mohair and the other half is acrylic. Natalie suggested I take it to S-n-B on Thursday, and get some opinions. Maybe that's what I'll do. Perhaps, until then, I'll work on finishing a sweater that I designed that I'm calling the Rabbit Ears Raglan. I still feel like I need to finish some more things before I start on a new sweater.

Anyway, all in all, a great evening. DH and I had a wonderful time eating tons of delicious food and watching big screen TV. We were charmed and entertained by Natalie's beautiful little Abyssinian, Pixel. As Karl Childers would say, "No bigger than a squirrel. Mmm hmm." Plus, there was a special appearance by, Trooper, the usually, scaredy-cat, but also, ruggedly handsome, tabby boy. He was brave and sociable tonight. I snuck him some treats.

So, until tomorrow, when I shall post some progress on the next lucky UFO's hoping to become FO's!

Sleep Induced Poetry

2008-01-30T21:50:00.000-05:00

Got one cuff sewed on, and one grafted and ready to sew on. Sewed the neck on, then took it off. It was too big and did not lay at all right. Now I am too sleepy to continue. I'll have to finish on the morrow.

PH is staring at one of the baseboard heating units. Just staring.

Hey, how 'bout a haiku?

PH is staring.
Just staring at the baseboard.
Could it be a bug?

Okay,...I think I better go to bed. Sheesh!

Trekking Along

2008-01-29T22:41:00.001-05:00

Went ahead and finished these Trekking XXL socks tonight after the ball.

I like the ombre shading of the colors in this Trekking yarn. The colorway is 100 and I used Knitpicks Harmony dpn's. Nice needles.

The braid trim is all blocked and dry. I decided to go with the soak and squeeze method since I wasn't going to get to the sewing today. I made the pieces of trim extra long so as I sew them on, they can be frogged back to fit. I did provisional cast ons so I can graft them together. Tomorrow, I hope to have a finished St. Brigid to show you. It's about time, I think. This finishing your projects stuff is fun!

I Can See the Finish Line! (If I Squint)

2008-01-28T22:45:00.000-05:00

Well, I did get the cable trim done! Yay! I didn't get it done as early as I thought I would, though. Somehow, other things kept getting in the way. All pleasant things, though, like taking and uploading more pictures for Ravelry and talking to a friend in France. Altogether a pretty relaxing day off.

The trim is blocking right now. I hope that it will dry super quick because they are thin strips. I'm not sure if I'll get to attach it all tomorrow, because it's going to be a busy day at work and I'm going to a colonial ball tomorrow night. Hmmmm... I probably won't have time. However, I am determined to have it done by knitting night on Thursday.

I am really happy that this blog is fulfilling one of the purposes I had desired for it. Posting about finishing certain projects really gives me the incentive to get them done. It's helping! At this rate, I might just go ahead and finish the Airy Wrap-Around sweater this week.

I've also noticed something that I'd like to start doing on Ravelry. Some knitters use the note section of their specific projects like mini diary/journal entries to document their progress. I think that's a great idea. They date the entries, so you can keep track of when you were knittng on what. People always ask "how long did it take" to knit suchandsuch. I never know what to tell them because I have a tendency to put projects down for lengths of time while I work on something else for a bit. I think I'll give it a try with the next project I start. Hmmmm...which will be...what?

Sleepy, kneading cat says... "Let's go to bed!"

Shirttail Update

2008-01-28T10:25:00.000-05:00

Here's a squinty-faced photo of me at a library in my Sensational Shirttail. I didn't realize it was hanging a bit lopsided on me. DH took the photo and he doesn't pay much attention to stuff like that. But, see, how the sleeves are long enough for my monkey arms??!! It's so cosy, and I think it will be even better with buttons.

Here's a hanger shot:

So, now there is one sweater down, and I am almost done with another. I have all the braid edging done except for around the neck. I'm off today, so I think I'll be able to accomplish it this morning. I think I'll try to steam block the edging so it will dry faster and I can sew it on to the sweater sooner. Most of Alice Starmore's sweater patterns are older, boxy styles, and the St. Brigid is no exception. However, the cables are glorious! I'm going to try to give an update, here, later this evening.

Finished!

2008-01-23T00:26:00.000-05:00

Ha! The Sensational Shirttail is done! All it lacks is really cool buttons, which will be fun to shop for. Here is a not-so-good photo. Better one coming soon.

I think it fits perfectly. The sleeves are actually long on me! When you have monkey arms it is a pleasure to have sleeves that are on the long side. So cosy. I think that the Sensational Shirttail could achieve favorite status!

I think my increases (which form the shirttail) could have been better. I should have taken more time figuring out the best way to make them look neat. There are two rows of single crochet that finish the bottom edge of the sweater. I ripped it out a couple of times. I was getting a funny, flare effect. It still could use a little steaming, but it is much better. Overall, I think this is a great pattern and I'm very happy with the finished sweater. You know, it might look good with just some little i-cord ties in front. Hmmmm.

We have heat downstairs again! It has been nothing short of frigid for the past several days. It took some time, and at one point I overheard the two men working on it saying, "Oh no, uh oh......oh no.....oh no.....," followed by, "Ma'am, do you have a bucket?" But, eventually, it was fixed! The added bonus was that I got to stay home from work today and finish the sweater. They laughed about me deciding to knit a sweater because I had no heat.

It's late. Better go to bed. It's nice to go to bed feeling like I accomplished something today. Sweater done, heat working, even did some cleaning. Ah, what will tomorrow bring? Endless knitted braid for St. Brigid? Could be.

Winter's Here!

2008-01-21T22:22:00.000-05:00

Well, well, what do you know? Sometimes winter does make an appearance in tidewater Virginia. Look! This is the most snow I've seen in three years!

I was even fortunate enough to take part in an impromptu snowball fight after work the other day. Nice, wet, packing snow. Got a few good shots in, but got a face full, too. I've missed snows like this. At night it looks so magical with the moon making the winter landscape glow, and it smells so crisp and clean outside. When I used to live in Chicago, the snow would stay around for weeks, and it would turn dirty and black from the city traffic. This snow isn't like that. It will dissapear before we have a chance to get tired of it. Sigh.

Hey, remember when I said I was determined to get these sweaters done before starting another one? Well, I'm getting closer. The Sensational Shirttail is now blocked and ready to be sewn up! It's taking a bit longer to dry in the cold living room. I'm hoping to get a chance to work on this tomorrow. I've been knitting the cable trim for my St. Brigid sweater while the Shirttail's been blocking. It will be done in no time! I guess I might as well finish the Airy Wrap Around while I'm at it. Hmmm... what about the Grant Ave?

My friend Natalie told me about a group of knitters that meet in the cafe of a local grocery store on Thursdays. I've never gone out to a "stitch and bitch" type thing before, but have always wanted to, so I decided to join them last week, and I'm really glad that I did. There were four women there besides Natalie, and they were welcoming, witty and all-around fun to hang out and knit with. They didn't even mind me pulling out my camera and snapping this photo.

That's Jessica, Jenn, Christine, Kim and Natalie. I think I got them all right! I'm hoping to see them all again this Thursday. It was fun to see all the different projects they were working on, and if I hadn't have gone, I wouldn't have found out about the new Jane Austen remakes that are being aired on PBS! Now, I've seen the new Persuasion and the new Northanger Abbey! What fun!

Thanks for all the concern about my narsty face rot. It's gone now. It was actually more like a sunburn-type rash, so it wasn't too noticeable, just red, and itched like crazy. I'm convinced it was some kind of allergic reaction. I'm going to experiment and see if I can figure out exactly what caused it. My bets are still on the tomato juice.

Whine whine, scratch scratch....

2008-01-15T21:59:00.000-05:00

I have face rot!!! I think it is an allergic reaction to something I ate, or drank, rather. I had an awful lot of tomato juice in the span of a few days. It was organic juice, so I'm wondering if it was just more under-processed than, say, V-8? I have this terrible, itchy rash on the left side of my face, from the bottom of my cheek to my chin, plus, my inner ear itches, as well. I was sneezing a bunch, too. I think that it was a little better today. I've been taking Benadryl, but if it doesn't get much better tomorrow, I think I'll call the doc. It's just so weird, because I have never been bothered by allergies. Oh, now that I've been thinking about it, it is starting to itch again!!! Auugggh!!! Time to talk about something else....oh, yes, how about knitting?

Let's see... I'm pluggin' away on my Sensational Shirttail Cardigan. It's from Arans and Celtics-The Best of Knitter's Magazine. It's knit on 10 1/2's, and I'm using Reynolds Lopi in a grey heather. You've seen part of it in a previous post. I finished the right front and have started on the left. After that, I'll just have one sleeve to go. Huzzah! I tried to take some pictures of the finished front, but they turned out terribly, so I'll give you a look at another wip--my St. Brigid.

This sweater just needs a knitted braid neckline, and I think I'm going to knit braiding that goes around the bottom and the cuffs, as well. You would think that I would just get to it, don't you? Unfortunately, I am so easily distracted. But, I am determined that these two sweaters, and the Airy Wrap-around, will be the only ones I work on until they are complete. Even when tempted by something like this:

Knitted snowflakes! I hope to have a bunch of these adorning my Christmas tree next year. There are some really beautiful snowflakes in this book, and so very, very many....

It finally got cold here in Tidewater VA. Now, DH and I have realized that the heat isn't working too well downstairs. Upstairs, it's working overtime. Sigh.

Somehow, PH never seems to have trouble finding the warm spots.

Pucker Up, Primate!

2008-01-12T17:37:00.000-05:00

Okay, before we go any further you have to watch this YouTube video. I guess it's been out for a while, but I've just seen it for the first time, today. DH found it for me. Yep, he knows what I like. And now, I present to you, Kissing Monkeys (apes, really)!

I'll post some knitting related stuff tomorrow. I hope to knit up a storm in the next couple of days. Hope you enjoyed the video!

January? Hah!

2008-01-07T22:29:00.000-05:00

What is with this crazy weather? There was a definate whiff of spring in the air today, you know, that moist, waking earth smell. To tell the truth, it's not that unusual around here. During winter, the temperature bounces around like a bobble-headed Elvis in a rear view window. It never seems to get cold and stay that way, there is never more than 15 minutes of snow in a year, and in the summertime it is ten thousand degrees. Give me a place that has four distinct seasons! I want an autumn that arrives before December! I want to smell the delicious spring smells when it really is spring! Sigh.

The one thing that this weather has done for me is to make me feel like spring cleaning. Not just spring cleaning, but actually organizing and getting rid of junk that I have been holding on to for years. This time, I'm going to be ruthless. Must...de...clutter...must...give away...throw...out.... Except for stash! I'm hanging onto it all for now. I have noticed through this reorganization that my stash has grown substantially. Heh heh. I can picture myself upon my pile of yarn, wound around it, like Smaug the dragon, from, The Hobbit. Heh heh heh.

I've been working on finishing the Sensational Shirttail Cardigan and the St. Brigid. Here they are entwined around each other in a wooly embrace.

I'm working on the right front for the moment. I have the back done and one sleeve finished up to where you are supposed to start the sleeve cap. I've stopped there in case I want to lengthen the sleeves for my abnormally-long-monkey-arms. I want to make sure I have enough yarn to do it. I usually need to lengthen sleeves by at least an inch, if not more. I'm about 5'9", so I always have trouble finding clothes and patterns that are long enough in the arm and leg area.

Speaking of legs...

PH is a neverending source of entertainment to me!

Great 2008, Batman!

2008-01-03T23:01:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

There has been a little progress on the Shirttail Sweater. It knits up fast with Lopi yarn and size 10 1/2 needles. I have yet another sweater (actually more than one) that I am itching to start on, but I need to finish one or two before I can let myself. I have a teensy bit left to finish on the Airy Wrap-around cardigan. (I tend to stop right before I finish something). I just have a tiny bit left on the St. Brigid sweater, as well....

All right, here and now I pledge to finish these three sweaters before I start another (or three). Hmmm... could this be classified as a psuedo New Year's resolution of sorts? Not exactly, but something kinda, sorta? This doesn't include socks and shawls, of course, but maybe sweater for sweater, shawl for shawl, etc. Okay, knit for knit, finish something before starting another of its same ilk. I hereby declare it so!

Um. But, I reserve the right to fail miserably or, perhaps, come to my senses.

On a more positive note... I had a good time visiting with my family over the holidays, my dad enjoyed his gloves, and look!!!

He likes it! He really likes it!!! PH has been lounging in his Tiger Pi, every day, for hours! There is nothing like knowing that the recipient of your knitted item is happy and satisfied with your efforts and that he will get use and enjoyment from same.

Goodnight, Kitty.

Over the River and Through the Woods

2007-12-25T23:51:00.000-05:00

Hooray! A finished pair of fingerless gloves for my Dad! I'll be flying out to visit with my parents, siblings and their families tomorrow, (which is actually today since it is 12:30 am right now). At 86, you can still find my dad outside working with his hands, so I thought he might enjoy these. I used the Knucks pattern from Knitty, size 4 double points, and Queensland Collection Kathmandu DK, in color 409, a heathery, charcoal grey. It's merino, with a little silk and cashmere tossed in. I made the men's size, and ended up using a little more than an 147 yard ball. I'll have enough to make another, smaller pair with the rest of the second ball.

The pattern was great fun to knit, and very fast. You knit the little tubes for the fingers first, and then connect them all together and knit the rest, top down, adding the thumb tube at the appropriate moment.

Yes, that is a felted Kitty Pi as a backdrop.

PH posed with his fishing pole and pi.

The slightly mishapen pi. It felted a bit unevenly and it's a bit lumpy in the middle. Punkinhead has yet to get inside it since it's been felted.

He prefers to attack it from the outside. I'll put it in a cozy spot and wait.... I might make him a round, unfelted cushion for the inside that he can sink his "kneady" little paws into. My Christmas blessing? His lump is shrinking. I've been praying and praying. I sure love this little guy.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T23:44:00.000-05:00

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

My very own Kitty Pi bed, at last!

Tiger Pi Progress

2007-12-20T20:26:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, my friends and I had another fiber night at my house. The oh-so-creative Natalie and Jennifer were working on projects for a craft fair that they both do every year, so fabric and beads were also involved. PH moved into Natalie's bead box and staged a kitty bed protest. Because other cats are shown on blogs lounging in warm, soft, woolen kitty beds, he wanted to be pictured here in a sterile tupperware container, so everyone could see how deprived he was that he had no such luxury.

Never fear Kittysperk, there has been progress made on your Kitty Pi. You shall be snug and warm for Christmas. It's a big ol thing now. Looks like it could swallow up thirteen pound cats!

He felt a little better that night after Natalie let him wear one of her amazing necklace creations. He also commandeered my Shirt tail sweater in liu of a kitty pi.

My awesome fiber buddies came bearing gifts. 'Twas around my birthday time, you see. Natalie made me some stitch markers! See the little monkey sitting on a persimmon? She has seen the "wall of ape". No one can see the "wall of ape" and not be touched by it in some, um, really profound way. Heh. I love these stitch markers!

Jennifer gave me a little, felted sheep, which is now, as you see it, on my tree! It is even more adorable in person! Thank you guys! I love ya both!

Recently, my LYS acquired these tiny sock blockers. I have seen these on line, but when I saw them in "real life", I had to bring one home with me. No second sock syndrome with one of these babies!

Okay, has anyone listened to Lime and Violet, lately? I made a stamp....

And, a tad more knitting content to round out this post...some more snowflakes. They look pretty sad before they are blocked.

What's that they are resting on, you ask? A Fiber Trends felted beret pattern and some Brown Sheep and Galway, in bright "winter" colors. Tomorrow, I should be finished with PH's bed. I hope to get it felted as well. The little guy better use it!

The Making of a Housewife

2007-12-15T22:00:00.000-05:00

Here's some plied merino on my Kundert drop spindle. This is a fibery distraction so I can slip by you what I've really been working on for the past three days.

A house wife (sewing roll) and a scissors case. All done in 18th century style.

Here's the housewife opened up.

I need to add some finishing touches to the inside of this. If you make the pic big, you can see the pin cushion at the bottom with the wire-wrapped-headed brass pins, two pockets with the scissors, thread, beeswax and accessories, and a wool heart to hold needles. I still need to attach the heart and maybe do a little embroidery. I was thinking a little chain stitch around the pincushion. They are totally handstitched, made with linen fabric, wool and silk threads and the scissors case is bound in gold silk ribbon.

PH was sleeping on a hat, so I made good use of his angelic form. Goodnight knitting buddies!

Oh Yarn!

2007-12-12T19:19:00.000-05:00

I just went back to the last entry and played around with the photographs. I found out why some photos you could click on to make big and some you couldn't. It has to do with the way you move the pics around when you are composing on Blogger. From now on I aim to make every photo make-biggable, 'cause sometimes you just need to, you know? I also discovered some photo editing software on my laptop, so I've been having fun sprinkling captions into the photos of Kittysperk and the deer. Unfortunately, it's just 60 day free trial software and apparently the update is no longer available. Can anyone recommend good photo editing software that is easy to use?

The day that Punkinhead went hunting for deer is forever etched into my memory. I wish I had a video camera at the time. The photos I have were taken after he had made his big move. I was bustling about in the kitchen when I looked out the window to see my little orange guy actually leaping at this deer! His entire body was up in the air, front paws stretching out to nab his prey! He landed, short, and the deer bent her nose down to his face and sniffed him, then she went back to munching on the lawn. He sat and watched her for a long time and she looked back at him every once in a while. What a brave little guy!

Today we took PH to the vet. He's developed a large, moveable lump where he was vaccinated recently. I was looking about on the internet and found some information about VAS (vaccine associated sarcoma) and got concerned. He had a needle biopsy and the vet said that she found inflamed tissue and some bacteria, like it may be trying to develop into an abcess. She said perhaps some hairs or bacteria were introduced when the technician gave him his booster. So now he's taking antibiotics in catfood meatballs. I hope that is all that it is.

And now, for your viewing pleasure... I just happened to go to my LYS yesterday and came home with this!

Colinette Jitterbug and Noro sock yarn! Can't wait to dig into these beauties! The Noro looks right in the photo, but the Jitterbug is so much more vibrant in person. This photo does not show the subtle variations of the firey, glowing ruby color. It's much deeper and richer and even redder in person. No orangeyness at all. I had to get it after a lady in the knit shop pulled up her pantlegs to show one of the owners her freshly knitted socks. Of course all the rest of us knitters nearby had to stop and look too. They were gorgeous, absolutely jewel-like! She had knit them in some sort of vine lace pattern. I'm thinking that I will try my hand at designing a new pair of socks featuring this yarn. The Noro is, well, Noro-ish. Feels a little rough, just like Kureyon, only fingering weight. The colors are really nice. I'm thinking it will soften up a bit after it's washed. I do wonder how well it will wear, though. There is a warning on the label that says it is a single ply yarn and to wash it with extra care. Hmmmmm....

A funny thing happened when I walked into my LYS. One of the nice owners, Cathy, after greeting me, proceeded to ask me if my friend Natalie had called me that day. I, a bit puzzled, told her that, no, my dear friend Natalie had not, in fact, called me. Apparently, while I was at home minding my own business, my good, sweet, kind friend Natalie had gone to this self-same LYS and greedily nabbed some Noro sock yarn. Sock yarn that had just come in that morning! Then, after asking if I had been in yet, proceeded to gloat that she had beat me to the Noro! I think Cathy told me that she cackled, her eyes lit up with avaricious glee and she exclaimed something like, "Ha, ha! I got it first!", and went dancing out of the store clutching the Noro to her chest. Well, of course, then, I had to have some, too. So I calmly and carefully chose my ball of Noro sock yarn and piously payed for my modest purchases. Before I left, naturally, I had to ask,"So...um...what color did Natalie get?" Hee hee! Cathy looked it up on the computer for me. Can you believe it? We both ended up getting the same colorway!!

I was hoping to get it up on my blog before I talked to her, but as I was playing around on Ravelry last night, she popped up in an IM, and one of the first things she typed was, "I got Noro sock yarn!" So, I typed, "I got Noro sock yarn!" And what does my dear, sweet, uncompetitive friend (choke choke gag gag) reply? "What time did you get it?" Hee-larious! Naturally, I had to report her antics here on my blog. I had to have some consolation! We knitters are a rough crowd.

And, now, look what came in the mail today!

Is not this a gorgeous colorway? It's called Something Unusual, merino and bamboo, and it's from Drooling Over Yarn's etsy shop! I have been drooling over it for some time now and finally decided that the time was right. Now it is mine! It is even more beautiful in person. There are so many soft colors in it that all harmonize so well. Laura, I gasped when I opened the package. I am more than head over heels with it! Everyone else, go look at the new yarns she's dyed up in foresty colors!

Sooooo.....what do you do when you have new yarn? New yarn photo shoot!!

Hmmm...where can I find a model.... Must have rugged, natural good looks, since this is to be an outdoor shoot. Can't be too tall, or the yarn will be dwarfed and won't be featured prominently enough. Who's that there? There he is...could someone...hey, I said, could someone bring in the talent?

Good, now can you just make yourself comfortable right there? Yes, in that pile of dead leaves. Over to the left. No! Too far! That's it. Chin a little more to the right. Stop! Now, don't smile! No teeth. We're going for that upscale department store velour bath robe look. You know the one. Perfect! Wait! Wait a minute, there's one clump of fur sticking up right there. Make up!!! Hurry it up! We're losing the light!

Click! Click click! Flash!

Hold it! Just one more and I think we've got it!

Guess I got a little carried away.... Anyway, after a long, hard day, our hero, Punkinhead, did not, alas, get chicken. He got turkey and loved it! I roasted a turkey today, bigger than him. It was one of those turkeys that your workplace gives you in lieu of a Christmas bonus. It didn't even have the weight listed on the wrapping, so I had to pick up PH and then the turkey to guesstimate how much it weighed. PH is exactly 13 pounds. The turkey was much bigger. I see turkey soup looming in my near future....

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright...

2007-12-10T22:07:00.000-05:00

What do you do when you find this?

would help?

DH and I put up our Christmas tree the other night, and ever since then, Punkinhead has been sleeping in one of the empty ornament boxes, on top of all the crunchy wrapping paper. He looks so happy sleeping in there that I don't have the heart to put it away. Honestly, he has been there every night. So, I was thinking, perhaps, if I make him a comfy, woolen kittybed for Christmas I'll be able to store the ornaments for another year. He loves to sink his little, white, popcorn toes into all and sundry knitting projects I have scattered about, so I know he likes wool.

I've chosen kitty colors, plus some black tiger stripes because I also know the little guy fantasizes about being a BIG cat. How am I privy to his innermost, furry thoughts, you ask? Just look! It's plain as day.

"If I bring him down, we'll eat like kings!" Tiger, tiger burning bright...

...in the forests of the night. "Just a little closer...."

"Drat! Um. Pretty big up close. Yep. Move along, nothing to see here. Just your ordinary house cat. Ooo, what an interesting blade of grass!"

I'm knitting his felted kitty pi with doubled Lamb's Pride bulky so it'll be extra thick. Every tiger needs a soft, warm place to curl up in after a long, hard day of stalking.

Monkey Madness

2007-11-30T11:05:00.000-05:00

Okay, another confession to make...

Behold!

The Wall of Ape!

Yep, I like primates...monkeys...especially apes, you know... chimpanzees, orangutans, bonobos, gorillas.... I own several books involving ape language studies...Jane Goodall videos.... I have a very understanding husband. Heh.

Phew! I feel much better now that I got that off my chest.

Catchin' Up

2007-11-29T11:03:00.000-05:00

I've gotten some knitting done in the past couple of days! I was in a bit of a knitting slump after coming back from our vacation last month, but I'm starting to feel the knit again. Here are some before and after shots:

Here's the half-finished sock that I took on our trip. It came back looking pretty much the same, maybe just a teeny bit longer. But, after yesterday...

Lo and behold! One down and a toe to go! So, today, still feeling the mojo, I took a look at one of my WIP/UFO's. It's the, Sensational Shirtail cardigan, from Knitter's Arans and Celtics. My friend, Natalie, made one of these, and it is a gorgeous sweater in person. Here's how much I had done of the back.

I almost frogged this and started over because I thought the gauge was off, but I decided to keep on going because it looks like it will block to gauge. You can't really tell, but today, I knit half again as much and started the armhole shaping. It's a pretty quick knit in bulky Lopi.

And, recently, I started yet another project. I wanted a good, mindless knit for those times when you really need a good, mindless knit. I know you know what I mean. So, I picked up a bright, magenta ball of Kidsilk Haze and started a simple scarf that I am going to do the shibori thing to and felt it with beads or hazelnuts or very small rocks, etc.... Tiny rubber bands...heh heh...fun....

So, will I continue with these projects until I finish one or all of them? Hmmmm. I get sidetracked easily. Let's hope I finish something soon, before I start something else.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T22:12:00.000-05:00

*Caught, red-pawed, on the dining room table, and on a knitting magazine, to boot!!*

I can't believe I haven't posted since I've come back from our vacation. Boy, this blogging stuff is even tougher than I thought. But, now that I put just this much down, it should be so much easier the next time, right?

I've always had this problem, see. I'm embarrassed to say, but there are people that I've simply lost touch with because I'd let too much time elapse before I would answer their letter, or e-mail. The longer I let it go, the more I had to tell them to catch up on what was happening in my life, then it would all become overwhelming and I would put it off, again and again, because I didn't know how I was going to possibly write it all down in one letter. After awhile I felt it was too late, that I had somehow missed the opportunity and that, well, perhaps they would be angry with me by that time and I would have some kind of 'splainin to do. And, therefore, I am truly pathetic! Am I the only one in the world who has ever felt this way? Please leave me a comment if I'm not. I would feel much better.

Anyway, I need to remind myself that posting on a blog like this does not need to get overwhelming. I can reveal as little or as much of what is going on in my knitting, and my life in general, as I wish. I don't have to say everything all at once, but I do need to post more often. I am thankful that on this day of thanks, I have had this revelation.

I am also thankful for yarn, my sweet Kittysperk, and my wonderful DH. That's the short list, cause it's late.

Kitty is thankful for turkey and gravy!

My Old Kentucky Home....

2007-10-29T23:58:00.000-04:00

I'm going on vacation! DH and I are finally going back to Kentucky and Tennessee to see family and friends. I'll try to post from the road, but we'll see how that goes.... I'll be taking some travel knitting. I think I'll be making more snowflakes on this trip. Probably take some socks, as well. KittySperk will be staying here with kittysitters, Jennifer and Natalie! Here they are on one of our "fiber nights".

We were playing with my drumcarder. Just so they don't kill me for posting a picture of them without having them check it out first...

Humiliating picture of me! Yay! Drum carded Marge Simpson hair! Here, let me show you what Punkinhead is in for while we're gone....

Doesn't look like he likes them one bit, does it? Something tells me he's not going to miss us too much. He's sporting a ball-band dishcloth, by the way.

Bye!

Variegated Hell

2007-10-26T22:19:00.000-04:00

So, have you ever started a project, knowing full well that it was too intricate a pattern to show up in a variegated yarn, and yet you said to yourself, "Nah! It'll be alright?" Did you then work on said project for way too long, until there was no turning back, only to find that you were indeed right the first time, it looks like hell in the despicable variegated yarn you chose? Weeeelllll, then, you are not alone, for, I, despite the pricking in the back of my mind, did choose to knit the splendiforous, Peacock Shawl, in Turquoise Splendor Shimmer, from KnitPicks. Now, granted, in and of itself, this yarn is soft, lovely and truly shimmering with rich color. Oh, but paired with the complexity of the lace pattern which is the Peacock, it is as awkward as teats on a boar hog. Have a look yourself....

See what I mean? I am thinking that my only recourse is to overdye it. What do you think? Any suggestions? I believe that it is only the light bits that vex me so. Arrgh! I am almost to the last chart, too.

This brings me to one of the reasons why I started this blog. Confession time. I have the unfortunate habit of knitting full speed ahead on a project, until I see the finish line hovering close, then, suddenly, I lose interest and start another project that I think is more exciting at the moment. Hence, I have way too many UFO's, or more kindly, WIP's, in various stages of completion, some, so close to finished, it ain't funny! I have one sweater that is close to 10 years in the making!!! The shame!!!

Here's what I thought: If I started a blog, and posted photos of all of these projects, that maybe you all out there, would inspire/ridicule me into finishing them before all is lost. Then again, I may find out that there are many more like me out there, heh heh, like, I'm ok, you're ok....come to think of it, I have been looking around on Ravelry... heh heh heh....

So, anyway, if you have ever started a variegated project against your better judgement, like I was sayin' before. Have you, then, ever gone and done it again? Take a look.

This unrecognizable mess is supposed to be the Gothic Spires Socks by Cookie A.! I am frogging these back immediately! I started these with Lornas Laces (Embers colorway?). Beautiful yarn, but not for this project. If I'm going to put in all the extra effort with the wrapped stitches and all, I need to do it in a solid color yarn, so it will show. Let's hope I learn from my mistakes.

The sleep of someone who always finishes what he sets out to accomplish. Sigh.

New stuff!

2007-10-24T22:44:00.000-04:00

I picked this up at the Borders, yesterday, and DH got a couple more western dvd's for his collection. We watched the westerns, but I still haven't had the chance to delve into Laurie Perry's, aka Crazy Aunt Purl's, book, past the first few pages. I tell ya, I love her wit and Southern wisdom. She's also got some great little patterns in the back half of the book. I'll tell you more about them after I read the rest, but there are several I'd like to make.

I discovered Laurie's blog some time ago. It must have been almost a year after she started writing. I remember that I stayed up late, started from the beginning of her blog and read straight through it, devouring every entry. Her situation and witty/conversational writing style just captivated me. I can't wait to let y'all know what I think of her book.

We're going on vacation, soon, DH and I. We're going to go visit family and friends back in Kentucky and Tennessee, where we used to live. We've been out here in Southeastern VA for almost three years now, and it still doesn't feel like home. We haven't been back, since. I can't wait to go, but I'm afraid I won't want to return! Anyway, If I don't finish the book beforehand, I'll take it with me, and I will let you know what I think.

Stop the presses for a new taste sensation!!!!

Just got creative with the midnight snackin'. Ak-mak crackers, which are delicious, by the way, boursin cheese spread and grape tomatoes! I highly recommend this combination after a night of colonial dancing. Yep, that's what I've been up to.

And what else? More recyclable sweaters! Two 100% wool and one wool/cashmere blend (the red). I'll be burning up the niddy noddy soon.

Next post will have knitting content, I promise! I will let you in on all my knitting dilemma's. Stay tuned.... Oh, and look! My recycled angora yarn has been put to good use. Purrfect little Kitty pillows. He's so content, he's snoring! Good night all!

Sock Wars Casualty!

2007-10-23T18:17:00.000-04:00

I have finally met my demise. Look what I found in the mail, yesterday! Check out the awesome card.

Scar socks in the awesome colorway, Tidepool, dyed and knitted by none other than my assassin, Laura, from Drooling Over Yarn! After wrestling them away from Punkinhead...

... I put them on! Rich, gorgeous color! Buttery soft merino and shimmery bamboo! Comfy and squishy! I love the pooling on the left sock, especially. Aren't they lovely?

And, if that wasn't enough, beautiful, beaded stitch markers that match!

Thank you sooooo much, Laura! I love everything! I never thought I would be so happy to meet my demise! The rest of you, check out Laura's etsy store, where she has other gorgeous, one-of-a-kind yarn like this for sale. I've been doing some looking, myself. I do have a birthday coming up in exactly three weeks...heh...heh...heh....

You know, Sock Wars 2 is the first knitting exchange I've ever participated in. I've indulged in knit-a-longs, but never anything like this. I really had a great time, and I'm sure this won't be the last time I join in.

Hmmm...seems like the appropriate place to end this post, but I don't want to stop writing! I tell you what, I'll end this one, here, but I just might go right on ahead and start another! There are no rules here at KnitPox!

Mel's Stole

2007-10-18T23:51:00.000-04:00

My last, finished, knitted object was the Myrtle Leaf Stole from Victorian Lace Today. I made it especially for my friend Melanie, as a wedding gift. She is a beautiful, intelligent and talented person. Can I tell you how proud I was to see her wear this at her reception in New York. It looked incredible on her, with her gorgeous wedding gown. She has since gone back to France, where she lives with her new DH, who is a physicist, at CERN, in Switzerland. Miss you, Mel!

Win a Battle, Lose a War...

2007-10-17T23:11:00.000-04:00

Ahh, the socks, Scar. Innocent looking, aren't they?

They were sent off to their destination today, honing in on the kill. As they are nearing my victim, I am aware of another pair of socks, launched today, as well, approaching me quickly...silently...with grim purpose...to ensure my inevitable demise. I can't wait!

My assassin is Laura from, http://droolingoveryarn.blogspot.com/. She has an etsy shop, as well as her blog, and dyes beautiful yarn colorways. I'll be posting photos of the weapons of my destruction when they arrive. I'm so excited!

Punkinhead says: Rest in peace, Jess. Heh heh heh....

Sock Wars!

2007-10-14T21:59:00.000-04:00

I am working on my woolen weapon. Lookout, "J". Heh heh heh. I am not posting a picture of my arsenal, so the amount of my progress remains a secret. I am under a disadvantage, though. I work Friday nights and weekends! I am behind, but I am determined....

The pattern for Sock Wars is a really fun, fast knit. I am going to have to make more of these.

But, now, back to the war. Fix bayonets!

"J", will this be you?

Drat, that Karen! Even in a fiber coma she still looks great!

Virginia Fiber Fest

2007-10-11T00:06:00.000-04:00

This was the start of my post written yesterday. (Ha! Now two days ago!)

[It's supposed to be cooler tomorrow. Finally! I am out here on our deck, in the dark, with the stars, hoping to feel the chill air that is supposed to be moving in overnight. It is still not cool enough for me to want more than my short sleeved shirt, but, it's supposed to be coming. I am warm by nature anyway, but, I think it's cooler. It smells wonderful out here. I swear that I smell jasmine. Maybe someone has a night-blooming jasmine out here in the neighborhood somewhere. Do they bloom this late? (Ha! Yes, they do! I googled, and it seems they bloom several times before the first frost.) There is a delicious smell of late summer out here, earth, mixed with the scent of my shampoo, and a noticeable absence of mosquitoes. I hear insects and frogs.

I am in awe of bloggers that manage to post an entry every day. I really want to be one of them, but since I started this blog, I have been less than prolific. I have made excuses for myself. Work, projects, friends, Ravelry.... But, I know that everyone has busy lives. The bloggers that post every day have lives as busy as mine. I think they are just able to manage their time better. My last post intimated that I would explain why I decided to start a blog. It also intimated that I would post the next day. That didn't happen. I admit, I am a procrastinator.]

And, then...I promptly fell asleep...outside, on my deck, in the dark, with my laptop. My dh had gone to bed earlier. I might have been out there all night, if KittySperk hadn't been out there with me. I woke up with the little orange fellow on my lap, staring intently at my face. So, I saved what I had written and groggily stumbled away to bed.

Saturday, I went to the Virginia Fiber Fest at Montpelier. It was a hot and dusty day, very different from the mud fest of last year. I made the journey with three fiber fiends, I mean, friends, (Natalie, Jennifer and Karen), and we had our very own driver, (Jennifer's dh, Jim).

We had a great time. I've gone for the past three years and it seems that I always come home with an amazing bargain or something that I really wanted. The first year it was three Starmore books at an unbelievable price, last year it was a drum carder, and this year...

Look!

I came home with a Spriggs triangle loom! That's Natalie, Karen and I on our first trip to the car with our treasures, on Saturday. (This is where I fell asleep last night. So, I am just going to finish this quickly and post it before I succumb to the zzzz's again.)

By Wednesday, I had two new shawls, woven from my handspun. This one was woven from my first fleece that I spun up, oh, seven, eight years ago. It's lovely grey Romney wool.

The second one was from some pre-carded top and roving, with a little gaudy ladder yarn stuck in for fun. What a great way to use up handspun yarn. I can't really knit it up fast enough. With the tri-loom you get something wearable or giftable so quickly. I've been having a great time.

I am posting this before I fall asleep! I will try to finish what I set out to write, on the morrow. Of course...now Sock Wars have started....

Let it Snow!

2007-09-30T21:26:00.000-04:00

Oh, if it only would! We've had such a hot and humid summer this year, here in Southeast VA. I am ready for fall. We don't seem to get much in the way of winter here. I believe it snowed a total of fifteen minutes last year. So, I 've decided to make my own snow. It's the Winter Wonderland Shawl, a gorgeous pattern, designed by Sharon Winsauer. You can find it here:

http://www.thealpacayarnco.com/Suri%20Elegance%20Patterns.htm

The snowflakes are so much fun to knit. I think I'm addicted to them. I am on my fifth so far, and they are all so different that I know I won't lose interest. It's fun to block them as you go, because they're so small and easy to pin out. Once the snowflakes are knit (out of Glimmer Alpaca, so they have a little sparkle), you knit a hexagonal lace border "background" around each one, and then sew them all together. I'm using Jaggerspun Zephyr for the lace borders.

Well, I have been sucked into the happy vortex that is Ravelry. I've spent several hours tonight and last night setting up my notebook. It's coming along slowly. What a great tool! I think it's going to help me with one of the main reasons that I started this blog. I'll let you know what that is, tomorrow....

Back to Ravelry!

Oh Happy Day!

2007-09-28T22:35:00.000-04:00

I tell you, this was meant to be. After setting up my blog yesterday, I awoke this morning to find that I have been invited into Ravelry! Perfect timing. I am there as, Bereni, but haven't had much time to explore the site yet. I figured that I could easily get lost in it and then I would never get a post up on this blog tonight. Then I started getting distracted, anyway, by something called, Sock Wars. It is amazing how one site leads to another and another.... You know, I think I could get into killing someone softly, with socks.

Instead of a big, long introduction about myself, I think I'll just let things come as they will, and hopefully all the pieces will fall into place. I'll let you know this much up front. I am happily married, with no children, except for an incredibly personable orange tabby guy named Punkinhead (aka, PH, but he prefers to go by KittySperk, or just, plain Kitty). Here he is happily curled up in Daddy's arm.

Pssst! Let me show you what I've been up to. I took a little trip to some of the local thrift stores the other day. I came home with five sweaters. One heathered, sage green beauty was a blend of mostly cashmere, with some mohair added. Here it is taken apart and being unraveled!

Skeins of curly cashmere!

Washed and drying.

Four gorgeous, fat skeins of laceweight!

It was a large, man's sweater in almost new condition. The yarn was very easy to unravel and seems to be strong. The color reminds me of looking up at a sun-dappled forest canopy, so I'm thinking it may become the Forest Path Stole. I've been wanting to knit the FPS for a few years now, ever since it came out in IK, but could never decide on a yarn for it. Now I know why. This plain 'ol v-neck sweater (which cost me all of about four dollars, by the way), was somewhere waiting for me, dreaming of being transformed into precious, delicate lace. Heh heh. Score!

Zzzzzzzz

2007-09-27T23:02:00.000-04:00

Wow, what do you write in your first post on a new blog? Now, that I have it all set up, I am soooo sleeeepy.... I imagine that I will be adding and tweaking for some time to come. If anyone happens to stumble across my new, infant blog, I welcome you. Tomorrow, I will really post... tomorrow.... I will even include photos of what I've been up to... tomorrow... yes... tomor...zzzzzz