Caturday

Saturday was a good day. Farmers market in the morning where I got some lovely tomatoes and onions and carrots and a pillow that my youngest wanted. Then fiber guild that I FINALLY went to after being invited a year ago. Then later I took the boys to the playground and I read while they played. It was a nice evening and a good day. And the sun was even redder than the picture shows.

Buzz

I'm spinning some organic merino right now. Working on a 3-ply. The fiber is the double fiber club from Spunky Eclectic in Twilight colorway. It was January's club fiber if I remember correctly. It's coming along nicely. The weight is coming out to about what I wanted. I had been only spinning bulky things on my wheel so I had to concentrate to spin something smaller. I also got a lazy kate to help with the plying and it really does help. It's not quite so green in real life. More teal and purple but it was night and dark.
Saturday I was working on hanging up clothes on the line to dry and I heard a buzz buzz. I look around warily. Buzz buzz. Looking for the bee or wasp. Buzz buzz. I realize it's following me and sounds muffled. Buzz buzz. Ack! It must be in my clothespin bag I have around my waist. Buzz buzz. I don't dare put my hand in there. Buzz buzz. Oh wait, it's in my pocket. It's my phone. D'oh!

Pagosa Fiber Festival

Last Saturday I traveled over the pass about 70 miles to go to the Pagosa Fiber Festival. It was a wonderful day with just a few sprinkles of rain. I took the boys with me and we walked around. There were many different vendors of wool and roving and yarn and spinning tools and books. The boys liked the animals the best. There were different kinds of sheep and goats and rabbits and llamas and alpacas. We watched a sheep-shearing demonstration. The man had been shearing sheep for 56 years and he was fast. I ended up buying some Australian merino(undyed) and some superwash dyed roving. On the way home we stopped at a malt shop and I had a huge sundae. It would have fed several people. I had no idea it was going to be so big. Set the diet back a gazillion years but it was a special occasion.

Spinning Wheel

After months of procrastination, I finally stained my wheel. It didn't take very long and it is a nice cherry wood color now. This picture really doesn't do it justice. Now I just need a lazy kate and one more bobbin and I'm set for a 3-ply project I've been thinking about. I have a couple pounds of fiber I need to spin.

Going along

Let this meeting now come to order. Any old business?
Socks from Knit Socks book. Completed and saved for Christmas gift, maybe.
Babette blanket, still working on it. It's looking good and will be nice if I ever get a couch.
The stole is where it was last time I mentioned it.
Road scarf, I'm still waiting to go to a real yarn store to get more Noro.
I've finished plying the wool and I've found a pattern to make a pillow cover so I think that will work nicely.
OK then, any new business?
I moved, more on that later.
I now have 3 kittens, more on that later.
I've knitted one pair of baby socks and am working another pair. No, I'm not pregnant.
I've also been spinning a bit.

I motion we adjourn.

More finishing

I finished the dishcloth (terribly difficult, I know) and I finished my own hat design and got it knitted up. I'm rather proud of it. I think I have someone test knitting it for me. Hopefully a couple someones. I'm afraid designing knitting is addictive. After the hat, that left me with only 2 things I was working on. Masonic lodge socks and the stole. So one night this week I was perusing a knitting stitches book again and POW. I had to start another hat. I think this one will be simpler but I'm using my handspun so you know it will be pretty. I think as my knitting skills improve, my designs will get more complicated. I just envision that someone will follow my path from beginning knitter to more accomplished knitter and have designs to try along the way.
I'm spinning some beautiful black merino wool top. It's 8 ounces worth, the most I've bought at one time. It's Louet and I bought it at Purls of Wisdom. Forgive me if I'm repeating myself, I'm too lazy to go back and look at my previous posts. This will be Masonic Lodge socks too I'm thinking. Hopefully 2 pair.
I also saw this tutorial and I really love the yarn colors. I need to take a class or something on combining colors. Other people can think of combinations I would never dream of.
Have a great weekend!

Finished

I finished the scarf and it looks beautiful. I'm going to try and bring some things I've finished next week for a photo shoot as she has a digital camera and I don't. Now to get rid of some more of the WIPs. You know I have some other things on my mind to start already. Some socks from my new sock book and finish spinning a couple things.
The good news is at the fiber festival I attended last weekend, I met a fiber farm person and she hosts the fiber guild. So I'm afraid I'll have to go. She seems to be a down to earth person and I think I'll enjoy it. A solid block of time to work on something (or 2 or 3 somethings) would be great.
Have a great weekend!

Updates

I've been reading past entries and I've left you hanging on several things so let me try and address them.
Monkey socks are finished. Gifted to dad since they came out huge.
Icelandic wool spinning is finished and plied. Destined to become a hat. Large dpn's purchased for just such a thing. And the hat is almost finished now. Veddy quick. It will satisfy your longings for an FO

I went to a lovely shop in Parker called Purls of Wisdom where I bought the giant dpns and a sock knitting book and some black merino fiber to spin spin spin. I love it. My first LYS shopping experience.

My life is trying to get back on track after recent and not so recent traumatic events that I won't go into here. Life is trying.

Progress

Well, I'm nearly finished with the sock that will match the sock with a hole in it. The second sock has a tiny hole so maybe if I knit about 10 more of these socks, the hole will eventually disappear. I'm knitting these with Socks that Rock mediumweight the Mudslide colorway. I love the yarn so it wasn't much of chore to reknit the second sock. I've also started some monkey socks with Regia sock yarn my sis bought me for Christmas. The pattern really isn't too hard and it's going pretty well. I tried to start a stole with my fancy Jaeger yarn but after 3 rows I already had 10 extra stitches so I pulled that out to retry it some other time. The pattern isn't too hard but I've never knit with such fine yarn and so I better really pay attention.
The real news is my Ashford spinning wheel is wonderful. I spun 4 ounces of Spunky club fiber from November. The yarn came out very nice and I'd like to make some mittens but I'm still looking for an easy pattern. Now, spinning time is battling with my homework time.
This Friday I'm singing a small solo in a Good Friday musical presentation at church so I've been practicing that every night now. I'll be nervous but it should go well.

Spinning wheel

My spinning wheel is here. I really like it. The idea that I can create something beautiful with a machine that doesn't run on electricity and will last forever if I take care of it is a great thing. It needs a little oiling and finishing and tightening up but it works and I love it. Last night my kids wanted to treadle while I drafted the wool in but that's ok. I want them to appreciate making things and skills that not that many people have.

Ack!

I look at my blog and there on the sidebar is spin it in Feb and knit it in March. Ack! I'm spinning a merino/bamboo blend from Spunky and even though it's only 2 ounces it's never ending. It seems like with the time I've spent, I'll be able to make a huge man sweater with this yarn. Well, maybe not. I like the blend. Very pretty. I'd show you if I had such a thing as a digital camera. What with homework and scholarships to apply for, who know if it will get spun.

New stuff

Well, here's my list for finished knitting/spinning things for 2007. (peer pressure to make a list, it is)

3 pairs socks
3 scarves (1 made with handspun)
1 hat (made with handspun)
1 headband

I'm halfway through another pair of sock and halfway through another headband(that I'm rapidly growing tired of knitting) and I started a hat yesterday because I wanted a hat. Not too bad a total for me considering everything else I do too.
I got great yarn for Christmas. 2 skeins of silk/wool and 2 skeins of Regia sock yarn. I don't have the first one in front of me so I can't conjure up the brand off the top of my head. The silk/wool I'm thinking of making into a scarf as soon as I get some Addi circular needles. The sock yarn I've decided today to try the Monkey socks.
I'm halfway through spinning some fiber from Spunky. The merino/bamboo colorway "Vineyard" and the superwash merino colorway "Amaryllis". I'm hoping hoping that I will get to order the fiber of the month again this month. I'm waiting to see how much I get back on my loans for classes this semester. I'm taking two classes and need books but I'm hoping to get at least $15 for new fiber. Oh, and $20 for a new spindle. My other one has developed a crack. Well, not developed. Ummm, kind of jammed between my leg and a doorway. My leg now has a bruise, the spindle has a massive crack in the shaft and the doorway has no damage to show. The spindle still spins, albeit heavier and kind of wobbly. But I'm *such* an experienced spinner it shouldn't....matter.....at......allllllll. Yeah, we'll see.

You spin me right round baby

This lovely stuff is my fiber of the month from Spunky Eclectic.

It's called Aspen, she said it reminded her of Colorado. I thought that was appropriate, seeing as I am in Colorado. It's a merino/tencel blend and I can spin it super skinny. I'm wanting to make a scarf with it when I'm done. So stay tuned. The spindle is a recent purchase from Spinsanity on the Etsy website. Purple with the moon and stars. I wanted it because it's lighter than the CD spindle I have. And of course, everyone wants new stuff.

This very blurry hat is the knitted toque I made from my second handspun. When I first made it I thought it would be too small. But I blocked it over a bowl and 'hey presto' it fits me. It's scratchy and I probably won't wear it but it's my very first knitted item from my handspun and does look nice (yuck photo nonwithstanding). Smile.
I have 6 more ounces of fiber on the way from Spunky and I'm rubbing my hands together greedily in anticipation. 4 ounces of wool and 2 ounces of a merino/bamboo blend. *ouch* Not so much rubbing please.
Take care.