A little bit of a flash back for you gals…I present you my Prince album. Yes, LP. Not just any LP but THE Purple Rain LP. It even has the poster inside. I HEART IT very much. This got played today while I exercised towards the 100 miles by April 1st.

After a night of drinking, swapping, eating, and chatting with the gals I felt I needed to work off the extra pounds.

Yarn Swap

The local DC knitters gathered last night to swap yarn, do some drinking, and knit. Here’s Ann, Erin, and Sarah the hostess.

And the pile just got bigger

And no one could tear themselves away from the yarn so the knitting was delayed…

And then the swapping ended and I got more yummyness

And the stash room got bigger

I would like to point out though that there’s more fiber than yarn. So obviously, I have more yarn to add to this pile. Now go check out Yarn Tales and see her yummy Angora rabbit and recent fiber accumulation.

I present you two green feet. My Pomatomus feet.

click image for larger pic

and upclose shot

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Pattern: Pomatomus from Knitty Winter 05 by Cookie A.

Yarn: Socks that Rock, “County Clare”, lightweight

Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm), one circular

Notes: This is a stretchy pattern that should be swatched but who has time! I started with 1s and went up to 2s. The first sock was knit top down as per pattern. The second was knit toe up with one less repeat and no pattern on foot. I loved the pattern! Very easy to memorize and loads of fun to knit. I highly recommend it.

Spinning news

I’ve finished about 3 ounces of the merino/cashmere blend I dyed in November. Here’s the beautiful bobbin:

I’ve been spinning this quite thin so I could have enough for a shawl. I will eventually have two bobbins full and then ply the two together.

Next project

I’ve started Kepler and have two arm bands, and the front band done. Wanna see?

Here’s the front band

And a close up

I’m using Green Mountain Spinnery’s Double Twist in Blueberry. I’m going to focus on this project and try to not get tempted into another sock. BUT. I tell ya my latest purchase (during holidays) of Schaefer Anne is calling my name. I. MUST. RESIST.

Up Next…possibly

After this sweater is done I’m thinking of knitting up some yummy baby camel yarn from School Products. I got enough for a long sleeve sweater. Here’s pic from their site:

I’m thinking of doing this pattern from Karabella. I just learned that the owner of School Products is also the Karabella founder.

Pattern: KK409

I leave you with the devil, aka Pikachu, sitting on our present from the MIL. She made a quilt depicting a photo we took on our last trip to Chile. The quilt is gorgeous! and I’m sure she would not find this funny but this is sooo Pikachu. Look at that face of defiance.

Ignore me I’m trying to consolidate my project list.

* Hats
** Natty
* Mittens
** Blue Blog’s Plaid Mitten
** Warmest Mittens
** Knitty’s Broad Street Mittens, errata
** More here
* Scarves
** Bejeweled scarf
** Multidirectional diagonal scarf
* Sweaters
** Ivy
** Kyoto
** Cycling aran
** Durrow
** Leo
** from Debbie Bliss
** another from DB
* Stole/Shawls
** Stole from Fiddlesticks Knitting
** Stole from Alison Knits
** Wrapped in a Hug Stole
* Bags
** FMB
Link to Flickr album of pattern photos

I was inspired by Erin’s recent post about wanderlust destinations and came up with my own list.

This by no means is complete just a short sampling:

1. Machu Pichu, Peru

2. Easter Island, Chile

3. Watch the Tour de France at Alpe d’Huez

4. A river ride through the Amazon

5. Cruise tour around Antartica

6. Seattle, Washington

7. Newfoundland, Canada

8. All of Alaska

9. Trekking through the mountains in Bhutan

10. Any part of Portugal

11. Any part of Turkey

12. Chiloe Island, Chile

Sorry people I dropped out of the blogosphere for a lil’ while. I’m back with loads on my mind and equally long lists of things to do. I’m really digging reading up everyone’s New Year’s resolutions and what they have or haven’t accomplished this past year. But before I start my own list and I need to bring you up to date with latest projects.

Here’s one bobbin packed full of 50/50 romney/mohair. This was a b$tch to spin. The roving was full of neps and lanolin which made it difficult to spin finely, but I did it! Now I need to spin the other 4 or so ounces and ply. Here’s a post talking about this purchase.

My So Called Scarf
Lovely pattern and even prettier yarn! I had a blast knitting this, nice and quick.

Details:
Yarn: Manos in 113 (Wildflowers), 2 skeins
Pattern: Sheep in the city
Needle: US 11 straight, bamboo

Lists for this year

There’s so much I want to accomplish this next year and hopefully I will. One thing that has been on my mind is global warming. I can’t stop thinking about how we’re ruining the most beautiful thing we as humans have…the EARTH. It’s hard for me to understand the ignorance and lack of understanding, but worse the lack of interest. The DH and I watched “An Inconvenient Truth” by Al Gore last night. I was in tears at the end, not because our way of life may change as a consequence but thinking about the death and destruction of animals, innocent animals. Whether you believe or not that the US is responsible for much of the problem, it just simply DOES NOT matter. The fact of the matter is this…the environment is changing much faster than it *should*, and we as humans are destroying the very thing that keeps us alive. Remember we need food, air, and water.

Part of this year’s resolution is to get as many people as possible to WATCH THIS MOVIE and ACT. Change your light bulbs, recycle, conserve energy, petition the government to change emission laws, etc. Just do something.

Ok, I’m done ranting and hopefully you will listen. Back to lists.

1. Spin up more of my stash. I can’t buy more fiber until MSWF. NOPE I can’t.

2. Knit from stash including from roving stash.

3. Keep better notes about projects, document the little things that add up to a lot.

4. Exercise. I’ve joined the 100 miles by April 1st. I’ve gotta get moving.

5. Change jobs

6. Move houses but not until above happens

7. Take a spinning class [Springwater has a class in February about drafting and plying]

8. Keep in touch with friends

9. Get rid of cable TV [done! accomplished this past week]

10. Read more. Watch more foreign films. Yes, both of these are related.

That’s it for now I’m sure I’ll add more before the month ends. I leave you with this happy cat.

Lobo, enjoying the day as usual

Blissfully happy next to me