August 2005 Archives

My checklist has begun...2 1/2 days to go...

• Knitting material - check
• Reading material - check
• iPod - check
• Toothbrush - check
• Money - check
• Clothes - check
• Travel guide - check
• Passport - check
• Flight details - check

Pheewwww! Now I just need to pack. While I'm away for two weeks I leave you with this photo:

A lovely box of fiber from the Silkworker. This is wool and silk in beautiful browns and pink. yummy stuff!!!!

I couldn't resist digging into it! I start spinning this right up and and have about half of the box to go.

See ya!

My beautiful angora/merino/silk roving is done! It's about 4.8 ounces but I have no idea how many yards...I can't find my wpi tool. This roving was prepared for me by Ohio Valley Natural Fibers. Very nice people.

So here's the skein:

And a close up:

I still have 2lbs of alpaca fleece to be processed but I'd like to try out a new vendor. If you guys know of someone, small business preferred, send on the info.

Thanks!

I'm done with seaming and felting the bunny.

Project details:

Pattern: Fiber Trends
Yarn: Cascade 220 and Jo Sharp Mohair
Needle: US 10 1/2

Now as you'll soon see from the photo his feet are a bit long and that's because I made the mistake of using Debbie Bliss Chunky Merino not knowing it wouldn't felt. I've had to cut out his pads and sew on some felt fabric. I'll soon be adding his nose and eyes.

Check him out

I've also started my Ruffles scarf using two colors of Cotton Fleece. This is the pattern from Scarf Style. I'll be switching to the second color after the first skein is done. Pretty, huh?

And last but not least I leave you with a photo of the Queen lounging around...do you see how she has claimed the futon?

He's not hopping just yet...see before seaming and felting:

Tomorrow you'll see him all done.

Spinning
Remember last Fall, when I bought that gorgeous cashmere angora fiber? Well, here it is processed and mixed with merino and silk. I'm spinning it up now and will be done soon. Projects? Hhmmm I'm thinking something lacey.

1. Idiot:: man
   
2. Rocket:: man
   
3. Liability:: she is
   
4. Harmless:: mice
   
5. Stringy:: yucky word
   
6. Theater:: house
   
7. Gwyneth:: who?
   
8. Use it or lose it:: brain
   
9. Sonic:: Youth
   
10. Pucker:: lemon
    

5 things I miss from childhood.

If you want to participate the chain-letter part works like this: remove the blog at #1 from the following list and bump every one up one place; add your blog's name in the #5 spot; just check to make sure the links are still attached if you copy and paste.

1. Sassy Stitchess
2. Stitch
3. Cooknknit
4. Wool Is Wonderful
5. Mimosa Knits

1. Hello Kitty store visits - This was almost a weekly visit where I got to spend a few bucks and get a freebie from the store! I loved it dearly. Somewhere along the line though I've lost my treats. :(

2. Summers at the pool - When I didn't care about sun damage, I spent every waking moment at the pool sunbathing and playing with my friends. We didn't have a care in the world! No duties, responsibilities, timelines, or aches and pains. Just wonderful.

3. Chile - My experience of being born there and raised in this wonderful country will forever be engraved into my brain. Life was simple, full of laughter, and surrounded by family. Love it!

4. & 5. - Repeat #3 and I would be set. Food from Chile, traveling down the coast to the beaches, learning how to knit and crochet, school, climate, people, customs, and more.

I'm cursing my sweater right now. After much debate and consultation with the expert, I've decided not to rip back my sleeves NOPE I'll be CUTTING them. Yup, you heard it here. Now wait don't run so fast outta here. The problem is the sleeves were knitting length wise not from top to bottom which makes ripping out impossible. I'll be tackling this surgery next week...I think. Maybe it will be a KH late night project.

In other news, I see I've promised to show you gals many things and haven't. For example, my jewelry and things I was going to sell off so that I could buy a spinning wheel. Well, the jewelry viewing is on hold until my site launches and DH said I didn't have to sell my belongings to buy the wheel. Pheeww...thank goodness. And yes, I've already bought it.

Speaking of spinning and fiber I wish I had a camera with me yesterday when I caught Pikachu aka el Diablo, eating my roving straight from the spinning wheel. Little rascal was so malicious about it, kept on looking at me as I chased him around the house. Do you think he liked it because it was mostly angora?

Projects update

Shawl - I've started the paisley repeats and have a ways to go. When I have something substantial to show you I'll post it.

Socks - I'm on the numbers and taking my time.

Bunny - I'm knitting another bunny that will be felted and given away at the end of the month. Pics soon I promise!

I couldn't help myself and cast on for "Ruffles" yesterday using Interlacements Montana. I knit about 5 inches worth and realized this yarn is not going to work! There's too much drape in the mohair/wool/silk combo, I really need something more stiff like the cotton that was used. Damn! I could use a wool/cotton mix but nothing too fancy. Back to the drawing board.

This is how I'm feeling right now:

Happy and sad at once. Happy for new yarn to purchase and sad for my pocketbook.

And yes, this is a Margaret Keane print/painting. I love her stuff.

1. Complexion:: not bad
   
2. Teach:: ing
   
3. Back to school:: traffic
   
4. Months:: till holidays
   
5. Nominate:: me
   
6. Favorite curse word:: too many to list
   
7. Concerned:: about nothing
   
8. Better:: what?
   
9. Escalate:: yelling
   
10. Unveil:: surprise
    

AAAhhhhhh, finally! The sweater is blocking after much tweaking. It turns out my gauge was off and my sleeves turned out five inches too long. Yikes! As you'll see from lovely picture it's peacefully resting waiting to dry.

Click on pic for larger image

I can't wait for it to dry and see if my shaping aka forcing has made a difference in shrinking the sleeves a bit.

Up Next
I've started DH's Tour de Lance socks and I'm eyeing the "Ruffles" pattern from Scarf Style for my Interlacements Montana purchase. I think the colors and texture would be loads of fun on this. I was also thinking of a Mobius scarf but would like a little spice for it. Don't know.

Any thoughts?

for pretty yarns. I had to pick this up at KH, it was on sale!!! One hank of Interlacements Montana:

(click on pics for larger image)

Best of all though Dolman is done and ready to be blocked and seamed! Yippeee!!! I can't wait to finish and start wearing it this fall.

And to celebrate this effort I've started my next lace project: Paisley Lace Shawl from Interweave Knits Spring 05. I'm using JaggerSpun Zephyr in Cinnabar aka dental floss according to Phyl-Phyl. This stuff is dreamy! Light and very soft.

Now for some color inspiration...my garden

Have a good weekend all!

1. Risks:: life
   
2. Abdominal:: pain
   
3. Radiant:: sunshine
   
4. The usual:: shit
   
5. Mix and match:: socks
   
6. Wireless:: tongue
   
7. Remedial:: work
   
8. Mile:: high
   
9. Long lost:: shoes
   
10. Only one:: love
    

On my last portion for Dolman and it's KILLING me. I said to myself "start an easy project" especially after that loooooonnnggg stole you knitted for your mother. And so I did and now I'm bored to death. I must finish this sweater so I can start some other lively projects.

In the meantime, to entertain you and me! Here's some pics, first it's my new Schacht spinning wheel...gorgeous, eh?