A Spinning Hopeful...

OK, so now I present to you my crappy stuff (along with my better stuff...) just for a compare and contrast. Remember, I'm not saying the better stuff is GREAT, but much better than the crappy stuff...



Which one is which, you may ask?...Oh, *that's a shame*!!! OK, the stuff on the left and center is the uneven, crappy stuff! The far right lays alot smoother, though not totally even.

I sure want a spinning wheel!

Well, this weekend was all about spinning. Whatever free time I had, I found myself drop spindling. I added to my fiber stash last week when I went to Carolina Homespun, which is probably what inspired me; adding to my fiber stash and realizing it has become a 'stash' (which I had tried to avoid over-developing since I am such a newbie spindler and don't spindle much and don't have a wheel...read: it takes a loooong time to get through an ounce of fiber!)

But...I am proud to say that I did get this spun...


Spinderella Thrums In 'Breeze'...

It looks good to my amateur eyes...but I have to say that I spun some of the roving from my Learn to Spin kit (i.e., the very first fiber I ever spun and still haven't used up...). I filled a spindle and had another bunch of single-ply I had spun a while back. Well, much to my shock, that stuff that had been sitting un-plyed absolutely mystified me! It was LUMPY! Uneven, crappy...the stuff I had spun before that one looked so much better, that I couldn't figure it out. I'm thinking now, that it must have been when I decided that I needed to try and figure out how to do slubby, uneven spinning. I just couldn't get it real thick and slubby, but I got it uneven enough to shock me when I now found and plied it! The other thing in the back of my mind was that I also may have been trying to do 'uneven' to see if something I read (about it all 'compensating' and evening out once plied) was true. Well, I don't have pics right now, but I'll post later and you can see the crappy stuff.

Like I said, it was a spinning focus this weekend and I had to dig into my grab bag that I got at Carolina Homespun and ended up leaving behind! I had to go back yesterday and pick it up...

Fun, huh? I'm going to randomly spin this stuff up and see how it turns out. Probably just stick to my newbie 2-plying. I just can't handle plying more than that since I can't figure out how to keep all the plies from twisting into each other and tangling. I don't have a Lazy Kate and I don't even know enough about plying to want to figure out the shoebox thing that REAL spinners have mentioned to me!

And here's some new stuff I ordered from Little Knits...some DK Alpaca ("Atacama") and some Viscose/Cotton chenille "Quellon" from Araucania Yarns.



So again, I am soooo wanting a spinning wheel! But-Sock Camp comes first! And no Stitches West for me this year, either! Oh well...I definitely see a wheel in my future. Just not near future. BTW, Morgaine reminded me they do lay-away...don't you just love our "helpful" spinning community...

Am I a follower or what?!

I, too, had to join up for Project Spectrum! Stilaholic Nartian is always so on top of things, so when I read her blog and saw her Project Spectrum stuff, I realized it was that time and I HAD to sign up! So here I am, but I don't plan on making it about what project I'm working on, so much as noticing the subject colors and how they interact with other colors.

Hmmm...maybe it would be a good time to pull out the dye and dye somd yarn, since I've yet to do that (other than "Kool Aide" dying yarn!

I collected a couple of pics that have blue in them and my goal for this blue/white/gray(?) study will be to try to do something fun adn crative with the pics using my new PhotoElements program.

Now, on to another bit of non-knitting...Just as there are quick-to-knit, ever so satisfying, "Look-I-got-something-done" projects that help to make us feel a sense of accomplishment, so it is with QUILTING!

Here, shown, is what I am calling my "Olivia Squared-It's All About Me" quilt. The blocks were cut and pieced in 2-3 class nights (remember, deduct time from the classes for eatting and chit-chatting...). This was sooooo quick! I finished piecing this quilt on Tuesday night.

It still needs borders and a backing (and, of course, the acutal quilting, but I will probably have someone else do the quilting for me...)



It got cropped horizontally, but you can get the idea. This was a super-quicky revision of it's parent, "Turning 20" (also, a quick-to-piece quilt, only more blocks...)

Nothing like the feeling of accomplishment to fire the motivation!

Yarn and Fiber Gluttony

I realized that I had forgotten that I had expanded my yarn substash even more! Here are the lovely Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport I purchased a while back...(Purple Iris, Desert Flowers, Vera colorways)


And some Claudia Handpainted I had forgotten about! (Stormy Days and Purple Earth)


A little food to show you because I thought this little star pasta looked so interesting:


And guess what I did today...? OK, besides attending a workshop, I got to go to Carolina Homespun and of course couldn't walk away empty-handed...I had to add to my SPINDLE collection! Check this one out:

a *square* whorl!!! It is a spindle from SpindleWood Co. The whorl is "Lignum Vitae" (Ironwood) and the shaft is Bloodwood. I just love this one!



And, of course, roving to go with it: Spinderella Midnight Lights and some Sage and Garnet merino to spin!

I definitely should NOT go to Stitches West this year since I'll be going to Sock Camp. I had a conversation with Morgaine (at Carolina Homespun) and another woman who was there having her test out her spindles. We decided it is torture and not being good to yourself to attend a Stitches West when you do not want nor intend to spend money. Besides, it is a small sacrifice since I instead will be attending Sock Camp.

I guess I should explain Sock Camp, since I hadn't done so earlier. I am a member of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club. I joined last year and am joining for this year.

Well, the most awesome ladies at Blue Moon decided to put together a Sock Camp (Camp Cockamamie, to be exact) exclusively for us members of 2006. It is a 3-day camp which will include 2 full days of classes with Cat Bordhi and the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McFee, as well as Tina Newton (awesome Dyer Extroidanaire of Blue Moon) and Kaci (the other Blue Moon Lady of Awesomeness!); oh-and a day of whale watching and other fun activities.

I decided I needed to go for it and splurge, so there you have it-I'm going!!! It's not until mid-April and I'm so excited to be a part of it!

Oh...and a last thing to share: I had a lovely lunch on Friday with a couple of good friends at the Beach Chalet. The weather was nice and sunny and made up for the rain and cold of the days before.

The picture looks gloomier than the day actually was. And you have to appreciate the detailing of the historic building it is in...



WOW! I'm Super Blog-Woman tonight!

Gray days...

I took these pics the same evening...Funny-they're all gray!

Thought I'd take yet another pic of my Marble Arches socks. Clearly one came out a bit smaller than the other, but after wearing them, guess what? I'm not frogging them! They stretched out and don't feel like a turnequet on my foot afterall, so I'm just not gonna re-do!





And see what I got to sit in the other night?...I'm usually behind the wheel, but DBF was driving and I thought, "gee-a non-knitting picture for my blog!" Admittedly, I'm not the best photographer, but I just need people to appreciate that they weren't sitting in this. OTOH...maybe you were there, too...? Yes, all the little red bright lights are tail lights and yes, we are all going the same direction!



And lookie what I got?...



You gotta check out Scout's Swag, only the most awesome scarf pin I've seen! OK, this and the Moving Mud one's I adore! Moving Mud has the bestest glass buttons and pins! A wonderful friend of mine got me a gift certificate for Scout's Swag and I just ordered some roving and sock yarn! I will have to show them off, once received.

Oh-and the "I don't know what these are gonna be" socks are progressing. I'm still not sure I like them-I'll have to wait til I get more of the pattern knit up.

Sometimes I get stuff done...

Ta-duh! Some socks! Cheater socks, really. Worsted weight and quick! Here are some Thujas I did using the Peruvian Highland Wool. And a toe-up version using the new Colinette handpainted (Cadenza-? something like that...)




And definitely the first one that I've gotten to the cuff. The heel is exactly where I have stopped with my Puck's Mischief socks. I just wasn't sure I was liking how they were coming out.

I have definitely decided that I LOVE this toe-up heel construction (heel flap, no stitches to pick up. I can't say I prefer toe-ups to cuff down, but definitely toe-up has advantages-the obvious being when you want to maximize your yarn but don't want to run out of yearn, either. But I must say I do not favor short-row heels. That said, I was seeking out patterns with this particular reversal of the heel flap, but done over the number of stitches I was using (in this case, 48). In the long-run, I doctored up the Knitty Wittershins pattern. It worked to my satisfaction and I am pleased to have a heel flap right where I like it! Nice not to pick up the stitches, either.

Now that I am somewhat versed on this, I think I am a big girl and can try and figure out the math for future variations of stitch counts...


And BTW, JFF, look what I bought to cook up? I think the bigger banana thing is a Plantain; how about the smaller above it? Yes, I am motivated to make a somewhat "traditional" Carribbean style dinner. This all started with my purchase of a can of "Cuban Black Beans" from Trader Joe's. So I guess I'm in a creative kind of mood today. I've got some Jerk Chicken marinating in the refridge and pepper oils on my fingers. Don't ever put your pepper oiled fingers to your eyes-it'll burn! Water and soap don't wash the oils off very well...milk did better, but there are still trace oils on my fingers (probably under the nails...)...this I know...

And, well...when in a creative mood, I'm always STARTING new stuff...this sock has no name and may never come to be...it's an experiment:


The yarn is Jitterbug by Colinette in Tuscany colorway. The photo color is rather faded and grayed-out compared to how lovely the color looks in person...


Well, I need to quit blathering on and get the kid ready for bed-back to school tomorrow!

A Little Calorimetry

So I knit up Knitty's Calorimetry...um, like 5 times so far with these results...



http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=344757566&size=m



I say 5 times and show you two pictures. That's because I knit the stupid thing several times before getting smart (after Stilaholic Nartian mentioned board talk on this pattern...) and FINALLY checking out chat boards for comments on this! Well, my checking confirmed that yes, this will knit up huge if you follow the pattern, as printed. (Note: I contacted the designer who said she has submitted changes to Knitty...) So actually, I have three-I conveniently forgot to post my third pic! So really, there were 5 attempts and one that will not be frogged (the red). I plan to frog the Noro one because now that I have altered the pattern, I'm not using as much yarn and like the reverse colors on the skein better! My first Calorimetry attempt (not shown) was using DK weight. I miscalculated my adjustments, but at the time didn't even realize the pattern was off...thus, a HUGELY HUGE Calorimetry in a lovely tweedy green gradation. I re-knit that first attempt to come to the realization that the pattern is WAY off! So the first one sits and will also be frogged.

The good thing: 1) this is a relatively quick and easy knit, 2) the striping helps keep my interest, 3) with the revisions, this will be even more quick and easy since there will be less stitches!...

So I have joined the oversized Calorimetry Club! I have to admit that even the red is bigger than I'd like, but I already sewed a button on and have worn it a few times. I'm lazy. I'll live...

Do pairs ever really match?

Get a load of this:



I can't BELIEVE how tight I was knitting at the end of my first sock!!! Believe me, I'm NOT frogging the first one to re-do; I'll live with them the way they are! I would actually consider it if it were not for the fact that looser stitches = more yarn=joining ends/splicing =I *don't* care to do that!!! So, this one I am finishing shall be my right foot sock; the other, my left foot sock. I am thinking I must have gotten into a rhythm in finishing the first sock and was knitting more on the tips of the needles. Oh well...

Well, here are some pics...

FINALLY, some pics! See if they turn out, though...I seriously need to fix this blog!

As you may or may not notice, I only earned a 1.0 GPA; I like to think of the 2 singles as a 'pair', so I guess I can stretch it and call it a 2.0!-lol!


My Rockin' Sock Club final shipment: Rare Gems and Mustang Sally!


And my latest purchases...(acutally, there is more STR, too...shall I post pics of those, too?...