feeling a bit sheepish

think the pic says it all...big grin

2008-06-05T02:27:00.001-04:00

2007-12-24T21:38:00.000-05:00

hi there!

she who usually (well maybe used to!) writes on this blog is currently having a meltdown from having started WAYYYYY too many christmas projects to be able to have them finished by tomorrow, much the less having her gifts wrapped, so i was asked to come on and send you all her best wishes for your holiday season...

oh...and she claims she'll be back next year once she catches up a little ;-)

hohoho...merry christmas and a happy new year!

~SantaHedgie

i am not only a sheep....

2007-10-24T23:32:00.000-04:00

but apparently i'm also a POKEY sheep...

i suspect it's gonna be a long wait lol

edited 11/15, 1:04 am well whaddaya know?! didn't take nearly as long as i thought it might *grin*

thank you, sweet girl...

2007-10-24T02:29:00.000-04:00

for sharing a wee bit of your unconditional love with me for a little while...you are so much missed...

starting tonight....

2007-01-05T12:53:00.000-05:00

i have a perfect excuse for spinning at least once a week...

just my style of "group project"--no rules, just making a little time to do something i enjoy, once a week...

i think i can deal with that sort of 'hardship' ;-)

tonight is our monthly spinning night at the shop, and since i was given some incredibly lovely fiber for christmas (some of which can be seen in recent posts on the blog of the local colinette pusher and sneaky gift coordinator...yes, as a matter of fact i was spoiled rotten lol), i'm going to be hauling the wheel out to start the spinning year out on a great note. if i produce anything worth mentioning, i'll try and post photos...

i suppose this year i should resolve to blog more often? ;-)

playing catch up

2006-12-05T15:10:00.000-05:00

sheesh...nothing like letting time get away from me and forgetting to post here...even the crickets had given up hope :-(

during the last two weeks of november (and continuing, as i'm not quite finished with the projects i started *sigh*) i've mostly been working on my

projects...not nearly as many as some folks have been able to do, but then again that sort of competition was NOT the point...it's simply to think of and knit for others for at least a few weeks out of the year.

per usual, click images to enlarge...the buttons, however, are linked back to their respective sites

1) for

a set of mittens and hat for little 'uns requested from my LYS's charity knitters by a local group. the mittens are finished, but the hat obviously needs a bit of work yet...it's just little though, so it won't take long :-)

2) for

one down, ~~at least~~ four more to go :-)

3) for

one not quite finished red(ish) scarf...it looks too narrow but will block open more (i hope)...more details on this when it's finished! (note: i can't decide whether or not this needs fringe...any opinions out there?)

and last but hardly least...for

some mittens (modified slightly from my gran's ancient mitten pattern) to warm chilly fingers in new york...these won't take long to finish either (missing are one thumb and 2/3 of a popsicle-colored mitt)...hopefully the colors won't be too wild! ;-)

back soon...i've got other goodies to show off ;-)

2006-11-02T14:32:00.000-05:00

warming up the dutchicans sparticans ;-)

2006-11-02T01:57:00.000-05:00

big surprise--my socks are once again "on hold" (although there has been some minimal progress)...but for a change, i had a very good reason to procrastinate:

don't you agree? :-)

*will edit post with yarn details when i ~~remember where i hid the ball bands~~ get a chance*

on my toes...

2006-10-16T02:40:00.000-04:00

apparently the colder weather has me thinking sockage...and this time for ME! (i have more sock yarn ~~than a centipede could use~~ than i'll use in a lifetime, but i've never actually managed to make myself a pair...about time i did!)

cliquez pour rendre des images plus grandes svp ;-)

these are destined to be a pair of footies (if i don't run out of yarn eep!)...i'm test-knitting one of susie's new yarns/colorways, "Blustery Day" (scroll down to see the skein or try her etsy shop for another pic)
i'm liking this yarn very much (both the yarn itself and the way the colors are playing out) but it does take a while to make much visible progress (sorry susie!)...2.0 mm (size 0 Addis) needles and 10sts/inch! at least i'm doing both at the same time...no SSS for me thank you! ;-)
the little red spots are my ladybug stitch markers, made 'specially for me :-) by Suann at the shop (she's also made special sets for ovarian and breast cancer awareness, the proceeds of which are being donated to cancer research--pretty sure both types are still available--contact rob if you're interested!)

the second pair is being made from the yarn shown in my last post...it's Interlacements' "Toasty Toes" in what i believe is the African Violets colorway...just what i needed to counteract the snowfall that numbed my tootsies! yes the snow melted the next day, but i was already ~~to be~~ committed ;-)
the ever-so-pretty stitch marker is one i picked up yesterday at ThreadBear's vendor show...it was made by Rebecca at Waters Edge Jewelry. i was happy learning she was going to be at the vendor show, as i really like her work--i got some sheepy markers from her last year and oddly enough my flock has increased...good thing they don't eat much! ;-)

i'm kind of playing the design/pattern by ear--the instep is 3x1 rib, to be expanded to the entire sock once i'm past the heel (which i think will be short-rowed). this yarn is also very nice to work with, soft and warm...i should be able to wear these with my birks (assuming i finish them before august 2010 lol). being on 3.75mm (size 5 Addis) and 6sts/inch, this is going just a wee bit faster than the other pair...i'll set up the second sock shortly so i can do both of these at once too...just wanted to see how the pattern looked before i started the other.

both sets of socks are being done toe-up (obviously? lol)--and i'm really loving this cast-on! it's simple, it works VERY well, is completely seamless, and by using make-one's versus short-rowing, eliminates the need for wrapping stitches and fretting about holes :-) i have a suspicion this may well end up being my favorite way to begin toe-up socks!

back to knitting...my feets are cold ;-)

if you seek a pleasant peninsula...**

2006-10-12T18:41:00.000-04:00

but you're not all that keen on snow...you might want to consider Florida just now!

it's been coming down like crazy on and off all day...

no those are NOT spots on the lens...they're snowflakes!

and it's STICKING!

TOO EARLY!

(think this is the first time i've seen a burning bush extinguished by snow)

i gotta warm up...knitting meself some new socks might help...this should do nicely don't you think?

(though with my track record they won't be done til 2010 lol)

**based on the michigan state motto Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circumspice; "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you"

aaaaaiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeee!

2006-10-11T01:41:00.000-04:00

i'll be the first to admit that i (mostly) enjoy the changing weather here...but i am SOOOOOOOOO not ready for this yet!

(attempted return to more regular blogging is expected to occur soon...thanks for sticking around!)

2006-09-25T13:40:00.000-04:00

we remember still...

2006-09-11T10:54:00.000-04:00

"...look to the rainbow..."**

2006-09-06T02:41:00.000-04:00

this is worth an upsizing click...at least imho ;-)

i spotted this tuesday evening and didn't think it would stay around until i could get outside with the camera...fortunately i was wrong!

i can't remember the last time i saw a rainbow that was this clear...i'm not sure why, but around here they don't usually show up so nicely, and double ones are rare (the second 'bow' is to the right of the brighter one...it's easier to see in the larger photo). i think it stayed around for fifteen minutes or so, until clouds re-covered the sun...a temporary side-effect of the thunderstorms that had been popping up all afternoon.

a photo is never as good as reality...but this isn't too far off...and it'll help remind me of how lovely it was to watch...

**not the greatest title, but saturday night's viewing of Finian's Rainbow (and the resultant hilarity lol...you had to be there) is still fresh in my so-called mind ;-)

final(?) Le Tour update (part 1)

2006-07-28T23:44:00.000-04:00

warning: this is going to be a photo-heavy, spinning-themed post...if'n this isn't your cup of tea, you may wish to move along ;-)
warning the second: i apparently have run out of space on my webpage (EEK) for photo storage so i'm using my photobucket account again...please let me know if you have any problems seeing or accessing the pictures...thanks :-)

since i completed my Le Tour de Fleece goal, minimal though it was (all i committed to was spinning at least once a day), i think i qualified to post this :-)

proof:
per usual, click to get full sized photos

the finished "daphne" yarn...it seems that i didn't get a decent shot of this skeined up, so you get the close up version. it turned out very 'barberpole-y' (which doesn't bother me in the least because i like that effect lol), there isn't much of it (maybe 25 yards), it's a bit uneven and over plied, but i'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

relying on the kindness of spinners:

my next spinning project was aided by Michele, who was in my beginners' spinning class, and is a pretty special person. she knows i don't get to attend fiber events, so she always shares the experiences she has with me...sometimes in very dramatic fashion.

i saw her at threadbear on the 1st, where she reminded me about Convergence 2006, a local (well sorta...it was in Grand Rapids, on the west side of the state) event that i'd totally forgotten about. after telling me a bit about it, she handed me a tissue paper-wrapped bundle and told me to look...

and inside was a lovely purpleheart spindle, made by Jim Hokett of Hokett Would Work (no link found...if anyone knows of one, please let me know?), who also made the commemorative wood pieces available at Convergence. i spun it a little (she'd put some practice wool on it for testing purposes)...nice balance, admired it (have i mentioned i love purple? not to mention purpleheart?) and handed it back to her...

or tried to...she wouldn't take it.

she said it was my 'souvenir' of Convergence

isn't it purdy?

it seemed only appropriate to me that i 'christen' it by using the 100s merino top 'souvenir' she brought me from last year's Michigan Fiber Fest (iamnotworthyiamnotworthy!)...

amazingly enough (at least to me!), despite its weight (it's a bit heavier than my other spindles...i haven't weighed it yet but i'm guessing around 2 oz or more) i was spinning laceweight...not only laceweight but nearly FROGHAIR!

i quit counting wraps when i hit 48 and hadn't gotten to an inch yet
would it still be laceweight if i plied it back on itself?

yup *big cheesy grin* 36 wpi (approximately) *happyhappyjoyjoy*

again, there isn't much of this (20-25 yards i think) but the potential is there to be able to replicate it...and i've still got lots of the merino left...thank you Michele!

hmm...call it a hunch...i better split up this post or blogger will have a conniption...to be continued...

final(?) Le Tour update (part 2)

2006-07-28T23:43:00.000-04:00

warning: this is going to be another photo-heavy, spinning-themed post...if'n this isn't your cup of tea, you may wish to move along ;-)

warning the second: i apparently have run out of space on my webpage (EEK) for photo storage so i'm using my photobucket account again...please let me know if you have any problems seeing or accessing the pictures...thanks :-)

per usual, click to get full sized photos

i didn't take another photo of what i'd spun on the wheel during Le Tour de Fleece, so you'll have to make do with this recycled one from january:

yes, this had been started pre-tour, but i'm spinning for a project and since i've got the tension set perfectly for this yarn i reeeally didn't want to take the bobbin off...you'll have to trust me that it's now nearly full and i have to *gulp* wind it off...i'm terrified it'll fall apart!
the fiber is charcoal Handspinner's Dream from Alpaca With A Twist...incredibly soft, silky baby alpaca...lovvvvvve this stuff!

i decided that i wanted to practice (or at least try to) making a heavier, softer, (and less over twisted grr) yarn, so my next spindling project involved the first multi-color roving i ever purchased from the guys...a "Color Me...", a rather retina-burning ;-) fuchsia, blue and purple colorway called "Berry Happy". it took a lot of conscious effort, but i think i succeeded :-)

it's quite bulky, but very soft ("berry" smooooshy lol) and reasonably balanced...there's another skein of this (about 45 yards total), and more roving left, so i suspect i'll spin up enough for a pair of mittens...should keep some little one happy and warm :-)

[frustration note: i'm getting more and more hooked on spindling but how the heck do i get more yardage? yessssss i know, spin longer/more fiber...but i seem to run out of room on my spindle...what do you more experienced spinner types do?]

i hadn't spun from a carded batt before, so one of the lovely blends i got from susie seemed like a good choice. it's a combination of 75% Ile de France (a sheep i hadn't heard of before), in shades of cherry and white; 24% of a black fiber which she thought was merino but i suspect is more likely llama or alpaca (it just doesn't act like sheepy fiber)[edit: i stand corrected: susie sent me a sample of the unblended black fiber--it's not alpaca or llama, but it's the oddest feeling merino...not nearly as fine or crimpy as what i've used previously...wondering if the dyeing process (not hers) has something to do with it...in any case sorry i doubted you suze ;-)] ; and 1% Angelina, a glittery reflective fiber (something else i hadn't used before)...

my first reaction when i started spinning this was ACK...i have a tendency to at least try to spin a smooth even singles...this wanted to be a bit slubby, a bit thick/thin...and definitely NOT laceweight...so i figured why fight with it, and let it spin as it wanted to...and i was very pleasantly surprised :-) i plied it back on itself and it evened out nicely, and it's fairly balanced as well (a nice surprise, given my tendency to overtwist)

these photos are a bit over-exposed it seems to me...the color is richer in 'real life'...it reminds me a lot of black cherry pop (or soda lol), with those little bits of glitz peeking through from the Angelina...i'm not sure if they show in the pictures but they're definitely there :-) there's still a lot of the batt left, but i want to see how it reacts on the wheel, so i'm saving what's left to use once the alpaca is done...thanks oodles susie, i really enjoyed this one :-)

[sheeeesh i'm being long-winded...can't blame you if you gave up on me long ago lol...]

last 'new technique' tried was a cabled yarn...i had something in mind that required a smallish amount of cabled yarn so why not give it a whirl? (*groan* sorry about the pun)

i had a quantity of this lovely stuff

from Little Barn Fibers (same place the merino laceweight above came from),and thought it might work out nicely (are you noticing a color trend here? lol)

however it seems i don't really understand how to use roving striped in this fashion :-\ the singles turned out like so:

losing much of the variation in color...and it didn't get any better as i went along :-( ...oh the cabling bit turned out ok (but boy does it take a lot of fiber to make a short cabled yarn), but...it's not terribly interesting, colorwise...

i like the feel of it, and i'm sure i'll try it again (though probably on the wheel lol...the spindle fills up soooooo fast with yarn this heavy)...it'll work for the project i had in mind...i just wish the color play had worked out better.

aside from one final 'kick' on the 23rd to finish filling up the alpaca bobbin, that was the end of my Tour de Fleece "ride"...i enjoyed it thoroughly, i learned some things...and i'm still spinning a little every day...so it's all good :-)

if you managed to stick it out to the end of this mess, thank you...i'll try to keep my entries a bit shorter from now on ;-)

verrrrrrrry quick here...

2006-07-24T11:10:00.000-04:00

as there's a blogger meet-up at "Mecca" ;-) today...with luck it won't take me ages to write up a 'report', but if it does there should be others who will, i'm sure, document the day :-)

i achieved my Tour de Fleece goal of spinning daily, although i haven't (obviously!) documented it here...i wasn't as prolific as SOME people *grin*, but i did well for me, and i even learned some things along the way...spinning post(s?) here as soon as i do some clean up on the photos...

oh joy...apparently it's already hotter than hell today...wunnerful :-|

*dashing...well as close to it as i manage anyway lol*

just in case you've ever wondered...

2006-07-17T16:32:00.000-04:00

just what temperature is "hotter than hell" (or "colder than hell" for that matter lol)...the crickets at 'feeling a bit sheepish' are pleased to be able to enlighten you :

if the temperature where you are is hotter (or colder) than shown on that button...you are officially "hotter (or colder) than hell" *grin*

(yes i know this is the forecast for pinckney...but that's the closest weather link i could get to hell...it's close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades ;-))

happy crickets :-)

2006-07-04T03:33:00.000-04:00

or "the experiment was a success" ;-)

people came and commented (thanks so much susie for the link sending folks over from your blog!):

ye olde random number generator was fired up:

and winning numbers were generated:

michelle gets first choice of the yarns in the previous post, and the second skein goes to denise...check your e-mailboxes :-) congrats to both of you!

thank you all so much for taking the time to read and comment...you were clever and funny and sweet and definitely had me smiling all weekend...and the crickets loved the company ;-) i've added all those i could to my bloglines list and i've got loads of reading to do...and despite my tendency to lurk, i'll try to remember how nice it is to have someone comment...

in other news...
Le Tour de Fleece update, day 2 & 3:
i finished spinning the second half of the roving sunday while watching Gone With The Wind (much easier during than saturday's movie lol)...no pictures since i figured it looked pretty much identical to the previous half (big surprise lol) i plied it monday, but wanted to wait til i washed it before getting a picture. i'm pretty well pleased with it, though i haven't done much plying on spindles. i'm also pleased that i have actually managed to get at least a little spinning done each day so far...and that it's getting easier to work that time in...now if i can just transfer that to the wheel i may start making a dent in my fiber stash ;-)

hope everyone had a safe enjoyable holiday weekend...happy canada day (late) to those of you 'across the river' (would have loved to have been at the freedom festival), and happy fourth to those here in the states...if you'd like to make a few fireworks of your own, here are a couple fun sites.

quick Le Tour update

2006-07-01T17:55:00.000-04:00

rushing because it's movie night at the shop, and Blogger has been jerking me around with html "errors" *hmmph*

this is half of the pouf in the earlier post, spun just a little heavier than i have been doing lately. i'm going to have to have a chat with the woman who dyed this up--the roving is in incredible condition! i'm betting she combed it out after the dye job...it was very easy to spin.

did this earlier while watching North By Northwest, perhaps not the wisest genre to watch during what's supposed to be a relaxing activity lol but at least i'd finished before the final 'dangling moments' ;-) i'll get to the other half tonight or tomorrow, then 2-ply them...it may barber-pole a bit but it'll still be pretty imho...unfortunately the purple (the dark band near the whorl) refuses to show up nicely in this pic...hopefully it will once the yarn is plied. i know reds are notoriously difficult to photograph but i'm having problems with blue/purples lately

thank you all for your comments! i'm getting a kick out of reading them :-) chirp on!

an experiment in bribery...

2006-07-01T02:34:00.000-04:00

[edit: to add and replace photos...i think the colors of the yarns are better in these]

i've noticed (as many have) that having a contest or some sort of giveaway tends to draw readers (at least temporarily)...so i'm going to try and see what happens if i do

we have for your appraisal 2 skeins of (imho) very nice yarn--colors in photos are as accurate as i could manage (methinks it may be time to start considering a new camera grrf)

exhibit a:

Mountain Colors "Mountain Goat" in the colorway 'Glacier Teal'.
230 yards of soft slightly fuzzy yarn...55% mohair, 45% wool
enough yarn for any number of Mountain Colors patterns (and theoretically for a pair of Fuzzyfeet though i haven't tried it yet...that was the original intention for this skein)

exhibit b:

Cherry Tree Hill "Supersock", Potluck 'Blues/Purples' (color is still not quite right, the purples refuse to show up nicely...but this is a little better)
420 yards of 100% superwash merino, an ideal way to pamper anyone's feet
patterns galore out there for this type of yarn, not only for socks but also for baby garments and so on.

your mission, should you choose to accept it:

simply leave me a comment...doesn't have to be anything special, just say hello (the crickets around here are getting deafening ;-))

i'll make a list of the names (after i come online sunday, whatever time that might be), assign numbers then head over to ye olde random number generator...first number/name gets their choice of yarn, a second will get the other.

sound doable? we'll find out :-)

Le Tour de Fleece update, day 1:
i've been wanting to get myself into the habit of spinning for at least a little while every day, so this event is the ideal opportunity to get started. i'll be starting out fairly simply with these:

a Kundert spindle, and some Brown Sheep roving, hand-dyed by one of the gals in our monthly spinning group...she said she was 'using up all her blue dyes' and came up with these little poufs of gorgeousness, one of which she just handed to me, saying she'd never get it all spun :-)

i don't plan to stick to one particular type of wool/fiber or spinning device (i'll be using my wheel as well) during the 'race'...i just want to spin for the fun of it, and varying what i spin should add to it!

and finally...

well...it's already been a year since i started blogging :-| i haven't done the best job at keeping up with it, and i'm not sure it's entirely what i set out to do or if there's reason to keep on...but for the time being at least, i'm still here...me and the crickets ;-)

i wrote the following last year in my first blog post...another year gone and i still miss her :-(
i took this picture years ago of a rosebush in our backyard. it was called 'pristine'...it's long since gone to the ~~dump~~ compost heap, and cannot be replaced as apparently Jackson & Perkins doesn't cultivate it anymore, which is a pity. it was lovely and figured in some of mom's artwork...the pic reminds me a lot of her.

happy birthday mom...i miss you

how to make someone's day very special...

2006-06-30T04:14:00.000-04:00

take a goodly amount of this...

dye it up in shades of someone's favorite color...

add a label like this...

and send it off to that person for no particular reason...just because...

thank you susie...it worked :-)

(if you're in the market for yarn or fiber, take a look at her etsy shop...she's got a real eye for color and the prices are reasonable, especially considering the quality of her base yarns...well worth the visit :-) and i happen to know she dyes to order as well...imho she's got the july "project spectrum" color down pat! edit: she's got some freakin' beautiful purple yarns up now in the shop...go take a look ~~before i get tempted into buying them all for myself lol~~)

a midsummer night's dream of rosehips...

2006-06-29T23:58:00.000-04:00

a few weeks back, i went for a wander through astrid's dutch obsessions, the webstore of a seller from whom i'd purchased some Opal Rainforest yarns (through eBay). it's pretty impressive--she's got loads of yarn, particularly for socks, and a nice selection of addi turbos; the prices are very reasonable (low even), and the shipping rates are phenomenal. she's in the netherlands (as you might guess from the name of her shop), yet the cost for shipping is less than i've been charged for shipments within the US. i've gone with the lowest rate (which i think she lists as taking 1-2 weeks), and it's gotten here in just over a week both times.

i was looking for something in particular that i'd seen (and missed) in one of her eBay auctions, and luckily she still had it in stock in her store :-)

this is the popular (well at least in michigan it seems to be...i know of at least two knitters in the state who have purchased a skein of it) "Hagebutte" (which apparently translates as "Rosehips"):

per usual, click to get full sized photos

it is lovely, however it is definitely on the neon side ;-) i don't think i quite managed to capture the brightness in this photo...it'll make some pretty spiffy socks though.

then i noticed this link on the hagebutte page...not fair astrid! ;-)

i ~~had to~~ ended up ordering a skein of it too:

in my defense, this appears to be a limited colorway--i couldn't locate it on the Opal website, and astrid herself says she doesn't know if she'll be able to get any more...works for me lol

this is "Sommernachtstraum", which (after some googling) i determined translates to "Midsummer Night's Dream", after finding references to the Shakespeare play of the same name on German websites...this photo is also a bit duller than the actual yarn (it's much prettier...very 'rich' colors--i'll try for a better shot), though not as bright as the picture on astrid's site. the colors suit me a bit better than the first yarn, and i can't wait to see how it knits up :-)

and in other news:
even though i look ~~like i've been dead a week~~ lousy in yellow...

...i joined ;-)

bloglines is trying to mess with my head

2006-06-25T18:13:00.000-04:00

[EDIT: apparently i'm no longer among the forbidden (thanks sharon! ;-)) but the destash blog is still at [!] status...there have been a ton of new postings over there: books magazines and yarns...so if you're looking for a great deal, it's definitely the place to start! :-) ]

now i grant you...it's rather easy to mess with my head...but this is getting ridiculous

when i check my list (lots on there--i read but seldom comment...which i suppose might say a lot for why i don't get many comments), it's telling me that a large number of the people i read regularly have made 10+ posts since my last viewing.

i can understand perhaps one or two might have done this (occasionally happens when someone republishes their blog or revamps their page) but 20 or more?? i don't THINK so :-| and of course, me being the nosy so-and-so that i am, i have to go and check each one...where, also of course, there are no new posts or changes since my last visit. *hmmph*

then today, when i went to check and see how many more had been added (or re-added) to this list of multiposting bloggers, i was greeted by another lovely sight: the dreaded [!]...next to MY blog! (yes i know i'm pathetic...i've got my own blog on my bloglines...it lets me see how long it takes for the feed to be picked up doesn't it? shut up and let me have my delusions wouldja lol)

bloglines claims: Bloglines has encountered an error trying to fetch the latest version of this feed. Bloglines handles errors automatically,no action is required by you. The error was:

The server hosting the feed returned a Forbidden message. If this error continues, you should check the feed URL and, if it is wrong, subscribe to the correct URL.

gee thanks...that makes me feel loads better. blogger says i'm forbidden.
i suppose the positive side is that the few brave souls who subscribe to my blog via bloglines will likely miss out on this rant, at least for a while.

it still feels like a conspiracy to send me over the edge :-| not that it's a long distance to the edge...

*i shouldn't complain...there were quite a few [!]s on my bloglines list today...but i always take things a bit too personally...and it gave me a good excuse for a rant instead of processing pictures and writing a proper blog post ;-)*

"the rumors of my untimely demise have been greatly exaggerated" **

2006-06-16T05:20:00.000-04:00

i was ever so gently ~~thwacked~~ reminded yesterday that it's been a month since i've posted here....

oops

i've been keeping up with my blog reading, but somehow it didn't register that i hadn't posted anything in ages...and apparently the blog refuses to write itself...silly blog

if anyone is still out there reading, i'll get back into the swing of this again soon...i've got a little something keeping me occupied at the moment:

per usual, click to get full sized photos

for some reason this color didn't photograph well, so i had to do some adjustments in Paintshop...it's better than the original, but the true color is a tad more "gray-ed"...hopefully i can get some more accurate shots once it's finished.

imho this yarn is incredible to work with (i am such a sucker for soft yarn, as certain persons are very well aware lol) and is very aptly named! the pattern is fun and well written, with more than enough 'detail' to keep my interest up...but more on that another time

anyway...in case you were wondering...i'm still around...and i'll try not to wait so long to post again ;-)

**deliberately misquoting Mark Twain--i know this isn't quite how he worded it...but i like this variation better ;-)

dear lisa,

2006-05-14T06:48:00.000-04:00

...maker of my sockapaloooza socks:

here, finally are the photos i promised. somehow i managed to miss that you were hoping to show them off to your colleagues this weekend *gulp*, so i hope this isn't entirely too late...i also hope you won't be too terribly disappointed in the quality of the photos--i didn't have very good luck :-\ i can try again and send them to you privately if you like (well, if i can find an email addy for you)

per usual, click to get full sized photos

Pattern:"Maggie's Tulips", a pattern Lisa created for me, based on
Wendy Johnson's Generic Toe Up Sock Pattern and her recent use of Feather and Fan for the cuffs, modified to fit. she says the socks were inspired by the tulips on Michigan Avenue in Chicago (which are planted all over the city because Maggie Daley (the mayor's wife) loves tulips)

Yarn: Regia 4-ply, color 5439 (definitely tulip-y colors!)

this shows the photo of the tulips she printed out as the header for her letter to me, and a close up of the cuff pattern (probably the best representation of the colors in the yarn)

Lisa also included a "create your own picasso" postcard, and a set of very clever combo pin/stitch markers to make it easier to keep track of marked stitches (these are exactly what i needed for a sweater i'm working on! (the cloud cardigan for dulaan) pdf alert for those who have trouble with them)

this last photo is ~~pretty crappy~~ ~~horrid~~ not very good...i was having a hard time tonight getting a decent photo of the socks "on", and this was the best i could manage--the socks DO fit, i'm just having a bit of a problem with leg swelling at the moment *sigh*

thank you very much, Lisa, for everything :-) the socks are lovely and just the thing to cheer up the currently gloomy michigan weather!

thanks also to alison for successfully wrangling another sock exchange, and to the 'sock sisters' who helped her out!

watch this space...

2006-05-11T03:07:00.000-04:00

...for details on the received sockapaloooza socks...it's too late tonight (hush up Rob lol) to get pics and write up a post...but i will do so soon...they're too spiffy not to share :-)

(that reminds me...i have another pair of exceedingly spiffy socks to share as well...and it's long overdue :-\ hopefully i'll be forgiven for the neglect if i finally get those posted too)

sockapaloooza wrap up

2006-05-02T01:55:00.000-04:00

and now for ~~something completely different~~ the details:

per usual, click to get full sized photos

Pattern: "Timberline Toes" from Lucy Neatby's "Cool Socks, Warm Feet" (yes, again...it's a handy book, and i seem to have good luck with her patterns :-))

Yarn: Toes, Heels, Cuffs: Louet Gems Merino Opal", Navy; Body: Gems Quartz, Hummingbird. this is sportweight, superwash wool...soft, warm, and a real pleasure to knit with

Special Techniques: 2 socks simultaneously on one long circular (addi turbos, US 3/3.25mm); garter stitch short row heel; garter common wedge toe; tubular cast-on

Notes: overall i liked making these (despite my fussing)...they turned out very "cushy", and i plan (once i find a ~~missing presumed devoured by the resident black hole~~ temporarily misplaced second skein of Gems Opal) to make myself a pair. the directions were easily followed and i like the feel (and look) of the garter stitch toes/heels.

my "problem" with them is based mostly on self-annoyance :-\ i futzed around too long finding the 'right' yarn, then when it was decided upon, i couldn't come up with a creative "design"--the marling of the Quartz yarn, while gorgeous (imho...i love the colors) didn't really lend itself to patterning, and so i ended up with what strike me as rather plain, not terribly interesting socks. :-(

on top of that, i have the sneaking suspicion that, despite thorough swatching, these are going to be way too big for my pal *sigh* i hope she likes them and that they DO fit...but she can always rip them out and make something more suitable with the yarn...

for good or ill, they're in the mail (or should be tomorrow--i doubt they went out tonight)...special thanks go to my 'mailmen' ;-) (i should hope they know who they are lol)

this was my attempt at a "glamour" shot...the socks are draped ~~badly~~ across a pot of pansies...said pansies were not amused and suggested the porch would be a much more effective backdrop ;-)

should i bother posting this? ;-)

2006-04-29T23:42:00.000-04:00

there are socks.
they are finished.
there are no photos or details yet.
there will be soon.

new projects have begun.

thrilling, innit?

and the score is...

2006-04-27T04:37:00.000-04:00

one down and toe to go ;-)

please ignore: neon piercings, odd shadows, iffy background, and the bizarre lumpy-bumpy appearance of sock one...the sock isn't to blame--it's just a poor photo (t'ain't easy doing quality photography (or editing for that matter) at the best of times, much the less at 4:30 in the morning)

better photos (i hope) once i get the pair washed and blocked...at least i shouldn't have to be doing that in the "wee sma's" of monday morning (wheeeeeeeee!)

grr coding error fixed!

2006-04-23T01:34:00.000-04:00

well ~~shit~~ crap...the countdown timer really messes up the page formatting in firefox (and most likely netscape as well) but looks fine in IE...sorry folks, i'll have to see if i can figure out where the code goes wrong later *grumble*

figured it out by looking at katy's source code *WHEW* not the first time "view source" has come in handy :-)

i said "don't look ethel susie peacock sockapaloooza-ers"...

2006-04-23T01:30:00.000-04:00

Edited: because i'm apparently unable to read *sigh*...sock mailing date is May 2nd, not the 1st...so you've got an extra day (at least by my timer lol)

..."but it was tooooooooo late"*

Get your own countdown at BlingyBlob.com
yeesh...this one's more accurate, but also more frightening...

progress proceeds apace (in other words, i've been working on the socks)...but there's still quite a ways to go still *sigh*

per usual, click to get full sized photos

on a more positive note, however, is a sunset shot for sandy (though i doubt she'll see it, so it's equally for anyone who enjoys sunsets...or just happened to stop by)...

it makes me feel a little better...it's hard to worry too much about the perversity of socks or much of anything when watching the colors change in a sunset...

back to the ~~grindstone~~ socks...

*if you recognize the reference, you're either reasonably close to my age, or you like odd music too ;-)

arrrrrrrrrrrgh!

2006-04-19T02:12:00.000-04:00

Countdown To Sockapaloooza Mailing

assorted updates

2006-04-18T03:46:00.000-04:00

this post will need to be edited, but since i wanted to get a photo posted for the weekly Sockapaloooza update, this is the best you get for the moment

per usual, click to get full sized photos

there's been a change in plans with respect to both pattern and yarn, and imho they're not terribly exciting, but the yarn is nice, and they should be comfy and warm, which i suppose is a good thing for socks to aspire to.

more soon

2006-04-09T01:04:00.000-04:00

will it help? probably not...but it won't hurt either...

"...shine like an angel..."*

2006-04-01T02:09:00.000-05:00

for a change, a finished object that i'm very happy with...alert the media, cuz it doesn't happen often ;-)

per usual, click to get full sized photos

i really enjoyed knitting this one...and i've already got yarn for a second one, earmarked for the cute-as-a-bug-in-a-rug daughter of my cousin...

Details:

Pattern: Oat Couture's Angel Sweater--nice pattern (i did have some issues with the sleeve shaping, so i may experiment with that, but they turned out nicely regardless), easy to follow and it makes a darned cute sweater :-)

Yarn: Louet Gems Merino Opal, color "Willow" (to me, neither of these photos is exactly 'right' in capturing the color...it's somewhere between the two) this yarn is great to work with, soft and 'squnchy', and feels just as nice knit up, great stitch definition...and it's machine washable!

Needles: from my trusty Denise kit, a perfect choice to use, since the pattern calls for a variety of needle sizes to do the shaping

*lyric clip from Angel, by Jon Secada...yup i was hard up for a title, but i like this song

i've been outed...

2006-03-26T22:41:00.000-05:00

here as a ~~crack~~ bunny fiber ~~addict~~ ~~user~~ afficianado ;o)

and it's all true lol

she did warn me...

2006-03-26T05:57:00.000-05:00

...but i guess i didn't think she was going to do it so soon...so if you've visited because susie put me up in the spotlight, only to find that there's not much going on here...i apologize.

being behind is unfortunately something i'm "good at" (i was about 3 weeks late for my birth day and i haven't caught up yet--that's my story and i'm sticking to it lol)...and one thing i'm horribly behind on is the ABCalong...so as there are a number of b things to blog about, i'm using this as my b entry and i'll be catching up as quickly as possible

(all photos are thumbnails...please click to enlarge in another window)

a spinner/teacher in her element ;-) she was showing another customer her spinning technique

i had a lovely visit with susie, her daughter katy, and local knitter sharon (who took the above pic, hence the similarity to the photo on her blog lol) a couple weeks ago at threadbear--katy was back in michigan for a visit (her husband is in the military stationed in okinawa) and wanted to visit her 'fiber mecca' ;-) their visit allowed me to ~~get my greedy paddies on~~ receive the hand-dyed sock yarn mentioned in the previous post, complete with a complimentary stitch marker and a mini ball of extra yarn for swatching :-) (i still haven't gotten a picture of it...i need to work on that)

the rest of that weekend was taken up by Beth Brown-Reinsel's 2 day Nattrøjer workshop--a long workshop, but worth it...many new techniques to learn, and Beth was great :-) rob and matt opened their home to us, and rob cooked both days! "lunch included" should have been translated as "i'm providing enough food that you won't need to eat again until monday" ;-) and of course it was all delicious...

yes, i finished my sweater :-)

i think the color is more accurate on the bear (which belonged to my mom, and got volunteered to be a sweater model ;-))

the yarn is Bartlett shetland 2-ply in Larkspur i believe...i liked using the yarn, but i don't think it was the best for this project--the patterns look much better in a smoother yarn, especially one with a lot of twist...i've got some Gems Opal that i plan to use for another mini-sweater, just for the heck of it...and maybe some day when i'm really feeling inspired, i might try a full sized one. :-) one of the neatest (yet most difficult to get the hang of) techniques we learned was the 'twined purling' that forms the neckline...it takes some patience, but the effect is very nice :-)

i've got a number of photos of Beth's various workshop samples, taken (by matt...thank you!) during a break in the workshop--i'll try to make a large 'collage' of them and post a link to it, rather than trying to post them all individually on the blog...then again it might not be a bad idea if i checked with Beth first to see if she minds.

and in the "well i'll be hornswoggled" department...apparently i CAN spin 'froghair'...

specifically, the hair of Rana snoozicus azurensis, var. silkiatum, the rare "Mamasnooze's Silky Blue Frog" ;-)

and now the rest of the story lol...i offered to let susie try out my kundert drop spindle, but didn't give her any fiber to use...remember that blue stuff she's spinning in the above photo? that was silk top she pulled a bit off the end of the roving and spun some of it onto my spindle...then handed it back to me and said 'very nice...now YOU do it' lol...and by golly i could too :-) it's not nearly as difficult as i was thinking it would be, and this ended up wanting to spin very fine. i'm not sure how many yards i got out of the sample, but it lasted quite a while...and yet it doesn't register on my scale, even with the quill (more info on this handy technique here) still in the yarn!

i think that's enough for one post...i'm not even sure blogger will allow such a long one! more soon...

Mrs. Peacock...in the Conservatory...with a Highlighter

2006-03-08T02:54:00.000-05:00

(great name katy!)

(these pics have been 'borrowed' from susie, dyer (AND spinner) extraordinaire, until i receive the yarn and take my own shots)

she dyed this gorgeous stuff for me for my sockapaloooza socks...just hope the recipient likes the color as much as i do :-)

i'm really thrilled that susie was willing to do this for me--she does great work, and she's a busy lady--she has an etsy shop (PerchanceToKnit) and has just recently joined the creative sellers at kpixie! (i'm going to have a blast saying 'i knew her when' lol)

now i just have to come up with a pair of socks to suit this yarn and my sock pal...hmmmm...;-)

[edit: the kpixie link now points directly to susie's yarns]

could you say that again?

2006-03-04T01:48:00.000-05:00

am i the only one who heard the name of a popular hand-dyed yarn every time the commentators mentioned this guy during the hockey games? ;-)

final olympic update

2006-03-04T01:15:00.000-05:00

(or should that say "finally! an olympic update"? ;-))

yes i'm posting the large version...i'm a gold medalist and i'm proud of myself for earning it (and very impressed with franklin's creativity)

(as always, click image to enlarge--this photo used with permission of ThreadBear FiberArts...THANKS rob!)

Pattern: Oat Couture's Bistro Shirt

Yarn: Tahki Stacy Charles' "Tweedy Cotton Classic" Color 480

the yarn knits up very nicely, though there can be some uneveness of stiches (which fortunately evens out in the wash *whew*)...at this gauge (18/24=4"), the fabric is rather open and soft, draping beautifully, and isn't overly heavy, which is a bit surprising considering it's cotton. i got quite a few comments on how nice it felt :-)

at a distance (in other words not when it's under your nose while being knit on), there is a kind of odd 'stripey' effect, which may possibly be due to my difficulty at keeping an even gauge (or just the way the yarn knits...hard to know for sure). i think the neckline on this is a bit low--i'd probably wait another inch or more before starting it. if/when i work with this again, i will WASH the swatch before starting--i think i could have gone down to 8's on this, and still had the proper gauge once it was washed--it did expand some.

this turned out to be an enlightening project, despite its simplicity. i learned that i don't much care for unrelieved stockinette worked flat rather than in the round--it gets boring quickly, and seems to drag...and the addition of even the simplest detail (ie the sleeve shaping) made it go faster. i find i have a harder time keeping even when knitting with cotton, especially when the gauge is a bit looser than the yarn calls for. using a long cable (yay for Denise needles!) and doing all the parts simultaneously was a very good idea for me--everything "matched" (ie row counts, length, width)...i'll remember that. there's something very frustrating for me in finishing the back, and then having to 'start over' working the fronts.

amazingly enough, i've proved that i actually CAN keep (mostly) to one project without going insane (mostly ;-)) if i have to...but i'd rather have a little more variety. i'll just have to remember i do get finished quicker if i'm 'exclusive'.

and now...as antidote to stockinette....something to challenge me ;-)

yes i know it doesn't look like much yet...more info when i'm a bit farther on :-)

gold!

2006-02-27T03:07:00.000-05:00

i finished...does anyone else care? i didn't think so ;-)

this project sort of felt like tonight's cross country marathon to me (really not much to see til the end), so i didn't bother doing progress updates...gave up on the 'progress meter' as well, since i couldn't get the code to work properly, and i didn't want to take the time to figure it out.

got the ends run in and the seams done during the closing ceremony...i think it looks pretty good, if i do say so myself :-) even had time to finish off a cloud hat for the Dulaan box--they work up quickly and i wanted something ~~FAST~~ simple to work on while the sweater dried.

pictures tomorrow, at least of the sweater, since i've got a ~~victim~~ willing model lined up ;-) just hope that the lack of photographic proof of finish-ment doesn't get me disqualified

"...and the finish line is in sight...it looks like she's going to make it!" ;-)

2006-02-26T02:36:00.000-05:00

the sweater is nearly complete--all knitting is finished, all that remains is two longish seams (total about 28", but they'll go quickly) and the running-in of the ends, which could be an olympic event in its own right ;-)

it's currently blocking (i always forget how long it takes for cotton to dry), and considering the time, i think i'll wait to start the seaming til tomorrow, especially considering how late (early? lol) i was up last night/this morning...

i'll probably take it over to the shop, where there's good company (and a Mardi Gras sale all weekend...wheee!) and work on it there...regardless, it should be finished well before the end of the ceremony...and, despite being sick to death of flat-worked-stockinette, i'm pleased with my accomplishment.

unfortunately there is one ~~major~~ minor drawback--now it's going to be known i can finish a sweater in less than 6 months ;-)

i can't wait to see what sort of medal franklin (he who is to create our gold medals) comes up with--i enjoy reading his blog (confirmed lurker though) and LOVE his drawings, particularly the sheepy ones...my medal will probably be as close as i'll ever come to getting one of his drawings though, as i doubt i'd have the intestinal fortitude to ask if he'd even consider doing one 'on commission', not to mention being able to come up with compensation...so the medal will have to do :-) (but PLEASE...no plated surplus CDs? ;-))

more details/pictures/etc later today, or maybe monday, depending on whether or not i can ~~twist someone's arm~~ persuade a kind soul at the shop to model the sweater for me. :-)

lol i'm showing my age now...i've got an old spandau ballet song running thru my head...anyone else remember "gold"?

definitely feeling gold tonight :-)

various updates

2006-02-14T03:28:00.000-05:00

Knitting Olympics:
Knitter down:
3 day time penalty for misuse of a gauge swatch--participant has been required to rip out all completed knitting and begin again with the suggested needles.
(grr...i told you gauge swatches LIE...thanks, guys, for measuring and trying to make it work...at least i wasn't farther along)

Team Michigan:

LynnH of ColorJoy! has organized Team Michigan for the Knitter's Olympics, and was kind enough to allow me to join and not to mind me double-teaming :o) i got to spend some time earlier tonight knitting (and commiserating? lol) with fellow teammate Rob, who is working on a most fearful/wonderful Dale ski sweater...and i don't envy him THIS challenge one little bit (but i can't wait to see it finished!)

Jaywalker:

another washout (at least temporarily)...cara needed the final update by 12am february 14th, and i really did try (despite not hearing back from her about my feb 1st update--no biggie she's a busy bunny), but i just couldn't manage the 3+ inches i still needed to complete before midnight...on top of which, i've got that 'running out of yarn' feeling again :oi'll still complete them (if i can, as there's no way to match the yarn if i run out...i suppose i'll have to sub in something else), and if anyone still gives a rat's, i'll post pics then...but i'm out of the running for the KAL...it was fun though...thinking lucky thoughts for those who did finish :o)

Goodies:
i've gotten a number of boxes full of goodies lately, some ordered (from susie at PerchanceToKnit, and from diana at Artemis Imaging) and 2 from the land where martian cows run rampant ;o) i've got some photographing to do before i can post about them, but will do so soon. (tahlia, you have incredible timing...you gave some much needed joy tonight to a very blue person...i still can't thank you enough...but i'll try!)

and lastly...my concession to the "holiday"...wishing whoever might stray upon this blog a happy valentine's day:

(generated here...easy way to waste a few mins)

Y Ddraig Goch ddyry gychwyn!*

2006-02-10T23:59:00.000-05:00

originally i had thought i'd avoid joining this:

but as i managed to meet several of the qualifications for this team:

i couldn't resist ;o)

my event will be:
completing a project within a specific time frame (without coming unglued lol), which for me is much more of a challenge than the actual sweater

project:

pattern: Oat Couture's Bistro Shirt (shop model)

yarn: Tahki Stacy Charles' "Tweedy Cotton Classic" Color 480 (color chart here)
this is a multi-strand mercerized cotton yarn, and so far i'm liking it very much (good thing, as this is the first time i've knit with this sort of yarn)...i can see how it might have a tendency to be 'splitty' because of the plies, but i haven't had much of a problem with that so far.

i've already finished a couple inches or so of the back (as "official" cast-on time was 2pm Friday), but as stockinette, even in bright yarn, isn't terribly thrilling, i'm hoping to have a progress indicator up very soon (just have to do the math eep lol)

Stephanie, organizer extraordinaire, posted this on her site earlier today...i've copied it here as my pledge of committment...to try :o)

The Knitting Olympics Athletes Pledge

I, a knitter of able hands and quick wits, to hereby swear that over the course of these Olympics I will uphold the highest standard of knitterly excellence.

I will be deft of hand and sure of pattern, I will overcome troubles of yarn overs and misplaced decreases. I will use the gifts of intelligence and persistence (as well as caffeine and chocolate) and I will execute my art to the highest form, carrying with me the hope for excellence known to every knitter.

I strive to win. To do my best, and to approach the needles with my own best effort in mind, without comparing myself to my fellow knitters, for they have challenges unique to them.

While I engage in this pursuit of excellence and my own personal, individual best, I also swear that I will continue to engage with my family in conversation, care for my pets, speak kindly with those who would ask me to do something other than knit, and above all, above every stitch thrown or picked, above every cable, every heel stitch, every change of colour, I swear this:

That I will remember that this is not the real Olympics, that I'm supposed to be having fun and that my happiness and self-worth ride not on my success....

but on my trying.

to my teammates i say (badly lol):

pob lwc! dal ati! daliwch ati!
Ewch tîm! Cymru am byth!

*i cannot guarantee that my welsh is accurate...as my usual "live" translator is MIA, most of the phrases and translations were taken from
this site...if i've mangled things badly, i apologize--let me know and i'll make amends...in order, the translations should be: "the Red Dragon will show the way!"; "Good luck! Keep at it! Don’t give up!"; "Go Team! Wales forever!"

crossing against the light...

2006-02-01T18:39:00.000-05:00

very quick post to see if i still qualify for cara's KAL :o|

...if i do, i'll have to edit it with a better photo etc when i get home tonight

if not...well...i'll finish them anyway (i'd been planning them as a gift and got behind--big surprise there!)...my own fault for being a pokeyarse lol...it was still fun seeing all the interest and socks!

this offer expires at midnight tonight!

2006-01-24T00:34:00.000-05:00

hurry hurry hurry if you want to get in!

alison is only taking participants thru midnight tuesday (EST)

wheeeeeeeeee lol (yes, of course that means i'm in *grin*)

warm fuzzies and misty eyes...

2006-01-20T23:33:00.000-05:00

i think these sum up why i joined the brigade this year...Dulaan Photos

sheesh...late again

2006-01-16T00:20:00.001-05:00

"A" is for...ASHFORD!

(sorry for the poor quality of the photo...somehow i thought putting it up on the bed would be an easier shot, but i didn't think about it blending with the paneling!)

santa, with the assistance of a couple big sneaky elves, conspired to get me the wheel i'd planned to buy myself post-Christmas *very big grin*
apparently the majority of staff (and a number of customers lol) were all in cahoots, and knew this was going to be in my stocking...and not ONE of them let on!

needless to say i was stunned Christmas morning...

it seems that "A" is also for Alpaca, as that happened to be the first fiber i grabbed to test out my new toy ;-)

this is charcoal Handspinner's Dream from Alpaca With A Twist, an incredibly soft, silky baby alpaca...probably not the smartest thing for me to start practicing with (i've not used a double treadle before, and it's a slick fiber), but it's sooooooooo lovely! i'm hoping to eventually get close to a consistent laceweight singles...wishful thinking? lol

i best start figuring out what i'm gonna use for "b" ;-)

frogging IS a fact of life*

2006-01-12T17:56:00.000-05:00

re-starting with a different pattern...the first just wasn't working out as nicely as previously thought...at least both projects are small! ;-)

*refers to a comment made on the EZasPi group list which was transformed into a line of products by the great folks at Artemis Imaging...well worth a look-see and purchase imho...the "legal stash" products are great too! :-)

who says they don't shrink when they get wet ;-)

2006-01-06T23:47:00.000-05:00

pattern: Fiber Trends' "A Felt Flock"

yarn: handspun, un-dyed Bluefaced Leicester for the body, and Jacob for the ears, face and feet.

i spun singles finer than the yarn the pattern called for, as i was hoping it would felt down to Christmas ornament size (for the OrnaMental exchange)...it didn't quite work, but was pretty cute anyhow...so it got shipped off to Laura (along with a better sized ornament lol), where it is currently torturing her four-legged children ;-)

something tells me i'm gonna have to make myself one of these...

i'm right here, rox ;-) *

2006-01-06T03:29:00.000-05:00

...just haven't been keeping up, blogwise (or anywhere else really, but we won't discuss that lol)

as someone pointed out, what one does on New Year's Day "sets" what one will be doing for the rest of the year...so of course, i started multiple projects ;-)

one for the wheel...

one long overdue *sigh* ...

one for the shop...

and even one for me lol

we'll see how long it takes me to get them all finished! ;-)

yes, surprisingly enough, i did start all of those (though i knit farther on a couple before i managed to get pictures taken) on january first...even made it to the shop for a little while, just to ensure i'd be spending time there, too (sorry guys, no luck keeping me away...told you you'd have to lock me out *grin*)

i'll try to get back into a more regular posting mode, and get caught up as well...soon...but not tonight lol

*this refers to a comment recently left...have to admit i'm a bit surprised anyone noticed ;-)

warm hands update 1

2005-11-21T00:46:00.000-05:00

2 weeks in, i guess it might be a novel idea to show i'm at least trying to work on a mitten or 3 ;-)

i joined this (despite sandy's stringent rules *grin*) in the hopes that i might actually finish up some stalled mitten projects before spring. these were started (oh shameful admission) LAST winter...not good. each set has one of the pair finished...so there's really no excuse.

one set i don't have pictures for yet as ~~i can't locate the damn things at the moment~~ the yarn and finished mitten are hiding from me. they're lucy neatby's fiesta mittens in koigu...and worth finishing up. i just have to coerce them to come out of hiding ;-)

second set is from the Cabin Fever "Beaded Cable Mittens" pattern (#129, which ever so conveniently comes with enough beads for the pair). once sandy announced the kal, i found the first one (which was still missing a thumb sheesh), finished that up,

and found the remaining beads to begin the second one...now where the heck are my needles lol

i also started these recently with some yarn i got at the latest sale at the shop...figured they'd work well for either ebeneezer or dulaan. though they're not the heaviest mittens, they're certainly bright enough to be difficult to lose ;-)

they're a lot farther along now than this picture shows, but i figured i'd wait til next week to show them completed...fortunately little mittens don't take that long to complete, especially done on a long circ! (i do love this technique...elimination of the dreaded second whatever syndrome *grin*)

now...just have to figure out how to contact sandy...hellifican find her email addy :-|

it was a dark and stormy night*

2005-11-20T23:35:00.000-05:00

[auuuuggggggghhhhh...i thought i'd posted this the other day...must have resaved as a draft instead...observant i am not *smacking forehead*]

...and of course, this meant i had to go out argh...

tuesday i'd planned on staying home (and did), because it was a gloomy day, but remembered very late that i'd better doublecheck the weather, as i thought i'd heard rumors that we might be getting some snow. sure enough, the forecast was for high winds (yet again...it's been really bad the last few weeks), and possibly a couple inches of snow. i'm not usually that concerned about snow but this is michigan, and it can be pretty unpredictable...and i was short on several things i really didn't want to risk being without...so off i had to go, despite the late hour.

on the way in, i remembered that i hadn't gotten the mail recently, and that i'd been warned that there might be a box heading my way...so i stopped...and sure enough, there was a package from Schroedinger's ;-) Peacock, my long-suffering SET pal! she was a bit worried because she hadn't finished my socks yet, (no matter that they've been a tough order, much more than she bargained for *sigh* and, from what i've seen so far, gorgeous!) so she'd said she was going to send me a box ahead of time, just so i wouldn't feel forgotten...and here it was!

i restrained myself from ~~ripping it open in excitement like a kid at christmas right there in the car~~ investigating until i could get home, put the groceries away, and have something for dinner (well it WAS 1:30 in the morning...way past dinnertime lol)...such control eh? ;-)

finally, i got settled with my goodie box (i hadn't been involved with any of the secret pal thingies so this was my first experience with 'getting spoiled' in this fashion) and started opening...when i lifted the lid i was greeted by this...

...i moved the envelope and then the light hit the contents!

an absolutely lovely pouch, of soft shimmery glittery colorchanging dark purple fabric...i neglected to get a shot of the interior, but it's lined with a satiny violet material...haven't tried it yet, but i'm betting it would work perfectly to store my drop spindle...

that in itself would have been a lovely surprise but there was more...

a positive wealth of treats...i couldn't believe it...
-a notebook, just the size for tucking in a project bag;
-a ladybug notepad (yes this is a sheepish blog, but i have a thing for ladybugs as well...long story);
-pencils almost too pretty to sharpen;
-a painted pencil sharpener (hiding on the right under a ball of yarn);
-dpn holders (the needles are mine, couldn't resist adding them as props ;-));
-THREE balls of yarn! the one on the left is hand-dyed 'antique rayon' (i've got to ask for more details on that one!); the one on the right i suspect is the "lovingly hand-dyed misbegotten evil artificial yarn substitute" that she dyed for my socks and the third is purple mohair! (hmm...you think she might have figured out that i love purple? *grin*);
-and last, but surely not least, in a tiny box were a set of stitch markers

in lovely irridescent peacock-y shades!

the british have a wonderful word that completely describes how i felt at this
point...gobsmacked! positively utterly gobsmacked...still am as a matter of fact...i'm sitting here with a silly grin on my face remembering the experience.

thank you sooooooo much tahlia for your generosity...i'm really very touched, and feeling extremely spoiled...and i still have a pair of socks coming?! you shouldn't have...but i'm tickled that you did :-)

*however no shots rang out, despite it being deer season, and there being both deer and hunters in the area..."the maid screamed"? maid? what maid? ;-)

a KAL with a difference...

2005-11-19T02:35:00.000-05:00

"A 2 week Knit Along for the charity of your choice. November 16th-30th, 2005"
it finally dawned on me (i can be pretty damn thick sometimes lol) that knitting for the ebeneezer project would count for this, so i went ahead and signed up.

the items i turned in last night (monthly meeting) don't really count, but i figured the projects i have on needles still should. we've gotten a request for 50 hat/scarf sets in various sizes for Katrina survivors in our area, so that's been the main focus for a while now...we're also making 10" squares for afghans to be donated locally. of course, there's always things to be made for the dulaan box too, so i should have more than enough to keep me busy for (at least) 2 weeks ;-)

current projects (pictures when completed):
--a simple hat (from the ann budd book) and ~~hopefully~~ matching double knit scarf
--a black and white multidirectional scarf to go with the tychus hat just turned in (i can't seem to make scarves as fast as hats grr)
--a child's hat and scarf (if it works out properly...at the moment it seems to be biasing, which may be ~~a lucky fluke turning into~~ a cool design element) based on this pattern. i made this recently as a shop model and was intrigued by the stitch pattern...figured it could easily be made a little larger to fit an older child--we'll see! [edit: apparently i'm not the only one who had this scarf idea (though mine is narrower and will be shorter)...amy from knitty came up with this ages ago...so much for creativity ;-) at least i have confirmation that it will/does bias...]
--a pair of mittens in a stitch pattern that i'm not too sure about yet...if they're not too hideous they'll get donated to one or the other.

looks like i better get busy! ;-)

progression

2005-10-11T00:29:00.000-04:00

(this was more fun as a slideshow but apparently blogger doesn't allow javascripts *sigh*)

it's not anywhere near as impressive as mamacate's shawl, but this is the first thing i've ever knit with something i've spun...and it still amazes me that i was able to spin something that looks amazingly like yarn...and knits up like it too ;-)

8" square for the John Glick Memorial Blanket (to be mailed out this week)

pattern: "king charles brocade" from Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns
yarn: handspun (my own! eek lol) from undyed Targhee roving
needles: Denise, size 6

i think i'm gonna have to get busy and spin up enough for a larger project...i'm hooked!

eek i've been blogged!

2005-10-10T03:09:00.000-04:00

and i don't know whether to be honored or embarrassed

[lol...probably more than a little of both...guess the embarrassment can't be too overwhelming since i'm blogging about the fact she's blogged me? ;-)]

Lynn Hershberger (a talented local artist) had a trunk show at the shop in early september, showcasing her hand-dyed yarns (definitely worth viewing) and polymer buttons. there were many lovely skeins that i would have loved to have added to my stash, but the one thing i couldn't put down was some laceweight wool/silk...so of course, it ended up 'following me home' ;-)

after some experimenting, the yarn decided (this one definitely had a mind of its own when it came to pattern!) that it wanted to become a Flower Basket Shawl...i was a little concerned about the variegation distracting from the pattern but it's working up beautifully. the yarn is wonderful to knit with as well and i'm really enjoying the project :-)

i sent lynn some pics of the shawl to date, and she asked to put them up on her blog...i'm really thrilled that she wanted to do so. it'll take me a while to complete this (especially since i have ~~more WIPs than i can keep up with lol~~ other projects i need to work on as well) but i'm hoping to be able to show her a finished shawl sometime in the near future :-)

thanks so much lynn!

with apologies to Hamlisch & Kleban...

2005-10-10T01:28:00.000-04:00

kiss this sock goodbye
i'll try again tomorrow
ripping's what i had to do...
can't forget, sure regret
that my gauge swatch LIED!

*growl* gauge was 8 sts/inch so i cast on accordingly...only to find i was knitting at NINE sts/inch...which made the sock a good inch too small and this pattern doesn't stretch much...sorry emily :-(

on the off chance you were wondering...

2005-10-01T00:57:00.000-04:00

Schroedinger's Peacock exists *big grin and sigh of relief*

purple sockses my precioussssssssss....

2005-09-25T19:23:00.000-04:00

wheeeeeeeee...i have new socks! *big grin*

my sockapal2za socks came on friday from jennifer...aren't they lovely!!

(not the best pic in the world i'm afraid but i have a hard time taking decent pictures of my feet *sigh*)

i have to admit, i'd seen these when looking through the blogs of those who had completed their socks, and ~~drooled over them~~ really hoped they might be for me...such gorgeous colors...and they're made of KOIGU!

jennifer says this is only the second pair of socks she's completed but i'd never have known if she hadn't said--didn't she do a great job?? i'm very impressed :-)

see her blog (above) for more pictures (better than mine), and the details...she was even generous enough to send the leftover yarn for repairs etc.

thank you so much jennifer for the wonderful socks (wriggling my toeses in the cushy comfort of koigu...i understand now why people rave about socks out of this yarn!) and thanks also to alison for organizing such a fun swap (my first!)...will be watching for the next installment *grin*

it's a crappy day in the neighborhood...so i'm going back to my knitting...hope everyone's having a great weekend :-)

note: thanks to those of you who made such nice comments on the siren socks...i'm really very pleased with them :-) leslie, i'm sorry, but i wasn't the one who made your socks...i hope you found the right person though!

"...just a piece of sky..."

2005-09-23T15:19:00.000-04:00

for sandy, because she asked ;-)

the views out my doors (albeit pointed a bit upwards)

siren song

2005-09-17T17:31:00.000-04:00

finally getting a break from ~~the antics of this misbegotten machine~~ my computer...it's behaving at the moment so i can post...we'll see how long it lasts grr

here is the final picture of the socks formerly known as "mermaid" but are now known (at least to me) as 'siren' socks!

i feel this is a much more appropriate ~~epithet~~ title for them, as the first one lulled me into a false sense of security singing of its beauty, then promptly crashed me on the rocks of the "nyah-nyah-you-don't-have-enough-yarn-to-finish-us" shoals ;-)
they were mailed out to my sock pal, Mandy [edit: i had her name blanked out til i was sure she got her socks...she has--HURRAY!], on the 15th (more shock and amazement...i still can't quite believe i had them done in time!), though it's distinctly possible that they didn't go out til friday, considering that they were being mailed from a village post office that collects earlier than i remembered *sigh*

she ought to have them by monday i should think...i just hope she likes them *biting nails* [edit: she did (saturday) and she does! *whew*]

Project Details:

Pattern: "Mermaid" socks from Lucy Neatby's "Cool Socks, Warm Feet". i found this very easy to memorize, and i really like how the pattern works up...definitely thinking about trying to make myself a pair of these at some point. i wasn't too sure about the garter st short-row heel, but once i'd done the first one i really liked how it looked (was easy to do too!), and it sort of 'echoes' the top border. it also seems very 'cushiony' which should make for a good heel. spiral toe design meant no kitchnering! (i can do it, i'm just not fond of it lol)

Materials: 1 skein (BARELY enough) of Blue Moon Fiber Arts "Socks That Rock" 100% Superwash Merino, colorway "Ruby Slippers" (if you peek at the name of her blog, you'll understand why i chose this color *grin*). i REALLY like this yarn (was easy on the hands to knit with, it washes up so soft, and there was no bleeding of the dye despite the color). this was a 4.25 oz skein, approx. 325 yards...see comments below re 'enough yarn for a pair of socks'. worked on US size 1 and 2 Addi Turbos (2.5 and 3mm respectively), using the 'magic loop' technique (this could well make me a more avid sock knitter!)

Notes: this pattern seems to take a bit more yarn than the average pair of socks--i missed the comment in lucy's directions about needing more yarn for larger/longer feet or longer than ankle length socks *sigh*, so it's not fair for me to blame it on the yarn/skein for not having enough--i suspect (will find out) that in a simpler design there'd be plenty of STR to complete a pair. the upper section of the original sock was longer than i'd realized (apparently i can't measure?)...somewhere between 7 and 8 inches. that combined with a slightly longer foot led to the above mentioned "crash". i would definitely encourage anyone to try these (they're not nearly as complicated as they seem, and lucy's directions are clear...well if you read them all lol), just be certain you have a goodly amount of yarn available :-) they were a fun knit, and i'm glad i decided to join, if only to give me the opportunity to try them out.

a bit sad i suppose to see these leave...but there's a new project in the wings: making some special socks for emily, my pal in the sock exchange thingy!

massive sigh of relief

2005-09-13T03:15:00.000-04:00

well...i've finished with a couple days to spare...apparently i CAN (much to my amazement) knit a pair of socks (or at least one-and-a-half socks) in a week.

(please excuse the keyboard...apparently it's in dire need of cleaning...yecch)

that is ALL the yarn that is left...if i'd had a spare hand i'd have been biting my nails for sure...as it was, i spent several hours muttering over and over "i'm not gonna have enough ~~damn it!~~...there is no way i'm gonna have enough..."

needless to say the end was a bit nervewracking! working in the ends was a new adventure in why not to leave really short tails...there's a reason they tell you to leave 6" lol

i'll post again with a picture once they're washed/blocked...but i wanted at least a minimal post available for the last update-before-mailing ;-)

update...of a sort

2005-09-06T22:31:00.000-04:00

it's a piddling little thing, compared to all that's happened in the world lately (i won't even try to get into that...i don't have the words)
...merely a trifle...hardly anything really...but in my little corner of the world it's disastrous

...and i knew better than to wait this long to find out...

remember that "horrible sneaky suspicion" i had about not having enough yarn?

yup you got it...there's no way i have enough left to complete the second *sound of hair being ripped out by the handful*
i even got the scale out and weighed the finished sock vs the partial plus remainder of yarn...no dice

soooooooooo...guess what i'm going to be doing frantically for the next few days/week ~~because per usual i was stupid enough to leave this project til the last minute argh~~

rippit...rippit...rippit...i'll have to shorten the leg in the first one and hope that's enough to make the difference.

one small bright note: i should be able now to do them both on two circs, so that might speed things along...at least i hope so.

since my camera is ~~off on vacation without me~~ being borrowed, you won't be treated to the pathetic image of a tear-drenched crinkled pile of red yarn...or anything else for that matter.

thanks much to those of you who have visited recently and made nice comments on the ~~victim~~ previously completed sock...keep your fingers crossed for me that the completed pair is suitable to send to someone expecting nice socks *sigh*

a UKO has been sighted...

2005-08-08T23:36:00.000-04:00

UKO=unidentifiable knitted object

i thought somehow the above was a ~~cleaner, less obscene~~ more appropriate description than 'whatinthehellisthismess', which is definitely closer to how i've been feeling about it

i've got another project that i ~~need~~ want to get finished tonight, so i'll leave you with this little gem...

[sarcasm] i'm sure you'll be waiting with bated breath to see just what it will/has become [/sarcasm]

no real fiber content...

2005-08-03T00:12:00.000-04:00

but i wanted to thank those of you who have left comments on the sock :-) they were much appreciated...i always wonder if i'm just 'talking to hear myself talk' (nothing new lol) here, and am grateful for the traffic from alison's site (sockapal2za), as i've kept my 'blog status' pretty much to myself. i've been growling a bit at blogger though--it alerts me by email to comments, but doesn't allow me any private (ie by email) way to respond to commenters. i suppose that's for privacy's sake, but it does make it difficult :-
being the sheep* that i am ;-) i've participated in a couple of the 'in things' going the blog rounds...my results (such as they are) below.

i think i need to add a 'k' (or 'q' or 'z') to bump my score up lol

*i tend, like a sheep, to 'follow the crowd', which isn't always a good thing...but did get me started on a clapotis earlier this year & has me yearning after a Rowan Birch shawl (soon i hope)...so i don't suppose it's all bad is it? ;-)

houston, the eagle mermaid has landed!

2005-08-01T00:30:00.000-04:00

i gotta admit...i'm in shock...i've got the first mermaid sock finished (all but the tails)! details (materials, pattern, etc.) are listed here.

fair warning though...this post is a bit picture intensive, though i've thumbnailed** them.

it's also likely that i'll dislocate my shoulder from all the back-patting i'm doing here...but damn it, i'm proud of this! (and if you know me at all, which isn't likely at this point, you'd realize how rare it is for me to be happy with something i've made)

here it is, slightly dark (i'm finding how difficult it is to accurately photograph reds grr) on my ~~cheapo~~ makeshift cardboard blocker rather than on a model's foot. it doesn't show the sock off quite as nicely, but it's better than nothing. i'm extremely tickled with this overall...i know i'm overdoing but it WORKED! the toe is quite cleverly designed, the decreases hiding in the pattern (which is maintained somehow) down to the last 2 or 3 rows...that lucy is such a clever knitter! ;-)

a close up of the toe decreases (it makes such a cool little star spiral pattern!): i flattened it a bit for the picture...it does come to a tiny point at the moment but i suspect that'll work out after finishing, washing and a little blocking.

a close-up of the pattern--i can't get over how neatly the color repeats make a secondary pattern in this! wish i could take credit it for it, but i can't of course lol...it's going to be ~~damn near impossible~~ difficult to make these identical, so i suspect my pal will have to be happy with similar-looking fraternals ;-)

beth emailed me last week asking if the yarn-overs that are part of the pattern show as holes...they don't on casual observation, but i suspected they might if
stretched out...so here's a (somewhat blurry) shot of the pattern stretched out--and that took a lot of stretch to show the holes! ;-) i think the nature of the pattern itself tends to draw in the yarn-overs.

there's only one thing left for me to do now...finish the other sock! i'm kind of dreading it though...i have the horrible sneaky suspicion that i'm going to be just a wee bit short of yarn...keep your fingers crossed for me pleeeeeeeease!

and thanks for putting up with my self-praise...promise i won't make a habit of it ;-)

**i would imagine it's obvious i was playing with thumbnails and layout in this post...if you find what i've done annoying/frustrating (meaning thumbnails that open in other windows, text wrapping around pictures, etc), please let me know--i don't want to make reading this too difficult!

NOTE: (which was here earlier but has now somehow disappeared grr) if you're having any problems viewing the pictures, please let me know (and what sort of error message you get) so i can try to figure out what's wrong--thanks :-)

a grand slam idea?

2005-07-29T23:41:00.000-04:00

the seattle mariners' "stitch and pitch" certainly sounds like a home run!

ok enough with my sad attempt at using baseball terminology to describe the event...but it DOES sound like fun, even for those of us who aren't necessarily baseball fans...gives "take me out to the ball game" a whole new meaning, doesn't it? :-)

additional details and pictures can be found at ryan's blog...she brought the game to the attention of her readers back in june, and the blog even got mentioned in the above article :-)

a heel corner has been turned...

2005-07-25T17:47:00.000-04:00

finally...a reasonably current update on my sockapal2za progress!

since taking a pic of a sock on my foot is ~~damn near impossible~~ rather difficult to do gracefully, i borrowed someone else's freshly shaven and showered foot to use as a sock model (thanks ginger!)...fear not, oh sock pal (if you ever find your way here), i promise to launder your socks before sending ;-)

Details:

Pattern: Mermaid socks from Lucy Neatby, "Magic Loop" technique on size 1 and 2 Addi Turbos

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts "Socks That Rock" 100% Superwash Merino from the guys. their first shipment of this wonderful-to-work-with-and-gorgeously-colored-hand-dyed sock yarn nearly sold out the first week it was in the shop (SERIOUS depletion of selection occured the first day lol)...and no i am NOT confessing as to how many skeins yours truly ~~is hording for future sockly projects~~ managed to get her hot little hands on ;-) i believe there's another shipment due yet this summer...mwahahaha

this pattern is very easily memorized, and is going a lot faster than i'd expected (i am, at best, a pokey sock knitter, and have "second sock syndrome" issues), which was a pleasant surprise. i have a feeling it might be a little more confusing if done on dpns, with the way the 'ribs' spiral, but it's easy as pie on the magic loop, especially heel placement. this is my first 'real' short-row heel (have done them in practice but never in a sock before) and i wasn't too sure about how a garter stitch heel would look, but it went easily and i think it looks ok. lucy suggests using a variegated yarn with strong contrasts for this pattern, and i do like the way hers turned out--but i'm really happy i decided to stay with this colorway. it's more subtle, but there's a 'pattern-within-a-pattern' that's developed that runs on the opposite diagonal to the 'ribs' that i really like :-) confoozled by my attempt at explanation? click the pic for a larger view...i think you'll see what i mean.

i've gotten a bit farther down the foot than this picture shows, but don't have a more recent shot, so this one will have to do til i can find another footmodel. i've been told to consider this my 'second' sock of the pair so i don't get bogged down with the dreaded SSS, but i think at this rate i should be finished by the mailing date :-)

i'm not far enough along on my summer of lace projects for decent pics yet (so many projects so little time? lol), but my threadybear sweater is moving right along, so there should be pics of that, and a shop model project that's nearing completion to share as well...so those will probably be fodder for my next post.

a little funny...

2005-07-18T00:46:00.000-04:00

...to at least make it look like i'm doing something with this blog instead of neglecting it the way i have

heard this story on the car radio the other day, and about ran off the road laughing. both of the people involved sound to me to be prime candidates for these...no one was killed but ya still gotta wonder what was going thru either of their heads lol

will try to post again soon...i'm behind on classwork for my threadybear sweater, and i've got to get at least marginally caught up before monday night! also need to read up on why blogger wants to put my buttons down so low on the page, and how to do thumbnails so i can ~~bore my non-existant readers to tears~~ post some project pictures without overwhelming those on dialup.

the closest you'll probably ever see to me making a public "political statement"...

2005-07-07T16:11:00.000-04:00

...there is NO EXCUSE 'good' enough to justify the murder of the innocent.

remembering those injured and killed in london today...and thankful for the safety of a friend

a beginning?

2005-07-01T17:19:00.000-04:00

well...i've done it

i've finally ~~succumbed to the lure~~ decided to create a blog...good grief...

(seeing if i can edit this so the original post shows as july 1st...if not, at least i know i began it on that date :-))

it's a kind of an interesting coincidence (at least to me) that i began this on july 1st...it was my mother's birthday, and i'm hoping that bodes well.

mom felt she was a "frustrated artist" and when i was in college, she took a big step and decided to take art classes. after various successes in different classes, she finally settled on watercolors as her media of choice, and was, at least in my opinion, good at it. i wish i'd told her that more often.

she left us abruptly, taken by cancer 12 years ago...so many things left to do...but at least she'd tried...and i really respected her for that...which kind of leads back to why i thought my starting a blog on her birthday was interesting (consider yourselves warned...i do tend to take roundabout routes to make points!)

where i've used my 'artistic' skills in one form or another (no comment on my "success") over the years, there's always been a little part of me that wanted to write--not that i thought i COULD write well--but there seemed to be a "need" to try, a bit of that "frustrated" feeling that mom had about art, but that i never acted on...until now. it seems fitting to me to have started on her birthday, though it really wasn't planned. bit silly i suppose, but i hope somehow mom knows that i am, in some odd way, taking that same leap she did, and that she'd understand.

don't worry (if anyone actually reads this)...this blog will be about fibery things (at least at this point about knitting and spinning) not a place where you're subjected to ~~crappy~~ amateurish experiments in literature ;-)...i'll just be using blogging as an excuse to ramble 'on paper'.

i took this picture years ago of a rosebush in our backyard. it was called 'pristine'...it's long since gone to the ~~dump~~ compost heap, and cannot be replaced as apparently jackson-perkins doesn't cultivate it anymore, which is a pity. it was lovely and figured in some of mom's artwork...the pic reminds me a lot of her.

happy birthday mom...i miss you

more soon...i'll have to try and come up with a bit of an introduction, some background, and maybe a little glimpse of the ~~zillions of~~ projects i have going...thanks for stopping by :-)