One Crazy Fiber Lady

So yesterday I mentioned that I was thinking about doing mittens. Seems like a good idea yes? I need a small purse project and I’m somewhat out of love with socks again. And we can always use new mittens. I headed for my knitting bookshelf in the basement and came back with this small selection:

Why yes, I do have a few mitten books. I spent the next hour flipping through, getting all excited about a pattern, mentally reviewing stash and what Modern Yarn carries only to pile em all back up and move em back to the basement. I also sort of decided to let the twins have some voice in what I make them this year. I went back to knitting Ballerina and took it happily off to SnB last night.

I mentioned my mitten book excitement and how I couldn’t settle down on a pair at SnB. I was also looking at a newly restocked collection of Rowan Felted Tweed. Paige suggested Jared’s mittens in the new Vogue Knitting. So…

+ = mitten project.

I actually bought enough of the Felted Tweed so that I can fudge a coordinating hat and perhaps neck wrap of some sort.

While I was at it, I flipped through both Vogue and the fall IK.   I have to admit, I’m underwhelmed by the IK and am not sorry that I’ve let my subscription lapse.  As to Vogue, I’ve never been a big fan as there were far more of the “what where they thinking” kind of projects as compared to something that I would actually knit.  I have to say, I really like this issue.  There were at least 4 sweaters that I’d love to make and a whole collection of mittens.  Awesome.

No, I haven’t started the mittens yet, need to dig out the DPN’s, so I worked on Ballerina during my commute.

The short rows are getting quite long!  I’m this close..

.. to finishing up this striped section and working the solid blue gusset that sits next to the middle back stripes.  You know, that sentence makes no sense even to me and I KNOW the pattern! Suffice it to say that that little clump of blue stitches on the needle are what are left to be eaten up in the “short” rows.

I’m somewhat amazed at how much progress I can make on a particular project when working solely on it.  Project monogamy:  who knew?!  I haven’t touched anything since Ballerina returned to  active duty.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I’ve made this much progress, but I am.  I do need to put something in my purse as Ballerina lives in my small tote bag and doesn’t go everywhere with me.  I’ve been caught sans knitting recently, like on the iPhone line, because of that state.  I did pick up some new sock yarn last night as well, and nearly started the a pair this morning, but I hates the circs that I brought.  Cable is far too enthusiastic for me.  I might have to venture out at lunchtime and pick up new ones.  Maybe Century 21 for a new purse and then to Seaport for DPNS.  sounds like a plan.  Then I can knit this yarn….

I know, socks??!  What a concept

Craft on (and have a wonderful weekend!)

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If Tuesday is for Twirling, Wednesday is for WIPs.. lets break em out.  

First up is Kat’s Amore.  I’ve made some decent progress on the first sleeve.  I haven’t exactly been a monogamous knitter with this, which explains why it isn’t finished yet.  I’m guilty of reading on the train again.  I’m still deep in my Philippa Gregory obsession and am on the third of her books and as I’m coming towards the end of it, the less I knit on the train and the more I read.  Never fret, I have two more of her books waiting in the wings  Anyway, I should be getting back to this shortly.

Seeing as it was still WIP Wednesday and I’m trying to whittle them down before the SOL and SOS officially being on 6/21 and not actually start anything else (a big problem right about now), I pulled out some golden oldies.  I had to transfer Orkney Pi to a longer cable so took the opportunity to get a better picture of at least part of this pi shawl.  This morning on the train I neither read nor knitting on Amore, but worked 2 rounds on this.  Yes, only two.  Each is now 640 stitches.  She’s going to be a big girl when she grows up as there is a 1280 stitch section after this one.

Not to be outdone, I spend some of my WIP Wednesday time Winding.  I spent good quality time with my ball winder.  Remember way back when I started the Kauni, I figured out that one of my four skeins was wound in the opposite direction.  As I’m nearing the ends of the first skeins, it was time to do something about it.  I rewound both of the remaining skeins so that they are going in the same color progression.  This picture makes me smile.  I’ve since broke off the remaining yarn and connected these two to the sleeve at the right points in the color progression.  Fortunately I didn’t loose much in the way of yardage to accomplish this task.  I have Kauni in the car in case I get motivated to work on her this evening at SnB.  

I know I announced a few days ago that I was starting new socks with the Flat Feet yarn I bought a while back.  Well I did.  Except I can’t say as I enjoyed knitting with crinkly frogged yarn very much.  It is pretty but not a pleasurable experience when paired with a lace sock.  I’m not much in the mood to knit plain socks at the moment and definitely not in the mood to unravel the entire Flat, wash and wait, so back into stash it goes.  I pulled out another new to me yarn, Lime & Violet’s Sasquatch Sock in Mahjong.   I have the pattern for Ina’s SOS2007 design winner all printed out and ready to go.  

You might think that that was all the time I spent with the ball winder, but you’d be wrong.  I had some seriously quality and quantity time with it.  My merino laceweight arrived and I was eager to get that wound.  All 1750 yards of it.  That would be the downside to lace!  It was all I could do to not cast on for it last night.  I did content myself to making a stitch marker for the center stitch. Yup, truly rediscovered the whole beading hobby

I figured that while I had the camera out, I should find the little bookworm bobbin lace project.  I tracked down where my daughter hid it.  isn’t it cute?  I now am using it for its intended purpose.  Why yes, as a bookmark!  I loves it :) 

Since I haven’t posted a picture of the popular and goofy cat in a while, here she is in all her glory.  Even declawed she manages to get into odd spots.  I snapped this this morning after I spotted her sitting on the top of the high back chair in the living room.  Good old Sara.

Having now spent quality time with the posting tool, I’m off to spend some quality time with my .NET console program to extract users from Active Directory.

Craft on!

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..ew, not that horrible yarn, that dreaded ass-crylic (thanks Kim for that name!).  No, this is much better yarn.  This is my handspun.  The first handspun off the new Ladybug too.

I haven’t yet measured the yardage in these two huge skeins of yarn so no, I haven’t a clue what I’ve got.  One ply is the Mystery Bump from Still River Mill.  The other is BFL from Little Barn.  Both fibers were purchased this year at MDSW.  I know, I’m shocked too.  I did the spinning in about a week.  Saturday I pulled out the Fricke eSpinner, dug up a couple of empty Majacraft WW bobbins and got busy.  Over the course of 3 hours I filled up 3 bobbins completely and finished all the singles while I watched The Tudors on Showtime.  (I LOVE that show!!!!).  Sunday I used the skeiner for Suzie and wound off the bobbins.  I joined two of them to make that massive skein on the left.   After three days of hanging about, the yarn is finally dry.  I might actually try and figure out how much I have.  It’s about a worsted weight. I have no doubts that I’ll have enough yardage to make the little miss a cardi out of it.  I’m planning a top down raglan for her.  She’s requested ties like my recent sweater.  I can honor that request!  Now that clapo-two is done, I can get to work on this for her.

In between futzing with the blog and updating the template finally (I’d been using the default Kubrick theme since moving to Wordpress in January - kind of embarassing for someone who makes their living doing web work eh?) I decided what lace I want to do for the coming season of lace.  Call it a convergence of yarn and pattern.

First I saw a link to an indie dyer’s Etsy store while reading the SOL board on Ravelry.  The colors in the banner just drew my mouse to it and I was powerless in avoiding the click.  A few more clicks and I found THE yarn.  (Picture from ColorfulSheep).  That is 1750 yards of dyed laceweight merino.  I’m a sucker for laceweight merino.  Not to mention completely incapable of using stash yarn, but I digress.

Anyway, after being compelled to order that yarn, I knew the right pattern for its deep blue goodness:  Mystic Waters!  I’ve seen a bunch of these done on Ravelry and throughout my blog travels (of which I’m terribly behind right about now) and just adore it.  (Picture is naturally not mine - but click for bigness).  I’m really looking forward to working on this!  I wonder if I can whip out Kat’s sweater before the SOL starts.  Hmmm…

Craft on!

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I feel an inexorable pull towards lace projects now, especially with the warmer weather upon us.  I have zero desire to sit with a big pile o’wool in my lap, even with the A/C on as it has been the last few nights at home.  I think the remaining sweaters in my WIP pile (Ballerina, Kauni and Autumn Rose) will go into hibernation until the end of the summer OR I burn out on making lace and socks (which will be mental vacation from lace).

Now I do realize I have a couple of lace items already in the works namely the Orkney Pi, Leaf Lace and oh yeah Tina, but I’m really itching to do a cobweb shawl.   You might remember that this past summer I developed an attachment to a particular pattern and have been swatching on and off (not to mention amassing a variety of cobweb weight yarns) since.  I’m “this close” to finalizing that decision.  It is down to two with one still needing a swatch.  I balled that sucker up, now I just need to sit down with the needles.  Maybe this weekend.

Anyway, I have a bit of a quandry.  In the interim, I picked up another Sharon Miller pattern or two.  Then last night as Jessica and I were leaving MY, I spotted new Habu cones.  Sitting right out front was this gorgeous brown that reads plum in some lights of 60/2 Kenbo Silk.  I fell in love with it on the spot.  When a yarn yells that loudly, you must have it.   So I bought two cones, which is about 3600yds.  Enough for WRS, but not Princess.  I thought about readjusting what I had earmarked for WRS, but nothing was enough to do Princess and the 60/2 was the PERFECT weight for it too.  I called MY this morning, they have 2 more cones in the brown that are now put on the side for me :)  I’ll have to swatch to find the right size needle though the ones Sharon suggests for this weight is either a US00 or US0.  {hee hee}  Let my summer of madness lace begin!

Oh wait, where’s the quandry you ask.  Um, here it is.  Which of these insane shawls do I start with?  Or do I bypass jumping into the deep end of the cobweb pool and perhaps start with something smaller like the Unst stole that I have had the yarn for a while?  Or as was suggested to me last night that if I start smaller, won’t I burn out on lace before I even get to the good stuff? Good point.  Sigh. 

Craft on!

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I don’t know why I keep a camera in my purse at all times because when presented with a fiber festival, I come down with fatal camnesia.   I finally remembered I had it as I headed home and saw the gorgeous view from the Rhinecliff Bridge.

The weather was gorgeous, maybe a tad warm for the lovely woolens that everyone was sporting.   

I took this picture shortly after, surprised (and not surprised) by the readings for late October..

It got to wear Minimalist, saw a number of Clapotis and best yet, saw up close and in person glorious Kauni sweaters.  At 4:30PM yesterday, my car was reading 75F.  I kind of liked the effect in this shot, you can see me in the rear view mirror.  That was so accidental.  The happy glow on the face totally disappeared not too long after when I got stuck for far too long in g-d awful traffic on the Thruway.  Stupid Thruway.  The drive up took just about 90 minutes.  It took me 2.5 hours to get home.

It was a wonderful day, but it usually is.  I did buy some things, but not much by a Crazy standard.  It was more about seeing and being with friends, some that I get to see regularly, and those that I only see during Festival Season.  I met up rather early with Jessica and spent a lovely day shopping and gabbing with her.  She makes a great festival buddy!  Thank you Jessica.  I won’t spill as to her big purchase, but it was a good one

The blogger/Ravelry meetup at 1pm was much smaller than the Saturday showing, but still, a great opportunity to see old friends.  Cheryl and Kathy both tried on my newly finished Minimalist! I got to touch Stephanie’s Kauni in person!  (BTW Lynne, it is not the softest of soft yarns.  I reminds me greatly of a shetland - much like that stuff I’m knitting Autumn Rose from.  I still send you a snip when mine arrives which should be seriously soon!).  I toured the Sheep to Shawl with Brooke, whom I’m always happy to see.  I ran into the MY SnB Gals, Ina, Katie and Nancy a number of times over the course of the day.  Quality time was spent in Brooks Farm and Merlin Tree with Laurie and Juno, both of whom I’m always happy to see.  I ran into Cassie and got to meet Sigga Sif, who probably came the furthest for the festival!  Travels through the festival also met with Cate, Manise, Marcy, Teresa (who was sporting a gorgeous Indigo Ripples Skirt!) and Norma.  I was also pleased to finally be able to put faces with the names to Danielle, Feminitmafia, Eklectika, Maia and Rachael.  (Boy does this linky love take time!)  I’m sure there were others who I’m sorry if I’ve forgotten you!  I was a seriously senile slacker who forgot to put on my Blogger Bingo Square button and didn’t print out my game board either.  Sigh.  All in all, a fabulous day filled with those who get it.

Get it, I did.  But on a small scale.

Lace weight from Skaska that I now realize is about 1300 yds short of Wedding Ring Shawl (shall order another skein)

5 skeins of Four Play from Brooks Farm destined to be Ribby Pullover..

One ounce of totally yummy cashmere roving and a super small spindle from Golding to spin it on (which I started last night)…

closeup of pretty little spindle… ( can get the specs on this baby if anyone is interested )

A beautiful set of Lantern Moon DPNS in US1.  They might just become my gold standard for sock knitting..

And finally, 8oz each of Merino and a Merino/Tensel blend (Jordan’s Choice) from Sheep Shed.  These will be spun to about a sport/dk weight to knit either Eunny’s Argyle Vest or something similar.

That’s pretty restrained by crazy fiber lady standards I’d say! 

I’ll end with a picture of my mutant purebred cat with her serious underbite…

Oh yeah, I finished the first sleeve for Autumn Rose and started the second while rooting on those Red Soxs!!  Dudes they rock.

Craft on!

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I know that Rhinebeck is six sleeps away but I’ve been completely taken by a pattern that I absolutely have to knit.  Forget that it seems to be the current fad through the blogosphere and that a number of folk are/have knit(ted) it. 

I just placed an order for this…..

… from here.  I’m definitely knitting Ruth’s beautiful sweater(pdf).  I had initially cringed at the price of shipping, but after doing the math, discovered it was cheaper to get it from Europe than Canada.  Go figure.  I’m not sure what will happen to the current knitting project queue when the yarn arrives in 9 or so days.  Should be interesting, eh?  I love the whole many colored thing going without the plethora of ends to work in.   I can’t wait!

Having experienced yet another PATH shutdown for "police activity" last week that got me home extra late, I decided to see if there was a more civilized way to commute.  There is:

I started taking the NY Waterway Ferry from Hoboken to Pier 11.  The upside is that I get to spend 10 beautiful minutes each way in the open air, not underground like a  mole, out on Hudson bay rounding the tip of Manhattan.  Instead of a 12 minutes crosstown walk, I have one that is less than 5.  The downside, and you knew there was one of those, is that the cost of the ferry is way, and I mean WAY, more than the PATH.  Wicked expensive, but if I can nip a few things from the budget, like finally emptying out my storage unit, the result is a wash.  I sure do like this new commute.  I’ll just have to get over the minor queasiness or just get used to knitting only socks on the ferry ;) 

The Tina shawl came out of hiding and returned to my active knitting last night.  I’m a few rows short of finishing the center square.  I have to admit, I’m not looking forward to picking up all those stitches along the sides.  Ick.   So many projects, so little time!

Let’s go Red Sox!  (just turned on the game and am not happy at the score at the bottom of the 7th.  I stayed up way way too late Saturday night watching game two.  I’m getting flashbacks of the 2004 series

Craft on!

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The kids have just fallen asleep after a very busy weekend which isn’t over yet.  Normally the event recap happens before the SEX pictures, but for a change I took the pics while unpacking.  While the memory is fresh, I’ll do the stuff first and all the wonderful events tomorrow (I hope).

Before getting to the MASW enhancements, while unpacking, I decided it was time to open the box of corrie recently returned.  It is gorgeous!

There’s 3.75 lbs of processed roving  that is just stunning.  I’m looking forward to giving this a try.  Not sure which wheel is going to get the honor.

There was also a bit of binging at Loopy Ewe last week since sock yarn so doesn’t count.  I got home today to find a box waiting.  The folks must have taken it in before heading off for the boat on Friday…

From left to right is:

• 2 skeins of Apple Laine’s Apple Pie yarn in English Garden
• SKnitches Bebop Sock in Shrimp on the Barbe
• Gypsy Knits BFL Superwash in Ballet
• 2 skeins of Gypsy Girl Creations in Ominous Skies

Sara is making sure they are all safe for the yarn basket.  Nosy cat.

I was pretty restrained during the festival.  Having the kids afoot with the stroller still in the car made for a some interesting shopping.  Rest assured I did not come home empty handed…

• 4oz of Cormo/Silk from Foxfire Fiber (in back)
• 2oz of Cashmere/Silk in Greylock from Foxfire
• 2oz of Baby Camel/Silk in Oak Grove from Foxfire
• 1 sk of Fox Sox Yarn in Cerise (yeah I liked their booth)
• 2 sk of 100% cashmere (2/26) in a deep purple colorway and the Feather Shawl pattern from Just Our Yarn.
• 4oz of handpainted BFL in Winnipeg from Spunky Eclectic (just joined the fiber club too
• Spunky Eclectic Skinny Socks in (wait for it…..) Neopolitan

Because I’m powerless in the face of cormo, especially that from Alice Fields, I came home with yet another fleece.  This one is just gorgeous.  So clean and white.  Beautiful.  Best yet, it is a partial that weighs in at about 1.25lbs.  A more manageable amount of fleece that I might just process myself.  Maybe if the monkeys cooperate, I can get this washed and drying tomorrow.  Stop snickering.

Finally, I left the festival and hit a place I’ve ordered from but had never seen in person.  Webs!  I was extremely restrained.  While tempted by an inordinate amount of yarn, I only bought 16 skeins of this..

It is the Valley Yarns Deerfield, 80/20% Baby Alpaca/Silk in my most favorite brick red color.  Mmmmm.  Initially I was thinking Ribby for it, but as it really is a DK, it would be great for Eyelet Cardi.  It definitely needs to be a cardigan and that should be a great one for it.

I’m exhausted and am going to call it an early night.  The good stuff tomorrow!

Craft on.

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This past weekend is one of my two favorite of each year.  Might have my priorities a little outta whack, but boy I dig me a good fiber festival.  MDSW definitely rates as a good festival!  Thanks to everyone for all their comments regarding Ms. Kat accompanying me.  As I expected having only one kid when used to two was almost a breeze, though not quite that easy.  Ms K came along because Friday morning she awoke running a fever.  When I called into school to tell them she wouldn’t be coming, I found out a number of kids had had a fever thing in their class.  Just a fever.  Take some tylenol and relax kind of illness.  All in all, not a bad one and when Ms. K gets sick, that’s pretty much what she wants to do anyway, not to mention stick close to me.  Since she wasn’t going to school, I couldn’t say goodbye when I dropped them and make my exit for the highway.  Oh no.  Things definitely wouldn’t be that easy.  After some serious tears (from both of us), I relented and brought her along.  Initially feeling like bad mother of the year for dragging my sick daughter along with me so I could go to the festival, but after the fever broke early Saturday, she really was a very pleasant kid (if not easier when she was sick). 

It marked the first extended separation of the twins.  Shortly after crossing the border into Maryland, Kat started crying to go home.  I called my mom after arriving at the hotel to let her know we’d arrived safe and sound, to find that Alex had a bit of a fit because Kat wasn’t there.  It was very sweet when the two of them hugged yesterday when we got home.  Alex proclaimed "I so glad you came back" as he hugged her again. 

Anyway, Kat and I had good bonding time and I fed her budding fiber love…

She picked this fiber Saturday at the American Cormo Association booth.  The kid has some good taste in wool and definitely a girly tendency in her colors.  So far, she hasn’t let me spin this, but did play catch with the ball in the hotel room Saturday night with it

Before I go into the purchases, I have to send big thanks to Kim, Jessica and Liz who I believe went out of their way to keep me company before, during and after the festival.  I had the best time and I thank you very much ladies!  Friday night Liz picked up dinner, adult tasty beverages and joined Kat and I at our hotel.  Kim, who was staying in the same hotel, came up for some pre-festival knitting.  It was a nice night for sure, even if I had a unhappy, warm child clinging to me.  Liz finished up the finish work on Kim’s Poppy.  Seems Liz likes that sort of thing.  Here’s Kim modeling it…

..isn’t it gorgeous???

And the typical blogger-meet-blogger photo..

Saturday morning, Kim met us in the lobby for breakfast and by 8:30, we’d made it to the festival where we met up in short order with Jessica.  As always, my favorite part of these festivals is seeing/meeting people that I either only see at festivals (Sorry I missed you this time Shari, but it was wonderful to spend some time with your husband and beautiful children!) or haven’t met outside the cyber world yet.  I bought a Mr. Plyer from Marcia, which I can’t wait to try out!  I have no pictures at the actual festival as I couldn’t find my camera in my bag and was convinced it was back in the hotel room.  I did find it in the bottom of my bag when we got back to the hotel, after not finding it anywhere in the room ;)  Amongst the blur of faces and names, I remember seeing Elaine, Christine who I hadn’t the pleasure of meeting previously, Rosemary. 

The story behind the title of this post is a good one.  I have mentioned before that I was seriously considering CPW to add (replace the saxony) in the wheel stable.  I’d visit Dave Paul at the Merlin Tree early on Saturday and had checked out his antique CPW, which wasn’t for sale as it needed work.  Kat got antsy at that point and we had to move feet.  I looked at various wheels during the course of the day but resigned myself to maybe Rhinebeck to get a CPW.  Anyway, at around 3pm, we’re walking through the Main Exhibition Hall and I run into Juno.  Always a pleasure to see her!  We start talking about CPWs and then she suggests that if I really wanted a CPW that I had to try the Vermont Wheels by Pat Russo.  It was shortly after that when she took me over to his booth.  I was handed both some shetland roving and a batt of alpaca to play with as I tried out the first wheel in the booth.   Within moments I was really and truly in love.  I did glare up at Juno on a couple of occasions.  I bought it.  A beautiful cherry wheel with brass inlay.   Liz tried it Sat night back at the hotel and bought one for herself on Sunday, got his last too!  Kim and Jessica helped me get the wheel, stroller and Kat back to the car. 

Liz, who hadn’t gone to the festival on Saturday, joined Jessica, Kat and I for a nice dinner out at the local Applebees where Nick, our waiter, definitely earned himself a good tip.  He brought a hot fudge sundae to lure the ornery Kat out of her stroller and up to the table and later a balloon after she’d spotted those.

After dinner we went back to my room for a spin-in where Kim rejoined us, along with her son Liam.  Poor Liz sustained a nasty finger injury when she jammed her finger opening the window, when she pinched it on the window stop.  Here she’s using her head to keep the blood oozing finger above her heart while still keeping ice on it (it was swelling).

I do hope her finger is better in no time and that the suggested tetanus shot doesn’t hurt.

I got to play with my new toy and feel head over heels for the wheel.  Juno was right.  This wheel can make you a better spinner.  Checking the spinner control card I bought at the festival, I consistently spun a 40wpi corrie cross single from a Grafton Batt faster than I’ve ever done before.  Sweet wheel.  Thank you Juno, I love it and wouldn’t have it if not for you!

Sunday, Kat, Jessica and I went back to the festival for more stash enhancement and before long it was time to hit the road to go home.  It was a wonderful weekend and I thank everyone for making it so great!

Here’s a look at the enhancements…

A spinner control card, a hi speed whorl for the schacht (which ships today iirc) and a sweet shawl pin!  Not pictured that I just remembered, was a woolee winder and 2 extra bobbins for the schact.

There’s the Mr. Plyer underneath the soft stuff.  There’s a little of this, and a little of that.  Some serious acquisitions of decadent fiber (alpaca, baby camel, silk and such) from Barneswallow Farms, some Cloverleaf braids, Ohio Valley Merino top, 2 grafton batts and a skein of sock yarn.  One skein.  That’s all I bought.  Amazing isn’t it.

And again, the big purchase was this…

Isn’t she beautiful?  You can see the brass inlay on the wheel.  L O V E.

Thank you Juno!

Now what to do with the Lendrum Saxony….

Craft on!  (I took today off and am going to go spin until I have to pick up the kids)

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Doing the final packing before getting ready to hit the road.  I’m leaving in about 2 hours at around noon-ish.  There’s been a slight change of plans though.  I’m not going entirely alone, I’m bringing this…

\

My parents and I are doing a divide and conquer weekend.  They’ll have Alex and Kat will come with me.  She’s in an exceptionally clingy state right now.  And while I would have optimally preferred to go alone (guess the spin in tomorrow night is out), only one kid when you’re used to herding two is relaxing ;)  She’s a good kid, if a little odd. 

Anyone who might be looking for me over the weekend, look for a single stroller and not the double monstrosity that I normally push around a festival.

We do what we gotta do, right?

Craft on!

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Time for the weekly update.  Sadly, I have no photos of knitting to show right about now.  I’ve been too busy doing stuff and forgetting about the camera.  There has been progress on multiple fronts though beyond the wheeling and dealing. 

Speaking of wheeling an dealing, the Victoria will have a new home and she will be shipped out imminently.  I am replacing her with another highly portable wheel that makes more sense when the other wheels in the collection are taken into account.  I’ve ordered a Majacraft Little Gem 2.  As I already have a cache of standard bobbins ( Suzie and the Fricke E-spinner) and a Woolee Winder (Suzie) to fit it, as well as the skein winder, it just made more sense than a lone Louet. After I told mom that I was selling the Victoria, she asked which wheel I would use to spin on the boat?!  The Hitchhiker had served that role, but she too was in a new home. Not that I spin on the boat all that much, um only once if I recall correctly, but it was enough to put the bug in my head.  Add in I had just seen Deb’s little Gem on Saturday, the seed was planted (btw she has an excellent recap of the day).  So I went for it.  Tax refund and yearly raise time :)  It should be here before MD$W, fingers crossed! 

So yes, there’s been knitting going on.  Evenings have been devoted to finishing up Setesdal.  Sunday saw the end of the button bands, Monday I finished the collar and last night I got the sleeves sewed in.  Tonight I sew on the buttons and call this baby done.  I have some small round buttons from the button box that go perfectly with it.  I’ll most definitely be taking pictures of it this evening.  Good timing too as the shower is Saturday.  I have to admit, I did not enjoy knitting the bands on this thing.  The Baby Ull was very splitty on the US0 needles, especially on the purl rows.  I was never so glad as to bind off the last one.

Speaking of splitty, I finished the Vesper Neapolitan socks.  The colors are gorgeous and I managed to get identical twin socks out of it, but honestly, it is too softly spun for my preferences.  I had major issues with splitting and had to watch each and every stitch.  Since socks are predominantly my mindless commuting knitting, I don’t want to focus so very much on them.  The yarn required me to do so.  I finished the last one at the SnB Thursday night.  Friday morning I started the next pair.  This time using the discontinued and returned to production Trekking XXL 126.  I picked it up on eBay a couple of weeks ago (right around when I finally got my hands on the Vesper Neapolitan).  I finished the first one this morning.  For a change, I’m working cuff down, short row heel and grafted the toe.  I cast on for the second while standing on the PATH platform waiting for the train.  They’re definitely going to be fraternal twins (unlike the Vesper pair).  I’m rather partial to frats for some reason

Thursday night I also restarted Spring Things.  I wasn’t thrilled with how it was coming out in the KSH.  While the KSH is a lovely yarn and definitely crack-worthy, I just wasn’t feeling the love with this pattern, not to mention the less than spring color I had picked (though with the way the spring weather has been in this area lately it is appropriate if not gloomy).  So Thursday I wandered around MY when I spotted the right yarn.  Enter more Claudia Handpaint Silk.  The color is "Pink Posey" and if that doesn’t shout SPRING I don’t know what does.  And Dorre, after I got home, I did restart it with the smaller US4 needles ;)  I like it much better and have gotten through I think 4 of the 13 repeats of chart 1.

Other than that, I’ve been doing a little spinning.  About an arm’s length of Spunky Eclectics beautiful BFL roving in the Rocky Mountain High is left on the Suzie.  It is spinning up at my standard sockweight.  Sunday night I started the Big Yellow Taxi roving from Crown Mountain on the Lendrum Upright.  Also spinning up at my standard weight of sock.  It goes without saying that the 8oz will take me just shy of forever to spin.  Now you know why I have so many wheels!  Its the only way I can get some spinning variety without mucking around with settings and changing bobbins.  New colorful rovings are on my list for MD$W purchases.

That’s about it for the moment.  Pictures of actual knitting soon!

Craft on!

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