One Crazy Fiber Lady

Since yesterday was officially Twirling Tuesday, I pulled out a spinning wheel (or two) to use.  I spun a bit more of the blue-green merino on the Ladybug, but then moved to the recently neglected Matchless and the red mix that I bought from Little Barn at MD.  

I think I need a solid navy merino to ply with this.  I initially bought a black merino for that purpose but I didn’t have the red fiber with me and couldn’t offhand remember what colors were paired with it.  Time to prowl the net.

I’ve rediscovered an older hobby that hasn’t gotten much attention in a few years.  Partially because most of those supplies are sadly, still in my storage unit, tucked way way in the back behind the Ikea shelving units.  Well, the trip to AC Moore led me down the beading aisle because I needle small beads for the projects in the bobbin lace book.  I bought all sorts of stuff. Saturday night I found under my bed in a shoebox all the supplies for a necklace project that was in a Bead magazine.  I must have purchased the stuff last spring, got distracted by something else and just tucked it away, forgotten. 

Not forgotten anymore.  This is the project picture in the magazine with the first of the 5 necessary gold squares that I’ve finished.  I’m using gold delicas and a right angle weave to make these up.  I’ve so far made two of them.  Each one has taken about an hour to put together.  I had to order additional threads for this last night in the topaz and black colors.  While I was at the site, I might have ordered supplies to make another necklace  And Laurie said I’d go blind with bobbin lace!  The next project with the size 15/0 beads will really make the eyes work!
 

As if I needed further evidence that my kids are kind of weird, I walked into my bathroom last night to find a toothbrush on the wall.  This is what happens when you mix a four year old and a toothbrush with a suction cup on the other end.  I have to admit, it was not the first time one of the monkeys did this.  Kat was infamous for sticking hers just about anywhere, including the edge of the sink, I just never remembered to photograph it.  I never know what I’m going to find when I walk in there.  Weird.

Craft on!

sorry for the dreaded second post in a single day but I wanted to try out a moblogging solution beyond flickr. I am not keen with how flickr puts the text in both places. soooo a little googling turned up a .NET app for win mobile devices that reminds of the app that I had for typepad on my treo. fingers crossed.

craft on!

Posted from moBlog – mobile blogging tool for Windows Mobile

It is back to work day, but I had a glorious three days off. 

Saturday was devoted to running errands avec les monkeys.  There were stops at the jewelers to drop off my diamond studs to have the post fixed on one (I used it to tighten my knitpicks needle and managed to break it - totally stupid), AC Moore for perle 8 cotton for the bobbin lace, JaCques Penney for new underwear for the boy, and finally PetSmart as all the pets were out of foodstuffs.  I’m sure there were other stops, oh yeah, the Apple Store for a nifty new keyboard and Jessica’s house to feed Stitches while she’s away, not to mention the ever popular McD’s for lunch.  The downside to working in the city all week is that these little errand trips can only be done on weekends, and add in the county blue laws that limit them to Saturday alone.  Oh well.  Fact of life and one I’m used to even if I don’t like it.  I broke out the bobbin lace and did the first bookmark in the book.  Cool!  No pictures of that, I totally forgot and Kat ran off with the thing.

The rest of the weekend was spent on the boat enjoying the family and spending time with friends.  We’re really good friends with the people on the boat next to us.  The owners are about the same age as my folks who have three daughters as well.  Their oldest daughter is away and the grandfolks had their two granddaughters for the weekend:  8 and 5.  The girls and the twins spent alot of time together.  The families had a bbq at the marina Saturday night and then birthday cake for the Mr (who also happens to be our dentist). 

The twins discovered for the first time that they can get on and off the boat by themselves. It can be a big step and we made sure that they were wearing their PFD’s anytime they moved above.  And yes, Miss K is wearing a dress.  She doesn’t like pants.  At all.  Boy did they make mom nervous with all their off and on’ing. 

With the kids playing with the girls next door, I got some nice quiet time to get some knitting done.  They were off on a dingy ride with the other grandpa when I took this picture out on the bow.  I nearly lost the thing overboard in a gust right after the bow picture.  I managed to grab the yarn right as the sweater went below the rail.  Doh. The color is acurate for a change.  I took the picture in full sunshine with the white hull beneath.  I should save all my blog photos for blog weekends  I’ve since finished the body and the tie/neck.  I replicated the tie/neck from Shaped V-Neck.  I put the stitches for the first sleeve on the needles this morning on the ferry.  I have to say, I love knitting for the monkeys.

I hope everyone who celebrated had a good memorial day.  I surely did.  Add in that the CSM has a new home and I’m doubly happy!  I’m back to only one.  A good thing.

Craft on!

the needles keep on knitting…

First up is a FINISHED OBJECT! Woot. My first pair of finished socks in an age and a half.

Pattern: Uzume by Monkey Toes

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM

Needles: US1 - 2 circs

Started: 5/8/2008

Finished: 5/22/2008

I knit these for the Sockdown for May. Sweet. I feel the mojo is back and next up in the sock queue is this yarn which is the seriously different Flat Feet by Conjoined Creations. Interesting concept. The yarn is knit flat, hand painted and then you knit from the flat. Call it sock yarn and I’m pretty much game to try anything I’m pairing it with the Climbing Lace Socks. Yup, definitely in a lace sock phase presently.

So as to further shock and amaze everyone, not only have I spun, plied and washed a pound of fiber since returning from MDSW, I’m actually also knitting it up. I cast on for Kat’s new sweater with the Pound of Love fiber. I started using the Incredible Custom-Fit Raglan, borrowed a bit from other patterns and got busy. I’m calling it Kat’s Amore! While it is small today, it is my train knitting.  Hopefully I can get a better picture of it shortly.  The colors are not quite there in this picture.  It is a tad pinker in real life.

I mentioned earlier in the week that I had ordered supplies for something else fiber related.  Well in an amazing feat for Jo-Ann’s, I actually received Monday’s order yesterday.  I KNOW!!  I didn’t even rush order it.  I nearly fell over when I got home to find the box waiting for me last night.  What was in it?  Oh yeah.  A beginner’s bobbin lace kit.  Yeah, I needed something else to do.   Hey it was a hobby that involved thread and/or yarn that I haven’t tried yet.  Any guesses what I’ll be playing with over the long weekend?

Speaking of which, all those celebrating, have a very good Memorial Day Weekend!

Craft on!

..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!

Ma clapotis, elle est finis! Et ici pour les knitters sans Ravelry.  Now that I’ve used just about all the french that I remember from high school..

In the “about time” category is this silly clapotis that took me forever and a day to knit.  The first one only took a week.  Can’t wait to see how long a third one would take!  In this puppy’s defense, I did misplace the yarn a third of the way through it.  On the up side, the weather is so damn crappy that I got to wear it this morning.  YUM.  That Lion & Lamb is to die for!  Yum Yum.

I found a nice big holder to use to take a picture this morning.  Yup, that would be my car, rather the mommy mobile, sitting in the parking lot waiting for the train.  Yeah I know.  I’m odd.

I want to thank everyone for their well wishes last week for the little miss.  Thursday did prove to be the healthy day.  Her fever stayed away and she was able to get back to school on Friday.  Was even healthy enough for a playdate on Sunday.  Boy that was fun.  Having two 4.5 year olds in a single house is nowhere near enough.  You need to have a third come over and bring her 2 year old brother with her!  Oh yes and make sure it rains too

I’ve been knitting away on Uzume and hit the short rows on the flap heel this morning on the ferry. I should be well onto the foot tonight.  I’m definitely making the Sockdown May deadline on this pair.  I’m all ready to wear them too.  I got some seriously nifty shoes last week.  Yup, clear Sketchers.  In my wee size even!  Not the bestest of pictures to show off their transparent coolness, but you can see that they have nice ventiliation to keep the socked feet cool.  Got a serious breeze as I stepped off the ferry this morning!   Loves them already. 

Really, that’s about it for today.  I’ll have some activity shortly.  I ordered supplies for two new crafts that have intrigued me in the past and yes, in character, they do involve yarn or threadlike substances.  I’ve also joined another along for the summer:  the Season of Lace.  Heck I’d already proclaimed this summer the summer of lace..and socks.  I’m itching to start a new lace project.  Shut up, I know I have a few already in the works.  I might swap Unst square shawl for the Unst stole.. or one of a gillion other lace pieces that are in my queue.  I’m trying to decide between a big piece (Unst) or a little one (like Leaf Lace or Shetland Triangle).   Decisions, decisions, decisions.  Whatever I do, I need to use some of the copious amounts of stash yarn.

Craft on!

Sorry for the sustained silence.  It has been a somewhat rough week. 

Tuesday morning, before the alarm clock, I was awakened by the combined sounds of the croup and gagging, paired with a little crying.  Mommy-superhero lept out of bed and went a-running.  I found Kat sitting on the edge of her bed and had my hand in position just in time.  I shall spare the messy details.  I took her immediately to my bathroom where I ran the shower on HOT but for a change the steam didn’t ease her breathing.  I popped sweaters on both of us and went for the other option:  outside and cold air.   A little better but sadly she started crying, which resulting in coughing, gagging and more mess.  Poor little thing.

Since then she’s been running a fever on and off.   The dosage of children’s motrin is enough to bring it down for long enough that I don’t have to do the magic cocktail of alternating it with tylenol.  But I’m concerned that this is the second time she’s had the croup since August.  (I knew she had it before but couldn’t remember when.  A coworker remembered her - actually both the twins did - having it shortly after I started.)  There is a family history of asthma, including mom who has it very badly.

Today is actually my first day going into the office.  I’d been working remotely so I could stay with my little girl.  I just had to go in today, but never fear, she’s been fever free (knock wood) since early yesterday and was playing a board game with mom the last time I called.

Needless to say I haven’t had much time for the old crafting hobbies. The wheel(s) have been untouched since Sunday.  The knitting has been idle for longer.  The last bit of knitting I remembered doing before this morning, was Friday evening on the way home.  I’m a few inches short of the toe on the first of the Uzume socks.  I love the pattern.  I’d highly recommend it as a great lace sock.  There’s only 3 rows to remember, everything else is a straight knit.  Awesome.  I now find that a simple pattern like that, or even Monkey or Hedera, can make socks fly.  Not sure why.  There are the same number of rows in a plain sock, but they just seem to go faster, even with the manipulation.  Or is it that you can see more progress?  Whatever it is I might just pull out one of my stitch bibles and start designing my own simple lace socks.

To prevent this from being a completely pictureless post, I took this shot of Sara this weekend.  I discovered the ISO setting on my Rebel XT.  I forgot how much I love that camera!  You can see how her coat is coming back in.  She’s got the guard hair, it is the undercoat that is almost entirely missing still.  Funny cat. 

(Click to embiggen as always.)

Craft on!

Looking out the window now it is hard to remember how nice yesterday was.  Actually it was a pretty darn decent weekend all around. I had a lovely mother’s day, spendning most of it outside with the kids playing and Ladybug keeping me company. 

I finished the spinning the Still River Mill Mystery Bump singles, as well as 8oz of BFL from Little Barn to ply with it.  I just need to pull out the Fricke electric, find an empty Majacraft WW bobbin or two and then I can get to work.  You can see the range of colors through the two cakes.  Paired with the natural BFL, it should make a nice sweater for the little miss.  I’ll do a top-down raglan for her as I think that will bring out the best in the color changes plus. 

I can’t believe I spun a pound of fiber in a week.  I even finished another bobbin worth of the black corriedale on the Vermont wheel.

Amazing!  I started a new project yesterday.  This time it is dyed Merino from Clover Leaf Farms in Jungle Fever.  I picked up two 4oz braids of it at MDSW this year.   I’m hoping to get a solid merino in either a dark blue or maybe a hunter green to ply with and make Alex a sweater.  Those colors would look gorgeous on him.

And now a pictorial essay of my weekend:

I hope other mother’s had such a nice special day.

Craft on!

Time for a spinning wheel roundup.  I get alot of questions about various wheels, rightly so I suspect, as I’ve owned quite a number of them.  This post was born from a recent discussion with Manise.  So here goes, all the wheels I’ve have/had.  I’m trying to keep the herd stable so alot of wheels go simply because a new one came in and one had to git.

1.  Lendrum Upright - first wheel.  Still have it.  It is a great all purpose wheel.  It was able to do everything I ever asked it to do.  I have loads of bobbins and even a woolee winder (big surprise - this too is pretty common in my herd) for it.  I don’t use it very often, especially since the ankle injury as it is a double treadle that puts a bit too much strain on the bum right foot.  It now lives in Kat’s room and she has declared it hers.

2.  Lendrum Saxony - second wheel.  Opted for both the Scotch and Double drive, used it primarily in DD.  Sold it last year after MDSW and the Vermont wheel entered.  It is a beautiful wheel that I produced some very very fine cobweb on it.  Spun effortlessly.  One complaint, and I mentioned it in previous posts, is the construction of the treadle support that caused it to flex when treadling and generated an annoying squeak.

3.  Majacraft Rose - third wheel.  Also a nice all purpose wheel, though a touch prettier than Suzie.  The wheel is a bit heavier than I would like in a portable and the wood on the treadles was a tad too soft and would ding if something fell on them.  Folding it up as designed would result in dings on the treadle.  I took to wrapping the flyer in a towel before swiveling.  I sold this one to Chris to support the purchase of my Womack Butterfly spinner as I was newly pregnant with twins and fully expected some kind of bed rest.  Little did I expect that the bed rest would be in the hospital. 

4.  Womack Butterfly Spinner.  Saw it the first time at MDSW.  Perfect for the above mentioned expected bed rest.  I liked it better than Chris’ Roberta electric that I tried during our trip to MDSW.  The Womack is Scotch (flyer lead) tension while the Roberta is Irish (bobbin lead).  Up until that point, all my previous spinning experiences had been with Scotch or Double.  The Irish wasn’t comfy for me.  The Womack is cool.  I picked up a Woolee Winder for it.  With the addition of a foot switch, this would be perfect.  The wood base is absolutely gorgeous.  Price on it has jumped considerably since I bought it too.  Mr. Womack joked with me this weekend that he’d give me a full refund on mine ;)  Nice man, remembers me from year to year at the festival.

–its here that I loose what order they came and went.

5.  Ashford Traditional - Had for a short time.  Never really liked.  Can’t exactly remember why.  Does have lots of doo-dads that you can buy for it.  I think her small footprint and the single treadle gave some fits as she was my first single.  Ironic considering I started swapping the DT’s for ST’s not too long ago.

6.  Kromski Mazurka - sold.  Another ST/DD option wheel.  Little thing.  Never really bonded with her.  Fell prey to the same problem that the Traddy did, single treadle.  This wheel only allowed me to sit in one particular way to treadle and if I was out of place, the wheel would tip.  Footprint I felt was a little too small and made it a bit unstable.

7.  Jensen Tina II - still own.  Lovely little wheel.  Excellent spinner.  Another ST/DD optional wheel.  Another WW and bobbins.  Has all sorts of extra whorls for a wide variety of speeds.  Sweet thing that I should really use more often and completely forget about it.  It currently lives in the entry foyer.  If memory serves, the last time I used her was Mother’s Day last year when I remembered how very sweet she is.  Tough to get one of these babies used.  This is one of a few wheels that I didn’t buy new.

8.  Journey Wheel - sold to Deb.  Another ST/DD optional wheel.  Sadly, no available WW ;)  Single Treadle.  First one that didn’t make me nuts.  A gorgeous design and beautiful handiwork.  The wood case though does operate as a bit of a soundboard reflecting the song of that wheel back at the spinner.  Interesting.  Definitely need to buy a fabric cover/bag for it as the wood can be damaged easily. 

9.  Hitchhiker - sold to Dorre - Bought one from the intial batch if I remember correctly back at the first MASW where they were sold.  Even had a lefty one.  Cute.  Plus is that they use ashford bobbins.  When the multiple ratio option was added, made the wheel a bit more versatile.  Excellent for portability, couldn’t spin on it for long periods.

10.  Majacraft Suzie Pro - still own.  Nice wheel.  Have WW for it.  No difference really between this and the Rose.  Originally bought it because of the plastic bobbins and the grease spinning I was doing at the time.  It lives in the den right now and hasn’t been used in a while.  Both Mom and Alex consider it their wheel.

11.  Fricke E-Spinner - still own.  Woolee Winder.  Foot switch.  Box.  A very decent espinner.  Uses Majacraft bobbins, though a modified version of the flyer as it doesn’t turn on, but has a thumb screw.  I use it primarily for plying.  Between the foot pedal and the WW, it is ideal for that.  Not quite as pretty as the Womack (which is currently in storage), but with the case, it isn’t bad

12.  Vermont Wheel - LOVE.  I heart this wheel.  It is FAST.  SMOOTH.  SUPERB.  It is a single treadle that I can use either foot with.  Can spend many hours on this baby.  Not a single complaint for this one.  One of my two desert island wheels.  She’s a production wheel so she gets the big spinning jobs, ie 3 lbs of black corrie, as well as perfection for fine spinning.  I have a number of lace projects earmarked for her.

13.  Schacht Matchless - LOVE.  Single treadle.  ST/DD.  This is my utility player of a wheel.  A little too heavy to make a fabo portable wheel (ie the purchase of the trundle kit).  Many whorl options.  WW and bobbins.  This is my other desert island wheel.

14.  Majacraft Little Gem II - sold - Super portable.  Did not agree with the bum ankle.  I did like this one.  A smaller footprint than the Suzie or Rose and different to work with.  While Suzie doesn’t bother the ankle, Gem does. 

15.  Louet Victoria - sold - Never bonded with her.  Another very portable wheel.  Got an early one.  Had trouble with the scotch tension knob actually staying put.  The plastic cup that connects the treadles to the wheel made me nervous that it would snap.  Having said that, I got her during the height of the construction period at the house and she stayed in the box for most of the time.  I think I used her once.

16.  Danish Flax Wheel - own/walkabout - Small Danish repro wheel that I bought on ebay during a flax phase ;)  Very tiny.  Has been touring about on extended test drives, not entirely sure where she is at the moment.   Will have a home at some point.    Also a single treadle that gave me some fits and being a flax wheel, the ratio is very low.  This lace spinner didn’t enjoy that very much

17.  Schacht Ladybug - LOVES.  Though we’ll see how much loves there is when I take her out as the portable wheel ;)  I suspect she’ll do fine as long as I don’t have to schlep her very very far, like say from the Main Barn to the car at Maryland. As I haven’t flown since 1997, I don’t think her lack of foldability is going to cause a problem.

I think that’s it, and no I’m not including the charkhas (had an Indian - sold, have a Bosworth book sized).  I’m sure someone who has been paying attention for a while around here can remind me of something I’ve missed

Spin On!

[Edited 2008.5.21 to indicate the Gem has now been sold]

It has been a very crazy week at Chez CFL.  This weekend was hands down a blast.  I had a fabulous time with Jessica, who is as always, a fabo festival buddy.  She has an excellent write up of our weekend.  Heck, I’ve already posted all the photos I took.  Sadly, the only camera I used was my phone and posted them immediately.  I’m also gonna skip the whole photographic evidence of my fiber-y gluttony beyond the shot into the back of my car on Sunday.

BTW, Manise had it right, I only bought one wheel this weekend, the Ladybug.  I had toted the Matchless along as my weekend wheel but she never made it out of the car.  One of my early purchases on Saturday was the trundle wheels for her, but they were returned a few hours later when I bought the Ladybug.  All the stuff on the right side was Jessica’s with mine on the left.  I purchased NO fleece (Jessica picked up that gorgeous Cormo), believe it or not, but the rest of the white fluffy bits were bundles of BFL from Little Barn.

I took Monday off from work to relax and recover from the weekend.  I learned this trick a bunch of years ago and try to repeat it whenever possible.  It gives me a day to indulge the spinning demons that possess me after a weekend at the festival.  I also HAD to get to know the new wheel.  I didn’t realize that each wheel had a little ladybug in different spots.  Here’s my little cutie.  That black bit in the stretchy driveband going over the whorl.  I love that the flyers/bobbins are completely interchangable with the Matchless (who you can see sitting behind the ladybug). 

I started with this bump of mystery roving that I picked up from Still River Mill(?).  It’s approximately 9 oz or so that varied in color from the light pink on the outside to that green on the inside.  I spun it as it at what will hopefully be a worsted weight two ply.  I um, finished this up by the end of Monday :)  Two bobbins worth.  I’m going to ply it with a natural colored BFL that I got from Little Barn.  I’m mostly done with the first of those bobbins now. 

So after all this spinning with the Ladybug, two pretty intense days, I have to say, I LOVES her.  She’s definitely a Schacht and spins like one.  She bothers my ankle not a whit which is perfect.  Anything longer than a half hour and Gem had me hurting.  This baby?  Nuthin.  Hours and hours spent with her were joyful and painfree.  Gem is now looking for a new home.  Again, you can see my Matchless sneaking into the picture behind Ladybug.

Tuesday was just insane.  I chaperoned a field trip for the kids to an area farm to learn about animals.  Four school busloads full of little kids.  {shudder}  Three pre-k’s and the kindergarten class.  It was fun, but somewhere during the second hour, the 21 little kids in my group all started to hit the wall of attention span and were wandering off. 

Wednesday was rather uneventful but my first day back in the office since Thursday.  We’re preparing for a release so things are a bit crazed as we try to cram more and more into the package.  I hit my deadline on the big project last week and have now moved into a QA phase with it.  Feels good, even if I lost about 9 days worth of work in a reorganization of the code.  It took way less time to rebuild, thank goodness.

I had to work from home yesterday as Kat developed a stomach bug.  Ugh.  I think i would have rathered been in the office than spending that much time in the bathroom.  She’s better today and went to school.  Fingers crossed that she stays there.

Since MD, I’ve been feeling a little off on the knitting.  There’s been the overwhelming desire to spin.  More troubling though has been the lack of desire to knit on Unst.  Not sure why and it doesn’t bode well for the project as a whole.  On Wednesday it was replaced for commuting knitting by Leaf Lace shawl.   Then last night, after reading a few Ravelry forums, I jumped in on the May Sockdown and started Uzume  (sorry, only have the Ravelry link) in some Koigu that was sitting about.  I’m really loving this sock.  I’m at the halfway point of the first cuff.  Sweet.  Not bad for casting it on last night before LOST.

Craft on!