When Life Attacks

Friday, DH was driving to work and hit some tread that had fallen off a semi tire and was lying in the middle of the road. It was either hit it, or one of the cars around him. I think he made the correct choice. The car sustained some damage, though, so we had to file a claim with our insurance. And getting everything set up and scheduled was how that day was spent.

Saturday was shaping up to be a better day. I went to visit my sister, and my truck's transmission decided to stop working properly. We ended up cutting our outing short, and I was able to make it back home. Barely. It appeared to give up the ghost when I pulled in my driveway.

Sunday, Jay spent the day with Miss L's family, and while DH and I were able to spend some time together, I was mostly running errands. I had to do it while I still had a vehicle available. Nice way to spend Easter, no?

Monday I spent the day getting the cars to the garage, picking up a rental, and trying to activate DH's new iPhone. (Turns out the Droid phone he'd gotten was a dud -- after 5 phone calls to customer service we decided to send it back and get a new phone.) Unfortunately, our service provider was having issues that prevented activation initially, but it took them 2 hours and 3 customer service representatives to communicate that to me. At least it's finally working.

Now, the truck isn't acting up, so the mechanics can't find and fix the problem. Typical.

At least my garden is doing well.  Strawberries are ripening,

cabbage is forming a lovely head,

and the rhubarb is thriving.

The trees are all doing well too.

I finished a secret project, started another, and am able to work on the others that are in progress. There's the Triangle Summer Shawl that I'm knitting out of handspun linen/silk,

the Bouclé afghan that I'm knitting out of Joann Sensations,

the socks I'm designing and knitting out of Knitting Fever Indulgence,

and the cashmere top I'm spinning.

And, of course, I get to see an abundance of this adorableness.

I guess things are looking up.

What A Week

rhino virus (common cold) illustration

So, I'm still trying to recover from the micro-beastie that decided to make its home in my body.

Downside: It's been a week already, I'm not yet completely better, and I am so beyond ready to be healthy again.

Upside: Crafty goodness.

Yes, it's true. I got past the not being able to concentrate thing, and have been busy working on several projects.

First up we have the Triangular Summer Shawl. I started this last October, but after the initial cast-on and first few rows, it got set aside in favor of other projects. I don't know why. Its knit with linen/silk blend handspun, which I like. Its a pattern I've done before and like. There is no reason not to have been working on it. But I wasn't.  Having gotten a couple of things off the needles, I decided to work only on my wips, so this got picked back up. I have about 40 more rows on the shawl (each shorter than the one before, so it goes quickly), a lace edging, sewing on the lace edging, washing, blocking, and weaving in the ends.

Come to think of it, it sounds like I still have quite a lot of work to do. And here I was getting all excited about how close to finishing I was getting.

Next up is the sock I'm designing as I go. I picked up a ball of Indulgence from my lys, and loved the feel of the yarn and the color so much, I decided to cast on a sock immediately. I wasn't sure how the color repeat would go, but it turns out to be self-striping, so I knew that I could get away with some patterning without it being too busy or getting lost. I've got lace panels framing a center section of cables and ribbing. I like the way they are coming out, but am not thrilled with the short-row heel that I'd used. I think I'll do some looking around to find a heel that works better for these socks. Any suggestions? I also don't have a name for these yet, so any suggestions would be welcome.

Note to self: Make sure to write down what you've been doing, so that the second sock will actually match the first.

Finally there is the cashmere I've been spinning. I was able to pick up some incredibly soft and lovely cashmere top, and was trying to spin it for a wedding ring shawl (examples of which are Shetland and Orenburg shawls).

Truth is, it is nowhere near fine enough for that, but it is a good lace weight. The above skein is about 2 oz. (50 g), is two-ply, and is approximately 440 yards (400 meters). It is clear to me that I still have a long way to go before I'm able to ply as well as I'd like to, and before I'll be able to spin for a wedding shawl, but I have decided, overall, to be pleased with this yarn.

I still have another 2 oz. to spin and ply, and then will go in search of the perfect project. If anyone has a pattern they would like to recommend, I am open to all suggestions.

They're B-a-a-a-ck

The desert in winter is full of wonderful things.  Like these:

Since my neighborhood abuts a farm on two sides, and I live very near one of the boundaries, I get to see and hear them from my home.

Now if only I knew the farmers, and when they did their shearing.

I especially like the silver colored fleece of the sheep that is trying to hide in this pic. Do you see him?  Near the bottom edge on the right side?

I love sheep! 

Random Ramblings

Leanne's shawl

My dh gave the shawl to his coworker, and she absolutely loved it.  No news yet on whether or not it worked, but then the weather is actually nice now, so the a/c isn't really an issue.  Maybe the heating won't become one this winter.

I've started work on a new secret project, which prompted me to take a look at the wips I have listed on my Ravelry project page.  I was a little stunned to see just how many there are.  I think I'm going to focus on getting some done before I add any more new ones to the list.

Slow progress is being made on the vest for I'm designing for Bonnie.  I'm now ready to start the armholes, and am fairly pleased with how the color changes are happening.  I did have to rip back initially because of pooling issues, but working with 3 balls at a time seems to be helping.  I had to do a provisional cast on because Bonnie wasn't sure whether she wanted the bottom edge to match the sides and collar, or if she wanted it as just the main color.  I'll finish everything but that edge, take a picture, and let her decide.

Bonnie's vest, up to the armholes

I was able to stop by the yarn store on Friday, and purchased 8 oz. of mulberry silk, and 1 oz. of cashmere top.  I am very much looking forward to spinning them, but only after a new spinning project I have planned - more on that a little later.  I shall try to spin finely enough to get a wedding ring shawl out of the cashmere.  Anyone have any pattern suggestions?

(left to right) 2 bags of Mulberry Silk Sliver in a silver color, 1 bag of natural colored cashmere top

 I have been working on a cross-stitch project as well, and am quite happy with how it's going.  There are several "personal design features", but that just adds character.  Here's a preview of what I'm making:

The cover of the magazine that has the stocking pattern I'm working on

And just because I think they are fabulous, my fur babies:

Bogey and Gypsy -- it's a dog's life

Gypsy

Bogey

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend, and that you remembered to thank a veteran.

Gentlemen (and Ladies), Start Your, er, Pedals?!?

The Tour de France got started today, and that means that the Tour de Fleece did, too.

I'm participating in 3 teams this year:
Peleton 2010
Sprinters 2010  and
Team Sasquatch

My goal is to spin every day, making yarns I want to work with.  In lace weight, of course.

These are the fibers I have selected to work on this year:

This is 4 oz. of baby alpaca that I have washed and hand carded.  The recommendation I received was to spin alpaca dirty.  This fleece was so filthy, with an unbelievable amount of vegetable matter (even AFTER washing and carding), and was bleeding color so badly, that that just wasn't an option.

6 oz. of merino roving.  Soft, natural, and lovely.

2.4 oz. of mystery fiber that I think I was told is alpaca combed top.

8 oz. of beautiful, soft, lustrous, wonderful, and yummy Tussah silk top.

6 oz. of bamboo top.  This was the last of a supply that was had at an LYS, and will never be offered again.  I was told their supplier had a bunch of it catch on fire (bamboo is HIGHLY flammable) during the dyeing process, so they decided not to dye bamboo anymore.  I will add the finished singles (I am keeping this one as singles) to the hanks I'd previously spun, and am hoping it will be enough for a sweater.  We'll see.

I only have projects in mind for the green alpaca and the bamboo, but I love lace weight yarn, and knitting lace, so I imagine it won't be terribly difficult to figure something out for all of it.

Spinning

With the weather heating up, I haven't been doing as much knitting lately.  Instead, I've been spinning.

I've been working on getting the linen/tussah silk blend I'd purchased a while ago, spun up into laceweight for a Triangular Summer Shawl for me.  

It's done!

I finished the plying on Saturday,

and wound it off the bobbin and onto my niddy noddy, ready to set the spin.

Since I also had several hanks of different yarns waiting to have their spin set I added them in too.

The end result:

Linen/Tussah Silk blend, two-ply laceweight, 32 wpi, 764.5 yds.

Ashland Bay Colonial wool (in maroon), Navajo plied (3-ply) DK weight, 13 wpi, 328.16 yds.

Camel down, 4-ply cable plied DK weight, 13 wpi, 58.6 yds.

In Like A Lion

March has roared in, spring has sprung, and life is very full.

After a very wet winter - the wettest I've experienced in the 15 yrs. I've lived in Arizona - the sun has been shining again, calling me outside to play.  Or just be.  Or golf, which I've been doing at least once per week (as usual), along with extra practicing at the driving range with Jordan.  I've also been enjoying some early morning and evening walks with Gypsy.  The birdsong is wonderful, and the desert is in bloom; very beautiful.  Of course, today it's raining again, but no matter.

I have several craft projects going right now, not all of them fiber related.  There's a wooden tray I'm decorating, a pillow (sewing and knitting) waiting to be stuffed, two purses in need of lining, and a needle case to be sewn.  I'm also still spinning the linen/silk blend, designing both a colorwork pullover and an aran toddler cardigan, and working on another secret project.  I haven't yet found the motivation to do more on the embroidery project I've had going for a couple of years now, but am thinking that perhaps I should make it a goal to finish it by December 31.  I also haven't yet gotten to the sweaters I'd been given, but think a goal of finishing two of them by the end of April might get things moving.

I have signed up for my first ever fiber swap.  Coggie of the High Fiber Diet Podcast has organized a "Swap the Seasons" swap on the High Fiber Diet Podcast Ravelry board.  I'm very excited!  It's a secret partner swap, and I'm really looking forward to spoiling my swap partner. :D  After all, surprising someone else with a fabulous fiber mystery package is as exciting as receiving one.

Jordan and I began the Arizona Hunter Safety Education classes last night.  He's been wanting to do this for YEARS, but we kept missing the registration deadlines.  We finally got it, though, and are learning quite a bit already.  And maybe when it's over we'll actually put it to use and do some hunting.

I'm also very much enjoying the audiobooks I've been downloading from Librivox.  It really is an excellent way to combine my love of fiber and of books, but I must admit that I miss the act of holding and reading the books.  I guess I'll just have to make some time for that occasionally, too.

Fiber!

Last June I spun up a lovely linen/silk blend that I had purchased at Tempe Yarn and Fiber with the intent of turning the yarn into the Triangle Summer Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush, but feared that I wouldn't have enough for the project.   Well, I was right.  I only had 380 yds. of yarn, and the pattern called for more than 1000.  This meant I had to go shopping.  It's a hard life, I know. ;)

On Saturday I stopped by Tempe Yarn and Fiber to get some more of the fiber.  They had two 2 oz. packs of it, so I snapped them both up.  This should be enough to make the shawl. 

Of course I had to look at the other pretty fibers while I was there, and that necessitated the purchase of this: 

It's 2 oz. of soy silk fiber.  It's soft and silky like bamboo and I've never worked with it before so I'm looking forward to seeing what it becomes.

And because I believe it's important to support as many yarn stores as possible, I also went to The Fiber Factory, where I picked this up:

12 oz. of fabulous tussah silk.  (Sigh)  I LOVE silk!

Tibetan Clouds Beaded Stole

For the November 2009 edition of the Knit Picks catalog, I was fortunate to be able to knit the Tibetan Clouds Beaded Stole by Sivia Harding. Knit with fingering weight yarn, this stole is perfect for keeping the autumn and winter chill at bay. Lightly beaded, the stole starts with the center panel, then the sides are knit one at a time.

The yarn selected for this project was Gloss (70% Merino Wool, 30% Silk) in the Kenai colorway. And I got to select the beads to go with it.
They are 6/0 glass beads that I picked up at Michaels.

The center panel is created by starting in the center and repeating the pattern 4 times, making a perfectly symmetrical square. Then 2 of the sides are bound off, keeping live stitches on the other 2 for the side panels.

The sides are identical, featuring a lovely beaded brocade and feather and fan.

When finished the stole is 21" wide by 74" long; a bit too long for me to be able to photograph it all at once.

I would also like to recommend the book the pattern is found in, The Knitter's Book of Wool. Clara Parks has done a fabulous job explaining all things wool - and why it matters. And the patterns offer up something for everyone. You can read an excellent synopsis of it here.

SWTC Warehouse Sale

Last weekend (Friday and Saturday), SWTC had its annual warehouse sale. Of course, I had to go. They had a selection of their lovely yarns on sale for $10-$20 per bag. I didn't get some of everything, but I did make quite a haul.

When I went last year, I fell in love with the Craft yarn from the Vickie Howell Collection. It is a blend of cotton and milk fiber, and is quite soft. It was included in the sale again this year, so I picked up 5 bags.

Craft in Sandi (burgundy), Adina (black), and Carol (white).


I also found myself unable to resist picking up some Therapi. There were only these 2 colors available, and I usually don't use these colors, but it is so nice that I had to get it anyway. It is a blend of Bowlder (Jadite) fiber, fine wool, and silk. The color on the label didn't match the colors on the website, so I'm just calling these Mustard and Terracotta.

Therapi in "Mustard" and "Terracotta"


I also picked up a bag of Rock from the Vickie Howell Collection in Jonas (a fantastic blend of blue, gray, and black) at the request of Jay, who I very recently taught to knit. He's working on a scarf with it, but also requested one of the bags of Craft in Carol. Of course I said yes.

Rock in Jonas and Craft in Carol


Though I didn't get any, they also had Gianna, Vegas, Inspiration, some novelty bamboo, and some single balls (no bags) of Love.

In the end, I got 8 bags of yarn - that's 80 balls - for the amazing price of $1/ball.

The entire haul - Craft, Rock, and Therapi


I love this sale.