Ladies and Gentlemen--Spring break is officially over and the pool is open

So, I was on a Spring Break from my teaching job and also, spring break from blogging. Now I am back and my stash is bigger than I wanted it to be. I went to Asheville on a Fibercraft expedition. I bought some Merino/Silk combination roving dyed in blue and green which I have already spun. I also bought an Inch Worm Loom, some yarns that I can't get at my lys, ie Gedifra "stripes", Koigu odd-end yarn, lace weight yarn. I didn't get any patterns, and I didn't get anything else too much, the budget for my trip was limited, and I do plan on other trips in the very near future. But I am back to knitting and have plans to keep the blog updated regularly, so be sure to keep in touch. That is all I can offer today.

Cold Cases

So, new declaration!!! NO NEW Knitting until I finish these UFOs. I am just not getting anywhere. I start too many things. And I know I have ADD, but this is a little silly if I must say so. I have even forgotten what some of the materials are because they have gotten so cold. Oh well, I think I will figure it out in the end. This will probably help me to make it possible to get the materials to cbuy and make the Noro Sweater Jacket that I want to make.

Spinning update:
I have my first plyed mini-hank. One of the singles was the very first and looked like a slub-lover's dream, and the other was my second ply and was much more exciting and interesting. It is made out of Heather grey 56's from Henry's Attic. I like that stuff a lot. I also got some Merino, white superwash from henry's attic that I will be spinning soon too. Next thing to take up in the happy fiber play world would be dyed wool.

I taught myself to crochet last night, it was fun, it goes quicker than knitting in some respects, and it is different for sure, I really want to crochet some beanies for me, I like their flat look in contrast to a knit beanie. But that doesn't mean that I won't be looking for a way to make a better beanie.

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I have a wheel!!!!!!!

So since my lys now has wheels, I was the first to purchase one. I bought an Ashford Kiwi and I love it. It is light weight, it is easy to use, and the yarn that I am produsing is just as good as any first time spinner would produce. I am getting a little better the more I let the idea rest. I have decided that I will spin a little in the mornings. I am not sure what else to say, I am just too excited about the wheel.

Here is the wheel in all its glory.




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Blogging

So being new to the knit blog world, and a rather new, yet fervent knitter, I am superiorly impressed with the amount of information that is available in blogs and in other sites on the net. As my LYS, www.yarnsforever.com , adds in spinning materials, I wanted to learn more about it. I wanted to learn more for both selfish and retail reasons. I need to be able to sell these things and I am getting one for myself. So. Its all good. Well I found a website that makes spinning and plying so much clearer. So I guess this is kind of a thank you note for all of those of you who are providing help for newbies, oldies, and the adventuresome types. I am planning on posting pictures of my work soon, so be ont he look out.

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Just in time...

So I finally finished my square for the afghan. And I got it to Dianne in enough time to have her block it and add it in. It fits well. And then I just found out that the recipient's husband died this morning. So while I did get mine to Dianne in time, I feel a little guilty for it being so tardy. But from what I hear, she really appreciated it. And I know the folks who were working on it with me made me feel closer to them.
On a different note, I started making the Kolenya Fingerless mittens.
I love the Noro Colourway that I had, but they were just too darn small for me to finish them up. Then talking to Dianne, she told me her daughter may enjoy them, so I don't know, maybe I will keep the pattern and pick it back up soon.

I don't know. Just have to see.

SLACKER!!!!

I am officially a blogging slacker! I am sorry to say that I seem to have fallen off the wagon this month. Things have been a bit crazy, but I will try and keep all 0 of my readers up to date as much as possible. I work at my LYS and so I am really pumped about some new changes that are going to be going on there. We are doubling in size and adding Fiber and Dying and Beading and Spinning Wheels. I think that will be life changing for both my small southern town and for the shop. I think it is worth it for us to corner the local market on such things.
I am sure that when I did finally get my first spinning experience, that I will like my LYS owner and friend Diane says, "it will be good to spin when my hands get tired of knitting." So take a rest with Spinning and then come back to knitting after a while. If you are interested in my LYS the website and Diane's blog are both located at www.yarnsforever.com .
So now I have started this new policy for myself, that I will attempt to design one project on the needles at all times. I am doing such with an evening clutch for my mom, made with Squiggle (which I love), Party (which is good for scarves but I would replace with Joy by Trendsetter if I could do it over), and Metal by trendsetter, all carried with Cascade 220 a felter's dream. So that is my new goal, maybe sometime I will post some pictures and dazzle you all with my successes and failures. I am all about the learning that comes with creation especially on the needles. That is my new infatuation.
So I love the Scarf Style book that I have been using to creat the Vintage Velvet scarf for my mom, but it is taking me a dickens of a long time to get this thing done. I am thinking that I need to start over again, because it is just ludacris as to how much I am spending in time just doing several rows. But my mom likes it, so I will probably have to finish it.
So I am going to go for now because my day job calls, but I will do my best to update the blog on a regular basis, I need to get ready for the re-opening of the Knitting Bloggers Ring. So I have to do better in my blogginess.

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What a to do!

So I would love to report that my long absence has been filled with great excitement, but I can't lie that well. I have been working on some really cool things, but now it is time for me to get serious about prioritizing some things that are either in the bag (meaning I have bought the needles and the yarn and the pattern, but still have yet to start it), on the needles (or in the case of the Rowan sweater from Loop-d-loop on the stitch holders). So now I will do more to my listing. So here we go:

Well I have mentioned the Charcoal Grey Rowan Sweater it is on stitch holders since I am working on Aran afgan squares for my LYS's friday knit group. So me and my girls are doing something nice for the shop.

So that leads me to my three squares for the afgan that are due sometime in the next week. They are fun, I am doing several different things. I did some great Candle Tree work, and then I am doing some other stuff. I found a use for Knitter's Graph paper as I made some new patterns for Aran knitting. So I am anxious to try those out.

I just made a new bag, my first real bag I guess that I am making, but I am not finished with it quite yet. I made it from my late Grandfather's Oxford shirts which I had come into possession of, and I really do like what I have created. They were all pastels so they look cool, now I am trying to decide what to do for handles. I am intending to line it with one last shirt that I have, so I need some handle options. My mom will be carrying it, so we will just have to check it out.

I am also working on socks out of the new One Skein book. I love the book and I wish that I had come up with it, but I guess it wasn't meant yet. But watch out for it sometime in the future. Also the booties are really cool, however she intended for them to be more for women than men with big feet so I had to do some imaginative alteration of the pattern. So, there we go.

Also, I am working with Party by Crystal Palace in a triple wrap Drop stitch/YO scarf. I think it will be uber elegant and that my mom will be super appreciable for this gift.

I am also working on the Intarsia Wobbly Circles bag from Interweave knits. I love that bag's look, and it is my first intarsia project, yet it is really fun. That is not being worked on right now, but I hope to return to it soon.

I know I have left stuff out, but those are the things that I have on my mind right now.

What I am working on now

So I am not like some people who I know that knit, but I am working on several things. I am doing my first pair of Socks on double points. I am doing my first sweater. I am doing my Felted Wobbly Circle Intarsia Tote, and I am doing a few hats for students, and a scarf for my mom, another scarf for my mom, and have the materials to make a huge Entrelac Scarf. So that is what I want to do sometime. We shall see. Also on my list of to-dos is to learn to proficiently knit continental style. So we will just have to see how it works out.

I have finally felted!!!!!!!!!!

So, I need to get a fast project together for two reasons: 1) I wanted to see if my machine would felt, 2) I have to have a host gift for a dinner I have in March. It is a Wine Bottle Bag. and It worked out just fine. I am super pumped. I used Charcoal Lopi, a little of the Hand dyed Merino (indigo), and some Lambs Pride Bulky M-06 Charcoal as well. It was really easy and fun to make. I like lopi for felting, but not for much else, I couldn't wear it against my skin. But the merino I could do just about anything with. I am pleased with how the Merino felts up.


I knitted, i thought, and I felted and it was good!!!

Finding New Things

It is interesting to me, I have never really thought about doing a knitting project from a magazine. They are very interesting to me, I am working on that Wobbly Circles Tote in the newest issue of Interweave Knits, the Intarsia How-To issue. I like it. It is well written, and their "how-to" section is pretty good too. This post is kind of cheesy, but I will make it better soon.