A Point

Click

This writer has managed to voice I reluctance I've felt about electronic reading devices. I totally understand, and actually agree, that these devices need to do more than just be readers. Not because of market competition, because integration is the driving force of the nanotech age. But however nice it is that I can scan the Internet from my mobile to keep abreast with the 24/7 news cycle or my email, I don't want to do that when I'm reading. This may sound old fashioned but when I'm reading I want to read. I want a book which is a device that may have advertisements on it's back pages for other books or products, but those aren't distractions from the basic purpose of the book: reading what the author has written.

Busy Week

With the Dalai Lama, HH the Karmapa in town and the Kalachakra and related events going on, this was a hectic, exciting week of seeing friends, people I don't see very often, activities and as always being bowled over by teachings. I've accepted that I will always have this awestruck feeling by learning something new and understanding more deeply concepts or practices that I'm already familiar with.

Went to the dr about my arm (took a tumble, more a splat on the sidewalk and my right arm took the force of the impact). Soft tissue bruising that will take another three to four weeks to heal. Probably spinning two days last weekend didn't help matters.

New Projects

While I still have wips (works in progress for the unititated). I'm seriously starting to focus on fall and winter knitting. During the KP yarn sale I ordered the City Tweed yarn I'd so long coveted and a set of three interchangeable needles. Well the one needle I needed to swatch the City Tweed yarn doesn't fit any of the cords, so I need to exchange it. It is a relief, that I decided to start the swatch so early and discovered the needle issue. A thorough search and organizing of my needles came up with two needles in the size I needed: one Chiagoo and one set of KP zephyr needles. I started the swatch on the ChiaGoo 16" needles, but they were too short. Switched to the KP zephyr needles and have one more repeat before the swatch is finished. A quick (and probably totally inaccurate measurement) measurement of the swatch on the needles indicates that I'm getting gauge. This swatch is for the Cabled Topper

For the Skirt KAL/CAL, I'm knitting Kat Coyle's Short Row Skirt from Simple Style using KP's Cotlin in the Loden colourway. I've started the swatch of 43 stitches on a size 5 needle.

Toupie

Toupie has been wowing them in the hallway on trash nights. He had three Latino women cooing and making a fuss Monday night and then Friday night he saw dogs for the first time. He wasn't that interested as they were being carried by their owners--so I don't think he realizes that they are about his size.

Coffee and Tea

Vietnamese Coffee Online was having a sale. First on coffee and then on the Tam Chau Artichoke tea. I discovered the artichoke tea at the hotel in Dalat, which provided it instead of the G7 coffee packets. I did get a bag of G7 packets, which is always a bad idea. They are so tasty and it's so easy to drink two or three cups of G7 in the morning. Needless to say, in less than a week I went through the bag. So it's on to the bags. Right now I'm drinking Indochine's An Nam Blend.

First Efforts

This is the knitted result of about three hours spinning with the Faroe Island yarn. The fatter end of the piece indicates the first spun yarn; the spinning got finer and then seem to stabilize.

I cast on 10 stitches using a #8 needle. The pieces measure 11inches. I was surprised once I starting knitting at how much I spun. The yarn turned out lumpy and uneven and some of it seems to me to be overspun. The wool isn't scratchy. Nor is it bouncy like Merino but feels light and insulating. I will post pictures after I soak and dry the piece.

The ball of spun Faroe Islands yarn.

Grinding of a different sort and book giveaway

In our laundry is a table for giveaways. My four drawer wheeled Sterlite container (like this but with 4 drawers) that now holds part of my yarn stash and needles was recovered from the laundry room, a lovely duvet with a cutout cover as well as countless books and most recently a shredder. I understood immediately why the shredder was put there. The teeth had almost seized completely. A little online research into shredder repair, a quick trip to Amazon for some shredder machine oil and voila, I have a working shredder for about $4.85.

I am also preparing two boxes of books to donate to the Center for Design Education at Catholic University. The center is staffed by Ph.D. candidates and runs a low-cost meeting center with meeting rooms and lodging. They have a small area called the library with a television and a rather bare bookshelf. The books are there so that guests have something to read to pass the time or if they are restless at night. So I am donating some of my not to be read again books.

Grinding

A few weeks ago I bought a coffee grinder. It had been on my list since a shopping experience at Whole Foods. Someone had filled up the grinder with coffee beans and the only way to empty it was to grind all the coffee. I was expecting an order of Trung Son and just needed enough coffee to get me through the weekend. The 20 minute wait while the poor woman in front of me ground through three bags before getting to grind her bag decided me.

I looked at the grinders in Bed, Bath and Beyond but couldn't see paying $30 for a grinder with a large footprint. What I wanted was something for 19.99 or less that wouldn't dominate the counter. Next stop Amazon. Where I found what I was looking for at under $14.00, so my most recent order from Vietnamese Coffee Online was all beans. With the exception of a bag of G7 instant packets.

Spinning Day Two

Pulled out the Faroe Islands carded wool from 62 Degrees North and started to spin with it tonight. It's less "hairy" than the alpaca/silk yarn and several times tonight I was actually able to get enough spin in the spindle that it spun on it's own. What a whoopie moment the first time the spindle was going clockwise without my intervention. Spent about an hour spinning. The Faroe Islands carded wool and indeed all the natural colour wool yarns from 62 Degrees North are complete organic and full of lanolin. Very sheepy smelling and rich with lanolin. Prices are dead reasonable for the high quality of the yarn.

The Maggie Casey book: Start Spinning arrived yesterday. Almost missed my stop this morning on the bus, I was so into it.

Action packed weekend ahead with the Dalai Lama on the mall tomorrow and then the teachings beginning on Sunday. Have a coordinator's class on Sunday morning. And all the ubiquitous household chores and laundry.

But in a few minutes, I'm going to curl up in bed with some knitting and watch to TV news talk shows on PBS.

Spinning At Last

After dinner, I pulled out my Ashford Student Spindle. Pulled off some fiber from an Alpaca and Tussah Silk roving and reviewed what I'd watched on the DVD last night. Here are the results:

I am now confirmed in my belief that the cheap dyed roving I bought two years ago was 90% of my problem, the other part was not knowing about drafting and parking. I can save that roving to thrum some mittens or something. I will continue to work with the alpaca and silk until I order some Black Mountain Welsh and maybe some BFL. My fingers are tired, but have that odd sort of lanolin feel.

Spinning Wants and Woes

There are three things I've always wanted: a standing embroidery hoop; a loom; and a spinning wheel. I have a small lap loom which I need to get back to working on someday soon. I am at present so overcommitted to knitting that I seriously can't consider getting back to embroidery until Fall. However, since I intend to make a fuss over myself for my upcoming birthday, the spinning wheel looms as a real possibility.

I've been reading about them online and in print for about two years now. Last week I received a special offer from Interweave for 50% off of any order over $20. I took the plunge and bought digital editions of the new Knitscene and Weekend, the emag EntreKnit (I know understand customer complaints about the number of adverts--not that knitting mags in general are ever short on adverts) and the downloadable video of Respect the Spindle.

I watched the first 20 minutes of Respect the Spindle last night and in that short time, all the issues that I'd had trying to spindle were addressed and solutions given. I was so blown away and the only thing that kept my enthusiam in check was bedtime. I may not be able to join in the Tour de Fleece this year in any meaningful way, but I am confident with the help of this video that I'll be able to spin some yarn during the month. The Tour de Fleece is a Ravelry challenge where teams try to spin the most yarn during the Tour de France.

I Really Need to Blog More Often

Colourmart Silk/Ramie KPPM


Color Changing Cotton Yarn Sale and ebay buy

Small splash out pictured above.
I'd seen the KPPM yarn months ago at Looped Yarn Works (yellow yarn with cat). The leave pay out combined with a pay rise enabled me to get some of the yarn I'd been yearning for. The colour changing cotton another, Oh if only.... purchase from Looped Yarn Works. The Colourmart Silk/Ramie heavy DK. Finally bought the Lemon Curd City Tweed from Knit Picks and from Otterwise on ebay Forest Heather and Ash Knit Picks overspun. There it is my fall/winter wardrobe awaiting the needles.

Films:
I've seen some amazing films lately, mostly stumbled upon on Netflix.
My Name is Khan
A moral fairy tale and not to give away too much of the plot: An autistic Muslim man wants to meet the US president after 9/11 to tell him that he is not a terrorist. It stars the incredible Shahrukh Khan reunited with his DDLJ co-star Kajol. These two are like the Hepburn and Tracy or Bogart and Becall of Indian cinema in my opinion. Not only does their marvellous acting keep you riveted in a film that could have easily turned soppy but there is an electricity between them that makes you believe.
First a Girl
This is the film that served as the inspiration for Victor Victoria. Incredibly, for denizens of General Hospital, it stars Anna Lee--the lovely and always kind Lila Quartermaine. For those of us who only saw Ms. Lee walking with a cane or in a wheel chair, she was an incredible hoofer in her younger days.
Dhobi Ghat
This is the story of an Americanized Indian woman, an artist, and the dhobi (or laundryman) who connects them. It's beautifully filmed (Mumbai is the fourth or maybe the first star of the film) and acted.
Travellers and Magicians
This is Bhutanese film about a Westernized civil servant who is travelling to Thimphu intent on going to America to make money. On the road, he is told a story by a monk about a young man who takes a magical trip into the forest and has an affair with a Shaman's wife. The acting is superb, the storytelling riveting, and the landscape of Bhutan is beautifully portrayed.

Knitting:
The skirt KAL/CAL begins on August 1st. Need to swatch my yarn.
Right now, I'm doing the Sweater Workshop KAL knitting the sweater sampler. As I posted in the forum for the KAL, until I got to the twisted ribbing, I admit to boredom. But seeing how the different ribbings change the fabric has been interesting.
Craftsy
Stumbled on this site when Interweave advertised a sale on the classes. Started with Stephanie Japel's Knit Lab, which while too basic for me, you always learn something you didn't know. I have now started the Crochet Lab class in the hopes of learning to read written crochet patterns. I want to go on to the Intermediate Crochet and the Knit to Fit classes at mid-month,
What is really interesting is signing up for the Craftsy daily emails. Full of projects, contests, links.
Recommendation: I know there are a lot of products for this on the market, but I'm loving Lavishea Lotion Bar. It keeps your hands moisturized without a greasy residue and since I've been knitting with wool the past month, using Lavishea has kept the wool from snagging my nails and cuticles. Good stuff. It's available at Looped Yarn Works.