2011 Year in Review

The best moments of 2011:

Being blessed by the Karmapa

Changing Jobs: having the confidence to step into the unknown

Knitting socks that fit

Realizing I have more bras than at any other time in my life

Realizing I have more shoes than at any other time in my life (Watch out Imelda)

Recognizing that by leaving friends, I’m not losing friends

When the neighbor who always slammed his front door…MOVED OUT

Worst Moments of 2011

My sister in the hospital

Changing Jobs: leaving the familiar for the unknown

Most Fun of 2011:

Being serenaded by my co-workers on my last day at work
Brandi’s Wedding and getting to spend the weekend with Tori

Most Embarrassing Moment of 2011:

Going splat on the sidewalk twice

Scariest Moment of 2011:

Realizing that it wasn’t just a large truck making the building shake, but an earthquake

Most useful purchase of 2011:

A little microwave steamer: prevents you from killing food

Slow cooker
 

Funniest Moment of 2011:

The shocked reactions to my wearing a skirt and heels to work

Seeing myself in group photos and realizing, I’m really short.

Best Yarn Moment of 2011:

Finally buying the Knit Picks City Tweed for a sweater

Finally buying the Cascade Eco+ for a vest

Worst Yarn Moment of 2011:

When the Knit Picks Shimmer yarn became so tangled, I had to scrap it and use another colour because, of course, the Cumulus colourway has been discontinued and it was such a dead gorgeous colourway that no one on Ravelry wants to sell or trade any. Don’t blame them.L

Resolution for 2012

Be open with confidence to whatever arises.

Tomorrow the Thumb Trick

Both mittens are now knit, ends woven and are awaiting the "thumb trick". I've read about it; seen it done, and tomorrow I'm going where I've never gone before.

What occurred to me as I was finishing the second mitten, is that I don't ever remember having mittens before. Gloves, yes; but never something so simple as mittens.

What came almost as instinct, since I didn't do a gauge swatch, was knitting them on size 5 needles when size 7 is recommended on the yarn label. I knew as the fabric grew on the first mitten that I'd made the right choice; the fabric is firm but not stiff and just wide enough for my fingers, without the thumb, to be comfortable.

Wednesday, I was naughty or What a difference three inches makes

Finished the first of the mitered gloves last night. Using 8" size 5 dpns was slowing down my knitting, so yesterday on my way to meet some peeps for lunch, I did two things:

1. Cashed in my change, which netted a cool 105.35
2. Went to Looped Yarn Works for 6" #5 dpns; 24" #9 and #10 circular needles and to hopefully find a mohair yarn for cowl.

Now this was easy because the bank is on one side of the street and Looped is on the other side. :)

I looked at the sale table (always my undoing at Looped) touched one yarn and walked away. Found one skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in a wheat yellow colour. Wandered to the front room, turned right and there was Rowan Creative Focus in Golden Heather. A little history, I've moved this particular yarn in and out of my Webs basket over the past two weeks. As of 11:15 yesterday, it was out of my basket; and I had dismissed it on the premise that I don't need more yarn. It's gorgeous. It's a soft wool and alpaca blend and the color is amazing next to my skin. I scooped up one skein and headed to get my needles. I also bought a copy of Interweave Crochet Winter 2011 which I am still digesting.

Went off to meet the peeps for lunch. It really is so nice to have friends that you can be completely yourself with, who are as interested in you and your life as you are in them and their lives. We can be bitchy, supportive, get angry for and with, laugh with and at each other never disturbing that deep current of love and respect that we have for each other. Because there was a bit of to and frowing about where we were going to eat--we almost always end up at the same place--we decided before leaving Nicola's to have our next lunch at Grillfish on January 26.

I have been eating at Nicola's for about seven years, mostly eating the buffet which at $11.00 including beverage and a pasta dish, is really one of the best bargains in town. But yesterday was cold and blustery and I wanted something warm. I tried the Fusili Luciana. OMG, what have I been missing for seven years. Al dente roti with sundried tomatoes, shrimp and a sprinkling of fresh arugula in a marscapone and white wine sauce.

What a difference three inches makes! I was easily able to whip through and finish the first mitered mitten last night. Have cast on for the second mitered mitten. Saturday morning will be devoted to doing EZ's thumb trick. Oh yeah and btw, after arriving home and petting Toupie, I logged on to Webs and bought 7 skeins of the Rowan Creative Focus in the Golden Heather colourway.

During my week of knitting, I've been tidying (in a rather uninspired way), cooking, playing with Toupie, and watching a few series on Netflix. I rewatched Ken Burns's Jazz series. It still hasn't infused me with an appreciation of jazz after circa 1940. It still seems to me that the conversation that is jazz started to speak a foreign language that I can't understand.

Bucketing

Talk about your grey, miserable rainy day which melts into night. That has been today. I was finally forced to put the heat on as the cold began to creep after sundown. Puss was distracted through the early morning as items from the fire were collected and covered by a tarpaulin. Thankfully the maintenance staff finished the task before the rain began.

Between tidying here, tidying there and a bit a handwash, I've been knitting Elizabeth Zimmerman's Mitered Mitts using Cascade Lana D'Oro (50% wool/50% alpaca) on size 5 dpns. The pattern is in Knitter's Almanac and in one of her newsletters. I've decided I'm going to do her thumb trick.

Boxing Day Knit Clogs

The photos aren't great. Puss kept nudging my hand as I was trying to snap the shots. Used Valley Yarns Northampton Bulky to make the Knitted Clogs from Knit One Knit All. Super simple, super fast, and super cushy to wear.

There was a fire in the building today. There have been several fires since I've lived here. All have been small containable affairs (grease fires in kitchens producing more smoke than fire). Today was the real thing. It was odd. The alarm went for bit and then went off. I was getting dressed to go to the store and continued doing so, as I smelled no smoke. Heard the fire engines arriving and then realized that they were continuing to arrive, but I still smelled no smoke. Went to the window, looked out,  and up on the fifth floor, glass had broken in a window and I was watching flames climb the center bar of the sash. After what seemed an eternity, sprays of water started coming through the broken window. But by then I could see flames rising in the adjacent window and also in the living room windows. Soon the firemen were in action in both rooms, breaking out the windows with their hatchets and dousing the fire with water that spewed out of the broken windows and ran down the blonde brick in sooty rivulets. Also by then the alarm sounded again and this time it kept ringing. Puss was in a small frenzy because of the alarm and the voices in the hall. I knew there was no point trying to get him in his carrier. Nothing to do but raise the blinds and head for the store.

The roads were blocked by police cars, so I ended up walking, but was able to get a bus back. No one, I found out on returning, was hurt, which is really all that matters.

Reversible Cabled Snood and a week of knitting

This is a easy pattern, knit to 47 inches before being joined. Using Valley Yarns Northampton from Webs. A soft, but not buttery soft, worsted weight yarn. It's firm enough that I've only dropped a few stiches that are easily recovered. Mostly if a stitch comes of the needle, it sits there erect, waiting to be picked up again. I'm using size 7 needles and creating a very firm fabric.

This week's batch of veggie soup is sitting on warm. I used a package of Trader Joe's veggies, 1/3 of Trader Joe's  stuffing starter, I added tomato paste, sauteed the stuffing starter with cardamon, fenugreek, tumeric, red, white and black pepper in olive oil. I also added black rice and yellow split peas. I now need to add a little salt.

Toupie is enjoying a batch of organic catnip.

I have the week off and plan to make serious headway on a series of projects as well as finishing a few on the needles. Watch this space for photos and progress reports.

Monday Blocking

Finally broke down and bought some Eucalan wool wash. Soaked, blocked, and dried the Ishbel tonight. I learned from blocking this the first time I used this yearn to block hard to make the lace stand out. I think this is the best blocking I've done to date. Still some mistakes in the pattern; but next time I make it, I'm using lace yarn not sock yarn.

Another Sunday and Project Finishing

Finished the first Guernsey Wrap in Knit Picks overspun sportweight wool in the colourway Ash; and it is now drying. Followed the instructions and did a sewn bind off. Loved, loved, loved knitting this pattern. Can't wait to make it again.

Next off the needles is Ishbel, which will be blocked tomorrow.

Sad News: 62 Degrees North has shut down. I managed to score a few skeins before they closed.

Watched The Tudors. The sex was tiring; the historical inaccuracies were jarring and the graphic, but often accurate, grusome executions gave me nightmares. Usually the character of Henry VIII dominates films where he is the subject. But the actors who played, Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More, Earl of Surrey, Cromwell totally overshadowed the actor who played Henry. Even though I knew the fate of the other characters as well as Henry's, they acted their characters so well I wasn't distracted wanting them to get on with what was suppose to happen next.

Randomness

Totally Cute and Clever: especially like the reindeer.

Spiders

I hit it out of the park with vegetable soup this weekend. My goal was a vegetarian, low sodium, low fat, low carb soup.

3 carrots

3 celery sticks

3 green onion stalks

Snow peas

2 leek stalks

8 asparagus stalks

½ large turnip

1 non-russet potato

2 tbs of Amore Double-Concentrated Tomato Paste (chosen for low-sodium content)

½ cube of Knoors vegetable stock

Pinch of whole coriander

1 tbs of basil

1 tbs Red pepper

1 tbs White pepper

1 teas of olive oil

1 teas of sesame oil

¼ cup mix of lentils and Bhutanese red rice

Soaked the lentil and red rice

Heated the oils in the wok added the red and white pepper

Chopped the celery, onion and leaks and sautéed until clear in the oil.

Chopped carrots, asparagus, turnip and potato

Added all the ingredients in the slower cooker with 2 cups of water.

Cooked on low for about 10 hours

Added ¼ teas of sea salt at about 8 hours.

I was afraid the onions and the leeks might over power, but they don’t. The tomato paste gives the soup just the right amount of tomato taste and the peppers add sufficient heat for a nice after burn. The whole fit in my 1 ½ quart slower cooker giving it a more stew like consistency.

Monday, Monday

Monday, Monday and back to work after the long weekend.

Successfully ordered a cable to hook up my Ipod shuffle to my stereo receiver. Now hours of music without a cd changer. All for about $7.00.

People are always shocked by my music mixes. The one playing tonight has Mozart symphonies, the entire Hell on Wheels album by the Pistol Annies, Peter Frampton, and selections from Paul Simon's Graceland, John Rutter carols and some Linda Rondstat Mexican songs.

Above is the Guernsey Wrap in the Knit Picks overspun wool in the Ash colourway.

I love ordering yarn from small outlets. Ordered a skein of Wensleydale from Blakesley Creek Farm in Oregon. It came with a lovely photo of Wenslelydale sheep and a note. I'll post a piccy of the yarn later (Toupie is being uncooperative tonight). But it is lovely stuff. I will be buying more.

Slow Cooker

I bought the smallest size with the highest recommendations on Amazon.com. Used A Taste of Thai's Thai Spicy Peanut Bake and two pork chops from Whole Foods plus 2.5 MacIntosh apples. Added water, which I now know is a mistake. I should have reread that bit in the instruction manual which reminds owners that there is no evaporation in a slower cooker. I'll remember that when making the soup later today. Cooking time: 4 hours on high

The pork chops and apples are delish. The apples are mushy; the pork is fall off the bone tender and moist. The whole infused with the flavors of the Thai Spicy Peanut Bake.

Measured out the Navy beans last night. How I managed to scoop exactly one cup, I'll never know. They've soaked overnight and plumped up quite nicely. Yesterday I bought some prepackaged soup things: 1 turnip; 2 carrots; 1 onion, 1 garlic and some thyme and other herbs. I also bought 3 small boiling potatoes and some bacon. These will go into the navy bean soup.

On the needles: I'm on row 54 of the second complete knit Chart A of the Guernsey Wrap using Knit Picks overspun wool in the Ash colorway. Piccy's later.

My Black Friday deal: Ottlite Folding Desk Lamp reg. 89.00; 19.99. Threw in a skein of Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in Brown and size 8 Chiagoo circular needles to get free shipping.

4 Days of Cooking and Knitting

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the start of four days of not working. Except for accompanying my sister to a drs appointment on Friday morning. I have no plans...well I have plans but none that take me away from home.

Just had a wonderful mini-lunch courtsey of Starbucks Salami and Cheese Bistro Box. A bit pricey (but it is Starbucks), but delish!!! At the end of the box, I was wishing I'd had a glass of a crisp Pino Grigio. Next time...

I bought a small slow cooker. Bought two slower cooker cook books. The portions are huge; don't get the tapioca being added to a lot of the recipies as a thickener for sauce. In short the books aren't the Joy of Cooking, but they have given me jumping off points for experiements.

Went to Whole Foods and bought one-person portions of lentils, Bhutanese Red Rice, black rice and three scoops of Navy beans. These will be turned into soup. But the veg selection at the GW location was sadly lacking. Planning to pick up some leeks, parsnips, carrots, turnips and potatoes Friday morning. Tomorrow the slower cooker gets initiated with: pork chops with peanut sauce, Thai peppers, and basil.

Still waiting on my order for 62 Degrees North :( so the Guernsey Wrap in the Faroes Island wool is on hold. In the meantime, continuing the Ishobel shawl prezzie and started another Guernsey Wrap in the Knit Picks overspun Peruvian wool in the Ash colourway. I have ten skeins, so running out of yarn won't be an issue.

Interesting

I'm waiting on a new shipment of yarn from 62 Degrees North to continue the Gansey Wrap. Meanwhile, I'm knitting a neck warmer from the Faroe's Island wool using Knit Picks Options needles. The lanolin in the wool has coated the needles making the yarn move along very easily. The skein I'm working with has some vegetable matter. I've also noticed that this yarn makes my nails dirty.

What a Difference A Yarn Makes

I'm knitting the Guernsey Wrap by Jared Flood. I started this in Knit Picks Merino Style. That yarn is being discontinued. Rather than invest more in another discontinued yarn line and colourway, I turned to 62 Degrees North Faroes Island wool 2ply light worsted in light brown. .

I'm loving the stitch definition and the general sheepiness of the yarn. It smells like sheep and after completing a few rows, there's the sheen of lanolin from the wool on my hands. I'm actually itching to get this off the needles to soak and block it, but I have another four skeins to knit.

Also on the needles is another Ishobel. This one has been commissioned and will be a gift. I'm knitting it using the same, now discontinued, KP Essential Sock Yarn. This is the third time I have knit this pattern and I have to say, I'm enjoying this knit immensely because of my increased ability to read my stitches. Still having the same stitch count issues, but I've got them under better control.

http://www.knitpicks.com/cfCart/viewWishlist.cfm?wishlistid=2E0639DF-219B-8E23-CC3F681E4D48BE85&media=WLBL

It's November

http://www.knitpicks.com/cfCart/viewWishlist.cfm?wishlistid=2E0639DF-219B-8E23-CC3F681E4D48BE85&media=WLBL

Blood Pressure: 100 over 60 or Keep Calm and Carry On

No joke folks. This was my blood pressure reading this morning at the doctor's office after coming smack up against a moment of knitting panic. I'm knitting fingerless gloves. Started the thumb last night. Packed the project to take with me to the doctor's because as we all know there is a wait. Maybe a short wait, but a wait nonetheless.
Today turned out to be almost a 90 minute wait. 45 minutes into the wait, it suddenly occurred to me that it was time to join the thumb gusset. In a blinding flash I realized: no scissors, no yarn needle. I was at the crossroads of a mammoth choice:

1. Stop knitting


2. Figure out a way to carry on

Choice 1, totally out of the question. I didn't have a book; and I didn't want to be just stuck sitting there.
Choice 2 how to carry on. It came to me to bind off the stitches of the thumb gusset; join the glove in the round and continue knitting. Lo and behold it worked!

The weather has turned quite crisp quite early. We usually have a spate of summer days mid-October but this year that weather pattern has given us a miss. There has been just enough briskness in the air to get through the afternoon with a light jacket most days.

That, of course, put me in mind of needing another pair of fingerless gloves and knitting down the ole stash. I brought out one pack of the Knit Picks overspun yarn (Peruvian wool, sport weight) in my all time favorite colourway: Forest Heather. Unlike lot of Knit Picks' heathered colourways, Forest Heather is heathered with strands of yellow instead of grey. I learned from the Merlot Heather overspun, that the grey heathered yarns leave me looking washed out. I knitted a beret using Palette in the colourway last year; and was able to pick up skeins of the overspun yarn in a stash busting sale.

I'm not using a pattern, just size 3 dpns, which is yielding 10 rows per inch. Cast on 36 stitches. 10 rows of k2p2 ribbing and then stockingnette. Knit 5 inches to wrist; 10 rows of k2p2; 20 rows stockingnette before starting thumb gusset. 18 rows for the thumb gusset and then the magnificent bind off and join. 10 more rows of stockingnette before the 10 rows of k2p2, which will hopefull take the glove to my knuckles.

The plan from there is to knit the covertible hood for the gloves and finish the thumb before moving on to glove 2.

I finished the Thermopolyae Hat on Sunday. I used Knit Picks Palette in the Oregon Coast colourway. I don't have a yarn scale but I reckon the hat used about 1.25 skeins or about 300 yards. It's like wearing a Brioche. I think it sort of captures the puffy trend. The puffiness was achieved by casting on 100 stitches on size 0 needles. Here's the recipe:

Started with 100 stitches k1tbl p1 for 1” on Size 0
K 1 row
K1 k1fb 200 stitches
K 1 row K1 k1fb 300 stiches
K 8 rows
K 8 rows on size 8
K1slip1 pwise yin back
K2 slip 1 pwise yin back
The decreases were done on the knit rows k1 k2tog until the last five rows which were done k1 k2tog until there were 4 stitches; snip the yarn and pull through the remaining stitches and weave the ends.The closeup shows what a pretty colourway Oregon Coast is.

Pennisetum

Lama's at petting zoo

Zinnia's at Petting Zoo

Mountain Spider Webs

Deep Creek Lake Wedding Weekend

Sunflower

Goldenrod

Seidling Hill or The Gap

We could see this for an hour before we suddenly realized we'd be driving through it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideling_Hill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncline

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_Formation

Seidling Hill close up

I'm Back

I'm Back, through tropical storms, earthquakes and about 3 weeks of working everyday:
Earthquake Damage

Gosh, the entire month of August managed to slip by without a post. Work kept me away from the blog and also away from my needles and hooks for most of the month. The earthquake happened the day after my birthday, so I'm not responsible. Unlike the earthquake last year, this was was a shaking up and down. I liked the one last year better.

Current projects:

A large stash-busting granny square afghan. In short, can't really buy any more yarn until I use the yarn I have. Used all of my KP Creme Brulee Comfy Worsted (about 6 skeins); KP Eggplant Comfy Worsted (4 skeins); 70% of Caron One Pound acrylic and am plowing through a 787 yd cone of Pigsah 4/4 cotton in the Persimmon colourway. I think my 8 skeins of Vanna's choice will be next. This is my bed project. I try to crochet at least one side before I fall asleep.

Kat Coyle's Shirt Row Skirt: This is a project for the skirt KAL. I started it before the KAL kicked off in August because I suspected I wouldn't get to work on it much. Plan to start knitting this again this week.

I'm using Knit Picks Cotlin in the Loden colourway.

Ruffled Granny Rug

I signed up for two Craftsy classes in July: One intro to crochet; the other on fitting knits. Need to get back to both of them. But it was truly such a surprise to me Friday night that although I had work to complete, that I would be able to stay in all weekend to do it. So as part of my continuing stash busting drive, I started the Ruffled Granny Rug and am almost at the end of about 500 yards of Pigsah 4/4 cotton in the Desert Gold colorway. Being able to read the instructions to crochet this is such a boost. BTW if you haven't checked out Craftsy, do. The classes are superb and their daily email contains hidden treasures.

Purchased Knit One Knit All during the Knit Picks sale. What a delicious addition to the Elizabeth Zimmermann library. Interweave had a subscription sale, so I subscribed to Interweave Knits.

Netflix: Finally took the plunge and changed my subscription to one DVD with unlimited streaming.

I Love Yarn |

I Love Yarn

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.