Better Late Than Never

A few photos, as promised.

Handspun





The brown yarn is an unknown wool top that I bought with the wheel. It is much more chocolate brown in real life; the colors did not show up well on this one. It felt a little old and dry to spin up, but I like the finished product. Part of the top was used to ply with my first handspun (posted below).

The teal yarn is natural-colored Corriedale roving purchased from The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn. I dyed it using Wilton dyes after spinning and plying. I have no idea what I will do with it, but I do like the color.

Saranac



This is the almost finished Saranac. I used nearly 14 skeins of Wool of the Andes, from KnitPicks, in Fern. I knit the smallest size. I really like the way this yarn knit up, especially for the price.

To finish the sweater, I need to find a zipper and sew it into the neck opening, sew down the neckband, and weave in the ends. It will also benefit from a good blocking.

I enjoyed the pattern. The instructions were clear, although I had to make some decisions myself (i.e., how to incorporate the sleeve increases into the pattern). I quite like making those decisions, because it makes me truly understand how the pattern works, but I know some people don't.

I originally wanted to make a nice gansey for my husband, but this is what he wanted. Maybe the next one will be a little more exciting.

Finally, half the pieces of Klaralund



This has been a quick, easy knit so far. I've been a little concerned about whether I have enough yarn, but I should have just enough. (And by "just," I mean seaming with another yarn to finish it up.) I may buy an extra skein anyway, but I'm going to wait and see.

In other knitting news, I frogged Kiri after realizing that I misread the needle size. I was using a 5.5 mm, when the original pattern was written for a 4.5 mm needle. I'm using Madil Kid Seta, which is essentially the same yarn as Kidsilk Haze, and I need to buy a new size 7 needle Crystal Palace circular.

Also, I think I'm one of only a handful of knitbloggers (if, in fact, I can lay claim to that title yet) who is not participating in the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics. I have too many projects that need to be started soon (Kiri, the self-designed Aran afghan, one or two baby gifts), and I'm not going to commit to finishing one in 16 days.

There wasn't much spinning this weekend, because I'm fairly caught up in knitting projects. I'm trying to learn Paula Simmons' method (Spinning for Softness and Speed), which is coming along slowly but surely.

Next time, better photos, I hope. I unfortunately have a camera that is smarter than I am.

A Brief Update

I found out yesterday that work is sending me away overnight, so last night was a chaotic mess of deciding what to wear and, more importantly, what knitting to bring. I'm on the yoke of Saranac, which makes it far too bulky to lug around. I started Kiri for my mother-in-law's birthday, but I'm only a few rows in. For me, lace and airports don't mix. Plus, the Madil Kid Seta is tricky stuff. So, I broke down and started Klaralund last night. I was waiting to finish Saranac before beginning this, but the opportunity presented itself. This will be a quick, mindless knit; it's 4 pieces, no shaping, and just a few stitch changes here and there. I brought 4 extra balls with me, just in case I get stuck in the airport. Of course, I need to be doing work instead....

On Thursday, photos of progress (if I remember)!

A Meme...

I don't normally do these, and I won't make a practice of it, but the lovely Laura tagged me, and I couldn't say no. She coerces me to buy yarn all the time, so how could I resist?

4 jobs that you have had in your lifetime (yes, many are food-related)
* waitress at Cracker Barrel
* research assistant calling extension agents asking drought-related questions
* hostess at Chili's
* To-Go specialist at Olive Garden

4 movies that you could watch over and over
* Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
* The BBC Pride & Prejudice miniseries (don't talk to me about the new movie--I won't see it)
* Persuasion (another Jane Austen)
* The Cutting Edge (although I don't currently own it)

4 places that you have lived (in order, omitting most current places of residence)
* South Royalton, VT
* Knoxville, TN
* Marburg, Germany
* Wartburg, TN

4 TV shows that you love to watch
* CSI
* Grey's Anatomy
* House
* Arrested Development

4 places that you have been on vacation
* pretty much anywhere in Western Europe
* Charleston, SC
* Disney World
* Morocco

4 websites that you visit daily
* Gmail
* Knittyboard
* CNN
* Gawker

4 of your favorite foods
* Fried chicken
* Chocolate chip cookies
* Peaches
* Bacon

4 places that you would rather be right now
* At home
* Tennessee
* Germany
* Disney World

Stitch 'N Bitch

If you want to read more about the Debbie Stoller/Sew Fast Sew Easy trademark saga, go read The Girl From Auntie. She knows her stuff, and she explains the legalese behind it all extremely well. And don't go posting evil things to SFSE's boards, okay?

And if you want to do something more substantial, buy from this site. The profits are going to a legal fund to fight Sew Fast Sew Easy.

Changes and Progress

I decided the previous template was a bit dark, in the end, and decided white would be better. So, here goes with a new look.

I've done some swatching on the afghan project, and I've decided on the cables. More discussion about that in future posts, when I nail down the pattern specifics and start knitting. I'm worried about the tree motif, but I think I've done the math accurately and it will be the size I want.

I've also been knitting on Saranac (see post below) and am nearly finished with the first sleeve after a frantic knitting session on Monday. I like it, and the Wool of the Andes from KnitPicks has been wonderful to work with, so far. My husband actually picked it over Cascade 220, in a head-to-head softness challenge.

I also now have the pattern and yarn for Klaralund, which precipitated the knitting marathon. I'm forcing myself to finish Saranac before I start Klaralund. Of course, it took a trip to three yarn stores and calls to two more, before I found the pattern. The third store, closest to where I live (of course), was the winner. I'm very fickle in my affections for yarn stores.

There has been some spinning, too, and some dyeing, which I have never done before. Photos will come soon, I hope.

Visualizing the Design

This is the most difficult part of the process for me, I think. How will all the elements go together to make something harmonious? What should I use to highlight the central panel? Much of this will have to wait until the yarn arrives, so I can begin swatching. For now, though, I have the following thoughts and ideas.

1. All the cables other than the central twined trees pattern must be somewhat simple. At this point, they will probably be alternating narrow and wider cables, fairly basic.

2. The background for the trees is reverse stockinette, so the rest of the cables should have the same background stitch.

3. I will do a garter stitch border around 4" wide. The entire afghan will be knitted in one piece, unless there's some reason justifying a sewn-on border. (Anyone know a reason why this might be the case? Weight?)

In the meantime, I'm keeping busy with a new sweater project, Saranac from the Knitty Men's Issue. This is only my second adult sweater, and the first for my husband. I want to alter the neckline, but he likes it better that way. I'm several inches into the body already; the garter rib goes quickly.



This is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, in Fern, I think. The colors are fairly accurate on my monitor, though the red background always seems to alter color somewhat.

Last but certainly not least, I received my final package from my Knitty Secret Pal, Suzanne (aka gibbous)! Suzanne was extremely kind, and sent me so many wonderful things in the past few months! This package was certainly no exception, as you can see:



From left to right:
2 skeins MarL La, by Classic Elite
2 skeins Fortissima Disco (I think)
1 skein KnitPicks Shadow
Knitting Over the Edge
Lantern Moon needles (!)
Gorgeous handknitted and fulled bag from Noro (made by Suzanne herself)--it has the neatest looped cord handle!
A fair isle bag pattern
6 skeins Tahki Cotton Classic to make the bag

I have been extremely spoiled this round, so much so that I think I'm taking the next one off! Suzanne did so well, finding exactly what I wanted and turning me on to so many new things, from Lantern Moon needles to new Debbie Bliss patterns. I was exceptionally lucky!

And, finally, because I've talked about it enough....



The Schacht Matchless DT, in its natural habitat.

Yarn Selection (or, an exercise in stash enhancement)

First, an answer to Donna's question: Yes, the two entwined tree motif will be on the center of the afghan. I don't plan on changing the size, except for any changes that might occur because of my gauge size. But I'll know more when I swatch. The trees made me think of marriage--roots, entwined branches.

With the vaguest details of the afghan decided, we move on to the yarn selection. For an afghan, this is critical, I think. First, Sara will be gaining a young 2-year-old stepdaughter from this marriage (they will have her half the time, I think), and both she and her husband-to-be work full time. So washability is definitely a factor. Second, I've looked at relatively similar designs and estimated somewhere around 2400 yards of yarn for this afghan. This is not an inexpensive project, no matter what yarn you choose. Third, this is an afghan--it needs warmth (they live in Vermont), some degree of softness, and durability.

I started looking at the usual suspects--superwash wools and acrylic/wool blends. (Cotton would be too heavy in this blanket.) I was looking for worsted/aran weight, preferably more on the aran side; this decision was again based on my examination of similar patterns. Based on this, I narrowed it down to 2 primary choices: Cascade 220 Superwash or Plymouth Encore.

Then I remembered a yarn I had seen on Laura's blog last week. She had tested Cestari yarn from Chester Farms for a cabled sweater. This wool claims to be washable, and Laura put it to the test. It passed with flying colors and softened up beautifully. At $5.99 for a 210 yard skein, it was comparable to Plymouth Encore, and I've decided to give it a shot. After a quick phone call with an extremely pleasant employee, in which we debated the merits of several colors, I will soon be getting 12 skeins of a color somewhere between white and tan. Then the swatching will begin!

Next...Final Knitty SecretPal 5 package and visualizing the afghan design.

An exercise in design

Sara, a good friend of mine, announced last week that she is getting married on July 1. After some thought, I've decided an afghan would be a nice gift. She's the type who would appreciate it. I dragged out the pattern books, looked at the afghan and throw patterns, and decided a nice cabled, Aran-type afghan would be perfect--classic and timeless. But I didn't like any of the patterns I found.

And then, with visions of cable patterns swarming through my head, I thought of this. I've never liked the sweater, but I thought the center cable was very interesting and filed it away for future reference. Once I saw it again, I knew it should be the center of a cabled afghan for Sara.

So, the idea for an afghan is born. It is a very good thing that I have nearly 6 months to design and knit this; it is sure to be a challenge.

Stay tuned! Tomorrow--yarn selection and beginning ideas!

A Knitting Annoyance

There's a trend I've noticed among many knitters lately. They won't do math. Now, I'm not a math genius, and I don't particularly like doing math. But let's face it--knitting requires math. Sure, you can make all the fun fur scarves you like without ever writing down the first number (or maybe even counting), but you can't make anything as complex as, say, a hat, without a little bit of figuring.

It's a dirty secret, but it's true. Knitting (at any level beyond true beginner) requires a little bit of math. But doesn't nearly everything in life? If you cook, you know that math is required to adjust recipes or substitute ingredients. I am an attorney (a profession many pursue because of its so-called lack of math) and I have to do math--adding hours worked and random math required for cases. So why would anyone think that a hobby (obsession) that requires custom fitting objects to size would not require math??? It doesn't require much--it wouldn't be beyond your average 10-year-old--but some knowledge is needed.

What brings on this rant, you ask? An increasing number of questions like, "How do I decrease 15 stitches evenly when I have 80 on my needle? The designer didn't tell me how to do that, and I hate him/her because I paid good money for an incomplete pattern." I know I need my hand held on new techniques (and I screwed up more than I care to admit when I was a serious beginner--knots, no ends woven in, curling stockinette--you name it, I did it), but if it mattered that much, the designer would put it in the pattern. And it takes a few seconds to fudge it; it doesn't have to be exactly every 5.333 stitches, though I would love to see someone try that.

Okay, enough ranting. The wheel hopefully arrives today, and I'll set to using some WD-40 on the few unfortunate rusty areas that resulted because it was a shop model, give the thing a nice oiling, and take some photos for your viewing pleasure. I also got other knitting- and fiber-related Christmas gifts, but I'll wait until later to list them.

I'm back!

After more than a week in Tennessee with family, I'm exhausted. It's always good to go back, but there seems to be so much to do in such a short time! And we never get to see everyone.

I got my Schact Matchless DT for Christmas, and it's amazing! I went to the LYS where my parents purchased it and bought all the extra whorls and bobbins she had, which puts me at 4 regular bobbins, 4 hi speed bobbins, and 4 whorls. I only need 2 whorls to complete the set, I think.

Here is my first handspun. I feel pretty good about it, since it's so much better than my spindle spinning (no, I don't have pictures of the cat vomit I made on the spindle). I plied two different colors for these two hanks. The colors in the photos are fairly accurate, but the red wall throws them off a bit. What do you think? Suggestions, comments?

Christmas insanity

Yes, I am insane. I decided this last night when, after spending much of the weekend baking and making fudge (as well as doing last-minute shopping and going to a Christmas party), I cast on for a hat. And this isn't just any hat. It's a Christmas-present-that-has-to-be-finished-in-4-days hat (that the recipient is not expecting). Oh, and did I mention that I still have 3 pairs of slippers to felt? And a scarf to finish? And that a NYC transit strike is looming, when we're flying to Tennessee Friday morning?

I almost had a breakdown last night thinking of it all. Then I scrapped the last batch of cookies, had husband run out and buy some Hershey's Kisses for filling up the gift boxes, and got over it. Sometimes the German martyr syndrome comes out a bit too much. It's also known as the "Martha has nothing on me but free time and lots of helpers" syndrome. I did inherit this from my mother and grandmother. I also suspect my great-grandmother was the same way, but it's a whole new ballgame when the women start working outside the home. You're expected to do all these wonderful homemaker-type things IN ADDITION TO holding down a regular job. And I don't even have children yet.

On a brighter note, I finished the first sleeve of the Charlie Brown sweater. I bought the pattern here, although I almost wish I'd charted it out myself. I like the blanket pattern, though. The sweater calls for duplicate stitch, but I think I may do intarsia, because I'm not sure I have enough yarn otherwise. I'm using Blue Sky Cotton, which is just lovely. I'm afraid of the pilling, but it's a newborn sweater, washable and soft, so it will be okay.

My plan was to take photos of all the Christmas knitting, but I'm not sure that will happen. Maybe I can take photos of the recipients trying to look pleased that they received a hat/slippers/a scarf instead of a normal gift.

Even though I've enjoyed the Christmas knitting, it will be nice to get going on new and interesting projects. Next up: gloves from Handknit Holidays for me and Saranac for husband.

Well, Christmas knitting is all but finished. No, I haven't done the holiday cards yet; I think I'm going to send out cards to a much abbreviated list of 10-15 recipients. If I'm not going to do a good job at it, I might as well not do it at all. I'm planning the cookies and fudge for co-workers--I like to do something, but nothing that makes them feel obligated. The baking will be next weekend, I think. Shopping is almost finished, but there are always the odds and ends to be purchased.

I actually enjoyed knitting most Christmas gifts this year (except the third pair of felted clogs that my husband decided his father had to have about a week ago and which are still in progress). It was nice having a goal and recipient in mind, rather than my usual "I want to try [insert new technique]" knitting. I did learn fair isle while knitting Christmas gifts, and I improved my lace knitting (and tinking back several rows, but let's not start on that). I also improved my intarsia technique, which I'll need for the baby sweater that's up next (a Charlie Brown sweater, complete with zigzag).

I finished the lace wrap Saturday and blocked it Saturday night. There are one or two mistakes where I apparently decided to skip two rows in the pattern, but it's one of those mistakes that only I will notice, really. I'll have a hard time giving this away, though. Lace is like that, I've learned.

Work has apparently slowed down, and I'm not going to work hard to get new assignments, since it's almost Christmas and I may apply for a new job soon.

Christmas Knitting

I've been working away steadily at finishing the Christmas knitting. Only the lace shawl for my mom is concerning me--in part because I foolishly took it to a group knitting event and attempted to work on it. If you've ever done it, you know what happened (what always happens when lace and lack of concentration combine). I fucked up. My stitch count is off. And I think it's bad enough that I need to try running an after-the-fact lifeline a few rows down, then rip it out. I can't look at it for a day or two more, so I'm going to start on Saturday and finish this thing this weekend, I hope.

Meanwhile, I've been using some gifts to practice fair isle. I made one hat for my dad with a simple motif, but it was terrible. So I tried again, making a small bag from Handknit Holidays, then a second hat for dad. Both turned out very well, and my technique is getting much better. It's still not good enough for a complicated fair isle, but it's getting there. I'm holding both yarns in my right hand, because I have serious issues trying to hold the yarn in my left. My thought is, why do something that's uncomfortable, when you can master a technique that builds on skills you already have?

The technique I'm using is described in Sally Melville's third book. Definitely a helpful resource for a colorwork beginner. Next up is, hopefully, a book of fair isle motifs.

Over Christmas, I plan to work on a baby sweater and some gloves for me, I think. Then it's on to a sweater for my husband and a lace shawl for me.

The new Knitty is a mixed bag for me. I think Bamboozelle is a nice use of bamboo yarn. Hemp might also be an interesting choice for this design. I also really like Bristow, something that I plan to knit in the not-too-distant future. It's a classic design that is a cut above many of the sweaters in Knitty, I think. There are several others I am fairly indifferent to, though I've seen Tubey in person, and it's an interesting design that I could see myself knitting--without stripes.

On the other hand, there's this. Can anyone tell me why this was published? I'm tired of the overuse of bobbles, and did the designer actually knit a gauge swatch, or is this a project gone awry? I'm sure it's fashionable, but I would never waste yarn on it. A little less enormous, with the addition of a front and back and the deletion of the bobbles, this might be an okay bed jacket type garment, but its current form is just terrible.

I'm still waiting for Interweave and, hopefully, Spin Off, but I'm not holding my breath. I wasn't impressed with the Interweave preview, but I hope it looks better once I get the magazine.

Christmas knitting is almost finished. I started out with what I believed was a long list of items to complete, but either I'm knitting more quickly, or I've just been neglecting all sorts of things to knit. The latter is more likely.

It's gone so quickly that I've added a few more things to the list, quick knitted gifts for people who might not appreciate it as much. I still anticipate a push to get it all finished at the end, but we'll see. I'm most dreading the lace stole for my mom. It's not that it's terribly difficult, but I can only work at it for an hour or two at a time. I did get some great knitting in during Monday Night Football, because both my husband and I were tense that the Colts were playing a big game.

The lace is a 20-row repeat from Barbara Walker's first stitch collection. I've adopted the note cards method for this one, since I was both (a) too lazy to chart it out and (b) of the belief that a stole with no shaping really didn't need a chart. I wrote two rows on each note card, then punched a hole in the top left corner and joined them together with a binder ring. It's worked surprisingly well, and I'll probably use it on similar projects in the future.

Tomorrow, it's off to Karen's for a holiday knitting party!

I received the third package from my Knitty Secret Pal 5 yesterday! I have no idea who she is, but she really knows what I like!








The package in all its glory









2 skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and 4 skeins of Debbie Bliss SoHo! The only question is what I'm going to do with this gorgeous yarn???





A pair of Lantern Moon ebony needles. My secret pal introduced these to me in the last package, and I love them! I'm waiting anxiously until they make circulars.







These photos really need no explanation, do they? She sent extra chocolate (really, tons!), because my husband rudely ate all the Cadbury chocolate (the real kind, not the stuff made by Hershey masquerading as Cadbury).





Three--count 'em--three Debbie Bliss pattern books! I can't wait to get started on some of the patterns in here! Now I just need more time and some adorable babies to knit for.

Thank you, Secret Pal, whoever you are! I'm looking forward to finding out who you are, so I can thank you properly! You have been so generous and kind, sending me so many beautiful things!

Knitting and the Age Divide

I was reading The Knitting Curmudgeon's blog the other day, and she brought up an interesting point--maybe there's no real "age divide" between knitters. Maybe it's divided by interest or style instead. I think she's onto something.

This is a topic I'd been thinking about a week or so before Marilyn's post. I went to an NYC knitting store to knit with Karen. Sitting at the window were the regular Friday night knitters, all working on something from the latest Vogue Knitting. There were a few other people who seemed to have their own group going on, all knitting the latest trendy sweater or accessory. One even had the yarn to make that monstrosity on the cover of the latest VK. (If you like this design, we need to talk. Seriously.)

The point is, this is one of the two types of knitters you'll find in NYC. The trendy, hip knitters who are always making something that costs a fortune to make and will be out of fashion by next year.

The other type is essentially the same thing, but older. These are the people who have knitted the same garments since 1980 and never really venture into newer styles.

I always wonder where the "other" people are--those who are fairly adventurous in their knitting and like to hone their craft, but are also interested in adding new techniques and styles to their repertoire, so to speak. You find one or two at knitting groups, but too often it's the same people making the same set of legwarmers/shrug/fingerless mittens as everyone else. (Not to say that I have never made any of those, but still.)

In other news, I just found out on Sunday that one of my closest friends at work is probably leaving. This (along with various other issues that have cropped up in the last few months) has made me begin to think about going elsewhere, though it's nothing more than a thought at this point.

Two new books!

I received two knitting books from Amazon last week, and I digested them a bit over the weekend.

Handknit Holidays, by Melanie Falick
What a beautifully photographed book! This is one of those rare knitting books that is so well laid out that the designs look even better than they are. There are a few misses, such as the cover design and the poncho and matching dog sweater, but there are several projects of varying degrees of difficulty that I can see myself making. I've already bought the yarn for the vintage gloves (without the beading) and the gansey sweater, the first sweater I will knit for my husband. There are some very special designs in here, like Annie Modesitt's lace tablecloth and Teva Durham's aran tree skirt. Several of the designs are holiday-neutral, but there are a number of Christmas designs.

The Knitting Experience, Book 3: Color, by Sally Melville
Let me get this out of the way first: most of the designs in here are either not my style or just plain fugly. I doubt I will make more than one or two, if that. Don't let that turn you off, however. This book is easily worth its cover price. Melville is a great teacher and includes instruction for every kind of knitting using color that you can think of--intarsia, stranded (fair isle, though she steers clear of that term), knitting with handpainted yarns, and slip-stitch designs. What I like best, I think, is that she shows a number of methods for accomplishing the same goal. For example, she shows three different ways of holding the yarn for fair isle knitting--both in left hand, both in right hand, one in each hand. She also gives instructions for holding one strand around the neck. It seems that, too often, an author chooses one way of knitting as "correct," when we all know that there are as many ways to knit as there are knitters.

In other knitting news, I'm cranking away at the holiday list. Still working on a couple of items, but I did get a pair of felted clogs knitted up and ready to go. I think the lace scarf for my mother is going to be the project that comes down to the wire.

After more than a week, I haven't heard from the friend whose daughter received the lovely Samantha sweater. I'm not really sure how to take this; I even emailed to confirm that she received the package. Still nothing. I'm debating calling, but I don't want to sound desperate for gratitude. She used to be a fantastic person, but now I'm not so sure what's going on. At this point, it almost needs to be something serious (though I obviously don't want anything bad to happen to her or her family). It's strange that this bothers me much more than not getting a thank you for the throw I knitted for my cousin's wedding. If there's one time in your life you should send a thank you note, it's for your wedding. Oh, well, I'll stick to the registry from now on and only buy or knit for friends' kids when I know they'll at least acknowledge the thought.

I nearly forgot to add that my parents picked up the spinning wheel! The Schacht is sitting where the tree will be when it's put up around the first week of December. Mom's putting a big bow on it, and I'm going to get cranking while everyone else is opening their far inferior gifts. The store was closing out their fiber, too, so I got some nice tops for good prices. One is a mohair blend, and the other is a Corriedale, I think. I really wish I could have been there to see my dad in a yarn store!

A spinning wheel!

Yes, my fiber obsessions will continue! Although I'm still producing something akin to a really bad novelty yarn on the drop spindles, I'm getting a spinning wheel for Christmas. And not just any spinning wheel--a Schacht Matchless Double Treadle! I am getting a fantastic deal on this wheel from a yarn store owner and spinner who is, sadly, closing out her wheel inventory. I was wavering a bit between this and an Ashford Traditional (double drive, double treadle), but I was convinced by a number of people that the Schacht was the way to go, even though it was $300 more. My Schacht will be missing a lazy kate, but I can buy that easily.

I visited The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn last night and met the lovely owner, Linda, who was kind enough to let me try out a Schacht and a Kromski Prelude. The Prelude's single treadle drove me nuts (or maybe it was because it was the first wheel I've ever actually tried), but the Schacht was lovely. If you are ever in the Williamsburg neighborhood, you must visit The Yarn Tree. It is a lovely shop, with more Koigu than you can handle! It also happens to be the only store in New York City that carries fiber and wheels. Go figure--dozens of yarn stores and no fiber!

Ahhh....Rhinebeck!

I was lucky enough to hitch a ride to Rhinebeck with Karen and her mom on Saturday. If you've never been to the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, you have no idea how many fiber-crazed people there are out there. (And I'm told the one in Maryland is even bigger!)

This is the kind of place that fuels your wildest fantasies of making that Dale fair isle madness out of your own handspun yarn sheared and processed from your own flock of sheep. After an hour, I was ready to quit my job, buy some sheep and alpacas (with a few cashmere goats and angora bunnies thrown in), and start my own fiber farm. It poses a bit of a problem because we live in an apartment with no yard, but the urge is still there.

I was extremely lucky to get out of there without having put down hard cash on a wheel. Wait, let me rephrase: my husband was extremely lucky I left without putting a downpayment on a wheel. Seriously. I bought a beautiful drop spindle from Grafton Fibers, which is fueling the fire until I get a wheel.

I also bought 2 skeins of yarn from Brooks Farm, which is much more beautiful in person than on their website. The colors, the sheen, the drape--all of it works on this yarn. I also bought 1000 yards of kid mohair from Mohair in Motion, a steal at $32. This is destined to be either Lily Chin's Reversible Rib Shawl (see Laura's pink confection here) or an Orenberg-type lace shawl. I'm open to suggestions. I also bought a skein of Blue Heron Socks that Rock in the Sedona colorway. About 1/3 of the skein has become a pair of baby booties that perfectly match a sweater I bought for the baby. (Yes, I know I should be ashamed, but the mother and I aren't that close--booties suffice.)

I also purchased something for my Knitty Secret Pal, the Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls book from Interweave, and blocking wires.

Quite a haul, huh?

Oh, and I got to meet the lovely Franklin and Joe, the latter as he was spinning on his very own Robin wheel for the first time.

Ah, okay, so this blogging thing isn't working out so well. It's like when I was in high school and applying for a scholarship from a Lutheran organization that told me I hadn't represented myself well on paper. I'm not very good at self-promotion, even 8 years later!

I have still more photos of finished objects to post, but we'll get to that later. I also need to photograph and post a picture of my FANTASTIC Knitty Secret Pal 5 package. I have received 2 so far, and I really have an amazingly generous SP. I will post pics soon, promise.

In knitting news, I've been hit with a barrage of works in progress. First, there's Ruffles, from Scarf Style, which has been in my knitting basket since June, I think. Then there's a sock for my husband, the Lily Chin reversible rib shawl, a lace scarf for my mother, and an adorable little baby hat for a friend's daughter. Oh, and I started Cinxia, from the current Knitty. I'm hoping to finish in time to wear to Rhinebeck! Yes, you read that correctly--I'm going to Rhinebeck!

Oh, the Samantha sweater is finished, except for sewing on the buttons. I only have white thread, which is okay, but I'm having mixed feelings about it.

This Sunday is the Knitty cruise in NYC, where I'm going to go hang out with Maryann and Karen, along with many other Knitty and non-Knitty people. I'm bringing Cinxia to work on, unless I get enough finished that it's too big. Then it will be Ruffles.

Sometime I will post links, but not now!