A New Feature at Chez Val

A New Feature at Chez Val

As some of you may know, I'm currently on a quest to eat better and be healthier overall. I joined a gym in February (and currently exercise with Karen pretty often), and I've started doing things like bringing breakfast and lunch to work in order to eat better and more cheaply. (The $7 sandwiches were starting to get to me, too.)

So, I've decided to add a post or two a week to talk about the getting healthy process. Most of the content will be recipe reviews and interesting ideas I read about, rather than complaints about how I didn't lose any weight this week or fell off the wagon by eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Well, that's the plan anyway.

Today's entry is a review of Cooking Light's Herbed Cheese Pizza. I love the Cooking Light recipes I've tried. They strike the right balance between good food and healthy food. They know which ingredients are crucial to a recipe and which can be reduced or eliminated (and which can use reduced-fat or reduced-calorie versions of the same item). Plus, the website contains user reviews of most recipes.

Preparation: The pizza dough is a relatively easy one. It starts with a bread flour/sugar/water/yeast sponge, which makes rising time short at 45 minutes (plus 20 minutes resting). I ended up adding more all purpose flour than called for during kneading, because the dough was very tacky. I also parbaked the crusts for around 8 minutes, since I froze all but two pizzas. The sauce was also very simple, using canned tomatoes. I added the oregano spice mixture to the sauce, as it seemed a bit odd to me to add it as a topping. I used a kitchen scale to measure the amount of cheese for each pizza. It's a fairly generous serving of cheese--more than I'd thought.

I baked the two pizzas for Monday and Tuesday lunches last night, then bagged them up with foil to be reheated in the toaster oven at work. I ran into some problems with the toaster oven in the pantry near my office (it's apparently very prone to smoke and fire), so I'm going to bake these the night before and heat them in the toaster oven or microwave. I just can't risk catching the office on fire!

Taste: Really good. Like a more Greek/Middle Eastern version of a basic cheese pizza. The sauce is chunky, and I might go with finely diced tomatoes next time, rather than the chunky ones I used this time. With a piece of fruit, it seems pretty filling. I might change the dough next time; because of the quick-rising nature of this dough, it didn't develop a lot of flavor. I like the dough recipe in A New Way To Cook, which gives a variety of great instructions for fitting the rising schedule into your schedule.

Bottom Line: Good lunch option that can be made in advance (recipe makes 8 6" pizzas). Different than standard pizza fare. Would try a more flavorful crust recipe.

Progress! (But no photos yet)

Progress! (But no photos yet)

Thank you for all the kind Blogiversary comments!

About a month ago, I posted a list of items to finish before Labor Day, and I'm nearly there! Just a few more 12-row repeats on the second linen handtowel, and I'm finished! Print o' the Wave is blocking--finally. With that and the rain that's been around all weekend, there aren't any photos yet. (Wendy yells when I post really bad photos.)

As always, I have about a million things I want to knit, but here are four upcoming projects:

1. Jack Sparrow's Favorite Socks for the husband
2. Swallowtail Shawl, by Evelyn Clark (in the current Interweave Knits)
3. Lady Eleanor (dangerously close to an unfinished object)
4. Ram's Horn Jacket from Knitting Nature--hopefully finished by Rhinebeck (and hopefully cool enough to wear a sweater this year!)

I'll have a post with photos later this week, provided the weather cooperates!

Today Is My Blogiversary?

Today Is My Blogiversary?

Well, time certainly flies when you're having fun. It's been a full year since I started this blog, and I hope that my blogging and photography skills have evolved a bit. Both have a long way to go, as ever.

Thank you to everyone who reads this blog--all 10 of you! I've enjoyed sharing my knitting with you, and I hope there are bigger and better things to come! I always appreciate your advice and feedback.

Go with the Flow Tank--Finished!

Go with the Flow Tank--Finished!

I'm really pleased with this. It needs a final washing and blocking to take care of the scallops that want to flip out, but I really like it. (And now I can stop stressing that Karen will finish before me--even though Laura finished hers many moons ago.)


















Pattern: Go with the Flow Tank, from Inspired Cable Knits by Fiona Ellis. The pattern was well-written, and the charts worked well. The additional lengths in the larger sizes are made by adding lace repeats to the bottom. If I was making this again, I would consider doing fewer lace repeats and adding a cable repeat. It's also interesting that the cable insert goes up the back as well as the front. It makes for less mind-numbing knitting, but I think it would look fine without it.

Size: XL, 42"

Yarn: Rowan 4-ply Cotton, shade 132, 6 balls. I enjoyed working with this yarn more than I expected, as it is 100% cotton. I encountered very little splitting as I knit it, and it looks great at this gauge. The suggested yarn in the pattern was Dale Stork, and I believe this makes a great substitute in more adult colors.

Needles: Addi Turbo 2.5mm (US 1), 40" circular

I don't have any comments on the pattern, really, other than the lace issue. I followed the pattern fairly religiously, except for the number of stitches picked up around the neck and armholes, where I winged it. This was an interesting yet fairly easy knit. My seaming has greatly improved, as reflected in the shoulder and side seams, which look really good, if I do say so myself.

Next up in the pre-Labor Day list is the Print O' The Wave Shawl. I'm somehow resisting the Handmaiden Seasilk for the moment, but I expect to begin on the Swallowtail Shawl from the latest IK over the holiday.

Let's Try This Again...

Let's Try This Again...

Since Blogger wasn't cooperating with the yarn photos in my previous post, here they are for your viewing pleasure!



I have had two wonderful mail days, too! On Wednesday, I received the most beautiful hank of Handmaiden Seasilk, in the color Renaissance, from Wendy--a prize for winning her Phart Yarn contest. I believe this is destined to be the Swallowtail Shawl from the latest Interweave. This yarn is just amazing and deserves a special project, so it may take some swatching and trial and error.

Yesterday, I received a surprise package from Sarah! Two ounces of Corriedale/Churro cross roving, which is softer than I would have thought, an adorable hamster card, and gorgeous handspun alpaca/silk! (You can see photos on her blog, here, since I won't be taking photos before the weekend.)

Thank you, Wendy and Sarah!

Cable and Rib Socks with a Side of Stash Enhancement

Cable and Rib Socks with a Side of Stash Enhancement

In the flurry of trying to finish some works in progress (see my previous post), I did finish a pair of socks.


These are the Rib and Cable Socks, by Nancy Bush, from the Fall 2005 Interweave Knits. I used a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Potluck, with plenty left over. I love the Potluck colors (and they're about $3 cheaper where I buy them); they tend to be more subtle than the other hand-dyed colors. I used size 1 needles, but this yarn would be just as happy (if not happier) knit at a tighter gauge. I found the socks to be tighter-fitting than I had expected, but I suspect wearing them a few times will correct this, like the Jaywalker socks.

I also did a bit of yarn shopping over the last week. First, I went to Seaport Yarns to buy two skeins of Louet Euroflax for the Mason Dixon Knitting handtowels. I also left with two skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock for Christmas gifts for my father and father-in-law. (Anyone else sensing an obsession with this yarn?) The blue is a potluck color, while the other is one of their actual colorways; the name currently escapes me.

I am currently having issues uploading photos to Blogger, so the photos of the Supersock described above and the Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb I bought at The Point's 40% off sale will have to wait.

There is progress being made on the Go With the Flow tank; I'm one cable repeat from the armhole shaping. I have to confess that I really want this to just be finished already, and it's become a little tedious. Finishing this and the other August projects will feel great, though! Then it's on to the Christmas knitting!

Nothing to See Here

Nothing to See Here

With the insane temperatures in Brooklyn the last couple of days*, we've been keeping the blinds shut at all times, preventing good photo shoots. I do have a pair of socks and one in progress to photograph, but those will wait for the cooler weather that should be arriving soon. I also have a little yarn shopping to show off.

For now, I'll entertain myself (and maybe those of you who are reading this) with a couple of knitting to-do lists. I still have the same spinning projects on the wheels--Bluefaced Leicester on the Schacht (of which less than 1 pound of the 2 pounds I bought is spun) and the mohair/wool dyed blend on the Joy (spinning from the fold is extremely time-consuming). I'm still in knitting mode for the time being, perhaps because the wheels are too far from the air conditioner and my hands sweat.

Items to finish before Labor Day:

1. Socks for my mother's birthday. These are plain, cuff-down socks knit in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, the Foxy Lady colorway. I've finished the gusset decreases on the first sock. Her birthday is technically August 16 or 17**, but I will be going home for Labor Day and will give them to her then.

2. Two linen hand towels, from Mason Dixon Knitting. I bought the yarn for these yesterday, and they will become my subway knitting as soon as the socks are finished. These are part of a wedding gift.

3. Go With the Flow tank. I'm on the front, finally finished with the lace border that seems to take ages. I plan to get a lot of knitting time on this this weekend. For now, go look at Laura's.

4. Print o' the Wave Stole. I'm on the border and can finish this before the end of the month. It's on hiatus until the tank and socks are completed.

Christmas Knitting List (so far):

I'm trying not to fall for the "every gift must be knitted" urge, but it's hard at Christmas. However, I'm trying to keep the list short and sweet with fairly simple gifts. If I don't get time for something, I have plenty of stash yarn for a last-minute hat.

1. Fair Isle Vest/Sweater for Mom. I bought the yarn for this in February--Jamieson's Shetland DK. This will be the most time-consuming project, as it may very well be self-designed.

2. and 3. Plain socks for Dad and my father-in-law. I bought two skeins of CTH Supersock last night for just this purpose.

4. French Market Bag for my mother-in-law. I made one of these for Mom, and she uses it every day.

5. Socks for my sister.

6. Pirate Socks for my husband (from Pam's wonderful pattern).

7. Something for my grandmother. Maybe Cozy, using some of the handspun merino from handpaintedyarn.com.

There are some other potential recipients, but I'm going to start with this list and see where it takes me. Last year, I added things at the end as I had time.


* You know it's bad when entering the subway station feels like descending into the seventh level of Hell and you cease to care when sweat starts dripping down your legs.

** I don't know the exact date because my cousin was born on the other day, and my mother has spent the last 15 years telling me it's one day or the other, trying to confuse me. I now refuse to even try to find out the exact date, telling her I'll call her on one or both days.

No, Laura, I haven't finished

No, Laura, I haven't finished

As you probably know, Laura and I are knitting the Go With the Flow Tank from Inspired Cable Knits at the same time. Of course, Laura is nearly finished and will be posting photos of her tank very soon. On the other hand, here is my progress.



Yes, that's just the back. I've cast on and knit the beginning of the edging for the front, but there's still a lot to go.

For those of you interested, here is a detail shot of the cable and lace sections. Keep in mind that it isn't blocked. The color is very off in this photo; the previous photo is very true to the real color.



Of course, I haven't succeeded in convincing Laura that she needs to learn to spin as well, thus slowing down her knitting progress (although it looks like Karen has seen the light). I was a little distracted by the gorgeous Bluefaced Leicester I bought at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, mentioned in my last post.



I also have a nearly full bobbin on the Schacht and plan to spin some more this weekend. The Schacht and I had some rocky times when I bought the Joy, but I've learned to love it again. The better I become, the more I love using the Schacht. I'm not sure it was the wisest choice as a beginner, and I had a lot of frustrations with it, but I am growing into it and learning how wonderful it can be.

Currently, my knitting list is as follows:
- Print O' The Wave (working on the border)
- Cable and Rib Socks from IK (nearly finished with the second sock)
- Go With the Flow Tank (beginning front)

All of these, and the Child's First Socks from Vintage Knitting, should be finished by Labor Day. It shouldn't be a problem, unless I get bored and start something new.

I've also been contemplating my holiday knitting list. There are a few pairs of socks on there, plus a fair isle vest or sweater (depending on how much yarn I have), and maybe a felted bag or two. Considering all the other things I want to knit this fall, it's time to start thinking about these projects.

Yes, Spinning Has Occurred

105_0549
Originally uploaded by alerievay.

Lest you fear (or hope?!) that I had given up spinning entirely in favor of knitting, here is some photographic evidence. This is approximately 200 yards of a 2-ply wool/mohair mix. It was a combed preparation that I spun from the fold on my Joy. I'm really pleased with how this turned out.

I have also been spinning some really gorgeous Bluefaced Leicester I bought at Maryland Sheep and Wool from Haltwhistle Fibers, but I think I will wait until it is all spun and dyed before I share it. I have two pounds, and I think it will become a sweater.

Scavenger Hunt at the Met and Other Weekend Adventures

Scavenger Hunt at the Met and Other Weekend Adventures

A large part of the big law firm associate's summer is taken up by summer associate events and lunches. The good is that you have lots of fancy meals and drinks on the firm. The bad is that they take up a ton of time and are forced social interactions. Sometimes, though, they really are fun!

On Friday evening, I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a scanvenger hunt. A few of you may know that I am a total nerd at heart. I watched Jeopardy! nearly every night growing up. I played Trivial Pursuit every time I could find someone to play with me. I'm also competitive; I almost broke up with a long-term boyfriend due to some really stupid plays in a Rook game. Needless to say, a scavenger hunt is my kind of thing.

The teams were picked by the organizers, and my team was great. My friend Javad was our navigator, always looking for the location of the next question. The rest of us puzzled out the clues and found the answers. We got first place, with a perfect score. I would highly recommend this company as a way to see familiar places in a different way (or even a way to explore new places). It was surreal rushing past Degas's The Little Fourteen Year-Old Dancer to find the painting in the next room or looking only at the painting on the back of Van Gogh's self-portrait, but it was really interesting and challenging.

There were also fiber-related activities this weekend. On Saturday, I worked a bit on the Print O' The Wave Stole and a sock. We also saw the new Pirates of the Caribbean, which is more likeable than the reviews indicate. On Sunday, I finished two pairs of One-Hour Baby Booties from Stitch n' Bitch Nation and the sock. I also started the Go With the Flow tank in Rowan 4-ply cotton. It's really lovely, but it is going to be a challenge--more in endurance than anything. There was also a bit of spinning on some really lovely Bluefaced Leicester from Maryland Sheep and Wool, but spinning is still on a bit of a hiatus right now. I'm a knitting fiend again.

Next time, I will have photos of the booties and some handspun I've been working on on the Joy.

A Trip to Vermont and New Hampshire (and a serious lack of knitting)

A Trip to Vermont and New Hampshire (and a serious lack of knitting)

As some of you know, I went to law school in Vermont, on this fine campus. (No, it's not affiliated with the University of Vermont; it's a private school.) I highly recommend the school and the state, even though winters can be brutal. Vermont in summer is heaven.

We headed up to the Northeast Kingdom this weekend for a classmate's wedding and promptly got lost on the dirt roads while trying to find our way back to the inn. In Vermont, there is very little difference between public dirt roads and private driveways--though the driveways are often in better shape. Thank goodness the car was a rental. I don't think we would have forded that giant puddle in our own car.

After a really lovely wedding and amazing party with some classmates, we spent another night at the Craftsbury Inn and took off to New Hampshire on Sunday to visit friends. (Did I mention that I held baby cashmere goats at the inn that had been born on Thursday? Oh, and I bought a pound of llama fiber from the inn's llamas--of course.)

In New Hampshire, I went to a lovely yarn shop in Lebanon called Country Woolens. It's a nice, basic shop that has a real New England practicality feel. They carry a lot of basic wools, probably more than I've seen anywhere. I bought two skeins of Cascade Fixation in a nice blue-gray colorway, two skeins of Regia Nation in the Germany stripes, and this Dale of Norway baby book.

We had a very nice time, although I wish I had the rest of the week off. It's always nice to see our friends from law school. Our friends in New Hampshire are great, in part because they have the most adorable daughters who are 4 and 1. We played and swam and had a great time with them.

Since there's no knitting in this post, I'll leave you with a photo of me with a few of my law school friends, minus the bride.



There will be Print O' The Wave progress next time, as well as some other projects.

Ten things I learned this weekend

Ten things I learned this weekend

1. Some designers don't update their free patterns with known errata and expect you to email them instead.

2. A good Google search will always find said errata because someone has been there.

3. Counting to 240 is apparently beyond my skill level. (I think I forgot some lessons from elementary school.)

4. Using stitch markers every 100 stitches when you're picking up 480 stitches would have been a good idea.

5. Throwing a shawl knit on metal needles across the room solves nothing. In fact, a dozen or more stitches will fly off your needle as it sails across the room.

6. Yelling at your husband to shut up because you're counting accomplishes nothing. Neither does crying.

7. No matter what you are watching on television, some stupid character will start counting 1, 2, 3 right when you're at 234. You will start re-counting many, many times.

8. Realizing that somehow you're 15 stitches short of 240 is not a cause for panic. No one will notice if you locate the area with too few stitches picked up and kfb at fairly regular intervals.

9. When you realize that you and the designer apparently speak a different knitting language, causing you to perform acts of laceknitting heroism (i.e., drop down 4 stitches at each corner and create k2togs and YOs three rows down while maintaining the correct stitch count), do not curse her.

10. The edging will start to work out, and then you'll see two dropped stitches five 16-row repeats down. Safety pins are your friends!

As you can tell, there were a few problems encountered on the Print o' the Wave stole. I think there are errors on the inner border, or at least a large lack of clarity. If you need help, email me and I will tell you what worked for me. There are definite errors on rows 9, 11, 13, and 15 of the edging chart. The next to last knit stitch should be a k2tog on all these rows. I have no idea why a corrected version has not been posted. I'm very, very pleased with how it is turning out, though, despite the numerous problems I had this weekend.

In other news, I braved the laundromat to wash the Aran throw, and it turned out beautifully. As Laura has already told me, I'm sure the Cestari is going to pill, but it washes up into a really lovely fabric with just a bit of a halo. The cables relaxed, much of the vegetable matter came out, and the fabric is amazingly soft. I can't wait to take it to the wedding this weekend!

Since we are going to Vermont this weekend (and staying at an inn with a fiber farm and wool shop, I've decided to take a new project along. Because I have to be just like Laura (witness the Lady Eleanor Entrelac stole in SWTC Karaoke), I will be making the Go With the Flow tank from Inspired Cable Knits. Yes, the gauge is 29sts/4". Yes, I'm insane. But so is Laura. I will be picking up the Rowan 4-ply Cotton from The Yarn Connection this week.

Finally, A Throw!

Finally, A Throw!

So, remember that Aran throw I started way back when? Here it is! It's not yet washed/blocked, but I plan to do that this weekend.



Pattern: Cabled Throw, from Debbie Bliss Simple Living
Yarn: Cestari by Chester Farms, Natural Light Gray, 12 skeins
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo, US size 9

I believe I started this in February, and I let it languish for awhile and worked on other projects for a time. It took roughly three months, start to finish. I hit a wall so many times, and it didn't seem like I would ever finish at times. But I did. And it was worth it.

This is my first handspun baby alpaca--approximately 200 yards of 2-ply. I'm not crazy about the barber pole effect, but the finished product is extremely soft. I found alpaca more difficult to spin because it is so slippery, but other people find that quality a plus.



And, finally, here is my birthday present to myself. An Ashford Joy DT, for travelling to spinning guild meetings and further abroad. I love this wheel. I started spinning a beautifully dyed wool/mohair mix on it this weekend, and it looks gorgeous so far. I just wound a smallish skein of two unknown wools off the Schacht, and I plan to start spinning up one of my Maryland Sheep & Wool purchases soon.

An Anniversary (Knitting and Spinning Content Later)

An Anniversary (Knitting and Spinning Content Later)

Today is my second wedding anniversary. This morning, two years ago, my parents' house was filled with activity--putting last-minute touches on the tables outside for the reception, wondering how everyone would get to and from the church that morning, endless photographs and stress and emotion. But it was worth it. The wedding was amazing, and the marriage has been even better.

Amazing Lace--Meet Team Sooner!

Amazing Lace--Meet Team Sooner!

I decided to join Laura and Monkee in the Amazing Lace Knit-a-long. I think this is my first official knit-a-long, and I've already broken one of the few rules. I'm a Sooner. No, not that kind of Sooner--the real kind. I started two days early, on Saturday. What can I say? It was a 3-day weekend and I want to try to finish the shawl in time to wear to a wedding July 1. As penance, I promise my next lace project will be a doily to make Monkee happy.

So, meet the team! You'll notice I'm not in the photo, because the photos with me in them turned out very badly.



The essentials are there: size 4 needles, about 1600 yards of Jaeger Zephyr, the pattern, and the indispensible Post-It notes. That's 8 repeats of the first half of the center; there will be 34 total repeats in the center, or 17 in each half. It's a relatively easy knit so far. I used Sharon Miller's provisional cast-on, which is extremely easy. Cast on the required number of stitches loosely in a yarn of a similar weight, knit one row, then join in the main yarn. When you pick up the stitches, you simply cut away the contrasting yarn. It's much easier than a crochet cast-on for me; I hope it works as well as I think it will.

The Amazing Knit button will be appearing in my sidebar soon. Once I have the motivation and time, I plan to do a bit of an overhaul of the sidebar and incorporate some helpful links.

Next up, photos of the completed throw, some alpaca handspun, and the new wheel!

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

This weekend, I managed to make a lot of progress on the afghan, realizing I needed to finish it to preserve my sanity. I'm now halfway through the eleventh skein, with just one more skein to go! Given that the garter border will suck up a good portion of the final skein, I'm feeling very confident I can finish it this weekend, even with a spinning group meeting on Sunday.

That last bound of stitch is going to feel very good. The project hasn't been that bad; it's not difficult or even particularly time-consuming. But it's BIG and unwieldy and preventing me from knitting on other projects that have been languishing in the basket. I hope that the recipient really loves it, because it's been a good portion of my knitting time these last few months. (I think she will; I hope I've learned my lesson about knitting gifts that are really so I can show off.)

I also decided to add sleeves to the Green Gable top. I'm fairly dissatisfied with the finished product. It isn't as form-fitting as I would like, but I think 3/4 length sleeves will balance it out a lot. I may end up ripping back the castoff and taking off an inch or two, as well.

Next up are two newborn hat and booties sets for twin girls that will be born this summer. I'm excited about using the Ellen's Half-Pint Farm yarn for those! I also hope to finish Lady Eleanor Entrelac and another in-progress wrap, since my office is freezing all summer. Fingerless gloves may also be required.

The Ashford Joy isn't here yet, but it will ship this week! I've been obsessively checking my email and credit card statement, waiting for the shipment notification. I had hoped to have it by this weekend, but I don't think that will happen now. It will have to make its debut at the Seaport Second Saturday Spin-In next month, I guess. I can't imagine how it will feel to spin in front of others!

I did it!

I did it!

I ordered the Ashford Joy DT from The Woolery today. Think this will assuage the wheel lust for awhile?

Maryland Sheep & Wool (Bonus: Adventures in Dyeing)

Maryland Sheep & Wool (Bonus: Adventures in Dyeing)

I had a great time at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival on Saturday! I shopped, tried out wheels, and met Pam and Jen! I'm relying on Pam's blog for photos of the day, since her husband Kris was busy filling his camera's memory card with photos of yarn and sheep (and I was too lazy to take my camera--needed room for fiber!).

I tried out five wheels, searching for a good wheel portable enough to take on the subway to spinning guild meetings. Here are the results, in order of preference:

1. Ashford Joy DT: I loved this wheel, even though I did not expect to. The treadling was very smooth, and I was able to spin right away on it, with minimal adjustments. It's lightweight and compact, especially with the addition of a padded carrying case. I couldn't find any downsides to this wheel, and it was all I could do to leave it at the festival.

2. Lendrum DT: This was also a great wheel, and it sold me on a Woolee Winder for my Schacht. I can see why so many people love the Lendrum--it's smooth and comfortable. The only drawback is portability. For my purposes, it's just too big. I really only tried it to see if I liked the Woolee Winder, but I would definitely try it if I was looking for a wheel to keep at home or transport in a car.

3. Journey Wheel: The Journey Wheel is a very interesting concept: a wheel that works very much like a vertical charka with treadles. It folds up into its own wooden box, and a padded carrying bag is available. I liked the wheel, but something did not fit me. In addition, it's fairly expensive at $800, and the box weighs quite a bit.

4. Wee Robin: I've never spun on one of the full-size Robin wheels, but they are beautiful, and their owners seem to love them. I really wanted to love the Wee Robin, for its great design and beauty and in spite of its $900 starting price. I tried it, and it felt a bit unbalanced. I don't know if it is a problem with the floor model, which is quite possible with dozens of people spinning on it daily, or if my treadling motion doesn't work well with a wheel this small and lightweight. It is not the wheel for me, though.

5. Majacraft Little Gem: I did not get along with this wheel. If you'd asked me which of the five I expected to like most, this would be it. The tiny wheel wanted to reverse on me with no warning, and the tension had either no uptake or ripped the yarn out of my hands. After about ten minutes of fighting, I gave up.

I've decided to wait until my birthday, later this month, to buy the Joy. I think this will satisfy my wheel lust for a bit. I've really wanted to be able to spin in front of others to get feedback.

On to the purchases! I was disappointed with The Fold. Apparently no one told them of the huge cult following Socks That Rock has right now. They sold out of all their skeins in less than two hours. Sock yarn is apparently very hot right now. I bought these two skeins from Ellen's Half Pint Farm--enormous at 500 yards per skein--and they were among the last dozen or so skeins she had.



I'll be knitting booties and hats for twin girls due later this summer, then socks for myself. I think I'll have enough to get two pairs of ankle socks in addition to the baby gifts. How's that for value?

I also found some nice handpainted superwash merino roving from The Yarn Barn. Each is 4 ounces, enough for a pair of socks each. I love the colors!



I also bought quite a bit of natural-colored roving: 2 pounds of Blue-faced Leicester from Haltwhistle Fibres, 1.5 pounds of Finn from Misty Mountain Farms, and 4 ounces of gorgeous Polwarth from Spirit Trail Fiberworks. The Polwarth was a definite splurge (and was quite overpriced), but it's very special. It will become a hat or pair of mittens for me, I think.







I had been toying with the idea of buying some professional dyes, having seen so many beautiful results from other bloggers, so I bought three jars of Jacquard dyes. I dyed some of my handspun today, which will become the Roxy Lady bag. Here is the process at work:



And the finished product--in a different color, of course:



I plan to buy some other colors soon and dye some of the beautiful roving I acquired this weekend!

A Yarn Store Meme and a Maryland Sheep & Wool Shopping List

Tamara created this meme, and I like it!

1)What's your favorite LYS? I go back and forth between The Point, Seaport, and Brooklyn General (which I'd like to visit more often)
2)What about it do you like most? The Point's cafe, where it's perfectly acceptable to buy a cup of coffee and knit and chat with friends for an hour or two. Seaport's selection is outstanding, and I like the laid-back feel. Brooklyn General is a beautiful store with yarn, fabrics, and hard-to-find children's items (and it should be carrying more spinning supplies soon!).
3)What is your 2nd favorite? With three favorites, I don't think I'm allowed to have a second favorite!
4)What would you improve about it to make it a tie with your first? I'll answer this a little differently--what could any of the three favorites do to become my absolute favorite? I think a combination of the three would be perfect: the selection from Seaport, the gathering area of The Point, and the beauty and general ambience of Brooklyn General.
5)What's the last thing your bought at your #1 LYS? I think the last purchase I made at any of the three was Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and 2 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock at Seaport.

I'm not tagging anyone, but I think it's a great meme, if you want to do it!

I wrote about New York City yarn stores awhile back, in this post, if you want to know more of my thoughts on this.

With great trepidation, I'm publishing my shopping list for tomorrow! (I'm so excited, I feel like a kid again! I just hope I'm able to sleep tonight.)

1. Koigu, mainly for baby gifts.
2. Socks That Rock, just because (and I also have to pick some up for Karen).
3. A dpn/sock case for Tamara. Karen bought one at Rhinebeck, and it is the neatest thing! I'll post photos if I find one.
4. Prepared fiber, of various types and colors. Maybe some silk blends.

I'll also be looking at dyes and travel wheels. I'll probably buy some dye, but I plan to wait on the travel wheel--unless I decide that the Wee Robin is for me! There's about a 12-month wait on those wheels.

Will post more when I come back!

Boring, pre-Maryland Sheep & Wool post

Yes, I know there are better ways to start a post than "boring," but my knitting has been rather boring lately. I've made some progress on the cabled afghan, as evidenced in this photo:



That's 7 1/2 skeins in, with 4 1/2 to go. My goal is to have it finished by the first week of June, but I'm not sure I'll make that. It doesn't have to be finished until June 30, at which time it must be dry and wrapped for the trip to Vermont.

I do like the cable pattern quite a bit, and I think washing it will do a world of good.



I spun this a week or two ago for Helen, who admired the roving I dyed.



I'm quite pleased with how this turned out. The spinning is getting slightly more even, although there are still a lot of inconsistencies. The colors blended much better than I thought they would, as well. It's enough to make me consider buying more professional dyes.

Next time, I'll have a report from Maryland Sheep & Wool!