And the results are.....

I plied my way through "Dancing With The Stars" last night.  For some reason, I am just not feeling the love this season.  I really could care less......  But I do feel some happiness when I look at this skein of yarn:

Which was spun from this braid: 

IntoTheWhirled, sw BFL, "Mandarin" colorway.  A club fiber - inspired by a photo of a very colorful Mandarin duck. It is fun to see what a braid will spin into - I have such a hard time envisioning it.  I may knit some striped socks, or perhaps use this in a colorwork project.  We'll see.

Mother Nature is playing nasty again.  It's cold and rainy here, but other parts of Iowa have gotten hail and snow today.  The eagles were covered with snow early this morning, and when last I checked, the camera was completely buried in snow!!  I'm sure they will be ok, but mama didn't look too happy early this morning.

I heard on the radio that in 1977 there was one eagle's nest in Iowa.  This year there are over 300!  And one of those is famous! 

P. S. Nemo update - of sorts....

Just to let you know.....when BG woke from his nap yesterday, he went to the patio door and looked out at "Frosty" and was VERY upset that the Nemo mittens were out there! (Althought it was his idea when we built Frosty).   He wanted me to get them immediately!  So, as any good Grandma would do.....I ran outside and fetched them - with an element of delight, I must admit, sure that this proved that he did indeed LOVE his Nemo mittens after all!!!  I gave them to him, at which point, he put them on the kitchen table, and had nothing more to do with them.  Didn't want to take them home - didn't want anything to do with them, but he just did NOT waht them to be outside.  Frosty received a pair of last year's mittens as a trade.  They can put a man on the moon, but still.....does anyone understand the thoughts of a 2-yr old??? 

Speaking of mittens:

I finished the Cardinal mittens last evening.  These are from the book "Colorwork Creations" by Susan Anderson-Freed.  As I may have mentioned in a previous post, construction is all top down.  I must admit that I was not too enthused about this, but it's an ok way of knitting mittens. It was nice not to have to add the thumb in at the end - you connect it via a 3-needle bind off, as it's been knit first - and set aside till needed.  The book is configured a bit odd - you find yourself bouncing back and forth, between several sections of the book in order to get all of the instructions for a certain project - somewhat disconcerting.  But hang in there - the finished project is worth the effort - and the 2nd mitten was lots easier than the first.  I expect that the next time I use the book, it will be much easier, as I will understand the process better. I really like the designs, so I know there will be a "next time".   

I can't decide if I like the Cardinal motif or the patterned palm design better.  It's a toss-up I guess. The coloration in the photo is a little darker than it should be.  What they say about photographing reds seems to be true - at least today it is.

I guess I lied about not spinning during the week.  I was driven to get the rest of this fiber spun up, so this week I put to good use the early morning time that I have prior to BG's arrival.  And, he still takes an afternoon nap, so I spun then too.  So..... 

 I now have two skeins all finished.  It totals 550 yards of fingering weight.  BFL is probably my favorite fiber, being easy to spin, soft, yet more durable than some.  It would be good for socks, actually.  I had thought I would use some of it for colorwork mittens, but I certainly don't need that much yardage, so not sure I want to break into it for mittens.  I may have to think about it for awhile.  The fiber is a variegated BFL, so it had streaks of dark running throughout the fiber prior to being dyed.  I think it gives another dimension to the color - not only in this colorway, but several that I have purchased lately.

Next week is Spring Break, no preschool for BG.  I'm hoping for nice warm weather, so we can do a day at the zoo - or a picnic in the park - or even a long walk.  Spring is in the air, and we need fresh air!!!  Frosty, you're on your own......

Weekend whirl.......

My spinning is primarily accomplished on the weekends, when BG is not around.  He remains quite fascinated with the spinning wheel, and I just don't want it out and tempting him.  By the time he goes home, I'm usually too worn out to spin - with any deal of success anyway. So, it's kind of a weekend treat for me.

Ginny of  FatCatKnits fame, has a new thing going....a colorway of the month  SAL of sorts.  The color for March is "SweetTortie".  I had purchased a braid of it in January, and really didn't give the name much thought.  Little did I know, but the color of tortoiseshell cats was the inspiration for this particular colorway.  Many folks posted photos of their Tortie cats....gorgeous creatures!  Then it was pointed out to me that Sofee has the same colors in her coat, so......

Not to be outdone by a bunch of  felines, always up for a photo-opp.......

This weekend I spun up the first half of the braid - 2oz produced 306 yards of a light wt fingering weight yarn.

Spinning has given me an entirely new appreciation of yarn - the colors - the structure - the movement of the individual fibers themselves.

Plus it's just so darn much fun to do!!! 

And Three weeks later......

Sorry....MIA.  Several folks have written expressing concern that I have not been posting.  Nope - nothing wrong.  Just life getting in the way I guess.  Sorry - I'll do better, I promise!

While I personally am fine, Sofee, well you know her allergies!  She is in the middle of the worst of it.  Poor little girl.  Her eyes are really bothering her this year.  We have a new ointment, but basically she needs to stop rubbing them.  We are balancing drugs and barrier clothing items with full-attention/lap time.  We'll get through this again......  I'm just hoping for early (and frequent) frosts!

  She could be a poster child.....poor little girl!

On the knitting front, finished are the "Deep in the Woods" mittens.  They've been on my Ravelry page for a couple of weeks, so sorry if this is redundant for many of you.   I made a few changes, which can be found on my Ravelry page.  Basically they are knit as pattern is written.  I really like them!

I started a plain vanilla sock.  Opal yarns can hardly make "vanilla" socks! Pretty wild!  This colorway is one from the rain forest collection of a couple of years ago.  Stash yarn. It's a project that I can take and run with.  Mindless knitting - hmmmm - that seems to be what I need these days. 

I am nearing completion on another pair of  "Knotty" gloves.  These are out of a skein of Cherry Tree Hill - stash yarn that is several years old.  Love them.  They fit a bit tighter than the reddish pair I recently completed.  Same needle size and stitch count, just a slightly different yarn weight. 

The post-lady has been VERY nice to me this past week or so. 

This Schauht Lazy Kate came to me on Friday of this week.  My WooleeWinder bobbins are just a smidge longer than the stock Lendrum bobbins, and would bind up on the Lendrum Kate.  I decided that I would prefer a horizontal kate, and decided to go with this model.  I have yet to use it, but hopefully I will like it immensely!

I decided it was about time that I figure out what I should be doing, so DH actually, purchased these DVD's for me.  I am a "spin by the seat of your pants" type of gal.  I do what feels right.....and for the most part I have been pretty happy with the outcome.  But the recent sale on these DVD's - well, I decided that perhaps it was time to see how things are "supposed" to be done.  LOL.....  (Lots of Luck) with that!  I'll be trying to break bad habits from now on......
 
And speaking of:  This fiber was especially dyed for me by JulieSpins.  I wanted to spin some light to dark transitional yarn.  Love this fiber.  She named the colorway "Teddy Bear", which is a perfect name!

With a little bit of manipulation, it has been spun into a nice hank of yarn.  It's not been sett yet, so not really ready for it's debut shot.  Also, only half has been spun at this point. I need to find the perfect pattern. 

And, a new sock book:  I pre-ordered this one.  I have knit many of Stephanie's designs and find them both beautiful and challenging.  Little dpns have been dancing in my brain since this beauty arrived!

I am actually waiting for an Etsy delivery that I will be sure to share with you all.  Nope - not fiber!  Something really cute....and I am so anxious to receive!  Be sure to check back to see......... :)  

That's about all I guess.  BG will start his little "pre" pre-school this week.  Only 1 hour each day (Tues/Thurs) a gradual adjustment.  We have been talking about school and reading books about going to school for the last several weeks.  He keeps zeroing in on the "school bus" aspect of school.  Sadly, I am his school bus.  Hope he's not too disappointed with that.  I'm very excited for him.....I think he's going to love it!  I'll keep you posted.  

Gushing.....

Gushing....yes, I'm afraid this may be a "grandma gushes" post.  You see, yesterday was a big day for our family, with tomorrow being even bigger!  Someone is turning Two tomorrow!  He'll be opening presents here later today, and tomorrow we plan on making/decorating birthday cupcakes together, but...... 

his official party was yesterday.  It was a nice time for all, even though Mother Nature was not very cooperative.  We have had nothing but rain for the last several weeks, and DD got an early morning phone call with the news that the originally reserved park venue was flooded.  So, even a last minute scurry to notify all guests of a location change, blazing hot temperatures and strong wind gusts didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the celebration.

Good eats were had by everyone!

He soon remembered how to open gifts.

Some were to dream about,

And some were of sheer wonder (he loves anything with wheels....).

But when it was all said and done....he's just all ready to start a busy year as a two year old!

Hope this Grandma can keep up!!!   LOL!

And now the fibering gushing:

Is this not a hoot!  Through a friend (or two, actually) at TNKG, I came into contact with a lady who had been gifted a huge bag of processed wool.  Apparently her neighbor has sheep and presented her a bag full of fluffiness.  She had no idea what to do with it.....so she went in search of a spinner.

I can hardly call myself that, but I thought, sure, I'd give it a try.  She liked the sample skein I spun, and well....as they say, "the rest is history".  She wanted bulky weight, lumpy bumpy yarn.  I think she plans on dyeing it.  She is a very artsey gal, and I'm sure she will turn this plain natural yarn into a beautiful creation!  She is currently on vacation, so I am anxiously awaiting her return so I can get this first 450 yards to her.  (The remains enough unspun fiber for another 12 skeins....if she so desires).  I am hoping that she is happy with it.  I really do think she will love it!

I  totally enjoyed spinning it - with lumpy bumpy abandon!  It was my first project using my Woolee Winder.  Also the first time I spun from roving rather than combed top.  (For the non-spinners out there, roving is more jumbled fibers, where in top the fibers are all aligned with one another).  In the process of experimentation, I learned how to do a "long draw" which is great for this fiber - creating a softer, fluffier woolen spun yarn!  Doing long draw is just so much fun.......makes me dizzy just thinking about it!

I really can't gush enough about the Woolee Winder!  I just love it.  I started on a 3-ply SW Merino last night.  Just an experimentation with the WW - but I think it will be a very nice 3-ply fingering when I am done.  I am SOOOOOO happy that I took my husband's offer of a Woolee Winder gift!!!  Love it!

So, since this is a positive post, I won't mention that I knit an entire sock, totally finished, ends woven in and everything just to frog it all!  It was a Cookie A pattern knit out of my handspun sock yarn.  Just wasn't loving it!  The yarn deserved to be knit into a sock that I would love and wear.  That may be a plain vanilla, we'll see.

And, I am currently working on some little cotton washcloths.  I recently joined our local knitting guild.  They are supporting a fund raising project.  They are collecting washcloths to be sold with 100% of the proceeds going to the gulf oil cleanup effort.   I'm not enjoying knitting them in worsted weight, which is what they requested, so not sure how many I will manage to make, but I'll do my best.  It is nice to use some of the stashed ww cottons.

Happy knitting, spinning, or whatever makes you happy!  Take care....

Things......

It's a beautiful thing:

(Well, an expensive thing too, but I'm trying to forget about that.)  My WooLee Winder arrived Thursday of last week - quicker than I had even hoped!  I haven't had a great deal of time to devote to it, but if first impressions prove to be correct, it will be a Love-fest!  I did a fast plying of all my little bits and pieces of left-over singles.  It was wonderfully quick and fun.  I expected a break-in period (for me mostly) but the feel and handling seem very intuitive to me.  I'm hoping to spend some quality one on one time later today.  I have my first (and probably last, as I'm really not in the market) commissioned spinning project slated to begin later today.

It's a simple thing:

The simple cotton wash cloth.  I guess they are called "spa" cloths these days.  The off-white one was a kit that I received at the YarnOver event.  It was a more expensive cotton, the name of which escapes me at the moment.  The brown one is knit out of Knitpicks DK Cotlin- Cashew colorway.  The green one that I am currently working on is Knitpicks Simply Cotton Sport in the Tea green colorway.  And the natural colored skein in waiting is Knitpicks Simpley Cotton sport - malted milk.  It's an organic cotton - and no dyes.  It seems I so oftentimes find myself without a simple project on which to work during my TNKG.  That's how I started with these washcloths, and there is something addictive in making them.  I have used the same pattern for all of them.  I much prefer the finer gauge of a DK or Sport weight to the heavier worsted weight cottons.

It's a WILD thing:

LOL - but I love it!  I wanted to knit a shawlette type of scarf, but wanted one that I could wear more like a cowl than a shawl.  The 22.5 degree pattern fit the bill perfectly.  It's more long and narrow than most.  I really like the scalloped edge that is knit (not crocheted) on. 

The designer has a link to a tutorial video explaining how it's done.  I plan on making more of these! 

And it's a totally Amazing thing:

How quickly this little guy is growing up. I spent way too much time yesterday in Toys R Us and The Learning Post tying to decide upon birthday gifts.  The big day is next weekend!  I truly am amazed.......

You could call it poor planning.....

but I choose to call it a pair of  "salt and pepper" socks.  Actually I should have taken into consideration the length of color repeats that "Zauberball" had.  But....as you can see, I just knit these up as the yarn came off the ball.  Both colorways are transitioning....sort of busy and crazy.  But - for some strange reason I really like them!

The pattern is "Burning Stripes" by Susan Luni, purchased on Ravelry.  It is a very well written, multi sized pattern, complete with many photos and kind of a "hold your hand" approach to the short row heel.  She calls it a boomerang heel actually.  Anyway - I would highly recommend the pattern!

The yarns I chose are Zauberball and Lang Jawoll Magic.  Both of which have lovely long color transitions, but they are both singles and somewhat fuzzy.  I don't think they will wear well at all.  But hopefully I'll prove myself wrong.  Here is their formal shot. 

Oh...and a really cute detail is the seam stitches that run all the way up the foot and up the back of the sock. 

I like how they fit, I like the heel treatment, and it was just a fun project.  So....I'm sure there will be more burning salt and peppers in my future.

And, I have been spinning of course.  The latest:

This 4 oz Falkland fiber from "FatCat" in the colorway "Stanley" spun up into these 2 skeins:

Each is just short of 200 yards.  A nice fingering weight yarn.  They transition from blue to brown, but not a perfect match.  Not sure what they will become.  Time will tell. 

Falkland is one of my favorite fibers.  It's soft and squishy - always blooms a great deal.  So fun...may be mittens.  Hmmmm..... will have to give it some thought. 

Hope all are having a good weekend.  Summer has come to Iowa today.  It is at least windy, which helps with the temperature and humidity.  Tomorrow may be close to 90.  The AC will probably get a test run if that actually happens.  

Two down, and hmmmmm well, a few more to go......

I've been spinning like a mad woman, along with working on a pair of socks.... but more about those socks later.

One skein of my new handspun I love, one I hope to love eventually.  Hmmmm....can you guess which one is which?   I LOVE the fact that both of these are over 400 yards - traditional 3-ply.  That was my goal.  The pink one barely made it, coming in at 401 yards, but the other one is 439 yards.  They are both a nice sock weight fingering.  The fiber is Finn, which may not be good for socks, so, we'll see.  But at least I accomplished my goal. 

  Here are their prospective unspun fibers.  No surprises here. 

I am hoping to have the pink/blue one overdyed, in an attempt to calm it down a little.  Just "not me" I'm afraid.  One of the risks a person takes with these fiber clubs and mystery colorways.

BG  and I went to the Zoo today.  We had a wonderful time, complete with wonderful weather.  He fell asleep on the way home - totally exhausted.  He was such a good little guy - and totally enjoyed himself.  Well, there was that brief moment of panic when he realized he was actually ON the train!!  Eventually the choke hold he had on me subsided, and he enjoyed the trip around the zoo.  In fact when we had to get off, he wanted "more". If only all the worries of the world were so short lived.....   I'm not sure, but I think some of the enthusiasm he displayed for the animals was totally for my benefit.  I'm sure I made a fool out of myself encouraging his "Ohhhhhs and Ahhhhhs"!   Of course, the gift shop is stocked with one less giraffe this evening and the chipmunks in the picnic area will sleep with full little tummies tonight - full of string cheese!

Ahhhhh .....  Life's soooo good!   :)

"Ta Dah!!!!!"

Thanks to my helper this morning, the "Scrappies" yarn is complete!  I could not be happier - it's just gorgeous!  It took me many months of vendor stalking before I was able to find Scrappies.  I may return to the hunt. 

I'll be back soon with more photos.  I just HAD to share these.  Hmmm....I think he's going to have some strange "grandma memories" someday!  He loves to help me roll the yarn in the towels and squeeze the water out.  And "thwacking" is a real fun time!  Ahhhhh.....  I truly savor every moment with this little guy!

2-19-10 thru 3-19-10 (Warning - primarily spinning content)

Ahhh....my last bobbin of singles!  Done!  Feels good!  

When I started spinning this sweater's worth of fiber back on Feb 19th, I had no idea how long it would take me to finish the task.  I'm happy with one month's time. 

I still need to ply the second half of the bobbins, but that won't take long, and it's just so darn much fun!  This particular fiber (Ashland Bay Colonial multi - Rainforest colorway) makes for a beautiful heathered yarn, reminiscent of  a Cascade 220 heather.  Yardage is very similar also. The color is a deep green/blue, dependent on the lighting.  I have the first 6 skeins totally finished, a nice worsted weight 3-ply. 

It appears as though they  are coming out very consistent with one another.  By dividing the length by the weight, I get a figure for each skein.  The variance is very small.  Hopefully the remaining skeins will hold true to this also.   Being a relatively new spinner, I feared that over the time, my spinning would vary.  To even out this issue, I decided that I would spin all my singles and then ply them together, NOT in the order in which they were spun.  I think it was a wise decision.  So far my experience has been that knitting with one's handpsun is very rewarding, so I am looking forward to getting started with this......I think it will be quite fun!

If my swatching is successful, I think I will knit Flyingdales (ravelry link),  from the book "A Fine Fleece".  I believe I will change the collar and front band treatment however.  I should have plenty of yardage for whatever sweater I choose.  I really like the book,  my only complaint being inadequate photographs of the finished sweaters (IMO).  I was thrilled when I discovered that Ravelry had a group for the book, complete with knitter's FO photos.  Again...Ravelry to the rescue!

We had our LAST snow storm of the season yesterday.  I'm not sure what the official amount is, but I would estimate at least 4" of the lovely white covering all over our back yard!  At least it's clean and pretty.  BG, Sofee and I had great fun exploring outside on warmer days last week.  Nearly two years of age now, BG has outgrown the need to put everything in his mouth.  It makes exploring the great outdoors so much easier! I think Sofee is hoping I will let him wander off this year.... she continues to tolerate him - and totally enjoys the weekends when he is at home!   He is growing up so quickly......he really is a sweet little guy, no matter what Sofee says!  :)