November has flown…
Today minus 30 degrees… September 11, 2009
…would equal snow. Sun angle is losing its annual battle to to the revolution and tilt of the earth. Days are growing shorter, insolation is on the wane. It’s been raining and drizzling on and off today. If it were just a bit colder, we would be seeing our first flakes of the season. It wouldn’t have amounted to much, granted. However once the first flakes start to fly, winter is declaring it is here. Winter: You can come anytime now, thanks!
The back of my sweater has been bound off. Now for the two front pieces. It could get complicated as the pattern has neckline, waistline, and armhole shaping all going on at once. I keep reading the pattern trying to sort it out without much success. It will probably end up being one of those “just do it and stop over-analyzing so much” kind of things.
The semester is going well so far. Next weekend is a big weekend: Karyn and Andy’s wedding! We’re flying out to Colorado on Thursday for all the festivities. I will be finishing off the flower girl dresses in the next couple days. I’m really hoping they come out good.
What’s going on, what’s going on…. September 1, 2009
I’ve been busy getting ready for the new semester to start, so knitting has kind of taken a hiatus for now. Except for Wednesday nights that is! My sweater ( Ivy) is coming along nicely. I’m nearly to the armhole shaping for the back section.
On the weather front (ha ha), it’s been lovely this week so far. Lovely, but boring. I’m not going to complain though because I am so happy it is not hot. The tropics are teasing again. Hurricane Jimena in the Eastern Pacific and Tropical Storm Erika in the Atlantic. Erika will most likely become a fish storm but there is a small (itty bitty, teensy weensy) possibility that it could have an impact on the East Coast. After Danny and Bill, I’m a little tired of storms just missing . Time will tell, but Erika at least is getting a bit more organized and should increase in strength in the next day or two.
On a random note: I had my first PSL of the season today. First day of meteorological fall + PSL = WIN!
Crickets July 21, 2009
Chirp, chirp, chirp.
Oh hello. It’s been a busy couple of weeks here at the ranch. Despite a fabulous beginning of my tour, life happened and so I haven’t finished much since the last time I posted. Hopefully I’ll get to do some more spinning in the next few weeks. August is just around the corner and that means time to start revising syllabi and prepping for the semester. I have been doing some knitting including my first colorwork project. It’s fun seeing the pattern take shape and just a wee bit addicting.
Hopefully I’ll be back posting more in the near future including some pics of my recent projects. I’m also going to try and post a little more about what’s going on weather wise. In fact, there are some hints in the models that a tropical-esque system may try and work its way near the east coast by the end of the weekend or early next week. It’s nothing to really write home about now, but it does bear watching in the near future.
TDF Days 5 & 6 July 9, 2009
Not much activity on the spinning front the past two days. I did wind off my spindle yesterday so it would be free to start the 3rd set of singles for the 3-ply Soul Windows yarn. No other spinning activites to report from yesterday. Instead I went out with my awesome friends to celebrate Ms. Knitpho’s birthday. Much fun, much laughter; it was great!
Today I looked at the first ball of singles that I did with the soul windows and was kinda bummed that they were uneven and not as thin as the second set. That first set of singles were the first that I had done on my new Bosworth so I guess they were part of the “getting to know you” process between me and little Bossie. I have just slight perfectionist tendencies so I went through and respun a good portion of that single, evening out the inconsistencies. I don’t think I will try that again anytime soon. Talk about slow and frustrating. But I’m done with that now so onto the 3rd ply!
Tomorrow I’m hoping to get back into the groove and spin the other 2 oz of Selfish. Next week my big goal will be to chew through (or at least start) my massive bag o’Finn.
TDF2009: Day 4 July 8, 2009
This will be short because I am tired. Finished the first 2 oz of “Selfish”. Next up, the last 2 oz that have been split. Here is a progress picture of yesterday and today’s work.
Top: June 2009 Spunky Club Selfish. Lower Left: March 2009 Spunky Club Myrtle. Lower Right: April 2009 Spunky Club Soul Windows
TDF: Day 3 July 6, 2009
No pictures today because my camera is on a fast plane to China. I tried to take a pic with my very lame cell phone. FAIL. So you’ll just have to believe me when I say that I’m in love with my Soul Windows singles that I did today on the Bossie. And I got more onto my spindle than I’ve ever done before! Two out of the three plies are now spun. Woot!
My parents will be here tomorrow so I’ll be able to commandeer the camera from them and take some pics. I’m exhausted after a long day with two very silly children so I think I’ll be casting on my second Monkey and vegetating.
TDF Day 2 July 6, 2009
Today was a busy day with church and then a BBQ so I didn’t even touch my spinning until after the kids went to bed. I’d had a rough day so I decided to just spin what would make me happy. Today that was the June 2009 Spunky Club fiber: “Selfish”. It’s Shetland which is a new fiber for me. Ms. Paperclips gave me a fabulous idea last knit night: fractal spinning!
Fractal spinning is a way to play with the color changes in handpainted fiber. I prepped the fiber by dividing it in half lengthwise. One of these lengths after being spun will make up 1 ply and will have long runs of color. The other length gets split in half width wise. Then one of those halves is split again. And then repeat once more. This leaves you with progressively narrower and narrower strips of fiber with shorter and shorter runs of color. Those narrower strips are spun to create the second ply. I’ve seen a bunch of pictures on Ravelry of fractal spun yarn and it’s pretty cool. We’ll see how I do!
Upper left: Spunky Club June 09. Upper Right: Fiber prepped for fractal spinning. Bottom: Single spun from the length with long color runs.
Tour de Fleece: Day 1 July 4, 2009
You may be thinking…don’t you mean le Tour de France? Well, you are correct that the Tour de France starts today. However, for us spinners, today also marks the beginning of Le Tour de Fleece. Rich by the way thinks this is quite humorous. I told him not to laugh at me and he said that I was in way too deep. Whatever. Insert rolling eyes here. I can stop whenever I want. Pass the alpaca. Anyway, around the world, spinners of all kinds are undertaking the challenge of TDF2009. Everyone picks their own challenge. For example, The Gnome will be spinning one mile in one day. My self issued challenge is the following:
1. Spin everyday. Even if it’s only 10 minutes. Totally do able with my spindle.
2. Spin my 2 lb of Finn that’s been staring at me. Deadlines are approaching so this is the perfect self imposed kick in the pants.
3. Finish my Soul Windows.
4. Spin something exotic on my spindle. Maybe Gnomespun Tussah Silk? Perhaps Spunky Alpaca?
I’m competing on a couple of teams including: Rookies, Climbers, and Team Monkey Farts.
So during the tour, I’ll post daily updates with what I’ve been spinning. Nothing like a challenge to get me back on the blogging cycle (har har har).
If you’re competing, good luck and I’ll see you on the track!
Oh yeah…and Happy Independence Day!
Day 1: A bit of spindling, done during the hot dog eating competition. Yes. Totally gross. Glad I was concentrating on the spindling. Joey Chestnut has retained the mustard belt for the US. I’m sure you’re as thrilled as I am.
Spunky Soul Windows
Soul Windows...aiming for a 3 ply fingering
Mass Sheep and Wool Festival May 23, 2009
The day started bright and early. Miss E woke us up at 4:45 and I never got back to sleep even though she did. After a 6 am CVS run (why is it the Motrin always runs out when you need it the most?), I had a lovely hour to myself before Mr. G woke up.
My early morning sweetie.
He and I hung out for a bit and then I headed down to meet my knitters for our trek west to the Massachusetts Sheep & Wool Festival. Alas, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry…or in this case perhaps it should be the plans of cats and knitters. One lost kitty, one sad mama, and 2 hours later*, the halved posse was on the way to the festival. MAS&W is a nice little festival, much smaller than Rhinebeck and perfect for a few hours of browsing and fiber petting. Say hello to some of the wooly friends we met:
Llama llama llama
For Melody...white bunny, RED eyes!!
Gray Angora Bunny
Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool? NO, you took it all!
The one thing I was not leaving without today was a spindle. I purchased a 0.68 oz Mini from Bosworth. The whorl is purpleheart.
Purple...pretttttty
Some fiber also came home with me. I found some things I hadn’t spun before so I can work on filling out my spinner’s bingo card!
Spunky Eclectic 4 oz. Alpaca in "Forecast"
Abi's Web 8 oz. Merino/Silk in "McKenzie"
Acker's Acres Angoras 4 oz. Angora/Merino in "Raspberry"
So all in all, a fabulous fibery day. I would also like to introduce you to the newest inductee over to “the dark side”.
Jen and I, proud owners of new spindles!
One other fun note from today: While perusing the Abi’s Web Stall, the owner told me I would be spinning like a spider with the merino and silk. Jen commented, “Just like Charlotte!” And now my wheel has it’s name! 
*Don’t worry, the kitty was eventually found hiding in a pile of leaves a couple hours later. Silly kitty.
