Tales from the Tour

There is so much to love about spinning. It is more than just the creation of yarn; that is only part of the story. There are so many opportunities for memories along the way. From fiber acquisition, to the time the yarn (in whatever form it might be at that time) has completed its journey, much can happen.

I remember when I bought this alpaca/silk blend. It was a few years ago at a tiny fiber festival in Tennessee. A group of us had gone up together, though I think I was the only spinner amongst us at that time. Some were there just for the trip, others were just on the lookout for bargains, I think there was a reluctant knitter, and a couple more curious about spinning. I mostly wandered on my own, finding little gems along the way, including this big bag of fluff.

Then it sat and waited. I admired it, but did not think I was good enough at spinning to use it, and I wanted to wait until my spinning skills were worthy. Fast-forward to Le Tour de Fleece 2009, and I was ready to challenge myself. One day, a friend invited me to her home to spin and watch the cyclists on television. We chatted, I spun, she took pictures, and she pointed out places in France from her past. When I left, I began to formulate a plan--I wanted to turn this fluff into yarn and then knit it into something for her.

I began thinking of the right pattern, and I found one I would like to knit for her. Then it was time to check the yardage, and I was short by a lot, so the yarn sat. My friend moved away, and it sat some more. Then, there was a knitalong, and the pattern brought the alpaca/silk yarn to memory, but before starting, I checked yardage again, as I have been burned in the past.

I was so pleased to see that I had enough yarn, and I began knitting Emily2. It was odd to be participating in an online knitalong while needing to keep the project private, but I was just glad to be knitting for my friend. The only stumbling block that remained was getting it in the mail, and that took months, but I finally did, and now it is with my friend.

Why Did I Wait?

It is not as though my grandma is reading the blog, so I could have shown this gift when I finished weaving it.

My selvedges still need a bit of work, but really are better than this photo shows them to be. Anyway, I finally made my way to the post office this week, so she should have it soon.

Playing Tour de Fleece does cause the blog to suffer a little bit, but I am having fun. I even got my niece in on the action when she spent the night. Her first skein of yarn is drying.

Clearly, I have been neglecting the laundry a bit, too, but I am caught up on washing dishes. I suggest we fast for a few days so that I might bask in the glory of my accomplishment.

It is not just the Tour keeping me busy. I have also been playing with Google+. Some of you are already there. I have been sending invites when they are open. If you are not yet in, but would like to be, let me know. I am not quite sure what to make of it. Time will tell, I suppose.

Today is going to be a slow day, as my fingers are achy. So much for getting caught up on blogs, eh?

On Your Mark, Get Set, Spin!

It is that time of year again, and I am ready for Le Tour de Fleece! Once again, I am a part of TeamCrankyPants! I love the relaxed, supportive, fun group, and pleased to be a part.

This year, I am spinning a selection from my Funky Carolina Pure Inspiration Club, the colorway is called, kind heart. This is a merino/silk blend, and is a new combo for me. I think the time is right for me to spin this very special fluff.

I have a few other ideas about what I might spin this year, but for now, this is my focus.

Evidence of Training

Since I began giving more attention to my Tour de Fleece preparation, I finished spinning and plying some alpaca. I received this from Diane in a Team CrankyPants exchange a couple of TdFs ago. It was great to spin and the skein is so soft and squooshy.

107g Alpaca, Three-Ply, ~360 yds, ~14wpi

Try-a Hiya!

The HiyaHiya people were able to help me out, and I felt a bit stupid for not having thought of them in the first place. My friend was able to bring me this 0.5mm steel crochet hook, and it works with my beads. I am now making wonderful progress on the second Emily2 while my other lace cries for attention.

Speaking of HiyaHiya, when I got my new hook, I was also able to see a set of the new bamboo interchangeable needles. I think I know what I want for my birthday this year!

If It's June

That means it is, once again, Goat Trauma Awareness Month. The campaign has already served its purpose, as heretofore, I had been unaware.

June also means that July is likely to be here next, and along with it, the Tour de Fleece. Things have been underway at Team CrankyPants Training Camp, but I just checked in this weekend. I hope to finish the alpaca yarn I have had on Kiwi for far too long. I spun for a couple of hours on Saturday, taking breaks along the way. Whenever I noticed the time allotted for spinning drawing to a close, I heard, "Annie says, 'No Injuries'," sounding off in my brain like a demented cuckoo clock.

Those words of wisdom followed me on Sunday when Kiwi, the pile of alpaca fluff, and I attended a bi-monthly spin-in at the lys. I had not been in so long, but I did well. I did not allow myself to get so nervous as to turn lovely fiber into a felted clump in my hand. I met new people, ooh-ed and aah-ed over so very many pretties, squee-ed over some precious little Kuchulu Spindles, knit a little, and even managed to spin some.

In fact, it seemed that I might make my way through all of the fiber I had brought with me. However, there was no need to think I would run out of fiber to spin. One of the women was giving away bundles of fiber she knows she will never get around to spinning, so I came home with quite a bagful of fluff, as well as a bottom-whorl drop spindle. I have plans for some of it for myself, know that some is for others, and the rest will speak to me in due time.

Mind Over Miter

I am at something of a standstill with my second Emily2, as I need a much smaller steel crochet hook to add the beads. My current method using the dental floss thingy has become more than a little trying, and greatly detracts from the joy of knitting this shawl, and there is much enjoyment to be had in its creation. My lys does not carry any as small as I need, nor do any of the chain, craft stores. It does trouble me somewhat to double or triple the price of an item through shipping, so I am looking at one other option before I order online. Well, there is another, but that involves undoing all of my progress and getting different beads, and I really do not want to do that, but I will if I must.

While working through the various solutions to the Emily2 problem, I have kept quite busy. I had a bit of mohair madness and wove a wrap for my nephew's teacher. I started it late Wednesday night, and needed to have it in gifting condition by Thursday morning. I used Moonlight Mohair in the Rain Forest colorway. I stayed up all night, and had it dried just barely in time. I think Opal crossing her fingers was just the extra boost I needed to make the deadline. I did not even have time to take a photo, but it was lovely, and I was pleased to have been able to give the gift.

With one project on hold, and a gift on a tight deadline complete, I decided to play around a bit. I have not done much mitered-square knitting, but occasionally have been interested in the construction. I do have in my mind the idea to one day make the mitered square sock yarn blanket, but it is only a fleeting thought. With my hiatus from socknitting, as well as my aversion to knitting blankets, it has been quite some time since I last considered the project. Ah, but an opportunity to just play with leftover sock yarn and mitered square knitting, well, that has been fun. It is the opposite of much of the hurry and pressure of late, and I think I am making something good. It will just take a little longer to see if I have chosen well.

On One Hand

When I finished Emily2, I looked about for the next thing to knit. Our weather was wonderful and unseasonably cool. I was loving it, especially because I knew that the heat would soon be here, and that October or later is probably the next time we might expect to enjoy such temperatures.

Anyway, I was not quite ready to begin something new, but rather, I was of a mind to finish something that was waiting for its time to receive my attention. I first thought about Salt Peanuts, but I quickly let that go. I admit that part of the reason I did not finish it was the dreaded idea that I would have a new wool sweater just in time for hot, humid, oppressive weather to set in for the season.

No sooner had thoughts of completing my cardigan been put back into hibernation, did the answer of what to finish next pop into my head. Within a few minutes, I was retrieving my nearly complete Estonian Sheep Hand Puppet. All that this little creation lacked was ears, stuffing, a face, and the weaving in of ends and blocking. In the midst of much on-the-go time, I grabbed a few minutes here and there, and soon I was done.

After seeing just how little time it took for me to finish this, I could be a bit disgusted with myself for having put it off for so long. I recall what stopped me way back when. It was the missing portion of the directions for the ears. It just put me off, and so I set the project aside until I was ready. I am so pleased to have picked it back up and put in the time and effort to complete my new little friend.

Much of my knitting of late has been for others, but this is for me. At least I think it is. Sometimes I hear that small voice or the little tap on my shoulder that lets me know something I made really belongs with someone else, and ignoring that leaves me unhappy. For now, though, this is mine, and it I am enjoying this simple hand puppet very much, possibly more than any one person should.

Blog Trouble

Blogger is having temporary troubles. We will see if I can get this post to publish. In the meantime, I am watching wool dry and and have some finishing tasks that require attention.

Hope your week is going well!

Beginning to Understand

Since I jumped into it without understanding much, I decided that I needed a book to help me with my inkle weaving. Inkle Weaving by Helene Bress seemed to be the oft-most recommended books, so that is the one I chose. While I have been having a lot of difficulty with concentration lately, I kept flipping through my new book, looking at pictures, trying to read some, and finally I began to understand a little. Next, I got out a sheet of paper and began playing with my colored pencils and a day or so later, I hoped I had properly planned a draft for the loom.

I love how the inkle loom looks when I have warped it. It seems very complicated and impressive to me (yes, I know I can be easily impressed at times). All of the color and order and lines speak to me, and I spend a little bit of time just looking at the dressed loom.

Of course, it would be pretty pointless if I did not take it any further, so I got to the weaving and love how quickly my progress shows. However, the most thrilling was to see that I had been correct in my understanding of creating the draft, and that the pattern was working out the way I thought it would.

Hint, Hint

A few months ago, my younger brother sent me a link in an email about crocheting an Android figure. I filed the hint idea away for future reference for gifting. Fast-forward to the news that he was about to finish his degree, and I knew I needed to get out a hook and some green yarn.

I did not follow any patterns for this, but just looked at the shape of the Droid mascot and put my experience in crocheting amigurumi figures into play. It was a fun, simple, little project, and one that I am pleased to give my brother in honor of his graduation. If only getting a good photo of this little creature was as easy as crocheting it. Seriously, you would not think that this would be such a challenge, but it really was.

After the Storms

There is so much I cannot quite sort out about the way I am feeling. What I know for sure is that I am so very thankful to be fine, that my family was not harmed, and that all of our homes came through the tornadoes. The loss and destruction are tremendous and the images and stories overwhelming. We are trying to see where we can volunteer and be helpful, but mostly, feel useless.

We are so pleased to be home again and pleasantly surprised to have electricity restored so soon.

Tuesday, Right?

Look! I have been weaving a little bit. This is a little change purse I wove on the inkle loom. I love it. Also, today is Tuesday, so...

We all see that along with the price of gas, the price of our food is increasing, and for most, those costs are going up faster than our income. So, let's follow along with Carole and talk about ways to save at the grocery store.

1. Make a shopping list. Hey, we are making a Ten on Tuesday list; we can do one for groceries, too.

2. Check the pantry. You might be buying duplicates you do not need.

3. Do not shop while hungry or in a state of craving. You will come home with some really tasty grub, but the price is high in so many ways.

4. Shop at a less-fancy store. Some grocery stores are nicer shopping experiences than others are, and only you can decide if it is worth paying more for it.

5. Check the price per unit. Sometimes the bigger package just costs more.

6. Coupons! Not only do you have those in the paper and through the mail, but also printables from online, and electronic ones you load to a shopping card or that go on a fancy mobile phone.

7. Price matching. You might be able to shop wherever you like if your favorite store matches prices from sales ads.

8. Sales. Check that colorful flyer for savings. Often the manufacturers offer coupons that you can pair with a special price for even more savings. You might notice a pattern about the same items going on special. Stock up when there is the good price and wait if you can between times.

9. Generic/store brand. You might need to experiment a little, but sometimes the difference is not noticeable, but the price sure can be. Still, you need to watch for times when you need to use twice as much of the less expensive brand, but only save one-third, or for times when a sale and coupon pairing beats the generic.

10. Be realistic. Know what you will prepare, and prepare what you purchase. If you will not use it, you did not save any money, no matter how good the deal was, or what your intentions were.

The Good, the Bad, and the Splotchy

I wondered what had eaten last week, but when I think about it, I suppose I could just be pleased that I am holding up as well as a I am.

We traveled somewhere around 1000 miles in the car. My back is still unhappy with me about this. Around 400 miles went toward visiting family, and there was much good in that, but we saw upsetting signs of declining health for someone else, and that was just sad.

There were medical appointments for Bruce, and that accounted for about 400 more of the miles. He is fine, but there is still more to go. The waiting room time went by so quickly that I only knit a few rows. Then we looked at cars, and that was mostly awful. I just have no interest in it unless it is time to get a car, but Bruce enjoys it, and we were in the neighborhood. However, there may be something good coming of that adventure, too.

As for the splotchy, I do not think I like what is happening with this Citron, so I am just going to have to rip it out and move on to something else. Then again, I am kind of unsure, so I am putting up this picture in a solicitation of opinions. The original intention was that this would be a gift, and it is possible that the recipient could see it, but if I do rip it, that does not matter, and there is also a good chance that she will not see this anyway.

No, Today is Friday

At some point on Wednesday, my brain became thoroughly convinced that it was Friday, and I still have not quite recovered from it. Still, the week has not been a total loss (though I remain rather lost).

Today, my new-to-me Schacht Inkle Loom arrived.

Too Little, Too Late

I meant for this sweater to be for a baby born last year, and I do not really remember what happened, but fast-forward to now, and I have this sweater, and I am pretty certain that it is too small for the little girl. Asking the mommy about her baby's wingspan to see if this would still fit seems wrong, so I am holding onto the sweater for some future baby. I just now got around taking pictures of it, and I fall in love with the little kitty buttons every time I look at it.

Speaking of little, I also never showed you the cute little prizes resting on the sweater. They are HiyaHiya Puppy Snips that I received from a friend. It has been a long time since I felt the need to own one of something in every color, but I think these adorable little scissors may have brought me nearly to that point. They are fabulously handy little snips, and I feel compelled to show them to everyone whenever I use them.

Now, I somewhat show you something that is neither little nor late. It is a gift for a friend, (those of you who have seen and know what this is--shhh, please) but not exactly for a particular occasion, and, therefore, not late. I will show it after it arrives where it belongs, but we all know my postal procrastination, so no holding of breath, please.

UM...Decided and Undecided

When I heard about the Emily/Emily2 knitalong, I knew that I wanted to play. Then, I thought that it would be a great gift for a friend, and worried that my participation as a knit-along-er would be terrible if I could not show my progress. At that point, I realized I had gotten ahead of myself, and there was much I needed to do before I could join in on the fun and games. So, I set to the tasks of finishing one project and making progress on a couple of others, and then deemed myself eligible to play with friends. I seriously think I have earned this, as I even made a decent dent in my Chalet Sock from PSCNeverHappened2009.

Next up was yarn selection time. I decided that I wanted to use the alpaca/silk yarn I spun for the TdF 2009. I thought it would be a great choice for the pattern, and I had wanted to knit it into a gift for my friend for quite some time. Then, I could not find it anywhere. I searched high and low, and began to wonder whether I had given it away. Somewhere in my brain, I remember getting the yarn out to see if would work for some project, but that was my last memory of it. Finally, I unearthed a knitting bag that has not seen much use for quite a while, and lo and behold, I found the yarn.

However, at this point, things had become a little bit complicated. First, I became quite enamored with a few other yarns in the stash. One of them led me to think about knitting Emily2 for yet another friend. It would also be a bit of a different experience, and a bit of a gamble. However, it would not require me to use beads, although it would not rule them out, either.

So, all I know for now, is that I am going to knit Emily2 whenever the kal begins.

Judge :: Mental
Safe :: Haven
Boulevard :: Wander
27 :: March
Next :: Time
Ma’am :: Yes
Desktop :: Clutter
Club :: Caveman
Violet :: Favorite
Enamel :: Nail

Eighteen Grams

Damask's last appearance was the cast-on plus a few rows. The experience of knitting with the silk single was interesting. I did not fully understand this until a later experience, but more on that another day. The nupps were more challenging in silk than in wool. Still, I enjoyed knitting Damask, and it is a great pattern.

As I had no way to get more of the yarn, and it was knit from many stitches from the bottom up, I decided to go for the medium size. I was concerned that it might be too small, but was more worried that I would run out of yarn. So, I cast on with my US 8 needles (5mm), and knit the rest with US 4 (3.5mm) and hoped for the best. A mere eighteen grams later, I was done. Knitting the medium size was the right choice.

Now I just have to wait for Mother's Day to give this to Mom.

Heart-to-Heart

I finished this almost three months ago, but only now am I free to show it. It was a birthday gift for my friend, Helen. Her birthday was in December, but travel, holidays, and weather kept us from getting together, until last week when I was finally able to give this to her.

I knit the Heart to Heart Beaded Scarf for her in Misti Alpaca Lace in this beautiful blue. I was quite pleased by how well it suited her when she put it on, but in a fit of camnesia, I forgot to take a picture. You will just have to settle for its January snow photo shoot.

UM...And Another Thing

Whenever I add another element to my life, things end up a bit topsy-turvy for a while. Usually if I try to keep up with everything while incorporating the new activity, I collapse and get nothing done. This time, I am trying to just add in this very new and different thing, and have just let many other things (blogging, email, commenting, and more) fall to the side for a bit. No, it is not a perfect answer, but at least I am not stuck frozen on the couch, in the bed, nor on the floor.

What am I talking about, you ask (yeah, I know no one is really asking, but I appreciate your indulgence once more)? I have begun to exercise outside the home. Yikes! I have never worked out at an exercise facility, but my new health insurance includes this as a benefit. I still do not know what all to bring with me, which classes to try, or how to best work it into my day. We will not even touch on how there are mirrors everywhere, or the preparations I need to make to try out the aquacise class.

While I continue to find my legs in all of this, it was great to come home to a package on the front porch the other day. My prize package from Stacey's fundraising efforts arrived, and I love it all! Everything was so carefully wrapped and it is such a generous collection of lovelies. I am already making plans with the yarn, and making tea, too!

Bootie :: Pattern
User :: Friendly
Child :: Care
Scribe :: Illuminator
Manager :: Micro
Upsetting :: Incident
Puddles :: Accident
Hopeful :: Always
Procrastination :: Yep
Statistics :: Lies