What a COLORFUL life!

Yes, I said COLORFUL!! I got a new package in the mail yesterday from Chicka (pretty impressive, only two days in transit from Vermont!)... She tells me that since I'm "swimming in yarn", she's not sending me any more :( Ok, I'm just kidding...well, not about her not sending yarn, but about the frowny face. She's right, I've got yarn coming out of my ears right now!!


(Did I mention that I won the last "Teaching Fund Raffle" at K or K? I did! The raffle was a Simply NORO pattern book by Jane Ellison - are they numbered or something? This one has a lovely multicolored pseudo-basketweave shawl on the front. AND, two skeins of Noro Nadeshiko - 39% Angora / 38% Silk / 23% Wool in colorway 3 - a lovely grey tweed with white, green, pink, and rust in it...GORGEOUS!)


Back to Chicka...she sent me a box all about COLOR!! Take a peek:

The first thing I noticed when I opened it was the box of notecards...all with pretty colors on them! Looking further, I found a book entitled COLOR: A Natural History of the Palette. What a cool book! I'm very excited to read it, as it has a lot of great info on the development of early pigments and dyes. There's also a Wraps Per Inch tool for my spinning, a tiny little notepad of sticky notes with a beautiful cover (which I just found out Chicka and her DH MADE all by themselves!!! How crafty are THEY?!), a bag of assorted dyes in a "Beginner's Dye Set", a copy of the Twisted Sisters Sock book, and a GORGEOUS set of stitch markers...for my little needles that I seem to be using every time I turn around!

Here's a closer look at the stitch markers... Each has a single bead at the end, but the beads are amazing, with multiple colors and metallic filigree...WOW!


Thanks Chicka, it's a GREAT package!! I may be consulting with the Twisted Sisters on a project I'm working on myself soon...

Last weekend was a knitting retreat weekend! Even better, that retreat took us to Daytona Beach! A few of us got together, cooked in the condo...well, ok, I cooked...knitted a lot, visited a couple of stores...Threads of Time and AC Moore, and spent lots of time on the beach!

Speaking of Threads of Time - it was a surprising visit. I had sort of heard that there was a yarn store in Ormond Beach, but didn't really know any details, and it sounded pretty small... Well, it WAS small, but had a nice selection, including a number of yarns I'd never seen before. One in particular caught my eye...it was aptly named Obsession - a member of the Plymouth Yarn Italian Collection. This lovely species was 65% Nylon and 35% Rayon - 114 yds at 5.5 st/inch on 7's. They had it in 4 lovely colors. It was a pretty smooth yarn, probably a DK or Sport weight, but with places where the fiber sorta broke free of it's smooth strand...it's hard to explain really. I can totally see this yarn making an AWESOME Florida shell T-shirt. Sadly, after recent expenditures, I just COULDN'T justify purchasing enough of this lovely yarn to make a shell with :( I did use my new Knitting Journal from Chicka to take notes on it however, so I could remember what it was that I loved so much. It's an entry near the back of the journal entitled "Yarn Lust".

I didn't leave completely empty handed though...on the sale rack were a number of balls of Crystal Palace Waikiki...a lovely Florida friendly Viscose/Cotton boucle yarn. I picked up three balls of Chocolate Almond colorway - at 50% off! We did notice that should I choose to run two strands in some way, this would go GREAT with the leftover Burgundy Gloss that I have from the vest below. It's interesting...Michelle commented a week or so ago that my colors are changing...perhaps she's right...

I was inspired enough to drag myself out before sunrise on Saturday...some birds enjoying the surf before the sun came up, scrounging for some food...


Then the sun started to come out...wow...I could so live there and see this every morning...but then I guess it wouldn't be quite as special, would it?


Love the sun shining across the foam in the surf...

And if that wasn't enough, a kind gentleman and his wife were walking on the beach and commented that it was sad that I had all those pictures, but none with me in them! So here I am!

Overall, it was an awesome weekend, and I'd love to do it again sometime!

This weekend has other events in store...namely, I'm the captain of a Junior Achievement Helping Kids Shine Bowl - A - Thon team! So, on that subject, if you're still in need of a charity tax deduction, you're welcome to sponsor me in the bowl-a-thon! Just drop me an email if you'd like to sponsor me!

I GOT VD!! (And a whole lotta other things!)

Look! I got VD! Of course you knew I meant Valentine's Day, what else were YOU thinking?? Ali from Knitty got us started, and the infection spread quickly! Here's what Silly Rabbit sent me! Piles of candy! A Handmade(?) Card that's lovely, and BEAUTIFL LaceWeight Merino from KnitPicks! The yarn is Gossamer and the color is Sweet Pea! How perfect for VD!

Here's a close-up of this scrumptious yarn! I'll have to see if I can find a nice stole that I can make from this...

It's been a month of packages around here (does that mean I'm involved in too many swaps??) This package is from my WONDERFUL SP8 Pal, ChickaChickaKnitChick07! (Love the name!) Anyhow, she's been diligently studying my original survey, stalking me here (sorry it's been so long since I've updated - a friend got on me about it yesterday, and I knew I had a lot to say, so here I am...), and sending me additional surveys!! She's definitely done her homework! Here's my first package (well, most of it...I didn't take pics at the time, sorry). This yarn is REALLY cool! It's the new TOFUtsies from Southwest Trading Company (makers of SWS Soy/Wool yarn). Pretty cool stuff, it's 50% Merino, 25% Soy, 22.5% Cotton, and 2.5% Chitin (pronounced kIte-in so I'm told). Chitin is fiber from the shells of shrimp and crabs and is naturally antibacterial - how cool is that? The colors are perfect and I can't wait to make a pair of socks with it!

The other item pictured is a Knitter's Journal! It's got lots of little inspirational things, but also has lined paper on one side of the pages and graphed on the other! Just perfect for 1) Recording all of the stuff I knit this year - I think it'll be interesting to keep a list. 2) Making design notes for my Original Design garment!

What's this she says? Original Design Garment? Yep, it's now official (the money's been spent!), Cherry Tree Hill is having a design competition for a large sized garment from their Sock yarn, and I'm entering! I spent nearly 5 hours yesterday at Chez Casuelle, my LYS and supplier of this yarn nirvana. I have a design idea in mind, but had to pick colors...wow, that's tough with so MANY amazing colors in stock! Once I found a set that I thought I liked, I did some swatching, testing colors next to each other, etc... Did knock out one of my original colors from the running and picked up another color...one very similar to the Sweet Pea above actually! So, I have my yarn! Am finishing up a pair of socks today, then I can start some more swatching, look at the interactions, get the gauges, and figure out stitch details... Sorry, I'm not posting any specifics here, but if you knit with me on a regular basis you'll be seeing a lot of this project over the next few months.

After I left Chez Casuelle, I headed home (it was nearly 7 when I left!), but decided to stop for dinner on the way. Stopped by an Outback Steakhouse (at 7:30pm on a Saturday night! - oops!) It was mobbed. The woman at the front said 65-80 minutes, but I might find something first come - first served in the bar. Was stalking a couple of spots waiting for people to leave when a woman at the table behind me said "Excuse me, but are you by yourself?" Then, "Well, I am too, and I have this whole big table, you're welcome to share with me!" She had managed to snag a 4-top and was feeling kinda silly all by herself with the restaurant so full. So, I sat down and had a lovely dinner with a complete stranger! It was a nice conversation, we talked about knitting (I was working on the sock), life, family, dating... Was kinda funny actually, since she lives in Leesburg but had been in Orlando all day. I had started my morning in Orlando then spent the afternoon in Leesburg! So, we were headed in nearly opposite directions and both stopped at the same place in the middle :)

Upon my arrival home, I found a pretty flowery package in the mail!! Yep, this was from the Knitty Sock Exchange that I did with Mokolua! Here's what she sent me:

The socks are beautiful! They're made from Cool Wool Merino 2000 from Lana Grossa. She was afraid to send candy lest it melt...ok, probably not a serious concern right now (glances at the Temp stamp on the computer - Ooohhh 48'F!), but it works anyhow since I'm not really big on candy. So she sent me yarn instead!! Perfect! While there's definitely such a thing as too much candy, there can NEVER be too much yarn! The yarn is Louet Gems in Grape. It actually looks darker in the photo because of the shadows, but it is a lovely purple color. And it's superwash for socks too! Also enclosed is an AMAZING box of tea! It's from the Hawaiian Tea Company, and is a Passion Fruit tea. Had a cup last night and it was WONDERFUL! I love fruity and unusual teas, and this one is a GREAT one! Thanks SOOOO much Beth!

Here's the closer detail of the socks - they fit great and are very comfy!

I sent a pair of socks her way last week, which I haven't posted here, since we agreed that they would be a surprise... So here are the socks that I made for Beth:

These are a colorway called Crazy Woman from Mountain Colors. I loved the way they striped. The pattern was from Knitting on the Road. Beth reports that they fit perfectly, which is great! I figured they would, as they were just a touch on the tight side for me, and her feet are slightly smaller than mine. Here's an attempt to show you the stitch detail:

So, that's most of the NEW news...there is of course a lot of old news that I haven't exactly covered. One Item I've been meaning to put up is the photos of my "Judy Pascale Vertical Vest" from the class that we took in November. I loved this vest, as it was my first "whole design" project. Ok, well, not whole design, since Judy gave us the basic structure, but it was completely sized for me, based on my measurements and gauge. It is knit in KnitPicks Gloss - Burgundy, with beads from AC Moore. The beads are a variegated Rose Quartz mix. It's interesting, but somewhat disconcerting, to see how the various beads fall and interact. So, here's the up close pic.
Since the vest came out SOOO well (and so quickly - I completed it within 1 month!), and I had extra yarn, I kinda got a little crazy... So I decided what I needed to go with the vest was a pair of matching socks! These were done with Wendy's generic toe-up sock pattern, then I invert the cuffs, went up a needle size, and beaded the outsides of the cuffs. Here's the full effect:

On another mostly undocumented front, I had a great time in NY when I went in January. My niece is gorgeous and it was so great to meet her! Here's a pic of my mom with Ava from just before I left (so she was a day short of 3 weeks old).

New Knit Night in Altamonte!

Friday night is the new Knit Night Out! Check out the Blog Site for more info, or sign up to join the Discussion Group! Links in the sidebar as well.

Happy Knitting!

A day of Yarn Excess!

HO-LY COW!

Today was a day of utter excess when it comes to yarn!

Stop #1: Since I was headed to Mt Dora (see Stop #2 below), and I was in need of a bit of #8 pearl cotton, I dropped by Dream Stitchers on 5th Ave and picked up two yummy skeins of hand-painted pearl cotton. I have a pattern for a really cute little beaded purse, and these yarns will make an absolutely lovely one. Tried to photo, but it didn't really come out, sorry.

Stop #2: Amanda from the NYGK group happened to be in Mt Dora earlier this week and dropped by Knit N Needle Nook to see if they were open. Surprisingly, they were!

Ok, so let me back up 30 years and give you a little background. This store resides in a small storefront in the historic village district of Mt Dora, FL. The entire building lacks air conditioning. As a result, the store has been open only seasonally for years. Barbara, the owner, did not believe in sales, therefore they never had them. Which means that there is some REALLY old yarn in this store. In addition, she received automatic shipments for years, which means there was also a TON of yarn in the store. Years ago, one of our guilds went in on a field trip, and the classic story from that event was: "I accidentally knocked over a bag of yarn while I was there, and Barbara said 'oh, don't worry about that, I'll get it when I vacuum'" The funny part? There was barely room for a walking path, much less to get a vacuum through!!

Fast forward to this spring, we took another field trip, with planned stops at #1 above and #3 below, and a hoped for stop at #2. Upon arrival, we found a note on the door that said "Closed due to illness". We have heard nothing more about the store being open until we heard from Amanda on Tuesday.

It seems that the store has been sold. Sadly, Barbara seems to be battling a terminal illness at this time. The new owners, Lora and her husband have been working hard to clear out the piles and piles of yarn in the store. They are open this weekend, offering yarns at up to 90% off their list prices. Basically what this means is that many yarns are marked at $1 a ball, some at $2 a ball, and a few of the more current ones are a smaller % off. If you go up, be sure to take a look in the back room! Lots of old yarns ranging from cottons, linens, wools, mohairs, and acrylics. Much of the yarn is an acrylic blend, some higher percentages than others.

If you are doing charity knitting, this is a great opportunity both for acrylic blends and 100% acrylics. There was also a significant amount of yarn that could be used for baby knitting, including a variety of Sirdars, as well as DK and fingering weight yarns.

Be aware that one person has attempted to swatch some "bulky" weight yarn that she purchased, and it swatched at more of a Sport or Worsted weight. Due to the amount of time some of these yarns have been in storage, there has definitely been some compression.

That said, I bought over 100 balls of yarn - and paid less than $100 including tax.


Here are 40 balls of Filatura di Crosa cotton - looks like some great baby clothes to me!


13 balls of Pinguin PingoFrance II - 75% acrylic, 25% wool. Once again, more baby clothes! Oh, and all of that "black" looking yarn? Nope, not really...it's actually a lovely deep purple color, and one ball of nearly navy. Sorry, by the time I got home it was too late to go outside for natural light photos!


Here are two shells for me - the turquoise is Katia Papiro, the peach I forget. The baby weight cotton could be socks, or baby clothes...we'll have to see...


Oh, and found a bit of SP8 yarn there too...

This sale will be going on for the next few weeks, and they will be bringing in additional yarns. They said the yarn in the store today represented only about 1/4 of the yarn that was in the store when they purchased it. I would call before making the drive, to ensure that they will be open. The new phone number is 407-830-5421. Lora's email is linked above. The storefront is located on 5th Ave in Mt Dora. Here is a link to the 5th Avenue Cafe. It is located one or two blocks farther West from Knit N Needle Nook. Basically it's a small town, and parking is tight, so just find a spot to park, then walk up to 5th Ave (It's pretty much the "Main Street" through town). Also be aware that the Mt Dora Arts Festival will be February 3rd and 4th. This means parking will be remote with transport to the town, and the town will be mobbed.

I hope you enjoy your trip! There are some great gems in there, and it's an awesome opportunity!

Ok, so at that stop, I also met up with ladies from at least three of the Orlando Guilds. Two of them helped me narrow my selections after they had finished their own shopping. After shopping, we all headed to The Gables for lunch.

Stop #3: After lunch, the rest of the group headed back to Orlando, but, since I was already most of the way there, AND since it made my drive home simpler and more direct... Well, I just had to drop by Chez Casuelle and visit with Carla for a while! Picked up this luscious skein of CTH, and two more skeins of sock yarn for my SP8 downstream :)

Overall? Good day. Spent a little, saved a TON...hhhmmm...common theme recently...

Last Things First

At the enablement of my last SP, Applepieisyum, I've decided to stalk Baby Ull yarn... she sent me two balls (pink and light purple), along with pattern book 135, which is TOTALLY yummy! So, with a new bebe in the family, I'm thinking of making some of those luscious Dalegarn patterns. Found a listing on eBay this week for *8* balls! Starting price $12. Actually, it was $12 all the way up through this afternoon when I bid on it. Sadly, the auction closed right in the middle of the evening's knitting meeting, so I wasn't there to adjust my bid when someone outbid me 30 seconds before the end :( I suppose it was for the best.

In other news, I just MIGHT have finished a particular recent project of some import that I have been working on of late at this evenings meeting... but I'm not tellin'!

Worked on the final scarf as well this evening...was totally in a knitting mode! This scarf will be #10 of 10 for the Red Scarf Project! Here is a pic of the first 31 that were donated by the Orlando Area Knitters, West Orange Knitters, Knit or Knot, and Knit Wits groups:


I expect we'll have 12-20 more by next week for the final shipment! Many thanks to Borders (who sponsors the Knit Wits group) for covering shipping for these!

Oh, and since I'm in such a sock mood, I also finally took pics of the pair I completed for myself while I was in NY...Oh, and the nosy little brat smelling the bottoms of my feet is Smokey...


I must say, the newest pair I like even better, since the cuffs are tapered to accomodate calf size, and the feet are snugger. Well, they're a little snug on me since they were made to be a size smaller than my feet, which means they should be PERFECT for their intended recipient ;)

Ok, that's all the "quick knitting news" I can fit in for now...it's midnight and I haven't even caught up on the knittyboard posts yet!

Trips, Fiber Days, and Exchanges

Wow...so much to say, and so many pictures to put up...and so little time! I owe you all SEVERAL long picture laden posts...but in the meantime here's a synopsis...

• Spent an AMAZING week in NY with my DB and DSIL and my adorable baby niece!! I've shown the pictures around to everyone local, but I promise I'll post some soon!

• Distaff Day was GREAT! Wonderful turnout, and though I brought and set up my wheel and did not spin a lick, I did some knitting, spent lots of quality time, and netted a gorgeous ball of Koigu in the swap.

• On my trip up north, I also managed to hit two great LYS's. Both were having sales! Picked up my first pair of Magic Loop needles (Addi Turbo #2's, 40" - I think my next pair should be #1's), some lovely yarn to go with the Koigu from above, as well as 4 more pairs of socks worth of yarn.

• Am doing the Knitty Sock Exchange! Socks are coming along really well...Mokolua and I have both agreed that we like surprises however, so no pics till after she receives them - they're going well though!

• SP8 (my first full length SP round!) matches came out today! I've claimed and been claimed...Hooray!

• So far finished 9 scarves for the Red Scarf Project! We turned in 31 scarves today, representing nearly a dozen knitters and four different knitting groups in the area! Expect another dozen scarves to be collected next week (I cast on #10 today - thought it was a nice round number!). Pictures of that coming soon too...

Ok, those are the highlights...will try to get the pics and lowlights up soon!

DISTAFF DAY! - Coming Soon - Sat Jan 6th!!

That's right, if you haven't heard about it elsewhere, read it here!

The Orlando Knitters and Spinners are happy to announce again:

“The 3rd Annual Distaff Day”

Location:

Presbyterian Church of the Lakes
4700 Lincoln Ave.
Orlando, FL 32819

Saturday, January 6th from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Day’s Events

• 10:00 -12:00 -Meet, Greet, Coffee, Goodies, Spin, and Knit
• 12:00 - 1:00 - Lunch
• 1:00 - 2:00 - Fashion Show
• 2:00 - 3:00 - ‘Yankee Swap’
• 3:00 - 5:00 - More Spinning, Knitting, Chatting, Sharing
  

If you have any questions please email Rhonda or Janette.

Additional information:

Cost: $5.00 – (Monies collected will be given to the church for the use of the room)

What to Bring:

1. Spinning Wheel, Knitting, Weaving, Beading, etc. (whatever you have put away, or not, and want to work on)

2. Bag Lunch – There is a Publix and Albertson’s close by with a deli if any one forgets.

3. Coffee or Tea mug - The Hosting Guilds will provide the beverage and treats. (cookies and veggies)

4. Item for the “Yankee Swap” Put in a plain paper bag and seal so the contents cannot be viewed. This item should have a value of up to $20.00 and should also be something that if you get you will be thrilled!!! (Because you might!!)

5. Items for the “Sale Table” Just like last year. Items that you have decided you might not want and would like to sell. Put a tag on the item with you name and price.

6. FREE TABLE – Some people prefer just to give things away, so get to the “Distaff Day” early “The early bird gets the worm!!”

7. The “Fashion Show” – Bring an item you made this year and share with us your experience and talent!!!!

All activities are voluntary. Feel free to participate in all or none

It's a GIRL!!

Ok, so you knew all that....

...but what you didn't know is...

Ava Rose was born today, 12/26/06 at 7:11pm!

Grandma says she's "ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!"... Ok, so maybe she's biased...What do you think?



She was born at 38 1/2 weeks via C-section and entered this world at 5lb 15oz and 19inches. Mom and baby are both doing well and all (including dad) are currently getting acquainted. Here's their first "family portrait"...


Of course I'll be looking forward to a trip up to actually see them all!

Edited to add pics on 12/28. -kc

Winter/(Christmas!) SP

Christmas arrived early today!! That's right, it's my Winter Secret Pal package!! Take a look at the package!


Ok, so unwrapping it, it looks a little more like this:


Yes, it was a wait, but oh, SOOO worth it! There were four balls of yarn, one of a Tahki yarn, one Alpaca yarn called Atacama (both in lovely Southwestern colors), and two balls of Baby Ull from Dalegarn!

The Dalegarn goes with the pattern book that my SP included - full of AMAZING baby patterns!! Really cute sweaters, dresses, hats, and even booties and blankets! Here's one of my favorites:


Definitely some good things to choose from for the impending arrival of Ava Rose - Due in less than 3 weeks!!! I do have the Wonderful Wallaby as a gift to take when I go up to meet her, but this will give me something new to make up for the future!

Oops, sorry, back to the box...Also in the picture above, is a HUGE tea mug! Even better, it's FULL of tea! A mix of TAZO teas...I think I'm most looking forward to the Refresh Herbal Infusion - A bracing blend of northwest grown mint leaves with a hint of tarragon. I LOVE mint teas, and this looks like a very interesting take on mint :).

Ok, so as for the rest of the box, I also got about 4 oz of Navajo - Churro roving! YUM! This was home grown in Albuquerque. Looking forward to trying it out! Oh, and the most important part...two bars of DARK CHOCOLATE!!!


What a WONDERFULLY thoughtful box! Thanks so much Let It Rain aka Applepieisyum!!

Johnny, Tell her what she's won!

Well Ladies, today's gift #2 consists of two skeins of Prism yarn and a box of lovely holiday tea!



The first skein of yarn is a lovely skein of Andee - a 50% Alpaca / 50% Wool blend, in the colorway Tahoe. This 2 oz skein has an approximate yardage of 114 yds. Gauge: 4 1/2 stitches per inch on a US 7 needle.


The second skein, which complements the first so well, is a skein of Kid Slique, consisting of 66% Rayon, 26% Kid Mohair, and 8%Nylon. This is also in the colorway Tahoe and it's 2 oz skein contains approximately 88 yards. Gauge: 3 stitches per inch on a US 11 needle.


The lovely box of tea contained in this package is Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea. This is a very light pepperminty tea, based in green tea, but decaffeinated for those who are sensitive to caffeine. One of my favorites, I hope you enjoy it.

And all this, brought to you today by KnitChick07.

Addicted....

So, ran by Joann's today to pick up these...


And came home with this:


Yes, OF COURSE there is a good reason! Dale recently posted information on the Red Scarf Project to one of our groups. So...since this stuff was all marked down to $3 a skein, and Joann's was further discounting it by an additional 50%, I took advantage! Oh, and when I checked out, I had $40 worth of stuff...she said... You know, if you buy another $10 worth of stuff, you'll get a gift card for $10! Oh darn, twist my arm won't you...

So, back to the original goal... buttons... have you guessed that they're for? That's right, I'm nearly finished with the Vertical Vest!! Here's where it stands right now... just have to do the arm holes, sew on the buttons, tighten up the buttonholes, and tuck in a few ends!! It's coming along great!

Here's the closeup version if you want to see the detail better...









Was thrilled this week to receive my final package in the mail from my Spooky SP!! Somerset sent me these GREAT socks! Oh, and they're even made of very soft cottony yarn, so no hot sweaty wool here in Florida!




The same day my socks arrived, Orna and I went on the annual field trip to Prism Yarn studios in St. Petersburg! We had truly hoped many more people would be able to attend this year, but sadly 2006 found us with our smallest contingent yet!! For those who don't know, once a year, Laura Bryant opens her studio and sells ends of dye lots, test lots, and the like, to the public. It's become an annual pilgrimage, and this was my 4th trip! As always, you have to look carefully, but if you do, there are LOTS of fun things to be found!

Both Orna and I have a long term love affair with Laura's Peacock colorway. I found one skein for Orna, then I found this gorgeous pair of Andee skeins - Wool/Alpaca blend! I just couldn't pass them up! Even better, I have four or five skeins of peacock in other yarns that I purchased from Laura a few years ago, so am thinking they will go together beautifully to make a nice shawl or stole.



I also found these gorgeous green yarns...and look how well my boss's mohair goes with them!!




These lovely red yarns are a set that I picked up for a friend who was out of town and unable to road trip with us...

Ok, just one more...a set that I put together with Orna's help...found the KidSlick (mohair twist) first, then picked up the tiny accent skein, and finally added the peach one at the end...a little bit of a strange mix, but I think it works!



Of course, I was also able to find a couple of gifts for various exchanges I'm doing this year, but no, I'm not going to post those just yet...maybe later!

Well, have to wrap it up...off to a Christmas party tonight on the other side of the city...

My Boss Spent Two Weeks In Africa and all he brought me was...

This AMAZINGLY beautiful ball skein of Mohair!!



He was so proud of himself for getting Mohair - he even printed out the Wikopedia definition of Mohair - just in case I didn't know what it was... :) Oh, and it was my other boss who corrected him when he said "ball" and updated it to "skein". I'm so happy that I can be their small bit of Diversity learning once in a while...

Did anyone see Gilmore Girls this week? They had a KNIT-A-THON!!! Dozens of women, all knitting together in the same room, on TV!!

Last week was a great week - 10 year holiday party - see the pic? I thought it was a pretty good one, and shows off the mystery shawl quite nicely.


So, rumor has it that I will soon receive my final package from my Spooky Secret Pal... yes, it's been a wait, but I understand it will be TOTALLY worth it!! (She's been knitting me something, but since I don't know who she is yet, I can't even go explore her blog to find out what it is....) Next week...and of course I'll post pics as soon as it arrives!

In the Nick of Time!

I got my first Winter Secret Pal package yesterday, and the timing COULD NOT have been better!!

As was suggested in a comment on an earlier post, my SP found me a BEAUTIFUL shawl pin - not sure, but it looks like it's made of Ebony...or at the very least Ebony-like materials. In addition to the lovely Shawl pin, she also sent me one of those great Sheep Tape measures (just pull his tail! :))

Here's a picture of the contents of the package:


The reason the timing was so good, is that last night was my 10-year anniversary dinner with the company! It was a good time, AWESOME food, and got to spend some time with a couple of friends, as well as a great excuse to spend the night at the resort! My room was pretty close to the party area, so that worked out very well...especially since the temperature is down in the 30's and 40's these nights... So, here's a picture with me and a few of my friends - note the shawl and shawl pin!


On another note, I got this cute PostCard today from my Spooky SP:


She just wanted to let me know that my final package is almost done and will be on it's way soon!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and have a wonderful and WARM weekend whatever way you can!!

Knitting in Brooksville Area...

This link was posted in the Hurricane Knitters group today...it's a meetup group that is attempting to organize in the Brooksville/Tampa areas. If you live in Brooksville or nearby, check out this link and find some nearby knitters!! Happy Knitting West Central Florida!!

*I* Know what I need....

I need a Shawl Pin! Yep, it's true, I've been wearing the Grape Arbor Shawl - unblocked. Actually, I'm considering NOT blocking it...stretched out across my back the pattern shows up very well, and I really don't want it to be any bigger. Maybe I'll wet and lay flat to dry without actually stretching it...that might be the solution.

Regardless, I think I need a shawl pin. I've never been a big shawl person in the past, so I'm not used to this "keeping it on the shoulders" thing...and it's driving me a little batty. Oh well, just had to share...am working on pictures, I promise...

Pioneer Day 2006

Pioneer Day was awesome. Melody and I participated. We had a small canopy that we set up, and us with our two wheels, a rug for our feet, and a small table behind us with displays of fibers, spun yarns, and of course the recently completed Grape Arbor Shawl in handspun Colonial Teal Top.


We were there as demo only, did not have anything for sale. We did have a few of Melody's lovely baskets as part of our display. Coincidentally, we were placed right next to the basket weaver. We didn't really keep a count, but we had a large number of people come out. Sometimes it was one or two, sometimes it was 8 or 10 people all crowded around us. We explained the nature of the wools, talked about carpet wools vs garment wools, the differences in our wheels - my DT Lendrum, Melody's ST Traditional Kromski, what you can make from the yarn, the mechanics of how a wheel works, the "history" - ie drop spindles. Sometimes we tag teamed the conversations, other times we had so many people that each of us was carrying on a separate conversation with a separate group of people!


One of the re-enactors who came by early in the day was looking for information on Bobbin Lace. She wanted to learn how. We referred her to the Central Florida Fair. Half an hour later a woman came by, and was talking about how she used to spin up North, but doesn't now, would love to find a spinning group in the Spring Hill area, and pretty much just does Bobbin Lace at this point... M and I both perked up immediately at that, sending her off in search of the re-enactor. When I made my tour of the event a little later on, I heard that they had gotten together and exchanged info, and that the Bobbin Lace person was going to teach the re-enactor how to do it! She wants to have a bobbin lace project that she can display and work on at events.

We met a number of other people as well, looking for spinners or knitters in the Spring Hill/Brooksville area. I referred several people to the Hurricane Knitters list, so I'm hoping that they'll all show up at the same time and be able to connect up with each other. I know there are a couple of other people in that area, but I don't think there are actually any groups out there. Hopefully if they find a half dozen people who all want to knit and spin, one of them will be able to do some simple "organization" and find a library conference room or something to get together in. I suggested B&N and was quickly told that there aren't any.

It would be great it there was a group formed, then next year when we go, we could direct people to their local group! Ok, it's true, Interguild Liaison is the perfect title for me...I just can't help trying to get fiber people together with other fiber people!!

Eureka!!

THE GRAPE ARBOR SHAWL IS COMPLETE!!!

I have to say, this one's been a nail-biter all the way...when I was working on it during my vacation in NY, it occurred to me that I would not have enough of my handspun Colonial Teal yarn to complete the vines AND the leaves. So, I cut the vines short (you would never know if I didn't tell you) and "finished" the vines in preparation for adding the leaves. Then I put it down, knit 4 Guidepost sweaters, a Wallaby sweater, etc. Picked it back up last weekend and have been doing the edging ever since. And, well, each step of the way, I kept glancing at my remaining ball. When asked 4 days ago, I predicted that I would NOT have enough yarn to complete it.

The Verdict?

I have one the order of *2 YARDS* of handspun yarn left upon completion of this shawl!!

The Picture?

While I didn't block the "2nd" one, because it was a linen-silk blend and really wasn't necessary, this one is wool handspun, and DOES need to be blocked. Hopefully I'll be able to find a time or place to block it next week. Once it's done, I'll take some lovely photos to share it with you. Also have photos of the Wallaby and Guidepost sweaters, but they are on my camera which is currently packed in preparation for an early departure tomorrow morning.

Melody and I will be spending the entire day at the Pioneer Day event, in costume :) It will be nice to spend an entire day spinning, and getting the opportunity to spend time chatting and relaxing as well. I have decided I will spin up some fiber for my newest Secret Pal...a win-win...I get to spin, and someone else gets to figure out what to do with that lovely wool yarn!

Do You Believe in Psychics?

Normally?...well, normally I'd probably say no, but look at this:


Now, you all know that I did a counted cross stitch for DB and DSIL as part of their shower gift... But, what precious few of you know...ok, maybe 3 people tops, is that I struggled hard with the French Knots on that piece! I ended up at the Monday night meeting getting assistance in trying to learn them for once and for all! I've never been great at French Knots...but here's my chance - Entire landscapes done entirely in French Knots.

(And yes, this was another package from SP :))

Who's your Enabler?

This question came to me a few days ago...but before I get into that...

I was at Barnes & Noble this evening for a knitting group, and went upstairs to the knitting books. Glanced through them, looking for a couple of things - a neat little book on felting...still looking for this one - and anything I could find on Dyeing. Checked the whole section, couldn't find anything on dyeing. So, went up to the clerk at the desk and said "Do you have a section on dyeing?"

The clerk sorta stared at me as if he wasn't really sure how to respond, so I quickly added "As in 'changing the colors of things'..." There was a definite relieved look on his face! :)

Bad news is he took me back to the exact same place I had been (it wasn't far), I explained I'd already looked there, we went back to the computer - I spelled dyeing for him so he wasn't looking for dying ;) Anyhow, looked it up, nothing in stock, back to the books, another scan, and nothing. Oh well, it was a nice idea. I do have my lovely SP book from Tundra, and I'm definitely excited about that. I also have my handout information from the Natural Dyes class I took at the Finger Lakes Fiber Festival as well.

My friend and I were plotting in email today how we'd like to pick a day and get together and do some dyeing in her driveway. She's dyed reeds for basketry before, but not much with wool or fiber I don't think. We'll have to focus in on a short range of colors we're interested in, since I think 3 dye pots sounds like our max at this point. Will definitely have to do some research and see what we can drum up. Has this wacky idea to see if she can find a big pan full of black walnuts to soak and ferment for a few weeks...yummy browns!

Ok, so back to my original question...Who's YOUR enabler? We each have at least one...some of us have more than one I think. Definitely today I would have to put Tundra in the enabler category with that great book of dyeing recipes. Among other things it's got me thinking seriously about actually DOING some natural dyeing at home.

Janette is DEFINITELY my enabler. Ok, well, Janette is an enabler for many people, but strongly for me as well. I have only to say "I want to make a... but I'm not sure what pattern I want to use." Within minutes I find myself with an email with links to photos, blogs, and patterns. She's doing the research and FINDING all of these fabulous patterns, so all I have to do is knit them!

So, I too have been accused of being an enabler, though I'm not sure I'm as powerful at it as Janette. I think perhaps my greatest strength in that department is in believing that anything is possible, and for just about anyone. So, if someone says "I was thinking about trying ...", I'm right there saying "Go for it, that's not that hard!"

I do have to remember sometimes that we're all at different levels...but then maybe I've always been an overachiever. Since we finally got our first day of "winter" today - it was in the 60's during the day!, I wore my cabled tunic sweater. This was the third knitting project I ever did, right behind the patterned tank top I made myself with relief designs in K's and P's, and the 3 color not quite fair isle Lopi ski sweater I made for my mom! Ok, so I didn't start small. The good news is, 16 years later, that sweater still looks gorgeous! I'll admit, the seaming techniques, well...we just won't discuss the seaming techniques...but for a knitter of 4 months, it was a pretty great effort.