Sunday, November 29, 2009

WIP

First.. I must apologize. While this post will update you on a current project, the WIP I talk about in the title is getting a new camera.

It seems, that my 6 year old Olympus has finally failed me. The LCD screen has been broken for at least the past two years, but since it has a viewfinder I was able to make do. Now, the viewfinder is unreliable and it won't fire the flash unless the batteries are BRAND new (yeah, one flash shot per set of batteries). My cell phone is almost as old as my camera, so the pics from that are less than visible.

So, my first apology goes out to Knitherapy, my most recent SP. She sent a wonderful package that I think I got partial and blurry pics of, but since the camera won't download them.. well, I'm not sure. I promise to get to CVS this week to see if the card is still good.

My second apology is for anyone who is actually trying to figure out if they should make the long miter coat. I tried to use the laptop's camera to get a shot of the WIP....






They are rather blurry and I don't think you can see the colors well but hey, it's something.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

For those playing along at home

I just placed a rather large knit picks order to make the swing coat out of.

First, my colors. It's a bit hard to see, though I think the pic is pretty close. My color A is Merino Style in Dusk, B is Eggplant and C is Storm. I ordered a single ball of the other blue in the Merino Style to see if I like that one better but it looked more turquoise on the web site.

The color choices were a bit limited if I didn't want to spend a fortune. Knit Picks doesn't have a lot of choices in DK weight.

first two miters
I ended up having to go up a needle size after making my gauge miter, so these were done on eights.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

What else is between VT and CT?

Come on.. who can guess???


Yes, that's right. WEBS.


I'd be in serious trouble if I lived anywhere close to that store. I thought I took pics, but I guess not. We wandered through the warehouse, played with some new yarns and explored their interchangeable needle set.

I've decided that I'll stick with my knitpicks ones, they still have one of the best cables I've seen and I can handle the occasional broken needle/cable.

I did finally buy some yarn to make a February lady sweater. One bag for me, one bag for mom. No pics of mom's yarn.. cause she is getting it for Hanukkah (she knows she is getting it, just not quite what color it is)




It's a nice heathered blue.

So here's my issue. I have three large projects I want to work on. Which one comes first?

1. February Lady - warning: PDF file
3. Swing Coat from Swing, Swagger and Drape - click on 5-8, it's the long red/purple coat.


Thursday, November 12, 2009

Though there is always another

The another this time being Stitches East. This was my first year getting to go (Baltimore just wasn't worth the trip for the past few years)... but first, the trip there.

As true fiber fanatics, K and I planned our trip from Vt to Ct to hit a few yarn shops and some of the other fiber related businesses in the area.

Imagine my surprise when by going the way I thought I should (doesn't mean I was right..) instead of listening to my GPS, we drove past a place with a purple sign.

Yeah.. totally by accident, we found Golding's studio. Hadn't called, hadn't emailed, yet was welcomed by Tom himself (not to mention his guard llama and a few alpacas)

We got to go into his workshop, where we got a tour that included a completed loom, spinning wheels in various phases of completion, his wall of spindle rings and drawers and drawers of spindle tops. (sorry, no pics I feel able to share. I wouldn't want to see my half done wheel on someone else's blog)

Once we were done in the shop, we went up to their studio where K and I got to wander through a forest of spindles (none of which had been at Rhinebeck, those were still packed)


Now, I've been spinning for three years or so and I have NEVER been able to get a consistent yarn with a drop spindle. I've gotten so discouraged that I didn't even go to Golding's booth at Rhinebeck this year. Meanwhile, as K was having fun trying out spindles (she just learned to spin), it was suggested that I try it.

I tried it with a lace/fingering weight spindle.

I loved it.

It came home with me.







That is all. Munchkin was quite jealous.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Rhinebeck is over...

what's a girl to do? Well, K and I packed up the car and headed north. We eventually ended up in Manchester, Vermont and decided to look for a place to stay. (and yes, the song from Hair has been going through my head for weeks).

We ended up at a nice bed and breakfast a bit out of town. Town itself was rather expensive. Seems that Orvis has a fly fishing school there, there are outlets where the sale items start at $150 for a 3x4 change purse and a resort.

What did we do? Besides a bunch of relaxing? I started spinning up one of my mystery bumps, K finished off her gator scarf and we went wandering.

Our first day of wandering led to a nice little yarn shop where I didn't get anything but K was drooling over the loom she had set up.

Our second day of wandering led up north and we found the most amazing and friendly yarn shop where this came home with me.
It's mink! well, okay, it's only 70% mink, the rest is cashmere. Whatever it becomes will be worn next to my skin... hmmmm.

Our third day of wandering, wasn't so much wandering as it was amazing. That was the day that I got to participate in an intro to falconry (though I used a hawk). Sooooo cool!


Meet Tavish.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

We interupt...

the yarn frenzy to say:


@whee!!!!!!!!


The blanket from h*** is done (well, okay, I have a few ends to weave in.. but still)

Pics will be forth coming.. the blanket is a deep purple and it is dark out.

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Last of the Rhinebeck Haul

I can't keep posting one skein a day.. I don't know about you, but I want to see it all... and I want it all now :)

Today, my haul from Brook's Farm. I didn't get there till lunch time on Saturday and the orphan racks had been pretty picked over at that point.

First up.. their superwash worsted weight wool. Soon to be a new pair of heavy duty winter socks. My last pair is wearing wonderfully.


Next up.. two skeins of Solo Silk (50/50 wool/silk). These are actually matching skeins (same dye lot and everything), so these will probably become a shawl.


Final up.. I was going for as much solo silk as I could find, but there was very little left. Another skein of solo silk, this one will probably be a scarf.


There is one more skein of solo silk, but it is meant for someone else.. if I could find her address. Hey J.. send me your addy??

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

STR part two

I thought to save a bit of time, I'd just post the other two STR skeins together.

I truly have no idea which colorway these were supposed to be.






I thought this one might be Fire on the Mountain but I'm not so sure.

Either way, more socky goodness... as soon as I knit them up.


Sunday, November 01, 2009

Halloween..

I was all ready to do this great Halloween post.. I even took pictures of my candy bowl before I went outside to hand out candy.

Turns out.. this year was a bust. The town allows trick or treating from 6-8pm. It was a nice night, I took Munchkin outside and sat next to the bowl of candy. I even managed to fill my bobbin. What I didn't do was give away all my candy.
It was mostly younger kids, I don't remember seeing a single teenager.

Oh well, lots of candy for work.