Trailing yarn

I have a new toy.  I haven’t learned how to use it yet.  I’ve just been wandering around the house, snapping random photos.

Like the other week when I made a cake.

Man, I wish I had a piece of that now!

I played around in the yard after a morning rain.

I think these look alright for just farting around.

But what’s a knitting blog without a little fiber?

Enchanted Knoll Sari batts, spun fat and squishy, around 200 yards.

Abby’s August batt club offering - a blend of merino/bfl/tussah/camel and yak.  I did not do this justice.  Parts of it are laceweight, parts are barely spun at all, there’s even one part where I didn’t catch the single plying back on itself when I was plying, so there’s a “blurp” sticking out from otherwise smooth yarn.  I didn’t give it the attention it deserved.  The fiber prep was awesome, as it always is; my unhappiness with this yarn lies with the spinner.  I’m beginning to think that Abby’s fiber should be spindle spun because that would force me to slow down and think about what I’m doing.  There’s about 420 yards though, so it will make a very nice, luxurious something.

Tomorrow is my guild’s picnic and we’re having it at a farm where there are eight (8!!!) lambs so I plan to get lots of practice with the new camera and am looking forward to hanging out with my fiber peeps.  Tonight, though, I’m having one of these:

Is it 5:00 yet?

it’s probably just a summertime thing

truth be told, it’s the blocking that does it for me

those crisp points are so pleasing

it makes me happy just to look at them

Do you blame me?

Pattern:  Forest Canopy Shawl

Yarn:  Mariposa colorway, Malabrigo Lace, which held up to blocking better than I expected.  Still, this is a delicate shawl and will be handled carefully. 

Needles:  US 4, Hiya Hiya circs

Thoughts:  What a great pattern.  So easy to visually follow along, very intuitive.  I did a few more repeats of the main body and could have done more, I had plenty of yarn, but I intend to wear this as a scarf so I made myself stop. 

Next up:  I’m going to FINALLY finish this.

It’s been on the needles since last March.  Aught Seven, that is.  And it’s out of HANDSPUN, Carrie.  Nyah.

My only concern is:  will I be able to match my gauge?

Isn’t it great how it just sticks to the bricks?

Very light and airy…

it’s perfect for summer.

Pattern:  Diamonds and Pearls Shawl by Sheila January in The Knitter’s Book of Yarn

Yarn:  A tiny bit over one skein of Koigu KPPM

Needles:  US 9

Time to knit AND block:  Three days.  I shit you not. 

Modifications:  I couldn’t figure out the instructions for the knitted edging, so I emailed the designer (Yay Ravelry!) and learned that she originally designed the edging to be crocheted, but the publisher had her convert it to knit.  She suggested that I crochet the edging, and this is how I did that (chain 6, slip stitch from crochet hook back to left needle, knit 3 together, repeat).  I didn’t pay as close attention as I should have - it would have been easy to make the k3togs line up with the lines of the bottom section of the shawl, but I was anxious to block it and didn’t think about it until later.  It doesn’t bother me enough to redo it.

Thoughts:  This is a perfect pattern for a beginning lace knitter, or for a gift you need to work up quickly.  I’ve always been afraid of lace, particularly laceweight yarn.  I think using sock yarn for this helped me get past that.  Thank you, Sheila, for a great pattern!  She has several others in KBY that I’m looking forward to knitting.

Lace is sooooo cool.

Happy Friday!  Have a great weekend, everyone!

Success!  After the first 10 minutes, it was no longer about the yarn - it was a battle to be won.  A hard-fought battle too, because really - for $8.75 + shipping - the practical side of me said “Self, you can spin better yarn that this and IT won’t be felted to where it’s practically impossible to wind!”  But I am not a quitter.  I’d paid my $8.75 + shipping and heard such great things about Malabrigo lace (1,175 Ravelry projects can’t be wrong, right?) that I was determined to see it through.

As I spent all my time winding tangled, slightly-felted yarn last night, I didn’t have time to send email replies to comments so I’m lazily posting my thoughts in response here:

Margene & Carrie - agreed, but the online store I ordered from doesn’t accept returns.  I was sorely tempted to return it to them, ask them to wind it and then ship it back to me.  Ha!  I don’t really blame the shop, though.  I blame Malabrigo.

Tonni - I totally agree.  I’d advise to either purchase this in person so you can examine the Tangle Factor, or order from somewhere that will accept returns.  And I’m totally jealous that you’re going to MDSW this weekend!  Have fun!

Lynn - I actually had to take it off the swift, lay it flat on the table, pry it from its felted neighbors until I hit a tangle (approx. every two yards) and wind on every.two.yards.

At any rate, it’s done.  And this has begun:

Yup, the Forest Canopy Shawl by Susan Lawrence.  This seems like a simple, easy-to-follow pattern which will be great for a fairly new lace knitter such as myself.

I say “fairly new” because … I just knit and finished a lace shawl!  In two days!  I blocked it last night and will have a finished object photoshoot tonight!  Woot!!! 

P.S.  I did not really have 32 beers last night.  Just one.  I didn’t even finish that; there must be something wrong with me.

Why must you vex me so?

Honestly, have you ever seen a bigger mess? 

The days are getting longer and HOTTER - it reached 86 earlier this week - and let me just say I am NOT ready for summer!  I’d even go so far as to say I HATE summer.  There.  It’s out there.  I hate summer.  Spring?  Fall?  Love ‘em.  Love winter especially, the entire two weeks that it’s cold enough to wear my woolies.  But summer?  I could do without it.

This new recipe for healthy pasta salad just might get me through it.

It’s not much more than a list of ingredients, which is nice because in the summer, you really don’t feel like doing much.

In a large bowl, mix together:

Diced:  1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 bunch green onions

Drained and rinsed:  1 can black olives, 1 can chickpeas, 1 can kidney beans

Microwave 1 cup edamame beans (soy beans) with 3 T water for 2 minutes, drain and add to bowl

Cook 1/2 package of tri-color pasta until al dente - do not overcook!  Rinse under cold water and add to bowl

Add 1/2 cup of fat free Italian dressing, sprinkle with Mrs. Dash or whatever seasoning mix you prefer, and enjoy!  It’s healthy, it’s filling and it makes a great lunch salad!  You could personalize it with seasonal veggies - I think squash and zucchini would be really good in this.

Enjoy!

btw - did any local folks see Fox 6 News last night when they reported that Birmingham is one of the fattest cities in the U.S.?  They titled their story “Sin City” and carried on about gluttony and sloth, but then on the 10:00 news, they totally changed the story to “Fat City.”  I guess the truth was a little too biblical for some viewers. 

For the record, I blame the heat.

My husband dared me to show this picture.

Oh wait, not that one.  This one:

This is a bookshelf in our tv room that has become a depository for all things that need to go up to the attic.  That’s the attic door on the right.  See - they’re *almost* there.  Yes, that’s a collection of Christmas decor on the top shelf.  Yes, I DO realize it’s April 22.  I had an unhealthy attachment to my Fun Fur Kitschmas Tree; I didn’t want to give it up.  I don’t mind confessing this because I know y’all will forgive me.  Won’t you?  You understand, right?

Then there’s the collection of games which need to be put on the stair shelves - easy to reach when you want to play, but out of sight.  Speaking of which, I am the Blokus champion of our house and if anyone wants to play me, I say Bring It.  The big basket of Shetland fleece ain’t going nowhere. 

Thus concludes this week’s episode of …

This weekend provided an excellent opportunity for me to clear off my bobbins and finish up some languishing spinning projects.

How about some close-ups?

4 oz of merino dyed by Miss Babs that I bought at SAFF.  Around 300 yards, I think.

Supersoft Corriedale that I dyed a long time ago.  This stuff is so poofy, I wish you could feel it!

A true three ply yarn from handcarded merino and mohair.  It didn’t take as long to make this yarn as I would have expected and the result is a soft, strong yarn perfect for socks.

Nice fat singles from Adrian’s roving.  This was spun with a purpose in mind:

Yep, that’s a hook!  My sister will be so proud.  I followed the instructions here for the Fan Bookmark (American version), and just used a larger hook and yarn.

Right now it’s about as tall as I am.  I’m going to keep going because it’s addictive and I can’t put it down until I run out of yarn and see how it big it gets!  You should try one - it’s really fun and it goes so FAST!

About Socks
Give me the gift of a grip-top sock,
A clip drape shipshape tip top sock.
Not your spinslick slapstick slipshod stock,
But a plastic, elastic grip-top sock.
None of your fantastic slack swap slop
From a slap dash flash cash haberdash shop.
Not a knick knack knitlock knockneed knickerbocker sock
With a mock-shot blob-mottled trick-ticker top clock.
Not a supersheet seersucker ruck sack sock,
Not a spot-speckled frog-freckled cheap sheik’s sock
Off a hodge-podge moss-blotched scotch-botched block.
Nothing slipshod drip drop flip flop or glip glop
Tip me to a tip top grip top sock.

Author unknown.

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This has been an ouch week.  Tuesday I had to be prepped for a crown and honestly, I’m a big baby when it comes to going to the dentist.  I always have been.  When I was little, the dentist had my mom give me a sedative before my appointment.  She crushed it up and put it in a Coke and it was the nastiest thing I’ve ever tasted.  Drinking a Coke at that age (6? 7?) was a rare treat but that Coke was godawful. 

I’ve had a lot of dental work over the years.  When I was in 7th grade, I went camping with my friend Sarah, her two older brothers (high school age and thus both scary and fascinating) and her parents.  Not only did Aunt Flo come to visit that weekend for the very first time EVER, but I had a bike wreck and my two front teeth did battle with the asphalt.  The asphalt won.  I had to have posts put in my teeth to strengthen them and have the bottom edges rebuilt.  Eventually they were crowned.

I had braces for almost three years.  Sometimes I think there’s more artificial material in my mouth than real teeth.  If archeologists ever look at my bones, they’ll say “man, that sister had soft teeth!  And made lots of dentists rich!”

Anyway.  My other ouch is the thumb on my left hand.  I went on a marathon sock-knitting jaunt this weekend and knit a sock from Friday night to Sunday afternoon.  I had new yarn; I was in a groove and couldn’t stop.  My thumb was not happy.  So I’ve abandoned all my projects that require metal knitting needles or cotton yarn or ittybitty stitches.  And I’ve cast on for this:

Panel Jacket by Unicorn Books.  I plan to perm my hair and wear lots of lip gloss when I wear it.  And walk around all jaunty-like.  I’m knitting it out of this:

Araucania Nature Wool that I got from Webs on clearance and then realized I’m really a solid color sort of person.  I worried that anything I knit with this would pool and flash horribly.  Flashing in socks in one thing - flashing across your chest is another.  The small panels making up this jacket prevent the pooling and I’ve got to tell you - my thumb never felt better.  Squishy wool yarn, bamboo needles and garter stitch = comfort knitting.

You may have noticed that I haven’t been posting much lately.  I feel guilty about starting so many projects and not finishing them so I avoid posting and talking about them.  Isn’t that silly?  Like you guys care if I finish anything!  The guilt is my own - I want to be an accomplished knitter, I want to actually finish the projects I start.  Instead of having UFOs all over the house, I want to have finished, functional knits!  I suppose there’s only one way to do that…knit on!