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it only gets easier
Posted on | October 21, 2008 | 16 Comments
Is it just me, or does Fall feel more like the start of a new year than January 1 does?
The fall weather finally arrived in Alabama this weekend. It was glorious! I opened tons of windows both days and aired out the house. I pulled out some pin drafted roving I got last year at SAFF to practice spinning long draw and it spun up so quickly that I had difficulty stopping.
I spun and plied eight bobbins’ worth and have started a new sweater.
I’m making up the pattern as I go along, which is potentially great or disastrous. I don’t remember the fiber content of this roving but it definitely contains angora. (That blue bit at the bottom of the cable? It’s not a stray thread – bits of the roving were very lightly colored, mostly blue but also a little pink, so it’s spun in and it’s there for good. I’m trying not to obsess about it). The yarn is incredibly soft, light and lofty and this will be more of an over-sweater, or a coat by Alabama’s standards. The back is 14″ long so tonight I’ll be spending time with Ann Budd and figuring out what type of sleeves I want. I’m leaning towards a saddle shoulder, which will be a first for me.
I know I owe a post about Saturday night at SOAR but I still don’t know what to say. I tried to embed a video I took but couldn’t get that to work. If you want to see it, it’s on flickr. The video conveys the feeling/craziness much more than words could. I met a ton of people, I fondled more sweaters and shawls than I can describe, I met new in-person friends and old on-line friends, I learned to spin cotton from the seed and am now planning where to plant my crop. I learned a lot of things – both fibery and personal. I learned that I’m not the bad ass I thought I was. That I’m not as comfortable in my own skin as I used to be. Marriage likely has something to do with that – I don’t spend much time alone anymore. That’s not a complaint, SB is my best friend and I wouldn’t go back to being single for ANYTHING, it’s just a fact. I learned that the 17 lbs. I’ve lost really is just a drop in the bucket and I have a long way to go (seeing pictures of yourself is a real eye opener).
So today I’m starting over. I have healthy snacks at work and healthy meals planned, and while I’m not quite ready to hit the gym (still fighting the remnants of the SOAR cold), I’m happy to be returning to healthy eating habits. I’m determined to make the effort to strengthen real life friendships and work on my social skills – I’d say “get a little of myself back” but I don’t know that that’s accurate since we’re always moving forward, so what I really need to do is work on the future me. It’s nice to know that I am a work in progress and that I don’t have to be all that I will become right here, right now. It’s also nice to know that I’ll never be a SOAR virgin again and if I am lucky enough to go again, there will be faces that I’ll recognize, a point of reference from which to begin.
Those are spun/spent cotton seeds and a semi-flaccid cop. You had to be there. ;o)
Comments
16 Responses to “it only gets easier”
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October 21st, 2008 @ 10:00 am
You kill me! I don’t think I own enough of one particular roving to spin enough for a sweater. A shawl maybe, but not a sweater. I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Love the cable!
October 21st, 2008 @ 10:04 am
That blue bit at the bottom of the cable is hardly noticeable! It looks fantastic and will be a lovely sweater, and the only way it could be more “yours” is if you’d raised and sheared the sheep yourself! Tell people if they notice the blue bit, it’s your signature since tags are itchy. Nice work.
October 21st, 2008 @ 10:25 am
So…do you sleep?
It sounds as though you had an amazing time. As much as I treasure my husband, I really value the “spaces” in my marriage. I hope SOAR will fill one of them one day.
October 21st, 2008 @ 10:49 am
Let’s see, spin fiber, knit sweater, CREATING the pattern as you go along…..oh INDEED that qualifies for a Bad Ass!!! LOL!!!!
You most DEFINITELY inspire me!!!!!!!!
October 21st, 2008 @ 10:50 am
p.s. That Carrie has an answer for everything, doesn’t she?
October 21st, 2008 @ 11:11 am
I totally feel like fall is the beginning of the year. When I see my Jewish neighbors preparing for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, I wish I could join them–this is the perfect time to start afresh.
October 21st, 2008 @ 11:43 am
i’ve had my windows open for a week or so and LOVE it. i’m so envious of folks who live in the far north who don’t have to ever crank on air conditioning. you’d think living in the mountains of east tennessee that it wouldn’t get that hot, but boy does it, ever! i’m still trying to decide whether to go to SAFF this year or not. twould have to be sunday, as i have a baby shower to attend on saturday. and i’m not certain that sunday would be all that great? aren’t all the best things happening saturday?
October 21st, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
Windows open too! And the weather’s effect on my knitting is wild. I can’t put the two projects I’ve got going down and I decided to design my own mitts too. Crazy making I tell ya.
October 22nd, 2008 @ 12:30 am
The sweater is looking gorgeous. I want to know, too…when do you sleep? ;-)
October 22nd, 2008 @ 3:41 am
ooohh the sweater is looking fabulous! yay for spinning too!!
October 22nd, 2008 @ 7:09 am
Wonderful longdraw–fun! The sweater seems to be moving along at a quick pace too–looks great!
October 22nd, 2008 @ 7:15 am
Wait a minute! You spun and plied 8 bobbins AND knitted that much on a sweater since SUNDAY?! I am such a slacker. I haven’t figured out the long-draw yet so I’m doubly impressed. And the sweater? I love cables so anything with some nice cabley goodness will be a hit with me. :-)
October 22nd, 2008 @ 7:48 am
Holy Smokes!! You spun eight bobbins and plied and knitted all of that since last weekend?? I bow at your feet. It looks great!
October 22nd, 2008 @ 7:59 am
Pssft! Your introspective has nothing on me…I’ve already made plans for my next life; seriously! What things I’d do differently, what time frame I’d do the things I’d do again, etc.
It never occurred to me to change within THIS life…what a concept!
October 22nd, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
Wow! You spinning demon you! Looks like SOAR certainly lit a fire of sorts in you. Super job! Long-draw is kind of infectious isn’t it? Love the starts of your sweater.
October 29th, 2008 @ 12:49 pm
You are my spinning idol. That sweater is going to be SO. Awesome.
Seriously, I’ve always been shy in social situations but I thought I’d pretty much gotten over that with age. Nope. As much as I love people, crowds (even friendly, fibery ones) still sometimes make me uncomfortable if I’m by myself or even with Tad. I really need to get over that.
Busy-ness has totally cut into our healthy eating this fall – we finally got back on the wagon while on vaca last week; I’m loving 101 cookbooks right now – just picked up her cookbook and I love her approach, it’s pretty simple and no-nonsense.