Spin City-The Final Chapter

On the up-side, there is some vacation money left over. GHB and I decided to take it and split it. There's a sale at my new favorite LYS but for now I'd like to think I'll save it for a while and make sensible purchases (as opposed to the spinning wheel at Goosepond Or every single sale book at Knit Picks) I could probably rationalize the wheel into feeling like a "sensible purchase" with enough how-to's from the internet. The fact that I've never really spun a strand of wool makes it tough though.

So yesterday and this morning I spent the day helping move a law library down 13 steps for my retiring uncle. He has been an attorney in his downtown office for 50 years. He moved his practice home and will not take any new clients. I arrived at the tail end of the move-when they could move no more.

It gives pause for thought when considering the purchase of those knitting books. Somebody, someday is going to have to move them.

Here's a little yarn pron from the Saturday visit to the LYS. It's Cascades-Nikki-artichoke. You'll NEVER guess what it's going to be... Can you say Postal Bag v. 6.0? I feel good about this one and have about 11 inches of 20" done of the main bag. The goal is monogamy and finished by Friday. Wish me luck.

WIP (s)

Before blogging I didn't realize that "WIP" could be so easily pluralized. Stash fit in one plastic bin. Project plans could be listed on one hand. I didn't need interchangeable needles- I always had enough.

Thanks to the power of the internets, wip has become wips. I have two sets of interchangeable needles and the number of plastic bins has been multiplied by 4.

Worse still, Goosepond sent me an email that said I could get a spinning wheel for a mere $600.




Top left- a hopefully big comfy sweater designed with Sweater Wizard 3.0 and using handspun (I'm calling it Frosted Blueberries) from the Sheep and Fiber Festival.

In the middle- my first attempt at stranded knitting. The yarn (Berroco Ultra Alpaca) is not "light" as the pattern called for, the stranding gets better as it goes, it will likely be a felt bag (which I'm calling Box of Hair 5.0) A much lovelier version of this can be found at Erin's site.

To the right- First attempt as something other than stockinette socks. It's Regia. This "more than stockinette" sock knitting goes a little slower but I can feel that it's going to be worth it.

I'm in over my head on all counts but you can't just keep knitting scarves.

Possibilities, Plans and Preoccupations

I didn't make it to Bridgeville instead I found a closer shop in Canonsburg. Ruth at The Knit Shoppe may never be the same after facing my glee at a new hot spot. Even better, she was delightful! Great yarn, some sort of fancy dancy automatic tea-maker, lots of no-pressure time to browse, gentle suggestions for projects, help in sorting through the discount chest, and an invitation to sit at the table, relax and take it all in. I may have found my home.

Possibilities

This is the handspun I purchased at the fiber festival. It's too big and warm to work with right now but I foresee a simple bulky sweater made by using the Sweater Wizard program.

Plans

This is some sock yarn purchased with the intention of learning how to knit 2 socks at a time with the magic loop. I am under the impression (thanks to the video podcast at Knit2gether) that I need 2 long circs to do 2 at a time. Is this true, Jen? I called Ruth and she's sending the second along in the mail just in case.

Preoccupations

More yarn for another Dumber Than A Box of Hair Postal Bag v. 4.0. (I'm pretty sure Knitting for Peace is not interested in any credit/blame for past failures). Having finally found a LYS clerk that I like talking to, I feel pretty good about the yarn selection. Knit2gether also had a video podcast on this science experiment so there really are no excuses for failure other than I do not plan on swatching and sizing.

I found some light blue Cashsoft and will use it to crochet (with a small hook) an edge around the kimono. Anyone notice that I've finally figured out the html code to bold and italicize things? Stay tuned...

Crack (me up) Saturday OR Postal #3

This post may be a little "picture heavy" given that I went without for 4 days. Crack (me up) Saturday is knitterly in fashion- I'm waiting for a few more participants before I share anymore of myself-get those 80's photos out there my friends-purge the memories by revealing them! This first photo is indeed postal bag number three- I swear I love this pattern (from Knitting for Peace) and someday I'll pay enough attention to the yarn I'm using to have a really fabulous felted postal bag. The purple Chatte Botte boucle from Good Yarn Karma felted fabulously. That which I thought was gray wool appears not to have been. Had I not lost some stitches during felting and put a purple row at the top of the bag (as I did for the handle), it might have even been functional. That first successful fully felted postal bag is going to be ever so rewarding.

Next, the fabrics of the summer dresses found at Burlington. They are fall colors, but I've never been the spring-y pastel wearing kind of person. Add a shrug to these and I'll be good through October- woo hoo! By then, of course I'll have several sweaters finished- what a relief.



And finally, the stash additions- never have I been so fearful of an airline losing my luggage. I learned a little about photo-taking this afternoon. Seems that I have a place on the camera to adjust the exposure. It's dark in my favorite little knitting corner. Increase the exposure and you get colors pretty true to form (assuming that your monitor agrees with mine.) You'll notice a finished pair of socks in the aloe yarn in the background. I've had that sock yarn for a year so bonus points for me for stash busting.


With all of this excitement and stash there are the inevitable WIP's planned in my head. The cashsoft is on deck first as a baby kimono There are big plans for the handspun I purchased from the fiber festival. Right before leaving I received my copy of Sweater Wizard. As with any new computer program with so many possibilities, I didn't see them all at once. A few hours on a plane made me realize that I can punch in the gauge/style/size I want the hand spun sweater to be and take off from there. The Central Park Hoodie is on the back burner, waiting for the right yarn and cooler weather. I've now plenty of yarn for a summer of socks while traveling to Seattle. Where several days ago I was mindlessly blundering through a postal bag and stash socks, the possibilities have exploded before me- yippee!

My new favorite food? Cold Stone Creamery's "founder's favorite."

The only thing that really cracked me up today? The male Delta flight attendant who pretended to have an Australian accent when he gave the safety speech.

Postal bag pt. 2

Behold postal bag part 2- for those who don't get quite so much mail. The picture doesn't show it, but it's about 9"x14". The strap is 26". The button isn't attached yet. I'm hoping to block out some of the curl in the part that you can't see in the picture. (inside top of the bag) It will definitely need some lining. The strap may need reinforcement as well. Anyone with previous experience in such things is welcome to advise. Remember there is nothing too obvious for me.

Thanks to two more shoulder spider bites, I'm staying home today in a benadryl haze. When I get my hands on that spider, I'm gonna....

not so much

The title refers to the felting/shrinkage factor in the giant postal bag. It's still pretty ginormous and any knitter who accidentally stops by this site is more than welcome to offer a remedy to this pricey felting nightmare. The strap's too long, the bag's too big. I promise, on my honor from this moment forward (after reading the Yarn Harlot's "Knitting Rules") I will ALWAYS CHECK FOR GAUGE. Even if it's an accessory when I don't think it matters. Even if it's a dishcloth. Really.

Before

Knitting for Peace Postal Bag- before. I just have a hard time believing that this will actually shrink in size. It's spinning right now. I skipped the rinse in cold water anticipating another round of hot water shrinkage. I'm a nervous wreck!

The bag will replace the Bob's Fifty Cent travel bag that he got several years ago at a yard sale. This favorite bag broke and was replaced by a Big Apple NYC bag but he's really never been the same since. After suggesting the possibility of the postal bag belonging to him last night, he woke up this morning asking "Is my bag done yet?"

I'll actually get to see it more if he's carrying it anyway.