A Strand in the Hand

The results are in...

2007-05-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

You're Kind of Stupid

You got 7/10 questions right!
There's some things most people know... except for you.

Yeah, f--k you Blogthings... they say ignorance is bliss or something like that.

On another note, I was tagged by Suzanne (AKA Alaska Stick Girl) to share 8 facts about myself. So, here goes:

1. I have three kidneys. One is atrophied and just kind of hangs out with the other two. Gross.

2. At some point every day, I have some kind of mystical experience.

3. I am gazing over the lovely Gulf of Alaska as I write this. This, as well as the rest of the natural world around me, is where a lot (most) of my inspiration comes from.

4. I love to work with just about anything but cotton.

5. Sometimes I go out tidepooling just so I can eat stuff. Like chitons. Or seaweed. But most times, I go out just to enjoy the elegant beauty of it all.

6. I bought some remote property about a year ago. You know, for when the end comes. Which is pretty much what I've been hoping for my entire life. Because it just costs so much money to live a simple self-sufficient lifestyle these days...

7. I'm really not as crazy as I sound. I mean, I am, but in the good way.

8. My house is dominated by love, fiber (both from sheep and my dog/cat), art glass, laughter, and kindness... not necessarily in that order.

As far as tagging goes... I'm a little shy about the entire thing. So, if you are reading this, tag, you're it!

Hooray for my SP!

2007-05-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

Got a package in the mail today from my Secret Pal- full of all kinds of goodness and lots of wonderful notes...

First, I unwrapped this gem:

Some Spunky Eclectic roving in colorway "Walkabout" (how appropriate!). It's lovely and I can't wait to see how it will spin up.

Then, all manner of Australian sweet yummy things. The chocolate biscuits are especially delightful...

A very nice knitted washcloth (one of those ones that I may never use, because it is very cute and matches the colors in the WC so nicely) packaged in a pretty bag with some egg-shaped candles.

And this. A copy of Yarn magazine. But not just any copy...

The one in which my friend/fiber artist/cool chica who owns the yarn shop where I work has her Steve Irwin tribute yarn featured on the table of contents page. Nice! I had been wanting to get my hands on this one, and now I have it!!!!

Thanks so much SP- you are awesome!!!!!

PS- also got a killer postcard from my SP last week- I didn't take a pic, but thank you!

It's official...

2007-05-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

You Belong in Dublin

Friendly and down to earth, you want to enjoy Europe without snobbery or pretensions.

You're the perfect person to go wild on a pub crawl... or enjoy a quiet bike ride through the old part of town.

What European City Do You Belong In?

Well, aside from the fact that the Internet has validated my dream to live in Ireland, not too much exciting stuff is going on right now. I am currently in the throes of finishing my mum's Mother's Day gift. I thought, for some reason, that Mother's Day was on May 15. Seems I forgot that Mother's Day is always in a Sunday... like it has been for the past 28 years of my life. Nice. Oh well, she is being understanding and all that.

I'm also bummin' because I somehow managed to lose my SP's address AND e-mail. And I still haven't heard from the moderator of our group yet (it's been about a week!). I even tried contacting one of the other moderators, and ummm... got a bit of a terse reply. I know these folks are doing a hell of a lot of work- and it is so appreciated! I also know that I am a total nimrod for losing such valuable info. But, I'm getting a bit desperate. Plus, there are Lantern Moon circs in this package I want to send. And then some. Hopefully it will all work out soon!

OMFG, she knits!

2007-04-25T10:31:00.000-08:00

Now things have settled down just a bit. The whale festival was a HUGE success, and now I am just taking care of wrapping things up. That means, that this Sunday (my next day off), I will actually be able to lay around in my PJ's all day. Drinking mimosas and knitting. It is going to be so nice to have an Entire Day just to myself!

I did start a wee little project last week. No, the entrelac bag is still not finished (I needed a break from it). This was worked on at night, prior to presentations last week... just a nice little mindless project to fill in spare moments (idle hands and all that, or something).

This is a cowl being knit using two balls of Noro Silk Garden (#83 and #217, I think) that I picked up when back east. I'm just doing one round of k1, p1, followed by 1 round of (k1, yo, k3, double dec, k3, yo), then one round of knit (a basic zig zag patern). These two rounds are repeated, then the other color is worked in the same five rounds as established. Does that make sense? Well, it does to me anyway! That little bit of paper in the corner of the photo is my new tide table for the year- almost time to start going tidepooling again. And eating stuff that I find. That's a whole other story...

I realized I needed one of these, since I am doing gardening activities for my job... and it still feels like winter in these parts. It does not work to have scarves dragging through the mud, so I decided to make something a little more practical. Me, practical? I must be coming down with something ;-)

My Secret Pal Rocks!

2007-04-21T17:53:00.000-08:00

The Husband picked up the mail today- I could sense there was something nice in the pile, not a bill or junk mail... something a little more personal. He handed this to me:

Oh my! I think my SP must somehow be reading my mind... how else could she have known that I watched Naked Lunch yesterday and currently have Burroughs on the mind???

The devil is in the details...

Oh, and check check it... I suspected that she may be from Australia, but wasn't quite sure. This proves my hunch:

And oh my, now I know that I am in for a treat. We all know that the Australian folks are SERIOUS about their fiber (or should I say fibre??? [wink]).

Thanks for making my day SP!

Small Things. Big Things.

2007-04-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

All the small things- and some big ones… I have been playing truant from Bloggyville because this is going on right now. This is the 11th year of Whale Fest Kodiak, and the first year I have coordinated the whole thing, and I had the founder/former chair tell me last night that this is the Best. Year. Ever. Well, I’ll be pickled. We have had great turn out at our events, sales of our t-shirts are sky-high, etc., etc. Below is the design of the shirt, a woodcut of a humpback whale done by local artist Liz Mitchell:

So, that gives me little time to be in front of the PC talking about how little knitting I have been doing. What I have been doing is small things…

I made a little pouch knit in handspun alpaca (about 14 wpi) for a friend’s b-day (the same artiste who designed the Whale Fest shirts that have been selling so very well). Pattern from Andean Folk Knitting; however, I omitted the unas, the little amulet pouches that are a part of many of the bag patterns in this book. I was pressed for time, what can I say? She lurved it. Sadly, I cannot seem to find the pictures that I took of the thing. Just take my word for it.

Still working on the entrelac bag (for the same person. I must really like her or something). Done with all of the squares, just need to knit the top row of triangles, do and i-cord edge, knit 56 more miles of I-cord, then into the wash she goes! ‘Bout damn time.

Also, I have not forgotten about my SP10 commitment. Will be getting something out this week.
In my paying job, the sprouts are going strong in the greenhouse. Although the calendar sez April, still feels like February in these parts… Probably will not get to planting outside ‘til May. Whateves, I still am getting paid to garden. And fish. And hike. No complaints here…

Anyhoo, someday I will be a better blogger- and what a boring post this was (what the hell, at least I did it)! Someday I may even get my shit together enough to have a Real Website on which I sell fibery goodness. ‘Til then, I’ll just do what I can do ‘cause that’s all that I can do. Or something.

Am I to understand that today is not in fact Sunday?

2007-04-03T09:52:00.000-08:00

Yeah, Sunday came and went. So did Monday. So much for my promise to blog every Sunday. What can I say? I'm full of surprises.

Here is what I did on Sunday when I wasn't blogging (you can see why I chose these activities over sitting in front of the computer):

Went to the harbor and saw a pack of HUGE Steller Sea Lion bulls (about 1000 lbs each) swin right by us. I have never seen this many HUGE bulls in a group like this. The pic does not do them justice. My dog was on the dock with us, and one actually stopped in the water and looked right at him for about 5 seconds before moving on. Wow.

Took a 4-mile walk on Burma Road, an old WWII road with sweeping views of mountains, and the occasional ammunition bunker on the roadside. This is me with the Sawtooth Mountains in the background

The past week at my new job has been exciting and wonderful. Here is a list of what I did:

1. Started seeds in the greenhouse:

This is the site of the organic garden, located behind the Woody Island Tribal Council office. It still looks so sad and wintery (the snow has just melted). This is where we grow veggies and such to distribute to the community. Nice. I currently live in an apartment, so it is a joy to get to garden (and compost!) again. Can't wait 'til I have a good "after" photo.

2. I learned to say "fart" in the Inupiaq Eskimo language from the Council's acting administrator. I wil not embarrass myself by trying to spell it properly. However, I do think it may be my mission in life to learn to say "fart" in as many languages as possible.

3. Had a wonderful conversation with an Alutiiq Native Elder. Try to tell me that's not cool.

4. Did some prelim planning for subsistence salmon and halibut fishing activities, including hanging a net. I tried not to look too stupid during this meeting.

5. Revamped brochures and posters for my program. Tried not to make them look stupid either. Also created a schedule for organic gardening workshops, such as pest control and composting.

6. Oh, yeah... in my current non-paying job... I have been scrambling to confirm speakers, get brochures in the community, and light a fire under people's butts.

So, these were the main things... not to mention just the day-to-day stuff. I will not post pics of any fiber stuff, because, umm... there hasn't been any progress. I love the things I do for a living, but I really wish that I could just be a full time fiber artist. Sigh..

Over. Whelmed.

2007-03-28T10:08:00.000-08:00

So, not that I was any kind of stellar blogger anyway, but now I'm afraid that I'll have even less time for it, for a couple of reasons. I'm going to commit to posting every Sunday, lest my SP thinks I've dropped off the face of the earth or something.

There is just SO MUCH going on in my life right now. One major item is that I am the Chair of this, and that I just started a new job here as their Environmental Education Coordinator. The job should be pretty exciting... working with the public with an emphasis on the Native community, in the areas of subsistence fishing, ethnobotany, and organic gardening. It's a bit of a departure from similar positions I've had in the past, which were more bio-/ecology based. Should be fun! I'll for sure be sharing all kinds of cool pics of me in the garden, out in the boat, up in the hills, etc... most likely with some kind of knitting with me ;-)

On the Atlantic side...

2007-03-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

Being one of those leftie-liberal-treehugging-wacko types with a strong affinity toward the wild coast of the Pacific Ocean, I thought for sure that I would feel out of place when traveling back East. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was not the case at all... in fact, what I loved about associating with other like-minded people there is that, frankly, the leftie-liberal-treehugging-wacko types of the East are much less annoying that most of us in the west. It's kinda like they aren't trying so hard. Or trying to outdo one another in their crunchiness. What a nice change.

All that aside, I had a wonderful journey. We stayed with my new brother/sister-in-law in Easton, about 30 min south of Boston. Affter being stuck on an island for so long, even this little suburban hamlet seemed like the urban jungle. There were Actual Thai Restaurants, for one thing. Oh, and even though I live in a fishing town in AK, there was more seafood available (there's a whole other story about how much of our seafood is sold overseas, then sold back to us. But, that's for another time...) I personally put at least 3 dozen live cherystones to a swift death involving hot sauce and my gullet. YUM. My hubby has more pics of the trip on his blog, so here is the link if you actually give a shit. Frankly, being back on my wild little island= slow interwebs. Therefore, I like to minimize how many pics I actually have to upload to the blog. There are many pictures of me eating wonderful food, and one memorable shot on me passed out on the train back to Easton after getting absolutely sloppy on Jameson and Guinness on St. Paddy's. That was a memorable night- at least, what I can remember of it.

One would think that I would have gotten TONS of knitting done on a 2.5 week vacation, but sadly, that was not the case. I started a sock for my dad's b-day as we were beginning our journey. His birthday was on the 22nd, so ummm.... this is now for Father's Day.

Here is a picture of the sock in progress:

I'm knitting it using Cascade 220 on 3.25 mm needles. Gauge is 6 st/inch and I'm using the sock patt from the Handy Book o' Patterns. No way was I using sock yarn for his big-ass feet. Even on worsted weight I couldn't get much done!

And as for the entrelac bag... well, it should be finished, but this is all I have. Plus about 17.4 miles of I-cord for the straps.

I did somehow manage to make a spiral scarf using the yarn "Estrus" that I spun a bit back.

So little knitting. Staying with the fam also meant being around my adorable new nieces, rambunctious retrievers, and all sorts of other wonderfulness. Therefore, my priorities went beyond needles and yarn. Plus, it's hard to knit when there are cute children hanging off of you. How the hell do people with kids find any time to knit at all? This just furthers my opinion that (most) parents just straight-up kick ass.

What else? Well, I did make it to one yarn store when we we driving to Newport, RI (one of the most beautiful places in the world). My husband painted one of the lighthouses there. How neat is that? For shizzle. We made a detour into Tiverton, RI to find a place called Sakonnet Purls. Wow, what a nice shop, with a very nice staff. They were very excited to hear that I came all the way from AK- and that I worked at a yarn shop there as well. The Husband stayed in the car the whole time, and no, I don't feel badly that my already long experience in the yarn shop was augmented by a 20 min conversation with these fab ladies. I will be ordering online from them, that is for sure!

During our trip to the shop, my Husband (a Boston native) mentioned that Tiverton is "Swamp Yankee" country... meaning, that a lot of the old families who intitally stole land from the Natives in that region are still there and that, they are referred to as "Swamp Yankees". I'm not sure if this is a disparaging term or not, so if it is, I apologize. I was so taken by the phrase however, that on Sat, I carded a batt using the colors of the region in winter and spun it up yesterday with snippets of boucle, some other random novelty yarn, and trade beads/ glass leaves. I present:

"Sakonnet Swamp Yankee"- 90 yds, 3.5 wpi. Love it!

And, there is another yarn in the works. Let's just say that "pimp" is part of the title, velour fabric is part of the fiber, and leave it at that for now...

SP 10!!!

2007-03-22T09:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I have blogged, just for the simple fact that I have been a-travelin'. Went to Boston for a couple of weeks (St. Paddy's Day, baby), during which time I also peeped out Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine! What a blast! I'll post more about my adventures when the jet lag wears off...

SP 10 matches came out recently- I've heard from mine and just dropped my gal a line- this is the first time I've ever done one of these, so I'm really looking forward to spoiling and being spoiled! Till, then, I need to go and drink more coffee...

Orcas!

2007-02-27T01:08:00.000-09:00

Every year about this time, a pod of orcas returns to the harbor in Kodiak to feast on the many Steller sea lions that hang out there. It's all about the timing when catching a glimpse of these majestic animals- I've only seen them 3 times in as many years! Today, a friend of mine who works on the channel leading into the harbor phoned to let me know that they were out and about. Needless to say, The Husband and jumped in the car and raced down there... here is a glimpse of what we witnessed:

A calf. I got seriously choked up. I am not worthy of witnessing such profound beauty.

I'd like to thank the Academy... even though I'm filled with hot air

2007-02-26T10:41:00.000-09:00

I'm not one for most awards shows, but there is something about the Oscars that always fascinates me. I always have to watch that stuff, preferably while drinking one or two bottles of wine during the show. Last night, however, I actually went to bed right smack in the middle! I have been looking forward to this evening for months, yet a curious GI complaint just made me want to go lay down and read. OK, this is the TMI section of the post:

A couple of days ago, I started having some gas pains. Worse yet, there was no relief from either end. So, last night this culminated in me considering making a puncture in my stomach with a sock needle to relieve the pressure. Serioulsy. My stomach was actually distended. I tried everything- some ginger, mint, and fennel tea, some OTC stuff, creative yoga positions. Nothing. Not only was I extremely uncomfortable last night, I cold only drink one glass of wine, and I felt fatter than usual- especially when seeing all those starlets cramed in to size 000 gowns.

So, my analysis of what I did see. Way too many fashion dont's... Nicole Kidman looked like a bottle of ketchup that had a chunk of dried ketchup next to the bottleneck. Gwyneth Paltrow looked like she was sheathed in a pair of old-lady stockings. Yuck. I love Ellen, but I felt like she was hosting her daytime show instead of the Academy Awards. Jennifer Hudson probably shouldn't have gotten the award, but good for her anyway. But, found out this AM that Scorsese, Gore, Whitaker and Mirren all got well-deserved Oscars. I guess that's something.

Speaking of this AM, I am experiencing some relief- but my abs are actually sore! Can you believe that? WTF? However, I did manage to get some knitting in last night in between moans of pain and moans of "Why are they wearing that?"

The entrelac bag in process. It's about 1/2 way done. Hope to have the knitted portion done in the next couple of days. Then, I'm going to sew in a nice lining and make a fused glass button for it- my girl is gonna LURVE it.

Bon Anniversaire Maman!

2007-02-24T10:22:00.000-09:00

OK, so her birthday was on Thursday... but her present arrived yesterday. I sent her some washcloths (which she is fascinated with- she just loves that one can actually Knit a Dishcloth), a cute fabric box, and this:

My first-ever Branching Out! Yeah, yeah... I'm always a little behind the cool kids when it comes to jumping on the bandwagon to knit these patterns. I'm very proud of it- this is the most complex lace pattern I've ever tackled, and it was made with some of my handspun.

I love how the colors look with this pattern- this yarn was inspired by the year I lived in upstate New York and the mottled burgundies, oranges, rusts, purples, and greens of the Adirondacks in autumn, which came out nicely in the leafy motif with this yarn.

She called me yesterday when she received it to tell me how much she LURVES it. I knit this in a hurry, after I finished Purple Pewter... suddenly the yarn called to me from my basket o' handspun and told me what it wanted to be, and to whom it needed to go. Love when that happens. I found the pattern surprisingly easy to knit- lace is a very logical thing- you can easily see what you are supposed to do in the next row based upon what you did before. Conversely, it is also easy to see when you didn't do what you were supposed to do. This makes me think I may be ready to try out some of Debbie New's Cellular Automaton knitting method. Hmmm... maybe I should get too far ahead of myself after only completing one little scarf...

Details:

Pattern: Branching Out from Knitty Spring 2005

Yarn: 175 of my handspun Corriedale, about 12 wpi

Measurements: 6"wide, 48" long

Earthworms

2007-02-23T15:49:00.000-09:00

I've been doing some spinning over the past few days... first up, the yarn resulting from my batt inspired by my need to rid myself of winter blues...

Yep, that's bright. About 14 wpi, 175 yds. Oddly enough, the sun has been shining ever since I started spinning this yarn. It's much more sparkly in person.

And, I felt compelled to dig in to the stash o' batts and spin up this lovely...

"Earthworm"- 3 wpi, 85 yds. I'm really proud of this one and submitted it to The Yarn Museum's Coils Gallery. This skein won't be living with me much longer, though... I'm giving it to a good home.

Some time ago, I crocheted a hat using Kureyon #126 and took it to The Rookery to sell. It went rather quickly, because, I dare say, it was very cute. I found out recently that the woman who bought the hat is the same woman who owns the framing shop/gallery next door. She is quite a fantastic spinner/artist in her own right, and we have great conversations during my Saturdays at the shop.

So, when I found out she had my hat, I told her all about how it was made in my favorite colorway, which I haven't been able to find in some time. Turns out, she bought 9 balls of the stuff from The Rookery. The following week, she GAVE it all to me. I mean, holy shit:

All she wants in return is for me to knit her a felted bag using some other balls of Kureyon she provided (more on that soon). I made it clear that just knitting a bag would not enough for such a fucking righteous gift, and told her I would be providing her with lotsa other goodies in the near future. So, when I finished "Earthworm" yesterday, I just knew it had to go to her...

Anyway, the bag? One word: Entrelac. I love it so far. It's gonna be awesome.

Creamed Corn

2007-02-21T10:52:00.000-09:00

As the two readers (hi mom!) of this blog know, I am occasionally prone to ranting about off-the-wall stuff. Then, I feel like an ass. So, I slept on this one before deciding to post. I decided that I actually had A Valid Point and should proceed.

I'm not much of a charity knitter. That's a failing on my part and I intend to be better about it. I mean, check out these folks for some wonderful inspiration. I love their blogs, and these are some of the people who are inspiring me to knit for charity (my friends and fam really don't count in that sense).

One thing, however, that I am finding disturbing is a theme that I have seen on several blogs. Now, I know these folks are in the minority, but it bears mentioning. I have run across the notion that people knit for charity with what they consider substandard yarn. As in, "Yeah, someone gave me some crappy Red Heart acrylic, which I would never wear, so I decided to do some charity knitting with it." Now that is just not cool. That is like giving nothing but creamed corn to a damn food drive. I mean, let's face it, people with limited means are grateful for anything they can get, but no one, not one living soul, really wants to grub on some fucking creamed corn. Spend an extra few bucks and get some canned artichoke hearts, some yummy organic Mac & Cheese (like the stuff from Annie's-YUM)... give people stuff you would want to eat, not that which you want to get rid of.

Same goes for yarn. I'm not saying you have to knit hats with cashmere or anything, but Cascade 220 isn't really that expensive. Lion Brand also has affordable yarns that are pleasing to the touch and sight. All I'm sayin' is, if yer gonna knit for charity, give a little bit more than just your time. And yes, I have officially declared Red Heart acrylic to be the creamed corn of the fiber world.

Life is a series of trade-offs

2007-02-20T11:14:00.000-09:00

There are so many things that I LOVE about living in Kodiak. The wild natural beauty, the fishing, the wildflowers, the tidepooling, moments like this:

The dog and me- Pillar Mountain, 2/19/07.

This is my "intrepid explorer" pose.

That being said, there are a lot of sacrifices one must make when living in such a remote area. While I often welcome these minor inconveniences, in winter, they can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. However, I have learned to live without good produce, a Thai restaurant, decent live music on a consistent basis, etc... There is one thing, though, that has been driving me batshit. You see, everyone on the Interwebs is raving about the new issue of IK. We don't have it yet. For the most part, we get magazines 1-2 weeks after everyone else in America. I have learned to deal with this with my beloved Vanity Fair, but I'm dying to get my hands on that entrelac sock pattern- among other things. It seems like such a small thing, but it is a good example of some of the isolation I've been feeling this winter. This is my 4th winter here, and man, it has been a tough one. I don't think I have the S.A.D. or anything, but just a touch of the winter blues. So, I carded a batt the other day to help me overcome:

This has to work.

Noro Kureyon One-Ball Wavy Gravy Hat Pattern

2007-02-19T14:46:00.000-09:00

Is that a long enough name for a pattern? Anyway, this hat uses a little less than one ball of Noro Kureyon. I wanted to come up with a hat pattern that would use that one odd ball I always have laying around, but have the hat be long enough to cover the ears (I'm not a big fan of beanies). Plus, the pattern stitch is very stretchy... although the finished diameter of the hat is 17", it stretches comfortably around my 22" noggin (I have a verry large head).

Dimensions: 7.5" from center of crown to base of scalloped brim. 17" diameter- but can accomodate a wide range of head sizes (see above).

Yarn: 1 ball Noro Kureyon (hat shown in color #159 )

Needles: 1 16" or 20" circular in 5 mm (US#8). Set of 5 dpn in same size.

Gauge: 5 st/inch and 8 rows/inch in stockinette stitch.

Instructions:

Using long-tail CO, loosely cast on 72 sts

Join, taking care not to twist

Rnds 1&4: purl

Rnd 2: knit

Rnd 3: *(k2tog) two times, (yo,k1) four times, (k2tog) two times* rep from * to * to end of rnd

Rnds 5&6: knit

Rnd 7: as Rnd 3

Rnd 8: purl

Repeat rnds 5-8 a total of 9 times.

Knit two rnds

Decrease for crown:

Rnd 1: *k7, k2tog* rep from *to* to end of round (64 sts rem)

Rnd 2: knit

Rnd 3: *k6, k2tog* rep from *to* to end of round (56 sts rem)

Rnd 4: knit

Continue as established, decreasing 8 sts every other rnd until 8 sts rem. Draw yarn through the remaining stitches and fasten off. Block lightly.

Puppies and other assorted eye candy

2007-02-16T14:55:00.000-09:00

My current work on the needles is still top-secret. Hopefully I can unveil it late next week... not too much else going on in regards to the knitting front. Had some dear friends over last night for handmade rosemary/sun-dried tomato foccacia and various antipesto-like toppings. Yum! We also drank copious amounts of wine, solved all of the world's problems, and laughed our asses off. Plus, we got to meet this little lady:

a little husky mix named Luna, aged 8 weeks with her new dad. How cute is she?

(yeah, yeah, I know that a few weeks ago I bitched about people putting pet pics on their knitting blogs.

I didn't mean that all pet photos were bad, I'm just annoyed when they are the cornerstone of damn near every single post.)

And, since there is little else to report, here is a treat for Eye Candy Friday:

Me walking on the beach at Cape Chiniak. Memorial Day 2006.

Can you tell that I am yearning for Spring?

Wonky...

2007-02-15T13:03:00.000-09:00

I just changed to the new version of Blogger- meaning that a lot of my page elements are a bit on the wonky side. Bear with me over the next couple of weeks whilst I get everything straightened out... I'm a bit HTML-challenged ;-)

Cupid and his arrows...

2007-02-14T11:19:00.000-09:00

I used to hate Valentine's Day. I mean, let's face it, it is a construct of the retail industry and pharmaceutical companies. The retail industry profits off of all of the useless fodder that one feels they must give/receive on this day, the drug co's benefit from the crushing sense of self-doubt that people feel when they do not live up to the status quo of Cupids and roses and shit like that. Hey, heaven knows that I popped a Vicodin (or 3) on sad, lonely Valentine's Days of the past. But, for joy, now I have a reason to celebrate...

The husband and me, 2/13/07.

Piedmont Point, Fort Abercrombie State Hist. Park

Note how blue the Gulf of AK is in the background.

Try to ignore all of the chins.

... and not with overpriced roses, bad chocolates, or cheesy cards either. We are going to meet up for a sushi lunch and a hike in the woods. This is love. I wouldn't have it any other way. Here is a lovely post on the meaning of true love, not the faux romantic sappy stuff. That is exactly why the husband and I are so happy- we laugh, love, sometimes fight, and always grow. Together. I am the luckiest woman in the world. I look at this picture and think, "Wow, that guy, with those kind eyes and sweet temperament. This man, in all of his hot Black Irishness, with rapier-sharp wit, who never raises his voice, who always supports the silly things I do... this man loves me." I hope you all can find the same kind of love and trust someday...

sunshine!

2007-02-13T12:32:00.000-09:00

I didn't have a chance to run down to the LYS yesterday to take a more improved picture of Purple Pewter. However, we got a rare sunbreak today, which left me scrambling about the house to find the camera so I could take a better picture of the shawl. So, here are some slightly improved images. I think I can only blame so much of my photography issues on bad lighting... methinks I am just a shitty photographer...

See those books in the background? All fiber arts books.

Mostly about knitting. Someone is just a tad obsessed...

I pinned the edges into points. Not only does it look snappy, It's a hell of a lot less time-consuming than trying to pin lace edges straight. I may be lazy, but I make lazy look good.

The batt for this yarn was a combination of several colors, everything from gray to burgundy to lavender to purple and a few shades in between with some "Marcasite Flash" Angelina for sparkle. The glittery bits are hard to see, but they are in there, I promise.. I allowed the colors to blend randomly on the drum carder and spun it all up in just as random of a fashion. I LOVE the painterly effect this gave the fabric.

Details:

Dimensions: 56" wide, 35" long

Yarn: My very own handspun Corriedale- about 325 yds, sport weight

Needles: 5.5 mm 24" Addi Turbo

Pattern: Rob Roy shawl- pattern available here (for free! Because I am not only lazy, I am also cheap.)

So, in the interest of saving $$$ on gas (read: I'm cheap), I probably won't get a shot of the Kureyon cap until Saturday, when I go work at the LYS. Then, I will post the pattern. Until then, there is another handspun lace project beckoning... shhh... it's a secret!

Fin

2007-02-12T12:24:00.000-09:00

The purple pewter shawl is complete! And, I have to say, it surpassed my expectations. To be sure, it is a simple lace pattern, but this is the first time that I have made such a large piece using allover lace stitchery. The size turned out perfect (about 56" wide)- my biggest fear was that I would end up with something too big for a kerchief, too small for a shawl! This also marks the most substantial work that I have made with my very own handspun. Below are some pics, pre- and during blocking (I just love the difference some water and pins make):

Yay! Crappy pics taken in low light! My signature look! Fortunately, the shawl dried quickly, so I will be unpinning it this afternoon to take down to the LYS- she has nice full spectrum lights in there that are perfect for photographing the fuzzy stuff. Also, I finished that wavy 'lil Kureyon cap the other day- I will be posting the pattern, but I forgot to take a pic before taking the hat down to the shop! So, later today or tomorrow, I will be putting up the hat pattern- and some decent pics of my proud achievement in all of her glory!

Hats=Crack for Knitters

2007-02-09T11:04:00.000-09:00

So, after finishing the Diamusee hat, my needles were beckoning me to cast on yet another! I had no control over the situation- I think I may be a hat addict.

Why I love hats:

They are quick to knit, even at a fine gauge.

Everybody loves hats, just about. I know that I can never have too many.

I can put them on consignment at the LYS and make a profit because of the minimal labor cost.

If they do not sell at the shop, then they make a great gift. (Yeah, that's tacky. "Ummm, hey, here's a hat, made just for you, that no one else wanted to buy..." What the hell, I am tacky!)

They are a great use for small quantities of yarn, as shown below:

This is a hat that will (hopefully) use only one ball of Kureyon to knit, using what may be my favorite "mindless-when-I-don't-feel-like-I'm-being-lobotomized-with-stockinette" stitch, Feather and Fan. It' s a simple knit, and I will post the pattern when the knitting is complete. Then, because I have an addictive personality, I will probably start another.

"To think something is not necessarily to say it."

2007-02-07T16:42:00.000-09:00

The above quote is paraphrased from one of my favorite books, Wise Child, by the late Monica Furlong. This book, as well as the others in the trilogy (Juniper and Colman) helped shape my core beliefs from a very early age. Although they are generally considered reading for young adults, I still enjoy picking them up and reading them from time to time. It's a nice view into remote Scotland in a time when the region was transitioning from Pagan lifeways to Christian beliefs. And, especially in Juniper, there is much talk of spinning, weaving, and dyeing from a magickal perspective.

But, I'm afraid I thought of this quote for more sundry reasons. Last night, when I was teaching my sock class, I was once again reminded of the very short distance between my mind and mouth. I was discussing with one of the students why ssk and k2tog decreases are both used, as they slant different directions. Because the knitters in the class are fairly new, I wanted to make the point that if it was just easier to use one method of decreasing in their first pair of socks, that no one would fault them for it. I said, and I quote, "You know, that's just kind of an anal thing." Yes, I said, "You know, that's just kind of an anal thing" in the middle of a freaking knitting class. Fortunately, I quickly realized how that sounded, and without missing a beat, I just kept talking, and managed to throw in other words like "retentive" and "perfectionist" to smooth over the fact that I had just used the term "anal" in a sentence during a freaking knitting class. You know, I don't think that I am socially retarded, but I am definitely socially awkward at times. Hmmm... I wonder what kind of people will be visiting my blog after this post? ;-)

Ahem. In other news...

I finished the Diamusee hat... pardon the poor pic quality, but cloudy days in my poorly-lit house translate to yucky pictures. The colors in this yarn are much more subtle than the crayon-like colors which my camera avec flash interpreted:

I'm especially fond of the crown- didn't even plan on the colors working out that way in the bullseye pattern (if you squint I swear you can see it), but it looks like I did. Hmmm... I wonder if this increases my chances of having an eagle poop on my head. One can only hope.

This pattern was a great way to use this yarn- it's a little spendy (but worth it!), and I used all but 2 yds of the ball for the hat. I happily threw the leftover strand of loveliness into my Random Bits of Yarn receptacle to be incorporated into another project.

Pattern: Ela's Favorite Hat from One-Skein Wonders- adapted to include lacy swirl decreases on the crown and purl bands at even intervals.

Yarn: Diakeito Diamusee- 1 ball approx 100 yds (oops- tossed the ball band & can't remember the colorway/exact yardage)

Needles: 5 mm 20" Addis/ Brittany dpns

I seem to be in itty bitty project mode- I also just finished a Kureyon-chan bag for my stepdaughter's b-day. Unfortunately, I sent it off before taking a pic. I like the pattern, pretty much a standard model for the felted purse, but I wish the author had made it such that the pattern uses up more of that "stray skein of Kureyon" for which it was designed. Even after adding about 10 extra rows, I had a bunch left! Also, I adapted the pattern for knitting in a buttonhole rather than cutting one. Dunno why, but that cutting thing always gets under my skin a bit. But really, I'm not being mean- it's a cute design and well worth making. I recommend the pattern, especially for someone new to felting knits, but in the future, I will make the bag larger in diameter. A nice, quick evening knit is always nice...

Secret Pal 10 Questionnaire

2007-02-07T14:17:00.000-09:00

I've never done the whole SP thing before... just came across the questionnaire on another blog, and thought I would give it whirl. Since I work at the LYS, I'm sure I can come up with all sorts of lovelies for my SP! And, for whoever is assigned to moi, here is some handy and useful info:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I'm into the animal fibers: wool and alpaca are favorites, with a little silk thrown in for good measure. I love all things Noro... the more rainbow-like the better! I'm not a huge fan of cotton, but I will knit with it if it is especially lovely.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a felted cylinder that everything goes into. My dpn's are sequestered in a case made of felt. Yeah, I could probably be a bit more organized ;-)

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I taught myself when I was 18 on vacation in Scotland. After making a pair of socks that turned out like sweater sleeves, I went on hiatus for a few years. I've been knitting consistently for the past 5 years and consider myself somewhere between intermediate and advanced.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Nope- I like surprises!

5. What's your favorite scent?
Lavender

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Kind of... I am a fan of all things Godiva and any other candy that is artisinal in nature

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Yes, I spin, do leaded/fused glass, lotsa mixed-media work... if I can make it with my own two hands, I'll try it!

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Just about everything save for cheesy country and death metal. If I had to choose, bluegrass and GOOD hip hop (AKA poetry set to a beat, folks like Mos Def & Mr. Lif) are my faves- yes, my computer can play the MP3's

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
Love purples, blues, and greens. I am into most colors, but yellow is not for me!

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I'm married, and have kids covered in fur. Japhy, a black lab, and Fiona, the cat

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Everything 'cept the ponchos. I love scarves and hats!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Hats, mittens, and socks

13. What are you knitting right now?
Some socks, a hat, and a lace shawl

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
But of course!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer circs, esp Addi Turbos

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Lucky me, I have both!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
3 months old

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect?
hmmm... I dig on shells, crystals... anything beautiful that comes from nature.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I do not have any subscriptions, but I regularly buy Fiber Arts, Spin Off, and Interweave Knits. Also love Quilting Arts and Textile Fibre Forum, as well as Knit Knit. I have lotsa knitting books, but would love to get any of Barbara Walker's Treasuries. As far as yarn, Sea Silk is something I would love to play with! (Geez, I sound like I have expensive tastes! Don't worry, I'm just as happy with some dishcloth cotton.)

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I've played with a lot of techniques, and would love to master lace knitting.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes! I am a size 8, average width.

23. When is your birthday? September 15

Thank you in advance kind SP!

We'll I'll be...

2007-02-07T12:17:00.000-09:00

Just took a look at the hits on this blog... seems that folks from all over are taking a peep at the silly little things I do and say. It's funny what a motivator that can be; I mean, this is in essence an online journal which I do mostly to keep a record of the things that I create. But, knowing that people from Russia to Paris to Australia are looking at this, why that just makes me want to share what I do even more. Thanks so much to all who visit- it brightens the day considerably.

So, that being said, there are but a few things to share today:

The purple pewter shawl comes along nicely. I'm thinking two more of the 11-row pattern and I will be out of yarn and therefore, done. The size will be about what I expected and I think will make for a dainty little wisp that I can secure with a handmade fused glass shawl pin. I'm hoping that wearing it will make me feel like I'm in a Jane Austen novel, even when I am just outside picking up my dog's poo.

Am also working on a hat using Diakeito Diamusee. This yarn makes me think that this is what Kureyon wants to be when it grows up. Don't get me wrong, I love some Kureyon (and have a stash of it to prove it) but Diamusee is so soft, the color changes both surprising and elegant. Of course, as with most singles yarns, I think pilling will be a bit of a problem. I've experienced a little just in the knitting process. However, these pills were easy to remove without damaging the look of the fabric. I think after a bit of wear, all of the pills will have worked their way out of the hat. As far as the pattern, it's based on one from One-Skein Wonders created by the owner of Knit Knot in Portland, OR and is perfect TV knitting. I got most of it done last night while watching, and I am not ashamed of this, Dirt. Man, something about those scandalous shows on the FX Network. Cracks me up that it is owned by Fox, who also runs the most conservative cable news network. Rupert Murdoch is laughing at all of us on his way to the bank- making money off both sides of the moral spectrum. Good for him...

Am also doing a little spinning. This wool of undetermined origin is minimally processed, to say the least. That is what I like about it. I like the feel of lanolin on my fingers, the VM (most of which comes out whilst predrafting), the fact that this is a very organic looking yarn. There are about 7 oz of this stuff, which I think will end up as a 3-ply worsted weight. I'm thinking densely knit hiking socks with some gansey-style stitches.

Speaking of socks, part II of my Basic Sock Construction class is tonight in which we tackle the heel. I'm going to give my students a little pep talk (which is really for the benefit of one particular student) in which I discuss how when taking on a new skill, it must be approached with the mindset that you can do this. That no, this is not hard, it just needs to be figured out. I have taught myself many different art forms: printmaking, stained glass, lampworking, fusing, and knitting are just a few. Gee, that sounded arrogant, didn't it? My point is though, I was successful at teaching myself those skills becuase I went in with the attitude that yes, I am capable of this. When you go into something and say/think "This is hard" or "I can't do this", you are setting yourself up for failure becuase words like that set up mental roadblocks. I hope this works.

On another front, I made incense yesterday! It had been years since I had made the stuff, and I still had lotsa powdered sandalwood and various resins to use up. So, I busted out one of my favorite resources, The Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews by the late Scott Cunningham and went to town.

After blending red & white sandalwood with dragon's blood, myrrh, and copal, some rosemary and juniper, and oils of vetivert, patchouli, juniper, and cedar, then adding some saltpeter (to make them smolder) and gum arabic to hold it all together, I came up with these little bricks:

Husband says it smells like the incense they used to burn at church when he was growing up. It's woodsy and heady and wonderful! I need to do a few more test runs, and I will come up with a more detailed post on how to create combustible incense. It's pretty damn easy, really, just a little time consuming- like most things in life.

PS: If you are visiting my blog from far, far, away (or even not so far), drop a note in the comments- just so I can link back to your own blog ;-)

me, me, me

2007-02-01T09:21:00.000-09:00

This seems to be la meme du jour, and while I do not usually do such things, I do enjoy talking about myself. So, here are Six Weird Things About Me:

1. I have three kidneys. #3 is not functional, it just kinda hangs out there. This was discovered when I was 13, having strange abdominal pain, and doctors did all sorts of x-rays and such to find out what was going on. No diagnosis for over 5 years, when it was discovered that I have polycystic ovaries and a touch of the endometriosis.

2. I sneeze when I eat peppermints. Not because I am allergic, but the minty vapors tickle my sinuses in a funny way. I used to think everyone did this. Apparently, this is not the case.

3. I am married to a federal agent. To most, this may not seem weird. To many of my friends, this came as a shock, considering that I was raised a half-wild hippie chick in the NW by some verrry counterculture kinda parents. Just goes to show that Cupid has a sense of humor.

4. I hate ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. With a passion.

5. I learned how to shoot a gun when I was, oh, about 7 years old. Maybe that's part of the reason I was given a soulmate who carries a gun as part of his job.

6. I prefer rainy days to sunny ones. Extra points for really cold days with lotsa snow.

I saw a nice variation of this on Bezzie's blog: Six Things That Piss Me Off. Speaking of Bezzie, she has put together a very bitchin' giveaway of goodness (Kootchie Awareness Yarn Extravaganza) inspired by a cause close to her heart (cervical cancer)- and all you have to do is get a Pap smear to be entered (or, as she calls it, a "Cooter Rootin"). Check out her blog to see the details. OK, worthy plug aside, here are six things that piss me off:

1. Hypocrisy. Especially that which is rampant in the fundamentalist moral minority.

2. Friends that kick you to the curb simply because of what yer husband does for a living. For some people, smoking pot is more important that solid friendship.

3. Restaurants that serve substandard food. It is not hard to make things taste good. Sometimes, a little pinch of salt and/or herbs will do wonders.

4. The Resident and his cronies and all of these bastardly things they have done.

5. People who treat their pets poorly. Everything you ever wanted to know about a person can be summed up in how they treat their animal(s).

6. The fact that Paris Hilton has been paid $1 million to attend the Vienna Opera Ball. This is a centuries-old tradition that used to only be attended by the bluest of the bluebloods. Now, the nouveaux riches have moved in and are inviting people like Ms. Hilton. WTF? They should have invited me instead- at least I have more than one functioning brain cell, remember to wear panties, and don't have my dirty laundry all over the Internets because I forgot to pay my storage bill.

Columbia Sunsets, Silky Tofu, and a Word on Sock Knitting

2007-01-29T10:29:00.000-09:00

As mentioned a couple posts ago, I have been playing with tying together random bits of yarn to make new and interesting yarns. I'm really enjoying this techinique- now I just have a big bag that I throw leftover bits in, and every now and then, sort through to find a combination that I like. This is also a nice way to think outside the box abit... I tend to be a rather linear thinker, so the notion of freeform knitting/crochet just doesn't work for me. The random appeal of these yarns gives me permission to shake things up a little... sometimes I just knit back and forth (often using moss stitch), but I will also throw in short rows to help give a special bit of yarn prominence.

So, after creating various swatches of organic random goodness, I was wondering what to do with the side with all of the knots in it. No, I was not going to weave them in. Puhleeze. So, I decided to needle-felt some roving to the backside, giving me little pieces like so (both are about 6" tall).

The swatch on the bottom reminded me of rivers and mountains and rolling hills- much like those of my native Pacific NW. I grew up a stone's throw from the Columbia River, and was often blessed with beautiful sunsets that illuminated the Cascade Mountains while sparkling on the river. So, I decided to embellish, just a little:

I beaded a river, embroidered a mountain and a tree, then added a button depicting Tsagaglalal ("She Who Watches"), one of the most famous petroglyphs of the NW, located just north of the river in central Washington. Click here for her story- it's a wonderful one!

After that, I affixed the piece to some fabric-covered Timtex with fusible web, then did a little embroidery to soften the edges a bit. I'm so proud of myself! Looking at this, I am reminded of hiking in the Columbia River Gorge, camping in the Cascades, fishing in that mighty river of the West... it's like being home in a 6.5" x 9" random collection of fibers, fabrics, and other stuff ;-)

In other news, a while back I knit a scarf for my friend Amy. She is a devout vegitarian, so I felt a little Soy Silk would be in order. I used Patons SWS. It's funny, this seems to be one of the yarns du jour right now, but I wouldn't knit with it again... it splits like a bitch, and has the texture of something like hay. It does look beautiful however, and softened a bit with washing. As Amy lives in Maine, I'm sure this scarf with be somewhere in the middle of all her layers, so I'm not too concerned about the lack of softness.

That's about it...I have a sock class coming up in a few days, so I am working on the final tweaking of my pattern for the class. It's just a sock worked in Peace Fleece, on 5 mm dpn's... some seriously old-school hiking boot socks. I figure starting out with worsted-weight yarn is a good way to teach people about sock construction without making them knit with toothpicks. Plus, Peace Fleece wear like a pair of jeans, and is just fuzzy enough to cover up any little mishaps along the way. And while on the subject of socks, why do people think that knitting them on two circulars is faster? It's not. I've tried both ways, and well, it's not. That's all I have to say about that.

A New Year, Some New Colorful Goodies, and An Updated Blog (finally!)

2007-01-22T13:09:00.000-09:00

I seem to be recovered enough from the madness of the holidaze to find time to blog again. I have to say, I have been doing a lot of knitting, but have just not had the motivation to write about it. Mostly this comes from the fact that our Internet connection is verrry slow, and it takes a long time to load pictures. I'm not a fan of very wordy blogs with few photos, so I like to make sure I am avoiding that in this one...

Anyway, we experienced a little bit of disappointment this Christmas- we had plans to travel to Boston to stay with my new in-laws. Unfortunately, the weather in Kodiak did not permit us to fly out on the scheduled date, and with all of the travel woes facing the Lower 48 at that time, the best the airline could have donw was get us into Boston on Christmas Day. We decided to reschedule our trip, got a full refund (!) and are going to head there for St. Paddy's Day. I told the husband that my goal is to puke Guinness all over him, then get in a fight with a barstool. Because I'm classy like that.

I did get to go to Portland, OR for a week shortly after the new year to see my family. Of course, as with any good trip, I stopped at some fiber shops. First, I went to Knit Knot, an adorable lil' shop in the swanky Pearl District. I like this place, it's small, but there is everything you need. The woman who owns the shop (also an Elizabeth) is extremely friendly and helpful. Here is my haul:

Some Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, Noro Aurora (perfect for AK- actually knits up looking very Aurora-ish), some rainbow mohair (on sale!), some cobwebby NZ wool,

and some Regia Bamboo. Nice.

The best part is, I could not have gotten all of this without a very dear friend. You see, I went downtown to meet my friend Nate for lunch (oh my, Lebanese food- we don't get that in these parts). I was a bit early, so I stopped into Knit Knot on the way and got the mohair and Aurora. When Nate and I met for lunch, he handed me a brown package. "There's a funny story behind this," he said. Curiously, I opened the package, and inside was an envelope with Congratulations written in Arabic (his major at Portland State University) containing a gift certificate to... guess where... Knit Knot! Seems he remembered that I really liked that store last time I came to town, which I mentioned with great excitement when I came to eat at his work just a few doors down on my visit several months before. This was a belated wedding gift, and exceedingly thoughtful. Turns out, he came in the shop about 10 min after I left, and upon speaking with the propreitor about the fact that this was for a friend from Alaska, she realized that same girl had just come in. Smart man though, he made the purchase anyway, knowing that I always am in need of more yarn...

OK, so much for not being too wordy. Next stop, my mom and I went to Northwest Wools, and she bough me the following for a late Christmas present: 8 oz of handpainted Corriedale Roving, some merino top, a little camel down, recycled sari silk, a ball of Silk Garden, and, one of those cute lil' sweater keyrings from Lantern Moon (I LOVE that company!). She insisted, much to my amusement, that I needed one. Love that woman.

In other news, I am knitting a hat for my stepdaughter. She is in a bit of a hippie-dippie phase, which I also went into at that age (almost 15). I decided to make here a hippie-dippie hat using Cascade Pastaza. She is really into llamas, so I thought she would appreciate a hat made of 50/50 llama/wool. The pattern is the "Scrunchie Hat" from One-Skein Wonders (not to be confused with the also awesome book entitled One Skein). This is a great book- especially for us handspinners who have orphan skeins of yarn on our hands. A must buy, and you get a lot of bang for your $18.95! I'm knitting the hat using Us#8 Destiny needles from Lantern Moon (a gift from my boss at the LYS- ebony... OMFG)... also pictured is a sweet lil' silk bag, also from Lantern Moon from the same person, for carrying a small knitting project. She knows that I love to knit hats, and gave me these exceedingly thoughtful gifts for Christmas- thank you!

uggh.. pardon the el crappo pic

Am also knitting up the Purple Pewter yarn into a little lace mini-shawl, using this pattern. I like this pattern very much... easy to get into the rhythm of it, and looks pretty without having to squint at a chart all the time! Of course, it looks all sad and scrunched-up now, but hopefully soon it will be ready for blocking so it's true beauty can come through. The handspun yarn has a painterly quality that I am enjoying very much in the knitted piece, which also has nice hand and drape when knit on us#9 needles.

OK, there is way much more I have been doing, but I am going to give my hands a bit of a break! I will work hard not to be such a hypocrite and have more photos/less text in the next post...

Cool Neighbors...

2006-12-14T11:07:00.000-09:00

This guy was watching over the house this morning. One of the many reasons I am always pinching myself during life on Kodiak Island...

The Holidaze

2006-12-12T11:48:00.000-09:00

I haven't been blogging much, simply because most of my WIP's are for Christmas, and I don't like spoiling surprises... however, I have been taking some time to be selfish and work on things just for me. It's funny, the DH went to Virginia a little while back, and while he was gone, I knew this would be a perfect time to work on gifts. However, my wee little brain revolted and I worked on other things instead. While in many ways I am a fairly generous person, I often find that when shopping for others I always find things for myself... the same seems to go for making things too. However, I think in this case, my creative juices were a lil' bit tired of following patterns and such. So, here is what I did.

I got some little mixed-up snippets of yarn at the LYS that were being sold in bags for like, one dollar. Just little odds and ends, things to incorportate into spinning, felt, etc. There was some cool stuff in said bags, and I decided to tie together some of the longer pieces and make a ball of random yarn. I was amused to find this same technique discussed in the December Knitty. Anyway, here is the ball and the resulting knitting....

I just left all of the knotted areas on the right side and did not bother weaving them in. Kinda created a cool organic effect. The finished piece is about 6" wide and 8" tall. I'm thinking of affixing it to a copper sheet metal background with some fused Angelina and stuff. I'm sure that this little swatch of goodness will probably be resting until after the holidays so that I can find the right approach to making it into a finished piece.

Finished spinning and plying the "Purple Pewter" yarn. I was hoping to get 350 yds from 4 oz, got about 340 after plying. About 15 wpi and someday, I think it will have to be a lovely little mini-triangular shawl thing. However, considering how flaky I am, it will probably become something else entirely.

After all of the nice, relztively vanilla spinning, I had to spin the wild twin sister of "Purple Pewter". You know, like the Jessica Wakefield to the Elizabeth Wakefield in the Sweet Valley Twins/High series. God, I loved those books. I even had the board game. But, I digress...

"Estrus"...about 150 yds, don't care what the wpi is (I'm lazy)... red/purple wool with purple coily things plied with sequined thread and little bits of novelty yarn, flags of red metallic fabric and lotsa "Red Wing Flash" Angelina. Does anyone else think that "Red Wing" is sorta a gross name for a color? Could be just my dirty mind at work (I wonder if that is why my subconcious helped me name the yarn "Estrus"?). I also made some felt beads with the leftovers to add to the finished project for embellishment. (Not pictured, again... I'm lazy. However, I am amused that this technique was also discussed in the Dec. Knitty. I must be a fiber psychic.)

OK, that's all for now. Am leaving for Boston in a week and a half for x-mas and meeting new in-laws. This should be fun... seriously, they seem to be looking forward to meeting me. Plus, we have a nice guest room complete with our own tree, a fireplace, private bathroom, and best of all, a plasma TV with about 5,000,000 channels. If worse comes to worse, I know where I'll be... The funny thing is, while I'm really looking forward to meeting my new brother- and sister-in-law, having chowdah at Legal Seafoods, drinking Guinness at The Black Rose and such, I'm really, really looking forward to going to The Fiber Loft in Harvard. I'm such a dork that I am even packing a drop spindle so that I can spin whatever exotic treats I purchase there... anyway, must go wrap presents and do stuff. Happy holidaze!

puzzled...

2006-11-30T21:17:00.000-09:00

OK, so I'm browsing some fiber blogs, and come across one that seemed very pleasant all around, yet there was one sentence that left me puzzled. I'll leave the blog anonymous, and no, it isn't linked in my sidebar. Anyhoo, the WTF? phrase in question was this, included in a list of stuff the blogger is working on:

"And, I'm even knitting a hat for a 6'5", 230 lb African-American Man."

I get pointing out the man's size, since that will obviously mean knitting a larger hat. But his ethnicity? I didn't see anyone else's race pointed out in future/finished projects. I dunno why this bugs me so much, but I get the feeling this chick may be one of those pasty yuppie types who just feels so good about the fact that they are, in fact, Acquainted with a Person of Color. So much, that they even Knit for him and feel the need to point it out on their blog. What a Susie Dipshit.

In other news, I started a scarf in Patons Soy Wool Stripes... I'll post pics tomorrow, as the camera is acting up. Sorry for the brief rant, but jeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

The lazy blogger returns...

2006-11-29T11:11:00.000-09:00

Been pretty busy these past few weeks, and well, tending the blog has not been a priority. Plus, there are only like 5 readers, so, you know, I'm not really doing a huge disservice. Anyway, I have been recovering from the holiday bazaars and jumping back into fibery-kinda stuff. This being the season and all, some of the stuff I am working on is top secret, so I won't be posting pics for a while. But, in between frantically knitting for the holidays, I've also done some spinning:

I'm calling this one "Purple Pewter"... I've spun up 2 of the 4 oz (Corriedale blended with "Marcasite Flash" Angelina) and hope to get about 350 yds after plying.

And, been playing with some stuff I wet-felted, had laying around for months, then dug out to see if I could make it into something quilt-like for an upcoming miniature quilt show. The base fabric is wool felted with silk/novelty yarn. I couched some other threads over the top, including some cool Diakeito "Diamist"; stitched some tuile fabric in place, and added some mohair locks for fun. An explanation of the piece (which I'll submit to the show's organizer), entitled "A Star is Born", follows the pic:

My grip on traditional reality is tenuous at best. This piece, “A Star is Born” is one of many snapshots of my mind- the things I think about when not worrying about such meaningless things as bills and deadlines. When allowed to wander, my thoughts travel to some interesting places, such as the relationship between space, time, and matter; the formation of life as we know it- where did we come from and where are going?; the connection between the celestial and the earthly.

The wet-felted background for this work was created several months ago, in response to my thoughts on the birth and death of stars in our universe. Over time, layers of tuile, lines and shapes stitched and couched in string were added, inspired by the wonder that comes from the notion that what we consider order evolves from that which we consider chaos. I am further fascinated by the fact that this process reverses itself as stable systems enter into a state of entropy. Still, the work needed something… after a short break, I found this blood star that was initially discovered at Mill bay Beach (already dried and deceased).

This tied it all together for me… the wonders of the Earth juxtaposed with those of the universe…

which are really just two sides of the same coin.

The Holiday Bizarre

2006-11-15T14:27:00.000-09:00

Did the first of two Holiday bazaars last Saturday , with one coming up this Saturday... have been so busy cranking out stained glass that my spinning wheel and knitting needles are gathering dust. Here are some pics of my humble booth last week:

Yes, that is a laundry drying rack that I hang my glass on. I am such a cheapass.

Lots of puffins, salmon, lighthouse/fishing vessel ornaments, and bears... kinda hard to see everything in this pic, but I had a lot of wares in the beginning, and didn't leave with very much! I even brought some random knitted things to sell and sold a scarf! So, needless to say, I am going nuts to rebuild enough inventory for this weekend. My goal was to sell enough stuff to cover our trip to Boston... and if all goes well this Saturday, I'll have done just that. Then, I will have time to knit ;-)

Red Wine

2006-11-08T09:51:00.000-09:00

I spun up a bit (only 1 oz) of fawn-colored alpaca the other day:

After dyeing it with 5 packets of grape kool-aid and one 0.25 oz bottle of red food coloring, this is what I ended up with. It's about 100 yds @ 15 wpi, and SO soft. I think this will be what I do for the Twisted Knitters KAL- although, I'm thinking I may need to be ambitious and do two projects- this really doesn't seem substantial enough. So, I will probably be spinning up the Merino/Silk combo that I mentioned in a previous post and play with some handpainting... the KAL goes thru February, so that is plenty of time for me to spin, dye, and knit a few projects.

As far as the Alpaca, I think I'm going to knit up some kind of lacy gaiter thing- a pretty lil' wisp of something to wear around my neck. I'm going to Boston for Christmas this year, so I think I can make something with the yarn that looks both sophisticated and warm- yum!

I also have to say that I am doing the happy dance right now. Dems take charge! Rummy gone! For the first time in six years, I feel a glimmer of hope. Of course, this now means that the Dems will have to pull their heads out, and on that count, I am being somewhat reserved in my joy. But, as my wise grandmother always says, we can either live in hope, or die in despair...

We did it!

2006-11-04T08:59:00.000-09:00

More pics and words to come soon... but here is a sneak peek:

The Bride and Groom exchanging rings, Piedmont Point, Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park.

Had a lovely reception last night with friends new and old. There were many lovely
gifts and many a laugh to be had. Again, more pics and words later...

Exotic Workhorses, Spun Sugar, and Stuff

2006-11-03T10:04:00.000-09:00

This has been a whirlwind of a week. As you may have figured out in my last cryptic post, I am to be married today. In 5 hours. And yes, I am taking the time to post right now. This is a laid-back event, just a simple gathering of friends to celebrate our simple love for one another. If the two people who read this want to know more about the nuptials, click here to read my blog on MySpace (warning: my Myspace profile is Rated R).

Other than marriage, I have been doing some fibery stuff... a few months back, Yarnpunk gave me a bag of the most random bits of fiber imaginable. Being the fiberwhore that I am, I of course took it with a smile on my face. There was everything from yak hair to combed cotton all in little .5oz bags. I finally busted it all out this weekend, and used her drum carder to make some kick-ass blends:

Blend #1: "Exotic Workhorse"- 40% mixed New Zealand wool (no idea as to breed), 20% flax, 15% camel hair, 15% yak hair, 10% llama hair. Coarse and not for wearing- but, I think a tightly spun 2-ply would make for a nice bag or rug... possibly woven if I can bear to dust off and warp up the loom. About .5 lb, so I should be able to make something cool

And, on the other end of the spectrum, Blend #2: "Spun Sugar" only about 1 oz of 50% camel down and 50% tussah silk. Need I say more? I'm thinking a 2-ply laceweight to be knit into somekind of little cowl-like thing.

I finished another Beyond the Basics hat, to be a Christmas present for my friend Jen.

And, I am making washcloths right now, about the only thing my scattered little mind can stand. However, I think this may be the world's prettiest warshcloth:

Knit on 4 mm dpn using Sugar & Creme (colorway Fiesta? or something?) Pattern found here. Gotta love those mindless projects that are done in a couple of hours... I'm going to make a bunch and give them as gifts along with some locally made soaps.

Have been trying to figure out what to use for the Twisted Knitters KAL... looking at a portion of my fiber stash, I think the Merino/Silk combo on the right would be perfect. That was the very first fiber I ever bought for spinning. With a heavy-ass bottom-whorl drop spindle. In retrospect, the ladies at NW Wools should have tried to talk some sense into me- it was obvious I was a newbie. I didn't spin for over 2 years after that little disaster. Trying to spin that shit without knowing what I was doing didn't even make for "designer yarn". Don't get me wrong, it's lovely stuff now that I know what I am doing...

OK, I'm going to go take a shower and get pretty- I am getting hitched, after all. I may even shave my legs.

Guess what I'm doing tomorrow...

2006-11-02T09:06:00.000-09:00

Baby's First Mukluks

2006-10-27T13:44:00.000-08:00

As stated in my last post, I knitted the Green Serf Booties from the IK website. The upcoming baby for whom they are intended is an Alaskan with an adventurous mother. Therefore, he or she is going to need a pair of mukluks as soon as possible and I thought this pattern could be nicely adapted to the look I wasa going for.

I knit them with Cascade 220, and after fulling, whipstitched a crochet chain of Fun Fur to the cuff. Although I hate Fun Fur with a passion, I think this is proof that it can be a cute accent in the right setting. Inititally I was going to trim the cuff with rabbit fur, but this proved not to look as neat as I thought it would, so here we are.

I am happy with how the booties turned out, but had some major issues with the pattern. I did not like how it called for knitting light worsted weight yarn on 2.75 mm. This would have been fine normally, but for a felted item, there was not enough space between the stitches so that the fabric could mat quickly and firmly. It took many washings and even a trip through the dryer (which I never do with felted knits) to get them how I wanted.

Also, the author called for cutting the felt in order to thread through the laces. I feel that even in the most firmly felted fabric that cutting makes for a weak spot that can tear- especially by a baby who has just discovered their feet. My solution was to thread 2 strands of Sugar & Creme cotton through the places where I wanted the laces to go so that the fabric would felt around the cotton and leave a nice little hole like so:

Anyway, I have some other projects on the horizon, but they are on hold whilst I work on more stained glass goodness and shred my fingertips with said glass to the point where even knitting becomes painful. I am a sheer masochist during this time of year- anything to make a buck ;-)

Some random delicious goodies

2006-10-25T12:20:00.000-08:00

So many things going on lately that it is a wonder I actually get things done! Here is a project I finished about a week ago and forgot to post:

Felted clogs (yet another pair) from the Fiber Trends pattern. I had a mild catastrophe with the initial felting... becuase I included 1 strand of Skacel Gatto in the cuff, the cuff did not felt as fast as the rest of the clog (duh), so I thought I would have to knit them all over again. These are for the future stepdaughter, so I was heartbroken that they looked rather floppy. Fortunately, I read in Felted Knits that you can remedy this problem by running a strand of yarn through the cuff to cinch it more tightly. So, that's what I did and threw them back in the washer. They came out perfectly and I hope she loves them!

More felted stuff (I know that knit fabric is technically "fulled", but felted just seems to type more easily). I made this purse a gazillion years ago, and just could never think of how to embellish it... I did some needle-felting on it that was "interesting" to say the least, which I tore off after realizing that it looked like a bad acid trip. So, the poor little purse sat and sat, until I pulled it out a few days ago, did some blanket stitch with some fine boucle, and affixed one of my fused dichroic buttons to the flap.

Speaking of things dichroic glass, I finished some pendants to sell at the bazaars.

It's very hard to photograph dichroic so it really shows to complexity of the colors, but hopefully you get the jist of their appearance.

And, because my spinning wheel is always beckoning, even when more pressing matters are at hand, I spun up one of my autumn-inspired batts into a 2-ply light worsted weight beauty, about 12 wpi. One would think that the diverse colors would make for something muddy, but they all seem to work together just fine and the overall color reminds me of terracotta. Therefore, this yarn is named, you guessed it... "Terracotta".

On the needles: I am working on the Green Serf Booties from the Winter '06 IK (online patt). Should be finished tonight- and I am working them up with a little Alaskan twist, as they are for my friend Natasha's baby (who lives in Anchorage), and she is due to pop in about a month. Will post pics when completed...

Beer

2006-10-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

I finally checked out the blog of one Stitchy McYarnpants. Oh dear God, I found the pattern of my dreams- and just in time for the holiday season. Just click the link- if you haven't seen this, you are in for something special and beer-related.

You see, in my native Portland, the Pabst Blue Ribbon (or PBR to those in the know is the hip beer to drink among the 21 (yeah right) to 35-year-old hipster demographic. One of my best friends and his wife are accomplished afficianados of the PBR. Therefore, he is getting a PBR hat, and for the lady, a PBR totebag. They are just gonna poo themselves when this gift comes into the mail! The best part is, I just know that they will rock shock these things at the local watering hole, known as the Portway, which in an odd twist of fate, also happens to be one of the first bars I ever went into when I was an infant. Really. Long story, perhaps to be finished when these gifts are done.

I figure I'm gonna need about a case, and the BF hates the PBR. This means that I will be working on these projects while either (a) drunk, (b) hung over, or (c) both. I suppose I could just invite some frineds over to help me drink the stuff, but I want the manufacture of these gifts to be all mine. I want my friends to know that I drank all of the beers that are now their fashion statement. It's about 10 am, on a Monday, so I think I'll get started. I have a long day ahead of me...

Artist's Trading Cards, Autumnal Batts, and Crackheads

2006-10-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

As promised in the last post, here are some pics of my ATC's:

"Plugged In"- polymer clay, oil pastel, decoupage
May be hard to see in this pic, but the cord from the TV plugs into the brain at right... I think we all know where I'm goin' with this one.

"Dancing somewhere in between the Mountains and the Sea"- needle felted wool, fabric, beads
This little figure pops up quite a bit in my work- I'm always somewhere between the mountains and the sea, so you get the picture...

"Tripping once again over the Tidepool Fantastic"- fused glass, found objects, beads, wire
I am eternally enamored by our local tidepools and just love the Blood Stars that are prevalent here in Kodiak- this is my homage to them.

I also have another ATC that is still a work in progress- the title is "Your Golden Goose is Cooked". I'll just let you use your imagination 'til I finish it.

Also carded up some fall-colored batts and spun some yarn.

The 2-ply worsted weight yarn was inspired by the colors of heather in Scotland and I think I will incorporate the 135 yds or so of it into a hat for my friend of the same name.

On a more personal note, I would like to thank the Slim Shady wannabes who live in the apartment below for waking me up at 5:30 this morning. They were obviously doing some sort of stimulant drug, and my bets were that said drug was the crackrock. Now, I really don't give a rip if someone wants to smoke crack in the privacy of their own home, provided no one is getting hurt but themselves. But, when you take it outside and wake me and the other respectable people in this dwelling up at 5:30 in the damn morning, my ass is gonna get pissed off. Like Whitney Houston once said, "Crack is wack... crack is wack!" So, I am done for now, because me and my airhorn have a date with someone's bedroom window.

PS: To end on a nicer note, I have posted links to free original patterns in the sidebar. Enjoy!

Catching Up

2006-10-16T08:51:00.000-08:00

Wow, six weeks or so since my last post. Suffice it to say that I have alot of catching up to do... I've been busy with so much stuff since I returned from Portland. Am cranking out leaded/fused glass goods for local holiday bazaars besides all of the things I have been knitting, spinning, and mixed media-ing.

Speaking of my trip to Portland, I did not get to do the Grand Tour of all things Fiber that I had hoped. In the interest of saving $$$, I didn't rent a car, so I was bussin' it quite a bit. It's funny, after living in lil' ol' Kodiak for 3 years, public transportation was an absolute joy- all of the people watching was fabulous, especially since getting from my parents' house to downtown requires passing though some rather colorful areas of town. All that, and it was free knitting time too! Anyway, I did hit a couple of shops- one called Knit Knot in Portland's swanky Pearl District. A nice little shop, but they charged more for their yarns their that we do in Kodiak. Knowing what people pay for shipping in Kodiak, that is ridiculous. Also went to knit/purl, a lovely shop in the heart of downtown. However, the ladies who worked there were umm... how can I say this nicely? I guess I can't. They were straight up beotches, people, beeeotcchhhess. The only saving grace was that I found a nice friendly boi who made my last minutes in the shop bearable.

My question is this- has the whole knitting thing gotten so popular that now people think they have the right to be snotty? In a yarn shop? Let's get something straight- if you are going to work in/own a yarn shop, that is not the place to be a snob (I can speak from experience, since I work at the LYS). It is not like you are working the MAC counter at Saks, sweetie. Furthermore, yarn is something that should make you feel happy and extend that sense to your customers. OK, there, I said it.

With all that, you are probablay wondering what I have been working on over the past six weeks. Well, one of my many endevors has been some Artist's Trading Cards for a local show. I'll post pics of the cards in my next post...

And, I have been doing lotsa leaded glass... salmon and otters and bears, oh my! The otter is still a WIP, since she needs eyes and suff, but you get the picture. This is but a small fraction of the pieces I will be selling- there are also puffins, fishing boats, fairies, butterflies, and all kinds of fused glass goodies. Will post more pics as I get everything together.

Also just completed a scarf called "Naiad". Lengthwise knit on Size US 11 needles (60" Addis) using Old Shale stitch. There are some shells attached to the fringe not visible here. The colors were inspired by how the sea looks after a storm has passed...

Designed a hat for a class I am teaching that introduces circular knitting while also introducing lace, color, and cable work. It was a fun challenge creating a pattern that incorporates all of these techinques without being too hard for the students- and make something not totally fugly. Unfortunately, this picture does the hat little justice.

OK, I think this is enough for one post- have been doing lotsa spinny sorta stuff too, but my hands are tired and they need a break from typing for a bit. I'll leave you with this parting shot of my dog Japhy during a hike we took yesterday on Kodiak's lovely Pillar Mountain:

Hi ho silver!

2006-09-06T18:05:00.000-08:00

Caught the first Coho (AKA Silver) Salmon of the year in the Buskin River. My dad got to witness this, and I think he liked seeing his little girl wrestle her in and beat the you-know-what out of her in order to end her life swiftly. That's fairly primal. Anyway, here is my lovely fish in all of her 12.5 pound glory:

Not too much on the knitting front (although I had a disaster with some Felt Clogs- more on that later). Am busy packing (paying especial attention to what to knit on the journey) and making venison jerky to take down to Portland, as we leave EARLY tomorrow. Will be sure to post many pics of my Grand Tour of all things fiber in the NW...

vine maples, peacocks, and possible fug

2006-09-04T00:37:00.000-08:00

First, the good stuff... I spun a nice yarn yesterday. I've been working on a nice lace weight blend of various fibers: a little alpaca, merino, with some silk and angora bunny thrown in for good measure. But, after about 500 yds and still going, I needed a change. Here she is:

It's only about 65 yds, but I am going to include this in a lengthwise-knit scarf with some autumn color yarns. She was inspired by the fall colors of Vine Maples in my native Pacific NW. They are pretty much the only tree in those parts that turns the gorgeous shades that folks back East are so fortunate to have in all of their trees. The base yarn is good ol' Ashford Corriedale sliver (about 5 shades blended together on Yarnpunk's drum carder), plied with some (gasp!) yarn I found at la Target in their dollar section along with some snippets of stuff left from a cute lil' capelet from a while back.

Speaking of free use of nice drum carders, I also blended up these little rovings, inspired by the colors of peacocks. Again, same Corriedale sliver, with loads of Angelina in both "Wisteria" and "Peacock" (big surprise) thrown in. I'm planning to ply it all with some nice aqua viscose and heavy black quilting thread while trapping bits of peacock feather and some eyelashy-kinda stuff in the yarn. There is a whole cool story about my love for peacocks, which I will share when the yarn is done (it is really deserving of its very own post).

OK, now for the possible fug. I mentioned in the last post that I was making an Old Shale stole in Kureyon #74. Despite my recent love affair with Kureyon, I think I found one colorway that is not cool. At all- see?

I think if all of these shades were combined, it would make puce. Puuuuce. Yuuuuck. I mean, I'm thinking about just casting off and felting it into a potholder (which would be good, since I just ruined our last one). You know, as a potholder, she would still be functional and appreciated... but just not worn anywhere but in my kitchen, you know? I like how the ripples of this fabric show off the colors in Kureyon so nicely, so I think I will just take the concept and apply it to another colorway. Sorry #74, you have lots of personality, but I just do not think you are the one for me... I'm going to start seeing #147 and see what she can do- she is a nice series of blues, after all, and I think she wil make for a nice watery effect with the Old Shale stitch. No really #74, it's not you, it's me...

Good times...

2006-09-03T19:05:00.000-08:00

Still no pics yet- will be sure to get some in soon! I have however decided my next project: the Sakiori vest (short version) from Folk Vests. No, it's not terribly fiddly, but I am going to be traveling to Portland, OR for the next couple of weeks, so I will have the fun of working on something somewhat substantial, but portable and easy to tend to during the distractions of travel. I'm really looking forward to the trip- I will be flying down with my dad, who has been in Kodiak the past two weeks (so fun!) and will be visiting all of the friends and fam. I also have a Grand Tour of fiber shops planned. There's the ever-delightful Northwest Wools (where I got my first drop spindle eons ago), Yarn Garden, Knit Purl, The Naked Sheep... and a trip to Hood River in the Columbia River Gorge to visit Knot Another Hat. There has been a big increase in fine yarn/fiber shops in Portland over the last few years, and I intend to hit as many as possible. I'm going to focus mainly on enhancing my fiber stash- I have enough yarn (did I just say that?), but not very much diversity in the hair department. I have some sheep, some llama, a little silk... and that is it for spinning materials. I'm going to be on the lookout for all kinds of neat hand-dyed sorta stuff that we do not get here in the North Country. I'll be sure to show off where I go- and what I get!

As far as what I'm working on right now, I started a scarf for my mom in Blue Sky Alpacas (sport weight) in a nice heathery brown. I'm using the Eyelet Panes lace patt used for the Glasgow Lace top in the latest issue of IK. Didn't care for the top so much, but the patt is pretty in scarf form. Also started an Old Shale stole using Noro Kureyon #74. I'm going to full it slightly, which I think will make the Kureyon feel soft enough for shoulder-wrapping purposes. Plus, it was a good knit for going "out the road" today with my Dad (yes, we only have one road in Kodiak). What a blast. Again, I will post pics soon, but must run off for an Alaskan Halibut/Sockeye Salmon dinner. Life is so unfair sometimes...

Why I rejoice when Summer wanes...

2006-08-31T21:48:00.000-08:00

Well, that may sound like a horrible thing to say, especially since I live in a land where summer days are at a premium- especially this year. However, I am ready for some nice stormy days with only 5 hours of daylight in which I can justify spending 8+ hours on my rear end knitting something especially complicated and fiddly. The type of knit where you unplug the phone and forbid any partners/roommates to address you directly. I have been doing what feels like a lot of knitting this summer... there is the almost-finished blanket for an ill loved one, and the felt clogs for my future stepdaughter, as well as many other miscellanous goodies. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with my summer knitting, but it's sort of like a novel that you read on the beach- a lot of fluff (pun intended) without a lot of substance. But, during the busy summers in this area, when one is off playing and camping and fishing and frolicking, slightly no-brainer knitting is required if any is to be done at all. I know that there are many other people out there with more discipline, those who can knit a lace shawl while practically climbing mountains. I am not one of those people. I am OK with this.

But, now that I am planning for autumn/winter knitting, the only question is what to make? There is some nice cobweb alpaca in the stash that is begging to be made into a stole, some Kureyon that methinks would make a neat vest, loads of sportweight Halcyon 2-ply for a nice stranded colorwork sweater, enough natural worsted weight to handpaint and make some sort of kimono/wrap thing... the possibilities are endless... and that is just how I like it. In fact, I guarantee that I will change my mind at least 17.4 times before actually biting down on a good project. But hey, I am definetly more of a process knitter anyway, so it is really a win-win if I cast on several projects and end up with only a couple completed pieces. To paraphrase Ursula K. LeGuin, it is the journey that matters in the end...