Slap and Dash...

by Kathleen

When Caroline and I talked about setting up a blog together we both agreed that we shouldn't feel we had to apologize if we didn't post for a while... to each other or anyone else. (Pretty cocky weren't we? Assuming there would be anyone else reading this... though we knew Mom would.) We never felt that other bloggers needed to apologize to us... they didn't need to feel bad for having a real life.
Funny though... how you do start to feel kind of guilty for going away.

So...
I mentioned (somewhere back there) that I had gotten a spinning wheel from a colleague here. It was an odd wheel made in a four post frame manner with an antique cast iron wheel...
Here it is...

It's beautiful. Really a work of craftsmanship. And heavy as all get out to treadle.
We've fixed a few problems (the bobbin was split and it spun loosely on the spindle without activating the flyer), but have a few more to go before it spins well (the leather belt is too loose and doesn't have a good enough grip on the wheel).
I don't know how much spinning I'll do on it as it's made for making thick yarns. But it sure is pretty.

Then in the "If everyone else jumped off the bridge would you do it too?" category...

Yes, apparently I would. This is "Flat Feet", a different way of dyeing yarn for socks. It's a machine knit blank that is handpainted. Then to knit it you unravel it from one end and knit as you go.

The pattern changes based on the size of your sock and your gauge. It's really just another kind of variegated yarn... but it is kind of fun to see what the pattern as dyed does when it gets knit. However I'm finding it not so much fun knitting with bumpy pre-knit yarn. It's not terrible, but it's not a great feel.
So I'll probably only jump off this bridge just the one time.

Other knitting news... I'm up to 17 of the 20 squares needed for the Lizard Ridge Afghan. The second Can-Do sock is close to finished.
And I'm knitting away on DH's sweater...

I've been working on this for over two years now. It's my first full size sweater and I'm making up the pattern as I go. I also had some issues with basic math and lost a skein of yarn in a port-o-potty (I was NOT going in after it).
It will have a full post of it's own someday. It deserves it.

A while ago my guild had a synthetic dye workshop. We made a colorwheel, mixing the dyes by a percentage based formula, and then immersing the fabrics in cups to get the mottled effect. It was quite fun...

My first few reds are too similar in color, but the yellow to green to blue worked out well.

Our guild had a picnic at the end of July and there was a challenge due to be judged that day. Unfortunately I got really, really, really sick, and couldn't make it. So I can't show my challenge project until the next meeting but here are the ingredients...

By the way... the 4th of July Parade we were in?.. We won first place! We beat out the float with the kids in the pool! Nobody ever beats out floats with kids on them... especially flatbed trucks with a bunch of middle to elderly ladies decked out in red, white and blue while knitting, spinning and weaving. Hmmm... must have been the hooking that did it. (Rug hooking that is!)

And this is why I've been off the blog and am going back off for another few weeks...
I'm doing costumes for a production of Shakespeare's Richard II at the American Shakespeare Center. The show opens in a couple of weeks.

I need to go sew now.

BYE.

p.s. A big "Thanks!" to all the members of the ManchVegas group who were knitting that night I called Mom about our spaghetti sauce. Adding sugar did the trick (but we boiled a potato in it too just to make sure).

p.p.s. To the left at the bottom of the sidebar you will see a little white egg labeled "My Dragon". If you would not mind clicking on it I sure would appreciate the help getting it to hatch. Thanks!

Blogging In My Mind....er....On My Mind

by Caroline



You know, blogging is so much easier in my mind. All my imaginary commenters think I am so witty.


A Blog in Three Parts


Part I: Yarn on the move!
I've been going to The Yarn & Fiber Company in Windham for Friday night knitting for a long time now. We managed to fit a pretty large crowd into a not large space. There were nights where, if you didn't arrive early enough, you sat on the floor.....good times! Last month, it was time to move to a bigger shop, this one in Derry. Yes, Yarn & Fiber was not only growing but it was moving closer to me! From 1/2 hour to 10 minutes. Yay! So, on a Friday afternoon, knitters arrived to help pack up. It was amazing how many times you heard someone say, "I haven't seen this yarn before." As a group of motivated knitters, we had that shop moved in one weekend. They were closed only 4 days! And that Friday, we partied in out new digs. Lauren documented the move much better than me so I am going to send you here, here, here, here, here, and finally, here. Several were heard to comment that they have never enjoyed moving a friend so much. And I have to admit that I feel so much more possessive of a store that I helped to set up. My LYS, indeed.


Part II: wee tiny socks continue
The addiction grows. Again, I am sending 2 little socks at a time. The theme was heat wave so I knit up an Amanda sock with some red Cambrio. I used the lace pattern from the Amanda hat, dropping the K sts at the beginning and end of their rows. I'll post the directions if anyone is interested. So, I knit that up but looking at swap pal, I noticed she was a Girl Scout. In honor of G.S. I knit up another sock, Sereknity's Campfire. I'll have to post the sock I received later. I thought I had a picture of it but I can't find it. It is an awesome little sock.

















Part III: Knit & Crochet Show


I went with the plan that I would not buy anything. Meaning, of course, that I would allow myself maybe 2 or 3 purchases. Look what I got:

1. Duets Flying Carpet Socks: Lorna's Laces & Mountain Colors and a Cat Bordhi design. So cool.

2. Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, edgewater. I am compelled to buy blues & greens.

3. Habu, 100% bamboo. Softest thing ever.

4. Habu, spiral slub color 7. That's some copper color running through it, yum yum.

5. Sereknity, beachglass in superwash merino

6. Sereknity, dragonfly in superwash merino & seacell

7. Moonrise shawl pegs

There's those blues & greens again and by my favorite, Heather of Sereknity. I am compelled, just compelled. Then, when I was all done....Gigi of Adventures in Crochet showed me this lovely booth where Moonrise was set up. I could not turn away from these two shawl pegs. On the left is the Triskele with, I think, a turquoise bead. On the right is the Goddess with a mother of pearl bead. OK, a bit more shopping than I had planned. But to finish it all off: Jess & Casey of Ravelry walking by the Yarn & Fiber booth. Groupie time!