One Crazy Fiber Lady

I love fiber festivals.   There’s the whole stash acquisition aspect of them that is just downright enjoyable.  I don’t have an opportunity outside of these events to fondle the fiber that I buy.  All other purchases are over the net and can be a chancy thing.  But when you get right down to it, it isn’t the fiber that has me driving (and towing two monkeys along) because between you and me, I really don’t need more stuff. 

It is the opportunity to be among the similarly afflicted that has me itching to go.  My daily life, with the exception of the weekly SnB gals, doesn’t involve those that are just ga-ga for fiber.  So when Cate invited us up for the festival weekend, I jumped, dragging the monkeys along for the ride.

Friday we drove up, leaving here somewhere around 1.  I’d hoped to leave earlier, but you know how things work when children are involved.  My PT ran a little longer as I took the optional ice packs as the workout stretched in ways I’m not used to and I was a bit tender.  Figured it couldn’t hurt, especially since it is my gas pedal foot.  Anyway, we got to Cate’s house at 4pm.  Amazingly we avoided the bulk of the traffic and the journey took only 3 hours.  The kids made themselves at home. 

For dinner Friday, we met up with some extraordinary women.  Having tried one restaurant to find a 1 hour wait, we moved to another.  A lovely place in a town I can’t remember.  There the twins and I dined with Cate, Kathy, Cheryl, Marcy, Teresa, Lisa and her daughter Rebecca.  After which everyone returned to Cate’s house for a little wine, wool and gabbing.  With that many bloggers in one place you’d think there would be a photo of it, but alas, it seems everyone was suffering from camnesia.  I certainly fought with the condition during the course of the weekend! 

The twins both decided that they wanted to sleep with mommy for a change, so the three of us wound up in a single twin bed.  Was an interesting night to say the least.   We stayed up far too late but it was so worth it.

Saturday was the festival!  Kristen arrived at the house sometime after the twins and I had gone to sleep.  A leisurely breakfast, some living room rearranging for the blegger and twin wrangling later, we went to the fairgrounds.  I oddly remembered I had the camera for the first time..

Here is the angel Kristen with Kat and Alex.  She is so good with kids.  Honestly, I wish I was that good!  She even took them for a walk to see the animals so I could do some shopping.  How sweet is that? 

Here is Cate spinning on a Hitchhiker.  What you don’t see in this picture is the young girl and her parents standing next to me.  Cate was teaching the girl how to spin and shortly after this shot, had the girl at the wheel trying it herself.  I spotted the family later in the day carrying one the cute Hitchhiker wheels.  Good job Cate!  Spread the spinning!

Here’s Cheryl and Cate who tried this cute little flax repro wheel that a vendor was selling.  I didn’t catch the vendor’s name but they were right next to Journey Wheel.  The twins were starting to melt down by this point so after a little more socializing, I put them in the car and drove off to ….

While I’ve ordered from them, I’ve never been to the actual store.  Now that was an experience!  One problem, during the drive from the fairgrounds to the store, this is what happened to the kids…

Don’t they look so cute asleep.  Don’t be fooled!  They’re still MONSTERS   Anyway, I pulled out the stroller, piled the two sleeping bodies into it and went shopping.  Alex woke up enough that I had to stay moving within the store or he got a little antsy.  Not bad, really.  He saved me some money.  Kat made the transfer well and slept for the entire stay.  I was totally surprised by her position in the back seat of the stroller though when i went back out to the car…

Her right foot is in the basket under the stroller, her tush is on the foot rest, the left foot is on the side rail and she has her head down on the seat.  Oh boy that looks comfy!  Not.  I’m still amazed at the positions children can sleep in.  My body hurts just looking at this.

Saturday night was the much publicized and extremely fun blegger at Cate’s house!  Lots and lots of folk came to gab, drink, and enjoy the wool fumes.  So many faces and blogs that I just can’t remember nor keep up.  Please drop a comment if you were there!  It was another late night.  Kat fell asleep in my lap on the living room floor at some point.  Alex continued to charm the ladies.  He did show off his ability to accessorize by turning up in princess shoes, a beaded necklace, bracelet, ring and coordinating purse.   The kid is cute. 

Unfortunately, the late nights and short naps caught up with my little man.  He had the nastiest meltdown shortly after breakfast, whining, crying, screaming intermixed with "excuse me" and "please mommy" as he went through a variety of things that he wanted all of which made him no happier.  During this almost 2 hour tantrum, I rounded up our things, tried to neaten up the mess my shorties made, packed the bags, dressed and loaded the car.  Kat very nicely shut down while Alex was tantruming.  Thank goodness that when one of them goes that ballistic, it doesn’t chain reaction into the second one.  I finally got them in the car, got the dvd player started with Spongebob and the car in gear when Alex’s cry turned to why he wasn’t wearing shoes.  (He wouldn’t let me put them on him before).  I had to stop for gas before the interstate, but as soon as we were moving on the highway both went to sleep and stayed asleep until after I pulled into the driveway!  I had a blissfully silent 2hr40min drive home.  A little time in the pool, an early dinner, some unpacking and all went to bed early that night!

Memorial day was a quiet one at home.  The folks didn’t get home from the boat until after dinner time.  The weather was spotty at best with some periods of rain.  We spent a great deal of it inside.  The kids took a 2 hour nap and I got to spend some time with the wheels.  I started playing with the Greylock from Foxfire on the Vermont wheel.  Then I moved to further acquaint myself with the new Schacht.  I followed a number of recommendations, thank you!, and replaced the knot on the driveband with a sewn join.  MUCH BETTER. 

By dinner time I had finished the two remaining singles for the three ply sock yarn.  After the monkeys went to bed, I plied…

Neat-o!  Unusual for me, I even skeined it up last night.  Oh and counted loops. It came out to be 197yards/72g.  Slightly heavier than my normal sock yarn.  I could probably eke out a pair for my small feet from this skein.  I’ll just split it with the help of the scale. 

All in all, tantrum/meltdowns aside, it was a fabulous weekend spent in the company of wonderful people.  Thank you all!

Craft on!

The kids have just fallen asleep after a very busy weekend which isn’t over yet.  Normally the event recap happens before the SEX pictures, but for a change I took the pics while unpacking.  While the memory is fresh, I’ll do the stuff first and all the wonderful events tomorrow (I hope).

Before getting to the MASW enhancements, while unpacking, I decided it was time to open the box of corrie recently returned.  It is gorgeous!

There’s 3.75 lbs of processed roving  that is just stunning.  I’m looking forward to giving this a try.  Not sure which wheel is going to get the honor.

There was also a bit of binging at Loopy Ewe last week since sock yarn so doesn’t count.  I got home today to find a box waiting.  The folks must have taken it in before heading off for the boat on Friday…

From left to right is:

• 2 skeins of Apple Laine’s Apple Pie yarn in English Garden
• SKnitches Bebop Sock in Shrimp on the Barbe
• Gypsy Knits BFL Superwash in Ballet
• 2 skeins of Gypsy Girl Creations in Ominous Skies

Sara is making sure they are all safe for the yarn basket.  Nosy cat.

I was pretty restrained during the festival.  Having the kids afoot with the stroller still in the car made for a some interesting shopping.  Rest assured I did not come home empty handed…

• 4oz of Cormo/Silk from Foxfire Fiber (in back)
• 2oz of Cashmere/Silk in Greylock from Foxfire
• 2oz of Baby Camel/Silk in Oak Grove from Foxfire
• 1 sk of Fox Sox Yarn in Cerise (yeah I liked their booth)
• 2 sk of 100% cashmere (2/26) in a deep purple colorway and the Feather Shawl pattern from Just Our Yarn.
• 4oz of handpainted BFL in Winnipeg from Spunky Eclectic (just joined the fiber club too
• Spunky Eclectic Skinny Socks in (wait for it…..) Neopolitan

Because I’m powerless in the face of cormo, especially that from Alice Fields, I came home with yet another fleece.  This one is just gorgeous.  So clean and white.  Beautiful.  Best yet, it is a partial that weighs in at about 1.25lbs.  A more manageable amount of fleece that I might just process myself.  Maybe if the monkeys cooperate, I can get this washed and drying tomorrow.  Stop snickering.

Finally, I left the festival and hit a place I’ve ordered from but had never seen in person.  Webs!  I was extremely restrained.  While tempted by an inordinate amount of yarn, I only bought 16 skeins of this..

It is the Valley Yarns Deerfield, 80/20% Baby Alpaca/Silk in my most favorite brick red color.  Mmmmm.  Initially I was thinking Ribby for it, but as it really is a DK, it would be great for Eyelet Cardi.  It definitely needs to be a cardigan and that should be a great one for it.

I’m exhausted and am going to call it an early night.  The good stuff tomorrow!

Craft on.

I just love me a good mail day.  After several days with nuthin’ but junk mail, I got me a good one!  I know I had an excellent mail call not too terribly long ago and I haven’t exactly have nothing since.  But this was one of those really good days..

On the left is my new bobbin winder that Juno suggested,  the new Schacht ST Matchless wheel (more on her later – squee), bathing suit separates from Land’s End and that bottom box is that gorgeous black corrie fleece that I shared with Marcia returning from a stay at Spinderellas for processing.  I have to admit, the last two boxes are still as you see them here, completely un-opened.  I’ll get to them eventually.

Kat was the first to really play with the Schacht.  She had no issues treadling a DT wheel (namely the Lendrum Saxony which resided in her room until moving on to its new home) but had some difficultly keeping this ST going in the same direction.  She did insist on some YARN to play with so I fished the leader out and she treadled, keeping a good hold.  Maybe its time to teach her to spin.  I think the Lendrum upright might just be perfect for her.  Alex insisted on a turn too.  Gotta love those kids.

After they went to bed, I got my chance.  After futzing around with some romney roving to get the feeling of the wheel, I pulled out the Ashland Merino that I bought after seeing the glorious yarn that Marcia spun.

I just took about an arm length’s bit of each color which amounted to about 75g, split it into 1/3’s and then set about working on the first bobbin.  By the end of Lost last night (don’t even get me started on the  show) I finished the first bobbin.

Yum!  Love the new wheel.  The accent of Black Walnut is just gorgeous.  She spun really well though I need to see what I can do about the "thump" that happens when the drive band knot hits the whorl/bobbin.  It was annoying, but not enough to stop spinning!

I’m just about done with the second of the Toe-Up Knee socks.  I have another row or two to do on the cuff and I can bind off.  Call it done today.  Better yet, I did both socks out of one skein of the Silkie.  Woot.  Though it does leave me with an entire second skein of the Rockin’ Sock Club yarn.  Not sure what I’m going to do with it yet.  I have a couple of contenders for next project and a daughter who keeps asking for a "shawl with pockets like I saw on your ‘puter".  I’m translating that to a picture of a poncho with a pocket that she saw on someone’s blog.  I found a pattern on the net and will look for some yarn tonight at MY and modify the pattern a smidge to include a pocket on the front.  This is the poncho the kid saw (I ran it past her this morning)..

Not sure when I’ll post again, I have off tomorrow because the CEO simply announced that the office was closed.  I scheduled my PT for 9:30 and with the kids in school for the morning, I’ll have time to do some errands, packing and then hit the road for MASS!  If you see the monkeys and me at Cummington, please say hi!  And it looks like we’ll be staying for the Blegger after all!  Woot!  We’ll head home after breakfast on Sunday and then hopefully spend the rest of the weekend at home.  The folks will be on the boat.  Anyone up for a little Memorial Day Spin-in on my patio?

Happy Memorial Day to those observing.  I hope you have a lovely holiday weekend!  To everyone else, I wish you too a great weekend.

Craft on.

Well I’ll be damned.  First, thank you to everyone for their public and private support about updating the resume and starting to look.  You guys are definitely the best.  Makes me even more sheepish to admit this next bit.

I woke up this morning not hating my job so much… and I noticed that yesterday wasn’t so bad either.  Seems that my monthly friend arrived last night.  Could there be a connection?  I’d be loathe to admit it, but yes. 

Some 4 weeks ago or so, I went through another phase of not particularly liking my job nor my director.  I vaguely recall at that time that I had considered looking but had decided to wait until the end of the summer so I could enjoy the summer hours (Fridays ending at 1pm are hard to give up).  I also vaguely recall that I had noted a similar dislike some four weeks prior to that.

Playing armchair shrink, not to mention seeing a pattern that even this programmer cannot miss, I’m going to go out on a limb and declare it PMS.  There.  I said it.  Oy.  I’ve never really been a serious sufferer of it.  Oh sure.  Had the teen moodiness and well, still get the pre-period zits.  Joy.  Figured by the time I hit 40 that the zits would be gone.  Sigh.  Go know.  I seem to get a serious funk about a week before the period starts.  Hmm, maybe I don’t have to change jobs.  Oh and I wore the company clothes today which I had been seriously avoiding last week. 

I mentioned my theory to my sister today via IM and she queried as to whether I was still taking magnesium for PMS.  Blew my mind.  I didn’t even know I had taken it for that.  I only remember using it for killing cycle related migraines.  Seems she remembers it taming the PMS bitch too.  She might be right.  I have to hit the drug store tomorrow and give it a shot.  In the meantime, I found a WOMAN’s multi-vitamin that has a load of magnesium/calcium and the B complex (not to mention a truckload of other goodness) that I bought last year that hasn’t quite expired yet. 

On the up side my friend will be gone for MASW!    Cate graciously invited the monkeys and me up for the festival. We’ll be heading up Friday (office is closed – woot), doing the festival on Saturday and then coming home that night.  Will I would love to attend the blegger, she and I agree that it just might not be the right spot for two pre-schoolers.  I’ll enjoy the trip nonetheless.

Knitting progresses.  Yesterday’s commuting knitting was the Ribby Shell in the Habu Textiles Bamboo that I bought some two years ago.  I’ve tried a number of patterns with it and they just weren’t right.  (Too tired to go blog digging to pull them all up, but I remember Soleil, Sigma and Chickami all being attempted.)  The yarn was then placed in timeout. 

I’ve hit that particular point in this project where I’m not sure if I’m going to have enough yarn.  It is yummy though and the drape is just divine.  I think I’ve been knitting socks to much on the train though as just about everyone who walked by me last night said something to the effect of "That’s an odd sock!".  I do take the same evening train and sit in one of two different seats.  The conductors and even the engineer know me. I’ve been gabbing with them as I get on now for a couple of months.  Nice guys.  Gives me a better perspective on NJ Transit and trains in general.

Speaking of which, so as to not freak people out again, I returned to the socks today on the train.  I’ve made decent progress on the second knee sock.  Geez, knee socks are L O N G.  This much knitting usually gives me 2 pairs!

I’m getting there.  I did get a little extra knitting time this morning though.  I got to the station early this morning only to stand on the platform and watch train after train woosh by, not stopping.  Instead of catching a 7:31 train, I was on the 9:08, making me very late instead of EARLY.  Hell, the 9:08 didn’t show up until 9:20 so I was really late.  I got to my desk at 10:30, only 3 hours after arriving at the train station.  NJTransit was pretty messed up today.

Anyway, time to pay some bills and relax before an early bed.  I’m exhausted.

Craft on!

I know it has been a while since I last posted.  It was a really rough week and I didn’t want to post when the only thing I could say is "my job sucks ass".  I even updated my resume and reactivated my profile on Monster.  It is that bad.  I have to force myself to go to work each morning.  As I’d rather leave on my own terms and not be escorted to the door (not sure who is reading this thing), I’ll leave it at that.

It is now the weekend and it has been a good one at that.  Yesterday involved one of the semi-regular trips to the local Ikea in Paramus.  I wanted a new Billy bookshelf for my room to store the ever growing book collection.  While I was wandering around the store with mom and the twins, I picked a new chair for my room.  The rocker is now in Kat’s room and I have this…

Please ignore the bags between the chair and the table.  Those hold the yarn for the slogging projects including the Miter blanket and a Moderne Log Cabin blanket.  Not sure how far either are going to go.  Not pictured is the matching ottoman for the chair. I can spin from this baby and boy-oh-boy is it comfy.  I spent last evening either curled up in it knitting (Ribby Shell from Habu Bamboo) or spinning some 90’s merino on Juno to ply with the Grafton batt I’ve already finished.  You can see one of the finished bobbins on Mr. Plyer next to the chair.

Other knitting projects are Spring Things.  I’m on the 13th repeat of chart A.  While it calls for 13 repeats, I think I might just go for a few extra and make the shawl a little bigger to accommodate the less stretchy silk.

I finished the first of the knee socks in the Silkie.  LOVE that yarn!  I started the second sock Thursday morning on the train.  Took me just under a week to finish the first sock and I’m well into the second now.  I’ve hit the second of 6 increases this afternoon at the movie theatre.

Today marked the first experience of going to the movies for the twins.  The folks and I took them to an 11:15 showing of Shrek the Third.  It was cute and the twins enjoyed it as well.   They were really good and surprised me with their ability to sit still and watch it.  They just spent a bit outside digging with Pop and are unwinding with a little spongebob before nap.

Craft on!

a photo essay:

I hope everyone had a good Mother’s Day.  I sure did.  My favorite people, a sunny day, the patio, a wheel and wonderful fiber.  Who could ask for anything more?  (Not pictured are the folks though they should be.)

Craft on!

Okay, I’m back now from an exhausting session of PT.  And as promised the name the wheel contest is over.  My new Vermont Wheel by Pat Russo, which I love so dearly, is now named:

Juno

An excellently appropriate suggestion by Kim, who also appropriately was right there with me when Juno lead me to the fateful meeting.

Today I also announced that I’d randomly select one person who commented on the posting.  I put everyone into a spreadsheet and had the generator at Random.org pick a number between 1-12 (couldn’t include 13 as that was the winner).  Go figure that the one it picked was…

Juno

Unbelievable eh?

I didn’t think you’d believe it so I took a screen grab (after consulting the Help section to figure out how the heck to do it on a Mac

So what are the prizes you might ask.  Well, here they are…

Duet Sock Yarn.  Can’t remember the colorway name of the one on the left, but the right is Merlot.  Also included will be a pattern from A Swell Yarn Shop for a toe up with afterthought heel perfect for this yarn.  Kim gets first choice. 

Thanks for playing everyone!

Knitter mojo is a fragile thing, ready to be disrupted by even the slightest break in the force.  I  lost my mojo.  Specifically, my sock knitting mojo.  I know!  I’m shocked too.  It might be because of the new wheel (which I seriously lurve), but I can’t blame it all on that. 

I went through a down period after finishing the Trekking socks, where I floundered around for a while before settling down on the Vera socks.  I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised that I went through it again.  But geez, I could skip the floundering around for a satisfactory sock project upon finishing a pair.  If this keeps up, I might just not do that second sock!

Tuesday night I set out looking for a sock project for Wednesday’s commuter.  Naturally I left it for pretty late in the evening as the Vermonter had been beckoning me.  So about 10:30pm, I started rooting through the sock yarn. 

First up was the Cookie A. German Stockings and the nice while Louet Gems that I had picked up for it.  I pulled out the ball winder and swift to get a nice little cake of yarn perfect for the current commuter bag (changed this morning, but I digress).  But then I pulled out the pattern and saw far too many choices of sizes of foot and calf and ARG!  Far too much for me so close to bedtime.  I put it back in the project bag and into the sock yarn stash basket for dealing with at a later date.

I pulled out the Rockin’ Sock Club package of the Silkie and the Knee High to a Grasshopper pattern and immediately put it back because I’d already put the ball winder and swift out and just didn’t want to pull it out again.  I took a skein of Trekking in orange from the stash and tucked it in my bag.  Not exciting, but I didn’t have to wind it and well, the pattern would be simple.  I went to bed.

I woke up and had the crazy idea that I needed to do the Anna Socks from Rowan 40 that I posted about the other day.  After quickly getting dressed, I pulled out the ball winder and swift, quickly working up one skein of Louet Gems in a Wedgewood blue color.  I was perfectly motivated to knit these.  I also quickly wrote out the cuff directions and lace pattern onto an index card as I didn’t have time to warm up the copier and no way was I schlepping the book.  It all went back into the bag and I proceeded with the rest of the morning routine of getting the monkeys up, dressed, fed and to school in time for me to catch the train.

I started Anna on that train Wednesday morning.  By the time I had made it to the PATH, I had a pretty darn good start and was up to the lace.  When I got home, I had decent progress up the cuff.  Though there was a problem.  The ribbing was too tight to go over my calf, which while not straight, it not all that shapely.  Compounding that, the cuff was too wide for my lower leg and would definitely be too wide for my foot.  I’m going to have to rework the damn thing.  Out came the needles and I frogged it.

Back to stash Wednesday night.  I pulled out the silkie again, the ball winder and swift (I really should find someplace to leave em out!) and wound one skein.  I bought two as wanted to make knee socks.   I even wrote out the base pattern on an index card, as again the stupid copier takes far too long to warm up.   I think I started them in bed while watching the news before going to sleep.  During the commute I started in on the foot with the annoying p2tog, yo section.  I don’t mind p2tog, but really, why?  Couldn’t a Knit version work?  More annoying, transferring between my train and the PATH train, on needle popped out.  Do I need to say that it was on the patterned instep and not the plain knit sole?  Murphy’s law.  No recovering from that.  Not to mention, the sock again was too darn big for my foot.  Another strike.

Out came the needles and I once again frogged it.  I spent some time with a knee sock calculator and worked out the pattern for the yarn using my gauge, leg measurements and etc.  I cast on again while waiting for Nancy to arrive for a wonderful lunch at Cafe Spice, my first experience with Indian food which is convenient to both our workplaces.  I had a wonderful time as always!  Good food, beautiful weather and excellent company.  Really, who could ask for more. 

Okay, digressing again.  I’d arrived a little early for our meeting time so I cast on for the sock.  It went well until about two inches past the end of the toe increases when I noticed on the way home the not-so-pleasant way the color was pooling.  There were vertical stripes of color.  I don’t mind pooling in general, but not like that. 

So I went to the SnB last night with no good socks on the needles, no other projects (not sure what I was thinking there) and wandered around the store aimlessly, picking up random skeins of sock yarns and putting them back.  I’d lost my mojo.  Heck, I barely felt like knitting.  Dorre pointed out the socks in the new IK.   I looked at the spiral eyelet knee socks and just didn’t feel it.  But then I was flipping through the rest of the magazine and hit on the Toe-Up’s by Ann Budd written for a wide range of sizes, including for the circumference of my small feet (7.25" in case you were curious) which amusing was the Child Medium on the chart.  Good start there as the Spiral jobbies would have been too big. Is it any wonder that I have all these patterns and never make anything beyond my standard basic sock?

I got the toe increase done on 52 stitches on US1 needles using the Silkie.  Wonderful yummy yarn that is just a dream to knit.  I love the feeling of it as it flows through my hands.  I had a small scare when I thought the colors were pooling again, but more acceptably with the lights all on one side and the dark on the other.  Far better than vertical stripes and I could live with it.  But then the colors started spiraling around the foot!  I got my mojo back.  I started the heel on the PATH train this morning.

The flash drowned out the light colors but they match my pants very nicely.  I’m now in love with Ann Budd.  Thank you for taking into account small feet.

I never want to lose my mojo again.  It was scary!

Back to the tote bag thing.  I might have mentioned in the past that I’m always on the prowl for a good bag.  I vascillate between big bags where I can put all the crap I want to carry into it and a small purse (big enough for at least a sock project) and a tote.  I had been using this backpack thing (those who saw me at MDSW remember the yellow bag).  It was good, had a pocket in the front for a small skein of yarn.  28 grams of Lornas fit there fine.  The silkie?  Not so much.  Time for a new bag as I wasn’t about to tote a backpack and another bag.  Not.

Enter this:

It is the Lexi Barnes Lady B in the Baja fabric.  I picked it up last night at MY.  It isn’t too big (so far) nor too small.  The straps are just long enough that they fit fine on the shoulder, but not too long that the bag is hippy.  There are pockets galore and I had no trouble finding individual homes for the iPod, Razr, Palm and train pass.  Not to mention that the fabric is just bad ass. 

Holy Macaroni am I rambling today.  Bonus points to anyone who made it this far!  Just a reminder, the name the wheel thing ends today.  There will be yarn prezzies for the suggester, if there is one, and a randomly drawn suggester.

Have a great weekend!

Craft on!

I’ve had an amazing two days bonding with the new wheel.  I’m really and truly in love with my new Vermont Wheel.  I do find it somewhat amusing that when I announced to a few people that I bought a new one that they questioned which I was going to sell.  Y’all know me so well.  Yes, the pattern has been that for each one in, one has to leave.  Who am I to break with tradition.  I put the Saxony on the Housecleaning Pages this morning and by this afternoon, I have a tentative buyer who is putting a deposit check in the mail tomorrow.  I love how this works.

So between work, physical therapy (which I now attend 3x a week for 4 weeks) and the monkeys, I’ve been spending some quality time with the Vermont.  I think she needs a name, not that I’ve named any other wheels, but somehow this one is different.  Okay, time for a contest.  Leave suggestions for names for the wheel in the comments to this post by Friday at 6pm EDT and if I pick it, you’ll get a prize.

What have I been working on?  I started with the Grafton corrie cross batt that I bought Saturday.  It ranges from a deep green –> magenta –> light blue –> dark blue –>black.  The single is super fine.  Now I’m not sure about the plying thing.  I only bought one batt and I didn’t split it before starting to spin.  I’ve been spinning each color separately, with a section of overlap between the two (green/magenta, magenta/blue, etc) color changes.  Really pretty.

Sorry, no pictures of the green.  I done plumb forgot.  I claim camnesia as that was spun in MD when I seriously suffered from it.

I just took this one..

Super fine. 

Now back to the plying.  My gut impression, and I trust y’all will let me know if this is a bad idea, is to ply with a plain silk.  I bought some gorgeous bombyx way back at a prior trip to MD from Little Barn when it was cheaper to buy the full pound (show special) than only a few ounces.  I’ve never touched the stuff and its hidden somewhere around here, but I suspect it would be gorgeous.  While the white of the silk might dull the colors, I think it might work in the same way that the latest STR Club kit works.  It would work color bands in a shawl, which right now I’m thinking the FBS.

Or, there’s the ply it with a solid that matches one of the colors.  I did get some blue merino at MD that might just match…

Or, the third option is to andean ply it and skip the whole lace and go for fingering weight.  Resulting socks would be interesting as the colors would not repeat.  Seriously fraternal twin socks, but again, not a problem for me.

Choices, choices, choices.  I need to decide somewhat soon as the first bobbin is getting close to full.  I only have 3 bobbins for this wheel and no way am I winding off this 40+wpi single to free up a bobbin.  Hmm, might have to go stash diving to see if I can find that silk..

On the knitting front, I finished another pair of socks.  Sadly, these never made the blog as a pair on the needles.  They’re making their premier as a FO. 

The yarn is Lornas Laces Shepherd Sock in the Vera colorway.  I started them on 4/29/07 and finished this evening on the train home.  I did my standard 56 stitch socks on a US0.  I used the turkish cast on with 10 loops.  For variety, I used the lace from Hedera on the cuff for 9 repeats.  Thank goodness for my small feet as I managed to get the pair from one 50g skein. 

I need to go do my stretching exercises as PT is tomorrow and settle down on a yarn for the next pair of socks.  There are a couple of contenders including the socks from Rowan 40, Anna.  The Louet in a pretty blue I ordered from Loopy Ewe arrived over the weekend.  Also contending are the latest socks from the STR Club, the German Stockings from Cookie A. and a host of other handpainted wonders.  Choices choices choices.

I’m leaning towards Anna at present.

Craft on!

This past weekend is one of my two favorite of each year.  Might have my priorities a little outta whack, but boy I dig me a good fiber festival.  MDSW definitely rates as a good festival!  Thanks to everyone for all their comments regarding Ms. Kat accompanying me.  As I expected having only one kid when used to two was almost a breeze, though not quite that easy.  Ms K came along because Friday morning she awoke running a fever.  When I called into school to tell them she wouldn’t be coming, I found out a number of kids had had a fever thing in their class.  Just a fever.  Take some tylenol and relax kind of illness.  All in all, not a bad one and when Ms. K gets sick, that’s pretty much what she wants to do anyway, not to mention stick close to me.  Since she wasn’t going to school, I couldn’t say goodbye when I dropped them and make my exit for the highway.  Oh no.  Things definitely wouldn’t be that easy.  After some serious tears (from both of us), I relented and brought her along.  Initially feeling like bad mother of the year for dragging my sick daughter along with me so I could go to the festival, but after the fever broke early Saturday, she really was a very pleasant kid (if not easier when she was sick). 

It marked the first extended separation of the twins.  Shortly after crossing the border into Maryland, Kat started crying to go home.  I called my mom after arriving at the hotel to let her know we’d arrived safe and sound, to find that Alex had a bit of a fit because Kat wasn’t there.  It was very sweet when the two of them hugged yesterday when we got home.  Alex proclaimed "I so glad you came back" as he hugged her again. 

Anyway, Kat and I had good bonding time and I fed her budding fiber love…

She picked this fiber Saturday at the American Cormo Association booth.  The kid has some good taste in wool and definitely a girly tendency in her colors.  So far, she hasn’t let me spin this, but did play catch with the ball in the hotel room Saturday night with it

Before I go into the purchases, I have to send big thanks to Kim, Jessica and Liz who I believe went out of their way to keep me company before, during and after the festival.  I had the best time and I thank you very much ladies!  Friday night Liz picked up dinner, adult tasty beverages and joined Kat and I at our hotel.  Kim, who was staying in the same hotel, came up for some pre-festival knitting.  It was a nice night for sure, even if I had a unhappy, warm child clinging to me.  Liz finished up the finish work on Kim’s Poppy.  Seems Liz likes that sort of thing.  Here’s Kim modeling it…

..isn’t it gorgeous???

And the typical blogger-meet-blogger photo..

Saturday morning, Kim met us in the lobby for breakfast and by 8:30, we’d made it to the festival where we met up in short order with Jessica.  As always, my favorite part of these festivals is seeing/meeting people that I either only see at festivals (Sorry I missed you this time Shari, but it was wonderful to spend some time with your husband and beautiful children!) or haven’t met outside the cyber world yet.  I bought a Mr. Plyer from Marcia, which I can’t wait to try out!  I have no pictures at the actual festival as I couldn’t find my camera in my bag and was convinced it was back in the hotel room.  I did find it in the bottom of my bag when we got back to the hotel, after not finding it anywhere in the room   Amongst the blur of faces and names, I remember seeing Elaine, Christine who I hadn’t the pleasure of meeting previously, Rosemary. 

The story behind the title of this post is a good one.  I have mentioned before that I was seriously considering CPW to add (replace the saxony) in the wheel stable.  I’d visit Dave Paul at the Merlin Tree early on Saturday and had checked out his antique CPW, which wasn’t for sale as it needed work.  Kat got antsy at that point and we had to move feet.  I looked at various wheels during the course of the day but resigned myself to maybe Rhinebeck to get a CPW.  Anyway, at around 3pm, we’re walking through the Main Exhibition Hall and I run into Juno.  Always a pleasure to see her!  We start talking about CPWs and then she suggests that if I really wanted a CPW that I had to try the Vermont Wheels by Pat Russo.  It was shortly after that when she took me over to his booth.  I was handed both some shetland roving and a batt of alpaca to play with as I tried out the first wheel in the booth.   Within moments I was really and truly in love.  I did glare up at Juno on a couple of occasions.  I bought it.  A beautiful cherry wheel with brass inlay.   Liz tried it Sat night back at the hotel and bought one for herself on Sunday, got his last too!  Kim and Jessica helped me get the wheel, stroller and Kat back to the car. 

Liz, who hadn’t gone to the festival on Saturday, joined Jessica, Kat and I for a nice dinner out at the local Applebees where Nick, our waiter, definitely earned himself a good tip.  He brought a hot fudge sundae to lure the ornery Kat out of her stroller and up to the table and later a balloon after she’d spotted those.

After dinner we went back to my room for a spin-in where Kim rejoined us, along with her son Liam.  Poor Liz sustained a nasty finger injury when she jammed her finger opening the window, when she pinched it on the window stop.  Here she’s using her head to keep the blood oozing finger above her heart while still keeping ice on it (it was swelling).

I do hope her finger is better in no time and that the suggested tetanus shot doesn’t hurt.

I got to play with my new toy and feel head over heels for the wheel.  Juno was right.  This wheel can make you a better spinner.  Checking the spinner control card I bought at the festival, I consistently spun a 40wpi corrie cross single from a Grafton Batt faster than I’ve ever done before.  Sweet wheel.  Thank you Juno, I love it and wouldn’t have it if not for you!

Sunday, Kat, Jessica and I went back to the festival for more stash enhancement and before long it was time to hit the road to go home.  It was a wonderful weekend and I thank everyone for making it so great!

Here’s a look at the enhancements…

A spinner control card, a hi speed whorl for the schacht (which ships today iirc) and a sweet shawl pin!  Not pictured that I just remembered, was a woolee winder and 2 extra bobbins for the schact.

There’s the Mr. Plyer underneath the soft stuff.  There’s a little of this, and a little of that.  Some serious acquisitions of decadent fiber (alpaca, baby camel, silk and such) from Barneswallow Farms, some Cloverleaf braids, Ohio Valley Merino top, 2 grafton batts and a skein of sock yarn.  One skein.  That’s all I bought.  Amazing isn’t it.

And again, the big purchase was this…

Isn’t she beautiful?  You can see the brass inlay on the wheel.  L O V E.

Thank you Juno!

Now what to do with the Lendrum Saxony….

Craft on!  (I took today off and am going to go spin until I have to pick up the kids)