One Crazy Fiber Lady

Wow another week has flown by.  This one brought the return of BASEBALL!   We’ll ignore for the moment that my team isn’t doing so very well so far.  Season is still young, there’s plenty of time to panic. I just had a spinning playdate with Tami so its time for the weekly update.

On the Needles

1.  Hermione’s Deathly Hallow Socks - The first sock is done, but this isn’t news as it was at this time last week.  I’ve dawdled with the knitting this week, but am catching up now.  I finished the foot on the second sock onFriday while getting a pedicure

2.  Mawata Lilies Shawlette - Finished! I totally enjoyed working straight from the mawata’s and will definitely do more with silk.

3.  Featherweight Cardigan –  The finishing of one object marks the point where I can start something new.  Next up is a second featherweight cardigan in Malabrigo Lace.

I started this on Friday night and put the sleeve stitches on the waste yarn yesterday afternoon before the Seder. The colorway is Vermillion.  I love it.  I made this sweater once before, but it came out too big, so I gave it to mom.  Since then, the designer has added additional sizes to the pattern, including smaller ones.  Yay!

On the Fiber Front

First up, I owe a picture of the finished yarn from last week.

I dug out the never-ending bag of CVM roving that I’ve been spinning on and off for years now on the Vermont Wheel.  I actually weighed the bag and there’s 1.5 lbs left to spin.  I’m going to try and do a little every day.  I have a good beginning on the next bobbin’s worth:

At today’s playdate, I started new fiber on the Schacht.  This is Targhee from Zarzuela in Redwood.  I’ve split the fiber lengthwise into strips about the width of my index finger.

Other spinning – I filled another spindle on the Charkha with the Shetland, and managed to add a little more of the silk to the Bosworth spindle.  Not interesting enough to take another picture of either.

Other Stuff

Dad took the twins to Toys R Us yesterday afternoon before the family showed up for the Seder.  He came home with this:

Just what we needed, a 14′ trampoline for the backyard.  That’s Kat jumping with a friend of hers a little while ago.  It was a family affair in assembly.

Craft on!

Time for one last post this year.  Well, technically not the very last opportunity, but I wouldn’t bank on me posting tomorrow.  I’ve been on vacation this week and well, pretty busy.  I alternated between knitting:

I finished Caroline!  Finally.  A year later (details here).  I’m embarrassed that it took so very long to finish.  It’s an excellent design and I can’t wait to wear it.

When I wasn’t knitting,  I was writing code.  The iOS version of KnitCounter is just about done.  I’ve been using it to finish Caroline actually.

This is a slightly outdated screenshot from the simulator.  Somehow I lost the one I took on my phone.  Oh well.    I’ve got a beta tester playing with it and when her feedback is in, I’ll submit it to the app store.  Exciting!

Since Caroline is now done, I needed to start a new project.  Last week I got the evil email from Webs that their year end sale was underway.  I couldn’t help myself and went scanning the sale items.  I picked up some Noro Shirakaba and made my way through the patterns in Ravelry to find something to knit out of it.  I settled on a Comfy Cardi.  I have the back done.

It is awfully sedate for Noro.  Loving it too.  It is a cotton/silk/wool blend and it is excellent to work with.  I’ve made a good bit of progress on one of the cardi fronts and if I buckle down can get it done today.  (Spent the morning futzing with the app again. )

There hasn’t been much spinning around these parts.  Can’t remember the last time I touched the wheel, but it was more than likely when I finished up the Cupcake Fiber batts.  I enjoyed the spinning of the batts into singles…

But the plied yarn?  Doesn’t speak so much to me.  It’s been sitting on the bobbin now for over a month.  I really do need to wind it off at least.

I need to get back to the wheels.  So many hobbies, so little time.

Finally, wanted to share the sweet note I got from Alexander yesterday:

Gotta love those monkeys of mine.

Happy New Year!

While balancing the need to knit and the desire to port my counter app from the android to iOS platform, a long weekend followed by vacation came at an opportune time. Yesterday I was able to put the finishing functional code in place and have knitcounter done. I’m getting ready to submit it to the app store

Good timing too. Because I need a good counter app when working on Leann’s design: Caroline. And as of a few moments ago I hit the end of the base knitting.

I want to wish everyone a very happy and healthy holiday season.

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Well the sooper-seekrit project has now been finalized and I can reveal it… (click to embiggen)

Yes, I know I only started my position in June, but this one sought me out.  I got a call from a recruiter that I dealt with briefly in May enticing me with something that would take advantage of my experience in both online education and eCommerce.  Naturally I was intrigued, and with the help of my SnB gals, decided to go for it.

Last Wednesday, I had a first round telephone interview testing my tech.  Shortly thereafter I got the call that they wanted to see me.  Immediately.  Thursday I went in for 2 hours of interviews with various senior IT staff members.  Friday morning I had a verbal offer (which after my recruiter negotiated for a better compensation package) I accepted.  I was extremely happy to find out that benefits start DAY ONE!  OMG.  The formal offer arrived last night.  I gave notice this morning, much to my boss’ chagrin.  My last date is 11/8.  I’ll have a couple of days off before the next gig starts.  I’m very much looking forward to this new challenge!

Now since this is purportedly the blog of a fiber artist, here’s the current bus project!

This is that yummy chocolate alpaca that I bought at Rhinebeck.  No marinating in stash for this yarn!  Anyway, it is a cowl/hood based on the one Tami made that I’ve been ogling forever.  I’m alternating bands of plain knitting with classic 1×1 seed stitch.  I’m getting 6 st/in and cast on 148 st.  Can I just say that I want to roll around nakid with this yarn!  YUM  Hopefully I’ll have enough left over to knit some pulse warmers in a matching similar pattern.  I should, there was 8oz in the skein.  If not, I might just have to send an email to the address on the ball band.

On that note, I’m going to curl up with my knitting and the latest DVR’ed episode of Dexter.

Craft on!

Yesterday was the big day, one that made my retired parents happy.  The one where the kids who had been home for the last two weeks when camp ended finally go off and do something else during the day.  Yesiree it was the first day of school.   The monkeys are now second graders.

Kathryn actually was happy about the start of school.  She just wasn’t happy about standing next to her brother.  She gets like that sometimes.   Which explains the sourpuss on her.  It also goes to explain the happy face on her brother.  Nothing like getting points with mom for not being a pain AND getting under Kat’s skin.  At the same time!  Woo hoo.

Anyway… they are now in second grade.  We’re continuing the trend started last year where they are in separate classes.  It worked out very well.  This year, they reshuffled all the teachers at our elementary school.  One of the kindergarten teachers last year is now teaching first, a second grade teacher is teaching fifth.  As it turns out, Alex’s first grade teacher, Mrs. D has moved to second grade and yes, Alex is in her class again.  He liked her very much and was happy by the results.  Kat’s teacher last year has left the district.  Not sure where she went off to, but I do wish her the best.  Kat is upset that she won’t be able to say goodbye to Mrs. P.

They had their first bit of homework last night.  Decorating their writing folders with inspirational pictures, quotes, etc.  Mom must have spent 45 minutes sifting through pictures on her computer and printing them out on label paper so they could stick em to the folder.  They’ve both loaded up with family pictures from over the years.  No, no knitting or yarn pictures, though i would have put them on mine.

Speaking of which, here’s the status of Kauni 2.  I started the first sleeve while the Sox pounded the Jays last night, 14-0.  Always happy when that happens   Its moving along.

Craft on!

Labor Day I hit the nerve wracking stage of the Kauni sweater.  The time where I finished knitting the body stitches and the next step involves a sewing machine and scissors.

1. finish body

2. The Steek helper - Vintage Singer Featherweight

3. Sew

4. Take a deep breath - there's no going back...

5. Lay it out

6. Revel in the magic

Craft on!

After a day spent on the boat in warm and humid weather, the kids are now in bed and I can sit and give a quick update of the goings on since last posting.

I cast on for the next socks as promised.  The yarn is Spunky Eclectic in Neapolitan colorway.  I’m using my standard pattern for the “heavier” yarns:  52st on a US1, toe up, short row heel.  Its coming along nicely I think.

I haven’t touched it since Friday morning on the train.  Friday was the company picnic and I brought the twins with me.  It was a long, hot, fun day which saw them commuting with me to the new office in Dumbo via Train to Path to Subway to get to the office.  We were there for about 90 minutes before it was time to head to the ferry to Governor’s Island for the picnic.  Another ferry to Pier 11 followed by yet another ferry from Pier 11 to Hoboken and then the train home.  Waiting on line to head to Hoboken a few folk behind us who do I find but Yarny Old Kim!  We had a lovely ride home on the upper deck of the ferry.  I napped on the train so there was no knitting.

Yesterday I did some shopping with Kat, who had a birthday party, while Alex went to the boat with the folks.  I had some returns to make (traded one bag for another at the Coach store and took advantage of a technology trade in program at Target to get the shiny that has been calling to me:  iPad 2 )  There was face painting at the party..

There’s Hello Kitty on one cheek, a heart on the other.  A dolphin on her forehead and a paw print on the tip of her nose.  That face painting is very popular, isn’t it.

I didn’t make any further progress on the sock this weekend as I might have bought more yarn…

Yup.  Kauni.  This is the EH colorway.  The colors remind me of that sweet kitty that I had not too long ago, Baron.  Last night after getting Kat washed and off to bed, I cast on for the Kauni Rainbow Cardigan.  I know I haven’t finished the previous one.  But its too small and requires too much attention.  I checked it for gauge before casting this one on and found I was half a stitch an inch too tight in the gauge, which caused the darn thing to come out too small and with all that fair isle going, it isn’t blocking much larger.  Someday I’ll finish it. Maybe.  But in the meantime, I always liked the sweater, and while surfing through Ravelry, saw that someone used this colorway, which I totally love.  So I ordered from Webs

Between TV time last night and sitting on the boat today, I think I’ve made some pretty fair progress.  I spent some time with the four different skeins studying the color progressions and where the skein started with the deepest hope that I continue to get contrasts.  Thought right now I’m hoping the strand with the blue moves to the dark brown which is next before the light brown starts into the blue.  The progression is  Blue -> Dark Brow -> Med Brown -> Light Brown.  Rinse.  Repeat.  Knitting with the wool was probably not the smartest thing to do today in the humidity, but you know that early honeymoon period with any project where its all you want to do!  Not to mention its a long time, April I think, since I worked on a sweater.

I need to make a phone call and then I can settle back with the knitting and the Sox v. Yankees (go Sox!).

Craft on!

This would explain the sneezing and stuffy nose.

Work actually continues on Peasy. I haven’t abandoned it yet. Though it does have to share my out of office time with my Air and the learning to code for iOS books. I’m a couple of chapters away from beginning to code an iOS version of my Droid Knit Counter. Yay!

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I know my last post must have come as a huge surprise..  I honestly can’t remember the last time I actually crocheted, let alone finished a project in the technique.  There had been that interlude with the leftover sock yarn granny square blanket that was essentially abandoned a couple of years ago.  There was a weird path back to it.

Last week I picked up a used 11″ Air with the 128gb SSD off Craigslist for less than the price of a new with 64gb.  The machine was only 8 months old and barely used.  The nice fellow still had that plastic wrap and keyboard protector that Apple uses to wrap these things.  There wasn’t a mark on it.  Met him at a Starbucks in the city for the exchange.  Perfect.  I then sold the first generation 13″ Air that I picked up last fall, which Apple had so nicely replaced the battery and display under the warranty that had expired 48 hours earlier.  Anyway, I listed it on Craigslist and met the buyer the next day in another public coffee shop.  That sale price was awfully close to the purchase price of the new one and well, more than I paid for it

Sooo, now I have this tiny little 2.3lb computer with a lovely aluminum skin in my laptop bag that needs to be protected from the other stuff.  I surfed Amazon looking for a cover.  I then moved along to Etsy to see what others might have made.  I saw a number of lovely little sleeves.  But hey, I sew, I went googling to see if I could find a pattern.  I did!  Then went so far to hit my sewing cabinet to look for fabric.  It was somewhere around then that I decided that while I could sew, I didn’t feel like it.  Back to Etsy.  Surfing there some more, I hit on a crocheted cover and that’s where the idea was born.  Using a laptop crochet pattern, I modded it for my little Air’s dimensions.  A couple of hours, a skein and a half of Rowan Damask and a crochet hook later, I have a lovely little sleeve.

And just to show, I do still knit.  Well every now and again.  I’ve had a mean case of startitis paired with abandonitis.  I can’t tell you how many sweaters / socks /shawls I’ve cast on for, worked on for a day or so and then abandoned next to my knitting chair.  Its terrible.  Here’s hoping that the new one sticks..

This is Peasy (Ravelry project page) in Rowan Felted Tweed DK.  I think this is either the third or fourth different attempted sweater in this poor yarn.  Thank goodness it is holding up nicely from all that ripping.

The dwarf hamsters have settled in… well as much as little rats can settle in.  They got new names from the first time I introduced them.  They are Phineas and Ferb.  Yes, the twins (and I) watch that show.  They’re very cute and provide much entertainment value.  Serendipity is most entranced by them and spends a goodly portion of her day watching the Rat Channel in HD.  They are most difficult to get pictures of!

That light grey lump behind the massive food bowl is Phineas.  And here is Ferb:

I had to order a mini hamster wheel for these tiny little guys.  I’d never seen Dwarf Hamsters before I ran upon them in the pet store.  They are very cute.  The size of gerbils without the long rat tails and serious sproink.

Off to knit and catch up on the awful episodes of V stored on the DVR.  I’m not sure why I keep bothering.  I’m hoping that it will get better, though I suspect my time would be better spent.

Now that I finished all but the blocking on Acer it was time to start another project. Any guesses what it might be? Yup another cardigan. This time it is one that has been on the queue for a long time – Fylingdales from my most favorite book : A Fine Fleece.

I bought a two pound bump of BL-Romney in dark grey at NYSW in 2009. I spun it on the Van Eaton and plied it as usual on the electric. I have @1200 yards of yarn and am a touch concerned about running out of yarn as the pattern indicates 1400 yards. I did some Ravelry project surfing and found quite a number of folks who were on gauge but get came out with alot of extra yarn. Here’s hoping I make out the same way as I did with Rhinebeck as well.

I cast on Saturday night and am the point where the cabling starts. Weeeeee.

Craft on.