FO Extravanganza

In between a busy work schedule, the usual Autumn craziness, and getting ready for vacation, I somehow got an amazing amount of knitting done. I was driven by the approaching holiday season to get as many projects off the needles as possible, while still sticking a little special something in here and there. So I give you, the Cavalcade of Finished Objects!

1) Seafoam Shawl




















US8 circs (and the longest cord I had) and almost every inch of 4.5 skeins of Artful Yarns Serenade (cotton/angora). The yarn is a very pretty lavender and mint green marl. I think the size came out just perfect for those cool evening boat rides in the Keys, and the little ruffle is uber cute without being too... girly.

2) Victorian neckwarmer


















This is the Susie Neckwarmer done in Araucania Copihue (100% Alpaca) in a very pretty colorway called Winter Boquet on US11s. I spotted the yarn as an upcoming sale at Elann, ordered the pattern, then waited to pounce on the yarn when the sale finally arrived. Exactly five skeins and I may have enough leftover to trim a hat. I was that close. The pattern is easy to memorize and knits up like a shot - it took me just two days from cast on to cast off.

3) A Christmas Surprise

4) Kath's Estes Vest

[insert photo here]

(yeah, I know I promised a photo, but life got hectic this week for both Kath and myself, so you'll just have to wait. It's worth it - I promise! heh)

I am so fricking proud of this piece. It's the Estes Vest from the Fall 2008 Interweave Knits. It knit up quick and the cabling was easy to memorize without becoming boring in the least. I love the effect of the honeycomb and although I was apprehensive about all that applied i-cord the end result is so worth it. I pretty much followed the pattern exactly, although I did add a few more pattern repeats before the waist shaping and I moved the pocket opening away from the edge a little more. Also I did the i-cord in the same needle size as the pattern, not one size down as was suggested. I will probably knit this again in Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky for myself.

Other than that I've been plodding along on Mister Tim's Uber Cool Sweater and have made decent progress on the oh so boring seedstitch side panels. I'm taking three skeins of this yarn with me to Key West to work on the entrelac sleeve panels. I also did another panel for The Eternal Lizard Ridge and swatched for Vivian from the winter issue of Twist Collective using Peace Fleece. Got gauge dead on first try, and Peace Fleece fluffs up so nicely on washing. I almost can't wait to get home and start this one for myself. My other travel project will be something I've been wanting to start for awhile. It's the Smoke Ring in a wonderful wool/angora handspun that I bought... o my lord, something like 15 years ago from a lady named Connie Lamm on eBay. The names of the sheep and bunny are Pepper Jack and Holly - I wish I still remembered which is which, but I love that I know their names! The yarn is about a fingering weight, so it should work fine for this pattern, although I will spend some time swatching to be sure. My main concern would be to run out, because there ain't no mo'!

I also attended The Northeast Handspinners Gathering the begining of November. It's the first time I've gone to an event with classes and everything and I have to say I was more than a little overwhelmed. I'm not a big fan of events with lots of scheduling, and this was definately one of those, but the people were awesome, the vendors were terrific (I gave in and bought just one thing - a pattern by Anne Hanson, Autumn Arbor Stole. Mmmmmm!), and the classes were... fun! I took a class on spinning cotton with Norm Kennedy who is fascinating to listen to even though I know I'll never take up spinning cotton; I took a class on spinning wool with Libby Sheen who is the most charming lady you'll ever meet and who actually got me to spin not only long draw but something called "from the fold" which is what I've been watching the ladies in spinning circle do all this time but couldn't figure out how they did it; and I took a jewelry-making class with Leslie Wind to make shawl pins with nothing more than needle-nosed pliers, a hard surface to bang on, metal wire and hammers of all sorts. We bashed and bent and laughed for three hours - it was the most fun I had at The Gathering! And here is what I have to show for it...



















a cable needle necklace, 5 different sorts of shawl pins, an orifice hook, and a pair of earrings! How cool is that?

This weekend it's been non stop errand running and cleaning and packing in preparation for our Thanksgiving exodus to Key West. The condo is all set, the rental car will be waiting at the airport, the knitting has been packed (priorities, people!), and the weather looks like it will be terrific. We even have our Thanksgiving dinner reservations all set. Less than 12 hours and we'll be on our way... we'll have the laptop with us so I'll try to post a few pictures ever couple of days. But if I don't get to it, I know you'll understand! heh

Happy Thanksgiving all!

OMG, OMG, OMG!!!

1) I get to keep my son (he's 20 yo)
2) my (step) grandson grows up in a world where someone who looks like him can grow up to be President.
3) Alpaca Kathy - we don't have to move to Canada after all, but thanks for the offer. ;-)
4) There are not enough hankies in my house...

Congratulations, America. You done good.

Nesting in the Fall

I can't believe it's been over a month since my last blog post. So to the three people who read this blog, I apologize. However, Fall is a time for cleaning and sorting and putting-by, which is exactly what I've been spending the last month doing. Between Rhinebeck and fall house cleaning and The Mister's starring and directing in The Boston Fringe Festival's Second Place Winner "The Movie Mogule" (!!) and the fall push at work, I've had little time for anything fiber-y. Take this weekend for example - Saturday we finally had a whole day free so we popped up to NH to see my folks. Daddy (80), Mom (70), and Nana (93!). Picked apples in the back yard, knit, chatted and generally had a lovely day. This morning got up early, put in the laundry, made a full breakfast, and sent The Mister packing to view auditions at The Firehouse (he's directing one of the short pieces for the New Works Festival this year). Put in another load of laundry, cleaned off the front stoop (putting all the pernnials to bed and putting the annuals into the compost pile), and put on a big pot of potatoe leek soup to cook. Spun a bit and decided to enjoy all the sun that pours into my office now that the last leaves are off the trees and do a bit of blogging.

Phew!

However, some knitting progress has been made.

Kath's surprise is nearly finished; I've got it done and seamed, and on Tuesday the ever-kind Blogless Sara (aka Mrs. Onion) has promised to show me how to do an applied i-cord. From the pattern I'm estimating about 20 miles of applied i-cord will be needed. *sigh* I'd post a picture but, well, Kath has been known to stalk my blog, so that will just have to wait. The curious can always check my Ravelry Project page.

I've also gotten the body of the Seafoam shawl done and have washed and blocked in preparation for the ruffled edge. I've got until we leave for Key West at the end of the month to get this done, so I've put it aside to spend a little time with The Mister's entrelac sweater, which has been languishing for over a month. I'm just doing the seed stitch panels at the sides - a little boring, but I can't move on to the sleeve panels until I'm done, so that's going to have to be enough incentive to stick to it. I'm planning on taking the panels with me on the plane, and in the car, and on the beach in Key West so they can be done and ready for their own seed stitch panels by the time we get home in early December. I'm relatively optimistic that this year The Mister will actually get his Christmas Sweater at Christmas (or at least before the New Year). Then their's Eddie James' Christmas Sweater - a Cambridge Jacket that currently has the front and two back panels finished and is waiting for the arms, collar and zipper. I figured, since he's at school in Maryland, I have a little extra time on this one.

And that's it for the knitting. It's been slow going with everything else going on. I've managed to get a little bit more spinning done on the special order roving from Sereknity, but nothing to write home (or here) about. I'm going to try to spend a little time each night at it this week, since I'll be attending and taking classes at The Gathering over next weekend and I want my spinning skills well warmed up. I have two spinning classes and one class on making shawl pins! I'm a little nervous about the spinning classes, but I gave the schedule to Julia months ago, and signed up for what she pointed to. I know she'll steer me right!

I'll leave you with a couple of shots from Rhinebeck. I went by bus, I had a blast, I got a signed copy of "It Itches" (thank you Franklin!), I shopped a little, and was completely and utterly overwhelmed. The place was a zoo - I've never seen anything like it. For example, there was exactly one person I desperatly wanted to run into at Rhinebeck - my friend Annie from Canada. She in her tiara, and I in my Happy Hat. You'd think two people so.. adorned.. could find each other even in a crowd that big, wouldn't you?... :-(

But we will meet up, dear Annie. I just know we'll manage it eventually! xoxo



















Veeeery friendly sheep in the sheep tent!




















Obligatory shot of autumn leaves.

What a lovely day!

I had a few hours free this afternoon, what with The Mister rehearsing for yet ANOTHER play (he's a machine, that boy, I swear), so I decided to take Miss Thing down to the river for a little one-on-one spinning time. There is a very nice spot right down the road from us, Alliance Park - it's directly on the Merrimac River at the juncture with the Powow River and it's a very pretty spot.


















I usually take my knitting with me, but the day was so nice I decided to take Miss Thing on a little field trip, and spend a couple of hours and see how it went.

I went very well!



















I sat quietly, happily spinning and watching the assorted birds and boats traveling up and down the river for about two hours. The sun was warm, the breeze was light, and Miss Thing was reasonably cooperative.



















Isn't this pretty? I'm having a little trouble getting the color accurate, but it's fairly close, if a little flat compared to the real thing. It's the second color in the Evie project that Heather dyed up special for me - a superwash wool in a combination of yellow, peach, and rose. Lovely!

Birdwatching this weekend included a few Blue Herons, a Kingfisher, and what we're pretty sure was a Green Heron. No raptors however. :-(

Yarngasm

So maybe you've heard about the JCA warehouse sale going on this week. Today was the last day of the sale and I had debated all week the wisdom of going. I mean; Jo Sharp, Adrienne Vittadini, Reynolds... that's alotta temptation for a girl like me. So when I finally decided this morning that I was goin' in, I asked The Mister to go with me - you know, husband as hall monitor and voice of reason?

umm... yeah... right....

What I forgot in all the excitement is that The Mister is The Number One Yarn Enabler of all time. You remember - he's the guy who said "it's not yarn... it's unlimited potential". So when we walked in and he immediately commandeered a shopping cart, I knew I was in over my head.

We spent about an hour filling the cart, debating the merits of different blends, the likelihood that a particular color would suite, whether the gauge listed could be bent to my will...

And in the end, I came home with this (Booger helpfully stood in for a sense of scale)...




















That's an industrial garbage bag full of yarn.

Dumped out, it turned into this...














Oooooo!

Okay, from left to right we have: 3 bags of Adrienne Vittadini Mia 100% wool, two bags of Reynolds Ole-Ole (one in shades of turquoise, the other in shades of purple), a bag of Adrienne Vittadini Gabriella linen/silk blend in chocolate brown, a bag of Adrienne Vittadini Celia 100% silk in peach, and 4 bags of Jo Sharp Silk Road wool/silk blend in dark olive, hand-chosen by the mister for a Cambridge Jacket.

...zowie...

I did go in with a budget, I'll have you know, and I went just $40 over, which we decided was an acceptable "margin of error". And it's all The Mister's fault anyways, since he just had to have the Silk Road. Nothing else would do.

Before you ask, the answer is yes, I will rent him out for a small fee for all your fiber shopping needs. ;-)

Now to get it all listed in my Ravelry stash... then figure out where the hell to store it all...

heh

Harvest

September has got to be my favorite month. The sun is still warm, the days can be quite hot, and the evenings are delightfully cool so I get to leave the windows open a lot more often! The tourists are fewer and further between and the Portsmouth Farmer's Market is really in full swing. Saturday morning Kath and I ran up there in the drizzle and here is approx $30 worth of splendiforous BOUNTY!



















OMG there's corn and heirloom tomatoes and salad green and chard and leeks and crazy cucumbers and tiny white turnips and apples and, and, and,... just zowie. Awesome.

I've also gotten more spinning done now that it's not so humid that I can't draw the darn fiber. I finished, plied, and sun-dried the green portion of Evie's yarn. I think this photo is a fair representation as far as the color goes (although it's still a tab bluer than the yarn)...
























Just a reminder, this was 4 oz of Superwash Merino dyed specially for me by Heather of Sereknity in a "spring leaves" green. I think she got it absolutely right, don't you? That's exactly what new leaves look like with the sun shining through them. Perfect!

And my spinning is none too shabby either, eh? I got the weight I wanted and plenty of yardage - 158 yards total in a nice DK weight. It even appears to be nicely balanced (for the most part).

huh.

Julia should be proud - was it only a year ago that I brought her my spindle and begged for guidance? ;-)

Labor Day Weekend Labors

Spinning:



















2 oz of Spring Baby Green superwash merino from Sereknity for Evie's dress. I thought to weight out the roving ahead of time so I'd be reasonably sure that each spool would contain half of the yarn so when I ply it I won't have much/any leftover singles. As uneven as my spinning is, this is a pretty big stretch, but it will get me closer at least... don't you think??

Knitting:
























The back of Edgar's Cambridge Jacket. I also cast on for both front panels at once and have gotten about 1/4 of the way up on that as well. The photo doesn't do the pattern justice - the ribbing that appears suddenly in the shoulder area is simple and elegant. I'm still unconvinced that the enormous rolling that's happening at the hem can be fixed with the single crochet edge specified in the pattern, but I'm going to give it a try anyways. What do I know, after all? ;-)

The yarn is Di'Ve superwash and it's a lovely, soft, squishy yarn but very splitty, so you have to keep a close eye on it. Which is a little unfortunate since the pattern is so simple. The other unfortunate thing is that it's so simple and attractive of a pattern that The Mister now wants one too. *sigh* Gotta keep an eye out for a cotton/cashmere blend for him, I think. Maybe a chocolate brown or a real reddish brown. Mmmmm!

We also walked about 5 miles this weekend, which is a good start to our renewed exercise/weight loss program. Another season, another shot at it. lol! ;-)

For those interested in such things, we also spent a couple of hours down at the river watching the boats and the birds and we saw: the usual mallard ducks and cormorants, two bald eagles, an osprey (unusual, as we're a little upriver from their usual fishing spots down closer to the mouth of the river), a great blue heron, and a large white egret. The eagles were there circling and hunting over the river the whole time we were there, which was a real treat. I'm assuming this is the pair that set up housekeeping a bit upriver from us in the spring. It was definately the two adults as the white head and tail were clearly visible, even from across the river. They never did come to our side for a visit, but the osprey flew right overhead and the white egret was no more than 15 feet from us as he flew up the Merrimac and turned right up the Powwow. So cool!

Now back to the usual work week... blargh!