Is it Time to Knit Yet?

Hush Hush Handspun Hootenanny Swap Questionnaire

1.  How long have you been spinning?  What skill level do you consider yourself?  I have been spinning for about 2 years.  I'm not a beginner or an expert, so I guess I'm in between!

2.  What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)?  I have done all of those.  My favorite is 3-ply, but I like a good single too!  I have just started attempting novelty/art yarn.

3.  What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)? I mostly spin on my wheel, but I'm making an effort to keep my spindles from being neglected with a little spinning on them here and there.

4.  What are your favorite fibers to spin with?  Anything you don't like? My favorite to spin is Blue Face Leicester.  I haven't really come across anything I can say I really didn't like.

5.  Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)? Who doesn't love Spunky Eclectic?!  I'd love to get my hands on some Hello Yarn hand dyed fiber, but haven't made the score yet!

6.  What kind of fiber do you want to try? I'd like to try some of the CVM that I recently heard of, or some bamboo.

7.  Is there any techniques you would like to learn? I want to learn how to do a cabled yarn, and also more art yarns.  I always want to spin lace weight and have tried quite a few times but have never quite gotten a true lace weight.

8.  Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn? I have dabbled in dyeing fiber and do enjoy it.

9.  Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber? I have no prep tools and would definitely want ready to spin fiber.

10.  What do you do with your handspun?  What projects have you completed? It depends.  Sometimes it sits.  Sometimes it sits and waits for the right project.  Sometimes I cast on as soon as it is done drying!  Sometimes I spin with a project in mind.  My favoritest handspun items I've made include my Seraphim shawl, Energized Socks, Darling Coat, Sheep to Shoe Socks, and my Show Your Colors shawl.   

11.  Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)? A girl could always use a fancy threading hook ;)  A WPI tool that isn't a spinniner's control card would be cool too.

12.  What colors "fall into your shopping basket"? Any colors you just can't stand? I always gravitate to blues, purples, and reds.  I really don't have any aversions to any colors, and I do try to get things that aren't the regulars.

13.  What is on your wheel/spindle right now? On the spindle is some purple stuff that I think is Targhee - it's been so long since I started it I have no clue!  On the wheel is some blue and black self-dyed South African Fine.

14.  What other crafts/hobbies do you have? I knit, have a triangle loom that I use sometimes, and occasionally attempt crochet.  When it is garden season I like to work in the yard and garden.

15.  Other than crafts, what are you passionate about? I love music.  I used to play cello and piano, so I love classical music too.  I could just sit and listen to music all day.

16.  Do you have an online wishlist? No.

17.  Is there anything that you collect? Yarn and fiber!  Books too.

18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have? I subscribe to Interweave Knits and Spin Off.  There aren't any books I'm dying to have, but A Fine Fleece looks kind of good, also the Book of Yarn.

19.  When is your birthday? January.

20.  What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality?  I have no idea! 

21.  What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)? I'm in Utah where it is HOT.  Meltable would not survive - lol.

22.  Tell us one weird fact about yourself! I have a bit of OCD.  My weird things I do include counting syllables of words/sentences, tapping my fingers on whatever is close until I've done it 5 times and return to starting position - lol.  If I'm knitting with dpns I have to tap the just freed needle on myself, usually my leg or belly before I resume knitting.  Okay, that one just sounds really weird when I type it out!

Favorites
favorite painting/picture(link): Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh

Candy: Anything with dark chocolate, or just plain dark chocolate

Food: Pizza

Drink: Beer - good beer, either hoppy or dark

Movie(s): Head of State - I have never laughed so hard and I love Chris Rock!  Superbad was pretty hilarious too.  I'm also finding myself drawn to any movie with Steve Carell in it, he's one funny guy too.

TV Show(s): I love Six Feet Under, and I'm incredibly sad that it ended :(  I pretty much love all the HBO series.  Can't forget Real Time with Bill Maher either!

Book(s): Last year I read Kahled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns.  By far my favorite books as of now.

Guilty Pleasure(s): Sitting ignoring all chores doing something fibery.  Really. 

The First Harvest of the Season

So we headed up to the Farmer's Market this morning just to see what was what so far this season.  There wasn't much that we wanted to get, but did snag a nice bag of organic baby spinach and a loaf of Crumb Brothers' Roasted Garlic bread.  When we got home after some more veggie shopping it was time to do yard work.  This year we tried planting some radishes and some of them were ready to pick today (I didn't know that I probably planted them way too late as they don't like hot weather.  Anyway.).  I decided to pull up the first batch I planted and we got a nice couple of handfuls of small radishes after trimming, which were very delicious with salt and herbed butter - another first for me.  The best part of the harvest was the tons of radish greens we got!  The lot on the towel will be sauteed tonight to go with some fish, and the stuff in the bag will go with some other greens for salads.  I'm so happy to have made this new-for-me discovery about how good the radish greens are! 

Not that anyone's listening

Since Bloglines doesn't know I exist, and who is reading anyway?!  Anyway.  Since it is a crappy day for pictures and I still don't have any of anything new, I wanted to share my latest adventure.  I saw this on Ravelry and signed up for the Hush Hush Handspun Hootenanny Swap.  I've only ever done one other swap, the Dye-O-Rama, but it was totally fun and I'm thinking this one should be too!  I generally stay away from them as I'm nervous of getting burned but like I said, I couldn't resist this one.  So I guess I should get spinning to get some practice in huh?! 

Hello? Bloglines?

Why are you not picking up my feed?  Have I been bad?  *Insert pouty sad face here*

It's Official

We are being all selfish over here and are going to Vegas once again!  We are going at the end of August, partly to celebrate The Boyfriend's birthday.  But the main attraction will be CHRIS ROCK!!!  This man is so freaking funny I can't stand it - I'm so excited to go see him!  He better be funny too, for the price we paid for tickets ;)  Anytime I've watched him on TV he's been sooo funny, and of course there is Head of State, one of my favorite movies.  Hilarious.  We will also be in the neighborhood at the same time as another favorite, Lewis Black.  And of course we have to go back to Mesa Grill!  It should be a lot of fun :)

There is also another exciting event that I will be going to, possibly by myself - unless any other Utah grrl spinners need to go learn how to make crazy yarn with me.  I bought myself a space in one of Pluckyfluff's spinning camps.  Yep, I'm going to Seattle in September for what should be some great fun!  The Boyfriend is not sure if he'll go with me or not, so if he doesn't it should be quite the adventure as I have never gone on a trip totally by myself.  I thought about driving but since gas could cost upwards of $300 (yikes!) I will just fly.  Anyway.  I have been spinning a ton (surprise, surprise?) and even knitting a little bit.  Next week I might even have a pair of socks to show off, and definitely a few yarns. 

Have a great weekend!  I know I will with the truckload of dirt that is supposed to be dropped off in our driveway tomorrow!

The Need to Spin Novelty

I like spinning novelty yarn.  Granted I haven't done all that much of it, some thick and thin here and there and the wavy yarn I tried last week.  It is super fun and very gratifying and almost freeing in a way too.  Plus it can go very quickly!  The latest crazy yarns to come off my wheel are these.  The first is the weirdest one, it is some superwash in two different colors.  One is from my friend Eva and the other is some unknown stuff I got and forgot where.  I was trying to do giant nubs, or slubs with the brown stuff and then just thick and thin with the darker stuff.  I know now (and should have known before the fact) that superwash was not the best fiber to do this with.  But I loved the colors together and it did turn out quite nice - how it will hold up is a question yet to be answered!

The second is my first attempt at some coiled yarn.  I think it turned out pretty well for my first try!  I believe the roving was some Brown Sheep mill end type of thing.  When I split it up, it kind of split the colors up, so I spun a black base yarn and then did the blue and white stuff thin and super thick.  When I plied them together, I tried to do the coils with the super thick parts.  Coils are way fun and I'm sure I'm going to do some more - maybe even with the black and white Brown Sheep roving I have!

I have plans for even more novelty yarn, fabric scraps, sequins, color changing thread - the possibilities are endless! 

I guess this is WIP Wednesday

My latest and greatest project on the needles is - you guessed it - socks!  I'm doing the Cables and Corrugations socks from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters book.  I've had to make some adjustments due to my cast on number.  I basically changed the cable chart to make the cables less stitches and the stitches in between less as well.  I also had to rip out the first sock when I faced the music and decided it really didn't fit.  Too bad that was after I was all done with it.  Anyway, these are pretty fun to knit, and since I'm using size 2.5 needles and Socks that Rock mediumweight yarn they are going very quickly.  I should be done with these by the end of the day!

In other news, it is The Baby's last day of school today.  I can't believe we made it through the whole year!  It was pretty fun overall, but I am sure ready for a break.  We will be going back to the same school next year with the same teacher and I'm sure she'll have an even better time.  So we get to go see her graduate and have a potluck lunch.  I just need to stay on track so I don't mess up my progress in the weight loss department! 

Have a great day!

Bloggiversary and FOs

So my Bloggiversary has come and gone (it was on Saturday), and no I didn't miss it, I just wasn't prepared for a post or anything.  So Happy Bloggiversary to me!  I kind of can't believe it has been 3 whole years of blogging for me!  I know I haven't done a great job of it lately, but life happens and I just haven't gotten into the swing of making a new me and knitting at the same time, let alone blogging. I do want to thank all of my readers for joining in my blog-life for the past three years, so Thank You!!  To celebrate I will show you some finished objects.  Don't mind the shaggy hairdo please :)

• Pattern - Lace Ribbon Scarf from Knitty.com by Veronik Avery
• Yarn - Pagewood Farms Bamboo sock yarn, Butterfly colorway - 1 skein
• Needles - US Size 3
• Took me - 3 1/2 months  - procrastinator!
• Comments - I love this scarf.  The pattern was easy to knit and memorize, and since I put it down between almost every pattern repeat I didn't get bored with it.  I love that you can use a variegated yarn and not lose anything from the lace since it is so simple.  I kind of wish I had more yarn to make it longer, but it is a decent size at about 70 inches long.

• Pattern - One Skein Scarf from The Happy Hooker
• Yarn - Rowan Tapestry, just over 1 ball
• Hooks - 9 and 10
• Took me - An evening
• Comments - I'm not very good at crochet.  I think I did the starting chain too tight because it kind of curls when held up at one end.  The stitches on the sides also don't match up exactly, but oh well!  I like the yarn and I do like the scarf, it will do just fine :)

• Pattern - Seamless Hybrid from Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmermann
• Yarn - Karabella Majestic, just over 10 balls
• Needles - US Sizes 5, 6, and 7
• Took me - Way too long!  I didn't even write it down in the project notes.  I just know I started it soon after I finished my first EPS
• Comments - I would recommend this sweater to anyone!  It was pretty easy to knit but kind of exciting once you get to join the body.  It is a neat way of constructing a sweater and I don't think it will be the last one I make like this.  Of course, as always, the sleeves ended up too long even though I tried my damndest to get them the right length.  Such is my life ;)

So thanks again for reading and looking and commenting, and I hope to have another great year of blogging fun!  Have a great day :)

Work in Progress

I've been working on the Marina Piccola socks, not as quickly as I did my last pair, but here and there whenever I can.  I just finished the gusset decreases on the second sock which is going a lot smoother than the first.  Now that I have done the pattern repeat a few times it is a lot easier to not make mistakes.  I love how they are turning out and I think I picked the perfect color! 

I'm having an itch to buy more yarn.  Why?  I don't know, since I have plenty of yarn available to me right here in my home!  I guess it is time to go do some stash diving and rediscover all of the treasure that I do have. 

I swear I will get some pictures of finished scarves and a sweater today - yes I finally blocked the Seamless Hybrid!  I've been busy trying to keep to my new house cleaning schedule and driving around town to find a bike for The Baby :)  Stay tuned for pictures of FOs!

Things that are good

1. Parting ways with my too-big stash of yarn.  I'm feeling the guilt lately, and also a bit ridiculous for having so much yarn that might take me years to get to!  So far I've sent off 12 packages of yarn - woot!
2. Exercising.  I'm on a 12 week plan and just started week 4 today.  It is basically circuit training with added bursts of cardio, taken from the book Winning by Losing.  It burns lots of calories and I even like doing it!  (For the most part anyway) 
3. Finding $250 that I somehow stashed away and forgot about - that was a very nice surprise!
4. Having survived a day and a half with what basically amounts to having two sets of twins to look after.  I made it through though, just barely!  Really, it was a lot of fun and a lot more excitement than I am used to. 
5. Knowing that there are only a few more weeks of preschool left for The Baby this year.  It's good for her and good for me, but it will be nice to have a few less responsibilities to worry about.

Enjoy your day!