Of Being Published, and tour de fleece, and sealing wax (or knitting)

My boss just called me at home to tell me the column I wrote for a semi-local magazine "is amazing". He said it was "Amazing". I said "OH BOY!" only partially because for dinner I have had two hot dogs and two glasses of wine. If they put any part of the column up on the magazine's website, I'll be sure to link it here so y'all can take a peek, but I am very excited.

What else is new, you might ask?

Superwash Merino in Black Magic Woman colorway, from Crown Mountain Farms.

Well, Tour de Fleece is going pretty well. For the non-spinners among you, here is a link to the 2010 Tour de Fleece entry on the Yarn Harlot's blog (blessed be her name). I haven't set any goals for myself, except to spin every day. So far I have missed only one, and I've been enjoying myself immensely. I have noticed a little soreness in my left hand and a little stiffness in the ankle region, but I haven't yet discovered whether that is work or leisure related.

Undyed Corriedale from CMF.

I've been finding very creative places to hang my yarn to dry. 

We had a wonderful time at my cousin's wedding to his wonderful wife!  I haven't asked Christopher how he feels about being pictured on the blog, so here is this picture.

Guess which feet are mine!

My knitting projects are going well, but nothing new has been finished since last I wrote.  I did finally block my Emily capelet, but I still have to take photos of it on me.  By which I mean I have to bribe someone to take photos of me wearing it and making us look good.

My Hemlock Ring Shawl and I had a minor disagreement, but that will be an entry all on its own.  Look forward to it!

Bless me, readers, for I have sinned. . .

It's been a month since my last entry.  A lot has been going on.  Everyone's home,  recovering and improving, but it was a family game of musical chairs at the hospital for pretty much the entire month of May.  I'm praying that everything will be calm for a little while at least, so we can all rest up.  There's nothing like driving to the hospital every day to make me think about stopping in at one of the churches along the way.  Just for a minute.  No matter what my faith.  My jealousy of religious persons is a topic for another time.

What's new with me?

I've been crafting.  I've been listening to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks - the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel, and lots of Stitch It podcasts. Meghan is just wonderful, and so crafty, and she gets so much done. I find it so soothing to listen to her talk about moving while I'm freaking out about moving.

I've been preparing mentally to move, and a little bit practically by going through stuff and throwing out what I can.  This morning I washed and put away all of the pots and pans that won't be leaving with us when we move out of this house and into my aunt and uncle's house for the summer.

I ordered yarn and fiber, since last I posted, and they have arrived!

I ordered five skeins of Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Iris, for the Vine Yoke Cardigan.

AND

I ordered a bunch of stuff from Crown Mountain Farms.  Do you KNOW what that MEANS?  It means. . . that I have beautiful, lovely, scrumptious fiber to play with.

BUNDLE OF JOY

Before Sunset BFL

Black Magic Woman Superwash Merino

Nirvana Corriedale

undyed Corriedale

That big box of fluff is like. . . the ultimate squee.  I've only spun the Nirvana Corriedale so far, but it is just lovely.  I got that colorway in the pencil roving, and while I do like it, it needs almost no drafting. . .  I thought that would be nice, but it takes away from the experience a little.  I can basically spin even singles from it with my eyes closed.

On the culinary side of things, a couple of weeks ago, I made a Gooey Butter Cake, inspired by the Knitmoregirls Podcast. Eating it was. . . an experience.  I knew from the comments on the recipe that there was a healthy version, so I looked it up and made it this morning.  It's really not up to par.  A gooey butter cake needs two sticks of butter, not one teaspoon.  I'll suffer through this version (it's not bad enough that I won't eat it), but I've learned my lesson.  Gooey Butter Cake needs butter.

It's a beautiful morning!

Beautiful!  The air is clear, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and between the houses I can see the ocean sparkling a couple of blocks away. . .






And I have an ear infection.  I may or may not have CAUSED IT MYSELF by pulling on my itchy ear last night like a foolish fussy baby.  Since then I have been mainly deaf (it sounds like I'm underwater in an aluminum can), and in a stupid amount of pain.

And I just burned my only full-hand oven mitt to A CRISP by turning on the wrong burner.  What am I, a hundred?  Do I need to be put in a home?  How do people USE these ovens that don't have flame?  How am I supposed to KNOW which burner is on when nothing burns?!

On the plus side, my inability to function like a normal human no matter how much I really, really, really want to (CAN I GO FOR A WALK YET?) has been beneficial to the craft department. 

• I have been spinning some, when I get too antsy for bed (thanks, Sudafed) but can't actually exercise.  It's like a low impact, low effort stationary bicycle.  I also may or may not have had a tax-return related Fiber Ordering Accident, based on the beautiful colors at Crown Mountain Farms.  Plus, you can get a pound of undyed wool there for less than $30.  That's like. . . half a sweater.  Purrfect.

• I also cast on a scarlet Ice Queen with bronze beads for my darling friend who should have something lacy and beautiful in her life - she's been having a rough time the last couple months, although she is very brave and strong <3

• I cast on the Juneberry Triangle out of Cascade's gorgeously shiny Ultra Pima cotton.  The yarn was going to be a tank top originally, but I can get tank tops at Target (unless they continue to, as it seems, have anti-gay political leanings.  SERIOUSLY, TARGET?  GROW THE EFF UP.  And do you hear me, rest of the country who hasn't caught on yet?  What do you think, this is the dark ages and this kind of bullsh*t discrimination is even vaguely socially/morally/ethically acceptable?).   Anyway, I need a prayer shawl much more urgently.  Deep breaths.  Cultivate my Zen mind and all that.

• I made a wee tiny ribbed arm cuff for my mum, whose medication makes her skin quite sensitive to scratches and things.  I used a tiny bit of the lovely dove gray extra Baby Cashmerino that I used for Karen's Mitts lo, those weeks ago.  I've only made one so far because I need her to try it on!

• I cast off the Emily capelet and am bereft without it.  It came out beautifully, and I should block it today while the air is clear and dry.  The buttons are perfect, and I'm SO excited about it.  Also, Madelinetosh DK yarn?  Not a single complaint.  Except that it would be excessive of me to swear of knitting with nothing else forever and ever amen.  As soon as the credit from my Eat.Sleep.Knit lotto tickets registers, I shall have to order more Madelinetosh and begin the Great Sweatering.  Which will probably be the Vine Yoke cardigan by Ysolda Teague (who I love).

• I cast off (did I post this already?) Chris' Beer Gloves, which are now drying.  The fingers are uneven - so sue me, I can't count consecutive purl rows, ok?  But it's Malabrigo, so it blocks however I darn well tell it to block. The fingers look even now, and that's what counts.

And now, I am getting back in bed where things are not quite as flammable as they appear to be in the kitchen.  Louie, it turns out, goes all rabbit-loaf big-eyes when the house is full of smoke.  Who knew?  She's fine now.  Just a regular rabbit loaf, sans the terror.

Knitting is my anti-drug.

Knitting may be my anti-drug, but I took a break from knitting earlier to take my cough syrup with codeine.  Then I slept for five hours.  Good morning!  You know, sometimes you get sick.  And then you get better.  And then you get worse.  And then the doctor tells you you have a sinus infection and you get a bunch worse after you start taking the medicine (how is that fair?) and then you miss more work and you feel a bit like an idiot . . . especially if you spent the whole first half of the day wearing bunny ears. 

I know antibiotics say you might get dizzy on them, but hot damn.  I'm pretty accustomed to being dizzy, but I just feel totally disoriented.

But that's besides the point.  The point is. . . I love knitting.  Also, spinning.  I just watched this fantastic video about Navajo Plying, and now I finally understand what all the fuss is about!  I could never figure out from descriptions what Navajo Plying actually was, and now I do.  And now I'm obsessed, but I don't have any singles spun up, so I can't try it.  Ho hum.

In other news, my projects are coming along quite well!  Ready for a wee photo dump? :>

Handspun natural (Corriedale, I think?) from Sheryl at Spin A Bit!

Chris' Beer Gloves from Son of Stitch and Bitch, out of Malabrigo in the Pearl Ten colorway

My second Discovery Sock using Cat Bordhi's latest crazy sock method (no heel turning! Hooray!) Also, Knit Picks stroll sock yarn?  Love the long repeats, and the yarn turns so soft and nice after washing!

Sweet, sweet Emily.  I'm putting off finishing this because the pattern and the yarn (Madelinetosh DK in Malachite) is just too wonderful - I don't want the project to be over!

Handspun from Spunky Eclectic  . . I can't find the label but I'm sure it's here somewhere!

Latest (possibly unwise) purchase.  The most beautiful crochet hook (but I don't really know how to crochet)

The Hemlock Ring Blanket, out of Madelinetosh Merino Light in Amber Trinket.

Well, that's all for me.  I suspect I'll be watching another episode of Doc Martin (my new favorite show!) and then partaking of the sweet nectar of the poppy, and sleeping a whole lot. 

I can't talk right now. . .

I'm knitting with Madelinetosh.

And I'm in love.  The Emily Capelet is a wonderful project - not quite a sweater, but also not something tiny and fiddly like most of the projects I've been working on in recent months.

What's new around here, you ask?  Well, Spring tricked us into getting our hopes up - what else is new, New England.  Friday it was beautiful and sunny with a high of 67 degrees.  Today it snowed.  It's a good thing I have my yarn to console me.  And the gorgeous veggie and turkey bacon frittatta I just took out of the oven.  I did grab a couple of fabulous Bullmastiff moments for you, though.

Basking.

Not super sure about horses.  I guess she's used to being the biggest dog around, or something?

My love.

Now I really do have to go - I have a date to snuggle with some stunning green Merino.

This is how I felt, yesterday.  Part of the reason for this terrible stress was that my beautiful sister gave me a $50 gift card to Eat Sleep Knit, and I knew what project I was buying for.  I bravely narrowed down the brands, judging by skein length and composition, and then I. . . had to choose a Madelinetosh colorway.  I don't know if you've ever tried to do that but it is very difficult.  Like... I want to eat those colors with my mind.  Especially because - do you see how they're photographed?  True colors, good lighting, and bundled up like toffees?  In the end, I chose the Malachite colorway, for use on the Emily Capelet by Ysolda Teague.  I was torn, originally, between getting a neutral (my heart pitter-pats for Fawn and Alabaster), and a brighter color.  But most of my clothes are neutral because I am a chicken, so that green is necessary to keep me from looking like some kind of a Sepia cartoon character.

Partway through the stress of decision-making, I pulled out the shoe-box from under my bed, took out my Malabrigos, and clutched them to me, palpating and sniffing.  Fondling and wriggling.  Sometimes I make them scoot like inchwarms - end to end, stretch out again!  end to end, stretch out again!
Such is the life of someone who has recently discovered that wool is not all the worst-feeling, hive-inducing thing on the face of the earth.  I put the yarns on my face.

Christopher decided to join the fun, and then threw yarns onto me from my living-room stash (I'm like a squirrel - they're everywhere!)  His aim was true, thank goodness, and none of them hit me in the face.  That would have made me even grumpier.  I told him if he was going to decorate me, he had to get my phone, because Hipstamatic needed to bear witness to the ennui of the yarn intelligentsia.  He obeyed, and now the event is chronicled.  He asked what was wrong, and I said, "Can't you see?  I have all these yarns, and I can't knit them all at once!"

Eventually, I placed my order.  I was worried the yarn shop might think I was racially profiling (not really, this is just a totally contrived excuse), so I also ordered a skein of Malabrigo Silky Merino in Teal Feather.  I already have one skein, and plan on making a cropped Leisl sweater (also by Ysolda Teague) with the pair of them. 

This is a weird thing about my Malabrigo skeins.  I have single skeins.  What I really want is to live out the rest of my days in a sweater made from it.  But I am not brave enough to make that kind of financial commitment, so I have skeins of worsted in Verde Esperanza, Purple Mystery, and Pearl Ten.  I have Silky Merino in Pollen, and Teal Feather.  And I have Sock, in Solis.  And there they lie in wait, for me to think of the perfect (small) projects.  The Handmaiden SeaSilk (gotta love yarn store sales) lives in that box with them, and I have no idea what to do with that either. 

Well, that's all for now.  Gotta go fetch Karen's Cashmerino Mitts out of the wool wash and set them gently to block.  They came out so sweet, and that pattern uses exactly one ball of Cashmerino DK at my gauge!

Projects and Productivity

Karen's Mitts are coming along nicely! 

Somehow, I feel like alternating projects keeps me more productive overall.  I'm still working on my super-secret project, but I can tell you that if I try to do a large amount of colorwork in a small amount of time, my standards become a little lax.  The longer I wiggle all those little strands around, the more I get distracted and - yes - impatient.  I haven't got a good system yet, is part of the problem.

So right now, I am working on:
Karen's Mitts!
My secret belated project
My Bamboo Snood (we've been fighting)
Spinning my undyed BFL/Corriedale
My Laminaria lace shawl.  It's not that I don't want to work on it, it's just that I'm intimidated.

I just finished:
My Discovery Sock!  It's fantastic, and I love the method of sock construction.  If you're curious or want to try out an alternative sock method, the book is called Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters by Cat Bordhi.  I plan on casting on the second sock soon, and I don't feel any twinges about that!  Somehow, knowing that I won't have to turn a heel or pick up gusset stitches seems to have cleared up my SSS (Second Sock Syndrome).

Yesterday, Christopher and I went on a grand adventure!  Well, we went on an adventure.  He drove, because I was intimidated by driving my car around the rotary.  We picked up the spare key for my car at the dealership, and then went on our first trip to BJs together!  Don't take that the wrong way, you dirty birds.  You know what I mean.  The store, where you buy freakish amounts of food.  We invested in many meal-staples, and while (the bill) was a bit overwhelming, I think we'll be set for a while.  We have a freezer full of stuff now, and I won't have to cry and go to the store every single time I want to make dinner - hooray!

He lets me ride in the cart. It's true love. I got out when it started to get too heavy, because I love him too.

Driving Around

I've been driving around all week - in both senses.  I've been driving my car, and it's been going pretty well! And I've also been driving my spinning wheel around and around.  I've got a full 4 oz. of merino ready to ply, and I'm crossing my fingers that it will be enough for a pair of socks or mitts! The whole weight of fiber thing confuzzles me, although I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.

Newly plied and snuggled into an Ugg.

 Continued the next morning: I plied it!  My pre-plying left me a little uneven lengthwise and I had to scoot some single-strands from bobbin to bobbin, but it came out wonderfully.  By wonderfully, I mean I love it.  I don't mean that it's perfect or particularly even, or even completely plied in all the fuzziest places.  But that's how I like it!










The colorway is called Mud Season - it's 100% Merino, from Spunky Eclectic's fiber of the month club.  My mum (or Santa by way of my mum?) got me a membership a couple of years ago, and I could never keep up with just my one tiny (lace-sized, I now know) drop spindle.  So I have all these beautiful little 4 oz. bags of hand-dyed fiber, and I keep picking them up and squeezing them.  What to spin next?!





In knitting news, my super-secret project which is SO belated for my mom's birthday is going well.  I'm not going to tell details now, but it should be done soon and then I will post pictures!

My Discovery Sock from Cat Bordhi's Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters is aliiiive! I read comments on ravelry and heard in podcasts that many people had trouble getting the toe-to-heel relationship right, and the socks just didn't come out well.  And there is a scary part, where you knit up the foot of the sock and close it right up with no ankle opening, and cannot try it on.  But I opened up the ankle and started knitting up - and voila!  A well-fitted, perfectly functional sock.  I'm going to make a few rows of the Chainmail pattern on the cuff, because it's beautiful.  And then onward to the next sock!  When I got the book and realized the construction of the sock (key words: no gusset, no picking up stitches, no heel turning) I had a feeling that we were sole mates.  Sole mates: see what I did there?

In non-crafting news, Christopher has decided that he is going to train Louie to be better about being picked up.  I told him that if he is going to clean up her anger-poops that she leaves on the floor after these events, he can go right ahead.  But in all seriousness, it's going pretty well.  He has a firm grip, and she seems pretty calm when she's actually in his arms (to which I can relate).  It's the picking up and putting down that freak her out.  But she's been relaxing faster afterward, and I would love to be able to maneuver her when needed - taking her to the vet is not a pretty thing.  And the vet is my dad, so I feel bad when he has to wrestle a wee, delicate, ferociously kicking beasty.

If you're wondering about my awesome (obnoxious?) photos this time, I found the iPhone App Hipstamatic, and can't stop taking weirdly filtered photos.  There are other lense and film options, but I like this spooky vintage look, and I'm going to use it for now.  How do you feel about it?

The laundry calls.

The Week of the Wheel

I hope, anyway, that this will be the week my spinning wheel arrives!  I've been doing a lot of daydreaming about it, and Althea has already said that she's going to dye fiber and have me spin it for her - which I think will only be the most fun!!!

In other news, I've completed Christopher's socks, his Jackalope, and just last night I finished my 198 Yards of Heaven shawl.  I was on a roll!  I was excited!  And then the fear set in.  How many projects did I have on my needles?  Just two?! But I didn't want to knit intimidating lace or an amigurumi tomato!  Gathering my fortitude, I blocked my projects and went to bed. 

This morning, I had the perfect plan.  I cast on this lacy snood, from Our Quiet Place - another blog.  I'm knitting it out of Royal Bamboo in a pretty pastel yellow.  Good winter knitting.

The last couple of weeks I've been having wonderful Sundays - getting Thai brunch with my pals Tillie and Althea, and then knitting the day away.  I think we should continue to do that.  I like Thai food, I like the gals, and I like knitting!

Impending Snow Day

These blizzards make me wonder - why have no fireplace and an electric stove in your New England home?  Even if it is theoretically a summer home?  I guess we have a good quilt, and a grill, and my parents don't live too very far away!

I called about my spinning wheel today - and she hasn't heard back yet about the wait time.  It must be weird ordering things from New Zealand, since they're all opposite-land over there.  I'm so excited even just to hear some word about when my wheel will be here!  I feel like having a time frame will make it feel less like some fantastical dream.

I finished a project yesterday - no, not my Christmas knitting.  I needed a break from all the i-cord and short rows, so I picked up a cropped sweater that I finished knitting in August and have been putting off seaming.  I did the seaming and picked up all the stitches to do the finishing rows around the outside and the sleeves.  Now all I need to do is block it!

I also learned a very sproingy new bind-off, because Sunday night be parents had a turkey dinner!  Backtracking a little. . . they had a turkey dinner and my aunt who knits was there, and I bound off and the edging was the very tiniest!  It squeezed my armpits!  She showed me a new bind-off and I brought it home and did that instead, with needles two sizes larger than the ones I had been using.  It worked wonderfully, and I'm going to try to find a video of it for you, or maybe make one!  That will be a project for tomorrow, when I will likely be snowed in.

Remind me to tell you how Louie went on walkabout this morning, ok?  Because she explored the house pretty thoroughly, and I can't be mad that I was late for work because her ears are so dang floppy.

Snowy morning photo shoot

Two-at-a-time toe-up socks for Christopher. Yarn: Happy Feet.

The Simply Graceful Laceful Shawl by Barbara Patricia

Handspun on my tiny spindle, fiber from Spunky Eclectic.

My Ice Queen cowl from Knitty, also on Ravelry.  Yarn from Knitpicks.

198 Yards of Heaven shawl, made of Handmaiden's Lady Godiva in the Rose colorway

Tomato - from the book Amigurumi Knits by Hansi Singh. Yarn: Berocco vintage

Damson, by Ysolda Teague. Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in Archangel.

Guernsey Wrap by Jared Flood, made for me by Christopher's mum (I think she likes me!)

Latest Hobby: Slacking from Blogging

One of the neighbor's roses, in summer.

Louie has been less and less enthused by her antibiotics.  We've now progressed into her running away from me as if her life depended upon it.  Then I pick her up (kicking and. . . kicking, thank goodness, she isn't screaming), and flip her over, and pet her and pet her, and coo - and then put the syringe in her mouth and apologize.  Then she hops away from me, and pretends she doesn't exist for a while hiding in a cardboard box in the kitchen.

My 198 yards of Heaven shawl is going really well, and I'm familiar enough with the pattern now that I can figure out where I've gone wrong when I make a mistake!

I've only done one more row of the Laminaria shawl, but it's still going well.  I'm a little nervous that I didn't swatch, but I'm usually a little nervous about not swatching.

And, before you ask, yes - I did!  I went over to my parents' and played my harp for a while yesterday.  I played the songs I have memorized, about a hundred scales, and then I started recalling the Spinning Wheel Song. 

See, I have this plan.  My plan is that if I start practicing my harp regularly, and keep doing it, I can get myself a spinning wheel.  I've only wanted one since I knew they existed, and now seems like a good time to get one.  Ok, it doesn't seem like a terrible time.  I do know that it seems silly to bribe myself with a new hobby to practice an old one, but. . . have you seen the title of this blog?

The Magic Frantic Post Trick

I was doing so well that I got a little overconfident about the 198 yards of heaven shawl I started two days ago. I just knit and knit and watched Veronica Mars while I knit and then I. . . tinked (knit backwards, get it?) and knitted and tinked, and knitted, and I think I've gone around in circles four or five times now since yesterday, and my stitch count is so consistently off!

But my tried and true Magic Frantic Post Trick came through for me again!  As soon as I posted a frantic comment on Ravelry begging for help I re-knit the trouble row and came out with the right number of stitches. I don't know why I don't just make a frazzled post as soon as trouble starts. It never fails that as soon as I make a nerd of myself publicly on the internet, the problem is solved.  This is true for any issue on any forum, as long as helpful well-wishers answer me and I then have to respond with a blushing emoticon and a confession that I figured it out!

In other news, I did not get bitten by my rabbit today. You may think that is an odd thing to say, since she doesn't usually bite me, but this time she had a reason.  She probably has a UTI or similar, and so we are giving her ten days of antibiotics. By we I mean me, and by giving I mean poking the side of her face until her tiny little mouth opens and I can put a syringe off medicine into it. She wasn't thrilled or cooperative, but she also didn't leap up and start biting me on the face. I gave her a carrot, but she refused to eat it until after I went into the other room (pouting bunny is cute).

Cookies Eaten For Breakfast: 3 + a mini peanut butter cup
Knitting Done Today: Very little, not including tinking.
Pleasure derived from groping Handmaiden's Lady Godiva (see above, the pink yarn <3): Lots
Podcasts Listened To: Early episodes of Sticks & Strings
Bunny Medicine Administered: .5 mg
Fingers Lost to the Bunnicula: 0
Harp Practice: None, but maybe some tonight after dinner at my parents house (where the harp lives)
Willingness to accept that my week off from work is almost over:  Zilch
USPS tracking codes for purchases that say only "There is no record of this shipment": 3
^ I am vaguely displeased about this.  USPS, you should be telling me when the knitting books and Namaste knitting bag I accidentally bought yesterday will arrive!  I need to know!

The Danger Zone

I am trying not to go to the yarn store today. I need new needles, for my Scary Lace Project, but I am worried that if I go to the yarn store I will start squeezing the Namaste bags, and even though I need a bag I am afraid! Work is optional this week, and I have taken the option of staying home and cleaning and knitting and apparently shopping. But it doesn't make sense to stay home from work and then go shopping, does it?

Anyway, my Scary Lace Project is the Laminaria shawl in Madelinetosh Tosh Lace. Santa brought me the lace in the colorway Fjord, and after hours of indecision I decided to be brave and try the Laminaria pattern. I am a little (a lot) intimidated by it.

I am feeling faint, and need some pizza bagels.

Ok, feeling better. Anyway, I need to get some needles for the Laminaria because my circulars are the interchangeable Harmony Wood needles from Knitpicks. And while I wound that 950 yards of lace yarn the other night (took about 1.5 hours) I realized that I didn't want there to be a chance of the needle coming unscrewed and snagging the yarn. So - Addi circulars it is!

So far, I've knit three rows of the Laminaria and it is freaking me out a little! The yarn is so thin and cobwebby, and my hands feel so big! I think I'm just feeling that way because I've been working mainly with worsted weight yarns for my Christmas knitting. And because when I wound it I accidentally cut it in the wrong place and had to do my first Russian join to splice everything back together. I guess it looks nice to have the binding yarn of a skein the same as the yarn itself, but hot damn I wish more companies would just use some nice, disposable string. I've cut through the wrong loop more times than I like to think about.

I'll post pictures as soon as there's something to see! And now, I have to get Louie ready for her vet appointment. Do you think she'll mind waiting in the car while I run into the yarn store afterward? It would be a good way to make sure I won't stay and shop too long. . .

edited at 1:30 to add: I DID IT. I went, and I only bought the needles I need. I am so proud.