picture overload
in journal
first off, meet slim, bubby’s cousin. unlike cuddly roly-poly laid-back bubby, slim is a little older and, so, a little more worried. he’s also a bit scrawny and has a sprained left ankle – hence the swelling you see (ahem). he is destined for my sweet niece kiyra and hopefully she will make him a happier bear. (more info on slim’s project page)
black sheep knittery, a good lys – though usually too pricey for me, recently had an enormous sale, with a ton of really great yarn for $1-3 a ball. i went and shopped my heart out (what a weird phrase, now that i’ve typed it..), buying maybe $250 of great yarn for $50. the kind of sale you dream about (silly me, what dreams i have!)
the haul:
then, when i got home i decided to take a good hard look at my stash – and nope, this isn’t all of it, but probably half of it (gulp). i frogged a number of items – it felt so good, just riiiiip, you know? i even tossed out one, just put it right in the trash – the stitches were really reluctant to part with each other – and it felt good.
i’m also finally accepting that i’m becoming one of those purple people – i love purple!
until that day, when i took a good look at the yarn i had, i hadn’t been knitting much at all in weeks – partially because i was traveling, the weather was too hot, my mood was bad bad, but also partially for reasons i couldn’t figure out. i was worrying, maybe this knitting thing for me is slowly ending, that my enthusiasm is just going going gone?
now, i’ve realized, i was just feeling overwhelmed with all the knitting stuff i had accumulated
that same weekend, i went to my first spinning guild meeting – it was great. i was all nervous and shy, but the women (and a few men) – about twenty-people – were really welcoming and sweet.
they brought in a professional storyteller and we all sat there either spinning, carding, fluffing, knitting, felting, etc. etc. while he “spun yarns”. i got to try out three more wheels – a lendrum, a journey wheel, and a reeves. and one very nice women gave me this basket of, as she called it, “sacrificial fiber”, i.e. for any newbies who came to the meeting to practice spinning.
i’ve learned i don’t mind double drive wheels, that i do in fact prefer double treadles, and that while i’d be happy with any sort of wheel, i love the classic look of older castle wheels. that is, the lendrum is a great wheel with amazing ratios but the look, for now at least, a little too modern for me.
i’m hopefully going to try out a majacraft rose some time this month, and i’d really like to see a kromski in action. one thing for sure, as much as i like – and miss! – the ashford traveller i rented, the way bobbins are taken off worries me more and more – it’s just plastic! – versus on other wheels, it seems to be done much more thoroughly, with wood and hinges and sturdier material.
then, here’s some yarn i discovered while sorting through my stash (!). when my mom came to visit me back in march, she brought me some yarn from bolivia! 100% alpaca in various weights and colors – here, i skeined up the buttery worsted-weight white alpaca.
i’d love to make a hot lava with it – a la winnie’s gorgeous white one – but i’m such a wuss, alpaca makes me itch like crazy. but the cats go crrrazy over the alpaca smell and that’s always good for a laugh.
then,
(hey, if anyone else wants some, just write me.)
last but not least, christine’s bevin tank top pattern – i love me some lace! and this top came out so cute – except for the fact it’s three inches too short! once again, my powers of self-recognition fail me – this is like the third top i’ve made that is just way too short.
and there you have it, folks – a truly fiber recap of the past month. this is what’s helped me just deal with these last horrible angry sad weeks. i know i rambled a bit – hey, i’m lonely – but if you lasted this far, lemme just say you are sweet and patient. yes, you are.
p.s. didn’t realize it, but my fotos section was down for a while so i decided to just overhaul it for good – i’m still working on the styling, but it should at least work now.