Joy update - sold

What I did over the Weekend

1) Bike sock #1 progress - knit within 1 inch of the contrasting toe
2) Dichroic wool for Cristina - 7/8 of a bobbin spun
3) Bought some goodies for my SP7 pal Why am I calling #2 dichroic wool? I'm not sure how it will look when two plyed but as the wheel draws the wool into the oriface, the light plays off the wool making it look like dichroic glass. Plus, since I am still a rookie at Navaho plying, I will be doing a standard two ply on the dichroic wool. That going to be ok Cristina?

Whom ever has the most knitting project bags wins

Something I just can't resist is a new knitting project bag. Just love 'em and Dave knows it. So when he happened upon this cutie. He knew I just had to have it!! It's about time I do some knitting project bag destashing...I think....
And Cristina, how do you like your yarn so far? It's been fun watching the colorway progression.

Look Mommy I knit my own scarf!

We've always said that Rosemary (age 14) is the smartest one of the bunch.

Where have all the flowers gone?

Or at least violets? I tossed the roving around to make it cool faster and was able to bring it to room temp by 10pm last night. When I hung it to dry I noticed very little was violet. Oh no... Nice deep blues, to burgandy to cotton candy pink but the violet is just about gone. Which means - I might spin for Cristina (Cristina - I'll send you a pic and see if you like it as our exchange. You get first right of refusal on it), sell, or send to my SP7 pal.
Didn't get to far on my biking socks but it sure makes a difference when the cuff is only 1.5 inches! Makes the knitting seem to go so much faster. I got as far as row six of the heel flap. I'm thinking that I should have only cast on 64 stitches rather than the 68 my gauge swatch indicated. Looks baggy. As soon as I turn the heel I'll try it on. I'd take pictures of it on my feet but so far my sock self portraits leave a lot to be desired. Lame, totally lame. And I can't wait forever for someone to be home to take sock pics. And I've had the hardest time talking Rosemary into becoming the next Imogene Cunningham. Her and her lousy excuse about not having opposable thumbs. I am seeing if anyone is actually reading this by putting in that reference above. Bueller? Bueller?

The Wilton Badge of Honor

Tonight I wear the Wilton Badge of Honor. A.K.A. we don't need no stinking rubber gloves. Got home from another one of those days at work and dyeing felt like the best therapy. I've had a grocery bag in the bottom of my roving that contains some kind of wool that I bought a year ago. The tag, if it ever was tagged, has disappeared. Its soft, just off white and easy to spin. Feels loftier than a corriedale, not slippery like merino, and I'd recognize it I think if it were romney. So I just call it that first roving stuff.

Guess what colors I used. There was enough that it took a large bucket to contain it all for the water/vinegar soak cycle. I'm doing to baking dish in convection oven method again. And I'll just let the whole thing cool overnight before I do the rinse cycle. I know I will be tempted to rinse at 5:45 am tomorrow. Someone tell me no now please.

More "commissioned" knitting

Or what ever you call it when your son says "Mom, can you please knit me a hat?". Wants it to be charcoal black with a single dusty green stripe. I think Dave has leftover green from the Aran sweater he finished at Chrismas. I asked what style and Graham described about 3 different ones. I told him to draw them up on his CAD software and I'd see what patterns I have to match.

So let me tell you more about the bike socks

Friday afternoon I went on my usual drop by both LYSs trip. Chatted with Judie at Sheeps Clothing for a while, while fondling the sock yarns. I knew I'd be finishing my latest pair sometime over the weekend and I know the rule about how you always have to have at least one pair of socks on the needles. Footies, anklets, shortie socks sounded fun. I had been planning on a picot cast on or ruffled edge, then about 1.5 inches of rib before starting the heel flap. I found one skein of a green to yellow Cambridge and many of the limey-olive green. So the green to yellow will be the foot and the limey-olive will be the heel and toe. I took them along with me to Seattle just in case I had time to cast on. Threw them in the bag with the Berry Patch socks.

And they mated. I mean the last of the Berry Patch hand dyed looked so lucious next to the green to yellow that I knew they had to be together if I had any left. And I was only left with a few yards. The berry patch color in real life isn't as neon pink as the photo makes it look, its more subdued and violet. Swatched and measured and figured out I didn't have enough berry patch for a ruffled edge on the socks, only enought to cast on for 2 sock tops. So that's the plan. I'm only on about row 4, progress photos will follow.

They are going to be biking socks because it's getting to be that time of year, don't have to wear my heavy woolies with my Shimano Biking Sandals if the sun is shinning nice. And these are going to be rowdy socks!

Happy Birthday Weekend to Me

And I couldn't have asked for a better one and in my favorite city - Seattle. It was 12 degrees when we left the house Saturday morning, not a cloud in the sky the entire trip. Mt Rainier was out all weekend. Just for me! We got to Hilltop East just at they opened at 11 with Dave's instruction to me "pick out your birthday yarn". I fell in love with the rib and cabled wrist mitts in IK Spring 2006 and two skeins of Filatura Di Crosa 's Cambridge in Purple (like I would pick a different color??).

Then on to SU to pick up Graham for lunch. We of course went to Zao's for birthday lunch.

The actual agenda item that brought us to Seattle for the weekend was Bike Expo 2006. We spent about 3.5 hours there and somehow totally forgot to go to Weaving Works on our way out! We then checked in to our latest favorite hotel. It's the Silver Cloud Broadway. They gave us a room overlooking the Seattle U campus. We lazed around for a couple of hours. Watched the end of the Gonzaga basketball game - GO ZAGS. By about 7 we were finally hungry enough for the all important birthday dinner. We decided on Ohana's. I don't know how we did it, but we found a parking space 1/4 block from the restaurant on a Saturday night in the Belltown district. Back at the hotel room, I gave Graham his Big Mexiko socks. A perfect fit. We watched the Olympics for a few more hours, Dave started a scarf and I finally finished Berry Patch sock #2. On the way home today I cast on for a pair of biking socks.

Cold Enough For Ya?

It's finally cold enough here to pack a hand knit scarf and wear some of my Koigu socks. With the wind chill it's about 7 below (F). 14 degrees with sustained winds of 30-35. Good thing we don't get snow or it might be a bit nasty out. Dave knitted me the Wool in the Woods scarf for Valentines Day.

I finished the Big Mexiko socks last night!

Westminster Dog Show 2006

I am not a dog person. Never owned a dog. I am not getting up any earlier each day than I already do to go walk a dog. That's why I love cats. They get up in the middle of the night, do their business, wash up, have a quick snack and come back to bed. OK nuff said. But every year I watch the Westminster Dog Show. The Olympics just haven't captured me this year. Well except for the curling that I love and that's on at you know, 3am.

So last night when I watch WDS 2006 day 2, I cheered for the Scottish Deerhound to win Best in Group. Yes!!!! Do I pick 'em or what??? The beautiful Thistleglen Margot. I wanted her to win Best in Show so bad. But no, the Bull Terrier won. Oh well. At least Margot was on the short list!

For those interested though, if conditions were 100% right, the breeds of dogs I like are Bernese Mountain Dog, Scottish Deerhound, Irish Wolfhound, and Border Collies. And on the maybe list, the Belgian Tervuren. All lap dogs - right!!?? No teacups, no beauty queens, no froo-froos.

Cheater Cheater Cheater

I am not an official participant of the knitting olympics because I just had to cast on those Big Mexiko socks after I did my gauge swatch. Couldn't resist. Cheater Cheater Cheater. But I am running it as a time event. Need to have them done by Saturday Feb 18, 10:30am so I can deliver them to Graham in Seattle. I made a lot of progress last night on sock 2, did the first round on the heel gusset right before going to bed last night.

So now I feel like I could get them done by tomorrow night, plus finish up my Berry Patch sock 2 on Friday night. I "need" to get those two done because I just got the shipping notice about Zoe and Chloe!!! They are on their way. (Romney roving from the two sheep I ordered from last year and am knitting my Zoe shawl from). I know as soon as they arrive I'll want to jump right in spinning them. I've already cleared all but one Lendrum bobbin in anticipation.

All Points Bulletin - Lost Fingerless Mitt

Completed January 6, 2006. Lost week of February 6, 2006. A month. Location? Well, somewhere between Tooele UT and Pasco WA. It wasn't discovered missing till Dave packed Sunday night. Since January 2 he's lost his cell phone, now the fingerless mitt. I lost count for 2005. NO MORE LOSING STUFF!

Yummies in the Mail on Friday

That's right! I got my first SP7 package in the mail on Friday (and had received a nice card earlier). Oh oh oh this SP stuff is fun. I mean all the way around! I love opening the packages. Friday was a triple package whammie day. I got a CD I'd ordered thru Ebay, some chocolate brown Romney roving and my SP7 package.

It was just wonderful. Two skeins of plum colored angora, one skein of Mountain Colors Twizzle in Lupine, a nice SP7 note, a cake of soap in Green Tea and oh no, I can't remember the other ingrediant!! I'll post pics here later today or tomorrow. I'd only seen a tiny color card swatch of Twizzle before. It is soooooo cool!! Thank you for everything SP7 pal! (when I wake up more I'll write more)

My drive time is now right as dawn is breaking and we had a spectacular sunrise today.Finally finished Big Mexiko sock one late last night. That was all the knitting I accomplished all weekend because unfortunately the weather was nice enough to haul tumbleweeds out to the field south of us. I did win more of Zoe so when she comes I'll spin her up and add a few more yards to the Zoe stole.

Doh

I was so excited about the semi-instant gratification socks that I didn't noticed that they were enormous till I was about 4.5 inches past the heel turn. When I finally did try them on, they fit till I got to the heel and then, well, oh phooey what was I going to do?? I figured I could wear them anyway since they were going to be sandal/clog socks.

But about the same time I was wallowing in my "doh" I was talking to Graham online. Had him take a look and he wants them!!!! YEAH!!! So I had him measure the length of his foot. I'll only have to knit an extra couple of hours per sock (not). Need to now get them done by the 18th when we go to Seattle for the Bike Expo.

Dyeing Dyeing Dead?

Forgot to mention why I was so late in getting to my knitting last night. I decided to try the oven baking method of dyeing roving so I c0uld send it to my SP7 pal in the next package. I stopped by the thrift store on the way home and picked up a very large glass baking dish for a buck fifty and as soon as I got home started the water/vinegar soak cycle with 4 oz of corriedale. Used Wilton dyes, my current favorite. Baked at 325 in the convection oven for 40 minutes (it needs to have steam rising off it and the water run clear as usual). I tried to be very careful in the sink rinse/soak cycle. Hung it out to dry last night, it's supposed to be in the 50's today. I'm just hoping I don't come up with 4 oz of very colorful felt.

Total Panic!

I try to get to work by 7am, we work on a flex schedule so as long as you put in your hours you can come in and out as long as it adds up right and you're here for teleconf's and meetings. I informally joined the coffee pool at 25 cents a cup when they recently changed the brand of coffee used from "ground-up horse pucky brand" to "almost tolerable if I drink it fast enough brand". I usually start my day with a BIG mug at home and then switch over to iced tea the rest of the day year round.

This morning I was running late because I stopped by eBay to see how my bids were going. Grabbed a bagel and creme cheese from the home stash and ran out the door. I didn't even have to make my traditional oops I forgot something trip back into the house! Dragged my big work mug, bagel and creme cheese down to the building kitchen and paniced. THE COFFEE POT WAS GONE! OMG what was I going to do? Well I could have gone back to my office and filled up my little 4 pot coffee maker, but no. Too much trouble at 7am. So dejected and impaired by the lack of caffiene I split my bagel and put it in the toaster and waited and waited and waited... The toaster was toast. No heat. Crums what a day and it was only 7:10. As I turned to go back to my office with empty mug and cold bagel I noticed that the coffee pool had been moved from the counter top to an office tea trolly thing. Ahhhhhh. Still had ice cold bagel though.

Good news from Vicki. She's getting a spinning wheel. She was talking to her aunt about her experience and Aunt Wild Woman (former owner of Wild Woman Yarns in Walla Walla, WA) said that she had a wheel that Vicki can use!! Not sure what brand etc but yeah!! If it doesn't come with a lazy kate and niddy noddy I told Vicki we'd make her a set.
On the sock front, I still have the toe decreases to go on Berry Patch. And I am on the heel gusset on sock one of Big Mexiko. I didn't pick those up till 9:30 last night. Never did say my reasoning for the worsted weight socks did I? It's because every time I ever buy myself a comfy pair of ragwool socks, my dear hubby assumes they are his and they go immediatly into his sock drawer. When he wears them he occasionally complains that the ragwools shrank a bit. Right. I've been threatening to dye them pink. Instead I decided to knit them with wool he hates - self patterning. I am not fond of self patterning either but at least I doubt that they will find their way into his sock drawer.

Semi-instant Gratification

You know sometimes you have to start a new project just so it feels like you are getting somewhere? I probably only have an hours worth of knitting left on my Berry Patch sock, didn't even touch it during the Super Bowl.

Sheeps Clothing was having a 12th man sale on Sunday so we went over to check it out and have a bowl of frito pie, pre-game. (we still wish they'd had a TV set up, we'd brought our knitting with us just in case) I went around and around the shop. Must have picked up a dozen different things till I realized what I wanted to do. Knit something quick. Wham Bam... I ended up buying some Big Mexiko aran weight sock yarn in blues, whites and lilac. Got home, made dip for chips, made Provence Beef Stew, did some spinning, did some gauge swatching and cast on after the game ended. The Big Mexiko is superwash, not too soft right now so I hope it softens up after a few trips through the machine. The best thing about it is I don't have to watch too carefully what I am doing because of its weight when doing straight stockinette. New multi-tasking skill is knitting and writing internet messages at the same time.

Lutefisk

Every year we go to the Sol-Land Lodge Son's of Norway Lutefisk dinner. We attempt to invite new people every year. And every year, nearly without fail, we don't succeed in introducing someone to the fine cuisine. Maybe once every 5 years. Our work was done for us this year. Nancy, at Friday Night Knit Night last night was telling someone else that she was going. She knows one of the servers!!! So we told Nancy to meet up with us there, we'd be there just as it opened. Nancy got there a few minutes after we'd been through the line and joined us. It was so nice to have her there. (hi Nancy!!) When we were done, the 3 of us went over to Sheeps Clothing. I'd saved one of my cookies for Judy, she enjoyed it.

Dave saw a copy of Viking Patterns for Knitting by E. Levold, so he ordered one from Amazon.com when we returned home. (though I am not too sure about that mushroom pot pie thing on her head...)Sheeps Clothing had gotten in an order of Mountain Colors so we oooed and aahhed over them all. Hint Hint Hint - I love the purple colorway of course.

We then went over to Knitty Gritty to see if any other stock had come in. Yummy new things there too. They are sponsoring an opening and closing ceremony for the Knitting Olympics, so I have decided (I think) to join. I think I am going to try worsted weight socks.

Luck Be a Lady Tonight

I spun some before Ginny and I went to the theater. There, fiber related to I can go on with the theater review...

Hanford High School is known for it's theater department (and its very uncomfortable auditorium seats). They put on a major musical each Feburary or early March, plus an additional 3-4 large productions each year. They've had the same director for something like 15 years. I may not like the play or musical they are putting on but each production is top notch. Actors always win major state and regional awards. Seniors that go on in theater at the university level usually get lead roles their freshman year at the U. The past 5 years or so at HHS have brought us Damn Yankees, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables, Footloose, The Fantastics, Return to the Forbidden Planet and this season, Guys and Dolls (I'm missing some). Last summer they took Return to the Forbidden Planet to Edinburgh Scotland and the Fringe Festival where they played to a full house every night and received a 5 ranking (top rank) I'm the photographer for the productions, taking photos during early blocking rehearsals and always on the Parent's Dress Rehearsal night. Guys and Dolls ranks about number 47 on my all time favorite musicals I'm afraid. BUT I must say last night's Parent's Dress Rehearsal was probably the strongest I have ever seen. And I've seen plenty. Graham played the bass for all the HHS productions the 4 years he was in high school there. Either in the orchestra pit, or in the 3 or 4 piece combo for all the non-musical productions. I give Kelsey (shown above), playing the part of Miss Adelaide, the best actor award for the evening.

This Cat is no Lucy or Panda

Or any of the other fiber models used by other knitting bloggers. Rufus was quite irritated having his picture taken. Especially when it was a sock #1 and not a sock #2 meaning he will have to go through this torture again.

(and the lovely mismatched polar fleeces he's laying on? Our "couch protectors" that only come off when someone rings the doorbell. Aside from the squished back cushions, there are no other signs of wear on our 14 year old couch)