Woolarina
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
organization
With the knitting and now the spinning, my apartment is starting to get very... wool covered, so I figured it was time to do something about it. I got a couple baskets from Pier 1. One of them is below.. the other one... sadly has to be taken back, despite the fact that it fits PERFECTLY into our TV stand, and is huge enough to fit many projects. All because of the stupid record player (which really cannot be used anyhow without taking it *out* of the TV stand.) Oh well. The new plan is to get a new coffee table anyhow, so perhaps we can find one with a shelf or drawers or something. Anyhow, I find this little basket super cute. It holds almost every single skein I've made so far plus a bunch of in progress guys. Nice and tidy to show off when friends stop by! :) Well, at least my mom was impressed.
I'm still chugging along on Anouk. Somehow it's become my Metro project, which is weird since I mostly drive. But there's tons going on downtown this time of year, so there's lots of Metroing ahead of me, so hopefully I can finish it before we go on vacation in two weeks!
Finally, I'm finishing up my Merino roving. It makes me sad since it was so great, but I *do* have a birthday coming up, and I *did* give my guy a list this year with a bunch of possibilities. Besides, I guess I do have that "other" roving to finish.. it's just... not soft, not so pretty, etc. Not that I am very sure what I might possibly do with these rainbow dyed yarn once I'm done spinning it. Hmmmm.
I'm still chugging along on Anouk. Somehow it's become my Metro project, which is weird since I mostly drive. But there's tons going on downtown this time of year, so there's lots of Metroing ahead of me, so hopefully I can finish it before we go on vacation in two weeks!
Finally, I'm finishing up my Merino roving. It makes me sad since it was so great, but I *do* have a birthday coming up, and I *did* give my guy a list this year with a bunch of possibilities. Besides, I guess I do have that "other" roving to finish.. it's just... not soft, not so pretty, etc. Not that I am very sure what I might possibly do with these rainbow dyed yarn once I'm done spinning it. Hmmmm.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
350 yards!
There is 350 yards of alpaca singles!! Meaning I need to make 350 yards of some sort of wool singles too now! Yikes! Should be interesting fitting this on my spindle for plying... it is pretty thin, but still... the alpaca was already jumping off my spindle as it is since it was so full!
Speaking of alpacas, I noticed that my last entry was titled llamas.. whoops! They're big soft furry animals too, right?
I'm thinking I really need to take a break with the spinning.. I actually DREAMED about wool last night- I was in search of more soft merino, and the shop I was at told me where it was and I just couldn't find it! So I ended up driving all over the place and apparently forgot to get my other wool. :( Sad! I am super excited though- in a short three weeks we are off to Portland, OR to visit from friends and attend a wedding.. and these friends seem to live about 30-40 minutes from woodland woolworks, which looks like it has an excellent supply of knitty and spinny things. So I'm really really hoping I get out there during our stay!
Speaking of alpacas, I noticed that my last entry was titled llamas.. whoops! They're big soft furry animals too, right?
I'm thinking I really need to take a break with the spinning.. I actually DREAMED about wool last night- I was in search of more soft merino, and the shop I was at told me where it was and I just couldn't find it! So I ended up driving all over the place and apparently forgot to get my other wool. :( Sad! I am super excited though- in a short three weeks we are off to Portland, OR to visit from friends and attend a wedding.. and these friends seem to live about 30-40 minutes from woodland woolworks, which looks like it has an excellent supply of knitty and spinny things. So I'm really really hoping I get out there during our stay!
Sunday, June 20, 2004
alpacas!!
I went yesterday with kate to shepherds purse alpacas to check out the animals and knit a bit. The animals were incredibly soft and cute! There was even a baby there! Really neat.
I'm getting out of "project finishing mode" lately.. just bored with everything that I do! And it doesn't help that everything is bright orange! started the everyday cardigan from peace fleece last night- even though I had the wrong needle size. (How much smaller a needle do you need to do cuff ribbing?) They wanted a 4, but I'm using a 5, and attemptng to knit tight-ish. The sport-weight yarn is going SLOWLY.. which should be fine since it's summer and I don't need wool sweaters!
We also checked out fiberworks in Ashton, MD. A great shop with all sorts of yarn.. stuffed to the gills! I like this one since it isn't so tidy that you feel bad for that skein that keeps falling off the shelf... and sends five more down when you try to fix it.. Here, you get to dig in and find things- and there are tons of pretty things!
I'm getting out of "project finishing mode" lately.. just bored with everything that I do! And it doesn't help that everything is bright orange! started the everyday cardigan from peace fleece last night- even though I had the wrong needle size. (How much smaller a needle do you need to do cuff ribbing?) They wanted a 4, but I'm using a 5, and attemptng to knit tight-ish. The sport-weight yarn is going SLOWLY.. which should be fine since it's summer and I don't need wool sweaters!
We also checked out fiberworks in Ashton, MD. A great shop with all sorts of yarn.. stuffed to the gills! I like this one since it isn't so tidy that you feel bad for that skein that keeps falling off the shelf... and sends five more down when you try to fix it.. Here, you get to dig in and find things- and there are tons of pretty things!
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
blue
Somehow with knitting, it takes me oodles of time to finish projects, especially when they are things I don't especially like. Maybe it's because I have a nice assortment of needles to switch around on? I noticed that with spinning, instead of putting something I'm not totally into down after making singles, I *finish* it! Like this blue yarn- I don't really like it- it's not soft, and though it's a nice blue, it's not the bright colorchanging kind of roving that's super great to spin. And I've got another pound to finish, so I'm not terribly excited about it. But if this gets finished, yippee! Even if I'm not sure what it'll ever be used for.. Anyhow, my point is that I should get more spindles. I do have a birthday coming up, and have my eyes on a turkish spindle or a pretty vermont spindle company spindle..
Anyhow, enough rambling.. I'm still coughing and coughing. Medicine has ceased to help me, so I just have to wait it out!
I did start spinning my alpaca and it's lovely! I need to figure out what to ply it with- I have seen different places that it is god to ply stuff like alpaca with wool, which has "memory"... so maybe I'll use some of my already spun merino for it, and dye it some matching color. The alpaca is getting pretty fine.. gonna be some nice stuff!
Anyhow, enough rambling.. I'm still coughing and coughing. Medicine has ceased to help me, so I just have to wait it out!
I did start spinning my alpaca and it's lovely! I need to figure out what to ply it with- I have seen different places that it is god to ply stuff like alpaca with wool, which has "memory"... so maybe I'll use some of my already spun merino for it, and dye it some matching color. The alpaca is getting pretty fine.. gonna be some nice stuff!
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
cough cough
Sorry for the lack of updates.. I've been sick this past week. I've actually been knitting some, but nothing interesting. Plodding on with the sock and Anouk.. I'm just about ready to bind off the sock, so that's good, right? And as long as I start the second sock soon, it might get done.
I'm trying to burn through as much of my roving as possible.. I've got a birthday coming up and am really hinting for something soft and spinnable! If not a spinning wheel- but that's sort of out of the question due to the lack of space. I think I'll play with the Sheep and Wool alpaca next! That still leaves me with over a pound of.. blah stuff. Mostly dark blue/green woolish stuff. And some vaguely koolaid smelling mostly dark brown wool with bits of bright blue. with loads of lanolin, I think. I'm hoping that a bit of washing/soaking will get rid of it. but in the meantime, my hopes are set on soft stuff.. merino, anyone?
I'm trying to burn through as much of my roving as possible.. I've got a birthday coming up and am really hinting for something soft and spinnable! If not a spinning wheel- but that's sort of out of the question due to the lack of space. I think I'll play with the Sheep and Wool alpaca next! That still leaves me with over a pound of.. blah stuff. Mostly dark blue/green woolish stuff. And some vaguely koolaid smelling mostly dark brown wool with bits of bright blue. with loads of lanolin, I think. I'm hoping that a bit of washing/soaking will get rid of it. but in the meantime, my hopes are set on soft stuff.. merino, anyone?
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
why I love working as a contractor for "the man"
because I get to go in when everyone else at my work has off friday for the national day of mourning! Yay! our other contractors have off.. why not us!? I'd really be more productive at work if they'd occasionally give us piddly days off along with the rest of the world. Oh well. It's still a nice job!
I got the reds plied. about 103 yards. the color is more interesting than this, but I guess it's this general shade. Hopefully a better picture can be taken in the sun!
The latest of this other wool is the one on the right- about 50 yards.
I got the reds plied. about 103 yards. the color is more interesting than this, but I guess it's this general shade. Hopefully a better picture can be taken in the sun!
The latest of this other wool is the one on the right- about 50 yards.
Monday, June 07, 2004
spinning machine
who needs spinning wheels? Not me, apparently. But I'm going to run out of the nice stuff pretty quick if I don't slow down a bit! My fingers are getting a little sore where I draft from, so perhaps it's time for a break? This doesn't show all the colors of it- there's a few lighter reds and blues and oranges and greens as well... hopefully they will show up once it's plied!
Anyhow, it's quite enough red and orange to last me a while. Especially when both my socks and Anouk are... orange. And next on my list: an orange peace fleece sweater. Ugh. Maybe it's time to whip out some quick felted bags?
Yesterday afternoon, a few people came over for one of the knitting groups.. we drank enough sangria to make untangling this for way more than an hour bearable:
This is only a part of a 1250 yard skein of some very soft and lovely alpaca... slated for a first sweater! We sorted out a couple of medium sized balls, so hopefully she can at least get a start on a sweater! It was... so. soft. :)
In running news, I got new shoes! And new socks! And a new top! Hopefully the shoes'll help with my knees not liking running. They're a pretty hideous easter egg yellow. who designs these things?
Anyhow, it's quite enough red and orange to last me a while. Especially when both my socks and Anouk are... orange. And next on my list: an orange peace fleece sweater. Ugh. Maybe it's time to whip out some quick felted bags?
Yesterday afternoon, a few people came over for one of the knitting groups.. we drank enough sangria to make untangling this for way more than an hour bearable:
This is only a part of a 1250 yard skein of some very soft and lovely alpaca... slated for a first sweater! We sorted out a couple of medium sized balls, so hopefully she can at least get a start on a sweater! It was... so. soft. :)
In running news, I got new shoes! And new socks! And a new top! Hopefully the shoes'll help with my knees not liking running. They're a pretty hideous easter egg yellow. who designs these things?
Thursday, June 03, 2004
a plan
So I've been accumulating small skeins a lot lately, and decided I should have at least some goal.. so the new plan is to spin all these colorful sampley wools, and spin the black, and create something somewhat rainbow colored. Maybe mittens? A hat? Not sure yet. The first skein is oranges and magenta. number two is yellow and greens. The last will be blues and purples. Nevermind that I'll probably never be caught dead in such bright colors! They are pretty...
We went running on the treadmill last night.. sad, since it's so nice out! but even with the treadmill, my knees were wimping out. Good news, I ran three minute stretches.. bad news, only did it twice. But after that, I did the elliptical for at least 10 minutes. not all was lost.
We went running on the treadmill last night.. sad, since it's so nice out! but even with the treadmill, my knees were wimping out. Good news, I ran three minute stretches.. bad news, only did it twice. But after that, I did the elliptical for at least 10 minutes. not all was lost.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
who needs knitting?
when there's SO MUCH wool to spin. I think I only knitted for an hour or two this entire weekend. I only got a few inches done on the other half of Anouk. But the weekend was nice- Lots of eating and drinking, and a whole day of doing nothing! No cleaning, no cooking... we did go jogging (among oodles of cicadas), and took a brief jaunt to the grocery store so I could get more koolaid, but relaxing all in all.
Here's another shot of the grape skein- turned out to be abut 93 yards.
Any suggestions on what to do with these smallish skeins? I was thinking of top-down hats, but hate figuring out the math for these things. I tried one last week that.. didn't work. I know it's not so hard, and I *can* do math... really...
Here's some Little Barn mystery wool I got from MD sheep and wool:
It was too good a deal... a whole pound for $15. Only, it was a WHOLE POUND! It's not as soft as the other wool I've used, so who knows what it'll turn into. I'm hoping it's good enough for a sweater, or something larger than a hat... Assuming I spin it all, right?
Here's another shot of the grape skein- turned out to be abut 93 yards.
Any suggestions on what to do with these smallish skeins? I was thinking of top-down hats, but hate figuring out the math for these things. I tried one last week that.. didn't work. I know it's not so hard, and I *can* do math... really...
Here's some Little Barn mystery wool I got from MD sheep and wool:
It was too good a deal... a whole pound for $15. Only, it was a WHOLE POUND! It's not as soft as the other wool I've used, so who knows what it'll turn into. I'm hoping it's good enough for a sweater, or something larger than a hat... Assuming I spin it all, right?
