Merino is Keeno

 

Spoiled

I find that I am being spoiled by only spinning Merino. I tried some shetland last night and thought...Ughhhhh! What is this stuff. I'm sure I'll get over it...or maybe not. My speed with the drop spindle is really picking up and I'm producing yarn, yarn and more yarn. It's something to do when my mind cannot properly concentrate on knitting. That would be quite often these days.

I am still working on the lovely pale pink scarf and went today to find paint chips because I now believe this must be the color of my bedroom. 

Baby Suprise Sweater

Yes, this is Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Suprise sweater that I just finished yesterday. I decided to try and get out more, so I signed up for a 3 session class on this sweater. I went to one session. I wanted to meet more people, but the level of the knitters in the class was on the newbie side and they were too busy counting stitches, etc. to converse. I didn't go back, but finished the sweater anyway.

The bottom mitered corners in front were not hitting in the right place when I counted off the stitches per the pattern, so I just frogged that part and re-established the corner in it's proper place.

This is knitted in Heirloom washable wool from my trip to Australia. I wish I had knit it a bit tighter instead of going for the gauge. Ah vell. It will be comfortable for Isaac never the less.

I also got to use some vintage buttons from my collection, and that's always fun, even if it means to keep the sweater out of the dryer. I think it should dry flat anyway...

Suprise Sweater Back

 

Finished Felted case

My angelic friend Nana agreed to make me a felted computer case from the books Alterknits by Leigh Radford.
I had a felting phase that was brief because I just couldn't stand the amount of knitting on a large object, amoung other things. I knew that Nana loved felting and asked her if she was up for the task. It's perfect!! This is what knitting friends are for. 

Pre-Felted Laptop Case

 

Mohair/Merino

Yup, the long fibers get everywhere... 

Colors of the Circus?

 

Lighter and loftier spinning

 

Easter

Today was Easter. Didn't really feel like it at my house, except for the fact that for this last year, I've spent every holiday with my knitting group. It was Sunday, Starbucks was open and we did some serious knitting. Knitting and laughing. One more week with Paula before she goes to her Summer gig. WHAHHHHH. Seriously. I'll really miss her. We all will. Meanwhile I've been hand spinning lots and lots of yarn. I never thought I'd get so hooked on it considering what a resistance I put up initially. So, now I'm saying that I'm not going to get a spinning wheel. This is probably something I should not promise about. At this point I love the drop spindle. It's little, simple and just right for watching a movie on the couch. Okay, tired hands. Tired eyes. Should go to bed.

The cat who could care less about bunnies

 

The Cat Who Loves Bunnies

 

The Trojan Bunny

Not really, just folk art for the season. My cat Brahms used to take the now missing string and pull this along the floor. I suppose I love it because when I saw it at the store, I knew she would love it. 

Food for the Knitter

Embroidered Front of Lavender Sweater

Last Sunday, I was sitting in my knitting group...knitting. I had already been knitting around 6 hours that day. I had to finally admit it. I was in PAIN. Elbow, wrist, you name it. So, I agreed upon the insistance of those around me that I give it a rest.

Give it a rest.
Seems easy enough, until you come face to face with your compulsion. I promised 2 days. I actually pulled off 3 days. I did this by icing my arm and doing some drop spindle spinning. What really hurt the most was mousing at work.

Yesterday I went back to the lovely pink scarf, listened to Brenda's podcast and made some headway without seriously injuring myself. Today, I've been at a loss. Somehow the sweater that I was working on when the pain hit has faded in it's attraction to me. I have one sleeve cast on and here you have the front and the back. (Which were supposed to be the same, but I got bored and changed the pattern).

So, I thought I'd post the pinned pieces here on my blog as a way of reconnecting with them.

Here's the other thing: It's really Spring here and still all I want to do it knit with wool. For many of you, I can here you say, big deal! So what! Knit with the wool!!! I just like the immediate gratification of wearing what I knit pretty much right away.

This brings me to saying that the rain is letting up, it's nearly 1pm, I'm in a crap mood and I need to leave the house. So there. I actually wrote something

Back of Lavender Sweater

 

Cherry Blossoms in Portland

 

Footpath Patterns

 

Light Fragrence

 

Detail of Pink Maple

 

Pink

 

Chinese Garden Window

 

Spinning Thus Far

I never had much interest in spinning yarn. Then came my friend Elizabeth. She had this idea that we should try drop spindle spinning on our knitting retreat. Of course, Elizabeth is FULL of ideas, but some reason, I decided to indulge this one a bit. I bought some roving and a drop spindle. Come to find out, I was really the only one willing to pull away from knitting that weekend to give it a try---including Elizabeth!!!

So, here I am. I've now purchased a Niddy Noddy, spools, roving, etc. This image documents the crap yarn that I have thus far produced. I was thinking of plying these two together, but now I'm thinking I won't I like the one on the left just the way it is.

So, I doubt I'll ever become a spinner, but it has become a little mini diversion when my eyesight is suffering from the knit. 

Good Morning, Sunday