I hardly ever win...

...anything, or so it seems. Probably like that for most people. Look what arrived yesterday in the mail! My winnings from Crazy Aunt Purl's Sweepstakes for the daily drawing....

(Notice the Cat Who Would Be Queen, basking in the sunshine.) My only regret is that it is a bag of flavored Cheetos. Alas, I am a purist, but on the upside, I didn't scarf them down in one sitting last night.

The forecast for the weekend said warm, but windy. It has been wonderfully sunny and not breezy at all. Yesterday, Wonderful Guy got out on the Bandit. We took the Best Dog Ever for a walk after. It's suppose to get warmer today, and we are so getting out to do something. Anything!

So I am outa here!

Progress and FO’s

Look at the spindle now!

I have gained some confidence with this thing, and I think I am doing some good stuff here. I am looking forward to going to the lys tonight for some practice on the wheel. Told Wonderful Guy to fend for himself, dinner-wise, so I am all about the spinning wheel tonight! I think if I can get a quite a bit on a spool, maybe I can ply it with what I have on my spindle, and have a real knittable hank of yarn. Last Friday’s class resulted in some decent plying of some less than decent spinning – not something I am going to knit up. More like something I will use for the ‘see my first spinning attempt’ photo.

Also last night, I finished Grandbebe Girl’s ‘Maple Seed Hat’ (ahknits). Now she will have a hat to match Grandmama’s scarf! I also finished the grafting for a dishcloth that has been sitting around for a week or so. Feels good to finish up some odd and ends.

Next, I continue to work on ‘Alison’s Scarf’ (modeknit). And I will start into another ball of dishcloth yarn. Have to have that going….what can I say? (Note: I received an email from my step-mother-in-law yesterday telling me she has started to use the dishcloths I gave her for Christmas, and how much she likes them. That’s fun, and …ooh, I do like that approval!)

And I need to start something new…whatever shall it be? Something different and challenging, something that doesn’t need a purchase of yarn. Maybe a Forest Canopy shawl out of the green Crème I bought at Woolen Treasures? (I didn’t say I couldn’t purchase a pattern!) Maybe I should attempt my 1st pair of socks? Hmmmm…..what to do? I need to check my resources (read: Ravelry and/or books at home).

And now for something completely different. I received notice yesterday that I was, indeed, a winner in the Crazy Aunt Purl sweepstakes! The Cheetos and books (all autographed and everything) and stuff were being mailed out this week. I am one lucky pants girl, ya’ll!

That Darn Streak of Competitiveness

Young Co-Worker and I went to the lys to practice with the spinning wheels yesterday after work.

She has been practicing industriously on her spindle and has amassed quite a bit of finely spun…stuff. I mean really nice…stuff. I, too, have been practicing, but mine does not look as nice, or is as plentiful. Our instructor, and others in the know, are all delighted, and rightly so, with her progress, where upon seeing my…stuff, they are encouraging…in patronizing sort of way. I called her 'teacher’s pet'!

This state of affairs is not without a motivating influence on me. I may be outdone by this young upstart, but not without a fight. (And some good excuse making, too! She had a head start with a lesson from an experienced spinner, and has more practice time, not being married and all.) I have all but foregone my evening knitting for the spindle. My WIP’s languish without any progress, but by golly, all I have to do is think of Young Co-Worker’s spindle full of ….stuff, Fine stuff, and I reach for the spinning bag over the knitting bag.

So back to the practice session at the wheels last night. I allowed myself an hour, and in that time I gained a lot of ground. I felt more naturally the rhythm of the pedals (read got the wheel going one direction, and maintained that direction), and I was feeling some control of the drafting. There was some overspinning, to be sure, and some underspinning. Sometimes it’s all about averaging things out in the long run. There were actual moments of brilliance, when I could believe I had IT, but then the space-time continuum would be disrupted, and I would lose the rhythm of the process.

Progress, not perfection, right?

In other news, I was one of the winners of the 'Cheetos packages' in the Crazy Aunt Purl Sweepstakes! I was so excited to see my name on the list of winners last November. That meant I could take her book off my Christmas list, as I was getting an autographed copy (an autographed copy). I have been anxiously awaiting notification, and it appears today, that maybe I have missed it somehow. Oh please oh please oh please let the powers that be do their magic and fix this somehow. I do not want to miss out on this particular little win in my life!