Continuing On

Since last I was heard from in this forum, lo these many months, I busted all out of my comfort zone and entered handspun in the Estes Park Wool Market and the local county fair.  Yes, I set myself up for the judgey-ness of others.

It was worth it.  I received reinforcement and accolades for my mad spinning skilz.  I also received valuable comments, insight, and...well...confidence.  Not to mention some of the big ribbons!  Yeah, that part was pretty sweet. There were some nice awards/prizes that came with some of those big ribbons, too, but really, the former 4-H-er in me was all about the ribbons!

In addition, a fellow knitter, who also spins, bought some of my handspun, even after seeing it up close, offering to pay the going rate.

Add to that, a fellow weaver's/spinner's guild member asked me to be part of the Sheep to Shawl team at Estes Park next year. Now while I am not sure about being able to spin as fast as that requires, I said yes anyway because I think it sounds like a whole lot of fun to be in the mountains among like minded people, and furry creatures, spinning the day away.

My point is, and I do have one, I have the confidence that I spin a decent yarn than can be knit into decent garments. (Some of my entries were items knitted from my handspun.) I am considering offering some skeins for sale again.

(I installed the app so I might blog from my smarty pants phone. Who knows where it might lead? Bear with me while I figure out the formatting issues and auto-correct eccentricities. And the photo thing...there is, of course, photo capabilities with the phone but gah! Not the fancy smancy camera kind.)

Alpaca yarn

In spite of the KittyBoy to make it his bed, I finished a couple bobbins of alpaca singles and 2-plied two skeins worth amounting to 488 yards.

I am blending a 10 oz batt purchased at Alpacas on the Rocks, and some 8 ounces of fleece I purchased at the Alpaca Extravaganza in Longmont (6 oz after scouring).  The two are not the same shades of morrit or rose-grey, but sort of kind of close. I am exact that way.

I am alternating portions as I spin the singles, resulting in random color combining while plying.  After setting the twist and drying, I like what I have.

The singles were spun finely, with a backwards long draw, so the yarn is woollen (more or less).  I have nothing in mind at this point for a finished product, and I still have probably 2/3’s still to spin.

Guild and Workshop Saturday!

I am looking forward to the weaver’s and spinner’s guild this Saturday (NCWG).  The program and workshop has to do with spinning, and therefore…it’s all for me me me!!!

AND.

The workshop is going to be given by Maggie Casey (Start Spinning, Shuttles, Spindles & Skeins).  I have taken 2 other classes from her, and signed up (and paid) right away.  Good thing, too.  The workshop is full up, with a waiting list!

I am a lucky spinner, indeed!

In related spinning news, this is what will have to be taken off Molly, the Marvelous Matchless so she can go to Guild with me. (Molly loves road trips!)

Alpaca, woolen-spun, fine.  I have a total of 16 oz to spin, and intend to finish it as 2-ply.  Or that’s what I am thinking now. I don't have anything in particular in mind yet to knit it into.

Spinning

So about the spinning class with Maggie Casey at Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins in Boulder. (that has required me to drive an hour and 10 minutes each way, in the dark, not getting home until almost 11!) (which is really HAAAA-AAAR-RRRD for me!!!)

Maggie has given us homework!  Honest.

Also, the class is almost over. And that makes me really sad, because it has been all sorts of splendid and terrific and excellent.  And I have learned lots and lots and lots.  And I would like for it to go on forever.

Except for the driving….four hours, uphill both ways, barefoot, in the snow…

Skills have been honed and reinforced and reviewed.  I really really think I know the difference AND how to spin woollen (more fun and fluffier) and worsted (harder, but prettier).  For today.  Maybe not for today.  I got it mixed up and had to correct myself while typing that!

I spun fat fluffy yarn – on purpose.  When one starts spinning, it tends to be all thick with the occasional overtwisted skinny place.  With more experience and control, one is able to spin nice, and mostly even, skinny plies.  One takes photos of plies with coins and pencils for reference to show the thinness of the plies. But alas! When one wants to spin some fluffy stuff again, the fluffy mojo is seemingly lost.

Not so for me, not anymore.

We practiced Navajo (chain) plying.  I have all the right moves, although sometimes my moves get a bit confused as to the order in which they should be performed…

New things have been learned.  Maggie showed us how to use scary wool combs, and that made for some sweet fiber with which to spin.  But those things are seriously dangerous, too.

And while we talked all around twists per inch and bumps per inch and wraps per inch, the rubber met the road with the homework, when she assigned to us the task of bringing back to class samples of 6, 14, and 24 wraps per inch. (Failed to produce the 6! Got 26, down to 20, then down to 16 then down to 14…) Next assignment was to bring samples with 3, 6, and 10 bumps per inch. (Success, but at the cost of consistency!)

The classes are two and a half hours long, and the time just flies by. Only one class left, this week.

But on the upside? Maggie is teaching an upcoming workshop at the weavers/spinners guild this spring.

Something to look forward to, then.

Spinning (and A Small World) (But Not Really..)

25 % of my drives so far to Boulder for spinning with Maggie Casey have been uneventful except for a gorgeous sunset.

My first class was Thursday night, and I got home late, after getting home late the night before after playing bunko.  My life is a swirl of activity, I swear!

My bunko-mates have spoken to me about the possibility of becoming a regular regular as opposed to a regular sub.  That comes with the responsibilities of possibly hosting! I don’t know…I might just prefer remaining a temp…all the fun but none of the work.

So back to the spinning class.  Oh, it’s serious, all right. Maggie gave us homework.  That’s exactly how serious.

A couple days ago I read this blog post by the Yarn Harlot, about her time at SOAR (Spin-Off’s Autumn Retreat), and about how enchanting was Margaret Stove.  I long to go to SOAR one day, but I think I would be so intimidated by those I read about attending, I would probably not be able to spin a lick, and would be looked upon as a rank amateur. Which, of course, I might be.

Back to Margaret Stove.  She has a wonderful new book, Wrapped In Lace, and following the Yarn Harlot’s post, Spin-Off put out another SOAR update, and the fact that the Interweave folks had ‘whisked’ her off from SOAR’s location in Wisconsin to Loveland for, filming a DVD to go with her book.  Knitting Daily had a wonderful story from her, too, this past week.

It always gives me a buzz to think of such heady folk so close by to where I live and work and breath. And once again, I digress.

I was the first to arrive last night, and as Maggie finished her preparations, and I got myself situated, she asked me if I knit lace.  I replied that I liked to think I knit lace, and related my recent three attempts at the Swallowtail shawl before cashing it in and putting it aside for Christmas knitting.

And she told me about Margaret Stove, who she was with at SOAR the past week, and has a wonderful new book on lace knitting.  Maggie said she discovered that Margaret was supposed to stay in a hotel while in our area, but Maggie picked her up from the airport and that she stayed with her.  And that’s she’s just a delightful person.  And also Margaret gave Maggie some 16 micron count merino…which is really fine stuff for those readers (and I know I am assuming here) who don’t know fibery stuff.

Then Maggie taught me spinning.

In my mind…somehow…I see a connection…tenuous….like a fiber…of 16 micron merino perhaps…

The bottom line is this.  I am very privileged to have the opportunity to learn spinning from Maggie Casey.

Now I am off to do my homework.

More Spinning Lessons

I know what I was thinking.  I was thinking I wanted to finesse my spinning skills and that I wanted to take another class from Maggie Casey to do that, and I got on the ‘pre-newsletter call list’, and when I got the call, I was thinking I was going to go for it.

And go for it I did.  I signed up for the fall Spinning 201 class.  At Shuttles.  In Boulder.  On Thursday nights from 7-9:30.  Starting November 4. For four weeks, skipping Thanksgiving.

What was I thinking?  It will be cold and dark and the weather might be lousy, too.  When I get home from work, ask the Guy.  It’s like pulling teeth to get me back out, and here I have plunked down money for just that very privilege.

But just not getting out for, say, a trip to Home Depot.  Oh noooooo.  I will be…

Driving over an hour both ways.

In the dark.

In the cold.

And probably the rain…by myself…

Getting home WA-AA-AY past my getting-in-my-stretchy-pants time.

For spinning.

Well, I won’t be totally alone.  Molly, the Marvelous Matchless will be riding shotgun!

I may be certifiably bonkers.

Convoluted Success

I spent a good part of a past Sunday working with the alpaca and Jacob handspun that I thought I would dye. I had mumbled and muttered through what colors I was going to try (dark orange for the Jacob, and orchid for the alpaca, and finally got off dead center.

At the end of the day, I had dyed the alpaca dark orange. Being more brownish, I felt it would do better, and the Jacob which was intending to be orchid (one part fuchsia, one part turquoise) turned out blue.

Not really a problem.  Orchid was a nice thought, but orchid schmorchid....I love blue.

What was a problem was that I dyed the six skeins of each fiber in 2 skein batches in the dedicated apparatus (otherwise known as the avocado green crockpot) and the batches? Well, I tried to do it precisely and scientifically and all, but…well, separate dye lots are not equal dye lots….as it were.

The next evening, thinking what I needed to do was overdye each fiber as a whole batch, I hauled my blue enamel canning pot up from the basement. And dusted it off.  The dye bath was prepared using the same colors as before, and this time the process resulted in a consistent color. The only variation is due to the original shading of the fiber.

The dark orange dye exhausted almost completely which means the dyed yarn was left setting in almost clear water. The blue did not. My research leads me to think this is typical of the fuchsia and turquoise dyes. They are powerful dyes! The rinsing after dyeing resulted in almost completely clear water, so I feel the dye is set in the yarn, and that I used too much dye.

Still learning. About this and so many other things...

Interestingly, my laundry room, where I had 12 skeins of dark orange and blue (not orchid) yarn hanging? Sort of looked like there was Denver Broncos fan club thingie going one. Which is a little weird, because I am not so much one. Just sort of turned out that way….

Results? I am very pleased, and excited to pick something out of my queue to knit this stuff into.

On The Needles

There lots of road time during the recent vaycay to and from the National Parks, and therefore, it follows, some knitting was done.

Started on the way to Yellowstone and finished as of today...

Twirly Skirt, by Barefoot Knits  from Tahki Yarns Cotton Classic and Cotton Classic II (lower tier).

Modified to knit in the round, so miles and miles of knitting, and totally appropriate for certain times and mind-killing at others. Also enclosed the elastic casing as I went, and used three rows of garter stitch instead of turning up a hem. I used a stretchy 'knit two stitches, then knit those tog, knit another st, knit those two together, etc."cast off. I don't know what the technical term is for that one. Maybe someone can help me out. Anyway.  Made for a flippy hem.  I hope to give to Grandbebe Girl tomorrow and get a photo of her wearing it.  It is turned out very, very cute. I have two more planned for the other grandbebe girls.

Current projects being concentrated on…

Green Socks, using the Elongated Cord Rib, from Sensational Knitted Socks (rav link) by Charlene Schurch (I love this book!) from Lonesome Stone Mountain Feat. Making these shortie socks because of the amount of yarn I have available, and because…I mostly just like shortie socks.  One is done, one is past the gusset. And like every sock I have made using this book, and the suggestions set out by this book, the socks fit like a dream.

Hiking Socks 2, by KyleAnn Williams (Walking in the Maize Socks), from Fortissima Socka (no photo yet). One is past the gusset.

Also on the spinning front…the Jacob (from the Estes Park Wool Market 2 years ago) is almost completely plied. I carded it by shade, and spun it into singles mostly white here and grey there. I am plying it together, grey and white to make sort of a tweedy look. I may dye it. I may not. Then again, I might…I love having a good plan to stick to.

Next to spin, I think the rose-grey alpaca….or the CVM/Corriedale….or maybe something already prepared. Now wouldn’t that be unusual?!

Knitting My Own

During the spinning workshop at the Estes Park Wool Market, it was said the way to spin better yarn was to knit with the yarn we spin.

Huh. Go figure.

Well, I have knitted some socks from the baby alpaca I processed, to some more or less success. They were wonderful to wear, and wear them I did. They did not prove to be very durable.

Life is all about lessons, don’t you know.

I have given my handspun away, asking others to let me know how it knitted up. Nothing like shifting the burden! And getting a useful opinion on which to base further judgment. Or maybe not so much.

I trust Ms. Casey’s wisdom. It has proven out in the past.

And Youngest mentioned (perhaps in passing, but perhaps not!) that she should like something made from the Shades of Crimson yarn I handspun/painted. So, after some diligent searching for some pattern of some thing I felt appropriate for the yarn, and the daughter, and the yardage, and my mood…

I found this Sunkist Cardi (by Kirstin Kapur, rav linky).

I am knitting it from this. I spun 12 oz of white BFL (blue faced Leicester wool) into about 540 yards of 2-ply, which I handpainted with 3 shades of Crimson Red, by sub-diluting the first and most concentrated solution.

A bit of the way in so far, and this much is known. The knitting with this yarn is good. Quite good, actually.

Good enough that:

#1, I might not give anymore of it away!
#2, I might relist some in our Etsy store, Atomic Sisters, because folks, this stuff is seriously nice to knit with.
#3, I am queueing up what is going to be my next handspun project to knit, and to spin.

Very motivating this has all been.
Very, indeed!

Spinning With Maggie

I have had a most awesome two day workshop. I will try to hold in my gushing about it.  But it was SO!AWESOME!!

Maggie is a fantastic teacher.  I learned so very much, with many facts finally sinking in, and worked on finessing and/or honing many other techniques.

So worth the time, effort, and money spent on the whole experience.

We had about 15 in the class, ranging in experience from someone who had spun 2 pounds of wools on a drop spindle (!), to those who knew not which end of a wheel to spin from. We came from the western slope, the front range, Nebraska, and Texas. And other places, but those are what I remember.

Personally, what really sunk in were 'fleece facts', stuff like crimp and strength and such.  (I had read, but now I have seen and done.  My learning cycle is complete.) Also, the difference in woolen and worsted yarn and how to spin for both.  (I am pausing just now to review in my mind the exact difference...woolen=lofty fuzzy, carded...worsted=silkier, smoother, combed...by george, I think she has it!)

Personally, technique-wise, I have moved past short forward draw/inch worm style of drafting.  Friday afternoon, I finally had the long draw method 'sink in'.  I was afraid to say anything for a while, for fear that Maggie would walk over to see, and the spell would be broken!  But there I was-spinning and smiling...and long-drawing...

I learned a better, and by better, I mean way easier, way to card, and a smoother way to ply.

And regarding the worsted/woolen thing, we spent some time learning to spin worsted yarn in a couple of way, including spinning from the fold.

Yes, my head is full.

Also my heart, because if I didn't love Maggie before (she sold Betsy to me, and educated me on drum carders) I do now!

(and I might buy a drum carder today...who knows) (I mean, it's raining and what else is there to do?)

On the Needles

Peasy (Hiedi Kirrmaier) in Aarlen Cashmere (Thanks, Martha! It is like buttah to knit!) I'm about halfway home, I think.

February Lady (FlintKnits) in Falkland Shetland for the Eldest

And a couple pair of socks.

We are heading to E. Kansas to visit the Guy's dad and step-mother EOW. These projects should keep me out of trouble.  I think...

At the wheel.

Alpaca, spinning up pretty thin.

I have this...

And this...

that looks like this as singles and plied...

My plan is to ply it all together and see how much I get!

Next up is the Jacob I scoured. It's all carded (by color/shade).  And weighed in at 1 lb., 1 3/8 oz. (down from 2 lbs. pre-scouring!)

In the pot

I have been 'practicing' some more at handpainting, and combining/blending colors.

Resulting in this...

And this...

which may end up as Navajo plying practice, or more coats for soap!  I used more of the white wool top seconds, so this is only practice stuff and really serves as nothing more.

Through the hackle

This!  I made a diz using a juice lid, and it has held up better than the cardboard or thinner plastic ones I attempted blending with the homemade DIY hairpick hackle.  I actually sort of got the hang of it.. I think.  This is 3 colors of merino I blended together.  I am anxious to see what it looks like spun up, but I am a monogamous type of girl, and also have only four bobbins, so will need to finish the alpaca first.

If it works, if I see that I have this blending thing going, I have a bit of cashmere, a wee bit of paco vicuna, and some silk that I thought I would try making, you know, a real luxury blend...of about 2 1/2 oz.!

And that is all for now.

(I know.  I am teetering on the edge...)

Too Much Fun

Friday, I stopped by the thrift store on my way. You know, just to see if there was a steamer. I’ve been reading again, you see.  This time about the handpaint dyeing technique. Steaming is required, and to me (again with the dedicated apparatus) to save my microwave and brand new stove, I opted to chance a thrift store find.

Which I did. Doesn’t have a lid, but some aluminum foil works dandy. For the price!

I got out my white wool top seconds and weighed a known quantity, tied it (with the suggested figure-8 technique to prevent tie-dye effects) (see how she learns!) and set it to soak. In gathering up the rest of the paraphanelia, I realized I didn’t have the foam brushes I thought I did. So off I tripped to the beauty supply place.

Again. I have been there now for a wig head (for blocking hats), hair picks ( for the DIY hackle), and now, applicator bottles. This time she asked if I wanted a frequent purchaser card.  I declined.  For now....

I mixed three colors of dye, and organized 'a protected area' (technical term) using an old shower curtain, laid out my saran wrap, the soaked roving on top of the wrap, and started squirting the dye. Wearing gloves, I pressed the dyes through the roving to make sure it got through the whole thickness.

When I was convinced the wool top was colorful enough, I wrapped it up in the saran wrap, making a big jelly roll, and placed it in the steamer for 35 minutes. After cooling, I removed the roll to the sink, unwrapped it, and rinsed in soapy water, followed by clear.  The colorful roving was allowed to dry.

The process didn’t go perfectly, but I learned some things. So...on the whole, a successful exercise.

• I will use a smaller amount of roving for the width of wrap I used.
• I know now to blot up the excess dye after ‘painting’.
• I understand what the soaking bath needs to be.

However, it turned out sort of pretty. The steamer worked. The kitchen didn’t end up dyed. So Wonderful Guy was amused by it all.

 

And. And! Not wanting to waste anything…

 

After a quick and dirty spin job, I had a bobbin of single ply ready to try my hand at Navajo plying. A quick check of my resources, and by that I mean I watched this again.

I had some leftover BFL single ply that I took off the bobbin trying to follow Miss Sara. She makes it looks so easy…

 

The resulting effort.  It's...not...immediately easy...

Then I watched it again.

And again. And again.

I loaded up the handpainted on Molly and went to it, and just kept at it. After some spits and starts, I filled a bobbin more or less. Then walked away and left it for a bit.

 

1st effort

The next day I wrapped that off, and looked at it. It was a practice exercise, certainly, and I was ready for my second attempt. I am getting much closer. Part of it will be getting the wheel tension dialed in, but of course, most of it is getting me dialed in! (Who am I kidding!)

 

2nd effort

But. But! I am loaded with ideas to try the handpainting again…

So there will be more with which to practice the Navajo plying.

See. It’s all good.

I'm In!

from the Philly Flower Show...

I heard today that I made it in the Spinning Workshop during the Estes Park Wool Market. Two days learning with Maggie Casey!

I. am. so. excited!

And so is Molly.

Tonight was my last 'beginning photography' class. I gained enough nuggets of knowledge to justify the time and money, I think.  I am not rushing to enroll in the next class, however.  I am going to play around with the camera for a while.  I was pleased with my experience at the flower show.  While my 'artsy composition' may be lacking, my technical skills are gaining ground.

So progress, and that is good.

And that's all there is tonight.  I have had a really busy week, with knitterly peeps, and watching the grandbebe girls, and photog class.  Which is all good, but on top of a cold, getting back into the swing of things at work, the timezoning and all...well, that's just all I have.

At least I am back to blogging!

Home Again Home Again Redux

And it was a good vacation, from start to finish.

Lots of visiting.  Lots of laughing.

Things were seen. Places were viewed.  Photos were taken.

Food was eaten.  Slippers were gifted (and all but one pair fit).

A terrific amount of plane knitting occurred.

Tomorrow it's back to my routine.  But!

Spring (and the garden) is a bit closer, and when I got home...

My first issue of Interweave Knits was awaiting me...

And Molly!  Why...whoever could be Molly?

It's Molly, the Marvelous Matchless.  New to me, she arrived Saturday, the day after I left, and has been cooling her heels at the post office until Wonderful Guy could retrieve her on his return from the job yesterday.  (I may have sort of implied that he needn't bother picking me up from the airport if he didn't make it to the PO first...maybe...)

I unpacked her last night to ensure she arrived intact, then set her up this morning and spun some. Oh my goodness.

Fun fun fun!  I barely tore myself away to let KitKatKnit (who generously let me have first crack at buying her) know she arrived safely, and to post here about my new friend.

Now, sadly, I must post that Betsy, the flying Lendrum is for sale. Sniff. She's been a good and true friend, but I cannot, I will not, start collecting wheels.  Off to Ravelry I go.

(PS If one is interested, Betsy is 3 years old, and has been lovingly used.  Comes intact with all parts, plus 3 extra bobbins (orig 16.50 each).  I will include oil and roving as well.  I have the original paperwork (such as it is) and the original box for shipping.  I am asking $450, plus shipping.)

To Drum Card…

Or not to drum card? Perhaps the bigger question is whether or not to spend the money on a drum carder!

Last weekend, Wonderful Guy and I made our yearly trek south to Celestial Seasonings in Boulder to stock up on tea. And shop the gift shop. But mostly to shop for tea. There they sell EVERY flavor they carry. (DSis, there’s another thing we gave the kiss of death to by loving it…CS Emperor’s Choice Red Tea…) And for less.

So one big bag of mostly herbal tea , along with a few Christmas gifts, later, we left there, and I suggested that Wonderful Guy drop me at Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins, and he could take in the local motorcycle shop. He was dubious, but I said I had some knitting to work on if he took too long. Besides, if the opportunity presented, I thought I might ask about drum carders.

Well, it didn’t seem promising. It was one busy Saturday at S3, and there really isn’t any place just to sit and knit. I saw lots of wheels and looms and supplies, but no drum carders. I wasn’t going to buy any yarn not on sale (not my nature!), but it’s a big place and largely unexplored by me, so I decided to just look around, then look at the books until the Guy returned.

Then who should come up to me and ask if I was looking for something but Maggie Casey. I swear. I have been in that store three times and she has been the one to help each time. (Read the story of her selling me Betsy the Flying Lendrum) So I tell her I am thinking about drum carders, and we chat a bit. I tell her I haven’t really seen one demonstrated. And that is all it took. She recommended to me one they do not sell at S3, but spent about 20 minutes showing/teaching/answering my questions. All the while knowing what I needed/wanted wasn’t what they sold!

She is a marvel.

And I bought some merino roving before I left there. Solely on principle.

Button, Button (and Show! And Tell!)

I need help with my button choices.

DSis has bailed me out of having to go shop (and purchase) buttons for the BSJs Three by diving into her vintage button collection. So generous a soul you have never met. And I am seriously meaning that.

The choice is clear for this one. The grey buttons tie in the yarn color change required due to lack of yardage. Looks almost…planned! And I think I like it. From Rowan Cashsoft, and afterthought Alpaca, for Grandbebe 2…

And I believe I like these with this. This is from yarn I traded for on Ravelry. It is a Chinese synthetic blend, according to my translators. I like the tweedy look, but initially I was not sure how all those ‘spots’ in the skein were going to knit up! This is Grandbebe Girl’s BSJ #2, her first having been felted. Oops.

However, it is not clear at all for the last. Wonderful Guy and I have thrown our hands up in despair, and I am turning other resources for help. From Crystal Palace Crème, for Grandbebe Bean.

Which are favorite?

These?

Or these? To be clear, these match much better than it shows, at least through my monitor.  Consider that.
Please advise. I need outside opinions. I am at a loss.
I have even considered alternating! Save me from myself!

Other goings on...
Black Alpaca (3-ply, 120 yd/skein, 2 skeins, 10-12 wpi) Going to the Shoppe.

Merino/Bamboo/Tencel (2-ply, 190 yd, a prize batt from Kathleen in Peru) Staying Home!

Jacob Wool kind of scratchy to spin! Worked up with a lot of loft. (2-ply, 8-10 wpi, 3 oz/skein, 2 skeins) This will go to market.

Also there is the already aforementioned Alpaca Clouds, also Staying Home!

The holidays are coming. Little over a month. I am working on the famous (not really) Iron Needles Xmas List Xcel Spreadsheet.

There is much knitting on the list. Much knitting on the list not knitted.

Why!?!

Because lately it’s been easier to sit and spin, and make more yarn that needs to be knit up!

Unfortunately, there is exactly one person on my list that might even be interested in handspun yarn.

Oh, the conundrum!

Must. Continue. Knitting. Christmas is coming!

Quilt (and Others) Update

The quilt is pieced, sandwiched, and quilting has started. Progress is not only being seen, but is finally being shared.

Now that this puppy is sandwiched, a few good knit projects are hitting these Needles of Iron. I am starting with a couple of BSJ’s, and going from there.

Because, you see, I have new yarn. Yes, yes, I succumbed, but oh what a deal! 50% off Mountain Colors! I could not walk on by.

Also, I have this, gifted to me by the generous ~Wunx on the occasion of our meeting, on the occasion of Grandbebe Bean's early birthin’. Reach through the screen and pet. Pink and cashmere it is. Sillllky cashmere!

And this is the vintage cashmere and lambswool I recently received from Martha at Q is for Quilter. Lovely, lovely soft stuff, with these great vintage pattern books to go along.

Yes. I have me some knitting urges and there is only one way to tame them. My deal with myself is once the quilting started, I get to start knitting, too.

Also there will be…actually there IS….spinning! I think I might try the Yarn Harlot’s philosophy to set aside one day for spinning. Not that I get to do this sort of thing daily, having the mundane routine of a job and all, but for instance, if it’s Tuesday, or Wendnesday, or whatever day I set aside as ‘Spinning Day’, and I have the opportunity to do ‘something’, then I spin. Because, you see, I went to Alpaca on the Rocks and purchased more of what I already have, but which I could not resist. (But Liz bought some, too!) Dearest Sister has an idea of what I might be able to do to support this deadly habit I have.

Anyway. I think ‘spinning day’ might work. I certainly think it might be worth a try, now that the weather is turning. And turning it is. Oh, we will have more warm days, but this past week we were reminded that Fall. Is. Here.

I spun on this on Saturday.  Not sayin' that Saturday if for spinnin'.  Just that maybe the alpaca fumes got to me!

P.S. I am not ready for fall.

P.P.S Neither are my tomatoes. Of which I finally have some.