I do so love Amazon Prime–for one annual fee, I get free, 2-day shipping on anything they ship. I love that. Because, in this case, I ordered these books on Sunday night and they arrived today.

I bought them because they have prospects for that oh-so-well-named Sublime yarn I bought on Saturday. The “No Sheep for You” primarily Morrigan and the Cables-and-Os cardigan.

And then there’s that cover sweater on Couture Knits, which is just lovely.

But still . . . I don’t know . . . they’re promising, but I don’t know for sure that they’re what I want for that yarn. I can’t define exactly what I AM looking for, which of course makes it difficult to find. I’m hoping that I’ll know it when I see it. Or that the vision will crystalize in the back of my brain somewhere so that I can design it myself . . . whatever it is.

Speaking of beautiful knitting–have you seen these lace designs at Knitting Delight?

I’ve been busily spinning away at this month’s offering from the Spunky Eclectic club. Four ounces of Shetland, and I’ve got to tell you, it pretty much spins itself. So lovely. I’ve got the first half of it almost done–in fact, I should have it done tonight, just as soon as I get this entry posted. This is my first time spinning Shetland, so I don’t know for sure if this is a normal experience, but I can definitely vouch for the fact that this roving is delish.

What else? Well, I took Chappy to the vet today for a combo-visit of his annual check-up and an examination of his ongoing skin issues. The vet is thinking that it might be seborrhea, instead of a staph infection. His skin usually has at least one pustule somewhere, but it’s flared up recently. Of course, I’m the only one in the family who ever actually notices this (grin). Chappy’s getting to the point where, every time I start running my fingers methodically through his fur, he runs away.

It reminds me of our old dachshund, Jilly. She had ongoing periodontal problems, and my Mom would sniff at her breath, checking for problems, but Jilly caught on pretty quickly that breath-sniffing led to trips to the vet, so before long, whenever Mom would sniff, Jilly would turn her head away and leave. This is kind of where Chappy and I are getting to–normal petting and back-scratches are welcome, but the careful, running-through of fingers? Not so much.

Anyway, we were sent home from the vet with a new, medicated shampoo to try. He’s not crazy about the “two baths a week for at least three weeks” prescription, but since he usually gets ONE bath a week (which really does seem to help with his skin issues), this isn’t THAT much worse. And, so, yes, we came home and he got a bath.

He’s starting to dislike the bathroom now, too….

Here’s an interesting test I found over at Lu‘s–what’s your “real” age? My calendar age is 40, but according to this, my “real” age is 26.4, with a life expectancy of 88.6. I can live with that. (ha ha) Interestingly, my father, who is 30 years older than I am, charted in at 56.4 . . . still exactly 30 years older. What are the odds of that?

Oh, and I’ll tell you now that I’m not sure I’ll get a post written tomorrow–we have a wake to go to tomorrow night. A co-worker’s mother passed on after a long illness, and since I’ve known her for 26 years, well . . . I have to go. But that also means that I won’t be getting home until late-ish . . . the wake is in Ridgewood, so, about 40 minutes’ drive without traffic . . . and I wouldn’t want you to worry if I don’t find the time to post. If I’m lucky, I’ll get one written after work before we leave and all of this will have been completely unnecessary information, but I like to plan ahead, you know!

• Tags: Chappy, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Prospecting // 14 Comments »

The pre-blocking photo

The blocking photo. (Not the best shot since the gray blocking board kind of washes out the subtle sand-and-sky colors of the shawl, but still.)

The post-blocking photo.

The detail photo.

The “this is all the yarn I had left” photo. Not nearly enough for another pattern repeat, so I stopped at just the right time.

So, to recap. This is Evelyn Clark’s Flower Basket Shawl from Fall 2004 Interweave Knits, which yes, I’ve made before. It was ideal for this, though, because it’s a straight-forward lace so that variegated yarn didn’t matter that much, it didn’t require massive yardage, and it’s a fast knit. I mean, both times, it only took me about two weeks. This is as close to “instant gratification” as I think you can get for a lace shawl.

I made it in the yarn I spun myself from BFL roving from Vesper, in “Pacific.” This was my first time knitting lace with my own handspun, and while, yes, perhaps it was just a little on the variegated side an took away ever so slightly from the lace pattern . . . I don’t care. It’s gorgeous, and it was a pleasure to work with. All the way through the process–the roving was a dream to spin, and it was a soft, cushy treat to knit once it was yarn.

In other words, I’m happy!

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Baskets for Flowers // 27 Comments »

Chappy very much wanted to help with the Millennial contest–even though he doesn’t post (very often), he still gets all warm and fuzzy when he thinks about my blog . . . although, he’s warm and fuzzy to begin with you, understand, but still . . . I named it for him, so he has a special appreciation for it.

So . . . I told him he could be the judge. There were 50 comments on the contest post (51, technically, but one was a duplicate). I wrote the numbers on slips of paper, and then–since I did say it was possible that “Extra points may be accorded to comments that are particularly flattering while still sounding marginally sincere,” I gave the extra-nice (aka sucking-up) comments two chances to win.

He was so attached to the winner that I had to literally drag it out of his mouth . . . and then I barely got to see the number before he grabbed it back . . . Um, you’ll have to take my word on this because he kind of  . . . ate the winning slip.

So . . . the winner of this skein of yarn, handspun by yours truly . . .

You know, the approximately 360 yards of superwash, silk, and nylon from Franquemont Fibers in “Flame” . . .

The fiber that I ordered in June after lusting after her luxury batts for months before finally succumbing to the temptati . . .

. . . Oh, all right!

The winner is

Kristi the Fiber Fool!

Of course, she’s such an incredible spinner herself, my handspun will probably want to crawl back into the mailbox, but . . . she’s the winner Chappy picked. So, Kristi, please email me your address!

(And, I know, I would have thought he’d go for one of those “We love Chappy” comments, too, but who can figure out the way dogs think? I guess he was just trying to be impartial . . . besides, Chappy loves everybody.)

Thank you all for playing and making our landmark so much fun!

• Tags: Chappy, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Judging // 11 Comments »

It’s been a while since I went to Nonna’s Yarn Cafe, and today–since Denville was having a sidewalk sale and everything in the store was 30% off–seemed like a good day.

What did I come home with? Eighteen skeins of this luscious stuff. Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK in “Vanilla.” (Unfortunately, there’s not really much going on at the “official” website.) I’d never even heard of this yarn (where have I been), but oh, my word, this is just . . . wow. The specs? 75% extra fine merino, 20% silk, 5% cashmere. 116m/127yd to a 50g skein. 22 st/28 rows to 4″/10cm.

Did I mention that this stuff was soft? Because, it really is. And the knitted swatch and the scarf on display at the store looked just fabulous. Really crisp stitch definition, and a great sheen (without being actually shiny). It’s made up of 6 strands of 2-ply threads, and looks like it should wear pretty well for a yarn made up of merino, silk, and cashmere. (I pried one of the ends apart just to be able to tell you that.)

And, um, did I mention that it was soft?? Even softer to the touch than the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino they had in the store? I can just tell already that it’s going to be a treat to knit with.

To your next question, no, I do not know what I’m going to make with it. Except that it will be a sweater of some kind, with cables or lace or something to show off that stitch definition. Because, just . . . wow.

You’ll note that I did not sound this excited about either of those other two DK yarn purchases this month. The Elann Peruvian Highland Silk or the Reynolds Soft Sea Wool from Webs. Not because they weren’t both lovely. (And, believe me, if the Reynolds hadn’t been so NOT the color I wanted, I would have gushed over that, too. I definitely plan on trying that yarn some time.) They were both perfectly nice yarns, but . . . well . . . they’re going back. They just can’t compete!

‘Cause, you know, I kind of like this new stuff…. Now I just need to find a pattern worthy of it. Any ideas? Something like a cardigan, perhaps, with cables, or maybe lace? I’ll go off to browse Ravelry, but…

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Stashing // 10 Comments »

Chappy’s favorite yard-ornament.

No, no, not the flowers! What, you can’t see it?

I’m sure you understand why. He’s proud of his breed, you know. Of course, since he’s usually IN the yard, he doesn’t get to see the sign that often, but he still loves it. He even helped pick it out in a pet store in Olde Mystic Village last time we went through Connecticut . . . who knew he enjoyed shopping that much? He was so pleased, he couldn’t stop his tail from wagging.

(Although, maybe that was because he was out of the car?)

Brought to you by:

• Tags: Chappy, Eye-Candy Friday • Permalink:Street // 7 Comments »

It might be a little over-plied in spots, but here it is, my really lovely new yarn. And, really, a little over-plying isn’t necessarily a bad thing for sock yarn–the socks will just wear longer, right? The really good part is that it’s pretty consistent in size. And I’m very, very happy with it. See the little sparkly bits? That’s nylon for strength. And the gleam? That’s the silk–all surrounded by superwash merino for soft wonderfulness.  Assuming I didn’t lose count, that was 179 turns around the niddy-noddy, so . . . just under 360 yards.

Right now, in these pictures (one with a flash, one without), it’s actually still wet. I haven’t been able to fondle it as much as I’d like to. I think I might have soaked it just a little too long in its hot water bath–the red dye ran and now the yellow parts aren’t quite so yellow as they were before I washed it, but again, who cares? It’s still gorgeous.

Which means that I’m going to do a really, really good thing . . . I’m going to give it up. I told you that, if it came out well, I’d make it the prize for my Millennial contest. Because, of course, I wouldn’t give it away as a prize if I wasn’t proud of it . . . but I am, and it’s gorgeous, and well . . . it’s now officially the prize.

That includes not only the fiber from Franquemont Fiber, but the blood and sweat of yours truly. Well, okay, not really any blood, but there was definitely sweat. Of course, ladies sweat. They perspire, or they “glow.” Well, I was practically dripping with “glow” last night. I treadled so hard to get this all done last night! My legs are still tired today, and I finally understand the appeal of an electric spinner. Not that I’m going to go buy one, but . . . I understand the appeal.

I’ve been seriously tired all day. So tired, I barely flipped through the new anniversary issue of Vogue Knitting which came today. It’s a huge issue, as befits a 25th anniversary issue. I don’t always love the patterns in this magazine, but I’ve always loved the articles. Although in my brief flip-through, I did see a mention of Ruth from Knitting on Impulse and also one of Modern Yarns in Montclair. How nifty is that, huh? It’s always good to see friends doing well.

I’ve subscribed for a long time, too. See? Thats the Fall/Winter 1988 issue, the oldest in my collection. I think I’m going to have to reread that interview with Elizabeth Zimmerman, you know, now that I’ve got the magazine sitting right in front of me. It’s kind of fun  looking through it, actually. There’s an ad for Rowan Knitting Book Number 4–40 new designs in full color for just $9.50, and I actually made this sweater way back then.

Oh, and in the lame fortune cookie stakes? How is this second one possibly, remotely a “fortune?” It’s not even a pithy aphorism or saying like the other two. No, it’s the fortune cookie version of an advertisement or a shopping list. As you finish your meal, it’s telling you, don’t forget to bring some take-out home. Sheesh.

Booking Through Thursday

Well, after last week’s record-breaking number of responses (92 last time I checked–an all-time BTT record), I was tempted to use this week’s question to ask what you all thought about Harry Potter 7–but since a decent proportion of you weren’t going to be reading it at all, that seemed unfair. So instead …

Who’s the worst fictional villain you can think of? As in, the one you hate the most, find the most evil, are happiest to see defeated? Not the cardboard, two-dimensional variety, but the most deliciously-written, most entertaining, best villain? Not necessarily the most “evil,” so much as the best-conceived on the part of the author…oh, you know what I mean!

I’m enjoying all the answers to this question–it’s always good to see such a variety of responses. (And  I’ll just pat myself on the back for the title of the post, too, because I thought “Best Moustache Twirling” was pretty clever.) I have to put a word in for Sethos in the Amelia Peabody books. He’s not “evil,” but he’s got such flair as a villain–I always have a soft-spot for characters that do evil while retaining impeccable manners and charm. (And yes, Dolores Umbridge is another–a refreshingly 3D children’s book villain.) How about Acheron Hades from Jasper Fforde’s “Thursday Next” books? That villain has a wicked sense of humor  (pun intended). Jordan de Riberac and Gabriel in Dorothy Dunnett’s Niccolo and Lymond series are incredible….

• Tags: Finished Spinning, General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Burning Calories // 16 Comments »

In current spinning, I’ve got bobbins to ply–red, yellow, and a combination of the two. So, what I did for the first bobbin was to divide each color into 16 strips and then randomly select them as I spun, so it’s a fairly frequent change of color, in no particular sequence. For the second bobbin, I separate the colors into only four strips each and and then spun them in the same sequence–yellow, mixed, red, yellow, mixed, red–so that its color changes are further apart and always in the same order.

What effect will this have on the finished yarn? I have no idea . . . yet. I’m about half way through with the plying, and I won’t know until it’s wound off, skeined, washed, and so on. If it comes out as nicely as I hope, though, I’m thinking I might use this as my prize for my Millennial contest . . . what do you think? The colors sure are pretty, and since the fiber is superwash, silk, and a touch of nylon, it would make fantastic socks . . . you know, assuming I can bear to part with it . . .

Next up? Arrived with perfect timing–Celebrations, the July offering from the Spunky Eclectic club. It looks like a fabulous color combination, and I’m particularly happy because it doesn’t look like something I would have actually picked myself and yet it looks great, which is exactly what makes these monthly clubs fun–stretching the boundaries of the comfort zone.

So, that cabled shawl I was talking about yesterday? Yeah, it’s pretty much history on the “Debbie’s Most-Wanted” list. I still think it’s gorgeous, but it’s just too much work to get that pattern set up as something I can actually USE. It’s not that I couldn’t chart it, you understand, but I resent the need to. It irks me (possibly beyond reason) that the publisher and/or the designer couldn’t be bothered to provide both charts and text for such complicated cables, leaving the onus on me. It’s like inviting a friend to dinner and making her do the cooking. Or making someone wrap their own birthday present. It’s possible, sure (and, if you’re helping out someone who is sick and couldn’t wrap the present*, that’s not even unreasonable), but is it right to expect it? I don’t think so. Isn’t it up to the pattern publisher to make sure that the reader gets something that, all other things like gauge and needle-size being equal, is immediately usable? Because the more I look at the layout of that pattern, the more peeved I feel. If I wanted to peel my own potatoes, chop my own onions, I’d just design something from scratch myself.

I did get a nice surprise today. Remember my Tannenbaum hat pattern from 2005? It must have gotten a mention on some message board somewhere because when I logged into my AOL email tonight (something I usually only do once a day), I had three orders and two requests for information, and I’ve had one more order come in since. Which is pretty great, I think–I love that there are people interested in that pattern, since I’m really quite proud of it–but it makes me curious, too. That’s more orders than I’ve receive for it in the last 12 months put together. Maybe it’s a new trend?

*And, I actually did that once. About seven years ago, Mom was flat on her back with neck/shoulder pain for about a month before my birthday, so that year, I went to the store with her credit card and bought myself my present, and then came home and wrapped it . . . it was a unique experience. Unwrapping it in front of the family on my birthday, *I* was the only person who knew what was in the box! I also cooked my own birthday dinner and picked up my own birthday cake that year, and really? It was kind of fun . . . although, I wouldn’t want to make a habit of it.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Progressing // 12 Comments »

Okay, first things first–yesterday, of course, was the deadline for my Millennial Contest, and thank you to the 51 people who entered. I haven’t picked a winner yet, though. I’m still dealing with novocaine-withdrawal and choosing a winner just isn’t going to happen today . . . when it does, though, I’ll let you know! It’ll be soon . . . by the end of next weekend at the latest. (Who has the energy to THINK after a full day at work?)

So, let’s see. Today was thankfully sunny, and really quite nice, weather-wise, so Chappy was more like himself today. I think that he was just miffed at me yesterday for deserting him on such a wet, dreary Monday. Today was more of a normal Tuesday, except, well, that dentist thing.

Now, knitting . . . You may have noticed that I haven’t started that new project yet. The one I was so excited about that I bought not one but two (or even three) possible yarns to make it in. Ironic, huh?

There are a couple of reasons for that.

First, I’ve been working diligently on my handspun lace–I really just love the way this yarn feels going through my fingers (again), and since it’s a fairly quick project, I’m trying to just burn through it as quickly as I can. (Last time, it only took me two weeks.) I haven’t touched my other lace project in days.

But, second, it’s the way the pattern is written. Normally I do cables off of cable charts, but this? This is written out line by line . . . which I can deal with also, but each of the three main cable patterns works over a different number of lines, and they’re spelled out as Patterns 1, 2, 3, listed sequentially in columns. Which means I’d need to knit row 1 from the first one, skip down to find row 1 for the second cable, and then jump ahead to find row 1 for the third . . . repeat for each row, until row 8, when the first cable reverts back to row 1 . . . cable pattern 2 reverts to row 1 on the next row, and cable number three goes up to row 18 . . . making it impossible to keep track with a row counter.

“But, Deb,” you’re about to say, “Why not just chart the cables yourself? That’s what graph paper is for!”

I’m so glad you asked. Because yes, of course that’s occurred to me, and I would do it too, except . . . there are some funky stitches in these cables that I honestly have no idea how to chart. Like, the “5-st LC” I could figure out, but how does one chart a “K1-b” where you insert the needle in the row below where you are? I mean, I’m sure there’s a symbol for it somewhere, but . . .

So, sadly, my enthusiasm for this pattern is waning fast, leaving me with lots and lots of new yarn I don’t particularly need….

…Unless I were to decide to adapt the cables in the pattern to be something a little more “chart” friendly . There’s no reason I couldn’t just browse through my stitch dictionaries and choose something else, right, while keeping the basic structure of the shawl the same? Of course, that’s more work….

But, meantime, this pattern languishes, waiting for me to make up my mind what to do. And so, I do lace. And spinning.

Which, really, isn’t exactly a bad way to spend some time.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Toothsday // 10 Comments »

Blah . . . what a very Monday. Let’s recap, shall we?

• It poured with rain all day. Buckets of it. When I brought in the empty garbage can after work, there was at least half a foot of water in the bottom, and the garbage trucks only went through while I was home for lunch.
• Naturally, with all the rain, Chappy did not get a walk today.
• To make it worse, the poor boy was home alone all day–alone on a dreary Monday? Horrible!
• Adding insult to injury, he was alone because not only was I at work, but his grandparents were down at my cousin’s horse farm, where they met up with not only my cousin and my aunt, but also my sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew, AND my other cousin’s three daughters, all visiting from Texas. In other words, practically the entire family except him, me, and my other two cousins.
• Not to mention my cousin’s new shelter-rescue, 7-year old spaniel, who I’m told looks like he could be Chappy’s cousin.
• And no, don’t ask my why they always choose to schedule these things on weekdays when I have to work. But, still, at least I didn’t have to drive an hour and a half each way in the pouring rain today.
• Also, making the Monday extra-Mondayish, I started off just wonderfully by accidentally pouring sour milk on my oatmeal at breakfast. Of course, I only eat the 5-minute Old-Fashioned kind, so when I had to dump out that entire bowl, that left me with no time to make more. The only cold cereal we had in the cabinets that wasn’t a year past its expiration date or so old it tasted like stale cardboard was Mom’s shredded wheat, which I can’t stand. So I ended up eating two pieces of toast for breakfast and being five minutes behind schedule. Which might not sound like a lot, but I detest running late . . . and so I started the day feeling rushed.
• When I got to work, a co-worker whose mother is very ill . . . as in, she’s been fighting cancer for years and isn’t expected to last much longer . . . walked into my office and said, “I need you to do something for me, but you can’t ask a lot of questions,” and laid down a photo of her mom, the lyrics to her favorite song, and what was basically a eulogy, and asked me to make it into a book and an insert . . . presumably for the funeral. She ran out to Staples and bought the paper to print them on, and then I sat and typed in this long, loving paean to her mom and felt like crying myself, even though I’ve never actually met her. (Although, her mom is actually one of the very few people on the planet ever to have read my book. Which means the readership for my still-unpublished book is dwindling already . . . but that’s another story.)
• And then, Chappy just isn’t himself tonight, I just can’t figure out why. He’s unusually quiet, but I can’t tell if it’s because he’s in a bad mood (exceedingly rare) . . . if it’s because he was lonely too long today and is holding a grudge (possible, but not very dog-like) . . . if his stomach hurts (considering he cleaned his dinner dish, I don’t think that’s it) . . . if his back hurts (faintly possible since it has in the past, but he doesn’t seem stiff so much as quiet) . . . or if he just doesn’t want to be bothered talking to me. I mean, that’s possible, right? I just hope he’ll be his usual happy self tomorrow, when things get back to normal and the rain clears away.
• Of course, he could be upset that I accidentally nicked him just a tiny bit on his thigh when I gave him his haircut yesterday. I told him to hold still!
• And then, tomorrow . . . well, tomorrow I have to go to the dentist, which means I’ll be an hour and a half (or more) late getting home from work AND I won’t be eating supper AND I’ll probably be numb until about 9:00 which means that *I’ll* be cranky tomorrow night . . .
• Hmm . . . it could be a long week here in the Chappy house . . .

• Tags: General • Permalink:Very Monday // 13 Comments »

I started writing my post and then realized–I don’t have any pictures to demonstrate how I spent my day, so . . . luckily, my favorite model was nearby.

I didn’t just lie around all day though, despite my eyes being a little tired after yesterday’s marathon…. Not only did I read all of Harry Potter 7 yesterday, but when I was done, I reread the last 200 pages a second time. And it’s possible (cough) that I reread the climactic final chapter one more time before bed, too.

Mom and I watched “Little Miss Sunshine” last night, too . . . sweet and funny . . . and focusing my eyes further than the ends of my arms was a refreshing change. I worked on my second sock (too tired to concentrate on lace), and now have both socks done up to the heel. This is amazing, you know, because that means I’ve just about reached the halfway point on another pair of socks in one week. ONE week. For me? Incredible.

I’ve been spinning, too. I’m about a quarter of the way through this second bobbin of Franquemont Fibers roving. It’s really beautiful stuff.

Otherwise . . . let’s think. Um, I vacuumed my room. Did some laundry. Swept and rinsed off the deck–which is still filthy. We had new gutters put on the roof on Friday, so there was lots of grit down there, but also, we have a vinyl deck, and the texture imprinted in the (white) vinyl boards captures every speck of dirt. Powerwashing is about the only way to get them clean short of scrubbing them, and since we don’t have a powerwasher (or an outside electrical outlet to plug one in), that doesn’t really leave many options. But hey, at least it’s clean dirt now.

The weather was so perfect, we sat outside on the deck drinking tea for a while, too.

I also gave Chappy a haircut, capped off by his favorite part–the brushing with the ZoomGroom brush, which he thinks is a toy. He starts spinning around, trying to catch the thing, I try to keep it in contact with the fur, and meanwhile, since it’s so good about grabbing loose fur to begin with . . . and by then, there’s a pile of fur on the floor from the actual haircut . . . fur literally flies. Especially when I accidentally drop the thing, so that Chappy grabs it and runs off, scattering loose fur even further throughout the house . . . Yeah, the brushing thing doesn’t really go very smoothly, but I’m not complaining. As long as he sits still while I’ve got the scissors in my hand, I’m happy, and the moisturizing bath every one or two weeks to help his ongoing sensitive-skin problems pretty much takes the place of brushing anyhow.

Besides, everyone know that you should never brush curly hair, right?

Hey, did you know the Interweave Knits Fall Preview is up?

One more thing before you go–head over and wish the birthday girl a happy day, would you?

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Sunny Sunday // 11 Comments »

Well, if you don’t care for Harry Potter, this post will be completely boring for you, because THAT’s what I did today….

I’m done, but I promise not to give anything away–no spoilers here!

The local Barnes & Noble opens at 9:00. This is what the line looked at 9:05 when I walked in. How’d all those people get in there so fast??

This is what the display of books looked like . . . considering it must have been full when they opened . . . again . . . people move fast!

So . . . 9:30, and home, ready to start reading.

The second copy I ordered from Amazon (which will be heading to my sister’s house) arrived at 11:45, by which time I was on page 200. This is exactly why I didn’t just order two copies upfront and then wait for them. (And, really, I had trouble falling asleep last night and I started waking up at about 6:00 this morning . . . I was so excited, you would have thought it was Christmas or something.)

The half-way point, at 1:25

Finished, page 759 at 4:25.

So, seven hours to read the whole thing. That’s about 1.8 pages a minute. See? I told you I was reading as slowly as I could.

What am I willing to tell you that won’t give anything important away? (Really, I promise.)

Well, for one, I really liked it. Much more than the last one, which felt like she was laying out information we had to have but not so much story-telling. JK Rowling described this book in an interview as a “bloodbath,” and she wasn’t wrong about that. There are quite a number of deaths. The war which really started in book 6 is at full-force and it’s not going well for the good guys. You do find out for sure whether Snape was truly evil or not. Dudley was surprising. Luna plays a nice part in this one, as does Neville. (Really, I’m quite proud of Neville.) The Malfoys aren’t doing terribly well at the beginning of the book. A new headmaster at Hogwarts. There’s another visit to the Ministry of Magic, and one to Gringotts. We see dear, dear Umbridge again. Finally, I understand what Deathly Hallows ARE, and I got to officially meet Dumbledore’s little brother. And would it be giving too much away to say that there’s a chapter called “The Battle of Hogwarts?” And Harry? Harry, Ron, and Hermione were just fabulous–brave, resourceful, and (mostly) unflinching. Especially Harry, there at the end. But I won’t tell you if I closed the book with a smile or with tears on my face . . . although that “nineteen years later” epilogue was nice to have, even if some faces were missing.

Really, this, today, is practically my perfect day. Oh sure, you’d think it would include more knitting or spinning or laughing with friends or something, but you have to realize–when I was a kid, there was NOTHING I liked better than to curl up on the couch with a good book. And a good one that I hadn’t read before? The best! And that hasn’t changed–spending a day with a really good book that’s brand-new to me . . . especially if it’s by a favorite author . . . is ideal. Perfection. Add in the extra anticipation surrounding this book AND the rare opportunity to read something that thousands, if not millions, of other people were doing at the exact same time? When does something like that ever happen with a BOOk? And, as I said, I really enjoyed reading this one. I took frequent breaks to rest my eyes, and all, but practically every time I did, there was a smile on my face. Or, well, you understand, depending on what was going on in the book, it wasn’t always a smile, but even the teary parts were surrounded by that “Wow, this is fabulous!”  glow. Who cares that I haven’t done any knitting today? This was perfect.

Even if Chappy would really have preferred getting out for a walk or something . . . but at least we sat in the back so he could play in the yard for a while  . . . although he spent most of his time staring at me, trying to entice me to come down and play. Hmm. I suppose we could go for a walk now, huh?

Because, come to think of it, there WAS some blue, Saturday sky up there….

Hey–great article here (also, without spoilers). And this article talking about why spoilers are bad things.

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:A Good Day // 14 Comments »

Well, I’m going under cover, as it were, until after I’ve gotten and finished Harry Potter 7 tomorrow–I’ve been really, really careful online today so as not to risk being spoiled (although I did watch JK Rowling’s reading from chapter one from the midnight festivities over in London) . . . anyway, I will not be checking my email or even turning on the computer tomorrow until, you know, after.

So, for your viewing pleasure in the meantime, some yarny, fibery goodness. You know, so you won’t be bored (assuming you’re not busily reading a copy of your own.) See you on the other side!

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Until // 7 Comments »

Brought to you by:

• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday • Permalink:Tearoom // 6 Comments »

I don’t want you to think that I’ve been spending all my time obsessing on the new Harry Potter book. I’ve been spinning, too. See?

Here’s the first half of my luxury-sock blend from Franquemont Fibers, with the second half all ready to go.

And now, please don’t think that I purposely picked Gryffindor colors, either. I know that scarlet and gold are Harry Potter colors, but I honestly didn’t do it do purpose. You’ve seen pictures of my bedroom–golden-yellow walls, a comfy red chair in the corner. Gryffindor has nothing to do with it.

I’ve been knitting, too. You’ve seen this yarn before.

Now, before you say something like, “But, Deb, that looks like lace. I thought you were doing a lace project already? And you’re usually so linear about these kinds of things.”

Well, that’s true. And I don’t want you to think that I’ve abandoned my Japanese lace. Or that I’m going to go willy-nilly knitting all sorts of crazy lace projects. I mean, I haven’t gone nuts or anything!

But what DID happen is that I really, really wanted to do something with this yarn! I had spun it with the intention of doing socks, but when I took a closer look at it, I thought it really wanted to be lace. And while, yes, I had a lace project going already, the urge to knit with this really lovely yarn was well nigh irresistable. I didn’t want to wait however many months it would take me to finish a full-size lace shawl to start. And since I was waiting for yarn for that cabled, hooded shawl . . . I decided to go for it.

I know, it’s busy for lace–something I almost never, ever do in anything like a variegated yarn–but . . . I don’t care. I love the yarn. I’m proud of the yarn. And the colors are just so great. Did I mention that I’m loving working with the yarn? That Blue-Faced Leicester is so soft and springy . . . it’s a real pleasure.

Of course, I might be biased.

Don’t forget that there’s only a couple more days to enter my contest!

Oh, and for a huge knitting accomplishment? Go check out Agnes’ Great American Aran Afghan. Wow.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Actual Fiber Content // 6 Comments »

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:Nearly // 25 Comments »

Another nice day today, though it started early. I woke up at 5:53 with POUNDING rain thundering down on the house. I even got out of bed to look out the window to see if it was hailing, it was so loud. I can’t remember the last time I heard rain like that. According to Dad’s weather-bug on his computer, it was coming down at a rate of more than 2″ an hour. I believe that! And it kept up for at least half an hour after it woke me up. (And, believe me, if you knew me, you’d know what an impressive thing it was that it woke me up at all. You’d be amazed at what I can sleep through.)

Chappy, during this, was hiding over in the corner of the room . . . until the thunder that you could barely hear over the sound of the rain was overhead, at which point he moved over to the floor between my bed and my closet. He was not happy. Though that changed once we were up. (Well, I did go back to sleep once the storm moved on around 6:25, because why get up that early if I didn’t have to?) Because my niece was still visiting, and Chappy loves having my niece here. He even played for a good half hour this morning, with both of us, just looking thrilled. As usual, he was on his “host” behavior–where he pretty much ignores me and spends all of his attention on the guest (something I mostly manage to accept with aplomb).

The only real disappointment was when Mom, my niece, and I all left for lunch. Or, Tea, I should say. We had been so disappointed that they were closed yesterday, we went back today. Early, mind you, so that we’d have time for a full “tea.” Like, we showed up as soon as they opened at 11:30. We had a great time, though, and everything was yummy, so no complaints.

Really, the only complaint is that my niece went home today (sniff). We always have so much fun with her, and since she’ll be heading off to college next month, this could end up being the last overnight visit . . . (sob). At least it was a fun one!

And now, tomorrow, it’s back to work for me . . . Oh well! I guess I can’t really complain, huh?

Oh, and for your viewing pleasure–check out Lifted, a short film by Pixar that just made me laugh out loud. (More on it here.)

• Tags: Family, General • Permalink:Another // 5 Comments »

Park sunshine.

Photos (a little blurry).

Puppy (also a little blurry, but very, very happy, walking along).

Pretty flowers growing on a tree.

Harry!(Enjoyed this one.)

Yep. That’s pretty much my day in a nutshell. Today was a vacation day to spend with my niece, and just about the only disappointment was that she wanted to go out for Tea, but the tearoom . . . we found out when we got there . . . is closed on Tuesdays.

Otherwise? Nice day.

And, oh yes . . . socks! That’s a completed pair of the Claudia Hand-Painted “Walk in the Woods” an one foot in my new pair of Koigu. Almost all of that was done in the movie theater today, and I only stopped because I was getting close to the heel–much easier to do those in daylight!

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Succinct // 11 Comments »

My cashmere/silk yarn is done. This is 2 oz, and about 225 yards. The plying still isn’t perfectly even, but I don’t care. I’m happy with the way this came out anyway. And regardless of the plying’s consistency, the yarn is pretty consistent in size, so . . . and, did I mention? Silk and Cashmere. Can anybody spell SOFT? The only problem? While I was perhaps over-enthusiastically thwacking it against my shower walls on Sunday, one strand got caught on the shower-head and broke. (The yarn, that is, not the shower.) So, there’s just a little bit of a problem there when I go to wind this into a skein some day, but, well, these things happen, right?

This is what I’m spinning right now. Superwash, silk, and nylon from Franquemont Fibers. It’s beautifully-prepared stuff, and great colors. (Boy, does it ever coordinate with my gold-and-red bedroom!). I agree with Theresa that the nylon makes it just a little rougher on the hands than just merino and silk would be, but not enough to make me stop spinning, and it spins up just beautifully. The colors are really fabulous.

Then, this fiber came today. I finally broke down and ordered some from Spunky Eclectic–that’s four ounces of Blue-Faced Leister in the “Vineyard” color. How could I resist a name like that?

And, um, did you hear about the Knitpicks Book Sale?

And–thanks for the entries so far on my Millennial post. You people are really excellent at sucking up! Keep it coming . . . Chappy and I will try to prevent our heads from swelling….

• Tags: Finished Spinning, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Spinning Along // 13 Comments »

My box with Option Number Two arrived yesterday while we were off partying yesterday. I didn’t actually photograph all the yarn–just the loose skeins I carried upstairs and dumped on my bed . . . the bulk of the order was actually still downstairs when I took the photo.

The option for the hooded shawl is the dark pinkish-red yarn–the Reynolds Soft Sea Wool. Because, yes, as it turns out, the yarn I ordered is actually a dark pink, rather than a true red. More the color of the diagonal one at the bottom left of the picture than the one that’s front and center–which makes it close but still not quite actually red. This is a little disappointing, but it’s not TOO pink . . . I think. While I obviously haven’t tried knitting with it yet, I really have to tell you–the yarn itself looks pretty fabulous. Soft, springy, nice twist . . . and not too expensive. I saw it compared to Koigu, and when you consider it’s got 162 yards for about $6 and comes in a decent range of nice colors . . . You might want to check it out.

The other yarns in the picture? That’s some Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL in a lovely honey color. I bought that with no specific plans in mind, but mostly because the closeout-sale price over at Webs was so good. I guesstimated that fifteen skeins should be enough for anything I’d probably want to make with it.  And, um, yes, I AM aware that that yarn would also work perfectly well for this hooded shawl. And that, also yes, the color would actually look pretty smashing with my hair. You know, if I gave up on the “red” obsession.

(Oh, and there’s also some E.L Hempathy yarn, too. Not any time soon, perhaps, but I’ve been thinking of knitting up a net shopping bag at some point, and thought that would be a good choice . . . and it never hurts to have the yarn handy for when you need it.)

Also in yesterday’s mail, I got some adorable stitch markers from Mama Llama. They’re unique in that the part that goes over your needles is soft wire rather than a hard circle like most other stitch markers, an the wire ends are hidden under the beads, so there’s nothing to grab your yarn. And that cute little sheep? He glows in the dark. What’s not to love?

Now . . . about that post title. You see it, up there? “Millennial?”

That’s because this is my One-Thousandth Post. Wow. I know. I’m speechless, too. We’ve come a long way since we started in January 2005. (And thanks, Norma, for inspiring me to check my blog-stats to know that I was getting close to this milestone.)

Clearly, I can’t let this milestone go uncelebrated, huh? I figured a contest of some kind would be good, but then had the hardest time thinking of one. Just saying “Leave a comment,” works but is a little boring, but I don’t want to make you all jump through hoops, either. So, how about this:

Leave me a comment on this post stating what you like about reading blogs–in general–and if you feel so inclined, what you like about my blog in particular. (Extra points may be accorded to comments that are particularly flattering while still sounding marginally sincere.) The winner will be chosen by either having written the very best, possible answer which just makes me want to give the writer a big, congratulatory hug, or if all the answers are equally good (or equally mediocre, which I’m sure will not be the case), we’ll just throw it to the Random-Number-Selector gods. Or, you never know, I might just let Chappy pick out the winner. (Hey, it’s my contest, I can play with the rules a little if I want, right?)

The prize? I’m not exactly sure yet, but it will be something yarny and delicious. Possibly something handspun by yours truly.

Because, well, 1000 posts . . . that’s not a number that comes along every day.

And for the statistically-curious? On the 999 posts preceding this one, I’ve gotten 8,109 comments. Not as many as some of the more popular kids on the block, but pretty decent. It’s nice to feel appreciated. (grin)

Oh, and the deadline for entries? Let’s say a week from tomorrow, so . . . July 23rd.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Millennial // 51 Comments »

Well, we made a new acquaintance today. Kaitlyn.

To be more precise, she’s almost, kinda-sorta, but not exactly family. She’s my sister’s husband’s brother’s daughter. Not clear? My brother-in-law’s niece. Niece by marriage to my sister . . . She’s not exactly a limb on our family tree, but her tree and our tree intersect.

I’m not sure what, exactly that makes her to me (niece-in-law?), but no matter what the technical degree of (near) relativity, I’m happy to have her near my family (grin). And, hey, we consider her parents to be close enough to “real,” blood-family to BE family. Kaitlyn is part of the same family tree as my niece and nephew, after all. We went to her parents’ wedding two years ago, you might remember, and I did make her some sweaters last year . . . and since I only knit for family members, (barring the occasional charity-square), well, clearly . . . family!

Actually, technically, she’s made an appearance here before, just shortly after her world-wide debut last November 1st. Today was the first time we met her, though. We’d tried before, but what with one thing and another, today was the first time. But that’s okay–she was old enough to be charming and entertaining for her adoring public. That includes the three of us, my sister and her family, her in-laws (Caitlyn’s grandparents), and cousin Chris, who drove up from Maryland for the festivities, though his new wife had to stay home to study.

The “festivity” in question? A graduation party for my two favorite graduates. Their other grandparents were up visiting from Delaware, so naturally, we had to throw a party. Well, technically, Kaitlyn’s parents through the party, but you know what I mean.

It was so nice getting everyone together. My niece and nephew didn’t know it was a party . . . they just thought they were going to see their uncle, aunt, and cousin  . . . and looked completely flabbergasted when they saw us there. Surprise!

It made for such a nice afternoon, though. We got to see family that we hadn’t seen in ages, and we all chatted and mingle and ate and took pictures . . . but somehow, when Caitlyn was in the room, we all kind of congregated around her . . . And I did love watching the happy, baby-smile my sister got on her face while playing with her–it’s been a while since hers were that size, you know. And my nephew was so sweet with her–he looked intrigued and enchanted, and was a lot happier about letting her play with him than I’d expected him to be (what with his being a fourteen-year old teenage boy). It was so much fun watching my closest family being close-family with somebody else, if that makes sense–like standing in an a spot in your house you don’t usually stand in, and absorbing the different perspective of the familiar space. Nice. The only one not there was Chappy, who was home with a buster cube and a kong to help wile away the time.

But, yeah . . . I’d definitely say “family,” wouldn’t you?*

* (And, well, I suppose it doesn’t hurt that Betty is as excited as I am about Harry Potter #7 next week, huh?)

• Tags: Family • Permalink:Family // 6 Comments »

Mom gets all the credit for this picture. She was out on the lawn on Thursday afternoon, talking to the gutter-man who’s going to replace our rain gutters next week, when she glanced up . . . Against the blue, blue sky and the frilly wisps of clouds . . . a rainbow. She pointed it out to Chris, who was just as enchanted as she was, and then she ran inside for her camera–just in time before it faded. How often does THAT happen, huh?

A couple others, not quite as stunning, but still….

Brought to you by:

• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, Sky • Permalink:Rainbow // 5 Comments »

Okay, here’s option number one for the hooded shawl I want to make. Peruvian Highland Silk in “Tapestry,” a really lovely shade of blue. Practically my very favorite shade of blue, in fact.

But, um, you may have caught the clue in the post title–that, even though I bought this, I’m not 100% sure I want to use it. It’s lovely, and I’ll definitely make a swatch, and yet . . . there’s still a part of me that’s longing for red. There’s just something so nice about wrapping yourself up on a cold day in something that’s not only warm, but a warm color. And so, there’s option number two on its way.

Because you know I like options! And, well, the price was right. I couldn’t justify the $8+ per skein of the recommended yarn (not for 15 skeins), but $3 to $4? Sure. I can do that. You know. Because it’s the responsible thing to do–to make sure the PATTERN gets the best possible (reasonably-priced) yarn . . . right?

Hey, remember when I mentioned that favorite author, and writing her a fan letter? Guess who I got an email from today? Thank heaven I got the right address, huh?? Such a nice, friendly email, too. I wonder if getting my letter made her day as much as getting her email made mine? For the record, here’s a look at my first book of hers, from 1981. It’s still got the B. Dalton price tag in the top corner (only $2.50–boy, did I ever get my money’s worth that day). Not only that, I read it into such a tattered condition, I took it to the school library one day and completely covered it in plastic tape from the book-repair station to protect the cover. It looks like the bottom corner is completely gone, but, in fact, it’s a secure, right-angle of clear plastic. Yes, that’s right. My copy is more or less laminated. (I did that with some other books, too–like my copy of Fellowship of the Ring.) Anyway, it was nifty to hear from her–I just hope I didn’t come across sounding too much like Kathy Bates.

It sure was a pretty day today. Mid-eighties, sunny, blue sky, no humidity to speak of. Refreshing after the hazy, humid heat earlier in the week. Not that I want to rub it in for all the people who are still suffering under massive heat, rain, flooding, and all the rest, but . . . it felt really nice, you know? Chappy even got a walk–his first one since Saturday. My tooth was feeling better, and I didn’t have even a touch of a headache for the first time since early Monday. And WCBS FM is back, even if in a modified way that may or may not be what people want. Still–they sure sounded like they were having a good time over there on the station.

All in all, a good day, you know?

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Option 1 // 4 Comments »

Time for the Thursday meme…. Please come over to the Booking Through Thursday page to play along!

1. In your opinion, what is the best translation of a book to a movie?
2. The worst?
3. Had you read the book before seeing the movie, and did that make a
difference? (Personally, all other things being equal, I usually prefer
whichever I was introduced to first.)

And, by all means, expand this to as long a list as you like. I’m
notoriously awful myself at narrowing down to one favorite ANYTHING.
So, feel free to list as many “good” or “bad” movie-from-books as you
like. (Heaven knows that’s what I’ll be doing….)

Last week, when we were talking about great books, “To Kill a Mockingbird” cropped up a lot–justifiably so. And it’s one of the rare instances I can think of where not only the book, but the movie made from it, are both fabulous–an how often does THAT ever happen?

So, let’s see. The best? Other than TKAM, of course . . . “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” with Daniel Day Lewis, based on the book by Milan Kundera. “The Lord of the Rings,” based on the books by JRR Tolkein (of course). “The Secret Garden” with Kate Maberly was absolutely wonderful. (Everything–the look, the acting, the soundtrack–and the modifications to the original quite within reason.) “Sense and Sensibility” as adapted by Emma Thomson was great. “The Age of Innocence” (also with Daniel Day Lewis) was pretty remarkable. “Big Fish,” based on Daniel Wallace’s book. I thought the “Little Women” with Susan Sarandon was pretty good, too. “Holes” was good, too…

The worst? Oh, where to start? The travesty of “The Little Princess” with Shirley Temple? (On which the one with Liesel Matthews was based–that one was beautiful to look at, but, why, oh why did they apparently not bother to read the book?) And then, it was such a shame about “Howl’s Moving Castle“–it was animated, of course, but what a mess they made of that story. Hmm . . . actually, the list of animated travesties could go on for quite a while. Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of NIMH.

As to the last–I believe that you should definitely read the book before you see a movie based on it–although not RIGHT before. I notice enough discrepancies as it is, but if I’ve JUST read the book, I see more of them. So I try to pace it a bit. But, knowing the source material is important, I think. On the rare occasions that I’ve read the book after, I’ve been known to like the movie better . . . Actually, that’s part of the reason I think you should experience the original first. Converting a book to a movie IS an act of translation, and there ARE things that need to change or be condensed. I accept that, but insist that the movie-makers stay true to the sense of the book. It’s one of the reasons that I put “Lord of the Rings” on the list–there were dramatic changes, but there’s really only one or two that I truly object to, and otherwise, it’s remarkably faithful to the FEEL of the story, to the heart of it. They completely changed the ending to The Firm, for reasons I’ve never understood, but since I saw the film before I ever read Grisham’s book, I thought it was a nice tidy ending. Had I read the book first, though, I probably would have been outraged. Go figure.

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:Celluloid // 24 Comments »

I tell you, this is taking forever . . . I’ll just twiddle my thumbs.

No, I don’t mean the photo. I meant the actual sweater.

For those who need a recap, well, I pretty much spelled it all out yesterday, but….

Tatami pattern from Sundara Yarn.
Started in December 2006.
Finished July 2007.
Made in my own, handspun yarn.
Modifications? Well, just two, really.

One is the position of the ties. I’ve mentioned any number of times that my biggest figure flaw is my waistline, and when I wrapped this around as intended, to decide where to place the ties . . . I just wasn’t happy with the way it looked OR felt . . . too clingy. But when I tried just holding it closed at the bust? Perfect. So that’s what I did–I crocheted the two ties right there, at the “V” of my t-shirt. Does it bother me that it’s not so “kimono-ish” this way? Well, maybe a little, but that’s more than outweighed by the fact that I’ll wear it this way a lot more often… (Although, honestly, I’m still second-guessing that decision.)

I also left a little “vent” at the bottom of the side seams–just about 2″–just to allow a little more “give.” (Probably completely unnecessary, now that I’ve decided I don’t want to wear this as a traditional, wrapped, kimono, but it made sense last night when I was planning to.)

Ultimately, though, I’m really, really pleased with the way this came out. I love the way the dropped stitches add to the drape–and the way they make it both warm and breezy to wear. And I really like the way my handspun worked with the pattern, too.

Now, if it would just stop thundering–look how dark those windows are. I took these pictures at about 4:30 in the afternoon! Chappy is NOT a happy camper with those boomers overhead….

Hey, for you NYC-metro Oldies-music fans . . . remember when WCBS FM 101.1 was hijacked by Jack Radio?

Well, as of tomorrow, the 12th, at 1:01 pm, it’s BACK! Woohoo! The format is changing a little–not so much 50′s music, more 80′s–but still. I’m so happy to hear that. I could care less that they’re not going to be using the word “Oldies” any more. (“Heritage,” is the word I heard.) And I will miss some of the 50s doo-wop kind of music (not to mention Elvis) that they’re leaning away from . . . but still. I think it’s great that this radio icon is coming back.

One more picture, just for fun.

Hey, have you seen the TECHknitting blog? Chock full of all sorts of amazingly helpful tips and explanations and things. Like, this explanation of how to join circular knitting to avoid that “jag” at the join–and weave the end in at the same time. Or her brilliant method of kitchener stitch that uses knitting needles rather than a threaded tapestry needle. Or her chart-chart method for lace stitches that’s neither row-by-row text nor stitch charts, but . . . something in between. . . . Hmm . . . I could keep going, but maybe it would just be better for you to look at the topics yourself?

• Tags: Finished Knitting • Permalink:Forever // 17 Comments »

Doesn’t look much like a sweater at the moment, does it? But there’s my Tatami, all blocked.

“Closest” to you at the bottom of the picture are the two fronts, then the sleeves, stretched out to either side, and then the back, stretching out toward the top of the frame.

The next step is to fold the whole thing in half and sew the seams up the sides and out the sleeves. Then it will be completely done except for crocheting the ties, which will be fairly quick. Especially since I don’t plan on making them as long as called for in the pattern. If I needed to wrap it multiple times around my waist each time I wore the sweater, it would never get out of the closet–that’s much too much work! So, shorter, more like Carolyn‘s.

But, really, almost completely done. Isn’t it exciting? It’s only been, oh, seven months. Longer, of course, if you include spinning the yarn. Which came from roving (half corriedale, half merino) that I bought at Rhinebeck in October, and which was the very first yarn I spun on my Little Gem last November.

Anyhow, Tatami and I did have one other adventure together last night. It wasn’t clear in the pattern whether the purl-stitch closest to the front openings should be dropped . . . I mean, I thought it should, but I read the instructions five times and still wasn’t sure, so . . . I did NOT drop them. But, of course, I should have–since that stitch runs all the way up the front edge and down to the back edge, which meant there were two rows in the back that were completely wrong. (I should really have gone with my instincts, huh?) So, what did I do? I unpicked the bind-off row . . . not even unknitting it, but just undoing the actual bind-off . . . until I got to the appropriate stitch on both fronts and then dropped it . . . so that all I had to do was re-bind-off. Kind of a pain, but . . . at least the sweater works now. Phew!

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning, Uncategorized • Permalink:What’s that, again? // 14 Comments »

So, you know, I finished the knitting on my Tatami last night . . . at long last, the knitting on my Tatami is done! (Let’s try that one more time, to make sure the fit is right.) My Tatami knitting is finished!

And, did I mention that Tatami is off my needles?

But, here’s the funny thing. Between it and the Celtic Icon, I’ve been slogging away at the same, two sweaters since last autumn. (October for the C.I., and December for the T.) I did sideline them both, briefly, to focus on the Ribby I made for my niece’s graduation present, but otherwise, I’ve been devoted.

Which also means that, other than looking at new patterns as they’ve come out in magazines (online or otherwise), or admiring WIPs on other blogs . . . I haven’t allowed myself to give any thought to other sweater patterns since, well, December. I’m pretty good about resisting the “Shiny Penny” syndrome of being easily distracted from my projects, but usually, when I’m about 3/4 through a project, I’ll start thinking about what’s going to come after . . . if only to make sure that I have the yarn and such ready to go when needed.

But, of course, I’ve never had two projects tie me up for such a long time. Even my Union Square Market Pullover–which at the time I thought was endless–only took five months. These have tied me up for ten months. Ten months when I didn’t dare think about what other sweaters I’d like to do, because, well, that would just be cruel, too tempting.

It honestly didn’t occur to me until last night, after I closed my knitting bag for the night, that . . . I was now free. Free to start something new. Free to browse patterns to my heart’s content. Free.

I tell you, it made me practically giddy.

So, naturally, today, I started browsing through pattern books, magazines . . . and yes, Ravelry, because those Pattern lists are marvelous (when they finally get this up and running for everyone without needing an invitation to “play,” it’s going to be beyond marvelous). . .

But do you know what pattern I keep coming back to? Not a sweater at all, but this cabled, hooded shawl from Nicky Epstein’s “Knitting Beyond the Edge.”

I know, I know. I told myself that I’d make something simple next–and with minimal (if any) cables, and yet, there’s something about this shawl that I think is just fabulous. Granted, it’s got bobbles, which I really don’t like making at all . . . but still it’s stunning. Worn this way, it’s almost like a capelet . . . but not quite. It’s a dense fabric, so it must be really warm–more so than a lace shawl, but still lighter than a jacket, which makes it good for outerwear for cool, autumn days as well as for something to be worn over a coat on bitter, wintry days.

And, well, I’m a sucker for almost anything with a really good hood.

The truly ironic part? Even with my stash of 94 different kinds of yarn (yep, Ravelry’s helpful), I don’t have enough of the right weight in any kind of yarn. The pattern calls for 15 skeins of RYC Cashsoft DK, and I don’t have a whole lot of DK yarn in my stash. I’ve got 10 skeins of Rowan Wool And Cotton (from back when they still used the “and”–it’s been in my stash a LOOONG time) in Chocolate brown–far too little yardage, and too dark a color. I’ve got 10 skeins of Silky Wool in green . . . but again, not enough yardage. I’ve got 13 skeins of Jo Sharp Classic DK Wool in Wine–a beautiful color–but still . . . no comparison for yardage. And even with my screwy gauge issues, I don’t want to take a chance on running out and not having enough for the hood.

Of course, the recommended yarn is kind of expensive in those kinds of quantities. As much as I like this stole, I’m a little reluctant to spend $120 for the privilege, you know? But then I saw Elann’s Peruvian Highland Silk. 80% wool and 20% silk for only $4 a skein. Much more like it. The only drawback is that they only had three skeins of the color I truly wanted (Ruby). I opted for the Tapestry Blue, but really . . . I really wanted that deep red!

The other knitting question I’ve been pondering? I rolled my “Pacific” Blue-Faced Leicester into a ball, fully intending to start it as a pair of socks just as soon as the Claudia Hand-Paint ones were done . . . but the more I look at that skein, the less I want to turn it into socks.

Do you know what I keep thinking of, instead? Lace. Don’t ask me why–I had always intended that for socks–but the colors play together so beautifully, and it’s such a gentle color combination . . . I think it would actually look gorgeous knit into some kind of lace shawl. I’ve got somewhere between 350 (if I counted wraps on the niddy noddy correctly) and 400 (if you believe my McMorran Balance) yards of the stuff, and that’s surely enough to make SOMETHING, huh?? I mean, something in the vicinity of a shawl? I’m so bad at comparing yardage needed to finished results, but . . . it certainly seems possible . . . right?  Any suggestions?

But now, I’ve got to go and actually do some work on my Tatami . . . I’ve got lots of stitches to drop–the handspun doesn’t “run” as well as the smoother yarn called for in the pattern, so every single stitch needs to be encouraged to drop. And there are ends to weave in, too. Then I’ll need to block it before I can sew up the seams . . . I didn’t say it was DONE, you know. Just that it was off the needles!

• Tags: Finished Spinning, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Pondering // 15 Comments »

I almost forgot to show you my Saturday Sky picture for today!

And, oh yes, this . . .

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Almost Forgot… // 5 Comments »

Well, this is what Chappy looked like this morning, sitting outside a local coffee shop, bowl of water at the ready, some nice sunshine, treats on the table, out with his Mom and Grandma, and a big ‘ol smile on his face.

I mean, really. Could a boy’s 6th birthday start off any better than that?

Add to that the five and a half year old girl who was so enchanted by him and who sang him “Happy Birthday.” And a chance to walk around town and be admired. And, did I mention the treats? Not only bites of Grandma’s scone and Mom’s cinnamon bun, but even some rice pudding from the fancy, new rice pudding store.

Once we came home, the day just kept getting better, because not only did he get to see his favorite mail-carrier, who came right to the door, but he got to play in his backyard with his Mom. (Grass? Who needs grass? What’s a little dirt??) And then he got to just lie in the grass, with his new-for-his-birthday tennis ball, while Mom and Grandma sat on the deck and read (both) and knitted (Mom). Plus the home-made biscuit from his cousin.

But still, the day got even better. Because he got to go out for dinner to Stewart’s Drive-In with his family. How often does a dog get to go out and be waited on? Because, of course, at Stewart’s Drive-in, you do exactly that. Drive-in and be served by a car-hop. For obvious reasons, this is Chappy’s favorite restaurant.

The only fly in the ointment of this practically-perfect day? (I mean, it wasn’t even too hot!) The fireworks. Various local towns postponed their fireworks because of the rain on Wednesday, and rescheduled for tonight.

Well, I suppose even birthdays can’t be perfect, huh? But, I don’t think he’s complaining. In fact, right this second, he’s sprawled on my bedroom floor, sound asleep, but his tail is wagging. All in all, I’d say he was a happy Chappy–which means I’ve done my job today (grin). My only regret? That I wasn’t up early enough this morning to take a picture of him at 07/07/07 07:07 AM, as he began his seventh year . . .

So, what else did I do today? My Halcyon Equipment catalog came today, and I spent far too much time looking at the looms. I do NOT need another hobby! But, still, it’s not like a rigid heddle loom would take up THAT much room . . . (cough). I also sat and read and knit on the deck this afternoon. I can only do that with hardcover books that stay open well enough that I can let them sit in my lap while my hands are busy. Today, of course, I’m reading “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” as my weekly Harry book as we work toward Book Seven in two weeks.

But that’s not all I’m reading. Along with a biography on Albert Einstein and a book on how English Spelling came to be–not to mention being paused between books two and three in Dorothy Dunnett’s “House of Niccolo” series, I’m in the middle of Susan Dexter’s “The Wind Witch,” which is one of my favorite books of hers. She’s sadly out of print, now, but if you like Fantasy and you get a chance to pick up any of her books, I absolutely encourage you to. And, as fiber-loving people, that particular one would be a great choice. Not only is the story a good one (which it is), but Druyan, the main character is a spinner/weaver. She’s pretty busy doing other things through most of the book, but the few times it comes up–sorting fleeces, spinning, dyeing–you can tell that the author really knows what she’s talking about. She didn’t just do an hour’s research at the library to get the terminology right. You can just tell that she knows how to do that stuff herself. In fact, this is pretty much the only fictional book I can think of that has a character really spinning. Not just a throw-away sentence about “twirling a spindle,” but there’s actually an entire scene talking about carding wool, sorting out the belly wool, judging the staple length. As I say, it’s a very small part out of the book, but I love how it smacks of authenticity.

Obviously, I like the author since I have copies of every one of her books–and they all have that Del Rey “First Time in Print” banner on the back cover, since I snapped them up as they came out. I’ve read her books 33 times since 1996 (statistic courtesy of my newly-computerized reading log), but the 13 years before that? She was definitely a favorite read multiple times all throughout high school and college. In fact, I even wrote her a fan letter, back in high school. 1983, to be exact. I know this because she was nice enough to answer, and I still have the letter where she kindly explains that I can hold off haunting the bookstores because she’d just given the manuscripts for books two and three to her editor, and it would be some time before the second would be out. Which means that, since she only had one book out at the time, I must have been among her first real fans. (Hey, I even tried to figure out how to get a Forensics piece out of the introduction to “The Ring of Allaire,” because I thought the writing was so great.)

All of which got me thinking . . . when I wrote to her the first time, I certainly didn’t know how much I would come to treasure her books–they’re still on the bookcase next to my bed, and there are precious few authors I was reading in high school who still rate that honor. And I certainly couldn’t tell her how much I appreciated those little domestic touches, since, well, she hadn’t written them yet. So . . . last night, I started searching online, trying to see if I could find an address for her. I did find an article about weaving which I think is about her. There’s a page on VisitPA. But they weren’t quite enough. Then, I took a chance and did a White Pages search for her in the town listed as the return address on that old 1983 letter . . . and there she was. Or at least, there was A Susan Dexter. I don’t know for sure if it’s the right one, but how embarrassing it will be if it’s not, because . . . I wrote her another fan letter. I just hope she doesn’t think I’m stalking her, or something . . .

Interestingly, though, if it turns out to be her, she lives not too far (maybe an hour?) from Kittanning, where Chappy was born six years ago. Which tidily brings this post back full circle. (And, oh yes, since it seems as if she’s got fibery-tendencies, I gave her my blog address in the letter . . . because, well, that would make her one of “us,” right, even if she weaves instead of knits? So, um, Susan, if you happened to stop by and are reading this . . . er, welcome!)

One last thing, since this isn’t the first time I’ve been talking about old favorites this week . . . I hadn’t even realized that Susan Cooper’s “The Dark is Rising” series was being turned into a film, but it is, and judging by these posts and articles . . . I’m terrified that they’ve completely ruined one of my very favorite books. They’ve removed the Arthurian influences? Will is no longer the youngest Stanton? And has a twin brother being held by the Dark?? (Oh, please, let that one just be a crazy rumor….)

Shudder. They may have made great movies out of Lord of the Rings (so much better than I had been afraid), but really, movie-makers really need to learn to keep their hands off the really good stuff . . . I still squirm when I think about what they did to “A Little Princess” . . . Just because it’s a kid’s book doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve the same respect for the story as, say, Jane Austen or Dickens or Shakespeare…. <end rant>

• Tags: Chappy, Family, Reading • Permalink:Birthday Goodness // 12 Comments »

Finally!

Yep. You’re seeing what you think you’re seeing.

The new drivewheel is ON the wheel, and the old one is resting, saying its farewells, poor thing.

Really, it’s kind of sad . . . especially since it’s been working very hard lately. I mean, honestly. Believe it or not, ever since the new wheel arrived, the one that was ON the Little Gem has been behaving perfectly.  You know, like it was hoping that I would decide to keep it after all.

Sneaky, huh? Just a couple weeks ago, I literally could not spin for more than a minute or two without the driveband slipping off. And then, the replacement shows up and she starts behaving. Suspicious. Very suspicious.

I haven’t actually SPUN on this new “wheel” yet. After the tension of trying to fit the new wrench (bought on my way home from work) and doing the actual exchange, I really wasn’t up to sitting at a bobbin of laceweight cashmere/silk, you know? I’ll test it later, after it’s had a chance to settle in, or whatever new drivewheels DO.

It sure is pretty, though. I love how the wood grain is almost perfectly symmetrical.

And the wrench? I stopped at the local hardware store on my way home . . . which, really, I should have done in the first place. Not only did the one I buy cost me half of what the one I bought online cost, but there was no shipping. Shipping which, in fact, cost just about the same as the wrench did . . . and which is non-refundable . . . and I’m responsible for paying for sending it back. I admit, I sent a rather snippy email back to them saying, “Well, thanks. How very lovely that I get to pay $15 or so for the privilege of purchasing something from your company that was completely unusable. I’m touched, really. I’ll be telling all my friends. Let me know when youv’e got that return authorization number. I can’t tell you how eager I am to get this expensive transaction over with.”

Do you think that was too harsh? I mean, by my usual, civil standards, that was a little obnoxious, but it’s not like I just decided I didn’t want it. I couldn’t use it for the purpose for which I bought it. I mean, really…

My other purchase of the day? A do-it-myself Lazy Kate for when I do finish those (hopefully) laceweight singles. The Rag Shop is going out of business, and I figured this made a good time to go buy some straight knitting needles. That, and a basket. (And, some tiny, little terracotta pots perfect for baby African Violets, just for good measure.) Because, well, everything was at least 40% off.

And, I’ve got to tell you, that store was hopping! I dashed in at my lunch hour and it took me longer to get through the checkout line than it did to browse almost every aisle in the store. Interestingly, their stock of knitting needles was pretty untouched, but the wall of (cheapish) yarn? Practically completely wiped out. This basket might not be exactly what I was looking for, but for $4, it was worth taking the chance.

Heck, I still paid less on the needles, the basket, and those terra-cotta pots put together than I’m going to end up spending on postage for a wrench I couldn’t even use . . .

Have a good weekend, everyone. I hope everyone enjoys Chappy’s lucky birthday tomorrow!

And for heavens’ sake, stay cool. And dry. But not too dry….

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Exchange // 6 Comments »

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• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday • Permalink:Rose // 5 Comments »

Well, I thought I’d be able to change my drivewheel today. Because see what I got today? A cd (with a handsome Ram on the cover), and a 13mm wrench.

But, well, there’s a problem . . . The wrench is too wide to fit into the available space. It might be the right size for the nut, but it can’t get in there!

Sheesh.

So now, I need to return this wrench, first of all, to the company I got it from. And, interestingly, of all the details I saw listed about the wrench–the size of the openings, the length, the weight, the quality of the metal that makes up the wrench–nowhere did it say the width of the head. Or the height of it. Whatever dimension that is. And, how frustrating is that?

Now I’m worried I won’t be able to find a wrench that will WORK! I mean, it’s not like this one is unnaturally thick in the head. It’s really quite sleek. But I can’t really imagine that they come much narrower than that . . . I guess I really WILL have to trudge to a hardware store in person to try to find one….

So close, and yet so far!

And–on a completely different subject–how is it possible that “To Kill a Mockingbird” never even occured to me yesterday when I was trying to think of the greatest American novel? Because, well, duh! Not only is it a masterpiece, but it’s a masterpiece that I LOVE. Even the movie is a masterpiece. Sorry, Harper Lee!

And, the only saving grace to a Thursday that completely felt like a Monday all day, is that at least it’s being immediately followed by an honest-to-goodness Friday….

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Almost…. // 9 Comments »

What with yesterday being the Fourth of July and all, I’m feeling a little patriotic, and so have a simple question: What, in your opinion, is the (mythical) Great American Novel?
At least to date. A “classic,” or a current one–either would be fine. Mark Twain? J.D. Salinger? F. Scott Fitzgerald? Stephen King? Laura Ingalls Wilder? It doesn’t have to be your favorite book, mind you. “Citizen Kane” may be the “best” film, and I concede its merits, but it’s not my favorite. You don’t have to love something to know that it’s good.

Now, I know that not all of you are American–but you can play, too! What I want from you is to know what you consider to the best novel of YOUR country. It might be someone the rest of us haven’t heard of and, frankly, I think we’d all like to get some new authors to read. In fact, while we’re at it–I’m curious about the geographical make-up of this meme. So, while you’re leaving your link to your post, tell us where in the world you are! (For the record, I’m in New Jersey, USA.)

I find this one pretty interesting, actually. (I mean, of course I do, or would I have bothered to ask it?) But, while yes, there are great “classic” novels (like, yes, Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and so on) . . . and while there are some great modern books (like, say, Laurie Colwin, or Jack Finney’s “Time after Time”) . . . When I think of great, American books, the first thing that springs to mind are the children’s books that I grew up adoring. Like these, for example. Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women.” Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” series. The Trixie Belden series (and Nancy Drew for that matter). “My Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George. “The Cricket in Times Square” by George Selden. E. L. Konigsberg’s “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.” Elizabeth George Speare’s “Witch of Blackbird Pond.” “Understood Betsy” by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. Madeline L’Engle’s masterful “Wrinkle in Time.” Sydney Taylor’s “All-of-a-Kind Family” series. Lynne Reid Banks’ “Indian in the Cupboard.” The “Cheaper by the Dozen” books by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey . . .

Should I go on? I know, of course, that the question was to name ONE book, but you see, the thing is, I dont see how there can be ONE. And besides, I’m picking a GENRE here. Because the books you read as a child stick with you forever, help shape your worldview . . . and by influencing generations of children, what can be more culturally relevant? It’s like every American child growing up eating hamburgers, drinking coca cola, eating PB&J at lunch . . . it’s part of who you are. And even if you grow to detest soda and give up eating meat, and end up being allergic to peanuts . . . the fact that they are everywhere still affects your worldview. You can detest Louisa May Alcott for being overly sentimental, or find the Nancy Drew stories incredibly trite, but still. They’re there. Read and loved by thousands upon thousands of your fellow citizens. And helping to shape how you view the world and your country.

As I say, I seriously thought hard to find one book to name. (And, ironically, I could think of several, specific English books that I could have listed immediately, were I British.) But ultimately, the books that kept cropping up were these–children’s books. Really good children’s books. Some in that stack might not be as well-written as others (yes, Trixie Belden was a sentimental favorite), but some of them really are masterpieces. With some great life-lessons built in, and that’s never a bad thing.

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:Great // 33 Comments »

All in all, a good day . . . especially by Chappy’s standards. His entire family was here. He got pot roast (two helpings). He got a new toy–which he got to unwrap himself. He got to play in the back yard with his cousins and uncle. He got a homemade biscuit in a box (along with a ziploc bag full of them for later). He got cake.

He is one happy, tired, almost-six-year-old dog!

Really, the day WAS nice, even if it did just start to rain. (As in, literally, about three minutes ago.) There was the unfortunate reaction when my nephew found out the frosting on the cake was cream cheese frosting (after which he refused to eat any more of it). And he did fall in the yard and had to be sent home with band-aids on his knee. But otherwise? Nice.

Now, we’ll just hope the thunder and fireworks are kept to a minimum so Chappy can get some sleep.

And, really, if you’re not going to spoil your kids–no matter how many legs they have–why bother having them around at all? Now we’re just hoping for decent weather for Chappy’s actual birthday on Saturday.

• Tags: Chappy, Family • Permalink:Party // 8 Comments »

Unlike many Americans, we don’t barbecue/grill on the Fourth of July. (Mostly because we don’t even own a grill.) We do celebrate, though–not only the country’s birthday, but Chappy’s birthday, too. So today, that’s what we’re getting ready for. We’re having my favorite pot roast, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and carrot cake with cream cheese icing (Chappy’s request).

Chappy says that the hardest part is waiting for the family to get here.

If you’re celebrating, happy Fourth of July, everyone! (Well, happy fourth anyway, of course….)

[Read more →]

• Tags: Baking, Chappy, Family • Permalink:Getting Ready // 4 Comments »

So, speaking of Singles . . . how about these?

That’s2 ounces of Tussah Silk and Cashmere from Crown Mountain Farms in Opal. Oh, so very soft. Oh, so very pretty.

Such a pleasure to spin.

Now, I don’t really have that much to talk about tonight. I went to work today, where it was practically a ghost-town, what with the holiday tomorrow. Came home, baked a cake for tomorrow’s dinner.

Um…Today would have been my grandfather’s birthday . . . his 103rd, I think, had he not passed on 40 years ago. Still, I hope he’s had a good birthday–I’ve actually thought about him quite a lot today, and regret, as ever, that I never had a chance to get to know him.

And, really? That’s about it. At least I had a pretty picture of these singles for you, providentially taken late this afternoon, when there was some sun shining in my window.

Because, they sure do shine.

So, so pretty.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Singles // 10 Comments »

Mmm, such pretty yarn. I’m so very happy with the way this skein turned out.

Balanced, too, I want you to know!

Honestly, it just makes me think of a day at the beach–blue sky, blue water, and sand . . . And it’ll be nice and warm, too, once I’ve turned it into socks!

And, since I’ve got about 350 yards, there should be plenty for that. It’s nice and soft, too. This is the first time I’ve spun with Blue-Faced Leicester, and really enjoyed it. The fact that the roving was so well-prepared helped, too, of course. An easy spin–which probably explains why it’s mostly so very even.

This second picture–because, really, I couldn’t help myself–is right next to my current spinning project–two ounces of 50/50 silk/cashmere from Crown Mountain Farms. Oh, so soft, and oh, so pretty. I bought the  “Opal” color and think it’s just divine. I’ve spun some of this blend before, last August, and enjoyed every minute of it. This time, I’m shooting for lace weight, and even pulled out the lace-kit for my Little Gem. (Maybe it wasn’t necessary, but darn it, I have it, I might as well use it.)

This came today, too. My Singelringen. The idea behind this little fashion statement piece of jewelry is that there are rings to declare that someone is married or engaged–why not Single? And, since I AM single and the ring was cute, I figured . . . why not? Their site says, “We at Singelringen have no opinion on whether the single life is the optimal life to live, or not. We just encourage people to enjoy their single lives,” which sounds pretty reasonable to me. And anyway, apparently this is very trendy. And you know how I love to be trendy! (Cough.) (And, of course, by my ring’s personal registration number, apparently there are 61,000 people who were trendy before I got there . . . that still counts, right?)

Anybody else heard of or have one of these? I hadn’t heard of them until I saw them on one of AOL’s front pages a few weeks ago, but then, I don’t read fashion magazines all that often….

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Like a Day at the Beach // 14 Comments »

Yep. Those two bobbins you saw yesterday?

All plied now.

I used Abby’s method of plying (to the best of my ability, at least). The plying is not perfectly even, but it WAS so much easier than the method I had been using. It took be about an hour to treadle my way through those bobbins, and I literally sat with a book in my lap while I did it, out of sheer boredom. Well, “boredom” might not be the exact, right word, but . . . sitting there, treadling, with my left hand doing absolutely nothing? The poor thing needed something to occupy it.

Anyway, this is 4 oz of Blue-Face Leicester from Vesper, in “Pacific.” I got approximately 350 yds of yarn, at a very-consistent-for-me 22-24 wpi. (I sort of lost count, but it was at least 22 when I got distracted.)

By that time, you see, I was in no mood to re-measure or re-count anything. Because between this bobbin of yarn, and the one from last week, I had quite the adventure in skeining today.

First, I tried using my Majacraft Wheel Skeiner to wind off the “Tibetan Dreams” yarn and ended up with this problem again–the yarn winding on too tightly (despite my best efforts) and forcing all the pegs to lean toward the center so that the yarn kept escaping. Heaven only knows if that skein is ever going to let me wind it into a ball, or if it will just be one, big, tangle from all the times I had to stop and rearrange the strands on the skeiner . .  making them overlap in ways not originaly intended.

Obviously, by the time that skein was wound, I was in no good mood to try using that again for the “Pacific” yarn.

So I got out my back-up skeiner. Being horizontal, it’s a little harder to wind yarn onto, because of the reaching-across thing (which gets wearying after the first couple dozen turns), but I figured it would be fine. . . . But, um, not so much. Apparently–even though the house is air conditioned–the summer heat has caused it to warp or some such thing . . . because I could not get it put together. With the two main pieces crossed at the center, the peg that holds everything together would not fit through the hole. It did when the swift arrived in February, but not any more.

I figured I’d try it anyway, but after twelve rotations, it was obvious that wasn’t going to work . . . since the two pieces weren’t fitting together properly, it wobbled way too much to try to wind yarn with. Of course, I then made the mistake of taking the 12 rotations-worth of yarn off the thing and, since I deliberately over-plied to make it longer-lasting sock yarn, it immediately turned into a nasty tangle. So, that’s about 6 yards of yarn that I won’t be getting back . . . although, I thought I’d try soaking the tangle to see if it relaxed enough to make it possible to untangle. (It’s worth a shot, right?)

Which means that I skeined that bobbin’s worth of yarn on my Kromski niddy-noddy . . . thereby making my shoulder (which was already upset with me about the wheel skeiner thing) that much more unhappy with me. Which is ironic, of course, because I got the wheel skeiner, and the other skeiner/swift, in the first place to help make winding skeins easier. Easier on my shoulders as well as just, well, easier. More efficient. Hah! I wonder if I would have been any happier if I had sprung for the more expensive Will Taylor version, or the Goko?

Oh, and I wasn’t any  happier about my Lendrum’s lazy kate which I was using to hold the bobbins steady for this skeining. (I’d already put away my Katie-a-go-go before realizing I’d still need it.) It just refused to let any of the bobbins rotate easily on their shafts–especially toward the center of the bobbins. I was having to PULL to get that yarn off of there. I mean, really pull, with my foot holding the base in place. Ugh. It was the perfect finish to a perfect skeining experience.

The one bright part of all of this? By the time I’d pulled out the niddy noddy, I was clearly not a happy camper. So what did my sweet boy Chappy do? He maneuvered the obstacle course of wheel, skeiner, other skeiner, skein of yarn, tangle of yarn, and lazy kate just to come over to me and give me a hug. As in, yes, a real hug–wrapping his arms around my neck and giving me a kiss. He just hates it when his Mom’s upset, you know.

And, at least I’m happy with the way the yarn looks!

• Tags: Finished Spinning, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Sand for My Shoes // 9 Comments »

Here’s my reading list from June:

1. STORM WARNING by Mercedes Lackey (428 p.)

2. STORM RISING by Mercedes Lackey (412 p.)
3. STORM BREAKING by Mercedes Lackey (435 p.) These three make up a “Valdemar” trilogy, which tell about the catastophic “Mage Storms” that are heading their way . . .

4. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (309 p.) Well, it’s the first book–does this story of the boy wizard need any explanation?

5. NICCOLO RISING by Dorothy Dunnett (470 p.) The first, complicated book in her “House of Niccolo” series. It’s not my favorite of the books, but it sets the scene for so much plot to come. And still, she remains my favorite historical-fiction writer. Period. Nobody comes remotely close.

6. LOVE WALKED IN by Marisa de los Santos (307 p.) What a charming first novel. Cornelia is an old-movie fan who runs a coffee shop, and one day, a modern-day Cary Grant walks in and sweeps her off her feet. (One character tells her at one point that, if he were any closer to her dream man, he’d be a copywrite violation. I love that.) The complication? His estanged, 11-year old daughter who comes to him for help when her mother disappears . . . and who immediately strikes up a relationship with Cornelia. I really enjoyed this one.

7. THE GAME by Diana Wynne Jones (179 p.) Haley has been raised by her strict grandparents, but is suddenly sent to live with her relatives in Ireland, where she learns to play The Game with her cousins. Written for children, but an interesting melding of our world to ancient Greek myths. Goes nicely with “Eight Days of Luke” which connects to Scandinavian myths.

8. CART AND CWIDDER by Diana Wynne Jones (193 p.)
9. DROWNED AMMETT by Diana Wynne Jones (312 p.)
10. SPELLCOATS by Diana Wynne Jones (279 p.)
11. CROWN OF DALEMARK by Diana Wynne Jones (408 p.) This quartet of books is kind of hard to describe–YA, again, first of all–and a rather epic kind of story. The first three books tell stories of different people in the history of fictional Dalemark, and then the fourth book ties all of them together–with a bit of time travel to boot. It’s been years since I read these, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed them. Silly me for letting them languish all this time!

12. HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (341 p.) Um, you know, book two . . . A secret room far below Hogwarts, which can only be opened by the heir to Slytherin….

13. MASTERHARPER OF PERN by Anne McCaffrey (425 p.) I tend to think of this book as being McCaffrey’s last, good book about Pern, and a clear work of love for a long-time character who clearly was one of her favorites. This tells the story of Robinton, whom we know as the Masterharper in later books, from his early days as a musical prodigy. We see his friendship with the dragonrider F’lon, his relationship with his difficult father (who will become Menolly’s mentor later on) . . . It’s one of those sweeping, lifetime-spanning stories, told with love.

14. YEAR IN THE WORLD by Frances Mayes (417 p.) (Yawn.) Um, what? Oh yes, the book . . . well, let’s see. There’s no question that Mayes can write, but, um . . . this was boring. She and her husband go on a year-long journey around the world, see beautiful things and eat wonderful food, blah, blah . . . because the book feels aimless. And long. And, well . . . she can write. It’s just a shame that she couldn’t have organized it in a fashion that read as if it was going somewhere, or telling any story other than endless reviews of delicious meals….

15. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN by JK Rowling (435 p.) Book #3, where Harry learns that Sirius Black has escaped from prison and is apparently out to kill . . . him!

16. SPRING OF THE RAM by Dorothy Dunnett (469 p.) Second book of the “House of Niccolo” series–Nicholas heads to Trebizond to try to make a fortune for the Charretty company, but meets with just a few obstacles on the way. Like, say, a competitor who will stop at nothing–not even kidnapping and “marrying” Nicholas’s 12-year old step-daughter. Or an army of Turks bent on taking over the city. And then there’s the small matter of an ongoing feud with the Scottish lord Simon….

17. AUSTENLAND by Shannon Hale (194 p.) Okay, all you Jane Austen fans–this is an enjoyable, fluffy little book. Jane Hayes is a huge Austen fan . . . in particular, a fan of the BBC version of “Pride and Prejudice” with Colin Firth . . . Then her great-aunt leaves her a bequest in her will–a vacation at “Austenland,” a Georgian-themed chance to live like a character from Austen’s books for three weeks. She decides that she’ll get Mr. Darcy out of her system once and for all. The plot was pretty predictable, but fun, so who cares? (grin)

18. HEART OF GOLD by Sharon Shinn (359 p.) One of my very favorite Sharon Shinn books–a world with two races, one matriarchal and powerful, one patriarchal, violent, but less powerful. Now, add in a young man who works in a lab, fighting disease, and a young woman who has been raised to question everything . . . and, oh yes, a terrible, deadly disease . . .

19. BALANCE OF TRADE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (453 p.) More of a YA book than their usual, still, this is an enjoyable sci-fi book in their “Liaden” world and tells the story of Jethri, taken on as an apprentice trader on a Liaden ship–the first Terran ever to be so honored (if you look at it like that, which some people don’t!)

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