So, back in college, my best friend Dawn had this great bag. It was a combination big purse/bookbag and I know it seems crazy, but I’ve always remembered it. Mostly because the handles were so cool. Instead of regular, you know, handles, the bag had a series of rings around the top that had a long handle threaded through. When you lifted it, the handles automatically cinched it closed, but when you put it down, the handles loosened so you could easily reach in to rummage.

Hmm. Maybe I’m not explaining it very well.

Still, the thing is, I need a new purse, and I decided that instead of trying to find one that I liked to buy … because it’s been a couple years since I found one that I liked … I’d try knitting myself one, and see what happens. So, I’m making a purse-sized bag inspired by that one. Or at least, inspired by what I can remember of it.

Of course, mine is knit, not leather, and I don’t actually remember the general shape of the bag–was it round at the base? Rectangular? Did the sides go straight up, or were they shaped?

Hmm. Let’s face it. I obviously just remember the handles (grin).

It took me a couple tries to find a stitch pattern I liked, but I’m really enjoying this one. It’s a pleasure to knit and also looks great.

I’m also planning ahead, as I like to do, which means I’m worrying about the lining. It’s a must, you understand, but will require sewing, and I don’t actually do that very often!

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Dawn’s Bag // 2 Comments »

So, you’ve been wondering how many knitting and spinning books I have, right? Dying to know who would win my extra copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting?

Well, congratulations, Pam! She guessed on the nose, 204 books. Two hundred four.

The range of guesses was interesting, too, from 85 up to 345.

Do you want a closer look?

All my knitting and spinning books are on this one bookcase. (The one next to it is devoted to other crafts and all my writing reference books. The cookbooks are near the kitchen, and except for a few in the hallway next to the bedroom, the rest of my books are all downstairs. I still need to figure out how to catalog all of them, but I think it’s in the 2000-2100 range for total number of books–down about a third from before we moved last November.)

Anyway, here’s the top of the bookshelf.

That’s lace books, sock books, DVDs and spinning books on the top shelf. Basic how-to kind of reference books on the second shelf.

The middle shelf is devoted to pattern books, and the fourth down is for stitch dictionaries and more pattern books.

The very bottom, hiding behind the chair is where I keep all my Vogue Knitting magazines (going back to about 1987), and knitting-essay type books, as well as some of my less-favorite pattern books, that I might not really plan on using any time soon, but don’t really want to get rid of either … which is why they’re on the most inaccessible shelf.

So, Pam, I’ll need your address, please, so that I can send you your book!

Oh, and in Today’s Spinning?

That’s about 4 ounces of that never-ending roving of mine from 2005, that I told you about here. Such pretty stuff, and I still adore the color. It’s not quite so purple in normal light–it needs direct sun or a camera flash to bring it out. Mostly it just looks like this beautiful, medium gray with a hint of purple. I love it.

I’ve also finished the body of my sweater and am working on the hood. I just have to finish that and knit the inside of the pockets and this baby is done!

We’ve had a great weekend, too. The weather, miraculously this summer, cooperated for the second weekend in a row, and we took Chappy to the park on Saturday, where I neglected to take a single picture. (Sorry.) He had a wonderful time, especially walking on the horse trails with their extra-interesting smells, and the chance to get his feet wet in the stream. He completely zonked out after we got home, though–and so did I! I had a nice nap on Saturday afternoon–though my eyelids gave me very little choice.

Today, we had blueberry pancakes for breakfast, and I baked a cake. I made it up myself–a Pineapple-Coconut-Lime cake with coconut-flavored frosting. It came out pretty well, if I do say so.

I didn’t get as much writing done as I should have, but I’m blaming Homefront for that. Do you remember that TV show from 1991-1993? With a young Kyle Chandler? I adored it and still regret that it’s not available on DVD. It IS, however, available on YouTube, and frustrating as it is that the quality is not ideal and each episode is broken into five or six parts to keep the videos short enough for YouTube, I’ve been loving rewatching it. (And yes, I find that I still love Ginger’s hairstyles as much as ever.)

I’ve also been reading about World War I and the immediate social aftereffects as research for my new book, the sequel to my After-Titanic story. You know, because (1) I’m enjoying the characters so much, I want to see what happens next and (2) I’m assuming that After Titanic WILL get published, and having a sequel coming along behind is never a bad thing.

It’s partly because of the WWI research that I got the yen to rewatch Homefront, in fact, even though it takes place after a completely different war. Many of the issues are the same, though not all–no Prohibition to speak of, for example. But still–the idea of men returning from war and expecting things to be the same when in fact they’ve changed is an intriguing (if sad) one.

Which reminds me … I should really be writing that right now, shouldn’t I? So, if you’ll excuse me…

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:204 // 4 Comments »

You’re wondering, aren’t you, about how my spinning and knitting are going?

Here’s a not-very-good picture of my sweater’s progress. Body and sleeves all on one needle and I’m working on the yoke.

Here’s a picture of it looking, you know, more like a sweater. (Honestly, Chappy DID want to show it to you, he just hates the flash on the camera.)

He also told me to show you the Twist and Shout yarn I finished the other day (hanging from a doorknob).

I haven’t given it its final bath yet, but it’s straight and balanced, and so pretty. I just wish I hadn’t lost count while winding it so I’d have an idea how much yardage there is. I really don’t want to have to count all those strands… (grin)

Current spinning? Here are the singles on my wheel. That’s probably about two ounces or so, and this 50/50 merino/silk roving is just as soft and delectable as I remember.

Chappy says he’s exhausted now!

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Chappy wanted to show you // 1 Comment »

This little guy? My Chappy? He’s having a practically perfect weekend. In fact, as “just us, no guests” weekends go? There’s not much that would make it better. (Other than the forecast possible thunderstorms later today.)

First, it’s been blessedly cool compared to, well, basically the entire summer. Like, in the 75-80 degree range, and with no humidity to speak of. You can step outside without automatically saying, “Whoo! It’s hot!” which is a pretty rare event this year.

Then, yesterday, Saturday, we took him out for coffee. That is, Mom and I drank the coffee–Chappy doesn’t need the caffeine. But it wasn’t just the three of us.

Dad came, too! This is practically unheard of, and only happened because bribed him with eggs for breakfast because we had a Mara’s gift-coupon for buy-one-get-one-free.

Afterwards, we walked around town, I stopped at the bank, and Chappy insisted on stopping at the doggy-specialty store, the one with its own bakery. That was funny, actually. The store is on our town’s main street, and we’ve stopped in a few times to buy biscuits. But, they also have an entrance in the back, on Bloomfield Avenue across from the parking lot where the car was. We were walking back tot he car, and Chappy literally pulled me up the stairs to the door, as if he’d read the “Come visit our bakery” sign next to them. It was funny because we’ve NEVER gone in that way and hadn’t even realized that we COULD, but Chappy read the sign or followed his nose and … there we were. So, yes, my clever dog got a package of freshly-baked biscuits. It’s only fair.

We had a nice, lazy afternoon and then, the four of us all went out AGAIN, this time for supper. We went to Stewart’s, which not only has the best root beer, but has car service. You know, where you pull up in your car, and they bring your food on a tray that hangs on the window? They’ve been around for ages and since it’s about the only restaurant we ever take Chappy to (other than coffeeshops), it’s his favorite. They bring Milkbones out to the dogs, too, which he appreciates, even if he prefers bites of hamburgers and fries.

Today, we had a walk, I baked a pound cake, and then I plied a couple hundred yards of yarn while watching “Wag the Dog.” I haven’t seen it in years and had forgotten how much the Political-Science major, cynical-side of me really loves that movie. Dustin Hoffman is wonderfully hilarious as the producer. His response to every set-back is “What? That’s nothing,” followed by some Hollywood anecdote about something that was even worse.

The yarn is all plied, though I lost track counting while I wound it on to the skeinwinder, so I’m not sure what the yardage is. It came out pretty, though, and pretty consistent, which is always a treat. Once again, this is “Sock Hop” yarn from Crown Mountain Farms, in the “Twist and Shout” color, which I’ve had waiting to be spun for a few years now.

Next up for spinning?

If you’ve been reading long enough, you should recognize this.

Five years ago for my birthday, Mom gave me three pounds of this merino/tussah silk roving from the Sheep Shed (bought at Rhinebeck a couple weeks before my birthday). Three pounds of it. I don’t know what I had been thinking. Over the next year or two or three, I spun about two pounds of it, but at different times and different skill levels and after referring to it for months as the “never-ending fiber,” finally ended up stashing the last pound of it.

Well, it’s time it got spun, don’t you think? And right now, while I’m “in practice,” too, so that hopefully all 16 ounces of it will make consistent yarn. Because, yes, I still love the color of the stuff. It makes a beautiful purple-tinged gray yarn. So gorgeous.

And, now? We’re having roast chicken for supper (making the house smell really good, I might add), and Chappy’s getting very excited. He ADORES roast chicken and turkey. I’d venture to say that they’re his favorite kind of meat to eat … he doesn’t get this excited about the chicken in his food dish every day, or when Mom cooks a couple chicken breasts for supper. But … roasted in the oven? Ohhhhh, he loves it. Loves it! The house is starting to smell really yummy, and he’s pacing a bit, not quite able to settle down out of anticipation.

I tell you, this weekend keeps getting better and better for my boy.

• Tags: Family, Finished Spinning, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Perfection // 2 Comments »

Yes, of course, 2010 is the year, but do you know what else it is?

The number of posts my Mom has written here at Chappysmom!

Two thousand ten posts, as of right now. Isn’t it nice of her to let ME write it? I hope you’re impressed. We … I mean, she started this blog in January 2005.

I’m just proud of the the posts that I’ve written. Not to blow my own horn, or anything. (Besides, that would make me bark, and that would just be silly!)

So, let’s see. Mom usually shows you a picture of her knitting.

She’s got both sleeves of her sweater done, and about 8 or 9 inches of the body. (That’s my foot, there in the corner.) She just started her second skein of yarn and said she’s glad she bought an extra in Susan’s sale last week–just to be safe. That means she has five altogether, which is good because the sweater has a hood.

Did she forget to tell you what the sweater pattern is? The Salem Hooded Jacket from New England Knits. (She really, really loves that book.)

She started plying her “Twist and Shout” yarn, too, which I find kind of boring. And drafty. So I usually sit about as far away as possible while she’s doing that.

Here, she took a couple pictures for you. (She won’t let me use the camera.) She was grumbling about how hard it is to get the yarn to wind on to the bobbin evenly with the plying head, and how she doesn’t like that she can’t get it all the way to the front, but I’m not really sure what she meant by that.

Oh! I almost forgot the best part!

In honor of her 2010th post, Mom’s giving away a PRIZE!

Her paperback copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting. She loves the book. I see her flipping through it all the time. BUT right now she actually has two copies. The one she bought when it came out, and the one that Potter Craft sent her for review when the paperback came out. She told me to tell you that, as much as she loves it, she doesn’t really need both, so she’s willing to give one up for YOU. Because the book is that good.

To win? Just leave a comment on this post with a guess about how many knitting and spinning books Mom has.

Here’s a hint.

(Comments are closed because the contest is over.)

• Tags: Chappy, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:2010 // 41 Comments »

I’m getting awfully close to having two sleeves–isn’t it exciting? Just a couple more inches. I only just finished my first skein of yarn, too, about 4 rows back.

And, yes, I’m still loving this yarn.

Here’s a look at my finished green yarn … with that single skein of golden-yellow adding a little accent (and taking me right back to high school, too).

I’m really happy with this. And I adore the color … hard though it is to photograph.

The current spinning, you’ll remember, is the Sock Hop in “Twist and Shout.” I love the blue-green thing, of course, and I’m loving how it’s spinning up.

I love watching the color changes. It’s one of the most fun and satisfying things about spinning multi-colored yarn.

Did you see the preview for the upcoming Interweave Knits? There are several designs in there I think are lovely, but the one that caught my eye the most?

The Hoarfrost Moebius by Annie Modesitt.

So, I’m planning ahead. Because this requires a very specific yarn.

Yep. Lion Brand Yarn’s Stainless Steel Wool. It looks pretty much identical to the Habu yarn that I’ve been looking at for ages but never quite sure what to do with. This pattern, though? I love it. Love the color, love the design, love the amazing drape the steel gives to it … so, I ordered some.

Yes, even despite the fact that I really shouldn’t be spending any unnecessary money at the moment. I told you the other day that I’d gotten a new computer because Mom’s had died, right? It’s the one I’m typing on right now, and it’s a perfectly okay computer … except … that’s all it is. Okay. For basic stuff, it works just fine–MS Word, checking email, tweaking photos. But for heavier-duty internet stuff? Like watching videos, uploading pictures, writing blog posts? Um … not so much.

I can’t upload more than 2 photos at a time on Flickr without it locking. Watching a video on Hulu.com, it freezes several times–which my old computer never did. I’m not fond of the touchpad, either–the buttons are part of the pad, not separate buttons. I know this is the new Mac thing and all, but I’m finding it annoying. It’s true that most of the time I just tap on the touchpad to click, and that works fine, but there are times when it’s helpful to hold down the button–like when selecting more than one file, or something like that. And then, when I lift up my finger to click on the button … the cursor moves, just enough for me NOT to click on what I’m aiming for. Sigh. Add to that the fact that the yellows are kind of weird on the monitor and the slow internet speed for God knows what reason, and … the computer’s going back.

The sad part, though, is that Amazon charges a 15% restocking fee for returned computers (unless they’re DOA), so that’s about an extra $90, plus shipping to return it, in addition to the cost of the new (faster, I hope) computer. So, buying more yarn? Um, yeah, that’s got to stop again for a while … but at least I have this pretty Stainless Steel yarn to play with, huh? Not to mention all that great Peace Fleece from the other day.

(And we won’t discuss the broken cap, right?)

Just … cross your fingers for me that this new computer behaves the way it’s supposed to, okay?

• Tags: Finished Spinning, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Spinnin’ and Knittin’ // 1 Comment »

Today, I washed yarn. I soaked my three skeins of handspun and hung them to dry, and they’ve been dripping in the hallway ever since. I’ve got the lid for my soaking-tub underneath to catch the drips.

And I started spinning my Twist and Shout  “Sock Hop” roving. Blues, greens, splashes of pinkish-purple, and white to keep it bright. All so pretty.

Chappy, though, got a little bored and headed off to his crate for some napping. He does so love that yellow afghan of his!

Otherwise? I made pancakes for breakfast, and baked a cake. We took Chappy out for a walk before it got too hot. I spent some serious time reading this afternoon which was completely nice and relaxing, if not particularly helpful for the whole, Debbie-needs-to-write thing. But hey. At least the spinning looks good, right?

Now? I’m off to finish my review for New England Knits, a book which I LOVED. That brown sweater I’m knitting? Yep, that’s where it’s from. The book is just that good.

• Tags: Finished Spinning, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Spinning on Sunday // 2 Comments »

First … this looks like not one, but TWO skeins of finished green merino, don’t you think? Each skein is about 320 yards and the color is devilishly hard to photograph.

Next up? Eight ounces of superwash merino in “Twist and Shout” I bought from Crown Mountain Farms about three years ago.

Pretty, huh? It’s been sitting in my stash for far too long.

Knitting-wise, I finished my first sleeve of my sweater. It only took three tries. After the last picture I showed you, I tore it out and started again. The yarn, while Worsted weight, is getting a far different gauge than the Manos called for in the pattern, and there was just no way that  gauge was going to work, ultimately. So I started over again, on larger needles and this time I’m sticking with it.

Can I just tell you how much I adore this color? The flash actually makes it look a trifle washed out, but I keep looking at it and thinking I’m knitting  a tree, the colors are so natural, so gorgeous. I love them.

Oh, and I may have placed another order with Peace Fleece.

You know, just a few skeins of yarn. You’ll remember, the $100-minimum order for the wholesale rates? This order came in at $101.50 before shipping, so about as close as I could get to the minimum.

I’m not altogether happy with the way these colors photographed, either. They look way too bright and over-exposed to me. But then, I’m also working on a different monitor, so ALL the colors look a little different. I’ve never had such a difference in the way my photos look from computer to computer before, so I’m not quite sure how to adjust that.

And yes, you heard me. A different computer. Mom’s crashed and burned again. It’s been having problems for a couple weeks and got infected by a virus and since I don’t know how to actually fix a computer, I bought myself a new one and gave her my old. Not the most economical solution, I know, and I’m hoping I made the right choice because I’m not particularly liking the trackpad on this laptop. The buttons are actually part of the trackpad, which means that when I lift my finger to click a button (usually the right button), the cursor moves ever so slightly, which is kind of frustrating. I’ll adapt, though.

But, meanwhile, I can’t tell how close these colors actually are compared to the yarn. I mean, the camera hasn’t changed, and I know what I was doing with those pictures a couple days ago to tweak colors, and these suddenly look really bright, really over-exposed, so … I’ll have to work on that.

Now, if only I could get iTunes to download to my new computer. I have tried countless times over the last three days, but it freezes up every time. SO frustrating.

• Tags: Finished Spinning, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Just a Saturday Update // 3 Comments »

You’ll be glad to know that I’ve been working very hard on my plying.

Even Chappy was impressed. Because, honestly, it really was work.

That’s about eight ounces, 320 yards there … and still with room on the bobbin, too.

But, man, this is a HARD yarn to photograph! No matter how much I adjust the white settings, it photographs as, well, gray, really.

Oh, I should warn you that I’m apparently having trouble with my web-hosting. They say I’m using too much space (?) and suspended my account for a few hours yesterday. I’m trying to figure out how to fix this with (I might add) basically no help from them. Their answer was essentially, “Talk to your web designer,” which, of course, I don’t have. But, I mean really. I know I’ve got all you wonderful, loyal readers out there, and all, but it’s not like you come by to visit in the thousands or anything. I don’t even use the webhost for the pictures–they’re all on Flickr. So, how can I be using so much space that they felt they needed to suspend my account?

Anyway … just in case it happens again, don’t freak out. I’m not deliberately going anywhere.

(And, if any of you have any guidance on what to do? That would be great, too. All I got from the lovely people at ANHosting was this link which, since I don’t even know what php is, really doesn’t help me at all.)

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Still Plying // Add Comment »

I finished all four bobbins of green corriedale. That’s a full pound there, four ounces per bobbin (give or take). Some of it’s a little over-twisted, though, with some dreaded coils, but hey … I was on a roll and I was happy just to be spinning, so I’m not really complaining.

You know what this means, though. Ready to start plying!

And here’s another look at my sleeve–restarted from the beginning on actually LARGER needles.

Would you believe that I’m actually getting a SMALLER gauge than called for? No, I don’t believe it, either. I am, nevertheless, happy with this sleeve. It’s about 10″ around instead of the 12″ that the pattern sleeve calls for and I think that’s more wearable, anyway, so no complaints. Before I start the body, though, I’ll try another gauge swatch … maybe the pocket … on a larger needle and see how that goes. I figure, even if I loosen the gauge (and I still don’t see how that can be possible with my knitting) … and I’m reminding myself that the body is knitted back and forth in rows, unlike the circularly-knit sleeves, and that will make a difference, too.  I figure it won’t really hurt too much when I join the sleeves to the body, if the gauge is slightly different between the two. Drastically, yes, but only slightly? Not worried.

Meanwhile, I LOVE the color of this yarn. It makes me feel like I’m playing God and making a tree.

In some sad news today, one of my parents’ oldest friends died, suddenly, last night. Mom actually went to high school with her, a few months behind, but it was once they were all working at the Howard Savings Bank in the early 60s that they all became friends. We don’t know what caused her death, but they’re still shocked, even allowing for the fact that they didn’t see her very often. Dad golfs with her husband a few times every year, and my parents see the other two of that group-of-six every few months, but still … Dad is a little shaken. He says it’s the first one to “go” from presumably old-age kind of causes rather than illness or accidents. Sigh. Rest in peace, Kathy.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Plying Begins // Add Comment »

I started winding that pretty brown “Gulliver’s Travels” JMF yarn today.

Which went smoothly enough until I got this huge tangle near the end of the second skein. I got it unravelled, but it took me about 10 minutes.

I realized right away, though, that I was going to need to wind all four skeins at once. Since these are all hand-dyed, there’s a lot of variation from skein to skein, and the first two I wound happened to be the furthest away on this little spectrum of variation.

The skein furthest on the left is the darkest and has the most touches of black. The one all the way on the right has less black and more greenish kinds of accents. I don’t mind the variation, exactly, but want to at least use them in a specific sequence while knitting to avoid any dramatic jumps in color.

They really are all a gorgeous shade of brown, though, and the yarn is deliciously soft and springy. A pleasure to handle.

I even started the sleeve of my next sweater. Unfortunately (not surprising) the gauge doesn’t match my swatch. BUT (this is surprising), it’s actually smaller than expected. I should be getting 14 stitches to 4″, but this sleeve cuff, which is 36 stitches around, is actually measuring 8″ … meaning 18 stitches over 4″. So, first of all, I need to tear this out and start over.

Don’t be TOO shocked, though. It’s not like the Juniper Moon Farm yarn is the one called for in the pattern, so variations are bound to occur.

Oh, and spinning? I just finished another bobbin, meaning I’ve gotten 12 ounces of that green corriedale spun … about 10 of it in the last week. 4 more ounces and I’ll have all the singles done–unheard of speed!

Chappy got his first walk since Monday today, too. (It’s been so darn hot, you understand.) Mom and I opted not to go out for coffee because it was thunder-storming all morning. Chappy was very relieved to have us home to protect him, and we were just as glad to stay dry. The storms were past by noon, though, so we took him out for a walk around 1:00. Compared to the weather of the last week? Lovely (if a little damp around the edges).

I spent the rest of the afternoon reading the new Sharon Lee and Steve Miller book in the Liaden series, “Saltation.” I was so excited to get my copy the other day. A couple years ago they actually wrote it live, online, posting a chapter of the draft each Monday, and soliciting donations because of a financial disaster with their old publisher. They promised that IF the book ever came out in paper, anybody who donated $25 or more would get a signed copy. Well, I did–for both “Fledgling” and “Saltation“–but they ran into problems with this one with their new publisher, problems getting the number of copies they needed for us supporters, so even though the book’s been out since March, my copy just came on Thursday. That’s okay. I’m enjoying it anyway! And, speaking as a writer, it’s fascinating seeing the differences between the first draft I saw on my computer screen a couple years ago and the final product now.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Gulliver’s Travels // 1 Comment »

Did I tell you that Chappy had a special cupcake biscuit for his birthday? We picked it up at a fancy dog store in Chester a couple weeks ago–a biscuit baked into a cupcake paper, with yogurt icing and sprinkles. What’s not to love?

He certainly was anxious to give it a try.

He tipped it over and gave it a few good sniffs. (I helped with the paper.)

It was obviously successful, though. Especially considering he tried to eat the paper afterward.

Otherwise, I seem to be participating in the Tour de Fleece. Kind of like the Yarn Harlot, I hadn’t actually planned to, but since I’ve spun every day since it started this weekend, I figure … why not? My own little goal is to spin every day–and if I can turn all 16 oz of my pretty hard-to-photograph green Corriedale into yarn by the end? Well, that would be nice. I’d be happy with singles, even, not necessarily even plied yarn.

As of this moment, I’ve got 8 oz done. I started it a couple weeks ago, but if I had spun as much as an ounce of it before Saturday, I’d be surprised. The color, though, is much better in the picture I took when I started. (The color in this picture, frankly, is terrible. You’d think I’d have better luck doing custom-white balance with my Nikon, huh?)

• Tags: Chappy, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Pupcake Cupcake // 2 Comments »

First things first–happy birthday, Grandpa!

He’s been gone since 1967 and we never had a chance to know each other. I was 10 months old when he died of Alzheimer’s which, I figure, puts us at about the same mental level for most of the ten months our time here on earth overlapped. It doesn’t allow for many memories, though.

I have exactly one thing of his. (You know, other than his little boy, my father.) Although I suppose that technically my Grandmother’s secretary desk used to be their secretary desk, but well, we’re talking personal items here. And this is it. A monogrammed handkerchief.

I don’t quite remember how I ended up with this. It was in my father’s dresser for years and then, one day, it was in mine, but I don’t remember how or why. I don’t know for sure who embroidered it, either. It could have come from the store this way, or it could have been my grandmother. I don’t really know. I just know that Dad told me it belonged to his father, and that makes me appreciate it all the more. On the rare occasion I need a handkerchief, this is the one I reach for.

My Dad gets good-grandfather points, too. I was busy in the kitchen today getting ready for Chappy’s birthday party tomorrow … and it was a little too hot for me, anyway … so Dad took Chappy for a walk. Don’t they look happy? You know, it’s really unusual for me to see Chappy from a distance.

I’m blocking my shawl and enjoying the usual blocking magic. It wouldn’t fit on the blocking board itself, though, because the corners stretched past the edge (making pinning difficult).

So, I folded it in half. Not only does that mean it fits on the blocking board, but … only half the amount of pinning!

And, right now? I’ve got the blocking board standing up against the bookcases in the hall. I’m just hoping that Chappy doesn’t try to rub his head on it (as he is wont to do) and poke his eyes on the pins. But I told him not to, so…

It sure looks pretty, though, huh? The shawl, you’ll remember, is the Shetland Shawl from “Folk Wraps”, knitted in my handspun Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm cormo. (Yes, I know, Susan’s farm is Juniper Moon now, but this was from my first share of MVFF, so … Martha’s Vineyard.)

Oh, and Buttons and Lucky are having fun. They picked out our movie for tonight, too.

• Tags: Family, Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Grandpa’s Birthday // 1 Comment »

I finished my shawl last night. It’s not blocked yet, of course, but it’s done. All in my own handspun cormo.
Sigh. Bliss.

Now, just think how much prettier it will look once it’s blocked!

You know, once I figure out WHERE to block it.

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Lace // 2 Comments »

See? I have been spinning! I just finished my little Grafton Fibers batt of Corriedale, and I’m loving the colors, golden yellow with the faintest hints of greens. It’s not perfectly even, but considering that I’m a little out of practice, no complaints.

Then I started this. I’ve got 16 oz of this green Merino from the Sheep Shed at Rhinebeck a year or two ago. The color is being tricky for photographing, but it’s really a lovely shade. You know how I love green. Here, you can see half the bobbin, with my tail of unspun fiber draped over the top–so you can see the before and the after. It’s just … not quite the right color.

The problem with the spinning, though, is that for some reason lately, when I spin, my shoulder hurts. The top of my right shoulder, around the rotator cuff. I’m just not sure why. Since I mostly do short, forward worsted-style drafting, my right hand doesn’t actually move very much, and I TRY to keep my shoulders level and even, though I notice that I have a tendency to hunch the right shoulder up toward my ear a bit … just don’t know why.

Of course, my right shoulder is the one spot that I regularly get sore, so that could have something to do with it. It’s because of my shoulder that I use a trackball at work to save having to move the mouse all the time. (Ditto the trackpad on the laptop–easier on the joints because the shoulder and upper arm don’t have to move as much.) I don’t suppose any of you have exercises to suggest, do you?

Oh, and I finished watching Battlestar Galactica, all four seasons. Yes, I enjoyed it. Yes, I had some issues with the way it ended. Apparently Capricans don’t have movies showing how difficult it can be, approaching “uncivilized” tribes and managing not to get killed. And, flying around on those space ships I’m SURE made everyone fit to just wander off into the wilderness with a bag or two. (I bet THEY don’t know how to spin their own yarn.) Aren’t they afraid there may be some microbes they haven’t met yet that could cause some damage without their real medical knowledge? And–spreading everyone out over the planet? Now, I can’t imagine, say, everyone in my town having the skills to completely start over in the wilds of Africa (or wherever) with no tools or supplies without a certain amount of, shall we say, attrition.

I understand that they were trying to blend the BSG folks in with our actual history, but I would have bought them, say, all settling together in the Mediterranean where their mythology would set the foundation for the Greek and Roman myths we all grew up with. And … they found Hera’s bones, but never any signs of disabled Raptors? I get it, but think the ending wasn’t quite as perfect as it could have been. (And, poor Lee, now completely alone. And what, he’s going to explore the entire planet on his two feet? I liked Col. Tigh so much more after he realized he was one of the five. And am so, so grateful Baltar finally cut his hair.)

• Tags: Finished Spinning, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Spinning // 4 Comments »

So, now that my sweater is done, here’s what I’m working on. The Shetland Shawl by Evelyn Clark, the one from Wrap Style.

The yarn is from my original share of Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm Cormo, spun by yours truly. Such pretty stuff, huh?

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Handspun Lace // 3 Comments »

Well, my sweater is done–all but the buttons.

The sad part is that it’s a little too small (sigh).

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Miss BB // 6 Comments »

I don’t know how it happened.

But I seem to have fallen down and landed on the “Buy” button over at Amazon. Look at this pile of books!

• Sir Ken Robinson’s The Element
• Catherine Blyth’s The Art of Conversation
• Steven Pinker’s The Stuff of Thought
• James Thurber’s The Thurber Carnival (because I stupidly got rid of my copy last Fall)
• Mary Roach’s Spook
• Jay Heinrichs’s Thank You for Arguing
• Anna Dean’s Bellfield Hall
• Allison Winn Scotch’s The One That I Want
• Sharon Lee and Steve Miller’s Mouse & Dragon
• Joanne Harris’s Runemarks.

Oh, and the new issue of Vogue Knitting there at the bottom.

With all this new reading material, it’s a good thing I’m making progress on my knitting, huh? I know, it’s a lousy picture. I didn’t have the space to lay the pieces out nicely, and they’re all curly around the edges … all of that. But it DOES prove that I’ve been working on my sweater, huh? The two fronts are done and I just started the sleeves.

You’ll be glad to know that Chappy (and the rest of us) are doing well with the work going on, even if they’re not going quite as fast as we’d like. They power-washed the building on Monday. (Wow, the deck looks so much better already.) They haven’t started painting or staining yet, though, which means Chappy still doesn’t have access to the deck for his bathroom, which is kind of inconvenient for all of us.

He was so good on Tuesday, though. Even with all the noise and the unfamilar routine, he didn’t go crazy-barking. In fact, if anything, he was a little clingier than usual. In fact, before I left for work, he followed me into my room and curled up on my red chair. That’s unusual for him. I told him that, if he wanted to, he could come back and sit there any time during the day, if he needed a break.

Well, when I got home on Tuesday, Dad explained how he had gone looking for Chappy, to check on him. He wasn’t downstairs. He wasn’t on his pillow or the couch in the living room. He wasn’t sitting by the door or in the kitchen. So, he came upstairs–Chappy wasn’t in his crate. He was, in fact, on the red chair. A place where he never sits during the day, and rarely at night.

Aww. Such a smart boy! Frankly, I don’t think he’s upset at all that it’s been quiet the last couple days. Even if the rest of us are kind of anxious for them to get the deck done, already…

The hardest question now?

What do I read first?

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Accident // 1 Comment »

I finished the back of my sweater last night. Are you excited? I knew you would be. Naturally, I immediately started the two fronts.

I know, the excitement is nearly unbearable. I hope you were sitting down?

Sadly, I have very little else to talk about. Isn’t that terrible? (Not to mention a surprise.) You know, go to work, come home. Go to work, come home. Go to work. Come home. The usual.

Although.

Today is the 9th anniversary of my losing Katy. This always makes me rather sad. I can’t believe it’s been nine years. I wouldn’t give up Chappy for anything, but still regret losing her, especially so young.

Accordingly, I’ve been sort of sad today, and Chappy has had to endure extra hugs.

I wore my “dog tag” necklace today. These are charms from C.B. Stark on Martha’s Vineyard, one for Katama, one for Chappy. Together on a chain, they remind me of dog tags. And, of course, they ARE my “dog” tags.

Sigh.

I still miss her.

Excuse me, while I go give Chappy a hug.

• Tags: Katy, Jilly, Muppy, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Dog Tags // 2 Comments »

The back of my sweater is just about at the underarms. Exciting, huh?

And yes, I still really, really love the color of this yarn. Not too blue, not too gray. Just the right combination of the two.

And look what I saw outside my bedroom window tonight. It was there for all of about 90 seconds, but I had just enough time to grab my camera.

Pretty, huh?

Naturally, Chappy is very impressed.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Back to the Rainbow // Add Comment »

First things first–there’s a dog that needs your help. More precisely, her Mom–the woman behind the February Lady Sweater–does. But here’s the thing–they’re not asking for charity or donations or anything like that. No, what they’re doing is selling an adorable knitting design, with all proceeds going to poor Crash’s medical bills. (And the sweater really IS adorable. Honestly. Go take a look. I’ll wait.)

But–there’s more! I heard about this from Susan at Juniper Moon Farm and she was so anxious to help spread the love (especially considering how swamped she was by her Lucy’s vet bills over the winter), she’s donating a free CSA share of her gorgeous, gorgeous wool.

All you need to do is buy this cute little pattern for $6 to help out Flint Knits and her poor, crashed Crash and then leave a comment at the JMF fiber blog saying so and you’ll get entered in a drawing for the $100 wool share.

Is that a great deal or what? (And, of course, spreading the word is good, too … though, admittedly, the more people who enter means fewer chances to win, but since this is ultimately an effort to help poor little 9-month old Crash, who is far too cute to be wearing such a big cast, I say it’s worth the risk. Besides, it’s better karma this way.)

Chappy wants to know what you’re waiting for?

Okay, onward.

Look at that, isn’t it pretty? That’s the beginning of Miss BB from Chic Knits. I told you I wasn’t going to tell you the pattern until I was pretty sure things were going well, but since this is three nights running with no glitches, it seems reasonably safe to say at this point. I know, you’re only seeing a few inches at the end, but trust me, this is the back section, and it’s about 6″ long.

And, man, I’m loving the color of this yarn.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Introducing Miss BB // 2 Comments »

I’m telling you, you can’t trust them.

I made a swatch the other day. I showed you. I knit it, I washed it, I measured it, and the gauge was well nigh close to perfect.

I should have known right then. My gauge is NEVER perfect. It’s always loose and relaxed. But still … it matched, right? So … I cast on the 88 stitches for the back and knit the first 6 rows. Then I measured … instead of 17″ across? 22″

A good five inches too big. (12.5 cm for those of you playing in metric homes.)

That was some whopper of a lie!

So … ripped that out. Dropped down two needle sizes and cast on for the smallest size sweater. 82 stitches for the back. Started knitting …

It’s at least closer, anyway.

Sigh. My loose gauge is going to be the death of me. As it is, I didn’t start knitting with a smaller needle this time, because it seemed insane to knit a sweater in worsted weight with a US size 1 needle, even just for four rows. It’s bad enough to be knitting the body on size 3 instead of a 6 like the pattern calls for.

Chappy’s not a happy camper right now because there’s a thunderstorm outside. He’s sitting right next to me, though. (You can just see the edge of the floor cushion I’m sitting on.) He’s been quiet all day, really. I don’t know if it’s because of the weather or just because he’s been tired, but he’s really only perked up when he’s had dishes to clean.

There were a lot of them, too. Not only regular meals, and the occasional snacks from me or Dad, but I baked bread today for the first time in a couple months, as well as a Lemon Pound Cake. And a fresh batch of granola, because that’s always good. His tongue’s been busy, even if he hasn’t gotten out for a walk since yesterday.

Okay … you knew this was coming, right?

People, have you been watching CHUCK this season?

Because, if you haven’t you MUST. Like, tomorrow, Monday night at 8:00 (7:00 central) on NBC. As we go into the last six episodes of season three, Chuck is finally a full-fledged spy and, more importantly, he and Sarah are together. The episode this week is called “Chuck vs the Honeymooners” and it looks positively giddy and fun. Amazingly good. The sneak peeks and previews that have been popping up on You Tube are adorable. (The Hart-to-Hart spoof for the next week’s “Chuck vs the Role Models” episode is pretty hilarious, too.)

You really must give this show a try if you haven’t already. I don’t care what you think you want to watch on Monday nights, this show is better (grin).

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Swatches Still Lie // 3 Comments »

Hey, look at that. It’s a swatch … it’s just a matter of time before we find out whether it will lead to a sweater or not. Remarkably, my gauge IN THE SWATCH is just about right on target which is so unprecedented it frankly scares me a little. Especially since, as you know, swatches lie.

Still. I am loving the color of this yarn. It’s a deep blue-gray from Peace Fleece, subtle and really wonderful. (The fact that I love gray yarn and I love blue certainly doesn’t hurt.)It’s got that great, heathered, tweedy look to it, and little specks of browns and greens mixed in. It’s gorgeous. And, even though this sweater will be for me, this color would be fabulous for a man. (Or a nephew, because I still think my nephew would look amazingly handsome in this yarn, but I’m pretty sure that he who never wears sweaters at all would consider it too “scratchy.” Sigh.)

I’m not going to tell you the pattern I have in mind, though, because I don’t want to jinx anything.

I WAS going to start knitting something with the handspun Cormo yarn I made from my first MVFF yarn share (back when there was a Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm). My only real problem is that I spun some of that yarn last summer, and some of it last fall–both before and after our move in November–and it came out different weights, which makes finding a pattern that will work for it challenging. The spinning is uneven, too. The yarn I made right after we moved was more a therapeutic act than something I was doing to get good yarn, so it’s not as even or consistent as the first couple of skeins.

Sure, I could make smaller projects, but where’s the fun in that? It should be obvious by now that my favorite knitting projects are the big ones. Not necessarily the “huge” variety like queen-sized afghans, but bigger than socks or hats, and more interesting than scarves. Sweaters are by far my favorite thing to make, so it saddens me that this gorgeous CORMO yarn isn’t as … immediately conducive for turning into a sweater as it could be. Making irregular yarn in slightly varied weights work in a single sweater is going to take some time.

Hence the Peace Fleece swatch.

Speaking of Juniper Moon Fiber Farm. (Well, Susan Gibbs’–the woman who had the brainwave that was Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm–farm, which is located in Virginia.) You’ll be pleased to know that teeny tiny little Rushworth is hanging in there. I don’t know if they consider him to be out of the woods yet, but he’s definitely doing better. So, yay!

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Swatching // 4 Comments »

As requested (and with Mom’s help), the modelled shots:

(Yes, even with my gray roots  and that pesky waistline showing. Interesting, though. I so seldom get to see what my hair looks like from the back!)

Before I go on, first things first. There’s a tiny little lamb–whose real name is Rushworth but is mostly known as Mr. Tiny because is IS–who needs some prayers and good will sent his way. After a rally his first day, he’s weak today, and his shepherds are worrying about him.

Then, what do you think of Knitting Scholar’s new logo?

How about these incredible photos from the “Beetle Cam“? (Not pictures of insects, but of wild animals. Very cool.)

Very cool picture of wild Icelandic horses running away from the volcano. (Good thing they didn’t need to fly.)

Just what every bake sale (or, heck, freezer) needs … individual blueberry cobblers baked in jars. Yum!

• Tags: Finished Knitting, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Upon Request // 12 Comments »

Yep. The sweater is done. Done, done, done! Which means it’s time to pick out buttons. I pulled out all the good possibilities from my button stash.

Narrowed it down to my favorites, and then asked Mom for her opinion. Luckily, she agreed with me on the one that was best.

I’ve had these in mind for this sweater for weeks. First, the brass color of them was perfect for the warm, golden-brown yarn. I loved the concentric circles on the buttons, which went so well with the circles in the cables, and they fit perfectly into the Os on the X-and-O cabled button-bands.

I sewed them on tonight AND ran a length of ribbon down the inside to give a little extra support. If I’d been smart, I would have used those little plastic rounds on the inside, but I didn’t give it a thought … and didn’t have any anyway. This ribbon, though? I bought it online a month or two ago and it’s the perfect color–a deep copper that goes perfectly with the yarn (and even matched the thread I used to sew on the buttons)–but that is ALSO exactly the same width as the cable.

In other news for today, Mom and I went out to look for a frame for the counted cross-stitch picture SHE just finished. I hope you’re impressed, too, because Michael’s is right next door to a Borders book store and not only did we park in front of the bookstore, but when we left the craft store, we got directly into the car and drove away. I know. Shocking behavior for me, right?

We headed over to Macy’s instead, which was having one of it’s rare (cough) “One Day Sales” and I bought some socks and a couple t-shirts. I was ridiculously happy to find any t-shirts at all that were plain, a decent weight, and not absurdly expensive. When did it become so impossible to find good t-shirts? It seems like most of the ones I see–even assuming I can find any at all that aren’t ruched or covered with print, beads, sequins or heaven knows what else–are (1) too long, (2) too thin/cheap, (3) too tight, or all of the above. So finding a few decent crew necks that were a relatively good fit despite my waistline issues? Very nice.

And, before you say anything about my BUYING socks, yes, I adore my handknit socks, but I can’t knit the really thin little anklet socks that are light enough to wear in summertime under sneakers.

Chappy rested while we were gone, but we took him for a walk when we got home. Doesn’t he look adorable snuggled into MY yellow afghan? The one he keeps trying to tell me should be his?

I baked some Apple-Oatmeal Bread this afternoon, too, though I baked it in a Bundt pan instead of a loaf pan because I tend to have trouble with quick breads in loaf pans, so it looks more like a cake, but no worries there. Tonight, Mom and I watched 1967′s “Barefoot in the Park” with Jane Fonda and Robert Redford and just laughed and laughed and laughed. It’s been years since I’ve seen it and I enjoyed it just as much as the other times I’d seen it. The laughs began when they comment on their honeymoon at New York’s Plaza hotel costing (gasp) $30 a night! And then, there are all those stairs…

Now, my new sweater and I are going to go relax for a while…

• Tags: Finished Knitting, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Finished! // 8 Comments »