Lots of pictures

This was the first laceweight yarn that I spun myself. When i posted it on Ravelry (because I was so very proud), someone said I shouldn't worry about the unevenness. It kind of deflated my excitement. I thought it was pretty even. Maybe I'm not doing it right, but I always just go for staying in the RANGE of the appropriate weight. Now that I've finished my Swallowtail Shawl from it, i don't feel deflated anymore




(sorry about the glare. I thought the black would be good as a background with this project, but it's shiny)

I also finished the Suffolk. It is a little bit nubby but only because it is roving, but not top, well that and I felted it a little bit when I dyed it, but thats just between you and me.

If you zoom in on it, you can even see a little piece of hay I apparently didn't get out during the spinning process. Whoops


Here's another spin I've been working on. It's merino blended with firestar and it's going to become my new ice queen. I threw some beads that I'm going to use into the photo too.


And to top off the Tuesday of Tons of Pictures with the new spin I'm working on.


It's Shetland handdyed by 00 (she doesn't remember though) and will be sock yarn.

Gotta go and work on the panda wool socks. They are almost all done yay!

On The Needles today (and the wheel too)

My allergies have been very uncomfy the last few days and I haven't slept as much as I needed to, so I am not very interesting. Since I'm not interesting, I thought I'd just go ahead and show you what I'm up to.

I'm spinning some Suffolk sock yarn. I now Suffolk isn't normally a very popular spinning fiber, but it makes some really nice hard wearing socks.

It's the sherbet color I talked about a week or so ago.

Here is one finished (plain two by two rib with a fleegle heel) and one on the needles. It's made from panda wool I dyed, but I will not be using this as a base for my sock yarns. I don't like how it takes the dye even though these turned out pretty (i think). If I can't predict how the dye will take, I can't use it right?


There again is my $1 Shipshawana flea market sock bag. Love that thing!

I also finished one fingerless glove yesterday and have one to go

I have about half the yarn tails to weave in (I always stop after I do the index finger and thumb, weave in ends and then finish so I have fewer at the end). Anywho, that's what I have going, but once I finish either a sock or the other glove, I will start the swallowtail. I have been really excited to start it but wanted to get one or both of these done first (I know shut up)

I'm Still Spinnin'

Ok so here's the merino/firestar I started spinning back when I said I was going to choose between two other things. Oh fickle me!

It's a dark green (I call it a peacock green) blended with the green/yellow/blue firestar. I'm thinking of knitting it as an energized single (which means right off the bobbin).



While I'm spinning, I'm listening to Duma Key by Stephen King. I believe I'm just a bit less than halfway through. It's good so far, but not my favorite. (That's why the little boombox thing is in the photo). Mark my words, people, Stephen King is a modern literary genius. There will be entire university courses taught on his work in my lifetime (I'm 34).

Later today I'm going to swatch on my 930 with the garter carriage. I was thinking of doing some video during the process of this sweater I'm planning on knitting on my machine. Maybe I'm too lazy though. Those people who have machines out there and are making youtube videos to help others learn how to (and sometimes how not to) use their machines go to a lot of trouble and I give them a lot of credit for that.

Someone remind me to drop off the outgrown clothes in the back of the truck at Goodwill!

Ways that I'm a big fat liar

Way 1: I had to start a sock today. Number five had swimming lessons and it's just too hot in there to put my woolen wicked on my lap. I did get the first sleeve nearly done yesterday though.

Way 2: I pulled out some merino that I blended with firestar (whilst seeing if I could make do with a pair of handcards instead of my frenzied pursuit of a drum carder. turns out I can indeed, but I digress) to show my mom and decided to try it out to see if it was too sparkly, not sparkly enough, whatever, and started to spin a laceweight single. Now I gotta finish those four ounces before I can proceed to the sherbet sock yarn. (I was just going to try it out and I couldn't stop) However I do expect to go ahead and get onto the sock yarn soon. I'm still spinning a lot lately so four ounces won't take long.

Way 3: I'm going to wind the laceweight for Swallowtail today, but I hardly think that counts as starting a project! (Yeah I know it's all a debate really)

Way 4: I still haven't started blocking the Scrote. Its just floating around in a big pink mass of Ramen noodles at this point, the horrid thing. You guys, I haven't even blocked The Wings of an Angel (or whatevs it's supposed to be called) that I finished ages ago. Have I mentioned that I hate blocking?


In other news, the owner of my son's Tae Kwon Do school has been arrested for soliciting murder. True I was looking for a new place because I didn't like him, but frankly I didn't suspect this!

My dad has responded by acting like he's 8. Not new and pretty much expected. Actually a little humorous if you can find humor in that sort of thing (oh and believe me I CAN)

My first colorwork project is chosen and I will be dyeing a bit of handspun for it maybe over the weekend. Best get back on the sleeves for Wicked :S.

Would I forget you?

I didn't pin out the Scrote yet, but I may have a photo tomorrow. We'll have to see how that goes. Perhaps the most proud I've been of some spinning yet.
The Merino from Marr Haven.


Yes, that's my WPI's Guide from Hornshaw Woodworks
I also finished some handdyed Shetland. I think this might end up being gloves or a hat (or both) for number five. He does so love him some camo.


Sorry that photo wasn't as clear as it could have been, but it was early!

I have blocking and sleeve knitting to do so I can start a new project, but my hand hurts. I knitted for HOURS yesterday to get that scrotum off my needles so I'm going to let my stiff hand relax for part of the day and go to the store with my man to get him an angle grinder (no idea what that is). See ya'll soon!

Oh and I'm going to pick out my next spinning project. Any votes? Sherbet colored Suffolk sock yarn? Or Sunset colored BFL laceweight? I'm having some trouble making a decision (I know big shocker).

Handspun Socks and Important Information

So, number five went on a field trip with his grade (4th) to Mackinac Island. It's a historic part of Michigan dude. Anywho, he was paired with one of his best friends and two other kids from his class. they had an awesome time and stayed overnight in a hotel. How fun is that?

So he gets home and a few days later, this convo ensues:

Me: So, now that you've gotten to know Jae and Logan better, do you like them more?

5: I like Logan better now that I know him more. Jae, I think I like LESS.

I always encourage him to say how he really feels because I think people who fake just to appear nice are just pathetic. If you can't BE nice, then Appearing nice is just lying. I always tell him he doesn't have to play with kids he doesn't like, but he does have to treat them with respect, but OOOOOOOOOOO this cracked me up.

Let's face it, sometimes the better you know a guy, the less you like him. It's just that simple.



Now, handspun socks. They're superwash wool from Sheepshed studios. I dyed the roving with number $ and the pattern is Slippery
I finished them up while rewatching Dexter with my mom. I wish the new series was starting earlier.



Oh and I dyed some yarn for a sweater this weekend. I think it will be a long sleeved version of Wicked. It's a nice hot candy pink with some lighter/darker spots which was the plan.



Hopefully soon, I'll have it on the needles!

Oh yeah! I'm spinning for my first handspun sweater too! i believe a spinner or two reads this, is 2.5 lbs enough for a sweater? I haven't counted WPIs yet, but I'm hypothesizingthat I'm getting a heavy DK to light worsted weight. It's natural Shetland spun before dyeing. I'll dye the yarn when I'm done. So far I only hae like 1/2 a lb done, but heck I just started on Monday.

Sunshine, Pure Laziness and Fun

We've had sun and warm temps for a few days. Wow, I can't tell you how good it is to get outdoors in a Tshirt! I even saw capri pants today. Shame on the dumbass wearer (and yes I do know her. She's a mom at number 5's school and she IS a big dumbass) for wearing white capris in April. My mom came with me to drop of lunch for number five.

Never fear, the earthquake didn't even wake us so apparently it couldn't have been much of a shake.

I've been spinning more Suffolk. I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I really have to tease it apart to spin it but it's been so worth it and it makes a really nice sock yarn. I don't think I would like a sweater made of this unless it was more like an outerwear thing, but socks are turning out beautifully.

Here is the spinning for the second batch of this wool.


I was too lazy to take my Mystic Light off the needles and stretch it for a photo. Sorry! Clue number 4 is almost complete and unless the last clue is like five rows, I will definitely run out of yarn. I don't know how that happened because I had about 100 yds more than the pattern was supposed to take, but I did go up a needle size, so maybe that's why. Here it is in a big jumble. Impressive right?

Well it WILL be when it's all done and blocked. The silk is really pretty and red and warm and I'm not sure what I'll do with this shawl when it's completed. There is patterned knitting on the back (which is new for me) and I struggled a bit with it at first, but then I got the hang of it and what it was doing to the pattern and now I'm fine.

I'm also working on a pair of heavy socks made of the blue handdyed Shetland. This is the second batch I dyed. Because I don't know how much yarn I have left, I wound it into one big cake, knit one sock foot on the center pull part and now I'm knitting the second sock foot from the tail on the outside. I figured I'll switch back and forth and knit a few rows of rib on each until I run out of yarn. That explanation probably didn't make sense, but basically I'm knitting a sock from either end to make sure I use up ALLLLLLL my handspun. That shit's like gold to a spinner.


Late Night Yarn Party tonight! I'm going to stop and pick up caffeine on the way so I can make it until midnight! I'm also bringing the little cheesecake squares. I watched Maria Shriver on Oprah the other day and have resolved to make an effort to stop feeling like a failure if I'm not Martha Stewart. Those little cheesecake thingies are as yummy as anything I could make myself and all I have to do is plunk down my money and they're done! And i'm NOT a failure. Shutup Aholes.

I'm not funny today

things are just rolling along in a blur. I've been spinning! I finished the Lemonade Stand BFL that I handdyed. It turned out to be a light fingering and I cannot WAIT to knit a pair of patterned socks out of it. Most of my handspuns are so wild colorwise that patterns get lost, but I think this yarn will be perfect for a pair of monkeys or hederas.



I also finished two skeins of the Hydrangea handspun. It's Navaho plied. I can't remember if it's suffolk or shetland but both are great for socks. I handdyed this a few months ago. I really enjoy spinning the BFL more, but maybe I'll buy more when things settle down here and I get some of my stash spun up ;). I think this ended up to be somewhere in the realm of fingering/sportweight although I haven't counted the WPIs yet.


Time for me to go jump on the stepper and find some trash TV to watch while I sweat and huff. O and I'll be attending the Late Night Yarn Party and City Knitting in GR with some ladies from my Knit Nite. I am driving, so I won't be drinking, but hopefully they will and I can get some good photos!

I'm seein' the Light!!

Sorry I didn't get the whole shawl in the shot! Next time I will. I am still having a love/hate relationship with the yarn. I spun it myself so if I don't love it, I have nobody to blame but myself. At least I'm caught up (until tomorrow).

I'm also on the last bobbin of gray singles woo hoo!!!

Oh yeah and I forgot! It's Peggy's birthday! Go click over there --> on the name Peggy and leave her a Happy Birthday message in her comments.

He Who has Mad Computer Skillz

I may be the poet in the family, but The Chief is the brains of the operation. My computer has been driving me INFRICKINGSANE for about two months. There was some crappy device driver error crashing windows, until finally, the little POS dumped altogether. Now being me, I had all these ideas of what was wrong.

The Chief somehow (like magic man, I'm not kiddin) persuaded my recovery disks to work. (he said words like reformat, disk, drive, stuff like that). He did some diddly magicky stuff to my hard drive and VOILA.

Sucker works now.

Gaze upon his braininess (pretend he's not eating)


I think hé's the smartest and wonderfulest in the world.
I'm spinning 8 ounces of gray polypay. It's kind of weird. The staple is really short, but its so crimpy that it just grabs more fiber without a problem. I'm gonna navaho ply it, so I'm spinning a very thin single. I'm almost done with the first bobbin. Let me summarize: I am staring at thin gray yarn for like a long long time.


To reward myself when it's done, I've picked out something really fun to spin. It's Suffolk.


It's making me spend more time on the gray than i would if I didn't have something really fun to spin after. I know what you're thinking, and yes, Tony Robbins could take a lesson from me in motivation. I know what motivates the psychotic spinner mind like nobody else, baby.