Dawn's Dreamtag:www.dawnsdream.com,2009://12009-09-28T23:32:35ZMy name is Dawn... and I'm powerless over fiber.Movable Type 3.33They call me....tag:www.dawnsdream.com,2009://1.1052009-09-28T23:06:28Z2009-09-28T23:32:35ZLittle Bunny Foo Foo! We interrupt our tale of the epic adventure to bring you some everyday news. Saturday, while re-layering my compost bin, I discoverd a mouse had made her nest inside it. The momma mouse made it out...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
Wendy Knits on toe-up socks from her new book. She's a LOT of fun and we decided to start a Ravelry group to celebrate her term "toe cuppage" - the moment of success and joy when you achieve it - we're up to 30 members on the first day!
I've started knitting the yarn haul from the trip - this is a Shetland Shawl from Wrap Style in Simply Shetland's silk noil/wool laceweight from Stix in Bozeman - mmmm. I forgot how long the rows get on these triangles - I'm almost through the first ball of yarn.
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Epic Adventure, Part Itag:www.dawnsdream.com,2009://1.1042009-09-25T02:05:06Z2009-09-25T02:07:29ZCaptain America started planning this trip to celebrate our tenth anniversary well over a year in advance, which started with an idea of a motorcycle trip out West that's been perking for many years. Given that neither of us owns...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
Frontera Grill in Chicago on our first night of the trip. We stayed at the Fairmont Millenium, right next door to the Art Institute and walked to Frontera. It was perfecto - CA had a tamale appetizer that he said was just like his neighbor Mrs. Rodriguez used to make in Dallas - go figure. He's a picky eater and I'm not - and I think he enjoyed his meal more than I did. Score!
Saturday we boarded the Empire Builder train after a quick stop at the Art Institute, which I don't think I've ever been to and which blew me (us) away. I visit museums differently since I've worked at one for the last nine years, and it was amazing. No time to hit Loopy - drag, but I had many more LYSs on my list.
The modern sleeper cars on Amtrak bear little resemblance to the ones in North by Northwest, but did provide reasonable accomodations for about 30 hours as we left Chicago and went through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and into Montana - in fact, right up to East Glacier Lodge, our first night's pit stop. All but Illinois are states I've never been to before - many tacks for my map. We had a submarine shower and bunk beds - Amtrak could work a little on the thin cloth they call a mattress - a thin NASA foam one would go a long way.
We got in four meals on the ride, which meant we ate with four different couples. We're not the most social couple but we held our own and had fun meeting all of them (even the woman who was so drunk she excused herself halfway through the meal).
From the train we saw:
Proghorn antelope
Astonishingly happy and rich fields of sunflowers blooming
Amber waves of grain - lots and lots and lots of it
Many cows with their frolicking, kicking, happy calves
A gigantic wind farm - I find these beautiful
And, just like Captain America said, those mountains I had never seen, appearing first like clouds far, far away, and then growing and growing and looming and holy cow we're in the MOUNTAINS.
We stepped off the train and threw our bags on top of this:
While we walked across this path to the lodge:
Part II coming soon.]]>
I had no ideatag:www.dawnsdream.com,2009://1.1032009-09-05T04:44:05Z2009-09-05T05:22:21ZI'm writing from Bozeman, Montana, where Captain America and I are passing through on our way from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone and Teton National Parks on our 10th anniversary Epic Adventure. Driving today, first along and then inside these...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
I've been saying things like "I'm converted" about the mountains, but that's not really right. It's not like I'm switching from beaches, but shazam - add mountain girl to my bio. Captain America, who planned this magical tour, has had this in his soul since Boy Scouts at 12, and now it's in mine. Big sky country meant nothing to me before - but we drive into Yellowstone with my eyes wider and my heart bursting and I get it.
We kicked Glacier National Park's butt - these two total novice hikers decked out in all the very best gear did most of the Grinnel Glacier Hike Tuesday (before very responsibly turning back before the point of pain) and a good lot of the High Line Wednesday. We've seen big horn sheep and a lounging moose close up, mountain goats and a grizzly mom and cub from far, far away, and kayaked around the lake in front of Many Glacier Lodge where we stayed.
I've made it to three great yarn shops now - Knit and Nosh in Helena, and Yarn Shop and Fiber Place and Stix in Bozeman. Bought me some Alchemy mohair laceweight that will remind me of the amber waves of grain we've seen for miles and miles, two ounces each of local Montana Lincoln wool to spin - some natural gray, some dyed barely processed salmon-y pink stuff, and two balls of Simply Shetland silk lambswool laceweight - mmmmmmm. Stix is, hands down, the most beautiful shop I've ever seen, and let me tell you, these Montana shops are BIG - one owner said of course - they have long, cold winters here! I've barely knit, even though yarn was the first thing I packed - there's just too much to see and do. This was on the Empire Builder train - the first part of the adventure in our sleeper car:
In a word - Glacier National Park is a serious Bucket List item I didn't realize I had on mine, and I'm damned glad to make a check mark there, We'll go back, and I'll have more to say.]]>
Obsess much?tag:www.dawnsdream.com,2009://1.1022009-02-16T15:09:38Z2009-02-18T23:26:02ZIt's actually February 18th, even though this post is probably dated the 16th - my blog keeps denying me permission to post words or pictures. My fabulous blog hostess fixed this problem in January, I was able to eke out...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
Mel's new Interweave pattern Float. I mean sidetracked to the exclusion of just about anything else. Obsessed? Maniacal?
I cast on Saturday night when I rememberd I had a half-wound hank of Purled Llama alpaca lace that I bought in the last minutes of Knittapalooza 2006 I think. I had a slim memory of this yarn but didn't remember it was alpaca - perfecto. It's local - and Chestnut Plum may well have been the Knittapalooza colorway that year. It reminds me of my favorite bikini in the 70's - I might have been seven or eight. Anyway, I cast on - I used the cable cast on with a random size 3 circular with a looooong cord and shiny silver, pointier-than-Addis-but-not-so pointy needles. Took me a long while, but I was satisfied and well-counted.
Sunday mornng, very early, which is when I wake up to a couple of hours all to myself, I got the first row knit, and then, since I can’t be bothered to actually pay attention to the directions I just read, launched right into an eyelet row without bothering to knit rows 2-6! This is just so me - no bother, I pulled it out and started over.
I learned two things on try #1 - I will knit it on 4s because the only long 3s I have are shiny and my eyes can’t take the double whammy of shiny and little itty bitty stitches! Not to mention that my KnitPicks Options are pointier and grippier. I'll put off the little Custom Knits sweater I just swatched on my 4s - I want this Float!!
So, cast on #2 - I consulted my sister in fiber and she recommended the knitted, or lace, cast on - okay. I got in a couple of rows while trying very hard to ignore that cast on, but reason prevailed and I took this baby out too. Most of it - something got stuck at the edge of this cast on so I ripped it off and had to take a picture of it. Yes, I went overboard on the "cast on loosely" part, but it's at least even and the colors are so, so yummy.
The third time apparently IS a charm, and I'm now happily through row eight. My eyes are pissed that I was so resistant to putting glasses on - it's not vanity, just laziness. It all is much better on the wood needles, but it's still fine lace yarn and I'm old. We have readers all over the house, so I'm wearing them!
Now please excuse me, I must go knit a few more rows - I think I have 15 rows until I start the first pleat. Thank god we're off today.
ETA - That was Monday - I've now reached the instructions to begin the first pleat - and I forgot to mention that I cast on 355 stitches to get a slightly shorter than written stole. I forgot how obsessive I get about lace - it's all I can think about. I wish it were speedier - I want more, faster - but it is what it is and will be lovely and wafty when I'm done. And I like knitting.]]>
Happy New Year!tag:www.dawnsdream.com,2009://1.992009-01-11T12:07:53Z2009-01-12T12:16:50ZEgads - this post has been waiting patiently in the wings since January 2nd, when I was finishing up my almost two week break from work. I finally had some mojo for the blog, but when I attempted to upload...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
pretty posies aka Skinny Rabbit aka Fluffa!, I'm back in business and ready to show you two of the final three FOs of 2008:
I love this Henley Perfected – and I should, because I had to work extra hard on it. When this Sheep Shop yarn FINALLY spoke to me and told me it wanted to be this sweater, I completely forgot the 30 minutes I spent at Loop last year with all the hanks in this reddish/pinky/orange variegated yarn spread out on their ample and well lit couch, trying to pick four hanks that were all similarly pink or orange or red.
I forgot this fact for as long as it took to knit up the entire back of the sweater, and up to the boob line where the lace starts on the front piece of the sweater – which is when I realized, while knitting in the car on a bright sunshiny day, that the back was orange-y and the front was more pink – ugh. Took the whole damned thing out and started over, doing the alternating 2 rows from several hanks thing one must do with this sort of yarn. While I LOVE the colors and the subtle variegation, I don’t like knitting with multiple balls unless I’m doing colorwork.
The sleeves, while ending up the same dimensions, don't quite have the same lace repeat at the end, and I can't figure out why. The decreasing in lace was taxing - I always manage to combine hard knitting with complicated database stuff at work - just to make sure my brain is extra special full and fatigued.
In the end though, this sweater fits perfectly and I’m mad for it. I can wear it with a hippie-dippy bell-sleeved orange tee, or over a turtleneck, or plain (with a flesh colored bra, of course!). The merino/silk is already a bit pill-y on the arms where the rub against the body, but I have a sweater shaver – no worries.
The Huntington Castle pullover is a sweater that I’ve wanted to make since it graced the cover of Interweave’s Winter 03/04 Knit. I even tore the pattern out of the magazine to have with me when I hit yarn shops, but never committed to it. When I realized recently that I have waaaay too much Cascade 220 leftover from sample knitting, a found some blues and went at it. I knit on 6s – I usually do Cascade on 7s and I got a lovely fabric. I didn’t do the hood – did a fold-in standup tab-like collar similar to the one on the Henley Perfected. I need to re-do the crochet edging and move my big crocheted button down a bit, but otherwise this is a perfect throw on with jeans all winter kind of sweater – woot! And an amazingly fast knit – amazingly fast.
I’m into Neiman now – after a false start or two there, I’m enjoying the Rowan Wool Cotton and the shiny lustrous Debbie Bliss Pure Silk. I’m on a kick here – knitting things I’ve had on the list for too long – this is certainly one of them.
(And last but not least, I’ve had to spin up more brown wool for Captain America’s vest – for the second time now… I chalked up another 375 yards finally and am SURE it will be plenty to finish the couple of inches on the back and the button band by Christmas morning – also his birthday.) **This is old news - the vest is finished, and I'll get a photo up with my next post - when the sun comes out... No promises - wouldn't want to break my once every three-month posting streak or anything.
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Backwardstag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.982008-09-22T23:27:20Z2008-09-23T00:23:51ZI'm a back-drafter. I'm a 100% self-taught spinner on my Lendrum DT wheel, and my natural inclination is to do a backwards draft. I've never figured out the inchworm trick, and when I try to do a forward draft I'm...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
I pulled off sections a little longer than staple legnth, folded them around my fingers and did my usual backwards drafting. I did 3.8 oz of this stuff and ended up with 145 yards of three ply that I did navajo style - a technique I've been working on and feeling pretty darned good about. Close up:
I have another 3.6oz of this same merino tencel which I'd like to try to make a decent sock yarn from - and will try to spin right from the roving instead of from the fold.
Then there's the lovely pink wool from three fluffy batts that I attempted to spin woolen with the long draw, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I had overloaded two bobbins and wanted to cram the rest of the wool onto those two so I could do a two ply, so I, as advised in Aldon Amos' book, rewound the bobbins by running them back through the wheel. Before and after, aided by my trustee assistant, Bluefish:
After the repacking of the bobbins, i was able to get the rest of the wool spun onto them and ended up with this:
Which is 6oz turned into 376 yards of two-ply. Close up:
I'm starting to build quite a stash of handspun with no plans for what I'll do with it, but I'm sure it will someday let me know what it wants to be.
I've just finished CeCe #2 from ChicKnits, and after the first disaster with the wrong yarn and the wrong size, I'm thrilled with the results of this one. I'm still not as enamored of Calmer yarn as some knitters seem to be, but it's growing on me. I must remember to wear a proper undergarment for photos, but since I don't wear one unless absolutely necessary, here's the model shot:
I'm easily seduced by fabulous patterns but don't often take into account how I might wear them, and I feel like cropped things cut my short torso in half, and perhaps they're for the younger crowd, but this one is growing on me and I just have to learn how to wear it properly.
Just finished Charlene Schurch's corded ribbed socks too - these were a pretty quick knit and could have been even quicker if I was the sort that paid better attention to what I was doing.... I knit them both together from the cuff down and split them up to do the heels and feet. For the first sock, I managed to knit all the way to the start of the toe decreases before I realized I can't count and hadn't done enough gusset decreases so I ripped back and corrected that issue. Then on the second, I forgot to turn the heel before picking up stitches for the gusset, so I had to rip back and redo that too. And then since I can't possibly bothered to stop and check the pattern, and I can't possbly be bothered to remember which decrease slants which way, on the second sock I did half the toe decreases backward, but in the end can't tell a whole lot of difference, so I refused to rip back anymore! Absent minded knitter - that's me. But this Mountain colors yarn is soooo soft and squishy and comfortable - I think I'll get a lot of use out of these this winter.
Next up - some merino/tussah silk/alpaca I've been spinning for a three ply sock yarn - almost done with the third bobbin now and hope to ply tomorrow night. It's undyed - gotta decide if I want to do that or make some nice natural colored socks for wear with khakis.
and now I've got the sock bug - next up are a pair for Captain America I'll cast on for tonght and will probably do in plain two by two rib since he's a pretty plain guy. But it's some lovely Knit Picks sage green yarn - good for his manly feet.]]>
They call me....tag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.972008-09-11T02:11:34Z2008-09-11T03:10:32ZThe Possum Wrangler. Well, no one really calls me that but me - because that's exactly what I was doing Tuesday morning before I even had my coffee. It all started Monday night, when my little guard cat Bluefish spent...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
I knew something was up when I woke up and my little Bluefish didn't, as always, zoom to meet me in the bathroom where she knows I'm stuck in one spot, and that she can vamp for some good tickling there with me. I proceeded to the kitchen, where I found her now staring down the other end of the kitchen, right under the coffee pot and the diswasher. I got my latte going as usual, and then decided to investigate. I started pulling the brown grocery bags out from where they're wedged in the crack between the fridge and the diswasher and heard a very, very strange growly sound - definitely NOT a mouse. Rrrrr, rrrrrrrrrrrrr - holy cow - what was under there? I went looking for a flashlight, which, living with Captain America, always prepared for emergecy, I expected to find easily. Nope, no flashlight. But I did grab my trusty battery operated Coleman lantern that we keep on the mantel for power outages and headed back to the kitchen. I pulled the side of the cabinet away from the dishwasher - it's been loose since we bought the house, and there, at the bottom, saw a ball of grey fluff. Which I studied more closely with the lantern, which is when I saw the loooong ungly pink tail. The thing was upside down and made more growly sounds when I opened the diswasher to see if his head was stuck in there. I grabbed a pair of tongs - yeah - great idea. I paced the kitchen. I considered calling Animal Control to come remove it, but then realized I'd have to clear the counter and wash the dishes in the sink before I could let anyone in the house, so that was out. It was going to have to be me.
I managed to have the presence of mind to get the door from the kitchen to the laundry room and then the door out to the backyard open so if I did manage to somehow get the baby possum out of the cabinetry, I could get straight out the door. Armed in CA's leather work gloves, I grabbed the tongs again and even put my hands on our hammer in case I needed to bonk it on the head, but I quickly put that down after remembering I'm an animal lover and couldn't possibly imagine creating any blood and gore, especially before I'd even had my coffee. I was seriously reconsidering calling Animal Control again when I noticed the possum was now stretching one of its little pink feet out of theat spot, trying apparently to find the floor. So I grabbed that little pink foot and then squealed and dropped the little guy on the kitchen floor where he stood, stunned, staring straight up at me with his pointy, evil little mouth open. We both hesitated and then I pounced, grabbed him behind his head, and bee-lined it out the doors to the back deck and flung the little bugger out into the yard. I saw him thunk, and he actually stood there staring at me again with his evil long, pointy mouth open - ew. By the time I ran back in the house for the camera and ran back out, he was gone.
I wish I wish I wish I had been calm enough to have taken a photo of his little leg stretching out, but I didn't think of that til it was all over. I wish I was brave enough to go down into our spider-filled basement to see if his whole family is living down there, but I'm not, so Captain America wil have to do that when he gets home tomorrow (as well as procuring many flashlights to have at the ready in every room!). I hope momma possum has cautioned her other little baby possums on the dangers of climbing up into our kitchen - "your little brother tried that and now he's disappeared!" Bluefish has been rewarded for her extraordinary powers of possum detection, and once it was gone, she passed out and slept deeply all day after a long night of keeping him under the cabinets.
So Possum Wrangler - that's me.
Since I'm actually typing a post, I'll take this opportunity to show a few completed knitting projects - I have in fact been knitting a lot. Two more sweaters for Melissa Leapman - a Malabrigo Worsted Tweed jacket number that came out great, if I do say so myself. If you ever actually see this pattern out there, let me know!
And a Reynolds Saucy cotton cardigan - this is an awful picture, but it's proof of knitting anyway:
And a Knitting Pure and Simple top down cardigan from some Berocco Zen I scored on deeep discount. I'm not a huge fan of ribbon yarn, and even though I knit this on size 6 needles and not the recommended size 9s, it still stretches like a mofo by the end of a day of wear. It was a fun and quick knit, but not one of my all time faves:
And then there are all the swatches for Melissa's next book on color knitting - I think seventeen of them, all slip stitch patterns. Lovelovelove these - great colors, great bang for such a simple techinque:
I've got a giant box of Cascade 220 she sent waiting to be knit into more of these little jewels.
I also just finished all the knitting and seaming on a pale pink Calmer CeCe with three quarter sleeves, and this one actually fits! Photos as soon as it's blocked and I find a button. Also finished all but sewing the buttons, in hand, on my Henley Perfected - that Sheep Shop wool/silk FINALLY decided what it wanted to be, and fits and will be great once the weather changes. Photos soon on that one too.
Oh - and hey - did you know my good pal Mel over at purling plans is doing the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk (for the FIFTH time!!) next month in DC and looking for sponsors? Beside the fact that this is tremendously important to her, and to all of us, she's collected an astounding number and range of prizes and will be giving them out by random drawing to folks who contribute to the cause on her behalf. Go see for yourself!]]>
Why I started knittingtag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.962008-08-11T00:08:48Z2008-08-11T00:50:32Z Thanks, mom, for pulling out these sweaters on my visit last weekend - I'm thrilled to have gotten to finally bring one of these beauties home to call my own, and thrilled to have this piece of my knitting...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
Thanks, mom, for pulling out these sweaters on my visit last weekend - I'm thrilled to have gotten to finally bring one of these beauties home to call my own, and thrilled to have this piece of my knitting history.
When I was a young teen, my grandmother took up knitting these fabulous fair isle sweaters - but only for the grownups in the family. It wasn't worth all that knitting for kids who would grow out of them - a feeling I now share about knitting for kids. She made red/black/cream ones for the men.
I was insane with envy - I so wanted one of these sweaters! Instead, grandma showed me how to knit (thanks grandma!). I don't really remember learning, or what kind of yarn we used, or any details whatsoever. I do remember the first project I decided to make - a long, black, acrylic cardigan. I guess I've always been the "just do it" type - no hat or scarves for me. I started that sweater, made tons o' mistakes on the back - I recall holes. I'm sure I started one of the fronts, but I was, after all a teen, and it was black, and I had no idea what I was doing, and grandma lived hours away, so it got stuffed in a plastic bag. Where it live for many years, untouched but apparently important enough for me to cart around until I was 34, through many lives and many apartments. I finally pitched it in the big move of 2000. Right before my twin sis was pregnant and on bed rest and taking up knitting to pass the time.
Being a twin, it was imperative that I knit too, across the country but in some competitive sychronicity. For me - it took. For her - not so much. I made a horrible yellow cotton tank that I never ever wore, but I was hooked. Haven't put the needles down since.
And look where I am now - this sample cardigan I knit up for Melissa Leapman is in a pattern book! It's the green cardigan that comes up right after the godawful 80s sack sweater in yellow and red - please forgive me if that's your favorite one in the book. And know it looks much different on that long-waisted model with her belly hanging out than regular people like me!)
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You know how it goes whentag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.952008-08-09T00:19:23Z2008-08-09T02:26:18ZWhen you put something off, and then put it off some more, and then keep putting it off, it becomes bigger and bigger and bigger and soon it’s larger than life and completely impossible and you just can’t figure out...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
I can’t be like most beginning super-twisty spinners – noooo – I have to go the opposite way. I did, however, figure out how to make my lazy kate work for me while plying, and had a much easier time of that than ever. I have no memory how much yardage I got on the two-plied yarn, but it’s a LOT of yarn.
Then it was on to two Crazy Batts I got way back in October of 06 at the Virginia Fiber Festival. I really wanted to try long draw spinning, and understood that rolags or batts are the way to go with this method, so I made a stab at it. But, these bats were full of uncombed locks and a whole bunch of other varieties of weird wool, so I did what I could and turned out some very interesting yarn in the process.
The colors match my orange dining room with a lovely Arts & Crafts rug called Tulip Light Festival with browns and greens and pretty red/orange tulips and I’d love to make it into some sort of interesting wall hanging, but then I’m not so good at that visual arts stuff, so it’s decorating my dining room table and fits in quite nicely there.
My nephew, Flat Stanley Jack, helped with the spinning and we had a grand time together.
I’m almost done spinning about 6 oz of pretty pink wool batts, also of an unknown variety, that I got at my first (and only so far) Maryland Sheep & Wool in 2007. My long draw went much, much better with these very well prepared batts, and I’m happy with this soft pink two ply. I started spinning with a backwards draw because that’s just what felt right, so long draw isn’t that far removed from what I’ve been doing, but it is fun to not worry about slubs or thick parts so much. It’s tricky to keep my forward hand from wanting to smooth the yarn – I guess I remain a worsted girl, and I must admit, if woolen yarn isn’t good for making garments, I’m not sure what it IS good for. ( I could have SWORN I had a photo of my sample skein, but will go without in the interest of getting this post UP.)
Phew. I wrote a post. So much more to say – so more soon. The garden has been a major adventure this year, and I have pictures to prove it! Here's a preview of the echineacea we put in:
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Spring forward?tag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.932008-03-30T20:40:03Z2008-04-06T00:17:44ZSpring? Springy? More like stumbling chez the Dream since the early time change. As a confirmed sun worshipper, I do love the late day sun, but man, this early switch has been mighty rough on me. I also love my...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
So that's hanging out in the knitting corner of the couch. I'm thinking I might just do the ever-popular Monkey socks from Knitty with the Koigu and continue to hope for inspiration for the Sheep Shop stuff.
But then Captain America's vest from my brown handspun popped into my head, and I spent a couple of days pondering the design, and searching Ravelry some more, and staring at the yarn, and pondering some more, until I bit the bullet and cast on for the Cabled Rib Vest from Men In Knits. And I haven't put it down since. I admit feeling immense pride watching my handspun knit up into a gorgeous fabric, even though the yarn is both underspun and underplied in lots of parts, and even though those funky thick parts appear to enjoy aligning themselves over rows and cables, and the thin parts also often seem to seek each other out.
I was able to get some photos when the sun finally made a brief appearance this week, and I'm just plain delighted with this project so far. I'm cruising up to the shoulder on one of the fronts, which is thick and square and handsome. Hopefully the three hanks remaining will a) be enough to finish the vest and 2) be enough alike in grist to continue at the same gauge for the rest of the project.
Now that my mojo has returned, I've been pulled back to my spinning wheel, which has been languishing untouched in my dining room since (gasp) last July when my mom visited and I made her try it. The same purple wool that I tortured her with was still hanging out in the basket next to the wheel and on the bobbin, so that's what I've been spinning since last Sunday afternoon - I guess when my mojo comes back, it COMES BACK. I'm deliberately putting more twist than I've ever used in the singles since I seem to have a tendency to under-twist. I split the 8oz. of roving in half and I'm shooting for a sock-weight two or three ply. (That makes it sound like I have any control over what I end up with - which I really don't.)
*I do have lots to say about Knittapalooza V - another incredible, mind-blowing weekend, but even though I've started a post about it it feels too special not to write about it very carefully and thoughtfully. I'll get there...]]>
Like Wearing a Cloudtag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.922008-03-12T11:48:42Z2009-10-10T14:34:12Z Thanks to Brouhaha for that title - this blouse is light and airy AND warm - merino and kid mohair from Crystal Palace. This is the absolute fussiest thing I've ever knit. Lots of pieces, lots of seaming, LOTS...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
Thanks to Brouhaha for that title - this blouse is light and airy AND warm - merino and kid mohair from Crystal Palace.
This is the absolute fussiest thing I've ever knit. Lots of pieces, lots of seaming, LOTS of grafting - live stitches to bound off stitches. I did get a clear image in my head on how to do that and made a fairly decent go at it all. I do make a damn fine button band these days!
I had to graft the cuffs to the sleeves TWICE for each side. Yup, I picked out all those white fuzzy mohair seams twice and re-grafted. I found it most challenging to keep track of what was a stitch and what wasn't - with this fine yarn it was difficult to tell the difference between the stitch and between the stitch. After I had accomplished my 2nd go at cuff-grafting, I realized I had slightly screwed up one of them. The buttonhole side of the cuff is supposed to lap over the button side, just like a regular blouse, but I managed to do the opposite. Oh well - I like it better unbuttoned anyway!
Pattern: The Sally Melville Collection for Needful Yarns (I'd love to link you to this pattern, but Needful doesn't seem to be listing it at the moment)
Yarn: Crystal Palace Kid Merino - 4.25 balls
Needles: KnitPicks Options US4
I grabbed the photographer at work for a quick shoot yesterday, and I sort of imagined he'd at least put me in front of a solid backdrop, but beggars can't be choosers, right? That's all his stuff in his studio in the background. The blouse grew a bit while wearing it, and I may end up sewing up the front partway to kill the gapping that inevitably happens.
I'm thrilled with this one - it fits, it's elegant, it's so different. And I was there for the pattern's birth - pretty cool. Sally Melville remains one of my top ten knitting godesses - this blouse is one of the many reasons why. Woot!
Now, should I wear it Friday or Saturday to Knittapalooza?]]>
Home Stretchtag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.912008-03-06T11:49:22Z2008-03-06T12:09:15Z I'm about to finish my Sally Melville for Needful Yarns White Blouse in Kid Mohair and I'm so delighted with this little project! Sally Melville the amazing was a teacher at last year's Knittapalooza, and during breaks and after...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
I'm about to finish my Sally Melville for Needful Yarns White Blouse in Kid Mohair and I'm so delighted with this little project!
Sally Melville the amazing was a teacher at last year's Knittapalooza, and during breaks and after dinner she was knitting away on a white mohair something - turns out she just decided to measure up her favorite white button-down blouse and knit it - voila! Besides the fact that I love a good white blouse, I was there for the birth of this pattern, so it was pretty much a given I'd make it.
It's a super fiddly knit - Sally's not messing around. It has knitted button bands, a collar band, cuffs, and grafting galore. I've about knit up the separate cuffs and plan to attempt to graft them to the sleeves tonight. I have entered a new phase of my knitting life somehow - one morning before having to graft the collar band back onto itself, the way to do it just sort of arrived, circled around in my brain, and settled during my shower. Love that! As a spatially challenged person, to be able to imagine the path of the yarn was a pretty remarkable happening. I'm not saying my execution was perfect, but my understanding is much more bettah these days.
Of course I'm on this finishing kick because I must have new knits to wear to KNITTAPALOOZA next weekend - I'm already vibrating. Whiskey pulli - check. White blouse - almost. Haven't quite decided what else to wear - this is a Thursday - Sunday knitting retreat - my favorite weekend of the year. And bonus for me this year - I get to pick Annie Modesitt up from the airport a week from today - zippity dooh dah! And for the first time, deliver test knits to Melissa Leapman in person! And Barry Keinl from Trendsetter Yarns is having a pajama knitting party Saturday night - anyone know where I can get some crazy footie pj's real quick?]]>
115 and then some!tag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.902008-03-02T11:33:56Z2008-03-02T12:05:51Z Ends, that is - a whole lotta ends going on here! But they're all woven in, and I did indeed wear this sweater to work on Friday after I sewed in the very last end that same morning. It...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
Ends, that is - a whole lotta ends going on here! But they're all woven in, and I did indeed wear this sweater to work on Friday after I sewed in the very last end that same morning. It fits poifectly - I mean poifectly. I'm thrilled that I can wear this to Knittapalooza in just a little over two weeks!
The pattern: Reynolds Whiskey Fairisle Patterned Pullover from booklet 82391
Yarn: Reynolds Whiskey in suggested colorway - I fell in love with the "lavender" stripe in the corrugated ribbing. Too lazy to get up and see what's left, but I know I have a ball or two rolling around somewhere. I maybe bought extra...
Needles: 3 and 4 circs - combination of addi, Susan Bates, and HiyaHiya!
Details: If you don't like stranded knitting back and forth, don't knit a Reynolds pattern. Not a steek to be found in this booklet. If I were to do it again, I'd figure out how to insert steek stitches for the sleeves, but I want to steek from a witten pattern before I go all maverick on it. Confession - I added a row and my own twist to a stripe on one of the sleeves.... hard to spot but now that I know where it is, it's the first thing I see. I'm over it - I'm just sayin'. Binding off in 2x2 ribbing made for a floppy neckline, so I took that out and tried just a knit bind-off - still floppy and untidy. So, the third time WAS a charm here, when I bound off in pattern AND purled the two purls of each rib together before binding them off - voila.
Here's my current knitting conundrum as I finish another "sweater" and set in more sleeves: the second sleeve always goes in better and easier and even-er and I start to feel bad for that poor first sleeve that had to be the on-the-job-training one. It just doesn't seem fair that I have to practice on the first and the second gets to go in so much better. I'm considering picking out the first sleeve seam in my mohair white blouse because it's just not quite up to the second one's standards! (I said considering - we're talking about fuzzy, sticky, white mohair here.)]]>
62 and countingtag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.892008-02-27T11:12:40Z2008-02-27T12:01:09Z Sixty-two ends I wove in and trimmed off my Whiskey Fair Isle pullover - and there are still soooo many more. I just want to wear it already - I even dreamed I couldn't wait to wear it and...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
Sixty-two ends I wove in and trimmed off my Whiskey Fair Isle pullover - and there are still soooo many more. I just want to wear it already - I even dreamed I couldn't wait to wear it and did without weaving in all the ends, and the dream was all about my embarrassment as all those ends kept hanging out of the neckband at work. Ugh. I was committed last night to getting it done so I could wear it today but, after all those ends, I conked out on the couch at 9:30. For a moment this morning I thought I might finish before work, but then I remembered that yes, I had snapped the seaming yarn on the first sleeve and have to redo part of that seam (more ends). I tried to pretend that hadn't happened - I couldn't find a break when I first heard it snap, and the sweater's been on several times since them with no problem - but of course the sleeve opened up as I was weaving. At least it wasn't while I was wearing it.
I ended up trying three different bind-offs for the neckline ribbing: 1)the recommended bind of in rib - came out floppy and didn't lay flat, 2) a plain knit bind-off - still floppy and just not so good, and finally 3) a knit bind-off, but as I went, I knit and bound off the knit stitches as usual, and before binding off the purls I purled them together. Did I say that clearly? I reduced the number of stitches on the bound off-edge by purling the two purl stitches in each rib together before binding them off as one. Perfect! My handknits often suffer from some neckline issue and I was determined to make this one look pretty and function properly. Score!
So - tomorrow. I WILL finish this sweater tonight (which fits perfectomundo!) and I WILL wear it tomorrow.]]>
I COULD have. I CHOSE not to.tag:www.dawnsdream.com,2008://1.882008-02-24T14:36:25Z2008-02-24T16:03:41Z It's shocking that we're headed straight for the end of February - I feel like I was just cursing Puxatawney Phil's shadow seeing.... I'll sprinkle in some WIP photos just to break up the saga that looms ahead..... It...DeltaDawnwww.dawnsdream.com
It's shocking that we're headed straight for the end of February - I feel like I was just cursing Puxatawney Phil's shadow seeing.... I'll sprinkle in some WIP photos just to break up the saga that looms ahead.....
It was right about then, Groundhog day-ish, when, out of nowhere, a fabulous yarn shop for sale came hurtling out of the universe into my lap. Just like that. It came flying at me with flashing neon signs saying "this could be IT, Dawn!" It happened out of the blue in the kind of way that stops you in your tracks and makes you think it was meant to be. It happened just as I'm settling in to much better times at my job that I was ready to run screaming from eight months ago. I wasn't looking for it - that's the way things are supposed to turn up in your life if you work hard and live right and put it out there in the universe that you want to find a way to work with fiber all the time... right? So holy shit - here it was!
I literally vibrated for several days - learned about the whole thing on a Thursday night, set the appointment for Captain America and I to meet with the couple selling the shop on Saturday, and I tried to remember how to breathe. I felt like my organs were sucked flat and pressed against my back inside. I felt giddy. Captain America got excited.
We met with the yarn shop folks - great. I had to wait until Monday to take advantage of my eight years working with the most incredible people who serve on the Board at my company - boy oh boy am I lucky to get to work with these folks. I needed quick, serious financial, legal - all kinds of help - we're pretty simple folks who filed a 1040EZ til we bought our house and we never had to find a lawyer, or have a relationship with our bank, or any of that other sort of grownup stuff.
The incredible person I called was away on vacation, but he must have checked in with his secretary 'cause all of a sudden he was on the phone. Without hesitation he made a phone call on my behalf and set me up with red-carpet treatment at a local bank, whose commercial lending people called me right after the bank president did! (Vibrating, trying to remember to breathe still - four days into the process)
Tuesday morning I met with the bankers - what do you wear when you're thinking about borrowing a whole lotta cash? I've been wearing the same pair of ratty black pumps for about ten years, and they say shoes say a lot about a person, so I had an agonizing morning trying to build an outfit around the new blue shoes that said I wasn't some cheapskate who couldn't afford new black shoes. I wore gold jewelry and a sweater set - gold somehow seems more serious than silver and since I'm not so into suits, the sweater set said "classic" and "professional." Right?
The bankers asked where I was in the process and my response was "here." My wonderful business owning mom kept assuring me no one knows anything about buying a business until they're buying one, and the bankers were incredibly generous and helped me set up a plan to figure it all out. Next step: CPA.
It was much easier getting dressed for the CPA appointment on Wednesday. Somehow it seemed like there was less on the line - and appearance just wasn't so important for an accountant. I know - where do I get this stuff?
We talked numbers - really talked. I had to stop him a few times for definitions and clarifications, but we got through a good discussion before he said he'd never have guessed I was a knitter! He pointed me to the next step: attorney to work up an offer.
I called the attorney - seemed like we weren't quite ready to get to the offer. We talked and agreed to talk some more the next week. It's all backwards when you want to buy a business - the bank doesn't want to talk about lending you money until you've got a firmly accepted offer, but I wanted to know how much I could borrow before I could decide if I wanted to make an offer!
In the meanwhile, I decided to call up a yarn shop owner I've admired since she opened her shop in another state more than four years ago. When I landed at her website, I discovered she'd sold her shop last summer! Was this a sign? I tracked her down by email and asked for advice - and she was incredibly honest and incredibly generous with her time and experience. So the next night, I decide to pop on over to Knit Happens - another yarn shop I watched open with envy and admiration four or five years ago - turns out Kristine has left the country and the shop is running without her, AND they closed down what I thought looked like an incredibly successful online shop too. Another sign.
And all through this time I was avoiding the nagging realization that I had already processed the whole yarn shop idea over the last four or five years and had decided that I really didn't want to be in retail. I didn't want to deal with the hours, the inventory, the staffing, the cash flow, etc., etc., etc. Decided. Moved on. Started thinking about other things I could do in the industry. Got involved in interesting and challenging projects in my day job. Didn't bat an eye last summer when another LYS went up for sale - didn't even consider it. So, this shop is THE shop in the area, or at least the one I where I shop. It's always busy, has a steady clientele, good classes, and a fabulous big deal retreat every year. So, so very seductive!
Then I figured it all out. I boiled it all down like my man would - so simple. Captain America and I recently spent several months talking about whether or not we should get a puppy - something we'd both really really love. BUT - after considering all the pros and cons very carefully, understanding the demads of puppy ownership, and witnessing my little sister's gorgeous four-month old golden leap from piece of furniture to piece of furniture, we made the very grownup decision that this wasn't the right time to become dog owners. Decided. Moved on. I'll continued to talk to all dogs on the street, but not gonna get one right now.
So this yarn shop thing felt just like what could happen in an instant if I got a whiff of puppy breath - a single whiff of that sweet, sweet puppy breath, and I could forget my hard fought, rational decision and end up with a puppy. Easily. Except the yarn shop would have locked us into a very, very large debt that would have made housebreaking a puppy seem like a walk in the park.
So, no yarn shop for me. I did the work, I took the steps, I made the right decision. I was telling the one friend who knew the saga about my phone call last Monday to pull my name from the running, and I held up my thumb and forefinger in that universal "little bit" symbol about to say I felt just a little bit disappointed that I wasn't going to be the new LYS owner when it occurred to me with a lightbulb flash - I wasn't disappointed at all! It turns out is wasn't meant to be in the end, but it was an incredible journey filled with great stuff, great people, and great generosity - not a bad way to spend February 2008!
Photos:
Daffodils that were all ready to bloom right before a cold snap, so I cut them. And note the vase - I blew that glass!
White mohair blouse from Sally Melville & Needful Yarns blocking - it's further along and I'm grafting the collar to the neck band at the moment.
Sleevage! I finally gritted my teeth and picked back up on my Whiskey Fair Isle pullover - and it's DONE as of yesterday! Except for all the ends I have to weave in and the neck bind off I want to change from "in pattern" to a smooth knit bind off.
Gratuitous Bluefish shot - she's recently decided it's great to watch TV - she's really going to ruin her eyes this way, but she makes me giggle. I think this is the opening to HBO's In Treatment on the screen - how cool is that? Are you watching this show BTW? Good stuff, especially with smouldering Gabriel Byrne in the lead. Mmmm.
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Saturday we boarded the Empire Builder train after a quick stop at the Art Institute, which I don't think I've ever been to and which blew me (us) away. I visit museums differently since I've worked at one for the last nine years, and it was amazing. No time to hit Loopy - drag, but I had many more LYSs on my list.
The modern sleeper cars on Amtrak bear little resemblance to the ones in North by Northwest, but did provide reasonable accomodations for about 30 hours as we left Chicago and went through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and into Montana - in fact, right up to East Glacier Lodge, our first night's pit stop. All but Illinois are states I've never been to before - many tacks for my map. We had a submarine shower and bunk beds - Amtrak could work a little on the thin cloth they call a mattress - a thin NASA foam one would go a long way.
We got in four meals on the ride, which meant we ate with four different couples. We're not the most social couple but we held our own and had fun meeting all of them (even the woman who was so drunk she excused herself halfway through the meal).
From the train we saw:
Proghorn antelope
Astonishingly happy and rich fields of sunflowers blooming
Amber waves of grain - lots and lots and lots of it
Many cows with their frolicking, kicking, happy calves
A gigantic wind farm - I find these beautiful
And, just like Captain America said, those mountains I had never seen, appearing first like clouds far, far away, and then growing and growing and looming and holy cow we're in the MOUNTAINS.
We stepped off the train and threw our bags on top of this:
While we walked across this path to the lodge:
Part II coming soon.]]>
I've made it to three great yarn shops now - Knit and Nosh in Helena, and Yarn Shop and Fiber Place and Stix in Bozeman. Bought me some Alchemy mohair laceweight that will remind me of the amber waves of grain we've seen for miles and miles, two ounces each of local Montana Lincoln wool to spin - some natural gray, some dyed barely processed salmon-y pink stuff, and two balls of Simply Shetland silk lambswool laceweight - mmmmmmm. Stix is, hands down, the most beautiful shop I've ever seen, and let me tell you, these Montana shops are BIG - one owner said of course - they have long, cold winters here! I've barely knit, even though yarn was the first thing I packed - there's just too much to see and do. This was on the Empire Builder train - the first part of the adventure in our sleeper car:
In a word - Glacier National Park is a serious Bucket List item I didn't realize I had on mine, and I'm damned glad to make a check mark there, We'll go back, and I'll have more to say.]]>
The third time apparently IS a charm, and I'm now happily through row eight. My eyes are pissed that I was so resistant to putting glasses on - it's not vanity, just laziness. It all is much better on the wood needles, but it's still fine lace yarn and I'm old. We have readers all over the house, so I'm wearing them!
Now please excuse me, I must go knit a few more rows - I think I have 15 rows until I start the first pleat. Thank god we're off today.
ETA - That was Monday - I've now reached the instructions to begin the first pleat - and I forgot to mention that I cast on 355 stitches to get a slightly shorter than written stole. I forgot how obsessive I get about lace - it's all I can think about. I wish it were speedier - I want more, faster - but it is what it is and will be lovely and wafty when I'm done. And I like knitting.]]>
I love this Henley Perfected – and I should, because I had to work extra hard on it. When this Sheep Shop yarn FINALLY spoke to me and told me it wanted to be this sweater, I completely forgot the 30 minutes I spent at Loop last year with all the hanks in this reddish/pinky/orange variegated yarn spread out on their ample and well lit couch, trying to pick four hanks that were all similarly pink or orange or red.
I forgot this fact for as long as it took to knit up the entire back of the sweater, and up to the boob line where the lace starts on the front piece of the sweater – which is when I realized, while knitting in the car on a bright sunshiny day, that the back was orange-y and the front was more pink – ugh. Took the whole damned thing out and started over, doing the alternating 2 rows from several hanks thing one must do with this sort of yarn. While I LOVE the colors and the subtle variegation, I don’t like knitting with multiple balls unless I’m doing colorwork.
The sleeves, while ending up the same dimensions, don't quite have the same lace repeat at the end, and I can't figure out why. The decreasing in lace was taxing - I always manage to combine hard knitting with complicated database stuff at work - just to make sure my brain is extra special full and fatigued.
In the end though, this sweater fits perfectly and I’m mad for it. I can wear it with a hippie-dippy bell-sleeved orange tee, or over a turtleneck, or plain (with a flesh colored bra, of course!). The merino/silk is already a bit pill-y on the arms where the rub against the body, but I have a sweater shaver – no worries.
The Huntington Castle pullover is a sweater that I’ve wanted to make since it graced the cover of Interweave’s Winter 03/04 Knit. I even tore the pattern out of the magazine to have with me when I hit yarn shops, but never committed to it. When I realized recently that I have waaaay too much Cascade 220 leftover from sample knitting, a found some blues and went at it. I knit on 6s – I usually do Cascade on 7s and I got a lovely fabric. I didn’t do the hood – did a fold-in standup tab-like collar similar to the one on the Henley Perfected. I need to re-do the crochet edging and move my big crocheted button down a bit, but otherwise this is a perfect throw on with jeans all winter kind of sweater – woot! And an amazingly fast knit – amazingly fast.
I’m into Neiman now – after a false start or two there, I’m enjoying the Rowan Wool Cotton and the shiny lustrous Debbie Bliss Pure Silk. I’m on a kick here – knitting things I’ve had on the list for too long – this is certainly one of them.
(And last but not least, I’ve had to spin up more brown wool for Captain America’s vest – for the second time now… I chalked up another 375 yards finally and am SURE it will be plenty to finish the couple of inches on the back and the button band by Christmas morning – also his birthday.) **This is old news - the vest is finished, and I'll get a photo up with my next post - when the sun comes out... No promises - wouldn't want to break my once every three-month posting streak or anything.
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I have another 3.6oz of this same merino tencel which I'd like to try to make a decent sock yarn from - and will try to spin right from the roving instead of from the fold.
Then there's the lovely pink wool from three fluffy batts that I attempted to spin woolen with the long draw, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I had overloaded two bobbins and wanted to cram the rest of the wool onto those two so I could do a two ply, so I, as advised in Aldon Amos' book, rewound the bobbins by running them back through the wheel. Before and after, aided by my trustee assistant, Bluefish:
After the repacking of the bobbins, i was able to get the rest of the wool spun onto them and ended up with this:
Which is 6oz turned into 376 yards of two-ply. Close up:
I'm starting to build quite a stash of handspun with no plans for what I'll do with it, but I'm sure it will someday let me know what it wants to be.
I've just finished CeCe #2 from ChicKnits, and after the first disaster with the wrong yarn and the wrong size, I'm thrilled with the results of this one. I'm still not as enamored of Calmer yarn as some knitters seem to be, but it's growing on me. I must remember to wear a proper undergarment for photos, but since I don't wear one unless absolutely necessary, here's the model shot:
I'm easily seduced by fabulous patterns but don't often take into account how I might wear them, and I feel like cropped things cut my short torso in half, and perhaps they're for the younger crowd, but this one is growing on me and I just have to learn how to wear it properly.
Just finished Charlene Schurch's corded ribbed socks too - these were a pretty quick knit and could have been even quicker if I was the sort that paid better attention to what I was doing.... I knit them both together from the cuff down and split them up to do the heels and feet. For the first sock, I managed to knit all the way to the start of the toe decreases before I realized I can't count and hadn't done enough gusset decreases so I ripped back and corrected that issue. Then on the second, I forgot to turn the heel before picking up stitches for the gusset, so I had to rip back and redo that too. And then since I can't possibly bothered to stop and check the pattern, and I can't possbly be bothered to remember which decrease slants which way, on the second sock I did half the toe decreases backward, but in the end can't tell a whole lot of difference, so I refused to rip back anymore! Absent minded knitter - that's me. But this Mountain colors yarn is soooo soft and squishy and comfortable - I think I'll get a lot of use out of these this winter.
Next up - some merino/tussah silk/alpaca I've been spinning for a three ply sock yarn - almost done with the third bobbin now and hope to ply tomorrow night. It's undyed - gotta decide if I want to do that or make some nice natural colored socks for wear with khakis.
and now I've got the sock bug - next up are a pair for Captain America I'll cast on for tonght and will probably do in plain two by two rib since he's a pretty plain guy. But it's some lovely Knit Picks sage green yarn - good for his manly feet.]]>
And a Reynolds Saucy cotton cardigan - this is an awful picture, but it's proof of knitting anyway:
And a Knitting Pure and Simple top down cardigan from some Berocco Zen I scored on deeep discount. I'm not a huge fan of ribbon yarn, and even though I knit this on size 6 needles and not the recommended size 9s, it still stretches like a mofo by the end of a day of wear. It was a fun and quick knit, but not one of my all time faves:
And then there are all the swatches for Melissa's next book on color knitting - I think seventeen of them, all slip stitch patterns. Lovelovelove these - great colors, great bang for such a simple techinque:
I've got a giant box of Cascade 220 she sent waiting to be knit into more of these little jewels.
I also just finished all the knitting and seaming on a pale pink Calmer CeCe with three quarter sleeves, and this one actually fits! Photos as soon as it's blocked and I find a button. Also finished all but sewing the buttons, in hand, on my Henley Perfected - that Sheep Shop wool/silk FINALLY decided what it wanted to be, and fits and will be great once the weather changes. Photos soon on that one too.
Oh - and hey - did you know my good pal Mel over at purling plans is doing the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk (for the FIFTH time!!) next month in DC and looking for sponsors? Beside the fact that this is tremendously important to her, and to all of us, she's collected an astounding number and range of prizes and will be giving them out by random drawing to folks who contribute to the cause on her behalf. Go see for yourself!]]>
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Then it was on to two Crazy Batts I got way back in October of 06 at the Virginia Fiber Festival. I really wanted to try long draw spinning, and understood that rolags or batts are the way to go with this method, so I made a stab at it. But, these bats were full of uncombed locks and a whole bunch of other varieties of weird wool, so I did what I could and turned out some very interesting yarn in the process.
The colors match my orange dining room with a lovely Arts & Crafts rug called Tulip Light Festival with browns and greens and pretty red/orange tulips and I’d love to make it into some sort of interesting wall hanging, but then I’m not so good at that visual arts stuff, so it’s decorating my dining room table and fits in quite nicely there.
My nephew, Flat Stanley Jack, helped with the spinning and we had a grand time together.
I’m almost done spinning about 6 oz of pretty pink wool batts, also of an unknown variety, that I got at my first (and only so far) Maryland Sheep & Wool in 2007. My long draw went much, much better with these very well prepared batts, and I’m happy with this soft pink two ply. I started spinning with a backwards draw because that’s just what felt right, so long draw isn’t that far removed from what I’ve been doing, but it is fun to not worry about slubs or thick parts so much. It’s tricky to keep my forward hand from wanting to smooth the yarn – I guess I remain a worsted girl, and I must admit, if woolen yarn isn’t good for making garments, I’m not sure what it IS good for. ( I could have SWORN I had a photo of my sample skein, but will go without in the interest of getting this post UP.)
Phew. I wrote a post. So much more to say – so more soon. The garden has been a major adventure this year, and I have pictures to prove it! Here's a preview of the echineacea we put in:
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I was able to get some photos when the sun finally made a brief appearance this week, and I'm just plain delighted with this project so far. I'm cruising up to the shoulder on one of the fronts, which is thick and square and handsome. Hopefully the three hanks remaining will a) be enough to finish the vest and 2) be enough alike in grist to continue at the same gauge for the rest of the project.
Now that my mojo has returned, I've been pulled back to my spinning wheel, which has been languishing untouched in my dining room since (gasp) last July when my mom visited and I made her try it. The same purple wool that I tortured her with was still hanging out in the basket next to the wheel and on the bobbin, so that's what I've been spinning since last Sunday afternoon - I guess when my mojo comes back, it COMES BACK. I'm deliberately putting more twist than I've ever used in the singles since I seem to have a tendency to under-twist. I split the 8oz. of roving in half and I'm shooting for a sock-weight two or three ply. (That makes it sound like I have any control over what I end up with - which I really don't.)
*I do have lots to say about Knittapalooza V - another incredible, mind-blowing weekend, but even though I've started a post about it it feels too special not to write about it very carefully and thoughtfully. I'll get there...]]>
We met with the yarn shop folks - great. I had to wait until Monday to take advantage of my eight years working with the most incredible people who serve on the Board at my company - boy oh boy am I lucky to get to work with these folks. I needed quick, serious financial, legal - all kinds of help - we're pretty simple folks who filed a 1040EZ til we bought our house and we never had to find a lawyer, or have a relationship with our bank, or any of that other sort of grownup stuff.
The incredible person I called was away on vacation, but he must have checked in with his secretary 'cause all of a sudden he was on the phone. Without hesitation he made a phone call on my behalf and set me up with red-carpet treatment at a local bank, whose commercial lending people called me right after the bank president did! (Vibrating, trying to remember to breathe still - four days into the process)
Tuesday morning I met with the bankers - what do you wear when you're thinking about borrowing a whole lotta cash? I've been wearing the same pair of ratty black pumps for about ten years, and they say shoes say a lot about a person, so I had an agonizing morning trying to build an outfit around the new blue shoes that said I wasn't some cheapskate who couldn't afford new black shoes. I wore gold jewelry and a sweater set - gold somehow seems more serious than silver and since I'm not so into suits, the sweater set said "classic" and "professional." Right?
The bankers asked where I was in the process and my response was "here." My wonderful business owning mom kept assuring me no one knows anything about buying a business until they're buying one, and the bankers were incredibly generous and helped me set up a plan to figure it all out. Next step: CPA.
It was much easier getting dressed for the CPA appointment on Wednesday. Somehow it seemed like there was less on the line - and appearance just wasn't so important for an accountant. I know - where do I get this stuff?
We talked numbers - really talked. I had to stop him a few times for definitions and clarifications, but we got through a good discussion before he said he'd never have guessed I was a knitter! He pointed me to the next step: attorney to work up an offer.
I called the attorney - seemed like we weren't quite ready to get to the offer. We talked and agreed to talk some more the next week. It's all backwards when you want to buy a business - the bank doesn't want to talk about lending you money until you've got a firmly accepted offer, but I wanted to know how much I could borrow before I could decide if I wanted to make an offer!
In the meanwhile, I decided to call up a yarn shop owner I've admired since she opened her shop in another state more than four years ago. When I landed at her website, I discovered she'd sold her shop last summer! Was this a sign? I tracked her down by email and asked for advice - and she was incredibly honest and incredibly generous with her time and experience. So the next night, I decide to pop on over to Knit Happens - another yarn shop I watched open with envy and admiration four or five years ago - turns out Kristine has left the country and the shop is running without her, AND they closed down what I thought looked like an incredibly successful online shop too. Another sign.
And all through this time I was avoiding the nagging realization that I had already processed the whole yarn shop idea over the last four or five years and had decided that I really didn't want to be in retail. I didn't want to deal with the hours, the inventory, the staffing, the cash flow, etc., etc., etc. Decided. Moved on. Started thinking about other things I could do in the industry. Got involved in interesting and challenging projects in my day job. Didn't bat an eye last summer when another LYS went up for sale - didn't even consider it. So, this shop is THE shop in the area, or at least the one I where I shop. It's always busy, has a steady clientele, good classes, and a fabulous big deal retreat every year. So, so very seductive!
Then I figured it all out. I boiled it all down like my man would - so simple. Captain America and I recently spent several months talking about whether or not we should get a puppy - something we'd both really really love. BUT - after considering all the pros and cons very carefully, understanding the demads of puppy ownership, and witnessing my little sister's gorgeous four-month old golden leap from piece of furniture to piece of furniture, we made the very grownup decision that this wasn't the right time to become dog owners. Decided. Moved on. I'll continued to talk to all dogs on the street, but not gonna get one right now.
So this yarn shop thing felt just like what could happen in an instant if I got a whiff of puppy breath - a single whiff of that sweet, sweet puppy breath, and I could forget my hard fought, rational decision and end up with a puppy. Easily. Except the yarn shop would have locked us into a very, very large debt that would have made housebreaking a puppy seem like a walk in the park.
So, no yarn shop for me. I did the work, I took the steps, I made the right decision. I was telling the one friend who knew the saga about my phone call last Monday to pull my name from the running, and I held up my thumb and forefinger in that universal "little bit" symbol about to say I felt just a little bit disappointed that I wasn't going to be the new LYS owner when it occurred to me with a lightbulb flash - I wasn't disappointed at all! It turns out is wasn't meant to be in the end, but it was an incredible journey filled with great stuff, great people, and great generosity - not a bad way to spend February 2008!
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