Changes, Bad and Good

Since my last post, our family had to say good-bye to our precious Halloween. Halloween would have been 17 in April, and spent many happy years providing head-bonks and cuddles to our family. When Nick was little, Halloween would follow John back to help tuck Nick in for the night. He'd leap up onto the dresser, then up onto the top bunk, bonk Nick's head, purr loudly, then head back down the hall. He was a lover. He was my "baby". We'll miss him very much. Rest In Peace, dear friend.


Halloween's passing left Gunston, now 1, bored and a little moody. After a couple of weeks, our family began the search for a new family member. We found her Augusta Regional SPCA. She's about 10 weeks old now and her name is Bella Tricks LeCat, called Bella or Monkey when she's being naughty, which is quite often. She's a small, we've set up a nursery of sorts in our bathroom. Gunston comes in to visit and get use to her under supervision. She's a feisty little thing! Here are some photos of their interaction. There's only one good photo of Bella, as she will not sit still long enough to get one!




Gunnie in Bella's pink kitty condo - very silly.

SIP & WIP Weekend

Since finishing my First FO of the year in January, I have not finished knitting another single thing. Maybe that's because I'm working on too many things at once. Incompleteness aside, I sort of like working on different projects. The yarns/fibers are all so pretty! Here's what going on....and on....and on......

SIPs

On an IST English Bog Oak on English Elm spindle, we have Fiber Optics Merino/Tencel in Stormy Monday Blues. I've only ever spun merino/tencel on my wheel. I thought I'd give it a try on the IST. The IST is interesting in that it's made from ancient reclaimed oak found in East Anglia fens....about 5,000 years old according to the website. Very cool, indeed. ( and I've actually been to East Anglia to boot!)

SIP#2 is superwash merino on a Spindlewood spindle....started this one just to try out the spindle.

SIP#3 is some type of fiber by A Verb for Keeping Warm - I'm thinking BFL. I'm trying to fill up the second Bosworth mini to ply with the first full one.

On to the WIPs.

I started this glove oh so long ago and finally picked it up again. It's become my church knitting project which was really interesting when I was knitting the middle finger - LOL. The pattern is Bobbie and the yarn is Wollmeise 100%.

I'm decreasing on the Argante shawl now - YIPPEE! I'm using a Crazy Zauberball. It's my weeknight TV knitting project.

And the cute cat mittens. I finally cast on for mitten #2. They're being knitted in Skinny Bugga. I'll knit on it a little each night too. Stranded stuff goes pretty fast, I find.

Gotta keep knitting & spinning because I am determined to finish something before February totally disappears! Now back to it!

DS#1 Surprise

I have a January birthday which I tend to celebrate from Christmas until the last possible second of January 31. The older I get, the more I like celebrating my birthday. DH doesn't really "buy" into this idea, no pun intended, but my DSx3 do. Thank Goodness! This year DS#1 asked me what I'd like for my birthday. I sent him a bunch of Etsy links for his consideration. This is what arrived on my doorstep earlier this week.

Didn't he do a great job? It's made by Burnt Mill Potters. He said his sweet GF helped a little, but still...I love it! Thank you Nick!

In knitting news, I've finished one mitten, minus the thumb. Yay!



Another spindle was also added to my collection. It really chases away the winter blues, don't you think? This one is called Celadon Pivott and is made by Tilt-a-whorl.


Now I'm putting the b'day celebrations on hold until next year!

Another Non-Snow

It's been another "non-snow event" for us here on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge. (insert whines here....grrrrr.) (edited to say that Janice, living 4 miles north of here DID get measurable snow! jealous!)



Rain, then sleet fell and was accompanied by a brief round of thunder and lightning, then just enough snow to whiten the pasture.

Dropping temps made it freeze up all hard and crunchy so there's no school today which has provided a chance to play with spindles (in between bouts of knitting).



I'll be spinning and knitting up a storm all day. Maybe I can help Mother Nature and spin up a snow storm of the measurable kind!

Darn It!

I need to learn how to darn. Two of my hand knit socks have, after years of steady service, developed holes. One might not be repairable, but I'm fairly certain the other is. After watching several darning technique YouTube videos, I think this is something I can at least try. But wait - I would need a darning egg or some sort. I've seen older ones at a local antique shop. I've heard reports that wooden eggs can be purchased at craft stores. I, however, was enticed by the beautiful wooden eggs turned by Phil Powell and for sale in his Etsy shop, Custom Wood Designs. This one is Osage Orange. Now upon closer inspection, I can see a crack in the dome of the egg. I've contacted the shop to see what's up with that... ;(

There's also been a small addition to my spindle family. This lovely little Golding Le Fleur in purpleheart was adopted from a Ravelry destash. It's a lovely little flower, don't you think? It's nesting atop Fiber Optics 50/50 SW merino/tencel in the Stormy Monday Blues #21 colorway.

Now I'm off to flip a coin to help me decide what to do first: 1. be responsible and take care of some paperwork 2. play with the newest family members 3. knit on my mittens

Maybe it will have to be best two out of three!

Room Reclaimed

Over Christmas, my knitting room is usually turned into Gift Central. The gifts wait there until it's time to be wrapped. Wrapping paper, bags, and boxes also collect there, as well as all of the scissors and tape in the house. Today, I decided it was time to reclaim my room. I also moved the big green chair back into the room, as my spinning chair was not very comfortable for knitting.

Now I'm working on storage/display for my spindles. I'm planning to hang a long shelf and put cup hooks underneath. I think these will look really nice hanging there.

In knitting news, I finished my first project of the year. It's a Flapotis made from Muensch Touch Me. I still have to wash it.

My second project of the year is on the needles: these cats mittens in Skinny Bugga! Gosh, I love that stuff more every time I knit with it. I can't decide whether to make both of the mittens the same, or to do the second one in opposite colors. What do you think? They'll be eye-catching no matter what!


Time to get back to my cozy little room - happy January knitting to you!

Farewell 2010

There it goes.....time.....speeding by. Did you see it? Did you notice 2010 evaporating at light speed? I did not. Suddenly, it's New Year's Eve again. As 2011 creeps closer, I find that I'm a little disappointed in my 2010 accomplishments. The old Knit-o-meter looks a little low on yardage. There are several long-term WIPs that are still residing in the ZZZZZ category over on Ravelry.

-for example!

My yarn room is absolutely obese, bulging at every seam. While this is not a real crisis, there is a little guilt involved in not knitting down my stash ...or at least visiting it a little more often. ;)
I'll not make New Year's resolutions, but I will make a list of 'hopes':
In 2011 , I hope to:

• have more quality time with family/friends
• laugh more
• knit more
• spin more
• keep running

...and I hope your 2011 is filled with the same....except that running part, unless you really want to!
Happy New Year!