HaNdKrAfT

Holidays

Behold, my puppy love bedecked for the Holidays.  He was not happy about having the elf cuffs around his paws.  I also have an elf hat for him, but could not get it to stay on his head because Jack kept trying to eat it the elastic was too long.  I only managed to get this picture taken because I had a Kong filled with peanut butter in one hand and the camera in my other.  Jack managed to keep the little elf cuffs on long enough to finish off the peanut butter in his Kong, then he tried to get them off.  I managed to rescue all four of them before he chewed them to bits.  I am going to try to photograph him with the elf accessories again so I can get custom holiday stamps... I do hope that Jack realizes that I am not one of those puppy moms that makes him dress up in sweaters all of the time, and appreciates that I limit the puppy dress up to Christmas only.

Otherwise, I have come to the realization that I have too much yarn (for me) and it is time to de-stash.  Understand, however that I don't intend to de-stash by giving away yarn.  No.  I have not reached that point of desperation.  I am, however going to be making several "novelty" scarves in the next couple of days for quickie Christmas gifts.  (De-stash idea 1) and I have also come to the conclusion that I am not purchasing any new yarn until my current projects + 10 more are done.  -So I have to knit and finish what is on the needles and then 10 more projects before I buy any new yarn.  Here are my current projects:

1. Icarus in Handmaiden Sea Silk, 2. Shawl in Silk Garden and Cash Iroha (98 % finished), 3. Over the knee stockings in Regia Silk, 4. Alpaca circular shrug, 5. Beret out of Lornas laces Shepard Sport, 6. Beer Coozies (1 of 6 completed), 7. Lady of the Forrest shawl in Cherry Tree Hill Laceweight.   So, 10 more, for a total of 17 projects before I can purchase new yarn.  I am not including yarn gifts from or to Secret Pals as part of this restriction.

Spin, Spinderella, Spin

Since I came home from SAFF, I have been spinning and dyeing more in the past month than I have in the last year.  I have also been trying to felt some of these fibers together (as yet, unsuccessfully).  Part of it is an attempt to justify the money that I spent at SAFF, but also because I want to spin more than I have been.

Last Friday, my friend Jane came over, and we played around with dying fibers. I used some of the 3lbs of merino that I bought.  I came up with this wild purple-blue-grey thing, which I have not spun yet.  I also played around with some blue and yellows.  Check this out:   I am calling it parrot.  The yellows and blues made the yarn mostly green, but there are also spots of purple, turquoise and yellow in it.  It is 58 yards of chunky merino - very soft.  I think this is enough to do a cap or as a great trim on something else equally fabulous.

I am currently working on spinning enough yarn to knit myself a sweater.  I want to have at least 1200 yards of worsted weight natural grey merino.  I only need about 850, but with the extra yardage, I can break off the sections that are too thin or thick and make a more consistent  knit.  My spinning is getting fairly consistent in gauge thus far.  I am currently spinning a kettle dyed roving that I call rose garden.  I put about 6 oz of the merino into a pot, and added color until I was happy.  This is the roving as it is being spun up : 

This picture is not the best, but it gives you the idea.  I am guessing that I am going to have about 200 yards of this for my finished yarn.  I think that these yarns are going to go to Nitwits, and wait for the right home there. Who knows what will happen with them!

Cluttered Mind, Cluttered Space

I am quickly coming to believe that my cluttered home is a reflection on my self respect.  I used to make the excuse that "the world is not going to come to an end if there is dog hair on the floor." (and I still believe that).  Lately though, I have been coming to wonder whether my inability or lack of motivation to keep a clean house is a lack of respect for myself.  - I mean, I make good money, can afford nice things, but then don't take care of them.  I am not talking about self-esteem, but rather a disconnect between how hard I work on stuff and how I take care of things.  I am tired of living "disposably."  I am tired of not being able to find things, or not know what things I do have.  And most important to me- I find that my messy house also inhibits my creativity.  So this is the goal:  clean up my home tonight and tomorrow night.  and this weekend? organization o-rama. 

As for what I am knitting right now, I am almost finished with a Noro silk garden shawl, a beret out of Alpaca & Silk and a pink Cashmerino pullover (ripped out from the lace insert cardigan).  Oh, and an Icarus out of sea silk.

Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival

Well, I have returned from my trip to Asheville, NC.  My friend Jane and I drove up there last Thursday to go to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival.  I loaded up the dog, packed the car and picked up Jane and we were on our way.  The drive up and back was thankfully uneventful.

Whenwe got there on Thursday, it was cloudy and overcast.  Friday was rainy and yucky.  I made the mistake of only wearing a light jean jacket.  This would have been fine for staying in the arena where the vendors were.  But oh no, I had to take a fiber dying class - which was outside.  I froze.  The class was ok, and not as hands on as I would have liked. 

I have to say that I was also a little dissapointed with the colors of the dyed rovings for sale.  The colors seemed to be dull and unsaturated.  I ended up buying plain and undyed rovings.  Oh, and 2lbs of natural grey merino roving.  And two fantastic drop spindles.  Check this out: