good-natured ribbing

On May 25, I declared that for the rest of the summer, I would not purchase any more yarn. Best laid plans, and all that… It was a honorable goal but doomed from the beginning – because I am weak. I went to the yarn store last to acquire skein #2 for my secret pal, but I just couldn’t stop there. I think I touched everything in the store and finally caved in and bought 3 skeins of Ironstone Harmony.

It is a really soft bulky wool and just what I needed to shake me out of the boring-knitting-project funk I’ve been in for a couple weeks. I plan to do some felting – probably a bag.

OK, so it wasn’t the whole summer, but I went over a MONTH without buying yarn and that is pretty amazing!

Here is what I got for my pal:

It is Noro Silk Garden Lite. I’ll be sending it in that cute little bag – wonder where I got that idea ;)

It’s been a long time coming, but my computer is finally working, so I can share the great gift I got from my secret pal!

I received a gorgeous skein of wool…all blues and greens. Handspun, no less!

And along with it, two kitty toys for Blake! (Note: one is a basketball!)

I was so excited, as was Blake. He sniffed the yarn for a few minutes then commenced to lazily batting the balls around.

I also received a lovely hand-written note on STATIONERY! What a treat.
Thanks Secret Pal! I love it!

I am already devising the scarf pattern I will knit my skein into. I think the colours will perfectly match my turquoise winter coat! More to come on that…

We’ve selected a new theme for Good Natured Ribbing. It still needs to be tweaked a bit but let me know what you think. Please note that the links across the top do not work. Also, I’ll be taking submissions for the banner graphic – get your cameras warmed up! I’ll send out image specifications soon.

You might not know it from the blogging I’ve been doing lately, but I really have been knitting. Although these socks are not complete – one is done. Because I have no idea how long it might take to finish the second, I thought I’d put up a picture now.

These are for my mom. She was interested in having a pair of ankle socks – so that is what I’m making, using the Chevron pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. My feet are smaller than my mom’s so they look pretty big in the photos – I think they’ll fit her just right, though.

I lost the yarn band right away but after looking at the Lana Grossa website, I think I figured out what yarn it is: Meilenweit Color Tweed (color #1001). I also found this charming little number to add to my list of future projects.

That is what Gran said to me when I went to pick up her old dying pot.

Last weekend, I had my first experience with dying (well, with non-KoolAid dying). It went very well, if I do say so myself! I dyed the $12 pound of mixed wool roving that I bought on eBay. As soon as the roving was dry enough to work with, I spun some up. Here is the result.

I am almost ready to ply the second skein. I can’t wait until I’m all done and I decide what to knit with it! I enjoyed the process so much that I have already bought 2 more pounds of roving from the same seller.

You can read more about how I made this yarn.

Got my June Sock of the Month package today! It’s a pattern called “Climbing Vines” and it came with Schoeller Stahl “Fortissima Socka Cotton Color” in color 6512. The pattern uses the “eye of partridge” heel, which I’ve wanted to try for a while.

This sock yarn represents a three-state yarn spree during which I demonstrated my support of local businesses. I like to call it “slow yarn,” an international movement opposing fast yarn and promoting shopping within an ecoregion. It’s going to catch on, trust me.

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When I got home from work today, Nick and Ava took me outside to get my present. What could it be? I was very surprised to see that it was a spinning wheel!

This one came from my mother-in-law. I didn’t get much information about it from Nick other than it hasn’t been used in a while. You’d never know it – it works pretty well! It took a bit of getting used to compared to my other one. The wheel is much smaller so it requires a lot more foot action. The photo shoot had some very funny moments. I should also add that this one is small enought to be portable. If anyone is interested in a demo or even trying their hand (foot) at spinning, I could bring it in for knitting lunch one day.

Then Ava obliged by taking an action shot for me:

It is a little out of focus but the composition is pretty good.

As Ava sat on the bed watching me get ready for work, her index fingers wildly cris-crossing, she proudly declared: “I’m knitting!” And then…

Me: Oh! What are you knitting?
Her: I’m knitting yarn!
Me: Uh-huh, and what are you making with the yarn?
Her: A sweater
Me: Very nice. What color is it?
Her: Red
Me: Doed it have buttons?
Her: It DOES!
Me: Who is the sweater for?
Her: Mommy.
Me: Oh, I can’t wait to try it on.

Moments later an invisible sweater was thrust into my hands. As I tried it on, she knitted up her own and tried it on. We were stylin’ in our new red sweaters with buttons.

I seem to have developed ADD with my knitting projects. I while ago, I found that only one project was a little too boring. So, I started a new one, then another, then another. Now, I have 5 going and I’m barely making progress on any of them. And don’t forget about the spinning taking away my knitting time!

The projects are:

1. Baby sweater – Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (lilac)
2. Shawl – Interlacements Carolina (poppy fields)
3. Ankle socks – Lana Grossa ?? (I seem to have lost the label, already)
4. Top-down raglan sweater – red handspun
5. Scarf/wrap – KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud

Few of these are even identifiable as their intended final form, so I’ll spare you the photos at this time. I will give you a glimpse of the lacey alpaca scarf, though (and some of my spinning progress). As many of you know, I had grand plans for the alpaca laceweight – I was going to knit a beautiful lacey shawl to wear to a wedding I’ll be in this summer. It was a miserable failure and I ripped it all out. Then, I chose what I thought was a simpler lace pattern – also a failure. Finally, this weekend, I selected yet another lace pattern that actually is simple. The pattern is available from the Interweave Knits website (the last pattern in this pdf). Also, I doubled up the yarn so it isn’t so fine. I really like the results – lots of dimension.

I’ve also been spinning a bunch:

I’ve finished two more skeins of the “Under the Sea” silk – they bare little resemblance to the first skein. Oh well. You can’t really tell in the photo, but the first two are vibrant with greens, blues, and yellows. The bottom one is much more monotone and dull.	I also plied up some of the red yarn I spun earlier in the year (the stuff that was too thick or thin to use in the sweater). I still need to set the twist, but I really like the way it looks!

My next spinning project will be this alpaca/merino/silk fiber. The color is called “chocolate-covered cherries.” I get the browns and red/pinks, but I’ve never had a chocolate covered cherry with that shade of blue in it! I can’t wait to start spinning this. Can you see the shiny bits of silk in there?

Finally, I just received some acid dyes in the mail today. I am going to use it on the pound of undyed wool I bought on eBay recently for $12!!! I can’t wait to try it (but I’ll probably ruin it). I am going to try to do a handpainted job with 4 different colors.

Well, buying yarn for one thing.

In blues…

pinks,…

and purples.

The blues, pinks, and purples came from a trip Kristen and I took to Toledo last weekend.

We had three objectives: to buy yarn at Fiberworks Knitting; to buy clothes at Franklin Mall; and to eat at The Beirut restaurant. We are, fortunately, goal-oriented career women, and succeeded at accomplishing all three. Fiberworks was a great yarn store, apparently owned by two men (maybe 3), all of whom were very enthusiastic about knitting. It’s not far from the Toledo Zoo, the mall, or The Beirut. The Beirut, by the way, has the best baba ghannoug in the world.

After reading Beth’s public declaration, I had the fleeting thought that maybe I should stop buying yarn for a while, but then thought, nah. It would be too embarrassing — I’d have to start being sneaky about buying it, and then I’d have to hide it, and pretty soon we’d be like that family on Oprah that was $10,000 in debt because of the mom’s yarn stash. And then family and friends would have to have an intervention for me. Far better to be honest and open about it.

As it was, it was very easy to get caught up in the moment and splurge. Yes, I splurged and bought a basket, too. One needs something to put one’s yarn in.

But, I haven’t just been buying yarn. I’ve been knitting, too. Socks.

1. With the Schachenmayr nomotta Crazy Cotton (yes, all these words are on the label), I am making a pair of toe-up socks, using the “Toe-to-Top” pattern from Simple Socks: Plain and Fancy, by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts.

   

2. With some Lorna’s Laces (leftover purple iris) I’m making a pair for Em that are a hybrid between the “footlet” pattern from Vogue Knitting Socks and Diana’s Trail Socks (I got this pattern in a calendar last year).

   

3. And I finished, in my daily commuter knitting, a pair of eggplant socks for me from leftover wool in purple and green. These are plain stockinette with an afterthought heel.

   

One last observation. I stopped in at my nearest yarn store, Stitch in Time in Howell, because I saw a “For Sale” sign in front of the building. I was afraid it was leaving. But, I found out that they are hoping to move to a larger space, so they can sell me even more yarn. Yay!

Alright, so I think I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that I’m not a good blogger so I’ve pretty much given up on Oopsie Boopsie. And the same thing happened to me this year as happens every year—I come to a point where I get a little burnt out on knitting, completely stop for about 2-3 months and then come back to it. I think my slump is ending. Last night I ordered 10 skeins of light green alpaca yarn on, where else, but ebay. This is the first time I’ve purchased yarn through ebay, but I couldn’t pass up 17 dollars for this much alpaca!!! No plans for it yet–it says that it should be knit on size 3 needles, so I imagine socks??? Maybe some lace scarves?

Anyway, I would recommend checking out this seller, because they have a lot of really nice alpaca for cheap!

Well, I finally have my skeins picked out to send my secret pal. Let’s start with June. I thought it would be nice to send ‘accessories’ and perhaps a pattern along with the yarn. On the weekend, I picked up some circular rattan handles for a purse. I thought that a handbag was a good project that could use only a single skein. All I needed was a good yarn. On the way home from work today, Beth and I stopped at her local yarn store and picked up this little treasure:

My pal said she liked earthy colours, and this Manos del Uruguay seemed to fit the ticket! As it is wool, she can felt or not felt whatever she decides to make. I also thought the colours went well with the dark wood handles I picked out:

I have found a few patterns for cute purses, but would like to find one for a loom, as that is how she knits. I hope she likes it!

expression of love
for his two favorite things
knitting, canada

“no Neil on blog?”
be careful what you ask for
you might just get it

When I got home from shopping today, there were two packages waiting for me. One was the long awaited alpaca and the other was from my one skein pal – YAY. I was caught a bit off guard – I didn’t expect to get my one skein surprise so quickly (probably because I haven’t gotten around to sending mine out yet). My pal found a beautiful skein of handspun yarn (50% jacob wool, 50% mohair) at her local “junque”/antique shop. I’m so glad she did – this stuff feels really nice and is a beautiful mix of natural colors – cream and brown. I can’t wait until my handspun looks this good :)

And if the yarn wasn’t enough, it arrived in a great little bag (with cool marbles on it!). Finally, I can stop using ziploc baggies to carry around my knitting projects!

Thanks so much, pal. I love my skein. I can’t wait to see what you pick out for me next month!

Also, I thought it would be OK to share with you the skein I am going to send to my pal…

I’m also including some fun stitch markers that I made. I hope she likes it :)

The alpaca yarn I won in an auction on eBay finally came today. It took about two weeks to arrive (not sure why it took so long). Anyway, it is really nice so I thought I’d share. I got 10 skeins of natural cream colored alpaca for $27 plus shipping. It is available in 4 other natural colors (almond, camel, chestnut, charcoal). The cream should lend itself well to dying.

I felt bad for forcing Christina into buying some it was taking so long to arrive – I didn’t know if something dodgy was going on. I’m over that bad feeling now that I know she will have her yarn within the next couple of days!

If anyone else is interested, see if the eBay seller has any left.

I have completely succumbed to Constructive Sock Obsession (COS). I caught it from Sherry. Seriously, I missed a few minutes of American Idol last week because it took me about 4 minutes to find the TV remote under a pile of sock yarn on my coffee table.

Anyhow…it’s been a cool spring until very recently, so my mom put her Mother’s Day wool socks to work immediately. The pattern came from my March S-o-t-M package (“Cabley Lacy Rib Socks”), and the yarn is a pretty color of Trekking XXL. It’s a toe-up pattern, and I learned a new garter stitch cuff.

I am also happy to share with you my April & May S-o-t-M packages:

Yarn: Trekking XXL

Yarn: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton Fondo

Both patterns are very pretty lacey designs named for Hawaiian locations. I wish I were knitting socks in Hawaii right now.