Wheelinsticks

Happy New Year!

2012-01-07T10:36:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone found a nice little place to visit and relax over the holidays. I did! I spent most of my winter break in my jammies getting crafty. I finished spinning up salad greens for a whooping 1950 yards of 3-ply heavy worsted weight. I need to do a little swatching to find out which sweater it will become. I'm shooting for Reinbeck or Flying Dales out of the book A Fine Fleece. I have plenty of yardage for each sweater, and the gauges are different on the sweaters. Time will tell.I also finished and blocked a Boneyard shawl. It's huge. The wingspan is a touch over 60 inches and the depth is 30 inches. I wore it the over day. It's perfect. Right now I am spinning my first yarn of the year. It's a blend of Cormo and Angora in a natural shade of Dove grey. I have no idea what it will become since I plan to n-ply it, and I think there is around 2 ounces in the bag. I spun the first half this morning. On the needles, I am finishing a pair of fingerless mitts out of handspun in greens with a mix of creamy browns, and a Milk Run shawl out of handspun.Well, that's all for now. More to come later.

Weaver's Guild sale 2011

2011-10-31T19:19:00.001-05:00

Weaver's guild sale 2011
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

A few awesome finds for the weekend. There were lots of lovely shawls, knitted items, and woven scarves. I decided on these fibers. They look fun to spin and wear.

Gifting

2011-10-30T09:15:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have been on a gifting frenzy. My husband's niece is having her first baby. A boy. What better gift than a baseball blanket. This was super easy. Two pieces of fleece with strip cut and tied around the edges. A dear friend of mine has too many things going on during the month of her birthday. Mindy loves Halloween and gardening like nobody's business. I also know she has a thing for art yarn, so I mixed the ideas and came up with a tomato garden. This was my first attempt at making a shadow box using art yarn. Note to self, ya only need a little. It's cute though, and Mindy likes it. Really, that all that matters.I have also been involved in a few swaps. I am in two blanket square exchanges. That is kinda fun. It's a great way for me to get my crochet groove on. Another swap that was all kinds of fun was the Potato Chip Scarf swap. I had the best swap partner ever. Interestingly our scarves are in the same color family. Go figure. It's always fun to get goodies in the mail as well as mailing them out to make someone's day.

Visiting Wier Alpacas

2011-10-25T21:39:00.000-05:00

Sunday Lawnguy and I took a small jaunt to Bellevue, IL. We got there a little humm 45 minutes early. The ranch is in the middle of a subdivision about 5 minutes for where I take Pepper to agility class. Anyhoo... The owner was just lovely. Even though we were so early she welcomed us with open arms and a tour around the place.First stop was the barn. Chickens a few, a rooster too, and one duck. Also, alpacas and llamas with their babies.Next, we hopped into the golf cart to go visit some of the girls in another pasture. We were armed with a bag of carrots. I went to give one to a pretty cocoa brown alpaca not knowing that you have to hold onto it tightly. Quickly I learned. Lawnguy learned another valuable lesson, alpacas spit if ignored when there are carrots involved. Yumm.. thanks! While we were out there, the owner yelled, "I have a new baby!" There in the center of several white alpacas was a newborn. She said that the baby had to have been born in the morning. Since there was too many white ones out there; and the baby was lying on the ground, the owner asked hubby to drive the cart and follow her back. She got out, picked up the baby, and started walking with mom in tow. It was really cool to see a newborn. Hubby said it was really neat being there. It was pretty fun just hanging out with the animals.After visiting the animals, we walked over to the Indian firing pit for the removal of the pottery that was placed in there the day before. It was interesting listening to what people were saying about how they got different colors and textures. Lastly, of course I bought fiber. I got 8 ounces of this silky black, and 4 pounds of a creamy fleece. Can't wait to play.

A Visit with the Harlot in a Church?

2011-10-23T18:46:00.000-05:00

Ummm... Yeah. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee made her way to St. Louis last Saturday. The original venue was at a St. Louis Public library that would have been way to small. Fortunately, the church stepped up. An Episcopal Church on Euclid, just down the street from Left Bank Books, held their doors open wide.Stephanie is absolutely hilarious. I sat next to 7 letter Deborah extraordinaire in the second pew. That's poor Ava's head there front and center. It was good to out with some of the wonderful knitters in the St. Louis area who also believe that Stephanie is the icon for "it's normal to put yarn in the freezer." Well no, I have never had it come to that, but I think if it was necessary for the kids to know there is no room in the inn to return home to because mom's craft room is more important, I'm your girl.Wheelinsticks out!

Pepper's agility update

2011-10-09T17:43:00.001-05:00

October 2011 001
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Pepper has been steadily eating away at the competition. This was from last Sunday. He earned three first place ribbons out of four for his weekend. This is Pepper title run for Open Standard. Now we're playing with the big boys!

Pretty Day

2011-08-04T14:03:00.001-05:00

I can't beleive it. I can sit outside and not sweat just from breathing. I'm in my last week before starting up for meetings to get ready for the school year. I can't beleive how fast the summer went.

Pepper did well on the agility trial in July. He managed to finsih his last leg for his Novice Standard title for my birthday. A first place to boot. He ran great everyday in the jumpers section. His Open standard run on Saturday was a little of color. Pepper has "stanger danger" in the worse way. He really struggled getting on any of the equipment. I actually had to change side and placing me between Pepper and the judge to get him to perform. Fortunately he redeemed himself on Sunday with his first leg in Open standards. We will take it. Of course that fills the rack that I have been using for his ribbons. Need to come up with a plan, and where we will actually keep the awards.

Well mopre to come....

TdF day 13

2011-07-15T11:12:00.001-05:00

TdF day 13
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Pretty, Pretty! Sock weight to boot.

Tour de fleece 2011

2011-07-04T18:28:00.001-05:00

Tour de fleece 2011
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Yep, there's a butt load there. The greens and the cherry red are dyed and carded by me. I started on the cherry this week. More pics later this week.

Matchless

2011-06-25T09:56:00.001-05:00

Matchless
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I finally have it. Well, actually I've had it for over a month, but I had to play with it for awhile. It's interesting, I thought I was a pretty decent spinner until I got my new wheel. Wow, take about an F on the first take out. I have finally learned the ins and outs of double drive, and plying on it. Now I just need to name it. More to come.

Weaving Update

2011-06-02T18:21:00.001-05:00

No pics because I'm a dumb ass that can't remember to do pics before the gifting begins. I wove two bread cloth covers using a variegated brown for one and a blue for the other. I think these may become the stable for wedding shower gifts. They are quick, easy, and cheap to do, but a nice gift that is really usable. I also made a scarf out of a a linen/bamboo mix in a deep hot pink and a yarn called Little Flowers in a sparkly variegated tones of reds, pinks, and orange used to add a little flash. I wanted to make another of these for myself. Hopefully, pictures of that one.

Dyeabolical Feb Club

2011-05-30T08:57:00.001-05:00

Dyeabolical Feb Club
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

This wasw just yummy to spin. I loved the play of the colors from the chocolately browns and golds to the deep purples. I'm hoping there is enough for a Brandywine shawl.

Pepper's Peanut

2011-05-26T17:08:00.001-05:00

Peanut 2
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Umm... yeah. My name is Peanut. Mt dady's name is Pepper. I don't get to explore the house very much cuz' dad just wont let me out of his sight. Sigh....

Trianna Scarves

2011-05-24T21:50:00.001-05:00

Trianna Scarves
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I love this pattern! I rarely make the same pattern twice, more or less 2 in a couple of weeks. The colors are great, and its easy cheesy!

Cabled Sleeve

2011-05-23T18:17:00.001-05:00

cable sleeve
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I have a great start on the sweater that I am designing as I go. I love the deep texture of this cable. I'm about halfway up the first sleeve. I'm using Berocco's Vintage and size 7 needles. More to come.

Gardening

2011-05-22T18:22:00.001-05:00

I wasn't planning for a garden this year, but hubby surprised me with tilling up a large section of the yard for my garden. Then, he bought me my seeds. Coolness and goodness in every way. Again, he shows to be husband of year with supporting all my half-hazard plans. It took a few weeks to plant because of the rain and everything. Finally, one lovely Sunday, I planted.

Then, we waited, and waited. Now we have some plants coming in. Since it was a late start with the rain and the fact that I started the seeds outside, it's not the blooming garden as of yet. I think I may need to replant a few things, but we'll see.

I can keep all to dogs out of the garden except Pepper, who can jump the fencing or just walk through some parts since he is fairly skinny. As long as he eats the grass, its fine. Hopefully pictures to come later.

Have Your Oats Daily

2011-04-25T22:06:00.001-05:00

Oats 2
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I finally finished my fleece to sweater for this year. There is nothing like taking a fleece and turning into a garment. It's especially fun when you know the sheep's name, in this case Shauna. This was Shauna's last fleece before she went over the rainbow. I love how it turned out. I had to redo the button bands and the replace the buttons because I tend to go to quickly when I am nearly finished with a project. The problem with that is I don't spend quality time making it the best it can be. It is much better since I reworked it.
stats: pattern Oatmeal by Amy King
rhomney wool - 1 3/4 pounds spun
3-ply worsted weight

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T06:57:00.001-05:00

Easter Scarf
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Dyeabolical Fiber Club Jan 2011

2011-04-21T11:41:00.001-05:00

Dyeabolical Fiber Club Jan 2011
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I loved this from the day I got it. Lovely to spin. I couldn't put it down to stop spinning because I wanted to see the changes. Sparkly goodness. Thanks Rachel for a great color.

Look Ma' I can run!

2011-04-18T17:14:00.001-05:00

Pepper Agility awards 4-11
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Yeah for Pepper. He had a great weekend at the trial. He got second in both jumpers and in standard agility. He won his last leg for his Novice Jumpers Title. That's the pretty black and gold one in the middle. Who would have thought shy boy would do so well.

Dyeabolical #107

2011-04-13T17:53:00.001-05:00

Dyeabolical #107
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Love, love, love. Soft and squishy, 608 yards of fingerweight, Socks or shawl?

Getting My Fiber On

2011-04-10T15:37:00.003-05:00

I went with my lamb loving friend Kara over to Illinois Sheep and Fiber Festival on Saturday. What a pretty day! Usually, when I go it's a little chilly, but not yesterday. Unfortunately, the number of vendors was down considerably. There was things to see, but I have seen most of the same people for the last three years. Don't get me wrong, it's still interesting. Anyhoo, I bought a couple of fleeces. One was an excellent find. A nice creamy white with very little vm. The other has a fair amount of vm, but the richness and crimp set my heart on fire. Lots of work to come over summer, but that's ok. I still enjoy it.

Sprout

2011-04-03T18:30:00.001-05:00

Sprout
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I finished something green for spring. Now if I can my grass to sprout!

Selena's cashmere

2011-03-13T21:03:00.001-05:00

Selena's cashmere
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I have a dear freind that bought some cashmere while she was on vacation. She asked me to spin is it spun as fine as I could. What an adventure. FIrst, just touching this luxury was fantastic. When I first started to spin it, it was not easy. I knew enough about spinning very short fibers to know that I had to let go of some of natural position of control, and let the fiber do the work. I felt like it took forever and worried that it would not be enough yardage. I finally got it finished and off into the mail it went. Selena loves it. I hope she will enjoy knitting it as much as I enjoyed spinning it.

info:
2-ply 608 yards
28 WIPS
ratio: 14:1
soft, soft, soft

Camel

2011-02-21T16:38:00.003-06:00

Isn't it lovely. Pure camel. Camel is interesting to spin. It's similar to alpaca in one way; it's heavy in weight, so I was disappointed in the yardage. It's slippery, but not like alpaca. I think alpaca is as slick as snot by itself. Still, it is pretty.

Sunday Morning

2011-02-13T21:34:00.001-06:00

Sunday Morning
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Sometimes it pays to up at 6 on the weekend. Today was one of them. The sky was just beautiful with lines of pinks and blues of every hue.

Superbowl Sunday

2011-02-06T09:46:00.002-06:00

Yeah, I'll be awatchin'. The Packers are in and that makes it a shoe in for me to sit and root on my time. My dad would be rolling in his grave since a Packers fan he was not. As a kid I never understood the game, therefore, I asked too many questions before I got the "go to your room" speech. Its okay. I was never really offended. I still don't understand most of the calls, but at least I can follow the game.

Of course game day is also known as, dinner in the crock pot and Kim crafting all day too. They sort of go together. Dinner is a throw together of chicken broth, great northern beans, potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, and a yellow pepper because it had to be used. Later I add in the ham otherwise the ham just get too dark looking and I don't want to eat it. Of course this brain storm might be a tried it, but never again, or delicious. Keep you posted on that note.

On the crafting side, I have a pair of mittens that I'm sorting out. No real pattern, but I have enough memory about mittens to know where to go, however, the first one is a little big. I am deciding if I need to start over with fewer stitches or just call it roomy. I'm thinking the later. They fit great around my wrist and are a little big through the hand. Kinda sad really.

Lastly, I noticed that my Black Belt (huge fish) is moving the rocks around the tank again. The snot. Maybe I move them all back where they are suppose to be, so I can really piss him off. Truly silly I know, but then he could leave the rocks where they go too instead of building mountains in the tank.

Family Jewels clue 2

2011-02-03T10:09:00.001-06:00

Family Jewels clue 2
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Twists and turns, Family Jewels clue 2 is finished. Let me tell ya. This is really pretty. Looks harder than it is. Just time consuming. Two at a time is the only way these babies would have a match.

Stormy Victoria

2011-02-02T13:52:00.001-06:00

Stormy Victoria
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

She's done. Wow is it lovely. I wore it Monday to school. The fit is fantastic. I couldn't be more pleased.

Give Us Your Oats.....

2011-01-22T17:55:00.002-06:00

Oatmeal sleeve
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Of a sort any way. I finally starting knitting Shauna's fleece. I spun it up in the summer. So far it is knitting up pretty soft and very warm. I have a sleeve completed, and started the body. There is a small amount of cabling around the cuff of the sleeve and another round at the yoke. Knit in one piece once I get to the yoke, seamless, my best friend. I'm thinking some kind of dark, smokey buttons to dress it up, but that's for later.

mystery sock clue 1

2011-01-20T14:54:00.001-06:00

mystery sock clue 1
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

The first toe was not fun. I lost my place, dropped stitches, and other typical Kim behaviors. 20 rows should not take for ever, but leave it to me. Fortunately, the 2nd toe went much better. I like the pattern so far. It's challenging enough to hold my attention. Lots of twisted stitches along the toe. Friday the second clue comes out. Stay tuned.

It Can Only Happen to Buster

2011-01-17T06:35:00.002-06:00

Did ya know a dog can break out in hives? Oh yeah, that was my night. Buster wouldn't settle down after we started the self-cleaning timer for the oven. My only thought was we would die in a fire since Buster was nearly going berserk. He kept walking from one spot to another, up in chair, down in the chair, back to the kitchen, etc. I was ready to strangle him when I looked at his side full of angry welt. Then I seen his poor face. Oh so sad. I knew it was hives since I use to break out with hives due to anxiety as a kid. Fortunately Benedyl has helped, but he still have the remnants today.

The Internet site said that hives in dogs are caused by an acute allergy attack. The only thing that had changed in the last hour was the oven. I think it was the fumes that caused the reaction. The article continued with suggesting giving Benedyl and watching for other reactions. The hives are suppose to go away within 24 hours. Poor baby.

Good Day for Tea

2011-01-12T16:47:00.002-06:00

I decided when I got home I wanted something warm to drink. My son gave me a tea infuser and a bunch of different teas to try. I don't pull it out often, but I think I need to rethink that idea. One of the flavors I have is Teavana's Rooibos Chai. It's delicious. Hmm... maybe I should pull out the tea more often....

An Aha! Moment

2011-01-09T08:49:00.002-06:00

I am still working my way through Victoria. It's looking great so far. I am trying to work through the sleeves and that's when I hit a snag. Ugh, 2-at-a-time sounds great, everything should line up, and no 2nd sleeve syndrome. Problem is trying to make sure that I knit both sleeves before turning my work. I kept losing track and spent more time just fixing things then actually knitting. I continued to knit on just working on a sleeve at a time and then switching. That worked pretty well. After I finished the last increase on the one sleeve, I went back to do the last few on the 2nd sleeve. The problem then reared its ugly head again as I still had another increase and 8 rows to knit and both sleeve were the same length. Sigh, I fixed this by adding in the increase on both the right and wrong sides. I couldn't do it in one fell swoop because it's Moss stitch. Fine, fixed. Now that the knitting was so large I figured I could think of the two sleeve as one big piece. Aha! I pinned them together. Duh, now they move as one. This working fantastically. Hopefully I can use the same theory on the next sweater because that's where I'm headed, another sweater. Baby it's cold outside!

A year in Reveiw

2011-01-08T08:11:00.002-06:00

I thought I hadn't accomplished much this year, but not so. It seemed to be the year of hats. I knit 10 hats this year. Yes, I enjoy knitting hats. There quick and pleasing, plus they keep your ears warm. I also learned to weave. Oh my another slippery path. I'm not sure I will knit another long scarf when I can weave one in a fraction of the time. During the summer I made an incredible dent in my fiber stash. During the month of July alone, I spun over six miles of yarn. All and all, it was a good year.

First Weave of the New Year

2011-01-03T20:26:00.002-06:00

I have a new kitchen table that I really like. The only problem is, it's white and white shows everything. I have had a set of place mats and runner with a Christmas theme on the table since we got it in November. Now that the decorations are down, I find myself in need of getting the place mats done.

Tada!

Last Spin for 2010

2011-01-02T11:45:00.001-06:00

Spinning December 2010
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

This is it. The colorway if Flannel, and boy does this fit the bill. I'm planning to knit a big loopy cowl with this. I have 323 yards that I navajo plied so the colors stayed intact. Love, love, love this!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T14:12:00.002-06:00

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! May all of your dreams and goals make it this year. For me, no goals. I'd rather live the year in here and now, living only for the moment. I think it's a good plan for this year.

Chrismas Table Runner

2010-12-28T09:07:00.003-06:00

I wanted to make something nice for my mother in law. She is such a wonderful person, giving, and caring. I thought a table runner for the Christmas gathering would be right up her alley. I hope that she will actually use it verses the "it's too special." I prefer things to be used. I don't make things for display only. I'm way to practical for that.

I used a few different colors of crochet thread and a 12.5 dent. It's 16.5 inches by 56 inches with the fringe. I didn't care for the way the edges looked, so we added a nice trim to it. Of course the trim cost more than the rest of the project materials. Go figure we would pick the most expensive trim. All and all, it turned out pretty good.

Sorry for the bad photos, but this was during the opening of gifts with eleven children all on the floor tearing wrapping off their gifts.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T09:41:00.001-06:00

Christmas 2010 001
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

From our home to your's. Enjoy the holidays.

Spin In

2010-12-19T20:18:00.002-06:00

The December spin in was hosted by the lovely Annieone. Thank you so much for being such a gracious host by opening your home to us dedicated fiberists. It was so much fun just hanging out and spinning with like minded people. There is nothing better that learning new things and exchanging ideas, and praises. Still spinning what was on the wheel today, so no pics, just some words. Keeping spinning!

A Warmer for Your Cup?

2010-12-16T20:25:00.003-06:00

Yep, still in the holiday knitting chaos. This is the last of the knitted items for my pals at work. I found this wonderful, easy pattern on Ravelry last week. I started these on Saturday. The first one was way too big for the cup size that I had, so on to modifying. Also, an easy fix for the pattern. I modified the pattern's stitch count from 80 to 64, and it worked out wonderfully. I knit 3 more by the end of Sunday, finished another on Monday, today I finished the last one. Then, I had to sew on the buttons, add the i-cord band, and steam them into place. Check!

All in all, I made 10 gifts for work. I still have a scarf, a table runner, and 3-4 other gifts to finish before I can call it done. How many more days?!? Gotta get movin'!

Wheelinsticks gets to Stamping

2010-12-12T06:27:00.002-06:00

Last Sunday, the lovely and talented Deborah put together a class for stamping. First, Deborah is absolutely wonderful and talented in her own right. Last Sunday, we hung out together with Kara, Rachel, and few others to learn and take gift tags with a knitting theme.It's been awhile since I did stamping of any kind. This was amazing fun. We made five tags, a note card, and a regular sized card. I loved how it turned out. I can't believe it took three hours because the time literally flew out the door! Thanks again Deborah for amazing day.

Dyeabolical scarf

2010-12-09T20:25:00.001-06:00

Dyeabolical scarf 1
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I finished it. I love how the colors played off of each other. This scarf is so soft and warm. I have been wearing it nearly everyday! I still have enough yarn to make mittens over winter break.

Playing with Singles

2010-12-05T06:56:00.002-06:00

I love spinning singles. There's nothing quicker than sitting down for a couple of hours with a bag of long wool, my wheel, and some coffee. Low twist singles are an art in itself. I start with the biggest whorl I have, 5:1 and the tension set higher so it pulls in quickly. The biggest trick is getting the twist right. Some wools are very willing to except a short draw while others require a different method.

Here, the greens and yellows is Mashum. I struggled at first with this ome because I separated the fibers too much. I ended up spinning from the fold and using a short backward draw.

This one is Rhomney. I love spinning Rhomney. Some fleece are softer than others. This one is a little rougher, but usable for gloves or hat. I spun this one with a short forward draw.

Both turned out lovely after a good smacking. That's the other bit of the trick. When singles come off the knotty, they look like a wad of tangles. They need a good soak in warm water and smack them against the edge of a table or some other hard surface to make them behave. Then, hang them to dry. Sometimes I weight them, if they are still full of kinks which means they are over spun. Tricky, but rewarding when done right.

Meet Sis

2010-11-30T20:42:00.002-06:00

So at the agility trial over Thanksgiving Day weekend. Pepper met up with his sister, literally! Meet Riley, on the left. Riley was taken into a foster home the same day I took Pepper home. Riley parents adopted her about a month later. What are the chances of meeting up with a litter mate? They look so alike in some ways and completely different in others. Lots of the same mannerism and temperament. Pepper received second place on his first run, and Riley received first on her second run. Yeah to the mixed breeds!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T14:35:00.002-06:00

Here in St. Louis, there is a little of the white stuff. Looks so pretty watching it from the windows. I hope everyone has a lovely time hanging out with family and friends for Thanksgiving.

Another Hat? Really!

2010-11-21T21:06:00.002-06:00

Yeah, it's still about knitting for the holidays. I think this is the last knitted garment for hubby's side of the family. I still have another weaving project to do, but overall I think I'm in good shape there. Anyhow, this one is for my brother in law. No real pattern, just simple. I could knit a hat in a dark alley at this point. Anyhow, just sharing this because Victoria is in the dog house again.

Another Hat

2010-11-17T17:02:00.002-06:00

Yep, I like making hats. They are quick to do, and just plain fun. This is a free Ravelry pattern that should have buttons where the garter stitch ridges are, but I don't think I will be adding them. The hat is one of my handspuns that my SIL fell in love with, so guess who is getting it for Christmas! Good thing because it doesn't fit my peanut head.

A Dog and some weaving

2010-11-14T12:38:00.002-06:00

Since Buster has commandeered the craft table, he now has to stay for photos. Here is just a few bookmarks I made for Christmas. Mainly just practicing on the loom. Easy, peasy, and useful for a few people that I work with.

See he make sure he is still in the close up!

Stormy Victoria

2010-11-07T09:18:00.001-06:00

Victoria 1
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I feel like I have had this puppy on the needles forever! I guess if I was really working it exclusively, it might be closer to the finish line. I decided that it's cold, and I need this sweater to be wearable soon. I have the back completed and started on the left front last night. It's moving like molasses, but so pretty. Hope you extra hour is spent on something fun.

DD boyfriend's hat

2010-11-02T16:32:00.001-05:00

DD boyfriend's hat
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Imagine another hat! I think it might be too big. I guess we'll see.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T10:07:00.003-05:00

Oh the web I spin my pretties.........

hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!

Crafty Update

2010-10-26T19:35:00.002-05:00

It feels like forever before I manage to finish anything. Time just seems to be slipping by at the speed of light. I have managed to do some spinning recently. First up is a fiber that DD's boyfriend picked out. He wants a hat. Hey, I can do hats. The fiber is by the amazing fiber artist, Dyeabolical Fibers. The colorway is Navy in a super wash merino. The color is fantastic. Also, I just love spinning Rachel's fibers. The colors are great, and the fiber is nice and smooth to spin.

Next, is a first spin for Border Leicester. Interesting, it reminds me of a rougher Rhomney. This n-plied about worsted weight. I have another colorway that has a lot of greens in it that I think I may spin up and use the 2 for some stranded color work mittens.

On the knitting front, I love me some Moss stitch. Great for TV knitting or when I want something that is on the brainless side. The downfall of Moss stitch is that it takes a long time to do. I still have another 5 inches left on this section before I start the arm decreases. I like the color a lot though.

Well that the update for now. Happy crafting....

Oh That's Just Not Right

2010-10-24T08:19:00.002-05:00

Time: 6:30 am
Husband gets up. Dogs trying to get me out of bed since they want to eat, and husband is not the target. Me avoiding said dogs until.......

.......... Buster pukes all over me! Again, world's dumbest dog strikes again.

Harvest Day

2010-10-23T18:14:00.002-05:00

This morning,I went to the farmer's market over in Tower Grove with Kara. What a lovely day it turned out to be. The wind was breezy, but warm, which made for a nice day in the park. I love going to the market. I like watching all the people. There are all sorts, people with kids, people with thier pet, people with their other half, just by themselves. The market wasn't too crowded which was nice for the shoppers. I think the sales were good though because it seemed like people came to buy. I had a breakfast taco with farm fresh eggs. I love farm raised eggs and meat. It just taste better. Oh that the green beans are just as sweet as they could be. After 2 hours, it was time to head home and enjoy the goodies of visiting the stands and seeing good freinds.

If Your ever on Jupiter....

2010-10-17T08:45:00.001-05:00

Nelson
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Well maybe not so much. The hat and mitts are going to my nephew for Christmas. He's about 7 now. The yarn was spun by me and the colorway was Storms of Jupiter. I think the hat looks kinda close.

Dear Mom

2010-10-10T21:38:00.002-05:00

Okay, I know this is your nice, new craft room, and I should be in here. I have a bit of a problem......

umm... yeah, I don't understand how to get off you craft table.

Your favorite son,
Buster

Yeah. I know he is all kinds of stupid. I looked in there, and there he is laying in the middle of the table, and has no flippin' idea how to get down.

Birthday Plaids

2010-10-09T10:11:00.002-05:00

This is by far my best and most favorite scarf I have woven to date. This one was very special because it was made for one of my nearest and dearest friends, Mindy. Mindy loves bright colors like pink. She also has a hard time with sensitivity to different types of yarns. Hopefully she can wear this, and not itch. Iknow she loves it already. The color looks fantastic on her as well. The plaid wasn't really a plan more of, wow that's really cool looking.

The craft room is nearly completed. I just have a few things left to work on. Hopefully in the next week or so it will be complete.

Til' later.

Wednesday Weaving Update

2010-10-06T17:25:00.001-05:00

Woven Scarf #3
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Here's the scarf I finished last week. The edges are getting better. I really like the drape I am getting with 7.5 dent with a light worsted. Now to try using wool instead of the cheap stuff.

Chill in the Air Brings on the Need to Cook

2010-10-03T21:19:00.003-05:00

Yeah, I do cook, but nothing I really have ever felt the need to blog about, but just had to share. Hubby and I were up and out of the house by 7:30 Saturday. Yes, it is the crack of morn' however, there was lots of the every day weekend stuff to do. Oil changes on both cars, groceries, ya know the usual.

Anyhoo, I read about some awesome sugar cookies that were on the Pioneer Woman's blog the other day, and they sounded yummy. I also had a taste for ham and bean soup with corn bread. You would swear I was raised in the south because southern cooking is my kind of food.

Now the problem is bean soup take ALL day to cook. Yep, on by 11:00 and we didn't eat til 8:00 at night. Like I said its an all day event.

Of course the cookies were an event all on there own. Holy crap! 2 sticks of butter, 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup of regular sugar and a cup of powdered sugar. Heart attack city, but OMG were they fantastic!

Cooking is a lonely job when it comes to do up the dishes.

Fan neckwarmer

2010-10-01T17:22:00.001-05:00

Fan neckwarmer
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I love how this turned out. The colors just flow together so nicely. I"m lucky that my co-heart has no idea that I can show this to you all. It's a Christmas prezzie all done!

Alpaca lace

2010-09-27T18:10:00.002-05:00

Alpaca lace
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I am continuing to practice spinning thin. This was a batt that I purchased at the Illinois Fiber Festival back in the spring. The white is some tencel that was added to the batt. I only had 2.4 ounces of this lovely batt, however, I did get a nice amount of fiber out of it. 168 yards altogether. Not as much as I would have liked, but I think if I use it for some fingerless mittens or a cowl; I should have plenty.

Strange Folk

2010-09-26T11:08:00.001-05:00

Strange Folk hull
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Strange folk was great! There were a ton of people milling around. The weather was perfect for hanging out with freinds and shopping. I love the paper mache' fox. The colors will look great in the craft room. Dyeabolical fibers was a must stop, of course. Color wizard, Rachel, had the most awesome section of fiber, batts, and yarns. I got a colorful fall combo of 5/2 cotton. I can't wait to get it on the loom and makes some tea towels. Peeking out in the back is a bar of rose scented soap. I love handmade soaps. All in all it was a great day!

Electic Jelly

2010-09-19T17:58:00.001-05:00

Electic Jelly
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Real lace weight. I knew this would need to be something very thin since I only had 3 oz to play with. I laced my wheel across the bobbin using both hooks. This helps lower the tension so there is more time to draft the fiber out. It turned out heavenly. I have 385 yards, now I need some ideas of what to do with it. Suggestions please!!

Looking Toward the Weekend

2010-09-17T18:47:00.002-05:00

It's been a long busy week. I have been sick, sleepy, and crabby. Needless to say it makes for a long week. To top things off, it's been standardized testing to boot. Which translates to me reading tests the whole way through. On the upswing, I finished everybody's tests. Now to playing with fiber, dogs, reading, and hangin' with hubby and my peeps. Hope your weekend is well.

2nd scarf

2010-09-16T21:02:00.001-05:00

2nd scarf
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

The weaving is getting better. It is way prettier in person, but I think it turned out nice. It could have been a little longer.

Selfish Citron

2010-09-14T21:03:00.001-05:00

Selfish Citron
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

I love how this turned out. The colors are just fantastic together. I spun this lovely 18 count Merino nearly a year ago. I spilt the fiber into skinny sections and just spun it randomly. It was fun to watch the colors change since I wasn't sure wehat would be next.

Noro Hat

2010-09-07T18:08:00.001-05:00

Noro Hat
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Just a quickie. I love knitting hats. They are quick and mindless. In the background is the start of the craft room. Still need a few things like paint, a chair, some shelving units, etc. Of course, I am in no real hurry as I have moved my stuff in the room already. Its just nice having it all in one spot.

Mad fish

2010-09-06T11:22:00.001-05:00

Mad fish
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

His pissed because I cleaned the tank. He reminds me of a teenager!

Clearing the Crafts

2010-08-31T18:46:00.002-05:00

I have been looking and looking at new things to start, but startitus has the best of me. What does one do with startius, well, finish what one has and then panic like the dickens because what's next can't be decided. Hmmm...

Here's the socks that I took on vacation at my favorite river resort. Noro is fun to knit with. The socks are a lot softer now that there has been a christening of water and Eculan. I should have went through with my experiment. My hypothesis was if I knit one top down and the other toe-up would they match? I chickened out, so they are both toe-up, however, I believe it might have worked. Maybe next pair.

I bought a loom a few months ago when the bug bit me. Fabric bugs are the worst! This is my first scarf all myself. It's tiny, but it will have a home with DD best friend's little girl. Tiny fits a not even one year old.

I love cables a ton. This is a pretty little hat that my friend, Kara, tested knit.I fell in love with the pattern and just had to knit it. The pattern is Golden Autumn. Can you tell I'm a little tired? Yeah beginning of the school gets me every time.

Last but not least, some spinning. This really pretty. Lots of greeny-blues, beiges, whites, and a hint here and there of brown. Should be pretty knit up. Maybe some gloves for the upcoming season.

I have a few ideas in mind for what is next up, but Sunday I quickly grabbed some Noro and started another hat. I know boring, but good knitting for watching True Blood.

Back to the Grind

2010-08-21T13:50:00.002-05:00

First week of students completed. Overall the school year is off to a good start. I like to be busy and the busier I am the happier I am. Hmm.... yeah I do love the break in the summer, but going back gives me a new purpose and changes my outlook on life. The days flew by. I swear every year just goes faster. My day starts earlier this year as well. I am trying to eat before I go to work, so I eat more than just a granola bar. To tell the truth, I just decided that a bar that I am trying to chow down just isn't the same as a bowl of oats. I love oatmeal, and feel like I am eating better if I sit down and eat. If I have everything ready the night before, I can sleep until 5:25 and be out of the house by 6:20. This is the very minimum amount of time I can actually get everything done to be at work by 6:45ish. Kids are in the classroom door at 7:05, so there is very little time to get things together. Believe me it's early. So far okay though. My goal is to make every effort to have my plans done a week ahead, if I don't then I really have no time at night. This would be bad because I need some down time or I get a little cranky.

Pioneer

2010-08-19T18:06:00.001-05:00

""

I finally finished it. I love how it looks. The colors are wonderful and the fabric has a nice drape to it. I ended up knitting most of it on US5's. Spun up to a sport-weight. I used approximately 900-1000 yards.

Oh and thanks to Kara, my photo expert! Not only did Kara take the pics, but she also told me how to work the new flicker page. Thanks Kara!!!

cherry

2010-08-09T19:06:00.008-05:00

cherry
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Dyed with Jacard dye. This is more of a deeper red than the pinky color that it shows. All teased and fluffy.

Cormo

2010-08-09T19:04:00.009-05:00

Cormo
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Just needs the locks separated.

Fleece-a-thon

2010-08-09T18:33:00.005-05:00

Okay, time to work on my organizational skills. Fleece, yeah, I know it's my downfall. Truly I love taking a fleece and turning it into something wearable. Some of my Rav friends and I are having a fleece-a-thon. What it is, is scouring and preparing a fleece or said number of fleeces to be prepared for spinning. Fortunately my rabbit hole is mole size. I have 3. Some of my friend have upwards to about 14 fleeces. Holy shit! There is no way I want that many dirty fleeces anywhere near my house more or less near my stash. Dirty fleece equals fiber eating moths. Ahem, off the soap box. Anyway... I have 3 as I said, a pound of clean fleece that needed dyeing, teasing, and carding. I nearly finished. I only have drum carding to do which can wait. 4 pounds of semi clean white cormo. I bought this fleece a year ago. Scoured it, but it still had some tips that were nearly black compared to the bright white. Scoured some more on Sunday. Half of it is still not dry. Geesh! This one is going to be spun from the lock because Cormo is very fine like merino and tends to nap up on a carder, so I need to separate the locks and this one will be done. That leaves the 5 pounds of merino I bought in Illinois this spring. This baby is a monster. After I get it scoured, I can decide on what to do with it from there. Its a pretty fleece with colors ranging from light to dark chocolate brown. Hopefully next weekend I can start on that one. I just want to get them all clean for now. Here are some pictures of Moroot and Cormo. I'll be set for a while as long as I don't attend any more fiber shows. Yeah right.

Why yes I do still knit

2010-07-28T22:26:00.002-05:00

I know it has been forever since I have been knitting. Spinning sort of takes over for the month of July, which is fine. I love spinning a lot, and it's fun to play with a fiber from start to finish. Speaking of start to finish, I have been working on a little Tee-top from my hand spun. It is turning out wonderful. I started with 8 ounces of 2 different colorways and plied them together. The colors have all of the autumn highlights that look great on me. I spun a sport weight that is not as consistent as I wish it was. Of course I spun it a year ago, and I have improved greatly since them. Anyhoo, I have about 1/2 the top finished. The pattern is Pioneer. I nice simple knit that shows off the colors of hand painted fibers. I should have no problems finishing it before I start back to work which is coming very quickly. Oui` too soon.

TdF 2010 Wrap Up

2010-07-26T10:49:00.003-05:00

Here is what I completed during the tour. I feel like I ran right along side them most of the days. It's amazing how good spinning looks after several days of being at the wheel. These are some of the best yarns I have made. All different weights, methods, colors, and of course yardage. Here's the run down. Top to bottom, left to right in the picture.

4 skeins of Rhomney = 655 3-ply worst weight (long draw)

1 skein Dyeabolical = 255 3-ply sport weight (worsted)

1 skein Lupine = 278 3-ply DK weight (long draw)

1 skein Field of Screams = 211 2-ply bulky (short forward draw)

1 skein Rubber Grapes = 261 2-ply Dk weight (short backward draw)

1 skein Blue Moon = 290 2-ply worsted weight (short forward draw)

1 skein Pomegranate = 371 2-ply fingering weight (long draw supported)

1 skein Monkey Farts = 351 2-ply sport weight (short backward draw)

total = 2671 yards / 6 miles 2.78 pounds

Woo woo!

Lat Yarn for the Tour

2010-07-25T21:30:00.003-05:00

3-ply DK weight after it plumped up. 278 yards. This is Lupine by Mountain Colors. Kara gave it to me as a birthday gift a couple of years ago. This really turned out pretty.

Tour Update

2010-07-20T19:29:00.003-05:00

Another fun spin. Here is the singles that took me a couple of days to do. The colorway is called Monkey Farts after our team name. Which only makes it more fun to spin since I giggle when I get to a "stain".

Today I plied this into a lovely 2-ply 350 yards at about 16 WIP since it has some alpaca in there. Tomorrow is a rest day, and I am off to see Cats with dear daughter for my birthday thanks to my exceptionally wonderful hubby.

Took Long Enough

2010-07-19T12:23:00.002-05:00

From Wednesday to Sunday all I spun was 4 oz. Yep that's right. I forget how thin one can spin Shetland and this puppy only wanted to be spun thin and long draw. Now I can spin long draw fairly well, but this was a challenge. The fibers just wanted to separate and slide away from each other, therefore, I had to go slow. Worth it in the end. It's scrumptious! 2-ply light fingeringweight yarn. The colors are soft and subtle ranging from purples to a deep red over the dark brown natural color. Ah!!

Tough Day in the Mountains

2010-07-13T18:24:00.002-05:00

My back hurts. Plain and simple it hurts. Between pulling weeds and spinning it doesn't feel good. I knid have some, well a lot, of empathy for the riders today. Mountain tops eat some of the boys up over the past few days. Today was no exception. What I find amazing is the spectators. They are nuts! I love to watch the race, lord knows, but these people are going to get someone killed. They not only crowd the riders as they pass by, but touch, pat, and shake their fists nearly in their faces. oh and then there are those that feel the need to run along side of the riders screaming in their ears. Hey it's cool to have heroes, but let's not kill them in our excitement.

Okay onto my spinning. I love how this turned out. The colorway is called New Moon from Spunky Eclectic. There were lots of different ways to spin this since the fiber started out with light to dark teals with a mix of white, to smokey lavenders and deep blues with whites, to almost a dark navy. I could have split it with all lights on one and the dark on the other, fractural spun, or a graduation of colors. I decided on the later as a 2-ply. Either way I was going to have some barber poling, but I thought it would blend together as it graduated through the colors. Yes indeedy that just what happen. See the teal stripe going done the hank, that's the beginning and the darkest color being near the end. Very soft and squishable 290 yards of 2ply DK to worsted weight. It's nice when things come together well.

TdF update

2010-07-09T22:38:00.002-05:00

Wow have I spun a ton for the 1st week. I am over a pound of yarn completed. Lots of yarns for knitting with later. Today I finished plying up the two fibers that I had completed as singles.

First up is Dyeabolical Fibers. I love how this turned out. The colors are definitely irresistible the way they play off of each other. It's a 3 ply sport weight. I was shooting for socks, but the yardage is probably a little to low. Still I got 255 yards of the softest yarn.

Second is Spunky Club in Rubber Grapes. Its an interesting combo that I had never tried til now, but super easy to spin with a very soft halo. It's Corriepaca, which is a blend of corriedale and alpaca. Really fun. I like how the deep purples and reds play off of the green like the grapes hiding amoungest the leaves in a basket. It's a 2-ply with 261 yards of DK weight.

The race, the bike race that is has been a bit boring. Tomorrow they it the Alps. I do say I love watching the countryside more than the bikers. I have learned a lot more about the strategies that are used this year. Still don't understand most of it, but enough to get by. Onward and upward!

Shauna's Fleece

2010-07-07T22:07:00.002-05:00

Yeah it's done! I could have had better results, but processing a fleece is learning from the experience. I started with 3.4 lbs of very greasy fleece, and ended with 1500 plus yards of 3-ply yarn. As I continued to scour, card, and spin I got more and more consistent. I learned a ton from processing this fleece. Here's the list:

1. use Kookaburra to scour - house did not smell like a farm, and the fiber came clean in one wash and one rinse

2. learned to use a drum carder - this got better, lost a good portion of fiber due to fiber not clean enough, teased out appropriately, holding on to the fiber instead of feeding the carder smaller chunks, put fiber through twice for a better batt

3. used a WIP guide - a handy little gadget that measure wips with lines on a piece of plastic to use as your spinning. This was the most helpful thing I learned to use. My singles were much more consistent by taking a measurement often.

My plan is for something with cables. After all the purpose of spinning a 3ply is to see the cables better. I am keeping this one natural. It's so pretty.

Oh the 2 bobbins of color are the singles from the previous post.

Tour de Fleece - update

2010-07-06T16:11:00.002-05:00

I can't believe we are already in July more or less the start of Tour de France. I find it amazing just how scary some of the roads are for these riders. Not only are they packed together like sardines, but then spectators want them to ride under huge flags or pat them on the back. Oh and there's the crashes! Holy moley have they been bad. Several riders are continuing with cracked ribs, elbows, and /or wrists. Today they rode over 8 miles across cobblestones. I can't imagine what their bodies feel like after they get off their bikes. I think I wouldn't be able to walk for a month! Anyhoo, I have been spinning like crazy. I only have one picture for today of some very squishy goodness.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T18:52:00.002-05:00

I love the month of July. Not only is it the month of my birthday, but also the time to consider the ability to have independence from others. I think sometimes we forget that our lives have been blessed by those who were willing to die for us to be free. I really get frustrated with my middle schoolers because they don't feel that they have to stand for the flag or say the pledge of allegiance just because they have the right. Each year, I have to have that heart to heart with someone about rights and freedom. I agree that we have choices and do respect the opinion of others, I just believe that you shouldn't shit on the graves of those that gave you those rights. In closing, blessed are those that have given me my freedom and my right to choose.
Happy Independence Day America.

A Day with Good Friends and Fiber

2010-07-01T19:40:00.002-05:00

Hey, what a glorious day it was. I spent the day hanging out with Annie and her kiddos. Although I really only got to see dear daughter, she had plenty to talk about since she just got back from France. What a wonderful experience. Ann and I played with the drumcarder watching her lovely, and I do mean lovely grey fleece turn into big puffs of goodness. Of course there was a lot of fleece, and I think Ann might be sick of the carder by the time she is done :)

While Ann played with her fleece, I got to rummage through her yarns and pick out my trade. Cool trade, I got some Socks that Rock and some Schaffer Anne. It was a great way to spend the day. Now to pick out some patterns! Woo!

Day 2

2010-06-29T10:36:00.001-05:00

Went a little better. Weather is prefect for outdoor activities. I will be playing outside for most of the day, or at least its the plan for now.

Day one: Couch to 5K

2010-06-27T10:20:00.002-05:00

Yep, I started. I have been running with Pepper during agility for months now, and keep saying how I need to go out and run on my own. Day 1 was today. Remind me next time to do it earlier in the morning. Augh, it was hot, but hey it went pretty well. I am using a running podcast to help with with the intervals because if I have to do the math, well, its just not going to happen. Anyhoo, I took Pepper with me, since he does so well on a leash. The only problem we encountered was the ducks. Pepper has never seen ducks and took a liking to one of them. For some reason the duck was a little offended that Pep would actually try to stiff it's head. It dived under the water, and I wasn't too sure there my dear old boy didn't try to take a bite. Fortunately, the duck just dove under the water and came up a little further way from the sidewalk squawking a bit. Not too bad overall. Tuesday will be day 2. More to come.

Shauna Drumcarded

2010-06-21T19:41:00.001-05:00

Shauna drumcarded
Originally uploaded by knittingkim

Hey,
I finished carding the rest of Shaun'a fleece. I probably have in the neighborhood of 30 oz altogether. I love spinning from a freshly carded batt. Makes life grand. More to come.

Carding and Blocking

2010-06-19T14:08:00.002-05:00

I finished the pieces of Girl Friday. She's blocking now. I still have to seam her up and do the collar, but overall it has been a great knit. I also pulled out my drum carder to finish up carding my Romney fleece. Let me tell you spinning from a batt is pure heaven. So smooth it just spins nearly by itself. This spin will hopefully be enough for an Estes Vest. I love the style of the vest and of course I am also a fan of cables. This fleece was the last of her as her owner went over the rainbow over winter. I truly hope the garment will do her justice. Pics to come.

Checking In

2010-06-16T13:19:00.000-05:00

And now: The Knitting

2010-06-06T09:05:00.002-05:00

Lawn Guy's sweater

A shawl

Baby Sweater

Out from under a rock

2010-06-04T14:04:00.002-05:00

Or better known as summer vacation. I think I am worse than the kids. First year I have ever counted down before last 10 days. Sheash! Moving on.....

So the good news, I have been knitting, spinning, and weaving. Bad news, not a lot.

Good news, I finally will have a craft room. Bad news dear daughter moved out. Needless to say sweet and sour together.

Here's a few spins of late.

Tomorrow, knitting!

Aoelian Shawl

2010-03-27T09:33:00.003-05:00

Hardest knit I have ever done. I have beads and beads galore in there. I love this color. It reminds me of butterscotch sundaes which was a favorite at the DQ growing up. Blocking this baby brought out the beauty and richness of the details. Just lovely!

Some Spinning

2010-03-27T09:23:00.003-05:00

Wow has it been awhile since I have spun. Over a month! There is nothing more relaxing than sitting and spinning after a really crappy day.

Melons - was a given to me because it's Romney and it is not always the softest wool out there. The colors are so not me, so I will pass this along to someone else. It spun up beautifully and the colors are fantastic! 2-ply of about 250 yards. This will make a lovely Fair Isle project with maybe a nice cream color.

Ool-la-la-tropi-cal! Wow is this bright! Sooo soft! Extremely long color sections. I gift with one to Yarn because she loves yellow and there is a very big section of it in the skein. Fun to spin and the singles turned out to be the best I have spun.

It's Been Awhile

2010-03-27T09:15:00.002-05:00

I know it's been forever. I have been a-craftin', but just not a postin'! Anyhoo - I learned to weave recently. Four of my near and dear and I went over to Illinois to learn. It was a long day. I got car sick almost as soon as we hit the highway. Fortunately Kara, who always gets carsick too, had some meds for me to take on the way home.

I love the colors in the scarf. Wish it was wider and definitely longer, but still all in all not too bad. Has the weaving bug bit me? Of course! I been looking, but trying to be good. More for later!

Ravelympics Over

2010-02-28T08:08:00.003-06:00

Whew! I wasn't sure I'd finish. I love the shawl I made but damn was it voring to knit. It will go with anything. My only regret is I wish the blues where a little darker or less mottled other than that it turned out nice.

Also the frog pond. 2 projects now free of needles.

As far as the real Olympics I didn;t get to see as much as I wish I had. I really love the winter games. I hope all of you are finish your projects in time!!

Showing a Little Love

2010-02-14T13:44:00.001-06:00

Shhhhh! Baby a comin'

2010-02-09T15:05:00.004-06:00

This is much nicer looking in person, but I think she'll be pleased.