The End Is Insight

 This scarf has been on the loom since early last year.  The end is finally insight.  The color combo was not that inspiring to me. But I need the loom so it has to be finished.  

Lace Weight Yarn

 I managed to spin lace weight yarn on something besides a drop spindle. I spun it on my Hansen Mini Pro e-spinner.  I got 493 yards out of 4 ounces of roving.  I am really proud of my accomplishment.  It’s not like I have not spun lace weight yarn before, but it has always been on a drop spindle.  

I spun 4 ounces of Targee Wool plyed with Ashford Caterpillar cotton.  It should have a definite artsy look when it is finished.  The roving was a fairly fun spin, but it took a long time. I also found that it was easier to sit on the left side of the e-spinner. With the e-spinner on my left side instead of the traditional way of being in front of the orifice. I set up the yarn in multiple skeins so it would dry faster.  

I also put so much plyed yarn on the first bobbin that the end popped off when I took the bobbin off.  Well there is a first time for everything.  Note to self: don’t over fill the bobbin ever again. 

Don’t worry. It is not being added to my yarn stash.  As soon as I give it a hot water bath.  Thwack it.  Then line dry it. It will be leaving the house with other yarn in a big box.  

So Many Projects

 I have so many projects that I want to work on: however, this little energizer bunny has run out of batteries. I spent the day resting.

That being said I decided to do something different for this year’s Spin Together event. A no pressure spinning project.  I decided that I am going to finally tackle the supported spindle.  I will gather my supported spindles in a basket and get a sampler of different fibers to try out.  At least from a Navajo spinning class that I took several years ago, I already know that I will spin to the left which means putting everything on the right, I think.  I will have to look that up. 

Still Exhausted

 Yesterday I started a new medication.  I am still exhausted. I spent a good part of the day sleeping.  I am, however in less pain. Which is wonderful.  

Just in case you are wondering about today’s race, the snail won by several yards.  Autoimmune diseases really are awful.  

My Creative Energy is Back

 I am starting to feel better after my bout with food poisoning.  I have got my creative energy back. Now I just need my body to catch up with my creativity.  I am on day two of winding yarn for various projects.  I also managed to find room in some bins for yarn.  That might have something to do with pulling out yarn for projects from the bins.

I have also found that if I sit to the left side of my espinner it has some definite advantages.  The first being no sun in my eyes during afternoon spinning sessions.  The second being that I get a smoother thinner yarn. I can also see the yarn at a better angle. Did I mention that is also easier to spin that way?  If it is written in stone that you must sit facing the orifice of the spinning wheel or espinner, I have just broken that silly stone.  However if you must really have it written in stone the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is going on until February 14th. 

Just Reading

 With one hand out of commission due to tendinitis I spent the day reading.  I almost finished a book that I started in December 2008.  We will file this under no book should be finished before it’s time.  It’s a really good book.  Let’s just say I had a lot of distractions at the time, I am not mentioning any names, but that is a period in my life where sleep became a luxury.  If sleep was a luxury reading fell further down the list.

The book is called Deep Blue by Meir Uri Gottesman.  A little warning there are a lot of Yiddish phrases and transliterated Hebrew phrases.  So either keep a Yiddish to English dictionary on hand and use google translate.  

Two More Done

 So far I have completed 2 projects this week.  I will show you my spinning. It’s a huge skein.  It came out perfectly balanced too.  It is a wool for the first spin, plyed with a darker silk yarn.  This is a one of a kind spin, so I will not spin more of this.  I will show you the picture.  It is already in the box to mail out. Just one more skein to spin and ply before I mail it.  

The next one I will not show you because it is a new pattern.  I have two more to knit. Pictures to take and a pattern to type up before I send it to my test knitters. Whew, it sounds like a lot of work.  Since I am using larger knitting needles it goes fast.  

I have also made the decision that I will no longer knit with a double strand of worsted weight cotton  it is just to hard on my hands. 

I am a Book Dragon

 Let’s face it.  I am a book dragon.  I tend to collect books faster than I can read them.  Once read I hate to let them go.  This is the pile I have on my nightstand waiting to be read.  I find it a bit overwhelming and daunting at the same time.  

So with some clever organizing I was able to clear one bookshelf off by rehousing everything on the shelf.  John then graciously dusted the shelf and moved a shelf of books for me to the higher shelf.  He then dusted the lower shelf too.  

Then it was my turn to prioritize which books to leave on the nightstand and which books to move to the shelf.  Then I went and gathered books off my dresser and some from the knitting room.  The empty shelf is now almost full with knitting books on the left and smaller fiction and nonfiction books on the right.  With the taller knitting books on a different shelf.  It feels good to get more organized.  

One of the books that was waiting to be read got started tonight.  I really love the ease of reading in short bursts.  The book is very spot on about our hectic lives.  I would highly recommend reading this book.  “ I’m not too busy “ by Jodi Hills. No, this book will not be leaving the house when I am finished because I managed to snag an autographed copy. This book you will have to find on your own.  

TTFN

Life in the Slow Lane

 I am having trouble adjusting to a slower pace.  I am having trouble just sitting still and resting.  In this endeavor practice does not make perfect.  

Oopise

 Oopise. The pattern that went wrong in so many ways will be going to a kids clothing bank. This goes under waste not want not.  A child will have a one of a kind winter beanie for next Christmas. 

Repeat after me. 

 Never ever try to write a pattern during brain fog. 

Never ever try to knit a sample during a really good television show.  

It never turns out well.  

I started rewriting the pattern and making the new sample tonight.  I foresee many, many changes along the way. 

I am still counting this a a completed UFO. 

An Empty Project Bag

 I did not complete any projects today.  This is even better.  I emptied one project bag.  I can now transfer a work in progress to this empty bag.  I do think the project will easily fit inside.  It has a shoulder strap so I don’t have to leave it anywhere if I have to get up.  Even better, I can put my wallet, car keys and glasses in the bag too. Less stuff to carry. 

This is because of a recent incident.  Some went into my project bag while I stepped away from my seat and stole 1/3 of my projects yarn.  A friend said that I had to stop trusting people so much.  Stop giving everyone the benefit of the doubt that they will do what’s right.  I have heard from several other fiber artists and they have had the same experience.  So now I will never leave my project bag alone on a table again, unless it’s a charity project. I tend to use less expensive easy to replace yarn in charity projects. A cup maybe, those are easier to replace and will not put a project on hold. 

I really don’t know what to make of this 2 year old mentally in older women.  If they wanted white yarn so badly they could go to a local yarn shop or buy from an Indy dyer on line. It is not necessary to steal my yarn. Also there was a lot of white yarn on the stash table that day. So I am cutting them no slack. If I do find out who did this, I will demand that I be reimbursed for the cost of replacing the 2 skeins of yarn. I am really getting tired of the entitlement that some people think that they are owed. 

Low Hanging Fruit

 I managed to finish 2 projects today. I just did the easy work of finishing weaving in the ends on a wash cloth.  Then I pick up a hat that had been on the back burner for 2 years.  All that needed to be done is finishing the crown and weaving in the ends.  

I am also thankful for my for my Hanson Mini E-spinner pro.  I don’t think that I would be able to do much spinning without it right now.  

I know that I am making more Tunisian crochet washcloths than I need. I have been teaching Tunisian crochet to a group of friends.  So I keep starting new ones to show various aspects of the stitches.  

The Blanket Reveal

 Since the blank has been gifted, I think it’s ok to show the whole blanket now.  

Another Finished Project

 Project number 5 for the year.  A gradient spin with 5 different yarns from the same 8 ounces of roving.  This roving was thinner then pencil roving. Yes, it is possible.  It was a tricky spin until I got my rhythm down.  The biggest skein was a two ply of the yarn.  The 4 smaller skeins were plyed with commercially produced yarn. This will be off to a new home as soon as it is packed up. 

Finally

 I finally got 3 low hanging projects completed.  One project in each of the following categories: knitting, Tunisian crochet and quilting.  I added 3 more stitch markers to the counting vase.  Without further ado here they are.  The quilt is a present so I can’t show you the rest until the quilt is given.  The scarfs are a head start on next year’s holiday gifts.  

Projects by the Dozens.

 This is the year to complete as many UFO’s as possible.   Every where I look in the sewing and knitting rooms I  seem to find more UFO’s without even looking.  I just seem to be scattered trying to finish everything at once.  Right now I have one on the sewing machine with two more lined up, meaning under two hours to finish each project.  One on the espinner, a little over halfway done with the first spin, then plying, hot bath and thwack. Too many on Tunisian Crochet Hooks and knitting needles to count. 

Did I mention I still have to write the directions for a beginner weaving class on mudd rugs?  That will be two different pdf’s. 

Now if I could only be more organized.  Wait a minute, if I was more organized I would be able to complete one project before starting another project.  I don’t think that is going to happen anytime soon.  

Spinning Yarn Right Handed

 I did not realize how hard it is for people to spin right handed.  I started trying to spin right handed when my left hand started to get sore.  I am ambidextrous and try to learn everything with both hands. I have been spinning left handed for over 15 years. I guess by now the sensation of the spun yarn going through my left hand is ingrained. So it might take me a while to learn spinning right handed. 

On my e spinner I am currently working on a project for my sister.  The roving is thinner than pencil roving. If you can believe that.  The rolls are huge 270 meters per 100 grams plus or minus the industry standard of 5%.  Which translates into United States measurements as 295.276 yards and 3.527 ounces plus or minus 5%.  With any luck the first roll will fit on one bobbin. I am approximately half way through the first roll. As you can see from the bobbin this should ply into a Worsted or Aran weight yarn.  Once I finish spinning this roll and the second roll my sister will get 2 to 3 skeins of  plyed yarn. Since she has a skein winder at home I am going to give her huge skeins and not break it down to 100 yards per skein.

Time to Wash the Mittens

Hand knit woolens don’t have to be washed very often.  When mine do I use cool or cold water with some Soak Wash.. The soak label says that you don’t have to rinse, but I rinse anyway.  Today since it was nice and sunny I hung the mittens on the fence to dry so that they would be ready for bed time.  

After I brought them in I shaved off the little balls of yarn that happen with very frequent use.  My sleeping gloves are now ready for use again.  

The yarn is by Merino-y-Vino on Etsy.com.  She does a fabulous job. Her color combinations are delightful.  She is a one woman show. The gloves below are a little over a year old and are used nightly. 

The Soak Wash can be found in some local yarn shops or www.soakwash.com or www.soakwash.ca

The pattern is on www.ravelry.com under Sheri Karobonik. The pattern name is Maxi Fingerless Gloves.

*I do not make any commission from Merino-y-Vino or Soak Wash. I do however try to recoup some of the cost of the yarn for my designs from pattern sales.  

Happy New Year 2025

 I am wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.   Happy 2025.