Watch out I might snap at you!

WHAT KIND OF FLOWER ARE YOU?

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

Oddly enough this is one of my favorite flowers..... because they can talk when you play with them.

spun and plied

I finally finished the blurple romney. I have 3 two ply hanks totalling 384 yards and one small single ply hank that I haven't yet measured. It was hard for me to figure out how to even out the rolags so both bobbins would be the same. I filled 2 bobbins then plied, then put more on each bobbin. If you have a better way of figuring, lmk, cuz I need some pointers! I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Just wish I was a bit more even in my spinning. I know part of it is the fact that I didn't pull out the little 2nd cuts. Some I did as I was spinning, but they didn't seem to come out in the carding process. Now the question is what to make. I was hoping to have enough for a hat and mittens, but that's not going to happen... so I was thinking something like knitty's fetching or knucks sans embroidery. It's about 11 wpi which sets it at approx. worsted weight.

This scarf goes so well with this wool, I almost have to make an accessory to go along with it. Hmmmm maybe mitts and knitty's calorimetry? The scarf isn't knitted, it's woven with 70% mohair and 30% wool. I bought it at Landau's in Princeton when I was in grad school.... just a short time before I met the love of my life.

If you have any ideas, let me know. I'm open for suggestions.

Safe post

I think it's safe to post my picture of the Monthly dishcloth KAL now.. I'm sure today is the last day



Pattern: Lacy Diamonds by Andi Worthy
Yarn: Lily's Sugar 'n Cream
Color: Sage Green (?)
Needle Size: 7

I spent almost as much time tinking as I did knitting this one. It seemed as though I forgot a YO on every RS row!

Also finished this past week:


Pattern: Rhonda White's "Infamous" Darrell Waltrip Cloth
Yarn: Lily's Sugar 'n Cream
Color: Countryside Ombre
Needle Size: 7
I love this cloth. It's great for varigated yarn. I think it's kind of like the linen stitch but over two stitches instead of one. I'd make this pattern again for sure.

I love the way these 3 cloths look together and YES, I did plan it. Someday I'd like my kitchen to have a grape theme on beige walls with green leaves and these cloths will be perfect as the 'blue' one is really purple. I'll put these away to save them for that day! It will be like a gift for the new kitchen!

Yesterday I went to DDs school and talked/demonstrated spinning with both the wheel and the drop spindle (thanks for the loan P) I watched a few videos on i can spin on how to spin with the drop spindle and all of a sudden it all clicked. I'm so excited. I'll spin the longwool on the spindle I think cuz then I can have two going at the same time. The kids were great and we had a wonderful time. I also taught them a folk song about spinning (naturally) I'llo post pictures of the spindle stuff later. Sorry I don't have any pictures from school... wish I did

Happy crafting

Just 1 more thing

Pattern: GW's Aran Face Cloth
Yarn: Lily's Sugar 'n Cream
Color: Grape
Needle Size: 7



I finished this tonight as I was putting DS1 to bed. But I think there was a mistake in the pattern. Maybe it was fixed in the KAL posts and I missed it. Leave it to me to not notice until I bound off and cut the yarn. So I'll just leave it that way. It's one of my favorite colors so I guess I could keep it for myself! Plus I love cables both knitting them and looking at them

Snowed in

We had snow FINALLY. Not as much as predicted, but the weather was enough to keep us home from school [insert happy dance]. Of course DH had to go to work, so I didn't get as much done as I'd like craftwise, but... those are the breaks. I was out shovelling for a couple of hours yesterday. The neighbor on one side shovelled our front walk in the morning when he did his (so sweet) and the guy on the other side ran a pass with his snowblower on practically the whole block (another sweetie) so I went out did the side walk and back to the garage, and then cleaned up the front of all three houses so when (if) it melts the run off will go into the ground instead of freezing on the sidewalk. While I was out the girl 2 doors down came home and got stuck in the snow. When her DP came out they shovelled a spot for the car and then she and I pushed while he drove. It was my first time to finally meet them. Nice young couple, I could like hanging with them, but they're so young and I'm so old!

Well, this post is long overdue. Some pictures of my recently FOs and some spinning stuff.

I forgot to take a picture of the wooden box we decorated for DD's teacher for Valentine's day. But I did take a picture of the bookmark I made for her reading teacher.


Pattern: Monthly Bookmark KAL February Bookmark
Yarn: Paton's Grace
Color: Viola
Needle size: 5
Bead: Glass Heart

I hope she likes it!


This is the cloth that I received from my exchange partner in the Love2Knit_Dishcloth group. Thanks Dorleska. We got our partner's names in January and had to mail the cloth out by Feb 1st but weren't supposed to open until Valentine's Day. I was a good girl and waited.


Here are the slippers I made DD for her birthday (last Friday) I just finished them yesterday and felted them. Actually they are still a bit damp so she'll have to wait a bit before she can use them. She chose the color combo and I really love it... nice and bright for a dreary winter.


Pattern: Knitting at Knoon family of slippers
Wool: Peace Fleece
Colors: Perestroika Pink with Firebird orange
Needle Size: 11

I've said before how much I love this yarn, but I really do. I can't get enough of it. And as you can see it felts beautifully!!!!!!!

And finally, a picture of how my dyed rolags are coming spun. I'm very pleased with this wool and will definitely buy this fleece again. Fluffy is turning out so well. Now I need to decide what she will become! I'm thinking maybe a hat and mittens for ME! (that's a switch, I've yet to finish a project that's earmarked for myself.

Last night we decorated the valentine cookies for DD's school party that was supposed to be Wednesday. I thought it would be today because as of last night they hadn't cancelled school. But perhaps it will be Friday.

We may try to venture out this afternoon, although I'm a bit afraid of taking the van out of the garage for fear that it will get stuck in the snow in the alley. They haven't plowed there yet. DD's little girl bowling party is tmrw afternoon and I have to buy the stuff for the goody bags. She has a half day at school tomorrow. If I don't go now, we may wait until I drop her at school in the morning. I hate to leave things for the last minute though.

Wishing you warmth and fun crafting.

why oh why

Can't I get my progress bars to work??????

I've tried several times.... to no avail.

DD turned 7 on Friday.. where did that time go? The family (extended) came yesterday to help celebrate. There were 15 adults, one tween and 9 kiddos.... what fun we had!

Friday is the little girl party... at the bowling alley. One at home is enough thank you very much.

I've been in kind of a knitting slump, only getting to the needles when I'm on door duty at school. I started slippers for DD for her b'day but wasn't loving how they were turning out, so I frogged them (remember my name IS Penelope). I cast on again this morning and finished one today... hopefully the second will be finished by tmrw and I can throw them in to felt them...

I felted several sweaters yesterday with different projects in mind. I'll spill the beans later ;-)

Spinning wise, I've been working on the blurple blend. Not too quickly though. Time is escaping me this month... Maybe with the long weekend I can catch up a bit!

On the valentine front, we painted a wooden box for DDs teacher. The rub-on decals are next then top with a sealant. I want to make some cute little magnets for DS's teacher. and put them on top of chocolate covered altoids. Then she can store them in the can when it's empty!

Pictures later... have to go feed the troops.

happy crafting

Baby it's cold outside!

Brrrrrrr......... 5° F.....
I'm glad I'm inside ready to knit!

Speaking of... here's what I finished over the weekend


Pattern: Lacy Heart by smariek
Yarn: Lily's Sugar 'n Cream
Color: Tea Rose
Needle Size: 7

Do yourself a favor and visit her blog. She's constantly putting up new patterns for cloths, hats and there is a beautiful scarf pattern called Persephone that I MUST make.

Well thank you L for the suggestion. I spun a bit of yarn first the blue, then the purple, and then plied them (on the right)... then I blended some blue and purple together and spun that (on the left)... to see which suited my tastes the best

Then I knit up teeny swatches to see if it changed my opinion at all (sorry about the blurry picture. This time the plied is on the left and the mixed is on the right


I must agree with DH, I prefer the blended... the blue just screams out too much when it's plied... so this weekend, I blended all of the rolags together and *just* finished them. That means with any luck, I'll be spinning tomorrow because tonight I must start on DDs slippers for her birthday which is Friday... I can't believe she'll be 7! Where did that time go?????

Here's a picture of the new rolags ready to be spun... have I mentioned how soft and cuddly they are?


We have to make our valentine gifts this week.. .cookies for DD's class, gifts for her regular teacher and her reading teacher...I'm tired just thinking about it.. not to mention the birthday parties...

happy crafting everyone!

color me

blue and purple. Ice blue raspberry lemonade and blue berry kool aid with medium and dark blue Wilton gels from the Blues Clues set and grape kool aid and purple Wilton gel from the same set make all this yummy colored wool.

After the second batch of purple, you can see that the 2 purples don't match. What's a girl to do? Card them together and make a mesh of the two....



But there was still uncarded roving left that had blue earmarks on it. I thought... hmmm let's try dying before carding. The results were great colors, but once carded, too light for my tastes so back in the kettle those rolags went.











At last, the final combination. I thought about carding the two colors together and just spinning single ply, but I want to see how it looks with the 2 different colors plyed together.. just hope I don't hate it!

I had thought I lost one of my size 2 bamboo DPNs that I need to work on DH's tie but I found it this morning. I was home with the kiddos... DS2 with his 2 ear infections and sporadic fevers, DD with a sporadic earache, low grade fever and general malaise and DS1 with his sweet infectious good humor... At least I got to take a nap!


it really smells great!!!!!!!!!!

FO and redyed

Here's the blue overdyed with Wilton's icing gel in medium blue with a hint of dark blue (which made the purple) I really love how this turned out and can't wait to spin it!


This is the cloth I finished a few days ago. I have to look to get the info on the pattern. It's cute enough for V-day. I have another shot of it which showcases the hearts better but the color is way off. As promised yesterday the details follow :-)


Pattern: Love Day Cloth
Yarn: Lily's Sugar 'n Cream
Color: Red
Needle: Size 7 Knitpicks Options (have I said I love these needles??)


Happy Crafting

My addition to the KA Dye-along

from the get Stitchy forums.


Last night DS1 and I took a few rolags of Fuzzy and turned it purple. I only had 1 and about 1/2 packets of grape KA so I decided to cheat a bit and add some Wilton's purple from the Blues Clues set. I love how it turned out! There are bits of pink too. Now I have to run out tmrw and buy some more grape so I can finish the purple part of the top.








Today while cooking dinner, I opted for the blue. I put 4 rolags in the bottom of the pot and added 2 packs of Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade.... then put another 5 or 6 rolags on top and added 4 packs of berry blue. This isn't precisely the color I was after... A bit too much yellow for me. I think I'll be cheating and overdying with some Wilton's medium blue from the same Blues Clues gel set. I'll post a picture tmrw of how it turned out!

My idea was to spin them each a sport weight and then ply them together for more of a heavier DK or something... but I want more of a blue to mix with that purple.... so I'll keep working on it!

I have another cloth to post but no picture. I'll get on that later.

I'm going to give a demonstration at DDs school about spinning. Their next unit of inquiry is historical, called 'then and now' about how things have changed... I'm so excited. I have a few weeks to get it all together to plan, but I think it could be a great lesson. (and one to put in my repertoire... although it will only be partly musical, but hey you never know.....)

Late start tmrw at school :-) For severe cold weather. This time I'm sure it's for the kids who are walking. I'll take it. We had a late start last Friday as well. DS2 had a rx to his amoxicillin... at first we thought it was the flu, but the hives are now on his belly. poor kid!

Yarn Eye Candy

I went to ACMoore today to buy the boys a train for their Thomas set. Of course, I had to see what yarn was there. They are selling out of the Araucania (sp?) wool from Peru. I don't know if they're discontinuing or what.. but the wool and cotton from that company were drastically reduced so I bought 4 skeins of pink and 1 of a purple (upper left on picture). They had greens and oranges left. I thought about the cotton but decided that I can get Tahki or Plymouth Fantasy for about the same price at regular price as that sale price was.

Then on the way out I saw the sale bins... oh oh! They had these 50g balls of Cashmere Luxury in Aran weight and Chunky weight for $2.70 Now granted, it looks a mess, but I brought it home and rewound it on my skein winder... and it's much better now :-) It's a merino, cashmere blend and so very soft. I have lots to last me in green, a bout 5 skeins in burgundy, and one in blue and one in purple (which looks blue in the picture)

Then I found a $1.80 skein of Red Hart Felting yarn. I thought I'd make DD a little purse from this. She loves the colors too! When I was at Christkindlmarkt, I was speaking with a very nice lady spinner/knitter/felter who told me about the red heart felting yarn and well it felts so I figured.. why not!

I wish I could say the tie is finished or the heart dishcloth I'm working on, but they're not. I'll finish the cloth tonight before I hit the hay if it kills me!

I also washed some of the Lincoln Longwool fiber tonight. I'm anxious to see how it spins up because there color variation is so wide between beige, grey and brown... I think it will be a very pretty wool!

I was also going to dye some of Fuzzy's roving tonight, but that will have to wait until tmrw. I have plans for the stuff that had blue in it (which didn't all wash out) and I think it could prove to be really pretty in the end. That is if it works out the way my mind envisions it.

Happy crafting

Pictures, pictures, pictures

As promised from yesterday…in order of completion:


Pattern: 3 Cabled cloth
Mid-Jan KAL from Monthly Dishcloth KAL group
Yarn: Lily's Sugar and Cream
Color: Sunshine
Needle Size: 7

This was quite a different cloth for me. I've been working on cables on the never ending poncho so that wasn't the challenge. But having the cables run right up to the short border, makes it kind of wavy.... I think the border needs to be wider at the top and bottom for the cloth to lay flat.. Just my 2¢ It was fun to use my KP Options kit though... I really love those needles



Pattern: Strawberry-Mary Knitting and Crochet Corner mid-Jan KAL
Yarn: Lily's Sugar and Cream
Color: Red
Needle Size: 7
It took me to read someone else's guess after I finished this to see the pattern, but now it's clearly visible to me. Thanks Mary

Next up is the fiber that I received in some fluffy mail yesterday :-) I love touching it... Can't wait to spin but I need to finish the Romney I have first! Thanks Lea :-)

From left to right:
TOP ROW- Merino Tencel- Ashland bay by Paradise Roving
Polwarth Roving by Spirit Trail Fibers
Brown BFL/Alpaca Cinnamon by Paradise Fibers

MIDDLE - Merino 125 by Little Barn Inc
Merino/Tussah (70/30) Ashland Bay Autumn colorway by Paradise Fibers
Finn Top by Misty Mountain Farm

BOTTOM - California Varigated Mutant top by Little Barn Inc
BFL by Copper Moose
WIldberry Colonial Wool (Ashland Bay) by Copper Moose

They are all very soft but I love the merinos (naturally) but the polwarth is so soft it feels like cotton. I'm thinking it is a cross between polypal and coopwarth sheep but not sure. The BFL is also heavenly. The picture doesn't do justice to these gorgeous fibers. And really they need to be petted to be appreciated :-)

Lastly, my lastest spinning adventure. This represents about 2 bobbins worth. It's 345 yards give or take. Still thick and thin but the overtwist is all but gone. I've learned to slow my foot down and relax through the process. In fact, I relaxed so much Friday night that I fell asleep spinning. I found some of my hair spun in with the wool. Guess it didn't help that it was after 2 AM!

Here it is in it's skein...
I'm wondering if I should pack it away for when I become much better spinner and want to spin thick and thin but can't get it that way anymore. LOL

Just the facts

Well the IL went home this evening. DH is still on his way home from the airport.
Yesterday we had some snow in the AM.. and it's been cold. School started late for me but not for DD and for the first time I forgot to take ANY knitting along... so I had to do what they pay me to do all day long HAHA
I've been spinning here and there. I wound a skein up on the ball winder that is about 105 yards long. The blue tinge is from something that was on the raw wool in spots (actually in a localized spot) that P claims was medicine that they put on Fuzzy for some reason. Most of it washed out, but there are remnants. I've since decided that from now on I'll keep that wool/roving separate and dye it before spinning

I finished 2 cloths today. The monthly dishcloth mid-january KAL and Mary's Knitting and Crochet KAL. I'll probably be gifting both of them. Definitely the cable one, to a teacher colleague who expressed a desire to have one. I'll put pictures on after I take them.

I got fluffy mail today. A fellow CD and spinning/knitting mama sent me some samples of different types of roving and top. So kind :-) She included where she purchased each as well... Pictures and details to follow.

Yesterday I got fluffy mail too... Fleece from a Lincoln Longwool lamb from Peaceful Patures in TN. The fleece is incredibly clean of VM... I haven't gone through it all (well not much of it at all in fact) but dug my hands into the bag and every sample I pulled out was unbelievably clean.

Also, I stopped at a farm on the way home from work yesterday to inquire about the fleeces of their sheep. The woman there (whose name is also Carole - although she probably spells it without an -e) raises Suffolk sheep. Now these sheep aren't known for incredibly soft fleeces, but I bought a bag from last years shearing. She sent me up into the barn loft where there were copius amounts of fleece in bags. Mind you... it's FULL of VM and not well skirted at all.. but I bought one nevertheless. I probably could have chosen better, but it was getting dark and the boys were outside so I just grabbed the closest bag. I've yet to really inspect the wool.... that will be at least a week or so away. I still have the rest of Fuzzy to wash and card, and the Lincoln Longwool. I'm also expecting two Targhee fleeces from a purchase in about a week or so.

I've joined a new KAL group. Enid's bookmarks. The KAL started Friday but I haven't had time to dig through the stash fopr sportweight. I know there is some white, so I'll use that, then dip dye the bookmark. Hopefully it will work. I'll do it tmrw.

I leave you with a shot of a lily from my birthday bouquet, just at it's peak.
Happy crafting everyone!

Prolification

Today was a prolific day. It started about 12:30 PM with the spinning of at least a half dozen rolags of fuzzy's wool.

We had an in-service day today by presenter Steve Sassaman on Differentiated Instuction. I took along a few knitting projects, sat right in the front and knitted the entire time. He even made comment that in one class he was teaching he saw a woman knitting and thought sarcastically, 'oh boy, she's gonna to be contributing lots' when in fact she did because she was able to better concentrate with busy hands... so he didn't mind and I also did more than my share of insightful contribution (need to blow my own horn...superintendent said so LOL)

At any rate, I took along DH's tie and this is the progress I made. This is indeed the tie that has been frogged too many times to count, giving me the new name Penelope. It is far from finished, but I made quite a bit of progress today. The stitch is a bit consuming, but I think it will be well worth it... and DH will have himself a custom designed one of a kind tie. This version was started Friday late afternoon.

Also when my hands got tired of the tiny #2 bamboo needles I switched over to the umbilical cord hat. I'm happy to say that I finished it this evening.

Pattern: Umbilical Cord Hat by Jennifer L. Jones
found in Stitch 'n Bitch: the knitter's handbook by Debbie Stoller
Yarn: Plymouth Fantasy Naturale 100% mercerized cotton made in Brazil
Color: 9702 Yellow, Orange Multi-color
Weight: worsted
Needle: Size 7 16" Addi's and Size 7 bamboo dpn


And the last addition to the FO's. KAL for Dishcloth Fun This was actually finished on Saturday, I just hadn't taken a picture.

Pattern: Fountain Lace by smariek
Yarn: Lily's Sugar and Cream
Color: Light Blue
Needle Size: #7 Knitpicks Options


I highly urge you to visit marie's blog. She has many beautiful cloth patterns there. Enough to keep us busy for quite some time.

I leave you with my first attempt at an artistic shot. I've been especially inspired by these 2 blogs:
I live on a farm and Yarnstorm

Tagged for 6 weird things......

by two fellow knitters, Knitorious Mrs. B and Canuckooky. Does that mean I need 6 or 12?

1. I wear Birkenstock sandals all year and the only shoes I wear are Birkenstocks... I have 2 pairs of clogs, 1 pair of patent leather slides, 4 pair of sandals with back straps, 3 pair of sandals without backstraps and 1 pair of water sandals and a pair of garden clogs. In the winter, I use socks with whatever I'm wearing.

2. I rather knit or spin than sleep. And often do!

3. More nights than not, I fall asleep in the chair knitting and stay there until my DD wakes me at 5 or so, so I wind up sleeping in my clothes of the previous day... (minus one or two pieces ;-) )

4. I'm ovo-lacto vegetarian, which isn't so weird to some, but others (like my dad) find it amazing that I can live without eating meat (and have 3 healthy babies and raise them without meat as well).

5. I've been either pregnant and/or lactating for the past 92 months and have no clue when that will end.

6. I like my coffee either black, with cream only or with sugar and cream but NOT with sugar only. I drink my tea only with sugar.

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.
I wasn't going to tag, but I guess I must. You're it:
1. Subway knitter
2. K1 P1 Keeping You in Stitches
3. Yearns for Yarn
4. Strings 'n Things
5. Stitching, Stitching
6. Strings and Sealing Wax

I wanted to post this yesterday, but the spinning wheel took my attention :-)

Your date of birth 12 January.
The moon's phase on the day you were born was waxing gibbous.
Your date of conception was on or about 21 April which was a Tuesday.
You were born on a Tuesday under the astrological sign Capricorn.
Your Life path number is 11.



Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 8, 11 & 22.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 3 & 6.
You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path number 9.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 5 & 7.



The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2436945.5.
The golden number is 4.
The epact number is 2.
That year was a leap year.



You were born in the Chinese year of the Pig.
Your Native American Zodiac sign is Goose; your plant is Bramble.
You were born in the Egyptian month of Famenoth, the third month of the season of Poret (Emergence - Fertile soil).



Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 13 Tevet 5720.
Or if you were born after sundown then the date is 14 Tevet 5720.
The Mayan Calendar long count date of your birthday is 12.17.6.5.1 which is
12 baktun 17 katun 6 tun 5 uinal 1 kin
The Hijra (Islamic Calendar) date of your birth is Tuesday, 13 Rajab 1379 (1379-7-13).
The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 17 April 1960.
The date of Orthodox Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 17 April.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 2 March.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 5 June.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 12 June.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Thursday, 22 September.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Tuesday, 12 April.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 1 March.


 

Celebrities who share your birthday:
Andy Lawrence (1988)
Melanie Jayne Chisholm (1974)
Rob Zombie (1966)
Jeff Bezos (1964)
Kirstie Alley (1955)
Howard Stern (1954)
Rush Limbaugh (1951)
Joe Frazier (1944)
Glenn Yarborough (1930)
Ray Price (1926)
Luise Rainer (1910)
Tex Ritter (1905)
Jack London (1876)
Charles Perrault (1628)

Top songs of your birth year:
Theme from A Summer Place- Percy Faith
Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis Presley
It's Not Or Never by Elvis Presley
Cathy's Clown by Everly Brothers
Stuck On You by Elvis Presley
Running Bear by Johnny Preston
Save the Last Dance for Me by Drifters
Teen Angel by Mark Dinning
My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own by Connie Francis


Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 6.7 years old. (You're still chasing cats!)



The candles on your cake produce 47 BTUs, or 11,844 calories of heat (that's only 11.8440 food Calories!) .
You can boil 5.37 US ounces of water with that many candles.  
In the year of your birth there were approximately 4.2 million births in the US, the US population was approximately 179,323,175 people, 50.6 persons per square mile, there were approximately 1,523,000 marriages (8.5%) and 393,000 divorces (2.2%) and approximately 1,712,000 deaths (9.5 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.


Your birthstone is Garnet .
The Mystical properties of Garnet. Garnet is used as a power stone
Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Emerald, Rose Quartz

Your birth tree is Elm Tree, the noble-mindedness
Pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, tends to a know-all-attitude and making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humour, practical.

I have some pictures to post... well let's be honest, I need to take them first, but hopefully they'll be on before the night is out!!

Happy crafting

what a great day

Technically it's still my birthday since I was born at 3 something AM.... so I feel like I can still post.
Work was.... well work. Although many of my kiddos (I taught only 6 classes today) wished me a happy birthday and the principal had the banner on congratulating me...

The best part was coming home... Aba had made corn empanadas for dinner and the table was set and everything... with a boquet of flowers waiting for me! The kids were so excited about my presents that they ripped off the paper as well as opening the cards.

The first package was from the ILs and is at the top of the picture. The second package was from DH and the kids and is the bottom half of the picture.

The IL gifted me with a Louët skein winder... which is a very useful accompaniment to my other gift from my dear loved ones., a Louët S10 in natural maple finish. Both were bought at Spunky EclecticThere is a 2 bobbin lazy kate (with bobbins) and 4 0z of Corriedale hand painted roving. I had the Clemes and Clemes carders (since about a month or so)

Of course, I had to get spinning after dinner. I called my friend P cuz I couldn't get the adjustment on the brake so let the fly spin right... she obliged me with a visit and got me going. DS2 decided that he too needed to see what this was all about. All 3 kids are intrigued by this addition to the household and my daughter is DYING to try it out. As of now, I have almost a full bobbin of Fuzzy's fleece spun. I'm feeling the rhythm and feel confident with a bit more practice, my own homespun will be looking mighty fine. Spinning and knitting are running neck and neck in popularity in my book right now.

I have to say this fleece is wonderful. It spins like a dream. I'm so happy with it. I have to remember to purchase her fleece again next year... Speaking of fleeces, I bought a longcoat lincoln off ebay the other day. It's a gray fleece and the price was great. I'm anxious to get it!

I was tagged by the knittorius Mrs B to name 6 wierd things about myself. Well all of my students would tell you that there is plenty wierd about me. Let's see if I can come up with some.

But I'll post them later as I'm falling asleep typing now!

happy crafting

Happy Birthday to ME!!!!!!!!

I have pictures of a beautiful wheel to take and then post... and i was also tagged so I have lots to post, but it may be a tad later.... I'm busy with the kids now... never a day off from them and they think that since it's my birthday I need to spend all the time with them right now... I'll be back later!

Personal day

I took one today... DH was soloing with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem for their noonday concert at Central Moravian Church. The program consisted of Bach's 3rd unaccompanied suite for cello and a cantata that was written for New Year's Day.The suite sent me soaring!

Afterwards DH, the ILs and I went to Tortilla Flat for lunch, then stopped at Wired for a latte (at least in ˆmyˆ case). After which I trotted off yet again in the car to pick up DS1 and 2 from daycare. That was kind of the bummer of the day... it was a 40 minute drive each way... times 4, just to have the day free to go to the concert. So that's about 3 hours when you count the time spent loading in and out of the car.

Therefore, I figured I deserved a treat! (yes I know my ears and taste buds both had been already treated, but what about my yarn habit???) Oh did I mention Fuzzy's fleece arrived on Monday in the mail? So I needed some lingerie bags to wash her up. On the way home we stopped at Wally world cuz P had told me they had them for 94¢... alas they didn't, but I bought one Woolite one for almost $4... it's really too nice to do wool in though! But I digress... We stopped at ACMoore because this week all their yarn is 25% off...
I only bought 7 skeins of Lily's Sugar and Cream. I'm looking for a kelly green and really can't find it But I did buy- from top left to bottom right- taupe, yello, bright navy (I know it looks black in the picture), rose pink, over the rainbow ombre, sage green and wine. I also treated the kids to some Thomas engines (they were also on sale) and came home with a surprise for DD - a HUGE princess coloring book. I picked up some items for our Valentine craft for the teachers too, although they didn't have enough magnets. I'll have to stop by again or try Michaels..... what a shame!

So back to Fuzzy... here's her fleece (well some of it at least!)


I washed a bit when I got home cuz I knew I'd be going to P's house to show it off and I wanted to take some that was clean.. plus I was itching to see how she washed up. And voila…

P's friend was there spinning so she spun a bit and it's gonna be great!!!!!!



Speaking of spinning.... I have a picture of the Cotswold that I spun before Thanksgiving. That's some cotswold fleece behind it.. not from the same sheep though. It's better than the peace fleece I did first.. hopefully I'll keep improving.. I think I may swatch up a bit of this to see how it looks!

I sat on a dpn last night and of course broke it.. I have NO idea who put it on my chair... bummer... one of my #7 long bamboo ones that I use for dishcloths. I'll take it to work in the morning and sharpen the two borken pieces... the longer of the 2 will be a bit shorter than my short dpns but still usable for in the round and the shorter end I'll use as a cable needle... live and learn!

OK... nuff of this stuff. I can't wait til Friday when I can get my hands on my birthday present... My fingers are really itching... hope I can get it set up so I can spin that night.

Happy crafting

Penelope

That will become my next name. I knit. I frog. I knit. I frog.

This time it's DH's tie... I had about 7 inches done.. Today I frogged the whole thing.
I also chose a completely different stitch. Schiaparelli. From my Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 1.

Once I have enough done, I'll post a picture.

So little knitting today. It makes me sad.

FINALLY

finished the Mid-December KAL from the Monthly Dishcloth KAL group. Boy this one really gave me some troubles! I kept losing a YO when I was on the purl side... But I won... and I like it. Admittedly, it's much prettier in a solid color, but this will be gifted to a friend who I know will love the bright colors (Hope it stays that way... maybe I'll give it a white vinegar bath b4 I gift it!)

Pattern: Snow Drops by Andi Worthy
Yarn: Lily's Sugar and Cream
Color: Over The Rainbow
Needles: Size 7 bamboo dpns

SnB quote for the weekend: "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle
That quote perfectly fits this dishcloth

On the home front, we de-decorated for Christmas... Now to get the kids going with putting away their toys... have to work on that tmrw!

Off to bed so that I can be awake when the kids get me up in 3 hours!