I know I have been a poor blogger for quite some time. I guess there is nothing new around here. I didn't feel like complaining about the weather, and that is certainly not newsworthy. I guess I have been on a steady course getting ready for the show in October.
I pleaded with my friend in Kansas to finish up the projects bags. She is desperately poor right now, but she finally is going to get some money coming in October. I asked her to please send me any fiber she did not want. I especially wanted (coveted) the red alpaca she had bought in Taos when we took our last trip. I have already spun two lovely-beautiful-skeins of handspun with a blend of the alpaca and merino. I got a plan to get hers, order more merino, and I could have two more skeins of the red yarn. Then I can make a sweater.
She did send the alpaca. I pulled the skeins out of my bag for the show. That meant I had to finish two skeins of something to replace the two I pulled. I got high behind and yesterday I finished two more skeins of New Zealand merino, cashmere, and bush possum. It was a whim buy that I got from Paradise Fibers with a birthday discount two years ago.
I guess the bush possum has this short little poof of hair, and the only way I can imagine it is to blend it with something. That's what the company did. I read it is a hollow core fiber like bison or quiviut.
It would be as difficult to spin it as those two. Anyway, it was fun to experiment with something new.
I went to the spinning guild meeting on Saturday, and I took a huge amount of my fiber to give away to anyone who wanted it. It felt really good to clean out the things I don't think I will ever use. I rationalized some of it, but for the most part I just grabbed and put it in the car and hauled it away. It was all gone within minutes. I love spinners.
I am moving right along with the Starry Sky sweater from the Medieval book. I cannot fathom walking into this gorgeous, really old church, staring at the paintings on the walls, and creating knitting patterns from those paintings! But it is done, and I can enjoy the beauty of photos.
I finished one of the Norwegian socks with the star on the heel. It is wonderful. I made the largest size. I have huge ankles, and I have a tendency to knit too tightly with colorwork. My past experience has been too tight to get on. Actually these fit perfectly and if anything are loose enough to enjoy. I think once they felt some inside, it will be the perfect winter sock. And I have stars on my heels!
I am thinking of the next sweater with the handspun. I haven't finished the yarn yet, so will not actually decide the pattern until then. I am writing names of patterns I like on slips of paper, and I will review them again once I get to that point. This is the dreaming part of knitting that I find so much fun. I really think I want something with cables, but who knows. I think I would like a cardigan. I have mostly pullovers, and a cardigan would be nice. See-dreaming.
I am ready for the show to happen. I think it will be so much fun. October is THE CRAFT MONTH here and this will just be the beginning of many shows to happen in just a few weeks. I wonder how come October is the month. When did it all begin? I know that I did War Eagle in October back in the late 70's. Back when it was a small gathering, and everyone was so welcoming and nice and friendly. It was certainly fun. I had my spinning wheel and sat spinning away during the whole weekend.
Today I have been sucking up cobwebs and other stuff from the corners with my vacuum. I live with them for a while, and then they do have to go. I am in a cleaning mood, which is not my usual mood. I guess the change in seasons tells me that soon I will have to close up the house. I have to dust the ceiling fans, and wash behind things and get ready for new weather to arrive. Thank goodness we still have warm days with sun.
Yesterday I sat on the deck in a shady spot and knit four rows on my sweater. It was very peaceful. The birds were fussing at me, but otherwise very little noise. The light is great for reading the chart. My only complaint so far with this pattern is the chart is printed in color. When I photocopied it to put on my magnet board and to enlarge it, I couldn't read it. It took a lot of work to lighten it up and get the size right. I obviously have overcome the obstacles and I have been moving along.
The yard is still overgrown, but it is definitely end of season. My black-eyed Susan's are done. The grasshoppers have been chewing on everything, so most of the plants looks scraggly.
Speaking of scraggly, Patty is looking a little bit shaggy. I called her groomer, but he just had open-heart surgery. I know I can take her to someone else, but he lets me stay during the process. So I got her down last week and cut off her hobbit hair around her feet, trimmed her nails, and trimmed around her face. She still looks a little ragged. I think she is happy to have hair since the nights have been in the 40's. I still leave the window open at night. I just added one of my flannel quilts and it is quite snuggly. Patty burrows under during the night and gets up close. Sometime in the night Noodles will get under the other side. Then I am pinned.
So that is that. Oh, I am knitting a watch cap for my cousin to wear when he is sailing. That is my mindless easy knitting I stick into my purse. There is no pattern. You cast on, rib, knit, decrease. That's it. Easy knitting.
I probably won't have much news to relate until after the show. I am in the mood to get this over and done with.
I think I will finish my cleaning chores and maybe go out on the deck and knit.
