Hello September?

Hello Everyone!

How on earth do we all find ourselves looking at September arriving this weekend.  Wasn’t it just yesterday that we were all celebrating the Memorial Day Weekend and ushering in summer? 

What a strange feeling to have the “official end” to white shoes arriving this weekend.  Heck, I have not even put on my white shoes yet this year!

Wait a minute…I don’t even own any white shoes!! 

One thing I am NOT looking forward to is having to put away sandals and summery tops and sun screen!! 

I am, however looking forward to sweater weather and cool nights and Clapotis weather! 

You know – the days that the sun shines so brightly – warming up everything and the evenings that get cool and crisp – good weather for pulling out a wrap or throwing on an extra layer. 

I have noticed, also, that the markets are all carrying an abundance of mums in a riot of colors – rich, deep, vibrant colors.  Kaffe Fasset colors.  They have been drawing my eye to their intense beauty. 

I also have been eyeing some fall yarns – some out in the marketplace and some from my stash!  New patterns and cool nights make for some knitting inspiration in my house. 

I have also been working on spinning – some of my gentle readers gave me some excellent pointers that have paid off tremedously.  Each time is pick up the drop spindle, it feels more familiar in my hands.  I no longer have 10 thumbs, but some fingers that are listening to what my brain is saying – slowly but surely!!  This is a whole new level of creativity for me!  And, I am really enjoying it so much!!

I have a long list of things that I want to accomplish – but I am so thankful that this month was productive at work.  Productive and profitable! 

Have a good weekend everyone – enjoy!!

Why you need a life line….

Or why you should not knit on cold medication!

Hello everyone.  Summer is winding down and with it I have come down with the mother of all colds.  I am living on cold medicine and my poor brain is in a fog.

Now, knowing all that – what on earth possessed me to pull out my “Wing O’ the Moth Shawl” and work on it.

Count me as an idiot – no life line was anywhere to be found in the rows I had previously completed.

I tried “tinking” a bit – okay, that did not work either.

The end result – off to the frog pond for me!

I was not too far – but far enough that it was a painful experience.

This caused me to  stop and ponder the value of a life line.  Some days it would be awesome to have a life line in REAL life.  Imagine this with me a minute, dear readers…

This would help tremendously at work – when a problem pops up, all you would need to do would be to pull back to the point where there was no problem.  Great idea huh?  I could have used this life line on Friday – work can be complicated when there is more than ONE person involved.  To “tink” back and remove the subsequent involved parties – what an awesome thing that would be.

This caused me to think even further – imagine being able to “tink” back to remove ex’s from your life!  Now, would this be awesome or what!!!  The glee one could experience in that bit of “tinking” would be something to savor!!

How about the ability to “tink” back to take back those stupid things I say – you know – the “open mouth, insert foot” comments!   Another good idea, no?

The possibilities are endless, are they not?

Oh for a little “tinking” in some areas of life!

Have a good weekend all – I am heading back to bed.  Here is to being “cold free” by Monday!

It was a very weak moment!

It was a very weak moment!

Hello everyone!  Fiber Festival in Allegan was so much fun – and there was some stash enhancement!  And, I bought a drop spindle – I know, I was just going to look!  Well, it looked like an interesting and wonderful way to drive myself nuts this weekend!  So I purchased a nice spindle and some roving – this roving was specifically suggested for a beginner!  I cannot remember what the green roving is – but the natural roving is from Blue Faced Leicester.  I have been playing at this a bit this morning – and I am, of course, struggling with drafting.  I have the spin and park down, but figuring out this drafting thing is not as easy as the gentleman made it look!  So, I worked at this until my back was telling me I needed to do something different.  I would have posted some photos of what I have spun, but my camera battery died,  drats!

Drop Spindle and Roving

 There was lots to see though – and Chris from Briar Rose was there.  I went with 2 patterns that I was looking for some yarn for – her latest and greatest “Bee” designs.  Well, of course, Chris had some amazing yarns that I think will work beautifully.  I also saw Susan who is designing an amazing bit of lace out of Chris’ fiber that has been dyed a lovely shade of “cherry”.  Look for the debut of this lacy goodness in Leland in October! 

Bee Fields Shawl and Heritage

 

Honeybee Stole and Seal Pearl

The upper photo is some lovely Briar Rose Fiber – Heritage.  Which is 100% Wensleydale and the color is so incredible.  This will knit up  into Anne’s Bee Fields Shawl.  In the bottom photo is some Sea Pearl – a blend of Merino and Tencel.  This shimmery yarn will become the Honey Bee Stole.  There’s a whole lot of knitting to be done!

The weekend was just wonderful – filled with fibery goodness.  I saw sheep and more sheep – some Angora Rabbits – and looked for Alpaca, but I did not find any!!  There was fiber everywhere – and more.  It was a fun weekend!!

Fiber Fest, here I come!

Fiber Fest, here I come!

bsj.jpg

 

So, here is my first EZ knit – this is the Baby Surprise Jacket for Steve and Jinda’s “baby in progress”! This little bundle of joy is expected to arrive sometime early in February. I am going to join the shoulders with an attached i-cord. I absolutely loved knitting this. The simple brilliance of the pattern was perfect! A new EZ devotee has been born!

 

Next on my schedule is Fiber Fest in Allegan! I am meeting up with several friends – Susan from Indiana, some other ladies from Ravelry, Ann and Mary from our Knit Knight group – and hopefully AnnMarie as well! On my radar – some powder dyes, maybe some STR – I’d like to find a couple of skeins to knit the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts – it would make a lovely gift for one of Ken’s sisters for the holidays, I will stop by and see Chris from Briar Rose and look to see if she has some “honey-ish” yarn for Anne Hanson’s Bee Fields Shawl. Then, I am even going to go look at some drop spindles – just to see!! I am not saying I am going to purchase one – but I am going to look.

 

On the work front – it was an insane week. I will have an early morning on Monday – and will probably head in on Sunday afternoon for a bit. There is an open house in my Grand Haven office and I need to make my office look “homey” so I am planning on bringing up some art work to hang up.

 

But, for today – I am focused on fiber in all it’s goodness! If you see me today in Allegan – please say hello – that will be me in my “Green Ripples Skirt” with that glazed over look in my eyes!!

Take me out to the ballgame…

Hello Everyone!  Well, even though it is not a “stitch and pitch” game – I have procured 4 tickets to the West Michigan Whitecaps game tonight.  I am heading out with Ken and two friends – Paul and Linda.  I will be bringing “Something Black” to knit as I “watch” the game.  Now, understand me here – while baseball may be the national passtime – it is not mine.  Yes, that is right – I don’t pine away for the moment that I can sit and watch a group of men put mitts on their hands,  hats on their heads, and pick up bats to smack a ball.  YAWN!!!!  But, several hours of knitting time – hold me back!!  That is right up my alley. 

 So, my hope is that I will get the ribbing portion completed tonight!!

I did manage to finish a project – EZ’s BSJ is off my needles, I do need to find buttons and I am thinking I am going to do an attached i-cord around the edges.  I love this little sweater – so much so that I am going to join a KAL with Friends of Wool – yes, we are all going to be knitting EZ’s Adult Suprise Jacket!!  If you have not knit a Zimmermann – you definitely need to.

Have a great evening!!

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