Pixie Purls

Stitch Diva's Sahara by Wendy Bernard.

I love Wendy's patterns, I actually knit two "Essential Stripes" and I purchased the kit for the "Somewhat Cowl" but I never knit it because I didn't like how the neck turned out for some people, and I still think it could be beautiful but I just think I lack the skill to make sure the neck comes out properly.

Enter my Tilli Tomas yarn that I knit the whole body for the Simple Knitted Bodice (Another Stitch Diva pattern). It was really too big on me, and the center lace panel was anything but flattering. It just wasn't meant for my body type, and most of the people I see it on, it's just huge on them. I had no urge to finish the sleeves. Then a few weeks ago the preview for this pattern was on Wendy's site and I gasped. How perfect! I think my body shape is fairly similar to hers which might be one reason the stuff she knits is stuff that might look good on me. So I will be frogging tonight, frogging all my lovely Tilli Tomas yarn (Hopefully the lace will come out okay, those sequins make it a bit hard).

When I put the SKB on, I simply didn't get that feeling of excitment. It just wasn't there. I didn't like how the center lace panel felt, and I didn't think it was slimming, and I knew if I pulled on it to much the whole sweater was going to stretch out another few inches. This yarn is freakin expensive, and I want to *love* wearing it.

(Please note that this photograph is not straight on, because the photosgraphs from straight on were not as flattering)

Now the SKB was a Stitch Diva pattern as well, so I am going to give here a little review about how I feel these patterns are presented. I am strictly speaking about Stitch Diva, not the pattern authors. I always love how Wendy's patterns are presented in PDF format. With that said, Stitch Diva puts a password on the file, and it really pisses me off. I purchased the pattern, paid money for it, I should not have to keep a separate password file or even need to enter a damn password just to look at the pattern I now own. If I wanted to be evil I could simple screen cap each page and create a new PDF and send it out into the world. I do not participate in copy write infringement, I'm just saying I dislike when people put little locks on things to avoid it, when there is always a work around or hack for it. Like when people disable right click on a website, makes me very angry. I can very easily steal your pictures if I wanted to. Anyone who really wants to be doing something devious, well they will find a way.

So yeah, the password really makes me angry, and then the info inside the first file which seems very important to be in the pattern itself also annoys me. It has yarn substitutions and gauge information. Also the pattern itself is not the way Wendy's patterns normally appear, hers always have lots of white space almost like a very good magazine page layout. Stitch Diva smooches everything into to tight a space, and it's just not as easy to scan or read. Don't get me wrong, Stitch Diva brings us many beautiful designs, but so far the 2 I have purchased have been from Designers who I in the past have purchased from directly.

Regardless, it's a stunning design and I can't wait to frog my SKB and knit this. Can you imagine my deep Jade colored yarn paired with black pants, and funky green shoes to match, at some Holiday party? I'm planning on the short sleeve version (the pink one, the white one has less of a sleeve cap), maybe there is a chance I could actually finish it in time for Paris and wear it on Christmas Eve!

Posted by pixie at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)

Finally seaming this monster is over! I am on some kind of crazy FO rampage. This really took a while to seam, each seaming session felt fruitfull and fast, but I also had to knit the hood, so it just took longer then expected.

I could have avoided those seams showing in the back but I was too lazy to press it. Plus it's nylon, I think it would melt! The baby is probably about 3 weeks old now so I'll have to send it off to the new mom pronto!

Here you can see the button holes. The buttons in the pattern photo really work well, they don't have holes on the front so they are more simple then regular buttons, which I think works well with such a big fat garter stitch look to it.

So I'll have to run by Joann's in search of buttons sometime soon.

Pattern: Plymouth Hooded Jacket #P630
Needles: Crystal Palace US #10 Circulars (Knit flat)
Yarn: Plymouth "Oh My!" 100% Nylon

If your bored, check out these photos: a crazy sunset, cat meets dog

Posted by pixie at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The Gilmore girls is on right now, if you are on the west coast and can watch it tonight, the whole episode has KNITTING in it. In resturants, town sqaure, skully knitting t-shirts, umbrella swifts in houses, crazy!!

Knit, People, Knit!

Posted by pixie at 08:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

So after finishing out that little fetching glove I had the urge for more instant gratification. A Finn hat!!

I cast on 100 stitches and size US 6 needles, and it's just perfect. I knit the ribbing for as long as I liked it, and then knit until I felt like there was enough on the hat to start decrease (this involved looking at several online free patterns and it went from 4" to 8" so it didn't really help) and so I followed my intuition and was rewarded. To decrease I went like this;

Row 1: k3, k2tog
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: k2, k2tog
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: k1, k2tog
Row 6: Knit
Row 7: k2tog* repeat

I can't remember but I might have had to do that last row again to wind up with 8 or so stitches, and then I just ran the Chibi through the remaining stitches and wove in my ends. Another 24 hour knit, knit up in less then 3 hours.

And now for my review of the Denise Kit, as now I have used it to knit this hat. In a word, wonderful. I love them. They are soft on my fingers, the cord is very flexible and they lock very well into place. I am a wimp as far as opening jars and stuff so sometimes changing them wasn't pleasant, but it didn't hurt. I would not say they are hard to change, and it has a new feature in which you can use a paperclip to unlock it if you have weak hands. I used the 12" for the hat, and I love that they have that size cord, also the needles themselves are soft and the perfect length.

I just adore them, don't see how I haven't had them all this time. I had never, ever tried them before and I'm totally in love. Do I love them as much as my Addi Natura's? Hrmm, I'm not sure, thats a tough call. Regardless, my review of these is 5 stars, perfect. Well if I had to pick at anything, I would say I wish the 30" fit in the case and I didn't have to buy it additional, but I guess you can easily create a 30" from what is inside the kit.

It seems I am well overdue for a podcast, I'll see about getting one up by the weekend. The holidays are crazy, sorry!

Posted by pixie at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

I knit this in exactly 24 hours! It didn't take me 24 hours, but it was knit within a 24 hour time span. I got home at 6pm last night and just cast-on (no swatching tsk tsk but it fits!) and knit away. I just finished and it's 6pm now exactly one day later. I suppose it took me 4 hours total, maybe. I knit it on Crystal Palace DPN's.

Pattern: "Fetching" from Knitty

Yarn: Alchemy Synchronicity in "Aquamarine"
Modifications: None, but now I wish I had done like others and maybe a few extra knit rows before I bound off, probably one more cable repeat (5 rows total).

Yarn Review: It's delicate like Debbie Bliss "100% Pure Silk" in that if you nick it, it can bloom. It actually broke once when I was knitting it but something must have been wrong with that area, it seemed like a fluke thing. It's also a bit more rough and raw like "Tilli Tomas" Pure & Simple 100% silk, but I think that's because of the wool mixed in. I wouldn't want to knit a sweater from it, but it's just wonderful for this little accessory. It was $20 for 118 yards and then take 20% off of that.

Posted by pixie at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Well saturday was fun, our SnB went to Main Street Yarn near Athens GA for our weekly gathering. I had loads of fun, have I told you how much I love my SnB? They are all just the most wonderful women (and men!) ever.

Spinning
Here is my November Spunky Eclectic all spun up and 2 ply. There is still another 2 half bobbins left to ply.

I finished plying it this morning before we went out.

Knitting Fun
Main Street has loads of couches in the back and the wonderful Ruth (owner) has coffee and treats availible to nibble on. They also have spinning and weaving stuff too!

After seaming up the sides and shoulders on the baby cardi I am working on the hood.

Stash Expansion

Some Tussah/Merino roving in a fun burgundy and gray mix, and because *everything* in the store was 20% off I got this Denise needle set, $5 goes to Breast Cancer research. It was only $40!

Then I got some of those coil-less safety pins to seam in the sleeves on the baby cardi, an adorable sheep, and one skein of Alchemy Synchronicity to take a go at Knitty's "Fetching" gloves.

Posted by pixie at 08:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Yarn: Cascade "Pastaza"
Content: 50% Llama, 50% Wool
Needle Size: US 9 / Crystal Palace circs knit in the round
SPI: 4 (16sts over 4 inches gauge)
Lenght per ball: 100g / approx. 132 y
Notes: Single Ply, Soft and "Hairy", Color #028 Lot #2550

Posted by pixie at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's nearly Thanksgiving day! My husband and I go over his mothers house, so the party usual includes his step father, and step brother (and his wife). All of my family is in Virginia and I miss them the most on Thanksgiving, because years ago we all got together as a family at my Aunt and Uncles river house and some of their friends would come as well and it was a big family affair, and all my relatives in VA are Jewish so Thanksgiving was basically to us what Christmas is to most American families. I miss it!

The husbeasts mom and step-dad fix an awesome meal and this year they requested we bring "cheese and crackers" which is a very easy request (they know we don't cook) so I picked up some Gouda, Smoked Gouda and some brie and a neat black olive spread thing. We aren't food people, so I hope it will do. I also grabbed a bottle of merlot.

Today my boss left work around 2 and everyone else logged off of IM shortly there after! I came home and found my November Spunky Eclectic Fiber of the Month waiting at my front door. It's $15 a month btw if your curious. I do love surprises in the mail and this always gets me excited. It's a color-way called "Pie in the sky" and it's browns, aqua's and purples, all deep in color. The photo came out a bit too red.

Willow kept trying to walk-by or sleep on my wheel, which because I was in progress of spinning caused a few issues. I spun up one bobbin tonight and I'll probably spin up the other one tomorrow night and then try a 2-ply. It's Finn, and it spins up a lot like that purple colored Romney I tried a few weeks ago.

So after nearly filling up the bobbin I was a bit tired (spinning can sometimes be a bit physically taxing on your back and hands) so I dove into my stash to see if I had the yarn for this "knitting pure & simple" pattern I picked up at my LYS a few weeks ago. I had first seen the pattern in the WEBS magazine, in the pretty photograph below. I just finished swatch-ing in a heathery green "Cascade Pastaza" I bought a long while ago, and it gets gauge perfectly! Now back to sleeve island, which it seems I will never leave.

Posted by pixie at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I spun up 2 half bobbins full at spinning guild, then another half bobbin at home last night. Then I was able to ply all 3 together tonight which some how magically made 1 full bobbin.

I got the Ashford tensioned lazy kate, the shape is pretty but as ushual the lake kate does not impress me at all, and the tensioning only helps a little.

The last two nights I have had some sort of freak thing where I simply can not take a steady photograph so these are more blurry then ushual. I might have a slight temperature maybe.

BFL, 3 ply. Looks like worsted weight. i wish I had spun it more even but I was in public for most of it and I decided it was more important to spin through it then worry about not spinning even because I wa sin public or distracted.

Posted by pixie at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

This morning when I woke up I had a letter via e-mail asking for my confirmation that I will be in Australia in 2007!! My husband and I both are on the Agenda. So exciting!

Then on Friday night we booked our plan tickets to London, and then Eurostar passes to Paris!! When I told my mom I was going to London she said "oh and Pairs!" and then I found out it's only 2.5 hours from London to Paris on the Eurostar train thing. It looks like a bullet and goes 200mph. I am freaking out! Claudia got me two really cool guides, 1 for each city (Thank you claudia!). If anyone has any hotel reccomendations in either city please let me know, also any "must-visit" yarn stores and I'll see if they will be open while I am there!

Also in other great news I was going to have to travel to Texas for work in December but that just got cancled, and in not so happy news the husband will be Traveling not to long from now for another week, no dates set yet. He has to travel ushually to kick off a new project but he won't accept any jobs that won't allow him to work from home so that's the good part.

It looks like we will be traveling a lot in 2007. We have a wedding in Hawaii in October, probably travel for work mixed in, Australia and maybe San Fran for work training. I'm dizzy already just thinking about it.

Posted by pixie at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Saturday I slept in until 2:30 which I think was actually a bit too long, then I took the husband to Ikea in the evening which involved like 2 hours in Atlanta traffic, bleh. Sunday I went to spinning guild. The wonderful Jen drove, and Claudia sat shotgun.

I went rummaging through my blog and found this photo (below) from nearly 1 year ago when I had only had 1 spinning less and had just gotten my lendrum. This was the first time I met all of these spinning bloggers.

The only person who wasn't there today was Melissa (we miss you girly!).

I don't have another good group photo from today, but I'll get one at distaff day for sure. I didn't want my photo being taken today. PMS and acne galore.

After guild we ran to get some eats at a cute pub, a waitress asked the ones knitting how they "liked the magic loop" which I thought was neat, but then our waiter dude laughed at me when I ordered a shirley temple. Everyone got to talking and laughing and Mouse suddenly declared Janice was "Drinkin & Tinkin" and it still hurts because that makes me laugh way too much to be healthy.

Posted by pixie at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

So the whole Italy trip I wanted to take never happened because of my work, husbeast’s work and then we just felt that the flight itself cost way to much. So yesterday a new plan was born when I realized I still have 11 vacation days left to use this year and I can only carry over a few. What about spending Christmas in London? The husbeast thought it was a good plan and better yet the plane fair is less then half of what Italy would have cost. I think ice skating for an hour each day, eating at fun little cafes and just generally doing nothing or whatever we want sounds lovely. Wish me luck, I hope it all works out!

Have you ever been to London? I want to find a nice reasonable place to stay that would be near ice skating. Sumerset House and Marble Arch looks like the most popular ones.

In knitting news, I have worked very hard on my two sleeves! I had to frog a row a few times or work a few more on one because somehow they weren’t even despite the fact that I was very diligent about making sure I worked them even. I think it will be easier now that I have reached the Stockinette, and hopefully faster then seed stitch.

I also got my Flu shot today, it hurts if I raise my left arm. Hrmm, will this effect my knitting tonight??

Please excuse me while I sit here and dream about London.

Posted by pixie at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

After picking up that beutiful-gold Silky Wool I have been pondering patterns. I happened upon the perfect one today from the yarn designer herself, Elsebeth Lavold - The Second Viking Knits Collection.

Hild

Errata Notes "Hild", p 10:
A clarification; The 4 repeats mentioned after the measurement for armhole refers to the complete pattern section, and should read: 4 repeats from the ribbing!

Posted by pixie at 04:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

There are two things that are very often discussed on knitting forums. Some get upset when someone says what they knit looks like it could have been purchased in a store, and others get upset when a non-knitter says "I would love to knit but I don't see how you find the time". I would like to address both of these today and you are more then welcome to "sound off" in the comments about how you feel. We are each entitles to our opinions!

1) People get upset when someone says what they knit looks like it could have been purchased in a store

This upsets a lot of people; however it does not upset me. I take it as the highest compliment because to me it is them saying "wow your craftsmanship is perfect". However, I know that it's actually better then something machine made. The seams are probably stronger and I would bet a large sum of money that my material is far superior. The later point which I often bring up such as "oh and its merino!" or "it's Pima Cotton too!”

However we have to step back for a moment and understand my perspective. I am not someone who likes "hand made gifts". I am extremely picky about the quality and artistry put into something and I want it to be of the highest quality. I am a designer by trade so I am picky about colors, and overall composition. So if I look at a sweater for example that is a v-neck raglan with a cable going down the center of the sweater, and the top half of the sweater is blue and the button half is yellow, well I cringe. I cringe because the beauty of that cable was completely obliterated by the color change in the yarn. Or if a hand dyed yarn with a lot of contrasting color is used with a lace pattern I also sort of think to myself, "why on earth did you do that, you have half hidden all those beautiful lace stitches!". Lace to me belongs on solids or semi solids, same for cables. I am Martha Stewart picky.

I realize my perspective is probably not the norm in knitting which is all about making stuff by hand and being able to be as unique as you please. Don't get me wrong, I do not think "what a piece of crap". Instead I simply thing "Nope, I wouldn't wear that!" and that's about the extent of it, however my feelings about this are strong.

My husband is pretty much the same way, and now he sees me "going over the edge" as I learn to appreciate the craft and art of knitting. So now I will want to make stuff that I could bet your bottom dollar 3 years ago I would have shook my head at.

Now there are some blogs out there devoted to picking on knits, and I have to say there is some wacky and wild stuff out there, but I am not a hater so I myself would never dream of blogging about designs I didn't like. I focus on the happy things in life, so I have no want to waste any moment insulting other peoples designs (Even if I agree, because you know this is fashion. Open up any entertainment magazine and all they do is praise or pick on what people wear and to me knitting is no different).

So where is the line in knitting between fashion, and just simply enjoying it as a craft and exploring different creative avenues?? I think that line is not drawn clearly, but maybe you guys have some insight to add.

So when someone says that to you about your knits (that it looks store bought) just realize for a moment that they don't knit and to them it is a compliment and really you shouldn't let it frustrate you because there are more important things to worry about in life, like if your sleeves are long enough, or what yarn to use for your next sweater.

2) People say "I would love to knit but I don't see how you find the time"

This one is amusing to me, because you have to remember that not everyone has "hobbies" and some people’s hobbies are going out to eat, partying, drinking beer, watching sports or playing sports/exercising. I don't think they realize that when they are doing those things, we are knitting (or we are doing both!). So to me this comments is more ignorant then anything.

If you care about something, you make time for it, simple as that. So when someone says this to me I reply "Do you exercise, like to cook or watch TV?" Chances are they will say yes to one of those, and then I say "Well when you’re doing that I'm knitting!” So the next time someone says this to you, just let it role off because they don't really "get it". It's not worth getting frustrated over!

Posted by pixie at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)

So I actually did get some knitting done this weekend, however not nearly as much as I intended. Still, some progress has been made!

On Friday I went and renewed my drivers license and it's freaking amazing how good my new photo is, some kind of total fluke freak thing that never happens! Also on Friday for lunch I took a detour by a yarn store.

Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool in a pretty color that matches many of the trees right now. So pretty!

I went to knitting group on Saturday and didn't get much knitting done, so Claudia came over Sunday so we would both be more motivated to sit and knit for a while.

My poor Charlie sock was in dire straights but claudia helped me sort it out. We still aren't sure what went wrong but things seem okay now. Jesse played "Metal Gear 2" while we knit away. That's claudia working on a sock for me! She's knitting it with some Fleece Artist sock yarn which I bought a while ago. She's knitting them because the last pair of socks she knit for me, well the cat peed on them. After the cat had her annual shots she peed in a travel bag which had my passport, some hand-knit socks and a curling iron.

She didn't knit on those socks though until she finished her beutiful intarsia'd Harry Potter sweater (the full gryfindor lion on the front). I asked her to smile and she was like, "um I can't smile while weaving in all these ends".

I always try to have something nice out if a guest comes. Today it was Gouda Chesse and Mini Milanos.

While I was at the LYS I also bought another "knitting pure & simple" pattern. It's basically a hooded tunic and I plan to use some stash for it, once I get some other things finished.

Onward to my knitting! First up the baby cardi mid-seaming.

Then the back of Salina finally finished. This seamed to take forever near the end because each time I measured, it never grew.

So instead of casting on for the front and stalling on sleeve island again, I am knitting the sleeves before the front, and this time is my first go at two-at-once.

Posted by pixie at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I don't think I have knit a stitch in over a week, maybe even longer. So last night I sat down on the couch to watch America's Next Top Model & Lost while I knit away in happiness. I knit about half an inch on my socks though sadly enough it looks like 0 progress from the last photograph.

Then I pulled out my other favorite-knit-I-don't-want-to-rush, Salina from Rowan in Felted Tweed. I hate measuring knits. Does it ever get you down? It boggles my mind. I measured it before I started knitting and the arm hole was 7.5" inches tall. Then I knit 4 rows and measured again and this time got 7" inches tall. I held it up, I laid it down, I folded in the arm hole so it was more centered and not slanted. Every-which-way I measured it gave me 7" inches! I can only figure that it was 6.5" before I started but I find that very hard to believe because I remember when I last put it down I was at 7" because I remember thinking "wow only 1 more inch to go!".

I'm not to worried though because the whole length of it should be 21.5" and right now it's 20" and the neck shaping is only 4 rows tall. It just annoys me that I get different lengths!! I like the old "hold it up" technique because it’s more realistic and you don’t stretch it like you would if it was laid out all nice on a towel. How do you measure your knits, do you have any particular method? It almost always stresses me out. I must have measured those Charlie socks 12 times before I started that short row heel, and I thought I had actually gone too long, but it actually fits perfectly so I guess my perseverance paid off.

Posted by pixie at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

I forgot how much I love this time of year, before it gets too cold.

The hairy toby even likes to snuggle this time of year if I don't put the heat up too much.

Yesterday I voted. I got really aggravated with the candidates so I actually only wound up voting for 1 guy for congress and then on all the other law changes. The guy I voted for, he totally lost.

So then I came home and spun up some of that eBay BFL/Merino and it was very nice to spin. I like it has a 3-ply so I hope it's enough for a hat.

Do you see my cute new pajama pants, chocolate brown with pink stripes? So comfy! I went to the Gap Outlets after work yesterday and scored 1 pair corduroy pants, said pj pants, 1 polar fleece sweater w/ a cute zippered collar, socks and some v-neck cotton tops all for $74! Score!

I really want to knit on my socks so I am hoping tonight I can work on them a bit.

Posted by pixie at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Last night I submitted a proposal to speak at webDU which is a Web Developers/Designers conference in Australia. I'm nervous and excited and I think I find out in 2 weeks if I have been selected or not. Please cross your fingers for me! I have a fairly good idea that there won't be that many proposals of my type, or even more realistically none of my type so I think that gives me a pretty good chance! If it doesn't work out I think the husbeast and I will just go some other place.

He also submitted to speak and we decided that if we both got selected then we could justify the trip. This would be his 3rd trip to Australia if we go so it was more about my opportunities this time around vs. his. He already has like 5 conferences on his resume and I think this would be very good to have one on mine. Also after going to Las Vegas I was deeply depressed because very few people at the conference seemed to have a solid grasp on what a "User Experience" designer was, or even what an Information Architect does.

Combine that lack of knowledge with too short of deadlines, budget cuts and scope creep and then you know why 70%-90% of IT projects fail (I can't find that number with Google but everyone seems to agree about it).

Last night we cleaned like crazy people so the house is sooooo much better. All of my fiber is now in my crafting room which looks like a tornado hit it. We havn't cleaned that well from back before we left on all those weekend trips so it's going to be so nice to come home to tonight and I'm sure it will fuel more knitting and spinning.

Posted by pixie at 09:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

So this was our first full weekend home in over a month! Saturday I slept in until noon which was wonderful, and then made my way to SnB which was also wonderful. Friday night durring SciFi Friday I spun up some SAFF merino in the dark with some corona (not a good idea my friends).

It's under-plyed amungst other things. I don't like it. I might have a good home for it, we'll see. It was really dark when i drove home from SnB. Or rather, it was by the time I got home around 6pm. Look at how bright the moon was!

After waking up on Sunday we had a nice lunch with the husbeasts mom and step-dad.

Bad news, the husbeast is going to be going out of town again sometime very soon for a few days. Bleh. Just when things seemed to be returning to normal! it's only for a few days though and then hopefully he will be back home through the holiday season.

One of the little stores in Dahlonega was selling some "all natural" dog toys and it turned out they where all felted wool!! No stuffing, just felted wool.

After we got home from that (nearly dark again!) I got him to put together my Target $30 yarn shelf. I feel really good to know this is the majority of my yarn! Of course there is more yarn spread through out the house so I am proabably delusional.

I also realize I have more yarn I don't want but it seems like I should sell it or swap it or something. Looking at that shelf above is so yummy though, click on it for project notes.

I had some stuff come in the mail durring all the time I was away. Copper Moose 100% cotton in "Lupin" a very pretty slate blue.

Superwash Faulkland from Spunky Eclectic (Fiber of the Month Club) in a halloween color-way (a bit late huh?). I havn't tried Faulkland before and I like the feel of it.

This below is the crown jewl of all my stash latley. It nearly exactly matches those socks I am knitting in my fav sock yarn from Europe. This stuff is a Merino/BFL blend ("Glacial") and it even came with a wonderful little color-card pack. I took a gamble and bid on it on ebay I think before I even left for vegas. I know while I was there I "won" it because no one else bid against me. It was $12 with shipping and is 4oz.

Wow that was picture heavy huh? Excuse my while I go kick back a corona and cook some Au Gratin for the husbeast and I (shhh just cause it comes in a box doesn't mean I didn't "cook").

Posted by pixie at 06:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

After mentioning my love of Shetland on my last podcast, and how I was wishing I could find some lovely Shetland in the US, I got a very sweet e-mail from Sarah of Spiderweb Specialties. A small parcel came in the mail today, which my husband brought to me while I was in the bath. "Oh that's the Shetland!" I exclaimed. I had no idea it was raw Shetland, I didn't remember that was what she was sending me a sample of. I have never seen a raw shetland fleece before and wow is it soft! The husband looked at me real cute and implied that I should blend shetland sheep with my shetland sheepdogs fur. What a genius husband I have!

This fleece is from a very sturdy looking ram named "Greyside Willoughby" and I love it. I need to hurry up and spin through some of my shetland so that I can order some. It smelled clean, like it had been washed already.

Now for what you really came here for, my SAFF acquisitions. I'm proud I didn't buy any yarn, because I already have way to much.

Alpaca/Mohair blend, Finn and a Shetland/Mohair blend. Silk Hankies in the front (1oz). Notice the tiny little sheepy Jen got to go on my spinning basket.

Oh yeah, the spinning basket(s);

To the far left is some Super-wash Merino, and directly to the right of that is some mohair I am going to blend in so I can spin up some yarn specifically to make SOCKS! Mohair is supposed to add durability. To the right of that is a tiny little basket meant to rest on any hooks available on your spinning wheel. The colored stuff to the right is some "jade" merino that I think I saw at-least 3 other people walk off with, 8-oz will make a nice big scarf. In front of that is some morrit merino that just looked lovely and natural.

What's that big thing behind all the wool? Thats a trappers basket, but for spinners! It's a neat basket you can actually wear like a backpack, so I can more easily take stuff to SnB or to fiber fests. I just think it's cool.

The finn and alpaca I got about I think 1.5 pounds, so I can get sweaters out of that. I bought more fiber then I wanted to, and right about now I feel that I have all the yarn and fiber a girl could ever want. I'm ready to hibernate for winter or something.

Posted by pixie at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I wish I had gotten a photo of Otto, that would have been funny. I picked up my Strauch at SAFF and Claudia had taken these photos at the hotel so I thought it would be a good way to introduce my new toy. I have to say I am most excited about "blending" on this bad boy. I shall never hand card again!

I ran the locks through twice;

Not too shabby considering it wasn't all that terribly clean as far as the red clay went, the lanolin was gone though, I could tell when I spun a bit up on my spindle.

I was surprised out how easily and smooth it spun up for only my first try on the carder. I got the opttional brush attachment on top that helps compacts the fleece, it came with all kind of niffty tools and everything worked perfectly. It was VERY lofty and fluffy (is it a batt or roving?? I think it's a batt...) and I think if I load it up thicker I can get a bit less air in it, or if I press the brush attachment down harder. Experiments coming this fall to a blog near you!

Posted by pixie at 01:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)