Look What I Can Do!

I have lots to tell you... I tried to post earlier, but Blogger was having issues loading my images. So first I'll just start with this past Sunday (best day ever!).

Scott and I started out Sunday morning with the intention of driving out West Virginia and Virginia for the scenery. We were maybe an hour into the drive, when Scott spotted a sign that said "Fiber Festival." No kidding. So we followed the signs, and found the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival. I swear I did not plan this. There was some great yarn, and I picked up some super soft alpaca.

There was a ton of spinning-related stuff there, and I was really mesmerized by the spinning wheels. Part of me fears spinning, because I think I'll like it more than knitting. And if I start spinning I may never knit again. Another part of me says, "What's wrong with that? Do what makes you happy!" I wound up getting a little drop spindle kit. What's the worst that can happen, right?

Ellen Anderson from Aboundingful Farm was super nice and gave me a quick lesson on the spot. Later, I divided the roving in two, and wound up each half.

LOL Pretty sad, huh? I didn't really get much better with the second half, but I did get faster. It was so fun though... I have no idea how it works, and I'm pretty sure I did it wrong somehow, but it was fun.

With both halves spun, I plied them together...

And made a pretty little hank!

Since the yarn was undyed, I thought it would be a good time to experiment with that too. I decided to dye with Kool Aid, since it's easy and doesn't require any special equipment. First I soaked the yarn in water with a splash of vinegar for about half an hour. While it was soaking, I dissolved one packet each of Black Cherry and Lemonade in a bowl full of water (enough to cover the yarn). When the yarn had soaked long enough, I squeezed out the water (gently) and put it in the other bowl with the Kool Aid. I nuked it for 2 minutes. I let it sit for a few minutes, then nuked it again. I knew it was done when the color had completely absorbed into the yarn, and the water was clear.

Then I let it cool completely (and slowly so it wouldn't felt). Later, I rinsed it well, gently squeezed the water out, and let it dry. Here's my final result!

I'm already looking into getting more roving and another spindle. I hear Golding makes pretty snazzy drop spindles. And maybe one day (if it's more than a passing phase) I'll get a spinning wheel. But I'm probably way ahead of myself.

Oh, and we did eventually see some fall scenery.

My Husband Is Better Than Your Husband

Here she is... my spankin' new rocking chair!

Complete with loving inscription from the husband (it's an early anniversary gift).

It will be six years this November... and they said it wouldn't last! Scott also moved my stash into the living room, where it is now much more accessible. Hopefully, seeing it all the time will also provide some motivation. That blank spot on the wall above the yarn is where he made room for some sort of crafty picture. Perhaps a knitting related painting? I'm sure I can find something.

That's little Spencer at the bottom, saying hello. And look- the baskets on top are filled with yarn too! The one on the right is all sock yarn.

I'm thinking of naming the chair, but what? I'll have to think of something clever.

Yesterday, we also got rid of the desk we were using as an entertainment system- it was big and ugly and we hated it. Then Scott spotted a bookshelf at World Market that was the perfect size, so now our TV is on something that actually resembles a piece of furniture.

Our goal is to slowly turn our home into what we actually want it to be. Up until recently, we were decorating the way we thought normal people should. Turns out neither of us is very normal, and we hated most of our stuff. Who knew? Now we are replacing things one by one, which will take some time, but that's okay... we are patient.

omg omg omg

My rocking chair came yesterday! As soon as we got it home, I sat and knit in it, and it is soooo comfy. We are in the process of rearranging some things to accommodate it, so I'll post pictures when it's all set up.

I'm still being a lazy knitter. I restarted the scarf a few times. I just didn't like how the color was working out. I eventually decided to use two balls at a time (one solid blue, and one multi) and switch every two rows. And it's just garter, to keep it simple and fast.

My pizza just arrived. Will post again tomorrow (or the next day at latest).

Sock Yarn and Puppy Socks

I freaking love my yarn. I love it so much. My Jimmy Beans order arrived yesterday- the Lorna's Laces sock yarn...

...in Candy Corn and Baltic Sea, both lovely. And along with them, came my copy of Suss Cousin's newest book, Design Essentials...

I knew that the book was going to be signed, but I didn't know it would be signed specifically to me. I feel so special! I pictured Suss sitting with a pile of books, scribbling her name in each one. But it's personalized:

And I can't tell you how much I love this book. Her designs really are incredible, and she even includes a yarn substitution guide in the back. What a helpful lady! I give it one million stars.

Sadly, we did have an unfortunate incident yesterday. My little puggy bear broke a nail yesterday. Apparently, this is much worse for dogs than it is for people. The vet cut off the hangy bit, then gave him a big goofy sock to wear for a few days, and some drugs to take the edge off. Poor little man!

And I learned my lesson about what happens when I let his nails get too long. Sorry, buddy... I'll do better next time.

Stitches East, and More!

Ok, so I'll just start from the beginning:

At the entrance, I got a couple freebies- a sample of Eucalan (a no-rinse wash for delicates) and a bag from Southwest Trading Co. Then I got a look at the place... and promptly had a mild stroke. I'd never seen so much yarn. It was completely overwhelming, and all I could do was stare in amazement.

Once my frontal lobe began functioning again, I focused on the display about 10 feet in front of me. It was laceweight. I got closer... that sheen has "silk" written all over it... Oh, no. It's was cashmere/silk blend. I had to have it, but only bought 800 yds. Can't run out of money on the first stop, right?

And here it is, from the Yarn Barn of Kansas:

The color didn't come out very well, but it's a silvery green. Very lovely. Then, while poking around the same booth, I found this:

I wish there was some way you could virtually feel this yarn. It's 100% alpaca, and I think it's what clouds must feel like. And the color is so warm and soft- as though someone figured out how to make hot chocolate into yarn. I just want to take a nap in it. I grabbed up 1800 yards, and hope to make myself a cozy sweater.

My next purchase was at The Needle Lady's booth, where I picked up this fun, nubby little bunch of string:

Again, the photo doesn't do it justice. It's Twig from Prism in the colorway Tumbleweed. I think it will make a fun, simple scarf.

Eventually I made my way over to Blue Moon Fiber Arts for some sock yarn. I picked up some Seduction in Sugarplum...

...and some Silkie Socks That Rock in Chanticleer.

At this point I took a break from buying yarn, and got this t-shirt. I regret that I don't remember where I got it from.

My final purchase at Stitches was from Brooks Farm. The yarn is called Riata, and it's a wool/mohair/silk blend. I never want to stop touching it.

I bought 1125 yards, and I have no idea what I'll do with it, but does it matter? It's so pretty!

After that, I figured I had better get out of there before I got into trouble. So I boogied, and took the long, scenic way home. When I got home, I spent some time admiring my new stash, and decided I still wasn't done spending...

I jumped online and bought this coat in botanical green. Then went out to DSW and got these shoes:

Mmm... I loves me some comfy loafers!

Later, Scott and I had dinner with friends, and on the way home we stopped at Borders. Scott got the new Ken Burns documentary, and I got the new Vogue Knitting and Best of Interweave Knits.

And now it's time for a nice, relaxing afternoon at home. Football is on, and the hat is calling me.

Too tired...

Falling asleep... can't blog about Stitches today... zzzzzzzzz

It's A Long One

Well, it turns out that for the time being, I will be staying put in Maryland. This is somewhat frustrating, but in the long run it will be for the best. In the meantime, there are a few perks:

1. I will be going to Stitches East this Saturday (tomorrow), where I will be purchasing copious amounts of yarn.
2. I get to continue my quest to learn how to dress (somewhat) like an adult. Over the next few weeks, I need some winter clothes that didn't come from PacSun, some sensible yet stylish shoes, and a new winter coat. I already bought two new purses, and they are awesome.

3. Scott and I won't have to face the daunting task of packing up everything we own and moving 800 miles. That's never fun.

And I have some things to look forward to (besides Stitches)... The rocking chair should be here in the next couple of weeks- the woman at the store said 3-6 weeks, and I'm hoping it will get here by the end of the month. I am so going to get one of those old-lady yarn/project holder things. You know, it's like a canvas bag on a wooden frame? Oh yeah.

Also, my shipment from Jimmy Beans should be here soon! It feels like I've been waiting forever. I ordered the Lorna's Laces October Limited Edition sock yarn (Candy Corn), another L.L. sock yarn (Baltic Sea), and the new Suss Cousins book, Design Essentials. Jimmy Beans is having a special thing through October where if you order the book, they'll have Suss sign it for free- you just have to wait three weeks to allow them time to do it. Anyhoo, I finally got the email confirming shipment, so it won't be much longer now.

Last night, Scott offered to go with me to Stitches, and I may take him up on the offer. If left to my own devices, I might get a bit nutty. It could be a good idea to have someone there to stop me, but on the other hand, he has always been rather supportive of my yarn habit... he could be an enabler. We'll see.

Work the past couple of days has been deadsville. Literally. We haven't had any work to do for over a week, and before that we were really slow. Our customers are supposed to be sending us the materials we need to start working, but apparently they are slackers. All week my day has gone something like this:

-Come in late (usually I get in by 7:30, late = between then and 8)
-Check work email
-Check personal email, track any shipments I'm waiting for (yarn!), etc.
-Eat breakfast while playing solitaire
-Knit until about ten- the UPS truck comes around ten, so at this point we all wait anxiously to see if the shipping lady will bring us anything. She doesn't.
-Screw around on the internet, play solitaire, knit, whatever, until I get hungry
-Eat lunch
-Knit a little more, poke around Etsy (I love that site), generally goof off, and try to stay awake until it's time to go home
-Get sent home early by the boss

Occasionally, the monotony was briefly broken. We went out to lunch on Wednesday to celebrate the fact that I'm not moving, we discovered we have ants, and I learned how to play poker (I suck). But mostly we sat around being restless. This might seem awesome (getting paid to do nothing), and for the first day or so it is. But it gets old fast when the days drag on endlessly. And with all that spare time, buying things online can become a problem. Luckily, I only bought two things: a wallet on Etsy, and an electric fryer. It could have been much worse, I held back because of Stitches.

Back to the knitty realm... I have been working on the sweater at work, and the hat at home. I have made mediocre progress on both. The sweater is about where it was right before I ripped it out. I no longer hate it, and will work on it willingly once more.

The hat has doubled in size to about 6 inches along, and needs to get to 11 inches before I decrease. I'm looking forward to decreasing so I can get rid of the fifth needle- I much prefer to only use 4 DPN's.

That's about it for now, but tomorrow (hopefully) I will have oodles of yarn porn.

Listmania

I have decided to make a couple lists: one is of the pros of moving to Illinois, and one is of the cons.

First, the pros...

1. Obviously, our family and friends are there
2. It's not the dirty South- there are less rednecks in IL
3. It's not as hot and way less humid
4. There is the possibility of snow at Christmastime
5. 24 hours pharmacies are impossible to find in MD
6. Affordable real estate
7. IL is the home of such culinary delights as Portillo's and Lou Malnati's
8. The grocery stores have a larger selection (and ground Italian sausage!)
9. You can ride a bike for miles when there are no hills
10. No state inspection, and emission tests are free
11. TV shows start an hour earlier
12. Shopping is way better, I heart the Woodfield area
13. There is a decent selection of colleges- many are not too expensive
14. Traffic doesn't suck as much, and drivers aren't so retarded
15. People move more quickly (in all aspects of public dealings)
16. There is a smaller quantity of skeevy people
17. People keep their dogs on leashes
18. My doctor's office doesn't have to send me somewhere else to have blood drawn
19. MD has bigger bugs
20. We can feed the squirrels again!
21. When it snows, IL has salt and plows ready
22. When you ask for sausage on your pizza, they don't give you breakfast sausage

And what I'll miss about Maryland...
1. My job
2. Trading mountains and forests for vast expanses of flatness
3. Hiking by the Potomac River
4. MD has incredible history, and much older history than IL
5. You can drive 20 minutes and feel like you're in the middle of nowhere
6. There are more knitting shops in MD, and local yarn!
7. The roads are very smooth
8. The winters are mild, and snow will get you sent home early from work :)
9. Finding shark's teeth in the Chesapeake Bay
10. Verizon FiOS TV and Internet isn't available in IL (yet)
11. The sales tax is lower
12. Eating out is cheaper
13. Moving away from everything familiar made me feel awesomely independent

That's what I can think of off the top of my head. I may add to this later.

Exciting News and Tragic Photography

Exciting news first: There is a good chance that the husband and I will be moving back to Chicagoland soon! Right this very second, Scott is getting on a flight to Chicago for his second interview. We are very hopeful, as it means getting back to my stepdaughter, our family and friends, Portillo's hot dogs, and affordable real estate. Hopefully, it will work out.

Unfortunately, with the prospect of moving 800 miles with no relocation assistance, we have put a hold on any unnecessary spending. And apparently yarn is considered unnecessary. Even worse- I already bought my ticket to Stitches East. At first I thought I should bring this up, hoping to compromise and set a nice, low, spending limit. But realistically, there is no way I would walk out of there with less than $200 in yarn. Also, the Countryside Artisans tour is the following weekend, where I typically visit Dancing Leaf Farm. If you live in the DC/MD/VA area, go see this place. The yarn is beautiful, and I love that I can look out the window and see her sheep grazing in the field.

On to my current projects (and those tragic photos). First, the brother in law sweater... well, it's still there. Honestly, I had to put it aside for a while. Ripping that sucker out really did a number on my psyche, and I need a break from it. So far, it's about an inch beyond the bottom of the v-neck.

Then there's the sock I started at the Stephanie Pearl-McPhee signing. Also in limbo. I'm a few rows into the heel flap.

And lastly, I started a hat for my father in law yesterday. I figured if I'm going to slack on the sweater, I have to at least work on Christmas presents. So I started a hat and scarf- nice and easy... no stress. The rest of the hat will be solid blue, and the scarf will be striped with those two yarns, in a pattern yet to be determined.

The hat looks a little striped, which was a surprise (the blue spirals around the back). I had started mittens with the same ball, and they didn't look striped at all... so I'm just going with it. If anyone asks, it happened on purpose. :)

My photography skills leave much to be desired. Maybe I can find a book at the library to help in that department. Anyhoo, wish us luck, and hopefully by Tuesday I'll have some good news!

Rocking and Ripping

Well, over the weekend I had two interesting developments. First, I got a rocking chair! Yay! Now I can rock and knit... mmm... I am very excited about this, although the chair won't get here for a few weeks- I am told it is likely that an Amish fellow is crafting it right now. The oak store picks a few up every six weeks, and finishes them to order. My stain of choice was Wood Berry. I will show you pictures when it gets here.

My second bit of news? I got paid to knit something for the first time! It's actually a goofy situation. At work we needed something to hold a tiny temperature probe-thingy against the product while we tested it. It had to be super soft, so it won't damage the probe or the product, so I thought, "Why don't I knit something?" The boss thought it was a good idea, and said that I could do it over the weekend and charge overtime for it. Awesome! So basically, I knit a little ribbed cuff, just a half-inch wide, to slip around our product. And for that I got paid time and a half. Unfortunately, today we discovered that it won't work- the little probe slips right through (it's the size of the head of a pin). We wound up using half-inch elastic, but I still get paid. Sweet.

I've given up hope on the baby cardigan I was knitting for my husband's coworker. I just hate it so much. I had knit the second sleeve twice, and both times I managed to muck it up. And upon closer inspection, the first sleeve wasn't quite right either. So fuck it. I knit up a quick hat and booties and that's it. I don't think I like knitting baby stuff.

Did you ever wonder why I named the blog Knitty Ripper? Well, here's why. I had to rip out the brother in law's sweater in it's entirety. Ugh. I botched the sizing in a major way, so I had to start over from the very beginning. So now I'm back to being just a few inches along, but I have until Christmas. That's enough time right? Right?