Thursday, May 28, 2009

Fursday

How do you say "Help!" in spanish?



Peppy says " Holy Frijoles! did you see the size of those amigos?"

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Wednesday catch up

Finally a post without puppy pictures!
I really wanted to show you this: I got 1/2 lb of raw alpaca from Granny Maple at North Star Alpacas and O.M.G. is it nice. I just reached into the bag of "Silver Samurai" and grabed a hunk and it spun like 'buttah. Not washed or carded or nothin. The finished yarn is so nice that Knit Boss kept petting it and rubbing it on her cheek!
Alpaca Granny sent a card with Silver Samauri's picture too. How great is that?

I've been spinning and finshed up this yarn a while ago. 2 skeins are one strand of Belly Dancer (Bamboo / Merino / Firestar / Angelina) and one strand of a dark blue merino.

The other skein is 2 strands of belly dancer. Its all about 16 wip- sport, 2 ply and the skeins are 200, 223 and 150 yards. I think thats pretty good yardage for a project. I like the idea of having the blue and maybe striping with the lighter color.
I'll be listing this on Etsy later today.
I finished up a crochet project a while ago too and don't think I blogged itA Queen Anne's Lace scarf crocheted out of Tess' Sock and Baby yarn. Its 5" x 75" and the colors are really really great.
I'm putting this on Etsy too. I'll never use it myself and someone else may love the FO as much as I loved the crocheting.

Last week I got some yarn from Schaefer and knit up this cute little baby sweater-
Its Elaine Child's Cardigan and knit up with just one skein of Schaefer Yarn Company Elaine. This is the Emily Post colorway. I totally forgot to take pics after blocking, but you get the idea.A sweet little baby hoodie and it only took me maybe 4 days. Definately a keeper pattern. The reverse stockinette really looks neat with the thick/thin of the yarn.
As for WIPS, I'm still working on my Mara shawl, the swirl shawl, the Steelers socks and I've some Liberty Fibers "Tartan" on the wheel (hoping for a 3 ply sock yarn)
I may also have purchased a small triangle loom to try weaving. whoops. Didn't see that rabbit hole coming ;) It should be here soon. Will keep you posted.

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Fursday

Hey Rocky, wanna play?
Come-on, let's play!Pluuzzzzee, I'll give you noogies!Yup, fun times.


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Friday, May 15, 2009

TGIF

I've been spindle spinning a lit of samples lately. Its a quick fix for than "I need a FO" feeling. The spindle on the right has some Red Stone fiber- I 2 plied it and am pretty happy with my spinning. The one on the right is a tumbleweed from Desert Garden Farms (same place that has the super yummy hand balm that smells like tomato plant). Anyway, I loved the fiber so soft and fluffy and the colors spun up awesome. But I made ass out of the yarn. Totally over spun, then I Navajo plied and it still feels like a coarse thread. bleh. Back to the drawing board.

This is one of th reasons I love the sample spinning.... you get a good idea what works and what dosen't. Of course I could just do the same thing with the fiber I have, but its a mind game with me. I don't want to have less of regular the batches and small sample = less commitment.

Look at this one:
from Greenwood Fiberworks. It was a "piglet tail" of merino in "Calypso" colorway from my Phat fiber box. I had a blast with this and left it as a single. Very nice wool and nice rich colors.
Another sample from Liberty Fibers-
Superwash merino in the "Forest Walk" colorway. Oh.So.Nice. the spinning was great and the colors are totally me. I have some of her "Tartan" fiber on the wheel now and hope to get a 3 ply sock yarn (fingers crossed)
Since I'm talking about Etsy, check this out: Slipped Stitch Studios
Laura has these nifty little tins filled with stuff a knitter needs. Suff like stitch markers, tape measures, a magnet to hold darning needles, pattern tamers and some totally clever "care instructions" cards.
I caught her tweet (slippedstitchCA) about an upcoming sale #400 and jumped on Etsy to be the one! Lookit she sent me:
An "I sniff yarn" magnet (so much fun) some pattern tamers, a lovley card with a stitch marker, a sheepie stamp and a tin of knitter mints! Laura, you so rock!

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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Fursday

Saturday The Mayor and I visited White Horse Farm to see the alpacas getting sheared.

I don't know who was more excited, me or him. All the alpacas are beautiful and you just want to cuddle up with themThe boy was over the moon when the shearer invited him to pet one of the alpacas right before shearing time
"Mommy, can we get an alpaca?"


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Friday, May 08, 2009

She's Back!

Remember Technicolor Sheep? My LYS that closed? Well, Laura has been busy working on other endevors and has just recently formatted her patterns for sale! Tehnicolor Sheep Designs on Etsy. She has lots of well written, fun patterns in a bunch of yarn weights. I just finished her Lacy Shoulder Shawl in some handspun and its sooo purty. I'll blog it when she gets that pattern posted.

Plus she has a jewlery shop too- Laura's Jewlery Box. I love her stuff and have quite a few pieces. She will be doing some knitting jewlery too, so keep an eye out.

To top it all off, Laura started a blog- Technicolor Sheep Designs. She will have tips & tricks, free patterns and tons of good info. Go on over and say HI

Meanwhile, I finished the Queen Anne's Lace scarf and started Mara. I'm blocking the scarf as soon as I'm done here, but there are pics over on my ravelry page. More FO's later!

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Thursday, May 07, 2009

Fursday

Halt!Who Goes There?


lemmie tell you..... NO.Body is gettin' into this house without an announcement

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Friday, May 01, 2009

Fursday on Friday

Ok puppies, time for a group shot.
Sit. Sit. Sit.
Stay, Shea! Stay


ok, try again.
Sit.
Everybody look at Mommy! Look! Look!
Damn.

Ok try again.
Sit
Watch me!
the neighbor is mowing, NO don't......

Forget it.


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Squeeeeeee

I have the best Wee Tiny Sock swap package EVAH'! Dawn (2mayboys on Ravelry) She sent me this awesome project bag

and inside was a wee tiny sock AND a WEE TINY GNOME

Can you stand the cuteness? She had seen that I marked the gnome pattern as a favorite on Ravelry and sent me one- so cute AND thoughtful. Thanks so much Dawn, you Rock!

And because I'm feeling sorry that I can't go to Maryland Sheep and Wool this year, I bought myself this:

Sparkle the peacock. Isn't she a riot? What a better way to display some wee tiny socks!

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