Oh dear.

Sheep and Wool

If you've been reading other knitters' blogs or skimming through Ravelry, you probably already know that Rhinebeck was wonderful this year...

There were plenty of sheep and other adorable animals (Angora bunnies are really really cute...and the alpacas aren't bad either!) Of course, knitters and spinners were all over the place, and there was plenty of yarn and fiber to ooh and aah over...and all the finished objects. My goodness, I don't think I've ever seen quite so many handknits all in one place ever!


To top it all off, the leaves were stunning - Rumor has it that the leaves all fell off during Rhinebeck weekend - I'm not sure though since I unfortunately was only able to visit the festivities on Saturday.

I had such a fantastic time, hopefully I'll get a chance to do it again in the future :)

Do your Duty....

If you are a US Citizen and have not yet submitted your ballot, do your homework, get on out there and vote! If you found yourself in a long long line at the polling place today, consider getting onto the early voting list, or the vote at home list - or whatever alternate your state may offer. I voted from home for this election, and found it convenient and conducive to taking the time to do my research on various ballot measures and propositions.

After today, I'm sure the candidates might need to hoist a drink - either in celebration or condolence, the following book may be useful (and a good one to keep in mind for entertaining this holiday season too!):



The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks is a fantastic book - especially if you are an aspiring mixologist. The book is well put together with approximately 100 "essential" drinks (plus variations) - each drink recipe includes a stunning photo of the finished cocktail in addition to a brief history on the drinks creation. The book is broken down into nine sections for the drink recipes and also includes a few appendices to address basic recipes (basic syrups), garnishes, and glassware/tools. The Drink Sections include: the Classics (prohibition era drinks), the Modern Classics (cocktails born post prohibition) , Martinis, Sours, Highballs, Tropicals, Punches, Sweets and Innovations (did you know there is a cocktail out there that uses avocado as an ingredient?!).

Simply reading the book has proven entertaining, and has brought back memories of playing at tending bar way way way back when! Coincidentally, the book has a recipe for from-scratch eggnog that I may just have to try this holiday season, especially since I generally object to most of the commercially available eggnogs, what with their strange thickeners and liberal use of corn syrup! I've also discovered that I apparently like Bloody Caesars (though I don't object to a simple straight up Bloody Mary).

Fresh!

Phoenix Bess is amazing - she's only 16...and she's a talented designer (apparently, she's been designing since the tender age of 12!) - and she just got her first book out!


It Girl Knits, while perhaps targeted at the younger knitter, has patterns that I think are suitable for a range of individuals. The designs are clean and simple, and many of the projects are suitable for beginners. Broken into different types of days: Sunny Days, Days Off, Play Days, and Nights, the patterns include knitted bottoms, tops, dresses, jackets, accessories (bags, headbands, a cap and a hair wrap) and even a couple bikinis and a pair of felted boots!

Each project is nicely photographed and has clear instructions and schematics. The various tops and bottoms appear figure friendly to different body shapes - though they do tend toward fitted, body skimming styles - and most of the patterns are definitely best for warmer weather months (almost all the tops are sleeveless designs). While I wouldn't be able to carry off all the apparel designs (certainly not the bikinis), there are plenty of options to choose from - I'm amazed at Phoenix's talent, and look forward to casting on a few projects.

If you're on Ravelry, you can pop over and have a look at Phoenix's portfolio to get an idea for her design sense - while patterns from the book don't seem to be listed there yet, I suspect they will make an appearance eventually.

Happy Halloween!

Slipped and Twisted

Round 1 of test knitting was completed just in time for my Eastern Seaboard Tour. I love how the pattern breaks up the little bits of color on this yarn in the small cable section...

The bigger cables aren't half bad either...see?

Wondering what I made? You can see the finished object details here.

The yarn was a pleasure to work with - with regular addi's I had no issue - though with my lace needles I'd occasionally split the yarn. For hand, the yarn is wonderfully soft, and it seems to wear quite nicely - I'm thinking I'll likely add this as a base, I just need to find space in the house to put it...and decide on a name :)

A brief Glimpse

Despite my best intentions, it seems I keep getting derailed from blogging...Life simply is not cooperating ;)

Anyhow, here are some little looks at what I've been up to lately:

more test knitting with the new base - these are Orchid Lace Mitts by Anne Hanson (Knitspot)...I'm knitting the pair at the same time, but on separate needles since I have to shift the stitches around.
Gorgeous fall colors - this was taken in Maine, where peak colors seemed to be had. I was amazed that the leaves hadn't all fallen off the trees yet. Of all the seasons, I miss Autumn the most. It's just wrong to find myself at the end of October, with the house still sealed up and the air conditioning blasting because we are still having 90 degree days.

And this is a shot of the hills in New Hampshire....its fair to say I had a grand East Coast tour, which is one of the reasons I find myself short of time blogging - I'm still digging out from the pile that amassed while I was away! Stay tuned, I've got more photos from out east...and yes, there is one of a Sheep...

Testing, Testing...1...2...3...

While I haven't been doing a ton of dyework, I've been working on some evals...there were 4 skeins total, one of them has already been appropriated for some knitting evals:

see? Sorry for the flashy flashy photo - I kept forgetting to take photos while I had good natural light. I don't know how to explain what I was knitting - other than to say it's basically a pair of short close fitting leg warmers. Anklets - but taller. No feet - fancy tubes with a little bit of shaping to accomodate my shapely calves :)

More interesting perhaps is the fact that it's a true fingering base, about 420 yards per 4 oz sk....it's soft and lovely...and it has some nylon content to make it more robust! I'm still working on the eval...and on the name selection :) stay tuned!

Blanket time?

I'm back from my whirlwind tour of the east coast. I still haven't gotten the photos off the camera yet, and it's safe to say that the day job is a wee bit hectic. I've got some new finished projects (that I even got to wear during my trip!) and I didn't leave Rhinebeck empty handed....

The crisp cool weather back East had me thinking about blankets. And a perfect complement is Kaffe Fasset's new book: Glorious Patchwork

Colorful as always, this book is full of inspiration. While I have yet to sit down and cut fabric for even a sampler (I love quilts, and I can sew, but I have a love hate relationship with the sewing process - especially the cutting of the fabric part). Should I decide to get off the couch and make use of my modest fabric stash, this book is definitely one that I can turn to - the projects seem to vary in difficulty, and the book includes information about the basics of patchwork and also includes templates for the projects included in the book.

The book is broken down into several sections: Soft Pastels, Circus, Leafy Gardens, Antique Stone, and Renaissance - each of the projects are all patchwork designs, with different fabric motifs and styles featured in each section - my favorites seemed to be Antique Stone and Renaissance, though each of the quilts in the other sections would satisfy my love of simple (and sometimes not so simple) geometric designs.

While it may take me a while to get to cutting fabric, a clever crafter could learn to adapt some of the patterns into other mediums - Mitered Squares and Log Cabins both have their backgrounds in quilting, I'm sure. So inspired was I with this book that I immediately cast on for some additional mitered squares to contribute to the very meager pile that I have already created...now if I could just stay focused I'll hopefully have a blanket to show you in the not terribly distant future!

Down the rabbit hole...

things, as you may have surmised by my absence, have been a little crazy - I'm taking a detour down the rabbit hole and popping out at:

Rhinebeck. Hooray! Sheep and Wool! I've only been to one other fiber festival before...and that resulted in the launch of Spritely Goods...I think it is fairly safe to say that I don't foresee any other huge endeavours coming out of this visit - though I did make mention to my husband of bringing home a sheep (too bad I have no place to put the poor thing). I have my camera. Hopefully I won't be so goggle-eyed at the goodies that I forget to take photos!

Forget the Pants...

...All I want is a plain ol button down, long sleeved shirt. You know - similar to the kind that seem to be ubiquitous for men - but cut for a woman, and preferably with a touch of stretch to the fabric. And wrinkle resistant. Is that so much to ask for? Apparently, it is - either that or I simply don't know where to look to find one locally* - honestly - I was more successful at shopping for pants, believe it or not! So...the next time I find myself in this predicament (having to shop for business attire) - any of you have tips? Or should I just make sure to give myself enough time to order online? I see LL Bean has a nice selection of oxfords and strech poplin shirts...

*Places I tried include, but are not limited to: Old Navy, Nordstrom (had some, limited selection - $75 ea!), Gap, JCrew, Macys, Dillards, Eddie Bauer (turns out they have a fantastic online selection, but had nothing to see in the store that I could find), Ann Taylor, and Banana Republic (had some, limited selection).

*sigh* keep those suggestions rolling in. Looks like next time I'll be resorting to ordering online!

All Spun Up.

...in more than one way! Seems I've taken an unforseen hiatus from blogging - I'm here - just all wound up from worldly goings on. Hopefully things (all around) will settle over the next month or so! So, instead of carrying on with boring things, how about some yarn?

mmm. Squooshy. That would be a wonderful closeup of this:

Fresh off the bobbin...it only took me about a month to get it off the bobbin...then another week before I actually stuck it in the sink to set the twist - speaking of which, I better go fish it out and give it a whack before hanging it to dry! I love how curly the yarn is when taken fresh off the bobbin, and how a simple soak and whack will transform it into happily behaved (for the most part) singles. That big pile o yarn is 5.3 ounces, and approximately 400 yards. It's made up of a blend of a bunch of fibers including wool, tencel, bamboo and maybe even a little bit of ingeo (I can't remember) - there's a little sparkly in there too, but not much. When I pulled the fibers together, I was thinking fallen leaves and a different take on autumnal colors.

Speaking of yarn, there is some new yarn in the shop - I had some new Mooi colors arrive, and a whole shipment of 1855 Handspun Merino - if you've never heard of 1855, I recommend checking it out - the yarn is lovely, each skein spun by hand and dyed using natural dyes!

Perfect Timing

Just as I'm getting ready to embark on another cabled sweater, this book arrived for perusing (pre-order now! It's officially released next Tuesday, October 7). I adore cables. Always have - there is something magical and wonderful about their squooshiness and meanderings.

This book starts out with a primer on cables and how to go about making them (instructions complete with clear illustrations, vocabulary, knitting symbols and charts). Because this book also specializes in knots and rings, there is a section about closed-ring cables (a technique I have not yet personally tried - but look forward to doing so!)

Projects in this book are broken up into four sections: Simple Starter Projects (a pillow and a hat), Accents for the Home (a rug, a throw pillow, some blankets and a placemat), Clothing for Women (sweaters/cardis and a skirt), and Gifts for Friends and Family (sweaters, baby blocks and a bag). Overall, there are a nice smattering of patterns, all featuring wonderful cables and knotwork. Each pattern includes a large photo of the finished project, along with several detail photos in addition to clear schematics and charts (along with a chart key so you don't have to flip between the pattern and the front matter of the book!). If you've never knit from a chart before, I think this book does a good job explaining (and illustrating) technique and walking you through the reading of charts.

Believe it or not, the above material only occupies the first 128 of this 191 page book! Starting page 129 is a glorious stitch dictionary - perfect for working into original designs. Broken into several parts (Panels, Closed-Ring Motifs and Horizontal Bands), accompanied by a clear photo and a chart, the stitch dictionary includes 87 glorious cable samples. I look forward to working some of these wonderful cables into my projects!

On Sweaters and Surprises

Well - the greatest plans can often be waylaid...no Steek practice here - I've decided to roll up my sleeves and call things done. Details and more photos over yonder at the finished items blog...call me fickle. I want to get moving on another sweater ;) Either something wonderfully cably and textured...or maybe a simple short sleeved pullover...or perhaps I should just get moving on Venezia again - poor thing is not much further than that lonely post way back in May of 08!

...then again, maybe I should cast on for yet another pair of socks - Anne surprised me today with a preview copy of her Winding Diamonds sock pattern (scroll down past the gorgeous produce to see the socks) - she designed and knit them from Spritely Goods Sylph in the Eaving colorway. I'm looking forward to seeing the pattern finalized, and will be bringing some over to stock in the shop - Thanks, Anne, for such a wonderful surprise :)

Sweaters in the making...

So...the Birthday Bog-along (named such because the Start and End Dates were participants' birthdates) is coming along fine - mine is actually in a state of completion, but I'm currently pondering the project....here it is pre seaming/kitchnering:

Doesn't look much like a sweater, does it? And yes, that is a vcr tape up there - I wish I could tell you it's for reference, but I'm old school and I do not have a DVR, so if I'm going to miss something on TV, I actually run the VCR!!

Anyhow - The sweater is actually in a "done" state - but due to the very very stretchy nature of garter stitch, I might be getting some steek practice in - I need to shorten the sleeves...by a lot. I'm not sure how much, I'm reblocking the sweater right now with the sleeves stretched out to make them a little thinner too - once it's dry, I'll put it on and figure it out.

I have to say, the Bog Jacket has a rather unique construction that does have its own quirks, but now that I've made one, it has my mind going on sweater construction....though I have to admit, my brain has already moved to the next sweater...I'm thinking this - out of some Alpaca-Merino-Silk...Course I could just chicken out and see if I can't find some marled natural colored yarn to knit it in....white is gorgeous, but it's also a magnet for stains!

If you're in the mood for a faster knit, there's a new Twinklebook out...

As always, the projects are all knit with fast knitting bulky weight yarn. Photos, as usual, are stunning - and are found all up front in the book with project descriptions and page references to the pattern material further back in the body of the book. The pattern pages feature a smaller image of the projects sans models inside - it's a real eye opener on the use of negative ease, comparing those photos to the ones in the front of the book with people modeling the garments! Also included with many of the patterns are clear schematics of the garment and tables outlining the shaping for the various sizes, row by row.

While I can't picture myself in many of the garments, there are several keepers in the book. I love the fair-isle inspired (Holyoke) sweater on the cover - along with several of the scarves and other cardigans (I really like the nantucket, sirocco and vineyard potter's cardigans) - and I've plenty of bulky weight yarn to knit them up in! I just need to find some other folks to knit for, since bulky weight wool garments would rarely see the light of day here in the desert...then again, that hasn't stopped me from knitting something before ;)

Autumn is here!

Happy first day of fall! While the days are still over a hundred degrees here, the evenings are finally starting to get cooler :) I can't wait! It looks like that Bog Jacket will be done just in time!

If it weren't for all the pinks in this yarn, it would really remind me of fallen leaves - it's a bunch of Spritely Goods batt remnants and other mixed wool, all blended together at the wheel - I'm looking forward to getting it off the bobbin and measured. It'll probably look totally different on the skein - Stay Tuned :)

Inspirational

I've been a long time fan of Kay and Ann's - so I was pretty happy to hear they had another book coming out. I was even happier when I found out that my friend Kiki provided some inspiration for a project in the book!


Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines follows nicely in the footsteps of Ann and Kay's blog and their first book. In addition to some pretty fantastic patterns they continue their dialogue and commentary in similar style as their blog.

The book is broken into several sections, each with a different focus. The first has to do with decorating oneself - from apparel to accessories, this section is sure to inspire your knitting on one way or another - I've already started eyeballing the inventory of Shibui Silk Cloud with thoughts of knitting up the lovely plaid wrap - or perhaps the light-as-air cardigan (Cardi Cozy).

With my current coat/jacket/cardi fascination (yes, I'm making quite the progress on the Bog Jacket - it just doesn't look like a whole lot other than miles of Garter Stitch...so hang tight, if all goes well, I might be seaming by the end of the weekend!), I find myself drawn to Metropole - a great swingy coat with lovely texture (yay linen stitch!)

Moving onward, the book progresses into another recent fascination - Fair Isle - and of course, Ann and Kay have a special take on it - if I don't manage to make faster progress on Venezia, I may well cast on for one of the wonderful Fair Isle projects in this book to get a taste for Steeking!

The next chapter touches on knits for kids - perfect for toddlers to tweens, there are some patterns that are a fresh take on kids knits - I especially like the Blu Jeans. The book is rounded out with chapters on "Occasional Knitting" and knits for the Kitchen (where we see the wonderful dishcloth stitch pattern from the first book remade into something new...and of course, mitered squares make an appearance also!)

If you're a fan of the Mason Dixon ladies, or you're looking for some fresh ideas for your knitting, I definitely recommend adding this book to your library. Stay tuned. Photos of fresh yarn on the bobbin are coming...and that bog jacket is making some serious progress (i finished that huge cake of yarn btw)

Now that's a Cake!

Thank goodness I have a jumbo ball winder ;) I've cast on and started my endless garter stitch - I forget how slowly garter stitch grows, but at least it's going smoothly :)

I'm not sure that that whole cake will be used, after all, I'm still thinking of adding a couple accent colors for the trim - we'll see as the knitting goes along...and I do have more yarn just in case the cake *isn't* enough!

I'm 4!

Today is my 4 yr bloggiversary :) I can't believe it. My blog is a preschooler.

And to make things even sweeter, the fall Knitty is up...and there's a nice review about Spritely Goods Handblended Batts inside! (scroll to the bottom - we were the 3rd fiber featured)


Speaking of Birthdays, I'm embarking on a Birthday Bog-along - along with Kiki and Illanna, and maybe a few others too. We had too much fun with the mitten along, so we're going nonstop garterstitch for an EZ Bog Jacket (check it on Ravelry!) The yarn is wound and we just cast on. I've gotten all of 4 rows in ;) I foresee some long nights knitting....and look! I even swatched :D

Feverish.

Seriously. Knitting progress - and a fat bobbin to be reported on soon :) just as soon as I get my brain to function properly again after being struck by the first flu of the season!

Turning Right Round...

Look! Knitting Content! I turned the heel on these wonderful socks, designed by Blogless Erika. I love the way the little scales are incorporated right into the gusset. Unfortunately, it looks like I might need to rip back to the heel turn and work out some pattern modifications for myself - I appear to always have this issue (baggy ankle syndrome) with socks with lovely non-ribbed patterning around the ankle. Apparently it has something to do with the shapeliness of my leg - or that's what I'm sticking to ;) I have flat, somewhat wide feet, quite large calves (as was evidenced in with my Kilt Hose) and dainty ankles :P I had hoped that the scale pattern would help draw the sock in more, but it didn't do it enough, and as soon as I got into the lace pattern, I realized that pattern modifications were going to be required.

Ah well. I guess these are in a temporary time out while I try to figure out a solution. Anyone have any suggestions?

Happy Labor Day!

To those in the United States, I hope you all are having a fantastic Labor Day weekend - it actually feels like fall is on the way, even here in the desert :) I'm celebrating by relaxing, cleaning (stay tuned, I'll probably be posting a mess of books to destash at some point - I'm running out of bookshelves!), and swatching for a new sweater...

...and also by following my routine. It's the beginning of the month, you know what that means, don't you?

Spritely Goods is updated :) Not only have a got a bunch of my own yarns updated, I've also become a ShibuiKnits stockist. If you haven't tried it, and you're a lace knitter, I highly recommend the Silk Cloud - it's an absolutely gorgeous yarn. If you're looking for a single skein pattern to give it a try, I recommend the Swirl Scarf.

S-s-s-s A-a-a-a F-f-f-f E-e-e-e T-t-t-t Y-y-y-y

Safe, dance!

...oh excuse me ;)
We interrupt this blog (and a flashback to the 80's - that was the Safety Dance if you didn't catch the reference ;) ) for a semi-important safety announcement - now that I have started carrying hand dye kits I decided I should remind folks that PPE (personal protective equipment) is one of those necessary, but perhaps forgotten items.

When dyeing, I make sure I wear gloves while handling the yarns - though I still manage to get the occasional blue, purple or green finger now and again when I'm not careful handling the large containers of mixed dye. (I don't dare pick up or handle the containers with wet gloves as it may result in dye all over the floor in case I drop one - I've had a couple close calls before).

The other major piece of PPE I've invested in is a respirator - I had a heck of a time finding one that fit (and fit is very very important - after all, if the mask leaks, it means you're breathing in whatever it is you're trying to save your lungs from!). Until this time, I've been wearing a fairly standard issue particulate mask, available from your local hardware store. I wear my respirator whenever I'm mixing fresh dye stock to save my already asthmatic lungs from further irritation and contaminants from flying dye particles. During the summer months, I typically measure and mix my dyestocks indoors - during the cooler months, I take the opration outside, that way I don't feel as obliged to cover the entire surrounding area with damp cloths to capture any stray dye particulates.

Gloves and dust mask...and an apron if you haven't a mess of clothes you can dedicate to doing dyework.

I'm knitting. Really. I'll show you...uh....in a few days when the projects will hopefully look like I've made some progress!

Shibori Knits

Shibori is not easily translated into English from Japanese, but it typically is used to describe methods of dyeing where the fabric is shaped and secured prior to dyeing in order to achieve particular results or designs.

Shibori Knitting plays upon that idea by incorporating different techniques to obtain various textural effects via felting.


Shibori Knits: The Art of Exquisite Felted Knits includes 20 richly photographed patterns that make use of various techniques in their creation. The first section, Surrender to Shibori, primarily makes use of hard "resists" like marbles, corks, golf balls, and cabochons to create bubble-like textures in the felted fabric. The second section, Shibori Creativity, makes use of fiber/yarn combinations of felting and non-felting varieties in an interplay of colorwork to create windows or sections of differing texture (a fine example is the hat on the cover of the book). The third section, Subtle Shibori, continues the play with felting and nonfelting fibers, to create ruffle and spiral textures in the finished project.

It is worth noting that the author of the book is the co-founder of Alchemy Yarns, and all the patterns in the book call for the use of yarns from her company - some brief discussion on yarn substitution is provided in the front matter of the book, though no specific other brands are mentioned. Shibori Knits is a lovely book for those looking for some specific guidance or patterns on venturing into the world of felting or "shibori knitting." It was nice to see some of my own "oops" discoveries tamed and controlled into various projects.

Repurposing your Wool

Ever wonder just what do do with a woolen garment that you perhaps have grown out of (or perhaps it met an untimely demise in an encounter with the washing machine)? Or perhaps you don't care to knit something only to turn around and felt it down, and would rather opt for thrift store finds to run your felting experiments on?


If so, this book may well be for you - Sweater Renewal: Felting Knits into New Sweaters and Accessories. After a very brief primer on fibers and felting, this book jumps quickly into its 25 projects. The projects are broken down into 4 chapters - from quick and simple beginners projects (small ornaments/accessories/cases), to intermediate projects (hats, scarves, purses and a softie), to advanced projects (sweaters, cardis and a skirt), finishing with three projects that you knit and felt back down to size.

The projects in the book incorporate a variety of skills including felting, sewing, applique, crochet and even knitting. Many of the projects do include quite a bit of embellishment, all of which could be customized or omitted as you wish. I personally found the most inspiration in the advanced section, where felted sweaters are either cut and reshaped into other sweaters or cardigans, or even a skirt. I'll definitely be keeping some of these projects in mind the next time I find myself thrifting...or if I happen to have a mishap with any of my own wool sweaters!

Interested in also becoming an advance reader and receiving review copies of books? Looks like Random House might be looking for more bloggers to add to their ranks - you can read about it and contact them here to express your interest!

Wet Blanket

...well not for long, what with the dry air of the desert!

cats, as usual, included for scale - Finished in less than a month...actually it appears (according to Ravelry) that I may have finished in about a half a month! As you can see, the blanket is rather non-aggressively blocked - I figure as a blanket, it will just wind up relaxing back down rather quickly, so I didn't bother getting out all the pins to pin it out like a trampoline - though I'll bet that if I did, I'd gain another foot or more of diameter...in case you're wondering, that blanket is already just over 6 feet across - my cat is very very long. As always, you can find more details on the finished objects blog :)

oh, and congratulations to Eva for being selected by the random number generator - the book is on the way :)

Playing Catch Up

My apologies for the disappearing act - I've been off on one of my annual pilgrimages, and manged to get myself stuck overnight in Denver. With many thanks to the wonderful customer service agents (and definitely NOT to the gate agents) I managed to get on the earliest flight possible the following day (on a different airline) to make my destination and my morning appointments.

Where was I at? Why Outdoor Gear Mecca - the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, Utah. Rare is it that I can talk technical aspects of fabric, yarn, yarn construction and fiber, without peoples eyeballs glazing over. Interestingly enough, in the industry, by far, most of the folks I was having these wonderful conversations with were men...and I got the impression that they were surprised to find someone who could talk micron count, staple length and fiber blends with.

Before coming back home, I managed to get scheduled into a media tour of some Salt Lake City resorts - perfect for me to see them during the summer rather than in the winter since I haven't skied in years (something about high speeds and ground proximity don't go so well with me).

Here's the view from my room at the Alta Lodge...

Lovely, isn't it? There were deer bounding around on the slopes late in the afternoon - apparently there are also moose and antelope around also. We were also treated to a tram ride over at Snowbird, where the view from the top of the mountain was quite nice (and hey, it sure beat hiking all the way up there ;) )


The next day, I did get a chance to get out and do a hike, up over a pass (I forget the name) right over Twin Lakes and down into Solitude. You may be wondering why I have no photos of wildflowers or the twin lakes (which had overflowed their banks and appeared to be one large lake when I was there) - well, it was mostly because between the altitude and elevation gain, I was much more interested in getting up and over the pass than taking photos :P (and I figure I was kind of already holding up the group quite a bit with my slow pace). If ever you have a chance to visit - or are looking for things to do outside of Salt Lake during the summer, a visit up Little or Big Cottonwood canyons to these resorts would be fun....heck, if you're there in the winter, they have great skiing if you are so inclined!

To my surprise, Alta even hosts a knitters retreat! I suspect the aspens will be changing at that time, and the weather will be cool enough for wool (heck, I was wishing I had a wool sweater in the evening!) - you could spend the day hiking and the evenings knitting - or you could spend the whole day with your wool if so inclined - the area is beautiful, while I was there, I could have spent all day lounging on the deck with my knitting, with the hummingbirds as entertainment.

Stay tuned, I'll have Hemlock Ring progress to post soon :) and tomorrow closes the door on the Taste of Sweet pass it forward book "contest" - enter now if you're interested!

A diversion...

...from fine gauge knitting.

I've had this blanket in my queue for a long long time (let's not speak of the other poor blanket that has been mostly abandoned since last October with only 4 measly miters to its name...maybe I should put that back on the needles, or maybe even make it my travel knitting)



Anyhow, behold the beginning of my Hemlock Ring - I had a big bag of berrocco Foliage at my disposal, and I couldn't think of anything better to put this yarn towards (bulky, somewhat thick and thin)...after all, I certainly don't need a bulky weight sweater down here in the land of 100+ degree days!

there's always room for dessert.

If you seem to always have room for dessert as I do, or wonder what the fascination is with sweets, you may enjoy this book: The Taste of Sweet: Our Complicated Love Affair with Our Favorite Treats. A fun, relatively quick read (unless you keep getting distracted by bringing your knitting to bed like I did), it provides a glimpse into the science and history of Sweet.

Incidentally, now that I'm finished reading my copy, I'll happily offer it up those of you who are interested (US only please, I'll post it off via media mail) - if there are more than one of you, I'll trot out the old random number generator. You have until the end of next week (August 18) to express your interest :)

Colorwork Revisited

Once I finished off the Mittens, I decided I was still bitten by colorwork and cast on for this wee project. I still had yarn, and plenty of graph paper....more info here, as usual :)

Wiped Out!

Ever feel like this?

I don't know where all the time is flying to, all I know is I don't seem to have enough of it (it's times like these that I wish I had a time turner...or a clone of myself)! August is here already...and you know what that means? The shop is freshly restocked...the last two weekends saw me covered head to toe in fiber - which means that big pile of wool that was due to be fed to the Beast has all been processed :) There is, of course, a bit more blending to be done now that the fresh box of merino came in...but August will be dedicated dyework - both yarn and fiber, if I can manage it.

Of course, there's quite a bit more in the shop other than freshly blended batts...Orders from my jaunt to TNNA have been coming in and getting added to the shop. I'm now a Louet Stockist (no, I've not yet acquired more wheels - though I *am* tempted, especially by the little Victoria - especially seeing as how my Minstrel doesn't like to go for rides in my car), and I also stock Buffalo Gold and Rio de La Plata yarns too...and don't forget the Malabrigo - I added some new colorways in the various Malabrigo yarns. Here's a peek: