Adventures in Fair Isle

Wool takes a long time to dry in the winter time...in the time it took for this hat to dry, I actually knit another ;)

As always, all the gory details (and there is a bit of discussion on this one) over here.

The long and short of it is:
1) Fair Isle work is pretty
2) I apparently have issues with bell shaped hats
3) The proscribed decreases do not fit my head (or I have issues with float tensions)
4) I am now trying to decide if the not so properly fitted hat is suitable as a gift, or if I have needs to go pattern hunting again.
5) I apparently still have plenty of yarn to keep on attempting this :D Lets just say that my stash is rather healthy. Perhaps a little too much so.

Go read. And leave me advice :)

Classic and Glamorous

Since the lighting was no good this weekend and my Fair Isle hat was still damp, I offer you these books in entertainment until I get my photos taken care of.


Another pair of books featuring classic knits and glamour knits - this time for your home instead of for yourself.

Like the first pair of books, these are beautifully photographed hardcover books - with a binding that lays flat quite nicely, stunning glossy photos of the projects up front followed by the pattern pages on matte paper accompanied by monochromatic photos. Each of the lovely photographs is clearly labeled with the page on which to find the appropriate pattern - this makes navigating the book simple, no flipping back and forth between the project photos and the table of contents.

Between the two books are 30 lovely patterns to add something special to your home - with projects ranging from small quick knits (wash mitt, key fob and scented sachets) to medium sized projects such as a lampshade, plant pot cover, and any number of cushions. Of course there are also the larger projects including several beautiful throws.

Both books clearly identify the materials required for each project, along with size and gauge, though no information is readily apparent regarding the difficulty level of any given project. Given that I'm a fearless knitter, I tend not to be overly concerned with some things. Both books feature projects that incorporate knitting along with woven fabrics, allowing the knitting to be used as a special accent showcased on the final product - it also makes for faster projects since not all the components need to be knit!

I've already earmarked several projects out of each book to try, and I'm looking forward to casting on!

New Colors...

...and some other goodies are now at the shop :)

To felt or not to felt.

That is the question.
Sorry, no photos :( I bound off last night well after midnight, tried on the hat and decided I had to go to bed.

I recently finished a fair isle hat but it's a touch loose - I should have probably knit the ribbing on smaller needles...anyhow, I knit it out of feltable yarns, but 2 different types. The gauge looks pretty even, though I might have pulled some of the floats a bit tight at the top of the hat - and the very top of the hat may be suffering the lack of floats as it switches over to single color for the last little bit - regardless, the hat could stand a blocking before I take some photos. But the dilemma remains, do I just soak and block, or should I attempt to rectify the sizing issue with some felting...The hat is definitely a touch too deep, and a little bit big at the circumference, so I think it's a pretty good candidate for felting...though I'm not relishing trying on a wet hat for fit ;)

Suggestions? I promise, I'll have photos soon.

Don't forget, Project Spectrum 3.0 starts tomorrow!

Just in time for Spring!

If you're like me and seem to have a collection of lovely fabric scarves, but have no idea what to do with them, this book may prove wonderfully helpful! It's not available yet (due to release March 4, 2008), though you can Preorder from Amazon (incidentally, not a bad deal, apparently they take another 5% off if you preorder). If it's not due out til March, I'm sure you're wondering what I'm doing with one - I was lucky enough to receive a review copy!

I have several scarves I've acquired over time - either because I couldn't resist them, or because I had dyed them myself - I've used them for wrapping gifts and sending them to others, I've worn them as belts as they were intended - as scarves around the neck - but that's about it. This book, with its wonderful lay flat spiral binding, has a bunch of different ideas on how to make use of scarves of various shapes and sizes as accents or accessories, tops, skirts or even dresses. Instructions are straight forward and simple, and each project is nicely laid out over a pair of facing pages with the page on the left showing a clear image of the project (neat effect of the actual project "modeled" on a black & white line drawing), the name of the project, and the list of supplies needed. The right page has simple line drawings and instructions and a estimated time for completion of the project. Flipping through the book, I was able to find several ideas that I will likely try out with my own stash of scarves - including the Colette lounge pants, the Noemi satchel, the Caramia racer back top and the Farrah daytime bag. I've also found some new ways to wear the scarves wrapped around my head - always a bonus for those bad hair days :)

the Wheel goes round and round

After a very long hiatus, I finally had some time to sit down with my spinning wheel...

I find it amazing how different lighting brings out different colors in yarn - this is actually the same skein - the top photo was under incandescent lights and I was unable to get a satisfactory white balance off of it...but I liked the colors it showed, so I decided to keep it for future inspiration :D

The yarn is called Tumbling Tides and it can be yours....it's over in the shop. Incidentally, there are some other things in the shop too - the Unscented SOAK finally arrived in both small and large bottles, and I also just got a restock of Persephone Socks Patterns along with some more Oceanwind Knits Yarns. Incidentally, I'm working on getting the new limited editions photographed, so those will be hitting the shop soon too :)

Field Trip!

Sorry for the lapse in the blogging last week - I was traveling for work...and confusing my coworkers by requesting some paper clips (I had to move some stitches around on the Firestarter socks and I'm magic looping the pair and had no stitch holders or anything that could double for stitch holders on hand) Fear not, the socks are progressing much better than Bayerische!

Anyhow, while away, I managed to get a Fibery Field Trip in...


to visit Sheri and the Elves at the Loopy Ewe!

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me so I didn't get a photo of the big Loopy Sign out front, but Sheri had her camera, so I'm using her photo :) That would be me, with what remains of the Spritely Goods yarn in my arms - I think it was something like 6 skeins or so.

In case you're wondering, yes, visiting the Loopy Ewe is like fiber overload! I couldn't decide what to bring home. Course, all the Wollmeise was long gone, so I settled for some Fiesta Boomerang instead - and some lace weight yarns...and some needles. Because a girl can't have too many Addi's ;) - I actually needed to go down a size on the Firestarters and I didn't want to have to wait until I was back home to do so - so I've now got another pair of US1s :) which means I can now queue more socks because as long as I have the needles...I can cast on for more projects ;)

There be no cankles here!

Cast on right after I finished my CPH, I was wanting some coordinating socks. How convenient that this pattern for kilt hose appeared :D

Imagine my slight horror to realize that my measurements matched those of the recipient of the Kilt Hose in the actual pattern - Actually, my measurements are just a hair larger at the top of the calf and a touch trimmer at the ankle - I attribute my legginess to all the hiking I've done - and the genes of course :) No lithe slim legs here.

Ah well, I figure play em up and celebrate, I love the "seam" down the back of these socks!

Commentary etc, as always, is over at the Finished Objects Blog.

Trounced.

RIP Bayerische
Cast On: October 2007
Frogged: January 2008

I had such high hopes for these socks - the mind is nimble and willing, the yarn is fantastic, the body - or rather the hands and forearms - simply isn't up for the challenge - knitting even one row of twisted cabled loveliness was causing problems. Rather than let these socks linger on and perhaps never be finished, I've frogged them - this yarn will become a pair of Firestarters instead - I think the colorway is wonderfully suited :D Not only that, but they will be perfect for Project Spectrum 2008 - this year the focus will be broken into elements, with the first grouping for February and March being focused on FIRE!

A Little Look

Into my world. :)


Well, you just saw a corner of one of the rooms that I keep finished batts in...

And you've seen what the foyer can look like when I get a shipment of yarn in...

In the past, I've given you a glimpse of my Solar Dyeing experiments, and my blending workspace when it isn't being used for order fulfillment.

Most of my dyestocks are kept stacked up in an upstairs bathroom that I reserve for rinsing yarn (and drying in inclement weather). I tend to mix dye stocks outdoors, wearing a mask though I'm now in the market for a respirator because I find the mask uncomfortable and am often tempted to not use it. I admit to doing all my dye application indoors, though like any good dyer, I segregate all my pots and utensils for dyework from any sort of food/eating application.

In order to set the dye, I have toyed with microwave setting, as well as the previously mentioned solar experiments. While I do kettle dye my semi-solid colorways, I tend to steam set most of my yarns and fibers. You can see the 2 pots I keep for these occasions below, though I'm looking to expand and am shopping for steamer racks now while trying to decide if I can set steamer racks on top of my existing big dye pot...


Over the holidays, I took advantage of the additional time to experiment with natural dyes - you can see some of the results collaged in that photo. While natural dyes produce gorgeous earthy colors (I'm particularly fond of the Madder and Cochineal), I don't think they will become a regular part of my shop, though I may offer some of these up as limited editions. One thing that absolutely amazed me was the change in color of the madder root from a flash-flood muddy brown color to that stunning red - and the by looking at the cochineal extract (boiling bugs, by the way, do not smell very appetizing), I wouldn't have expected the vibrant fuschia hue - I would have expected more of a reddish color.

Incidentally, I also took some time to dye up a bunch of yarn and fiber just before the New Year (a pile of limited editions due to hit the shop for February!) Turns out I underestimated how much space the roving would take on the drying racks (and the experimental natural dyed yarn was taking forever to dry) that I ran out of drying space - I do all my initial drying outdoors as I was getting tired of the scent of vinegary wet sheep invading the house - LOL. Anyhow, I took the rest of the yarn and fiber in and set it in a box to await final rinse - turns out the cat approved of the warm steam-heated perch:


Incidentally, if you haven't cruised over already, the fiber (blended and/or dyed) was updated into the shop :)

Batt Girl Rides again...

Stephanie + Fiber + Time =

Over the holidays I took the time to do a wee bit of blending :) Incidentally, the shop has been updated :D

I'm still working on the post about my workspace and some recent dyeing adventures - sorry for the delay....

Instead, I offer you this:

to keep you entertained.

Free Rice donated as you test your vocabulary skills! Terribly addictive - at least I thought so, but I'm kind of a nerd that way :D

Give it a try, send it to your friends - heck, if you have children of school-age, you can even get them to play ;) what better way to get them to work on their vocabulary than by a "game" that benefits others?

Have you the urge...

To dabble at dyeing? If so, the following book may be a worthwhile addition to your library if you haven't gotten it already!



As a handdyer myself, I am always curious about new techniques and especially at glimpses into other dyers' studios. The Yarn Lover's Guide to Hand Dyeing: Beautiful Color and Simple Knits is a lovely book that satisfies both curiosities. Starting with a brief overview including safety tips and workspace preparation, the book delves into different types of dyes (from kool-aid and food coloring to one-shot dyes, fiber reactive dyes and various acid dyes) and application techniques. Each chapter includes several simple patterns making use of the yarn that has been dyed using instructions from that chapter. The dye instructions were very thorough, complete with clear written instructions and photographs. The patterns are primarily small projects (hats, mitts, scarves/wraps) that that vary in complexity, though each does a nice job showcasing the dye technique being featured. Each chapter also includes an interview with a dyer - and even better, a little glimpse into their workspaces. These interludes were a real treat :D stay tuned, and I'll give you a wee peek into my own recent adventures!

You can call me Miss January...

If you happen to have the Stitch 'N Bitch 2008 Page-A-Day Calendar, you might have noticed that Spritely Goods was featured as the very first fave fiber for the year! How awesome is that? I was honored to be included in the calendar - and hope to have even more handspuns for the shop this year.

A quick flash back

One last finished object in 2007 - I did finally finish the Urban Homesteader hat. the summary and details are over here. I knit on it for a day, and was seaming buttons and doing the finished edging that evening. I've already worn it - in the house no less. Apparently once I get cold, I have a really hard time getting warm again, even if the heat is on. No amount of warm fluids was doing the trick, and I didn't want to waste electricity bringing the temps inside the house into the "tropical" range....so on went the hat :D

And since we're light on the content, how about something good to eat? Sorry, no photos - I always seem to forget to take photos when I'm taking dinner...

I had Zucchini Carbonara for dinner last night - very tasty - and easy to make too! Recipe essentially from Mark Bittman's The Minimalist Cooks at Home. Basically, boil up some pasta...while the pot for the pasta is getting going, slice up several zucchinis about 1/4 inch thick, saute them in olive oil and season to taste (I also added some minced garlic, and seasoned simply with salt and pepper). Mix 2 eggs + 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. When the pasta is done, quickly drain it (don't rinse!) and add it to the zucchini - quickly pour on the egg & cheese mixture and toss - the heat from the pasta should do the cooking, though if it isn't hot enough, you can do this in your pot over low heat, be careful to not let the pot get too hot or you're going to have scrambled eggs and pasta. Adjust your seasonings, serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more freshly grated cheese :) and a salad. And garlic bread. Yum.

Looking Backwards and Forwards

Happy New Year, everyone!

2007 was definitely a mixed bag - and I'm happy for the "fresh" start that a new calendar year brings. Focusing on all that is good (which is still plenty) - lets have a look at where I went last year and where I'm hoping to go this year!

The new year was kicked off properly with a visit with the Luscious Gracious Clan and other suspects for some serious knitting to bring in 2008 properly :)

After a slow start last year, there was a flurry of finishing objects -
There was some spinning, a his and her pair of socks, 5 lovely bits of lace, his and hers sweaters, a whole whack of dyeing and a book.

Speaking of dyeing and the shop, business continued to grow and I got picked up by the Loopy Ewe this year. This allowed me to gift generously to my designated charities (Heifer International, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer) over the holidays - if you care to join me this year, I've created a registry at Heifer International. I'm hoping the business will continue to grow (I'm now accepting a few wholesale accounts, so tell your LYS ;) ) so I can be even more generous next holiday season.

My other major focus for this next year is for more balance in my life. It's always a struggle, and something that always requires focus and attention. I'll be striving to be more balanced in everything - from work/rest/play to diet and exercise, I'm hoping to better balance the varied aspects of my life. I'm still training, and have at least one "race" on the books for this year, though I might go ahead and sign up for another, depending on how I'm feeling after the one I'm already scheduled for goes.

Wishing you all the very best for this New Year. May it be full of joy, wonder and accomplishments!

A Christmas Cardi

Finished, just before Christmas :)
I've just been otherwise occupied - and am running behind on my blog posts. What a way to welcome in the New Year, eh? ;) I'm sure I'll figure something out to get everything all caught up LOL

Either stay and look at the lovely collage, or cruise over here for all the gory details - be forewarned, it's a looooong post!

Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2008!

A Happy Holiday

I hope you all had a fantastic and festive holiday week/weekend - in addition to fantastic food and relaxation with the kitties, I got plenty of knitting done. My little teeny tree has a new topper - it's a sheep - isn't it cute? It wasn't intended as a topper, though my tree really is teeny - as in it only stands about 2 feet tall, so it simply wouldn't do as an ornament - a little bit of finagling and it perches quite happily right on top. I love it.

Excitement (other than the knitting) over the weekend included spotting some llamas (incidentally, if I had a proper yard and someplace to take them during the summer, I could have had a llama for christmas ;) ) and also spotting a small owl - unfortunately, I didn't have a camera with me, so no llama photos or owl photos are available.

Stay tuned, knitting & fiber content coming soon :D

Fickle.

So originally I was going to go and cast on for a Urban Homesteader Hat (check the bottom of the post for the link)...

And then the new Knitty came out...and I decided I needed a pair of Kilt Hose.

And then a cold snap came through and I became absolutely fascinated with knit coats. Luckily for me, my hands (right now anyway) wouldn't stand the tight gauge required to knit one of those coats - nor do I have the required 30+ balls of yarn ;)

Of course...it seems I was weak because I got an email about this pattern:


and I decided I *had* to have it. I don't think I have ever been so fixated with a pattern before. I saw it, and I decided I had to knit it. Needless to say, the pattern was purchased, the yarn was secured, a wimpy swatch was knit...and I've Cast on**. I'll figure out any fitting issues as I carry on ;)

**Perhaps "I've cast on" is a little bit of an understatement...since I got the pattern (on December 11th I think), I have knit the body and the hood, then ripped back portions of the hood, then grafted the hood - only to decide that it was much much too large, to pick back out the grafting and rip the hood back about 5 inches to reknit it...this is what I get for tampering with a pattern (I've changed the hood design) - and I've become incredibly (and scarily) proficient at dropping cabled stitches back to pick them up and reknit them...I'm now on Sleeve Island with hopes of a brand new sweater for Christmas. Think I'll make it?

Here and Gone...

My favorite cookies arrived for the holiday season...and they are already gone. Apparently this same time last year, I discovered the cookies were gone gone until next year. This year, I asked after them at my local Trader Joe's and they pulled the very last box in the shop from under their Christmas Tree for me. It was my lucky day :)

The secret is out

Secret of the Stole - CoffeePot Rock Fey
Originally uploaded by WoodlandSprite

While we were getting some much needed rain and doing battle in the house to determine who would wimp out first and turn on the heat, I was diligently working on finishing off the Secret of the Stole (whose name, by the way, is actually Guinevere). It got to a point where I would wrap the finished portion of the stole around me while knitting away on the end. Turns out I'm not so good at estimating yardage requirements when I switch yarn around, as I wound up running out and having to rummage in the shop for more yarn.

Details and more info can be found over here.

Bundt Cake?

I don't know what it is, but on occasion, when I knit from a yarn cake, it starts turning into a bundt cake or gumdrop shape!

This would be a CoffeePot Rock Bundt Cake - along with some beads that I used in the Secret of the Stole (whose name, by the way, is Guinevere). It seems I managed to get a FO this month after all ;) and before the week of "rest" from regular work that I've scheduled at the end of the month!

The stole appears to be a bit monstrous, even though I only knit a little bit of the middle clue (the designated location to add or subtract length). In its unblocked state, the stole is approximately 8 feet long...and it took about 10 ounces of fingering weight yarn knit on size 6 needles. I did have to break into another skein of yarn, and while the colorway is the same, the 2 ounces at the end are definitely more saturated - I did ease the transition, so the changeover isn't too abrupt to the eye. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to block this baby out with blocking wires or if I'm just going to lay it out wet - I'm leaning towards the latter - I'm lazy when it comes to rectangles, especially if I'm fairly certain that it can be coaxed easily into shape while damp. Stay tuned :) FO post coming up shortly!

Happy Holidays!

Whatever holidays you celebrate, be they Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Festivus, or Winter Solstice, I thank you for stopping by, visiting, and sharing in my adventures, mundane as they sometimes are :)

I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season filled with joy and love.

This year's holiday photo hails from the depths of the Par

Attention: Holiday Shoppers:

...in case you haven't already made a wishlist for your fiber friends, or your loved ones to help you enhance your stash, you might find the Lime n Violet Holiday Gift Guide useful - heck, I'd find it useful year round!

I'm extra pleased that Spritely Goods is included in the gift guide again this yr :D Remember - all your purchases help benefit Heifer International, the Komen Foundation and Best Friends Animal Society!

Everyday Crochet

While I'm not a big fashion shopper, I have noticed that crochet-wear is making more of an appearance again - and like a true do-it-yourselfer, I'd rather have a look into the construction of garments myself and try to make a custom piece these days instead of buying off the rack.

As a self-taught hooker, I know that crochet makes for much speedier work for some styles and designs, though I've never really found or seen anything out there that has urged me to try to make something other than amigurumi softies or small accessories. I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Everyday Crochet: Wearable Designs Just for You to see if this would jolt my creativity loose. Everyday Crochet features classic design and is loaded with photos. The patterns included have a wide variety of size variations and also provide additional information on customizing fit. The patterns feature variations of shell stitches to make a fabric with flow - and the patterns are clustered together to show how a basic pattern can be built upon and changed to result in a differernt garment. While I still prefer the look of knitting for most sweaters and tops, this book does have a couple patterns I'm eager to try including Galena, a lacy short sleeve pullover, perfect for layering...and Outta Sight - a short sleeve, slim fitting mod coat. I'm thinking it might be more suitable than the knit City Coat I was pondering yesterday :D In case you're looking for a bit more info on this book, I recommend reading the excerpt here. It's basically the intro, but it does a fantastic job letting you know what you're in for with this book.

Brrr, it's cold!

Mod Coat
Originally uploaded by domiKNITrix

I know...I'll knit a coat!

Just kidding - but it does seem that every time it gets cool, I start dreaming of being swathed in handknits.

When I first got Domiknitrix: Whip Your Knitting into Shape, one of the projects that really popped out were the City Coat, and the Mod Coat (mod coat featured in photo). I found myself dreaming of this coat this weekend as the weather was cold and blustery (well, as cold and blustery as it can be in the desert ;) ) I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but I haven't the yarn on hand to cast on for this coat...luckily I have thus far been saved from my own craziness and folly as I just plain ran out of time to even attempt a raid on the LYS this past weekend. My hands may be thanking me - it's bulky weight yarn knit on US8 needles I think - the small needles would result in a wonderfully firm fabric, though I suspect my hands would attempt to revolt at the prospect of all that garter stitch in such a tight gauge! Perhaps one to queue for knitting "some day"?

Kilt Hose, anyone?

Well, I've not had a spare moment to cast on for any new projects yet...so the urban homesteader hat is still in yarnball form (yarn still TBD - I'm thinking Karaoke held double stranded perhaps).

Course the new Knitty just came out, and what do my wondering eyes appear?


Lovely Kilt Hose. In case you're wondering, they aren't for my dear husband - I don't think any amount of cajoling would get him into a kilt. I, on the other hand, do have a kilt - not a traditional one - but a Utilikilt - I love it. And it goes great with my a** kickin boots:


Unfortunately, the above boots seem to like chewing on my leg a wee bit - and I've been thinking about getting my hands on some tall socks to wear with em. At first I was thinking I might knit myself a pair of these:


German Stockings by Cookie A. While these stockings are great, the boots are going to hide a good portion of them, and might muck em up a bit where the tops of the boots are - so perhaps I'm better off with the Kilt Hose - they look simple and straightforward - and even better? They are knit from worsted weight yarn. Can you say speedy stockings?

Ran with Grace

After two days of nonstop (though much needed) rain down here in the desert, the clouds rolled out, the winds calmed and the sun returned - just in time for the Iron Girl race around Tempe Towne Lake. Originally, I had planned on running the 10 mi, however injuries earlier this year that kept me benched, general life craziness and my lack of consistent training convinced me to scale back down to the 5k instead. We'll see if the photo company got any good shots once they upload them.

Results: 460/1076 overall, 71/141 for my age division. It's fair to say I couldn't possibly be more middle in the middle of the pack ;)

Chip Time: 39:54 with a pace of 12:51 - about what I would expect, especially considering the inconsistent training on my part.

Observations from this race: My shoes are no longer pristine from limited running on dry pavement and mostly treadmill miles - I splashed through a muddy puddle within the first quarter mile of the race...this race, while fun, has a lot of new racers - resulting in lots of dodging of slower folk, walkers, and individuals going from run to walk without moving to the side. Getting drinks from aid stations was an experience too. There is no shame in wogging - It probably saved me from damaging myself or keeling over from over exertion - and I was able to kick things into a sprint in the home stretch. Oddly enough, I find myself sore and stiff all over today, even my abs hurt - as if I did lots and lots of crunches, which I most certainly did not...this didn't happen last year, and it's never happened on training runs. Hopefully the kinks will work themselves out as the day progresses.

As for knitting, I'm thinking I need a new hat. I'm looking at the Urban Homesteader hat from Neither Hip nor Funky - I wear my hair in pigtails or pony tails and this hat has little flaps that can be opened to accommodate any or none :) I have a partial skein of aeval, but I'm not sure if I have quite enough yardage...so I'm searching the stash to make a final decision on yarn. This should be one quick knit, so hopefully I'll have at least one more FO before the year is out!

All you wanted to know about yarn...

might be found in this book:


The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn I'm lucky enough to have received a review copy of the book, and it's proven to be wonderful reading - and fantastic for reference as well :) The book is broken into four sections - Fiber Foundations, Making Yarn, Ply me a River and Putting it all Together.

The first section provides information about protein fibers, cellulose fibers, cellulosic fibers and synthetic fibers - it talks about the origins of these different fiber types, some of their characteristics, lovely drawings (where appropriate) of the originating animal or plant and plenty of photos.

The second section explains the process that goes into making yarns with brief information on fiber prep and different dye methods.

The third section is where the fun begins :) it talks briefly about singles to 4-ply yarns - and after the intro to that particular ply-type, are some lovely patterns with nice engaging photos. Also included in this section are info and patterns for cabled yarns, textured yarns, boucle yarns, brushed yarns (kidsilk haze, anyone?), and chenille. At the very end, there is some talk about felting along with a pair of projects to send you on your way.

The very last section is a nice summary and reference section complete with tips on how to remove odors from your yarn - because if you're like me, you don't like it when your wool doesn't smell wooly ;)

Slow and Steady wins the race...

Well, okay - maybe it doesn't win the *race* but it still allows for a respectable finish, right? :)

Toppled off track by tendinitis (it's better thanks, and now my office looks wierd as the desk height has been changed and I keep a small herd of mice to allow for left and right hand mousing along with my already owned strange looking "ergo friendly" mice)... I have fallen behind on the Secret of the Stole. Some nice relaxing time was spent "catching up" over thanksgiving...though I went and ran out of yarn - I've added another ball on, alternating with what I had remaining of the original ball to try to blend the join more.

As for guessing the name of the stole, I'm definitely clueless - I had several guesses for each of the hints, and I'm still trying to make sense of it! Ah well, I'm enjoying seeing the other finished stoles though :)

Sadly, I've made next to no progress on the other projects on the needles - though once this one is finished and blocking, I'll probably dive back into the Secret of Chrysopolis and Frolic - or even the Mitered Squares...though the miters may have to wait until after I untangle the yarn - one of the cats who never before has shown interest in my knitting bags, upset the one with the miter yarn in it and proceeded to have himself a grand wrestling session. Apparently he's gotten it all out of his system now because he hasn't made eyes at any of my knitting since!

Dayflowers and Leaves - now available!

Closeup of Dayflowers and Leaves
Originally uploaded by WoodlandSprite

Happy Thanksgiving!
My thanks to those who encouraged me to try to actually try my hand at design and typing up this pattern.

I'm happy to report that after a fair bit of work, I think I have it all down nicely and properly and I the pattern is Now available at Spritely Goods

Other than Amigugumi, this is my first official Original Pattern :) and I hope people who decide to knit it enjoy it as much as I did.

Thanksgiving weekend went by with such a blur, though it was a welcome break for me, allowing me to knit happily on my Secret of the Stole (I'm running out of yarn and hope the next skein of CoffeePot Rock matches), nap with the cats, eat plenty (lots of leftovers still in the fridge - btw, green bean casserole, made from scratch with fresh beans and a bechamel sauce is much tastier than any combination canned concoction....), and read. Stay tuned - I have book reviews coming soon :)