Wednesday, August 15, 2007

As World Turns…um…Spins

I have been busy, but very dizzy these last few weeks. In no particular order I…

Dyed Wool!

On the 4th, the loveliest of hostesses J at After Asia invited the Ottawa knitters to her place in the country for a day of dying on her lawn. In addition to J, there was Leanne of the fabu Kitchener Stitch (among her many talents), Sarah whose Klaralund I to covet, Linda, Nancy, a few more knitters (and a spinner) I never managed to introduce myself to.

We got together ostensibly to dye, but also to say goodbye to Tara who is off on a two-year assignment to Sudan and Mairie who is moving to Toronto and is one of the most exquisite knitters I have ever met. Far better knitters than I have wonderful pics on their blogs – check out Leanne and Nancy above. Grieve for Nancy who loves kittens but couldn’t take one home.

I had Alex with me…and two skeins of KnitPicks Bare fingering weight merino (you may decide which I felt was more important – why ruin the fun!). I let him choose the colours for the first skein from the acid dyes. It turned out beautifully!




I dyed the second skein with Kool-Aid, and less satisfactory results. Leanne and I agreed…it was definitely meh.



Dyed More Wool!

Since we both had skeins we were less than happy with, Leanne came to my house last night and we overdyed. I managed to turn the Meh Skein into something a bit funkier by immersion dyeing it in a diluted violet without too much stirring – it has an almost tie dyed quality now. And I like it much better…I think.



Got Ravelrized!

Come on by and visit if you are there too - screen name is ambergem after this lovely girl

Developed Startitis!

Oh Jeanne I am envying you and your August UFOs!! (good work though – don’t let me stop you – I am just wondering why it is that for every one you finish I seem to cast one on?)


Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool in Raspberry
Needles: 4.5 mm
Pattern: Seamless Raglan from Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Without Tears and Knitting Workshop

FOs! FOs! More and more FOs!

Baby Ava’s Baby Surprise Jacket got done and not a moment too soon. It is so small that if her mother doesn’t put it on her RIGHT NOW, the difference between a baby sweater and one for a teddy bear is probably only one feeding away. Hopefully I will have pics soon but in the meantime, here is the finished product. In retrospect I wish I had done a crocheted edge around the neck.




Yarn: KnitPicks Palette – leftovers from Northern Lights Mittens
Needles: 4.00 mm Options
Pattern: Baby Surprise from Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop

And when you feel like all your projects are HUGE and will never get done…then its usually time to whip up a washcloth or two.



Spun!

I have been spinning a bit – right now I have some of this incredibly slick copper coloured superwash merino I purchased at The Black Lamb when I bought my wheel. I am spinning it quite thin and thinking narrow lacy scarf thoughts.

And finally...spinning that is a lot less crafty!

Last Tuesday I suddenly started to get quite dizzy. Turns out I am suffering from a benign positional vertigo – a huge improvement over the inoperable fast-growing cancerous tumour I was fretting about (we like to practice extreme self-diagnosis in my family). Basically I can do weird exercises and try to dislodge some loose particles in my inner ear that is disrupting the fluid and causing me to feel off balance.

All I can say is…whhheeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!! Some people have to take drugs to feel like this!!!!

On Friday I start two weeks of holidays...and not a moment too soon!

4 comments:

Leanne said...

Love the Baby Surprise Jacket - gorgeous colours! And thanks again for sharing your dyeing and spinning knowledge with me. It was a fun evening!

Sner said...

Great job on the dyeing. I'm putting up some tomorrow. I tried Acid dyes for the first time seriously today and I couldn't be more pleased with the results! Found you on Ravelry.

Anonymous said...

Pictures of Baby Surprise Cuteness have been temporarily postponed (hopefully until this evening) by the arrival of The 3-Week Infant Growth Spurt (great timing, I know, for squeezing into size 0 clothing), which sent me into minor (okay major) headspin - can't get squirmy furious starving child into said cuteness OR get anywhere near a camera when one is nursing EVERY 35 FREAKING SECONDS.

Things are looking up today, we all feel much cuter and worthy (read: "not too busy pulling our hair out and crying") of trying it on. Cooler weather also arrives tomorrow, making sweater-wearing a perfect idea for outdoor (walmart) adventures!

Wish dizziness would LEAVE IMMEDIATELY so visiting and commiserating (read: burping said gassy infant) were possible.

:)

Lisa said...

lol...wanna-moo...I wish I could come and enjoy some baby and toddler cuteness too...could use some snuggling with a small being!

Chriss- for once my camera gave my handdye a better look than with the naked eye. The original was just very muted and bleh!