tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254708212024-03-07T22:48:09.265-05:00Purling along to stitch-domDye, spin, knit, vent, celebrate.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-77887342830300756712009-11-12T12:58:00.002-05:002009-11-12T13:54:08.725-05:00Moved!I've moved! You can find me now at <a href="http://www.threebyhand.com/">www.threebyhand.com</a> along with a sad (as in pathetic rather than heart wrenching) explanation for my absence.<br /><br />Thanks!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-30720455958789667932009-01-19T22:05:00.003-05:002009-01-19T22:06:58.616-05:00I'm sorry...just had to pop in and say...Um...Vogue?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.vogueknitting.com/node/551">NO!</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-74558914614389057622009-01-07T09:01:00.004-05:002009-01-07T09:05:35.327-05:00Devil in a blue dress<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1spiEoIcaGhCAVVJcnptxktzsJbKQLUWKaLeo_W1PUEJL2e8eSKGstOiZoIN5NN3hvnsvMs6aSUM29-ETndk5kF8r4iCUfld7a4Grr8iDbHN1kWSPzJ9b1l-CpeTQtRCspZy_/s1600-h/Devil+in+a+blue+dress....bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288552101460102722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1spiEoIcaGhCAVVJcnptxktzsJbKQLUWKaLeo_W1PUEJL2e8eSKGstOiZoIN5NN3hvnsvMs6aSUM29-ETndk5kF8r4iCUfld7a4Grr8iDbHN1kWSPzJ9b1l-CpeTQtRCspZy_/s400/Devil+in+a+blue+dress....bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Not an actual post (coming soon I swear!) but had to share this awesome picture of WannaBaa's little miss Ava in her Miss Muffett. Pattern was on Magknits and now available on Ravelry...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The yarn is Cascade 220 superwash that I kettle dyed to get a colour I liked...</div><div> </div><div>Quick update on me:</div><div> </div><div>French language training is done and I passed! No more worries on that front for another five years. Christmas was okay if a bit blah - as always Santa was good to me and brought me exactly what I wanted...including an Ashford Knitter's Loom, knitting books and the fast whorl and lace flyer for my wheel...</div><div> </div><div>Hope everyone's new year has been good so far. I am so far behind on blogging I'm not sure I'll ever catch up!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-8451743343172433802008-10-13T12:29:00.005-04:002008-10-13T13:27:13.170-04:00Raw fleece...Thanksgiving dinner wild kingdom...and, ooh...shiny!<span >Massive picture-heavy post!</span><br /><br /><span ></span><br /><span >Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians today - I hope your day is full of turkey and family (for some) and sleep and rest (for the others). I personally spent last night sleeping at the hospital wired up to within an inch of my life for a sleep study to see if I've inherited the family apnea. So I slept terribly, was home by 6:30 a.m. and crashed for another three hours in my own (delightfully comfortable I will never complain about my mattress again promise) bed. After I got most of the cement out of my hair.</span><br /><br /><br />I shouldn't complain though - I've had two great dinners - one here at home with my parents, kids and niece and the other at a friends who is a gourmet cook...more on this in a moment...<br /><br /><br />First - I owe you a bit of old stuff promised earlier, starting with my trip to Toronto at the end of August.<br /><br /><br />I went down to visit Wanna-Baa of the comments, but stopped on the way to visit a farm in Port Hope - probably one of the few, if only, shepherds locally with Blue-Faced Leicesters. I have no pictures for you, but the farm was just amazing - there were turkeys wandering around my car in all different colours, a guard goat and the ugliest duck I have ever seen who thinks he is a person and insisted on following us to visit the sheep. Sara had brought out bags of fleece from her spring shearing and I ended up with two BFL fleeces - one is a first year and the other is a third year.<br /><br /><br />Both fleeces were relatively clean and so far the processing has been dirty but not horrifyingly so...<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677010952725666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtYuBJsl5yOdZfH_8jBCzUpw0f_F8Mp94zk2Z2u_T06zB4f6lw_6w04qjdTdMPe8_vAVax_GmfzaG20592dM-Kzd6p5w1rBGR9qBU6KAWdNk5oVRC9Db5B0jjT01Lki0hILmAH/s400/BFL+processing+-+raw.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">Raw fleece in the bag - aromatic!!!</div><span ></span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677010684038114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2hO8yS1-KO2jPSwdyq_ueyeH5rmttzH7sgx1vwaZgNaxW5WKOyIwSOE8ruSGHKrEtzp0MQxVs79ZBOeG7luWTAOqyBmg2Ykn8B23wZHwkCfpFuoy5ru84q9_4DoP4Bk8DvHA/s400/BFL+processing+-+staple+length.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">Staple length of the three year old.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677430483005394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXOnNq9QuX8VKeazyB3a8kggcCx4-FN05yVkf-1wkAyq5-HCpCWgDbgZ5azvcu_9h3hsKbqdu-czc8ivZkWvcrSx9qcq7IDgQbEqmEZV_n3hwX0yrz7_mcxlqU8XgGam_Ovdd/s400/BFL+processing+Wash+1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">After 24 hours in a bucket of cold water it went into the hot water. This is the first washing.</div><div align="center"></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677434505964834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsq9JTQJvFlbAVS4FSTEOrRXEjXVT2MIlMxWCcy_bOooccN2bTIFykoTDvbIOqdv3eO6r0wB8IOZVcGo63WXIiq6-eYPCQ8nXwGDtbguZ4thEzC_rw_xklJZIpUtwn8q8DcFN5/s400/BFL+processing+Wash+2.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">And here is the second hot water wash - much better!</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677434636701074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgijttQZTYMJlnjAaFXJS2B7_B53YnvdxZ5zNyP5uuxNAIOBD6BZza4mzyv7P2Zqg1VGwDJusIW_GuOsU-QBjr5u9THKGAwc2GnhJxWE4J-Q1wIDoTcr9uvUahyphenhyphenllplOUwMty/s400/BFL+Processing+-+bagged+and+washed.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">After 2 runs through the water. The bags took five days to dry out in the sun on my balcony.</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="left">So - not entirely clean but free of grease which means I can store it away for winter without worrying it will go rancid. There is still plenty of vegetable matter in there so hand picking will be a must. I still haven't decided if I will send it out for processing or card it myself next year. I guess I have some time to decide.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">That same weekend, W-B, her kids Ava and Luke and her mom Ginger and I all visited a <a href="http://www.heronviewalpacas.com/index.htm">local alpaca farm</a>. Luke was WAY more interested in the tractor...</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677000828964306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4otB0vJ1z266w4CUTcZB3hUwAEhgNagzFoVDECiPLsnm2vKI8PdwCbIQzYkD8lyrYkgXgj8ZEp4IzMBpmKPC99ONBUv-BYRjgUbvX-EF1mljNqA_vuqHf_pS2mE2P-lAhZQWb/s400/Copy+of+Luke+and+the+John+Deere.JPG" border="0" /><br />...than the very adorable alpaca...<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256676999638081074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyl7Fq-HW1XtpVdxqLn3dA36yrLVtE1vu5J_vq8PVOkP6WMZ3KlyhbH_JtUq0T6QX4zhXI0nct601qo-L3pkcUKLEnmYSvVUgEuJcPQSnIWF_HzwkbUkX8I_MkB9dftODrMz-/s400/Alpaca.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />There was also a baby donkey and the most amazing dogs - Lori raises Leonbergers - enormous but incredibly gentle. It was a whole lotta dog let me tell you.<br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256676999515531122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVhe7FYrRl4fHoR0XavLnbiGpbxzf8t-kzSTH9tok3jV-cSCKT2AMvhB7yUp_Z7fSfem_HY8-lS9l4SdKjDn2TYB1Z_gBTrNHHEUngb_2u-FjN_Mqc8bwteZEMYHg79VkrfWh/s400/Luke+and+Ginger+and+the+Leonberger.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Luke, his grammy and a REALLY BIG DOG.</p><p align="left">So that's it for the history although I should shout out a huge thank you to <a href="http://www.heronviewalpacas.com/index.htm">Chriss </a>and Elizabeth for helping me skirt the fleeces and for their advice on how to get them clean.</p><strong>And while I'm on the topic of fibre...</strong><br /><br /><br />I seem to have acquired some more...<br /><br /><br />I participated in a fiber swap on Ravelry. Basically we were split into groups of four and each member of the group sent fiber to another member each month. This month I got a lovely 4 oz present from Lapoli...isn't it nice???<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256678086044421298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlaVs6xbW5pZEx7iPFCagbRltwLuVO9tqRTSp9K3e1twYp7qkA4wGvoY51w1WTsXyjK4ldfgRUJuZVtM9Q1l5kBMHEnV7XmoYRRYpv0snF3PvaPrFo1fm3YxVErsMqaiG5MVA/s400/Fiber+Swap+-+from+Lapoli.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />I've also made an early 2009 resolution - I think this will be the year I knit for me. I have been considering simplifying my wardrobe pretty significantly and would love to focus on having most blacks and neutral bases that I can cover with my own knitted sweaters, cardigans, shawls and jackets...<br /><br /><br />I was so taken with this idea that I promptly cast on some things a bit early...<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8DLdRa4HHnJjosAjG6ivTVk-yPoPYT9CyebC39s5mwAGJEsrLXTDYnZE3lc2miJxcDPtaqwPma3sVmJlkzhggib6hz4ImTCoRWLjAngyyIFa7uLhMa7SKlXvWon88mLplMBl/s1600-h/February+Lady+Sweater+-+Mirasol+Tupa.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256678084063128146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8DLdRa4HHnJjosAjG6ivTVk-yPoPYT9CyebC39s5mwAGJEsrLXTDYnZE3lc2miJxcDPtaqwPma3sVmJlkzhggib6hz4ImTCoRWLjAngyyIFa7uLhMa7SKlXvWon88mLplMBl/s400/February+Lady+Sweater+-+Mirasol+Tupa.JPG" border="0" /></a> February Lady Sweater in Mirasol Tupa.</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677778232125730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQG9WRhjxwTRLp-6sLfzMXianM40JU967ahsZ458hKSJT1_M-m9lAqkIly20BH1q-vEFL3FEyDwNEjxqlAzhNp_d7V9QOkQS_HRrQgPhiV2xJ1654KFvrQ65Uw-tnu4OUFpzUa/s400/Dale+of+Norway+jacket+-+Manos+Classic+in+Autumn.JPG" border="0" /></div><div align="center">Drops Cardigan in Manos Del Uruguay Classic Wool in Autumn.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677775866118802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KgDXrslvV9qtXzW1G5YyCuWN49LJE1h6lik_3PJC84PH3UpXFI0nGUXDyuNuDBgWAq2h4zi5_bBtpVfBf1W0-xgaN0wdyUrWVa0a5IHuR9oL7uENLREo8tPzDHR10ZUdRrFS/s400/Mystery+Stole+4+in+Misti+Laceweight.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div align="center">Mystery Stole 4 in Misti Alpaca and size 8.0 beads - okay not part of the resolution but still...how pretty is that???</div><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256678084271621522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCC53C7rJewFLnffJez6Uh0D_nQZmuf3j4zPa81WDFQBN_pIaLs24bly4brhBtviLsuA2pHdhomjoHC8WlOiPXrlBvdGxxAaTMrvzix68ZEAKUIukyLACQO4XZCsqmpkhEQeW5/s400/Susie+Hoodie+3.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">And work on the Susie Hoodie from More Big Girl Knits also continues. I am just about done with the bust increases and will be onto the arms soon which I am really looking forward too...shorter rounds!<br /></p><br /><p align="left"><strong>Getting organimized...</strong></p><p align="left">Something had to be done. I couldn't pull out a project without having fourteen others fall out of the cupboard. So - big canvas bins for fiber - the white has fiber to be dyed and the blue contains fiber that is up on etsy right now...</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo_1l6itnu5chvA5yIXOUnNThRzjWl2dFGGmfuB-BJcX_vkcRwEp7K0PVF2w7AHJb_98suMxcVwtbFRFWgpi6qfXVFVeweqBroFHIjvqIQjKRLiUuPzQVsl69oOlkhgslX9Ql/s1600-h/Fiber+stash+management.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256678086041574594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo_1l6itnu5chvA5yIXOUnNThRzjWl2dFGGmfuB-BJcX_vkcRwEp7K0PVF2w7AHJb_98suMxcVwtbFRFWgpi6qfXVFVeweqBroFHIjvqIQjKRLiUuPzQVsl69oOlkhgslX9Ql/s400/Fiber+stash+management.JPG" border="0" /></a> And some nice wicker baskets for yarn from current and upcoming projects to show off themselves...<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677780442482290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWAw9A9sJv2HtPa9LHJnLg3toBGOOvtb9ZkNuqQ5N1qBrAJAnL-tHlCMX6z1IqomgqtNQFX_kLaag2gbg1TU0LVh3n2DGc3Tlg32EOuKFhK1YdhLRyRhZUZEoD43-wq0n5GcY/s400/Stash+management+1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>Is it a bad sign when your house and stash start to look more and more like a yarn store?</p><p>(Oh and just to revisit an earlier post...all this clean up meant that I took some stuff off the needles...which means I managed to find all those needles I was lamenting about losing...</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHx_Hso1tCvPViqn7GpDfQvNIpFPNUcHKOqErnZNS3YjIQTL3KHlHXuIHxrincc1avNk-lLzZQBJQV8rYrp2vCkrLLpDZugzE519JB2068j8jphPKfkJKmA_pvKl0khQIPfCkc/s1600-h/Reclaimed+knitting+needles.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677776586563314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHx_Hso1tCvPViqn7GpDfQvNIpFPNUcHKOqErnZNS3YjIQTL3KHlHXuIHxrincc1avNk-lLzZQBJQV8rYrp2vCkrLLpDZugzE519JB2068j8jphPKfkJKmA_pvKl0khQIPfCkc/s400/Reclaimed+knitting+needles.JPG" border="0" /></a> ...not that this stopped me from putting in a knitpicks order...no siree!)<br /><br />Now last of all...</p><p><strong>Wild encounters OR how I pissed off a mother cat and paid the piper for it</strong></p><p>Warning - includes photos of my legs that do not include handknit socks.</p><p>So I'm at my friend's place for Thanksgiving and she has a formerly feral cat that arrived on her doorstep looking for handouts, got adopted and turned out to have gotten herself knocked up before they had a chance to spay her.</p><p>The kittens were born about 5 weeks ago - four adorable little ones - two black and two tabbies. Like all kittens they have sweet faces and short stubby tails and when they run it seems like their back ends go faster than their fronts.</p><p>I am helpless in the face of kittens.</p><p>So I am walking towards the kitchen behind a kitten and reach down to pick it up but clearly she doesn't want interference and takes off ahead of me. I keep going into the kitchen but as I hit the doorway I hear this horrible hissing and feel pain in my leg. I look down and its like a scene from Wild Kingdom. You know the one where the pride of lions is taking down a full sized elephant by coming up behind and attaching itself to its back, claws fully embedded in the skin?<br /><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzDVtw216eb8nDIm2wdTPjC69GUSo2nHT0qpoFUL6ELVhGd2Zzkxx9wgLtd5sjcvYMBu-jG4TcY4ORyu1PFCVzZZv-4umwByoBVR1tqGkZfSto3wSw0EH7lJpzCtKj5OO38Mq/s1600-h/Thanksgiving+wild+kingdom+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677435193651618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzDVtw216eb8nDIm2wdTPjC69GUSo2nHT0qpoFUL6ELVhGd2Zzkxx9wgLtd5sjcvYMBu-jG4TcY4ORyu1PFCVzZZv-4umwByoBVR1tqGkZfSto3wSw0EH7lJpzCtKj5OO38Mq/s400/Thanksgiving+wild+kingdom+1.JPG" border="0" /></a>And that's just one side and the picture is a lot prettier than my leg which is also pretty bruised and there is more on the other side. I WAS wearing pants by the way...</p><p>So a few bandaids and some peroxide later I go down to get some dessert. I walk towards the kitchen again and as I hit the door Phoebe attacks the OTHER leg (no kittens were around by the way). Talk about determined overprotective mother!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzLepfXx6-r0xAj58fXU0aFxTG7O9eO6RCLTUZv0Meegjjeqk7qCzETBVikObVShG1GOrfoVgtnXkUstANtNvHuCGJfK4NdWAO-wBs6kqOB1_U8uHEM8FmQxu8QpBhc0fRTSL/s1600-h/Thanksgiving+wild+kingdom+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256677437154040402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzLepfXx6-r0xAj58fXU0aFxTG7O9eO6RCLTUZv0Meegjjeqk7qCzETBVikObVShG1GOrfoVgtnXkUstANtNvHuCGJfK4NdWAO-wBs6kqOB1_U8uHEM8FmQxu8QpBhc0fRTSL/s400/Thanksgiving+wild+kingdom+2.JPG" border="0" /></a>Those would be puncture marks from her teeth! For the rest of the evening she kept a close eye on me and everytime I moved my hosts had to step in to move her out of the room.</p><p>I am certainly none the worse for wear but certainly learned my lesson when it comes to mother cats!</p><p>Have a terrific week everyone - I am off for a workshop with Brandon Mably and an evening lecture by Kaffe Fassett at <a href="http://woolnthings.com/">WoolNthings</a>...I should pack my camera NOW so I don't forget it!!</p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-78796414103323603192008-09-25T21:06:00.004-04:002008-09-25T21:18:08.457-04:00Craig - this one's for you...I have been told that there is too much boring knitting content on my blog and that to spice things up I need more hockey jerseys.<br /><div><br /></div><div></div><div>Seeing as how I believe its important to satisfy the needs of my readers I give you (please substitute name of your favourite hockey team as appropriate):</div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">A kindergarten teacher tells her class she’s a BIG Flyers fan. She’s really excited about it and asks the kids if they’re Flyers fans too. Everyone wants to impress the teacher and say they are too, except ONE kid named Dougie.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">The teacher looks at Dougie and says, "Doug, you’re not a Flyers fan?"</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">He says, "Nope, I’m a Leafs fan!"</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">She says, "Well why are you a Leafs fan and not a Flyers fan?" to which Dougie replies, "Well, my mom is a Leafs fan, and my dad is a Leafs fan, so I’m a Leafs fan."</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">The teacher’s not real happy. She’s a little hot under the collar. She says, "Well, if your moms an idiot, and your dads a moron, then what would you be?!"</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">Dougie says, "Then I’d be a Flyers fan!"</span> </div><br /><p>(baboom boom)</p><div>And how can I forget...</div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250132465206175074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcWXsrguj-d1b54-BGb3mDt9XMBzWHqMpEZUb6dtpv99X4VJDHEXkyFh6GbPt8QjYSleChDDz2O7M-2GDvN-gApHR09Nlp0ntay0uMqV5BPvj1Cu-KYQLdLPqsBfxBPVlG8No/s400/p3713559reg.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><p><em>(Dear knitters - this concludes our hockey content for the year. Knitting and spinning will resume shortly.)<br /></em></p><br /><div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-74911019669921953262008-09-16T08:57:00.003-04:002008-09-16T09:08:09.155-04:00For discussion...I have no pictures, no knitting, no nothing for you as I only seem to be able to sit on my couch and stare off into space these days. Oh and the 10 bloody pages on the passé composé I did last night - trust the french to turn something as simple as talking about an event in the past into a nightmare of exceptions and pronomial pronouns (which you can take and stick where the sun don't...well never mind)...<br /><br />So I leave with a discussion topic...<br /><br />Why do I never have enough needles? It seems to me that I need a series for projects on hand, but a whole other set just for playing and swatching and dreaming for the future.<br /><br />Some please tell me that I am not the only one contributing to buying Kelly Petkun at KnitPicks a huge yacht?<br /><br />Finally I leave with this: Courtesy of sadly blogless Yvonne here is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu5YAKsAEpY&feature=related">great video for a short row heel</a> and a new term to push into the consciousness of all- a fibrenique - anything that combines a technique and fibre.<br /><br />BTW for the spinning folks - if you link to the video above, the poster also has several videos of the wrap and plying technique that was on the Spin-Off cover a couple of issues ago. Very cool!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-6294576136185789372008-09-11T09:37:00.002-04:002008-09-11T09:48:26.903-04:00Thank yous...Alrighty!<br /><br />This is a quickie and photo-less but there are thank yous due…<br /><br />First to <a href="http://shelbyknits2.blogspot.com/">Shelby </a>of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=17715">Shelby Designs </a>who sent that fantastic package pictured below and was kind enough to shout out in the comments… Go see her stuff. Its okay to drool.<br /><br />Thanks also to <a href="http://www.bockstarkknits.net/">Kris of Bockstart Knits </a>for fixing my brain about the upstream/downstream thing. Much bigger thank you to her for organizing and keeping the HHHH Swap running. Probably one of the best organized swaps I’ve had the pleasure of participating in… thanks Kris!<br /><br />Another thank you to <a href="http://jmknits.wordpress.com/">Jeanne in NJ </a>who is the very first person to EVER pick me randomly as a contest winner (seriously, I should rush out and buy lottery tickets immediately – I never win anything). I got a package that had more than just the sock yarn promised in it and while I suspect she may have used me as an opportunity to destash, I have to confess that I am rather willing to be ill-treated in this way. Photos to follow.<br /><br />Lastly – many thanks to Mohamed who doesn’t even know about this blog but who is my earnest French teacher for this first week of mind-numbing language training. I think my brain may be leaking out of my ears…um…oreilles…but he is kind enough not to say anything.<br /><br />Bonne journée à tous!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-88375797062547021672008-09-03T18:32:00.004-04:002008-09-04T10:31:59.468-04:00Misbehaving...camera (tilt head 90 degrees)<div></div>Hey all - long time no write! Summer sucked me in and spit me back out again - I can't believe September is already here - packing lunches and homework again. Neither of these two activities rates high on my list of favourties due to the amount of knitting time lost during a year!<br /><br />The boy has entered Grade 4, and the girl Grade 6 (eek! that is kind of officially pre-teen country isn't it?). Two days in and neither is particularly impressed with the experience.<br /><br /><strong>What I'm knitting</strong><br /><br />On the knitting front there has been progress. The Swallowtail Shawl in my handspun is done and I couldn't be more pleased. The colour changes are gorgeous and the repeats were long enough that I got several rows out of each colour even towards the long end of the knitting.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241927742735526802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zPc33wV7VUw6f4T2mTsytrnHa7gMidG5GvmGKFyA1enoJvyAAsEWgGTythsd4Xn7QoZwP8fa0NGTB1VJToy2Z7EQsc-sqs5N9L3QDSSS8Mli-FuhfoER3cxvltP5TKs0v9Rd/s320/IMG_1590.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241927735391145922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhYi-VWaBKPdHn5qTZt5nqj8KfGRKdJoDtTy2c4V17sJYFU7xpfye1Mb6SSTd69wpsxi4OQJz4VuW9a-eytJSVc2PMGb9F-dppgv4Ywf5pfd5tJT4Il51F4zdrukVdVu92xzg/s320/IMG_1589.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />Pattern: Evelyn Clark's Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave Knits, Fall 2006<br />Yarn: Handspun from 100g of Blue Faced Leicester from Fleece Artist<br />Needles: KP Options in 3.5 mm<br /><br />I am still plugging away on the <a href="http://www.eunnyjang.com/images/knit/0511joycesscarf/stole_print_o_the_wave.pdf">Print O the Wave from Eunny Jang </a>in Handmaiden Sea Silk...no sideways pics of this though. I am more than halfway through the repeats on the main body and will have to contemplate the border - somehow I am NOT keen on picking up 8 gazillion stitches around the edge.<br /><br />Lastly - I am making some progress on my Susie Hoodie from More Big Girl Knits...granted that it doesn't look like much but the Berroco Ultra Alpaca is terrific to knit...<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241927723293848114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflAccmFHPygEXOQ-fhN87xI5aBuSrmjwckWJTD96eyl465VIThfTju0Nf3wti_3Rw2GB-07xS1EwsSZXki_u2q9vN7TBdcmKUr8myMl7y3t6ymN35x4NDZA3dgK6F9yEu6J-9/s320/IMG_1585.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>Colour is darker and more heathery than it looks here...love love love...cross fingers it will fit.</p><p><strong>In my mailbox</strong></p><p>I participated in the Hush Hush Handspun Hootenany this summer and received this awesome package from my downstream pal...whose email I am looking for right now - I will credit with an actual name and link but my brain has big holes in it!</p><p>Anyway - here is the package of goodness:</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9Fd3wv8YndYyuqjP11E7Uv3sg6RY2b6NgV3Yb4icsa8bFI8EG7IYgA8PYq4bM4UntvpkAH0R3jukZ0pTEra5CNrcJWGblPWIV-8ZH8RvWJ4Y1UEyYWVHDUwbwk_Rb8cabtpG/s1600-h/IMG_1584.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241927718900852258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9Fd3wv8YndYyuqjP11E7Uv3sg6RY2b6NgV3Yb4icsa8bFI8EG7IYgA8PYq4bM4UntvpkAH0R3jukZ0pTEra5CNrcJWGblPWIV-8ZH8RvWJ4Y1UEyYWVHDUwbwk_Rb8cabtpG/s320/IMG_1584.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />That's a huge 8oz bit of spinning fiber from Crown Mountain Farms - the blue yarn on the left is my pal's own handspun - pretty pretty blues and greens and very very soft. The sock yarn on the right is her own handdyed (damn I wish I had a link for you to her etsy shop...next time!). There were also two bars of soap (lavender and almond - yum!!!), some lindt chocolates (not shown...um possibly devoured at this point) and a cute little notepad that says "Homespun" on the top.<br /><br />My own upstream pal was in England, moving to Australia next week so my fingers are crossed she'll get her parcel in time!<br /><br /><strong>Spinning...span...spun!<br /></strong><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFlozpv2KgLZSdqLf8QTLD58a0rpHZdpRQk8Bjcpn_ppwOOW7bwFaCmbp308qifKNsp9i4jY3RkdWN5e9cmJ7FKvGjExXii09XiP_Ae2CiuR7wVjFe8Fnpvj0SyLMsq0KPaPT/s1600-h/IMG_1588.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241927725388374914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFlozpv2KgLZSdqLf8QTLD58a0rpHZdpRQk8Bjcpn_ppwOOW7bwFaCmbp308qifKNsp9i4jY3RkdWN5e9cmJ7FKvGjExXii09XiP_Ae2CiuR7wVjFe8Fnpvj0SyLMsq0KPaPT/s320/IMG_1588.JPG" border="0" /></a>More Fleece Artist - this is wool-silk in lovely browns, copper and burgundy/pink. I am spinnign thin again and now that I figured out what was going wrong the last time I tried to ply with thread, I'm going to try again.</p><p><strong>Dye party</strong></p><p>I spent Sunday dyeing my little heart out. A pound and a half of silk and a pound of merino-tencel blend. I am hoping to update the shop in the next few days and then I will be going on hiatus for about three months as I start French language training half days in the hopes of meeting the language requirements for my new position before Christmas. I suspect that blog updates will also be scarce and while I'll be reading other blogs I probably won't be commenting much (not a big change from the summer!) I am hoping to show you the Rambouillet that Chris and I are processing and to confess I had little stumble and am the proud owner of two unbelieveably gorgeous BFL fleeces that need to get cleaned and put away while the weather is still nice.</p><p>Here's a little taste of what I dyed up...<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241928557073773666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkahbLwVYdQFPzYhD6mjD-VD8PFtoncS4ncngqdIHsvWK6TsJcmn09lpxK9ODLhllxUX9IV0LIfBIK2SOKfFhx4onR7DvE_QjW4atH8eVcrnPYpouB4t_cLJotfHAUWmvXIWEW/s320/IMG_1609.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241928562486088434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWckJph9mC1Js803k3Q-ltdryN8nzD6bu2lPctsLyheLZ3oXZhixvxDT74UpZ3Y8oHCAPVWez66YsT4fiZnj_zC1blLE72QlJXFsCbOxzHf6aocH3mw1CgxxSK2E9xtIdxIHIE/s320/IMG_1614.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241928567523334322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe-qYAiEX2wJIvgDugw18KsLZ7nCqqKGPHgH7QFYniKOSDfPSoswG3H0mArwn48_MkqvEK1LD9k_4oGF3DOceqvno-vOIoWgrbZ3WhQMDZYoifPwz0Vdu7qjyHesZFqbBvKt0/s320/IMG_1630.JPG" border="0" /><br />These are 3 of the merino-tencel rovings...shininess due to the flash on the first two.</p><p>Take care!</p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-62646220117417473932008-08-05T05:52:00.004-04:002008-08-18T13:51:52.081-04:00Low fibre content...pretty pictures!I am...well...ridiculously wrecked. See the date? That is the day I uploaded the photos to blogger...as opposed to TODAY which is the 18th of August.<br /><br />The new job is kicking me in the rear. I can't explain why. It isn't far off what I was doing before...just...more.<br /><br />Anyway - here is the loveliest of merino I received as part of a fibre swap. This is from <a href="http://www.thewoolydaisy.blogspot.com/">woolydaisy</a>. Isn't it pretty! The top on top (heh heh...aren't I the funny one) is garnet and the bottom is topaz (coincidentally my birthstone) - I' m having stripped mitten thoughts...<br /><br />Thanks woolydaisy!!!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mQJK-M9gtVJiMY2Los4-ySQncfCEtvU8kpp_DaelXuXhjDU-8z01tlp_uAgaeIMoywbPS7a5jQRO0trLnIBTCIyXWV3mIlsk7fqxG4pzsveWzai1H3hco_-ZiEbo1rMaQiRw/s1600-h/IMG_1531.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230970282624763586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mQJK-M9gtVJiMY2Los4-ySQncfCEtvU8kpp_DaelXuXhjDU-8z01tlp_uAgaeIMoywbPS7a5jQRO0trLnIBTCIyXWV3mIlsk7fqxG4pzsveWzai1H3hco_-ZiEbo1rMaQiRw/s320/IMG_1531.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Next...tranquil Canadian summer pictures....<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVqlk5cbD55xfiOVlJQvSBPpc84CTeTFjGmpqzh_ydRRqQvW7QElRGdFMHT-6J_keN_quFdaGigLTqpUpRGJWecPZt22ulayTiXHSI-t9GKbufavMzzXt3KtUnSuj-_llaYD2/s1600-h/IMG_1554.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230970293028507250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVqlk5cbD55xfiOVlJQvSBPpc84CTeTFjGmpqzh_ydRRqQvW7QElRGdFMHT-6J_keN_quFdaGigLTqpUpRGJWecPZt22ulayTiXHSI-t9GKbufavMzzXt3KtUnSuj-_llaYD2/s320/IMG_1554.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2q8nU5idK4jgRdMcU9-0c9NsKPTtUYyYTvNZGhzAkKWFddoNA05aYIVbUyARstWizNpQohupnaC7b01Aa9sITjgVOM0VFxPUJAehSweeUtgfzLKtTzUQXScQS2jH3dqwIYI3-/s1600-h/IMG_1557.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230970299951624898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2q8nU5idK4jgRdMcU9-0c9NsKPTtUYyYTvNZGhzAkKWFddoNA05aYIVbUyARstWizNpQohupnaC7b01Aa9sITjgVOM0VFxPUJAehSweeUtgfzLKtTzUQXScQS2jH3dqwIYI3-/s320/IMG_1557.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNq1sZ0N0QchqQIilwkyxD4eud7A2pum6mVJlw7vJNlfmjoHGEVZYL4R95xYaHf_dD8FzWWoGNg3WPxNqRuEUYFiAcBqHjj-KmYj7anjHlUNYhi3a2z-NZQRAnW52xHvkNRqf/s1600-h/IMG_1555.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230970304029495602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNq1sZ0N0QchqQIilwkyxD4eud7A2pum6mVJlw7vJNlfmjoHGEVZYL4R95xYaHf_dD8FzWWoGNg3WPxNqRuEUYFiAcBqHjj-KmYj7anjHlUNYhi3a2z-NZQRAnW52xHvkNRqf/s320/IMG_1555.JPG" border="0" /></a> Sigh...I just wanna go back. There was chipmunk (named Chippie...what else!) that would eat from your hand if you were still enough. There was knitting and spinning on the screened in porch. And best of all? There was a guest cabin where the kids hung out. Kind of like the kids table at family dinners but EVEN BETTER.</p><p>At some point the knitting/spinning adventures will get updated included, but not limited to:</p><p>- a finished Swallowtail shawl out of handspun </p><p>- self-striping yarn in four colours - hand dyed and handspun</p><p>- the fleece I bought with <a href="http://daisychainsandbuttercups.blogspot.com/">Chriss </a>- I have learned that when it comes to processing your own fleece, clean is a relative term.</p><p>Happyish Monday!<br /><br /></p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-24200539244875355012008-08-03T10:02:00.003-04:002008-08-03T10:04:48.775-04:00Surprise!Back from holidays - surprisingly relaxed considering it was a cottage with my parents, my kids and my niece. I've had my fill of screeching girls (how do they get that pitch??) and I have more laundry than I can stand, but I had a lovely and rather relaxing time - better than I had hoped for.<br /><br />I'll be back to blogging shortly - lots of pics to get off the camera first!<br /><br />Lisa<br /><br />P.S. A happy birthday to Ava who is now a whole 1!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-85660010226059812862008-07-21T12:45:00.005-04:002008-07-21T13:33:04.517-04:00Holidays...dealing with irritating wool...and I'm being stalked!Quick note before I get into the post: <a href="http://www.toknitisdivine.ca/">Leanne </a>is out of hospital! She and her gallbladder are officially "over". She is definitely on the mend and happy to be back home. Thanks again for leaving her comments on her blog.<br /><br />*******<br /><br />Happy Monday everyone! Why is it happy? Why because I just started my holidays of course. Today I am "sans enfants" (without children) - so I am enjoying a lovely day of sweet sweet quiet and little to bother me...except for my stalker and the construction workers on my roof. <div><br /><div></div><div>It appears that a local honey bee hive have decided that there might be some good stuff at my house. Here is my theory:</div><br /><div></div><div>1. At some point last week, a bee (let's call him Bob) came to my house and thought he found something he liked.</div><div>2. Bob went back to his hive and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ijI-g4jHg">told his friends about it </a>(note bee using vector calculus to indicate where I live).</div><div>3. I am put on some kind of list where fly-bys become part of regular daily routine.</div><br /><div></div><div>Every day for the past week I have had at least one bee check out my balcony every fifteen minutes or so. They hover around the balcony, check out the gazebo cover and if the patio door is open, they fly in to check it out. I have used the cup and cardboard technique to facilitate the exit a few times now. I'm trying to figure out how to tag one of these suckers to see if its always the same one (i.e. Bob - which, if it is, means that Bob might need some intervention therapy of some kind - or I need a bee restraining order).</div><br /><div></div><div>At least its honey bees - a few years ago I had a wasps nest in the box that hangs over my balcony - there is a whole story about a really cute, super muscly exterminator who was also, it turns out, afraid of bees. Kind of emasculating if you ask me.</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Stuff I'm up to</strong></div><br /><div></div><div>Tour de Fleece is on and while I haven't been spinning as much as I would like, I did do something really cool - I almost got all lace!!! This ranges from cobweb in spots to lace to light fingering. I've already cast it on as a <a href="http://www.interweaveknits.com/preview/2006_fall.asp">Swallowtail Shawl </a>- and I can only say it was probably meant to be because I opted for 3.5 mm needles and it was perfect first try!</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225518437043654738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkS7u690vIx47nUxzoiUAupBaAPQCb6Winqf76gq2Yr86-Tct2eruCg_pEmcgEdHvlVd4IfI8Un5Qa5cM2x76d9FLe93xb7JjrR9sWwr_-KR1Y4jcItg-mdljlLuENEEMc782e/s320/FA+BFL+-+453+yards+light+fingering_2_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225518437572851202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnkj-31DYhg2EsY3hK3ZIkuNfq67V642xoYBqfEsDxcdSTB0CVu6IKrDf2gRbFoUez8AgmsVnJWDb6wHWDG_0MhhNDDQ9-v4_dD1S1MFcPJSTZ8evQY3BxdAcHSogUCmJTJ8f/s320/FA+BFL+-+Swallowtail+1_3_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>The roving is BFL from Fleece Artist that I don't have a picture of - blues, purples and greens. Its overspun in spots, underspun in other and you know what? I don't care! I just love it.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225518443022844754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzrRs-c2131uK05BaQPG7k-afNczS-4HQFHRQr37Y4Y7XFFNKQFUMdx6H0NiLY7DHGGl4xi7oAP7rb5WitmUQOnP_vwu0LaCTHbedb1zr8S2T8qwwVq1a_RRv02WWpVAjXNdz/s320/FA+BFL+Swallowtail+2_4_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div>I picked up another Fleece Artist roving at Yarn Forward last week - very oddly dyed - there was red and red-violet, lots of white, patches of blue and pink. When I undid the braids there was no actual pattern to the dyeing which left me in a bit of a pickle about how to spin it up. At first I thought about lashing it all on the hackles but I kind of want a slubby but substantial sock yarn and though I like playing with the hackles, you lose a lot of fibre in the process (the stuff stuck to the hackles after you pull off the top is too short to use).</div><div></div><br /><div>So I pulled each bit of colour out and ended up with four piles - dark red, light red, violet, and white mixed with blue/pink/yellow/green. I ended up with this:</div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225518645562126898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil003fpEMbEIwnxWO3DakBzi5zYgMeCZojJjWbCxXJtMzxIw9x2eArk2QTTUXGl6sZbXBjs-vfGZ4I96BzAXojfgztyOaZNy8PpoeXRemrfNwxtSqURxMiTUVWUPGXFqB_KLto/s320/FA+Merino+-+in+bits_8_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div>So I've been taking one of each colour and drafting it out just like this:</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225518640207065218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQ_HLn4vltskPQF0aQzQn0BqwPsi10joizBii2BBGZp6IcJt0lBXVuAktVy8iWkBbsSZg9T8ZCyZvXAYr0s10JdmkhLtXgdO7LpnypS6do4FdT5TeNxnrM7H_lHGmvloUKw97/s320/FA+Merino+-+combined+bits_7_1.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225518441645675858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNgi7wjva1xPIM66j1mlvh7ahQvQ-jCzloM3cUrQNXH3BhUStsgwc3imkCXT8K_9BkQH-DLAGb5zgfcaQkPb9HTTVsKvQ34UmZ8t8285Z3bFI61yyS54AnQJORY1fNdBIelMv/s320/FA+Merino+-+combined+bits+pre-drafted_6_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div>Ending up with would bits of pre-drafted top like this:</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225518429020043314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY56mEGYJ30QpayXH4rNXlfA5VLbEysWGZQZufE7FrWq2GbcKnw3SLIeu3yuZQMSzmHS8JX_Wa3MhBo1J1N1xSV3C991nsDaasCULnMGniHVS7Jq0Y42FnvwpZ2NJgDP_BO9gn/s320/FA+-+pre-drafted+and+wound_1_1_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div>Which is spinning up like this:</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225518647319233250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CdaOGwa2j3QFWaDW5yzBFwabXAYmLydUJEJYG_CjiT_bxLs5poBArJP8Pw_oFn6Px6uOb7r11jYOhErXUMg2zowjtYrQVYyHkiUeftFK4QXB3Dk2FKSS8K8QlWnJk-W3u9NF/s320/FA+Merino+on+the+bobbin_9_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div>Once I fill the bobbin I will navajo ply it which will hopefully even it all out into predominately shades of red and red-violet with hints of white and specks of the other colours. I promise pics when it is all done.</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>What I'm knitting</strong></div><br /><div></div><div>Besides the Swallowtail, there are some socks on the needles I can't show you as this is Christmas knitting although the ravelers can check them out on my projects page - the recipients aren't knitters. Otherwise, a few things are hanging out waiting for me to be interested in them again, and that's about it.</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>What I Read</strong></div><br /><div></div><div>...or rather what I threw down in disgust: <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/One-Ball-Knits-Accessories-Stylish/dp/0823033228/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216660406&sr=1-3">One Ball</a>. Thankfully I got this from the library and didn't buy it sight unseen ... oh Mr. Bee is back ... My pet peeves were all in this book - sparkly yarn, icky colours and stuff I would never knit. YMMV of course - someone liked it or it wouldn't be a book right? There was a nice enough moebius (but moebius patterns are kind of a dime a dozen) and an okay shrug. That about sums it up. Not a fan. I encourage you to check it out as I wouldn't want to keep you from knitting something that you really might like. I do think the photos left something to be desired. About halfway through they adopt this kind of creepy wire dress form that makes me think about cobwebby attics and serial killers.</div><br /><div></div><div>Damn bee still outside. I would like to go and rescue some roving from out there but he needs to leave!</div><br /><div></div><div>The irony is that I don't have any plants in my house, a basil plant with a few flowers out on the balcony (which he doesn't seem interested in at all). </div><br /><div></div><div>Wierd.</div><br /><div></div><div>Buzz.</div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-33204271407068899832008-07-15T05:55:00.003-04:002008-07-15T06:07:54.502-04:00Ode to Boy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iiC50jsgs0tpuX1_lM3HmzhQuXIWl8jpRtg6jxpdqO0D_OvQjUSqmugsC1KW__OslQeOic_M8OsHHHQ_lWFsflBntd69Ln9wtx8vbAbTdazuFj-W4bM1FH3vN_IpDs4AvzjG/s1600-h/IMG_1417_4_1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223180136059180242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iiC50jsgs0tpuX1_lM3HmzhQuXIWl8jpRtg6jxpdqO0D_OvQjUSqmugsC1KW__OslQeOic_M8OsHHHQ_lWFsflBntd69Ln9wtx8vbAbTdazuFj-W4bM1FH3vN_IpDs4AvzjG/s320/IMG_1417_4_1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Yesterday Alex turned nine - so I want to take a quick time out from the usual fibre torture to wish the best and nicest kid I know a wonderful happy birthday.<br /><br />Alex arrived in the world after a peaceful (well, peaceful for everyone except me) homebirth - I don't even remember him crying. Just looking around with this look on his face of interest and acceptance. Kind of "cool, I thought it would look different but I can deal with this." He was a strong 10 lbs 12 ozs (no joke - the first thing the midwife said was "would you look at the adipose tissue on him!" - btw, it isn't the weight of the baby but the size of head and shoulders vs. your pelvis that matter, although it did make for an uncomfortable final month of pregnancy).<br /><br />He hasn't changed much since then. Alex holds his feelings close most of the time (except his siblings - particularly Madeline who can really make him mad) and has always been sweet, cuddly, physically strong and relatively un-demanding. Often he will be upset because he asked me to do something and I refused but because he always asks the same way it can be hard to tell what really matters to him.<br /><br />So my love, a very happy, if somewhat belated, 9th birthday!</div><div> </div><div>(P.S. Apologies for creepy mascot picture...really sorry...they were really creepy)</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-75953120505634556992008-07-14T06:12:00.005-04:002008-07-14T09:06:07.987-04:00Rampant Fibre Abuse Reported<strong>Advocacy group seeks regulations to protect innocent victims</strong><br /><br />July 12, 2008 - OTTAWA - For immediate release<br /><br />Police are reporting that they are investigating reports of citizens impaling fibre, raising concerns that fibre abuse is becoming an increasingly frequent phenomenon locally. City police spokesperson, Staff Sargeant Wanda Wools, describes the incidents as "shocking and bizarre."<br /><br />"We haven't seen anything like this in years," she said. "The tools used to force the fibre to submit to the will of the perpetrator can only be described as medieval."<br /><br />Allegedly, on the morning of July 11th, over four ounces of superwash merino were mercilessly beaten against sharp stakes, forced through a small space, and roughly pulled into pieces.<br /><br />"It was entirely consensual," explained Lisa F*. "The superwash had misbehaved and asked to be lashed. All parties knew it was necessary. The merino hadn't lived up its part of the bargain. I had to step in with disciplinary measures. I promise you that the results were well worth it and the merino is happy and safe."<br /><br />The merino could not be reached for comment. Representatives explained that it was too wrapped up to speak to the press and hopes to issue a statement once everything has spun out.<br /><br /><a href="http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2006/03/meet-dolores.html">Dolores Van Hoofen </a>of the Fibertarian Party was unavailable for comment so the policy position of the party are still unknown.<br /><br />Sheep for Better Living Through Cruelty-Free Fiber has already contacted the Minister for Public Safety to see if he is willing to add new regulations to the Criminal Code of Canada outlawing the use of combs and hackles in the processing of fiber.<br /><br />"We work hard to grow the fleece and we feel we should have a say in how its treated after shearing," said SBLTCFF spokes-sheep Maaaa Romney at a press conference earlier today. "We may not be wearing it anymore, but the caring doesn't stop just because the wool has left the barn."<br /><br />- 30 -<br /><br /><br />So - superwash merino went from frumpy to fabulous thanks to my new hackles...<br />Here is the lashed (video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8u_Or5vIrM">here </a>to see how violent this is) fibre being drawn through the diz.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222812106955226594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTZrfAfmj0SUVtIDVNfx2onQUk8p8XOKeZpZPFcciv6cCyG2MSjSJsr2Mdh40wQGjn-51SUe3rqedtfPXnhGaQTk76BNLLxffF63U89d1ohKJJK7KN8_ypuKSRblpQrDCb-XS/s320/IMG_1463.JPG" border="0" /><br />Lovely combed roving for spinning.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222812111299380914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbG7O8sy2acdVX4RBKGVzU9Kgu5C_HZkPpLwnjtm3LXepnDaDywh1ajk_jhpsVTOT53ydE4wikZJdVMsQtWG2-Ihx34BTDAsrsGNzwE9Pb7bGbEnh2CdvJd87hVgCfvU037EYy/s320/IMG_1464.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222812117760262066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4qUYJQWsmT0FSBbYrJriOd4b_X8YCCEH_lKdKLUa7tF8Gunuo_l_UljxvpnJH-VbfSp0kDXKQG58JC1jBm0u8GFH8cS4rawtNBTtJVIlYT69rHDsos_BMHmoincFtCMxhJkr/s320/IMG_1466.JPG" border="0" /><br />After all the frustration it was very very enjoyable smacking the merino onto the sharp pointy stakes. I totally get how Vlad the Impaler may have derived some sick satisfaction out of impaling the people who pissed him off.<br /><br /><br />Thanks everyone for posting comments on <a href="http://www.toknitisdivine.ca/">Leanne's blog </a>- I don't know status at the moment but am planning to find out later today.<br /><br /><br />Oh and Amy Singer hearted my etsy shop...squeeeeee!!!!!!!!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-36042187988118202242008-07-12T14:19:00.002-04:002008-07-12T14:23:06.962-04:00Uh oh! We have a knitter down!I need a favour folks. Leanne's gallbladder is rebelling and wants to separate earlier than expected. She is back in the hospital and will likely have surgery in the next couple of days. If you could go over to her <a href="http://toknitisdivine.ca/">blog </a>and wish her well in the comments there, I'm sure she'll see them when she gets out!<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-3364874414446364292008-07-11T07:41:00.002-04:002008-07-11T09:54:23.570-04:00Superwash merino gets auf'dHey blogland people! <br /><br />One week until glorious 2-week holiday. I haven't had an actual vacation since last August. I think my colleagues are lucky their heads are still attached to their bodies cause there. are. days.<br /><br />Anyway - I'm wrapping up next to nothing at work. The new positon started on June 30 and has been...um...not exactly keeping me busy. I am hoping this is a combination of a) client not used to having a comms person and b) everyone is away anyhow. I am looking to hire someone anyway so we can start building bridges and I can get someone to inventory the web site and start looking at where we need to update "stuff".<br /><br />So that's work. Better stuff ahead!<br /><br /><strong>Needles</strong><br /><br />The Casbah sock is motoring along on the two circs - one is finished and I am about to turn the heel on the second. Terrific bus knitting and with the kids away at their dads all week there has been a lot of downtown and bus riding!<br /><br /><strong>The whirly stuff</strong><br /><br />Its <a href="http://www.tourdefleece.com/">Tour de Fleece </a>so there has been a fair amount of spinning. I am working on spinning laceweight from a gorgeous bit of Fleece Artist BFL in bright purples, pinks, greens and blues. It is taking FOREVER. Still I have to get moving - I am part of the Hush-hush Handspun Hootenany swap and need to send my pal 4 oz unspun (NOT a problem...lol) and 4 oz spun up (somewhat more challenging) in time to mail out in early August.<br /><br /><strong>Dyeing crap...literally</strong><br /><br />Last night I was pretty much convinced that my dyeing mojo was gone. Dye was running off the roving or striking so fast I wasn't able to get it to spread through. Colours were splitting into their primaries.<br /><br />The problem? superwash merino roving. The merino is not the problem...its the chemical process they put the wool through to make it unfeltable. Apparently in stripping off the little "teeth" that make wool felt they also altered the wool in some way that makes dyeing consistently nearly impossible. Let me show you what I mean:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221721195588504514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhDVJhUoZQyLVRM6LM9wrn4_pdrK5L-eMGgLruOhmcDs7pyS5lGBSjOKh16RwSJR2Xuyls8Z0bjBlLW0MN146omWJyONKeU-NeG0hrYl-6BsRhNL9VBQKGdDH10otcZhq_eXF/s320/IMG_1458.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />That's the SAME colour on the left and right. The left - a pale violet - is on BFL roving...the right is the superwash merino. You can see how the colours I mixed split out into blue and red.<br /><br />Here's more:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221721203295715810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRM-rmOnQV2ToD03glgvE1lYQGjzAi1JwFVKQuiM6H0grH59u7ysPnJTDB9445wxiZ6dNePCj5qA2fikoqVVo3uXYWX1G4uu4IVSVwpFR9rWRxaarXIhJbPamET4zyuplis4XA/s320/IMG_1461.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>Again - same colour - I was aiming for a pale fuschia. The top is the superwash and you can see that the dye struck so quickly that I wasn't able to get it to spread through the wool. The bottom is way more accurate.</p><p>So if you are wondering if I dye superwash...the answer is NO. Auf Wiedersehen Superwash Merino!</p><p>I am in the midst of a colour study and have tons of 1 oz bits to dye up which I will strip down and spin up together in various combinations to see how the colours work together. The aim is to better understand colour, but also become more comfortable with colours that are not in my usual palette - like olive greens, browns and other colours that are best described as icky in my mind (but nirvana for others).</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221721220895847650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvqt5B2Qw152ifCYAEwAAHjipEMEyU0u0v2Nil4yXmASyEJ_1eV0WjHsg6Kw2yQOn5tO8HhLSXWWiEQx9nP8skpJMWd_Rf9DyGFeK567lrGv4SsAIEBod97wHQanFc1gES5yj/s320/IMG_1440.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>Last word...</p><p>Heaven. In a frozen container. I'm just saying that putting two perfect foods together is better than perfection.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221721206755956466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYrZrT-n9zAGWtsWd1zONlglFOkrKEedLUDHmZoJD-dKmrh4ixyqMG2hlw0lEGLhooHiSBiSAKcKvg_OzqA4QCRzQKttesnpEo24EiT4TbhjYSECzcemKHzTgsMaNnVaC597l/s320/IMG_1443.JPG" border="0" /></p><p> </p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-21426522372514013602008-07-02T09:40:00.000-04:002008-07-02T09:41:04.197-04:00Dear Yarn HarlotDearest Stephanie,<br /><br />You don’t know me. You may or may not read my blog. Still, I need to apologize for a terrible terrible thing.<br /><br />It started innocently enough with some really nice sock yarn. It was Fleece Artist Casbah (have you tried it? Very nice. Highly recommended.). I was a bit worried about the Casbah and the yardage and making socks and having enough and blah blah blah.<br /><br />Anyway, I decided it was time. Time to try my hand at toe up socks. I had Cat Bordhi’s YouTube video (now may be the right time for a strong sense of foreboding btw) of the Magic Cast-on. I tried it with dpns. Not successful. Trying to knit the first round was impossible. I tried again with a dpn and circular. Much better! I was on my way. Happily switched back to dpns all around and off I went.<br /><br />Everything went well for a long time.<br /><br />Foot? Sailed through.<br /><br />First ever short row heel? Not. A. Problem.<br /><br />Ha ha! I am a knitting goddess!<br /><br />Onto the leg.<br /><br />Laugh in the face of knitting!<br /><br />Note serious laddering due to rib pattern chosen for sock as ribbing pattern now extends around whole leg. Remember that I always have laddering no matter how much I tug at stitches.<br /><br />Laddering is really noticeable. Unacceptably noticeable.<br /><br />Consider ripping back. Remember that laddering not likely going to get better.<br /><br />Contemplate alternative solution. Reject it. Knit another row, tugging hard! Thank Fleece Artist for including nylon in sock yarn.<br /><br />Think hard. Contemplate solution again. Accept dawning realization that solution is the only one.<br /><br />Pull down box-o-knitting supplies. Get circs. Start knitting one sock on two circs.<br /><br />Like it. Like it very very much.<br /><br />I’m sorry Stephanie.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-38233449445931229162008-06-30T05:54:00.005-04:002008-06-30T12:48:39.499-04:00Take this pencil roving and...So I owe you all a post that isn’t all like “blah blah blah etsy blah blah tired blah blah can’t think” right?<br /><br />Right!<br /><br /><strong>The news<br /></strong><br />I started my new-ish job today. And so far, I haven’t done anything new! This is probably because it is a) Monday and b) Monday before a statutory holiday. Downtown Ottawa is a wasteland (no, moi in Vancouver, I did NOT write cultural wasteland…stop that!) today. Tomorrow it will be dangerous to walk around here unless you have a <a href="http://www.tristaramerica.com/images/canada_flag_on_jim.gif">Canadian flag tattooed on your face</a>! I have no idea who that guy is, but he sure looks happy doesn't he?<br /><br />Yesterday we celebrated Alex’s ninth birthday. We went to the ballpark to watch a <a href="http://www.ottawarapidz.com/main.asp?lang=en">Can-Am League game</a> – less talent that Triple A, slightly more than Little League. We had a suite overlooking home plate – it was absolutely amazing and since my kids are used to running around the stadium, we only saw kids at important moments – like when they were hungry.<br /><br />I can’t believe my baby is nine. I also can’t believe I am old enough to have a nine year old. As a result of my disbelief I did my best to behave as childishly as possible without endangering anyone and had two big pieces of birthday cake. So there upcoming 39th birthday!<br /><br /><strong>Stuff I am dyeing<br /></strong><br />I think I lost two whole days of my life trying to untangle this holy mess:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217611698611812050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RpgelzF6uFdXb0jC-rlsyRbttvjcbmssuM5zfAoqWRGekxBDGI7RCNYoT31qJ7FBG2zNM0QzxakEkkrFbPtHGmYqYwQMizJ7MUaO6Sdb9QRGTnldpfU5cOYTWyXV5Kfqc2DR/s320/IMG_1282.JPG" border="0" />That’s a pound of merino-seacell pencil roving. It was like untangling yarn, but yarn that would just drift apart if I tugged too hard. It was totally worth it though…it is so soft!!<br /><br />The first step in dyeing is to soak the wool – with this stuff I couldn’t wind it up into a ball like a I do with thicker rovings because the water would not penetrate to the middle. So out came the swift and some very gentle skein winding happened. Worked like a charm! This bit <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12940409">got dyed </a>strong blues, reds and greens. I really need to dye up some for me and spin it.<br /><br /><strong>Stuff in the mail</strong><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217611687733762146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Q73t9ZqHgyaVFiTVVwIbmS7ob7kht3P_LWuSkgwLadwRg5v9SpSh_W-R5X2P1oMTM6bzKDxIGH5M6G4GWF1nuheAnZBzqD3-fo2992sqrriPho70NIT4DZnmmTIid1kehqim/s320/IMG_1334.JPG" border="0" /><br />Supplies! Can you believe the number of postage stamps on this? Mail ordered from <a href="http://www.coppermoose.com/">Copper Moose</a> in the US – there is a pound each of BFL and Merino, and half a pound each of Merino-silk and merino-tencel. Lookie here! Bags’o’wool!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217611691801956482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiL0RORNb4ppvw0zmZWKEfnMX7ocuHYP6e1DtlBe4i7Y6qFFszveadseYEFq1-nxG3dRSLFuNlgynDCDXuK6me0JksZXJHKDvTXwzMcbuD5Cf_T7yqizx6JonLxXjMp0NlkPoy/s320/IMG_1336.JPG" border="0" /><br /><strong>Stuff I’m knitting</strong><br /><br />Susie Hoodie continues – it looks the same as last time so no boring pictures of blue stockinette for you! Don’t bother to complain about that either as I am not wasting valuable computer space on a picture.<br /><br />Susie Hoodie might have been chucked aside for some warm weather knitting. Having firmly committed to copying a couple of people who are smarter than I am, I am knitting up the <a href="http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2005/12/print_o_the_wave_stole.html">Print’o’the Wave </a>in <a href="http://handmaiden.ca/yarn.html">Handmaiden</a> SeaSilk. Frogged once in favour of smaller needles but so far so good. Isn’t it pretty? This one is definitely for me!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217611705421865218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yCoyFnSqhkKf6FJxTgdU-UOQbMBCAiMWPkqyqzzvwdijnsofI3oV5a5oxTPFRFq6jpTHcQY08o8SWow2nj_2CuFM2NvSZoIr96D-BEkU67VGwvc9u9GWExvLbFiWYmL0dEn_/s320/Print+o+the+wave+in+Handmaiden+SeaSilk.JPG" border="0" /><br />And I guess today is Handmaiden day – because I cast on a sock in Casbah. The yardage on the skein is a bit short (around 325 yards) so I decided to bite the bullet and learn how to do a toe up sock. Now I am sold!!! I did <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html">Judy Becker’s Magic Cast-on </a>with the help of Cat Bordhi’s YouTube video (thanks for telling me about it <a href="http://www.betseydoodle.ca/">Nancy</a>! Hint: click the link and check out the divine sea silk stole Nancy just finished - awesome!). I am using a rib-whose-name-I-have-forgotten out of one of the Vogue Stitchionaries and last night I did my firstest ever short row heel with instructions out of an Interweave Knits from last year. As I am knitting on 3.75s these are going very quickly!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217611712642343890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWLd_OdgrVxg0BKo0H2ys_NyeEENmv_TnL0QvUeKNsNbdt-gXA8zqannY7Ok3lDNJ0rsa3y9CDt_ojbfzXh3BiFf3i1mbu3BA5mchO3YrG5DdyFIVGXuTnE3lnbRARhKH2Iiy/s320/Toe-up+sock+in+Casbah.JPG" border="0" /><br /><strong>Places I’ve been</strong><br /><br />I mentioned ages ago that I would tell you about <a href="http://www.kniterary.com/">Kniterary </a>– just about the cutest little yarn shop in Whitby – and I think the ONLY yarn shop in Whitby. That’s beside the point.<br /><br />The very first time I went there the woman who owned the shop had just bought it from the previous owner that week. Sales stock was…well…unimaginative and more than a little acrylic-y. I don’t go there everytime I go to Toronto but I do try to drop in occasionally to see what’s new.<br /><br />Huge improvement! A super comfortable couch. Lovely woman who totally left me alone and talked to Alex who was nicely tolerating the yarn store visit (he actually likes knitting but doesn’t have the attention span to do it for long). They had some really lovely sock yarn from The Sweet Sheep and Celestial Merino (yummy). Decent selection of Berroco, Fleece Artist and lots of Mission Falls.<br /><br />I didn’t buy much as I had just spent a fortune for three hellish hours at Canada’s Wonderland the day before. I did pick up Cat Bordhi’s new sock book – it is pretty cool although beyond the cast on and looking at the pretty pictures and marvelling at Cat Bordhi’s brain (I’m surprised her head isn’t three times bigger than it is), I haven’t tried any of the sockitectures…<br /><br /><strong>That’s it!<br /></strong><br />Happy Canada Day to everyone!<br /><br /><div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-84537543474929888262008-06-25T09:31:00.006-04:002008-06-26T15:27:20.628-04:00How you know you've dyed too much and my HHHH Questionnaire<strong>Dream dyes or dye dreaming?</strong><br /><br />The whole etsy thing has my brain feeling like I'm on uppers ALL the time. Its new for me so I think I just have to figure out how to fit it into the rest of my life.<br /><br />Its the only explanation I have for waking up on Sunday morning thinking Pink! With olive green and a grey blue! That would be interesting.<br /><br />Must. stop. thinking.<br /><br /><strong>And my questionnaire for the hush-hush handspun hootenany</strong><br /><br />1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself?<br /><br />On and off over 2 years - I'm not a beginner but I wouldn't say I'm intermediate either.<br /><br /><br />2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)?<br /><br />Mostly two ply, but I just learned to navajo ply so I am hoping to be able to work on maintaining colour repeats using that technique.<br /><br /><br />3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)?<br /><br />I occasionally spindle but I prefer my wheel.<br /><br /><br />4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with? Anything you don't like?<br /><br />I like fine fibres with lots of luster. Looove silk! I am not so thrilled with soysilk for some reason - too slippery I think. I'm not particularly keen on 100% plant fibres - i.e. cotton, flax or linen<br /><br /><br />5. Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)?<br /><br />I love Fleece Artists rovings which I buy wherever I can find them. I tend to buy mostly undyed rovings from my LCD (local crack dealer).<br /><br /><br />6. What kind of fiber do you want to try?<br /><br />Milk, shetland, merino-linen blend, cormo, cvm (these last two are not available to me in Canada and I would love to try them), polworth<br /><br /><br />7. Is there any techniques you would like to learn?<br /><br />As mentioned - how to maintain colour repeats by navajo plying. I would like to get better control over the thickness I am spinning. Spin lace!<br /><br /><br />8. Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn?<br /><br />I do a bit of dyeing ;-) - okay that was a total understatement.<br /><br /><br />9. Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber?<br /><br />I have handcards I don't mind using but I also have a short attention span and like instant gratification so I am more of a ready to spin person.<br /><br /><br />10. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed?<br /><br />A bunch of hats and a poncho. I'd like to get a decent sock yarn as well as make some thrummed mittens.<br /><br /><br />11. Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)?<br /><br />Nope - I am the gadget queen - unless you count a drum carder as a gadget? Is my pal very very rich by any chance? Kidding!<br /><br /><br />12. What colors "fall into your shopping basket"? Any colors you just can't stand?<br /><br />Blues, greens and reds. I like bright saturated colours and tend to avoid greyed out colours. I'm not fond of the olive, brown, blacks although they can be amazing on the right fiber (like a merino linen blend where the linen is left natural for example). Certain colour combinations turn me right off - I don't like how complementary colours spin up (i.e. I tried purple and yellow and hated it), black and blue (bruise) or black and yellow (bumble bee) or red and green (christmas) are not favourites.<br /><br /><br />13. What is on your wheel/spindle right now?<br /><br />On my wheel some awesome merino-bamboo from Funky Carolina. On my spindle - SWTC Karaoke in Rainbow.<br /><br /><br />14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have?<br /><br />Obviously I knit but right now the business start up is taking a lot of my time. I used to quilt and create altered art pieces (artist trading cards, altered books, multi-media) but lost interest when fiber took over my life.<br /><br /><br />15. Other than crafts, what are you passionate about?<br /><br />My kids mostly. My cats. My work some of the time.<br /><br /><br />16. Do you have an online wishlist?<br /><br />I have a list at amazon.ca - I really should update it!<br /><br /><br />17. Is there anything that you collect?<br /><br />Besides books, magazine and fiber? I have a collection of apples (stone, wood etc) and blue glassware. I haven't really collected as much since having children.<br /><br /><br />18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have?<br /><br />I would love Intertwined by Lexi Boeger. I would love any of Anne Hanson's shawl patterns - particularly Bee Fields. I don't subscribe but pick up at the news stand if I am impressed enough!<br /><br /><br />19. When is your birthday?<br /><br />Never - I've decided to quit having them.<br />Oh fine. November 11<br /><br /><br />20. What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality?<br /><br />I never know how to answer these questions! If I had to be a Jane Austen inspired characted, I'd qualify as the older, calmer sister (the Elinors and Janes) as opposed to spirited younger ones.<br /><br /><br />21. What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)?<br /><br />Hot and humid!<br /><br /><br />22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself!<br /><br />When I was a kid I could cover my eyes with my feet arching backwards (lying on my stomach). This is not something I can do anymore!<br /><br /><br />Favorites<br /><br /><br />Favorite painting/picture(link): I've always loved David Hockney's Nichols Canyon Road (<a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/hockney/hockney.nichols-canyon.jpg">http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/hockney/hockney.nichols-canyon.jpg</a>) , any Kandinsky for colour more than the paintings themselves and most Impressionism.<br /><br /><br />Candy: I firmly believe that Kit Kat is the perfect food.<br /><br /><br />Food: See above. But really - anything with flour, sugar and fat is good.<br /><br />Drink: Not a big alcohol drinker (probably the jump straight to the hangover without the fun of the drunk beforehand) - so iced teas or lemonades in summer. Milkshakes too! I drink my fair share of coffee and love tea in the evenings when its cool outside.<br /><br /><br />Movie(s): I have a film degree - I just don't watch movies anymore!<br /><br /><br />TV Show(s): I love the good reality dance shows like So You Think You Can Dance and documentaries - particularly science and technology. I used to be a huge sci fi fan but I don't watch much TV these days.<br /><br /><br />Book(s): I also have an English degree so now I tend to prefer light reading (Jennifer Weiner and other chick lit), mysteries, supernatural mysteries (I went through a huge Lauren K. Hamilton phase last year), love the Dexter novels.<br /><br /><br />Guilty Pleasure(s): Ravelry at work, knitting silk, ice cream cones where I stuff the ice cream into the sugar cone and only have a little bit on top, the 6 pillows I sleep with, playing chase with my cat and having 14 different soaps in my shower from independent soapies.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-24957851198592891622008-06-25T01:25:00.004-04:002008-06-25T01:46:02.019-04:00Is that a bandwagon I see in the distance?It's 1:35 a.m. and I am awake because I have cats - and these cats decided that midnight was the BEST TIME EVER to play in my room. <div><br /><div></div><div>And I was going to post my mosaic of the meme with the twelve items you search on flickr and then choose photos and stick them in a mosaic just like <a href="http://www.verypink.com/2008/06/13/its-all-about-mememememe">Stacey </a>and I totally did and then I didn't save it cause I am a dumb...well never mind.</div><div></div><br /><div>So instead, here is a wall o fiber.</div><br /><br /><div></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/2589974122_bfebfd7624.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div>1:40 now and I shouldn't be allowed to blog after midnight. I did save it - just not in the usual spot...</div><br /><div></div><div>So I give you the rulez:</div><br /><div></div><div>a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=&w=all" target="_blank">Flickr Search</a>.</div><div>b. Using only the first page, pick an image.</div><div>c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into <a href="http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/mosaic.php" target="_blank">fd’s mosaic maker</a>.<br /></div><br /><div>1. What is your first name? </div><div>2. What is your favorite food? </div><div>3. What high school did you go to? </div><div>4. What is your favorite color? </div><div>5. Who is your celebrity crush? </div><div>6. Favorite drink? </div><div>7. Dream vacation? </div><div>8. Favorite dessert? </div><div>9. What you want to be when you grow up? </div><div>10. What do you love most in life?</div><div>11. One Word to describe you.</div><div>12. Your flickr name.<br /></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215690573622851170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDKrWAFa9-JPZx6bdR6nLv5DnAHNfItw1dH0RLM1Pkf4Guw9bYJJLFuAWPn5Byl4cpJ_jx0NSGONcZcduhw-PAyu5Tte3CiZLTkOpgG4kMWF7ysntMJEkHIBg05lc-ctD0fou/s400/mosaic2288508.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><p>Damn it...I'm going back to bed.</p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-53234528380035515932008-06-22T19:18:00.003-04:002008-06-22T19:39:48.897-04:00A poem...I gave it a try<br /><div>To Navajo ply</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Yeah, all right, I'm no poet. I can navajo ply however! At least NOW I can.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>At first I got off to a rough start. This was not due to the singles I was plying which was lovely copper coloured superwash merino. It was not due to the teaching at all. It was due to my not being able to set up my wheel properly and so I tried to ply about 50 feet in the same direction that my singles was spun in...which meant I got crap.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Which of course I took a picture of because I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to humiliate myself...</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214853595094174498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNylKLofWC0pO3kD8Jw3yeWr-bZJwiZZWhloUibP0TFRw0BfVIz2lJu5XBeK_1cGOUykBjL9aYrimA_NYtzlCFRdTu4JAs9VkYgryoRBGNsLCULQjef1FpwdfKvVJW5UHF5dGp/s320/Navaho+Not.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>Once the wheel and I started to get along a bit better (mostly because I stopped being a dumbass and it forgave me) I got a reasonable facsimile of a skein and the beginnings of an idea of how to do this. Here it is...</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214853605835975042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnQK1X2ogXN46E_8U5Lv97u8d64b_xxbWyWZlq78mF3y0U8XYSABWzBNNnjd2a5pZRLAgJv2NbSQQGXCsL-M07m43FN8t42e1pWQs5cSmF142tZ6wiwlX0_skXfkH7u1p2ze3/s320/Navaho+ply!.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>And last of all - the afternoon was spent in a group silk scarf dyeing activity where the entire group (about 80 or so) split into different groups to try different techniques. <a href="http://daisychainsandbuttercups.blogspot.com/">Chriss </a>and I ended up in the pole wrapping (no, not dancing...) group. </div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214853610074480146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVZINv_POMBAC1qhu7DyiLftQXZHYGhyDtFpGNA5fPPY77IpjEj1e46tIDPHVftrD5z_1i7lUb1KRQTnSepMh0aEiWGoUjUmbkQBqAHFOmvkMj_pWgFbWZNJyeAaovDrnWuUY/s320/Chriss+pole+dyeing+a+silk+scarf.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>Basically you wind string around your scarf on a piece of PVC pipe with string, push it up tight and then stick it in dye for a bit.</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214853615880313426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xHDybaxqrSps-zU1EoXq4uDGPmIpn-uVULU15hbddpUrrwtBdpauPXienfrtFU4AjA9Q_nq_nl1ewljd2FiIRJuVM4MeFJB_OUKOyP14WBM7F-P4zQ01910KeU08YQfETbsG/s320/My+pole+dyeing+experiment.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>Chriss' ended up better than mine (yes, I have pole wrapping technique regret) but I don't have a picture so mine will have to do...</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214853593014304290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjMaIUXXwcR28pvp0pObc_F5W4ebeAJ0EG33_dxRuJ5yTZLtn_YrodejSQDMdK-8MvSrgpCaDWyKM9qNOC3Z-HyUn7ephTK_T5fHGHzYdOvzi8nSSrQ6PpyMd3WF25FXMFjxP/s320/IMG_1331.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>Purple isn't really my colour and this design feels "old" to me - I was thinking of overdyeing it - ideas are welcome! Just remember that the colour will interact with the purple.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>All in all it was a fun day but I am still tired out! I spent the afternoon back with my hands in the dyepot. I also culled some sock yarn that I dyed in the winter and posted it to the shop. I picked up some absolutely amazing mohair from Diane the spinning teacher that is what is left of her own angora goats - about 1600 meters worth so I'll have to figure out what to do with it - its to much for one project but not quite enough for two.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I hope everyone had a great weekend!</div><br /><div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-19035056075134601422008-06-20T20:02:00.006-04:002008-06-20T21:01:51.938-04:00Mail!...what I spun...Q&AHi everyone - I have so much in my head I can't possibly get it all down in one post or a) I'll be here forever and b) it will make no sense.<br /><div></div><br /><div>So I'm going to curb my enthusiasm a bit and focus on one thing at a time.</div><div></div><br /><div><strong>The stuff that's hit my mailbox this week!</strong></div><div></div><br /><div>As stuff has sold in the shop, it has given me a bit of virtual cash (seriously - with PayPal it doesn't seem like real money at all) to play with and I wanted to find some interesting Canadian sellers on etsy to support.</div><br /><div></div><div>I got super lucky when <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5000025">Uli </a>hearted me on etsy (I love that...hearted...and the little hearts pulse too!) cause she has some super cool stuff in her shop. I held out in the resistance department until I got to <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10123991">these </a>and then I was hitting "add to cart" and the rest is history. There have been two great side effects of this - I got a terrific sock pattern and a new friend in the process!</div><br /><div></div><div>I am also coveting this: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10876026">http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10876026</a></div><br /><div></div><div>I was also after some removeable stitch markers and stumbled onto <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5024847">Crimson Orchid </a>and bought these (I might have a thing for silver and blue).</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214129154164578130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhiJIWxjZkzuT12fmIDs8aUzt6LXflqPrrUsAaojN_e43DHdv4mrNP3-BFaPGkcrNxuh08678WxeRBdXMKN5LK92XXL2D1kWk7JIxSebscKQtP__DbWQbysK_6Ro3iu7FFaL2/s320/IMG_1307.JPG" border="0" /> <div>I also heavily covet the shawl pins in <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=47644">Chris' </a>shop - I have some gorgeous stitch markers by her that <a href="http://jmknits.wordpress.com/">Jeanne </a>sent me that are so pretty that if I use them I tend to pause a bit every time I have to slip one from one needle to the next.</div><br /><div></div><div>And last, but certainly not least...I've got cool labels! One of my older, bestest (see, moi in Vancouver - I didn't say oldest!) friends - who may be familiar to all as wanna-baa in the comments - is my friend Jenna and I wouldn't out her on the blog if I didn't have a fabulous reason. I got these awesome iron-in labels in the mail today - I kind of knew they were coming when I got an email that said "If I was going to buy you labels, what would they say? Not that I'm going to do that or anything!" Anyway - this fantastic "surprise" showed up in the mailbox this afternoon:</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214129152174506642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkjBO-lJpsM02VWGG9BVtMAfa3K2uwWDweRvEeGmK9ytIQf8y1c51cAGsHtbDx_Pdu0Rn6OknXm0A-qaqiTQN1pqofbAu3l6qSBo0IvKhkpsNyTxtKpVvAFHVBddxDVnBrMvo/s320/IMG_1304.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><div>Jenna is selling labels for a company called Lovable Labels - if you have kids or know of someone with kids, there is way more there than iron-ons. I am particularly intrigued by shoe labels that don't wear out inside of kids' shoes. With summer camp season nearly here and school starting again (I know, someone had to say it) in two months, these would be terrific for everything from the child's forehead (okay, maybe just mine) to sippy cups at daycare and so much more.</div><br /><div></div><div>Check it all out at <a href="http://www.jenna.lovablelabels.ca/">http://www.jenna.lovablelabels.ca/</a> </div><br /><div></div><div>So its been a great week for my mailbox. I am expecting new dyes next week (navy!) and a huge fiber shipment from the U.S. which means a shop update will be forthcoming too.</div><br /><div></div><div>And just so you don't think I've been sitting around waiting for the postal worker...</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>What I spun</strong></div><br /><div></div><div>Back in the winter I spent an afternoon at <a href="http://daisychainsandbuttercups.blogspot.com/">Chriss'</a> house and between the hours of conversation I made up about 6 batts with my pile of dye experiments on her drum carder...I finally had a chance to spin up some of the red yesterday. This is merino - bright red with flecks of purple. I didn't realize how much of a difference there is spinning from a batt vs a roving. With the batt there was more friction in the fiber and I was able to control out the amount being drafted and managed a pretty effective bulky weight - there's 1.8 ozs and about 72 yards in there.</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214129159389865362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjJ9hoeaxnWVeGxP70LFxrFAsEEPCWoRqvsHogV8lH6piPOWjCKlhyryVdtsTUseI_txNlsclwKeFdFHye90Vfz0d8XCw_gbUpXPrAP_9KV7932R4PI3tnxnbTEemP-OQdqGy/s320/IMG_1287.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><div></div><div>Next up was some tussah silk I received as part of the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12715816">Funky Carolina fiber club </a>last year. I hadn't spun pure silk in a long long time - like two years and then it was only small amounts. I predrafted the top and man, was it static-y! And me without a water bottle. Not annoying-to-the-point-of-not-being-able-to-spin but definitely a bit more difficult to control. It is absolutely gorgeous. There's two ounces there - probably a fingering weight or light sport weight. I need to run it through the meter to get the right count at some point...but for now I am just petting it and calling it George. Not really, but you get the point.</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214129159200107058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yyhjDlcRZRLjzF_Idg2z16LfVnq_O-5e0w_sgY_9ky1UsCab51Mqth2ZlcmCouh5wztvsQgPnNanZqj2BT17ZiPEEfL1C0gikCpMzl0TzH-1hBlvLYiFr7UnsG4a4rDfV9OR/s320/IMG_1292_1_1_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div>And speaking of Funky Carolina roving - I just undid a braid from her that I got last year too (merino bamboo - awesome!) and it isn't braided! Its a crochet chain! I have <strong>got</strong> to try that!!!</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Answering Qs</strong></div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><div>moi in vancouver asked if I was going to have yarn too...I actually just posted two handpainted soysilk laceweights and my plan is to offer handspun and handdyed yarns when I have them. I have some fingering weight yarn I have never knit myself that I will probably post when I have a chance to photograph them and figure out my pricing.</div><div></div><br /><div>Take care and have a great weekend! Tomorrow, Chriss and I and the <a href="http://www.daisychainsandbuttercups.ca/index.php?pr=Online_Shoppe">Hilltop Fibreworker </a>are heading off to Almonte for <a href="http://www.ovwsg.com/index.html">Saint Distaff Day </a>where I am hoping to learn to navaho ply.</div><div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-8411367712720381772008-06-18T17:14:00.003-04:002008-06-18T17:26:17.088-04:00No pretty picturesYep - no pictures today - mostly because it hasn't stopped raining since the weekend. So instead I will answer a meme I kind of self-tagged myself with by reading <a href="http://indigodragonfly.wordpress.com/">indigodragonfly's blog </a>(go visit but consider yourself duly warned)...<br /><br />1) What was I doing ten years ago?<br />Nursing a 6 month old...staggering through my life in a state of exhaustion.<br /><br />2) What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today:<br />Go to knit night - post one thing on etsy - have <a href="http://www.thaitaste.ca/somtum/index.html">lunch </a>with <a href="http://www.betseydoodle.ca/">Nancy </a>- shower - go to bed early<br /><br />3) Snacks I enjoy:<br />Anything with that delightful fat-sugar-flour combination. And chocolate.<br /><br />4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:<br /><br />Bigger house with a nice studio equipped with housekeeper and cook. I'd open a knitting-spinning-dyeing shop in the country and who cares if I make money as long as I have fun. I'd make sure my parents could live comfortably for the rest of their lives, buy my sister and house and then start paying down the mortgages of my friends. And I'd want to support programs that provide birth, labour and postpartum support to women in need.<br /><br />5) Places I have lived:<br />Ottawa, Montreal, Washington D.C., Calgary , Syracuse NY<br /><br />6) Jobs I have had:<br />Day camp counsellor<br />Clerk in an office that provided marriage licenses and registered births and deaths<br />Baskin Robbins ice cream jockey<br />Grocery store clerk<br />Chambermaid (which last an whole 3 hours - my love affair with cleaning continues to this day)<br />Civilian support staff in an murder investigation<br />Various and sundry office jobs<br />Freelance researcher<br /><br />7) Peeps I want to know more about:<br /><br />All of you but I dare not demand - if you want to play please do!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-81623511103556385172008-06-14T21:05:00.003-04:002008-06-14T21:50:22.834-04:00WWKIP - Self-employment is exhausting<strong>Happy Worldwide Knit in Public Day</strong>!<br /><br /><br />If you didn't KNOW today was WWKIP Day then I do forgive you - I understand that there are a great many people who don't knit. This includes a bunch of folks in <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2802377-major_s_hill_park_ottawa-i">Major Hill's Park </a>today - the guys in the conservation truck that slowed right down, the folks trying not to fall off their bicycles, the ambling folks passing by trying not to stare. Here are a few of the crazy knitters now -<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211908779474110226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieudsMA87nWDgighidk8WQBD4BqMBSnL2vqyqdfp9vmw7Fu-joTrqnnur7BAgtC07A15_VrPGG4w_VrXcn_t3xseRzMxmYqG2yejulCqT33R2eI5E4HytIs74hrAOJMs-vtNL1/s320/IMG_1260_1_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />Apologies for the dark photo - Linda is in front, then <a href="http://toknitisdivine.ca/">Leanne </a>and, if you look closely - a little bit of <a href="http://www.betseydoodle.ca/">Nancy </a>by Leanne's knee. And here's the whole gang - minus me. <br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211911586950595282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3jrCa7tgQcCRc7fo1FSuhCb4bnhTn2nvHjkmLe5kdQUYa7EyNQU5z0a7NkJPDMnYvxoHMn4BQryOmY0G5Uedhxh-KAZI_BkIHwE4VfBrDqwBcFH50EQsJbKHUPCnpYmOjsnU/s320/IMG_1261_1_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>For the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.ravelry.com">ravelers</a>, intrepid organizer <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/flyfish">flyfish </a>has posted <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/ottawa-knitnites/191881/26-50#36">her photos</a>.</p><p>And I got a fantastic picture of Leanne wearing her newest shawl - her own design...but I'll let her blog it - I just wanted to share this lovely photo of her!</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211908788722119042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQ_c4fe61OcTUEASvEgkozKv8GtsqPPg2qN4W2tDOgpAzwToq7K_8QGikRLVlgD9HgPDYWnCsmaa1ipQvz1aG5Ww46YRcVcHYj2khN5lSvE1ynraG1yY1tTHSAI4G9stQS4FL/s320/IMG_1265_1_1.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>When the party broke up a few of us continued on at the Earl of Sussex. There was much knitting which both delighted and confused the wait staff. There was a LOT of laughing. There was definitely some wierd shenanigans involving Dino Nuggets, fries and a Thomas the Tank Engine colouring book. Shout outs to <a href="http://riizu.blogspot.com/">Liz</a>, Fran, and Megot (I suspect I just butchered that spelling - if you read this please correct me!).</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211908802373169874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAUsGcrPSBmPuv6aT51PxJ9eLn0ssahW7qlVFty_4lRRP60DicE7bsLrsPGEliLogHX5laVNtmDceAQfnO90aYJIMUZ4sSjs4GYI_vWcsdWqzk2HRtE1ANVlnsgQkqPwP649o/s320/IMG_1266_1_1.JPG" border="0" /></p><p><strong>Me and <a href="http://www.threebyhand.etsy.com/">Etsy</a></strong></p><p>So as you may have gathered from my last post, I kind of opened a shop? And there's stuff in there that I'm selling?</p><p>To be honest I had been contemplating this on and off for months. I love dyeing - so much so that I have rather quickly outstripped my ability to spin it. Things like paying rent keep getting in the way of all the fun stuff like knitting and spinning and hanging with knitting people and being on ravelry and all the good stuff that goes with it.</p><p>So rather than drown in wool, and because I've gotten so many lovely comments from <a href="http://riizu.blogspot.com/">folks </a>who's <a href="http://www.bockstarkknits.net/">opinions </a>I respect, I decided to give it a shot. At this point, it is all profit as I had purchased roving without the intention to sell. I think what had stopped me before was how wonderful so much dyed stuff already out there is...and I didn't think I measured up (as is usual for me to some arbitrary standard whereby other dyers all have fine arts degrees, long periods of dyeing study undertaken and stupendous studios - I may have an overactive imagination).</p><p>The name Three By Hand has been in my head for a long time. I like to imagine what I would name my knitting store, my long awaited novel, my hit TV show... So it seemed like a natural fit for me. Having branded the store, and to some extent me (an odd experience to do it for myself rather than work - a lot more interesting too - what am I all about and how do I convey that) - I feel like I just got a crash course in online selling.</p><p>Stuff I didn't know anything about until now:</p><p>1. I had NEVER used PayPal...now I have a premier account and apparently this is how I will get money in exchange for goods. I even refunded someone who ordered a second roving to combine shipping (hi Jeanne - that Dandelion is going to be awesome! send pics when spun!)</p><p>2. Costs per item add up quickly...between Etsy's share, PayPal's share, what I may swallow in shipping because I am going with set costs rather than per item, envelopes and little fiddly marketing things - well lets just say that learning about pricing is going to take some time and my profit margin may be crap for a while.</p><p>3. I have NO clue how to market this...but I am hoping that if I impress enough folks, in time it will work itself out.</p><p>I think there's a lot more...in the meantime, I have changed my avatar on ravelry and here...</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211908810945345970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6phJyHYhHycZvw5qHFfhBpwNVPLlpRpHWXVoHwwNeZvf5GE66w8sNEdmG0JhfXGah4yA76pX8w5G4iWeUcVCBspt8sdJMSmETBKBNxHGKLCuIawpX8YhEM8nXygqG5_Yyp7DE/s320/avatar.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Promised reviews will have to wait...I need sleep!</p><p>Enjoy the rest of the weekend and if you can (and want to) don't forget to call your dad tomorrow!</p><p> </p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-73840343784670347442008-06-13T22:16:00.001-04:002008-06-13T22:18:52.364-04:00Climb ladder...3 steps...bounce...dive!I did it...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.threebyhand.etsy.com/">Three By Hand</a><br /><br />More tomorrow...right now, I'm tuckered!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25470821.post-42468072623849185002008-06-09T20:33:00.004-04:002008-06-09T21:26:09.167-04:00There and back again; up to my ears in wool<strong>The news</strong><br /><div></div><br /><div>So the "dude" and I headed off into the wild blue yonder - ambled down the highway at a leisurely pace of 15 km per hour above the speed limit - to the Big City. Actually we hit surburbia and went to Whitby - about 50-odd (give or take 25 km depending on which part of the city you measure from) kilometres from Toronto.</div><div></div><br /><div>All I can say is a) thank god for air conditioning and b) theme parks and 40+ degrees humidex don't mix. We lasted at Wonderland a whole 3 1/2 hours before calling it quits and heading back to Wanna-baa's house for a nap, dinner and ice cream.</div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210054647856623250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuc8O6KR1agFnP4Q5nPY6M7MMUYZHV0ru2WtSTSCmZba0axzkkhX_knUSbLXRnh7Nu5Ce0mjMwGd5fJFwVHe9ByOqZEb_UfRwdPvILajrZQhGabiVWN3NfAi8GW6T3GpwwZ3G-/s320/IMG_1175.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><div>More stuff I can say...10 month olds? CUTE! Ava checked out Alex thoroughly our first morning:</div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210054620985012210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufqH99yJCguyb-BqZYN7rN2f0sL4cCeABlzyMbPpC6dd7UtTo5SobiiBa4B2nZF3jQMf-J57RtJy7Xtj7yyUYYiZyMYPGu-VEwmlQKdTSTgKQq7wqZUURJmn8QlZvIUryAa4n/s320/Ava+and+Alex+June+08.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><div>We also found that the absolutely best place to be on a hot day is a little tiny beach in Port Hope on Lake Ontario where it was about 10 degrees cooler than anywhere else. And the fish and chips totally rocked. No pictures as I was too busy pushing the swing and watching sandcastle making.</div><div></div><br /><div>The reason for the trip to Port Hope was to go to <a href="http://www.theblacklamb.ca/">The Black Lamb </a>and pick up some fibre as I am preparing a bunch of stuff for St. Distaff's Day. Laurie had closed the shop for the day to hawk (hauk?) her wares at the Ontario Handspinning Seminar (next year, please remind me to go to this okay?). She was there on Sunday when I drove back through on my way home and was happy to accept my credit card in exchange for a whack-load of BFL and some Shetland.</div><br /><div></div><div>This year, St. Distaff is on June 21st and if you have never heard of St. Distaff don't be surprised...she (I think its a she) is the made up saint of spinners and weavers. Every year one of the local guilds hosts a day of spinning, weaving and fibre arts workshops along with a small vendor show. Chriss of <a href="http://www.daisychainsandbuttercups.ca/">Daisy Chains and Buttercups </a>is going to have a table this year and I'm going to put some stuff there to see if anyone wants to help me lighten up my shelves at home. Turns out I have a LOT of fibre.</div><div></div><br /><div>So...I have been dyeing my heart out over the last two weeks!</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Stuff I dyed</strong></div><br /><div></div><div>So today you get a quick review about dyeing roving. In the last two weeks, I've dyed a whole lot of Blue Faced Leicester (BFL), Corriedale, Merino and Merino/Tencel blend. My favourite is BFL with the Merino Tencel a close second. </div><div></div><br /><div>As much as I love the soft merino it is hard to handle when dyeing. The fibre is so fine it tends to drift apart and requires careful handling to keep the integrity of the roving intact (now there's a sentence I never thought I would type...integrity of roving...). The worst moment is when I go to pull the bump out of the soaking bowl while trying to avoid the others and keep the merino all in one piece. I seem to finally have my technique down, but I've also learned to lower my standards a bit about how perfect the roving will be when I am done with it.</div><div></div><br /><div>The other thing about merino is that it seems to resist taking up the dye. If anyone wants to jump in with an explanation about how my technique may be faulty please do so, but it seems like the same concentration of dye yields a much more saturated colour on the same amount of BFL as merino. It seems as thought the merino sucks up the dye so quickly it doesn't have time to spread through the fibre.</div><div></div><br /><div>The merino/tencel mix seems to solve some of the problems with the merino including the "drifty-ness" - not to mention that the shine on it makes my heart beat a little faster.</div><div></div><br /><div>Finally Corriedale. Alas, how I want so much to like you! I have to confess however, that I do love my fine wools and while Corriedale has its place in the wool pantheon, it will never be worshipped here. Just too rough for my taste and it seems to suck in light. What can I say...I like me some shiny stuff. I'm surprised I haven't started with the <a href="http://www.texturatrading.com/angelina.html">Angelina </a>yet.</div><div> </div><div>So here's a quick fibre fix...and if you want to see it all, go check out my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10912435@N05/show/">flickr</a>.</div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210054634324909938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWAMZue_yC-PWSGarSZ1zBN8ePZE66LIXp_lSg-jzyzd0o4LJoUa1VD2-Uo3tAKlTcRKKehH1tBgRDdGhpUFTQWtSTR8HVE_1f0_duU0m-r5Ladf4-79qSSk61w9nYJZJJbI6/s320/IMG_1217.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><br /><div><strong>Stuff I'm Knitting</strong></div><div></div><br /><div>Little to report - the Susie Hoodie is proceeding well. I am 22 rows away from my off the needles, around the waist size check and then we will know for sure if all is well. Now I just have to commit absolutely to doing the waist size check thing and not pretend that this type of careful consideration is something that is good and right and not something that is only for other lesser knitters than I.</div><br /><div></div><div></div><div>And finally - for all those who asked...</div><br /><div></div><div>Vesper the Vibe is fantastic. Fun to drive, goes vroom and generally makes itself welcome everywhere except at the gas pump. Also, I really can't wait to see how many hits I get off a google search for "black vibe". Because I am really 12 years old.</div><div> </div><div>Next time, I will try to tell you about <a href="http://www.kniterary.com/">Kniterary</a>* where I got to touch some <a href="http://handmaiden.ca/yarn.html">Camelspin </a>(please don't lick the screen - not good for monitors I hear) and after I regained cousciouness I bought a new book.</div><div> </div><div>*A yarn shop where wise yarn store owner has placed Fleece Artist and Handmaiden in a locked glass cabinet. Bizarre but somehow made me want it even more...</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181877401092048230noreply@blogger.com3