Friday, January 27, 2012

Yarn Burnout


Okay, my startitis has caught up with me. I have a pair of socks on that are a gift for later in the year. Much later. I started a beaded scarf and don't think I have the pattern quite right. I haven't sewn the buttons on my vest yet. I have a pair of jeans pinned up but not hemmed yet. And I started a pair of socks I was going to put a pair of fancy tiny cables down the side for a birthday present I thought I had two weeks to do. Duh. It turns out I can't count. I didn't have two weeks. I had ten days. So I dumped the cables and just put a simple rib down the side. I asked D to give me a hand. He said sure. Right after you finish the heel gusset because he doesn't like heel gussets. Or he'd start the second sock. But I think his cast on is too tight so I want to do the rib then hand of the sock to him. I finally got the gusset done about 9 this morning. I couldn't sleep last night so got up and knit until about 2am. So now I can pass off the first sock to D and I can cast on for the second sock. Oh yeah, it doesn't look like I'll have enough yarn. So I'm stopping off at my LYS to see if they have some superwash black and or white I can use. Gonna incorporate a color theme on the foot. It's sports related. So I need to get the twelve rows of ribbing done so I can pass the second sock to D and work on the design on the foot of the first sock. I have eight days left. And if my Local Yarn Shop doesn't have something I can use I have to get on the web and get something here ASAP.

In the meantime what I really want to do is spin. I've had this fiber for a long time. I tried spinning it before and didn't like it. I have more experience now and can appreciate it for it's qualities more. It's lamb's wool and it spins up a little fuzzy. It's very kinky. But I'm planning on at least a three ply or maybe a four ply for a bulky weight yarn. And I found out I can't seem to spin a heavier yarn. I concentrated so hard on spinning a fine yarn this is a little bit hard. So I must made sure what I spin after this on my wheel is a heaver yarn so I can get the hang of it. But I think I'll continue to spin fine yarn on my drop spindle.

But I'm not craving my knitting as much lately. I have thoughts of finishing a crewel pillow top I have mostly finished that's been sitting around longer than Darryl and I have been married. Or a cross stitch afghan that's been sitting around for only half that time. It'll be really cool when it's done.

So today it's pizza for dinner, clean a litter box, run to the post office, grocery store, and drug store, yarn shop and drug store. My LYS keeps weird hours so it's a crap shoot. If she's not open I'll find what I need on line and pay to have it shipped over night. Probably cost me more than the yarn but what are ya gonna do? If I didn't need superwash it'd be easy. I'd have it covered. But it must wash like the original yarn.

You you think anyone will notice I haven't had any sleep and am not wearing makeup? Oh yeah, horses, first feed horses. Wonder what else I forgot?


Thursday, January 12, 2012

Startitis

It looks like the Yarn Harlot isn't the only one with startitis. I finished this vest and it is blocking. I have a pair of plain vanilla socks on the needles for taking along with me when I go somewhere. And that's it.

Until yesterday.

Yesterday I sorted through some sock yarn and picked out a nice red yarn to make a pair of socks for a birthday present for a friend. They have to be finished by the beginning of the month. Hey, I can do it! I just have to put my mind to it.

And it occurred to me that I should start that beaded scarf I bought all the stuff for two years ago. So I got it out and strung 1/3 of the beads on the yarn last night so it's ready to start tonight.  So that's only three knitting projects and quite enough thankyouverymuch.

But in the interest of stash busting I would like some bulky yarn to make a sweater with. And I don't have any. I figure there's more than one way to bust a stash. So I broke out some fiber to spin. I have a lot of this particular fiber and should be able to make a good amount of bulky weight yarn. I've never tried to spin a specific weight like this before. Mostly it's been "how thin can you spin" for me. I did achieve a sock weight with a drop spindle. We will just have to see what happens with my attempt at a bulky weight yarn.

I have some paperwork to do today and I figured I'd get it all done in the morning and have the rest of the day to cast on for the socks, cast on for the scarf, and set up for the spinning. But my dogs had another idea all together.

Vinnie was crying last night and I got up and let him out a time or two. Unusual for him. He woke me up early this morning too. When I went to let him out I noticed a pretty bad smell coming from the crates. It seems the soup bone I gave him yesterday gave him the runs. No wonder he was complaining. So I washed dog crate stuff and when I got all that going I washed dogs. Two little dogs. There was nothing wrong with Ringo but I might as well have two clean crates and two clean dogs. Charlotte gets her own day. She's easy to bathe but it is a little like washing your car. She's tall. So my critters sucked up my morning. I fed the horses their lunch. I fed me my lunch. Read for a short while. And now here I am in the office posting on my blog instead of making copies of stuff I need by Sunday.

But aren't you glad to have a new post to read?