Was I the Last One?

I got the August STR package on Wednesday 8/29. Seeing as how I think I am the last one on the planet to receive my sock club kit, I proceed without a single spoiler warning:

New Socks: Baudelaire

I started these socks on the 20th and they are whipping right along. The yarn is gorgeous: DBF chose it as a gift for me, and it is delicate self-striping shades of greys and pinks. It is also impregnated(?) with Aloe and Jojoba Oil.

I am working on Baudelaire by Cookie A. as seen in Knitty, with some adjustments (#1 needles, short-row stockinette toe instead of figure-8 cast-on...). The sock feels and looks like lingerie for the foot!

The Spinning Wheel!

This is it: It arrived from Oregon unbroken several weeks after the Black Sheep Gathering. I think it is very modern and beautiful (and goes with my ScanDesign Furniture... Am I a little too happy about that?)
I love this photo: That halo around the wheel isn't actually there: It is a reflection of daylight on the floor. And yes, that is the cat's butt in the distance...
Specs:
Louet S-10 from Woodland Woolworks in Oregon.
Double Treadle: Although apparently not a "true" double treadle since both treads attach to the same drive.
Upright: And a modern design.
Flyer Lead: Which I think means that the bobbin is connected to the wheel, and the brake band stops the flyer, allowing the yarn to be wound onto the still-turning bobbin. (I think it is more common for the brake to be on the bobbin, allowing the flyer to continue to wind the yarn onto a stopped bobbin? Anyone?)
Came with 3 bobbins and the lazy-kate attachment on the foot. Woodland Woolworks sent me a package with oil and some fiber, as well. I had purchased a hook, since it didn't come with one.
Some assembly: DBF helped me put it together. He jumped right in (male-style) and then had to back up and take some of it apart to make it go together correctly. I grabbed the directions (female-style) and started reading about A part into B part and count all the C parts. Then DBF adjusted the wheel very carefully so it runs smoothly and perfectly aligned!

It is very pretty.

I have even done some spinning of my friend's Romney fleece. (Can you see it on the bobbin?). While I am managing a finer yarn than my first flubby efforts, it is still overspun, uneven, and hard.

Stay tuned!

Heh

DBF started a sock last night. And I started a sock last night. Both of us were using yarn he purchased for us at Grafton Yarn Store in Wisconsin. We both began with a provisional cast-on using hand-crochet. We did a little dis-ing of crocheters (no offense!) and he said:

"Crocheters SOCK! Knitters WOOL!"

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

I finished my June STR Club socks!
Began: July 30th
Finished: August 19th
Needles: #1s (2.5mm) Mostly 2 circular, with some magic loop, on one pair knitpicks, one pair short Addi's, and one pair longer Addis (both longer cord and longer needles)- I was expirimenting!
Pattern: Toe-up version of the Solstice Slip pattern. The only variation was 8 rows of 3/2 ribbing at the top of the socks and then a crochet bind-off.

I thought this pattern was a bit busy at first, but now I really like them. I'm grooving on the garter-stich toe and heel (also recently done with the February STR Monsoon Inside-Out socks).

I'm looking forward to the August shipment: Shouldn't that be coming soon?

Solstice Slip Socks

I started the June installment of the Blue Moon Socks that Rock Club on July 30th, which, for me, is not very late at all! (I admit, still haven't started the April Grasshoppers). 2 needles: Did the first one almost to the end with 2 different lengths of new Addi Turbos #1 (2.5mm), then left that sock on the longer needles and started the 2nd sock on addis and knitpicks #1s.
I think the pattern is fun, but I might agree with other members who have noted that the color and pattern together is a little busy.
Toe-up: Of course. I love toe-up because I can fit my feet exactly and I can keep knitting until I run out of yarn.
Needles: I think I actually like the knitpicks needles better than the Addis, because the tips are pointier, and therefore easier to do cable needle-less cables. However, I like the stiffer Addis cords. So jury is still out on that one.
I do think I will add some ribbing to the tops when I get there: I do like how that looks.

The Jayne Hat: A Cunning Fit

Happy Birthday to my very good friend and co-Leo! The requested gift is on it's way to you!
A while ago he asked me very sweetly if "perhaps I had time to maybe just knit me up a Jayne hat? Pretty please? Because it would mean so much more if it came from you..." And of course how can I deny a request like that?!?!?!
After some searching for patterns and yarn sources and a quick review of my Firefly DVDs I found this excellent kit produced by Heather (blog HERE) of Wear With Style. She was a dream to work with, and has created a Jayne hat kit which provides not only an authentic pattern and dreamy thick portions of bulky wool, but a pompom, stitch markers, pattern help, the text of the letter from Ma Cobb (from the script) and cool Firefly-related stickers! The kit itself was sent Priority Mail stamped with Firefly-themed stamps! So very cool!
It did take me awhile to actually start the kit (sorry) but once began was a quick and fun knit.
I then had even more fun creating the shipping package for my friend, using straw and Chinese stickers and a card I made with the Ma Cobb text written inside. I'm even enclosing the original shipping envelope so he can see the stamps. I think he will get a kick out of them.



For those of you not familiar with the short-lived but awesome series Firefly by Joss Whedon (Of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) go rent or buy the DVDs, then check out the movie Serenity. The rabid fan-base is well-deserved. And I love the fact that there are a collection of fans out there sporting this very distinctive piece of knitwear! It joins the likes of the Dr. Who scarf and the Harry Potter Knits in terms of crazed fans with knitting needles!

Gratuitous Black Sheep Stash

The Black Sheep Gathering was awesome. And not just for the shopping: I am not a sheep farmer, and actually don't plan to be. But my friend is, and with her in mind, I started the weekend out with a Sheep Shearing class. It was kinda like cutting DBF's hair, only different:
This is the poor sheep before and after we got ahold of her (we drew no blood, thankfully!). The class covered shearers and clippers, some emergency vet care, blade care, and techniques for handleing the sheep, along with practice on our very patient model here. I went on and bought the Blue Moon yarn and some of the hand spindles the first day. Then I went in search of what I always search for on the mainland: Ethnic Food One Can't Find in Hawai'i! (That day I had Middle Eastern for lunch and Greek and Indian for dinner)
Saturday brought the excellent class of beginning spinning, which I have no photos of since I was trying to actually spin something. Ditto with Sunday's excellent follow-up class: Wheels and Plyers. Basically all three of these classes were way beyond my range. However, we have no mentors here on this island. So I figure I absorbed as much as I could, took photos and video and notes, and spent money on good equipment, and hopefully I have enough theory to practice on for the rest of the year! Knitty-Knoddy (Isn't it pretty?) and- could that be?- Is that a new wooden SWIFT in the corner of that photo?
Note the 2-color swatch. On Sunday I also took a class on color knitting techniques. This was my "skate" class: I figured that I knew most of it and could relax my brain a little after all the new knowledge I had gleaned. Indeed: I took the class specifically for some intarsia help (I have never done intarsia to my liking) and specifically the right-hand woven-in fair-isle stitch on the purl-side (got that?). I got both of these missing pieces, and a little practice in holding 2 yarn colors in one hand (both the right and the left). I decided I still love 2 handed woven-in Fair Isle best.
And of course: Some family-members of mine may maintain that I really went to Oregon for nothing more than the copious amounts of cheap blueberries. They might not be totally wrong. And just when you thought I couldn't possibly spend more money than this:
Stay tuned for the arrival of the Spinning Wheel! Shipped UPS!

Hokie Blankets

Have you seen the finished blankets? They are amazing.

I Love the Rockin' Sock Club!

There I was, alone and yarnless on my fiber-deserted island, clinging to the internet for love, when I started to hear rumors on other fiber blogs about this beautiful stuff called Blue Moon Sock Yarn. People were writing confessions about sniffing it, fondling it, knitting beautiful things out of it just for the sensual pleasure, going mad in the shops and taking piles of it home and rolling around in it...
What was this addicting stuff? I wondered. I found the sock club by surfing their site and signed up immediately: I had to get in on it, no matter what "it" turned out to be. Yarn sniffing-fondling-knitting-rolling in it? I was in! Then came the silly banking issue, the blog with it's many vocal members, and finally, the first shipment!