Photo update

Helloooooooo world!

I am just popping in to show off some of my spindle spinning finished projects.

This one is from the beginning spindle class from The Spinning Loft in Howell. We were given some Merino, Coopworth, Tussah Silk and BFL to test spin. I just spun them all together, plied them and ended up with about 140 yards of a nice soft fingering weight yarn that would be perfect to add to maybe a scarf.

These photos are of this multi colored Corridale roving I picked up. Just grabbed hunks of colors and spun them. Spin a hunk of color here and grab another hunk of color there. Kept going till it was all gone and I had about 200 yarns of the single.

So then I wanted to get something a bit softer and went back to The Spinning Loft and got some black baby alpaca...........can you say ooooooooooooo ahhhhhhhhhhhh?!

Spun that into a single seen here

Then I rigged up a fake lazy kate, put my toilet paper bobbins on pegs and then just twisted one wrap around a third peg for a tiny bit of even tension and started plying the two together seen here

Now here is the shot of the finished skein. 202 yards of a nice fingering weight yarn. I do believe this would make nice fingerless mitts...........for me?

This is sooooooooo much fun! I just wish that I knew what I was going to do with them all!

And now for the current spinning project. I purchased this online (can't remember vendor info) but it's approx. 3.1 oz of superwash merino and bamboo mix. I really like spinning it. It's a bit more slick that just silk or merino or even baby alpaca but easy enough to spin.

Pretty huh?

Okay back to work, my machine is fixed and ready to rock and roll..............checking itunes for more podcasts..........making sure battery in ipod is charged...........check, check ready!

Well Darnit!!

Yep darn it again! NOT going to Frankenmuth any time soon :(

Victory got in the way again. Enough said to those who know. This crap just keeps getting in the way of enjoying stuff in life.

Here is a photo of the BEAUTIFUL picture frame the #1 granddaughter Abygail made for me for a mother's day gift to grandma! I so love it. Have it sitting on my desk at work to enjoy.

I have tried my hand at dying fiber to spin. Take a look at these! I am thinking or seeing a theme..........

Tequila sunrise and Blue martini! How cool is that?

I ordered or reserved a spinning wheel last week from Beth at the Spinning Loft. Now just waiting to go pick it up. Would you like to see a photo of it? It's a louet Victoria, I think that I will just call it Vic. See here

This weeks progress on my projects go a bit like this..........Chevron scarf-haven't picked up since last post other than to move it, Sample scarf about 2/3 finished at this point, can't wait to finish and might not turn it over to shop owner as it's just soooooooooo squishy soft! And the colors are perfect. The christening gown- purchased the beads and ribbon and even got it all blocked and it's all ready to stitch on the beads. I think this week even.

Spinning? Finished up the multi colored fiber and purchased some super soft baby alpaca from Beth at the Spinning Loft. All is spun and ready to ply..........maybe start that tonight. I love spinning. Did I say that yet?

Oh and knitwych when you read this yes you will want to give it a try............if you do I will send you some fiber and a starter spindle to give a whorl. Whorl get it?

Exercise. Started running again for this year. It's a very late start for sure. But I am happy to say that I ran almost a mile. The trial that we run has markers at every quarter mile, so I can see them and stop running just short of them to catch my breath then when I reach them I run again until the next one. Then we turn around and finish with a walk of approx. 3 miles. All is good, feel it today.

Sunny Monday!

Maybe spring is here? Again? Sun is shining, happy hormones are coursing through the veins and all is well with my world. Except for the fact that I am sitting here at the shop and we are NOT working. If we don't work today it just means that we will have 3 slammin' days ahead and then....................it's a HOLIDAY! Yippee!! Not exactly like it matters much but maybe next week we will be making a trip to Frankenmuth to Zeilinger Wool Co. just for fun. DH wants to see how its all processed, wool that is. It will give me a chance to purchase a pound of wool to play with.

I have finished spinning and plying the practice wool that we got at the beginning spindle spinning class 2 weekends ago from The Spinning Loft. I just mixed them all up, coopworth, merino, tussah silk and BFL. I did end up purchasing 2 spindles while taking the class, and I also received one in the mail for a mothers day gift! How awesome is that?

The top one is a Tabacheck plying spindle, Left is Greensleeves Queens Septre, and the one on the Right is a Kundert. I don't have a total favorite since they are of 3 different sizes and weights they serve a multitude of fibers at this point. I love them all!
Shhhhhhhh don't tell but I have a Bosworth on order too!

This past weekend we got to watch Baby Reese who is growing like a weed! We took her up to see her cousins Abygail, Blake and Gabriella as it was Abygail's dance recital that was sold out. So we went up after for pizza and a visit. The twins are also weeds! Blake is a crawling machine and so happy all the time. Gabriella is the more serious one and she sits back and takes it all in. She is doing the army crawl right now and it will be no time before she is chasing after brother Blake!

Projects in the works currently are the Chevron scarf is still going, I started a project for the Whitmore Lake Yarn Co. (LYS) for a sample to sell a new pattern and some awesome yarn! About 1/3 done with it at this point. Still have that darn Christening gown to finish and hoping that by the middle of June Reese won't be grown out of it!!!! Need to get ribbon and beads and one button to finish it off. Better get off my ass and do it huh?

And spinning..............just still practicing. Then I will have to make something out of all the practice skeins. That will depend on if the wools feels neck soft I will make a scarf for me, or if its no too soft I can make a hat and line it with polar fleece for no itchies! We will see.

He went and turned on the machines..............boo hoo as its now 2pm and we won't get outta here till 5 now. Gotta go change clothes, listen to some more knitting and spinning podcasts and run my machine too. More later!

Is anxiety contagious?

Why yes I believe it can be. For me at least! It seems that anytime DH gets his boxers in a knot the negative energy shoot out of him and is directed at me! My sensitivity level has increased with age and it's not all about that week before the period emotions either. I have always been an uber sensitive emotional person/kid and then there was a time say 25-40 that it wasn't noticed. Now, I can't hardly escape it. Stress and traumatic episode 2005 I think turned the darn switch back on.

On a really good and positive note (really positive) I finished the Blue sweater and here is the finished photo!

As it turned out I didn't get to go knit but I did stop in the shop real quick like and guess who was there? The customer who I knit the sweater for! I had to break her heart and tell her that she didn't get to keep it just yet as I had to take it home to wash and block. However she could sit there and fondle it for a few minutes till the shop closed. She was very happy and so uber excited................too bad the weather is now finally cooperating with 'Spring' and too warm to actually wear the sweater unless perhaps she wants to head to Alaska for a short trip! LOL!!Isn't it Beautiful?!!!

Next up is I am going to beginning spindle class tomorrow! I am also planning on the purchase of a new and beautiful spindle and fiber to go with it! The one I favor out of the 3 that I have is a beginners spindle (not that there is anything wrong with that at all) but who doesn't want the great spinner that has the looks and beauty of fine woods too?

More news this weekend after spindle class! See ya then.

Spinninggggggggggggggggggg!

Yippee! I just signed up for a beginners spindle spinning class at the Spinning Loft in Howell! Beth is just awesome and I can't wait to learn from her. Its also a good excuse to buy a new spindle and fiber to spin!!

Right now sitting in Panera Bread in Jackson waiting for parts to be plated. Bored. Usually we are here for approx. 3 hours. Now I always bring knitting and never really pick it up......spend most of the time on the net surfing.

News on the blue sweater.......... IT'S DONE! Whaaaaaaahoooooooooo! Well almost. I just have to wash and block it. I might see how it comes out of the washer and decide on block or dryer dry some then finish block. I would like to take it to knitting tonight to get it dropped off. I should probably take a photo too. It was a longggggg sweater. LOL. After finishing this entry I looked at the clock and lets just say there is no time to wash and block BEFORE knitting tonight. Drats!

I have my next project lined up and its knitting for the Whitmore Lake Yarn Co. working up a scarf pattern for the owner in hopes of moving some inventory yarn. I have to cast on my swatch and count stitches per inch then decide how many to cast on as I want to do the pattern lengthwise. I have six different colors and a few rows of each color.

On my needles, still socks as I haven't touched them. The chevron scarf, may inches done and many to go. Christening gown is waiting for the Christening date still. Supposed to be next Sunday.....better check on that. It needs a button, ribbon and maybe beads. I better get that blocked out tonight too!

When it comes to spinning, I haven't done anymore as I have been finishing the Blue Sweater. I can't wait to pick up the spindle. I do believe that I will wait until Saturday and start with new everything! Spindle, Fiber and hopefully new knowledge too!

Ok, not much else to say.......hmmmmmmm emotionally doing ok. I really believe that there is more or something different I need/have to do with my life and it isn't in auto manufacturing with DH. Hopefully in a few months I will be able to make changes in my life/career and be a happier person. I still want to work in the medical field if I can't pursue my love of all things fiber! Maybe one year of full time school/classes for medical assistant/billing/coding and the rest of the time teaching or working with or for an established fiber company/yarn shop.......something. Thinking.

I am going to pick up my needles and as soon as I do that the phone will ring and we will be off to get our parts and head back to our neck of the woods. Since we have a rental van I think that I will also load up misc. company stuff that is still in my garage and take it to the shop along with just stuff to throw in the dumpster. Need to clean it out to get set up for a garage sale here in the next few weeks.

Still in LOVE with the coffee press! OHMYGOSH that is some gooooooooodddddd coffee!Knitting...........ahhhhhhhhh