October 21, 2005
Kermit Kick
I've been on a serious green kick lately, have you noticed? Everything I've been working on has been lime, lime, avocado, and lime. Bonne Marie would be so proud. And my newest project was no different. Started Thursday before Rhinebeck and finished Saturday night in time for it to turn cold, my OSW sadly didn't get much showing off time. But I've been wearing it around the house and I LOVE it. I added a bit of length to the sleeves (Manos and cap sleeves don't seem to go together so well,) and it's the perfect weight for wearing in my not-so-chilly apartment with a t-shirt and jammie pants. Am I the only one who thinks the shrugs are kind of sexy? I love wearing these things. I have some red Blue Sky Alpaca that seems to be begging to be a shrug with 3/4 length sleeves with lacey, trumpety ruffles. I hope I have enough.
I got my Sockapal2za socks in from Mei! They're great! They actually sat on my dining room table for a week or something because my roommate got the mail and didn't tell me I had anything. Grr. Mei hand-dyed the stripes using Kool-Aid and Easter egg dyes. I'm so impressed. I love them so much! Thank you, Mei! Sorry to make you worry they got lost.
At Rhinebeck, I made sure to find out the name of the farm that supplied Slippery Nipper's yarn. It's from Pucker Brush Farm. I had to forcibly remove myself from their booth so I didn't buy anymore. God, I love that stuff. Next year, next year...
My friend, Eric, sent me this great link to Jess Hutch's blog. The robot is great, but I love her other soft toys as well. I've been wanting to start making some soft toys, so I think I might have to buy her booklet... Her designs are soooooooo cute and weird! And we all know how much I like the cute and weird! Thanks, Eric!
October 19, 2005
Rhinebeck 2005
I've been a little overwhelmed since Rhinebeck and haven't really known what to write about it. Have you ever met so many new people in such a very short space of time that you begin to forget your own name? That's how it was for me. Sorry this is so late in coming, but I'll try to make it up to you in size of the post. ;)
I rode up with Em, Jackie, and Cassie, and let me tell you the ride up was a story in and of itself. I roomed with Norma, Nathania, and Laura J. It was great.
As you have probably already seen on other people's blogs, I learned how to spin. It was very much a group project. I went up there wanting to learn, but had no idea how many people would be teaching me. Thank you goes to Carolyn, Cassandra, Cassie, Claudia, EmmaJane, Julia, and Leigh for help learning. Thank you to Cassie for being my partner in crime and for getting just as excited as I was about a new craft. And special thanks to Amy for sending us back for more crack fiber. Yes, we bought the Yak/Bombyx blend and it was just as amazing as you made it out to be. Also more thanks to Cassandra for handing Cassie and me a huge bag of Islandic Lamb fiber just because she could.
I had an amazing trip. I met a lot of people I'd never read before (but will now). I met a lot of people I had email relationships with, but had never met in real life. I'm still overwhelmed and can't even think about what all I'm forgetting, or who all I'm forgetting to thank up there. If you're not on the list and you feel you should be, please let me know. I'll be happy to add you.
Would you like some acquisition pictures? Here we go...
This is the only yarn I purchased at Rhinebeck. I was on a strict budget (what with not yet having a job and all), and wanted to spend the bulk of the budget on the new spinning habit. But how can you pass up Socks That Rock? I know I couldn't, especially in this colorway. It's called Two-Can Rock and it is making the coolest socks ever. I kind of regret not buying more of this, but after looking all the other stuff I bought I know I made the right choice.
"Look! I made yarn!"
That's what I kept saying all weekend and I have to say it again. Look! I made yarn! What a fun hobby. I can't believe I held out this long. I see this turning into a dangerously time consuming thing. This roving here is the not so great "everything" roving that I bought for practice. Well, the green is anyway. The white and brown that you see in there are little bits that Cassandra gave me to try other fibers. There's some Icelandic lamb and some Cormo/Iceandic lamb stuff that was just amazing. I'm thinking about making a hat out of my kooky handspun. Other people pay good money for kooky handspun, so why not use my own, right?
This is the spindle that I bought. Cassie suggested I get the Emily spindle by Adam's Woodshop. I am so glad I took her advice. It's a beautiful spindle (purple heart and maple) and it spins so smoothly. Gorgeous.
This is the first roving I bought. The white/blue is merino/silk and the pink is Corridale. I've already spun through all the merino/silk and I just want to wrap it around my body. It was easy to spin, feels amazing, and just want to cuddle up to it all the time. I don't know what to with a couple yards of yarn; I think I might need to put some googly eyes on it and make it a Merv. The pick Corriedale is spinning up nicely, but after that merino/silk all I can think is, "Bah! This is so scratchy!" Silly, I know. I'm just spoiled.
This is the yak/bombyx that Amy sent us back to get. I swear Cassie and I were like kids in a candy store at the ShadeySide Farm booth. I thought my eyes were going to bug out of my head when I reached into the bag to feel this stuff. I almost don't even want to spin it. I'm afraid of ruining it. Also while we were there, we bought a gorgeous wool/tussah silk blend:
It's mostly green and silver, but there's small ribbons of a pinky/red in there that make it just beautiful. I also got silk cocoons:
I'm not sure what to do with these; I just thought they were too cool for words.
After late night, hotel room confessions, Nathania bought me some very bright, very cool roving that I can't wait to work with. I'm definitely making a hat or some fingerless gloves out of this stuff. I want to get my yarn a little more even before I start on it. Thank you so much, lady!
But this is what I'm most excited about. I don't know what it is exactly, but I love, love, love the colors and shine and softness and gorgeousness of it. I can't believe how amazing it is. I bought 4 ounces of it for socks or something. I can't decide, but I have a long time before I have to make that decision. I'm saving this for last so I don't mess it up. I want to play with it so much, though! The wait is difficult. ;)