Land of Robincat

SOAR 2010

2010-11-03T13:57:00.003-06:00

Sooooo... yeah. It's been a while since I blogged. But SOAR was important. Spin-Off Autumn Retreat for the uninitiated. In Delavan, Wisconsin.

I went not knowing what to expect. No one I knew in Real Life was going to attend. I had only heard good things, save for the Swine Flu Epidemic of 2009, but I got my 3-in-1 shot in September so I wasn't worried about that. I was leaving a two-week-post-tonsillectomy husband and 2 small children at home in Texas, and I was slightly worried on that count, but not too much. We had emergency babysitters lined up and a healthy frozen dinner service on speed dial.

I'm going to skip all the fluff and get right down to it, especially since I didn't take the camera (I know, I know -- for shame!). On Thursday night, I met people I had only talked to online, placed faces with avatars, and non-public-me actually volunteered to walk in the fashion show in probably the least impressive garment possible (my "beat around the house" sweater -- EZ's NZ Pullover in 3-ply CVM long-draw worsted weight).

Friday started with Margaret Stove's Spinning Fine Lace retreat. Definitely re-wrote my preconceptions on lace spinning. I wouldn't have guessed that a medium whorl would be the secret to beautifully knit-able gossamer yarn. Looking through a microscope to see the twist angle on the result was a true revelation for me.

Friday afternoon changed my perspective, too, but in a different way. Now, this time we were spinning fast in Sara Lamb's Silk Spinning class. I had always avoided spinning silk top because of shoulder tension from spinning from the end, semi-worsted-style. All of a sudden I was spinning with my hands in my lap, fiber coming from 'wherever' in the fiber-mass and it was the easiest, fastest, most relaxing thing ever.

Friday night was more camaraderie and sharing stories -- and drinks (I never drink at home so I let loose -- perhaps a little too enthusiastically -- abroad). Saturday morning, though, I was right as rain, particularly after a brisk, and by that I mean CHILLY, walk by the lake, which was wonderful.

Open Studio was Saturday morning - perhaps something that needs to be tweaked in future, but still gave me a chance to spend more time discussing obscure topics while getting some serious brainless spinning time in -- always my relaxation method of choice.

Saturday afternoon culminated in Deb Menz's class on blending fiber on hackles. Also fascinating and I learned that I have a fairly difficult time distinguishing equal value between different hue families. :-/ However, the blending was great fun and I was finally able to put in play all the theory I had gleaned out of my beloved copies of Color in Spinning and Color Works. I also gave value to that tetanus booster I got 2 years ago by thwapping my right thumb solidly onto the hackle. Note to self: thumb /= fiber.

Sunday morning I managed to pry all my new acquisitions into my suitcase and backpack and head home .... less one motorcycle jacket, which I forgot in my airport-ride's vehicle. She has kindly offered to mail it to me, though.

Market purchases: Only 1 pound of Rovings polwarth and 1 pack of undyed silk hankies. I left with way too much of my budget unspent -- mostly due to the crowded nature of the market. I felt if I would have bought something it would have to be on impulse and I am very much not an impulse purchaser.

That's pretty much it -- I don't remember much of the Spin-In (except for watching Phreadde card cotton for Sara Lamb and Deb Menz while we all indulged in scotch) due to sleep deprivation. Someone (ahem... me) forgot to pack her melatonin and my internal clock is not used to the sun (or lack thereof) in the mid-west. I think I went to sleep at midnight and woke at 3am every night of my stay -- not so good for working with sharp and pointy wool implements!!!!

Heights

2009-03-26T10:40:00.002-06:00

There are some things that I, Little-Miss-Rules-Follower, am willing to jump a barrier, walk past a "Do Not Go Past This Sign" sign, and risk the ire of the Gardai for.

Heights.....

Yep.

But don't you think it's so worth it???

Back from Holiday

2009-01-14T10:01:00.003-06:00

So, I'm back from a long holiday break and the store is re-stocked. I've got a few more odds and ends to finish up, then I'm going to attack the biggest bag of Targhee ever.

I will be doing a combination of dyeing pre- and post- spinning, so if you want to request something without obligation, feel free. I'm not taking custom orders, but I would like to see what I can do with weight/color requests.

Hope to show you more yarn soon!!

My New Toy

2008-11-13T15:38:00.003-06:00

I got a Rigid Heddle Loom. A 24" Ashford. At Kid N Ewe. For half-price.

I've already woven a piano scarf (and I suck at trimming fringe).

Unfortunately, hubs took the [work] camera to China to take [tourist] pictures. I'm angry. Bear with me. Pictures will be forthcoming... once I get that fringe trimmed.

Ana said I had to add pictures since she lent me her Digital SLR for the week.....

Oh Noes!!!!!! It's a Sunburned Zebra!!

I'm Not Going to Tell You How To Vote

2008-09-08T07:49:00.004-06:00

Heck, I'm not even going to tell you which party I belong to. It's not relevant to this discussion.

But here's the thing: VOTE. It's important. It DOES matter. Most importantly, though, please vote with an informed knowledge of the candidates. If you'd like an unbiased source for the candidates' policies and views, you can find one here...

http://www.votesmart.org/

Yes, I know it's extra work and you're already super busy. I know it's easier to just vote your customary party line. However, it is very important to know WHO you're voting for. Don't just vote for the party that typically agrees with you on certain key issues.

Please, please, please RESEARCH the candidates -- all of them, including the VP nominees. Dig down deep and look for the least biased sources. Don't just rely on your friends and religious groups for information. Dig deeper, look harder, care more.

This is important during every single election, from the municipal level to the national level, but for me, this November is going to have earth-shattering consequences no matter who wins.

So VOTE, but more importantly, use these next two months to RESEARCH THE CANDIDATES. Please.

Let's See If This Works....

2008-07-23T14:03:00.002-06:00

Longdraw spinning a Red Stone Yarns batt.... Tiger Eye to be specific.

Knitting at 12,000 feet....

2008-06-15T20:32:00.000-06:00

Because we could.

Look What I Bought....

2008-06-15T09:14:00.003-06:00

Just the Spinner's Choice Award-winning fleece from the Estes Park Wool Market. And I picked it out the evening before the judging. Good eye, huh? (Also a little steering towards the back of the grower's truck from my new fleece-buying plenipotentiary.)

From left to right is me (the happy owner), Chendra (fleece plenipotentiary), and Robin Phillips (the prize winning wool grower).

It's not coming home with me on the plane, though. Chendra, aka The Redhead, has it in Boulder right now and is going to scour it for me in return for a percentage of the cleaned fiber.

I'll post about more of my purchases later. Just had to share this one.

Pretending Today is Still Friday...

2008-05-24T07:51:00.004-06:00

And trying to make Mary proud.....

Like a little Shetland in your singles??? Fiber from the Spunky Eclectic Galaxy series.

Or maybe a little Peach In Blue.

Perhaps you'd like a little Zen String in your diet? These three go up on etsy today..

Spinning for Ana

2008-04-04T12:49:00.001-06:00

This is only the start of some spinning I'm doing for my friend Ana. It's the first plied bobbin of several from .5lb of Merino/Silk custom-dyed for her by Dragonfibers.

Knitting, Knitting, Spinning, and Knitting

2008-04-02T13:12:00.005-06:00

And here we have another FO, Sarah's Diagonal Scarf. I knit it with just over a skein of Noro Silk Garden in color 258, which looks amazingly like a 8-count box of crayons. I found the pattern on Angel Yarns, through Ravelry, though I've seen scarves like this a whole lot of everywhere. Needless to say, she absolutely adores it. The plan is to knit up some of my self-striping worsted-weight hand-spun into a few of these for samples so customers can see just how nicely the colors transition.

Next up is another symptom of my Silk Garden addiction, the Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan from Interweave Knits Spring 2008, with a slight modification. I decided to knit it in the round so that the stripes would stay "friendly" the whole way round. Again, this was basically test-driving a sample pattern for my own line of yarns (I'm soooo sneaky.. *sarcasm*).

Above is a little teaser of some Alpaca/Merino/Silk lace-weight that I'll be taking over to Gauge shortly. The roving was from Spinning Bunny, and ohmygoodness, am I in LOVE with her stuff. :)

And here is a lone sock from some Claudia Handpaint from Gauge Knit. The pattern is the Biker Chic sock pattern, available from Zen String.

My New Sahara

2008-03-23T14:48:00.005-06:00

AKA, I'm-not-photogenic.

The following is a public service announcement in pictorial form. Don't ever let your spouse photograph you while making fun of your bad modeling form -- especially if you have a sense of humor about such things.

First he says, "Smile and open your eyes." This is me saying, "huh?"

"No, OPEN your eyes..."

"You look like you've got a lazy eye now."

"Okay, now you have no eyes..."

"And now you just look insane..."

And because Mary requested the details... the pattern is Sahara by Stitch Diva (short-sleeved version), worked up in Tilli Tomas Pure & Simple in the medium size. It only took 2.5 skeins. I didn't use Rock Star or Disco Lights for the trim because, uhm, I have little children. :) I did the diamond rib pattern on the neckline and I have to say that P3togtbl is a complete pain in the rear.

Mark Your Calendars...

2008-03-05T20:46:00.002-06:00

I've been invited to do a spinning demo at the Ravelry Meet-Up on March 16 at The Knitting Nest. I'll also be bringing some hand-spun yarns for sale, which means that for the next week and a half, I'm going to be spinning like a mad woman (which shouldn't be a far reach for me).

Want to see some of the stuff on my etsy? Click the link to the left!

I'm also working on a pair of Biker Chic socks of my very own, although I'm cheating on Angelina with some Claudia Hand Paint Fingering Weight sock yarn in Just Plum. Sorry, Zen!

It's Been A Busy Month For Me

2008-02-17T21:31:00.004-06:00

Let's see.... first there was the Lace Shawl from Best of Knitter's Shawls and Scarves. That was done in technicolor cashmere/merino for my wonderful friend Ana. Only for her would I graft 100+ stitches in violet/fuschia/tangerine tweed.

Oh, and I dropped off a great big load of handspun at Gauge Knits today. Support your local LYS!!!

I dropped off some free-with-purchase scarf patterns for the laceweight handspun at Gauge as well. The sample is knit with the Victoria colorway -- last I checked, there is a skein still for sale left(hint, hint).

Mittens for Richard

2008-01-22T16:58:00.000-06:00

Whee! Handspun mittens for my little boy. Made from the "play yarn" that had been sitting on the kids' bookshelf for the last month.

Pattern from PSSO.

Land of the Living

2008-01-22T11:24:00.000-06:00

I really do still exist. First there was a family-wide sinus infection. Then there was Christmas. Next, a trip to North Carolina, during which I got a lot of knitting done. Then, alas, another family-wide sinus infection, this time with ear aches. I'm back. I hope. :)

So, first up is the Moonshadow Stole that I'm still working on. I have to find my beading needle so I can string the second half of the beads onto the second ball of zephyr.

Next, the Lace Shawl by Deborah Newton (creative name, yes?). It's about 75% done. I'm doing this out of cashmere/merino for my friend Ana. This is a pretty wild color, even for me. A lot of fun, though, and plenty of practice for the Princess Shawl.

Oh, you haven't heard about the Princess Shawl??? My lovely buddy Ana got me both the pattern and the yarn for my thirty-first birthday. Pretty damn cool, isn't she?

And now for the Klaralund. The yarn was a present from my husband's grandmother. (She sent me the money, I knitted it, then finished it in time for her to see it at our Christmas trip.)

Piece of Advice (non-knitting)

2007-12-06T13:21:00.000-06:00

Unless you are adept at coercing feral cats into performing military drills on a regular basis, do not ever, EVER attempt to mount a 46" flat panel tv on your living wall while you and your spouse are suffering from head colds.

These are the things which cause marital strife.

Fortunately, we live in a town big enough to order Tom Kah soup for lunch. I think it saved our marriage.

Max's Staircase Tam

2007-11-19T10:55:00.000-06:00

Size: Child/ Adult Small

Materials: Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted (Shocking Pink) 1 skein
1 set US #8 dpns or 16" US #8 circular needle.
Tapestry Needle
6 stitch markers

Gauge: 20 stitches over 4"/10cm

Pattern:

Cast on 84 stitches with a stretchy cast-on.
Join, place marker, and work 4 rounds in stockinette stitch.
Work 10 rounds (or 1.5") in 2x2 ribbing.

Increase round: *K2, M1* Repeat to end of round. (126 stitches)

Work 2" to 3.5" even in stockinette stitch, depending on desired depth of brim.

Begin crown:

*K17, K2tog, YO, K2tog, place marker* Repeat 5 more times (to end of round).

Continue in pattern as follows, until 4 stitches remain between each marker:

*K to 4 stitches before marker, K2tog, YO, K2tog, slip marker* Repeat to end of round.

When only 4 stitches remain between each marker, *K2, K2tog* 6 times.

Next round: *K1, K2tog* 6 times.

Final round: K2tog 6 times.

Run yarn through 6 loops, pull tight, and weave ends on inside of tam.

Sterling's Cable Hat

2007-11-19T10:25:00.000-06:00

Size: Child/Adult Small

Materials: Malabrigo Yarn Chunky (Blue Surf) 1 skein
1 set US #10 dpns or 16" circular #10 needle
Tapestry needle
5 stitch markers

Gauge: 12sts over 4"/10cm after blocking in stockinette stitch

Pattern:

Cast on 52 stitches in 1x1 rib . Join work, mark beginning of round. Work in 1x1 rib for 8 rounds.

Increase round. *K6, M1, K7* repeat until end of round.

Begin cable pattern.

Round 1. *K3, place marker, P2, C2F, p2, K3* Repeat until end of round.

Rounds 2-4. *K3, slip marker, P2, K4, P2, K3* Repeat until end of round.

Repeat rounds 1-4 three more times.

Beginning on round 19, begin decreasing on odd rows while maintaining cable pattern.

To work decreases, *Knit to 2 stitches before marker, K2tog, P2, K4, P2* Repeat until end of round.

Continue decreasing in this manner until all 6 knit stitches between cables are gone, then cease cabling and begin decreasing every round as follows:
*Work in pattern to 2 sts before marker, K2tog.* Repeat to end of round.

Continue decreasing until only 8 stitches remain. Run yarn through 8 loops and close top. Weave in ends.

AARGH!!!!!

2007-11-16T20:56:00.000-06:00

That's the kind of day it's been.

Hell, that's the kind of WEEK it's been.

*headdesk*

I desperately need some sleep.

(and, as you might've guessed, the tam & hat patterns are delayed some more)

Tam, Tam, Hat

2007-11-12T16:06:00.000-06:00

New patterns. Woohoo! And they'll be free. Probably won't be up til the end of the week, though, cause I'm wrangling monkeys all by myself.

FOs -- Recent and Not-so-recent

2007-11-04T17:25:00.000-06:00

Well, I just finished pattern number 3 from Elegance Knit 11. Japanese is fun! (Actually, those charts beat the pants off of anything I'd knit lace from previously.)

Yes, I know the pictures are bad, but DH had already packed the usual camera in his luggage by this point in the day. Unfortunately, his just-finished Vinnland socks were still damp and I didn't get a picture of those before he took them to Poland.

Speaking of... FINALLY some pictures of the redux of his felted jumper...

And not to be left out, the long-awaited picture of our herd of coffeepots.

And now for the list of knitted objects my husband is currently carrying in his luggage... 1 wool sweater (the cabled jumper in Patons above), 3 pairs of wool socks (Cherry Tree Hill, Die Wollemeise, and Wildfoote), 1 cashmere blend scarf (Truffles), and 2 hard hat liners (Austermann Step and KP Essential Stripe).

I Love Sivia Harding.

2007-10-18T18:15:00.000-06:00

I mean, I really do. Love, love, love her lace designs.

So much that the newest one made me totally forget about all the angst regarding the white zephyr and the Mediterranean Lace Shawl.

And really, it suits so well, considering the fact that I was knitting her Faroese Peaks Shawl (for myself) while I was in labor with Toddler Boy.

(Ok, she's soooo going to think I'm stalking her now... but I'm really a nice little stalker... really... I am.) (Just kidding.)

My Deck Has a Hole in it.

2007-10-17T09:02:00.001-06:00

But at least it's not my roof.

Look what I woke up to this morning.

I would much rather have a hole in the deck than a hole in the roof.

Fortunately, it missed the new (to us) pedal car.

And it missed the grill, which is under the roof line, just to give you an idea of how close it was to the house.

The really strange part is that, apparently, it didn't wake any of us when it fell.

Sarah's Pinwheel and My New Shawl

2007-10-16T09:27:00.000-06:00

When everything goes pear-shaped, what should you do??? Cast on a new shawl for yourself, of course!! I started this one week ago today and I'm almost halfway through the repeats. It's the Flower Shawl from Elegance Knit 11 (Japanese knitting mag) and I'm working it up in Jaggerspun Maine Line 2/8, color Emerald, from the biggest yarn cake ever. Ana is a glutton for punishment so she wound my pound cones into gigantic yarn cakes. They're scary.

Also up are finished pictures of Sarah's new Pinwheel Sweater. These are FUN to do, especially in my own handspun. Gotta love that stuff. :)

Mediterranean Lace Disaster

2007-10-10T06:11:00.000-06:00

You'd think that I'd used up all of my bad knitting mojo with that felted jumper, now wouldn't you? Alas, that is not the case.

I have another disaster. I've been working on the Mediterranean Lace shawl on and off for a year for my mother.

I borrowed a friend's Gathering of Lace for the pattern and happily used the printed yarn requirements to order 1800yds of mini-coned zephyr, thinking I would have more than enough.

(The edition I was using called for 8 (200yd) skeins of Jamieson & Smith laceweight.)

Here's the kicker. After turning the corner on the first large segment, I started hitting lots of chart errors, so looked up the errata. I had noticed that I was going through yarn quickly, but thought that maybe that first section was just much larger than the "wings." Oh my. In the errata, I found out that the actual yarn requirements were FOUR TIMES what I had ordered.

(Actual yarn needed is 16 (360yd) skeins of Jamieson & Smith cobweb-weight.)

Gah. It's been a year, so no way am I going to try to match dye lots now.

There is no way I can salvage the original piece without tearing my hair out (I really don't want to turn it into a big rose-trellis triangle). So, instead, I need to figure out something I can knit with 1200-1800 yds of white zephyr without driving myself crazy. My mom likes the stole-shaped stuff the most, so I'm looking heavily at a madeira-based Japanese pattern.

Sorry for the novel, I just needed to unload a bit. Maybe another cup of tea will make the pain go away a little.....

It's Been A While (no pics)

2007-10-09T13:09:00.001-06:00

I haven't blogged in a while because I'm a bit down.

LYS (local yarn shop) that I was really digging is now dissolved. Urgh. We were hoping to move our Sunday knitting marathons over there, but that's not going to happen now, so we still have to look for a new location.

Best friend, Renee', whose daughter Sophia is beloved by my daughter, is moving to Dallas at the end of the week. I'm taking the kids over to say goodbye this evening and am quite torn up about it.

I don't know how to write about being upset, really, so that's why this sounds so stilted.

Oh, yeah. And there's also the fact that my daughter has woken up (for the day) at 3am the last 2 mornings. Apparently, she inherited her mother's insomnia.

ETA: Good-bye went much better than I thought. Sophia, Skull-crusher (my mom gave Toddler-boy that nickname), and Pooka (can't really call her Toddlerette anymore) had a wonderful play-date this evening and Renee' and I gorged ourselves on Chinese take-out. No better cure for the blues than spicy, greasy food -- that and theatre candy (don't tell DH about the Junior Caramels in my knitting bag). I'm still feeling down, but I think I'll be ok now. ;)

2 Weeks Work

2007-09-22T11:57:00.000-06:00

Ok, so there was a LOT of other stuff going on these 2 weeks.

Here ya go...

From left to right,

440yds LW / Light Fingering 2-ply Superwash Merino in Agate from Zen String.
220yds DK 3-ply Superwash Merino in Splendour from Zen String.
475yds LW / Light Fingering 2-ply Superwash Merino / Tencel in Autumn Sunset from Spinning Bunny.

Goodies In, Goodies Out

2007-09-06T09:36:00.000-06:00

First up are the incoming goodies. My bestest SP ever sent me a big box of goodies. Half a pound each of white and black churro roving. Yay!!!! I have yet to decide whether it wants to be a zebra 2-ply or spun separately into 3-ply and have a colorwork party. I'm leaning towards the colorwork. Also in the box, in the baggie, is some buffalo down. A little hairy and veggie, but very interesting. Be forewarned though -- do not dehair your buffalo down inside your carpeted house. The guard hairs are auburn, short, and curly, and they get everywhere. Mr. Robincat said I looked like I was involved in illicit activities when I came in the house covered in guard hairs yesterday. Yikes!

Goodies out are the annual socks for my dad and brother's birthdays. Dad's are the peacock blue ones in Cascade 220 Superwash. Jason is (gasp!!) allergic to wool and gets the brown ones, done in Lion Brand Cotton-Ease. They were both knit on US 6 dpns.

Happy Birthday Jason!!

2007-09-03T15:31:00.001-06:00

I have to give my brother a little happy birthday shout since I gave my dad one on Saturday.

Jason is 33 today and still as hilarious as ever. Brilliant, too, I might add.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2007-09-01T14:52:00.000-06:00

Yup, that's me in that picture. And no, I have no idea what he was eating.

Ok, he'll probably never see this because he lacks the interwebs and he really, really does not like computers, but I can't let his 58th birthday pass without a little tribute.

My dad is probably the best dad ever. Yeah, I know everyone says that about their dad, but it's really true. He's got the most strict ethics of anyone I've ever met, but he doesn't judge others if they don't live to the same standards. He worked as a Wildlife Biologist for the State of Louisiana since before I was born and just retired a couple of years ago from the same job. Even though he and my mom divorced when I was 4, they've never been bitter and have been great friends since... well, since forever.

My son Richard is named after my dad, and the three of us (me, my son, and my dad) are three peas in a pod when it comes to a sense of humor. The more slapstick, the better. I was raised on Bugs Bunny-filled Saturday mornings and Three Stooges on VHS.

But for the most part, the best part about my dad is his absolute kindness. He'll go very far out of his way to help a stranger, and even farther for friends and family. I've worked in a soup kitchen with him on Thanksgiving Day, and that was probably the happiest I've ever seen him.

What I Lack of Protestant Work-Ethic

2007-08-25T17:13:00.000-06:00

I make up for with an Irish temper.

I made the mistake Friday of whining to a friend about my playscape's lack of a roof. Bad move. I got repeat advice from the beginning of summer. "Pay someone $200 to put it together and quit worrying about it." Well... I'm a bit stubborn. And a bit pissed at myself for whinging on about it. Just a little. And I forgot just how much of a thrill I get from heights.

So, Mr. Robincat agreed to watch the kids today after he finished a project of his, and I got a little crazy on the roofing. It was a LOT of fun. About as much legal fun as a married woman can have. I told him this, and he doesn't believe me. I really do love working outside, and especially heights. What could be more fun than roofing?

Some of you may notice that there's a couple of boards missing on the eastern side. Well... It started raining a little and I didn't want to bring out the big metal ladder in the rain. Mr. Robincat has promised to help me finish those out and install the roof runners (just 2 boards) tomorrow before knitting.

Now for Q and A:

Q: What do you mean, you didn't want to bring out the ladder. Of course you were using a ladder to do all that roofing, right?

A: Actually, I was standing on a pair of 1x4s laid across the width of the railing boards (except when I was sitting on the monkey bars). Mr. Robincat thought I was crazy and refused to watch.

Edited to add: Apparently, I blew out my knee (not a rarity for me) as I was coming down the ladder for the last time. ;) At least it was after I finished!

Mediterranean Lace Shawl

2007-08-25T08:13:00.000-06:00

Wow. This is going to be one big shawl. I must really love my mother. I'm knitting it from white Zephyr lace-weight. I ordered it in the 600yd mini-cone put-up, but am washing it and re-winding it into balls to knit from. I'm aware that no one else in the world minds knitting from Zephyr cones, but it drives me crazy. They keep falling over.

I'm one repeat away from the beginning of the decreases -- for the first third. That doesn't include the wide lace border knitted on size zeros. Fortunately, it's going at a pretty good clip now that I've pretty much memorized the rose lattice lace pattern.

On the Knitting Front

2007-08-22T05:45:00.000-06:00

I've gotten a lot done in the past week or so since I finished my husband's sweater.

I'm almost done with the back of the Braids & Leaves Sweater in Bouton D'Or Merinosoie. I'd have a lot more progress, though, if I didn't keep losing the pattern. I've heard it's visiting at my friend Ana's house right now.

Also, significant progress on the Mediterranean Lace Shawl. I'm only one repeat away from the midpoint of the first section. Yeah, I know it doesn't sound like much, but this is one huge bugger of a shawl. A friend's daughter asked me the other day if I would be done that day. Heh. I wish. It's going to be a couple more months, I think.

Pictures will happen at some point. My kids have just been on a cranky, high-energy tear recently.

It's DONE! ... AGAIN!!! and Sniff-o-rama

2007-08-14T16:23:00.000-06:00

The Jamie Jumper is finally finished for the second time. That makes a Robincat Record (tm) of 2.5weeks for a self-designed, hand-knitted, 48" chest aran sweater. Kind of impressive, huh?

He doesn't want pictures until it's dry, which makes sense, considering what happened last time.

On another (base)note, Mary, Mary (that's just one person... really!) and I went to Neiman-Marcus for a sniff-o-rama. See, we're scent-hounds. We love perfume. Love it. And we're snobs. Snobs with completely and utterly different tastes. But that's ok, cause I love Mary, Mary and she tolerates my kiddos, even when they're not. having. fun. in the fancy-schmancy department store. They were astoundingly good, though. Sarah even permitted the make-up lady to give her a makeover. Yes, she's learning the girly ways at a very young age. Well, at least she's learning them -- I'm just learning them now at 30.

So, here's the results of the Sniff-o-rama. I love Guerlain. Guerlain and I go together like kittens and milk. Mary, on the other hand, has been sucked in by Creed, which I must admit, has some fabulous "green" scents -- one of the very few houses that do not equate "green" with "bug spray."

The favorites of the day in my book were Mitsouko EDP, which I have already in the Eau de Toilette formulation. Just my opinion, but the EDP is much richer and nicer. Oh, yum. Next on the buy list is Champs Elysees. It doesn't do a whole lot for my nose, but Mr. Robincat likes it enough to offer to pay for it, so he must LOVE it. Hehe. Another love of mine is Imperiale, which I pretty much guessed already. I'm a neroli fiend. FIEND, I tell you. I have a bottle of orange blossom water in my fridge just to sniff whenever I get in a bad mood. Yup, I'm weird like that. The only problem I found with the Imperiale is that the dry-down is fast. Like, didn't even last through lunch. Le Sigh.

Disappointments: L'Heure Bleue. I thought I would love it, but the floral is just a bit heavy and comes off a bit too "precious" for me. Jicky. I adore the smell of Jicky. I just can't wear it myself -- a bit too manly. Well, it is a unisex fragrance, so not too surprising. Now... if only I could get Mr. Robincat to wear it, I'd be in heaven.

I'll let Mary blog about her own opinions, but I do have to say that one of her favorites, Green Irish Tweed, is something I'd definitely buy for Mr. Robincat. Tabarome, another men's scent by Creed, is just lovely. Mmmm.

Raise Your Hand

2007-08-01T09:42:00.000-06:00

If you think I'm insane.

Because I felted my dear husband's nordic jumper, I've begun "Jamie Jumper Redux." He doesn't know about it because he's in Ireland for 2 weeks. I have 10 days left to finish this, but no worries. I only started it 4 days ago and I'm already 15 rows shy of the underarm. There have been some major design alterations, too, because although he was incredibly happy with it, there were some fit issues.

First, though the welting on the original looked great, it was really heavy and caused the whole sweater to lengthen, which isn't very complimentary to man of smaller stature. So, I've put in 2x2 ribbing to create a "sweater bra" to hold up the yarn weight.

Second, all the twisted stitches are now plain knits between cable elements. The twists were fine until I had to separate the front and back, and then purling through the back loop just wasn't fun anymore. I don't want to do that again.

Third, the twisted rope cable has been replaced by a simple 3x3 twist. I felt that the twisted rope didn't quite mesh with the nordic central panel and zig-zag figure eights.

Fourth, the sleeves are going to be different. Not sure how yet, but I wasn't a huge fan of the original ones. I'll probably use the central or zigzags, depending on how many stitches I have available. The dragon heads were cute in theory, but very distracting from the intricate body of the jumper.

Ladybird Yarn

2007-07-27T19:16:00.000-06:00

Ok, I finally got the POUND of yarn finished and it kinda makes up for the felted sweater.

Yarn on a swingset. Don't you just love it?

It's coming up as 10-11wpi, so I'll say it's aran-weight. The wpi charts all say bulky, so I'll swatch with 8s and 10s and see what it likes best.

Good Timing

2007-07-26T12:43:00.000-06:00

I just got a big ole box of wine in the mail.

Apparently, the UPS man knew about the sweater disaster.

On a Happier Note

2007-07-26T11:51:00.000-06:00

We got a new camera.

Here's a normal picture...

Here's the same subject, under intense scrutiny...

On the bobbin is hand-dyed Tussah Silk from Franquemont Fibers.

I felted it.

2007-07-26T08:59:00.000-06:00

Yes, the Jamie Jumper.

Yes, I'm still crying.

After initial blocking, it was about a foot too long for Mr. Robincat. So, I thought.. hrm... front load washer + handwash cycle = success. I forgot one factor.

Patons Merino felts like a motherf*cker. (Sorry, G'mamom, there was really no other word for this.)

I'll post pics after I quit beating my head against the wall and finish stretching it out to Mrs. Robincat size.

I need chocolate... or valium... or a stiff drink... or a good... nevermind. I need a frackin' time machine.

Okay.. I'm ready to do some "after" pictures. I think it's salvageable, but I may have to cut off the sleeves and call it a vest. I'm having trouble with the left arm, but everything else is actually stretching to his size (and not shrinking back when I turn my head). Of course, the cabling is much subdued now, but he kinda likes that look.

The Jamie Jumper is DONE!

2007-07-23T08:51:00.000-06:00

This is a sweater I've been working on since last November for Mr. Robincat. He's very picky when it comes to clothing, so he got a custom designed aran where he got to pick out the yarn, cables, shoulder-shaping, collar, etc. The yarn is Patons Merino Classic in Natural Marl. It's 48", so that should tell you how much I love my husband.

It's been a royal pain in the ass, but the jumper is finished! I did the little dragon heads this morning. It's still wet and I know the pictures leave much to be desired, but I wasn't waiting for it to dry.

If you want the pattern, you're going to be out of luck. Sorry, but we did a quite a bit of "try it on and knit a little" the whole way through. Also, the center panel is straight out of an Elsebeth Lavold book and I'm not sure how much trouble I'd get in if I published that chart.

The underarm gussets are out of Knitting Ganseys, by Beth Brown-Reinsel, and the shoulder-shaping is hybrid raglan, a la Elizabeth Zimmerman. The 1x1 rib polo collar is of my own devising. Not sure how well it's going to work until he wears it a bit, so I might end up ripping it out and inserting a crew neck (or just grafting it together in the center and sewing it down on the inside).

I'm perfectly aware that the proportions look way wonky, but I swear, it actually does fit him like a glove. Maybe I should start designing for the big & tall men's crowd.....

My Fingers Are Confused

2007-07-21T12:29:00.000-06:00

I'm currently working on a 3-fiber cabled 3-ply yarn and my fingers are starting to get confused. The first two singles (z) are done and plied together into a semi-spiraled Blue-Faced Leicester and silk combo (s). Now, I'm working on the third single (s). I'll be plying this single (Falklands) with the aforementioned combo.

Yes, I know there are other ways of making a 3-ply yarn. I've done Navajo. I've done strict 3-ply. I'm not looking for an alternate solution. I'm aiming for the yarn that I'm making. I'm just saying that my fingers are very, very confused with their first attempt at making an s-twist single. We're managing it, but it does get a little odd when I have to untwist a slub.

Fortunately, though, my feet are stupid little sheep and just do as they're told. :)

Since it stopped raining for a few moments, here's some pictures of what I have so far....

The Rio (purple) Falklands is from Pippi Knee Socks, the Bluebell (indigo) Tussah Silk is from Franquemont Fibers, and the Blue Topaz BFL is from The Fiber Denn.

Consoling Myself with Yarn

2007-07-18T07:12:00.000-06:00

So, wouldn't you know it, the lid of my teapot broke this morning. Apparently, the teapot doesn't like the new cosy.

I hope my even older teapot fits into the cosy. Where my blue one was fat and short, the older one is white, tall, and skinny. We'll see when I get it washed. It's been on a shelf over the stove for years.. urgh.

Anyway, I needed to console myself and there was a post on Knittyboard that The Loopy Ewe had Wollmeise in stock. I went to go see and they had a beautiful green and blue colorway, Wellensittichvogelfeder, which is German for "budgie feather." Perfect for some sockems for Mr. Robincat. I spent $30 that I probably shouldn't have, but I feel better... and that's what really counts.

My Tea Kept Getting Cold...

2007-07-16T15:45:00.001-06:00

So I knitted a tea cosy....

This is probably the ugliest tea cosy ever, but my tea kept getting cold. The yarn is hand dyed (with Adams food coloring), hand spun Targhee wool.

And as requested... an up close and personal shot....

What the Teleknitter sent me...

2007-07-10T11:49:00.000-06:00

And what I spun from it....

(I know it's got my tags on it, but it's personal stash.. :) )

Apparently, I'm a....

2007-07-10T11:11:00.000-06:00

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Purist. You are an accomplished knitter producing beautiful pieces with a classic feel. You sometimes lament losing half of your local yarn shop to garish novelty yarns. Perhaps you consider fun fur scarves the bane of knitting society and prefer to steer new knitters towards the wool and cotton blends. Some might call you a bit of an elitist but you know that you've been doing this craft long enough to respect the history behind it and honor it with beautiful piece that can last a lifetime. http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!

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Good Day

2007-07-06T15:03:00.000-06:00

Somehow, today is turning out just peachy.

I got mosquito repellent thingies for the back yard.

I moved ~~4 barrows~~ 10 barrows of chipped wood to the back yard.

I got a can of Fix-A-Flat for the wheelbarrow (see above).

I got friends lined up to help me raise the roof on the kids' fort (last thing to do) on Monday.

And I persuaded Mr. Robincat that getting lawn service was much more cost efficient than buying a riding lawn mower! Which means the lawn is MOWN!!!! Like for real!!!

Just a Little Gripe

2007-07-04T23:21:00.001-06:00

It's still raining. My children are really tired of the inside of our house. Hell, I'm tired of the inside of my house.

Apparently, every parent in Austin also has the same feelings, because on the rare occasion that I try to take the kiddos somewhere kid-friendly, it's packed to the gills and miserable. Not to mention, loud. Very loud.

What makes it worse is that we have not 1, not 2, not 3, but FOUR parks within very easy walking distance of our house. Not to mention the almost-completed-except-for-the-roof (STILL) playscape in the mosquito-infested back lawn. I just want one freaking day where I can take the toddler duo to the park and not worry about getting caught in the rain or, be still my beating heart, the chance to take them to the very local, very nice, very inexpensive water park.

Oh, yeah. And that "why don't you get together with some other parents" thing? Well, we're all work-at-home parents except for one, who works out of the home second-shift. Scheduling these little monkeys is a nightmare. Not to mention that due to the RAIN, Mr. Robincat is driving the mom-mobile to work on Mondays and Thursdays instead of the motorcycle that he should be using. Therefore, more scheduling nightmares.

Toddlerette is begging to "please find me some friends." She's decided that if she proclaims that "it is dry park day today," that the rain won't fall. It hasn't worked yet. Nothing is sadder than driving past a park and hearing, "Where did all my friends go??" At this age, everyone is her friend. God forbid we go to the bank, which is (in dry weather) conveniently located en route to the house of her friends with a pool. Then I get to hear the whole exposition on "Today is swimming day." Uh, no sweetie. You hear that loud noise and see those bright flashes? That's lightning. Not to mention the whole "One needs to wait until one is invited," thing that 3-year-olds just somehow don't get.

Uberboy is just all around grumpy. Of course, those new teeth aren't helping any.

On a lighter note, they both have haircuts now. I'm almost scared to post pictures because Toddlerette's is SHORT. She said she wanted hair to match her daddy's, and we decided that it was just hair after all, so I took her to have it cut short. She loves it. I love it. Mr. Robincat wasn't too sure at first, but once he realized that it only takes 4 seconds to wash now, he loves it. My mom is going to freak, though. Uberboy's hair is shorter now, too. I cut it today with the handy-dandy Wahl shaver with a #2 guard. He looks bald now, but he wears it quite well. Don't worry, people. I didn't shave mine off. It still looks as dowdy as ever.

But in the good news section.... I finally found a swim top that fits!!! And not a tank, either. It's a real bikini! I had to go to Macy's and search and search. And pay through the nose. But it has real cup sizes! (You gals from the knittyboard will understand why this is such a big deal for me.) Of course, no pictures because I haven't gotten a nice day and car on a day that the local pools have been open. At this point it would take an act of God for that to happen. Oh yeah, I bought some shorts, too. For the first summer in 4 years, I have shorts. Yes, like the kind that actually show leg. Not that they'll do me any good with the constant friggin' rain, though....

Tired of me whining? Yeah, I am, too. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming....

beep. beep. beep. beep. beep. beeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

First commenter who knows what the above line is gets ...uh.... hrmmm.... a knitted dishcloth? Yeah. That's it. A knitted dishcloth. (Robin is immediately swamped by wildly guessing commenters. *insert sarcasm*)

Gotta Love That Sliver

2007-07-03T13:51:00.001-06:00

Sliver. It's pronounced with a long "i". It rocks my world.

See.... half a pound of sliver (more or less.... well, less actually.)

Sliver in it's "tube" form.

Sliver becoming merino handspun.

And finally, the handspun on the bobbin.

Lastly, I am now afraid of my toddler's ability to use electronic gadgets... such as a playaway digital "book on tape." Scary, huh?

Secret Pal Happy Dance

2007-06-28T15:44:00.000-06:00

I'm doing the Secret Pal Happy Dance right now.

That right there in the middle is an issue of Spin-Off!, which I only dream of subscribing to.

On the left is a dark marine blue packet of 80g of a Corriedale Cross and Alpaca blend.

On the right is a lovely brown 100g packet of Shetland, drumcarded by my Secret Pal herself.

Toddlerette's comment on the blue packet: "Mommy, that is some LUXURY woof!" I taught her well. Just turned three and already knows her "luxury woof."

First Published Pattern

2007-06-27T12:21:00.000-06:00

Ok, I have to brag a little on myself. I published a pattern. It's an exclusive for Zen String and they're on my feet RIGHT NOW.

By the way, I like pools of color, so if you're a striping or non-pooling gal, they may not be for you....

Click this LINKY for a picture.

There's another pattern (and a half) on the way.... sneak peeks are on flickr....

My Anniversary Present

2007-06-25T11:02:00.001-06:00

It's a Kromski Symphony... right in front of the Pampers Cruisers. Hee. I love it. Bessie the Traveller is with my mom in Louisiana, teaching a Weaver how to spin.

Random library...

2007-06-25T10:02:00.000-06:00

My maiden name is an unusual spelling of a not-quite-so-unusual surname, so it's a tradition in our family that, at least once in your life, you go to Newton, MS, and take a picture of this library:

Now for the Azaleas

2007-06-25T09:53:00.001-06:00

All I do is post vacation pictures.....

2007-06-25T09:24:00.001-06:00

And to end the great debate between Mr. Robincat and I about "Is it a Rhododendron or a Mountain Laurel?" we've discovered that they're too closely related for us to determine with our present ignorance of Appalachian botany. Here are some pictures for you to peruse....

These were all taken atop of Wayah Bald.

And five seconds later....

Joyce Kilmer National Forest--Part 3

2007-06-25T09:18:00.000-06:00

The really big tree....

Joyce Kilmer National Forest--Part 2

2007-06-25T09:12:00.000-06:00

More forest pictures ... no captions this time....

Joyce Kilmer National Forest -Part 1

2007-06-25T08:53:00.000-06:00

Ok, kids... get ready for a picture-heavy post ... Joyce Kilmer National Forest is one of the very few virgin forests left in the lower Appalachians. Pictures just don't do it justice.

This explains who Joyce Kilmer was...

And this is the enormous rock in which that plaque is mounted...

This is the poem he wrote that got the forest named after him...

This is the bridge at the trailhead...

More pictures to follow....

Cherohala Skyway

2007-06-25T08:19:00.001-06:00

We tried an alternate route to the house of Mr. Robincat's grandmother (aka Juanita) this year. Normally in the summer, we either take I-20 East from Shreveport to Birmingham, then north to Chattanooga, and cross the Ocoee River into North Carolina. In the winter, when we have to make a choice of ice versus snow, we take I-30 East from Dallas, through Arkansas and Tennesee (with a gratuitous barbecue stop in Memphis), and then drive the Tail of the Dragon (Hwy 129 for you non-motorcyclists) from Knoxville to Robbinsville. If the weather is bad, we go through Smoky Mountain National Park through Gatlinburg. And if the weather is REALLY bad (as it was for Sarah's first Christmas), we get detoured all the way to the I-40 just north of Asheville and took the Highway 74 back East for an hour.

But with all that said...

THIS time we drove the northern route and tried the Cherohala Skyway. Definitely not a foul weather route, but much fewer switchbacks and crazy motorcycles than Tail of the Dragon. It is effing beautiful. Too bad Richard slept through almost the whole drive. Mr. Robincat and I noshed on Key Lime Fudge from some truck stop in Tennessee to keep our ears clear. It was REALLY good candy and I wish I could remember where we got it. All I know is they give you free coffee with a fill-up on gas.

First up is Bald River Falls. It's a half-hour detour into the depths of the National Forest, but well worth the effort.

And now for the kids on the highest point of Santeetlah. That would be 5390 ft (1642m) above sea level. I was a little altitude affected, but everyone else was fine.

This is the Turkey Creek lookout. And I kid you not, this is the view you get when you step out of the public restroom.

Yarn Stash?

2007-06-01T21:57:00.000-06:00

You think my problem is a yarn or a fiber stash?

Not quite. We have a coffemaker stash. No kidding. The eighth one arrived today. We have 3 French presses: 1 glass bodum single-serve, 1 glass bodum 8-cup, and 1 ceramic Van Gogh 8-cup. We have 3 pods: 1 Melitta (free with pod club), 1 Senseo (free with coffeemaker pimping), and 1 Gourmet Coffee Cafe' ($5 with 72 free pods -- I have NO IDEA how Mr. Robincat scored that deal; I'm afraid.). Finally, we have 2 drip pots: 1 Gevalia (free with coffee trial) and 1 Cuisinart Brew & Grind (we actually paid money for this one, but it was 50% off at Kohl's). The REASON we paid for the Brew & Grind is because Mr. Robincat just got authorization to be a telecommuter which came with an "equip your office" stipend. He decided that we needed to start buying coffee beans in bulk due to his coffee needs and therefore needed a brew & grind since our little dinky electric grinder was getting sad sounding. The newest one is the Gourmet Coffee Cafe'. It makes great coffee so far ... we'll see how long it lasts. We've already had the Melitta people replace the One:One TWICE because we wore out the pressure seal and it started leaking. No problems with the Senseo yet, though, and it's had a LOT of use.

I'm trying to get a picture of the coffeepots all together on the kitchen table from the "inside" camera, but that may have to wait til tomorrow.

Also, the playscape is almost done--only have the roof to put on and mulch to spread underneath.... picture is on the cellphone, which is also misbehaving.

OH, BUT LOOK WHAT I HAVE HERE!!!

It's from Dragon Fibers' pink and pewter BFL roving. Yes, it is laceweight, about 20wpi, and super duper lofty and scrumptious. I want to eat it. But I need to sell it.... 'cause I need to buy a new wheel so I can spin even MORE!!! (Shameless yarn pimping, I know.)

BUT, HIE THEE to Dragon Fibers. Her stuff is yummy. Your wheel will begin chattering her shop's name. I promise.

Apparently, I'm IT!

2007-05-23T11:37:00.000-06:00

Unbelievably, I finally got tagged.

I got tagged big time.... 2 people within an hour. So thanks Mary, Mary and Knitchaos.

Here are the rules: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those who are tagged need to write on their own blog those 7 facts as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven other people and list their names on your blog. Then you leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

SEVEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT YOURS TRULY

1. I've eaten... rattlesnake, squirrel, venison, elk, rabbit, frog, alligator, and beaver (it's gross, don't try it). My dad is a Wildlife Biologist, so we lived literally in the middle of nowhere on a Wildlife Management Area in northern Louisiana when I was growing up. I horribly miss having several thousand acres for a back yard.

2. I'm afraid of... medium to big dogs (over terrier size), spiders, and tall men. Like really afraid. Go figure.

3. My first tattoo is a very large, very idealistic/political b&w piece on my right hip. I'm no longer of that ideology, so swimming now requires board shorts. Everybody knows about my cute little 2nd tattoo.

4. I went to a public, co-ed, preparatory boarding school for my Junior and Senior years of highschool. LSMSA, for the curious.

5. I grew up in a very anachronistic and large extended family. I learned how to churn butter, make cottage cheese, milk a cow, smoke sausage, make cane syrup, and grind cornmeal in a hand-cranked grist mill before I turned 10. These things were more out of a desire to preserve traditional arts than necessity. We did have a flush toliet.

6. I read very, very fast. Last week, I started doing Distributed Proofreading for Project Gutenberg in my spare time and I've proofread over 300 pages in under a week. I normally read a novel per day (in addition to the spinning and knitting) if I'm not proofreading.

7. I had decided to become a religious (aka nun) after graduate school when I met my husband (again). Needless to say, I didn't join the convent.

Sadly, I am one of the last in my circle of blogfriends to get tagged, so I only know 1 person who hasn't been tagged yet.

So, Subhuman Superwoman, the onus is now on you.

I'm Dyeing.....

2007-05-15T13:01:00.000-06:00

Lots and lots of fiber. Well, only a pound, but it felt like a lot. I was only able to do this because BOTH kids took a nap yesterday.

From left to right: Top left is aqua targhee, bottom left is "pop a wheelie" merino/tencel, "state fair" targhee, "cornfield" targhee, "Nanana on a tangent" targhee, "Peach Nehi" targhee, and "Nanana" merino. All the targhee is mine, the other is Ana's.

And here's a close-up of "Pop a Wheelie"

Close up of Cornfields, Nanana on a Tangent, and Peach Nehi...

I still have some left to do. Only about 2 oz of the targhee, though.

This is way too much fun. :)

All Kinds of Fiber Pr0n

2007-05-08T11:51:00.000-06:00

Grandmamom, don't read this! You might not like it!

Oh, won't you play with my.....

dong-a-long . It's all Penny Karma's fault. It's crocheted with my very own Robincat handspun (85% mohair, 15% tussah silk). Yes, I am aware that it has enormous balls. My mistake for picking up a size H crochet hook instead of a D hook for the DK weight yarn. Due to the loose construction, I stuffed it with waste cotton fabric, so it's a little, uh... lumpy. But it's done and soon to be out of my house, which makes Mr. Robincat oh so happy. He's become quite unnerved by "the crocheting of the dong." I've threatened to make another, put jingle bells in the balls, and send it to his brother's fresh baby boy, but he vetoed that idea.

Now onto the roving pr0n. In the bottom left corner is Dorset/Columbia blend from Paradise Fibers that I dyed all by myself. In the top left corner is superwash merino in the Greek Isles colorway from Pigeonroof Studios. In the top right corner is even more superwash merino from Pigeonroof, but this time, in the Drift colorway. In the bottom right corner is Shetland (yum!) in the Harvest colorway from The Fiber Denn.

Even More Yarn

2007-05-02T13:52:00.000-06:00

So, this week we have Frozen Drinks, Whittington Field, and a preview of Mint Chocolate Chip. I really really like the Mint Chocolate Chip. I've got about 400yds plied right now, and approximately 800yds left to ply. And it's sportweight. Yum.

If you really want the Mint Chocolate Chip yarn, email me at lacermum at gmail dot com and I'll reserve the etsy listing for you (if you're first, that is).

Big Box O' Happy (aka Pimping my Vendors)

2007-04-30T16:35:00.000-06:00

I got a big box of happy today. I really needed it, too, since I had a massive migraine. And with regards to migraines, I have a tip. Whatever you do, NEVER, EVER take a sip of Dr Pepper and follow it with a packet of Goody's "cool orange" headache powder. First of all, "cool orange" is marketing verbage for sickly sweet reenactment of mixing toothpaste and oj. Secondly, carbonated soft drink plus powdered medicine in the mouth-throat junction equals enormous amounts of foaming nastiness. Yup, Goody's minty-fresh-oj-aspirin-dr-pepper foam all up the sinuses and foaming OUT MY NOSE. I just wish Mr. Robincat had the presence of mind to take a picture. He knew there wasn't much he could do to help the situation, so he just wrangled the kids while I made the situation worse by trying to wash the nastiness down with EVEN MORE DR PEPPER. Smooth move, Sherlock. This just made more foam.

But let me tell you.... the migraine is GONE! I guess I absorbed all the aspirin/acetaminophen/caffeine through the blood vessels in my sinus cavity, cause I never did feel it go down my throat.

Anyway, on to the big box of happy. It came in the mail today, along with another packet of roving from pigeonroofstudios.etsy.com . Oh. I haven't shown you pictures of my other packets of roving? You'll have to wait til tomorrow. Too much has gone on today for me to be taking more pictures right now. Big box of happy is from the absolute best kept secret in Ashford vendors, Running Moon Farm. Their website is www.runningmoonfarm.com . They raise Gulf Coast Native sheep, which I swear must have the most luscious, sprongy wool in the known world and they sell hand-dyed spinning batts from these lovely sheepies. They also have (wait for it....) hand-turned orifice hooks -- with sett gauges in the handles. They are beautiful. Yeah, it looks good in the picture, but it is SWEET in the hand... soooo smooth and perfectly balanced. And really. I emailed Margrett at RMF on Thursday about getting a custom orifice hook and Ashford hi-speed kit and they are here TODAY. They turned it for me Thursday night before milking. (Actually, they did 3, so I could pick from a variety... how cool are they???) She takes paypal, too.

On a completely different note, this is the progress we've made on "The Park" so far. It's been raining almost every weekend since we bought it (and it's raining today). I would say that we spent forever levelling it, but either we got really lucky or really blessed with the levelling. We put some mulch on the weed barrier to get ready to level it, moved it 1 foot towards the mulch just to get it out from under the tree. I put the level on it to see how much work we had ahead of us, and IT WAS MIRACULOUSLY LEVEL. In all 3 dimensions. How cool is that?

A Rose is a Rose is....

2007-04-23T07:53:00.000-06:00

not the wheel for me.

I'm so sad. I tried Mary's Majacraft Rose yesterday and I loved it. Well, I loved the top half. Speed was great. Really great.

However. Treadling was another story. It was fine until I adjusted the brake string to get some take-up, and then it just dragged. Grr. I really want a Suzie Pro, but I'll have to try one of them out now to see if it's "a Majacraft thing" or just "a Rose thing."

So far, I've tried a Rose, Sonata, Joy, Polonaise, Mazurka, Fricke ST, Victoria.... and I own a Traveller.

Rose - Love the speed. Too hard to treadle, and have to ratchet up the brake to get any take-up. Dislike the delta orifice and hate the sliding hook.

Sonata - LOVE the treadling, but would have to get a high-speed whorl. Like the cup-hook style flyer and portability. Concerned about production-level durability.

Joy - Just feels unresponsive. Treadling feels gooey (maybe I just hate stretchy drive bands). Not fond of the frame set-up (dangerous for toddler fingers).

Polonaise - Love the speed. Not a fan of the off-center ST. Heavy treadling required, but that was probably becayse it was cranked up way too tight. Need to test-drive a Symphony.

Mazurka - Not even in the running. Darling little wheel, but not heavy enough for my fiber appetite. Plus, I've got the Traveller already and not a fan of ST.

Fricke ST - Well, it's an ST. And kinda homely. It spins great, but I keep feeling like the flyer is going to fall in my lap. Don't like the orifice/flyer either.

Victoria - Kills my knees. Too small. Super portable, though. Just not the thing for me. Spins FANTASTIC, though.

Yesterday's Progress

2007-04-17T09:13:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the bad picture quality. It's currently raining outside. We have to move some of the mulch from the front yard to level the thing now, and then finish putting on the decking to finish the current "step" in the manual. Onwards and upwards.

The Neverending Sweater

2007-04-16T14:09:00.000-06:00

Oh my gourds! She's multiposting again!

Yeah, well both my kids are asleep. I take advantage of that whenever I can.

This, my friends, is the neverending sweater. I won't tell you what size my husband is, but it isn't a women's small. This sucker has a lot of stitches.
And there's about a bazillion more rows to go before the neck (well, more like 30, but it FEELS like a bazillion). At least he's anti-turtleneck.

Ok, now for the gory details.

It's out of Paton's Pure Merino in "Natural Marl," found on sale last year at Michael's for something ridiculous like $4 for 220yds. It's very very soft and arany.

Pattern: Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears, Beth Brown-Reinsel's Knitting Ganseys, and Elsebeth Lavold's Vikingmonster book all had a baby together. You can see the freakishness of my pattern drafting in the armshaping, which is BOTH raglan AND gusset. Yup, my husband is a freak with fat armpits... (just kidding... it's really because he has to streeeeetch way over the table when he plays pool and billiards).

Playground Progress

2007-04-16T13:21:00.000-06:00

Just in case anyone is googling away to find out how to put this thing together (like we did), this is the "Costco Sunray 2007 Playground." RUN, do not walk, to http://www.charette.com/articles/playground.html. Find Scott's instructions, read them THOROUGHLY, and put it together his way. Some of the manufacturer's instructions, although correct, actually make assembly more difficult.

And they said it couldn't be done.

This is the progress we made over the weekend. That includes buying a pneumatic wrench, corded drill, weed barrier, and a case of Dublin Dr Pepper for fuel. (That's not an alcoholic drink, y'all. It's the GOOD Dr Pepper.) In case you're wondering, all those boards were numbered by yours truly.... I stole the kids' sidewalk chalk for the job, though.

Not a fight yet in sight. However, we did manage to clarify the definitions of both "plumb" and "square." Ask away, but we'll never tell.

We also have a frickin' huge pile of mulch in our front yard for the play surface. Like the entire contents of a dump truck. Pflugerville is so cool like that. It was FREE. Now we just need to buy a new wheelbarrow......

BTW, power tools are FUN!!!

Etsy Shop Update

2007-04-13T13:57:00.000-06:00

Toddlerette named this light fingering weight yarn "Don't Be Shy."

There's 835yds of this yummy stuff....

Yummy Yummy Goodness

2007-04-11T18:51:00.000-06:00

I normally don't blog about food, but this was just too good. And you'd THINK I would be tired of eggs after Easter and all that? Nah. This is a serious adulteration of a recipe from Diane Mott Davidson's novel, Dying for Chocolate. Here's a picture after 2 adults and 2 toddlers attacked it...

Here's the recipe (my version). It's low-fat. I promise!!

1 8oz package shredded cheddar cheese

1 butter-tub container shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 handfull fresh spinach

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

5 eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Butter a cake pan. Put cheese in cake pan. Put spinach and walnuts over cheese. Beat eggs, add flour, salt, and nutmeg; beat in cream and milk. Pour this mixture over everything, do not mix, and bake for 45 minutes. Try not to eat it all in one sitting.

Sleet on Easter?

2007-04-07T14:50:00.000-06:00

Ok, so they're technically ice pellets. But seriously, this is CENTRAL TEXAS! It's not supposed to be this cold in the winter, much less Easter. Good thing I bought Toddlerette and Uberboy sweaters to go with their Easter outfits!

Helmet Liner Pattern

2007-04-04T08:22:00.000-06:00

This is a pattern I wrote last fall that I never got around to posting.

ETA: I am SO ashamed of myself for not putting this in earlier. This pattern was inspired (very greatly) by Tychus. It's the same basic technique, just different gauge, yarn, and no color changes to fret about.

Materials: 1 ball Austermann Step (420yds/100g) color 01

Supplies: US size 2 or US size 3 knitting needles (or to make gauge), Small Tapestry Needle

Gauge: 32sts and 44rows over 4”x 4” (10cmx10cm) square in garter stitch

Techniques Required: Provisional Cast-On, Garter Short Rows (no wraps), Grafting

Instructions:
Provisionally cast-on 48 stitches.
Begin leaf (make 5 together – do not break yarn or cast off between leaves):
All even rows, knit to end of row.
Row 1: Knit 48. Turn work.
Row 3: Knit 46. Turn work.
Row 5: Knit 44. Turn work
Row 7: Knit 42. Turn work
Row 9: Knit 40. Turn work
Row 11: Knit 38. Turn work
Row 13: Knit 36. Turn work
Row 15: Knit 34. Turn work
Row 17: Knit 32. Turn work
Row 19: Knit 30. Turn work
Row 21: Knit 28. Turn work
Row 23: Knit 24. Turn work
Row 25: Knit 20. Turn work.
Row 27: Knit 24. Turn work.
Row 29: Knit 28. Turn work.
Row 31: Knit 30. Turn work.
Row 33: Knit 32. Turn work.
Row 35: Knit 34. Turn work.
Row 37: Knit 36. Turn work.
Row 39: Knit 38. Turn work.
Row 41: Knit 40. Turn work.
Row 43: Knit 42. Turn work.
Row 45: Knit 44. Turn work.
Row 47: Knit 46. Turn work.
Row 48: Knit to end. End of 1st leaf.

After row 48 of the fifth leaf is completed, knit 2 rows, and break yarn, leaving plenty to graft with. Remove waste yarn from provisional cast-on and graft cast-on edge to work on needles. Weave in ends and block if desired.

We LOVE our kids

2007-04-02T07:02:00.000-06:00

I mean, we REALLY LOVE our kids.

We bought them a park. No. Seriously. We did. With this year's bonus. Because apparently, they have stolen our brains and we don't actually need a new fridge or the deck refinished or any of those "REAL" needs. Not like they need a park, anyway. Well, they actually do.

They're getting THIS . It will be coming in VERY BIG boxes from Costco in a delivery truck. The delivery man will dump the boxes in our driveway. Assembly is up to us (meaning James wants to do it even though I could probably do it better -- 'cause I READ instructions).

I'm scared. Very scared. I WANT MY MOMMY!!!!! (just because she's the absolute world's best handywoman.... seriously)

I have no idea when this thing is getting here or how ridiculous we'll look trying to assemble it in the back yard, but stay tuned for updates on "assembling a park."

Sheesh. We love these kiddos. (And don't worry, Mom. We're still going to wash and seal the deck and get a new fridge. ;) )

Kid Pics

2007-03-30T19:33:00.000-06:00

OK, Ceci. I'll raise you one sleeping husband with child, one spinning child, and one child with faux-hawk.

No funroe for us.

2007-03-30T11:30:00.000-06:00

We're not moving, and I'm ok with that.

Sorry family, but we just couldn't do it....

..... that, and they offered us about $10K less than they TOLD us they were going to offer.

Raised expectations suck.

What the Hell?

2007-03-29T18:13:00.000-06:00

My newish HP camera was sitting up on the computer desk, minding its own business.
I picked it up to take a picture of my son's mohawk (Mom, don't ask) and the LCD screen is BROKEN. What the hell? So I try to use my new phone and it won't send the picture! GRRRR.

Not a happy Robin. Well, actually a happy Robin, because my bestest business bud in the world just bought me THIS.

Don't know why..... but I'm pleased as punch!!! Mom, if you like the goldfinch one, I'll get it for you for Mother's Day. I assume you're still reading the blog....

Good lord. I just looked down and my freshly-shampooed, no-longer-mohawked one-year-old son has pulled my knitting out of the bag and PEEEEEEED on it Heck, at least it's baby cotton. He's now really really really mad because apparently the peeing was extremely entertaining and he can't make it happen again at will. He's tumbling over and over and grunting REALLY LOUD trying to figure out how it works. It's enough to almost make me pee myself. But seriously.

Oh, and I plied 560 yds of yarn today. On one bobbin. It's somewhere between laceweight and fingering. Should be up on etsy tomorrow. It's currently drying. Look for "Nantahala Twilight." You know you want it.

Mr Robincat has Landed

2007-03-26T07:28:00.000-06:00

Yay!

My dear husband has returned from Ireland and is back in the Land of Robincat. He brought me goodies, too. Guinness advert pint glasses and Jameson whiskey!

That's just gross.

2007-03-14T06:47:00.000-06:00

We're sick. Toddlerette's been sick since Friday morning. Xmas Baby has been sick since Sunday afternoon. I feel sick now.

We've dubbed this virus, "Deleted Scenes From The Exorcist." I'm not kidding. You know about gross, right? Well, this is about 2 miles past gross on the yuck highway.

And DH has to leave for Ireland on Saturday. oh. yay.

Fortunately, Toddlerette is feeling somewhat better and Richard is feeling MUCH better.

In fact, when he was eating his goldfish crackers yesterday, I observed that he was "Happier than a goat on Goat Day." Now, I've never heard of Goat Day, and I'm not completely sure how thrilled a goat would BE on Goat Day.

The things that come out of my mouth when I'm tired.... Huh.

But right now, I'm feeling "like a flea on dip day." FYI, that's not a good feeling.

(and on a side note, I MISS MY COFFEESHOP IN THE MORNINGS!!!!)

Llama in the Coffeeshop!!!!!

2007-03-08T21:30:00.000-06:00

Drama Llama, that is.

I mean, really.

If you think that my TWO YEAR OLD is going to brain your five year old with a bead frame that she is trying to move from one place to another while I BLINK and take care of my one-year-old, I am not the one who deserves to get their card marked.

Oh, BUT SERIOUSLY!!

That would be YOU, MS DRAMA LLAMA!!!

*does the sprinkler dance*

Thank you soooooooo much, SAHB, for telling off Ms Llama while I consoled/reassured/took care of my children. (and Mr. Robincat says "Thank you for having my crazy, ill-tempered, violent wife's back in her time of trouble - cause she can be one violent b!tch when her parenting skills are called "sickening" to her face.")

As Miss Violet would say, "I'm just saying...."

And I'm going back tomorrow, cause I will NOT be chased off by a damn llama.

So, as my momma used to say, "I'm as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs."

Roving Saga

2007-03-05T15:06:00.000-06:00

Well, I ended up not blending it because it looked better with the colors spaced out. (and my arms are just not in shape for marathon hand-carding right now)

Shop updated, though!! entrelac.etsy.com in case you need the link... ;)

Just a Little Teaser....

2007-03-03T14:57:00.000-06:00

Well, I kettle-dyed all 12 ounces of the dorset/columbia blend roving that I got.

This is the "Cliffs of Moher" colorway post-dyeing/pre-blending drying stage.

Little Richard the Lionheart is diligently guarding the drying wool.

As my momma used to say, "I'm busier than a one-armed paper-hanger at a butt-wiping contest."

Where to start.....

2007-03-03T07:19:00.000-06:00

I guess I should start with the oldest news first...

I went to meet my knitting gals at a not so local coffee shop with toy area for the kiddos) and though they weren't there, I found out that it's a great place for the kids to hang out and learn to share on neutral territory. They're not so great at it at houses, but very good in public places. They also have great coffee. Wednesdays are not good, though... That's storytime, and even though the kids love it, that's too many people for me.

My DH got a raise and a bonus! And a job offer from his old company in Louisiana that would NOT be a step down! So, hopefully we'll be moving to Monroe in May - right before the hellish Austin summer hits.

And possibly the least impactful, but certainly the most exciting news for me this second.... I SOLD MY BOUCLE ON ETSY! Yes, I'm screaming. But you've got to understand. I absolutely adore spinning. I like dyeing, but I love spinning and I would like nothing else than to be able to sell enough to actually cover the fiber costs and this is a step in the right direction.

Oh, and last but not least, major thanks to the SAHB (stay-at-home-Brit) who gave me a serious knock in the head regarding hobby-oriented business this past Tuesday. Yes, I can do this, but I have to decide NOW whether I want a business or a self-supporting hobby.

And on that note, I've got 13 ounces of Columbia/Dorset blend that Ana and I are planning to assault with Cushing's dye and blending techniques this weekend. It's going to be in one GREAT BIG LOT on etsy, so you need to get while the getting's good if you want it. Here's a hint on the colorway... the theme is "Cliffs of Moher." Google it, baby. You know you want to.

I promise this is the last paragraph. I'm going to try to start a "as my momma used to say" quote at the end of my posts. Watch out for strange southern idioms.

As my momma used to say, "Fish or cut bait."

Kids on the Porch

2007-02-22T11:52:00.000-06:00

I don't know what they're doing.... I just live here.

Coming Soon.....

2007-02-22T11:40:00.000-06:00

To an etsy near you....

Frost on Blood Mountain 85% fine merino/ 15% tussah silk

Spinning is out of hand.....

2007-02-19T19:40:00.000-06:00

Shall we look at some yarn pr0n? Yes, we shall......

Alien Babies Got My Daughter!!!

2007-02-19T08:30:00.000-06:00

Ok, Miss Violet, you'll be sure to get this one...

By the way, they come with kid's meals from Dairy Queen just in case you need some Alien Babies of your own.

Spinning Wheel Pr0n

2007-02-19T08:21:00.000-06:00

MMMM.... with Merino/Tussah goodness.

And of course, the gratuitous shot of my rear.

You want to see some craft wool from Hobby Lobby? Of course you do....

Come and Get Your Elves!!!!!!

2007-02-10T23:01:00.000-06:00

So, I'm just going to have to wing this one with no pictures. The camera went to Brazil again (Campenis, this time (yes, indeedy!)) and isn't unpacked yet.

Pomatomus #2 is 1 repeat away from heeldom.

Sleeve #1 on James' Viking Sweater is just even with my elbow.

2 packages of felting roving from Hobby Lobby have been spun up.

The finishing elves are done with Da's Vest. Unfortunately, no pics yet, because Da is ON A CRUISE!!!!! Yes, this is worth shouting about. This man is such a woodsman that his own dog attacked him when he tried on his "cruise clothes" (sandals, shorts, and a t-shirt). I used deer antler buttons to fasten it because I am such a geek. He loves it. He wouldn't take it off. I'm sure there's a man somewhere in the Caribbean right now wearing a mohair/wool vest with blaze orange lapels and antler buttons. HI DA!!!!!!!

The shawl for Mom has not progressed. Kiddos were without their father this week, so no laceknitting was practiced. I neeeeeeeeed my laceknittingcrack.

I found 2 knots in 1 skein of Colinette Jitterbug Copperbeach while balling it up. I am not happy.... and not even dead-center, either (which would've been ok, since I'm making Mommy-Mini-Socks (my mom wears a 4 1/2)).

Finishing Elves

2007-01-26T10:23:00.000-06:00

This is what I've learned. As soon as you have the slightest urge to do finishing work, stop all your housework projects and DO IT! That's apparently the only way to get the finishing elves to come and live at your house.

... says the woman who stopped in the middle of doing dishes AND laundry to clean out a sink, weave in ends, and block a vest. Combination of handspun Gulf Coast Native/Mohair and Briggs&Little Canadian Blaze Orange for my dad. He works at a hunting property as a wildlife biologist.

More WIPs

2007-01-25T16:31:00.000-06:00

Hmmm. I've got a lot of works in progress, apparently.

First up is the Braids and Leaves Sweater from Knitpicks that I got the pattern for last year. I'm knitting it with Bouton D'Or Merinosoie that Mary, Mary got for me from the Anny Blatt factory outlet in France last summer. (Yay Mary!!!!) I'm really loving this pattern.

Next is James' replacement sweater for the kitchen-cotton Starmore aran sweater that I knit him 5 years ago when we were both uber-poor. This one is my own design(leaning heavily on Elsebeth Lavold's Vikingmonster and EZ's Knitting Around)in Paton's Classic Merino. I am in serious love with Balene Circulars for needle-free cabling. See the cute husband initials in the waistband? Thanks to Beth Brown-Reinsel's Knitting Ganseys for that.

Finally, the restarted version of Mom's Mediterranean Lace Shawl in Zephyr. This is how I learned to WASH the coned zephyr before casting on.

More Knitting

2007-01-25T09:15:00.000-06:00

Ooooooh. Sock knitting. It's Pomatomus #1 out of Wildfoote Brown Sugar. I lurve the Pomatomus.

Look! It's a logo for my handspun! I retouched photo of my tattoo. How sad is that.

And Mrs. Beetons!!! Made of cashmere and Jo Sharp Infusion for my dear aunt.

Who are YOU looking at?

2007-01-21T22:49:00.000-06:00

Time Warp

2007-01-20T09:54:00.000-06:00

These are FOs from the great bloglapse of 2006. Otherwise known as "when James lost the digital camera after returning from Brazil."

This is what happens when a baby finishes dinner and finishes his day at the same time.

See the sweater I'm wearing? Knitpicks Fairfax Fibonacci Stripes. I finished it sometime around June or July. We're getting ready to go to our birthday dinner.

This is my mom's tank top made Colinette Giotto in Marble. The pattern is a muddle of several different tank patterns.

See the close-up of Giotto in Indian Cross Stitch... otherwise known as pain-in-the-ass stitch.

And last, but certainly not least, Adamas Shawl in Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud Iris. This was for my sister-in-law's mother for Christmas. Let's just say I love my brother. I had to rip out and redo the bind-off 4 times to get it to scallop like that. I ran out of Alpaca Cloud by the last time and the bind off row is done in Jo Sharp Infusion, but it looks really cool.

Cardinals

2007-01-20T08:55:00.000-06:00

We're looking out the window to the deck this rainy morning and there's a pair of cardinals eating birdseed out of the "birdy highchair." That's "birdfeeder" to me and you.

All of a sudden, Toddlerette says, "Cardinals are sweet and juicy and yummy. Cardinals are red." Allllllllllrighty then. I have NO idea where she got that first sentence. Not from me.

Good vs Evil

2007-01-19T13:49:00.000-06:00

Milk, that is.

You see, the mantra of our lives right now is Toddlerette saying, "I really want some milk."

When she's in a good mood, well-rested, etc, it's so precious.... "I really, really want some milk, please Mommy," in an Orphan Annie/Oliver Twist voice.

But when she's in a bad mood, I'm just glad we've made a point not to curse in front of her. She gets this Samuel L Jackson voice going.... "I REALLY want some [f***ing] milk, [m*****f*****]!"

She doesn't actually say the words in brackets, but she probably would if she knew them. The kiddo has too much attitude for her own size.

Snowy Freakishness

2007-01-17T18:11:00.000-06:00

This is not normal for central Texas.

Just so weird.

Yarny Goodness

2007-01-17T17:04:00.000-06:00

So what have I been doing this New Year?

Washing, picking, carding, and spinning half of a natural-colored Shetland fleece (from Shetland, mind you!).

I got it at Yarn Circle in Murphy, NC, while on Christmas vacation.

You did WHAT?!?!

2006-08-01T20:10:00.000-06:00

"Mom, I pooped on the baby."

Yeah, that's right, boys and girls.... Toddlerette POOPED on the baby. She was leaning on the piano bench, he was crawling under it, and well..... poop happens.

Not even good hard poop. She's been sick, so that means lots of juice and pedialyte, and...well.... you get the picture. I even had to get out the carpet shampooer for this memorable event.

He had it all over his onesie and a full handful in each hand. And a smear on his cheek. No, I didn't sniff his breath. Don't even SUGGEST it, or I'll just put my hands on my ears and go, "lalalalalallalalalalala."

He's clean, she's still alive, and I'm.....well..... I'm pooped.

Sick Babies

2006-07-30T11:25:00.000-06:00

There's nothing worse than sick babies.

Yes there is. Sick and teething toddlerette. My poor babies. They both have severe colds with fever (Yes, we've been to the doctor today) and Sarah's got a 2yr molar coming in.

And I'm out of cat food. Great. Just skippy dippy frickin great.