The day after

. . . turkey day! Dinner was very, very good at SIL's home yesterday; her turkey was cooked and sliced to perfection. Only problem was that DH and I, for some reason, could barely keep our eyes open before and after dinner. We got home last evening about 6:20pm - I drove both ways - and the dogs were so darn happy to see us, as you can imagine! We got settled in for the evening and watched a bit of TV. I blended some of the Shetland that I got from Michelle with some ultra fine pale gray alpaca and purple angelina with the small hand cards. A bit neppy, but I'm picking them out as I spin. It's spinning up to a fine lace weight and I will definitely be plying it; with what? I dunno yet. The resulting yarn will be used for a pair of fingerless gloves for DD - a pattern in "Luxury One Skein Wonders" that uses a finer weight yarn.

Today we're just hanging out; Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same" is on VH1 Classic so that's on along with the stereo, turned way up. Floors & walls vibrating - DH working on hackles, me spinning, DD getting ready to head out shopping on this Black Friday. I have MY shopping list set up on Amazon.com and won't be leaving the house to shop for a damn thing! Just the way I like it!!

I participated in Amazon's race thingy and selected the Kitchen Aid mixer for $69 and it was the winning item in that race - I'm hoping to be selected for that particular race on Dec. 3rd and will be stalking the computer that morning. If I can grab that for under $100 I'll be beside myself. My old Oster stand mixer has seen many better days and it is time for replacement. I've always wanted a KA and could never justify spending big money on one. This could be my chance to have one, FINALLY, but, knowing my miserable luck it just won't happen. And speaking of replacements - yesterday DD put her facial wax in the microwave to melt and HOLY SHIT - it made awful noises and the orange flashing from inside scared us half to death. Microwave bit the dust! We're going to look into replacing it with something in a space-saver model that can be mounted under a cabinet. Then I'll be able to bring my glass canister set back out from storage since moving the MW will free up kitchen space for it.

Package arrived from Constance Rose today - more fiber to play with. :) Still waiting on the hand cards, yarn from OTRY and a batt from Jazzturtle (Esther). Probably more stuff coming but I can't recall what. See, I do suffer from CRS and CRAFT, so that's my excuse.

ETA: CRS = can't remember shit; CRAFT = can't remember a fuckin' thing! ;-)

Cold & wet

Nasty, wet day! Schools were on a 2 hour delay . . . must take MIL shopping to get a few things for Thanksgiving around noon time.

Bobbins arrived yesterday; more stuff expected today. My final Loop! batt should be here soon, but it seems that I always get the current months batt sometime during the first or second week of the following month. Not an issue, really. Steph is most definitely talented in making these batts up.

Cash is scarce around here right now. No sales as of late in the Etsy shop. DH will be working on and finishing up hackles today. The new version will probably go up for sale at $40. We'll still have the old model and that price will rise to $25 and stay there indefinitely. I don't care for the clamps with the original. Plus, they were really becoming a PITA to find. The next 'cheapest' clamp was $5 - I suppose we could offer a hackle without clamps, but it's nice to receive something and have it ready to use.

I have a bunch of hand spun to list but I have someone locally interested in buying it so I'll offer it up to her first. Finished plying the Desperado color-way this morning. I'll skein it later and get yardage. The jumbo bobbin is beyond full!

New stuff

A favorite Etsy seller, Constance Rose Textile Design is having a sale and I just had to order a few things from her. I grabbed some dyed bamboo top, carded silk noil, tencel top, and angelina. Great prices - better yet with the discount she's offering!





















I'm also expecting postal delivery of yarn from Over the Rainbow Yarns (Ebay seller), 10lbs of raw mohair, and probably other things that I just can't recall right now. ;-)

ETA: Also expecting 3 jumbo Ashford bobbins and a set of Strauch hand cards!

Speed knitting

I finally got around to watching the video with the "World's Fastest Knitter". I need to gain some speed so that I can get projects finished up in time for the holidays and I'm going to try the technique shown in the video today. Wish me luck!

I'm swapping my October Loop! batt with another SSB member. Actually, she (Esther) makes her own gorgeous blended batts and she's going to card one up for me for this swap. I'll put the platinum colored Wedding Rings batt in the mail to her tomorrow. I'm anxious to see what she comes up with and sends along to me! :)

I posted on the Used Tools & Equipment board on Ravelry looking for a set of full sized hand cards - offered to trade fiber. A very nice woman in Utah responded and we worked out a deal! I hope to have the cards sometime this week and will post pix when they arrive.

Started Abby's sweater yesterday and have more than half of the back done. Made an error last night - it was late - so I put it down and will make corrections this morning and hopefully finish it up later today and get the front on the needles. I have more yarn coming from Over the Rainbow Yarns for her sister's sweater and that should arrive early this week. Also expecting 10lbs of mohair locks. Yay!

Spinning mojo

Got my mojo back and have been spinning my arse off. I've robbed some roving from my shop, the Desperado color-way, stripped it in varying sizes, drafted the strips and spun the entire thing up in no time at all. After looking at it on the bobbin (knowing that I want to ply it) I know that plying it back on itself will result in something 'muddy' looking, so my obvious choice was a solid color. White? Nah! I think that black would make it POP, so I grabbed 4oz of black roving and have been spinning that up - almost done! I'll most likely get to the plying tomorrow.

I received my order from VedaBliss today - I had ordered 8oz of scrappies. She sent far more than 8oz - great assortment of colors. I'm going to have a blast with these. ;)

DD is all moved in. A relief for me, really - I was so concerned while she was living away from home. I always dreaded the phone ringing, thinking that something horrible had happened. . . Anyway - she's sick. Of course she had to bring a cold or the flu home with her and I'm afraid that it's hitting me now. I can feel the pressure in my head and my shoulders and neck are feeling somewhat achy, too. SHIT!

OK, so - back to spinning. I want all of the black roving spun up before bed. Night all!!

Appointment . . .

. . . to have my new crown put on at the dentist today. Taking mother-in-law with me so that she can do some shopping. I have to get a few things that I missed yesterday.

Darling daughter has moved back home with us. The job market is deteriorating and she just wasn't able to find anything down in Middletown. I knew that she was getting a bit 'home-sick' last week when she called, and she came up to supposedly visit the other day. . . I told her that we'd be quite happy to have her here at home with us and she seemed quite relieved. Geez - like we'd ever tell her that she couldn't come back here! Silly kid!! She was supposed to start moving today but was so anxious to get back that she and her boyfriend packed all her stuff up into his and her cars last night and ended up moving back in at 1am this morning. :)

DH goes back on shift tonight so I think that DD and I will do some baking. I picked up a whole bunch of stuff yesterday for cookies, brownies, breads, etc., so she'll have her choice as to what we make. I have a feeling it'll be oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Anyway - looking forward to getting this trip out of the house over with quickly so I can settle in at home and finish up some spinning I started yesterday. Lots and lots of yardage to work with. I haven't decided if I'm going to ply it with black or white yet. Plying this color blend back on itself would make the end result yarn seem muddy, and I am leaning towards the black ply . . . I think it'll make all of the colors pop!

Off to the shower -

. . .

I received an order I had placed and forgotten about - it's some beautiful pale gray baby alpaca. I had to start spinning it immediately. It's so soft and very, very fine. I believe I'm going to spend some time spinning again so I can get some handspun listed for sale on Etsy. I have a bunch of batts and yarns that have been done for quite some time and have to get those up ASAP. DH just ran out for a few minutes and when he comes back he's going to finally help me assemble the light-box so I can take decent photos. :)

The "I Want Candy" handspun sold over the weekend. I hope that the buyer is happy with it! It was one of my favorites.

Election

I have renewed faith and great hope for our country on this historic day!

As if . . .

. . . all the other crap I have to put up with isn't enough, I now have bursitis, which started in the right shoulder this time and is now creeping over to the left. Causing muscle tension as per usual and a stiff neck is following right along with it. I've never had to deal with both shoulders hurting to such extremes at the same time. The only relief is to dose myself with an extra half vicodin, ibuprofen ('bout 800mg) and a Skelaxin; then the only activity I'm capable of is to sit on the sofa. I wanted to card stuff for the shop - no can do. Can't spin - sucks. I can, however, do a bit of knitting being careful on how I hold the needles and using smaller pillows to support my right shoulder area. Top all that off with hot flashes! Auntie Flo has gone away again so I get the joys she leaves behind, too. Actually, that crap I can deal with - as long as the bitch stays away for good this time. ;)

Big day for fiber arrivals - gorgeous batt from Loop!, all white and sparkly - bits of gray and shiny stuff all together - like platinum. I received the beautiful Shetland wool that I won from Michelle's farm; the silk & rayon blend from Maryann came in (this is for Abby's Porthos), and the purple and green variegated sock yarns arrived as well. I also received a notice from the Spinners Guild that publishes Cast On magazine with my membership information. The magazine was a gift from my friend, Robyn, for making a hat for her beautiful daughter.

I hit AC Moore in the Newton/Sparta area yesterday and grabbed a couple of skeins of Paton's SWS. I had been curious about this stuff since seeing it on Ravelry. Nice yarn - I worked a cap up at MIL's request (first time she's ever asked me to make something for her) using a pattern from Knitty.com. Quant is knit using entrelac and this was my first attempt at it. If I hadn't taught myself to knit backwards I don't think that I would have enjoyed the pattern at all, but, since I can - it went really fast and I loved the result. I'd have liked to get photos but DH got in early from work and took the cap up to her. . . might have to make another just so I have the photos! I also got a needle felting book, felting needles & tool, and can hardly wait to get started on something. Will do so once my damn shoulders are better. I picked up the Holiday issue from Interweave Knits. Great socks in there for hubby - he has asked for more socks since I made him that one, lonely pair last year.

Too much on the needles right now, but I have been motivated to work on all. Mary's Garden socks - clue #1 all done. Next clue due for release on Wednesday. I'm working them both on 2 circs. Great way to assure that a complete pair of socks leave the needles. Started an Estonian lace shawl this evening with a fine alpaca wool blend in a grape heathered color. Must finish Helene's gloves - start Mark's gloves, seam Drea's Currer, work the wrap around yet to be designated shawl, and cast on Abby's Porthos. Until my shoulders are better I'll probably get a whole lot of knitting done!

Tomorrow is election day. I have a feeling I'll be up late tomorrow night. I've asked Abby, who is coming for lunch tomorrow, if she'd take me up to the town hall so I can vote. DH has to work and I wasn't sure that I'd get to the polls at all. I just feel the need to get there this year and it looks like I will! Spoke with MIL earlier and she'd like to go as well. I'll have to ask A if she'd mind taking her with us. . .

I believe its time for me to go to bed. Must get up early tomorrow and try to get a babka done before my friend gets here. :0)