November Knitting

I'm trying to write this entry, and since the sun is streaming through the window I can't sit on the couch, because the sun would be in my eyes. so I was sitting in the round chair (we call it the Mushroom Chair)and Subi hops up and pushes me out of the chair! Headbutts her way in behind me and pushes me out! It's more cat-shaped than it is human-shaped, but How Rude
Here's Subi now occupying the Mushroom Chair


Last night I got to go to my spinning meeting, which is now bi-monthly (YAY!) and I got to work on this:


Which I'm spinning into a lightweight single, like this:


And there was a woman there who had a Bosworth Charkha Wheel that sits on your lap, or in front of you on the floor, and I got to try spinning some cashmere on it. Very cool and portable, but I think I'll stick with my Lendrum ;)

Also got to wear this hat I made, out of some leftover Manos in the Lava colorway, held with Moda Dea Aerie.
It's my Monk Hat pattern, which is available for free, linked on the right.

It looks really cute with my new redish/orange coat!
I also got to play the "Settlers of Catan" Card Game, which I haven't seen before. We have the board game, but this is a two player card game. It was fun, but it takes a long time!

It was my Mom's birthday yesterday, and she waited till then to open the package I sent her. She loved her neckwarmer :)
Here's a pic of the February Lady sweater in progress!
The largest size knit on size 6 (instead of 8) needles is working out well to be about a medium. I'm about ready to measure to see if I can start the lace part now!

Sienna Swirl, Part Two

Today I sent my beloved Sienna Swirl off to my mother in NC who hopefully will love it as much as I do. I don't know if it will go with any of her coats, and I have never known her to wear a scarf, let alone a neckwarmer, but she sort of kindof hinted that she might like one when she saw my black one, and she likes the yarn I chose.
I am totally in love with the buttons!




I got them at this wonderful little shop in Hampden called RedTree, where they sell gorgeous over-priced home furnishings, awesome jewelry, and other stuff I want but cannot afford. The yarn is Berroco "Jasper", 3 skeins double-stranded, on a size...10? needle I think (maybe 10.5).
You can find the pattern and see my original black one by clicking the link to the Swirl Neckwarmer in the sidebar.

In other news, I tried to go to my spinning night last night, as the last I heard we were doing it twice a month now, and I got all my stuff packed up and drove on over and found a dark store :( That's the second time this has happened to me THIS WEEK. First with my knit night and now this. I'm going to try to go to new (to me) knit night in Hampden on Tuesday, wish me luck!

I work at The Celtic Knot tomorrow... Carole is hoping the shop will be sold by thanksgiving, so this will probably be my last time working there. I will really really miss it :(

Sorry about the Hiatus

Don't think anyone actually reads this thing anymore, but then again I don't do much to promote it either.
Once of the things I have been working on this year though is trying to NOT feel guilty about not posting. I am not defined by my blog.
Looking back though, this has been a very exciting year for our country, and I wish I had blogged more :P C'est La Vie.

It's been an exciting year so far for Joe and I as well, not least of which was moving into a new HOUSE (still renting, but at least it's not an apartment!). A cute 3-bedroom rowhouse in a quiet suburban neighborhood, fairly convenient for work and shopping. It has a finished basement, which Joe calls his "Man Cave" even though it's mostly what could be called a "Family Room".
We had a small housewarming party, and a large Halloween party recently, and have been very pleased with how well the house is suited to entertaining. People congregated in the kitchen, the livingroom/dining area, out on the deck and in the basement. We're hoping to have the fireplace working by the time it gets cold enough to turn on the heat.
I have some complaints about the kitchen (no storage or counter space), but other than that it's everything we need and more! There's still a few important pieces of furniture to buy, but I'm sure it will come together nicely eventually.

Here's some pictures of the house, with and without Halloween Guests. Click an image to see the rest of the set.





Messy Yarn Room

Snake Wall in the Man Cave


Joe is gone for the month :( But that means I'm getting tons of knitting done! My February Lady Sweater is coming along beautifully, in Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool. I'm doing the largest size but on a size 6 needle, and aiming for a medium-sized sweater when I am done. Wish me luck.
I also stopped by Spinster Yarns in Lauraville, MD yesterday, which is lovely, and the owner Andrea is very very nice :) I anticipate returning many times, as her tastes seem to be fairly in line with my own. I also stopped into the adorable bookstore cafe upstairs, and the new Neil Gaiman book threw itself off the shelf at me and I had to take it home. It came with a free coffee too! I am jealous that my friends live within walking distance of the cafe and the yarn shop!
Here's my current WIPs


This is a double-knit earflat hat for Joe, out of handspun bulky alpaca from fiber I got last Xmas, and some awesome Malabrigo Chunky I bought while in NC. It's going to be warm as hell!


The alpaca was a bit of an adventure, as it spins entirely differently from the wools I had been spinning. I got the hang of it though, and the navajo-plied result is wonderfully light and fluffy!