Shrieks in the Night

While the wind had been shrieking in the night recently, that isn't what I am referring to. 
I found some wonderful yarn while stash diving last night--it is black Lambs Pride with just a hint of shading.  The color is called "Silver Streaks in the Night".  Isn't that a great name?  There is just a subtle bit of shading visible in the skeins, but I could see more when I swatched. And yes I did swatch.  It wasn't really necessary for the pattern, but I wanted to find the right needles to give me the fabric I wanted.
I am going to learn to make a Mobius shawl, ala Cat Bordhi, using this yarn.  Since it is nearly Halloween, I decided to call my shawl, in honor of the date and the colorway--Shrieks in the Night!  (insert appropriate witch's cackle here.)
I have made a Mobius before, which I absolutely love, but I just knitted a long scarf, and then did a three needle bind-off to join the ends.  This time I am gong to do a seamless one.  I want to make this one a bit shorter, and be able to wear it primarily as a shoulder shawl.
Off to my class soon, and pictures will soon follow.
Assuming I can figure out the cast on..

Close Call

We almost had no Knit Night this evening.  With the wind and rain, I decided to go through the side entrance, as it was closer to the car.  I unlocked the door and dashed in with my knitting and purse.  Leaving that on the table, I dashed back to the car, for my supper, remembering, just as the door latched shut that I needed to put a block in the door.
Oops.
Digging  in pocket.  Oops. Keys are on the table.
Ok, I guess I will have to call my priest to come with a key.
Oops.  My cell phone is in my purse.   Next to the keys, on the table, on the inside.
I'll just unlock the basement I think, before remembering the whole problem with the keys was that they were inside and I wasn't.
But I tried the basement door.  And it opened!
Quick as a flash, I scooted down the stairs through the basement and back upstairs.
Knit Night saved!

Heat Wave and Cattle Time

Not much knitting going on today.  Few more times around the gusset on the Rose Garden socks. Several more rounds on the second Wallaby sleeve.  (Is there such a thing as second sleeve syndrome?) Too hot to have the big Pi Are Square shawl on my lap.
We have had some excitement around the homestead though.  Seems our calf had a touch of "the grass is greener on the other side".  Hubby found calf tracks behind the barn.  And I found some near the house.
So, obviously it was weaning time in the old barn yard.
Younger Son and Hubby had to play cowboys and separate Momma and Babe last night.
And now all you hear outside is a hungry calf or lonesome momma.  At full volume!

Another Blog?

I'm not sure that I mentioned here that I recently started yet another blog, for our church.  Our web-master was retiring and moving, at least temporarily to Florida. 

Since I enjoy blogging, I allowed my arm to be twisted,  er...graciously volunteered to take over as a blog format. 

It is a whole new adventure for me, as I did not want to use my google account, and take up more of my allowed free space for pictures on that blog.  So I started this blog on WordPress. 

I had heard so many good things about it, but let me tell you. It is very complicated, and not nearly as user friendly. 

I took this picture to use on that blog.  If I can figure out how to that is.

I have it set up and gave other access to blog as well, but if anyone wants to read it, it is at:

stjohnsinfremont.wordpress.com

Now I have to figure how to post this picture.

Sock Tales

As though I didn't have enough projects clogging up my needles, I dove into the stash and came up with this. 

I love my two pairs of socks out of this yarn and want more

Mochi is a single with a slow color change that is impossible to match from sock.  If you can't life with that, you can't make socks out of this yarn.  But, the comfort of these socks, soft and surprising durable for a single ply, are wonderful.  I have another couple of balls, in pastel eastery colors yet to knit up.  My absolute favorite socks.  So of course, I cast on for another pair last Tuesday.

These socks were started back in May, but were back burner until I finished my last pair of Mochi socks.  These are technically my second string socks, with the ones above, third in priority.  But since the main socks require following a chart (toe up blue gansey socks), this pair and the Mochi socks are simple brainless socks, and great for travel knitting.  And for waiting.  Since I had some waiting to do, this just hit the spot.

And just for fun, instead of the usual slip stitch heel, I changed it up and made it an eye of partridge heel. I like the look with the slip stitches alternating on knit rows to give more of a diagonal look, instead of a ribbing look.
I am so easily amused.

From the UFO Pile

What with Elizabeth Zimmermann's birthday, and my total fascination with her patterns, I was thinking about the Pi Are Square shawl that I started last year, in September, just before West Branch.  

You can see by the multitude of colors, it is quite a color riot.  I have been using the the mill ends I got on last years road trip to the Stonehenge Fiber Miller.  Mostly a fingering weight, with an occasional blog of a thick slub, you can feel the different types of yarn.  Some so very soft, others a little on the hardy side.  I had recently decided, although I had almost 2 balls left, that it was probably long enough.  Even without blocking.

I finished the row I was on and started on the I-cord sawtooth border that Elizabeth recommended in Knitting Around.   It is going quite well.  I am around the first corner and working across the back.
Don't think I have forgotten the other projects though.  The socks are being worked on sporadically and the second sleeve of Evelyn's Wallaby is about half done.  Once I get that joined to the body, it will all finish quite rapidly.
I also have been thinking about Elizabeth's Ribwarmer.  I got less "pithy" instructions from Schoolhouse Press and I think it will be on my start list.  I'll need an easy traveling project again, and it will be a nice winter wardrob stretcher. 
Time to stash dive, to see what I have.  Maybe I have some homespun I can use.

Pictures at Last

 A cool frosty morning was just the thing I needed to be able to wear my Well Travelled Shawl out of the house for the first time.  It was wonderful and warm. 

This is the shawl made with the Yarn Hallow yarn pack I got in Greenville at the Fiber Fiesta.  I really love the soft colors.

My yarn over bind off made the top edge loose and I folded down a bit of a collar.  

What do you think?  Of course I probably should block it too.
And disregard the cane.  My ancle is getting better, I just use it to keep me from going too fast or turning to suddenly.

Spinning In The New Style?

Some days, spinning doesn't flow smoothly.

Just ask Evonne.

She spent almost the whole time at spin guild untangling some over-spun, over-plied singles.

At least she had fun!

Politically Incorrect Moment

Now, I never claimed to be a politically correct type of person.  I favor the practical, and so I could never see the appeal of those dinky little cars like a Mini Cooper.   I mean where do you put your stuff?
My dream car was never a Mustang, or some zippy little thing.  Not that I wanted a Caddy or a Lincoln, just something with some room.
 And some heft to it.  Here in Michigan, winter roads can be icy and full of drifts.  Summer roads are dusty, and full of orange cones.  And the potholes...well they are year round. 
I don't want an SUV.  If I'm talking dream car....give me a tricked out mini-van. Gotta have AC, AM-FM and CD player.
Oh yeah, and room.  Room for kids, groceries, spinning wheels and fiber. Where do you pack those things in  cute little Mini or even a VW Bug?
Now that said, I think you can under stand why I was laughing hysterically in my car as I was ready to leave work on Main Street this past week and saw this across the street. .

What is this, a clown car?  A toy?  Where do you put your feet, let alone kids and groceries?

And let's not even think about a spinning wheel.

Happy Thought

This quote came from today's page of the Yarn Harlot's page a day calendar:
"The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings."    David Weinbaum
She says, "In case you missed it, I think that's permission to start another sweater."
I like the way she thinks!

Current Knitting Projects

While I am also still working on Evelyn's wonderful green Wallaby, I have some smaller traveling projects in active states of knitting.   From Wendy Johnson's book Socks from the Toe Up, I am making a Diamond Gansy sock, you guessed it toe up.  I used a short row toe, and next time, instead of going to 8 stitches, I will stop at 12 and knit back up.

Next pair I mean, not next sock. 

 The yarn I am using is some stash yarn, Knit Picks gloss, a merino/silk blend in Dusk.  It is going rather well.
And then this is more conventionally knit sock, in a great color called rose garden. 

 Plain vanilla sock, and again, I am a little farther than shown in the picture below, about half way to the heel.

Soft and squishy.

I am struggling not to start anything else.  At least until the wallaby is finished. 

Spinning in The Candy Shop

This past Monday our Spinning Guild had to find a temporary home.  We usually meet at the Commission on Aging building.  But, being the fake Columbus Day (I hate these portable holidays that get moved around), we needed a different place to meet, because they were closed.
So the owner of our local yarn shop offered her shop The Old Farm Girl, even though on her winter hours she is now only open on Thursday through Saturday.  However she trustingly handed me the keys and told us to meet there.  She wouldn't be there, as she was getting ready for a trip to Rhinebeck for the fibery goodness there.  (Ahhh, be still my jealous heart.)

Still, I had the keys.  That's like handing a 6pack to an alcoholic.
We were good though.  I handled the sales book and  I think I had one of the best Monday salesday she's had in a while.  And not just me!
Oh, did I mention that she is always closed on Monday?

Finished Well Travelled Shawl

Finally, time and bandwidth at the same time!  While I haven't been able to wear this shawl yet, for an official picture, this Sunday promises to be cooler.  I hope to get someone to snap me then.

But, even though this picture was taken before the ends were all woven in, I love it.  Delightfully fuzzy, snuggy warm and oddles of texture, and lots of lacy yarn overs to impress the non-knitters. 

Ends are now all woven in--quicker than I expected--and I can't wait to wear it.

And of course the yarn pack dyed by Yarn Hollow is wonderful, cool and neutral.  I love her colors.  If you haven't seen her work, you better get the the next fiber festival.  She's awsome.

Someone Out There Reads Me!

Recently I posted that I had twisted and sprained my ankle.  Its been a couple of weeks almost and I am doing much better.  IF I behave myself.  One of the things that has been somewhat neglected was this blog, unfortunately.

 Since I use my laptop at home, while sitting in my comfy rocker with my feet up, I just could not manage to get interested in blogging with the extra weight on my lap and legs.

However I was delighted to get a plaintive e-mail from a friend, who need her "Farmmom fix." 
I must admit, I was tempted to let her have a nervous breakdown, and see if I could finagle my way into her spot helping a vendor this weekend in Rhinebeck.
However my more honest self prevailed and I managed the previous post, just to help her out. 
That said however--in case there are any other anxious readers out there, (Hello?  Anyone there?) I decide that I should mention I did try to post something Sunday, but was unable.
Out in the rural areas of the country, beyond DSL and High Speed connections lives a thing called Dial-Up.  That is what I use to post.  Usually I can still post fairly quickly, even if posting pictures.  However on Sunday, as I tried to post my recent Finished Objects, there was apparently a Windows update going on in he background.  I didn't know until I was shutting down and there it was, waiting to install. Windows updates hog a lot of the dial-up capability. 
So, real soon I hope to get pictures of the latest finished objects posted.
Just not right now.
Am I forgiven?

Marl Yoke Pattern On the Way

I believe I mentioned a while back that a friend had requested the pattern for my marl yoke sweater.  Since I was winging it as I went along, I wasn't quite sure how to get it on paper.
Right now it runs about 7 pages.
I still need to do some editing.  And try to figure out how to post on Ravelry.  I don't know how to get it in  PDF form.
Then once this is done, I think there is a rose green DK weight sweater pattern that needs written.
And of course there is lots of knitting that needs to be done.

Ouch!

This past Friday, while doing bunny chores, I tripped over a hole in the side driveway and twisted my ankle.  Owch!

As a result, not much gadding and lots of knitting was done over the course of the weekend.  Lots of sitting with the foot up was done as well. 

While I am doing better, and have an extra half sock done (plus a sizable amount of green wallaby), not a whole lot in the way of outside activities were accomplished.  I didn't get any "fun shopping" done, although I managed to take about 2 hours to get 1 hours worth of groceries bought.  Didn't take any side trips or visits to the local yarn shop.  Just hobbled around with a cane from room to room for the most part.

Having Fridays off from work isn't working out too well.

I am doing better, but for the most part, still keeping my cane very handy.