This movie is the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen.

We did a lot this weekend.  Saturday, Jason  and I went to Nebraska Furniture Mart and purchased living room furniture. Sadly, the couch we both coveted was already sold, but in the end, what we got (pictures when it comes in) is something that will suit us much better. Still very modern, but not as….red.  In fact, its the opposite of red. No one will be drinking red wine on the couch, I have to say.  We’ll all be switching to white, or at the very least, crowding around the one chocolate chair we got.  We get it the day my parents come into town and I don’t know if I can wait that long.

Finished spinning my first roving from Yarn Barn. I am VERY pleased with the result. Unlike the stuff I did a few weeks ago, I honestly cannot WAIT to knit with it. What I’m going to make is another question - but I might just go with a scarf since a) its perfect scarf sized, b) I’m not too terribly sure how much of it I have and c) I don’t WANNA wait to find the perfect pattern (see below for more on this).

With all of the spinning, my hands hurt - I have lupus, and with it, arthritis.  Spinning (and knitting) has kind of made my hands swell up.  It’s ok - a little alleve makes it better - but its still a bit annoying.

To take the strain off of the hands, I did some dying with food coloring today.  I did orange, and blue &  teal/green and then a little while later, did an orange/red combo (the left).  Dying was SO MUCH FUN. I’m really looking forward to spinning these guys. Whee!

I’ve also been working on the Tilted Duster (no pics - the flash on my camera is grumpy). I’m about midway through both sleeves and I’m hoping I’ll get to the point where I put it together this week.

While I was dyeing the roving today,  the thought “I’m being creative!” popped into my head.  Sometimes with knitting (and spinning, though I’ve only been doing it for a month) and any other crafty/arty projects I embark upon, I get really focused on the “shoulds”. For example, I think a lot about:

- What projects “need” to get done

- What I “should” be knitting/spinning/making based on godknowswhat criteria

- What other people are knitting that I should be knitting (again, based on godknowswhat criteria)

- Being “serious” about my knitting and other projects
Because of these factors, I forget that I am creating something.  Actually making something.  These “shoulds” take away from the fact that “Hey! I’m making something with my own two hands!”

When I was in high school and college, I thought you had to be “serious” about your art or your craft.  This is something that eventually led me out of the art world (I majored in Art History) and into not doing much of anything creative for fear that I was just “dabbling” or not taking it seriously enough.  It made doing anything No.  Fun.  At.  All.  I’d start to journal, paint, collage, or do some other fun arty or craftsy activity (blog) and my enthusiasm petered out when I was a) seized by the fear that either what I was doing wasn’t good “enough” or b) realizing that I wasn’t having any fun because I was being so Serious and walked away from it.

Lately, knitting has been like that - learning to spin and blogging, too. I expect myself to be good from day one. I expect all my projects to work out and be the Most.  Fabulous.  Knit.  Item.  Ever.  I think about the end result, and how terribly impressed (or unimpressed) “everyone” will be with the result.  Today, with the “I’m being creative!” thought popping into my head, I decided that I need to focus on that more. To forget  my own “shoulds” and “needs tos” because its making me too serious about what I’m doing and making knitting, crafting, spinning, and blogging No. Fun.  At. All.

So, look for me to shut up about what I “need” to knit, what stash I “need” to get rid of, how I “should really” get around to finishing that project.  From now on, I’m going to actively try to say “Screw what I need to do, what everyone else thinks, whether I look like a five year old made something.” And feel free to kick me if I don’t.

I’d planned to write this post last Sunday, but things have been sort of crazy so I’ve decided to lump everything together:

Titled Duster - Most of my knitting energy has been devoted to the Tilted Duster this week. As I’ve written before, I was waiting to see if the fit was ok once I finished the skirt. I finished it this week (I think it was Tuesday) and the fit looks pretty good - no lines in weird places! YAY! I started on the collar, and I had to stop and unwind a bunch of yarn that I had used for the sleeves back when I made the darn thing too big.  Once I finish the collar, I’ll be on to the sleeves, and hopefully, will finish this week.

Fuzzy Tilted Duster

2 silk hankies, one merino

Everything balled up

 

My favorite yarn so far

So far so good - I’ve learned a) my yarn does not have to be “perfect” and that I enjoy spinning! I’m finally making yarn the weight I want (which is “less bulky) and I like the process!

(Note to all: I’ve been cleaning out my “to post” files today….hopefully I can get more regular about getting rid of stuff that needs to be edited)

I’ve been on a history kick lately, and so my podcast listening has reflected that. If you’re a history buff, these are the perfect podcasts to knit or spin to:

 The History of Rome podcast - “A weekly podcast tracing the history of the Roman Empire, beginning with Aeneas’s arrival in Italy and ending (someday) with the exile of Romulus Augustulus, last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.“  Mike does a great podcast - interesting, in depth (he has so many episodes and takes his time with things - sometimes splitting up an event into 2 or 3 podcasts in order to ensure he gets all the details in. The only downside is that he records somewhat low - so you might have to turn it up or tell everyone to shut up if you’re listening.

 12 Byzantine Rulers - The first history podcast I listened to, and its wonderful. Essentially a podcast of lectures, but really well done. I enjoyed them - even though I knew nothing about Byzantium and my only exposure has been bits and piece from fiction and college classes way back. Rumor has it he’s doing a book, and has plans to create another podcast series soon.

Ohhhh. I was so spoiled for this (and evidently, my source for this one was point. by. point.). On one hand, I LOVED it - on the other, I was so sad to know everything. The nice thing was that there was a lot of stuff that the source missed, so it wasn’t like you saw everything in the spoilers. If I CAN stand it, I will not be spoiled next week. (Ok, I’ll only be KIND OF spoiled…like what I know now, and what might come up, but not a play by play like I had this time).

With that, some thoughts:

1 - Ohhhhh Sawyer. I know I said Sayid looked good last week, but you? Also  saucy! Even though I have TOTALLY given up boxed wine (in favor of the real, bottled stuff after a horrific event involving boxed wine when I was 21) -  offer me a glass of boxed Dharma wine and I am yours.*

2 -  Clarie+ Aaron? Very cute. Also, how wonderful would it be to make and drink coffee in your OWN HOUSE after 100 days?

3 - Locke, I’ve always been your cheerleader but the “breakfast” you gave Miles? Scared the crap out of me.   Come back, Gentle Island Mystery Locke!!

4 - Jack was wearing waaaay too much blush in the courtroom. It was……blushy.

5.  I was so spoiled for the ending, I don’t have anything else to say BUT - that totally was Turniphead as we saw on the island…not a new Aaron.

*Jason, please know this is a FICTION show. You flashing boxed wine at me really won’t make me yours - unless we were on a spooky, scarey island with a smoke monster** and the closet grocery store is 5000 miles away.

**Bruno farting in our living room does not count as island with scarey smoke monster. Just saying.

Disclaimer: I was totally, thoroughly spoiled for this episode of Lost. So spoiled in fact, I had a scene by scene breakdown of aforementioned spoilage. Even so, I totally enjoyed this episode. To wit:

1 - Sayid. In a suit. With flowing locks. That pretty much says it all.

2 - If they’d like to do a spinoff called “Sayid and Hurley’s CrimeFighters!” where Sayid wears a suit and wields a gun, and Hurley plays the patsy to fool unsuspecting criminals all the time, sign me up!

3 - Hurley: “Oh great. The freighter brought us another Sawyer.” Hee.

4 -  Am I the only person who thinks that Miles and Daniel, far from being up to no good, are actually searching for Charlie so they can sign him to their new indie record label? Those two are so twee and..wimpy.

5 - I like the pilot guy. He’s very grizzly adamsish.

I’ve been in training for about 3 days, so my lack of posting is more about the fact that I’ve been learning about finances than about me being in the big fiber hole of spinning. Let’s just say that me + financial math = “Math is Hard Barbie” (gone goth). At one point, someone asked me what I thought and somehow, out of my mouth came the words (in full Ralph Wiggum voice) “I have the Super Mario Brothers song in my head!”*
I’ve been working on my hat pattern that I planned to post this week. Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances running out of yarn I have to put that plan on hold until I get another ball of the stuff I’m using from Sarah. (Who promises that she’ll get it to me next week, which means we’ll have a pattern by Saturday! YAAAY!) Let’s just say that with the amount I had, I made a Caliometry without the button. (D’oh.

I’ve continued working on the Tilted Duster, and a random sock that has no pattern whatsoever. In fact, last night someone asked me if it was a baby sock….sadly, no…its for me…just stretchy and without sizing. I needed to knit a sock, and so a sock I started knitting. I figure if it doesn’t work for me, I know 18 other people who might use it.

*Which was better than earlier that morning - it was the Love Boat theme song.

I’ve been spinning using my new wheel since Wednesday. Let’s just say its been a LOT of fun, but also a little bit frustrating. I started off trying to spin my white wool (which has since been spun) but it ended up looking like yarn barf, so I moved on to silk hankies - easy, because it has a lot of tooth, but you also mostly pre-draft it and don’t have to think so much on the drafting as you spin. Below, is a view of two of the silk hankies sets I’ve spun so far:

Soooo shiney!

But here’s my question - if you look at them, there is quite a few twists in there - which have been overspun (and I know this because…well, you just know). When I set the twist for my wool, it totally looked like a nice, twisty haired Shirley Temple type of yarn — which you don’t get a picture of because its currently hanging in my closet. I’ve always heard that either plying or “setting the twist” will help this, but I’d love to know how to nip this in the bud at the spinning time. Any thoughts?

Finally, my cousin Lisa, one of the five other knitters in my family, who not only does amazing knitting, but also spins, quilts and weaves has this question for readers of the blog for a problem she has with socks:

“I have turned into a sock-knitting fiend, and usually do plain stockinette stitch feet and then above the heel (I do toe to cuff), I switch to ribbing. It’s fine to begin with, but then after I wear them a time or two, the ribbing stretches out. How do I get it to be more fitted, without actually putting elastic in it? I use the same size needles throughout. Should I switch to a smaller needle for the ribbing? Any advice?”

I’ve told her that she might need to switch to smaller needles, or to do a 1×1 rib - which I usually do - but I thought I’d throw it out to the blog readership to see any thoughts ya’ll might have

This!

My new Ashford Kiwi. Wheeee!

What makes you realize you might need a hecka lot of practice before you’re actually stopped from buying yarn — after Lent* of course?

Why, its a badly spun thing of silk hankies!

I bought my wheel tonight (um, at knit night while having a glass of wine), came home, hauled some furniture, and then started spinning. After a few (horrible) tries, I actually made “yarn” using my silk hankies. Me + drafting = frenimies. Me + silk hankies = only fiber worth drafting (right now).

Shells, I think those few starter lessons might be in order. (But gosh darn that treading is SO MUCH FUN - and my calves are going to look great!)

*Because as we all know, buying yarn duringL ent makes TBJC.

Since I’ve started reworking a hat pattern that I’ve promised at least three or four people that I’d put up on my blog (at least a year ago!), I’ve been very careful about going about my gauge, my pattern writing, etc. One of the things I realized that I do that not everyone does (at least, I don’t think) it do a “swatch in the round” for things that will be knit in the round. I learned the technique from The Yarn Harlot’s “Knitting Rules!” and it has been incredibly helpful.

Because I’m a huge nerd, I’ve made a video outlining how I, personally, do my swatches in the round. Any other ideas will be appreciated! Feel free to take a look. I recorded this video with my camera, and I know its a little blurry - but hopefully it gets the idea across. Also? I sound like a giant dork, AND I broke one of the cardinal rules of audio recording, as I’ve got gum in my mouth and sound like a mouthbreather. Think of it as a test video - I had fun doing it, and I might do another one (but PROBABLY in daylight, without gum in my mouth, and I’ll let Jason shoot it).

A few notes:

1 - I do swatch in the round on DPNs as well, but you have to cast on for a much larger swatch than usual, because otherwise, the fabric tends to warp a bit.

2 - Try to pull your yarn tight at the end of a row - but make sure to have your floats be nice and loose in back, otherwise, you’ll just have a badly done tube, and measuring will be a pain.

3 - I’ve noticed that this technique doesn’t work so hot on lace, or rather, laceweight yarn with a lace pattern - I tend to use it for DK weight and above.