Last posting before the Maryland Sheep and Wool. Yes, indeed, I am leaving tomorrow morning along with my "partner in crime" Elayne. (Sorry, Elayne... but I think I probably am the one who cooks up the most trouble). Clothes are in washer and dryer, suitcase is half packed, jacket is at the ready (just in case) and knitting bag is totally packed (after all, that's the most important thing).

Bess and Jen have already posted a list of vendors and events they want to visit. Here's mine.

These, because I have never been to the Maryland Sheep and Wool, and their ads always intrigue me in Spin Off:

Susan's Fiber Shop (I want to check out the weavette looms)
The Woolery (I have seen their catalog, and it made me drool)
Golding Spindles (I think everyone already knows why I want to visit that one)
Ellen's Half Pint Farm and Wool in the Woods (because of the pictures of their yarn I have seen in various knitting magazines)
Interweave Press (because I am hoping they will have 2 of their new books - the one on Shadow Knitting and Deb Menz's one on color)

These, because I already know they have wonderful quality stuff:

Stony Mountain Fibers
The Drafting Zone
Kid Hollow Farm
Dancing Leaf Farm
Zeilinger Wool

Here's what I definitely want to buy:

A drop spindle (preferably one of the above)
Some more space-dyed silk
More wool, but I'm open to suggestions
Perhaps some more dyes

Events I want to attend

The picnic on Saturday and reunion with fiber friends
The spinning/weaving equipment auction (probably not to buy, just to watch)
The parade of sheep
The Textile Museum Exhibits

And... last but not least, I want to have a long and leisurely look at the skein and garment competition.

Oh, I can't wait.

Hey, did I mention I wanted a Golding Drop Spindle

I have found a new use for leftover sock yarn. We are supposed to wear nametags to our knitting guild meetings or pay a fine. I admit that lately I have been paying the fine, simply because I could not think of something "cute" to make. Well, here is what I have come up with:



I found the personalized zipper pull at Walmart and knew I just had to do something with it. The picture doesn't do justice to the C-A-R-O-L-Y-N, but they are painted black, white and purple.

This yarn was what I made my first "sock yarn" socks from, so it is sort of special and sentimental. I got quite a bit of mileage out of this yarn, as I also made somebody's baby a pair of socks from the same stuff. And, this is a mini-treasure bag (which can also carry a pair of scissors, if needed, or even a flower, if I'm feeling jaunty).

Pattern for Treasure Bag Name Pin:

Materials needed:

Leftover fingering weight yarn
Size 2 DPNS
Metal zipper pull, bracelet or necklace with name desired
Jewelry pin

Cast on 72 stitches and divide evenly on 3 DPNS. Join without twisting, mark join and knit in the round for 3 rounds.

The next round, knit 3 together; repeat until marker. There will now be 24 stitches on needles (8 on each needle)

Knit even for 4 more rounds.

The next round, *knit 2, yo, knit 2 together*, repeat around to marker.

Knit even for 2 to 2 1/2 inches from eyelet row.

Begin Decreases:

*Knit 2, knit 2 together* repeat for entire round.

Next three rounds, knit even.

Next round, *Knit 1, Knit 2 together* repeat for entire round.

Next two rounds, knit even.

Next round, Knit 2 together for entire round.

Cut yarn and thread through stiches twice and pull tight. Leave a tail for attaching tassel, if desired.

Make a 2 stitch I-Cord, a crocheted chain, or simply double two strands of yarn and knot each end to make tie. Thread through eyelets and tie. Sew name plate to front of piece, and jewelry pin to back.

Enjoy!

10 More Days Till the Maryland Sheep and Wool!

And yes, I am doing it. I filled out all the paperwork, etc. to enter my Frosted Layer Cake Skein and the Easter Entrelac Socks. I finished up a larger skein this morning (the other was not big enough to enter), and it is outside drying right now. Did I ever have a surprise when I washed this yarn! It really, really smelled bad. Normally, I like the smell of wool, so it must have been the rabbit in this yarn that really put it over the edge. I ended up with 335 yards and took it to the post office to have it weighed. It weighs 4 ounces (I don't know who cares about this but me, but it did take out a chunk of the morning pulling this all together). The yarn is visually pleasing, but probably not prize material. I was pleased to see that it does have some shine and also has a halo. I did the blue/green singles semi-worsted and the red/pink singles woolen. It did turn out very soft. Now that I have all the aggravating stuff done, I will pop it in the mail, send it priority, and it should get there by the deadline. I just hope it doesn't get lost.

Jen had a wonderful piece on her site on what she plans to buy and what she plans to see at the festival. It has really gotten me dancing around waiting for the magical moments to happen. A week from tomorrow, we will be leaving to make the trip to Maryland. I was planning on buying one of these, but mistakenly thought they all cost under 40 bucks. Seems like only the plain one is 39 dollars, and the one I would like is in the 60's. I don't know that I want to spend that much on one item with so many temptations abounding! I am also looking forward to seeing friends Bess, Lissa, Jen, Anita and others on Saturday. Elayne and I are planning on making one of the shadow knitted hats in the most recent issue of InKnitters to occupy us on the trip up there and back. (And no, neither one of us is driving, so we are free to do as we please.)

I still have not received my issue of Spin Off. It must take a long time for a new subscription to kick in. I have been assured that I will get the spring issue. Every day, I go to the mailbox and hope springs anew, but alas, to no result. It is funny how I am obsessing over a few sheets of paper, but mainly because I have not even been able to look at an issue yet, and I am just dying to see Sarah's skein. I am so glad she posted a photo on her page.

I have been playing around with my frosted layer cake yarn today, and have almost two bobbins full and will be ready for plying it soon. I am still kicking around entering it in competion, along with the entrelac socks. I must soon make up my mind, though, as the deadline is quickly arriving. I will be so interested to see all of the other entries and hope that Bess will have her hat ready in time as well.

SOCKS FO and WIP. Same but different. The second pair is more sedate, but I think, just as nice.

Finished pair sitting in my spinning basket.


Cuff of the first sock of the second pair.

Okay, I think I have fixed all the blog addresses that Blogger changed without telling anyone!?!??!

I am off today, and it looks like it is really going to turn into a "puttering around" day. Or is it just men that putter? I don't think I have ever heard the term applied to things women do. A little bit of knitting, spinning, laundry and maybe a trip out to buy a new pair of sneakers. I certainly do not intend for my feet to give out on me at the Maryland Sheep and Wool. Reality is finally setting in that I'mgoingi'mgoingi'mgoing! I printed out the list of vendors. It took about 9 sheets to list them all!!! I also printed out a map so we will not be overwhelmed by it all. At least by the geography.

I am playing around with color. Having finished the entrelac socks with the rainbow dyed YARN, I decided to start another pair made with yarn spun from rainbow dyed FIBER. This time, I am not adding any solid colored yarn and will just let the multicolored yarn speak for itself. The color changes in this yarn are much less abrupt and the color scheme is a little more tame than the first pair had.

Happy Easter to all. How do you like my Easter basket? I worked very diligently on it.



Here is another shot which gives a better picture of the multi-colored skein.



And here are the Easter Entrelac socks these are becoming. This is by far my most ambitious sock project!

I believe you belong in Pride and Prejudice; a
world of satire and true love. A world where
everything is crystal clear to the reader, and
yet where new things seem to be happening all
the time. You belong in a world where your
free-thought puts you above the silly masses,
and where bright eyes and intelligence are
enough to attract the arrogant
millionaire/prejudiced young woman of your
choice.


Which Classic Novel do You Belong In?
brought to you by Quizilla

Thanks to Wallis Knits, I find that I belong in one of my all time favorite books!

I've been dyeing. While everyone else is dyeing eggs, I am dyeing yarn. I picked gold, green and purple for my colors and dyed yarn for a pair of entrelac socks. This is the first time I have tried rainbow dyeing by hanging the yarn over a wooden dowel. It worked really well, but I have to say, it took me all day (on and off) to finish. I dyed small skeins - one of each color. I would put a small skein in the bottom of the pot and let 1/3 of the large skein of yarn hang into the dyebath. When it simmered and cooled, I rinsed them out and repeated the procedure with another color, another small skein and the next third of the big skein. Well, you get the idea! I have taken a couple of pictures, but they are not uploaded to the computer yet.

We have no real plans for this Easter weekend. Stay at home, catch up on some stuff and go to church on Sunday.

Here's a picture of the yarn I am presently spinning. I love the way the first skein turned out. This is the mix of wool, silk and angora. I have spun the blue and green together as a single and the red and pink together as a single. The blue/green single is spun worsted, to show of the sheen of the silk, and the red/pink is spun with the point of draw method, to give it a more woolen appearance and let the fuzziness of the angora come out. This skein of yarn is almost lighter than air. I love it!

Today I bought a copy of the spring InKnitters. The more I see of this magazine, the more I am coming to love it. This issue is really packed with information. It has a section on combining knitting with weaving, modular knitting and illusion knitting, all of which I would like to learn (or know more about, in the case of the modular knitting.) The "Do You See It?" (illusion knitting) hats look like they would be great fun to do and wear. I especially like the butterfly motif one. There is an intarsia dog sweater that is perfectly adorable! I don't have a dog, but if I did, I would be tackling this particular project with enthusiasm. I think I would also like to have the Surprise Pocket Vest. Leave it to me to always want to make a non-traditional vest. This would make 3, if I were to make it.

Well, off to do a little yard work (I think).

I haven't done a quiz lately, and this was an interesting one, compliments of Catherine


Non curo. Si metrum non habet, non est poema.
"I don't care. If it doesn't rhyme, it isn't
a poem."
You are a type A personality. You like bright
things, you don't call in sick to work, and you
have devastating opinions about art.


Which Weird Latin Phrase Are You?
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