The Great Indoors

I've been dodging quite a bit of hail lately, so basically I take this as the universe's way of saying, "stay inside! Make something warm." I will dart out in all sorts of weather in honor of my social calendar, but between the wool, the cloth, and a film class I'm taking, I'm happily popping Vitamin D supplements and crafting until my fingers are bloody. Hard core.

I'm ambitiously trying to finish up a big-ass men's sweater this week. I make one every year. This one isn't particularly technical, but it has a lovely stitch pattern and quite soothing to knit. I have been monogamous on it for the past week and a half, and I'm pleased to say that it's getting close to done.

Whooo! That's a ton of stitches. I'm using Cascade 220 tweed and size US 6 needles. I like it fine for the stitch definition and durability, but the tweedy bits are a bit crayonesque. I think I prefer a more subtle tweed. Too late for that though!

I've also been spinning a bit. Really!

I have a gorgeous little Bosworth spindle that's been working the wool lately. Above was a bad attempt at andean plying a really beautiful Ent batt of Corriedale. I'm still working out the logistics of trying to spin and ply with just one spindle, no niddy noddy, and a handful of TP rolls to roll the finished singles on. Next time, no andean. The beautiful lion-mane batt will be spun up and plied as well, and the two will be striped to make a really nice slouchy hat.

I currently have a really beautiful bit of indigo-dyed merino silk on the spindle from A Verb for Keeping Warm. It's so much fun to spin and it's turning my hands blue, as Indigo is want to do.

This is all made possible by all my kick-ass friends back in NYC who hooked me up with care packages and gave me the nudge to start spinning again.

Shop Update!

I just completed a rather enormous shop update.


A gentle springtime green glass.



Celebrating European travel delays with Lavastone.



I am really in love with springtime colors.



But, you know, being in New York means that you can wear black every day of the year and not be considered goth.




Check out my Etsy store for more!

Shop Update and some Self-Serving Charity

I'm doing a really big upload today to my Etsy Store today.



Lots of spindles in this update. I've been really busy lately, so when I have a few hours to sit down and make these, I tend to make a lot all at once.

The humanitarian in me has decided to donate 25% of all profits from now until February 1 to Doctors Without Borders. This includes spindles, handpainted roving, batts and yarn. I call this self-serving charity- you can buy yourself pretty things and feel good knowing that your money is going to a good cause. Etsy doesn't seem to have a charity function set up, so I'll be doing one big donation at the end of the month.

Shop Update!

I just updated my Etsy shop with a few goodies...


Some English Dorset top in "Lime Margarita". Dorset is downy wool breed with a 3-4" staple and medium coarse fleece. It's very lofty.



I 've been on a bottom-whorl spindle kick lately. It takes some getting used to, but I'm really loving the technique.

Ugh! I have such a hard time getting good photos in this dreadful winter light. I tried to set up a light box but I have those special eco lightbulbs, and they just aren't bright enough. Guess I'll have to go pick up some planet-destroying regular bulbs.

Also, a few top-whorl spindles are newly listed:


Labradorite


Faux Turquoise

I'll have more spindles up very soon.

Spinning!

Not a whole lot of time to spin, but two wheels means I can have two projects going.

Here is the Spunky Club for August, "Zombies" Falkland:



I'll navajo ply it eventually and make a hat (maybe). KnithoundBrooklyn made a really cute bucket hat out of hers.

This is super special:



Cashmere! The down fiber class I took at Rhinebeck totally gave me confidence to actually spin a 1oz bump of the good stuff that I had stashed away. I Andean plied it on a spindle last night and I need to count up my yardage. I'm thinking a lace cowl needs be made: this stuff is amazing and soft.

More Spindles

I just did a rather large Etsy store update:



Pretty much all spindles, but I will have some fiber up soon.

And Now For Something Completely Different ....

More shop updates! I fooled you!




Turquoise


Ching Hai Jade


Blue Aventurine

That's it for spindles for now. I might get some dying and carding done this weekend- we were supposed to go camping in Montauk but someone has fallen ill with a cold and sniffles a lot. Hint- it's not me. Look for more fiberlicious updates next week, and perhaps a tutorial on carding or something. Depends how inspired I feel.

Have a great weekend!

Update Complete! (for today anyway)

It took me a while, but the Etsy store has been updated with loads of new spindles. I still have more made that need to be listed. I'm just waiting for the opportunity to get home early enough for there to be enough daylight to give them a fair photo-op.



I've been playing around with different gemstones and materials. The Tigereye was really hard to photograph- it had such a lustrous and reflective surface, I couldn't really capture the depth and color of the stone.



These seem to be a favorite. I love lampwork glass.

Ah, and the burning. It has ceased. I soaked my hands in milk this morning after they were still feeling fiery and I couldn't get my contact lenses in. It seemed to have worked- I haven't worked up the bravery to touch my eyes yet, but they feel a lot better.

More Spindles

I was very busy this weekend making spindles. I'll have these updated on the Etsy site as soon as I get a new scale- mine broke and I'm lost without it.

Meanwhile, here are some previews:


gray picturestone


lava


red jasper


lampwork glass

I'm hoping to have everything listed by Wednesday.

Huge Shop Update!

The etsy shop update is done! Tons of pretty new spindles, ready to assist you in your yarn making.

Overcast

It's done nothing but rain and be unseasonably cool out for the past two weeks and the weather forecast shows no signs of letting this up. It pleased me somewhat (perversely?) that it was cold enough last night to thrown on a pair of knit socks- I thought my feet would not be graced by their presence again until Rhinebeck time. There is something very wrong about wearing winter woolies in mid-June. I'm trying to stay upbeat about this situation.

Usually I'm a wee bit tan by now and headed to laze on the beach on the weekends. I would sit out in the park at lunch, knit a bit of something cotton or silk and people-watch while sipping ice tea. I haven't had to put the AC window unit in yet (more money for yarn) or have ice cream for lunch (thighs are okay with this), or mortify myself donning swimwear. I haven't had to get sunburn or bug bites and I have yet to lose or break a pair of sunglasses. Umbrellas have not fared so well- I've lost pretty much my entire stash of those.

Oh, and I've been making spindles like mad.







Granted that it's been awfully tough to find a dry spot with good light to photograph them, they've been great fun to create and test out. They can be found on my etsy store, Knot My Day Job.