Kitty

It's not my habit, though I did it before. But I want to ask you all for positive thoughts. One of my kitties has been gone for over a week now. It's not his habit to be away for more then 2 nights, and I'm very scared he won't be coming home anymore. Realistically I know he has been gone for very long now and probably will not return. I'm hoping he found a new home, but it's very possible he is no longer around. I'm also hoping he will still return.

So please, if you have some good thoughts or prayers to safe ... I know it's silly to ask this for a cat and there are better causes, but I hope you understand I care a lot for my creatures and miss this little guy so much!



That being said, I'm having a bit of a dilemma. I went to I knit this month and spent some on yarn, and I recently bought quite a bit at my LYS. There's this big show/craft fair coming up this week which I usually attend. I'm doubting now, as I basically have NO cash to spare. But I can't help but wanting to go, for the athmosphere. Again, even if I decide to spend no money I know I'll buy stuff. Pff, hard time ...


Ps.: I realize now how little pictures I actually have of my kitties ... And now it might be to late ... :(

Some yarn

There's been little to post about over here. I haven't taken any pictures in a while, so still no socks to show. I also haven't finished much as I've been trying to work on some WIPs before casting on anything new. Problem is I keep switching from one project to another and thus there are no FOs to show over here! But a few projects are making some progress so that's better then nothing.

This has been a bit inspired by the Destash forum on Ravelry (here), as they are knitting down WIPs I think. I'm not sure though, I have a hard time keeping track of the monthly challanges. I think it was also knitting for men, but that's on a low burner right now.

I am at the moment not really working on any socks. This means I'm falling behind on my 52PPII, which I don't like. But, Socktober is coming around (and wether or not they are actually organizing this, I will have a Socktober) so I plan on knitting plenty of socks in that month. Plus I decided that I will make a tradition of knitting everyone a pair of socks for Christmas. Those will probably be fairly easy socks, especially for the men in my family. I know my grandmother will appreciate it too as she used to have a provider of thick ankle socks in my great aunt, but since she died there has been no replacement for the worn out anklets. My grandfather has often cold feet. My mom and sister like to wear there socks in the house during Winter for extra warmth (my mom being on a tight budget likes to save on heat, to the sadness of my sisters!). So I'm fairly sure my socks will be appreciated. Plus I think I'll need some warm socks myself as I seem to get colder every year!

So the plans for the socks are made. There is plenty of other stuff I want to cast on for and a lot of woolen stuff will be needed. We just relocated at work and the new workplace has - till undecided - no heating. Add single windows and cold weather (and no sun in my office) and I'm fairly cold all the time. I crave warm woolen sweaters. I wish I could knit faster!

Anyway, what am I posting about then? Well, I have been doing some spinning a few weeks back. I have the wheel set up but it has been a couple of weeks again since it saw some use. :( I'm just busy.

Here are some spun up things :

Dandy Lion (Spunky Fiber March 2007), 100% Superwash Merino
4oz, approx. 516m of 2ply, thus light fingering

I started spinning this early July I think. I just finished it and was amazed at the yardage I got. I'm still thinking I mismeasured. Might be possible, but it's fairly thing. I'm also quite surprised at how it turned out. I wasn't to happy about the colours in the roving, to bright for my taste. But as always the colours change when you spin the fiber and it might be something I would actually use! But probably just socks, or I might gift this away!

Deep Water (dyed by Hello Yarn, without a name though), 100% BFL

4oz., approx 451m of 2ply, thus fingering weight

I think I wanted to spin a bit to quick on this one and I messed up a little. It's not as fine and as smooth as my regular BFL spins, but I think it'll make a fine sock yarn. I split the roving in half lenghtwise and tried to make this a self striping yarn. We'll see how it turns out when knit up. This might be the next thing I cast on! (I recently had to cast on a pair of Movie socks - to be knit in the cinema - but this yarn wasn't finished yet otherwise it would have been on the needles already).

I am planning on getting some spinning done soon though I don't know yet when I'll find the time as I'm having a very busy weekend ahead.

Oh, and saying I haven't been casting on would be a lie as I did start some autumn/halloween knitting, as in some small and bigger pumpkins and I might try some other felted decorations to add to my home! (low maintainance is needed in my home!). More on those soon!

I Knit 2008

Excuse me for the long blog silence. It's been chaotic over at my life. Very choatic, very busy, very confusing. Knitting is going on, though not as much as I would like. Winter is around the corner (ok, Autumn) and I'm getting in my element as this is totally my season.

There will be no follow up post on the Ravelympics. Why you ask? Well, I hardly knit a stitch during the Olympics, let alone meat any of the goals I put up for myself! I did knit a pair of socks for the Socktopia Olympics, and started with a pair of knee highs adapted from that pattern which I finished this weekend. Now pictures of these 2 pairs will be shown in the near future as the last pair is not yet photographed.

But, I do have something nice to post about! By accident I came across the I Knit event website. That was little over 2 weeks ago. I was amazed that I had again managed to miss something as big like this. As soon as I read it all I decided I wanted to go. Checking prices for trains and all I decided it was an option. So after some discussion with various people and hearing a lot of pros and cons, I booked my train ticket.

My mission then was to get a ticket which included the Yarn Harlot. Those tickets were long sold out. :( But in the end I managed to buy one from someone who couldn't make it. Happy me!

So Saturday I was extremely nervous and was ready to cancel the whole trip. But I took the train, arrived in London 2 hours early and spent some time exploring London. Didn't see that much.

Then I decided to start going to the event. Start going, as in trying to find it! It took me more then 30 minutes and after asking someone I finally made it, about an hour after the opening. And I was amazed. Lots of friendly people, lots of yarn and fiber. I loved it. Walked around, exploring the boots. Waited to long to buy some stuff so I didn't get some things, but I did get plenty of other stuff!

Then in between all the shopping I saw this nice lady :

It was so great to hear her speak, and being able to knit during the whole thing without being looked at like I was totally nuts. I met her afterwards and she signed my book but I was to shy to ask her for a picture or anything special. Maybe another time ...

There was this one amazing boot (sp?) at the event where I saw these :

These were shawls/stoles knit and crocheted at an amazingly fine gauge! I think they were made with some kind of sewing thread or very fine laceweight. Me being obsessed with fine gauge I loved these and will keep them as a goal I want to reach some day! Of course, the first thing I thought was "well, ok for the crochet, but I don't see myself sewing them all together!" :D

And then, the haul! I had told myself - even though I'm trying to stash bust this year - that I was allowed to buy what I wanted as this was a one time opportunity to feel and touch certain yarns. Well, I did manage to spend quite a bit of money!

Sock Yarn - the goal was to buy mostly nearly solids and I think I managed quite ok. Also bought 3 skeins of sock yarn to dye myself (to try the yarn for maybe dyeing to sell)

Oh, one of these skeins is Wollmeise which I bought together with a Yarnissima pattern!

Yarn - mostly what I could call luxury. 3 of these are Manos (one silk blend), the other 2 are Cashmere and Camel!

Fiber - As I'm on a spinning kick I wanted more fiber. I was extremely please to see the batts on the stand. I wanted to take them all home but managed to leave with only 4 batts.

I also bought 400 grams of a merino/silk blend to dye myself.

Yes, quite a bit of money was spend, but in the end the stash isn't that much bigger. It was a great even and though I missed a few things (I had told myself I could buy Noro sock and Silk Garden Lite, and Cascade 220 for felting) I was quite happy with the overal.

In the end I had to run to catch my train and was quite happy to be on my way home again. I am always so nervous at these events! And I was exhausted, but that's ok!

Next event is a local craft fair I always enjoy going to at the end of September. There aren't many yarn stands so it'll be mostly other stuff!

I have set myself a few goals for the immidiate future. First I want to finish a few sweaters I've been having on the needles for ages! I want to be able to cast on for a few new sweaters as I have a ton of big quantity yarns in my stash meant for sweaters. I could use some motivation though as I seem to have an issue completing sweaters!

I'm in a finished mood in general so I might finish a few more things. That's a good thing! I als want to get started on my Christmas gifts for this year (I think I'll keep the tradition of knitting everyone socks for Christmas!). And I want to other creative things beside knitting! Again, days twice as long would be very welcome! :D

Back with some FOs soon!