Black and Brown

Funny title, I know, but those are the colors I dyed this weekend. I was very please with the rich brown - combined with the orange and pink, creates a nice autumnal flavor. As for the black - I was trying for purple and orange and got red and black. (Shrugs) Oh well, I am very pleased with the outcome. In fact, the third pictrue shows it spun up already. :-)








I also got some merino from Ashland Bay called "Sapphire." I forgot to take a picture of the roving before spinning, but this is what it looks like spun up. I really like it - and being merino, it's so soft. I tried to spin it a little thicker than usual, as well as not so much twist.



This post is also catching up with some other finished items since the last time I posted. This sweater is something I started last year and never got around to finishing. It is made out of Jaeger Chamonix, a blend of merino and angora. Oh, so warm and cuddly. I tried to get a picture of myself wearing it, but couldn't get a good one.





I made this cute pullover for my little cousin that I'm going to see this week. (Aunt Carolyn - If your reading this, please don't tell Nicole. Or Devon!) :-) She has a little brother and I'm making a sweater for him, too. Just not done with it yet.


Purple seems to be the color of the day. I ripped out a vest I'd been working on for a couple of years now and re-knit the yarn into this little scarf. Purple yarn is Cascade Sierra, a half and half blend of cotton and wool.




That's it for now - I'm on vacation for the rest of this week!! ;-)

Well, this weekend I was able to finish up something at least. On my last dye day, about September of last year, I dyed this roving:

I finished plying it yesterday. It is BFL, dyed with food coloring, spun fine and chain plyed. In bright light there is actually a slight sheen to it. Even with the light spaces left while dying, the colors stayed pretty true and deep.



Last weekend I finished this up, was just lazy and didn't post about it. It is actually my own design: stitches picked up around a central square and knit outward in feather and fan lace.

Knit on US 3's using Valley 8/2 cotton in Navy. Next time I try it - I will pick up more stitched around the central part. Its a little puckered there, despite blocking. I am pleased with the outcome.


Reviewing my post on New Year's 2008 Goals, I realized that there are a couple I missed. One of them, I've already started on - design a couple of patterns this year. I had this square doily idea floating in my head for a while, just needed to do it. (Now I need to make it again so I can write it down!) :-) I also this this will be a good one for a throw in larger yarn and needles.

Since April of last year, I have been playing the oboe again. I played it in high school, and really enjoyed it. Even made it to the local honor band my senior year. I picked it up again, hoping to eventually get back to where I was before. That brings me to the last goal - and that is to pratice more. My eventual goal (not for this year) is to maybe get an audition for the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, or one of the other local orchestras.

Right now I am playing on the Worship Team at my church and have been so blessed by that opportunity. It is really nice to play with a group again, small though it may be, and for His glory, no less.

I Love it Here

There are days I absolutely love living in the Sierra Nevadas. This is one of them. It snowed last night, and this morning (in the break between storms) dawned clear as a bell. Well, except for the haze to the north showing the advancing thrid storm in a row to hit CA and NV.

My body was telling me to get outside NOW! And I did. I went for a walk down to Virginia Lake, and totally took my camera.






The noise level was incredible - super quiet around my place, then as I got closer to the lake (a roosting place for several flocks of geese) I could hear the birds - geese, ducks, gulls, and several others. You can see the V of a flock coming into land in the picture above.


In the picture below, if you click big you can see sparkles from the flash. It's just snow that drifted on my deck.


This strom has been incredible. It started raining Friday morning about 5:30am, and didn't let up all day. Gusting wind added to the experience. Then about 4pm it (the weather) was trying to make up its mind whether to snow or not. Half an hour later, it decided to snow. And by snow - I mean huge flakes drifting down, sticking even over all the water lying around. This picture below was taken about an hour after it started to snow in earnest. You can see the huge flakes.


These next two I took this morning at the sun rose, both from my balcony.




Well, if you live in CA or NV, please, please be safe. There is another storm coming that is dropping lots more snow in the mountains. It's snowing heavily already about an hour north of Reno, and will probably be here later this afternoon. Yeah, the next few days are going to be interesting trafficwise. :-)

Snark

Snark: (noun) snärk 1. a snidely derisive remark 2. (verb) the act of replying in a sarcastic and somewhat rude manner with light bantering 3. (adverb) used to describe most conversations between Dr. Rodney McKay and Lt. Colonel Sheppard on Stargate:Atlantis.

Now, you're probably wondering what on earth does this have to do with anything fiber related (or even New Years for that matter.) And you'd be right. It has nothing to do with fiber, but it deals indirectly with New Years - vis a vis - my 2008 goals.

First to recap last years goals. I met (somewhat) most of them. Spiritual - I did pray a lot more, and made it through most of the Bible. This year I will finish. Financial - met both goal with astounding success - Paid off a card in July and paid my car off in November! Yeah!! :-) Physical - I did lose weight in summer (started walking to work on a somewhat regular basis), but I'm pretty sure I've gained it all back. :-( And Stash related - well, I didn't buy nearly as much yarn as I have in the past, and spun a lot, reducing my fiber stash.

Now for 2008

Spiritual

1. Be in the Word more, and continue praying for others.

2. Read a couple of books by Christian authors - namely C.S. Lewis and Elizabeth George.

Financial

1. Pay off remaining 2 cards. Be debt free by Dec. 08.

Physical

1. Lose weight by excersising.

2. Eat healthier - less bread porducts.

Personal

1. Knit from my stash (see exceptions below.)

2. Write more (see explanation below.)

For the last two:

Exceptions for knitting from my stash are as follows - I am allowing myself to buy yarn in February as I will be going one of two places. Stitches West or SoCal (several nice yarn shops.) Also for any gifts if I don't happen to have it in stock. (In stock - man, I sound like a shop!) This knit from stash only applies to yarn - I am allowing myself to purchase fiber to spin, since that stash isn't overwhelming. :-)

Explanation for writing more is as follows - For the last couple of months I have been trying my hand at writing some fan fiction (SGA), and am really enjoying it. My hope is that this will translate into finishing the manuscript I've been working on for several years. Although I will say that writing established characters is very easy. Especially the relationship/friendship between McKay and Sheppard.

Belive it or not - I was first introduced to fanfic through Ravelry. I was reading the chat board for the Stargate group and someone put a link up to their favorite stories. After that I was hooked, and ideas (albiet, some are certainly crack and/or fluff) began to flow. Like I said it's a lot of fun.

Anyway, Christmas is over with, Happy New Year to all. Here are some photos of gifts I gave and gifts I recieved.

These are my best friends - Kelly, Leah, and Mandy. I made them each a shawl for Christmas. The next picture is (I know) very fuzzy, but it's the backs of said shawls.

This is what I made for my boss - the Hemlock Ring Doily on US 4's using 8/2 Valley Cotton from Webs. She really liked it. This large (not to mentioned blocked properly) the center looks like a flower.

And this is some of what I got:

The book and calendar black binder are from my boss. If you look closely at the black binder you will see the Knitpicks logo. Yep - that's right - I now have my very own set of KnitPicks Options needle set! Yeah!! I was jumping up and down and hugging my boss when I opened that one. They work awesome, cause you know I had to try them right away! ;-)

The yarn is from my brother. Well, he got me a gift cert to Jimmy Beans Wool and of course I had to spend it right away. I got 6 balls of CPY Merino Stripes, and using large needles I should beable to get a decent sized throw out if it. I love using it and of cousre, hello - stripes! :-)

So to end - Happy New Year. Make it Great in '08!

Year of Shawls

Well, here we are - nearly Christmas again. A smidge over a week left until the final day. Only 7 knitting days left to Christmas. And I feel caught up. This weekend (thru cold, sniffles, and coughing) I wrapped up all the finished gifts. I finished my brother's and SIL's socks and they are shipping out today. I only have 2 more pairs of socks to go and maybe a large doily (easy-peasy) and I am so done. And there's a whole weekend left to do it in. :-)

Anyway, before I wrapped up gifts I laid out all the shawls I had done this year (not in order) starting with the Box Lace Shawl I cast on on New Years Day 07. (There is one missing - I gave the Citrus merino Cherry Leaf shawl to my mom for her birthday in Sept.) Total count - 11. Nearly one per month! I didn't realize I had done that many. Wow. And I still have lot's of lace yarn (among the other yarn) to do many more. Yep - 2008 will be my "Knit from my Stash" year! (Yeah, good luck with that, Hannah!) ;-)

Here are the shawls:


I haven't done many scarves since I first learned how to knit, but there were a couple of people that a scarve was a perfect gift:

The navy blue is Classic Elite "Lush" done in a weaving pattern (I don't remember it's name.) It blocked out beautifully - the angora blooming just enough. The tan is Blue Sky Alpaca's "Royal" and I knit in an open mesh stitch that made it so wonderfully drapey I wanted to keep it for myself. I will definitely have to make one for myself. :-)

Now that 2007 is coming to a close - its nearing that time to think about the next year's goals. For the first time the goals I set for this year were reachable, doable, and in a couple of cases - done! That's right - in case you haven't noticed my goals section in the sidebar, I paid off my car in Nov, as well as one card earlier in the year. 2 accomplished! The other goals were sort of reached, and next year I will strive even more to finish. With the Lord's help!! Anyway, New Years day I will post a year recap and set up new goals. (I think the theme will be - "Lose Weight in '08!)

If I somehow don't post again befor ethe holiday - here's wishing you all a safe and Merry Christmas! May the Lord bless your time with family and friends!!

First Snow

Yep - that's right - it finally snowed!!! Yeah!! :-) And a good one at that. It has now stopped (I'm writing this at work about 9am) but the clouds are still low, and there's another storm on the way. It started after midnight, and there probably would have been more actual snow on the ground come morning, but it had rained hard for about 3 or 4 hours before that.

The base of the valley (where I live) got about 2 inches (now mostly slush) but higher up up to 2 feet. Thank you Lord!! We really needed it. The snow pack was non-existent this summer, so we need a good wet snow base to get it started again. The ski resorts are loving this - I think Mt. Rose will open today or tomorrow. I have a feeling my brother might play hooky from choir practice tomorrow.


That's right - choir practice. Normally its on Wed evenings, however - we have the big Christmas performance this Sunday, so Sat is the dress rehearsal. Perfect timing for the snow, eh? However, my parents were planning on coming over from CA, but I totally understand if they decide not to.

Anyway, enjoy your weekend! Be safe! Next week I should have some CHristmas knitting updates. :-)

Lovely Weekend

This was the view Thursday evening as well as Friday eve. This pic and the following were taken Friday as the full moon was rising. I was surprised that my camera caught it - it was pretty dark out when I took it.



Anyway, I had a great weekend. I met my family up in So. Lake Tahoe for 3 days, including my brother and SIL who were able to come up from Phoenix. It was a lovely time, relaxing and hanging out. We all got to know my brother wife a little better, since they live so far away, we haven't had much time with her.

Lots of knitting has happened in the last couple of weeks. It has been busy around here, as well as getting over that nasty flu/cold that was going around. I still have a slight cough, but not nearly as bad as it was at the beginning of last week.

The folllowing shawl is a Christmas present for a good friend (who I'm pretty sure doesn't read this.) I hand dyed a hank of KnitPicks Merino Lace earlier this year, and finally found a pattern that works good with the color variations. And the pattern I used is a variation on a couple of patterns from "Folk Shawls." I used the basic shape and shaping from the Feather and Fan Triangle, but used the pattern stitched from the Highland Fircone Square. The edging I did in the same yarn, un-dyed. I am pretty pleased with the out-come! :-)

Of course, Kitty wanted to help me with the process! (Isn't he cute!) ;-)


I also finished this over the long weekend. This is the Hemlock Ring doily, a free pattern found here. There is also a variation on this - a larger size made into a blanket. I want to try that one also. I used DMC Cebelia with US 0 needles. Finished size is about 12" in diameter.


This will probably be a Christmas present. Not sure for who yet, but I have a couple of people in mind. I will be making a couple more doilies - small gifts as thank you's.

Speaking of Christmas - now that Thanksgiving is over...welcome to the present knitting frenzy!! Well, not really. For me anyway. This year, I've got most of mine already done. The list for completion before the final day is as follows:

3 1/2 pairs of socks (have 1 sock completed - thus the 1/2)
1 1/4 scarf (almost done with 1)
2 doilies
1 runner or tablecloth (very simple and small)
Couple of hats (just in case presents)

That's it. Last year at this time this list was a little longer, with bigger projects. I think I will be able to do this with very little stress. Yeah! And that's what I need right now - low stress.

Anyway, got a couple of performances coming up. A performance of Handel's Messiah (the Christmas part.) That's this weekend, then the next weekend is my church's Christmas cantata. After that - it's all downhill. Every time I think about how much I'm doing - I have the words "Serenity Now" running through my head. And of course, depending on how frustrated or stressed I am - the volume increases! :-)

May the Lord grant you peace and serenity this CHristmas season. Remember - He is the reason for the season!