More Shetland Project

Well, I've been busy - and it is going so quickly! I am already half way through the light brown.

2 huge skeins already. Finished 'em up last night while watching Stargate SG1 Season 10 cach up. Shown above blocking - still somewhat damp.

Showing here - the 2 skeins with one of the grey - just see the colors. And there are two more!

Happy spininng!

Do the Twi-i-ist!

Its kind of dark, and not as focused as I could have hoped - but can you see the loops and over-twists all over the place? This is some leftover gray shetland I was navajo plying and having a hard time keeping the spin the same. I was also watching TV, so my focus was split. (Note to self - don't so that!) :-) Also - this is AFTER blocking.

This is a lot better - still navajo plied, but closer in loft to the 3-ply I had done before. I need to practice this technique some more to get it all even and uniform across the board. If I can do that, then I won't need to ply the old fashioned way anymore. Well... hm, I still like plying the other way, though. But check this out...

Those two pictures above

...are from the SAME skein!! Wow, my focus must have really been off in the beginning part of doing this! :-/ I didn't know you could do that. I must have tuned out the TV later, to be able to have a much softer yarn with much, much less twist. And it is split pretty close to 50/50. Yeah, I'm not sure I'll be able to use this skein. Maybe part of it, but I'm not going to count on it!

Winter, Spring...then Winter Again

What is up with the weather? The weekend was absolutely beautiful - with clear blue sky, a light breeze, and temps almost to 80. Trees, grass, and plants are starting to bud and green. And flowers are starting to bloom. Then today...its cold and cloudy again. Actually, it's good, as there is rain on the way, and we definitely need it. I was looking for a picture to show all the green, all the different shades of green - I guess no one took pictures yesterday of the valley.

I was driving south and east on S. McCarran yesterday afternoon, and coming over the crest of the hill past Caughlin Pkwy, the whole valley was in view for a moment, and it was stunning. Instead of the gray fogginess of bare branchs, there is now a faint lime green tint - quite cheering actually. And there are so many shades of green - the dark alpine green of the evergreens, the verte of the bushes, gray green of sagebrush, kelly green of growing grass, and the bright, lime green of the willow. The golf courses were certainly busy this weekend.

In spinning and knitting news - one nearly completed project. I am almost done with the green sweater I've been knitting on for an older client. Just have one more arm to go. Still working of 2 socks at one time. Oh, and I finally had time to block the Icelandic Triangle Shawl. Picture to come.

I finished spinning up the grey shetland, and now I'm onto the light brown. Still spins just as easily. Last night alone I got one bobbin filled and part of another started. I should finish this up fairly quickly.

Been a while...

I just realized yesterday that is has been over 2 weeks since I posted last. Sorry about that - but it has been a very busy two weeks. My back has been steadily getting better, thanks to my wonderful chiropractor and a couple of good massages. It kind of hurts today, but I think that is from yesterday - we had an extra choir practice at church in the afternoon.

Fortunately it isn't work that is stressful or super busy anymore - its everyhting else. :-) Things just seem to snowball, and you find yourself at the end of the week just looking forward to a couple of hours to sleep in on Saturday. Not only is it the usual knitting lessons and stuff like that, but the choir at church is preparing and rehearsing for the Easter cantata. It is a fabulous piece called "He's Alive" by Gary Rhodes and Clair Clonniger. It was first published quite a while ago - so not a new piece. But the orchestration and songs are quite wonderful. I have been busy not only with extra rehearsals for that, but up until yesterday I was getting ready for an audition for one of the solos (I don't expect I got it as there were several ladies with much nicer auditions), and I have also had practice early Wed. evenings for worship team - I am playing my oboe every Sunday morning in the 1st service along with Andrew (plays sax), Becky (trump) and Erin (violin.) It is a lot of fun, and I am praising God with the talent he gave me.

This last weekend was busy - but good. My mom and I had a great time together on Saturday, just hanging out - shopping and having lunch. Andrew and Dad went to a conference through church for most of the day. Then I had a knitting lesson, and by the time I finished up with that - it was 5pm already and Mom, Dad, and Andrew were coming over this way for dinner. So I got both lunch and dinner on Saturday! But it was really nice being able to see Dad, too.

On the fiber front - not much going on. I am trying to finish up a commissioned sweater, and am on the sleeves. So almost there. Of course, she's not going to be able to wear it until the fall! Can you believe the weather? Here in Reno it has topped 78F!! So sunny and clear. I guess we broke a record today - the last time it was this warm in March was in 1888.

Anyway, I haven't done much more spinning, but I am almost through the grey shetland I was working on. I still have two single socks on the needles along with a host of UFO's. :-\

On a different note:
Stargate Atlantis, Season 2!!! Wooo Hoooo!!! :-)

I *heart* John Shephard!!

Shetland

Well, my back is getting better. I've seen a wonderful chirpractor 3 times this week, and this morning was able to almost bounce out of bed like I used to. I strained the pelvic joint and all the muscles surrounding tightened up almost immediately, tightened so hard that they squished my two lower vertabrae together and moved my hip joint out of whack. Those have hopefully stayed in the correct place that the dr moved them back to. So, I was pretty messed up and in a lot of pain. Not so much anymore, thankfully. So far I've had a really nice weekend. Yesterday I got a lot done, as you'll see later on. It's starting to snow right now, so I'm sure I get a lot more done this afternoon, not wanting to go anywhere.

Well, the following is the gray shetland I've been working on for quite a while now. Spinning seems to help relax my back, so I've been doing a lot of that this week. And I have 3 full bobbins - all ready to ply (with Lexy investigating.) :-)



Next is the soft, light, fluffy yarn all done, blocked and just waiting to be knitted. 3 touchable skeins of at least 150 yrds or more. Oh, I can't wait. This picture does not do this yarn justice. Its almost as soft as merino, and really fluffed up as it dried. Of course, I do have another 2.5 lbs to spin up in 3 other colors!

Now, during yesterdays productive streak, I also learned something new - how to navajo ply. I used the leftovers on the bobbins after the 3 skiens (I know, I should really plan better.) I don't like the yarn as much(still like it, though), (it didn't fluff up as much when dry) but it will definitely have it's uses. For right now it will wait until I am done with this project - it will be "just in case I run out" yarn.


Earlier in the week, I took the leftover Unspun Icelandic that I had used in my "Icelandic Triangle" and spun the three colors together into a chunky single. I think this is the most even yarn I have made yet. Of course, I am using a pencil roving as is, no drafting to make the yarn a smaller size. Seen here:


And of course, this wouldn't be a knitting/spinning blog with out some kitty eye candy, Lexy sitting still for her closeup:

She is all curled up in my lap right now for some much deserved attention. That's all for now. Happy knitting and spinning!

Another F.O.

Well, after being finished with it for about 2 weeks now, I finally was going to block it and post pictures. Yeah, that didn't happen. Oh, you'll see pictures of it, but unblocked. My back went out yesterday when I was spreading the blanket on the floor to put it on to block. Yeah, I was flat on my stomach for about 1/2 hr before being able to pull myself up and get to my bed, where I lay flat on my back for another 3 hrs.

Thank the Lord I have friends that are willing to help me out. M. brought over a heating pad, and my brother brought me some ibuprofen. I have frozen veggies in the freezer which work great as ice packs ( a lot more comfortable also). So, I was icing and heating ny back alternately all day from my chaise lounge. I was actually able to move about some later in the day, but this morning, trying to get out of bed...yeah, its a good thing I wake up early.

Well, it is getting better, so I hope tomorrow won't be as bad. So, without further ado, here are pictures of "Icelandic Triangle" from Folk Shawls (and kitties.)

Valentines...

...yeah, its just a day to me. I was reading the Harlot and a couple other blogs, and I really agree with what they had to say. Namely, that if your significant other just shows his love on this one day (with card/flowers/chocolate, etc) - what the heck are you still doing in that relationship!! Both partners should be showing their love on a daily basis.

Anyway, I'm not saying its bad to get card/flowers/chocolate for or from your significant other, in fact I really miss getting flowers. Hopefully, (prayerfully) this time next year, I might get flowers. :-)

Now, I really hope that the person I am going to be talking about does not read this. I don't even know if he has the address, but I did put my little card in all the presents I gave for Chirstmas. Well, if he does...oh well, huh? :-) Anyway, I had a date Monday evening with my friend Dave! I was so excited, and it was a lot of fun! :-P

Here's the story behind this date. A couple of weeks ago, I knew his birthday was coming up on the 10th of this month. So out of nowhere (unplanned on my part) I asked him if I could take him out to lunch on his birthday. (Lunch because it seemed to be less of a "date" and more casual.) Well, he said sure. So, I planned to have lunch with him this last Saturday. Last Wednesday, though, he emailed me asking if we could change it to dinner on Monday or Tuesday. Of course I agreed - dinner is sooo much better than lunch! :)

So, Monday he called me to make arrangements. I am glad I was very busy Monday, as I was so freakin' excited. I have liked this guy for quite a while, but God hasn't brought us together until now. So he was picking me up at my place about 6:15, 6:30pm. I actually went out looking in the halls for him, as it was 6:35 and he wasn't there. But I had peeked outside and thought I saw his truck. (It is kind of tricky to find my apartment.) Its a good thing I did, he was kinda lost. So he came in and I got my coat, and of course there was the official "showing of the stash" along with the loom and spinning wheel. He was duly impressed! :-)

We went to Macaroni Grill (his choice as this was in honor of his b-day) and he was such a gentleman! He opened all the doors for me (and I let him)(which is sometimes hard for me.) And we talked..and ate. :-) I normally eat fast, an hour tops is dinner when I go out, but we were there for almost 2 hrs, and talked about a lot of things. Family, work, past relationships, etc, etc. I could fall so hard for this guy.

Anyway, he even walked me back up to my place, and there was a moment at the door... no, no kiss, but there was definite eye contact! ;-) Well, about 2 minutes after I left I was on the phone to my friend D. (who is married to J., who is best friends w/ Dave.) She didn't answer so I left a message to call beck. But I had to talk to someone so I called my friend M. Both she and D. had been praying for me all of Monday (which was really nice to know.) And she was happy that the date went well.

Well, D. called me back about a 1/2 hr later. She told me that when her phone rang earlier, she didn't think anything of it - they were watching a show, and she would call whoever it was back later. But then about 2 seconds after her phone stopped ringing, J.'s started ringing. She picked up the phone to see who it was...And it was Dave!! Boy, I sure wish I could have heard that conversation when J. called him back! :-)

So I will see him tomorrow eve at our Bible study. I think I will call him today, just to say thanks for a great evening Monday. Oh, thank you, Lord. You always know that the Lord has His own perfect timing, but sometimes it is very difficult to wait upon that timing. I know I am still going to have to exercise patience in regard to this relationship, but it will be so worth it!!