Spring Street

So the sun is actually shining today. There are birds singing. Okay, not here, but you know, they exist. The grass is getting green, and you know what that means - paying the people to mow my lawn again.

What I'm saying, basically, is that it's almost summer, and thank whatever gods may be for that!

Since I work in the school system, my work ends on June 3rd, and I get a few weeks to myself. Of course, I'm working summer school this year, but that's like 6 hours a week for five weeks. So this is going to leave me a lot of time for the knitting, spinning, and drinking. Also, SSK! WOO! I was too late to get in last time, and didn't have the money anyway, but this time, I will be there!

In the last forever since I posted, things have happened. Projects have been started and finished. I've basically stopped taking pictures of finished projects except for dyed fiber for my Etsy shop. That's going swimmingly, by the way. I love dyeing fiber, and apparently other people like dyed fiber. I figure it's a match made in... you know, somewhere with sheep and happy spinning people.

I made this for a swap:

It came out great, and I kind of want to make one for myself. Except, you know, toward the end it made me want to cry and throw it across the room in that special way that lace does. (have I posted this picture before? I'm just so darn pround of it...)

This pile of green is now an actual sweater that I have not bothered to take real pictures of. Or make a Ravelry page for. (That's two horribly composed sentences in a row. Count them, two! Wow!)

It's a Calligraphy Cardigan, in Madelinetosh DK Twist malachite.

Yes, that makes it the most ridiculously expensive, yet plain sweater I've ever made. But it's so pretty, and SO warm. Just in time for summer!

The Harry Dresden Fiber Club, heretofore unheard of in this place, is about to start its second incarnation. I'm pretty excited about it, since I really quite like the way the first one went. It's a little club, but so far that's allowing me to make sure all the details are perfect. Also, with work and school, a small club is all I could do, unless I want to go for an exended stay at the funny farm, which is neither funny, nor a farm. So, no sheep.

Graduating college (for now) on May 18th. Should be excited about that. More relieved, really. And not looking forward to school: the empire strikes back. I really do want that BA, though. The AA just feels a little like it qualifies me to flip burgers. No offense to anyone happy with their AA. I'm just a whiner who will never be happy with what she has. I could seriously have a Doctorate and be whining that it really should be two.

Anyway, before I let my rant take hold and go on about how a 33 year old woman should be finished with school years ago, I think I'll shut up and go knit for a while before tackling the last of my Statistics homework.

Insane in the membrane

So... yeah, people who know me know that I'm more than a little bit out there. If you don't know me, be prepared to be disillusioned.

At the start of Tour de Fleece, I thought to myself... "Self," I thought, "You can definitely finish processing a fleece, spinning 12 oz of Woolgatherings BFL, and a few Loop bumps during the TdF, right?"

"Right!" I heartily agreed.

And then my Etsy Shop did well, thanks to a mention on The Knit Girllls.

And then it did better, thanks to Leslie from the Knitgirllls, Dana from Just One More Row, Steve from Dramatic Knits, and always, Lemonhalf, who made my awesome logo.

And then I got a regular RL job, taking up 30 hours a week.

And the whole "I can finish things for Tour de Fleece" idea disappeared.

However, I cannot complain. I mean, I have a very early Etsy shop that's thriving, a brand new RL job, and I STILL managed to spin for TdF!

Here it is, my TdF masterpiece.

People on the Loop group may be unimpressed, but I am exceptionally happy with what I have gotten in the last month, so winning a prize is a secondary issue.

Miss me?

Okay, I'm sure none all of you have been wondering what I've been up to in the last month, so I figured I had better check in.

The shop is open and has been doing quite well, thanks to the awesome Beck - aka Lemonhalf on Ravelry, and Leslie - aka udontcallmeles. Beck not only made my awesome logo, but she's been one of the most supportive people ever. She even pointed out that I should have a presence on Ravelry so that people could enter their fiber in the database. Leslie kindly ordered something from the shop on the very first day, and then told everyone that I dye lovely fiber. Twice. The two busiest days the shop has had, can't imagine why...

Okay, enough shameless shilling.

In the knitting world, what have I been up to?

Well, there's this:

The Raspberry Dream Stole, by Dagmara. It was for the Schmutzerella swap, and while there were a few issues with my comprehension of the translation, it's a great pattern, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to knit a beautiful lace stole. And doesn't mind k7tog. I recommend doing at least one, probably multiple extra repeats of the lace pattern.

Then I made a few pair of socks, nothing amazing or admirable, just everyday wear socks.

Which brings me to the fact that I needed to make some non-pink socks. So I did, out of handspun. But I haven't taken pictures yet. Maybe I'll have that for next month...

Anyway, last and never least, I'm 3/4 done with my 2nd Camp Loopy project, and have bought the yarn for the third:

And wit the yarns, I will be joining the cult of the Color Affection. I would be ashamed, but... I like Vera Valimaki patterns, and I won't apologize for that. This will be my third pattern from her, and I expect to make more in the future. She is awesome.

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi...

So given the pattern name "My Hope", and the Schmutzerella Yarns Galaxy Far Far Away yarn club offering of "Into the Garbage Chute, Flyboy!", is there any way this particular shawl could not be named A New Hope? I think not.

For anyone who thinks it looks good enough to knit, go forth on Sunday when the pattern is available and buy! All proceeds for the month of July are going to the Make-A-Wish foundation, one of those charities that should be near and dear to everyone's heart. Let's all get together and help grant three wishes this year!

Camp Tikiha- I Mean Loopy

So I finished my first Camp Loopy Project, Veera Valimaki's Folded sweater. This is the second of her patterns I've knit, and I've found both well written, easy to follow, and with beautiful results.

I lowered the neckline by casting off after the folds and then working back and forth. I detailed better on my project page, I think. The alteration wasn't a failing of the pattern, so much as my dislike of high necklines of any kind. I know it's a lame picture, but here's the only one I've got:

So now that I'm done with project one, I'm looking to project two. I have about 1k yards of Malabrigo Rios in the Azul Profundo Colorway. At first, I was thinking I'd make Jared Flood's Hemlock Ring. Then, I started thinking... I could make a vest with 1k yards, even in my size. Yes I could.

So here are the contenders:

The Bramblewood Vest, by Christina Wall

Angostura, by Ysolda Teague

Now I know that not a lot of people read this - I haven't posted often enough to make it worthwhile for most people - but if you read this before the end of June and have an opinion, please take the time to let me know!

Here I Go Again...

After promising myself that I would NEVER, EVER go back into retail, here I am, starting my own Etsy shop.

Admittedly, this is different than working for 'the man', some faceless corporation in another state. On the other hand, it also means that I suceed or fail on my own ability. Scary. If there's a customer service issue, I can't just point at Minnesota and say 'my boss made me!'

Of course, this time I'm actually selling something I love and believe in.

Ahh well, I suppose we all grow and change, attitudes and opinions are malleable, and most of all, I need more money to feed my fiber and dyeing addiction. So yeah.

The First Draft

I know more people talk to me on Ravelry than here, but still. I have a store, and I'm going to shout it from the.... middle of nowhere.

What?

There are no mountains anywhere near me!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...

So look at this, here's me.

Bet you thought I'd dropped dead, or been in a horrible accident, or... oh, you just thought I'd gotten lazy and stopped posting here? Hmm.. Okay, fine. Be that way. You know, correct.

My excuse, let me give it to you.

Between finishing my college program, looking for a regular job, and getting my new Etsy shop ready, life has been a little nutty. So yeah, pretty much no posting here at all. Not much more on Ravelry. Practically no spinning. I can see that I've touched you deeply. No no, please don't cry for me. I'll make it.

Anyway, let's see if I have anything cool for you...

Well, there's The Sock Report. This is Janel Laidman's recent work, in convenient online magazine form. There are not only socks, but lace shawls, and even cute little toys. You can buy the patterns seperately, or all together, and I fully recommend getting yourself these patterns.

Why am I going on about it? Well, because I test knit the Semadar Sock for it. Not only that, but my one finished sock picture is featured on the pattern page. Go me, right? Even if you don't want to buy the whole magazine, you need to knit these socks. They are awesome, fast and easy to knit, and... come on, guys, I test knit them. How cool is that?

Here's my picture:

And here's my project. I tried to give some helpful advice on the nupps, since people seem to struggle with them, but they're really not so bad once you get used to them. Despite a lack of time, I've already half finished the second one, because I adore them, and want to have a matching set. You know, like socks are supposed to be.

Doubtless, there's most for me to say, most times people wish I'd shut up more often, but I'll save it for another day.

Spoiler: There will be pictures of animals. Because animals are awesome.