Tour de Fleece - Day One

It might have been night before I got to it, but I finished my first day of spinning for the Tour. 

I'm starting out with the 50/50 Merino/Tencel blend I bought from Greenwood Fiberworks. Here's my stash picture again - 

After about 20 minutes, this is where I ended up. 

Not that much there, I'm not exactly as fast spinner (as you can see) BUT it was fairly even except for a couple small spots. 

Now I know this blog is supposed to be all about crafts, but I wanted to share the reason I didn't get an earlier start on my spinning. 
(read: zomg you gotta let me show off like a proud pet momma!!!)
After I got done with work, we hopped in the car (for a 6hr+ round trip!) to go pick up the newest member of our little family - an incredibly cute Hedgie!!!!
Her name-to-be is under discussion, but her awesomeness is indisputable.

All this has made for a long day, but it was so totally worth it.
Now I'm going to go crash!

KAL updates

The Shlanket has another square - The shock blanket square.


I'm in shock. Look I've got a blanket!

My square is not actually orange like it should be, but gold instead. Partly to coordinate with the numbers and knocker on my door square and partly because I’m not a fan of orange.



I love the texture of this square, it’s really “sproingy” (don’t ask for a definition, just go with it)


Sproing sproing


As for my mystery toy KAL, I've finished the arms and legs and started on the head. The limbs aren't sewn on yet (because I'm not sure of exact placement) but they're pinned so you can get the general idea. I'm still hoping teddy bear, but it seems less likely...Not that I have any clue what it is though.


Pretty chill for a guy who's lost his head

I've got until Monday before the next clue comes out, and hopefully I'll have the head done (or near to) by then.

The Shlanket Project

My last post ended with this teaser pic of the Sherlock blanket I’m working on, now I’m here to show off the bunches of photos and share the links that go along with it. All the links (like most of my knitting links) go back to Ravelry.

Putting the "a-long" back in "knit-a-long"

I love a good KAL, it's the reason I'm such a joiner when it comes to crafting. 

It is a great resource, especially if you're trying something new, to have a group (usually including the designer) that you can turn to if you have questions or problems. It's fun seeing how changing the yarn types and colors can make the exact same pattern turn out so incredibly different. Sometimes you get to knit patterns that haven't been released yet, or pay patterns for free which is always nice. And doesn't everyone having a built in audience who is just as interested in what you're doing as you are in their projects? 

The only problems with good KALs are that Rav has so many of them and I have little willpower to resist them. Not a really awful problem to have, except it's done some major adding to my WIP load. 

As of this month I am involved in 3 KALs. 

This post brought to you by the letter A

A is for Alpaca!

First some belated pictures from my knitting group’s “field trip” to the lunch and fiber event hosted by Natural Maximum Alpacas a couple weeks ago.  I say it was kind of like a field trip, but we didn't really have to leave town. The farm is on the town outskirts off in the country, just much further out than I even realized that road went.

(Then a hat I made - Yes! A real live Finished Object!!)

The view from the farm...which is also basically the same view from anywhere in the valley. The hills are pretty, but I do miss the green ones I grew up with back in NY sometimes.

I finally have some Finished Objects!

You ever have this problem?

You are getting close to a project’s end and then you see something that is going to keep it from being the perfect finished object you imagined.  

Then your knitting slows. Slooooooooows. And it’s like … you don't have to accept it isn't going to be what you wanted if you don't actually finish it. So you procrastinate.