Monogamous - Again!

Some time ago, I wrote about the virtues of monogamous knitting. (At this point, my family members can now take a breath. Admit it, you had a fleeting thought this might contain some great revelation you didn't know about me. I can only shake my head.) Since that time, I've had a heck of time living up to one project at a time. I just want you all to know, I'm back on track.

Off the Needles: I finished the Celtic Knot sweater in the palest of pink wool from Elann.com. Was not as thrilled with the yarn as I thought I would be, but loved the pattern, love the fit and will probably make it out a something a little less smooth. Lana Pura is a very smooth wool and every stitch shows, so something that is primarily stockinette stitch is probably not the best use of this yarn, unless you are a super even knitter. I'm thinking handspun for the next one - stay tuned.

I also finished Pair No. 36 in the 52 Pair Plunge III. They're a plain vanilla version using Nashua Yarns, Best Foot Forward. This is a great base yarn with the crazy color combinations of Kristin Nichols. These have calf scours green in them and I still love them. One of the reasons I picked up this year was it's affordability - a top-notch sock yarn for less than $15 for a 2-pair skein (100 grams).

On the Needles: While I await the next clue for Evenstar (I was sure those clues came out weekly.), I have started a toe up/2-at-a-time pair of socks from a sock flat. Since I just started this pair, I haven't decided what kind of stitch I'll be using.

Books: Please feel free to check book list at Goodreads.com (just click the Goodreads box in the column). I finished two books this week. The Whiskey Rebellion, by William Hoaglund. Usually the Whiskey Rebellion gets a line or two in the history books, maybe a paragraph; but this is an in depth account of the uprising in western Pennsylvania during George Washington's administration. A little slow at times, but well worth the time to read it.

In my quest to find additional series, I tried one of the Vicky Bliss books by Elizabeth Peters, Laughter of Dead Kings. I may have enjoyed it more, had I read it, rather than listened to the audio version. It has a great plot and wonderful characters, but I was a little distracted by the female narrator's male character voices and dialects. I enjoyed how she played the Vicky Bliss character and the minor other female characters, but the audio version would have been enhanced by a male playing the male characters.

How to Handle Winter

My big guy cat, Hans, has been very frustrated this winter. We're quite sure why, it may have to do with the change in the feeding situation here. He can't eat Greta's food because it upsets his digestive tract and Greta shouldn't eat his because of urinary tract problems. Long story, short: He and Greta have been feuding something fierce for the past week. Finally, he gave himself a time out in the bag. Both Greta and I appreciated the break.

Off the Needles: Pair No. 33 in the 52 Pair Plunge III (or maybe it's 34) a pair of Trekking Ribbed Socks.
As promised in my last post, I finally got a photo of the elusive moebius scarf from my handspun. I think I'm going to use it more as a cowl than a scarf, as it did not block out as wide as I would have liked. Even so, I'm pleased with my first attempt at this technique.


On the Needles: While I have kept my resolution not to sign up for anymore challenges, I have discovered knit-a-longs (KAL), particularly Mystery KALs. I have Clue 1 completed for The Enchanted Wool Shawl and have completed Clue 2 in the Girls Night Out Mystery Sock Knit Along. The Sock KAL is a mosaic and is a bit more challenging as I have to size it down. So, my finished socks will be a little different than the rest. Clue 1 of the shawl is to the left; Clues 1 & 2 of the sock are to the right. (Although you probably figured that out by now.)

Also, on the needles is the next pair of socks for 52 Pair Plunge III, made from the leftovers from the Herbivore Scarf. I'm going toe-up and am already on the leg portion.

After I posted last week, I realized I forgot to list what I've been reading and listening to. Since it's been so cold I have had ample opportunity to do both.

Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (A Hannah Swensen Mystery), by Joanne Fluke. This entry into the Hannah Swensen series involves Norman's purchase of property the dream house he and Hannah designed for a contest and won. Hannah's mother then finds the body of the last owner in the basement and then bank loot from an old robbery begins showing up in town. As you might expect, Hannah makes sense of all this with the help of her two suitors, her partner and her sisters. Another fun read.

Fearless Fourteen, by Janet Evanovich. While this entry into the Stephanie Plum series includes all the great characters of the previous mysteries, Evanovich has added some new quirky characters. Of all I've read or listened to so far, I've enjoyed this one the most. I think there's even more humor and more outrageous situations.

Rumpole Rests His Case, by John Mortimer. More short stories involving Rumpole's legal career. This was supposedly the last in the series as the last story has Rumpole arguing his last case from his hospital bed after suffering a heart attack.

That's it for this week. A quick update on the Hans/Greta feud. When I went upstairs to grab my book notes, they were ka-noodling on the top stair and looked a bit guilty as I rounded the landing.

One Challenge Done/One to Go

Off The Needles: I probably should have worded the title the other way round as I'm covering the remaining challenge first. I finished Pair No. 29 in the 52 Pair Plunge III. They're made from Creatively Dyed yarn in a women's small. (That's Greta snooping in the packages.) This was wonderful yarn to knit with and the yardage was wonderful (much like my own Big Foot yarn!) It's still fun to try out yarn from other folks!

On the Needles: I'm currently working on a pair from Tempted at 3 am's Good Grrl in the Zombee Grrl colorway. I'm using the Embossed Leaves pattern by Mona Schmidt from the Favorite Socks book by Interweave Press. I've made some significant pattern changes to accommodate my smaller than average feet. Even so, it should still look like the pattern in the book when I'm done.

I haven't forgotten Herbivore, by Stephen West. It's still going, it's just going slow.

52 Books in 52 Weeks: I am finally done with this challenge. The final book was Cat Striking Back (A Joe Grey Mystery), by Shirley Rousseau Murphy. Joe finds a body in an empty swimming pool, but it's gone by the time the police respond to his report. Naturally, he has to prove there was a body and then find the person who perpetrated the crime. This installment of the series dealt more with the cats and their feral counterparts, than the humans. It seems like this series gets better with each installment. Highly recommend.

52 books in 52 weeks was quite a challenge for me. I'm looking forward to my future reading when I can choose what I want to read, simply because I want to read it and not because of the added factor, I could read it quickly. I have a Wally Lamb that calls out to me each time I pass the shelves. But because of it's size, I've been waiting to read it until after the challenge.

Today on Cat TV . . .

We've had a wonderful growing season in eastern South Dakota this year. The corn field behind our house is the highest I've seen for some time. Unfortunately, the fall has been too wet to go out and harvest it. The farmer got out before Thanksgiving and made a few swipes, but finally got out in force today. This was wonderful news for my oldest cat, Hans. He loves watching large machinery. He's been at the back window most of the morning watching the harvester. If I talk to him he turns politely to acknowledge I've spoken and goes right back to watching. His partner in crime, Greta, is not at all interested and is sleeping in a sunbeam.

Off the needles: I've been working a ton of hours (enough that I wish I was paid hourly instead of a salary!), so not much knitting has been accomplished. Buffalo Gold yarn company asked me to test knit a pattern for them so they'd have enough product for upcoming trunk shows. I was more than happy to help them out. The shawl above is the Wildflower Lace Scarf designed by Evelyn Clark and made out of the Wichita Mountain colorway of Buffalo Gold Lux Laceweight. It's a great pattern and wonderful yarn with which to work.

On the needles: I'm working on socks (I know, big surprise) using bamboo yarn and my own design. I'm not real pleased with the bamboo. It's starting to look shopworn just from knitting. But I'll post a photo when they're done and washed. Hopefully, this is just a temporary thing. I think this will be Pair No. 27, or maybe 28 in the 52 Pair Plunge III.

Also on the needles is the Herbivore shawl by Stephen West. I'm through the first section and into the second. I hope to have this finished this week, as it sounds like the super-cold weather of winter is going to hit later this week.

On the wheel: A few months ago, I drum-carded some of the colorways which did not sell in my Etsy shop. I coming to the end of that and I'm very pleased with the results. I used blues and purples and greens and turquoises - very cool eclectic mix in a three-ply yarn. Film later.

52 Books in 52 Weeks - so close and yet so far. I'm on Books 49 and 50, but not quite done with either. Hopefully, next week, they'll both be ready to review.

I Survived Halloween!

Halloween night in East River South Dakota was a beautiful night with an almost full moon, little wind and warmer temperatures than we've had for a long time. Oh, and it was a Saturday night - but you probably already knew that. It was a good thing I bought four big bags of candy because I was out by 7:30 p.m. People were driving up with van loads of kids. Some of the vans had license plates which were issued in counties 50 miles from here! Granted we have a lot of children in our neighborhood and I know most of them at least by sight, but there were a whole lot more than that. What was really great was that 99% of them dressed up and a good number of their parents who were taking them around were dressed up as well. All in all, it was fun, but it was hectic!



I Off the Needles: I did manage to finish two more pairs to the 52 Pair Plunge III challenge. Pair No. 24 is based on a pair named Emily's Socks in the 2-At-A-Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. I am busily using up scrap yarn in any way I can. Another example of that is the pair to the left, No. 25, which is made from a left-over sock blank and some scrap Wildfoote by Brown Sheep. I recently counted up my full skeins of sock yarn (not counting what I have for sale in my Etsy shop) and I have enough for 18 pairs of socks, which still brings me a few short for the 52 Pair Plunge.

On the Needles: I've just started Pair No. 26 which is a pair of baby lace socks rewritten from an old crochet book (still can't figure out why I book entitled "Crochet" has knit patterns). But then after deciphering the pattern I can understand why needle arts kind of died out for awhile - those that needed patterns were just frustrated! These socks are in what is leftover from a skein of my Big Foot yarn. After this pair, I'll be half-done with the challenge!

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book No. 46 - Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti, by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain. I usually don't include the fiber books I read in my 52 Book Challenge. I'm making an exception on this one because I am fascinated with the whole concept of Yarn Bombing. I first heard about it a few months ago and admittedly, was a bit put off by the term. It is not destructive as one would believe from the term bombing. Initially, I thought planes flew overhead and dropped skeins of yarn on the unsuspecting. While I rather liked the thought of German sock yarn being dropped into my yard, there is a very constructive side to this medium and a very artistic one.

We have all viewed graffiti and for some the graffiti is a form of vandalism, but for some people and for some graffiti, it is a beautiful form of street art. Unfortunately, in our town we have freight trains going through frequently (usually during rush hours) and frankly, the only positive to this for me is the graffiti on the cars. I am awestruck. Someone has taken an ugly thing and made it beautiful (at least to me, I'm sure the railroads consider a crime). Yarn Bombing does the same thing. Suddenly small forms of knitted or crocheted work show up in unexpected places. Knitted feet on the base of signs, cozy-like garments on hand rails and parking meters, scarfs on statues. All are provided with a bit a humor.

Yarn Bombing has not only the patterns and photographs, but also vignettes on how others are bombing. It's a great book to get any fiber artist thinking. I am currently working on a yarn bombing project for my office at work. For now, I will simply say it is seasonal and will come down after Christmas. I'll post pictures when it's up.

North Country Fiber Fair

I've spent a good part of the past week getting ready for the North Country Fiber Fair. I'm not able to vend this year due to the number of classes I'm taking, as well as teaching. Even so, I've been getting two of my spinning wheels oiled and lithium greased as well as polished up for the weekend. My Ashford Traditional Wheel that I've had for almost 30 years now is not making the trip this year. A number of years ago, I demonstrated spinning at an art fair and got caught in the rain. Now the poor wheel sounds like a bullfrog when it's treadled - ree-deep, ree-deep, ree-deep. I do have the replacement leather parts which should help, but I just haven't had time to do anything with it. Also, it is so much bigger than the Ashford Joy and Hitchhiker wheels that it takes up quite a bit of space in my little Civic.

I also sewed a fabric liner for one of baskets I keep "stuff" for spinning. I had some old green rickrack that I think I got in an antique container I purchased on eBay. I hadn't seen that color since I was in junior high, but it was a perfect match for the green in the fabric. This was a fun project. I forgot how much I enjoy sewing. There's just not enough hours in the day for me!

Off the Spindle: I received a couple ounces of this roving in an order from The Sheep Shed Studio in Encampment, WY. As you can see it's no longer roving, but yarn. I plan to make a cap with it. The color is so rich. When I checked the site, it looked like there was some of this roving left.

I'm holding off spinning anything more until this weekend so I have enough empty spools!

On the Needles: I'm knitting a pair of Monkey Socks in Happy Feet. I'll write more about this yarn next time, after I've completed the socks. Granted Monkeys take a bit more yarn than Plain Vanilla Socks, but with my Child's Size 3 feet, I'm not sure I'm going to have enough - film at eleven!

Off the Needles: Cabled Socks - this is Pair No. 19 in the 52 Pair Plunge. I used Regia Sock Yarn with a colorway designed by Kaffe Fassett. Regia and Trekking XXL still remain my two favorite commercial sock yarns.

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 39 - China Trade, by S. J. Rozan. This is the first in the Bill Smith/Lydia Chin series set in Chinatown in New York City and it revolves around a porcelain theft. When I started this book, I thought the first 50 pages or so were pretty unremarkable, but before long I discovered I was sucked in and could not put it down.

Book 40 - Naked in Death, by J.D. Robb. I've read some of these later in the series, but I wish I would have read this one first because it revolves around Eve Dallas meeting Rourke and provides some excellent background information for the books later in the series. In this book, licensed companions are murdered by what appears to be one john. I'm not much for science fiction or futuristic books, but I do like these. I think that may be at least in part because the characters are so believable and so human. Most futuristic books I've read and not liked, it's been because the people are like robots.

In closing, I was trying to get an Etsy shop update completed, but of course, one of the cats feels the need to "help". Hans was acting like he really wanted his photo taken - so I took it.

This is My Story & I'm Sticking to It

On Friday, I drove to Sioux Falls to go to the dentist. As I get older, I resent going to the dentist more and more - probably because more and more needs to be done. Rather than go into details, suffice it to say I thought I'd reward myself after by picking up a couple cards of reinforcement thread for sock toes at Athena Fibers. (The reinforcement thread is the charcoal-colored cards at the bottom of the photo.) I was just at Athena Fibers a couple weeks ago and only one type of sock yarn appealed to me, so I really thought I'd be safe going in to get the reinforcement thread. Well, they must have received a couple shipments in the meantime because there was all kinds of gorgeous sock yarn there and brands I'd only read about on the internet. I decided to reward myself. Afterall, I'd taken a last minute cancellation at the dentist's office, got up an hour earlier than usual to get to Sioux Falls in time to take it and I didn't have any cavities. I deserved it. So instead of just the reinforcment thread (at $2.75 a card) I added Trekking Handpaint, some Happy Feet and the new Nashua Handknits sock yarn designed by Kristin Nichols. Oh, and then there's the ball of Crazy yarn by Schoppenwolle. I'm sure these are all going to be put to use in the 52 Pair Plunge III, so stay tuned!

Speaking of which, I finally charted out my socks and the Trekking Handpainted Broken Rib Socks is/are Pair No. 18 (so I can count, thank you very much!) The unsure kitty below with the sock monolith is Hans.

Also, off the needles this week is the Mr. Greenjeans Sweater and I finally fulled the Knit One Below-style bag. I also finished carding Pokey, the alpaca fleece.



Currently, on the needles is Pair No. 19 in the 52 Pair Plunge III, a pair of Cabled Socks - which are in the blue colorway I've used repeatedly recently, so I didn't photograph the work in progress.

52 Books in 52 Weeks: I've finishing a number of audiobooks and regular books lately.

Book No. 36: The Bone Vault, by Linda Fairstein. I've seen a lot of her books in the stores, but had never read or listened to one. I really liked the main character of this one, Alex Cooper, but unfortunately, the audio version was abridged and left me with more questions than answers. I do know, however, I will try another one of Fairstein's books.

Book No. 37: The Long Fall, by Walter Moseley. Moseley is one of my favorites and this book only reinforced that. He introduces a new character a middle-aged, sort-of retired boxer who works as private eye in New York. One of the aspects of Moseley's work to date is that it takes place in the mid-20th century Los Angeles - an era which has always held a fascination for me. I quickly discovered that aspect was not why I enjoy his books, it's the great characters and the not so idyllic private lives of his main characters. Outstanding.

Book No. 38: Spirit Sickness, by Kirk Mitchell. I just finished the unabridged audible.com version within the hour. Unless I'm driving alone, I rarely get through a recorded book this quickly. If I don't get much done this weekend, it's because I've been so wrapped up in this book, I couldn't get to it. Anna Turnipseed and Emmit Parker are searching for Gila Monster on the Navajo reservation. I'm afraid to say anything more because I don't want to ruin it for anyone. Another outstanding book.

Greta & Hans: We're finally getting back to our usual routine around here. We're all catching up on our sleep now that Greta is back to normal. Her illness was particularly hard on Hans, who sat by her without much sleep while she was so ill. Thanks to everyone who wrote to check up on her!


Hans (on the top step) Greta (on the couch)