There is knitting in Leukemia Land

My sweet girl helping me knit Grammy some birthday socks during yet another week in the hospital. Knitting... goes everywhere!

My Sweet Girl

I am very sad to to let you all know that there won't be much knitting here for a while. On Friday November 28 my 2 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia. There are no words to express how we are feeling. If you would like to follow our journey we have set up a website for her at Caringbridge.

More Spinning!

I started up this fun fiber last night. I could not stop. It was so fun playing with the colors in the fiber! It's Pigeonroof Studios South African Fine in Hydrangea. It was a getting started gift from Hattie! Thanks Hattie! I sure wish you were here to play with me!

This fiber was really squished into it's braid. So I've been playing with it, trying to figure out the best way to fluff it back out and pre-draft it a bit. Any tips? I'm really just making this all up as I go along. lol!

And... here is the second 4oz of my "practice fiber". This one turned out really well. 328 yards/3.5oz, half an ounce was left on the second bobbin... guess I got a little more fine on that second bobbin. Oops! I am thrilled with my consistency for it being only my second skein!


We've got a busy week ahead... Miss N is turning FIVE tomorrow! FIVE?! How did that happen?!

Enchanted

Yarn: Radiant Twist, Fluff, Enchanted
Pattern: Itchy Fingers Longies

I think it's safe to say I've been "enchanted" of late. First off... these lovely longies knit up cooperating with me every step of the way. No worries about strange color streaks or pooling. Nope, they just knit up lovely. And... they are a perfect fit.

And then... the wheel!

I am in LOVE with my new Pioneer. It's just lovely. It's the perfect size to fit into my little corner of the living room. It spins like a dream. I love the engineering of it. That probably sounds weird, but I am an architect... if things aren't designed well it bugs the snot out of me!

Here are my first 4oz of fiber... it was on clearance so I got it for something like $5 a pound. The perfect price for your first few spins! I ended up with 110 yards of bulky weight. It's got some serious over spinning issues on at least one of the singles. But I've quickly gotten past that issue... I think.

And here are the singles for the second 4oz. They are much more even and thinner. We'll see how they ply up. I have a feeling some parts may be under spun. And I really need to be better about moving my guide to get the yarn on the bobbin evenly. On the standing up bobbin I was really forgetful and it shows!


I've also been battling a nasty cold. Isn't it a little early in the year for such nastiness to be going around?! Yuck. So there hasn't been much progress on anything around here for the last week. A little knitting, a little spinning, a little reading and lots of lying about. Hopefully I can get well so that I can really get going with the new wheel!

I just bought my first wheel!

I've been shopping... and saving up... but really I didn't mean to go so fast! For a while I've been reading up... getting to know them and their reputations etc... All weekend I was engrossed (driving my Hub crazy), on Saturday I tried out several at Paradise Fibers and got a feel for what I like...

Then yesterday I was reading the thread on the new Pioneer in the Majacraft group on Ravelry... well someone linked to a store in Oregon that had a USED Pioneer for only $375!!! I called just now and I guess the "owner" won it in a contest, gave it a test and then decided "Nah... I've got 5 other wheels, I don't want it." How lucky is that?! I can't believe it! The wheel was only released in September... finding a used one is just SO lucky!
I'm a little nervous since I haven't tried the Majacrafts but... I haven't read one person not liking them, so I went for it. I should have tried Hattie's Little Gem before she left us! It's just such a great deal. I'm sure if I totally hate it I could sell it in a heartbeat. She said if she can sweet talk them it'll ship today, if not tomorrow. YAY! It's coming from Woodland Woolworks in the Portland, OR area so it should be here pretty fast!

HERE is a nice thorough review of the wheel with pic's in case you're interested.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a little excited. I guess I need some fiber now...

Fall Knits

I don't know about you, but I've got myself a backyard FULL of leaves. My kids are loving it... they jump into the leaf pile as if it were a swimming pool!

Since finishing the set for the auction I've finished off a couple things for myself. First up... the socks I've been toting about for the last month. My official 'Socktoberfest' socks.

Yarn: Vesper 100% Merino, Mocha

Pattern: Plain Janes

Now, if you have a good memory you might remember me not loving this yarn once before. Since then she's started dying on a new base yarn and it is quite lovely. The nylon blend base I will still avoid, but this lovely 100% merino. Yum. I couldn't quite get the stripes to end the same. I have a feeling it's because I knit most of the second foot while we were at the hospital for Miss N's eye surgery earlier this week. I just may have been feeling a little extra tension. However, the patient and the socks both came out looking great. And, now Miss N and I both have stripey frizzle socks.

With fall being all around me, this yarn called me from the stash. It's the yarn Hub picked up for me at Knitty Gritty Yarn down in the Tri-Cities. I was not sure what I was going to do with it as it was only 50g, but fall inspired me to knit up a thin scarf. More of a pretty acessory than something to keep warm. But really perfect for fall.

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay, Manos Silk Blend, only 50g!
Pattern: Drop Stitch Scarf

Don't forget to check out the fundraiser, Celebrating Colleen goes until Tuesday!

Choclate and Cream Set for Colleen

Patterns: Seamless Infant Kimono, Itchy Fingers Longies
Yarn: 100purewool, 3 ply merino, chocolate & creama

I'm having trouble doing the usual oohing and ahhing over these items. They are lovely. They are very soft and yummy. But for me, they signify that something tragic has happened. A wife was lost, a mother was lost, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, and a friend... lost. It seems so insufficient to show how much she was worth on this earth. She was such a unique fun and caring friend. She posessed such a lightness of spirit. She was so silly and fun. I miss her. And I know her family misses her more than I can even imagine.

So go, visit the fundriaser at Tiny Lady Cooperative. All funds will go towards her childrens college fund. She wanted us to look out for their future for her. Go, buy, bid and bid often! It all oficially starts on Tuesday October 28th and will run until November 4th. There is something for everyone!