Goodbye, January

I finally figured out how to move photos around, so be prepared...


I hate Jaunary, if only because it means the start of tax season, but it does give me some great sunrises. This is in color. We haven't had rain in over 100 days and there's quite a bit of dust in the air. These clouds came to naught, but they sure made me run for the camera. These are my dogs, Greta and Max. They are wonderful dogs, and were worth waiting 15 years for.
In knitting news, I finished Lexie's backpack. Had to snap two pieces of fringe off my bike chaps to tie the button and make the loop. I think the felting was a blast and I now have more of that Noro Kuryon to make myself a tote. This pattern was "Amanda Backpack" from http://www.blacksheepbags.com. I moved the straps to one side so the pack would be off center, and added the button. The gray yarn is my first homespun. It was a little thicker than I'd like but it adds a nice texture to the center.

Now, here's what's on the needles. Snowdrop Shawl by StephanieI bought the yarn on Ebay, a very soft and easy to knit wool, and I like the brown/pink mix. The pink is nearly transparent on the birch needles. I have 6 or 7 repeats to go. These rows are getting pretty darn long.

Morning sky

This was the eastern sky from my back yard a couple of weeks ago. One positive of being in a drought-stricken desert city is the amount of dust. OK, so that's not a positive thing, unless you make Swiffers for a living, but the dust causes some really spectacular sunrises/sets.

What I found

I have decided, after a few weeks of research (not enough I know, but I am impulsive) on the Louet S10 for my first wheel. I found a used one which is being shipped from overseas and should arrive in about 6 weeks. That will give me time to a) recover from the back surgery I have scheduled for 2/1 and b) amass enough roving to have plenty to play with. I am very excited about this. I have tried drop spindles, which I really enjoy, but I don't like the stop/start aspect of them. So, here's what it looks like. The hole in the wheel is so that it will stop when I stop, and this model is purported to be a good beginner's wheel (and I am certainly that).

Wish me luck!

Handspun? Me?

Jaime asked for a picture of her scarf. Here it is, knit with Stermann Pharao Cotton. I really enjoyed this project, even the little bobbles, knit from the center to each end.

Now, on to the subject at hand: I knit with my very first handspun over the weekend - added an 8-row stripe to a felted backpack I'm making for a birthday gift for the granddaughter. Started with a purple Cascade 220 for the bottom and some rows up the sides, then switched to a Colinette bulky for a few rows (a little too bulky as it turns out, but it will make a pretty neat stripe), then a skein of Noro. I looked at my lumpy, bumpy, too-twisted (or not twisted enough, as the case may be) grayish/blueish yarn and thought "why the hell not?" It was a bit thick, but I think all will be forgiven after the felting. I am now back to the second skein of Noro, to reverse the striping, and will do the rest in the Cascade.

This has been a great experiment for me, and I'll post a picture when it's done, before and after felting.