Eric the Polwarth

My last entry for the TdF did not get finished in time, as the visit to Atlanta happened. Hubby was happy, as was the girl and me, I love my new jeans! ;)

Anyhow, here it is in it's single glory!

Waiting patiently to be played with, ooops, I mean plied


The colorway named after Eric Northman from Trueblood.

I just happened to see this at Southern Cross Fibre's etsy site for pre-order. I got one for me and one for my spinning guru Megan. We both have a wee crush on him, so I thought this was perfect for us.

I spun it on my jumbo bobbin as I knew from the beginning it would be Navajo plied.

I am slowly getting better with my singles. You can see some awesome areas and some chunky ones.

It's so very soft and squishy, my first Polwarth spinning. The drafting is slowly getting better too.

Lookee here, almost looks like store-bought...almost ;)

It's bulky weight for sure. I'm trying to embrace that so far I spin dk-bulky weight. I hear all the time that once you start spinning sock/lace weight, it'll kill you trying to spin thicker.

Alright by me, one day the sock weight will come...the lace weight, hmmm I don't think so.


4 oz. Polwarth in Limited Edition Eric Colorway
Southern Cross Fibre new online store here
approx. 136 yds pre-soak and 10-11 wpi
post-soak and thwacking is 9 wpi
Soft and squishy bulky!! Will be a hat most likely...we'll see



How it all started out :)

Ten on Tuesday

10 things to do instead of watching TV

1. KNIT...hah, that was a hard one ;) Especially lace or a difficult charted project, something I need total concentration on.

2. Spin - I don't mind background noise, but really, I'm focused on drafting and trying to make an even yarn.

3. Read - Just finished Needles and Pearls, the 2nd book. The first one was really good! Now I have to start this one. I figured I had a long wait from the library. Not so, only a fast read. I have until next Monday to finish. Guess there are tons more people waiting in the queue.

4. Sleep - not many people I know get enough sleep ;0 one can always use more!

5. Clean/organize - yeah, something we all gotta do, but don't want to. Of course, I may be forced with doing a major one of these in a short amount of time in the near future....hmmm

6. Take a walk/run - Not around here until the sun goes down! Maybe this fall ;)

7. Bake/cook - baking, not right now! Cooking is a must, we gotta eat.

8. Other crafts - For me it would be to sew and dabble in some earrings.

9. Hang out with spouse - try to get interested in their hobbies. I did recently go shooting with hubby. I learned a lot. Especially how weak my wrists are, hmmm one would think that all the knitting I do would help. Maybe I need to spin more ;)

10. Bike riding/workout - again, in the fall!

I'm enjoying the Ten on Tuesday's, hope you are reading them. I missed one week, as I could only think of maybe 3 reasons to like where I live. Keep hoping one day soon I'll have some news....patience....

Twas...a hot one!!

The girl and I decided to go to Atlanta to visit hubby for the weekend. He's been at a work related course and in need of company. :) Of course it had to be over 100 degrees hot...

Friday was spent traveling, but Saturday we had the whole day to hang out.

This was her first subway ride. She was a bit nervous, but at least she wasn't the one who almost lost her ticket (yeah that would be me!)


Self portrait in the subway.


We didn't have a lot of time there (mainly Saturday) so it was decided (by the girl) to go to the World of Coca Cola. Hubs usually hates this stuff, but someone has him wrapped around her finger, and it isn't me ;)



In the 4D movie

Displays of decorated super large coke bottles

See outside the window, that is crushed up bottles used as roof decoration I guess. Thinking these ones didn't make the grade ;)

This one is of circuit boards, wild!

It's pretty cool the different ways the bottles are decorated. See the link at the end of the post, there are a few more there!

ETA: World tasting of coke products was quite interesting. You go up to the continent kiosk and fill or not your cup and drink. Whew, some people have interesting taste buds! Some I enjoyed and some got poured into the drain...

Centennial Olympic Park

Whew...heat index like 100+ degrees. This was awesome though. They use this park for a lot of venues. In fact there was a kid themed sports & recreation event which included wrestling...icky with the heat, I felt really bad for them.

But these kids loved the Fountain of Rings!


This is the Gateway of Dreams Sculpture. I only got the Olympic rings part of it.

I thought that was the best part.

The girl was excited to get her first Krystal burger...

The last time she had one she was only 4, so hard to remember 12 years ago ;)


ahhhh...yum!

On the way home, the GPS had us going I-85 instead of the way we came down I-95. I knew I wasn't going home the right way when I saw this....

Huge Peach!! Well the girl called it something else ;)


More trip pics here. Off to rest my arms...

Ten on Tuesday

10 things to bring on a camping trip!

Gosh..um..I haven't been camping in years!! I mean like over 20! Let me see if I remember! :D

1. Tent(s)
2. Sleeping bags, pillows, blankets...
3. Food & Drink(sealed well from the wildlife) better have graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmallows!! Yum, s'mores!
4. Cookware/silverware/plates, etc.
5. matches/lighters
6. bug repellent of all kinds!!
7. chairs/cushions
8. grill?? Do people bring these camping, talking about the charcoal ones.
9. swimsuits/towels if near lake or sea
10. Flashlights!! How could I almost forget them.

Exciting...not really, but it's what I remember :)

What did you do this weekend....

--Slept in late both days....ahhhhh
--Taught a heel class for toe up socks
--Saw Despicable Me & loved it. I loved the minons!! Lookee here, you can knit your own minion!
--Cooked dinner for my spinning guru (after a quick drafting lesson) & her mini-me

Sunday was lawn mowing day...

Love the smell of fresh cut grass. Finished the edging about 5 minutes before a thunderstorm hit.

So then I enjoyed some leftover White Sophia pizza...

Mozzarella & feta cheeses, spinach, and tomatoes on a pizza crust. No red sauce, just some garlic and olive oil...yum...and no I didn't make this, but I need too, would be cheaper I bet!

Then while it lightly rained and I could do no more yardwork...darn huh ;)

I spun on the porch....

Sitting on our new chairs, perfect for sitting and spinning away...oh and knitting too ;)


By nightfall, 4 oz done of my Trueblood Eric Polwarth...

He's "sleeping" now, waiting to be plied in a day or so...

Never enough time on the weekends is there? What did you do....

Day 13 Progress

Although posted on Day 14...confused yet???



2 oz done, 2 oz more to go.

I had someone keeping me company too, lazy thing!

Icey Caves

Presenting skein #3 of the 2010 Tour de Fleece


2 ply, 11 wpi
155yds of borsted weight (not a typo, according to the wpi chart, part worsted, part bulky ;)
4 oz. BFL/Silk
Ice Caves from Apr/May SAL
Allspunup

I finished the 2nd bobbin at the beginning of the tour and finished plying on Sunday. A lot of thick/thin areas too. I really had a hard time drafting this. It was not in any way the fiber, it's my lack of drafting technique. I am getting a bit better, and did so on the 2nd bobbin.

It's so soft and squishy too. It may look a bit wonky in places, but hey, it feels good!

This last week is the most I've spun in quite a while. I am enjoying it, and no I'm not spinning all the time, my wrists couldn't handle it. In fact, I've taken 2 days off from it.

Next fiber up is something bloody good...hmmm

The reveal!

All I can say is aaahhh alpaca! Yes there is a wee bit of silk in there too but it only enhances the soft and squishiness of the alpaca.

I'll just let you look at it for now ;)



I have a new yarn table, er...well I mean it's a new porch table. Perfect for yarn, fiber, projects...


This was my first skein that was started the day of the tour and finished on day 6, but was drying and waiting for it's photo shoot.


The alpaca/silk blend wasn't too bad to spin. I still need work on my singles.

But I really enjoyed the plying, that seemed to click for me. Hmmm wonder if I can just get people to spin my singles and I'll ply them...hmmm (don't you love this smokey shot! It had just finished raining and was still muggy outside)


3.9 oz Alpaca Silk (70/30) from Bee Mice Elf
Hydrangea Colorway
2-ply
10 wpi after soaking so a heavy worsted/bulky weight
approx. 125 yds

and here, we can't forget how it looked before!

Fiber Friday...

Just a sneak peak....



Just finished her spa bath and is drying now. She can't be bothered with pictures until she's dried just so...

One would think she's some sort of "special" fiber or something...

heh!

Wip's of the Week

Well here we have my Gnomey Socks

Afterthought heel row holder is in place (shhh just scrap yarn knit for 1 row) and about 1" of the leg is done so far. Yarn is Garden Gnome by sKNITches. Good relaxing knitting.



Started another shawl...

Wandering the Moor in Pluckyknitter MCN worsted....this is a gorgeous color (Bugle Boy) and is pretty true to the picture.


Liesl is getting some action, 10.5 needles...would love to be at the sleeves soon.



TdF progress 2 out of 6 bobbins plied.

Just waiting for a bath and photo shoot. Later today...maybe ;)

Ten on Tuesday

This week's topic is: 10 ways to enjoy Summer!

Mine will be some of my favorite memories as well as what I'd love to do. Living where I do, enjoying summer is very hard to do in the heat/humidity. Ahhh one day...hopefully soon ;)

1. Water balloon fights - hmm maybe I need to have one soon, since it's on my mind lately!

2. Hanging around in a hammock - reading, sleeping, just chilling out! I had one as a kid and miss it.

3. Canoeing or just lying on a float in the lake - although last year at this time I had just discovered kayaking. Oh to live near real lakes that one can enjoy....

4. Eating watermelon outside and spitting out the seeds as far as you can

5. Bicycle riding - in a non-humid place

6. Walking in the rain - well, actually I enjoy this here as it's usually not too cold. We are talking a light misty rain, not a torential downpour (which I usually am wearing a white t-shirt when that seems to happen though)

7. Climbing trees - um..yeah, definately in my youth, when I had no fear of heights! I had a special tree it was in the shape of the number 4. An apple tree I called my 4-tree. I would sit there and read for hours.

8. Swimming - in a lake vs. the ocean. I love being at the ocean, just don't like the saltiness of the water.

9. Daylight lasts longer

10. Smell of fresh mown grass...ahhh

Hope you are enjoying my Ten on Tuesday posts, wonder what next week will bring ;)

Spin meeeeee

Well the Tour has started! My fiber stash was calling to me...



Here is my goal (sorta) of fiber to spin. All are different fiber bases too. My goal isn't necessarily to spin this mound o'fiber, but to basically try different blends to see if I have a favorite.

I'll explain them more when they are spun...well except for the lower right one. That is almost 1/2 braid of superwash bfl wool I started in the fall. Not sure I'll finish that, I'm taking a wee bfl break right now ;)

Day 1

Superwash bfl/silk. Bobbin on left was done about a month ago, the bobbin on the right I finished on day 1.


Day 2

Alpaca/silk blend. Not too bad to spin. Alpaca's have very long hairs...I didn't know that ;)
There is about 2 oz or so on this bobbin. (1/2 the braid)

Here is the start of the 2nd half of the braid.

just got tired and needed a break.

Hope to finish this bobbin and ply today...guess I'll have to as I have no free bobbins now.

Ribbed Roses

Yep, another project off the needles...


Heel pic!


Toe Pic!


Lookee here! A Sock Rosebush!!

Evolution Ribbed Socks by Gilraen
Crystal Palace Panda Cotton - Roses Colorway, 2 skeins
2.5mm 40"circular - magic looped
Started and finished June 2010

No mods really, just wanted short cotton socks. Don't like the yarn that much, it is pretty splitty, however.....it wears so well and gets softer and softer in the wash..you know like a good pair of jeans! 3 yrs later and they are still holding up, no holes and soft!