Well I didn't intend to fall silent. But life happens. Work has been a bubbling cauldron of turmoil, but I'm hopeful it has gone down to a simmer at least. I've been spinning and spinning and spinning. I'm slowly rebuilding my stock. I applied to be a vendor at the DFW Fiber Festival but sadly did not get a spot for 2013. You know I'm an adopted Texan. I lived there for many years, Anna was brought home to Dallas from China. I've always called her my Chinese Swedish Texan baby. I was sad that we could not come to Dallas in April as a vendor for the festival, I was encouraged to resubmit my application for the 2014 event as they are moving to a larger venue and they will have more spots for vendors. So I'll see what happens next year. This means however, that I'm probably taking the plunge this year and applying for a vendor spot at Shepherd's Harvest. I'll do Yarnover again as well. So that makes a busy spring schedule for me. So I need to keep spinning as much as I can to ensure I have a good supply of skeins for both events. Stay tuned.
One of the issues I've had with blogging is I used to do my updates at work on my lunch or breaks. They've since blocked all access to so many web sites to rein in the data usage. I get it, but it really has been a challenge for me to change my routine to include finding time to blog and upload pictures etc from my home computer. While it is fine, it isn't nearly as nice as my work computer so I'm working through the picture issues.
In an effort to continue using my handspun when I do knit, I needed new mittens. I wore my last pair literally out. My mittens I've worn for the last 3 years were the first stranded things I ever made. I loved them and last year as spring finally crept into Minnesota I realized the thumbs had completely worn out and had holes. So I grudgingly threw them away. Thinking, I have MONTHS to knit a new pair before it gets cold. ya well, guess what. It is COLD (finally) here. In fact, it snowed. Yes there is snow on the ground. Which means my hands are COLD. So a couple weeks ago I started knitting. I pulled a pretty 3 ply, goldish but with flecks of reds/browns in it. I found a fun pattern that was simple and would show off my handspun (I'm going to try and insert the links but probably not right now, stay tuned) so I started knitting. After a few inches I realized it was geared for Sasquatch, so I ripped it out, went down a size (I have large hands, really I've never had to downsize ANYTHING for my hands) and started knitting again, got past the last spot, felt it was better, kept knitting. Until I forced myself to admit that yes, they were still too big, this time merely grizzly bear big. RIPPPPPPP again. sigh. Now I was knitting using the smallest size. SMALL? for my hands? really? But that seemed to be just right. So knit, knit, knit. The third time is the charm. I gloated as I happily knit away, now I'm past both spots I ripped back and am merely working on the thumb gusset. Yes it fits just fine I say, knit, knit, knit. I happen to look in my knitting bag, oh no. Turn away, keep knitting, knit, knit, knit. peek back into the bag. sigh. Slowly take out my yarn cake. My full big yarn cake that now that my mitten is 3/4 done, is not so full or big. It is not so cake like, rather more CUPcake like. I slowly take out my scale, weigh my cupcake of yarn, weigh my perfectly fitting 3/4 mitten. And sit down hard. I do not have enough yarn to make TWO mittens. sigh. Two mittens for two hands is pretty much a requirement here in MN in January. Or you will find yourself with only one hand, which while would solve the mitten dilemma would create all sorts of new issues in trying to knit or spin with only one hand. So yes, you guessed it. I ripped it out yet again. I swear I haven't had this much trouble knitting something that will fit since the Ninja socks. See the saga here Ninja wins . And we all know how that turned out! But I carefully RIPPPPPPEEEEEDDDD it out yet again. And went back to the basket of completed handspun. Rethought where all my issues had been and reselected a yarn, this is still golden, a BFL and silk blend so it will be plenty warm and in an effort to be sure I have enough yarn, I'm adding a commercial yarn for part of the cuff section. And restarted it for a FOURTH time. After knitting a lot in the last 2 weeks I've finished the cuff section and am starting on the hand. Only time will tell if these mittens will follow the Ninja socks or whether I will finally triumph. Frankly? I'm betting on me.
p.s. - if you are still reading, thank you. You are more than kind. I'll work out the picture kinks soon.
