Retirement

Apparently I cannot keep up a blog while trying to keep up to date on Ravelry, Plurk, Flickr, Pinterest, etc. etc. etc.  Looks like my last blog post was in October.  That's really too bad, I have done a ton of stuff since then.  Had a fabulous time at Interweave Labs and met the knitting elite Annie Modesitt, Alice Starmore, Nancy Bush, Cookie A, Nancy Marchant, Romi Hill and rode the elevator with Meg Swansen.  I bought lots of wonderful things in the market where I met more designers, Kira Dulaney and Carrie of Irish Girls Knits.  Spun on a Schact Sidekick. 

I finished lots of projects and spun some beautiful yarn, but I don't have the time or inclination to post and labels the dozens of pictures I took.

To make a long story short, I am going to retire the blog for now.  If I ever quit Plurk or Ravelry, or both I may pick this back up.  In the mean time - there will always be a link to my Flickr photos (projects, handspun and stash enhancement) and I am paletpc on all social networks.  See ya' around.

Socktoberfest Fail

I am a little disappointed I only got to knit one pair of socks for Socktoberfest.  I have 2 single socks without mates that I did not get to work on.  Oh well.

I wanted to try this super bulky yarn from Berroco called Link.  The scarf pattern on the label calls for a US 50 needle which I happen to have.  I used a US 19/15 mm needle instead of the US 35/19 mm needle called for in the online version of the pattern.  I would not buy a set of needles that size for a single project.  I am happy with the drape of the scarf knit on the size 19 needles.  I have another skein in grays, I am going to make a second one.  They take less than an hour to knit.

Happy Halloween

I finished the Knitabulls Knit Along for the Dancing Batty Shawl. I also posted it to the Nerd Wars 2011 Technical - Colortastic Challenge, Yarnivore, 11 Shawls in 2011, and the stash downs in the Dramatic Knits and Blooming Knitter Ravelry Groups. Yeah, I gotta a lot of yardage out of this small shawl.






I have also completed the Nerd Culture - Best Dressed Nerd Challenge with a lovely rendition of Luna Lovegood's Lion Hat.



The Scientific Challenge - Prehistory with a little Crocodile Love.



And last but not least the Super Summer Knitaway Knit Along. I chose WendyKnits Elizabeth's Cowl and used my Cloudlover Tempest handspun.



I think that catches things up well enough for finished projects.  I just started block 6 on the Log Cabin Blanket and I add rows and stripes to all of my other works in progress each night.  I have also done some spinning.  The Sheep to Shoe Kit in Jonagold is gorgeous, I cannot wait to ply it with the Petrified Wood. 

Nerd Wars - Really???

Okay as if I am not knitting shawls like a crazy person, I have thrown myself into the Nerd Wars for the last quarter of the year, Oct-Nov-Dec 2011.  I am still a little fuzzy on the challenges and everything, but I have submitted my first project and I hope it gets my team some points.  The challenge was to show team spirit by creating a birthday gift that would show your team members your knowledge and love of your nerd-om.  Which for me is Dumbledore's Army and all things Harry Potter.  I sorted into the Ravenclaw house, which is odd.  I am usually a Gryffindor.  It's all good though, I even rocked Slytherin in a swap group once. 

Who is the most creative person in the Potterverse after Mrs. Weasley?  And who is one of the coolest and nerdiest Ravenclaws ever?  Well Luna Lovegood of course.  So I created some earrings for Luna to gift to Hermione for her birthday.  I call them the Elder Wand of Invincibility Earrings.





The next coolest thing was finding pictures in my coloring book of both Hermione and Luna on facing pages wielding wands during a Dumbledore's Army Meeting.  You don't even have to be a nerd to see the sheer perfection in that.

From The Craft Table

On my craft table I have a stack of patterns that I have been wanting to get to for awhile.  There are buckets and bags of yarn ready to be wound and cast on under the craft table.

When I finished the last bear for the Mother Bear Project I cast on many new projects. 



One good thing about not having started them before Sept.  is that I ended up having better yarn selections for the projects.  For instance, the Mini Maiden in Cocoa I won from Lisa - Fibernymph and the Indigo and Bronze Age I was lucky enough to snag from a Hazel Knits update.  Otherwise, they would have ended up being knit in some various shades of blue that are in abundance in my stash.

A few shots of the really pretty ones, or at least the ones that are large enough that the fabric can be photographed.

Shaelyn in the Mini Maiden Cocoa Colorway


My Wish in Hazel Knits Indigo and Bronze Age


Log Cabin Blanket


Shawl in my Solar Flare Handspun - so soft


Pamuya in my Riders on The Storm Handspun


I cast on another Clapotis and I am casting on another shawl tonight.  October is all about socks and hats, mostly purple hats for Katie - Knittin' On The Fly click for babies KAL.  Socks for Socktoberfest.  November I will be going to the Interweave Lab and taking classes and enjoying some amazing keynote speakers - more on that later.

Podcasters Challenge 2011 News

I have been knitting along with some of my favorite Podcasters.  I finished the challenge knit along projects last night and I have knit two bears for the Mother Bear project bonus challenge.

My Scathach Hat I KAL'd with Katie from Knittin' On The Fly.





The Trenza Mitts I KAL'd along with Becca of Knit Bytes.





Tina of The Blooming Knitter's Bear



Dianne of Knitabulls's Bear



I want to knit more bears.  I am trying to finish the Green Mountain Shawl as well.  We'll see how it goes.  I am enjoying the Challenges, Lois of Knittings My Bag has done a wonderful job.

Holding

I am in a holding pattern. I am waiting for my Mother Bear Pattern to come so I can determine how many I can knit/crochet and what each entails. I confess, I want to do the bears wearing the cute little outfits.  I am not sure how that is accomplished.  I will be supporting a few of the participants in the Bonus Challenge of the Podcasters Challenge 2011.  We will be knitting and crocheting bears for the Mother Bear Project based in Minnesota. 

I want to cast on my Clockwork and My Wish shawls at the same time. I also want to start spinning one of my Sheep to Shoe kits.  I have 24 rows and the edging left to knit on my Camp Loopy Project #3 before I can cast on.  I can't decide which yarns to use for My Wish shawl, I like the fall colors in Carin's (Round The Twist) and the blues in JAKelsay's (Ravelry TKG Forum post) shawls. I have lots of fiber I could spin and make it out of handspun.  I have also been thinking about some of my fall/autumn Socks That Rock colorways like Witch's Brew and Gail's Autumn Joy.  Too many choices.

I have not located my partially completed Glenesk Cardigan.  I have looked for it two weekends in a row.  Bizarre.  I found the Henry VIII pullover and the Lismore Cardigan Kit, but no Glenesk.  I plan to go ahead and finish the Felted Clogs and the Drop & Cross Stitch scarf.  Those are the only other remaining projects on my 11 WIPS in 2011 to do list. 

I signed up for a hat knit along with the Sockbunny podcast.  I have two hats on my Christmas knitting list and I still have not knit any hats for myself.  So I will begin that KAL in September along with the Bears.  Seems like a lot, but none of these projects have deadlines except the Camp Loopy Shawl.  Everything else is to be knit or spun when and if I can.

Stash Dash Down and Loopy II Done

I have completed The KnitGirllls Stash Dash, I am over 6,000 yards now.  I have almost 23 bumps/skeins logged in for the DramaticKnits Stash Down.  I also completed the Camp Loopy Project II.  How did I manage all this you might wonder, let me show you.

Camp Loopy OWLIE socks


Eiffel Tower Shawl (unblocked)


I also finished the Lazy Katy scarf.   Which means two more projects off my 11 WIPS in 2011 list.

1. Ardeo Socks ** DONE **
2. Chocolate Mint Socks ** DONE **
3. Cobblestone Sweater ** DONE **
4. Drop & Cross Scarf
5. Eiffel Tower Shawl  ** DONE **
6. Glenesk Cardigan
7. Lazy Katy Shawl  ** DONE **
8. Martini Scarf - Shaken Not Stirred # Frogged #
9. Rudolph Socks ** DONE **
10. Sockolatte Mousse Socks ** DONE **
11. Tweedy Clogs - Felted Clogs

I am working on some self striping gradient stockinette socks until Sat. when I plan to pull out my Glenesk sweater and get to work on the arm hole steeks.



I have also predrafted these four little one ounce braids of fiber.  Not sure about how I will ply them.  There surely won't be enough yardage to knit anything except a crazy scarf.  The bump with the bright colors really does not coordinate with the other three.

I Am A Winnah

Tee Hee, I did win something after all.  The Painted Tiger Team had not drawn for all of the prizes yet.  Yep that's me, 4th from the top.  I chose the 4 ozs of fiber.  Whohooooo.  I am a winner.

Well lookie here! We have 8 qualifiers for prizes, and 8 prizes! Our little boy drew names, and here’s the results!
Fiber is 4 oz my choice of TPT fiber, or a $15 store credit (PM me your preference)
Critter is a charming bunny or bear generously provided by jillhefele. Please PM her!
Peanutbuster Fiber
galdriel Critter
paletpc Fiber
ripnknit Fiber
vyep Critter
Ariaya Fiber
moongdss74 Critter
PokiePurrls Critter
Thank you all for participating in the first ever Painted Tiger Team for the Tour. It was fun!

TDF Day 23 C'est Finis

The final day of Tour de France and Tour de Fleece.  I completely overshot my goal.  I wanted to spin 32 ounces.  Four ounces more than I spun last year as a rookie.  My final count was 38 ounces spun, that is over 2 lbs of fiber spun.

My Teams were:

• Cloudlover
• Crown Mountain Farms
• Fiber Optic
• Footloose 2011
• Julie Spins
• The Loopy Groupies
• The KnitGirllls
• The Painted Tiger
• The Peleton
• Phat Fiber
• Plurknit
• Natchwoolie
• Woolgatherings

I did not win any prize drawings.  I won 4 ozs of fiber in The Painted Tiger team drawing.


I did however make a lot of pretty yarn.







I will definitely participate again next year.  The total yards I spun 2,642 also put me over the top for The KnitGirllls Stash Dash with 4,705 yards.  So I completed the Tour de Fleece and the StashDash 2011 all in one fell swoop - pass the yellow jersey please  8-)

TDF Day 22

Fought with the tencel and won.  It came out really lovely.

TDF Day 21

First 2 ozs of The Painted Tiger Radiant Swallowtail.  It's tricky to spin tencel, but the fiber is so beautiful I am giving it my best shot.  This is the last 4 oz bump for my Tour de Fleece 2011. 

TDF Day 20

Today was the Challenge Day.  I have Navajo Ply fail.  I did not take any pictures of the plied Woolgatherings but it was a very frustrating and disappointing try at Navajo plying.  Luckily I have another 4 ozs of the same fiber and I can try it again.

I finished plying the Buttercream.

TDF Day 19

I spun the entire 4 ozs of Natchwoolie Merino Tussah Silk.  It is luscious, the colorway is Buttercream and that is a perfect description.



Next - and last - The Painted Tiger Radiant Swallowtail.  This fiber is gorgeous.  It is Merino Tencel though so I must go painstakingly slow or it breaks.

TDF Day 18

Cloudlover fibers are always a joy to spin, but this polworth is my new favorite.  Colorway Dionysus.

TDF Day 17

The Julie Spins unclub colorway Holiday has a bazillion wonderful colors in it.  I am going to knit the Yarn Harlot's One Row Handspun Scarf.

TDF Day 16

The Fiber Optic Pencil Roving in the colorway Sapphire has dryed.  I love the way it plyed up.

TDF Day 15

I finished spinning the Cloudlover Polworth in the colorway Dionysus.  I need to ply it tomorrow.  I love spinning Polworth.

TDF Day 14

Tonight I am plying the singles spun earlier in the week.  I got 246 yards from the Sapphire fiber.  I am about to ply the Holiday fiber.

I spent all day finishing the Daybreak Shawl designed by Steven West.  These pictures are of the unblocked shawl.  Not sure when I will get to block it, may be after Tour de Fleece.  The yarn is Schaefer Nichole Two-Fers in Mystery (main body color A) and Spruce (stripes and border color B).  I made the size large.

TDF Day 13

I added another ounce of singles to the Woolgatherings bobbin.



In other news, Camp Loopy Project II has been cast on.  I am starting with the Springtime Socks and I will cast on the Owlie socks tomorrow.  Still trying to finish off the border on the Daybreak as well.

TDF Day 12

I started spinning two new fibers.

Cloudlover Polworth in the colorway Dinysus.

Woolgatherings Mixed BFL in Turquoise/Lime Green mixed with the natural Blue Faced Leicester.

That brings my total number of ounces spun to 26. Well I will surely blow my last year total of 28 ounces out of the water at this pace. I have a lot of plying to do this weekend.