Thursday, April 17, 2008

Getting there...



First "real" yarn from some of my own handdyed roving. The Purple Heart turned out some really pretty singles. I navajo plied a couple of yards, but they didn't move me very much... too bulky. So now I have 220 yards of some fingering-weight singles. Probably barely enough for a sock.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

ka-RAP


Okay, I am told everyone starts out spinning this way. Good to know I'm in the median. I named this one "Arbor Day" for it's halloweenie orange and black colors (but you might have to watch the cult cartoon "Dave the Barbarian" to get that one).

I'm probably going to end up making a market bag of some type out of it. What the hey, the darling daughter can use it next Halloween for her candy haul.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

First Wheel Spun


FirstWheelSpun
Originally uploaded by Diela360
Finished this sometime last night while watching Stephen King's "The Mist". My new wheel is great! The movie was great too, until the last TEN SECONDS. Then it went to crap. No spoilers, but couldn't movie directors at least keep the basic emotional TONE of the book/short story? That ending was just... wrong.

This roving was part of what came with my Louet spindle beginner's kit. Scratchy, but easy to spin. Once I finished it, I started in on some of my Twisted Fiber Arts roving in "Batty", but then my knees complained too much from being in the same place too long.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

It's Here!

My Kromski FINALLY arrived. It was supposed to be here last Friday, but after the box hit Houston, it disappeared for three days. I called the nice people at Paradise Fiber and they initiated a package trace. UPS system got jogged loose and it finally showed up again... in Colorado! It took it this long to wend its way back from near-oblivion. The newbie delivery guy (20 if he was a day, and not my usual delivery man) was probably a little pissed off that I made him wait while I inspected it to see if it was damaged, but if you'd seen this:

you'd have made his behind wait also. Not to mention I was a little ticked off at the kid since I was supposed to have gotten three other packages yesterday, and he tried to slack off by saying I was not available to sign for it. I am home all day, every day, and usually knitting about three feet from my apartment door. I was home, and nobody knocked. He just didn't want to schlep my case of plastic wrap up a flight of stairs. The college kids had better learn fast that they can't pull that kind of slacker crap on my route, because I'll call their supervisor every freaking time. Ahem. Anyhoo...

Here's the baby in its plastic wrap fresh out of the bag.

After reading the setup directions (which were pretty simple since it's just folded into the carry bag) and installing the scotch tension eyehooks, etc. I had a little trouble getting it to where I wanted it tension wise. I'd read the instructions several billion times and the mother of all doesn't adjust up and down as easy as they make it sound. But that's another blog... :D

Anyhow, here's my new baby, all set up and looking pretty. I'm happier with the walnut finish than I thought I'd be. And I can definitely see the TV over her. :D My first wheel-spun yarn will be tomorrow's blog.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Socks Finished!!


100_0313
Originally uploaded by Tilandra
So this is my third-ever pair of socks, completed fairly painlessly. Cookie A's "Monkey" pattern using Twisted Fiber Works' "Batty" colorway on an Ariel base. Dang comfy.

Hubby tried to glom onto them while I was finishing the second sock, but no way, Jose!

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Crafting sub-cultures

Lately I've been hearing a lot of stories about local yarn stores (LYSs) and strange, rude, or snobbish behavior on the part of the owners and/or their staff. In part I think the behavior stems from something I've personally thought of for years as a kind of compartmentalization that crafters get when they fall into a social group.

I've tried it all... beading, quilting, knitting, chainmail jewellry, and in every single one of these groups, I'll see trends towards some really *hideous* pieces. Yes, they are creative. Yes, they take a technique and stretch it to its limits. But would you ever f******g wear the damn thing? It comes from being so focused in your little tiny group world that you forget the world at large.

This is what I think happens to LYSOs. They have their little cronies, who come in regularly and sit and knit, and praise them to the high heavens. They all knit the same things. They all like the same yarns, the same colors, the same, the same, the same. Woe betide the newbie who wanders into those sacred halls, because you are NOT THE SAME.

Step out of your narrow view. Believe it or not, some people like to knit socks. Believe it or not, some people like colorwork. Believe it or not, some people will wear the fabulous Turkey Hat of doom, and like it. Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

Learn tolerance people. And if you want my money, you must be extra tolerant. Even if a Pac-Man scarf is not for you.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

You just gotta laugh at a chicken...

To digress from the fibery goodness, while indulging my LOTRO obsession briefly today, I was greeted by a splash page that featured a link to this:

http://www.lotro.com/amonhen

This has to be my favorite April Fool's of all time.

On the fiber front, I received my tracking number for my Kromski wheel... scheduled delivery? FRIDAY! (cue the Hallelujah chorus)