where have I been?

man, I'm all crafted out. I've got 3pair of socks going and I have all the inspiration of gutter. Second sock syndrome has set in in triplicate. I have embroidered a few arrows on to my converse, but right now, I'm mostly occupied with school. On the 11th I'm registered for a beginning karate class so I'll be missing craft night for 6weeks. bummer, but also YAY! because I've wanted Karate scince I was old enough to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Chuck Norris movies.

and now, a map of every state I've ever been in....although the east coast is a bit hazy because I wasn't paying much attention when we were there.


create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

Nothing here but jack'a'lopes

I'm not even looking at any of my knitting right now. gar. It can all burn in flaming hell. Spinning is good though, it can stay in my good graces for the time being. especially since I added my ghetto ass cardboard whorl to the bottom so that the stuff that I've already spun doesn't fall off the end.

Also I've gone back to school so 'ya' me.

spinning around

Gandhi used a spinning wheel, did anyone else know this?

First off, new exchange student from Germany. Second off, new yarn from Germany. It's 12 balls of dark pinkish/Red Violet, defiantly a kool-aid dye. I'm mostly sure that it's 100% wool but the label says "Ren ny uld" so that could mean kangaroo for all that I know. It is also very likely to be handspun, but I can't say for certain, but the single ply and the chunky/semi-bulky twist look a lot like what I got the first few times I tried to spin. There is enough for a top-down sweater which is awesome because I wanted to start one before Katrin leaves the country because when I need help, she's already got tons of experience.

I've begun seriously looking at spinning wheels, because I finally looked at the amount that I have in savings, and realized that I've got enough to get a fairly decent wheel. I'm going to take my sweet ass time looking at them, I don't intend to commit to anything until late September or October. This will be a very important decision, because I don't want to feel like I've made an impulse buy on something beautiful but impractical, nor do I want to end up with a serviceable yet fugly duckling. An hour ago, I wanted an Ashford castle wheel, because they are the ones that I see the most at shows, but now after browsing a bit, I'm not so sure.

There are two kinds of spinning wheels, castles, which are more common among modern spinners, and saxony, which is the more traditional spinning wheel that you see in old European paintings. The Castles are smaller, and easier to transport, but they aren't elegant like the saxonies.

I'm also unsure about brand. My first drop spindle was an Ashford, but to me they always appear to go for the ultimate utilitarian style. Normally, I'm all over that kind of simplicity, but I took a look at the Kromski's and they are much more detailed(also, they're from Poland).

Even more confusing is figuring out whether I want a single or double treadle; And if I want a single or double drive. And if I want a big or small wheel.

So far my favorites are:

Kromski Polonaise so, so pretty

Kromski Minstrel pretty, and practical

Ashford Traveler Simple and efficient.

Majacraft Professional an interesting and simple shape to this one

Jensen Debbie Gossip Wheel This one is particularly interesting because two people can use it at once

Coolness at craft night

T'was awesome last night at craft night, we were talking about shawls and how my stupid yarn was taking forever to ship in, when I mentioned this gorgeous shawl that I wanted to make. I was describing it, and the lady asked me what book it was in. So I told her it was "Folk Shawls". She pointed to the woman next to her, and lo' and behold it was Cheryl Oberle the author! Ain't that cool!

Also, I started and finished off another baby sweater, and started a blanket with the scrap yarn I've accumulated. It's fairly simple, I just knit 333stitches, then switch colours, and knit back leaving a long tail. I'm also working a pair of socks still, and I've got second sock syndrome so there taking a long while.

Follow the bouncing ball

Last night was fun, I went to the Buffy Sing-along! wee! It was supper fun being less rowdy than Rocky Horror, and more lewd than Sound of Music. A happy medium. There were goody bags with "grr-arg" finger puppet monsters, kazoos, vamp fangs and bubbles. Plus I got to it with the original NYC cast, four of whom are from good ol' Denver.

I've started the second brown/green/purple sock, although I'm only half heartedly working on it...same with my spinning, and all my other projects. I wish it was winter already, or at least fall so that maybe I could find some motivation.