No blogging of late

There has not been much in my blog world since I have been doing this


And this


It's mostly for the RI Sheep and Wool Festival to be held May 19th at Coggeshall Farm and Museum. Some will go up on the etsy shop. I have alot of sock yarn to get moving on too.

I also got these finished


The Weavers Wool Shawl. What a great pattern. I had bought some roving from a fiber supplier last year (can't remember the exact one) that had leftover bits and pieces from their machine. I guess this is similar to the Beast that I have heard so much about. It isn't the softest yarn in the world, but it certainly matches anything!

And my scrumptious feather and fan shawl that I finished from some of my first handspun. It is softer than a baby chick. I Love it!!!

Happy Birthday to my Boy

My furry boy, that is


Yeah, I know - I should have more kids. It is amazing though how these furry creatures just melt your heart. When we lost him a couple of weeks ago for a day I thought I would die. He is just such a part of our family that I cannot imagine not having him here with us. I know that dogs only live so long. I am hoping we have many more years left with him.

It seems like yesterday that we got the phone call saying he was here. Friends of ours were breeding their Lab and were expecting the litter any day. It was so exciting to go over there and see all the puppies. We got to put his purple collar on him so we could claim him in 6 more weeks. He was so tiny and cute.

Now he is 100 pounds and thinks he's a lap dog. Love ya Magnum!!!!

Completion Issues

I started another "simple" project that has been on my list. The Weavers Wool Shawl. I like the pattern - pretty easy to memorize by row 10. I have been anxious to make a small shawl with some of my handspun. Problem is...... this is some of my first handspun, and while it actually is nice, it just isn't real soft. I find myself not wanting to work on it.


I am determined to finish up the three skeins I have on this shawl. Even if I don't like the end result it will then become a gift for somebody.

Tough to work on that when I have this waiting for me to

Isn't it dreamy looking? I have 12 ounces of it and I am not sure what it wants to be yet. I might even just spin some nice singles and use it as that. That's the only reason I have not started spinning it. I know - I have to finish what's on the bobbin for the Rabozo Shawl.

I have.........completion issues.

Knitting and Nature

One of the things I love about where we live is that you can get up early in the morning and see 8 deer grazing in your back yard and then see this

I did try to get a picture of the deer - really I did. But as things naturally go around here, my cell phone was in the car (would have to pass the deer to get it and photo op would then be gone) and my camera batteries were charging. And, to add to it all, we had just let Magnum out to go potty and he was almost toe to toe with a 6 foot tall deer and his friends. They stood there looking at each other for a while. I'm sure Magnum was thinking "Wow, and I thought I was a big dog". After about 4 mins. the deer puffed up their tails, made a snorting sound and walked off.

I woke up early Saturday morning and put my rocking chair in front of the sliding door and just knit, rocked, looked at nature and listened to some old podcasts. It was heaven. I can't wait until I can sit out on the deck in the morning and knit with my coffee. Another couple of months before the weather is warm enough for that.

I do love where we live - it's just missing two things. More land and less cold weather. We know that one day when Nicole graduates we will be heading down south someplace. We are looking at land options now. We would love to at least have a few acres and then build something later on. If it weren't for the land situation here I might be tempted to stay. We have a tiny lot - 70'x80', but it appears so much bigger because our neighbors have huge lots with rolling hills.

House prices here have gone through the roof. We only bought this house 5 years ago and it is worth four times what we paid for it. And that was before we added the second floor. I am not sure what the value is right now (OK, the value when it is actually finished one day in the murky future).

Not much knitting done this weekend. A decent amount of spinning though. I am getting ready to start the Rabozo shawl as soon as I spin up the rest of the bobbin and ply it. I was originally going to spin everything up then knit, but I see so many others that spin a bit, knit a bit, etc... So I will try this.

FO's

Well, maybe not REALLY an FO. Just half of it


Can you see it? My doggie loves to model for me. It's part of a b-day gift (shhhh). Working on sock #2 now.

Another project complete


Yes, books to me are projects because they take a heck of a long time to finish for me these days. Darn yarn gets in the way!!! I heard on a podcast recently (can't remember which one) about a gal who knits and reads at the same time. I have a hard time walking and chewing gum most days.

Anyway, book was a good read. She has another one coming out May 22nd. I highly recommend it. I am now about to start Friday Night Knitting Circle. I want to finish it because the movie comes out next year.

On to finish some cleaning before the weekend gets here!

Winter Temps - Spring Yarn

I was so inspired over the warm 56 degree weekend to dye some new springtime yarn. I woke up this morning to 15 below wind chills! Spring anybody????

This got me in a warmer mood though

It reminds me of the Easter Bunny.......

Remember the yarn my GS troop spun? It became this


It is going to a girl in another troop in our community who was just diagnosed with leukemia.

Good Morning Monday

Ready to face another week............

I did go over my knitting lists last night and feel a bit more organized in my head at least.

I have 3 pairs of socks going (a pair for me, 2 gifts - one due at end of March). I am spinning for my Rabozo Shawl

Spinning from the bale.......

I just love the alpaca that I spun up. It is soooooo soft.

And the hat that I finished last week needs some felted mittens to go along with it. I am casting on for those today.

Where am I????

Sorry it's been so long since I posted - don't know where the time has gone. I guess I have been just pre-occupied with life in general and not alot of fun knitting/spinning news to share.

Basically, I have been knitting gifts (since December). I gave my hubby an alpaca scarf and a ski mask for Valentines Day since he got no hand made gifts for Christmas. I have a couple of other gifts on my needles that I can't share right now.

Half my yarn has been sold on etsy . I have been cooking more this weekend. Yesterday I got this done


Now that spring is approaching I thought more pastel colors would be more in demand. Today in the dyepot we have this


It looks nice and bright now, but it seems that the more it dries the more muted the colors become. I am still pleased with all results so far. I should have the etsy store updated by tomorrow evening.

I am spinning yarn from the bale from the Sheep Shed Studio. It will be part of the Robozo Shawl from Folk Shawls. It is one of my longer "work in process" projects. I need to take pictures of it. It is real nice to spin and pretty soft. And I have LOTS of it (right Pat??).

We went to the Knitters Breakfast at Fabric Place. Enjoyed spending the time with my wonderful friends who share my obessession, but the breakfast wasn't as much fun as the one in the fall. Got some yarn for a gift I will be knitting soon (again, can't say much about it yet).

Today will be spent getting my knitting schedule in some sort of order. Not that I want to turn it into "work", but I have so many projects that I want to either start, have started, or need to start (or just cancel my lofty aspiration altogether). I have project bags all over my house. Need some direction here folks. I hope to feel more in order by the end of today.

Enjoy your Sunday!!!!