Stitches West

I am very happy with all that I got at Stitches West:0) Do you see all my goodies. I got 2 sweaters and a tops worth and of yarn from Miss Babs Superwash Merino that is so soft & squishy. I really didn't want to buy much yarn, but I also got an amazing deal on un-dyed sock yarn- so I got that. That was all I bought. I am very proud that is what I limited myself to. I did buy fiber, that is what I am allowing myself- fiber. I have to have fiber to spin right? I bought a baby slipper kit to for my nieces' newborn baby from Pick Up Sticks
I even bought an ear light, my family is teasing me over that one, but they get mad at me for having to watch movies with some light. So now I hope we will both be happy:0)

There where a lot of great Vendors there. I do have a few favorite. But because I am into spinning. My favorites are Urban Faunaand A Verb For Keeping Warm. I feel bad because I only bought one little thing at Urban Fauna, but they are great. Jamie & Blas are really nice people. In San Francisco we only have Urban Fauna or Carolina Homespun. The later is terrible- in so many respects, they act as if they are doing you a favor by gracing you with their presence. I haven't heard one nice thing about them- and I have talked to quite a few people. Sad really. But that is just one reason why Urban Fauna should do well.

Opps I forgot to add the picture of the sock in the last post. I have gone in and edited it. I have been working on sample socks and I have spun some!!!

I do not have the picture of this batt. I have more fiber to make more though. It does sparkle.



Bulky yarn from a batt


dkKnits- this will become a Thorpe link for those on Ravelry

I am knitting, really I am.

I have been working on WIP, only to decide when they are done that I don't like them. I have frogged them and not even taken a picture. I have been sample loom knitting socks, but I can't show those. I finished this sock on the loom, but now for me to make the partner.This is the Chevron Sock pattern listed on the side. The colors are off on this. I need to figure out the lighting!


I am in Stitches mode, I am going to go this year. I am working and stashing money here and there so that I have a budget, only what I have saved, and I don't have to feel guilty about it. I am only going to the market. Maybe next year with experience under my belt I will try the classes. The only problem is classes fill up so you have to book early, I am not that organized. We will see. I am super excited. I am going to stitches.

Free to a good home

She may look sweet and at times she may act sweet, but I am so ready to get rid of her. Oscar loves her and every bratty, terrible, destructive, thing she does- HE LAUGHS!!! I keep telling myself, she has to get better. I mean it can't get any worse. We went away for the weekend, we had a party for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary and she was home alone- well with the big dog in at night and our other cat. MIL came in and fed them, and to give a little attention if they want it. There are now new tares in our leather couch, blankets where spread around and a few cords where chewed on. I know it was not the big dog or the other cat- countless years of weekends and they have done nothing before. This is little miss naughty's 2nd weekend home alone, 1st out of her room. She was good for a few days after we got home. Then last night she forgot that she was being good. It started with her attacking my spinning, which is normal. Then I put it away and went to knitting, which I also had to put away as she is going to bite a hole through my needles- yes I would move her away. But when she is going to do something, she is going to do it. Then she got inside the couch, generally she does this and tries to attack you from within. But last night she got in and started doing her nail sharping. I could not get her out!!! Finally I gave up and went to bed. The other pets all followed me, as they all love to sleep with me, especially when Oscar stays up late and they get me all to their selves. Someone being the "group" kitty that she is follows. She keeps attacking all the pets and me through the blankets. I kick her out of the room countless times and she pushes the door open and comes on back to repeat her ritual of tormenting each pet and myself. Oscar tries to take her, but in the he ends tells me "Isn't she so sweet, she wants to be with you!"

Ugh, if I had to deal with her before I had kids, I would not have had any kids. None of my puppies or other kittens where like this. If I could only remove the blind fold she put on Oscar! But he loves her and adores her. Sure we will not have any furniture soon, but who cares- he has his little kitty. Well my New Years resolution is to try to to see her like he does, but it sure isn't going to be easy.

On pins and needles- not knitting related.

My oldest baby is having surgery today. It is not one of my kids, but the last of the pets that I had before kids. I was fortunate to have my childhood pet around when I had my children. Poor Tiny had to be put to sleep when Arianne was 4 and Logan was 2. We had 3 dogs prior to having kids. Tiny was the first to go. I need to scan a picture of her as all my photos of her are prints and no digital. Then Oct 2006 we had to put Thunder to sleep.

Tinyka, said like Tiny-Ka as a puppy looked just like Tiny and was her size, is having dental surgery. I know that it is not as bad as some other surgeries, but she is being put to sleep for the surgery and she is 12 years old- which is something for a big dog. I can't help but worry. I can't wait for it to be time for me to pick her up. She had surgery 2 years ago and I made plans to pick her up and to take care of her that evening. I ended up having a work emergency and was not able to pick her up- DH did and had her at home. He called me and told me to hurry home as all she kept doing was standing at the kitchen window staring out. When I got home she cried and cried. I calmed her down and she went to her bed and crashed. Every now and then she would wake up and look for me. As soon as she would see me, she would put her head back down and go to sleep.

Spinning, knitting, and more spinning

I am just loving spinning. I have gotten tired of a fiber, I have learned that spinning a fingering/sport yarn takes longer than a worsted weight. I am spinning this from AVFKW


I also fell in love with this fiber from Girl on the Rocks. I bought this at Color a Fiber Festival. Will post pictures when plied.


I have been working on this for the girl- I am done with 1 sleeve more than this picture shows.

Wordless Wednesday

New things poping up...

First we have added Kilala to our family. I am so out numbered on who I need to take care. What was I thinking. Although Kilala is sweet- she is a demon at times too. Just like her name sake. She makes one so angry, then with her sweet little purring or loving nuzzle, she makes you melt. Here are both little babies on my lap- no room for knitting.

Next I joined FreeCycle a few weeks ago, with the intention of decluttering. A few things that we could use have come up and I responded, but I didn't get an answer back. Finally yesterday I was working and was by my laptop and just happened to see a knitting machine come through. I responded as soon as it came through- I figured I wouldn't get it again. Well guess what- I got it:0) I can't wait to try it. She said there was a lot of response for it, so if I don't like it- I know someone else will take it. It has a video and everything! I bought one. I over paid on ebay and it was missing stuff:( No directions or anything. I can't wait to try it out. I need to quit working and work full time on crafting:0) Like that is going to happen!

Finally- good things happen in threes. Decor Accents has just announced a Wonder Sock Loom, in order to make socks with sock yarn you need an extra fine guage. No one else makes them. Up until now you had to order a different loom for every size. Now they have one loom you can use to make multiple sizes. Here is the info on the Wonder Sock Loom. If you visit, leave a comment letting them know I told you about it:0)

Green Merino

DSC00299
Originally uploaded by naominova

I finally got to spin a little. I tried spinning the first fiber that I bought to use with a spindle. I kept having it break off and then I couldn't get it started again. So I figured I would try this, which is a merino as well, only it is prepared a little differently. So after working on my wheel for a little while I learned that I should hold my fiber down from the orafice and not straight out from it. The wheels that I used before where like that. But the Lendrum is at an angle, as are some other wheels, so you hold the fiber lower.

I was thinking that my wheel hated me, but now that I have figured that out- I am happily spinning. I wish that I didn't have to work or clean or anything else- so I could just spin away:0)

It's here!!!!

I ordered my wheel several weeks ago, but it was on back order. Everyday I would check to see if it was back in stock, but no luck. On Wednesday night I check email and had an email confirmation from UPS, I thought what could this be from? I saw that it was from WoodLand Woolworks. I was so excited. It was to be delivered on Friday. On Friday I didn't want to leave the house, but I also realized that I could wait all day for nothing. I didn't want to take Logan to school. Instead of out usual walk to school- I drove. A 10 minutes drive was less time than the 40 minutes it takes for me to walk him there and then walk back.

The time arrived and my packages came, it turned out we could have walked.
I opened the boxes, but I needed to clean the house, so the spinning was going to have to wait. I got a Lendrum Complete Double Tredle.
Last night I tried to spin, but it only lasted a few minutes. First Ricky, our cat, decided that my lap was calling him. Then Maya, lap dog, saw that Ricky was on her lap and had to come over and try to squeeze on. There is no way I could have taken a picture- my camera was not within reach. I gave them some attention and moved them from my lap. Ricky was happy to lay by my side, but Maya was staking claim to my lap. Finally she settled down in her bed, and I got in a few more minutes. I got in like a total of 30 minutes, but it felt really good. I noticed that with this wheel my spinning was finer. Also I need to work on not over twisting. But all in all after not spinning for long, having a month break, and my first time using this wheel- What did I expect. I never even tried it before I ordered it, so I need to get more of a feel for this wheel. I really do like it and my feelings of what I wanted where right. Now to escape the pets to get some quaility spinning time in.

SF Sock of the KAL

On Sunday we had our monthly meeting. We meet for coffee, knit, and visit. We had some people that couldn't make it, I missed last month. But here are the socks from everyone that was there that had finished their socks- lovely right? Mine are the brownish ones on the side. I am still trying to finish items- but besides the nutkin I have cast on a pair of leg warmers for the girlie girl. I need to work on finishing Logan's sweater and socks. Logan's socks need another inch of ribbing and his sweater needs the neck and to be seamed together. I am hoping to get those done this week and to do the remaining leg warmer. Monday I am casting on Wicked in the most beautiful Silky Malabrigo in the color Plum Blossom. I am just dying to swatch it, but I have to finish at least one of the above mentioned projects. I am really going to have to work on having a 2 project maximum- but then again, who am I kidding!

Urban Fauna Studio

We had a brick and mortar fiber store open!!! Yesterday was the opening. It was very busy. We had to be there for the opening. I have been trying to spin for a while on a spindle and recently started on a wheel. Here in San Francisco we have a , as in 1, spinning vender that is not very nice, makes up her hours as she feels, and in general I don't see why she does what she does if it is such a bother to her. So it is very exciting! It is a small store with a ton of stuff. It is more spinning/felting related than a yarn store. But we do have other yarn store here in SF, but we don't have a fiber store. Above you can see the goody bags that they gave to all the customers, if you made a purchase they gave you a bag. I have 2 in the picture above because by 11 year old daughter spent her own money and purchased some stuff too. My purchases where mainly fiber a few fiber tools. Also there is the goodies from the goody bag:0)

The where a ton of people there so I hope that business goes really well for the owners. The line took forever, the software they are using is good- once it is all set up, but there is bound to be a few qinks on any opening day. They had some demo's going on and had mini-cup cakes to help you pass the time. Here are the pictures of the line and the demo.


Now to show you the store and it's wares. I did not get to capture everything as there where a ton of people and the store is little.

Crocheted Maya

Maya's color is really hard to find. Her wrinkles will take more work and her nose is the same color as her. I will make another one with revisions. Maya likes it, she took its head off once already. I have a few projects and my spinning to fill my time. It was a 2 night project- I might be able to do it in one night depending on the movie. It has it's cuteness but it is not what I wanted.

Making a skein

It is closer to being yarn that it was before!

Plying on wheel

Look how good it looks while plying and on the wheel it is so easy- I have not tried on a spindle if it is like spinning.

Plying on a wheel

I am really loving spinning. My knitting/crocheting has taken a back seat to my spinning. I tried on a spindle, it was okay. I just love spinning on a wheel. First the plying

It's not pretty, but it is mine!

Learning to spin on a wheel!!!!

I am taking spinning classes- it is very cool in that we get to take home a wheel each week and have homework to do. The first week we carded fiber and treaded the wheel. The second week we got to spin!

KAL- Sock A Month

I found a knit along to knit a sock a month. I have yet to knit with any group so I figured this would be kind of cool. I took Arianne along with me, just in case so I would not be lonely. Arianne likes to look at patterns and find things for me to make her. We had a nice time and I got to meet knitters. We had coffee and then went yarn shopping.

I have been knitting

It has been so long since I last posted. As everyone, work, kids, and life are always consuming my time:0) I am actually pretty lucky so I can't complain.

I am trying to work on knitting ADD, it is really hard to see a project all the way through. I have completed 3 hats, 2 needle knit and 1 loom knit. A felted yoga bag, it is too small.

I am working on a sweater for my son- I need to finish it up before he has out grown it. I frogged a pair of socks for him recently as he has grown. I am not casting anything else on the needles until I have finished:
Sweater for DS- working on last arm, need to finish neckline, and then seem up.
Socks for DS- frogged first pair- 70% done, this time I have finished the toes- knitting the pair.
Socks for DD- 1 sock is done. Having the second sock syndrome.
Sweater for DH- only finished the ribbing for the front.
2 Monkeys- The principal and a teacher asked me for a Bono - see blog post below, I have 1 Bono 50% done.

I know that if I go through my stashes I will find more things that I need to finish, but I think the above is a good goal for me to get through before I let myself cast on a new item.