Happiness and woe

I finally blocked the eye searing pink shawl, with some help from Peggy and Rebecca.





We didn't wet block it, since it's already freakin' huge. We pinned out the loops on the edge, very gently straightening and stretching, and then misted it with warm water. It's been done for several days, and I could have retrieved it tonight at the Feral Knitters meeting, but my car is in the shop (woe).

I also finished another Knit Along project, this time Cozy Socks for Kids (from 101 Designer One Skein Wonders). These are out of Cascade 220 superwash.

On a bookstore trip, I fell in love with some of the critters in the Tamie Snow's book Tiny Yarn Animals, so of course I had to get the book, even though my crochet skillz are sad. I really bought the book for the lemur, but I started with the elephant. He came out cute, and rather charmingly crooked.


Now I'm working on a lemur. At some point this evening, after 2.5 hours on the couch crocheting lemur bits, I found myself thinking that I could have used the time for something useful, like a sweater, or sewing, or house cleaning. But then I said lemur lemur lemur lemur lemur until I started giggling.

I've been working many days in a row (woe). My boss is very sick, and since we have a wee staff, that means I'm in the trenches until she's back on her feet. Since my car is in the shop, she's sending her husband to pick me up in the morning - that's the upside of working for a wee company.

Shawls and capes

I finally blocked two shawls that I finished knitting a long time ago, thanks to Peggy and Rebecca and their basement.


The melon shawl from Victorian Lace Today with a different border (I was running low on yarn). The yarn is handspun cormo/alpaca. I dyed it as roving and 2-plied. The color is washed out in these pictures - it's really a variety of soft greens.

Another spring lace scarf, from my own pattern. I started this one as an example when I was teaching a lace knitting class. The yarn is linen that I bought years ago at Stitches West. I have no idea who dyed it, but it sure is pretty. Now I just have to figure out how to soften it up without losing all the work we did blocking it.

Here's my first yarn from my new wheel. This is 4 oz of Reflections Farms roving, 3 plied. It's about 390 yards.

I also sewed a fairy cape for a friend's 3-year old daughter. I pressed the dogs into service modeling. Chloe was hiding at the time, perhaps wisely.



And finally, in the shameless self-promotion category: we're doing a series of "nifty gifty" classes at Bernina Northwest. If you sew at all, these are fun projects that make good gifts. You don't have to have a Bernina or even a sewing machine . Check out the details here.

New arrival

I got a new spinning wheel! She's made by Betty Roberts, out of apricot wood. You can't really tell in this photo, but the green inlays are sparkly.

I love love love it. However, that means I know have two beautiful Betty Roberts wheels that I love to spin on...

And that means I need to find new homes for the two wheels I am less in love with.

Ashford Joy single treadle. This is a folding wheel, and it comes with three bobbins and a padded carrying bag. $425.


Louet s-10 with skein winder. (The second picture shows it without the skein winder.) I learned to spin on this wheel. It's very easy to use and take care of. $325.

I'd strongly prefer to sell these locally. I'd be happy to give any buyer a spinning lesson. Contact me at m k morrow (at) yahoo dot com (take out the spaces and so on) if you're interested.