Robin's sleeve

Several years ago I made myself a jacket by knitting sleeves and attaching them to a denim vest, and my sister, Robin, asked me to do one for her using blues, greens, purples. The first sleeve is finished and the 2nd one is started... as of tonight. Since she lives in TN and i can't try it on her for sleeve length, i've just put the live stitches at the cuff on a piece of yarn and will knit the 2nd to that length and sew them into the vest. when we get together again she can try the vest/jacket on, we'll adjust the cuffs as needed and i'll finish 'em off!!


and this is the stash o'yarn i'm using... mostly handspun, but includes some yarn i got in Crete last fall.

this is not an original idea... i saw one several years ago, then scored a denim vest at good will, looked at a sweater sleeve pattern which looked roomy enough, made 2 sleeves and sewed 'em in! i've worn the jacket so much that it's starting to look kind of ratty, so will probably be knitting new sleeves one of these days! goddess knows i've got enough stray yarn stashed around here for many projects! have been trying lately to reduce the stash and am failing miserably. i do have it better organized and uncovered several unfinished items which are now where they can be seen, and may inspire in me some incentive (or guilt) to get on with finishing.

another finished item.... a pair of socks for Jim. these are not as wild as my usual socks and are more "fraternal" than most, because that's what he wanted. i fiddled with the color in the editing program and just couldn't get the true red... which is really scarlet and doesn't look at all pink as the photo here indicates! also dyed some solid red and brown so i could make stripes and that was as wild as he wanted to go. the socks are specifically for his upcoming adventure!

he leaves next week for a trans-Siberian railroad trip.... and is really looking forward to it. He will fly into Beijing then take a train up thru part of Mongolia, across Siberia and spend a couple of days at the end of the adventure in Moscow and in St. Petersburg. Somehow, 3 weeks on a train just isn't the kind of adventure for me, so he found a small tour group to go with and i'll stay home with the dawgs.

answers and etc

for Carolyn... my "non" traveling most often used spinning wheel is my VanEaton oak double treadle wheel, 24", double drive (does also have scotch tension).

The other wheel i use a lot is my Ernest Mason chair wheel. After Mr. Mason died, his daughter took over making the wheels for a few years, but i don't think anyone is making them now. both of these spinning wheels are much-loved treasures.


and for Terry... although dhJim has come over to the dark side as far as tolerating the pink flamingo decor (he can't really get away from them), "Flamingo Jim's" is a not-to-be-missed shop in Rockaway Beach... has everything from the tacky to the sublime!!

thanks, Lori! yep... these bright rovings "with attitude" do seem to do well at Black Sheep Gathering!! hope that's true again this year......

newest photos

my new flamingo sweatshirt purchased in Rockaway Beach, OR at one of the tackiest, touristy, and crowdedest shops in my universe!

well, actually, it's just the pic on the front of the shirt... we all know what a sweatshirt looks like!
yesterday i got my new travel wheel... Louet Victoria, and tho i haven't spent a lot of time spinning on it yet... i like it a lot. it came with a carrying case, weighs about 7 pounds, sets up very easily.... and no, i have no affiliation with Louet other than liking their wheels! when it is folded up and in its case, it takes up about the same amount of space as my Journey Wheel, which i love and have no intention of selling!!

and because i've spent so much time lately with fibers and dyes, i took a photo of my latest most favorite color combo. it's Blue Face Leicester... the bundle sitting on top of a bunch of merino/tencel.

lovely weekend

got back this afternoon from a weekend in Rockaway Beach, OR with some twisted sisters. Jane, Linda and I went friday, got there just in time for lunch, then went to the rental office where we'd made reservations, and were able to get in early (gave them very pitiful, homeless type looks). we were able to rent a condo on the top (4th) floor overlooking the beach. it has big picture windows in the living room... and we watched a big rain/wind storm roll in, and went to bed with the wind howling and rain blowing hard against the windows. couldn't ever hear the surf. then by morning it was over and the sun came out and gave us 2 gorgeous days! we managed to work in a shopping trip, but spent most of the time spinning, knitting, grazing and catching up on each others' lives. then Sue, Alina and Alyse (Alina's niece) got there about noon, we made room for them to set up wheels, etc, and carried on as before. Had a delicious fresh crab salad for dinner!! while out shopping we went to Flamingo Jim's and i found the totally perfect for me sweat shirt. will take a pic tomorrow. i thought i was really finished with collecting things flamingo, but could not resist this... and got lots of enabling encouragement from the sisters!

And now must get busy with some marathon dyeing. Even tho i thought i was retired from vending at fiber shows, i decided to have a booth at Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, OR one more time... this time sharing space with Lynne Vogel and Lori Lawson. With 3 of us, I'll still be able to have "time off" to take a class (signed up for a Joan Schrouder class on finishing techniques)... and shop and watch demos and judgings.. and all that fun stuff. The dates for BSG are June 21, 22 and 23. If you've never seen Lynne's and Lori's work, you're in for a real treat!! both of them have an incredible eye for color!! and will have the booth packed with beautiful spinning fibers and yarns!

quince

i absolutely adore this little shrub, and hope the neverending rain won't ruin all the blossoms!

finished it

here's the little entrelac camera bag for my new little Olympus camera! i replaced the photo i had here that i got from my scanner... this one is many times truer in color!! i think i'm loving this new camera!!!

I love entrelac!!!

well, i felt confident enough after the sample entrelac (last post) that i decided i could take off my training wheels and use some of my dye-along yarn and start an entrelac piece without knowing just what it will become. It could possibly become a hat... or maybe a small bag. And so, there i was knitting along and hardly needing to look at the directions any more, feeling just so confident... and then as i was admiring what i'd done, along came my humility lesson and whomped me. can you see my mistake? wish i'd seen it sooner. there is a selvage triangle missing on the right side, and nothin' to do but rip it back to where that triangle should be and put the damn thing in.