sunday is for spinning

Posted on annePosted in designing, lace/shawls, projects, spinning and fiber

(lace is everywhere . . . giant spider web spotted in the yard today—probably 24″ in diameter)

i know—spider web photos are pretty ubiquitous. but this web was really big and a true piece of art—the top curve seemed not attached to anything at all. so much so that i had to inspect very closely to see what made it curve like that. and then, almost as soon as the spider was done creating it—POOF—the wind started collapsing it.

sorta like handknit socks, eh? at least, good ones are like that.

so i know i said thursday i’d be right back with a real post and then proceeded to disappear for a few days—sorry. i know i should know better what i’ll be doing in a few hours time, but no. not always. sometimes there are things that waylay me.

but thanks for all the great suggestions and responses to my dilemma of naming the scarf.
yes, very helpful . . . i think i ended up with 20 more names than when i started. heh.
no problem though—it’s entertaining i think to open up a forum on these things once in a while. lots of times just the right name comes out of it.
this time i’m leaning toward punch and judy, if for no other reason than my friend kim (sadly blogless), loves it SO much. and enough others that it’s one of the top three.

i love all the commedia della’arte names but for this piece i wanted something that rolls off the tongue with a pow. you know—funny.

anyway, the scarf is almost done and the pattern is just waiting for a photo.

so yeah, once i started knitting the other day and had some time to think, i realized i needed to get ahead on some projects. october is going to be a very busy month.

on october 11 i am teaching a blocking workshop and will be present for an afternoon KAL at
river colors studio in cleveland. and you know how i love blocking! i am psyched.

then on october 15 my dear friend kim is flying in from san diego so we can head out the next day on our annual rhinebeck debauchery gutter roll fiber weekend; a six-day nosedive into total wool immersion. seriously, we don’t even change out of pajamas unless we have to.

back to ohio on the 21st, visit with kim some more (read: play with our rhinebeck treasures and paw through my stash), then we both fly out again on the 23rd—she’s going home, and i’m going to new mexico (hi adam, i wasn’t kidding . . .).

i’ll be teaching in at a retreat at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM; information and specifics can be found here.
i’m pretty excited about it . . . i haven’t been to NM in years but it’s a place i really enjoyed living during the two summers i worked at the opera in santa fe (costume shop, really fun). this should be a lot of fun too; we’ll work through a new design created for the retreat, and i’ll teach a class at village wools as well, after the retreat.

so. all that to say that reality hit the other day and i need to get my ducks in a row—i’m going to be away the whole last half of october pretty much. which is right around the corner, suddenly.

so i got busy and got the first half of my stole finished

it’s going swimmingly. vanessa singed me as she whizzed by; she had her first half done days ago. that’s ok; i’ll be done in plenty of time.

i decided that i’m going to go with a hybrid size. i’m knitting the tall width, and because i’m not sure exactly how much the stole will grow along the length, i’m sticking with the petite for that. i was going to do tall but then remembered that these samples sometimes grow a lot longer than i intend them to, and i don’t want it too long.

i always correct that in the final pattern, but i sometimes end up with a stole that’s— ahem—a little more wrap than i need. i don’t want or need that this time, so i’m playing it safe.

anyway, things are looking good for staying on schedule. i need to design and knit and pattern the secret item for the retreat, but i have a sock and scarf to entertain you with as well (but, er, not today, heh.)

and today we had spinning class. the only thing i don’t like about spinning class is that the two hours passes so quickly. ugh—before we know it, we’re packing up . . . that’s always a disappointment.

i worked some more on my lincoln/corriedale/alpaca/nylon sock yarn for david; i think one more session and i should be able to finish it up.

speaking of david . . remember i said the other day that he was going to go clothes shopping with me? pretty wonderful guy, right?? well he was actually very enthusiastic about coming along, which immediately made me suspicious. i mean, david is very patient and helpful about shopping, but i wouldn’t go so far as to say he gets enthused for hanging out in the women’s clothing department hours on end, you know? and lately he’s been pretty busy so i didn’t think he really had time for it.

of course he doesn’t—he had his own errand to run

he has wanted one of these for quite some time. electronic gadgets are like yarn for him, it’s that simple. i’m fine with that as long as broken useless gadgets don’t pile up and get in my way (as they are wont to do in the home of a technophile).

so ok, the price finally came down and my phone has been on the fritz and the iPhone plan is not the overpriced nightmare it first appears to be.

now i just have to learn to use it. heh
(of course, david had it all figured out before i’d picked out three pair of pants and two shirts)
i haven’t really looked at it much yet because i have too much else to do to; i can’t afford to get mired in a techie black hole at the moment.
it looks promising though; if it all works for me the way it’s supposed to, i might not have to travel with my laptop any more.

for now, i feel good if i can use the address book and place a call. yes, i’m that slow.

34 thoughts on “sunday is for spinning”

  1. i always correct that in the final pattern, but i sometimes end up with a stole that’s— ahem—a little more wrap than i need. i don’t want or need that this time, so i’m playing it safe.

    Well, hey – if your experiments end up too long, I’m 5’7″ and willing to take one for the team….

  2. Haha!! Sounds like my husband! He wants an iphone really badly. He has a palm treo..but..it’s just not “good enough”. (Another words, he’s already figured it out and it’s boring, now he wants a new shiny toy.) 😀 The stole is coming along handsomely! I’m looking forward to seeing her all blocked out.

  3. Oh yeah girl, total Rhinebeck debauchery. I can already smell it. I can already feel my waistline expanding at the mere thought of all the good food we’re going to eat (but not those stupid fried pickles. . . . no offense to the pickle man. . . ). Okay, your’e such a tease with your scarf name. And that purple stole is just gorgeous. I think the yarn is just beautiful and I love the stitch that smooshes back and forth (can’t think how else to describe it . . .)

  5. OK, i’m slightly jealous of the iphone…if i didn’t have this opposition to monthly bills, i’d own one…sigh. the stole is looking gorgeous. i can’t wait to see it blocked. my last two projects have transformed to amazingly post-blocking that i have a new fascination with blocking…

  6. I was at the Kitchener-Waterloo Knitter’s Fair on Saturday and got to see your Whispering Pines Triangle Shawl in person. It’s an amazing work and I found it so satisfying to be able to see and touch the fabric. There’s a lovely, funky edge on that piece, but I didn’t have time or a chance to get a really good look.

    Anne, you make it all look so easy. Your designs just seem to come together. You whip off huge pieces of lace work in short order. Oh I know! There’s a lot of knowledge, and work and even anguish that goes into each one. I’m really trying to offer you the highest compliment I know. It takes a virtuoso to execute a technically difficult piece so flawlessly that it looks effortless and all the observer sees is the artistic vision. That is true genius.

  7. P&J looks great! I can see another purchase in my future soon 🙂
    I want an iPhone soooo much! Im a gadget girl.

  9. Ahhh, Arachne! The symbol in myth for creativity is weaving. Love your spider! She feels right at home in your back yard.

  10. I like the name Punch and Judy just fine.
    And I do really love the new stole. I could dive into it!

  11. Oh oh oh Rhinebeck! I thought that was over for some reason. We are moving back to NY at the end of this month, so I’m in time! I’m already scheming to go!!!

    That stole is amazing, and in that color….swoon!

  13. It’s interesting to see the stitch pattern you’re using for the stole on a larger scale: it lends a lot of movement to the piece. I’m curious to see how much of that movement it will retain once blocked.

  14. But *I* wanted that post title! (Great minds think alike?) The stole is looking amazing — I love it in that colorway 🙂 And I can’t wait to hear all about the Rhinebeck weekend! Since I don’t think I can fit in Kim’s luggage, I’ll live vicariously through your descriptions this year and start saving for next year, heh. I also can’t wait to hear what you think of the iPhone…

  15. Ooooooohhh! I’m so jealous that you have an iPhone! I’m a complete mac junkie and am waiting until my current phone contract is done. You are totally going to LOVE it! 🙂

  16. The purple stole is looking beautiful! I’m eager to see it blocked. You are a pro at that, too. For NY, you all will have to get out of your pj’s to go to the festival! Unless your group is starting a new trend — shawls for jammies!

  17. You are going to love your iPhone. I am totally addicted to it. Wait until you start playing in the App store on iTunes. I love iWant for finding places on the road and BreakClassic to entertain the girls. There are some great productivity as well as list keeping tools. Can you tell that I am a big fan?

  19. Ooooh, Ghost Ranch! I wish I could be there for your class. My DH and daughter and I went there two years ago and stayed at Casa del Sol–so peaceful. We just drank it in. And while hubby attended his retreat, DD and I toured around the area and took in some of the local fiber scene–La Lana, Tierra Wools,etc. Unfortunately, DD was detailed by DH to control my spending. Since she’s not a fiberholic, she was mostly unmoved by the beauty, tho’ even she wanted some yarn for mitts and socks (to be knit by me of course). Also, we ate the most delicious pizza ever at Mamacita’s in Abiquiu. They start by crushing the fresh tomatoes for the sauce. It’s just a little stand on the main road, but worth the trip.

  20. I just faxed my form in for the retreat in NM,and hopefully there is still space. Having the opportunity to knit with you, in Abiquiu! That was just a bit too much to pass up.

  21. Love the spiderweb shot (some of the webs in my house are so intricate that I hate to swat them down when dusting—that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) and the purple stole is amazing. I also have a techie husband but all the current cell phones seem to be working just fine right now (sigh)…

  22. So jealous of the iPhone, I want one too! I’m trying to convince my boss to get one for me because my current work phone is really crappy and old. We’ll see…

    That stole looks awesome!

  23. The iPhone may seem intimidating at first, but you’ll get the hang of it in no time! The stole is looking absolutely enchanting.

  24. Mm….I totally get David! Next to a fiber store, my other favorite stores…computer and camera stores…LOL.

    Nice score David!!!

  26. Love the stole — purple is my favorite color. I love my iphone, too. Never fear about learning to use it…my 2.5 year old shows me how to find things on it from time to time — kids these days. Have a great week.

  27. Anne- One day, I will make the trek to Rhinebeck, and you seasoned debauchers can show me how it’s done.

    Gahhhhh- I found about 5 of those friggin’ giant spiders outside- as long as they stay outside.

  28. Good Morning! Could you tell me when the Punch & Judy pattern will be available for purchase? Also, what is the name of the gorgeous stole in this post? Is the pattern for it for sale? Thanks!!

  29. Oh, so envious of the Ghost Ranch retreat! I adore New Mexico. If you can, call the Georgia O’Keefe foundation and schedule a tour of her home in Abiquiu–just amazing! You need reservations ahead of time, though. Tierra Wools is lovely (I made my husband drive us there in a snow storm and it was worth it). Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, it’s an amazing part of the world.

  30. Anne, I think you will love Ghost Ranch! This will be my fourth year, and it will be a treat to have you there with us this year. Welcome to the group!

  31. Darn, I’m going to be in New Mexico at the end of September not October. It would have been fun to go to your retreat. I love Ghost Ranch. I lived in New Mexico for 16 years (went to the Univ of New Mexico). At least I’ll be there for the Taos Wool Festival and the hot air balloon fiesta. Speaking of the Santa Fe Opera, I ushered there one summer while in high school. It was a great way to see all of the operas for free. Have fun. I know I will.

  32. I so desperately want to go to Rhinebeck this year, but it’s just not in the cards. It’s hard to take any time off when my thesis defense is barreling down on me like an angry Llama!

    I’m excited that you’re coming to NM later in October though! If you have any extra time, we should meet up for some knitting time!

  33. I love my iPhone. I was planning on going to Rhinebeck this year but that was when I thought the hubby would be home to take care of the kid and that I’d be able to sneak in a visit to my SIL. Now, I think I’m gonna have to stay home. I’m utterly crushed that I also probably can’t make it to the retreat. I would be sooooo there if DH would be able to be here to take care of the small one. But that is extremely doubtful. Although, I’m thinking I’ll ask. After all it never hurts to ask right?

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