Still Spinning...............

this beautiful roving called Meridian Rainbow. Getting close to finishing the 4oz. bag of which I have 2 more bags to go. So it's taking me a while. I don't spin everyday. No real reason. I could probably fit in some spinning time. It's just hard for me to split my spinning and knitting especially when I am close to finishing a knit project. Next photo of this will be yarn awaiting it's future!

Finally something finished!!

Monkey Socks. Everyone knows their from Knitty.com. One of Cookie A's fabulous patterns. This one is rather simple and produces a great look. The yarn my sister gave me and we have no idea what it is except that it's a wool. I do love the colors though.
Several projects on needles right now but next up to be finished are Elizabeth Zimmerman's, Woodman's Thick Socks. These are knitting up so fast using Knitpicks, Shamrock in color Fitzpatrick. They have the hiking sock look. Pictures soon. Thank you Jennifer for turning me onto them! I think I am going to stock up on yarn for these and knit some gifts. My husband has already asked for a pair!

Time for BOOKS!

Far Above Rubies This is a great book. I have read a lot on the holocaust and every time I learn something new and of course horrifying. I really don't think the average person knows very much about the subject except that 6 million Jews were killed during WWII. Unfortunately that's not even a fraction of the facts. This is the true story of the devotion of a mother, a stepmother even and her amazing strength and courage.

I can tell you that if a book doesn't capture me in the first several pages I don't continue. So I don't want to tell you this story to ruin your joy in reading it. Most reviews I find give you too much information making reading the books not really necessary!

I've been painting......

My daughters room ....... as a surprise when she returns the end of the summer. She has a babysitting job watching my brothers 2 boys in the Tidewater, VA area. The idea was to match up a wall hanging I made for her a few years ago. She likes purple so I went with that. How about purple and orange?

How to soften Euroflax linen...............

First, get yourself a skein Euroflax Linen a Louet yarn because you want to knit up 2 really nice facecloths for gifts. Don't buy the pattern on display at your LYS because you know your smart enough to come up with your own lace pattern besides the one skein was $20 and you're too damn cheap to add the $4.50 pattern too. So, you're ready, find the pattern you like and cast on. Knit a few rows, decide you don't like it so frog it. Cast on again and knit a dozen rows and something just isn't right so take it out. Cast on again, it starts looking good but the cast on is too tight so frog it! Try again because you are really liking this process now that the once rope textured yarn is turning rather Silky SOFT!
I think it's been at least 6 cast on's and frogs by now. Looks like tomorrow I will make a trip to the LYS for the pattern or I'll check out Knitting Pattern Central right now and see if I can make another go of it! It shan't get the better of me!

I'm Rockin' .... Just for Fun!

I've been tagged! My first time too. By Sallee over at Knitnana . All cause I'm a ......

Now I must do the same. So I'm tagging: Gina she's crazy Rockin'! Then there's Nova a Really Rockin' Knitter, AND Jane my talented Aussie friend. Let's see, Robin a Rockin Spinner too. Also cause she's Rockin' at it all and her daughter will think it very cool that her mom is soooo Rockin' Suzann. So go ahead and check out these gals! Girls, I honor you all!

One skein of KOIGU!

OK, gals let's come up with some ideas for one skein KOIGU projects!! The post below is a great one but I NEED more!

I know I don't have much anymore since finishing the Koigu Keepsake Shawl but I can fix that!!! I have only 3 full skeins ( I know solids but still Koigu) and partials and even snippets that are as little as a few inches long. Why keep those? I'm thinking of a quilted wall hanging, a landscape embellished with Koigu wildlife!! Get the wheels turning. Think of the benefits of one skein of Koigu can do for you! "I've never knit with KOIGU" you say. Oh, please make a mad dash to your local LYS or online (best bet is online) and get a skein or two or three or a many as you possibly can. Knit a shawl, sweater, scarf anything and you'll be hooked. Check here for the wide range of colors FoxyKnits Even the site has a couple Koigu books for scarves! We could be creative and use stitches to come up with our own scarf patterns. Oh Yes!

A Quick, Pretty and Unusual knit....

I love this!!! What a great pattern and fun to knit. It's the 'Dream Swatch Head Wrap' from Knit and Tonic. I did mine in Koigu. Yes, I think this will make a nice Christmas gift for both my sisters. You wear it like a head band and rather than tie it just slip one end through a hole. It will curl on the edges but that's all in how it falls down your back or along side. Check out the pattern!!!

All in a days work!

I love my hat from my own handspun!!! It's a simple pattern. The yarn is a heavy worsted I'd say so used size 8 dpns and cast on 80 sts. did the rib and knit for 7 in. then began decreasing. Fits great and it knit in a day!!

This is Finn cross wool with tussah silk and Emerald Flash Angelina a gifted sample of her fiber goodness from Kary of The Knotty Sheep Boy did it spin up nice and I'm finally really happy with something! I've learned that the quality of the roving sure makes a huge difference. This is only 28 yards so I am not sure what I can knit with it or maybe knit it into a fair isle something! I thought of adding it to something felted but I want to view it in it's 'natural' glory!!

It's still not what I'm after. What am I after? I don't know, just better. Practice, practice, practice and I think I need to learn more about the terms in spinning. How much 'twist' in the singles, consistency and the twist in plying. Could be the lower grade roving too. This was corridale (white) and something unknown that came with a drop spindle I bought a while back. But I'm afraid to spin that really nice merino I got last month (see June 10th post) because I want it to be perfect! What's perfect? I think I'll know the look I want. Maybe this will be a hat. Not a scarf because it stinks!!! Geez, I wet it setting the twist and from then on it stinks! I like he smell actually, that earthy animal aroma! But I don't think I want it around my neck close to my nose so that it's constantly with me and people will begin to wonder, "What's that smell"! Maybe on my head won't be so bad. After I knit with it I'll just wash it again with soap. Gotta get with Catie for that simple hat she just knit for her hubby.

Music to my ears!

You've got to hear this man sing. Paul Potts. Maybe you have already but he is worth a second, third and an infinite amount of listens!! If you love Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, and Il Divo then add him to your collection. No CD yet but I think it's a matter of time and a short time if Simon takes him on as he did putting together IL DIVO. Paul Potts. Even if this isn't your kind of music which I must say that years ago it wouldn't have been mine but you cannot deny the talent! Enjoy!

Are you a Hobbit?

I'm Pansy Sandybanks of Frogmorton! What's your Hobbit Name ?

Maybe you'd like an Elvish Name . Mine is Gilraen Telemnar, not as nice as my Hobbit name though! I had a scottish terrier once I named 'Frodo' and don't you just love saying, Bilbo Baggins? Bilbo Baggins, Bilbo Bagins, Bilbo Baggins!!!