Happy Halloween

So, I get home early to be here for the multitude of kids who will be trick or treating down our very busy street and procede to trip over some yarn... which I will admit that I had left on my desk -with no wrapper - next to a really nice ball of Pot Luck Wool. My cats must know that it's Halloween because I decided to gather up the rather inexpensive BRIGHT ORANGE Sugar and Cream and it takes me from the living room, into the dining room around the table and back out the other side, then up the stairs, into the guest room, over the bed and then into the bathroom in a big old mess!

Here you see the remainder of this mess, along with a rather guilty looking Ms. Molly:















OK, as of 5:42 we've already had 15 munchkins - they started at 5:25 and I swear this year I am going to make an accurate census. The other thing I think I'll do, just like http://knitandtonic.typepad.com/knitandtonic/ said today... I'm shutting off the lights at 8:00 - you really don't get anything but older kids at that point.

Count update: 7:11 and so far 89 kids! I feel bad, there was a little girl in a pink flying unicorn costume and I thought she was a flying pig... hope I didn't traumatize her for life!

Next: 8:10 pm - 133 kids (OK, most of them were kids)... almost time to shut off the lights. I'll give it 5 more minutes.

Franklin County Fiber Twist

Funny how life takes you to places - we were invited to a Halloween party in Greenfield, MA yesterday - and somehow I happened across the information for http://www.fibertwist.com/ this week. Unfortunately, the weather was horrible - nasty rain and driving winds durning the 2 hour drive out west, but eventually we found the Marketplace (we gave up on visiting any farms - way to yucky out there for that!), finally, after seeing the HUGE Yankee Candle main location, and getting all the way to Whately, MA - with only 40 minutes left for them to be selling!

I made a quick run around - not planning on buying too much - although one of the things I had to get was a new sheepskin for the kitties. Morticia, Molly and Oliver love it, Mugsy is a bit skeptical - he never did like having anything "weird" under his feet. It was the last thing that I bought (however, it was the first thing that I saw) and the price was right. I will say, I don't know if I want to share it with them! It is so thick and lovely - a nice white Romney - and it is in all of the pictures below:

First, two dyed Romney's from Whispering Pines Farm (will someone please tell me what to do with these - do I need to card them, or do I just start spinning?) She gave me both for $11 - total of about 13 oz - I think they will look great together - plied, not plied - striped in the knit, not sure yet, but I liked the colors!














Mugsy may not like stepping on it, but he has to check it out!

Then, I found some great Icelandic from Jager Farm Icelandics (http://www.jager-icelandics.com/) that I think would go really well with some Icelandic that was gifted to me (and I really, really liked spinning):















Some really nice dyed Border Leicester from www.sojournersheep.com (looks like the website is under construction, but the colors are WONDERFUL!)
















And, finally the last purchase of the day - was 8 oz of Romney Ewe white roving - this is so beautiful and soft - I can't wait to play with it. It was from the same seller as the sheepskin - Barberic Farm from Shelburne, MA:
















The one thing I didn't get was the light blue alpaca from http://www.cheecheemamook.com/
because it was the end of the day and her stall was packed. They do sell via www.localharvest.com and I'm sure that I'll be headed there soon - it was lovely!

Breakfast time... then a quick trip up to www.absolutelyeverything.com to finish up the Mass-ive Journey and get into the drawing (which I am planning on winning, of course) and then it's back home to make a felted holder for DH's new MP3 player... how many tries will that take?

Ahh... I'm starting to get it!

There are some things that you really should have a little guidance with before you try... one thing is a niddy noddy... cause if you do it wrong this is what your first yarn comes out looking like (kind of cake-like, isn't it?):
















But then you start to get the hang of things:
first, there is the fiber:













Then, after a while you get two bobbins that look like this (oh, so THAT'S what a Lazy Kate is for!):




















Oo-la-la - hey, if you watch a video online, you see just how to use that niddy noddy (duh!):














And finally, guess what - I have a skein!!!

After De-Clutter, comes some fun time...

And here is my first try on my new wheel!

Spinning is a ... learning experience!

Still not quite sure what I'm going to do about the paint yet, but I like her! I decided to try to spin up some of the alpaca I picked up at Topsfield Fair a few weeks ago and did have some learning experince - like, make sure that you put the whirl on in the right direction, yes, you can let it all just hang out and unwind if needed and most important, you should really wash the fiber before you spin or you'll have very dirty fingers!

Ah, well... have to do some more clutter-clearing today so I have room for this little baby in my room! YEAH!

I did it!

I purchased my first wheel last night - I say first, because every spinner I have met so far either has several or is about to buy another one... and here she is:

Sorry about the bad picture - but I really, really need to spend some good time just cleaning in my office/craft room - so this was a good as it gets at the moment. Isn't she pretty? Yes, she's a bit used, but not abused - and I think we're going to get along very well - so far so good! Not sure what I'll be doing about the paint yet - but all in good time! She's a Kromski Mazurka - and yes, the wheel does look just like a dress in the dance...

I did get over to Marblehead today for the Fall Festival and saw some really cool things - including Liesel (sp?) and her sock machine - it was so neat! Also, went to the artisan's fair up at Abbott Hall and picked up a few Christmas presents already (OK, I know it's about time to get started). Then, finally to A Yarn Over Marblehead to pick up another skien of the Pot Luck that Jean is almost out of... more fun, bright colors. I'll have pics of my project soon... not quite ready yet. She has been dying some yarn lately - sock yarn (I bought a colorway she's calling Kelp) and some great wool that feels like Malabrigo - I have been resisting, but not sure how much longer I'll be able to. She's doing a great job and coming up with some nice combos.

Well, back to the big buckets of stuff and off to find more things to list on eBay - I want to make some more $$ to spend on fiber...

Where have I been?

Well... on eBay alot for one. I have started to list some of my Tupperware and Stampin Up retired sets on eBay to help defray the cost of a new wheel. And now I'm not sure which one I want to buy. Maybe I do want to go with a wooden wheel... maybe an Ashford Kiwi... we'll see what happens... my auctions are due to end on Saturday afternoon so I'll need to go to Marblehead Fall Festival http://www.visitmarblehead.com/index.asp in the morning to get home on time to watch my items (hopefully) go up, up, up... only have to raise another $250 or so to get a laquered Kiwi from Lucy (www.mindseyeyarns.com). Or... maybe a well-loved Kromski Mazurka from someone in my SnB... hmm... let's see where the auctions fall... if I buy a used wheel, I can always use the other money I make on wonderful fiber... mmm fiber.

Knitting news... ever have one of those times when you just keep ripping the same thing out over and over (even after you have finished it completely) and then just need to knit something quick to just have a "real" finished item? Well, DH's Cashcroft Aran cap is in it's 3rd or 4th attempt - and I had to take a break last night to make a fun roll-brim hat with something called "potluck" from A Yarn Over Marblehead. It was so cute - the colors made me very happy and I did it in 3 hours last night - cast on to cast off! Ahhh... closure on something! I feel better already - it was just what I needed! Then I was back at the darn black hat for DH - and I got a few inches done during Lost and The Nine. Today at lunch I cast on sock #1 (yes, #2 is complete!) of the pair I started back at the racetrack last month so I'm ready to go when I get to our SnB tonight!

Hope to see you there!