I Learned a New Trick

And I feel extremely clever. Yesterday, I got around to spinning more of my Terminus BFL. So much more that I filled up my cute little spindle.
So I wound it off onto my waiting "bobbin" (it's actually the tube that Theraband comes on - I'm finding that my AT supplies are sturdier than TP rolls) and proceeded to watch a video on how to Navajo ply. Navajo plying is a method of making a single ply into a three ply finished yarn. Up until this point, I've only done 2-ply yarn. It was a bit rocky at first - those first few yards won't be knittable, but I go the hang of it. And I LOVE the result.I'll have to work on a getting good pics of the yarn itself when I get some more done. But seriously, I'm so proud of myself. And I love the result so much that I may never go back to 2-ply. The next step is the ply-on-the-fly technique, but baby steps...I had a director for this photo shoot. She's very helpful.I've made some knitting progress in the last week. Finished the fourth chart on the Hidcote Shawl last night. Started the second ball of yarn as well. Will have to switch to a longer needle in the near future.
I also finished the first chart on the Mystery sock. I'm showing it off because I'm not too sure that it will end up being gifted. I might possibly like them too much... Yeah, I'm a selfish knitter like that.
I love the way the leaves are floating along. And the orange is growing on me. Maybe because it's starting to feel like fall, and actually is officially fall today. Thoughts of pumpkins and apples and candy corns starting to dance in my head.

And last up, knitting friend Meagan gave me my birthday present Saturday night when she came over to make Christmas cards. (Yep, Christmas cards, she's much better about being on top of things than I am)
Miss Maddie was very upset that she was not allowed access to the outdoor shoot.

The Usual Shenanigans

It's a good day. Why is it a good day? Anyone who knows me, knows that Monday is not my favorite day of the week, but I make an exception every once in a while. Like today. Here's why. Let's start with Saturday. It started not so wonderfully - it rained, sometimes poured, for the entire Homecoming game. But we won. Happiness and elation though, later in the day after Iwas dry and warm again, when Notre Dame took it to Michigan.

Liz and I had decided, based on the weather radar map, that we weren't going to the Indians game. Of course, watching the little on TV that we did, it didn't rain at all. Stupid weather channel. But we had a good time at home anyway, ordered some Mama Roberto's, had a visit from Bridget and Kaylee, went and got some Coldstone. Mmmm Coldstone. Proceeded to watch OSU get embarassed by USC. I'm not an Ohio State fan, but there are two teams that I will absolutely root against, USC and Michigan. I am a fan of whoever those two teams are playing any given Saturday. Oh well. The Indians lost, btw.

Yesterday, was Mason's first birthday party. The pictures will speak for themselves. And let's just say, my nephews are very very similar in their love of cake.
Getting close to the downward spiral at this point....
And there it is. That's the money shot. What's even funnier, is that he kept doing this. To heck with these hands, let's cut out the middle man. Seriously, you do not want to get in between Mason and his food. Trust me.See what I mean? Even with a fork, Elliott can't stay neat with cake. So we had some cake shenanigans. More was to come though...

Onto THE game. That's right Steelers-Browns v. 1 2008. Ellie decided that we needed to "get our game face on". Need I say more?
Yep, game face = eye black strips and powder puff hair. And it was all downhill from there...

Note the intensity on Ellie's face. Click the picture to make it bigger for full effect.Check out that stiff arm. Yeah, we're that crazy. But look how cute we can be.
Yeah, crazy game day shenanigans, that's just how we roll. But the main reason that today is a good day... STEELERS WIN!!! It may not have been pretty, and I'm sure that I'm going to hear about how the Browns were robbed, and some elaborate conspiracy theory that would have had the Browns winning when I go to work later, but the bottom line is, Steelers win the 10th straight game against the Browns. Woot!

And because this is a knitting blog. I'll show you my knitting from yesterday. I started yet another Christmas present. So this will probably be the only photo you see of it until after it's gifted. It's using Hill Country Yarn's Superfine Superwash sock yarn in "Salmon".
And because I couldn't be knitting something orange while the the Steelers were playing the Browns, I pulled out the long neglected November Ruffle. Perfect football knitting. Got several inches done on it, and have several more to go before I get to the ruffle part.
Here's a pic trying to convey the scope of the piece. Doesn't really do it though. Oh well, when it's done and off the needles you'll understand.
See, 11.5 inches done. I think I have to get to 15 before the ruffle?! Have to dig out the pattern to be sure.
Don't you just love the tweedy effect? Can you tell I do? And the lusciousness of the alpaca....

Ta Da

*Apologies in advance for the crappy quality of photos. It's very dark and rainy today, and I'm not exactly a professional photographer. My poor little camera can only do so much, and I'm not too great with the photo editing either.*

So this is being written and posted much later than I had anticipated. Oh well, that's what happens when life gets in the way. This past Saturday, I finished knitting the FLS. Sunday, I sewed in the ends and attached the buttons. Ta da!
Sorry it's not a live action shot, but I didn't manage to get a pic of me wearing it, Sunday or Tuesday. Next time. I love it! It's so perfect and comfortable. To all you knitters out there reading - knit one, trust me, you'll love it.

I got around to finishing the first Upstream sock on Tuesday night at SnB. Fits perfectly. Just need to get around to the second one...
I know I said I would get it done by the end of last week, but I was distracted by this.
Stimulating, right? How could you not be distracted from a fun crazy colored sock when there is charcoal and white yarn to be had? (Note: that sentence was dripping with sarcasm, in case you hadn't noticed) Seriously though, I spent most of Sunday knitting a super secret project with the grey and white yarn, thus ignoring my sock. And if you could see the pattern, you'd understand my delight and fascination.

That's all of the super secret project that you will see for a while on this blog - due to the fact that the recipient of super secret project is a regular reader. Really wish I could show it to you because it makes me feel all clever and cool, but it's not fun to spoil the Christmas surprise. That's right, I just said Christmas. The holiday knitting has commenced here at Annie's House of Yarn and Pointy Sticks. Look out.**

It's not all gift knitting though. Because this week has been especially trying on the professional level, I treated myself to a happy knit. I cast on the Hidecote Garden Shawl, using my recently acquired Jojoland Melody yarn.
Isn't it so pretty? It makes me happy just looking at it. When I get a little farther, I'll pin it out to show you the stitch pattern. Click on the link above if you can't wait that long.

And in more recent yarn acquistion news, I got enough of this,
Valley Yarns "Northhampton" in Dark Green Heather, for a sweater. I think that having at least one sweater's worth of yarn in the stash at all times is important. And as reward for using my stash yarn for the FLS (I got the Cascade in 2006) I let myself order some yarn for me when I purchased Ellie's birthday present (no photo, but I got her enough Mission Falls 1824 Wool in Raspberry, to make her own FLS).
The color isn't really showing up very true here, but I love the greeny heathery-ness of this yarn. Now all I have to do is find the perfect pattern....

And now for the yarn I'm currently drooling over...
Fleece Artist Trail sock in "Hercules". O. M. G. This yarn, is so amazingly gorgeous and rich and deep in color, I can't even explain it to you. This is my first Fleece Artist yarn, I found it at Simply Sock Yarn Company, and had to have it. It was the first time I'd seen this line of yarn from them, it's 80% merino 20% nylon (which is what I like for my socks), previously I'd only seen 100% merino yarn which I hesitate to use for socks due to the wear and tear they are subjected to. The nylon gives that bit of strength to make them last longer. I had to unskein it to try to convey to you it's true beauty.

As for spinning news, there isn't much. I haven't been doing much spinning lately. I got most of the Wander done though. It's about 230 yards.
And you'll notice that ball of singles next to it, that's what was left over on one bobbin after plying. Guess I wasn't so even after all. I'm working up to trying to ply it, but my history of plying from a ball is not so good, and I am procrastinating, big time.

Alright, that's it. That's all I've got. Big weekend ahead - homecoming is tomorrow at work, ND plays Michigan, Liz and I are going to the Indians game tomorrow night, Mason's birthday party on Sunday afternoon, and THE game, Steelers-Browns, is Sunday night. I'm busting out my Roethlisburger jersey and Steeler socks for the occasion!

**Family members - if there is something you would like me to knit for you for this holiday season, please place requests now. These things take time. All unreasonable requests will be laughed at, and dirty looks will ensue.

Visual Progress

Amazing. I have knitting stuff to show. And in showing it, I feel like I've actually gotten something done. Granted, no finished objects, but getting very close. As proof... the FLS.
OMG! It's seriously almost done. Just a sleeve left to knit. Then ends to weave in and buttons sewed on, and voila! Yay! And I love it! I mean, what's not to love? It's so friggin cute. Cute enough that my sister is contemplating a step up in her knitting know-how just to knit it!!! So go over to her blog, and leave a comment encouraging her to knit this sweater - or at least to learn how to increase and decrease.

So, I should have a new sweater by the end of the week! Very exciting, and not the only knitting I've gotten done either! What?!? I know... it's crazy! I started a sock (gasp) last week because it felt weird to have not knitted on a sock in a month. And I got through the heel last night, which means it's smooth sailing from here on out, and this sock should also be finished by the end of the week.
See what happens when my schedule goes back to normal? And my stress level returns to it's elevated state which in turn has me knitting more to keep me sane? The pattern for the sock is the Master Upstream pattern from New Pathways for Sock Knitters, being knit with Trekking XXL in colorway 100. Very fun. And that's about all the excitement in my life.