neotoma

clara_swift, I've finished your alligator. He's ( kind of streaky. )
I think I will be thoroughly sick of this pattern by the time the class I'm teaching in December rolls around. But I should know the pattern backwards as well, so maybe that's best. Here's to hoping I get students!

I contacted Morehouse Farm, and they have no problem with me teaching a class on the Alligator Scarf, as long as the students each purchase a kit from them. They're even willing to give me a discount!

( It's a nice, easy pattern, well suited to an adventurous beginner )

Hopefully, I will hear back from the shop owner soon, so that the scarf can join the list of October classes. I'd like there to be enough time for students to actually hear about it, and to order the kits -- that says a late October class to me, and since I want to go to RenFest on the 20th to hear the Mediaeval Baebesagain (hopefully the sound quality will be better this time round), that tightens the possibilities a lot.

I bought some yarn last month with twistedchick. It was more or less accidental that we went by the local yarn shop when looking for a place to eat lunch. They were having a really drastic sale, so I picked up a few thing. ( Multi Effekt Sox! )

As an addendum, anyone who is interested in textiles, Susan McCauley of Mekong River Textiles is giving a talk, "Ikat Textiles from Thailand, Laos and Cambodia" at the Textile Museum, at 10 am on Saturday, February 24th. It'll be a real treat.

I've started the Swans Jacket, and gotten beyond the hump of the facing band -- 16 rows of 429 stitches in flat stockinette finger weight -- and on to the color chart. It's a *lot* easier on the hands, and faster.

( Knitting a sweater in the round )

Right now, I've only gotten about halfway through the small swan motif (the motif on the Tam, which my mother called 'ducks' when she saw it). Once I finish that motif, I'll switch to size 3 needles and work the large swan motif for the body of the sweater.

I've cheated with the facing a bit, by using a provisional cast on. When I get to the right point, I'm going to fold the facing down and knit the provisional edge into the body of the sweater. I've done this before with my half-mittens and with the Swan Tam -- it saves me from having to sew down the facing at the end, and thus is wholy worth it.

This is going to be a major project, and one that won't travel well. But I'm not working at the moment, so having an at-home project or two is fine. I might even get this one finished before the cold really sets in, which would be nice.

I am looking for swan-motif closures for it. Anyone know of a supplier that carries nifty clasps or such?

These are the two pieces that I am putting into the Strathmore show -- ( a Scribble Lace Shawl, and a woven table runner )It will be interesting to see if they sell, and what sort of comments I'll get. Also, the reception will be nerve-wracking, but I do intend to go.

How did I miss Anti-Craft? It's got wonderfully ghoulish knitting and crochet patterns, as well as gardening and cooking. It's the perfect antidote when Vogue Knitting publishs an issue full of pink 50's sweaters (nothing against retro sweaters, but the photographs were all of size 2 models in poofy skirts. :P )

And I really want to make the Snowball's Chance in Hell gauntlets, because really, is that not the neatest motif ever?

Also, their difficulty levels are hilarious -- Box of Rocks, Boy Scout Dropout, etc.

Well into the second week of unemployment, I'm using all my free time to get my UFOs finished. Which is kind of nice, cause I really did have a lot of unfinished objects lying around.

( Three Scarves, One Crib Blanket, and a whole *lot* of yarn )

I kind of want a job now, though.

The Sheep and Wool Festival was a treat! 'A' and I got there at 9am and got all the errands done before 10am. At which point, we had lunch, to avoid the huge lines that form by noon.

twistedchick, her SU, sanj and ellen_fremedon arrived a bit before 11 am, and we broke into different groups to find our wanted items.

Basically, I had a blast, and spent too much money, which is what you do at this sort of thing. ( But I got *lots* of shiny things... )

All in all, I had a good (if expensive) day.

As much as I *want* to make a yukata from scratch, I need something for the July show that will not take nearly as much time and that won't kill me to sell if someone wants to buy it.

The Scribble Lace shawl turned out well enough that if I made another one I think I could sell it. I've certainly gotten enough compliments about it from fellow guild members.

I'm reasonable sure that I could make another one by July -- and if I used black wool laceweight yarn this time, it should be even warmer than the one I've alreay made. If I have 400 yds of that, and 219 yds of Berocco Medley (3 balls), I could make a wide, warm, lacy shawl.

Also -- am I crazy for wanting to volunteer for the Arlington RenFaire on April 1st at the Arlington Central Library? I could get there on Metro, but to make it by 10am, it means leaving here at 7:30. Do I really want to do that?

When 'A' and tricksterquinn were over here Saturday, I finally grafted together and blocked a scarf that I'd had all but finished since New Year's. It's made out of Noro Aurora, a wool/silk/kid mohair blend that is jazzed up with a shiny polyester filament that wraps around the yarn.

( Leaf-lace scarf in *shiny* colors )

Now, who to give it to..?