Pictures picturs pictures.

I did it. Months of trying to figure this out and all I needed the whole time was flickr. Now Pictures will abound. Here are some pics of my drop spindles.







I love each of them but mostly use the Forester, Kundert, and Mini Bosworth. Depending on the type of wool I am spinning at the time. What a difference having pictures makes.

Let see if this gets a pic

Just about a year now.

How strange it is that I haven't written in so long. I am very disappointed with not being able to load pictures to my site. There has to be some techi reason why that I have yet to figure out. At any rate. Christmas is coming and I am still trying to figure out what to make for my daughter. It seems that now that she is growing up, I am finding it more difficult to find something that fits her taste. Although I wasn't pleased with the whole goth period, at least I knew what she liked. Well we will see what happens. Or not as I

Happy Yule

So it's been a couple of weeks since I have had the chance to write. I am still attempting to put pictures on this blog but to no avail. It's okay I will have more time after the holidays to work on this.
I have knit so much in the last couple of weeks that I almost feel like I want to put it all away for a little while. My addiction to this however, will not allow me to do so. I which case I will continue to work on Matt's sweater that I have deemed impossible, and also my Icarus shawl. All of this untill the next birthday or holiday arrives and then I will have no choice but to work on things for others. It sounds like I am complaining however please understand that I would have it no other way. I still have bags of Icelandic wool that need to be cleaned and spun. I look at it every day and say, I promise just let me get through these next few weeks and I will devote my time to you.
I haven't spun in almost a month. I think I am going throuh DT's. Could that happen. My poor wheel is also needing a good work out.
Who has time? Baking and cooking. Today I made 20 pints of raspberry jelly. I am so pleased to have that done as it has been beconing me for months. These I will give away for Christmas as. They will go in baskets with our own honey, maple syrup and bees wax christmas orniments.
Well all please have a great Holiday season and keep reading as More will be revealed.

No Pictures Yet?

Okay so I tried and tried to post pictures to this blog. It seems as though I will never figure it out. I even downloaded a picture program made especially for blogging. Yet no pictures. I really am trying. I guess that this may be one of the perils of living where cable and wireless are not available. I will continue to try until I find something that works.
In the mean time. I have put Icarus aside for now. I have to finish some last minute Christmas presents. One being Another pair of socks. This time a blend of Angora and wool. They just look so creamy and soft I can't wait to see the Matt's reaction to them on Christmas morning. I am knitting them for him but, he thinks they are for my daughter.
I have finished the tube and heel on both socks and am working on the instep.
After I am done with them, I have some small items I would like to make for Kate and John as both are in need of mittens and Hats.

I Promised !

Okay I know, I promised pic's yesterday. We all know what it's like when life gets in the way.
I still don't have pics of Icelandic but I swear, I have it. However I do have a picture of the Icarus Shawl that I am working on. I will put that on.
This shawl is just what I needed to be doning. Let me tell you a little about myself.
When I was in high school I started to flunk out. Greatfully my Social Studies teacher noticed my decline and told me that I needed to go from general studies to Advanced Regional studies. Why you might ask? Because I was bored. This has laid a path for me in all my life. I like things complicated. I thrive! Well, I guess it depends on what I am going through. However, when it comes to knitting, I thrive with more challenging patterns. This may be why the new sweater is still sitting in a bag on the front seat of my car.
The Icarus shawl was very intimidating for me in the beginning. I wasn't sure if I really understood the pattern, however, it's like a good book. I just don't want to set it down. The more progress I complete, the more I want to get it done. For those of you who don't know, the dark yarn going through is called a life line. This way if I have to pull it out, I only have to go as far as the life line. So far so good. ( I usually say something like that and then make a mistake and have to rip it out) What I LOVE about the pattern is how you start with 5 stiches and increase along the top of the shawl. When I began, I thought I was starting at the point and pulled the whole thing out only to go back and read the pattern, ( who has time to read notes) and had one of those aaaHaaa moments. Then all was well.
Last night was the annual Christmas get together at Mrs. Barbara Fanes. It was wonderful to see everyone. I had been sick for what seems like such a long time that I hadn't seen any of my local spinners since the Renssalear County Fair. My friend Lanawool-n-wheels.blogspot.com is looking wonderful. I just can't get over how wonderful she looks. However, looks are not everything. Talk about a multi tasker. Lana does this with what looks like ease and still finds time to spin some of the most beautiful yarn I've seen. If you read her blog you'll see that she knits too. ( I see a knitting group in my future)
My friend Mellisa http://www.therovingspinster.blogspot.com was sweet enough to pick me up and bring me to this event. As always is adding to her spindle collection. I beleive she now has about 25. She spins on them all. She is a really good drop spindler. I think she should take a picture of All of her spindles and post them on her blog.
Carla always amazes me with her ability to spin, what seems to me to be ANY THING! I thought that you needed a bowl for a support spindle. Oh no, not Carla. She can do it, and make it look easy.
Needless to say, I was finally in my element last night and I am so greatful that I have these spinsters in my life. Thanks Guys.

Rip, Rip, Sigh.........

I got to work on pulling out THE sweater this morning. It was quite the job. There was quite a bit of yarn there. All I could do is sit pull, sigh, take a deep breath, and try not to cry. I continued to console myself by saying " it's okay you'll find something better to do with this wool" blaaa blaa blaaa.
Then as if he heard my thoughts, Matthew asks did you see all the clothes that I threw out? ( mind you this man had clothes he hadn't worn since the 80's hanging out in his dresser, I had been on him for years to get rid of them) I even threw out my old sweaters.... Yes He Said He Threw Out His OLD WOOL SWEATERS.....
You have got to be kidding me. Are all of the sweater God's against me? Should I just give up. I mean really. Did he need to throw out his wool sweaters? Now I feel like I really need to make a sweater for him.
So of coarse I started a new one for him today. Before I knit the first stitch, I said a little prayer. I hope this will help. Who knows.
I promise to get pictures on as soon as I can get my camera to work correctly. Right now I am waiting for the batteries to charge. You know how it is when you really want something to work, you go to use it and like it has a mind of it's own, the batteries die. Now mind you, I know I just charged these batteries. I even charged back ups for this occasion. Here's what I think: my 16 year old with head set needed my batteries and decided swap. Hmmmm.
I will have the pictures posted tomorrow.

What to do

I have decided that the only thing I can do with this Sweater is pull it out. It breaks my heart. I thought that maybe what I could do is put a stripe or two of some other colors in it, I would be able to stretch the remaining yarn for the sleeves. However when the Man saw it he inadvertently showed his dismay. “ Is that my sweater, your putting in stripes, hmm.... are you trying to make me look fat? “ Well, no I’m not trying to make you look fat. Which for him is not possible as he weighs all of 170 pounds on a 5' 10" frame. Make him look fat. Geese just when I thought that I had the whole issue taken care of. Well, I guess he’ll just get socks for Christmas.
What really gets me boiling is that I have to admit that he was right in the first place. He told me that I should spin the all of the wool first and then start knitting. All this from a man who has never, to my knowledge spun wool or knit in his life. I suppose that tells you that this is not the first time that I have made this mistake.
To be honest with you I really didn’t like the wool in the first place. That’s must be why I spun it so thick. Just to get it over. I sent the fleece off to a mini mill that really didn’t do that great of a job cleaning it. I have spent more time pulling V.M. out of it than spinning. Only to find that I have missed bits and pieces while knitting. I was doomed from the beginning with this wool. Truly a Hate, Hate relationship.
Well, those wheels never do stop turning up in my little brain. I think I will just start over by making him a heavy vest. It seems that necessity is the Mother of Invention.
I can’t wait to get started on that Icelandic Fleece though. I walk by it and take in a deep breath at how wonderful it looks. It still needs to be scoured and carded but even that doesn’t seem like such a tough task when I know that the out come will be beautiful. I already have a few ideas of what I want to do with it. A good friend of mine took pity on me as she knew that I would not be able to go to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival (Other wise known as Christmas for Lisa) and bought me some cocenil. Red, yes I think I will dye it Red. ( some of it anyway) I would also like to get some Logwood to dye some blue. I have enough onion skins for yellow. I was thinking of another sweater. This time I will make sure to spin and measure all of the wool first. None of this rushing to get it done.
Yesterday I went to the library to copy the pattern for the Infamous Icures Shawl. I will also have to spin some more lace weight for that. I have some now it is a two ply of merino and silk. Both are natural colored. The silk is very reflective and is just beautiful.
I promise to start putting pictures up just as soon as I get the chance.