Cold Sheep Has Broken!

I am so glad the weekends end. Then I go to work and wish for the weekend again. My alarm snoozed for a long time this morning. I'm quite certain it was a programming error and not operator error.  After all it isn't my fault my arm moves of its own violation at times. :) Even with my rough start this morning, everything moved like clockwork; just a little slower. DH decided to have a "Daddy Date" with one of the boys so I really only had the one kid to get ready for daycare this morning. DS1 was the lucky winner of the "Daddy Date" so they went to the Birmingham Zoo, ate lunch, and had a blast doing whatever DS1 wanted for the day. While my Big Boys were out, they remembered DS2 and got him a surprise (best said as two pies slurred together) for his birthday. Snakes! Long, large, plush snakes!

I took a little me time this past weekend. My LYS, In The Making, is having a moving sale and deals on yarn are just too good to pass up. So I may have had a little accident or a fairly large one. For under $60 I bought some Lavishea lotion, cable stoppers for my HiyaHiya interchangeable needles, some fabric quarters, and Cascade Yarns Venezia yarn.  Oops.  So far I have plans for everything.  The lotion is already earning its keep and smelling lavender is so wonderful every time I use it. With my last sweater, I ended up moving needles periodically and it would have been nice to have something beyond other needles to ensure the stitches didn't fall off and I may have another sweater in mind. The fabric is destined for a project bag while the yarn is for a Honey Cowl.

Instead of planned projects, I should really be talking about what I'm currently making! The toe up vanilla socks that I had been working on and had just started the cuff, well that's done now. The second sock is cast on but feels like it is moving slowly. Just two more inches and it'll be ready for the heel turn. Not sure why it feels so slow because my progress on it has been anything but slow when its the only thing of note on the needles. Spinning has slowed since the end of Tour de Fleece but I got a little more spun up. For this batch, I've changed the ratio and have been attempting to spin a little finer. Not sure I have the finer part down but its getting a lot more consistent. In time, my plans are to get a lazy kate, weaving bobbins and time to spin on a regular basis without feeling like it's at the expense of something else.

A Finally Finished Object!

I love and I hate the weeks where there is more running than anything else. Logically, I know I've gotten some knitting done and a little cleaning but it doesn't feel like anything has been accomplished here. Part of the problem is accidents on the highway. Every day I take two major interstates to work. One is a loop around the city and the other is a major trucking route between two cities. That said, we spent 45 minutes getting on an entrance ramp, passing over six lanes, and merging into traffic this week. Every time the boys and I are caught in a traffic jam, I am so grateful we splurged on headrest DVD players for the car. It was the ONE night of angelic behavior from both children. Tonight, I heard: "1, 2, 3, 4, LIFT OFF, BLAST OFF" over and over and over again at the top of our lungs. Not bad behavior, just not what I wanted to hear in the car. Shrugging and moving on because hey, DS1 was happy.

Drive Safely and Don't Knit While Driving

I do have a safety share as a result of traffic. Do not knit while driving and the car is moving. That's how I spent the time stuck in traffic. The boys watched movies, I listened to podcasts and knit, and we had discussions about WHY Mama wasn't going! The time was well spent in my eyes because I ended the traffic jam 1.5 rows from bind off on my Abotanicity sweater *happy dance*. After the Things went to bed, I was able to finally turn the heel on my vanilla sock made out of Lorna's Laces Solemate. I'm trying a no wrap turned heel instead of my usual wrap and turn heel. We'll see how I like it after the socks are completed and in rotation. So far I am loving the yarn base and the colorway. Hopefully it'll hold up well with time and hard use.

All DONE!

Has anyone else been watching The Fiber Factor?  I am so addicted to this version of reality TV. There are some talented people in the competition AND the watchers. Judging by the progress videos, I think I know who I want to win Challenge 3 and I haven't liked any of this person's designs in previous challenges. Such exciting really TV and now I need to return to my reality.  Can I have a volunteer for putting away clean clothes at my house? I've done all the hard work of washing, drying, and folding.

Lorna's Laces Solemate in Rockwell

Choo-CHOO, trucking along

The knitter's black hole hit me so hard this past weekend!  Starting Friday after lunch, I had 5.5" of the second sleeve left on my Abotanicity sweater. That evening I knit and knit and knit until bedtime. Saturday afternoon I knit and knit and knit. When I went to bed Saturday night, I had 2.5" left. When I woke up Sunday, I had roughly half an inch left.  Had to be the Gremlins. Now, I am back to the body of the sweater for the proper length for me.  I was hoping my sleeves would take less yarn than they did and the sweater would only be roughly 300 grams. I ended up winding up the 4th hank to finish the proper length. Leftovers will most likely be made into socks. Now, which pattern?

Black Hole

I was tempted to stay up extra late to turn the heel of my vanilla sock. Tempted is the key word there. Instead I went to bed on time so I could wake up at the butt-crack of a chicken with the children. For some reason the weekend mornings are reserved for chasing the kitty.  Poor Kitty. He hides behind the couch and the boys will drop things on him to make him move so they can chase again. I'm afraid to move the couch and pull things out.  Maybe I'll reserve couch-diving for when we start to run low on toys. The kitty did get a break this weekend. DH requested Saturday off and the four of us went to the zoo for memberships! The boys LOVED the zoo and all the animals.  The Birmingham Zoo has some awesome, kid friendly features. There's a special dinosaur exhibit with life sized moving dinosaurs that one kid loved (DS1) and the other kid was meh (DS2). We also took a train ride and I can't describe the grins during the ride but the anti-line waiting was funny.  DS1 knocked TWO adults out of his way before we could catch him and make him wait.  He was going to ride the Choo-choo at any cost to others.

Choo-CHOO!!!!

Even with all that fun activity, I managed to spin the Rolags from Spin Monkeys and Must Stash Podcast.  I did a 2-ply and made roughly 44 yards. I think my personal preferences are becoming a little more defined as I'm learning to spin better.  I think in the future, I will not choose the wool nepps and I think I'll spin 100% mohair. Loved the sections of superwash merino, tencel, and angelina. Since I am the nerd that I am, I started to follow the owner of Spin Monkeys on Instagram.  She uses her rolags and makes some beautiful yarn including the nepps and mohair in her rolags. Going forward, I think I'll purchase yarn with mohair and nepps but I don't think I'll spin it. Geez, I'm getting picky in my old age.

Before I truly reveal my old age, I had better skedaddle and get a little work done. Laundry and dishes wait for no man!

Super Heros Up Next?

It's been rough at my house lately. Between the potty training and DH working evenings, I'm feeling a little frazzled. I set a timer for whenever I need to take DS2 to the potty. However, I can't seem to catch the random 10 minutes apart potty breaks. Well, except when DS1 is ready for my assistance in the bathroom! DS2 has also discovered that if he cries out "I gotta potty" after he's tucked in bed for the night, he gets an extra few minutes up! Hate that delay tactic- how ever did Mom survive 4 kids? I mean he's requesting it 45 minutes AFTER I tuck him in. 

It doesn't help that I was hiding in the kitchen sewing. The apartment is decently large but the sewing machine is loud. I haven't been sewing for a while but I made up for it. All of my blocks of 4 have been joined into a block of 8. Hopefully this kick will last long enough for me to justify purchasing another block of Moda Fabrics pre-cut squares. Speaking of sewing, am I the only one that saw Petite Purls Issue 15? So many cute patterns although I can see how they might be dangerous in my house with 2 boys.  I think I do want to pick out some superhero fabric for my boys and make the Super Hero Cape.  DS1 wants to wear his Ironman shoes all the time so I think if I could find some fabric and make it, we might have a new favorite toy.  The Ironman shoes- they are really the Avengers but we only focus in on Ironman.  I'll need to think a little longer on what to make DS2's cape out of . He seems to love Mater from Cars mostly.  No matter what I make or when, they each will want the others.

I managed to spin roughly an hour the other night because the boys were very well behaved. I did figure out that if I give each of them a little bit of fiber, they drop it on my spinning wheel and have "contributed" to Mommy's spinning. Of course spinning on my wheel most days now has made the novelty wear off so now its more of a thing that Mommy does. Of course, I ruin my good fortune when I move the wheel to a different room. For some reason the same activity in a different location changes the game.  Go figure. I ended plying for an hour before I ran out of singles.  After letting the plyed yarn rest on the bobbin over night, I have roughly 156 yard of Sport/DK weight yarn! I still have a little too much energy in the yarn but I think after a soak and hanging to dry with a little weight, I should have a well balanced hank.

Singles

I have been cruising bobbins, plying flyers, weaving bobbins, fiber and fleece across an assortment of websites. Etsy has been the most dangerous by far! From fiber and fleece I've started to look at project bags because I'm curious about the project bags other people make and how. Now, I have a bag I lust after.  Liberty Avenue Bags has a Craft Ninja.  The bag set up is neat but I want the Ninja and I want it in hot pink! I am not a pink person just like I'm not a monogamous knitter at  heart. Off to window shop Etsy I go; at least I hope it's just window shopping.  I will leave you with a quote from another knitting bag by Kelly Connor Designs, "If knitting be the food of love, ply on."

156 yards of Goodness!

Winner, I'm a winner!

Spinning along on Tour de Fleece is slowing down for me. I've now gone a few days without spinning but I think I made up for it today. I spent another 30 minutes spinning BFL from the Woolery and am getting the singles so fine (for me that is). I think I'm slowing down because I'm wanting to be DONE with my sweater! Knitting a sweater out of fingering weight yarn isn't supposed to go fast but sleeves are supposed to be potato chip knitting.

My Roadbug hanging out under the desk.

For me, sleeves are NOT potato chip knitting. They take FOREVER to knit. I thought about making cap sleeves, then sleeves that will cover t-shirt sleeves, then elbow length, then 3/4 length. Finally today I reached wrist length! Perfect! I'm finally done with that sleeve. I used 42 grams in 1 sleeve which means the other sleeve needs to be knit before I finish the body of the sweater. Now I know I can knit a ribbed sweater out of 1,260 yards, I think I might be lining a few more up.  Somebody needs to stop me and quickly before the madness sets in. I still love the pattern though.  Gauge still has me laughing for the Abotanicity because I missed it by a mile.

One sleeve

I'm still watching and listening to podcasts through iTunes but I swear, this weekend they were out to get me! It seems like every time I restarted the podcast app on my phone, another 3-6 were downloading.  However, I did get to watch a few favorites. I've started off with Geeky Girls Knit. They are a duo that hosting a picture a day for the month of July on Instagram with the hashtag #ggkcraftypad. You should see the pictures that everyone's been posting; it's inspiring. In addition to Geeky Girls Knit podcast, I watched the Must Stash Podcast. I'm a WINNER- *happy dance*. I never win anything; ever!  I have roughly 2 ounces of Spin Moneky's rolags heading my way sometime soon! I can't wait to clean off my bobbins and spin some rolags. 

When I'm not watching podcasts or taking DS2 to the potty; I'm reading while I knit. For some reason I've been on a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle kick. I've already covered several of the Sherlock Holmes stories and am gearing up for the next collection of stories. I do have a plan for my reading; a refreshing change! I will alternate between the books from the library, knitting books, and "classic" literature. I have an app on my iPad with lots of downloadable free books; all out of copyright.  So after this Doyle kick, I think Edgar Allan Poe may be up next. Maybe the Bronte sisters or I could just leave it at who ever is next is next.

A little Sherlock Holmes to keep me company.

I fear it's time to finish my happy dance and do a little more work today.

Allergies Affect Knitting

When I started Tour de Fleece, I never could have dreamed how much better I'm getting at this spinning thing. There's still a long way for me to go before I can consider myself decent but its getting better. I'm still using my Merlin Tree Roadbug and BFL from The Woolery. Loving the combo! Some days spinning for 20 minutes is really easy and other days, 5 minutes are difficult to accomplish. I'm also learning that I need to listen to that nagging little voice on my shoulder. The other night I knew I should not have started spinning when I did but I wanted to go to bed early. Wouldn't you know it, DS2 was up and claiming to have pooped. He was right.

Spinning better.

Wish he could communicate as effectively BEFORE he gets his pants dirty. To his credit, the other night he finished up in the potty. I'm discovering if we go every 30 minutes, we do better than waiting for him to tell us before his pants are wet. So far today, we have a 50/50. Once was success and the other- not so much. Eventually this will be behind us and then I'll be missing these days. 

If I knit, it's typically easier for me to drop and run but I'm not that smart. I choose to spin a little instead. The socks I've been working on are ready for the heel and I'm trying to decide if I want a short row heel or an afterthought heel. If I do the afterthought heel, I won't mess up the stripes that are just occurring by chance. Short row heels usually work nicely for me and my foot though. First world problems.

Lorna's Laces Rockwell yarn in a toe-up sock.

My sweater on the other hand has not been touched and I'm thinking that tonight, it won't be touched either. I have been so tired without actually sleeping to fix the problem. I may go to bed at 10 PM like normal but I'll read my iPad in bed until Midnight or 1 AM without any sign of being sleepy. When I do put it down, I still can't sleep and will toss and turn until at least 2 AM. My alarms start going off at 5 AM even though I usually only make it out of bed at 5:30 AM. Hope it's not because I'm taking an allergy medication which puts DH to sleep.  Wait and see, I'm in the oddball group of people that get wired off allergy pills.

Strange reactions remind me, I think I know the allergen now that caused me to swell up to elephant sized after delivering DS2. I think I'm allergic to naproxen sodium. I had some pain at work and decided to take the "good stuff". Then I kept taking it while managing to increase my pain level and add some joint pain to the mix. There were times at work where I just wanted to cry from the pain I was having. Yesterday I realized I started to itch again; just like after delivery.  The itching made me think back and that was the first time where I had taken several days straight of naproxen sodium in almost two years. Can we say interesting?  24 hours later and I already hurt less and itch only when I think about it.

In celebration, I think I'm going to try to head to bed extra early tonight. Wish me luck.

Closer to being done

Dear Mom,

How did you ever manage to potty train all 4 of us? I hate to put this in writing but Mom, You are my hero. We are working on potty training DS2 and things are going not as well as they did with DS1. For some reason, DS2 is responding better to just being taken to the potty ever 30 minutes and DS1 picked up quickly on the rush to the bathroom every time he wet his underwear.  Think personality and age have something to do with it? DS2 is a little younger than DS1 was.

As a result of heading to the bathroom every half hour, very little has been accomplished around my house. I do have a little spinning and a little knitting going on but even that hasn't been much. While you know I've sent you pictures of me wearing a half finished sweater, I'm getting ready to be done with it. To date, the length hasn't changed from the pictures sent and the entire body only took 840 yards so far. I have the bottom on place holder needles and have started the sleeves. As I'm working on them, I'm attempting to decide how long sleeves should be. I've made it to the elbow on the one sleeve so if nothing else, they will be at least that long. Most likely I'm going all the way to the wrist. DH thinks the sleeves should go to the fingertips. I disagree but it was interesting he was in agreement with you on the body length (go another 2-3" at least).

Progress of a sweater

While waiting for a response from you and unable to see DH while fully awake, I started a sock. It has been so long since a sock has been on my needles. I think I'm in love with the yarn at least from the knitting of it aspect. That is even overlooking my not so bright year with it. The yarn is Lorna's Laces in the Rockwell colorway. For some reason the entire year this has been in my stash, I have been unable to determine why Rockwell would be green, orange, and shades of purple. For some reason, Rockwell hardness tests to be performed on metals should be shades of gray- metallic and non-metallic. After Googling Rockwell, it has to be inspired by Norman Rockwell! In my defense, I deal with metals and hardness tests all day long. 

So this is Norman Rockwell inspired yarn in the foot of a toe-up sock.

Moving on before you can fall out of your chair laughing at me, I've been spinning and getting so good at it. Well good by comparison; Now if only I had been smart enough to take better pictures at the beginning. I'm not sure how I've managed this so far without DH getting upset but I have manged to spin 20 minutes or more every day but the first day of Tour de Fleece!  I have roughly 80 yards of a 2 ply yarn and a mostly full bobbin of singles already. Leaving my wheel out may have been a good idea. Already I know what I want for the holidays, a fiber stash in lots of colors!

Getting better at this spinning gig!

Hate to do it but it's time I chase the boys for a bit. Wish me luck and energy.
Me

Traffic is a Bear

Mom,

I miss being home so many days but none quite like Wed. night after work. I-20 was at a standstill roughly 2 miles from where I hop on at. It took over 30 minutes to go the 6 miles to the next exit. For a rough idea of how quickly traffic was moving, I watched as a guy hopped out of his car, popped the trunk, grabbed a bag, hopped back in the car, AND sat for another 5 minutes before moving. It was so bad I took my sweater out of my bag and did a little knitting on lace. That's right- lace.

Knitting while Driving - not recommended often.

My peanut gallery was busy yelling for Momma to GO! and to MOVE! and I want OUT! while we were stuck.  Thank goodness we bought the portable DVD player for the car because I'm not sure what I would have done otherwise. Finally we made it home in double the normal commute time. I did get to listen to another full podcast episode of CogKNITive Knitter- always a good listen.

As  you can tell, I am remaining mostly faithful to my sweater. Someday soon I should be finishing it and then I can Knit All The Things!  Goodness I hope so anyways. Darling Niece's last Christmas present has been finished with Natalie's input. Hopefully, the set will be big enough she can have more than one season out of the mittens. The sweater and hat will definitely fit beyond this winter but the mittens may be outgrown by the next. The only blocked item is the sweater but who ever really blocks hats and mittens. Real Knitters?

Darling Niece's future Christmas Haul

Tour de Fleece is going strong and I'm proud to say I'm getting some good Roadbug wheel time every day. DH has been huge help in that aspect. Isn't he great? Some day I'll have a handspun skein to show off. Maybe even some year, a project out of handspun. Could be reaching a bit there.

Day 3's Bobbin for Tour de Fleece

Oh, I have a booboo Mommy, I need kisses!  We were melting chocolate and in my infinite wisdom, I chose to stir the hot chocolate with a fork then scrap the chocolate off the fork with my thumb. Yes, I cussed and have pretty blisters on my thumb. I called out for the first aid kit and DH asked what I needed it for. Some days I wonder about him. Finishing the spinning of BFL I started that morning was interesting with a band-aid on my thumb.

Finally a 2 ply Learner's Yarn

Until next time.
Me

Little Luxuries

Dear Rachel,

I'm spinning for the Tour de Fleece and already I have more time put into it than I thought. In signing up for TdF, I couldn't commit to 15 mins per day. So far, I have exceeded that. Take today for example. Instead of hitting snooze 4 times in the morning, I got up and spun for 10 minutes this morning. This evening the boys cuddled DH and I put in another 20 minutes.  That's 30 for the day when I thought touching my wheel would be about all I could do! Go me! Go DH! Surely this won't last. It never does.

Day 1 TdF but a day early

Things I've discovered during spinning.
1. I need to slow down.This could apply to more than how fast I move my hands and feet.
2. Getting to a zen point everyday does help my overall mood.
3. I really do have a good husband no matter how often he drives me crazy.
4. My boys appear to learn better through pain. DS2 went to grab the spinning flyer Sunday night, said ouch, and walked away. He hasn't touched my wheel since. Interesting.

Day 2 where my assistant took off leaving his bit of fluff.

I spent the day at work editing a marketing document and reading about welding again. I am still not finding enough to feel comfortable about what I need to do for work. When I have the research, I'll ask the shop guys to train me if they have time and resources. Good, I do not have to be for this.

Oh, I've started an Instagram account and one of my many watched/listened podcasts is doing a picture a day for the month of July. Geeky Girls Knit is taking pictures each day of a crafty theme. July 1 was to take a picture of your favorite yarn. Wouldn't you know that 2 hanks of the yarn I bought with you made it as my top 4?  Lorna's Laces Solemate in Rockwell, Knit One Crochet Too's Crock-O-Dye, Cascade Yarns' Heritage Silk Paints, and my hand dyed suri alpaca lace weight yarn are my favorites. Yes, the Heritage Silk Paints and Lorna's Laces are your evil influence. July 2nd's picture theme is tools and I will be taking a picture of my Hiya-Hiya interchangeable needles I think.

My favorite yarns.

Good thing I still have time to decide on my next picture.

Catch you on the flip side. (bonus points if you can name the source of that quote).
Me.