Yesterday was HOT, but still FUN!

So far, the additional insulation and gable vents don’t seem to be making a drastic difference, though I suspect they are helping. It’s 97 degrees outside and we’re only at 79 inside so far and I think given that we started the day at 73 degrees we would be at least a degree or two higher at this point in the day. But, then again, who knows!

So, Snow stopped by the house between her appointments. We talked about lace a bunch and what might be a more appropriate beginning lace shawl project. She recommends any of the Fiddlesticks patterns because the directions include notes about any marker moving that is needed etc. So, I may decide to dive into one of those once I return and let Shaped Triangle age some more. Though here is a picture of it at row 27…

Then we took a loooooong lunch at a nice cool restaurant with AC and she dropped me off and she headed to her not-her-lawyer appointment.

While I was not going to water aerobics (because the insulation guys came too late for me to let them into the garage and get to class on time) and had guys walking through my house to use the bathroom and pull down the attic access panels I decided I wanted to spin. However, I didn’t feel like lugging my wheel upstairs when I knew I would ultimately much prefer to spin in the basement where it was cooler. So, I blew the dust off of my drop spindle.

I’m spinning the rainbow targhee that Snow so graciously shared. I chose that because Amanda had said she had a lot of sucess with it on her Bosworth spindle she’d borrowed. I liked it and I didn’t like it. This particular roving is very neppy which doesn’t make for smooth yarn making. I think I’ve also come to the conclusion that my spindle is just a little too heavy for it at 1.7 oz. I could do pretty good for a while but then with the irregularity of the sliver (even with predrafting, which wasn’t easy with this stuff) I would get to a point that was just too thin and I’d break it. Then, once it broke I usually broke of 3-4 inch pieces repeatedly before I’d get a solid join.

In the above picture you can see a little pile in front of the niddy noddy of fiber. Those are all the pieces I broke off when trying to make a join after a break. If I have a clean join to make it went fine. Odd!

I’m actually pretty happy with this yarn though. It’s only 34 yds of singles, but aside from the neps I think it is quite uniform and it wasn’t nearly as slow as I thought. As a bonus, my spindle fit right into the holes of the basket I picked up for my larger handmade lazy kate so it made winding of onto the niddy noddy really easy. I think I will ultimately end up using this as a fun textural accent in the cuffs of mittens or as a stripe in a hat or something and knit with along with the main yarn for the project. But, who knows. I still need to set the twist and such.

Now, I want to pick a good fiber to take with to MN for spinning. I’m hoping there is room in a spinning class in August in Boulder that I’ll take with Amanda, but it starts almost as soon as I return from my trip and I won’t be spinning on my wheel for those two weeks. So, I think if I can do some spindle spinning while I’m gone I’ll stay up on my drafting skills and such and won’t end up looking like a fool in the class. But, then again, who knows, LOL!

Lastly, I went to Catalyst to cool off some more and work on writing up the Flatiron Clog Sock pattern so I can get a test knitter going on it before I leave. Then, Amanda came and met me after she got off work and we dished a bit about yarns/LYSs and spinning and the like and she lent me the Sally Melville books that I had traded to her a while back, LOL! I decided my Cascade Sierra is going to have to become the Caddy sweater like Margene’s.

I was thinking of photocopying the pattern and bringing this project with me. However, I’m trying to pack for two weeks into a wheeled carry-on (that will be checked, as I’ll have my laptop backpack and purse already) so that I have less to heft around by myself since I’m taking myself to the shuttle this time around. So I think socks are the less space taking and more stitch making perfect project to take with. But I might still get a start on it before I leave.

Hot & Tired!

Same old stuff. . .

I’m *hating* shaped triangle! The &@#*)& stitch markers that are supposed to make lace knitting bearable have to be moved every other row! Grrrrrrr! Add to it that I didn’t heed my own advice and instead listened to the siren call of varigated yarn and varigated yarn that is quite strong in its color changes and I’m more or less hosed. I haven’t decided if I’ll continue with it or not. Regardless, since I’m a host of the Gathering of Lace Along I shall have to choose another project from that book… I have no other lace weight in my stash either. I do have a couple options of about 600 yds of sport weight, but again those are varigated as well… But, I’m open to suggestions from others…

My Flatirons Clog Socks are progressing. I put away the shawl when people started arriving as I didn’t trust myself to visit and remember to move stitch markers properly etc. So I got about hald way through the heel flap on those. Perhaps I’ll get the heel turned and such today. I’d like to have this one off the needles for my trip and cast on for something a bit more dull for the traveling, but I would like to take these Caesin needles as the last time I took bamboo needles home I broke a needle and then couldn’t finish my sock. Perhaps I’ll try Alison’s Anklets!

The house was 83 degrees last night. We got it to a chilly 79 degrees before bed (at midnight). This morning at 5:45 am it was still 76 degrees. It’s already 78 again in the bedroom. I slept a total of three hours, which means I am not only hot and sleep deprived, but I’m also in pain. I’m tired and cranky and crabby and little pissed that DH won’t have the portable AC unit on at night and insists on closing up the windows in the front part of the house so that we don’t get any air flow through the house to push out the hot air. I must focus on the fact that by next Monday night I get to sleep at whatever temperature I like for as many hours as I want in a bed by myself (okay, so my sister’s cat has an uncanny ability to sneak into my bedroom and sleep with me when my sister isn’t home, but mostly I’ll be by myself…)

Now, tomorrow morning the insulation guys is coming and putting in another layer of R-19 in as well as two gable vents. Since we only have 5 ridge vents with no soffet vents or gable vents it should be a big improvement. At least I’m hoping. It should at least improve the cooling off ability at night since the gable vents will allow us to be able to get the hot air out of the attic instead of it just staying there. The ridge vents don’t do much good unless cooler, fresher air can push the hot air out of them. So, I’m hoping for improvement. Also, DH is supposed to put in a ceiling fan in the bedroom while I’m gone. If he hasn’t I’m calling an electrician to do it for us when I get back.

Hopefully I’ll get sleep tonight just due to pure exhaustion and will have enough energy to take some progress photos…

So, as I’m sure most everyone realized, last Monday was a holiday here. That meant no Stitch ‘n Bitch last Monday night. Boy, have I missed it! Not that I have a whole lot to show off, but I’ve missed hearing what everyone has been up to.

Sure, I know Snow finished her shaped triangle and is working on several other lace shawls at the moment. But, she is the only other blogger from our SnB group. And, as wonderful as it is to see pictures people’s FOs it just isn’t the same as getting to see them in person and see them modeled or getting to fondle them. Just admit it!

So, I’m very much looking forward to this evening. For one, it’ll be my last SnB until August 8th! I’ll be getting ready to board my plane to Minneapolis when everyone else is gather next week. I suppose I’ll be so busy at home and showing off my stuff to grandma B that I won’t miss it so much. But I know I’ll be more than ready to see everyone again when I get back. I’ll want to know what Amanda has been spinning and what sweater design Ashley is working and to see Snow’s gorgeous lace and the progress Kerrilyn’s fun lace scarf or perhaps she’ll be working on another pair of socks?? And then of course Linsey’s sweater.

I’m so glad I persevered for that month or so of sitting at Mug’s and knitting by myself hoping other people would eventually show up! It was sooo worth it for this great group of lifelong friends I have made. And, moving it to Catalyst on Amanda’s suggestion was great as well. A nicer, friendlier coffee shop I haven’t been in! In fact I know go there one or two other days out the week as well and have been known to stop in on a weekend if we eat at the neighboring restaurant for brunch.

I suppose that is enough sap for one Monday, huh? Well, with the amazing heat this weekend, we spent a lot of time watch TV series on DVD. In fact, I’m so embarassed by the number of episodes of X-Files and Firefly we watched yesterday that I won’t give out the number, LOL! However, it did bring to my attention my lack of easy knitting. I’m working on a sock design that I don’t find difficult, but every fourth row is a bit difficult to execute in the dark and then there is the shaped triangle. And, while I suspect at some point I’ll be able to comfortably execute this central portion in the dark while watching TV I’m not there yet. DH definitely prefers watching in the dark as our TV really gets glare easy, but it was also cooler to keep lights off. We’ve been staying up until 1am or even later to let the bedroom cool off to 78 degrees and for us to get so tired that the heat can’t even keep us up. So, I’m exhausted and don’t have more than an additional 12 rows or so done on the Koigu sock (which I’m thinking will henceforth be called Flatirons socks since I bought the yarn in Boulder and the stitch pattern makes me think of them).

I will be seeking a reprieve at Catalyst early. I’ll probably head over there right after Emma gets her mid-day meal and bring my lap top and do some design work I have in the queue right now before SnB.

Drum Roll Please!

While it is noon here, I assure you I put the names in a hat last night and had DH draw one this morning before he headed of to work and me to water aerobics.

So, the winner is…

Fellow Mile High Knitter, Leisel!

She submitted the caption of “Baa-aad hair day” for pic #3, there were some other great suggestions as well. For example, “I’m so horney!” for the last photo was submitted by Jacey. The curly haired Maus wrote, “no, its NOT a perm” about #3 which I know my sister would totally appreciated. “Aw come on, Sugar! Gimme a kiss!” for #1 was coined by Rossanna. Thanks guys for the laughs!

Leisel, just e-mail me (knittingfool (AT) designedlykristi (DOT) com) with your mailing address and I’ll get your secret prize out to you early next week! Yeah!

Spinning has been pushed aside a bit this week in hopes of managing pain levels, but it has gotten me to pick up and begin the Shaped Triangle once again. I’m only about two repeats past where I was back this spring when I last posted a picture so I’ll spare the bandwidth for the moment. But it seems to be going along a bit better. But, I’m using a lifeline just in case

Hopefully next week will bring blog worthy knitting and spinning to share before I leave on my trip to Minnesota. Speaking of my trip, if anyone knows of some good yarn/fiber shops in the central or western Twin Cities Metro or in West Central Minnesota near Willmar, Redwood Falls, Alexandria, St. Cloud etc. Let me know!

KAL Round Up!

It’s been nearly a month since I’ve reported on the knit-a-longs here…

Myself, I have just not been in a lace knitting mood, or at least not in a “read a chart” lace knitting mood so I’ve made NO progress whatsoever on my Shaped Triangle Shawl.

However, we’ve had several additions to the participant list for the Gathering of Lace Along in the last month, so don’t forget to check out their blogs. Not to mention, Melissa M has completed two projects, the Super Spiral Shawl and the Feather and Fan Shawl for her grandmother. She’s not stopping there, she is already working on Frost Flowers! She definitely gets the blue ribbon for most projects!

Also, don’t miss the progress photo of Amy’s Frost Flowers that will serve as a huppah for her brother’s wedding (what a cool idea)! Her blog is brand new, so stop by and say hi to her!

As far as Spearfish Madness, people are still trucking a long and we’ve even had a few recent additions over there as well. The biggest news is that Clemintine did indeed make her deadline to have them done to gift to her BF’s mother for Mother’s Day. This week we had another completed pair added to the line up, this pair of Spearfish socks are a fun “coordinating” pair from Paula.

Both of these KALs are low-key, low-pressure KALs so you are welcome to join either one. There are directions on the pages for each on how to join in.

Progress!

I was a faithful knitter this weekend worked pretty exclusively on the tank top/shell design. I’m half-way through the straight section of the waist and will soon begin the increases. That’s about half-way to the arm hole shaping! And, I have a little over 1/2 of the first ball of yarn left so I will definitely have enough yarn

One of the lakes near the house I grew up in was called Wagonga (though for most of my life it seemed most people pronounced it as Waconda ????). I’m contemplating that name. Thoughts?

I did take a little bit of time this weekend to frog and re-do the first 15 rows of Shaped Triangle. But, I suspect it’ll be mostly on the back burner until I wrap up this tank/shell design project.

Once again, it’s SnB night! If you are in the area, please join us at Catalyst Coffee from 6-8pm.