The magic of handspun.
You get some fluff, disorganized chaos, that has been partially ordered.
You either spin randomly or with much forethought.
Order from chaos.
The fluff, slowly with the treadling and drafting, forms a line.
A thread.
Thin as you can.
Careful.
Very fragile and will be ripped from your hands if you lose your concentration.
Then, you ply.
And the thread gets stonger.
Much stronger.

Quick.
Get it on the bobbin.
Fast as you can.
There is knitting to be done.
A creation to be made.
Order from chaos.

Oh, I want to see the yarn.
What the future holds.
I never really knew.
I really couldn't see what the yarn from roving was going to be.

Order from chaos.
Isn't this life.
The stress, the strain, the hardship.....
Dare I say the treadling and drafting of ourselves turns us into strong beautiful works of art.
So we knit.
So we spin.
We create order from chaos.
A little bit of supernatural lessons that come from the natural, of our daily lives.

Ah, at last.
Blocked.
Stretched to the limit.
The stitches can now be seen clearly.
The Master's workmanship.
Clearly seen.
Order from chaos.

Swallowtail Shawl
Interweave Knits Fall 2006

Handspun BFL from Sakina's Needles, Pastel Caesar colorway. I would say sometimes sport weight and sometimes thread weight. I can't seem to spin lace weight with any consistency. Quite hard, actually.

I'll just have you know, that it is cold outside. I have hardly stuck my snoot out in days!!!! If fact, I am thinking that shawls are the way to keep warm in a house that is approximately 65 degrees. I wrap myself up in my Koigu shawl, constantly. I keep it wrapped around my neck like a scarf, only much bigger. On really cold mornings, I might have 2 woolen, shawls wrapped round my neck. I used to think that shawls were just decorative, fruiffy stuff. Not anymore! If I am cold in any kind of dress..... If I am in sweats, I am wearing my shawl. If I am in my pj's, I am in my shawl. I put Miss Koigu here, over my down vest and wear it out. Grocery store, church, on a walk. Don't matter! I wear this shawl, constantly! I am a changed woman! I LOVE shawls.

On another note.... I have sold 2, count 'em, 2 tams. Well... it's not a done deal yet, but my good friend at the library has this one and is going to pay me for it on pay day. If not, then I think I'm just gonna let her have it. I have known her FOREVER and I just want her to have it. The other one (dd#1's, can't believe she would have let me sold it right off her head), is for another acquaintance. Good grief! She will be ready for hers in January. I guess I had better get knitting away. This means I have to make at least, 2 more tams. Thank you Knit Picks Palette!

TAGGED!!!

Jennychrys, I cannot believe you tagged me. OK, here goes. 8 things people don't know bout little ole me (this is scary as I tell bunches already).

Jennychrys tagged me for this meme.
Here are the Ye-Shall-Not-Break-Me Rules:

*link to the person who tagged you
*post the rules
*name 8 things others don't know about you
*link to 8 other bloggers

1. I hate doing dishes, but do them because what's the point in hating something you have to do everyday.

2. I am a complete baby when it comes to pain.

3. I actually consider getting pregnant again so I can do childbirth again and "get it right." This is due to the perseverance I learned as an athlete in high school and the criticism I received from my MIL on multiple occasions. Yes, I consider delivering a baby an athletic event. Don't ask me "why?" I don't get it myself, who knows what the inner scrapings of a woman's mind are about childbirth. I prefer NOT to excavate that. And NO. We have had minor surgery on DH, so no more kiddies. I know my limitations.

4. I sit on the porch (postage stamp size) for as many months of the year as possible on the porch swing. I spin, knit, read, and monitor children there until it is not possible to sit there because of the cold.

5. I am so intolerant of weakness in myself that I will "stare down" whatever it is that is causing me distress. This is so that the anxiety I feel can be worked out. I hate feeling anxious. If you just tackle it, you can 'slay the beast.' This is weird, I know, but.... whatever.

6. I want to have a flock of chickens.

7. I wish I were an artist. Painter, singer, song writer..... it doesn't matter. I just wish I could express myself in art.

8. I fantasize about running and owning a Bed and Breakfast. Too much work for reality, but hey, this is a FANTASY!

Tag!! You're it:
Gina
Diana
Jodi
Tanya

I only have 1 son. He is 3.5 yo. I love him dearly. See what my boy has done.
We had dropped the girls off at the local AWANA program, ran to Ukrop's for apples and freshly milled flour for an apple crisp. DH and I were cleaning up the kitchen when......... DS came in with a flyswatter talking about the kerosene heater. Yes, my pyromaniac dh tries to save money by using a kerosene heater. Ethan knows not to touch this heater with his hand. The flyswatter is another matter.

So the house should be smelling like cinnamon, apples and pecans. Instead, it smells like molten plastic. I think I'm gonna go get in the bathtub and read. Then, I am gonna watch TV and knit with a glass of wine and the apple crisp.

I dream of my own LYS

10 Things I Need in a Little Yarn Shop (LYS):

1. I like being a regular. Please know me or at least my project! I was at NOTS, and I had a delightful experience today! I was remembered. Of course, I had just been there on Tuesday? Still! Oh yeah, I hit Sereknity yesterday...... I had met the owner 1 time folks. 1 time and she remembered that I dream of having a swift someday. Same happened with Gina at Mosaic. People love being remembered. (I have only met Gina 2 x's).
   
2. Carry REAL yarn. Something I can really sink my teeth into. Challenge me!
3. Folks who can knit better than me. That is NOT hard! If I need help, I love having friends I can run to and aren't doing something else. Isn't that the point of the yarn shop concept. If I need help now and Tanya, Robin or (insert your favorite expert knitter here) are at work then I like nothing better than to zip over to my LYS!
   
4. Lots of patterns.
5. Lots of colors. Blow my mind. That hasn't happened yet. I can hardly wait till I can walk into a LYS and be speechless!
6. Coffee? Why not! However, this would be a disaster if clutzy me spilled it on say..... the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino.
7. Lots of gauges. Not a few in each. tons and tons and tons.
8. Have classes that I would consider taking. I have never taken a class. I would like to take a class.
9. An atmosphere of warmth, creativity and learning. A place where people reach out to others, even if they don't know them. A third place.
10. A place I can hang out. Dudes. There is nowhere for a 36yo mother of 3 to hangout with her posse on any given night of the week. We need a PLACE. PM hours. Not late, just not 5.

*sigh* Maybe I will do it after the kids are grown and I win the lottery........ Any takers? Who would like to go into business?

ps: The DIY man successfully fixed the crapper. Mary at NOTS suggested I update you all on the status of my bathroom. Thanks Mary

9:34 pm. I am hiding downstairs at the computer, blogging. As I write, DH, aka DIY dude is upstairs trying to re-"thread" the toilet. This is a disaster of epic proportions. I love the fact that ANdy isn't afraid to tackle plumbing, but, dude... we need the crapper. He began at 6:12pm. Do the math. This toilet backs up to my bedroom wall and a 3yo man cub is sleeping in my bed. The girls have been warned, strongly, by me, to not bother DIY dude. No. Reason. No. H20. Are. They. To. Speak. To. Him.

The plumbing is iffy up there anyway. The sink DOES NOT work, except for a trickle. The aforesaid toilet, runs every 30 min. due to a slow leak from somewhere in the mysterious depths. Why did he decide to fix it tonight? We have lived here 6 years with that toilet leaking. Why tonight?

Now, he stomped down the stairs, bypassing me totally, and is in the bowels of the basement making crashing noises. oh boy. Just so you know, I am ensconced here in the TV room with an Australian Chardonnay and I'm not leaving.

There are some things that I swore I would NEVER do.

CLAPOTIS

A finished object for MIL's Christmas present. The Huckleberry Ascot from Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2007. My model is my 7yo dd.

Going to check the DIY dude. There is only a leak from the bottom of the crapper on 1 side vs. 2, progress. Uh-Oh. Loud tool dropping noise. Nope, not going up there. My technical skills go only so far as to :

• run a crockpot
• run other kitchen appliances
• run laundry appliances
• drive a car
  
• make bread
• successfully use a simple machine (spinning wheel), though it can be argued that a crapper is a simple machine
• change a lightbulb
• jury rig doll clothes

The man cub is up and 'helping' the DIY dude. Gotta go save his life. We'll be fine, don't worry. ha ha ha ha ah

I am going to continue my rant about Starmore, and add some ranting bout digital cameras while I am at it.

So...... I am nearly finished on the Sakina Needles 3ply hand spun sweater. Can I show it to you? No. Because the ******* camera flash is NOT working.

So...... I am nearly finished with the Bella poncho. In 2ply, fingering weight hand spun, wool and silk in Grandma's Garden colorway from CyberFyber. Can I show it to you? no. Because the )(*&*&%^*^%)(*& camera flash is NOT working.

Had some serious discussion with DH bout the merits of the Rockin Sock Club. He was not impressed (and neither was a nameless friend or 2 out there).

Where does all this leave me? Without much to do. Oh, don't get me wrong. There is always things I can do. Piddly things. BORING things to finish,spin, throw out. The problem is.... I am in need of the next challenge. I am looking for my next Everest. I feel like Shackleton encased in ice on Antarctica. The South Pole (IE: Starmore) is just out of my reach.

That's where Starmore Alice comes in. She is the holy grail of knitting for me. She is what I have aspired to. I ran into a gal 2 years ago who spun all her yarns. The sweaters she knit were the swanky fair isles that Starmore is so bloody, genius at producing. Folks.... hand spun, Starmore sweaters. All of those subtle color graduations.... I almost swooned and am still quite breathless. I never thought that I, little ole me, can't make anything fit would ever be able to knit a Starmore. Well guess what, I am ready. Just don't have the cash.

I have other problems as well. Gauge. The 8**** Sakina sweater is a wee bit too small. No matter. Blocking. Yes that will take care of that problem. Unless of course, people actually like seeing me POURED into a v-neck sweater. I do have quite a bit of an upper story. Maybe I should wear it next Tuesday when 'Sugar Shane' shows up with my milk.

Last but not least. Bella. My hand spun, asymmetrical poncho. Don't like her. Blocked her today and she is a bit better. Wondering what curse is upon me. I dream of knitting glory, but my results don't match my dreams. I DO have fun though.

Just a mild rant.

Alice Starmore! Have you ever seen more beautiful designs? I just wanna cuss. I want to knit Starmore and I am so poor...... forget a bout it

Check out Ravelry for Starmore FO's.

Not fair.

I am gonna go pout.

My Precious

Weird things happen to me. Coincidences? I don't think so. I truly believe that God cares for us. Even the minutia of everyday life. Here is a simple, commonplace example:
I have this hat I just finished. A fair-isle tam from the Interweave Holiday Gifts 2007 issue. I love this hat. The wool is from Knitpicks, fingering weight, palette. Multi-colored with pink as the primary color. I only paid $35 for 11 skeins. I was delighted when the box showed up and I cast on immediately. The 1st part was difficult. I had to do ribbing in 2 colors. This is my 1st fair isle project, so figuring out where the yarn and fingers went was challenging. Within a couple of hours I had figured it out. I was in love. A new technique that was fun to boot!

I finished the hat and it has been squired around for lots of outings. So many compliments and I even like the way it looks on me. The girls are each begging for one of their very own. I have lots of yardage so this isn't going to be a problem.

Ukrops Friday. Weekly grocery shopping run. Wore Tam to the store and upon entering my car, post shopping and after strapping in the chitin's, took Tam off because I was a little warm. I came home, and that is the last memory I have of Tam.

Skip forward to Saturday. I want to wear Tam. Gone. Lost. Just like Gollum's precious ring. I had lost my precious Tam and I was in a foul mood because of it. I just knew it was my kids fault because they are always distracting me, asking me for x,y, and z. And in general talking my fool ear off and I can't even hear myself think much less finish a task, put something away , or whatever. In general, I was acting like a prime donkey, aka, ass.

I am pouting in the bathtub and think that maybe I should pray about the Tam. After all, God knows where Tam is and I truly believe that God cares.... bout me, not the tam. So, I pray. Then proceed to rip the house apart. Den? nope. Under anything? nope. Bedroom? nope. Kids bedrooms? nope. Basement? nope. Trash? nope. In the clean laundry pile? nope. Dirty laundry pile? nope. Then drive to Ukrops and check lost and found? nope. Go to bed. No Tam.

Sunday. I want to wear Tam to church. I again rip the house apart this time with the lost and found king, Andy. Andy will find it, he finds everything. No Tam. Not under my bed. Not in any laundry basket. Not in any closet. Again, ask God to tell me where Tam is. I am wondering if THIS will be the time that God doesn't answer me. Maybe all my big talk bout how God cares and is infinitely communicative...... well, you know what I thought. So, I start thinking that God has other plans for me and Tam. Like, how not to act like an ass to darling family over a hat for crying out loud. Don't I have what's really important, like the emotional well-being of my children for example, at the forefront of my mind?

I take a shower and start to pray and tell God that I am at least willing to face my attitude towards my precious and face up to the fact that Tam is lost. "I am sorry God. I am blaming my kids for my own carelessness. I am willing to let Tam go if you will help me." And He does.

Sunday night. Tired, in bathtub again. Get out quick because someone is dropping in on us. I streak to bedroom...... There is Tam in the middle of the floor. Right beside the bed. Not even on the far side of the bed. Right there. In plain sight. Not under anything. Nothing. Right there.....plain sight. Folks, it was NOT THERE YESTERDAY, TODAY OR EVEN 5 MINUTES AGO!

So...... pay attention. God is waiting to talk to us. Ask, seek, knock and then wait. Pay attention. You never know how He will speak.

productivity

Dinner: Pintos and Cornbread
School: Homemade playdough (bout broke my arm cooking it)
Entertainment: Practicing for the cookie cutting to come this December
Art: Back of Sakina Sweater. Arm stitches are live on waste yarn. Working front now at odd bits and moments.
So far, a very productive morning. Later, catie

We had fun at Sinkland Farms Fall Harvest Festival!!!! That's me! I was freezing! I had on the Cinchy Hat and Rogue!
Pam was hot! It was gusty and it would have been quite pleasant without all the wind and the dust it blew up. We had a great time bonding with each other and teaching as we got the chance. From left to right: me, Christy, Nikki, Pam and Regina (sorry, Babe, you got cut off).
All of the Sakina Needles BFL has been spun up, set, and is presently being knitted into the back. The gauge is 5st/in on a size 5 needle. As you can see, it is going to be multicolored and knit side to side vs. top to bottom. Lots of stockinette without much flash, but the yarn is the star of the show!!!

This is a quickie. No time to add in links. Later, catie

Rogue and a letter.

Done! I had talked trash about giving Rogue away. Nope, not gonna do it. Gonna be selfish and wear her everyday this autumn/winter. Oh, yeah. Check out my purty, little toes at the bottom of the picture. ha

Oh, and guess what. I got a letter yesterday. Remember the wreck I had. Well, the lady is asking for money. Evidently, they have gotten themselves into financial trouble. *sigh*
Remember, I hit an empty, parked car. I feel terrible, but they have already settled with insurance. I would love to help them, but, we payed a lot of money to get my car fixed, my husbands car is due to die any day (it is only going due to prayer, hard work, and duct tape). So......... any of you out there who pray.... pray for me today. Pray that my anxiety level will go down and that I can say what I need to say, clearly, kindly, and succinctly. Thanks.

Enough bout me. How are y'all? catie

Where, oh where, has little catie cat gone? Where, oh where, can she be?

School.
Finish spinning the BFL for a sweater.
Trouble shooting stupid computer after DSL connection installed.
Cooking dinner.
Hunting furiously thru house for Dell disks.
Dealing with the MILK MAN.
Lost my keys.
Doing math for side-to-side sweater.
Talking to Panama where the computer tech for Dell is and dropping a cool $50 for his help.
Spend 2, count em, 2 hours on phone with computer geek.
Trying to access Ravelry and afore said stupid, computer lost my sign in name and password.
Waiting for stupid Ravelry to e-mail it to me, and it not coming.
Trying to make my flash work on new digital camera, and NOT succeeding.
Trying to upload picture of Rogue to blogger, and not succeeding.
Dieting and NOT eating today because I am so, stinking busy.
Looking forward to a run when Andy gets home.

Being able to upload pictures faster to Blogger..... priceless? It is costing me a ton of money.

Blues to Roses, Blue Faced Leicester, 3-ply. Roving from Sakina's Needles. These aren't very large skeins, so I gotta keep going.

I have decided that I am not a very complicated gal. I like color and I like the yarn to speak for itself without much stitch work. Maybe I will run the color thing into the ground and I'll go back to stictch work. Actually, I am not that great a knitter. I am only able, within this past year, to get a sweater fit due to my old nemesis...... gauge.

Off to Bible study this am. Hope all are well. c

What a day

Cinchy Hat. 3-ply handspun that will also serve as the swatch for the side to side Sakina's Sweater when I finish spinning and plying it up.

Agate. BFL roving from Sakina's Needles. BFL is my favorite wool to spin at this point. I just love the strength and the softness.
Top-down Handspun Yoke sweater. Brown is Cappuccino. Green is leftover Paton's Merino from an Andy project. Red is Inner Journey from David. Whitish/Grey is the famous Brother.
I am really liking this top down thing. Found the 'formula' somewhere on-line. I will document it at a later date.

Busy, busy, busy today. Soap in mold that is still in gel phase. (Friend: it is going to take another 3 days before I can deliver.) Like good wine, soap takes time and it is not done, till it is done. Play date coming over today. A preschooler and a toddler. Vacuumed right quick all the beads, Lego's, and various other small choker items. Gotta pick up van today, sure hope it is finally ready. Take a jog. Fix dinner. Not to mention all the other food I will have to present today to my adoring fans ;) Bread in sponge phase in oven, hanging out. Whew. I'm tired already and to top it off, I have to be perky and ready to go at 7pm for a ladies conference at church. Should be fun, at least it gets me out of the house.

Ecowool Raglan

Ecowool Raglan Complete! And, the GQ model of the year showing it off!

Been a busy week. Had another 'incident' with bipolar brother and mother. And to make it complete, traffic court. *sigh* Thankfully, all is well. Judge was great. Lowered the charge to a traffic violation of some sort! So, I have been knitting and spinning A LOT in self-defense! That and exercising my hiney off.

Gotta go make dinner. c

A good day

Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God! King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God! King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth. traditional Jewish blessings

So, this morning I broke my no sugar fast with strawberries and plain yogurt, as well as, steel cut oatmeal with cinnamon and Splenda. After 2 weeks of no fruit, bread, pasta, or grains... it was divine. Made me really appreciate all of the wonderful 'real' foods that God has given us.

LUNCH

I ate this with lemons, tomatoes, chickpeas, romaine, onions, hard boiled egg, and oil and vinegar. It was a FEAST!
On another type of delight: Yet another spurge from Sakinas Needles. Blood orange, 100% mohair! I have NO idea what I am going to do with it.
Here is the rest of the haul. I am going to spin a 3-ply dk/sportish weight yarn in colors going from the blues to the plums. Then, knit a side to side sweater, v-neck. The ideas are from the book: The Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters. A knit to fit workshop. I am having to take a short hiatus from knitting because my left shoulder to my elbow hurts. So, I guess I'll get this spun up in no time.

mondays

Why I like Mondays, ahem:

• Rested from weekend for school
• Ready to clean house after having done no maintenance for 2 days
• No running hither and yon to satisfy husband who wants to 'get things done'
• I have loads of energy
• I am emotionally recharged from church and being with Jesus from Sunday
• The day flies by
• Kids clean their room again
• Kids help with laundry
• Kids help with food chores
• ANDY HAS GONE BACK TO WORK

Not bad if I may say so myself.

Saturdays in my family were full of chores. Ick. After a modicum of 'toons, kid power was harnessed and I was put to work. I am all for work, but I am even more for whistling while you work. Not my family of origin, unfortunately. This was hard work. Joyless work. It was all day long and my bipolar mother slept the whole day. There were no picnics, no day trips, no fun. period.

In my never ending quest to NOT BE LIKE MOM~ We play on Saturdays and Sundays. Daddy is home, and we mess around with him. Now Andy, likes to get lots done and is actually quite unhappy if some sort of progress has not been made in his domain. But I can live with that. I just hang around with him, follow him, and knit/spin while I watch him do whatever he is doing. Sure, I could be 'helping' him. But you know what, it is better if I stay out of his way as he is (drum roll please): THE MOST CAPABLE MAN IN AMERICA! He can work circles around me, so, I just keep him company and entertain him with my sparkling personality!

On another note, check out what I carved out of the school room for myself this morning while the kids were doing copy work and easy math!!!!

My very own desk. The kids have the big ones and I have this one. Yes it is tiny, but let me tell you about it!!! It is the antique sewing machine of my grandmother's. It weighs at least a 100lbs or more. Beautiful wood, she kept it in mint condition!!!! I will probably mess it up, or rather kiddoes will creep in on my space and mess it up. I really have no space of my own, though Andy will argue differently. My bed is not mine, the kitchen is not mine.... need I continue. We'll see. Hopefully I can 'mark my territory' and keep the wilderness beat back.

To continue with the desk. The desk is really a sewing machine, the chair was my father's desk chair. It has a broken arm that my father had to routinely glue with wood glue and the thingy's at the bottom broke apart and he had to give them the same treatment. Not a safe chair, but it was his, and I am gonna use it! Then the lamp. The lamp is from when I was prepubescent, went away to Girl Scout Camp at Camp on Craig, and mom redid my room in a Holly Hobby motif. This was my bedside lamp. I reclaimed it from her house while I was cleaning up after the grand manic phase she had where she blew 100,000's of George's.

So, there is my 3square feet of "Catie" space!

Knitting and math go together as any knitter can say.

I, yet again, have finishitupitus. I am close to finishing Bella. It is finally cool enough to tolerate drapey, wool in my lap. Andy's Ecowool Raglan is going to be needed soon, so I gotta finish the collar. I am driving to finish plying the Cappuccino lamb's wool for a yet undesignated sweater. Prayer socks for Suz almost done. 60% completed on the Ramblin Rose afghan.

Whew. I'm hungry, gotta go make lunch. Later, catie

Cappuccino

The thing about that ticker at the top of the blog, you know, "Birthday Present to Self", is that it has interfered with my caffeine consumption. Or should I say, Half and Half consumption, which interferes with my caffeine intake. Now, anyone who knows me, at sometime or other has heard me remark about how emotional I am. "I have strong feelings about my morning cup of coffee." I usually get weird remarks about that. Anyway, I figured it out, and I was drinking enough half and half in a week to make 8 days worth of calories in a 7 day weeks time. I realized that the cream had to go. So, after 3 weeks, I have successfully switched to skim milk in my coffee. *sigh* I will just have to be satisfied with CAPPUCCINO here:

It is about the color of my coffee now. It is composed of 2 singles. 1 is black coffee and the other is light brown coffee. I am hoping to have enough to knit a sweater. I have just a little of the black coffee left to spin and tons of the light brown coffee. These 7 skeins just got their twist set and an aromatherapy bath. I used lavender as the top note, rosemary as the middle note, and clove as the anchor or bottom note. In theory, the anchor (clove) should help the rosemary and lavender not evaporate off as fast. We'll see. The house is smelling very spicy right now. Oh yeah, they are essential oils not fragrance oils. I am a bit of a 'smell' snob after all!

Quick knitting update:

• finishing collar on Ecowool Raglan for Andy


• almost 50% finished with the Ultra Alpaca afghan


• no work on Bella, the handspun poncho


• spinning like a fiend on lambs wool, hoping to get enough yardage for a raglan cardigan

(notice a theme here, I like knitting in the round and doing raglan sleeves. This is because