WWKIP Belated Update

I hope most people got out to knit in public back on
JUNE 14. There were 13 locations in my state alone of
Massachusetts...It's an annual event and so much fun.
I brought 2 girlfriends with me and we chose a spot
closer to our house in Bellingham, Mass....
we were a small gathering, but
I knew no one there and met some really lovely people
and made some great new knitting friends...
The weather was perfect and we were located on a town
green complete with bandstand with nearby (across the
street) coffee shop and bathroom.
http://www.wwkipday.com/






The whole event was put on by a wonderful "LLL" from Ravelry
"Lovely, lively, lady" who brought a tent all decorated with knitting
items to help attract potential knitters over to our spot.

Thanks Mimi for all your organization of a great event...we'll be
back next year!

52 Pair Plunge Sock Update...
knitting fast and furious...finished Campfire Socks by Cider Moon. Absolutely
loved this pattern...





Had leftover yarn so made a little boy's hat. Used a
brand new cast on for this hat...The Stretchy cast on done with a crochet hook
and knitting needle, perfect for kid's projects that require lasting stretching.
see Utube for how to do this by Scarletzebra.com....she explains it perfectly!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAaOQb03wec&feature=related
Had leftover yarn still, so made a pompom using all the colors that were in
the socks for the pompom for hat. Another great charity project.



and of course had more yarn left...so started a rug on the style of
braided rugs, but using soft cording I bought at a local upholstery department
and a crochet hook. Since the sock yarn is lighter weight...I crocheted it
double stranded. Plan to keep adding to my rug as I finish up sock pairs...
and so far I am using up each skein to the very end with no leftover thanks to
all these cool side projects that use just the scraps.



The coiled rug pattern can be found in Knit Simple Magazine Spring/Summer 2008 issue.
The cute baby hat is from http://www.knitfoundry.com
The Pom Pom how to is from http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/tips/pompom.htm

A Tribute To Brenda Dayne

Anyone familiar with knitting podcasts has probably heard of "Cast On"
a very popular podcast with fellow knitters. Well at the end of every
podcast, Brenda always closes off her podcast by saying, "And remember,
If you are cold...put on a sweater, that's what they are for."
She is always so supportive and encouraging to knitters to try and knit a sweater...and though I have tried and tried in the past to make a sweater...
I always got stuck somewhere...mostly at the seaming point,
or I ran out of yarn, or the sizing was wrong...but this time I persevered
and with a lot of help from my knitting guild friends I was able to seam,
do a button band, and collar, and amazingly the finished product
really fit me just right and I love it....so thanks to all of my friends
who helped me particularly with the button band, and especially
to Brenda for your monthly words of wisdom and encouragement...
and if I can do it then I think anyone can successfully knit
themselves a sweater too! I live in New England, a sometimes very cold
place, where I will put on my new sweater, that I made because that's what
it's for...Thank you Brenda.







Also some improved photos (or at least not scrunched into my scanner!) of the blueberry picking time socks I just created for the 52 Pair Plunge II KAL
on Ravelry right now... and my very first toe-ups...hurrah!

Blueberry Picking Time Socks

Hi, it's been such a long time since my last blogging...
and so many things to share...between me working almost
every day, and the weather being mostly overcast or rainy
(so no photos)...it's hard to share all my new knitting...
I have to admit I love, love, love the 52 Pair Plunge challenge...
it is a little nutty knitting so many socks...
but the way I approached it, has made ALL the difference!
I am trying hard to make new patterns, and have a huge list of
techniques I hope to accomplish before I reach either my 52nd
pair or the time I finally call it quits and raise my little white
flag (knitted of course).
My knitting want list for socks is to knit first ever toe-ups,
socks on circulars, two at a time socks,
cable socks, lace socks, round toes, other toes, assorted
heels, my own original sock pattern, and as many cast-on's and off's
I can come up with.
And so far....I am thrilled....the very best part is I now just pick
a skein of yarn from my STASH, and go to Ravelry and see which socks are
possible...and once the sock is finished...the new rule is to use up
every last scrap of that yarn before going to the next sock...
So another great feature of this challenge is that I have turned it
into an AWESOME STASH BUSTER as well....
photos as soon as rain stops of things to do with leftover sock yarn...
But for starters...I have started the Babette Blanket, a Crochet project,
and also a braided rug (GREAT for sock yarn), another crochet project...as
well as baby socks and baby hats. (all to charity of course)
Today's sock...since it's blue scrap yarn, which is blueberry colored, and it's
now July and Blueberry picking time here in Massachusetts...I did as my first
ever toe-up sock...yee haw! this is my second attempt and it WORKED!
when I got to the leg of sock, I thought I can knit whatever I want...so I did
a bobble blueberry motif with leaves and named it the Blueberry picking time socks.
I did a lace cast off, as they were my first toe-ups and really did not have
a clue as to how people go about casting off for these.
No good photos unfortunately...my usual squish the finished product
into my scanner and hope for the best.
If tomorrow is sunny...will photo sock and other 4 pairs and my finished
sweater tribute to Brenda Dayne.

Just Plunged Off the Deep End

A good friend of mine-who is also one of the biggest Boston Red Sox fans that I know
told me the other day that she's joining a brand new KAL "Knit A Long".
Which knit a long is this I asked? Why the "52 Pair Plunge 2" on Ravelry. Basically the challenge of this Kal (52PP II for short) is to Knit 52 pairs of socks in one calendar year (midnight 1 June 2008 - midnight 1 June 2009).
Socks may be any pattern, any yarn, any size (baby, child, adult) – leg warmers, knitted boots, slippers, etc. do not count because they are not socks!

That's CRAZY I thought....so of course....I SIGNED UP.


My First Entry....think that's 51 pairs of socks to go, 51 pairs of socks
on the wall, 51 pairs of socks, take one down and pass it around...
you get the picture...if you know the rhyme...
I look at this as a challenge to learn toe up for the first time,
2 socks at once on circulars, and some good charity knitting!

Spinning...or as my friends would say, sucked into the vortex

Either you view it as crossing to the dark side...
or I've gone Little House On the Prairie...
I've just discovered a whole new way to blow
a yarn budget and a whole new stash to acquire
to excess...
I have roughly half a sheep stored in --my soon to be home --
college son's room
(so just where do you hide your new yarn purchases,
other than your car trunk of course)
Note: not my trunk, see haldechick's post on Flicker for this one



........raw merino wool
which now only needs washing,
carding, spinning, and plying oh my....

For anyone in the Boston/central Massachusetts area,
I would recommend Fiber Loft in Harvard, MA...
as they teach all day classes and have you start with
wool straight off the sheep...and teach carding of the wool,
spinning in the grease, plying, etc...there are also many
wheels to try out to see what fits best...with loads of
valuable advice as to easiest fibers to spin, how to wash wool,
use of Niddy Noddy, etc., etc. We also tried spinning fiber
that was all ready to go had been carded & cleaned,
a ready to knit once spun fiber.
Great spinning books were reviewed
and a list given of must-have books for new spinners.
A really thorough and incredible class.

I would recommend a spinning class for any die hard knitter/crocheter...
it is a whole new take on the whole process...
whether you continue on with a more natural and less expensive way of producing your own yarn
or at least learn how your stash became a skein,
essentially from sheep to shawl...I truly recommend it.
For me, I have discovered I am a process crafter,
and consequently far more interested in how
and why things are done, rather than the end result...maybe that's why I have so many UFO'S...sounds
good in a sentence here, but then probably not a really good reason.

For me, there's something rather unique in knowing
my next knitting project has been contributed directly from Molly
the part Merino/part Corriedale...who grazed tranquilly
in the fields of NH.



So yes, I think I am hooked...
Oh and if you have read the past two blog entries...
you will note no real roving for spinning purchases so far...
But recently attended yet ANOTHER
Sheep & Wool...Yes, call me obsessed,
it's true, that makes 4 wool festivals...
and now have lots of lovely fiber pix from that one too, stay tuned...

Oh and from my prior postings, finally...the spoils of
the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival...or at least the ones I am willing to acknowledge and post for anyone in the world to see...

The annual T-shirt design (it changes every year here)...
actually had to wait 1 1/2 hours in line for this one,
as well as for my other
souvenir goodies from Maryland
and by the way, that line never seemed to get any shorter all day-
they just ran out of popular t-shirt sizes over time.







Button, button, who's got the buttons. some from Maryland,
and some from elsewhere...the collection is growing...




My 3-cool sheep ceramic coaster



Of Course it's not a sheep & wool with out a sheep purchase
for my own personal collection...
like any of you could pass
this cutie up



and here's a close-up...



And The Yarn Goodness that came home with me in my car....

my first Socks That Rock... and yes...those hand-dyed colors rock my world...
wow and it's so soft....



Ellyn Cooper's yarn sonnet hand dyed yarn. could not get a good photo..
It has strands of sparkling glitter type yarn within the skein.





2 skeins of JaggerSpun Superfine Merino from Australia for my new summer shawl project in a gorgeous teal... Yum



and finally
Tilli Thomas beaded silk yarn sprinkled with glass beads...oh yeah...this one is exciting...

Ohio Fiber Fest...another wool festival?

Yes, I am finally back from Ohio with hundreds of photos, loads of knitting and knitting related news...if I post daily....hmmm...I might catch up.
I am starting out with most recent photos/adventures.
Saturday I borrowed son's car and found my way to Wooster, Ohio
and went to the Great Lakes Fiber Show....much different
than Maryland, Rhinebeck, and NH...this was mostly Ohio and
surrounding states & lake area businesses
with a few far-reaching vendors. This was more about the sheep, buying and
selling, and a big focus on 4-H as well and local contests of wool and sheep themselves. Indie sellers/dyers were plentiful.
amazingly, there were only a couple of traditional food vendors...
no fried artichokes aka Rhinebeck,
no lamb burgers, lamb kabobs, lamb u-name-it aka Maryland.

There was a skein competition among the area locals







There was a 4-H animal contest for children and met two adorable girls with
their animals patiently waiting their turns. also a boy showing his animal.







A few of The Animals










Mama and just to be seen in back of her the baby.



There were outdoor stalls and indoor stalls





There were oldtime antique looms







Sites and Sounds around the Fiber Fest













a felted denim skirt





cute mini spinning wheel



But the largest part of the fiber fest, seemed devoted to buying and selling
of the animals. there were several barns of sheep all numbered and ready to be sold.





I personally would have been quite happy with any of them,
like #20 or #237 for instance







OH yes and my personal LOOT...

Briar Rose Fibers ~ http://briarrosefibers.net/ ~
Hand Dyed Fibers



were there, and yes, I asked-- they are the same company
that sponsors none other than Cast On, Brenda Dayne's podcast.
I just looked and looked and could not choose, please see their website
for they capture the yarn colors much better. Oh and did I mention
it is really really soft...




Creatively Dyed yarns....an EXTRAORDINARY Indie dyer
of unbelievable talent...
Please visit her blog, she is a really cool person, as well as an awesome
hand yarn painter.
http://www.yarnsforever.blogspot.com/











Buffalo spinner & dyers were there, complete with a
motorized tabletop spinning wheel



I bought buffalo yarn, hand dyed and a ceramic buffalo button to accent
whatever I knit.





oh and bought a really comical t-shirt, nope that's not milk,
just a cute way to display their t-shirts:





clay button found in 50% off bin and cute ragwool sheep, and a little roving
for doll hair, a great color.













and finally, the reason I was in Ohio, my son's graduation from
Oberlin College...


CONGRATS TIM!