This is my very first spin. It was a batt of all kinds of fibers (2 oz.) I purchased at Twist prepared by Custer Cottage called "Everything But The Kitchen Sink." I could have chosen an easier fiber to start with but unique yarn like this is the whole reason I want to spin in the first place. There are some thick and thin areas but overall I'm very happy.
Laura did a great job in teaching us to spin and ply wool into yarn on a drop spindle this morning at Twist. Jessica, Jennie and I had our spindles spinning in the air in no time. It's definitely a slower process but I thought it would be a good first step for me to learn how to draft fiber before actually sitting down at the wheel. I'm going to practice this technique until my spinning classes with my new wheel start at the end of the month.
Yep, I'm gonna do it - I want to be a spinner and expand upon my love affair with fiber. I debated my wheel choice for over a year and recently decided upon on an Ashford Joy. It's compact size and portability is a plus and I'm very happy I took the advice of others and opted for a double treadle. It came out of the box practically assembled and I spent the evening getting acquainted with all the parts and control of treadling. It is very smooth and it makes a soft, little whizzing sound like a hummingbird. Yes, I'm in love, again, with a new hobby and spinning classes will follow.
I'm gonna be a bridesmaid!! Sharon had her first fitting with two of her bridesmaids and flowergirl in tow. We've got until November to squeeze into our pretty red dresses. Until then, we've got some riding to do!
Have I mentioned Thrums are fun? Well, my Thrummed Mittens are now done. These are the kinds of mitts that would be good for a walk in the snow which hasn't been much of an option during this mild winter.
I'm so loving the Twist Knit-a-Mitten-of-the-Month pattern, Thrummed Mittens. The thrums are the figure eight fiber (mine is llama) shapes you make to knit into the mitten -- that's the fun part! These looped ends lay inside of the mitten making a very warm cushion of furry goodness.
I was in the mood for some mindless, inexpensive, cotton ballband dishcloth knitting so I whipped these up for someone special to match her Fiesta kitchen dishwares. A trip out west to Paramount Antique Mall for a coordinating gravy boat will make for a "You are Special" gift.
Miriam Leth-Espensen designed this timeless and simple garter stitch merino sweater. I purchased the kit from her shop on my wonderful bday trip to Taos with Laurie (what great memories were made on that excursion!) in two of my favorite colors, camel and turquiose. Miriam is selling her weaving and knitting shop if you're in the market for a business in Santa Fe.
A heavy rain and pea sized hail fell on my way home from work tonight.
I probably need another suitcase like a hole in the head, but come on, I don't have this size and it was only $5. Sometimes I dream about having my own booth at the Flea someday selling my refurbished suitcases. A girl can dream -- but in the meanwhile, I remain a collector.
Work took me and a co-worker to Columbus, OH where we met with and made a new client. The snow and chill in the air didn't slow us down from going to an outdoor shopping complex for dinner called Easton Town Center. I'd say it's like what we know as the Plaza in KC and in fact, we ate at one of my favorite seafood restaurants, McCormick Schmick's.
Before our flight left town, we took a quick tour of the historic Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus. It was a fast, but enjoyable trip.
So, I had about a full skein of Noro Iro leftover from my Gypsy vest and decided to use it on Wendy's Purled Beret. I first went with the medium and found it was too big so I went with small which was just the right fit. This jewel was done by half-time.
Super Bowl weekend isn't only for men - women can celebrate too with some awesome sale events like the 25% off everything sale at Sunflower Quilts in Derby. I've had my eye on a handcrafted Hinterberg quilting hoop for some time and this event made the investment a bit more affordable. It has some well-built features such as a gooseneck height adjuster and pivot bolts that allows the top to spin for easy hand quilting across the 29" hoop frame width. It's definitely an improvement over the PVC lap frame I've used over the years. Time to get my QUILT ON!!
This hat's been done for a couple of weeks but I had to wait on the buckle I found on eBay to finish it off. It's a jaunty brim from Tracey Ullman's book, Knit 2 Toegether in Noro Iro.
KIP met tonite at Bella Luna Cafe for dinner, wine and a coaster swap. Like past swaps - there's so much anticipation on which gift you'll open and every gift is a work of art to be cherished. 
We each had to make two
My latest Noro creation is off the needles and I'm quite pleased how it turned out. I modified the Berroco Gypsy pattern by omitting the crochet bottom, added waist shaping decreases, armhole ribbing and substituted Noro Iro goodness. It's a blend of 75% wool and 25% silk in colorway 84.
It's probably a good thing we only have our flea market once a month because I always seem to find several things to drag home. Today I found this decorative spinning wheel for $2. I think it was designed as a plant holder but will look fine high on a ledge in my craft room.
This is actually the 3rd Thorpe that I've completed this week. Notice it's the same Manos yarn that I used for my Ski Lodge vest. I could easily make many more of these fun hats but I've just got to move on...
I joined the bandwagon/peer pressure to make this hat, Thorpe. It's like high school - Everybody's doing it so I've got to join in. Seriously, I'm probably the last person to make one while everyone else has made several. Just can't resist a hat with earflaps and pigtails!
Diet it such a dirty word. But really, my eating habits had become way out of whack for too long. The New Year is a huge motivator for me and I decided to get back to the basics of my long ago bodybuilding high protein diet and the log I used when I competed. Realistically, it's hard to log all year long, but its a good excercise to follow for a few weeks to get back in the practice of making sure your cal/carb/fat/protein ratios are where they need to be. In my case, I want to lose a little fat and a few inches so I'm trying to keep my carbs under 55 grams/daily and protein anywhere from 80-100 grams/day. Its so hard to resist a bowl of fried rice or chips & beer!
I'm multi-tasking again. Still working on finishing Xmas gifts but needed an easy traveling project and decided on the Easy Ripple Baby Blanket pattern as a gift for a girl at the salon. She had a baby about a year ago and I promised her a baby blanket so -- better late than never. To make it a quick project, I used a bulky brushed yarn from JoAnn's by Sensations. It was super fast, easy and enjoyable. I just might have to make another.
Everytime I leave Dallas I leave a little bit of my heart behind. I've travelled there countless times over many years and it always feels like home to me. Maybe it's the way Texans say "Darlin', ma'am or sweet tea?" that gets to me. Or maybe it's the fields of horses and steer, blue bonnets and crepe myrtles in bloom, BBQ, fried catfish, a good steak, country music and the sound of a steel guitar. Then again, it has always begun with a visit with Grandpa & Grandma Fetty which makes it true that Home Is Where The Heart Is
Santa delivered many Harley Davidson items this year. Besides the new engine husband received earlier this month for his bagger, he got some HD shirts and I found an HD leather fleece-lined biker jacket and canvas sneakers under the tree. But the best gift of all was the heating element that was installed into my motorcycle seat. 
The little switch on the side is just too cute. It's gonna be the bomb on chilly rides. I've been known to say if it's below 80 degrees -- "I'm cold!"
I got the opportunity to sit down and make my annual ornaments while the ham baked and Dean Martin crooned to a White Christmas. Thanks, Allison, for the suggestion to make one from the photo with my mom on the Plaza in KC. She's going to really like it. The other two are from our memorable ride this year to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. 2008 was a very good year.
We said our goodbyes to St. Louis and counted our blessings for the good travel weather we've had for the final leg of our trip to KC for husband's work party. This is the 2nd year we've gathered on the Plaza for our holiday dinner at Ruth's Chris. 
This year, I had
While husband attended his conference, I strolled along Main Street taking in the Christmas festivities and holiday shopping while a light snow fell upon this small little historic town. 
It just couldn't have been more festive and I found a knit shop and antique district to boot!
Husband had a 2-day work conference outside of St. Louis, MO and I tagged along for the trip.
They put us up in a swanky suite at the Ameristar Casino & Resort Spa and we had a nice dinner with company officials from Chicago. Two of them (including a wife) ride Harleys so the conversation was good all night with bike stories and road travels. No one should go to St. Louis and not see the gateway arch. It's an amazing sight.
What do you do when you run out space in your hobby room? Add a long shelf above a closet door. In my case, mom had this shelf in storage in her garage and I dusted it off and hung it up for an expanded display of sewing notions.
Mom and I went to Kansas City over the weekend to take in the Christmas lights, some shopping and the wonderful oyster bar at McCormick Schmicks. We topped our busy day off with a chilly carriage ride around the Plaza.
My trip out west greated me with a light snow. My meetings went well and I was able to stop at a couple of western stores along the way. Only in Dodge can you see the steer draped with holiday lights.
Thanksgiving was plentiful at my house with a 26.66 lb turkey for only four people. In fact, I'll probably sprout tail feathers by the end of the week from ingesting so much turkey. I could have went the made-from-scratch way to fixing a pot pie tonight but instead took some quick shortcuts to make a delicious left-over favorite.
