Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Guilt free snapping!
First of all, thanks for the well wishes and all. The dizzyness is subsiding and I'm starting to feel like myself more and more with each passing day. I took it super-easy this past weekend and have been trying to catch up on sleep and that seems to be making a world of difference with my head. I never mentioned that I actually hit my head, pretty hard, and that's what caused this BPPV, so slow down, don't be in such a rush, cuz that's how I went about banging my head. Hurrying to get from here to there! And look where it got me. I still have a follow-up test next week, so hopefully I'll get thru that with flying colors!
Anyway, on the knitting front, I'm happy to say I can now hog the digital camera ALL I WANT since I wisely bought the SO his own, newer snazzier camera to-call-his-own for his recent birthday. So, now I can snap snap snap to my heart's content and won't have to hear one word from him about how HE never gets to use the camera (for what I have no idea) cuz now his is actually nicer, newer, etc. and will probably sit on his dresser and collect dust! A small price to pay to have nag-free photo documentation! Of course I have nothing to show you, since I haven't actually documented anything recently except his birthday, but that will come with time.
I have been knitting, some. I am working on the Touch Me gloves for my friend's daughter. I'm doing both at once and taking very careful notes this time, since I so carelessly winged it the first time thru for myself. That's how I am any time I make stuff for me, sewing, cooking, etc. Just throw it all together and see what happens. But I am making myself slow down, write exact notes, so when all is said and done I may actually have a real pattern at the end of this. And, if I can repeat this pattern successfully then I'll happily post it on my blog. Probably for free, since I don't think it's one I need to sell. I'll sell what I spin, but this pattern will probably stay a freebie. So look for that in the future.
I'm also spinning a little. I'm still working on the batt that Miranda carded up for me. I'm about 2/3's thru that and hope to ply that up, maybe this weekend. This weekend is the last riding weekend up north before hunting season so we'll be packing the kids and heading up for one last time before it's time to put the dirt bikes away until spring. I'm sure all the colors have peaked but the weather has been so crazy I'm anxious to see how it looks up there.
That's all I have for now. Take it easy, watch your head, and have a great Halloween!! BOO!!
Anyway, on the knitting front, I'm happy to say I can now hog the digital camera ALL I WANT since I wisely bought the SO his own, newer snazzier camera to-call-his-own for his recent birthday. So, now I can snap snap snap to my heart's content and won't have to hear one word from him about how HE never gets to use the camera (for what I have no idea) cuz now his is actually nicer, newer, etc. and will probably sit on his dresser and collect dust! A small price to pay to have nag-free photo documentation! Of course I have nothing to show you, since I haven't actually documented anything recently except his birthday, but that will come with time.
I have been knitting, some. I am working on the Touch Me gloves for my friend's daughter. I'm doing both at once and taking very careful notes this time, since I so carelessly winged it the first time thru for myself. That's how I am any time I make stuff for me, sewing, cooking, etc. Just throw it all together and see what happens. But I am making myself slow down, write exact notes, so when all is said and done I may actually have a real pattern at the end of this. And, if I can repeat this pattern successfully then I'll happily post it on my blog. Probably for free, since I don't think it's one I need to sell. I'll sell what I spin, but this pattern will probably stay a freebie. So look for that in the future.
I'm also spinning a little. I'm still working on the batt that Miranda carded up for me. I'm about 2/3's thru that and hope to ply that up, maybe this weekend. This weekend is the last riding weekend up north before hunting season so we'll be packing the kids and heading up for one last time before it's time to put the dirt bikes away until spring. I'm sure all the colors have peaked but the weather has been so crazy I'm anxious to see how it looks up there.
That's all I have for now. Take it easy, watch your head, and have a great Halloween!! BOO!!
Labels: BPPV, Camera, Spinning, Touch Me gloves, Up North
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
I always knew I had a screw loose...
So, this will be a non-knitting post. Sorry about that. I went to the ENT yesterday, and finally figured out what the heck is wrong with my head. I have BPPV, and there is no medicine to treat it. Simply a repositioning done by the doctor, crazy sleeping positions for me for 48 hours and a few exercises, and then a follow up test in 2 weeks, and hopefully I'm all better. Sometimes the repositioning needs to be done again, in severe cases, but we'll see in a few days. So for now, I'm on the down low. No aerobics, no crazy head movements, but at least knitting and spinning are not banned from my activities. Phew!! There would have been HELL to pay for that I tell ya!
I always knew I had a screw loose, but displaced crystals? Who'd a thunk it?!! Take care not to hit your head, that's what caused mine.
Have a great, non-dizzy day! I'll try to do the same.
I always knew I had a screw loose, but displaced crystals? Who'd a thunk it?!! Take care not to hit your head, that's what caused mine.
Have a great, non-dizzy day! I'll try to do the same.
Labels: BPPV
Monday, October 22, 2007
You woke me up for this?
I think, if I ever believed in reincarnation I'd like to come back as a dog. They have such a pampered life. Sleep all day, no real requirements of them, and do something little like sit or lay down and you get a pat on the head. How rough could that be? This is Marvin's life, most of the time.
We got to spend another beautiful weekend up north. I'm not really feeling better but the SO had promised to take the kids riding and I didn't want to stay home by myself so I went along and slept till 12:30 on Saturday and basically lazed around all day. I spun, I knitted, and did very little else.
This is the view out our front door.
Horrible isn't it?
Horrible isn't it?
This is the driveway off to the right.
And I looked up until it made me too dizzy 
Couldn't help myself though, Crayola doesn't make a blue that pretty!!
I started spinning some fiber that Miranda gifted me, it's really pretty with a little bit of sparkle in it. It's some kind of eclectic mix of who.knows.what, but who cares, 
it's really pretty to look at don't you think?
it's really pretty to look at don't you think?Oh, and for those that are interested the boot socks fit my mechanic friend "like they were made for me", umm yeah duh!, so I just need to finish the toes, wash 'em and send them on their merry way. I love when I guess right!
Hey Marvin, can you say hello?
He's not amused. I interrupted nap time.
He's not amused. I interrupted nap time.Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. Talk to you again soon.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
"Jane, Get Me Off This Crazy Thing!!"
Remember back in the day when your mom or dad would take you to the park and you'd get on the merry-go-round and they would push it and you would spin and laugh and yell "MORE, MORE, Love.To.Spin!" then you'd get off and your parents would laugh cuz you'd be walking around like a drunken sailor just off the bar stool. Well, this has been my life for the last 2 weeks. But without the merry-go-round and without the alcohol. Apparently I have some kind of middle ear infection or some crap, that causes me to be dizzy and stumble and fall over, for no apparent reason. Even laying in bed causes the room to spin uncontrollably. And not in a fun way. I even went and got a brain scan last week, and shocker of all things, I actually have one up there, but nothing else was wrong so they're still considering it to be a middle ear infection. Today I finished my 10 days of antibiotics and I still feel like crap. They switched my motion sickness medicine from Antivert to Valium which means I can't take them during the day unless my boss doesn't mind me napping at my desk, which I can't see him accepting, so no remedies for me during the day. And all the Valium really does is make me sleep, which I did ALL weekend, last weekend except for a few hours here and there, so other than feeling well rested the symptoms are not gone and we're going on two weeks here. Total DRAG!!
It's October, and they're swimming!
I did manage to get some knitting and some spinning done, and I actually have some pictures to document the fruits of my labor.
Way back, for some holiday (I suck at remembering stuff) Amby got me silk hankies. And no, these aren't the dainty kind you blow your nose with and then pray they come clean in the laundry. These are the awesome hand dyed silk cocoon kind that you have to delicately peel apart (after exfoliating the hell out of your hands cuz even air causes it to snag) and then pre-draft and then spin. I started spinning this on my drop spindle but because the staple length of silk is so incredibly long and because this fiber is so intensely strong it was really taking its toll on my wrist. So this past weekend I peeled every single layer apart, 
pre-drafted each one and then spun it all up on Ms. Ashley. Then I plied it, steamed it and voila!! Gorgeous, 125 yards worth of spun silk! 
Whaddya think?
I also finished the boot socks for my mechanic friend, I just need him to try them on before I kitchener the toe.
These were a pretty quick knit, considering that I didn't work on them every day, but doing both at the same time was really nice as to avoid SSS. 
The yarn is Knit Picks Swish Superwash, and I really really like this yarn. I'm anxious to wash these and see how they look after a good washing.
pre-drafted each one and then spun it all up on Ms. Ashley. Then I plied it, steamed it and voila!! Gorgeous, 125 yards worth of spun silk! 
Whaddya think?
I also finished the boot socks for my mechanic friend, I just need him to try them on before I kitchener the toe.
These were a pretty quick knit, considering that I didn't work on them every day, but doing both at the same time was really nice as to avoid SSS. 
The yarn is Knit Picks Swish Superwash, and I really really like this yarn. I'm anxious to wash these and see how they look after a good washing.I had posted previously about my silk dyeing class I took at Mt. Bruce a few weeks back and teased you with this photo. Well, I unwrapped it and took a few pictures and this is what I got: 
It was Rit dye so the colors aren't super vibrant, and I'm kinda on the fence about the fold lines, but the pleats are super cool for sure. I need to order some blanks and try some different dye and some kool-aid too, for some super bright colors!! I think these would make cool gifts, so I need to get my booty in gear if I'm going to get any done for Christmas.
I also finally started the Touch Me gloves for a friend of mine, and since I was in the 2 socks.at.the.same.time mode, I thought hey, genius (this is how I refer to myself of course) why not do two gloves at once, at least until you get to the tricky part. Great idea!!
One small problem though. Since I am not really following a true pattern, and I winged it on the first pair, I was guessing on a few things, like needle size, since I failed to make note of that on my "pattern". I only just checked back thru my blog archives TODAY and discovered I had used size 2 Addi's, and these gloves were cast on to size 4 Addi's. CRAP! Oh well, it was a good practice run, but I thought they felt kinda loose. This frees up my 4's for some socks for me, and now I just have to find my 2's. I must get thru these gloves first though, before I start socks for me! Crap, I hate these kinds of obligations. But cold weather is coming, and I promised these gloves quite some time ago.
One small problem though. Since I am not really following a true pattern, and I winged it on the first pair, I was guessing on a few things, like needle size, since I failed to make note of that on my "pattern". I only just checked back thru my blog archives TODAY and discovered I had used size 2 Addi's, and these gloves were cast on to size 4 Addi's. CRAP! Oh well, it was a good practice run, but I thought they felt kinda loose. This frees up my 4's for some socks for me, and now I just have to find my 2's. I must get thru these gloves first though, before I start socks for me! Crap, I hate these kinds of obligations. But cold weather is coming, and I promised these gloves quite some time ago. That's all I have for now. I'll leave you with these great pictures from 2 weekends ago up north. The colors are changing and it's really hard to come home with such beautiful surroundings. (click any to make them bigger)
The riding gang!
I love rainbows!
It's October, and they're swimming!
Labels: Hunter Socks, Shibori, Spinning, Touch Me gloves, Up North
Friday, October 05, 2007
Friday!
Yep, I'm famous for stating the obvious. It's been a draggy week. I've had a cold, thanks to Chunky Monkey at work (the boss' nephew) who appears to be opposed to personal hygiene and spreads germs at every opportunity. 3 nights this week I've gone home and gone straight to bed. That's so not me. Plus I taught my exercise class, and per usual, I kicked my own booty. That's cool though, if I feel it, they feel it. As long as they keep coming back.
I have some show and tell. I went to Mt. Bruce last weekend. What a gorgeous day! It was sunny but somewhat cool, so it made for a very comfortable fiber shopping day. I bought, I fondled, I smelled (soaps not fiber) and took a fab class on Shibori silk scarf dyeing. Mary was a great instructor and Miranda and I had a great time, once we got invited to the big people's table (long story).
Here's the before shot:
Oh, were you hoping for an after shot? Yeah well, I haven't taken it yet. I unwrapped the scarf and didn't like the fold lines so I pinned it out and lightly steamed it, so you'll have to wait for it to dry. Sorry! This was a super cool class, and other than trying to constantly bonk Miranda with my pole (oops!) I had a great time, learned a LOT and can't wait to do this again. I'm going to order some silk blanks and try my hand at some more silk dyeing.
Here's some fiber-y goodness that spoke to me as I was wandering around thru the different vendors.
Can you see the glitter? It's called Strawberry Sundae, and it's Mohair, Alpaca, Wool and Silk. So luscious!!
Here, let me give you a better look.
Of course I started spinning it!
I bought a whole pound, I just couldn't help myself. I'm picturing some kind of open weave type sweater, to wear over long sleeve shirts. Any pattern suggestions? Throw them in my comments. If I use your idea? It may win you a skein of sock yarn. I'm not big on contests, but if something truly catches my eye, I'll reward you properly!
Also, a big shout out to Marj for some fab looking earrings. Go check out her Etsy store she does great work!!
I bought some angora/merino from Mt. Bruce, but it's for my daughter. She liked what I bought last year so much, that she requested some for herself, since she couldn't go with me. Check it!
She hasn't seen it yet, it's waiting on her bed for her, hope she likes it!!
Well, that's about all I have for now. We're taking the kids up north, I thought to enjoy some fall goodness, but they're calling for 80's so who knows what we'll get up there. Either way, away is good!! Have a great weekend!
I have some show and tell. I went to Mt. Bruce last weekend. What a gorgeous day! It was sunny but somewhat cool, so it made for a very comfortable fiber shopping day. I bought, I fondled, I smelled (soaps not fiber) and took a fab class on Shibori silk scarf dyeing. Mary was a great instructor and Miranda and I had a great time, once we got invited to the big people's table (long story).
Here's the before shot:
Oh, were you hoping for an after shot? Yeah well, I haven't taken it yet. I unwrapped the scarf and didn't like the fold lines so I pinned it out and lightly steamed it, so you'll have to wait for it to dry. Sorry! This was a super cool class, and other than trying to constantly bonk Miranda with my pole (oops!) I had a great time, learned a LOT and can't wait to do this again. I'm going to order some silk blanks and try my hand at some more silk dyeing.
Here's some fiber-y goodness that spoke to me as I was wandering around thru the different vendors.
Can you see the glitter? It's called Strawberry Sundae, and it's Mohair, Alpaca, Wool and Silk. So luscious!!
Here, let me give you a better look.
Of course I started spinning it!I bought a whole pound, I just couldn't help myself. I'm picturing some kind of open weave type sweater, to wear over long sleeve shirts. Any pattern suggestions? Throw them in my comments. If I use your idea? It may win you a skein of sock yarn. I'm not big on contests, but if something truly catches my eye, I'll reward you properly!
Also, a big shout out to Marj for some fab looking earrings. Go check out her Etsy store she does great work!!
I bought some angora/merino from Mt. Bruce, but it's for my daughter. She liked what I bought last year so much, that she requested some for herself, since she couldn't go with me. Check it!
She hasn't seen it yet, it's waiting on her bed for her, hope she likes it!!I'm on the heel flaps for the hunter socks (KnitPicks pattern) for my mechanic friend. I'm loving the KP Swish Superwash, and doing both socks at the same time means no SSS, whoo hoo!! I'm going to have to get some Swish for me in girly colors, but not till I whip out a pair for the SO first.
Well, that's about all I have for now. We're taking the kids up north, I thought to enjoy some fall goodness, but they're calling for 80's so who knows what we'll get up there. Either way, away is good!! Have a great weekend!
Labels: Hunter Socks, Mt. Bruce, Shibori
