Catching up.....

It's been quite some time since my last post. Lots has been going on. So much so that I honestly don't know where the time has gone. Anyhoooooooo.........here are pictures of my latest pair of socks. These are done using Bernat Sox yarn (for DD #1 who doesn't like wearing anything made from animal fiber....ie.wool). They were fun to knit and I really didn't mind the acrylic/nylon blend yarn too much. Did make me realize just how much I enjoy working with wool or a wool blend though. :.) I haven't give then to her yet. I'm going to give them to her on her birthday (in a month). I hope she likes them. The pattern is "Simplicity" from the book "The Eclectic Sole".

There are some beautiful socks in this book. About the only advice I would pass on to anyone interested in making socks from this book is this: be sure to take really good notes about what you are doing when knitting up the socks.The instructions are a bit on the generic side of things. Which is good in the sense that you can really custom fit the socks. Not so good if you still need a step-by-step sock pattern. I like the book a lot and plan on knitting up a few more of the patterns in it. :.)

I've been enjoying a bit of spinning lately. Pictured above is the latest fiber on my spinning wheel. I'm so excited about it!! It's a blend of superwash wool, icicle top, and a mystery fiber. I had received the superwash wool and mystery fiber as a "thank you" gift when ordering some other fiber. The amounts were really small and I wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. Then it dawned on me. Why not simply blend the two together?? So I did. Added a bit of icicle for a little sparkle........and the end is pictured above. I'm spinning it into what will end up being a very lovely 2-ply sock yarn. I know. The "perfect" sock yarn should really be at least a 3-ply (if not more) tightly spun yarn. And it should be spun worsted from commercially prepared top. Well, this won't be the "perfect" sock yarn......but it will be mine. :.) And I've got this funny feeling that the socks knit from this yarn will be the ones that will end up wearing like iron. :.)

I've also got some hand-painted polypay-x singles sitting on a bobbin waiting to be turned into a sock yarn. These will be navajo plyed for a lovely 3-ply sock yarn. My youngest (who hand painted the roving) loves navajo plyed yarn and the resulting socks will be for her. So why not!! Not quite sure how the socks will wear....but it really doesn't matter. As long as she loves them.....that is all that counts. :.)

Besides knitting and spinning (and carding up some really pretty batts), I have also managed to get in a bit of quilting. Pictured is February's block for the block of the month that I am participating on. March's block isn't done yet. Yea, I'm just a bit behind. :.) That's okay though. I've really been enjoying this and absolutely adore the completed blocks. It's going to be such a fun quilt when done. And I'm really not a "brights" type of person.....but the blocks make me smile every time I see them. :.) I will definitely be purchasing the finishing kit for this quilt......something I normally don't do. The thought of bringing all those bright colors out into the borders really appeals to me. And I really liked the border treatment on the sample quilt. Really brought it all together so nicely.

That's pretty much all that I've been up to lately. I do have another pair of socks on the needles. They are turning out rather nicely......which is a very pleasant surprise. :.) Shearing is just around the corner (as soon as it stops snowing....and, yes, it did snow the other day.....and it did stick.....although it was all melted by evening). Things will be busy for a bit, but should calm down just as soon as I get everyone sheared.....all the fleeces skirted.....and figure out which fleeces will be sold and which ones I will keep for myself. For those interested in a raw fleece, please feel free to contact me via e-mail. I tend to put my raw fleeces up on fleece sale list that I belong to. They tend to go rather quickly....which is nice. :.) Means I don't have to store them for very long.