18-1/2hrs to a Harlotty Good Time...

Actually less then that because we have a long ride from NY to Web's in Northampton, MA! Now you would think that there is nothing more exciting than going to see Stephanie the Yarn Harlot in person. I would totally agree especially since I was so upset about being unable to attend the Represent event in NYC. But I must say I'm glad that things worked out the way did. Handsome Hubby has taken tomorrow night off to take me to the event & book signing. When I signed us up I told them that I was the knitter & he was the enabler! Well things have changed here in Knitty City! Last month Handsome Hubby mentioned to me in a LYS that he might try to knit. I was in heaven just with the fact that he was contemplating the idea of knitting. Well, last week we sat down together & Hubby learned to knit! He is doing extremely well, at least in my eyes. His stitches are a little tight, but he is getting better already I told him. I am just so proud. He is making a scarf with yarn I had left over from making him a hat last Christmas.

Many of his fingers had been broken as a teenager so the needles are akward for him to hold but he isn't giving up. He got upset when he dropped a stitch or had something go oddly wrong but I was able to fix any "mistakes" he came across. (There are no mistakes, only creative embellishments!) I remained very encouraging and told him we all have been there & still visit often. After promising not to "watch" him, we also had to turn off the tv to allow for better concentration, gee I remember those days. (We watched a Horror movie a few months back & I got so scared I tossed my needles & lost all my stitches. Wonder how funny he would think it was if it happens to him now! I'll wait as I don't want to scare him away!) They only stipulation I told him there is about knitting is that he better get his own stash. Little does he know that this will also mean that since I am the senior knitter in the house I can acquirer anything from him stash that I deam necessary without any reprocutions to my stash!!! Nice rule huh...not bad if I do say so myself!(Insert Evil laugh here!!!)

Now if you are going to Web's Harlot event tomorrow & you come across us please do say hello. I will have my Market Squares bag with me, the one that I have to explain about it being a flower. Handsome Hubby and I will be knitting unless he gets nervous KIP(Knitting in Public). At some point I must go to bed or else I will sleep through the whole day tomorrow!



Knit your dreams,

Diane

Stalking the UPS man...

OK, so I can be a little impatient sometimes. But honestly I had a really good reason this time! I waited ever so patiently for my wheel to be delivered all day. I woke up extra early so that there was no issue with the delivery like last time!
(I was expecting a package a year ago, a gift, but it was never delivered the day tracking said it would be. When I called UPS, I was told that no one was home to accept the package...I was furious! I was home all day waiting for that truck, there was no note of failed delivery left... someone just didn't bother to deliver it. So the next day waiting again for the package I hear a truck and look outside only to see the UPS truck pulling away. They dropped my package on the porch & just left. Gee, why didn't they just do that the day before!)

So back to the matter at hand, I wasn't letting this happen with my wheel! I was awake at 6am & ready to jump at a moments notice! After feverishly checking the tracking site for UPS(which I'm shocked I didn't single handedly crash) I saw that at 8:31am it went "OUT FOR DELIVERY". Well now I was ready. I tried to get some housework done but realized I couldn't do the dishes because I'd have to dry my hands, grab the camera & run to the door at the same time! So I fiddled around the house and jumped at every noise I heard...of coarse the neighborhood saw to much action, the garbage truck, the oil truck, school buses. I was going insane!

Tic-toc, tic-toc...the wait was starting to scare me, what if they have to many deliveries today & postpone mine till tomorrow! I told Handsome Hubby that I was making a phone call if I didn't see a truck by 3:30pm.

I kept thinking who would want to drag that heavy box back to be loaded on yet another truck for tomorrow? Oh no, what if it was to heavy & got damaged & they just didn't want to call me!

Just when I thought I would loose it I saw the UPS truck backing down our cul-de-sac...to the wrong house!!! He went to far & walked it to ours. All my fears disappeared as he walked up the path, I swear the box was glowing...OK maybe it was the sun in my eyes!

I flung open the door like a kid at Christmas & just about hugged the man. After explaining how worried I was about him not coming & what was in the box, he shocked me! He was genuinely interested in the wheel, come to find out he delivers to a woman all the time down the road from us & knows all about us knitters & spinners. The woman was the same great lady that was a vendor we met at the NH Sheep & Wool! What a great way to end a long day.

Handsome Hubby helped me get the wheel together and photographed my new treasure in all it's glory. Within 15 minutes I was up & spinning. About an hour later he seriously & looking sad said "You didn't even ask me if I wanted to try it!" I didn't know what to say,and obviously the look of "pure terror & are you nuts" said it better than I could of! I told him sweetly, "In due time grasshopper, first knitting!" Hmm, I just may get him to cross over to the yarnside yet!

I started with some roving I bought at Rhinebeck last year but quickly moved on to the Icelandic Wool that came with my wheel. I can spin it, but I'm not crazy about it. It seams very different from the Merino & other rovings I spun in December on the Joy. It seams very hairy to me, maybe it's a beginner thing. By the end of the knight I had filled almost the entire bobbin with what I hope to ply as a sport weight yarn. I feel like I have alot more control than I did with the Joy but I think I am just more comfortable because I know this is MY wheel so I'm not as nervous. I am a HUGE worrier so for me this is a good sign!

Now that I talked your eyes off I must spend some quality time with my socks. I am already worried that my knitting will be neglected! See I told you I worry to much I haven't even had the wheel an entire day yet!
Wishing you days filled with fibery goodness,
Diane

It's almost here!!!

Can I tell you how wonderful my husband is? Not only did he convert 1 of our 3 bedrooms into my scrap-booking & craft-room when we moved here, but last fall he gave me the other tiny bedroom for my knitting room. Everyone loves him when they meet & hear how supportive of me he is. If that wasn't enough now they will really love him! We went to the NH Sheep & Wool Festival last Saturday(a 3-1/2hr drive for us) and the day before we go he says that I will have to look for some roving when we get there. I ask why because I haven't tried needle felting yet & am not ready to. He says "no but you can spin it right?" I told him yes but I don't have a wheel. He then tells me "No but you will next week when it gets here!" I just about died right there, I am so excited!!! We have been saving but I still felt to guilty to get one so he decided the sale The Woolery had was to good to pass on and placed an order. I learned to spin on an the beautiful Ashford Elizabeth 2 & rented the Ashford Joy. I really want an Elizabeth but I also liked the Lendrum DT more & more to & loved spin on it when a really nice woman let me try hers last month. He bought me the Lendrum DT. He wanted me to have that one since it came with alot for the money and was portable. Later on when we get a bigger place we can try to save for the Elizabeth! I am still in shock & am just so excited to be getting a wheel since it is not a purchase I could "justify" to myself.

I received the tracking number yesterday & it should be delivered Thursday so I can't wait for it to get here. I came down with a bad cold these last 2 days so I am doing everything I can to make myself better for when it arrives! I tried to think of a name for her but haven't come up with anything yet so feel free to offer any ideas! I did get some great fiber at the festival and really inexpensive...$10 a lb.!!! I couldn't believe it and it's really nice. I bought a few others that were very affordable so I have differnt things to try before the VT & NY festivals this fall so I know what I like to spin. I told my husband not to get mugged as we were leaving the festival because he was carrying all my treasures! He said that he loved seeing my smile so much again & he even had a great time to! We had such a greatday together & the drive was nice to. I will try to post after the wheel arrives tomorrow although it may be hard to pull myself away. I have already pre-drafted some of my roving so I can start spinning!

Diane

Please don't call me Martha....

Everyone has always told me I am "so crafty". My mom says I should of been born 30 years earlier. If there was a college that had a degree for "Domestic Arts" I would have easily earned a 4.0! Cooking, cleaning, sewing, crafts, cross-stitch, scrap-booking, gardening and even home improvements have always been my specialty. So many have said "You're quite the Martha Stewart", I considered myself more of a Martha Stewart, Carol Duvall, Betty Crocker blend with alittle Mr. Clean & Bob Villa(although I'm more hands on the Bob) thrown in for good measure!

I always wanted to learn to knit but my mom crochets so I had no one to teach me. Well, I decided enough was enough and bought a kit with a book called "Taught Myself Knitting" and figured why not.

Now 2 years and a new fiber addiction later I can't believe what I'd been missing!!! I LOVE knitting, I started with a garter stitch baby blanket and then a lace baby blanket. Moving onto scarves and childrens sweaters I never thought I could figure out DPNs so I thought that was a s far as I could go. But no, my husband found me a lys when ours closed and I took my first class...mittens!!! With some wonderful help I mastered the DPNs. There was no stopping me now...more mittens, hats and all by myself a pair of socks!!! WooHoo!!! I was so excited.

In November at the same great store, I took a class on spinning with a wheel and while I didn't have much confidence, Claudia the instructor & owner had me spinning in no time. She is amazing! My husband rented me a wheel for the month & during that time I spun 12 skeins of yarn that impressed even me the perfectionist. I even figured out how to plythem on my own! I plied 3 reds together & 1 red with a white & knit myself a hat for Christmas in red with a red/white "candy-cane" brim which I wore proudly everywhere I went.

Since Christmas I have started felting which I get so excited about because it's like magic! I have made 2 Booga Bag's and my first Market Squares Bag using entreloc knitting(another first) then felted from the XRX book, Bags: A Knitter's Dozen.

Now that I have chatted your ear off, hopefully you will want to visit often & join me on my knitting adventures!

Knit your dreams,

Diane

P.S. I am a horrific speller & famous for run-on sentences so please forgive me!