Annie Knits

The Top Ten Reasons I Haven't been Blogging

10.  I have too much laundryshoppingcleaningknittinghomeworkhelpingworking to do to stop and blog.

9.  Notice that spinning isn't in number ten?  It gets a slot all to itself.  I've ordered roving from the Loopy Ewe, Hello Yarn, Funky Eclectic, and Crown Mountain Farms.  On top of the Dyeabolical rovings I have.  They all CALL me from the other room.  Can't you hear them?  spin me! no me! ply me with that other one!  we all want your attention! 

8.  Construction is ongoing.  And while the men who arrive at my house every morning at 6:30 a.m. are not holding me hostage and away from my computer, their presence messes with my routines and those of the dogs and the kids and the husband. 

7.  My knitting has been minimal -- no progress, in fact reverse progress on the second iteration of the Kauni Cardigan.  I did do an Irish Hiking scarf for me out of my handspun.  I periodically pick up an old sock and work on it.  And Cecily's lace.   But not a whole heckofalot else.

6.  It's Lent.  And while I've been busy with baking and singing for Fish Fry Fridays as in past years,  I've knit nothing for charity.  A few things for others, but nothing for the less fortunate.  I'm a bad person.  Really bad.  That's hanging over my head but... well, watch the rest of the list.

5.  It's Winter.  Like a real winter.  Which we haven't had here in St. Louis for years.  Snow and ice and snow days with kids home and wet outdoor stuff and mud on the breezeway floor.  Five snow days I think since we've started construction in January.  Not only are kids home periodically, but man alive, I'm totally unmotivated to do ANYTHING.  I've never thought of myself as someone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, but whew!  Since the time changed on Sunday,  I've  reorganized my stash, cleaned our room and closets,  and daughter's room (no small feat -- an season's worth of books, magazines, whatever... and a fine layer of construction dust.) 

4.  I've been working.  Not a lot, just two or three days a week, but when I'm there it's BUSY.  The recession that all of the news outlets have been going on about ad nauseum (ever heard of a self fulfilling prophesy?) has not hit our yarn shop.  Or architecture for that matter (hubby's busier than he's ever been, but don't tell anyone I told you).  I think the banking industry and home builders in this country behaved abominably over the past 10 or so years, raking in record profits and loaning irresponsibly.  The situation in these two industries and the numbers tied to them, coupled with gas prices are leading to alarmist behavior in the media.  I read a piece in the Wall Street Journal saying just that.  That there are many sectors of the economy that are doing really well -- home rehab, nesting stuff, entertainment and technology for instance.  So there.

3.  I was really sick.  Like as sick as I've been in my adult life.  With the flu.  Weak as a kitten.  Still have a little upper respiratory stiff even after 4 weeks.  I did not get a flu shot.  But plenty of folks did and got it none the less.  Dear Son missed 5 days of school.  I missed singing at two Friday Fish Fries and I missed a week's worth of work.  Sick, sick, sick.

2.  I don't have a camera that works.  And I really like to put pictures up on the blog.  I'm a visual person that way.  I've tried to buy one, but one place I went was out of the cameras I wanted and anyway the guy waved me off saying there was going to be some big news/new technology in cameras.  The other place said that people who had gotten tax rebate checks had bought all the cameras I wanted.  Rrright.  Things are crazy all over.  Really.

And the number one reason I haven't been blogging?  Well,  I never bought any Mystical Creations Yarn (The first is a blog with links to some crazy customer service stuff, the second is a Ravelry specific link, sorry)  So I figured no one wanted to read or talk about anything I had to say anyway. 

Seriously, folks.  Is that some crazy stuff or what?  First, I'm really glad I never mis-dyed yarn and tried to sell it to any of you all.  'Cause you people are some crazy internet stalkers when it comes to yarn acquisition scorned.   Second, I love me a good internet car wreck.

So.  Where to now?  To talk to my contractors.  To try and buy a camera.  To choose curtains and furniture as I gave away most of the furniture that was in the front two rooms.  To work.
 

Sorry, Guys...

I meant to start up 40 Days, but after Ash Wednesday we got hit, house wide, with the flu.  We're all very sick.  I'm the first to be upright in days and this little post and a pot of soup is about all I can manage.  See you when we're snot free.

I Just Have No Inclination to Blog...

When my camera is on the fritz!  I can't get a good picture of my knitting or my spinning to save my life.  And it's not like I don't have things to say (read gripe/comment/preach about) 'cause I do!  It's just that I usually get motivated to get on here by pictures.

So.  Here are some cruddy, kid-camera pics. 

Motivated by Carole and Margene and their NaSpiMoMo (yay, it's extended for another month!), I spun my little heart out this month.  And knitted it all up! 

Here are the 8 oz of Crown Mountain Farms Yak and Merino mix.  Spun up I think into a heavy worsted weight (I used 9s for the scarf).  The pattern is my own (more on that later) and this yarn is the softest thing ever.  I mean, one of my trademark sayings at the shop when someone complains about wool being a tad scratchy is, "Well, we aren't going to knit underpants out of it are we?  'Cause if we are, then, yeah, it's scratchy..."  Baby, you could knit underpants out of this stuff.  And hoooboy is it warm.  Just in time for it to be 72 degrees here.  Yeah, right.  We are going to get some thumping storms tonight I'm thinkin'.

And here is my short row scarf.  She met Rachel (the roving was dyed by Rachel at Dyeabolical) on her maiden voyage too!  On Saturday night.  When it was still COLD!  Ahem.  I used up every last bit of the yarn I spun from the 4oz of roving and I think that the scarf is the perfect pattern to show the color changes in this yarn.  I used 5s so I guess the yarn was maybe DK weight?  I don't know and I didn't measure the wraps before I used it all up.  I'm a baaaad spinner.

Ok.  The true color of this roving and the yarn I spun from it is somewhere in between the colors in  these pictures (darn kid's camera).  The greens are like what's shown in the picture on the left, but the picture on the right shows the browns better.  Oh well.   It's called Triple Play Roving and the colorway is called Mint Chocolate.  And it is.  Really.  It's wool (they include what I think are the names of the sheep...don't you just love that?) and rayon and tussah silk and silk noil.  I got yarn a lot like Rowan Summer Tweed.   

I got the roving and these two Totally Tubular Spinning kits when I clicked to The Bellwether from Ravelry the other night.  It all came within about 2 days and the service and representation of the products was great.  Go and shop there.  The kits come with stranded patterns too, and instructions on spinning up the tube of stuff to get that approximate yarn.  Too much fun, don't you think? 

And today is Mardi Gras.  Later today I'll get the 40 Days for Others blog up and running and you can sign up and post there to your heart's content. 

I think I'll be knitting up some handspun for charity!

Thanks, Everyone!

I still absolutely cannot see it when I log on from my computer!  I'll check at work...

Yeesh!

Please let me know.. what do you see as my banner?  All I can see is a little kind of unfinished blob of white with gray lines... not resembling what I had in mind at all!  It should be a closeup of Kauni with my blog name and quote... is that what you see?

Thanks, Mindy!

I was unclear before -- this is the banner Mindy made for me...  She went all over the web and captured pictures of the blingy letters I wear on my flip flops.   Cool and just right for Fall and Halloween... go figure...

Thanks, Mindy!