Zombie!

What would you do if the zombie apocalypse happened and you didn't have the perfect hat to wear? I know many people ask themselves this difficult question, and I have found the answer. I knew I had found it the second I saw 3.5 oz of assorted fiber (some of it glows in the dark!) at Merlin the Cat Yarns on etsy.


Radioactive zombie apocalypse yarn! Spun and plied on Big Meg, 1.5 oz of spindly awesomeness. She's a bit light for a plying spindle, but once you get some yarn on her, she spins and spins and spins like a dream.

This is the hank, freshly soaked in Eucalan and dried, much to the amusement of my cats, who tried to slay the neon sheep.


And a closer look. It was surprisingly difficult to keep the singles from becoming all even and smooth -- art yarn is not easy to make. Did I mention it glows in the dark?


Now, if I could only find a brain-shaped button, I'd have everything I need to make the ultimate hat for the radioactive zombie apocalypse...

In somewhat more... tame crafting news: the March mystery sock for SKA. Homework and twisted stitches have kept me from progressing too far -- this is 2/3 into clue 1. I love twisted stitches, but they hurt my hands.


The yarn is a beautiful cherry red, or blood red, depending on your preference and point of view. I love these socks, but knitting them is going to take a good long time. I can only do a few rows a day, then I need a break.

Reconciled... Sort of

My knitting and I have reconciled, after a fashion. I've been spinning and cross-stitching more, and doing homework.

But I'm really excited about my spinning. The first picture shows the color accurately, the second shows the texture of my single.

Originally, I started this project as an entry for the March challenge in the Spindlers group on ravelry. The theme is fairy tales, and this fiber made me think of Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter whose father claimed she could spin straw into gold. Look at that color. It looks like antique gilt, it even has a tiny bit of Angelica in it for extra shimmer. It's called Lioness, but I think of it more as Old Gold -- or Fool's Gold. It's the color of pyrite.

It won't get done in time for the challenge, but I'm incredibly excited anyway. It's my first-ever project spun to a specific weight. Once I ply it, it will be fingering weight, and I'm thinking shawl thoughts. This is much too pretty to be hidden in a shoe.

My second intentional weight project is the fiber that came with one of Jesh's spindles. It's not much, but it doesn't have to be -- it's my first ever laceweight, I'm still practicing, and I can't believe how much yarn I'm getting out of that tiny sliver of fiber.

Finally, let me show you the center square of the Bridgewater shawl. It's getting there! Almost time to weave in the ends, then pick up 600 stitches or so. It'll be gorgeous when it's done, though.
There is more knitting. I'll share my hat and sock projects in a bit. Have to do homework first...

Trouble in Paradise

After three consecutive attempts to cast on for a hat, my knitting and I are not on speaking terms. It's not a breakup, just a break, and it won't last long. We're too tight. But I need my yarn to decide what it wants to be, and I need time to cool off, or I might chuck it out the window. So instead, I've been stitching. Here's one of my WIPs, a kitty hanging from a tree.


There is the UFO I started my senior year in college, and this year is my 10 year class reunion. But we won't talk about that (amazing how time flies!). I'm going to finish this little guy for a SAL. Then, maybe, I'll get around to the enormous UFO. Or I'll knit that hat.

Today, I Frogged

I was going to show you pictures of Kat (rav link), but it turns out I didn't have quite enough yarn to finish. So I ripped it out. I'll be casting on Lucky instead, because I want my lovely green and purple birthday yarn to be a slouch hat or beret. It's been sitting in my stash since August, and it's told me only recently what it wants to be.
I'll be leaving off the pompom, though -- and I'll be knitting in the round. No way am I knitting this flat and seaming.

Time Flies...

...when you're too busy to have fun. I'm taking a class, which is admittedly fun, but comes with lots of work. And things have kicked into high gear at work. So there's precious little knitting or spinning time. But I try to squeeze some in here and there, for the sake of what passes for my sanity.

Fiber makes me feel better. Fiber is good for you, and, best of all, it doesn't count towards my yarn diet. So here it is, 5.something oz of superwash sock yarn-to-be. And my new Ethan Jacob. 5.4 oz of spindle, supposedly almost the same weight than the fiber, but oh so much less voluminous.

Both spindle and fiber have passed feline inspection.


I've been working on my Bridgewater shawl, and I'm finally past the halfway point on the center square. By the time the lace edging comes around, it'll be a nice change of pace from all the garter stitch.


I'll leave you with a picture of Merlin lounging on the fireplace. He looks so relaxed and comfy.

It's good to be a cat at our house.

There is more knitting and spinning, but it'll have to wait until the weather improves. It's gray, windy, dreary... not a good time for pictures. And my remaining projects are actually in fun colors. You'll have to wait... and I'll try not to let almost a month go by between posts again.