Close to my Heart

My new companion

If you follow me on Plurk, Twitter, or even Facebook, this is going to be old news, but anyway....

I have a new companion. This companion comes with me to work, to bed, on all my errands, and sometimes even to the bathroom.  It makes me accountable, keeps me organized, and entertains me.  It also helps keep me connected with friends and family.  What is it you may ask?  Well my newest, brightest, and shiniest favourite thing is my Iphone!  What you may wonder, happened to one of last year's bright and shiny items, the Blackberry?  Well let's just say the Blackberry was one of those relationships that were jumped into far too quickly without enough knowledge.  I ddn't really realize what a mistake it was until I met the Ipod Touch earlier this year.  The Touch lured me into deeper things, and convinced me that I needed to take the Apple relationship one step further.  I wished and wished that my cell provider could assist me with this, but they were not acquainted with this deeper need.  That all changed on November 5th when it was determined that these deeper needs of mine could indeed be met.  Local retail outlets were telephone stalked during my lunch break that day, and I could barely wait for quitting time when I would meet my new companion.  You've probably figured out the identity of my new close friend, the most wonderful and awesome Iphone.   Here's the front screen of mine:

 

My most favourite applications are on this first screen.  Social networking, lists, calendar, weather, my weight loss program (23 pounds now!) and even knitting applications.  I can carry knitting patterns in this handy little gadget too, see:

 

(I just learned how to do a screen shot)

The camera is far superior to that of the jilted Blackberry, which of course was tested on a kitty:

This post also marks the beginning of my participation in Photo 365.  I am going to endeavor to blog a picture every day in the next year.  While many will undoubtedly be Iphone photos (Typepad has a nifty IPhone app) I see this as an attempt to blog more regularly in a way that will chronicle my day to day life in the next year.  We'll see how it goes.

Weaving update

A few developments to show you today on the weaving front.  First, I completed my first scarf using some handspun yarn:

I used a commercial yarn, Berocco Comfort DK for the warp, and handspun for the weft.  I learned a lot weaving this scarf, most importantly that Berocco DK is really not suitable for warping (it's just not dense enough); it was really difficult to get a decent tension with this yarn.  As a result, the scarf is a little off kilter, although not really obvious from the picture.  I finally figured out about half way through the scarf how to really adjust my weaving to make it more even.  I also learned, finally, that one must start and end the weaving with hem stitch, doh!  Better late than never though!

At the Cowichan Fiber Fest last weekend, I was able to purchase a Leclerc Fringe Twister.  I followed the instructions here to complete my fringe. 

It's not perfect, but as I said, this scarf is a real learning experience!

And now for the big weaving development that I hinted about in my last post.  While at the spinning retreat I attended a couple weeks ago, I happened to mention to someone that I now had a little rigid heddle loom and would like to get something bigger.  This person is a weaver, and she said “I know a family who might have some they don’t want,” meaning her family (her husband knits/spins/weaves, how awesome is that?). She said she would take a look around and get back to me. The day after the retreat, she phoned and said that she had checked with her sister about her loom and that I was welcome to have it. I asked her what her sister wanted for it, and she said “she wants you to have it!” I literally squeed when I hung up the phone! I will knit her a pair of socks, at the very least, in thanks. Isn’t that awesome?  The loom arrived already warped and with weaving already on it, as well as some pencilled instructions and the yarn to continue the project. This will become my practice piece.

Here's it is, a 20 inch Beka:

Isn't she pretty?  I have woven a bit on it already, and it quickly became obvious the larger size of this loom would require a different set up than I had been using to weave previously.  My wonderful husband to the rescue, he built a stand for it yesterday:

 

I'm really stoked about this loom, and the fact that someone was so nice to give it to me.  It makes me smile just looking at it.  Aren't fiber people the best?

Another weekend, another fiber event

October is a great month around here for fiber events.  Following in the trail of last weekend's retreat, this past weekend wasn't once again spent breathing in the fumes of fibery goodness.  Actually, I've had a lovely four day weekend that has been filled with more than just fiber fun.  It started Thursday night with a lovely night with girlfriends, continued Friday with some time at my parent's place, and then culminated Saturday with the Cowichan Fiber Fest (great post showing the event itself here).  This is the second year that I attended, and I think it was even better this year than last year.  It was nice to connect with old fiber friends and meet some new ones too (was great to put faces to the Ravelry names). The lovely autumn day didn't hurt either, the colours were breathtaking and I was constinuously in awe over the beauty.

While I showed some restraint in my purchases at the retreat last weekend, that was not the case this weekend.  There was just so much pretty fiber there that I could not help myself.  Here's what I got:

First, these pretties from Hummingbird Fiber Arts.  The larger one is a BFL/Silk blend.  I've spun this previously from this same vendor,and it's truly glorious.  The smaller package is a merino/silk blend.

 

These fibers are from Twist of Fate:

 

The two on the right are superwash, so are destined to become socks eventually.

I got his cotton for some upcoming weaving projects.  Speaking of which I will soon have a big weaving development to share with you soon.

And finally, this just might be my favourite of all of my purchases.  It's from Qualicum Bay FIbre Works (no website).  I'm dreaming of one day purchasing a fleece and getting it processed at this mill (not into the washng/carding thing myself).  But I digress, check out this lovely blend called Peppermint Ripple, it's 52% alpaca, 32% wool, and 16% dyed silk:

 

It was to be purchased by the ounce, and I took 10 ounces.  No real idea why I went with that amount or what I'm going to do with it.  Maybe something lacy?

Following a yummy lunch of bannock and salmon (thanks to the Cowichan people who were selling their beautiful handknits), still delerious from the fiber fumes, I headed out on the road again.  Once again I was in awe of the beautful autumn colours, and decided I should take some pictues from my moving vehicle (shhhh, don't tell anyone!). 

 

Clearly the beauty loses something in these kind of quick snapped shots, but gives you an idea anyway.  I ventured off the highway a bit too to see if I could get some better shots.  I'll end this blog post with this pretty view:

Another year, another retreat

Remember last year, I blogged about a lovely spinning retreat that I attended?  Well this past weekend I attended this year's version of the retreat.  Once again, I had an awesome time, and learned so much from the experienced spinners there. I learned how to prepare my fiber better in the drafting zone, and as a result, am spinning much much thinner.  It also helps that I now have the fast flyer for my Lendrum, purchased a couple weeks ago.  It got a good workout this past weekend.  I haven't yet finished spinning the fiber I took with me (spinning thinner takes so much longer, obviously), but will hopefully be able to show it to you in a few weeks time.  It will eventually be navajo plyed and I think will be light fingering weight, yay!  Next up will be three ply sock yarn, something I've desperately wanted to spin for a long time.

This year's retreat was the 25th anniversary celebration.  I think it is totally awesome that many of these women have come together annually for that many years.  The resort the retreat is held at is renowned for their food.  Seems that we ate all weekend and spun just a bit in between meals.  Let's just say I'm NOT looking forward to getting on the scale tomorrow!   One of the highlights of the food was the 25th anniversary cake:

 

The wheel is CHOCOLATE people!  Isn't it awesome?

Every year there is one vendor at the retreat, and a chance to participate in some fiber acquisition.  I actually showed some restraint I think, don't you?

 

A book I've been wanting, and some fleece artist braids.  The two on the bottom are mohair and I think I will ply them with thread.  The brown ones are one mohair and one BFL which I will ply together.

There was also a swap sale this morning, and I purchased all these old weaving magazines/book:

 

I'm already looking forward to next year's retreat!

Blocking

Wow, has this blog ever been neglected lately!  Writer's block maybe?  Or is it just that with Twitter, Plurk and Ravelry, I have little inclination left to post anything here?  Yeah, I think that's it. And I don't think I'm the only blogger that has had this experience.

There has however been knitting and even blocking happening.  There have been two items finished and blocked in the last week or so, with another shawl finished about a month ago still waiting it's turn (probably because I feel it is the most complicated of all to block).  It's time will come eventually though.

Here's the latest though.  First, a handspun scarf, using the la Novia pattern from Knitspot:

I was actually going to be lazy and not block this too aggressively but I'm really glad I did in the end, the lace pattern opened right up.

I also finished Multnomah.  I love how this little shawl turned out and enjoyed knitting it as well.  Simple yet interesting, I already have #2 on the needles!

 

 

Further information can be found over on my Ravelry project page.  Back to my morning coffee now.