Hello!!

Tokena's are done:



Cascade Heritage in Butter and Plum using 2.75mm Signature arts needles.
Cast on 937am on Sat April 4, 2009 Cast off 616pm April 8, 2009. Wheww, relax a bit before Round 3 of Sock Madness launches.

Ordered the some parts for the wheel. Sadly this wheel is no longer in production and only one vendor I have found, Detta's Spindles, has any spares for it and even she reports supplies are getting lean. The owner of the company is no longer making anything for the wheels, but is slowly cleaning out existing inventory. Fortunatley offers to repair existing wheels and pieces though.

Ordered some basics, drive bands(string), oil bottle with the fancy tip, some of the leather bits, instruction manual for the care of my Country Craftsman adn 3 bobbins and a standard whorl(10:1) which are backordered.

Detta was wonderful to talk to. Very helpful and informative about my wheel and what I would need and could do without as well as the over all status of future parts. I may stock up a bit on the available stuff just to be safe and order a few more bobbin in the future as my wheel will only accomadate the 2 ounce version with the flyer I have and the 4 oz flyer is no longer available. THough if any knows of anyone willing to part or finds one, huhhmmm, hint hint, lol.

We interrupt.....

This sock -

Notes Sock Madness III Round 2 - Tokena using Cascade Heritage in Butter and Plum.

For This!!!!

A spinning wheel for me!!! A gracious and wonderful gift from my mother in laws friend Linda!!

The Makers Mark is there on the bottom: The country Craftsman Littleton, MA J Rooney.

Needs a little cleaning up and drive bands, and a new piece of leather string for the treatd and will have to find more bobbins, but can't wait!!. It is near perfect condition!!!

thank you Linda!!!!

Of Spring and Madness

Upon waking this morning, my lovely kidley, runs into the room, yelling "It's snowing Mommy, it's snowing!!" Not quite awake and there not even being rain in the forcast from my vague recollection, and half of mind maybe the satellite box wasn't turned on for his morning toons, I pull back the curtain, and danged if he wasn't right!! Spring being 21 minutes away when the pics where shot.

This was the gooood snow we had been waiting for all winter. Heavy, wet, perfect for packing. Unfortunately I don't think it will still be around when we get home :o(

Of Sock Madness....

It is that time of year again, when the squeaks of sneakers fill the courts, basketballs flying and March Madness overtakes the airwaves (No Survivor last night to watch, dang it!!) And for others, 199 to be exact the Divisions have been set (For Whom the Ball Rolls, Great Knitspectations, Purl and Prejudice and the House of Seven Cables) we're a literate bunch aren't we!!
Round 1 has begun with Mer-tini by Ronni Smith aka raspberry of Rav.


My progress as of 9ish this morning. Learning new things. A new cast on(Twisted German), an afterthought heel with flap(coming soon to a sock near you) and an e wrap cast on. Not progressing as fast as I want, taking breaks more frequantly and icing down the thumb and wrist. Icy hot is my friend, thankfully Andy likes the smell, lol.

News of other Importance...

Joseph turned 4

James turned 18(sorry no new pics of him :o(

Baby passed of lung cancer Feb 9. It was sudden, she suddenly was sick and we went to the vet and we didn't have any options, it was to far advanced, she passed peacefully.

We are heading out on vacation, sometime tomorrow. Driving to Tennessee, to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains, coming home via North Carolina and the BlueRidge Parkway. Will hopefully post a bit of the trip.

Take care ttyl !!

Recovery

Well it has been done. My hand surgery was yesterday afternoon. Ligament and tendon repair of the right thumb. See pics below.











Needless to say I am done knitting or crocheting for a while, as a functional leftie I am not, LOL.





Other updates, way behind in updating. Had awonderful Thanksgiving up at my Mom's in No-Cal. ended up with a total of 9 for dinner, with the family and guest(Danny wonderful new friend visitng from England). We all had a great week visiting. Sunset shot from Mom's backyard.


ok i am done, one hand and vicodin, is about done me in....will try to update more later. Have some wonderful family pics from Thanksgiving, souviner yarn....

Happy Holidays

Love jen

Travel and updates

Been over a month since the last update and
I have had a bit going on :P.

Lets see.....

Day tripped to Rhinebeck on
October 18 with some lovely ladies from my knitting group, Twisted Stichters, Holly, Karen and Carol, meet up with Ann later that morning. I had a wonderful time!!! Meet Diane from Creatively Dyed Yarns, had a scrumptious chicken pot pie and delicious mini apple crumb pie.

So much to see and do there!! Hit Autumn House Farms as one of my first must see and shop booths, and spent most of my budget there as intended for this:

First is Sagamore in Crabshack (shades of an olivey green blended with white). This is a cotton, rayon, linen DK weight.

Next is Summer Ice, rayon/silk blend, in Spruce:

and last Sea Island Tweed, a cotton/silk blend in Barnaget Bay:

I went by The Fold to check out the BMFA offerings as they would not be at Stitches East this year. Found three skeins of Rare Gems that needed a new home and just as
I reached the register saw a mill end in a lovely light blue/white color that wanted to come home with me as well.

Picked up some Icelandic Roving in a natual gray color and a new SPindle by Jesh:

I had a wonderful day, the weather was just chilly enough to be happy in the crocheted sweater I had. Some back ground on this sweater. This was my first "real" wool project. The wool came from Ireland, picked up by my Mother in law on her trip to said place several years ago(thinking around 1996-7) I didn't know how to knit then, I was a basic crocheter and found a pattern I liked and hooked away, pieced it together and was very unhappy. It was stiff, itchy, did not fit well at all. So into the closet it went. It cs since out a few time since, again not really thrilled so back into storage it went. As the years passed, I learned to knit and expanded my horizons beyond acrylic into more natural fibers, but still the sweater was, meh.

Then, epiphany, the Friday before I was to leave for Rhinebeck, I thought, what would happen if I took that sweater washed it and blocked it!!! Well duh!

Then we had Halloween.

Joey went as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

The Haul:

Updates and stuff

Updates and the like...

Secret Pal 12 went really well. Received my final box from Lindsey of Tennessee:

Another box of wonderful goodies, with wooden stitch markers and a great pair of yarn ball earrings with lots of great smellies and candies! thank you so much Lindsey!!

Joey and I went to the Alma Park for National Alpaca Farm Day

Had a great time, Meeting Rose and her family and learning a bit about spinning from LauraKathleen.

Handspun alpaca in a lovely color from alpaca at Alma Park, going into a cowl for moi!

Died in Hat Attack II. Took a while almost 4 weeks and 2 assasins. Died in pink and blue with some tasty chocolate and a hank of yarn to soften the death blow.

Finished a Clapotis, wonderfully easily and turned out great. pics up on my Rav projects page. Started a second using some Brooks farm Willow i picked up at Maryland Sheep and Wool this spring and it is coming along nicely. Stitch marker handmade courtsey of Lindsey!!

In a bit of a sock rut lately. Havent been in the mood and made a major booboo and the Raven pair I am working on currently. I think those will rest until I get some of the mojo back for socks.

Putting some time in on my Wolmeise shawl about 75% finished and coming along great as well, just time consuming the purl row back.

Getting ready for some trips. Day trip to Rhinebeck on Saturday with my knit group, mostly window shopping, checking out the spinning wheels(Christmas hint hint check with A for more details hint hint) in reverse order of preference:

The Hitchhiker

The Schact Ladybug

and a Kromski Minstrel

Next trip will be an overnighter for Stitches in MD. Taking one sock design class on Saturday and check out some favorite vendors, before heading home.

Big trip for Thanksgiving 7 days in NoCal with the Mom and family (sis, kids, Glen, etc).

Somebody Loves Me!!!

We are on vacation this week. Went to the beach on Monday.
Mom(me) and Joe

Dad and joe

Cutie!!



Tuesday my Dear Sweet Loving Husband was feeling crafty!! And this come out of the workshop!!



I has me a swift!!!! First wind was with StormMoonKnits Twilight Sock in 30 Days if Night.

Then play time with the Geo Trax.
The Dragon of Traxville!!!



In other news, knitting a little slow the past few days, thumb is bothering me agian. Hate to whine and complain, saw the orthopedist, had another steriod injection into the base of the thumb, uh ouch! MRI shows arthritis and partial tears of two of the tendons. If the steroid injection doesn't help, next will be surgery. oh yeah.

Ah well life goes on, hopefully be in form for Hat Attack in 2 weeks.