Shop Update

I added my first ever rovings to the shop. There are a few in the bunch that I really want to keep for myself but they're for the store so I have to part with them.

here's a sneak peak:

 

WOW half my rovings are gone and its been just over an hour since I put them up!! Thank you guys for the support! I guess I have to dye some more rovings for you all.

Sometimes I love mornings

I'm sitting here having my coffee and watching Saved by the Bell and its still awesome. They're playing a beach episode, I loved when they worked at the beach club. Oh those crazy kids.

Exploding Brain

Since class ended on Sunday my mind has been very busy coming up with designs. As I was walking to work this morning I passed a lady in lovely grey cardigan and thought...oo if I tweak this and add that...by the time I got to work I had an entire sweater outlined in my head. I'm guessing its time for me to grab a notebook so I can commit these ideas to paper. I'm excited about this new creative spark. However, I think knitting is starting to take over my life. I don't mind but I'm running out of room in my little brain for other non-knitter things. Oh well, I guess it could be worse!

I heart Stefanie!

I just got back from my knitting retreatie thing with Stefanie Japel and I have to say I had an amazing time. If you don't know who she is you really should because not only is she an amazing designer she's also the sweetest person I think I have ever met. My friend and I drove down to Alexandria, VA on Friday afternoon and we arrived just in time to meet Stefanie at Knit Happens so we could get our books signed (oh yah she has a new book out called Glam Knits and its great!). We arrived at the store around maybe 8:30 so it was pretty quiet. We got some alone time with her before the classes started the next day.  I have to say I was a little in awe of her. What do you say? "um, I like your patterns I think they're neat" ...actually that might have been what I said now that I think about it. Luckily, my friend can talk to anyone about anything so I just let her go and jumped in when I could (and I probably jumped in with super insightful comments like the one above).  One thing we didn't realize when we signed up was that we were the only people coming in from out of town so once we checked in with the ladies at the shop they were a like "so you guys are the ones from New York, we were waiting to meet you. I can't believe you all drove down here for this that's awesome." Soon it seemed like everyone knew we were the knitters from New York. It felt a little like we were extra special for making the trip. I'm sure we weren't but it put a little spring in your step whenever someone in class would turn to you say "oh I heard there were a few girls coming from New York its so nice to meet you."

We left Stefanie to find some dinner and stumbled upon this really cute Spanish/Mexican/South American (we still aren't sure what kind of food it really was) place and decided to grab some margaritas and some food (which do you think was my priority!). We walked in and were instantly amused. All the waiters were dressed in costume (it was Halloween) while the patrons were dressed rather smartly. The lady next to us was actually wearing a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches! Anyway, the whole time we're there more and more waitstaff appear in increasingly more bizarre costumes. There was an Arab, the scream guy, Dracula (of course), a slutty bee, a slutty little Miss Muffet and our waiter a little man in a giant afro and tie-dyed shirt. The whole thing was surreal and we just laughed and laughed (ok some of the laughing may have been alcohol induced). The food was amazing, the drinks were strong and all in all we had an awesome time. We got back to the hotel knit, giggled and passed out.

My other friend drove down from New Jersey Saturday morning and met us at the hotel just in time to walk to class. We spent the whole day learning how to construct a top down raglan, how to add design features and adjust for our body types. And then we all got to work designing our own creations. I've had this one idea in my head for quite some time now so I was really eager to get it out of my head and onto some paper. Stefanie helped me work out the kinks and by Sunday I had it started on my needles. Now when I say started, I mean that I have 9 rows done but I know how to make the body. I need to figure out my sleeves and my collar but I figure get the body done and then I can move onto the other bits, right?

It was a great weekend and now I'm super tired and want to crash. Before I do, I want to share the only picture I got all weekend. This is our entire class with Stefanie:

Yes, that's me in the front with the Glampyre herself. I don't know how I got to be in front or why I'm slouching in such an unattractive manner but its photographic proof that I have met I real knitting celeb! Now that we've met her, my friends and I think she needs to move her little butt out of New Mexico to New York because...well...we're selfish and want her here!

Ok time to unpack and maybe sleep. I hope you all had great weekends too!

Turkish Baths are off!

That's right! I didn't have to go to the Turkish Baths tonight! Unfortunately, our plans were cancelled because Carl came down with some kind of stomach bug. I put him to bed and I'm watch some Inspector Lynly while I work on my gauge swatch for my designing class with Stephanie Japel this weekend!! I'm so exicted. I can't wait to tell you all about it when I get back.

Equus and Turkish Baths

Last night a couple girlfriends and I went to see Equus. I have to say it was phenominal and very intense. I thought the Daniel Radcliffe was amazing. Its the kind of play where the main characters are never really offstage and he never faltered. The naked scene was slightly awkward (I also think it might have been a little cold in the theatre) but once all the stripping was over and they got back to the action and talking I forgot all about the nudity. If you don't mind a slightly out there play with nudity that is VERY well written and acted go see it. 

So I'm having my morning coffee right now (don't worry the coffee is on the table and the computer is on my lap just in case I spill again) and I'm trying to prepare myself for the day. I'm off tomorrow so I can head to VA for a class with Stephanie Japel so I have a lot to get done at work before I can leave. But that's not what I'm preparing for. The other day Carl asked if I would go to this Turkish bath place with him tonight. I said sure because I'm a good girlfriend. I went on the site last night to see what treatments they have and I was shocked! Every description scared the crap out of me. I kept hearing this deep eastern european voice as a read descriptions like "we'll beat and pound out the stress" "we hit you with brooms" "if you want us to be gentle tell us" and various other things (yes there is actually a treatment where they whack you with some sort of broom). I'm sure they aren't as violent as they sound but the descriptions don't encourage me to find out! Hopefully, I make it out alive tonight.

I know I haven't talked about my knitting very much this week but I really haven't done much. I still have a mitten to finish and I'm working on both my shawls. I've also been really into my spindle at the moment. Tonight I have to start winding all my yarn for class and knitting up a guage swatch. Of course that all depends on how bruised and beaten I am after this whole Turkish bath thing.

Off to work, have a good Thursday.

EUREKA!

I finally figured out the support spindle!! And by "figured it out" I mean that I stalked Cat from LetKnit2Gether.com on plurk and asked her if she had any pointers. Apparently you need to hold the fiber at about a 45 degree angle from the tip of the sindle. Once you hit the correct angle the twist will actually start to travel up the leader/fiber. I kept trying to spin at a 90 degree angle and the twist never came. I nearly chucked thing across the room it was so frustrating. But now that I know, I'm making things yarn not pretty yarn but yarn all the same. So I should say a very big THANK YOU to Cat for helping me out (not that she read the blog but I still want to put that out there). I thought I was losing my mind when I couldn't figure the little bugger out. THANK YOU CAT!

I dyed

I decided today I would dye some of the roving I bought. I think I had a little too much fun since I managed to dye about 3 of 5 pounds I have. They're all superwash merino and they feel like butter (really want to spin them). There are a few colorways I want to keep for myself but alas they must be sold.

They are all drying at my mom's house in the burbs. I'll pick then up on sunday and will hopefully have them in the shop next week.

I just made it back to the city and I'm exhausted. I asked my brother to get me a supported spindle for my birthday and it finally arrived so I'm trying to figure out how to use this thing but I'm at a complete lose. Anybody able to help (click the link to see what kind I got). Iwill love you forever if you can.

I was going to make potato and cheddar soup for dinner tonight but I am way too tired to make soup from scratch. I guess I'll make up a batch on friday when I'm off. Then Carl will have food for the weekend while I'm away with a few friends. It really is the best fall weather soup. So yummy with crusty bread...now I'm salivating.

Ok collapsing. I watched Lost in Austen yesterday and now I'm in the mood for a little Darcy so I'm going to curl up with Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and read (I think this is the fifth time I've read this book...man does Mr. Darcy take her!...SWOON).

Scaring the "In-Crowd"

I finished book in the Southern Vampire series (the books True Blood is based on) last night and had nothing to read on the bus this morning so I grab my copy of In Sheep's Clothing that I just received yesterday and headed out the door. I got on the bus, found me a seat and started reading. Next thing I know the little fashionistas on the bus are looking at me all strange-like. I started to chuckle a little inside, is it wrong that I found/find enjoyment in frightening them just a little?

Today I raise my geek flag a little higher!

Why I can't have nice things...

I got up early, grabbed some coffee and my spinning and sat down at the computer to check ravelry quickly before I started my spinning. Next thing I know I'm spilling my coffee all over our BRAND NEW LAPTOP while Carl stares at me in horror. Next thing I know I'm jumping up to get paper towels, dumping the coffee out of the computer onto the coffee table (yah that has a whole new meaning now) and running to the bathroom to start blow drying the keyboard dry.

I guess I'm not spinning this morning and I guess I will have to drink my coffee before I get on the computer in the morning. 

At least its friday!