The contest is officially closed! M will be picking the Top Three Essays today, voting will begin at 1pm tomorrow and continue until 9pm on Wednesday (times are Central). Great Gran will draw a name from the hat on Wednesday night and winners will be announced on Thursday. Now: To the Knitting!
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single square.
I think I may start calling it the Epic CounterPain. Just for fun.
Know what the best part is? I still haven’t got the pattern right! Nothing serious, just whether or not to start with a knit or a purl on some of the rows and I had added an entire extra line of pattern for no reason. Laura has been helping me sort out my Pattern Issues and making squares of her own! She is going for a more Sensible Option and making a baby afghan with her squares. She’s also opening an etsy shop with some of her hand-dyed sock yarn (and other goodies)! I am very happy that she managed to get it all together before the Sock Yarn Addict Club begins. Tonni has also been working on squares (March 16). She has made some adaptations of her own and they look great! Tonni lives in Alabama too, which provides me with segway:
With the appearance of Darlene’s blog (she is working on her very first article of clothing!), the total of Alabama knitbloggers that I know of has hit 5. I think this means we need a button.
Please copy this to your own server! Stealing bandwidth is mean.
This is not a ring! In fact, at the moment, it is not even a group. It’s just a button. But if you take it, please email me and I will see about putting together a list of Alabama Knitters for link purposes.
Here is the best part! Are you ready? Look what I’m learning to do:
I made yarn! Twisty, chunky yarn, but I made it!
That is a Turkish Drop Spindle that I got from Teyani at Crown Mountain Farms. Teyani fixed up the spindle and wristaff with some practice roving and got it started before she mailed it to me. Then, she managed to teach me how to use it through email and over the phone (she rocks)! This is one of the most fun things I have ever tried! The next time I have it apart, I will show you all the parts and pieces – the design is really clever and the spindle itself is beautiful (cocobolo rosewood). My starter fiber is Corriedale Pencil Roving in Tibetan Dreams (Teyani does the dyeing, oh, the Talent!). It comes as a fluffy yarn pillow:
I didn’t want to open it because it was so pretty.
I can totally understand why there are folks out there with giant stashes of unspun fiber. Darling Sister, visit soon so I can show you how to do this! You will love it.
I haven’t been bitten by the spinning bug yet, but I bet if presented with roving and lovely tools it would be mighty tempting. I’m trying to avoid them for now, though — my knitting addiction is all-consuming enough on its own!
Great! You’re spinning!!!!
Yay, oh yay! Another spinner to add to the ranks!
I love the spindle! I am going to have to pick up one of those so I can spin (as well as knit) at lunchtime.
Lovely!
Yay! Another spinner! And that colorway is gorgeous (I know all about it through my own personal experience). Great spindle — I have one of those too and love it because it reminds me of Lincoln Logs.
Great idea about the Alabama knitters button. We South Carolinians should have the same thing! I know of at least 5 myself.
Looks GREAT!! I would LOVE to get into the spinning but I don’t dare try to pick it up until I get a bit more advanced with my knitting! It looks interesting on the spindle..can’t wait to see how everything fits together and works! How cool would it to be able to spin the yarn you knit with?!!!
Oh boy! You have the spinning bug. It’s only a matter of time before you buy a wheel you know. Just warning you. 😉
I will be adding that pencil roving to my stash basket very, very soon too. Yum.
I can see the beginning of another addiction!
Hey a bunch of those entries are lots more than 20 words! do they get disqualified.
Gorgeous fiber and yay for you!
That’s such a neat spindle. I love the way the yarn wraps around. Speaking of which, I can’t wait to see what you make with it! =)
Success!! Congratulations Emily, and welcome to the world of spinners! You’re doing a fabulous job!!Especially considering the long-distance teaching 🙂
Hats off to you!
and keep on spinning.. it just gets better and better every time .
Many hugs and lots of loud clapping from Washington State to Alabama. You’re great Emily!
Woo-hool!
I’ve been bitten HARD by the spinning bug, and own two wheels (Just sold my third), ohh now I know what I am going to put into your package as a little treat when I finally get the Kauni wool (Our car just gave up life making it even harder for me to get to the wool :-/ )
I love your squares.
Lene
Ooh, that fiber is gorgeous! I haven’t spun with my spindles for a while, but seeing that roving is making me want to get started again. Or just have it around to look at! I can’t wait to see how it looks when you spin it up.
Oh WOW, how beautiful is that roving!!! GADS, I don’t know if I could open it and untwist – it would sit like a Queen upon her throne… so so so pretty. And how fun is the SPINNING!!!?? Do NOT get me started on THAT, girl!
Dang! Everybody is spinning. That makes me want to spin. (I’m such a cave in to what the “cool kids” are doing!)
The colors are fabulous though!
Such pretty fiber! She also sells Chasing Rainbows Dye Works stuff, which is to die for. You’ll be so addicted…
Look out! This spinning thing can get out of hand almost as easily as sock yarn. I’ve got 9 spindles in my collection. Of course, 7 of those are Fred spindles – made by my brother. Not counting 4 I made myself. A steadily growing stash of fiber & handspun, too. Welcome to the obsession! :o) Your roving & spindle are lovely, too.