Ladybug, Be Mine

Hi!

Well, I purchased the Ladybug at class on Saturday. As a "student," I received a 10% discount! Woo hoo! Now, it's mine, mine, mine, all mine!

I have spun my first dyed roving on the Ladybug, Lorna's Laces "Devon." Neato!

Happy Knitting!
Lisa Kay

Re-cycled Cow Costume

Hi,

After dinner on Sunday evening with the grandparents, we got onto the topic of old Halloween costumes. I dug into my costume box to get out a "flapper" outfit, and I found one I'd forgotten... the cow stuff. Back in the early '90's, when I worked at JPL, some people used to wear costumes to work. One year, I went as a cow. I made cow pajamas out of cow-printed flannel, and I made ears, a tail, and a felt udder. I later took the embellishments off and wore the pajamas for years until they got retired, but I still had the embellishments in my Halloween box. When I got them out, Mitchell latched onto them and wore them around the house. He called the udders the "pink thing." It makes me want to go buy some cow-printed flannel and make Mitchell some pajamas... but he's going to be a Momma Kangaroo this year! (Gosh, either way, he'd be a Momma... Hmmm...)

Happy Knitting!

Lisa Kay

Pajama Boy

Hi,

Mitchell was snuggling with Daddy watching TV last night, and they just looked so cute, that I had to get my camera out.

Taking pictures of an almost-3-year-old can be a tricky thing. I asked him to stop chewing on his fingers (particularly his *middle* finger), but then he popped up and the whole scene got disrupted. So, there is either a snuggly picture chewing on the finger, or a Mitchell-hamming-for-the-camera picture. Either way, we think he's awfully cute!

Happy Knitting,

Lisa Kay

Good News

Hi,

I had my follow-up with the surgeon, today, and I got my pathology results. The 2.5 cm nodule in the left lobe of my thyroid (the left half was removed last week) was not cancerous. They had originally estimated a 28% chance that it would be, which isn't bad, but is enough for concern... This good result means I don't have to get the right half of my thyroid removed. Yay! Now, I just have to have blood tests twice-annually, later annually, to make sure the right half is keeping up. (If not, I just have to take supplements.) No more cutting! :)

I also took a picture of the ladybug on the Ladybug. (Every Ladybug spinning wheel has a little ladybug on it somewhere.) This one is on the rear maiden support.

Here is the Lorna's Laces "Rainbow," after plying both skeins (wrapped together) and setting the twist (washing and hanging to dry). It looks cute!

I finished the 2 oz of white merino that was sent with me when I picked up the Ladybug, and I'm ready to start my first painted roving on the Ladybug. That may not happen until tomorrow.

A very good day. :)

Happy Knitting,

Lisa Kay

Ribbed Vest

Hi,

And, yes, I am still knitting (though it is taking a bit of a back seat to spinning just at the moment). I started the "Vest with Deep Ribbing" on the morning I went in for surgery, and I worked on it a bit in the hospital. It is also a good waiting room project. I go in for an appointment with the surgeon, today. The last time I met with him, I had an hour and a half of knitting in the waiting room!




I may have to shorten the arms/shoulders. After the neck decreases, they were already too long. The pattern said, after the decreases, to "work straight until..." but it was already longer than that. Hmmm. I think it may work, just with armholes falling a little deeper than usual. We'll see...
I am hoping that I like how this pattern fits and looks, because I think it would be a good project for some homespun. In fact, the yarn called for by the pattern is actually *called* homespun, even though it isn't. (It is Tahki "Donegal Tweed," and the pattern is from their book, Tahki Tweed. The yarn band says, "Donegal Tweed Homespun.")

Happy Knitting,
Lisa Kay

Ladybug!

Hi,

The Ladybug demo unit did arrive at the Weaving Department (Myer's House), yesterday, and they graciously allowed me to trade the Ashford Joy for it. I haven't bought it yet (it is a class demo), but I plan to, if they'll let me. They usually do that for a 10% discount during the class.



I was so tired last night that I didn't even try it out before going to bed. I did give it a spin this morning, and I love it! I like the double treadle and the height, and the way the maiden hooks work, and, of course, it is just so darn cute!

The sun isn't out today, so these aren't the best pictures, but I was just anxious...

Happy Knitting!
Lisa Kay

Spinning Progress

Hi,

I had my second class and have a wheel on loan for a week. I finished my first skein of homework on the wheel, white merino, as we used last week with the spindle. It came out very nice, I think. I got lots of practice drafting on the spindle, and the wheel seemed to go well from the start.


The wheel I borrowed is an Ashford Joy. Here's a picture of me with it on the porch. I'm hoping the Ladybug will come in this week. My mom will drive me over to trade. (I'm not cleared to drive yet, since my surgery... probably tomorrow.)

The roving I'm spinning above is the Lorna Laces "Rainbow," shown below as singles and plied. I think it will make a cute hat for Mitchell... maybe mitts, too, if I have enough. It is about 140 yards, total, from 4 oz of roving. (I finished plying the second skein since taking this picture.)

I also finished another skein of the Creatively Dyed "Pirate." The spindle-spun skein I finished last week is on the left, and the wheel-spun skein is on the right. They look pretty compatible. I'll probably alternate skeins when I knit, though. I'm not sure what I'll make. It is only about 225 yards, total. (It was 8 oz of roving.)

At class on Saturday, I also picked up a hand-dyed roving from "Spunsilver Creations," called "Dragon Fruit." I also ordered seven more (to get two pounds, enough for most sweaters).


Dyer: Spunsilver Creations
Colorway Name: Dragon Fruit
Content: 80% Merino, 20% Silk
Amount: 4 oz (x1, but ordered 7 more)

Happy Knitting!
Lisa Kay

Spinning Homework Done

Hi,

I finished spinning up the "homework" roving from my first class. There were two pieces of cream colored merino, and also a piece of brown wool roving (exact wool type not known). I posted the first cream merino already. Since then, I spun the second cream merino and then the brown into singles. The cream was much longer than the brown. I plied cream and brown together, and then I plied the remaining cream with itself. That gave me three skeins, shown above, left to right.

Then, I started working on one of the rovings I ordered last week, in this case, the Creatively Dyed "Pirate" roving. I have spun about a quarter of it on the drop spindle. (I separated the roving into four strips, as a sort of "pre-drafting" process.) If I get the second quarter spun before class, tomorrow, I'll ply it. Maybe I can do the second half of the roving on a wheel, and then compare results.

Happy Knitting,

Lisa Kay

P.S. Medical Status: I got the "drain" out this morning, so I feel much better.

Home Sweet Home

Hi,

I am back home after two days, one night, in the hospital, having half of my thyroid removed. I'd show pictures, but... nah.

I have been compulsively ordering roving for the last week or so before my surgery, and I got back home today to find this on my doorstep. :)

Dyer: The Dyeing Arts
Colorway Name: Bill The Wizard Duo (actually two separate colors, braided)
Content: Superwash
Amount: 4 oz (x6)

I'll probably spin the green and purple separately, and then ply them. (I guess that's what you're *supposed* to do...)

Happy Knitting!
Lisa Kay

Batman Briefs

Hi,

I suppose this skirts the edge of what I should be putting out there for public consumption, but these are too cute to keep under wraps.

Do all kids love under-roos?

Happy Knitting,

Lisa Kay

Spinning Class

Hi,

Spinning class number one was today. It was spinning wool on a drop spindle.

We got some homework, too. I finished my first "single" this afternoon, and I plied it, somewhat clumsily. My niddy noddy arrived in the mail, today, just in time, so I wrapped up the first "skein." Not too bad for my first try!

The niddy noddy makes 5-foot skeins, so this is about 40 feet. It just goes into the keepsake box, I think!

Next week, wheels!

Happy Spinning!
Lisa Kay

Volatile Vinegar Volcanoes!

Hi,

We go to Cracker Barrel once a week, as a rule. Mitchell likes the toys, and we often let him get something. Last week, it was a volcano. You have to add your own vinegar and baking soda...

Happy Knitting,
Lisa Kay

Could Not Resist Roving

Hi,

I have ordered several colors of roving already. I couldn't resist! My spinning class starts tomorrow...

All of these were ordered from The Loopy Ewe.

Dyer: Mountain Colors
Colorway Name: Ruby River
Content: Targhee (That's a type of sheep, right?)
Amount: 4 oz (x4) ... enough for a vest, I think

Dyer: Spirit Trail Fiberworks
Colorway Name: Chocolate and Strawberries
Content: Superwash Wool
Amount: 4 oz (x6) ... enough for a simple sweater, I think

Dyer: Creatively Dyed
Colorway Name: Pirate
Content: 70% Wool, 30% Seacell (whatever that is!)
Amount: 8 oz (x1)

Dyer: Enchanted Knoll Farm
Colorway Name: Spruce Woods
Content: Superwash Wool
Amount: 4 oz (x4) ... enough for a vest, I think

Dyer: Gale's Art
Colorway Name: Peacock
Content: Black Blue-Faced Leicester (I know that one is a type of sheep)
Amount: 4 oz (x7) ... enough for a sweater

Dyer: Lorna's Laces
Colorway Name: Devon
Content: Superwash Wool
Amount: 5 oz (x1) ... to play with

Dyer: Lorna's Laces
Colorway Name: Rainbow
Content: Superwash Wool
Amount: 5 oz (x1) ... to play with

This should be enough to get me started!

Happy Knitting (and Spinning)!
Lisa Kay

Halloween Kangaroo

Hi,

For the last few weeks, we have been asking Mitchell what he wants to be for Halloween. The leading candidate was "Jack-o-lantern," with "Bat" following a close second, and an occasional "Skeleton" for variety. We have gone costume shopping a couple of times. The only jack-o-lanterns have been for much smaller tots. Today, Mitchell became unpredictably enamoured of the Mamma Kangaroo. We left to look another place, and went back, and he still wanted it. His size had disappeared during that hour (ack!), but we are managing with one slightly too small. He seems not to mind. Hopefully, he won't have a growth spurt in the next 27 days.

Happy Knitting,
Lisa Kay

Urge to Spin

Hi,

I've been holding off getting sucked into the world of spinning, but I got the bug at the Alpaca Farm Days, last week, where they were doing demos. It turns out that Myer's House and Barn has a class coming up. It is three Saturdays in a row, starting October 11. The first day is using a drop spindle, then they send one home with you for a week. Then, the second week is using a wheel, and they send that home with you for a week. One more Saturday using the wheel, and I'll probably be hooked. I am particularly interested in the Ladybug; they are supposed to get a demo in for use in the class. Yea! I've gotten some books, "Start Spinning" and "A Fine Fleece," to help me get settled with my terminology and get motivated... not that I need help getting motivated. I am so excited, and I really like looking at rovings online... I haven't bought any, yet, but I don't think it will be long.

The classes will be especially interesting at this time, since I'll be having surgery on the Tuesday after the first class to remove half of my thyroid. If the tests don't go well, I'll have to have the second half out on the next Tuesday. I asked at the doctor's office about this, and they thought I'd be OK to spin four days after the surgery(ies). It is one overnight in the hospital, and a planned week off work (two if there are two surgeries... they would be a week apart).

The spinning will be a great distraction...

Happy Knitting,
Lisa Kay

Little Ham

too cute
Originally uploaded by LisaKay2004

Hi,

I had Mitchell outside with the camera, today, and he hammed it up. He likes to have his picture taken. After every few pictures, he would come over to me and have me go into "review" to show him the pictures. Little stinker!

Happy Knitting,
Lisa Kay

New Bike

new bike
Originally uploaded by LisaKay2004

Hi,

Mitchell's W Grandparents had a bike given to them from a neighbor who was moving, for the benefit of Mitchell. It is a bit big for him, yet, but he gave it a spin. (There is an electric car, too, but maybe we'll leave that until Christmas.)

Happy Knitting,
Lisa Kay