SpiderWomanKnits

Babies babies everywhere! Yikes, something must be in the air because so many people I know are expecting babies any day now. A friend I hadn't heard from in a while called to tell me that she is due with her first child around Thanksgiving. So, while I was at my knitting group the other night I decided to whip up a little hat for baby-to-be. Armed with an #8 16" circular and some leftover tid bits of Lamb's Pride from my stash, I spontaneously knit this!

No pattern, nada, and magically the math worked out. Lucky me. If only I could have knit for credit way back when in the good really bad 'ol days of High School. The old biddy who sucked all the intrest out of learning algebra with her icy cold demeanor would probably have benefitted from some practical application of math. But the focus here is on new life, spontenaity, joy, and warm wishes for a first time momma. Oh, and warm little heads!

I feel like it has been a while since I have posted knitting content though I have been knitting along this whole time. Here is my Rhinebeck Scarf that I finished just as we pulled into the parking lot but never ended up needing since it was such a beautiful day. But, take a look at that shawl pin I picked up at the fair. I actually bought something besides yarn. :-)

A while back I posted some "in progress mittens" that are destined to warm the hands of Dave and Judy, the lovely farming husband and wife team, over at Lakeview Orchard where we get all of our apples, maple syrup, honey and a great deal of our produce. These have been done for a while now but we had like 5 seconds of sun today so I decided to seize the moment and take some pictures before they wind up in their new home. This pair below is for Dave. They are slightly fulled to add some strength and durability to the mittens.
Here is Judy's pair.

You didn't think I would keep my Rhinebeck haul all to myself, did you? Here are the pictures of my spoils from a day of S.E.X. First up, some Shetland Wool in fall colors for a Fair Isle sweater I plan to make for myself, though I don't have a pattern yet. Anyone have any good Fair Isle suggestions? I am more than happy to receive them :-)
Next up, my son, Jorn's, yarn for this years sweater. A nice "goes with everything" heather grey. This will be a cabled, zip up jacket. Most likely worked from a vintage pattern I recently picked up at a tag sale.
Then there is some Silky Wool from Autumn House Farms. This was a pure color/texture lust purchase. I don't know what to do with it yet but obviously I couldn't wait to ball it up. Whatever this yarn becomes will have to do justice to the subtle color change and lusciousness of the fiber. Amanda actually knit the sample that was on display in their booth which was none other than the Branching Out scarf from Knitty. Lace shows this yarn off nicely.
And finally, some Pure Shetland Wool from Scotland in a jumper weight. Hopefully, Cathy will help me turn this into something intricate and graceful. She has really inspired me with her ubertalented color work. If you haven't seen her stranded mittens yet you don't know what you are missing. So Cathy, get your graph paper out and I'll see you at the knitting group!

Well there it is my knitting lovelies! It is not a lot but it is just right. And there isn't even an ounce of bulky weight in there which is my typical weight default since it is what I enjoy wearing the most. But, I am excited about these colors and look forward to challenging my skills with some stranding.

What's on the roster for the next few days? Restoring all the photos in my albums that I lost in over the weekend in the Blogspirit attack. I am NOT looking forward to this. But, it looks like it will have to be done manually. (Don't uncross those needles yet though! Blogspirit may come through with some recovery.) Also, I 'll be posting pictures of all the knitting I have done but haven't blocked or "blogged" yet. So stay tuned and happy knitting!

Well, maybe I am a believer! After 9 DAYS of steady rain here in the Northeast the gods shined down on Rhinebeck, New York yesterday where knitters from all across the country congregated for the Annual NYS Sheep and Wool Festival. JessaLu, Cathy, (the knitting lovelies you see below) and I packed into the car and headed off early in the morning for a day filled with fiber, food, and bloggers.

We knew this was a good sign. How often do you see nuns petting llamas? All three of us took it as a signal of blessing to buy what we wanted ;-)

Bear with me faithful bloggers.  My blog has suffered an attack and I have no idea what is going on. Apparently Blogspirit is supposed to be fixing this but it has been 2 DAYS now! Argh. This is the first time that I have been able to access my blog and it looks as if I have lost all my photos and my customized template.  :-(  Cross your fingers that they will fix this soon.

 ~Abi

 

 

I went shopping the other day with the family and picked up these skirts at Forever 21 because they were on a Super Sale. I have never shopped at this store before (I'm an H&M'er) but since they were such a good deal I bared the majorly bright lighting and blaring music. Happy with my purchase I did what every satisfied shopper does. I performed the "De-Tagging Ceremony" promptly after returning home. (Sometimes I wait until I actually use the item to remove the tag but since these were final sale I made them offically mine right away)

To my complete shock and dismay as I went to recycle the bag, I found this! Hunh? Am I lossing my mind? Isn't this a CLOTHING STORE I just shopped at? Now, I am tolerant of all religious beliefs and don't have any problem with people worshiping their chosen gods but I mean C'mon! This is insidious and wrong. Just to be sure I ran my discovery by my DH, could it be some kind of bag code or something for stocking purposes? He was equally as surprised and read it as a passage from the Bible as well. Google this passage from the Bible if you are not familiar with it. It has no place on a shopping bag. What harm do you say is it in placing a passage from the Bible on the underside of a shopping bag? This store is clearly directed at young adults, they associate the items in the store with the level of "coolness" that they feel they obtain from their purchases. Someone (like a teenager) who can be easily pursuaded by consumer culture can just as easily (on a subconscious level) make the connection between these clothes being cool and religion. It should be up to the individual to make their own decisions about religion and  guerrilla marketing tactics should NOT be tolerated by us as a culture whether it is for a religion or a product.
But wait! There is more...as we pulled into the driveway the mailman had already came so we stopped to get everything before it got soaked by the intense rain we just had here in New England over the weekend. And look what was in the mail! Somehow EVERYONE knows that we just purchased a cabin/house in the woods. But this was unbelievable. I mean really. I think that Freud would be having a field day with the current state of our country. Didn't we come to the country in the first place to ESCAPE religious persecution and an intollerance for differing beliefs? I guess we all become our mother.
Thankfully, just when I thought my head was going to explode I saw that my final package in the Stitch Marker Swap had also come. What a relief and a wonderful surprise! My Secret Swapper definitely out did herself. Look at how many markers there are! They range from small to bulky needle sizes and there are a few removable ones made with a jewlery clasp which is such a great idea!
But thats not all! She sent me this adorable shoe notepad and a handmade little pouch that evokes feelings of childhood and summer with the gingham/watermelon combo! I have already put it to use holding our knitting group business cards. A heartfelt THANK YOU, who ever you are! You definitely brightened my day! Consider yourself a true knitting lovelie!

For all of you who have been waiting ever so patiently for me to post the answer to that pesky crossword puzzle that stumped me the other morning...

Just what I thought! "Yarns" was the answer. I know it is a word but it just doesn't feel right. If I go to a great yarn shop I say, "They have a great selection of yarn." Not "yarns". Or hey, look at all the free yarn I got at my knitting group the other night. But, that doesn't matter when you are doing a crossword puzzle. Still I am having a hard time thinking of a sentence using the word "yarns" (in the context of "Knitter's Needs" (which was the clue) not the telling of a tale.)

Here is a shot of our kitten Trixie exercising great restraint with some of my stash. Check out the crazed and confused look in her eyes. Poor thing. I have to say I am very proud of how quickly she is learning to respect all the yarn in our house. But there is one thing that sets her apart from ALL cats and would make EVERY knitting cat lover want me to clone her.

You see that little thing in her mouth? It is a piece of paper. A RECEIPT for a recent yarn purchase. She goes into those little brown bags and then "makes em disappear". Trixie has become my accomplice during secret S.E.X and a very good one at that! I quickly place my new skeins on the shelf and she disposes of the evidence. My DH will never know! Bless her little heart.

Look at her go. I still haven't found the receipt. Knitwise, this itsy bitsy cardigan was worked for a friend of mine who is expecting a baby any day now. I "wrapped" it in a little suitcase that she can use as a memory box after the baby is born. I just love making little baby things. Last night I cast on a little bunny for baby to be as well. I just couldn't resist. :-)

I don't usually covet things. Nor do I condone coveting as I think it is an empty emotion that gets you nothing but the feeling of "want" which is a bottomless vessel. But if a stash deserves coveting, The Knitting Wench takes the cake. Go have a looksy.

So, I have been asked by JessaLu to Flash My Stash! Like any fiber lover every so often I get seduced into a yarn purchase or a S.E.X without any intent or purpose. Well, sit down boys and girls, because it is time we had a talk about the Knitter's Birds and Bees.

You see, sometimes a girl or boy can become attracted to a certain yarn. It could be the color or the texture or sometimes it is just the cheep thrill/price. You pass by the yarn and admire its beauty only to glance back at it and then you realize the yarn was looking at you too! The attraction is mutual and therefore undeniable. You pick the yarn up, caress it , maybe you even smell it, all the while you are scanning your brain for the pattern you have sitting at home that would justify your union. Only because you are distracted by your lust for the yarns luscious nature you have a hard time concentrating. It doesn't matter because you've already gone too far. You are heaping skeins or hanks into your basket and making a bee-line for the counter before you realize what you have done. Yes, you have made another passionate yarn purchase without thinking about the consequence of whether or not you will commit to forming that particular yarn into a meaningful garment. And, THAT my fellow knitting lovelies, is how a Stash is formed!

It is the torrid, steamy love for fiber that brings us all to Jess' challenge of Flashing Our Stash. Your lesson in the Knitters Birds and Bees has come to an end.

So next time you enter your LYS or attend a Fiber Fair think about what kind of relationship you have with your yarn. Are you a yarn slut (you'll do anything for yarn, like take that "emergency" credit card and drive it to the max)? A yarn floozy (Just buy, don't think)? Or the committed type (You walk into a yarn shop with pattern in hand and only get what you need)? Maybe you are the laid back, easy going, "just wanna have some fun" type (eventually you'll get around to all the yarn in your modest stash)? Or the yarn madonna (you haven't quite crossed the threshold into obsessive knitting yet, you might still be shopping the racks at Michael's and knitting scarves)? Well, whatever you are I want to know about it. Now, Jess has stated several times that her stash is bigger than mine and she is undoubtedly correct, but now I'm wondering just what kind of knitter is she? Hmm. Care to share dear? Oh and while Jess is at it I would love for Heather, Lyn, and Cathy to flash their stash for everyone.

Oh, if you want a closer look at some yummy yarn shots you can check out my Yarn Rag photo album. My favorites, well, my heart belongs to Lopi ladies and gents. I love all yarns but Lopi is my faithful companion.

Now, I love my morning coffee, in fact, I can't function without it. Usually when time allows I enjoy the "eye opener" page of our paper as well. I almost finished todays crossword puzzle except for this one little block that stumped me. Yeah, that white section right in the middle. Go ahead have a closer look. I'll wait.

The shame of it is this... Can you believe it? I can't. Seriously. Could it be "Yarns"? That doesn't feel right but I guess it is a possibility. Stay tuned for the answer in tomorrows paper!