No, really....
Seriously, I swear this terrible schedule is almost over. Soon I will no longer be able to blame my work schedule for my slack-ass blogging. Meanwhile, there's a whole hell of a lot to tell you. First, there are some amazingly cute kittens here. So effing cute that I can hardly stand to be in the same room with them. See for yourselves:
I told you so. It's the little squinty, half-opened eyes that get you, isn't it? They'll be all the way open any day now. I'll spare you the kitten overload here, but I'm putting an album together and will post it over the weekend for anyone who's just dying to see more.
Hey, remember that nursery rhyme about the black sheep? You know..."Baa, baa black sheep, have you any wool?..." The answer is no. He doesn't. He doesn't, because I have it all. See?
Meet Roy. Roy the Romney lamb. Not kidding. This is all 6 lbs. of Roy's first fleece, and it's crinkley, soft, lustrous, black Romney wool. It's also all greasy and barn-y and fantastic. Oh, and full of hay, but I can take care of that. What should Roy's first offering of fibery goodness become? I was originally thinking it should be some sort of seriously traditional fisherman's sweater, but am now leaning towards either Mariah or Rogue, or maybe this from Elizabeth Lavold. What's your vote?
Yes, you guessed it, I went absolutely insane at NHSW this past weekend. I did pretty well on Saturday, sticking fairly close to my shopping list (except for Roy here), and keeping my spending, if not my enthusiasm, in check. You'll have to ask Melanie and Jackie, but I'm pretty sure that on more than one occasion I bounced up and down clapping like a giddy schoolgirl. Or maybe that was for the blessed coffee find -- it's all such a haze of color and fiber that I can't be totally sure. Sunday, though, well....let's jut say that two full days of a fiber festival is apparently too much for my resolve. I'll have to wait until the weekend to get more pictures so that I can embarrass myself with an expose of my lack of restraint get some decent light. I simply can't capture the colors on my kitchen table at 10pm, which is when I seem to be getting home these days. Meanwhile, here's Nadine:
She's a Romney/Montadale/Suffolk mix, and that is 9 lbs of soft, gorgeous variegated wool. Half of Collette's creamy white, full Romney fleece is soaking in Mr Washie™ as we speak.
In actual KNITTING news:
Hooray for Hourglass!!!! I luuuurve this sweater. Mmmmmm....soft and silky. It's quick (or would have been if I hadn't been working 24/7), simple and elegant - what else could a girl ask for? I did take Melanie's advice and knit a little farther on the neckline before starting the turning round because, while I do like the big, wide neckline, I wanted to be able to wear this particular one to work. Depending on the nature of the next one, maybe I'll just leave it wide. The estimate of one extra inch turned out to be just about perfect as there is no strappage to embarrass the old men in my very conservative firm, but still plenty of sexy neck and shoulder. There is the tiniest bit of slippage, though. It's just enough to make me consider adding the little bra strap-holder-ribbon-snap-thingies that are in some of my dressy summer tanks. It seems like a simple enough addition to give me the ability to completely ignore the happenings on my shoulders when wearing it.
Specs:
Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Andean Silk - Knitpicks (YUM!)
Color: Barn Red
Needles: Addi Turbo size 7 for sleeves and body
I love your Hourglass!!! How did you like the Andean Silk? I've heard mixed things.
Posted by: Colleen | May 18, 2005 at 04:26 PM
Hourglass looks beautiful! Nice job!
Those kittens are painfully adorable. Don't you just want to squeeze them til their eyes pop out of their skulls??
Posted by: heide | May 18, 2005 at 07:59 PM
WOW, sexy! Hourglass looks phenomenal on you!
Posted by: melanie | May 19, 2005 at 06:33 AM
Great post! It's like, nothing, nothing, nothing...then BAM!
1. Yes, more kitty pics is a MUST. I've been waiting to see the little buggers since your last post and I can't stand it anymore! SO. IMPOSSIBLY. CUTE.
2. It is SO awesome that you know which sheep your wool came from and it subsequent history. I LOVE that. It's one of the reasons I want to start spinning. I'd love to make a Rogue and be able to say it came from "Bessie." :-)
These beautiful creatures need to be rewarded for donating their wonderful fiber.
3. That sweater is GORGEOUS. was wonderin' what you were knitting up with that Andean Silk! I love it! I was planning on placing my KnitPicks order this weekend and was looking for a good project for that Andean Silk you so kindly allowed me to fondle and now I have one. ;-)
Ok. I'm done. Carry on...
Posted by: paula | May 19, 2005 at 02:31 PM
Love Hourglass, love the kittens more, but then I am a kitten addict.
Can't wait to see the album.
Posted by: Rebekah | May 19, 2005 at 03:58 PM
that's the best fitting hourglass sweater i've come across! it's beautiful. you really got it right -- not blousy but still loose enough to be curvy. i love it!
you've made me want to make one myself :)
Posted by: jody | May 27, 2005 at 06:43 AM
Hourglass is gorgeous! Did you like working with the Andean Silk? I've been looking for a sub for this sweater, and that is one of my choices! You did such a beautiful job.
Posted by: Jackie | May 27, 2005 at 12:01 PM
wow! your hourglass sweater is amazing. it fits you perfectly.
Posted by: lynette | May 28, 2005 at 11:35 AM
The little fur babies are so cute!
The hourglass rocks!
Posted by: K. Anne | June 02, 2005 at 02:38 AM
Women are not, are fairly portrayed in the media
Posted by: John | October 01, 2007 at 03:09 PM
I've just been letting everything pass me by , but so it goes. I just don't have much to say these days. Pfft. I can't be bothered with anything. More or less nothing seems worth doing. I haven't gotten much done recently, but oh well.
Posted by: kate | October 10, 2007 at 05:05 PM