Another First

Do you remember this? Some beautiful green merino Abby stuck in an order of silk I got from her. Some of it spun up.


How about this? A conglomerate of blends Abby sent with the same order just so I could try it out. And it spun up.






Well, here it is all spun and plied together. It was my first time spinning either and I'm fairly happy. You know, I know that I don't spin as thin as many, but I'm having fun and maybe that will come with time. I have 236 yards, any ideas of what I should do with it? I was thinking about maybe a scarf. Give me your thoughts though.

MS3 Chart A FInished!!!!

Right after I posted the last picture of my stole I made a mistake, began retracing, taking stitches out when I dropped a couple stitches so I just ripped it out and started over. Actually, I'm glad. I think it is turning out much better this time around.

If you haven't noticed, I am a member of the Slow Bee Club. See my badge on the right? But, I finally finished Chart A and I'm getting ready to start Chart B. It is turning out quite nice, particularly since it is my first time knitting lace and adding beads to anything.

Also, today the yarn and needles I had ordered from Knit Picks arrived. I'm going to begin another stole. Yeah, I'm a glutton for punishment. IDIOT!!!! I think it is going to be the prettiest. But, I'm partial to black.

It's A Big Year for Peggy Lynn!!!!

I was just sitting here thinking. Yeah, I know, difficult to imagine. But, if you get me early in the morning with fresh caffeine coursing through my veins......it does happen....the thinking thing. Anyways as I was sitting here thinking, I was thinking about how exciting this year has been so far and what else I have to look forward to.

# 1 In April I turned the big 50. That's a pretty big deal. You know the number is no issue, I really don't care. I think for me the worse thing about getting older is the realization that that is one more tick against my life line. This 50 has gone by so fast, how fast are the next 30 or so going to go by. As a Believer, I am not afraid of death, what I really hate about the whole dying thing is the fact you leave your loved one's with their grief. I cannot think about it or I'm a basket case.

#2 Also in April, David and I reached our 30th Wedding Anniversary. God is so good!!!

#3 I purchased a spinning wheel and entered deeper into the fiber world. Can you say A-D-D-I-C-T-I-O-N? And through the spinning world I have made wonderful friends that are just as crazy as I am about knitting and spinning. Well, some of them aren't as luny about fiber as I am, or at least they won't talk about their real stash or they hide the fact they have just as many WIP's or UFO's as I do. (works in progress or unfinished objects). Some of these friends actually live in my area. I met June through a Yahoo Group dedicated to spinning. She introduced me to Joanne and the Barnes & Noble Tuesday Night Knitters (some hookers). Through my LYS I was introduced to RoLynn and Ashley when they inquired about a local knitting group. And then there are so many wonderful friends I have met on-line either through a Yahoo Group or from looking at various blogs. A great deal of those I have listed in "My Daily Haunts," are people I correspond with on a regular basis. I will not even begin to list them for fear I will leave someone out. The spinning/knitting community is really a close knit, hehehe, group.

Most of the knitting people I have known over the last 20 years or so have been people I have taught myself. You know, they enter in all wide eyed and naive. Some have an unbelievable immunity to yarn or knitting addiction cooties. Those who do get infested, well, you know, they are just babies. They have no idea where they are headed. Even if they come and see my stash or WIPs they see no correlation between my problems and themselves. It takes a while to develop a good addiction. So when I found all those in the paragraph above it was like being a leper and finding a leprosy colony. Finally someone who totally understands you. People who have yarn/fiber in practically every room in the house. And even some that have their latest purchases slyly hid in the top of their closet.

Today I received the first installment of the "Batt Club." Isn't this the most gorgeous stuff you just about ever saw?

#4 MS3. I joined the Mystery Stole #3 group. You can read about it in one of the previous posts. One of the neatest things about this is the fact that almost 7000 people are all knitting the same shawl at the same time. It is such a phenomena that USA Today is doing a story on it. That's a lot of yarn and a lot of beads folks. And members are from all over the world. They have instructions in about 5 different languages. Pretty cool.

#5 This one just occurred. In fact, at midnight last night. NOW LET ME SAY, IF YOU ARE GOING TO STONE ME.................... PLEASE USE MARSHMALLOWS. I am and have been for years and years a dedicated Harry Potter fan. The latest movie, "The Order of the Phoenix," opened last night, or actually early this morning. I bought our tickets to the midnight show yesterday and after getting back from B&N knitting I fiddle faddled around here and Jordan and I left here a little after 11. I really wanted to get there at 11 but fiddled or maybe it was faddled a little too long. We arrived at the theater around 11:30 or so. Had to park on the grass and had to sit on the very, very front row. And didn't get home until around 3 am. It was worth it all. I felt like it was Christmas. Jordan asked if I was going to dress up as a Harry Potter character, if I was I don't think he would have gone with me.

Look at the sweet gifts RoLynn gave me. Hedwig and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. For you muggles, Hedwig is Harry's owl and "Every Flavor" means every flavor, like vomit, bugger, earthworm. I think you get the picture.

#6 The next great thing to happen will be the release of the next and last (sigh) book in the HP series, "Deathly Hallows." This is the one that brings it all together. A great day of excitement and sadness at the same time. This wonderful series that has taken Harry and his crew from childhood to young adulthood, all the while showing us readers what friendship, love, courage and going forth even when the battle gets hard will finally come to an end. We have gotten so used to waiting for the next book every two years or so and then the next movie. It will be several years before the last two movies comes out so we have a few more years of magic!!!!

Tell ya how bad I have it. Last night while at the Barnes & Noble knitting group I checked with customer service to make sure they had my reservation for a copy of the new book. The night before the release of the book they have a big party with all sorts of fun things going on and then at midnight they start calling numbers and selling books amongst squeals and screams. Anyways, when I asked for them to check and make sure they had my reservation, he stated, "Yes, in fact you reserved it the first day of reservations, February 4th." I told you I'm a maniac!!!!

#7 Emma Belle starts school. Her mother, Tabitha, and I are already shedding tears over that one. We both know that it is a good, happy thing, but you just hate to see your babies grow up. This is a picture I took of our sweet little Emma Belle when she was just one day old. You can already see the attitude.

#8 My Sara is getting married October 13th.

#9 This happens every year. Nothing new. During the months of November and December I will be stark, raving, luny attempting to get all my Christmas presents finished. I plan on starting at the first of the year, I do start in January, but somehow those things get pushed to the side for other fun things to start. I'm always happy when family shindigs are scheduled after Christmas day because that gives me more days to work on the objects.

Progress?

Well, after joining the MS3 group, I stopped by my LYS and picked up some lovely yarn by Dawn, it is 50% NZ wool and 50% silk. I really wanted black so I ordered some gorgeous 100% alpaca from Knit Picks. I figured maybe I'd make two. :) The mystery theme calls for black or white or a derivation thereof. Initially I haven't been that pleased with the Dawn, but as I worked the swatch I started liking it more and more. With this shawl I am using black glass 8/0 beads. I drove all over town, well to Walmart and Hobby Lobby, looking for a size 13 crochet hook to use while placing the beads over the various stitches. After many starts and ripping outs I finally got it going well enough that I am pleased. This is my first attempt at lace and beads. I know it doesn't look like the work of those accustomed to knitting lace, but, ya gotta start somewhere and I figured I'll get better with practice. (Notice that I centered this photo because it doesn't allow you to enlarge it, therefore you can't really see if it is a pathetic example of lace knitting or not. I have a very fragile knitting ego!!!) (Not really, silly willy!!!!) (Well, maybe)
Last post I listed some of my WIPs (works in progress). This is one of them. It is a felted satchel by Fiber Trends. Bright huh? I think I posted on this before, but, what the heck!!!! When finished and felted this one will be 24" wide and 15" deep. Nice and big for my many WIPs.





Finally some pictures taken of Emma Belle yesterday when Sara and Matthew took her down to the pond for some fishing. They said they saw a huge fish, even Sara & Matthew said so. However, Emma said it was a big as her daddy. She did recant that later showing it to be about 15" which Matthew agreed it was at least that size.

Good Golly Gee Batman!!!

I almost forgot. There was one more new thing I did this week. Or, maybe it was last week......sometime within the last two weeks anyways. I joined the "Batt Club." "SWISH" "BOOM" "BAM."

Abby at Franquemont Fibers was taking sign-ups for a "Batt Club." With this club you would pay a certain amount and once a month for three months Abby will send 6 - 8 oz of her luxury batts. "July’s club batts will be luxury sock batts containing superwash wool, silk, and nylon; August will be non-superwash luxury batts containing fine wools, silks, and luxury fibers; and September… well, to ease us back into the school year and that sort of thing, September’s will be a serious luxury blend, containing fine wools, silks, and cashmere, with matched hand-dyed silk. Doesn't that sound luscious?

Like I need more fiber. I told her I thought maybe I would just purchase a large shadow box and display all the wonderful fiber I have purchased from her. It is just so gorgeous.

I always wanted to be CatWoman, in some regards she was part of the Batt Club. Meow, purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I purchased the yarn for the MS3. It is some beautiful vanilla colored lace weight, 50% NZ wool and 50% silk. And I picked up some simple black beads. You know me, more is always better so I ordered some gorgeous black alpaca lace weight from Knit Picks. I'm all ready, I'm pumped, I gotta get a dang size 13 crochet needle to use to add the beads. I really hate waiting.

But, we went to my father's family reunion today so I am too pooped to run into town to pick one up. Maybe tomorrow after church. It isn't like I don't have any knitting to do. Here is a list of what I know for sure I have OTN (on the needles for you muggles):

1. Jaywalkers.
2. Rose/Gray Step Yarn Basic Ribbed Socks
3. Rust/Grayish Brown Step Yarn Basic Ribbed Socks
4. Embossed Leaves Socks
5. Felted Bag
6. Simple Shawl with Cherry Hill Mohair/Silk Yarn
7. MS3
8. Spring Sweater for Emma
9. Sweater for me from Kristen Nicholas' book Knitting the New Classics

As Jed Clampet from the Beverly Hillbillys used to say, "Pitiful, just pitiful."

Today is the first day of the Tour de France therefore, it is the first day to begin the Tour de Fleece. I'm still spinning the green merino from the earlier post. I haven't done anything on that stupid "Mystery Sock" pattern. I think I am going to have to rework my schedule. No eating, no sleeping and no chatting and chilling with family and friends. I gotta get this stuff done!!!! Somewhere deep in the recesses of my mind I hear Ron Weasley saying, "She really needs to sort out her priorities." Yeah, but your mother had magic knitting needles RONALD!!!! Don't you hate it when people have all the answers yet they haven't lived the life? Everyone knows exactly how children are to be raised until they have one, or two, or three. Deep breath, deep breath, breath in......breath out. K, that's better.

Here's a sweet picture of my biological father and Emma Belle.







And a picture taken of myself and Daddy at last year's reunion. Can you see the resemblance?

So, What's New?

I'm glad you asked. Man oh man there's all kinds of things going on new. Well, I can't really say that these things are new. Maybe just continuations. Well, yeah, not much new I guess. Just my life. I guess you should say, "So, what's old?"

I'm glad you asked. I've been picking blackberries, and picking blackberries and picking blackberries. And, I have the scars to show for it. Why is it the big ones are always right in the middle? It is unbelievable how many blackberries we have. There are so many just going to waste. I've been searching the highways and the byways for people wanting to pick (for their own consumption). This is one reason it isn't good for me to have a garden. I can't stand to see waste. I have been putting up the Blackberry Brandy Jam I talked about in the last post. Boy is it yummy!!!! And I've been freezing some for cobblers this winter, double nummy yummy!!!!! (If you aren't familiar with the term "putting up," that is a cunnnnnnnnnnnntry term for any kind of canning/freezing of produce." I have taken the plunge and have begun spinning the green merino sent to me a while back. I decided it is time to grow up and stop just spinning Romney and Jacob. Although, they are much friendlier than the merino. I took the advice of a good friend, RoLynn, who said, "If you need to, make your whorl bigger, that will help you alot and then you can continue to go at your "jack rabbit" pace if you want...:)" I can't help it!!!! I am just a fast woman!!!! I'm from Kentucky. Well, wait a tick, I think that was fast horses. Ah. Anyways, having taken her advice Isa spinnin merino!!!! You Go Girl!!!!!

On another note. As Hermione Granger said, "What an idiot!" Well folks, that pretty much defines me. I don't know why I am the way I am. Bad potty training maybe? I've slept on my stomach since birth? I ate buggers growing up? I don't know. I've done two stupid things. Now these are things that are going to jump up and bite me in the tush. Well, only if I can contort my body in such a manner as I can bite my own patooty. No one is holding me over a fire or expecting me to do this. It is a matter of me being stupid and signing up to take part in something and if I don't I will be letting myself down. Sick of hearing me ramble on about it? "Get to the POINT!!!!"

Some time ago I joined a Yahoo Group, "Sockamanic Sockalong," where every month or so someone submits a sock pattern and the entire group knits it. No biggee right? Well, not exactly. This months sock pattern is a "mystery pattern." Mystery is right!!!! Man, I am so lost. I have charted, recharted and recharted. I know how the pattern is supposed to go but I can't figure out what to do with the stitches on either side of the pattern, it changes with each dang row. Therefore, I don't know how many to cast on. Can you say "IDIOT?" Please, don't lose any sleep, I'm doing enough of that, I will eventually figure it out. Hopefully I'll have it done before the next pattern comes out.

Is there another word for idiot? Oh, yeah, dumb***. Look it up in Webster's. You will see my picture. Ya see all those blogs to the right I call "Daily Haunts"? I check all those blogs daily to see if they have been updated. You should read 'em. There's some good stuff and some really interesting people there. Anyways, today, as is my daily constitution, I checked the Yarn Harlot for an update. Low and behold, there was one. I really enjoy her blog and if you haven't read any of her books, you don't know what you are missing!!!!! Todays entry was about a friend of her's conniving and talking her into joining this group knitalong thingy. It is called MS3, for mystery stole/shawl #3. Just about every week there is a new part of the pattern released and we all knit it up just as fast as our little fingers can go. You don't know what the final pattern looks like until you finish the stole/shawl. I don't know about you, to me stole is just a fancy way of saying shawl. So, I'm off to find 1200 yards of lace weight yarn. Oh and some beads to go on it somewhere. Should prove to be interesting. I mean, after all, it isn't like I don't already have a kazillion projects going!!!!!

Finally I have a picture of my baby, Jordan (22), and his wonderful girlfriend, Jacque. Don't they make a handsome pair?

Lazy Days Of Summer

Yesterday, July 2nd, was such a lovely day. Here in Southern Kentucky the humidity has gone down considerably. If you know anything about Kentucky in the summer, it is HUUUUUMID. However, this year has been kindly strange. (Yeah, yeah, global warming.......I don't know, whatever.)

Mondays are always David's day off and I think yesterday may have been one of the best days off we've had in a while. We had nothing we "had" to do. Oh, well, you know, there are always things you "have" to do. But the things we "had" to do were things that we really didn't "have" to do. ????????

David isn't allowed to use the mower. Long story I'll have to tell you sometime. Suffice it to say it has something to do with someone cutting down a pear tree and then attempting to stick the tree back in the ground to make it look like the tree was still there. I know what happened folks, I was watching from my kitchen window. Anyways, he is not allowed to use the mower and I wanted to go check out a couple things down by the woods so I gave David a ride on the front deck (the mowing apparatus was not engaged, don't get your panties in a wad. Do ya think I'm stupid? He doesn't have that much life insurance. And although orange is one of my favorite colors, I don't want to wear it every day. Do they allow knitting and spinning in the pokey?).

We got some blackberry pickin done as well. I'm going back today, hopefully with reinforcements (Jordan & his girlfriend, Jacque). I made a cobbler last night, which was really yummy. Lot's of butter. With the others I am hoping to make up some Blackberry Brandy Jam, a recipe I got from Joanne. Sounds, oh, I don't know.....intoxicating?

Alas!!!! I got some more knitting accomplished on the Jaywalkers. This yarn is some I mentioned in a previous post that Heidi sent me from Norway. I really like the way the pattern falls when knitted up. I call this one avocado because if you really look at all the colors it looks like all the various color changes avocados go through between being too green to eat to "Wow, it is time to throw out that guacamole." It is going quite well. I believe these are going to be (whispering the name) socks. Sshhhhhhhhhh.

Oh yeah, we floated around the pool a lot as well. I gotta come up with a way to float and knit at the same time!!!!!!