Sick Day

You know the drill. Your child says he's sick, you find out what's wrong, help him feel better, and keep him home. When he's better, you send him back to school, right?

Or, you can try it my way. Your son reports he's had to throw up in his hand when he goes to bed. You tell him he's swallowed too much pool water and to wash his hands. The next morning, he says he doesn't feel right and that his body parts hurt. You dose him with Tylenol and email the teacher that he's staying home. then, you notice he seems to be much better while you are walking the dog, so you ask him if he wants to go to school (it's field day after all and you have to go to work for 2). He agrees, you take him, and then go on about your day. Later, your husband tell you that he came home right at the end of the day with a 103+ temperature. Nice work, Mom! Not only is the child unduly stressed, but you've managed to infect the entire Kindergarden at school.

We're trying this again today. For entertainment, the boy alien has decided to pull out his loose tooth. Now, he looks like he has one, right in the middle. Charming, eh?


Now for some knitting content. I haven't been blogging, but I have been knitting.

Pattern: Nicky Epstein's U-Neck top from VK Summer '06
Yarn: 6 skeins Cascade Sierra in Jasmine, 2 skeins Hempathy in Chocolate (held double)
Needles: Size 3 (I'm a loose woman, and knitter too)
Modifications: I hated the cap sleeves, so added fairly long sleeves. I would have done 3/4 length, but I thought longer ones would be more functional in the freezing cold hospital where i work. I probably won't add the robbon at the waist and at the nech, unless the neck feels too open to me. Necks have to be just right. Can't be too high (unflattering) or too low (too much boob showing-I'm self-conscious). While i like the little flowers she added at neck and hip, it's too fussy for me 9 to make and too wear). I could totally see adding those to a plain but well-shaped white t-shirt. can't you?


The girl mermaid has an instrumental music concert at the school next week, assuming we can get her out of the pool long enought to play. Perhaps I can get a picture of the sweater on me then. I'll probably have to get a friend to take it though. Has a better chance of not making me look like the blob from the Audubon Park Lagoon that way.

I really may be the last person to do this meme. What is a meme any way? Here are the rules:

Every person who gets tagged is to list seven things about themselves. They are to write on their own blog those seven things and then list the rules. You also need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog as well as leave a comment on their blog to let them know they've been tagged. (I think everyone has been tagged already, so I'll tag no one. Too many bad chain letter memories. Will I really go to Hell for breaking the chain?) Thanks to Jamisyn of the lovely spinning for tagging me a while back!

1. I'm from New Orleans, in an ancestral sort of way and am fiercely attached to the city. I was devastated after Katrina and am still struggling in its aftermath (and I don't even live there any more).

Note the boat on top of the car.

The two images I don't seem to have are the refrigerators that were still in front of everyone's house in December (when we went back for Christmas) and the marks on the doors and windows signifying what the various National Guard units found as they went door to door looking for survivors. I know I'm a Drama Queen but these things still move me.

2. I love my dog at least as much as my amazing children. She's a rescue Chesapeake Bay retriever mix and epitoizes the best and worst of dogs. She's so loving and loyal and snuggly and sweet in the house and she's put maybe 5 dogs in the emergency vet with serious injuries. She chases trucks with a passion and was hit by one once. Hasn't stopped her at all.

You've seen plenty of pictures of her.

3. I was a sorority girl. Alpha Omicron Pi at University of Virginia to be exact. No pictures allowed.

4. I work as a psychiatric social worker in a hospital emergency room. And I love it! I'll never forget the first time someone got really loud with me; I was instantly surrounded by 7 or 8 ER staff. It was the most secure feeling. I'm a weenie, so i backed out slowly and got the heck out of there.

5. I'm stubborn and I HATE to be bossed. I have no qualms about bossing you, though.

6. I was a vegetarian for 14 years. Actually a fishatarian. I just recently fell from grace. I've always loved meat too much. I feel guilty about it and I deal with that by buying free range chicken and keeping the meat to a minimum.

7. I live to go to the beach. I don't like cold water (too much of an aging Southern girl for that!) but if the water's warm enough, I'll stay in forever. My children are both merpeople, although the girlie doesn't like waves.

This picture says it all for me. I have to end this post on it.

Fairy Dust

Ever since reading Symeon's Knitty article on spinning hemp, I've been jonesing for some recycled sari silk (and hemp, too, but I'm still waiting on that). At, MDSW, Gryphon and I were on a sari silk mission and found it in two marvelous places(links to come).
I've been wanting to make this since I saw it. So, I cut the sari silk in 3 " pieces





and carded it with Pinhead roving (pictured here in a basket I won at the MDSW auction) on my superfabulous new carder. Did I mention that I love my drumcarder?


I ran it through twice, being a rough and ready kind of girl. And, maybe, just a little impatient? Here is the batt pulled into roving. A lovely, ethereal cloud with colorful shiny bits. It makes me happy.

I very much enjoyed spinning it into a thin single

I'm so sorry I coudn't take a closer-up shot. I love this fiber utterly.

I used Gryphon's technique of plying from a center-pull ball. I must say she makes it look simpler and easier than it is on the first attempt. I had to stop several times and untangle the curliques, but now i realize that the trick is to make sure both the inside and outside plies come off the ball at the same rate.

Georgous! The next batt has quite a bit more sari silk in it, and perhaps, not even enough yet:) It is very nice knitted up, but the bits are not as prminent as I might like. So, more silk!

Speaking of which, at the Fiber Fest Saturday, I met some adorable future spinners. One was pre-verbal, and his mother had trained him, as many do, to use sign language for the word "more". I stopped spinning briefly to say hello (yes, spinning and talking is a challenge for me) and the child looked at his mother and made the sign for "more". She said "More spinning?" So, I started again and was rewarded with a beautiful smile. Another child, four year old Jenna visited me about 5 times that day, each time "helping" me by holding the tail end of my roving and telling me about the colors she likes. She clearly has a great future in our treasured craft. Of course, I sent her home with the tail end of the roving so she doesn't forget.

And finally, here is proof that "the Women are Smarter". You know that Greatful Dead song? It's one of the best.

Can you read it? She and her girl friend cooked up a scheme to the playdate to last longer. She addressed in advance all the concerns i would have, put it in writing (we always like that) and threw in an "I love you". Her buddy wrote a coordinating letter to her mom, even inviting her to join us for dinner. Smart girls, huh? Their nine year old male counterparts possess no such strategies. If asking doesn't work, then just ask louder. Of course, I had to reward such evolved behavior:)

Fiber Fest Fun

I finished work at the hospital at 10 pm on Friday night and drove to Gryphon's in Easton. At 5:00 we arose, drank some very strong coffee, and set off for the adorable town of Snow Hill and their Fiber Fest. Now in its 4th year, the Fest is very well hosted by the director and staff of the Julia Purnell museum (as you may have guessed).

Sara, Gryphon and I set up a booth, using Gryphon's equipment. We had a great day, spinning and meeting interesting people. Including jim and Mary Ann Wandell, president of the Delmarva Fiber Guild. Two of the nicest people I've met. They used to have a fiber business and were wonderful mentors. I ordered one of Jim's gorgeous spindles.

Lia held forth in her usual cheerful way and made spinning even more irresistible than it usually is. Here she is scheduling a spinning lesson with her mom.

Sara taught kids how to use the Pinkie wheel. This wheel is a super lightweight Babe wheel down-sized for small people.

I spun on my Babe Production wheel, purchased from Gryphon this winter. Light weight, easy to adjust, ultra simple and spins like a dream. Also endlessly fascinating to the male companions of Fiber Fest visitors. Nothing quite like the sight of PVC to get the adrenaline going:)

I had chosen, as the day's spinning project some roving I'd bought from the Lee's at Sheep Shed Studio. They call it "Punta" because it's from the Punta Region in South America. Carol Lee says it reminds her of merino. I wouldn't say that, but it is soft and very easy to spin. And it does take color well. This roving is a Day's End special, you know as in, I dyed it with what I had left at the end of the day.

I was very pleased with the way it turned out, very Noro-esque. Have i mentioned that I am a huge fan of Noro yarns? It's the colors, you see. And the long repeats and the way wool must have been dyed before it was spun. Anyway, i'll show you more later.

We all decided that the colors were so strong and noce that the yarn would be best navajo plied. Not a technique I've become skilled at. So, I asked Sara to demonstrate for me and then I practiced.

(Sorry about the lousy image.)

It was a great day. Gryphon and Sara had packed the night before, so my car wasn't needed and I was able to ride and knit. The heavens opened with a massive thunderstorm right as I was driving onto the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, making the way home more than interesting. Luckily, I had Popeye's to look forward to at home.

Sunday, I woke to the best Mother's Day ever. The kids made gorgeous cards, the usually lovely husband cleaned most of the house, and I enjoyed breakfast in bed. They even planted some flowers for me. After walking the dog, it was Soccer Sunday as usual. Here's the boy child in action with the Green Machine:

and the Gold Panthers, a team I've had the honor to co-coach with Ian (pictured) and Dave.

pictured here with his own awesome Panther.

Finally, the girlie receiving medal with wet hair from pouring her drinking water on her head. Trust me, it's a ritual among all kid athletic teams.

Shop Update!

Please have a look; Linda the fabulous photographer has been at it again!

Almost Heaven

The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival has come and gone and what a heavenly time it was. The fun began Friday night when Gryphon and Lia came for a sheepy sleep-over. The lovely husband (more to come about his loveliness) grilled dinner for us, my offspring entertained Lia with their silliness, and, then, we put Gryphon to work teaching the girlie to spin. I donated some leftover roving and my Lendrum to the cause and stepped back. Despite the fact that it was 9 at night, my girl child took to it like a duck (or should I say a spider?) Gryphon, multi-tasking as usual, pronounced her a "natural".



I couldn't be prouder, and the added bonus is that it all happened without carrying on of any sort.



MDSW itself was a lovely blur of people, animals, and, of course, fiber of evry kind. After saving money for 6 months just to blow at the fest, and talking with people, and carefully planning purchases, I immediately threw everything to the winds. Not being caught by the sock addiction, I managed to fondle many skeins of STR, Koigu, Claudia Hand-painted, and Jitterbug, as well as fabulous indie yarns, and not buy them.

After wandering in a daze, I made it to the fleece sale where I did some serious damage. My camera is not cooperating, so I can't show you the lovely black Rambouillet with bleached tips that will make a scrumptious chocolate roving and yarn. Nor can I share with you the plush Jacob from Laughing Stock farm in Virginia. I was finished with fleeces (I also have one from Rising Moon farm that I'm having processed at The Wooly Knob Fiber Mill ) And then there is Pinhead, all seven pounds of him:)

I did manage to card all seven pounds of Pinhead before the weekend began so I could return Gryphon's drumcarder. Unfortunately, now I was hooked. What was I going to do, go back to my hand cards? This is where the lovely husband, during one of many long distance phone calls lately, made my dreams come true. I asked him to make me a drum carder, and he announced his plans to buy one as anniversary gift. (Our anniversary occurs conveniently in the first week of May). He never could keep a secret.



I met many great people at the blogger meet-up and wandering around with Gryphon. I tell you, she's a rock star in the making. Highlights were meeting Eunny, new editor of our favorite knitting magazine and Erin, dye genius and knit blogger extraordinaire. Also thanks to Gryphon, I met owner of Tilli Thomas yarns Tracey Robinson. Sweet lady, GORGEOUS yarns. And, although the yarns were priced way down for the fest, I have to say was more interestd in making them than in buying them. But do check out the baby hat on her page - totally adorable. See?

You may have figured out with all this rambling that I hve no pictures of the actual event. It's true, I took my camera wiuth me but was too overwhelmed to use it. When I'd had enough of crowds and wandering, I sat down in the grass and bid on drum carders and cool tools at the auction. Who knew they would have so many wheels? And knitting machines? I won some baskets (I am container-challenged) and a device to fasten fleece combs to the table. For my imaginary fleece combs (I missed that part of the auction, but you can bet I'll be there next year!)

The best part of the whole weekend was sharing the fest with my daughter. Now a spinner, she was just as interested as I was (well almost:) She waded through the throngs with me, groped all manner of fiber, compared colors, and picked out her own silk sari bits, no doubt to card her own girlie batts. She even patiently sat through most of a lecture on wool and the US Military so we could sit up front for the legendary J Mac's free lecture on production dyeing (come to think of it, I met her too!) Fabulous woman, terrific teacher. Of course, my princess picked out her own hand-dyed bfl roving to spin from Clover Leaf Farm.





I treated myself to some Mamma E fiber. Merino/tencel top in lovely green shades

and on the bobbin. Sorry about the lousy picture, too lazy to carry the wheel outside to capture natural light.

There may have been some silk caps, dyed and un-, and a few bags of sari silk to go with my amazing and wonderful new toy. Pictures another day.

I leave you with some color inspiration.