It's too hot to think ...

I really goofed up. I thought I was doing a GOOD thing -- installing a new programmable thermostat so we could keep the house warm during the day and cool at night. Unfortunately, I fried the thermostat transformer and we were without air all last night. Jeff was not amused. The HVAC guy came first thing this morning, though, and fixed my mistake for $325. I'm not saying it wasn't worth it or that he charged more than he should ... but, golly, I didn't expect this minor household thermostat upgrade to cost us $400 (thermostat plus repairman). At least it's working now and the house is starting to cool.

I'm halfway through my second sock of the Knitpicks Fair Isle pattern. I'm getting ready to turn the heel. Online I found some instructions for wrapping the yarn so that I don't get such big holes in the heel. I'm still not sure I like the short row heel. It looks sort of like a thumb, doesn't it?

I'm planning a project to submit in an Ashford contest. It seems that these sheep ran away and got lost and were out in the wilderness for 6 or 7 years, far from the sheep shears. When they were found, they were huge puff balls and the largest, named "Shrek II," yielded a record 68 pounds of wool (avg. fleece is about 8 pounds). Elizabeth Ashford sold some of the wool in 1 oz. lots and I bought 2 ounces, just to see what it was like. Ashford is having a contest for whoever makes something out of the wool. All you have to do is send in a picture of your item by July 31st.

I'm planning a little pillow that says "Run Shrek II Run!" I'll post pictures later.

Making progress

I'm making progress on the patterned sock. The heel was the strangest thing. I think it's called a short row heel and it produces a bunch of big holes on one side. I had to frog it once and redo it but I guess it'll do.

I really love doing this patterned work. It really keeps your interest. Unfortunately, the fabric it creates doesn't have much give, so I'm not very optimistic that I'll be able to actually wear these socks. They'll make a nice gift though.

I am so darn clever!

I finally got my act together and made the electric spinning wheel I've been thinking about for so long. I had an old flyer that originally came with my wheel. Then I bought an old sewing machine at St. Vincent DePaul for $5 and cannibalized it for the variable speed motor and foot pedal. The other parts, the wood and the Ashford bearings, cost about $12. So, I figure I've got about $17 invested in this baby. Check out what electronic spinners normally cost.

The unenlightened at my house -- that would be everyone but me -- say "doesn't an electric spinner defeat the whole purpose of hand spinning the yarn like in the old days?" Well, yes ... but I sometimes like to spin very fine yarns that require a lot of twist and, frankly, it takes too long to pedal the traditional wheel if you're going to do much very fine yarn. I COULD get a high speed flyer for my wheel -- but they cost $165, so you see my difficulty.

So far, I only see two problems with my $17 solution. First, the thick rubber band that I used for a drive band sheds rubber like crazy when you rev it up to high speeds. I'll probably have to invest $10 or so in a real drive band. Second, making the speed consistent is a problem since I'm just stepping on the foot pedal. I can keep a pretty uniform speed at one time, but if I go away and come back to it I'm not sure I would be running it at the same speed. I think I could solve that, though, by placing a shim under the pedal so it would only go one speed when the pedal is fully pressed.

In addition to my mechanical creation, I've started on a sock from the Knit Picks pattern. Kathryn is also doing this sock, but mine will be MUCH prettier (I hope she's reading this!). So far, it looks pretty cool. I hope it will fit me when it's done!

I won the challenge with illusion!

I'm thrilled! I won the Weaver's Guild challenge "Black, White and Red All Over" with my black and white illusion scarf with the word "RED" in it. The members voted on which project was the best and MINE WON!

Everyone thought it was very clever and a few are even clamoring for an illusion knitting workshop.

I got a $25 gift certificate from the Weaver's Loft as a prize and I can't decide what to buy with it. There are so many options ... a some great roving or a lace flyer for my wheel. I may just hang on to it for a while and savor the moment.

I'm working on a rare wools vest that I'm just faking as I knit ... I figured out the rough perameters and cast on letting the devil take the hindmost.

I knit one side of the front in garter stitch and decided I didn't like it and pulled it out. So now I've finished one side out of stockinette and I'm wondering why I didn't use moss stitch.

This is why people use patterns ... so they don't keep changing their minds.

Anyway, the grey to the left is CVM and, starting with the black line, the wool is three colors of Jacob sheep. It's all my bulky handspun and it looks a little rough, but I think I'll live with the stockinette. I'm hoping to get this done so I can wear it on our trip to England in July. Stop laughing!

Ally got Andy out today and gave him a good grooming. She collected a good bit of fur, so I hauled my wheel out into the sunshine and made angora yarn. Later, when I was giving him a pedicure, he escaped. I've never seen him run so fast!!! He took off like a grey streak! Ally and I stalked him for a while but she finally caught him. Of course, after we captured him we had to groom him all over again because he was littered with leaves and sticks. He's a rascal!

But I have to forgive him -- he's so soft and gorgeous. Look at all this silky fiber!