A friend in fiber

Well yet again it has been some time since my last post. Ah well- life goes on. Lots of good things happening. Some overwhelming things happening. All in all, life is happening- and that is good.

I've been doing lots of preparation for grad school, which will start at the end of the month. I had thought I wouldn't be getting started with schoolwork until our first intensive in Philadelphia (September), but I now find that a few professors will be starting with online work before then. I'm excited that it's starting sooner than later, and glad that the work will be spread out a bit more. I'm also concerned because I still have parent meetings and clinical reports to write this summer. I'll get a handle on that though. This is a big adventure.

As seems to be natural, given the nature of the thing, my excitement is well seasoned with feeling overwhelmed and nervous. I'm starting something new, and I really don't know a whole lot about what it's going to be like. I feel very good about choosing Temple- I don't think I would have chosen anywhere else. But, at the same time I know that I am a person who likes to know as much as possible about a situation before I go into it as I can. I'm a planner. I like to lay everything out. Starting a degree which will be done online mostly (something I've never done before), which will also involve flying away from home and husband 4-5 times a year (something I don't like to do much) without having met my advisor or having a sense of how many courses is too many....well, it's feeling a bit...um...overwhelming.

But, I'm breathing. I know that when I really look at it, this isn't life-threatening or a huge deal. The event will come and then all questions will have answers. I just need to wait. So, I'm trying to do that with grace- and create an environment at my desk, within my mind, and in my heart that can open to whatever this new experience brings.

In the midst of all that, wool has been a great friend. Well, David has been a better friend, but I would embarrass him if I told you too much about that, so I'll stick with wool for now :)

Let me share with you where we've been together lately.

For months I had 2 bobbins of my first singles spun up on Margaret (you remember Margaret? My beautiful spinning wheel?) The singles were happy, but they didn't know what to do with each other. They sat and became increasingly uncomfortable because I didn't know what to do with them. My intention was to ply them, but gee, that sounded pretty complicated. However, I finally decided to just do it. You know what? Plying is really easy. Easier than spinning, in my opinion.


This is the color "Peridot" from the Copper Moose. My mom got it for me for my birthday. I think it's a beautiful color. Eventually, once I've spun enough other colors I think I'll knit up a scarf. For now, I wound it into a tiny skein. 55 yards. You'll notice that one of the singles is quite a bit thicker than the other- that would reflect my first spinning versus my current spinning skill ;)


Now I'm almost finished with the first bobbin of some multi-colored Cherry Tree Hill roving. I'm really enjoying working with different colors. And, the roving itself is so soft!


In knitting news, I finished knitting the socks for David's friend. I have yet to find him to send them to him, so for now they sit on our coffee table, awaiting his feet. As far as I know, he could be in Mexico, Antarctica, Alaska, Wisconsin...who knows? But, hopefully I'll find him before winter sets in.


These are Lana Grossa Meilenweit , Colortweed 1001. I enjoyed knitting them- the stripes are fun. Although I really love the hand-dyed stuff, the stripes I get from some of these companies make for fun knitting. The yarn isn't tremendously soft, but the finished product is very nice, and not as stiff as Opal was. All in all, a nice yarn.

I knit the heel and toe with Knitpicks Essential- some brown color. I was afraid that I wouldn't have enough yarn left for a size 13 men's foot. I think I would have been fine without switching yarns, but I kind of like the look I got anyway. I've never done the switching yarn for the heel/toe thing before- it wasn't a big deal like I thought it might be.


And now I'm enjoying knitting some new socks for another man I know. These are a surprise gift for my best friend Amy's husband. His name is Matthew- not Matt like these last socks- can you keep them straight?

Amy and I had loads of fun finding the perfect yarn online for him when I was visiting in June. We found it. Funny though- when I got the yarn in the mail I found that the colorway looks COMPLETELY different. However, I think Matthew will still love it- it still suits him well.

The yarn is Lisa Souza Sock! in the Mars Quake colorway. (Click on the Mars Quake link to find her pic of the yarn.)

Here is my skein of the Mars Quake:

Pretty different, huh? But, I like it quite a bit still. And, I think he will too. Happily, I'm REALLY enjoying the feel of this yarn. It feels wonderful to knit up. The irony of this is not lost on me. I searched high and low and finally tried Lisa Souza's completely new Hardtwist yarn for David's socks- which isn't the softest, and although I love the color, and I'm putting lots of good love into those socks, it isn't my favorite yarn. I could have just gone with the tried-and-true Sock! that everyone likes so much and not had to worry about gauge changes, etc. Oh well.

And yes...David's socks are coming along. I'm trying to keep them a secret- well, the finished product a secret anyway. I don't think I'm doing very well with the secret part. I keep forgetting to put them away at key moments. Oh well. The socks are turning out nicely.

Next week David and I fly off to Arizona for a week. Might we ever want to live there? Stay tuned to find out. (I'll be interested to hear myself!)