Some Recent FOs

I've finished another baby sweater:

This is the last one for a while using this pattern though... I'm really bored with it so I got a new one!


ALSO, this is my first yarn spun on the rented Ashford Traveller. It is 420yds of superwash merino at about a lace/fingering weight. I was really quite pleased with myself though I'm sure when I get my own wheel and practice my yarn will be more consistent!


I'm planning some sort of lacy scarf with this... still not decided on a pattern though!

As for WIPs I've got a few knitting projects still going plus a mystery project that has quickly taken over my living room! Poor Smokey now has quite the obstacle course to navigate to get to the kitchen and his food!

What do you do while watching a Harry Potter Marathon? Sew of course!

In preparation for seeing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on Monday evening, I'm watching Harry Potter 1-5 today! Now I can't just sit and watch movies- I have to be doing something creative!
I've been coveting the box bags that have been floating around on blogs and Etsy recently and decided to make a few for myself. I had purchased the materials over a month ago but the arrival of the spinning wheel put the box bags to the back of the closet! Sadly, the wheel has been returned and now I have time to try my hand at making some pouches for the numerous knitting projects I have on needles! So my apartment was turned over to sewing this afternoon:

Here are pics of the first bag:

I made three bags in all: I also made a needle case for my double-pointed needles. I have so many of them now and they are spread all over the apartment so I can't find the ones I want!

While I was digging around for sewing things I realized just how big my needle craft stashes are! I have 5 half finished cross-stitch/embroidery projects going plus materials for 9 others! Then there are 4 knitting projects on needles and yarn for another 50-but all neatly (and compactly stored!) Someday soon I'll dig it all out and take pictures.
I'll have pics up later in the week of my first skein of wheel spun yarn and another finished baby sweater with the cutest buttons!

PS. I have tried to post this several times... apparently this program does not like word... blagh...hopefully it works this time as I've retyped the whole thing!

In the Burgh

It has been a few weeks since I posted! I had a lovely time with my rented spinning wheel-but sadly it had to be returned. I spun about 5 oz of lovely superwash merino into a nice lace-weight two ply. I'll have pics up soon and I'm thinking of turning it into a lacy scarf... I've not knitted lace before so that should be interesting!
Right now I'm at the parents house in Pittsburgh. I had planned the trip to coincide with the wedding of my oldest friend- (we played together before we were four!). The wedding was lovely- I have to snatch pics from some of the people who were there to show you all. It was really wonderful to see old family friends.
We've been spending lots of time with the grandparents and had a great family picnic on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately I lost the beanbag tournament- but in fairness, Kelly and John, who won, owned the cornhole set- they have an unfair practice advantage!
More time with friends and family for the next day or so then back to Minneapolis!

Misc Update

It's been about two weeks since I've had blogging time! Never fear- I've been busy crafting and creating. Last week I made a cake (using my Wilton Skills, of course) for a work colleague's birthday as per her request: chocolate cake, peanut butter fondant filling, vanilla buttercream frosting and covered with peanut butter cups- Mmmmmm...

Now for the real excitement in my crafting life... as you know, I've been experimenting with spinning yarn using a drop spindle. Well, recently I've felt frustrated with the slowness of the drop spindle process and have begun coveting a spinning wheel. Now, spinning wheels are expensive and I'm not going to drop that kind of cash without one, finding the perfect wheel for me and two, figuring out if this is something I really want or just a passing fad... Just outside of Minneapolis is a wonderful woman named Detta- she has a "shop" in her home with lots of different wheels (and looms and wool, and books....) so I took a trip out to visit. I spent three hours trying different wheels and have found one that I really like. Unfortunately the one I really want is not rentable... so I rented my second choice for two weeks to try it out and see what I think. Here is the Ashford Traveller....

This is the fiber I am spinning- a superwash (meaning it won't felt- see previous post- in the wash) merino (very soft) wool from the Fiber Studio in South Minneapolis


This is my first attempt- there were some consistency issues and my plying (twisting two strands together) isn't perfect but I'm really pleased with my first attempt- I'd say that there is about 90 yards of sport weight yarn here. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it though- maybe just keep it as a reminder of my first spinning wheel experience...


This is my second attempt- much better- I'm waiting to spin all of the fiber I have to ply this- I'm not sure if I'm going to go with two or three ply but I'm hoping to get it fine enough to knit a pair of socks with it!

Finally, this is for Els- your sweater orders are, in fact, in progress- I hope to have them done, along with Dad's Father's Day socks, when I visit in July!

Fun with Felting

I've finished my first knitting projects ment to be "felted" or "fulled" One is a pin and the other a bowl. Here are the before and after pics!

Morrell Mushrooms

One of the spring culinary crazies in Minnesota is Morrell Mushrooms... I had heard about these jewels of the forest and had seen pictures of them but never encountered them. Now, as you have read previously, Smokey took up chewing plants so in my search for pet grass (without having to trek to a Petsmart in the suburbs) I went into my local, organic co-op and what do I see staring me in the face at the front door???? You guessed it, Morrell mushrooms... Now at over $30 a pound I purchased only three....

I sauteed them in a little butter, salt and pepper and boy they were worth the $5 I paid for the three of them... SOOOOOOOO good. I can't even describe the flavor as I've never tasted anything like it- I highly recommend that if you ever encounters these decedent little bits of goodness you get yourself some- they are definitely something to experience (but not to share!)

Smokey Eats Grass...

I recently purchased a new house plant to replace the one I let die.... Shortly after purchasing the plant and placing it in a spot where it would get the most of the limited light that enters my room, I began to hear a crunching noise at night... Smokey was eating my plant!!!

Caught in the act!!!

I even got him this pet grass to eat instead of the house plant- but he still prefered "my" plant to "his" so I had to find a new home for it (the plant- not Smokey)