Fit as a Fiddle

Whew! My laptop is back up and running and feeling better than ever. The new RAM and new wireless router combo really did the trick. Thank God, too. I can load photos quick as a *blink*, and I can surf the Internets like a normal human being in the 21st Century. Welcome, pilgrim! I am so relieved.

Lots of news.

After all the yarn spinning of late I assessed my growing collection and realized I had a Baker's Dozen in finished yarns! It sort of flabbergasted me, how in the world....oh yea. Like I might have been a bit obsessed lately?

Just as I was knocking around a notion to knit up something using handspun, lo! cosymakes went and made a hat using her own handspun. It was so cute! Shameless copycat that I am, I knew what I had to do. Just had to.

I used the Hello Yarn Thrive Corriedale from February and made this Snail Hat designed by Elizabeth Zimmerman. What a zing-pow-pop collection of color, I tell you! This is one joyful hat. On a dreary day this could come in handy for finding me in a crowd. Remind me to wear it if I plan on attending an event and I don't want to get lost...

My love for this yarn cannot be understated. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this yarn. It puts a smile on my face every time I see it. This color mix hits some sort of pleasure nerve in my brain. Pairing the yarn with this pattern, which to me hangs right on the edge of fuddy duddy... but not...well anyway, every time I put this hat on, I giggle. Wear it proud, I say.


And since I am on this spinning track more than ever these days, here's my latest yarn fresh off the wheel.

It's Bluefaced Leicester hand dyed by pumpkinmama and sold on her Esty store, Vines. I am really pleased with this one. 312 yards, 13- 14 wpi, really consistent and so soft and squishy. This one deserves knitting attention.

There's some exciting stuff happening in July, and I've been dying to tell you all about it. Being shut off from the Internet was so frustrating! Some of you might remember my 2009 goals included all things hand made. In addition to spinning and weaving (yea that's going to happen, really), I included upholstery!

After six months of waiting, I got an email two weeks ago announcing space in a July series of classes and I jumped all over it! Every Tuesday this month I'll make my way to The Furniture Joint on Great Jones Street in Noho for a few hours of hands-on learning. Visions of recovering my Hans Wegner Dining Room Arm Chairs! For starters.

And what if... what if... the weaving... the handspun... some fabric... chair covers... pillows... embroidery on fabric, fabrics made with with handspun yarn... what if... hmmm. There is the barest little plan formulating... Okay. Enough for now. But it just might be...a GrandMasterPlan starting to simmer in this middle-aged-bored-to-tears-with-corporate-life-brain of mine. Just to say, the Third Chapter could be really fun. Seeking.Fun. And the journey itself ain't disappointing either!