BLUE TOE SPINNER

Yes, I have been a very busy bee! I have finished a few projects. And I feel they are fairly successful. First is this lovely Irish Hiking Scarf. It is made from yarn I spun from 2007's guild dye exchange. The yarn is a combination of my dyed roving and Mumsy's dyed roving. It is so soft and stretchy. It is just long enough to tie once and leave 8 inch tails. Small enough to tuck in a pocket if it gets too warm for a scarf while hiking. I'm very happy with the finished project. The next project is something I have been planning to do for almost a year. The Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Socks for Mumsy. It has been almost a year since she was diagnosed. And she is doing very well. The pattern for these socks were cuff down, but I did them toe up. So, I had to use the chart upside-down and backwards. I think it turn out pretty good. Taylor likes them. Mumsy surprised me with this FABULOUS BAG from Unwind. Isn't it GORGEOUS!!! It is pink and soft and huge. It carries...

I want to wish my baby brother a very happy 42nd birthday.

Every so often I like to shake things up. So, I have changed the look of my blog. I know it's alot of pink. I created the sheep myself a few years back. I had big dreams of creating a company call "Holden my sheep" named for my grandson. However, I don't dream quite that big anymore. I am content to create with fiber with no deadline. I hope you will enjoy the new look.

Aside from reading the Yarn Harlot books, I like to read fiber related mysteries. For those of you who have never read any, here are a couple of my favorites. INDIGO DYING: by Susan Wittig Albert. A friend at work loaned me her copy of this book. She knows I am a spinner and thought I might enjoy it. I have only read a bit of this book but I do enjoy her writing. You can get very attached and connected to the characters quickly. Her books include information about plants and their origins and uses. I bought another book of hers called MISTLETOE MAN; that will be the next one to read. I like to carry a book with me to read in case I end up waiting somewhere and don’t have any thing else to do. I know, I can knit, too. And I do sometimes. I also like to read in bed. So, I usually have a couple different books going at the same time. (hm, just like knitting, notice a pattern here?) I am also reading a book called: THREE BAGS FULL: A Sheep Detective Story, by Leonie Swann. Yes, it is a s...

Oops! We have had a hiccup in our scheduled date for the Great Basin Fiber Arts Fair . The new and definite date is October 4th and 5th, 2008. It is still at Wheeler Farm and it will still be Great!

I’ll bet I have watched the Harry Potter movies fifty times. Even when they are on TV, I insist on watching them. Even if, I’ve watched the same movie just the day before. I know I’m a dork! But, I find them very uplifting. There isn’t anything in them that is offensive to me. I know the stories and I know that good will always win. And I feel a kinship to Molly Weasley. She is my knitting hero. Someday, I plan to knit a Mrs. Weasley sweater (from Charmed Knits). I think it is awesome! I also listen to the books on CD every day at work. I am in love with Jim Dale’s voice. I could listen to him read the phone book and enjoy it. Yes, I have it bad. The biggest plus of all, they are great shows to spin or knit to. This past weekend I spun my self silly. I finished spinning the Soft Rose Merino and Silk from Great Britain. This is yarn for Mumsy. I will show you her project when she gets started on it. Last week, I picked up my fleeces from Spinderella . I had them wash and card some alpa...

Last week I invited myself to knit with an established knitting group I heard about that meets once a week. I won’t say who because that wouldn’t be fair or kind. But I want to give a heads up to other groups out there. New blood is good for groups and should be welcomed and at least given a chance to blend. I quietly entered their meeting place. It was a very cute place and the owners/workers were very nice and friendly and the food was very good. But, the group of ladies (which know each other fairly well I would guess) truly, did not give me the time of day. I was obviously new to them. I am a very quiet person, but most definitely NOT shy!! If I had been greeted with more than “hi”, I would have introduced myself, etc, etc. I waited for some kind of invitation. I could have jumped right in and pushed my way in. But, I would rather be welcomed. I ordered food, knit, ate, listened intently to the conversions. It felt like if they ignored me I would go away, so I did. I was there a li...

You may think I haven't been doing any spinning or knitting based on my most recent posts. I have, but I have been very lazy about posting pictures and actually writing. Anywhoo, here are a couple things I have been working on. This is "Lothlorien" colorway from Judy's Novelty Wool. This is a colorway that I put together when I was taking spinning lessons from Judy Gunn. When I want more I just get it from Judy. It is a really fun thing for me to spin. I don't have a project for it, yet. But, as we say "Yarn is a finished project." AHHH, is there anything more lovely than the feel of Merino and Silk. I don't think so. This is "Rose". I am spinning it for Mumsy. She is going to knit a sweater. She bought some really cool shiny, pearlescent yarn and it will be combined with the "Rose" yarn. I am spinning it fairly fine (singles about 40 wpi, s/b 20 wpi plyed). It will be really gorgeous, I think. Next week at the Wasa...

Windybrook Spinner had this idea on her blog site. It was really a kick to put together! It is now a piece of artwork in my home. Very Cool! The rules: a. Type your answer to each of the question below into Flickr Search. b. Using only the first page, pick an image. c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker. What is your first name? (i had to create my own image, photos connected with my name were, well, not me.) What is your favorite food? cookies and milk What high school did you go to? West in Arizona What is your favorite color? pink Who is your favorite celebrity? Audrey Hepburn Favorite drink? Perrier Dream vacation? New Zealand!!! Favorite dessert? Pie a la mode What you want to be when you grow up? a ballerina What do you love most in life? my crazy family One word to describe you? quiet Your flickr name? bluetoespinner Give it a try it is very fun.

Mumsy and I decided to take a roadtrip. I am not generally fond of tripping to Idaho. History. But, we had a delightful time. With the exception of the dozing at the wheel incident. Our road angels had to work overtime that day. But, we were safe and most importantly the people around us were safe. Anyway, we were able to spend time with our Idaho friends and I was able to spend the day at the Snake River Fiber Arts Fair. Got Wool? Well, if you left the fair without wool it was no one's fault but your own. It was a fiber paradise! (Click to enlarge, these tiny pictures do not do anything justice.) Judy's Novelty Wool invited everyone to "Please Touch", as if we needed an invitation. When you are around wonder fiber it is almost an involuntary movement, you must touch, you must caress, smell, hug, bond. It is also a treat for the eyes. The colors and patterns and possibilities. Check out the Flat Feet Yarn. Amazingly creative idea. I love to spin locks! Look at...

Real quick, I wanted to pass this along. This is the news report about SRFAF in Idaho. You will notice some familiar faces, and maybe a foot and wheel. http://www.kidk.com/news/local/19056584.html?video=YHI&t=a It was really fun, more pictures and stories later.

I had a conference last week, in which, I was able to knit doing the lectures. I started a new pair of socks. I reused the Maizy yarn, that I was using for the Belle Epoque, (which I haven’t given up on but, may need to use a different yarn. It didn’t lay right). Anyway, I am almost finished. They are little big, but they will be fine. I knitted them toe-up. My next trick will be to convert cuff-down patterns to toe-up patterns. Any ideas?? Casting-on is my least favorite part. I think I have a mental block when it comes to casting on 48x2 stitches rather than 12x2 stitches with Magic 8. The linen sweater is going along just fine, I only had to frog-it once (so far). I think it will be plenty big for me. Taylor seems to be approving of it. Mumsy, Taylor and I will be going to Snake River Fiber Arts Fair this weekend. I will have pictures and goodies to share with you on the next blog. :-)

I had to share this with ya'll. My sister-in-law who is multi-talented. And very brave. This is her demonstrating the art of belly-dancing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvrrDHMa3Nk And this is her and one of my nieces in a death-defying feat!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAqNv4EB8i0 Now I truly feel like a couch potato.

Last post I mentioned wanting to learn to speed knit? Check out these ladies!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjEh7acrr5o&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFi0nhA1uHU&feature=related

I love to read other people's blogs...they are so inspiring...yet they make me so depressed that I'm not accomplishing as much as ya'll. I have the same number of hours each week. But, ya'll crank out these intricate shawls, a pair of socks a day, blog, spin thousands of yards of yarn, play with families, friends...etc. Maybe I sleep too much. Maybe I should give up my job. I could cut out eating and only drink liquids. I could cut out laundry, doing dishes and cleaning altogether. Learn to knit something without frogging it 3 or 4 times. Learn to knit in my sleep or give up sleeping. Do they have a class for speed knitting like speed reading? Maybe I could learn to knit with my feet and get twice as much done. Put a spinning wheel in the bathroom? under my desk at work? take one to church? These are the drawn backs for discovery the wonders of spinning and knitting so late in life. Never fear, I will keep clicking those needles and keep spinning that wheel. Sloooowly, ...

I read recently that if you want to raise a child to knit, you should put knitting needles in the child's hands. I had an opportunity to watch Sweet Pea for a little while this past week, and seized the chance to introduce her to the wonderful world of fiber. As you can see I placed her on a sheep skin rug. I heard no complaints. We talk about yarn and fiber and knitting needles and spinning wheels. As I spoke of these thing she showed great interest and smiled and giggled Mumsy said she was just interested in the way I was speaking to her. It had nothing to do with what I was saying but how I was saying it. It sounded like a challenge to me. Here is the photo while we spoke of cars and trucks and tractors. Here is the photo when we talked about spinning wheels and yarn and fiber. You be the judge!

This is a video I shot at Great Basin Fiber Arts Fair, September 2007. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnNz7cRtMHE You will see how much fun we have!! I hope you will plan to visit us this year. Here is the link to our website: http://www.greatbasinfiberartsfair.org/ Oh, and save your money until then, there will be lots of pretty things to buy!!

The last weekend in March, I took a mini-holiday! I attended Celia Quinn's classes. Friday, Spinning to Specifications, Saturday and Sunday, Color Blending. Yes it is true, I skivvied off church to attend an all day class. It was a FANTASTIC weekend! I don't think I can put the experience into words, but I did take a few pictures for you to enjoy. Yummy Fiber!! Beautiful projects! Barbara showed us the shawl she spun and knitted for her mom. Modeled by Celia. Fluff she gave us to play with! What we did with some of the fluff. (Color Blending) Celia's color blending examples, WOW! Celia spent much of her time upside-down teaching. Some of us attendees. Pretty Colors! I had a great time and learned many smart things, and made some really fun memories. Thanks Mumsy for your support!