the Akamai Knitter

Remember the Oyster Bay Shawl? Well not only is it finished, it’s upstairs all pinned out and drying.

You see, I figured out why I was so unhappy with it. It was the needles! I was using metal needles and for some reason they were hurting my hands. I have no idea why all of a sudden my hands decided they don’t like metal needles over a certain size. They’re fine with size 1US needles, just not with the 5US needle I was using.

So I quickly changed to my plastic Denise needles.  The only problem was that the cable was a bit too thick for the laceweight yarn.  Megan suggested I try out new Zephyr needles from Knit Picks.  I went ahead and ordered some, but by the time they arrived I had already finished the shawl. Figures, huh?

Still, these needles are so nifty I decided to use them on my Herbivore.

I can see why Zonda has the love for these needles. The points are so nice and sharp! They make those purl through back loops so much easier. The needles themselves are nice and slick. They’re almost as slick as metal, which I like.

I cannot tell you how tempted I am to cast on for a lace shawl with actual decreases in it. But I’m knitting another shawl besides the Herbivore. So no. Not yet.

The fact that they’re clear doesn’t bother me at all. I thought it might be a problem, but so far so good.

All in all, I think these needles were worth the astronomical shipping cost that Knit Picks likes to charge Hawaii residents.

I’m also thinking of spinning up the other bobbin of this.

My wheels are getting rusty doncherknow!

Sammy wants to know what you’re up to!

It’s Monday folks. I hope you’re getting through it all right.

In order to get to my friend’s house at 9am this morning, I got up at 6:30am. I had a few things that I needed to get done and I just need some alone time before I head out the door. I need coffee time, ya know?

Turns out our morning date got pushed back to lunchtime.

So I got up at that ungodly hour for nothing.

Well, maybe not for nothing. I’ve got some photos of earrings ready for listing and look! I’m blogging!

Here are the earrings I’m going to list in the Etsy shop sometime this weekend.

I did indeed ply on that day of indecision and I have yarn to show for it. Unfortunately, I’m too lazy to get off my arse and photograph the two skeins.

As for the Tour de Fleece? I’m still spinning. After the plying, I spun up a skein of singles. Then I started another batch of singles yesterday. I only got 2 ounces done so today I’ll be working on the rest of the 2 ounces.

I’m trying to do a low-twist single. My feet/legs don’t like to treadle slowly on the wheel so this project is taking a lot more time, patience, and concentration then my other projects.

I can show you the fiber I’m spinning.(“Rainforest” from Hungry For Handspun. 100% South African Fine)

I didn’t make it to the vampire movie. I had too many things to do and my tummy was upset. I did manage to get my prescription for my medication later that day though. So things are much better now. Thanks for all the well wishes!

Other then that, I’ve been working on custom orders, but they’re all pieces in styles you’ve seen before. So instead I’ll regale you with a hibiscus growing out on my lanai. It’s not the best picture in the world, but it’s better then yet -another- picture of a cat.

Have a great weekend, everyone! I’m so ready for a nap!

Last year, my dear friend Megan gifted me with the most beautiful batt.

I don’t have much experience with batts, so I let it marinate in my stash. Then the Tour de Fleece (Ravelry link) came around and I started corespinning.

It occurred to me that this batt would make a pretty nifty corespun yarn. So I set to it on Day 5 of the Tour.

It was a pleasure to spin and all the more special because such a close friend gave me the fiber.  I really like how the Romney/Cotswold blend grabbed the crochet thread as I spun.

The finished yarn has 52 yards in the skein and weighs approximately 2 ounces.

Today is Day 12 of the Tour and I’m still spinning, spinning, spinning. I have more art yarn on the wheel, but nothing is ready for show and tell. I have a stock pile of vanilla yarn that I finished up before the Tour but nothing is ready for show and tell there either.

Between the Tour and the custom orders I’ve been trying to keep up with I’m also woefully behind my blog reading. So I’m publicly apologizing to all my friends! I swear I’ll get my act together soon.

Tomorrow afternoon, I’m taking a jewelry class with one of my favorite people. I’m really looking forward to it. Then on Friday, it’s shopping with blogless Dayna. Last weekend, there was a going away party and a luncheon from which I’m only now recovering from. I’m not really sure, but I think this constitutes “having a life”.

o.O

When that happened, I have no idea. I’m much more used to the idea of myself hermitting in my home and venturing out maybe once a week to knit night.

Sammy just can’t bear all this time away from me, as you can see.

Plfft. Likely story.

Happy Wednesday, people! Thanks for putting up with me. ;-)

My brain isn’t functioning today. Carrie K asked what was wrong with my blog earlier this morning and it just kind of  rolled over my head. It wasn’t until Cookie’s email started bouncing that I eventually found out my domains had expired.

And that’s only part of my morning.

Bottom line? This post has little chance of being coherent.

So I shall regale you with photos of what I’ve been doing for the Tour de Fleece(Ravelry link).

Here’s the rest of the Corriedale I dyed and spun into coils on Day One.

What a mess! It looks much neater the closer you get.

Day Two of the Tour had me doing even more coils. Only this time I used the Good Stuff.

photo yanked from moonlightbaker's shop

I finished with the coilies with some time to spare on Day Two. So I decided to practice some corespun in preparation for Day Three.

I prepped the fiber, which is some mysterious mohair blend I picked up at MDSW back in 2008. Maybe Patrick or Roseann can help me out with the vendor’s name since they instigated the purchase.  o.O

Corespun kicked my ass. It was only thanks to Jen‘s awesome video(scroll down) that I finally got the drafting down. (Special thanks to Megan for holding my hand as I alternately swore a bluestreak then cried in my coffee.)

Here’s my first successful attempt at it.

It’s not a pretty yarn, but it’s corespun and it’s what I was aiming for. Uh-huh. That’s right. Exactly what I was aiming for.

/ahem

I’ll be working on more of it today. Hopefully it’ll be finished today too as I’d like to go back to some simple vanilla yarns.

Did I burn your eyes out?

Here’s a cat to soothe them. Only I think I disturbed Sammy with all the cussin’ I did when I was trying out corespinning the first time around.

Happy Tuesday, people!

So you know I’ve been knitting, but I’ve also been working on different things. For instance, I whipped up a couple of pairs of earrings for the new shop last night.

These are called Shanti Earrings.  I did one pair with 16 gauge wire and ice blue freshwater pearls.

I did another pair in 18 gauge wire and smoky quartz briolettes.

I’m not sure if you can see it in the photos, but there’s a different feel to the earrings because of the different wire gauges.  I’m not sure which one I like better. Luckily, I don’t have to choose.

I’ve also been spinning. Here’s a peek of some singles ready to be plied.

And here’s a picture of the batts that’s currently on the wheel.*

It’s good to be busy. :)

Happy Tuesday, folks! What’s keeping you busy?

*Both the fiber I spun the singles from and the batt came from Hungry For Handspun. She be my crack dealer.