the Akamai Knitter

Crazy is thinking I’ll be able to spin this batt with  a spindle:

into laceweight singles.

It helps that the spindle is so nifty. (I got it at Maryland Sheep & Wool last year.)

I love how the artist wood-burned her name into the shaft.

This is how much I spun last night.

Crazy is winning the CJ Kopec Spin-Along thingy.

Crazy is how the winning yarn knits up. I personally think it’s ugly, but the intended recipient loves it.

Crazy is wanting to acquire more spindles when I already own over ten of them.  No hassle me! I’ve been collecting for nearly 10 years! (Do ya like my pidgin?)

Crazy is the way cats can sleep comfortable with their feet past their chin.

There’s more crazy, but I can’t share it with you all on a public forum like this. You’ll just have to take my word for it. I will say that I hate people.

Happy Thursday, people! It’s a long weekend! :D

On Sunday I got to go to Wire Play Day at The Bead Gallery which is four-hour studio that takes place once a month. I love the layout of the studio. You can either go in with an idea of a project or a specific project and Jamie will help you create it. Everyone usually works on something different, so there’s always something inspirational going on.

I didn’t get pictures of what the other ladies were doing, which is too bad. There were a lot of lovelies going on.  I do have pictures of what I made.

Both pieces were done with 16 gauge wire. I think I’m in love with the heavier gauge wire. Mainly because you can hammer the shit out of them.

Case in piont.

I used three different hammers on that piece. As a result, I may have come home with a new one. Hammers in jewelry are like spindles in spinning. You can’t just have one. Unfortunately, the prices are also a bit like spindles. The nicer they are, the spendier they are.

The next bracelet was rather simple to make. It was just a little tedious. I think there are something like 40 hearts in it.

I love the fact that I made every single component from the links to the jump rings to the clasp. There’s just something imminently satisfying about that.

Both bracelets were designed by the ever talented, by sadly blogless, Jamie Yoshida. She’s my sensei when it comes to the wirework and she’s also a constant inspiration to me in all she does. If you’re ever in Honolulu, do visit Jamie and her husband Jason at their shop!

Happy Wednesday, folks!

Yesterday I woke up at noon. That might have been because I went to sleep at 4am. Luckily I went to sleep before 1am last night. So today I’m full of vim and vigor. (Ha!)

This means that I finally got some handspun listed in the SHOP.

“Spring Bloom”

100% Merino

2ply

235 yards – 14 WPI

3.85oz

fiber from The Yarn Wench

“Chinese Turquoise”

Merino/Silk Blend

2ply

205 yards – 12 WPI

4.15 oz

fiber from “Hungry For Handspun”

The Chinese Turqouoise is my favorite and is actually called “Smoke On The H2O“, but I renamed it like I normally do.  Because that’s the way I roll.

Yeah.

I think I’m still recovering from the huge bout of insomnia I’ve had this past month. My brain is in a fog and I haven’t been able to really get my act together. I’ve got three shawls ready to be blocked, but just the thought of all that physical activity has me limp with fatigue. I need a good ol’ kick in the ass  or something.

For those who are curious, I did run out of yarn before finishing the Swallowtail (Ravel it!). I used what I hope is a complimentary color for the last few rows. My mom says it looks nice and while I trust her taste and judgment, I’m going to wait to see how it looks once it’s blocked. Shawls always look like ass until it’s been blocked, ya know?

And now for the gratuitous cat photo of the day.

I took that photo of Quincy around midnight without flash. I just fiddled with my exposure setting on my camera. Woot!

Happy Tuesday, people. Hopefully I’ll have a couple of bracelets to show off tomorrow. :)

1. i was up before 7am. this is not a good thing.
2. i will most likely run out of yarn before i finish the swallowtail shawl. there’s an emergency plan in place. we’ll see how it works out.
3. my living room is a wreck due to the havoc created while trying to find a matching yarn for the swallowtail. i have serious creative differences between myself and my organizational skills.
4. sammy is back in my good books. he’s just too adorable for me to hold a grudge.
5. RuPaul’s Drag Race is making me happy. “Lip synch for your life!”
6. i’m happy that matt giraud has survived another week. although i don’t think he’ll make it to the finals, i hope he’ll make it to the top five.
7. the final four is tomorrow. i’m excited and sad all at the same time. soon it will be the end of the college basketball season.
8. i have new stitch markers in the shop.

i have no 9 and i have no 10. all i have is the happiness and relief that today is friday. have a great weekend, folks! happy friday!

Last month I finally got to participate in one of the All Spun Up spin alongs. I’ve had the finished yarn lying around for a couple of weeks, but I finally got off my lazy ass to count yardage and weigh the skein today.

100% Blue Faced Leicester

2ply

371 yards – 20WPI

4.2 oz

I’m really pleased with the colors and this was the nicest BFL I’ve ever spun. I think I’m going to keep this one for myself and knit the Morning Surf Scarf with it.

I also spun up some Baby Alpaca from Pigeonroof Studios in the Poison colorway.

100% Baby Alpaca
2ply
224 yards – 18WPI
3.7oz

While the resulting yarn is super silky soft, I’m not a fan of the alpaca. It sticks to everything and I just didn’t feel the love. This one will be going up on my shop.

/rant on

Look at this face.

He may look all sweet and innocent and cuddly, but all that is really just an act. He’s just lulling you into a false sense of security so that you’ll leave a little fiber unattended so he can eat it.

I am none too pleased with him at the moment.

And don’t get me started on Matt Giraud, because he blew it last night.

And even though I’ve only been spinning maybe an hour a day, my knee is twinging.

And what is with strangers wandering into people’s private, over 6-foot high gated, backyards?!

/rant off

If I had a pool I’d dive in and scream, just like Nancy did in Season 3 of Weeds.

Tomorrow will be better. I just know it will. :)