A Little Knitting and a Lot of Lacrosse...

Memorial Day weekend just ended and was a good busy one for our family.  The holiday is always on a Monday and it's a day to honor those who have given their lives to maintain our freedom.  It also marks the beginning of the summer season for most here in the States and celebrated with parades, parties, gatherings, etc.

This year, instead of sleeping in, visiting a local military cemetery, relaxing around the house and barbecuing on Memorial Day, we were in Lake Oswego, OR for The Battle of Lake Oswego lacrosse tournament (BOLO) with these fine young men and their families:

The team played 7 games in 3 days and had the most exciting, nail biting finishes!  They ended up in the pursuit for 3rd in the Championship, losing the chance to go for 1st or 2nd in a tied game causing double overtime. The first overtime is sudden death: whichever team scores during an extra 4 minutes of play, wins.  If it's still tied after that, then they go Braveheart. 3 players from each team are on the field trying to be the first to score - kind of mano-a-mano. Such a rush for all spectators!

The team finished 3rd in their bracket, a great accomplishment.  It was the 7th and last game that really tested their abilities and hunger for the win.  Two players were out with injuries but the team played their hardest in that game and won by just one goal with under 2 minutes left to play!

It was cold while we were there so I got some yarn and needles to make a Man Hat for my husband who has taken to practically shaving his head these days.  I started it on Friday and he was wearing it on Sunday morning:

Malabrigo Chunky on size 8 dpns

I did some knitting on a sock:

Meilenweit Merino on 1.5 dpns

And some more on the Blossom Poncho:

Week 3 of Paleo eating continues and I made paleo banana bread and it is YUMMY!

Almond meal, honey, eggs, water, baking soda (not paleo but only 1 teaspoon so I don't think it's a show stopper), cinnamon, bananas, vanilla and almond extract - no fats needed except to spray the pan with some coconut oil.  I may eat the whole thing before the kids get home!

Next up is chia seed chocolate pudding...

I hope your holiday was spent doing whatever moved you; freedom comes at a cost and I am forever grateful to the men and women and their families who paid for mine.

Starting something new...

Today is the start of my 3rd week of taking care of myself.  My first 2 weeks were consumed with a long list of to do's.  My LIST was how I always operated but that LIST continued to grow and began to devour this precious time I need to regain health and inner strength.  I have decided that the LIST must go...and I am submitting myself instead to a less formal daily routine that includes a good dose of exercise, meal preparation (I've gone Paleo), mediation (really just quiet time with my own thoughts) and much needed rest/sleep.

This new routine is not an easy one for me to embrace.  I am used to producing, solving numerous problems, managing projects, working through lunch and needed bathroom breaks and, in general, I don't feel that I've done a good job until I fall into bed exhausted at the end of the day with cross-outs on my LIST.  The LIST days are gone and I am undergoing what I call "reprogramming" to ensure I don't completely burn out and leave my family & friends high and dry.

Part of what I have realized is I have not experienced true joy for a very long time.  I have an incredible family, full of funny, sensitive, sometimes annoying but always loving and supportive people.  I should be taking joy in their accomplishments, laughing with them much more and in general sharing the love they share with me.  I get so caught up in the LIST, that I forget the reason behind the LIST and start moving through things just to get them done.

So, I vowed to start enjoying things more each day...and fortunately our local LYS Tour (Local Yarn Shop Tour) was celebrating 10 years this past week.  I visited some new and some favorite shops over 3 days and truly enjoyed being immersed in these creative environments with other creative folks.  I took long drives in the country, a ferry boat to an island and in general disconnected for a several hours each day.  I really needed this to get my mind off the LIST.  Here's a shot of all that was acquired and while it seems like a lot, each item represents time I spent with my creative thoughts about what these would eventually become.  I can't wait to get started!

Exercise has always been elusive, but under Dr's orders (and because I know I need it) I am working it in every day by walking my youngest to and from school as much as possible.  I am finding that he's a keen observer of all things. Questions come up that spark conversations I would never have had and that keep me smiling all day long.  He let me know today that there are always earthquakes happening but we are just not sensitive enough to feel them all - could he have been channeling my own struggle or did he just see this on a PBS Kids episode?  I don't know, but it sure did resonate with me.  He also knows that you can't have a huddle on the baseball mound with more than 3 players (I didn't know this, did you?)  Earthquakes and obscure baseball rules...I can't wait to see what comes up on our walk home from school.  We may take a slightly longer route...

My bigger challenge is connecting with my teenager...I haven't figured that one out yet. So far I am pretty sure that I need to learn a new language called "texting" because that seems to be the only way I can talk with him.  I'm pretty sure that it's a language where brevity is king.  Why type "OK" when "k" will do? Sometimes I get a "Ya" in response to a question and then I feel like we've really connected.

The longest text so far is the one I got last week letting me know he hit his head in the school yard and would I come get him because he didn't feel so good.  That one was ACTUAL full WORDS! If I hadn't been so frantic about his hitting his head I would have realized he was fine because he was able to type coherent sentences!

I am off to get some provisions for tonight's meal from this book:

Thanks to the awesome staff at my LYS who recommended this to me when I mentioned I am going paleo and having a tough time missing my pasta and bread...We'll see what can be done with cauliflower as a rice substitute...

I'll leave you with these shots from some of my favorite shops and wish you happy knitting and days of joy:

Tolt Yarn and Wool, Carnation, WA

 Churchmouse Yarns and Tea, Bainbridge Island, WA

Acorn Street Yarns, The Fiber Gallery and Bad Woman Yarn, Seattle, WA

Back at it again...

After a very long break, I am back to revive this blog....I had to figure out how to sign in first...

So much has happened in the last 2 years.  Spinning takes up more of my time, I think I am obsessed with it, in a good way.  I have fiber all over the house and I see colors in a more pronounced way and think "how can this be captured in fiber?"

And so it goes....

Some pictures of my recent spinning:

I have acquired tools for spinning which, much like yarn stash, takes on a life of it's own.

My go-to wheel is a Schacht Matchless: 

I was fortunate enough to find this used wheel in great condition from a local spinner who sold it to me for a fair price.  It was LOVE at first treadle!  I sold my first wheel to make room and help offset the cost of the Matchless.  That first wheel (I purchased used off of ebay) was an Ashford Traditional, which was a good wheel, but the Matchless is simply Awesome! 

My travel wheel is an Ashford Joy (I/older one):

It took us some time to build a good working relationship and at one point I was going to break up with it, but I learned it's ways and now we work pretty well together.  It's super portable and great for when we go on car trips, camping or if I go to spin-ins/festivals.  I don't think I'd take it on a plane since I'm not sure it would fit in the overhead.

I have some spindles as well which are great portable spinning tools at weekend lacrosse and baseball tournaments where there's lots of standing around...clockwise from upper left: Jenkins turkish drop spindle (Aegean), and top whorl spindles by Bosworth, including a moosie (made from cast off moose antler), Spindlewood, love the square whorls and Tracy Eichheim's Woolly Designs with cutouts have found their way into my home and spinning toolbox:

I have more to share but mom duty calls...school bus is running 120 minutes late so Mom-bus has been called.

Happy creating! knitting, spinning, crocheting, felting, crafting, sewing...whatever floats your boat

Fiber Fiber Everywhere

This past weekend I attended Fiber Fusion Northwest in Monroe, WA the second year of this festival.  It was a low-key, yet content rich event for fiber and fiber-animal lovers.  There was spinning, weaving, felting and a good sized market with something for everyone.  There were representative alpacas, pygora goats, sheep and llamas from local farms and knowledgable farmers.  There was alpaca fleece judging, daily fleece sales and end of day equipment & fleece auctions to round out the day.

I purchased this 4.5 pound fleece within 5 minutes of walking in from Reflection Farm:

It's from a Romeldale lamb and is mostly white with gray and dark gray/brown spots.  I will separate the colors and process in small batches.  Someday it will be a great natural colored sweater...a cozy raglan pullover or cardigan...No veg. matter and although it's greasy, it's very clean.

Here's a close up of the crimp and staple, 3 to 3.5 inches:

This will keep me busy for a long time.

I did a little damage at woolgatherings, Greenwood Fiberworks and One of a Kind Buttons
And althought I missed out on going to OFFF this year, Fiber Fusion was a good substitute only about 40 minutes away.

Catch UP!

Busy is an understatement...summer came (finally) and went just a couple weeks ago thanks to a mild start to fall.  We had camping and cabining trips and long days of sun.  Kids are back in school and I am welcoming some semblance of a routine.  The weather is now good for knitting and spinning and I am trying to complete a few projects:

Some Suffolk fleece I received from friends who have meat sheep.  Lots of dirt, vm and grease but after washing and carding (blended with some mystery wool I dyed) it's a nice fluffy batt.

Some socks I am trying to finish by end of October:

And I started knitting the Creature Comfort Cardigan from Madelinetosh in Vintage, Firewood.  A super yarn to knit with.

We had our annual dyeing day in early September:

And finally, I will be heading to Monroe, WA Oct 20-21 for Fiber Fusion and looking for a sweater's worth of fiber to spin then knit.  I think I'll be busy this winter...especially playing with this:

Here's hoping your fall and winter are full and fulfilling too!

Spring Has Sprung!

April and May have gone by too fast!  The smell of lilacs and splashes of bright colors from flowers popping up all over is almost a distant memory.  Lush green trees, impressive rhododendrons and azaleas are in their prime now.  We did venture north last month to the Skagit Valley to see the fields of tulips:

And while in Mount Vernon, I stopped at Wild Fibers, a wonderful shop in the downtown area.  They had a large stock of Madelinetosh and Hazel Knits so I picked up just this one skein (quite proud of myself that I did not walk out with armloads of the pretties): in the colorway Carnelian

The picture does not do it justice, no idea yet what to make with it...socks yes, but what pattern is worthy of this beautiful yarn?

On the needles is the second of my Ribbelmuster Socks in Lorna's Laces Zombie BBQ for my husband, a simple 2 row repeat with 1x1 cable (done without cable needles).  I have been spinning up a Loop Spontaneous Striping Bump for a spinalong on Ravelry and have done a couple washcloths for the Knitabulls Washcloth KAL that will make nice teacher gifts. 

This weekend, before the parties and chores, take a moment to honor those who have fought and died for our country and their families who have sacrificed so much.

Happy Memorial Day to you all!  And Happy Knitting/Spinning/Crafting!

Spinning Rules!

I am totally bitten by the spinning bug...  have just finished washing and drying my Edgewood Gardens Corriedale in Clematis and will be casting on a shawl this evening.  About 630 yds in a (mostly) fingering weight.

Now to choose my next spinning project... I think a gifted Christmas batt will be my next spin.