Wool & Words

An entire week to post about SAFF...I'm a real slacker! Better late than never, I suppose!

We started off at 8 a.m.

Co-pilot....check.

Handknit socks...check.

Simian companions...check.

Maurice wanted to drive, but I convinced him that he'd have a much better time riding shotgun with Steve. Bongo, the little guy on the dashboard, got to have front row view for all the scenery...and he got to come inside the festival, since the cheeky little thing hid in my bag!

When we got there, we went straight for the goodies.

And weren't disappointed:

The monkeys were a bit concerned they might not be warmly embraced by attendees, since some of their avian kind were threatening:

Inside was all yarn, roving, wheels, locks and happy fiber folk.

I bought a few goodies. First, some roving from Wauka Valley Farms:

And some lovely stuff from Carolina Homespun:

And some silky goodness from Yarnsmiths, handpainted by Danette Taylor:

I also picked up a bunch of old mags and pattern books:

And I'll leave you with this image--desperate or not?:

Enjoy your day!

Posted by KnitNut at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

We're off to SAFF for the day. Pics later this week!

Posted by KnitNut at 12:36 AM | Permalink

When I left home this morning, I gave Maurice a task: choose a Socktoberfest victim. When I got back for lunch, I found this:

We discussed the relative merits of working these Trekking XXL socks (color 69) over the pair I'd already begun for Steve (in Wildfoote, Cadet Grey) and decided, after deliberations and dill havarti, that the Trekking socks were THE ONES to push to the top of the pile. I'll be casting on for those tonight.

In Other News

Thanks for all the great comments! I promise, I'll be responding soon!

And a dream knit:

It's Hanne Falkenberg's Cordelia in Colorway 5. Mmmm.

Posted by KnitNut at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last year I got caught up in the Debbie Bliss Lara craze and knit the dang sweater out of Berroco Softwist. Cause I'm cheap. After finishing it, I promptly put it away because it just didn't feel right.

I guess stowing it away in a closet for 1 year changed its attitude...or mine. I'm wearing it now and it looks great. I may make another.

I need to clean my bathroom mirror. Oops.

Posted by KnitNut at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

My first big finish in the Guilt KAL was the Wool Peddler's Shawl from Folk Shawls. This shawl was a gift for my good friend and mentor, Monica, who is just fabulous and has recently earned her Ph.D. I gifted the shawl to her at a recent Girl's Night she hosted.

And a little vamp:

Other Knitting News

I'm working on two guilty baby blankets...one so guilty it has missed the birth of the wee one. I've also joined Lolly's Socktoberfest (button on the sidebar), which should result in at least one pair of stocks for poor Steve, who has been so patient.

Posted by KnitNut at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My monkey has been impatient--dare I say, on my back--about getting this naming done. As he's watched the names roll in, he's been thinking hard.

What great choices: Oliver (with a nickname, Ollie, no less), Chou Chou, Bananarama, Cornelius, Wallis, Basil, Chumley, Cheeky, Simon, Clever Trevor, and, from my sweet baby sister, Maaauuurice!

I left him alone for an evening of quiet contemplation, so that he could choose wisely. When I asked this morning, he calmly, while sipping his coffee, said that he would let me choose. When I inquired as to why, he said "The names, they are all fabulous, and each would suit me nicely. I am, after all, all of those names. But, my sweet dear keeper, since it is you who will utter the name, I prefer that it be the one you'd like to roll off your tongue."

Clever monkey indeed! He understands the first rule of living with this gal--all decisions are ultimately mine!

And so, without further ado, I present to you the newly named Maurice. How could I not choose that name, as it comes as part of a clever monkey's theme song? Thanks Em!

Of course, choosing the name my sister sent in doesn't do any good for the yarn, since she doesn't knit and already has a gift project in the works (which will not be seen here until after Xmas to maintain its anonymity). Em, you're getting some yummy chocolates and perhaps another pressie or two. But the yarn...well, I'm drawing names for the goodness of Lavold.

So, the runner up (and provider of Maurice's middle name) is .....

Carrieoke, who provided Oliver/Ollie.

Which, now that I think of it, makes his name Maurice Oliver DeRouen. Or MOD for short.

I like.

Send along preferred mailing addresses, ladies and your goodies will be on their way! Thanks to everyone who sent in an entry--I'll have to devise another contest for Thanksgiving!

Posted by KnitNut at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The blog world is a-flutter with reports from Rhinebeck. Here's mine.

I didn't go. I live too far away.

Now that we've got that out of the way, I can share what I have been doing.

How I Spent My Weekend

Well, things have been crazy busy. I'm teaching now at my LYS and at a nearby JoAnn store, so I'm doing doubletime on class preps and models. I'm really a nut about designing my own patterns for class (even when something similar already exists), so I've been knitting alot. This week it was Santa hats and Christmas stockings. I've knit 3 hats out of 3 yarn combos...one more to go this weekend. I console myself as I knit these things that I won't have to do this particular model again...small consolation, but the knits are cute and don't take too long.

Saturday was the Fall Festival in downtown Watkinsville. I taught an Entrelac class that morning, and Steve came down to visit in the afternoon. We didn't get to do much festivaling--I was trying to finish a hat--but we did get some tasty festival food. On Sunday we were back at the yarn shop for Sunday knitting and we got to hang out with lots of great peeps. Steve's working on a felted rug right now which looks great--lots of berry-shaded stripes.

This Sunday we're heading to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. I'm looking forward to it and have decided that I will ONLY consider handpainted lace yarns, sock yarn that is so unique my feet are screaming for it, and Very Special Fibers to spin.

Monkey Naming Day is tomorrow. Watch this space!

Posted by KnitNut at 08:59 PM | Permalink

I updated the buttons on my sidebar. Most notable among them is the Guilt one. January One started this up and I'm all for it. I've finished the Wool Peddler's shawl (pics when it gets gifted), just knocked off a hat for charity that's been languishing in a basket, and am in full baby blanket finishing mode. Once that's done, I must turn my attention to this scarf that has been ripped out and restarted 5 times now...I need to get this thing done asap. My best friend, a patient man (and that's saying a lot for a Scorpio), has been waiting 2 years. That is some serious Guilt knitting...

And if you want a bit of guilty pleasure, check out this transcript from a sketch on A Prairie Home Companion. Those wacky cowboys...

PS--Don't forget to submit your entry in the Monkey Name Contest!

Posted by KnitNut at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

In my last post, I alluded to a new member of my little blog world. Meet The Monkey:

A birthday present from Steve, this little fella has a wry little smile and very smart specs. That look on his face tells you just what kind of monkey he is...a clever one.

Very clever. Very cheeky. Very. Very. Pink.

He needs a name, though. Here's where you come in. Leave your suggestion for a name as a comment and you'll be in the running for either 2 skeins of Elsbeth Lavold's Silky Wool in Lava (lovely purple) OR, for the non-knitter, some decadent chocolates.

I love a good contest.

Posted by KnitNut at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)