Sunday, June 04, 2006

Progress...People!

Since it's been over a week since my last post this may be long. Then again, I may break it up into parts due to picture download time. We'll see how carried away I get. (It's a long one...I'm to tired to break it all up.)

Although I didn't post anything last week, I did add the progress bars on the side to show my verrrry sloooooww progress on some projects. Keep in mind that I'm not putting those blasted things on here for EVERY thing I'm working on, just the knitting/crocheting type stuff. Otherwise I'd spend all my blog time updating the percentages on "fleece washed" or "carding completed" or...."inches spun on the wheel". lol. And yes....I know.....I do a lot of carding and spinning. (Really need that drum carder....this would go soo much faster.) I'm really liking the hand carders I got as they do card up fiber so much faster than the dog brushes. ( I know I probably already posted that before....but really....they ARE that much better!) I can't imagine what I could get accomplished with a drum carder. (hint, hint) Anyhoo, I think I'll add a progress bar for scrapbook pages completed this year. I set this really high goal for myself this year and to be honest havn't done one in months! I've been too consumed with fiber in my free time to play with paper. That will be changing soon as I'm hosting a scrap day at my house for a few friends in a couple of weeks!! Yeah! I've been made to promise that I won't drag out the spinning wheel while they are here. AS IF! lol I CAN change from one obsession to another! Really!


Ok...so maybe I should catch everyone up. (yes...all three of us. lol) I'm finally posting the pics of the 1st washcloth I knitted. No, not exciting. Yes, first knitting in absolute years. Yes, many mistakes, some of which Mom can't figure out what I did to get the yarn to do that. (sorry, photos edited for reasons of pride.lol) Anyway, there are two washcloths and the second showed great progress in even-ness and whatnot, so I jumped right into starting some socks. Yes....that's right, jump right from two to four needles! I waited until I had a good amount of time where I could just sit and knit and figure this four needle thing out. I had an actual two day weekend during Memorial Day, and my back was killing me, so I prayed to the Fiber Godess for a rainy weekend. For once She was on my side in the weather department and I got two glorious days of rain, so no yard work done here last weekend! I shouldn't have been suprised.....it is Washington!

Sunday we watched the Indy races and then the Nascar races and I tried to knit a sock. I'd knit some, tear out some, knit some, tear out, repeat over and over. I did this so many times that it finally refused to be torn out and had to be cut off. As frustration would build, I'd set it aside and card some wool. Then I'd start again. By Sunday night I had the cuff done and was working the ribbing to the almost finished stage. Then Monday morning rolled around and I realized that there was a horrible mistake back at the change over from cuff to ribbing and had to start all over again. At this point we went out to breakfast. It was a good thing too. I think DH had probably heard enough swearing for the morning. ;)

We rented a couple of movies to watch on the way home. I was determined to get this sock going right. So I cut it off.....and started over. When I'd get frustrated, I'd card wool for awhile, then I'd go back to it. I asked my computer guru (DH) if it was possible for the progress bars on the blog to show a negative number.....he laughed. I did finally get it to the stage of the ribbing being done and then started the basic knitting. I'm now finally to the stage of starting the heel flap....and have since put it down. I've been madly carding and spinning since. This is the current pic of the 1st sock I've ever knitted. Good thing its an ankle sock or it may never get finished. I may never make another pair....but I am determined to finish these.

The following is a picture of my "tub o' roving". This (for my non fiber friends) is what the wool looks like after I am done carding and before I've spun it. If I fill the basket this stuff is in, it fills up the bobbin on the spinning wheel.


And this is my noddy with two spindles worth of two plied yarn on it. I'm currently carding/spinning another grouping of this up right now. This yarn is designated for dyeing experiments with the Wiltons dyes I picked up last week. I wanted to use skeins of yarn for that experiment instead of just fiber, hence the spinning up in natural "white" (actually cream) wool.

Today has been spent cleaning the house up as I've let it go over the last....well....who's counting. If it bother's others....they're free to clean. ( Cleaning supplies can be found under the kitchen sink and above the washer and dryer. Let me know when you're coming and I'll leave a goodie on the counter. VBG ) It's absolutely pouring here and I'm ignoring the call of fiber so I can get this posted and my laundry done. My goal is to get it all folded and put away the same day it's washed and dried. I'm not holding my breath on this one. I'm also fighting the urge to dig out the bead box and make a beaded oriface hook. Yes...I really need another ongoing project. NOT.

Ok, since I've been good today and did my chores....I think I deserve to spin or knit for a bit. Of course, it's time to cook dinner and there's still the laundry to finish.....uggg. Is today over with yet?

2 comments:

Sydney Harper said...

Good for you that you're jumping right into knitting socks. It will be a lot easier once you finish your first sock or two. It's looking good so far.

April said...

Thanks Sydney for the encouragement! It's getting easier and easier to do this sock....I must be doing something wrong. :)