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This Thursday I will be going on vacation. There will be no sewing and no spinning while I am gone (well, maybe a drop spindle). As sad as that may be, it gives me the opportunity to sort out my current WIP’s and actually get some knitting done. So, let’s have at it!

OH YEAH! Knitting! I can do that! These gloves are awesome, and will definitely be packed in my bag. Because they are an advanced Christmas gift I don’t need to bust any proverbial balls to get them done. It would be nice to finish them up though, just to have them cleared out. I started these in October 2009!

The throw! Not really knitting, more crocheting. This is definitely coming with as I only have 8 more circles to do. I also think it will be good plane work as last time I went to Europe they TOOK MY KNITTING NEEDLES AWAY. I know. I nearly cried. I had to take them right off of a sleeve! But this time, with a blunt looking crochet hook and some granny looking crochet, I should be safe.

Do you guys know what this is? Anyone? Hrm, not surprising that this may not be at the forefront of your memories. I started it in March of 2006. 2006!!! What the hell?!?! It’s a stole knit out of some beautiful habu yarn. This pattern definitely looks like little spiders on individual webs to me. I had a border picked out and was all set to do that, but then I decided it wasn’t long enough. Until recently, the fortitude to finish this was about nonexistant. I am definitely bringing this with me and sorting it out. Time to get this done once and for all!

The last two lingering UFO’s are meeting the frog pond this week. I am not going to finish them and it’s best I just reclaim the yarn.

Poor Zauberball socks. I love this yarn, but hate it as socks. Something will be done with it, just not this… mess… ugh.

Dear Mr. Lumpy blanket that will never be. I feel bad for pretending like you were going to exist. I’m sorry.

So, that’s it! Other than some mending projects I am all clean. Three things will be coming with me on my trip, and hopefully some make it back as finished garments. I think I may have one more post in me if I have time before I go. There was some last minute sewing and I would love to be able to share it with you before I fly out.

It’s time to go through a few things and clean out some lingering yarns and fibres I just don’t think I will be using. Lots of name brand stuff and some cheapies in here as well. All of my sale items can be found on my Ravelry stash page. I Hope you check it out!

One of the things I love out the online crafting communities is the ability for people from all over to get together and make a joint effort of something. Sadly I am usually too busy to manage anything for the Knitting Olympics or the Tour De Fleece. But this time I did manage to make a small effort, more of a “nod” really.

I finished the merino/silk that was languishing on my wheel for who knows how long.

This is the sister yarn to another yarn I spun up in a different colourway from the same fibre. It’s lovely looking and the silk really gives it a nice drape and shine. I ended up with 260 yards fingering weight, navajo plied. If I am to be honest, merino and merino blends suck to spin. It just doesn’t draft smoothly and makes me INSANE. Each and every time I spin it I remember I don’t like it. It’s time to dig through my fibre stash and clear it out once and for all because THE BURNING HATE - I just can’t take it anymore. So maybe you will see some merino for sale in the near future…

I also spun up this little lovely, which you may remember from NH Sheep and Wool.

The colours definitely remind me of cotton candy! It’s a chunky yarn, I got 130 yards out of 4 oz so I would consider it pretty lofty. I did a two ply and this spun up super fast! It was a blended fibre roving, Alpaca/Mohair/Border Leicester. So I like this yarn but I will not buy from this vendor again.

This was FILTHY. I mean, I’ve processed fleeces that were just shaved off an animal and put in a bag, so for me to say this was dirty… and this was like, really really dirty. I just don’t understand how something that was obviously taken from three different animals, dyed, and then processed into a roving was as dirty as it was. My lap was covered in VM and mess. Each draw I had to stop and pick things out (although I eventually just settled for cleaning out the pokey stuff) and when I washed it the sink water became opaque. If you look closely you can see some VM sticking out of the yarn. Still! Those animals must have been made of straw.

I may in fact contact the vendor and ask them what their method is for processing fibre to this extent without using ANY WATER WHATSOEVER. It’s actually quite amazing and instead of complaining maybe I should be giving them props for what must be some new way of dying with only air, dust and dirt. Or maybe they grew pink, yellow and blue sheep?

I also started on anther NH Sheep and Wool purchase that doesn’t seem quite as nasty.

I have 6 oz. of Icelandic pin draft, surprisingly soft, and I am enjoying it so far. My floor didn’t need to be vacuumed after I finished my session at least! I am aiming for about a dk weight here with a two ply so I am trying to not squeeze the hell out of this stuff as I wind it on. Maybe I will have enough for a vest. Am I being too optimistic with 6 oz? I’ll probably just get a scarf.

So this weekend I have been getting things done that require large chunks of time instead of the small moments here and there that I tend to use for my crafting pursuits. One of the fleeces I got at Rhinebeck one year was calling for some attention. I wasn’t even sure if it could be turned into something usable, but my friend Heidi knew better. She suggested I come by her place and try her hand combs.

SCARY! She taught me how to use them, then kindly lent them to me so I could continue to work on the insane amount of hand combing needed to work on four pounds of sheep hair. Here is the un-technical, very abridged version of what the hell I am doing with lots of spikes and nothing but time.

First, I have one of the combs attached to my breakfast bar. Not the most appetizing of sites, so we’re just eating on the couch for now. I have to “lash on” on locks of the already washed fibre, without stabbing myself.

Once I have a load of fibre on the stationary spikes of death, the next step is to take the other comb and… well… comb. It’s not easy, the hair is about as matted as a ten year old dread lock in some places. I just need patience, determination, and wrists of steel. Also, I have to avoid stabbing myself.

At some point all the fibre ends up on the comb in my hand. Success! Kind of. I then spend the next five minutes putting that fibre back onto the comb that is attached to my counter, trying not to stab myself.

Once it’s all on that comb, I do a little celebration dance and then begin the process of putting it back onto the comb in my hand. Yes, this is pretty tedious. But as you can see, the fibre is slooooowly becoming more puffy and less like the tangled mess it started as. I haven’t even stabbed myself yet!

So now I have one more transfer to do, back to the comb on the counter. It’s four transfers in total, four sets of countless brushes in whatever direction I can manage, all the while avoiding stabbing myself.

But look! It’s a cute little pouf of something that actually looks spinable!

The next bit seems a little impossible, but I kind of coax the fibres out towards me then thread them through a button hole. I know it seems really small, but it’s totally doable. And, I kind of quit worrying about how sharp those damn combs are at this point because I am not madly swiping one sharply pointed object in the air anymore.

I then pull the fibres, move the button up, then pull more fibres, and move the button up again. This is the part where I am actually creating the roving that I will, at one point, get to spin. It’s like an airy intestine, bursting with yarny potential!

Wheeeee! Once I have everything on the comb pulled through the button I wind it into a ball and appreciate that intense amount of work and stress. So I relax, and as I’m putting the combs together so I don’t stab myself, I stab myself.

At least I wasn’t stressed for nothing! They will spin into some lovely lofty yarn.

So I think I made a mention of a good Craigslist buy of a vintage sewing machine. I got a vintage Husqvarna Viking for $30. It came with the original case, instructions, tools, and even the original seam ripper! Unfortunately, it only went in reverse.

Because I’ve heard so much about how the vintage machines are workhorses when it comes to making gorgeously straight stiches, I couldn’t just leave the machine in it’s condition. I brought it in to Singer Sew and Vac to get it fixed up. Exactly one week later I received a call saying the machine was ready to go, so I picked it up…

It’s beaaaaauuutiful. And yes, the stitches are extremely straight. It is taking me some time getting used to using the older machine compared to my new, and very cheap, Singer, but it’s getting there. It helps that the machine is so easy on the eyes.

Ahhhhh. The staff and Singer Sew and Vac were really great and I would definitely suggest them if you ever need repairs. They also sell new machines as well.

The only bad thing about the all metal body is that it weighs a ton. Good thing the original case is not only tough, but extraordinarily cute, too!

I can’t wait to start some new sewing projects with my Viking. Yes, something new - my blouse is done! I’ll save the post of that for another day, but I am calling the project a success. Next up is a men’s dress shirt for Matt, with summer length short sleeves.