The Olympic Socks are Finished ....

Just finished tonite at about 6:30 ..... These are cool and I can't wait to wear them.  The color is really, really gold.  I even have some yarn left over.

And now I have to get back to other unfinished projects.

A leg up ....

First leg is done, turned the heel and coming into the finish on Sock #1.  I think I will really finish this on time.  Cool.

I realized as I was spinning that this was more Merino than anything else.  So, for the heel I decided to use a mohair blend hoping that the heel would last longer than it would if it were just Merino - which I have had to replace on a few other pairs.

Sock Wizard helped me create the pattern.  This is a really great program.  Just enter the gauge you want and needle size and the dimensions and it creates the pattern.  You decide on what stitch patterns you want to use.

The first 100 yards ....

Just off the kniddy knoddy  ...

I like the color.  I was trying for a little bulkier than what I usually spin.  Now I wish I had gone a little thinner.  And I have to find a new pattern for  bulky yarn.  On with the challenge.

I have a bit more to ply.  I should get another 75-100 yards.  Hopefully enough.  If not I have more to spin.

The Road to Gold - I'm spinning, I'm spinning ....

Getting closer and closer to starting those socks .... I have two bobbins spun and am ready to ply already ....

I haven't taken quilt pictures, yet.  Later.  Today I want to ply those first two bobbins and by tomorrow cast on for Olympic socks.   Whoopee.

I have to do house stuff, too; like go to the grocery.  It's so cold out, but we are out of bread and little stuff.

Today is Quilt day

I recently requested a quilt kit for Quilts For Kids.  I decided today was the day to put it all together so I could get it quilted and sent back to them.  The fabric is really sweet.  Pink, yellow and Blue.  The pink fabric is a print of colorful pixies/fairies.  So sweet.

I am going up to my friend Cyn-d's later - we have a quilt day on Monday.  So, I will probably get the top  put together there.  We are each working on a "Cottage Beauty" scrap quilt. She has most of the pieces of hers ready to assemble .... mine is going to take a while.  Today I really want to get the kid's quilt top done.

Pictures later.

Drying under lights

 

Green & Dark Gold

  Gold

It's drying, it's drying.  I should be able to start spinning by late Tuesday or early  Wednesday.

I used to can tomatoes ...

I really had a good time at Guild meeting yesterday and I was inspired to go for the Gold.  So I guess this is my Olympian dyeing effort.   They kind of look like canned peaches, or squash & spinach.

  This will be great for my Olympic Socks.  As soon as I can get this rinsed and dryed I can start carding it and then spinning.  I need to blend the golds together cause they are different wools - shetland, mohair and border leicester - and the color varies just a bit.   

My project for yesterday was to finish this scarf ....

The wool is handspun Merino/Alpaca/Silk in the Chocolate Covered Cherries colorway from Susan's Spinning Bunny.   The pattern is from Interweave Knits (Winter, 2004) called Pine Cone Scarf designed by Robin Melanson.  I think you can also buy it online at the Interweave Site  - at least I think I saw it there a while ago.

I actually changed the Old Shale pattern a bit, but the original is pretty easy and works up quickly.  A few years ago I made it in a natural handspun Shetland.  That one is getting a little shaggy.  So I can't wait to wear this one.

My project for today is to try and figure this blogger thingy out.   This is either too simple or I have been away from web site publishing too long for it to be intuitive.  I started writing html using Microsoft Word (yeah that was a few years ago).  

I am trying to figure out why the post time is set to 7am.  It is actually 10:20am.  I guess I'll keep looking around.

Tomorrow is our Lake Country Spinning and Fiber Artists Guild meeting.  It will be nice to get out and get together.  I love to spin away from home.  A few of our members will not be there because they are so busy with family things, but Bob and Patrick from Winderwood and Sue from the Critter Ranch are coming in for the meeting.  Bob is bringing the new "Knitting Traditions" book he just got in from Interweave - so that is my purchase for the day.

I am trying to stay in my budget.  That is difficult.

My buddy Andy ....

This is my buddy Andy who is usually at my side or nearby throughout the day.