Look what arrived in the mail:
It’s the beautiful roving that Laurie was dying in the tutorial from last week! Stunning, heartbreaking and spectacular. It’s beautiful enough to improve the snow I sat it in.
Judith in Ottawa wrote:this beginning spinner would also appreciate those spinning tips. Like how does a fat roving become singles yarn without either disturbing these gorgeous colour gradations or snarling into a bunch in my hands…
No problem. I’m going to document the process here and continue the learning curve, such as it is. Look for first steps on Monday, in which your local Harlot tries to do right by Laurie’s roving, gives herself a wicked case of spinners limp, and tries desperately not to shame the wool of wonder with her spinning.
Also Monday, a return to TSF gift giving, (I updated the total. Look. Be stunned.) mostly to serve as a distraction from the substandard spinning of the honoured roving. (A little note to everybody who asked, The Knitters Without Borders swag shop is here, gotta post a link to that on the page I think…).
I got a very nice present from some friends (you know who you are, and that I love you) and I’m itching to knit it.
I have enough of this beautiful yarn to make just about anything (except a car cozy or something) and I’m desperately searching for an idea. I thought about Alice Starmore’s Fern, but it’s a pullover and I have a profound preference for cardigans. I thought (naturally, because I am me and apparently I like things to be hard) that I could modify the pattern, but I’m thinking now that there has to be something like it out there that would do already. Ideas? It’s DK weight Peace Fleece (Kamchatka Seamoss) . Swatching (fine. Not swatching. There’s no point in even pretending I’m going to swatch. Swatching is here used to mean “casting on project after project and ripping them out when they fail to amuse me) is scheduled to begin this evening and will undoubtedly continue for several days. Does the presence of a new project mean that the MSF mittens are done? Brace yourself. Oh. Yes. They need a wee blocking before they are ready for their appearance but they are done. Done. Done.
Finally, I have decided to be hopeful. It is inevitable, since I have it on good authority that the planet has not stopped turning) that spring will come. Margene has it. Laura has it (look at the green leaves behind her pretty green shrug) and I want it. I went looking. I’m going to keep looking until I find it.
Signs of spring: Day 1.
Toronto’s High Park, this morning 9:30am. Er…the only sign of spring there was a psychotic knitter trying to find spring. Clearly must keep looking.
While I am looking, I will give this apology to Norma, who’s blog entry I completely, totally and accidentally ripped off yesterday. I have decided to take steps to prevent this from happening again. Firstly, I have decided to stop speaking with Norma. Clearly she is getting into my head and I have begun to channel her. I’m sure she will appreciate this, since if she’s getting to me…God only knows what I am doing to her. Secondly, since Norma is apparently innovative and I, derivative (she posted first) …I will write my blog entry each day before reading hers, but post it only after visiting her blog to check for duplicated material. Should I find duplicated material, I will delete my entire post promptly and flagellate myself with a hank of rough hemp yarn until I don’t feel like Norma anymore. (It is disturbing that we both spent the evening before coming up with, knitting and writing the pattern for Dulaan hats.) Finally, as penance I will knit one of Norma’s charming Dulaan hats and send it to Mongolia along with my hat, trying to bring good back into the world.
Lastly today, my publisher/publicist has a request. She would like to know where you guys are, and if you have a favourite yarn/bookshop. I have no idea why she would like to know…but I dare to dream. Can you faithful knitters leave your location in the comments today?