Strings and Yarn

I’m spiffing up the blog, and one of the biggest changes is that I’ve moved!  If you have me in your blog reader still, I’ll now be at:

http://www.stringsandyarn.com

So nice to have the same domain and blog title!  Whew!

See you over there!

Time does fly by quickly doesn’t it!  So I’ve been spending a lot of extra time in the garden lately.  Here are some very out of date photos of what we’ve been up to.

These beds are now bursting with things growing in them, and the nest of stcks is gone!

This is a potting table Anthony spiffied up for me for my birthday.  I love it!  It gives me a place to get dirty that isn’t the table we eat on when we’re outside.

And since you may want to see some yarn:

Some handspun lace wool that hasn’t been washed yet.  I’m trying to hold off, so I can finish that wedding shawl!

I’ve lost two handspun hats.  The first one, I didn’t even have a photo of before it fell out of my pocket, (or was left in a restaurant booth, I’m not sure which) and the second was on my lap at the movie theater where at the end of the movie, I stood up and left without it. I’ve decided I cannot knit handspun hats for myself.

When I found some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran on Sale at the Knit Shop (in my color no less) I swiped up the two balls and hoped it was enough for a Gretel hat.  I figured if I was to ever have a hand knit hat again, it would have to be from a commercial yarn.

I had just enough for the middle size in the pattern.  I originally knit the small size, but it had zero slouch on my very curly hair head.  (Curly hair = big hair)  So I ripped back half of it and knit the middle size.  It’s the perfect amount of slouch for me.

See the curly hair!  Luckily it hadn’t gotten too big that day.

I love, love, looooovvvveee this hat!  I wear it any possible time I can.  It looks much better with my hair partially down (my hair is never all the way down, it likes my face too much), but I still wear it with my hair up also.  It has just enough slouch to comfortably hold my bun.  It also is so nice and squishy soft.  So far it has held up well, and the yarn has not pilled at all.

This is also one of my most favorite colors of purple.  This is very close to the color that my bridesmaids will be wearing.  I love the dusty, natural look of this purple and the way that it works with so many other colors.

So far so good with avoiding the curse of loosing the hat.  I hope that I will establish the habit of keeping it close by, so I can make another handspun hat for myself in the future.

I’m just going to warn anyone who is reading, there may be a parade of FO’s for awhile here in case de Strings and Yarn.  I have months, almost a year, of catching up on posting projects.

So last year, I participated in the Sock Knitters Anonymous sock challenge.  Every month, a sock designer, technique, and maybe a mystery pattern was posted to the group.  The idea was to finish something that was a challenge to your knitting skills.  I’ve posted several of my finished socks, but I never posted my final pair, because I didn’t finish them until December 2008.

My challenge wasn’t so much that I learn something new each month.  Don’t get me wrong, I learned a lot of new techniques (especially with argyle), and enjoyed the mystery patterns.  My challenge was to finish the year having made one pair of socks for each month of the challenge.  That meant 12 pairs of socks completed.  I stuck to this challenge up until my last pair.

My last pair of socks was for July.  The pattern is #10 Ripple Weave Socks by Charlene Schurch (ravelry).  I don’t know if it was because it was the last pair, I got busy, or I just ran out of steam, but I could not finish this pair of socks.  It was the first time I had ever run into not being able to finish socks.  Not just for SKA, but since I had started knitting socks!

I did finally finish them, and then it took me forever to finally start wearing them.  I didn’t take a picture and so I didn’t start wearing them.  Now that I’ve started wearing them, I love them, but my love of knitting socks has not returned in the same way.  I just finished some socks for Anthony, and for I didn’t jump at the chance to cast on another pair of socks like I usually do.

I’m not worried though.  I know my love of socks will return.  It’ll take just the right yarn, just the right pattern, and I’m sure I’ll be hooked again.  Until then, I’m definitely interested in what your favorite sock patterns are.  What patterns have you done that you just couldn’t put down?

I actually got a lot of knitting done over my winter break this year. It really helped that we got stuck in Portland due to snow. We had decided to take the train up to Portland the day before our flight, and they ended up canceling all flights out of Portland an hour after we had arrived off the train. This meant we spent a few more days with our friends than had anticipated.

Luckily, that meant lots of knitting time. I got a large chunk done on my wedding shawl, which I showed off a few days ago, and I got close to finishing my one and only knitted Christmas gift.

I made myself a tee as a practice, then made my sister one to almost match.  They have mirror image leaf panels slightly offset to the side.  The original pattern is Leaf T-shirt by Melissa LaBarre (ravelry), and the leaf panel is set in the center.  I gave it purposely to her unfinished so that I could make sure I got the length right on her (she is five inches taller than me after all).

My sister gave me some yarn for Christmas, so while I was there I knit it up into a scarf.

I had been wanting to do this pattern (My So Called Scarf by Allison Isaacs - ravelry) for a long time and this yarn just seemed like the perfect opportunity.  It actually has already see quite a bit of wear.  The scarf ended up nice an long, is soft, but will probably pill quite a bit as it ages.  It took me only a few days to whip this up, so it’s definitely on the list of things I would knit again.  Next time, probably as a gift.

I’ve started making some homemade cheese the last few months.  It all started with reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.).  It is a beautiful book, inspiring, but hard to read about summer food in the winter.  However, it goes along nicely with how we try to eat (seasonally when things are available) and how I’m trying to expand my gardening skills.  I don’t think I’ll ever go so far as having turkeys, but potatoes and asparagus I can do.

Back to cheese.  I’ve made mozzarella twice now from the Cheese Queen’s recipe.  The first time had it’s bumps and learning curve, but it turned out great (a little salty but great).  The second time, my mozzarella turned out less salty, but the consistency was slightly grainy (this still could have been the salts fault).  Not the smooth texture I was looking for.  However, this hasn’t quelled my enjoyment of making cheese.  The second mozzarella tasted great and I’ve really enjoyed the learning process.

Anthony got me a hard cheese making kit for Christmas and the Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Delicious Cheeses (or Ricki Carroll as Anthony calls her).  It took me a few months of meditating on which cheese I wanted to do, plus having time at home to check or change something ever hour or so.  Last weekend I decided on making the Farmhouse Cheddar recipe.

It has been drying and smells quite nice.  It smells like cheese in fact.  We’ll be waxing it today, and then it will go to the garage to age for a few months.  The cheese was so easy to make, there were a few mistakes along the way, but overall the process was fun and we had great results.  I’m looking forward to making another, and then possibly a Gouda or a parmesan or a…..

You are planning a wedding and building a career.  I’ve had quite the crazy last few months including opening up my own violin studio/school in downtown Eugene.

The Eugene Suzuki Music Academy opened up in January and has been going strong.  My students have been liking the move, and I’ve gotten several new students as well.  Right now it’s just me teaching there, but I’m hoping to expand within the first 3 years.  It’s been great to have my own space, handle the business end of teaching, and having control over my own schedule again.  You can find more pictures of my studio here.

Of course I’ve also been busy spinning and knitting.  I’ve started my wedding shawl, and am about halfway through the knitting.  I have about 1200 yards of yarn, and I think I’ll be needing to spin a little more.

The yarn is 50/50 merino silk.  It was a lot of fun to spin, except for the silk wanting to get everywhere.  I found little bunched up bits of fiber all over for quite awhile after I was done spinning.  I ordered some more fiber, so I can spin up some more, but I’m hoping I don’t need to much.  What I really want to do is dye my left over fiber for another fun project!

Knitting white is pretty scary.  This is not a travel project!  It stays at home, as far away from coffee, wine, and animals as possible.

Now, I’m not going to say I’m back to blogging, and I’m not going to set any number of posts per month.  I do feel like things are settling a little right now, but you never know when things are going to pick up again.  I do know I have tons of blog fodder, I need this space to be here when I’m ready to post more regularly, or to do the occasional post when I feel like it.  I have realized that I need the blog for my own documentation of my knitting, food, garden and home.  I miss the inspiration that I get from using this space and reading other blogs, and I miss using it regularly and I’m sure at some point I will be sharing often again.

I however do not miss the constant feeling of “keeping up with the Joneses” knitting community.  The strange feeling of competition, and showing off recent purchases.  The chum feeding of yarn, and feeling inadequate with what you’re currently doing.  The need to have the hardest, prettiest, most commented on projects.  I’m hoping that by having this break from blogging, I will be able to distance myself from that mentality, and that type of blogging.

Stepping away from my blog has definitely given me a chance to examine why I want to (or don’t want to) pursue this and why it’s important to me.  I’m looking forward to a renewed outlook, and hopefully renewed inspiration.

Wow, I didn’t realize I had comments waiting for moderation.  I’m going to have to check my settings to make sure I get e-mails.  If you have asked me a question since my last post and I haven’t gotten back to you, I will try my best to get to you in the next few days.

The good news is I finally have photos again!  So, while I have several projects to show off, I’m going to do a gallery of handspun yarns.  I have several from the past year or so that for whatever reason never made it to my blog.  If you are really wanting to see my latest in knitting projects, check out my ravelry notebook, it’s finally been thoroughly updated.

This is my second skein of sock yarn.  It is fingering weight 3-ply.  I didn’t quite get 300 yards so I’m hoping this will be at least enough for some anklets.  I’ll probably split the ball, and knit them toe up to get the most out of my yardage.  I made this out of some scrap pieces of superwash that weighed about 4 ounces.

This is a beautiful targhee, cormo, merino mix that was absolutely lovely to spin.  I believe I have 4 more ounces of this wonderfully airy wool.  This was my first attempt at lace weight.  It’s a simple 2 ply, and I probably have enough for a small shawl.

This is 4 ounces of superwash 2-ply bulky weight.  I’m planning on making a baby sweater out of it.  Again I believe I have 4 more ounces of this.

This is some BFL that I purchased from Spunky Eclectic in the Riverwalk colorway.  So wonderful to spin.  I was in desperate need of some color!  Before this, I had spun 1000 yards of white!  I seem to be on a spin thin kick, so this is close to fingering weight 2-ply.

As I was adding these things to my stash, it gave me a burning desire to cast-on to something new!  Just a small scarf, or funky hat.  My other projects won’t even notice that I’ve left, right?

I also will be attending a spinning retreat next weekend, so I should have lots more to show off (almost 4 days of solid spinning and knitting!).  Although, I’m back to spinning white, and this time it’s lovely 50/50 merino tencel.  Yum!  Any guesses why I would be spinning lace weight white?

Anthony, Ella and I have been sighted on the tv’s all around Eugene (which I have to admit are few and far between).  We had to have someone tape it for us (we have a TV, but no channels), but luckily it’s on the internet for anyone’s viewing pleasure!

So why would our little family unit be on TV?  Our beautiful bike is the reason!

For more info about our bike, check out Anthony’s blog Ride Three.

To see the video clip, check out KVAL’s website.

Hello? (tap, tap tap)  Is anybody out there?

I would completely understand if I don’t have any readers left.  I up and dissapeared for several months. (About 5 to be exact.  Could it really have been that long?!)  However, I am here to tell you that I’m ready to blog and I have built up plent of blog fodder.

My summer was full of fun and exciting activities.  Here’s a quick overview.

• May:  Going to my first national Suzuki Conference in Minneapolis.  I was very inspired and learned a lot.
• June: Spent a long weekend in Colorado and tried on wedding dresses.  Really started in on some hard work with our garden.  Went to Black Sheep Gathering, and had a great time with Black Sheep Bingo!
• July: Lots more work in the backyard.  We traveled to the Fingerlakes region of NY for Matilda’s wedding.  I also started playing in the pit orchestra for two musicals.  All knitting time has now become rehearsals and performances.
• August:  Decided I would audition for ESO.  Didn’t make it, but am glad I got some quality time with practice.  However, I did not touch the spinning wheel or needles during this time.  All extra time was dedicated towards practice and musicals.  At the end of the month we left for Brisbane, Australia for Ging’s fabulous wedding.
• September:  Resumed knitting.  Had a wonderful trip to Australia and am looking forward to going back.  School year has started up, so teaching is in full swing.  Managing schedule and new fun activities for students has taken priority.

So that’s the run down.  Unfortunaly, our computer doesn’t have enough room for all the photos we took on our trip, so that means there is also no room for the wonderful FO’s I have to show off.  Seems I have been trying to make up the knitting time I lost when doing the musicals/practice.  However, we’ll be getting an external hard drive soon, so I will be able to display my finished knitted items.  Meanwhile I’ll continue to post highlights from the very active summer and hope that a few of you are still out there in the internet abiss.