Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Leroy's First Flight


ok so I was on a flight from DC to Boston today and I had this really crazy flight attendant. First the door was still open and she started at the front of the plane and would stop at every seat where someone had a cell phone out and say “OFF… OFF… OFF… OFF” At first I thought the poor guy didn’t speak English but then she moved on to the next row and she started again… She got to me and again it was “OFF… OFF… OFF… OFF”
Pissed me off so a snarled at her and then turned off my phone and pulled out my new Jenkins Kuchulu instead and started spinning.
When she was through barking at everyone, she went back to the front of the plane to give her spiel on seatbelts, electronics, bathrooms, etc etc etc… You’ve all heard it. Well with every part she would start with ”I’m required to tell you… that you must fasten your seatbelt” I’m required to tell you… etc etc etc Then she said “Once we reach cruising altitude, I am required to serve you a beverage”
At this point, I seriously considered getting off the plane and taking a different one! She was clearly not happy with her job!
So I decided to not like her
Once we were in the air, she stopped at my seat and said “Is that lamb’s wool” me: “yes, it is”
She said “how old was the sheep that you sheered to get that wool?”
HAHA While I know that some of you out there actually do sheer the sheep to get the wool to spin and then knit, I’m afraid that my urban life restricts me to purchasing my wool from kind people who are willing to sheer the sheep and prepare the wool for me!
It just so happens that I was spinning ExtremeSpinning Mountain Spinning Kit Sample.
And then some old man who was WAY to touchy with people when “helping” them put their luggage up came to ask what I was “playing” with.
Anyway, lots of lookie-loos! I don’t care though! I’m practicing for spinning on an international flight!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Singing & Dancing with Leroy, Jenkins, & Graymane in the Flowers with Yarn in my Coffee

Lots more Fibery good stuff in the mail this week!

I got my Jenkins spindles and I just love them!
I can't express enough how awesome it is to spin
with a Turkish Spindle! Who knew?

Now I can't wait to get to the airport so that I can
show off my spinning skills
to all the lookie-loos
who will stare at me like I'm crazy!

So, the coolest thing about this spindle is that it
comes apart when you are done spinning
and all you are left with is a
center-pull ball of yarn!

How cool is that!

So here is Baby Leroy and his amazing Tricks!

First up Leroy is showing off his plied Targhee Wool
which was the clever packing material
that Wanda used to get him here safely!


Next the Shaft is Removed


Removed the first cross-bar


And then the second

And Abracadabra we have a center-pull ball of yarn all nice and neat!!!


I LOVE how shiny this wool is!!


This is Leroy, pretending to be the Eiffel Tower


Next Up
Jenkins with Baby Leroy
Jenkins is sporting 50/50 Finn Mohair
that I hand carded with a Silk Hankie
And Leroy is showing off some more white wool
All of which was more packing material from Wanda.

(Thanks Wanda and Ed!!!)


Then I plied them together
(I think I liked them as singles better...)


I also got in my fibers from Bohemian Knitter Chic
For her Alice in Wonderland Spin Along
If you are interested in seeing the other batts/yarns
you can check it out on her Ravelry Group

This one is called "Singing with the Flowers"
It includes: Merino, Bamboo, Fake Cashmere, Soy, Milk, & Angelina


I decided it was time to step outside of my comfort zone
and try something new.

This is my first attempt at Core Spinning
I picked up a copy of Intertwined
by Lexi Boeger also known as Pluckyfluff
And I can't wait to try out all kinds of CRAZY artyarns!

If anyone happens to find a copy of Handspun Revolution by Pluckyfluff
that is not selling for $100 (i.e. I don't want to pay over retail)
Let me know, because I really want a copy
and apparently so does everyone else.





Here is Graymane all plied and ready for primetime!!!
This is from my Shep Shed mill ends and I have
enough left for at least two more skeins!!


And finally, I found the coolest Yarn Bowl at
Hobby Lobby this week!

Check it out! It's a GIANT mug!
The picture really doesn't show the scale well
but trust me, it's huge!
And see the convenient little hole at the bottom for my yarn?

Plus it was half off!
Too cool for $5!!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Phat Fiber Saves the Day!!!!

HEY EVERYBODY GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT!!!!!

My Phat Fiber boxes came today!

It was just like Christmas,
I had to stop to catch my breath periodically
as I pulled fibery goodness after fibery goodness from the boxes!
Oh wait... If you don't know what Phat Fiber is take 5 minutes
to go read here: Phat Fiber Awesomeness
Then come back!

Every month Indie Dyers, Spinners, Artists, etc
Donate samples to these boxes.There are a very limited number
of boxes each month.

And once a month, on a secret date, at a secret time...

The Phat Fiber Boxes go up for sale in the Phat Fiber Etsy Store!

And for 20 glorious seconds Fiber addicts
from around the world virtually duke it out for a chance to purchase one!

I was lucky enough to score 2!!!

This month's theme was the Elements

I can't help myself, my first picture had to be
of my very favorritesteses one!!!!
I really wanted this sample the most!
This is from The Critter Ranch


Boxes pre-opening:


Fluff Box - Almost open


Stitch Markers and Buttons


The Fluff Box


The Regular Mixed Box


CraftyPuppyLover
I squeeeeed
when I saw my Captain Planet Batt
And immediately started singing...



Now I have a guilty confession:
I also bought a Spindle (or two...)
from Jenkins

But look at how cute these things are:

The plan is to take my teensy spindles and my phat fiber
with me on my many upcoming adventures!



Also, it makes me think of
Leroy Jenkins


Don't click this link if you are easily offended
by computer geeks cursing loudly at one another over vent

Leroy Jenkins is in no way related to the extremely talented Ed Jenkins
who makes these beautiful spindles,
I'm certain that Ed would never run into a room full of Whelps while shouting
LEEEROY JENKINS



Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Beginning


I'm getting ready to open my very own Etsy store!!!

YAY

I've been spinning like mad and resisting the urge
to knit with the yarns I am creating!
I've decided that I want to name all of my yarn based on things in my Internet life.

I'm beginning with my World of Warcraft guild as my source of inspiration.
When I run out of names there, I will look somewhere else.
So, here are some of my lovelies:

First up:

Spun from Sheep Shed Mill Ends
and I can't brag enough about this stuff!
It spins like butter and it's so purdy too!
I'm going to spin another bobbin full and then 2-ply it

Graymane

The next two were part of Silver Sun Alpaca's Wizard of Oz Spin A Long
and the pictures do not do justice to the amount of sparkle here!

Holy Sparkle

Hobbes
(and for those of you who don't know or don't remember,
Hobbes is Jinx's white tiger!)

MagicFran (White)

MagicFran (black)


Saturday, March 6, 2010

Spinning Mad


Hi Everyone! Turns out life is just to crazy for me to ever have time to blog.
I'll try to throw some stuff this way when I get a chance.

This is from Silver Sun Alpaca's Wizard of Oz Spin Along

There will be competition posted soon on Ravelry.

Keep an eye out and go vote for me once it's up!

I promise I won't bug you like last time (but I did win ;))


So, this is what I've been doing.

Well in between work (which is completely nuts atm),
making blankets for Project Linus.
Which I am doing as part of Disney's Give a Day Get a Day program.
Knitting random things like hoods and gloves and lots of socks.
Oh and I'm A L M O S T done with my quilt square for
the Dream Rocket program.

And yes, I've been "almost" done with it for 2 months...

I'm getting ready to go on another travel whirlwind.
So, hopefully I'll have some interesting things to report soon!