Hawks Nest Spinners Retreat

I'm leaving in the morning to attend my first "Spinners Retreat" and I can't wait! Since competing in the Knitting Olympics I neglected my poor spinning wheel and this is one way I can make up with it! Four (4) wonderful days of spinning and meeting other spinners...tips...tricks and buying FIBER! Now don't get me wrong...I'm still traveling with some knitting as well! If you have never been to Hawks Nest State Park in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia...you should! Overlooking the New River just above the New River Gorge. I hope to have plenty pictures to post.

I've stepped up to the podium!

Today I stepped up to the podium and received my Gold Medal! Thanks Yarn Harlot for your inspiration...and the fun I had participating in this event. I'll be in training for 2 years and hope that the Summer Olympics of 2008 will bring yet another "together" time for all us knitters if not I have 4 years to train for the Winter Olympics of 2010! I know there were thousands of knitters out there participating and would love to be able to see, feel and congratulate everyone on their endeavor! Keep checking back...I'm going to post pictures of my Celtic Cardigan soon...I didn't like the picture my hubby took the other day, the detail wasn't visible (not to mention I was in the picture).

I FEEL LIKE A CHAMPION!

Show me the GOLD! I finished my "Olympic Knitting" projects and then some! Here's my list: Maggie's Poncho and a felted purse (late entry...a precious request from my niece that I couldn't turn her down), A recycled silk shawl (sort of) for me...AND a UFO! I've been working an Oat Couture Celtic Cardigan since June at the time of the opening ceremony of the games I had both fronts and back completed and 3/4 of the sleeves (I knit both at the same time). So I finished both sleeves, both front bands, cast on the neck AND the biggest challenge for me...sewing everything together! You would think that for a seamstress the sewing together part would be the easiest...NOT ME! Sewing together is my greatest challenge! More pictures to come later...

Maggie's felted purse!

Let The Games Begin!

Okay...needles ready...get set...GO! I'm ready as soon as the flame is lit! I didn't know I'd be this excited about the Knitting Olympics! I love the Olympics anyway and always look forward to them, have I mentioned I'm a 'sports nut'? So, of course I love the Olympics. I found this Pledge on Yarn Harlots Blog: The Knitting Olympics Athletes Pledge
I, a knitter of able hands and quick wits, to hereby swear that over the course of these Olympics I will uphold the highest standard of knitterly excellence.
I will be deft of hand and sure of pattern, I will overcome troubles of yarn overs and misplaced decreases. I will use the gifts of intelligence and persistence (as well as caffeine and chocolate) and I will execute my art to the highest form, carrying with me the hope for excellence known to every knitter.
I strive to win. To do my best, and to approach the needles with my own best effort in mind, without comparing myself to my fellow knitters, for they have challenges unique to them.
While I engage in this pursuit of excellence and my own personal, individual best, I also swear that I will continue to engage with my family in conversation, care for my pets, speak kindly with those who would ask me to do something other than knit, and above all, above every stitch thrown or picked, above every cable, every heel stitch, every change of colour, I swear this:
That I will remember that this is not the real Olympics, that I'm supposed to be having fun and that my happiness and self-worth ride not on my success....
but on my trying. Happy Knitting One and All....may we ALL finish our chosen events!

BEWARE! I'm gettin' ready to RANT!

Okay! Now I'm mad! I've had people tell me some things about this list but I didn't listen (and I'm not the only one who has left the group under similar circumstances)...I've been a member of Yahoo's Knit-List for about 6 months now. Not a regular contributor but I have learned a lot from some of the other listers. I'm not saying that I haven't made some contributions, frankly I'd rather be knitting! Well, today was the last straw! I had been trying to respond to a question...2 times I posted my response when I contacted the ListMom about my post not showing. She responded to say it all looked ok that there was no reason why it shouldn't be there...So, I tried again...from home (my AOL id has an instant signature that has my quote under it) only to be told (by the same person) that I needed to edit my signature and remove my quote before it could be posted! Because of it's "Religious nature"! I can't believe this! Other listers have quotes from famous authors even celebrities! In a day and time when people are so worried about civil rights and freedom of speech...AND I'M BEING CENSORED! Are you wondering what my quote is? "She selects the wool and flax and works eager hands" "In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. Proverbs 31:13 & 19 (NIV) Why so harmful? Why offending others? What about my rights? Needless to say I'm no longer a part of that "group" and would caution others to take into account they only want certain types of people in their group...clique. This is only my opinion, and those who want to read it can....others can move on to the next blog!

Super Bowl Sunday!!

It's finally here! For those out there who don't know...I'm a sports fanatic! I follow everything except for NBA and Soccer (just never able to "get it"). My menu is planned...my knitting is planned (I can't spin while watching football...I tend to get excited and OVER TWIST my yarn)...I'm READY! And who am I pulling for? Since my team didn't make it, there's always next year...GO Big D!) Well then I guess it's ...Pittsburgh! GO HEATH! (We are HUGE UVA fans!) What am I going to do after football....I'll be depressed until RACING starts! Well...better run for now...lots to do before I get settled down on the couch! Happy Knitting Everyone!

Drum Roll Please!!!!

It's complete...The funning sounding stuff (as my spinning/knitting friends call it) is ready for the next step. Llanwenog...what a wonderful fiber to work with! Springy, soft and with wonderful memory. This picture does it no justice at all...you need to feel it! I don't spin with a project in mind...while I'm spinning the fiber I find out what 'IT' wants to be. And this Llanwenog wants to be a....shawl! I'm very proud of my self...not only for completing one more project but for posting to my blog on a regular basis! I hope that anyone who reads my posts will leave me a comment and let me know what they think, sometimes I feel as though it's just dribble. Happy Fibering!!

I made a promise....

I made a promise to myself that I would not buy anymore yarn (notice I didn't say roving or sliver) until later (a date yet to be determined)....so....I bought 2 old sweaters at the Goodwill and reclaimed the yarn! The Purple (approximate yardage of 900 yds), which is for my Knitting Olympics entry, is a nice wool that I'm going to make my neice, Maggie, a poncho out of. The Filatura Di Crosa Baby BonBon is for the trim at the neck and bottom of the poncho. The Turqoise is an 80/20 blend of Lambswool and Angora fingering weight yarn unless I ply it later. This is going to be nice for a shawl maybe (I have not totaled the yardage). One tip to anyone who is going to frog one of these sweaters...after you separate the pieces put them in the freezer! For some reason it makes the ripping process smoother and prevents the yarn from breaking. I had a few breaks but I don't think it's going to interfere with whatever I decide to make. I'm one who likes to begin and end a new strand at the beginning of a new row anyway.