This Week

This week the boys have been at sports camp every day, I finished my last week of the summer studio session, and I've been working on scheduling fall. It's been kind of a wild week, but the last one of its kind this summer. I know it's only August 2, but we don't have very big plans for August. We're starting school on August 5 and there is a long weekend planned with my side of the family later in the month, but that's pretty much it. 

On the Needles...

Still journeying with Ellie's sweater and trying to make decisions. Still unhappy with the bottom edging, but I think I have a solution I'll like. Now to find a bit of time to rip it back and try again.

I also think I might find a bit of time to finish that upper edge on the Doctor Who Kernel and start the lower edge.

Just Keep Spinning…

I'm working in short bits of time on the spindle with the white wool I've been spinning for the last several days and doing well with it. 

Learning all the time…

I'd hoped to share pictures of a re-arranged school area today, but I didn't quite get that finished yesterday before starting my teaching schedule. I'm planning to finish this afternoon while Ellie naps and maybe I can share next week. We're ready to go- books are all here and organized, everything is as ready as it can be for Monday morning.

Watching (Spoiler Free, of course...)

We finally slogged through the last 7 episodes of Once Upon a Time. Everyone kept telling us the last 2 episodes were really good, but it seriously was a slog. It's more of the same in each episode, and no serious character progression. I think we'll try the first 2 or 3 that come out this fall, but if they don't significantly improve we'll call this show done.

Listening...

I listened to the Joss Whedon episode of The Nerdist podcast while I was organizing yesterday. *squee* It was so cool to hear him talk about Avengers and pulling together that cast.

Garden...

We've pulled a few jalapenos, 1 bell pepper, and several cucumbers from the garden so far. The cherry tomatoes are getting close- perhaps a few this weekend?

This weekend...

We have plans to be outside doing all sorts of yardwork. There are 2 beds that need to be completely pulled out, so we'll work hard at that early in the day and then see how hot it gets. We also have our first baseball practice of the fall season this weekend, so we're gearing up for that as well.

Yarn Along

{Yarning Along with Ginny}

I finally got a chance to sit down in peace and quiet for an hour or so and get a decent start on my Doctor Who Kernel this week. Those opportunities come around so much less frequently these days so I really have to take advantage when they turn up. I made it through almost all of the "Upper Edge" and I have about 4 more rows before I put it onto scrap yarn and set it aside while I start the "Lower Edge" and knit the whole scarf. 

I knit this pattern sans beads back in 2010 as a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law, and after her passing in 2011 my father-in-law passed it back to me. At that point it was the most difficult thing I had ever knit and I was quite frustrated with it and almost gave up at several points. I took a long break from lace afterwards because the experience had been so difficult (even though I conquered the scarf and made it to the end without killing anyone or ripping it to shreds). That being said, it was also the most beautiful piece I had ever knit at that point and I truly felt afterwards that I could accomplish just about anything after finishing that scarf.

This time around I am learning to add the beads and I have found the pattern to go quickly and quite easily. I'm much better at reading charts now, the lace repeats make complete sense (even when I can only work on a row or two at a time), and I can read back through my previous knitting to find my place easily. 

I'm reading Spinning in the Old Way by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts and trying to sort out the difference between woolen and worsted spinning. I'm not sure I an actually try woolen spinning on the spindle yet, but I'm hoping to at least wrap my head around the idea.

Summer Time

Spinning Resources

This post is meant to be a resource post full of links to articles, books, videos and discussions I've found helpful or that people far ahead of me in their spinning journey have recommended. Some of the skills and techniques I've listed here are things that are still way over my head, some I'm getting ready to tackle. But I wanted to build a list of reference that might be helpful in my learning process. This list is very much in progress and I will be adding to it over the coming weeks and months as I find more resources.


This list is in NO WAY comprehensive. I've been spinning for just 5 months as of this writing (7/29/2013) and just beginning to find my way through this fascinating topic, though I hope to learn it as deeply as I have/am learning to knit.


Nothing is listed in order of helpfulness or in any special order. Mostly I put things in alphabetical order, or in the order I discovered the resources. Amazon links are affiliate links- if you should happen to make a purchase through Amazon starting from this site you provide me with a bit of help in purchasing books to reinforce my knitting and spinning habits and possibly provide some homeschooling resources for our family.


Please feel free to suggest resources you feel are helpful for others so I can add them to the list!


Books:

The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook by Deborah Ronson and Carol Ekarius

The Intentional Spinner by Judith MacKenzie McCuin

Respect the Spindle by Abby Franquemont

Spin Control by Amy King

The Spinner's Book of Yarn Designs by Sarah Anderson

Spinning in the Old Way by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts




Articles:

What fiber should I start with? -Abby Franquemont

Finishing your Yarn -Knitty.com

Wheel Recommendations - Abby Franquemont




Videos:

Introduction to Spinning, Part I with Abby Franquemont

Introduction to Spinning, Part II with Abby Franquemont

Horizontal Draw - Fiber Beat