Let the games begin!

Tour de Fleece wrapped up last Sunday and though I should have left several more days for plying I came in under the wire with 2800 yds of gorgeous 2py.

I'm still not sure I love the purple, it's a little more blue than I want it to be and I've toyed with the idea of overdying it a bit, but I'm going to wait to see how much of this I need to complete the shawl. If I don't need the purple then it can become socks or another small shawl.

In the past week I wrapped up a photoshoot for a pattern and submitted it *cross your fingers*.

Read 5 books (I am a voracious reader when I'm not in school).

Wrapped up some final bits of another pattern sample and just need to do some button attaching and get the pattern typed up so I can submit it.

Dug through my wip bag and pulled out my skull socks that I will be completed during the games in the WIP Wrestling competition.

On Friday I cast on for my Spanish Peacock shawl and have made excellent progress in the past 2 days, 58 rounds done. Just 51 more to go plus the edging. So far, like most lace knitting, it looks like a giant mushy ball of crap. I think today I'll actually get around to watching the opening ceremonies on my laptop (I don't have cable, just netflix). Off to do a few chores and homework then on to some serious knitting.

One Week To Go

The Tour de Fleece is beginning to wind down. Despite a sporadic spinning schedule (some days a lot, some days a little) I am almost done my singles.

9.7 oz done of 12 oz. I decided to wait till everything is spun and rested to begin plying. Since I wanted the colors to blend where they meet I'll start from the last 2 bobbins (containing 6 oz) and ply 4 onto a new bobbin, the next onto another and then join the 1st 2 bobbins and do 2 oz from then and the last 4oz onto a 3rd bobbin. I can't wait to see what this looks like when it's finished. Spinning can be a bit of a surprise, you never know exactly how something is going to look when it's done...well, I suppose you do after a lifetime of experience, but I've only been spinning for 4 years so I'm still learning how the colors blend. I kind of don't want to know though because I like the surprise.

In kitty related news, today I picked up Maow and 'Rali and drove 2 hours to north Jersey to bring them to their new Dad. They were very good on the drive. Only minimal meowing and no accidents of any kind (Thank Dog!)  Unfortunately they came out of the carriers and promptly went under the couch, but that is to be expected. In cat land being stuffed in a box and driven 2 hours is a rather traumatic experience, especially cause they suffered through my singing most of the time. They will come out shortly when they need food or a bathroom break. My friend who was relinquishing custody hooked them up with all the kitty accoutrement's, so once they get over the initial shock of the new house they will be very happy, and A needed the company so everyone will be good in the end.

Back to spinning.

A Fathers Day Card

I just realized that Fathers Day was coming up this Sunday and I hadn't gotten anything sent out to my step-dad who is currently working out in Arizona. So I made him a card. It's in the mail now and will hopefully only get there a day late, but it's hand painted so I think that makes up for the late. Plus he has a thing for Cowboys, so extra bonus points there.

I'm also gearing up for Tour de Fleece. The fiber I selected to work on is for a specific project that I was having a really hard time find yarn I wanted to use. The shawl I'm spinning for is the Spanish Peacock Shawl by Meg Swansen, I saw this absolutely gorgeous interpretation by MandaKR and simply had to make it. I have it qued up on Ravelry with some mohair lace weight my ML gave me, but it just wasn't speaking to me, ya know what I mean? So when I was down at Maryland sheep and wool I fell in love with a sample shawl (not a great pic, in person it is very impressive) at the both Fiber Optics. I loved how one color blended into the next yet you didn't get that stripey impression that often occurs when variegated yarns are paired with lace patterns. I didn't buy any of her fiber, but did hit up Cloverleaf Farm's Stand. And pick up these six 2 oz puffs.  I plan on spinning 4 bobbins of single composed of 1 whole color and half of the center color, then plying the matching pairs together to get a continuous grading effect. I am a little concerned now that the variegated purple on the left my be too cool for the other colors. We'll see.