Two Left Needles

Knitting, spinning and dyeing
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So the wheel thing. I was starting to think mebbe I should just get the Folding Lendrum. People are so attached to theirs, love the flexibility, the fact that it's made in Canada (I made that up). I started thinking that maybe I should just get the Lendrum. Finding someplace to try it and the Joy will mean a long drive... somewhere. But then the trusty Knitters Review spinners snapped me back to, and I'm back to probably Joy, but trying both to be sure.

Which means a drive somewhere.

Me: So, honey, feel like taking a long drive this weekend so I can try out a couple wheels?
Hubby: Sure, oh yeah, definitely, where we going?
Me: [musses his hair, what a good guy]
Hubby: You didn't answer my question, where we going?
Me: Oh, I don't know yet.
Hubby: Is it going to be far?
Me: [thinks] How far is too far?
Hubby: London-Wul [in New Brunswick, Canada; we're outside Boston]
Me: [chuckles] So anything closer is not too far?
Hubby: Yup.
Me: [chuckles]
Hubby: Does this mean we're making more than one stop?
Me: I hope not.

I loves my hubby.

Special Mayonnaise

I've been looking for a particular mayonnaise for a long time and was so excited when I found it. It wasn't on sale but I bought it anyway. It could have cost double and I would still have bought it.

At my last job, I love love LOVED the mayonnaise in the packets they had in the cafeteria. After I stopped eating in the cafeteria and started brown bagging, every time I was near the cafeteria, say if I'd forgotten my lunch, I'd secretively snatch a dozen packets, casually stuff them in my pockets or bag, and stockpile them in my desk drawer. Every day, turkey sandwiches with special mayonnaise. And every shopping trip, I despaired that I could never find it in the grocery store.

Until today.


Happy happy happy!!

Until... I opened the kitchen drawer to look at my last packet... and realized... it's not the same.

This is the special mayonnaise:


Heinz. Not Kraft. Rats.


Kiri ... is a little bigger:

Kiri - in progress

And I've also picked up Fair Isle Mittens, my oldest current WIP from back in '95:

Fair Isle Mittens - in progress

You can see why I couldn't just abandon it! Knit using #2 needles and JaggerSpun heathered 2/18 yarns in my own color combos; this is probably my earliest attempts at my own color work. It's slow goings, and I'll probably switch to using 2 circ's instead of the bamboo dpn's.

In bizarre news

I got like 20 calls today from some guy in Iran. He wouldn't stop calling. He didn't speak much English, he kept telling me his name, I think he even said "I love you" at one point. I was patient at first, trying to tell him "wrong number", then "please don't call" then "stop calling" then just hanging up as soon as it rang. He asked my name, which I wouldn't give. Dude, why are you calling me and then asking my name? Why do you keep calling me after I keep hanging up on you? WTF??? I checked the phone number on google to find out he was in Iran, more google searching to learn he speaks Farsi, yet more to find a few phrases. I tried "Na Farsi" (no Farsi) which only encouraged him. I tried "Goodbye. No Farsi. Goodbye." The phrase list was useless, only friendly touristy phrases like "hello," "what is your name," "peace be with you". They didn't list "stop calling me, "leave me alone," "what the ***". In the end I shut off my phone and gave up. WTF???

Ribbed Wristwarmer Ribbed Wristwarmer
These are knit for a man's hand so they're big on me, but you get the idea

2LN Wristwarmers
Finished: 12/23/05
Pattern: my own
Yarn: Danette Taylor superwash merino in Calypso (?), 2.2 oz
Needles: #5 circulars
Notes: I liked the wristwarmers in Last Minute Knitted Gifts, but wanted to keep the thumb warm. Design-wise, I wanted to maintain the vertical lines from the ribbing and have the thumb "grow" out of the ribbing. It took a lot of trial and error, but I'm happy with the results! This one is sized for a man's small; I plan to make pairs to fit me, and Scott.

And Matching Hat is done. Awwww. Holiday knits are now 13 of 16!

And Matching Hat

And Matching Hat
Finished: 12/22/05
Pattern: my own, see below;
Yarn: Danette Taylor's superwash merino in Seaweed (I think), 1 oz
Needles: #5 circulars
Notes: Knit to match Satin Grape. Quick satisfying knit. I lied. I knit this one twice. Everything I've knit this week I've had to reknit at least once. What is up with my knitting mojo??? I didn't cast on the right number of stitches, and the stitches were coming out smaller than a previous project using similar yarn. Second time I counted, recounted and knit loosely. Phew.

Pattern: Cast on 80 sts, join; knit 36 rows, then begin decreases next and every other row:
(Knit 8, k2tog) across; knit 1 row even; (Knit 7, k2tog) across; knit 1 row even; ... ; (k2tog) across (8 sts remain); knit 1 row even; (k2tog) across (4 sts remain).
Knit I-cord over these 4 stitches for 2.5", cut yarn and pull through; secure ends; tie knot in I-cord.

Ribbed Wristwarmers

Wristwarmer one done!

Ribbed Wristwarmers - 1st warmer

Looks like a tree or cactus.

Ribbed Wristwarmers - 1st warmer

Ribbed Wristwarmer one was reknit twice: once because it was way too big on the recipient; and then again because the thumb gusset was waaaay too long. Took a lot of work to get the effect I was after, but I'm quite happy with it!

Ribbed Wristwarmer

And so is Dan! His fiance, Linda, wanted to claim it for herself. And I'll be making a pair for myself, too. Once the second one is done I'll take some closeups so you can see the details and fit.

Photo taken at Minado; mmmm, all-you-can-eat sushi.

(I took a photo of Linda wearing the Esther hat but it wasn't the greatest photo so I'll try again after the New Year. She loves the hat, though!)

Thanks for the nice comments about the job! It's the one that's 5 minutes away. 5 minute commute, baby!

No, but my wrists are!

Blue Biffle Wristwarmers

Blue Biffle Wristwarmers
Started: 11/27/05
Finished: 11/28/05
Pattern: "Hand/Wrist Warmers" by Joelle Hoverson, Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Handspun 2 ply Fleece Artist Blue Faced Leicester, just under 2 oz
Needles: #7
Notes: My first handspun, handknit project. Very cool. The two balls were spun at different times and thus were quite different. The second ball was a lighter weight and much more consistent. It made a slightly smaller wristwarmer so I added an extra row at the end before binding off.

I loves them. They also have a nice color gradation from dark at the wrist to light at the fingers. Because I split the roving lengthwise before spinning, the two balls are pretty close in colors; you could say they (more or less) match.

And now go gawk

There are plenty of spinners out there making amazing things. I'm still operating on a spindle so the goings is slow. But lookie here, Lisa Souza handdyes roving and yarn, and one of her customers sent her pictures of a WHOLE SWEATER that she spindled and knit. Let me say that again: a WHOLE SWEATER! On a spindle! Good golly miss molly, makes my jaw drop.

Back of Buttercup

The knitting is done on Buttercup! She just needs a good blocking because like so many Canadians, she just wants to curl (I learned this from the Yarn Harlot's readers). The color is off, but you can see the back in this photo. I see a bunch of faces and I want to draw in the mouths; what do you see?


I joined me a new knitalong over at Poor Miss Finch:

It's for a cute hat that she designed. First one will be a test run, and then I have the perfect recipient in mind!

Ahh, that's more like it!

The first time I spun some of the Winderwood Farms Wensleydale, it came out microscopic. That's what it wanted to be, so that's what I spun. But no way am I knitting that up. This time, I decided what I wanted it to be:

28: Winderwood Farms Wensleydale

Muahahahaha! To be plied.

She's checkered, she's done

Trimmed the fringe yesterday and she's now a done deal. No recipient in mind, just wanted to use the yarn. She's soft, and a quick knit. And for a handdyed cashmere blend, quite affordable!

Summer Rain Checkered Scarf

Summer Rain Checkered Scarf
Finished: 11/27/05
Pattern: my own
Yarn: Danette Taylor's 70% lambswool / 30% cashmere in Summer Rain, one 3.5 oz skein
Needles: #9
Notes: The dye came off on my hands and needles on this yarn. Same thing happened with another Summer Rain yarn, so it could be something specific to that colorway. Haven't had that problem with any of her other colorways, though. Also, the photo doesn't do the colors justice!

This yarn is crazy soft for only 30% cashmere. It's fluffy without bits fluffing off. The #9 needles give it good drape, but for a non-scarf item, I think 8's, or possibly 7's, would be more comfortable.

To knit:
Cast on 18 sts.
* k3p3 across x 4 rows
* p3k3 across x 4 rows
Repeat these 8 rows until desired length or out of yarn. Fringe.

Introducing... Buttercup

I mentioned her briefly one day, but I don't think her photo made it out. Here she be, in all her foot and a half glory:

Buttercup - in progress

Cashmere loverliness. I worked on her at the Knitsmithy yesterday. Lucky for me I didn't have to reknit everything, it's hard to follow three conversations and knit at the same time.

My own handspun

Muahahahaha. Think of that TV bit that followed X-Files episodes - "I made that". That's what runs through my head when I work on this:

Blue Biffle Wristwarmers

It's knit with yarn I spun! My first handspun handknit! It's Fleece Artist blue faced leicester, and the first half was spun much before the second half was spun and plied. This means the first wristwarmer is a little bulkier and the yarn less even and the twist not quite so nice. In the photo you can see the one on the right is just a little bit skinnier. But I don't care! It's soft, it's cozy, it's purty.

Blue Biffle Wristwarmers