Purlewe Knits

I don’t care what the ball bands say. These greens are not the same color!

I feel like I’m spinning in circles trying to keep up with everything! I’m not sure what made me think I could take 2 classes, teach a class, and still have time for fibery stuff. But here I am stuck in the middle of all of this!

I’ve made a little progress on my socks. Mostly when I’m too exhausted to sleep and need to wind down or during a class break. I had started a 3×1 rib at the ankle, but after about an inch I hated it, so I took it out. I’m going to do stockinette with these babies and make them as long as I can! I’m expecting upper calf to knee! I have increased a couple of stitches in girth … I have BIG calves … and I knit on.

I also have uploaded pictures from my natural dye class to my flickr account. I’m going to get some good pictures of my sample cards and put them here, and I’ll post about the whole experience, but until then you can browse the pictures on flickr.

Where have I been? Running around like a chicken with my head cut off!

I went to an AMAZING natural dye class this past weekend (with the awesome Dyan). We made 60 colors from 9 different native Missouri plants! Pictures will follow in the next couple of days – promise!

School is crazy busy already. I have my first chemistry test next week and I’ve already written a paper and taken a quiz in Gerontology.

I’m behind on my knitting and spinning. I’ve obtained several lbs of fiber (yes I was bad again) at the dye class and today I ordered a few skeins of my latest favorite sock yarn – that they are discontinuing!!!

Hubby and I are drinking our tea – my Stash order arrived – and then we are off to bed.

Tonight is my last night of freedom for a while … School starts tomorrow.

I’m teaching an online class this semester, it is the same class I taught last semester, but it is online. I’m also taking 2 classes this semester, one is online and the other meets twice a week – Mondays and Wednesdays.

I’m really going to try hard to keep up with my knitting and spinning. One of my knitting goals is one repeat a week for Breezy. That breaks down to 4 rows a night for nights I’m not in class – making it really quite manageable. Before I sat down to blog I finished row 13 of the pattern repeat, so I’m actually 5 rows ahead of my daily goal. My other knitting goals aren’t as directed. I’d like to get a pair of socks done for my mom’s birthday (I’m really not sure this will happen) a more realistic goal for this is mid-December. I also have all the yarn in stash to make an argyle vest for my mom, I’d REALLY like to have this done by mid-December. Other projects on my mind are a couple of pairs of socks I’m making myself and the sweater vest I made last year that I’d like to rework part of.

As for spinning, the yarn for my Dad’s socks are going to be at the top of my list for a while. I almost finished another oz today. I’ll just have 2 oz left and plying, then I’ll be adding Dad’s socks to the knitting list. I’m going to try and do a little spinning each day I’m not in class as well. I see spinning as more of a skill than I do knitting and I think it takes more practice than knitting – at least at the stage I’m at. I’ve been happy with how I’ve seen my spinning skill increase since I’ve been doing more of it lately. I want to keep this up and keep the improvements coming! I need to make myself find the time and hopefully consistent spinning (and progress) will continue!

Re: neutral on neutral

The yarn for my Dad’s socks is what I consider my first yarn with a purpose because I know what the yarn is going to be knit into, I know who it will be knit for, and I have a good solid deadline. I’ve tried to spin sock yarn before, but I’ve not been happy with it so it is just sitting in my stash. I did the alpaca with a purpose last year – hats for mom and dad – but I was really just experimenting and I was pleased at that point with anything that resembled yarn.

I’m not knitting Breezy with my hand spun, it is just a coincidence that both major projects right now are out of natural colored fiber. Breezy is being knit with Brown Sheep’s, Top of the Lamb – worsted, in Neutral (100).

For the rest of the night, my last bit of freedom?? Maybe a couple of more rows of Breezy and then I think it’s bed time!

Today is a neutral day.

This is probably one of the best pictures I’ve taken … and it happens to be of yarn. My yarn, my HOMESPUN yarn.

Here’s another, just so you can see more of my awesome yarn. This is the first yarn I’ve spun with a purpose and I’m really happy with the results. This is 3- 1 oz balls spun into singles and plied. 210 yards. Another batch of 3 and I’ll be starting socks with this!

Breezy Cables is coming along nicely too. Here are a couple of progress shots. I think the cables are showing just fine. I’m excited about this sweater!

My goal for Breezy is to get one repeat done a week. I’m slightly behind, but with the long weekend I should easily be able to catch up. I can’t believe today is already half over though …. I must go do something with fiber!