What is that white stuff?

Just some Cormo that I bought a way back when. :)

I'm crazy, I know. I finally washed it and rinsed it enough to get the worst of the lanolin and dirt out. No I didn't wash it all of the way. I just wanted to rinse out most of the grease. I'm going to spin it with a bit of grease in and then I'll work with the yarn to get it much cleaner. Or maybe I'll rewash small batches of it as I get ready to spin.

Tonight I'm a "mad" woman. ;) I'm like the old time hatters that went crazy from fumes. I'm high on wool fumes tonight, my dear Alice. Pass me the sugar won't you. One lump or two?

My little piece of knitting heaven

Or, at least, where I do most of my knitting anyway. Notice the wheel? How about the canvas basket on the stool? I have a bag of Angora fiber in there and several skeins of sock yarn. Not to mention the shelf o' yarn in the background there. See all of the yarn? Oh, and the basket at the foot of the chair? That has current projects in it. Plus I've got a ball winder handy right by the chair. I am a prepared knitter when I take posession of my throne in the evenings. :)

Even though you have all seen it.

Help out the poor grad student. I'm a poor grad student myself. All you have to do is link to his posting and then ping Technorati. It's easy, it's simple. And it might be the simplest thing I ask you to do on this blog. :)

Want to know more? Here. Click his link to find out about the project.

I have nothing to talk about tonight.

And as such, I shall distract you with bunny pictures.

New Black Himalayan buck who needs a name.

New Black Himalayan doe who needs a name.


This Black Otter Rex bunny is going to a 4-H member in Elkhart county. He's just here for a short visit.


One week old babies.

More one week old babies.

Three week old babies.

Three week old babies.

Are you distracted yet?

Such a Pleasant Weekend, Can I Go Back?

I had a marvelous time with Will this weekend. I bought candles. Lots of candles. It made me very happy. Will didn't even complain, he just followed me around carrying candles. In fact, he was so good, I took him out to dinner at Applebee's.

Well, after I went to Threadbear and he followed me around Threadbear carrying my yarn and accessories. :) What's that? You want pictures? Hmmm, then I think I need to oblige.

I took these quickly just before I checked out. And I feel the need to mention that they don't have a roadside sign. Yep, we drove by it three times before we found them. I had to call the store to find out where they were. So, if you are reading this and planing on making your first trip to Threadbear, look for the sign that says "Quilt Depot," turn in there. And yes, Will did say as we passed it the first time, "Look, the Quilt Depot! That must be a good sign." Ah, you really do love me honey.

I have to say though, just walking into the place and looking for yarn that strikes you isn't likely to yeild a purchase. I got the impression that you really needed to have an idea of what you wanted because there is a lot of yarn, but it was almost too organized and streamlined for me. I guess you could say I like a little controlled chaos in my yarn stores.

I did manage to find a few goodies though. A bit of Malabrigo on Cynthia's suggestion. Will picked out the autumn forest color on the top for a hat for himself and the other skein is a subtly variegated dark green that he picked out for me. I'm planning on making a scarf and if I need to, using a bit of contrasting yarn on the ends. :) Sorry that the picture is so dark, late night and artificial light, and all that.

Plus Ann Budd's Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, some blocking clips, and the blue and green Chibi's. I already had the orange one and just wanted to work on the rest of the collection. :)

While I was there, I also found some neat little project and accessory holders. There was a very sweet woman selling these cute little handmade pyramidal project bags. She had some ingenius hand card holders, flick carder holders, and roving bags too. I did restrain myself and just picked up a bag for myself and two bags as gifts.

The rabbit show the next day went really well. I bought two more rabbits (like I needed any more rabbits) and found a rabbit for a 4-H member. Then Will and I made a beeline for home.

All in all, it was a great weekend and one I would love to repeat. Next time though, I'm going to hit more yarn stores. Hello, Rae's Yarn Boutique! You're next on my list. :)

Sweater Fini!*

Neckband? Sort of. A crochet edging topped off the neck quite nicely. And it fit Will. In fact, I have pictures of him modeling it for you. :)

If I could have changed something, I would have read the directions correctly so the shoulder didn't pucker quite so bad. And I would have done the neckline correctly when I was binding off. :)

All in all, I loved the yarn. I loved the needles. I spent entirely too much time on this because I put it down for several days in between sections. Will really likes it however, and that means the world to me.

My Thanksgiving was normal. No real family drama. We watched the dog show on one TV and football on the other just like last Thanksgiving. (I was pulling for the little Corgi in the Herding Group, but alas the German Shepherd won.)

I hopped on home to work on my class project for my Distance Education class. I need two people to help me run through my class, so if you are interested in reviewing for me in the next week, drop me an email.

Will and I are off to Michigan in the morning for all kinds of fun filled adventures. (Ok, I'm making a bee line for my favorite candle outlet in Jackson, and Threadbear. I've never mde it and I've been in Michigan about two dozen times in the last two years. I am GOING TO THREADBEAR!) :)

Have a great weekend!

*I'm back on my exclamation kick!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing peace and happiness to you and yours.

I love it when Beau curls up on his bed.

One Sheep, Two Sheep, I have a Black Sheep

This little sheepy is destined for a Christmas present, so I can't say who it is for. Maybe it's for you. :)

It's the Patternworks kit for the "Baa Baa Black Sheep" knit using size 5 Clover DPNs.

Kind of cute don't you think? The only thing is, I didn't quite do the legs right and they're all bunched together on the belly. They are supposed to be on the four corners of the sheepie. Oops. he he

I'm working on a mantle runner for my friend Angi, she asked me for a mantle runner specifically, so I'm swatching and trying to work the patterns together. I was going to use a garter stitch stripe, but the garter stitch is too thick with the other patterns I'm using. Any ideas for a third pattern to go with seed stitch and mock rib?

A Sweater That Actually Fits?

Yes, my friends, a sweater that actually fits. At least, it fits me with a shirt on, so it should fit Will. It still lacks a neckband and a good blocking, but it's done. :)

Yarn: Araucania Nature Yarn 100% wool
Needles: Size 7 Bamboo Interchangeable circular needles
Pattern: Sort of the raglan pattern in Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, but I didn't quite follow the directions, because I read them wrong, he he, at least I fixed it. :)

I've been working on homework all weekend, but took a break last night to get this finished up. I also started a little sheepie ornament that I'll try to get a picture of Tues. So if you're keeping track (and I'm telling you even if you aren't), I have the Scribble lace shawl for Grandma, the Feast gloves, and the sheepie ornament on the needles.

It feels like I'm getting a handle on things now. Don't worry, I have a lot of projects that are begging to be cast on. I'm just trying to keep it manageable for all of the travel I have in the next few weeks. :)

Knitting Content!

I just couldn't resist. I was doing so well too, working on the shoulders and neck for Will's sweater, but I just had to cast on for one small project.

Mistake Rib Stitch (I think) Scarf
My own handspun Isle de France/Dorset Cross wool in brick red, golden ochre, and burnt orange (it is much more brick colored than it is showing in this picture)

I started this on Wed. night and finished it up just before this post. It needs a good blocking still.

So right now I'm knitting on Will's sweater, a shawl for Grandma (the Scribble Lace curtains, reborn), and the gloves from the Feast of the Hunter's Moon that I still haven't finished.

But that little sheep ornament looks really cute . . .

Travel, Tales, and Trees

Well, after a few bumps in the road, things evened out at my conference. What kind of bumps you might be asking? How about not having a room for starters? Then getting lost in downtown Indianapolis and driving around and around the hotel that you need to get to and not realizing it? And waiting for 4 1/2 hours until you could get a room?

That was the biggest bump in my whole trip, and though I didn't get to any yarn stores, I most certainly made it to Circle Center mall. I found a few little things for Will for Christmas and I bought myself a few little luxury goods too. I mean I deserved a little treat myself after working on the conference, right? Especially when I was given a framed certificate of appreciation signed by my boss and his boss right? :)

It's my first framed certificate of appreciation. It's signed by some higher ups too, not mentioning any names of course. I was floored, I had no idea that it was coming. I almost cried. When I get the picture back, I'll try to post it.

And lest you think that there wasn't knitting content, let me assure you that there was. Will's sweater is possessed of two arms and a partial yoke. I'm cruising right along now, back in the round and planning a crew neck. I have several other projects that I can't wait to start, so I am looking forward to finishing this too.

Just to entertain your fancy while you're here, I took two pictures of the monument downtown close to my hotel. For Christmas they stretch garland and lights from the top to the bottom and at night it is lit up and looks just like a Christmas tree.


Check out the reindeer, trees, candy canes, and nutcrackers. Interesting decorating items don't you think?

Socks for Will

Yarn: Fearless Fibers Deepest Forest, Superwash 100% Merino wool 550 yds, and I had a good portion left over even knitting for a man with size 12 feet
Pattern: Basic sock pattern, 2 inch K2P2 cuff, stockinette leg and foot, short row heel, and the Harlot's basic toe with alteration (knit two decrease rows instead of a decrease row, knit row, decrease row at the end)
Needles: Brittany Birch US 2 DPNs (the short ones)

Lots to do to get ready for the conference on Monday and Tuesday so I won't be blogging until Tuesday night or Wednesday night at the earliest. Hope you all have a great weekend. :)

Delightful, Don't You Think?

Kristi sent me a happy little birthday gift. When I opened the box, I smelled a heady aroma of pumpkin and spices. What had she sent me? Soap! oooo, smelly, happy, tasty (don't worry I didn't lick it), delicious (I didn't!) Pumpkin Spice scented soap.

And in that box, there was something else that was smelly, happy, tasty, and delicious as well . . . Koigu! My very first Koigu in pretty fall colors that make me want to forget everything else I am knitting and design socks with a little leaf panel along the leg. Why, you ask? So that I can have (brace yourselves for the pun) falling leaves. ha ha As for what's going on here at the bunny ranch, I've got a teeny bit of a head cold and two papers that I need to finish up to turn in tomorrow. I also have tomorrow off. I will have to go into work for a couple of hours because the conference I have been working with the last two months starts Monday, but I can go in late and leave early! Oh, and I turned the heel on Will's socks which I will be knitting on during CSI tonight (LOVE the original). Plus I am through 8 of the 10 repeats on one of the sweater sleeves.

I am trying desparately to resist casting on any new projects and keep finishing Will's. We'll see how much longer that lasts. ;)

I'm Back After My Mini-Break!*

I took a vacation day Friday, cleaned my house and decided to let you sneak a peek at the happy curtains that Monica sewed for me. Very nice, mauvy pink, and they look great with my rug. You can just barely see the rug and the top of Sadie's head at the bottom of the picture. I had a great evening and spent time with Curtis and Monica eating Chinese and watching House on USA. I love that show. I love that nasty attitude too. :)

Beau got lots of loving during my party on Saturday and on Sunday before my buddies left. He loves to lay on the floor with you. hee hee

There was stash acquisition, Sleeping Dragon yarn in Tequila Sun, Scout's Swag in Socktoberfest, and Sleeping Dragon yarn in Stormy Sky. yummy

And yarn goes great with knitting books, right? I needed these books in my library don't you think? There was knitting too. One sock finished for Will for Christmas, and I'm ready to turn the heel on the second sock. Plus, I've started the sleeves for his sweater. I'm feeling knitting mojo. :)

*What is with me using so many exclamation points in my titles anyway???

Winner! And Beau picked this one too!

Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! I had a lot of fun. Just check out my pictures. Yeah!


Can you guess what my favorite game is now? :) Beau picked your name right as rain. lol

Kelly, send me your address and I'll get this happy yarn right into the mail.

And speaking of happy yarn, I bought more yarn on eBay. Spin*n*Knit, I love you. I bought all of this yarn that she had. 7 skeins of 850 yds. Laceweight wool. YUMMY. It's ok. You can drool over it. My yarn diet totally didn't work. That's kind of why I didn't mention it before. ;)

Contest #4 Or It's Kelli's Birthday Already?

**I'm going to keep this at the top of the blog until Nov. 1, it was posted on Oct. 27**

Yes, that's right. I'm holding another contest. What can I say, I love to give away the yarn.

So what am I giving away? Two skeins of Fearless Fibers 100% superwash Merino sock yarn, 550 yards per skein in the colorways Mermaid (which has some green to it that the picture doesn't show) and Marakesh which is kind of camo colored.

What do you have to do to win it? It's easy. Leave me a comment with your favorite game and what you think my favorite game is. I'll put everyones name in a pot and let Beau pick the winner on Nov. 2. You have from the time you read this post until midnight EST on Nov. 1.

I'll let you all in on my favorite game that night too. :)

With Visions of Cormo Dancing In Her Head

I really need to clean that fleece. **Sigh** I just haven't had time for anything, much less cleaning my fleece. It is sitting in its box mocking me. In truth I haven't spun anything in a good long while. The whole work, school, knitting, KALs, rabbits, judging, travel, dog, AHHHHH!

Suffice it to say, I've been doing a lot and cleaning my Cormo fleece was not a high priority. However, I do want to get it cleaned before Christmas. Wish me luck. :)

There has been knitting going on at the Bunnny Ranch. I'm 16 inches into Will's sweater and ready to split the back and front to keep knitting.

Plus getting my oil changed gave me time to knit 1 1/2 inches of ribbing last Saturday, and I worked on Will's socks last night. I know it isn't very impressive, but here's the start of his socks for Christmas.

Nice colors for my manly man don't you think? They're even a bit darker in person. You want specifics? Allright.

Yarn: Fearless Fibers** 100% Superwash Merino color Deepest Forest 550 yds

Needle: US 2 Brittany Birch DPNs (the short ones)

Pattern: Um, pattern? what pattern? They're basic stockinette socks. ;)

**Want some of your own Fearless Fibers? Can't wait to see if you won my contest? Check out Etsy.com and Ebay.com. :)