-I am selfish with my free time, especially when it is limited by a full time job.  I prioritize knitting, reading, spending time with the ones I love, and hiking.  Writing  a blog isn’t high on the list of things I want to do.

-I am computer illiterate.  I look at other people’s blogs and wonder “how did they do that?’  I lack the savvy and/or patience to learn.  I am easily frustrated by computers.  I suspect that many bloggers spend money on their blogs.  I’m not yet willing to do that, especially if I am only writing on this thing once every four months.  And even if I spent the money on a blog upgrade, I probably wouldn’t be able to figure out how to use the extra features.

-I am usually disappointed with the quality of my photographs.  My camera only takes good pictures outside.  The flash washes everything out.  I feel dumb standing outside my apartment taking pictures of knitted things, while the drunk rugby playing neighbors watch in confusion…(though there are many beautiful parks in my neighborhood that I could easily venture too).

In spite of the above, I still wish I could be a happy active blogger.  Here are some reasons why:

-I enjoy reading blogs immensely and feel I should offer something to the community that I leech off of.

-I knit a lot.  If I’m not knitting, I’m probably thinking about knitting (or I’m trapped at work).  I only have a few people in my day to day life that can relate to my obsession.  It would be nice to have another outlet to discuss knitting and share my knitting experiences.

-I love being creative.  Always have.  A blog is one more creative outlet and I think I could get a lot of satisfaction from writing regularly, even if only ten people are reading it.

So I’m going to give this another go.

I’d like to share one of my latest finished projects, the endpaper mitts.  This is my first successful colorwork project.  I knit them with the alpaca yarn, helen hamann luxury.  It was so satisfying to watch the pattern form.  Now I’m fantasizing about other colorwork projects.

Yay for colorwork!

Months ago Sharon and I drove to Kalispel to visit their fantastic yarn store, Camas Creek. The Drive was gorgeous.  We took the long way around Flathead lake.   And even if there hadn’t been a knitting store waiting at the end of the road, the Mission Mountains, fresh air and good conversation made for a sublime day.

The yarn store didn’t disappoint.  The selection of yarn, books, and notions was extensive and entertained us for hours.

I bought enough yarn to knit Kingscot.  And I’ve been chipping away at it slowly.  I seem to have lost the attention span for large projects!

I hear there is a great yarn store in Bozeman…

Corriedale top dyed and spun by me.

More corriedale, spun by me but dyed by Pieces of String to Small to Save.  The colors are so pretty and subtle.

I have to admit, my ladybug is being a bit neglected!  My god!  I’ve been obsessed with knitting Rusted Root and this hat:

A thorpe out of my very own handmade yarn (and some rio de la plata) for my brother’s girl friend (if I can call her that (boys are so wierd)).  I will finally get to meet her in two weeks.  I can’t wait to fill her ears with embarassing details about my baby bro!  I made him one as well, so they will be matching cuties.

But I really need to get back to my spinning.  I was told spinning a little everyday really helps you learn.  I can feel my spinning wheel glaring at me right now.

I’m very excited because on Sunday, me and my dear friend Sharon are driving to Kalispel, MT to visit the amazing yarn store Camas Creek Yarn. I’m planning on buying yarn for one of these three sweaters:

Kingscot by Norah Gaughan

Lily by Marnie Maclean

Lush and Lacy Cardigan by Sweaterbabe

Hmmmmmm….decisions decisions.  I think I’ll let the yarn selection lead me to my choice – unless there are any strong opinions out there??

…and I’ll try to post more often.

I finished a sweater!

You can see that my burn has pretty much healed (closer inspection would reveal some discoloration, but nothing I’m worried about).  You can also see that spring has not really come to Missoula to stay yet.  Which means I can comfortably wear my new sweater everyday till it does.  The weather this time of year always keeps you guessing.  One day you are certain spring is here, then the next you’re cursing yourself for daring to wear sandals and a t-shirt to work because there’s snow on the ground when your shift is finished.

I find that finishing a wool sweater is a good cure for spring fever.

This sweater was great fun to knit.  I love bobbles and cables.   I’m also a huge fan of the top down construction.  I was able to make some adjustments when I realized the arm holes were going to slice into my armpits if I followed the pattern exactly.

Dyeing and spinning haven’t been neglected, in case you were worried.

I still struggle with over spinning  my yarn.  I really have to tell myself to slow down and focus!

Just so you know, this picture makes it look worse than it is.  Let me explain.  They day started off hopeful.  It was sad to be far away from Ira, but I had plans to go out to dinner with friends and then to the iNHUMANS cd release party.  I was really looking forward to both because I’ve been kind of a homebody lately and it was going to be nice to get out for an evening.  I worked the opening shift in the coffee shop at the book store where I work.  It was busy as Saturdays are.  The drip coffee we serve is made in french presses Sometimes these presses are hard to press.  I was trying to be careful, but instead of pressing down the coffee exploded all over the right side of my face.  I ran to the bathroom and soon realized I needed to at least go home.  My face was a deep red and hurt like hell.  I was preparing to leave when my caring co-workers asked to examine my burn.  I removed the wet rag I was comforting myself with and my co-workers told me they thought I should go to a doctor because some places on my face were more than just red, skin was gone.  I called my mother the nurse and she came down, agreed a doctor would be necessary if only to prevent scarring on my precious face.  The excessive gauze in the photo is mostly just to hold the bandages in place.  The burn really only covers my cheek, jawline, ear, and a small spot on my wrist.  The doctor doesn’t think I’ll have scars.  I might have to wear a large bandage for awhile because the way to prevent scars is to prevent scabbing and infection. I also have to take steroids for 6 days.  I’m taking some time off of work.  I bet  a sweater will be knitted and a book read.  I hope your valentine’s day was lovelier than mine.

In the two months that I’ve had the spinning wheel, I’ve already acquired a bit of a spinning fiber stash.  Lucy (the dog) isn’t included, but she looks so dang cute surrounded by combed top!  Unfortunately her hairs are two short and coarse to tempt me to shear her.  Not to mention that she is occasionally caked in manure or rotting carcass.  Sure, you can wash those things out, but the memory of them never leaves you.

Then there is all the yarn that the spinning stash is adding to my knitting stash.

So I’ve made a pact with myself: I will not buy yarn unless it is for a sweater, because I have plenty of yarn for small projects, but not enough of any yarn for a sweater.  May the stash one day be used up!

And a close up of the buttons:

I love these buttons, but I think they may look better on a lighter brighter color. I think I’ll leave them till I have something better to put them on.

And I made some mittens from my handspun!  I desperately need some mittens.  All the fingerless mitts I knitted in Cali, just aren’t cutting it here, and I seem to lose all my mittens mates.

Hmmmm, what sweater should I knit next??????  I’m thinking forecast in green.  I love me some bobbles.

I’ve been spinning in double drive because I think it’s easier to set up than scotch tension.  I actually impaled my finger on the spring the first day I had the wheel.  The spring was actually going through my index finger. My mom made sleeping beauty jokes.

So what have a spun up so far??

My first try, combed top of american origin (that’s all I know about it).

It’s pretty chunky and overspun.

Then some roving.  Shetland I think, the white is from a sheep named Sally, the clerk informed me.

Smoother.  The roving was definitely easier to spin.

And my favorite so far.  Combed top that I dyed.

I can’t wait to knit with it.  I don’t have much of it, so I’m trying to brainstorm a project that I can incorporate it.

Another Christmas gift that I must share is this clock, handmade by my baby brother.

It’s made from a book that was my great grandmother’s.  I love it!  I also received lots of knitting and sewing books.  I’m sure when the thrill of spinning wears off a little (if it ever does)  I will look at them.

Ira was able to visit over Christmas.  It went by so quickly and it was so hard to let him go back.  Think crying in airports.  It’s looking pretty certain that he will be returning in February.  Thank goodness.

I hope 2009 is grand for everyone!

Knowing the animosity many Montanans feel toward Californians, one of the first thing I did upon returning was register my car here.

Woo hoo!  It’s good to be back, though I do miss Ira tremendously.   And living with my mother at age 28 is fine if I remind myself that I don’t give #&*@ about societal standards and expectations based on age or other identifiers.  Which I don’t.  I swear, I don’t.

One particularly great thing about being back is that it is seriously winter time here.

I have gotten to wear all my knitted hats!

All this mixture of emotion and stress has revealed itself in my knitting.  It has given me a severe case of knitting a.d.d.  I have four pairs of socks on the needles, a sweater, a cowl, and a scarf.  I have not worked on any of them consistently.  When one fails to distract me, a drop it for another.   I have discovered toe-up socks and I think I might be a convert!

Now to change the subject drastically, here’s a picture that is my entry into this contest:

Our apartment complex is complete with a huge orange tree.  I won’t be here when they get ripe unfortunately.  Last winter I picked one everyday.   Mmmmm.