School's Out!

... and so far I'm enjoying (nearly) every minute of it. I'm definitely enjoying sleeping in past 6:00 in the morning, which is something I almost never get to do -not even on Mother's Day.

This is my girl, waiting for the last day of school to begin (and wearing her favorite hand-knit sweater). I know it's only Kindergarten, but I can't help feeling really proud. Even though her crazy parents were cranky and stressed out for most of the year (on account of getting the house ready to sell), she still had a great year and did very well. I'm amazed at what she now knows how to do (seriously, 5 years old and she can read simple books and write sentences) and I'm thankful that she had such a wonderful teacher, who helped to give her the best start to her education anyone could've ask for. What a great experience. =)

So now that school is done I'm able to relax just a little bit more. Actually, I still have the same amount of stuff on my plate, but not having to juggle 2 schedules (hers as well as my own) I feel less pressured by it. I've been spending the last couple of days running errands and now I have some time to sit and knit/spin in between household chores. I'm liking it.

I've been spending a little of my evening TV time spinning this:

This is my new Bosworth Midi in walnut (27g). I'm spinning some merino (from a reject dye-job) as my first spindle-project. It will eventually become either a 3-ply fingering weight yarn or a heavy lace weight 2-ply. I haven't decided yet. I'm loving the roving, too. I was going for a very different look with the colors when I dyed it and wasn't happy with it at all, so I never put it in the shop. Now that I'm spinning it I'm really enjoying the colors, which remind me of paprika, curry and chili powder with just a touch of fleshy pink. Eventually I think this will become an Aeolian shawl (I like this idea, but am scared by the beads which I haven't worked with in knitting before).

I'm also working on a shawl with the yarn I received from my Funky Junkie's Handspun Swap partner. It's a beautiful golden-colored merino/silk 2-ply and I'm knitting it into an Angel Lace Shawl. It's my first lace-style shawl (I'm not counting the Icarus I started ages ago, which never progressed very far) and I love everything about it, both the yarn and the pattern. I don't really think of myself as the sort to knit shawls (or wear them as more than scarves), but I've grown very fond of knitting them and this one is no exception. I just love how they grow.

I'm also expecting the fiber I ordered to arrive any day now (probably today). I've already received the dyes I need and will be dyeing in the next couple of days. I'm going to do plently of Bacchus as there has been a lot of interest in that colorway. I'll post again when I'm ready to update. Cheers =)

Fast Week

Sorry if things have been quiet around here. I don't have any interesting blogging material (at least none with photos) at present. This last week was a real bum-kicker...

Last Saturday morning I woke up to a phone call at 5:40am from a co-worker calling in sick. I pulled myself out of bed to get ready for work and discovered that I was sick too. I went in anyways and by the time my shift was over, well, I was lucky to make it home at all. After a day and a half in bed I was able to get back on my feet.

This meant that Monday I woke up with a paint brush in my hand. I didn't get to put the brush down until Thursday evening-no, wait, I don't get to put it down till this afternoon... I'm having a difficult time keeping track. It must be the fumes...

The baby sweater is still chugging along. I'm not quite finished yet, but I am close.

My big summer spinning project is progressing nicely. I'm loving the first couple finished yarns and have informed my husband (now that the house is almost done) that the wheel is going to be my first priority (after being a mother, of course) for a while.

I just ordered more merino and Falkland wool and restocked my dyes. There will be more pretties in the shop soon.

Oh, and though I haven't been buying much fiber for my stash lately, I did buy a lovely new Bosworth Midi (walnut, 27g) to spin sock yarn, since all of my bobbins are currently engaged for the summer-project spinning. I'm loving this spindle. A lot.

I should have some pictures of these goings-on and info for the next shop update soon.

P.S. My little girl is finishing Kindergarten. School will be out on Thursday and I think I'm more excited about her being on Summer vacation than she is (I've really missed sleeping past 6:00am).

I can't believe I'm going to have a first-grader...