My first handspun!

I'm so excited about my spinning I can hardly contain myself!!!  I know understand why others love it so!  (there is no wheel in my immediate future...trust me....small apartment....grad school budget....ain't happening)   Let me show you how it went!

First night of spinning at Knit Night (about 2.5 weeks ago)  N (my super teacher) sent me home with more roving to practice.

I took my spinning back the next Knit Night.  N was so pleased she sent me home with more roving and said we could ply the following week (this last Tuesday)  At this time I thought I had a lot....ha ha what was I thinking?

Now when N sent me home with more roving I naively thought it was about the same amount she had sent the time before. WRONG!  I had budgeted the same amount of time and it just never seemed to end (I kinda did a marathon spinning day on Tuesday....I wanted to ply so bad)  Here is what I got.

Then I wound it into a cake to begin plying 2 strand of it together.  Yeah!  Oh isn't the bottom of the spindle N sent home with me so cute!!!

So Tuesday we plied!!  I was so excited that last night I finished it!  I then wound it into a skein (using the backs of 2 chairs because I lack a swift....now I realize the chairs should have been further apart for a prettier skein)  and here is my yarn!!!

And a close up of the strands.  I was really pleased with how even it came out!  Now it just needs a bath!! and then I can knit with my own hand spun yarn!  (Bet you couldn't guess that I've been looking at roving online trying to decide what to spin next!)

Do you think I'm addicted?  (But I really don't want it to eat into my knitting time too much....but it sure was fun!)

Mom's Socks Debut

Mom's Lace Merino Socks:

Pattern:  Lace Merino Socks from Favorite Socks

Yarn:  Patons Australian Patonyle  (Gift from Amber during her trip to New Zealand)  I really like this yarn...ravelry says it is discontinued although it looks like they have come our with a new version)  Not sure of the colorway except gray (Mom's favorite)

Needles:  US 1.5   I used the magic loop method.  This is the second pair I've used this method on and I must admit it was much better the second time around.  I definitely got in the grove.  (Mom had my needles that I would have used....but making a new sock knitter was definitely worth it)

Modifications:  None....there is a well known error in the pattern.  The lace chart for the foot is missing the purls!  

Can't wait for Mom to model the socks when she visits in October :)

Wednesday Fun

I know you were all expecting to see pics of my finished socks, but.....not yet (tomorrow)!  Yesterday I got this:

2 skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd sock in Parakeet from a contest by Robin! (Thank you!!!!!) Isn't the yellow and blue yummy!  Her blog is super and she is starting Wednesday Fun!  Last Wednesday I won this by figuring out how many unfinished projects she had pictured!  Be sure to visit her! Now I'm off.....trying to finish spinning the fiber I got last Tuesday for tonight....not sure I'll make it....but I so want to ply it tonight.....we'll see!

And the winner is......

Look at all those entries!!!! When I had this idea of a contest to celebrate my "Alive-iversary" I had no idea I would get such a response!!!  Now I bet most of you thought.....me being a math person......I would use a random number generator to pick a winner.  Nope.  Technically they aren't random....they are based on an algorithm....now in reality they are probably random enough....but you don't really care about that.  So I wrote everyone's name down, cut equal size strips, no folding  (don't want an unfair advantage) and asked DH to draw a winner....

.....Congratulations Turtle!!!  (I don't have an email address for you, so please email me so I can email you your gift certificate!)  Go congratulate Turtle yourself!!!  

I tell you it sure has been fun reading all your comments!!! and meeting so many new people!!!

On the knitting front, my second Merino Lace sock just got finished.  It is waiting for a proper photo shoot another day.   One of my next projects.....involves my sewing machine!

I'm going to make a brown skirt!  I've had a hard time finding a dark brown skirt that I like and fits, so I decided to try making one!  I think it will be a fun project.  The fabric of the skirt is hard to photograph, but hopefully you get the idea.  I'll keep you updated on my progress!

Oh and please don't be afraid to leave a little comment!  You all are so good at it and I so enjoy hearing from you!!!

Updates

I've started working on Gertrude (the giraffe)!  Her body is done!  The increase are very visible because they are knit in front and back loop, but I think her dress should cover that up!  

Update on Ravelympics:  Several of you have asked in the comments if I am going to dye the Bare yarn I have picked out for my shawl relay.  The answer is no!   I want a cream shawl because it will be so versatile!.  But if I were going to do that, I could do the dying before the beginning of the games...it's called training!

On the needles this weekend....hopefully finishing the second lace merino sock!  Then I must work more on my Secret Prayer Sock Swap, not to mention Gertrude! :)

Knox getting comfy in the new bookcase! 

My Story:

Thank you all for letting me share my testimony with you!  God has worked mightily in my life and I expect Him to continue!  It is so comforting know that the Creator of the Universe is taking care of me and loving me!

DH and I plan to celebrate the 8 year anniversary of me being alive tomorrow by going out to dinner!  

Feel free to keep commenting through the 26th (but no new posts this weekend)  Monday I will announce the winner!

Christmas in July

When I got married and joined my DH's family there was concern over my Christmas stocking.  The kids in DH's family had granny square crocheted stockings that were clearly well loved over the years.  My MIL is not a crocheter and so there was serious concern that I wouldn't have a matching stocking (I don't recall who made the originals).  I looked at the stocking and thought...I could make that.  I searched for a pattern and none was found, so I just tried to mimic what I saw.  Anyway, I got my stocking done for the family before the next Christmas (mine isn't faded like the others, but it works)  I also thought it would be nice to make a set for our house!  I started them and hadn't finished them.

Recently, I found the almost finished stockings (just needed some seaming, edging, and weaving in of ends)  Of course that is my favorite part!   (must be why they were left unfinished)  I think they have been sitting undone for 4 years, but now they are finished and ready for Christmas 2008!!!

There are 14 granny squares seamed together and a row of double crochet at the top to neaten things up.  The heel and toe take a little thought to assemble correctly, but once I realized that the heel is made by sewing 2 edges of one square to 1 edge of the other is helped.  The yarn...Red Heart (red, white, and green)

My Story:

What did the Lord teach me during brain surgery? (what didn't He teach me?)

1. He is faithful!

2. He grew my faith and I got to live out my faith in a way I never had before!  I would say I no longer had my parents faith, but my own.

3.  We all have a testimony.  It may not always be dramatic in our eyes, but becoming one of His is huge in God's eyes.  We all can and should share how God has worked in our lives.

Recovery went well.  I went back to college after 3 weeks to start the fall semester (not sure how my mom let me go)  I felt fine, but looking back it took about 6 months for me to have energy and really be myself again.  I slept lots. (my body just needed to heal)  My grades suffered at first because I just couldn't remember things, but by the end of the semester my grades were up to their normal standards.  Who would have thought that after brain surgery I could go on to get a Phd?  God is so good.  His plans are perfect!   

So in all this, my boyfriend (of 2.5 years) saw more of the recovery than anyone else (he was at school with me).  From what I hear my personality was affected for awhile...I think a lot of that stemmed from being so tired.  I had always wondered how I could be sure who I was to marry.  It seemed such a daunting decision.  But he stuck through all the hard times and never left me!  He could have, there was no reason to stay.  We knew we loved each other, but....well.... many relationships don't last.....ours did.....now he is my Dear Husband (DH).

4.  I got confirmation about who to marry!   

5.  and so much more!

Good friends!

Last night I went to Knitting Night (for the 3rd time)!  I feel like I have made fast friends with some of the ladies!  (no longer the initial nerves!! Yeah!!)

I was working on my second Lace Merino sock:

and I took my spinning to show N!  I had used up all the roving she sent home with me.

(the cat really likes to help with the spinning!)  N thought I had done a super job and enabler that she is...sent me home with this:

so I could keep going!  Next week we are going to ply it! (twist two strands of it together so it will be ready to work with!)

N was also destashing some yarn, so I got to come home with some new cotton sock yarn to try!

It is a love navy and white twisted together!  

I've also concluded I need a better project to take to knit night.  I like to talk (haha) an listen to all the conversations and that make my usual pattern knitting (which keeps me from getting bored) not the best!  So I think next week I will start a plain sock (I have some yarn that will be perfect) to work on at knit night in the future!

My Story: 

So July 26th, 2000 I had successful brain surgery to remove the AVM! (Now you know why the contest was July 10-26th)  At the last minute my parents had been given the option of doing radiation instead (I was completely unaware) as tough as the decision was they felt the surgery was still the best option!  Praise God they made that decision!  The doctors found out during the surgery that the AVM had begun to clot and radiation wouldn't have taken care of that!  God is so good!  

I woke from surgery and could move every part of my body (PTL!!) and was able to go home after 3 days. (I think)  God was definitely blessing me through out the whole process....the surgeon let me keep my hair because he thought it helped patients feel better (sure does!) and he washed out my hair himself (something the nurses normally do)....I got the VIP room at the hospital (who even knew such things existed?) it felt more like a hotel room than a hospital!  Even more than all these physical blessings, I got to walk closely with the Lord and knew His peace through the whole process!  Yeah God!!

Check in tomorrow to see what else the Lord taught me in this time!