Fabulous Feather

Bat-Butt!!!!

Newest Addition

Meet the newest family member! He is a four month old Australian Sheppard. We're still working on a name. He truly picked me & is a real sweetheart.

Here he is with his two brothers.

Update

There has been lots of Christmas knitting. This week I took a break after completing one of the projects to work on the hat & scarf that i designed to go with the Bella mittens. The good news is that the hat is totally complete. The bad news is that at 1 a.m. (I was more awake then than I am now because I think I forgot to take my p.m. allergy meds!) this morning, I realized that I am REALLY not happy with the scarf's all too successful sausage impersonation & I'll be ripping it out later this morning. The kicker is, I only think I have about 150 yards to make the scarf. I went for skinny to get length, but the two seed sts on either side of the cable were not strong enough to counteract the pull of the crossed sts. I am thinking about adding three more to either side & hope that I will not have ripped out a day's worth of knitting invane.

Yes, there is a stitch marker in the mittens. The knitting was finished in time for the warmth of spring. I just need to weave in the ends. The hat was designed on the fly. I like the way it hugs my head. It only took me four complete re-starts to get it right. I kept trying to add the cables right after the ribbing & they pulled it in too tight. I had thrown it on the backburner in the spring & was able able to wip this one out in two nights.

I've also updated my facebook page. Ages ago, Karen suggested that I link this blog with that site. I have, but it means I really have to hide my Christmas projects. I guess that shouldn't be too hard because I have been such a slacker updating this space.

The sweater is still on the backburner. I started the first sleeve four times. Each time it was way too big around the wrist. I bought the book Custom Knits & will use the formula in the back of it to bang them out. I am kicking myself for not having it complete because the weather here has been perfect for V-necks.

V Neck Back is complete!

Tadaa!!!!

  I am using my favorite purple turtle neck as a guide for the shape. This may end up a 1/2 inch or so longer. I am hoping that the seaming will eat up some of the additional length.

I am also feeling an incredible urge to start several new projects simultaneously. I need to make a surprise gift for someone soon. A neighbor is having a baby & I want to make her one -two things by mid July. The socks that rock that I bougt at MDSW keep beckoning and now have the new Sock Innovation book to tag team, plus, I am itching to make a lace stole/ scarf. Then there is the Christmas knitting.

Blackrose sock & modern classic v neck

The second blackrose sock just needs to have thetoe grafted & the ends woven in!

 

I am also working on the fitted sweater from modern classics. I am making it abou 1.5 inches longer. I love the colors. The blues and specs of gold shimmer in the sun.

I am switching balls of yarn every row to limit pooling and to ensure that the three hanks blend together. It is Blue Heron's Silk/Merino.

Blackrose grows slowly

One month after starting the first blackrose sock, I am still working on it. It's the only project I am knitting, but work & life seem to be slowing me down. Progress was made today & more will be done, I hope this evening.

This afternoon, I gave up a few precious knitting hours to read The Horse and the Boy - the third in the Chronicles of Narnia series. I picked it up at the library today, along with a few knitting books. It was a fun read on a hot afternoon. Chloe seemed happy with my company.

 

DH & I also hit Home Depot & Bluemont Nurseries. I got another cherry tomato plant, tarragon, basil, pineapple mint, spearmint, rosemary, marjoram, catnip (which, oddly enough, Chloe didn't seem that excited about) and parsleyy. All will be planted soon.

Ravishing Radishes

 A couple of weeks ago I planted radishes. The first sprouts are popping up! They are on the left. The strawberries that I planted last year came back and are on the right.  Today I planted in two tomato plants (one a smallish early variety & the other is acherry), cilantro, lemon thyme and parsley. I hope it's not too early.

 

On an unrelated front, here is a cute shot of Ash & Chloe napping.

Knitting has been on the back burner due to Easter and work. I am just past the gusset rounds on the sock. I hope to make headway this week. Soon, I also need to start a secret project.

Blackrose Socks

I have started knitting Blackrose socks from Knitty. I got the yarn at Pocket Meadow Farms, a fabulous yarn shop in Berkley Springs. The yarn is Pagewood Farms, Denali in the SKY BLUE PINK colorway.  I love the pattern, the colorway & have fond memories of my visit to the shop.

I have narrow feet & ankles and so I am knitting them up on US 1s. The lace doesn't show up very well but is lovely.

Sebastian, you were loved.

On Monday, March 9, 2009 at approximately 7:40 p.m., Sebastian had a sudden, massive heart attack and died. I miss him terribly but know that he is with the angels.

 

Pocket Meadow Farm

Today, a friend and I took a road trip out to Berkley Springs, West Virginia. We had made the plans several months ago when we thought that there were three fiber shops in the area. This week, we discovered that there is only one, Pocket Meadow Farm. I have to admit, I was a little concerned only because of the distance we were covering to get there.  Research on Ravelry was promising though and an email exchange with the owner, Ellen, was great. She recommended Tari's Cafe. We got to the town a little after 11, and had enough time to help local economy in the shops before our reservation. Following Ellen's advise, we ate in the front room. The food was delicious and reasonably priced.

Our next stop was Pocket Meadow Farm. It is a WONDERFUL yarn shop. We felt comfortable as soon as we walked in the door. She has lots of brands that were new to me and there was a variety of price points. Ellen is a joy. She is helpful but also happy/willing to let us fly all over her shop on our own, touching everything. The store is open and airy.

Here we have a shot of one of her chickens on the front porch. Oddly enough, they do not cross the road. :-)  

I came home with this:

 

Starting in the lower right corner, I have sock yarn from Pagewood Farms in a color that reminds me of spring violets, called sky blue pink.  Above that are three hanks of Hacho sock yarn. I had to get three hanks because, according to our running store, I have skis for feet. Next are four hanks of Riverstone Wool. There are destined to become four, two color hats, that will be given as Christmas gifts. The gray is 437 yards of baby alpaca lace that was only $9! It was one of those hanks that I kept petting and putting down. It will become a scarf, possibly with beads.

My friend came home with the stash below, plus one more skein that hid between the car seat & the door (the picture was taken on the drive home).

The orange is sock yarn dyed by Ellen. The mottled purple in the front is nature's palate sock yarn. The two solid purple hanks are destined to become a Christmas gift and the burgundy & blue will become two hats.

If you are a fiber addict & and within two hours of Pocket Meadow Farm, make the trip. You won't regret it. Also, be sure to get dessert at Tari's.