Spinneret

Yarn Knuckles

As I was saying;

Yarn Knuckles©

It was a little chilly in the studio while I was working on the salamander in the dead of winter in this old house. I was hungry for some color and I needed some warmth. I hadn't really intended to put the ditsy little popcorns on but was feeling whimscal and felt the need for something a little feminine, having been buried in indistinguishable layers for the many months that this past winter dragged on. feh.

The first one popped off of the needles in fairly short order and the knitting women kept up the gentle inspiration to finish the pair. So by the end of March, when they were still necessary damnit, they were done.

What are they? Mitts. With an open cable around the cuff/wrist transition. Using a variegated yarn that is "Rose Garden" from Farmhouse Yarns - Fanny's Fingering weight. And a solid from Koigu (#1521) that is the palest spring green/yellow. Alternating stitches, twined for a good solid bullet proof fabric. Twined. Each stitch wrapped around the other yarn on the back side. Because this is all I can manage with color work and not have snagging floats that mess with my tension. Sad that.

Long they are. and a little baggy quite frankly. It's been a while since I knit gloves and was winging it from the get go on these.

Why "Yarn Knuckles"?

A woman I work with who has known me for many years glanced over while I was trying the first one on and piped up with "Oh, Yarn Knuckles". As I fear, dear friends, I am rather not the dainty delicate type to wear ditsy girly stuff. She had hit the nail on the head.

I Had Intentions

of richly illustrating this for you this year.
Who new there was so much pink paint in all the world? Honestly, it's like living inside a Tupperware® cake saver.
So I have only to offer you this as a re-post, and I am back to scraping baseboards.

A Christmas Carol

And to all a good night.

Flashing Sox Appeal

Lest you should think I’ve given up knitting over here in favor of picketing:
    Even socialists find time to knit.  These from this summer while I was hunting upstate.  More of that anon.

   

Cotton Flash, in Electric Mix.  I love a good marled yarn in the skein.  This is my second pair of cotton Flash socks.  Seems I still haven’t gotten over the need to amp down my gauge.  These are nearly, but not so much as, bullet proof as the previous pair.  The fit is ok.  They could be a bit snugger.  I expect as they wash they will form to my feet more.  As is they are nearly exfoliant socks.  Not in itself a bad thing.  I would use this yarn again, maybe on an even larger needle.  Could these have been on a 7?  I hardly think so.  Must have been a 5.  I know the first pair were on 3’s.  Imagine.

   

Sox Appeal with Fixation toes.  Love the Sox Appeal.  Soft … dang.  In Copperfield  colorway as a reverse stockinette to better blend the varigation.  They may not wear as well, but they are mighty cozy.  Yummm.
    On tap. 2 pairs of Wildfoote.  One a semi-shaped arch - toe up.  The other - bullet proof, cabled, and ribbed.  Of course.  But still in that awkward single sock stage.  You know, socially unacceptable.
    And as for Ravelry, yes.  Spinneret has been there for a while now, and as soon as I get 5 minutes I’ll settle in and unpack.  A reccuring theme over here lately.

Rhinebeck '07

By their Bamboo shall ye know them.

See you on Sunday!

Lions and Tigers and Alpaca!

I was SO good.
We were on a mission, The Alpacaaddict and I. One headpiece for The Kid for step dancing competition. Working the garment district’s millinery section (how brilliant is it that NY has a neighborhood for this? Though the neighb is shrinking. Why, when I was first here … back when dinosaurs still had the veil concession … gone the way of most manufacturing in this country I’m sorry to say). The right blue? The right white? The right purple? It all came together, due in part to the influence of the Thai iced tea and lunch break. Most restorative. A gorgeous day to be walking the streets of mid-town. Perfect weather.
It was great to catch up. We haven’t had a chance in a while.
And then we went to a yarn store. My favorite LYS, Yarn Connection. Love the view of the new Morgan Library/Museum.
I was SO good. We looked, we patted yarn. We compared. There was chatting. There was inspiration. There were recommendations.
Have I mentioned “The Secret Language of Knitters” is a riot? She’s funny that way.
Oh, it was a hard day of personal professional shopping. We were whipped.
I bought nothing. Nothing I tell you. Not a ribbon, not a skein, not a button.
Did I mention the Federal Reserve cut it’s interest rate that day?
Upon arriving back at the beach I remembered that newer LYS I had yet to investigate. Their hours aren’t mine so I haven’t been able to intersect. Until that day.
The name Tillie Thomas brings a chill to my soul even now. The Great Adirondack Yarn Company has much to answer for. The Blue Herons should have stayed out in the bay.

See you(it) in Rhinebeck.

We Have A Situation Here

Go ahead, knock on the door.

No.  You knock on the door. Spairrow bites.

scritch, scritch.
Nope,nobody home.  Let’s go.

That was NOT a knock.  Damn your eyes.
BANG BANG BANG

Open Up In The Name Of The Law!

squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

mph.  whmbl. ghuh?  snrt.  mphf?  wazzat?

Retired Captain Spairrow?  Detective Romney.  and I’m Detective Wolsey.  We have a situation here. And we … gah … ack … aghak…

There, there Det. Wolsey, come on.  measured breathes.  That’s it.  now go ahead.  Ask Captain Spairrow your question.

ah … wheeze … angh… May we come in?  No?  Sorry to bother you.  We’ll just be on our way then.

Of cour' shyew are shughar.  wha'd yew shay yer name washz?  lemme shee yer eyizh … Det. Wolsey!  Matey!  Why I han’t seen you since … since… that last Smiley’s sale. AR!  Now them where the daze Wooly fooly ,  those lost …  kid … silk… mphf? ghuh? arr…

See Romney?  It’s no use.  Spairrow’s … different now … we’ll get nowhere here.  We’re wasting our time.

Have I shown you my … oh, of course, Matey.  You must come in.  What must I be thinking? (Romney and Wolsey exchange glances) Leaving you out here on the … right this way … I’ve received the most lovely letter … I’m afraid it may be at the bottom of my stash … w’oopsey!  mind the cat!  It’s just … ought to be … can I get you … oh, the heat.  Is it me?  woomph!  Now where were we?  Oh, yes … I think you’ll find this very inneresting Wooly my friend.  It’s got all little hatchy crossy marks to it.  wif circles and dots.  Can’n make hide nor hair of it myself … but I thought … maybe you … brings to mind that old cable caper we teamed on.  back in the daze. But differ’nt if you take my meaning . ghuh? zzzzzz… mnng…

Wolsey?  You and Spairrow have been partners before?  Maybe you should be the one to … let me see that letter.  What are you staring at Wolsey?  Wolsey!

Romney!  Look at the post mark.   How the devil do you suppose Spairrow got a hold of …

… It’s the next clue

We Interupt This Program

Etherknitter inspired me to drag the wheel out last weekend.

Back in November you may recall this.  2 oz. of beautifully dyed and prepared Camel down/Tussah from Nancy Morey at Shadeyside Farms.
Nothing would do but to run more of this through the wheel.  Which is happening in increments (I sort of went overboard on the amount).
    My question now is -
    As a single - where the colors are least neutralized?

    As a 2 ply - in which the blending of the color is very sophisticated and nearly metallic.

    or as a Navajo ply - which preserves the original colors in a heavier weight yarn with a bit more character (due to this being the plying method I am least adept at).

    The camel down and the tussah produce a beautiful shiny rich yarn, but the camel down introduces it's short staple and the yarn will pill.  I love it as a single.  Realistically it needs a ply of some sort to keep it from turning to mush.  I’m not ruling out a 4 ply cabled yarn either. In that instance I would adjust the initial spin way down to as weaselly a lace weight as I can manage if that’s the route that needs to be taken. 

Nancy's fine dye work deserves to be presented in the best possible manner.

Any suggestions?

Louie Ain't Here, Man

Bang, bang, bang.

(sotto voce) Hey, pssst, it’s me Louie.  Lemme in.

Ain’t no Louie here.

No, I’m Louie.  It’s me.  I made a break for it.  Lemme in.  I’m around da block tree times.  I’m sure dey ain’t drawn a bead on me.

Louie’s not here, man.  Don’t know no Louie.

Gah!!  I told you.  I’m Louie.  Blue Louie.  For the love of Melanie lemme in!

Only Louie I know’s dead to me man.  Louie took a runner.  Louie turned stole pidgeon.

I ain’t no boid!  I’m tellin’ ya.  I threw ‘em a mickey and picked up on their plans on us. 

Tell me sumptin’ only Louie would know so’s I know it’s really you.

“Just Keep Knitting”

Louie!  It’s you!  Hey, wait a minute.  How come you’re all worked up like that?  Who got to you? 

They woiked me over pretty good I’m tellin’ ya.  But I din’t toin nuttin’ in.  Dey nearly frogged me’s what I’m sayin’.  It was nearly the life line for me.  Dey wuz gettin' out dah stitch markers when I made a break for it.

How’d you find us here though?  Ain’t nobody followed us here.  Nobody knows where
we're at.

 

Mother sent me.

No New Leads

It’s a dead end Captain.

We’ve crossed all the PSSO’s, we’ve double checked the S1,K2Tog,PSSO. It doesn’t lead anywhere.

The map is either a forgery or incomplete. We’re stymied. Without the rest of the map we’re never going to get to the bottom of this.

There are threats coming over the wires of knitters being held hostage. We don't know by whom.

Our last hope is, quite frankly, one I'd rather not have … Ret'd. Captain J. Spairrow.

if Spairrow can be roused …

god help us.

Somewhere in an undisclosed hideout;

“They got Blue Louie!
    They’re on to us Sunshine!   That Alpacaaddict musta been a stoolie!  This town’s too hot for us now!
    Nyyaaaaaaaaaa!   See!?  You’ll never take me alive, Blockers!  I’ll rip you all out!  See? 
    Get in the car Sunshine and keep your chart low,  we’re makin’ a run for it!  This ain’t no Clapotis!”

Meanwhile, back at the precinct;
    We’ve got our top forensic expert working on this.  One of our sources leaked a coded map to us. Once we break the code we think that map will lead us to the master mind behind all of this.

And out on the Coast;
    Get Back!  Oh, my god, Get Back!  Those sticthes are live!  They could go off at any moment! Noooooooooooooooooooo!