Birthday Presents, Fiber-style

Sock Yarn: Hazel Knits
& The Wool Dispensary

Yesterday was my birthday, and thus far I've received many awesome gifts from my thoughtful friends and family. The biggest gift I've gotten, unfortunately, is also the most unpleasant: a monster cold....much like I had for last year's birthday. The difference? Last year on November 16, I was not only sick, but at the Vet's office learning how to give our newly-diagnosed cat his subcutaneous fluids. So really, this is an improvement, and I am merely experiencing the Traditional Birthday Cold.

My parents came to visit this past weekend, which kicked off all of the birthday celebrating. We had many meals out at some of my favorite places (Revolution, Hot Doug's, M Burger, The Handlebar to name a few), did a little shopping, and spent Saturday afternoon at the Irish Cultural Center (which is very close to where I live - I had no idea!) for their Irish Books, Arts & Music Festival. Perhaps it was too much fun and excitement....or maybe this really is new tradition for my thirties.

Shaelyn + Project Bag

As far as knitterly gifts go, my yarn guru Lauren knit me a soft and snuggly Shaelyn Shawl in Malabrigo Lace (there was beer, chocolate and a project bag, too - she knows all of my weaknesses!). Sam gave me some sock yarn with a matching project bag and pattern (sure to leap to the front of my queue), my boss and fellow fiber lover Leanne sent many birthday goodies, among them a cat tape measure, fun buttons & a delicious assortment of tea. I think this magnet also warrants a mention - how often do you have a boss who has a sense of humor and doesn't care that you have tattoos?! Yeah, that one is front and center on our fridge now.

Tyler ordered me a lovely skein of Skein (sorry, couldn't resist) from Doodlebug Yarns, one of very few places in the US that carries this Australian hand-dyed yarn. Check out the subtle variegation of the Tribal colorway in Merino Cashmere Fingering....so much pretty yarn is really going to jump the queue I'd worked out for post-holiday knitting.

And all of this is in addition to the other (non-fiber-related) thoughtful and wonderful gifts people have sent my way. Despite the stupid cold, I'm still managing to have a great birthday, so thanks to everyone who's wished me well via Facebook/Text Message/Snail Mail/Sky Writing. Here's hoping I'll be well by tomorrow, which is when my official birthday party is supposedly taking place. I refuse to reschedule it two years in a row!

Skein. Drool!

Comments

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b...

A Finished Sweater, With Cat Hair

After losing Tilly and Robin within a year of each other, I sure didn't think I'd be finding cat hair in my knitting any time soon. But the universe had other ideas. Over the winter, a white feral cat adopted us. I'd noticed her when we moved into our apartment last summer - I would see her hiding in the bushes or sunning herself in the grass when she thought no one was looking. I assumed she was someone's cat until I realized how skittish she was around humans, plus she had a tipped ear, which is a universal sign that a feral/stray cat has been spayed. Neighbors confirmed that she was a feral kitty (descended from several generations of feral cats, in fact), and that she has survived on her wits and whatever food various residents put out for her. We had some bitterly cold days over the winter, and I just felt so sorry for this poor kitty! I started offering her treats and slowly gained her trust. She didn't even want to come inside our apartment at first, much le...

Australian Superfine Merino Yarn Review & Giveaway

After more than ten years of knitting, I can still have new experiences - even with well-covered territory such as merino yarn! This recent merino experience actually took me by surprise: I've spun with it, I've dyed it, I've knit with it, and I've even crocheted with it...I was pretty sure I knew all there was to know about merino! Turns out, there are four different classifications of merino fiber, sorted by micron count range . At the bottom of the spectrum is Strong Merino , which ranges from 26-22.9 microns; above that is Fine Merino , which ranges from 20.1-23 microns; next up is Extra Fine Merino, which ranges from 20-15.6 microns; and at the very top of the heap is Superfine Merino Wool , with a micron range of 18.5-15.6. If you're into numbers and wondering how these four classes stack up against other fibers you may be familiar with, here are a few for comparison's sake: BFL (Blue-Faced Leicester) has a micron range of 24-28, Cashmere goat down ...

handmade by stefanie

Search This Blog