Sycamore Grove

Oh, hay, guys! I'm not dead. With the semester and working on dyeing for Cloven Pine, I've been busy. What? You want to see what I've been working on? Sure.

First, I've been trying to both streamline and scientize (yes, it's a word. That I just made up.) my dying process. I needed to be working in more of a milliliters and grams kind of way, rather than a 'oh, yeah, that looks about right' kind of way. To that end, and to make sure people can get the colourways they want, I've started doing some batch dyeing. I dyed six skeins of Bianca, and six of Katherina.

I'm also working up a line of semi-solid yarns, which will be named after characters from Jane Austen's novels. I dyed up three samples, just to see what they looked like. In order, these are Jane, Kitty and Mary. I haven't decided whether I'll keep them or sell them as one-offs yet.

And that's about it. Except for school stuff, and nobody wants to see that here.

Every time I make a resolution to try to update the blog more often, I get sidetracked. This past week was Spring Break (and it was, in fact, spring-like for most of the duration) and I spent a lot of time getting the house ship-shape. Except it is not, in fact, a ship. It is tidy, now, though, and I'm being a clean-freak now to keep it that way. I actually apologized the other day to Nick for being a crazy person.

But I did get some knitting done. See, I took pictures of the Retro-rib sock in progress, so that I could post them at the beginning of the week:

But then I went and finished them. The color is actually truer in the above pictures.

And I took some pictures of my yummy Koigu Monkeys, which are also finished.

(this picture was actually a mistake, but I really actually like it)

And a new project, Twist. I have since finished the first sleeve and gotten the ribbing and a cable repeat done on the second. I think I might have just enough yarn to make this sweater.

A swatch for the next big project, the Back-to-School Vest from Fitted Knits:

And just for fun, Finn Finnegan, who is much more photogenic than Bran:

Okay. Now hopefully, I'll be writing about three times a week and won't be spending every post playing knitting catch-up.

In the interest of Eye-Candy Friday, I present to you this picture:

That, my friends is true beauty. One skein of Colinette Jitterbug, colorway Lapis, and one skein of Claudia Handpainted, colorway Sea Dreams. Eponine and I went to the lovely Knit Stop last Thursday, to celebrate a Munchkin-less Spring Break. Alas, the only reminder of that week is two (well, three, if you count the super-secret anniversary-sock yarn that I bought for Nick) sock skeins and a very clean house.

On a less fortunate note, I seem to have misplaced my wallet. The trouble with having a very clean house, is that it lack clutter. Wallet-hiding clutter that I could use to convince myself that no, I didn't leave my wallet someplace like a big moron, it has to be here Nick and could you help me look, please? But without the clutter, I end up going straight to the oh my god I can't find my wallet and I called everywhere and no it's not in my purse so don't look there place.

I did call around a couple places, and I've narrowed the list of places I might have left to to four: the Atrium (a dining area which, if I left it there, I'm fucked), the Bookstore (I called; they haven't seen it), Work (called there too, no dice) and Someplace Else. It's that last one that really has me worried. Because, see, I had my wallet when I bought food and sat down to eat. And then I moved into the bookstore to read a magazine. Then I went to work, and then came home. If it's not at any of these places, it must be Somewhere Else. And either I dropped it there, or somebody came and took it there.

I didn't have any money in it, but all my stuff was there; you know, license, insurance card (for me and the car), social security card (I know, you aren't supposed to carry it around. What can I say? I've never lost a wallet before), and all that jazz. I don't want to have to go get all this crap again.

Okay. To end on a high note, I have new knitting pictures. First, a shot of my progress on Twist. As promised, one sleeve complete (not blocked, just pinned out) and just nearing the halfway point of the other.

And I started a new pair of socks for Nick. I guess it isn't fair that I have a bajillion pairs and he only has three. It's the Oak Rib sock pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks.

I found my wallet. It was in the Atrium lost and found. All's right with the world again.

Just a quick note today. Work has scheduled me today, so I won't be home tonight until about 10:30. It's hard enough having one day a week like that, but two will be extra and especially hard.

I haven't really done any knitting this weekend. It was one of those weekends where the sewing bug got me and I couldn't do anything but sew. But I've expanded my wardrobe by a dress, two skirts and most of a jumper (I need to finish that tomorrow).

I'll take pictures of them and share them Wednesday. But for now, it's time to grab some grub and head on out to the daily grind.