chock full of news and updates.

For once, I have lots to say.

In reverse order, I went to a new LYS. It.. um.. does not suit me.  The people working there were pleasant and they had a nice range of yarns. But everything was very jumbled and crammed— and yet! they did not have enough range in the particular items that caught my eye. I would have bought 5 skeins of Cascade 220 if they had them in the same painted colorway, but when I asked if I could order more, I was told I must speak to the owner. I did not do a double-take about that, but I wanted to.  A lot of stuff was hidden away behind other things, so someone else had to dig through and hand me things one by one. Really nice people since they were willing to do that, a complete contrast with the store here in Oakland— the one everyone else loves. But even this new store,  for all the disarray and apparently random organization, they have MSRP+ prices.

I do not mean to constantly disparage LYSs, but it obviously is not something that is well suited to an urban environment, though this one is in an obscure suburb and has parking.

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I successfully cast on for the sleeve to my Leuca sweater. (That is not the pattern name. I am using the generic wireframe “Round Yoke” from Priscilla Gibson-Roberts’s Knitting In the Old Way. And like BrooklynTweed, I heartily endorse this book.) I have decided to go with a provisional cast-on, and ( finally understand the whole crochet chain business because there was a really useful explanation and diagram in Wendy Johnson’s Socks From the Toe Up book. I bought Wendy’s book even though there was nothing really novel in it, I found the collection of techniques I always have to look up online to be extremely coherent and usefully organized, which made it worth the sale price.  Plus I liked several of the patterns even if they are vaguely derivative.)  started at just above the elbow. Elbow-length sleeves are sort of the minimum length I can tolerate and this allows me to conserve yarn until after the body is completed. There might be color transition issues, but sometimes you just have to make a choice.

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I have been working on my Serpentine Socks (from the Wendy Johnson book), but progress is slow because I do not seem to work on them often enough.

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There has been no change in the spinning department. I did not order the musk ox from RH Lindsey.

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I now have a crockpot for dyeing. Cost to me, $free. I found it in a closet. I plan to do some Koolaid dyeing in it this weekend. (Starting with food-safe things in case I change my mind about the repurposing.)

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Not quite fiber related, but I am in search of new glasses. I can no longer knit with my glasses on, and cannot watch the TV with them off. I might splurge and go somewhere with interesting glasses options, because I got treated badly at the two big  chain places recently.

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I am considering buying a fancy new phone. I would like it if it could display knitting charts. Any recommendations for apps or phones?

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I am planning to go to the Dixon Lambtown October 3, but not for classes. If you wanted to meet up. Send an email or leave a comment.

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ps. I do not have pictures of the August fiber club shipment. I might take pictures tomorrow.