Idea Brewing

Was as the Twisted Ewe, spinning some of the grey coriedale that I had got with my spindle. When I took a break kept looking at the black and red batt and thinking that would make a cool True Blood themed sock if I can get consistent enough to spin up sock yarn with it. So bought an ounce of it to try and spun it up last night along with started on the my second citron in some beautiful alpaca yarn I had so far it's looking pretty cool. The wool spun up great. So got some more red and black when I went down to work on citron some more. Talked to Pat, and listened to a podcast with her.

So It's the First Day of Summer

The day started out cloudy and cold but the sun is shining finally (looks out window) or was.

On and off the Needles
So finished the Sari Silk vest Tuesday, got mom to take a picture of it on me. Got a little more done on dad's argyle socks. and plan on doing a second citron shawl with some lace weight alpaca and I might try adding beads to the edges. Also the the Spin Doctor podcast is having a KAL (knit along) to use up handspun doing the Maine Morning Mitts from Clara Parkes The Knitter's Book of Yarns that I plan on doing. I even have the handspun yarns picked out unless I find something else. Also started work on a plastic bag knit from plastic yarn, see below.

Spinning
So I've got quite a bit spun up and Saturday Mom and I cut up plastic bags  and then (cring) I spun them up on my spinning wheel. The plan is to knit up a bag with them.

In the Dye Pot So the weather has finally warmed up a little bit, and Friday I took some of the white Corridale that I spun and plied and dyed it with Kool Aid, grape, watermelon cherry, and Pink lemonade. I think I might knit it up for a scarf for my nieces or something. Though I have been told the older niece's favorite color is now blue instead of purple. So it will be knit up for the smaller niece

Stuffed and Tired

Cast on and bound off
nothing finished yet. but the vest is about 3/4 done. haven't worked on the socks in awhile.
Spinning
Well got a lot of spinning done, even did some regular and Andean plying. So lots of balls of yarn, small, medium and one or two large. Maybe next I'll try some Navajo Plying.
Book Review
The Intentional Spinner: a Holistic Approach to Making Yarn by Judith MacKenzie McCuin is very informational. I found it very interesting reading how they got fibers from plants like flax, cotton, ramie, etc. Then all the different relatives of the llamas and alpacas. And of course the different synthetic fibers, acrylic, and seacell (made from seaweed) and soysilk. Did you know people make fiber by collecting spiderwebs? I didn't.
Then she also write about making different types of yarns, boucle, with beads and with the metallic threads. And also three projects and how to make the yarns for them. I especially liked the bit on how to spin for sockyarn with different colors of yarn. I cannot wait to try and use it, well maybe when my spinning improves some more.

Food and Spinning

Taste of Port Townsend
Thursday was the Taste of Port Townsend. I had purchased a ticket. So first I had to sit down and figure out where to go. I decided to start at the one place uptown, Sweet Laurette's. Crostini with a chocolate dipped macaroon for dessert, pretty good.
Then to drive downtown and find a parking spot. Found one by the stadium, then walked to T's Restaurant since it was at the one end all by itself. Smoked salmon chowder delicious and warm. It was nice after I decided to do a little running to exercise of some of the food.
Next Elevated Ice Cream! I know ice cream and I hadn't even had all the little main dishes what can I say it was the closest and I was getting a bit warm from all the walking. Loved the brandied Apricot and cardamon ice creams and the Sequim Strawberry Italian ice. Not crazy about the chocolate hazelnut ice cream. Next was Jordini's passing the Belmont. (I had decided to skip the lobster and crab cakes there.)
Subs, grilled paninis, appetizers and fudge brownies at Jordini's was delicious and a glass of water. Then it staying on the same side of the street I walked to Fin's for a little salad and some lamb with a ravioli, very good and well worth the wait in line. Then I crossed the street and went to Undertown for a bite of sandwhich and a little pastry, didn't drink the hot coffee. (I usually like some sugar and a little cream or milk to cool it off)
From Undertown to Silverwater Cafe for crab cakes with lemon grass sand plum sauce, delicious. Then across another street for a cupcake and tea. Decided on a chocolate coffee cupcake, I needed caffeine for a small burst of energy. And mint tea to settle my slightly overstuffed stomache.
Then I drove to the Food Co-Op for some salads, panatone with goat cheese, and raspberry lemonade, I think. Then I drove to my last stop for the night, the Castle Key at Manresa Castle. Glazed prawns and mozarella and tomato with pesto on toasted bread, which I took to where they were having the wine and cider tasting. Didn't finish the food, though it was good and had a little bit of a merlot from Fair Winds. And with that I called it a night. Eleven places visited I turned in my ticket to enter the drawing for the Tasty Prize.
Spinning
Got quite a bit of spinning done this weekend esp Saturday during the Secret Garden Tour, thanks goodness that is over. Though Mom had fun painting. she and dad got sunburned while I stayed inside most of the time. Then Sunday just before we headed to Twisted Ewe to get my book, Pat called there was someone at the shop wanting to learn how to use a drop spindle. Pat thought of me. So I gave Lois a lesson and there is talk of me teaching a class so I am trying to figure out how to do that.
On and off the needles
still working on the sari silk vest mainly. on the second underarm almost to the left front, then just have to sew the shoulders, crochet the edge and make ties. though I might keep it in a bag, the silk tends to shed maybe not like a dog but a cat.

All Spun Up

okay so a bit thick and thin but I think I finally caught on to the drafting part of spinning. 
On and Off the Needles
Let's see the give away lap throw used up the ball of olive green and started on the yellow. Then cast on and started the Nepal Silk Vest from Cheryl Oberle's Folk Vests Finally actually looked at the whole pattern and it's in one piece just have to sew up the shoulders so it is just flying already got one front done and now working on the side.
Bobbin Along
Well got the pink washed up finally and hanging up to dry. And then there's the teal pictured above that I spun up this morning. Now I might go and get some more so I can spin and ply it up.
In the Garden

Planted the snapdragon seedlings along with my cilantro, got two zuchinni starters at the Farmer's Market to plant.

An Early Bithday Present

Well got the spinning wheel put together.

On and off the Needles
Nothing off the needles just yet been working on the spiraling corealis from Cat Bordhi's book. But having gotten my spinning wheel has changed my thinking about a few things so instead of just giving away the balls of Lion Brand homespun in my stash I'm knitting them up into an afghan or lap rug and then I'll give them away. So got that cast on 120 stitches and a few rows done my little ball of left over olive colored year in getting smaller. Also did a little more work on the simple yet effective shawl with Malabrigo sack yarn in Prima Vera colorway.
Spinning

Got the little bit of mauve that I had from when I got my drop spindle  spun up. didn't have any more so just put it on the niddy noddy, will see about washing and hanging it later tonight. Then might see about trying to spin up some of the white, green and blue carded wool I have.