Bugger.

Just a little bit more. That's all I needed. But now? I have to spin more for my Clapotis. Bummer!!

I'm nearly done, I was trucking along. *sigh*

I think I'll console myself in my stash now. I hauled it all out the other day and took a picture of it. Something to roll around nekkid in.




(there's more on my flickr album)

Show me your RAKK!!!

What is a RAKK? No, it's not your better parts, but instead, it's a Random Act of Knitterly Kindness (yes, I totally made it up). Today was my first day doing it, and I really enjoyed it!

One of our town librarians has been at the public library since I was a kid. She's this really confident, beautiful older woman named Cheryl (I think), and last time I was in there, I picked up a spinning book. She made a comment on how she used to knit all the time when she was younger.

As a RAKK, today, I dropped off a skein of my Maple colorway sock yarn for her. She was, unfortunately, not in this week, but a note was left for her with the sock yarn, and I hope she enjoys it.

I'm encouraging all of you to show RAKKs this month. Knit some baby hats and donate them to your local NICU. What about slippers? Ronald McDonald House Charities love slippers. Or pet beds for the local humane society (remember that they have to be acrylic - Thanks Natural Bardo). Show the world what us knitters are all about! Break out your RAKKs!!

The Results Are In!!

My colposcopy results came back. They were.........

Totally normal!!!!!!!!!!!! *happy dance*

Maple Part Two and Steam Finishing

I tried a new finishing technique with the latest 200-yd skein of Maple that has come off the wheel. It's called steam finishing (although I've heard it called microwave finishing, too). Essentially, the way I do it, you wet your skein of yarn. Make sure that it's fairly sodden, as in don't squeeze out any of the water. Then you stick it in a bowl.



Pardon the microwave. It's really not dirty. It's just got some water spots.

Microwave your skein on high until it's steaming. This takes about 2:00 for me. It kind of smells like wet sheep, but I don't mind that smell. My husband, however, does.

Then you just pull it out and let it cool for a bit. Once it's cooled enough to handle, gently squeeze out a bit of the water. Then (this sounds weird) snap the yarn, like you would a whip. I don't know why, but it seems to change the yarn's fibres or something.

The result is a really beautiful, high-lustre yarn.





This skein ended up having a lot less red, compared to the previous skein, but I love it just the same. Its stats are:

Plied Socks (100% superwash wool)
Colorway: Maple
Fingering to light fingering weight
200 yds
4 oz.

This yarn is FOR SALE. $25 firm. Anybody who is interested, comment here, or send me an email at kayla_jsn@hotmail.com or message me on Ravelry. My name is "Plied."

You May Have Noticed.

I have a new header. YAY! Can you tell I'm not working.

Clean Slate

My house is (wait for it) clean. At least, the first floor is. It's completely, unequivocally clean. I mean, all the walls are washed, the floors are swept, mopped or vacuumed, all the counters are clean, the chairs are washed, the doors are wiped, the handles, light switches and outlets are scrubbed. There are no rogue fingerprints or toys or muddy dog prints. The toilet is sparkling, I'd eat off my floor, and even my couch covers are washed.

My house is clean.

This is the result of three days' toil, a near back-breaking furniture rearrangement, and the preparation for a toddler's birthday party. Elodie had her second birthday party today. She was spoiled rotten by all who attended (22 people!), and she got some great presents that she was VERY excited about. A swing set graces our backyard, a lawnmower bubble blower, clothes, new shoes, lip balm (so excited about this), a Dora the Explorer sprinkler, Pooh Bear gum boots, Play Doh, sidewalk chalk and so much more. She was SO excited.

Since I've been cleaning, of course, there has been NO knitting or spinning completed since Wednesday. I know. That's a LONG time for me. I generally knit or spin every day, for at least an hour, while I veg on the couch with Robbie after we get the munchkin off to bed. I try to get at least seven hours of knitting in every week, and I try to spin at least 1/2 lb of fibre every week as well. Crazy, I know, but it's really helped with my sanity, if you can believe it. See, I'm slightly ADD in that I always need to be doing something. I cannot just sit there and watch TV. If I'm not knitting or spinning, I'm eating, and I'd rather be knitting.

Tomorrow, though, we're back on our typical day, with a new note. I will be trying to clean for at least one-and-a-half hours every day. Because we have such a large, drooly, hairy dog, this has to be done just to maintain the house.

Every day, I will have to: Sweep, vacuum, spot clean the walls, wipe the counters, wipe the molding, spot mop the floor.

Every week, I will have to: Mop, dust all the surfaces, vacuum the drapes and upholstery, wipe all the cupboards, wipe all the doors, wash the walls, wash the molding.

WISH ME LUCK.

Something New, Something Blue.

I was given 3 ozs of some beautiful merino/silk blend fibre in a lovely robin's egg blue from Trish at knit night on Tuesday. I'm spinning it into a fine two-ply laceweight. It's spinning so nicely! It may as well spin itself.



The clapotis has stalled at 50% completion. I'm getting bored. But, alas, there is that one-project rule, and I'm determined not to break it.

I'm also continuing to spin up my 24 oz of superwash. This one is going to be better than the last, I think. Of course, I had to take a break to start spinning the blue stuff!!



Work has taken a slight break. After hitting my weekly goal by Wednesday, I decided to take Thursday and Friday off, and have been cleaning. Ick. Books on CD help. I've so far listened to three out of 14 CDs of The Shining, a book I can't believe I read back when I was an innocent 13 years old.

Elodie's birthday went swimmingly, and there are birthday presents from us scattered around our livingroom.



She got a hobby horse, which she insisted on riding around Toys R Us when we went to pick it up, a set of tractors with animals and attachments and a doctor's bag. Notice that none of these are button-laden. Very important for our sanity.

Her birthday party is on Sunday, and we're having a ladybug cake with ladybug cupcakes. Little does she know. HAHAHA. I don't know how she found out about birthday cake, but she's been asking for "birthday cake and a party" for the last few days.

Now to get the house cleaned for said party. Hrrrrmmmm.