I have been offline for a week, now I am recovering from my near death experience, and I need to thank Beau for spending no less than probably 10 to 12 hours on the phone with tech support.  sheesh.

So, I have designed a second scarf, and I am working on getting it knitted, I don’t have time, so I will let someone else do it.  I have some space dyed yarn here, uh anybody want the pattern to knit it? I am giving this yarn with the pattern to a friend, but if anyone else wanted to give it a go…  It’s, I forget what it looks like, but it;s really cool.

So now Dominic has completed his hat for William, and it is adorable, picture soon.

Oh and I found out I’m pregnant with baby number 5.  All that in one week, pretty productive really.

I have figured out a great wrist distaff, and will publish that in Issue 4.  I also have some other cool stuff to finish.  I need as many entries as I can come up with, so if you have any small fun projects on blogs out there folks, send me a link, probably we would love to publish it.  I want lots of neat little things that can be made fairly quickly, with little or no fuss.

I have to go eat now, I can’t just skip meals for the next 9 months.

We are back online, hooray!  I spent several HOURS on the phone with tech support over the past five days.  At least 3 hours on the phone today alone.  But at least we’re back online.  If you sent an email or were otherwise waiting to hear from us, we’ll get with you soon.

Thanks for your patience!

Sorry there haven’t been any posts in a few days.  We use satellite based internet, and the satellite has apparently been feeling unwell for the last five days.  We don’t know when it will be back either (grumble, grumble).  Hopefully we’ll be back online soon.

Can anyone else relate?

Ok, so Nikki has waited very patiently for her prize (thinks).  What with a suprise visit from the Mother in Law, so hurdles and flaming rings to hop through, it’s been well, difficult.

The bright side is that I finally completed Nikki’s prize and here it is, for your viewing pleasure.

Nkki will recieve a stone whorl spindle (bottom whorl), a orifice hook/ ply checker tool, a wrist distaff, four stitch markers and 2.6 ounces of delicious Merino/soysilk blended batts.  This prize is valued at about $55 – $60.

Thanks Nikki for commenting.  Lurkers, it’s not too late to get in on this months prize.

Now I am very pleased with everything for my own personal use except the wrist distaff.  I am not sure I like using it.  It works, but I  haven’t ever used one, so she’ll have to give us the verdict on how nice it is.

The orifice hook/ply checker tool is just WONDERFUL!!!  You can thread your wheel with it, and when you have spun some, you hanf it on the singles, and let the yarn ply for a few inches.  Then you can see if you need to add more or less twist.  It will also help you keep your twist consistant.  I am really nuts over these.

And just in case Nikki wanted to slobber over a close up shot of her goodies…

So in case you don’t know, each time you comment, you are entered into the contest for this months prize, which will be similar to this one.  So on Nov 1st, I will randomly select a new winner from the comments list.

Lastly, I have several spindles and some sparkly fiber to add to the shop this weekend, since so many people requested it.  I’ll try and get some pics up of that soon.

Well, so I’ve sat on my big fat rear for two days and accomplishing practically NOTHING.

Mostly I have been running outside to see if any of the sheep are procreating. Now, I’m not weird or anything, it’s just that sheep gestate for almost exactly 145 days. So if you can document the um beginnings, then you know when to expect the babies. So I have t check on them every hour or so to see if anyone is feeling romantic.

Somehow, this is NOT conducive to productive thought, work ethics or even housework, which we all know I just say I can’t manage to get done, because really I don’t want to do it. If I were wealthier, I would just buy everyone a new package of socks every 12 days, and be done with it. I do buy the kids all ONE kind of sock, because matching different pairs is just more than my poor little brain can take. So I’ve been pretending to work, when really I’m reading a book, or blogs, telling myself that I em educating myself. (One book is a very good spiritual book) and the blogs, ok you caught me, I’m just wasting my time.

So I did start a pair of knee socks, I was going to put them on the Nov issue, if I can get some completed in time. I have a few other things to begin too.

Today out of the blue, Beau must be feeling sorry for me, because he is coming home early to drive me up to the yarn store. So either he is trying to brighten my day, or one of the little kids is constipated. (They ALWAYS go in the yarn store, all three of them.) SO this afternoon I get to go to a yarn/spinning store and I’m looking forward to that a lot.

Beau finished his dishcloth, and now has mastered the art of perling. It’s all coasting from here honey, well at least until you start on double point, or complicated lace patterns. But really, he probably will just do a scarf or hat or something so he should have smooth sailing for a while.

Dominic has gotten several inches done on his hat, and he’s getting tired of it I think. Well, he needs to learn to keep at something, little brat knits fast for only having knitted like 16 rows or something. I mean really, he can darned near keep up with me.

It’s kind of funny really, on one hand I have a student knitter (Beau) who’s all crabby because it’s so hard. And on the other hand I have a kid, who’s bored because it’s too easy.

So next item to be cast on will be a pretty little neck warmer, scarfish thing for people who have to bend over, thus have scarf issues. It also is great for people who urgently dash into the house to go to the bathroom, and accidentally dip the end of their scarf in the toilet. Hey, I know that person ok? Cause it’s me! I don’t do overalls or dresses with ties either.

opps! Gotta go, chicken on the porch.

I will not post it here, but if you send me an email, I will send you a copy of the pattern.  You MAY NOT publish it anywhere however, nor share any part of it.  My email is allena at spindleandwheel dot com.

I wasted Friday, digging potatoes, and then fishing with the kids.  I should have worked, but we caught 4 big catfish for supper, so I guess that’s ok.  The girls would get SOOOO excited when we would catch one, especially a big one.

Dominic is busy on his hat, he has gotten about an inch and half done.

You can see that the yarn Beth spun is very beautiful, and Dominic is making good progress.  He knitts a few rows everyday.  When he drops a stitch, he brings it to me, and I fix it, and I usually do a row for him.  He’s only done it twice so far, and he goes along at a pretty good clip considering that he’s only knitted 12 rows.  10 if you don’t count mine.  A child Protoge!

Look how cute he is, lucky for me he doesn’t read my blog, so I can say that without suffering for it.  On the other man front:

Beau is making a basket weave dishcloth.  He got some purls where the knits went, and vice versa, his face says it all.

So I pulled out a crochet hook, and changed all of them back, it wasn’t that bad, but he sure was cross about it.  He pouted too.  He doesn’t like having to struggle, because he’s used to everything coming to him easily.  But he keeps on going, if slowly.  After I fixed it though, he seemed a little more happy about it.

And because Michelle asked, here is a picture of me:

Beau took this picture, and it’s a very nice one, but I don’t usually look like that.  Only on rare occasions when Beau begs me to look presentable, for his sake LOL.  I am way too lazy for makeup and stuff everyday.  I had wanted to show a picture he took of me making a really funny face, but I can’t find it.  Oh well, you’ll have to wait for a “real” picture.

So I finished the spindles I was working on, and I am still putting Nikki’s packet together.  I am also finishing Beth’s thank you package.  And on top of all that, we got fence built, and the breeding group arranged.  You can read about that here

So, slowly I am catching up, and beginning some new patterns.  Don’t forget to comment, and enter yourself in the drawing for next month’s prize!

Wowzers, did it go fast I got this done, A in less than 4 days, and I had to design the patterns, make a million swatches and argue with myself and tear it out a hundred times before I was happy.

I estimate this one will take about 4 – 8 hours to complete for a medium speed knitter. I really enjoyed making it.  Maybe I can talk Beau into trying one when he finishes his dish cloth, since EVERYONE who saw it made a point to be sure I knew that they would really really like to have that for Christmas…

It was sent off with the Mother In Law, who was THRILLED with it. I didn’t have much notice we were getting a visitor, so I haven’t done much of anything, except make this scarf.

So a few reminders, first of all, remember that each time you comment, you are entered in the contest to win a nice prize at the end of the month.

Secondly, I haven’t posted the prize, because I am still working on it, but it will be soon! I’m sorry I got distracted with a scarf, I don’t know how these things happen, but there you go. I was working on the prize, and suddenly for no reason, was knitting a scarf and forgot all about the prize and my promise to post a picture of it. Scarves are wily that way, I suggest going ahead and casting one on now, that way it won’t sneak up and blind side you. This is the first completed pattern in our Panic Attack Christmas Special Issue. Oh, and it used practically NO yarn. I dyed up about 350 yards, and I didn’t even make a good sized hole in the ball. Now what am I going to do with all that blazing red alpaca yarn???? Space dye it with purple of course for the next project.

On other knitting news, our son Dominic who is recently turned 14, shot his big teen age mouth off yesterday.

Me: “You have $20 for your birthday, you should buy a sack of socks, you need some.” (of course I know he won’t, I’m just teasing, sort of like how I tell him we are having squid-liquid for dinner when he asks)

Him: “well, I like wearing the same socks”

Me:”Thats gross! You need more socks.”

Him:” Well, you should just knit all my socks.”

Me: “I have lots of knitting to do for the site, I can’t knit you a dozen socks.”

Him: “Well maybe you should teach me to knit socks, then I could knit my own socks.”( giggle giggle, snicker snicker )

Me: “Ok, smarty pants, I WILL teach you to knit socks. Guess what, you just added a non core class to the ciriculum, knitting.” (remember we home school, how else can a kid in the US learn to knit in school?)

Him: “uh…” (deciding if this is good or horrible, since now he’s in for the long haul)

Me: “One hour, everyday, until you can knit socks for yourself, and everyone else in the family because I don’t have time.” (laughing then silence….)

Him (thinking) “does she really mean that???”

So Dominic learned to knit today, and he did a very good job. I should have taken some pictures, but I didn’t think too. He looked so pleased with himself. He is knitting a hat for William with some lovely yarn given to me by Beth, from the Fiber Frenzy swap. He just really liked it, so I let him have it. sigh, my stash is getting pilliaged in whole new way lately. I’m ok, I can share. Besides, this means I need to shop for more yarn right? I mean it makes sense that I need more since people are depleting it.

So back to Dominic, he learned the long Tail Cast on. It took him about 3 minutes, then he could do it perfectly, although a little tightly. So I then had him transfer the stiches onto a smaller needle, cautioning him to be careful and not loose any. He lost the last two, the beginning ones, so I took it off, and re cast on for him, since he looked sick at having to cast on 60 stitches again.

He knit one row, I had to show him how, twice or maybe 5 times. No struggling, no tense, desperate jabbing with the needle, desperately trying to get it into the front of the stitch.

Him:”Can I stop for a while? My hands hurt.”

Me: “Ok, that’s normal, your hands are doing something new, they will get used to it.”

Him: “It sure is going to take forever to knit this hat.” (glancing sideways, will Mom take the bait?)

Me: “I’ll help you, I’ll knit a few rows for you, here and there, and it will be done in no time.”

So starts his journey into knitting. He seems very pleased that I would teach him. No I admit that he’s asked a couple of times for me to show him, but didn’t seem very serious, so I didn’t think much of it. What started out as joking and teasing each other, turned into a nice Mother – Son interaction, that will continue until he can knit socks LOL. It’s written in the school books, now he has to do it, which is handy considering he may hate knitting tomorrow.
It kind of reminds me of when he learned to read. (He was in a Montessori school then). He came home and started reading the newspaper aloud. We were shocked, and dumbfounded, he’de only been in school for a few weeks. Finally Beau stuttered out “When did you learn to read???” He said “Oh I’ve always known how..” I do believe the little brat ahem, I mean sweet little angel will knit better than us sooner than we think. He’s so good at stuff it amazes me. You know what’s REALLY cool, he does Math fast, and in his head. So soon in the future I can say

Me:”Dominic, I have 7.75 stiches per inch, and I need to have a 34 inch width, oh, and my pattern repeat should be 18 stitches plus two, how many stitches should I cast on?” And the answer will just fall into my lap, and I can forget about figuring all that junk for myself HEE HEE HEE HA HA HA…. And best of all, I can write it in the book, and it counts as school work.  I’m liking this Boy who knits for school work, think of the possibilities.. I could assign him my grafting and sewing on of borders.   Or hey, I could have him cast on and off for me, since I have trouble counting things.  I could let him do the 15 inches of plain stockinette stitch.  I could even let him knit the second sock that I don’t want to do myself.  This idea has some real possibilities LOL.  Actually, I will probably not really do any of these things, but it sure is fun to think about, and it takes my mind off the fact that now there will be another pair of hands in my stash.

On the major plus side, if the light hearted attitude continues, maybe he’ll get interested in spinning again.  He lost interest after the sheep/mineral oil incident of 06.  This might just get him back to spinning, and playing with the sheep.

So as I’ve written in “The men’s room” articles, I’ve been learning to spin yarn and knit. And since we’re going to dedicate the next issue to last minute gift ideas for knitters, I thought I’d give you a little progress report.

The yarn spinning is coming along – I don’t spin as often as I should (’cause hey, I’m going to write articles about this stuff and I really need to get better at it) but every time I do sit down and work on it, the skill improves. Which is very gratifying and encouraging.

The knitting on the other hand…not so good. I’ve started two or three different projects that didn’t work out, and I was able to rationalize my failure. One project was with charcoal colored yarn, which is frikkin’ impossible quite difficult to see unless you’re knitting in broad daylight. One project was with a three-ply yarn that had a funky ply – two tight plies and one loose ply, and I kept getting the needle between the plies. Then I tried to start on a sock using multiple double pointed needles. Imagine trying to knit with a porcupine…that’s kind of what it’s like. A live porcupine. An angry live porcupine. With hemorrhoids. And a hangover. Perhaps a sock was a little bit ambitious, no?

So, I back peddled a bit, and decided I’d just do another dish cloth. Boring, yes…but good practice. Lots of knitting, lots of purling, but nothing complicated. It’s what might be referred to as “low hanging fruit”. I needed a success to boost my ego and keep me motivated. I’ve started it twice now, and ripped it all out both times. My ego is bruised. The first time was due to a stupid user trick…I accidentally let a couple of loops come off the needle and it unraveled and I couldn’t figure out how to put it back together. Not a big deal – it could happen to anyone (it’s not just me that does this, right? Dang.). The second time however was not just your everyday, run of the mill stupidity. This was stupidity on a grand scale! After knitting several rows, I noticed that one side of the knitting has more rows than the other side of the knitting. Neat trick eh? All I can figure is that I put it down in the middle of a row, and then picked it back up upside-down. Twice. One end had six rows, the other end had two rows.

Sigh. Maybe the third time will be the charm.

Sorry about the lack of posts guys, Williams 1st Birthday was Saturday, and my Mother in Law decided to come at the last minute.  She hasn’t been out to visit in two years, so I have tried to focus on that as much as I can.  Here are a few pictures from the party.

William, loved the new truck, given by my lifelong friend Liz and her family.  They all enjoy it and it was the perfect, and most loved gift received I think.

The cake was enjoied by the birthday boy, and he had his first taste of chocolate.  He was done, and ready to get out by this point, so he was alternating from happy to mad.

Now, you know me, and so instead of party favors and games, we dyed wool, for all 12 kids.  It was a huge hit and all the children had a fun time.

This little one really enjoied dyeing the wool, and she got really excited.  I should have thought to photo the results because they were really beautiful.  I am always amazed how lovely the dye jobs are when kids get busy.

Finally, back to spindle and wheel business.  I decided that for November, we will have a special Holiday Issue, full of last minute gifts.  That’s it, no articles, no features, just quick and fun little projects that make good gifts, so email me right away if you have a pattern posted on your blog, or something of your own design.  We will take almost anything, if there are pictures to go along with it, and it works.  So let me know, this is a great time to get involved.

So the top triangle, is the beginning of my entrelac shawl.  I am not finished with the design, but I am getting close, I like it.  This will be for the base triangles.

The second is a pattern for the Holiday Exclusive hee hee.  It is very simple and knits up very fast, yet looks quite lovely.  I knitted one strand of fingering alpaca yarn with one strand of laceweight silk/wool blend for a slightly mottled effect.  I am now knitting up the lace edging, and refining that for the finished scarf.  It will be knit only with the lace weight silk/wool yarn and should be lovely.  I’m in a bit of a hurry, because I want to send it along with my Mother In Law.  She has expressed much interest in it, as has everyone else who has seen it   My sister also hinted aroud quite a bit, that she wanted it.  LOL so I guess it’s a hit.

I will finish up my contest winner package once my company leaves, I apologize, but I can’t exactly get out to finish it all up until she leaves on Wed.  So be patient with me guys!