Twelve Calm Nights

These next twelve days and nights always seem like a gift to me, the calm after the storm. Deadlines have been met, things are done, there is food aplenty and friends and family still around to visit.

The Christmas knitting is done, wrapped and given:


And projects planned but postponed are back on tap:


I have been spinning and dyeing for this new project: a spindle bag, for the Golding Mandala spindle you see with the yarn and pattern. Some of the yarns (the white and turquoise so far) were spun on the very spindle this bag will house, and the design is, of course, inspired by the spindle itself. I'm setting up the Cricket for this portable project, and am just wiggling with anticipation.

I expect this to be the first of several (!) new bags. I want them for the upcoming classes, so people will have new bags to see, new ideas for their own projects. I like to bring new things, not the same old worn out samples, and in some cases, I am also trying new colors: Amy! the green yarn is new! I'm branching out (heh). (You and Sarah in the comments: too funny, and alas, too true).

Gone are the days when I had children at home for another week, but regular business does not settle down to the usual routine until after the New Year (or Twelfth Night, in my case). Let the weaving commence!

Colors of the Season

So far, no repercussions on yesterday's Birthday Post :)!

Today is Sue's Birthday!!

Today, Thursday, December 17th is Sue’s birthday. She is 70!!
(I am so going to pay for this.)

Sue is a local friend, a mother, grandmother, former state worker, veterinarian's assistant, chef, hospice worker, and licensed ordinary seaman, now a traveling companion, fiber person, homesteader, avid gardener, singer, and guild member. She is cheerful host to a monthly knitting group:



She does beautiful spinning and knitting:


(This shawl was on the cover of Spin Off Fall 2009!)

She is also a weaver:






She has sheep and goats, and has provided me with fiber for several years now:


We've traveled together all over this country by conveyances large and small:





Sue threw a wonderful birthday party last Sunday, catered by local chef and new guild member Wendy (Ravelry link). Sue also hosted the guild Christmas party Tuesday night, opening her beautiful home to guild members and their spouses.

She usually avoids notoriety:



Not today :)!. If you know Sue, give her a call or send an email wishing her the best on this, her birthday!

(I am so in trouble. Watch this space.)

A Good Beginning

There is nothing quite so nice as a warped loom, ready to begin:


Given the gift-like nature of the month, the other loom is warped too:


It's early enough in the month to be relaxed about completing these gifts, weaving being a quick thing to accomplish.

Good thing, too, because the storms hit:


We've had 12 inches, give or take, followed by very cold weather, wherein it just does not seem prudent to heat up that tent out in the yard:



The sun has threatened to shine and usually warms things up:


Not this time however: the days are too short, the air is too Arctic.

So the looms remain patiently idle. In the meantime I've been doing some knitting, some spinning and working with those spindles. The power has remained on, and I've got books to listen to, tea on hand and food in the pantry. Not much suffering here, just waiting.

Spindle Yarns

When does a new activity become an obsession?


I've been stealing time from other holiday preparations to spin:


First I tried all sorts of different fibers and spindles. Oddly enough, for someone who does not use spindles (until now), I had quite the collection.

But, as is the case for 'most any new process that needs to integrate into the larger picture, I'm done with the playing around, and on to the planning of projects, and spinning towards a few goals. This will be a pair of gloves:


The blue mix is some of my first spinning, and the orange blend I simply had to have when I saw someone else spinning it at Olds. I think they will look nice together, despite somewhat of a variation in grist.

This is some of the very first yarn from that same spindle, Lincoln, for pile:


Much of the first spinning will in fact be pile yarns: very forgiving in that they will end up as 1" cut lengths :).

The blue is my carry-around spinning, a wool-silk blend from Lambspun, which will join a few skeins of wheel-spun cashmere-silk and wool-silk already destined for a shawl:


It must be some part of my Virgo personality that makes it imperative that I spin for something, rather than just spin. Lots of spindle spinning lately, which I am sure will improve my technique, and also give me a nice shawl, some gloves and yarn to add to the pile pile.

Obsessed. Is this a problem?