The Nappy Ewe

Feeling Good!

2011-10-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I am fully recovered from my surgery (at least to me anyway) and I am even back at work! I feel so much better.

I went to my first Mocha Knits meet up! We met at Panera Bread at Canal and Roosevelt in Chicago, and had a blast. The meet up was centered around a gift swap. I go such a nice treat from my swap partner Nicole and my other swap partner Analisa was happy with her treats too. It was fun all around.

What am I knitting and what have I finished you ask? Well, I am working on
the Love It, Leaf It beret from Knit1 Magazine. I also finished a sweater! Look:

It's my version of the Greenfield Cardigan from New England Knits. Of course, I love the leaves. I knit the sweater in super bulky weight yarn! Quick and beautiful!

My latest reads? Have you checked out the new book by Alana Dakos and Hannah Fettig? If not, go and order a copy of Coastal Knits! It is a beautiful book with beautiful photography as well as patterns. I want to knit the whole book. Alana has the book for sale on her blog: nevernotknitting.blogspot.com. Get one!!!

There you are: quick and to the point! Keep knitting!!!

Updates!!!!!

2011-09-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

Here are a few updates for ya!

1. I won 2nd and 3rd place at the Will County Fair for my hat and beaded clutch!

2. I am working on two sweaters at one time. Lots of fun.

Sweater #1: February Lady Sweater

Sweater #2: Greenfield Sweater from New England Knits

I just had to have these!!!!

3. The school year is going well. The kids are good (so far) and they are anxious to learn.

4. Finally, last but not least, I am scheduled for a hysterectomy on Sept. 21st. Can you believe it? 4-6 weeks of knitting time while I recover! I am happy for both the operation (good-bye pain and other unpleasant things to gross to mention on my blog) and the knitting time. I just may finish those sweaters!!!!!

Back to School

2011-08-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

I am both happy and sad to say that school will start very soon. I must therefore return to work. But, before I end my summer of fiber fun, I must share some updates on my knitting and spinning!

Here is a photo of the tam that I will enter into the county fair at the end of the month. The pattern is Flower Love, Fair Isle Tam. I used a skein of varigated acrylic yarn to do the fair isle. So, it is really faux isle, but, I love how it came out.

I also will enter this lovely beaded purse. The pattern was Beaded Bags by Valerie Bracegirdle. I used a gift skein of medium weight Socks that Rock in the Cockeyed color way. And yes, I had to string all of those beads. But, it was worth it, right?

I have also started an Etsy shop! Stop by the shop and graze. I hope you like it! Go to http//www.etsy.com/shop/thenappyewe to check it out!

Spinning you say? Well, I have finished the last of my Cicero fleece! I am just letting the plied skein rest before I set the twist. I have also finished a skein of BFL that I named Crown Jewels. This skein, and my first skein of Cicero are on display in my shop.

Here is a peak at the Crown Jewels!

I have also done some fiber swapping with Sherrill of the Belle of the Ball Podcast. She sent me som BFL fleece, and I sent her some Cicero (leicester longwool fleece). That was my first time trading, and I truly enjoyed it!

Finally, to finish off my summer of fiber and knitting, I will attend Stitches Midwest on Aug. 26th-27th. I will take 2 classes this time, along with attacking the market place. I've made plans to have dinner with friends too! Shear joy!

Well, until the next time, God Bless and keep knitting.

Cicero

2011-07-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Remember that lovely Leicester Longwool fleece that I scored? Well, as you know it is all clean and has been spun into a lovely skein of yarn. Now, I gave some away (I had sooooooooo much), and I still have 3.25 ounces left to spin! But, here is the first skein:

A hat? Mitts? A nice scarf? I will have to let all possibilities marinate.

Take the Quiz here!

Summertime, Fiber Time!!!

2011-07-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hello!!!! Yes, I know, long time, right? Well as soon as school was out, I went into hermit phase. I slept, knit, spun, and just relaxed after a long school year. Whew, I needed that. Now that July is here, I must get on the band wagon, and get to fiber work. This is the month in which I do the bulk of my fiber work, and also enjoy all that the Chicagoland area has to offer for summer fun!

So, as you know, I bought a fleece in May. I am done washing it, and I am now flick carding and spinning it. This Leicester fleece is my goal for Tour de Fleece. I want to have it carded and spun by the end of the Tour. Wish me luck! Here's a photo of what is spun so far, and the nice, clean locks:

I have also been reading. I got the Interweave Knits Weekend issue. You know, me and magazines are just lovers. I get them, read them, drool over the patterns, and then I do not knit anything from them. I just LOVE TO LOOK AT THE PICTURES AND READ THE TECH ARTICLES!!!! Weird, right? But, I am now waiting for my issue of KnitScene Fall 2011, and also my copy of Piecework. Now, my love for Piecework is truly a love of my "old soul". I love antiques and historical knitting is just lovely. I love to read about it and study it. One day, I will knit something historic and lacey!

Well, I also just picked up my pre-ordered copy of Little Red in the City by Ysolda!!!! What a wonderful book. I am actually taking my time, and reading it. I never have time to read tech books cover to cover, but, this one! It is so helpful. I might actually be able to knit a full sweater without fear now. Every time I try, it is either too big, too long, to tight somewhere. But, Ysolda's book breaks down sizing, how to get it right, and it all starts with the right measurements. So, I will have my mom, who sews, take my measurements, and I will use them from now on to make sure that my sweaters will be masterpieces; not master disasters!

Finally, I got a copy of Knit One, Knit All by Elizabeth Zimmermann. What can I say? This book is great. I love the garter stitch inspired patterns. They are simple enough for me to work on, and they are just plain beautiful.

I am sure that you can see all of the post its marking important stuff!

I also went to the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair on June 24th. I took a spinning class with.... are you ready? Abby Franquemont!!!! YES! I know right? She is wonderful, and such a regular person. Also, she is great with the wheel. Guess whom else I also met, and got him to sign my copy of It Itches? YES, Franklin Habit. I told him I hoped that I was not bothering him and that it was cheesy to ask for an autograph. He said, no it wasn't and that he was honored!!! Such nice folks and they are celebrities too. Well, in the knitting world anyway. I got some stash also. I bought some teeswater locks that are lime green! Ha! I also got two ounces of covered cormo wool combed top. That is a mouth full!

Okay, knitting. I have finished a hat, the Flower Love, Fair Isle Tam. I finally took the full plunge and tackled fair isle. It was fun, and not too hard. I am glad that I did it. Here are a few photos of the hat:

Also, I finished the Skipping Stones Simple Shawlette. I always, ALWAYS have trouble with those damn center yarn overs and stuff. So, my center is, well, off center. But, I don't care! I still love my shawlette. Here it is:

Other than that, the Ladybug is still wonderful, I have lots of spinning to do, and well, I am chillin' like a villain on my vacation. Yeah me!!!!

A Fine Fleeece for Me!

2011-05-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

Okay! I know; it is a slippery slope this knitting/spinning/fiber craft. You slide down the knitting slope to fall into the spinning crevice. You dig your way through to spinning success only to find that you are at the summit of another slope: buy and cleaning fleeces. What more can I say? Nothing! Here are the photos:

Here you see the fleece in bags AFTER the skirting and picking that I did. Now mind you, this is my first fleece. I was not sure about what parts to keep and such, so I hope I did okay. I got this lovely fleece from Three Fates Farm in Crete, IL. I was so happy to find a sheep farm with fleeces for sale so close to home. 11 miles away! Thank you to Dr. Karen for her kindness and for allowing me and my two short people into her home to view fleeces. The good doctor has a menagerie of animals including a handsome tom turkey and lamas too! I got a 6 lb. leicester longwool fleece! You know that fleece from the Golden Fleece stories? Well, it is curly like that!!! As you can see, I am using a dog rake and comb for the flick carding. So far, they work pretty well.

Here is my team of cleaning power: Ivory dish liquid, some Borax to soften our water, vinegar to cut the suds down a notch, and Dove Condition to soften the locks. The conditioner and borax ideas I got from a post on the Spinning Daily forums. It makes the carding a bit easier.

Wash and rinse 3 times, with the final rinse being with the conditioner. I let each wash/soak period last for 20 minutes. Finally, they are ready to dry!

I flick card the locks. I do this outside because all of the left over veggie matter comes falling off. The final product looks like this:

Pretty, huh? And soooooooooooooo soft!

Can you believe that I had the nerve to say that I would NEVER do this? Kinda like the I will NEVER spin comment! Ha! God sure loves pulling fast ones on me! Oh, by the way, school ends in 9 days!!!!! Really 8 days and 1 hour! I cannot wait for that uninterrupted knitting/spinning/fiber processing time! C'mon June 10th!

I Met Ysolda!!!!!

2011-05-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

Hello! Just a quick little note. I went down to Loopy Yarns located at Polk and Dearborn in downtown Chicago, and guess who I met? Ysolda Teague! She is soooooo nice, and, well, normal. She talked with us, and discussed her new book, Little Red in the City. If you buy a book this year, get Little Red! This book is part technique/knitting manual, part pattern book. Wonderful. I was very excited and nervous about meeting her. But, she was so sweet. She also got a hair cut. It is a little pixie cut. She looks like Tinkerbell in retro glasses! I pre-ordered the book, and I cannot wait to have it in my hot little chocolate brown hands! I am working on an Icing Swirl Hat from Whimsical Little Knits 1, so that I can have some Ysolda under my belt.

Also, spinning on my Ladybug is still wonderful. I have spun and plied two skeins so far. It is amazing to me how nice these skeins look. I know that with practice, they will look even better. Here they are:

Not too shabby, huh? Let me know what you think. I am taking a spinning class at Midwest Fiber and Folk Art in June. So, things can only get better! Talk with ya soon!

Gone Buggy!

2011-04-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

Hello. I know it has been a long time. BUT, a lot has been going on!

#1. I have begun knitting socks! I know...I said that I would never knit socks. But, using worsted weight yarn makes it easy. See.....

#2. I am still working on 2 sweaters. Yes, I am crazy!

Now, #3, the big reason why I have been slack in blogging. I have been on a quest to get a new spinning wheel. I was torn. I was not sure of what kind, or brand, yadda, yadda, yadda! Well, I made a choice and it was.......

A SCHACHT LADYBUG!!!! LOOK AT HER! ISN'T SHE CUTE AS A.......BUG?
She spins wonderfully, and treadles like butta! OMG it is like driving a car....but a good one! Her little ladybug birthmark is near the back in between the treadles.

So, as you can see,making these life altering decisions and knitting wonderful garments have taken up my time! Hey, these short blogs are great. Maybe doing them short will encourage more blogging? We shall see!

Oh Baby! Suprise Jacket of course!

2011-03-03T15:35:00.000-08:00

Hello! Look at what I did! My first official Elizabeth Zimmerman Baby Surprise Jacket. It really is a surprise too. I mean, you are knitting along, increasing along, and wondering to your self: "What is this going to look like?" You finally finish your last 3 ridges and look at it. You do what Meg says (because of course, you are watching the DVD as you knit), and poof! It really is a sweater! This cute little sweater embellished with football buttons is for my daughter's teacher. His wife is pregnant, and the man LOVES Notre Dame. So, here is a little sweater for their little Notre Dame fan to be. It is just too cute, I almost wanted to keep it. But then, I heard my good angel say no, no and this, it will be delivered on Tuesday morning (no school on Monday). Well, here it is:

I know, I know! Just wonderful. I love Elizabeth Zimmerman. What a mastermind! What's next you ask? I am going to work on a sweater for me, and I want to try and get yarn (bulky) so that I can do another MeMe Sweater for my MIL. She deserves it. I also have a few accessories on the needles, which includes a tam for my Claudi-Boo (my daughter). So, I will keep you posted! Be blessed and knit on!

STRANDED!

2011-02-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have done it. I took the leap. I have made my first stranded color knitting swatch. And........

I love it! I know. I will start out slow with simple patterns and then, if brave enough, I will move on to the big guns. Just had to share! Yeah me!!!

Snowed In! Time to Knit!

2011-02-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

Hello from snowy Park Forest. I have been snowed in for two days with two kids, one husband, and a dog. Whew! Believe it or not, they have left me alone to knit. Well, I have gotten a lot done since my last post, so, lets get to the show and tell:

I knit the fingerless mitts Fetching from Knitty.com. However, if you look closely, I had to name these two differently. The one on top is "Throwing", and the one on the bottom is "Fetching". Why you ask? Well, on "Throwing", I did a K2, P2 from the cable needle instead of a K2, K2. The result was not horrible, but, a shorter cable group....I think.

My handspun coopworth yarn went from this lovely ball....

To this lovely cowl! Yeah me!

I also finished a bear for the Mother Bear Project. It is being organized by Dr. Gemma of the CogKnitive Podcast. The bears are sent to children in Africa and Haiti who have lost parents to AIDS or are infected with the disease themselves. I hope my bear makes a child very happy! Here he is!

Don't get excited. I did all of this over a number of days, including Holiday Break. I just had not posted them yet.

Now, the big news... I am working on my first pair of socks. This has been the big "snow day" knitting project. Yes, I said it, a pair of socks. Now, I did not EVER want to knit socks. I like sock yarn, but it is toooooooooooo thin! I am a bulky yarn gal myself. Every blog that I visit boasts of lovely handknit socks so wonderful and better than store bought. So, I decided to try it. I tried it with sock yarn. Those socks are in the trash. Really, I threw them out! They made me nuts! That skinny yarn, and tiny needles. Ugh! What to do? Knit house socks in worsted yarn! Much better, and going much faster. I am already on the decreases for the second sock! I started these on Tuesday night. It is now Thursday afternoon. I can now join the ranks of sock knitters all around the world. Ha!

Well, I cannot think of anything else. I have to go back to work tomorrow, so, I must sign off. I will write again next month. Until then, Happy Valentine's Day, Happy President's Day, and Happy Black History Month!

Happy Knit Year

2011-01-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy Knit Year! I have been blessed enough to make it to 2011 and I have some yarn to follow me too.

Knitting?
Where do I start? Well, the holidays were BUSY around here. I hosted Christmas Eve for my side of the family, and it was great. The food, decorations, everything was great. I also gave some knitted goodness for gifts. Look and see:

Here is my mom with her Rasta Cowl made from Malabrigo Rasta. She was thrilled to get some knitted goodness. She is now shopping for things to go with it! Holla!

Here is my mother-in-law with her MeMe Sweater 2.0. She was happy with her gift. Is the first MeMe Sweater gone forever? Hmmmmm, I don't know. I will work on it here and there and see what happens. Anywho, doesn't she look good in it? I told her to wear it with long sleeves to give her added warmth. Yeah Me!

Here is Bo! She is my father-in-law's wife and she was so not expecting a wrap for her gift. I will call this wrap The Leaf Wrap. It was an accident actually. My Modern Garden Cardi was too long, and so I cut it. I still don't like how it turned out, but, I had this long strip of knitting left over. What to do with it? A wrap of course. Wow, see what happens from mistakes in knitting? Creation people, creation. Bo was also happy with her knitted goodness. She said that the wrap was perfect for the lab/office where she works. It will keep her warm.

Finally, here is my big sister Barbara. She hounded a sista ALL YEAR LONG for a pair of slippers. Constantly nagging, "Where are my slippers? You have enough yarn, so get to knitting!" Well, needless to say, she was satisfied, and magically, the nagging has stopped. Are those angels I hear?

Okay, so all that knitting for the holidays is over. What am I working on now? Not much. I am working on some dish cloths from a Barbara Walker stitch pattern from Piecework Mag, hopefully a sweater for me, and who knows what else. My knitting resolution for the new year was to just knit and have fun. Not to worry if 20 rows later, I find out that I made a yarnover when I didn't want to, or if there is a knit where a purl should be. I am knitting for me...for fun. Not for perfection...just for me. Just for fun! The knitting police are not coming to my house to drag me off to federal prison where I will be forced to knit perfect rows as punishment. No knitted house arrest bracelets for me just because I knitted what made me happy with a mistake in it!

I will also try to hit a few new fiber festivals if I can, along with the usual ones too. As for stash. Well, I will try to be as good as I can and not overwhelm the house with yarn, or to break our bank. I am usually pretty good with this yarn control thing. Really!

Reading?
I just got the Winter 2011 issue of Vogue Knitting. It is like a throwback to vintage styles and the designs are beautiful. As usual, I am unsure if I will knit any of these patterns. However, I love to look at them and be inspired.

HO, HO, HO!!!!! Under the tree!
Well, Santa left me a few goodies. I got a leather lighted case for my Kindle, a new LG Optimus T Android phone, and I also got a Namaste Monroe bag too. In Peacock no less. Oh, I also got the best gift of all time....time with my family. Priceless!

Well, I guess that is it. I will be back at work on Monday, and I will write a new entry before the end of the month as usual. Thank you for reading and Happy Knit Year!

Happy Holidays

2010-11-30T16:41:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy Holidays! Yes, I am working hard teaching 3rd grade, but, I still make time for knitting. But, as the holidays roll in, I feel like I will NEVER FINISH MY PROJECTS!!!! Which ones you say? Well......

1) The MeMe Sweater! It's those damned sleeves!!! They just go on forever, and I just cannot get motivated to finish them. My mother-in-law wants her sweater, I know. She is so sweet about it though. She says she knows that knitting a sweater takes time. God bless her. I pray to finish by Christmas Eve so that she can have it for Christmas.

2) The Rasta Button Cowl for my mom. She decided that she did not want a sweater (wonder why) and asked for a funky, chunky cowl instead. I know, easy, quick knit. But, with that sweater hanging over me, I feel like I won't finish.

Okay, time for a game plan. Work on the sweater EVERYDAY until I finish it. I know I can do it. Hey, man walked on the moon, women in the US can vote, and I can finish that sweater!!!

There is a bit of joy thought. I have decided to make some changes to the blog. I will just ramble on about knitting like I am doing now. This way, I will not feel bad if I forgot to mention a book or something. Also....I FINISHED A HAT FOR MYSELF!!! I finished the Frukttradgtard beret from The Fibre Company.

I did it in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky, in their Navy colorway. So cute! I made it in bulky and did some number crunching to make it a bit bigger. I have big curly hair, and I needed the room. I do not know what is next for me, but, once the sweater is done, I will pick a new project to start on.

As far as reading goes, I have a new love: My Kindle! I love it. It is so wonderful. I just go to Amazon.com, look for books that I want to read, buy them and zap! They are ready for me to read, just like that! Now, I must say that knitting books will still be purchased in hard copy. There is just something about looking at all that fibery goodness in color!!! But, all my fiction stuff is headed for the Kindle.

I have also received my copy of the Winter 2010 Interweave Knits, as well as their Holiday Knits Issue. What can I say? Wonderful projects as usual, and cute gift items as well. Go and pick them up; you will not be disappointed.

OH! HOW COULD I FORGET! I will be teaching another knitting class at my job for the other teachers. This time, I will teach them how to knit a hat, in the round. Get this, I will teach them how to use either a 16" needle, or a 24" or longer for magic loop!!! Be still my heart! I just love sharing my craft. I hope the teachers will like the lesson. I even invited the male teachers. Will they come you say? We will just have to wait and see!

Well, I have two weeks off this month, so, I will try my best to blog back by then. I would like to post some New Year's plans. I heard on Belle of the Ball Podcast that there are some Ravelry groups for the new year that sound interesting. I will have to check those out. So, Happy Holidays again, and keep knitting!!!

Hello! Kinda Slumped!

2010-10-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

Hello. I have been working hard at school, educating America. I have been working so hard, that I have kinda gotten into a knitting slump. Not a "I don't want to knit" slump, but a "Gee, I have no time to knit" slump! Life soooooo sucks! Can't I just stay home a knit my life away? Oops! Was that out loud. Anyway...here we go!!!

What Am I Knitting?

Projects right now are kind of slow. I am still working on my MeMe Sweater for my mother-in-law. I hope to have it finished by Christmas. I have started the sleeves (two on one circ), and I am sooooo anxious to get to the yoke. I am still debating on whether or not to do some color work, or to do just plain bands of color. I will have to play around with color patterns to see if I can come up with something nice, but not difficult.

I have also become engrossed in shawls. I have seen some lovely ones on Ravelry, and I want to knit them all. I have to also learn how to put things in my queue on Ravelry. This way, I can check it and see what I want to knit. Right now, I just have a bunch of patterns sitting around looking at me, with no possibility of being knit. BUT, organization does things to me, so, if I get it together on Ravelry, I will me motivated to work on something. Maybe a KAL to put a flame under my butt? Hmmm?

Spinning

I have not spun anything too big lately. I just finished up some bamboo. That stuff is slippery! But, the color is beautiful, and it feels so soft to the touch. It is still on the bobbin, because I have to learn how to prep and ply it. So, I've got some research to do.

What I'm Reading

I have read a few new mags when they came out. Interweave Knits Weekend, Knit Simple the holiday issue, and a new mag to add to my collection, Knitting Today. The jury is still out on this one. I have to see at least one more issue to determine if it will be worth the $$$$. I have other mags that I bought and stopped buying because they did not interest me. However, I want very much to give this new mag a chance. Online mags have caught my eye too. Knit Circus is so much fun, and full of great information, and of course, Twist Collective rocks the house. I just have to get brave and begin knitting some of the cool stuff I see in these mags.

I ordered and read Knitting Around by Elizabeth Zimmermann, and I now own all of her books. I dream of going to Knitting Camp and meeting Meg Swanson. I hope to save enough money, and go one day. It is over the summer, so it is perfect! I will be on vacation and everything. I will pray on it. But, I digress...back to blogging.

There is a blog called Knitting Zimmerman. The lady is knitting her way through the Knitting Almanac. Wow, to be so brave (sigh). I am also still waiting for Rachel Herron's new book to come out. It is a sequel to How to Knit a Love Song. Cannot wait!

Knit Events

The only knit happening that I hit after Stitches Midwest was YarnCon in Chicago. This is the city's fiber festival, and it is fun. I shopped and then had lunch with a friend. Believe it or not, I did not buy any yarn! I grabbed up some fiber, and a couple of project bags, but that was it. I know, I am being good. I just cannot see the point in buying more yarn.... until I see something extremely irresistible! Ha!

Podcasts

And finally, for podcasts. I am happy to announce that Chrissy from The Manic Purl Podcast is back in action. I missed her and was happy to see her back. I pray that her wrist will continue to heal, and that she will knit on. Oh, David Reedy of Sticks and Strings is terrific! I love that Australian accent! Crocodile Dundee with knitting needles! Too much; I swoon!

Time to sign off and knit. Once again, sorry for the long break. I hope to be more current in sharing my knitting life. Knit on.

Home From Stitches Midwest

2010-08-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

Hello! I am back from my last summer getaway at Stitches Midwest. It was fun. I took a class and a couple market sessions, did some shopping, and stayed overnight. Away from my husband! Away from my kids! I know, mom's paradise, right?

Well, my 3 hour class was instructed by Sandi Rosner, a class called: You Don't Need a Pattern for That! She said that it should have been called Knitters Math, but no one would have signed up for it. The class showed us how, with a swatch and some simple 3rd grade math, we could come up with our own patterns. Now, as you know, I teach 3rd grade, and I expect, with practice, to be excellent at this! Sandi was a great teacher, and I hope to have class with her again at Stitches next year.

I took two market sessions: Continental Knitting, and Slip Stitch Knitting. Both classes were to help me improve my skills. I like slip stitch knitting, because it is color work without the Fair Isle. But, in case I ever decided to do Fair Isle, well, I would need to work with the yarn in both hands. Thus the need for the Continental Knitting class. Enough said!

I bought a few more circs for my collection and some beads to do a beaded scarf pattern in the future. I enjoyed myself, met some nice people (Hello, Tamara!), and I look forward to next year. Well, I go back to work tomorrow for another school year. I have been teaching for 13 years this fall, and I cannot think of another career for myself. I love teaching. Wish me luck this year, and I will blog again once the back to school hub-bub calms down. Oh, by the way, the MeMe sweater is getting along fine. I feel that Elizabeth herself is watching over my progess. I hope to finish it by November. God Bless, and keep knitting!

Stitches Midwest

2010-08-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

Hello!!!! I am overly excited because Stitches Midwest is on the way. I will be taking a class and a couple of Market Sessions as well. I have been blessed by my mom with the funds to take those sessions and so..... a shout out to the lady who bore me. Thanks Mom!!!

On My Needles

I am knitting away on what I call "The MeMe Sweater". It is for my mother-in-law, who my children call MeMe. Thus the sweater name. I am using the Yoke Sweater pattern from the wonderful Elizabeth Zimmermann. I find that the EPS (Elizabeth's Percentage System) is pretty accurate. I only had to increase by four stitches and the sweater is progressing well. I hope to have it finished by her birthday in November, or by Christmas. She is excited about it, and so am I.

Other than that, I am hoping to start a pair of mittens and a new hat for myself soon, as well as a sweater for my mom. She saw my Modern Garden Cardi, and now she wants one. Mind you, this is the same woman who said when I started knitting: "I don't want any knitted gifts!" Well, how soon we change our feelings once we look upon good knitting. I still love her though.

As far as spinning, I am trying my hand at bamboo. Slippery little fiber! It was my challenge for The Tour, but, I am still working on it. I hope to have enough to ply/knit. I never seem to have enough to knit into something. I bought a ball or huge wad of Coopworth that I hope will spin into enough to knit a scarf or something.

What I am Reading

In the last few entries, I have neglected to add what I am reading. Well, I have read three wonderful books recently, and I just have to tell you about them. These books are a series written by Heidi Betts. The are Tangled Up in Love, Loves Me, Loves Me Knot, and Knocked Me for a Loop. These knitting inspired stories are funny, steamy, knitting stories that will keep you reading and have you wishing for a tall handsome man, and a sweet aunt who spins magic yarn for you. Get these books and read them. I promise that you will enjoy every page.

I will talk to you again after Stitches. I hope to have much to tell!!! Thanks for reading and knit on!!!

Last Day on The Tour

2010-07-25T10:09:00.001-07:00

For the last day of Tour de Fleece, I am spinning a bright golden yellow. Very similar to the yellow that the riders wear. I have had a great time doing the Tour, and I hope to do it again next year!!!

My First Sweater/Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair

2010-07-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hello. So, I realize that I have not fallen off of my bike. In the Tour, there is a category for knitting. I cannot remember the name of the category, but, I fit it. Why? Because I finished my Modern Garden Cardi that's why. MY VERY FIRST SWEATER!!!! Now, I like my sweaters to sometimes fit long, and cover me up to keep me warm. Well, that is just what happened with this one. Remember, when I knit, it is not for perfection. If it fits and I have a flaw or two, who cares! I just knit a whole sweater. Here it is:

I am also now attending a knitting group at the Richton Park Library on Wednesday nights, twice a month. I am so happy to have a group to attend. Yeah me!!!

Now, along with this, I went to the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair up in Grayslake at the Lake County Fairgrounds. WAY FUN!!! I spent money (of course), and met some wonderful ladies from the Windy City Knitting Guild. I want so much to join the Guild, so, I will try my best to make it to the meeting on Tuesday. They meet up on the North Side once a month. I know I can get there, I will just need babysitters for the little people. It was nice to meet some other knitters. I also met a cute little fella there too. No, I still love my husband. This little fella had 4 legs, and a body full of luxurious hair, just waiting to be sheared and shared. Here he is:

I sent a picture of him to my husband jokingly saying that I had bought him. My husband texted back that he was moving. Some people are so touchy and not into the fiber jokes. Any-hoo, I am still spinning for the Tour, and will spin the new 100% bamboo that I got as my challenge on the 22nd. Well, I guess that is it for now. I will keep you posted.

Back to the Tour

2010-07-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, I kinda fell off my "bike" or wheel because of Multnomah and my Modern Garden Cardi. However, I am back to spinning and here is my latest work:

I will try to stay on my wheel everyday now!!!

Multnomah is finished!!!!

2010-07-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

I just finished blocking my Multnomah shawl. It is lovely. I only did 3 feather and fan increases, but, it is wonderful!!!!!

Yea me!!!

Tour de Fleece 2010 Creations

2010-07-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

Hello. Just thought that I would post all of the yarn that I spin during the Tour de Fleece. I hope you enjoy it, and remember...I am on Team Rookie!!!!

7/22/10: This is my challenge fiber: bamboo!!! boo-hoo bamboo!!! It is sooooooo soft, and soooooooo slippery. I keep getting over twist coils, but, I will prevail!!!

I will add pictues to this post as I spin through the Tour. Enjoy!!!

Spinning on the Tour de Fleece

2010-07-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Hello. Yes, it has been a while. But.....I have been on vacation, going to cookouts, and well, sleeping!!!! Anywhoo, I am back and ready to tell you all about what has been going on in my knitting and now spinning life too. So, here we go.....

Podcasts
I have been listening to my usual podcasts, but, I have recently found a new one. Spin Control with Shilo. Shilo is from down state Illinois near St. Louis, and she is funny. She talks about not only knitting, spinning, sewing, and other crafts, but funny things too like her husband's ability to become injured or ill at the drop of a hat. She is worth a listen.

On My Needles

Okay, I have been busy. I am presently I am still working on my Multnomah shawl, and I am almost finished. I only have to finish the feather and fan border and then I can indulge in the wooly beauty and display it for the world to see.

I am also working on a sweater, The Modern Garden Cardi, and a pretty scarf, from the March/April 2010 issue of Piecework. I will just call it "The Grandma Scarf".

What am I Reading/Spinning
I have added spinning to this section because I now have a love for spinning. I have decided to join the Tour de Fleece on Ravelry. Since I am a rookie, I do not have a team, and am just spinning along. So far, I have spun one bobbin full of chocolate brown wool. I am not sure, but, I believe that it is BFL. It's not as springy as merino. But, I will spin for at least 10 minutes a day throughout the Tour. Wish me luck!!!

Knitting Events
I will be attending the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Show in Grayslake, IL on July 17th. I will be able to fondle fiber, and shop til I drop. Also, in late August before my coach turns into a pumpkin and I go back to work, I will be heading off to Stitches Midwest in Schamburg, IL. Once again, I will participate in their fine class offerings, and of course, shop til I drop....again!!!

Well, that's it until next time. Keep knitting and spinning!!!

Hanging Out in Maryland

2010-06-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

Hello from Maryland. I have so much to tell. School is finally out, and I am on vacation. Not only have I received my Little Meggie kick spindle, but a Fidelis spinning wheel too!!! I will post pictures when I return home. I am so excited about spinning. So excited, that I just knew that I would find some great fiber here in Maryland and Virginia. But, no dice. I have been so unlucky in the fiber department. I did hit a couple of yarn shops: Woolwinders in Rockville, MD, and Knitting Sisters in Williamsburg, VA. Cute shops, lots of yarn, but NO FIBER!!!!! Oh well, I will just have to hold out until the Midwest Fiber Fest in July, and Stitches in August. I hope I can survive.

As far as what's on the needles, I am still working on my Multnomah shawl. I have 56more stitches to go before I am at 229 stitches. After that, I can start my feather and fan border. I have also started a sweater of which the name escapes me. I will make sure to edit this entry once I return home to my knitting nook with patterns and such available at my finger tips.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!

2010-05-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hello!!! I know it has been a few weeks, but, health issues both family and personal took over. I had an emergency root canal, and my son had the stomach flu. He loves me so much, that he shared with me as well. What a good son. But, here I am, and yes, tomorrow is Mother's Day (Happy Mother's Day to all of you), and the day after is my birthday. So, this is my weekend. Well, here we go!!!

Podcasts
I found out this week that Wonder Mike of The Fiber Beat podcast, is also on the Y Knit podcast also. I felt somewhat sheepish when I found out, because he did Y Knit before The Fiber Beat. Oh well, I just have a new podcast to listen to. On Belle of the Ball, knitting literature is discussed. A number of great titles were mentioned including A Good Yarn. I was somewhat disappointed to not hear How to Knit a Love Song mentioned. Bummer! Never Not Knitting discusses Icelandic Knitting, and Yarn Craft discusses favorites (tips, books, movies, tools, yarns) of knitting.

On My Needles
Right now, I have a bunch of stuff on my needles. I am still working on Multnomah, but, I have switched to to Berroco Vintage Wool. I just had to use it because the Douglas Fur colorway just called to me. I also started a Pi Shawl after watching Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Workshop. Such inspiration. I am almost done with my Garter Stitch Through the Loop Bowtie Scarf, but, my Morning Frost Wrap is still in the works. I hope to start my summer sweater project on the last day of school which is June 9th!!!! WHOO-HOOO!!!

What am I Reading
The Summer 2010 issue of Interweave Knits has made from my mailbox to my hot little hands!!!! Lovely patterns and a great article on buttonholes. Get one!!!

Knitting Events
Okay, I must register for Stitches Midwest as soon as I am done paying for my emergency root canal. I am also making plans to attend the Midwest Folk and Fiber Arts Fest this summer too. My plan is to stay busy and learn much.

What's New
Okay, as you know, I bought a drop spindle kit and I must say, I am lacking in the drop spindle skills. So, I decided that there had to be a better way to spin. Spinning wheel? Only if I sale a kidney on the black market. Gotta save up for that! However, in my search for a better way to spin, I ran across a kick spindle on Etsy. It is sold by Heavenly Handspinning, and there are demo videos on YouTube. I watched, was fascinated, and ordered one for my birthday. I am excited to try it, and will let you know how it goes. http://heavenlyhandspinning.com/e-commerce-solutions-catalog2.html is the web site. Check it out yourself.

Okay, that's it for this posting. I took some pictures of my tiny, little knitting nook in our family room. I adding them. Enjoy.

Fiber Fest!!

2010-04-19T16:02:00.000-07:00

Hello! Welcome to the Nappy Ewe. I am glad that you are back again. I have a bit to tell you about the past couple of weeks, so here we go.....

Podcasts
This past week I listened to Alana's Never Not Knitting. She has an interview with Kristen Nicholas, and dicusses Kristen's new book on color work. There is a new contest to win the book, and a bag of yarn from Kristen's new line!!!

I also began listening to Webs, the podcast from the Webs Store (aka: yarn.com). The discussion included a run down of what was on sale during their anniversay sale (still going on), and an interview with the head of XRX. XRX handles Knitter's magazine and ALL of the Stitches Conferences. Worth a listen.

On my needles
I have begun working on a Multnomah Shawl. I am knitting it in Socks That Rock, colorway Cock-Eyed. It was a very gracious gift from a shop owner. I am also working on the Morning Frost Wrap from Debbie Stoller's Stitch Nation Yarn Booklet
#1. I am knitting the wrap in Sea Foam from Red Heart Softee. Yes, I said Red Heart, and yes, it is 100% acrylic!!! It is so soft, and easy to work with. Hey, I am no yarn snob, but, that is a topic for another blog!!!I am excited about both projects, and I look forward to their completion.

What am I reading now?
I just got the new issue of Yarn Forward, May 2010. I know, they are $10.99 a pop, but they are sooooooo worth it. The pattens are goregous. I hope to make a decision as to what to knit from this issue soon. I just cannot decide. Pray for me, that I will receive guidance. This issue includes an article about podcasts, and it has an interview with Kelley Petkun of KnitPicks! She talks about podcasting, and how the KnitPicks podcast has bloomed. I am also reading Dirty Sexy Knitting by Christie Ridgeway. What can I say? Knitting, sex, a yarn shop in Malibu, and lots of yarn. There are other things in the book too, but, these are the things that stood out so far. HA!

Knitting Events
I went to the First Beverly Fiber Festival on April 11th. Photos of my finds are above. It was wonderful! Not to big, not to small, just right for Mama Bear. I bought a drop spendle kit from Cloudlover, and I received a hank of Socks that Rock from Toni of The Fold out in Marengo, IL. She was so nice, and I really appreciated her kindness. I will have to take a trip out to Marengo to visit The Fold and get a few things. Road trip!!! I hope to soon register for Stitches Midwest coming up in August. I am looking forward to this event. I will take a class and browse the marketplace looking for fiber deals.

Okay, I guess that is it. I will be back next week with more info and updates. If you like this blog, let me know. Please leave a comment, and let me know what you would like to see here. I have a few ideas of what to write, but, hearing from those who read the blog is also helpful. God Bless, and KEEP KNITTING!!!

Hello!

2010-04-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

This is my first posting to my blog. My intention with this blog is to write about all of my adventures through the ongoing chapter of my life called knitting. My blog is called "The Nappy Ewe" because, like a ewe, I am a girl with thick, curly hair. Cute, huh? What can I say?

During the day, I am a 3rd grade teacher in the south suburbs of Chicago, and at night, I am a wife of ten years, and a loving mother to two very cute kids. In between educating America, and taking care of my family and home, I knit.

I began my knitting adventure in March 2009, and I just recently celebrated my "yarnnivsary". One year and still going strong. I love to learn all I can about knitting, and therefore I attend classes, workshops, fiber festivals and conventions. I read numerous magazines and books, and I spend a lot of time on Ravelry. I would like to set up this blog in the following pattern: podcasts to listen to, what's on my needles, what I am reading, and knitting events that I will be attending.

Podcasts: I enjoy listening to podcasts, and reading their respective blogs. My favorites to date are:

Never Not Knitting
Knit Science
Knit Picks
Yarn Craft
Knitting in the Round
Manic Purl
The Anatomy of Knitting
Fiber Beat

You can find these online or through my favorite venue, Microsoft Zune. They are also available through iTunes. Give them a listen. I think you will enjoy them, especially Fiber Beat!!! It offers video interviews and tutorials. This week, Kelly Petkin of the Knit Picks Podcast is discussing how to read a pattern. Yes, I know, you know how to do it already. BUT, Kelly has some great tips and information about reading charts, and copyrights. Wonder Mike of Fiber Beat has a cool video interview with Cookie A of Sock Innovations, and one with Jacey Boggs of Insubordiknit podcast and the video Sit and Spin. Great podcasts this week. Give them a listen!!!

On my needles: Presently on my needles is The Garter Stitch Through the Loop Scarf from 101 Designer one-skein Wonders. I am knitting it in Rowan Cashsoft DK. I hope to finish this soon, because I want to knit a baby sweater for my cousin-in-law who is pregnant. The baby is due in September, so, I have time. I would also like to work on a sweater for myself, the Clover Cardi from Knitscene Winter07/Spring08 issue, and sweater for my mother-in-law.

What am I reading now?: I just got the Knitscene Easy 2010 today. Too cute! Go get your issue. It has cute, easy projects, tips and tools that knitters or all levels will enjoy. I also just finished reading How to Knit a Love Song by Rachael Herron. WONDERFUL!!! It had everything I like: romance, cowboys, knitting, and even a little bit of yoga!!

Knitting Events: I will be attending the first Beverly Hills Fiber Festival on 4/11/10 from 11am-5pm at the Beverely Arts Center. It is hosted by My Sister's Knits yarn shop, located at 99th and Walden Parkway in Chicago's Beverly Neighbohood. $2 to get in and shop 'til you drop!!! Bring some money and a smile. Oh yeah, there will be a charity there, I cannot remember the name, but, they will be collecting knitted and crocheted hats for chemo patients. Bring a hat, and warm a heart.

I hope that this blog will be a resource of fun and information for you, and I hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to let me know what you think!!! I am still learning how to blog, so as I learn, I will add more photos, links and other fun items. Thanks for reading!