Dyed in the Wool Handmade

This shawl has been completed for a long time, I just needed to weave in a couple of ends and block the thing. So I finally did. I didn’t actually block it on my blocking board, it was way too big, and if I had pinned it to the floor the cats would have parked themselves all over it, so what I did was hang it over a clothesrail along its vertical center, and it blocked itself by its own weight. I might block it again sometime to gain more length along the spine. The shawl contains five skeins of Manos del Uruguay; two brown and three variegated. Here’s the pattern. It’s been keeping my shoulders warm these past few FREEZING May days. It’s damp and grey and cold out there.

Also, here are a few photos from Alex’s birthday.

Please?

I’m trying to get the insomnia under control but I’m having a hard time with it. It’s last night for me now, rather than this morning. I wish it was morning. I feel like spinning but I’m so tired I know my hands won’t work.

Tonight (last night) was our SnB and I worked on my Manos shawl. I’m almost finished. I’ve decided definitely to add fringe, which means I’ve got a few more rows to go and then I can cut up the rest of the yarn. Debbie has already finished hers! She wins! I totally wanted to win.

Tonight (last night) I wore my favourite handknit socks for the last time. The left heel gave way a few hours ago and the right heel is utterly transparent. They were Fleece Artist merino socks. I knit them in September of 2006.

I got my Ravelry t-shirt today (yesterday). I’m wearing it; it is now my favourite pajama.

Jeremy and I have been rotting our brains with a lot of television lately. Since I can knit or spin while watching tv I don’t feel quite as gluttonous. Reruns of 90210 have finally progressed into season 6 so now Kelly is destroying her life with cocaine. Robot Chicken rules my world. I Love NY may be making me stupider, but it’s totally worth it, and I’m not nearly as stupider as America’s Most Smartest Model. Keeping with the current theme of lowbrow entertainment, we’ve also decided to watch Nip/Tuck and began with the first season. Good character development is so unnecessary with storylines such as these. We’ve just begun season 3.

My other heel just gave. Good night (morning). Send zzzzs.

Next year I’m going for sure. I’m starting to save my pennies because could it get any better? Fleece and sheep and wool and yarn and booze, all together as they should be.

I started knitting the shawl with the Manos I bought in New Jersey. I decided to use the pattern for the Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl, but I’ve altered it so that it’s mostly knit with the random purl ridge here and there. I’m making my colour changes sort of at random; the only guideline I’m following is that I want the shawl to be more brown at the top and more varigated at the bottom.

I spent the weekend dyeing and spinning. I finished the Pippi Knee Socks fibre and it looks fantastic.

Edited to add: Pippi Knee Socks’ site is down. Where did she go?