About to begin the new school year

In family news, school starts next week for Nathaniel and I can't believe how time has flown. This summer was packed with events- trip to Yosmite, cub scout camp, a week at the farm, and a ballet performance. The trip to Yosmite started off a bit bad with an unplanned night of sleep on the Augusta airport floor and only one day in San Fransisco. The weather was wonderful, but caused a few sunburns. We came home with only 1329 photos. We had a week of normal work and then it was scout camp time. Then 2 weeks off and it was time for Nathaniel to spend a week with Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Sydney at the farm in Illinois. He had a blast helping mow the lawn among other things. Now school starts next week and I can't believe we are done with summer.

In dance news, Nathaniel and I danced for a local event. For his first time performing ballet, he did great. He started ballet this spring in March, I think. He danced in both a quartet with another boy and 2 girls (including lifts). They worked really well together and pulled it off with only about 5 hours total of practice. I danced in both a group number (with the tutus pictured in the last post) and performed the Paquita variation #4 (or 5 depending on which numbering system you use). I have never done a solo and this was on pointe as well. I have seen the video and boy do I need to work on some stuff. I have never seen myself dance before and it was scary. It didn't help that the stage was slick. We both performed in the finale which was learned by everyone in about 3 hours. We definitely were not a polished group, but had fun and no one got hurt by the slippery stage. We are also getting ready to help my ballet teacher launch his new studio (this includes a repeat performance of what we did before, hopefully better than before).
Other than ballet I also competed in the Dublin Irish Festival adult dance competition. It was a fun evening. For the first time I was in the over 35 category and therefore dancing against about 18 other people. I got first in Jig and third in Treble Jig. I really messed up the Slip Jig and slightly messed up the Hornpipe, but had fun.

In spinning news, I tried to do the Tour de Fleece this year. I was going to spin the 3 Spunky club fibers I had (April, May and June), but didn't finish. I got the first 2 done quickly and then had other things going on. I did get some drop spindle time in while at scout camp. The scouts and other leaders were interested in the spinning, so hopefully some packs out there might try it. Today was the Mid-Ohio Fiber Festival in Newark, OH. I got there around 9 when they opened and was there for about 1.5 hours. I had a lovely time just looking at the vendors. The Woolery was there and I got some stuff from them:I got a packet of 2oz of silk bells, 3 packets of cocoons, and a 3/4 oz turkish spindle. I got a small packet of silk from a different vendor (can't remember who) and also 2 4oz balls of undyed wool from another vendor (a CVMX and a RomeldaleX).

In knitting news, I finished Darin's sweater, so I got to start my Bohus sweater. We revised the color pattern from the Wild Apple sweater to have fewer colors. I am using KnitPicks Palette and only 9 colors. Some of the color rows had 3 colors used and they took a long time to knit. I am now in the boring plain round and round of knitting using Asphalt Heather. I do like that the sleeves are done before the body and the armpit transition is done with a provisional cast-on, so no seam.

Where does time go?

Since I posted last, I have competed in another Feis (got 4 medals, danced 5 times), had a ballet dress rehearsal for the recital, mostly finished a sweater and got frustrated trying to design a lace shawl. The sweater is the Inverted V kit I bought at MS&W this year. I just have the crochet edging and blocking left to do.
This was a fun easy knit with shaping only at the shoulders and armpits. Now to stop the curling at the bottom.

I have been trying to design my own triangle lace shawl. I found a pattern I thought would work for the last part before the edge and then tried to find patterns to go in the big open space before that one. I charted several things in Excel and they tried to knit them. The first one I tried was just too much solid knitting, not enough lace. The second one I tried, I had the increases for the triangle wrong. I give up. It is way too hard for me. I just don't have the patience to see this through. I will just continue knitting other people's patterns. I didn't even take pictures of my trials, they were that unsuccessful.

I got the newest available Simply Knitting and just love these mice. I need to make them all, but I have to get the next issue to get the rest of the patterns.
I haven't figured out how tall each is, but I need to make them.

It's been a while

I have had way too much going on to get over here and post. Since I last wrote, I finished the CotLin sweater. I don't have a picture yet, other than a VERY blurry one of me in a mirror. The yarn is lovely. I will post all of the details when I get a proper picture.

I also went to Maryland Sheep and Wool. I didn't spend as much this year as last (this is a good thing). I mostly got fiber to spin. I did buy one knitting project, a kit from Sheldridge Farms. My sister and I got the same pattern and different color yarns. I love the yarn, it is nice and smooshy. My sister also got me some fiber to spin for her so I need to finish the current spinning project soon.

In non-knitting activities, yesterday was the first Feis of my competition Irish dance season. I came home with one first place, one second place, two third places, and one dance had no medal. It was a pretty good day. The weather was the type where I should have been outside instead of in a convention center. Today (Mother's Day) we had rain all day and then tornado warnings in the early afternoon. Not a good day to let the boy play outside, but he is doing a good job of letting me spin a lot today and relax.

Mid August already?

I can't believe it is already the middle of August. Since I posted last there was the Dublin Irish Festival with the Columbus Feis, my parents visiting, some knitting, and our second mini-vacation. The Columbus Feis was fun and very hot. We didn't place in the competition as we usually do, but no one got hurt and we had a laugh. My parents got to see me dance and were here that whole weekend (including a trip to the Zoo that turned into a downpour). After that we found out that my husband needs to have knee surgery (scheduled for this coming Friday) and gets/has to go to Milan Italy for work. Unfortunately I will not be able to go along, but since I have traveled out of the US as a child I am not missing a chance to visit Europe. This will be his first time out of North America.

On the knitting front, I have done the front, back and one sleeve of the Monet sweater and have started the second sleeve. While on our mini-vacation (camping in WV), I finished the second sock of a pair I started on our first mini-vacation. (Yarn is the Panda Wool, using a pennant pattern and my normal needles). I immediately cast on for another pair using dpns from KnitPicks. I haven't used those needles yet, since I normally use the longer Inox needles I got in Germany about 10 years ago, but I do like the points and I can get used to the length. My husband thinks I am obsessive since I need to have something to knit on.

Mystery Stole 3 has continued to progress. I have almost finished clue 5 and have printed clue 6. I hope to get started on that tonight, but I have laundry to do. I am knitting it as published, but I will probably not knit a second following it completely (I do like the pointy ends and the middle, but not so for the wing portion). I admire anyone who can design anything. I am a very crafty person, but I must have a "recipe" to follow for cooking, sewing, quilting, knitting, or anything.

Has it been 2 weeks already?

In the last 2 weeks I have gone camping, finished a pair of socks, signed up for the Mystery Stole 3 by PinkLemon, worked on the Rosebud shawl and competed in an Irish dance competition.

First the camping: We went to Seneca Rocks West Virginia and set up the tent. One day we went on a coal fired train ride at Cass, WV. That was so much fun and I got tons of sock knitting done during the 4.5 hr trip. Lots of people asked me about the sock and how I did it since I was standing up most of the time knitting. Here are the socks I finished.
Pattern: basic toe up with 2 x2 rib for leg part
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM color P-116

Second the Mystery Stole 3: PinkLemon is hosting this KAL. There are already over 2500 people from all over signed up for this. The first clue comes out Friday. It is interesting this year as there are people who don't speak English in the group. I have been able to work on my German (I do have a degree in German, but haven't used it since college other than little chats with my sister). Incidentally I re-learned how to knit while visiting my sister when she spent the year in Freiburg. The booklet (Stricken Lernen leicht & schnell by Burda) I learned from is getting worn, but I still use it as my first reference. Here is my swatch for the stole. I used Zephyr in Mushroom and have 3 different choices for beads- clear (didn't show up), silver lined (most people who have seen this like these) and a dark grey rainbow (they really stand out).
Third Rosebud: I have started the knitted on edging and I am half done with one side (the picture was taken earlier in the weekend). I hope to get at least 1 side done before Friday and the mystery stole clue.
Last: The Irish dancing. It was the Cincinnati Feis. We came home with 14 dance medals/trophies. We didn't place below 2nd on any dance. Here we are with most of the awards and our "coach".

Memorial Day Weekend

Since my last post I have done some knitting, some spinning, some dancing, and went to my 10 year college reunion. I am still amazed that I have been out of college for 10 years now. Almost no one was at the reunion events I attended.

For knitting I have been working on my SIP and I am almost done with the first of the pair. I have also worked more on the Rosebud shawl. It takes about 1.5 hours to do 2 rows now. Here is the current picture (it looks like a larger mass of pink string)
I have also been working my Monet sweater as well. The color of this picture is better than last post's picture.
Here is the spinning I was working on as well. This is the wool/tencel blend for my sister.
Here is the result of my dancing this weekend. I got a 4th and three 1st place medals at the Cleveland 2007 Feis.So it has been a great week and weekend for all of my hobbies. Next weekend is the dress rehearsal for my Ballet class and we don't have our costumes yet. I have been assured that we will not be naked, but until I actually have the costume I am still a little doubtful.

5 days until MS&W

I have been working on the Rosebud shawl. I got the center done and picked up all the stitches around the edge. It looks like a pouch of dental floss, but I am progressing. I have done 14 rows out of about 92 for the borders. Then there is the edging that will probably take forever. I started the borders with 117 stitches per side!!!
I have also done some work on the current SIP. I had to get some work done on my car, so that provided me with about 1 hours of unterrupted knitting time for these. This pair is actually for me and not a gift.
I also got to do some spinning. Last weekend I got some more done on the Wool/Silk blend. After letting the singles rest about a week, I plied what I could and discovered that I did not have the same yardage of singles on the 2 bobbins, so I have to spin some more single then I can finish this and find out what yardage I have. I really want to spin some of the other wool I have already and I am planning on buying some more at Maryland Sheep and Wool. I only have 4 bobbins right now, but The Woolery is currently having a sale and bobbins are 15% off, so I just ordered 4 more. (This is the same store I bought the wheel from and I had great service on that order).
In non-knitting news, there are only 2 more practices before the first Irish dance competition of the year. I am a little worried, but keep reminding myself that this is just for the kicks and giggles, my life does not depend on me winning (just not getting hurt). There are also only 6 ballet classes before our recital.