Tejer

We had such a wonderful belated honeymoon in Peru.... and I'm finally getting around to sharing my fiber adventures there...

We spent three days and two nights on the Amazon at the lovely Muyuna Lodge. Of course, I got some knitting in while cruising on the Amazon.

We visited some giant lily pads... I had to take a quick snapshot of my knitting floating serenely on top for a demonstration of scale.

In Cusco, we visited the Center for Traditional Textiles where there were ongoing demonstrations of tradional weaving techniques. I learned how to say "yarn," "wool," and "to knit" in Spanish. Dana bought me a beautiful handwoven shawl and two slipcovers for pillows for our future, grown-up furniture.

Of course I got some knitting in while overlooking the view of Machu Picchu.

These llamas would just hang out and graze on the terraces of the ruins.

We randomly chose a place to stay in the village of Machu Picchu (also known as Agua Caliente.) The guide book said that it had plenty of home touches. We when got back from hours of wandering around the ruins, I found the owner of the inn sitting on the couch knitting! She was making a baby sweater in acrylic (of all fibers to be knitting with in Peru!) I joined her on the couch and we pieced together a conversation. At one point, she grabbed my socks and started knitting away in the 4x4 ribbing. Knitting is one of those universal languages... The only reason I'm including this heinous picture of me is because it's the only snapshot we got of my impromptu Peruvian Stitch and Bitch. Notice... my Clapotis (the original.)

At Pisac market in the Sacred Valley, Dana tried his hand at the drop spindle. He did better than I did! We bought several drop spindles (and I'll be sending you one in the mail as soon as I can get it together...)

Here is an example of some naturally died wool and the plant that the dyestock came from. We were unable to communicate what the types of plants were with some of the people that we met at Pisac market. We got the gist of it, though.

A whole heap of naturally died wools!

The highlight of Pisac market for me was finding the exquisite natural dyes. These are all derived from insects, minerals, or plants. I bought several samples of each color. Dana was thinking we should try to frame the dyes with a tuft of died roving. It would be gorgeous! I am considering a natural dyeing class at SAFF this year... And I want to plan a dye garden for next spring.

Never Being Satisfied

I've decided... I must have something wrong with me. I've been knitting knitting knitting and then frogging frogging frogging. One of my current KFK projects is the Clementine Shawlette from Interweave Knits Summer 2007 in a Bamboo Fiber I bought at the Great Lakes Fiber Fair from Briar Rose.



I actually finished the thing, kitchener stichted the two pieces together, and then decided I absolutely hated the joining. I took the kitchener apart several times and could not get it the way I wanted. ARGHHHH! I don't want to be able to see the join and...well... I decided to frog one of the pieces and knit it in one piece. I am now close to finishing...again and am now figuring out how to decrease. We shall see how it turns out again.

Oh and BTW I haven't received anything in the mail yet?

Do I look different?

Because I'm an RN! We are three days home from Peru. I have been to HR and done blood work, paperwork, etc. and I am ready to start my new job on Monday. I turn 27 on Saturday... Lots of changes coming my way, it feels. I think we are making an offer on a house today, as well. And guess what else? I got a banjo as an early birthday present last night. We ate supper on the couch and tried to figure out how to play "dueling banjos" from Deliverance. All this change, and I'm wondering what to knit! The Swing Cardigan from the new Vogue Knitting magazine (got it at the library) and the Unmentionables pattern from the new Knitty are the most interesting patterns I've seen lately. I'm getting my Peru pictures and stories together for a nice long post.

Gotten anything interesting in the mail lately?

The Great Lakes Fiber

So if you want a relaxed Fiber Show with lots of rovings and friendly people and no crowds and great deals, The Great Lakes Fiber Show is where to go. This weekend has definitely increased my roving stash and I can't wait to get started on spinning. The first thing I pulled my wallet out for was a couple bags of 100% anorga rabbit rovings. I'm a bit afraid of trying it out because I've heard its terribly hard to spin but I just couldn't resist. My new thing with spinning is that I want to try out as many different types of fiber as I can get my hands on. So once I work up the nerve I'll try the angora. It is sooooooo soft. Jeff says he can hardly feel it.

Here it is...
















How'd you like my crazy phone call when I saw Briar Rose Fibers. It's funny I felt like I was meeting a celebrity. There I was oogling over Briar Rose like I had run into Brad Pitt and frankly maybe I should say Colin Firth because Brad Pitt really doesn't do anything for me. I just wanted to crawl right into the basket of fiber. The COLORS! I managed get my hands on a skein (1,500 yards) that was on sale and I also could not resist a skein of bamboo. I'm planning on a shawl for the bamboo and I'll have to search my books for a good pattern for the sale skein.




So do you recognize the sweater I'm wearing. This is the T-shirt pattern from Interweave that I knitted last year. The growing T. After I finished it and blocked it I wore it only once and the day that I wore it, it grew about two sizes. Well in the last year I've grown about ...well maybe just over one size and so the sweater fits much better. I didn't think there would be many benefits of my increasing size, but at least I can count this one. I got many compliments on the sweater. I just love those Art Fibers.






After my Mom and I dragged Dad, Dana, Ted, and Jeff around the show making them wait for us to touch absolutely everything, the whole group headed for lunch at Appleby's where my niece, Brittany works. She had lunch with us and then put her apron on and started work. She's looking good and working hard and it was sooooo good to see her.




The next day I headed back to the show on my own and here's what I have to show for it.


4, 8oz balls of Rovings, Eggplant, 100% Overdyed Lincoln. I want to make an aran sweater or vest out of this.

This is what is looked like on the shelf. Can you blame me for getting it?
Ooops maybe the eggplant isn't in the picture, but can you believe I was able to choose just one. (Maple Row Stock Farm, Sherwood, MI)

A bit of Mohair


and 6 oz of this lovely red Wool/Alpaca blend from Valhalla Acres Fiber Farm in Hopewell, Ohio


Oh...and I'm game for Alaska. Is there anything we need to do now besides save money and convince the husbands?