Wednesday on the Wheel: Life signs.

Hey. How you doing?

It's me. I'm back, and not dead. Don't listen to the rumors. They're mean and vicious.

*cough*

So it's been a while since I posted, for which I truly apologize. I got overwhelmed by several things and then I caught a late summer headcold and ...well, let's just say I'll be coughing for a while.

But I'm alive and kicking and back to show you stuff.

As you may recall, I've been raving about spindles. Yep, still on the spindle kick though I actually thought about hopping on the wheel today. Shocking, I know.

But since I'm still spindling away, and I have a baby I have not shared with you before, let's get to it!

This is my brand spanking new Russian spindle from Lisa Chan of Gripping Yarn. It is hand turned from brown ebony and it's gorgeous! Frustrating as all heck to learn to use, mind you. This does not work like suspended spinning, and I'm back to feeling all thumbs. That said, it's fun, and I'll be happy once I get the jist of it, I'm sure.

The fiber is some bfl/tussah from FatCat Knits, from one of her last Mixed Blessings clubs. (She's starting a new one, btw. You should check it out.)

And, just so my Aegean doesn't feel neglected, here's some more fun-to-wind cop for you. The color is not really accurate -- it's lighter and greener -- but as close as I could get.

This is the same fiber, Bee Mice Elf merino/tencel, Slice of Life. It's just further down the color progression.

I plan to be back on Friday with fibah! Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday on the Wheel: How do they do that?

I, sadly, have nothing to show you on either wheel or spindle today. Though I have been spinning away on my Jenkins spindle, it doesn't really look all that different from the last picture I showed you, and I wouldn't want you to be bored, would I?

So instead, I'm going to share a few videos that have been linked in the Southern Cross Fibre group on Ravelry to help us get ready and up to speed on this support spindling SAL.

If you already know how Tibetan and Russian spindling works, well. You don't need to watch. It's certainly not a rule.

But if, like me, you're still trying to get the hang of this stuff? Sit back and enjoy!

Make It Monday: The podcast is finally here!

Episode Fourteen is here and available for downloading now!

It's a day late, but hopefully only a couple of cents short. I'd hate to cheat you out of a whole dollar, after all. :)

I have questions for you this week. I'm primarily curious as to whether you have a priority knitting system for your WIPs. Do you keep to a strict schedule? Or are you like me, sort of working through projects at your own pace and getting things finished when they're finished, instead of in a rush?

Also, have you noticed how many new colorwork patterns and projects are out there in the world? Is it not nifty? I'm very excited!

Check out the links below, come say hi on the Ravelry group, swing by next week...

And, as always, thanks for stopping by.

Enabling that I mentioned:

The WestKnits Mystery KAL: Earth and Sky is still going on. We're on clue three now, which is a big chunk of knitting, but people are still diving in. Grab your yarn and join us!

My Aegean Turkish spindle from Jenkins Woodworking arrived and I have been having a blast with it. I'm still waiting for my Gripping Yarn Russian, but it's coming soon.

Probably just in time to get involved in the Supported Spindling SAL with David and the rest of the Southern Cross Fibre fans on Ravelry. Check out his group if you want to join in or even just to watch. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

All That Other Stuff:

Henry VI, Part II -- Here it is, your link to Henry VI, Part II. Read on!

How to Contact me:

iTunes: Slinging Stitches...in Color
Ravelry: creaturecomfort
Ravelry Group: Creature Comfort Craftwork Fans
Etsy: Creature Comfort Craftworks on Etsy
Email: sarah.hawke [at] gmail.com
Twitter: creaturecmfts
Facebook: Facebook
Plurk: Plurk

Talk to you next week!

Not so much speaking out today.

I got a late start on the day today, so it's going to be a Monday-podcast sort of week.

To make up for it, though, I have an all-yarn update for the shop, including my Phat Fiber contribution, Krishna's Got a Bollywood Babe!

Which is a self-striping sw merino/nylon and glittering gold stellina sock yarn. Tricky to dye, but I love the result.

And the race to 100 sales continues apace!

See you tomorrow.

Wednesday on the Wheel: New on the...wait, new spindle!

Have I mentioned that the spindling bug has me in its ferocious grip again?

I thought so.

Have I mentioned that it's so intense that I've even branched out into new spindle types? No? Shame on me.

This is my new Aegean spindle from Jenkins Woodworking. It is pear wood and it's got runes for Joy, Earth and (the visible one) Chalice. And it's lovely. And a blast to spin on.

Mostly because you get to make such -cool- patterns with the cop. ;)

I'm spinning Bee Mice Elf merino/tencel in the Slice of Life colorway. Some day, this will get old. Not today.

Speaking out on Sunday: Winners announced!

Episode Thirteen is here and available for downloading now!

It's a middling length episode this week, and though I continue to babble by invitation, I think (I hope!) that I managed to do it without apologizing this week. If one snuck through that I didn't catch, feel free to tease me about it. I can take it. I'm a big girl. :)

I opened up the episode by talking about a fund-raiser I forgot to mention last week but snuck into the show notes. Please go and check out Lynn Zimmerman's blog for all the information on her team, the Denver Oyster and all of the fabulous prizes you could win. Just $5 gets you a copy of Laura Linneman's (LaLa of the Knit Girllls) My Wish pattern and it only gets better from there.

This week's goalpost picture is clue one of the Spring Mystery Shawl (now called Beaded Elegance) by Renee Leverington.

And, as always, thanks for stopping by.

Enabling that I mentioned:

WestKnits Mystery KAL: Earth and Sky - It's not to late to join in! Clue 2 will be out any second now, but clue one was quick and easy and you won't have to do a lot of catching up. Join in!

Renee Leverington, she of the mystery shawls that I talk about so often, has a couple new shawl patterns taking signups now. Mystery Shawl #24 starts on August 20th and the Fall Mystery Shawl starts on September 24th.

In case you're curious about the spindles I've ordered, you can find out about the Aegean Turkins here, at Jenkins Woodworking and the Russian spindle here at Gripping Yarn. I haven't ordered from Threads Thru Time, but I am sorely tempted. It's only a matter of time, I think.

All That Other Stuff:

aHenry VI, Part II -- Here it is, your link to Henry VI, Part II. Read on!

How to Contact me:

iTunes: Slinging Stitches...in Color
Ravelry: creaturecomfort
Ravelry Group: Creature Comfort Craftwork Fans
Etsy: Creature Comfort Craftworks on Etsy
Email: sarah.hawke [at] gmail.com
Twitter: creaturecmfts
Facebook: Facebook
Plurk: Plurk

Talk to you next week!

Wednesday on the Wheel: The wheels on the bus go ... really slow.

Now that Tour de Fleece is over, my spinning mojo is slowing down a bit. It was still rekindled by the event, and I'm still spinning more than I was in weeks prior, but I am no longer spinning at every opportunity. Which is a good thing for my fingers, I tell you. I was starting to get calluses.

When I do spin, though, I'm still using spindles. I've actually orders a couple new types of spindles to try out and feed my ongoing addiction. When they arrive, be sure that I will share.

For now, I'll show you an older picture of the fiber I'm still working on. This is a full 4 ounce bundle of fiber from Into The Whirled in the Starcrossed colorway from a SAL last summer. I swore I wouldn't do full bumps of fiber on the spindle anymore, but I don't know. This fiber insisted.

One of my fsvorite homemade spindles, too. Enjoy!

ITWSAL-MayJune10, a photo by beadskinz on Flickr.

Make It Monday: Hey look, a sock!

Since I got the podcast up on time like I was supposed to ('scuse me while I pat myself on the back), I can actually use Make It Monday as it was intended: to show you stuff I made! Or am making! Or might one day think about making. Wait, no, let's not go there. The pictures would never end.

So just one this week. This is the first half of the Traditional Gansey Socks by Wendy Johnson, knit in Three Irish Girls Adorn, in the Smoke and Mirrors colorway. Originally destined for The Engineer, he decided he didn't want them, so now? They're mine mine mine!

Not washed or blocked, but test worn and very comfy. The second sock is already in progress.