Cotton

Thanks for all the well wishes. I’m feeling a bit better today, but I think the cold has just stalled out a bit. I’m sure it will come roaring back right in time for the weekend. And thanks for all the remedies – I’m kind of a complain and bear it martyr when it comes to being sick. I can’t really take any over the counter medications – they leave me in a state of panic with a rapidly beating heart and swirling head. I’m in the sickness is better than the cure camp. Eh. It’s just a cold.

I didn’t get as much done on my Pomatomus sock last night as I would’ve wanted because I treated myself to some Vintage Bruce. We’re talking 1978 – what some might consider the Golden Age. I turned off all the lights in my bedroom and sat with my lighter in hand with the music blaring and made pretend I WAS THERE. I don’t care if you think I’m crazy because I had the time of my life. And when G finally got home from work I played him some of the highlights and then made pretend I WAS THERE WITH HIM. Even better. God bless the Internets. Seriously. God bless the Internets. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – if anyone ever invents a time machine the first place I’m going, without a doubt, is a concert on the Darkness tour – preferably one where he does the whole Sad Eyes/Drive All Night thing during Backstreets and with the KICK-ASS intro to Prove It – me and G. Together. At the age we are now so we can really appreciate it but back then. It’s a dream. Don’t kill the dream.

Anyway, Pomatomus isn’t a pattern I can knit in the dark. It also doesn’t help that I had my hands clenched under my chin in a prayer-like position before the alter of my idol. Again. Don’t kill the dream. Here’s the sock as it stands right now:

The sock is STR – Sunstone – lightweight. I love it. Really and truly love it. I’m cruising along – got the pattern memorized and the yo/purl thing going good and I hope to get to the heel tonight – lots of good tv tonight. I know Cookie knit the pattern in a variegated yarn, but I really think it was made for a semi solid. Thanks again to Elli for inspiring me with her phenomenol P-socks! (If you’re looking for the Sunspot color and you can’t find it on the Blue Moon website – you’re allowed to call or email and order it – actually any color you see here can be ordered through Blue Moon – whether it’s on the website or not.)

On to the Rhinebeck stash! I think I did pretty good. Rumors abound that I bought a wheel, but I really didn’t. All I did was put some money down on a Robin – but that gets me on the list. There’s a TWO YEAR wait. I can get off the list at any time and get my money back. So I think of it as a maybe/maybe not purchase. A lot can happen in two years, so it’s like insurance. It’s a gorgeous wheel though – birdseye maple. Just beautiful.

Okay – now the real purchases!

The Sheep Shed at Mountain View Farm – 2lbs of Merino – 1lb each blue. I’m envisioning the two colors plied together for a gorgeous sweater – and maybe doing just a bit in the solids as accents. Especially the dark blue. The color isn’t the best in this picture, but the dark is a very dark teal and the light is a very light teal. 😉 They are perfectly complimentary. This will be a big project, obviously.

Silk Merino blend from Cloverleaf Farms – 8oz. Celery colorway – I love how there are some blues sneaking in among the light greens. I bought this envisioning a shawl. Every festival I’ve ever been to I’ve bought something from Cloverleaf. I guess I like their stuff.

From Foxfire Fiber, I bought some GORGEOUS silk and cahsmere blend – 2oz. This is the Mt. Greylock colorway. I wish you could touch this stuff. It would make a grown man cry with its softness.

Then I came back to Foxfire on Sunday and went a little bit crazy!

This is a POUND of cormo/silk blend and it’s like air. It doesn’t even need to be drafted. I honestly would love to sit down RIGHT THIS SECOND and spin this until there is no more. It is that perfect.

I loved the gals at Foxfire! They were so great – and even better – they’re totally into Spin Out 2007! So look for some fine Foxfire products in the prize packages this year.

Last but not least, I stopped at The Fold to say my goodbyes to Toni. I just love me a Toni hug! She wasn’t there at first so I left her a note and then looked around the stripped clean booth. LOW AND BEHOLD!! What did I find?

SHEEP TO SHOE! It’s a new kit from Blue Moon where in you can spin up the famous colorways for your own handspun socks. This is Carbon and I took the picture with my Carbon Jaywalkers on top. I just think it will be so very neat to spin up my own yarn and compare it to the socks I already have in this colorway. Call me crazy, but I’m loving it.

So, that’s what I bought. Actually there was some sock yarn at Spirit Trail and some fiber from Indigo Moon but those are gifts so I’m not showing them and since they aren’t for me they don’t really count anyway. Now if only my WooLee Winder would get here I could start spinning! I don’t want to start any projects until it’s here!!!


Yesterday I told you today was kind of sort of special and it is. T
oday is my two year blogiversary and I’m going to get all mushy on your asses whether you like it or not. As you all know, I spent the weekend with some of my favorite people in the ENTIRE UNIVERSE and I met them ALL through this here blog. ALL OF THEM. How ridiculous is that? Over the past two years I have been inspired, moved and entertained more than I ever imagined possible. I have been amazed and awestruck. I have laughed. I have cried. I have been annoyed and angered. I have loved. I have hated. I have been loved and been hated. I have been taught invaluable lessons. I have been saved on numerous occasions. And I thank you all.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. Cotton for everyone!

Comments

  1. Cara – Thanks for posing for a picture with SwatchGrrl! And happy blogaversary too!

  2. Happy blogaverary! so glad you’re here!!

  3. Happy bloggiversary! That’s some awesome fiber you have to spin ahead of you.

  4. Happy Blogiversary, Cara. Thanks for sharing that Sunstone…it’s beautiful.

  5. Happy Shared Bloggiversary (This is my one year)
    Awesome purchases, tempting me to start spinning!!!

  6. A very happy blogiversary. Thanks for being part of the knitting blog-i-verse. 🙂

  7. Happy Blog-o-versary!
    It’s great, isn’t it? This blogland of knitters?
    When should I expect my cotton?

  8. Well thank you for blogging as long as you have! Your was the second knitblog I found on the web (after the Yarn Harlot, less than a year ago) and I’ve enjoyed every picture and post since then. You are a very talented knitter!
    As for sheep to shoe…. I am speechless.

  9. To have your blogiversary right after a great weekend with blog pals is quite ingeneous, dear! If only we could sit side by side and spin in person more often but doing it virtually is better than not at all. I miss your laugh, your hugs and smiles…miss Ann giving me (and you) lots of shit and Miss Vicki…what can one say about her quite calm.
    I have some great pictures of you eating lambchops…just sayin’;-)

  10. Lyssa (soon to not be blogless) says

    lovely! i’m totally in love with my pomatomos socks. 🙂 i started them in July in a Fleece Artist greens. LOVELY!
    they had to be put on hold when friends adopted a lovely baby and a blanket needed to be done immediately!
    so i picked them back up two days ago, and i’m already back into them. yay!

  11. Happy Blogiversary!! You were one of the first I started reading. Love the sock in semi-solid color, it looks golden.

  12. Is it only two years? It seems like forever.
    But, in a good way.
    🙂

  13. I picked up the same sheep 2 shoe kit! Nice to know what colorway it is. Great haul, too, I loved all of those fibery hanks at the Sheep Shed. Happy 2nd Blogiversary, Cara.

  14. Hm, what CAN one say about my quiet calm?
    Is someone saying something??
    Are people talking about me?!?!
    ; )
    Oh, but this isn’t about me, except that it’s about you and, well, I just wouldn’t be the same me without having had the privilege of getting to know you… and being friends.
    Thank YOU, Cara. Happy, happy day.

  15. Happy Blogoverisary. The internet is an amazing place, eh?
    And I hope you bought yourself a good supply of bobbins to go with that WooLee Winder… I bought three to begin with, only to realize that it’s very hard to create a three ply yarn without a fourth bobbin, and that it’s hard to have more than one project going without about 6 of them. I treated myself to 3 more bobbins a short while back. My WooLee Winder is probably now the one spinning tool I wouldn’t want to be separated from.

  16. Awwwwww – happy Blogiversary!! You have had an impact, haven’t you? I was one of those standing in line at the Fold for 45 minutes, and it’s all your fault – and totally worth it. It was lovely to see you, ever so briefly. Next year, I’m definitely staying at the Hotel.

  17. Happy Blogiversary, Cara! It’s been such fun reading your blog.
    I’m with you on the cold meds. They make me feel worse than the cold. Hope it goes away quickly.
    Your P-sock looks great!

  18. Awwww. Happy Blogiversary!
    I’m drooling all over my screen right now looking at your fiber score. I was on a mission for fleece at Rhinebeck so I didn’t get as much roving as I wanted. I almost left with a Hitchiker wheel but my cohorts talked me out of it (but I still want it dammit). I can’t wait to see those finished pomies.

  19. The Pom socks look great – I agree – they scream for a semi solid!
    How did you resolve your YO issues you mentioned last post? I had the same problem when I tried out the pattern for the first time….

  20. I can’t believe I didn’t find your blog before the Haiku contest! I’m lovin’ it, so keep it up. Happy Blogiversary!

  21. Happy, happy blogiversary! And you are no crazier than the rest of us. You’re crazy, I’m crazy, all God’s chillun are crazy. It was great to see you again and to meet your beautiful shawl.

  22. Happy Blogiversary!!

  23. We love you too, Cara.
    Happy Blogaversary.

  24. Excellent Rhinebeck purchases. Will definitely be interesting to see how the sock compares to the version you’re going to spin.
    Happy 2nd blogiversary!

  25. Happy blogiversary to you! Everything looks fantastic – I’m so jealous of all that lucious fiber…

  26. I was doing my usual skimming when WHAM! I was so totally thrown by all of that blue fiber. Why don’t I have it? Why?
    Oh, Happy Blogiversary too. I did read the last paragraph. It is my skimming technique. 🙂

  27. Wow, I love all of the fibers you got. They are so beautiful. And, as you may know, I love me the Sheep2Shoe kit.

  28. Nancy Hart says

    Cara, dear – we love your blog! It is funny, real, interesting, sometimes a little raw or sad, beautiful – in other words, just like life, spinning, and knitting. Thank you!

  29. Happy blogiversary to you! I looooove that Carbon colored sheep2shoe kit. Can’t wait to see how that spins up.

  30. First off, love ya, C. Loved ya for the entire two years! Purls of Wisdom, baby!! ;P
    The P sock rules. I am a big Cookie fan, although I have not made any of her patterns yet. Holding out for the knee socks. Did you see the interview I did with her? *plug*

  31. Wow, 2 years – happy blogaversary! Rhinebeck sounded like a great way to celebrate the blogaversary.

  32. Happy Blogiversary, Cara! I’m glad you had such a great time at Rhinebeck and were able to pick up some nice fiber treasures.

  33. Nice haul! Happy blogiversary!

  34. Um, how can there not be a Bruce category on your blog? You’ve got to get on that – stat! And yes, the 70’s were the Golden Age of Bruce, though he’s good at all ages.
    I love your purchases – really good stuff! Thanks so much for getting me some goodies. I will think of you as I spin them.
    Happy Blogiversary!
    xox,

  35. happy blogiversary!!!! woooo! here’s to another year of never killing the dream 😉

  36. Congratulations on your Blogiversary! Your purchases are outstanding–I can’t wait to see this all spun up…

  37. Oh wow, I love all that fiber. Thanks for all the links too, since I’m a new spinner 🙂

  38. Happy blogiversary. I’m glad you show your face here in cyberspace. It’s been a pleasure each time.

  39. Happy Blog-versary, hon. I’m glad you’re here.

  40. Happy Blogaversary!

  41. Happy Blogiverary! Your blog is one of my main staples and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Thank you for your photos, your insight into knitting and spinning, and your enthusiasm for the craft.

  42. happy blogiversary!!! time really flies huh?
    love the pomatamous in STR.. great colorway for it for sure.

  43. Love the Pomatomus socks! And the Rhinebeck haul is very nice, should be some awesome yarn. Congrats on the 2nd Blogiversary!

  44. Ooh, those Robin wheels are so, so lovely. I haven’t dared touch one, treadle one, or even ask the price. I have the feeling that I really don’t want to know.
    You know, I walked right past the Foxfire Farms booth and didn’t stop . . . I KNEW that was a mistake!
    Happy blogiversary, Cara!

  45. Happy Blogday to you! And thanks for the comment on my own blog, I did submit it (as I’m sure you saw). 🙂 By the way, that fiber porn is delishus. Mmmm.

  46. Happy Blogiversary! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – It was great seeing you on Sat! I’m eyeing that cormo…I wish we had touch internet!

  47. Happy Blogiversary! You make me smile every day.

  48. Happy blogiversary! I’m very, very happy you’re here.

  49. Happy Blog Birthday! Wow – 2 years. Very nice fiber haul from Rhinebeck. I can’t wait to see all the spinning you have do in the future.

  50. P looks fabulous and I am surprisingly loving the semi solid yellowy color. I think the only STR that I own is similar to that…and idea. Thanks. ‘Cause you know my mom don’t love no Jaywalkers! 🙂 Congrats on the 2 year anniversary.

  51. Happy Blogaversary! The socks look awesome in that colorway.

  52. Happy Blogaversary! The socks look awesome in that colorway.

  53. Happy Blogiversary! Your P-sock looks great! That pattern doesn’t always speak to me, but yours and Elli’s really are beautiful. Love the fibery goodness!

  54. Hey Cara-
    Thanks for having a blog! It’s inspiring to me to see your beautiful creations, plus it’s inspired me to start thinking about creating my own blog!
    Cheers!

  55. Cara, I can’t believe you’ve been inspiring us for 2 years! I’ve loved every day of it! Happy Blogiversary!

  56. Happy Blogiversary! Great haul; I love all the colors and I need to get some more cashmere silk. The stuff is sooo soft.

  57. I don’t care one whit about the STUFF. But I care about you. And I’m here to say Happy Blogiversary, Dear Heart. mwah!

  58. What a nice haul and thanks so much for the link to the wheel. I saw the wheel as we were leaving and loved the look of it. I took a card from them and I lost it so thanks again I really wanted to check into their beautiful wheels!
    Happy Blogiversary. I really enjoy reading your blog.

  59. Happy Blogiversary!
    I won’t spin. I don’t have time to knit so I won’t add another hobby. But, the Robin wheels? The Robin wheels made me want to take up spinning so I could have one. I bet you bought yourself a wheel.

  60. Glad you’re feeling better. Beautiful purchases you have their too! And most of all Happy Blog day!! 🙂

  61. Happy blogiversary!
    Blue Moon is doing roving now? Crap.

  62. The pomatomus sock looks great in that color–the pattern really pops out.
    Can’t wait to see all the yarn you spin with your newly acquired fiber. Great stash enhancement!
    Happy Blogiversary!

  63. Happy Blogiversary! The Sheep to Sock kit is amazing! Hurry, hurry! Spin, Spin!

  64. Happy blogiversary!

  65. Happy Blogiversary!
    And in the realm of “great minds think alike” – I bought 2 lbs. of green merino/tencel from Cloverleaf Farms – 1 lb. in light green, 1 lb. in dark green. To spin and then ply together into a barberpole, with maybe a little bit of just one color for an accent…
    Weird, huh?

  66. I don’t recall if it was Bruce or the enthusiastic knitting that got me reading you on a regular basis.
    YES! Bruce in 1978 was the golden age. Although I drive all night to see him now.
    Happy Blogiversary to you!

  67. Oh,Cara, we wuv you… (Sorry, I’m sleepy and sappy at once, and I need to pack besides.) But your enthusiasm & adventure are inspiring.

  68. Happy Blogoversary! Thanks for blogging and sharing, its always a treat.

  69. Happy blogiversary! And special thanks for your photography!

  70. Saleknitter says

    I’ve enjoyed the ride. You have a great blog!

  71. Happy Blogiversary! You are a very interesting read.

  72. Ya got room in the time machine for me? This summer I bought a skein of Socks that Rock in a colorway called “Prove It All Night” not because I liked it but because it seemed wrong not to given my unabashed, unapologetic love for Bruce. I did marry a man from NJ which is about as close as I’m going to get!

  73. Happy Blogiversary, thanks for being an inspiration to us all.

  74. Happy Blogversary Cara! It was so nice to meet you at Rhinebeck, and of course, it would never have happened if it weren’t for the blogs. That’s so cool…

  75. cotton? it makes my hands hurt! still, happy blogiversary, gorgeous girl! the pom is beautiful.

  76. Your Pomatomus sock is gorgous so far. Love that color. Yum.
    Luscious roving. Especially love that Jaywalker on top of the matching roving.

  77. happy blogiversary cara! it’s been a pleasure visiting january one!
    i am not a spinner and i do not intend to start spinning (too dangerous-haha!). but your pictures are so lovely, i am tempted.

  78. Happy two year blogiversary! What lovely presents you found for yourself at Rhinebeck!

  79. Happy Blogiverssary! I too have met sooo many fabulous people that have brought so much to my life…it’s amazing! What great new stash. And there will be more next week, right? Hope to see you ; )

  80. Happy Blogiversary. It’s great to have you in the universe of the internet.

  81. Hi Cara – wish I had been on the weekend with you, Vicki and Ann; know you had a super time. Congratulations on your Blogiversary.

  82. Oh dear…I’m late to the party! Happy, happy blogiversary, Cara! My daily reads just wouldn’t be the same without you. 😉

  83. Wow, gorgeous stuff! I have my first spindle coming in the mail right now, so looking at it takes on a new meaning now…
    And happy anniversary, too! I know I’ve said it before (and I still have to answer the nice email you’ve sent me at the time; it’s coming…), but once more certainly won’t hurt: thanks to you for writing your blog! My (selfish) wish to you on this special day: may you enjoy writing January One as much as we enjoy reading it, so that it sees many more anniversaries! More seriously, may it give you the opportunity to meet some more wonderful people… (ooops, did I inadvertantly put a selfish implication in that last one too? there, I’ll let you free to interpret it however you want! 😉 )

  84. Ooooo…. pretty roving! The pom sock is really pretty too. 🙂 I rather like the semi-solids in lace patterns.
    Happy blogiversary! (Hmmmm… I should check mine… I think I may be coming up on my third…)

  85. Happy blog-o-versary! And, dang, that sock is lookin’ good! Yum!

  86. I love visiting your blog. Your knitting is beautiful and your photos are inspiring.

  87. Happy Blogiversary! I so enjoy your blog and wish you many more Blogiversaries.

  88. Happy Blogiversary!
    I have to say that the pomotomus socks look fantastic in that STR Sunstone – beautiful.

  89. i’m a little bit late with my well wishes…but happy blogiversary! i am so glad you started blogging.

  90. Oh gosh, I’m just now catching up on a bit of my blog reading. Your sock is great-I may be tempted to try that one.
    I love that roving!! I’m not too jealous! 😉
    Oh and happy blogiversary and I’m more than happy that you’re here and I was able to ‘meet’ you. Big huge hugs are coming your way and I hope you’re feeling better soon-it sucks to be sick on the weekend!!!

  91. Happy Blogiversary! Your blog is what got me wanting to blog! Rock on, you!

  92. Happy Blogday! Stupid bloglines didn’t update you so I missed it. ;-(

  93. Awww! Happy Blogiversary!!!!