Update, and almost FO's

Here's my version of Sarah Bradberry's F&F Comfort Shawl. It's not exactly done yet - though it is bound off.

First I guess the stats are in order. This is a lace weight handspun yarn. One ply of optim, the other of Soy Silk. It's very soft and has a lovely drape and sheen to it.

I dyed the soysilk - but those colors are a bit muted in the yarn itself - the optim is what carries the show. It was sent to me by Helena of the etsy shop thegoodsheep.etsy.com... Apparently she did not enjoy the optim as much as I do, and asked if I'd like some that she had. Some dyed, some plain - and it's gorgeous! It's always so nice to spin stuff that someone else did the dyeing on! Don't get me wrong - I love dyeing my own fiber and spinning from it. But it's nice to get someone else's vision once in a while, if that makes sense.

Anyway - there is a fairly large problem with the shawl as it is. I knit until I was almost out of yarn, and then decided to bind off at a friend's wedding barbecue (not the reception, that was the night before). I was anxious to get it bound off, and just did it on automatic pilot.

See how wide it is? See how the bottom is just pulling in and puckering up like that? Yep - far too tight on the bind off. It's an easy fix - just have to pull that out, and then plan on getting a crochet hook with the yarn that I have left over (I probably could have gotten a few more rows in), and then crocheting off the stitches with lots of chains to give it some room to breathe. I think it will be lovely when it's finally all done and blocked. At the moment it's crumpled up somewhere in my room waiting for me to get around to doing something with it.

I'm also spinning up some silk on one of my handspindles (yeah, I know - nothing new there) But it's silk! And it's sooo pretty! Look - Shiny!

This is stuff that I dyed a while ago - there's a ton of newly dyed rovings at my house, just haven't had a chance to take pics of it yet. I know my oldest wants to see pics of what I did with the Romney/silk blend that he got me for my birthday - I'll get to it! I'm just tired.

I took these pictures two nights ago. I had to get all my gear out of my car. I got a flat tire on my way home from work, which was a bit scary, but not too bad. Was able to make it to a gas station - had the car jacked up and was starting on the lug nuts while I was waiting for the BBE to come rescue me.

We got the road donut on my car, and he drove me back to the shop, where I transferred everything into a loaner that I'm driving until we can find a used tire for the car. But to be honest - it will be very difficult to get back into the old car after driving around in a solid safe feeling car with power windows, air conditioning, and a Stick!! I'm madly trying to think of how in the world I'd be able to afford a new (to me) car at the moment.

The Ethereal jacket is coming along slowly, but progress has been made. I'm working on the first sleeve, and am probably about a third of the way there on that one. Just another sleeve and a blocking session (crawling around on the floor with sodden wool - whoo baby - party at Abi's house!)

Have fun till next time! :-)

Oh - and the Boo - started school today - he's a senior in high school this year... How can it be possible?????