It was June- are you sure it was June?

The last time I posted was wayyyyy back in June- I really don't think it has been that long. But since it took me twenty minutes to convince Google I was who I said I was and remember my freaking password, maybe it has been since June.

Well, I did it, moved to Syracuse. I have my own apartment, my own space for the stash and my own tv to watch and enjoy. Things are going.... not great, not bad but going. It is really weird to be away from home every night. It's like when I traveled a lot when doing sales, you are away in a hotel and everything is surreal. You hear about the issues at home but are helpless to do anything about them.


I also thought I would have soooooo much time for knitting. Well, I do have more time for knitting, I just don't have much ambition to get any done. I did notice last week when things got cooler for a few days I really worked diligently on a sweater I'm making.

This was going to be called Rhinebeck and I dyed the yarn hoping to make some Fall leaf colors, dark rich oranges, and reds with some yellows and browns added in. Well It is more of a tomato orange with some great reds. I like it, but with much of my natural dyeing, the results can be unpredictable. It has a ruffled edge and I may rename it something else after the A fine fleece book came out and has a nicer pattern named Rhinebeck - a great book by the way, I was quite inspired after reading it. Not enough tobegin spinning again, but they say winters are long in Syracuse.

I'm hoping as the weather gets cooler, my knitting mojo returns. Otherwise, I have to force myself to get motivated. Next week I start traveling for work, so in the space of three weeks I hit
Toronto, Boston, Washington dc, NYC, Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle then home for the weekend, then Houston, Atlanta, Miami, home again then , Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, followed up with a quick trip to Dallas for a conference.
I have to figure out what knitting to bring with me, lots of socks I think. It will be a good time to burn thru some of the sock yarn stash that has built up.

Speaking of sock yarn, I have a pile of yarn waiting to be labeled and sent to Cherry Tree Hill. My yarn is now being carried by Yarnmarket as well! Whoo-hoo- this is a great part time job, when you are lonely for home and have no money to spend so have to stay home. Don't worry, itlooks much neater when it is twisted into skeins and labelled. Thanks to my big sister Eileen who came last week and learned how to dye yarn to help me keep up.
I've had to send my regrets to Rhinebeck for this year, I just can't get anymore dyeing done in time. With my planned travel, I am home, in Albany or Syracuse only 10 days between next Saturday and when Rhinebeck starts.

If anyone is looking for cones of undyed yarn, let me know, I have bamboo/merino sock yarn, sport weight, lace weight and some worsted weight I can sell for cheap. Not much merino superwash left, there are some severe shortages of that going arounf this year.

Talk to you soon,

L

my yarn is in the UK!

I've been doing quite a lot of dyeing lately. Since I met Cheryl from Cherry Tree Hill she has certainly kept my busy. 50 skeins went out last week, an additional dozen this week. and look my yarn is now being sold in the UK at The Wooly Workshop.

That plus the impending move to Syracuse life has been busy- but I found a new home, and how many knitters can say they rented an apartment, just so the stash could have its own bedroom!

I went to my mecca last week- IKEA, and was overwhelmed. I've wanted to go to Ikea ever since I heard about them during mu undergrad nearly 20 years ago. I spent quite a bit of money and really didn't buy too much furniture.

Took it- moving news and more!

Well, I took the job at SU, and now the whole world knows. We announced it to the classes today, and it is really gratifying to have everyone say such nice things about me.

In other really exciting news, I met Cheryl Potter of Cherry Tree Hill Yarns at MA Sheep and Wool and she is going to sell some of my yarn under the Ancient Threads Farm name. It feels like things are really taking off. So, I bought myself an electric skeiner and a whole new shipment of base yarn!

We sold quite a bit at MA, so I need to get the etsy shop updated again. Now to take the photos and do the loading of the yarn!

Now to get that done, find an apartment in Syracuse and get some new furniture while trying to clean up my job at Albany- oh the fun never stops!

more Syracuse news

No- I haven't accepted the job yet- but I found out that Syracuse has an MFA in fiber arts http://vpa.syr.edu/index.cfm/page/graduate-fiber-gallery


and I get free tuition! How can I say no to that?

Looking up

Yes, things are looking up! We finally hired someone! He starts on Wednesday, so while I have to work this weekend and most likely next, my marathon spring is nearly over.

And.... da..da...da I got a new job ... in Syracuse. Syracuse isn't that far- only two hours away so it isn't like I can't come home every weekend- and I plan to. But, it does mean I have to leave my husband and kids for a while, until the house sells, and Tim makes a decision on what he is going to do. So, while I'm very excited about this opportunity, I'm nervous if we can make it through.

The salary is nearly a 50% raise for me, and the job looks really interesting, so if you are from Syracuse and know of an apartment in the SU area, let me know. I'm looking forward to living close to work and walking if possible most days. I just don't want to live in a dive. Tim and I have to travel out there after graduation next week to try and find a place. I keep looking at the IKEA catalog and thinking about decorating a place all on my own.

I'm also looking for some knitting groups or guild that meet mid-week in the Syracuse area.

Things have not improved...or have they?

Good Karma Spinning Co. has asked me to update their web address to http://www.karmayarn.com/. This is the company that bought our mill equipment.

Wool n Word is now carrying Ancient Threads Yarn in the shop- thank you Stephanie!

Kathy M from PA sent me some pictures of her crocheted raglan cardigan - out of Ancient Threads Yarn- it is really pretty and it is nice to know other have time to create even if I don't.

sock photos

Knitty Digital used some of the my yarn to make a beautiful pair of socks- they look great!

Things are good- really I mean it- good

It really funny as i look back over the past few years how things change- we sold the mill, I start a weird little yarn company that is actually successful in its own way-

We were mentioned in the Daily Chum Today- so I hope to leave work early today and get more yarns loaded. I'm getting more customers, and to my eternal thankfulness, repeat customers. Things are really good- so I hate to complain, but

in the real life, my assistant is leaving me mid semester. This isn't totally unwelcome news. The relationship has certainly been in deterioration mode over the past few months and now she seems to be brain dead currently.

That plus the fact that I started on my PhD last semester have left me with little time- I love to dye, I love to knit, but when did life get so complicated? We had a knit-out last Sunday that I was determined to go to- I stopped going to the guild meetings, there just is no time, but this was a must, I wanted to be there. So of course, Jake begins throwing up at 10 am that morning and Daddy is gone- He id get home and Nate and I went, but again I saw the opportunity to do what I wanted and really needed to do for me slipping away. It worked out, I'm fine and no longer a raving lunatic and I actually sat and knit for about an hour last night, so I was talked down from the ledge-

Thanks for listening-

Yarny Goodness

Wow, Yarny Goodness is up and running! Go visit there now-

Just got the news!

I just heard that I have been chosen to be in Lime & Violet's Daily Chum this week! I have so many yarns to photograph and put up- new ones too- there just isn't enough time!

just got the word...

I just heard from Yarn Goddess that her new store Yarny Goodness will be opening on Feb 7th. Pam from Yarny Goodness is selling Ancient Threads yarns for me and I'm really excited to have been added to her impressive list of indy suppliers.

As soon as I get the URL I will add it to the blog.

Now onto the knitting- remember a few days a go I was going to work on the diagonal ribbed sweater from knitpicks, well i could never get past the first 2 rows- maybe it was me, but it just made little sense. I done quite a bit of knitting in my day and followed a few quite complicated patterns, but this one was beyond me. So, I have moved in a new directions and it is going along well- Syncopated Ribs from the Fall 04 Interweave knits, here is photo from lollyknits flickr- I can't find it on the Interweave site any longer. I;'m not too far along, but it is going really well- it helps that they are knit on size 10- I was thinking that the fabric would be too holey and revealing, but it looks just fine. The swatch looks great post washing and drying.


It strange, I used to love these Addi Turbo needles, then I tried the knitpicks one and I far prefer them, the tips are pointy and they even seem smoother than the Addi's- also the cord is superior, more flimsy, but that isn't a bad thing, the Addi's seem stiff and unyielding now. I think I need to order another set of the wooden ones in size 10.

and the usual pair of socks- I'm making the heel flap on this one, the other one's flap is done. When I knit two on two circulars, I can;t figure out how to knit them at the same time for turning the heels. I just can't get that information in my brain, so I do then separately until all the decreases are done after the heel, then I knit the feet all at one.

New yarns!

I just put in a big order for some new stuff from the distributor! So excited! I reordered some of the original DK merino/silk I had a Rhinebeck. i only had about 10 skeins there and it sold ok- not great but ok. I know there was some fear that the shorter yardage wouldn't make a pair of socks. I then knit a pair for the boss for Xmas and I had plenty left over. I also got back in some of the superwash and nylon that went well and the merino lace. (different supplier for those)

So that is coming back for a limited run- I also ordered some worsted weight, really for me, but I'll share if there is any left. I ordered 3000 yards of Andee, a worsted alpaca/ merino blend I think. i have been thinking lately about a naturally dyed sweater for Rhinebeck next year to show off the colors and see how it goes. Now I just have to decide on the colors, pinks or reds- I'm thinking of a red/brown/orange mix for fall- leaf colors. And I'm thinking about this pattern- Eve from magknits with a different neckline. Or this Rossnyev
or there was another I found in purples and ruffle edge I liked, but can't find at the moment-

And I bought some merino roving to try out- I can spin, I have a wheel, but have always avoided merino for some odd reason (like I have 17 sheep in the backyard and they are all Shetlands or soays? plus I have a billion lbs of Shetland to use up at some stage and no time to spin?)

Anyway, I was gifted some merino last year in a swap and finally spun it up and had a great time, I also bought some from Spunky Eclectic last year at MA sheep and wool. Still have not spun it yet, but I look at it often.

Well we are supposed to be getting a massive ice storm tonight, so Friday night class is canceled, so maybe I can get my reading and paper done for Monday and actually have some fiber fun this weekend? Oh, but then there is always dyeing to do as well-

He did great

The big boy did great- no mess ups at all, he was loud enough to be heard and he looked cute to boot- I can't believe he is 10 already!

I'm waiting for the Jeopardy test to start- we had a student who went on a did quite well- as I knew him fairly well, I didn't think he was a genius so I decided to give it a try-

Classes started last night again. I like being in class but just thinking about all of the writing and reading on topics i care little about is a little daunting. This time the torture is Educational Leadership in Federal and State Govt- As the faculty said, I'm not sure how much leadership there is in either-

DARE Graduation

A short day today- The big boy will be reading his Dare essay to the school today- he won a prize. The essay actually was pretty good


A full report will follow-

Casted on and knit one and 1/2 rounds of the sweater- then realized they had not made a mistake and meant k2, p2, not p2, k2- I just can't face casting on 168 stitches again, so I have to tink the 1/2 round- but I was tired and just knit on the easy stockinette socks for a while.

the daily lament

Everyday i keep saying (mentally or course) - Gotta blog, Gotta blog and then it never happens. I had great plans for the Christmas break when the students were not in school and there are hours streatching out in front of me- well that was before today- the kids are back- the parking lots, hallways and ladies rooms are full.

My classes begin next week- lucky break with the MLK holiday again- i like these Monday courses, you get more days off. I think the lucky course this time is Federal and State Government in Higher Ed. Another policy class- but I enjoyed policy last semester.

Knitting has been going- I have cleaned out so much of the stash in the past year, I am down to a bunch of sock yarn and various other skeins. I was totally out of a sweater quantity of yarn so, I did a knitpicks order of Merino Style for this sweater, the Diagional Ribbed Pullover I got the cornflower blue. And I'm making it slightly smaller then my size, not because the pattern says to do so, but I also have joined Weight watchers at work and I'm making it my goal to lose 30 lbs by the Budapest trip- I have 7 months, so I think it is a good and achievable goal.
Other knitting- I made Tim a double layer hat that came out really nice. Using Karabella Aurora 8, it is really soft and comfy- so I liked it so much I made one for myself, with the same aurora 8 for the inside and some pink Cascade 220 I bought to make Wavy a few years ago.




and I'm working on a pair of socks- this yarn was part of the gift bag I recieved in the Hogwarts Knit Sock Kit swap round 2- I was in Hufflepuff so thats why the blue and gold- one is striping well the other is more random, but the yarn is soft and yummy.