Post #301

I just noticed and thought it deserved a post.  That's a lot of project updates, random thoughts, and whatever else I write about.  I've been really bad at blogging lately, mainly because life has been hard.  I'm focusing on activities of daily living, which is what Social Security calls the stuff you need to do to get through the day.  They're all about limitations to your ADLs.

Eating, getting to medical appointments, and otherwise taking care of myself and the cats has been the main thing.  And keeping up with friends, mostly online but some in person too.  Things are going better this weekend, and I'm very happy about that.

I bought a new spinning wheel but don't have photos worthy of posting yet.  I'll need to move it into the sun--yes, Seattle's having real summer weather!  It's lovely.  And hot.  Ah well ;)  Take care everyone, and thanks for hanging in with me.

Vacation-Bible-School

Of any three incongruous words, these have to rank high on anyone's list. What kind of vacation involves bibles AND school?!? Yet each summer in the US, many churches run a week-long VBS and many parents send their kids. I suspect free childcare is at least part of the lure. Now, I believe in God and think it's a good thing for kids to be exposed to grounded spiritual beliefs (ie, no cults). But VBS doesn't sound like happy fun time to me. I was a kid who ran around, played with neighbors, biked to not-so-nearby towns, and generally had fun having fun all summer. There were chores, of course, but also plenty of free time.  School does not equal free time.

Perhaps because I'm a literal-type person, I find it very difficult to gloss over the phrase. Is it a school for vacationing bibles? Or a vacation for biblical scholars? Maybe the bible of school vacations? No matter what, I don't wanna.

Goodbye Google Reader

But what to replace it with?  The big downside, for me, is the inability to easily switch between readers.  Such is 21st Century, First World life ; )

I started using feedly, I find its pared-back layout pleasing.  Feedly also recommends new blogs for you, though the recommendations based on readership makes me itchy as only popularity contests can.

Then I checked out Bloglovin, which is good in a whole different way.  Initially, I thought Bloglovin was opening a new tab for each post.  If I wanted to do that, I'd do it myself!  Then I realized that you can navigate the blog, and between blogs, from that tab.  I do like being able to read the blog on the author's site.

You can follow my blog with Bloglovin  (I have to post this to claim my own blog).

Where the Black Sheep Gather

In two weeks I'll be heading to the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, OR, my first fiber festival road trip!  My mom and I are making a weekend of it, and I'm pleased to say that we get along great and really enjoy time together.  She actually brought up the idea of a road trip to scout for a spinning wheel for me, and then BSG popped up as though it was meant to be.  I have a wheel, but it has enough problems that I'd really like a new(ish) wheel to get seriously spinning on.

I've chatted with some amazing knitters about meeting up there, which will be fantastic!  There are spinning circles, too, so I'm looking forward to chatting about and trying out different wheels.  If you'll be at BSG in Eugene, let me know.  I'd love to try to meet up with as many people as possible!

I spun up a bobbin of thicker wool and plied it, just enough to make a warm cushy hat for next winter :)

A Baby Sweater

My favorite cousin is pregnant, due in a few weeks, and I'm knitting a sweater for her baby.  I chose machine washable alpaca yarn in a gorgeous teal color, very soft and squishy.  I designed a back-button cardigan with a CF cable and garter st edging, inspired by a sweater on Ravelry.  Apparently buttons on the back makes it easy to change sleeping babies, at least that's the rumor.

I had 2 false starts: first my actual gauge didn't match my swatched gauge.  Then I forgot to compensate for the fact that cables pull the fabric in.  But now it's progressing well, and there's almost enough to be worth sharing...but I'll share anyway ;)

My sweater so far

© Oxhy Dryle

Inspiration sweater: Vendredi by Oxhy Dryle

I didn't intend to knit exactly the same cable as the inspiration sweater--which is in French, so easier to design my own than attempt a translation.  But my yarn was so squishy that the first cables I swatched almost melted into the fabric.  This one holds it own, however, and adds a modern flair.