Here we have it. My first wheel spun and plied hanks of yarn. The first pictures are previous to their soaking to set....the second photos are after they are drying on my outside chairs. After you ply yarn you are supposed to let it soak in water so that the fibers "become one" I love, love love my first yarn. I like uneven knobby yarns so my beginner skein is perfect for the artsy side of me. I can see that I am progressing to a much more controlled even spin as I practice. They say it is hard to go back to the funky look after. I need to know that I can do both and then I will feel like " I get it". I couldn't help but try an unusual color;one we can't usually order! Next, the project...I have to estimate how much I have and then based on that; what I will make. Oh ya...I'm not sure the "become one" concept shows in the photos....just sayin...

Addictions are funny little things that just sneak up on you when you least realize it. You know that feeling you get when you are about to get on a plane or go on a long card ride and you panic because you can't find your crocheting or knitting project? How about getting ready for a trip; all you think about is what project is going to be packed, the heck with the clothing! Then there is that crazy feeling you get when you sit down to a bowl of salad, pasta, and garlic bread......where the heck is the red wine? Lucky for me, these current addictions are not serious to my health and not embaressing to my family. I have lived with them for awhile and openly claim them as mine....BUT... I have a new one that snuck up on me this morning, spinning. I briefly talked about it a couple entries ago.....how spinning was becoming my new obsession. I did not realize however that is was incorporating itself into a physical addiction. I woke up this morning came right down to start spinning and encountered a very serious issue. I had no fiber to spin! My body did that little twitch that I know all too well as the addiction twitch....ahh haaa.....funny how they sneak up on you. NOTE TO SELF....BRING HOME FIBER...don't like this feeling.

I confess, I am glad the weather is lousy. I know I should be clamoring for sunny days and warm temps and yes, yesterday I was whining about how it is never going to be nice outside. But honestly, today I am happy because my options are narrowed way down due to the weather. It is my day off and I am knitting, sewing spinning and sneaking in a movie. Today I worked a tiny bit on Kelsey's dress & pressed the material for my blouse. I then proceeded to finish spinning my Targhee from Abstract Fibers. It has to sit a little before I ply it(so I've been told). I am anxious to produce my first yarn to knit with but am trying not to rush through the process Because I was really struggling with the targhee I decided to try the Blue Faced Leicester(bfl) from Mountain Colors. Classic case of wondering if it is hard because I am a newbie, or is it the fiber? It is spinning so much easier.....there must be a learning lesson here but I don't know enough yet, to figure out what that lesson is. Anyone out there have wisdom to share with me? My Noro purse is done and I think it is quite fun. Actually after I was done with it I decided it would be a perfect pattern for handspun.... The last two things I am hoping to sneak in are loading the ArtYarns onto the website and working on my brother in law's slippers. Amazing day!

One of the hardest things for me to do is to compartmentalize my personal life and studio life. I think that is a common theme for small business owners. Sometimes it is just plain old difficult to shut down one....they seem to merge into this big awesome, daunting, amorphous blob. Last week I was in Charleston, South Carolina and now I am back trying to figure out what I should do first. What I decided to do for now is just get back into info sharing so here I am. One picture from Charleston and one picture from knitting that I was doing while traveling. Charleston has these nostaligic beautiful southern homes with wonderful patio gardens and historic gateways. I love peering through the gates to see the lush greenery and vibrant flowering plants.

My knitting is a purse project that is from the Noro volume #27. One of our customers had started on one and I was intrigued by the shaping so I decided to start on one myself. The yarn I am using is Noro Furisode and the one they use in the book is Taiyo. It is going to have a lovely shape and interesting sling effect. Watch for the finished project!