Hi guys.

I’m almost done. For realz this time. Just a few signatures left. I was hoping to get one last update to the shop up before xmas, but that is not going to happen. At this rate I’ll be lucky to get everything I have to get done, done in time.

I’ve got boss’ signature on my dissertation and then all the printing and official paperwork left. Then I’m done with that, and all that’s left is getting car insurance and health insurance signed up for/redirected/etc.

In the meantime, here’s a project I finished ages ago, but couldn’t tell you about at the time, and then things got insane.

This was what I did for the Fiber to Scarf Exchange 2009. Basically, you send out fiber, and it goes to someone (you don’t know who until after) and they spin it up and knit (or crochet or weave) a scarf or cowl out of it and send it back. You’ll remember a ways back when I posted the lovely alpaca scarf I got from my fiber.

What I got was some lovely purple/blue corriedale/romney from BlackBunny Fibers. I spun it up on both my ashford and my (at the time) new SR30.

2-ply, spun more-or-less with a point of twist sort-of-short draw.

(Photo by Joe)

I decided to knit without a pattern, because I like torturing myself, or something. Also, I’m really poor at following patterns.

So I designed this pattern, though I’m fairly certain it’s been done before by others. It’s essentially just a 3×3 diagonal rib (not a cabled diagonal like koolhaus or the like). I liked the effect, and think it came out pretty well. It scrunches nicely.

(Photo by Joe)

Here it is on me before I sent it out…

Then I sent it to the awesome QueerJoe (who’s fiber it was, and who took the better photos you’ve seen here)

And he loved it. Thank goodness. I’m always worried when crafting for other people.

Ok, back to forms.

~The Gnome

Lessee… shop updated. One Burning Bright, the April Showers (unless someone emails me for it or something), and the War for the Oaks are getting shipped to the brick and mortar store. Everything else is up.

So, among the many projects which I am a bajillion miles behind on, is a “Fiber to Scarf” trade. I haven’t started, you see. This makes me feel terribly guilty, but well… grad school. I will get it done, it’s just going to run up against the deadline more than I’d like.

However, my trade partner (who was just identified, since it’s a blind trade) has already finished. I sent him some lovely silver suri alpaca, and he sent back this…

EDIT: My trade partner was VTKnitboy, and here’s his Blog

Isn’t it pretty? And it’s SUPER soft. And squishy, with a remarkably good drape for a pure alpaca. Not a big fan of this photo, but hey.

He also kindly sent me back the extra yarn, even though I offered to let him keep it. it’s a lovely fingering/sportweight. I forgot to bring it so I could take a photo though.

That’s all for now, fiber update this weekend.

~The Gnome

FO FO FO!

Scarf, done.
Hat, DONE DONE DONE!

2-ply, 80% Merino / 20% Alpaca. Wheelspun except the stripe, which was spindle spun.

And being modeled by moi

So I can get these in the mail soon!

Should finish the Pink Spinel commissioned yarn tomorrow, since my date looks like it’s not happening. ::shrugs:: Then I can get started on the Sapphires and Emeralds commissioned yarns on Sunday. Woot! Then… assuming nothing else… probably back to finish off the Cernunnos. After that… either Rusalka or Amaterasu… or maybe a “normal” yarn? Who knows, the possibilities are endless… though lab’s also getting stupid hectic again.

Oh, update on testing of large volume dyeing method… it worked. Soon as it’s dry I have 14oz of “Brick” border leicester to photograph. Woot. Also looking at getting the equipment to do it a little easier once I hear back on two other opportunities.

Plan to squeeze in a few more stitch marker sets this weekend too. And hopefully some of a new variety. ::crosses fingers::

Busy Gnome.

~The Gnome

Working on the hat. Currently knitting the stripe now, in my spindle spun yarn. Going well, hope to have it done by this weekend.

Dyed some more blending silk, will post when it’s dry.

Also, I’m in the testing stages for doing larger batches of fiber. The plan is to periodically make sweater quantities of a single fiber, single dyelot available. So, right now I’m in the testing stages to see if it can be done with my equipment, and if not what I’ll need.

Today’s fairy is a little forlorn. You see, he’s a sunflower fairy, and he was all excited because he thought Spring might be coming. See, he even got his seedhead sparkler out! But then it snowed. Now, deep in his little green heart he knew it would, it is March after all, but still, he’s sad.

~The Gnome

And that’s what I have to say about that.

Lab is eating my life, as usual. 14.5 hour days are long. But, if things go well, I could be graduating in May/June.

I have, however, managed to get some Queen Mab spun up. I’m in the process of plying it now. Hope to get it done soon. It’s a little slow. I still have to build myself a beading rig. You know, along with needing a flat swift, etc. No problem! Soon as I can make me some time out of thin air!

As I think I mentioned before, my bobbins have been falling apart. Luckily I have gorilla glue, which is magic. So, two have been glued back together. Once Mab is plied, another will be fixed.

Let’s see, what else is up… once I get the Mab plied, I’ve got three commission yarns to do. But with my wheel running faster and smoother, those shouldn’t take as long… barring more insane lab weeks.

I have managed to get part of a hat made. Getting the color on this yarn to photograph is a pain in the butt. It’s not nearly as grey as the camera wants to make it.

It’s currently stalled for a bit because it needs a band of another color on it. So I have to spin one… though I suppose I could cut some off that ball I’m knitting from and overdye that… nah, that would be too logical. What I’ll probably do is spindle spin enough yarn for the stripe this Saturday while I’m waiting for immunoprecipitations and western blots in lab. Yay lab?

Oh, yeah, that bit of color. I made myself a stitch marker out of pieces I didn’t have enough of to make sets. So this is my one-of-a-kind stitch marker. A bead, chalcedony, and malachite. I like it.

I just put in an order for more fiber. Should be some nice fiber and blends, including some ::gasp:: non-merino. I got it in large enough batches to do sweater volumes of fiber. As soon as I get some time, I have some BFL and Shetland to dye, and maybe some clun forest roving as well.

I’m also trying to draw more fairies for the blog, but again… time.

~The Gnome