Midsummer

The days are still long, the sun is bright, work is still distant enough to be ignored (although not for much longer)and I am genuinely happy.

So far, with pictures...

(you know to click the pics to see them bigger right?)

I cast on for the Aleita Shell (Bonne Marie/Chicknits in the Spring 08 IK) using the recommended yarn, Plymouth Yarns Linen Isle which I got on sale from Elann. I used the wrong size needle for the ribbed bottom but figured what the heck until I discovered (several inches later) that I had also missed the "join to knit in the round being careful not to twist" part of the directions...

  I went on a bit of a yarn crawl with my friend Melissa and Dragonsdottir (who was wonderfully well behaved). This pile of gorgeousness was discovered. It begged to come home with me.

I think it's merino (lost the tag) and it's a beautiful multi-coloured roving with strands of greens, reds, yellows, and blues blended into a copper base.

Melissa gets the credit for discovering Legacy Studio in Cochrane, AB.

 Also from Legacy....

Yak Down

dehaired, combed, ready to spin

Very very soft....mostly I pet it

I do love the exotic fluff!

Baby Camel Top

Luscious.

Again, for the petting right now until I have practised the spinning enough to do it right.

I cast on again for Aleita. Used the correct size needles on the ribbing AND remembered to change sizes when I got to the stocking stitch part. Linen Isle is quite nice to work with. It doesn't seem as hard as a 100% cotton yarn and is easier on the hands but it does tend to shed little strands of coarse fiber which I assume come from the linen part. Easy enough to pick the pokey bits out as I knit.

On the left is a truly enormous pile of llama fluff and on the right is asssorted bits of wool, llama, and alpaca to spin with. Lots of fiber to experiment and practice with. The other night I picked up my drop spindle for the first time in quite a long time. I was converting teaching my friend how to spin. Dragonsdottir joined us with her cd spindle. My spindled singles are so much more evenly and tightly spun than anything I produce on the wheel. I think I may just go back to spinning BFL on the drop spindle for a bit until I get the feel for it in my fingers again.

I took Aleita with me everywhere. Around and around in stocking stitch. No brain knitting other than remembering to do the waist shaping.

The Boy went to summer camp with Air Cadets. I took Dragonsdottir and Goofy to see the "Graduation Parade" in Penhold. It was like being in a time warp. 30 years ago I was a young cadet going to Basic Training summer camp at Penhold.  As far as I could see the only thing that had changed was the paint on the barracks.

The Boy, Dragonsdottir and I had a little road trip and went to Medicine Hat to visit with some friends and watch the drags. They're fun, but get a bit repetitive if you know what I mean. The Boy managed to catch this shot despite the delay on my digital cam.

I finished Aleita!

Still 3 weeks of summer left to enjoy. I've started knitting birthday socks for my friend Africa and there's at least 2 baby sweaters to make. My knit bud and I have our own little surprise exchange going too, but she reads this (Hi Bryony!) so no clues here. I hope that you are enjoying these lazy summer days, saving up lots of solar energy so you don't freeze up solid in February, smiling, laughing, and taking joy in the light.

Me? I'm dancing in sunshine....

Comments

[Phil Harang]

Yak, camel, alpaca and llama. Oh my!!! Try just a pinch on your drop spindle and see how different they are from the merino.

[Sonia K.]

Excellent job on your sweater!

[Hasbu]

Looks great!