posted by Charleen at 6:55 PM
For someone who never gets sick, this school year is not looking good. Some bug hit me on Friday like a ton of bricks! I barely made it through my last two classes, and this weekend was a washout. I had to call out of school yesterday, but only after DH drove me in at 6:00 AM to get things in order. I was supposed to go to The Mannings after school to spend the night and be ready for the chain warping class, but I call and told them I wouldn't be there until today - and then I just held on and hoped I would be able to do it. I had to go into school again last night to get things in order, but by 5:00 this morning I was up and (almost) headache free. I made it there in only two hours and was it ever worth it.
Tom is just amazing - how he describes, teaches, and then makes sure you can do it yourself. After reading Chandler, Osterkamp, and Garrett I was worse off than when I first started, but things really made sense today. He showed us front to back, which I've never seen and seems so much easier to me, and then back to front, which was the only way I've done it before. I'm going to go over my notes tomorrow and I'll post the tips I picked up. I know they may not be new to everyone, but they were ah-ha moments to me.
We warped on both a warping board and a reel. Tom said that one of his students put the warping board on it's end, so that it was taller than wide, and found it was a more natural movement and not so tiring. I thought that was a great idea and planned on changing mine, until I got to play with the warping reel. I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow a 20 yard Harrisville Warping Reel ended up in the back of my Subaru <veg>
On the knitting front, I just finished the last decrease row, up to 576 stitches, and have two more rows of diamonds to go on my Pi Shawl. It's working up beautifully with Indecita Alpaca in a chestnut brown. For those of you who suffered through my WIP Hall of Shame, you may remember it! I had planned on starting on one of the Folk Shawls, but, well you know how those things go.
Off to grade tests. After a sick day and a personal day, my class room will be a shambles! Weather reports are calling for snow, but I better not count on a snow day.
posted by Charleen at 10:55 PM
The fiber pursuits are far and few between. I've been plugging away on another baby Wallaby and an Opal sock. I haven't overdyed the grey romney since I decided I may not have enough yarn for the sweater. I'm almost finished the second bobbin, and I'll ply those together. I'm sure that will be plenty and hopefully by next week I can try the new dye pots out.
I did get the mohair exchange together and ready to mail tomorrow. Unfortunately it was supposed to mailed by Friday, but I must have been thinking of the dishtowel exchange next month. The distaff is also boxed and ready to go the post office. I scrapped the combed romney, since it was so scratchy when I braided it. I used some of the handspun from my autumn vest instead. And I thought I was going to be so early for these exchanges. Just goes to show you.
Whine --- I woke up with a horrendous head cold. On Thursday I took my mom to the dermotologist and he found two tiny spots on my upper lip that he said was precancerous. Shot me with a little liquid nitrogen - with my red, runny nose and an upper lip that looks, well, I won't describe it since you may not have a strong stomach - let's just say it's not pretty! But not to worry, high school kids won't notice a thing, right?
Thrillers Come Through - After a weekend at Claudia's for the Stash Reduction Weekend, I came home with lots of good ideas. Kate told me about making breakfast patties with ground turkey and Penzey's Breakfast Sausage Seasoning. Tried it this morning and it is yummy, not greasy, great taste. My oldest son thought it was better than store bought sausage. Then I made whole wheat sourdough pancakes, thanks to inspiration from SpindleRose. I got the starter from King Arthur, and divided it into white and whole wheat. And in case Carolyn thinks I forgot about her, well I bought the fixing's for the Crockpot Cranberry Turkey Breast. I don't know about you, but it's feed a cold AND feed a fever for me!
