Still Slightly Raveled

I guess it’s true that new members of Ravelry don’t tend to blog as much as they used to. I’m only a little behind though, so don’t hold it against me. I’ve also cut down some on the YahooGroups I belong to now that I have Ravelry’s groups to play in. It’s really easy to join them, not like the rigmarole you have to go through to join a YahooGroup, and you can check them out and read messages without even joining first. As you can guess I’ve been lurking around a lot.

So what else have I been doing? Photographing my yarns and projects and uploading the pictures to my Flickr site so I can illustrate my projects and yarn stash. That’s a time-consuming process it turns out, even if I only show a tiny fraction of my real stash. I’ve also been queuing up my projects for the winter. I need gloves for starters. Ones with fingers in them! But first I have to spin more of that black yarn that I used for the Icelandic Lace Shawl. And then I want yet another pair of handwarmers to wear over top of the gloves for extra warmth. More on that anon.

Otherwise I’ve gotten 4 repeats done on the Boteh Scarf so far and the pattern is memorized. I don’t need the chart at all which makes this the most portable project I’ve got at the moment. I’m working on the heel flaps on the Earl Grey Socks. Haven’t restarted the Hepburn Cardi yet though.

The weather has been quite reasonable so yesterday we went out and did some work in the garden. Most of the beds are cleared, weeded and planted with winter rye now. I got the garlic planted for next spring. Just like flower bulbs but more edible! We put the Silly Goose garden ornament inside the now mostly-cleared out greenhouse for safekeeping until next door gets the fencing and landscaping completed. We can’t even consider what to do on the fence line between the properties until we see what they’re going to do first.

Later today I need to get my felting stuff together for Spectrum Study Group tomorrow. As usual I’m bucking the group’s trends and will be doing some needle-felting. I need another pumpkin ornament (I already have two) and my felted crochet hook case needs some decoration because it’s completely boring. I’m thinking a leaf theme — this time of year always makes me think about leaves. Wonder why? But I don’t want to use the knitted leaves that I’ve made and felted. I have another idea for them. I want to needle felt kind of freeform this time.

Which brings me to the new issue of Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts magazine. This one is much better than last year’s! At least the contents are all new instead of rehashed from other issues. There are several items I might make. I love the fairisle December Lights Tam on the cover with it’s bright colours, the mohair Sugarplum Shrug, at least 2 of the 4 pairs of socks, and the Qiviuk scarf (the tam that goes with it would need to be sized down somewhat). There’s a nice little ascot and a cute floppy teddy too plus more. The article on felting (both wet and needle) includes a really handsome messenger bag by Leigh Radford. Actually I think that’s what has inspired me to decorate my crochet hook roll.

Tonight I’m going to a Maiwa Textile Symposium lecture with Elizabeth Wayland Barber, the author of “Women’s Work: The First 20,000 Years” and “The Mummies of Urumchi”, both really interesting books. There’s an interview with her here that makes fascinating reading. I’m looking forward to it but as usual I have trouble staying awake in the evenings. Plus I have a migraine today which is compounding the problem. But this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear her speak and I have a ticket already. T-Man is going to drive me and we can have dinner out first.