SpinnySpinny

MaryJo Lanik, of the Van Wyck Homestead Handspinners and Weavers in Fishkill, NY, sent me some photos from the Knit-Out that I stumbled upon on my visit to New York last month. Here’s one of me (right) teaching drop spinning:

It was fun. You never know when you might find yourself on the other side of the country teaching spinning.

A few new changes — I’m working on the design of the site to make it easier for people to find what they are looking for, both from search engines and once you get here. I’ve also added targeted advertisements. The revenue-free grace period (sponsored by The Boyfriend) is over, so I have to see what I can do about it. I’m trying to make them not too obnoxious. In the process, I also get a search feature.

I want to get back to writing new articles, recently I realized just how much content I have here but most of it is the COE work. I have a few ideas, I just have to get to it with the constraints of the New and Improved (Somewhat) Employed Feorlen. I was thinking about the content of the site and realized I could make it both easier to find and easier to navigate by paying attention to the search engines. And since I’ve given in to the Cult of the Schedule C, I’m already paying the tax accountant and might as well try for some additional revenue. Strangely, I was able to deal with both by signing up with Google.

The last of the gray Romney fleece is finally scoured. I sorted out the shorter and more curly bits for carding and the rest is bagged and waiting for me to start on more Peruvian warp yarn. I even washed the rest of that questionable Dorset, although I still don’t know what to do with it. But the more wool I get scoured, the more I can seal in plastic bags and put in the storage unit. After the “M” incident, I’m not keeping raw fleece over there. Now I can start on the black Merino lambs.

I got this idea a few weeks ago that I should finally knit myself a sweater. I’ve avoided it because I’m actually not all that fond of knitting but I like to have handspun hats and scarves to wear. It’s great for small travel projects, something I am always in need of. I determined a while back that I am also in need of a “casual outergarment.” Something to throw on to run outside. I like the idea of a poncho, but I’m so over the whole “Celebrity Poncho” thing that I don’t want to touch it for fear someone will assume that I’m one of those kinds of people. I am decidedly anti-fashion when it comes to anything that involves People or Entertainment Weekly. Maybe in a few years when everyone has forgotten about it.

So, I think, I’ll knit myself a sweater. A nice classic cardigan I can nonchalantly drape over my shoulders. When somebody asks, I can respond “Yes, isn’t the yarn nice? I made it.” But since it will be of my usual 3-ply worsted, it will wear forever, never pill and be immune to the damp San Francisco evening breezes. And then I contemplate my sweater-making skills. Or, more correctly, the complete lack thereof. How will I get it actually fit my narrow shoulders and wide butt? Will I look like a stuffed sausage? None of those patterns have ever heard of bust shaping. I wonder if undertaking a first attempt in handspun is such a hot idea. What if I completely blow it? This leads me to the unthinkable: do I Buy Yarn?

I’m not sure I’m quite ready for this.