While I was at Twist last week it was pouring rain. An older couple came into the store — they’d noticed the store from the road, and the husband graciously came with his wife to check it out.

They were, if I remember correctly, from Minnesota. Visiting California for our lovely winter sunshine.

I felt bad for them. Except we do desperately need the rain.

It’s rained all this weekend as well — big storm systems dumping large quantities of water as they passed through, lovely dramatic piles of dark grey clouds rushing along. Our plants are loving it — this is the first really good ‘watering’ they’ve experienced. The yarrow is especially lush.

Despite the rain, yesterday Dave and I ventured to Stick and Stone Fiberarts for their sale I’d been trying to resist but finally gave in — I knew, with the sale prices on generally decently priced items, that I would regret it if I didn’t. I bought a bunch of luscious fiber (baby alpaca, merino/angora/mohair, more) at 40% off, some natural dyes and mordant at 20% off, a book on dyeing and a Kromski niddy noddy (also all on sale).

I was also lusting after some wondrously soft baby camel top but resisted. While I was at the store, however, the owner called and let the salesperson know that she was extending the sale, so there’s still a chance I may get some of that as well.

Last night I skeined all my so-far spun and plied yarn. I also spun some of the orange merino roving from Spunky Eclectic that I got for Christmas.

I’m patiently waiting for my Beaverslide Mule Deer for Herbstlied. In the meanwhile I’ve started a relatively mindless knitting project to balance out the harder ones: ChicKnits Eyelet Cardi. I’m using the auburn Lush — the color looks like a Irish Setter (in a good way).

Goals Revisited

I feel I’m making decent progress on my 2008 goals.


Knit from either current stash or what I spin (using my current fleece stash)
: I did valiantly try to find yarn from my stash for Herbstlied. I am going to use my Black Water Abbey for Canyonville. I could add on one more major sweater to the goal list to use my Jaeger Shetland Aran — Fern, say, or Little Rivers, two that I especially like from St*rmore. Or maybe Am Kamin.


Continue learning and improving with my spinning
: My spinning is improving. It’s not yet nearly as good as I want it to be, or good enough to use for a sweater, but it’ll get there. Even if I don’t spin daily I’m trying to do so every other day or so.

Knit the following sweaters: the above sheep to sweater project; a St*rmore design using my Jaeger Shetland; a St*rmore design using my Black Abbey yarn; sweaters with the above mentioned Lush Angora; Veste Everest with the Icelandic lamb.: I have made progress of sorts on the two major sweaters — I feel Herbstlied is a valid substitution for a St*more –I hope to knit this year.

I did start the Eyelet Cardi as noted above with the Lush.

I did finish the Veste Everest ‘project’ aka pillow.

Complete these WIPs: Seaweed Wrap; Dave’s Irish Moss; Anemoi mittens; Lady Eleanor x2
: I’ve not worked much on Dave’s scarf. I did a little on Rosemary’s Lady E.

Complete one small project per every month or two (mittens, pair of socks, scarf, etc) as well as the above items: : No new projects started.