JessaLu Knits (and Spins!)

…I have been trying to think of how to post about Sunday for three whole days. Each day that has passed has made it that much harder to put into words the fun we had. I’ve decided, therefore, to just jump in headfirst and hope for the best…

There was fiber, there was fun, there were rides in ‘velocipedes’ to go get coffee (for those who were dirty stay-outs the night before *cough* Becky *cough*), there were wheels galore (okay there were five but that’s a lot, considering this wasn’t a ‘fiber’ event), there were spinners, there were knitters, and best of all, there were astonished muggles. Oh and a hailstorm, can’t forget that.

Pictures? I have a couple:

That’s Tina, the wheel to her Right is blog-free Becky’s and next to hers is Amelia - my Ashford is hiding on the left. Michelle was there late which is where I get the ‘five’ count of wheels. ;o)

My perspective for most of the day…

Tina - enabling.

My mother and my sister also put in a late showing - they arrived just in time to help us pack up as that dark cloud you see behind Tina and her victim er, student hit us with all of nature’s fury. I never thought you could throw four wheels, a table, four chairs, a buttload of fiber and three spinners into a Jeep in less than 30 seconds, but we did it.

There was quite a bit of interest in our booth, which was very cool. A few people have told me that we were the busiest one there. Yay spinners!

…signing on for this.  The whole discussion is kind of a blur and I don’t remember all the details.

In two weeks, RR and I will be loading up the family truckster and heading out on our ‘Great American Vacation of 2008′.  Where are we going, you ask?

Wyoming.  The land of the flat, the free, the antelope playing, the bison and, for this year, the annual national fireworks convention.  Our trip will be approximately 1,913 miles.  One way.  Need a visual?  Click here. (sorry, I can’t get the map to appear here unless I do some serious plugin wrangling, which I tried for an hour on Tuesday afternoon.  No work-y). To sum up, it’s a long fricken way to be stuck in a car.  Even if you’re stuck with the love of your life…

Anyone have any suggestions on places to see while at highway speeds?  I’ve been told that if I want pictures of my sock-in-progress for SOS 08 when we cross state lines, I’d better be prepared to take them while we drive past - that should give you an idea of how quickly RR is planning to get to Wyoming.  I’m guessing that sleeping, peeing and eating are optional as well…

…and at least I’ll be able to blow stuff up when we get there to let off some steam.  We’re on the safety team, too.  Our motto for this year?  Do as I say, not as I do. ;op

In other fibery news, I and some of my guild mates will be demonstrating spinning and knitting at the ‘Egremont on Parade’ event being held this Sunday the 27th from 11 to 4 at French Park in North Egremont, Massachusetts.  If you live in the area or are near the area or feel like making a drive I would *love* to have more knitters and spinners join us.  Apparently, the organizer of the event thinks I can’t scare up more than one fibery person (meaning that I’m the only one she thinks is going to show up.  She’s amazed that I will need a 10×10 space for my people) and seeing her jaw drop would make me a very happy person.  If you’d like more information, drop me a line via the comments or click on the ‘contact me’ link.  Sorry for the short notice!

The photos are from my garden today - I decided to document my weeding progress.  If you click on them you’ll see the lightbox magic zoom, if you click here, you’ll see the notes on flickr regarding what veggies are planted where.

Yep, I jumped on again. It seems to be a habit for me - I like to play the cool aloof knitter but the ‘pattern of the moment’ always seems to make its way onto my needles.

Anyway, I promised to show you what’s in the bag:

The Spring Forward socks [raveled] seem to go almost as quickly as the Monkey socks, it has somewhat the same amount of rows in the pattern repeat (20 for SF only 10 are one way and 10 are reversed…does that make sense?) so you’ll be going along and think, “well, I can finish the last five rows of this repeat” and then you get there and you think, “well, I can do the next 10 rows since the last 5 went so quickly” and before you know it, you’re at the heel.

Which, on this pair of socks, I’ve knit two times so far since I hated the first one so much I couldn’t live with it. The first heel was a regular slip-stitch flap heel (with no give) and the second is a modified partial-flap short-row sherman heel (with no holes and lots of give for my fat ankles - yes, cookie, I said they’re fat. shut up. ;op) which makes me *way* happier than the original heel. It also uses way less yarn so hopefully I won’t run out before I hit the toe… ;o)

Also, thank you all for your nice comments on my bags - wonky and otherwise - they are very much appreciated!  I’ve had a couple of people ask if I’ll be selling them and while it’s something I’ve considered doing, I’d have to make a significant upgrade regarding what I use to sew them together, which isn’t going to happen anytime soon.  You see, for my regular ‘everyday’ sewing, I use a c1938 Singer model 15-91 which doesn’t do zig zag stitch easily (it does go backwards, thank the GSD, unlike my other antique Singer which only knows forward stitching) and from what I’ve gathered, I need to be able to use a serger or zig zag stitching on the inside corner seams in order to have a nice clean bag on the inside.  I just don’t feel comfortable selling something that isn’t 100% up to my own standards so for now, the bags will have to stay on the sidelines.  However, If you know anyone who has the zig zag attachment for an antique Singer drop me an email…we’ll talk.  ;o)

In other knitting news, how about I share what I purchased from the Loopy Ewe for my birthday.  I used the two gift certificates gifted to me by my ‘rents and my sister:

As usual, click to see the ‘magic’! ;o)

Another birthday gift I received?  Four of these:

Not as fuzzy, but hopefully they’ll help with the lovely swaying sensation I experience while the camper is being towed.  I’ll do anything to keep from puking (vomit free since ‘03!), even spending yarn $$ on tires.

I also received the new Civ IV for the DS from Dobby and Whipping Boy and a new computer mouse from RR that has the cool new micro receiver thingy and a table for my laptop.  The mouse?  Love. it.  The man knows the second best way to my heart - technology.  ;o)