I'm Not Lost Yet

It has been way too long since posting here. I really should get my act together and make a posting schedule.

I have been busy knitting, spinning, visiting with friends, visiting some museums and just relaxing, well besides doing my day job. About ten days ago, I went into DC. I haven't been there in about six months and thought I should go. I really wanted to see the Coral Reef before the display was taken down. This is only one of the many pictures I took that day. I have a few friends who crocheted some items to include here and thought I should see it completed. While I was there I met Jennifer Lindsay, who was the program coordinator for this project. It was interesting to talk with her and find out some of what was involved with this project. She said that Nature's Yarns had an outstanding representation in the reef.

I also went to the Renwick Gallery where I looked at some paintings, fiber arts pieces, and took a nap in the room where they have their video loop going. Yes, it had been a long day and it was after lunch with my husband. I was tired and full! Next time I go downtown, I probably shouldn't wait six months to go.

I have also been doing some knitting. We have two new grand-babies due soon. There has been baby knitting going on. But I also had the chance to make a wonderful scarf for my friend Vicky. I really enjoyed this project. It is Brooke's Column of Leaves (Ravelry link). The charts were easy to read and the knitting moved along really easily. I spun the yarn from some Polworth roving I got from Misty Mountain Farm when I went there with Sue some time this past early fall. I think I need to make me one of these scarfs, it's not like I don't have the yarn sitting around here to do so.

Soon I will be able to show what I have been making for the babies, but I don't want to spoil the surprise for the new baby's parents. When the packages are in the possession of the parents, I'll post pictures.

Happy knitting and spinning!

Terra Cotta Warriors, Mt Vernon and a New Sweater

In the last post I said that we were heading into DC to the National Geographic Museum to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. It was very interesting, but no pictures were allowed, so the only pictures you get are after the tour. ES did spend quite a bit of time reading each display. C hurried, looked and then sat around waiting for us. I took my time, looking at what I wanted to see and reading what I wanted. C and I were in line at 5 pm, remember we were standing in line for free tickets for the 6 pm admittance. We were number 50 and 51 for tickets for the event. Each numbered ticket
was worth two admittance tickets at the door. ES ended up getting there just about 5:20. It was interesting to read about the whole burial area and what that entailed. I really liked seeing if I could see any color on any of the warriors and I could. Sometimes it was very faint, but it was there. We left the museum about 8:30, so we didn't do too bad time wise. Afterward, C and I had our first taste of Indian food. I can't say we were too fond of it, but it was good to try it.


Our other adventure was today. We went to see Mt Vernon, George Washington's home. I remember going there with Aunt Gloria thirty years ago this summer, but I don't remember much of the experience except for the porch facing the Potomac. That is still a grand view! The mansion is quite something also. The dining room is the first room you get to visit on the tour. It is decorated with an agricultural theme on the sealing and fireplace. The fireplace mantle has a wonderful relief of some sheep in the center section of it. I really would have liked to get a picture of it, but no cameras allowed. We spent a lot of time there today. We got there about 11 am and didn't leave until about 4:15. C didn't put up much protesting about having to go with us and I think for the most part he enjoyed it, but he would have liked to have left an hour or two earlier. Oh well, he survived and is now hanging out with some friends enjoying the last of the long weekend.

The mansion was the perfect place to show off my new sweater, the February Lady Sweater (Ravelry link). I spun the yarn for this sweater with some fiber purchased from Wasatch Watercolours at the Idaho Falls Fiber Festival in 2007. It had been sitting in the stash until January 2009 when I decided to pull it out and start spinning it. The yarn has been sitting in my kitchen holdall for about four months waiting for it's bath which I completed the end of November. The trip to Idaho was the perfect time to make this sweater and I am quite pleased with how it turned out. I wore it to Church last week with a black dress and a friend asked if I had made the sweater to go with that dress specifically. I told her no. I made it to go with a number of clothes in my closet, because I can dress up for work now and wear all the sweaters I want.

Well, off to get ready for the work week. Happy knitting and spinning.

New Old Yarn

I have to share pictures of the yarn I got from my Aunt Melanie. Remember the yarn for the BSJs which was from my grandma's stash? Well, I got that stash because Aunt Melanie took all the acrylic yarn and I got all the wool yarn. She took the acrylic because she was making baby toys at the time. When I spent the night at their house a week ago, we talked about the BSJs and the yarn. Aunt Melanie said she had some yarn for me. I thought it was more of Grandma's yarn. This was not yarn from Grandma.

While Uncle Gerry was in the Navy, they were stationed in Saudi Arbia during the 1980's. Aunt Melanie didn't have much to do so she spent quite a bit of time shopping. Well, during some rearranging she came upon these skiens of yarn which she bought there and knew she wouldn't use. I was the lucky receipient of said yarn!

The pink is Pinguin- fleur de laine made in Brazil with 182 yards. I don't know for sure what I will do with it, but I think it would make good colorwork mittens with some handspun that I have.

The purply brown is Jaeger 3 ply wool pure botany. They are six skiens of 25 grams each. I don't know the yardage, but will probably measure one skien out for a guestimation. Like the pink, I have no clue what I will do with it, but it is fun to imagine.

My sweater isn't blocked yet, so no pictures of that. It will happen sometime soon, I hope. It's back to work usual hours next week, so there is only this week to get some projects done and that is one of them.

This afternoon C and I are meeting ES in DC and heading to the National Geographic Museum. ES will spend the whole time in the Terra Cotta Warrior exhibit I am sure, C will hurry and get through looking at everything and then want to go home. Me, I will take my time and enjoy! I'll let you know what we think of the exhibits.

In the meantime, happy knitting and spinning.

Lunch with ES

On Wednesday I went into DC to have lunch with ES. After lunch I had the chance to wander around a couple of the museums by myself. I wandered where I wanted and stayed as long as I wanted in any one place. I think my favorite place that day was this waterfall on the mall side of the building. I hadn't seen this when the boys and I were there in March. I took the time to listen to the water rushing over the rocks. It was a quiet sound when compared to the people and the traffic. Wednesday was also my first time getting out of the metro in the wrong spot too. ES had to come find me. Luckily I was only a few blocks away from where I was supposed to be and I probably could have found my way around, but I just kind of froze and had to call. The lunch was outside the Hirshhorn building where it was really windy. We had hamburgers, chips, pop, and dessert. Not the best of lunches, but the company was good.

My shawl project is almost done. Only about three more rows and then the bind off. The next project is planned and ready for the needles. I bought the yarn for it Wednesday night at Knit night.

"C" had his first accident since moving here and consequently the first trip to a doctor here. He either broke his thumb or has a very bad sprang. We took x-rays yesterday, so we will know in a couple of days whether it is broken or not. For right now it is in a splint and wrapped pretty good. Not too bad, six weeks or so in between visits to the doc. Pretty good for him.

Off to finish the shawl. Happy knitting & spinning.