Write (a blog)

Yeah. So I haven’t blogged in a while. Things have been busy (that’s the standard excuse.) But since the last blog entry, I went on a trip with my mom to St Louis, Springfield and Chicago. The kids started school again, and perhaps what has been keeping me the most busy, I’m working on my very first contracted sock design to be published by Three Irish Girls. Squee!

A few months ago, Sharon at Three Irish Girls (3IG) contacted me and asked if I would like to design a sock pattern for their sock club. Yeah, she contacted me. *blink* I, of course, said yes yes yes!! It will be an exclusive design for the club for 6 months, then sold on the 3IG website for a minimum of 18 months, and I get royalties. Wee!

When I first accepted, I immediately started trying to come up with a great design. Without much success. This one was too complicated, this one was not fun to knit, this one didn’t look good.. ugh. I was going nuts. Then one night I had a dream. I dreamt that was out with my knitting friends and one of the ladies had gotten up to get coffee and had left a sock that she was designing behind on the table. I picked it up and loved it. I wished that I had thought of that… Then I woke up. And I practically yelled, I DID think of that! And started sketching.

The design is finished, and I’ve knit one sock. It is nearly exactly what I remember in my dream. The pattern is all written and has been delivered to my test knitters. It will be submitted to 3IG in November. I can not wait. It is quite literally a dream. Even if it isn’t a huge hit, I’m so excited to have my first pattern published! (Can you see me doing the happy dance over here?)

I really loved writing that pattern and will be writing more. My head is swimming with ideas. Pierre is in love with the idea of me writing and selling knitting patterns. Because once the work is done, it’s done. And that’s good. Maybe he has visions of grandeur, I don’t think I’ll get rich off this, but I love that he’s so encouraging.

And I love that I can sit on the sofa and knit and honestly say “I’m WORKING here!”

A couple months ago, while at Hanks Yarn & Fiber, one of the owners, Lorena, showed me her Swift knitting bag. Which I loved so much, I bought my own the very next day.

After it got here, I wrote a note to TomBihn.com and told them about Lorena and how she shows her Swift bag to customers and tells them to go buy their own. How she’s selling these bags for them through demonstration and word of mouth alone. The bags are only sold online or in the one Tom Bihn store in Seattle, they’re not available wholesale for shop owners. But I told them that if they ever considered selling them in shops, to please, please consider Hanks Yarn & Fiber.

So fast forward to today, when I walked into Hanks and Lorena looks at me and exclaims “I’m so glad you came in today!!” I was surprised.. me? Why me??? She said she had something for me, and came out with a big yellow envelope. She said that a couple weeks ago she got a package from Tom Bihn and thought “What? From Tom Bihn!?!” She said that apparently because I had written to them, they wanted to send a thank you to the shop, and sent them the small clear pen/pencil accessory bag that goes with the Swift bag. They sent one for each of the three shop co-owners, and.. One. For. Me!!

*This is me tripping out a little* Just… Awesomeness.

Lorena got a green one to match her green and brown bag. I got the grey one to match my pink and grey bag.

I didn’t write the letter with any more intention than to let them know about Lorena and Hanks, and to make sure they got on the list if ever they allow outside dealers of their Swift bags. Lorena was so happy and thankful that I wrote the letter. I was happy and thankful that the Tom Bihn company is so awesome. And I’m so happy with my Swift, and new little accessory bag.

Now, go forth, and buy a Swift bag. If you’re not a knitter, buy any other Tom Bihn bag. Because they are made of awesomeness.

Wow, I haven’t blogged in a while. Sorry about that. I hope you keep up with me via Plurk, cause I’m rambling about something on there nearly every day.

So this is what’s up. Last Monday I had my two right-side wisdom teeth pulled, along with a deep cleaning on the right side of my mouth. A double whammy that hurt my mouth and Pierre’s wallet. I hadn’t been to the dentist since I was a kid… probably 20 years ago. This was an elective procedure, but I knew they needed to come out.

I didn’t know what to expect. After the monster needle to numb me up, there wasn’t any pain, but the pressure was HELL. I thought she was going to rip my whole jaw out of my head. She didn’t, thankfully. Just the teeth. The bottom wisdom tooth did not want to leave, and had some massively curved roots to hold it in place.

After a week of healing, I went back today for more torture. I hoped the bottom one would be easier than last time. No such luck. This one was even more resistant, causing the doctor to not only cut the tooth in half, but remove bone in order to get it out. Did I mention that they *were not* impacted? The root had a 90 degree bend in it.

The top ones were no problem at all. I imagine that’s what all of them are like for normal people. Regarding the bottoms, I was awarded with “yours were some of the toughest extractions I’ve ever done. Thanks, I needed the workout!” Wee. Go me. I still had to pay though.

So here I am, unable to chew anything even remotely solid and missing a good portion of my head. Those teeth were HUGE. But it’s over, and after a couple weeks of healing, I will never. have. to. do. that. again!!!

I’m on good pain pills though. Doc gave me Vicodin. Pierre says I can pretend I’m Dr House. *smirk*

Pierre and I took a little trip over the weekend. We drove 8 hours to Bryson City, NC where we met up with a small group of New Beetle owners from around the country, with one purpose in common.

To drive US 129 and the Tail of the Dragon.

This relatively short 11 mile stretch of road, beckons drivers from around the world to tame the dragon and experience its 318 curves, yes, three hundred and eighteen curves in 11 miles, while nestled on the side of a mountain. Tight switchbacks, steep hills and sharp drop offs create an exhilarating drive that will lure even the most experienced drivers.

But I was a chicken and had Pierre drive. eh heh heh…

We were in a bug-a-van (that’s a caravan of bugs, get it?) of 12 New Beetles.

The entire loop that we drove totaled more than 100 miles which included the Cherohala Skyway where we reached an elevation of more than 5000 miles. And where we were forced to stop because the fog… no, the clouds were too thick. We were driving IN the clouds and this silver beetle in front of us all but disappeared.

On the flip side of the clouds, we finally made it to the main attraction, the Tail of The Dragon. No, it’s not a roller coaster, or a theme park. It’s a road. A free access public US highway. But its the best driving in the country although it can be dangerous and people have died. The speed limit is 30 MPH, however frequently and very, very easily exceeded.

(no, that’s not a bug!)

What a ride…

That’s just a few of the pix I took while Pierre drove. After the drive, all 12 bugs stopped for a photo op.

And then I bucked up, put the top down and and took the wheel myself.

I drove the Dragon twice. And Pierre didn’t scream once.

See the rest of the pix here.

I don’t think I’ve ever stalked the UPS man as intently as I did today, because he was bringing me this!

I bought a Strauch Petite with brush attachment. And after spending a few hours playing with it, the love affair has begun. Its a little small, as to be expected with the name “Petite”, but was still a hefty $450, so a bigger one was out of the question. That’s ok, I’m in love, love, love and can’t stop doing the happy dance!

For my very first “practice” batt, I carded some pretty lavender mohair.

That went well so I jumped right into putting together an “art” batt. Which I think is code for whatever-the-hell-I-decide-to-throw-into-it batt. This contains miscellaneous wools, some icicle shiny stuff, and some of the previous lavender mohair.

Fun fun! I have alpaca, silk neps, bamboo, angelina, sari silk, of course wool and more just waiting to be carded. More “art” batts (heh) coming soon!

(By the way, if you’ve been to my equipment gallery page and have seen another drum carder there, it’s true. I have another drum carder. But it was handmade and has never worked just right. But that will change now that I have something to compare it to.)

I’m sorry I haven’t blogged much lately. If you’ve been reading my plurks (there to the right), you’ll see that I’m much more active there because I’m impatient and lazy and it’s quicker and easier to write one plurk, rather than a whole blog post.

Especially when there’s not much going on. Really, life is just trucking along.

But Pierre and I reached the 17 year mark in our marriage last weekend. It still sounds funny saying that we’ve been married that long. We don’t feel that old, we don’t look that old, so I’m fairly certain there was some sort of illegal activity going on when we were wed. And I don’t know where these teenagers came from. The boy will be 18 this year. He can’t be mine.

I’m. Not. This. Old.

Anyway.

In other news, I’ve been knitting, and spinning and spinning and knitting. You’re surprised, no? Have a look-see…

So far, in my spinning career, I think this might be my best work. Superwash merino, Navajo plied. Laceweight, 380 yards. Fiber from DK Knits.

I ended up ripping out the sock, and started over on size 0 needles, and then frogged that too. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this… I really have issues with knitting with my own handspun. Apparently.

Here’s a couple more finished yarns. The first is my own handdyed BFL. The second is a One Night Stand from Sugarbee Studios. These two, are of course, just sitting in a basket. Because I have issues…

In the knitting world, I finished my Dumbledore socks. The yarn is Opal’s Harry Potter line, Dumbledore colorway. The striping is matched up, even through the heel, gusset and cuff. Yes, I’m awesome like that. Squee!

And am currently working on Stricken. Love the yarn (Lorna’s Laces in Clara’s Garden). Love the pattern (Cookie A, hello!) Love the socks.

Too bad this is Florida, where its always 95 degrees, and I hardly ever wear socks.

I love my sewing machine!

This is the first attempt at turning my little Edgar the Ram into embroidery. More tweaking is needed, but I couldn’t help doing a little dance in my seat as I watched my machine stitch him before my eyes! SQUEE!