Yikes, Bloggers back but it sure does look different!

I have lots to tell but it will have to be in installments today as I’m taking a class from 9 - 12 today so I’ll be away from the office.

We had another busy weekend, lots of cleaning/reorganizing on Saturday and we had my Aunt & cousins for the night on Saturday. The kids hung out with me while there mom went apartment hunting on Sunday. One of my neighbors who happens to be around the same age came over most of that time as well. So we had 4 kids trapped inside because of the rain all day! They actually managed pretty well with board games, movies and knitting . . .

They are all 4 learning to knit between me and my MIL and the oldest of my cousins is starting her first hat! We’re planning to do it flat with a seam, its a tweedy lime green cascade 220 in K2, P2 ribbing and it should be really cute on her! I’ll add pictures once she has it done.

I started the Secret project, part 2 over the weekend and am making decent progress, all things considered. I’ve been thinking about what larger projects to start next and I think I might try a sweater. I’d like to finish the purple shawl before I start anything else large, but we’ll see if I can hold out that long. I’m also thinking of making a small purse of the leftover yarn from the purple tank top but that is still just rattling around inside my head. . . . for now.

Oh, I did get the Harry Potter book on Friday, I found another store that had it and picked it up at about 12:03 that night. I’m actually trying not to read too fast since I want it to last a while . . . So far I’m really enjoying it and that’s all I’ll say, no spoilers here!

I had a lovely tea party with “Moxie” yesterday afternoon. We had talked about trying some dyeing, but the timing just didn’t seem right so we are going to save that for another day. She showed me her stash, and for those in the NMYFOM Group on KR I just have to tell you she’s only just getting started! And we sat on her porch and watched people jog by while we worked on our sock projects. All in all a lovely afternoon, thank you Moxie!

The silk worms are about 2/3 done spinning. I started “processing” cocoons last night. I had 207 of them ready to go, I did take a picture, I just don’t have it with me. For anyone out there considering raising silkworms, there is something to be said for the “Peace Silk” approach!!! I spent over an hour trying to detangle dead bugs from by silk and I still have a very long way to go!!!!! I’m seriously considering letting the rest hatch just to cut down on the work! And by the way, YUCK!!! Boiled bugs are just gross!!!! And don’t worry I didn’t take any pictures of that part ;)

I finished the blue/green yarn I was spinning and I need to get back to working on the raw Jacob fleece that I started. Perhaps over the weekend . . . .

We also moved around all my yarn/fiber/fabric stashes over the weekend while reorganizing. They are now almost all in one place, neatly stacked by type. I can even get at all of it without digging anything else out of the way! I did pick up 3 very large plastic tubs last night in anticipation of the arrival of the fleeces I dropped off with Zeilinger’s at the http://www.yankeeshepherd.com/Events.html this spring. I brought 35lbs of fleece (5 fleeces) with me and we had picked up one more (for Mom’s shawl, she picked it) so I’m expecting to get about 20 lbs of roving back in the mail sometime in July!!! That should keep me busy for a while! I figure I’ll have less trouble about it if I have a designated storage set up before it arrives, so 3 119qt containers later I’m ready. Now all I have to do is find the time to spin 10 sweaters worth of yarn ;)

Okay, thats all for this morning, I’ll stop back this afternoon to add some more. Have a great day!