Here Goes...

*Edited to add stats on Picovoli...and to note that the new MagKnits is up and there are some cute things this time around!!

In no particular order:

1. Spindling laceweight soy silk? Why don't you just hang yourself with the roving? Trust me, it's much quicker than the slow death you'll experience otherwise. I caved on that effort after about three yards (in six inch pieces that I had to keep twisting back together).

2. Behold! My latest single - I haven't set the twist yet, but Travis wrangled this wire hanger (which we hate, don't we?) into a good little holding place for the stuff in the meantime.



I'm going to leave it a single - it's a merino/silk blend, and I LOVE it. It's also Screaming Eagles colours (Travis' high school alma mater and the school where his sister just began her freshman year,) so it will probably become a beanie for her.



And there will be plenty more yarn - I have what seems like a TON of this roving to spin up, but I was anxious to...

3. Start spinning the roving my no-longer-secret Pal Vicki sent me! She sent two well-coordinated colors and suggested plying them together. Since I've been chickening and only spinning singles so far, I figured that sounded like a good idea (and will probably be beautiful, if I don't muck it up). I'd love to show you all the roving....but I already spun up one color. You'll see more of what's kickin' a little further down.



4. I signed up for SP9. "But Alyson, didn't you say you weren't going to do SP during the holidays?" Why yes, Reader, I did. But I also lie frequently. Stop paying such close attention to what I say I'm going to do. That way, it won't seem like I lie so much.

5. I upgraded to a fancy new Samsung cell phone. It has nifty Voice Command (and some other stuff like MP3 and TV capability) and is meant for a technophile, which I'm really not...but I really needed a phone that would use voice recognition to allow me to speak my text messages and send them to my chosen recipient without my having to type anything. (Yes, I am aware that this process sounds suspiciously similar to MAKING A PHONE CALL. I see that. But I don't like making phone calls. I like texting. So if I can text without texting AND without calling.....Brilliance.)

6. Despite all our efforts thus far, the Samsung has yet to accomplish the daunting task of passing along the gift of Voice Command to my spindle. So no matter how many times I firmly declare "Spin yarn!" to my spindle, it just lies there. Worthless thing.

7. My Picovoli has been modeled:



This is after I wore it all day at work. It wears great! I just wish I'd knit a size smaller - it's a bit baggier than I'd like. But comfy!!



(Necia asked what yarn I used and I realized that I hadn't given any details on the project! For shame!)

The Stats:
Yarn - Debbie Bliss Cathay in something like teal (I forgot to look at the colour, and yes I did use the yarn the pattern called for - crazy!)
Pattern - Picovoli in the 36" size (yep, shoulda knit the 32)
Needles - Size 4 Addi Natura 24"
Start - Not sure...cast on and knit about 1.5 inches ages ago, tossed in WIP basket and forgot about it...picked up again August 18.
Finish - August 26
Notes: I didn't really make any changes. Were I to knit it again - and it could happen - I'd knit the smaller size, lengthen the waist (two inches between decrease and increase wasn't enough for my long torso, turns out, and makes me look a little squat) and use any yarn other than Cathay. I LOVE the finished fabric, but there is ZERO twist to the stuff - knitting with it was sort of a pain.

8. I got a haircut.



9. We're upgrading faucets. When I say "we", of course I mean "Travis". I am occasionally called in to hold or fetch something, but I spend the entire time squirming and griping that Brodie is probably chewing on my spindle/needles/yarn/book and Travis eventually releases me. Still....the new faucets are super. (Unfortunately, now we have to upgrade some things in the master bathroom, as it is now way too blah for the spiffy new faucets. And I'd have photos of our spiffy faucets, but the work areas are, um, still in some disarray. So...later.)

10. Last but never ever least: MY PAL!!! Here's my goodies, in extreme detail. (Well, except for that roving. Sorry. I was antsy.) I heard some really scary tales of Secret Pal tomfoolery and let-downs, but I LOVED this whole experience. My spoilee was fun to shop for, and my spoiler was so good to me and indulged me so many ways! (Hence my inability to resist immediately signing up for the next round!)



Look - MALABRIGO!!! And in a colourway I haven't seen before, I don't think. Very ocean-y...I love it!! And Soak (which I'm so so curious about...I almost mail-ordered some a while back, so I'm antsy to try it.) An adorable keychain (in case I get trapped in my vehicle...I will always have knitting available!) and a knitting book to have on me at all times, and a poncho pattern (a coworker asked for a handknit poncho today, ironically.)

And now I'm off to finish what I started yesterday....I'm so anxious to spin up the rest and ply it - it's gonna be great!



Thanks, Vicki! You are AWESOME!!