Baby Carrier

Just a little something I've been sewing on (and a cruddy picture, to boot!)

Yak, day three

Been spinning up more yak while on vacation. Back now, so I'll move on to my other projects, but I'm gonna keep on working on the yak on the side. It's sooo soft.

Spinning Yak

Today I started a new project for the Tour de Fleece (even though I haven't quite finished the singles I worked on yesterday). Yak. 100% yak, purchased at MDSW, from Bijou Spun.

Now, I like to try to spin thinly. Sometimes the fiber likes it, sometimes it doesn't. This yak, well... I don't think I've ever managed to spin so finely. I'm glad I decided to do this on the spindle, because spinning yak is harder than I thought! It is SO fine and SO short staple that if I'm not careful, the roving simply slips apart in my hand before I even draft it. I'm sure the humidity here isn't helping, as yak sticks to my hands, but it's been a real treat to try out. I've only got an ounce, so I suppose the fact that it HAS to be laceweight is a boon. I think I'll be plying with some nice silk thread or something.

A peek at the first tiny bit:

Tour de Fleece 2010 - "Rest" day?

Today is supposed to be a rest day for this year's tour de fleece but, as I'll be away Wednesday, I'm spinning today and resting then.

Today's obsession:



This is 2oz. of "African Sunset" BFL fiber by Three Waters Farm. I've got another 2oz. to spin up, as well. These will remain singles and are likely destined to become a Citron shawl. I'm awfully proud - I spun all 2oz. today, plus put them onto the Niddy Noddy, all while Durham Knits Jr. napped. It may not seem like much of a triumph to many, but it is with a 4 month old.

Tour de Fleece 2010

Whoever thought I would swell with pride when watching a kid grab a rattle? But my son has been working on his hand-eye coordination now, at 4 whole months, and the way his face lights up when he manages to actually touch what he wants is beyond amazing. I love that kid.

In other news, it's Tour de Fleece time again. I've been spinning my butt off, trying new things, like spinning with sparkles.

See?




Off to buy buttons for my new sweater...

Why I Hate Citibank

I used to have my main bank account with Citibank out of convenience, as well as a credit card. Why? Citibank was the only bank on the edge of the UofC campus, so I could get there easily. When I moved away from the midwest and citibanks were harder to find, I switched most things to another bank. However, I kept a credit card there, which I rarely use, and eventually stashed away as an emergency card.

I have need of the card (though not for an emergency). I went to look for it and can't find it. I'm sure I have a photocopy of it somewhere, but that too has hidden itself.

I called the lost card line. Guess what? You need your credit card number to access any part of that phone line. They routed me to new card services.

New card services gave me a new number. A new number which either tried to route me to the original number... or to new card services.

Next, they gave me a number that sent me to bank acct info. Which didn't help, since it was a credit card.

Finally, I went back to the original lost card line, got routed back to new card services, and was told I could only get help at a local Citibank.

Guess what? There are no Citibanks in Durham.

Dreaming of Purls

Why is it that I wake up in the middle of the night thinking of knitting? Seriously, when did I turn into someone this obsessed with yarn, to be designing knitwear in my SLEEP?