Archive for November, 2002

WooHOO! The postal carriers have

Wednesday, November 13th, 2002

WooHOO!

The postal carriers have been good to me this week. To start, Tuesday’s mail brought (at long last!) my new Bosworth Book charka. I am so in love with this tool! It is efficient and effective–two of my very most favorite qualities in anything. Then the mail at home found me with a big box from DMIL Maggie Alexander, including a nifty fair isle sweater kit with variegated and plain mustardy-yellow yarn, a big bag of alpaca, mohair, border leicester and angora blend that she’d had processed, and a Barbara spindle from Elizabeth of Greensleeves fame. And special books for Hannah and Luke.

Today’s mail brought the Twisted Sisters sock book (god, I love the colors!) as well as the next Star Wars movie. Break out the popcorn!

And I’ve been making progress with the felted purse I’m making for DMIL for Xmas. I’m using some of her wool/mohair blend, and made a sample over the weekend (check Techspin for the bowtie shaped felting saga). I’ve gotten some great hints so far for dealing with my felting problems, including sewing the bag up (into more of a tube-shape) before felting (advice from Deanna, who says it comes straight from Judith MacKenzie), and excellent instructions on how to roll it up around a broom stick and felt it that way from Sue Cote in New Zealand. Pretty nifty that two folks from so far away (does it get much farther away from here than New Zealand?) had such great advice.

I’m a little less of a basket case now than I was this morning contemplating Luke’s surgery tomorrow. It’s only tubes in his ears, but the general anesthetic part of it is scaring me to death. I guess I sounded pretty upset on the phone this morning to the surgery nurse who called to verify Luke’s patient history–she had the doctor call me back to reassure me. Makes me feel a lot better that they acknowlege my concerns and treat them so seriously and attentively. I will still be a basket case tomorrow, but I am definitely feeling better about things, especially with all the kind words from Sheepthrillers on and off list.

OK, time to go back to work. Thanks to all who have been so helpful!
–Annie (who spun all the cotton roving in her desk yesterday afternoon, demoing for all my office mates)

Even though today is Friday,

Friday, November 8th, 2002

Even though today is Friday, and even though Monday is a work holiday, I just can’t seem to get motivated about the weekend just yet. I think it has to do with the fact that I have 40+ papers to grade between now and 8:00 tomorrow morning. But it’s kind of hard to knock the extra income from teaching.

Looking forward to swatching and felting some samples this weekend to see what will work best for felted bags for Xmas gifts. If anyone would like to offer any suggestions on recommended swatch size or yarn grist, I’d love to hear them!

–Annie (who has stashed some cotton roving in my office desk to be fully prepared for Tuesday’s expected arrival of my new book charka!)

WooHoo! Got the message from

Thursday, November 7th, 2002

WooHoo! Got the message from Sheila this morning that my book charka will be shipping this afternoon, which means that it should be here in my offie on Tuesday morning (monday being a federal holiday and all!)

Is it bad of me to say that I haven’t reminded DH that I’m off all day on Monday? I want to be selfish and keep the whole day for myself as a fiber day…

I’ve been thinking more about projects for Xmas presents, and it really seems like felted bags might be the way to go. Now to find some guidelines for knitting/felting to make usable bags.

–Annie (still with head spinning)