Petunia rambles on and on….

And if I was smarter, I would stop sooner.   But, clearly, I’m not.  And I didn’t.

Proof.

Just plied Sakina Needles merino superwash, oddly (at least in this picture) named “Lavender.”   Huh?

Well, those that use a flyer with hooks can place the colors “just so” and all of them could show.  I use the easy way, the Woollee Winder, it places everything for me, and you can’t see that there’s a good bit of lavender on this skein. 

This is what I started with 

Just take my word for it – the lavender in the bag went on the bobbin, OK? 

It’s gonna be a shawl, if my eyes can cope.  It’s gonna be a lace shawl, simple pattern, one with “purl the reverse” rows.  Did ya see the one that the Yarn Harlot just did?   Oooooh, that one or something similar.  And I’m going to demand complete quiet in the house, or I’m gonna knit in the bathroom (we have 2, it’s ok)  (if it’s not, they can go outside after dark)

AND, (oh, damn, like I need more)  I saw a post on an Ashford spinning group on Ravelry, where someone spun singles, then plyed them with a metallic Sulky thread.  And I remember some fiber I had back way down in the stash, deep purple it said.  But it sure looks dark blue to me….   But a silver thread???   Ooooh.  Whatever color it is, this is the way to go!!

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And then, there’s the GAS PRICES

Basic Math is tough to do when you’ve been drinking wine all evening, but I’m thinking we’ve had about a 17% increase in the prices over the last six weeks.  And I wanted to go up north to KIP soon!!

With a Capital “E” !!

I had been thinking that I really needed to go on a bit of a “yarn diet.”   We aren’t discussing the other sort of diet here, or the ever-widening, uh, need.  I must work from the stash more, reduce it’s size – or buy the house next door just for storage.   I have a fabric/quilting stash.   I have a yarn/knitting stash and I now have a fiber/spinning stash.  I have a small-ish house, much of which is insulated with wool — hey, it keeps the sheep warm, doesn’t it?     Anybody that’s ever had any sort of hobby or craft that they enjoyed knows what I’m talking about – we all “stash” in our own way.  Painters don’t buy 3 colors, scrapbook folks don’t buy just one pad of paper.  The husbands don’t buy 2 tools.  No, they have to fill up the garage, or the basement.  My husband has a whole bag full of golf clubs, when probably only 2 or 3 are all he needs.  We ALL do it.

But there comes a time when you look at your amassed stash and say, “Has anybody seen little So-and-So in a while?”   If you realize that no one has in about a week, and you also are looking favorably on the idea of sprinkling soap powder all over your dirty laundry, putting  it on the clotheline in the back yard until it rains, so that the space currently filled by hamper, washer and dryer could be shelves of boxes of yarn, it’s time to admit there’s a problem.  (Heaven knows, my husband admits I’ve got a problem!)  (Often) (Loudly) (Especially when he’s around my brother.  “Hey, you oughta get a load of all the crap your sister bought this time.  The UPS man had to get a new hernia belt, just to be on the safe side.” “Pretty soon, I’m gonna have to come to your house to shower, cause she’ll probably fill that up next.”)  HAR-DE-HAR!!  He should find work as a comedian.

I’ve been spinning finer yarns lately, plying 2 singles, with thoughts and plans for shawls, scarfs.  I’ve mentally decided that several of my sock yarns should end up on other feet than mine.  Found some chunky yarn that once I loved enough to buy, and now I know will make me look like a buffalo.  I’ll give it away, maybe ask at the day care if they have a use for it for some kiddie project. 

Reducing the stash requires effort on two fronts:

1. Use up what I already have.
2. STOP BUYING MORE DAMN YARN!!!!!!!  Accept the fact that, at my age, I’m not going to live long enough to knit what I’ve got.

See, I know the right things to do.  I’m a realist.  I can face the truth.  I can.  Really.

AND, apparently, just as quick, I can turn my back on what I need to do, go sit down and check out what’s available over at The Loopy Ewe.  Today, I was reading Sheri’s blog, all about the DIC sweater KAL  (Non-knitters – That means a project where many get together and Knit ALong on a sweater using a specific kind of yarn, Dream In Color [a yarn brand/provider] )  Sheri’s finished her sweater, she’s planning on starting a new KAL – and then she mentioned last week’s contest and there it said:

Congratulations to our randomly-selected contest winner: Petunia from Delaware. She has received a $30 Loopy Gift Certificate!

And I looked at that and thought, Oh, how nice.       

I don’t think things register with me as quickly as they used to when I was younger, cause I did a “double-take” and just stared at it.  Is it me?   ME??   Well, uh, Delaware’s a pretty damn small state, and Petunia is an odd nickname (Thanks, older brother)  No, can’t be.   But still….   Maybe?   I clicked on my own silly name and doh, MY webpage came up.   IT IS ME!!!

And even though I’m on a diet, I’m pretty sure of what I want, heh, and as soon as it shows up in the color I’m waiting on, it’s mine!!

Thank you, Sheri, for the Loopy Gift Certificate, and for all you do ENABLING so many of us to acquire such beautiful yarns and fibers from such diverse sources.   (And a special thank you for the several pounds of chocolate candies that have come my way, a handful at a time in each order, that seem to be staying with me forever!)

Update from the Back Seat Boys

Last week, on the evening when it was my turn to pick up the young fellows from day care, they went through the usual “check list” of events between day care and home.   See the school bus.  Turn Left. Turn Right. Turn Right.  Get the mail.  See Pop’s truck.   All these must be done every time, per Commander Nick  (He wears a shirt that says, “I am bossy” on the front.  His Mom was right on when she bought it) 

The fellows are just learning to sing songs at school, and often sing along with what they hear on TV.   They enjoy repetition and anything that is repeated TO them more than 3 times is repeated BY them forever.

So I shouldn’t have been surprised at all when I heard the two of them, in fine voice, singing,

• Shake, shake, shake,
• Shake, shake, shake,
• Shake your booty.  Shake your booty.

I almost ran off the road.