PippiKneeSocks.com

NHS&W was totally fun, relaxing and inspiring. Big thanks to the Pinko Commie for carting my ass & sharing the same absurd sense of reality humor. The day zoomed by, now it is Monday, and I’m suffering from a bit of overwhelm-ed-ness.

A full report forthcoming, until then, there are photos. And even More photos! Our trip within the trip was highly amusing. Perhaps it was so sad that it had to be amusing. I think I lead a highly insulated existence. The town of Lebanon, NH kind of blew my mind. “Live free or die” is supposedly the state motto, but, what was overwhelming to the point of comedy were all the “NO! this or that” sighs EVERYWHERE! ‘Live free or die as long as you walk in a strait line and wear shoes, breathe only out of your nose and smoke cigarettes whilst chewing gum’
Tho, they do have liggett drugs! The goods, if you will.
I took this photo for you, Mike E

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The shop has been updated!
I’ve added:
Six  new colorways of handpainted yarn!
All a 20% nylon blend.

I’m offering Free shipping while I’m off to the NHSW!
Just enter “NHSW” in the coupon box and get free shipping!
Hurry on that! As it ends when I get home!

You can view everything in the shop using this link or you can see everything that is new

I’ve been really sparse on the intrawebs, my bloglines are telling me I have 3,780 new items. Holy crap.
No wonder why I feel like I’m outta the loop. I’ve really had my head down trying to concentrate on the things that need to be done in these parts. I know that is what I need to do, still, not fun. I don’t like feeling like a helium balloon that was let go by a toddler at the fair. There is a light at the end tho, one day, things will settle a bit; right? Right???

Yesterday I taught a dye class. It was oodles of fun.. (For me anyway, I hope everyone felt the same way!)
The yarn that everyone made was simply stunning!

From L to R:
Brigette, Jean, Jane, Sandra, & that Pinko commie Sarah

These ladies sure know how to liven up the joint.

(You gotta watch out when I am armed with a camera.)
& I put up a few more shots (not of groping, get your mind out of the gutter) over on the Flickr, in a neat little set.
I’m pretty sure there are one or two spots for the next class on June 9. (Saturday).
You can call the Knitting Studio for the details, 229.2444

Next weekend, NHSW! I peeked at the forecast & It looks like they are calling for rain. Heh. Big shocker, no?
I’m planning on hitching a ride with the aforementioned pinko commie, Sarah (in her pinko commie car) on Sunday. Sure all of the judged fleeces will be gone by then.. But, well, the forecast looks much better, and Amy can only make it Sunday. So, Sunday looks like the Very Bestest day to go!
Expect an update of Pippi sometime soon, to help finance the trip.

♥

Rhinebeck was such an experience. It gave me alot to think about. (So much so, I’ve had a migraine for a few days, good thing, today it is a dull ache in my neck and shoulders and I’m not sitting here in the dark puking.)
These wool fests are like that…
This year, when i returned home from NHSW, I was filled with joy and love.
VTSW, I came home inspired to spin like a madwoman.
Rhinebeck left me feeling inspired to knit.
Being in the presence of so many prolific knitters will do that, no?
Plus, I’ve been feeling knitterly since the weather changed. That’s the big downfall to spinning (especially when doing it for a living), not alot of time left for knitting. It almost makes me sad, that my knitting has not progressed over the years. I decided to do something about that. (No, I haven’t cast on some crazy ass fair isle project…) But, I did this on Tuseday.

It is a bit stretched out in the photo. Please note that an over turned fiesta wear bowl does not make a good head model.

• pattern: roughly the newsboy cap from SnBN with more modifications than not.
• cast on 12 noon
• cast off 9 pm
• odd ball merino DK/worsted wt. singles
• size 5 & 7 DPNS

It would have been the perfect hat for my last hair do. (or is that a hair don’t?)

I’ve also decided to unearth my Pinwheel blanket (That, I, erm started it WayBackHere! well over a year ago.) {an aside, my “search function” isn’t working right, it seems to be confused with my mailing list sign up thing. GURR! help?nevermind! Thanks Mere!}
Anyway, seeing Kelly’s pinwheel sweater reminded me, once again, that I had this thing laying about someplace; that someplace, being buried under about 75 lbs of dyed wool scraps.
Appropriate, since all the yarn I used was spun at random from that huge burlap sack.

ahhh. So close, yet so far away.
I plan to finish it up Today. That said, I most likely won’t. Because that is how my world works. I should just stop talking about things “I’m going to do and just do.
Speaking of “do-ers” Happy Birthday to the Bono of knitting! And how is this for an early birthday prezzie?. Big birthday woots and high fives from the Pippi house to yours! Rock on with your bad self!
♥

Step One:
Admit that you are powerless.

Done.
Why else would I spend 12+ hours in a car, for 8 hours of wooly mayhem?
Powerless indeed.

Here is how it went down:
Saturday:
5am hear alarm, promptly roll over and turn it off. Continue dreaming about food.
5:20 am, phone rings…. Lee calling to make sure I’m awake. (Thank goodness.)
6am-2am, everything is pretty much a blurr.
The smells of wool, and hugs from bloggers. (I don’t want to even try to list everyone, since I know I’d be leaving people out.) It was pretty much mayhem, as everyone had that same glazed over look in their eyes as I did.
I didn’t bring my camera, as it would have been useless, since the internal battery charger is toast. But Chris put up a nice fun gallery. Look, there is Jillian and me releasing our inner 12 year old. ~~ This search on flickr also tells the tales of fibery mayhem.
The woman I went with, blogless Lee, is a walking encyclopedia of knitting patterns, books, publishers, editors & fiber arts history. Not to mention, she is very put together & classy (unlike myself).
Shockingly enough, I didn’t buy much at all.
I was compelled to get Stitchy McYarnypants’ book MOKS Because, that’s right up my alley.
I had to fight my way into the Moving Mud booth. They had their hands FULL. (and they did it all with that sweet baby of theirs in tow!) Sarina does such beautiful work. Their buttons are so amazing, they give me chills!
This one demanded to come home with me.

Rhinebeck, I’ll be back next year. Any S&W that serves beer and wine at their concessions, is A-OK with me. (Next year, I get a room! Too much to see in one day.)

Today, it is back to reality.
Up at 4:30 (???)
Get gurl ready for skool.
Pack up orders.
Undo the damage that has been done on the home front in my absence.
and work. (yep, must do work. now where is my my writing hat?)

♥

Yesterday, I scooted up to VTS&W. It was glorious, NO KIDS with me. I was almost suffering from a bit of shock, since, that is unheard of.
I had the pleasure of spending most of the day with Linda (& Peter, sometimes too). Walking around ogling the colors, admiring all of the beautiful hand work. And chatting. Great chatting! I got to meet a few bloggers in the flesh that I hadn’t before, Jessie, whom is far more beautiful than any of the pictures you have seen her post & her pal, Jessalu… Funny little thing, Jessie walked up to me and said, “I’d notice that feed bag anywhere” (my hemp courier bag)… which I found amusing; it wasn’t the flaming hair, Jessie? lol. (I think that is the advantage of having bright hair, you stand out in a crowd; easy to find or avoid.) I digress; I can’t wait to see what spindle you got!
By the end of the day, my bag was getting heavier and heavier. I’m not normally a shopper; but, I couldn’t help myself yesterday. Seeing all of the brightly colored locks, lovingly perched in baskets and bowls; the sea of color flooded me with desire, I was nearly left with no choice.
I picked up some mohair locks from High View Farm (Waterford, VT)

I’ve already washed a few handfuls and dyed them; I am anxiously anticipating them drying… I nearly was going to spin them damp. (I’ve got me some ideas.)
Some really lovely Alpaca from Snow Shoe Farm (Peacham, VT)

Very clean, and of course, so soft it should be criminal..
No plans on the horison for that delectable bag of fluff; but that is okay. It will make it’s place next to my angora from Woolybuns and bless the rest of my fiber stash with soft goodness.
Speaking of Chris, I had the pleasure of bumping into her a few times. She was teaching a felting workshop, and they stuffed her in an area half the size of my kitchen!! She and her participants were taking it in stride. Laughter and good vibes emanated from that corner.
One of my favorite acquisitions yesterday was this bumper sticker from Over East Farm

It will be making it’s way onto the back of the auto sometime soon, after it rains, as bumperstickers don’t like to cling to dirty cars.
& last but NOT least….ta-dum.

!!
Recycled silk sari from The Wool Peddler
Stephanie & her family are really lovley! (and she has a great muff pattern in the summer issue of knitty) I think from now on, I’ll be getting all of my sari from them, yes.
I already dove into the packages & made some batts

I couldn’t make my way up today to see Adrian (hope you made it!! and not to bingo!:)); as there was/is just too much to do here. I came home yesterday to find both the kids naked and covered from head to toe in marker, they also commingled all of the clean laundry with the dirty stinky clothes… This means, I have much laundry to do, as Bells needs clean clothes to go to skool (!!) tomorrow. AYE. Skool, I get butterflies every time I think about it.
Well, I should get off the computer, and do the things I need to do.
Hope everyone had a great weekend as well!!
♥

Aye! My baby is at skool!
I dropped her off a little bit ago, and so far, no phone calls telling me of disaster.
This was her right before we left.

My son, on the other hand; has been screaming at the top of his lungs …
“Buy-ah! Buy-ah!I want my Buy-ah! Where’s Buy-ah?!”
He was screaming and crying his little newly turned 3 (yesterday!!) head off for so long, he finally just passed out, and he is crying in his sleep. The poor dear. Maybe he will learn that this can be ‘our fun time’.. But for now, he is heartbroken. His partner in crime and grime is gone.
I’m hoping that I’ll be able to use some of this time, 4 days a week, to get some work done. But, I’m not too sure that is going to happen.
Speaking of work, I hope to get Pippi updated tomorrow.
As VTS&W is this weekend, and my wallet is barren.
Some of the things I have worked up for tomorrow, some awesome two ply.

The top one, the black, orange, gray and purpley number, All Hallow’s Eve was inspired by Stella and her broken camera.
The bottom one, Ripples being one ply of hand painted merino, in purple, lavender and brown & the other of a variegated brown, kettle dyed, domestic wool.
I’m pleased with them.
Hopefully, I’ll get my sock yarn hanked up too… Tho, I am not too hopeful.
And hopefully, things will start to settle down in these parts soon, and I can get back to updating on a regular basis again. This summer has just whooped my tookas.
♥

I didn’t get a chance to post on Wednesday, but, if I had been able to, my WTF Wednesday would have been all about the Mr. Clean Magic eraser. I’m not sure why they work, and I’m not too sure I want to know. There can’t bee Good Things in them. (surely not my usual brand cleaning solution~ vinegar and baking soda.) But I needed to pull out the heavy ammo against the dirt and grime that lives in my house. Now, maybe you are asking why on earth would I do such a thing and upset the natural balance of life here? Well, as with most of everything in my life, it was for the kids. Bell’s new pre-skool teacher was coming for a “home visit” on Thursday. (That went well, thankfully. The kids weren’t too crazy, and Bell’s got to meet her new teacher.) So, the house is now was cleaner than when we moved in. To not upset the laws that govern this house; it is back to trashed chaos.
I’ve been super occupied with preparing for September… and Poof, here it is!
I really love fall, and the cozy feeling it brings, I can start thinking more about knitting and cozy sweaters & fireside socks.
September means both the kids birthdays, and this year skool!
Izabella, in preparation for starting skool, decided to take a pair of scissors to her hair. good times.
September also means VTSW. They changed the dates this year, to the second weekend in Sept. (9 & 10). Hopefully, I’ll be going both days this year. Who else is making the trek up?

Summer came and went so quickly.
It zoomed by at lightening speed.
All of a sudden, it is time for my Bitchin Mittens to be done.
I have yet to start them. I blame too many ideas and not enough hands. I’m a great procrastinator. If there was an award for that, I’d win!
This is the yarn i plan to use for them

I just might finish them on time if I cast on Right Now!

Today also is Fiber Friday!
I haven’t been able to be participating as much as I would like to. (Mostly due to the fact that I’m perpetually thinking it is Tuesday.)
The topic was Inner-Space

echo
6+ oz
142 yards
bulky thick and thin.
~Because sometimes, at the end of the day, all that is left is an echo
… don’t think that one needs any further explanation. But it is summing up how I’m feeling about Stuff and Things, as of late.

♥