Another Year Older

Last week was my birthday and, as you may remember, I asked for only 1 thing: a motorized skein winder. Well, my parents came through big time.

This is the deluxe edition: it can wind 3 skeins of yarn at a time, has a rotation counter, and is adjustable up to 2 feet. It has increased my productivity by 200%. I used it to reskein some yarn that I had dyed earlier in the week and I was done in half the time. I can't wait to use it more! A big thanks to my friend Erick who came over and assembled it for me. He was quite helpful in that he is stronger than I am, more patient than I would have been, and didn't curse once, a feat I would have failed miserably at. And all I had to do was buy him dinner.

Other than playing with my skeiner I've been working on a simple hat.

Farmhouse Yarns in Lumpy Bumpy in Grapes on the Vine on US size 9s. 2x2 rib with a nice cuff. Women's size.
I think I'm in love with this yarn. I absolutely adore the texture and it's all I can do to restrain myself from rushing to their website and ordering more. I bought this yarn eons ago when I had first started knitting from Wild Fibre in Savannah. I had the hardest time settling on what to make with this but I think a hat is just perfect. I have some Schaefer Yarns yarn that's been spun with a binding thread (I think that's what it's called) but I don't think it's thick and thin spun like this is. The texture should be similar though, which leads me to believe I will enjoy that yarn as well.


Also cast on for the second Ron Weazley Banana Holder Sock (a.k.a the Skew sock).

And no, I have not fixed the fair isle sweater. I don't have the stomach or time at the moment. That will be done on a night when I'm home alone watching a movie and can devote all my attention to the matter. It will be done for the mid-September cut off of the Summer Knitting Challenge. Which reminds me, I need to do a post about that. The more ambitious types can click the link above and read up on it for yourselves. The rest of you will be stuck waiting on me. In the meantime I'm going to start another hat.

Another simple ribbed hat in the above yarn (another Farmhouse Yarn-Roxanne's Mohair in Arizona (there doesn't appear to be a link on their website this yarn)). I woke up at 4:15 this morning and could not for the life of me get back to sleep for the next 30 minutes (luckily after tossing, turning, and getting up to use the restroom I was able to get more rest). For some reason my brain was fixated on this yarn (maybe because I'm enjoying the Lumpy Bumpy so much) and I started to formulate the next hat I wanted to make. This hat will be a 6x4 rib with a cuff. And I'm going to try and find a smaller size circular needle tonight at knit night. I'll be casting on fewer stitches and it will be easier if I have a smaller cord.