Team CogKNITive from Zazzle.com

I could not resist this. For anyone who is training along with us this summer, any form of exercise:

Team CogKNITive from Zazzle.com

Episode 105 is Live!

Yes, in one week, you too can crochet this lovely shawl! My first Simple Scallops--in worsted weight cashmere/acrylic. An excellent go-to for that stray 200 yards of worsted weight yarn to make a scarf/shawlette. The above full-sized version took 400 yards. And please enjoy commenting on my green butt in running tights. I know you're all thinking about what you really want to say...

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What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:
The list:

As you can see from the above, I whizzed through the Simple Scallops Shawl and absolutely fell in love with this easy, quick, gorgeous pattern to crochet. Three thumbs up!

I also finished my third set of Orchard Mitts. These are in my own bulky handspun plus a snippet of, yes, (GASP!) Fun Fur.

Still in Progress:

So, having flipped over the Simple Scallops pattern, I decided to blind myself permanently by using it to finish off some size 10 crochet thread I have lying around. Well, a gal's got to experiment...Here's what I am getting--and actually enjoying!

Office throw: So close! So agonizingly close!

Dragonsbreath Cowl: A variation on the braided cowl from the last Winter KnitSimple Mag. I am using some very uneven bulky handspun to hide the uneven-ness and get an amazing cowl. Finishing the last strip of the braid, I am relieved to tell you.

A Quick Buzz: On the decreases of the Argante Shawl and slowly falling in love with it.

Dizzy Blondes:

Still working away on Whippoorwill, my new HitchHiker and the Carolina Homespun 20/80 Silk Merino Sliver

On AEventid: a single of FreckleFaceFiber's Tehachapi Too in merino.

Strategy: About Passive-Aggressive People--Remember that you are not the only one who sees the problem.

Something I Really Like: Canning and preserving food.



Look! My first pickles!

The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
The Joy of Pickling

Blather:

Happy Catholic: Glimpses of God in Everyday Life

The book is on stall while I get (literally) up and running again. Couch to 5K program. One last psychiatric evaluation. Still mailing MBP prizes! Some mild site clean-up on the Rav group.

My two best running buddies: Artemis and Blankets.

Episode 104 is Live!

Thanks for your patience between episodes. It's been quite the challenging time lately, but we're all doing okay here at CogKNITive Ranch. Here are my finished bears for this year's Mother Bear Project CAL/KAL. They are "Pat and Vince", in honor of my late parents.

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What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:
The list:

Do you hear the sound of ice cracking? That's because I finished my Ishbel Shawl, so Hell must have frozen over while we were not looking.



Still in Progress:

Third set of Orchard Mitts. I just love these for using up bits and bobs of  my handspun.

Office throw: The only reason I don't finish this is because I have been too sick to be in my office lately. So close!

Dragonsbreath Cowl: A variation on the braided cowl from the last Winter KnitSimple Mag. I am using some very uneven bulky handspun to hide the uneven-ness and get an amazing cowl.

A Quick Buzz: Not so quick, but my take on the Argante Shawl and very pleasant knitting.

Dizzy Blondes:

More spins:

I am working away on Whippoorwill, my new HitchHiker. Carolina Homespun 20/80 Silk Merino Sliver

On AEventid: Fat Cat Knits SWM,  Sweet Tortie Colorway,  Singles.



Strategy: About Passive-Aggressive People--Fixing the problem where you can.

Something I Really Like: Automated postal machines and mailing off the MBP load once more. The Kindle app for Ipod Touch.

Blather: Mother Bear Project CAL/KAL is over at last, but the mailings go on. Death, bronchitis, and actual good cheer, along with some pleasantry from Stitches West. No, seriously, I am not podfading, that I know of. Just living in the strange lane for a while. And the book is in progress at last!

Episode 103 is Live!

STOP THE PRESSES!! It's Mother Bear Project time again! Check this out! NEW DEADLINE: March 1st!!!


"Attack of the Zombie Bears?" you ask. NO! It's just the first half of this year's crocheted model.
We now have a crocheted-in-the-round pattern available here.

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What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:
The list:

All my current projects are now on hold until I finish my two bears for Mother Bear Project.
As you may know, our CogKNITive friend, Susan Dolph, of the Knit-A-Journey podcast, has been ill. So a group of us podcasters, led by the wonderful Dawn of Knit Naturally podcast, are encouraging you all to knit Susan Bears, to be donated in her honor, since we can't send her gifties.

Of course, there ARE prizes for bears in the Susan category, and bears may also include bears donated in honor of her loyal partner, Doug. Prizes include a heap of fiber for spinning, including alpaca roving and a 4-ounce hank of 50/50 merino silk blend in stained glass window colors of blue and reds. For you knitters, we have a collection of luxury yarn skeins all bundled up in a convenient mesh bag (usable for felting!). All were generously donated by Alexis of the podcast Yowza.

We love Alexis!

We also have from Zarzuela Fibers on Etsy an offer to select something from her store. If you've never seen what Zarzuela has to offer, this is your BIG CHANCE! Zarzuela is not only a first-class dyer; she is a long-time friend of CogKNITive.

We also have prizes from our own Limejuicy. I am soooo behind on pix, but try 2 GORGEOUS skeins of handpainted sock yarny goodness. And Straphanging has donated the February Goth Sock Club package--a wonderful, bright, Goth-Valentine type of sock yarn.

Big hug, Zarzuela and Sarah and Nathan!

So here is my "Susan Dolph" Bear so far.

My Doug Dolph Bear is the Zombie Bear pictured above.

Before I started the bears, I did manage to finish the latest incarnation of the Lion Yarns Country Cotton Shawl pattern.

Dizzy Blondes:

More spins:

I am working away on Whippoorwill, my new HitchHiker.

Some samples were thus spun up, so I could get the feel of her. MANY thanks and warm hugs to Chrissy, of the Manic Purl podcast, who provided me with some EXCELLENT spins from Sweet Georgia:

I also finished a looooong single from the samples in the luxurious Phat Fiber Box from January, with the theme "Chinese New Year." All I can say is WOWEE!!!.



I am through slightly under half the mystery long-staple fleece from StashyMama. On AEventid the Lendrum, currently.

A lovely SWmerino was spun on Whippoorwill from It's a Colorful Life on Etsy.

Wheel News:

Bessie (a Great or Walking Wheel): David Paul of The Merlin Tree tells me that he has finished placing a new spindle head on her post. With that, a drive band, and 2 pegs and 2 leather washers, she'll be ready to spin! CANNOT WAIT!

Brid (A very damaged old Saxony): She got the parts I ordered from eastern Europe to replace her damaged mother of all unit. It's time to start the stripping and refinishing on her!

Whippoorwill--My new HitchHiker wheel is doing very well. Squeak in right treadle is mostly resolved with the occasional noise.

Helen: Still working on the refinishing. She's just a gorgeous mahogoney underneath it all. WAAAAAY underneath, alas.  She has all but 1 minor piece and a drive band.

Anne: A Castle wheel, very tiny, that is beyond repair for a reasonable cost. I think she may be repurposed and refinished to be a lamp in my office. She was a gift with the purchase of Helen. Patiently waiting to be put to use.

Eve and Adam: Another Great Wheel and its paired Skeiner that followed me home for an unbelievable price. No finish at all--need oiling desperately, then some repairs. Likely to go to Natalie.

Babette: a Czech antique Saxony,  so adorable with her orange and brown and green paint job. One drive band and some leather bands away from spinning; treadle already works beautifully, but needs some clean-up. Claimed by Lexicom. Isn't Babette gorgeous?:



Strategy: About Passive-Aggressive People--setting boundaries--not accepting hints and using Broken Record

Something I Really Like: The Greek Heroes and the Kane Chronicles  --2 series for young adults from Rick Riordan.

Blather: It's Mother Bear time again! I'll be at Stitches WEST! More news from the job front.

Episode 102 is Live!

STOP THE PRESSES!! It's Mother Bear Project time again! Check this out!



The stripping process begins on Helen, the newest Saxony to join my collection of vintage spinning ladies. Check out the difference between the actual wheel (lying on the ground to the rear) and the still--unstripped bench! WOW!

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What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:
The list:

I began on a braided cowl out of some very experimental handspun in silk/merino/tencel. It's very interesting so far.

Ishbel Shawl --On to the D chart at last!!

The Argante Shawl--Not this month.

I am now finishing (slowly) a clone of my twin's throw for my office.

I frogged the Lacy Scarf, as the yarn was really too large for what I wanted from this project, and I decided to use my other Abstract braid of yak/merino to make a single (see below).

I also frogged my Multnomah Shawl, since I was really careless with it and allowed the count to get wacky.

But I am still enjoying the latest incarnation of the Lion Yarns Country Cotton Shawl pattern.

Dizzy Blondes:

More spins:

I finished the last 4 ounces of SWM/Silk in Jasper from Sunshine Yarns and the final four ounces of Blue Moon's Atomic 6:





Laceweight Yak/Merino in Big Girl Pink from Abstract Fibers:



Wheel News:

Bessie (a Great or Walking Wheel): her flier unit has been sent to Davie Paul of The Merlin Tree in VT to get a Minor's head placed on it. With that, a drive band, and 2 pegs and 2 leather washers, she'll be ready to spin!

Brid (A very damaged old Saxony): She is waiting for some parts I ordered from eastern Europe to replace her damaged mother of all unit. It's time to start the stripping and refinishing on her!

Whippoorwill--My new HitchHiker wheel has arrived! Not a beginner's wheel, as she has some temper, but lots of fun to fiddle with. Trying to eradicate her annoyingly loud squeak on the right treadle. Drinks oil--She did not like the shift from humid VT to dry desert air.



Helen: Yes, I picked up another antique Saxony yesterday. Some woodcraft issues, but close to spinning even now. That's her being refinished in the top photo. She has all but 1 minor piece and a drive band.



Anne: A Castle wheel, very tiny, that is beyond repair for a reasonable cost. I think she may be repurposed and refinished to be a lamp in my office. She was a gift with the purchase of Helen.



Strategy: About Passive-Aggressive People--definitions cntinued.

Something I Really Like: The new Outlier podcast and tracking down classic spinning wheels

Blather: It's Mother Bear time again! Preemie hats for the Knitmores. Quiet times at home, working on wheels, being around my family again. And some pix from the Ravelry party at Unwind Yarns:

Episode 101 is Live!

STOP THE PRESSES!! It's Mother Bear Project time again! Check this out!

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I ended up going rather last-minute to the Unwind party and there I met...

Add yourself to our CogKNITive Listeners Map.

What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle: The list:

Here is the actual Secret Yuletide Gift, now that the recipient has received it (and has the good sense to cherish it).

She also received some rather tasty Orchard Mitts and a pile of washclothes/trivets for her coffee shop that she now runs at her local weekly open-air market.

Ishbel Shawl --One more row left on Chart C! It actually now looks Ishbel-ish!

The Argante Shawl--Not this month.

I am now finishing (slowly) a clone of my twin's throw for my office.

I started a lacey scarf from my handspun Mt. Hood Rose colorway from Abstract Fibers, but it's on hold until I spin up some more to finish it. And I do not HAVE any of that fiber right now. GRRRR!

I gave away one of my Country Cotton Shawls to a stray bellydancer on Christmas Eve (no, really!), so I am crocheting its replacement.

And my knitting group is having a Multnomah/Klamath CAL/KAL, so here is my version, worked in my own lovely handspun.

Dizzy Blondes:

December spins:

Shopaholic SWM from from BeeMiceElf:




SWM/Silk in Jasper from Sunshine Yarns:



Tussah/Merino in Serendipity from FreckleFaceFibers:



Laceweight Merino in Rosebush from FreckleFaceFibers:




Dragonsnort--Redfish 50/50 Silk Superfine Merino (burning oranges and dull browns) crossed with merino/tencel from Sheepish Creations ( peach, brown, gold) and from Zarzuela Fibers (Study in Blues colorway).



The new girls in town:

Bessie (a Great or Walking Wheel)



AND

Brid (A very damaged old Saxony):



Strategy: About Passive-Aggressive People

Something I Really Like: Cock-a-Leekie Soup

Blather: Some heart-stopping fun on the job, a Ravelry party at last, and general holiday craziness.

Episode 100--In Which Nathan and I Have Tremendouse Fun Answering Questions

Here's some Newfie Dog mellow-ocity to encourage you all to settle back and listen to this long, rambling interview and chat between 2 fiber buddies--me and the Now-Infamous Straphanging (Nathan).

Back to the normal format next episode, as I have a LOT to catch you all up on.

Warm hugs as always--you are the best!

Gemma