It's been a while...

So, things have been busy at 200 Shawl Central.  I've been knitting, but it's been mainly knitting infidelity.  I should be ashamed.  I really should.

Some of this is for the show that was put off at the coffee shop.  They are waiting for Old Home day since their original weekend clashed with something else that was happening in the area.  Since I've hit 18 shawlettes, 8 felted bags, and 16 market bags I'm going to walk away from the show knitting for a while.  It sounds like a lot, but I'm sure they'd like more.  I just really want to focus back on the 200.  I'm up to 20 shawls out of 200, and I need to finish blocking and take pictures of the latest and then post them.  It takes me about an hour to take the pictures, about an hour to edit them (meaning cut them down to size) and at least an hour to blog about them.  So it may be next week before I get to them :(

Here's a quick photo chain of what I've been up to shawlette and shawl-wise.

First, these:

finally blocked out

there are 2 of these, one for the blog one for the shop

silk singlespun

These are some of the blocked 'ettes that are waiting for hang-tags.

Then this:

Was knit into this:

Which needs to be blocked.  But I thought it might be nice to show what it looks like pre-blocking.

These are also entering the blocking line up

While working on writing out the pattern for Autumn Glow, I realized that I hadn't explored fully what I wanted to do with it.  So this is a test-knit blocking out

Then I started on these:

Originally, there were 4 of these... guess who absconded with one?

I started a White Rabbit (have some great chessboard fabric that will become a waistcoat, and a pocket-watch button to go with it) as a gift.  Here, I'm deciding how to put the ears on.... looks a little intimidating

look out, he's got dpn's hiding in his ears

Then, there were these:

number 2 and number 3

The original test knit was done in an alpaca boucle that I had left-over from something else... but as with much I knit someone absconded with it.

I found the shaping of the head a little off in this test knit & have since modified it.

But, really... could you resist letting him have it?

Yeah, me either.

Anyway, computer troubles have been solved and work is about to become less frenetic.  I'm dedicating one day a week to the stuffies for the next ~ 3 months.  I'm hoping to get into a more regular blogging rhythm now that life is no longer creating fireworks.

Thanks to everyone who waited me out, and all those who make it to the bottom of this long post!

When you win, so do I!

Okay, so first I want to thank everyone who left a comment about their favorite way to beat the winter blues!  I read every comment & thought the range of things we do was just amazing and occasionally truly inspired.

I also want to thank the fine people at Ravelry and Wiknit for making it possible for this little contest to get so many great entries!

Here's what everyone's been waiting for:

Our first winner!

The great random voice said that Skaro964 is our first winner.  Here's the comment that won:

hot cocoa definitely doesn't hurt :)

You get the Ella Rae!  And I'll send as well my recipe for a shorty cowl, which takes one ball of this for an adult, feel free to ignore it or use it.

Congrats!

Our second winner is:

Entry 61!

This entry is by Affiknitty, and here's the comment

Planning a spring garden sounds really good.

You get the Cascade 220 handpaints.  And I'm tossing in a set of felted bag patterns which would be lovely in these colors.  Again, they are for fun and are not mandatory.

Congrats to you too!

Our third winner was also randomly generated

Comment 26!

Comment 26 is by Knittingdancer from Ravelry.  Here's the winning comment:

Bright colors work well for me too :)

You win the skein of scarlet fleece sock yarn!  I'll also be sending a recipe for a great winter scarf.  Ignore, use, trade, or trash as it amuses you.

cool colors

Congrats!

Thanks again to everyone who entered!  As I get my stash organized I'll likely be doing more giveaways.  I know I have yarn that I love but will never reach for because it's a color I like to look at but maybe not so much work with...  and it all deserves a place where someone will love it AND use it.  I'll also be doing a giveaway after the NH Sheep and Wool Festival in May.  We have a lot of great folk in fiber here, and I will be sharing the love.

Emails will go out shortly to our winners (typing takes me a little right now), and the packages will be on their way!

Thanks to all the folks who wished me a speedy recovery on the broken wrist!  I appreciate it so much!

@Sara  That version of Kisses Sweeter than Wine is one that my husband introduced me to.  We both loved the song, but he found it on a CD that was a tribute to Pete Seeger.  Lots of great artists on it.  I'm really glad you like it!

So, for the moment, that's all she's got to write.  Thanks to everyone, and everyone who made it to the bottom of the post!

such a small thing

So, most folks know that I have been working on this:

pooooorch!

off and on with my Dad for the last 6 weeks.  Things got around weather, obligation, illness... y'know, life.  It was cold, hard, intense work.  My Dad and I spent the weeks off recovering from wind-burn. 

On the 24th, my Mom and Dad came over.  My Mom watched the bean so Dad and I could put up the skirt below the porch and close in the last 6 foot space that allowed air to freeze my pipes.  We worked steadily from 9AM until 1:45 AM.  We were at the very end of the project, getting ready to go inside for the lunch I'd prepared and baked that morning. 

The observant among us will have noticed something not quite right in the picture above.  I was on the ladder, when there suddenly was no support from the left.  I felt that I was going down, knew that it was going to be the last gasp of my knees if I landed on them, and managed to twist enough to land on my butt.  And part of my right shin...  oh, and I gently bumped my right funnybone.  Not even enough to make a bruise.

Looking around, I was relieved to see this:

ha!  metal fatigue in the support, not bad balance

I know relieved sounds strange, but the fault in the ladder couldn't be predicted, planned, or taken into account.  Plus, I am thrilled and grateful that I was the one on the ladder when it went.  15 minutes sooner, and it would have been my Dad hitting the ground.  I would have been sick over it, and have been cheering that my (now NOT frozen) pipes were not the cause of hurting my Daddy.

Anyway, quick trip to the emergency room shows that funny bone bumps?  Not so funny.

bone in wrist cracked by MY OWN TENDONS.  Heh.

Yep, I'm immobilized from above the elbow to just below the tips of my fingers.

On the other hand (as it were), there was this waiting for me. 

"Ma, I wanna cuddle!"

So, knitting is on pause for a little.  Not long, just a little.  In the meanwhile, I'm working on this:

1 started, 4 to go.....

Tomorrow, my Mom is taking me yarn storage shopping.... for my 3 season porch with no unwanted cyclones!!

Hehe, take that Winter!!

alpaca hugs and a sneeky peek

These are what I've been working on the last 10 days.

alpaca.  No replacement for loss, but good for a hug.

A second serious scarf

And a latte colored stole

I just hope they have the intended message/effect.

I've also been playing with beads.  I'm thinking of calling this twinkle twinkle

fairly representative of the correct colors, no thanks to my flash

pretty close on color, I like this shot

representative of the pattern, color not dark or bright enough.

Still fighting with my flash, but it looks like I'll win sometime soon.  I look forward to that.  I have one last secret project I need to finish knitting.  I might photograph it if I can get permission from the recipient.  I like the pattern I've come up with and would like to use it in this project.  I have to apologize in advance, this weekend will be just as light blogging as the last 10 days due to project conflicts.  But I really want running water this winter, so it needs to be finished.

Hope all is well with you!

The post you've been waiting for (me too)!

So here we are, and I'm all a-twitter.  First I want to thank the lovely folks who commented & gave me some direction.  I really appreciate the feedback, it helps me to not be a ruthless tyrant concerned with ruling the world.  You know, on a knitting scale.

Since we had 5 total comments, I didn't use the random number generator (random.org).  I used the time-tested child labor.

So we started like this:

All of our lovely commenters!

Which were separated, and put into this:

My black sheep mug.

Then I demanded help from the most random person in the house

He puts his hands in that mug all the time, this time he just had permission to do it.

At which point, the hand of fate chose names

So we made a list of the names pulled out in order as so

Read like knitting chart, bottom up.

If we recall from the original post, each name was entered to win one of the prizes being offered.  In that post there were only 3 prizes, so you  may be wondering why we pulled all 5 names.  Before I get into the next bit, let me explain.  I decided that the pool of candidates was not so large to choose from that everyone couldn't be a winner in our first giveaway.  So I set up a bag of goodies, and let little man pull the yarn for the names.  Because the 2 additional prizes are (in my opinion) just as fabulous as the originals, they were put in there for everyone to benefit from as well.

The yarn bag

So, as it stands we have 5 winners, yaaaaaaaaay!

First name pulled was One Sheep.  Little man pulled this from the yarn bag first.  He says it is very soft.

He's right, this is sooo soft to knit with.  Hope you love it!!

The next name pulled was Graywolfie.  And from the bag o goodies, our little man snagged one of our surprise goodies.  You get one of my favorite colorways in one of my favorite blends!

300 yards silk/wool blend in colorway indecita

Next up is Kitten with Whiplash!  Little man pulled out this prize for you from the bag of yarn.

You grabbed the cashmere/mink!

My cats love my cashmere/mink shawl, so I hope you'll love your cashmere mink yarn!

Next, the small hand of fate chose TuttleDB.  And for your prize, he pulled a fun one.

Fleece Artist!!

I was surprised that the Fleece Artist yarns made it until last, but the boy is completely random.  He declairs this yarn to be soft and woolie.

Last, but not least, the boy pulled DMPattersall.  The last yarn to be pulled was waiting for you, but I hope you won't be disappointed!

fleece artist blue faced leicester

Be aware, this contains higher lanolin content, and so smells a little closer to the sheep.  It is soft, the nature of the wool is to have a natural sheen, and it feels divine to knit.  550 fingering weight yards of one of my favorite Fleece Artist Colorways in one of my new favorite fibers!

Congrats to all of you!!  And thank you all for your feedback and encouragement.  Please email me privately where you want your prizes sent!!  Email to marveloustoy @ yahoo . com (remove the spaces, and it will get to me) and I'll pop your loot in the mail!  I've taken the liberty of emailing the folks whose emails addresses I can access.  But Graywolfie and TuttleDB, I need to hear from both of you as I haven't been able to snag your mail addresses (possibly due to being blind or crazy).

Edited to add:  If you like someone else's prize better, feel free to haggle.  Just let me know what you decide amongst yourselves :)

Okay, thank you all for reading this far, and happy knitting.