The Yarnarian chits and chats.

Katie Kindle (yep, that's her name) got a treat yesterday: She got her brand new cover and she's so excited. She'd jump up and down but her mean mommy won't let her. Kindles are not meant to go sproing sproing.





Now little Katie Kindle is anxiously awaiting the new update, but at least she's happy in her new home. Her new cover is from Elizabeth David on Etsy. Very well made and I'm most pleased with it. Now, do I need seasonal covers?

Yarn everywhere I go: Got another shipment of undyed yarn yesterday. I now have close to 300 skeins of yarn to dye. No, I'm not doing this all at once. Geez! I'm a low-volume theoretically retired librarian. You think I'm going to become one of the big guys? No way. I like puttering along.

So what's in all my boxes and tubs: over 100 skeins of lace yarn, lots and lots of Penny yarn, new Bambi yarn, more Gina merino/silk yarn, and some DK SW merino for moi to dye up for some crochet project to be determined. And that doesn't even begin to count the Rachel yarn, the Karen Cashmere, and lots of other stuff. I'm awash in it. And where to put it all? I didn't think of that when I ordered it.

Some projects in the works: crochet is driving me nuts. I can't seem to get enough of it. Not my fault. Blame my sister and Lucy. This is the latest crochety thing going, and I have to admit that I could do this for hours at a time. It's so smooth and easy to work, and mindless and I just keep repeating the same row. The yarn is good old Encore DK. I much prefer crochet in skinnier yarns. Not fond at all of worsted afghans. Somehow they remind me of all those horrible bubble gum pink afghans that everyone's grandma made a half century ago. Not my grandmas, however. They were much too cool ladies for bubble gum pink. OK, don't take offense. Just my opinion. Encore has some advantages: inexpensive (hey, don't knock it), easily available, lots of color choices, AND you can toss it into the machine. You think I'm ever going to hand wash this thing? Never! If it doesn't survive the washing machine, then it gets tossed and another one is made. It's that addictive. Besides, if I want elegant, then I have my Ten Stitch Blankie out of Silk Garden. THAT one will never see the inside of a washing machine.




I started and almost finished a crochet hat, and then the Hubbo looked at it on me and burst into laughter. Frogged it immediately.

There is some knitting on the needles. I started another shawlette in the shape of Tikvah, and made up a crazy impossible chart, and I actually have to pay attention to what I'm knitting. Dummy me. So much for auto-pilot, but I think it's going to be lovely. The yarn is Penny and it is in one of those linen colorways from last week. In the hank, it looked like lots of colors, but it doesn't knit up that way. I'm very pleased with how it looks, and i do like how I dyed it. The great joy of pastel shawls is that you actually see the stitches when worn over something darker, and since I tend to wear lots of black in the winter, the pattern will really show up over it.



And finally, Wed I decided it was time to learn entrelac, and wow, is this addictive. Between all these fun projects, I barely have time to dye yarn. The yarn I'm using is the new Bambi, and I dyed it as one of those weird colorways I love to play with. The trouble with those kinds of yarns is what do you do with them. Yep, I suffer with that also. But look at entrelac done in it. Cool, huh? Ignore the wonky edges; it will all look good after washing. I'm using a size 4 needle because I want lots of drape, so it does look somewhat holey, but that's what I wanted. Such fun.



Tikvah Shawl update: I'm up to $140 so far. Best Friend (you know who you are, my dear) donated $20, and everything else is from all of you. Such a joy! Please tell all your knitting friends. I'm donating my entire profit of each pattern to the Minnesota chapter of NAMI, National Association on Mental Illness. Please, please, please mention this to your S&B groups, forums on Ravelry, and such.

And now I need to mail off yarn packages to all my lovely customers, the best cussies in the world!