Over.

When the Tour de Fleece (coincides with the Tour de France, for those non-knit/spin people reading this - are there any??) started, I set as my goal the challenge of spinning up 4oz of a merino/tencel top that I'd purchased two years ago at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. Yep, two years ago. Bought it on the same trip that I bought my Golding Tsunami spindle. Quite obviously, I've been spinning my brains out, right? Heh.

So, I am enormously pleased to say that I not only met my first challenge - to get that 4oz spun up, but I've actually knit it up into a finished object!!!

I present my first Calorimetry, knit with my very first handspun (well, USEABLE handspun!!):


I actually had waaaaaaayyyyy less than the 250 yards I thought I did. So the original plan - for the Unoriginal Hat - did not work at all! It might have started out as 250 yards, but then I made a 2-ply out of it - so now there's less. By half, right?? ;)

So, I used a bit of my stash of Louisa Harding Kashmir along with it, and I think it looks lovely.

Oh, and before, I said it was my first Calorimetry? Yeah, I've cast on again for a second in Noro Iro, Color #5, which has pinks and blues and a bit of green. I'll let you know what other colors pop out as I knit. You know Noro!!

While I'm posting, lemme answer Question 6 for Secret Pal 12!

What is your favorite type of project to take along on holiday/vacation?

What a coincidence that I'm building up for a vacation as we speak! The Boy and I are going on a 5-day cruise to Canada soon. Normally, when I'm on vacation, I like to take along a no-brainer project like something in stockinette, or some socks, as well as a more complex project, like some lace knitting or something involved like that.

On the cruise, I plan to take: The Leilani cardigan I'm knitting. It's a Berrocco cardigan pattern, and just what I need this Fall at school/work, so I'm happy to take that along. That's my basic stockinette project - I only have to worry about decreases to get the shaping right, so hey, I can do that! I also will be taking my Pi Shawl for times when I have a bit more time to settle in and knit. Since it's just The Boy and myself going, I really don't see that much getting done on this unless he's sleeping and I'm out on the balcony knitting by myself. I'll have to keep track of the actual number of rows I get to knit on this - I'm betting it's NOT MANY!! I'm up to the 4th section on this one, which means about 400 stitches per row, right? Yeah.

I might also take along a Calorimetry for an extremely portable project. The sweater will get a bit bulky after a while, but a headband is much more manageable!

I don't think I've EVER been stuck without my knitting at opportune times. I always take some knitting with me. I'm sure that the one time I don't have it with me, I'll get a 10 hour delay with nothing to do. If I don't have knitting, I have a book.

Oh, and since - again - it's just me and The Boy on this trip (we're building up our travel skills in preparation for an overseas trip to visit my sister next Summer), I've broken down and purchased some EXTRA insurance by indulging The Boy in his desire to have a hand-held gaming device. It's not the ultra-expensive and sleek PSP, but a good, old-fashioned Game Boy. My ulterior motive (other than having a calm child in train stations and airports?) is to get him reading more. Taking the advice of a good friend who's an awesome father, he's got some reading goals to meet before he can play! How clever is that? Hopefully, this won't backfire!!! Wish me luck!

:O)