I will be used, and I'll like it

So, I have been teeter-tottering about this California thing.

Sure it's great that I go. It's awesome. I'm thrilled, really.

But why? Why after almost 5 years of screaming indifference, or sometimes outright hostility, is The Wine One being nice to me? Really, really nice. Almost kind.

It freaks me out. I'm uncomfortable with it.

However, I've decided that it doesn't matter why this situation has turned around, it just has, and as long as I'm not dirt to be scraped of Himself's shoes, I should sit back and enjoy the ride.

Yarnwise, I'm in high gear. I've been spinning every second that I can to make yarn for the upcomming craft fair. At Shuba's. On Sunday. noon to 4pm.

I'm pretty excited. Keep your fingers crossed for me, and stop by and say hi!

Go big, or go home

So, in The Knit/Spin Blogosphere this was a Big Weekend.

Why?

Rhinebeck.

Rhinebeck, is the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, and it's a Big Deal.

You -must- make a Rhinebeck sweater, and perhaps some Rhinebeck socks to wear at Rhinebeck. I think it's because this is a cool weather festival, unlike the spring/summer ones.

You must take part in blogger meet ups, and cool little games, and meet other knitters, and well, become A Part Of the Action.

Sometimes this stuff pisses me off a little.

I mean, people brag about how much they bought. They show you all sorts of yarn and wool you didn't even know that you needed. They talk about their shame. But they don't mean it.

It's like calling your girlfriend and talking about how great the body was on that guy that you banged when you were drunk.

"I didn't even know his name when I woke up. I'm so ashamed"

"Really? Were you careful?"

"Yeah..."

"And?"

"He was fucking hot. And, um, though I don't know his name, I've got the imprint of his chin on my inner thigh...you know what I mean?"

Envious sigh from friend. "Yeah.....Bitch."


That, in a nutshell is what Rhinebeck is like for me. I didn't bang some stranger last night. I'm just hearing it second hand. So. Blog on about the wool, and the sheep, and your new sweater.

I'll admit it. I'm green. That's what envy does.

So onto other, happier things.

I bought an entire fleece.

From here http://www.cormo.us

If you look under 2006 Fleece, there is a sample of my wool.

It's got the romantic name of 562. I know, there's all these names, like Karma and Hippie and stuff, I go for the most unromantic name ever. However it's Hogget.

A Hogget fleece is a fleece that was shorn when the sheep just past lambdom...thus the ends of the fleece are lamb's wool (which is super duper soft). Cormo are a cross breed of Merino and um, they are supposedly the cat's meow when it comes to spinning.

Three pounds of dirty fleece are on the way.

I have a feeling I'll be washing that bitch in stages. I don't want to risk using the washing machine method because Merino and related breeds felt easily. So, while I could have used the washing machine for that Romney, all bets are off for 562.

Oh, and yes, my arm is getting better, in little ways, every day.

New Yarns, upcomming Craft Fair, and Fiber time

Okay, so I had a great time with Sarah, who came over and did some fibery stuff the other day.

We spun, and fondled fiber, and she crocheted. The picture is the finished yarn that I was spinning...I'm calling it 'Grape Jelly' and it's super soft, shiny and delovely. It's in the shop.

Sarah took some hand spun to make into a sample.

People who love fiber are cool.

My right hand (whom I call Mr. Burns), won't let me knit all that well yet. The funky way my hand now sits on my arm is probably at fault...that, and the fact that I can't really bend it, and I have no strength in it. But. No Cast. Groovy.

I'm now experimenting with some royal purple for her, to pay her in trade.

There are some new yarns up in the shop. I am doing the Handmade Market on the 29th of October, right before I fly to California. Cali. Wine. Groovy. Beckmen Vineyards. Hitching Post. Santa Inez. Groovy.

Wine. Yum. -insert Homer Simpson sound of food happiness here-

The new job type thing that I'm doing for the Hospitality Mines is fun. I am the voice of all wine education, which is cool. I just go in, talk about wine, and leave. Pretty fucking ideal, I have to say. I can't beleive that I'm getting paid just to do that.

Cheese world is edging up onto crunch time, and we've had some amazing wine sales...we're already ahead of where we were last season...

So, off to teach about wine.

The other day

Mailperson:Blah, blah, unimportant gripe, blah.

Phang, the hairless one, takes this oportunity to dart out the open door, onto the steps.

Me:Phang! Get in here.

(to mailperson)

Me:Sorry about that. We don't have outside cats.

Mailperson:Oh, I'm sorry that your kitty is sick. That's why she can't go outside, right?

Me: Um...sure.

Phang is freaky looking, but really...sick? I just didn't have it in me to explain genetics right then.

So far, she's been misidentified as a dog of some sort, been so icky that the cable guy screamed...well, it was more like a scared moan, and now she looks like she's sick.

neat.

Wow, maybe I shouldn't say this, but things don't suck right now.

Really, I don't have to expound too much, do I?
I just got a call from He Who Runs The Wine...He's taking me to Santa Barbara to make wine for the hospitality mines.

Back the truck up, shut the front door, it's true.

I lurve the area, and I love wine.

My job just got really amazing.

New Yarns

Yarns on Etsy, or "Will I suck?"

So,

Now that the hospitality mines have finally let loose their grasp, and the Cheese World doesn't need every second of my spare time, I'm commiting some time to the yarn.

And the comic book.(Yes, I'm turning one of our screenplays into a comic book. I should say
-we- (my writing partner and I and a very talented young man who is an amazing artist) are making a comic book.


I've got to say...I heart my new yarns. Very much. And, I heart the time I give to them. I just washed up some Romney and it's drying in a white, fluffy cloud.

A little side note about the Romney...
It was full of poo. And, since I had bought the raw Romney at Susan's Fiber Shop in Wisconsin last weekend, a word of warning.

Susan's is -dirty-.

I mean, when you go to The Fold, it's clean. Sure, there's fuzz everywhere, and hey, I wear a decent amount of black, so like, I understant when I walk out of The Fold looking like a lint brush. But I don't have to scrub my fingernails.

Susan's is on a farm, so I totally get the sheep smell. And she sells wool from her own sheep in the shop, both washed and raw, so a little 'sheepy' smell is expected. But, man what about the dust, and the grime, and the poor organization? It's fucking awful.

That, and I felt a little hosed with my Romney.
There were some poorly skirted spots in my wool...which I didn't see when I was going through the bag, which was on the floor of the shop. When I asked for a pound of it, the girl who was working that day stuff a bag full of wool (fine) held it up (fine), and weighed it (fine).

It wasn't until I got home, opened up the ziplock, and spread it out to wash that I noticed the entire center of my bag was a big mass of poo. I feel like she tucked it in the middle so that I wouldn't see it.

Look, I know that there's going to be some sheep shit in raw wool, but it was excessive, and with the sneaking suspicion that I was mislead, and the dirty shop, I probably won't ever make a trip to Susan's Fiber again.

Anyway...

I have a new online shop at Etsy! I'll post yarn and I'll probably post spinning batts as well.

visit if you want

www.mutantcatsyarn.etsy.com

I'll be adding stuff, like a cool logo, and making my profile much more...uh, concise, very soon.

Yarn sold

you must support this yarn shop

Chix with stix in River Forrest.

Why?

www.chixwithstixknitting.com



They bought my yarn!


They are my LYS, and, frankly, they rock.


Pictures of new yarns to come, and the Handmade market information, once I've confirmed a table.