A Wool Gathering

I almost went to the Wool Gathering again today.  I think I felt like I didn't spend enough.  I didn't buy any yarn (or come home with an angora rabbit which were selling for only twenty-five bucks - can you believe that?).  I'm sure that seems strange but I did buy a drop spindle and some wool roving to learn to hand spin with.  So far?  Tremendously difficult.  I got a book at the library today, though, that I think will help me out.  I also bought a merino/alpaca blend to spin when I actually get good at it.  If there's enough (and there should be), I'm going to use it to knit the Bainbridge Scarf.

Jake bit the bullet and went with me which was nice but he didn't really have a good time.  He liked talking to the ladies from the weaver's guild (one showed me how to use the drop spindle but I'd forgotten how to by the time I left - I should have asked if I could actually try it myself), a man who raised the border collies that were doing demonstrations with geese and a woman who raised alpacas.  It would have been more fun to go with some knitting girlfriends but...you'll have that.

Yesterday while waiting for Jake to get his hair cut in Yellow Springs (down the street from where the Wool Gathering was held), I worked on a crocheted hat using Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair in Purple Mountains. It's a gorgeous yarn to work with out in the sun but the hat was floppy and not very hat-like by the time I had it nearly finished so I frogged it.  I've also finished the arms, ears, tail and part of the head of the Hep Cat pattern from the Elisabeth Doherty book but I'm stuck for the moment as I don't have a hook tiny enough to make the eye patches.  So it's been a weekend of fiberous stalls and false starts.

I can't remember if I mentioned it or not but there's a tie between another blogger and I for the Knitter's Hunk.  Both of us had nominated the winner, Alan Rickman.  Kim, who ran the whole thing, put together an assignment for us in order to determine the Grand Prize and Second Place winners (I love that we're winners no matter what).  It was an essay question of sorts (ahem, she's a teacher): You have to knit one (ONE) thing for your favorite Alan Rickman character. For whom will you knit? Why? What will you knit? Explain your choice of project, including color(s), yarn(s), etc.

My submission?

My character choice was easy. Who needs something knitted for him more than cold, dead Jamie from Truly, Madly Deeply? This was the movie that made me love Alan Rickman, after all. I had crushed on him after seeing Galaxy Quest but…oh Jamie, baby.

But what to knit? Fingerless gloves to make cello playing easier? A hat? A scarf? A sweater? 

No, no, no…I wanted to knit something that would bring us together.  Therefore, I chose a soft, warm blanket - perfect for snuggling and cuddling. 

I searched and searched. Finally I came upon the Luxurious Bedcover from the Suss Cousins Home Knits book. It’s beautiful – I fell in love instantly. The book wasn’t kidding, though, when it said this blanket was an investment of time and money. Completely knitted in seed stitch with forty three skeins at $12.50 per means Jamie and I aren’t eating for a month (wait – do dead people eat?) but he’ll have lots of time to watch his classic films while I knit and…he’s more than worth it.  

I thought about switching to a less expensive yarn but, after doing some research, I realized nothing would make this blanket quite as…well, luxurious as Suss Butterfly. I was a bit unhappy with the color choices, though. The orange is stunning but not very masculine. The black is beautiful but it doesn’t pick up the contrast as well. I would have loved to have found a brown to match Jamie’s hazel brown eyes but they, unfortunately, don’t make Butterfly in any shade of brown. Blue it is – at least it’ll match my living room! 

So when body heat doesn’t keep us warm enough, Jamie and I can cuddle under this insanely warm soft blanket. 

Naked. 

‘Cause Alan Rickman’s awfully sexy for a dead guy....

* * *

I wrote it up in Word and added a couple of hunky photos.   Yeah, I was that kid in high school who used a large font size when tying a paper in order to make is seem longer.  And I was an English major!  I  liked my English classes, I just  I hated writing papers.  It's silly.  My emphasis was on creative writing - I wanted to write books, not write about them.

Anyway, we'll see how I do!

Also, this is my 101th post on this blog.  I've had several blogs over the years (Diaryland, LiveJournal, Blogger) but I think I'm happiest here.  I've made some great friends on each and every blog, though - the crafty web world is a very good place.

To celebrate my mini anniversary, I put up another one of Bertha's amazing banners and changed the look a bit.

I think I heard my phone ringing with Elvis Costello's "Monkey to Man" a few minutes ago which means Jake called.  He's making turkey burgers tonight and introducing me to the world of Battlestar Galactica...I have my doubts but I'm going into it with an open mind (and a crochet project).

And in closing, a sweet smile from a fella I met at the Gathering yesterday....

 

Comments

[Bertha]

Love the new banner! :)

Mmmm, fiber. The spinning bug hasn't hit me yet (and hopefully it will stay that way, I do not need any more money draining hobbies!)so I am looking forward to seeing what you spin up!

[Delly Bean]

If it's the new Battlestar Galactica, it is the shiznit! You know the scene in Grey's Anatomy where McSteamy walks out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel and a questioning look? Stolen from a very hot moment with a very hot Lee "Apollo" Adama. Hot show. Super hot.

Yes, my geekitude may be certifiable...but I kind of watch these things for the eye candy...

Oh, and welcome to spinning. I'm excited for you!

And I hope you win the Alan Rickman thing because he is Pretty Hot and Tasty. For an older guy of course.

And happy blog milestone!

And, and, and!

[Kim]

In case you haven't checked your e-mail yet: you won!!! Awesome answer. But it was tough. Package on its way soon. . .

[Mary Jane Hall]

Hi,
I don't remember how it came up but I saw your blog about the Wool Gathering in Yellow Springs. I was there with the Crochet Guild of America. I am an author of a crochet book called Positively Crochet. You may have walked by our booth (it was on the table-book is mauve with an ivory sweater on the front cover) Anyway, we may have passed each other. You can see the front cover of the book on Amazon. It's been a best seller! I live in Beavercreek, and was wondering if you live near me? If so, you should come to our guild meetings :)
Mary Jane