Opportunity knocks

After such a full weekend, I took the opportunity yesterday to just lay low for the day. I think they call that "me time", and since I didn't have to pick up grandkids from school, the house is stocked with groceries/drinks, hubby is off on a job, the house and laundry is all done for the week, there was nothing to keep me from taking full advantage of it. I don't even think the dogs held it against me for not going for their daily walk, or a visit to the dog park. They seemed content to just veg out next to me. We watched some tv (that's a rarity in the afternoons for me), I made a few phone calls, I did a little spinning, and lots of knitting. Oh, I also took care of cleaning out my mini garden, i.e., clipped plants down very close to the dirt. Not sure why, because I'm almost certain they won't grow back, but hey, it's what I wanted to try at the moment. Next up, is the plan to wash down all of our kitchen cabinets and since they're oak, I'm going to rub them down with an oil and beeswax mixture. I'm looking forward to bringing them back to life!

If you are a spinner, and you have never spun pure alpaca, you are missing out on a real treat. I had no idea how easy it is to spin, even with a staple length of about 3-4 inches. I'm spinning the roving I bought at the local alpaca farm I visited on Sunday, in Scotch tension drive on a low whorl at a slow treadling speed and am absolutely loving the results. I always thought I had a skin sensitivity to alpaca and as it turns out, this stuff is amazingly soft as butter, with no irritation to me at all. The only thing I can figure out is the commercially prepared stuff must be processed differently. I knitted my Easy Folded Poncho out of 100% alpaca and I can't stand for that thing to touch my neck! Just weird...Anyway, this is such a beautiful brown and I'm thinking either a scarf or a cowl.

My Ditto cardigan I've been working on is coming together nicely. I reattached the sleeves and started knitting the yoke, which I love the design of! The pattern calls for three buttons and it's almost time to start thinking about what I want in that way. I remembered yesterday that when we went to Portland last year, my darling man took me to the Button Emporium where I probably paid their rent for the day...haha! I am going to have to go through the button stash and see if there is something in there I want to use. That would be great if they are some I got in Portland...even more special! I know it's probably pushing it a bit, but I would really like to get this sweater off my needles by this weekend. I think I may have developed a case of startitis. I'm dying to cast on another project...maybe some more socks since I'm almost finished with one of my Good Morning City socks.

Ditto Cardigan

 

If you are close to the Sacramento region, there is a little town about 20 minutes on the outskirts of the city (think UCDavis), called Dixon. It is a farming community with a focus on sheep, and each year, they have a festival called Lambtown. Last year was my first time going and as a native, I'm almost embarrassed to say that. I absolutely loved it!! I love that you can buy yarn and fleece from locals as well as indie dyers, meet up with friends old and new that share a common interest, have fair type food (if that's your thing) and listen to live entertainment, as well as watch interesting demonstrations of all things lamb/sheep. I'm planning on going this weekend (Oct. 4th & 5th), and don't be surprised if I should come home with another spinning wheel. It could happen since I've had my eye on travel wheels! I'm not sure which day I'll be going yet...I'd like to go on Saturday, but it might have to wait until Sunday. If you can pick me out in the crowd, come say hello!!!