I never really understood the concept of fiber pets... until now.

Before I spun up my other oz of purple merino, I did some research. It's amazing what actually knowing what you're doing will do for you! I have about 20 beautiful yards of a two-ply worsted which is sitting on my dresser. I pet it every time I go by. It is a tiny little skein and I haven't the foggiest idea what I'm going to do with it -- but I made it and it's gorgeous and it's mine. I've been calling it "sweetie" and telling it what a good little skein it is. Does this mean I should be seeing someone in the mental health business? My camera charger was lost and a new one is on the way, so I can't yet show you pictures of the finished skein, but here's a picture of the fiber, a "Sapphire" merino roving from Paradise Fibers.

I also have (well, had) a lovely braided 4 oz of handpainted roving from Shivaya Naturals, a fiber company that I believe is only a few months old! Before I ruined the lovely little coil I was petting that every time I walked by too. I have spun about an ounce of it into a two-ply lace/light fingering yarn. I have no idea what to do with that either, but I think I'm going to spin more of it (I have about 85 yards right now). I am almost tempted to make a pair of socks, but I only just finished my first pair, and it nearly killed me -- those things really require some stamina! This lovely picture of my "Mountain Sunset" roving is from the Shivaya Naturals website. It spun up into a really gorgeous almost-but-not-quite-uniform orangish pink -- a color I have always loved but have been unable to find just about anywhere.


Sometime after September 11th, I will be receiving 8 oz of beautiful "Calico Kitty" merino roving from Maine Woods Yarn and Fiber. I miss my cat so much -- I can't have cats in my apartment, so she's living with my parents right now. I miss my doggy, too, but he at least has the whole family to love him; nobody but me likes my cat. (She's a one-woman kind of girl.) She's not calico but when I saw this roving I just knew I had to own it. So I will be receiving two braided twists of this gorgeous stuff. Doesn't it look just like a cat? Now I just have to figure out how best to spin it to make the yarn look just like the roving...

Also, today I received from The Sanguine Gryphon (whom I just cannot recommend enough -- seriously, everyone, go buy all her fiber; her customer service is amazing and she's so helpful) about 14 oz of beautiful alpaca. 11 oz are undyed and are a gorgeous red/brown that I just can't get enough of; the other 3 oz are slightly dyed a little darker. I love it. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but I adore it. I can't stop petting it. It's actually a little disturbing how much I love this fiber. I packed it away in several plastic bags (I live in an apartment that breeds moths like rabbits, and while they don't seem to care for my merino, I fear for my alpaca's life) but I still keep taking it out to pet it. (I saw a moth as big as my hand a few days ago. I shudder to think what kind of damage he could have done to my precious yarn and roving). I don't have a picture of it but I'll get one when the camera charger comes. I haven't had my camera for about a month now because of this charger business, and I am hopelessly reliant on my camera. I really hope the new one comes soon.

Now, I have a ton -- a TON -- of knitting projects that are waiting to be knitted up, since I finished the socks like I promised myself I would before I started anything. I have a lace shawl (Swan Lake, Mystery Shawl 3) that I need to finish, and another shawl and a cardigan and a cabled cami I have yarn for -- and my apartment-mate really, really wants me to make socks for my teddy bear before it gets cold out. (Teddy bears get cold. Who knew?) All the prospective projects (except the teddy bear socks) are complicated enough that I'm probably going to need a chart while doing them. I need something simple and portable. I also need to actually knit instead of just spin. I fear I won't even remember how by the time I come off this fiber high. Ideas?

PS: I knit that crazy first attempt at spinning the sapphire merino into a skinny scarf on huge needles and I'm giving it to my sister. I think she'll like it. I'm not totally fond of it. Is that bad? Can I just pretend my lovely two-ply worsted sapphire skein was my first spinning and forget that first attempt ever happened? (Please?)

Next time, completely gratuitous pictures of my dog and cat, because we could all use a little more homesickness in our days.