Knitting Knittng Knitting, and a bit of spinning and Dying.

I am trying really hard to give my RSI a good workout.  Alas, my new bamboo needles seem to be keeping it at bay as I have hardly been slack with the knits.  Time for some photographs.

 Firstly is this lovely large shawl.  It was orginally from the same ball as the small red one below but visited the dye pot again as the reds were far to busy and the pattern got lost.

 

 This one is again, Blue Faced Leicester Superwash, A lovely shawlette that doesn't need blocking when washed.

 Blue Faced Leicester Superwash, my favourite medium, it's a most soft wool and very versatile.  Dyed in reds this is a lovely little accessory for any outfit.

 This poncho has been dib'ed by the model if it doesn't sell at the show, it is made from English 56's Superwash.

 This one looked lovely at the time of the photo but it has changed a little since.  It was made from Merino and didn't like to be wash so now looks a little felted.  It doesn't matter for the use of the scarf except to make it a bit sturdier.

I have also made a hat in this time as a gift to my tattooist who has just found out he is quite ill.  I hope he will be fine at the end of his treatments, we are doing another piece on Friday which will be my last for a while I would guess.

SPINNING, KNITTING, FIBRE, BOOKS.

That's is for my life at the moment.  I am going to the Australian  Sheep and Wool Show again this year with all my goodies.  This time teaming up with another seller of yummy yarn Tam's of Never Ending Obsessions
.  So I am busy busy, importing some fibre and other goodies to sell, making my gorgeous stitch markers and spinning yarn to knit into things to sell also.  Aiming for really cute shawlettes that I can knit fast and sell for a decent price.  It's very hard to get an hourly rate for knitting, especially when you spin and dye the fibre to knit with.  Currently I think my going rate is about 1c an hour and I think it is actually less than third world countries with child labour.


So to do all this lovely knitting (trying furiously to tamp it down with spinning so the RSI doesn't put me on the bench), I listen to A LOT of audio books.  My favourite genre at this time is Paranormal Romance.  Werewolves, vampires, dragons, witches, fae, elves, ghosts and ghoulies...OMG..you would not believe how many takes on these themes there are!!!  Currently listening to Coreene Callahan and her dragonfury series, yet another take on Dragon shifters.  So far I am enjoying it.   Another favourite is Nalini Singh, she's awesome and a fellow kiwi so has my vote purely because we're kiwi's, oh and her books are pretty darn good too... 

It's really hard at this point as I am waiting on the next books of series' and sometimes they don't come out on audio immediately.  Drives me nuts so I tend to spam the authors about it.  So far Devon Monk has ignored me and the many others who are waiting on her next book on audio.  So if you see this Devon, PLEASE tell the publisher to get a freaking wriggle on!!!!
Some books make you laugh and cry and yes, it does happen in the penny romance too!!! Apart from Nalini, two authors have done this for me with every book, please take a bow Jeaniene Frost and her fantabulous Night Huntress series and Molly Harper with all her books!!!  WOW..I am doing a lot of listening, especially since if you go to those sites, I have read every book they have out on audio....hmmm I think that lot combined is over 20 and that is not counting all the Charlaine Harris and Jennifer Estep books that I have read too..


These are just the tip of my audio book arsenal, most of which I have read and re-read.  Thank goodness for audio because if they were hard copies I would have worn them out by now.  I have about 380 books on my ipod and I have listened to most of them more than once.


Anyways..back to work.  Here is one of the skeins of Blue Faced Leicester Superwash that I have spun up.  It's about 400g and SO soft.  I have done two of these, dyed them and currently knitting stuff.  I have finished one shawl that I need to block and photograph.  Onto no. 2.

 

This stuff below is my own blend for spinning sock yarn.  It has Texel top for elasticity, Silk for strength and shine and BFL for it's softness and warmth.  I have made some of this by hand on the carder but now I can get it commercially done into top.

 

Well...I will have to add more photos when I have them but right now.  I have wasted enough time..back to work!!