That my boy Part II

It's been a slow blogging week Chez Kitchentable - Beloved has been away, pushing back the frontiers of science, and Pirate Jim's Nana has been keeping PJ and I company. Not a lot of screen time available when I'm keeping those two in line.

Regular readers know my Mum as the Master Finisher; she was a sample knitter for Patons in her youf and does beautiful work, as well as having a seemingly bottomless supply of patience. So there's always lots of knitting going on when she visits -often because she has big pile of my finishing to do!

PJ clearly decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

PJ: (with my 4mm Addi circ) Nana, I knitting too.

PJ: Nana, I want wolle (wool)

At the ripe old age of 2 years, 2 months and 3 weeks, PJ has his first knitting lesson.

Thank heavens for Nanas!

No Guilt Stash

I hereby adopt the No Guilt Stash manifesto as developed by Bells and Amy.

No Guilt Stash Manifesto

I will neither defend nor apologize for my stash. My yarn brings me joy, and therefore brings others in my life joy.

Through my hands I do good in the world. I knit with love for friends, family, and strangers. Yarn is my medium.

I promise not to let my stash acquisition interfere with personal relationships or financial health; yet neither will I give in to pressure from significant others to reduce my stash.

I will not judge others' stash. I can admire it, be inspired by it, even covet certain skeins, but it is not my place to pass judgment on quantity or quality.

I recognize that stash management is personal. I fully intend to knit my beautiful yarns, but I refuse to be guilted into doing so on anyone's schedule other than my own.

I understand that it may take many years for a yarn to reveal its destiny, and that yarns that have been in my stash for a seemingly long time just haven't met their correct pattern. I won't feel guilty about this.

I also recognize that yarn can have many destinies. It can be a reminder of a special trip, a friend, a time in one's life. It can be comfort or inspiration. It doesn't always need to be knitted to fulfill its destiny. I accept that some yarns in my possession may never be knit by me.

I believe in the karmic properties of stash. I willingly share with other knitters, and I realize the stash, like love, will grow when it is shared.

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Thanks Amy and Bells!

That's my boy!

This afternoon, Chez Kitchentable......

Pirate Jim: Mama, I take basket, I go shopping (holding small plastic shopping basket)

Mama: OK, darling, what will you buy?

PJ: Eggs, we need eggs.

(a few minutes later....)

PJ: Look Mama, I go to shop. I kaufen (buy).

In case you missed it....

One skein of 4-ply and one skein of 10-ply Waratah Fibres yarns, acquired at yesterday's visit to Helen's home (as blogged here by Happy Spider) and yet to be RRSSS'd.

Boy's got taste.

The postman always rings twice

Well, he would if I stopped ambushing him halfway down the driveway and let him get the to front door.

The wheel needed feeding. So, with thanks for all of your recommendations, I did a little shopping. How much do we love the innernets?

Yesterday, my lovely postie brought me this:

Merino tops from Virginia Farm Woolworks. And a spare bobbin and a niddy noddy. I've gotta get set up, right?

I've also discovered the lolly shop that is Ewe Give Me the Knits. Mandie does amazing things and tonight, the poor postie had the parcel containing this ripped from his hands.

Chacha (top; a little more....er....vibrant than I expected!) and Skip a beat tops.

Cheeky Cherry, and Under the Sea

Moroccan Nights and Mulled Wine (hmm, sounds like a good idea to me!):

It would be fairly safe to say I got a little excited at EGMTK; I plan to spend quite some time with the plain tops before I tackle these beautiful dyed fibres.

And I may possibly have reached husbandorial limits too. While I was standing on a chair trying to get decent light to take photos of my haul, he wandered past, shaking his head. The words "sick", "obsessed" and "crazy" all passed his lips.....

Make mine a Guinness

I noticed a little quiz over at Kuka's blog...

You Belong in Dublin

Friendly and down to earth, you want to enjoy Europe without snobbery or pretensions. You're the perfect person to go wild on a pub crawl... or enjoy a quiet bike ride through the old part of town.

What European City Do You Belong In?

I do love Dublin. Especially because it's filled with Irish people with Irish accents, my favourite accent! Hey Amy, do ya reckon Tom Brady has an Irish accent??

Did you pick it?

Ten championship points and a free set of steak knives to all those who picked that yesterday's photo of my newly finished sock was posed on the treadle of an Ashford Traditional spinning wheel.

Which has come to live with me!

A few weeks back, Jejune mentioned to me that Othlon now had two wheels, and that they didn't really have the space for this one. Especially since they're moving house soon, would I like to borrow the Ashford for a time?

Is a bear a catholic?? Would I!

So yesterday afternoon we had a bit of a playdate, and Othlon showed me to drive it. (please excuse the hair. I was going for a Farrah Fawcett flick but I think I may have missed. Exacerbated by sitting beside the very glam Ms Othlon with her sleek new haircut - way to look daggy and slept in, George)

And after an hour or so, I had a nice little bobbin of spun yarn (the colours have photographed somewhat more...vibrantly than in rool life):

And then Othlon showed me how to skein it:

And now I have it to love and pet and call my very own. (That's some of Othlon's hand-dyed fibre she let me play with, by the way. I've got twice her years - how come she's so clever??? And has such groovy hair? 'snot fair)

How much fun is this spinning caper?

So now, of course, I'm desperate to know where one obtains things such as tops, or batts, or fibre, or whatever it is I have to use to feed to beastie now residing in the spare room. It's getting very hungry! If you have any suggestions for reputable sellers, and also for good reference materials, I'd love to know.

The Sock is My Bitch

'Nuff said.

With a very special thanks to Jejune for showing me kitchener stitch.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's episode, in which out heroine explains the context for this photo....