I Am Ready...To Knit

Thank you for bearing my rant last time.  Life is still requiring me to be the strong one, but I'm managing.

The biggest drama right now is my husband's employment, or more accurately, unemployment.  After 26 years with the same company, he was laid off a couple weeks ago.  The company is closing operations here in Columbus.  Ed hasn't been handling the stress well.  He dove right into looking for another job, but he is at the level of obsessing about it.  He spends every waking hour on the computer.  He hasn't exercised since the news broke on May 4 and his diet, when he does eat, consists mainly of sweets.  I told him that he needed to take a break this weekend.  The only way I got him away from the computer was to give him a list of jobs out in the yard to do.  I can't control what he does when I'm not home, so I expect to find him still in his pajamas when I get home from work tomorrow evening.  If you are the praying type, please say a prayer that he finds suitable employment soon.  If you are not the praying type, please just send positive thoughts this way.  Thanks!

Times like this make me glad I have some distractions.  After sorting and selecting the fabric for my quilt group's raffle quilt, I began cutting the pieces for each block.  Color #1 is cut.  Color #2 is shown below.  The next Sew In with the group is on June 9.  I hope to have kits made up for each block by that day.  I haven't decided yet if I'll have the group help me with the sewing.  I may ask only a couple ladies that I know will be careful about their seams.

Another distraction was the Great Lakes Sheep and Wool and Fiber Show.  My friend Cindy and I made our annual trek to Wooster.  I didn't go too crazy this year.  Well, maybe I did.

I bought some sock blockers.  I have sizes now for the family and a future.  No, no one in the family is expecting.  It was just a special the vendor was running.  Buy two sets and get a baby booty set for free.  The sock project bag was a freebie from my friend.  The vendor gave her that with her purchase.  Since she already has one just like it, she gave it to me.

The show features a lot of fiber for spinning.  Most of it, though, is unwashed.  I have no desire to process the fleece myself so I just pass it by.  I did find some fiber I had never heard of before.  The sheep breed is Gotland.  The lady said that they are new to the US.  Their fleece has a long staple length with a little crimp.  It might spin up nicely for socks or gloves.  It is a little coarse, but won't be too itchy.

My favorite indie dyer, Destination Yarn, was at the show.  I couldn't resist her Scottish Highlands green.  When I mentioned that I am a huge Outlander fan, she showed me this project bag.  I literally squealed in delight.  Cindy had no clue why because she is not familiar with the books nor the show.  She also did not know what the French meant:  Je suis prest = I am ready.

Wolle's Yarn Creations was there.  She had a sample of Bellrose hanging in her booth.  It was just beautiful, so beautiful that my credit card magically jumped out of my wallet.

Ann Hanson of Bare Naked Wools was also there.  She had a sample of Twig and Leaf.  I had bought the pattern a couple years ago when Cindy and I did a shop hop.  I hadn't bought any yarn to make it with, so I remedied that.  I need to dig out the pattern and put it and the yarn in a bag together so I remember what I intended.

While we were driving to the show, I mentioned to Cindy that I wanted to get more linen.  I asked her to make sure I did not get anything in the taupe-beige-grey range.  I wanted color.  We were quite surprised that there was only one vendor with linen.  I bought poppy red.  It will become a nice summer top someday.

Next weekend Cindy and I are going to visit the Mid-Ohio Fiber show.  I must control myself.  It is a smaller show, so I should be able to.  Stay tuned to see if that is true.