twice in one week

Can you believe it. Another posting, in the same week, please don't drop from the shock of it. I've been productive this week and am proud of the accomplishments. Somehow all this productivity has come without changing out of my pj's, which is truly the best kind of productivity isn't it?

I've made my new roommate it's first mommy made knit. I love it. Baby's wrapper is perfect and I got to use some of my coveted Fleece Artist yarn which was a dream. It's not the greatest picture to show color, but there is enough red/purple in it to be a unisex sweater, which is great since we want to be surprised.

While the knitting needles were flying for a change, the sewing machine has been commissioned as well and the results are interesting. Through diaperkit I bought a single kit to see what it would be like to sew it. It took about an hour give or take. Now we'll have to wait and see how it works.

It's been awhile.

Well, It's been over a month. It's hard to post on a blog titled purl and pedal when you really have been neither purling or pedaling, especially not pedaling. With 2 feet of snow, pedaling has not been on my must do list. The bike is on the trainer in the basement, but that also was briefly turned into a wood finishing workshop, not an excuse but I used it as one to not go down there and exercise. I must say though, there are some beautiful shelves down there now :) Mr. Romance has done well again. I'm also four months pregnant, and for awhile energy was not my friend. I barely knit, the thought made me a bit nauseous. I have been out snowshoeing and this week knit the first baby sweater, it's almost ready for pictures!

I have finally finished a pair of socks. This was an accomplishment, these things were ripped out many times. That pattern isn't confusing but you have to keep your row count. I'm not the best at that. I've also finished two wool soakers, which I don't have picture of. Plus I've finished knitting something. Sound interesting? I've knit it now I need to decide what to do with it. We'll see how it works up. The sewing machine has come out too, stay tuned!

At least 10 inches with more to come.

Well the third storm, second snowfall and first GOOD one arrived in splendor.

The notorious Mr. Fish and Chips used his best silly self to make it a fun day. So even though we had hours of shoveling, snowblowing, and he cleaned the chimney, since he was up on the roof anyway, it was a very good use of 10 inches of snow.

It's really just a formality at this point, we've lived together for three years, have a mortgage, share debt and a few other important things at this point, but he did make me laugh. I told him, I don't need a ring, but I would like a touch of romance. The whole idea of him jumping from letter to letter so as not to make any unnecessary tracks just kills me. He said the hardest jump was between words!

He is a funny man! Oh I almost forgot, I said yes.

84 hours off the grid.

Camping to some is one of the best things in the world. Add this particular individual to that list certainly. There is something so wonderful about waking up in the morning, hearing nothing but nature, crawling out of a tent or out from under a picnic table in eastern Colorado somewhere, yap yap yap. On this descriptive jargon goes with the love of camping.

Camping in ones own house can be just plain annoying after three days. Day one was tolerable, day two getting a bit old and now it's REALLY cold in the bathroom. Day three, the freaking radio batteries are out, the flashlight is getting down and there's work tomorrow? Anyway, it's over for many, still going for far too many both in my opinion as well as theirs I'm sure. The classic bit about the whole thing is that after finally biting the bullet and buying a generator, taking 2 hours to set it up and the various appliances appropriately, the power came back on! You know what, I'll take it - who cares about the cost!

Here I am....

Stitches East, in Baltimore was very good. Took a class on "The Seven Things That MAKE a Sweater" which explained quite a bit to me that I had been missing and we learned a great way to make buttonholes. They were perfectly symmetrical for the first time in my life. Margaret Fisher taught the class and it was well worth every penny!

Jen lives in Baltimore and is a weaver by craft, which means she loves fiber too. She's much more constrained then I about her stash and I could learn a thing or two from her. We shopped Saturday, she went home and checked her stash (some would just call it a small collection - she was mortified by it's size; I'll have to do some major cleaning before she comes here next then). Sunday she allowed two more purchases because her collection wasn't as big as she had thought. I had two more purchases because I have no restraint. We knew that already though. I have to admit that shopping with her was wonderful, a budget was kept and there was lots there but wasn't as much that was NEEDED. I do want enough Wensleydale to make a beautiful cable sweater. I'll have to save up some money and burn through some stash yarn first though.

In other strange news, I have finished my first sewn project since 3rd grade. Portsmouth Fabric Company has beginning sewing classes and I made a shirt. The material was not a good idea for a first project, but it's so comfortable I am over my frustration and even though it's not great it is so comfortable to wear I just love it. I want to make more, that says a lot because I thought I hated it during most of the project. Here the picture isn't great but I am proud of it for a first project - next come zippers!

Socktoberfest is upon us.

It's done, three pairs of socks off the needles with the sewing in of the ends being all that remains. The picture couldn't wait for the darning needle so here it is. A four hour car ride from Rhinebeck NY helped get the last pair completed.

Oh, the festival....... known to knitters as simply Rhinebeck. What fun we had and what money we spent. Even we decided it was a bit out of hand and we do this more frequently then we are willing to admit to perfect strangers. I don't even know where to start with the fun, there was The Fold, with STR, and Brooks Farm, Briar Rose, Decadent Fibers, Creatively Dyed, and so many more. Have I told you I love yarn? I think you knew that.

Oh look, the clapotis is finished, has been for a few weeks but I just got a picture in. I'm not completely happy with my attempts at the end, but I tried it two times and this version will have to do for now until I get annoyed with it and try again!

I just love leaves!

It's been a long time since my last post. Somehow, between work and life time just seems to pass without notice and very quickly. It's very cliche to make this comment - but yet again this year it's struck me with awe that it's "already" October, and the perpetual question has arisen as to where exactly does time go? I am still confused as to how it's possible that the two minute timer on the microwave takes soooooooooooo long to go off, but days seem to pass quicker than I am able to get the floor vacuumed.

We have been a bit busy though, Mr. Fish and Chips was good enough to take two weekend days off with me and ride our bikes again in VT and then last weekend we went for a hike. It's weekends like these that remind me of why I have stayed in New England for all these years and never made any real effort to leave it on a permanent basis. Everyone and their brother was out but as you look out on the horizon you can't blame any of them for wanting to soak it in.

The porch project is wonderful. The Mr. has done a great job on it, I'll post pictures soon. He's almost ready to put the siding back on. I think he's happy with the fruits of his labor as he should be! Next week is Rhinebeck, so the yarn pictures cometh!