Thanksgiving Day

 While the rest of the country gathers around the table, today we did other things.

Carl scrubbed the dining area of the kitchen, then the kitchen, and the bathroom.

The dining area looks brighter because there is a large window in there.

Today I am thankful that Carl does the scrubbing of floors instead of me having to do it.

 I baked a mincemeat pie.

And a sweet potato pie.  Tomorrow I will cook the turkey and stuffing, the white potatoes and the sweet potatoes.  Anna is bringing the Broccoli salad and the cranberry sauce.  And we will celebrate family then.

I am also thankful for my new spinning wheel.

The time for finishing

 First thing finished this week was the sweater for  great-granddaughter Aubri's birthday on the 20th, she is 1.  The sweater is the February Sweater from knitters almanac.  Made with Willow yarn Burrow.  the buttons match better than this looks.  the knitting has been finished about 2 weeks but the buttons were just sewn on yesterday.

 Another case of the knitting being finished a while now.  I first thought I would sew in a zipper but could not find a zipper the right color.  Then I changed my mind and decided on the dragon clasps.

I am much happier with this.

Front

Here is the front with it's clasps all attached.  This is a heavy warm sweater and I plan on enjoying it this winter and for many winters to come.










The sleeves I am particularly happy with. The intarsia in the round to do the white stripe was something I had not done before although I had read of the technique.  Do not think that I will be doing a lot of it, (it is extremely tedious, my knitting buddies eyes glazed over somewhat when I was describing it) but I am happy to have used it here.

 The body of the Drazi (green and purple - from Babylon 5) blocking.  I have spun up a sample of the pencil roving that this was knitted out of to try it for sewing up.  If that does not work I will use some natural sock yarn that I have left over from water for elephants.

The sleeves blocking  That is both sleeves one on top of the other, so at least they are the same size.

And it is fall.

Merlin Tree CPW

I love fall, it is finally cool, weather in the 50's is just right according to Christopher and me (85-90 is just right according to Chase and Chaun).  I have not polled the rest of the family. And as the weather cools my energy goes up.













To celebrate I made a sweater for the Great-Greandaugther in a very cheerful pumpkin, (the yarn company calls it peach, but they have their fruits and vegetables confused.

Aubri Sweater

I finished a shawl except for the blocking.













And I am working on the sleeves, (oh no! sleeve island again) of the Drazi sweater - made out of a long color run self striping pencil roving. Again, un-blocked,  Once I have finished knitting the sleeves I am going to spin up 10 yards or so and ply to use for sewing the sleeves in. 







Also spinning:
finished the plying of the Jacob/Romney and have over 3000 yards of 2-ply, heavy fingering/light sport weight yarn, and the measurements, so am swatching for matching sweaters for Christopher and Anna. 



I have started spinning this Rambouillet fleece,  This is going to be a 3 ply worsted.  Spinning fat, fast and fluffy, so it goes fast.



Oh, yes that wheel up there in the Fall picture... Merlin Tree Canadian Production Wheel.  It is in CT at the moment, but it will be here by Thanksgiving.  A wonderful Thanksgiving gift.