Wallet overboard!

Last fall I made a pledge to not use my credit cards to pay for any Christmas items this year. It worked out really well, and I actually went two whole months without charging anything. Unfortunately, all my good went out the window in January. I started buying spinning supplies and quickly racked up a huge tab. Granted, much of that came from my birthday money, but looking back I can hardly believe how much I spent. So now I have to make up for my spending binge by saving more in the coming months.
I have a plan, and it goes like this:
- No unnecessary spending for 6 days, followed by a $20 personal shopping day.
- Repeat until cc's are paid off.
- Watch the grocery budget and determine if costs can or need to be cut.
- Finish up the miriad knitting projects that I currently have and "shop the stash" for new projects.
- I also have fiber to spin that I can designate for any exciting new projects.
- The next big knitting project will first be a spinning project: I want to spin enough yarn to knit a sweater next winter.
- No more toys for the boys.

We have lots of trips to take this spring, and I need to save for those, too. Wish me luck!

Andrea Toman

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The best of both worlds

I have discovered the one flaw with spinning and the reason I shall continue to knit: you can't spin with your feet up! I am totally in love with spinning, and I love that it can be done standing. It's easy to chase kids that way. However, at the end of the day I just want to sit and put my feet up. So back to knitting I go.

I'm somewhat relieved: I have had so much fun spinning I was starting to think I might never knit again.

Andrea Toman

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Post-holiday update

Holidays are fantastic! This year I was swamped with todos, parties, and knitting. The highlights of my gift list include an iPod Touch from DH, and a knitpicks kit from my knitting pal(thanks Katie!). I've finished the first 10 rows on the kit - it's a fair isle bag that requires fair isle purling as well.

My family gave me cold hard cash for Christmas and my birthday, so what do you think I did? Why, took up spinning, of course!

I bought a Boswoth Midi in tulipwood. I have also picked up a variety of fibers, including Corriedale, BFL, Rambouillet, and soysilk. I'm still waiting for a blended batt, but everything else it here.


So far I have spun and plyed the Corriedale and pre-drafted the Rambouillet. The Corriedale is severely overspun in places and moderatly thick and thin, but overall I'm quite pleased with my first product.

The Rambouillet has a much shorter staple length, but it is softer and far loftier than the Corriedale. It held together quite strongly when I was pre-drafting it. It's fluffy! My goal is to spin it a little thicker than I spun the Corriedale, with a goal of worsted weight singles for a hat. I want to work on getting it much more even overall.

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