Black Yarn and the Mayans

Why did I think using black yarn, on the shortest day of the year, in the darkest part of the world I would have a reason to go to, would be a good idea?
I will blame the jet lag and say that it was so important for me to sleep today and read the Yarn Harlot's blog, that knitting was simply impossible. Or maybe because I can't see the freakin' thing made it impossible.
I hope that the darkest day of the year is bringing your family closer together. My family is all off doing their own things. Papa is at an MVV game, Mom is celebrating the last day of the semester with teacher friends, the boys are off... somewhere, and I'm here. Relaxing and sleeping.

Happy End of a Mayan Cycle Day, today officially ends the period of the 13th Baktun. After learning about Pre-Columbian MesoAmerican Art during my BA in Art History, I've been watching the build up to this big, Earth-ending apocalypse or some people's interpretation of the event.  I love the images that the Mayans produce, and the fact that they have cycles, or ages, that last 5,125 years. Because to me and my way of thinking, that is such a random number, even though it has 5's going on all over the place.
So happy end of the cycle and let's hope that in the new cycle humanity reaches enlightenment so as to end all wars, brutality, and general stupid stuff.

Christmas is 5 days away.

Hahahaha hahahahaha. ROFL. I can't believe that it is almost here.
I was cruising along on the thrummed mittens I am making for my Mom, when I hit a big snag.  Nearly finished with the first one and boom. Do not continue, do not collect a gold star for completing one mitten. I am having issues because of the way the pattern decreases, which results there are places on the sides of the fingers without thrumming and therefore susceptible to coldness. What's the point in that? Her fingers are cold, not her palms.

Honestly, this is the most important present of the season and must be ready for Christmas morning. So, it is time to go to the drawing board and figure out my own pattern. Those seem to work out fine in the end. Sometimes.

Sung to the tune of "Little Drummer Boy"
Come on mittens, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum
Why can't you just work out, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum
I've worked so hard on you, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum
A gift just for my mum, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum
thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum

The hat that I made, was mostly made for stress relief. As such, it didn't turn out the way I hoped and must be frogged back to the beginning of the decreases. Gorgeous color, what the freak was I doing?

With your yarn, awesome knitter, do you see what I see?

I see Christmas coming. With jolly music and yuletide laughter. I see it coming without hand knits as well. 8 days and my finals will be over, then I must crank out the wool goods or leave my family to freeze in the cold German winter. A thought too sad indeed.
But what am I working on? oh, a hat with BellaDulce yarn for me.  O.o yeah it confuses me too. I say it is comfort knitting, and its not like it is flying off the needles.

By the way, BellaDulce yarns has a website. Well, almost. It is coming soon. Hooray! And it is beautiful and LaDonna has done it all on her own. Impressive! Knitter and web designer. That means I need to block things and take pictures so they have more examples of their yarns in FOs.  Yeah, that won't happen for at least 9 days. But I've thought about it.

Now I must go and get dressed. Apparently I have to have clothes on to teach. What? Why? oh, alright.

Thanksgiving Already!?!?

I can't believe it is already Thanksgiving. That means November, but not just November, the END of November. What happened? I'll tell you what happened in relation to this blog (I can't account for your lives but I'm sure it has been wonderful) Grad school happened. The final semester before student teaching happened. A job, 18 graduate hours, and 17 practicum hours per week in the classroom happened. In short, life happened.  Knitting, not so much.  I did finally finish Travel in Pink but I haven't blocked it (still done in my opinion), and since then I have been working on my Hex'n the Blanket project. It has only been two years in the making. 0.o
I had so many plans for Christmas projects for all my family. Hats and cowls and socks, on my.  Where am I on that count? Um... I'm not. And that is sad. Apparently, I don't knit for deadlines.  They make me not want to knit. That's my excuse.

WIP late: written then posted now

So the last two weeks have been crazy and not much has gotten done in the way of knitting. 2 weeks I was in Venice with the mother figure. Of course yarn was bought, but I'll share that later. Shawl..... Still in progress but I did a scarf for mom done out of expanded(?) yarn. Where you only knit into part of the yarn "fabric". It was very easy, 2 hours easy, after I stopped making mistakes. Very unclear directions. Yuck.
Then I left Germany without taking a picture, very typical that things get forgotten in the malay of packing. Travel in in progress, and I am one who doesn't like to knit when I travel, weird but as a result little knitting gets done.

Recent Stash Enhancement

On our family holiday this year, we went not far from my parents' home in Germany to Ameland Island off the norther coast of The Netherlands.  With beaches, bicycles, and sheep, I was in heaven.  Until I saw the alpacas. I love alpacas, and even more than the animals themselves, I love alpaca yarn.

The natural colors of alpaca are incredibly diverse, as I learned on a trip to Maine last year.  What I thought would be a quick visit to see the alpacas and buy some of yarn made from them, turned into a 2 hour talk about raising alpacas and alpaca genetics. If breeding alpacas and genetics related to coloring interests you, check out the this link.

Anyway, back to the Dutch island. Not only are there many sheep on the island, but there is also an alpaca farm.  Both the sheep and alpaca's fiber is spun on the island and sold at a local shop.  Locally grown, spun, and sold.  Not a yarn shop, but a very sweet little place with beautiful things, de Strandjutter.  Also, the lady was super kind and she had a giant Great Dane.  I bought some beautiful deep red-brown, very light fingering, 2-ply 100% alpaca.  There isn't a yardage on the had written tag, only the content and weight, 175 gm. I would guesstimate (very scientific, I know) that I have about 700 yards, erring to the low side.

WIP Wednesday

Currently on the needles:

Travel in Pink
Pattern: Traveling Woman by Liz Abinante (Ravelry Link)
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in and Bella Dulce in Lauren


Backstory on the Bella Dulce yarn: You might notice that the name of the Bella Dulce yarn in Lauren. Why yes! That is my name. Could it be? Yes.  I know the wonderful ladies who dye this yarn and they named this fabulous color after me.  It is pink and sparkly, and really, what more could a girl ask for?

This was dyed by two of the most fabulous ladies in the world, who happen to be a part of my knitting group.  They have taken me under their wing and each has treated me like a daughter. They are more than words to me. they haven't yet put their beautiful yarns up on Ravelry, but assure me, I have been after them.  I will update with a link when possible.

This picture does nothing for the color of the yarn. Ewww.  I know reds are difficult to catch, especially in artificial light, but come on.  You can see the sparkles really nicely though...


As it is the Traveling Woman pattern, it has travelled with me a fair bit.
Las Cruces
Phoenix (Confrence)
Ameland, The Netherlands (Family vacation)
Dusseldorf, Germany (Home)

A New Beginning!

Hello all!
This is a new beginning for me.  A chance to muse, create, harp, complain, and extol the virtues of yarn.  Join me as I navigate through knitting, yarn dying, general craftiness, and the ever essential, yarn buying.


I'm not really sure how many times I have said "Darn this yarn!" (although it may or may not contain choice words thrown in there). But I do know that many a yarn have been in time out at my house, some will stay there for the duration of their time, only to be taken out, pet, and glanced at woefully. Others will remain in this place of purgatory until they unknot themselves, become a different yarn, or get back on my good list. Really the only options here.


Best, Lauren aka The Yarn Darner