Mikknit

Shepherd’s Harvest is this weekend! I am so excited, but rather unhappy with the fact that I have obligations on both days. My orchestra rehearsal is Saturday morning, but it should be over by 12:30 or so, so I can (probably) head right out there. Sunday, I won’t be able to go since our concert is at 1:00 and I’ll no doubt have family stuff going on in the morning.

It’s looking like it’s once again going to be a cold and rainy Mother’s Day weekend, so we’ll have plenty of opportunity to wear our wool. The kids will get to wear their Robin Hood jackets, and they’ll undoubtedly get plenty of attention for it. Good thing they’re both incredibly sociable - they’ll eat it up. Me, I’ll be wearing wool socks - I don’t have any sweaters other than a Lopi one that’ll probably be too warm.

What am I going to shop for at the market, that’s the important question. There’s a vendor who sells “naturally machine washable” sock yarn (it really isn’t, as it shrinks even when washed in cold water in a front loader) that makes the softest and cushiest socks I’ve ever had. I have a pair that’s 2 years old (I think) and I just discovered a hole in one of the heels. In the past, I’ve tossed socks for that infraction. These ones, though, are getting darned, once I find the yarn and figure out how the heck to darn the hole. The other one will be getting reinforced with duplicate stitch before it develops a hole - it’s looking thin now but still intact.

I also want to get some yarn from Blackberry Ridge. I simply adore their yarn! I’ve used the handpainted stuff for soakers before, and it’s great - soft enough to go next to skin, but it holds its shape well and is very waterproof once lanolized. And the colors, oh my goodness! Arlo needs some soaker shorts, so I’ll probably get a skein of Tropical Fish and one of the Firecracker. I’ll have to restrain myself from buying more, since it’s so costly. But so worth it!

Of course I’ll buy spinning fiber, that’s a given. I’m shopping for prepared fiber, though (I think) - I don’t have the time now to wash and card a fleece and have it ready to go anytime this decade. Although if we end up catching chicken pox from some friends’ kids (still undecided about this), we’ll be cooped up in the house for a while - I could do that while rotting my kids’ brains with television. Things to think about…

There’s a small boy demanding my attention here and a pot of coffee to be made. I should go tend to that.