Spin to Knit

Joined the Spin to Knit secret pal swap, sponsored by Interweave Press in support of the release of Shannon Okey's book of the same title. Finally ordered a copy Friday night, from my local independent bookseller Northtown Books. I'm excited to get it not just because it promises a plethora of spinning tips, but also because it features a blurb about and a sock pattern by my blogosphere friend Symeon North, aka Pippi Kneesocks. There's also a profile of Lexi Boeger of Pluckyfluff, the woman who inspired me to learn to spin. What else? Here's a link to the TOC. Can't wait for your copy to arrive? There's even a free hat pattern available. And for non-spinners, check out Shannon's other books: Knitgrrl and Knitgrrl2; everyone will enjoy her crafting blog, Knitgrrl.

The swap should be fun. Each participant will spin 2 skeins and send it to their swap partner to make something with. I didn't know which "division" to enter, beginner or intermediate, so thought I'd better err on the cautious side and stuck a big ol' NEWBIE sticker on my swap application. We don't start until January, though, so who knows what an amazing old pro I'll be by then? That would be the 1 year mark since I learned. I'm looking forward to it.

On the home front, damn if another bird hasn't decided to take itself out of the gene pool by getting stuck in our chimney! Stupid, stupid thing. It's like avian Darwin Awards around here. Last time this happened, we lucked out and managed to get the bird back up the chimney, avoiding it exiting via my livingroom and depositing a woodstove's worth of ash across the flokati rug; here's to hoping this one'll use the same egress.

Cole is off to play some disc golf today at Ammon Ranch, aka Rammin' Ranch because we do lots of rams there. Juvenile, I know, but that's how we stay young (or something). Pippi would probably understand; it's a frolf thing. So I'll stay home with the bird-in-the-chimney and do some knitting. Probably won't have a fire...

Edited to add: Despite the advice of Rebecca, who suggested "Torch the dirty bird!", Cole rescued the starling in the chimney. It rocketed straight for the back door upon release, as Cole reminded me the previous prisoner had, rather than my skewed memory of it escaping skyward up the chimney. No more birds in my belfry. Hope it learned it's lesson, damnit.

Tags: spinning, knitting, yarn, handspun, Okey