There has been so much going on for me for the past week, I cant believe it.  I’ve had my first few days off of work in over 3 months and took full advantage of the ability to sleep in, lay about and knit when and where I want to and take Sisu for a walk on the tidal flats when the tide is out, regardless of the plane schedule.  That was last week and I loved it.  I still love it.

Since I phoned Skeins and found out the good news about my yarns, Nancy sent me a list of the colourways  that she would like to have restocked so while I had to fill in at work on Monday, yesterday, I dyed like a madwoman.  7 colourways, 28 skeins, 8 hours.  Ouch.  But, I caught up on podcasts and while my feet hurt, I loved every moment of the process.  And I ran out of blue dye right at the end so that is perfect for my move situation.  I’m going to restock as soon as I get there with another round of sock blanks and dyes.  I really do love dyeing, especially right now as I am knitting with some!

Since I prefer the DK weight, I dyed for myself a skein of Otter in the DK weight a few weeks ago and once I finished my slippers…

…though they still need to be shorn and get a bottom coating…I started to knitting on socks.  My Otter socks are going to be 3×1 rib socks and I am knitting them on my 3mm Harmony DPN’s.  While I love my Harmony needles and I wouldnt trade them for anything, I cant ever seem to knit without creating ladders when I use DPN’s.  I love using 2 circs or magic looping because I never have ladders but it doesnt matter what I do, I always have ladders with DPN’s and its enough to make me want to pitch them all.

12 more days before my move…I am getting more excited/nervous as the days go by!

Whew!  At least all of those stress’ of the last week are over…and then life always brings you new ones   Such is life and since none of them have killed me yet, I must assume that I am stronger for them!

The interview went well but no, I havent heard anything yet about the job.  Now I have to decide if I want it if they offer it to me.  I was quite overwhelmed at first with Anchorage.  I mean, there are stores(!) and roads(!!) and more than one restaurant(!!!) and even a Taco Bell!!!!  The apartment is really nice and there is a dog park right across the street where Sisu can run.  The city bus stops right outside what might be my apartment complex so I should not need a car at all.  That would be a great thing, mainly because after 10 months, I would need to get rid of it already so I could come back to Pelican sans auto.  I had a good time with my possible future staff members and we all relaxed together and got on well during the interview.  It was fantastic of them to come in on their first day of vacation!  All in all, it was a good time and I felt very relaxed but I need to decide if I really want to leave Pelican for this position.  Do I really want this job and all the stress’ that it entails?  Do I want to move away from Jamie and Pelican for 4 months and 10 months, respectively?  What will happen with my dyeing business?

Speaking of the dyeing…I got a call yesterday from Nancy, the owner of Skeins Fine Yarns and she said that she was not only happy with the yarns I sent her but she already sold 4!  She got the box at 10am.  Not too shabby for my first day being in stock!  If you are someone who bought any of my handpaints, I would LOVE to hear from you!  Leave a comment, send me an email, anything!  Just tell me what you bought and how you like it   I would love the feedback and I hope that you are a happy knitter with my colourways.

No, I didnt spell “dyeing” wrong, thats the one I meant to write. I

I’ve been busy the past 4 days with a project that I love and I hope I can do for a long(ish) time because I really enjoyed doing it…Dyeing yarns.

Last year while fishing I kept taking pictures, trying to catch the beauty of SE Alaska and thinking to myself, “Wow, that would make really pretty yarn colours.” Seriously, that is how much fiber I have on the brain. Anyway, I kept a list and recently decided to take the plunge and buy some dye and blanks and dip my fingers into the dye pots. I painted one of each of my colourways and here they are to show off along with names   ETA: All of the “The …” names are fishing boats in the community.  The Nightingale is mine and J’s and J is out fishing right now on The Alitak!

Clockwise: Top R: Puffin, The Pegge, Brown Bear, The Alitak, Tasha’s X-tra Tuffs, Coho

Clockwise: Top centre: Icy Point, Bald Eagle, Dixon Can, Otter, Inside Passage, King Salmon

L: Waterfalls, R: Glaciers

L to R: Lemesuier Island, The Gold Dust, Survival Suit, Humpies, The Nightingale, The Oceanaire, The Dutch Master

All are more beautiful than the pictures and I would be hard pressed to name the “best” one but I have to say, when I showed BrightonWoman “Puffin” she mentioned a Puffin poem and I, in all my dorkyness, perfected over the roughly 22 years that I have had this poem memorized, said:

There Once Was a Puffin

Oh, there once was a Puffin
Just the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island
In the bright blue sea!

He ate little fishes,
That were most delicious,
And he had them for supper
And he had them for tea.

But this poor little Puffin,
He couldn’t play nothin’,
For he hadn’t anybody
To play with at all.

So he sat on his island,
And he cried for awhile, and
He felt very lonely,
And he felt very small.

Then along came the fishes,
And they said, “If you wishes,
You can have us for playmates,
Instead of for tea!”

So they now play together,
In all sorts of weather,
And the Puffin eats pancakes,
Like you and like me.

by Florence Page Jaques

I memorized it in 1st grade for a talent show and forgot some of it then in stage fright and excitement and have always had it since. Thanks Mums.

What do I plan to do with all these yarns? Well, sell them for starters They are DK, Fingering and Feltable worsteds and I already have a special order for sock yarn in King Salmon and Otter from a newbie sock knitter in town and I have 2 local stores who are willing to try and see if they sell (me thinks that the cruise shippers might really enjoy) and 1 not so local store who has also expressed interest AND I have feelers out for one other option.

Iffn you want a skein or two for yourself, let me know…I can dye what you want in the way you want!