Raspberry, Burgundy and Springtime Blue

I started one of my 12 in 2011 projects - Raspberry February Lady Sweater. Its the grown up version of the baby sweater I made before Christmas for baby Alyssa. Some small changes in the grown up version. I opted not to do button holes because I liked the idea of doing clasps. I'm doing the Large size and have finally gotten done with the garter stitch rows, moved the sleeve portions onto holders and started the body with the lace pattern.

I have another project that I need to start and get done this week to be on track with my plans. They are a pair of slippers in worsted weight yarn. I plan to get those started tomorrow. They are part of the Christmas Make Ahead plans.

I did finish up late last week spinning up the burgundy batt from Spinner's Hill that Shelia brought back from Rhinebeck two years ago. It was a bit of a battle with this batt to spin up nicely. It wanted to be very nuppy. I spent Sunday plying it with the bulky head and ended up with a total of 671.5 yards that I think is a heavy lace or light finger weight. I won't be sure until I do the wraps per inch measurement. Because the bobbins weren't even in distribution I tried joining the end with the rest and found when pulling off onto the niddy-noddy that the join wasn't successful. So I have a small skein that may be used with the big skein in a project, we'll have to wait and see. If nothing else it will become a square in my barn raising quilt square afghan project.

Once I finished I needed something to spin that would be easy and I had already planned to dip into some of my oldest stash, so some BFL from Knitted Wit is were I started. It was a four ounce braid I had picked up from her discount bin. I'm not sure why it was there, no wear on the braid and lovely colors. Bright springtime blues. I had half of it spun up before I went to bed and had to spin the rest the next day. I have the second half to spin on Wednesday. I hope that I'll be able to ply it all up on Saturday when I'll be hosting another spin day at the grange.

Last week a cough appeared, nothing else just a most annoying cough. It was one of those where you felt like you had a hair ball on the back of your tongue tickling you to a cough.  The cough has become more congested this weekend but the at least the hairball is gone!

There has also been success in getting the dogs out atleast three times, if not more, a week for a good long walk. I have been taking them to Dawson Creek Park and depending upon the time and weather, can change the length of our walk. They come home smelling a little gamey from walking in the mud from the ducks and Canadian geese, but seem as if they thoroughly enjoy the walks. I've been losing inches and pounds over the last few months and hope to lose more with our walks.