Crocheted Potholder Swap 2010

Yay! I got a really wonderful assortment of potholders!

Here are the details:

Piglet by Yumee Hong

Look at the little ears! they’re made to flop over! And the curly tail, too!

Wide ride chicken by Brooklyn Irish Girl! This one’s also fantastically practical because it’s so big, and it’s roughly hand-shaped when it’s folded over (with your thumb at the head and your fingers on the butt end.

And the wattle is even floppy!

An incredible pansy from Susann. I was very excited to get this one because mine were pansies, too, but totally different. When Jen told me Susann was making pansy potholders, I was completely crestfallen, because that’s what I was making, and she’s a needlework maniac and I knew nothing of mine could compete. When I saw them on flickr, I was relieved to find they were completely different, and I’m thrilled to have one!

Such a fine gauge, so much color detail. And look at that stunning trim!

Owl from betheany! So cute! And look at the funny little feet!

He looks so concerned!

And finally, the sweet snail by Evonne Wee

He has an almost apologetic grin and floppy little snail antennea.

And look! The other side has a whole other pink snail!

In other news, it’s very busy around here! I’m in that near-panicked pre-Yarn School mode. Jen & I did a ton of early cooking and baking last weekend, and I finished off Sunday by clearing out the ground floor hallway, which was awash in… stuff. Just loads of stuff. Today I focused on boring admin, but I did get to wrap up many loose ends. And Ron’s been working on the courtyard fence, which he’s doing in this gorgeous, thick, irregular local cedar from his friend Ronnie’s sawmill. It’s full of marvelous swirls and knots and holes and marks from the old-fashioned saw mill, just lovely stuff, and the boards range from over a foot wide to just a few inches. I’m really glad Ron opted against the cookie-cutter planks we almost got for speed’s sake. These really suit our style and will make our courtyard really special and beautiful! Hooray!

Just a week more to go before shearing! And boy do they need it!

This year’s shearing will be 3 weeks later than last year, so even Jayne will have a full year of growth, and the adults will have almost 13 months here. I can’t wait to see how the grown lambs look nekked. I wonder if Ronnie will still have that little star on her forehead, and what their fleece looks like near the skin. The merinos are pretty much woolblind, but Fudgy has rubbed off all her face wool. She did the same thing last year–one day, she’s covered in dreadlocks, the next, her eyes are bald and bulging. It gives her a really wild, angry look. The other advantage of the late haircut is that their fleeces will be shorter going into summer, which will be much more comfortable if we have a hot one. I’m going to make them a couple of cattle panel shade houses this summer so they can have shade out in the pasture, where they can still grab a breeze. Last year, they all huddled in the barn, panting. Sometimes Fudgy would get up and press her nose into the big fan and just lean into the electric breeze.

While they’re still munching a bit of hay, I’ve got them set up with 3 nice pastures to rotate through on the portable electric fence, and Ron got me the cheapest power mower from Lowe’s to keep their fencing weed-free. (I gave my reel mower to Sue, who has a small city yard; it was just unrealistic out here, even for odds and ends). With the shorter lines of fencing, the charge is so strong you can hear it popping like crazy! I’ve been very careful not to touch it, as have the sheep.

I was a little worried about Mr. Shivers yesterday. Although he would run like the wind across the pasture, he was limping when walking slowly. When I checked out the iffy foot, I found a little wet abrasion between his toes. I talked to Jennifer and also the Internet. They both recommended roughly the same thing, so I cleaned it out and applied an antiseptic spray and Hoof & Heel, and I’m happy to report he’s fine today, though I’m going to use the spray for the rest of the week and keep an eye on it. Better safe than sorry.

Despite all the mad Yarn School preparations, I have gotten  in some knitting on the Drops 110-2. Ron and I usually watch a show or two each night after dinner, so I get to unwind and knit. This sweater is fun and easy!

I only had 3 balls of the Noro total, so when I was working on the sleeve, I realized I’d have to do the underside in the Fisherman’s wool, and that I’d have to insert some plain sections into the back as well to make the yarn last enough. I had to frog those last 2 colored sections on the right–there was supposed to be another plain section after the 5th Noro repeat. On the sleeves, I just cast on the full number instead of working the increasing rows. In retrospect, I’d probably work it as per the pattern, but when I got started, I didn’t realize I’d be doing the whole underside in solid color. I did have to make the sleeve a bit wider as a result, but I’m still pleased with it. I will definitely make this sweater again, assuming it suits me on.

Tomorrow my goals are: to put together my Costco/Evco orders, to dye 10# of fiber and then completely tidy up the Dye Lab, to file my tax extension, and to compress and cover the sprawling Hoarders-worth pile of randomness in the gym.