The day had arrived when my
pocket wheel was ready to be picked up. I
first tried one at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in September, 2010 and ordered it in November, 2010. At that time it was scheduled to be done in July, 2011. Life happens, and the handcrafters took more time, so I ended up waiting patiently for 11 months. Jitteryknitter and I took the ferry over to Whidbey Island to pick up my wheel, and had the most enjoyable afternoon with "Mr & Mrs Pocket Wheel" They introduced us to their sheep (Violet and flock) and their chickens, plus their angora bunny
(can't believe we didn't take any pictures - too excited!). Then we toured the wood working area, and the finishing area, and then into the house to get a spinning lesson. Ahhhhh, the spinning!
My zebra wood bobbin seemed to have some tension issues, but I had a blast learning all about my wheel. Their living room was a dream, several pocket wheels to sample, several big baskets of all sorts of fiber, and several big baskets of handspun ~ what a dream! I started getting better at the spinning, and we would have stayed all night! Now there is not so much tension in my singles....(
See how one side of the blue has a lot less tension than the other?! Hurrah!)
The zebra bobbin still has tension issues we are working out!!!
Stay tuned for more fun with the Pocket Wheel!
This event took about a half hour to plan and get some of our neighborhood kids over.
We took this 45 pound pumpkin from our own pumpkin patch, and set up the kids and pumpkins in our garage.
plus took the other, smaller pumpkins out of our pumpkin patch...and fired up the power tools.....
After three large pizzas, the results were wonderful!
The kids had a blast, carved with little saws and power tools and danced around to Pandora's Halloween soundrtack - what a blast we had!!!
Bonus, there was a visit by our very own Super Chicken!
Given that we don't have a knitting machine like our famous yarn bomber 
Although it seemed like we were knitting forever, it did not give us the complete coverage of his office plants as we had hoped, but it still looked very cool.
Plus, he loved it!!!
For those of you that many not know, the U.P. is the upper peninsula of Michigan. A lovely place where I went to school and met my mountain man - not a lot of people in this area - mostly rural and lovely. Although technically part of Michigan, it has many loyalties to Wisconsin...such as there are many Packer fans in the UP that feel that the Detroit Lions are not their home team.... This bumper sticker, outside Seattle, is very far from home, so I was so curious that there might be a Yooper in the immediate area! Yes, Yoopers are what those that are local to the UP are called - my mountain man is a Yooper.....and he kinda talks like dat....:)
You many recognize Marion as she has two very lucky grand kids that you've met before. You met Sawyer 
All the projects make me remember what great projects they are, and I wonder why I'm not knitting on them more, and then I remember all the busy times...and I strive to get more knitting time...
Funny picture below, as my youngest went walking on the beach in her swamp boots and was swamped by a big wave that went up and over her tall boots, and soaking her Christmas Socks. 
Here are her 
Also knit on the 
The colors of this yarn are amazingly beautiful, and I wish the pattern was easier so I could knit while talking or listening to the goings-on around me...
but this is another brandywine type where I need to concentrate....but still beautiful! Plus both these projects are on Signature Needles! Bonus!
Knitting on the sparkle socks with the interesting yarn from 
Also knitting on the 
I'm sure I'll finish them this weekend! They look bright and sunny, even in the pouring rain of the ocean weekend!
Way to go, girl!! Look at all those gals you've passed!!!!!
Fast to the finish!!! On to Boise!!
I'm getting a little better, but looking forward to getting past first gear and cruising!!! (Isn't she a lovely wheel!)
Here we are on the beach before dinner, walking along by the ferry dock and having a whale of a time!
Here's a great picture of my daughter's "pack" as they are about to take the turn into the woods. Look closely to the left corner and see the kick of who they are chasing! Hurrah!
I just need to keep up the Christmas knitting so I can finish on time to send to Michigan...(lots of time, right?)
I'm using my Cascade Eco Alpaca, from our wonderful tour of their warehouse (when was that?), as mum has wool issues, and the alpaca is knitting up very sweet, indeed. Using my birthday Signature Needles helps make this a lovely knitting adventure! Not sure if this picture shows off the knitting best, as it was wonderfully sunny when I snapped the picture...now the sunshine is rumored to be gone for this week....
She finishes with a major spurt of speed, rounding the last corner to the finish with flying feet!
Plus a personal PR of 23:28! Hurrah!!!!!! Go Girl Go!!!
Yes, she did really well, wore her new 'half inch' spikes for the first time, and they are still full of great golf course dirt and grass! Plus she earned an awesome blue ribbon! Hurrah!
