I finished my 'Artisan' vest (pattern from Green Mountain Spinnery) in handspun natural Wensleydale and I'm still considering if I like it. It needs buttons and maybe that will give it the lift I think it needs. It is perhaps a bit stark, except for the luscious cream coloured fibre. Sometimes it takes me a while to warm up to a thing I make because of course I have to be critical of things like tension issues in both spinning and knitting (and this poor baby was definitely tension challenged!). It is a beautiful wool to spin and I'm hoping to do another project with it. Currently I'm keen on some 'oatmeal' coloured Blue-faced Leiscester and a dyed colour way of unidentified wool called Marmalade. I'm postively twitchy any time I see it at Sharon's studio so I go stroke the fibre in the bags because I cannot yet afford to take it home. Another down side of being on pogie and having every penny accounted for weeks before it even arrives.

Spent a couple of hours knitting at Sharon's today, working on the Sakori vest (Folk Vests book) now that the Artisan is done. A lot of plain knitting in this project and then I'm done with winter woollens except for socks which I plan to go at with wild abandon (I can afford wool for socks!) until such time as real and considerable income arrives in my life. It was such a miserable soggy day that I decided I didn't want to haul my Little Gem wheel, basket with wool and snacks etc. anywhere. It was simpler to take a smaller bag with my knitting.

It was cool enough in the house this evening for me to light a fire in the woodstove. I love to sit and watch the fire. Too bad there's not enough space in this room for me to bring a wheel in here safely (it would sit too close to the stove, not a good idea). What I do in this room is write, knit, or pick wool. And at that I've got it packed with too many books and bags of projects. As I complete projects I think for at least a minute that will mean that the pile will go down somewhat. Hah, that's a good joke. I simply move projects in from other areas of the house, to keep the pile constant I guess and never have to face that terrible feeling that I have nothing to do. Now what will I spin next I wonder, or do I need another skein to be safe that I have enough for the Sakori vest. I know, I know, I should work out the number of yards per skein and check that against the pattern, but what's the fun in that?