Musings*

* In your head I hope you hear Tracy Morgan's voice saying this (30 Rock, and don't try to tell me you don't watch TV [added two days later: aw, crap! after Morgan's violent anti-gay rant, I can no longer feel so happy every time I think of him saying "musings.")

This doofy little guy just makes me smile. He looks like summer while we are experiencing a decidedly cool and wet ramp up to the solstice here in Berkeley.

Gingko has been in Spain for two weeks. All by herself. Mom accommodates conflicting feelings of pride that her daughter planned and saved for this trip by herself, pride that she spent hours studying Spanish in preparation and feelings of worry, constant worry that she will lose her debit card or passport. So far, so good—Gingko has handled her first overseas trip with the expected bouts of loneliness that the single traveller faces coupled with the enjoyment of seeing another culture and landscape. She plans to find the seed money to start a chain of 23/7 laundromats in Madrid, having suffered from dirty clothes for too long. 

Me? The closest I've been to international travel in 2011 is seeing Midnight in Paris last weekend. A truly enjoyable movie that I recommend highly.

I wrote about the recently released Fleece and Fiber Handbook that Deb Robson co-wrote; Deb recently wrote a fine blog entry on textiles as dwellings that I hope you will take the time to read.

Juno's post on self-care really hit home with me, too. I've been seeing the doctor a lot recently to take care of niggling problems—and what turns out to be a slightly larger problem I'd been ignoring for awhile (secretly fearing that I had a tumor): I've got a hernia. Jeez.

Looking for a good read? Sheepish: Two Women, Fifty Sheep & Enough Wool to Save the Planet by Catherine Friend. Funny, real, thoughtful, well written, enjoyable. 

TNNA!

Who's going to TNNA (the National Needlearts Association) this weekend in Columbus, Ohio? I am! I hope to see you there.

Jamieson Spindrift Bobbin Sets

Last week I announced to the newsletter subscribers that I had five Jamieson Spindrift Shetland wool bobbin sets for sale (anyone can get on my mailing list—just write to mailinglist@feralknitter.com). Three yards each of 210 colors, wound on plastic bobbins—a labor-intensive project that probably won't be repeated. 

I bought a bobbin set from a cooperative venture several years ago, before I was able to purchase balls of every color. I have had hours of fun arranging and rearranging the bobbins: color wheel order, value order, manufacturer part number, you name it. But it was time spent with the bobbins and the 3-in-1 Color Tool that really taught me about color relationships. 

To see some lovely pictures about how one customer has used her bobbin set, see Anne Featonby's blog. I warn you, though: only two sets are left!

Comments

[Anne]

Thanks for dropping by Janine - and thank you for the bobbins - I'd thought about this before (not sure where I heard about it maybe from you) but it just seemed like a lot of work - so I really do appreciate the work that you put into these - and I LOVE my colour play box now!

[Francesca]

Hi, Janine.
I just sent you a message in Raverly with a couple of questions, including the J&S bobbins.

Good luck with the medical stuff!

[Deb]

First of all, I'm glad you are taking care of the health stuff before it gets more serious. We who are there, know age 50+ brings a sense of independence and personal acceptance not always available in earlier years; unfortunately, it also brings the nuisance health stuff. I decided that is the way the Universe keeps us balanced - you know, appreciate the good because we have a little not so good :).

Also, I just used the 3-in-1 color tool plus much of what I learned from you in class about color to select colors for a new embroidery project (ribbon and thread). A pre-determined theme color required some very special color support from other families - that tool and your voice in my head overcame all my nervousness! Thanks again for your generosity of knowledge.

Good for you for letting your daugher go to Spain; as Maya Angelou says, "Love liberates". You are special and thoughtful parents.

Just to play with color, I would love one of the bobbin sets, but since I can't justify it right now, will just say thanks for opportunity and the labor of love.

[Juliann]

This was a great blog. Ordered the Sheepish book for my Kindle. I recently have not "felt well". Lot of pain, but I have a high tolerance of pain. Finally went to a doctor, and he did the usual blood work and urinalysis. He said I had a bladder infection, which I did not have any symptoms and that was a surprise. Went for an ultrasound. Then everything comes back normal, normal, normal. No clue why I don't "fell well." Then my tooth repair from last Fall failed. Ended up at dental surgeon and two "bad" teeth pulled. I am finally "feeling better", but low endurance and still napping in afternoons. I guess I might have to bite the bullet and get a doctor that will figure out the problem. Thanks for the reminder that we just have to be persistant and keep trying to figure it out.