Sorry that I have been MIA since before Christmas. Life has been busy, especially on the work front the past several months.

I see that in March there have been a couple of lonely posts, just 2 pictures of socks in progress. Yes, yes, I am once again in the throes of Sock Madness. This is the 6th year that the event has been held, but only the 5th year that I have participated. Rounds 1 and 2 are completed, the 2 photos that I posted are those pairs of socks in progress. As of this writing, 160 competitors of the 300 that started at the beginning of March are waiting on the specifications for the Round 3 socks, so that we can start knitting like mad for the 3rd time. We took a bit of a break over Easter, as they released the optional round pattern last Wednesday.

I've been doing a bit of spinning. I am thoroughly enjoying learning new techniques and getting to know my wheel. I've even knit a thing or two out of my own hand spun yarn. Like this Hitchhiker Shawl.



I've also spun the following yarn, using a technique called navajo plying. It helps to keep the colors together. I was thrilled with the way it came out! The batt (the unspun fiber) is from Loop - Art Fibers for Fiber Artists. Very addictive!

BEFORE:

AFTER:


At work, lots of things happening! The IT Department is a changin'. I'll still be mainly responsible for the school where I currently work, but my position will be moving out from under the school's jurisdiction to the municipality's IT Department. Instead of having 0 co-workers, I will have 4. Standardization and effectivisation are the upcoming tasks, along with the physical move of my main workspace out of the school and down to the municipality's offices. I will still have a small storage and workspace at school and that feels good.

One good thing about still being connected to the school is that they have given me permission to use it again this year for my almost annual American BBQ. I hope to lock down the date this week. I'm also planning to have a knitting get away that same weekend. So, watch this space for more info!

The turkey has been roasted and eaten. The Packers just kicked the opening kickoff of the Packers-Lions game. There is so much that I am grateful for this year. Mostly, I'm grateful for my family. Grateful that they are so wonderful that I miss them terribly this time of year.

I'm off to watch the game and knit some socks. Carry on.

Last week, I received my swap package from Stickamera's Sock Yarn Exchange 3. In it was some scrumptious purple Opal yarn, a set of stitchmarkers, a beautiful package of napkins (I love me some designer napkins!) and some fruity flavor green tea (I needed to replenish my stock. How did you know?). The postmark was from Finland. Thanks so much, Canna!

Have you all missed me? I've been working, A LOT and then making up for it by playing (meaning knitting. Oh, and spinning!) A LOT. Let's review, shall we...

August found me attending Stickläger (Knit Camp), sleeping in a cabin in the Swedish woods with some of my oldest and newest best friends! We knit with yarn, spun yarn and dyed yarn. We ate well, laughed (a lot!) and generally had a wonderful time for 4 days! I didn't want to leave and I want to go back! I actually spun some yarn on a spinning wheel for the very first time, while I was at camp.



After returning from camp, it was back to work, in earnest. There was a big project due (195 computers to order and prepare, along with all that goes with that) on October 1st, so I had to ask my mom to put off a visit at the end of September. It was a good thing I did because the project ran a couple of weeks late, as they often do.

September brought this:

Her name is Mia, she's my new spinning wheel, a Majacraft Rose, from New Zealand via Holland.


There was "WWSIPD", World Wide Spin In Public Day that found me hanging out and spinning on my spindle at a large shopping mall in Gothenburg. After that, I locked myself in my office at work and didn't come out until the computers were ready, the first week of October.

October:

Work took up a lot of my time, but I did manage to fit in not one, but two (count them, TWO) trips to London. The first was to attend my friend's first book launch, Socktopus, 17 pairs of Socks Worth Showing Off. The second was to attend a silk spinning class being taught by Amy Singer (yes, THE Amy Singer, editor of Knitty) and to hang out with my friend, K, and her family. We also drove to Örebro to meet L's newest granddaughter (sorry, I don't have a picture handy).

November, so far:

I worked 2 days last week and took the rest of the week off. L was south, visiting with his children and grandchildren. Meanwhile, the dog and I drove up to Arvika, where we hung out with Annuska and some other knitters and spinners.



Well, lunch is over, so time to get back to work. I'll try to remember when I get home this evening to post about a swap package that I received last week!

I wish I could have been at Sock Summit in Portland, Oregon this weekend! I would have joined in! I love socks and yarn and knitters!

ETA: Can't seem to get the embedded video to work, so you can see it here: Sock Summit 2011 Flash Mob.

I tried to post twice from Heathrow Airport before I left London on the 19th, but it was a no go. What I wanted to say was that I had an absolutely marvelous time and I didn't want to leave!

I took a Spindle spinning class from Merike Saarniit, deciding that I like it even more than I did before. I also took Photographing Your Fibre with Franklin Habit, where I refreshed f-stop and iso knowledge that I learned in the late 70's when I took a photography class in college.

Here are samples of what I learned in both classes!



The only time I even took out my camera the whole time I was in London was during the photography class, but my friend Lisa posted a slideshow and I even show up now and again!

Lisa's blog post and slideshow from Knit Nation 2011!

Next week I am heading north to knit camp with a bunch of other Swedish knitting people. I can't wait!

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Norwegian people. Hoping, especially that those that I know are safe and well.