TdF Eve: Itching to Get Started

Sheep Heid by Kate Davies

The big project I have planned for this year's TdF will be to spin 9 different colors of wool in order to make this gorgeous Fair Isle hat. The original was made from all Shetland wool but I intend to use this as a fiber stash buster so I will be digging into the tubs of mystery wool for as many colors as I can find. I need 25 yards of several grays and browns plus a cream. I got the idea after seeing Eureka's beautiful hand spun version on Ravelry. I wanted a spectacular hat to wear to Rhinebeck in October and they don't come more spectacular than this.

 Having said all that, right now, I am still not willing to get close to anything warm and fuzzy thanks to one of those nasty little guys up there. That's the Asian Tiger Mosquito that apparently thought I was a snack on Monday afternoon. I have seen these little buggers up close and personal before. Once you get bit by one of these, you never forget it. They hunt in the daytime so they are easy to spot if you are paying attention which I apparently wasn't. I was carding wool on the deck.

This is one of the three bites it gave me, reduced by about half thanks to some mighty good ointment from the doctor. The monster swelling has finally gone down and now all I have left are the huge bumps. It seems that this is not an unusual reaction from the bite of this particular pest. Even scarier, it transmits all kinds of horrible diseases. I'm feeling fine, itchy but fine, so I hope the one that was using me for lunch was at least a healthy one.

 

 That giant pile of yarn behind me on the table is my Easter egg Corrie. I was in a rush to free up the wheel so my plying turned out pretty terrible but for what it is going to be used for (socks) it doesn't really matter. They will be warm and fuzzy and I will wear them to pieces. By this time next year they will more than likely have holes in them and I'll be busy spinning myself another pair.