First, the memorial afghan update:

I’ll get photos up soon of the seaming as it processes.

We have: 57 squares
They have arrived from:
(Found the lost envelope for yours, RadarKaty)

USA Kentucky C-Ville
Canada Manitoba Woodlands
USA Utah Logan
USA Texas Katy
USA Arizona Glendale
New Zealand Unknown Wanaka
USA New York New York City
USA Wisconsin Madison
USA Oregon Gearhart
UK Unknown Unknown
USA Florida Crestview
Norway Unknown Bergen
USA New York White Plains
USA New York Endicott
USA Minnesota Columbia Heights
USA Washington Lacey
USA Maryland Columbia
USA California Redlands
USA New York Binghamton
USA Illinois Chicago
USA North Carolina Hendersonville
USA Pennsylvania Conshohocken
USA Washington Tacoma
USA Oklahoma Broken Arrow
USA Alabama Huntsville
USA Maryland Huntingtown
USA Georgia Acworth
USA Indiana Moscow

And now for me and the yarn:

Wheee! I’m slowly… ok, not so slowly going craaaaazy! Ahem… ok, so I was already a little cracked. But I’ve got a big TRAC meeting coming up (Thesis Research Advisory Committee) in a week and a half, and I’m not ready. It could be the biggest, and last one of my grad school career. Eep.

In pursuit of that I’m madly trying to gather data for my paper for publishing, trying to keep myself fed, and as minimally sleep deprived as humanly possible… and keep all my other projects in the air (believe it or not, they help my sanity, hey, you there, stop laughing, right n… ok fine).

I got back to the gym last night. It’s been a few months. Ow. It hurt. A lot. But I need to do it. It keeps my back aligned (something I’ve been having trouble with), is a mild mood enhancer, and generally helps my body keep functioning. The final one is perhaps the most important, since I have kidney difficulties which have been acting up. Working out helps my body clear toxins, and forces me to put large amounts of liquid through the system, all good things for getting my kidneys back in working order. Despite being sore, I am feeling paradoxically a little less haggard today.

I also finished the Dionysus yarn the other day, and it’s finally dry and skeined!
The small skein will be up in the shop shortly. The large skein was commissioned. Sport-weight, Noiled green and purple silk (ivy and wine) plyed with brown beaded serger thread (vine and fruit), skeins are 360yds and 140yds respectively.

Ivy and vines twine with the flowing river of wine that symbolizes this Greek god of epicurean tastes. Spun from hand dyed, noiled silk as soft and decadent as Dionysus could Himself desire, the Dionysus yarn is beaded with dark subtle grapes and shining tempting fruit touched by the madness of the Maenads. Drink deeply, but which fruit will make your wine?

The Gnomespun website and shop:

So, I’m now capable of, and considering at least a trial run of migrating the Gnomespun Shop to the Gnomespun server, instead of hosting it on Etsy.

I don’t think I’m getting that much traffic from there, and it would allow me more freedom in how I organize things.

Now, the first iteration wouldn’t be searchable, most likely, but really neither is the Etsy shop. The question that remains is really whether paypal allows for a way to indicate stock, such that I don’t have a pile of “add to cart” buttons that will only disappoint people because I’m out of stock when they click. Mostly orders aren’t very fast/large so I can keep up with taking things down, but I’d rather not make things harder on customers than needed.

~The Gnome

Square Count: 49

New Squares from:
Acworth, GA
Moscow, Indiana

This is long overdue, but my family did give me some really cool stuff at the holidays.

My parents were all worried that I wouldn’t want this because I’m (slowly, someday, when I remember to bring the pieces home so I can use Dad’s drill press) building one of my own.

So I happily explained that an umbrella swift is different than the flat swift I’m making and will be super wonderful to have. Both until I get my flat swift made, and for the yarn I get from non-me sources, which may or may not come in sizes I have sized my flat swift for. Adjustable is nice. I lurves. Even if I don’t have a good table to put it on, besides the kitchen table that’s always full of drying dishes. I have, however, discovered that it works fine at an 85 degree angle on the back of a chair.

They also gave me a new teapot, to replace the one that committed suicide by leaping off the shelf in the middle of the night. This one’s much more elegant, and perfectly sized. Exactly one kettle of water, 4 cups of tea. Here it is brewing, “Blanc de Pom” that my good friend Tom gave me.

My little brother, ever thoughtful, found me these when out with my Parents at some point (heaven knows when, he plans way ahead a lot of the time).

In case you can’t see what these are, they’re plates. Big ones. But not just any plates, no. They’re big, serving plates… made of stone. And not just any stone…

Big, stone, serving plates, with fossils!

Yeah, my brother rocks.

Mom also found me this…

No, it’s not a wooden billy-club or arcane martial art’s tool. It’s a french rolling pin. A lovely, seriously hefty one, of a lovely dense solid wood. It’s awesome.

And, socks. Yes, you can all gasp now, machine made socks. And I love them. You see, these are not just any machine made socks. These are VDT socks. Vermont Darn Tough socks! You see, I’m a hiker, and hiking is very hard on both feet and socks.

Back’s out. Annoying. Makes me feel like I have asthma when I don’t. Have to get to the gym and pop it back in.

That’s it for now. Two weeks until the big meeting with my thesis committee. Oh right, and I finished Dionysus. Just have to wind one skein, ball another, and take photos.

~The Gnome

‘Cause it reminds you just how awesome the people are.

Yesterday, no squares came (40 squares, see previous post), but… THREE packages came. Woh!

First, a package all the way from Montevideo, Uruguay! From my dear friend, Veriton . Wow. Isn’t it pretty? It’s a mate, bombilla, and cleaning brush! ::squee!::
Mmmmm. Now to get the right tea for this.
Also in this package…

Yarn! A lovely singles yarn called, Manos del Uruguay. In a deep saturated blue. And soft. Mmm. I wonder what I should make? I think it will be for meeee. Maybe something like knucks? Hmm…

Second, a package all the way from across the pond in the UK! From another wonderful friend, Sarah who just thought I should have a package in January. It made me smile.

Mmmm nom nom nom. Awesome.

Oh, I can finally show this now! Here’s the last of the noiled silk I dyed. It was Sarah’s surprise to herself, but now I can show it.

Finally, was a box that’s not a gift per se, but is definitely a gift in the tremendous amount of thought and care that went into prepping it, and making it available to those of us who wish to expand our horizons. Prepared by the wonderful Beth of the Spinning Loft, a 12 breed fiber sampler. Complete with several pages of description to read about the breeds. I can’t wait to start, as soon as I finish the commissioned yarn I have on the plate… and maybe another skein of Queen Mab.

Yeah, it’s the people. And sometimes the people know just when you need a pick-me-up or smile.

I have the best friends. Which is why today’s sign-off Gnome will be another surprise gift that showed up in my mailbox a bit ago, along with a square, from TheGeorg

~The Gnome

My good friend the Tsock Tsarina is fond of saying, “It’s the people, stupid” in reference to big events where things are acquired. Because, it is.

And that stretches beyond events, as I’m sure she’d tell you.

It wasn’t the gifts of the holidays that made them good for me, it was the family. It wasn’t the rest, or food, or drinking at New Years that helped, it was the friendship and easy companionship.

And now that I’m back, I come home every day and go to my front door to check for little packages. They’re coming in from all over the world, sometimes with extra notes, sometimes not. And they warm my heart and make it all easier, knowing that this many people all over the world really do care.

If you’ve sent a square, check the photos and location list to see if you’re included. If not, then I’ll add them as they come in and post an ongoing total.

The current square count is 40 Squares
Locations squares have been received from:
Kentucky C-Ville
Canada Manitoba Woodlands
Utah Logan
Texas Katy
Arizona Glendale
New Zealand Wanaka
New York New York City
Wisconsin Madison
Oregon Gearhart
UK Unknown
Florida Crestview
Norway Bergen
New York White Plains
New York Endicott
Minnesota Columbia Heights
Washington Lacey
Maryland Columbia
California Redlands
New York Binghamton
Illinois Chicago
North Carolina Hendersonville

And the squares themselves:

Squares are still coming in, so please feel free to send in the next week.

~The Gnome

So, I’m back. I’m tired. Exhausted even. But this is actually a good thing. No, really, a good thing.

I’m physically exhausted. But I’m not soul tired anymore.

So, holidays!

First, I went home, where I got to see my little brother, who rocks. He works for Google in San Francisco these days, so I don’t get to see him much. I got to play frisbee with him and geek. Much fun.

The hat fit. Better than that, the hat was loved. He didn’t even take it off much. Yay.

Mom loved the marled scarf, and thought it was plenty soft for wearing. It’s my first yarn ever, and second knitting project ever, with fiber from the same sort of sheep we used to raise (Corriedales).

Dad’s sock… didn’t quite fit. He could have worn it, but it was a bit too short so he would have busted it too quickly. No biggie. I’ll make him another. Likely out of that Moose Creek I showed you earlier…

Which is now actually in a yarn cake, ’cause I have a swift! (More pictures forthcoming).

I had to give Mom her birthday present early because I was leaving for my New Years trip.

White and Dark chocolate, filled with gnomemade pomegranate-blueberry syrup and blueberry-plum jam. Was a pain in the butt, but totally worth it. They came out beautifully and were delicious. Mom loved them. I made 40, 10 of each type.

And then it was 12 hours of driving to Outer Banks, North Carolina.

To spend a week with some of the best guys I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Where I did a lot of healing, relaxing, and laughing. Yeah, still tired, but much better.

Finally, it was time to head home. To be greeted by a whole pile of love from literally all over the world. Norway, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and all over the U.S. A good way to come home.

More to follow, including swag photos, the finally almost done Dionysus yarn, and some new things for the store.

It’s good to be back.

~The Gnome