Progress.

Square Count: 71
Squares Needed: 18-20 (Plus the corners, which should be arriving shortly)
Locations:
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 Idaho Moscow
USA California La Habra
Canada Ontario Oshawa
USA Oregon Portland
USA Massachusetts Somerville
USA Massachusetts Worcester
USA Wisconsin Madison
USA New York Babylon
USA California San Francisco
USA Washington Renton
Canada Ontario Stouffville
USA Nevada Boulder City

The current layout. Subject to some minimal changes as the final squares arrive. The corners will be double large white/offwhite squares, and the binding will be off white.

~The Gnome

It’s -17 degrees here (yes, celsius, no I’m not Canadian. I’m in all science all the time mode), I think it mght have affected my brain (and no, I don’t think it’s especially cold, I miss MN winter).

Many people have mentioned it, and the Yarn Harlot is currently demonstrating it with the Knitters Without Borders drive, but it still never ceases to amaze me how generous fiber artists can be, without a second’s hesitation.

Now of course, like any group of people, especially one as disparate and varied as “all crocheters and knitters” there are the bad apples, sour grapes, and rotten eggs. But seriously, wow, there are more precious stones in these fibrous sands than one could possibly rationally expect to find. Squares have arrived from literally all over the world along with well wishes, and apologies that they couldn’t do more/make more.

Trust me, this is enough. It’s almost overwhelming in it’s thought and generosity. Not to mention the individual beauty of the squares. You can feel that each stitch was made with love.

Square Count: 64
Plus: Some Xmas gelt , mate tea, thistle buttons, a magnet, and probably something else I’ve forgotten because my brain is melting.

From:

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
USA California La Habra
Canada Ontario Oshawa
USA Portland Oregon
USA Massachusetts Somerville
USA Massachusetts Worcester
USA Wisconsin Madison

Ok, so I’m cracked, wacko, lost it. After having the afghan about 1/4 seamed… I’m taking everything I’ve done out, and redoing it.

Why?

Because it wasn’t right, and incorporating new squares as they came in was going to be a color matching nightmare. And maybe because I’ve been hanging around with too many bad influences who like to do things like this. This will be better and faster. But it means lunch will be spent undoing what was done, and Friday night and most of Sunday will be spent seaming again.

What am I doing with Saturday? Why, I’m driving north into the cold to visit the shop of the fabulous Boogie, owner of Spunky Eclectic to try out some wheels, and maybe pick up some more fiber (because clearly the pounds of it lying around isn’t enough, hush you). ‘Cause… yeah, I think I’m ready to upgrade my wheel.

Now, back to my western blots, protein gels, and lab presentation

~The Gnome

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

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