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looking forward

December 6, 2008 · Filed under angelina, zen string, zenstring

finally! something with some cheer to add here! I’ve been receiving emails most of the day with cheers and encouragement. really, to all of you, thank you! I am feeling *so* much better today than yesterday!

I got some spinning done for a holiday gift!

Funny how the simplest things can clear the fog. My kids have been extra helpful, they know Mama is feeling really low lately. Tonight we’ll bring out the blankets and pillows, spread them across the floor… and I’ll make home made popcorn! yum!

I’m also particularly excited about starting the new round of clubs in 2009. Finally, I can see the end of all the waiting my sock club and a few customers have endured for a *ridiculously* long time. That to me is the most wonderful news I could hope for right now. It means movement. forward. I can have something to look forward to. I really really do enjoy my work and the friends I’ve made in connection with it. Amazing the fiber community is, I tell you.

Thanks for sticking with me and holding me up when I fall.

Blessings of joy and happiness to you!
-a.

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2nd December, 2008

December 2, 2008 · Filed under Photo a day, angelina, knews, zen string

Time to focus! I am bringing the blog back to life! (the last post has been made private. If you would like to read it, let me know, I’ll forward it to you)
Today is: my sister’s birthday, my tiny nephew was born yesterday

… AND today I started the 365 photo project. This is a huge step for me. I can think of few things I enjoy LESS than seeing a photo of myself. I am hideously critical and honestly have just never learned to accept myself in the flesh. This is completely opposite of how I view the world. I cannot (literally!) think of a single “ugly” person. I see beauty everywhere, and yet cannot find it close. There are lots of reasons for this, of course… but the point is that I’m ready to shed the old painful thoughts that continually cut me. I’m taking the 365 challenge! (see Flickr box to your left) I may need a little support…. I’m a skeered!

Thanks for reading, I will try to at least update 2 times per week. And do the 365.

Blessings friends!

-Angelina

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Thursday catch up

October 25, 2007 · Filed under loopy ewe, zen string, zenstring

Good afternoon, fellow bloggers! I am headed out the door to go to Zilker park, but wanted to update on a few fun things first!

New yarn!! Bellissima lace yarns!! The Loopy Ewe will be our exclusive online retailer for this yarn, and it will be in next week! (You’ll have to catch a sneak up, I bet) Here’s your sneak peek… I LOVE doing subtle solids!!

And a sneak peek at tomorrow’s stocking in the store:

Bella Nirvana aran Parfait Nirvana

In the Knews: I am working on the last inch of some teeeeeny little longies for a swell little scallywag… finishing up and making test pairs for the new pattern coming out this month. Sadly, I had to set my Pumpkin King Jaywalkers aside from pain again. I have ONE whole sock for me, though! woohoo!! I think I’ll try again in a few weeks to see if the pain will get better. It’s so weird how it’s shifted. I used to have no pain on the little needles, only the large ones… now exactly opposite for the last several months. ??? weird.

Also! CALLING ALL FABRIC LOVERS!!! Fabric is the one thing I may just have more of than yarn… and it’s time to set it free! I am auctioning off HUNDREDS of yards of fabric for about 1/4 the cost I purchased it at. Something for everyone, from fashion to quilters. Have a look here for those…

I also want to THANK YOU all for my birthday wishes. I was not in the car headed west as I wanted to be, but it was a great day none the less.

Have a great weekend ahead, and keep stitching!

Namaste
-a.

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Free hat pattern ready!

October 9, 2007 · Filed under zen string, zenstring · Tagged free, hat, knit, pattern, ribbing

Click here for the pattern! It’s super easy, for 3 or 4 sts/inch… lots of yarns to choose from!

enjoy

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Friday String Smut

October 5, 2007 · Filed under knews, lotus toes, zen string, zenstring

Happy Friday, friends! See, I am getting back into the blog swing! I have several finished objects for today’s knews! Though I feel satisfied with the many finished things (especially after my 2 month long knitting hiatus)… it’s a bit alarming as well. You see, I knit when I’m stressed. More stress? More knit. No spinning since my last entry. Spinning is my true zen sport, and I don’t do well at it while stressed and sweaty-palmed. So, I sit and pet… stare longingly at all the fiber that calls to my fingers. poo.

As it is, there’s still a big move ahead… so I’ve gone ahead and cast on a pair of socks for me. The Pumpkin King Jaywalkers on Lotus Toes. I mean, my birthday is coming up… why shouldn’t I have new socks!?

And in the knews:

Thuja socks for Zen Daddy:

Simply socks in Masquerade yarn by Dashing Dachs for the freshly four daughter:

What are you working on??

Sneaking out of the dye pot….

April 13, 2007 · Filed under zen string, zenstring

I am ALIVE!! We’ve been up to our eyeballs in yarn these past weeks… would you believe we’ve sent over 400 skeins out in the past 4 weeks?! I am a bit exhausted, but pleased and blessed nonetheless!

The first round of the clubs seems to have gone off well, I love the photos coming in! This month, I am keeping ONE of every option. I’ve been inspired this month by Earth, and the wild colors she flashes for us. So the sock yarn and fiber stash grows… (eh hem) See what I mean? Here are a few photos taken in the past week or so:

Nope, these aren’t the photos that inspired this month’s clubs. You’ll have to stay tuned for that!

In the knews:

I finished the Morocco socks for Soloman:

My boys have the tiniest little legs and ankles. Despite the ribbing all the way to the foot… these buggers still sag! Eh well, he loves them! Also, do not fret: he is well trained in string first aid. He is not harming any yarn in this photo.

I immediately cast on the next pair of socks for April’s Socktopia:

Lotus Toes in Strawberry Fields forever… this one will be a pair of almost-knee-highs for my 3 year old daughter. She already has all the fabrics picked out for a skirt to make the outfit complete. I have not made much more progress than this in over a week. Again, I’ve been busy with string playing. Next, I have to whip up a matching pair for the 16 month old little sister. THEN, it will be a pair of Jaywalkers for me, with Strawberry Fields Forever on Harmony Fingering. If there is any time whatsoever: I plan on making this lacy nightie out of bamboo yarn I dyed just for the occasion. Zen Daddy approves of the colors, now I just need an extra 2-8 hours in every day.

I joined the Sockapalooza, and am so excited!! You remember my Patchouli socks? (The first, and ONLY thing I ever knit for myself…) I gave them to my oldest. He loves them, and they fit just fine. I guess they just were never meant to be mine! At least this way, I’m assured of owning my own pair of hand knit socks… right?! I can’t wait to find out who my partner is. Speaking of partners: I sent out my L & V partner swap. I went straight into the yarn, and skipped the candy. I hope that was okay!? I’m nervous she didn’t enjoy my picks. If that is true, hopefully she can swap the skeins for others.

Okie dokie… off to dye more solids. It’s rainy here, so solids are a good thing to do. What are you knitting!?

Namaste!
-a.

Don’t forget your Mama on Earth Day, April 22nd!!!

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PSA: Nirvana has landed!!!

March 16, 2007 · Filed under Fiber galore, zen string, zenstring

I know. You could faint. Could it possibly be TRUE!?!?

Yes, friends. It’s true. Nirvana worsted has finally landed after the longest “week” in history. “It will be ready to ship next week.” That week was over 60 days long!

(No, this is not the most yarn I have ever gotten. In fact, this is perhaps 1/8 the amount of naked yarn in my house. See the table? The bins? Yep. Full. all full. ) Sometimes I fantasize that I could casually dye it all up to keep… and swim in… and drape over myself for clothes.

“Look! It’s the crazy naked yarn lady!” “Again!?” <rolls eyes>

Inevitably, there is then a child cacophony that breaks the spell of the wool high. I realize that instead, I must see it all to it’s proper home, where it will be loved… and not made spectacle of.

And so anyway… Nirvana is finally here, and I haven’t been online much. I’ve been ~~dyeing~~ COLORING (Zen Daddy prefers I not announce that I need to dye, or I’m going to dye… can’t wait to dye, etc… says it’s disturbing to hear. ) like a mad mama. The secret lab notes will go out tomorrow, I’m terribly excited to see what everyone picks! There of course will be a contest for each club. I can’t get enough pay it forward.

In ~~dyeing~~ coloring news: I did up 4 skeins of sock yarn for me and my buddy, Kristina. We’ll have matching socks, and we’ll be gay and merry with our precious tootsies! Okay well, we’ll at the very least have some colorful ding dang feet!

If I do say so myself, it’s gorgeous. I’ll have to snap up some photos of the skeins. These were still drying on the line here, thus the weird shifting happening with the wind.

In the knews:

I still have this weird and wretched growth on the side of my finger. It still hurts like a __(something that hurts a lot)___ when I knit with any needle larger than a 3. Good for sock knitting, bad for regular knitting. So.. with that, Morocco in progress:

I’ve actually finished this sock and am a few inches into the leg of this little guys’ buddy. The colors in this yarn are so incredible. I find it almost impossible to get the color to come through the camera. This is my best attempt. They still match Bear’s lovely red cast <grumble grumble>, and he still loves them. All is well in sock land.

This blog post has gotten terribly long! But! I will be back with more shots of yarns and purdy fibers soon enough! I also have to take pictures of the COOLEST swap stuff I got from my lovely swap pal in Seattle! AND I got 2 new books in, must review. We must discuss.

Have a wonderful weekend, take a picture of what you’re knitting this weekend. Send it to me.

Be well!

-a.

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Wanna play, too? (with answers now!)

March 9, 2007 · Filed under contest, zen string

Here is the scavenger hunt for the mailing list. We have a winner now! Congrats again, Karen! I’ll post her winning prize as soon as it’s ready. I will leave the hunt up for 24 hours, and then I’ll post the answers.

The first Zen String contest is a scavenger hunt! You will find 10 questions below. I have included a list with clickable links to the websites you will find the answers. You may have to click around to find the answers, just keep your eyes open!

1. The Queen needs 2 skeins to complete her. What color does she desire?
The Queen is found at www.knitty.com, and she desires CLOVER.

2.She’s a scurvy hooker, indeed! A recent online expedition landed her fiber and yarn booty. They have the same name. What is the name?
(Yarn Pirate) GEORGIA is the name of both her new yarn and fiber, from me, of course! And now that you’ve been to her site, you must try some yarn!

3. Zen Mama is getting a new book! Green & Purple declare it is the New Best Book EVER. What book is it?
(Lime N Violet) LACE STYLE is the new book… should have it next week! I’ll update the blog on what I think about it.

4. This lady can knit socks faster than I can type! This year alone, 7 pair. What is her 4th most recent completed pair of socks?
(Wendy Knits) This one is actually very interesting! Wendy updated her FO list *after* this email went out! The original answer was BART & LOUISE, but became SLAYER! Both answers were correct, as soon I as I saw the blog.

5. I am soft and full of sheen, with 255 yards in my skein. Who am I?
(Zen String) HARMONY SPORT

6. 4 stripey socks for ewe… What colors make up her pairs?
(The Loopy Ewe) This one stumped the most folks. Loopy is actually the ewe you see in the logo. She wears 4 red and white striped socks.

7. The master shows us how. She’s knitting small circumferences now… how many double pointeds does she use in this picture?
(Knitting Help) She is using FOUR DPNs in the photo.

8. Soloman is getting new socks! What yarn will they be?
(Zen Mama blog) Soloman is getting Cherry Tree Hill yarn in their colorway “Fall Foliage”, but I have named them Morrocco. As long as you mentioned CTH, you got it.

9. Catch it on the newsstands now. I’m a pair of sweet socks, but not Jaywalkers. I look so delightful in periwinkle. Who am I?
(Interweave Knits) ROSA SOCKS by Grumperia, who also wrote the Jaywalker pattern.

10. She’s casting off with new chapters. Who is she?
(Yarn Harlot) STEPHANIE McPHEE is writing a new book! I also gave credit for plain ol’ Yarn Harlot.

What did you all think? Feedback, suggestions for our next game?

The sites:
Interweave Knits
Knitty
Knitting Help
Lime n Violet
The Loopy Ewe
Wendy Knits
Yarn Harlot
Yarn Pirate
Zen String
PS- You can leave your answers in the comments section.

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The scavenger hunt is on..

March 9, 2007 · Filed under contest, zen string

how are you doing!?

I will post the hunt here later for anyone wanting to play for fun. (Prize is only eligible to mailing list members) Have fun!

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Contest alert! Free yarn!! :)

March 8, 2007 · Filed under contest, zen string, zenstring

line, originally uploaded by zen mama.

I have finally finished all the kinks and quirks in the website… AND finalized the permanent mailing list! I’m so derned proud of myself.

Anyway, to the good part…
To celebrate, I am going to start a contest for the mailing list tomorrow evening. I’ll send out an email with the details then. How do you join the mailing list? Take a gander over yonder to the left… see that thar ball o’yarn? Click it. It is your friend.

What could you get? I hear you asking that from here… you will get a CUSTOM dyed yarn of your choice. It’s a wild card, baby… and you’re in charge!

Alright, back to the dyepot….

Namaste!
-a.

PS- I do not actually speak in the idyllic twang as referenced above. But yet, I am powerless against the ‘Belle that must come out. She likes to blog, what can I say?

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