ta da.....

the pillow! finished just in time for the return of the exchange. i am happy to report that my project was completed early in the week. i say this because several were finished that morning :)
how about a close up....

The owner is dear, sweet karen. it was truly through happenstance that i got her bag of fiber. i wait until the end of the exchange to take mine. i don't really care whose fiber i get, they are all awesome! my only complaint was that this was not my color. it became painful to spin, and knowing i then had to knit it..... argh! then pattern choice became a challenge, and one that i brought on myself. i asked by dear partner to offer an opinion about my first pattern choice. rejected. second choice..... rejected. this continued until i finally found this. i wanted to do lots of cables, but this intricate celtic knot was just the ticket.
what else? the crazy weather has the strawberries ready sooner than usual.

we got forced out of the patch on our first picking because of lightening. the rain was bad enough, but that certainly hurried us along. this was the second picking. we've had about 15 quarts of berries so far. i may go out one more time. they are just so good!
i started spinning some fiber from 'fiber optics' in march. not really sure why i bought it, and really not sure why i spun it. the fiber is sw merino and bamboo. spun nicely but the color was painfully pastel. i kept going and can't say that i love the final skein, but it's done!

don't be fooled by this photo.... it is really pastel. bland. blah. i'm telling you.
i've got the 30th anniversary colorway 'wine country' on the electric wheel. my sister was here for a visit, so while we were chatting, i was spinning!

i wanted to have a plan for this..... and i may still get some inspiration. this is going to be part of the display at the fingerlakes fiber festival, and i think that i'd like it to be...... well, don't know. many folks plied with thread (and they look awesome), and i'd like it to really be.......well, i don't know. i'll just keep spinning and see what inspiration strikes me.
i also finished the last 'sweet peach' that i've had on my needles. just got to say that this is such a fun knit. it travels well, doesn't need much thought or memory on the part of the knitter, and this time i added beads.

the yarn is left-over malabrigo from last summer. i had just enough and even added the medusa edging.
so now i have nothing on my needles. well, i do have that blasted seaside rumpus, but i don't want to knit that (or even really talk about it). there's a baby shower coming up in august, i've started thinking about holiday gifts, and i should knit another sweater.
maybe i'll just pick more strawberries!