3kcbwday6 -- Mad Skillz

Today's Yesterday's topic for the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week event is to discuss improving my skillset. Here's a quick list version of things I've done and things I'd like to do:

Stuff I've Done:

• Scarves
• Bottom-Up Hats
• Cowls
• Fingerless Mitts
• Armwarmers
• Shawls -- sideways, bottom-up, top-down, triangular, crescent, some other odd shapes
• Cuff-Down Socks
• Baby Sweater 
• Pillow
• Thrummed Mittens
• Lace
• Cables
• Beads
• Bobbles
• Two-color knitting (one color per row-- like with stripes or slipped stitch colorwork techniques)
• Spun singles and two-ply yarn on a spindle 

Stuff I Haven't:

• Adult Sweater
• Two-handed colorwork (have not mastered knitting continental-style yet)
• Complete Afghan
• Successful Toe-Up Socks (I tried, but couldn't get the fit right)
• Other sock constructions (like sideways or knit-flat socks--yes, those exist!)
• Top-Down Hats
• Gloves
• Hand-dye yarn or roving
• Felting
• Navajo-ply or three-ply spin yarn
• Spin on a spinning wheel
• Wash, card, and spin a fleece myself
• Raise and shear my own sheep

I'm sure there are more things I haven't done, but those are all I can think of right now. I think I've made some decent progress but there are definitely things I know I like (like cuff-down socks) that I tend to stick with once I find them. It is fun to learn new things, though, like the whole spinning thing.

You know what I'm probably never going to do although I find it fascinating?

 That is bobbin lacemaking and it is truly amazing. I learned all about it at the CT Sheep & Wool Festival yesterday and the wonderful lady who explained it to me tried quite hard to recruit me, but I don't think I have the patience to keep all those tiny strings from tangling. Although, I'm sorely tempted because 1) it's beautiful and 2)...

 ... I'd love to do anything called "Advanced Fancy Pants". :)

I promised some woolly pictures from the festival, so get ready for some major fuzziness:

My overwhelmed-by-wool face

Fuzzy bunnies!

Before-and-after sheep

1

Alpaca!

More fuzzy bunnies!

Weird silky chickens?

My modest haul

I had to show great restraint, and I'm pretty surprised I didn't pick up any actual yarn, but I'm happy with what I've found. The bag can apparently be zipped a bunch of different ways and has like 37 pockets, and it was half off! The green braid is 4 oz of Blue-Faced Leicester wool from Dirty Water Dyeworks that I picked up for only $15! And the grey stuff is about 5 oz of undyed Romney wool from Falling Star Farms for only $10! Yay for spinning materials being cheaper than yarn!

(Sorry this post is late, the internet crapped out on me last night and I was exhausted so I just went to bed. Oh well!)