Due North

We're heading out to Ashville later on today. We'll be meeting some family and friends there and will tour Biltmore Estate on Saturday night. The house is lovely this time of year, especially at night. It has been several years since we've been to Biltmore, so everyone is looking forward to it.

Tomorrow will find husband, daughter, and me exploring some local fiber shops. I know a trip to Earth Guild is planned as well as a side trip over to Black Mountain to visit the yarn shop there. I am looking for Cestari yarn, and the shop in Black Mountain is supposed to have that.

Sunday, we are celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary! We are so excited about that. It really seems like a milestone among people our age particularly. I wonder where the time has gone. It seems like only yesterday we were just kids in college, yet we've known each other for over 21 years now and been married 17 of that.

In knitting news, I've worked almost all of the first fluted banister sock. I need to do one more inch and then start the toe decreases. This is not the current 6 Sox KAL sock, but the one before it. I lost interest in the sock and went on to work on other projects. I also have the second fluted banister to do and the second Little Shell to do. Socks are not good to many people if they are in singles! Both these socks are for daughter. The fluted banister was supposed to be for me, but it is too small. I'm using Plymouth Sockotta which is mostly cotton, and I think that may be why the sock won't fit me.

My Knitty SP (who has not yet revealed herself to me, btw) gifted me with two skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool last month. I have approximately 382 yards and need to find a pattern! I'm thinking scarf and possibly the feather and fan pattern. I cast on for a different scarf pattern earlier in the week and it didn't work out to suit me. I may cast on this scarf over the weekend.

I've been saving some big news for the grand finale here. A new wheel is coming to live with me thanks to my wonderful husband! He bought me an Ashford Kiwi modified to fold. It is a small wheel and quite portable. I'm also getting the High Speed Adapter Kit. The wheel ships today, so I should be happily spinning with it next week. Carolyn, if we manage to make our spinning meet up in a few weeks, you can give the new wheel a turn!

I love my Schacht wheel beyond belief, but it is not very portable. It's also a beautiful and costly wheel, and I always worry about damaging it when I take it outside the house. The Kiwi is a fraction of what the Schacht cost and also much smaller. I'll still be careful with it, of course, but hopefully traval will be a bit more fun with it. I'm going to contact The Bag Lady after Christmas and see about getting a carry bag made for the Kiwi.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend. I won't be blogging over the weekend, but will try to give you an update on Sunday night. I'm taking the camera, so hope to have pictures to share with you!