Thursday, September 24, 2009

A New Arrival

Thanks to everyone for your kind comments, I'm feeling much better now (though the congestion and cough are still lingering).  The important thing is that I don't feel sick anymore.  Woohoo!

At the beginning of the week I got another package in the mail containing a sweaters'-worth of yarn from Todd (chiknitterguy on Ravelry) as a thank you for looking over his new sweater pattern, the Expedition Pullover.



There are actually six skeins of this Bartlettyarns 2-ply Fishermans Wool, but I naturally had to start swatching right away so I could have my own Expedition as soon as possible.  I am seriously in love with this pattern!  This "Light Heather" colorway is going to look really nice too.  I'm not sure if you can see, but there are little flecks of color all over in the yarn and when it's knit up, I feel like it almost looks like watercolor.



This yarn is woolen-spun, so it's very airy and is going to be extremely warm this winter.  It also still has the natural oils (lanolin) in it, so it's going to be relatively water resistant and it has a pleasant sheepy smell to it.

I'll show pictures of my progress as soon as there's more than a couple of inches to show.  (also, sorry for the return of crappy pictures.  There's only so much I can do with dorm-room lighting, a misbehaving camera, and a tight schedule.)

Oh!  I've had a few people ask me, which I guess means I forgot to mention it here, about the results of my ensemble placement auditions.  First I have to give a bit of a back story (a short one, because it's past midnight-thirty and I want to go to bed).  One of my really great friends, Paul, is also a senior clarinet performance major.  He and I have always challenged each other and really depended on each other for support, motivation, and that little bit of necessary competitiveness.  Ok, so there's Peter (me) and Paul, and we're both tall, skinny, clarinet performance majors.  People Everyone is constantly getting us confused, calling me Paul and him Peter, even our close friends.  (In fact, even Paul himself has greeted me saying, "Oh, hi Paul!"  Yeah, not kidding.)  We played on each others' Junior recitals last year, and for the past three years when our forces are joined, we have become the singular "music librarian."  Anyway, he and I - we're interchangeable.  So, placements went up, and what do you think happened?  Yep, Paul and I are both listed as "co-principal" for both the orchestra AND the Wind Ensemble (the higher of the two bands.)  So, essentially, he and I have fused into the same person, namely Pauleter, and we are the principal player of the orchestra and Wind Ensemble.

Ok, this guy has to get off to bed.

15 comments:

  1. Even though it's made right here in Maine, David would freak right the hell out if I brought Bartlett yarn into this house. He had a bad reaction to wool grease way back when, so the sheepy smell is a no-go. I'm loving the way this alpaca/shetland blend is knitting up, though.

    And should you ever come to Maine for a visit, I could still probably arrange a field trip to Bartlett Mills.

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  2. Dude, you're getting all kinds of new knitting experiences! First cashmere, now lanolin. Sweet!

    "Pauleter"...that cracked me up. :)

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  3. Congrats to you and Paul - or um... maybe just one of you? Whichever. :) Don't suppose there's a Mary for the trio is there?

    Those Bartlett yarns wear really well too. I knit my dad a vest ....oh... maybe 12 years ago now? Still looks almost new.

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  4. I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better, especially with so much on your plate. :)

    And that yarn is just luscious, how freaking awesome is that? I look forward to seeing what it looks like when you work it up.

    I haven't tried the yarn yet but I have friends who love it. It'll have to wait though, my stash would probably fill your room.

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  5. Glad you are feeling better.

    Wonderful yarn! Can't wait to see your expedition.

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  6. Congratulations on your co-principal/fusion/mind meld! I think that it sounds like a wonderful opportunity.

    That is going to be a smart looking sweater. Perfect for winter, and the color is going to work out perfectly!

    PS - Mini-Me gave the cello a kiss on her way out the door this morning. o.O

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  7. Yum, that yarn is lovely. Congrats on the orchestra bit too! Too bad Paul couldn't sit in on your classes for you too, for when you wanted to stay home and knit.

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  9. I didn't even know you were sick! Somehow my Reader missed a posting about the cold. I'm so glad you're feeling better, though.

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  10. I hope you're still taking care of yourself, young man. Just because you feel better doesn't mean you're a healthy man again. /nag

    Gorgeous yarn! Hurry up and knit the sweater so we can see!

    If anything goes wrong, remember you're Paul. ;^)

    xo

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  11. Ooooh, I love Bartlett yarn! I can't get enough of that sheepy smell, plus it knits up into this awesome fabric that's fairly waterproof.

    Congrats to you and Paul! That's a pretty funny story!

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  12. You are a yarn snob in the making. lol. Great yarn choice!

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  13. Oh, I love that sheepy smell. The yarn looks fantastic, and will definitely make for a rustic sweater. Congrats on your ensemble placement!

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  14. Oh, Pauleter, I'm so proud of you!

    Peteraul has a nice ring to it as well.

    Peteraul, I'm so proud of you!

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  15. I have some of this yarn too. Haven't used it yet..... Man, we knit the same stuff!

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