Socks and Spinning and Unusual Blog Traffic

Wow, last week was interesting. I didn't know until Sunday, that a writer had linked to this blog in an article, first published on Monday, which was then picked up by the Associated Press, and reprinted in a bunch of newspapers (including the Chicago Tribune), and online (MSNBC, ABC.com, and lots of other places). The article was about sewing clothes for American Girl dolls, with which I have been obsessed lately (no kidding), and though I am not mentioned specifically (it's about some other Taylors entirely), the blog was linked in the article. The writer didn't come out and say that I had patterns here, but I can see how readers might have thought that was the case. So thousands upon thousands of them showed up (I knew that traffic had jumped, but not the reason), and a percentage of those people wrote e-mails to me, asking where the patterns were. I finally asked one kind e-mailer where she'd gotten the notion that I had patterns, and the mystery began to unravel.

So, my belated thanks to all the people who stopped by. I am so sorry that I didn't have more than my hat pattern to offer (though I may have some more patterns, not of my own devising) to post next week. Stay tuned. And I hope at least some of you newcomers (traffic is still easily double what it was before all the excitement) stick around for the festivities.

Which includes finishing a sock and getting past the heel of another (Sockotta cotton/wool, Aunt Helen Variation Variation), and spinning and plying the last of the Twisted Fiber Arts Braider BFL roving. Isn't it lovely? An even 300 yds of gorgeousness- so soft and lofty (yes, a fingering weight yarn can be lofty). Easily enough for a pair of socks or gloves. I'm not sure what will go on the wheel next- I have a bunch of lovely rovings to choose from.

But there will be no spinning tonight- I can't spin and take notes on AI at the same time (and AI is on 3 nights this week). And I am expecting the page proofs for The Big Book of Socks to arrive any day, which means I have to go back to work. Soon, I hope to be able to show you all the cover- it's fantastic!!!

And I am still working my way through the Librivox reading of The Moonstone, and loving the story, but not loving the new reader for the Miss Clack section. It's churlish of me to complain about a free download, read by volunteers, but really, this new lady's accent is hard to understand (Eastern Eurpoean, I think), and there are odd noises in the background of the recording, and her em-PHA-sis is often on the wrong sy-LLA-ble (I missed an entire paragraph, trying to figure out what a fo-RIG-on-er was)(hint: foreigner). I'm into the 3rd chapter with her as a reader, and I'm getting used to her, but wish her voice suited the character better. (as I said, wah wah wah. If I want James Earl Jones, I will have to pay for him).