I have found my new summer wardrobe. Here. I like cheap and kitschy, and this is sewing I can handle. I could make tops, too! This is definitely worth a shot.

Speaking of summer, it is suddenly kind of hot and humid here. I actually left the house in a tanktop today (I know!). As I write we're in the middle of a torrential thunderstorm. And yesterday I realized my cute sunhat is not particularly practical when it's over 80 degrees... I guess I'll have to stick to the beachy-looking thing I bought in Sarasota, which I wore all over the Yucatan on our honeymoon. I do need to try to reshape the brim, though.

Last weekend's fiber festival was small but fun. We saw border collies in action, a sheep shearing--and I got to pet a lamb named Alabama. She was about the size of a beagle, I guess, and sooooo unbelievably soft. And she nuzzled my arm! I was about to sneak her into my bag. I only had thirteen dollars on me (bad planning), but I was able to buy two skeins of this:


800 yards of handdyed, handspun DK-weight cotton. It should be plenty for a stole--I'm thinking about Nereides (from the sadly now-defunct MagKnits), but I bet Clapotis would look great...I feel like I'd get bored with it, though. I'll keep looking around.

Right now I'm working on mystery socks for Cathy (in my WIPs on Ravelry), and I'm totally loving both the yarn (Zitron Trekking XXL--what's with the Germans and their amazing colorways?) and the pattern (which I will definitely make for myself one of these days). My big project is the Valpuri, which is not photographing well. It's been a bit of a slog, but I only have about 8 rows before the bust increases begin, which should at least make it a bit more interesting.

In singing, my coach was in town from New York last week. Apparently the contralto-y rep I'd been playing with is not a good fit--not surprising--but we did work out some Wagner that should work better. One of my goals for the summer is to get a second (and third?) Wagner aria recorded, so I can present myself to the societies in DC and New York. These people have money to give...