square loom

I finished and popped off the first square of my new 12" loom. I have decided that I prefer the tri-loom over the square. The square does have some advantages, however, I enjoy working with the tri more than the square.
I let one of my friends borrow my small tri, and I think she is hooked! I tried to warn her that it could be addictive...she wound up finishing her first shawl in record time (footnote=she did not make dinner for the family that night!) What a bad influence I am!
Made four sets of the size 13 inch double point needles for a group that I meet with. They asked me to show them how to knit with multiple needles and make the holiday mitten pattern from Stasias page. When I told them the difficulty I had finding the dpns they agreed to pay me to make them a set. I got a blister on my thumb from the pencil sharpener! Next time I will send them with hubby to work, and use the electric shapener on them. I also used a grinder to sand them down initially. This was a great time saver.
Despite the fact that I have had a great deal of help trying to figure out the brioche stitch, it still evades me. I wish I knew what I was doing wrong. Somewhere, I am having trouble following directions.
I have been spinning angora the past few days. I started with some hand harvested, and switched over to some shorn when I ran out of the hand harvested. There is such a difference! The shorn is not nearly as easy to spin as hand plucked. I know this from past experience, but it is always a surprise to me just how much harder one is from the other. I wound up blending the shorn with some finn wool- just enough to make it easier. Approx a 25% blend. I did not pay close attention to weighing it out, as I intend to use this for myself. I am almost finished with the basket and hope to get to the rest of it later today.