I live in a small community, and enjoy my quiet neighborhood. The people are friendly, and the houses well kept. Tonight, we had a dinner party with neighbors that was long overdue. It felt a little June and Walt Cleaver, but I realize that time spent with friends over a home cooked meal are rare these days. It was a nice end to a long week, and I hope to repeat it again soon.
Hopefully your week ended just a peacefully, and your weekend plans are filled with creative endeavors that will carry you through the week when it seems like time for creating is tough to find.
Jan 11, 2013
Jan 10, 2013
All the Things
I was given a skein of interesting yarn for Christmas this year that I've been eager to knit up. It's a bunch of different yarns that coordinate, with a pattern for an infinity scarf made with a mobieus cast on. It's Island Yarn Combo Fibers and is a clever use of the yarn, as you get what appears to be two stripes from each of the unique colors/fibers in the skein. I thought it would be a fast knit, and didn't even bother to wind it into a ball. It's moving a bit slower than I expected (you mean I don't knit at the speed of light? really?) and I'm a bit disappointed it's not done as I head off to bed tonight.
It may be that it's not growing as quickly as I'd like because I'm fondling this yarn--a Christmas present to myself.
My Grandmother worked at Greenfield Village when I was a teen, and I've always wanted to purchase this soft and bouncy merino wool grown at their historic Firestone Farm. In December when I took a trip there to hear some of my students perform, I saw some roving in their gift shop and inquired about the yarn. They brought some from another of their shops just for me, and some finally made it's way to my stash. I have four skeins that I think will be perfect for the Streamside Cardigan. I'm ready to cast on, but haven't knit my gauge swatch yet. Plus, I keep thinking I should finish another of my UFOs before I cast on a larger project like this. Still, it's distracting me.
If the new knitting projects on my horizon weren't enough, guess what arrived today?
Zippers!
I want to cut and sew and draft and revise and sew some more. The colors are fun, and my creative juices are flowing. I want to knit and sew and swatch and. . .I want to do all the things.
It's good that the weekend isn't far off.
It may be that it's not growing as quickly as I'd like because I'm fondling this yarn--a Christmas present to myself.
My Grandmother worked at Greenfield Village when I was a teen, and I've always wanted to purchase this soft and bouncy merino wool grown at their historic Firestone Farm. In December when I took a trip there to hear some of my students perform, I saw some roving in their gift shop and inquired about the yarn. They brought some from another of their shops just for me, and some finally made it's way to my stash. I have four skeins that I think will be perfect for the Streamside Cardigan. I'm ready to cast on, but haven't knit my gauge swatch yet. Plus, I keep thinking I should finish another of my UFOs before I cast on a larger project like this. Still, it's distracting me.
If the new knitting projects on my horizon weren't enough, guess what arrived today?
Zippers!
I want to cut and sew and draft and revise and sew some more. The colors are fun, and my creative juices are flowing. I want to knit and sew and swatch and. . .I want to do all the things.
It's good that the weekend isn't far off.
Jan 9, 2013
Sleep is Good
I muscled through my day today, somewhat in a fog. Not a stitch knit, nor bit of fabric sewn. I'm hoping that yesterday's craftiness makes up for the lack of it today.
At our guild meeting last night, I thought I'd work on a pair if simple socks. I didn't plan things out properly, though, since I made it to the end of the sock, and didn't have the second ball of yarn in my bag to knit. Poor planning.
I actually like this yarn more than I expected to. It's Paton's Kroy that I bought at a big box store, and figured I needed to get out of my stash. It's not the softest yarn, but I like a yarn with a little tooth for my socks. Now if only I could find the second skein...
I tossed the sock yarn cabinet, thinking it was there.
No luck.
I wasn't terribly worried, and figured it was in my basket downstairs, but it wasn't there either. If you see it, will you send it my way?
Yesterday morning when I should have been sleeping, I also worked on a couple of little bags. My friend Joyce had one of these at our guild retreat a few years ago, and I've been thinking of it ever since. When I saw the pattern at a quilt store this summer, I snatched it up. It's called "What's In Your Bag" and I just love it.
That black area on the front may not really show up in the photo, but it's a clear window so you can see the inside.
Two of them went together pretty quickly out of a few scraps I had sitting around. There are some things I'd like to change about it, but love the idea. I ordered a bunch of zippers this weekend and feel a burst of sewing coming on.
Turns out, you can operate an iPhone from the outside of the plastic. That opened up a whole realm of possibilities and really got me thinking. A perfect little purse for your iPhone? It might be right around the corner. I'd also like to see what it's like with a mesh front similar to Namaste's Oh Snap bags.
So I'm curious. Made a bit larger to hold a small project? Smaller for a notions bag? What kinds if things would YOU put in a little zippered pouch? What size is the perfect size? This inquiring mind wants to know.
But today, without a crafty moment of my own, I'm going to catch up on some of that sleep I missed out on earlier in the week. Sleep is good.
At our guild meeting last night, I thought I'd work on a pair if simple socks. I didn't plan things out properly, though, since I made it to the end of the sock, and didn't have the second ball of yarn in my bag to knit. Poor planning.
I actually like this yarn more than I expected to. It's Paton's Kroy that I bought at a big box store, and figured I needed to get out of my stash. It's not the softest yarn, but I like a yarn with a little tooth for my socks. Now if only I could find the second skein...
I tossed the sock yarn cabinet, thinking it was there.
No luck.
I wasn't terribly worried, and figured it was in my basket downstairs, but it wasn't there either. If you see it, will you send it my way?
Yesterday morning when I should have been sleeping, I also worked on a couple of little bags. My friend Joyce had one of these at our guild retreat a few years ago, and I've been thinking of it ever since. When I saw the pattern at a quilt store this summer, I snatched it up. It's called "What's In Your Bag" and I just love it.
That black area on the front may not really show up in the photo, but it's a clear window so you can see the inside.
Two of them went together pretty quickly out of a few scraps I had sitting around. There are some things I'd like to change about it, but love the idea. I ordered a bunch of zippers this weekend and feel a burst of sewing coming on.
Turns out, you can operate an iPhone from the outside of the plastic. That opened up a whole realm of possibilities and really got me thinking. A perfect little purse for your iPhone? It might be right around the corner. I'd also like to see what it's like with a mesh front similar to Namaste's Oh Snap bags.
So I'm curious. Made a bit larger to hold a small project? Smaller for a notions bag? What kinds if things would YOU put in a little zippered pouch? What size is the perfect size? This inquiring mind wants to know.
But today, without a crafty moment of my own, I'm going to catch up on some of that sleep I missed out on earlier in the week. Sleep is good.
Jan 8, 2013
Burning at Both Ends
I was awakened at 1am this morning and couldn't make myself fall back asleep. I tried reading, flipping and flopping in bed, and playing on the iPad. Nothing worked, so I gave in and got out of bed.
I will have to admit, that even though I'm extremely tired, that I've been very productive today. There's something to be said for burning the candle at both ends.
Hopefully I can get some solid sleep tonight and entertain you with photos of my productivity tomorrow.
I will have to admit, that even though I'm extremely tired, that I've been very productive today. There's something to be said for burning the candle at both ends.
Hopefully I can get some solid sleep tonight and entertain you with photos of my productivity tomorrow.
Jan 7, 2013
In a Flash
I was excited to post that I've finished my first garment of the year tonight, but then I realized it's actually my second adult garment. Last week I knocked off a vest for my friend Matlie. I can't show you pictures yet, because the knitting is still a surprise. She knows she's getting a vest, and even knows the color, since it was her yarn. . . but doesn't know exactly which vest pattern I could have chosen. We're supposed to exchange presents on January 15, but since we've never met a deadline yet, you may have to wait some for the big reveal.
Tonight, I finished a Philosopher's Wool sweater. I'm totally smitten with their colors and kits. Tonight's finish makes my sixth kit that I've finished from them, and I have two more in the stash to knit up. No one needs that many boxy sweaters, so I've knit some in trade, given some as gifts, and this will be the second one for me. I improvised a bit, and am pretty happy with the shape of the sweater. I'm a bit disappointed with the color change in the yoke. . .in my improvisation, I didn't realize there was such a dramatic color change between the two black balls of yarn I was using. I've got a pretty noticeable line where the change happens, but I'll live with it. This was never intended as an heirloom garment, and I plan to snuggy into it when I'm knitting in my chilly basement this winter or running out to the market for dinner supplies.
The directions say to use liquid dish detergent to wash the sweater and clean out the spinning oils from the sweater, and to expect water that is quite black looking. After doing this a few times, I know what to expect, but it's still a surprise. On the first soak, I put my hands in the water to gently move the sweater around, and it was so dark that I couldn't see my own hands! I think I wound up rinsing it at least four or five times until the water was clear enough for my liking. Instead of the baby oil that the recommend for the final rinse to replace the lanolin in the sweater, I use a bit of scented massage oil. I like the scent better, and the one I use is an organic product made by a company who's owners I consider friends. I suppose you could wash with any of the wool wash products on the market, but I always follow the Philosopher's Wool directions when I knit one of their sweaters.
Officially, this makes two adult sweaters done in 2013. If the rest of the year goes by as quickly as my knitting has this week, it'll be gone in a flash.
Here's a tease until I can get some proper photos to add to this post. . .
Tonight, I finished a Philosopher's Wool sweater. I'm totally smitten with their colors and kits. Tonight's finish makes my sixth kit that I've finished from them, and I have two more in the stash to knit up. No one needs that many boxy sweaters, so I've knit some in trade, given some as gifts, and this will be the second one for me. I improvised a bit, and am pretty happy with the shape of the sweater. I'm a bit disappointed with the color change in the yoke. . .in my improvisation, I didn't realize there was such a dramatic color change between the two black balls of yarn I was using. I've got a pretty noticeable line where the change happens, but I'll live with it. This was never intended as an heirloom garment, and I plan to snuggy into it when I'm knitting in my chilly basement this winter or running out to the market for dinner supplies.
The directions say to use liquid dish detergent to wash the sweater and clean out the spinning oils from the sweater, and to expect water that is quite black looking. After doing this a few times, I know what to expect, but it's still a surprise. On the first soak, I put my hands in the water to gently move the sweater around, and it was so dark that I couldn't see my own hands! I think I wound up rinsing it at least four or five times until the water was clear enough for my liking. Instead of the baby oil that the recommend for the final rinse to replace the lanolin in the sweater, I use a bit of scented massage oil. I like the scent better, and the one I use is an organic product made by a company who's owners I consider friends. I suppose you could wash with any of the wool wash products on the market, but I always follow the Philosopher's Wool directions when I knit one of their sweaters.
Officially, this makes two adult sweaters done in 2013. If the rest of the year goes by as quickly as my knitting has this week, it'll be gone in a flash.
Here's a tease until I can get some proper photos to add to this post. . .
Jan 4, 2013
Jan 3, 2013
I Cast On
True, it's from stash (so I'm using up, not consuming more, that's good, right? right?. . .) Also true, it is the one skein knit along that my guild participates in each month (that makes it social, community building knitting. . .) And yes, it will probably be a Christmas gift for my aunt (to add to my ever growing stash of gifts already ready for the holidays of 2013 which is impressing the heck out of me and makes me feel so darn organized. . .)
But when I add this beauty to the UFO list that went from thirteen to eleven yesterday along with the crochet project I had forgotten to add initially, I'm suddenly back to thirteen again. Boo.
But when I add this beauty to the UFO list that went from thirteen to eleven yesterday along with the crochet project I had forgotten to add initially, I'm suddenly back to thirteen again. Boo.
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