Knitting

Jump Down Turnaround, The Great Kitchen Rug Experiment, Book Babies

September 17, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

CAUTION! ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT ZONE!

I’ve been enmeshed in THAT sort of day today, a “somedays it’s not worth chewing through the restraints” kind of day and for no reason. OK, maybe I’m a little bummed because I’ve no fiber to spin, or I just haven’t hit on the new project that makes the heavens open and the angels sing, kind of bored, kind of tired, exactly that type of day. Then, book junkie that I am, I was on our local library website, trolling for books and happened to see this on the calender – Book Babies. Clicked on it and found that it’s a special story time for babies up to 24 months and their caregivers with stories, rhymes and songs. Meets 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays. Perfect! Bigmommy and the Papoose have dental appointments that day at 9:00 a.m. and I’m one on one with the Sprout. We’re going and it’s going to be a blast, I just know. So, that’s how you make a turnaround in your day, make an investment and get excited.

As an aside, my doorbell just rung, of course I ran like an idiot because I’m expecting some fiber here in the next day or two (see first paragraph) and much to my disappointment, it’s not my friendly mailman, Fedex man or UPS man. It’s two kids who immediately start what feels like a hustle. I finally asked right out what they needed, still felt hustled and so shut the door in their faces. Probably, in all honesty, they’re out fundraising, but when I ask outright what they need and still get hustled, I’m done. Sorry Charlie as the old tuna commercial used to say. Not harshing my mellow, though. Nope.

Back to our regularly scheduled post….

THE KITCHEN RUG EXPERIMENT

My kitchen needs a new rug. Oh, by the way, did I ever mention that I get my best ideas in the middle of the night, or that Mr. Iknead never thinks they’re as great as I do when I wake him with something new? Anyway…. Since this new rug needs to be washable and dryable, I start thinking cotton yarn. Then, I replace the image of cotton yarn in my head with the image of some other type of cotton cording, like rope. Moving right along, knitter that I am, I start wondering what size needles (big) and exactly how manageable something would be in real life, using needles about as big around as my wrist and maybe 1-2 inch rope. Stop. Take a breath. Fortunately, I’ve been able to dial my enthusiasm back (this time) and contented myself with knitting this swatch, using size 15 needles and three strands of Lily Sugar and Cream cotton yarn held together.

Swatch #1

Vital Statistics BEFORE Washing

Cast on 20

20 rows

7.5 x 9 inches

I’m throwing it in with a load of towels here in a minute. I’m really just hoping to see about how much shrinkage there is after a couple of rounds in the dryer. I’m still thinking rope and huge needles, but before I make the investment in a couple of miles of cotton rope and two fenceposts, I thought I’d try this. Mr. Iknead’s Austerity Plan thanks me, I know.

RAKU+MINI MOCHI = EYE CANDY

My Newest Raku Pot and Mini Mochi Yarn

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it. Mark Twain

Knitting

Junior High Rewind

September 15, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

JITTERS? AT MY AGE?

The first day of my new pottery class is tomorrow. My Monday schedule is turning upside down -class starts at 12:30 and runs to 3:30 instead of 9 to 12. I have to keep reminding myself of the time change. This semester it’s Introduction to Throwing and Independent Study. I’m very excited but why do I feel like is the first day in junior high? For the last two semesters, my classmates and I have been a group of five, comfortable and acquainted now, asking about kids, colleges and vacations. We have a history. Who will I talk to? Who will I sit with? Nice to know that some things never change. I guess.

ON THE NEEDLES

As for the continuing saga of the Blue Day Socks, I’m happy I frogged them and restarted with a different yarn. It’s going much more smoothly and I’m so much happier with the result. See?

THE GRANDS

A week from tomorrow, our babiest of grandbabies, the Sprout, will turn one. She’s number three in the line up and Mr. Iknead and I should probably be getting a handle on this grandparent thing, but you know what? It never gets old, never gets routine and her firsts are exactly that for us, firsts. She made her debut in this post. Time doesn’t fly anymore – it’s jet propelled, rocket boosted and don’t blink, you’ll miss it. She’s very enthusiastic and I can’t wait to see her with a cake ALL her own!

You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving. Anatole France

Knitting

Snakebit?

September 14, 2013September 14, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

AM I?

Last weekend, I was shopping my favorite part of my LYS – the bargain bin – and picked up seven balls of some great CEY Portland Tweed. I blogged about it here. I decided to try to reproduce a favorite sweater and started calcs last night. Once again, not enough yarn and I’d bought up all Cindy had. Again, no prob, there’s always the internet, right? Again, wrong wrong wrong. None, zilch, nada available anywhere, great yarn, just discontinued and now extinct. That’s twice in a week that I’ve come up short on yarn for projects. Sounds snakebit to me. Dang.

Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain. Lily Tomlin

Knitting

FO Friday 09/13/13, Face The Facts Friday, Whaaaaa…..

September 13, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

I’m again hooking up with Tami’s FO Friday blog and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

FACT FACING

If you’ve been sort of keeping up with my sock project the last week or so, you’ll know I started a pair of Blue Day socks last week, knowing full well that I didn’t have enough yarn to complete them. Even with my little feet, I just couldn’t shake that feeling that I was going to come up short. No problem, I can always get more yarn. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I started these using Fiesta Yarns Baby Boom, in the color Sweet Pea. Yeah, I saw that I’d paid a LOT for this one skein, especially when you’re talking just one sock of a pair, but still, sacrifices can be made. The ONLY skein I found after hours of internet searching was $47.00!!! As much as this Sweet Pea stuff floats my boat, $47.00 for a sock??? Not even in loonyhoot’s world can that be justified. So, I gritted my teeth and completely frogged Blue Day and plan to use – thanks to better judgement and a deeper stash dive – some great sock yarn I remember buying on Etsy. I even remember the color name – Civil Disobedience and, I have a lot of it. Plenty for Blue Day and maybe then some. No decision on different sock pattern, but it’ll happen.

OFF THE NEEDLES

I finished the Diagnonal Lace Cowl from Classic Elite Yarns, just in time for today’s post. It took just under one ball of Mini Mochi, color number 113 (no name, just number). I probably could have squeezed a few more rounds in, but being paranoid because of the abovementioned sock thing, I decided to give myself a little wiggle room. My fingernails thanked me.

I think its official name is Lacy Rib Cowl.

HEAD SPINS

Here’s what I learned today spinning: cotton spins up differently than wool. Duh. It felt completely different, it took a different “hand” I suppose you’d call it and seemed to be a little more nubby; that could have been, really, that I’m a newbie spinner and nothing I’ve spun up yet is what you’d call smooth. It’s getting better, but smooth? Nope. Luckily, the person I bought my wheel from threw in a couple of bags of raw fiber – one of wool and one of cotton, giving me a lot of chances to practice and try out different things. I’ve spun my way though them both, glad that she was generous enough to include them. I see a serious roving/fleece stash building – especially after the festival in Greenwood in October.

Spun cotton

Spinning wheel Violet and I are becoming better acquainted all the time, I’m learning her quirks and she, mine.

IN THE OVEN

It’s a few degrees cooler this morning and I’m revved up and ready to do some baking, hopefully Cinnamon and Sugar Pull Apart Bread and/or Snickerdoodle Bread. Unhappily, I can’t seem to be able to buy cinnamon chips here in LR. I found a package once, at the Stuttgart Wal-Mart. I suppose I could order a couple of packs online and the recipe I have includes a recipe for the chips, but I think the store bought ones are better (for once).

MAMA

She continues her decline with her dementia. I miss her and would love to occasionally be met with a smile and an I’m happy to see you instead of the now normal vacant stare. I do know that this is the disease and all that, but a little bit of responsiveness can keep me going for quite a while. There are some days I terribly dread visiting and I wonder how long – for her and for me. What do I pray for??

Sorry for the Debbie Downer….

For success, attitude is equally as important as ability. Harry F. Banks

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 9/11/13

September 11, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Freebie Lacy Rib Cowl, CEY

Mini Mochi, color #113

and

Moonfire Handknits Blue Day Socks

Fiesta Baby Boom Sweet Pea (which I’m a little nervous about because my calcs come out about 20 yards too short); thinking positive thinking positive thinking positive.

BY THE BOOK

I finished Orphan Train yesterday, a little disappointed with the ending, but a great read overall and am planning to start Stephen Gallagher‘s The Bedlam Detective today, with a couple of others that are waiting in the wings, Life of Pi and The Devil in Pew Number Seven. I’m trying to be patient, I’m at my 10 book checkout limit and so must wait until the next two books expire. Yet another instance of Mr. Iknead’s austerity plan, which, I have to admit, is good practice for me. I don’t consider myself really impatient, more, umm, excitable would be a good word.

The Bedlam Detective: A Novel

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Yarn Along today.

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Joseph Addison

Knitting

Is It Fall Yet?

September 10, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

TAKING A SPIN

My first attempt at plying – I think I need to watch some more YouTube tutorials

Nutmeg and Copper

STASH ADDITION

I’m condition SABLE (stash acquisition beyond life expectancy) and I know it, but I just couldn’t pass up this Portland Tweed that was on sale at Yarn Mart Saturday. i’m thinking funnel neck sweater – if 870 yards would do it and it might, it just might. If not a sweater, then maybe a shawl.

I just noticed that perhaps I’m thinking in fall mode now, with my newest stuff definitely being autumney, making me think of pumpkins and falling leaves.

Classic Elite Yarn Portland Tweed, color number 5012, 50 g/approx 120 yds, x7, 50% virgin wool, 25% alpaca and 25% viscose

SOMETHING NEW FOR JOSIE

I made Josie a new bed yesterday afternoon, I decided the old, zipper broke sleeping bag was just too ratty and found this pattern in a library book called One Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins. Turned out well and she seems to like it.

True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in the worth and choice. Ben Jonson, Cynthia’s Revels

Knitting

FO Squared

September 6, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

Got a twofer today.

Botanical Cowl, using the Mini Mochi from Destin

I’m a Mini Mochi fan now, this turned out prettier than I’d ever imagined!

Woo Hoo!!! I finished the Ruffled Tank and even got Bigmommy to model. This is the yarn from Knit One Crochet Too. Again, it turned out even better than I’d expected. I think it’s the first sweater I’ve knit that actually fits!

So that does it for my souvenir yarn this year. I’ll be making a yarn run in the next few days. I haven’t visited Yarn Mart in a while and like I said, I’m a new fan of Mini Mochi and am anxious to get more. TGIP (Thank goodness it’s payday)!

I’m linking up with Tami’s FO Friday blog again, be sure and pay her a visit!

Laughter is the closest distance between two people. Victor Borge

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 9/4/13, Yarn Along and Spinning

September 4, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Today’s entry is the CEY Ruffled Tank, which lacks only the ruffles to be finished. Actually, I’m pretty proud of myself today. I sat down this morning and did the part of completing a project that I HATE – the mattress stitch. This is a real accomplishment for me as I can think of at least a couple of projects that are entirely finished – except for putting them together. I dislike it so much that I’ll put something that I put a lot of time and effort into on the back burner, never to be seen or worked on again. Maybe I should go unearth something and finish it while I’m still congratulating myself, on that cloud of optimism that comes with finishing a dreaded task. Nah. Tomorrow. Maybe.

CEY Ruffled Tank

in Knit One Crochet Too Kettle Dyed, in Seaside

SPIN OUT

I’m getting better at it, I can see it. My long anticipated roving arrived yesterday and after a period of oohs and aahs, I decided on the natural gray and white BFL to start and this is what resulted:

Is this beautiful or what?

Before spinning, mixed BFL

Nutmeg Merino

Copper – Colonial

This lovely fiber came from Fire and Fluff and you can bet I’ll be paying them another virtual visit soon.

BY THE BOOK

Here’s what I’m reading at the moment –

Orphan Train

Linking with Tami’s WIP Wednesday blog, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn Along. Pay them a visit, they’re always a treat!

Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. Zig Ziglar

Knitting

Completed Pot Projects

September 3, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

POTS

I finally was able to squeeze a little time in yesterday to go check on my pots and was pleasantly surprised that two of the three were out of the kiln and ready to come home.

This pot is my favorite so far. It’s the first one where I just let my hands do the thinking and creating. I love the way it just happened.

Glazed with silver-gray, in and out, with a Carolina Blue rim dip

Next up is a raku pot with Blue-Green Crackle and Hawaiian Blue Matte

Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable. Carl Jung

Knitting

Hitting Today and How Much Is Too Much?

September 2, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

I’ve been entirely too “hit and miss, mostly miss” about blogging since Mr. Iknead and I returned from our vacation. I’ve intended to get back in the routine, but have found some sort of excuse every day to put it off another few minutes, which turns into hours, which turn into days….

ON THE NEEDLES

I think this is one reason I’ve been so lazy about posting – too many projects with most of them stalled for one reason or another. The Ruffled Tank is ready to block before starting the ruffles, I intend to get that accomplished today and I started the Botanical Cowl on Friday, using the last vacation souvenir yarn from the Destin Yarn Shop. Then there’s the Blue Day socks I want to cast on for the Blue Day KAL on Ravelry, which started last week. I love the idea of a KAL, but the committment? Not so much. I should go get dressed so I can get some pics of the abovementioned before it gets too hot. Doing it in my pjs doesn’t bother me a bit, but Mr. Iknead tends to freak a little when I go outdoors in my jammies for anything other than picking up the newspaper from the front door. My neighbors across the back probably aren’t nuts about it either, come to think of it.

Then there’s the attempt at destashing, asking myself to answer truthfully, “Are you really going to use this yarn/yarn remnant someday?” Sigh. Where do I draw the line? Sigh.

Botanical Cowl

I’m falling in love with Mini Mochi, I think!

Ruffle Tank before washing, blocking and ruffles.

ON THE BOBBIN

And then there’s the spinning. I’ve spun nearly all the fleece from last week, I’ve been holding a little back, sort of like for a rainy day, which I plan to card and spin sometime this week, if not today. I ordered some beautiful roving last week and am a little bummed that it hasn’t arrived yet and with today being a holiday, it for sure won’t arrive until tomorrow at the soonest. This is where the rainy day thing kicks in.

Simplicity is the key to brilliance. Bruce Lee

Knitting

August 29, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

LATE FOR WIPW BUT STILL ON THE NEEDLES

This is the front for the ruffled tank that’s still a WIP. I knitted the back and while congratulating myself, noticed that it looked a little “wonky”. It was then that I noticed the huge mistake I made. When a pattern states “work as for front” it means just what it says, start at the top of the pattern, not in the middle. So, I frogged the entire back and started it again, this time paying more attention. Sigh. That’s why it’s recommended that you read a pattern through multiple times BEFORE you start knitting. Another sigh.

Tank sweater back #2

Change in all things is sweet. Aristotle

Knitting

Spin Cycle and Begonias

August 27, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ADVENTURES IN WOOL

With the acquisition of my spinning wheel (I’ve named her Violet) last week, I inherited a bag – make that a sealed bag – of wool, unwashed, unpicked and really, really greasy with what must be lanolin. First time experience with raw wool. It smelled very sheepy – not a bad smell, just……sheepy. So, I did what anyone would do. I went on YouTube to see what you do with raw wool to make it spinnable and eventually, knittable. I washed it good with the recommended Dawn dish detergent; remember: Dawn takes grease out of your way, which it does and then rinsed it and ran it through the spin cycle a couple of times. Lucky for you, I documented its transformation.

Just out of the sealed bag, unwashed

After first wash, rinse and spin

After another rinse and spin, then out into the sun to dry

I’ll start carding it tonight, to hopefully begin its change from a fleece into sock yarn. I’m completely convinced that you can learn anything by checking out YouTube. Amazing.

Mr. Iknead is still firm on his NO SHEEP policy. Won’t even talk about it.

GREEN GROWING THINGS

A couple of my begonias are blooming and a couple more that I’d pretty much given up on have decided to perk up and promise more blooms. My mom loved begonias and I suppose that’s rubbed off a little. I love these colors –