Category: Knitting

Works in progress, finished objects, yarn, patterns

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 12/11/13, Bee Stamp, Booklove

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NOT OBSESSED, JUST REALLY, REALLY FOCUSED

As so often happens with me, I got a really good idea along with my coffee and newspaper this morning and as usual, I had to pull out all my other crafting stuff and sort through everything to find what I was obsessed with focused on right then.  The stamp I use to identify my pottery projects bit the dust last week and my big idea was to change from an initial stamp (my initials, bc) to a honeybee mark.  So, back to the idea, I found some Sculpey clay, found a honeybee charm in the craft stash and pressed it in.  Then, I remembered I had some honeybee earrings, so I got one of those and did the same thing.  The next step is deciding which one to use.  I’m sort of leaning toward the charm, I don’t want a cutesy bee, more like a zoological print look.  Which do you prefer?

Just realized there is no contest.  The bigger one is better on all counts.  And they say size doesn’t matter :p.  Here is a better detailed photo:

Upside down.  Oops.

ON THE NEEDLES

Tina Martinez’s Fascine Socks, using Fiesta Baby Boom yarn in Sweet Pea.  My only regret is that I didn’t by more of this yarn when I had a chance.  I’m not running short or anything like that, I just love it.

A little detail

BY THE BOOK

Driftless, by David Rhodes

Linking today with Tami, Frontier Dreams Keep Calm and Craft On and Ginny’s Knit A Long.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited.  Imagination circles the world.  Albert Einstein

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Knitting

Winter Trifecta, FO Friday 12/6/13

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BRRRRRR

The long promised winter weather is here.  We have the trifecta – sleet, freezing rain and snow.  It’s a perfect day to hunker down, drink your hot drink of choice and knit or spin or read or (insert your favorite activity here).  The Iknead clan is warm, fed and happy.  We have a lot to be thankful for.

From the Iknead front door.

POTS

I spent part of yesterday in the studio and pulled my stuff out of the damp box, getting ready to trim.  I was surprised at how many pots I’d thrown.

A couple of these ended up in the clay recycle barrel, but overall, I’m pleased.  I’m getting a little tired of bowls, though, and will probably start trying some new shapes when I can get back into the studio.  The next ones have been bisqued and are kind of uniform:

  I like the way the look stacked.  As soon as the weather lets up a little, I’ll get them glazed and fire them one last time.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Scapula scarf from Quince&Co, done in Lark, which is 100% American wool, the color is Bird’s Egg.  Very, very pleased with both the yarn and the pattern.  If you haven’t yet, head over to their website and check them out.  Really awesome stuff.

This is a really, really long scarf!

I’m linking with Frontier Dreams and Tami today.  When you’re checking out Quince&Co, trip on over to these guys.  Even more awesome stuff.

The cure for boredom is curiosity.  There is no cure for curiosity.  Ellen Parr

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Will It Fit?, He Has a Sensitive Side

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Nuthin’.  Zero, zilch, negative.  Projects?  Yeah, I got ’em, just none finished.  The weather forecast is for a big ice storm starting tonight or tomorrow, if it happens, projects will FLY off the needles.  Just you watch.

GOT A SHOEHORN??

We have an ginormous igloo style dog house that I’m donating to one of the rescue organizations here in Little Rock.  Cool, right?  So, next on my to do list today is try to fit this ginormous igloo into my Nissan Versa.  I think it will fit if I put down the back seats.  Maybe.

FLASH: 

The rescue lady just called and she will pick it up in her truck tomorrow afternoon.  All around good!

FIBER FLASH

This lovely stuff is from Greenwood Fiberworks, hand painted Polwarth, in Rosewood and the best part?  I have four of these beauties and whatever they decide to be, it will be mine, mine, mine!  I’m thinking socks, but Rosie Rosewood may have other ideas.  Don’t laugh – my wool talks to me all the time.

REAL MEN WEAR PINK

Babydaddy got cold over Thanksgiving and donned the pink Snuggie for a while.  I think it goes really well with the rainbow sock toe this particular pair of Jaywalker socks ended up with when I ran out of yarn and had to wing it.

The Ladies Love It!

BY THE BOOK

Here’s my current read:

So far – Awesome!

Linking today with Ginny’s Knit A Long.

You have to take it as it happens, but you should try to make it happen the way you want to take it.  Old German proverb

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Knitting

Exit Thanksgiving, We Love Surprises!

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THANKSGIVING

I hope everyone had as wonderful a Thanksgiving as the Iknead crew did.  As it happens every year, I overate, overplayed with the grands, overtalked and just all around over busied and basked in the company of loved ones.  I finished the Scapula scarf (yay!) and worked on Christmas knitting when I wasn’t overdoing whatever it was that I was overdoing at that moment.

Did you know that Stuttgart, Arkansas (home of the Papoose and Sprout) is the Duck and Rice Capital of the World?  Did you know that the World Championship Duck Calling Contest coincided with Thanksgiving this year?  I didn’t think so.  There were so many duck callers around that I expected every duck on the planet to swoop down and pay us a visit, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.  There was, however, the obligatory person in a duck suit.

 

The grands had matching PJs –

L to R

Babydiva, the Papoose and the Sprout

Everyone played nice:

The Sprout showed off her two new teeth –

and showed what the Le Miz poster looked like live and in person

We got a photo of something other than the back of the Babydiva’s head –

And best of all…….

Babydaddy and Babymama announced that Babydiva will be a big sister next year!  That’s right – we’ll be welcoming a new grand around July, 2014 and we couldn’t be more excited!  Let the baby knitting begin!

Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.  John Gardner

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 11/27/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

Quince&Co Scapula Scarf done in Lark, colorway Bird’s Egg

Tina Martinez’s Fascine Socks, done in Fiesta Baby Boom, colorway Sweet Pea, started last night

Last, Jennifer L. Jones’ Easy Leaves Scarf, in black mystery yarn from stash

You have to use your imagination on this one!

Iknead fam, don’t get your hopes up – I’m doing these for ME!  You don’t really think I’d post any Christmas knitting, now, do you??

BY THE BOOK

I just finished this book and loved it!  I never wanted it to end!

The Sisters

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn A Long.

I have done my plowing: I have sown my seed.  Again I have time to sit and read my books.  T’ao Chien

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Knitting

Spiral

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WHAT’S UP

I have some knitting projects that I’m anxious to share and a book recommendation, but that has to wait until tomorrow, the official WIP/Knit A Long day.  A couple of these projects are Christmas knits, so I have to keep them on the down low.  The Iknead bunch will stoop to anything to figure out what’s under the tree for them.  But – A bowl I made in my pottery class was out of the kiln (FINALLY) after a few false starts from the potter (me).  I’m SO happy with how it turned out.

Spiral Bowl

A Surprise Inside

This bowl was completely dipped in New Clear Glaze, with a top dip and a bottom dip in Caramel.  Who knew that the New Clear glaze would turn out to be such a lovely bluish gray??!  I’m in love with this pot!

THE GRANDS

Tub Time with the Grand Trio, right before the kid in the middle dropped a special delivery and the other two made a hasty exit!

Left to Right:

Babydiva, the Sprout and the Papoose

When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to your youth, think of algebra.  Unknown

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Knitting

FO Friday 11/22/13, It’s Here!!

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Hitchhiker is finished!  This one is, at least.  I started another one about a month ago, which is coming along, though slowly.  Sorry for the pics, it’s rainy today and Mr. Iknead and I are having new siding put on the house, which means that where I usually take pictures is overrun with sawhorses, siding, ladders and construction type guys hammering and sawing.

Here, you can see the subtle color variations.

Just barely fitting into the frame.

LOOK AT MY NEW TOY!

A brand spanking new Baby Brother Drum Carder!

I love it!

I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams today, they’re my Inspiration Central.

The best way to predict your future is to create it.  Peter Drucker

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Knitting

Guess What Day It Is!, No Excuse and Read This Book

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“GUESS

What day it is!” says the hysterically funny camel on the commercial.  Never get tired of that one, makes me giggle every time.  No camels here, promise.  Today is the scheduled delivery day for this – my newest knitting acquisition:

A Baby Brother drum carder.  So, once again, I’m running a marathon between my front door and my knitting chair, jumping up and checking every time I hear or even think I hear a big truck in my neighborhood.  Can you tell I’m excited?

Much as I love spinning, I hate hand carding, prompting this newest purchase.  I still have a TON of alpaca from the Diamond State Fiber Fest that’s clean and ready to card and eventually, to spin.  Come on, mailman/Fedex man/UPS man!  Stop at my house!!!!

TIME FLIES

I knew it had been a while since my last post, six days, in fact and besides just laziness when I’m not caught up in regular daily stuff, I have no excuse.  For some reason, blogging just hasn’t been on my radar lately.  I think about doing it all the time, even jot down blog ideas, but for the past week or so, that’s as far as it’s gone.  (Gives herself a good talking to about idle hands being the devil’s workshop and all that).

BY THE BOOK

Best book I’ve read since I don’t know when:  The World’s Strongest Librarian.  Seriously.  Awesome. Book.   Run, don’t walk to wherever you get books and give it a preview.  I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me. (No joke).

TODAYS FEATURED GRAND

Babydiva letting Babydaddy share the stage –

A rare moment of stillness.  Is she beautiful or what?

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.  Napoleon Hill

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 11/13/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

From Quince & Company, this scarf:

Scapula, done in Lark yarn, color Bird’s Egg, 100% American wool

This has to be in my top ten fave projects, both the pattern and the yarn.  Though I prefer to “buy local” to support my LYS, I have to admit that Quince & Co. has turned my head a time or two.

Another couple of projects, both Hitchhiker shawls, are still on the needles also, but progress is slow and nearly imperceptible.  I’ll spare you the nearly identical pics.   Hopefully, they’ll join the ranks of FOs in the next week or so.

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams.

Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler.  Albert Einstein

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Knitting

Fun with Dye, Crazy Cables

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INTO THE DYEPOT

So, up until now, I’ve been experimenting with dyes, mostly Kool-Aid, but a couple of weeks ago I decided to take this dyeing thing to the next level.  I ordered the sample set of Jacquard acid dyes from Knitpicks and here are the results of a first time for everything dye trial.

This is some of my handspun – Natural Bare Superwash Merino/Nylon, dye color Vermilion

More handspun, this time Knitpicks Bare Superwash Wool/Nylon, dye color Sky Blue

I love, love, love the intensity of the color and, really, the process was a lot easier than I thought it would be.  I’ll be doing more of this!

A LITTLE BRAG

Babymama picked up the needles again earlier this year and has been knitting up a storm.  Look at her latest project, modeled (of course) by Babydiva.  How bout them cables??!!

The minute you choose to do what you really want to do, it’s a different kind of life.  Buckminster Fuller

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Knitting

FO Friday 11/08/13 and Dysmotivation*

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Le Miz is (finally) finished and felted, in spite of a couple of “time-outs” for operator error.  This was the first project that I felted by hand and I was pleasantly surprised at how simple it is.  Lazy me, I’ve always let my washing machine do the work.  I’m apologizing in advance for the cruddy pictures, but it’s cold this morning and I’m still in my jammies, giving our back of the yard neighbors yet another reason to call me Crazy Yarn Lady.

A Better Look at the Stitch Pattern

GO AHEAD, MOTIVATE ME, I DARE YA

Right now, I’m having a really, really hard time getting back into my program of walking and watching my weight.  I’m not going to share my poundage, suffice it to say that it is totally unacceptable to me and should jumpstart my walking and mindful eating program – but it hasn’t (at least so far).  Going to shop treadmills today, I think.  I’m hoping that will help.  What gets you in the exercise zone?

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams today.

Trouble is only opportunity in work clothes.  Henry J. Kaiser

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 *Dysmotivation – The attitude of not wantin’ to do nuthin’.

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 11/6/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

Ridged Lace Cowl, created by Elinor Brown

Mochi Plus Cherries Jubilee

Hitchhiker 1

Meadow from The Fibre Company in Aster

Hitchhiker 2

Starry Sock Weight with Sparkle from Dream In Color Yarn

Amethyst Ink

Linking today with Tami and Frontier Dreams.

What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.  That doesn’t happen much, though.  J. D. Salinger

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