Tag: knit

Knitting

Busted, Hey Barbie!, My Playroom

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Moves were busted and socks completed:

No Pattern, Mystery Yarn Socks

HEY BARBIE

I went to put on my current favorite sweater, a Christmas present from Mr. Iknead, yesterday, only to find that it apparently was put in the dryer and dried to within an inch of its life, turning it from a perfectly fitting, softness to die for, beautiful sweater, into a still beautiful, still soft sweater that only Barbie can wear.  I remember washing it on my washer’s handwash setting, along with some other handknits that I try to baby as much as possible, then taking all of them out and air drying on a rack, just like always.  I must have missed this sweater when taking things from the washer, causing it to be rewashed with the next (not handwash cycle) load and then put into the dryer and dried and dried and dried.  I feel like crying every time I think about it.  I know it’s just a sweater, but it was mine and was a million times more special because it came from Mr. Iknead.  And, yes, I do get emotionally attached to clothing.

IT’S LIKE A MIRACLE

I did a lot of work in my yarn room this weekend and it paid off in spades.  It all began with an old entertainment center that we were planning to donate; suddenly, it wasn’t an entertainment center anymore – it was a Yarn Storage Cabinet.  Of course, as a rule, any change made in a room kicks off another change, which precipitates another and then another and so on.  So, my yarn/fleece/spin/knit/craft room went from a room totally disorganized, messy and just not that enjoyable to be in to this:  a place that’s warm and pretty, a place that feels like a hug –

Wish I’d thought of this sooner, but I intend to enjoy the changes to their fullest.  Mr. Iknead was just happy that we had to lift and move the cabinet only about 20 feet, instead of 200.  It weighs a ton!!

All things change; nothing perishes.  Ovid

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Knitting

Oh No, No FO, Should I MYOB?, Grands

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Nothing, despite a serious case of startitis and my resolve to not start anything new until I get at least one of my current WIPs off the needles.

ON THE NEEDLES

First sleeve of Mariella Cardi

Best Friend Scarf using a ball of Jojoland Melody I found in one of my stash dives.

The second sock of a pair for me; the yarn is a mystery, the pattern is in my head.

I need to bust a move on at least one of these projects, I have a pattern and yarn that is calling me like a sideshow barker, “Hurry, hurry, hurry!  Step right this way!  Get ready for the most fabulous project of your life!  Hurry, hurry, hurry!

QUESTION

Should I (diplomatically) point out typos in a friend’s otherwise beautiful website?  They’re nothing serious, nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a simple proofread; wouldn’t you want something that represents you to be perfect?  Should I mention it or should I MYOB?  What would you do?

TUESDAY WITH THE GRANDS

The Sprout and the Slide

Babydiva Daredevil

A thing well said will be wit in all languages

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Knitting

Monday Love, Pots, This Is Why

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IHEARTMONDAY

At the risk of being tarred and feathered by the present workforce, I have to say that I love Mondays.  Let me tell you why:  Monday mornings are a happy reminder that Mr. Iknead and I are retired.  We are learning how to “not work”;  for us, this means deciding to go out to lunch on a whim, or watching that movie/episode that we’ve just never gotten around to, looking outside to check the weather and not thinking “OMG, it’s raining/snowing/sleeting/storming and I need to get a move on this morning, just in case.” and instead, thinking “OMG, it’s raining/snowing/sleeting/storming and I think I WILL have that extra cup of coffee now.”  My apologies if I’m gloating, I don’t mean to; it’s just that all this is so new to us, like opening a present each and every morning and knowing that it’s going to “fit” perfectly.

 

MUDSLINGING

Remembering one of my pottery goals this year, I snapped a few pictures last time I was in the pottery studio.

This one should be ready to trim today.

(Don’t know whose backside that is.)

This may be our new fruit bowl.

I see a possible yarn bowl.

This one’s a wild card.  What do you see?

BACK INTO THE POND

This is the reason I frogged a nearly complete sleeve that seemed to take FOREVER on the Mariella Cardi –

Ladders, ladders everywhere

The pattern called for DPNs and for once, I actually followed directions, resulting in ladders between every needle.  So, I gritted my teeth, bought a size 5 circular needle, frogged and restarted.  It’s going much better, thank you.  How come I try to delude myself every time I see a glitch that a) it will block out, b) I’ve made a mistake I’m calling a design feature and/or c) really, no one is going to notice?  This delusion carries me until I’m within spitting distance of completion, then the glitch rises up, gives me a smack upside the head and says, “What were you thinking??”  Thus, the frogging and restarting, with all the required fuming and sighs.  Whew … I feel much better now.

I think somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.  Eleanor Roosevelt

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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

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

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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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 10/09/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

Christmas knitting is going like gangbusters.  One more evening of knitting on this particular project should wrap it up.

Les Miz scarf/shawl is moving right along, although when I took it outdoors for a picture I noticed that somehow one of the needles has pulled out, so that will be today’s Les Miz knitting.

Yesterday was a day of galloping startitis, so I caved and started Hilton Field Cowl, designed by Kate Gagnon Osborn, in a book called November Knits .  I’m using Cascade 220 that I found in the sale bin at Yarn Mart, in the colors I love.  Does it get any better than sale yarn in favorite colors?  I don’t think so.

ON THE BOBBIN

This

is in the process of becoming

this

Merino from Diamond B Sheep in Greenwood, Arkansas

Linking up with Tami’s WIPW blog and Frontier Dreams.  Visit them for inspiration overload.

Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it.  Ella Williams

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Knitting

Junior High Rewind

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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

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Knitting

Snakebit?

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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

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Knitting

Is It Fall Yet?

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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

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