Tag: sweater

2020 · Knitting

WIP Wednesday 10/21/20

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON MY NEEDLES

My Gray Days

My Gray Days sweater continues to grow, however slowly. Four more inches of cables are all that stand between me and separating for the sleeves. I’m loving the colors in this yarn, purple and robin egg blue, which happens to be my favorite color at the moment.

It drives me nuts that this photo is sideways, it refuses to be rotated so I guess I’ll have to live with it. 😠
Cookie A’s Twisted Flower

A Bit Twisted Flower is also growing, even though it doesn’t seem so. It’s been a while since I knitted socks using dpns; add in a cable needle and it can feel like wrestling a porcupine! 🙂

Other wips await my attention and the words “Christmas knitting” are beginning to give me the shivers. All in good time I keep telling myself, all in good time. ⏰

Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself. Alfred Sheinwold

B

FYI – You can find the details of these wips in my project notes on Ravelry.

Advertisement
Random

Cooler Heads

mud&string

Thank heaven for cooler heads!!! I took ya’lls advice and put Gray Days in timeout for about a week, during which I calmed down a bit, enough for an attitude adjustment. . I picked it up again Monday morning and Gray Days is knitting up well and once again, all is well at Casa Coleman. 🙂 Here’s a look at my new, improved Gray Days Gansey:

Things are also going well in the pottery studio also.  I’ve had a couple of kiln unloads that I’m  very pleased with and want to share with you all.  Both pieces are made of the same clay, Speckled Brownstone.

 

Thanks to all who sent me good advice when I was ready to relegate Gray Days to my personal limbo — the back of my closet.

Oh, and don’t forget to visit my etsy shop for more pottery love!

And we are put on this earth a little space that we might learn to bear the beams of love.

William Blake

B

Random

Bummed

mud&string1 Comment

So for the second time, I frogged the cable section on Gray Day and tried to fix a mistake.  Made a bigger mistake that just got worse and worse.  I’m fighting the temptation to relegate it to the WIP basket that resides in the deepest, darkest part of my closet, never to be seen again.  Should I give it another chance??  What would you do?

 

One fails forward toward success. Charles Kettering

 

B

Random

Christmas in Bangkok

mud&stringLeave a comment

Hi all!

So, what did you think of the changes in my About Me page? It took me a long time to get the new content from my head to WordPress!  As for my 2020 Intentions, one of my main one is to start and stick to a blogging schedule.  I haven’t quite gotten that one settled in my mind but just getting started feels like a big step in the right direction! 👟👟

I hope you had a great holiday!  Mr. iknead and I went to Bangkok for Christmas with the Bangkok Bunch.  So good to see them…..even with Facetime, etc., sometimes I crave being able to hug them in person, hold their hands and hear their voices in person. Unfortunately, I was sick the. whole. time. with bronchitis. I went to the doctor and he gave me antibiotics and cough medicine.  They helped a little and at least got me through the long, long flight home.😷🤒👨‍⚕️💊

Best gift ever?  The Bangkok bunch is coming home! 🏠🏠🏠 The excitement and the relief of having them close by again is overwhelming!  🎇🎇🎇🤸‍♂️😍

 

I’m still plugging away at Gray Day.  I’ve had to rip the entire cable pattern out and start it again twice.🤬but it’s progressing slowly!

I plan to do an  update of my Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery, in the next day or so, keep an eye on it – you don’t want to miss a thing!  Here’s a preview –

Knitting · pottery

Picking It Up Again

mud&string3 Comments

 

That’s right,  the Insomniac Potter is back. It’s been a busy month, both craftwise and familywise.  My gray sweater is growing, but slowly, as expected.  I’ve started and and abandoned several pairs of socks and a scarf or two, but I think I’ve found THE sock pattern – at least for now. Have a look-

img_2299

This is the book-

img_2300

img_2526

My Gray Day Gansey

Like I said, this sweater is slow going, but is totally worth it, I really love cables. It’s definitely not portable or what I call cruise control knitting, though. It requires my full attention sort of like a toddler — take your eyes off it for one second and you’re in the weeds, at least I am! 😋

Then there’s the pottery. Here’s one of my newest pots –

FA22410C-0775-406C-9847-5328E050BCF6

This one’s a do over. The original glazing turned out to be so ugly, I immediately reglazed it.  I’m much much happier this time around!  It’ll be going up on ClayDreamsPottery on Etsy in the next few days.  If it floats your boat, let me know!

I have several pieces that are in that limbo between just thrown and dry enough to  trim and bisque. I learned the hard way not to fire anything I’m not totally sure is bone dry.  Nothing more discouraging than opening a kiln full of busted pots, but I’m also waiting for a couple of new glazes to come in before getting started on finishing them.

I always pass on good advice.  It is the only thing to do with it.  It is never of any use to oneself.  Oscar Wilde

B

Random

Monday in Bangkok

mud&stringLeave a comment

 

ON MY NEEDLES

img_2210

Ariel Socks

So far, the Ariel socks are playing nice, but they’ve been slow going.  Things are looking up since I purchased a nice, bright headlamp at Decathlon, a store similar to Academy Sports. I actually was at Decathlon to get a new water bottle, which I did, but apparently the placement of impulse items is universal – right next to the cash register.  That bit of extra light has made a big difference, I got through the first pattern repeat last night without problems.

I’m also working on a Leksak sweater, though I find the rows and rows of stockinette boring.  It makes for great plane knitting, I’ll give it that.

B9DA7574-9551-4BCB-9994-00CD9F3AB320

Leksak

ON THE WHEEL

Not a thing.  While I’m in Bangkok, I have to be satisfied with surfing Pinterest and making endless lists in my head of glazes and techniques to try.  That reminds me, I need to order clay.  I’m thinking that if I order now, it will arrive in Little Rock about the same time I do.

FIELD TRIP

Here are a few photos of Iconsiam, a new mall here in Bangkok that has a replica of a floating market on the bottom floor, with traditional Thai food and crafts vendors, most wearing traditional Thai clothing.  Really, the photos don’t do it justice………..

7D2B7C69-10EB-46A6-84FD-5F650199C0B7

691A4232-BD27-4D5A-8346-AD15DE21135A

FYI – This is an escalator!

Action is the foundational key to all success.  Pablo Picasso

B

 

Knitting

Sometimes You Just Need………

mud&stringLeave a comment

A QUICKIE

Something fast, something that gives (almost) immediate gratification.  I’m in the middle of a sweater, a huge crocheted shawl, a pair of socks, a dog sweater and the cutest flag garland ever.   I’m not counting my Christmas knitting — it’s not the last minute yet and I don’t want to let the cat out of the gift bag.  Anyhow, despite my vow to not start anything new until the WIPs are at least a little bit under control, I caved.  I needed a project that offered some immediate gratification.  Rav served up the perfect pattern, Leafy Washcloth.   I knit up the first one last evening and it’s blocking as I type this.

 

I used some Sugar and Cream cotton that I had around and size 7 straight needles, filling the immediate gratification bill perfectly.  Feels so good to have a FO!

The odds of hitting your target go up dramatically when you aim at it.  Mal Pancoast

B

 

 

 

Knitting

Oops, It’s Been Awhile, Hasn’t It?, Lots of Excitement at Casa Coleman and Happy Easter!

mud&stringLeave a comment

It seems that the harder I try to plan and always, always intend to sit down and blog at least a few lines about whatever is catching my attention, somehow, it never happens.  I also know that one of the keys to blogging regularly is planning, which I’ve thrown aside for the last little while – stream of consciousness anyone??

Like I said in the title, lots of  excitement here at Casa Coleman these past few weeks, here are a couple of the high points….

After a run of five little grandgirls in a row, Babymama, Babydaddy, Baby Diva and the Elf are set to welcome a new BABY BOY this summer!  We’re all very very excited — think hitting the lottery or winning the Superbowl!  At their last ultrasound, Baby Boy cooperated beautifully, allowing a good shot of (ahem) what little boys are made of. 🤗

Next, our Bangkok trip is pretty much upon us; we leave Wednesday – DAY AFTER TOMORROW!!! This is about the time that my anticipation usually gets the best of me and I become very scattered, trying to do too many things at once without really accomplishing anything.  I’ve been mentally packing for days and tried on last summer’s shorts just to be sure they still fit (they do! Yay!), next to try – swimsuit – which isn’t something I ever look forward to. ☹️

As usual, I have several things on my needles, but only one WIP that I’ve made real progress on.

Julie’s Sweater

All this baby is lacking is the cowl neck and the second sleeve.  I’m debating whether or not to carry it to Bangkok, 25-30 hours of flight (knitting) time would just about do it.  It’s just a lot of sweater in what I’m afraid will be a small space.  Maybe Mr. iknead and I will get lucky and the third seat will be unoccupied, providing me with more elbow room and a place to put all my knitting essentials.  It’s happened before. 🤞🤞🤞

Spinning continues on the Summer Palette roving, but should be finished before we leave.

Summer Palette

Roving from Three Waters Farm

The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do.  The hard part is doing it.  Norman Schwarzkopf

B

Knitting

Sundays Are For Spinning, In The Throes of Startitis

mud&string2 Comments

ON THE WHEEL

 

This lovely is the October Top of the Month Club offering from Three Waters Farm. If I remember correctly, this is Polworth roving, in the Hickory and Maple colorway.

I think I’m going to leave it as a single instead of plying since I’ve fallen head over heels for this

pattern –

Autumn Leaves

Svetlana Gordon, designer

I think the singles will do this pattern proud, don’t you?

I plan to get right on it as soon as 1) I finish My Julie’s Sweater, which, by the way, suffered a HUGE setback when I noticed that I had completely screwed up one of the cables. 🤬😱🤭 So, after much soul searching, I frogged it and started over.

The sweater deets can be found here.

and 2) I finish the Simple Skype socks my son requested –

So, it might be a while.  ⏳⏰

Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect. © Ralph Emerson

B

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 7/23/14, How Cool Is This?, Booklove

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

The Liesl Sweater is coming along nicely, I love patterns that move along faster and faster the closer to one gets to the finish.  When the first line of a pattern directs you to cast on 276 stitches, I know I’m in for a long haul to the finish.  I have to REALLY love the finished product for that first line not to faze me.  That describes Liesl.

imageNotice my nest? Everything I need within an easy reach, sketchbook,iPod,iPhone.

Oh, by the way, that odd sort of flappy thing in the middle? It’s a pocket and there’s another one on the other side.

BROWN NO MORE

When I inherited Mr. IKnead’s iPad, I also inherited the case.  Absolutely nothing wrong with it – except for the color.  Don’t misunderstand me – I love brown, look at Liesl up there. Brown is good, the color of coffee and chocolate, after all, but the brown cover just wasn’t doing it for me.  So, I changed it.  There’s a little of everything, inks, stamps, stencils and acrylic paint.  I love the way it turned out.  Take a look for yourself.

The Outside

The Inside

MOMM_iPad_Case_Inside.JPG

Am I finished?  I haven’t decided.  I went ahead and sprayed it with Krylon Kamar Fixative since some of the inks I used are waterbased and will run/spread with direct contact with liquid; going ahead with the fixative may have made my decision for me, if it can’t be painted or inked after the Krylon has been applied.

BOOKLOVE

I’m rereading Joe Hill’s NOS4A2 and it’s just as creepy as it was the first time around.

I’m linking with the usual Wednesday folks, Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams.

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart.  Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.  Carl Jung

B

Knitting

FO Friday 02/07/14

mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES (AND NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON)

Mariella Cardigan

A little more detail

I’m loving this sweater now, having gotten over my over the top irritation last week at miscounting and having to basically reknit from the armpits up.  I put it on for a while last evening and it’s nice and warm and comfortable.  I think it’s a keeper!

Linking up as usual:  Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

Trifles make perfections, but perfection is itself no trifle.  Shaker proverb

B

Knitting

Busted, Hey Barbie!, My Playroom

mud&stringLeave a comment

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

B