Knitting

13 and Snakewoman

August 21, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

I’M SO EXCITED AND I JUST CAN’T HIDE IT

OK, so I’ve been lusting after a spinning wheel, putting a little money back every now and then and doing a lot of window shopping online. Then, yesterday, I found out that a lady who worked where I used to work had a spinning wheel and was wanting to sell it. She and I e-mailed back and forth, she sent me some pics and now, as of 5:00 p.m., I have a wheel and not just any wheel, an Ashford Traveller! Here in the south, it’s considered bad manners to talk about money, much less bragging (that’s what I was taught, anyway), but without stating the amount, it was less than half of what I thought I’d have to pay for one. Isn’t she beautiful???

Pay no attention to the fact that I’ve never used a wheel before, hopefully, I’ll catch on pretty quick. Isn’t that what YouTube is for?

ON THE NEEDLES

I’ve been so excited about the new wheel, I almost let this WIP Wednesday get away from me, but here’s my WIPW offering this week –

Ruffle Tank, using the Knit One Crochet Too Kettle Tweed I named My Destin-E.

and last, but not least

BY THE BOOK

My current book in progress is Snakewoman of Little Egypt by Robert Hellenga and I’m loving it! Very quirky, just like I like it.

Snakewoman of Little Egypt

Here’s to learning new skills!

I almost forgot – I’m linking with Tami’s and Frontier Dreams today.

A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again. Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

Knitting

Souveniers

August 17, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHAT I BROUGHT BACK

Here are my official souveniers of my beach vacation. I’m a knitter, so can I help it if my idea a perfect souvenier is yarn, searching high and low for a LYS to visit, with extra points if it’s located on or near the beach?

First up is Knit One Crochet Too Kettle Tweed, 60% merino, 20% baby llama, 10% bamboo and 10% Donegal. There’s no color named, just a number, 4523, but since I think everything should have a name, I’m calling the colorway My Destin-Y. Very clever, especially since it came from a shop in Destin, Florida, named (surprise!) The Destin Yarn Shop. My project for this is c2knits Jackie, a topdown tank. Nice and summery, don’t you think?

Next is this lovely Crystal Palace Mini Mochi, which also has just a number, no real name. I’m calling this one Sea Glass because it makes me think of the small bits of glass sometimes found on the beach, beautifully frosted by waves and sand. No official project yet, but I’m leaning toward a cowl, specifically, Botanical.

Still happy to be home.

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

Knitting

Home with Hermione, FO Friday

August 16, 2013August 16, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

Here’s Hermione’s Everyday Socks:

This pattern is a Rav freebie and I totally loved knitting these up; a four row repeat that was easy to memorize and was really awesome with the yarn, which was from Premier Yarns and was wool-free. The color is Vegas Lights and lent itself well to this pattern. Being on vacation for the past week, these socks had quite a bit of beach time. Got a few odd looks, you’d think people had never seen knitting on the beach! 🙂

SCENES FROM VACATION

BABYDIVA AND BABYDADDY ON THE BEACH.

THE SPROUT LOVES THE BEACH!

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which one to keep, Scott Adams

Knitting

Sun and Sand

August 11, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ARE WE THERE YET?

Yes Yes Yes. We’re here, near and dear. Molly, Julia and Jason, we miss you. We’ll soak up a little extra sun on your behalf.

ON THE NEEDLES

Almost finished with the last Hermione sock and am ready to start another project. Babymama and I are going to make a yarn run before we head home to Arkansas. According to Google – we’re smack in the middle of two yarn shops, one in Destin and one in DeFuniak Springs. Like I said, a yarn run is required. Don’t wait up!!

JOY!!!!

This says it all!

This is a wonderful day, I have never seen this one before, Maya Angelou

Knitting

Up and Running Once More

August 1, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

A BUMP IN MY BLOG

We lost our internet Tuesday evening and all day yesterday. Very frustrating. I’m way more invested in the internet than I thought. No e-mail, no google, no blog, no nothin’. I see if I ever decide to go ‘net free, I’ll need to be weaned off, no way I’m going cold turkey! It comforts me to know, though, that I’m in the same boat with probably a zillion others. 😉 Oh, I almost forget to tell you the reason. Our neighbor was having fax issues, ATT came out, fixed his fax feed and didn’t bother reconnecting what he had to disconnect. Jeez.

SOFT STUFF

The alpaca roving that I ordered from Dyeing for Color finally arrived and has exceeded all my expectations. It’s like spinning a cloud. I’ve knitted with alpaca yarn but have never actually seen and been able to fondle roving. I keep petting it.

These babies are staying in their bags until two seconds before I spin so I can continue to marvel at how soft and clean they are! I’m beginning to feel that their destiny is to be sock yarn.

ON THE NEEDLES

No knitting to post today. Oh yeah, it’s out there, lots of WIPs, very few FOs, just not quite camera ready and besides that, I’d have to go through the house, gathering up each room’s project. Yeah, I work on different projects in different rooms. Don’t judge me 🙂

POT PROJECT

When we had that little snafu with the internet, I was in the middle of posting a pottery WIP so I had to postpone until today. This is a molded bowl and I can’t wait to get it out of the damp box and get it out of the bowl mold.

It still needs some work, as you can tell. That may be a good project for tomorrow.

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. Gloria Steinem

Knitting

WIPW 7/24/13

July 24, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

A couple of things at the moment. First up is Hermione’s Everyday Socks for me. Still really liking the Premier Yarns Wool Free yarn. This colorway is called Vegas Lights. Just a few more rows and it will be heel turn time.

Next, the promised entrelac has been started. This yarn is Lion Brand Fisherman Wool, the original color was sort an oatmeal heather. It’s been dyed with Kool-aid, a combination of Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade and Cherry.

The color did something interesting. The oatmeal/beigey color is a grayish, light taupe now. Much, much better. Really, it reminds me of the Shibui Poodle Skirt yarn I used for a pair of socks a couple of months ago.

IHEARTPOTTERY

After a few hiccups with glazing, this plate finally came out of the kiln and was better than I had hoped. The glaze is Rhodes Turquoise for the bottom 2/3 and Green Gloss for the top 1/3. I’m really happy with the combination of glazes in the middle. I’ve had a hard time with the glazing, it’s really not my favorite thing and I tend to rush through without much thought and consequently, the glaze really isn’t as uniform as I’d like it to be. There are missed spots and drips. A little more attention to detail would go a long way in the difference between a good glaze and a great one. My mantra from here on out is, “take your time, where’s the fire?”

Windchime experiment also went well, aside from glazing hiccups. They chime better than I thought they would but it’s definitely different from a glass, metal or wood chime. The spur of the moment ivy stamp makes me very happy. I love the rustic look of this!

Linking up with the usual bunch for WIPW – Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn Along. Inspiration central!

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. Thomas A. Edison

Knitting

Update, Ta-Dah and You Be The Judge

July 21, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

JOSIE UPDATE

Much improved this morning, still limping, not putting much weight on that right back leg, but her appetite is back (no surprise there) and she is much perkier. Still on doggy bedrest and I think she’s loving every minute. We’re just happy she’s feeling better.

THE REVEAL

My first ever sewing project working from a real, live pattern, McCall’s 4400.

Working from a real pattern was very intimidating. It seemed to be written in a different language, with symbols, arrows, lines, dotted lines and I almost got scared off, but I reminded myself how knitting was the same way at first and how comfortable I am with it now. I’m very proud of my first sewing FO.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Mr. Iknead’s Wise Hilda Basic Ribbed Socks, which he was kind enough to model for a photo.

Fashion Forward or Fashion Victim? – You Be The Judge

ON THE NEEDLES

Hermione’s Everyday Socks, for yours truly

This is more of Premier Yarns Wool Free Sock, the color is Vegas Lights. People are going to see me from a long way away with these. I love the colors – sort of like a party on my needles! Just between friends, I was getting really tired of blue/gray/black. No offense Wise Hilda’s socks, I just needed a change.

I’m linking up with Frontier Dreams KCCO today. Check it out.

You never achieve success unless you like what you are doing. Dale Carnegie

Knitting

FO Friday 07/19/13

July 19, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

I FINALLY finished the Papoose’s Olivia Petit sweater this week. If you will recall, I had intended to knit three (what was I thinking??) of these sweet sweaters, one for each grand, for Easter. Clearly, I must have been intoxicated from the heady fumes of possibility that this pattern was emitting at that particular point in time. Be that as it may, here’s the finished product, blocked, with buttons and ends woven in.

Front

Back

Remember this? My very first handspun and dyed yarn?

It went from this –

To a Cowl

OFF THE MACHINE

Here’s what I made yesterday – I’m getting more confident all the time on the sewing machine. I think I might make a trip to Jo-Ann today and brainstorm.

Lining

I have to admit I’m more than a little proud of myself. On Monday, I couldn’t even thread the machine! Still on a learning curve, but I can see the possibilities that knowing how to sew will open.

OK, enough already.

I’m linking up again with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO. Pay a visit, willya?

Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it. Leonardo da Vinci

Knitting

Look What I Made!!!

July 18, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

NEWEST OBSESSION

My new-to-me sewing machine is finally up and running and LOOK LOOK LOOK what I made!

Some saw a table runner, I saw a purse!

and

I originally had plans for a reversible bag but then remembered that I’m just learning to sew and really, I couldn’t wrap my brain around how to actually make something reversible. Scaled back my plan and I love it!

Not too shabby for my first ever sewing projects. I’m liking it.

ADVENTURES IN DYEING, PART 3

The yarn is I Love This Wool from Hobby Lobby, the color is Kool-aid Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade.

Meh. It’s OK, I guess.

Another trip through the land of Kool-aid, this time watermelon.

Now that’s what I’m talking about!

I’ll post it again when it’s dry and wound.

WANTS ON THE NEEDLES

Remember this?

It’s about to become something entrelac, not sure what, but entrelac for sure.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. T.S. Elliot

Knitting

Adventures in Dyeing, Part 2

July 11, 2013July 11, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

Another experiment, this time using Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade and Cherry flavors. The jury’s still out on this one.

After drying last night, the jury is in. I like it.

And wound

The Yarn Formerly Known As Oatmeal

An hour of play discovers more than a year of conversation does. Portuguese proverb

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 07/03/13

July 3, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Wise Hilda’s Basic Ribbed Socks for Mr. Iknead

75% Medano Bag

I reduced the this pattern by 25% and went down a needle size. The full sized bag was just too big for me to comfortably carry.

Yarn Along

I’m linking up today, as usual, with Tami Ami’s, Frontier Dreams and Ginny’s Yarn Along. Pay them a visit, willya?

Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. Walter Bagehot

Knitting

Acorns, Pot and Clunk

July 2, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

GOING POTTY

I had a touch of bad attitude Sunday, just feeling tired and overwhelmed – I suppose I finally ran out of adrenaline after running on it all week, so I took a field trip to the pottery studio for a couple of hours. After some enthusiastic wedging, I settled down and began a new coiled pot. Class meets this morning, so I’ll get some feedback on what works and what doesn’t on this particular project. I remembered to bring the fancy camera to take a photo of the acorn I started last week.