Sunday, July 02, 2006
Mmm hand dyed handspun
Gratuitous fiber shot. This yarn was spun then dyed for Purrl on knitty.com for a swap. I hope she likes it! This was my first dying experience with "real" dyes. I had bought procion at AC Moore before I realized that it was for cellulose fibers. A litte research told me that it could be used on wool, but I was really disappointed with the exhaust on these dyes when using wool. Essentially, it didn't exhaust. At all. I think I rinsed for a solid hour last night. We'll be sticking to acid dyes from now on I think!
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Goodies, secret pal update, and what we've been up to this week
I moved the girl out of her room last week and we began updating it. This picture may not look like much, but it is SUCH an improvement over what it was. The paint must have been original to the house, and was in that awful "swiss coffee" shade that just ends up looking like tar-stained walls in a heavy smokers house. Then my mother moved in, and though I love her dearly, she has a really thing for hanging shelves on every available wall to hold her oft-overflowing antique and everything else stash. We chose a soft peachy pink color. It's a split level and the girls windows are the smallest in the house so her room tends to be dark. We wanted to make it look warm and bright. Besides they use pink in mental institutions to impart a sense of well-being to the patients. I'm hoping it will work to stave off the oncoming teenage angst too. Next week, Carpet installation. woo hoo!
Hubby has also started work on a new coop for the girls. We got washed out so badly with all the rain last week, that the girl actually called me at work afraid the chickens were going to drown! Perhaps ducks would have been a better choice after all. Either way, this made it clear to us we had to get moving on a better shelter for them. I'll get some pics of it closer to completion. I think he'd feel self concious with his half completed project on the net for a bunch of "knitting women" to see.
Cotneyroo from Crafster chose me as a recipient for the june Birthday swap and sent me an awesome set of sushi potholders and the cuteest beaded stitch markers. I've been eyeing these on blogs all over the place and my wire twisting skills rank with my lace knitting skills. Somewhere in the neighborhood of "a blind quadraplegic could do a better job". I'll be sending her a little something from the stash as a thank you!
I have a serious confession to make, I went yarn crazy this week. I have been on a yarn diet for a couple months now and I went nutty. I have an order of debbie bliss aran tweed coming in from littleknits.com and an order of Debbie Bliss alpaca silk coming in from Roxyyarns.com. I also ordered some trendsetter yarns from a shop in arkansas that is clearing out their stock at 70% off, and an order of fiber and undyed sock yarn from alpacafleece.com. Jean is a really sweet lady and totally worked with me when my original choice of yarns was not available. I guess on the upside. I have plans for all of the yarn that I purchased.
Well then I realized that my one sein secret pal needed a little something-something, so off to the yarn shop I went. I found her a lovely skein of Koigu Kersti. I hope she likes it. she seems really difficult to buy for. I also picked up a ball of Opal Rainforest in Ladybug. A lot of the yarn websites have ben selling out it seems, and I figured I would snap it up while I could. I also got the new knit scene magazine. The central park cabled hoodie = love.
Then, just when I think I'm finally getting my yarn binge under control, what appears on my doorstep but a package from the lovliest secret pal in the world. I was nearly jumping out of my skin with excitement when I peeled back the many layers of tissue to find 2 skeins of handdyed sock yarn from Yarn monster in awesome colors and yummy japanese treats. Now I have to get this whole lace thing figured out, this yarn is tooooo special for plain old socks. If anyone has some suggestions let me know! It requires something really fancy. and the japanse treats were truly the best! I spent my formative years in South Korea, so those lovely funky packages of candy made me feel like a kid again. Thank you sooo much secret pal. Your packages have been such a special treat for me!
Hubby has also started work on a new coop for the girls. We got washed out so badly with all the rain last week, that the girl actually called me at work afraid the chickens were going to drown! Perhaps ducks would have been a better choice after all. Either way, this made it clear to us we had to get moving on a better shelter for them. I'll get some pics of it closer to completion. I think he'd feel self concious with his half completed project on the net for a bunch of "knitting women" to see.
Cotneyroo from Crafster chose me as a recipient for the june Birthday swap and sent me an awesome set of sushi potholders and the cuteest beaded stitch markers. I've been eyeing these on blogs all over the place and my wire twisting skills rank with my lace knitting skills. Somewhere in the neighborhood of "a blind quadraplegic could do a better job". I'll be sending her a little something from the stash as a thank you!
I have a serious confession to make, I went yarn crazy this week. I have been on a yarn diet for a couple months now and I went nutty. I have an order of debbie bliss aran tweed coming in from littleknits.com and an order of Debbie Bliss alpaca silk coming in from Roxyyarns.com. I also ordered some trendsetter yarns from a shop in arkansas that is clearing out their stock at 70% off, and an order of fiber and undyed sock yarn from alpacafleece.com. Jean is a really sweet lady and totally worked with me when my original choice of yarns was not available. I guess on the upside. I have plans for all of the yarn that I purchased.
Well then I realized that my one sein secret pal needed a little something-something, so off to the yarn shop I went. I found her a lovely skein of Koigu Kersti. I hope she likes it. she seems really difficult to buy for. I also picked up a ball of Opal Rainforest in Ladybug. A lot of the yarn websites have ben selling out it seems, and I figured I would snap it up while I could. I also got the new knit scene magazine. The central park cabled hoodie = love.
Then, just when I think I'm finally getting my yarn binge under control, what appears on my doorstep but a package from the lovliest secret pal in the world. I was nearly jumping out of my skin with excitement when I peeled back the many layers of tissue to find 2 skeins of handdyed sock yarn from Yarn monster in awesome colors and yummy japanese treats. Now I have to get this whole lace thing figured out, this yarn is tooooo special for plain old socks. If anyone has some suggestions let me know! It requires something really fancy. and the japanse treats were truly the best! I spent my formative years in South Korea, so those lovely funky packages of candy made me feel like a kid again. Thank you sooo much secret pal. Your packages have been such a special treat for me!
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Better late then never
Let's start this little entry with some chickens:
This is (clockwise from top) Barbecue, Swiss Chalet, and omelet. There are 4 chickens, but the 4th Wiley, whom hubby has claimed as his, was rather recalcitrant about the photo shoot. Come to think of it, she is recalcitrant about everything. If there were to be a chicken revolt, she'd be at the forefront waving a banner for chicken freedom and first arrest and dragged off in leg irons (chickens not having hands for handcuffs, of course) for trying to poop on the feet of the riot control police. Wiley and I don't get on well.
As for being better late than never. I believe I mentioned in my last post that hubby would be going back to work for the group home. He has, and not only did he go back, he went back at a raise and as the case manager. He also went back in the middle of a huge restructuring. and a move. They moved the home to a farm. (They plan to keep goats. Give me time, and I will whisper in the directors ear enough and they will make that angora goats, it will only be a matter of time before I convince them of the sheep and alpacas too!) Unfortunately for him and I , it also meant that he did not have a single day off from the time he started until this past Thursday. It also meant that for me, during the busiest time we have at work, that I have not only been putting in overtime, But upon my return home, I've been trying to hold together the house. To sum it up, it's been exhaustion city lately. No excuse, I admit, but it is the reason.
So now that the explanations are over, let's do some gratuitous fiber shots.
First lovely shot Is the beautiful knitting journal I received for my birthday from my Secret Pal. It came with some awesome designer chocolate, and unfortunately it was a bit melty when I received it, so I firmed it up, and It didn't even make it to picture taking time. It was delicious though, I can assure you. She really is the sweetest, She also recently sent me a lovely postcard saying hi that I keep with me in my ever-present novel that I carry with me for times when I'm idle and don't want to knit. Thank you again Secret pal, you really are the best, and thanks for your patience with the blog of emptiness for the last month.
Next up are the treats that my mom brought me back from Washington. She went out for my Uncle's wedding and stayed for two weeks. I have to say, she is getting better at choosing yarns for me. They are all lovely, but eventually I will break her of the novelty yarn habit, there were, however, two lovely chocolate brown skeins of cascade 220. They Kona Bay is nifty too, very soft. I never even knew they made yarns. I've lusted after their asian print quilting fabrics for years though. I'll have to find something neat to make with them. Maybe use them as trim for a couple cardigans?
Finally, a sample of the roving that I hand dyed for my secret pal. She just got herself a spindle and I love to enable people, so after a quick and dirty questioning, she should be receiving 3 balls of hand dyed roving in blue and berry colors for her spinning enjoyment.
Whew. Well it's time to get back to playing catch-up on the house, and still manage to get in a bit of time in the craft room.
This is (clockwise from top) Barbecue, Swiss Chalet, and omelet. There are 4 chickens, but the 4th Wiley, whom hubby has claimed as his, was rather recalcitrant about the photo shoot. Come to think of it, she is recalcitrant about everything. If there were to be a chicken revolt, she'd be at the forefront waving a banner for chicken freedom and first arrest and dragged off in leg irons (chickens not having hands for handcuffs, of course) for trying to poop on the feet of the riot control police. Wiley and I don't get on well.
As for being better late than never. I believe I mentioned in my last post that hubby would be going back to work for the group home. He has, and not only did he go back, he went back at a raise and as the case manager. He also went back in the middle of a huge restructuring. and a move. They moved the home to a farm. (They plan to keep goats. Give me time, and I will whisper in the directors ear enough and they will make that angora goats, it will only be a matter of time before I convince them of the sheep and alpacas too!) Unfortunately for him and I , it also meant that he did not have a single day off from the time he started until this past Thursday. It also meant that for me, during the busiest time we have at work, that I have not only been putting in overtime, But upon my return home, I've been trying to hold together the house. To sum it up, it's been exhaustion city lately. No excuse, I admit, but it is the reason.
So now that the explanations are over, let's do some gratuitous fiber shots.
First lovely shot Is the beautiful knitting journal I received for my birthday from my Secret Pal. It came with some awesome designer chocolate, and unfortunately it was a bit melty when I received it, so I firmed it up, and It didn't even make it to picture taking time. It was delicious though, I can assure you. She really is the sweetest, She also recently sent me a lovely postcard saying hi that I keep with me in my ever-present novel that I carry with me for times when I'm idle and don't want to knit. Thank you again Secret pal, you really are the best, and thanks for your patience with the blog of emptiness for the last month.
Next up are the treats that my mom brought me back from Washington. She went out for my Uncle's wedding and stayed for two weeks. I have to say, she is getting better at choosing yarns for me. They are all lovely, but eventually I will break her of the novelty yarn habit, there were, however, two lovely chocolate brown skeins of cascade 220. They Kona Bay is nifty too, very soft. I never even knew they made yarns. I've lusted after their asian print quilting fabrics for years though. I'll have to find something neat to make with them. Maybe use them as trim for a couple cardigans?
Finally, a sample of the roving that I hand dyed for my secret pal. She just got herself a spindle and I love to enable people, so after a quick and dirty questioning, she should be receiving 3 balls of hand dyed roving in blue and berry colors for her spinning enjoyment.
Whew. Well it's time to get back to playing catch-up on the house, and still manage to get in a bit of time in the craft room.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Big Changes and birthday update from my Secret Pal!
So much has happened in the last week or two that I haven't had even a moment to sit down and write about it.
First a little background. Hubby and I are from Utah. (me in a slightly more roundabout way than him) I moved to VA to come help out with my parents, hubby joined me later after 8 (yes you read that right) years of divorce. I guess we finally grew up enough to be together. (yes, we are morons, thanks for asking).
Anyways, VA is not the home of our dreams. In fact where we live we can only afford because my parents gave us their old house and bought another. We pay the mortgage on their first home. Without this house we'd heave to rent an overpriced apartment or try to figure out how to buy a teeny townhome for a half million.
Dad gave us the news earlier in the year, he is retiring on March 31, 2007 and he and mom are moving to East Tennessee near my godmother. My uncle is coming up to join them. Although hubby and I would LOVE to move there, the economy is very depressed so jobs would be difficult if not impossible to find. My uncle and parents will have their retirement income and mom and dad will have the income from the sale of their homes to buy another house with.
Originally our plan was to move to another location of my company, probably Buffalo New York. Then I saw a few of the listings that my parents were looking at in TN. 4 acres, working farm. 17 acres, perfect for farming. etc.
They are buying acreage! Or at least looking at it. When I told the folks that we could not move to TN they seemed disappointed, but they understood the reasons. When I looked at the listings I jokingly told my mother that we would just move down and work their acreage for them. Our ultimate goal is to own a farm anyways. Mom reacted a little differently than I expected.
"Is that what it would take to get you down there with us?"
I tell her perhaps, and I will run it past hubby. After much deliberation we decide that if the folks get acreage we will find a way to farm it for them. But on the other hand, if the can't find decent acreage, we'll still have to go to buffalo, or we may look for a co-of homesteading type are and get some land there. Either way of course, this means some big changes at home. We've started to thin out our crap, tried to figure out ways to save money and last but not least, my birthday present from hubby.
4 Welsummer Chickens. YAY! I get fresh eggs this summer when they start laying!!!!!!! They are so sweet, we named them omelet, Wiley (the fast runner, like Roadrunner!), Barbecue, and Chalet (after Swiss Chalet, for those of you who aren't familiar, it is a Canadian restaurant chain with the Best. Chicken. Ever.)
I'll admit, we know very little about farming, but we are willing to learn. hubby even struck up a deal with a local alpaca farmto trade labor for learning. This also means though that we will need to be saving up a lot of money to get rid of old debts and get us through the first couple of years. Hubby has decided to quit working at the hotel where he made a pittance salary, and go back to the group home where he was making really good money, but worked longer hours. On the upside, the group home is moving to a working goat farm, and we will be able to learn a lot from that too. Besides that I miss the boys.
We have checked out so many library books on self sufficiency and homesteading that I'm sure we are on a government list somewhere but we've been learning more and more. And I can't wait to give it a start!
In knitting news...
Well, Honestly I haven't knit much at all. I knitted my drag queen yarn from a previous post into a lovely but still in progress scarf. I'm just dead on inspiration for knitting lately I guess. I've been spinning a mot. But even my results with spinning have been less than satisfactory lately. I guess with everything else going on, my heart just hasn't been in it.
My Secret pal though, wa so lovely! Not only did she send me an ecard, I got a package in the mail containing a knitting journal and designer chocolate! The chocolates are even wrapped with Knitting ribbon! I will hopefully have pics up soon.
Thank you Secret Pal!!!!!!!!!
Well, off to scour more fleece.
First a little background. Hubby and I are from Utah. (me in a slightly more roundabout way than him) I moved to VA to come help out with my parents, hubby joined me later after 8 (yes you read that right) years of divorce. I guess we finally grew up enough to be together. (yes, we are morons, thanks for asking).
Anyways, VA is not the home of our dreams. In fact where we live we can only afford because my parents gave us their old house and bought another. We pay the mortgage on their first home. Without this house we'd heave to rent an overpriced apartment or try to figure out how to buy a teeny townhome for a half million.
Dad gave us the news earlier in the year, he is retiring on March 31, 2007 and he and mom are moving to East Tennessee near my godmother. My uncle is coming up to join them. Although hubby and I would LOVE to move there, the economy is very depressed so jobs would be difficult if not impossible to find. My uncle and parents will have their retirement income and mom and dad will have the income from the sale of their homes to buy another house with.
Originally our plan was to move to another location of my company, probably Buffalo New York. Then I saw a few of the listings that my parents were looking at in TN. 4 acres, working farm. 17 acres, perfect for farming. etc.
They are buying acreage! Or at least looking at it. When I told the folks that we could not move to TN they seemed disappointed, but they understood the reasons. When I looked at the listings I jokingly told my mother that we would just move down and work their acreage for them. Our ultimate goal is to own a farm anyways. Mom reacted a little differently than I expected.
"Is that what it would take to get you down there with us?"
I tell her perhaps, and I will run it past hubby. After much deliberation we decide that if the folks get acreage we will find a way to farm it for them. But on the other hand, if the can't find decent acreage, we'll still have to go to buffalo, or we may look for a co-of homesteading type are and get some land there. Either way of course, this means some big changes at home. We've started to thin out our crap, tried to figure out ways to save money and last but not least, my birthday present from hubby.
4 Welsummer Chickens. YAY! I get fresh eggs this summer when they start laying!!!!!!! They are so sweet, we named them omelet, Wiley (the fast runner, like Roadrunner!), Barbecue, and Chalet (after Swiss Chalet, for those of you who aren't familiar, it is a Canadian restaurant chain with the Best. Chicken. Ever.)
I'll admit, we know very little about farming, but we are willing to learn. hubby even struck up a deal with a local alpaca farmto trade labor for learning. This also means though that we will need to be saving up a lot of money to get rid of old debts and get us through the first couple of years. Hubby has decided to quit working at the hotel where he made a pittance salary, and go back to the group home where he was making really good money, but worked longer hours. On the upside, the group home is moving to a working goat farm, and we will be able to learn a lot from that too. Besides that I miss the boys.
We have checked out so many library books on self sufficiency and homesteading that I'm sure we are on a government list somewhere but we've been learning more and more. And I can't wait to give it a start!
In knitting news...
Well, Honestly I haven't knit much at all. I knitted my drag queen yarn from a previous post into a lovely but still in progress scarf. I'm just dead on inspiration for knitting lately I guess. I've been spinning a mot. But even my results with spinning have been less than satisfactory lately. I guess with everything else going on, my heart just hasn't been in it.
My Secret pal though, wa so lovely! Not only did she send me an ecard, I got a package in the mail containing a knitting journal and designer chocolate! The chocolates are even wrapped with Knitting ribbon! I will hopefully have pics up soon.
Thank you Secret Pal!!!!!!!!!
Well, off to scour more fleece.
Friday, May 19, 2006
This weeks spinning!
Drag Queen. 68 yards of a mix of everything! I bought the roving at MDSW from puckerbrush farms. It was labeled "Party in a box" I opened the bag to show hubby and he informed me that it looked like a drag queen. THis may become the only scarf I can see myself wearing.
As yet unnamed, but my first skein over 100yds!!!! Woot! Brown sheep mill ends dyed with wilton.
Tequila Sunrise Mill ends dyed with Wilton
Polar express. This is spun from some roving I picked up at Limerick Fibers in Gordonsville. It's called "beast" and is aptly named. It's pretty rough, and have lots of vegetable matter, but it makes a lovely rustic skein.
Canyonlands. Unfortunately the camera didn't pick up the lovely orangey hues that remind me of canyonlands at sunset. again, mill ends with wilton dye.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Short update
What a week! I managed to get a promotion. Hubby got an art show. We fixed the fountain in the backyard and I found another Fiber shop nearby! mmmmm fiber. drool.
I'll be posting a longer update in the next day or so. FOr now it's off to work around the house. I'm playing hooky from work tomorrow so I can clean up the house and then I can spend the rest of the weekend spinning and knitting. :)
I'll be posting a longer update in the next day or so. FOr now it's off to work around the house. I'm playing hooky from work tomorrow so I can clean up the house and then I can spend the rest of the weekend spinning and knitting. :)
Thursday, May 11, 2006
This is why you don't give men gas powered tools
This would be the elbow from the pipe on our sump pump. Hubby demolished it while tilling the backyard to put in grass seed. Last night we had our own water garden in the backyard with the pump creating a lovely fountain of brown water every 2 minutes. Hubby tried to convince me that the break had become a "design feature" in the yard.
I don't think so.
This ended in a late night trip to Lowes to buy a new elbow for the pipe. Oddly enough, this ended in a yarn related situation. I conned hubby into buying a hunk of PVC and joiner bits to make me a niddy noddy.
HA! I love turning hardware store trips into fiber related trips.
These are pictures of my strawberry and roma tomato plants. I planted the strawberries myself. While this may not seem like much of a feat to most people. Anyone who knows me knows about my black thumb. I can kill anything green. I've killed cactus, lucky bamboo, assorted houseplants, garden plants and I could probably lay waste to entire fields of silk floral arrangements just by my proximity.
I've made a resolution to change this. We know have a garden at our house, one at my mom's and flowers in the front yard. THEY WILL NOT DIE DAMMIT!!!!! Even if I have to sacrifice my first-born (or God-Forbid, my yarn) to make them live, I will do it! I WILL HAVE FRESH VEGGIES THIS YEAR!!!!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
ahem.
Gratuitous fiber shot. I spun this last night while enjoying the sounds of Old Faithful in the backyard. It's a wool/silk/mohair blend that I got as a bonus when I bought roving from Carol at the Sheep Shed Studio. I love getting roving for so cheap to play with. And I don't feel as bad when I ruin this with my abysmal spinning skills. So far I have 67 yards of it, and I still have a little bit more left to spin. Hubby says that it should be a hat for him. We'll see about that.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Quick post of the new stash!
The destashing went well, and although I still have some leftovers, I was able to take the money to the Marylan Sheep and Wool festival and Pick myself up a few goodies:
I picked up a large selection of different fibers. Wool, silk, alpaca, superwash, angelina, firestar, organic cotton, Linen and angora.
My mother, bless her heart, also brought home 2 of these babies:
One for her, and one for me. I've already started spinning on it, although it was tough to get started having never used a wheel before, but once I got it started I was ready to burn the drop spindles for firewood.
More to come later, but I have to run to work now...... I wonder if I could put the wheel under my desk???
I picked up a large selection of different fibers. Wool, silk, alpaca, superwash, angelina, firestar, organic cotton, Linen and angora.
My mother, bless her heart, also brought home 2 of these babies:
One for her, and one for me. I've already started spinning on it, although it was tough to get started having never used a wheel before, but once I got it started I was ready to burn the drop spindles for firewood.
More to come later, but I have to run to work now...... I wonder if I could put the wheel under my desk???
Friday, May 05, 2006
stupid thunderstorms.
Halfway into Planting flowers the sky opened up and started dumping. I hope the new flowers don't get drowned. Mother nature is such a bitch.
Cheap Spring gardening.
It's amazing what you can find if you look. We've been putting in garden this week. Melon and veggie garden in the back. Replanting some grass and a wildflower garden. In the the front we've had these 2 sad little planter spots in front of the house that have been empty for years. Being poor, I haven't had the money to buy plants to put into it, and plants are so expensve! $1.47 for a single pansy? I think not.
Anyways, I go to lowes last night for some citrnella oil and they have two huge racks of flowers selling for $.10 each. I got 2 flats of pansies, 3 of snapdragons and 4 of verbena for $4. We also got 6 boxes of plant food for $4 because the boxes broke open. all the little packets were there. There was also dandelion-cide for $1, again the bag broke open. We ended up with enough leftoever for a bird feeder and a bat house! YAY! I'm going to get the flowers planted this afternoon, and hopefully gets some pics snapped of them. Granted there are a few sad looking plants in there, but there are so many good ones it's sad to see them just tossed aside.
Anyways, I go to lowes last night for some citrnella oil and they have two huge racks of flowers selling for $.10 each. I got 2 flats of pansies, 3 of snapdragons and 4 of verbena for $4. We also got 6 boxes of plant food for $4 because the boxes broke open. all the little packets were there. There was also dandelion-cide for $1, again the bag broke open. We ended up with enough leftoever for a bird feeder and a bat house! YAY! I'm going to get the flowers planted this afternoon, and hopefully gets some pics snapped of them. Granted there are a few sad looking plants in there, but there are so many good ones it's sad to see them just tossed aside.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
SP8 Questionnaire
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love pretty much all natural fibers. I don't mind synthetic blends, but i prefer them to be soft.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Haha. A drawer. I have fabric to make myself a needle case or two, but do I do it?? Nooooooooo.
3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Only since November, But I'm adventurous enough to be an intermediate knitter. Lace and Fair Isle are my only uncharted territory.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? yes
5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Clean or spicy smells. I'm not much for the fancy schmancy flowery stuff.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Oh yes. Any thing chocolate. I'd eat chocolate covered cyanide without thinking twice.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I sew, mostly costumes. Halloween and Renn Faire type stuff. I just got a wheel and I've been spinning up a storm on it. I love my wheel. is it legal to marry a spinning wheel???
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like most everything. Lately I've been listening to Dave Matthews, Imogen Heap and FrouFrou, Modest Mouse, but I really do like Everything. I especially like swing and big band music. Glenn Miller rocks my socks.
9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? What is there about color to dislike? I love pretty much all colors. I prefer vibrant colors though. Pastels are pretty, but I don't use them too much.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have 2 rotten children and a rotten husband. I also have 2 rotten dogs and one rotten cat. Will trade any or all for yarn. :)
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? No. Sadly. I do wear fingerless gloves though!
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Lately I've been on a sock kick. My favorite project to knit though, was a anthropologie capelet for myself. I love little coverup type sweaters.
13. What are you knitting right now? Tragically hideous socks for a friends mother. Honestly, why don't people ask me to knit pretty things?
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes. Very much, yes.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Circs and DPN's. I have bamboo and some birch. I love addi's but only have one set so far.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have a yarn winder. No swift yet. Eventually I'll talk the rotten hubby into making me one. Hopefully before the children put us in a nursing home.
17. How did you learn to knit? Got laid up on a couch for 3 months after surgery. Bought a copy of Stitch N Bitch and some needles and went to it.
18. How old is your oldest UFO? 6 months. I haven't been knitting for long. It's a wrap sweater that I started in Lion Brand homespun before I realized how evil Homespun is.
19. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas and Halloween.
20. Is there anything that you collect? 40's 50's and 60's barware and kitsch. I was born a few decades too late.
21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I'm dying for some of the pretty yarns I keep seeing. Lorna's Laces in the Irving Park colorway. Mmm I love that. I'd love dome of that crazy handspun I've been seeing everywhere too. I'm trying to expand my collection of addi's, and I'm looking for a good cropped 3/4 sleeve cardi pattern in worsted weight that is pretty but simple. I don't have any magazine subscriptions, I usually just buy them as the come out, but I'm considering an IK sub.
22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Lace. I love lace, but I get confused. And lace-weight yarn strikes the fear of God into my heart.
23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? yes! and I wear a womens 9.5
24. When is your birthday? 06/01
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Haha. A drawer. I have fabric to make myself a needle case or two, but do I do it?? Nooooooooo.
3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Only since November, But I'm adventurous enough to be an intermediate knitter. Lace and Fair Isle are my only uncharted territory.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? yes
5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Clean or spicy smells. I'm not much for the fancy schmancy flowery stuff.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Oh yes. Any thing chocolate. I'd eat chocolate covered cyanide without thinking twice.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I sew, mostly costumes. Halloween and Renn Faire type stuff. I just got a wheel and I've been spinning up a storm on it. I love my wheel. is it legal to marry a spinning wheel???
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like most everything. Lately I've been listening to Dave Matthews, Imogen Heap and FrouFrou, Modest Mouse, but I really do like Everything. I especially like swing and big band music. Glenn Miller rocks my socks.
9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? What is there about color to dislike? I love pretty much all colors. I prefer vibrant colors though. Pastels are pretty, but I don't use them too much.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have 2 rotten children and a rotten husband. I also have 2 rotten dogs and one rotten cat. Will trade any or all for yarn. :)
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? No. Sadly. I do wear fingerless gloves though!
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Lately I've been on a sock kick. My favorite project to knit though, was a anthropologie capelet for myself. I love little coverup type sweaters.
13. What are you knitting right now? Tragically hideous socks for a friends mother. Honestly, why don't people ask me to knit pretty things?
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes. Very much, yes.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Circs and DPN's. I have bamboo and some birch. I love addi's but only have one set so far.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have a yarn winder. No swift yet. Eventually I'll talk the rotten hubby into making me one. Hopefully before the children put us in a nursing home.
17. How did you learn to knit? Got laid up on a couch for 3 months after surgery. Bought a copy of Stitch N Bitch and some needles and went to it.
18. How old is your oldest UFO? 6 months. I haven't been knitting for long. It's a wrap sweater that I started in Lion Brand homespun before I realized how evil Homespun is.
19. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas and Halloween.
20. Is there anything that you collect? 40's 50's and 60's barware and kitsch. I was born a few decades too late.
21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I'm dying for some of the pretty yarns I keep seeing. Lorna's Laces in the Irving Park colorway. Mmm I love that. I'd love dome of that crazy handspun I've been seeing everywhere too. I'm trying to expand my collection of addi's, and I'm looking for a good cropped 3/4 sleeve cardi pattern in worsted weight that is pretty but simple. I don't have any magazine subscriptions, I usually just buy them as the come out, but I'm considering an IK sub.
22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Lace. I love lace, but I get confused. And lace-weight yarn strikes the fear of God into my heart.
23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? yes! and I wear a womens 9.5
24. When is your birthday? 06/01
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Yarn Heaven!
Mom and I ventured out to Warrenton today for a pre wool festival fiber fix. We went to My Favorite Yarn.
OMG! Tons of great yarn and fiber at decent prices. Lots of sales and they carried fiber, looms and spinning wheels in addition to yarn! I helped myself to a skein of Louet kid mohair for $5! I also got some dyed locks and yarn bras. I had to put a rein on myself so I'd still have money for the festival. They even sold handspun. Their own store brand in plain white worsted was only $5 for 180 yds! They even had the spinning wheel that I want on sale. It's too bad they are an hour away. Perhaps I should be more loyal to my own LYS, but I WISH my yarn shop had sales this good and fiber to boot.
Mom picked up a small lap loom to play with, and I'm trying to convince her that I need a wheel so that I can spin yarn for her to weave. It hasn't worked so far, but let's hope for the best come birthday time. :D
OMG! Tons of great yarn and fiber at decent prices. Lots of sales and they carried fiber, looms and spinning wheels in addition to yarn! I helped myself to a skein of Louet kid mohair for $5! I also got some dyed locks and yarn bras. I had to put a rein on myself so I'd still have money for the festival. They even sold handspun. Their own store brand in plain white worsted was only $5 for 180 yds! They even had the spinning wheel that I want on sale. It's too bad they are an hour away. Perhaps I should be more loyal to my own LYS, but I WISH my yarn shop had sales this good and fiber to boot.
Mom picked up a small lap loom to play with, and I'm trying to convince her that I need a wheel so that I can spin yarn for her to weave. It hasn't worked so far, but let's hope for the best come birthday time. :D
Friday, April 21, 2006
Why I hate doctor's offices
Thursday I went in for a CT scan for some issues I've been having since my surgery. My appointment was at 12:40. I left the dying workshop early (it was wonderful BTW, but more about that later) and arrived at the imaging office at 12:20. According to the nurse at my doctors office I just had to pick up and drink the barium solution and show up. So I drank the hideous chemicals and went. When I check in, I find out that the doctors office never sent my prescription over. No prescription, No CT scan. Easy enough, the office can fax it over, except they close for lunch
from 12 until 2.
Honestly, who in this country gets a 2 hour lunch? With the obvious exception of my doctors office, NO ONE! One of the receptionists suggest that I go across the street to the office to see if someone is there. I jaunt over to find the doors locked, so I knock. As I'm peering desperately through the glass door I see a nurse. Now I know she can hear me knocking, but she just walks off. RAAAAARRR!!! Back to the imaging office. The very nice and very pregnant receptionist asks me who my doctor is and groans at the response. She is a patient there too. We swap stories briefly about the wonderful doctors and the TERRIBLE office staff. She tells me to try to hang on. They'll try the back office line, and they'll have the answering service fax something in to them to get the scrip.
I'm getting nauseous now. I haven't eaten and the barium and I don't get along well. I sit in the waiting area knitting. Have a pleasant conversation with a crocheter. 1:40 rolls around. I know the barium is passing through my system and they won't be able to do the scan. No word from the doctors office. I go back to receptionist to reschedule. As I'm standing there, a very pleasant radiologist comes running out. She tells me that if I can wait a few more minutes, the office manager is paging the doctor personally on my behalf. They can give me just one small additional cup of barium in lemonade and still take the scan. I agree and sit back down. Another 10 minutes. I feel like shit. The radiologist comes back out and tells me the the office managers wife is also a patient at my doctors office, they were there the day before and the office was open at this time, maybe they'll be open now.
Sure enough when I get to the office, the doors are open and they are admitting patients BUT THE PHONES ARE OFF. They've apparently been sitting there for the past 45 minutes with the phones off and ignoring the urgent faxes from the answering service. The nurse I talk to says that she'll get the prescription for me, then wanders away to talk to someone else. Another nurse comes up and asks what I need, I tell her I'm looking for my prescription. She opens the drawer they are kept in, and looks through, comes back and says they don't have it. WTF???? I tell her that their office MADE the appointment for me, there better be an order for it. She looks again and it's the TOP THING IN THE DRAWER!!!!
I stifle the urge to pin her down, pour a gallon of barium down her throat then jump on her head for several hours, grab the order and run down to the imaging lab. They rush me back and I drink not one small cup, but 2 large cups of barium, then they put in my IV for the contrast solution. They rush me into the scanning room and get my scan done. Once the contrast agent hits my system I start to feel like a truck has hit me. I go home and the headache hits, then the horrendous gastric effects. Hubby looked at me pathetically wallowing in misery on the bad and said "you're stinky". Sigh. I still have a headache today. Utter misery, and all because my doctors office staff SUCKS. I wonder what my doctor (who I simply adore) would say if I told him that I was firing him because of his front office staff. I may just do that.
Anyways, they dying workshop was fabulous and everyone was so friendly, although sadly, I can't remember anyone's name now after my trauma. We did shaving cream dying. I got some great results on the muslin I brought in, and I saw some awesome work on a couple of silk scarves. I can't wait to go to the sit and spin in May!!! Hopefully I'll have saved up some money to have a wheel by then. There are also spinning classes. And their workshop is fabulous. Spinning wheels, looms, carders, Fiber, and a little giftshop. It's inside LibertyTown and it's very inspiring being around so much art and workshops. While we were dying, other people came out to see what we were doing and joined in!
Well I'm off to bed to hopefully sleep off the rest of this headache. I'll try to get pictures of my shaving cream dyed fabric up tomorrow.
from 12 until 2.
Honestly, who in this country gets a 2 hour lunch? With the obvious exception of my doctors office, NO ONE! One of the receptionists suggest that I go across the street to the office to see if someone is there. I jaunt over to find the doors locked, so I knock. As I'm peering desperately through the glass door I see a nurse. Now I know she can hear me knocking, but she just walks off. RAAAAARRR!!! Back to the imaging office. The very nice and very pregnant receptionist asks me who my doctor is and groans at the response. She is a patient there too. We swap stories briefly about the wonderful doctors and the TERRIBLE office staff. She tells me to try to hang on. They'll try the back office line, and they'll have the answering service fax something in to them to get the scrip.
I'm getting nauseous now. I haven't eaten and the barium and I don't get along well. I sit in the waiting area knitting. Have a pleasant conversation with a crocheter. 1:40 rolls around. I know the barium is passing through my system and they won't be able to do the scan. No word from the doctors office. I go back to receptionist to reschedule. As I'm standing there, a very pleasant radiologist comes running out. She tells me that if I can wait a few more minutes, the office manager is paging the doctor personally on my behalf. They can give me just one small additional cup of barium in lemonade and still take the scan. I agree and sit back down. Another 10 minutes. I feel like shit. The radiologist comes back out and tells me the the office managers wife is also a patient at my doctors office, they were there the day before and the office was open at this time, maybe they'll be open now.
Sure enough when I get to the office, the doors are open and they are admitting patients BUT THE PHONES ARE OFF. They've apparently been sitting there for the past 45 minutes with the phones off and ignoring the urgent faxes from the answering service. The nurse I talk to says that she'll get the prescription for me, then wanders away to talk to someone else. Another nurse comes up and asks what I need, I tell her I'm looking for my prescription. She opens the drawer they are kept in, and looks through, comes back and says they don't have it. WTF???? I tell her that their office MADE the appointment for me, there better be an order for it. She looks again and it's the TOP THING IN THE DRAWER!!!!
I stifle the urge to pin her down, pour a gallon of barium down her throat then jump on her head for several hours, grab the order and run down to the imaging lab. They rush me back and I drink not one small cup, but 2 large cups of barium, then they put in my IV for the contrast solution. They rush me into the scanning room and get my scan done. Once the contrast agent hits my system I start to feel like a truck has hit me. I go home and the headache hits, then the horrendous gastric effects. Hubby looked at me pathetically wallowing in misery on the bad and said "you're stinky". Sigh. I still have a headache today. Utter misery, and all because my doctors office staff SUCKS. I wonder what my doctor (who I simply adore) would say if I told him that I was firing him because of his front office staff. I may just do that.
Anyways, they dying workshop was fabulous and everyone was so friendly, although sadly, I can't remember anyone's name now after my trauma. We did shaving cream dying. I got some great results on the muslin I brought in, and I saw some awesome work on a couple of silk scarves. I can't wait to go to the sit and spin in May!!! Hopefully I'll have saved up some money to have a wheel by then. There are also spinning classes. And their workshop is fabulous. Spinning wheels, looms, carders, Fiber, and a little giftshop. It's inside LibertyTown and it's very inspiring being around so much art and workshops. While we were dying, other people came out to see what we were doing and joined in!
Well I'm off to bed to hopefully sleep off the rest of this headache. I'll try to get pictures of my shaving cream dyed fabric up tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Destash time at Casa de Frou
Help me destash myself and save up for a spinning wheel! All Yarns are now for sale on eBay.
Destash Sale!
4 balls Bernat BlingBling in sassy Sparkle (blue, pink, green and purple)
2 balls Crystal Palace deco ribbon 1 in black and white stripes, one in navy.
8 balls Moda Dea Fur-Ever 4 in blue and 4 in lime.
6 balls Moda Dea ChiChi in sahara
12 balls Moda Dea Kickx 2 in Fever, 4 in Amazing, 6 in Lucky
3 balls Pierre Cardin 21 (bulky Boule 100% wool) 2 in maroon, 1 in green.
3 1/2 skeins Red Heart Grape Ivy
3 skeins Lion Brand Homespun 2 in Edwardian, one in Corinthian.
Destash Sale!
4 balls Bernat BlingBling in sassy Sparkle (blue, pink, green and purple)
2 balls Crystal Palace deco ribbon 1 in black and white stripes, one in navy.
8 balls Moda Dea Fur-Ever 4 in blue and 4 in lime.
6 balls Moda Dea ChiChi in sahara
12 balls Moda Dea Kickx 2 in Fever, 4 in Amazing, 6 in Lucky
3 balls Pierre Cardin 21 (bulky Boule 100% wool) 2 in maroon, 1 in green.
3 1/2 skeins Red Heart Grape Ivy
3 skeins Lion Brand Homespun 2 in Edwardian, one in Corinthian.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Spinning Happiness at Knit Night
I've started attending Knit Night the the LYS and tonight I met a member of the local spinners guild!!! Apprently there is a really nice studio in town and I was invited to a dying workshop on thursday morning! Sooo exciting. Maybe now I won;t have to go all the way to alexandria to try out some wheels!
They are doing marbling at the workshop this week, I think I may just take some good muslin to try it on. I have some really pretty heavy weight satin, but I'm sure I won't be able to dye all of it there, and I don't want to screw up good fabric.
I took my latest knitting project with me tonight and I had a lot of fun with it. Hubby wants ugly socks. They are to be red and olive green. Red tops, heels and toes, everything else in green. The knitters I sat with tonight all agreed that they are going to be hideous. He will be very pleased.
I also read the Yarnaholics thread at Craftster last night. I was inspired to begin cataloguing my stash. The results are tragic. Looks like a stash sale may be starting up soon. I need to get rid of some of these oodles of novelty and acrylic yarns and start purchasing more of the quality yarns in smaller batches. I'll be drawing up a list soon, and hopefully i can sell enough to make a good dent in the stash.
They are doing marbling at the workshop this week, I think I may just take some good muslin to try it on. I have some really pretty heavy weight satin, but I'm sure I won't be able to dye all of it there, and I don't want to screw up good fabric.
I took my latest knitting project with me tonight and I had a lot of fun with it. Hubby wants ugly socks. They are to be red and olive green. Red tops, heels and toes, everything else in green. The knitters I sat with tonight all agreed that they are going to be hideous. He will be very pleased.
I also read the Yarnaholics thread at Craftster last night. I was inspired to begin cataloguing my stash. The results are tragic. Looks like a stash sale may be starting up soon. I need to get rid of some of these oodles of novelty and acrylic yarns and start purchasing more of the quality yarns in smaller batches. I'll be drawing up a list soon, and hopefully i can sell enough to make a good dent in the stash.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
OMFG!
I REALLY love my hubby. I was heading out this morning to get Easter treats for our kids, and the boy we mentor who has been spending the week with us. On the way out the door, he told me to stop by the sporting goods store and grab him a gift card. WTF? Can't you just use the debit card like a normal person? Then he explains.
He went to the LYS and got me a $50 gift certificate. "We need Easter presents too." he said.
Best. Husband. Ever.
He went to the LYS and got me a $50 gift certificate. "We need Easter presents too." he said.
Best. Husband. Ever.
Another attempt at handspun
I few months ago I picked up a babe handspindle off ebay. So far my attempts have been abysmal at best.
The first, Which I shall call "Salt and Pepper" is made with some mystery wool which came with my spindle. It was very soft, but also very overspun. Oddly though it's relatively smooth.
The second, Called, "The Ed Sullivan Show" (black white and pink, how very 50's" Is a miserable little skein of wool blended with pink dyed cotton. It's raggy and again, overspun. For some reason I love it, but I'm afraid to knit anything with it for fear it will fall apart.
The third are two skeins called "PlayDoh Ice Cream". The colors are lovely but the turned out very loosley twisted and scratchy. I bought the roving from ebay from someone who recommended it for felting. Probably not the best choice for spinning, WHen I set the twist though, it seemed to firm the yarn up. I also spun one color at a time and blended the two colors as I joined a new one. I'm hoping it will stripe. I know this yarn is dextined to become a small felted bag though, from it's scritchiness.
My 4th attempt is andean plied. I just spun the wool in the natural color. I have some berries that my kids picked for me last summer that managed to stain every child in the neighborhood a lovely purply-magenta color. I have no idea what the berries are, I'm sure they are poisonous, but I'm going to attempt dying the wool with these. If it works out well I will be doing a major mystery berry harvest this summer. As for the yarn itself, It's inconsistent and unbalanced, although setting the twist seemed to really help the balance issues. I still have a few overspun places and a few underspun places, but I'm hoping the plying will hold everything together.
Overall, I'm pretty frustrated with drop spindling. perhaps it's my spindle. I bought a different spindle recently at the Yorktown Victory Center gift shop. It requires me using a half hitch to tie on my yarn, and I just haven't been wanted to be bothered by tying knots every time I store the yarn, Especially since I prefer to keep a long length of pre drafted roving twisted around my left arm as I spin. I can just see the knots tht will ensue. Poor hubby will come in to find me in a tangle of wool fiber.
Hopefully I can get up to springwater sometime soon to test out some wheels. I'm really hoping for one for my birthday. (Please, Please fiber Goddess, inspire my family members!) Using a wheel seems to make much more sense to me than a spindle. Hubby is convinced that he can build me one. Oddly, he is fascinated by spinning, but he thinks knitting is garbage (I did teach him how to knit, though). He'll sit and watch me spinning for hours. I've told him that I want one good commercial wheel, and he can have unlimited time studying it so he can try building one. I'm so generous.
The first, Which I shall call "Salt and Pepper" is made with some mystery wool which came with my spindle. It was very soft, but also very overspun. Oddly though it's relatively smooth.
The second, Called, "The Ed Sullivan Show" (black white and pink, how very 50's" Is a miserable little skein of wool blended with pink dyed cotton. It's raggy and again, overspun. For some reason I love it, but I'm afraid to knit anything with it for fear it will fall apart.
The third are two skeins called "PlayDoh Ice Cream". The colors are lovely but the turned out very loosley twisted and scratchy. I bought the roving from ebay from someone who recommended it for felting. Probably not the best choice for spinning, WHen I set the twist though, it seemed to firm the yarn up. I also spun one color at a time and blended the two colors as I joined a new one. I'm hoping it will stripe. I know this yarn is dextined to become a small felted bag though, from it's scritchiness.
My 4th attempt is andean plied. I just spun the wool in the natural color. I have some berries that my kids picked for me last summer that managed to stain every child in the neighborhood a lovely purply-magenta color. I have no idea what the berries are, I'm sure they are poisonous, but I'm going to attempt dying the wool with these. If it works out well I will be doing a major mystery berry harvest this summer. As for the yarn itself, It's inconsistent and unbalanced, although setting the twist seemed to really help the balance issues. I still have a few overspun places and a few underspun places, but I'm hoping the plying will hold everything together.
Overall, I'm pretty frustrated with drop spindling. perhaps it's my spindle. I bought a different spindle recently at the Yorktown Victory Center gift shop. It requires me using a half hitch to tie on my yarn, and I just haven't been wanted to be bothered by tying knots every time I store the yarn, Especially since I prefer to keep a long length of pre drafted roving twisted around my left arm as I spin. I can just see the knots tht will ensue. Poor hubby will come in to find me in a tangle of wool fiber.
Hopefully I can get up to springwater sometime soon to test out some wheels. I'm really hoping for one for my birthday. (Please, Please fiber Goddess, inspire my family members!) Using a wheel seems to make much more sense to me than a spindle. Hubby is convinced that he can build me one. Oddly, he is fascinated by spinning, but he thinks knitting is garbage (I did teach him how to knit, though). He'll sit and watch me spinning for hours. I've told him that I want one good commercial wheel, and he can have unlimited time studying it so he can try building one. I'm so generous.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Alrighty kids
Here is a LOOOOOOONG overdue update to the bloggy thingy. Things have been insane around here and blogging has unfortunately been the last thing on my mind. My favorite uncle came up to see us, I haven't seen him since I was my daughters age. We spent a wonderful week together catching up, and he left his dog for me to take care of for a month or so until he gets resettled in his new house. Doofus Rufus is an Amreican bull mix and so loveable. He is a big-time cuddle dog and will sit in any lap available if given an opportunity. He also brought an unexpected treasure to me. He brought a sweater the my grandmother had knitted him when he was in high school. It's not in the best shape, or the manliest color. (teal green mohair? I think granny was a bit tipsy when she chose the yarn) it is, however, an example of grandmas excellent cable work. It's also simple enough a pattern that I intend to remake a MUCH manlier version for my uncle for xmas.
I'm about two thirds done with the hubby's aran, but I started to get bored with it and refuse to look at it until I complete another small project. I'd originally chosed the Yarn over steek vest from loop-d-loop by Teva Durham but it same out badly. Well, I don't know if it was the shirt, or just me being insanely fat from hormone replacement. Instead, I started on socks (feet don't get fat!). I already frogged the Regia socks due to an incredibly bad pattern, so I started over with a pair made from Opal Rainforest in Chameleon to match my blue and lime green chucks.
One down, one to go. I am in LOVE with handknit socks. I put this on my foot last night and never found anything comfier in my life. I can't wait to get the next one done.
Also, Hubby and I decided to sitch our bedroom and the craft room. The craft room had gotten so crowded and junky that it was unuseable. The room that it was in is the smallest bedroom in the house. I was worried about making it our bedroom, but it is excellent as a bedroom. Quieter since it is further from the street, cozier, and better light during the day. It has more restful energy too. Maybe that's why I almost fell asleep at the sewing machine one day. The new craft room is ginormous. I've almost got everything organized and put away, and it looks like I'll even have room for an easychair for knitting. I'm so excited! My sewing machine thinks I've abandoned it, and I'm sure that the serger has long since plotted to break needles and snap thread in retaliation for my long absence. I'll post pics when it's completed.
I'm about two thirds done with the hubby's aran, but I started to get bored with it and refuse to look at it until I complete another small project. I'd originally chosed the Yarn over steek vest from loop-d-loop by Teva Durham but it same out badly. Well, I don't know if it was the shirt, or just me being insanely fat from hormone replacement. Instead, I started on socks (feet don't get fat!). I already frogged the Regia socks due to an incredibly bad pattern, so I started over with a pair made from Opal Rainforest in Chameleon to match my blue and lime green chucks.
One down, one to go. I am in LOVE with handknit socks. I put this on my foot last night and never found anything comfier in my life. I can't wait to get the next one done.
Also, Hubby and I decided to sitch our bedroom and the craft room. The craft room had gotten so crowded and junky that it was unuseable. The room that it was in is the smallest bedroom in the house. I was worried about making it our bedroom, but it is excellent as a bedroom. Quieter since it is further from the street, cozier, and better light during the day. It has more restful energy too. Maybe that's why I almost fell asleep at the sewing machine one day. The new craft room is ginormous. I've almost got everything organized and put away, and it looks like I'll even have room for an easychair for knitting. I'm so excited! My sewing machine thinks I've abandoned it, and I'm sure that the serger has long since plotted to break needles and snap thread in retaliation for my long absence. I'll post pics when it's completed.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
well look what we have here
Oh, my poor sad little blog. how have I neglected thee!
THings have been so crazy lately. I feel like I get only a few short moments to get on the computer and I check my email then run off to do something else. We are switching the craft room into the master bedroom this weekend. Maybe after that there will be more time to blog. Perhaps I'll even be able to get to my sewing machine!
YAY!
Until this weekend.....
THings have been so crazy lately. I feel like I get only a few short moments to get on the computer and I check my email then run off to do something else. We are switching the craft room into the master bedroom this weekend. Maybe after that there will be more time to blog. Perhaps I'll even be able to get to my sewing machine!
YAY!
Until this weekend.....
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