Aesox; Fabled

Let's just see...

2009-10-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

I don't blog sometimes because I don't think I have anything to put out there. However, upon further inspection, I just might :)
I Plurk (as you may well know from the sidebar) and one of the delightful ladies there has an Etsy studio that I've fallen down in once or twice. This is Jean Luc and he was a bit naughty...

I did manage to get him under control but it took some wrangling :) If you get a hankerin', more One Night Stands can be found at Sugar Bee Studios. My plying can only be categorized as chaotic. I started out with a nice three-ply, then ran out of one strand too quickly (rookie mistake; should have weighed my fiber splits-oh well). So, I decided to just go with it and two-ply. Finally, I ran down to one color and decided that chain ply would be best (since I had already gone over to Crazytown) and set out finishing what I had spun in that manner...It should knit up in a very interesting manner...I think I should knit something circular (hat?) to show off the crazy but I don't normally wear hats and am at a loss at this moment. I'll let you know if something strikes me!
I have been knitting, too...going through the rounds of UFO's laying about the house. And since I have so many of them, of course I immediately cast on for this lovely bit here...

The above is a Stacy Shawl kit, brain child of Wendy Knits paired with yarn-y goodness from Tempted. The yarn has such a squishy feel to it and the colorway is perfect; deep to light burgundy without the over bearing quality that yarns over-dyed with black can sometimes have. Here's what the shawl looks like finished, Stacy Shawl.
finally, I've launched into several ounces of Chameleon Colorworks' Briar Rose (merino top) and it's spinning up beautifully! I'm going to chain ply that one from the get go to spare myself the insanity later :) I can be taught!!

asshats, ratbastards, Earls, and so on...

2009-09-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

So, the following is a public service announcement of sorts: The asshats are everywhere, you just never know where until it's too late. The lovely, talented and creative Miss Violet has made a tragic discovery. Not only has her husband been revealed as a cheating, lying, and adulterous miscreant, he has also Taken All The Money. In order to rescue Miss V from the toxic hell she's stuck in, several of her closest and most loyal friends have put fourth effort to help their friend. I'm passing this on, with the hopes that in some small way we can put things right--at least a little.
Help Miss Violet Escape!
Wollmeise Raffle
So many of us have been there; sad and scared and broke and betrayed. If you can, give a little love.
If you're going through this yourself, here are some resources for you too.
Surviving Infidelity
Ravelry Group, Casting-Off for support and people who have been there (and who also like to knit :)
That is all.

Arrrggh!

2009-09-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

This blog post brought to you in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day. Yeah, I know it's not until tomorrow but we like to get our swash buckled early around here :)
In case you want to know, here's where you find out your pirate name...
(that site brought to me by the lovely ArtemisOrange)
Aaaannd, speaking of hooks--(hahahahahaha)---

I joined my first mystery Crochet A Long and have been having fun. The above is one motif of 24 to crochet before we hook 'em all together. The pattern is called Peacock Track Scarf and the yarn is Dream in Color Starry in the color Gothic Rose. It was an interesting thing altogether in that the instructions were provided via audio file by Stitch Stud with a supporting chart given as we have all caught up together. I admit to being a poor auditory processor but with concentration and the keeping of the Cheese at legs length, I managed :)

I've also cast on this lovely bit here...

It is going to be an Ishbel (pronounced sha-bel, boy was I off!!) I'm just starting the lace portion now. The yarn is called Buxkranzel (loosely translated means box wreath) and it came from the Wollmeise sock club.
So, there you have it. Don't forget to talk like a pirate tomorrow. I think there's even the option to add that as your language in Facebook, although I haven't checked. It's also Spin in Public day so extra bonus points for spinning in public dressed like Jack Sparrow!!

"Yarn p0rn" or "How vacation yarn doesn't count."

2009-09-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hello all, shocked that I've blogged twice this month? Well, don't get excited, it's just p0rn (lol)
As you may or may not know, I've been on vacation out East, and my mother-in-law knows of my penchant for fiber so we bookmarked several stops along the way of our mainstream vacation visitations :)
Our fist stop was The Yarn Garden--always a lovely stop. The selection is great, the sales are awesome and the ladies are very welcoming!
Stop number two was Labadie Looms in Bird in Hand, PA. There was a nice variety of things for a small shop, she had looms up, was spinning when we came in and also had rug hooking things as well as a tidy selection of yarn.
Finally, we stopped at Stitches in Time. Also awesome and at the same time, huge! I'll touch on a subject here that's sensitive for me--kid friendly places (not just kid tolerant). Essentially, I bring my daughter with me wherever I go and that means that she goes yarn shopping. Now, I keep a razor sharp eye on her because I know what small children can do in a very short period of time. Once, she has "gotten away from me" (read: I was petting the pretties and was distracted just for a tiny moment) and she pulled apart a skein of that crazy puff ball yarn...it was at my LYS and they were very understanding and I offered to pay for it but they assured me that it was ok. They are very kid tolerant and are lovely people, they have a bucket of giant lego-type things that they'll go get if I'm going to hang out. The owner even plays with DD when I'm doing something (like knitting, for example!) So, there is no dig in here at all, I wouldn't bite the hand that "feeds" me (lol). However, there is a difference between kid tolerant and kid friendly. Stitches in Time is kid friendly and I appreciate that quite a bit. There is a small area for children to play in that I could see from anywhere in the store. DD is old enough to sit engaged in something for at least 60-seconds and that was all I needed to monitor her while I ~~spent hoards of money on all the pretties~~ browsed. Yeah, I know I'm a breeder and I'm stinking up the planet and blahblahblah but as a breeding, planet-stinker-upper and a consumer it makes a difference on how long I stay and play. OK, backing away from the soap box...
And now it's time for a break down:

Below, are the yarns-for-making-presents :)

The Cha-cha and trendsetter will become a scarf for above mentioned mother-in-law (birthday) and the pale blue, white and green will be a shawlette. The Zaurball will become a scarf for the brother-in-law.
Now, this little sparkler will become either an Ishbel or another Damson. I couldn't help myself, it's blue and purle and sparkly--what more can I say?

This was a little lone skein that needed rescuing (see how that sounds better than, "I have a yarn problem?") so it'll become some felted things, coasters and cozys...

And this little lovely is a skein of Noro Silk Sock yarn in a color way that I'm clearly leaning into with all my might. Do I sense a trend? It'll probably sit quietly in the yarn closet (soon to be the yarn room) but I'm going to say that it will be a scarf!

And there you have it. And, now I'll leave you with a question. If it's vacation yarn and it doesn't count, how come it takes up so much room in my luggage?!?!?!?

Oh, damn...

2009-08-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

I forgot to blog. It's not my fault, I'm not having a crisis of mind, body or faith. I've just been out of town--a lot :)
I've knit a little on Aeolian, finished a pair of Monkeys that had suffered from SSS for almost a year, worked on a couple little things, but the one thing I'm most proud of is that I have finished my first "real" shawl...

The lovely yarn is from the Gradience Collection at The Unique Sheep in the Luxe base and Peacock colorway...

The pattern is by the lovely Janine LeCras and I was really excited to wear it to the opera...

My mom was wearing her newest masterpiece as well and we confided in one another one tiny disappointment. Neither of us was accosted for our shawls...I guess Santa Fe is just a tough crowd :)

I giggle every time I say Rigid Heddle...

2009-06-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

...it just sounds funny. However, it is very, very cool. I have always liked the look of looms, it's the potential it think. I love how, freshly warped, they're just ready to be anything.

I've never had a big loom before. Not that I need a floor loom, I just wanted something to make pillow covers, and scarves and maybe a ruana or two.

It took me forever to warp the thing because I read each section of the instructions 72 times to make sure I did it right. At one point, I was sure I'd done it backward but I think I got it right...

The power of Ravelry struck again, because I got to the part about inserting paper and freaked, "Paper?!?! Really?!?! What the...no one said anything about me needing frickin' PAPER."
I went searching and found that you can use the slats from mini blinds to roll the warp up in and it worked like a charm. I got to the part that said I should cut the looped end, separate the warp threads out and tie them off. I kinda didn't like that and had read about a gal who left them on the loop and cut them off a little bit at a time...I opted for that :)
Once warped, I was off and weaving, and in no time I should have a new cover for one of my older, more worn out pillows.

Stats:
Schacht Rigid Heddle Loom, 25"

Not Knitting!

2009-06-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

So, last weekend was Father's Day and since Daddy was at work, it was a low key kinda day. However, we wanted to do something to mark the day and after a spontaneous trip to Goodwill the perfect idea presented itself...See, DH has just begun a new hobby, ~~bow and arrowing~~, ~~bowing and arrowing~~, archery, and needed a place to hang his bow...

I know that doesn't look like much but like many things, it's the potential ya gotta see. I had plenty of help from HRC*...

and it was a fun thing to do together...

After all was said and done, we had a lovely blank slate...

Finally, we applied the crowning jewel...

He did truly love it and now it hangs with it's bow over the doorway!

*Her Royal Cheese-ness

Aeolian...

2009-06-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

So, you may recall that I was lucky enough to catch one of The Loopy Ewe's Wollmeise updates...

Well, I was absolutely determined to make something wonderful out of my haul. I picked my favorite, wound it up...

...and started searching for the perfect pattern...meet Aeolian.

She doesn't look like much now because that's how lace is. I'm almost done with the Yucca repeats and then it's on into the really long rows :)

Surgery

2009-05-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

OK, so I don't know if you could really see it in the last post but there are about two inches worth of extra fabric that I knitted into this BSJ. Maybe I was just watching TV, really hard, maybe it was the care and feeding of my family, maybe I need to lay off the soda for awhile, I don't know. I just made too many decreases and then compensated all the way back (funny, I never noticed the stitch count of by a frickin' MILE). Briefly, I toyed with the idea of starting over. I could put a picture of the jacket in the bag and jovially explain what happened and we could all share a good laugh about what sometimes goes into hand made items...or not. I wasn't going to a "Handmade Nation" baby shower. These were muggles and there was no way they were going to get my joke. It wasn't going to fly. My options were dwindling because the shower was the next day. Should I rush out and by store bought stuff? Raid HRC's room for something without stains or evidence of wear and tear? Nah, too much like work. And so, left with the knowledge that it would probably take less time to fix than redo, I prepped the little thing for it's big day. I eyeballed about where and using clippies, determined exactly where surgery should take place (I'm not a doctor but I play one on my blog). I picked up stitches all the way across using circular needles on each end of the offending fold. I counted stitches over, and over just to make sure and then--this is where the crazy started and my family started to give me a wide berth-- I cut. out. the. middle.

I had to knit a row on one end to even everything out and add a row back in. The 'wrong' side was more difficult because I was tinking backward (that is, I was unraveling from the cast on end, not at all like frogging from the cast off end) and the decreases didn't want to unravel. I ended up taking out three and adding back two rows for that side (that may have been where the crying started--trying to pick apart double decreases on the wrong end)

Finally, (after triple counting stitches and getting an extra beer) I got my Kirchner instructions and settled in for seaming it back together.

And, Viola! Surgery complete...

I should probably mention that during the seaming, while I'm trying to wrangle too much thread, (because if I ran out of thread before the end after all of this, most if not all of the 7 words you can't say on television were going to be used, copiously) I knocked my beer over. Yep, beer on a baby jacket...and me, the chair and the floor. I didn't even flinch, just kept on with the, "knit *off*, purl *on*; purl *off*, knit *on*" in stony silence. My DH admitted later that he took HRC with him into the other room as he feared for their safety :)

Um, wow.

2009-05-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

I've done this before...

I swear, I've actually done it several times...

I've even made big ones, medium sized ones, I just made one in February, in fact...

I knew something was wrong but I just didn't want to admit it. Figures the baby shower is tomorrow...

I guess since I have nothing to lose, I'll try some trickery and see if it works. I'll let you know how it goes!

Wavelength

2009-05-08T19:38:00.001-07:00

So, I was in New Mexico recently and had the chance to visit a very nice yarn shop, Miriam's Well. Not only was the shop stocked to the ceiling (literally) with great yarn, her yard was filled with art , plants, trees, flowers and veggies (she lives upstairs). The best part is that she was so sweet to HRC and let her play with her granddaughter's doll house. Of course, that meant that I was free to browse :) and naturally, I did. I found some lovely skeins of Noro Silk Garden Light in colors I liked and some buttons that were perfect for my Adult Surprise Jacket. At home that night, I went looking on Ravelry to see if there was a quick scarf I could do and Wavelength Scarf looked like it would be fun. I crochet, I always have. I love the texture and the quickness of it. But you're never too old to learn something and with this pattern I had never heard of a foundation row for crochet. The nice thing is that I tried it and it worked very well. Takes care of the wimpy chain cast-on row. So-bonus- I had already learned something and I just started :)

I finished most of it in one day and polished it off the next. I was a little weirded out because the I got so much more out of the second skein than I did the first?!? I wonder how much yarn the cast on row took but I got 14 rows out of the second and 10(!) out of the first.
Anyway, I love the scarf. I ran out of yarn having almost made it to the end of the last row (missed it by two 'holes') which is why I was checking to see how much yarn I had used. If I had to do it again I would cast on for more holes; I cast on for 210 stitches with an 'I' hook. It's almost as tall as I am (5'3") unblocked and I'm certain I could get plenty more out of it if I blocked it.
Loved the pattern, it was plenty easy to read :) and what a cool scarf!

Yarn Pr0n

2009-05-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I said I wasn't going to...

I have enough...

Then I accidentally caught a Wollmeise update from the Loopy Ewe...

I'm stunned at how deep and vibrant the colors are...
Am overjoyed at how soft and squishy they are...

In order of their appearance are three skeins of laceweight (1717 yards, 100% superwash wool); Der letzte Versuch (purple/violet), Single malt (tan/browns) and Dornroschen (fushcia/red). Next, four skeins of 100% Merino Superwash 574 yards; Fliederbusch (purple) and Wilder Mohn (red) followed by Gwitterhimmel (darker blue bits) and Vergibmeinnicht (blue-y teals)

OK, now I promise, no more; and this time I mean it!

Oh, I dunno...

2009-04-30T18:37:00.001-07:00

Not to disrespect my ancient cat, but I think this might be my new avatar...what do you think?

Necessity...

2009-04-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

meet the best friend's, brother's, cousin's, nephew of invention...

Sorry...

2009-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed by my sidebar...I've been...um...*plurking* please don't tell my mom!!! But if your curious, click the side bar and come on over! I'm Aesox over there too...
One of the nice things about it are the people there (I love my Plurk buddies :) and I've joined what I believe to be the first ever Plurk ALong! The lovely and creative ladies at The Unique Sheep have organized a fun little virtual gathering. We've taken our Todos Scarf Kits and are knitting along together on Plurk.
And now for some progress!

The colorway is Calypso and I asked for highly contrasting, instead of having each yarn variegated. They're very accommodating there...

Each member of the PAL rolls virtual dice to pick the color and whether or not we'll knit or purl. It's very fun and a little manic at times, but it's very well organized.
And this is a big part, all my lovely yarns were pre-wound into tiny little center pull balls that fit in the fabulous little zippered pouch that came with my yarn (six different kinds!!). Aren't they cute?!?!
Thanks you guys!~

Zanzibar

2009-04-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

I have to apologize, because I can't remember where I saw the linky for this (although if I blame Lime 'n' Violet's Daily Chum it'll probably be a wash because they've gotten me in trouble before).

This little beauty is called Zanzibar and I got it from Split Rock Ranch.

It was lovely to knit with for certain, I've never knit with a yak blend (that I know of :). I was delighted when the pattern I chose decided to pool exactly perfectly. Every row came out this way, throughout the entire scarf...
And I'd also like to note that this is Christmas present number one ta-DONE!!!

Specs:

ZANZIBAR - Handspun Singles Yarn - Merino, Angora, Yak and Glitz; 164 yards.

US 8, cast on 16 stitches, she's about 6" wide and about 5' long.
Pattern: Morning Surf Scarf, by Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer. Spin-off Summer 2008

Surprise!

2009-04-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

I hate seaming. In fact, if you recall in an earlier post--I have a complete sweater...

finished...it's done...finito....todo hecho...sitting in a pile, waiting for me to sew it up. It's been done for, I dunno, months? It's going to be a beautiful sweater someday *sigh*

So, this brings me to the surprise! I loved making the EZ baby surprise jacket and so cast my eye (and my needle) on making one for myself :)
I picked the cotton because I love Schaefer yarns and the color way is amazing... Plus, I live in PHOENIX where it's only actually really cold maybe 10 days out of the year. In cotton, I will actually be able to wear it! I'm going to do another one in the same yarn, in Billie Holiday (feint-it's all bluesy and purple-y) but maybe I'll make it longer. For this one I picked Catherine the Great and I cast on 204 with a K of 22.67. There are some spots that are tough, like the button band but that's with any sweater and it's worth it to avoid seaming. I didn't make button holes because I'm going to use a sweater chain with tie tacks. The final measurements are: shoulder seams to bottom hem, 24" and from armpit to armpit 20 3/4 " with an overlap at the front of about 1 1/2 inches. The sleeves are elbow length and I could have left them but decided that I wanted them down to the hand on this particular one. When I make the other one and I think I'll put some shaping in the back to keep the boxy-ness down. Although I have to say I don't feel like this one is really boxy...

Whaddaya think?

Yarn Pr0n

2009-03-29T18:05:00.000-07:00

Man I hope I don't get spammed...
Anyway, just thought I'd throw in a little eye candy for all you knitches out there :) I've been on a sparkle kick recently...

Stacy at Tempted Yarns does right by me and I love the feel of the yarn itself.

Her colorways are wonderful and I can't seem to help myself...These last two are becoming this...

I'm sort of making up the pattern, it's mitered squares that I'm going to decreasing rows until it's a triangular shawl, of sorts. I'll write it up if you want.
The reddish/brown/toffee colorway is called Persuasion, I got those skeins at The Loopy Ewe and the silver/gray colorway is called Moonlight I got those skeins directly from her Etsy site.
Go getcha some ;)

sigh

2009-03-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Door, meet Swift. Swift; Door.

Is there no end to what duct tape can do?!?

U.F.O. K.O.

2009-03-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Hardeeharhar! Yeah, I know, I only think I'm funny. So, recently I was forced to take a look at some of the projects I have stashed around the house. Maybe it's because it's Spring here (actually Phoenix has five seasons; Spring, Foresummer, Monsoon, Fall and then about 10 days where it's winter... really) I know that my biggest problem is start-itis and I have no fewer that 4 pairs of socks that are almost (that makes for about 4 started but not finished second socks, and I don't even want to talk about Rockin' Sock Club) Two are STR, one Noro and one Kroy; they're hanging around just begging me to knit on them. But, if you think I'm ripping them out yer nutz, it's a UFOKO not a freak juice party. I have a complete sweater that I LOVE but is still in pieces because I refuse to seam it. I used to have two but I decided to let it riiiiiiip on one...

It was seed stitch, I didn't have enough of the dye lot so I was trying to incorporate another yarn but didn't calculate the gauge correctly...yadayadayada. I started a blanket out of Icelandic Yarn from Blue Moon but had to frog that because it looked too much like camo and I didn't want to do that to Tina. RRrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiip. Started to make a Reclamation Scarf but I picked a yarn that was a verigated pink and, get this....the scarf was PINK and I own nothing pink so I had to be realistic...Rippity-rippity-rrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiip
I have actually finished some things...the aformentioned sweater (I'll show you later when it's had it's proper modeling) and this little cutie...

It was a birthday present for one of my daughters friends. Then there was this...

It's called a Todos Scarf, put together by the lovely ladies at the Unique Sheep *lurv*
So there you have it, Spring Cleaning done...
Of course, with that clean slate just a dangling, I was over come and cast on for the Adult Surprise Jacket out of Schaefer yarn's Sandra in Cathrine the Great *sigh* mayhaps there is no help for me.

Themes...

2009-02-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

OK, um, yeah. I hate Valentines Day. I think that it's a made up holiday birthed by an industry that only hopes to perpetuate itself--and not to encourage love as it professes with all it's hearty heart-ness, that it encourages the purchase of even more extraneous garbage, and is arcane in it's efforts to perpetuate the myth of monogamy. Never mind the fact that I've never enjoyed being excluded from things and all I can remember about the holiday is standing outside of it looking in, bewildered. That having been said, I'm a sucker for a theme...and it appears that I may have subliminally succumbed to some things, unwittingly and certainly while disdaining both garbage and monogamy :)
This kit here is the newest installment of the Rubber Ducky Club. It's a 2oz of Pima cotton dyed by the lovely ladies at The Unique Sheep
The soap is hand-made and has that homemade soapy smell and texture that reminds me of my childhood. The cutie little ducky stitch marker is wonderful too. There's a group on Ravelry for support and pattern ideas (you provide your own pattern). I haven't decided what to make it into yet but this is what I did with the last one...
This...

Became these...

This next bit of loveliness is from The Loopy Ewe and was their Valentines offering (shush now, I bought it for myself because I like yarn and I'm supporting cottage industry and after recycling and re-purposing every bit of packaging, it was a zero garbage affair :)

Sigh, this last bit however, I blame on Vickie Howell...

So sue me...

Oh Hai...

2009-01-12T17:01:00.001-08:00

Ain't she just a peach!?!?!?! It's a kit I bought from Amy Gaines at Etsy and it was easy and you really do get everything you need in her kits :) I'm absolutely certain that I'll be shopping there again!

I also have been working on socks dubbed Lucky Leyburns (Ravelry link). You may remember the yarn of months past which had since been called, "the yarn that wouldn't be knit" since I had to frog the first sock like 4 times before I got it right :) But, finally, it is knit:

I cast on 56, did a little bit of an increase as a "gusset" (to 60) and a short row garter stitch heel (with no wraps picked up). I knit the leg for about 5 inches (leaving the stitch count at 60) and finished off with a knit 2 purl 2 cuff, casting off in pattern using a size 10US needle. They were a fun knit and I immediately wore them to work :)

So, usually I'm attacked by startitis, second sock syndrome and purpose-free stash enhancement. Recently however, I'm on a weird new kick--finishing things?! I'll show you more soon..

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T19:22:00.000-08:00

Twas The Night Before Christmas (Yarn Style)

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all around me

There was unfinished knitting/crocheting not under the tree,

The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney with care

‘Cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

But I had not finished the caps for their heads.

Dad was asleep—he was no help at all.

And the sweater for him was 6″ too small.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I put down my needle/hook to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash.

Tripped over my yarn and fell down in my stash.
The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow

Reminded me how far I still had to go.

When out on the lawn I heard such a noise,

I was sure it would wake up both Dad and the boys.
And although I was tired–my brain a bit thick,

I knew in a moment that it must be St Nick.

Yet what I heard left me very perplex-ed

For nothing I heard was what I expect-ed.

“Move Malabrigo! Move Cascade! Move Universal and Clover!

Move Schaefer! Move Plymouth! Move Farmhouse! Move over!

Autunno, don’t circle around, just stand there in line.

Pay attention you sheep and you’ll work out just fine!
I know this is hard as it’s just your first year

But I’d hate to go back to 8 tiny reindeer.”

I peered over the sill. What I saw was amazing:

Eight wooly sheep on my lawn all a-grazing!
And then in a twinkle, I heard at the door

Santa’s big boots stomping on the porch floor.

I rose from my knees and got back on my feet.

As I turned around, St Nick I did meet.
He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe

And his clothes were hand knitted/crochet from above to below.

A bright Fair Isle sweater he wore on his back.

And his toys were all stuffed in an Aran crochet sack.
His hat was a wonder of bobbles and lace

A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.

The scarf on his neck could have stretched for a mile,

And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.
On the back of his mitts was an intricate cable.

And suddenly on one I spotted a small label:

“S.C.” in duplicate on the cuff.

So I asked, “Hey, Nick, did YOU knit and crochet all this stuff?”
He proudly replied, “Ho, ho, ho, yes I did.

I learned how to knit and crochet when I was just a kid.”

He was chubby and plump, a well dressed old man,

And I laughed to myself, for I’d thought up a plan.
I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,

And the next thing he knew, he was tied to a chair.

He spoke not a word, but looked down in his lap

Where I had laid my needles and hooks and yarn for a cap.
He began then to knit/crochet, first one cap then 2–

For the first time I thought I might really get through.

He put heels in the stockings and toes in some socks,

While I sat back drinking a scotch on the rocks.
Quickly like magic his needles/hooks they flew,

Good Grief! He was finished by two!

He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,

And over his shoulder he looked back at me.

I heard him explain as he sailed past the moon,

“Next year, start your projects sometimes around JUNE!”

~ Author Unknown ~

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Lifted From: TEMPE YARN & FIBER

just keep spinning, spinning, spinning....

2008-12-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

I was going to title this entry as, "I'm pretty sure I suck at this..." but one dost offend with such words (only if they're in the title, not in the body :) I joined a Mystery Spin along and have loved every minute of it!! The lovely people at my LYS, Tempe Yarn and Fiber, concocted this whole scheme and I must say that it seems like they've put a lot of time and attention into this. First you get this big bag of stuff...

Then you get these clues...
But first I had to get some hand carders.

I've intentionally avoided instruction in this fine art because I want to do it myself, but I may have to reconsider because I kinda suck.
I'm not sure that instruction would help much but I'm having a ball...

I take a little bit of the roving and try to card it, but it looks weird with little fluffy bits in the batt. I end up with small flats that I turn into what I affectionately refer to as woolly rats...

Well, they are kinda cute :)
So, the clues are really fun. Each one is a 'recipe' for spinning and --wait for it-- there's an actual recipe to go with it!!! *LOVE*
Salmon dish with capers...

And then spun...

I can't wait to finish, I think I'll knit a scrap wrap or a wavy scarf...wheeeeee!!

Just Ducky :)

2008-12-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

So, since I'm not a joiner I just joined another club...but I gotta say, I'm thrilled!!!!

It's The Unique Sheep's Ducky Club....
You get a great selection. One cutey tote, handmade soap, a ducky and a skein of cotton (this one is Pima Petite). It's about 150 yards and 2 ounces that is buttery softness...

It doesn't come with a pattern and so you get to create your own. The drape was a pleasant surprise, it practically floats...

I just did a stockinette stitch with garter stitch boarder so that the colors could show through...
I'm also working on a "soap sack", which is essentially a square toe sock that I'll run a drawstring through...
Did I mention the soap? It's hand made and it smells amazing (which in this case is a deep and welcoming spruce-y smell).

So now I'm all set for my next bath :)