Yarn Along

Joining up with Ginny for the Yarn Along.

I was working on my Arsenic and Old Lace shawl. And then the kids decided that jumping all over the couch was a good idea. I came back to my knitting to find the tip of my needle four inches away from the rest of it. Oy. So I've ordered new needles from Knit Picks and now just have to wait 5-14 calender days for them to arrive. Blergh.

To fill my time I've been working on these:

This was made for my Imp (in memory of our cat that recently died). I used Linda's great cat pattern and plan to make several more for the boys.

I wish you could see this yarn up close. It is simply amazing. I am blown away. It's soft to the touch and has amazing depth of color. And the best part? It was totally made by me. Yes! I'm actually proud of myself for once. I'm not sure how this hat will turn out. I didn't do the best math in converting gauge. But it will be made out of glorious yarn, so I'm sure it will all be okay.

As for reading, I'm still reading on my Kobo. I think I'm on the seventh Harry Dresden book by Jim Butcher. They're fun to reread, even though I should be reading a book I was sent by Simon and Schuster UK to review before it is published in March of next year.

Weekend and a giveaway!

This was my weekend.

The dirty (more than I originally suspected) fleece I bought last weekend. And it's on the "skirting table" I built out of pvc pipes and fishing line. Though this was before I drilled the 156 holes into the pipes and wove the line into mesh.

The washed, but not quite clean, fleece.

Yarn I spun for myself (this is a first) with a definite project in mind. I dyed this with a combination of Greener Shades dyes to get a color similar to one I saw in Shalimar and Madelinetosh yarns. Once it dries I'll knit this hat for myself.

In this picture you can see the mesh I wove from fishing line to make the top of the table. It took two days and more patience than I generally have. Ugh. All because I felt that driving to the store to buy something suitable would be too much work. Yep. That's laziness for you.

I knit this sheep from wool I bought at the yarn yard sale last weekend (two balls of Lamb's Pride for $1!) and used Linda's sheep pattern. It was so quick. I had it done within two hours. I'm going to try making a teeny one out of crochet thread (yes, I'm insane). They are for a yarn bombing installation that my favorite yarn store is hosting in December.

And finally! Head over to This Enchanted Pixie for a chance to win some of my handspun yarn.

Busy busy.

I failed to take a picture of all the gnomes lined up on the table to show how busy I've been. But I have just listed four sets of weather gnomes in my etsy shop.

Also, there is a giveaway over at Lori's amazing blog. You can enter to win some of my handspun merino yarn!

Outside

This is what our days look like a lot this week. These particular pictures were taken by B (he's an amazing photographer) while the Elf and I were running errands (including buying pvc pieces to make a skirting table).

Weekending - part two

Sunday we went to two farms - food not animal. The kids had a different kind of fun. We were all pretty worn out, though. I bought some rosemary infused honey from the first farm and wildflower honey from the second.


First we went to Turkey Hill Farm. The Elf amazed me by getting close to the beekeeper when she had the honey bees out (he's been terrified of bees for years). We saw surly geese - the boys were not amused.

After a stop for lunch we went to Orchard Pond Organics. The boys ran like crazy and B marveled at the okra plants (poor Northern boy that he is).

Every day since had felt like a Sunday. B is home for the week and it's flashing by so much quicker than I'd like. I haven't been spending much time at the computer, hence my lateness in posting. I missed Nicole's crafting on post and I'm not likely to get my act together before the end of the night for Ginny's yarn along. Ah well. Tomorrow I hope to share some more pictures of our week - the boys playing and the crafting that has kept me from the computer.

Weekending - part one

This has been the busiest weekend in a long time. Wow. But this post will only be about Saturday. B was in charge of the camera all weekend and there are just so very many pictures to choose from.

Saturday morning was the "yard sale" at my favorite local yarn store. I scored enough wool for a sweater for the littles, some pretty wool for longies for the shop, and some miscellaneous stuff that was too well priced to pass up.

After that we headed to Golden Acres ranch for the first day of the annual New Leaf Market Farm Tour. Oh man, it was so much fun.

We saw chickens, goats, sheep, guineas, and lots and lots of people. I met an amazing woman who spins and knits. Bought a fleece from her (the highlight of my day) and have plans to buy some more. The kids ran free and were comfortable around all of the animals (though the Beast was very startled by the rooster crowing).

And now I give you picture overload.

Later I'll post about Sunday and then another with all the goodies we brought home!

The weekend.

Wow. This weekend was very full. It helps that it started Friday afternoon. B came home sick, slept for an hour or two, and felt better. I went to Friday night knitting at my very favorite yarn shop and worked on my Arsenic and Old Lace shawl. Saturday was my oldest niece's 15th birthday party. More knitting ensued. That afternoon and Sunday were filled with wool, crafting, and video games. Mmmm. And iced coffee.

Gnomes!

This is the corespun yarn I was working on.. well.. a while ago. I finished all of it up on Sunday. It's been washed and is drying now.

A shipment of 175 "naked gnomes" arrived on Friday.

Finally washed, measured, and photographed my "luxury" Sticky Jam Hands yarn. It's spun from equal thirds of merino, bamboo, and tussah silk. I wish you could stick your hands through the screen and feel this yarn. It is divine (and listed in my Etsy shop)!

It's about time.

I started a cardigan for a lovely friend quite a while ago. It's been done for nearly a week. Sleeves kill me. Let me say this first. I dread getting two things to match (it's not that I'm bad at it, there's just so much potential to screw it up). But I finished the sleeves. And they're identical (well, as identical as you can get with handmade). So what took me a week to do? Weave in the ends? Nope. Got that done immediately.

It was the buttons.

Let me explain. These are gorgeous buttons (from Wooly Moss Roots). Despite the fact that they are amazing.. buttons scare me. I have to line things up. They have to fit. They have to work.

Earlier this year (or was it last year? I honestly can't remember.) I made this same cardigan for myself. It was knit from organic cotton and has long sleeves. Aside from having the appearance of chainmail on me, I adore it. Alas, it has no buttons. Nor button loops (I use a hair stick or knitting needle to hold mine closed - sad, I know). Why? Buttons. Scare. Me.

So it was a big step for me to add buttons and loops to a cardigan that is meant for someone else - someone that I admire. Yeah. A scary step. Armed with coffee, chattering toddlers (and spiderman cartoons - but we'll try our hardest to ignore that), and a wish for luck, I added buttons and loops this morning.

(Ravelry notes here)

Now the big worry is whether or not it will fit correctly!

On a lighter note, I finished another of Linda's patterns.

(Ravelry notes here)

This wee dolphin was knit using a teeny partial ball of yarn from that evil cube I had made for B. Another scrap down! Only after all of this knitting, my hands are killing me! I'm hoping the Imp will go easy on me. Every day he picks an animal pattern and asks me to make it. Within five minutes he wants to know if it's done yet. Yes. This is my life.

Also. If I owe you an email, a comment, a reply of some variety.. I am not avoiding you. My internet connection has been craptacular. On top of that.. well.. my task master really wants these animals!

Yarn Along

Joining with Ginny for the Yarn Along.

Knitting a blanket out of yummy merino. This kit was a gift from a dear friend and I can't even say how grateful I am for it.

Still plugging away at my Arsenic and Old Lace shawl.

My oldest niece had a birthday the other day. She's fifteen and obsessed with Dr Who. When she mentioned that she'd like a fallen angel I couldn't resist.

I'm reading Harry Dresden books on my Kobo. Still. I just finished Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (I think that's her name) and ought to be starting my other library book. I'm in a bit of a funk, though. The changeable weather has me at loss. Cool enough to have the windows open one moment and sweltering the next. Bah.

Weekend.

I've been finding and using up partial balls of yarn for critters. We're all so in love with Linda's patterns.

This alpaca was made with leftover boucle I'd used for doll hair.

His tuft of hair didn't last long. The Imp brought it to me with a sad, sad face. I had needle felted it on, this time I'll find some bits of yarn from my scrap/stuffing bag to use.

This armadillo was made from bulky wool/silk yarn that I had also used for doll hair (see a trend here?).

It feel great to use my yarn leftovers (that aren't entirely suitable for scrappy longies) for things that make my kids so happy. Of course, part of that great feeling is knowing that I'm not wasting anything. The scraps that are too small to realistically use become stuffing. It would appear that locals know me as a repository for random bits of yarn. I'm often sent home with small bags of assorted scraps.

The Imp is deeply in love with this critter. He hasn't let it out of his sight all day.

Crazy crafting

This is what I've been doing instead of posting. Instead of cleaning (though I have done six loads of laundry in the last three days). Instead of thinking. Well, this and reading.

This mess of fiber has since become yarn. I just haven't photographed it yet. We've had rain for three days and I detest not using natural light. Anyway. I corespun with this. And it looks much better than my first attempt (which I now recall that I never took pictures of either).

This wee wolf (which I can't shape to save my life) was made from Linda's white wolf pattern. My husband's coworker wanted to show his wife and mother the sorts of toys that could be made from knitting. Apparently people at his office were suitably impressed (with the rainbow horse I made a while ago from her pattern as well). I embroidered the eyes and nose rather than needle felting them. It's not perfect, but the Imp loves him.

Yarn Along.

Joining up with Ginny for the Yarn Along.

Reading Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness. Knitting a wolf for one of B's coworkers. I'm also still working on the second sleeve of the purple cardigan and my Arsenic and Old Lace shawl (which is beyond fun). Next up is a blanket made from the most scruptious merino that a lovely, lovely friend sent to me.

The other day I gave colorwork a try for the first time.

Holding the yarn so that the floats weave is tricky for me. I'll have to try it again some time.
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I'm also spinning a lot. See. I'm drowning myself in crafts. Tuesday morning we found that one of our cats had died. It wasn't entirely unexpected, but that doesn't make it any easier. I am thirty-one years old and this was my first non-fish pet death. While it doesn't quite compare to losing my mother when I was twelve, there is a cat-shaped hole in my heart.

Birthday recap

Thursday was the Imp's fourth birthday. I'm pretty sure he loved every minute of it. Just look at this face.

I bought a superhero mask and wristlets from Her Flying Horses and made him a spider shirt to match. He wore it nonstop for three days - only taking them off to sleep (and wash his hands or eat messy food).

I treated myself to a massage the evening of his birthday. I was expecting relaxation and bliss. I got bruises and pain. But it was necessary, I guess. Apparently I waited too long to make my appointment. My muscles are tight beyond imagining and massively inflamed. After the surface pain receded, my actual muscles feel a bit better.

Saturday we went to my father's house for the Imp to get his presents from them. He, again, had a great time. He is the proud new owner of a handmade hooded cape, a handmade grocery bag filled with fruit and veggies (using the pattern in Living Crafts), and super hero goodies galore.