The rest of the stories

Aside from my tale of woe (deserving its own post), last week was an exciting craft week...

The friday before (Feb 2) I washed a bunch of wool and taught part of a home-schooling family about wool - cleaning, carding, spinning, dyeing.


I then started the blanket for the baby shower. Along with that yarn I had picked up some for a future baby blanket, and four skeins of this:

just because it was cheap and pretty :)

Then on monday I got an exciting box in the mail...

That's almost all my spinning, the gray/brown was attached with a tiny bit of spinning when it arrived, but that was so much fun. The only other drop spindle I have is a big bottom whirl, so a top whirl, lace weight spindle was a blast to work with.

I then spent some time finishing up the spinning and plying this:


and then my sweet sweet husband knew that I was looking into getting my own hand cards (I was currently borrowing my mom's, and my sister who lives at home and helps us out all the time was hoping to get a turn on those ones). He stopped at a LYS on his way home from work and brought me a present

happy early valentines day to me! (which is only fitting, as he got his valentines day present early also)

I then spent the rest of the week spinning and working on the baby blanket and bear.

After spinning so nicely on that new spindle, I looked at the spinning wheel I am using (also my mom's), and knew there was something wrong with that, so I ordered an ashford maintenance kit. Of course, I couldn't order just that, so I got 4 oz of camel at the same time (saves on shipping, right?). That arrived on Saturday, so Sunday afternoon my sweet sweet husband took that little kit and fixed up the spinning wheel, tightening everything up and replacing a number of things... it now works so nicely! Pictures of that next time perhaps.

I also have my spin to knit swap ready to go... just need to pack and ship it. Pictures of everything I sent out sometime in the next week or two perhaps, or maybe just a link to her blog, if she pics and posts it nicely :)

A tale of woe

More than a year ago, probably more than a year and a half ago, I got this pattern (the green one)... I worked on it for a while, I stopped for a while. I picked it up again and couldn't figure out where I was, so I frogged it and started over. I went further than I had before, I did a Christmas present scarf (Christmas 2005 of course) out of worsted weight yarn with one of the other patterns (the white one). Then, since it was put away and there was another baby explosion (lots of blankets and bears to make) it had a home in my "port-a-pocket" deep in my basket. I would think about it every once in a while, and then I would finish and start other projects. I even took it out a couple times, put it in the queue, and then something else would get priority, and it would be buried again.

With the beginning of the new year I figured I should take it out and FINISH it. Just do it, since it is my only knitting UFO that keeps hanging around. So I took it out, and I set aside other things that I wanted to get done because, after all, I do love the feel of this scarf, and I do want it finished.
...and the yarn kept breaking.

This is knit picks Alpaca cloud that was recommended, even in the moss color because I loved the way that color looked...
...and the yarn kept breaking.
Finally, I gave up. I was not looking forward to weaving all of these ends in, and I knew if this kept up I wouldn't finish - forget the fact that I was worried this damaged section would just spontaneously fall apart after I was done with the scarf. So I keep digging into the ball and I finally found the end of that section. I then used my ball winder to wind up all the good yarn. I saved aside the other yarn, if I decide it is needed for the scarf maybe I'll re-spin it or something...
I think I figured out what it was. It was stored in my "port-a-pocket" which is not the softed of materials. I think it was just rubbed raw, as this yarn is a very thin delicate two-ply, and once I got past all the yarn that was on the outer most layer of the ball (rubbing against the canvas bag), it was fine again. I am now storing it in a ziplock to protect against rubbing.
This was a week or two ago. It's taken me this long to feel ok about it, and I spent part of my morning weaving in all those ends (and saving one spot that did start to un-ravel). Just as I finished, I did a couple more rows and it broke again. I have now even made sure those ends were woven in. I'm beginning to believe that this scarf just should not be. ...but I will keep going for a bit longer and keep my eyes open for any other signs of trouble. Right now it is going well (many more rows later) and the whole scarf seems safe and somewhat sturdy.

Finished - with time to spare!

front and back


well, at least I have a couple of hours to spare!




Either people are starting to slow down, or they are just really good at hiding pregnancies - I know of only two people right now that expecting - and they are may and july, so I got some time before I have to get started on that stuff. :) I just need to finish two more bears (blankets already done for those gifts) and then make sure all gifts and charity knitting are ready to travel!

secret pal 10 answers

I figured I should get these answered and posted at some point sooner rather than later to make sure I don't forget. These are the questions for the secret pal 10 swap... This is only the second swap I'm being a part of, but the first one has been fun.


1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I like most yarns - I've done lace weight, I've done super bulky - it really depends on what I am using it for... I'm not really into *art* yarns that have things spun into them, but I've worked with a lot of different fibers and haven't disliked any of them!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Plastic zip-locks in a drawer and the ones I'm using are in my wicker basket. It works for me right now because I've labeled all the bags with both US and metric measurements

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I'd consider myself advanced, I've done almost every technique I've heard of, and there are a couple left I'm about to try :) and I feel pretty free making my own patterns (although not my own lace patterns yet) I've been knitting since I was umm.. early teenager. My mom taught me to knit (along with many other skills) I made a sweater and an afghan and then put it on hold for a while, coming back to it as my then boyfriend (future husband) thought it might be fun to learn.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yes, I have an amazon wish list, I'll have to check on that and make sure it's current...

5. What's your favorite scent?

Umm... clean light scents? I like fruit/flowers, but nothing too heavy.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I love chocolate! most any kinds of it in almost any candy... Nothing coffee or liquor flavored, and no teas.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I spin, knit, crochet, net, dye (with food dyes), sew somewhat, and a tiny bit of scrapbook and stamping.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I am very technology-friendly. Music... umm... pop/rock... some instrumental/inspirational

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I like natural colors.. a lot of my clothes and such are blues and greens. I don't have any problem with any colors, depends on the blend of colors involved.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I have a husband and two girls who aren't in school yet. We have fish as I am allergic to dogs and cats. My girls love to help out whenever I let them with my crafty hobbies.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I wear scarves, hats... well, it has to be cold enough for me to deal with my hair and a hat, but I do wear them - ponchos... I have made them for my girls, but never for myself, I do have a couple of shawls that I wear, haven't thought about a poncho for me.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I knit a lot of baby stuff, as I know a lot of people who have growing families. So I like to try out new patterns and styles on different baby blankets (and little bear sweaters that go on my debbie bliss bear). My favorite things to knit are just anything new...

13. What are you knitting right now?

Another baby blanket (just finished the matching bear), and a lace scarf, and I'm about to start a (felted?) bag - of my own pattern - so it isn't started yet... and a couple of fun fur hats for boston. I also just got a new spindle - lace weight, so I'm enjoying playing with that whenever I can.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Circular or double pointed - I try to give away any straights I find in my drawer, don't really care what they are made of as long as they are sharp and the circulars are flexible.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I do own a table top swift that I love, and a ball winder that my girls insist they get to use every time it's out.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Umm, my oldest UFO is a quilt top from high school - I think I even know where it is... My oldest knitting UFO is the lace scarf from umm, about a year and a half ago? I am in the process of resurrecting it in between projects and trying to finish it.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect?

something that isn't craft related? not really... I read and work with my girls and cook and craft and clean. I'm home during the day with them. Don't really collect things though.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I have an interweave knits subscription and I also pick up spin off when I see it. I just got back into spinning recently, and I'm loving trying out new spindles and new fibers, I have tiny amounts of angora and alpaca and camel and such... I've worked with bamboo in the past and different kinds of wool. Nothing I'm really dying to get, although I would love to try to spin some silk or something else I haven't tried...

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I want to do a little brioche, there's a neat sock pattern in the newest interweave knits that has a brioche ribbing - will probably be my next sock project. shrug.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I am a sock knitter, but not much of one as I don't know my foot measurements right off.. 8 1/4 around and about 9 inches long - I love to do either a figure-8 or short row toe and then short row (auto) heel.

23. When is your birthday?

April 8, I'll be turning 26

No-picture realization

Hey, I finally realized why I don't have a more regular posting schedule - I like to post with pictures of things, as that's what I like to look at on blogs, and I don't like to sit down at the computer and process pictures and write blog entries when the desk is a mess. The rest of the house can be clean, but the desk is usually the last thing I clean. When it is clean then I love to sit down and do creative things on the computer - when it isn't clean then I feel guilty sitting at it and don't feel creative at all....

In my next post I'll have to show what I got in the mail yesterday - very exciting order from ebay... and then I ordered another box today!

previous project list:
finish spinning yarn for yarn swap (pictures sometime in February) - DONE, just need to take pictures and mail off
work on that lace scarf - I did actually work on it - long story for another blog entry, still in progress
maybe some more fuzzy hats if I find more fur yarn - some done
2 more baby blankets and 4 more bears - in progress
my felted rabbit - still planned, not started
Spin up that dyed yarn to use with my yarn swap yarn - dyed and spun, thicker than i wanted, still planning to use it though
4 more skirts - still sitting there, got one cut out!
and some handkerchiefs - not started

Current Projects:
fuzzy hats - one left, already started
4 bears, 2 blankets - one of each is in progress
lace scarf
felted rabbit
use spun yarn
skirts
handkerchiefs