I’m having a crisis. In terms of crises on a worldwide level, it’s a minor blip on the radar of the cosmos. In fact, it probably doesn’t register anywhere…It’s annoying to me, nevertheless.
I seem to have entirely too many things that are not finished. I have a crocheted granny afghan and pillow set that’s not done yet. Why? I’m putting off having to sew the pieces for the pillows together. One pillow is a bolster pillow, and I’ve never attempted to make something like this before. It’s a round, sausage-like configuration where the pieces may or may not join together correctly, reaching all the way around the pillow. I haven’t even finished the round end pieces yet (Okay, I haven’t even BEGUN them yet).
I also have a repair job that I’m supposed to be doing for a coworker. All she needs is for me to sew a pair of elbow pads onto her favorite sweater and firm up the armpits. She even provided me with the yarn. Have I done this yet? Noooooo…my coworker has kindly said she doesn’t need this done until next autumn, which makes it even worse, as I have even MORE of a reason to procrastinate.
If you’ve read enough of my blog, you’ll see that the common denominator here is…sewing. As much as I’d love to wave a magic wand and have everything I need sewn together DONE…such is not meant to be. I know I need to just bite the bullet. If nothing else, all the items I’m putting off are taking up entirely too much space in the bedroom, making it all but impossible to fit in MORE YARN.
A person has to have priorities…
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, July 2, 2012
Sweet Tomato Heel Socks Finally Done!
I'm happy to report that my Sweet Tomato Heel Socks from my class are done! This is Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Heel technique. I liked the technique so much that I decided to start another plain pair using the same heel. What I really like about Cat's heel is that there's no picking up stitches and endlessly decreasing to get back to your original sock width. When you're done, you're done! Also, the heel can be worked on either toe-up or toe-down socks.
Ravelry link
Friday, June 22, 2012
New Class Schedule for Creative Fibers in Windsor, CT!!!
For those of you knitters and crocheters in CT, Creative Fibers just put out their Summer Newsletter and Class Schedule!
In particular, they have a Tunisian class this time around, and they are going to make baby blanket squares! I'm tempted to try that one, as I haven't really done much with Tunisian Crochet at all.
Just go to their site and click on "Newsletter" and "Class Schedule."
http://www.creativefibersonline.com/
In particular, they have a Tunisian class this time around, and they are going to make baby blanket squares! I'm tempted to try that one, as I haven't really done much with Tunisian Crochet at all.
Just go to their site and click on "Newsletter" and "Class Schedule."
http://www.creativefibersonline.com/
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Mad Sock Mania!
I seem to have been bitten with a mad, mad, MAD urge…to knit socks. I don’t even particularly need to knit socks that are patterned—I seem to be content just knitting plain old stockinette socks with a 1x1 ribbing at the top for grip, and perhaps another session with the Sweet Tomato Heel. I do confess I loved the fact that once I was done with the Sweet Tomato Heel, that was it—I was DONE. No picking up stitches and endlessly decreasing to get back to the original width of the sock.
I think my sock mania is related to the fact that I just LOVE the actual sock yarn itself. I love the colors—it is the only yarn where I don’t necessarily go for a particular brand…I tend to be drawn by the colorway. In fact, sometimes I can’t even remember the brand because I’ve tossed the ball band way inside the project bag, in my haste to cast on. I also love the fact that you can splurge on a $20 skein of sock yarn and that’s enough for an entire project, versus spending $150+ on wool for a sweater project. I usually can’t wear wool right next to my skin, but I don’t seem to have that issue with sock yarn. I’m not sure if it’s due to the nylon in the yarn or the fact that perhaps sock yarn is just made out of softer, less scratchy wool.
It may be the time of year, but I love the fact that socks are a small project that’s not sitting in your lap on a very hot day, making you swelter.
Also, socks are the best KIP (knit in public) project ever!
I think my sock mania is related to the fact that I just LOVE the actual sock yarn itself. I love the colors—it is the only yarn where I don’t necessarily go for a particular brand…I tend to be drawn by the colorway. In fact, sometimes I can’t even remember the brand because I’ve tossed the ball band way inside the project bag, in my haste to cast on. I also love the fact that you can splurge on a $20 skein of sock yarn and that’s enough for an entire project, versus spending $150+ on wool for a sweater project. I usually can’t wear wool right next to my skin, but I don’t seem to have that issue with sock yarn. I’m not sure if it’s due to the nylon in the yarn or the fact that perhaps sock yarn is just made out of softer, less scratchy wool.
It may be the time of year, but I love the fact that socks are a small project that’s not sitting in your lap on a very hot day, making you swelter.
Also, socks are the best KIP (knit in public) project ever!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Baby's First Jacket - Done!
This is a baby sweater I made for a coworker's new baby. It's a pattern by Julie Cashin (Buttonjar Knits).
The details are out on my Ravelry page:
http://ravel.me/PBELKNAP/bfj
It was a fun knit and the recipient was as pleased as punch over it!
The details are out on my Ravelry page:
http://ravel.me/PBELKNAP/bfj
It was a fun knit and the recipient was as pleased as punch over it!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Knitting is useful for…
In addition to being relaxing, therapeutic—and just plain fun—I find that there are ENDLESS uses for yarn craft…and I don’t mean the final product.
1) You have something to do, look down at, and escape into when a scary, gory, or just plain gross scene appears in a movie or TV show. This happens to me all the time with “CSI” and “Bones.”
2) Ditto for those times you are crafting in at a public meeting that is getting entirely too controversial and heated.
3) You know that book by Susan Cain entitled Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking? Yeah, that’s me. I find knitting in public is a great ice-breaker when I have no idea what to say to people in any new situation. It is amazing how many knitters and crocheters I’ve met at the doctor’s office.
4) In this same vein, if you want to be highly entertained by some of the craziest comments people can make about our craft, KIP can’t be beat. For some reason, around here, the allergist’s office is the place to be to experience truly deranged assumptions about knitting (like the lady who insisted I was “doing it wrong” when she saw me knitting a sleeve in the round versus flat). I personally think it’s because my allergist keeps people waiting entirely too long; and people just start going loopy after a while, especially if little Jimmy is attempting to take out a pamphlet display with his toy airplane.
5) Knitting or crocheting a complicated pattern is the best way I know to alleviate boredom. Also, the boost in your self-esteem can’t be beat, once you master it.
6) I hate to say it, but our craft is a very quick way to ascertain who is and isn’t supportive of you. I mean, really, it’s not like you’ve taken up something dangerous, sinful, or evil…you’re just knitting a sock, for heaven’s sake (I think people get frightened by the DPNs).
7) Going to Stitch ‘n’ B**** groups is a great way to meet new people, whom you may not have met any other way. As many have figured out from my Twitter posts, I’m decidedly left-wing. However, my perspective has broadened greatly from meeting many different people with different viewpoints…we all seem to be capable of listening to each other’s opinions, and we all happily bond over our communal love of yarn.
Now if the rest of the world could just work together in the same way…
1) You have something to do, look down at, and escape into when a scary, gory, or just plain gross scene appears in a movie or TV show. This happens to me all the time with “CSI” and “Bones.”
2) Ditto for those times you are crafting in at a public meeting that is getting entirely too controversial and heated.
3) You know that book by Susan Cain entitled Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking? Yeah, that’s me. I find knitting in public is a great ice-breaker when I have no idea what to say to people in any new situation. It is amazing how many knitters and crocheters I’ve met at the doctor’s office.
4) In this same vein, if you want to be highly entertained by some of the craziest comments people can make about our craft, KIP can’t be beat. For some reason, around here, the allergist’s office is the place to be to experience truly deranged assumptions about knitting (like the lady who insisted I was “doing it wrong” when she saw me knitting a sleeve in the round versus flat). I personally think it’s because my allergist keeps people waiting entirely too long; and people just start going loopy after a while, especially if little Jimmy is attempting to take out a pamphlet display with his toy airplane.
5) Knitting or crocheting a complicated pattern is the best way I know to alleviate boredom. Also, the boost in your self-esteem can’t be beat, once you master it.
6) I hate to say it, but our craft is a very quick way to ascertain who is and isn’t supportive of you. I mean, really, it’s not like you’ve taken up something dangerous, sinful, or evil…you’re just knitting a sock, for heaven’s sake (I think people get frightened by the DPNs).
7) Going to Stitch ‘n’ B**** groups is a great way to meet new people, whom you may not have met any other way. As many have figured out from my Twitter posts, I’m decidedly left-wing. However, my perspective has broadened greatly from meeting many different people with different viewpoints…we all seem to be capable of listening to each other’s opinions, and we all happily bond over our communal love of yarn.
Now if the rest of the world could just work together in the same way…
Saturday, May 5, 2012
You Know You Knit Too Much When...
"I can't believe you don't have our Rewards card--You're in here all the time!" The cashier at Michaels Arts and Crafts.
Your friends never ask what you want for your birthday or Christmas or Anniversary or, indeed, any holiday that involves a present.
You're actually a little disappointed with the advent of Spring, as this means your days of showing off your handknits are numbered.
You hear that someone is pregnant, and immediately begin planning the project. You may or may not wait until the happy couple finds out the sex, depending on what colorway of yarn you manage to score in the meantime.
You don't understand anyone who can just sit anywhere without knitting or crocheting.
You're pretty sure your car can make it to the LYS without you steering it.
You refer to the nearby metropolitan area with Michaels, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and AC Moore as "Mecca," and the stores themselves as "The Big 3." It can take 45 minutes to drive to "Mecca," depending on traffic, but you don't care.
Your idea of a good time on a Friday night is hanging out at the LYS, knitting with people.
You get a resentment because you have two people in your life who are pregnant, one who is moving into a new apartment, one who is graduating school, and one who just wants you to just knit her the scarf you've been promising for years already, and one who's been waiting for knee socks since time and memorial--and really, these people just need to take a NUMBER!
You need to take a vacation day (or days...plural) in order to finish a project.
Normal people look in their closet, see that they don't have enough (shirts, skirts, sweaters, slippers, socks) and decide a trip to the store is in order. You, on the other hand, immediate try to determine if you can knit or crochet any of these items instead. You don't particularly care that it's probably going to take you a month to do each one.
Worn-out socks are a win-win for you. Either you can start investigating how to darn (something you've always wanted to learn) or you can knit more!
Other people look at the camera on an iPad as an odd thing. I mean, really, who carts around the iPad to take pictures of things? Well...you do! The iPad camera is better than your lame cell phone camera, and a very effective way to take a picture of a finished object (FO) and then immediately post it somewhere on-line afterwards.
Your significant other thinks it's an imposition to ask you to teach a friend how to knit or crochet. On the contrary, you feel it's your noble, sworn duty to spread the word of the yarn...
A friend at work, who is from another country, asks you what you mean, exactly by "theese yarn you speak of?" You immediately open your desk drawer and pull out a skein to show her.
You read my list and immediately think, "And your point is...what?"
(My plan is to elaborate on each of these items in future posts.)
Happy Knitting!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Your friends never ask what you want for your birthday or Christmas or Anniversary or, indeed, any holiday that involves a present.
You're actually a little disappointed with the advent of Spring, as this means your days of showing off your handknits are numbered.
You hear that someone is pregnant, and immediately begin planning the project. You may or may not wait until the happy couple finds out the sex, depending on what colorway of yarn you manage to score in the meantime.
You don't understand anyone who can just sit anywhere without knitting or crocheting.
You're pretty sure your car can make it to the LYS without you steering it.
You refer to the nearby metropolitan area with Michaels, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and AC Moore as "Mecca," and the stores themselves as "The Big 3." It can take 45 minutes to drive to "Mecca," depending on traffic, but you don't care.
Your idea of a good time on a Friday night is hanging out at the LYS, knitting with people.
You get a resentment because you have two people in your life who are pregnant, one who is moving into a new apartment, one who is graduating school, and one who just wants you to just knit her the scarf you've been promising for years already, and one who's been waiting for knee socks since time and memorial--and really, these people just need to take a NUMBER!
You need to take a vacation day (or days...plural) in order to finish a project.
Normal people look in their closet, see that they don't have enough (shirts, skirts, sweaters, slippers, socks) and decide a trip to the store is in order. You, on the other hand, immediate try to determine if you can knit or crochet any of these items instead. You don't particularly care that it's probably going to take you a month to do each one.
Worn-out socks are a win-win for you. Either you can start investigating how to darn (something you've always wanted to learn) or you can knit more!
Other people look at the camera on an iPad as an odd thing. I mean, really, who carts around the iPad to take pictures of things? Well...you do! The iPad camera is better than your lame cell phone camera, and a very effective way to take a picture of a finished object (FO) and then immediately post it somewhere on-line afterwards.
Your significant other thinks it's an imposition to ask you to teach a friend how to knit or crochet. On the contrary, you feel it's your noble, sworn duty to spread the word of the yarn...
A friend at work, who is from another country, asks you what you mean, exactly by "theese yarn you speak of?" You immediately open your desk drawer and pull out a skein to show her.
You read my list and immediately think, "And your point is...what?"
(My plan is to elaborate on each of these items in future posts.)
Happy Knitting!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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