Houston, We Have A Bag

Unfortunately, blogger seems to be having a problem with pictures this morning so we may not be able to show you the bag. The one I had finished last week was a little too short so I made another one from the same materials. I did the buttonhole (yeah me) and inserted a drawstring. I used one of those closure things that you push down on and then slide the cord through. I also made a little notions case and just need to decide on the closure for that - either a snap or maybe a button with an elastic loop to go over it. My goal is to get my KSKS package out this week.

I also received a great package from Ina. I met Ina at the S'nB at Modern Yarn a few weeks ago and sent her some STR paraphanalia. She sent me back some wonderful things - a felted tomato (see them on her site here), beautiful STR roving (color Rooster Rock in Wensleydale Top), Tootsie Rolls and Pocari Sweat (a lemon drink mix that Ina says is delicious - I'll be making it this week as it is supposed to be a hot one!). The felted tomato is excellent as I didn't plant any real tomatoes this year and now I have an absolutely perfect one. And STR roving - how cool is that. I've always wanted to check out their roving. Thank you Ina - fiber people really are the best!

This summer has turned out to be a lot about spinning. I finished the 4 oz. of the BFL that I had mentioned previously. My woolen spinning is definitely not as smooth and even as my worsted spinning, but I definitely did get a thicker yarn. My daughter wants a hat this winter so we'll see how it comes out. The good thing about making a hat is that if she doesn't like it, I'll have an item for Dulaan. On the wheel, we now have some roving from Crown Mountain Farms in The Beat Goes On. I'm doing a little sample first as there is plenty of fiber - 8 oz. of hand dyed superwash merino. And I'm trying for sock yarn.

On the flip side, this summer has definitely not turned into a summer of socks. I have been ripping out socks instead of finishing them. I just wasn't happy with my second pair of Jaywalkers and even though I was almost done with one, I ripped it out. Just couldn't see myself making another. I also ripped out my Pomatomus sock - but not because I didn't like it. I loved it but it was coming out a little bit too small for me. Usually I'd just keep on and make it for someone else, but this is STR in Fred Flintstone and these are for me. So, I'll bump up to a size 2 which means I get to use my Bryspun needles. Hopefully I'll be able to show you some pictures next time. Stay cool!!

Wanna Make A Buttonhole?

Unlike Margene who did her sewing a little too early in the day for a drink, I chose to do mine later on in the evening. So, there was a martini and there was some sewing. I now have a bag for my KSKS pal although I still need to construct the closure. I'm planning on going with a buttonhole and drawstring. I basically followed the instructions for this bag, but decided that a buttonhole might be a bit neater. Unfortunately I have a thing about buttonholes - they intimidate me. Kinda like putting in a zipper (yeah, my Ribby Cardi is still waiting to be blocked and put together, but if I stall on that part, I can put off the zipper installation a little longer). So I put off the buttonhole and started in on a little notions bag - you know to hold some dpns, maybe a crochet hook for picking up little stitches, stuff like that. To put in the KSKS bag. And speaking of KSKS, I heard from my pal. She made my day when she emailed me and now I am a happy camper.

Here is the finished July skein for my One Skein pal. It is approximately 210 yards from about 3.5 ounces of roving. I hope to get it off this week along with some other little goodies. I thought I may try to find some regional treat to include in the package - kind of like a little clue for her. With that spinning finished, I started in on Amy's BFL. Purple for July Project Spectrum.

I'm trying to make a thicker yarn - maybe for a hat - and also practicing my woolen technique. It makes for a much fuzzier yarn and I'm looking forward to plying it and seeing how I did on spinning it thicker. Since I've been trying to spin "thin", it's hard to reverse that thought process and make a thicker single. The woolen spinning is helping a little with that.

Feel Good Knitting

Seems like there has been a lot of feel good knitting going on here. And that's a good thing. I finished up 2 squares for Warming Grace and sent them out along with a few other things.

And I finished a pumpkin hat from the Itty Bitty Hats book and sent that off for the Breastfeeding Week extravaganza as documented over at the Yarn Harlot's site.

Another easy good deed was sending out some yarn for this fundraiser (scroll down to the worthy cause). Come on - look through your stash and make a donation! It's easy. Other than that I've been working on baby gifts and spinning up yarn for my One Skein pal. Her skein is done and I'm now playing around with some BFL from Spunky Eclectic.

Margene and I are planning a coast to coast sewathon this weekend. Drinks included. Anyone want to join us?

There's Been Some Spinning Goin' On

It still amazes me that one can go from this

to this

Or maybe it just amazes me that I can do it. I have been spinning this fiber - Merino/Tencel from The Sheep Shed - for the July skein for my One Skein pal. The color is called Sunrise and it really looks just like that. I loved watching the colors as I spun the singles and plying it was even better as I watched the colors come together. I hope she likes it.

I also mentioned that Bev had sent me a package for the Project Spectrum Postcard Exchange.

Some soft blue fiber, a skein of Fixation, handmade turquoise and silver stitch markers (thank you Bev for that bit of New Mexico), wonderful smelling lavender (I really love that smell - it's so relaxing), blue nail polish, Altoids, and 2 beautiful watercolor postcards. I had been feeling a bit low and Bev's package helped cheer me up. Thank you Bev for a great June swap!

The reason I had been feeling a bit low is that I haven't heard from my KSKS pal. I know, I signed up because it'll be fun to put a kit together for my pal and it's always a crap shoot of whats going to happen on the other end. And I can't take it personally - but it's still a bummer. Anyway, I hadn't posted the questions/answers because I hadn't heard from anyone, but I guess I'll post them anyway. They tell a little more about me.

The Questionnaire:
What are your favorite colors? I’ve always liked greens and “fall” colors but thanks to Project Spectrum, I have been having fun playing with all the colors. However, I don’t do a lot of white or black.

Are you a new sock knitter? How long have you been knitting socks? I have been knitting socks for quite a few years, but haven’t experimented with patterns as much as I should (considering I buy almost every sock pattern book that comes out).

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? Both have their uses but currently I really enjoy the hand dyed sock yarn that is available now.

What fibers do you prefer in sock yarn? Mainly wool

Where do you usually knit socks? Everywhere…

How do you usually carry/store small projects? I have small bags that I stuff into larger bags.

What are your favorite sock knitting patterns? As I said above, I have so many patterns, but tend to stick to a plain stockinette sock – maybe because it’s easy to remember and I don’t have to carry around a pattern with me.

What are your favorite sock knitting techniques? Ummmm… - finishing them. I don't like knitting with more than one yarn for socks.

What new techniques would you like to try? I’d like to experiment with some different heels and toes.

Do you prefer circulars or dpns for sock knitting? dpns

What are some of your favorite yarns? Lorna’s Laces, STR, Fleece Artist

What yarn do you totally covet? Right now, I’d like to get my hands on some Vesper or Sock Hop yarns

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? Maybe socks from the Fleece Artist cashmere although I’d probably be afraid to wear them

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? Dpns – Crystal Palace, Clover But in the 6 inch length (the 7’s are too long for socks)

If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? Handspun – bumpy in places, sometime slightly over twisted

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? Tootsie Rolls are yummy (I wonder if they’d melt???)

What’s your favorite animal? I don’t think I have a favorite animal – I like giraffes and of course sheep and alpacas for obvious reasons

Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages? Currently we have fish

If you were a color what color would you be? Probably green

Describe your favorite shirt (yours or someone else’s).. right now it’s got to be my t-shirt with the sheep knitting on a sock

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? Hmmmm….

Tell me the best quote you’ve ever heard or read. “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

Do you have a wishlist? No

Anything else you’d like to share with the group today? No

I'm Baaack

Being away two out of the past three weeks has definitely taken it's toll. I got to celebrate my birthday in Disney - even got a birthday hug and kiss from Tigger. Then it was home for a week and then off to New Jersey to visit my parents, my sister and her family. I even got to go to the S 'n B night at Modern Yarn where I saw Risa and met some wonderful woman including Ina who has her blog here. And now I'm home and tired - it's good to be home.

I did break down and buy some yarn - guess I used one of my exceptions for SOS. I bought some Claudia's Handpainted for my KSKS pal, some Euroflax Linen and some Cascade Sierra. I've been unsuccessfully looking for the Euroflax ever since I saw the towels in the Mason Dixon book. One of the skeins may be for my One Skein pal since I bought two of the eggplant color and her favorite color is purple. I also bought this book and bought the Cascade Sierra to make this for my daughter. Although now she tells me she wants one of the skirts instead so I may need to do some more shopping. And speaking of shopping, I actually left a yarn store without buying a single thing. I kept asking myself if I really needed anything and the answer was NO. Maybe this SOS thing is really working.

Tomorrow I hope to have pictures of the wonderful "blue" package sent to me by Bev, my Project Spectrum Postcard pal for June.