tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91433309021670850212024-03-13T11:05:48.827-07:00My Design StudioWhere I enjoy sharing my crafty endevors with you!designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-23618919168079769832011-05-24T21:42:00.000-07:002011-05-24T22:30:59.276-07:00Mission UpdateHuh, it's been a bit more than a week since my first post about my mission to clean out my craft room.... like a week and a YEAR! But have no fear! I am still working on cleaning out my craft room, so don't worry, you didn't miss too much. I did spin up that fiber I had a picture of, I've even knit it into socks! More on that later though.<br /><br />This week as part of my "Clean up the craft room" mission I have decided to designate 1 day for each craft.<br /><br />Monday was weaving, so I warped up my loom with the same warp that I was working on last year! Yes, I actually did get that warp onto the loom last year just like I said I would, but I did it wrong! I was SO upset!! So, I wove 2 towels that were not what I wanted, cut them off and finished them, and waited a year to re-warp! Yes, I would surely do it <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">correctly</span> this time right? Um, not so much. I did it wrong again! But different! So, I will now finish weaving about 8 towels "wrong". They'll still be woven, and they'll still be towels, but they will not be the weave I was going for. I will try for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">waffle</span> weave towels on another warp. At least this time I know what I did wrong, and what I should do instead. This warp will still make some cool <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">looking</span>' towels anyway, just not the ones I was going for. It will be fine.<br /><br />Tuesday (today) was sewing day. I FINALLY cleaned off my sewing table!!!! And when I say "cleaned off" I don't mean that I just moved everything that was on it off of it. I mean, I finished all of the projects that were just sitting there waiting for me to finish them! There were a lot of them too! You can't see it in my previous post, but there was a largish pile of stuff just sitting on the sewing table <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">waiting</span> to be fixed or finished. Here's a not-too-great picture of my sewing corner b-4 I went to town on the pile in the middle of the sewing table.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2011_0304April12-17-20080002.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 640px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 480px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2011_0304April12-17-20080002.jpg" /></a> So yeah, see that pile of stuff falling over in between the sewing machine and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">serger</span>? That's the pile I'm talking about. It's now all finished, functional, presentable stuff now. Here's a picture of the finished pile.<br /></p><br /><br /><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2011_05240003.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 640px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 480px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2011_05240003.jpg" /></a> You can't see it all, but in this pile there are 3 finished outfits for a little girl, 3 scarves, a baby dress, a rag quilt, a table runner, 3 pair of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">PJs</span>, 7 pair of pants/shorts, a vest, a cub scout shirt and a dress that were all in various forms of needing repairs, or finishing that are now done! :) Oh, and a few things came from the red bin under the sewing table. Yep, that's my next task, to empty that bin. Here, you can see it a little better in this picture of my table after finishing all this.</p><br /><br /><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2011_05240002.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 640px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 480px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2011_05240002.jpg" /></a> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hmmm</span>, so the bin doesn't show all that well, but look at all that cleared off space! :) And now my kids will have plenty of shorts to wear this summer! </p><br /><br /><p>Wednesday I think I'll be working on some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">miscellaneous</span> crafts that I don't work on very often, and don't have tons of things for. It should be interesting to see how much of those I get done. I'm almost certain most of them never got finished because I thought they were taking too long. </p><br /><br /><p>Thursday I will be making cards! I have over 100 cards to make from card kits I've bought over the last year or 2, and I can't use them because I haven't made them. I'm hoping to finish all the cards! </p><br /><br /><p>Friday I will either make hair accessories because they make such great gifts for my girls to give at birthday parties, or card up some fiber. Maybe I'll do both! </p><br /><br /><p>This should make a good sized dent in the mess in my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">craft</span> room. And then I will resume my regular activities that generally consist of knitting a lot, cleaning and cooking a little, and conducting sock experiments!<br /></p><br /><br /><p>And I'm sure it will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me, or has ever read my blog, or seen the pictures of my craft room, but I have acquired more yarn! I knit up quite a bit too though! So it's all good. </p><br /><br /><p>Until next time... good night. </p>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-3089317826225265802011-01-25T12:47:00.000-08:002011-01-25T12:49:45.998-08:00I want an iPadYeah, that's what this post is about. I would like an iPad, and I happen to have found a blogger giving one away. Here is a link <a href="http://buylikebuffett.com/giveaways/win-an-ipad-amazon-gift-cards-and-a-starbucks-gift-card/">http://buylikebuffett.com/giveaways/win-an-ipad-amazon-gift-cards-and-a-starbucks-gift-card/</a> and I want to win it. Wouldn't that be cool! Just think of all the knitting patterns I could cary around with me on it! Cross your fingers for me!designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-75808189703404779592010-05-15T11:23:00.000-07:002010-05-15T11:46:53.679-07:00A woman on a mission!Yes, it has be 7 1/2 months since I last updated my blog, but NOT because I have not been crafty. Just the opposite in fact. I have been busily crafting away. So far this year I have knit and crocheted 5 afghans for my kids for Christmas (bonus points for finishing Christmas gifts so soon!), 5 sweaters for me, 4 pair of socks, some slippers, a few bags, spun a bunch, sewn a little, scrapbooked a little, started warping my loom, and probably some other stuff I can't think of. I will have to share those things with you later though, because this blog is not about those projects.<br /><br /> This blog is about my mission. That's right! I'm on a mission to clean out my craft room!! Why? Because it's too full of stuff, and it's overwhelming me! I work better in a space that is less cluttered, more organized, and that doesn't have more stuff in it than I feel I can use in my life time. Some time ago I posted pics of my craft room. I have only acquired MORE stuff since then! Lately I have been spending a lot of time organizing my room, and trying to find the open space that I used to have and guess what I discovered? It's not there! It's gone! I filled it up with stuff! No, I really can move around in here, and get to things (I've been organizing it afterall), but there's only so much organizing that can be done to create space before you have to just start taking things out. That's the point I am at. The only way to have more space in here is to have less stuff. But I can't just throw it all out. I have to use it. Odd how it is so quick and easy to buy stuff, but using it up takes much longer. Anyhow, let me share with you what I'm attempting to do.<br /><br /> Here is a picture of most of my yarn and fiber. I know many people have more, but I want all my crafting supplies to fit into this closet, and they don't!<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080003.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080003.jpg" border="0" /></a> See! Here's the fabric (well most of it anyway). I have had much of this fabric since high school. I won't mention how long that has been, but it was well before I had kids, and I now have a 10 year old.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080004.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080004.jpg" border="0" /></a> See, here's more stuff! Fiber, yarn, dyes, fabric, scrapbooking supplies (not even close to most of that!) This is what I'd like to use up in the more immediate future. Well, not the handspun yarn (upper right corner) it's welcome to hang around as long as it likes. <a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080005.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080005.jpg" border="0" /></a> So, what I have decided to do in order to accomplish this mission I am on is to spend less time online, and more time crafting. And hopefully I will rememeber to share with you each week or so what I've been able to do.<br /><br /> To begin with, this week I would like to finish warping my loom. I wound this warp in December! Started trying to get it onto my loom some time after that, and here it sits still waiting for me to finish getting it warped so I can actually weave! So, the weaving goal for this week is to get the loom warped!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080007.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080007.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then there are my spinning and knitting goals. This week I would like to finish spinning this fiber, and knitting these socks, and maybe this shawl (the shawl is white, socks are purple).<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080006.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2010_0515April12-17-20080006.jpg" border="0" /></a> Oh yeah, and I have some sewing goals this week too. I didn't take a b-4 pic of that, but I am working on some summer outfits, and I would like to finish sewing them up this week. </div><div> </div><div> Wow! That sounds like a lot! But maybe if I'm not wasting time online I will get more done than usual. </div><div> </div><div> See you next week to let you know how it goes!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-53985947015312780112009-10-02T11:14:00.000-07:002009-10-02T12:09:06.262-07:00La-la-la-la-laOk, so I didn't update anything in July when I was ever so busily crafting the month away, nor did I update in August when I had finished crafting away, not did I update in September when I also was not crafting the month away. So, I guess now's as good a time as any to show you what I have been up to since my last post.<br /><br />July was the Tour De Fleece which corresponded with the Tour De France. It's a fun event for spinners to participate in on Ravelry :) The riders spin and we spin. I had a LOT of spinning planned out for this and I did a lot of spinning even though I did not get through all the fiber I had hoped for. First I finally finished this lovely alpaca/merino yarn that I'd been planning on for a LONG time! It's a 3-ply worsted weight for which I plan to knit a lovely and warm cabled sweater. I wish I had finished it already because it's getting cold and I could use it!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/alpacamerinosweateryarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/alpacamerinosweateryarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I spun this beaded black turquoise yarn. I don't know what to do with it yet, but I love beaded yarn!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0711April12-17-20080002.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0711April12-17-20080002.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I spun up this lovely purple merino yarn that I then plied with metallic thread. It's so soft and sparkly!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/PurplethreadpliedTDFday16.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/PurplethreadpliedTDFday16.jpg" border="0" /></a> And on the challenge day (I know know what the riders in France do, but I guess they have some sort of challenge) my personal challenge was to spin a mile total for the day. Plying counted too! And I made it! It took me all day, especially with the interruptions from the kids, but here is a lovely soft mile of merino. I think this'll be a sweater too.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/MileinadaymerinoDTFday19.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/MileinadaymerinoDTFday19.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I spun this lovely superwash merino into a 2-ply sock yarn.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/NeopolitanfingeringTDFday17and18.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/NeopolitanfingeringTDFday17and18.jpg" border="0" /></a> And here are the fruits of my labors. I think there is about a total of 2400 yards here, and about 40 ounces (2.25 pounds)! I'm pretty proud of this collection!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0727April12-17-20080007.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0727April12-17-20080007.jpg" border="0" /></a> But wait, there's more! July was also the month for WIPs wrestling on Ravelry, and seeing as how I am just a glutton for punishment and always seem to have too many projects going I joined this too! Unfortunately I didn't finish very many WIPs (works in progress) because I was spinning a LOT! But one project that I did get knit up was this pair of socks. They're knit from my very first hand spun sock yarn, and I love how they turned out! You may recognize this yarn from a much earlier post if you've read my blog much. I really do love these socks!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0726April12-17-20080003.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0726April12-17-20080003.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I knit these socks for my oldest daughter. You see, during the summer my kids needed things to do, so I had a "craft day" every Monday, and for one of these craft sessions I let the kids hand-paint some sock yarn for me to knit socks for them with. This is her yarn and these are her socks which she loves to wear. The also make it through the washer quite nicely. Thank goodness because I don't' even hand wash my own socks, I'm not about to start hand washing kids' socks!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0729April12-17-20080002.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0729April12-17-20080002.jpg" border="0" /></a> And then I finally finished this lovely camisole. :) This was so fun to knit because I just loved the yarn I made it with. It's the new Spa yarn by Caron. There's bamboo in it! I LOVE bamboo!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0801April12-17-20080050.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0801April12-17-20080050.jpg" border="0" /></a> And then I was all out of month! July was over! How could that be? I was having such a great time, and just starting to feel productive! Um... so I kept on crafting anyway. I started this yarn b-4 the Tour De Fleece ended, but didn't finish, so I decided to finish it. This yarn is also a superwash merino (washable wool) sock yarn, but I spun this one into a 3-ply yarn because I hear that a 3-ply is more durable than a 2-ply, and I want to test this theory out. So I have several more sock yarns planned to spin in the future. I'll let you know how the testing goes when I have results to share.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0824April12-17-20080081.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0824April12-17-20080081.jpg" border="0" /></a> And then I knit these socks. I did not spin or dye this yarn. I WON it! :) It was my prize for winning the drawing for the socks-from-the-toe-up knit-a-long that I'll be participating in on Ravelry for the next 2 years. I really love these socks!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0831April12-17-20080002.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0831April12-17-20080002.jpg" border="0" /></a> Hmmm... Knit-a-long seems to be a running theme with me. This sweater was also part of a knit-a-long. I didn't spin or dye this yarn (well I did dye the top part, but not the stripey part), but I did knit this sweater. It's quite warm, which is a good thing because I don't like to be cold, and it's getting cold. I need more sweaters!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0902April12-17-20080001.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0902April12-17-20080001.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then September held for me the Great Basin Fiber Arts Fair. :) A lovely little fair held in Utah. I got some lovely fiber (that I do not have pictures of), and a cute little spindle from Greensleeves.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0917April12-17-20080002.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0917April12-17-20080002.jpg" border="0" /></a> And then I was also able to squeeze in this pair of socks (recognize the yarn?). I love pink/brown, and they're ever so cozy.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0930April12-17-20080001.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0930April12-17-20080001.jpg" border="0" /></a> There you have it folks! This is what I've been up to in my craft studio in between feeding and cleaning up after the kids since my last post. Guess what's on the needles now? Yeah socks, how'd you guess? They're gonna be great! Just wait and see!<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-18737216650443623722009-06-17T11:34:00.001-07:002009-06-17T12:15:48.090-07:00SO far behind!Ok, I must apologize for being such a lazy blogger lately! Sorry! I didn't realize that I haven't posted anything since APRIL! That was a long time ago! So here's a real quick update on my craftyness of late. I have some exciting plans for July, so I'd better get caught up in hopes of not getting behind in July.<br /><br /><br /><br />I finished this little bear. Isn't he cute? I'm not really sure what to do with him yet. I think I might just let him sit in my craft room and knit him some accessories once in a while.<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/HarryBear-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/HarryBear-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I spun this family of yarns. Though the one 2nd in from the right has moved on to a new home. I'm thinking of spinning another one that is similar though. It is truly missed from the family.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0423April12-17-20080011.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0423April12-17-20080011.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I spun this yarn.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0429April12-17-20080006.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0429April12-17-20080006.jpg" border="0" /></a> And knit this sweater (it now has real buttons). I pretty much love it.<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0509April12-17-20080002.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 291px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0509April12-17-20080002.jpg" border="0" /></a> I also knit this blanket for twin A. I finished twin B's baby blanket b-4 they were born, and started on this one (in a totally different pattern), but then they were born 5 weeks early and I ran out of time. So the poor little guy had to go on without a hand knit blankie from mom until he was 2! But luckily he LOVES it! :) <br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0501April12-17-20080010.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0501April12-17-20080010.jpg" border="0" /></a>I also knit this little hat for my niece who has had to stay in the hospital for WAY too long. Poor girl. I think pink is certainly her color!<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0507April12-17-20080007.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0507April12-17-20080007.jpg" border="0" /></a> And in June so far I have knit these socks.<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/lacyribside.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/lacyribside.jpg" border="0" /></a> And these socks.<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0610April12-17-20080007.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0610April12-17-20080007.jpg" border="0" /></a> And I finally finished this shawl which will be a Christmas gift for my 4yo daughter to use as a fancy shmancy dress up. But it's made with leftover acrylic yarn from DS's blanket so it's machine washable! :) And I like it so much I'm posting 2 pictures!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0615April12-17-20080009.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0615April12-17-20080009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0615April12-17-20080012.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0615April12-17-20080012.jpg" border="0" /></a> Tune in again next time to see what crazyness I've gotten myself into!designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-26327077301572961162009-04-21T09:40:00.000-07:002009-04-21T09:58:27.843-07:00Betcha didn't know...What I've been up to lately huh?<br /><br />Well, I spun this on a spindle. It's 2 ounces of nylon. I bet you didn't now there were people who spin nylon into yarn huh? Well I did. It was fun. I think that I will dye this up one day and knit something for the kids. Though I haven't decided what I'll make yet. So until then it'll sit in my handsup stash looking pretty.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0402April12-17-20080071.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0402April12-17-20080071.jpg" border="0" /></a> And I knit this hat. It'll be a Christmas gift for one of my girls I think. Go me!! I've started on Christmas gifts early for what my be the first time ever! Ahhh... It feels good! ;)<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/snowyhat.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/snowyhat.jpg" border="0" /></a> And it being Easter last week and all I just had to dye up some Eastery yarn. I call this "Have your peeps call my peeps" :) hehe<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/callmypeepscloseup.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/callmypeepscloseup.jpg" border="0" /></a> And this one is called "Jelly beans"<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/jellybeanscloseup.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/jellybeanscloseup.jpg" border="0" /></a> And this one is "Smells like peeps spirit" hehehe<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/peepsspiritcloseup.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/peepsspiritcloseup.jpg" border="0" /></a> And I knit this felted bag which I finished while watching general conference the week b-4 Easter.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0410April12-17-20080039.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0410April12-17-20080039.jpg" border="0" /></a> And I finished these felted slippers just b-4 that. They're knit with some of my own hand dyed yarn in the "Pink Lemonade" colorway. They make my feet happy!</div><div><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonadeslippers.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 296px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 319px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonadeslippers.jpg" border="0" /></a> And I spun this yarn. It's 100% tussah silk in the natural honey color. I just LOVE it!!!! Tussah is SO fabulous to spin and knit with!! It's SOOO very soft too! :) I like to look at this one and pet it as it sits in my stash.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/silkcloseup-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/silkcloseup-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> And this morning I finished this hoodie for my older DD. Though now it's too warm for her to wear it, so I think I may save it and give it to her when school starts again in the fall. She doesn't really have a jacket with a hood right now. So I think it'll be perfect for her when it starts getting cold again.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/Adeenahoodie.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/Adeenahoodie.jpg" border="0" /></a> On to the next project! I've got TONS of them in the works!! I have them all sitting out on a table in my craft room. It's overflowing! I've gotta clear it off one FO (finished object) at a time. Maybe I'll show you a pic of my table later. Maybe. Have a great day!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-4849368760781153832009-04-02T20:20:00.000-07:002009-04-02T20:39:21.691-07:00Bet you wish you had a pair just like 'em huh?I have just finished a fabulous pair of socks!! I'm just sure it'll start a new sock trend. But not only are these socks fabulous, they are 8 years old already, and have only been worn once! Well ok, technically they have not even been a completed pair of socks for a full day, but I did start them at least 8 years ago! Yeah, I know it's crazy to let a project sit around like that for so long, but I have a good reason!<br /><br /><br /><br />Ok, here's the story: When my oldest daughter (who is about to turn 9) was a baby I decided to start crocheting a pair of socks for my friend who I worked with because she loved socks! I bought a crochet sock pattern book, borrowed a hook from my mom, and started on them with some yarn that my mom said I could have. Well, I was not very good at crocheting at that point in my life, so it took me a long time to do the little bit that I did. I also was not any good at reading a crochet pattern. I got confused too easily. Then there is the fact that I had a baby! Babies take a lot of time and attention! So, when I put the project down it was almost immediatley forgotten. Luckily for me I have had the oportunity to rearrange my crafting supplies many times, and even move ALL of it around from apartment to apartment, from house to house, and even from room to room in my current house. Thus, no craft project of mine has had a chance to be forgotten for long. I have had the opportunity to run across many unfinished projects through all these moves and rememver them. This has helped me to finish several OLD projects (that butterfly quilt, the sweater that took 6 years, there are others). This time it was the socks turn! Though I have lost touch with my friend that I started them for, so I finished them for me, and just in time too because my slippers had fallen apart, and my feet were tired of being cold! So, anyway when I started these socks I had no idea how to figure out how much yarn would be needed for a project, I just looked at a skein of yarn and thought, "Socks are small, I'm sure this is enough." Um... well, I was wrong! LOL!!! So, I ended up with 1 1/2 socks before I ran out of yarn! But seeing as how these are for wearing around the house I decided to just finish them anyway with whatever partly used skein of yarn I could finc so I could just get them done! And as it just so happened, today I finished them! And so, without further delay I will show you all a picture of these lovely socks that I just know you are on the edge or your seat to see. I call them fraternal twin socks!<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0402April12-17-20080083.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0402April12-17-20080083.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Aren't these fun?! I mean who else has a pair just like them? Certainly nobody I now. And they are currently keeping my feet happy and warm. Now, admit it. They're cute! And you know if you'd taken 8 years to make socks like this you'd love them to! :)designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-84023936006280510222009-03-04T21:03:00.000-08:002009-03-04T22:21:42.002-08:00Look! A hat!Ok, so in February I participated in this totally crazy knit-a-long on Ravelry where I attempted to cast on a new project each day in February. Crazy huh? I mean, I hardly ever have more than 2 or 3 WIPs (works in process) at a time. Well, I didn't actually cast on one each day, but some days I cast on 5! So, yes I now have 30 WIPs sitting in the middle of my craft room floor just waiting for me to get to them! Granted it's a pretty pile, but still, 30!? And I finished 3 of the things that I cast on! But it sure was fun even though it was totally crazy! And the benefits are that now when I want to knit something all I have to do is pick something up and work on it, there's also plenty to choose from, and when they're all done I'll have at least a year's supply of hand knit socks! Oh yeah, and I'll get a few gifts out of this as well. Wanna see what I finished?<br /><br />The first FO (finished object) was a pair of mittens for my 6 yo (soon to be 7) son.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0221April12-17-20080007.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0221April12-17-20080007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The next FO is a hat for me! :) Isn't it pretty? Won't it look nice on me next winter when it gets cold again? Well I like it!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0223April12-17-20080009.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0223April12-17-20080009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And then there's this scarf. It'll be a gift for one of my girls for Christmas this year.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0228April12-17-20080001.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2009_0228April12-17-20080001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If I get brave enough, one day I'll take a picture of all these WIPs in the middle of my craft room floor, but right now I'm too afraid of them to pull them out of their bags all at once. I fear they will either attack me, or that they will get all mangled up with each other, and I'll never get them apart, and all my time spent casting them on, and picking out patterns will have been a waste. Um... I think we're all safer if they all stay where they're at for now.<br /><br />I'll be back with some sort of FO from that scary pile hopefully one day soon. :)designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-82547513200773029852008-12-28T15:22:00.000-08:002008-12-28T15:26:11.260-08:00What kind of 1930's spouse are you?Ok, this was a funny quiz I found on a friend's blog. I was rather shocked to see my score at the end. Apparently as a 1930's wife I'm "Very Superior" hehehe. Ok, just had to share. Take the quiz it's fun!<br /><br /><center><table width="300px" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px #000000 solid; color: #000000;background-color: #ffffff;"><tr><td><img src="http://www.magatsu.net/maritaltest/wife.jpg" width="72"height="72"></td><td><p style="text-align: center;"><font size="+3">94</font></p><p style="text-align: center;">As a 1930s wife, I am<br/><strong><font size="+2">Very Superior</font></strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><small><a href="http://www.magatsu.net/maritaltest/">Take the test!</a></small></p></td></tr></table></center>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-4286585898426970612008-11-28T19:28:00.001-08:002008-11-28T19:43:22.664-08:00Free hat pattern!Well, I've had to improvise a hat pattern because I couldn't find just what I wanted. So I figured since I went to all the trouble of figuring it out I'd share it with you here! :) So here's a FREE pattern! I call it Sweet Pea Ear Flap Hat.<br /><br />Notes:<br />This hat is worked flat, and then seamed closed on top.<br /><br /><br />Sweet Pea Ear Flap Hat<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/hatfront.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/hatfront.jpg" border="0" /></a> Gague: 32 sts x 33 rows=4" in 2x2 rib<br />Needles: US 6 / 4.0mm<br />Yarn: Bernat Baby Coordinates, Strawberry Stripes<br /><br /><br />CO 82sts<br />work in k2, p2 rib until hat is 8 1/2" long<br />slip 41 sts onto 2nd needle, fold hat in half, and using a 3rd needle of same or smaller size bind off hat using 3 needle bind off.<br /><br /><br />Ties:<br />cut 3 pieces of yarn 36" long, thread them all through the corner of the hat, fold in half, and braid using 2 strands held together. Tie a knot in the end.<br /><br />Weave in ends and you're done!<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/hatside.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/hatside.jpg" border="0" /></a>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-19724083025727473282008-11-19T11:14:00.000-08:002008-11-19T11:39:08.929-08:00It's DONE!So WAY back in the middle of June I "met" a lovely person in a chat room who dared me to knit a shawl from laceweight handspun yarn. I thought she was a nut! I'd never spun laceweight yarn, and I'd never knit a shawl. Laceweight yarn is REALLY thin! I wasn't sure I could spin that thin without breaking my yarn constantly in the process. But it did sound like a great challenge. So, while I sure took my sweet time about getting it done (5 months!) I began the journey anyway. I pulled out some tussah silk (lovely stuff!), and merino wool (also VERY lovely stuff!) from my stash, and divided it out, and dyed it in varying shades of blue. I was going for a blue shawl that would get darker as it went down, so I started with a rather light blue, and gradually got darker.<a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/silkmerinorovingdyed.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/silkmerinorovingdyed.jpg" border="0" /></a>Then I carded it up into these batts. I had 5 batts to begin with, but the first yarn ended up too thick, so I didn't use the first skein. This had me worried about whether I'd have enough yardage for my shawl or not. But I figured it would be close, but that I should still have enough yarn with just the 4 batts, so I continued spinning, and spinning, and spinning.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/redyedbatts.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/redyedbatts.jpg" border="0" /></a> And came up with these 4 lovely balls of laceweight handspun hand dyed yarn. These are pretty true to the actual color :) Then I cast on for a lovely shawl called "Laminaria" that I got from knitty.com. And I knit, and knit, and knit, and just when I thought I would never really have a shawl, I would just be knitting with this yarn forever...<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/finishedlaminariayarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/finishedlaminariayarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> I finished! Yay! I know it looks kinda funny, and not real lacey at all, but this is when I got to have a lesson in blocking. I don't really knit a lot of things that actually NEED to be blocked, but this lace shawl definately needed it! So, I went on a rustproof pin hunt, and found them at JoAnn's. Came home, and blocked my shawl. So now not only am I much less afraid of blocking my knitting, but...<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/laminariaunblocked-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 640px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 365px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/laminariaunblocked-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> I have this lovely lace shawl! And I had PLENTY of yarn!! I suspect I may have enough left over for another shawl, maybe a much smaller one, but still, that's a lot of leftover yarn considering the fact that I was worried about running out b-4 I finished. Though I'm also thinking maybe the rest will be a scarf, or some sort of other item. Anyhow, I'm so happy with this shawl! And I plan on wearing it out to dinner this Friday for my 10Th wedding anniversary. <br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2008_1118April12-17-20080008.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2008_1118April12-17-20080008.jpg" border="0" /></a> If I had to estimate how long this took me to dye, blend, spin and knit I'd have to guess it was somewhere around 102 hours! With 85 of those all being knitting! And I'm not kidding! There are about a zillion stitches in this thing, and some of them are far more complicated than just knitting. But that's why I like knitting it! Never a dull moment! I should've weighed it b-4 posting this. I wonder how much it actually weighs? I'll have to check on that and get back to you. Have a great day! :)designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-22940569365880538512008-11-08T13:58:00.000-08:002008-11-08T14:43:20.868-08:00I love this yarn!Well, I suppose the next most recent thing I finished since the GBFAF (great basin fiber arts fair) was some spinning. I have this colorway that I call "Pink Lemonaid" (I know how to spell lemonade, but I think it's kinda fun spelled "my" way) that was just kinda a color combination that I dreamed up one day, so I dyed up some fiber, and spun it into sock yarn. Well I got some really positive feedback on it, so I decided to make more. I dyed some up on sock yarn, and really wanted to spin some more. So I carded up these batts, and then dyed them because I wanted good strong sock yarn, so my superwash merino needed some nylon in it for strength. So I carded it up real good, and dyed it after carding. I was a little worried about it comming out all matted and not spinnable, but I was surprised by the fact that the fiber was still lovely soft and fluffy once dry. So I spun them right up!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidrolls.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidrolls.jpg" border="0" /></a> Here's the first bobbin. :)<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bobbin1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bobbin1.jpg" border="0" /></a> And bobbin #2<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bobbin2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bobbin2.jpg" border="0" /></a> Both bobbins together! Aren't they pretty together?!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bothbobbins.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bothbobbins.jpg" border="0" /></a> And here's the yarn! :)<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidhandspuncloseup2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidhandspuncloseup2.jpg" border="0" /></a> And more pictures of the yarn!</div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidhandspuncloseup.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidhandspuncloseup.jpg" border="0" /></a> And the skein! :) See I really like this yarn! This will go up in my shop with my next update. It's so soft and squishy! :)<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidhandspunsockyarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidhandspunsockyarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> My next spinning project was an experiment in bulky singles yarns. This was spun up from some domestic wool roving that I had dyed a while ago. I'm actually pretty pleased with how it turned out. I think there's only about 30ish yards here, so I think I'll use it in either a felted project, or as a stripe in a hat. I love purple! So naturally I love this yarn! The thing I like about bulky singles is their fluffyness. This is certainly a fluffy yarn! :)<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bulkyhandspunskein.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bulkyhandspunskein.jpg" border="0" /></a> Here's a closeup.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bulkyhandspuncloseup2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bulkyhandspuncloseup2.jpg" border="0" /></a> And closeup #2.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bulkyhandspuncloseup.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bulkyhandspuncloseup.jpg" border="0" /></a> Up next, Knee Socks!! :) </div></div></div></div></div>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-55319276629957812922008-11-07T19:04:00.000-08:002008-11-08T14:40:29.735-08:00Great Basin Fiber Arts FairSaturday October 4th I attended my first fiber show! :) It was held at Wheeler farm (believe it or not I had never been to Wheeler Farm eber before in my life!) Now to those of you who do not spin, you may not appreciate the excitment of attending a fiber fair, but believe me, it's cool! Unfortunatley it rained all day long, but that didn't keep me from meeting some grear people, and buying some lovely fiber! My funds are rather limited, so I had to choose carefully, and boy were there some lovely fibers there! But I was so in love with this merino/silk blend that it won, and happily followed me home! :) Just look! Doesn't it look so soft, and shiny? Well it is!! I'm currently 1/2 way through spinning it into what I hope to be fingering weight yarn when it's plyed. And it'll make some of the nicest socks I've ever seen (I hope!) :) And it's been a total joy to spin! I LOVE spinning silk/merino!! It's one of my very favorite blends!!<br /><br />So I had a great day in the cold where I met some lovely people, including my new friend Wendy who convinced me that attending the Wasatch Woolpack spinners guild meetings, and is just all kinds of fun!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/merinosilkfromGBFAF.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/merinosilkfromGBFAF.jpg" border="0" /></a> And when I got home I had 7 1/2 pounds of corridale fleece waiting for me! :) Woo Hoo!! I was so excited that I started washing it that night! :) Here's the darkest of the fleeces before washing.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/blackcorridaleunwashed.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/blackcorridaleunwashed.jpg" border="0" /></a> And after washing. It's lovely and soft! I haven't spun this color yet, but rest assured when I do I'll be posting about it! I really can't wait to see how it spins up, but I have so many spinning projects planned and started that it'll have to wait.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/blackcorridalewashed.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/blackcorridalewashed.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then there's grey. This is a lovely color. This is b-4 washing.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/greycorridaleunwashed.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/greycorridaleunwashed.jpg" border="0" /></a> And washed.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/greycorridalewashed.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/greycorridalewashed.jpg" border="0" /></a> And the white, before washing.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/whitecorridaleunwahsed.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/whitecorridaleunwahsed.jpg" border="0" /></a> And washed. Look how lovely it washed up! :) I liked this so much I combed some right up!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/whitecorridalewashed.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/whitecorridalewashed.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is some of the fluffiest fluff I've ever felt! I couldn't stop petting it for days! LOL!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/combedcorridalewhite.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/combedcorridalewhite.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I spun some of it. While this yarn is rather simple in it's natural white color it's so pretty! :) kinda reminds me of snow.<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/firstcorridalecloseup.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/firstcorridalecloseup.jpg" border="0" /></a> So there ya have it! Now you all know what I bought at the fiber fair, and what fleece looks like b-4 and after washing and spinning. :) </div><div></div><div>Happy spinning! :)<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-30517969836457650712008-10-30T14:09:00.000-07:002008-11-08T14:37:53.482-08:00Next up!Good thing I take lots of pictures of the things I make because otherwise I would forget what I did after the Ravelympics! So, after the games ended I just didn't want to stop, I was on a roll!! So I was talked into knitting a Viking Bag by the lovely Feliciah! This was a wonderfully fun knit!! And until this bag I wasn't sure I liked knitting cables. I would knit them because I like how they look, but I didn't look forward to reading cable charts. When I finished my bag I realized I'm not especially sure what I should do with it. It's too small for me to use every day, but I think I'd have a hard time parting with it. So, for now it's sitting in a pile of finished knits just waiting for me to decide on the perfect purpose for it. Though I'm leaning towards a sock knitting bag :) wouldn't this make the cutest sock knitting bag?!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/finishedvikingbag.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/finishedvikingbag.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I even lined it so things won't slip through the little holes in the knit fabric. I think this matches the ribbon perfectly! :)<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/vikingbaglining.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/vikingbaglining.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Up next was finishing spinning the yarn for the shawl I wanted to do for the Rav games, but just didn't get to (it was a fantasy event for me! hehe). Here's the completed yarn. This is about 5oz of merino/silk that I dyed, blended and spun up as lace weight singles. I fulled the singles to give them strength. :)<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/finishedlaminariayarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/finishedlaminariayarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> And I've cast on the shawl. It's still in the very beginning stages, but I'm so happy with how its coming along that I must show a picture!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/laminariabeginning.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/laminariabeginning.jpg" border="0" /></a> I also went through my stash and found a big ol' stack of yarn I need to use up. So I knit up this sweater for my 3yo. She loves it! :) I want to make another one for my oldest daughter at some point soon. Isn't she so cute in this sweater!? Don't worry about her brother, he's just sad that I asked him to step out of the picture. He loves having his picture taken too!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/crickettinnewhoodedsweater.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/crickettinnewhoodedsweater.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I was just dyeing to spin some angora because I had a few ounces, and it's just the softest stuff I think I've ever felt! Oh yeah and I went to the state fair where the spinning guild had a few samples on display, and the angora was just heavenly! I had to have something made of angora of my very own!! So I spun up 2oz of angora (from a bunny), and plied it with some silk caps singles I had laying around to add strength, and make the angora stretch further. I like how it turned out. It looks rather festive!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/angorasilkball.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/angorasilkball.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I knit up this cowl. A cowl is kinda like a short scarf that buttons or slips over your head. It's going to be so nice and soft and warm this winter! :)<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/anoblecowl.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/anoblecowl.jpg" border="0" /></a> And an action shot! :)<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/cowlactionshot.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/cowlactionshot.jpg" border="0" /></a> I've also attended a fiber fair, and completed some socks since this, but those events are so special they deserve their own posts! hehe. So until next time... Happy knitting! :) </div></div></div></div>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-53968057188277441962008-10-28T19:21:00.000-07:002008-10-28T20:10:23.744-07:00And here's the rest from Ravelympics!WOW! It's been a while since the Olympics ended, and I totally forgot to post the rest of my Ravelympics FO's (finished objects). So, since I'm so far behind, and have actually completed a few other things since then I suppose I'll share the rest of what I finished during Ravelympics. Then when the mood strikes again I'll tell you all about what I've done since then. :)<br /><br />So, the next thing I did in my Ravelympics adventure was to have a "Dye day" where I dyed up at least 5 different yarns that I had committed to. Dyeing yarn and fiber is lots of fun! :) This first skein was a rather fun experiment! I first knit up an un-dyed skein of sock yarn with my knitting machine, and painted a picture on it with dye. I'm sure you can tell this should make some rather interesting socks! :) I'm actually nearly done with knitting this into socks now. I'll show and tell you all about them when they're done. I call this yarn "sunny day"<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/sunnydaysockyarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/sunnydaysockyarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> This was another experiment with knitted sock yarn. This was also knit up on my knitting machine and will be unraveled later to knit socks, but the socks from this should just have some funky stripes on them. I call this on, "Crazy stripes."<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/funkystipessockyarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/funkystipessockyarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I dyed up one of my favorite colorways, and was rather pleased and excited with the results, so I put it up in my Etsy shop, and it sold the next day. So this picture is all I have left from this particular skein. However, I've actually dyed up more of this colorway since the summer games ended. :) I call this colorway "Pink Lemonaid"<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidsockyarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/pinklemonaidsockyarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I dyed up this sock yarn and called it "Stone" because it looks like rocks! :) This one is currently available in my shop.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/stonesockyarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/stonesockyarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then there was this one. I really like this colorway, I call it "Pink Licorice" and it's also currently available in my shop.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/blacklicoricesockyarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/blacklicoricesockyarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I had some dye left over, and some merino I really wanted to dye up, so I tossed these in there! This one I call "Gripe Vine", and sold shortly after listing.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/grapevineroving.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/grapevineroving.jpg" border="0" /></a> This one still doesn't have a name. But it looks rather happy to me with the blue and yellow. It's still available. :)<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bluegreenyellowmerino.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/bluegreenyellowmerino.jpg" border="0" /></a> And last but not least I dyed this on. I call it "Raspberry Grape" And I think it's quite lovely. It's also currently in the shop.<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/Rasperrygraperoving.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/Rasperrygraperoving.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I knit another tiny baby hat. :)<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/preemiehat3.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/preemiehat3.jpg" border="0" /></a> And a washcloth. This one is really soft on the solid pink fuzzy side, and just "normal" on the other side. I imagine this will be great to wash my face with. Haven't been able to bring myself to use it yet though. What if using it makes it ugly? hehe<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/spaclothbothsides.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/spaclothbothsides.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I knit another washcloth! I committed to a LOT of washcloths! LOL!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/garterlaccloth.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/garterlaccloth.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then one day I knit 5 hats on my knitting machine. I think they turned out rather nice! They're supposed to be donated, but I have a fear of someone hating them, and so I have yet to deliver them. I'd better hurry up!<br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/5machineknithats.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/5machineknithats.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I knit a hat that I designed, and knit from my own hand dyed, hand spun wool yarn, then I felted it. My pattern was way off though, so it turned out way too big! I'm not really sure what I did wrong. I swatched, felted my swatch, and measured, hmmmm..... well anyway it didn't work as planned. Luckily felted knitting is very forgiving!! So I trimmed out the part that was too big, and stitched up a small seam. So I still ended up with a functional hat that I think looks pretty cool if you like purple and black/gray. <br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/designerdiscushat.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/designerdiscushat.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I spun another yarn. This one however is quite different than what I usually spin. There's 2 plies here, one is superwash merino, the other one is all firestar, which is a sparkly nylon fiber. I don't remember how many yards are in this yarn, but this could make a really fun accent in a knitted piece. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to put this one in the shop or not. <br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/ravelympicsyarn2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/ravelympicsyarn2.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I knit, you guessed it! Another washcloth! But look how cute this one is! There's a butterfly on it and everything!! I love butterflies!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/butterflywashcloth.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/butterflywashcloth.jpg" border="0" /></a> *PHEW!* After all that I was tired! And my fingers were sore! So I actually took a break from knitting to um... gather up everything I knit/spun/dyed in the 17days, and took a group picture. This picture however is incomplete. The Pink Lemonaid sock yarn is missing. Oh well. Here's a picture of almost everything I got done during the games. I get tired just looking at it all LOL!!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/ravelympicsFOsminuspinklemonaid.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/ravelympicsFOsminuspinklemonaid.jpg" border="0" /></a> Until next time! :) Happy knitting!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-90606241658144456642008-08-18T16:04:00.000-07:002008-08-18T17:07:37.779-07:00Time flies when you're knitting!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/SKoOhI0O15I/AAAAAAAAAFY/7FhE9uw62Pg/s1600-h/ravelympics+2008+banner.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236013479236654994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/SKoOhI0O15I/AAAAAAAAAFY/7FhE9uw62Pg/s320/ravelympics+2008+banner.jpg" border="0" /></a> WOW! I Can't believe I haven't had time to post about my Ravelympics adventures yet! Well, I've been very busy knitting like a maniac trying to get as many projects completed as possible! Believe it or not, I'm a LOT slower in real life than I am in my mind! I'm WAY WAY behind on my spreadsheet! According to that I should've been done with everything by Saturday! LOL!!!! Oh well, it's all for fun anyway huh? And I'm having a great time! Here's a run down of how it's gone.<br />Day 1: Got up "early" (about 7:00am) to cast on, completed a Dayflower washcloth:<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/dayflowerclothravelympics2008.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 328px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="240" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/dayflowerclothravelympics2008.jpg" border="0" /></a> Then I took this Alpaca Fleece:<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/alpacafleece.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/alpacafleece.jpg" border="0" /></a> And carded it up into these lovely batts:<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/alpacabattsravelympics2008.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/alpacabattsravelympics2008.jpg" border="0" /></a> And spun up this yarn:<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/alpacayarnfreshoffthewheel.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/alpacayarnfreshoffthewheel.jpg" border="0" /></a> And knit these gloves. But don't let me fool you, gloves take a LOT of time to knit! All those sillly little fingers are so fiddly! So it actually took me all of day 2, and part of day 3 to complete these gloves. But it'll all have been worth it this winter when it's freezing outside and my new gloves can keep my hands toasty warm! :)<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/smartgrilgloves2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/smartgrilgloves2.jpg" border="0" /></a> So Day 3, which was a Sunday, and therefore knitting was not high on the priority list I completed less than my needed 2.65 (or whatever) projects per day needed to actually complete everything by the end of the games. There's a reason I joined the Hopelessly Overcommited team though you know! Anyway, on day 3 I finished the gloves in the morning, and then Cast on some lovely socks that I knit out of a great bamboo/merino/nylon yarn that I hand dyed. This will be a new base for my shop when I can get some more in. But like gloves socks also take longer than one would think, and I didn't even knit toes! (though secretly I'd like to one day!) So day 3, 4 and 5 I worked on these:<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/breezesocks2-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/breezesocks2-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> And this cute hat:<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/WIPhat-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/WIPhat-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> And this Swiffer Wet Jet cover:<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2008_0812April12-17-20080005-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2008_0812April12-17-20080005-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> And I was on a roll, and really far behind! So, I knit these washcloths on my USM Knitting machine, and crocheted a border around them. The verigated yarn is Sugar 'n' Cream cotton yarn, the green is cotton yarn I hand dyed.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/washcloth1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/washcloth1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/machineknitcloth.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/machineknitcloth.jpg" border="0" /></a>Then on day 6, I knit these mittens from the top down, I really like this pattern! There's no grafting at the top, and NO seaming!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/topdownmittens.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/topdownmittens.jpg" border="0" /></a> And that evening I cast on this lovely preemie hat that will be donated to the NICU where my twins stayed for the first 11 days of their lives. Every day I was there they always had a different adorable tiny hat to wear, and every single one was hand knit by someone who would never meet my boys, and I thought that one day I'd like to donate some adorable hats too because every baby needs an adorable hat! So here's one of what I hope will be many.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/preemiehat1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/preemiehat1.jpg" border="0" /></a> I finished the hat on day 7, and then cast on this purse:<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/fuzzyfeltedpurse.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/fuzzyfeltedpurse.jpg" border="0" /></a> I don't really know what I'll do with it, but I'm sure it'll be a gift for someone who wants/needs a fuzzy purse. I just thought it'd be fun to knit, and it was! It does remind me a bit of a sesame street monster though LOL! I knit this one with wool yarn held together with eyelash yarn, and felted it in the washer to shrink it and make it more sturdy, though it didn't felt quite as much as I wanted due to the eyelash yarn. But it sure is soft and fuzzy! hehe.<br /><br /><p>I also knit these UGLY mittens on my knitting machine on day 7. I was trying to make up the pattern as I went, and they didn't really turn out, but I'm keeping them anyway because my 3yo won't care that they're ugly, she'll just love them because they're pink! And she'll loose them so quickly anyway that I won't care when they're lost because they're ugly. And this was a learning experience. It really is worth it to go to more trouble when machine knitting because if you don't your mittens will look like this!<br /></p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/machinemittens1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/machinemittens1.jpg" border="0" /></a> Well, that purse took more than a day too, so day 8 was spent finishing up the purse.<br /><br /><br />Day 9 was rather productive! I started by figuring out how to knit a preemie hat FASTER! I mean they're SO tiny! Why should it take so long? So I fiddled around with needles and yarn and gauge swatches a bit, and came up with this hat:<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/preemiehat2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/preemiehat2.jpg" border="0" /></a> I plan to post this hat pattern as a free patter on my blog when the games end I have a chance to type it up. I doubt that posting my scribbles about gague and whatnot would be very easy to follow! LOL! </p><p>So after the hat was done I knit up another washcloth:<br /></p><br /><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/derrellwaltripcloth.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/derrellwaltripcloth.jpg" border="0" /></a> This was a quick easy pattern made all the more wonderful with some striping cotton sugar 'n' cream yarn. And it went so quickly that I immediatley casted on these wrist wamers. They're so soft! I knit them out of Bamboo which I LOVE because it's kinda shiny, and very soft and smooth. These I think will be a gift for someone... Can't tell who! hehe<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/ribbywristwarmers.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/ribbywristwarmers.jpg" border="0" /></a> Well those wrist warmers pretty much finished up up day 9 for me.</p><p>So on day 10, also a Sunday I picked up these socks that had been a WIP (work in progress) for a long time! Socks knit on size 1 needles work up slowly, so I did not finish them on day 10 even though they were 1/2 done when I picked them up. BUT on day 11 (that would be today) I finished them up! And I'm wearing them on my very happy feet!<br /></p><br /><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/chevrolacesocks.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/chevrolacesocks.jpg" border="0" /></a> And then I spun up this lovely sparkly yarn from fiber I'd blended up on my home made hackle. It is an un-known wool/coopsworth/firestar blend. .6oz, 35yds. And it was a great fun, quick spin! I think this one will end up in my shop with my next update.<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/handsupnheptathlon1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/handsupnheptathlon1.jpg" border="0" /></a> And that is all that I have completed thus far in my ravelympics journey. Oh, but I've gotten medals (aka: really cool pic/files) to show off for completing these. I'll have to show those off another day because I don't have them neat and orderly. I think I'll show you all of them when the games end. </p><p>And now I'm REALLY far behind!!! So I must be off to cast on something new! Happy knitting!<br /></p>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-2579718123233864472008-08-03T15:27:00.000-07:002008-08-04T16:42:43.311-07:00*Phew!* what a tour!Well, the tour de fleece has finished up, and I apologize for not posting pictures of what I did as they came off the wheel. I just go so caught up in spinning that I couldn't stop! I finished several yarns, but I haven't taken a picture of all of them just yet. I'll add that one later I guess. So while I didn't get as much done as I would have liked (I would like to spin a pound a day, but I'm nowhere near that happening!) I got through about a pound and a half of fiber, and spun many many yards! I also spun many different fibers! Not as many as I would have liked, but still there were several. And I learned how to spin lace singles! I spun alpaca, cotton, wool, silk caps, tussah silk, merino, coopsworth, firestar (I now love this stuff!), tencel, and soysilk. Um I think that may be all.<br /><br />Yay! Here is the picture of what I completed durring the Tour De Fleece. I completed 9 yarns, 2 mini skeins, some spindle singles that will be dyed later, and a bunch of silk caps singles that will be plied with something at some point. There is a total of over 1800 yards of finishd yarn which is over a mile! With a total of over 2600 yards of singles spun durring the tour, which is over a mile and a half! <br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2008_0804April12-17-20080010.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/2008_0804April12-17-20080010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/SJY3vf17pjI/AAAAAAAAAFE/rY0edzX9ysU/s1600-h/ravelympics+banner.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230429306378495538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/SJY3vf17pjI/AAAAAAAAAFE/rY0edzX9ysU/s320/ravelympics+banner.jpg" border="0" /></a> And in other news, Ravelry (a knitting and crochet online community) is hosting the first ever ravelympics! This is an event that coincides with the olympics; where knitters, crocheters, and spinners who are members of Ravelry can participate in knitting/crocheting, and spinning events for the fun of it. Everyone who completes an event will get a "medal"(aka a picture file of a medal or something) I think, and it's not really a competition, but I think it'll be LOTS of fun!! So I joined a team called "Hopelessly Overcommitted" and in order to live up to my team name have signed up for 43 items in many various events such as:<br />Designers Discus-for this event I plan to design a hat with hand spun, hand dyed yarn, and felt it, this will be a gift, so I may not post pictures.<br /><br />Fantasy DecKnitathalon-this one is for those of us that can dream up FAR more projects than we can complete. I think maybe most of my projects belong here?<br /><br />Felted Freestyle-for felted items, I'm putting the hat, and maybe a purse here (I need to add that one to my projects I think)<br /><br />Fleece to Finished Fencing- for taking a project from fleece to spun to a finished knit item this will be some gloves knit from alpaca fleece<br /><br />Glove Decathlon- gloves from above<br /><br />Gift Knits Pentathlon- I put the gift hat here, though many of these items may end up as gifts<br /><br />Hand-Dyed Hurdles-this is for dyeing yarn or knitting with hand dyed yarn, I have a few hand dyed yarns I plan to use to knit socks.<br /><br />Handspun Heptathlon-for spinning yarn, I have 5 planned. The description also said for items knit with hand spun yarn, but this is now being debated. Either way I'll have some projects for this event.<br /><br />Hat Dash-for hats, besides the gift one I have at least 5 more of these planned as well.<br /><br />Home-Stuff Hammer throw-things for the home, I'm doing washcloths, and a swiffer cover.<br /><br />Mitten Medley-for mittens, I think I have about 7 pair planned!<br /><br />Shawl Relay-for shawls, I hope to get to this one, but it's also in the fantasy event just in case!<br /><br />Sock Put-for socks of coarse. I have 2 pair planned<br /><br />WIPs Wrestling-this is for completing items that have already been started (WIP=work in progress). I have a pair of socks, and a hat in this event.<br /><br />The rules are so nice and friendly that they let you put one item into many events, which is why I have so many items in more than one event.<br /><br />I know this sounds like a lot to knit in 17 days, and it IS! I've never completed this much in 17 days! LOL!! But I have to keep up to my team name, and I have a fear of running out of projects! This way I'll be sure to always have something to work on. And I made a spreadsheet! Everything fits on the spreadsheet in just 7 days! So if the spreadsheet says it can be done surely it can't lie right? So we'll see. I think I may be too busy to post too terribly much during the event, but I'll try to give at least an update or 2 during it. I can't wait to start casting on!<br /><br /><br />Happy Knitting!designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-40909323317510228432008-07-19T13:53:00.000-07:002008-07-19T14:19:52.355-07:00Progress!Ooh! I'm so excited to post this today! I have made progress! I finally finished up spinning those silk caps! I love spinning silk caps really! But drafting them is just not so fun to me. And they gave me a nasty blister. But they're done and they look lovely! So I've been making all kinds of progress on my tour <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">de</span> fleece. One of my goals for this is to spin as many <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">different</span> fibers as I can. I'd like to spin at least a bit of each kind of fiber that I have, and I have a bunch! So, thus far I have spun wool, silk caps, alpaca, merino, cotton, soy silk, and I've got some merino/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">tencel</span> up next. It's so shiny! I bet you wanna see some pics huh? Here they are:<br /><br /><br />First up, my drafted silk caps!<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/draftedsilkcaps.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/draftedsilkcaps.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Next, the finished yarn:<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/woolsilkcloseup-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/woolsilkcloseup-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's the merino/alpaca in BRIGHT colors! I love them! It's SO soft!<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/merinoalpacaanothercloseup.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/merinoalpacaanothercloseup.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/anothercloseup-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/anothercloseup-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Then there's the cotton/<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">soy silk</span>. This one is very soft as well, I love how it came out!<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/cottonsoysilkonniddynoddy.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/cottonsoysilkonniddynoddy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And Next up is the merino/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">tencel</span>. I'll be spinning this up today!<br /><p><br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/merinotencelbatt.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/merinotencelbatt.jpg" border="0" /></a> So all in all so far I'd say that my tour <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">de</span> fleece is going rather well. I also have a bit of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">un</span>-dyed wool going on my spindle that I pick up every once in a while, but that has never been near my camera so I don't have any pics. I think I'll dye it when it's done and take pics then. </p><p>So after this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">tencel</span>/merino is done here's what I have left to try out: ramie, flax, hemp, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">BFL</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">firestar</span>, cashmere, angora, mohair, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">tussah</span> silk. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">hmm</span>, 9 different fibers, I wonder if I'll get through all of them? After the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">tencel</span>/merino will be some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">tussah</span> silk blended with more merino, but I plan on spinning that into lace weight, so that could take a while. So while it's possible that I will not make it through all my different kinds of fiber I'm having a great time! </p><p>Oh yeah, and IF I can bring myself to part with them these yarns will be up in my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Etsy</span> store soon. But only IF, some yarns are harder to part with than others <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">LOL</span>!!</p><p>Happy spinning!<br /></p>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-50916742849253895472008-07-18T12:18:00.000-07:002008-07-18T13:12:20.643-07:00How I make a pattern fit ME! (or how you can make it fit you)This is in response to Courtney's question about how to make a pattern fit you that may not be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">written</span> to fit you the way you want. <br /><br />1st: Measure yourself, and determine how you want your sweater to fit. A <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fitted</span> sweater will need a little negative ease due to the fact that knit items tend to be a bit <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">stretchy</span>. Say you have a 30" waist, you may want your finished item to measure 29"at the waist to fit more closely. Keep this idea in mind when determining how many stitches you will want to do for your sweater.<br /><br />2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nd</span>: Knit up a gauge swatch. This is your key to figuring out how many stitches you'll want for each part of your sweater. A <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">gauge</span> swatch is simply a 4"X4" knit piece that helps you to see how many stitches and rows you get with your yarn and needles. Since every knitter is different this is very important in assuring that your sweater will fit you when you're done!<br /><br />3rd: With your measurements and gauge swatch in your hot little hand you're ready to cast on! I would <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">suggest</span> casting on the number of stitches <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">recommended</span> for the size you want to make if your gauge swatch is anything close to the gauge <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">suggested</span> for your pattern. I often have to cast on 3 or 4 times <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">before</span> I'm satisfied with the size, but the pattern gives you a place to start. What I do is cast on, knit a few rows, and try it on by slipping most of the stitches onto waste yarn, and slipping it on. If it looks like it'll fit just keep going, if it's too big or too small start over using your gauge swatch and measurements to figure out how many stitches to start with the next time. <br /><br />Once you've cast on the right number of stitches , and knit the first bit of your sweater (in this case the neck of a sweater) follow the pattern for increases adjusting how many increases and the frequency of them to end up with the right number of stitches for you. I also <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">suggest</span> trying on your sweater when you're 1 or 2 increase rounds away from what you think you'll need because sometimes knitting <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">stretches</span> more than you think, and you'll actually need fewer increases than you thought you would, and sometimes you knit tighter than you thought, and you may need more increases than planned. Use the same idea for decreasing when you get to the waist shaping. <br /><br />To make a sweater shorter or longer than the pattern you'll also want to use your measurements and gauge swatch. If you're taller than average you may need to add some rows, if you're short you may want to take some out. I try to take rows out where they will be less <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">noticeable</span>. This tends to be where there is little to no shaping. So when your pattern says to knit straight for 3" but you're 2"taller than average you'll want to take a measurement of your length in that area, and add length accordingly. In this sweater pattern you would knit straight from the last increase row until just a few inches above your natural waist when you'll start decreasing. So just knit straight a couple extra inches if you're tall (a couple less if you're short like me!). Adding and subtracting length is actually really easy! That's also one of the beautiful things about knitting for yourself! You can always make things the right length! :) <br /><br />I hope this is helpful to people. It's just kinda what I figured out through my trial and error methods.<br /><br />And don't forget that gauge swatch!!designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-69865188553875502532008-07-08T14:54:00.001-07:002008-07-08T15:10:42.181-07:00Tour De Fleece 2008!Yes that's fleece NOT France! I've joined the tour de fleece on Ravelry this year. Tour de Fleece was started a few years ago (I believe this is the 3rd year?) and is durring the tour de france each year. It's an online event where a bunch of crazy spinners try to spin as much (or as little) as they can/want each day of the tour de france that the bikers ride. So it started Saturday July 5th, I'm not even sure right now when it ends, but I think it'll be fun! So far I've spun at least some each day, (it's only day 4) but I haven't gotten a lot finished. You see I decided to start with this beautifuly hand dyed red wool roving that I plan on plying with silk caps dyed the same color. It'll make a nice fluffy, dull/shiny contransting yarn. The problem is that I'm somehow not in the mood to spin these silk caps. I think it's the drafting. Drafting silk caps is different than drafting wool, and I guess I need to be in the mood to do it or I end up putting it off. So while I may well have about 100 yards of silk spun up, I need about 200yds I'm guessing, and have very little desire to work with this fiber at the moment. *sigh* this is bad because I really would like to move on to spinning some lovely carded batts. But I'm making myself finish these caps first! Otherwise they man never get done! hmmm, wanna see the fiber I'm working with? Ok, here's the wool. It spun up so nicely. <a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/burgundyroving-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/burgundyroving-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> And here are the silk caps. They're so very soft, and spinning up nice and shiny. But I'm getting bored drafting them. Hmm maybe the cure is to draft while watching a great movie? It's worth a shot huh!? Anyway here are the silk caps, they were very fun to dye!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/burgundysilkcaps-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/burgundysilkcaps-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> Anyway, I before the tour started I went through all my fiber, and decided how I wanted to spin it all because I'm hoping to make it through the vast majority of my fiber stash by the end of the tour. I'll try to keep you updated on my progress as the tour progresses. And if I'm ever going to finish up these silk caps I'd better get spinning! Hopefully I'll have pics of this fiber all plied up by tomorrow! :) Then it's on to something in batt form!<br />Happy spinning!designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-5680870932665795542008-06-23T20:51:00.000-07:002008-06-23T21:21:12.062-07:00Here's my craft room!I cleaned up my craft room a bit today and took pictures before I had a chance to mess it up again! Now it's not perfect, and I may have too much stuff, but it's as clean as it been in weeks if not longer. Besides it's hard to be creative without at least a little bit of a mess going on!<br />This first picture is what you see standing in the doorway.<br /><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/viewfromdoor.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/viewfromdoor.jpg" border="0" /></a>This picture is directly to the right of the door when you enter. You can see some cards I have on disply above my computer table. You can't see my laptop because it's hiding behind the comfy chair I got from my hubby cuz he wanted me to be comfy while working in my room! :) To the left of the table is the printer and a bunch of scrapbooking paper. <br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/computerwall.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/computerwall.jpg" border="0" /></a> This picture is of my sewing nook. It's in pretty bad shape right now. I'm WAY behind on MANY many sewing projects! LOL Oh and the little TV tray there in front is the kid's crafting table. It works out perfectly when the room is clean because they can put what they're using on my big table, and when they're done it all goes back on the tray. That way it doesn't get in my way when I'm working. <br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/sewingcorner.jpg" border="0" />This is the table where I do a lot of fiber and yarn dyeing as well as fiber blending. And this is aldo the table where I use my knitting machine. I haven't spent much time with my kitting machine since I got the drum carder though. Oh yeah and you can see all the boxes and bags under the table. Most of that is where I store my fiber stash. But some of it is fabric. The fabric is trying to take over! But the yarn, spinning fiber, and paper are definatley giving the fabric a run for its money! Oh yeah and the red bin is full of yarn!<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/fiberdyeandblendingtable.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/fiberdyeandblendingtable.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p>This is my spinning corner and closet. The big tall wierd looking thing is my macine quilting frame. All the white drawers are full of fabric as is the shelf above that doesn't show very well. The hanging shelves are full of yarn both hand spun and commercial. The pink drawers on the Left are full of MANY other crafty things!<br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/spinningcorner.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/spinningcorner.jpg" border="0" /></a> This wall is where I keep my stamps (the cabinet is full of stamps too!) and my ribbon. My ribbon collection makes me very happy! <br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/stampsandribbonwall.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/stampsandribbonwall.jpg" border="0" /></a> And last but certainly not least this is my scrapbooking desk. It is packed full of stamping and scrapbooking supplies. I think it's about to explode! LOL!! <br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/scrappindesk.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/scrappindesk.jpg" border="0" /></a> Oh and you can see a little bit of the table that is in the middle of the room in this picture as well. That is where I really work on current projects. This table has many different things going on at any given moment. Seeing as how there's no space on my scrapbooking desk this is where I scrapbook, it's also where the kids work on their crafts, and where friends scrapbook with me. I've also used it to wind yarn into balls, and dye roving. And it used to be the kitchen table so it's been through a few canning seasons, and hundreds of dinners. Awww, I think I like this table! Too bad you can only see a few inches of it huh? Oh well. Anyway I hope you liked this little tour of my room. You can see there's a LOT going on in here. Maybe I need a bigger room? Oh hunny!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-61629896979798925612008-06-21T20:12:00.000-07:002008-08-12T07:05:50.568-07:005 kids + a full time student for a husband = crazyHoly cow! It's been forever since I last posted! It would appear that I've not done anything, but that is just not the case. I've done a LOT, I just have had a hard time finding the time to post about it lately. You see, my very hard working hubby has just gone back to school full time, and I have realized how utterly lazy I was b-4 when he was a "normal" husband that came home from work every day and didn't spend all night doing homework. While I was pregnant with the twins and basically threatened to be put in the hospital indeffinatley if I did anything around the house my hubby did a LOT! And I'll be honest, I liked that! So I kinda let him continue to do whatever I didn't want to do for a while after the twins were born (I had to recover right?). Well, now he doesn't have time, so I'm back to doing just about everything I did b-4 the whole twin pregnancy thing (he still helps out a lot though), only now there are 5 kids to keep out of the dishwasher (though only 2 of them really try to climb in), and read to, and feed, and wash laundry for, and help with homework, and keep track of who went where etc. And somehow with all of this I do find time to do stuff, just not much time to post about it though. I'd like to change all that! So, I'm taking back my blog! I plan to post much more often than I have been.<br /><br />Hmmm... now as I recall I left off at some yarn and batts? Well I'd like to finally share with you what I knit up with that first VERY bulky yarn that I spun on my wheel (I'd also like to note that I'm really happy with how this dyed up). It's a Quant, you can find the pattern for FREE online at <a href="http://www.knitty.com/">http://www.knitty.com/</a> in their archives.<br /><br /><p><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/anotherquantpic.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/anotherquantpic.jpg" border="0" /></a> I did have to alter the pattern a bit to work with my yarn though. My yarn is MUCH more bulky than what was called for, so I used bigger needles, and took out one of the square repeats across. And it's a good thing too because this thing turned out just the right size. I think it would've been too big if I'd followed the pattern. Well, that and I would've run out of yarn. I only had about 90yds to begin with. So to anyone looking for a great project to knit up that doesn't take a lot of yarn I vote for this one!</p><p>Then there were some batts. Well I finally dyed them, and I must say I LOVE how they turned out! Just LOOK! <a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/silkwoolbatts.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/silkwoolbatts.jpg" border="0" /></a> These spun up like a DREAM! I spun some super fine singles, and navajo plied it (for those that don't know what navajo plying is it's a plying method that creates a 3 ply yarn with a single strand and can help to maintain colors for striping. You can see how it's done on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">http://www.youtube.com/</a>) for a really pretty fingering weight yarn with really long stripes. I think the stripes are about 10 yards long or so. I have only spun up half of it so far, but I have about 220 yards so far (that's enough for ankle socks). Here's the yarn I ended up with:</p><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/woolsilkfingeringrefrence.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/woolsilkfingeringrefrence.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/silkwoolyarn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/silkwoolyarn.jpg" border="0" /></a> And then last but certainly not least there was that roving that I dyed. Well I'm happy to say that it turned out to be 513 yards of a fabulous fingering weight yarn! It'll make some really nice socks one day when I find just the perfect pattern. I'm calling it "Pink Lemonaid"<br /><br /><a href="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/firsthandspunsockyarn512yds.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/mooshie_1/firsthandspunsockyarn512yds.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Well I think that's it for this post. I have lots more yarn to share, but that'll have to wait for another day. Now I have to go find the new stuffed doggy that my 3yo got for her birthday.<br />Have a great weekend!designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-7516187327454480122008-03-24T16:24:00.000-07:002008-03-24T17:16:41.664-07:00A NEW HOBBY heheheI have decided that the fiber arts are fabulous! So naturally I've been researching all things crafty that you can do with fibers of all sorts. I love yarn, and become mesmerized when I see beautifully dyed yarn especially if it looks soft and shiny. So I figured making my own yarn would be so cool! I was right! My spinning all began very innocently with some reading, and more reading online. Then I figured I could probably do it after reading so much about it for months! So I ordered some wool, and headed to the craft store to pick up some supplies to make my own home made drop spindle. I then started playing with the wool and spindle. It was fun, but I wasn't real good at keeping the spindle spinning while drifting out my wool. So I hatched a plan to get a spinning wheel because it seemed to be right up my alley. Then disappointment set in as I realized that spinning wheels cost a bit more than 5 bucks! Okay, a LOT more than that! Luckily I knew where to ask (craftster has a great fiber arts forum)! I discovered a place that makes spinning wheels out of PVC pipe and a wheelchair wheel. As much as I love asking my hubby to make things for me that neither of us knows how to make I really had no idea how this thing should work when it finally is done. So how would I know if there was a problem or how to fix it? Yeah I wouldn't. So I somehow talked him into letting me buy something I had no idea how to use! LOL!! Isn't that nuts!? But my hubby is a really nice guy, and he likes to keep me happy, and he knew that I'd figure out how to use it. After all I learned how to knit and spin and make a spindle online, why not figure out how to spin there too? So I ordered this wheel that I'd heard great things about and the agony began. I thought I was going to die before it arrived. Luckily I survived though. And I LOVE it! It's just sooooo cool! Watching the fiber be spun into yarn is almost hypnotic. Plus now I get to play with all these great fibers! I also ordered a variety of fibers to spin on my new wheel (alpaca, angora, Bamboo, cashmere, mohair, nylon, firestar, silk, soysilk, and wool), and if you have all this fiber you gotta have something to blend it with right? Of corse you do! So, I ordered a drum carder too! HEHEHE and hubby put up with all of this so well! Though in my defence I researched all of it for months and stuck to a budgeted amount before ordering anything so there! hehehe<br /><br />So I bet that a lot of you are wondering what on earth a PVC spinning wheel looks like huh? Well it looks just like any other spinning wheel only it's made of PVC hehe. Oh yeah and I have a pic to share too. It's more like a modern wheel, and no it doesn't look like the one that Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on, though the 2 do the same thing.<br /><br />Anyway, here's my wheel. Isn't it cool?<br /><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-g85fSCL8I/AAAAAAAAAEM/jTC5Mnety3M/s1600-h/first+spinning+wheel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181458329637105602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-g85fSCL8I/AAAAAAAAAEM/jTC5Mnety3M/s400/first+spinning+wheel.jpg" border="0" /></a> OH and if you're wondering what on earth a drum carder is. Well, it's a dangerous tool if you don't know how to use it right. It's used to combine fibers, or align fibers so that they're ready for spinning. They're also more than $5! Darn it! I ordered mine from <a href="http://www.coppemoose.com/">http://www.coppemoose.com/</a> and it came with 8oz of "free" silk (as in it wasn't extra, but I had to plunk down the $$ for the carder to get it, is that really free?? hehe). Oh silk is soooooooooo soft! I'm gonna have fun spinning it! So here's a picture of my Strauch "Petite" (it's not small) Drum carder.</p><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-g_RPSCL9I/AAAAAAAAAEU/kWE9rt2a6ng/s1600-h/brand+new+drum+carder.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181460936682254290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-g_RPSCL9I/AAAAAAAAAEU/kWE9rt2a6ng/s400/brand+new+drum+carder.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><p>Anyway, I ordered a kit rather than a pre-assembled drum carder. It saved me $15 and I got to learn how it was put together. That's how I know it can be dangerous! I was moving it, and poked my thumb on it, and made it bleed! See!<br /></p><p><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-g_jPSCL-I/AAAAAAAAAEc/d4Fpmfn46jE/s1600-h/drum+carder+assembly+injury.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181461245919899618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-g_jPSCL-I/AAAAAAAAAEc/d4Fpmfn46jE/s200/drum+carder+assembly+injury.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />So a word to the wise, DON'T touch the spikes on your drum carder and you'll get along better with it!<br /><br />So of course having these new toys gives good reason to USE them right!? So here are my latest projects.<br />This one is my first hand spun yarn.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-hAnfSCL_I/AAAAAAAAAEk/ctTzVxqBBug/s1600-h/first+handspun+pre+dye.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181462418445971442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-hAnfSCL_I/AAAAAAAAAEk/ctTzVxqBBug/s200/first+handspun+pre+dye.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's a picture of the first fibers I carded together, pulled into roving, and dyed. It's 25% nylon 75% wool. I'm hoping to spin it into sock yarn one day. Though I think I'd like a little more practice to get more even yarn first.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-hCrvSCMCI/AAAAAAAAAE8/CohYUCcxffg/s1600-h/first+hand+dyed+roving.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181464690483671074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-hCrvSCMCI/AAAAAAAAAE8/CohYUCcxffg/s200/first+hand+dyed+roving.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And this one is a 2oz batt of wool/silk that I carded together. It's about 1/3 silk 2/3 wool. The silk makes it shiny. I'm going to dye this one, but I'm not sure what colors yet, and I'm not sure what weight it'll be when spun. I'm waiting for it to tell me what it wants to be. Right now it's happy being a beautiful cloud of fiber. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-hBF_SCMBI/AAAAAAAAAE0/Vyv6QftPqRY/s1600-h/wool+and+silk+batt.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181462942431981586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-hBF_SCMBI/AAAAAAAAAE0/Vyv6QftPqRY/s200/wool+and+silk+batt.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>Be sure to check back later. I've dyed up the handspun yarn, and I'm working on a hand knit headband (too bad it's getting warmer huh? did I just say that?! I hate the cold! But you don't wanna go running around in a wool headband in the middle of summer. oh well, one thing's for sure, winter always comes again around here!). Hopefully it'll be done soon! I can't wait to see it when it's done!<br />Have a great day!designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-29320477657185182832008-03-24T15:10:00.000-07:002008-03-24T16:23:53.807-07:00SOCKS!I have socks! For those of you who haven't been bitten by the sock knitting bug you may find it hard to believe that I'm having so much fun taking so much time making something that I'll just put holes in by wearing them around on my feet! But it's true! I've been bitten by the sock bug! Socks make a great knitting project for so many reasons!<br />1. They're reltively small, and therefore can be finished quickly.<br />2. You can do any number of beautiful patterns on socks so they're always interresting.<br />3. There's so much lovely sock yarn out there, and knitters just wanna try it all!<br />4. You can't buy the beautiful socks you can knit.<br />5. They're warm!<br /><br /><br />See! I've just listed 5 reasons off the top of my head why socks are so great! And I'm sure all the sock knitters out there can come up with many more! So now hopeflully you know why I love to knit socks, and if you don't, well... maybe you should try some for yourself and see!<br /><br /><br />I bet you wanna see some of these socks that I love to knit don't ya? Okay! here ya go.<br />This is the first pair of socks that I ever knit. They're the Baudelaire sock pattern FREE from <a href="http://www.knitty.com/">http://www.knitty.com/</a> I made these from some wool/nylon sock yarn in burgundy. I love them. They took me forever, but that's what I get for going for fancy shmancy lacey socks on my first pair. But this is what I wanted to knit, so I did. This first pic is of them on my needle. I'm an impatiend knitter and for fear of never making the second sock I made them 2 at a time on one long circular needle. It's not as hard as it sounds. Just a litte trickey to keep your yarn from getting tangled up seeing as how you need to knit from 2 different skeins of yarn at a time. Anyway enough rambling about these socks. Here are the pics.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gvyfSCL1I/AAAAAAAAADU/_wpJz1bWzYY/s1600-h/first+socks.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181443915726860114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gvyfSCL1I/AAAAAAAAADU/_wpJz1bWzYY/s320/first+socks.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's a pic of the socks fresh off the needles.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gwE_SCL2I/AAAAAAAAADc/iFwUaDUm3Yk/s1600-h/lacy+socks.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181444233554440034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gwE_SCL2I/AAAAAAAAADc/iFwUaDUm3Yk/s320/lacy+socks.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here they are on my very happy feet!<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gwXPSCL3I/AAAAAAAAADk/UG5ybWoF9J8/s1600-h/lacey+socks+action+shot.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181444547087052658" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gwXPSCL3I/AAAAAAAAADk/UG5ybWoF9J8/s320/lacey+socks+action+shot.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />These are some toddler socks I just kind of made up. I thought it would be cute to knit some socks for the twins. So I knit up a swatch with some yarn that I found at an adorable little yarn shop in South Jordan called "From Robbin's Nest" It's all acrylic which I thought would be good for toddlers since they don't take real great careo f their socks anyway. And mostly I just wanted to make some cute socks!<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gwxPSCL4I/AAAAAAAAADs/9k36WPif98c/s1600-h/toddler+socks.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181444993763651458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gwxPSCL4I/AAAAAAAAADs/9k36WPif98c/s320/toddler+socks.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is pair of socks that I just finished up today. I used the generic toe-up sock pattern from Knitty.com (sorta, I read the pattern once, then kinda guessed on the rest). These are made with my own hand dyed yarn, in a colorway I'm calling "Mint Dream". The design part of the socks is kind of a play on seed stitch. I saw a REALLY expensive sweater in the mall with this stitch pattern, and figured I could just do it on socks to see how I like it. </div><div>It's really simple. </div><div>row 1: K2, P2 across the top, </div><div>row 2: repeat row 1, </div><div>row 3: P the K's and K the P's. </div><div>row 4: repeat row 3. </div><div>Repeat rows 1-4 for the pattern part of the sock. Makes for a fun texture. </div><div> </div><div>So here's a close up of the pattern. </div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gxn_SCL7I/AAAAAAAAAEE/RktWpHw1IRs/s1600-h/hand+dyed+socks+close+up.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181445934361489330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gxn_SCL7I/AAAAAAAAAEE/RktWpHw1IRs/s320/hand+dyed+socks+close+up.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's the side view. <div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gxWvSCL6I/AAAAAAAAAD8/OqoCnq-aWcg/s1600-h/hand+dyed+socks+side+view.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181445638008745890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gxWvSCL6I/AAAAAAAAAD8/OqoCnq-aWcg/s320/hand+dyed+socks+side+view.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here are my happy feet. <div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gxGvSCL5I/AAAAAAAAAD0/PE7jggT6Ke8/s1600-h/hand+dyed+socks.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181445363130838930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R-gxGvSCL5I/AAAAAAAAAD0/PE7jggT6Ke8/s320/hand+dyed+socks.JPG" border="0" /></a> I'm not sure what pattern I'll use for my next socks yet, but I already have the yarn! I do however have a few projects that I feel obligated to finish b-4 starting on a new one. So it could be a while before I get anymore socks done. But I hope you like looking at my socks as much as I like wearing them! LOL </div><div>Happy Crafting!<br /></div></div></div></div>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9143330902167085021.post-76286533464375108642008-01-31T09:54:00.000-08:002008-02-03T14:32:03.363-08:00Lookie what I finished!I have always wanted to make a sweater for myself. Ever since I first learned to knit 17 years ago, as I sat there becomming more and more frustrated with each row because I kept finding mysterious extra stitches, then I would think of how cool it would be to make a sweater I could wear. Then I decided it wasn't worth it because I just couldn't seem to figure it out (I was very young at the time, give me a break).<br /><br />Then I came across a beginners sweater pattern on Craftster.org, (I just found the link again, here's where I found the pattern <a href="http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=152316.0">http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=152316.0</a> )and just had to try it out. It didn't go seamlessly (no pun intended), I nearly re-wrote the pattern to get it to fit, but as was stated in the pattern I used it was more if a guide anyway. And it got me to finally make the sweater I've been waiting so long to make. So the only thing I have to say about the pattern was that it didn't fit me. It's still a great guide!<br /><br /><br /><br />So I'm very happy to FINALLY be able to show off a sweater that I knit! I really like it! It fits me just like I wanted it to, I think I'll wear it everywhere! I bet you'd like to see some pictures of it huh? Well, first you have to look at the first picture I took.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R6IVdlhMqwI/AAAAAAAAABE/_linNVlfBQ0/s1600-h/2008_0131november070001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161711720951753474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R6IVdlhMqwI/AAAAAAAAABE/_linNVlfBQ0/s320/2008_0131november070001.JPG" border="0" /></a> When I tried it on at this point it was apparent that it was going to be WAY too big! So, the next day I frogged the whole thing! :( It was sad, but luckily I hadn't gotten too far. So I started over with smaller needles, and with WAY fewer stitches than the pattern called for, and ta-da! It fit! And I love it.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R6IXz1hMqxI/AAAAAAAAABM/Egw39P3MfkM/s1600-h/sweater.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161714302227098386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7VcgyExzGXQ/R6IXz1hMqxI/AAAAAAAAABM/Egw39P3MfkM/s320/sweater.JPG" border="0" /></a>I made a lot of changes to this pattern. So many in fact that I thought I'd type up my pattern for anyone who may want to replicate this sweater the way I have. I, however have VERY limited pattern writing ability at the moment, so to keep things simple I will just type out the instructions for the size I made, and allow you to adjust for your size. I wear a size 6, and have a 36" bust and 27" waist (I have 5 kids! Not everyone can have a 24" waist forever!) just to give you an idea of what sized person this fits. So, without further delay, here is the pattern that I made:</p><p>Top Down Raglan Sleeve Sweater Pattern</p><p>written by Michelle of Designs By Michelle</p><p>size: Woman's Small</p><p>Materials: </p><p>Yarn: 1 skein Caron Simply Soft in country blue, one skein of Caron Simply Soft in gray heather.</p><p>Needles: one 24" circular needle size 6 US</p><p>one 24" circular needle size 8 US</p><p>one 32" circular needle size 6 US (for using the magic loop method for the sleeves), OR a set of size 6 US DPN's </p><p>one 32" circular needle size 8 US (for using the magic loop method for the sleeves), OR a set of size 8 US DPN's<br /></p><p>4 stitch markers</p><p>1 yarn needle<br /></p><p>Gauge: 16sts/25rows=4" in stockinette stitch on size 8 US needles</p><p>Special instructions: Each stripe is 13 rows long, however instructions for color chage are not always indicated. Remember to change colors as needed. Feel free to make your stripes as wide or narrow as you wish, or add cables to a solid color sweater.</p><p>Abbreviations:</p><p>Kf&b=knit into the front of a stitch, then without sliding the stitch off your needle knit into the back of the same stitch. (one increase made)</p><p>K= knit</p><p>P= purl </p><p>SSK= slip slip knit</p><p>K2tog= knit 2 together</p><p>M1= make one increase</p><p>st st= stockinette stitch (knit all stitches in the round)</p><p>St(s)= stitch(es)</p><p>MC= main color (blue in this pattern) CC= compilmentay color (gray in this pattern)</p><p>Begin</p><p>Using size 6 US 24" round needle and MC, cast on 120 sts, join in the round being careful not to twist sts.</p><p>working in K2, P2 ribbing place a stitch marker after 39 sts (these sts just worked will be the front), continue in K2, P2 for another 21 sts, place marker (sleeve), continue for another 39 sts, place marker (back), continue again for 21sts, place marker (2nd sleeve).</p><p>continue to work in K2, P2 ribbing for 2 1/2" slipping markers as you come to them, break yarn leaving a tail to weave in later.</p><p>Switch to CC and size 8 US 24" circular needle. K one round slipping markers as you come to them.</p><p>Increase round: Kf&b, *k to 1 st before 1st marker, Kf&b, slip marker, Kf&b* repeat from * to * to end of round. </p><p>next round: K all sts </p><p>repeat these two rounds 11 times more, K 3 more rounds. </p><p>Try on sweater: Slip half of your stitches onto waste yarn or onto another round needle, and try on sweater. If the sleeves meet under your arm then continue, if not you may need to adjust the pattern by doing more increase rounds. </p><p>K to first marker, remove it. Slide the stitches between 1st and 2nd marker onto a stitch holder, or waste yarn, slide 2nd marker as usual. K to 3rd marker, remove it, slide stitches between 3rd and 4th marker onto waste yarn or stitch holder, slip 4th marker as usual. continue in st st until piece reaches 3" from underarm. </p><p>Begin decreases for waist as follows:</p><p>*K1, SSK, K to 3 sts before marker, K2tog, K1* repeat one time more.</p><p>K 4 rounds</p><p>repeat these 5 rounds 4 times more</p><p>K 4 rounds (Try on sweater again, you should be to your waist by now)</p><p>hip increase round: K1, M1, K to 1 st before marker, M1, K1, slip marker, K1, M1, K to 1 st before marker, M1, K1.</p><p>K 4 rounds</p><p>repeat these 5 rounds 4 times more. </p><p>Using size 6 US 24" round needle and MC, work in K2, P2 ribbing for 2", bind off loosly. </p><p>Sleeves: (make 2)</p><p>with 32" size 8 US needle or size 8 US DPNS put sleeve sts onto needle, and pick up and knit 3 sts, place marker, pick up and knit 2 sts under the arm to close the gap. working in the round, K 1 round (50 sts on needle)</p><p>decrease round: K1, SSK, K to 3 sts before marker, K2tog, K1</p><p>K 2 rounds</p><p>repeat these 3 rounds 2 times more (44 sts on needle)</p><p>K 2 rounds, switch to size 6 US 32" circular needle, and working with MC work in K2, P2 ribbing for 2", bind off loosly. </p><p>Finishing:</p><p>Weave in ends</p><p>Show it off!</p><p>I'd love to get feedback on this pattern if it makes sence and if it works for you if you use it. This just happens to be what worked for me. I hope it'll work for someone else as well!</p>designsbymichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06450230853419161303noreply@blogger.com3