Time for a Break

The Turkish String Bag is putting up a fight. I've had to frog it a couple of times. I'm using double yarn and every once and while I catch only one yarn. I have found it impossible to pick up any dropped stitches. I don't think I have enough yarn, either.

I picked up some cheap acrylic yarn that is varigated pink. I keep asking my self why. I found a machine knit shrug that is made with vaigated pink yarn, and when I saw it at Savers, I thought, what the heck. Well, I really can't see myself or anyone else for that matter wearing this yarn. It looks like candy.

I am distracted by my upcoming long vacation and trip to the Mainland. I have to tie up all the loose ends at work and clean house a bit before I go.

I am comfort buying. It's a disease. Somebody shoot me please ;)

Stitch Markers

Stitch markers are a fun way to use up a few of my beads. I got carried away with the angel ones since they are so easy to make. I have a some other types of rings/wires to try out so the can be removed without having to slide off the needle. I also will work on a few larger ones for the larger knitting needles.

I am still experimenting on ways to make a colored back ground in my scanner. I haven't had much time to play with the new Paint Shop Pro. Perhaps I better go hang out in that group for a while.


Turkish String Bag is coming along.


I will also have to read up on how to make links in my text boxes linkable.

From the Vintage File

I was fortunate to have a long time crafter gift me with a few of her vintage magazines. This particular one is missing the first 2 pages and the cover, so I don't know what year it is, but I suspect from the hairstyles, late 1940s. I will do an little research.

I wonder if these were made and actually worn? I had to chuckle.

Soleil Finished

Soleil
The peach demon is done. I was hoping to use up all the peach yarn I found lurking in my stash, but I still have a bunch left. Perhaps I should make the Chicken Viking Hat

Cherry Earrings

I got the idea for these earrings from Craftsters. I couldn't tell how the leaves went on and may experiment a bit more, but they do look a bit cherry like and were quick and easy to make.

I also experimented with a other then grey back ground in my scanner. There was a bit of cloud in the middle portion of the scan, that I have to figure out how to get rid of. Thank goodness there is a nice crop tool in PaintShop Pro!

Bloomin' Haiku

Let go blooms of youth
Many new ones thrive out there
Go out and smell them.

http://www.hm-ad.com/mt/archives/columbine.jpg

The Watch

"Rolex", heh, watch head, and with tourmaline beads and pink CZ. It's about 1/4 inch longer then I wanted it. Finding a gold filled clasps that was easy to open was a challenge. I may be remaking this one.

Barb's Fingerless Gloves

I wish I remembered the name of this wool yarn I got in Alaska. Its a worsted weight yarn. I used what I had left from the one skein I made the hat with.

Needles: 4 double pointed Size 4











Cast on 40 st
Rib, K2P2 for as long as you want. I did 15 rows round and round.
Increase 4 st evenly spaced on the last row.
Knit in stockinette stitch up to the base of thumb. I did 6 rows. I have small hands.
Start the base of the thumb:
K2, inc 1, K1, inc 1, Knit around
K 2 rows
K2, inc 1, K3, inc 1, Knit around
K2 rows
K2, inc 1, K5, inc 1, Knit around
K2 rows
K2, inc 1, K7, inc 1, Knit around
K2 rows
K2, inc 1, K9, inc 1, Knit around
K2-4 rows
K1, slip next 13 st to holder
Knit around until you want the ribbing to start. I did 7 rows.
Decrease on the last row so you have a multiple of 4. I dec to 40 stitches.
Rib, K2P2 until you are at the crease where your fingers leave the palm. I did 6 rows.
Bind off in ribbing.

The thumb
Put the 13 st on needles. Join yarn 2 rows above the thumb and pick up 2 st along that edge. Knit the next 13 st and pick up two more st above the thumb. Knit around until you come to the top of the thumb. Knit the first and the last picked up stitches together. Knit around until you have the thumb as long as you like, I did 6 rows, then bind off.

Weave in the ends. Use the yarn joined to make the thumb to close any visible holes as you go.

Knitting the Womb

I met the creator of the Knitted Womb at Stitch and Bitch. I had finished the fingerless mits and was wondering, "What next?", when I found out the OB-GYN NP I work with is moving back to the Mainland. It seemed like the perfect gift. So far I have all the parts made and the thing stuffed, but have to find some pipe cleaners to stiffen the Fallopian tubes. I am going to attach some earrings to it. I was thinking of stuffing it with candy, but it does look very cute stuffed. Someone even suggested candy babies! What a hoot that would be.

I realizd after reading the pattern that Kai used bulky yarn! How did I miss that? Oh well, I made another one but have to get more pipe cleaners before I can finish it. It does look much better. It didn't scan so well.

The pattern is available in the archives of knitty.com along with some other fun and good looking projects.

I may need to knit a couple more, cuz as the saying goes "One can't have too many wombs!"

Totoro Poses with Womb

I read the directions more carefully this time, and the womb came out much better. Totoro agreed to be photographed with Womb2

UFO Finished

Every crafter know UFO=Unfinished objects. These tend to multiply around the house. A first I made attempts to hide these so that comments such as "What is that?", "Aren't you done with that?" didn't make me feel shame. It all started when I was 6 and started a sweater for my grandmother. I even had my picture in the newspaper knitting that sweater. To make a long story short it was never done. The pattern was more intricate then I was capable of and I discoveded I did not like the purl side of stockinette stitch.

For a time I could no longer hide them as there were just too gall darned many of them! Now that I'm in the cleaning phase, I just throw some of them out.

And every once in a while I actually finish one.

This pink and blue necklace was one of them. It's for someone with a very dainty, thin neck, maybe a child.

Music to Match my Mood

Alison Krauss is a very accomplished woman with the voice of an angel. I don't profess to know how angels sound, and it may well be I'll never hear one, but if angels sing they must sound like her. According to a short biography I read on her, she started off with classical violin and by six had jumped to bluegrass fiddle. It wasn't until later that her voice became as popular as her fiddle playing. She was part of the group of people that made the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou? such a big hit.

I would love to hear her live, and I hope she comes to Hawaii one of these days.

She gets 5 really spendid acorns! (Not that there are any other kind)

Lost in the Creative Wasteland

Creating anything these days is a real challenge for me. I'm looking at nature, websites, magazine ads, stores, and everywhere for inspirations, but my energies seem to be directed elsewhere.

I've even tried reading that book, "The book who's name is never mentioned" apparently, cuz the title escapes my mind.

I know there is someone out there who will find this necklace creative, so my lack of creativity is just a symptom of my current situation. So I'm just throwing it out there for all the world to see anyway.

Sunrise Haiku

Grey dawn on the sky.
Silver streak on the shoreline
portends a great day.

Crafting on the Road

Darn, I really was resolved to not craft on the road, so I didn't bring any needles. It only took me 4 days to lust after a project to have in hand. I found this store"
Black Sheep Yarn & Knitting Machines
222 N. Binkley St.
Soldotna, AK 99669
And, a cute little store it was. I could tell just by peering in the window. I went back and admired the other crafts such as stained glass and FO (finished objects). I got some real wool yarn, which is scarce in Honolulu and some double pointed needles and cast on 99 stitches with size 7 needles, knit for 7 inches then started decreasing. K7 K2tog around, K next row, K6 K2tog around and so fourth until I couldn't knit any more on the double pointed needles. Then I had to get home before finishing the hat with the roll brim and knot on top. Mindless! I may have enough yarn to knit the matching gauntlets :)

BTW, to finish, I kept decreasing around until I had 8 stitches left and kept knitting around until it was long enough to tie in a knot, aboug 4 inches. It can also be finished using the I-cord technique.

Working On

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/khs-prettyPoncho.html-This is what I am knitting now. I know I wasn't supposed to add yarn to the stash, but, oh well :) I wanted this rose color but Ben Franklin was out. I had to settle for the blues. Sigh, my "rut" color. It's half way done. 

Crochet Luggage Tag 2, Pompom Variation

Crochet Luggage Tag 2, Pompom Variation
Size G or H crochet hook
1. Ch 5. Join.
2. (Sc in ring, ch 3) 12 times. Join.
3. Ch 3*, 7 dc in lst loop. (8 dc in ch 3 loop) 12 times. Join.
4. With contrast color, sc in every space or dc around. Join.
5. Make a pompom with contrasting color and join middle sc loop to flute the flower.
6. For string--Ch 60, then go backwards and sl st in every ch. Thread this string through 12 holes in above.
* Counted as first dc. 

Victorian Needle Case

This wonderful Walnut sewing kit is Victorian I am told, because the lining is made out of leather. It is quite light weight, so it isn't pure brass, but a nice brass color. 

Recent crystal projects. I'll have to figure out how to make a better scanned background one of these days. 

Crochet Luggage Tag 1

LUGGAGE TAG-Pattern from Grace
Size G or H crochet hook
1. Ch 5. Join.
2. (Sc in ring, ch 3) 6 times. Join.
3. Ch 3*, 7 dc in lst loop. (8 dc in ch 3 loop) 5 times. Join.
4. Ch 3*, dc in first st. 2 dc in next st and continue around. Join.
5. With contrast color, sc, ch 2 in every space or dc around. Join.
6. For string--Ch 60, then go backwards and sl st in every ch. Thread this string through 6 holes in above.
* Counted as first dc.

Tie this to your bag and when all the other black bags come rolling off the baggage claim belt, yours will call out to you and away you go!

I want to make this in nicer colors but I'm trying not to add to my stash right now. I am not much of a crocheter so this is my first one. Grace's are much prettier.