Indigo Totoro

Indigo Totoro, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

Yarn from www.etsy.com/shop/sheepandthreads. It is handspun from her Romney sheep and dyed with her natural indigo. Totoro likes his umbrella all the way from Italy (gift from JT) and his new acorns from MM. He is getting ready to travel and like me, still needs some ends woven in;)

I excited to be visiting the Knitted Brow. I decided to take that extra suitcase and overpack, heh. And the weather has changed and while it's chilly now in Georgia, it is downright cold in Wisconsin where I'm heading next. Blogless sister Susan will be coming back to Hawaii with me. I will miss sistah Rita's visit except for a hi how r u later today but the folks and Kiko the wacko cat will be so happy to see her!

Punch Fun

10/16/2011. The fairy's flower bag is done! Cascade 128.

I have done little knitting after Hanami. I totally missed out on the yellow month of Project Spectrum. I did manage to block my Sampler Stole and turn it in to a poncho. I envisioned the end to side "classic" poncho, but the neck hole was too large, so I did the side to side version. I think this will be my airplane "blankie" instead of my usual Clapotis for my upcoming trip.

The new Knit Simple Holiday 2011 has a very cute pattern for fairies. It even has a little flower bag to put the fairy in. I'm hoping to have this done for my nieces's daughter. I've used bits of sock yarn and made her barefoot. I still have to find some yarn to make her wings. I think I'll use the Baruffa Cashwool, and hold it double. There she is sitting on a pile of punch fun! My latest obsession is the Stampin' Up Punches. One leads to another. So far I have a pile of strawberries, acorns, bats, turkeys, lady bugs and a few pumpkins.

I'm in to some mindless repetition right now.

My house refi is nearly done and I'm looking forward to my trip to Atlanta, North Carolina and Wisconsin. SAFF here I come! I'm looking forward to seeing Kbrow, meeting her sister and visiting the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains! I think I'll be at the Fair all 3 days!

Hanami, FO

Pattern: Hanami Stole by Melanie Gibbons
Yarn: Baruffa Cashwool. I didn't weigh what I have left, but there is plenty, maybe half a ball.
Needles: Addi Lace, size 3
Mods: none
Comments. This is such a unique and beautiful pattern. The basketweave portion required concentration and I frogged many a row. There are some baggy stitches where I tried dropping stitches down to fix. The cherry blossom portion went much faster, but still I threw in a few k3tog when I ended up with an extra stitch and there are some baggy holes in that section. I'm sure scrunched up they won't be noticeable.

Totoro BD Card for blogless Karen

Totoro BD Card, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

3D Base idea: cath2evans

Totoro stamp and 2011 calendar cutout. Various Stampin' up punches.

Summer Doings

After a rather cool summer, the entry into fall has been on sweltering muggy side. The mornings hint at fall, so I know it can't be far. Working more has it's benefits but it also sucks my energy to exercise or create. I dropped out of trampoline after a recurrent bout of vertigo and never went back. It's tough not to bring "stuff" home and I feel that monkey mind running and scrunching up my forehead. It's all mental, running the choices and decisions made. Two days a week seems to be the balance point.

After enjoying Netflix for quite a while, I went digital with the dvr and the whole nine yards instead. It is more expensive, even with the new direction Neflix is taking, but I really enjoy being able to see my series on demand.

Today I had some time to work on the neverending organizing project. The old clothes got weeded out, and some ill-fitting projects went to the frog pond.

I'm looking forward to visitng Kim in Georgia next month. The plan is to hook up at SAFF with her sister for a weekend of one of my favorite things! Fiber festival-ing:). I dont' know if my Hanami will be done by then. It is going every so slowly. The baskeweave drove me nuts. It's going a little faster now. The beads on the bottom are really pretty. I wish I had held the Baruffa Cashwool double. I'm a little worried about the funky edges. I'll just have to pray they block flat.

My fancy Bernina serger died so I got a basic Janome. I'm not quite used to it's feel yet. I used it inside this pillow to finish the edges only. I wanted a zipper with a flap and used this tutorial to put it in.

No rain no rainbows.

No rain no rainbows, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

Project Spectrum Bags

Project Spectrum Bags, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

I had to frog my August Project Spectrum Dancing Liesl as it was too small :(
I caught up with the project bags for July and August.

It's been quite hot and the knitting mojo is gone. August is almost gone! I have the pattern and yarn for Hanami and just need the beads.


Here's Jimmy. This is the hyperbaric chamber at Kuakini Hospital. This chamber is mostly used for wound healing and other applications of hyperbaric treatment. A smaller chamber is used more for treating the bends. I had a nice tour by blogless Dr. TD.

I have one of the most beautiful drives to and from work. My tiny camera can never do it justice. I just feel so lucky to live Hawaii:)

Baby Hat Apocalypse

Things have been rather hum drum around here so I thought I would spice up the blog with the word "apocalypse". The Landcaster was watching a TV show called Bedbug Apocalypse and I was thinking how much I liked the sound of that word. I was very itchy after watching that show, btw. Whenever I hear that word I think of the movie Apocalypse Now or the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

If one can believe Wikipedia... "An Apocalypse (Greek: ἀποκάλυψις apokálypsis; "lifting of the veil" or "revelation") is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John (Greek Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου) is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament. By extension, apocalypse can refer to any End Time scenario, or to the end of the world in general. It is a major misconception that Apocalypse means the end of the world; it is much closer to "the end of the world as we know it."

So really apocalypse has nothing to do with my hats unless of course it's that I CAN crochet if I want to and I love that Plymouth Jeanee Yarn! It's fat and machine washable!

On a bright note, the Sky Goddess dropped in and spiced up the week. Her step daughter is having twins girls and that is what started me on the hat roll. Nanea at Aloha Yarns was crocheting hats when I dropped by and the rest is history. The patterns were all free off Ravelry! The owl hat is a little scary, but I really enjoyed crocheting the flowers.

Project Spectrum pink/purple August is rolling by me. I've wound the Malabrigo Rios and plan a Liesl.

Andrea the Worsted

Pattern: Andrea's Shawl, by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: Madelinetosh Worsted, color Baltic. Powarth Blues, handspun by me, from handyed Polwarth roving by Woolgatherings.
Needles: size 8
Size: small
Mods: one stitch picot bindoff instead of two.

Comments: A rather quick knit. I love the way the striping turns out. My hand spun was a bit unbalanced and had some fluffs in it. The Polwarth is next to skin soft. The Madelinetosh is wonderful and I love the supersaturated colors. The first shawl I knit from this pattern was a little small for me. This one, knit in worsted, is a better fit.

The Polwarth was a gift from Kim who is currently whoopin' my a$$ in Words with Friends. Thanks Kim!

I'm one of those reactionary people who got mad at Netflix when they raised their rates and will cancel. It was a good excuse for me to upgrade my cable to digital and get HBO so I can watch Game of Thrones. I'm reading book 4 of the series and really loving it. Hey, the Knitted Brow turned me on to this series. Thanks again!

I am working two days a week, with a few extra days thrown in this month. It can't hurt to have some income with the scary economy right now and pay for my digital cable with HBO and Showtime pak.

Tour De Fleece, Day 22

I managed to finish my singles and ply them. The finished product is now drying. The gauge is much smaller then I planned. I don't know if I will knit this as is or try and cable ply it with some commercial lace weight I have lying around. The BFL/silk is a little lifeless and stiff imo. It was a bit itchy on the hands while spinning, so I don't know if will comfortable next to the skin. I'll wear the hank around the neck to check it out when it's dry. It is a lot more even then some of my previous attempts and more balanced.

For the challenge day, I used some of the same roving to spin thick and thin on Serenity (my Majacraft Rose) and it was indeed a challenge. I think I'll have to re-adjust my whorl as I cannot keep the drive band on at slower speeds. I ended doing the coiling part on my Bosworth. For the plying I used some silk spun on the Bosworth from a silk hankie. I gave up pretty quickly.

I am so in awe of Naomi's wonderful art yarn after my failed attempts!

Screaming Blue Capelet

Pattern: Cranberry Capelet by Thea Colman
Yarn: Madelinetosh Worsted, Baltic colorway
Needles: size 8 for the CO and half the turtle neck, size 7 for the rest.

Mods: I CO for size large and made the turtle neck one inch shorter. I knit the length in size medium.

Comments. The pattern is very easy to follow and well written. It has a very cute shape. The yarn is very cushy and warm. I love the color. It screamed a lot more on the skein, thus the name, but after knitting it is seemed darker and a bit more toned down. I tried hard to take a self photo with the capelet on but none of them came out in focus.

Out in the patio, the lovely red cereus bloomed for the first time since I got the plant. It was neglected for a long time and though it didn't die it didn't grow either. I finally transplanted it into a very tiny pot and gave it a little nourishment and was very surprised when it sent out a giant shoot. It is a wonderful red and quite large! My mom is already plotting on how to rescue the plant from me and make it bigger and better!

Regarding Tour de Fleece...I am on bobbin two, but I'm not sure it will be done in time to ply. I'm still planning some thick and thin and coils for Friday.

Day 11, Tour de Fleece , Granola Muffins

Day 11 of the Tour...I realize now in a fit of fear of failure, that I set my goals pretty low and I quickly saw that I would fall far short of spinning half of my braid of roving. The finished skeins posted on Ravelry where piling up quickly the prizes were being won, and I caught a bit of that spirit of competition. My daily photos paled by comparison, in fact I'm pretty sure I got one of those magical never-ending braids. So I stepped it up and it finally barely touches the floor! I'm so tempted to stop at the half way mark, rewind the one bobbin on two and ply already.

I found a nice video on you tube on how to spin coils, so I may try this.



On an entirely different note...Granola muffins.

Awhile back, I found a Great Granola Recipe on the USA Weekend site. For some reason I occasionally set the oven temp to 250 deg instead of 275 deg and it doesn't dry out enough. If I put the fruit in too soon it burns, so cooking it longer does not usually work. Sooo...I found this equally wonderful Granola Muffin Recipe! I like it because it use two cups of granola. This last batch I forgot to dress it up with a bit of granola before baking, and just to be decadent, added a few chocolate chips. It's to tempt the oatmeal-phobic Landcaster I tell you, and I have to use those chocolate chips in the freezer up.

Pookiwookie

Pookiwookie, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

The last of the Pookie Star Wars adaptations. He looks a bit like a a cross between Cousin Itt and a brown version of the muppet Animal. I was wondering if my hair stylist could make him look more Chewbacca looking.

Yarn: Sirdar Foxy
Hand painted blue safety eyes from OliverBoliver.

Pookiewok

Pookiewok, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

Pattern: Pookies by Barbara Prime
Yarn: Berroco Chinchilla

Comments: His ears are a bit big and his hood needs some work. The ultrasuede is a bit stiff to work with.

I practiced intarsia in the round. It is getting a little bit easier.

Tour de Fleece Ravelry Team Rookie

I'm joining Team Rookie on Ravelry Tour de Fleece.

My goals are simple. Spin 15 minutes per day during the tour. I have my Huckleberry Knits fiber I purchased at Madrona. I plan a two ply sport weight or thinner. On Friday, the 22nd, if I'm up to it I'll try and spin a thick thin yarn or if I'm not up to that I'll work on some cocoons from blogless Sandy and spin them on my drop spindle.

I'm late in joining. Tomorrow the fun begins!

Small Projects Bags for Project Spectrum

Small Projects Bags for Project Spectrum, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

I got this inspiration to make at least one bag for each Project Spectrum month. Last month was red, and this month is green. I got side tracked by the lovely Amy Butler print. It his some green and a blue green so I'm counting the two bags in.

Meanwhile Pookiebacca and Pookiewok are waiting for their hand-painted eyes and nose to come from UK. Seems Chewy has blue eyes. I used Sirdar Foxy for Chewy and he is way hairy, almost like Cousin Itt. Hey may need a hair stylist.

DarthPookie

DarthPookie looks a little like a black dog. I wish I had made ribbing for the front of his helmet, but after fiddling so much I decided he is done. I had visions of Pookiebaca and PookieEwok, but since my new yarn came in my mind is on other projects.
I love having some Noro in stash and Sumptuous Yarn had Aya on special. It has a lot of cotton in it so I'm looking forward to trying it out. I still don't have a project,but I loved how Stitch Sampler Stole turned out so may do something along that lines.

Port Shawlette, FO

Pattern: Andrea's Shawl by Kirsten Kapur Published in Through The Loops Ravelry Store
Yarn: Madelinetosh Sock, colorway Port. Hand-spun Rapunzel. Hand dyed SW merino roving from Woolen Mill Street Yarns The fiber was a dream to spin.
Needles: size 6

Comments: I knit the medium mostly because I was too lazy to continue the 7 stitch edging. This was in spite of reading that the shawl came out small and knowing I was using a fingering weight rather then sport yarn. So it came out small and would not stretch much. My hand spun ran between a sport to fingering weight and knit up pretty well if I may say so myself. The shades of pink and purple matched well with port madelinetosh. The Madelinetosh was a nice and cushy in a dark purply plum. The pattern is well written and easy to follow. It is my first bottom up shawl. Unlike the top down and sideways shawls, one cannot try it on along the way. I'm think I like the sideways shawls the best, or a rectangular stole.

PookieLeia

Pookie Jedi 2

Pookie Jedi 2, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

Pattern: Pookies by Barbara Prime
Needles: size 4
Yarn: Cascade 220 hoodie and face, Ultra Alpaca for body.

Mods: going for the Yoda ears, safety eyes. The hoodie was a little small. No holes for the ears.

Very cute easy, well-written pattern.