Spinnin' Yarns

Edit: I took off the Laverne style "T" and there are a couple of holes--even though I lined it already, I am thinking I will take the lining out and re-felt one more time. Obsessive? Perhaps... but I want to really REALLY like it...

Ok, so it's a bit different than I expected, and I am a bit bummed that the eyelash got a bit matted down during felting and I'm still trying to figure out the best way to upend it... and I did crochet (hdc) a border up top, and my Laverne-ish "T" looks more like a seven...

But it's cute!

I made a lining with a remnant of a fairy pattern satin I lucked into, and made two pockets inside for keys and cell phone. Look how cute my phone looks!

So here we go: Pre-felting (odd pattern called not for I-cord, but knitted flat. I chose garter, mostly out of laziness at that point since I had to frog the handle twice due to dropped stitches (tip: never try to knit important stuff during your son's metal working class when he's using a blow torch for the first time).

Ok, and here is post-felting.

And here is the lining:

Ok so tell me what you think... do I need to post my stupid attempt at Laverne's initial? (well my initial, but in her honor. C'mon, say it with me, one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-schlameil-schlamazel-hafenpepper-incorporated!)

Ok, here's my stupid initial...

Posted by tracy at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here we go. The fun of parenting a genius.

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Posted by tracy at 01:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fiber Gallery had the same dye lot! Yahoo! Who knew? I got one more skein of my turquoise soy silk and voila.

I have too many UFO's on the needles, but I work a row every day or so (at least)

Posted by tracy at 12:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hooray!

I did two sleeves and the back... and I'm about 5 rows into the front... sewing it up scares me (heh... me, the sewer) but I'm excited...

I need to find out what other people lined theirs with.

Posted by tracy at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was my birthday yesterday (25 again!) and I went to Fiber Gallery's sale, and found this yummy eyelash yarn and some purple wool for felting...so I simply *must* make one of these:

www.yarnmarket.com/yarn/Crystal_Palace_Free-Iceland_DragonFly_Felted_Bag_Free-1986.html

I do love that dragonfly and wish I could afford it--but this stuff was on sale, and it'll be a fun bag.

Posted by tracy at 09:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have 525 yards of turquoise soy silk. And some contrasting ribbony fun yarn. My pattern calls for this:

http://www.yarnmarket.com/yarn/Artyarns_Free-Silk_Top_with_Fur_Trim_Free-1756.html

which is 652 yards. So I'm a bit over 100 yards short.

This is what I've done so far:

I was thinking if I frogged it, I could redo the lace pattern in the novelty yarn. I do worry that it wouldn't show up very well though. My other option is to hope it comes out (I'm short waisted, so I measured myself and can fake it by shortening it a bit), or to search and phone call anyone carrying phoenix textiles soy silk turquoise in my dye lot. WWFSMD?

Any advice is appreciated!

oh, I should mention that the photo looks weird because I'm on circ needles but knitting flat (the back) and halfway through a purl row. Sorry!

And excuse the jammies.

Posted by tracy at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I now have frill going in my angel hair, and a silk tshirt with a lace pattern in my turquoise soy silk, AND I'm working that one skein zig zag scarf in soy silk AND cupcake from SNB Happy Hooker.

Of course I should be cleaning my house. But interesting women don't have clean houses, right?

Posted by tracy at 01:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh Sew News, you've failed me
Mediocrity in sewing, I hail thee
Trim the sides you say, with no guide
From my scissors I should've shied;
Alas, white eyelet, tiered and ruffled
With my serger I did scuffle
Woe is me, no wedding in sight
To Easter brunch I shall alight
When I return, seam rippin I'll be
For all eternity.

Posted by tracy at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ok I just got my 8's (circ) freed from dd's skirt (yay!) and can now start something else!

As of April, I have a BIN full of yarn (rubbermaid, stuffed full).

Projects needing, well, a project.
Bleached recycled sari silk. 3 lbs. (will make and then "tie dye")

pink silky wool, 6 skeins 50g 175m each

green wool, 3 hanks, cascade something or other

turquoise soy silk with a funky novelty yarn to match--I want to do a cute summer teeish thing

4 black and 2 white balls of bamboo. Not much yardage, but maybe a tank?

tie-dyed wool (pink and blue and white)

gorgeous noro (thank you Mom!)

cheap black chenille, 4 or 5 skeins
nice chinese blue wool, a bag... thinking about that

some lovely blue/purple (overall periwinkle hue) funky novelty yarn. Can't wait to find a use for that.
Some green novelty (ladder) yarn

Projects in progress
I'm making Stitch N Bitch: The Happy Hooker's Cupcake in royal blue from knitpicks. Can't wait!!
Also trying from the same book, the spring in winter hat in red suede
homespun hoodie from lion brand (light blue-greenish)

pink embelllishment (crochet lace) for some pants I bought
phone case in something I bought to teach my son to knit
and I have some pink cotton with novelty fluffy stuff to make a tshirt for my dd

Oh, and I'm making a zig-zag scarf out of soy silk (pink and purple).

Posted by tracy at 09:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I'd better shop around.... yeah, I'd better shop around...

ok not really. My mom taught me to knit in December (05). Christmas day. Yay mommy! I've become a knitting freak since then, sending shockwaves (financial, mostly) through my poor dh's blood. I've ebayed yarn, followed sales, went TWICE to a LYS going out of biz and spent over $150 there alone... yikes. Bad, bad peanut.

I made my daughter a horrid skirt out of cheap chenille. She adores it, dropped stitches and accidental purls aside. It fits her--yay me! AND I had to adapt a pattern for a capelet for a grown up to make it. Yay me again!

So lately, I've been trying to learn:
double cast-on (long tail)
knitting through the back of a stitch

So I can make frill (earlier entry). I tried to do the beads, but since I made a yarn change I can't find ones with big enough holes. I gave up--so I'll have a bead-less frill. Rats. It's still going to be lovely, in blue/slight black angel hair mohairish type yarn. Cheap, still. I have bought some more $$ yarn but dammit, I wanna make sure I don't destroy it.

My mom bought me Noro. It's *lovely* and waiting for me, too. Yay mom!

I have to say, though she taught me only garter and cast-on, that was my best xmas present. Maybe ever. ;-)

Posted by tracy at 09:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ok, so I finished my FIRST sweater. My first. Never done one before, yay me! Why oh why do they have only a bust measurement? I figured knitting would be easier to fit than sewing, after all, things STRETCH. Things are designed to go around ROUND parts.

Not so.

So I have a Donald Trump sweater. It's "uge" around my waist. I suppose I should be grateful that my waist is distinguishable from the gargantuan 'tas, but still.

So my friend says I should sew up the sides (on the sewing machine) and cut and trim the excess, and if I do so I think I should serge too. But I hate to do that. I suppose I'll beg for help from that lovely place at which I feel at home on the web--knitty.

Anyway here is the sweater. Pardon the jammies.

Oh, and before y'all tell me, I know I know, I'm supposed to learn how to do short rows. Sigh. Scary!

Posted by tracy at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Download file

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Download file

Posted by tracy at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Make this.

Posted by tracy at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Life with a fiber freak who never shuts up.

Ode to Chenille

Doily toil-y fuzzy beast
Dutifully soft and meek
You fight and squeak against my needles
(Lest I forget and beg and wheedle)
Though I stress and swear and struggle
twixt my fingers you will snuggle
If by the end, all worn my hand
You remind me "Least I'm not a man."

Posted by tracy at 10:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)