Crafty Demons!

polish and mani posts on new blog

2011-05-02T14:37:00.001-04:00

for mani's, swatches, Konad and all that is nail polish, please visit and subscribe to my new blog Tweeandhoney on wordpress :)

EDIT June 15 2011

wordpress & i were not getting along. you can now follow t&h on blogger at tweeandhoney.blogspot.com. sorry for bouncing around!

cabling without a cable needle video

2010-11-15T14:23:00.017-05:00

this is a quick demo video - it's no frills, nothing glamorous. the explanation below assumes you have an understanding on the way cables are formed.

eta:i uploaded the video directly to blogger many times but it ate it! hence, a vimeo link instead

and here's how i do it!
please excuse the chippy polish ;)

this is a 'hold stitches to the front'/ left leaning cable twist. i find it easiest to insert the corresponding needle into whatever stitches are on the back first, then insert the other needle into the stitches on the front. for this left leaning that's right needle into back stitches, then left needle into front stitches. the reverse right leaning cable: left needle into back stitches then right needle into front stitches. (for a right leaning twist you hold the stitches to the back.)

The Perpetual Sock Saga

2010-10-05T14:59:00.007-04:00

November 28 2009

i wanted to do these on 2.5 mm needles. because those are the only Signature dpns i have. but i just couldn’t get used to the way the fabric looked. so i switched to 2.25 mm. the fabric now looks the way i like: goldilocks.

using toe as gauge getting like 9 stitches per inch. pattern wants 8. (probably the M1 increases tightening up the stitches. hopefully chills out once i stop increasing.) for my size the pattern already wants lots of stitches (76sts at 8 sts per inch). and despite the math and the logic i have only increased to 72. trying the toe on it already seems just a tad loose. even though i measured my foot and calculated and my gauge is tighter than the pattern. even still. it’s weird. but also i am still earning points towards my “Sock Knitter” badge. if you have any insight, please feel free to leave a comment. * note added dec 6- it was the M1’s tightening gauge. after finishing the foot and working on the ankle gauge is a definite and clean 8 sts per inch.

i will try it on again near the middle of the foot and if it seems tight i will add some increases.

see-sawing on the idea of an afterthought heel …

i expect these to take 1.5 skeins if i keep them below the knee. can’t imagine i will have enough patience to go over the knee with these but it would be nice to use all the yarn. we’ll see. plus, i’d like to repeat this pattern if i can get it successfully down. ::fingers crossed::

Dec
having major issues with the stitch count. frog and repeat. sticking with 64 sts on 2.25 mm needles. my gauge is 9 per inch. pattern is telling me 76 stst at 8 per inch for my size. ::shrug:: 64 is working just fine.

Dec 3
foot doned! in record time whilst chilling with Frogtasticjess at the whole foods.

Dec 4
no knitting today.

Dec 5
picked this up to get at that heel. i went through it with minimal frogging. haven’t got this short row heel symmetry perfect yet, but it’ll do for this sock.

ankle doned!

Dec 6
not sure if i should follow the pattern for the calf increases and all. since i had all that trouble with what stitch count to go with, i don’t even know how to read the chart and follow the pattern at this point…

Dec 7
no knitting today. Working with Nozo setting up the visuals in Trish’s apartment for the even tomorrow.

Dec 8, 9 &10
after having a good look at the calf increase section form the pattern i realized i could use it after all. instead of following the chart portion for my size, i followed the stitch count i actually ended up using. so, it was like 3 sizes smaller on the chart. it is fitting perfectly. i have just been chugging along. finishing up the decreases while watching Lost. if only Netflix would play without reloading every few minutes and interrupting my flow :s

July 2010
every now and again i toss a few rows onto these bad larries. they are done up to the ribbing and the ribbing is perpetual. i grab this project bag when i need some mindless knitting. after the summer i’ll probably be motivated to finish them up so i can friggin wear them. no hurry while this damn heat an humidity abounds.

August 2010
rib rib rib

September 28 2010
BINDING OFF! i decided to stay to the knee for these. i want to wear them to Rhinebeck, it’s getting cold and i am in a finishing mood!

noe to self: when i attempt again to make over the knee socks or thigh highs, i will start the ribbing much, muchmuchmuch, much later.

used JSSBO

in the third picture (bottom to top) you can see the purl bumps this bind off leaves on the knit stitches. lsg discusses them here

October 5 2010
Bound off the second sock in the wee hours last night. not with out fail, as my knitpicks Harmony circ tip snapped near ten rows left. grrr. not a big deal i thought as i have Harmony size 1 dpns in stash, i go to get them, i ordered them a while ago, the package says size 1, i put them in a needles gauge and blam! size zero. knitpicks you fail again.

i finished them with the broken needle. wasn’t easy and my yarn did not like it but i had no other recourse! i was short on time.

i have crazy eyes in this pic. but whutevs!

mannequin mani

2010-09-22T17:28:00.004-04:00

something i hardly ever do, don simple nude polish. it jumped out of my stash and seemed appropriate for the Autumnal Equinox. renewal, balance, fresh starts and all. tomorrow i may not be able to resist splashing some black or something on top. as it is i am tempted. but i kinda loving the clean blandness of it.

Revlon 705 Grey Suede

colorama haul

2010-09-16T19:59:00.003-04:00

check out what i got in the mail today!

sorry for the tip wear shot. this is a fresh from the package pic.

more flaky pics

2010-09-14T14:36:00.003-04:00

here are a few more pics of the flakiness. i took them today in sunlight. still trying to catch those colors!

the creamy center

2010-09-14T13:22:00.005-04:00

i like the creamy center of knitting- not much a fan of casting on or binding off. that's why i like knitting shawls- you only have to cast on like 3 stitches! of course, you pay for it in the end with the binding of of i-don-t-even-want-to-know-how-many-stitches !

that's also why i prefer to knit socks from the toe up- casting on 56 to 60 sts means i have to count the stitches hundreds of times to make sure the number is right. oh and that "join, making sure the stitches aren't twisted" oh no no no! recipe for disaster that is.

feeling flaky!

2010-09-13T20:39:00.005-04:00

Flaky nail polish is my latest obsession. flakies flakies flakies! it's hard to capture the magnificence of these flakies and holos in a photo. especially with these mobile cameras and point and shoot digital but i digress, as this is not a post about my photographic philosophy or any o'that. photos are a wee bit blurred but show the spectrum of the flaky flakes the best:

magenta hair

2010-09-01T14:02:00.004-04:00

this is L'oreal Hi Color Highlights in Magenta over dark brown virgin hair.

i did not bleach first. developer was 30 or 40. i don't recommend doing over 30. if you have delicate, thin or curly hair i recommend using 20. if you want the color to really saturate and don't think a low level developer will get you there, leaving the developer on your hair, leaving it for 20 -30 mins, rinse, dry, then coating the hair in the dye should get you there. one can get better results layering rather than mixing. yes really! i didn't do this here because i didn't know about the technique but be sure that's how i will do it next time!

this pic is from way back in March . i haven't kept up with the, well, up keep for various reasons. but i am really eager to get it back to some funky color. i have the L'oreal Hicolor Highlights in red ready to go but i am thinking some pink or purple or crazy combo is in order.

my hair was super dry after this. some rest, many deep conditioners and a trim and it's all shiny and new and ready to be wrecked again :) actually, now that i know not to use a high developer and to layer, i think it'll be just fine. my hair is so super thin that's why i am avoiding the standard bleach and color route. i think it might all fall right outta my head if it did that!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Volume III NYC

2010-08-29T22:24:00.010-04:00

Breaking the hiatus for this bad boy!

i know i have let quite a layer of dust gather on this blog. it's been a sucky summer. no one wants to hear about that bleh! on with the frivolité!

Introducing Urban decay's Book of Shadows Volume III, the NYC inspired edition. i didn't nab the Alice in Wonderland one or the Original. i was meh about them. but being an NYC girl, and having not bought any nice makeup in more than a year i just had to have it. (nail polish is it's own category)

:click pics to embiggen:

there are two little lights (thanks UD for using blue bulbs :) on either side of the mirror. yes it's cardboard but it's cute. and for traveling it makes a suitable makeshift vanity.

i am super pleased with this acquisition. these photo were eagerly taken in the car with my ip4 just barely after getting them i was so friggin :squee:

okay! okay! i confess! i bought two :D

Hard Candy Envy NOTN

2010-03-02T00:31:00.004-05:00

who needs Nars Zulu when this is only five bucks? haha!
check back for a product review : )

Haulage!

2010-02-22T02:15:00.003-05:00

Dusty haul! Sally Hansen Nail Prisms

2010-02-20T19:38:00.004-05:00

Wheee! I decided to take a walk around my neighborhood and check out
the 101 beautysupply and discount stores here. I came home with four
pristine Bottles if Prisms. Dusty as heck, tops scratched but totally
brand new. Hidden in the back of this cluttered no name hole in the
wall shop. And three Maybelline Colorama flaky topcoats. Very fun fun
fun! Pictures when I get a chance. I am mobile posting. My first
mobile post let's see how it goes. Hopefully not too many horrible
respellimhs by my stoopid iPhone.

edit Feb 22

i am not going to fix the messed up words my stoopid iphone made. i want you to see how stoopid it is.

here are the pics!

click to see them full

plum platinum, bronze coral (i think) something tourmaline, and pink... oh i dunno. i will have to get them out and give you the proper names. sorry! i usually remember these things. but it's late hahaaa

my first nad mani!

2010-02-17T23:09:00.014-05:00

i dunno if i should start a separate blog for nail arty stuffs. i mean, it's still craft. it's definitely one of my demons. i can barely keep up with one blog i dunno if starting another is really... well, wise. we'll see. for now, here be m'first Konadicure!
(click pics to make huge)

OPI Parlez vous OPI?, m60 plate

i got the plates in the mail yesterday. super fast delivery from OCNailart. they are in California (right? i mean, it's "OC" nail art...) i ordered these Thursday past. Monday POs weren't delivering cause like, it was a holiday (US peeps) and then Blammo! they were delivered early Tuesday. i couldn't play with them til the end of the workday thouhg so i was crankypants allll day : (

this is my 'station' just fartzing around and becoming familiar with them.
(and making a mess : )

no that is not a real Amex gold card. i have a bunch of these fakes from junk mail. i am not using the Konad scraper because i don't want to scratch up my plates.

yes those are delicious Gothsocks i am wearing. Teenage Drama Queen my latest FO which has yet to be blogged. oh wait, i think i just did : )

i also did Jess'

Migi Pink and yellow (from the silver set), m57

in other news, i got a Lamy Safari for Valentine's day!

In Piiiiiiiiink! i has a pink Lamy yay!

China Glaze Recycle with Migi pink and yellow (from the Silver set)

that's the latest!

yarn dust?!

2010-02-04T23:53:00.001-05:00

me winding some Wollmeise 100%, gettin' dusty

after a hundred or so yards more

yes that is a chunk of yarn dust right there

i believe the correct response is something like "wtf?" accompanied by a headscratch

avoiding ladders while knititng in the round

2010-01-25T15:13:00.006-05:00

make sure the tip of the new needle is touching the butt of the last needle worked before making that first stitch. i do this with circs and with dpns. doesn’t matter.

i flipped the work around so it should look as if the work is in front of you.
this was fiddly so work with me here.

click photos for full view

the new needle (2) inserted in to first stitch on working needle (in the front door)

wrap the yarn around and pull taught (grab your scarf) . the new needle (2) will touch old needle (3)

keeping this tension complete the stitch (out the window, off jumps jack) as you do this new needle and old needle will join with and rub up against waiting needle (1)it will be a ladderless party!

January 5

2010-01-05T22:26:00.005-05:00

Check it out, i knit this much sock today:

so far...
plus i did like 6 rows on my Multnomah since yesterday.
it took me most of the day to decide on this stitch pattern for the sock. i originally wound this up and had a go at charade. it was a fail .way to tight after the heel . you remember me and heels not getting along right? i have to get through at least one more pair before i am truly truly convinced i have it down. since i have cast on like a dozen socks over the past year, me and toe-up goes know each other pretty well. i like to start them with circs but as you can see i am knitting the foot of these here with dpns.

what you see: a toe-up sock with lozenge stitch pattern in Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! differential Grashopper. acquired at SS09. Signature 2.5 mm Double-Pointed needles. i go around with 5

the early part of the eyar has seen me spinning just a bit. i mean i had to play with my Kuchulu. it came with a sample piece of Finn wool and i have been taking my sweet time with it. also came with som esuper silky silky. it's like floaty cotton candy threads. i can't mess with that.
i'd better go log in a few more rounds...

Kuchulu! and Happy Solstice

2009-12-21T03:03:00.001-05:00

i received my Kuchulu today! and on winter Solstice too! what a great gift i gavem myself <3 the Kuchulu is Jenkins' new and smallest low-whorl turkish spindle. i thought the turkish delight was small, ha! stay tuned for pictures ; )

unicorn found

2009-12-20T17:30:00.001-05:00

i could always do short rows. i mean, i can follow pattern instructions. no problem. it's that there would always be something aesthetically bothersome about the heel once i completed it. holes, asymmetry, ill fit. i had tried every kind of technique, wrapping, double wraps, hiding the wraps, no wrap, double stitching German, Japanese, crazy YOs. you name it. if i asked for help and someone said "try this heel" i would do it with an open mind. over 3 dozen individual socks hells and that doesn't count the frog and repeats. than. last night. blammo. i unvented my own. NO HOLES. symmetrical as a mirror reflection, no wraps. just magical. the unicorn of short-row heels. it took me a year but i have earned my sock knitter badge !

knots

2009-12-19T02:59:00.001-05:00

breaks happen. many reasons for the sudden ones. some days it's a choice between "crafting" or "blogging about crafting". most of those days i choose the former. rather than try to play catch-up, i am just gonna jump back in. double-dutch style.

Bugga! Madness

2009-10-08T18:23:00.004-04:00

The Sanguine Gryphon booth at Sock Summit. Thursday August 6th 2009. Market opening preview for students only. i wish i would have recorded the part when i said to Gryphon " you had to expect this!?" and she was all surprise and shock and was like "nope". then popped right on top of a bin of yarn in her medieval frock and snapped a shot for herself. good times they was. yea, good times!

Autumn, the New Year for knitters.

2009-10-01T14:41:00.014-04:00

well Fall has been here for a bit but this chilly day has really made me take notice of the season change. and it it friggin' October!

i have planned myself a bigger task list this month than i ever have. (mainly knitting, but some other projects too.) Mostly because i have not really been a planner. not in this way. i see things and i am all "oooh i wanna make that" and each mental picture goes in to pile and i pick them out randomly. so this planing ahead for stuff is way weird. and yet, fun. i don't want to get discouraged by acknowledging that i haven't been this productive in such a small amount of time before. ever. and chances are this list will be the same come November. no way. i just wanna be a glass-half-full kinda gal for a minute okay?

my first foray into a KAL was, well, i won't call it "unsuccessful". i didn't finish the project at all let alone on time. but it's still on the needles and once i gain the skill badge i was missing for it to be a complete success, i will revisit it. That said, i am trying new things! throwing caution to the lions, i joined not just a KAL, but a mystery one. not just a mystery KAL, but a lace one. i know. i am nuts! BUT don't give up on me yet. i have actually wound the yarn (1700+ yards. yes, a daunting task) AND i knit the swatch. all on the official day one of the KAL. so not bad right?

(click to embiggen)

yea, i messed up towards the end. skipped a row i think . i wasn't paying close enough attention. first time trying lace with patterning on both sides. i should be more scared, but well, i'm not.

mystic embers kal 2009
Sept 30 -Oct 31

yarn, wm lace in spice market, 4mm addi lace needles. the swatch is not properly blocked.
ravelry Project page

i did complete a Swallowtail shawl [interweave knits, fall 06]. it is a small shawl as far a shawls go. as many before me have stated. it went alot smoother than Ishbel. surprisingly. i was a little scared of it but had to dive in after seeing so many beautiful ones on shoulders at Sock Summit. (i know, i owe you some posts on my adventures there. procrastinated but not forgotten!) particularly Glenna's sea silk version. Her Ravelry project page. a real glistening beauty tat shawl. and even after touching it i didn't buy any seasilk in the SS09 market. Go restraint!
Here's mine

not the best pic ever.

yarn wm twin in maus jung 4mm addi lace needles
ravelry project page

you may or may not know the drama i have been experiencing with socks. one successful pair, three successful lonely abandoned singles, five ill-fitting single toe-up socks,and two frogged attempts at cuff down. int hat order. pretty much.

well...

i said i wasn't giving up!
i am up to the heel flap on the second one and trudging along steadily.
i want these to be finished! my feet are cold!

pattern is summer sox socks by Cookie A. cuff down with a hell flap *gasp* i know. not my preferred method. but i am open minded and tried it and it fits so there.
wm twin in wasabi 2.25 mm harmony dpns (woulda been better in 2.75 mm but still fits!
ravelry project page

Than there is the Gothsocks groupies KAL. i have mental plans for this.
also, been thinking about Multnomah since it first came out. that's a simple one i just can't decide on a yarn. i had single skeins of Bugga! but wanted it bigger since i already have two shawlettes- and like i said- i'm cold! i keep wanting squishy warm knits! i nabbed two skeins of Skinny Bugga! for this. but i have been wavering back and forth between the two ideas. if i knit it in the SB, i can make it bigger but. that means i will have to knit it bigger! kwim?

and then Damson caught my eye. i dunno how many shawlettes one girl needs, but so far the two i have made have been successful-at least in the end- and interesting to knit. they don't have to fit the way godforsaken socks do! it's really pretty. i dunno how much opportunity i will get to wear it. the girly prettiness of it limits it's versatility for me. but whatevs.

and i have to stop ignoring my February Lady. it would be nice to have it done for Rhinebeck. what!? it's possible! i just have to count my stitches and start the Gull Lace. it's totally doable. if i would just power through and stop dilly dally-ing. and maybe not knit anything else until it's finished... yea right.

hmm i think that's it. well, besides the fact that i have discovered hoop dancing and am madly in love. i guess i like being a beginner becase i keep trying new things. of course that means i now have to make my own own hoop. add that to the craft repertoire. i am starting to take my photography more seriously. not really for my craft photos (as is plain to see) but for other things.

i have slowed down on stashing. specifically Wollmeise. yes, because i have run out of room. (pictures soon!) but also, because the ratio of knitting to acquisition was unbalanced in a way that finally pushed me to do so. at first it was difficult, but i have been enjoying the extra sleep quite nicely. having opened my palette to other dyers at the summit i am shifting my attention in differnt directions. and having fun wiht other weights colors and textures. oh. and i'm broked. tee hee.

i'll ~~try to~~ visit more often!

eta: oh! and how could i forget! the dexterous Laris is hosting a KAL on Wollmeiseholics Anonymous for -what else but- gloves! sign ups are until OCT 4 and then i guess she'll email the pattern shortly after that. i am eager to get started on those. hmmm but in which colorway...

yarn winding, an adventure, in pictures!

2009-09-30T19:16:00.001-04:00

no good way to knit a sock?

2009-08-16T17:42:00.003-04:00

for my first sock i started the way i think most knitters do, on double-pointed needles. i later learned about Magic Loop and socks on two circulars. i have made a couple single socks using dpns, cuff down i might add, then learned how to magic loop (out of necessity for the legs on Mochimochiland's reindeer pattern and bob pattern -such tiny circumferences!) to complete my first complete pair of socks my tootsie, toe-up. i have used 8 and 12 inch circluars ( clover plastic mini circs) for legwarmers and arm warmers and i like those alot. also good for sleeves.

after that pair of socks i realized that MLing wasn't really any faster than dpns, because the time you save from switching from needle to needle is eaten up by guiding the yarn around that 32" circ. and if you knit tight, or have a needle with a bit of fight in the join (i have to meet ANY needle that has NO fight in the join whatsoever. though i acknowledge that some are better than others) than that adds to the seconds it make take for you to push the stitches across. it was this revelation that led me to think i might indeed be better off going back to DPNs.

having become a touch of a yarn snob over time, and having increased my experiences with different brands and materials of needles i am finding diffiulty getting in a groove with ANY method knitting a sock at all. basically i have used Knitpicks both harmony and and metal, Addis and Addi lace, Clover bamboo, KA and though i don't own them i have knit a fair few rows on Signatures. after ML ing on Addi lace and even the Harmonies i find the Clover DPNs just unsuitable for knitting a sock on. sticky. and i'd still have to magic loop the toe. because i don't think i will be switching away from Judy's Magic cast on or toe-up anytime soon.

i would love to be able to label myself "a sock knitter". to complete many pairs and each in a fair amount of time. to use of this coveted mountain of sock yarn (mostly the illustrious wollmeise) i have amassed since the beginning of 2009. i mean, i went across the country to Sock Summit for Bob's sake! but i can't seem to pump another sock of these needles. any of them. and let's not even bring up the heel troubles i have having!

my latest attempt are these 9" Clover bamboo circs. they are new to the market i think. and i thought them the answer to my DPN vs ML problem (two circs was never an option for me, buyin two of every needle? nah. plus i find the process the same as ML). ack! if they were 8" they would be just that. but they are not. they are 9". shit. and so even though i don't have to "set off an alarm" as Cat Bordhi says, in the round i have to struggle a strain to get all the stitches across the needle . because i don't quite have 9 inches worth of sttches on there. oy vey.

what on earth to do? is there no good way to knit a sock?

done!!!!!

2009-07-23T16:26:00.003-04:00

DONE! bound off the ish. need a moment to breathe...

7/28 some pics...

the color is offon this one but i like the shape

blocking

oh, this? it's nothing, you should see the other guy.

2009-07-10T02:41:00.004-04:00

me and the Ish, we go back and forth. it's a love/hate relationship. i give as good as i get though!

as you can see here the Ishbel is picking a fight! chellenging me by leaping, no hurling several stitches off the needles in defiance!

HAHAA!! i win! Don't try that again Ishy!

ish revisited

2009-07-03T18:04:00.002-04:00

i have become calm enough to string a lifeline in my Ish after letting it sit sit sit. chart A took alot outta me! i am about to begin chart B which hopefully won't be as tormenting. cover me. i'm going in...

granny square meditation

2009-07-01T15:00:00.009-04:00

i needed a little breaker from my fls. i started the short-rows and they are making me nervous. plus they take attention and i have a feeling i am gonna have to frog and repeat. which is okay. i haven't done them before and i dunno where they are gonna land. i don't want arrows pointing to my bits. but still.

(sorry the pics aren't fabulous. i am no brooklyntweed)

i dunno how i stumbled across the wool eater blanket on rav and wanted to give it a swatch. it wasn't easy. i ended up using pictorials and a youtube video and still fudged it. i would like to get some yarn appropriate for a king sized square but that will have to wait. and i would have to rewrite the pattern to fit my mods.

so what to do? revisit my poison Ish? pic up that garter stitch bed cover? nah!

when in doubt - granny squares!

i'd like to pile enough to make a blanky. at least square by square i can feel like i am progressing and not have one perpetual round after another. and i dug in my stash. i am using noro silk garden sock. rather than going out and buying a blanket amount of yarn. i don't feel like worrying about dye lot or color. just go lizard ridge style and pick up a skein, any skein as needed and press on especially when i dunno how far i can take the project. i dunno what's with me and blankety projects lately. i find them so appealing. the two squares so far:

this yarn is rough rough rough on the hands. i can’t imagine making/wearing socks from this. i read it softens up in the wash. even so a lap blanket is about as far as i can go with this stuff. if i can get that far. call me sensitive, whatever. it is Quite rustic. i can’t believe i paid $23 for this. lesson learned. it is pretty stuff though if you can get past all the cons. i can’t say i won’t buy noro ever again but at least i'll know what i am in for.

the summer of Wollmeise

2009-06-26T13:40:00.011-04:00

it's a Wollmeise summer! the fabled unicorn yarn is in more demand now than ever. with all the new colors that just keep coming, the mystical lace fairy fart yarn that only appears once in a wm moon, and inappropriately sexy baby Molly (the new worsted) the frenzy continues.

i was lucky to snag up a sweater's worth of molly the update that it launched. it all went faster than my previous successful updates so i grabbed Fliederbusch not knowing how i would like it when it arrived. silly me! it's wm and it's purple - how could i even think i wouldn't love it to pieces.

i have swatched the hell out of my first skein. i paced myself with the task wanting to swatch properly. no lazy tricks! by. the. book. trial and error. four swatches. finally at gauge.

and gauge for what? for february lady! i am giving it a proper shot. i have attempted to attempt a few sweaters over the years. i am determined to see this one through! meaning, the flieder molly WILL become a wearable garment. i can't promise FLS will be a success. but i will keep this yarn on the needles until i can put it on my body. for reals.

i chose FLS for its forgiving fit on ladies with the 3 b's. i still think it needs customization, modification, and alteration. i have cast on for the 37.5 size and somehow have to knit the back to that size and the front to the 49.5 size. that means short-rows have to go in there somewhere... i dunno where or how but it hope i can figure it out. all suggestions are welcome of course!

in the meantime i have ishy sill lingering. that lace scares me lemme tell ya. that thing kicked my butt so hard- but i will finish it. i am not a monogamous knitter. i need variety! plus i can't really travel with ish. it requires full concentration. the garter of fls can go with me everywhere.

of course that ishybel is being knit up in wollmeise 100%. if i haven't said that already. in petit poison light.

since i keep buying the stuff i am trying hard to knit it up! i have no desire to buy any other yarn. so sad. especially now that there is worsted weight. well, i did order some handfarts... that is part of a co-op deal. it is being shipped, quite literally, on a boat and is taking a looooong time to get here.

there is also the Pn5 stockinette sock that has been lingering and lingering on the needles forever. i put leyburn down because of the heel issue and i had the instep too tight on the Pn5 sock as well. that was frustrating. i started over with the other end of the cake with a different stitch count. the fabric looks better that way as well. the first one looked a little pooly and this one is more stripy. my fingers needed a break from those tiny needles. it's been tiny needles/socks from the beginning of the year. now that i have the worsted (and a reason to use those super expensive addi clicks i bought!) i can have a break.

i haven't had the heart to rip the first one yet. i left it there just in case the second one was worse than the first some how. i will probably end up frogging the whole thing and starting super fresh. i dunno. the attachment to the time spent working on it dissipates as i let it sit. so, maybe.

one of the obstacles that keeps me from knitting up the wm, besides Ravelry which keeps me from all knitting in general, and besides it fairy fart status, is the winding. the hank is a smidgen too big for my swift. oy. that is a tragedy. really. i was tempted to buy a new one but that's just crazy. (thanks Kata for talking me outta that one.) plus, it always seems to tangle some how. the molly is breeze to wind, really. no worries there. but somehow i can't get through 575 yards of sock with out some problem. i had to cut PP when i wound her up! what a tragedy. a knot-less skein that had to be hacked in two. and i will have to weave that end into LACE! oy. what a nightmare. i'll cross that bridge when i come to it...

~~now let's see if i can get some decent pics to add to this post...~~

do the dishes!

2009-06-23T16:22:00.000-04:00

i needed to do some dishes. now you should know that that is something i rarely ever do. not that they don't get done! they do, just not by me. and the reason for that is i don't like touchin that wet cleany thing. so i made this real quick and cleaned um all up. mostly.

pattern is Simple Tawashi flower by the lovely Marte
yarn is cafe kitchen antibacterial acrylic

kick ish in the shins

2009-06-20T01:03:00.004-04:00

persistence! the ish got tired and i persevered! chart A of the lacey part is successfully complete! a small victory? perhaps. but it's mine and you can't take it away! now i have to rest up and rehydrate in preparation for... you guessed it...chart b...

Ishbel is trying to kill me

2009-06-18T23:36:00.006-04:00

some people cast on for Ishbel (rav link) and have no troubles. they fly through it and make 3 more the first one was so "quick and easy". i cannot get past the first lace chart! and i am not the only one. i am not alone in my misery.

i have knit and tinked the first 8 rows, only four of them lace, no less than 9 times. seriously. i don't want to give up. but i may not win this one. i am knitting with the wollmeise in Petit Poison. and if i could finish this it would be one heck of an FO. it would get much use. but that length of thread that i have frogged and reknit and frogged again is beginning to look tired. and i am too. so tired. i am a process knitter and therefore don't complete as much as i start. but this process!... i am scared of this thing, really. ( pssst...i think it's trying to kill me!)

the asymmetry of it all!

winding molly

2009-06-09T18:40:00.006-04:00

i threw all caution to the wind and i am winding up a skein o'molly to see how she flows.

nice

the knit kit

2009-04-05T19:29:00.003-04:00

in my Lys today this lady was sitting, knitting, and she had the knit kit out. she let me have a fondle of it.
at first glance it was sure alot bigger than i had pictured. palm-sized. which makes sense if i had thought about it. but just seeing it in tiny web pics it just thought it was smaller. i was pretty 'meh' about it. it was plasticy. and the white would look dirty after a while. the scissors were pretty interesting but i could see me cutting myself trying to get them open or shut. i dunno, i would use it if someone gifted it or probably buy one if my lys stats selling them but i am not crazy over it.

Leyburn ponderings...

2009-02-20T12:43:00.002-05:00

So. I have come to the point where it is time to start paying attention to turning the heel. Deciding just where to do it and such. I am glad i realized that because with this pattern stitch it is suggested to increase a bit on the instep before turning the heel. If I had missed that instruction: frustration.

I like the way it's coming along. The sock. It's a nice snug foot. More fitted than my other endeavors. I seem to prefer this so far as it shows I am improving at getting a good fit. Toe up construction just seems to make sense. I dunno why the standard is the opposite. I hope to become good enough at reversing pattern directions that I might be able to modify to get a good, custom, ideal fit. In socks and everything else.

The yarn I am using was originally purchased with the designation to become a clapotis. Two skeins at about 360 yards each. As a single skein is intended to provide for a complete pair of socks (of the average persuasion with regards to foot length and cuff length variances) the question arises: how long to make these leyburns?..

I could stop after turning the heel on this first sock, place it aside as i begin and complete the heel on the second sock, see how much yarn I have left, split it evenly between the two, and make a basic pair of socks.

Or I could complete the first sock an make the second to match with no regards to having leftover yarn.

Or I could keep knitting until the first skein gone. Letting the yardage determine the length and using the entire second skein for the next sock.

The issues with each option respectively:

What would I do with the other skein of korrppi after completing leyburns of average length? sure that's an issue of stash and therefore not an issue. but would i really make another pair of socks in the same colorway? and having only one skein limits my non-sock options for the yarn. just a bit.

The second option might leave me with half a skein of yarn left. or force me to wind the second skein for just a few yards in order to finish up. This option throws all caution to the wind and let's the project decide. hmmm. i don't really like that.

The third option, using an entire skein for each sock, seems the most appealing. but would require bit of design, math and time extension (into the "long-term projects" category. working on shaping and calf increase and such. i would really want to take my time and invest my energy properly into such an endeavor. those could be just knee-high or there might be enough yarn in those skeins to accomplish thigh-high or above the knee socks. i am not so good with the estimating due to lack of sock knitting experience and most of my projects going, thus far, unfinished.

Then there are issues with regards to wearability.

what can i wear them with in terms of footwear, and outfitting?

do i intend to be able to fit these into my work wardrobe? because if not, i might never get very much opportunity to wear them...

and so, when i wear them do i intend for them to be seen?

and a million more ponderings.

thoughts?...

Wollmeise nightmares

2009-02-13T11:30:00.001-05:00

I sit up to check for an update on my phone (as I do when I need to check but I am not ready to get up out of bed) and there is a sneak update with a bit of laceweight. I want.

It's about 10:30 and i slept through the update ( most likely put up at 9:30 like last week) and I am super lucky to have this one skein in my cart. And a colorway I want.

I figure, somehow, that It will take longer to get to the desktop, or I just panic, because I try to checkout on my phone. A hundred problems!

I can't get into the login box. It takes forever. I get frantic. My login name keeps being misspelled. The account page loads slower than a penny passes through your puppy's intestines. I start to sweat. I get to checkout. My cart isn't jumped! I am checking out- wait why is it wasting time asking for address an shit? Oy! "use address on file! Use address on file!" I am clicking angrily. The list I scroll through is a mile long. I can't find the address! Where is it?!

I am lucky enough to catch the just one skein that someone didn't jump on, waaay late in the update (an hour already) and for some freaking reason I can't check out?!

--- this is freaking nightmare! A nightmare! Get me out----

And then I wake up.

The first socks

2009-02-09T11:52:00.007-05:00

one of my first projects in the beginning days was a sock. i made a knee sock with striping , a heel flap and all. Pippi Kneestockings from stitch n'bitch.

but i only made one.

more of an exercise in technique. i put it down and picked it up and frustratingly persevered through that project for like 6 months.

i got involved in the CPaA swap group in December. this yarn was up for grabs and i was "meh" about it. someone posted a pic of it knit up and it was these cute footsie socks. froot loops. it's a knitty pattern i had seen before and was meh about that too. i was all anti-patterned sock.

"why all that work?, it's going in a shoe anyway, that's gotta be uncomfortable, etc..."

just stockinette socks for me.

but i saw what this raveler had done to the pattern. and the crazy yarn was very froot-loopy indeed. since they were ankle socks i could maybe even finish them! one ball, that's all. being December i was cold, cold, cold and i couldn't find cashmere socks or cozy warm woolie socks any where any how. my tootsies needed these footsies!

and some how, some how i finished them.

cast on dec 28th cast off feb 9

and they are cozy indeed! i heard all the smack talk about how fab woolly socks are. specially the hand-knit variety. i know there are the peeps out there that are flipping mad about there sock knitting. the sock knitters. i never considered my self a sock knitter. even though i had made three halves of pairs of socks. cause all the patterns people are queueing on rav, i was all meh about. these opened my eyes.

i dunno if i consider myself one or not but leyburn is hanging on my needles now. i could attribute that to the virus though. once the yarnharlot showed those puppies queue rates went through the chart. i resisted but hey, a girls gotta use up stash some how.

yarn porn

2009-02-03T15:00:00.001-05:00

the wollmeise

the poison

petit poison light,red hot chili med, red hot chili light, rhubaber med, mitternacht dark

whoa

2009-02-02T22:11:00.002-05:00

i just spent the entire day, like 7 good hours, getting this done.

whoa. i was determined. i can' say i am really pleased with how it turned out. but it's good enough. i just hope i try again and make another. better! faster! stronger!

i know it's a learning process but being able to sew a straight line - i thought that was enough! an accomplishment, a major river i crossed. i didn't realize it would continue (the frustration. ) i didn't take progress pics. lord knows how that would have delayed me. for the next one i will.

wollmeise calling...

2009-01-23T12:59:00.001-05:00

the Wollmeise.

i first heard of her on the podcast knitters uncensored. they are in Deutschland! Claudia was on in an interview.

i was intrigued by the whole scenario. one of the many discussions they had was over the names of the colorways. in hearing about the Poison #5 i was distinctly reminded of that movie with sandra bullock that comes on TBS every now and again. a funny little number and of course the signature song--- love potion #9. relation? i dunno. misinterpretation? maybe...

through ravelry i slowly learned about the phenomenon. this gentle hand painter of yarns was indeed highly revered and her product obsessively sought after. skeins on ebay selling for 3- 5 times the original price. madness. over sock yarn.

i can be drawn in to these epidemics. things that are limited edition, nearly impossible to get your hands on. those things push my button and set me on a frenzy.

i was proud that i resisted the wollmeise. it was pretty easy since everything in her shop (online) is always sold out. the madness hadn't infected me. i chose to be indifferent. having never seen the yarn in-the-fiber, it wasn't that difficult. i even had the opportunity to get a skein in a ravelry destash and just clicked right by it. (i may have added my name to some sort of WM swap list at some point but i wasn't expecting to get that yarn anytime soon. especially since the WM announced that she was no longer going to announce her shop updates ahead of time. now it was officially impossible to get this yarn. i'll by some BMFA instead).

and last night i couldn't sleep. i lay there staring at the ceiling and i remember hearing somewhere the best thing to do when you can't sleep is just get outta the bed. do something. so i figured i would try to cast on my shetland triangle. queued for months, if not longer. yarn sitting in stash. brand new addi clicks waiting to be used....

"but first i must ravel a bit... then i work on that cast on..."

"hmmm. it's the middle of the night. isn't this the time when the wollmeise would update her shop... it doesn't hurt to look. "

"what!?! what is this... . what is this little green light i have never seen here before...stuff is in stock? impossible!"

the madness. took me over. i couldn't believe i was experiencing a wollmeise update. and i clicked fast. and i clicked to win. and i ordered that yarn.

was the wollmeise calling to me in my insomnia? does karma really exist? is it just a fortunate coincidence? pure luck? i guess we'll never know....

elf chum

2008-12-13T12:21:00.008-05:00

i'd heard about the workshop from mochimochiland. why not? i says. and i was lucky, LUCKY! enough to have the day off. i sent invites to Agnes and Jess but they declined. i went ala carte. an unusual thing for me to do folks. it was gloomy december and i needed to do something a bit frivolous you see.

Jenny Harada led the worshop and kindly shared her fabric stash and a pattern for her cute Elf Chum design. we cut the small pieces out and hand-sewed them and stuff the lively creatures. we were scheduled to be done by four and ran-over the time till 'bout six. well, most of the group anyhow.

here is my chum in stages.

i must get an FO pic and add it to the post....

if i can learn to work my machine i can make some a bunch of elf chum (ornaments, toy gifts, decoration...) next holiday.

i had an absolute blast. i hope to attnd more workshops at gallery hanahou branch out my crafty demons further.

you can view pics of the event, participants and their chums

here on the flickr set luv-able hug-able

the first official sewing project

2008-11-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

it all started with the harlot! i sat behind this lady person at the reading. she was knittin' on a sock or some similar small project and her project bag was super cute. i asked her where she got it and stuff. the ones i saw in the shop she mentioned were cute but note quite what i was hankering for. having seen all the luscious fabrics at purl patchwork i decided i would make one my-very-own-self. never mind that i have no idea really how to sew or don't have a machine. well, i have one but it doesn't work. or so i thought!

the original plan was to go to yoga with jess. i of course altered that plan because i wanted to get crafty. we were to head to the point and stitch it up. the point is a hop and skip away from purl soho so we would just pop in, grab a yard or two and head to her place to sew or not sew.

then i got the sick. sometimes you eat things that have aliens in them and the aliens take over your body and don't let you leave the house. even if for the first time ever you were not only on time but early to meet your buddy ol'pal that you haven't seen in like a long time and had a crafty day planned.

i got dressed. i packed a bag. i went outside. i walked a block. i walked that block again on my way back into my apt. and there i stayed folks! i was totally disappointed. cause who knows when i would have had another day off and jess would have a day off too and we both weren't busy and sad face. i pouted in my apt. every time i thought i could try to sneak past the aliens and go out- i was proven wrong.

at a point i finally accepted i couldn't leave but would not accept the fact that i couldn't sew.

but i have no fabric!-

well, there was the half yard left from the lining i hand stitched into kristy's pouchy i crocheted her for our bday...(we have the same bday)

yea but i have no machine!

well, you do have the machine your grandma gave you that you never could figure out how to work in the deep deep bottom of the closet...

yea but! i have no manual! how will i get that thing to work?

well, you do have that endless resource of information on the ravelry forums...

(way more efficient that the www btw)

fine! i'll try it. i will make an absolute mess and hurt myself getting the thing outta the closet and it won't work. ravelers will tell me my machine is broke and i dunno how to sew and give up and just buy the bag it's waaaay less trouble.

i got the machine out with minimal damage to myself and the apartment.

a raveler answered my plea quite promptly and it turns out i just had the machine threaded wrong.

and so , the sewing machine was in proper functioning order. and from my attempt at starting a scrapbook i already had a rotary cutter and self-healing mat...

i found a super simple project on kathryn ivy's blog and decided to practice. and only 2 hours and much cursing and a few pin pricks later...

after that exercise i became an expert on that particular method of construction and altered the measurements to stitch up my very own iphone cozy

exhausting.

Stitches East - the first

2008-11-09T12:41:00.001-05:00

this weekend past was stitches east in baltimore, md. my first attendance to this great gathering i had heard so much-ehem, read so much about.

We (being me and the not-yet-husband) drove out thursday night to hit up the market floor first thing friday morning. i was hoping to snag an addi click if they were magically available there. or at least get a peak at a sample. the Skacel guy said the release date was being pushed for quality control. it's okay, i'll wait. i rather they get the design right than release them with a bunch of defects. i have experienced a full plethora of issues with my Knitpicks Harmony Options. time to upgrade.

i was warned to be careful. make a budget, bring a list and walk the entire floor quickly before making any major purchases. i armed myself with a print out of my rav queue and stash so i don't get stuff i already have similar and i could focus on projects in mind and not just buy random amounts of yarn aimlessly.

surprisingly enough i didn't go crazy with he yarn shopping. i have a modest stash and a modest budget and i guess i was too realistic about how much i could knit ever. i was like, overwhelmed. there was so much yarn! of some many kinds. i knew of some of the hot items that i should probably snag. but i didn't really have a use for them like Malabrigo sock, or lisa souza yarns ... there were bags of noro half off and i have been pondering the noro striped scarf (one of the original viral knits i think. i know i found out about it from brooklyntweed and yarnharlot) but i just left that bag there. another issue is space. where would i keep this all in my tiny NYC apt?

i regret not grabbing a Knitter's Block though. if for nothing else than to save on shipping it to myself later. i just didn't have an immediate use for it so i figured i would wait. it's just something i need eventually to complete my knitter's arsenal of supplies.

i made up in quality what i didn't grab in quantity. i took my sweet ass time picking out some Quivik from windy valley musk ox. i had first seen them at rhinebeck and didn't take pen! (long story) so i was determined this time around.

i hardly took any pictures. just snapped a couple baby sweaters because they were too adorable not to.

new york sheep and wool festival 2008

2008-10-23T15:00:00.001-04:00

the festival was sat and sunday and Robert assured me it was not that far and would be a fun day trip. with his convincing we went on our merry way in the not too early morning hours and had a fabulous time. there were sheep, of course and goats of the cashmere variety and llamas and alpacas of which i do not think i can tell the difference...isn't it pretty!

i am so glad we went. i didn't end up spending too much money. i was glad there was not bags and skeins and wheels and things that i was dying to go broke for. with stitches coming up it is best that this was more a less just a day out. especially since i have been feeling like crap lately and work life was leaking all over my personal life it was nice to be reminded that my stupid job is not everything. i expected the food to be icky carnival food but it was surprisingly like the best thing i had eaten all month. we ate chicken sandwiches at the cajun hole in the wall and it was not greasy, nicely seasoned and fresh. that was a pleasant surprise. i would drive up there now to get one of those. but i can't drive.

and how cool is this guy!? he totally posed for this one!

i took alots of pics you can see them in my picasa

i bought:

a set of felting needles

a needle gauge pendant
heal my hands salve
a gnome kit from off the beaded path
and i couldn’t resist getting a drop spindle and some roving to try my hand at spinning.

my SO even started his very own stash…

Rhinebeck

2008-10-17T13:07:00.001-04:00

New york sheep and wool festival 2008

the harlot kept mentioning this 'rhinebeck' at the reading and in the q&a and i had heard the term thrown around the ravelry. i knew i had already researched a time a go and it was logical that i just was not going to be able to attend so i had put it out of my mind. now this yarnyharlot goes and puts it back into my head. i have to go! how will i maneuver this with the mischievous powers- of-the-evil-job?....

The Yarnharlot Writes Again!

2008-10-16T15:00:00.002-04:00

October

i have attended only two "book readings" prior. (at least to my memo

ry this is so as they were attended both purposely and enthusiastically. my prior employment with borders group may have exposed me to other events which i was not and currently am not aware of. i digress...)

and knitting related of course. the first, in brooklyn for the launch of stitch 'n bitch nation by debbie stoller some years ago, and the second, my first encounter with the yarnharlot in

columbus circle last year. both enlightening and entertaining experiences. I had not been a reader of yarnharlot.ca for very long. it wasn't until i joined ravelry that i was aware of very much anything in the world. some raveler in some post in some thread in some group must have made me click on some link that had me lmao at the muggles. So i became aware. i read this post after the fact and was afrown that i was not able to attend. i am always the last to know!

i miss lots of stuff. i found out about stitches east shortly after the 2007 event was over. I was like, a year late to ravelry. and i only just read Twilight. okay, i read the entire saga. in absolutely no time. and i am reading it again. because i can't deal with the empty hole in my life since i finished. so i am not letting it end. i will just keep reading in this continuous loop of the space/time continuum so that Bella and Edward are always...

yea i know.

i miss alot of things.

i didn't see an episode of My so-called-life until after it was cancelled. i wasn't hip to nirvana until after Kurt shot himself. and i am sure there is something phenomenal going on right now that i am totally unaware of.

so, when the harlot said she was gonna be in bklyn at the B&N on tuesday oct 14th i marked my calender. me, second to last on the left in the third pic down.

the harlot wonders why i didn't bring any knitting.

me and the harlot telepathically making plans to take over the world, one sock at a time.

It Ends or the frogging of the sweater

2008-10-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

yea, i dunno what i am doing so i am ripping this thing out and i will start fresh after a break.

it begins...

2008-09-07T23:31:00.000-04:00

i have casted on! with some hand-holding from Ravelers and a lot of reading i have begun my sweater adventure. i am (mostly ) using the incredible custom-fit raglan sweater . there will be alot of fudging though. i guess i was supposed to use my row gauge to calculate the angle of the v in the neckline and decide how deep i wanted it and all that. most standard seems to be to increase only ever fourth row or so. for a crew/round neck you increase on every right side row and that is how i have started. if you just keep going past the point where you are supposed to join the round for a round neck and join later, then you have a v-neck. i think i will go with that. it's probably best to have a more shallow neck line for modesty anyhow. and it leaves one less thing to do at the same time as the short rows. i think short rowing across the front (in the round) will be easier than short rowing at the ends of every row and then connecting later. plus i have to try this sucker on constantly. jeez, i can't wait to finish this one and start a new one already!

the challenge

2008-09-04T11:24:00.000-04:00

i want to knit a sweater darn it! i want my very own cozy soft and comforting sweater to warm my bones. handmade by me. but that's not all. i want it to fit. and there in lies the trouble- nay, the challenge!

there are some knitting guilds that don't let you in until you knit a sweater. it's like a requirement. well, what if you don't wanna make a boomin' sweater?

does it mean you have naught the skill of an excellent knitter? no, but i guess the sweater is the most basic of garments that tests all necessary skills at once. with all the techniques used to knit a sweater you can make then, anything.

casting on and of course, increases and decreases (shaping), seaming and weaving in ends. all these things plus the demonstration of patientience, commitment to a project and consistancy in gauge. to fancy it up one could cable, a bit of lace colorwork- extra credit if you will.

i am slowly but steadily working my way through. i have read and researched and forum posted and i now am armed with a better knowledge for my journey. the shaping and the darting and the modificationing of the pattern- that is where my tangle lies. i can't just take a pattern and some ayrn and twirl away. because when finishd it wouldn't fit me . instead it would make a fine fit for some mannequin in some factory.

which pattern to use?

which fiber to use?

what color to make it?

...

who says you can't eat yarn?

2008-08-07T11:20:00.002-04:00

i just received my Paume order.

O. M. G. these yarns are de-licious.

fluffy balls of cotton yumminess.

they will become my pets....

(runs to take some pics)

my etsy

2008-08-01T23:46:00.001-04:00

my first order came in the mails to-day! yay!

i am a busy-ness entrepreneur. scary. my goshness the threads from japan are uber kyuuto! i just can't take it. they are like little baby yarns next to american jumbo skeins. pics coming soon. for now, a color chart.

etceteraetc.etsy.com

the staycation

2008-07-28T12:37:00.000-04:00

knitting

knitting has been on hold. i am finding i am not as in love with my knitpicks options as i thought i was. so i don't feel like knitting with them. maybe all i need is a break from them. the summer heat and my ufo add has me crocheting quick and dainty projects. plus, i just LOVE my hamanaka rakuraku crochet hooks. to pieces! i have both the regular set and the lace hooks. somehow this summer i became a threadie. who knew!

tatting

so, Nozomisan was nice enough to translate that freaking book for me. the whole book ! in like a week. she's crazy. but i am thank-ful. i learned the tatting. it's hard stuff. i made this little motif practice thing with size 10 thread.

sure, i made a mistake or two but i got the gist.

i immediately took up the size 80 and tried a different motif with that. ha! size 80 is no joke. i have had to cut the thread like three times. i will make that stupid thing though! -i think. somehow. it's hard work. now that i know the mechanics of tatting i just dunno what i wanna make. collar edgings and table runners aren't really my style. plus those are kinda huge projects. i have to conquer this other motif first then i will worry about that.

Nihonjin kurafuto?

my adoration for all things cute-ly crafted inevitable-y and eventually lead me into the world of crafts japanese style. it doesn't help that-well, actually it does help, it does, that i have a Kinokuniya a hope, skip, and jump from me. amigurumi, tawashi and little crocheted coasters and fabulous little fluffy handmade yumminess-i am into it all. and still i haven't woken up with the magical ability to read and speak japanese fluently like that girl did in Heroes. poo. until then i will have to make due. ( i do have that Rosetta Stone. i give it a thumbs up. i just don't do the lessons as often as i should.)

i have learned, from these japanese books, to read a chart. a wonder in itself, the charted crochet pattern allows for no loss in translation. actually, i can't go chartless now. there is just too much ambiguity in written out patterns. even in english.

tawashi

the business end

all this dabbling in japanese craft and acquisition of many japanese pattern books inevitably and naturally led to a search for japanese yarns. the yarns they make for tawashi are silver ion treated acrylic with antibacterial properties ideal for cleaning ( ehem, 'ta-washi' carries an audible resemblance to the english words 'to wash'. coincidentally that is the purpose of tawashi, to wash. dishes...etc.). the cottons they use for these home projects, even just through photos, seem of a different origin. much more representative of the cozy comfy cotton we use for clothes. more reminiscent of the plant the fiber came from. in texture and weight that kitchen cotton cannot compete with.

the antibacterial acrylics like Cafe Kitchen iw as able to find in ichigonopantsu's etsy shop. gotta love the ravelry connections. but delicious cotton! that was different task. this project from this book as seen on this blog started it all.

substituting this yarn was waaay more difficult than i thought it was gonna be. the yarns that i found were too thick too thin and too rough looking. so i started lookin for this Hamanaka Paume which is the yarn suggested and couldn't find it anywhere! now i got my own etsy shop, etceteraetc.etsy.com, so the next person looking for it won't have to look that hard.

this bag was made with a sport weight or dk cotton called CottonnottoC . also a hamanaka concoction. i haven't found that one... yet.

tatting is japanese to me!

2008-07-07T12:57:00.001-04:00

like the language i can' t decipher this new craft demon, which is only one of so many, taunts me by making me buy this book:

i wasn't even looking for it! i was in Kinokuniya checking out the crochet books and BAM! this here tatting book was on the shelf. it was the only one and the demon inside snapped it up with no concern of cost. or more pertinant, how will i use this book if i can't read it.

whatever. it's part of my library now. there are some cute motif-y charts in there. which are the most elementary tatting practice i have found so far. i think the tatting demon is satisfied enough to rest. for the moment.

adventures in tatting

2008-06-30T13:21:00.000-04:00

i bought me a tatting shuttle yesterday. the tatting demon was first encountered june 17th 2007 during a long awaited trip to MAD for the Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting exhibition. Doodling, (Hildur Bjarnadottir, 2005) had me, well, stupefied really. i stared trancelike at the swirling lines of thread until Robert shook me back from the transcendental world. "i must learn this art!" a voice in my head- impersonating my very own self resounded. the demon lay dormant until just recently. it's emergence coinciding with the newly available online resources related to said demon.