Happy Easter!

Consolidation

Guess who's moving back in with Mom. It's temporary, and will give him some breathing space to catch up for his next place. So now he is consolidating his space into mine. And I am shifting my two rooms of stuff into one. My bedroom now doubles as my fiber/craft space as well. Can we survive it? I have no doubts!

(Don't look too closely at the photo...it's a really bad cut and paste job!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What Your Shamrock Says About You

You are unselfish, responsible, and a good leader. You contribute a lot to your community. At times, you can be self-righteous and stubborn. There's no better way to do things than your way. You consider yourself a lucky person. Luck always seems to be on your side. You are creative, innovative, and complicated. You definitely have a unique spin on the world.

The Shamrock Personality Test

Body Polish

Need a remedy for dry winter skin? Me, too! This scrub is great. It's cheap, versatile and leaves your skin feeling smooth and quenched. Give it a try.

My basic recipe:
1 cup sugar or salt
1/2 cup oil of your choice
a few drops of your favorite scent

Mix well. Place in an empty glass jar with lid. It will keep longer in the refrigerator. (Bring to room temperature prior to use.) Portion out the amount you will use for your spa day, rather than dipping wet hands into the whole jar. (The photo above is about 1/4th of the recipe.)

After bathing, spread Body Polish on wet skin using circular motions with fingers. Rinse well in a warm shower. Be very careful stepping in and out of the shower. Dry off with a fluffy towel.

Feel free to make it your own. By varying the oil choice and the scent, you can have a different spa treat every week.

Feet of Firsts

New techniques and a bit of a review of Noro yarns.

During a recent trip to my LYS, I picked up a couple of skeins of Noro Silk Garden. I had heard many folks marvel over this yarn and decided to give it a try. My first impressions were mixed. The colors are amazing. The hand is rather rough and it seems to be full of vegetation. Oh, well. I was up for something new. I chose colorway #252; blues, greens, black and gray.

When it comes to knitting socks, I'm more of a traditional kind of girl. But, since I was in the frame of mind to try new things, I also decided to use some new-to-me techniques. Looking through many of the toe-up methods, I chose to use Judy Becker's Magic Cast-on...I love it!!! (Check out Cat Bordhi's video.)

Another technique I hadn't yet used is the short-row heel. I followed instructions by Kim Salazar. It went well, but I definitely need to practice this one.

I finished my first sock and was feeling pretty good about it. I started to rewind the second skein so I could begin with the same color at the toe. Arrrrrrggghhhh! A huge knot hidden in the center of the ball totally ruined the flow of colors.

Since this happened, I have notice a real dichotomy among knitters where this yarn is concerned. One camp will defend it no matter what stating the knots are part of its charm. The other (which I think I lean toward) maintains that there is a better way to connect breaks during spinning. I am sure there are many factors involved at the factory of which I am not aware. However, as a spinner, connecting breaks and blending colors were some of the first techniques I learned.

In any case, I "cut and pasted" my skeins together so that my socks were almost matching. I'm pleased with the end result. Now let's see how they wear!

Here's a simple recipe for my socks: Use size 5US double-point needles.

Tie-Dye Scarf

The soft brushed wool blend yarn I recently dyed "told" me it needed to become a scarf. It needed to be simple, quick and work well with the tie-dye colors.

By combining double crochet and single crochet, more texture was added without detracting from the yarn.

The yarn was recycled from a very soft white sweater. It took the dye well, but maintained its halo. This softened the overall look of the intense dye colors.

Adding the fringe to this very long scarf, gave it even more of a 1970's feel. I love it! I've written up the pattern and made it available here for free. Enjoy!

Tie-Dye

I did a little experimenting this weekend. I've had a Tie-Dye kit in my craft room for a long time. I'm a bit past my tie-dyed T-shirt days, so it just sat. It was time to put it to good use!

First, I dyed some 2-ply 100% Superwash Merino sock yarn. It took up the dye nicely resulting it rich colors. It should be a fun one to play with.

The second is some brushed wool/nylon blend. This soft yarn was from a recycled sweater and deserves a new life. The blend and the fuzziness make a more muted-effect. Really lovely.

A note on processing: The instructions said to tie-dye, wrap in plastic, and let rest for 4-6 hours. I did this with the yarn. Most of the dye rinsed out of my test skein. I heat-set the above skeins. This resulted in the intense colors shown!

Hats in All Sizes

It's been Hat-Making time around here. Following is just a sample.
More to come!!

Very Small
(set for a baby shower gift)
Hat Pattern: here
Socks Pattern: my own
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Delft

Medium
(for an 8-year-old friend)
Hat Pattern: here
Yarn: Mostly Lion Brand Wool-Ease

Extra Large
(for Zak)
Hat Pattern: my own
Yarn: my recycled wool in charcoal with a touch of burgundy

Katarina

Here it is! My first real FO for 2008 (I made socks earlier, but had to frog them). I absolutely love this sweater!

The Katarina design is great. The slightly belled sleeves are flattering and comfortable. The lines of the garter neck and fronts make it cozy without being overwhelming. And I had forgotten how the simple beauty of garter stitch can enhance garments.

The yarn worked out great, too. The natural brown wool with the little silk nubs give the sweater a hand-spun look and feel. No one could ever guess this yarn was recycled!

I probably will make another of this design in the future. Possible variations would include: lengthening the body another inch and adding another half-inch to each front (prior to the ribbing). I'm thinking it would also work well in a linen yarn.

One Year and Counting...Down

My Happy Little Teapot

Last September I discovered several new favorites at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. One of them was Tea Time Garden. Bonnie has several delightful blends of green and black teas that I fell in love with. She also sells Tisanes (herbal blends) that all smell so good.

I just received my new order from her shop. After a postal service glitch, Bonnie made it right and sent me my order via Priority Mail. I loved her attitude and willingness to take care of her customer. When she learned there was a problem, she immediately made sure I got my teas. And look at those samples and cute little Origami crane she included. Thank you, Bonnie!!

So if you're looking for a great pot of tea and excellent customer service, I highly recommend Tea Time Garden! Give it a try!

Spinning Bob

During a conversation about our pets recently, one of the teachers at school mentioned she has a female Miniature Eskimo dog named Bob. I asked if she had ever saved her hair. Of course, I got the expected response of "?????!" I explained that some dogs' hair spins up to make beautiful yarns and I would love to show her. I asked her to to just save some up as they groomed her and bring it to me when they have a bag full.

So last week, Bob went to the groomer. My friend's husband, expecting a strange response, asked the groomer to save Bob's hair. The groomer asked if it was for yarn! (I love it!) So Bob's mom brought me this! It was already very clean -- they had obviously bathed Bob prior to the brushing. It spun up very well, with little prep necessary. The result was a nice little 43-yard skein of soft, fuzzy white yarn.

When I took it back to school, another teacher who knows Bob well, was grossed out by the idea. I reminded her that sheep are not at all clean animals and yet we wear beautiful wool sweaters all the time. She didn't buy it. She said it bothered her more because she knows Bob personally!

But Bob's mom seem pleased with it. I encouraged her to save more of the hair so there would be enough to make something special for her. If not, I think a pair of mittens with "Bob Cuffs" might just be perfect!

A side note: when I opened the bag at home, I had mixed reviews from my pets. I expected Ashes (my 15-year-old kitty) to make a fuss at the smell of another D-O-G in her house. But no. She just sniffed it and turned her back on it.

Latte, on the other hand, seemed to just know there must be a puppy in that bag to play with! I couldn't keep her head out. So funny!!

(Notice the Bob fluff on Latte's nose!)

Button, Button

A number of times recently, I have had my project all finished except the buttons. Then the hunt begins. Good, affordable buttons are getting harder and harder to find. There are fewer fabric shops around. And their selection is often lacking. More than once I have set my project aside due to "lack of closure." I have also been known to purchase buttons first, then design the sweater, or what have you, around them.

A couple of yarn shops in my area have some nice buttons, but I've also had difficulty finding the right size or quantity. Then there's the price...those lovely little tokens often cost more than all the other materials put together.

Shopping online hasn't netted me much either. I spotted a couple of Etsy shops that had some fun buttons for sale. Then the shipping costs were almost double the cost of the buttons, themselves.

So, here's one of my solutions. Since I'm already out in thrift shops and yard sales watching for sweaters to recycle, I'm now checking lots of other garments for buttons! Occasionally I find a rather ugly jacket or sweater that has terrific buttons. I feel no guilt in purchasing that item, stripping it of the buttons, and either re-donating or recycling the fabric. The example shown below was an ill-fitting, poorly made sweater. And yet, it had a zillion (not quite) colorful buttons around the yoke, cuffs and bottom! Aren't they pretty?!

New Year, New Project

Like I really need a new project! But it's been a couple of years since I made myself a sweater. So, in the spirit of the new year, and goal setting, I cast on for a new sweater.

I've had this yarn for a while waiting for the right design. It's formerly an Eddie Bauer sweater of 76% wool/24% silk in a natural brown. At about DK weight, it should make a nice indoor garment.

Katarina is by CocoKnits. I love the simplicity of the shaping. It looks like it will be pretty flattering for a variety of body shapes. I'm casting on for size large.

Happy New Year!!!

In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.
~ an Irish Toast

Happy to Me!

So far, I have had four days of birthday! A girl could get spoiled.

On Sunday, my brother and son took me out for a great meal at PF Chang's in Portland. Yummy food, great tea, and wonderful company! After dinner, Zak and I walked a bit. The twinkly lights were on all the trees in the area making it all very festive. One store window caught my eye... Anthropologie had everything in the display wrapped in knitted snow! It was gorgeous!

And lookie what I got! A knitting book I've been wanting and a new travel press. (I recently dropped my old one and cracked it. Bummer!)

Monday evening (my actual birthday), Zak took me out again! We had a very nice dinner at a local Vietnamese restaurant (Pho Viet). When we got home, he surprised me with a delicious Cranberry Cheesecake from Wild Oats! I was skeptical, but it was very subtle. Just perfect!

Tuesday morning, my coworkers and students celebrated with me by bringing flowers and chocolate chunk cookies!! Yummers! And today, I received cards, cash and gift cards in the mail!!! What a birthday!!! Thanks for all the good wishes, everyone!!

Folk Mitts and Hot Chocolate

I haven't done any colorwork for a while. Playing with bits of my hand-dyed recycled sweater yarns, I came up with these bright and cheerful "Folk Mitts." They are happily keeping my hands warm while I knit up the rest of my Christmas gifts. Check back...I'll post the pattern later.

And here's one more gift ready. It's a simple beanie for Zak. He likes things plain...no designs, no bright colors. So to make him a hat that he will actually wear, I had to reel myself in. But I don't like to get bored, either. To satisfy both of us, I whipped him up a "Hot Chocolate" beanie with my hand-dyed recycled sweater wool in dark brown and black. The color changes are very subtle and not even noticeable unless you're up close and personal!

mmmm.....wooool

There's nothing like a warm wool hat on a snowy day. Our weather just started looking like December. To honor (and prepare for) winter, I whipped up another Sisters Hat. Since it only takes about 90 yards of DK-weight yarn, it's a quick project...great for last-minute gifts, too!

The free pattern is available here.
The yarn is from JanKnit Recycles.

Speedy Cardy

I love this pattern. I rarely knit the same design more than once. This seems to be the exception. I have used this pattern for the cute toddler sweater and hat for several family members, including my son. A Rosemary Drysdale design, this and two other sweater patterns were published in Knitter's #19, Summer 1990. It's such a quick knit because of the bulky yarn and big needles...only three stitches per inch!

Modifications: I used three colors instead of five, omitted the embroidery, shortened the ribbing on the hat, and knit the hat in the round instead of flat.

This little set is for my great niece for Christmas.

Freedom of Speech

For all our problems here in the US, I am still very thankful this is where I live. I admit I am not a fan of the current administration, and had a good chuckle over the recent exhibit in the New York Public Library. The "portraits" showing George W. Bush and others Photo-Shopped into mugshots are the work of Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese. And, of course, the photos have been condemned by the Republican party, stating that it might somehow harm students walking the halls of the library.

But, in the midst of the controversy over some political spoofs of our country's leaders, there is another story that got my attention. On the other side of the planet, a school teacher was imprisoned and will be deported just because she named a teddy-bear Muhammed. Gillian Gibbons could have received 40 lashes and six months in prison in the case if found guilty of the more serious charge of inciting religious hatred. Hmmm....