My Love As Deep

My new tattoo

2009-08-01T14:48:00.001-07:00

Based on an Alphonse Mucha painting called "Winter", drawn by my father-in-law and done by Indelible Ink. Soooooo in love with this.

Swapping Blorp

2009-03-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

I signed up for the Crafty Detective swap on Craftster..this entails filling out a detailed questionnaire and having your partner "stalk" you to make you the perfect gift. I filled mine out, but later realized I left a lot of things out...so here's a few more for my partner's stalking pleasure!

My dog, Annie. We call her Annie Dog, so any items with that on them would be great! She is a rescued Basset, and she weighs about 36 pounds. The length from her neck to base of tail is 17", and her width for sweater purposes is 12". Her neck is 17". She likes chewy treats only..she ignores crunchy ones because she had some teeth trouble when we got her and still thinks she can't eat hard things. I love pink and brown things for her, but a superhero-type jacket would rock! She's not big on toys either, unfortunately...but we do have to bathe her a lot, so if you know how to make doggie shampoo we would sure use it! Oooh, or a special towel just for her!

My three cats. They love catnip mice, especially furry ones. I crave a spiked collar for Violet. She is just your average smallish cat size. I would LOVE this silhouette of Bowie cleaned up and framed!

My husband and I are both very into cryptozoology and dinosaurs. He wears a size XXL t-shirt and prefers black, I wear a size M and prefer black and pink. T-shirts that say "RAWR means I Love You in Dinosaur"; "Cracka Please" (with a parrot) would be most appreciated.

The classiest thing I've seen all day.

2009-01-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

Of course, most of my day was spent attempting not to think about the small runny noses I was wiping, so it wasn't much of a contest.

Free tutorial via Craft

Making Space

2009-01-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

My craft room before New Year's Day:

My parents will recognize this as the natural state of every room I have ever occupied since birth.

"After" pictures to come when I have finished compulsively labeling everything in the hopes that this will help. I am optimistic! Yes!

I spent the morning alone with the snow falling outside, knitting myself something:

Stockinette tube to be used as cowl. Yarn: Mystery ball of something pretty from the thrift store. From the very lovely and unexpected color changes, I suspect it of being something expensive. It is almost definitely wool, and very soft wool too. I'm using big old size 15 needles and it is just mesmerizing. I love it.

This pig is something I made this week. I wanted to write up a pattern for my old Aerial Pig crochet pattern (I just now realized I still haven't replaced those pictures from the Slimy eBay Incident; better get on that) for knitters. I have the notes and everything written down for the pattern....but then I did a few searches, just on a whim, and guess what? I'm not the first the think of it. There are already some lovely, and very similar, patterns for small knitted pigs out there to be had on Ravelry and Knitting Pattern Central. Some are free and some are not.

This spearheads a dilemma I ponder often. The crafting world has absolutely exploded while I was out of the loop. It has grown from a small, badly photographed and rabidly enthusiastic community to a mangrove swamp of gorgeous designs, books, and talented, dedicated people. This is AWESOME.

It does, however, lead to a lot of overlap and it's part of the reason I hesitated to get back in. What do I have to offer anymore? If there are already many similar designs, is it a waste of cyberspace to offer up my own, even when mine was created in complete ignorance of the already existing one? This is really a moot point when it comes to selling, and it is definitely worth the time to research what's out there already before putting work into an idea you have for a product. That's happened to me several times already; someone else came up with it first! For free things, though, I'm not sure. I think it's worth it. Maybe mine is just exactly what someone was looking for, someone who's not quite willing to fudge things yet and would like some really specific instructions. I don't mind putting some time in for that person. After all, others did it for me.

Business Time

2009-01-04T07:05:00.000-08:00

Just a janitor note to say I've packed up and moved the old blog over here now, so all the old posts are in the archives and can be reached by the sidebar. I'm also in the process of moving all my free patterns to Ravelry, although if anyone has a better suggestion for how those should be hosted I'd love to hear it. Geocities won't be cutting it for me anymore. Geocities! Land of my first teenage webpage! My, my.
I'd prefer something for pattern hosting that a. has no bandwidth issues and b. doesn't require membership to view.

Should I just put them into blog posts here? Eh? Opinions?

Vinni Puh

2009-01-02T17:16:00.000-08:00

There is probably nothing more adorable on earth than this Russian ripoff Winnie-the-Pooh video. At least for today.

The Kim Hat

2009-01-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the new year, the husband unit and I went up to Denver to our friend's brand spanky new loft apartment. It is super-swanky, all original 1940's pipes and molding and ceilings that go up for miles. It almost made me want to be a city girl, but I'm pretty sure the honking light rail at 3 am gets old fast.

So obviously this was a New Year's Eve Party, so naturally I spent it with my face in yarn. I believe there were salsa dancing lessons happening at one point, and I know there was Rock Band because I helped carry the drums, Xbox and other accoutrements up the parking garage stairs, which underlines the point somewhat.

But I worked on and finished a hat just minutes before midnight, because I promised this hat to my friend Kim at the Guy Fawkes Day party on the 5th of November, and it's been sitting neglected since then. Now it is on her head, and I have pictures, and a free pattern for you all!

There is a reason these pictures are all sepia'd up. They are unquestionably party pictures: you may rest assured there is somebody holding champagne, strawberry margaritas, and/or something my husband calls a "beer-garita" and I call "incredibly ill-advised" cropped out of every one of these. And party pictures always come out sickeningly dark or overexposed, which bugs me more than it used to.

Pictures now. This one here is of the one I made for myself first. I used Brown Sheep Bulky and Size 13 straights.

There you can see the color, which is one of my favorites and whose name I cannot recall. Grass Green, possibly.

Now here is Kim's version: She likes her hats slouchy and more loosely knit than I do, so I used double-stranded Red Heart Worsted in Tan and size 17 straights.

I love making things for these people. Their appreciation knows no bounds and I am always a little overwhelmed by it.

The Kim Hat

Materials:

I use straight needles, but you could do this in the round with a nice 16" circular and some double points in the same size, which should complement a bulky yarn. I recommend anything in the 13-17 US size range.
Bulky yarn or double-stranded worsted.
Yarn needle or crochet hook for seaming
pompom maker or your fingers for the making of pompom if desired.

How To Make It:
1.Figure out your gauge. Most heads are 21" around, and it's important with berets to have a good tight band fit so they don't fall off. I figured on a 20" band for Kim's hat, and my gauge with the double-stranded worsted and the 17 needles was 2 st/inch, so I cast on 40 stitches.
2. Knit in 1x1 rib (k1, p1) for about 5 rows or however long you like your hatbands to be.
3. (right side) Increase row: Increase every other stitch using your preferred method. I did this row: *K1, Kf&b* to end, turn.
4. Purl.
5. Knit.
5. Now, for me that would be slouchy enough, but Kim likes hers really poofy so I used my little ridge row I stuck in there to do another increase. You're going to knit a row here even though you're on a purl row. This creates the ridge on the other side. I did this as an increase: *K2, kf&b* to end, turn. If you don't want yours any more slouchy, just knit this row.
6. Knit.
7. Purl.
Continue in this manner, knitting a purl row every three rows for that little ridge, until your total knitted length measures 6 or 7 inches.
8. Start decreasing.I fudge this big time. Starting on the right side, *k3, k2tog*, then a purl row, then a row of *k2, k2tog*, then a purl row,then a row of *k2tog*, then a purl row.

9. Break your yarn with a looooong tail and thread that through a yarn needle. Use your yarn needle to gather up all the stitches you have left on your needle and pull them into a tight ring. Tie off and sew up your seam. Add pompom. You are done, and odds are it took you less than three hours. Hooray!

I'm Moving

2008-12-31T12:50:00.000-08:00

to a new blog for a new start on crafting! Come have some tea and cupcakes with me at

my love as deep

Thanks for being here for the journey and I hope you'll join me for the new adventure; my free patterns will be joining us later, but will hold down the fort here for the time being.

A Brand New Beginning, Smelling of Mint

2008-12-31T11:15:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog! If you've followed me here from Lucky Wings, welcome and I'm glad you're here! If you're new, you can still get my free patterns at Lucky Wings until I get them all moved over.

Well, kids, it's been awhile. As I look back on this past year off from crafting, it is laid out like black ink on white canvas how the choices I made decided the course of my life...and yet, I didn't think those choices through particularly hard. I think a good list is in order to clarify.

Top Choices of 2008 and Their Results

I stopped blogging. Reason: I got engaged and had someone to talk to who appreciates and admires my work, filling that attention hole I have in my chest. Result: Nobody checks the old blog anymore. It is on life support. Thus, my fresh start here.
I stopped designing almost completely. Reason: I was BUSY planning a wedding (OMG the wedding, here are some pictures for you, and I would like to point out that my AMAZING mom and aunt made my dress by hand. Themselves. From a pattern. ) and that sort of took up all my time. Then I started teaching kindergarten. I know, right? Just what you do with a degree in English Education 7-12 and a longstanding feud with little kids. It has actually worked out really well, because through making all my classroom materials I've been inspired in ways I never would have been otherwise, and developed an appreciation for children's books.I guess that's the result for that one. Also I am married.

I let my Etsy shop sit empty and stopped posting on Craftster. I fell out of the loop completely. Result: Every time I went to those sites, I felt guilty and strange watching the parade of craftiness move on and evolve without me. Then I wondered why I felt that way. Not too long ago I read an interview with Yokoo, who makes super-huge scarves that are like crack they are so awesome. Here is what punched me in the chest and made me GET IT.

"Artists are jealous enthusiasts. We are privately vain depressants. If we see something admirable, we feel rather overwhelmed to take some sort of action against it. Be it productive or barren."-Yokoo

Ohhhhhhhh....

Result: It's okay for me to feel mad that I didn't make the choice to keep crafting through my life changes. My frustration means that I am an artist, and watching other people fulfill their potential makes me want to take action. So what's stopping me now?

Primarily, House. Like the show. And how I watched all the seasons. Oh, how I love House. But it ate up all my after work time and by the time Amber kicked the bucket I was so stunted creatively that I felt even worse. And then I read a list by blogger Anna Borstad (I don't know if you guys use StumbleUpon; it's how I found her blog, and while I'm happy about that, if you can't handle another thing in your life that eats time for breakfast, don't do it). Here is number 5:

"5. I have prioritized creativity in my life, and made time and space to honouring that pursuit, and I feel richer and clearer for it"-Anna Borstad

Result: I wanna do that. So I did. I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas, got one, battled that damn bobbin until I finally won, and started filling the Etsy again. Not with things I think will sell, but things I want to make, based on sketches I've done and daydreams I've had. I'm not underpricing and I'm going to advertise. I am making time every day to work on my designs and I am taking my time and working carefully.

Wanna see some pictures? I am so freaking proud of this:

For all the time I've stored up

2008-01-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

Here it is.

See this? This is me, and my Cuyler, and the scarf I made him...and a very sparkly ring on my left hand.

I'M FREAKING GETTING MARRIED, KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. The cable on the scarf is from here.

I felt like that was all I wanted to say, it being the big event, the disco ball of life at the moment, so to speak.

But there's more, right? Never mind not blogging all this time, I haven't even journaled. It's been a really, really busy time...Mostly because I now work 40 hours a week and there's no such thing as Christmas break anymore.

But also I haven't felt it. I know there's a lot going on in my subconscious, but for some reason I don't feel inspired to lay it out in neat little rows. I'm sure it's coming..

Getting married means...wow. It means the rest of my life goes this way, and I have to get my shit together and quit wasting money, quit putting off the paperwork for certification, get some interviews and make my life really start. Maybe that's why 'm not thinking about it. I've always looked forward to the future after college, always knew it would be painful and hard but worth it.
Now that it's here I'm scared. So I'm plugging through it, even though this 22-page teaching application gives me an automatic stress headache just to think about. Not that it's that tricky. It just seems so intimidating. Why? I think it's my fear of failure, that I won't measure up. I won't get a job, I won't be able to teach effectively. I know the fear is separate from me, and I won't let it keep me from trying. I was really enjoying not thinking about it, though.

I went home to New York and visited my family a week ago. I saw my dearest Heather a few times and on the way home, I cried. It really struck home that I chose to move so many thosands of miles away..for good. Or at least for the future I can see from here. Instead of seeing her whenever I like, it will be twice a year if I'm lucky, and she is such a huge part of my soul.
I found my husband (it makes me shake inside just to say that) and he will be my best friend. He is like steel, like a rock, like everything safe and right for me. He loves me absolutely unconditionally and calls me on my shit unmercifully, which is exactly what I always wanted.

I will still miss my Heather. I hope life gives me a few new twists so that it doesn't turn out to be as hard as it feels right now.

It generally seems to turn out right. I don't underestimate how lucky I am.

And Carl says I'm introverted.

2007-09-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Check that off the list.

2007-09-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

Well, last night I met my number-one hero. Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld series and the world's greatest comic genius, and a damn fine human being. Of course, I was only able to get pictures on my camera phone, so until I figure out how the heck to upload those, you'll have to check him out at terrypratchettbooks.com. I was able to get my advance reader's copy signed, thus ensuring my retirement fund. Working at a bookstore is sweet.

Best quote of the night: "I read books that support my pre-existing view that the world is a very interesting place."

Also.."No-one seems to have caught on yet that in Wee Free Men, there is a toad. The toad is yellow. He says he is yellow because he has been ill, and for a lot of the time, the toad is leading Tiffany....and yet no one seems to bring up the phrase, "Follow the yellow sick toad"."

To my shame, I'd never caught that either.

Oh, what all is happening...all sorts of stuff. I guess in knitting news, I made my very first boyfriend scarf that was actually appreciated...and when I say appreciated, I mean I am blown away by this man's level of commitment to keeping the scarf within two feet of his body at all times, and it hasn't even snowed yet. I think I hit the jackpot, ladies and gentlemen. I will get pictures as soon as possible.

It provides such a contrast to every other knitting I've ever offered to an object of my affection. In fact, want to hear a story that will make blood come out your ears? I know you do. It's sort of funny in retrospect, it being such a fantastically yarn-based tale of betrayal.

I made a scarf, oh, two years ago for the fellow I'd been with for two years. It wasn't much, a simple 1x1 rib, but I picked those colors carefully and knitted it carefully out of beautiful brown Lamb's Pride and presented it with love, as we all do with our knitting. He liked it okay but my knitting was always sort of an object of resentment for him. I think it had something to do with his mother, or some such foolery. Anyway he wore it for awhile, and then he stopped, and then as we continued to fall apart it lay in the backseat of his car covered by Wendy's bags. I had a health scare one day and showed up on his doorstep for help because at the time he was the only one I could go to. He opened the door and THE BASTARD WAS WEARING A SCARF. Not MY scarf, no, but a badly-crocheted hunk of PURPLE ACRYLIC Lion Brand Homespun. I eyed that for a minute. Who made that for you? Carolyn! Oh, of course it was Carolyn! Naturally! How silly of me! I guess that settles the question of our future!

Now, in non-knitting circles this might seem sort of, well, not as bad as it could have been, but you all understand, I am sure, that to wear another girl's knitting (or crochet--even worse) is a slap in the face to everything you are, and rather worse than actually discovering him doing the dirty with the tramp in the living room. The fact that I did not come in the night and slash his tires was owed solely to the fact that it might jeopardize my student teaching.

The point of this story is that the fact that I have found a man who thinks my knitting is "bitchin' righteous" (direct quote) is enough to make me want to tie him to the couch to prevent him escaping. Did I say that? Woops! I mean...I feel lucky. Really lucky. I am.

NDK 2007

2007-09-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

I made my Mononoke Hime costume totally all by myself, and I was not detected by anyone at the convention as the anime enthusiast poser that I am. My cousin decreed me a perfectly acceptable San. It was fantastic. And we are totally hot.

Juxtaposition

2007-08-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

Sweetheart Sweater
Based on Stephanie Japel's top-down raglan recipe
Circular size 7
Caron Simply Soft, Wool-Ease and wool scraps
Buttons from local yarn shop
Heart chart: http://www.soxie.com/valentine.html

I think this is the best fit I've ever had in a sweater, and it's definitely going to get more wear than any sweater I've knit before. I did a bunch of increases for the bust, and in retrospect I clearly have no idea what size I am. I need to learn to make darts.

So in local news, I'm in Colorado and feeling at home, for the first time in my life. I'm working in a bookstore and Terry Pratchett is coming to Boulder next month. Life is very, very good.

A rant.

2007-06-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

I've been browsing an online dating website lately. It's great entertainment. Only one out of every 30 guys seems to have any ability to use words. There are a few stock phrases that you see over and over...I really think they just copy and paste each other's profiles."Chivalry is not dead"; "Do nice guys finish last?" "Part teddy bear"...Good god. One of the phrases you see in almost every single one is, "I know how to treat a woman."

This fascinates me. How, in fact, is a woman supposed to be treated? I have two theories as to why they are saying this.

1. They think that "being treated like a woman" means flowers, candy, door-holding, being given presents and inane flattery. They also think that women like this. So if they say they know how to do that, women will like them.

2. It's some sort of ############ innuendo.

Regardless, I just can't imagine saying anything like, "I know how to treat a man." What, bring him his beer while he watches the game and swan around the house in a negligee? I know how to treat my man! Could anything sound more archaic?

How is it possible to be a human being living in the world today and not realize that the "way to treat a woman" is to treat her as a friend? With respect and kindess? Treat her as a unique human being who is not to be put on a pedestal nor put down for your amusement. I would treat any man the same way.

How is this not obvious?

where troubles melt like lemon drops

2007-06-09T17:04:00.000-07:00

Dress: Vintage with the original tags, $2 at the Salvation Army. Cat: Fat and fluffy and entertaining, $30 at the local shelter.

I just read an amazing book which I'm prepared to bet you haven't read. The librarian tells me that I was the first one to check it out since it was purchased..six years ago. Did you know that a man named W.C. Minor, a primary contributor to the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, did it all from inside Broadmoor Insane Asylum, where he lived as an inmate? Because of schizophrenia manifesting as extreme paranoia....and guilt...not to be a spoiler, but the man felt that perhaps God would forgive him for certain spicy thoughts if he..well. Too bad that eighty is a bit old to start a new career as a castrato singer. A thrilling read! *bright smile*

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary

Hey Ma, I gradyeated!

2007-06-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

2007-05-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

I just watched The Squid and the Whale. It was so real and hit so hard. The characters were so true..and the issues so powerful. Your parents and their love, sex, what potential these things have to be land mines..they are like the giant forces, the squid and the whale, battling it out. They are so huge and dark and powerful that just witnessing the fight can make you do things you can give no reason for at all. What makes us lash out and why in the way we do? I read The Stranger by Camus the other day, and it was clear to me there was something I was missing..and this is it, or part of it. In the face of death, sex, and love, people do destructive things that make no logical sense. Why? Why? Because nothing we do matters in the face of death, or because the breakdown of love is overpowering, or because sex is too frightening a concept, outside of love, to handle? And if love dies, then where does that leave us?

Rocky mountain high

2007-05-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

I passed student teaching! There's a whole passel of thought and growing and pain and stories in that which I am not yet ready to discuss. I'm moving to Colorado in 11 weeks! They use sheep to mow the grass by highways in Colorado. This was at least 50% of my decision-making process.

Knitting!

I finished this in four days during my vacation to Colorado. It's a modified Forecast by Stephanie Japel, free pattern on her website and Knitty. I used size 10.5 needles and good old dishcloth cotton. I didn't actually follow the pattern, I started off with it and then sort of went my own way. It's getting a lot of oohs and aahs! The ribbing hits me above the belly button, so it's a sort of bolero thing. Anyway it's cute and light and it makes me happy! Enjoy!

A full life

2007-02-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

Well. This will be my first single Valentine's Day in many a year. In theory I'm not upset--I've had more than my fair share of not-alone valentine's Days, and it's time I got to take the other side.
Still, I'm not kidding myself. It's going to be tough. Really tough. I expect there will be many a moment when the tears are going to come. But I'm determined not to mope around, or go on a date with someone I'm not in love with and deal with all that pressure. I'm going to enjoy it like I did when I was a kid! I've gone through an awful lot of manifesto days, when I swore to be a stronger person from that moment on. It doesn't work. I've accepted that you can't call love hate and have it really be hate just because you want it to. You can't stop feeling pain because it's inconvenient. The harder you deny your own feelings, the harder you will fall, and you will break bones. I accept that I am healing, that I will feel differently all the time, and that moving on isn't something you can force. A rebound is not the answer. I'm sort of pleased to find that I get no kicks out of using men. That's a lot more mature than I ever thought I was. So there's that at least.
I'm even amazed to find that my teaching is filling up the gaps in my life, and that I even get joy out of it. That I don't feel lost anymore. At least, not most of the time.
On the other hand, I'm developing more old-maid habits and preferences by the day. I'm not sure if it's being a professional husher for loud kids, or if it's not having a man to impress. I prefer medicinal herbal scents, pajamas with discreet stripes in sober tones, and the highlight of my average week is Tuesday, because House is on. My heart actually beats faster when I think about it.. my ideal man, apparently, is a crabby Brit. I'm twenty-two and I knit obsessively. I'm an English teacher who enjoys puns a lot more than is actually healthy. I smell of lavender and basil. The other day I even heard myself say, "Have some respect for the Word of God!" And so, my friends, I will die alone. Except for my cats. They will still love me.

Here is my game plan for the Day of Doom:

1. I will make extra-special personalized heart cookies for my students, cooperating teacher and principal.
2. I will buy myself flowers. Probably Gerbera daisies in red, yellow and orange. I really always liked them better than roses.
3.I will make funny, irreverent Valentines and mail them to my friends and family back home. When I'm in a relationship I forget to be generous to the people who really love me and are really, truly committed to me.
4.I will buy a Veggie Lover pizza from Pizza Hut: I haven't had one in years, a bottle of the cheapest, sweetest red wine available, and watch American Idol with my cat at home. Also some chocolate. I can spoil myself better than anyone else can.
5. Next weekend, my dear Heather will come up to visit, we will go see the Vagina Monologues and go out to dinner.

Beautiful Spy Sweater

2007-01-12T09:58:00.000-08:00

After three months of work on size 7 needles, it's finally here. I shall seduce very important people and obtain very important papers and be generally sneaky, in a sexy sort of way. I shall also wear big sunglasses.

Based on the Fern Diamonds Cardigan , but with 6/2 ribbing instead of lace. Yes, it's Red Heart Super Saver. I'm okay with that. Sorry, I was totally unable to get a good picture of the stitch definition..that's black for you, but you've all seen seed stitch before. Here's the best I could do of the front.

And the back:

Survey...

2007-01-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

YOURSELF - The Survey
Eye Color: Green
Hair Color: Brown
Height: 5'
Right Handed or Left Handed: Right
Your Heritage: Irish
The Shoes You Wore Today: High-heeled brown boots
Your Weakness: Red wine, and Internet surveys that allow me to answer questions about myself and feel important.
Your Fears: Sharks, loneliness and becoming jaded
Your Perfect Pizza: Thick, chewy crust ,veggie lover from Pizza Hut
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: Doing a good job student teaching and being a hero.
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: Ha!
Thoughts First Waking Up: Oh good, there's coffee.
Your Best Physical Feature: Smile. I think. I have quite nice eyebrows..
Your Bedtime: 10
Your Most Missed Memory: Playing in the woods as a kid. We made all these paths...
Pepsi or Coke: Neither. I dislike all soda.
MacDonalds or Burger King: Wendy's, they have spicy chicken.
Single or Group Dates: I've been on very few dates. I really don't know. Probably single.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Can't I just have some coffee?
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate, and if it's 80% cacao, so much the better.
Cappuccino or Coffee: Cofffeeeeeeee...
Do you Smoke: No. It is yucky.
Do you Swear: My favorite is "Rats bloody rats!"
Do you Sing: Well, yes. Everyone sings.
Do you Shower Daily: Most of the time. I make no promises when I'm home on vacation and never leave the house.
Have you Been in Love: Yes.
Do you want to go to College: All the way through Masters...
Do you want to get Married: Very much so.
Do you believe in yourself: You know, I think I do!
Do you get Motion Sickness: If I read or knit in the car, I do.
Do you think you are Attractive: Yes. Yes, I do.
Are you a Health Freak: Mmmmm....not really. Not a freak, per se. I'm not opposed to health.
Do you get along with your Parents: About 75% of the time.
Do you like Thunderstorms: Yeah!
Do you play an Instrument: I can sort of play the guitar a bit. I know four chords!
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: Yes.I drank a bottle of sangria whilst making spinach stuffed shells on Christmas Eve, and they turned out great. Best shells I ever made.
In the past month have you Smoked: No. That is yucky.
In the past month have you been on Drugs: No. Never, ever, ever. I am a total square.
In the past month have you gone on a Date: No. I don't know what else to say to that. What an unpleasant question.
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: Yes. But I didn't have any fun.
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: No..it's been at least two months.They were the mint kind.
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: No. And I don't see why I should.
In the past month have you been on Stage: No. Not since Heather's play at GCC, I think...
In the past month have you been Dumped: Not quite; it's been a little longer officially, but muuuuuch longer in reality.
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: No..it's January..I haven't gone skinny dipping since that party at Sally's when I was sixteen.
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: No.
Ever been Drunk: On occasion. Probably five occasions. I mean Really drunk.
Ever been called a Tease: No. I am a hermit and I do not tease.
Ever been Beaten up: No!
Ever Shoplifted: Yes.
How do you want to Die: Can I pass on the dying? Thanks.
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: A shepherd. No, really.
What country would you most like to Visit: India.

People are stinky.

2007-01-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

First of all, THANK YOU to all of you at Crochetville who alerted me to the person selling my aerial pig pattern on eBay. I wrote to the seller asking them to remove it, and reported it to eBay as well, so we'll see what happens.

I didn't envision this happening when I put my patterns up. I certainly wouldn't mind if someone made some pigs and sold them. That's what I meant when I said you could make money from them...but reselling a free pattern without crediting the author? Sliiimmmmmmyyyy.

If anyone would like to express their feelings to the seller, the listing is here:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZdcQ5fphotographyQ5fstudios

Fabulations.

2007-01-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

Here's a new hat pattern for ya'll:

http://geocities.com/thelibrarian18/classic_tan.html

The Post Office Hat

by Shannon Murphree, 2006

Please don't use this pattern to compete with my sales on Etsy. Anything else is fair game, 'kay?

I saw this gorgeous old lady wearing a hat like this in the post office the other day. I'm pretty sure hers was knitted, although I didn't get a really close look. The distinguishing features are the little tail on top and the glorious puff-stitch.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm also working on some writing about my kidhood...nothing is quite so therapeutic as making fun of yourself on paper. It really makes the drama seem a lot less important...tell me what you think. This is my original material and may not be copied or borrowed from.

Lies

By Shannon Murphree

When I was a kid, I used to be a compulsive liar. Trust me. Ha ha. No, really, I lied about everything, on general principles, although I’m not sure which principles in particular dictated that a lie must be told in every circumstance where the truth would do just as well. Certainly I was punished for lying, when I got caught, but the problem was that most of my fabulation took place outside my parents’ earshot, usually for the benefit of their friends and relatives. Charming, eh? Often, at 2 a.m., when a red-hot humiliating memory plays on the wide screen in my head for the six hundredth and eighty-seventh time, I scream to my parents of ten years ago, “Why didn’t you STOP ME?” But the obvious answer is that I was too damn good. I probably lied my way out of punishment more times than I went to church in my life, and that is no mean feat, really.

Lie Number One: The Lie of Ignorance-Defending

I read a stunning number of books per day in my childhood, since we didn’t have television because it might corrupt our minds.* The books were primarily to do with animals. I was a big fan of books on pet care, and I educated myself thoroughly on the housing, feeding, varieties and training of every domestic beast from guppies to Guernseys. My repertoire was amazing, although really quite useless, since due to my little brother’s allergy-induced asthma, I did not succeed in twisting my parents’ arms for a cat until I was twelve. I had a tank of fish, which died like flies from, according to my fish book, Ichthyophthirius.**

The one blank in my encyclopedic knowledge concerned the small, yet vital, area of sex. We did not, and do not to this day, allow such things as reproduction into our home. I may have been protected from knowledge too heavy for my eight-year-old shoulders, but know this: The day I told my Sunday School teacher (who owned a horse farm) that my great-aunt Lenore had a beautiful black stallion named Samantha, who had just given birth to a colt named Daisy, lives on in my memory with all the horror of an illicit glimpse of ###########.

Sunday School teaching is not a job for the timid, and my teacher had little patience with me anyway, due to my pompous insistence that I knew more than anyone else, including the teacher, on any subject you cared to name, including Bible stories. I got a look of flesh-withering scorn as she informed me that it was impossible for my stallion to have borne a colt, especially a female colt, since these were terms for the male of the Equine species.
I was crushed, but physically unable to be gracious about being wrong. With increasing volume, I insisted that Samantha was a stallion, just like Black Beauty, until I was crouched in a corner, tear-stained and snuffly, for the duration of that day’s service. In years to come, I would repeat my performance on such subjects as male calico cats, whether my street tabby was a purebred Abyssinian, and the multiplication table.

*This is Irony.
* *I also kept pet flies in an applesauce jar.

Lie Number Two: The Lie of Supernatural Powers

When I was four I thought I could remember being in the womb. I told my daddy so, and he insisted that I could not possibly remember such a thing and that I was making it up and it was wrong to lie. I was so sure I did remember it that I expanded my story to include conversations heard through my mother’s swollen belly and playing checkers in Heaven with baby Jesus and Grover from Sesame Street, my personal God. My insistence that I was in possession of supernatural powers continued through the years, and ranged from super-speed due to my one-16th Indian heritage, to talking to trees and moving things with my mind. It ended when I was twelve and told some neighbor boys that I was one-half cat and could see in the dark and walk over dry leaves without making a sound. I stuck to my guns on the subject for forty-five minutes, as they staggered around the yard, laughing until snot came out their noses. Finally it was just too embarrassing and I laid my Feline Secret Identity to rest. My cat, Marbles, felt betrayed. She told me so.

Lie Number Three: The Totally Unjustified Lie

I really can’t explain this one at all. I lied when there was absolutely no need to embroider the truth. My personal favorite of this variety happened when I was eleven.
My dad had given me a toy cat for Christmas. She had lovely peach-and-white fur, and was the most beautiful, most magical thing I had ever owned. She was perfect. I took her to a friend’s house to show her off, and my friend’s mother commented on how pretty she was. My mouth opened and I heard myself say, ”Well, my dad got her cheap because she was the last one and she was a mistake because the factory made her wrong because her fur wasn’t supposed to be this color and you see how she’s got this funny eye, so she was made wrong and that’s why she was so cheap.”
As my friend’s mother’s expression changed from polite interest to raised-eyebrow puzzlement, I realized that I had no idea why I had just said that, and also that I had a problem. All of my small lies about horse’s gender, stolen cookies, hitting my brother, cheated-on math tests and peeked-at Christmas presents had added up until I was lying for no discernible reason.
As I think about it now, there were several types of lies, all very devious in their own special way, but all based on the premise that the world really ought to be better than it was, and anything I said to contribute to that result was vital. My world was so frightening, so confusing, and so often totally wrong that any sort of lie was bound to be better than being held responsible for what was really true. I know now that the truth is the only thing worth being responsible for, the only thing that allows you to take the consequences knowing that you are in control.
However, I really can walk through dry leaves without making a single sound.

A survey.

2006-10-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is from Crazy Aunt Purl, and I haven't done one in a long time.

Four jobs I’ve had:

* Cashier at a Save-A-Lot grocery store ("We Don't Waste Money on Advertising or Any Sort of Cleaning Supplies, and We're Passing The Savings and ########### on to You!")* Waitress at the Silver Lake Restaurant.
* Work-Study at the college library.
* Pizza Hut waitress. This is depressing.

Four movies I can watch over and over:

* All the Muppet movies except for Muppets Take Manhattan.
* The Philadelphia Story
* All the Harry Potter movies
* Toy Story

Four places I have lived:

* Perry, New York
* Warsaw, New York
* Batavia, New York
* Fredonia, New York

Four television shows I love to watch:

* House
* Blind Date
* Family Guy
* American Idol

Four places I have been on vacation:

* Susquehanna, PA
* Cape Cod, MA
* Someplace in New Hampshire
* Boston, MA

Four of my favorite dishes:

* Broiled eggplant and spaghetti with a rich marinara.
* Roast chicken and stuffing
* Summer tomatoes with salt, pepper and fresh basil
* Cheese and crackers

Four websites I visit daily:

* Facebook.com
* Etsy.com
* Craftster.com
* crazyauntpurl.com

Four places I would rather be right now:

* At Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival.
* Drinking a glass of wine at 41 West.
* Making dinner with a good friend.
* You are not allowed to know about this one. Heh.

The closest I get to Rhinebeck...

2006-09-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

For all those in the Western New York area, the Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival is this weekend, September 16 and 17th. My dearest pal Heather, her dear pal Joe, and possibly my kid sister, as well as I will be heading there on Saturday to develop a bad case of hives, pet sheep, and no doubt purchase some fiber. It's a grand time, sheepdog trials and everything. So see you there!

More stuff!

2006-08-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Hey, check this out! I made the potholder, coasters, pillow and framed thingie on
this page!

And a big HI! to my old friend Melissa who's been commenting--we've been pals since infancy (seems like it!), lost touch for ten years, and now we go the same college--the world is a big circle indeed!

I have been making stuff!

2006-08-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Really, I swear! But my camera is broken--but you can see the pics other people took here:

Hairpin lace scarf, owl coasters and Wool Monster:

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=111489.msg1105670#msg1105670

Flower scarf and wool doggie:

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=105539.540

Mmmmm, cake!

2006-07-10T16:00:00.000-07:00

I put new stuff in my Etsy.Go see! Here's a teaser:

Also, I don't know how many artists read this blog, but I'm looking for someone to collaborate with who can do a nice sketch of a red fox? Know anyone who wants a small commission? Leave a comment!

Wooosh.

2006-06-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

Know what I've concluded? When you think you want to do a project, let it stew for a week or so. If you still want to do it after that long, you'll finish it. Here's a few I'm thinking of:

A Pointy Kitty (http://weewonderfuls.typepad.com/wee_wonderfuls/2006/02/first_ones_free.html) only modified to look like Bowie. I'm concerned it might turn out lionish, but I'll be careful.

Finishing my Vintageous sweater I'm designing. I've been so wrapped up with swaps! I got some wonderful stuff--the crowning glory was the handmade stuffed Librarian from the Discworld books!

I got this from Craftster Bucciboo, whose sock monkey Etsy shop is here: monkeybizness.etsy.com

Hey, look! Crochet!

2006-05-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

A little strawberry amigurumi I made up...he is so cute he makes me barf cotton candy.

It's nothin' tricky....in the round:
F hook, baby yarn.

ch2, 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook.

2 sc in each sc.

2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next sc.

Continue like that , doing one more sc between increases until it's big enough, (I did it until 4) then sc even til you want to start decreasing, and start with 4 sc between decreases.

Leaf:

Ch6, join to form a ring. In ring, ch2, dc, tr with a picot on top, dc, ch 2, sl st in ring.Do that 5 times.

I used I-cord for his appendages, which is made with double pointed knitting needles.

I also have a couple new bags in my Etsy shop. I used the Jordy bag technique for the lining and the square bottoms....I am so in love with the peach. i didn't use a pattern for the bag..there are lots of cabled bags out there, but if you really love this particular one, let me know and I'll post a pattern for it.

This is a square-bottomed knitted bag in red acrylic, fully lined with sturdy fabric, a crocheted button flap, a bodacious cable running down the middle and a cute little owl friend in the corner!

Knit in white acrylic yarn and fully lined with vintage fabric. It is 8"x7" and has a bodacious cable running down the middle, a sturdy crocheted button flap, and the Lucky Wings tag on the inside.It has a square bottom. The best part is Miss Georgia Peach hanging out in the corner!

Oh, and the whole point I was posting was to show you a picture of my cat...I ended up calling him Bowie. Because I love David Bowie, and one of the most important things about names is that you have to enjoy saying them. There's a staaaaarcat, sleeping on the couch.....he is such a lover. Every morning at about seven he wakes me up licking my face. He eats like a bird, which worries me, so I got him special food for older cats. I hope he gains weight soon, I can feel his bones under all that fur...and naturally he likes canned food best. He'll eat a whole teaspoon of that at a time. I'm used to cats who gobble like tomorrow isn't coming...

Bunny Slipper Corrections

2006-05-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

Can be found at: www.bust.com/knithappens/oops.shtml. Scroll down to the bottom, the errata file for Happy Hooker is actually a PDF file...

More swappage

2006-05-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

I designed the crocheted squirrel and owl--if there's a lot of interest I could write up the patterns. We also have a jordy bag, a picture frame and a squirrel Nutkin pin. I'll post pictures of what my pal sent me on Monday--it's nifty!

Cuteness

2006-05-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

I've had a bunch of Craftster Swaps going on lately, here are some of the things I created:

For the Suzy Homemaker swap, my partner wanted art and a cute apron. I wasn't sure I could manage an apron at first, because my sewing machine is broken. Then I remembered that I had several circle skirtsI made that came out a little too short. I cut one up and added a bib, trimming and some smiling felt cherries and voila! My partner said she loves it so much she's going to wear it as clothing!

I also attempted a painting based on some vintage fabric I have:

For the Goldfish/Koi swap, which I organized, I made my partner a zippered pouch (my first zipper!) a glasses case out of a felted sweater, and a little fishie magnet.

I also finished up a sweater I designed myself; no pattern, I forgot to write it down and now I forget.

Help me name my cat!

2006-05-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

The new love of my life is this furry gentleman here.

It's about a year since my little kitty Cricket passed away in suspicious circumstances, and today I adopted this guy from a local shelter. He was there because his owner tragically passed away due to cancer. Most of the cats there have been abandoned, but at least he had a legitimate reason for being there. He had my heart from first purr. He's a big guy,seven years old, and oh so juicy and squeezable. This is his shelter picture-I found him on petfinder.com. Give me a few days and his pictures will be looking much happier and showing off his gorgeous fur. He bears the unlikely moniker of Scramece. I have never even heard of this word. Could it be some kind of Italian or Yiddish slang? Current contenders for his new name are Chester and Rufus...any other suggestions? What does he look like to you?

Red Bobbles and Minty Fresh

2006-05-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Here's two shrugs I designed myself. Not that they're anything real innovative, but I like them.The pattern for Minty Fresh is up!
The red bobble one was inspired by Stephanie Japel's Forecast..I liked all the bobbles but have a short attention span. I didn't use any pattern, I just did my favorite 3/3 cable with a 3 stitch bobble by each cable twist. It's the standard make a rectangle and sew up the sleeves thing, but I did the sleeves on circulars instead, then switched the straights and put a garter stitch edging on by knitting 3 at the edges. I used US 11 needles and recycled red bulky acrylic. Unfortunately, it attracts fuzzies magnetically.

The green one was a little trickier. I do have the pattern written down, but as you can see, it was done in three pieces, seamed and the sleeves done on with circulars. I did a seed stitch edging by picking up collar stitches, and cap sleeves by doing some short rows. The coolest thing about this is that it took ONE skein of Aunt Lydia's Baby Denim, with enough left over for a headband! I used US 9 needles. I made a mistake on the fronts somehow, one side has a longer ribbing section than the other. I was in a hurry and not paying attention. I'm happy with it anyway.

Pattern for Minty Fresh:

This is a try-new-techniques pattern for me. You do short rows, increasing, ribbing, seed stitch, dpns and picking up stitches. If you've never done these things before, practise first. They can be a little tricky.

Materials: 400 yards worsted weight cotton. I used Aunt Lydia's Baby Denim. US 9 straight needles, Smaller straight needles for the bottom ribbing, US 9 29" circular needle for the neck, and 5 dpns for the sleeves. gauge: 10 st = 2.5 inches

This is a 34" bust. I don't really know how to make it bigger off the top of my head, but I'm sure you can figure it out.

Right Front: (starting from the top)
Cast on 15 stitches on straight needles. Knit in stockinette stitch for 5". End on a purl row. Next:

1. Knit, increase one stitch at beginning of row.
2. Purl.

Repeat these two rows 4 times. AT THE SAME TIME, when piece is six inches from beginning, cast on 20 stitches on opposite end from increases and continue as before. After all increase rows are done, knit in stockinette for 2", then change to 2/2 ribbing for 4". Change to smaller needles (I used US 3) for 1". Bind off.

Left Front: Reverse all shaping.

Back: Cast on 70, knit in stockinette for 5". Do increase rows 1 and 2 as for fronts on BOTH sides of the back. Continue as for front, but don't cast on those 20 stitches.

Seam up the back and front.

Sleeves: Pick up 72 stitches around armhole on 4 dpns. Knit in stockinette in the round for 1". Change to seed stitch for 3 rows. Here come the short rows:

On top two needles only, knit in seed stitch until you reach the third needle. Knit 1 off the third needle, wrap and turn. Knit back over the top two needles until you get to the first needle. Knit one stich off the first needle, wrap and turn.
Continue knitting back and forth on the top two needles, knitting one more stich before turning each time, until you are knitting three stitches before turning. Bind off.

Pick up stitches around the neck opening on the big circular needle. Try to pick up one stich in each stitch. Knit back and forth in seed stitch until your border is as big as you want it to be.

Buttonholes: With straight needles, pick up stitches on front opening. Work in seed stitch, after two rows, decide where you want the holes to be. When you get to those spots, do a yarn over, ktog where the holes should be.

Sew on buttons, weave in ends and you're done!

Argh

2006-04-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

I really, really hate copyright. I understand perfectly well that no one wants their original idea to be used for someone else's credit and monetary gain. Stealing someone else's idea for profit is evil.

I don't mind if you make an army of pigs, frogs and whatevers from my patterns, because your work will be going into them. Please don't just sell the patterns themselves, though.

But what I hate is that since we have project-sharing forums like craftster, and sites for selling homemade things like Etsy...everyone gets inspired by everyone else's irresistible ideas. Then someone yells THIEF and the crafting community turns sour.

One person on Craftster did say something that made sense, though: Whenever possible, bring something new into the world. You are a special, unique bundle of experiences and the things you create should be unique to you.

Mousie, an Owlet and his Tree

2006-04-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

I love making toys so much!
I found the owl pattern on this Craftster thread: Did I ever mention that I spend about four hours a day on Craftster? I had a big paper to write the other day, but I kept checking Craftster every few sentences. It's killing my GPA, yet filling my life with joy. I'll keep it. =)

Anyway, this owl is extremely wee-he's only an inch tall. I want to make bigger ones, but I didn't want to waste a bunch of fabric if I muffed the first try. Plus he might go in a diorama.

I freehanded the tree; it's actually made of four trunk pieces, so it's totally 3D. I based it on a picture of a white oak tree in my dad's circa 1950 encyclopedia. Yeah, it totally looks just like it..

Then here's a little mouse. I came up with this pattern myself. It's three teardrop shapes sewn together with a triangle for the bottom. Cute, isn't she? I love her daisy corsage.

Gnomes!

2006-03-27T04:42:00.000-08:00

I tried a Craftster swap again. I've been a little wary since my last experience. The thing about swaps is that if one person puts their whole soul into the project, and the other person doesn't, it ends up being a really slimy memory..but hey! For gnomes, I will give it a another try. Today is the send-off date and here's what I made:

It's a Jordy bag, made from this genius tutorial: I used some kind of stiff denim for the outside, and some vintage cotton from my local antique store for the inside.

Then the gnome: Found on Google, I admit it. I am not so confident in my crafty skills to think I can create a decent gnome. Maybe if I was more artistic in the painting kind of way. And I can't help thinking that all the crocheted and knitted gnomes out there would be disappointing to someone who, like me, holds the gnome from Amelie to be the pinnacle of gnomehood.

So I did an iron-on transfer onto yellow felt and patched him on there. I freehanded the crocheted mushroom, and used my favorite yarn, that green Lamb's Pride, to do the grass in a lazy daisy stitch.

I made a little keychain, too, because my swap partner specifically requested one. The strain of turning the felt inside out is starting to make the transfer flake already, though. I feel bad I couldn't do something more permanent.

All in all, I'm very pleased with it, and I hope my partner is too.

Oh, and check this out: nifty Japanese knitting and crochet patterns with charts.

light

2006-03-26T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'm on spring break now, so I can put up a few things...first off, though, I'd like to apologize to all the crocheters who had trouble with my Fluffy Bunny Slippers pattern in the Happy Hooker book. If there's one thing I'm bad at, it's math, but I should have checked it five times to make sure it was absolutely correct. I'm sorry.

Here's the Frivol hat I knitted. The pattern is brilliant! It's all done sideways, and you use short rows to make the top. I find that most new knitting techniques I learn are unintentional. I learned short rows by jumping in to a project. I don't usually say to myself, "Today I am jolly well going to knit cables," or anything. It's less scary this way. I used acrylic yarn for this one, since I wasn't sure how I'd do on it, and size 9 needles. Genius pattern. It makes my budding inner knitting snob cackle with glee over the clever design.

Short rows on top:

Here's a few animals I made, too. I was a little burnt out on the knitting. Happily, I know a two-year-old who will love them. I used a felted wool sweater and this Japanese pattern for the dog, which I found on Craftster.

Stuff for trade!

2006-03-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

I've given up on that sweater idea. It seems like the more involved I get in preparing for a project, the less likely I am to actually do it. DK weight yarn will never be a sweater for me. I'm not sure if I want to store it away against a day years from now when I may have more patience, or sell it, or trade it. Does anyone want it? 10x50 gram balls are exactly what's in there, I think, the original packaging was opened by me but not used.
I'm also ready to trade my Loopdloop Teva Durham book, Scarf Style, and Knit and Crochet with Beads by Lily Chin.

I desperately want that Interweave Knitscene magazine!!! Does anyone have it who wants to trade me something? I NEED it! I need to make those red socks and the slippers!

I'm currently working half-heartedly on this pattern: http://home.inreach.com/marthac/ripplesocks.html

I'm using Andes mint colors, and I'm pleased with the results, although it's slow going because the pattern is so repetitive.

I'm also making a tie-front shrug from Knit1 magazine out of my gift Homespun. It wanted ribbon yarn, but heck, it's the right gauge, all in garter stitch, and all the pieces are rectangles ...it's like pudding. The Pudding Shrug.

Free Crochet Patterns! Lots!

2006-03-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

Look look everyone, Go here!

Free Crochet Patterns for Toys

I figured out what I'm going to do for my sexy sweater. I'm going to use this Bernat free pattern:

However, I'm only using it for the shape. It will have no fluffy collar or anything. Then I'll add belt loops and a sash sort of thing to go through them at the bottom. Mmmmm, pretty. I wish the neckline was lower. I'll have to see if I can do that.

Yarn for a sexy sweater

2006-03-06T04:53:00.000-08:00

It was one of those moments you dream about. My dad came home from work and said, "I've got a bunch of yarn here my coworker wants you to have!" There are three skeins of nice Homespun, some seafoam baby yarn (bleagh), some hot pink Plush, and THIS:

The color name is Vellum. You can tell just by looking at it that it's high quality stuff, and I have got to find the sexiest sweater in the world to do it justice. If anyone has any suggestions as to which sweater that might be, please tell me!!! If you don't, my homework will probably be brushed aside merrily until I find the pattern myself.

I finished my scratchy wool breakup scarf. It is a beautiful scratchy scarf. I used the raspberry stitch which is sort of like a bobble stitch but nowhere near as difficult, on size 13 needles. It didn't come out too long, but it's lovely and I'm going to do my best to wear it. Ever since all the arguing started I've been CRAVING something like this to knit. I can't think of a healthier alternative to violence and drunkenness in the aftermath of breakups. I love knitting.

the art of the commonplace

2006-03-04T11:33:00.000-08:00

I have pictures of stuff for you.

First of all, the Corset Belt from the new Happy Hooker SnB book: I used some incredibly stiff and nasty vintage acrylic yarn I had lying around. I should have used Lamb's Pride, because the ruffle is too stiff and it looks like a skirt. Lovely pattern, though. It took me about three hours to make.

Here's a cabled hat I threw together on impulse. I've gotten so many compliments on it! I used a US 11 circular needle and wool yarn from Muench. I based the pattern on a basic hat pattern from somewhere and a Cable Rib pattern from my Better Homes and Gardens Needlecraft book. Crazy Aunt Purl's hat recipe came in handy for the mysterious decreases, too.

I got this next idea from http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTboogietime.html
It's a simple circle of ribbing done of double-pointed needles in Sugar and Cream cotton, Lamb's Pride, and random acrylic. I cut off an uncomfortable watchband and sewed the clock to the ribbing-very comfy!

Here we come to the villain of our piece. Remember my Amelie sweater from whiteliesdesigns.com? Well. I got gauge. I swear I did. However, when I unpinned it from blocking, it was so small it won't even fit over my arms. I am befoozled. Shoe for scale. Too bad the colors are too sober for a three-year-old....

Here's a happy item: I made this for my Etsy shop. I call it the Lotus scarflet. I copied the flower design from my bedspread pattern. I used Berocco Softwist in Ginger, US 10 needles, and seed stitch to make the scarflet. The flower pin is made of felt, embroidery floss and sequins.

Last of all is my next project: handspun wool yarn in greens and blues that I got at the Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival last September. I've been saving it for a special occasion, and since my three-year relationship just ended in horribleness, I think a lovely repetitive scarf in this yarn is in order.

My book is on fire

2006-02-21T09:12:00.000-08:00

It's Finally OUT! I'm a published patternmaker!

Of course, my copy hasn't actually arrived yet...

Crochet. Because this is a crochet blog. Yes.

2006-02-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

Look! I'm going to distract you from the sewing tangent I'm on with something I crocheted! Er, and knitted.

It's in the Etsy shop so you might have seen it already, but I crocheted the flower in a very typical Irish rose pattern...the reason it's cool is because it's made of all these bits of really cool handspun mohair and alpaca. Natural fiber just looks so REAL. Acrylic yarn has one shade and that's it-no color nuances. It took me a long time to figure this out, and lots of miserable projects, like my attempted Teva Durham Leaf Lace sweater in Lion Chunky. It was awful.

So, the Happy Hooker crochet book is coming out February 13! I hope my copy gets here really soon. I am having a creative block..I have tons of ideas, and I can't wait to get home from school every day, I attempt them and they do not work. I made a white deer today that is so fat I'm considering calling it a sheep. And that just does not satisfy me. Sheep are lovely, but I had this vision of a slender white deer with a wreath of bright flowers around her neck. I dream about this deer at night. I need to create this thing and it does not want to be created.

I hate February. Valentine's Day is next week and I am not even excited because there is no sunshine and I am depressed. Because of the lack of sunshine. So I don't feel lovey dovey. I hate February.

Etsy is Up!

2006-02-04T12:41:00.000-08:00

myloveasdeep.etsy.com

I'm going into business!

2006-02-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

I just opened my own Etsy shop! I've been working on a project I haven't talked about at all, wait til you see! I've been perfecting it for awhile. I had this toy deer when I was little, one of those vintage ones with the hugely disproportionate head and eyes. You know,the ones that should be really ugly but actually are so cute that they cause grown women to spew forth language usually associated with newborn human beings. My deer has long since degenerated into a pile of sawdust filling and rags, so I've been working on a pattern and producing a new generation of deer for all of you. I've decided that the purpose of the Etsy shop is not to make money (although it would be nice) but to provide a way for me to create all the pretty things I want to without having to worry about whether I can use it, have room for it, etc. I can make anything I like, and then it can go live somewhere else. I will be putting items in the store tomorrow, so go have a peek!You will die of cuteness.

myloveasdeep.etsy.com

I bet you'd say, what can make me feel this way...

2006-01-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

My girl, my girl...

Meet my Cherry Blossom Fortune Cat! Remember when I posted the link to this pattern back in the day? I finally got around to it! I used Cascade 220 and US8 dpns. I embroidered the wee blossoms with some angora yarn. She's only half felted because I liked her shape after one cycle.

Notice the orange snow fencing in the background? It's January in upstate New York, and normally we'd be unfreezing the cows with hair dryers and digging out our cars every morning at 5 am...but here's what we've got:

I wound up some very sticky handspun mohair and angora and other sinfully delicious yarn on the front porch today. I received a box of goodies from my aunt in Colorado, who bequeathed her stash to me. How lucky am I, huh? Of course, that was before Christmas and I'm just now having the time to play with it. I haven't had one intelligent thought all vacation. I go back to school on the eighteenth and tackle Shakespeare...As my dear buddy Heather said, "Better make my hat one inch bigger than my head, in case I learn something."

This is really cool.

2006-01-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

There's a little antique store in my parent's town, and their prices are cheap and their treasures inspire much lusting after. My mom gave me a gift certificate for Christmas, and I was down there browsing through the vintage fabric when I found this:

It's made of linen, and at first I thought it was one of those wall calendars that used to be so popular. It's actually a sort of rundown on Aran stitches and their symbolism! I think I had a hazy idea of there being some meaning behind Aran knitting, but since I haven't attempted it yet, I didn't know much. I love the idea of making a sweater and knitting significance into it. It gives me the shivers.I believe in that kind of witchery. You know that feeling you get in the pit of your heart and veins when you know something is true, at least for your own soul, superstition or not? Symbols in fiber do that to me. I just re-read A Tale of Two Cities, and damned if that Madame Defarge wasn't chilling. I now wonder exactly what her knitting code was. I may try to find that out.

It'll be so great, with waffles on my plate! Please help me with short rows!

2006-01-10T17:02:00.000-08:00

Well, I've got the back and left front pieces of Amelie done; observe, unblocked of course.

Two pieces in one day is some awesome knitting, and far faster than I thought I was capable of on size nine needles. They look itty bitty, don't they? That's because there's a beautiful crocheted ruffled border at the end,(is that called a peplum?) which will be the best part. I am plowing through in hopes of having this done for the first day of school on the eighteenth. My roommate often tells me that my knitting is really just an offshoot of my general stuff-acquiring disease. I'm sure she's right, but at least I only have ONE maxed out credit card, since I make so much of my clothing.

However. We have hit a problem. The problem is this:

Cast on 31 stitches.
Row 1: Purl 11, wrap and turn, knit to end in opposite direction.

That's the first row of the left front, which begins a series of short rows which creates that nice scalloped look on the bottom. That's fine-I got that.

For the right front, I have to reverse all shaping. I don't know how! What will the first row look like when reversed? Does anyone out there know? Please help! In the meantime I'm knitting a sleeve, and I've posted on the White Lies discussion board, where the very nice and funny designer, Joan Mcgowan-Michael, has previously helped me out with yarn substitution for Amelie.

Quit your knitting and scratch me between the ears!

Right now!

Amelie!

2006-01-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

It feels like it's been months since I started something for myself! All that Christmas knitting was really down to the wire...and I don't even have pictures of it! It's a darned shame I couldn't be bothered to do some photography, because I made the Gatsby cloche
from Stitch Diva, a pair of cabled slippers I designed myself, a zombie doll, a striped hat,the cowl from Loop-d-loop, and a big pillow. I will definitely be making the Gatsby again, it was a party to make and it's the only really unique free hat pattern out there. There's a million cloche variations, but Gatsby really stands out.

I do have pictures of the pillow. I used a circular placemat pattern from Frugal Knitting Haus. The yarn is a handspun wool (I think) that I got at the Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival. My mom made that excited "OOOO!" when she saw it, so I snapped it up for a Christmas gift. I used 10.5 DPNS. I only knitted the top and made the rest out of denim because there wasn't enough yarn and also because it was Christmas Eve. I only started my Christmas knitting when I got home from college on the 20th.

Pictures of pillow:

Pretty pretty yummy eggplants! It does have these odd yellow bits, though, as if a mustard-yellow sheep was dyed purple rather carelessly. I wonder.

But, on to the star of our show! The lovely Amelie
has been languishing as thirteen skeins of Cascade Sierra in Sage,a lovely wool/cotton blend that I bought on eBay because my tiny local yarn shop didn't carry it. It took the seller three weeks to ship it to me, but it finally got here, and then I had to start knitting for Christmas. I've had the pattern for five months! Now I've finally started. I've got three or four inches done on the back, and this pattern is really easy to memorize. She is so delicious, my lovely Amelie. She will be the first purchased pattern I have ever knitted, the second sweater, on most definitely the smallest needles I have ever used. I am working my way towards grown-up knitting!

Are those dropped stitches intentional?

2005-11-22T11:28:00.000-08:00

Cute picture from a vintage Begin To Knit booklet that retailed for 35 cents, on loan from Michaels' mom:

Shawls with prayer involved.

2005-11-20T18:17:00.000-08:00

I suppose most of you have heard of prayer shawls before? They are traditional Jewish garments intended to be worn during prayer. However, some people make them for cancer victims and other people who are having health problems. The idea is that the maker of the shawl puts all kinds of good wishes into each stitch for the recipient. Our SNB was lucky enough to have a dear lady from Circle of Love, a prayer shawl ministry, come in and teach all the newbies in our group how to knit and crochet. In exchange, everyone made a shawl to donate to the local kidney dialysis patients. We had a lot of fun and it felt so good to be doing something nice for someone else with our creativity. However, I don't take naturally to generosity. I really, really wanted to keep mine. And while I tried to put good wishes in every stitch, I was watching Family Guy when I was making it...so a little more irreverence than prayer is probably in there.

Here's the shawl I made. I used a pattern from one of my vintage magazines. It's being modeled by the director of volunteer services at my college, Joyce.

This was Heather's first knitting attempt. It's more of a scarf than a shawl, and can also be used as a babushka.

This was also Sarah's first attempt at knitting--this girl learned to knit in TEN MINUTES. She's a prodigy. It took me four attempts over two years!

Last and least: I really, really hope I'm not as tiny as I look in this picture.

And a sweet picture of the neighbors' chickens hanging out in a tree.

An Overabundance Of Yarn

2005-11-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

SO last night I walked into Stitchn'Bitch and there was a girl standing there with two of the biggest black garbage bags I've ever seen. You know what they were full of? YARN. They were being donated to us. For whatever purpose we see fit to use it for.
Naturally ,the purpose we saw fit was to spread it out all over the floor and roll in it. So we did. I wish I'd had a camera, but I'm sure you can imagine the sort of meeting this was when I tell you that one of our members stuffed two large skeins up her shirt and danced on the table.

I began to look this gift yarn in the mouth, however, when it came time to leave, and I remembered that I had to take the bus home. Hmm. Well, I'm sure I can handle it! How much can yarn weigh, anywhow? Right?

A lot, especially when some of it is an industrial-sized cone of dyeable cotton.

So I'm dragging these bags in fits and starts across the campus, and I stopped on the way to help raise money for Katrina victims, by paying $3 to smear a plateful of whipped cream all over the face of a fraternity member. As a gesture of thanks for my generosity, the gooey fraternity helped me carry the bags to the bus.

I got on the bus, where the bags took up two seats each. I got off at my stop, which is about half a block away from my apartment. I couldn't lift both bags at once-they were really almost bigger than me. I decided I would drag them along the sidewalk, which worked for about half of the way, when they both developed huge holes (this should really not have surprised me, seeing as they were thin plastic and I was dragging them across gravel. But still.) and suddenly there was yarn all over the moonlit street. It was like Hansel and Gretel used their yarn stash instead of bread crumbs.

As I scuttled around under the streetlamps picking up yarn, I wondered: does this qualify as a dream come true, or a nightmare?

Help! I lost my dream blog!

2005-11-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

I was looking at a beautiful blog yesterday. I think it was called Small Birds. The author has two twins. She had just posted this gorgeous array of pictures of her favorite color (blue) found around her house. I have not been able to stop thinking about this blog! AND NOW I CAN'T FIND IT! Does anybody know what I'm talking about, and where to find this lovely thing?

EDIT: Never mind. I just found it. It's called Little Birds. Way to go, brain-thesaurus...http://littlebirds.typepad.com/little_birds/

The picture of her little boy in the pumpkin patch makes me all broody. However, it only makes me broody because I want a little boy to dress in overalls and newsboy hats. Which brings up an interesting issue:

When we have children, is it right to only let them wear things we like? For example, if I were to knit an entire wardobe for my future offspring, and let them have favorite things to wear only within that category, am I being tyrranical? At what age should we begin allowing kids to choose their own clothing? I am a supporter of the idea that you should let your kids wear whatever they like, as long as it's within legal boundaries, and do whatever they please to their hair; I 'll be picking my battles and saving the screaming for when I find pot in their coat pocket, etc.

But I want to dress my kid in costumes. When should I stop? Will I be able to? I think that will be a big control issue for me. Maybe I should just obtain some Barbie dolls, and leave the progeny-producing to more balanced minds.

But Merino makes me itchy!

2005-11-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

You are Merino Wool.
You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep you close because you are so softhearted.
You love to be comfortable and warm from your
head to your toes.

What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Lucky Cat Pattern!

2005-10-31T09:55:00.000-08:00

Look look look what Jussi made!

http://castadrift.blogspot.com/2005/10/fortune-cat-pattern.html

All my works-in-progress are hereby relegated to the Basket of Undead Knitting. It's Lucky Cat Time.

Major Blog Envy

2005-10-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

I am so jealous. Everyone's blogs are so light, airy, full of artsy photographs and evdidence of lives well-lived. Mine gets updated once a month now, with hastily taken photos of whatever completed piece I've managed to scramble together on a weekend home. And I'm not funny, either.

I am so busy with schoolwork that my tiny amount of free time is spent having dinner dates with Michael (for whom I have no funkycool blogging codename. Another source of envy).

My Stitchn'Bitch has been renamed the Fredonia Fiber Arts Club due to members of the Student Association being square-shaped. Ah well, the club's the main thing. It's morphing into more responsibility than I'd planned on, though. When all these natural disasters started happening, I hooked up with the Department of Volunteer Services at the college and told them I wanted to use the club to help out, but I have a feeling that it may be difficult to get my members motivated, and I'll end up making all the scarves, headwarmers and fingerless gloves for Pakistan earthquake relief fundraisers myself......and I don't even have time to start the fifteen projects I want to make for Christmas presents, birthday presents, and let's face it, ME.

Do I have to become a teacher? Can't I just become a designer and buy a farm?

I Actually Have A New Pattern.

2005-10-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Look at my homemade applesauce! I picked the apples from wild trees and canned the sauce all by myself. Now that's soul food. I LOVE fall!

My pumpkin is the one ensconced on my lap, with the impressive mustache. Franken-squash there is Michael's.

Okay, I haven't posted in a kajillion years, so to make up for it, I'm going to post the pattern for the new scarf I just made!

It's not exactly original, I found the stitch pattern here:

http://www.nurhanne.com/crochet/stitches2.html

So here's what you do:

Materials:

Bulky Yarn (how many yards? I'm afraid I have no idea, not being the type who measures out how much yarn I'm using. I recycled a sweater for the yarn, it's a pumpkin-colored bulky acrylic/ramie blend.The scarf took up half a small knit sweater. If you were using, say, Lion Brand Homespun, I'd say a skein and a half.)

A J hook.

Make a chain as long as you want your scarf to be, because this scarf is worked horizontally. My chain was about five feet long.

Stitch pattern:

Base row: 1 dc in 2. ch from hook, * miss 3 ch, (3 tr, 1 ch, 3 tr) in next st, miss next 3 sts, 1 dc in next st. repeat from * to end of row, Turn with 3 ch.

1. row: Yoh, insert hook in first tr and draw up thread, yoh and draw though 2 loops, repeat for each of next 2 stitches (= 4 loops on hook), yoh and draw though all 4 loops. * 3 ch, 1 dc by inserting hoook under 1 ch between clusters of prev row, 3 ch, 1 'unfinished tr (as previously) in each of the 3 tr in row below, miss the dc, 1 'unfinished' tr in each of the next 3 tr (= 7 loops on hook), yoh and draw through all 7 loops. Repeat from * to end of row, ending with 1 'unfinished' tr in each of last 2 sts, yoh and draw through all 4 loops, 1 tr in last dc. (In subsequent rows this tr is worked in the top turning ch). Turn with 3 ch.

2. row: 3 tr in the st that 'closes' the 3 tr in row below, * insert hook in ch under the dc from previous row and work 1 dc, ( 3 tr, 1 ch, 3 tr) in st that 'closes' the 6 tr. repeat from * to end of row, ending with 3 tr in the st that 'closes' the 3 tr, 1 tr in in turning ch. Turn with 3 ch.

3. row: * 1 unfinished tr in each of first 3 tr, miss 1 dc, 1 unfinished tr in each of next 3 tr, yoh and draw through all 7 loops, 3 ch, 1 dc by inserting hoook under 1 ch between clusters of prev row, 3 ch. repeat from * to end of row, but finish by working 1 tr in the turning ch. turn with 2 ch.

4. row: * ( 3 tr, 1 ch, 3 tr) in st that 'closes' the 6 tr, 1 dc in dc before next cluster. Repeat from *, but finish with 1 tr in turning ch.

Now, one long side of the scarf is scalloped and one is flat, right? So you want to cut your yarn, reattach it on the beginning corner of the flat side, and work row 4 on the flat side. End off. Do a row of sc on each short end of the scarf, add tassels, and you're done!

Meditations on Round 13

2005-09-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

Somebody Anonymous asked for some help on the Buddha pattern. Let's see, round 13 says:

Rnd 13. Now this is the tricky part. Insert hook in Rnd 11 and pull up a loop, sc in same stitch. Continue sc around in Rnd 11. Rnd 12 will be left inside. Join, ch 1.

What you are doing here is making a tuck in his neck so that his head sits on top of his body as if it was sewn on. You've done rows 11 and 12; you are now going BACK to round 11, as if you had never done row 12, and picking up stitches all the way around row 11 to form row 13. Row 12 will now be hidden inside his neck, forming a cute round face. Row 12 is made, then ignored. Row 13 is formed on row 11. Does that help?

2005-09-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

Cabled armwarmers, own design.

I've Founded A Stitch 'N Bitch!

2005-09-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

I did it! I put in my paperwork at the Student Association, I got a table at my college Activities Night, and EIGHTY people signed up! Six of them were male! I was completely overwhelmed. People would walk by, do a double take at my sign with the giant red ball of yarn on it, and rush squealing over to me, where they gasped,

"Is it okay that I can only knit scarves? Can I still join?"

I must have heard that twenty times; another big one was,

"If I come will you teach me how to -------(insert craft here)?"

Now I've never taught anyone to knit or crochet, but I can give it a shot, and I know there are at least a dozen or so people coming who already know how....the coolest thing is the range of personalities! We have members of the Intervarsity Christian Club, sororities, people with neon hair and piercings, freshman and seniors, every imaginable kind of person....the first guy to sign up apparently does not knit or crochet, but SEWS, and wants to come and sew. Fine with me! I wonder what he sews? All the other guys shuffingly confided that their grandmothers taught them to crochet when they were little. How cute is that?

So this is all very exciting and overwhelming...I think I will have to ask them to bring their own yarn and needles. Duh.

Realistically, they won't all come, what with scheduling conflicts and what not, so it shouldbe pretty manageable. But oh my gosh! EIGHTY people!!!!!

One girl said to me, "I'm not very good..all I make is afghans."

I may never have the courage to attempt an afghan, and she thinks she's not very good!....this is going to be so much fun!

The Truest Friendship

2005-08-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for all the sweet, kind responses about my kitty. You are all dear lovely people. *hug*

I had to post this before I forgot, because it's really funny.

I've had reactions to wool before, hives and stuff, so I thought I'd try tying some Lamb's Pride around my wrist for a few days to see if I got a reaction to it. So I had this piece of pink yarn tied around my wrist, and my boyfriend saw it, and he asked what it was, and I told him I was allergy-testing it. With a totally straight face, he said,

" Oh. I thought maybe your yarn had made you a friendship bracelet, since you two spend so much time together."

Imagine, if you will, your yarn stash coming and standing in a pile in front of you, with a little bracelet perched on top, and a somehow soulful look.

And the funniest part is that it doesn't seem that unlikely, does it?

Oh, dear.

2005-08-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

Hanging out.

2005-08-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

Cricket as a pin-up girl.

Jiminy Cricket

2005-08-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

I haven't been here in awhile, have I? Mostly because I periodically lose my camera cable, and feel like posting without pictures is cheating. However, I might as well just write down some things to get myself back on track.

First thing: I've been in a crafting block...because my cat died.

I wish I could say that she was old, it was her time, or something..but she wasn't even three yet. I don't even know how she died. I was home for the weekend, cooking dinner with my dad, he went outside to light the grill, came back in slowly and said," Shan....something bad happened. I just found Cricket outside, dead." We think she must have gotten into some rat poison somewhere, because there was no visible reason for her to stop living.
I usually console myself when a pet dies by telling myself, "They had a good life." That's not working this time. Yeah, she had a good life...she loved life like no other pet I ever had. She was playful and excitable and full of adventure. And now she's been cheated of nine years of life she should have had.

And so I didn't feel like crafting for weeks, and to be honest, I still don't....I start things and rip them out, over and over and over. I've never really felt like this before--I'm a very materialistic person, I love objects, yarn, possessions....but now I feel like what's the point? What's the point of things when someone you love can just disappear at any time? When life can be lost, what do objects matter? It's a question I'm still struggling with...and I know it's only going to get worse. I have never had a human being who is close to me pass away yet.

I feel like it's disloyal to try not to think about her, to bury my thoughts and move on just for the sake of being cheerful. But I guess we do what we have to do.

Lazy Person's Entrelac Wrap

2005-07-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

I made this wrap in a knitted basket stitch with green Homespun and size 17 needles...I really liked the Lady Eleanor entrelac stole in Scarf Style, but I am far too lazy to attempt it, so I tried this instead. It looks almost, but not quite, completely unlike entrelac. =) I did use the fringe technique from the book, though. It is modeled by my lovely sister Laura, who is also available for any offers Vogue might have.

High School Closure

2005-07-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

Before I tell you what I've been making, I have to tell whoever's reading about this. My rare life content.

My roommate Brittany, whom I graduated with, convinced me to go to the Fourth of July carnival in my hometown for the beer tent last night. She said a lot of our classmates would be there. I was scared but she talked me into it, and get this-of the twenty or so of my graduating class that we ran into, only ONE GUY remembered my name, and most of them didn't even remember me AT ALL. I told them that was because I only turned off my invisibility force field after I got to college.

I hated high school, but now I have closure, because all the guys who were mean to me hit on me something fierce, as well as a few of the mean girl's boyfriends. Ah, it was lovely to turn them down. This is shallow, I know. But it felt So, So, Good to have every guy at that carnival fall all over himself when I walked by, when they used to step on me and not even apologize. Plus, the one young lady who made it her personal mission to make me cry every day, because it was funny, was there with her new fiance, (who is possessed of a marvelous redneck accent and has the word BULL tattooed across the back of his head)and she has gained a good 50 pounds due to the birth of her new son. She still has not attended a day of college. However, she seems happy and I really do hope she gets lots of joy out her chosen life path. But I do feel happy and proud that I chose the one that I did, and that she did not break me. I survived!

So! I finished a really pretty knitted stole in a basket stitch and green homespun, a little granny square tank top, and I'm starting the Leaf Lace Sweater as soon as I end off here. Pictures tomorrow. Life is good.

2005-06-29T06:01:00.000-07:00

Crocheted Semi-Felted Case for my Camera.

2005-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Crocheted Felted Monster Wallets Love Bing Cherries!

2005-06-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

And this is my brother's Fat Cat, Alex. Feast your eyes.

2005-06-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

This is Salvation army fabric! A giant glittery shirt and some peach scrap fabric..I reaallllly like this one.

2005-06-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

This is a halter I made from a tablecloth! I pretty much made it up as I went along.

2005-06-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

This pattern was in one of that pile of McCalls Needlecraft magazines I picked up. I could not resist.

2005-06-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

Little red shrug..chug chug chug...I might put up the pattern if anybody wants it.

2005-06-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

This was a blast to make!

2005-06-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

This shawl is made of flower motifs from a granny square 70's magazine. If anyone wants the pattern, I'd be glad to lend it to you!

2005-06-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

My Schmeebot rabbit is the sunshine in my life. I haven't been so attached to a toy since the third grade.

2005-06-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here's that yarn that's up for trade..somebody please take it! =)

Yarn Up for Trade!

2005-06-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!

Sorry no pictures yet, I think my camera cable is lost in my junk pile currently.

I've got a bunch of wool yarn left over from a project that I'd love to trade with someone. I've got 2 skeins Brown Sheep Naturespun in Impasse Yellow (think mustard color), 4 of ditto in Lullaby (light yellow), one skein of Cascade 220 pink and one of ditto in grey. All new unused skeins...I don't want them because I dislike yellow and can't imagine what I will ever make out of them, since wool sometimes gives me hives.
Anybody want 'em? I'll split them up if you only want one or something.

I like yarn (dur),I'd prefer non-acrylic but if you've got something cool I wouldn't mind..I'm also hankering for a cable needle, a stitch holder or two and some double-pointed needles.

Email me at thelibrarian18@yahoo.com.

I made a bunch of cool stuff, I just have to find my cable and post..I made a crocheted shawl from a 70's granny square pattern..it's called Pretty Posies and must be seen to be believed.

I also made a little short-sleeved red knitted shrug that I designed myself.

What else? Gosh, I forget. I know I made a lot of stuff....
I guess it was mostly sewing! Sumemr tops and whatnot.

I ordered the yarn for the Leaf Sweater by Teva Durham. Well, I ordered Lion Brand Shetland Wool, actually, I'm hoping it works okay, but I'm generally good at adjusting for gauge. We'll see!

My First Tagdom!

2005-06-15T04:33:00.000-07:00

Keridiana tagged me for a book thingie..

1. Total number of books I own?
I'd say roughly 100. I'd have a library full if I didn't have to be migratory college student and carry my house on my back.

2. The last book I bought?
Well, the last book I actually paid money for was an Anthology of World Folktales at a yard sale...my last new book was Going Postal by Terry Pratchett.

3. The last book I read?
Now, see, that's tricky. I'm usually reading three books at once, especially since I'm taking Survey of American Literature over the summer. So the last book I finished was Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (very very good), and I'm in the middle of Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses and Midnight's Children. Excellent, but I've never been very good with run-on sentences. Plus I keep mixing the two up.

4. Five books that mean a lot to me?
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett, Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor, and Brave New World by ALdous Huxley. And everything Dave Barry ever wrote. (Hah! I cheated!)

Should I? No, I shouldn't..should I?

2005-05-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

I want to, very badly, so I'm going to....

I got in to Stitch'n'Bitch.

I feel very bad about this. Oh, I'm happy, stunned, mostly incredulous, but it's just that there are SO many incredible people out there who raced to design something WAY COOL, submitted, lived in a state of adrenaline panic for months, and then didn't make it.

I just sent off what I had and forgot about it, utterly convinced I'd never get in.

And then the clouds parted on my inbox and I was, in fact, in. So here I am wanting to shout it to the metaphorical skies of Craftster, and in actuality only telling my MOM. The only other person I know who's spilled the beans is Keridiana at Pink Sheep (CONGRATULATIONS, dear!!!)....anybody else?

I've been looking at the rejected patterns and let me tell you, this book is going to be the Rolling Stone of fibre arts if THESE patterns didn't make the cut. My Gosh.

So now I have to have a sample sent in by June 1. Eeek.

While this whole thing I haven't really accepted yet, (I secretly believe I'm hallucinating...Brown Sheep yarn? In MY mailbox? No, no, silly rabbit, Brown Sheep is for...well..not you.) I DID find a gigantic pile of 70's needlecraft magazines for ten cents each at a yard sale this weekend. I'll try to scan some of the awfullest designs and send them to Stitchy. There's some extemely cool stuff too, and I'd love to trade or lend out anything you'd like...if there's any kind of pattern from 1964-1974 that you're looking for, I probably have it. I even have the one for the knitted face ski masks! You know, the ones that bring the words, "serial killer" instantly to mind?

Schmeebot's Rabbit...

2005-05-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

...kicks some serious bunny butt. I just knitted one up with this (Intensely Ugly olive color) wool yarn I got at Salvation Army today, and felted him up, and now he's sitting with me as I type. I think hers is made on dpns, but I managed to sort of knit it straight and do a seam up the back. I love this guy! Pictures tomorrow.

Check the original out:

http://www.schmeebot.com/nid/307.htm

I gots me a bunny

2005-05-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

Bunny bunny bunny.

I love Francesca! The shelter told me she's an Angora mix, but it must be some kind of Abnormal Fluff mix...she's hilarious. She looks like a Lhasa Apso dog. She has a "certain 'sod you' independence of mind.." as Terry Pratchett would say. She knows what she wants, and it's lots of play time and not to be in her cage unless she puts herself there. And bring on the spinach, and Don't Brush Me!
She's a handful, but I wanted a puppy and that would be worse. Besides, she's adorable. She runs around me in circles five or six times when she passes me. It must be some rabbit cult practice.
Brushing, though....she has all these mats in her fur, and I want to get them out, but the minute I pull her fur at all she's off. She doesn't like scissors either. So grooming is a gradual process....

In knitting news, I knitted a green rectangle and made a shrug out of it!

EDIT: Pam says she wants to know how to make the shrug, so here's the link to the tutorial...I didn't come up with it, but this lovely lady even drew pictures! I just made the sleeve part of her shrug jacket. Check it!

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6750

2005-05-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

Pay no attention to the lint.

2005-05-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

It's a green.

2005-05-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

Francesca the English Angora. I adopted her from a bunny shelter. Drop spindle, here I come!

2005-05-12T17:33:00.000-07:00

My brand new bunny!

So what's all this then?

2005-05-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Green hat: The Professional hat pattern by Emily Nelson, pattern:

http://www.hookmeupcrochet.com/Create/Patterns/professional_hat.htm

I used green Bernat Ultrasoft cotton. Very nifty pattern!

The shawl is for my mom. I'm calling it the art shawl..because I modeled it after the weavings she did in college. I like it a lot, but I do wonder if it's possible to look good while modeling a shawl..so far, no. I used US 17 needles and two colors of worsted weight yarn. Most of it's garter stitch but I did a yo, ktog section here and there. I like big needles..this only took me an evening and a morning.

The snail was inspired by Missa's spiral keychain.

http://www.moonarts.com/blog/free_patterns/pages/keychain-print.htm

It really is a lot better than big ol' chunky ones that leave imprints in your hip.

White lacy hat is based on a disco hat pattern from a library book, but then it sort of wandered off into whatever lacey-type thing I felt like doing. With a flower on it!

I used thin white cotton and a G hook.

The stripey scarf is just a long length of garter stitch but it's my favorite thing I've made in weeks! I am just in love with it!

As for Bobbles...WELL, let me tell YOU....if I hadn't been so excited to see how it turned out, I would have given up halfway through. Knitted bobbles are tricksy business. The only way to make it work is to knit your 5 stitches in one very very loosely. Whew. I'm going to knit some more stockinette, then make him into a pillow and put a stocking full of balsam pine needles in there. Very comforting.

I sound so dull on this blog! I really am an English major, I swear! I just tend to be somnambulistic when I post. And I'm not even sure that's a real word. And you never, ever start sentences with And....but this is a blog about needlework. Not grammar. So Diana Hacker can overlook it, I'm sure.

2005-05-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Professional hat. With Ruffles.

2005-05-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

Eh.

2005-05-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

How does one pose in a shawl?

2005-05-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

Snail keychain, comfy in pockets!

2005-05-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

I Love my knitted stripey. I wear it Everywhere.

2005-05-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

Lacy cotton crochet hat.

2005-05-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here is my Bobbles sheep..

Some Inspiration!

2005-04-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't got any new pictures up, I use my boy's computer to upload my pictures and I haven't been over there much, what with end of semester workload and all....but here's some ideas I've been pondering for projects that may inspire you too!

Isn't this knitted sheep dishcloth cute? I don't think I'll use it for a dishcloth, since I have some concerns about the sanitariness of cotton cloths, (although they must be the most satisfying projects ever!)but imagine a pillow or bag, or even sweater with this little guy on it! I'm not sure about the technique of knitting bobble stitches, but I imagine a crochet popcorn stitch would work just as well.

http://www.knittingknonsense.com/bobbles_sheep.html

My old school pal and new roommate Brittany wants me to teach her to crochet because-get this- she wants to crochet herself a full-body catsuit. The mind boggles. I'm pretty sure I actually have a pattern like that in one of my old magazines, too....
She's also crazy about these ferociously ugly knee-length lace-up knitted moccasin things I have a pattern for (which I bought at Goodwill just because I couldn't believe what I was seeing). I foresee that my projects may soon be worthy of Stitchy McYarnpants' museum.

I lopped off my hair last night, and I'll admit it, I was surreptitiously trying to look like Amelie Poulain...at least it wasn't Jennifer Aniston or anything. So now, I look good in hats! Unfairly cute, even, if I do say so myself. So expect a bunch of cotton summer beanies to be surfacing soon!

I'm going to see Salman Rushdie speak tomorrow at the University of Buffalo. (!!!!!)Brittany's sister is a student there and she scored us free tickets! How lucky am I!

Just so I remember..

2005-04-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

I did nothing but play with yarn yesterday, and I finished Marnie McLean's ribbon choker, a snail keychain based on Missa of Midnight Knitter's, a kerchief, and made some progress on the circle pillow for Brittany. I also started crocheting a jute backpack, which doesn't feel nice but will be very sturdy. I'm thinking of making a bag out of my leaf squares.....I really enjoy doing them, it's so much fun to watch the leaf appear. I'll put up some pictures later on.

2005-04-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

Magic Ball Knitalong scarf.