tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278Wed, 09 Oct 2024 02:02:15 +0000PontificationsMachine KnittingMachine Needle FeltingWorks in ProgressFree Form ScrumblesMachine EmbellisherMust Have BooksNotable People and ThingsUnabashed PromotionWebsite UpdateApologiesDIYFREE Business CardsFiber Art LandscapeFiber Art SeascapeFinished ProjectsHGTVItems For SaleKnitted ClothingKnitting with DisabilityPrayer Shawls MinistryScripps NetworksSelling Arts and CraftsSock Patternsdouble point needlesestonian laceknitting ufosocks toe upwendy d. johnsonwendy knitsJean La Rue, Ebony Glen Studio - projects, ponderings, & pontifications on fulling, felting, free form knit & crochet, & life as an independent fiber artist.http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Jean)Blogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-1951829804891609893Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:57:00 +00002017-04-04T20:14:06.639-07:00#1 Daughter-in-law celebrated a birthday recently. As usual, I didn't do any real pre-planning for a gift idea, so...I turned to my trusty knitting machine (Knitking Compuknit III - Brother KH930) and a large cone of 100% cotton yarn that's been lingering in stash far too long. Here's the result: The yarn was some of that thick/thin, slubby cotton that my standard machine refused to knit http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2013/03/machine-knit-cotton-cardigan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-1394407659162087043Sat, 28 Jul 2012 18:39:00 +00002012-07-28T11:39:07.922-07:00Day One - It was my intention to cast on my first project for the games during the Olympic Games' opening ceremony gala scheduled for 9:00pm London time - 1:00pm here on the west coast of the U.S. Unfortunately, other obligations got in my way. I chose, instead, to cast on while watching the delayed NBC broadcast of the ceremonies at 7:30pm my time. The delayed start cost me more than 6 hours of http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2012/07/ravellenic-games-2012-ravelrycom.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-7939591602084329090Tue, 13 Mar 2012 05:51:00 +00002017-04-04T20:23:05.656-07:00Machine KnittingThe old Singer Memomatic 327 knitting machine with ribber has gone off to a new home and a newbie machine knitter in Puerto Rico. That old punchcard machine (manufactured in the 1977) has been a dependable little workhorse and served me well over a decade. I was sad to see it go, but in its stead, I've purchased a newer electronic patterning machine - a Knitking Compuknit III. It is exactly the http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2012/03/machine-knitting-upgrade-to-electronics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-1506558177053787220Tue, 12 Jul 2011 06:37:00 +00002012-03-12T22:58:41.689-07:00double point needlesestonian laceknitting ufosocks toe upwendy d. johnsonwendy knits Finished up this comfy pair of toe-up socks this morning. These socks have been hanging fire for two weeks, only needing a couple of hours to finish. I put them aside (in fact, I put ALL of my knitting aside) when my best friend put the arm-twist on me to design a website for a political action committee she belongs to – but that’s another story. As I said in my previous post, I put a new http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2011/07/toe-up-socks-hot-off-needles.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-6767331537890473653Sun, 10 Jul 2011 08:41:00 +00002011-07-10T01:41:45.669-07:00PontificationsWebsite UpdateWorks in ProgressI'll admit it, I've been a delinquent blogger, but I'm determined to mend my ways. In an effort to breath new life into this blog, its poor mistreated followers (if any of you are still hanging in there) and, most of all, me. So....after three long hours in front of the 'puter redesigning these pages, I herewith present the all new and improved "3 Bags Fulled" - Now with more style! With lots of http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2011/07/3-bags-fulled-now-with-more-style.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-834619758544482578Sat, 16 Apr 2011 03:29:00 +00002012-03-12T23:09:53.855-07:00Knitting with DisabilityMachine KnittingMust Have BooksSock PatternsHello faithful followers. My apologies for my long absence from the blog. I am, in fact, still knitting by hand and by machine although the progressive crippling effects of the Rheumatoid Arthritis is making it more difficult to knit by hand. But, don't cry for me Argentina - I've found some tips, tricks, and work-arounds that I'll be writing about in the coming days that have helped me cope withhttp://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2011/04/still-knitting-in-spite-of-rheumatoid.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-31471554772058742Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:06:00 +00002008-12-04T17:50:13.914-08:00Prayer Shawls MinistryIf you've been thinking about lending your knitting or crochet skills to charity work, I'd like to recommend one of my favorites - the Prayer Shawl Ministry. There is such beauty and power in these prayer shawls (aka. "comfort shawls") for both the giver and the reciever.The first shawl I made was for a friend diagnosed with ovarian cancer. As I watched her go through both surgery and chemo, I http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/12/prayer-shawl-ministry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-6926201897997893341Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:33:00 +00002008-12-04T17:47:18.304-08:00Free Form ScrumblesMust Have BooksHere's another great new book I just purchased that is a unique addition to my bookshelves.Freeform Crochet and Beyond is written by Renate Kirkpatrick and offers both inspiration and instruction for this experimental art form. I've posted several articles on freeform crochet and often use these free-style crochet motifs as embellishment for my felted knit purses and more. As the title suggests, http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/12/freeform-crochet-and-beyond-bags.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-7996855908185953645Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:44:00 +00002008-12-04T17:41:02.716-08:00Must Have BooksAntiCraft: Knitting, Beading and Stitching for the Slightly SinisterThis book by Renee Rigdon and Zabet Stewart is one of the newest and wildest additions to my growing library of knitting and crochet books. I just had to post a word or two about this wickedly different how-to/pattern book of "slightly sinister" projects that will appeal to the teens and young adults who are into the dark, http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/12/anticraft-knitting-beading-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-927397706899885018Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:22:00 +00002008-12-04T17:36:58.194-08:00Selling Arts and CraftsAnother outdoor art market season is a wrap and I worked furiously last week to finish up, tag, and price those final works-in-progress. I also kept my fingers crossed and hoped for a break in the winds and rain (typical of Pacific Northwest Fall weather) that have dampened the enthusiasm of both buyers and sellers the past few weeks. Vendors did, indeed, get lucky. Saturday was clear and sunny, http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/10/outdoor-art-market-end-of-season.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-1211259893230796184Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:04:00 +00002008-10-03T09:38:11.953-07:00DIYHGTVScripps NetworksWhat have the programming gods at DIY been smoking?!? It all began several months ago with the disappearance of Vicky Howell's Knitty Gritty. Apparently, we didn't howl (pun intended) loud enough about losing that show, so the mental midgets at DIY Network decided to cancel the rest of the crafting lineup in favor of more home improvement shows. Are they nuts? I did (count them) ONE home http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/10/diy-network-tells-crafters-to-take-hike.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-6208590813836482498Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:06:00 +00002008-10-03T02:53:49.404-07:00FREE Business CardsNotable People and ThingsUnabashed Promotion...okay, so it's not totally free...we do have to pay shipping cost...but it's darn close. I've blogged before about the great bargains at Vista Print on business cards, rubber stamps, and other business supplies we can't live without, but it certainly bears repeating. The UPS driver just delivered my latest order and I'm so excited and pleased with the high quality and low price of the products,http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/09/free-business-cards-rubber-stamps.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-9071802949372323068Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:12:00 +00002008-09-26T01:45:15.660-07:00Website UpdateWhew! Just spent the entire, live-long day on a major revision to the web pages for Irrational Exuberance and Ebony Glen Studio. I decided to show a clearer distinction between those two entities by giving each their own set of pages on the website. Ebony Glen Studio is the name I use when showing/marketing my fiber and mixed media landscapes, seascapes, and abstract art as well as the occasionalhttp://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/09/updated-website-for-irrational.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-534461277886559014Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:45:00 +00002008-09-16T12:02:09.701-07:00Fiber Art SeascapeMachine EmbellisherMachine Needle Felting"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." From Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows.I had the rare opportunity to spend a day sailing with friends. The weather was perfect - sun and 75 degrees, with just enough wind to fill the sails and keep us moving along at a leisurely 5 knot pace. We had no destinations and no time schedules to http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/09/fiber-art-seascape-heading-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-4194287235906522193Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:32:00 +00002008-09-16T10:44:08.963-07:00Fiber Art LandscapeMachine EmbellisherMachine Needle Felting "South Fork Twilight" is another example of my exploration of needle felt artwork using unspun wool roving, yarns, and embroidery threads. It's a reconstructed memory of fall evenings sitting around the campfire on the bank of the south fork of the Skagit River and watching the moonlight play on the water.I'm delighted to say that it sold at the art market within a couple of hours of opening. http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/09/needle-felt-art-landscape-and-seascape.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-2022074145088310933Sun, 30 Mar 2008 06:42:00 +00002008-12-12T19:34:26.827-08:00Machine EmbellisherMachine Needle FeltingAm having a ball with the new needle felting embellisher machine. At the last moment, I chose the Huskystar ER10 embellisher by Viking. Functionally, I couldn't find a substantial difference between it and the Babylock embellisher, but I liked the case style a bit better and the price was perfect...$249.00 on sale! I was able to bring it home and immediately start playing with it. Very little to http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/03/needle-felting-embellishing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-5082918869764456810Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:09:00 +00002008-03-10T21:14:49.309-07:00Machine Needle FeltingOkay, I'm taking the plunge and spending another 300 hard-earned bucks to stretch my creative wings, again. I've decided to purchase a new Babylock needle felting machine to use as an embellisher for the felted handbags and the custom sweaters I create.Have been searching for a fresh new design twist for the line of custom clothing and felted handbags I sell under the Irrational Exuberance name http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/03/machine-needle-felting-babylock.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-3648813621705879707Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:36:00 +00002008-03-07T03:50:00.756-08:00Something new has been added...I've just signed on to be an Amazon Associate store and have put together a hand-picked selection of knitting & crochet books & accessories at bargain prices. There's some really splendid books listed. I own many of the titles & I'm sure you'd find them wonderful resources, too. The rest are on my "wishlist." Check out the knitting needles and crochet http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/03/real-knitty-gritty-amazon-bargains.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-1972294186532819854Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:09:00 +00002008-03-05T14:12:31.576-08:00I ran across a post on one of the forums this morning that (once again) posed the question, "Can I make a living selling my jewelry (knitting, crochet, paintings...) online?" As you might imagine, the answers from the other posters were all over the ballpark. Some said, "yes." Some said, "no." The vast majority, said, "maybe...", and while I think that's the correct answer, it's not the answer http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/03/selling-artscrafts-can-i-make-living.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-3719364595754156709Wed, 27 Feb 2008 06:20:00 +00002008-12-12T19:34:27.017-08:00ApologiesApologies, friends, for the long silence. Within days of my last post in September, my mother (pictured here) became ill, which made it necessary for me and my sister to provide 24/7 care so that she might live out the rest of her days in the comfort of her own home. Since there are only so many hours in a day, it was necessary for both of us to put on hold any and all activities that weren't http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2008/02/life-interrupted.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-6967292660421596080Sun, 23 Sep 2007 01:42:00 +00002008-03-05T12:56:17.131-08:00Not long ago, there was quite the discussion on one of the forums I belong to on the distinction between "felting" and "fulling" wool. Both types of fabric are created by subjecting the wool to soapy hot water, agitation, & a cold water rinse. I believe that the distinction between the two types (& the different terms to describe them) has to do with the state of the wool BEFORE it is http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-to-make-felt.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-2244290957528505796Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:36:00 +00002008-03-05T12:58:11.695-08:00Unabashed PromotionMarie of Knittedgems tagged me on her blog recently & I'm delighted to return the favor. You might remember Marie from an earlier post featuring her fantastic Big Dipper scarf. Marie markets patterns for her lovely designs on Etsy & through her new website. In addition to being a very talented fiber artist, Marie is a dedicated & prolific blogger who inspires me in so many ways.One ofhttp://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2007/09/tagged-im-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-8566098033950164820Fri, 21 Sep 2007 04:02:00 +00002008-12-12T19:34:27.377-08:00Finished ProjectsMy friend, Laurie, over at Camanomade, recently wrote: "I can blog or I can spin..." & it rang a bell with me. Like most of us artsy-crafty folks with blogs, we are constantly torn between the compulsion to "share" our latest bit of cleverness with the world & our reluctance to put our latest project aside for an hour at the keyboard. An hour?? Yes, unfortunately, knitting words into http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2007/09/convertible-sweater-thinking-outside.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-6145025654980996748Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:56:00 +00002007-08-31T23:47:38.126-07:00PontificationsThere comes a point when just about every hobbiest suddenly realizes that they have overdone the gifting of their beautiful creations to relatives & friends. It happens to all of us at some point - ceramics, knitting, jewelry making, whatever - at some point the relatives & friends start to turn out the lights & pretend they're not home when they see us coming up the walk with a package in http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2007/08/turn-your-hobby-into-business.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790945747129208278.post-911652007798161030Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:07:00 +00002007-08-28T12:52:15.668-07:00Machine KnittingMarie over at Knitted Gems writes: "I'm a bit miffed that it would only take you 3 hours to knit when it took me Much longer. However, you did note that the scarf was double knitted, right? I don't want people to think that I'm Molasses in January (smile) over just plain (stocking stitch) knitting."Quite right, Marie, it would be unfair to tag you with the label of "slooooow knitter!" Double http://3bagsfulled.blogspot.com/2007/08/machine-knitting-follow-up.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jean)0