KNITTINGDRAGONFLIES

This and that…recycle it

2009-11-10T20:24:00.001-05:00

I hate to throw things away, I’m always looking for other uses for things, here are a few I like

If you must cut a sock apart, this is a good reuse for it from Design Sponge, Argyle Sock Vases

Monica at Crafty Nest shows how to make a craft tool station and wall organizer “from crap from the curb”

I thought this was interesting (but would never do this), recycle leaves by folding them into roses from Craftgossip.com

But I do love the tiny little cards made from treasured bits by Designing Moms

Recycle your old tee shirt into a diaper/nappy, very cute! From Natural Violet.

Bleach Stenciling from Craftbits.com Hey I clean with bleach I thought could be a great “save” for those accidents to my clothes.

Carton Wallet from family fun, I would actually make this.

How about this, cereal is expensive, get some more use out of the box, here are five things you can do with a cereal box (gift bag and magazine holder are the best) from How Stuff Works

Enjoy and repurpose something today….

Technorati Tags: recycle,reuse,repurpose,crafts to recycle

More dyed yarn

2009-11-08T15:02:00.001-05:00

In the attempt to get a different look to my dyed yarn, I tried to dip the yarn into separate dye pots. Wow, I love the look, clean colors, more definition. I used this article from Knitty to guide me.

Of course it is more work. My hats off to all of you who hand paint yarn!

I started with some vibrant shades of violet and green. I couldn’t find what I wanted and ended up using this tutorial on food coloring. From Spindle and Wheel.

I used the Neon food colors that I found at a baking shop. They came in a paste. The mixing was quite a bit of trial and error. To come up with the right color and salt/vinegar mixture, this resulted in lots of little bundles of dyed yarn, and several pages of notes.

I wanted the colors fairly close together to get a nice repeat when knitted. Wheee…This really exercised my arm muscles, dipping into the green, I tried to make five different bands of color. Then the purple, also five bands.

Then wrap it all up into saran wrap and microwave it for 2 min or so. (I wanted to do this solar but the weather was rainy for about 10 days)

After heating, let cool in the sink, after completely cool, wash with cool water and hang to dry.

After drying, this is what I have.

Time to rewind it.

Then reskeined it looks like this…

In a center pull ball.

Ready to ship out and be knitted up…

Enjoy experimenting with your own colors!

Technorati Tags: handdyed yarn,self striping yarn,dyeing yarn,dyeing with food colors,knit,knitting

Don't Fear The Reaper or A Funny Thing happened on the silk road

2009-11-07T10:25:00.001-05:00

As you know I have been raising silkworms, or trying to. It started with the idea of raising them for their cocoons, and eggs and then dyeing them to spin. Along the way I became charmed by these little hairy babies. Lifting their heads up,every time I opened the container to feed or check on them. Little piggy fellows, peaceful and sweet.

My tale is one of many mishaps. I was so excited when my 1000 little eggs hatched, right on schedule. I had my mulberry leaf supply and fed them, hungry little squiggles. I checked and fed them , removed old leaves and then……one evening a cold snap came, I didn’t have the heat light set up. In the morning I had 1000 dead silkworms. Damn..

Discouraged but determined I set out with 500 more eggs. I had a thermometer in the shoe box, and a heat lamp. The eggs hatched out in 3 days. But by this time the mulberry leaves are browning, so I bought the mulberry mush. I carefully cut and place little clumps around for the little cuties to eat. They quickly covered the mush lumps.

All was going well until I had to work overtime one day. I came home and there was condensation in the plastic shoe box, when had run down and made little puddles, where the worms were sitting, they can not crawl out, being so domesticated, and drowned. Hummmm..

OK, so now I was trying to monitor the humidity level closer in the box. It was vented, but maybe not enough, I put dry paper towels in to soak up the excess humidity. Meanwhile, the night time temps are getting lower. Everything is going ok, and the worms have progressed into a molt. I had to move the heat a little closer, to keep the worms warm enough.

I’m now regulating the humidity and temp with the light and paper towels, wet or dry. And on the look out for those killer puddles. I line the box with several sheets of regular typing paper to soak up the excess moisture, this seems to work well.

I read that you can “grate” the mulberry mush on the top of the worms. So I put some nylon netting down and grated some on top. This is much quicker than removing the old food and placing the new mush down in little cut pieces. The worms are suppose to crawl up to the new food. Then I went to work, when I came home I found out I had smothered some of them under the mush. Sigh…

Onward, I returned to cutting and placing the mush. At this point I think I can name each silkworm. My husband says “Don’t do that!” Is he laughing as he turns away?

It’s going to be close to freezing tonight, I monitor the heat lamp and moisture and go to bed. In the morning, I look and it appears that I have “roasted or toasted” the worms closest to the light. They look brown and crunchy, Ugh

I adjust the remaining worms further away, feed them and nervously go to work.

Upon returning from work, I open the box and it is filled with ants, no worms!! Did they “smell” the roasted worms and come for a feast? I haven’t even seen any ants in the house!

Now I feel like a terrible worm mommy.

Worms left=zero

Time spent=about an hour a day

Experience=Priceless, well for me, and especially the worms.

Things I have learned:

1. Silkworms, like goldilocks like to be “just right”

2. Temperatures under 72 seem to kill them.

3. Watch your condensation, the little guys can’t crawl out of a puddle and will drowned.

4. Optimal temps are stated to be between 80-95. I tried to keep mine around 80 and them seemed happy.

5. Humidity is very important. Too humid=too much condensation=not good. Not enough humidity=dried out silkworms. I tried to regulate the humidity by placing either dry or wet paper towels.

5a. If using silkworm “mush” that is reconstituted in the microwave, this increases the humidity. I had to convert to this due to the time of the year.

6. Too much heat results in “roasted silkworm” which then….

7. Must attract ants for the bar-b-que.

So I’ll try again in the spring. With fresh mulberry leaves and warmer temps.

All our times have come

Here, but now there, gone

Seasons don’t fear the reaper

Nor do the wind or the sun or the rain

(We can be like they are)

La, la, la, la, la

Come on baby

Don’t fear the reaper

---Blue Oyster Cult (1976)

Upon the success of the single, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", Blue Öyster Cult became the center of a controversy surrounding the supposed pro-suicide lyrics of the song, which is actually a love ballad concerning love that lasts beyond death, and a call to seize the day.

Grab your spinning and get going…

Technorati Tags: Blue Oyster Cult,Silkworms,silkworm care and tips,knit,knitting,spinning

Navajo plying

2009-11-02T10:22:00.001-05:00

I read about Navajo plying recently and found a couple of videos on You tube. This on is good, and here is another from the Yarn Wench

It was easy to start out and I got the hang of it. I had a small amount of roving left of a color way and decided to try it.

Here are my results

I love the look of it and will do more. It has a slightly braided/twisted look.

Give it a try, it is fun.

Here is some more spinning I have going

Some orange that I am going to ply with a little teal blend added in.

This is going to be blended into a yoke for a sweater. It was all orange with a solid teal for the rest of the body. But I decided that looked too harsh. I like the added color it looks a little softer.

I also spun some reddish/pink singles that I am thinking of Navajo plying

May your knitting needles (or spinning wheel) fly as fast as Dragonflies….

Technorati Tags: Spinning,navajo plying,knitting,knit,how to navajo ply

I’m only buying one skein of sock yarn! Ha…

2009-10-30T12:49:00.001-04:00

My girlfriend that I met on Ravelry and I went to the Southern Indiana Fiber Arts Festival, last weekend. The drive was pretty, the company good, weather cold, and the fiber great!

I went with the plan that I was only buying one skein of sock yarn. Really, just one skein. Dena wanted to look at spinning wheels, or maybe I wanted her to look at spinning wheels. We walked, talked, looked, fondled a lot of fiber and yarn. She tried a few wheels, and didn’t buy that much. I was doing fine until I bought:

Screaming Wild Monkey! A special house blend of 70% super wash merino/15% Banana/!5% Seacell (impregnated with silver) 4 oz. The photo doesn’t show the colors, they are vibrant.

From the River’s Edge Weaving Studio at weavingstudio.com

Then I ran across: 50g each of Tussah Sea Sliver, 60% Seacell, 40% Tussah Silk from Fleece Artist at fleeceartist.com

While my girlfriend looked at wheels I found these: Sweet bunnies, then I purchased…. A big ball of German angora bunny and merino blend, and some cut angora, enough to blend into a sweater. From Angora Eden It made me want to buy a soft sweet bunny.

I was still under control at this point then I found Donna Jo Copeland, from Breezy Manor Textiles & Things

So I had to buy one pound of BFL/BL cross from Orion, beautiful

A wonderful dark, dark brown.

And she gave me a deal so I had to buy this also from Amber Meadow Farm (I can’t find a link but she is at amber.meadow at yahoo.com)

One pound of Chestnut Frost, a blend of Shetland, Llama, and Mohair with a little glitz (not too much) thrown in.

So now you know what will be on my wheel and I’ve about converted my girlfriend from a spindle to wheel. Still working on that.

Get your fiber out and enjoy.

Technorati Tags: southernindianafiberartsfestival,fiber,spinning,angora,bunnies,llama,fiber sources in indiana

Featured Etsy Seller

2009-10-25T13:59:00.001-04:00

Featured Etsy Seller is Made by Melissa! A 28 year old engineer by day – and she started crafting as a way to express her creativity.

Good prices, and quality items!

She crochets,

Recycled Silk Breezy Scarf $35.00 USD

Beads,

Pink Crystal Dangle Earrings $10.00 USD

and has many other items in her shop.

Penny the Pink Elephant $15.00 USD

Stop past her shop and look around, and take a look at her blog here.

Support Handmade!

Technorati Tags: featured etsy seller,Made by melissa

Decluttering, working towards simplicity

2009-10-24T22:09:00.001-04:00

I have been on a major decluttering streak. I have pitched, donated and reorganized, but I’m not done yet.

I come from a mother who was extremely neat and orderly, and a grandmother that teetered near hoarding. So I live in fear of, well, maybe both extremes.

Clutter seems to show up, mysteriously in my house. I have tried over the years to beat it back. Below are the tips that helped me most.

1. Find a system.

I tried for years to organize myself, it wasn’t until I studied naturally organized people that I realized that, yes I need a “constant” system. Not one week every three months to work non stop to make everything perfect again. Only to ignore it for another three months. (my favorite is a crazy lady, the flylady, also good are simplemom.net) Find something that works for you, and then yes, you have to use it.

2. Baby steps

Even if you only have 5 minutes, pick a shelf, drawer, even a portion of a counter. I have a rule, if I’m talking on the phone, I’m decluttering, open that junk drawer and start flinging. I am always amazed at why most of it is in the drawer anyway.

3. Have a “not ready to part with it” box.

I have a box sitting in my walk in closet, when I am decluttering I often find something that I’m not ready to part with, but haven’t used in a while. I put it in this box. Next time I’m making a run to Good Will I look into the box. Usually I’ve decided that I can get rid of all of it. If not I can always take it out. This allows me to part with things that I wouldn’t have upon first glance.

4. You do not have to keep something because it was a gift, or belonged to someone special.

A thing is not a memory. Keep the happy memory. Get rid of Uncle George’s monkey lamp.

5. Divide your area (house, office, garage etc.) up into zones. I like the FlyLadys zones, five zones, one for each week of the month.

Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room (October 1 - 2)
Zone 2: The Kitchen (October 5 - 9)
Zone 3: The Bathroom and One Extra Room (October 12 - 16)
Zone 4: The Master Bedroom (October 19 - 23)
Zone 5: The Living Room (October 26 - 30)

I use to get overwhelmed and ended up with a bigger mess, because I had taken the shoes that I found in the living room that I was cleaning, and put them in the bedroom closet and then started organizing that. Now I stick to the zone I’m in, and in a week you will be amazed at your progress. Even if you are using your 5-15 minute intervals of cleaning/decluttering.

6. Set up a simple filing system and use it.

There are so many good organizing products out there. Keep it simple, I use a small hanging folder box.

7. Paper is like fleas, it will multiply. if you pick it up, put it where it belongs.

Paper can quickly overwhelm you. Junk mail, don’t put it down. Sort through it and trash it. Magazines, newspapers, and school papers, go through them regularly and toss the old. If you want to keep something special, hey make a file for it.

8. Take everything off of or out of what you are decluttering.

Don’t shuffle through it. Take it out and look at each thing. Do this fast, don’t think too much. Thinking starts me wondering if I will need this later. Think you might? Stick it in that “not ready to part with it box”.

9. Look at expiration dates

Look at the dates on your meds, vitamins, spices, salad dressing etc. I am surprised at how many things I find that are expired.

10. If you buy something, toss something.

Buy a new pair of pants? When you put them away. Look at all of your other pants, try some on, chances are you will find some you can get rid of or donate, or just never liked.

11. It doesn't have to be perfect.

The “I don’t have time to make it perfect now syndrome”, kept me from starting things. The entire kitchen may not be perfect, but that one drawer looks great. It’s a start, you don’t have to do it all at once.

12. Once you start flinging and decluttering, it feels really, really good. Letting go of things gets easier. Just start little.

Simplify, it feels good, and you will have more room for yarn!

Technorati Tags: Simplify,Decluttering,Declutter,decluttering tips

Pit Bull Awareness Day

2009-10-23T18:07:00.001-04:00

This is a YouTube Video I got from RoseByAny@-;----'s blog. I love her blog and all her posts about her puppies. It is Pit Bull Awareness Day this Saturday.

Technorati Tags: Pit Bull Awareness Day,love your dog

Silkworm drama…

2009-10-21T20:24:00.001-04:00

Right on schedule on little eggs started hatching…Sept 29th

These little guys are called “Kego” in Japan, and translates to “hairy baby”. See detailed info on the website WormSpit.

I am feeding the Mulberry leaves although it is starting to cool down here in Southern Indiana. I have bought the dehydrated “silkworm chow” yummy, in case we need it. I have gotten different opinions on this from “you can’t change from leaves to chow, but can change from chow to leaves” begin the predominant opinion. I talked to one guy who said his ate either, as long as they had food.

I bought the “Zebra silkworms” which said they were stronger, and more disease resistant. This sounded like a quality I would look for in a tomato plant, so I thought I would be a good idea.

Hopefully I will not kill as many worms as I did fish when I started with aquariums.

Oct 2, blast of cold air last night, I didn’t know that the #1 cause of silkworm death is temperature. OK so I had 1000 eggs. I didn’t need 1000 silkworms, right?

But I don’t want 1000 dead silkworms…..Crap#$%# This is not good for my Karma!

OK…..Oct 13th Starting over, 500 eggs, one woman, two heat lamps, lots of website info…..

Four days after receiving the eggs, and with heat and a thermometer, keeping the eggs at approx. 80 degrees.

Oct 16th Babies again, now they are bigger than before….

And so very hungry, very, very hungry…

Oct 21st Bigger….(bad photo, they were “feeling” photogenic tonight)

Trying to keep them warm and happy..

More later.

Get your knitting out!!

Technorati Tags: Wormspit,silkworms,kegos,raising silkworms

This and that

2009-10-10T16:55:00.001-04:00

Here are some things too good not to pass along. Love all of these links…

From Jo So and Sew a tutorial on how to cover a plastic bangle with knitting.

Check out How to Be Domestic, she shows you how to etch a set of bar glasses, this would be a nice personal present or wedding gift.

I got one of these one Christmas and used it to death, here is the pattern, a crochet dish scrubby, yes you really need that scratchy acrylic yarn to make it work well.

Wee Folk Art, teaches us how to make a mini braided rug

You know I’ve been crazy about top down sweaters, here is a pattern for a raglan cardi from CosmicPlutoKnits

Along the same lines Knitting Pure and Simple has a fab tutorial on top down sweaters.

Indie Fix show us how to make a mini drawstring bag. This is great to carry those socks we are knitting.

For us Knitters that need some crochet flowers to put on, oh whatever, here is a video from Little Birdie Secrets.

From CraftNouveau a primer on photography for your online selling.

Now go create something….

Technorati Tags: knittedplastic bangle,etch a set of bar glasses,crochet dish scrubby,mini braided rug,top down cardi,top down sweater tutorial,mini drawstring bag,crochet flowers,photography for online selling

Halloween memories..

2009-10-05T17:55:00.001-04:00

One of the best Halloween memories I have is going to a big scary Halloween party. I was about 7 or so. They had set up a “haunted house” and we had to go around and look at scary things. Headless man, scary witch and lost of webs we got caught in and noises. But the best part was sticking our hands into bowls of monster “parts” , which were covered with just a hole to put hands into.

Eyeballs were wet, cold peeled grapes. Intestines were cold, cooked spaghetti. Cold hot dogs were fingers, brains were cooked oatmeal, and the most horrifying was the heart which was a water balloon filled with warm water.

This was accompanied by lots of moans, shrieks, and screams. O to be 7 again.

Here are some scary things you might want to make:

From Instructables a crochet eyeball with optic nerve attached from the crochetninja

The great knitted pumpkin pattern

Felted pumpkins from Knitty

How to make a very real looking werewolf head from Instructables

From the blog of Strange but True a knitted digestive system, that is quite detailed and accurate.

Creepy severed body parts garland. Quite festive!

Here is a link for a variety of tombstones.

Love buckeyes? try this eyeball version, yummy

I like this goolish breakfast sandwich that your kids can have fun making

Happy Halloween, now get knitting…

Technorati Tags: crochet eyeball,knitted pumpkins,felted pumpkins,eyeball buckeye recipe,severed body parts garland knitted,knitted digestive system,making tombstones,halloween breakfast sandwich

Dyeing to ……

2009-10-04T10:46:00.001-04:00

Once upon a time there was a woman, a knitter of course, that dreamed of learning to spin. She knitting and bought spinning books and magazines and read all of the articles. OOOO, Ahhhhh…. Then she met a fellow knitter, who was spinning on a spindle. Knitted Gems, who is a great knitter who is also a knitting designer. Her blog posts and photos about her beginning spinning gave me courage to try it. So in fits and starts I started.

Then I met another blogger, Spin, Knit and Life, who sells luscious batts and spun fibers at her Etsy shop. She encouraged me and give me little tips, well maybe big tips. She walked me through buying a wheel, my first, now I’m thinking about another, and through her I became interested in dyeing.

The first thing I dyed (with Kool Aid) was some of the first fiber that was spun from my wheel. Some lovely soft hand spun, that I’m now incorporating into a sweater.

By now I’m seriously into the dyeing addiction. The latest I made is a sweet pink with some grey added in. I think it would look perfect knitted into a traditional little cardigan with some sweet pearl buttons.

Pretty in pink here.

Sprinkle (see technique here) on some grey and microwave for 2 min. Then cover with saran wrap and sit it in the sun for 2-3 hours.

Woo hoo, beautiful yarn, soft and pretty.

Ready to ship out to someone to knit some pinky goodness.

May your needles fly as fast as dragonflies…

Technorati Tags: Kool Aid dyeing,knit,knitting,spinning,lendrum,hand dyeing yarn,hand dyed yarn,wool yarn,Knitted Gems,Spin,Knit and Life

Line your bags, give them a foundation..and they will serve you well…

2009-10-02T14:21:00.001-04:00

I admit, I love to knit bags, they are beautiful and soft. But yarn handles and bags can become stretched out. After taking the time to make the perfect bag, take the time to line them and give them some structure, then your bag will be totally wonderful, lasting and you will amaze even yourself.

These are tips, that I discovered during my great summer binge of purse felting.

Handles, if these are knitted, reinforce them.

If I am making an i-cord handle I often put several strands of cotton yarn (or cotton cording, I have also crocheted a chain of cotton yarn and used that), together and string it up the middle, then take a few stitches on each end of the handle to anchor them. This keeps them from becoming too stretched out. I do this even if I’m felting the I-cords, but if felting don’t stitch them until post felting, just safety pin them to them ends, not tightly though, leave some give). Nothing is worse than handles on your purse that keep growing. (my big pet peeve) Your nice under the arm purse ends up hitting your butt and you have to contend with putting some knots in the handles to take up the extra room.

If knitting flat purse handles, that maybe OK. give them the pull test, I mean really pull on them. How much weight are you going to carry in that purse? If they don’t have much give, (if it is a felted purse) they could be good to go. If you get them to stretch, consider taking fabric and lining the underside of your purse handles. (use the same as the lining or contrasting, or you can match the yarn color).

Bottom, and possibly sides, reinforce them

I use to take a piece of cardboard, in the shape of the bottom and hot glue some fabric to it and stick it in. This is good, but it usually bends, folds and things get wedged underneath it (usually that thing you absolutely have to have right now!) But I have found the holy grail for me. Foamies, these little cheap pieces of foam are great! They are available in almost every color you can think of, come in varying, thickness, I usually use the 2mm, I have gotten the 3mm once, that was really heavy duty. Cost, wait for it, less than $1 per piece. They can be found at practically anywhere, from Wal-Mart to your local craft store.

Foamies, usually one or two sheets. (< dollar a piece) Sturdy and washable

Take your finished bag and decide on what section you need to reinforce (example, I always do the bottom if nothing else)

Get your Foamies out, and place your purse section on top and roughly draw a line around the section you want to reinforce. Now cut this out, bigger is always better, (we can trim later, but can’t add on)

Now pin onto bottom of purse, and cut any excess off, now overcast stitch all around with needle and thread. Don’t worry this is inside and no one will ever see it. So no need to be perfect.

If you wish to reinforce any other sections of your bag, repeat for those areas (sides, pockets etc…) I always do the bottom, it really gives your bag some shape that holds up, and is, yes, washable.

Lining, yes, do it you will be glad

I always line my bags, even a beginning sewing can line a bag simply and add even one pocket on the inside. This will make your bag more functional. Fancy or simple, add zippers if you wish.

All of these steps will make a purse that you will be proud of and last and be functional. If you took the time to knit the purse, please take a leap and do some finishing. You will not be sorry

This is a very simple lining, with pockets, ok, a lot of pockets, no fancy closures.

All packed up and ready to go.

Below are some links to a few excellent tutorials, there are many out there on great blogs.

Discover how to properly line your purses in a way that your mother would be proud of, see these links and find some of your own.

Simple lining from My Recycled Bags.com

Zipper and Slip pocket from Sew Mama Sew, purse lining tutorial and other great tutorials.

How to add pockets to your lining from Tiggersong on Instructables

Technorati Tags: knit,knitting,foamies,sew mama sew,tiggersong,instrucables,future girl,reinforce knitted handles,reinforce knitted bag bottoms,lining a knitted bag

Simple, great looking bag lining tutorial from Future girl, and others.

May your needles fly as fast as dragonflies..

Winter predictions

2009-09-30T15:45:00.001-04:00

I begin to wonder if the number of sweaters I have planned to knit is similar to the length of the hair on a wooly worm. If so, we are in for a severe winter.

It all began in the middle of summer, it’s hot, humid and I’m sweating. But for some reason keep begin drawn to bulky yarn, and sweater patters. Now I’m at that point in my life when I can have a full blown hot flash, anytime, anywhere. And I haven’t worn a sweater, unless it was a cardigan that I could whip off in an instant.

OK, I need to back up, maybe it actually started last winter. The winter of 09 here was a bad one, we had a huge ice storm and lost power in the house, (and most of the city) for days. Some residents in Kentucky were out for 2 weeks, it was brutal.

During that time we stayed in he house and bundled up. Rummaging through the closets and locating that specific item is difficult, especially with nothing but a flashlight.

It was then, that the insanity began. I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I did find my first knitted turtle neck (yes turtle neck) bulky sweater. Oversized and knit in the round, EZ style (Knitting without tears), it was the first sweater I had knitted that I could wear. Happily I pulled in on, over the two tee shirts, and fleece top I already had on.

Ta Da! It was the first time, I was warm. I began to remember why hand knitted wool sweaters are so wonderful. They make you feel loved and happy and toasty warm. All with that “and I made it myself feeling”. I didn’t take it off, it went over everything I wore those cold dark days, and even to bed.

Back to the present. I have spent the summer planning sweaters, spinning yarn to knit into sweaters and buying yarn for sweaters. I usually wear a long sleeve tee at the most in the cold months.

Five sweaters planned (rav link). Prediction for my winter. Toasty and warm.

Check the Farmer’s Almanac for the forecast in your area

May your knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies..

Technorati Tags: Winter knitting,knit,sweaters from the top down,Knitting without tears,Elizabeth Zimmerman,Ravelry,Farmer's Almanac weather link

I have 1000 silkworm eggs, or it’s my Birthday!

2009-09-24T12:19:00.001-04:00

If you have the new Spin Off mag, you have probably read the fantastic article by Michael Cook about Growing your own silk, and his in depth website Wormspit.

Well, I fell in love with the little wiggly spinners. A relatively new spinner, and I have only spin with a silk hankie (or matwatas) once. But I knew I had to have some of the voracious little guys.

I’m planning on letting them all live out their natural life span, all of the info I have found indicate that if you desire the silk for thread, the worm must be killed while in the cocoon (the cocoon is one long filament), but if using to spin, it is not necessary to do that. More info at Peace silk

Here are my eggs

My husband had asked me “is there anything you would like me to get you for your birthday?”. And so as I set out on an adventure, come with me on my wormy quest for silk.

I hope to be able to make some silk hankies and dye them. I found a nice tutorial on how to dye them by Constance Rose Textile Design

Here is a tutorial on how to spin them from Clever Crafty Foxy

Photos to follow soon, I hope…

Technorati Tags: Spin off magazine,Growing you own silk,Wormspit,spinning with silk,matwatas,Peace silk,Constance Rose Textile Design,Clever Crafty Foxy,silkworms

Featured Etsy Seller

2009-09-22T22:16:00.001-04:00

Designs By Vanessa Vanessa lives in Arizona (lucky thing) and has an obsession for all things birdie. Her shop is fun just like her items.

Charming Chickadee Necklace $25.00

Song Sparrow Earrings $15.00

Iron On Applique Patch - Pretty Birdie, Little Birdie or Speedy Turtle $3.00

These are just a few of her darling things. She blogs at Designs by Vanessa

Got gauge? Or I hear voices in my head

2009-09-20T09:02:00.001-04:00

When a pattern tells you to get gauge. I only wish it were that simple. Practically every fitting problem can be due to gauge. Go to you LYS and ask them for help with a pattern fitting problem and what are they going to ask you? Got gauge?

I started a sweater recently, and knitted my gauge swatch at work during my lunch break. Big mistake, evidently I’m a uptight knitter at work (you think?).

I dutifully knitted, washed and measured my swatch, calculated my gauge and started off. Have you ever been blindly knitting along thinking, “this looks a little big”, but you keep knitting? (Because you know you have gauge). Listen to that little voice in your head, that’s your knitter’s intuition speaking to you. Get your ruler out and measure, your gauge is a fluid number, a force of nature, ever changing, like the wind. (especially during stressful times)

Here is a great in depth article from Knitty and Jenna Wilson about gauge and yarn substitutions.

Watch out when you substitute, a slightly heavier yarn, will produce different drape and flow of your item. For example the Knitty pattern above called for cotton yarn at 150 yd at 100 gms, I switched it to wool that is 440 yd at 220 gms, Dividing the gms by yds we can get the weight. Cotton yarn 0.66, Wool yarn 0.5, this looks pretty close but tells me the yarn I’m knitting with is 0.16 lighter. This will affect my bulk (underarms) weight and drape. Think about this when you are substituting yarns. This is an especially helpful tool when deciding on yarn for lace knitting, in which a little change in drape may alter your desired look.

I found an excellent article from the Knitting Curmudgeon about swatching and gauge.

Fuzzy Galore explains it this way

Read Knitty’s Knitting patterns 102, it will help you avert knitting disappointments, by Jessica Fenlon who blogs here at JessieKnits

If you are feeling adventurous, and who isn’t because we all love to create. Here is a Excel gauge adjustment calculator from Con-fusion in glass and string, thanks Helena!

May you knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies..

Technorati Tags: Knit,knitting,knitting gauge,Knitty Imagine sweater,Knitting Curmudgeon,swatching and gauge,FuzzyGalore,Excel gauge adjustment calculatorar,Con-fusion in glass and string,subtitution of yarns,weight and drape of a shawl,Knitting patterns 102,Jessie Knits,Jesica Fenlon

This and that…

2009-09-18T09:11:00.001-04:00

Here are some links I’ve run across that are too good to keep to myself. There are so many great artists out there, here are some with free patterns.

Knitty fall 2009 out!!

The Mountain Mom Report blog has a tutorial for a cosmetic case, I think this would be great to hold some knitting accessories, or carry along with socks to knit.

Crochet a linen grocery tote with The Purl Bee

Just in time for Halloween crochet a scary Eyeball with optic nerve! Thanks Crochetninja

A great combo of knitted hat, scarf and mittens patterns from Pickles, nice yarn also.

Get some exercise, and make some memories from by little hands, make a nature wreath to hang on your door.

I love this girly backpack from My little City girl free pattern, crochet

This would make a great knitting tote, pattern from Moda Bakeshop

You know those coil less safety pins we love, Riot of Daisies found them in plastic

Enjoy these, quick go now and create something!

Afterthought zipper

2009-09-13T15:48:00.001-04:00

Evidence that life is a like yarn, sometimes it gets knotty, but with patience you can work it out, or if all else fails, cut it and tie a knot.

This knitting story begins with a knitting girlfriend, a birthday and a series of catastrophes.

I started knitting the felted knotted up bag because a friend was having a birthday. She has been knitting for about a year and has been admiring my felted bag. Her partner wanted to buy her some yarn so she could make one, but she was a total non knitter. So enter me.Armed with a budget, and a pattern, I set out. I find the perfect yarn and it was on sale! Yay! A lovely kettle dyed yarn that was perfect. I couldn’t resist buying some yarn for myself, and decided I would knit the purse with her.

I love this photo, it came in an email, does anyone know who these two women are? I feel like I should recognize them.

A week before her birthday a series of disasters happen, the worst one is that her uninsured father in in an explosion and got 3rds degree burns on his face, hands and arms. He is taken to a large hospital with a burn unit. So on her birthday she is in a strange city, in a different state, and with NO knitting. (portal to hell, no?)

Fast forward to present. I have knitted my purse, (her Dad is doing well BTW), I show her mine, because I want to make sure she likes the pattern, and she loves it and the colors, better than the colors I bought her and she wants to buy it from me. But she wants a zipper in it

So I’m giving her my purse! Yay…after all who appreciates a knitted gift more than a knitter? But it needs a zipper….so…….

The Afterthought Zipper

If you absolutely need to add a zipper after you have your purse done, this is what I did.

-I found a zipper that matched, or if you can’t find one that matches, white, black or cream is good. For the length, buy something close the your purse opening, stretch it out and measure it, plus about 4 extra inches. If in doubt longer is better, we can always cut it off.(the end will be hidden)

-a small amount of fabric, I used some of the leftover lining fabric.

-pins, sewing machine, and some patience.

1. This is to make “tabs” on each end of the zipper. Take fabric (double it, or fold it over) and cut a small rectangle, about 3 times as long as the distance from where the zipper stops to the end. (now you have one for each end).

2. Fold it over (right sides together), pin and judge if it the right size to cover the end of your zipper. The important measurement is the sides, we will tuck the raw edge in as much as we need to.

3. Sew down each side. Turn, and roll raw edges up, as far as you need, place on end of zipper, pin and sew.

4. The only zipper I could find that matched was 24 inches long, now I measure the bag opening, and pin the zipper along one side, with the tabbed end that is done sticking out about 2 inches on that side, cut the other end about 2 inches longer, than the opening on the other side.

5. Now repeat step two for the other end of the zipper.

6. Now pin your zipper to the opening and eyeball it to see if it is going to fit.

Looks pretty good, ok…

7. Lay out some of your fabric and cut two pieces that fit from about the length of the zipper. And about 3 times as wide.

8. Lay your zipper right side up, unzipped, on one piece of fabric that is right side up, and pin along the edge.

9. Pick up your zipper and fold the ends over, and pin to just even with the tab. Now sew your line along with edge of the zipper with the raw edge of the fabric, sew it fairly close to the edge.

10. Flip it over and trim a wedge, to eliminate bulk from each side, and then pin. Also pin the other raw edge about 1/2 over. Now press.

11. Fold this piece over and pin it to the front of the zipper. Now the fabric will be right side out and your zipper will be face up here.

12. Press and sew a seam.

13. Now repeat for the other side.

Woo hoo, now you are ready to put this into your purse.

14. Line this up and pin, making sure that it is in the center of the bag and the center of the zipper. You may have to pin several times to make it look like you want it to.

15. When you are satisfied you can either tack it in by hand or sew it in with the machine. You can tuck the tabs into the bag if you leave both ends open a little, or keep them out.

Now your ready to grab you phone and go.

Hope this helps

May your knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies

Technorati Tags: portal to hell,knit,knitting women,kelley deal,bags that rock,knotted up bag,after thought zipper,bag zipper tutorial,purse zipper tutorial,knitted purse zipper tutorial

Knitter’s on the runways….

2009-09-10T17:24:00.007-04:00

Yeah, we know it, we are talented and knitter’s know how to look good in their knits.

Last year, we were all knitting or crocheting the big neck wraps. Lots of patterns everywhere, in fact we have been knitting and crocheting them for a couple of years.

Now, our scarves are showing up everywhere on the runways….

This year we have all price ranges Derek Lam scarf $35, Armand Diradourian scarf $438, Fendi scarf$180, Anna Kula scarf $225 to name a few.

Instead of looking to big name designers, look to the “real designers” of these warm and beautiful items.

Tudora by by Cheryl Marling she blogs at a simple yarn

Aibhlinn by Mary Burr

Baby it’s Cowled Outside by Megan Granholm who blogs at loop de doo

Chic Cabled Cowl by Elizabeth at Loop Knits, and she has more patterns.

Misti International, chunky, fast pattern (rav link)

From Hello Yarn this classy Irish hiking scarf (rav link), and her Besotted Scarf (rav link)

Just to get you started, find some yarn, get your needles out and cast on. Or if you don’t knit, Etsy has many talented designers that you can shop with, buy from an indie designer.

Support real artisans.

May your needles fly as fast as dragonflies….

Technorati Tags: Tudora,Cheryl Marling,simple yarn,aibhlinn,mary burr,loop de doo,chic cabeled cowl,loop knits,baby it's cowled outside,megan granholm,misti international,helloyarn,irish hiking scarf,besotted scarf,knit,knit cowl patterns,cowl scarf knit

2 at a time, it’s always been a good idea

2009-09-06T11:25:00.001-04:00

It all started with the book by Melissa Morgan-Oakes (rav link). Knitting two socks at a time. I have tried several other methods of knitting two at a time socks and this is the one that “clicked” for me.

The greatest thing about knitting two at a time besides not having the “second sock syndrome” is any alterations you make in the pattern, are immediately done on each sock. I had trouble writing it down, (thinking I’ll remember I did this), ha, no telling how long it would be between each sock.

2 at a time Sailor’s Delight Socks

I love her book and the patterns. Almost all of the patterns are for socks I would actually make and wear, or gift to someone. Hot tip!! She is in process of writing another book! The second book will be out in April of 2010 and is toe-up, two at a time.

2 at a time Berry Season socks

I did try other methods before this one made sense, if this book doesn't work for you try some others:

Knitting Circles Around Socks: Knit Two at a Time on Circular Needles by Antje Gillingham

Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles: a Manual of Elegant Knitting Techniques and Patterns by Cat Bordhi

the Queen Kahuna Books, she has toe up and cuff down on two circulars

Come to Silver has a detailed tutorial on two at a time toe up socks on her site she blogs here

Suddenly I was thinking 2 at a time for many things. Mittens, and sleeves! I have read about making both sweater sleeves at one time before but never seriously contemplated trying it. Melissa’s book has given me the skills to plan and carry this out.

I have recently fallen in love with a Knitscene fingerless mitts pattern and am determined to knit them 2 at a time.

Destined to become fingerless mitts!

May your needles fly as fast as dragonflies…

Technorati Tags: 2 socks at a time,melissa morgan oakes,knitscene fall 2009,queen kahuna sock knitting books,come to silver,cat bordhi,knitting two socks at a time,knit,knitting,sock knitting

Top down, not your father’s convertible

2009-09-03T08:19:00.002-04:00

Upon a suggestion from a fellow Plurker, I am converting a pattern that I am knitting, to a top down pattern. I am well versed in knitting in the round, bottom up sweaters. I found and fell in love with Elizabeth Zimmerman early in my knitting life. But have found limited info on top down sweaters. Bottom up in the round sweaters made me convert any pattern I could into this type of construction. When you are done, there are none to few pieces to put together, your good to block and wear.

Top down, in the round sweaters have had the same effect on me, plus, as everyone points out, you can try them on as you go. I feel like I am “in the flow”when knitting this way. I didn’t think trying them on would be a great plus, but it is. Now I am in search of more top down construction books and info.

The best resources that I have found are: Barbara Walker’s Sweaters from the Top down, great book, good explanations, great section on increases, more types than I knew there was, and examples of what they look like, (this alone is worth taking a look at the book). These are some of the few photos in the book, the finished garments are simple diagrams. I would like some finished garments shown on real people. But that is the only criticism I can make, she gives you plenty of detailed info to run with. This book will let you design any style top down sweater, with the yarn you want to knit it with. You will need a basic knowledge of knitting, or another book to help you understand knitting terms and how to cast on and off etc.

The Incredible Custom Fit Raglan Sweater, the is a online calculator. Plug in your measurements and your good to go. I had to get further info from other sources, it left a few holes in explanation. I am using this plus the Barbara Walker book to “make” my sweater.

Another online calculator I found is from the Knitting Fiend, a detailed calculator that makes a pattern for your sweater, she does ask for donations. You can customize your sweater to various styles and use your own gauge. (The calculator asks for a dizzying amount of measurements, so I would think this sweater would fit well). This eliminates the math and makes it simple for you.

She has a wealth of info on her website and all types of pattern calculators. Here is a handy one for converting a sweater pattern to your gauge. (again, she does the work for you if you are math challenged)

Does anyone have a favorite top down sweater book? If so let me know. I’m sure this is just the first sweater that I will be knitting from the top down.

Technorati Tags: barbara G Walker,sweaters from the top down,The incredible custom fit raglan sweater,The knitting fiend,plurk,knitting diva,knit,knitting,knitting in the round

May your knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies…

Stitches of a different kind

2009-08-31T20:00:00.001-04:00

At my house we have stitches of a different kind. It has been keeping me from my knitting.

My husband has had a knee replacement. My admiration to anyone out there that has had one. It is a lot of pain, work and time.

I originally took two weeks off to be his “coach” (because now hospitals can charge a whole group of patients physical therapy and have one or two PT’s and a family member helping out), it was hard for me to see him in so much pain. But he has done well, above photo is after the bruising and swelling went down, in fact, the day the staples were coming out. I decided maybe he needed a photo of what he had been through.

It is a month post-op and I am still taking extra days off to take him to PT, and other appointments, and keep him going.

Originally, I thought I would get great amounts of knitting done during this time. In reality, it was quite a bit of work for me, and a lot of work for him. Little TV, reading or time or anything. I didn’t realize how much I depend on him until he was down for the count.

So, not much knitting. A little dyeing. Mostly trying to stay caught up with the house, yard, and cooking, and running for ice, drugs, food and a lot of dog walking.

I did follow a cardinal raising some chicks in a bush in our yard.

I think we are really turning a corner now, and I hope to get some knitting done soon!

May your knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies….

Technorati Tags: knee replacement,cardinal birds,knit,knitting

Featured Etsy Seller

2009-08-29T17:22:00.001-04:00

I find it valuable to keep a knitting journal, usually it is a large spiral bound book. I mean to keep all of my knitting info, swatches, yarn samples etc. in it, but it is large and I am always behind.

Dragonfly soars, fellow knitting blogger, gave me the idea of keeping a small journal for each project. This is a perfect solution for myself. Small, portable, and pretty I can write all of my info into it! Start for just for socks! I have been working on 2 at a time socks and am using a small journal to note my ideas, problems, and progress. It’s great.

With that being said here is an Etsy seller that makes some cute little journals and scrapbooks. She also makes custom scrapbooks.

Memories for Life Scrapbooks Edi also blogs here.

Some of my favorites are:

the Love album $20.00

the Summer book $20.00

Bird Notebook $6.00

The Butterfly note book $5.00

Sweet little books to place your thoughts, photos, or even your to do list.

Take a look…

Blueberries and Lime for Knitting or going Kracy with Kool Aid

2009-08-25T08:58:00.001-04:00

I saw this sweater on this front of Knitscene Fall 2009 and decided to make it, but with a twist of colors, minus the belt (why place a belt over your pattern area?).

Deciding on blue I picked out some Blueberry Kool aid, then offset it with Lime Kool Aid.

I did this in a three step solar dyeing process. For more info on my solar dyeing see this post. (more dyeing how to info links here)

Wet your yarn (natural fibers take up dye better), thoroughly, soak at least 15 min in warm water. While you are waiting for the soaking.

Dissolve your Kool Aid packets in warm water (or the same temp. as the water you are soaking your yarn or fiber in), standard amount is 1 package of Kool aid per oz of fiber or yarn. Less Kool aid=lighter color, more kool aid=vibrant.

1-Solar dye my yarn with the Blueberry Kool Aid, I used 5 packets per 4 oz of yarn, dissolved in 4 cups of water. (I use a sun tea jar, I know many people use canning jars) After this is dissolved, gently place your yarn in it, and stir around to get all of your yarn thoroughly soaked. (if you have some dry areas, they will take up less dye=lighter color, and this may be a look you want).

I let my jars set in full sun for 4-5 hours, dyeing is done when the water is clear, this means all of the dye is taken up by the fiber.

Allow to cool, then pour off water, now rinse in cool water and proceed to step 2.

2-Sprinkle Lime Kool Aid powder in sections (of wet yarn, damp not soggy) tossing around while sprinkling and place back in sun to cook some more. I used one packet per 4 oz of yarn. I have used a glass bowl with saran wrap on top of it, or more recently zip lock baggies (these are great!) Let cook for 4-5 hours in the sun, then let cool, rinse in cool water and proceed to step 3. (unless you are satisfied with the colors now, then hang to dry, if you decide more color is needed, it can be added later, just wet and start with step 3)

Step two is in the bowl. Step 3 in the baggies.

After looking at my results I wanted to try to achieve more dimensional color in the yarn. Some darker blues areas are needed I decide.

3-Wet the yarn and sprinkle with more Blueberry Kool Aid powder, then place in Ziploc baggies and set out to dye. I used one packet per 4 oz of yarn. Let cook in sun for 4-5 hours, then allow to cool and rinse with cool water. Hang to dry.

Now what color should I make the waist pattern in? What do you think?

May your knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies….

Technorati Tags: kool aid dyeing,solar dyeing yarn,solar dyeing,dyeing yarn,knit,knitting,knitscene fall 2009,solar dyeing yarn tutorial