Happy Halloween!

Boo!

Pumpkin Tales

Just a quick post today. We're off to run some errands in a little bit here and yarning might be one of them. Wee!

But to show you I have indeed been crafty lately, I made this little pumpkin last night. It's needle felted and took maybe 25 minutes to make. Pumpkin is roughly 1 1/2" tall (to tip of stem) and 1 1/2" wide.

My four year old sat next to me while I made this and told me all about Halloween, pumpkins, and things he's learned about at school. It was a sweet moment.

Maybe I'll be back later with talk of pretties!

Entrelac Heaven

I think I have an addiction to Entrelac knitting. I just can't get enough of it. I think part of the fascination is watching how the colors form in the tiny blocks. The other fascination is that it's so mathematically and tediously oriented. I'm having a blast with it.

The hat above is something I made to go with my Lady D scarf. It can either be worn as a skull cap or as a beret. It's REALLY cute when on, especially with both pieces together.

Here's a view from the side to see the brim:













I also started Lady Eleanor. I had a little of the Patons left from the hat and after finishing Lady D, I really really wanted to make Lady E. So off we go.

Here she is in the early stages:













I'm pretty happy with her so far. I'm still deciding whether I'll block her when she's done or not. Entrelac texture is SO pretty and blocking her would flatten the squares. We'll see.

Other that that, I've got another Booga on the needles, sock #2 in a pair for hubby, sock #1 in a pair for me, and a lacy scarf which I think will take me FOREVER to do. Oh and about a gazillion things that I want to make, all of which will have to wait. I'm going to be a good girl and finish these projects before starting something else.

Well, at least that's the plan. I probably won't stick to it, but I can at least write it.

Lady D is finished!

And she's modeled by my wonderful husband. He offered to model her. How cool is that?

I finished her a couple of days ago, but haven't had the chance to blog about her or photograph her. I was telling my hubby this morning about it, and he came up with the idea of photographing him wearing her. Works for me!

This was his favorite shot of the bunch. He's got beautiful eyes, hasn't he?













It was a total blast out there shooting these. We were being silly and funny and it was great.

As far as the scarf goes, I'm sure you want details, right?

Pattern: Danica, Knitty
Yarn: Patons SWS, Natural Earth - 4 skeins
Needles: Clover Bamboo, size 10 1/2 (6.5mm)
Started: September 19, 2006
Finished: October 15, 2006
Dimensions: 6" w x 87" l


And my favorite shot of the bunch. To all of you Grey's fans out there - doesn't he look a little like McDreamy in this shot? His hair's shorter, but the eyes and the smile?

Well, I think so.

Thanks again, baby, for modeling my scarf for me.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Happy Birthday to my husband!!

The. Best. Man. Ever.

I love you, babe.

New Address!!

Same great taste!

Er, well you get the point.

Anyway, since I'm doing a lot more than just crocheting lately, I thought my addy needed a change to represent this. Other than that, the blog is still the same, though.

Please update your bloglines and/or bookmarks!

New address: http://myyarns.blogspot.com/

I hope you continue to blogstalk me!

Sock Bag

Behold! My first knitted design.

It's a sock bag! For when you're out and about but still want to take your sock knitting with you, here's a great little bag in which to carry your sock yarn in and hang from your wrist.

This was a super easy design. It will eventually be felted... Just waiting for enough hot water to run it through a load.

The fibers I used were Classic Elite Renaissance (which is the darker purple) and a skein of hand-spun/hand-dyed wool that Brandy gifted me.

The drawstring, once felted, will be cut into two pieces and strung through the eyelets to work as a drawstring should.

I knitted this in the round on two circular needles. This was the first time I'd tried this technique.

Umm... maybe if I'd tried this before I'd gotten the hang of the Magic Loop, I probably would have liked it more. But as it was, I was wishing my circs were long enough to where I could just use the one set and do this Looper style instead.

But it worked, and that's all that counts.

Here's a look at the bottom decreases:













Pre-felting dimensions:
- bag: 6 3/4" w x 9 1/2" h
- drawstring: 54"

I'll be back with pics once it's felted!

---


It's done!

It turned exactly like I wanted it to! Success!

Post-felting dimensions:
- bag: 6" w x 7 1/2" h
- drawstring: 35"

The hand-spun/hand-dyed wool bled a little color in the wash - it's a bit more muted now, but I still like the way the two colors look together.

I'm not sure if anyone wants the pattern for this, but I'll put it on here anyway. :) Let me know if you try it - I'd love to see your sock bags!

AJ's Sock Bag:

Materials:
- Bulky weight wool yarn. The lighter purple was bulky weight and the darker purple was worsted weight. I held two strands of the darker purple together to make the weights similar.
- size 10 1/2 needles. (dpns, two circulars, magic loop - it's your choice, but you will be knitting in the round.)
- yarn needle
- stitch markers (if needed)

Cast on 48, join to knit in round.

Rounds 1 & 2: k2, p2 ribbing around.
Rounds 3 & 4: Stockinette stitch.
Round 5 (eyelet round): k6, yo, k2tog (this makes the eyelet hole), *k2, yo, k2tog* around.
Round 6 - 42 (or desired length): work stockinette stitch.

Decrease rounds:
Round 43: k6, k2tog around. (42 stitches on needles)
Round 44: k5, k2tog around. (36 stitches)
Round 45: k4, k2tog around. (30 stitches)
Round 46: k3, k2tog around. (24 stitches)
Round 47: k2, k2tog around. (18 stitches)
Round 48: k1, k2tog around. (12 stitches)
Round 49: k2tog around. (6 stitches)

If it isn't this way already, separate the stitches so there are 3 stitches each on 2 needles. Work kitchener stitch to graft together. Weave in ends.

Felt if desired.

And you're done!

** Keep in mind this pattern is untested, so if you find mistakes, let me know! **

*sigh*

I guess you really can't skip your birthday, no matter how much you want to.

Damn.











And look what my sister in law was sweet enough to bring over! She baked and decorated it herself... isn't it awesome?? Thanks so much, J!

Randomness

Not feeling much like blogging.

So I decided to just jot down some random thoughts that have been in my head today.

---

I like our new phone.

I need to get gas.

The song in my head is pissing me off.

My toe still hurts.

I need to get out soon to take Fall pictures before the leaves are gone.

I'm tired of waiting - just get it done.

My dog looks pathetic right now.

I love seeing my husband hold the hands of my sons.

Short row heels are fantastic.

It's cold outside today.

I'm thirsty.

I need to clean my camera lenses.

Oooh I like this song better.

Should we have the big down comforter on our bed tonight?

Mmmmm root beer is good.

My new socks are comfy.

Should I cut my hair?

Gosh, I haven't picked up a crochet hook in over a week.

I'm so glad I found the charger for my camera batteries.

It made me feel good yesterday when several people complimented my Booga Bag.

Lady D is coming along nicely, though I haven't worked on her in a couple of days.

I want to skip my birthday.

I wish my son's teacher would send me confirmation on whether or not I'm going on the field trip this Friday.

Will it rain on Wednesday?

I think I want to watch Father of the Bride 2.

My cello needs to go in for service.

My handwriting is atrocious today.

This song cracks me up.

Yellow is pretty.

Boys go through a lot of laundry.

That's the end?

Why?

Last night, as I was working on Lady D, I got to thinking about the why behind my knitting/crocheting. Not why did I start doing them, but why do I continue?

Maybe this question came up because I've got two children in the house under the age of 8 who love to ask why. Why this, why that, why anything. I don't know. Let's explore this, shall we?

I guess the big question is: Why do I keep coming back to my hooks and needles and all those glorious fibers?

My answer, to be brutally honest, is complex. Well, maybe not complex, just many.

- stress relief/relaxation
- something to do with my hands
- I like to create
- feeling of accomplishment
- enjoy trying new patterns/yarns
- thrill of the challenge in trying something new and difficult
- thrill of victory when new and difficult thing was a success

To address these, I'll start at the beginning. (Damn, I'm boring today.)

Stress relief/relaxation: This one's probably a no-brainer and I imagine it's a reason commonly shared among other yarnies. For me, when I first pick up the needles or hook and slide the yarn over it, I can feel stress fading away with each stitch that passes.

Something to do with my hands: I don't know about you, but I can never seem to keep my hands still. I guess because I've always enjoyed doing things with them. Whether it's drawing, writing, building model cars (yes, I used to do this. I was a tomboy, remember?), woodcarving, years and YEARS of Cello and Violin (someday soon I'll talk more about these), cross stitching, working with cameras, crocheting, or knitting, I've spent a great deal of my life working in some way or another with my hands.

I like to create: Oh yes. I'm a very artistic person. Creating is my thing. Music, art, photography, home accessories, whatever. I like to make stuff.

Feeling of accomplishment: You know that rush when you're weaving in that last end? Yea, that one. It's spectacular.

Enjoy trying new patterns/yarns: I really like seeing how patterns form. Along with being an artistic person, I'm extremely mathematically minded. Seeing the logic and formulas behind an intricate lace pattern or a beautiful color design intrigues and enchants me.

And, what IS it that they put in yarn fibers that make you have to go back to the store to buy more, even when you don't need any? Specifically because you could conceivably open your own store with your personal stash. Seriously.

Thrill of the challenge in trying something new and difficult: Ohhh yes. I love to challenge myself. I'm a very competitive person. Not only competing against other people, but actually more competitive against myself. How crazy it that? It's sad. My husband has learned to just look the other way.

Thrill of victory when new and difficult thing was a success: I'll actually parade around with said item proclaiming how awesome I am that I beat it.

No, I'm kidding.

Actually, I'm not. Yes. No. Yes. Um... I'm going to plead the 5th now.

So, lovely readers, what is it that makes YOU keep going back to your hooks and/or needles and yarns for more?

Stripey Goodness!

Weeee!!

I. Love. The. Magic. Loop.

Love it. Love it. LOVE IT.

The second sock? Knit within 24 hours. Cast on yesterday morning. Knit to the toe decreases last night. Did toe decreases and grafting this morning. Awesome.

These were knit with Lion Brand Magic Stripes sock yarn in Lumber Jack Black on 24" size 4 circular needles.













I decided to do the toes differently this time. Instead of doing even decreases on both sides resulting in a squared off toe, I decreased more angularly in the shape of my toes.













Look at that beautiful short row heel! I love this technique.


Hubby said they remind him of The Cat in the Hat. Which is fine with me - I loved him when I was little.

I think I'll call them Seuss Socks.

My Socktoberfest socks: pair 1.

Woohoo!

Sock History

I can't believe it's now five days into October and I've forgotten to blog about being a part of Socktoberfest. What a slacker I am.

Anyway, I joined up in this in the last week or two in September. My how it's grown since then!! There are almost 1700 participants!!

Yesterday, Lolly posted a sock history questionairre. Brandy answered hers this morning - click to go see it!

So here goes:

• When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

I started about a month ago. I taught myself - just jumped right in with a pattern I found.

• What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
  

My first pair were made with Patons SWS in Natural Earth using the Easy Worsted Weight Socks pattern. They've held up pretty well over the last few weeks since finishing them.

• What would you have done differently?

So many things!!

1 - Magic Loop instead of dpns
2 - Made the leg longer
3 - Short Row heel instead of heel flap and gussets
4 - Done the toe decreases about 2 rounds later

• What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

Well, they've all been different yarns so far. But I'm really enjoying working with the sock weight yarn right now.

• Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

I have knitted mine. My first two pairs I worked with dpns. The third pair I started with dpns but I transferred it to Magic Loop once I started the fourth pair using that method and found how much easier it was.

• Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

Short Row. OMG, yes. Short Row. Refer to Dear John Letter post below for my feelings about the heel flap and gussets.

• How many pairs have you made?

Two are complete. Pair three is in the beginning stages of the first sock. Pair four is 70% done with the first sock complete and the second sock nearing the heel. (See photo above.)

YAY Socktoberfest!

A Dear John Letter

Dear Double Pointed Needles, Heel Flaps, and Gussets,

It is with a heavy heart that I bid you adieu. You served me well in the making of four socks and I shall look upon those socks with bittersweet memories and never forget our times together.

But it's over.

No no... nothing you can say will make me come back. It's just not going to work out between us.

Alas, I have found new and better methods for sock knitting: The Magic Loop*and the Short Row Heel*.

Please try to understand.

Dpns, in your case, you hindered me. You slowed me down. I know now it's just your way of getting me to hang on to you a little longer. Literally. I imagine I'll see you from time to time in other projects, but we will never have that special bond through sock knitting again.

The Magic Loop allows me to go much faster. MUCH faster. I appreciate this. This method and I are simpatico. I can see we will have a happy life together speedily knitting socks. How joyous.

Heel flaps, gussets... as for you, I just don't like you. I don't like the look of you, I don't like your construction, and I don't like how many times you've left holes and I've had to go through and sew them up. No matter how many stitches I picked up, you still left holes. It's over between us. Utterly and completely over.

The Short Row Heel is a much better fit for me. It's quick, it's super easy, it looks nicer, it feels nicer when walked upon, and most importantly, it doesn't leave any holes.

So goodbye, dpns, heel flaps, and gussets. I know you will make other sock knitters very happy.

Me

*videos of these are both available on knittinghelp.com.

A Puzzle!

Custom Quizilla! Game

I saw a Quizilla Photo Puzzle over at Schell's blog this morning and thought I'd make one, too. What fun!

Hope you enjoy it. :)

Booooooooooga!!

And here it is!!

I would have posted earlier when it was finished but Beta Blogger was having ... issues.

Anyway, here's my 2nd Booga Bag!

With, er, a twist.

I had these gorgeous skeins of wool that I bought a while back and thought I would make a Halloween themed Booga.

It turned out really well, I think!

For the top "leafy" area, I joined the green, and then followed the Base Triangles from the Entrelac Scarf pattern I'm knitting. It turned out exactly how I wanted it to!

After felting the bag in the washer, I needle felted the face onto it. That was SO fun! I had never needle felted INTO fabric before and it was a LOT easier than I'd thought.

My original idea for this was to make it into a Halloween purse for myself. I mean, how cute would it be to carry one of these all month just for the hell of it? I could totally put up with the stares from people. But now I'm wondering if it would be better served as a bag for trick-or-treating? I don't know. I have two boys and only one bag. That would require making another one. And I don't think the Older Boy would really want to carry something he knew started off as a purse.


Pre-felting:
- 10 1/2" w x 15" h (to the tip of the green triangle)
- i-cord 42"













Post-felting:
- 8" w x 8 1/2" h
- i-cord 35"

I used a different tool to make the i-cord this time. This one had 6 "legs" on it instead of only 4 like my Knitting Knobby. I like this one better as it makes a more rounded i-cord, but it does take longer!!




And here's a close up of the bag so you can see the texture of the fabric and the needle felted face.

Did I mention I LOVE Halloween? I will so be carrying this.

Song & Dance pt 2

Happily I needle felt
Needle felt
Needle felt
Happily I needle felt
And now I'm almost done.

Song & Dance

Happily I felt along
Felt along
Felt along
Happily I felt along
To have a brand new purse.

I was Kidnapped!

Remember this little guy? Brandy got him a few weeks ago and offered to send him here for my boys.

Ok. I got the package the day before yesterday with a BUNCH of pattern books that she sent, too. Thank you so much! I can't wait to try some of them. (But that's a story for another post.)

Anyway, McDevil (that's what I'm calling him - and anyone who watches Grey's will understand that little endearment) is evil. He kidnapped me this morning and made me take him to the park.













First he tried the teeter totter, but there was no one to totter with.













Then the swings. He wouldn't let me push him, so he just kind of sat there. Sad, really.













The Monkey Bar Dome was cool, but aren't you supposed to hang upside down? Like this?













Much better.


Then there was the slide. Now he really seemed to like this.














But after all that sliding he wanted to take a break.


























So he sat on this turtle. I think they developed a special bond, though. He was there a while. Better not run up my phone bill.













Then he thought it would be funny to play hide and seek. Took me a while to find him in this telescope.


But the things that really interested him most were the "rock" climbing walls.














He climbed this one...
















And this one...
















And this one. He got pretty high on this one, and then....















Ouch.

After he fell, I decided that was enough. I told him one more time down a slide and we were going and if he didn't like that he could waddle his own way home.










So yea. He's happy now, I guess. Next time I hope he kidnaps the hubby and makes him take him on a bike ride.

And Now For Something A Little Different...

Today we have a guest blogger! It's my hubby!

A little background info: He commutes by bicycle to work a couple of times a week.

Here's his story:


The Adventures in Commuting with Wisconsin Johnson


















Wisconsin Johnson outside the Tunnel of Terror.

Cue the Indiana Jones theme...

A rural road in Wisconsin, just outside the coast of Lake Michigan. 07:53 am

Our intrepid commuter looks down at his watch as he enters the secret pathway to the temple of money. Realizing he is almost two miles away with the unstoppable clock ticking, tick, tick, tick, he quickens his pace only to be greeted with a small cramp. Grimacing as he pushes through the pain he notices that the path has become overrun with the dirt of contractors.

The evil contractors have only begun placing the dirt along the secret path, when it should have been done sooner. Not only that, but the dirt is starting to cake the slick tires of the unprepared commuter. Our hero is now faced with the pain and dirt but continues to quicken his pace. If he does not reach the temple by 8:00 am horrible consequences will be bestowed upon him by the evil temple keepers. A short lunch, maybe even staying until 5:05 pm is on the horizon. Our commuter steels himself to the thought of staying late and then having the arduous trek back through the uphill 8.5 mile gauntlet.

Without warning he enters the overhead tunnel of trees. What was once hard dirt has turned into soft mud. Mud begins to splatter off his tires, onto his bag, arms, everything. Even worse, his speed is dropping; all the while the clock is still ticking. After a short time in the mud our hero realized his traction is gone. The smallest error and he will fall, maybe badly. Increasing his hold on the handlebars, he searches for a way out. No luck, the closest exit is still 50 yards off. He pushes harder to maintain speed and control slowing a little as he nears the exit onto the road. No good, there is a truck coming and to merge at this speed with the mud could leave our hero in the road on his butt with a truck bearing down. He looks ahead to the next exit. It's another 20 yards down.

Before he can reach the exit, his head is rattled by a sudden blow. A rock and mud missile has flown off the tire to strike his helmet. The bike swerves from side to side as the fearless commuter tries to work the mud off his tires. It's no good, though. The mud is caked on and will fly off at will. Can he reach the safety of the road with its mud free surface?

This time fate is on the side of the commuter. He reaches the exit to find the road clear on both sides. Once safely in the road he accelerates with everything he has left. Flying through the last mile becomes safer as the secret path is longer than the lazy contractor's mud. Stealing onto the path he can safely pump his way to the temple.














Our beleaguered hero inside the Tunnel Of Terror.

Time and falling become his only obstacles as he nears the temple. Ahead his co-worker has entered the parking lot. He looks down, less than a minute to go with a short amount still to push. Pedaling hard while maintaining control of the mud-caked bike isn't easy, but our hero is up to the task. He enters the temple with 20 seconds to spare. He can now have his lunch, and leave at the proper time...

Bombastic Booga

My Booga Bag is finished!! I absolutely love it!

This pattern FLEW by. Literally. The most time consuming thing was picking up the stitches along the bottom of the bag. Other than that, it knitted up quickly.

I used the JoAnn's Sensations Bellezza Collection Dolcetto yarn for it, which I showed in this post. The colors I used (in order from top down) were lime, peach, yellow, blue, and purple.

A close up of the bag before it was felted:













If you've seen this pattern and thought about doing it but haven't yet, I highly suggest it! It's a fun little bag.

The wool I used is actually a blend that does felt, but pretty thinly. It actually shrunk up more than I'd expected first time through the washer.

Dimensions:

PRE-FELTING:
- unfolded - 10 1/2" w x 12 1/2" h
- folded (with the indents for the straps) - 9 1/2" w x 11 1/2" h
- i-cord - 51"













POST-FELTING:
- unfolded - 8 1/2" w x 7" h
- folded - 7 1/2" w x 6 1/2" h
- i-cord - 36"


If I had it to do all over again (and I know I'll make this bag again), I'd make it a bit taller since felting makes it shrink more in height than in width. I'd also make the i-cord maybe a foot or so longer.

So my 2nd felting process went as well as the first one did.

I'm a happy girl today!