In addition to being an isolated fiber junkie (there's not a LYS within 50 miles of my house!), I'm also a bit of a bargain hunter. As a direct result of this combination, I often find myself purchasing my fiber-related supplies from eBay.
Currently, I'm waiting for my niddy-noddy and three sets of bamboo circs. The circs will take a while, since they're coming from China. The niddy-noddy should be here in a few days. Meanwhile, I'm going crazy waiting for it.
I'm waiting to hank up my pretty recycled yarn and un-crinkle it. Dammit. :|
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Recycled
So, as of about ten seconds ago, I officially finished frogging my first "recycled" sweater. My thumb aches from wrapping yarn around it all weekend into center-pull balls, but it's worth it not to have my precious harvest all tangled up. I ended up with four good-sized center-pull eggs (my hand-wound yarn balls always end up egg-shaped for some reason), one medium-sized ball, three small balls and two teeny tiny ones, along with a fistful of waste yarn (strands that broke, strands that were part of weird shaping spots and strands from teh segment I had to cut out because there was an embroidered logo that I just couldn't pluck out).
When my niddy-noddy gets here, I'm gonna hank it all up and de-ramenify it. Then, it will become an October is for Spinners scarf.
My next victim will be the blue merino, now that I have a seam ripper and a clue.
As for knitting, once I get my recycled yarn tucked away for the night, I'm going to ball up my gorgeous Miss Piggy sock yarn from Wild Hare Fiber Studio tonight so I can cast on for Sunday Swing Socks. I think the pattern is just busy enough to keep the knitting interesting while not overwhelming the handpainted yarn.
All in all, today has been a good fiber day for me. :)
When my niddy-noddy gets here, I'm gonna hank it all up and de-ramenify it. Then, it will become an October is for Spinners scarf.
My next victim will be the blue merino, now that I have a seam ripper and a clue.
As for knitting, once I get my recycled yarn tucked away for the night, I'm going to ball up my gorgeous Miss Piggy sock yarn from Wild Hare Fiber Studio tonight so I can cast on for Sunday Swing Socks. I think the pattern is just busy enough to keep the knitting interesting while not overwhelming the handpainted yarn.
All in all, today has been a good fiber day for me. :)
Friday, June 24, 2011
Indecision
Since finishing my last project, my gorgeous but slightly-incorrect BlackRose Socks, I've been unable to decide what I want to knit next. I have a bunch of yarn in my stash and a ton of patterns in my Ravelry queue, but nothing seems to tickle my fancy enough to pick up the sticks and go to it.
Is it knitter's block?
Whatever this thing is that's causing me to stop dead in my tracks before I even cast on a project, it's making me fucking cranky and I don't like it.
Meanwhile, I ordered a pretty little niddy-noddy today for very, very little money. Don't worry, Hubby. I'll find somewhere to put it. :P
Is it knitter's block?
Whatever this thing is that's causing me to stop dead in my tracks before I even cast on a project, it's making me fucking cranky and I don't like it.
Meanwhile, I ordered a pretty little niddy-noddy today for very, very little money. Don't worry, Hubby. I'll find somewhere to put it. :P
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Unraveling...
I mentioned in yesterday's post that I had taken up an interest in "reclaiming" or "recycling" yarn from old sweaters. Today, I began that journey for the first time.
I went to my local Goodwill and raided the sweater racks, examining fiber contents and seams before plucking my sacrificial sweaters. I ended up coming home with four. Two 100% cashmere, one 100% merino and one merino/angora rabbit blend. Most of them are teeny, tiny laceweight affairs, but the merino/angora blend is a little heftier, probably closer to fingering.
I started off trying to disassemble the 100% merino because it has a gorgeous colorway and I have a project in mind for it. Bad idea for your first go-round, I think, because it was really, really hard to find the "unzippy bits" for the seams. So I switched, after about an hour's frustration, to the merino/angora. It's also beautiful, and incredibly soft.
In the last two hours, I've managed to break it down into panels and now I'm planning on frogging away on one of the sleeves tomorrow night. I'm super excited to get started on it. I'll hopefully be able to post pics of the panels tomorrow and the WIP as well. :)
I went to my local Goodwill and raided the sweater racks, examining fiber contents and seams before plucking my sacrificial sweaters. I ended up coming home with four. Two 100% cashmere, one 100% merino and one merino/angora rabbit blend. Most of them are teeny, tiny laceweight affairs, but the merino/angora blend is a little heftier, probably closer to fingering.
I started off trying to disassemble the 100% merino because it has a gorgeous colorway and I have a project in mind for it. Bad idea for your first go-round, I think, because it was really, really hard to find the "unzippy bits" for the seams. So I switched, after about an hour's frustration, to the merino/angora. It's also beautiful, and incredibly soft.
In the last two hours, I've managed to break it down into panels and now I'm planning on frogging away on one of the sleeves tomorrow night. I'm super excited to get started on it. I'll hopefully be able to post pics of the panels tomorrow and the WIP as well. :)
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Addiction
Before I go into my little ramble, I just want to make mention of how horrible I've been at updating this thing. Not that anyone reads it or anything, but just in case someone's watching... My apologies.
Now onto the post...
Kristie is my partner in crafty crime. We've been friends since we were like, 13. We've been through thick and thin, hell and high water, and every craft from craft lacing lanyards to duct tape clothing together. To make a long story short, we really like to make stuff.
Kristie got me hooked on crochet a long time ago, so in return, I got her hooked on knitting.
Now she's paid me back for it. We went to Carolina Fiber Fest together last month, and as a direct result of all we learned and all we did, I am completely and utterly besotted by all sorts of different facets of fiber art, though the most notable new one is spinning.
I'm a full-fledged fiber junkie. I'm learning to spin on a drop spindle, which is both harder and easier than I ever would have imagined. I've learned the very basics of wheel spinning, which I prefer because it's just sooooo soothing. I've played very briefly with needle felting. I'm researching dyeing and handpainting.
I may have to remodel the storage shed into a fiber studio before too long if this continues. Otherwise, Hubby may lose his mind. Lol.
Now onto the post...
Kristie is my partner in crafty crime. We've been friends since we were like, 13. We've been through thick and thin, hell and high water, and every craft from craft lacing lanyards to duct tape clothing together. To make a long story short, we really like to make stuff.
Kristie got me hooked on crochet a long time ago, so in return, I got her hooked on knitting.
Now she's paid me back for it. We went to Carolina Fiber Fest together last month, and as a direct result of all we learned and all we did, I am completely and utterly besotted by all sorts of different facets of fiber art, though the most notable new one is spinning.
I'm a full-fledged fiber junkie. I'm learning to spin on a drop spindle, which is both harder and easier than I ever would have imagined. I've learned the very basics of wheel spinning, which I prefer because it's just sooooo soothing. I've played very briefly with needle felting. I'm researching dyeing and handpainting.
I may have to remodel the storage shed into a fiber studio before too long if this continues. Otherwise, Hubby may lose his mind. Lol.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)