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SubscriptionsSites I Read
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| We have some new blogs and new posts thereon that we want to share.
My 6yo daughter is writing for paganpages.org.
Check out her work blog at: http//thefaeryprincessballerina.blogspot.com
As always, my own art journaling blog is flying:
http://theknittingjourneymanwapprentices.blogspot.com
Our writing group's blog, with new articles humming along:
http://madcatrants.blogpsot.com
As well as my own business blog:
http://ariannareibia.blogspot.com
One blog currently being revamped and probably empty at this point:
http://beckthompson.blogspot.com
And one currently in production:
http://theraveninthewritingdeskgroup.wordpress.com
So drop by at one and all and have a gander and let us all know what you think.
THANKS!! | | |
| http://theknittingjourneymanwapprentices.blogspot.com/
Somehow I managed to lose the post where I explained what drove me to this new blog--and all the other little tidbits associated there with--so here you go again. 
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| http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Blissfully_Art_Journaling/
Have to say great things about this new group I joined today (see above)-- I am very excited to be working on so many artistic and creative endeavours of late. I so forgot about that part of myself (and so many others as well) while I was married and involved -- and now I am just really working on getting me out there--I highly recommend this group. Right now it is small--it just started in Jan of this year-but from my experience with it (thus far) it is really cool--very open creatively.
On to knitting things....maybe
I frogged out my sock the other day--I was 3 inches from being done with it, then I decided I wanted that yarn for a different project and pulled it all out. My sock was doing quite well and was all according to pattern and lovely and as perfect as could be. There was nothing wrong with it at all. But I frogged it all out, rewound the yarn, and then didn't use it for the project I had intended to use it for--mostly because although I wrote out a pattern for what I want I had absolutely no desire to pick up needles and yarn and --do it.
I did start myself a poncho--with my seashore red heart baby econo doubled stranded with that weird gleaming white from caron simply soft--and I made it maybe 10 inches into the first panel--then decided today--it is not a poncho--it's a knit tote bag so I can carry my notebooks/etc in since I seem to be in relative need of such things.
These days--I REALLY miss my sewing machine--and am very eager now to tackle my serger.
My amazon order came in today--soulcollage was there--it is here--in pristine (not really--there is actually a dark black scuff mark as if it were dirt along the top edge of the pages--nice for new, eh? )--and my dd is SO thrilled with her learn to draw books--so thrilled and so excited that I went to the library and borrowed a whole bunch more of them for her on various subjects. Really must get her the learn to draw mermaids and princesses ones now--she is in utter heaven.
So--there I am at the library--with just stacks of books and books on cd and dvds and everything else under the sun, waiting to check out, when lo and behold I had gotten to the library before they had a chance to call me to tell me a couple more of the books I'd requested had come in--guess what--they FINALLY got soulcollage in--today. Isn't that hunky frakkin' dory? lol
Well, if nothing else, it is a sign I really do need to pursue this avenue. I even combed the internet tonight to offers for free magazines--just so I would have more collage material--and I did put up a blurb in the local freecycle requesting magazines for an art project--so who knows what may come?
I have paused on my sister's very round blanket--for right now. I have even paused on my poncho/tote bag. Such things right now seem too complex for me. I usually do not keep more than 1-2 projects going at a time--but right now I have 3 (down from 5). I started last night with a wish/dream doll. I am using the bliss's dolly pattern from this site (found through knittingpatterncentral.com of course):
http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/toys/dolly.htm
I am using different sized needles though. I won't explain why it is a dream/wish doll right now. Don't want to blow away the magic, so to speak. But thus far, I am very happy with her and am making the progress I want to make with her. I could be working more/faster-but am choosing not to right now--for some reason beyond my control at the moment. I jsut don't really WANT to knit--so lethargic--must be the moon--or something.....then I pick up the needles and just fly along.
While at the library, while pouring through the kids books on drawing and cooking and art and dance and music, I came upon some knitting books--each of the 2 I deigned to borrow have a doll pattern in them--which is why I got them. I will report back on them at a later date--as the 1st one I went through once home with my hoard I was most displeased about--something about the fact the pictures of the kids 'knitting' were all wrong--the yarn was on the opposite end of the needle, far far from where the little girl was supposedly working--ticked me off. More on that later.
Full moon. Lunar eclipse. I've had an emotional upheaval sort of day--on top of which I am now thoroughly exhausted. I have a bunch of phone calls to make tomorrow. I have a whole bunch of research online to do tomorrow. And I have a smart alecky little 6yo who is stubbourn about doing her work--even though she's good at it.
FYI--I like xanga and all--but I feel sort of restricted by it--so I may have to --find a different set of restrictions to place upon myself--as in I have been thinking about moving my blog over to blogger--or to wherever--especially now that I am getting so involved in other outlets--and so is my daughter. I will let you know for certain once i decided for certain, ok?
Other than that, pray for me and mine--as I pray for you and yours.
And as my sister pointed out this evening--just think--we get a new president in November, don't we?
Look at it this way--at least he hasn't nuked his own country yet.
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|  | Currently Watching
Half Light
By Demi Moore, James Cosmo, Ceit Kearney, Hans Matheson, Jamie Edgell
see related |
Ok--this library has got to go.
As if Knitting Around was not bad enough--today I got Debbie New's book--Unexpected Knitting.
Here are the things I have long wanted to do--and the things that made me put down the needles and pick up the hook in order to learn--because I didn't think you could KNIT like that--only crochet. Thank goodness I have been proven wrong.
Wonder if she needs an assistant?
I want to move to Wales and/or Ireland anyway....why not London and Canada? To travel with her (according to the blurb in the back of the book ).....
Anyway--day before yesterday--cast on for my pi r squared shawl--nothing big.
Denies interchangeable issues occurred.
I started out on a pair of fixed circular needles, size 9US. But as I continued, I needed to switch to something with a longer cord. Hence the Denise. One of my 9s doesn't click in properly when I join it to the cord anymore. Result? Mid row the needle came off for no real good reason--I managed to pick up all the stitches--thankfully.
So--I have no fixed circs with long enough cords--I have to keep going on the Denise. Do I panic?
No. I had a choice--do I stick on a 8 in place of the 9--or do I go with a 10? I went with a 10.
I was very happy with my fabric using 9s. I was not overjoyed with it with the 9/10 combo.
Having said this--let me say--this is my first pi r 2 shawl--so I was working it all in garter stitch, using red red caron simply soft (to die for really for a number of reasons--although I would prefer --wool but so long as it is red I am happy--beggars and choosers and all that ).
Next point--I was doing it wrong anyway. On the yo, K1 across rows--I for some reason--despite the schematic in the book, despite the clear and lovely pictures of completed shawls in the book, was doing it wrong. I got caught up in the first increase row of having exactly 16 stitches in between the diagonal increases--and I put markers there to designate the inner 16 st--so instead of increasing all the way across the row--I was only increasing in the center of the row. Which was fine and did not look all that bad--and I was planning to thread a white ribbon or something through the slots--since I figured out what I was doing wrong about 10 rows after the 3rd increase row -- you know -- where I'd be coming to the final increase row soon and the end of the shawl not long after that.
Then, somewhere and somehow, after knitting perfectly for 3 days, I screwed up a diagonal increase--I do not know how--but on one row the holes did not line up--so I tried to fix it--the next row--did the same thing--different side. I cannot fathom HOW--but I did it. Two skeins of yarn into the thing, not that far from the end of the second skein, all those hours of work, and it did look nice too--I frogged out the entire thing, all the way out, all the way back into a nicely rolled up ball of yarn. WEll, it was just a couple of neat skeins of yarn prior to this--now they are both just one big ball.
I tried to re-cast on tonight, after breathing and flipping through my new interweave knitting mag--but I made it into it about 9 rows and decided, no, I want to stop right now--so I did.
What did I learn?
When I get about $70 free and clear I am buying a set of knitpicks options interchangeables and damn the rest. I am now addicted to the ease of metal needles and the nice sharp pointy points. Yarn slides so much nicer on metal than the way it seems to grip and stick to plastic. Even the grip-i-ness of my bamboo needles seems so much smoother and nicer than the plastic. I don't know what it is.
Plus--I have to send that one lone 9 back to Denise to get a new one. I need that puppy. Not that Denise is not terrific. They have awesome customer service, and the one time I had an issue with my cables the turn around was incredibly fast--and friendly. I just want my 9s as a pair, that's all.
Ok--my next pi r 2 shawl. Same yarn. Was thinking of enlarging the cast on--but not really sure why. So, probably won't do it.
Will cast on using the original fixed circulars, size 9US, and will use them til there are too many stitches on the needle.
Then I will switch to the Denise--where I will use a 9 and an 8 this time. I like the denser firmer fabric, what can I say? A huge change from my usual 15US usage, let me tell you.
On the major increase rows I won't use a yo inc--I will use the EZ M1 inc (backward loop), except on the diagonal increase. I was also contemplating the fake YOs as I near the end, to control the front panels from overhanging too much. But I won't be sure of that til we get there. And I was also thinking of adding some short rows in the body of the shawl to lengthen the back, but can't quite figure out where or how I want to do that yet--so I am thinking I will knit this version plain and then work it out for the next one.
My pi r 2 shawl after this one I want to use a lace pattern -- but right now for some reason I really want a dense and firm shawl, a warm thing--so close are we to winter, right? It's 95 degrees outside, in the dark, in the shade. And there is this whole RED thing going on. May be my desire to make offerings to the Gods Isis and Osirus -- or something. But for Her I would prefer myself an azure blue--but my desire is for red--bright happy bloody red. And hey--I have the yarn.
I had to frog my dd's bsj--I could not for the life of me maintain the stitch count--can't figure out why--I was counting every stitch every row- constantly checking and re-checking. So that too was frogged.
I want to do it again--this time with one strand of yarn instead of two. I am thinking my Denise needles may at this time be holding me back. Not that I am trying to say bad things about Denise--that's not it. I love my Denise needles. BUT I have grown as a knitter--and I need to move into something that works for me now. Will I get rid of my Denise needles? No way--I still love them. It's just that right now, I need something else. On down the line, who's to say I won't need my Denises again? Not to mention, my dd loves them too. So sharing can be a good thing as well.
The ex is not being forthcoming with the ds's measurements--so I am at a loss. Do I work off the model of my dd--who is way thinner? Or do I try to nag the needed things from him? He says one thing--does another. The pattern of our entire relationship and one reason I have never been able to trust him. But I did stay, no didn't I? The one before him was much much worse--and look how long I stayed there....
2
Oh well. It will come around--and when it does--it's going to hurt him far more than he ever tried to hurt me. And he'll be unable to lay all the blame at my door for once to boot. I hope it isn't wrong to be waiting for that.
Anyway, I have alot of dolls and toys I need to knit for bdays and whatnot--and I have 0 desire to knit toys and dolls and stuff. I want to knit shawls and scarves and deeply warm fluffy hats. And sweaters, for the kids, for me. I want a bog jacket. I would love to make my dd a bog jacket, only one with the little kids gathered back--she'd love that.
Wish someone had told me to start with KA by EZ, rather than starting with KWT. KA makes much more sense--and she has things much closer to actual patterns (as in the line by line kind ) that make SO much more sense to me.
I am going to copy a couple patterns from Debbie New's book to work on--but mostly I want to copy some of the pictures of her gallery shots--so I can look at them and know it can be done. It will probably be awhile before I can buy this book--but oh my gosh--it is worth it--just for the pictures. See, I knew you could knit in a spiral. Some of the things in her book do not have patterns--like the sea shells--I would love to knit those up--so much time and attention to detail. But just gorgeous. Alot of what I tried to read tonight, whilst drooling over the pictures, didn't make much sense to me--math. I may have to right it down and try working it out later on. Anything mathematics involved makes my brain quiver.
But I think I have figured out the ASJ formula--I think.
So if I can do that-after so long af trying-maybe working out the stuff Debbie was trying to get across won't be so difficult.
We'll have to see.
More to come.
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| I am beginning to dislike it when the library calls and tells me another book I requested has come in. Today--it was Home Knits by Suss Cousins. Now--you all know by now I love Suss--but I was leery of buying this book lest it be a mish mash of various pillows and yucky rugs, or weird lamp shades or something--just not useful to me stuff.
WELL--now, having never removed it from my gotta buy list, I am very close to just buying it outright right now--even though I am trying to restrain myself til we get our house....
it does have rugs--it does have lamp shades--it does have pillows--but they are all very very cool.
It has a knitted canopy--coasters, napkin rings, placemats--even a gorgeous kimono style bathrobe--for adults and for children!
It has tons of stuff--which to me all seem very simple and forth right. There is even a bed-sized blanket--and a shawl--and a throw. So many things. I love it.
Now I even have to go hunt up some other home knits books : Hand Knits for the Home: 20+ Designs for Stylish Interiors by Caroline Birkett (half price books has it for roughly $4) AND Knit: Handmade Style (Handmade Style (Thunder Bay Press)) by Janine Flew. Have seen them both in person and dearly love them both.
Gosh--what a pain this library thing is turning into, eh?
*****FREE PATTERN STARTS HERE*****
Here's a project for you, free pattern and all. A gesture of thanks to all those who give me so many creative ideas and patterns for free online. Bless you for all your hard work.
Pictures will have to wait til tomorrow or the next day--mostly cause I am just so tired right now.
I call this one my Little Ginny Bag.
This pattern is really just a mistake on my part. I was trying to knit up a tote bag, as in something to stick my school books and notebooks in. The intent was to have something about 18 in wide and 14 inches tall, with a flap.
So I pulled out originally 3 different red heart super saver yarns, all in different but coordinating colours. Then I decided the one is meant to be a shawl or some sort of gift like that. So I put it back.
I kept a khaki green colour (never had a label-I am just guessing it's red heart super saver) and a vareigated shade called watercolour--which is mostly creams and green with purples run through.
Both yarns are held together as 1 throughout this project. I used an 11 US needle.
My gauge was 3 st per 1 in. It came out to be nearly 20 in wide when I finished it up.
Cast on in multiples of 8.
I actually did multiples of 8+2--but then found out the +2 is just unnecessary.
I cast on 66 stitches.
Always slip the first stitch of every row.
Then begin pattern.
Row 1: Sl1, P1, K6--repeat across to last st, then P1
Row 2: Sl1, K1, P6, repeat across to last st, then K1
repeat these two rows for a good bit
roughly 12-14 inches--but the choice is yours
I knit mine til I could lay it on its side and fold up one section for the body of the purse, and fold down one section as the outside flap of the purse while having plenty of room inside the purse to actually carry useful things. Which means yes, this bag is knit sideways.
As I knit this thing, #1 it was too wide--but I figured hey what the heck--it's not THAT much wider than I want it to be and #2 I didn't want to frog it because then I would have to talk to people around me and participate in inept conversation I wanted no part of anyway. After 5 rows, I was already grumbling about how I was going to use one strand next time for the tote.
I had to stop knitting it as a tote because my hands and wrists were hurting so much. I worked on this all day off and on, not really steady at all. I really am going to have to give up and work on my continental knitting--but on top of this right now--my hands and my skin all over are really just super sensitive--and everything is bothering me lately. I was working with 100% wool the other day and was overwhelmed so much so by the sensation of it on my hands i had to stop--I haven't been able to pick it back up yet. Usually cheap acrylic does that to me quite frequently. Maybe I can blame the weather or something. I can't be sure.
ANYWAY. You have this bit of fabric all knit up. Cast off loosely--this will be one side of your purse. Your cast on edge is the other side.
Make sure you have a good length, so you have plenty of room in your purse, for whatever you want to stick in it. Fold up your sides (pull bottom edge up to roughly halfway up the entire piece, to form the body of the purse). Make sure your flap is long enough, the whole thing. Make sure your purse is as wide as you want it too. You can add more or less, depending on how you want your bag. I folded my fabric up before casting off to make sure everything was as it should be. Circular needles are great for things like this.
With wrong sides facing out (right sides together) sew the side seams of your purse.
Then decide what sort of handle you want. I crocheted the 2 yarns held as 1 into a long chain--and then twisted the chain in on itself til it was a fairly firm (and much shorter, roughly 10 inches) strap. I sewed the ends of the strap onto the either side of the bag.
Now--my edges were pretty firm when I was done, but I didn't much care for the way the edges looked--even with having slipped the first st of every row. So I did 2 rows of single crochet with a 4 mm hook on the inside edge. With a 5.5mm hook I worked 3 rows of single crochet along the flap edge. With this I only used one strand of the vareigated. It looks very nice. And the crochet gave me a nice place to use as a button hole. So I have to sew a button on and the bag will be done.
I put tassels on either side of the single crochet on the front flap--I am planning to add a couple beads or something to make it pop. I don't know why I wanted fringe there--I just did. It's not overmuch--and I think the beads will make the bag kind of kicky when I am done. Just need to pick out a button and then coordinate the beads.
There you have it--a sweet little sideways knit bag.
Funny thing about all this is I really needed a small purse just to carry my wallet and checkbook and small notebook in--I had been thinking of working up another of my own designs--after I work on my sister's blanket of course. But decided I wanted to get that ribbing for that tote worked out right. Well, I now have the ribbing worked out--and I have this cool little bag as well.
Until next time--
Peace.....
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