Happy Halloween!(turn your sound on after you click "done"...)
Off to finish homework, then knitknitknitknitknitknit..
NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow-oh goody!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
I Should Be Knitting Right Now...
But I can't.As you can see, I'm getting along with my sock. Not as far as I'd like, but I'm getting there.
"Why aren't you knitting right now, then?" you might ask. Well, it's because of this:
A) Get more dpn, or
B) Find the lost dpn
Unfortunatly, Option B isn't possible, as I lost the needle at school, somewhere. Guess it's a trip to Michaels for me!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
End Of (UF)October Rush
I only just realized yesterday that the end of October is in a week-and I don't have my socks done yet!
(That would be my second sock-cast on this morning!)
So I'll be knitting like crazy to try and get one more WIP in the FO pile before this cool game called UFOctober is over.
I am also working on my exception for UFOcober, my blanket. This is how far I am on spinning the first third of my roving:
The color is a bit brighter than that...but you get the idea.
I'm hoping to get all of the spinning for my project done by the end of this year, then actually do the knitting bit next year-think I can make it?
The really observant of you readers can see I have a new button on my sidebar for some strange thing called NaNoWriMo. November is National Novel Writing Month. The challenge? Try to write a 50,000 word novel just in the month of November-no later, and no earlier. The cool people over there have this website where you can keep track of the number of words you have done, meet other people who are working under the same self-imposed stress as you are. I'm gonna try and do it, so if my posts get more erratic and less often than they usually are, that's why.
I have been planning my story (which is allowed before November starts, thank goodness), and it's turning out pretty good. I can't wait for October to end so I can start it for real!
But first, I should really get that sock done.....
(That would be my second sock-cast on this morning!)So I'll be knitting like crazy to try and get one more WIP in the FO pile before this cool game called UFOctober is over.
I am also working on my exception for UFOcober, my blanket. This is how far I am on spinning the first third of my roving:
The color is a bit brighter than that...but you get the idea.I'm hoping to get all of the spinning for my project done by the end of this year, then actually do the knitting bit next year-think I can make it?
The really observant of you readers can see I have a new button on my sidebar for some strange thing called NaNoWriMo. November is National Novel Writing Month. The challenge? Try to write a 50,000 word novel just in the month of November-no later, and no earlier. The cool people over there have this website where you can keep track of the number of words you have done, meet other people who are working under the same self-imposed stress as you are. I'm gonna try and do it, so if my posts get more erratic and less often than they usually are, that's why.
I have been planning my story (which is allowed before November starts, thank goodness), and it's turning out pretty good. I can't wait for October to end so I can start it for real!
But first, I should really get that sock done.....
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Yes, I Am Alive (Part 2)
WARNING: VERY LONG POST!!
Hello, everyone. I couldn't find the cable that lets the camera talk to the computer-turns out it was on a shelf, right where it is supposed to be when it's not in use. Who'da thunk that?
A library friend of mine asked me to do a review for her blog, and I agreed. You can peek over there and say hello, if you want.
Today, we'll discuss my dyeing venture-I used McCormic blue food coloring, but didn't quite keep track of how many drops I put in-I do have a general recipe I tried to go by, though. (Inspiration from Knitty's Color To Dye For by Julie Theaker--I didn't completely follow her instructions) The wool is superwash from The Fold.
I first divided the 1lb roving into 5 1/3 skeins.
For the first third, I let it soak for about 15 minutes in water and 1/3 cup of vinegar. I then transferred it to an aluminum pot, covered it almost completely in water, and put the heat on the stove at medium. I then mixed my dye.
Dye Recipe:
1) In a plastic cup, pour 2/3 cup of water
2) Put 8 drops of food coloring into the cup
3) Microwave for about 15 seconds, or until the temperature of the dye is around 120 degrees
I then poured the heated mixture over the heating roving, trying to be relatively even. I used around 4 of these mixtures, moving the roving around with the end of a cooking thermometer to make sure I didn't miss any parts.
However, I ended up with deep blue spots (below), which isn't necessarily bad, just not what I expected.
I let it "cook" for about an hour, then let it cool till it I could hold it.
After squeezing out all of the water, rinsing the extra dye out, and hanging it up to dry for a night , I had a blue speckled roving!
The fiber had kinda matted together, so I predrafted it before I began to spin it.
For the second third, I let it soak like before, but without the vinegar, and just for 10 minutes or so. I also added 4 or 5 drops of food coloring to the water before I put the roving in the soak. I then let it cook for longer than an hour, and with only 2-3 helpings of the poured dye. The roving was so hot, I let it cool overnight, then squeezed out all of the water, rinsing the extra dye out, and hung it up to dry the next night. The result?
A 100% pale blue roving! The roving is more the color of the above photo than the below.
When it came to the matting factor, I had the same problem with the second roving as the first. There is an obvious difference between the dried just-out-of-the-dye roving (right part of your screen) and its predrafted counterpart (left).
Well, I'm done rambling for now.
¡Buenas noches y hasta luego!
Hello, everyone. I couldn't find the cable that lets the camera talk to the computer-turns out it was on a shelf, right where it is supposed to be when it's not in use. Who'da thunk that?
A library friend of mine asked me to do a review for her blog, and I agreed. You can peek over there and say hello, if you want.
Today, we'll discuss my dyeing venture-I used McCormic blue food coloring, but didn't quite keep track of how many drops I put in-I do have a general recipe I tried to go by, though. (Inspiration from Knitty's Color To Dye For by Julie Theaker--I didn't completely follow her instructions) The wool is superwash from The Fold.
I first divided the 1lb roving into 5 1/3 skeins.For the first third, I let it soak for about 15 minutes in water and 1/3 cup of vinegar. I then transferred it to an aluminum pot, covered it almost completely in water, and put the heat on the stove at medium. I then mixed my dye.
Dye Recipe:
1) In a plastic cup, pour 2/3 cup of water
2) Put 8 drops of food coloring into the cup
3) Microwave for about 15 seconds, or until the temperature of the dye is around 120 degrees
I then poured the heated mixture over the heating roving, trying to be relatively even. I used around 4 of these mixtures, moving the roving around with the end of a cooking thermometer to make sure I didn't miss any parts.
However, I ended up with deep blue spots (below), which isn't necessarily bad, just not what I expected.
I let it "cook" for about an hour, then let it cool till it I could hold it.After squeezing out all of the water, rinsing the extra dye out, and hanging it up to dry for a night , I had a blue speckled roving!
The fiber had kinda matted together, so I predrafted it before I began to spin it.
For the second third, I let it soak like before, but without the vinegar, and just for 10 minutes or so. I also added 4 or 5 drops of food coloring to the water before I put the roving in the soak. I then let it cook for longer than an hour, and with only 2-3 helpings of the poured dye. The roving was so hot, I let it cool overnight, then squeezed out all of the water, rinsing the extra dye out, and hung it up to dry the next night. The result?
A 100% pale blue roving! The roving is more the color of the above photo than the below.
When it came to the matting factor, I had the same problem with the second roving as the first. There is an obvious difference between the dried just-out-of-the-dye roving (right part of your screen) and its predrafted counterpart (left).Well, I'm done rambling for now.
¡Buenas noches y hasta luego!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Tries and Retries
I got a pound of superwash which I am planning on dyeing for my blanket/shawl thingy! Unfortunately, Blogger isn't happy with me right now, so you'll just have to imagine a picture of a pound of white superwash roving, divided into thirds.
(Yes, we got to the fiber store on Saturday, this isn't some part of my stash I haven't told you about...) I'm planning on dyeing it with food coloring today and tomorrow, and spin some of it on Saturday at my 4-H meeting. We're going to have an hour to work on our projects for next year-whew! We barely have time for breath in between years!
Now, before everyone starts wagging fingers at me for starting a project when it's supposed to be UFOctober and all, this is going to be my ONLY exception. I want a little break from my *wonderful* super-secret presents.
I did finish the second super-secret present, but through some freak of nature, one half of the present (which is supposed to look exactly like the other half) is significantly smaller. Why I didn't notice this as I was knitting it, don't ask me. I think it might have had something to do with the fact that I tried to take some twist out of the yarn before I knitted the second half, thereby making that half thinner and shorter. Whoops!
Well, perhaps Blogger will let me post some pictures of my dyeing tomorrow!
(Yes, we got to the fiber store on Saturday, this isn't some part of my stash I haven't told you about...) I'm planning on dyeing it with food coloring today and tomorrow, and spin some of it on Saturday at my 4-H meeting. We're going to have an hour to work on our projects for next year-whew! We barely have time for breath in between years!
Now, before everyone starts wagging fingers at me for starting a project when it's supposed to be UFOctober and all, this is going to be my ONLY exception. I want a little break from my *wonderful* super-secret presents.
I did finish the second super-secret present, but through some freak of nature, one half of the present (which is supposed to look exactly like the other half) is significantly smaller. Why I didn't notice this as I was knitting it, don't ask me. I think it might have had something to do with the fact that I tried to take some twist out of the yarn before I knitted the second half, thereby making that half thinner and shorter. Whoops!
Well, perhaps Blogger will let me post some pictures of my dyeing tomorrow!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Yes, I Am Alive...
And yes, I have been knitting. Unfourtunatley, it's nothing blog-allowable. I'm close to finishing the 2nd super-secret project, so I will soon have knitting to be able to show you!
In the meantime...
I have been doing a bit of spinning! The white is some wool I did during a spinning demonstration at this museum fall party. The orangey-red is, as all of you recognise, from Mom's scarf. I have some extra silk, so I figure I can make a skein of 50% wool, 50% silk.
Obviously I have a ways to go on the silk-it's a bit harder to take a spinning wheel to school, and with the craziness after school, I don't really have time to spin--I'm lucky to have this much done! I guess this is another UFO I can work on!
4 tests/quizzes tomorrow--oh goody!
Monday, October 08, 2007
UFOcober, Day 8
I have another WIP going into the FO pile!
Unfortunately, it's one of those "super secret" gifts-and now, I'm working on a second "super secret" gift, using the same pattern, different yarn. (I'm considering my "super secret" gifts WIP, because I have already bought the yarn and I want to have them done soon so that I don't have to worry about not getting them done..)
I also would like to finish my socks.
My plan? I'll let myself start working on my second sock after the second "super secret" project is done.
I realise that on my knitting to-do list I have my blanket before finishing the socks, but I currently don't have the roving to dye or spin, so I'm in limbo for that project. In UFOcober it's my exception, and starting it in earnest will be my reward after all of my WIP are done.
I seem to use the carrot-in-front-of-head tactic quite often...
Now if you excuse me, I am off to study--and after that, I can sit in the rocking chair, listen to a new book tape and knit!
Unfortunately, it's one of those "super secret" gifts-and now, I'm working on a second "super secret" gift, using the same pattern, different yarn. (I'm considering my "super secret" gifts WIP, because I have already bought the yarn and I want to have them done soon so that I don't have to worry about not getting them done..)
I also would like to finish my socks.
My plan? I'll let myself start working on my second sock after the second "super secret" project is done.
I realise that on my knitting to-do list I have my blanket before finishing the socks, but I currently don't have the roving to dye or spin, so I'm in limbo for that project. In UFOcober it's my exception, and starting it in earnest will be my reward after all of my WIP are done.
I seem to use the carrot-in-front-of-head tactic quite often...
Now if you excuse me, I am off to study--and after that, I can sit in the rocking chair, listen to a new book tape and knit!
Saturday, October 06, 2007
A FO!
Yep!I have something actually done!
True, it's done before #2 is finished (my super-secret presents for my close friends), but at least I have something to cross off my list, especially since I've joined Heather T's UFOctober!
Neat button, yes?I am not sure how to add this to my sidebar, so if anyone has tips, I'm all ears! (UPDATE: I now have UFOctober on my sidebar! Thanks Janet!)
The pattern I ended up picking was doing the "fire" design for 20 inches, regular garter stitch for 17 inches, then the "fire" design again for another 20 inches. It turned out to be the perfect length to either throw around your shoulder, or folding it in half and feeding the two ends through the hole you end up with (does that make sense? I hope I'm not confusing anyone-I'll have pictures of the "styles" I'm talking about soon!)
Meanwhile, we've been cleaning up the old stasharoo here at Spin, Knit, Purl and be Happy-it's been tough, but I've been giving up a lot of yarn-acrylic, itchy stuff mostly, but hey, it's yarn, and it's been mine, at least for a while... :-(
I was surprised at the number of bitty little balls I have collected over the years. Dad had a big plastic tub that used to hold pretzels, so we're collecting all of the balls in there, as it's fun to look at each ball and remember the project it was used for...
I hope it's not weird how I have kept the little strings, some not even a foot long (that little yellow ball in the middle is one of them). Any one else out there who does this?!
While some people may hoard pictures or write in a journal to remember what they've done and what they were thinking, I have little balls of yarn. They remind me of the projects I have done, which I guess you could say gives me a little encouragement.
Come on, don't tell me you wouldn't feel good about yourself if you put all your mini balls of yarn into one place and you saw you had enough leftover yarn from completed projects to practically fill a pretzel jar. I'm sure you'd be as proud as I am now.I'm willing to bet some of you have already done this!
(please? someone? anyone?)
Monday, October 01, 2007
Ravelry Really Is a Black Hole
-but a good black hole. One that's filled with yarn and friends.
Well, I got half of my homework done Friday before I succumbed to my curiosity. Then, about 500 clicks later, it was time for bed. Ravelry is like a MySpace (which I am not, and will ever be, affiliated to)for knitters, crocheters, spinners and dyers. I absolutely love it!
I am in a group for Teen Knitters-simply wonderful! It's so good to know there are people my age who are as crazy about yarn as I am. (Hi Sarah!)
I have a question for those "in the know.."
How do you interface your blog into your "About Me" page? I have teenspinyarn.blogspot.com/ in the little box that says URL, but I don't have anything in the RSS feed box, and I'm not sure what I should put in there...Any ideas?
Meanwhile, in the actual-knitting department...
I'm still stitching away on Mom's Phoenix Tears scarf. I didn't find the proper yarn for the "feathery" part, so I'm just going with the silk.
You can see on the left where the fire part ends and the garter stitch bit begins. There is also a much redder part right where I'm knitting. It seems I spun some parts with more white than others, which is making a sort of stripey effect. Neat!
I think I might change the pattern so that there's a fire part on both sides, and a garter-stitch strip in the middle. I just can't imagine my mom with lots of frills and fuzzy stuff on her accessories. She doesn't wear style scarves much anymore. I've seen pictures of her when she was in her teens/just out of college, and she wore a lot of simple, smooth scarves. I sorta want this scarf to go with that theme.
Off to post on Ravelry!
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