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28
Aug 2010

Baby Surprise Jacket

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I took a lot of knitting when we went on vacation and had lots of fun knitting and also doing a bit of yarn shopping.  As for knitting, I took several projects but the real project was the EZ Baby Surprise Jacket.  If you’ve never made one, go and run to get the pattern, some needles and some yarn and give it a try.  It’s an addictive pattern and you have to sort of have blind faith that it all work out and turn into an actual garment when you’re done.  and, one row adds after the other and it grows and grows and you just can’t put it down.  It works with all kinds of different yarns but it really is attractive with handspun……… I’m already plotting for several more with one of them that will be made from some handspun that softly shifts from a dark to a light tone of the same colour family.

So, here is my first finished baby surprise jacket and believe me, there will be more.  I don’t think I’ll have the patience to do the adult version but I’m looking forward to other small ones!!

EZ Baby Surprise Jacket - Handspun Yarn

I finished it off with the cutest little heart buttons that I had at home.  I did run out of handspun and I had just shy of 300 yards, knitted on 4mm needles so I’m thinking I need a bit more next time.  I did go out and find the lovely coordinating commercial yarn to finish it off and it actually finished it off so nicely that I might always finish it off with a solid colour…….. don’t you think?

Category: Finished Projects, Knitting, Spinning  Tags: , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
03
Jun 2010

Lazy Blogger

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I’ve been a lazy blogger over here at the old Creative Corner Blog but that doesn’t mean I’ve been lazy.  I’ve been spending a lot of time getting my Creations by Uli web site for my chainmaille jewelry off the ground.

Go take a peek: Creations by Uli

There’s still lots of work to be done.  I’m slowly building the gallery and some pages of interest to those who like my jewelry and also links for those who want to learn more about creating chainmaille.

Tell me if you like it…… my normal tendencies toward purple have totally shifted (I’m still a purple girl) and I’ve gone for crisp white with bright orange.  I love the look.  I can’t wear orange but it sure feels happy and cheerful to me for the site.

Well, instead of getting ready for Fab Fair which is a show I’m participating in this weekend, I’ve been playing with the template for this blog.  I think I love this template.  I think I’ll feel at home here as I try to write more.  June might be a bit hit and miss though because I think I might have slightly over committed.  Feels like I’ll be running from one thing to the next constantly.

Most interesting in the last little while is a dyeing workshop I’ve been participating in.  I will try to blog more about it this weekend.  We have one more session left to go but the first 2 sessions were fabulous.  Hard work but the results were so worth it.

Tonight I’m leaving off with my most recent handspun – some silky cashmerino from Fluff Fibers on Etsy.

It was a great spin and the result is yummy soft and fluffiness.

Currently on the wheel is some BFL/Silk from AllspunUp and today, I bought a bit more (just a tiny little bit) of the Fishy SAL that Kirsten from AllSpunUp is running.  What an undertaking!!!!  The fibre will all be Polwarth – such yumminess.  I’ve been so good about NOT buying any fibre but this past week has brought me to my knees again.  Let’s just say that there will be a few lovely packages in the mailbox soon.

It’s late and I must go but I’ll be back soon with more details about my dyeing experience!!!  A new hobby you may wonder?  Well, let’s just say I have a whole newfound respect for those who dye up all this gorgeousness for us spinners and knitters.

I’m in a Pro-D day all day tomorrow.  I’m hoping that I can sneak out my sock knitting project and just plug away at my current sock while I listen – all day long…. I MUST knit.

Category: Knitting, Sock Knitting, Spinning, Stash and Supply Shopping  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment
05
Apr 2010

I have so much to catch up on

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it’s insane!!!  How could I be so blog lazy for so long???  Did the Ravelympics take everything out of me?  Well, I don’t know but I think part of it is that there is so much going on that the blog always gets the least attention.

I guess I’ll start way back when and go in little spurts untilI catch up……..

After the Ravelympics were done, the first thing I did was finish a pair of handspun socks with some gorgeous handspun from Crown Mountain Fibres.  This had been sitting in my stash for a bit but socks seemed like the thing to cast on.  They were a great knit:

Socks and Fingerless Mittens

Knitted on 2.5 mm Hiya Hiya stainless steel needles (my recent most favourite needles) and just my basic top down sock pattern.  The yarn was the gorgoues SW Merino in She’s Like a Rainbow – 3 plied.  I had quite a bit left when I was done so I decided on a quick pair of fingerless mittens.  I love the set!!!

It’s Easter Monday.  We had a lovely long weekend and I’m cherishing that today is another day off for us.  I’m trying to get all kinds of creative things done around here including some chainmailleing, some picture taking, some weaving, some knitting and some spinning.  My current project on the wheel is some super soft baby camel/silk which is a pure pleasure to spin. 

I will try to keep the updates coming over the next few days!!!!

Category: Finished Projects, Knitting, Sock Knitting, Spinning  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment
27
Feb 2010

Two More Rows

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I’m really loving that there is a wireless network to connect to while I spend two hours at the dance studio while I wait for the little Miss. Oh yes, I think I didn’t mention that I got an iPhone for my birthday last week. I wanted one so badly but really can live without one so it was a great surprise and much as I expected, I love it.

This morning I lined up at the ungodly hour of 6:20 am to participate in the awesome annual customer appreciation Sal at the fabulous 88 Stitches. Thanks to Sue and all her stuff (including the hubby ). You guys are awesome!!! I will flash my stash on Ravelry but let’s just say a bunch of lovelies came home with me, mostly Noro. I like it for weaving.

And, as the Olympics wind down, I still have hope to finish my project. I have two more rows to knit. Those will get done in the next hour, here at the dance studio. Blocking right after and maybe it will be dry by tomorrow for its photoshoot!!!!! I Believe…..yes I can do it.

Category: Ravelympics, Spinning  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment
08
Feb 2010

The Torch

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No matter who people around her may feel about the Winter Olympics and whether you approve or disapprove, the show is going to happen.   There are things I don’t necessarily agree with but in the end, it’s here and I think it’s pretty exciting and now that it’s here, all the effort might as well be enjoyed.

Today, the torch relay came through our work complex.  Our local weater man happened to be the torch bearer and I was right at the torch switch off point.

Olympic Torch Relay

It was a pretty cool experience and I was so pleased that we had such great weather and that it was as easy as stepping out of the office for just a short little while.

I finished a pair of gloves this weekend.  I love them!!!  The pattern is called Knotty Gloves and I enjoyed knitting them very, very much.

I used a fabulous SW Merino/Alpaca blend handspun.  I think this handspun was my very first 3-ply.  It’s not cold enough for gloves and I have the feeling that we might not get cold enough weather any more to wear gloves but as long as I keep them safe from Sam, I’ll have a fabulous, toasty pair of gloves for next winter.  I could highly recommend this pattern.  I love my handspun gloves but I also might make a pair with the few skeins of STR that I have kicking around.

Knotty Gloves

Having some Fun

Ravelympics Update!!!  After seeing the torch today, I am so ready.  I am trying to estimate how long my 5 oz bump of merino/bamboo/nylon will take me to spin.  I’m planning to spin the singles so I end up with a nice 2-ply heavy fingering weight yarn.  Not too heavy because I want the yardage for Multnomah but not so fine that I’ll be spinning forever.  Time is of the essence.  To get ready, I am just finishing up some Finn from Crown Mountain Farm’s February Fibre club shipment.  Once I finish that, I will leave the wheel empty until it’s Olympic ceremony time on Friday.  I might give Bugsie a good oiling before then and off we go.  I think if I can have all the spinning done by early the next week, I have a fighting chance to get it done!!!  GO TEAM Manicpurl GO!!!

Off to spin away at the Finn now.  I had tap tonight and my legs are screaming.  Even the treadling hurts………. ouch……. but it was oh so much fun!!!

Category: Just Babbling, Knitting, Ravelympics, Spinning  Tags: , , , , ,  3 Comments
01
Feb 2010

A NewSpinning Experience

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Recently, I participated in another SAL (spin along) with All Spun Up.  I haven’t missed on of her SAL’s yet.  This time the fibre was totally different to me as it was Wensleydale.  The colours were absolutely amazing.  Aptly named “Blaze”, the fibre seemed like it was on fire with its rich shades of reds and oranges.  Wensleydale is a very long stapled fibre and also more coarse than anything I’ve spun before.  I went with the majority in the group and attempted a slowly spun, low twist, light weight single.  I spun on the lowest ratio that I have for my wheel at the time and did a short draw technique.  Going slow is a challenge for me but I did it.  The finished fibre is fabulous.  I can’t wait to knit it up…. might even cast something on tonight.  If I do, I’ll let you know what I decided to do with it.

Blaze Wensleydale

My other spin was the January fibre for the Crown Mountain Farms fibre club.  This one was Falkland – a fibre I know and love – in some amazing colours.  I decided to do a slightly heavier navajo plied yarn and I think I was rather successful.  This one screams mittens to me.

Awakenings - Falkland

On another note, I can’t believe it’s February today.  I’m blogging instead of getting everything ready for work and school – aka kids lunches etc.  so I’d better get going.

Category: Spinning  One Comment
17
Jan 2010

Knitting with Handspun

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It feels so good……. I’ve been finishing some stuff!!!

I finished knitting my handspun Lacy Baktus scarf.  I really truly enjoyed this pattern.  It’s a quick knit and although, it looks fabulous in commercial yarn, I loved the fact that it looks equally fabulous in handspun yarn.  The yarn I used was my first ever low twist single ply yarn.  I had my doubts whether it was even a knittable yarn once I had soaked and slightly felted it but alas……. the pattern lent itself perfectly to this yarn.

Here are some finished object shots.  I didn’t measure the dimensions but it worked out very nicely.  I think I had around 400 yards or handspun, maybe a little bit more.

Handspun Lacy Baktus

Lacy Baktus in a Bush

And in a fit of finishing, I finally finished this gorgeous pair of handspun ribbed socks made from a fabulous merino/bamboo/nylon blend.  They were a super quick knit because I knit them on 3 mm needles as my navajo plied yarn came out a bit thicker than fingering – probably a heavier sportweight.  I love the colours and how they turned out.  The fibre came from Fat Cat Knits.

4 by 2 Ribbed Handspun Socks - Spring is Calling

There’s something to be said about socks that are a little bit heavier weight.  They are not great in shoes but they sure knit up super quickly.  I did those toe-up on two circs.  You may teach and old dog new tricks, yet.  I do admit though that even in a toe-up sock, I’d rather knit a gusset style heel.

That brings me to spinning and knitting and the upcoming Ravelympics.  Having the Olympics so close to home, inspires me too make sure I participate in the Ravelympics.  The idea of the Ravelympics is to pick a project that will challenge you.  I know I could easily knit a Multnomah during the duration of the Games but I figured my challenge would be to spin for and then knit this beautiful little shawl.  I have now made a decision on the fibre and it will be this gorgeous blue SW Merino/Bamboo/Nylon blend that I just received from the lovely Julie of Julie Spins.

The official day to start is during the opening ceremonies of the Games.  I can’t do much until then but train.  As my training I’m thinking I might try and take a similar fibre and see if I could succeed at a low twist single because if I can, that’s what I’d like to spin for this shawl.  If not, I’ll go to my standard 2-ply because I know i can do that, almost in my sleep.  Mind you, having talked about training, there are a lot of other fibres I’d like to spin like my Crown Mountain Farms January and February fibre club shipments and some other beauties.

But anyways, come back and watch my progress during the Olympics.  As a preview, here’s the fibre I have chosen:

Ravelympics Fibre - SW Merino/Bamboo/Nylon

Today was JR’s forth birthday.  If you’ve been around for a while, reading my blog, back in its old,old home, you’ll remember the stresses around his preemie arrival and then 2 years later his surgery and difficult recovery.  Now, he’s my big 4-year old boy….. it’s hard to believe how fast time flies!!!

Lipstick Boy - Happy Birthday Bud!!!

Category: Kidlets, Knitting, Ravelympics, Sock Knitting, Spinning  Tags: , , , , ,  2 Comments
29
Dec 2009

Singles…… the Single Ply Yarn Kind

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I’ve been wanting to spin up a skein of singly ply yarn in some time.  I’ve not quite had the guts to try it though.  I would grab some fibre from my extensive stash and say – “this time I’ll try” – and then I’d go take a look at the fibre and I’d love it so much that I just didn’t want to use it as an experiment.  I didn’t want to use this particular braid of fibre as an experiment either but I decided that I’d never learn if I didn’t just jump in.

Here is my result of my first attempt:

My first attempt at a singly ply yarn

Detail of the Yarn

All Wound Up

In the end, I still have a bit of a curly yarn so I must have added a bit too much twist.  I used my slowest ratio on the ladybug and set it for a fairly aggressive uptake and tried to go slowly.  When it had its bath, I was quite aggressive with it and I (on purpose) fulled it slightly.  At first I was worried that the strands felted together so that I wouldn’t be able to skein it but, as you see in the bottom picture, I got a fairly nice looking centre pull ball out of it.  Well, what to do now???  All I can do is try to see how it knits up so that’s the perfect excuse for starting something new and I’m going to cast on for a Lacy Baktus shortly.  Stay tuned………. I will evaluate this spinning result once I get a few inches knitted.

Now, I’m trying to decide whether this was it into my foray of exploring spinning single ply yarns or if I should give it another chance.  I’m not disappointed in my result but I know it’s not perfect.  I’m wondering if spinning something like a tencel blend into a single might work well?  I’d love to see how it would work with the sheen in the yarn.  But then, maybe it might fall apart too easily??  Hmm…. I guess I can only try, eh?

The other thing I took off the drying rack today was some gorgeous Falkland from All Sun Up.  It was the November/December spin-along fibre and I love the result.  This was a typical spin for me.  2-ply – nice and thick and squooshy soft.  I love to spin the thinner fingering/sport weight yarns but there certainly is some satisfaction in spinning up a more bulky yarn.  This one is destined for a gorgeous hat of sorts.  I think I have a pattern in mind….. we’ll see.

Category: Spinning  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
26
Dec 2009

Boxing Day At Home

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Christmas was lovely.  It was busy but great to spend time with family.  I always think that throwing on the turkey and a few side dishes is no big deal (especially when others are contributing to the meal) and then, I still always end up spending all day in the kitchen and exhausted by the end.  I love it though!!!  Everyone had a great old time and the kids were smothered in presents.  I tried hard to get over the sting of not getting the much wished for iphone.  Santa didn’t quite come through although I understand he sort of tried.  There is this thing where the cell phone companies treat you better if you’re a new customer, giving you better deals than they treat their long time customers who have never switched service providers and have been loyal for over 12 years of cell phone ownership.  Something is wrong there in that business plan or marketing strategy…… and if it’s not the busienss plan or marketing strategy then it’s just plain wrong to treat loyalty by saying ‘well, you’re under contract and not a new customer so you have to pay a whole bunch more than if you were a new customer’.  So, it was not to be.  It’s a bit WANT not a NEED so I’m getting over it and I guess I will wait until around this time next year when my contract expires.

For Boxing Day I tend to vote for staying at home.  I figure I’ll still get some deals if I do my shopping during Boxing Week.  Santa was generous with sending down some much appreciated cash to allow me to go shopping for some clothes, shoes and maybe even boots.  We ended up not totally staying at home and went out to buy JR a big boy bed.  We had the headboard and the bed frame already (used to be mine) so all we needed was the twin mattress and box spring.  And hey…. how convenient that we have a truck now…… made it easy to haul them home – right there on the spot.  The little guy had a little nap in his new bed this afternoon:

A Little Nap in My new Bed

And finally, today, although not much got accomplished……. I got sucked into the vortex of the time sucking machine called a laptop computer…. I managed to take some pictures of my most recent handspun skeins:

Bananas BFL - Fibre from Yummy Yarns

Sport Weight Merino/Silk - Fibre from Julie Spins

Bulky 2-ply Wool - Aurelia Wool

I have two more skeins of yarn on bobbins waiting to be skeined, soaked and dried.  Among those is my first attempt at a single ply yarn.  We’ll see how it turned out.  Maybe I’ll get around to winding it up and setting the twist tomorrow.

I’m about to put some Falkland on the wheel to make a new winter hat for JR.  I would like to get to some weaving tomorrow, as well.  I’m so pleased that I have all of next week off.  Girlie has asked me to take her for some “girlie things” – she wants to go to the mall with me to go clothes shopping…….. and so it starts……. even an eccentric dresser who comes off more like a tomboy will eventually be drawn to the lure of the mall and the clothes it holds. 

Enjoy the rest of the holiday season, especially if you are lucky enough to have the time off to rejuvenate and re-energize.

Category: Kidlets, Spinning  Leave a Comment
22
Dec 2009

Christmas Vacation

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I’ve waited for this day for a while…….. Christmas vacation………. as of 4 pm today, we are all on Christmas vacation.  I’m very ready for 12 days away from it all.

Aside from the fact that it’s Christmas and we do lots of family stuff, I have so many things in my head that I want to get accomplished.  I have very lofty goals.  But hey, reach for the stars, right?

So here’s what I’m thinking.  I’ll come back to compare at the end of this time off to see how far I got.

I am starting my break tomorrow morning with a trip to my favourite LYS (88 Stitches).   I have it in my head that I will start King of Confidence and so I’m planning on getting the commercial yarn for the body tomorrow.  I’d like it to be in the blacks or greys and then I’d like to spin some Crown Mountain Farms SW Merino in the Black Magic Woman colourway.  I will take my bump of fibre with me so I can figure out what colourway might work.  I’m almost thinking that a dark brown might also be an option for the body.  I’ll keep an open mind.  So, if knitting a cardigan isn’t enough for the holidays, I’ll also be trying to spin the yarn for the yoke of this cardigan.  I do realize that I will start this project.  I don’t think I’ll be able to finish it.  That would be a huge accomplishment.

I would also love to knit some Thorpes from handspun (which I haven’t spun yet) for the kids and am thinking that a Lacy Baktus would also make a great project for some handspun.  Then there’s that urge to try my hand at a Multnomah shawl.  I’ve also had some gorgeous, gorgeous red Malabrigo sock in my stash for a while and the Nutkin Fingerless Mittens are screaming at me.  And last but not least, for about a year, I’ve been wanting to make the Knotty Gloves.  And here I sit, with dreams of what could be, knowing I can’t get it all done but it’s fun to just think and re-visit the possibilities.   Aside from the yarn I’m about to buy for the cardigan, I need to spend no money on any of the above because my stash is generously endowed and I have all the yarns necessary to play with any and/or all of these patterns.

I also need to get back to my loom.  I need to pull out my current weaving project, a plain weave scarf and see if it can be resurrected.  I’m hoping that I can just re-tension it all and keep on going.  When I get that scarf off the loom, I’d like to try my hand at some “mug rugs” using cotton carpet warp and cotton quilting fabric strips.  Those should work up quickly and if they work out well, next up, I will try some placemats in the same style.

I would also like to work on product photography for my shops, taking pictures of all the things that I haven’t listed yet and there are many.  Along with photography for the shop, I’m also playing with a loftier goal and that is a Project 365 blog.  I really want to improve my photography skills and so I would like to post one picture a day for a year.  My project 365 will not be totally true to the daily thing because I may work ahead and the daily picture may not necessarily have been taken on the day it is posted.  I’m currently working on setting up a photo blog for that and am playing with the options.  Watch this space for a link right around the end of the year.

Jewelry…… of course, I MUST do some chainmaille weaving over the holidays.  I have 2 lovely custom pieces to work on.  They will be lovely, yet the work on them will be very, very repetitive so I’m going to do my best to add an inch or two every day so it doesn’t beomce too much all at one time.

If that isn’t all, my craft room really, really needs to be re-organized.  There are no more excuses.  There’s lots to be done around the house.  I really want to spend some quality time with the kids (and the kids come above all the other projects and lofty goals).  If the kids want to have a cuddle in front of a movie hour, then they’ll get that from me.  Oh, and did I mention the basement?  Oh yes, the basement reno…… the carpet will be installed on January 20th so between now and then, we have to get the walls primed and painted and some of the other flooring installed.  Now, my job in most of this is to just make sure that hubby can get down there to work while I chill with the kids and keep them entertained and occupied.

Lofty goals, yes, I know………… I realize that I won’t get all of this stuff done.  Probably not even 2% of what I’ve set out to do.  But I love the possibilities.  They make me happy.  It doesn’t stress me that I jump into it with both feet full well knowing that I won’t get it all done.  If I can get one project done, I’ll be happy!!!  In the end, it’s about taking time to be away from the the day-to-day responsibilities of fixing lunch bags, ironing work shirts, driving kids to daycare, going to work and all that daily grind.

Category: Just Babbling, Knitting, Spinning, Weaving  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
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