so much yarn... so little time!

30.10.07

winnah!

I hope there were no doubters among the faithful. Yesterday I finished up the 63-more square afghan! Yay me!


I arranged it to my liking and went to take a picture, only to be thwarted by the lack of functioning batteries. Which is why there is no picture of it gracing this post.

Instead, I give you pictures of the tote I did for my purse/tote swap partner, referenced a couple posts below. First pic involves the separate pieces, the second pic has the assembled pre-felted object, and the last pic has the finished beast. Yarn was Paton's Merino, pattern was a modified one (from LionBrand's website if I remember aright), and I can't remember what hook I used. Lol. Figures, right? It's written down in my notebook though, so if I remember, I'll find the note and post it here.

pieces


pre-felted tote felted tote

18.10.07

revisited

No crochet pics today. I'm still slogging through the squares for the 63 More squares booklet. It has languished long enough, and will be done by October 31. This is my pledge to you. :)




Instead, behold the kumihimo!

I posted a picture a few months ago of a kumihimo loom that I was learning to use. Remember the friendship bracelets that were all the craze about 20 years ago? I thought I was so cool, doing those during lunch hours, and wearing them until they turned into ragged, ratty, bits of embroidery floss... Kinda miss those days...
But back to the now. Above is the loom, with a work in progress (4 bobbins, a counter-weight, and a chopstick to keep things in order when I take the pauses). A four-stranded braid made from size 10 crochet cotton. A small amount of thread makes an amazingly long braid. Apparently, in times gone by, kumihimos were used by the Japanese to make the intricate braiding found on kimono and other clothing.
As of this posting, thet braid has been finished. Finally! Lol. Working with the kumihimo is soothing, but it took a long time to finish the bobbins. When I get my projects back down to a manageable number, I plan to attempt a more complex braiding.

Oh, and lest you think I was rambling with the friendship bracelet comment above, that is one thing that the braiding can be used for. Since I have no kimono. :D

4.10.07

autumn purse/tote swap

It was more fabulous than I was ready for! *dance of joy*

Celestial Seasonings teas are some of my favorites from my childhood on. Especially the fruit ones. And since I've been feeling under the weather for a bit, the Echinacea tea is perfect.


I've been wanting to try Drops yarn, specifically the Ice type, for at least a few months, and green is one of my preferred colors. I really enjoy working with cotton too.


My partner sent me a frog. A frog! A green one!! *sob* I love it!


And there was knitting paraphenalia included too. Needle protectors for the win! I have no clue how to use the knit counters, but daggone it I'll find out. They are too cute for me not to use them. :-)


Last and most beautifully, the tote! Ahhh the tote...


Words fail me... It is beautiful. It is wonderful. It is what I would have picked if I had known what I wanted. This is what I wanted. The little frog closures were an excellent choice!

My partner is the best ever. Theresa, you rock! And your felting skills have me in utter awe.

3.10.07

another hobby



A fiber colleague taught me to spin using a drop spindle, and at the end of the lesson gifted me with a bag of roving so I could practise. Perhaps she knew that left to my own devices, I'd forget everything she took the time to demonstrate. A wise woman for sure.

And so I practise. I find it soothing, to drop spin. Plus, it's almost like magic having the cloud-like bits of roving turn into something that I can wrap around a hook.