proefrocks

Piggy problems

debra — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:34:09 +0000

ACK!! I finished Boo’s piggy last night only to discover this morning that I know why he looks silly. The pig looks silly, not Boo. When I looked through the gallery of pigs some were round like a sphere and some were more elongated. I wondered why they looked so different. Then I crocheted my first one, I think it was round, completely round but it was my first real crochet project that wasn’t a nylon scrubbie thing. This time I made the elongated one by following the pattern exactly and was so frustrated. I diligently sewed all the appendages on very tightly so Boo couldn’t rip them off, ever, until he knows how to use scissors. I put it in his collection of amigurimies and left it. This morning I picked it up and figured out why some of us have elongated pigs and some are spheres while we all crochet it properly. Piggies are longer on the sides and rounder on the front/back. I sewed everything on wrong. His ears are on his back, his tail is in the middle of his belly and he has feet on his butt. Oops.

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Post tags: amigurimi, crochet, toy

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Inventory of projects

debra — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:06:28 +0000

September is WIP Wrestle, so I’ll be tackling all my works in progress. Admittedly, I have done a fairly good job since the last time I wrestled with them so my sticks are fairly empty. I have more “want to starts” than I have actually in process.

Currently on my sticks:

Amigurimi animals for Boo-crochet
Plushie-intarsia knit
Jellybean socks-two at a time toe up

Once I finish those, I’ll tackle my holiday crafting. In theory I have plenty of time between now and my tentative completion date to complete the following:

For Boo
Top secret gift knittingx2
Boo’s Secret Elf gift
My Secret Elf gift
For me

homespun sweater

2 pairs of socks

If my hands still work after that list, I also would like to complete:

Purse
tennis ball frog
Spinning, lots and lots of spinning

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WWSIPD

debra — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:25:51 +0000

I’ve participated in two spindle swaps this summer. I swapped with a lady in Singapore this time. Here is the latest swap for World Wide Spin in Public Day, which this year is September 18th.

From the top left clockwise: (a) Note set with stickers, envelopes and paper (b)Four green and black 100% Jacob batts totaling a bit less than 4oz (c)Two spindles-the one in front is 1.2 oz maple and walnut from A Spinner’s Lair and the one in back is an oak disc. Both fit into the cute drawstring bag underneath (d)Winter edition of Spin-Off, a golden bear with movable joints and a decorative clothespin (e)Unknown red dyed fiber around 2.5 oz (f)This is an overview of swap package, (g)A wrist distaff made from lovely yarn, two stitch markers and a postcard with a lovely note of explanation on the back from my swap partner

For my part, I sent a spindle, an as yet unnamed tool, fiber and “extra”. I will show this treat that I made for her-6 stitch markers plus 1 beginning of the row marker and a decorated holder for her spindle.

Spindle Swap I joined a spindle swap group on a knit/crochet/yarn site...

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MI Fiber Festival

debra — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:31:21 +0000

Every year over the third weekend in August, there is a fiber festival in Allegan, MI. I’ve wanted to go the last year or two, but it competed with Buckley Old Engine Show. I suggested the compromise of Buckley on Thursday/Friday and the Fiber Festival on Sat. but this year we decided to go to the Fiber Festival on Sun. It was less busy than it would have been on Say. and we had Boo with us so it made for a relaxing day instead of frustrating. I had a lot of fun petting all the fiber and drooling over all the tools. I found it interesting that some of the booths were yarn shops that packed up and came for the weekend while others are small independent dyers/spinners. We saw sheep, alpaca and a few other animals.

I tended to spend more time looking at fiber than anything, I had a list and a budget. I’m happy to say I didn’t over spend and found 60-70% of my list. Some of the things I purchased were for a swap I participated in and I forgot to take pictures before I mailed it off. I bought two things of sock yarn and a bit of fiber that I kept.
Next year I may have to save up a bit more so that I can have a bigger list of wants.

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Test knitting

debra — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 02:07:19 +0000

I’ve been busy of late. Boo keeps me hopping so I don’t get much time to write or craft, but I’m stealing time here and there. I’m still rather addicted to a knit/crochet/yarn website so I don’t make time for other things webby. So here’s a summary of the knitting recently.

Earlier this summer I started test-knitting patterns and completed a hat. The hat is a summer beret made from a cotton blend.

I just finished a shrug last night. I really would have liked to modify the patterns as I knit, but since it was s test knit I didn’t feel comfortable doing that. I may give them away.

I’m taking a break from test-knitting and need to go after some projects of my own.

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Documentary: Who Killed the Electric Car?

debra — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 03:00:09 +0000

I watched this documentary tonight. The more I learn in life the more I despise our national leaders.

Do you remember solar panels on the roof of the White House? I admit I know this, I just want sources.
Do you remember who had them removed?I admit I know this, too and it greatly saddens me. I just want sources.
Why would the GM purchase the controlling interest in a patent for a huge electric car battery and then sell it to a big oil company?
Why was a member of the hydrogen car movement be allowed to sit on a board that determined the fate of electric cars in California?
Why would car companies produce EV cars, lease them, recall the lease and crush the cars when lessees wanted to purchase the cars?
When will big business admit there are consumer demands they refuse to acknowledge?
Why did cities switch from electric cars to gasoline powered buses?

If you have the answers with sources to back it up, I’d love to hear about it here.

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Broadening my podcast horizons

debra — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:00:52 +0000

Since I discovered podcasts several years ago, I have stuck with a couple of genres. Lately I have felt pulled to stretch out and find new things to listen to which are not knitting or religion related. I’m sorry to admit that currently there far too many knitting podcasts and aren’t any religion podcasts in my feed. While branching out I tried a several from the “stuff you should know” site but found credibility to be lacking on many. After listening to a string of episodes and yelling at the iPod that that information simply isn’t correct only to hear in the next episode the hosts admit mistakes in fact checking, I gave up on all of them. A few others I have tried and still enjoy are book reviews, real life stories, and most recently fictional stories.

While listening to a knitting podcast I discovered Podiobooks available through iTunes or the podiobook website. I have listened to Shadowmagic, a fun story about an 18 year old boy who wakes up in a dungeon in Tir na nÓg. While not particularly complicated, the author left me begging for the next chapter with his carefully crafted cliffhanger episodes. I’m a sucker for a good fantasy involving Irish mythology. Luckily for me, this audiobook was completed in 2006 so I was able to download the entire book and listen over the weekend. I also found his second book in the series and subscribed via iTunes. I am currently caught up and am afraid that at one episode per week I will be well into the new year before I hear the final installment although I have a strong feeling I know where the major plot lines are headed. The author promises the possibility of a third book. The first book is also available from Harper Collins in paperback. Please see the author’s website for more information.

I’ve been listening to these books while knitting a Deep Waters and Starlit Skies Shrug by Holly Priestley. The original was knit in blue, hence the name. Mine is a green with pink and green flecks. As I wear this during the winter, I’m sure I will contemplate the story line and a movie or two I’ve watched while working on it.

The least listened to podcast in my feed reader are fitness related. I tell myself that soon I will start working on that again. I used to post updates on Fridays about that. It was motivation for me to keep going. I wonder if I can guilt/pressure myself into action again.

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Spindle Swap

debra — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 02:44:58 +0000

I joined a spindle swap group on a knit/crochet/yarn site and this was my first swap. Our partners were assigned by a moderator and we swapped to someone different than who swapped to us. I swapped a Spindlewood spindle custom mini square whorl in holly made for my partner, natural Jacob fiber from The Counting Sheep Farm in White Cloud, a scarf pattern, a journal I made and lots of food goodies. Connie emailed back and forth with me to get the spindle just right. Steve did a beautiful job on the spindle. The next time I order one for a swap, I’ll have to mail it directly to its new owner or it may not make it to its new home.

In return, I received this lovely package plus a bumblebee tape measure I forgot to take a picture of at the time.

Golding Purpleheart Goldring Spindle, Colored Cormo from The Counting Sheep Farm, and a journal that was decorated very nicely. Not pictured is Penelope the Empathetic Monster that I received as a gift as well.

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Biter Biscuits

debra — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:57:30 +0000

A few months ago I bought some of those boxed biter biscuits for Boo because he had such a difficult time with his teeth. They were a bust, he had it less than 3 minutes before he bit through it and had a huge chunk in his mouth. He didn’t have enough teeth to finish it off, so I had to fish it out and get rid of it. Fast-forward to today when I think, the “interwebs” must have a recipe for me. I looked at several, but didn’t have ingredients for all of them, so I tried the one I found here. A nice healthy option, I made mine with 100% whole wheat, freshly ground by my brother-in-law and strawberry puree because I didn’t have any interesting extract flavors I felt comfortable using. I baked them for a while, so that they would be extra crunchy, just shy of burning them. After 25 minutes, he’s still gnawing on it without breaking it. He wouldn’t even let me have it to change him, I did supervise closely though, to make sure he didn’t choke. And best of all, these aren’t sticky like the store bought ones, so he’s got a few breadcrumbs hanging around but not gross sticky everywhere.

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A few cards

debra — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:30:37 +0000

A few months ago I found a good deal on a Cricut Expression and purchased software for the computer so that I could cut out fun shapes with it. Normally you fork over $60-80 for cartridges that plug into the machine and you can cut predetermined shapes and phrases or individual letters out of paper, fabric, vinyl and a host of other materials. I wanted to be able to weld my letters together to make connected words and cut my own shapes. I looked the two major programs that aren’t manufactured by the maker of the cutter and settled on Sure Cuts A Lot. Here are two cards I made this week. I need to make more cards so that the cost per card isn’t in double digits.

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2009 Final Christmas update

debra — Sun, 30 May 2010 21:17:46 +0000

The placemats are finished and residing in their new home. Alas, I have no pictures to show for my work as I sent them along without photographing them. Hopefully, a picture or two will be taken while under a plate or cup and I will be able to show them. They were not perfect by any stretch, the binding was much better, in some respects, as I neared completion of the project. Now to begin work for this Christmas.

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Have you ever tried to wrangle

debra — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:09:22 +0000

10 yards nylon netting by cutting it in to 30 strips 2 inches wide with the help of kitties? If you are unsure of what the fabric looks like picture the white tulle that a bride has as a part of her veil or the pink tutu of a ballerina, only a bit more coarse. Tulle as I think of it is fine, soft-ish and elegant. Netting is rougher, the holes in the fabric are larger. I’ve seen crocheted scrubbies made from nylon netting, usually availabe for purchase at craft shows but I’m one of those people. You know the type, the craft vendors dread me, but I keep the thoughts to myself. I see a crafted item and think to myself, I can make that, I can make that for less than the selling price. I used to say it to myself more often, but time had taught me that some things I do not wish to invest time in and purchasing it is better for me. The scrubbies were over priced in my opinion. That is until I attempted to cut my 2 inch strips. I searched online and found several patterns and a few videos on how to make the simple round scribbies. I’ve meant to learn to crochet for a while now and this seemed like the project. After all, it’s going to scrub dishes until it wears out and then it will be no more, so if it’s not very pretty, so what.

The patterns suggested approximately 10 yards for each part, then crochet two parts together and commence scrubbing. I decided to purchase 10 yards then cut it into 2 inch strips. I figured that I could fold it in a fan style or some such and then cut through several layers at a time, making short work of it. After attempting to cut strips and basically wasting 10 yards over a 6 inch wide section, a few choice words were uttered and something was mentioned about just paying for someone else to deal with it. I sent the boys outside and tried again. Using a freshly swept floor and two kitties, I managed to cut enough to make 3 complete scrubbies.

I loaded a video that corresponded to a written pattern and went to town. They were addictive little suckers. It was easy and quick to crochet these little gems. I decided to tackle the rest of the fabric, in my estimation I had about 40 inches by 10 yards or 20 strips left to cut. I arrived at the place mentally where it wasn’t important if the strips were exactly 2 inches wide. I managed to cut the rest of the fabric and put the short pieces in a bag of leftovers to be used in rhe event I need more. I’ve cut enough strips from my 10 yards to make the craft show prices trick me into thinking I’ve made out like a bandit.

I did some math on 1 yard of netting 60 inches wide cut in a 2 in spiral vs. 10 yards 60 inches wide cut in 2 inch strips. One yard will yield 29.333… yards 2 inches wide in one strip while 10 yards will yield 300 yards 2 inches wide in 30 strips 10 yards each. I lose .666667 per yard or 6.7 yards over 300, which won’t make a whole scrubbie by itself. I will be wrangling 1 yard pieces from now on, it preserves my sanity, mostly.

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Boo is covered

debra — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:26:40 +0000

The diapers are officially finished. Here and some of them in his drawer and some hanging on the line in the basement. Hopefully we’ll be able to hang them outside this summer. I still have bunches of fabric left, but I think I will save that in case we wear through any of them. I’ve had to do a quick repair or two, quality control was more interested in napping on the fabric than in inspecting the workmanship.

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Saturday’s Survey 03/13

debra — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:06:27 +0000

I had a busy week on the crafting home-front. I finished up cloth diapers for Boo. He now has 25 homemade ones and 6 purchased ones. I’m using the purchased ones for overnight as they seem a bit more absorbent. I may make more, I need to get the too-small diapers out of rotation and have two or three days at home to evaluate the quantity. I have plenty of fabric to make conservatively 15-20 more. I can’t see needing anywhere near that many. I’d like to save the fabric to make smaller or larger sizes in the event we need other sizes. The ones I made have hook and loop closures so that it grows with Boo, hopefully to as big as he needs.

I won a contest from The Counting Sheep Farm. I get a surprise box along with some superwash fiber I ordered. I’ve been participating in a stash down contest. Please don’t ask why I am buying more fiber while I am stashing down, I just am. I wanted some sock yarn and I don’t want to spin wool that I have to hand wash, so I saw she had some superwash on sale. The only contest is to challenge ourselves to knit/spin from the stash. We earn points that we can redeem in the store for a percentage of one item or several depending on the number of points we redeem. I added points this week by wrestling with my works in progress. Along the way Rachel, of Counting Sheep, offers mini-contests where we can earn coolie prizes. Stay tuned for pictures of what’s in my goodie box. To participate in the stash down for points and win any contests you must be a member of Ravelry and join the group for Counting Sheep Farm.

I finished a dishcloth that had been on the needles because I ran out of yarn. I finally found the yarn and reunited it with the dishcloth. I’ve made a bunch of these garterlac dishcloths. Feel free to search the archives for more. It’s a neat looking dishcloth that let’s one practice enterlac easily without fear of messing up “good” yarn.

I also finished my first handspun project, a hedgehog. I spin the brown belly and creamy paws. There is actually one strand of homespun brown knit with one strand of fun fur, but it’s difficult to see in the pictures. There are no eyes or nose because Boo is too small to have those pieces on his toys. He seems to like to grab at the fun fur, much the same as he grabs at the furbabies in the house. At least with the hedgehog he’s not hurting anyone.

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A review: The Interrogative Mood

debra — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:11:30 +0000

by Padgett Powell
Here is where I usually link to a reading/discussion guide or two, I’m not really sure one needs a guide. The book, itself, is a guide to discussion.

a summary
A book of questions, sometimes the questions relate to those before and after sometimes not.

a review
I couldn’t read very much of the book at a time, it overwhelmed my brain to the point of pain. The the more I read, the less nonsensical the paragraphs seem so I am able to read more at a time. I have found that skipping forward and back to be the best way for me to enjoy the book. I wish there was an index so I could find exact questions again. If you have someone in your life you’d like to know better, grab a copy and have a go at it. I think I would rate this book for adults, some of the questions I wouldn’t want to explain to my 5 year old even though I don’ have a five year old. I may add this to my library if I happen upon a copy for a reasonable amount of money.

A few of my favorite questions, copyright of course belongs to the author, quoted here only to entice others to read it.

Would a catastrophic global war be required to restore us to simple living? p17
Have you any skills in the area of weaving or knitting? p35
Do you miss Tab and do you fully understand its disappearance? p43
Can you knit? p61
Would it be reasonable to ask someone if he or she has a favorite musical note? p66
Why is a banana yellow and not banana? p67

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