Snapshots

It's both hard to believe and a relief that summer break is soon to be over. Of course I'm enjoying the slower days, having time to inhale books (I read both the second and the third Stormlight Archive books by Brandon Sanderson in a month each--they are well over 1,000 pages of awesomeness!), to tackle fiddly project, and to start brewing my own kombucha, I'm also looking forward to being with my co-workers and students again. While I'm sure the fall will have lots of challenges and frustrations, it's about time to change gears a bit. So, here are the crafting snapshots from my summer-

My new summer top--I love it!

A beautifully cabled gnome for a friend's new house.

I made bias tape for the first time--why did it take me so long to try this?

The reason I tried my hand at bias tape, was so I could use it on this vinyl bag project, using a Chickenboots pattern from SewSewLive.

While at my grandmother's memorial earlier this month I bought this yarn which reminded me of her from her local yarn store, and made it into this cowl. I'm looking forward to the cold weather so I can start rocking it!

I'm going to be going on another trip next week, on which I will finally get to meet my niece, so I decided on a whim to make her this elephant toy that's been sitting in my Ravelry queue for years. It's all in one piece which is quite clever, but I think when I make it again I'm going to place the ears better.

I continue to work on my huge double weaving project. Here is what things look like currently on my loom-

And here is the finished first half of the ruana. I haven't washed the fabric yet; I'm hoping the super obvious tight spot down the fold line will relax out. The second half has been fighting me after a great start; best I can figure I did a bad job of packing the warp, so after some desperate intervention tonight hopefully things will go more smoothly until I get the weaving finished.

Parting shot--my super talented sister took this amazing picture of me using long exposure when we were together for the memorial. It's good to remember that there is more to life than the challenges of 2020!

Summer break has now begun!

Whew--the 2019-2020 school year is over! Reports are written, books are put away, and I'm allowing myself this week to rest before starting on my summer projects. Over the course of the last week I worked on various projects while I was also finishing up my school work. I worked on some dishcloths as a going away gift for my headmaster and his wife. I'm so sorry to see them go!

And I made a few masks for someone else.

Most of my crafting time was spent with my new loom--I love it so much! I have some super deep stash laceweight that I thought would weave up nicely, so first I tried one set of swatches with some leftovers in another colorway and some sock yarn to see how it wove up with that warp,

and then I did three different warps so I could get a lot of information from two swatches. I wanted to see how the shawl would weave up with either cotton or the wool laceweight as warp, and I wanted to see what kind of fabric the crochet cotton would make because I'd like to make some dishtowels next. Crochet cotton is significantly cheaper than weaving cotton, so I'm hoping I can make it work. I need to do a drying test with the swatch, but overall I'm pretty happy with the fabric.

I decided I liked the plaid look of the wool laceweight, so on Friday I warped up the loom (which takes a loooong time when you're using such fine yarn), and have been happily working on what will be either a scarf or wrap, depending on how this comes out. Lots of yardage--just in time for Stash Dash! The blue ribbon on the side is to help me measure the length of my pieces, as I'm hoping to make an identical second one. However, that kind of depends on how the yardage works out...

The other big project I accomplished last week was to bake a baumkuchen, a German tree cake which is broiled layer by layer. I had been intrigued by the concept since first seeing it on The Great British Baking Show, then on the German Nailed It. I decided that I wanted it to be my birthday cake, and since I was officially done with work Friday morning, it seemed like a great time to try this labor intensive cake. First, I made my own almond paste as I didn't realize you could get it at Wal-Mart.

Then, I used this recipe, but increased it by 20% to fit into the larger springform pan I had. A burned first layer and 21 successful layers later, I had this delightful cake to share with my family this weekend. Well worth the effort, but I don't think I'll make another anytime soon! This cake's flavor improves with age; more of the almond came through the second night.

So that's what I've been up to! I've got a summer top, sweater, some spinning, and a few weaving projects I'm hoping to finish to make my Stash Dash goal of 5k, and I've got plenty of reading, sorting, and planning to do for next school year. I'm looking forward to more relaxing days, and some more free time to create; if only the hot weather could hold off a little longer!

Well...this was not how I envisioned my spring...

It’s now my fourth week of online teaching, and things are falling into a bit more of a pattern. These last four weeks have been made harder by a family loss that we don’t know when we’ll be able to be together for and a right hand/arm injury that I’m pretty sure is tendinitis. I’ve had to be very, very careful how and how much I use my hand, so I haven’t been able to knit much these last few weeks. However, my hand is slowly healing, the weather is improving, and I’m finding ways to keep myself hopeful and remembering how much I do have more than how much I miss. So, here’s a look at what I’ve been doing, mostly over the last two weeks.

Before my hand got bad and before the end of my ‘real’ spring break, I decided to cast on the brioche cowl I had bought a particularly beautiful skein of Chicken Coop Dyeworks yarn for at the East Texas Fiber Fest last fall. I learned a few things about fixing mistakes in brioche (it’s a PAIN), was able to knit sometimes only two rounds a day on it through the pain, and was getting close to completion when I tried it on-

And then I came to the awful conclusion that the cowl was going to be too big. Now, this was 100% my fault as I had added to it because of my gauge, but I had forgotten to take into account how very stretchy brioche is. So, after putting the project in time out for a few days I ripped the whole thing back, cast on fewer stitches, and I’m trying again. This time the yearn is pooling which it didn’t before—I’ll be interested to see how it behaves once I get to the flat part.

Easter was a bit odd this year, as I suspect it was for you too. One of the things I learned from my time overseas is how powerful traditions are. They are a way to help you look beyond where you are at that moment, and a way to connect you with loved ones far away. They are a way to hope, to remember, and to get outside yourself. So, I dyed a few eggs on Good Friday,

made hot crossed buns,

and knit some covers for blown eggs. The knit egg covers isn’t traditional, but making something—particularly something small and fiddly—for holidays is traditional for me.

I also made myself a nice dinner and ate off my inherited china. Because if this isn’t an occasion to use the good china, I don’t know what is!

I also did a bit of sewing Easter Monday. I’ve been doing some research into mask making, and this is my first one-

I made a few modifications to the original tutorial which can be found HERE such as pipecleaner in the bridge of the nose portion, ties out of random lavender bias tape that a younger me bought for some unknown project, and did a bit of top stitching. I’m pretty happy with it, and pleased that I had enough scraps of both fabric and interfacing.

I've also been spinning a bit. There was about 55g of a brightly colored pencil roving that I got from my mom that has been a very cheerful thing to have in my sore hand and on my wheel. I'm plying it up right now, but here is the single on the wheel-

Lastly, as something to look forward to every weekend, I've been driving out to visit the many historic cemeteries near where I live. I've been to four so far; at least two more to go. Once I've hit the ones labeled on the main road, I'll look up some more. There sure are a lot around here, but seeing as I live in the oldest town in Texas it's perhaps not too surprising. It's so nice to get out into the beautiful spring weather, wander around safely, and I quite like reading the names and dates and piecing together tantalizing bits of the stories left behind. It's also nice to have an 'outing' to look forward to; a safe way to go DO something. As always, even in times of worldwide crisis, it's the little things in life that make so much difference.

In which I sum up

Well, it’s been a hot minute! December and January were rather overwhelming months due to school, the holidays, dealing with my dad’s melanoma (which has been successfully removed—praise the Lord!), my beloved local yarn store closing (I'm not allowed to buy yarn for awhile now...), dealing with my credit union merging (which was a good thing as I now have a local bank again, but a big process), continuing to try to find a church home, joining Planet Fitness (a surprisingly large thing to incorporate into my life), and the arrival of my beautiful niece, Paisley (I’m finally an aunt!). Valentine’s day marked the end of the second trimester, so I have today off to sleep, finish marking the trimester tests, and get myself set up for the last third of the school year. During that time I’ve been knitting, spinning, and reading of course, so here are some highlights of the last three months of creative efforts.

I have had a blast making things for my niece, Paisley, and about a week before she was born I sent off two sweaters, two pairs of booties, and two hats. As Paisley is a dainty little lady I have a bit of time to wait before she can be wrapped in my knitted love, but it's well worth the wait! I have one more item, a little Jedi cardigan to finish for her,

but I got distracted from the million miles of brown garter stitch by...

tinny envelopes! Hunter Hammerson does it yet again, and created a fiddly little pattern I just had to knit. I've got a few ideas of what to do with these...

Another thing I've been working on is the Winterberry hood, something which has been in my queue for quite awhile. I'm using this delightful red from Lazy Cat Studio that I bought at the East Texas Fiber Fest, and I ended up having to rip the whole thing out due to a) a gauge issue and b) a dye lot issue. This picture is from where I blocked one end to confirm the awful truth I suspected--that it was going to be too small. I'm still sort of pondering if I would rather do a hood or a cowl neck, but as I need to finish a Jedi robe soon I have a bit of time to think it through.

Since last writing I also completed two stockings. This stocking is to complete a set I started over a decade ago as a shower gift for a friend's Christmas wedding. I have since made stockings for all three of her kids, so the family set is complete. It was a bit of a challenge to make this with my somewhat limited space and resources, but I thankfully took good pictures of the other stockings and had saved some of the trim, so I was able to make something that was unique but still fit with the other two siblings stockings.

I also knit myself a stocking to have at my place (I spent Christmas with my 'real' stocking at my parents), and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I used wool leftover from my Crazy Stripes sweater, and I love the traditional pattern. It was fun to knit, and I'm almost tempted to make Neko one for next year.

Lastly, for now, I also played around with these delightful tiny trees, also a Hunter Hammerson pattern. I'd like to make some this summer maybe to have on hand as gifts for next year, but we'll see. I'm still working on my summer dreams and plans...

I'm going to try and get back in the habit of blogging, and I'd like to do a post soon about my recipe challenge to myself, but for right now I need to get to bed--it's a school night!

Parting shot: My brother took this picture of Neko at Christmas, and I absolutely LOVE it! What a handsome ginger pants!

New life to be launching soon!

Well…imagine that—life happened! Among the life happening was more job interviews, getting a job at Regents Academy in Nacogdoches, several trips down to scope out apartments, observe, and get to know the school and town a little bit, sending my laptop in for service that took MUCH longer than anticipated, holding down the fort while the parents took a two week road trip, and lots of time teaching my brother’s girlfriend how to drive. As of this week I now have my apartment decided on and sorted out, so now it's just thinking through the logistics of moving the stuff I already have and figuring out the most cost/time effective way to get what I need.

There has been knitting of various kinds; the big project through most of April was the Mother’s Day sock commission for a friend of my brothers. I made a pair of Rib is the New Vanilla socks in a lovely petite size 7, as well as an Evenstar bookmark. I enjoyed the making of these items, and it made for good Easter knitting while family was visiting.

I also finished mending my sister’s socks, and once Stash Dash started last week I finished the toe of the first McGonagal sock and started the second. Here is the first shortly after the heel was complete. A note on the Rib is the New Vanilla heel—don’t try and be smart and figure out the ‘flaw’ in the centering of the heel. The designer is right, just do what she says!

While waiting for my sister to get her big sunflower tattoo I knit this soap sack for my lovely new handmade soap—matching dishcloth to follow shortly.

I also finally finished off all those knit towel toppers I've been working on over the last few months. I decided to do the Valentine's ones next year, but I have several to use as gifts as well as a few for my new place. I even got all the buttons on!

For my birthday I started a scarf/cowl using up some deeeep stash (Knitpicks Shimmer—long gone!), but am too lazy to take a picture of the boring looking little big of garter tube that is the first ruffle. Next week maybe!

In addition to knitting, I have been working on some sewing projects too this May. I made several project bags-some as gifts and some for me. I lovethis particular project bag tutorial, and have found it pretty easy to mess with the sizes based on zipper length.

I also started an epic stitching project—mostly back with a few cross stitches. I’ll post an update next week, but here is the outlines of the future Thorin’s map. Loving it! I’ve never used evenweave before, so it’s a bit of a stretch, but the results are so, so worth it.

I've set myself the 3k goal again for Stash Dash this year, so we'll see how that goes. I don't have a lot of languishing projects as they are all only a few months old! But I do want to finish spinning the pink-purple roving and get the carseat poncho done, and both of those are will have some pretty good mileage. A crazy part of my mind is whispering that I could knock out my Ink cardigan--HA! No way I'll have that much time between moving and getting ready for school! A girl can dream though...

Hustling while I wait

I used to tell my kids to 'hustle while they waited,' in other words, to find something productive to do while they waited for me or a supply. I'm still deep in job hunting; I have several initial inquiries/applications out there, and I haven't had any subbing for over a week. But, I have a place to teach now, so I'm hoping to have my studio open for business in the next week or so. Having the looming deadline of three and a half weeks before I'm incomeless is a rather large motivator...

So, while I wait, I've been doing some fiber stuff. I'm working on the Vinovia socks, and I realized that they are going to be loooooong because I missed a key phrase in the directions, which isn't a mistake per say, but lets just say I wasn't anticipating getting so close to knee socks in my lifetime. Also, the little bit of yarn was tied on the wrong way, so the first bit of the color repeat is backwards. Which means I have a "how crazy do you feel today?" question when I cast on the second one. I actually am on the foot now, but am too lazy to take another picture.

I have started working on a new crop of dishcloths for my 'hope chest;' nothing exciting, but I'm enjoying the colors and the fine gauge of the yarn!

I started the Fancy Mee shawl that I've been dying to start for about two years now. It's designed rather along the 'goldfish memory' lines, meaning there are several changes of the two colors and the texture in the different sections, so you don't have much chance to get bored. Here are some pics of the two sections I've finished so far. I'm back at a garter stripe section just now, which I had to knit the beginning of twice because I'm an idiot, but its all sorted now!

I was sitting in church on Sunday and realized my lap was full of little blue bits. Turns out the fake leather cover of the 10 year old notebook I'm using for sermon and bible study notes was disintegrating. So, I used the end of one of the fat quarters I made my car trash bag out of, and handsewed a cute little cover for it. I'm actually quite pleased--the piece of fabric was almost the perfect size.

I've been slowly working on some altering/mending projects (I really need to get my jeans back in rotation again), and I decided to go ahead and use part of the gift card my ex-coworkers gave me to buy a replacement of the sewing machine I had to leave in the bush. I got the same model, a basic Janome, but I really enjoyed that machine, and it did all I needed it to do. I had hoped to find some fabric for a new garb skirt at Jo-Ann's today, but was disappointed. I'm going to have to decide how much that means to me this spring.

I thought I'd share the picture my brother sent of him modeling his requested item--the Cthulu ski mask. It was a true labor of love, but my bro is worth it!

Finally, I could resist bringing this gentleman home when I found him at Dollar General today. Just in time for Valentine's!

Finishing things so I can start thing!

Note: Actually most of this post was written last week (yeah, I have no excuse), but not being one to waste text I'm posting it now, and plan to do some smaller posts over the next few days.

As well as knitting, reading, finish-finish-finishing a sweater, spinning, and making something for MY NEW CAR, I’ve been working on several knitting project. Due to my rather unusual circumstances of moving my whole life back overseas, I finished most of my works in progress while I was in Zambia or shortly thereafter, so I found myself with a timely case of startitis. One of the main things I finished was my brother’s Cuthulu ski mask. I’m super not sold on the eyebrows; I’ll have to ask him what he thinks. It was a lot of finishing work, but my brother is worth it!

Another thing I finished was my collection of House star and stockings for my (someday) nerd tree. I didn’t have the burgundy or gold yarn, so I soon finished up Huffepuff and Ravenclaw, and now have the full set. Those projects (including the stars!) can retire…for now! I might start staring again next Christmas…

I’m making myself finish working on my Toronda hat before I cast on a shawl pattern I’ve been itching to start for some time now. I still love this pattern, it’s just a lot of stockinette in laceweight yarn now that the exciting pattern bit is finished! It’s living in my new Chickenboots bag; I’m so sorry she’s closing down the business!

The green, colorwork part of the hat is done with the lovely light fingering alpaca Lucy brought me from Bolivia a few years ago, and the incongruous orange and red is from a single skein of long discontinued Knitpicks Gossamer (laceweight) that much younger Lina bought. Since the hat is fully lined (yes, I realize how warm that will be!) (and yes, that means the orange and red doesn't show through!) I blocked it before making the magic of the top and starting the ribbing. I have become an absolute advocate for blocking, and I have to say it really made some magic with the colorwork section of this hat. Kids, don't skip the blocking! As we speak, I'm debating whether to do the lining of the ribbed section in rib as well, and if I should use some more of the Gossamer. Decisions, decisions...

The sewing project I have been working on is a car trash bag holder for my Matrix. I wanted something attractive and sturdy that would hold a plastic shopping bag that I could easily remove when needed. I used the tutorial here with a few mods; I used two fat quarters cut to 14” wide and as tall as the quarter. I meant to cut the front to 16,” but I totally forgot and cut them both the same width. So, I tore two inches off the back, and then proceeded as described. Mine Velcros at the side, not in the middle, because I didn’t want my passengers to have Velcro in the back of their neck. I love the boning to hold the bag open, and I’m quite pleased with how it turned out!

I'm trying to groups things as I've been doing several different types of crafting and have a few other things that I want to write posts about in the next few days, so to finish off I just want to extol the wonders of thread conditioner, like ThreadHeaven or beeswax such as this-

I have found that it makes a HUGE difference in hand-sewing endeavors; it almost totally keeps your thread from tangling, and it glides through the fabric in a very satisfying manner. Tonight I was sewing buttons onto the cuffs of this plaid shirt I bought to make it a 3/4 sleeve, as the buttoned cuffs made the sleeves a tad too short and rather tight, I wished my beeswax had arrived in time for the meticulous sweater finishing I worked on last week--pictures to follow! It feels so good to have time to make things, plan things, and be excited about being a maker...