Welcome to my Creative world of Artistic_Treasures and Adventures!

Easy Peasy Eyelet Wristlets

2010-11-01T23:19:00.000-07:00

‘Easy Peasy Eyelet Wristlets’

by Jan Larson

Supplies:

4-10.5 mm DPN’s or for Magic Loop Method/ Two at a time 10.5 mm 32” or greater Circular Needle

Medium to Super Bulky Weight yarn (Great project for Leftover Yarn) Gauge: 4sts/ inch for Women’s size Small. Add 2 sts for Medium; 4 sts for Large.

Directions for DPN’s:

Using LTCO, cast on 9 stitches to DPN1; slip last cast on to DPN2 and cast on 8 stitches; slip last cast on to DPN3 and cast on 7 stitches. 24 stitches spaced evenly between 3 needles.

RIBBING

Rows 1-3: Being careful not to twist cast on edge, *K1, P1* around for 24 stitches. Place stitch marker. Rows 2-3 repeat from * to *.

Row 4: K1, YO, SSK, K7, K2TOG, YO, K1, K11 (24 Stitches).

Row 5: K 24 Stitches.

Row 6: K2, YO, SSK, K5, K2TOG, YO, K2, K11 (24 Stitches).

Row 7: K 24 Stitches.

Row 8: K3, YO, SSK, K3, K2TOG, YO, K3, K11 (24 Stitches).

Row 9: K 24 Stitches.

Row 10: K4, YO, SSK, K1, K2TOG, YO, K4, K11 (24 Stitches).

Row 11: K 24 Stitches.

Row 12: K5, YO, KTBL3TOG, YO, K5, K11 (24 Stitches).

Row 13: K 24 Stitches.

Row 14: K4, YO, K2TOG, K1, SSK, YO, K4, K11 (24 Stitches).

Row 15: K 24 Stitches.

Row 16: K3, YO, K2TOG, K3, SSK, YO, K3, K11 (24 Stitches).

Row 17: K 24 Stitches.

Row 18: K2, YO, K2TOG, K5, SSK, YO, K2, K11 (24 Stitches).

Row 19: K 24 Stitches.

Row 20: K1, YO, K2TOG, K7, SSK, YO, K1, K11 (24 Stitches). TURN WORK

THUMB HOLE FORMATION (Left Hand)

Row 21: Pearl 24 Stitches. TURN WORK

Row 22: K2, YO, SSK, K5, K2TOG, YO, K2, K11 (24 Stitches). TURN WORK

Row 23: Pearl 24 Stitches. TURN WORK

Row 24: K3, YO, SSK, K3, K2TOG, YO, K3, K11 (24 Stitches). TURN WORK

Row 25: Pearl 24 Stitches. TURN WORK

Row 26: K4, YO, SSK, K1, K2TOG, YO, K4, K11 (24 Stitches). TURN WORK

Row 27: Pearl 24 Stitches. TURN WORK

Row 28: K5, YO, KTBL3TOG, YO, K5, K11 (24 Stitches). TURN WORK

Row 29: Pearl 24 Stitches plus one (total 25 stitches) TURN WORK

TOP RIBBING and CAST OFF

Row 30-33: *K1, P1* Repeat from * to * for a total of 24 Stitches.

Row 34: Cast Off by *K1, P1, Slip previous stitch over first stitch*; repeat all the way around working in ribbed pattern.

Weave in Loose Ends.

RIGHT HAND WRISTLET

Follow instructions for Rows 1-19.

Row 20: K1, YO, K2TOG, K7, SSK, YO, K1. (13 Stitches) TURN WORK

Row 21: Pearl 24 Stitches. TURN WORK

Row 22: K11, K2, YO, SSK, K5, K2TOG, YO, K2. (24 Stitches) TURN WORK

Row 23: Pearl 24 Stitches. TURN WORK

Row 24: K11, K3, YO, SSK, K3, K2TOG, YO, K3. (24 Stitches) TURN WORK

Row 25: Pearl 24 Stitches. TURN WORK

Row 26: K11, K4, YO, SSK, K1, K2TOG, YO, K4. (24 Stitches) TURN WORK

Row 27: Pearl 24 Stitches. TURN WORK

Row 28: K11, K5, YO, KTBL3TOG (double decrease), YO, K5. (24 Stitches) TURN WORK

Row 29: Pearl 24 Stitches; K11. Do not turn work.

Resume original instructions for Top Ribbing and Casting Off Rows 30-34.

Enjoy!!!

Feel free to email me with comments or questions.

Jan aka Craftydiver on Ravelry.com

Threads and Fiber

2010-03-01T02:54:00.000-08:00

Good morning! Here I am again in the wee hours crafting away. Here are a couple of completed/ almost completed projects in the past few weeks since my last posting.

Bali of the Sea Turtles - Started 1/10 completed 2/10

Strip Therapy- Started 1/10

Tattered Hearts - completed 2/10

Latest Spinning Sensations:

Merino/ Bamboo/ Angelina

Kid Mohair

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am 20 days late. Better late than never.

John and I rang in the new year by seeing 'Flogging Molly' at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. Standing room only. Would have been fine, but I put in nearly a full day of work, so I got a tad tired towards the end of the concert being on my feet for that length of time. Needless to say, we had a great time. Flogging Molly was great, but I think I still like the Pogues better overall.

John and I made our first dive of the year in Malibu. It was a great little dive spot with lots of kelp and small rock out croppings. Sad to say, we haven't dove since due to weather and other obligations.

On the crafty side of things, I managed to finish spinning a pound of Alpaca/ Merino Blend, as well as some Blue Faced Leicaster, that 'if' I counted correctly, I was able to spin 1600 yards!!! It litterally took me three days to wind onto my kniddy knoddy by hand. Here are pics of the results:

I am anxious to start knitting these fine fibers into some wonderful garments.

Sad to say, I don't have anything currently on my spinning wheels. That won't last long, for I have plenty of fiber to keep me busy for a long time!

Other crafty adventure include Road To California Quilt Show that was just held this last week at the Ontario Convention Center. I took three classes: Strip Therapy, Endangered Species Quilt Project lecture by Rob Appell, and a Fearless Machine Applique class. I am currently working on a turtle wall hanging that is machine appliqued/ topstitched.
These Quilt Blocks were sewn on my antique 1934 Singer 221 aka 'Featherweight' that is sitting proudly on its antique sewing table that was found at a thrift store for $15!

I am in the process of completing my blocks from my Strip Therapy class and will post them when they are completed. We had some 'issues' during the class in which I will share later.

For now, I think I am caught up.

I forgot to add that I bought myself the 'Addi Clicks' that I absolutely LOVE! I got them for a great price through Amazon.com for $119 that included tax and shipping!!! That's a savings of $40+ so made it for a very sweet deal!

How Time Flies...So many Projects, so little time!

2010-01-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

Wow, I seriously can't believe I haven't posted anything since November! Shame on me!!! So much has happened in past two months.

First, I got my first commission to make a scarf, matching hat, and wristlets.

The scarf pattern is from the book called 'Luxury One Skein Wonders.' Using the same pattern design, I designed the matching hat and wristlets. They were a huge success!

In early part of November, I attended the Torrance Fiber Festival. Fortunately, I didn't spend a whole lot of money, but I did find some great fiber, magazines, and a 'mini' swift!

This is some gorgeous Merino that came from Newton's Knits in Anaheim.
Here is the funny little minature swift that I picked up for $1.00!

Tencel and Silk Roving to blend with my fibers

This is a fun batt that I picked up that reminded me of lemonade and/or Orange and Lemon Sherbert. It is primarily yellow with orange flecks and angelina. Should be a fun fiber to work with.

Hmmmm....another yummy fiber full of fiery reds and oranges, also with Angelina.

Taking me further into the month of November, I spent the Thanksgiving Holiday with my BF John visiting friends in Thousand Oaks in which we had a delightful time.

The first weekend in December, my daughter and I journeyed to Arizona to visit my mother at her Board and Care where she is now living in Mesa. Talk about a HUGE home!!! 22,000 Square feet, single level, 26 bedrooms! Whew! I have to say, the staff are wonderful and my mother is receiving wonderful care. She has really made progress since moving from her assisted living...and she appears to be adjusting well.

December seemed to have flown by in a gust of wind. I barely was able to get my xmas decorations up, or at least the tree. My children spent the vast majority of Christmas with their grandparents on their father's side (grandmother has terminal cancer) while John and I headed up to Santa Barbara to spend the day with our friends Don and Hilary Santee. They have a beautiful home over looking the pacific ocean with a wonderful view of the channel islands. It was so relaxing just sitting on the patio looking out over the ocean sipping on our cocktails. Wish that moment could be bottled.

I was able to spend some time with my children Christmas morning in which my son and his girlfriend brought home a pure white kitten they had found. She is now a member of our family and is our third 'rescued' cat. My daughter Briana has named her 'Alice.'

Alice, half the size of my 'Size 4' slipper

Briana and Nathaniel

Briana and Alice

FS/ OT: Ashford Student Hand Carders

2009-11-21T13:27:00.000-08:00

Good condition, no rust. 72 TPI

$45 includes shipping within Continental US.

Send me a message if interested.

Jan

Scuba BBQ and Spinning

2009-11-08T08:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I attended South Orange County and Laguna Sea Dwellers BBQ at Heisler Park in BEAUTIFUL Laguna Beach, California.

It was initially a little on the cool side cleared up to a warm sunny day. Diving conditions off the beach are stellar right now with 30' viz. Sadly, I didn't dive. As I was gearing up, my battery died on my main dive computer. The upside is that I brought my Ashford Joy spinning wheel with me! Currently, I am working on spinning up an Alpaca/ Merino Blend. My Ashford Traditional wheel has straight Merino Top on the Jumbo Flyer.

Here are some pics of the day's events. Enjoy!

View Overlooking Heisler Park/ Diver's Cove (notice my spinning wheel in the foreground)

Konrad Fry Chef Extroardinare and Pres of SOCDC

Me and my Ashford 'Joy' spinning looking over the ocean

Knit, Spin, Knit, Spin, Knit, Knit, Knit

2009-11-04T23:56:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness. It's been awhile since I posted anything. I have been VERY busy the past month and a half or so. From knitting, to spinning, diving, camping, and even took a vacation to La Paz Mexico! That story to follow in another post.

Tonight, I am happy to get three projects OTN's!!!

I joined a KAL on knitting gloves/ wristlest on Ravelry the first part of October. I finished them Sunday, Nov. 1.

I finished my Moebius by Cat Bordhi on Monday night, Nov. 2nd. I could have had this done over a month ago, but had run out of yarn to complete it. In that I just needed a little bit to complete the project, I decided just to cast off. You can't even tell the difference that it was a tad shy.

Then finally tonight, I finished Fountain Foxglove Socks by Cat Bordi from the book New Pathways for Sock Knitters that I have been working on and off for the past year. This is the 6th or 7th pair that I have knitted from this book. I guess I might have gotten 'burned out' on socks, thus taking me so long to complete this pair! LOL

Currently, I am spinning yarn to make a sweater. I just completed spinning 1200-1600 yards of lace weight yarn that I plan on making a shawl that will be my first attempt at lace knitting.

Also new and exciting in my knitting life is the addition of 'Addi Clicks' to my knitting needle collection!!! I absolutely LOVE them!!! I found them on Amazon for $119... normally $160! They come in a beautiful travel case. I am very fortunate to have found them for such a great price.

Enjoy!

Wee Hours Once Again...

2009-09-18T02:43:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I last posted. Truthfully, I haven't been doing as much spinning as I would like. I have been sidetracked by family issues. This past weekend, I had to make an announced trip to Arizona to help my brother and sister-in-law move my mother from her Assisted Living to a 'Group Home.' Here in California, a Group Home or Board and Care as we call them here, is a small residential home that cares for 6-10 residents. Well, the group home my mother moved into is quite the Taj Mahal! It is 26 bedrooms where everyone has their own room; 4:1 nursing ratio; and equates to 22,000 Square Feet! ...all one level mind you. The place is HUGE!!! I have never seen a home that big before. You should see the surrounding homes in the area, they are double the size... talk about MASSIVE. Anyway, it's a beautiful place and I know my mother will get the best care there.

I know that I would barely have time to sit, so I did not take my wheel with me this trip, nor did I have any time to visit any fiber shops. I did take a new knitting project Cat Bordhi's Mobius Cowl using Noro cotton that I have had laying around for awhile. I was going to use some hand spun that I had made, however, I needed something quick in that I had to leave pronto. Anyway, here's a pic of my progress. Once you understand the cast-on, it's a fairly quick knit. Just don't get distracted, or you will be froggin' like I have had to do on a couple of occassions. BTW, I swatched the yarn first to get the appropriate gauge.

I have gotten back on track with spinning. I finished up the Hand Dyed BFL that I got last time I was in Az in August. I think it turned our real nice. It is super duper Lace Weight. I have yet to decide if I want to two ply or Navajo ply. Most likely, I will two ply it, for I have my eye on a pattern already. I would share that with you know, but it is in the wee hours of the morning and I can't recall the name or where I have put the crazy pattern! LOL

I almost forgot to mention that my beautiful daughter Briana got her braces off her teeth just in time for the first day of school of her Junior Year! How time flies. Here are before and after. Doesn't she look pretty?

Ok, I've been up long enough, time to get back to bed. Until Next Time... Buenas Nochas!

All Things String Beach Picnic 8/29

2009-09-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

All Things String (Yahoo and Ravelry group) hosted a picnic at Heisler Park, Laguna Beach this past Saturday. It was a wonderful, very warm day at the beach over looking the ocean. My intent was to dive that day, but beaches had been closed the day before due to high surf. Surf was still in the 2 to 4' range, so I opted to play in the water and surf with fellow Raveler Lemurdillo aka Brenna who came down to join us from Santa Cruz. I also brought my knitting and Ashford Joy to the picnic, but between swimming, eating, and chatting, I really didn't get a whole lot accomplished!

Also, those that know me, I LOVE Sea Turtles. There was a young stud nearby that had an amazing 'Hawaiian' Turtle Tatoo on his back. I politely asked if I could take a picture of him, and he was more than pleased to obliged.

Here are some pics from the event. My only regret, is that I didn't get enough ocean shots of this amazing site.

In addition to my knitting and spinning friends, Renata who is the founder of the group, also invited some of her juggling friends to join us as well. The following pictures are of Renata teaching Gwen's husband how to juggle batons!

.....and last but not least, My Ashford Joy Spinning Wheel with the Pacific Ocean aka Heisler Park behind it.

A New Journey Begins....

2009-08-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

I recently posted about camping at Lake Cachuma and visiting Village Spinning and Weaving in which I bought two pounds of Merino. A new journey begins as I start to spin for a shawl called Sleeves in Your Pi.

I have chosen a Pumpkin and and Nutmeg Merino Top that I plan on blending together to have a slight variation throughout the shawl. I hope that I am not biting off more than I can chew!!!

Also while I camped, I was able to complete 4oz of a Merion/ Silk Blend and Navajo Plied it. This is what it looks like now that I have washed and thwacked it. I have just under 300 yards.

Not sure what I am going to make, perhaps some house slippers for the fall/ winter would be nice. I plan on swatching it this evening.

My NEW Treasure

2009-08-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

Those that *know* me, know that I love to shop at Thrift Stores. You never know what you might find. I usually shop for antique sewing machines, sewing notions, quilts, spinning and fiber related items, and early American furniture. Some I keep, others I will resell on Craigslist for a profit.

My recent trip proved to be a worthwhile stop. Upon entering the store, I noticed a very small chair. It was in great shape, no scratches or cracks. Not sure the maker, I presume it to be hand made by a craftsman just from the detail and workmanship that went into it. What attracted me to it most, was it's size. It is wide enough for an adult to sit on, but low enough for a child to sit on as well... or perhaps, to be used in conjunction with a spinning wheel! It also has a high back, which was very appealing to me at the time.

As you can see, it goes perfectly with my Ashford Traditional Spinning Wheel. The best part about My *NEW* Treasure, it was ONLY $5.00!!!

First Spinning Project finished....FINALLY!!! Whoo hooo!

2009-08-24T22:09:00.000-07:00

Remember way back in May when I spun my first Shetland yarn 'First Born'? Well, I FINALLY finished knitting it up just last night into a wonderful Icelandic looking cap in which I used a free pattern from Ravelry called In-Between Seasons Cap.

Here is a recap of the process:

I am really happy with the results of my first spinning attempts and the cap. It will be perfect for those chilly days working and diving off our local dive boats. As a matter of fact, I will be DMing the Great Escape this coming weekend to Santa Barbara Island. What a perfect time to show off my new cap!!!

Keep on Spinning! ...and Diving!

Jan in Cali

Happy 'Spinning' Anniversary to me!

2009-08-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

Relaxing, Camping, and Spinning at Lake Cachuma

Today marks the third month that I have been spinning! Whoo hooo!!! The addiction and the craze has taken a stronghold on my being. Today, marks Ashland's 3 month and Grace's 1 month Birthday!!!

Grace and I just returned from camping at Lake Cachuma here in CA. We were camping on a beautiful bluff that overlooked the lake. During our 4 day stay, we completed the 4oz of Merino/ Silk and even Navajo plied it. It is now ready for the niddy noddy.

The Navajo Plying did not go as smoothly as it did on Ashland, but hopefully after streatching it out on the Niddy Noddy, washing and 'Whacking' it will become what I intended it to be.

We were going to visit the alpaca farm 'Ranch of the Oaks' however, due to traffic and the fact they had out of town guests, we weren't able to visit. I did not leave the area however without fiber. We managed to go to Solvang for a couple of hours where I spent some time at Solvang's

Village Spinning and Weaving. I came away with not one, but TWO pounds of Merino Top. One pound of Nutmeg, and one pound of Pumpkin to make myself a nice fall sweater. I certainly hope that I'm not biting off more than I can chew. LOL I tend to do this with all of my hobbies. I don't just dabble, I jump in Head First!

Burning the Midnight Oil.....Once Again

2009-08-10T00:25:00.000-07:00

You would think that I would be tired. My daughter and I drove 6 hours today returning to California from Arizona. Upon arriving home, I did the usual household chores; then it was off to sewing, quilting, and then more spinning.

I took my Joy with me to Arizona. I started to spin a Merino/ Silk blend that was hand dyed by Fluff Fibers (Etsy). I hope to Navajo ply and to have enough yardage for a pair of socks. i continued to spin this evening, for it's' too hot to go to bed (no AC). Mind you, it was hot in AZ, but at least it's a dry heat, unlike here in California where we tend to get some humidity. Ugh.

Anyway, here are some pics of what I have done so far:

While visiting AZ, my daughter and I snuck off to the Fiber Factory in Mesa. Very nice shop with wonderful friendly staff. Outside there shop is an over sized stuffed pink chair. I couldn't resist taking a pic of my DD Briana.

I came home with 4oz of hand dyed BFL. Not sure what I will spin to make, perhaps more socks or maybe a nice pair of fingerless gloves for winter. Project TBD.

What I have been doing lately....Spinning and Diving!

2009-08-04T17:58:00.000-07:00

This is Shetland Roving that I bought from a fellow knitting friend whoose sister works for a fiber mill. I decided to spin it Lace Weight, in that my first attempt failed (see Burnt Orange Shetland). Second Time was the charm! I plan on making a lace scarf or perhaps a small shoulder wrap, depending on yardage.

After being out of the water for what seems several weeks, my boyfriend and I went diving at Anacapa Island which is part of the Channel Islands National Park this past Saturday. Being a 'Nudi' fan, I spotted this very usual Nudibranch, one that I hadn't seen before. I have yet to send his photo to my nudi expert friend's for proper ID.

I continue to work on making a carrying bag for my Ashford Joy. It's a work in progress, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I am NOT a seamstress, so installing zippers will be the challenge for me. It will have to wait until next week, for I will be traveling to Az to visit my mother for the next few days.

A month gone by passing.... WOW!!! Sit back, and relax!

2009-07-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's almost a month since my last posting. A lot of things have been going on in my busy little world.

First! I finished my very first 'Hand Spun' knitted project. Whoo hoo! This was spun from Hand Dyed BFL from 'Fluff' Fibers that I purchased on Etsy. I chose a free Entrelac Hat pattern from the internet. I didn't quite have enough fiber to finish the hat, so I completed the hat using a hand spun/ hand dyed fiber that I purchased from Purl Soho's warehouse here in Orange County. I think the hat turned out quite lovely. What do you think?

I'm still knitting my very first spun yarn 'First Born' into a cabled hat, however, it's taking me some time to finish. Hopefully, by next week I will have that finished.

I did manage to finish spinning all of my burnt orange Shetland fiber (2oz.) that I spun lace weight. It has been washed and is ready to be knitted up into a sampler scarf.

In between knitting and spinning, I had begun to look for a SECOND wheel! Oh my, did I say a second wheel??? That was a question I proposed when I purchased my first wheel. Why do people need more than one wheel? I received many responses and have met many that have more than '5' wheels, average is SEVEN!!! I can't even begin to imagine. After doing much research, I narrowed it down to an Ashford Joy or a Lendrum Complete. They say timing is everything. And, the more I thought about it, the more I thought it would make sense to purchase the Ashford Joy for two reasons: Portability, and bobbins are interchangeable between my two wheels. As U was leaning more towards the Joy, there was an add on Craigslist. I hemmed and I hawed for more than a week. I then emailed the seller to see if the wheel was still available. It was. He was in Az, me in California. We spoke on the phone. He is a member of Ravelry. I felt a good 'comfort level' with the seller. I sent money via PayPal and I had my new Joy in two days. Once 'she' arrived, I knew I had made the right decision. I love her dearly and she spins like a dream!!!

Introducing my new Ashford Joy 'Grace'

My wheel is named Grace after my grandmother. Her name was Gladys but those who knew her well, called her Grace. It was my grandmother who taught me simple little handi-crafts and needlepoint tapestry and plastic canvas as a young child. As I grew, so did my passion for crafts. I have had Grace for less than a week, but she has already traveled with me to work, to a spin-in, and to the local mountains to a cabin overlooking the San Bernadino Valley below (photo above). I look forward to many more travels with Grace.

I am in the process of ripping apart a quilted tote bag I made many years ago to adapt for Grace's travel bag. Wish me luck in the process!!!

Burning the Midnight Oil....Again

2009-06-27T01:32:00.000-07:00

So I am burning the Midnight Oil Again. I bought this lovely Burnt Orange Shetland Roving from a Spinning and Knitting friend whoose sister works at a Fiber Mill. Since I am almost done with my first knitted projects with 2 of the 3 yarns I have spun so far, I got the inspiration to try my hand at spinning Lace Weight yarn. So far, so good. I hope to be able to make a lace shawl or at least a scarf which will be my first attempt at knitting lace too! Wish me Luck!!!

Finished Fiber

2009-06-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I finally finished my fiber, it's dry, ready to be knitted!!!

Poppy Flower Fibers

2009-06-16T23:13:00.000-07:00

Poppy Flower Fibers are just STUNNING! The featured Roving Give Away instills in me the serenity that I feel when I am scuba diving off the coast of California. The richness of the greens, blues, and yellow golds are an example of the beauty that lies beneath the ocean surface; the pristine blue waters, the vast deep green kelp beds, and the yellow golds that represent so many of California's marine life. Poppy Flower Fibers equal warmth, peace, and tranquilty!

I can't wait to get my hands on some!!!

Soak It and Whack it!!!

2009-06-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

Whew! Just got done soaking several skeins of homespun fiber. My first attempts. LOL I thought 'they' were kidding when said to soak it, then whach the 'heck' out of it!!! The yarn on the bobbin and Niddy Noddy, was my most yarn so far... a whopping 176 yards!!! Whoo hooo... going to make an Entrelac Rafsta Style hat.

WWKIP Day A Day of Friendship, Knitting, Spinning, and Alpacas!!!

2009-06-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

Today I attended WWKIP Day that my local and Yahoo Group 'All Things String' sponsored at El Dorado Park in Long Beach California. The picture to the left is Renatta Foster, our founder of our group. Approximately 70+ Knitters, Crocheters, Spinners, and Spindlers attended the event. Here is me, above to the right with my Ashford Traditional wheel. I spent the majority of the day spinning. I even participated in my first ever spinning contest! I didn't win, but it was fun just the same. We also had a 'Mystery Knitting' contest in which we were given a pattern to knit and complete. The first person done, won a prize. The Mystery Pattern ended up being a bottle cozy.... very appropriate and useful! The highlight of the picnic was seeing so many spinners with so many different wheels. But the biggest highlight was being visted by two Alpaca's!!! Seven and his youngest sister. Margo, their owner, also donated a bag of black Alpaca fiber to our Drawing Table in which I happened to WIN! Yipee!!! Oh yeah, did I mention that we even had jugglers at the picnic? Pretty cool! Everyone had a great time. The picnic started at 11am and was supposed to end at 3pm. I think everyone was having so much fun, they lost track of time. Most of us stayed until 6pm! What a great way to start the weekend!!!

Navajo Plying, By George...I think I got it!!!

2009-06-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it was 3am when I woke up. Hmmm... no one online to chat with, so decided to spin up some of my new fiber and to work on my Navajo Plying of my Merino/ Tencel blend. Patience and persistence paid off! Now I can go back to bed before having to get back up to go to work. I hate those 4 letter words! Except, TGIF!!!

Lastest Spinning and Knitting: Merino/ Tencel Roving

2009-06-10T17:46:00.001-07:00

MERINO/ TENCEL BLEND This is my second attempt at spinning yarn. I had purchased this wonderful Merino/ Tencel Blend from a Fiber Arts Show last November(?) in Redondo Beach thinking to myself that 'someday' I will be a Spinner!!! After my success with my first attempt at spinning, I thought, why not?! So I prepped my wool and away I went! I was fortunate to spin this fairly thin, so my thought is to 3-ply it using the Navajo Method. I have done extensive search on plying, and for hand dyed fiber such as this, I think to Navajo ply it would be best.

Now to learn to Ply! LOL Someone suggested using commercial yarn to practice with first. I think this is a MOST EXCELLENT idea!!! More to follow.........

Regarding my knitting. Well, I was burning the midnight oil last week knitting up a Ewe. I only got as far as his little body and that is all. But don't we ALL have WIP's??? I did manage to work on a pair of socks today from Cat Bordhi's book: Knitting Pathways for the Sock Knitter. I am using Smooshy Yarn that is scrumptious!

Until another time. Adios Mi Amgios!

Graduation Day!!!

2009-06-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a very busy month thus far, preparing for finals and graduation! My oldest son graduated from Esperanza High School last night (06/09/09). I believe there were over 700 classmates!!! It was a 'very long' ceremony in which I felt the valedicotrian could have shortened up his speech. Regardless, I am very *Proud* of my son!!! He will be attending college in the fall to prusue his degree in Psychology!

My daughter has two more days of finals before she will be out of school, then becoming a Junior! She is a delight, always cheerful and funny and always makes me smile. She wants to get a summer job, so that will be next on our agenda.

Knitting Beyond the Midnight Hour 'Ewes too Cute!'

2009-05-31T00:04:00.000-07:00

I must be CRAZY! It's well after midnight, and I'm thinking of knitting an Ewe that I saw earlier from a link cruising Ravelry. Check them out for yourself: http://flutterbypatch.typepad.co.uk/flutterby_patch/2009/05/sheep.html

Wouldn't you want to stay up and knit yourself an Ewe or two???! LOL

Okay, let's see how long it takes to whip up one of these little critters!!! Ready, Set, GO!

Treasures

2009-05-29T20:57:00.001-07:00

There is an interesting thread on Ravelry about special finds. After listing them there, I thought I would share them here for my other friends to read about and share!

For me, I love garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets. In addition to knitting, I also enjoy quilting, collecting antique quilts, and collecting (and using) antique sewing machines.

Garage Sale Finds:
Denise Interchangeable Knitting needles and cables for $1.50 (New/ Mint condition)
SnowBall Quilt circa 1930’s for $12.50
Drunkards Path Quilt circa 1920’s for $2.00
Singer Featherweight Sewing Cabinet (VERY RARE) for $20 which I have seen selling at a quilt show for $3000
Vintage 1930’s fabrics
1934 Black Singer Featherweight model 221 with case, book, and attachments/ mint - $150

Thrift Store Finds:
1954 White Singer Featherweight model 221K (RARE) with original case/ mint - $25 Quilt Shows sell them for $1200
Singer Featherweight Sewing Table for $15
Bernina model 740 with Bells and Whistles/ case/ mint - $65

Flea Market
Crazy Quilt top circa late 1800’s - $40
Feathered Star Quilt Circa 1965/ mint condition - paid $90 Appraised for $650.
Antique knitting and sewing notions -$1- $5
Double Wedding Ring Quilt circa 1930’s - $15

What are you special finds and/or treasures?

Spinning the Midnight Oil

2009-05-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

I didn't get a chance to spin today, too much going on. I did meet up briefly with one of my knitting groups and started to knit a cap from the yarn I spun yesterday. I woke up at 1am wide awake. So, I spun more yarn. This time, more evenly fed on the bobbin (spool) Not sure which is the correct term here. I then put it on the Niddy-Noddy. Truth to be told, I did not know how to use one of these, so I had to look on the internet for directions! ROTFLOL So now, I have two Skeins of hand spun yarn to make my hat!

My next project, will to try spinning, then 'plying.' I may have to go back and have a lesson on this. There are so many great videos online, including YouTube.

There is a mtg next Saturday for the GLASG that I hope to attend. My brain is like a sponge, the more knowledge, the better! Hope you enjoy the pics!!!

Welcome 'Ashland' My New Ashford Traditional Spinning Wheel

2009-05-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

Whoo hoo! Welcome 'Ashland' my new Ashford Traditional Spinning Wheel! What a day it has been. First, I went to the beach to meet up with friends to go scuba diving. Well, my tanks were BOTH low on air and I had issues with my regulator. So instead of diving today, I was beach support for my buddies.

It was a beautiful morning at the beach. As I waited for my buddies during their dive, I sat and worked on another new found interest 'English Paper Piecing' in which I am making a Tumbling Blocks quilt. It was so peaceful. Then, I thought, how cool it would be to sit down on the beach spinning fiber! Agh... if I ONLY had a wheel!

As it was, I have been searching the past couple of weeks for a wheel and doing a lot of research on spinning, especially this past week. In that I knew nothing about spinning, I joined several lists and groups on Yahoo and Ravelry to begin my education. Several of the spinners suggest I try several wheels and take a class before deciding on a wheel. With that said, I made an appointment with Nancy of Nancyscustomhandweaving.com in Redondo Beach, CA for a spinning class. Nancy was great! She had me try several different wheels, both single and doube treadles; some were in my price range, some were not. The one that I really liked, was the Ashford Joy. I did my best spinning on that wheel. Still, the wheel was a tad out of my price range. In the meanwhile, I had been in contact with a gal from Craigslist.org who was selling her Ashford Traditional Wheel. I was the second person to contact her, so sale 'was' pending. Luck turned in that the person that was going to buy the wheel never sent her a check for it. So after my spinning class today, I hustled over to Huntington Beach to see the wheel. What a beauty! I took her for a test drive after learning all of the valuable spinning techniques that Nancy had just taught me.... SOLD! The wheel also came with a Lazy Kate, a niddy-noddy, carders, and several bags of fiber. As soon as I got her home, I started practicing spinning. Wow! I completed my first bobbin of yarn... with no lumpy bumpy's!!!! Granted the wool on the bobbin isn't as evenly spaced, but I'll get used to adjusting the hooks as I spin. I now have yet another new found passion/ addiction!!!

MLK A Day of Reflection/ A Day to Move Forward

2009-01-19T03:18:00.000-08:00

Looking back, I wonder if MLK would have been alive today, would he have been indeed our first Black president? I get chills thinking about what could have been for our country. I have been a die hard Republican for many years, but this past year... actually several years, I have lost faith in the Republican Party. When I first heard of Obama, I happened to be watching Ophrah Winfrey way back in the early stages before he announced his candidacy. I was intrigued, impressed, even hopeful and inspired. Something I hadn't felt for a very long time. When Obama announced his candidacy, I was thrilled. Even more thrilled as he defeated McCain. Not that I dislike McCain, but Palin... OMG. McCain definitely made the wrong choice in that one. His true trump card should have been Ms. Rice. Now that would have been a very interesting election. Now that Obama is elected, I like many others, are hopeful in that he can turn this country around and make it a great nation as it once was.