UFO Sightings

I made a few small dents in the UnFinished Object bin over the weekend. On Friday, I cast off the dish mat that I started just before we moved into our current house--back in November, I think. It's been languishing for a while. First because lack of yarn, and then because I just plain forgot about it.

When that was done, I had some scraps leftover. Not enough for a new project, but enough that I felt bad about throwing them away. I remembered seeing several small balls the other day when I was organizing the stash, so I laid them all out on my bed, grabbed a couple of crochet hooks, and started work on some more squares for my scrapghan (afghan made of scraps). It's been well over a year since I made any progress at all on it; partially because of my wrists (the main reason that I don't really crochet anymore) and the fact that I've been concentrating on other things.

I finished Missouri's socks, too. No pictures, since they are currently wadded in a ball under her desk. :/

I've got about six inches and then the trim left on the work shrug. Hoping to finish that up today or tomorrow.

Lastly, my first batch of yarn for the book came in last week. One of the blends is a superwash merino/cashmere blend that is DIVINE. More details once I get the rest of the yarn and can really start to play around with it.

RSI and Knitting Part II

If you missed part one of this series, you can find it here. 
**DISCLAIMER**
I am not a doctor. The following are simply a list of things that have worked for me for managing my own pain. Your mileage may vary. Please consult with your physician before starting any kind of treatment plan.

That being said, many of these suggestions are very common treatments, and most were recommended by my mom (former occupational therapy assistant), my chiropractor, and other knitters/crafters suffering from similar ailments.
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Okay, so last time we talked about what to do once you're in pain, but how do you keep it from happening in the first place?


Preventing the Pain
1. We've all heard it, but how many of us actually do it? Take a break. The recommendation is usually 15 minutes for every hour spent working. Put down the knitting and go do something else. Take a dance break and "shake it out" as one of my teachers would say. This is also a great time to do some of the exercises listed in #7.

2. Look at the way you knit. Is there a way you can economize your movements? For example, if you're a picker like me, are you sending several inches of your right hand needle into each stitch, rather than just the tip? Can you make smaller movement with your left hand?

3. Learn a new style of knitting. If you knit continental, learn English and vice versa. Look at Peruvian knitting. If a specific movement is what is causing you pain, see if there's a way around it. For me, purling is difficult,  so I learned a couple of different purls, and also how to knit backwards, which really helps, and then I found a way to get purl stitches in the same manner.

4. Look at your tools. Instead of using big, cumbersome straight needles, try using circulars for larger projects (or just in general). I know that I can only have 1 project at a time on needles smaller than a US4, because that fine detail work will get to me after a while.

5. Look at your yarn. Vegetable fibers and most acrylics have every little give, which is hard on hands. Work with natural fibers whenever possible. Wool is best, but alpaca and angora can be good, too, and don't forget to look at blends. Bamboo and milk fiber are other good options for those with animal allergies/vegan knitters. Stay away from cotton and linen except in blends where they make up 50% or less of the yarn. Silk is also best when blended.
5B. Along those lines, I mentioned spinning. If you learn to spin your own yarns, you can control the twist and therefore affect the elasticity of the final product. Also look at indie dyers/spinners on Etsy, since many of them are willing to adjust fiber contents or make a yarn thicker, thinner, or more/less spun to meet their customers needs. It never hurts to ask.

6. As I said, I tried knitting with wrist braces, but they restricted movement way too much, so I made these. They are intended to be quite tight (but not so snug that they cut off circulation!) and that provides both support and warmth which helps keep fingers and wrists nimble. NOTE: These are made a quite a dense gauge. If you are in pain, these are NOT a good project to work on. Save it for when you are feeling better.

7. Lastly, exercises. Here are a few of my favorites:

A. As soon as my wrists start to feel fatigued, I put my hands together in front of me “prayer style” (palms together, fingers skyward. Then I slowly lower my hands until my elbows and wrists are all in a straight line and hold for 20 seconds. This stretches those muscles and helps relieve the tension.

B. To strengthen those muscles, push ups are the best solution I’ve found. If you can’t do a full push up on the floor, then any time you’re waiting on the microwave or for water to boil, just lean against the counter and do 10-20 from a standing position.

C. Another one that is great for not just wrists but also your shoulders and back is to clasp your hands behind your back, weaving your fingers together, palms out. Reach back and up as far as you can while slowly bending forward at the waist. Make sure you keep your back and neck straight, and don't go any further forward than a 90 degree angle.

D. Lastly, sit at the kitchen table or at your desk, and lay your arm on the table palm down. Now starting with your thumb, raise each finger one by one and put it back down. This will help keep any RSI from going into your elbows, since when you have it in your wrists you tend to overcompensate by using other muscles.

Don't push so hard that it hurts; you should just feel a slight tension on the muscles. Hold it there, and then try again in a few minutes. The goal isn't to rip out any knots; it's just to loosen things up a bit so that they'll ease themselves out on their own.

Yoga also helps, if you are into that. I’ve found the downward facing dog is the best for my wrists, but dance pose, warrior, and triangle are also great for knitters since they stretch your back and shoulders.

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Do you have an RSI? What works for you?

This series was the result of a reader request. Is there something you want my opinion/thoughts/suggestions on? Let me know!

RSI and Knitting Part I

It has been requested that I talk a little bit about RSI and some of the things that I do to combat it. Today is part one. Part two, which will include the preventative treatments, will go up on Wednesday.

Introduction
For those who don't know, RSI stands for Repetative Stress Injury. Examples of this would be carpal tunnel and tendonitis or tennis elbow; any kind of pain that is associated with a repetative movement such as knitting or typing. My dad had one related to hammering (he does home improvements) which was eventually treated with surgery, but there are plenty of treatments that don't involve going under the knife.

**DISCLAIMER**
I am not a doctor. The following are simply a list of things that have worked for me for managing my own pain. Your mileage may vary. Please consult with your physician before starting any kind of treatment plan.

That being said, many of these suggestions are very common treatments, and most were recommended by my mom (former occupational therapy assistant), my chiropractor, and other knitters/crafters suffering from similar ailments.

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Okay, so your knitting is causing you pain. The most common pain for knitters is in the wrist (carpel tunnel) and the elbow/forearm (tendonitis). Shoulders can also be bothersome, but those are more difficult to treat on your own. I'm looking mostly at things a knitter can do by themselves at the onset of pain.

First of all, a little reality check. If knitting/crochet causes you pain, STOP DOING IT. Put down the needles, and back way from the yarn.Stubbing your toe hurts. We all know this. So why, for the love of god, would you keep slamming your foot against the wall? This is the same thing. I know you love your knitting, but when you're causing yourself harm, then you have to step back.

When I was nine years old, I learned to crochet. I did it on and off for a few years, but in high school I started getting really into it. I did a couple of reports on the history, and it became a thing for all of my friends to get a hat, a scarf, and a blanket from me for their birthday or Christmas. I carried my crochet everywhere.

It didn't take long though, for the pain to set in. I was also an aspiring novelist, and spent a lot of time at the computer. After a while I had trouble just taking notes in class, and when I began studying art it became a challenge to even hold a pencil some days, let alone sketch out a still life.

I learned to knit for several reasons, but preserving my right hand was a big one. I still get pain from time to time, but it hasn't been that bad in years.

Treating the Pain
So, you've set aside your knitting. Now what?

1. There's no shame in taking a couple of ibprophen. The pain and discomfort is caused by inflammation of the muscles and nerves in the wrist/elbow joint as they rub against your bones. Ibprophen is a better anti-inflamatory than aspirin or acetaminophen, so take one or two. If you find that you need to take more or you find that you are taking it for more than 24-48 hours, then I strongly suggest you stop right now and go see your doctor.

2. Heat is usually recommended for carpel tunnel, but every once in a while I find that cold works better. Wrapping an ice pack in a towel and holding it on the affected area for ten minutes, I've found, to be most effective.

3. Wrist braces can be purchased at most pharmacies (CVS, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart all carry them). I find that these are best for sleeping in because of the way they restrict movement, but if I'm in a lot of pain I might wear them around the house for a couple of hours.

4. Let yourself rest. If it hurts, don't do it. Give yourself a three day vacation from your knitting. Go work on something else. Embroider, sew, bake, read, spin. Try dying if you haven't yet, or take the opportunity to get some house work done. The important thing is to let that hand and wrist (or elbow) rest.

For my suggestions on preventing the pain in the first place, click here.-----
P.S. You may have noticed a new tab at the top of the page. That's right, I'm now offering classes--including an introduction to illusion knitting!

Finished Object Friday

I have just a few things to show you today, a few things I finished up for around the house and as holiday gifts:

In total, I made six or eight of these towels, though a few are still waiting for suitable buttons. They all came from the same package, however, so the patterns are mostly the same.

Speaking of which, if you would like a PDF of the crochet tutorial I posted the other day, it is now available on Ravelry, here. The knitting one should be up shortly after the new year.

This took up most of my knitting/crochet time. I don't crochet much any more because it bothers my wrists, but the recipient of this was instrumental in making our new house livable in a reasonable amount of time, and it was hinted that she would appreciate an afghan. I used six balls of Lion Brand Homespun Chunky for it. It came together much faster than I expected (which NEVER happens!), and is just the right size for lounged on the couch or in bed. It's also super soft.
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If you follow my Twitter, then you know that this year, for the second year running, I made my aunt socks that didn't fit, and she bought me something I'd just gotten for myself, thinking no one would get it for me for Christmas--a subscription to Vogue Knitting. What's more, my mom commented that SHE considered getting me one, too! And here people keep saying I'm hard to shop for....

We've decided that next year, we'll just go shopping together.

Kitchen Towel Tutorial: Crochet

It's only been what, two years coming? Three? Well, at long last, I finally present the tutorial for my favorite holiday gift to give: Crochet/knit tea towels and washcloths.

Tea Towel: Crochet version (makes 2 sets)
 
 Tools and Materials:

• 1 tea towel or kitchen hand towel (you can also use bath and towels, but I like the patterns on the kitchen ones)
• 2 balls of dish cotton to coordinate, like Sugar 'n' Cream (I'm using a cone because I make a lot of these)
• 1 sharp yarn needle (These can be difficult to find. Plastic tapestry needles don't work very well for this; it should be metal with a fairly sharp point and an eye large enough for your yarn)
• Fabric scissors (the sharper the better)

• 1 crochet hook in your preferred size (For this yarn, I like between an I and K, but choose your hook based on your gauge). 

**Hint: If you want to stock up on these to have them handy for housewarming, birthday or last-minute holiday gifts, I've found that white, red, blue, and green are the best colors to use, since they're the most common kitchen colors. Also, white can be bleached without an issue.

To begin:

 1. Open your package of towels. Notice how they are folded in half? Take your scissors and cut along that line, so that you are left with this:
 
2. Fold down your raw edges, just enough so that they can be held in place (about 1/3-1/2 inch). You might need pins or clips to keep the folds intact, but if you're practiced, you can just use your hand, like so: 
 
3.  Draw your needle and yarn through the corner of the towel, as close to the right side as you can and about 1/4 inch from the top. Pull an arm length or so of yarn through, so that you'll have enough to stitch up the entire top of the towel. Do NOT cut your yarn from the ball. This will be important later. (If you're working from a cone or find that you simply MUST cut your  yarn, measure out a good 12-15 yards first).

 4. We're going to do a blanket stitch along the top. This will keep the towel from coming apart, and give us a base to crochet into to.

Traditional blanket stitch is done from left to right. I always do it from right to left. *shrug* Whatever floats your boat. At any rate, all you have to do is insert the needle into the fabric from the front. When it comes out the other side, make sure the yarn is behind the needle (as shown below). Pull it through, and you should have what looks a bit like a crochet stitch at the top of the fabric.

5. Repeat this all the way across. Depending on your hook size/intended gauge, you'll want between 15-20 stitches total. For this example, I used a K hook and 17 stitches.  When you reach the end of the fabric, simply slide the needle under the stitches you just made for 2-3 inches. Then pull it out, and trim your yarn. Voila, that's one end you don't have to weave in now. It will be hidden as you crochet.

 6. At this point, you should have something like this:

 7. Now take your crochet hook and insert it into the far right hand stitch, picking up the horizontal bar at the top of the fabric. Single crochet all the way across:

 8. Keep going just like this, but from here on out, don't crochet into the last stitch on each row.
9. When you're down to 7 stitches, stop decreasing.
10. Keep working those 7 stitches until you have a strip about 2 inches long.
11. Now, single crochet into the first three stitches. Chain 1, skipping a stitch, and single crochet into the last 3 stitches.
12. In the same manner as before, decrease until only 3 stitches remain. Cut your yarn, finish your work by drawing the cut end through your last loop, and weave in your ends.

13. Sew a button at the base of that thin little strip. Shank buttons work, but I find that the flat kind with holes work better

 14. Use the remainder of the ball to make the matching washcloth. There are lots of patterns available online, but my standard is to chain 23 stitches and work in single crochet until I run out of yarn.
15. You can now machine wash and dry these, just like any other kitchen towels.
16. Hang it from a kitchen cabinet or your oven door, or give it as a gift. 


And there you have it! Next week I'll come back and show you how to make the knit version, which is quite similar.

Giftmas Knitting Part II: Project ideas

For those keeping track, Kwanza begins in 47 days, Christmas is in 45, Yule is 6 weeks from today and Hanukkah is one month and one day away. If you're a knitter, now might be a good time to start panicking if you haven't finished at least one of your holiday gifts yet.

Never fear, there are still plenty of great gifts that you can make in plenty of time. I won't link to specific patterns, but here's a roundup to give you a few ideas:

1.  Fingerless Gloves
Great for:  teenagers, office workers, and anyone with cold hands
Estimated stash usage: 50g is enough for a pair ranging in fingering to worsted weight yarn. If you're leaning more to the worsted end of the spectrum, then I recommend a more open pattern, and gearing more towards hand warmers (which end at the wrist) rather than arm warmers (which go closer to the elbow).

2. Cowels
Great for: the stylish lady, the outdoorsy type, and the hard-to-shop-for manly man.
Estimated stash usage: depending on the pattern, 50-100g
Cowels are fabulous gifts. A lace pattern done in malibrigo or a mohair is great for moms, aunts, or any female relation. Switch to a sport weight yarn in a bright color, and it's great for the jogger or otherwise active person who enjoys spending time outside during cold weather. Make it a warm, bulky yarn in dark or neutral colors with a plain stitch pattern, and Dad will be able to safely keep his neck warm while he clears snow from the driveway or fixes those little winter emergencies where a scarf might not be a good idea.

3. Basic Beanies
Great for: anyone
Estimated stash usage: about 50g, maybe a bit more.
It's cold. Everyone needs a hat. Use a navy blue and a plain ribbed pattern and Dad can wear it with his cowel. Stick with stockinette and add some colorwork, and it matches your 14 year old cousin's favorite outfit. Put a pompom on top and it's great for the toddler.

4. Berets/slouchy hats
Great for: Any female relations or friends
Estimated stash usage: 50g
My favorite slouchy hat is openwork, and can be worn as a beret or pinned in my hair as a snood.

5. Drawstring pouches
Great for: gamer geeks, other knitters, anyone with collections of small objects to organize
Estimated stash usage: depending on the size, you can get 1-3 bags out of a 50g ball.
Great for storing dice for tabletop gaming, being used as a small project bag to carry in your purse, keeping notions or small office supplies handy, or really anything you want.

6. Scarves/neck warmers
Great for:Almost anyone
Estimated stash usage: 100-200g
Try thinking outside the box on this one--a short neck warmer that is fastened with a button, or a scarf with pockets to keep your hands warm.

7. Socks
Great for: Almost anyone
Estimated stash usage: ranges from 2-3 pairs of baby socks per 50g ball to 100g for a pair of ladies knee highs.
I wouldn't reccomend socks as a go-to project for Giftmas, just because not everyone likes handknit socks (It took me a while to get used to them, and I make them!). For a beginner, this can also be quite an ambitious project. So make sure that you are using materials and a pattern that you are comfortable with.

In addition, you could start from the toe up and just make ankle-high slipper socks by squeezing some puff paint in a fun design on the sole.

8. Washcloths and hand towels
Great for: any household
Estimated stash usage: 1 50g ball is enough for one crochet-top hand towel and a dish cloth.

Two things I've discovered are very popular with my family members are handmade dish cloths and the tea or hand towels with the crocheted tops. When I need a pallet cleanser between projects, I pull out some crochet cotton and make a dishcloth, then set it aside in the bin. These are great for Christmas, housewarming, and even birthdays. Natural, red, and blue seem to the be the most popular colors for kitchens that I've seen, while white can easily be bleached. They're pretty inexpensive, too--a cone of cotton yarn is about $10 at Walmart, and can make upwards of a dozen washcloths. The towels can be found for $1-2, sometimes for a multipack, and cutting them in half means you get two for the price of one.

I know I said *cough*years*cough* ago that I would make a tutorial for those towels, and I will...eventually. Maybe this year. Maybe not.

So that's my rundown of eight last minute items you can knit or crochet for the holidays. What are your go-to gifts? 

Hey, Look What I Made!

Want to see what I made while I was “away”?

Linen stitch coasters made from my handspun
Linen stitch is probably one of my favorite stitch types. I like both the front and back of the fabric, and it works so well for handspun yarn, or yarn that tends to pool. And coasters are great for stashbusting. And protecting the furniture.

Jewelry keeper
I saw a picture of one of these on Ravelry, and had to make one. I love doing slip stitch patterns with floats like that, and the handspun yarn really lent itself to the pattern.

Bicycle saddle bag
Made from a very ugly skirt (lining) and an old scrub top. The only part of this that was actually purchased were the buckles. I have another one cut out and waiting to be sewn, but haven't gotten to it yet.

Eric the Flamingo
Based on the main character in my short story. I just couldn't resist. He's freehand crochet with knitted i-cord legs. And yes, he lives on top of my alarm clock.

Dish drying mat
Because I love my granny squares and I was sick of not being able to find dish towels when I needed them. I think my parent's dryer eats them, the way it does my socks.

I know you’ve all seen the Scarf That Shall Not Be Named. But just for fun, here it is again:
You can download the original pattern for free, but there there's also an expansion pack with 4 additional charts to customize the pattern available for $1 (the words include Frak, Cancer, That, and Haters).

Original: download now
Expansion Pack:

I mentioned before that the FK You scarf caused quite the stir over on Ravelry (are you sick of hearing me talk about it yet?). In the wake of it's success, I decided to put together a book of illusion patterns for the more sarcastic side of life.

Speaking of which, I want some opinions:

Originally, I was going to do a Ravelry PDF for the book. It would be available for purchase through Ravelry and this blog. I’m thinking 7-8 patterns/charts with additional charts in the back and a little technique thrown in.

But, a few other options have been suggested:
1. Ravelry PDF as described above, to be released sometime between Halloween and Christmas (with any luck). Price would be between $14-$18. (US, for those wondering)

2. Traditional publication--would probably include a better layout (more spiffy graphics), better photography, and be available at bookstores in a hard format (either paperback or hardback). Release date would be TBD, but probably not until the middle of next year. Price would also be TBD, but probably somewhere in the $18-30 for a paperback and $30+ for a hardback.

3. Kickstarter--basically a print version of the PDF (since I’d still be doing most of the work myself), with a spiral binding (to make it easy to knit directly from the book without pages flopping around), available only in limited quantities directly from the blog, probably only the US and Canada just because of shipping costs, but I might change my mind on that part later. Cost would be TBD, since I’m still kind of iffy on the whole Kickstarter thing and haven’t found a printer that looks reliable yet.

Thoughts? Ideas?

Etsy Update

I've posted several new items in my shop this week, including some of my crocheted kitchen sets and a new yarn. I also lowered the price of a couple of other items. I'm trying to sell some thing this week, because I'm about $300 short of what I need to pay tuition for next quarter. So, if you need any last minute Christmas items, take a look, pretty please!

Odds and Ends

Has it really been three weeks since I updated this thing? Wow. I've been really busy at work, but my hours were recently cut. I've also been hurrying to get all of my Saci paperwork together, but at this point I'm just waiting on my loans and a new credit card (the loans were an adventure in and of themselves, and considering I won't get my overpayment until I'm actually in Italy, the new card is a necessary evil. I hope to pay it off as soon as I get my check).

I ordered the Blood Ties DVDs, and they are here, but I'm tucking them aside until Italy, when I will be with limited internet access and no TV or radio.

Tonight Alice and I are going to a midnight showing of Harry Potter. I was going to put it off, but we have to go into Hilliard so she can go to the bank anyway, and the theater is right next to the bank, so we might as well save ourselves a trip. I'm tempted to wear my black graduation robes and go in costume, but I'm a geek like that. :)

An update on the ergonomic crochet hooks: They're intended for people with arthritis in their hands, I think, not people with carpal tunnel. I find I actually have to do more work when I use them rather than less, which is a pain. I like the fact that they are interchangeable (I love it, actually), but I think I might have to pass them on to someone else before I leave. I wanted to take them with me, I just think I'm better off taking 4-5 of my normal hooks, since I know how to make them work for me with the least amount of pain.

Sick Days

I've been sick since Sunday. At first I thought it was just allergies, but I've had a fever that comes back every time my dayquil wears off. Everything is exhausting. I stayed home from school one day, but that was all I could afford to miss. Called off work today--I really just need two good days of rest.

I've been reading, watching movies, and crocheting. I finished up this cute little doll outfit yesterday:

Evie is very happy with it, especially now that she has boobs to show off. Her old body didn't have any at all.

The shawl is crocheted on a size G (the smallest hook I can use, and even at that only for short periods), and the yarn is some of my hand spun silk, in a laceweight. It hasn't been blocked yet. I haven't gotten up the mojo to go downstairs and plug in the iron yet to try steaming it.

The halter is mostly made from some Mystery Yarn I got in Italy. I think it was about 2 euro for a pound of the stuff. The trim is also silk, spun by me. I'm taking the rest of the ball and making it into another hippy hat at the moment, but no pictures.

The skirt is done on US7 needles, and it's just some generic acrylic I got at Walmart, leftover from some Christmas knitting.

As to reading, I picked up a light mystery from the library. It's called "Organize your Corpses" by Mary Jane Maffini, and it's pretty amusing so far. I'll probably finish it this weekend.

Okay. Back to the whole getting better thing.
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p.s: Etsy shop is still up, sale is still going but I've had to alter the terms a bit. I'll still be shipping out, I'm just going a little slower than usual.

The Univerise Provides

As in most households, things have been a little tight here around Chez Loco. After the housing fiasco last semester, I was lucky enough to have parents who could charge the cost for me, but Alice had to do it herself. The result was an overdrawn credit card and payments that jumped from $20 to $200, literally overnight. She's been paying down $20 here and $40, but with the economy what it is jobs are hard to find and she's had no income other than her Etsy Store. This means that she's been living off of her student loans, which don't go very far. I've been keeping us fed, picking up the late/no pay fees her brother left behind on the electric bill (don't even get me started on him), and generally taking care of the household expenses. When our January checks come in, she'll be paying me back for part of this, but not much. And I've been surviving off of loan money and $7.00 an hour (well, $7.25 since Thanksgiving).

The last two days have been a windfall. While talking to a coworker, she mentioned she's looking to have her senior pictures taken at Walmart. Instantly, I recommended Alice, who is a fantastic photographer and did my senior pictures. When I said she'd do them for under $100, I could tell that the coworker in question was sold. I'm bringing her the pricing information today, along with some samples. Anything that gets Alice a few extra dollars makes things easier on me.

The second windfall happened not long after. Remember how I was talking to my boss about family and handmade dishcloths? Well, when her sister saw them, she freaked, so The Boss commissioned another set for her birthday--$20, paid in advance. I'm bringing them to her today at work.

Third, while cruising around CraigsList, I came across a request to make rocking chair cushions. It's simple, it's fiber, and its local. We're still hashing out the details, but I think I can get about $50 for it.

On top of that, Alice's parents sent her $150 for Christmas (among other things), about half of which is going to things like bills and food. And our checks from the student art sale came in, so I've also got a cushion there.

Don't get me wrong. Things are still a little dicey, and these are only temporary fixes. I still need a new job (one that pays minimum $24000 a year, by my estimate), but it makes things easier for the time being. It should at least get us through the next couple of weeks, until our overpayment checks come in.

Ahem.

Okay. So I'm not really keeping that promise to myself to update more in the month of December.

I finally took pictures of some of the Christmas presents I've been making. Franklin Habbit, I am not. For one thing, I don't care much for studio-style photography (at least, not when I have to take it myself). This is probably one of the reasons I'm so bad at it.



I've made seven of these so far, each with a matching wash cloth. There's one set each for my mom, my aunt, grandma, and cousin. I also made a set for my boss and her mother, after we got to talking and she mentioned that she and her mom were down to the last sets that her grandmother made before she passed away. Neither of them crochet, so I made each of them a towel and wash cloth as a surprise. I thought she was going to cry, and then I nearly started crying, because I started thinking about my grandma, an avid knitter/crocheter/sewer who passed away when I was fifteen, before I really learned enough French to talk to her or before I knew how to knit, or really started sewing. If I could have one day with a dead person, she'd be it.

Shit, now I really am crying.

Anyway. My next post will be a tutorial on how to make the hand towels. If you're interested in my method of making the dishcloths, leave a comment to let me know.

American Gothic

I do not think that I am pretty. Not in the least. I avoid being in front of the camera. But I do make exceptions, like when I need to show off my latest knit creation, or when I've recently finished a particularly cool costume. Of course, it helps when you have a fantastic photographer working with you, like Alice.

The dress for these shots is actually a tank top (the black with pink paisley is the original top). It didn't fit properly (i.e. I have huge hips and most shirts, even if they're long, ride up to become belly shirts. This one was particularly bad, but also particularly pretty). I designed and hand-sewed the skirt, with the intention of dressing it up and also weighing down the hem to keep it in place. Originally I was thinking more of a tutu, but the more I drew and worked on it, the more a longer, more Victorian look seemed better. It's not exactly historically accurate (not even close, really) but I kind of combined styles from around 1900-1910 with stuff from my own head and things from movies.

I really like the way it came out. It fits well and is pretty comfortable. Wearing the long sleeve black top and the corset over top was pretty hot, though. I drank a lot of water during that part of the shoot.

Unfortunately, out of the 200+ photos we took, we didn't get any really good just frontal shots showing off the dress. It was definitely more of an art/fashion shoot, telling a story. Alice lives in an awesome Victorian, and we used the setting a lot in the shoot. We had a lot of fun pretending that I was about to kill my husband. There are several shots of me involving a knife and also some deadly nightshade she found growing in the yard.

These are just a few of my favorite images, the ones that show off my part of the work (the costume) the best. We also took some pictures in a local graveyard. We went to the older part of the cemetery and found some tiger lilies growing by a fence which we used as a prop. We left flowers on every grave we used as a thank you; most of them were so old that no one cleans or takes care of them anymore, except to mow around the headstone.

I also finished up an afghan I was working on, but I have yet to hook up my camera to the laptop. Or really get a decent picture of it. Flash photos on my messy bedroom floor don't count, but it's been raining every day for...A month? Two? So I haven't taken any outdoor pictures (When it's not raining, it's 90 and humid).

As soon as I get the next flag for the Peace Project, I'm going to start stitching it all together. Squee!

Vader for Prez

There's hasn't been much going on around here--the only things I could write about would involve me complaining, and we don't want that. For this reason, this will probably be a short post.

I started a new crochet project last night, but I'm going to have to frog it because as Alice pointed out, it could fit an elephant. I shouldn't be doing all of this crocheting, but I can't help myself. I haven't crocheted in forever it seems, and I really miss it. I have been making use of my new mits, though. I'm wearing them right now, in fact.

Parts 1 and 2 of the new podcast episode are up. I am still looking for anyone who can tell me how to record about an hour of sound on Garageband.

In the Newsreel episode, we are encouraging everyone to boycott the Olympics. Anyone with access to the news (non Chinese state news, that is) knows about everything going on with China, Tibet, Sudan, and Darfur. Please join us in our protest.

Another bit of activism we have planned is this: we want as many people as possible to write in "Darth Vader" for president this fall. Our goal is to make the news, and get a least a percent of the vote, even if it is only one half of one percent. I'll be posting Mr. Vader's platform shortly over on the shownotes.

I'll have some more pictures and info and such soon. We're working on finals right now, and two weeks from today Alice and I fly back home. Hopefully, in about two and a half weeks, you'll have an update from my home.

Oh, and many thanks to LeFeeCrochet over at Etsy who gave us permission to use her Darth Vader amigurumi pattern as a mascot for our campaign. We love you and your designs! (I may have to go back for the Yoda pattern...)

Will Knit for Vampire Lover

Unfortunate American female (20) seeks Canadian husband to gain citizenship. Will provide hand-knit garments in exchange. Need not be heterosexual. Resemblance to Kyle Schmid not mandatory, but a definite bonus. Being Kyle Schmid is guaranteed acceptance.

Fangirl much?

Nah. Don't know what you're talking about.

Hm. I haven't talked about my knitting lately, have I?

On the needles:

Turkish rib scarf--Still a bit less than halfway done. The yarn is so fine, it's taking forever.

Would be donation blanket--I don't know how close this is to finished, because I just keep adding balls of yarn. I think I still have two or three left. I was going to work on it last night, but my crochet hook was AWOL.

Blueberry socks--I finally started the leg of the second sock. These have been collecting dust for a while now.

So you remember last week how I was talking about how my wrists hurt and I need to take a break from knitting/crocheting? Well...my solution to the sore wrists was to knit myself a pair of wrist warmers. XD That was the project I took with me on the train. I'm making them in the round using magic loop, and let me tell you, I'm not real fond of the technique. This is the first time I've tried it for something so small, and it's really annoying to knit fifteen stitches, then adjust the needles. It's actually quicker to use DPNs, but I don't have a set in the size I need. I'm about 3/4 done with the first cuff. Hopefully they'll be finished soon. It is my goal to have everything off the needles before I go home. I have less than a month. Do you think I can do it?

Me neither.

Fiber Content

For a while now I've been talking about my various craft projects, but I haven't shown any pictures--well, here's a couple to make up for it:



I made this....last week? Out of boredom.



Boredom is the reason I make most things. Since the charger on my laptop died, I've needed something to do during my Art History class, as surfing the web is no longer an option. This was a little something I started carrying around in my purse, and have randomly been pulling out when we go on trips to that I'm not focusing on how badly the prof is butchering any word that isn't Italian (she's American, by the way, and has been teaching for 25 years, so there's really no excuse), and why are we at a museum this early in the morning? And do I really care if we look at yet another Madonna and Child? I think no.

So imagine twenty-five college kids following a tall blonde chatterbox around like so many baby ducklings, and me trailing along at the end with three or four inches of crochet peeking out of my over sized Harry Potter bag. That is how this bag was born. And it's actually kind of funny that it was crocheted mostly in my art history class, since it is finished just in time for our trip this weekend. Perfect! Now if I can only keep from garroting the prof with my next project, we'll be just peachy!

In more cheerful news, I found a really cool book tucked away in our apartment. Well, actually, Alice found it. We have a bookshelf that is laden with Italian novels we can't read, encyclopedias that are ten to twenty years out of date, and board games with half the pieces missing. Yet the other day she unearthed this treasure:




This is an Italian translation of an American book from the early 1980's. Basically, it's everything you ever wanted to know about sewing, embroidery, macrame, crochet, needlepoint, knitting, and tatting. Tatting! I was so surprised to find that in there.

I've been studying this book ever since. I don't use pattern books, but I like "how-to" type things; How to make this stitch; how to piece these things together--more of a recipe than a detailed step-by-step.








And those are just what I found by flipping to random pages! This book even has basic color theory in it, which was really surprising for me.

I'm going to have to search Amazon for the English version--It's a Reader's Digest book. I don't have it in front of me, so I can't look up the original title, but I will post it later on. If I can't find it online, this copy might just fall into my suitcase. I think the best part is that even though my Italian is awful, I can still understand a good portion of the instructions because the images are so clear.


----
Peace Project Update
----

Eighty-Five. EIGHTY-FIVE!

Do you know what that number represents? That is the number of flags that have been signed up for. EIGHTY-FIVE! I actually counted twice because I didn't think there could possibly be that many, but there are. You are all so wonderful! I never would have expected this kind of response in less than a month!

I should be getting the center panel back from the cleaners this afternoon, so I'll be able to start the quilting and embroidery.

I will be gone this weekend on a trip to Rome, so you probably won't hear from me until Monday.

Slowly Catchin Up

Well, a little at a time I've been scratching things off of my mile long to-do list. I emailed BritRail about luggage regulations, hoping I wouldn't have to ship my trunk ($330 minimum!). Thankfully, they do allow checked luggage, contrary to what I originally thought, so I can take my suitcase. I also talked to some hostel-hoppers on Ravelry, getting more info on hostels, their security and regulations.

My other activities this past week have included copius amounts of knitting and--gasp--crocheting. I finished up one lap robe, got most of the way done with another before I ran out of yarn (might still manage to finish it if I'm really, really lucky), and started a third. That one will actually come with me to Europe. I've decided that rather than risking my knitting with the TSA and European anti-terror groups (I've been reading the horror stories on Ravelry, trying to gain more information on what is allowed and what isn't), I'm going to pack it all away and just take a K or N size crochet hook and some scrap yarn. I'm making myself one of those blankets that folds up into a pillow out of some leftover balls of yarn. The afghan will probably go in my checked baggage so I don't have to carry it (You hear that, George Bush? I'm sneaking an Afghan in my suitcase!), but I will most certainly be bringing another skane of yarn for other, smaller projects on the plane. I'm thinking of a laptop cozy and a cell phone cover, just because the phone is a rental and I'm a klutz. I know how many times I've dropped my ipod, and I'd rather it have a hard case, but for some reason Walmart has stopped selling them for that style of phone and I'm too lazy to search elsewhere, particularly since I leave in LESS THAN A WEEK. Can you believe it? Two months ago, I didn't even think I would make it this far, and now I only have five days.

Another think that has been keeping me busy is my knitting book! Yep, I'm working on putting together a special book of patterns. I have it outlined, a list of everything I want to put into it, and about half the patterns are written. I'm looking for test knitters though, since I'm new to this whole pattern-writing thing. If you're interested, please post in the comments or e-mail me using the yahoo address in my profile. I have patterns for both knitters and crocheters, and I think that there's a fair range of skill levels.

I hope everyone out there had a blessed Yule, Christmas, Hanuka, Kwanza (does anyone even celebrate that? They always made a big deal about it when I was in elementary school to encourage diversity, but I've never met anyone who celebrates it. Of course, my teachers NEVER mentioned Yule...some diversity...) or whatever else you celebrate.

The holiday itself was okay, but most of my presents where food. How, I ask you, am I supposed to eat 2 boxes of necco thin mints, one double box of cherry cordials, half a dozen mini bags of M&Ms, one bag of sour starburst jelly beans, one large jar of pickled eggs (love me some pink eggs! (don't ask. We have a lot of Amish around here. If you don't know what they are, they you probably won't get it)), three mint 3 musketeers, 2 bags of skittles, and one bag of Dove Dark Chocolate, on top of Gingerbread men and whatever my Grandma gets me (we haven't even had the extended family Christmas yet; just the one with me and my parents).

I decided that the skittles and the dove (un opened bags) are going to come with me to Europe. I can take those in my checked bags, right? I don't want them to go to waste, since no one else in the house eats skittles or dark chocolate.

As to the rest of my "vacation"...There have been fire works. Family tension continues. It is actually one of the reason I am on the computer at the library right now instead of at home.

But I'm dealing. I get out of here in five days, and I cannot wait to be gone.

Pictures of knitting and crochet to come soon. I hope to get them updated at the latest on New Years Eve, when I'll probably be loading images from Alice's house, if her wireless internet decides to give me a signal.

Update when you can

So my laptop is in the shop this week. It had a little issue with the memory reader back in May, and when it started affecting the display over Thanksgiving break, I figured it was time to get it fixed--before I flew halfway around the world to a country whose language I don't speak.

Apple has my computer for at least another week. Their screw up, not mine. It is the general assumption that when a customer arrives before business hours, fills out the necessary forms, and hands over her beloved powerbook, that the company in question has her permission to fix the damn thing, but no. Four days later, I get the call that they need my permission, and my laptop is still sitting in the back room at Easton. *grumble* It makes me want to hurt someone. Like the person responsible for the "miscommunication."

Anyway. :D There has been knitting. View the evidence:



The two-tone is for my grandpa, and the solid is for my dad.

Stats:

Times frogged: 1
Yarn: Unknown black acrylic, and a skane of Vanna's Choice, which I will never use again (more on that in a sec)
Needles: These were knit from the top down. The center portion is on size 9 US DPNs, and then once I started the ribbing I switched to size 8 US circ's.
The how to: Cast on 3 stitches over three DPNs. Join, increasing each stitch (knit in front and back). Next row, increase every stitch. Then every other, every third, etc, until there are 12 stitches between increases. Begin k2/p2 rib. Work until long enough to fold over for a double layer over the ears. Bind off. This is the second simplest hat I've ever made--the most simple being my basic crochet beanie.

Speaking of crochet and hats, I'm making a crochet baby hat for yet another high school friend that has been knocked up:



Oh, and I am now on Ravelry. You can find me as Sophia Rowan. I'll post a link...somewhere. Eventually.

Oh yeah. I was going to talk about Vanna's choice.

It looks good. It feels good. It was full of knots that put Noro to shame. One 50 gram ball. No less than six. Some were knots. Some were spots where one of the plies had broken and snagged back, creating a lovely little birds nest. I will never use it again, and I will never recommend it to anyone.

Another Eff'd Oh!

Stats:

Times Frogged: 3
Yarn: Linie 194 in Solo for the flames, Dark Horse Fantasy #20 (that's the red), and the black was a soft, leftover black I had laying around but lost the tag for. It's some kind of inexpensive acrylic, but not the nasty Red Heart kind.

Needles: US 11/8mm Brittany wood straights
Pattern: My Own
The How-To: I cast on 16 stitches in the varigated, worked a few inches. The border is two stitches wide, done in seed stitch. Honestsly, I think I should have made both the scarf and the border a bit wider, because the red yarn is a bit thinner and has a tendency to curl, even though it's been blocked.

The color changes were stranded color work, but the main body of the scarf was really simple. My biggest problems came from adjusting my gauge (the varigated yarn is much, much thicker than the red or even the black), and also working out how I wanted to do the flames. I think that between this scarf and the Butterfly hat, I am done with fancy color work for a while (but at least this time the color work came out semi-properly).


Currently on the needles: Kimono Sweater
Currently in storage: the Never Ending Skirt
Next in Line: Cap and Cowl for my dad, winter skirt (sewing)

I've also intermitently be working on some squares for my scrapghan, which I have been making on and off for a few years now. I almost have enough squares for a lap robe. That project has been on hold because up till now it's been all crocheted, and I simply can't crochet anymore because of my wrists. The new squares are being knit it garter stitch, and have come out pretty nice. I figure that if I get the sizing wrong (the blanket is at my parents' house) I'll just crochet a little around the edges to make them big enough. That little bit I think I can handle.

Oh, and here's another Eff'd Oh that I'd almost forgotten about! My Pixi Skirt! I actually finished it sometime in September/early October, but oh well.

Stats:
Number of seams ripped out: 0 (!!)
Fabric: The blue is a satin remnant I've had sitting around for ages and wanted to use, and the black is a crinkly satin-type material, no idea other than that.
Pattern: My own, of course. Are you noticing a theme?
For the closure, I used four pearl buttons and some fake leather cord, so it buttons up the way Victorian era boots would. Really cool, and it was surprisingly easy to make. I didn't have any problems, except for some minor hiccups in sizing, which I cleared up in about five minutes with a pair of shears.