Weekend Update 7-30-11

Are these not the cutest freakin' things?!?! And what a great way to use up left overs! Chubby Chirps by Rebecca Danger and its FREE!



I think I don't have to purchase any more yarn for the rest of the year ... or umm, my life. This is yarn that was purchased in June and July that I have no where to put ... oh there's more, but I found somewhere to put it.



I got through the first half of the roving I was spinning. This is my "practice" roving. I decided that I would spin half and take it off the spindle and then spin the other half. I'm not sure if the entire 4oz would fit on the spindle ... but I didn't want to find out the hard way that it didn't.



Towards the end its quite good. Now though taking it off the spindle and seeing what was spun at the beginning, I'm not sure what I want to do with it. My initial intention was to spin half, remove it and spin the other half and then ply the two together. Now that I see that about 1/4 of the yarn is thicker and well, kinda crappy, I'm not sure I want to do that. So now I wonder if I should 2-ply the first half and practice navajo plying the second half, that way I can practice both methods of plying ... again, with this "practice" roving that's not that great anyway.


I dyed some yarn this weekend. From left to right: Bloody Kisses, I'm keeping this one, Wormhole and Emerald Isles. The black one I can dye again, the black dye is a bluish black, so less concentrated its purple, blue and black, very pretty. Bloody Kisses is new, gross name I know, but it really reminds me of blood red. Wormhole is new, teal and black. Emerald Isles is the same as I dyed before that I am using for a shawl.

July 30th TUSAL

Here's my July 30th TUSAL update. Not much more since the last post, mostly clippings from reskeining dyed yarn.

Summer Bead-A-Long Update #8

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I started Ribband, its part of the Adorn collection. Its a very fun knit!

I am still working on the two beaded shawls as well.

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For those just joining the Summer 2011 Bead-A-Long: to share your weekly BAL post with us, just fill out the Mr. Linky below. Mr. Linky automatically adds the request to comment once you've linked, don't feel as if you have to. I just ask you to check out a few of the links posted to see what everyone else is working on and comment there if you can. After all, that's the whole point of the Bead-A-Long :o) Also, please remember to link back to my blog in your post to get the word out about the Bead-A-Long!

Please remember to use the new link to your post from this week, over writing the one that Mr. Linky has saved already. Thanks!

War of WIPs Call to Arms #2

Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!

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The battle rages on, but I am ahead! I completed 6 rows of the edging of the Bat Shawl this week. Its hard to photograph with the 300+ stitches crammed onto the needles. Now I remember why its been sitting idle so long ... 300+ stitches to conquer.

How are your battles going?

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If you are joining the quest to defeat the WIPs, please join the Call to Arms here:

WIP Wednesday 7-27-11

Check out other WIP Wednesday Blogs by clicking the link above!

Here's the Bat Shawl. Have to wind another skein of yarn!



Butin Collar ... almost done, just needs a clasp. That's my wedding dress ... pretty sure this necklace is going to be an accessory on the big day, I think it goes very well.

Myself and I

I decided it would be a good idea to start the conquest for World Domination of WIPs. So I told myself (hereinafter referred to as Self) to start with the Bat Shawl tonight and get going on that. So Self said, "Hey I, that's a good idea."

Self went to the WIP bin to get the Bat Shawl out and upon seeing only end caps and no needle tips attached realized that I decided to start a new project a few weeks ago and took the needle tips.

So I had to go and finish the row that the Niantic Rose shawl was using the needle tips on and then ashamedly passed them on to Self. Self used them to complete another row on the Bat Shawl edging. Self is nice and left a note where she left off on the pattern, so it was easy to start again.

I is typically not nice, spends too much money on yarn she doesn't have enough hours in the day to knit and loves to start new projects, even though Self is drowning in WIPs.

I is also the one who stays up too late and sometimes drinks too much beer, leaving poor Self to have to get up with a headache and go to work the next morning.

Its a constant battle ...

Summer Bead-A-Long Update #7

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Both shawls are in the same state ... haven't been worked on this week. It was too hot to knit this week!


Recently I purchased Adorn by Laura Nelkin. It a collection of patterns, 3 are published now and the other ones are coming ... oh the suspense! I HAD to (i.e. couldn't wait) go to the yarn store Friday night and get beads and yarn to try the Butin Collar.


The pattern called for 2 colors of beads, I wanted to do more. So I had to take a little extra time to thread the beads on and make sure they were in the right order.


And here it is blocking. I don't have a clasp, so its not finished yet. I hope to find one today. Then I can post finished photos.

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For those just joining the Summer 2011 Bead-A-Long: to share your weekly BAL post with us, just fill out the Mr. Linky below. Mr. Linky automatically adds the request to comment once you've linked, don't feel as if you have to. I just ask you to check out a few of the links posted to see what everyone else is working on and comment there if you can. After all, that's the whole point of the Bead-A-Long :o) Also, please remember to link back to my blog in your post to get the word out about the Bead-A-Long!

Please remember to use the new link to your post from this week, over writing the one that Mr. Linky has saved already. Thanks!

War of WIPs Call to Arms #1

Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!

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Tibetan Coriolis Socks
Yarn Dyed by Me
Started: June 2011


Nugatory Socks
Yarn Dyed by Me
Started: June 13, 2010


February Lady Sweater
Malabrigo Worsted
Started: May 15, 2010



Saroyan
Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Worsted
Started: January 22, 2011


Icarus Shawl
Knit Picks Shadow
Started: June 27, 2010


Bat Shawl
Knit Picks Gloss Fingering
September 2009
Deadline - Halloween 2011


Faux Dr. Who Scarf
Many Different Yarns - DK Weight
Started: Sometime in 2007 I believe


Reversible Cable Scarf
Berocco Ultra Alpaca
Started: ???? A Long, Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

And not so knitty projects:

Though this one has to do with knitting. I have two of these boxes, one holds roving that's in the process of being spun and the other holds knitting magazines. I have only stenciled one side of one box. They are both painted, but the stenciling is not done yet and I started them back in February or earlier of this year.


This cross stitch has been around for at least 3 years, probably more ...

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If you are joining the quest to defeat the WIPs, please join the Call to Arms here:

WIP Wednesday 7-20-11

Check out other WIP Wednesday Blogs by clicking the link above!

I am working on two beaded shawls for the 2011 Summer Bead-A-Long. Check back Saturday for an update!


I've been spinning a lot. What's left attached to the spindle is approximately half of the roving. The other half weighs in at 2.08 oz and it was 4 oz to start! I'm planning on spinning half, removing it from the spindle then spinning the other half separately and plying them together.

2011 War of WIPs

Hark! The evil WIPs are invading! Join me on my quest to rid our world of these evil, vile creatures before they take over the peaceful Kingdom of Knitting!

Do you have WIPs invading your territory? Are they taking over your kingdom?

Join me on a quest to conqure your WIPs in 2011! We will join forces to demolish the evil WIP Empire and restore peace to our land.

What is a WIP you may ask? It is any crafty project that has been started, but has yet to see itself to completion ... it wants to be a real boy!

Make a list of your intended conquests - WIPs that have been hanging around, how long they have been hanging around (if you can remember) and vow to finish them before the end of 2011!

First post of the quest will be Thursday 7/21/11. Then every Thursday thereafter will be a Call to Arms - post an update of your progress and link it here so we can visit each other's territoties and cheer each other on until the war is won or we retreat in defeat.

This is not a forum to post new WIPs that are started (we have plenty of great ones for those) this is for those WIPs that have been around for months, or even years that you want to finally be rid of ... or enjoy wearing!

You can set a specific deadline for a WIP or just hope that your guiding wizard appears at the last moment (December 31, 2011) to help you on your quest.

Who's with me??

A Tale of Traveling Yarn (Weekend Update 7/17/11)

This is also Weekend Update 7/17/11!

A Tale of Traveling Yarn

Friday night I was home from work and was checking the tracking information for an order from Knit Picks ... surely it must be arriving soon. I looked it up and it says delivered that day ... really, where is it?!?! Once before a package had been delivered to a street similar to mine, but it said so on the delivery notice "&^%$ville street" instead of just "&^%$ street" my street name.

A knock at the door and my next door neighbor announcing himself. I open the door to him and his wife and another couple. The other couple saw the box on my mailbox earlier in the day and the woman recognized the tape used as Knit Picks. Then later in the evening while they were walking the dog, they noticed it in the cow pasture up the street ... they were kind enough to pick it up and bring it down here.

They knew my next door neighbors and got them. They all came over to drop it off. She also mentioned, "At least if its yarn it didn't get damaged from getting thrown in the cow pasture." Ah ha! A knitter!!!! Up the street. I thanked them profusely for getting the package and returning it. Apparently my next door neighbor recently noticed some kids doing "thug" stuff around and notified a local cop. So we assume the kids grabbed it off the mailbox and pitched it into the cow pasture for kicks.

Here's a sampling of what was in the box (the rest was bare yarn for dyeing).


Knit Picks Shadow Lace Weight in Pearlescent and Opal Heather, Stroll Sport in Pageant (which is actually the perfect dark purple rather than the blue pictured here) and Gloss DK in Jade destined for the Legolas Kerchief.

I cast on another beaded shawl with the yarn I was using for the Entomology shawl ... I had to remove all 1200+ beads from the yarn! I'm saving pics for the Bead-A-Long post this week.

And something I meant to get a lot sooner after having them at my aunt's house in Florida last month. Bicardi mixers found in the frozen juice section, Pina Colada!! One can, some rum, ice and a blender and voila!


Yum!!!

Summer Bead-A-Long Update #6

My first beading attempt didn't go so well. I actually had quite a few rows done, but kept having difficulties with stitch count and beads moving, etc. So I moved on to a new project and a different method of beading.


Now I am using Oral-B Superfloss and placing the beads as I go. I found a great video tutorial on The Knit Girllls site.


This shawl is going much quicker, but it may be due to the fact that the beginning was solely stockinette :o)


Each bead is placed individually on the knit stitch as its being knitted.


This past Wednesday was the planning meeting for my local Knitters' Guild. I volunteered to teach a class at the October meeting this year on beading. I've been doing so much research for these projects for the Bead-A-Long and trying different techniques so when beading came up as a suggestion I piped up that I would do it. I am supervisor of my department at work and often teach classes to a wide range of people on the equipment we use and how to use it. Its not my favorite thing to do, standing up in front of a crowd and speaking, but I am fully capable of it.

I would really like to have a few completed projects to show for the meeting. I tried casting on for Entomology again last night and tried 3 times to get started and it just wasn't working out ... I am on the hunt for a new pattern to use with this yarn and the 1200+ beads I've already strung on! Entomology is a great pattern, its very well written and the instructions are more than clear ... it and I are just not getting along.



How is your Bead-A-Long project going? Didn't start one yet??? C'mon and join us!

I've been compiling a list of beading resources throughout the BAL, check out my Summer 2011 Bead-A-Long page for links.

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For those just joining the Summer 2011 Bead-A-Long: to share your weekly BAL post with us, just fill out the Mr. Linky below. Mr. Linky automatically adds the request to comment once you've linked, don't feel as if you have to. I just ask you to check out a few of the links posted to see what everyone else is working on and comment there if you can. After all, that's the whole point of the Bead-A-Long :o) Also, please remember to link back to my blog in your post to get the word out about the Bead-A-Long!

Please remember to use the new link to your post from this week, over writing the one that Mr. Linky has saved already. Thanks!

And the Winner Is ...

Kitten with a Whiplash has won the Give-A-Way contest for one (1) skein of yarn from what's available in my Etsy shop!

Congratulations! For those of you who played along, you will be receiving an email for a discount if you want to purcahse a skein within the next two weeks!! If you don't and you posted for the Give-A-Way it means I could not locate your email, please email me at delusionalknitter AT gmail DOT com for the discount code. Thanks for playing!

WIP Wednesday 7-13-11

Check out other WIP Wednesday Blogs by clicking the link above!

First up, Coriolis socks. These are in the New Pathways for Sock Knitters book by Cat Bordhi. I haven't got too much progress because I've been working on some other things this week, but there is more of a toe for the second sock than there was last week!


I am loving the new shawl patten I picked for the Bead-A-Long. I'm saving a picture of the knitting for the BAL post this Saturday, but here's a close up of the stockinette portion in the yarn I dyed.


I've been spinning!!! And I am improving a lot over when I first tried spinning several months ago.


Here's a close up of the singles. While it is still thick and thin in some places, its definitely getting more consistent than not. And now I can spin and draft without having to park and draft. Now I actually get going enough that the spindle reaches the floor!



Don't forget to join in my Yarn Give-Away until the 15th!!

Weekend Update 7/10/11

Alyssa and I went to the American Textile Museum in Lowell today. It was really cool. Lots of neat stuff.

Click on pictures for a better view!

Well ... there were some creepy fake sheep.


Some beaded gloves ... imagine making these?!?!


Very cool dyeing stuff. Lots of stuff from a LONG time ago.


I particularly liked the ad on this box of Twink ... washes and dyes at the same time! Last I knew that was an accident.


Some really old sock blockers! There were also some old knitting machines that looked more like mideval torture devices!


A Norman Rockwell advert for Interwoven Socks! I think I need one of these for my house!


A knit Scarecrow by the Atlanta Knitting Guild, complete with crow knitting the scarf!


And of course, another creepy sheep at the exit.


Since I changed by Bead-A-Long project to one that crochets the beads on ... I needed a crcohet hook small enough to fit into the beads. I didn't have any on hand. I went to Jo-Ann's yesterday, but the smallest I found was a #12 ... too big. I found this thread pic at Michael's that looked like an awfully small crochet hook and I think it'll do the trick.


Can't leave the store without some yarn! The Pattons Lace actually has purple in in as well ... it matches my computer/knitting room perfectly!



Very cool day out, had a great time!

Don't forget to join in my Yarn Give-Away until the 15th!!