A quandary

I finished my top secret stamp at Austin's Coffee. It was kinda nice to be carving in a different location than my house. Then kids not running around yelling was a great help.

I had a quandary while at Austin's. I am, by far, no expert on the subject of the carving. One of the comics, Jiggy (go ahead Google him) made an announcement that we were in need of an expert. As it so happened amongst the waiting comics and eager audience an expert was located. His opinion was invaluable as he assisted me in perfecting my art or at least making it so I didn't have to make the decision.

It's not a rose, penis or anything to do with an apricot. Here is another piece. Please feel free to take another guess. 

Follow your craft,
Michelle

Top Secret Project!

After we, read as Sarah and Dave, were able to defeat the knot I could finally start knitting again. I was trying merge the new yarn from one of the yarn balls into Gwen's scarf from memory, but it didn't look tidy. It started to unravel and the tail was getting significantly shorter so I tied it off. I don't like the way it looks, but Gwen will probably never notice if I can weave it in.

I should have Googled how to do it again so I would know for sure, but it appears from this video that I did it correctly. I just needed to leave a longer tail so it wouldn't slip or hold on to it longer while knitting. So far in the last few days I have not made much progress but that is because I have been otherwise engaged.

I am working on a secret project. What's that you say, "Duh, I read the title!" Fine then I will just get to the picture.

Awesome isn't it? Eh not so much you say. Well, I can assure you if you were not getting the top secret censored version you would change your mind. Can you tell what it is? The first person who guesses correctly, will win a set of 8 cards with the image stamped on it. To enter leave a comment with your guess. On the 15th I will reveal the rest of the picture and what I am doing with the stamp.

Follow your craft,
Michelle

Inner Cat

So this knot is maniacal and was also winning. I have tried to defeat it several times, in the last few days, without much success. Sarah tried with more favorable results, but this knot was resolutely laughing in our faces. Last night there was a glorious breakthrough! Sarah and Dave worked together channeling their inner cats.

The inner cat has the power to create and dissolve knots as well as become extremely distracted at a moments notice.

 They were able to free my knitting project from the mess I had created. I think the true turning point was when Dave threatened to eat the yarn...

Oh and we cut it and made two balls. Thought I would share our silliness.

It is interesting how I let this knot stop everything else I was planning. Have you ever had a snag in a project consume way more time than it should have or completely stop you from doing anything else?

Follow your craft,
Michelle

What Resolution?

So now that January is over I can finally get a handle on resolutions, new years or otherwise.

The dictionary defines resolutions as "A firm decision to do or not do something."

I hate pressure and I hate doing things just because others are doing them. Not that I would let a horde of people keep me from doing something. Witness, my sick obsession with Black Friday Shopping, but I digress. So here I am on the 4th of February still thinking about the resolutions people blurted out drunk a month ago and have already broken.

Last year I made the resolution to learn to knit and write about my progress. As you can see I was not successful with the posting about my progress. However, I was able to learn to knit and learning to read the patterns was by far the hardest part for me. So on to my resolution. I resolve to make things and to write. When I do these two things my days are brighter and I feel more complete.

What have I been up to in January? Knitting and stamp carving, they go together like peas and carrots. I have been working on knitting another scarf, abandoning Scarfzilla for the time being. The new scarf was looking great until the yarn broke.







Of course the reason the yarn broke is I didn't wind it into a ball and tried to knit out of the center. By the way, never do this. What you will get it a HUGE knot. This is the knot partially defeated.




As for the stamping, I forgot to take a picture of the stamps before I gave them away as gifts. I used them to make a site token for an event for a Renaissance/Medieval recreation group I participate in. 

The Great Turtle Side

 The Merc side

Also, Rowan wanted to share his book mark.

Follow your craft,
Michelle

Oh Where, Oh Where, Has My Motivation Gone?

Oh Where, Oh Where, Could It Be?
(Sung to the tune of Der Deitcher's Dog)

I haven't made that much progress. :-(  I truly expected to be done with Gwen's scarf by now. It will be spring by the time I finish this SCARFZILLA, which seems to be growing in size not only the way I intended, but sideways. I told Gwen it probably wouldn't be ready any time soon and she is such a kind and patient soul. Her response was, "Well that's OK it will be ready for next winter." She is such an awesome person.

Scarf or blanket? You decide.

We decided that the "official" size I will make a scarf now is 42 stitches with size 8 needles. You know life, the universe and all that jazz. Scarfzilla is, BY NO MEANS, 42 stitches. In fact I can't remember how many stitches I started out with. I think that may mean I am taking too long, or it could mean I didn't count them. Either way it is HUGE. I am going to be putting a lot more effort in to getting Scarfzilla done soon, so I can start something else. Oh, Yah, and so she can have the item I promised her so long ago.

I wanted you to see what she did get. Dearan made her a purse with the piece I "messed up". He used a little of the scrap from the dress he made my sister. All it needs now is a strap. :-)

Gwen's Purse

Close up of ceramic glazed button we got on clearance. YAY CLERANCE!

I love how it looks, but best of all Gwen loves how it looks. I am planning to pick up some leather strapping on Monday if I can squeeze it in between teaching a class and playing delivery girl for the last of our Girl Scout Cookies. OH, Yah I love me some Peanut Butter Patties. MMMmmmmmm. Really? No one else saw that bunny?

Another great deal I may not have needed. That is right you guessed it I got MORE yarn. Joann's sent out a coupon that read $5 off any purchase of $5 or more not including tax and items on sale. So I got a pack of REALLY nice yarn that was $5.49 for 53 cents. Come on I couldn't turn that down even if I didn't need more. It is made of silk and bamboo. It is SO soft and I am SO HAPPY. They sent one out for the next week as well so I have a total of 4.4 oz. Not sure how much that will make, but I am excited to try.

Sapphire. Ooohhh, Aaahhhh, MURmur murmur murmur

I SO need to try to figure out these labels. If I understand exactly what they mean I am sure I will be able to decide how much yarn to buy.  

I am excited because we are going to the fair tomorrow, wonder if I can knit on a ride? Hmmmmm... Something to think about and try to get away with.  0:-)

Follow your craft,
Michelle

Knitting All The Do Da Day

Knitting ladies sing this song, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Knit, down the road, all day long, Oh, doo-dah day!

Today I knitted a lot of the day. I would say I got in a good 4 hours. Dearan drove and I knitted for an hour. Just as a PSA: Swerving and sudden stops + knitting = potential for car sickness. Then 3 hours of knitting and gabbing at Mom's Night Out. My hands are a little sore, but not as much as when I first started. Of course, I have relaxed the death grip I was using on the yarn and I'm sure that helped. I am kinda disappointed at how little I got done. I am also disappointed that even though I am only doing a simple pattern I keep messing up. I mean really, how hard is it to knit 2 rows then purl 2 rows and start over. I have a few rows being quite antisocial,  just hanging out on their own and some that defected and have 3 rows together. A few people have said that is OK and it is how you know it was made by a person and not a machine. I guess that is true, or at least it sounds good so I am going with it.

What I had done

Here is what I have done now

Defecting rows :-(

OK, now that I put them side by side I guess I am less disappointed. I have only been doing this for 18 days, so I guess I am going pretty good. :-) You know what they say, "You will never get there unless you start walking."

Follow your craft,
Michelle

NO, Yes, Kinda

So have you broken your New Years Resolution already? (Looking straight at you) NO! (Then hangs head) Yes. (Then looking up and cocking an eyebrow) Maybe. So there is a little yes and a little no in my answer and a whole lot of maybe. I have been knitting, but it seems that the Fates, my deceased Grandmother and or a toddler with scissors is plotting against me EVER making something longer than 4 inches or so.

I am knitting using yarn I got from my mom who got it when her mom passed away. It is really nice and beautiful variegated colors. I am using this party fun with lots of colors in it. I was knitting and I reached the end of the yarn. Mind you this is what the yarn looks like now after LOTS more had been taken off of it.

I said oh well no big deal and just kinda weaved it in and went on. By the way I am not sure exactly what you are supposed to do in this situation, that is what I did. 

The next day I went out to the movies at a dine and watch type of theater with some great friends. Of course I brought the knitting, because that is what you do when you are going out with your friends right? Bring along your knitting. OK so maybe it is just me. I did refrain from knitting during the movie, War Games. Though it was bright enough in the theater that I sure could have. Come to think of it my friends would have probably appreciated it because I did seem to talk during most (They will tell you to read that as ALL) of the movie. I just couldn't help my self. I felt like I was in the middle of an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 with a bad movie and I needed to shout out my observations. I mean come on when the guy was crawling through the tunnels he so looked like he was someone on board The Enterprise trying to escape in a Jefferies Tube. Then the WOPR had to go and sound like the Warp Core when it is having problems. And yes I do think I may have been exposed to too much Star Trek in my youth. OK, that was a pretty bunny, but I am so far off track from my story.


After the movie we cleverly avoided the mob of people waiting to kick our butts, for talking so much of the movie, by hiding in the bathroom.Then went to Steak and Shake to catch up and just hang out. I brought my knitting box in and it took up a large part of the table. I so need to get a knitting bag or basket or something with handles. If you are going to commit to taking a craft thing out on the town you might as well show it a good time. After we ordered I begin knitting at the table. At which point my dear and loving friends poke fun at me, mercilessly. Once all avenues of dork and getting old jokes had been explored one says she doesn't like knitting and the other is mesmerized by my hands. That so didn't come out right, but it is what it is. I am talking and knitting right along when I realize I have messed it up. OK, who said "Again"? I try in vane to fix it, but there was nothing I could do. I decided to cut a long tail and just sew up the sides and keep it, I have not idea why I am keeping it. So I said to myself, "Self maybe you are having so many problems because you don't have a clear goal." I have been told that If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.

So I cast on again and this time I decide to make a scarf for Gwen, because she really wants one. I knit at Steak and Shake, then I knit at home, then I knit some more in the park with other friends while the kids practiced. One of Gwen's friends really liked her Knittie. I told this sweet child, who did not make fun of me for knitting, that I would make her one as soon as I was done making Gwen's scarf. We get home after a very busy day and I am sitting in my comfy chair knitting when I realize I am no longer attached to the ball of yarn. All together now, "AGAIN". So I took out a needle, because I thought it would be easier than the twisty tie, and ran elastic through the open stitches on the needle and made another Knittie. Who hoo at least one person will be happy with me when I see them this week. I will let you know how she liked it.  

End forcing the Knittie. BOOOOO

A quick up do to test it

Now I find myself right back where I started a few days before starting over on Gwen's scarf. I had her choose out of the wool we got on clearance. She chose a steel blue with a lighter blue twisted in. It is very pretty and I am SURE there are no loose ends in the ball so if it runs out again I will begin hunting down the toddler with the scissors.

Speaking of the toddler with the scissors. I don't know how many of you know this, but wrapping a ball of yarn is very hard when a toddler is in the room. Rowan thought it was awesome and wanted to help. When the ball was all done he wanted to bounce it and was very offended that I wouldn't let him play with the ball "WE" made.

Gwen's scarf so far.

 
As you can clearly see I have been a busy little bee knitting, though getting almost no where, but where I have failed is bringing this wonderful story (read as these inane ramblings) to you in all it's pictorial glory. So to recap: knitting, check; blogging, fail. Well, at least it wasn't an epic fail.

Follow your craft,
Michelle