Category: tools

Craft Corner

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Bob and I got rid of an old couch we don’t need anymore and turned a corner of the living room into my craft corner. I’ve already broken it in with some jeans hemming. I foresee the shelves on the right slowly being taken over by craft supplies.

Just in case you were wondering, this is my tassel maker set from Katrinkles. I don’t make tassels very often, but these are so adorable I had to have them. I also signed up for her stitch marker of the month club!

Thanks to everyone who suggested I should color in the Winter’s Fern chart. Since the gold is my favorite color of the three, I made it the main color.

You would think someone with a degree in art would spend more time coloring, drawing, and sketching. But that is never something I think to do. I will try to do more of it when I am planning projects.

I’m going to finish up my Tread Hats and then start my Jessica Jones Cowl. What are you working on?

Solid Gold Sunday

Posted on Posted in fiber love, field trips, toolsTagged , , , , 16 Comments

Yesterday I got really excited about dyeing my Cotswold with turmeric, and I did it. I followed these instructions. It was simple and I love the color. It is still a little damp. I made a mistake by dyeing it at first while still twisted in a loose hank, so I untwisted and dyed it again, resulting in the beautiful gradient. So be like me and make a mistake and love the outcome. I don’t think I would like it as well if it were all the same color.

The dyeing process blew out the lanolin so I ordered some and I’m going to give it another rinse with lanolin. I had someone tell me recently that you don’t want lanolin left in your wool. Well, maybe they don’t. But I sure do. Especially in the Cotswold which got toothier after dyeing. The lanolin makes it softer and also moisture repellent. Why wouldn’t I want that?

With only 10 minutes to spare and my hands still yellow and smelling of turmeric, I rushed to the COWFG meeting. I got lost and was 15 minutes late, but still enjoyed most of the presentation by the owners of Oak Knoll Farm.

I knit on my Weekender and listened to wonderful stories about a sheep named Charlotte who goes into a trance when she gets sheared, and another one who wags its tail and follows you around like a puppy. Yes, I now want a hobby sheep farm when I retire. I want protective dogs and sweet Shetlands.

I purchased some of their fiber. You know they love their sheep when they include their photos on the product.

I also purchased this.

Do you know what this is? I’ll bet HighlandHeffalump does. I am going to take a class today and then I will share with you all about the mystery of this beautiful tool.

Random Thankfulness: Today I am thankful for our immigrant and refugee communities who bring their amazing food to our area, like baby bananas.

Artist Date Sunday

Posted on Posted in art, design, inspiration, knitting, sewing, tools, what makes me tickTagged , , 4 Comments

Today I took myself on an artist date to a couple of galleries in the Short North, an arts district in Columbus. It was a special day – Sunday Bazaar- when artists are working or talking about their work in the galleries and shops.

At Studios on High, an artists’ cooperative, I met Jennifer Jolley Brown, a printmaker. She was trying a new medium for her, woodcut.

We enjoyed chatting about art and life, and I love this image she is working on. She gave me some woodcutting tips in case I should ever try it. I must look like a serial enthusiast. (Is it that obvious?)

Then I came back to my studio and stewed in my juices a bit. After a long leisurely stare out the window, I opened my new planner/journal.

I had this binder made on Zazzle. This is a Carl Larsson painting. The knitting on the table and the textile on the chair, which must be Karin’s, inspire me. Really, the whole thing inspires me. It’s a home scene but so light and colorful — how I would like for my home to be.

I worked a little in my wardrobe planner. My aspirations are so modest here. Surely this is possible!

I was inspired enough to trace and cut out the Ottobre jeans.

The plaid is for the pocket bags.

I missed a few days blogging, but I did catch up on your blogs today!

Gifts from Far Away

Posted on Posted in fiber love, tools, yarnTagged 7 Comments

I recently received these lovely sea glass stitch markers all the way from Scotland, courtesy of Liz over at Highlandheffalump.

I can’t wait to use them!

I also received my FibreShare package!

I am pretty excited about all the things, but especially the Forbidden Fibers yarn and Fringe Supply Co field bag!

I’m not sure that Ketchup Chips are my thing, but they were fun to try!

Expand and Contract

Posted on Posted in holidays, sweaters, tools, what makes me tick, yarnTagged , , 10 Comments

This is my new Cascade 220 Sport for The Oa.

A friend and I were talking and she mentioned expansion scares her. Change is challenging for her. Not me, I love change, but lately I’ve been feeling a similar way. I expanded a lot in 2018. But now I’m feeling anxious and like it’s time to shrink back into myself. No more clubs, goals, or new things! Just knit on what you got, girl!

I signed up for FibreShare and it’s really fun, but it’s hard (for me) to know when to stop. I’m new at this, and when I hear what others are doing I think I’m not doing enough! Anyway, I have to ship international priority, and there’s a limit to what I can squeeze into that Tyvec mailer!

Are you a Valentine’s Day celebrator? Here’s a quiz for you, either way. I’ll go first.

1. Did you celebrate Valentine’s Day at home with your parents when you were a kid? If so, how did you celebrate?

My mom usually had some kind of Valentine’s Day treat for us when we were kids: candy, cookies, or cupcakes. One year she bought me a little doll I wanted with a pink dress. It was when I was almost too old for dolls, but not quite.

2. Did you give and receive Valentines at your school when you were a kid? If so, what is your happiest memory of it?

We decorated our own mailboxes at my school, and I remember one year I papered mine with aluminum foil. I thought it was really nifty. I also think I gave KISS Valentines one year, and of course I thought that was super cool.

3. What was your favorite Valentine’s Day treat when you were a kid? What about now?

When I was a kid I remember liking those cherry flavored, heart shaped suckers. Now I love chocolate cherry cupcakes and red wine.

4. Do you craft for Valentine’s Day? If so, what do you make?

No. Not anymore. Although I thought about knitting a red scarf this year with that lovely yarn from Karen.

5. Do you have a bad Valentine’s Day memory you would like to share?

I have two but I don’t wish to share them.

6. Do you have any special plans this Valentine’s Day?

No, I will be traveling for work. But I will get some candy for the kids.

I look forward to reading your answers! Please leave them in the comments or a link to your blog if you respond there. ❤️

Wovember Day 27: Transform

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Today’s prompt is transform.

I am slowly transforming this Coopworth fleece into yarn with my drop spindle. I do this when I need to be active in my office while at work. Moving around helps my brain work more better.

Right now I’m sitting in the car, waiting for it to warm up so I can head to our local store for work.

Welcome Old Man Winter! Glad I have my wool to keep me warm.

Tools

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I thought it might be fun to post something about favorite knitting tools. Here’s a list of my “can’t do withouts”.

My Swahili Modern Fair Trade knitting basket. It was handmade by Senegalese artisans from grasses and salvaged strips of plastic. It used to have a handle, but my cat chewed it off. It’s okay. I carry it around like a big present because that’s how I feel about it, and it has a lid to keep the cat out of the knitting. Did I mention it is the happiest shade of orange?

From left:

Haven Herbs Flying Trapeze Balm for my dry and chapped hands. (Disclaimer: I’m a worker-owner of Haven Herbs.) The comfrey and calendula is healing and the lavender is antimicrobial and smells wonderful. It’s also natural and non-greasy because you don’t want that on your knitting.

Small Decomposition Notebook to jot down where I am on projects or other important notes. I love that these are 100% post consumer recycled paper and the different illustrations make me smile. Right now I’m using Wild Garden.

Plymouth Yarn Company’s travel crochet hooks. I use these on the regular because I’m a crochet cast-on person. Also good for picking up dropped stitches. Each end is a different size so they are compact. (These are old and I don’t know where you can get them now.)

Goose Pond’s sheep needle sizer and gauge measure. Cuz it’s efficient with 2-in-1 uses and it’s cute! (Also old. I’ve been knitting a long time.)

What are your favorite tools in your knitting kit? Please leave a comment if you post on your blog!

I wasn’t paid or rewarded in any way to endorse any of these products, except for sharing my joy. I wouldn’t mind if you checked out Haven Herbs, but no pressure.

Bonus question: Do you have favorite needles? If so, what are they? Mine are Peace Fleece‘s straight wooden needles with the painted balls on the end.

I would love to try their new yarn, too!

After this Row

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I signed up for a little metal stamping workshop at The Smithery and made a stitch marker.

When my boys were younger, they were always asking me to do this or that for them while I was knitting. I would say, “After this row.”

They were too young to have much patience. They would keep asking me and I would respond the same way, “After this row.”

“But that’s what you said last time!”

“I’m still on the same row!”

I don’t get interrupted very often anymore. I probably would have forgotten all about it, but I think Bob asked me to do something for him recently (a rarity) and I said, “After this row,” and smiled.