Saturday, July 28, 2007

First wheel spun yarns

I had so much fun trying to figure out my wheel.. I can't wait to tackle the rest of my roving. :D

I decided to use of the rest of the green roving I got from mainewoods yarn on etsy and spun up a bobbin full of that. I also spun up a bit of the white roving that came with my wheel and plied it with some of the green. The rest, I wound into a center pull ball and plied on itself. I was doing pretty well with the ball.. but maybe 3/4 of the way through, it tangled so badly I got frustrated and stopped where I was. I still have the rest of the ball sitting in a bin with my rovings.. eventually when I'm no longer mad at it (is it normal to be mad at a ball of wool?) I'll attempt to untangle it and see if I can do something with the rest of it.





Here's yarn #1... Starlight Mint. Appx 68 yds, 10 wpi.. worsted weight. green-100% wool white-80% wool, 20% mohair











and yarn #2... Frog's Breath. Appx 130 yds, 12 wpi... DK weight. 100% wool.





I got a spinning wheel!

It came in the mail on tuesday.. I've been too busy playing with it to blog about it.. lol

Here's the package!



And despite the fact there's a big 'ol sticker on it that says "fragile".. it was dented and had a hole in one side.. *sigh* And the inside wasn't packaged super well.. but it appeared to be pretty unscathed.

Here she is! My Babe Double Treadle Production Wheel!

Handspun silk hankies

I really have to get my hands on more of this stuff.. it's hard on my hands to draft.. but I'm in love with the way ot spins up. And it's shiny! :D

These were purchased from
drivebyknitting on etsy.

Appx 64 yds, 20 wpi.



Wednesday, July 18, 2007

ConnectiCon.. more spinning.. and more swap goodies.

So I went to ConnectiCon this past weekend.. and I had a blast. For those of you who have no clue as to what ConnectiCon is.. it's an anime/sci fi convention that's held in CT yearly.. and it's been going on for about 5 years now I believe. This is the third year I've gone and like always, it's a lot of fun. I was fortunate enough to meet some spinners and a dollmaker! And the kicker was that I had already "met" two of them on devianart a few months ago. Too cool. Anyways, not only did I get to watch D and J spin, J brought her spinning wheel on sunday and I was fascinated with it. Of course that just made me want to buy a wheel even more.. I may convince my brother to lend me the money instead of trying to save up. teehee. Anyways, J also informed me of the spinning guild that exists in CT and gave me info on the meetings and such. I'm totally going in October when the next meeting occurs. I can't wait. It's so amazing to meet people IRL that share my interests. The closest I have right now is two people at work, and all they do is crochet. Knitting is so far out f the box for them, and when I mentioned spinning, they looked at me like I had a cow growing ou tof the side of my head. I had always though crafters in general we more open to hearing about and trying new things.. guess I was wrong.


Anyways.. I bought some gorgeous handspun yarn from J, beautiful greens, blue and purples plied with black. I'm currently knitting a Calorimetry with it. I can't wait for it to be cold, (did I just say that?! ME who HATES the cold and snow?!) so I can wear it. It's looking super spiffy so far. :D


I had forgotten to take my silk hankies that i had spun off the niddy noddy before I left for the weekend. Oh well. I set the twist (blocked it, whatever) when I came home sunday. I loooove it. I only got about 64 yds.. and I really want to keep this for myself. I just don't know what I can knit with 64 yds.. no pics yet.. there hasn't been good sunlight and the pics I took inside look awful. Trust me when I say that it's soft and shiny and pretty. :)


I've also been spinning up the black and green batt I purchased from stickyfingers and I think it's coming out nicely. I'm aiming for thin. And it's spinning up pretty darn fine. I'm just hoping I don't make a tangle mess of it when I try to ply it. I'm about halfway done with the batt so far (it was tiny, only about an ounce) and I think I'll be able to get all of it on the spindle. *crosses fingers*


And I've recieved another square for the Knit/Crochet Blanket Swap.. this one is from chibie elphie. So pretty!






And I've also recieved from superhooker for the Knit/Crochet Goodie Bag Swap.. still havent' had a chance to send yet.. I really need time to get to the PO. I adore everything. She really spoiled me.

Knitted beach bag from my wists, a cute mini journal/sketchbook, and two containers of body butter.


Three skeins of sock yarn, two sets of dpns, a cute metal tin to keep the dpns in, and a sheepie tape measure.

Sponge capsules that grow in water, a cute binder to keep patterns in, a beginners sock pattern, and Stephanie Pearl McPhee Casts Off!


AND I recieved from WYOKrista for the Heroes Swap. Another fabulous package. I'm trying to get all my projects done for monday's send date.

What's this? Breakfast?

Nope.. it's Heroes swag! ^^ Punch embroidered hat with heroes symbol, and a Hiro t shirt.

Denim purse.

Awesome magnets.

Notecards. (I really don't want to use these.. they're just too cool!)

and here's some links to closeups of the notecards...

Peter: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Jestique/crafts/DSC04855.jpg

Nathan: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Jestique/crafts/DSC04853.jpg

Hiro: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Jestique/crafts/DSC04854.jpg

Claire: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Jestique/crafts/DSC04857.jpg

Sylar: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Jestique/crafts/DSC04856.jpg

Heroes: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Jestique/crafts/DSC04858.jpg

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Spun batt...

I was so excited to recieve those uber pretty batts from stickyfingers on etsy, that I couldn't resist spinning at least one of them. :D

I started with the white one and spun up a little more than half of it. I was aiming for a thick and thin single... and while I didn't achieve what I had set out to do, I'm still happy with it.

It's slightly thick and thin, appx 36 yds and super squishy and soft! XDI seem to have truble spinnig thick singles for some reason... *sigh* I'll get it eventually...

Well.. anyways.. check ou the squishy goodness! :D


I also finished spinnin gup the silk hankies.. and I wound up with 64 yds! (I know that's not a lot of yardage.. but it's an accomplishment for me!) It's currently sitting on the noddy, and I'll set the twist later tonight. :D Pictures soon!

Monday, July 09, 2007

Fiber goodness

Whee!
I ordered two batts from stickyfingers on etsy last week and they came today! And they're both so much more gorgeous in person. Super soft, colorful, and sparkly! I can't wait to spin them. Of course, I've never spun from a batt before, so this should be a fun new challenge for me.. :D

And she also sent me a cute felted flower hairpin! So sweet of her!

This pic just really doesn't do these batts justice.. my camera just can't seem to catch the colors well enough...

The darker one is black and green with sparklies.. mohair, wool top, angora and firestar And the lighter one is white, pink and blue with sparklies... mohair, wool top, angora and angelina.


Closeup of the super cute hairpin:

Sunday, July 08, 2007

PVC fun

I convinced the bf that going to Home Depot so I could get some PVC pipe today was a good idea. Of course, he wanted to know what I wanted it for.. and when I tried to explain what a niddy noddy was, he looked at me in that "I have no idea what you're talking about and you're really weird" kind of way. Then I explained that I HAD to have one and if I purchased one of fthe net, it was going to cost me $40-$50. Apparent;y it doesn't cost that much.. but I wanted a cheap one durnit!

And he was gracious enough to cut the pipe for me too, :D I may be crafty, but I am most definitely not handy. So, me using a saw.. out of the question. I have trouble even wielding a hammer correctly.. although if I really have to, I can.

Anyways.. here is my lovely new PVC niddy noddy (so I don't have to wind skeins onto a chair or my feet anymore!). And it only cost me $4! And I still have some pipe left over. :D


And I think one of the things I like the best about it (aside from the cost) is that I can take it apart for storage. :D Sweet. I may make a simple drawstring bag to keep it in.. hmmmm




I also decided to spin up the rest of the silk hankies I purchased from drivebyknitting on etsy.. and I'm about halfway through them. Drafting the silk hankies really hurts my left index finger after a while, so I gave up for the time being.



I drafted one thin hankie layer at a time, and I spun it as I went along.. mainly because I get bored doing nothing but drafting. Usually I wouldn't do such a thing as spin while the bf is over, but he was playing Guitar Hero 2 so it was ok.

I absolutely LOVE the way these hankies are looking all spun up.. and the colors are GOREGOUS. And it's shiny. God, how I love shiny. XD

And I see that my benedryl is kicking in and I'm starting to get that "dizzy, I should lie down and go to sleep" sort of feeling.. so I suppose I should give in and just go to bed. Although the spindle is calling to me... maybe just a little more.. XD

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Anime Swap Goodness

Gerrijo finally recieved from me today so I can post pics.. yaaay! (sshe only recieved late caus eI am a stupid silly girl and I sent super late and she is super duper sweet for understanding!)

Anyways.. here are the awesome goodies she sent to me...

the whole package (and my kitty inspecting it, hoping there's something for her in there)


A fabulous little pouch with a handpainted pic of Sailor Mars...

A felt sushi roll...

Some awesome sushi stitch markers...

Shrinky dink necklace charms featuring InuYasha and Kohaku and Koryu from the manga "Wish"...

And some yummy japanese candy!

And here's what I sent her!

-three Ranma 1/2 mangas (vol 1, 2, and 3)

-a little canvas bag with Jiji the Cat drawn on it

-two bookmarks (featuring Kodama and Totoro)

-3 different crocheted sushi rolls

-Totoro earrings

- and a collaged frame with different anime characters

the whole package...

closeup of sushi...

closeup of earrings...

I really enjoyed crafting for this swap and I'm glad I had such a great partner! :D

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Second blanket square recieved!

First of all.. Happy Furth of July everyone! :D
and now on to other things...

My second square came in the mail the other day.. from DisneyFan.

She was my swap partner from the Pirates of the Caribbean swap and remembered my love of all things skully.. so check out the square she crocheted for me!


It's uber soft and I looooove the skully in the center. And the two blues she picked out are pretty.

I'm currently working on my next set of squares to send out.. and hopefully I'll be done in time to ship them out on friday. I was planning on spending most of today crafting for these fabulous swaps I've signed up for.. but failed that miserably. And I was going to try and make an apple cake this morning. Scratch that. I woke up with the most awful headache and I couldn't even move without my brain pounding against my retinas for a few hours. I sat there with a heating pad on my neck and an icy cold bottle of water on my head for the better part of the morning until it went away. There went a few precious crafting hours right out the window.

And then the bf called wanting to go to lunch. Who am I to say no? So away to lunch it was.. and then I proceded to drag him to JoAnn's so I could buy fabric. I only spend $25 which is like.. AMAZING. But that was inly because of the male influence that came along.. lol

Anyway.. the fabric os for another project I have to get done sometime this weekend. My friend Bryan decided to make the world's greatest beer pong table.. and I want to make a bag to keep it in so it'll be protected while it's in storage or transit. Not something to carry it in, because it's damned heavy and has a handle of it's own.. just something to cushion it a bit. And I want to add pockets for towel and the ping pong balls... We'll see if I can manage to whip something up.

I'll have to post pics of the table at some point... it's absolutely gorgeous and I can't believe the craftsmanship that went into it. Well.. I can.. but I'm still in awe every time I see it.

I'm annoyed that I couldn't find fabric in the right color blue though for the bag.. *sigh* Black will have to do...

And while I should be wandering my way to bed soonish, seeing as I have work in the morning, and I have a feeling it's going to be abother stressful day like yesterday was, I think I'm going to go crochet a little more and see if I can't finish up that square.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

More Swaps...

Eep.. I've gona and signed up for three more swaps... I just can't help myself, they're so fun! XD

I've signed up for the Knit and Crochet Blanket Swap, the Knit and Crochet Goodie Bag Swap, and the Heroes Swap (all on crafster by the way).

I've already sent out two squares for the blanket swap and I recieved one from one of my partners. :D I'm excited for thefact that at the end of this swap, I'll be able to make a blanket! And I'll have proven to myself that it IS possible to make a blanket in only 6 weeks. :D

Anyways.. these are the two squares I've made already:


This is for danceisthenewmosh.. crocheted from LionBrand Microspun, pattern is the Teenie Dream Square from crochetpatterncentral.com



And this one is for DisneyFan.. crocheted from LionBrand WoolEase, pattern is the Wheel Lattice Square from crochetpatterncentral.com



And this is the one I recieved from danceisthenewmosh! I can't believe she used 3 different colors! It's so pretty.. I absolutely love it! And she sent some sour jelly belly jelly beans and a candy necklace with it.. plus she tied it together with a gorgeoud blue ribbon, which I'll have to use in a future project. :D