Knitting, Sci-fi and other stuff...

     Before I get into looking back at 2014 and my knitoultions from last year; it's time to catch up on my last two projects.  I finished and blocked the hat I made from the Bamtastic yarn.  The pattern is Caramel Slouch.   It's a Tincanknits pattern.  They put out some amazing hat patterns.  The recommended yarn is wool based which makes the pattern hold its shape better.  The Bamtastic is 60% bamboo which makes it extremely drapey and loose.  I probably should have knit it at a slightly tighter gauge.  I have not delivered this to the customer yet, so I'm a bit worried she wont like it.  It's quite a bit more open than my usual stockinette.  I would like to knit up the pattern again with a high wool content yarn just to see the difference in fabric.       I also finished the second, adult sized, Sassafras for Christina.  I used MadTosh DK in the Chickory color...

     I caved and picked up some new buttons the last time I was at Wally World.  I was going for both washable and cute since all my items needing buttons are for children.  I then had a little button sewing party on my night off.  In no particular order: I got a whole package of these, flowers are always a good choice for little girls.   I originally got the daisy buttons for just the Solis Entrechat, but the yellow center looked so good with the browns of Piedras, I just couldn't resist. Jordan was nice enough to model this for me.  This is Sassafras   and its reversible! So it can be worn as a slouch or a beanie.  I thought the design was ingenious.  It's a nice easy pattern and very pretty.  Christina had admitted that it does occasionally get cold enough for her to wear a hat and having a matching one wouldn't be too dorky.  I got a second button in anticipation that I could get another skein o...

     I've got some updates and some more new yarn.  First off, I finally finished Lilac Wish.  I even got it blocked too! It's huge.  I had to use six blocking boards.  (I hurt my neck pinning it all out... I need to clean my craft room.)  The nupps show up much better now. Here is a finished but unblocked closeup of the beads. The Lilac Wish Lace pattern  is excellent.  It's both charted and written.  I thought it was nice and clear and easy to follow.  It shouldn't have taken me as long as it did.  If I hadn't dawdled I probably could've gotten it done in a month.  Now that its December and I'm starting to look forward to 2015, I should admit I didn't knit 12 shawls in 2014.  This is number seven.  I am hoping to at least start number eight before the year is out.        I've also finished the hat Helen requested.  I don't have finishe...

     In preparation for knitting White Whiskers  I've purchased some more Cascade 220 Superwash Sport to supplement what I have already.  I've also purchased the pattern, but I've realized I need to get some more needles, I think.  I'll be putting this pattern on the back burner for the time being.  I have several other projects ahead of this hat, even though I really really want to ignore everything else and knit this up.  Here are the three new colors I picked up: I think I'm going to do gray cats with the turquoise back-ground and yellow cats with the dark green back-ground.  I'll have to figure out which other colors to use.  The hat needs four colors not including the little bits of white for the white whiskers.  I really enjoyed using the 220 Superwash Sport the last time I used it for a colorwork hat.  It's soft and durable, decent yardage for the price and its machine washable.  That's why I originall...

     I'm joining Tammy over at Life and Yarn or Yarn and Life for a stitch along.  I've been working on two projects in the last few weeks.  Usually I'm pretty monogamous with my projects at least until I get side tracked or hit a hiccup.  I've been working on a shawl since the middle or so of August.  Its a nice shawl pattern but I think I'm a bit shawled out or something, I've been putting that aside often to work on other things.  I made some good progress, then I ran short on yarn.  I decided to get more as opposed to just binding off where I ran short.  I managed to get another skein in the same color.  Here is my progress so far, I just have a few rows to go on the last chart. It's a crappy picture, but shows the lace decently.  I've put beads in this as well.  The yarn is Holiday Yarns Flock Sock in the color Lavender Buds.  The pattern is Lilac Wish Lace Shawl.   It'll be interesting to see...

     I partook in some cold sheeping this year for the purposes of conserving my craft space and with the hopes of saving up some funds.  Sadly, the Hubbs and I suck at saving money and well, I really like yarn.  So, for at least a little bit here, I'm off my self proclaimed fiber diet.  When I was perusing my stash the other day I realized I've been remiss in sharing my most recent acquisitions.  Back in April I decided to sign up for Expression Fiber Arts April club.  She gives out the theme or an inspiration photo but the yarn is a surprise when it comes in the mail.  Candi called this one Happiness, it's 100% silk in worsted weight.  I talked about the shearing festival in May and the yarn and fiber I acquired from that.  Also in May, some Malabrigo Rios in the Sunset colorway found its way home with me.  I think they had been buried in the shop for quite a long t...

     As I stated in my last blog, I had done some sewing for a swap and I couldn't show off my new experiments.  Well, my swappee has gotten her package so now I can!  I ended up doing a fair amount of sewing for that swap, which I'm fairly proud of.  So, first up, the now familiar drawstring bag: Well actually its everything because I packed up the box the moment I finished the needle roll and was taking the pictures hastily and at night...  In front of the drawstring bag is a zippered notions pouch.  There are several tutorials on Pinterest so I just picked one and ran with it.  The dimensions I used for my fabrics were 7 1/2 inches by 6 inches.  Basically, you want to be just slightly wider than your zipper and then the depth of the bag is totally up to you.  The method I used doesn't have any fabric tabs on either side of the zipper.  This eliminates the pucker that can happen when that method is used.  I also ...