Working on new Smokering

For some reason I just can't get the counting right.  Serious brain fog, I guess.  This new design is a smokering with a little extra twist.  It's made of a nice lace yarn, Patons Lace, in a colorway called Bonfire.  I'm using a lace pattern named Candle Flame.  I hope to have it finished soon so I can post a picture.

Also, I got my handmade lampworked glass beads to make Wine Charms with.  I'm going to start those tonight.  I'll post pix when I get some done.

I'm Back....Again

It has been a very long year.  After major surgery last year, I thought I was done with hospitals for the time being. NAY, NAY!  I've been 3 times this year, with docs finding two new conditions.  None are fatal yet so I'm committed to working on my businesses as best as I can.

Well, I finally have a new computer {Happy Dance}, aka "New Hotness" (thanks to Will Smith for that name).  So now I can go back to working on writing and charting patterns for my eBooks.

What's new?  I've started wire & bead wrapping cutlery.  I find interesting/pretty/unique dishware & use beads to go with the colors.  I've made several and hope to have many more done by Craft Fair Time.

I've also been working on my crochet-handled kitchen towels.  I did some for my last Art & Craft show before Christmas & they sold very well.

I hope to have pictures on my Etsy site soon of all my new creations.  A friend has a gorgeous, Italian-inspired kitchen and has told me that I can take pix of my creations using her kitchen as a background.  I am so excited.

Cheers

W

New projects

I have been making lots of facecloths for the craft shows.  The first one is November 20 at the Grace Lutheran Church in Key West.  I still need to make soaps to go with some of them & others are father/son or mother/daughter sets.

I am borrowing an idea from the Mason/Dixon Knitting girls and knitting a baby blanket in Log Cabin quilt design.  But I am only using 2 colors so it'll look like a squared off spiral.  I'm using more of the Sugar 'n Spice & Peaches 'n Cream cottons so it'll be very durable.

Also, I have started a little Bangle Bag that swings from a pair of bangle bracelets.  And there is the Sea Bag which will be a felted lace pattern.  I've done the swatches for that, but haven't started on the actual bag yet.

I still need to get the design done for the Cockatiel Ruana so I'll be ready to start it when Colin finishes dying my yarn.

So much yarn, so little time.

YeeHaw!!

I FINALLY finished the Ziggy Wrap!!  For a while I didn't think i was ever going to get done.  It almost fell victim to my worst knitting habit - Once I get the pattern figured out, I have a really bad time forcing myself to finish it.  If it's a small project, it's not too bad, but a big one like this, I have to nag myself (luckily I have lots of practice on Hubby) to get it finished.  I used 5 skeins of Lion Wool-Ease & it is about 29" x 62".

It seems I love the puzzle of making yarn & stitiches come out right, but once that's done, bleah.  Not that the pattern is bleah by any means.  It is actually one of my favorites I've done in a long while.  But my brain has moved on to the next design so is no longer interested in the item.

It will be available on my Etsy sight later, but here are pix for now:

I tried to get the entire Wrap in this picture but just couldn't do it.

Here is a closer view of the stitch patterns. 

Getting There!

Well, only 4 more repeats of the main pattern to go until the Ziggy Shawl is FINISHED!!!  Yeah!!  It's much larger than the original design, but it has become a nice, warm, cozy shawl just right for Autumn weather.

Now to get the pattern done and published on my Etsy site.

I'm back...Sorta

Well, I'm still working off my daughter's old clunker so I haven't been online much.  The Ziggy Shawl is getting closer to completion though.

I am also working on lots of washcloths for my craft booth at upcoming craft fairs.  I'm thinking of doing some candles also.  If I get time.

And I got a new idea for something to make for a lttle wrist bag from my daughter.  So lots to do.

Update

My computer has died.  Again.  Please check back for updates in a week or so.  Thanks.

    - Wendy

Quote of the day

From a book I just started, Casting Spells,by Barbara Bretton:

"If there were any magic spells out there to help a girl block a shawl, I hadn't found them, and believe me, I'd looked.  Blocking, like life, was equal parts intuition, brute strength and dumb luck."

Work is backing up

So with the feeding of the babies & the new Xbox cord, I've been way too distracted.  I am not getting to the Ziggy Shawl until late at night and still haven't felted the latest sample for the Sea Bag.

I get easily distracted (damn ADD!) but I find that if I make a list and keep checking it during the day, it helps to keep me on track.  I just have to make time for knitting on that schedule.

So much yarn, so little time.

The ongoing saga of the Ziggy Shawl

And the Ziggy Shawl still is undone.  When redoing it, I realized that I didn't think it was wide enough.  Something I thought when I was knitting it first time around.  So I frogged it again, back to the beginning loop.


There are now 5 repeats of the middle pattern & the seed stitch border is 9 stitches wide instead of 5.  WAY wider.  But I think it'll look much better that way.


Unfortunately, the power strip for the Xbox 360 came a couple of days ago so I'm being tempted away with my game.  But I am determined to finish it so I can move on.


I have 2 designs left to finish for my ebook after the Ziggy Shawl.  A felted bag & a ruana.  Or maybe a vest.  I may do the Cockatiel Shawl as a ruana instead.  Or maybe both.  Sometimes I have to start designing before the actual shape presents itself.


My yarn for the Cockatiel Shawl/Ruana (whatever!) will be coming either later this month or early next month, depending on when Colin gets it done.  I'm having him custom dye some beautiful baby alpaca/cashmere/silk in Lutino Cockatiel colors (yellows & a spot of orange).  It'll be like all of Colin's work, too beautiful to use, but I'll use it anyway.  I have a drawer devoted to his works of art.

Slogging away

I worked on the Ziggy Shawl some more last night while watching a couple of episodes of X-Files. Great TV to knit too as you don't have to watch it closely, the conversations tell the story. Three repeats done, 16 to go.

I'm Baaaaack

Well, it's certainly been an interesting year. "Interesting" as in the Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times." I had to have major surgery in March & the recovery time is a year, but with all my other problems, it'll be 2. So, needless to say, I haven't done as much crafting as I wanted to do.

Also, we have increased our cockatiel production so I've been very busy with those. I am now hand feeding 3 babies, a new adventure for me. That blog is: http://sevenshadesaviary.blogspot.com/. Check it out for the latest baby pix & developments.

I do have most of the patterns done for my book on Moose Lace. I am working on the Ziggy Shawl and had it finished except for the last 5 border rows when I noticed a BIG mistake in the second repeat (of 19). I ripped out almost 200 rows. I didn't cuss. Much anyway. So I'm back to near the beginning. The good news is, the pattern is so familiar that I am making fast progress in re-doing it.

Ziggy Shawl

I've also been working on fast, easy items for craft booths this fall. Using the WWII washcloth pattern, I've worked up a bunch in different colors. I'm going to make some small soaps and wrap them in the washcloths for a quick & relatively inexpensive gift or stocking stuffer.

Not much of a poster yet

I mean to post regularly, but life always seems to get in the way. I am working on two different e-books of knitting patterns. One is Called Many Mini Bags & the other is Living Large Lace (or Lace Living Large, I haven't decided yet). The first will feature about a dozen or so tiny bags, the second will be lace patterns done in thick yarn & large needles. I have several patterns already, but need more so there are at least 10 patterns in each book. Then, I need to flesh out the books with general instructions, links to sites for yarns, and so on.

Update

Well, I do have another computer & I was able to retrieve almost all of my data so I have my patterns, including the 30+ pages of the Fern Garden Shawl. I'm knitting scarves at this point so I can have some for my booth at the Key West Community Collage Flea Market this Saturday. I sold almost all that I had, which surprised me, at the Grace Lutheran Craft Fair.

Maybe next week I can get back to working on the Fern Garden Shawl & the Birds of a Feather Shawl.

Computer Says "No!"

Well, my computer died for the final time last week. Right before the WomenFest Street Fair in which I had a booth for my other business.

Unfortunately, the backup drive I had also died at the same time so all of my patterns and my pictures are gone.

On the upside, I finished the Checkerboard Shawl. It needs a blocking and it's ready for Etsy.

Checkerboard Mesh Shawl

Here is a pic of my latest project, the Checkerboard Mesh Shawl. I am using Universal Yarn's Moods in the purple/black colorway. The stitch is from one of the Barbara G. Walker books. It's not a great pic as I just snapped it on the couch, but it does give you an idea of what it will look like. It goes fast and is a very easy pattern. When I get it done, the pattern will be available in my Etsy store.



Also, I have in mind the perfect pattern for the Tilli Tomas Beaded Lace colorway made exclusively for Knit Wits of Key West. it's a very pretty light green with tiny green sequins. 100% silk, of course.

Frustration

So frustrated w/Fern Garden shawl. Can`t find latest mistake so am putting it down 4 a time. Started work on a square shawl design 4 the Prism Lace in Blue Lagoon. Some mixture of Wings of the Swan, Ostrich Plumes, Cabled Feather & maybe another.

New Book

Got the Second Barbara G. Walker design book today. Now I can take the version I got from ILL back early! So many designs, so little time. Already have one chosen for a new purse design. Seaweed Stitch done with Sea Song. Maybe a few little fishy beads/buttons near the top.

First Post

Here is my first post. I want ot use this blog not only for news & announcements from my business, but also any crafting musings.