Shaving Day
As promised I am doing a follow up to show you the before and after picture of Frick and Frack. Like both males and females, a good shave always improves the way they look. Felted objects are not exception to the rule.

Here is Frick's before shot. Frick is a very hairy bowl!
...and now the newly shaved Frick. Check out how much hair came off of Frick

Here is Frack before. Not quite as hair as Frick.

Now a newly shaved Frack. Much better!

I am by no means a felting expert but I feel like I am getting better at understanding what I like in my felted projects. I think when the yarn diet is over later this year, I will buy some more colorful yarn and felt with brighter colors and invest in a book that talks about techniques that I might be missing. Felting is scary the first time but after you've done 5 or 6 projects, you get more confident in what the expected results might be. So, that's Frick and Frack at their best! So try some felting today. You will totally be delighted with yourself.

Frick and Frack
I got an idea the other day and since I am still on the stash down diet, I went right to the stash. This time I went to a drawer in my collection that I don't usually take things out of. It's my hand spun drawer. I am really good at putting finished skeins in there but not knitting anything with them. I know whatever I knit with my hand spun wool, can't be washed in the washing machine or dried in the dryer, so I never use it because most people don't want to hand wash anything these days. I did make one scarf and I made this last fall. Since that went so well I decided I needed to try it again. So I did...

I used the Felted Bowls pattern from One Skein by Leigh Redford. Her bowls that were featured in the book look WAY smaller than mine but yarn and needle size have a way of doing that. I used two strands of both colors to give the bowl a more bulky thickness. I wanted the bowl to be more sturdy. Size 15 Addi Turbos and US15 dpns were the needles that I used in both projects.

After I finished the first bowl I decided to try a different look and ended up with two completely different looks. Just for grins and giggles I tried them on and they make great saggy hats. I might have to try this again and actually make a hat next time I get a whim. So there are two knitted potential bowls. Don't they look like hats??

This bowl was supposed to be a stripped look. I didn't read the directions for the decrease rows and ended up not making a bowl exactly. At first I tried to use the back of a bowl but the bottom was too narrow. So I noticed the jar we store the dog treats in and tried to stretch it over that. Perfect! The top white band seemed a bit wishy washy so I solved that by folding it over on itself. As soon as booth projects are done I will cut any loose ends that didn't felt and give them nice close shave to make the look less fuzzy.

The second bowl, actually turned out looking a lot like the first bowl that I made back in the fall of last year for a swap. I used the same yarn as the first one and the same sized needles but this time I changed up how I used the yarn. I blended the two colors together for a major portion of the bowl. I tried to do two color knitting around the band of white and that didn't go as well as I had hoped. So I will keep trying until I get the results I want. Anyway it was fun and I used some yardage of my own stuff. I am hoping to do other things with my homespun so that I can make room for more spinning that needs to be done. I might do more spinning in the summer months than in the winter this year.

Here are Frick and Frack together being molded. In a few days I will take them off and then let the insides dry and see how they hold up.

Warm Noggins

Warm Noggins
I have no idea how all of this started but I have been knitting preemie caps ever since the Olympics. I know it's a combination of needing a quick knitting "fix" and wanting to burn some yardage in my stash. Now I have passed the point of no return. I have been looking at some many preemie hats on Ravelry, that I feel like I am adding fuel to the fire.

I started with about six or eight patterns that have been perfectly fine for the last few years I have been knitting them. Now all of a sudden I have realized that knitting the preemie hats is my opportunity to learn new skills and hone the old ones. What could be a more perfect way to achieve so many things at once?? Let's run down the list.

1. I get quick satisfaction
2. I am using up yarn that has been sitting in my stash for over three years
3. I am helping a charity which helps the more defenseless of us all; babies
4. I have been dabbling in two color knitting for the first time since I failed to learn in a class almost a year ago.
5. I have found some cable patterns to practice my cables with.
6. I am learning the technique for a "joggless" stripe.

Not so bad, eh? So here are what I have made. I am still going away at it because I think I have about 10 more skeins that need to be knit up. I am not sure I will knit up all the skeins of baby yarn or not but I sure will put a dent into them. I will do my best to list the needles, yarn and patterns. There are just so many, so if I miss something just let me know and I will edit my post to correct my oversight.

One of the simplest pattern came from the Preemie Project site itself. It's called Rolled Brim Hat. It's super easy and makes a really cute hat. I did modify the top a wee bit. When you link to the pattern you can see that the top of the hat can have a "top knot" but I did a pom-pom instead on a few of them. Instead of knitting the last six rounds to form the stem for the top knot, I just took a Chubi needle and put them on a 4 inch tale and pulled them tight to close the top hole.

The next pattern is one I got from here. I am just crazy about this pattern. It is so simple and has allowed me to play around with two color knitting and now with the "joggless" stripe. I am still perfecting those two techniques so I think I am going to have to knit more of these! The possibilities are limitless! Boy have a I had a ball with these little beauties! This pattern is very easy too and it makes a cute more textured hat. I think it's more feminine that masculine but it still looked good in blue. Lastly I made one of these because I thought it was too large for a preemie. I will include it in my box to the Preemie Project and tell them to use where needed but I think it's too large to use for a 1-3 pound baby. I haven't been around a baby in so long I am not sure how large their little heads are. The yarns I have used are Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby D.K. and Sirdar Snuggly Fair Isle D.K. I have other baby yarns but haven't knit anything with them yet. I am planning to but want to knit up this other two brands first before starting something else. My needle sizes range from US3-US7.

I am still knitting on the hats and will post more as soon as I have more new patterns printed off and in place. I am still excited about doing these!

So what I don't sew...

I can still admire a great event that has come to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. I have never gone before so thought since it was here in our area, a 20 minute drive would be well worth it. I was a bit put off by the $14 door fee, but after going I can it was well worth it. I dragged DH with me and he was as impressed as I was. Here is where we went. I actually remembered to bring my camera because I knew there were going to be lots of Kodak moments (does anyone remember that old slogan besides me?).

Here is what I saw first. How could I not take this picture. After all, I am a spinner and it's like a moth to the flame...I just couldn't help myself. It sure is a beauty!

I didn't get the name of the booth but I think it was a weaver's guild somewhere around here in the Hampton Roads area. Either way, it was more than picture worthy. Don't you think??

I took 32 pictures. Half of them are quilts and the other half is the maker's name and the name of the quilt. I think of these quilts as pieces of art and not just something you lay over a bed. They are to be hung and admired by as many eyes as possible; even by a non-sewer like myself. So feast your eyes on what I saw. They are so wonderful and I think the door fee was well worth it. There were rows and rows of beautiful things both large and small but the camera only could take so many pictures! This got it's picture taken because I was attracted to the silk worm cocoons. I have some but have never done anything with them. Never thought about using them like this. Very creative. Here is the sheet that was next to the piece.
Picture #2 I liked this one because we see a lot of these birds in the waters in and around Hampton Roads. They are such graceful birds and very regal looking. Please take a closer look at all the pictures so you can really see the craftsmanship.

Picture #3

I especially love this for two reasons. I saw the picture first. I do love fall leaf pictures. My downstairs bathroom is covered in framed pictures of them. The second reason I loved this is because when I went to read about it I saw the maker was from Texas. I might live there but my Texas pride is always with me! I would love to have this quilt hanging in my house. It would be such an honor!
Picture #4

This one was so strange that I had to include it. It was so different and had such a cool factor it was a must.

Picture #5 I like this one for purely selfish reasons. I loved the curly hair. I had curly hair like that once when someone rolled my hair on perm rollers. When my mother saw me, I thought she was going to have a stroke. The next day our school pictures were taken and I still love that silly grin on my face with all those billions of curls.

Picture #6

This is looks so tedious to me that I can appreciate how much time this must have taken. It's all in beads. This was on a Beading Guild's table. I did not get the name of the artist. It was just so wonderful how delicate she looks even in beads. Picture #7 Sometimes I think I am like a rat or a ferret. I am totally attracted to shiny things. Quilter's Fancy provided me with a ferret moment. No, I did not buy anything. It was so tempting though.

Picture #8 This has to be the most stylish rat I have ever seen!

Picture #9

I think this quilt is one of my favorites. I love the difference between the two faces. It's just so reflective of youth vs. aging. Every wrinkle tells a story of some adventure, of some pain and some joy.

Picture #10 Again, I see these birds in our area and just love how odd they look. The fact they can fly with that huge beak fascinates me. They are odd looking and graceful at the same time.

Picture #11How can you not love this $1 bill? It's fabulous.

Picture #12 This is my husband's favorite of all the quilts we looked at. He said when we retire and build our log cabin we should build it where these are planted. I agree!

Picture #13 This one made me think of Alice in Wonderland. Could this have been what she saw when she looked up? Pretty impressive I think.

Picture#14 This one is my favorite. I have had cats for the last 30 years I have been married. This reminds me of the soulful look that so many our beloved cats have had. I have one 16 yr. cat and she is blind and deaf. This reminds me of her as a youthful kitty.

Is that a fierce and determined face or what?

I don't sew and I certainly don't quilt but I can sure admire someone else's talent. I hope you enjoyed looking at some of the quilts I found fascinating at the quilt show. I just might have to learn how to thread a needle...nah.

Mission Accomplished (part 2)

I am so excited that I signed up for two groups in Ravelry. I was starting to get a tightness in my chest thinking about working and trying to knit a scarf, spin eight ounces of unknown fiber and then knit a cowl with it. I don't usually set deadlines for projects but for the Ravelympics that was required. You cast on during opening ceremonies and then have everything done by closing ceremonies.

This is my second time doing something for the winter Olympics. The first one was this. I was so excited that I made it! I gave it away but it was still such a thrill for a pretty new knitter. I thought I had been knitting longer than what I thought, but guess not. So I think that I should make this an event from here on in every time there is a winter Olympics whether or not it's with a group like Yarn Harlot formed or Ravelry. Either way, it is a challenge either with time or a skill. Fun, fun!

My second challenge was to spin a declared fiber and then knit it into something.
I picked a project and then tried my best to match the type of yarn the original pattern was knit in. It was sock yarn. I have never tried to spin that small before so this was a challenge for me. I bought a tool months back that would help me gauge how thick I was spinning. It's such a basic tool, but it did the trick when the directions were read and followed. Yes, I followed the directions. You know that is so unlike me but this was the Ravelympics you know!

The tool that was used to help me gauge my spinning is called a WPI Tool Kit. It's such a simple concept and works like a very basic charm. This my first time using the tool. When using the tool, you wrap the yarn around and around to measure an inch. There are four one inch marks on the tool. Then there is a card the helps you determine what kind of yarn you have just spun. I was shooting for 15-18 wpi (wraps per inch). That category is called sport yarn. I managed to get 12 wpi. I thought I was going small but guess it wasn't quite small enough. I still need way more practice getting small. I have heard from other spinners that once you've gone small, it's hard to make fatter yarn.

So I got 412 yards from the eight ounce of roving. It was WAY more yarn than what I needed to make the Good Luck Cowl. The most important part is that I finished it! My assessment is that I need to spin a wee bit tighter and this roving wasn't really the perfect yarn for this project but it turned out okay.

While I was knitting it I started to get panicky. It was looking kind of small. When I cast off I ran into the bathroom and tried it on. It fit. I have a short neck thank goodness? So it's done and now it needs to be wet and blocked. Here is my favorite model showing it off.

So with my finished Robin's Blue Egg Hat and now my newly completed Good Luck Cowl, I am ready for the snow they are predicting this week. Oh, goody!

Mission Accomplished (part 1)

I finished the first of two scheduled projects for the Ravelympics. I completed the Irish Hiking Scarf. It was easy and fun at the same time. It refreshed my memory about how to do cables and how wonderful a knitted item looks with cables. I won't let this project be the last one with cables. I will have more cabled projects in the future. I was thinking a pair of socks...anyway my first project is done!

The scarf ended being a wee bit over 60 inches. I had hoped for 70 but since I knit one other scarf and a hat to match that scarf, there wasn't enough to make this scarf really long nor is there enough to make a matching hat. I am disppointed about the hat because I have seen a matching hat for this pattern on Ravelry. I might have to break down and buy another skein of this same yarn and try that hat.
Here is the scarf stretched across my dining room table. I hope the cables are the way they are supposed to be. I think they are. The next step is to wash the hat and the two scarves and get them dried and stored away until I have enough of them to mail off to OFA. Now I am off to finish spinning my roving for the next Ravelympics project. I am almost done with the spinning and then the knitting will begin!

Since this post was created I got this...I am really excited to knit for a logo. Silly, I know but it was fun and despite how easy the pattern was I feel like I pushed myself to get it done in a timely manner.