Vest -- done!

Doesn't exactly fit me, even after blocking three times, but I guess that's just more evidence that I should never attempt to make garments.

Knitted vest

Here's another UFO that's been haunting me for some time. According to the receipt in the bag, I bought the yarn for this project in February 2003. I don't even have the pattern anymore.


I believe that I gave up on it after I accidently joined the shoulders wrong way out. I took the shoulders apart.


Because I'm not a natural knitter, this thing is TIGHT. So I'm blocking the heck out of it, then will see if it will remotely fit me. If not, I think I'll figure out a way to crochet in a side panel, and then crochet the neck, and hopefully it won't be too awful. Stay tuned.

Bitten by the thread bug again

Next up on the UFO list, this. Apparently, according to the receipt in the bag and the date on the pattern I printed out, I started this three years ago this month, and stopped sometime around April 2007. I actually managed to finish 5 of 15 rows before I either got bored or burned out.

Naturally, in the intervening 3 years the thread I was using stopped being made, so I've ordered some from a different manufacturer in the same color. Here's hoping it's remotely the same.

It's giving me the Claw Hand again, and my eyes are old now so it's hard for me to see all the stitches, but I can't help myself. I love working with thread.

Anyhoo, I thought it might be fun to show the evolution of a motif. Here goes:

And there you have it. A thread motif in 14 easy steps!

Wool bag

I have decided that this will be the year that I clear out my bag of UFOs (unfinished objects). Some I abandoned because I got bored, but most of them defeated me at one point or another, and I will not be defeated any more.

First up, this crocheted wool bag. Something about the way the pattern is written had me completely flummoxed, each of the previous four times that I tried it, but this time I was determined to figure it out, and after much tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth, I cracked it.

Here's a long view:

Here's a view with handles (knitting needles for placement only). The pattern suggests some lovely hardwood handles, but they're $22 for the pair. If anyone has a source for a nice, cheap(ish) pair of straight handles I would love to hear it.

And finally, a view with some hooks in one of the two pockets.

I'm not one to carry around little totes like this, but I'm still quite pleased with this bag. Not yet sure what its ultimate fate will be.

Yummy socks!

I bought this delicious yarn while visiting my sister in Bellingham, WA, over Thanksgiving. I was seething with jealousy the whole time I was there: Washington, DC, has one halfway decent (albeit outrageously expensive) yarn store and no weaving stores. Bellingham has I don't know how many yarn stores, but has TWO weaving stores! And a guild! Life is so unfair.

Anyway, I decided the second I saw this sock yarn that the resulting crocheted socks would be for me. I love them and wear them all the time at home.

I love bamboo

For Christmas presents this year I made four scarfs from Aunt Lydia's bamboo crochet thread. It was a really easy pattern, and one that I could do on both of my looms, so for a while there I had a scarf going at home and at the cabin. I was in a weaving frenzy.

I'm really pleased with how they turned out. This thread wove up incredibly silky and the scarves have great drape. And although the pattern is quite simple it looks way more complicated than it is.

Kitchen towels

I've been working on these for what seems like years, but is in truth only months. Whatever ... the final product ended up just like I wanted.

Here they are on the loom:

Here they are off the loom:

And here they are all finished:

Closeup of the weave:

Arty shot:

I'm weaving again!

I finally finished the peacock scarf, which I started, oh I don't know, two years ago maybe. I think it turned out well. Hubby is threatening to steal it, so that's always a good sign. I like the sheen, which I think comes through, sort of, in these photos.

Close-up shot:

Dramatic shot:

This one shows the sheen on the shoulder.

I am a sock-making machine

The first sock took me two weeks to make. I banged the second one out over the weekend. It's a little bigger than the first one but whatever.

The top view:

The bottom view, including a lovely view of my massive man-calves:

And the many charts I had to work with:

It was fun!

I love it when a plan comes together

All done but the cuff and heel. I figured out how to do the heel last night, so soon I'll have one finished sock.

Getting in touch with my inner Girl Scout

Over the weekend I impulse bought a potholder loom and some "loopers," and spent some time in a heavy childhood flashback. It was fun! I'll be doing more.

Tapestry socks, take two

I belong to the School of Extreme Tension. Sometimes when I crochet with thread I end up with a painful gouge in my tensioning finger. This tends to created really crisp end products, but when it comes to garments, sometimes it's better to slow down, pay attention to each stitch, and just try to relax.

I started my socks over again this weekend, and I think I have it figured out now. Behold, the first attempt, alongside the second attempt. Same number of rows, same hook, very, very different tension.

I also discovered that a large bag of Chips Ahoys helps the relaxation process.

Tapestry crochet

This is my first foray into tapestry crochet, which involves two colors, one of which gets carried along when it's not being used. But unlike in knitting, which creates horrible "floats" on the back side, in tapestry crochet the yarn that's not being used is hidden within the stitch.

Naturally, because I've never done this before, I decided to try it with one of the hardest things there is is to make: socks. Socks involve lots of increases and decreases, fancy hookwork, and total concentration. Tapestry crochet involves loads of charts and moving yarn around in complicated ways. It's a fun combination! And it's definitely not boring.

This is the bottom of the sock:

This is the top of the sock.

So far I have about 23 rows, which took about 4 days. And it's too tight, but I'm too invested to start over. Someone with smaller feet than mine might end up with these socks.

Just ducky

I made this little fellow over the weekend. What with my massive window/painting project at home, I haven't had time to make anything since my Barack-athon in January, so it felt good to throw something together.

He has a dark side, though.

Happy Inauguration!

I spent the day yesterday making four Barack Obama finger puppets, which I, my husband, and my two house guests will take with us tomorrow down to the Mall. The pattern came from the Lion Brand website.

As usual, not the best quality because I'm old and can't see well enough to focus my phone.

Happy New Year!

I've decided that 2009 will be The Year of the Loom. I've neglected my loom in a hideous fashion over the past year or two. No more! I shall weave many things!

In other news: my end-of-year mileage total? 1025.6. Not bad...

And finally, even though I did not make this little gem, I thought I'd throw it up here anyway. I found Caitlin, who owns Rebound Designs here in DC, and had her create a purse out of an old Winnie the Pooh book for my sister for Christmas (Pooh was her favorite thing in the whole wide world when she was little). It didn't come cheap, but who cares...this thing is awesome.