Meanderings of a Mermaid

Well I have been trying to wait for sunny days for this photography but even when the forecast calls for clear weather, we don't have it! So in an attempt to catch up a little with some finished objects and things still underway, here goes. Seeing as how we were trapped indoors for a couple of days (felt much longer) by freezing rain, I spent part of one day re-organizing the gear. Yes I seem to do this a lot. As new equipment arrives, and I start to use it, I determine where the lighting is the best and other factors play a role too. In this case, I want to be able to use the same weaving bench at either loom. So the Medico (back) and the Artisat are now side by side. Here is a limited image of the overshot I am attempting. I haven't woven enough length yet with the same weft threads to really show much. As with all my weaving forays I am learning a lot as I go. These batts are from some wool fiber that has been dyed with koolaid. I carded them just once, in preparat...

A lot of crafty things are happening. Because I am so busy in the studio, not a lot of time is spent getting online. I have started to flick and card the white Rambouillet fleece. This was so heavy with lanolin that I have washed it on two separate occasions. So far the carding is going well, albeit slowly. Stay tuned for photos of that. I will be spinning it for a fancy sweater or jacket project.  I probably posted pictures of this quilt top last summer. At that point I had the central blue parts done.  The graphic design is called Tippicanoe. I am going with a marine theme for this quilt. It is a king sized coverlet. This summer so far I have added the narrow green frame around the blue blocks. Then I still wanted it wider, and so I found this medium brown. Plus I had just enough of the yellow and orange fabrics, from the centre of the canoes, to use in a big block in each corner. Today I did most of the machine quilting of this blanket. That is not an easy task...

Hello Folks, It's wintertime, even in Texas and sometimes it means we are indoors more than usual. I have been doing some weaving lessons from a book on the small Medico loom. Yesterday I was trying my hand at tapestry weaving. I still have some issues with tension, but the main part of the instructions I am getting! My days have also been occupied with painting the family room with the same colour scheme as the adjacent dining room . In this photo the floor only has one coat of "parsley". Once varnished it will look very spiffy!  A recent visit to some yarn stores means I have new things to play with. This fuzzy yarn (cotton based actually) was begging to be paired with this shiny ribbon yarn. I am designing on the fly, as is pretty common with me. The mermaid is contemplating a stole or wrap with this lightweight pairing. I can't help but think of some sedimentary rock layers when I knit on this.  I like the idea of knitting several strips (very portable and ...

 Announcing the creation of a new fibre crafts guild in the Hill Country. The Mason Knitting and Spinning Guild. Okay, so that's a boring name....I am sure the new members will be able to come up with a jazzy title.  As with most guild groups the focus will be on education and also comaraderie. Probably we will focus primarily on knitting and spinning, but as demand changes, we will adapt. Teachers can be found amongst us all.  The group will start up on Nov 29 at the Seniors' Center in Mason Texas. All are welcome. For more info leave a comment here.

 So where do I begin. I've been too busy having fun to sit down and get into the internet much. There's been lots of topaz prospecting (no luck), some teaching of knitting and lots of crafting. A little house renovation is going on too. Above is a used drum carder that I just bought and I'm splitting the cost of it with a friend. We will have joint custody, I will get to play with it in the winter,and GM will get to enjoy it all summer.  Pretty cool! (By the way it is used to prepare fibres for spinning).  On the needles #1: I am working up a test sample of the Ebony Jewelwing Bag, a free Ravelry pattern offered by Mary Scott Huff. As usual, I am using up stash for this. After the lightest green I will move to a white band and then the soft yellow. I intend to use this pattern in a free workshop on Beginner Fair Isle techniques that I am teaching March 17th.  Here's another view of the dragonfly pattern as I am working it up.  On the ne...

Ta Da!

I am too excited today. Tomorrow I head off to meet a bunch of great gals who get together at a coffee shop and knit! I can't wait. There seems to be a lack of knitters in my immediate area so I am roaming a bit. But, as you know, I love to roam. I've also created a group at the Ravelry website for those who live in the Hill Country. So here are just a few shots that I happen to have stored in my laptop. I have to go! Time to decide what to take for Show and Tell! It feels like the first day at school. PS. The top lacy image is the yoke of a sweater done in Qivuit, the most expensive fibre in the world!

Did I mention this design is from Big Girl Knits. Here are a couple more shots. I wish there were more hours in a day so I could knit to my heart's content. I am working the short rows on the lower left side now. Once I work up to the armhole area I will switch to knitting all the way around, and the short row shaping will be on top to make a sleeve cap. After that shaping it is just the simple decreases of working down on a sleeve. In the end there will only really be the two arm seams to sew. Each piece is knit onto the previous. A very clever design I must say. It was designed by Emma Crew. The wool I am using is Vero, made in Italy for Naturally (variegated stuff) and the deeper green wool is Schachenmayr Nomotta Mega. I love the two together. Originally I planned to work it all in the variegated and thought it would be too much striping in every direction. Good call eh?

And the passion is knitting: that simple act of turning a piece of yarn into a fabric with two sticks. I just love it. I've been knitting steadily for 26 years and can't see ever stopping. In fact if there was some way to make a decent amount of money at it, I'd be doing it. Right now I am working on the Sandy Cardigan from the book Big Girl Knits. The wool is a lovely variegated Italian product. The cardigan features a very unique construction and there will be almost no seams to sew up at the end. It works up in rectangular panels and in segments making good use of short rows. I'm considerably more advanced on this cardigan than this photo shows and will try to post another shot soon. It's a fun project and not hard. And because the measurements are customized, it should fit great in the end. Wish me luck!