A few things

I guess I wrote this a few weeks ago and never published it...

Music:
If you like music and want to support my husband's CD, here is a link to pre-order (and there is also a link to listen to a few tracks.) He has been working on it with his friend for over two years.

Knitting:
Another link to my Ravelry projects. I am trying to be better at posting to Ravelry. A lot of it is the same as on the blog, but it helps me stay organized a bit. I am so bad at taking good photos (I blame the last two years on living in a basement apartment, and trying to use my cellphone camera). But as I have said before, in the past I often gave presents away before taking a photo of them. So at least they are documented in some small way. I'm sure I will improve someday, right?

I use the favorites of Ravelry a lot, but not so much the queue. I often don't know what yarn I am using as I lost the label long ago. As I am knitting up a lot of stash, I hope when I buy new yarn I will be slightly more mind-full and try to notate things better.

As you can see from my projects - There are several patterns I knit over and over. Practical patterns are good presents.

It is the last day of my Staycation/Recovery. I succeeded in finishing reading a real book. (I tend to re-read things and often don't read much at all). Winter in Thrush Green by Miss Read. The perfect type of book to read when you are not feeling very well. I just googled the book and found she has written many Thrush Green books and others besides. (It is my mom's book I borrowed, I think she has at least one other one in the series.).

I also watched too many movies including The Labyrinth, a newer version of Anne Frank, Julie & Julia, Bride & Prejudice, some Granite Flats, Miss Annie Rooney (with Shirley Temple), Chocolat, State Fair, etc. I am on the mend, and have to return to work tomorrow. I am hoping to get close to finishing the sleeve of the Stella sweater, so I should go have some lunch and get knitting. Yay!

Currently

Currently listening to: https://www.seamworkmag.com/radio So cool that Colette Patterns has a podcast. I am still secretly hoping to work for them one day, though I will have to learn to be a better sewer. I know I have great potential (haha), and a class or two might do me good!

I finished knitting the cabled brown hat, and I am just waiting for my husband to try it on and make sure it will fit him. I need to weave in the ends still, and take photos.

I also finished the little Stella sweater, I wove in the ends and just need to take photos.

Today working on this hat: http://www.purlbee.com/2014/01/23/lauras-loop-garter-ear-flap-hat/
It is in dark blue Noro Silk Garden Solo yarn. That yarn, and the brown yarn for the other hat, I believe are contributing to my right thumb getting quite rough and so I have been limiting my knitting somewhat. The blue Noro was an impulse 1 skein buy, and I like how it is knitting up for the hat, but I am not sure if I will have enough yarn when I am done that I will have wished I had made the next size up.

We placed an offer on a house, and will hopefully know soon if it is accepted. I have been researching the area a little and looking for yarn stores/groups. So far nothing in the immediate area but a few yarn stores about 15 mins away. The library looks like it may have a knitting group. It seems like a great way to meet women, and I guess it would just depend on the schedule, as I may be working.

I would love to host someday a some-what regular crafty get-together. (Every other month, 4 times a year?) I have had a few craft parties and they are always fun, even if not a lot of crafting gets done. It is mainly an excuse to hang out and talk. The cool thing about having a house some day is that there will be space to host parties.

I am trying to think ahead about knitting or sewing some gifts, with this house-buying we are trying to do, I need to get creative for Christmas presents. I might make a few mug cozies, and then see what else I can come up with. For now though, I think I need to take a knitting break so my thumb can heal a little. Besides this blue hat, which is currently for no one in particular, I think I will try to work exclusively on present ideas (even though I am dying to start a cowl for myself that I already have yarn for). Ha.

Stella Sweater

Stella Sweater progress. I think I will need to do Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind-off, since I bound off the sleeve, and it is so tight for being such a wide sleeve. I also may use the tiny amount of yarn I have left to lengthen the body. 

It is going pretty well and I may do this pattern again. I know a lot of the people who have done the pattern say that the neck is really wide. not sure how to fix that. Can't wait to see it when it is all blocked!

The true cost

Finishing up watching the documentary The True Cost. I have watched other documentaries about clothing/sweatshops, etc. If it's not in your face everyday it is easy to sort of forget. Or see a country name on a label and be like "at least it's not China/whatever country". It is so complex because many of the women are able to better provide for their families by working at garment factories, but cannot have their children with them in the city. Not to mention all the health issues and dangerous situations and chemicals. In the past I was more strict about mostly buying thrifted stuff. The last several years it has been easy to go out and buy something at the mall or target or something. It's still a scavenger hunt but easier because they have the same garment in multiple sizes right there.

Anyway, just want to say this is back on my mind again. I know I want to learn to sew better and make my own clothes. I think it will be a long journey, but the least I can do is try. I can also buy vintage or thrifted or alter clothes I already have. I try to knit practical things for people. Clothing exchanges are fun too. And some things are made in the USA but i remember hearing about how that may mean it's actually one of the Pacific Islands which still have cheap labor etc. I think it's great that Portland clothing companies are starting up and that there is locally made clothing. I have yet to buy anything, but perhaps can save up for something cool someday. I also of course love Colette Patterns and how they are broadening their pattern company and really thinking about their customers. I just need time and space to sew and of course to find the right fabric. 

Shoes are another matter sort of. Slippers are common to knit or sew, but real shoes... I guess it's just good to buy the ones that are good quality and will last a while. 

Anyway. Just some thoughts. I have been focusing on knitting a lot this summer because of our move. Quilts are more straight forward than clothes. I think it is probably good measurements, and practice practice practice. It's so easy to dream of the perfect dress etc. But just like recording music, it takes time and editing and maybe doing something out of tune first. Worth the time to do a muslin of the patten first. I do have some gift card money that I was hoping to use it for curtains when we get a house. We'll see. Maybe I'll get something for clothes too! 

Okay time to keep working on the hat I am knitting!

Spiral hat

Hi. Once again I am blogging awkwardly, trying to get photos from my phone to the iPad. And of course I do not remember the name of the pattern on Ravelry. I will link to it sometime. Just wanted to share that it is done. It is a baby hat and maybe fits a 12month. Babies heads are all different. This was an attempt to use up some fingering weight. I did get bogged down a bit not knowing what size it would end up etc. 

Hard to show the colors correctly. It is dark navy & green, not so faded as the photos. 

My new project for my purse is a cabled hat. It is hopefully a present for someone. I have gotten a few rows past the ribbing. It is worsted and wool of course. Lovely yarn. 

Also still working on Stella by Linden Down. The size I am making, the sleeves seem so wide. My gauge is slightly looser in the round doing the sleeves. Maybe because it is in the round, maybe because my double points are slightly larger, though they are supposedly the same size. 

I am having a stay-cation of sorts towards the end of this week as I recover from a procedure. I am hoping I will feel well enough after the first few days to get a little knitting done. Perhaps even some embroidery? I'm also hoping to watch some of my crafty classes that I have yet to watch. I have bought a few, but also saved a lot of the free classes. 

That's all for now. Can't wait for Fall to come!

A Little Sweater

 I finally uploaded a few photos from my digital camera. Here is a photo from I think May, when we went to Cannon Beach.

 Here is Stella  One of my friends hand-dyes yarn. Her brand is Bumblebirch. I have hung out/helped out during a few busy times. Anyway, I was trying to find a really good project for this yarn. The colorway is called Innocent and it is a light pinky purple. Very pretty. I decided to try to make Stella and so far it is going pretty well. I am making the 12 month size. I did have to start over once, but now I am even further than these photos show. I am pretty excited, especially since we are going to the beach next weekend and I should get some extra knitting time.

Crazy Times

Yep. We moved temporarily in with my folks. House hunting still. I have been knitting through some yarn that was in my old room. Basically making short scarf-like rectangles. Not really sure what I am making. I guess a rug, though probably not too practical. Hoping the colors may work out somehow. (Maybe adding black panels to space things out?) But mainly knitting just to knit. I am trying to work through the majority of my yarn before I buy more. I will post a photo when I can, my phone doesn't want to email it for some reason.

The knitting I carry in my purse is a spiral pattern baby hat. I do like the pattern but find the whole thing a little boring, maybe because I'm not sure if it will be sized right, it is really stretchy so I'm not sure how tall to go. Also I have no specific baby in mind for it. Oh well if it doesn't work out I still learned a cool pattern. 

Also starting to brainstorm some ideas about how to release my husband's next cd. They need to get it mastered and duplicated. I have been trying to think of some merch ideas. Like a poster or printed book, something do-able yet awesome. They may do a preorder to raise some money to get it made. 

The dream continues that if we do get a house with enough rooms, I can use one for a craft room. This would be amazing because then I can get all my stuff in one place and organize it, hopefully use it too! I do want to make clothes still. Colette patterns is putting out so much good info and I have so little time to absorb it. I have bought several of their patterns but have yet to buy fabric etc.  I have a fabric depot gift card so I hope maybe to make some curtains, or pillow covers etc if we get a house. Something to make it feel like home! I kind of am also interested in the black-out curtain idea, for light and also to see how much sound it blocks out. 

I think some getting-back-into-sewing projects could be simple things like PJ pants or a simple top. Or of course one of the quilts I already have the squares cut for. ;)

Finally finished knitting

 Yep, you guessed it, I did finally finish the fingerless gloves, and the Blue Green Socks.
They were finished last week, (I wove in the ends on a beach daytrip) but I have not gotten photos til now. Slightly washed out, I believe I mentioned previously they are a pretty/ugly green/brown.

The heels look funny in the photos, but feel pretty comfortable.

I started another rainbow toddler sock, but have not made a lot of progress. I also started a toddler mitten in a pretty colorway that goes from navy to dark green to purple. It is in my purse, and I did a little bit of knitting on it, not a ton of progress...
BECAUSE...

We have moved in with family for at least a month and I have been cleaning the old apartment, and then today trying to organize all the piles of stuff in our bedroom, plus do laundry, cook etc.

I am hoping to knit from some of the random stash that has been in a box here... we'll see. Once we move to our house, I will probably primarily do lunchtime work knitting.

Finally finishing?

I did a quick project to replace one of the wine-colored kid mittens I had made for my cousin's kid. I also finally gave her the rainbow socks!

Green socks: Last night I got through the toe decreases of the sock. I first blogged about them in February, so it feels good to be finally finishing them.  Now to do one last heel and I just Kitchener'd the toes last night. It has been so great to have a take-a-long knitting project over the last few months. After this I am not sure what new project to do. 

Fingerless Mitts: I am in the middle of doing the half-fingers. I need to sit down and write out the instructions so they are more portable. Hoping to finish soon (Today?!) to give them as a present. (This is an army green/brown much prettier than in the photo.)

House: We are moving very soon, living with family for a few months. I have packed up most of my craft stuff.  It may be best to stick with the knitting projects & embroidery projects I have been doing. 

Here is the progress so far!

Slow progress

Just a little bit of cross-stitch. I have been able to work on it some because I have fewer projects going on. I have made some mistakes already but I feel pretty good about it. (And took out the worst mistakes).
Still knitting on the green socks at my lunch break, and working on fingerless gloves.