Drops

Trickle trickle little drops

Falling thru the air

Gentle wind she makes you fickle

Descend without a care

Tell me now your part in nature

From where did you depart?

Sea or lake or stream or ocean,

Renewal is your art.
 
~ "Drops" written on 6/7/2013 by jjphotoftw

Jo - 1, Hat - 0

Take that!!!!! Ridiculously difficult hat pattern!

 I WIN :D

Hat Fail!

Ladies and gentleman this is what happens when you don't read your pattern thoroughly before starting a project.  For the past two nights, I have spent my time fretting over if I had the correct needles to finish up my Tempo's Headcoat (which is basically the coolest newsboy cap ever).  You can get the headcoat pattern for free on Ravelry here.

I had started on Tuesday, happy to begin a new and fun project.  Instead of starting with the brim, like the pattern calls for (why would I ever follow the pattern?), I decided to start the tam section and work the brim later.  I knitted merrily along on my size 6 needles.  Now, I have a lovely interchangeable circular needle set from WEBS so I can basically make any length circular needle I want out of the tips included in the set.  This worked out very well as I had to increase from 3 stitches all the way up to over 250.

After all those increases was when I ran into my needle issue.  I hadn't noticed that once finishing all the increases I had to decrease quite dramatically with a #2 needle.  This doesn't sound like it's such a big deal, does it.  I have that handy interchangeable needle set; I just have to switch out the tips and I'll be golden!  Not so much....  You see the interchangeable set I have is great.  I am very happy with it, but the smallest needle tips are a size #4 :(

So I ran to my LYS (local yarn store) on the way home from work yesterday to get a #2 16" circular (plus another skein of yarn because I didn't pay attention to how much I needed).  I arrived home, finished knitting the tam, went to start the brim and realized that it called for a really long #2 circular.

Insert Trumpet Noise of Failure here.

Oh, I failed to mention that it was now 8:50pm and no craft stores stay open after 9pm and all of them are more than 10 minutes away.  Double failure!  I actually ended up making it work.  I used bigger needles than the pattern called for (yeay for #4 needles) and I think that worked out well.  But the evening was full of stress over my awesome project when it was so very close to being done.  That's why my project picture looks so funny.  I scavenged everywhere for any needles I could find that would work; Circulars, DPN's, I used anything I could lay my hands on. 

Oh well, it could be worse...  If I had run into these problems a year ago, I would have dissolved into tears and been inconsolable for hours.  It's amazing what a year and some challenges can do.  Anyway, I am cautiously optimistic that I can finish the headcoat this evening.  If so, pictures on the morrow!

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Signs of Spring

1) Shoots poking up between all the old leaves

2) That cool sweet breeze you get when you open your windows for the first time after months

3) Daylight after 5pm

4) The threat of flooding instead of skidding

5) The smell of people grilling their dinner

6) The distinct urge to clean out all the extra crap you have accumulated over the past year

7) Deciding that it's a perfectly good day for a nice long walk

8) Sudden cravings for ice cream for no apparent reason

9) Buds appear on trees and bushes almost overnight

10) The birds become really vocal at 5am :)

I am one (1) cardigan richer!

Yeay!  She's all done and I finally got some good pics of her with all the sunlight we had this weekend.  I have to say that I really enjoyed making my first ever sweater.  It was challenging, but I had a lot of support from family and fellow knitsibs and there is no way I could have finished it without them.  Hopefully after I have recovered some by doing smaller projects for a bit, I will pick another more summery pattern to try out.  Until then, here are some more close ups of the precious:

I'm either really brave or really stupid...

These are pictures taken last Sunday when I decided (at midnight) that I wanted to try to cut this baby up the middle before I went to bed.  As my post title suggests, I was either really brave or stupid because I know that if my crocheted steek failed, there was absolutely no way I was EVER going to get to sleep that night.  Did I happen to mention, that I have NEVER crocheted a steek before and that I learned it watching demos on YouTube?  I'm leaning more towards stupid right now....  And here's a link to the demo video I used, in case you ever wanted to know how to crochet a steek.

 

So, this is a shot of the completed steek.  I was able to follow the demo pretty well and thought it looked pretty good.  It took we a good couple hours to finish it and I started at 10:00pm after finishing knitting the final portion of the collar on the neck.  So, anyway, here's a action shot of me cutting my cardigan. 

While I wasn't feeling too nervous at the time, I did ask Brian to come in and offer bother moral and photographic support.  It was so strange cutting between the stitches and watching them almost pop apart.  I'm telling you, this techniques is not for the faint of heart!

So, here she is!  All cut down the middle and no, my cardigan didn't unravel slowly before my eyes.  My goal was to get her done so I could wear her to work on Tuesday and knitting that night, but that goal was a complete failure.  I still had to close up the arm holes and pick up and knit stitches on both side of the steek for the button bands and those proved way too much to do in one evening.  I did manage to graft the arm holes together using the kitchener stitch, a great technique for knitting two pieces together virtually without a seam.  A good video for how to do the kitchener stitch is here.  And I also knit one button band and got a few rows into the other one before calling it quits are a ridiculous hour (probably 1am).

 However, at this point, she's been done for four days.  I just haven't been able to get any good pictures to share yet.  But, with this lovely change in the weather and me having a couple days off to enjoy the daylight hours, I should have some final product pics in the next few days.  More importantly, on Wednesday of this week, I was finally able to wear my beloved cardigan :D

Instant Gratification, or Close Enough Anyway

So, after working on a a lace scarf yesterday at the WEBS Superbowl Sunday Event and somehow managing to both lose and pick up a stitch in two different places, my scheduled knitting this evening was chock full of lose.   I decided to put down the lace, which is only partially fixed (8 more rows of ripping to go) and make something out of the beautiful new skein of Malabrigo Rasta I bought while in Northampton.  You can see a picture of the original skein here on my project 365 blog.  Now it was a small amount of yarn, only 90 yards, so I couldn't do anything huge, but actually that suited my fancy. 

I found a great pattern called The Instant Gratification Scarf and thought.... OK!  So I cast on around 6pm and I was binding off the last stitches at 9pm.  Pretty cool huh?  I just love the colors and can't wait to wear it out.   The evening has been very gratifying if I do say so myself.  Now that I've actually accomplished something, I'm all ready to tackle all that ripping out tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

Valentines aplenty!

These are two different valentines cards mom and I made today.  We had lots of fun, but still need to work on getting our creative juices flowing.  As usual, we spent a lot of time figuring out how to make things both match and balance on the card.  Overall, I think we did pretty well though.  

 

Light Tent Shenanigans

The past few days I have found some time to set up an play with the light tent setup I got for Christmas this year.  I had found this handy kit up on Amazon and it included a light tent, a set of two lights, a tabletop tripod and 4 different colored backdrops and threw it up on my wish list.

Now, I know what you are thinking... what's so special about having a light tent?  Well, it basically gives you a small environment that you are in complete control of.  For example, you know when you see those commercials on tv or see things for sale online and they seem to be just floating on a set of one color?  Well, that is called an infinity set and this setup allows you create that backdrop for small items like Brian's minis or my yarn and knitted projects.  I though this would be a great way for me to document my yarn habit as well as anything else small that gets my attention.  And with my penchant for macro photography, I think the tent will get a fair bit of use. 

If you want to see some of the recent photographs I've taken with the aid of the light tent including one of the lovely skein of yarn in the above photo, check out the following links to my Project 365 Blog - My Year Through the Lens:

• 2/1/2010 - Chromed Space Marine in Black Infinity
• 2/2/2010 - Because Phil is wrong and spring is just around the corner
• 2/3/2010 - Madelainetosh Yarn is is just so scrumptious

Best of Creativity Boot Camp Part 1: Techniques

This past Saturday mom and I went to a great class at our favorite stamping/scrapbooking store, Ink About It.  The class was called the Best of Creativity Boot Camp and featured demonstrations of the most popular techniques that were taught during the Creativity Boot Camp (CBC) class series in 2009.  The great thing about CBC is that the reason the series was created was to meet the needs of the customers.

So many crafters are afraid to use their supplies because they think they might "waste" them or they have so many great craft supplies, they are overwhelmed by them and don't know where to even start.  I am definately of that ilk.  Just digging out all the supplies to make a card is tortuous.  I have so much cool stuff to use and no idea how to even begin... 

So, to get over all of our crafting "issues" the CBC intructors had us focus on learning techniques and "playing" with things to see how they worked.  Here are some of my class samples:

Stamping with bleach on cardstock

Stamping with bleach on dye inks

Kissing off - a technique where you use one stamp to give texture to another.  The black print on the lady's dress was "kissed off" of another stamp in a different ink.

Masking - a technique done by stamping an image on masking paper, cutting it out and using that mask to create depth.

Stamping on acetate - great for adding depth.  You must have very steady hands!

Stamping with clear pigment ink on glossy paper and then applying dye ink directly to it to get a resist of the image.  This technique is one of my favorites! 

I'll have another post up soon about some other neat things we made in the class.

Beanie Brim Cap

So, I've had a bit of a chance to learn some basic crochet stitches over the past few weeks and one night this week I decided to make a cute brimmed cap I found on Ravelry.  So, I sat down, did a few rounds, messed up, ripped them out, started again... and a few hours later I had this little hat made for myself. 

It actually wasn't all that hard.  And I must say that I'm so glad I learned how to knit first, because corcheting this was so quick and easy in comparison to knitting something similar, that if I had started out crocheting I might not have ever learned to knit. 

Sorry there haven't been many posts lately, my computer decided it needed a break and just shut down on me and wouldn't restart on MLK day :(  Since then, I've been working from Brian's rig, but it's not ideal.  I much prefer my setup so I don't spend much time on the computer at home right now.  Hopefully my machine will get fixed soon and I will return to my regular posting schedule.  Until then, check out my project 365 blog if you haven't already.  I'm posting there every day no matter what.  I have a couple more posts to do here in the next few days if I can stand to continue working in these inferior conditions, lol.

Proof that I do crafty things besides knitting

These are the 5 incredibly cute cards mom and I made tonight at Jenn's Amuse Valentine's class at Ink About It.  Both mom and I really liked this year's release for the holiday because the stamps can be used for so many things other than on a valentine.  Now, I admit I have been neglecting my stamping for a bit now, but that doesn't mean that I don't still love it and want to create cute things.  I just seem to get a creative block whenever I try to make something myself...  must work on that.

Anyway, thanks to Jenn  for yet another lovely class!  I have the Amuse Addicts Get Together on Sunday, so I should come home with lovely stamped items to show off then.  I should have 20+ cards to share, so I'm really looking forward to that.

Here she is.... in all her glory

Yeay!  I finally got to take some pictures today even though I haven't blocked my Cedar Leaf Shawlette yet.  I've already worn her a couple of days and am in love, love, love!  Ok, I'll shut up know and get on with the pictures.

SelfKniMo Project #2 - Cedar Leaf Shawlette

This is the second project I have started as part of my selfish knitting month and it is a pattern I have drooled over for quite awhile now.  I won't wax poetic about it too much as I have already posted about it before, but I wanted to share a wip photo with you as I will most likely be finishing it up this weekend.   I would have posted about it sooner, but we were having problems with the internet at home and I even thought it was a problem with my computer for a day or so.  Luckily the internet has been restored in its full glory and I can post to my little heart's content.

I decided to put my Gathered Scarf on hold for a little bit so I can finish this one up and wear it sooner rather than later. I have a few more things up my sleeve for this month, but I think I have to declare failure on it being full of projects only for me.  I just realized I have one project I should start and finish this month and 3 more waiting in the wings, though they are not due anytime soon.  Oh well....  Despite this realization, I'm sure I manage this shawlette, the scarf, a pair of gloves and a hat for myself, all of which I already had planned between the other projects.

SelfKniMo Project #1: The Gathered Scarf

So, I have begun the first project of SelfKniMo, my Gathered Scarf made with Malabrigo Sock in the colorway Indecieta.  It's a really easy pattern to knit up and a free one as well (as per usual for me).  I didn't realize it until today, but it turns out that the person who created the pattern, Maryse, was in my Photography for Knitters class taught by Gail Zucker (of the She Shoots Sheep Shots blog) back in in September.  So, thanks Maryse for this great pattern!

I'm most of the way through the third of a half a million repeats, but it goes quickly and is a pretty good project for tv watching as it doesn't require you pay too much attention.  This is the first project of a scarf, hat and mitts set I'm making for myself out of sock yarn.  I think I'm going to be very happy with the set when I'm done.  Anyway, I'm going back to enjoying the last day of my mini vacation before I head back to work in the morning.  Ta!

I started a new photoblog!

Don't worry, it's in addition to this one, so everyday ephemera will not be going away.  After doing my 10 on Tuesday post a couple weeks ago I decided I wanted to start doing Project 365, which if you don't know of already, is basically a photo a day for a year.  I thought this would really get me focused on taking gorgeous photos again instead of the utilitarian ones that I take for documenting finished projects and get togethers.

So, today I started the ball rolling... and created the page and the first post.  So, if you are interested, please visit my new blog called My Year: Through the Lens.  I would love any comments you can give that are constructive in nature or feel free to just share your thoughts and ideas!

Snow when I'm free to enjoy it!

Since I have today off, I thought I would get some nice pictures of the falling snow.  I don't normally get many opportunities to do this because the snow fall at night or while I'm at work, so I was fortunate today.

I didn't exactly select the correct footwear for this cold and wet expedition, did I?

I didn't really go far though.  Just down the sidewalk to the playground and back, but I was able to do some neat things using a fast shutter speed like stopping snowflakes in midair in the picture below.

Then I true Jo form, I took a snowy self-portrait.  At least you can see my face in this years, last year was just a picture of my ponytail with snowflakes on it.  Consider this one an upgrade!

10 on Tuesday: 10 Favorite Handknits made in 2009

1) Colorspun Mittens - free pattern by Lion Brand Yarns

2) Orly Hat - free pattern by Sarah Omoroso of Penguin Purls

3) Cowl'd and Frosty Morning Cowl - free pattern by Kelly Herdrich of Kelly Without a Net

4) Jayne Hat - free pattern by Dryope

5) Thayolin Doll - improvised pattern by me :D

6) Fab Silver Wimple/Shrug - loosely based on a free pattern by Mary L. McCall of Wool & Fiber Originals

7) Candle Flame Cowl - free pattern by Julia Allen of Peony Knits (can only be downloaded using Ravelry account)

8) Calorimetry - free pattern by Kathryn Shoendorf of Knitty

9) Greenaway Mitts - free pattern by Isabelle of The Purl Bee

 

10) Noro Striped Scarf - free pattern (more like guidelines) by Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed

Ladies and Gentlemen... I am READY for Christmas!

All cookies have been baked, all knitting projects finished, all presents wrapped, now time to relax and enjoy Christmas.  Here are some pictures to help put you in the Christmas spirit.

Our tree, finally with some presents under it.

Pretty pretty bows and paper.

A fine example of the cat humoring me.  I'm amazed I made it out of that one with my skin intact.

I am Meowcutus of Borg.  You will be assimilated.  Resistance is futile. 

On the 85th day of cookies...

Ok, so I've given up on the whole day or Christmas day of cookies thing.  Too much work!  So, since my last cookie post, Brian, Mom and I have made the following:

Lemon-Honey Drop Cookies: These are one of my staples every year.  They are so versatile.  I have made them orange flavored and lemon-lime flavored as well and they turn out great!

Spritz Cookies: Mom dragged over her cookie press and made dozens of these small butter cookies that we decorated with colored sugar and other fun things.

Peppermint Swirls: I found this recipe in a Betty Crocker magazine you can get at the checkout at the grocery store.  It's a pretty easy recipe that is a basic shortbread dough which is divided in half and then one half is flavored with peppermint and colored red and then rolled with the plain dough to make the swirls. As you can see, the swirls take some practice.

Oatmeal Cranberry Sour Cream Bars:  I found this in in the same book as the Peppermint Swirls.  I wanted to make a bar and this was a nice simple recipe, plus is called for craisins and I LOVE those!

Chai Tea Shortbread: I found the next two recipes on the Food Network website from the show 5 Ingredient Fix.  A pretty good little recipe over all and the writer offers some good options to changing the recipe slightly such as adding nuts.

Almond Shortbread: This cookie uses the same recipe as the one above, but instead of using pecans as she suggested, I went for almonds and replaced the vanilla with almond extract.

I have at least one more recipe to go, so I'll post that another day, but whew!  Do you think we've made enough cookies?