and am learning to knit in a half-assed way!
Posted on 12/07/2006 6:51:44 AM PST by Knitting A Conundrum
OK.
Who's still crafting?
What are you doing?
Got any pictures?
I'm really spoiled. I live in California, so the sourdough is easily obtained. I'd have a hard time without it.
It's so friendly for me to know that someone understands our suffering for lack of the "real deal" sourdough. We took it for granted, I know we did...
I used to live in the bay area, but when my husband retired two years ago we moved to a little town in the mountains called Twain Harte.
I know Twain Harte. (verybigsmile!) I almost bought property at Angels Camp. You are living in hill country I consider the most beautiful of California.
You know it's a bad thing when you own more knitting needles than your local yarn store has for sale....
We need to work on a Step Program together to get our workrooms in order.... ;-)
I've been busy sewing a totebag for my youngest daughter, who is going away to school in the fall (right now she's racking up credits for requirements at Community College).
Anyway, have you seen the yardage made from recycled silk saris? They've cut and coiled narrow roping and then wove it with a fine cotton warp. It's beautiful, colorful, very hippie-ish.
I made a plain bag with long double handles, backed with cotton quilt fabric.
The lining is where all the action is... It is a dark blue cotton, with a zipper pocket on one side, and 2 patch pockets (one horizontal, one vertical) on the other side.
My Christmas/Anniversary/Birthday gift was a new Janome Quilting Machine that does letters. I dug out a copy of Hamlet and wrote out Polonius' admonitions to Laertes... "Neither a borrower nor a lender be..."
I stitched 7 or 8 sentences from that speech to the lining. Now she'll have my nagging voice, er, stitching with her as she goes off into the world. And it's cute too! ;-)
Hubby has decided we are putting kitchen cabinet type cabinets in the crafting room...Lowe's sells some that have unfinished doors that cost about as much as decent storage workshop cabinets, but are deeper, like kitchen cabinets are. It was his choice...I was going to go cheap.
I'm not going to have a crafting room...I'm going to have a studio!
Yay! I think good tools and supplies are worth the investment. Those cabinets will last a lifetime, and you won't have to think about them... Freeing up your brain for more creative ventures. :-)
Creative adventures are important...
I spent about 6-8 hours earlier in the week just having a good think, coming up with some ideas for a couple series of banners I'd like to make.
I was amazed with how refreshed I was afterwards... cooking got tastier, cleaning the house went easier, I interacted with the family more positively.
I just need to have ideas, designs, artistic problems percolating in the back of my brain to be happy and balanced.
Whether or not I ever execute the designs has become immaterial... I like the challenge of some impossible restrictions, and inspiration enough to climb over and between them. :-)
Problems with storage, tidiness, organization is not fun, good tools makes for good play. ;-)
I have my grandmothers', my mothers', friends, gifts, and my own needles, too. Crochet and Knitting: Wooden needles, metal, bone... I'm always grateful, that as far as some type of collection, this one is really portable and a space saver.
You've just given me an idea, tho. You know how guys' toys are displayed on walls in frames and cases? I've got some framed tatting and crocheted pieces by relatives to frame... what about framing those needles? (in an openable case.).
Imagine that look on potential enemies faces when they see those display cases, and the look on your face.
"Try me. Please. "
I'm thinking I'll display my needles case right next to the one I have holding my drill bits.
Thank you ever so much, KAC, for giving me another inspired project to work on and add to my list.
Hoping, I'm returning the favor. ;>
Someone has a question that I don't have a definite answer to (yes, rumours to the contrary, that does happen! ;) )
From cdbear | 12/31/2006 5:38:51 PM PST replied
Hi KAC,
I'm making my first attempt at felting - a purse, and I'm wondering if you can help me post my question to the ping list......
When I finish the piece, what kind of things do I wash it with? The directions on the label (Lion Brand Wool) says wash it in hot with other items. I don't use hot water when I do laundry, and I'm at a loss as to what to wash the purse with.
I really appreciate your help!!
CDBear
And by the way, fellow crafters,
Happy New Year!
http://gfwsheep.com/felting/felt.html
Answer to felting question.
Happy New Year fellow craftines.
bp7
That's really interesting, but I'm looking more for how to do the same in the washer...... I may just try this with a smaller project though!!
Happy New Year Y'all!!!
It has to be felted in a top loading washing machine in hot water. I was told to put the item in a pillow case.
I've made only one felted item, out of some soy/wool blend and it was a hat for my mother for Christmas. It turned out beautifully, and here are the directions I followed.
Using a top loading washing machine (although I have a friend who did hers in a side loader, I don't know how it works so can't give instructions) and at least two pairs of blue jeans, fill machine with hot water. If your item is white, you may want to use white towels instead but the idea is to use something heavy duty that will help beat up your item to be felted. I used two tablespoons laundry detergent. Set machine for 15 minutes agitation and place item to be felted in a laundry bag or pillow case pinned shut. The fibers from your yarn can plug the water pump, so the bag is a good idea. Put the thing in, close the lid, and after 5 minutes fish it out and check it - use rubber gloves if needed. Pull apart if needed and refold and put back in bag and go another 5 minutes until it's felted to the degree you like. When done, take it out of the washer and rinse by hand in the bathtub or sink, not in the washer. Spin cycles can tend to glue the purse or hat together. You can wash the jeans again to get the fibers off of them. Rinse your item and shape it to dry. La la la. [/Harold Green voice]
Thank you so much ladies!!
I finished stitching the bag and felted it last night - how cool!!! I did discover that a ball of yarn I used as an accent color was not wool, but a wool/acrylic blend that did not behave and follow the process...... but we live and learn, right? I put it in a pillowcase, and put in the washer with some towels, and got busy with something else. OOOO SOMETHING SHINEY!!! I forgot to go check on it, but when I did remember to go look in on it, all was well. It turned out really great, and I'm planning more felting projects very soon!
Thank you again for your help!!
OK, crafters....holidays are over. What are you going to work on next?
THIS year's Christmas presents (I hope to have them done by mid-August).
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