Look what I can do!

Today was a good, productive day. I finished my swap gifts for yamwam, so I can mail those tomorrow. (YAY!) and I did a little dyeing!

Yes indeed. I decided to dye the cleaned fleece that I have. I used the link as a guideline, but it was so easy that I feel comfortable doing it again soon! I have to get more vinegar! LOL

So my sister was kind enough to lend me her cake decorating kit as I wanted to test only so that I could gauge the reactions and find out if I like it. I do this with Glaze testing too, beter to test and have less worries. I know that all things are maleable, and I may not have the same results next time, but I have better chances if I know what I am up against! LOL

Of course the first thing that you have to overcome is the dirty fleece! ewwwwwwwww see it soaking in the tub to get out the dirt and yucky stuff. Thank goodness sheep are vegitatians! LOL

So It takes a bit to clean it. I still have two green garbage bags full of fleece, that I have to clean! I think that I will try the washing machine method mentioned on craftster! So the fleece is clean and a bit grassy still, but I decided to dye it anyway! I don't have carders yet, so I have to wait to do that, but it has to dry any-way! So I started with a "Cornflower Blue" because it isn't a colour that I would thinkto buy, and DS had it in her kit. This is the result...

Not really a solid, but I hear that happens with Red 3 in the dye. Oh well, I like it! It was an experiment. Her dye is a bit old, and the fresher ones worked much better! So I will have to go and get my own dye to keep fresh! LOL Here are the colours that I made.......

Not including the photo above, and a " Lemon yellow" they were in seperate baskets. I think it went well as a test! Thanks to Angela for the tips. I will let you know how it works out, once it gets carded and I get to a spindle! LOL I am looking into joining aour local Spinners and Weavers guild, I hear they have tools that they loan out or that you can rent! Hmmmmm

Getting there, I think!

I am still trying to get that purple sweater done!
Man, jut when I think that I am getting to the point where I can decrease for the arms..........I still have more to knit! I love this fiber, and I think that the pattern will be a winner, but it feels like it is taking forever!!!!

I have more patterns to try, I have a yarn stash to reduce, I can't do that if I am stuck on one sweater! I still have the arms to do!
I decided that I will be knitting those at the same time, so at least it will be done together.

On a side note, I'd like your opinion....... a friend of mine is getting married this spring. His wife-to-be is fantastic, and I had decided that all the brides that I feel I know well are going to be getting a handknit shawl from me. She was mentioning to me the other night that she is not the crafty type at all. I was wondering if this is an appropriate gift, a handknit lace shawl, sor someone who is not a crafter. I only worry because, there are some horror stories out there about people not appreciating gifts like this. I think I may be over analyzing, but you may have a thought or two, any experiences or comments? I will probably knit it anyway, because I like the tradition........ but............... hmmmmm?

Knit from my Stash? Not a bad plan.....

Knit From Your Stash 2007!
I saw the "offical" site where the button was from (see link) and thought that it mirrored my resolutions.
So I wondered if making my own rules around my stash knitting would help. I would put up the button too, but I have issues with that............so far.

1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007
2. We will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:
2.a. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that we really and truly do not have the yarn for, we may buy yarn to knit that gift.
2.b. If we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough to complete the project.
2.c. We each get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- we are each allowed to fall off the wagon one time.
3. We are allowed to receive gifts of yarn.( again if someone wants to have somthing done for them and THEY buy that yarn it is ok)
4. Trading stash is allowed.
5. Spinning your own fiber of any sort is exempt.

I bet that this will not be my only post today! LOL
oh and you have to see this! no.............REALLY!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-l93gltkCc
Create well my friends!

Tag, you're it!

I was tagged.........by reading a blog!
5 things that you may not know about me:

1. I love to snowshoe.

2.I get really shy in specific situations, but I can hide it really well........ so if you know me well and I am acting a little odd this can be the reason.

3. I want to live in an ecologically friendly "green" house.

4. I am going to get my hunting licence (if you have issues with this......I have a reason let's talk it over)

5. I would live in New Zeland as a second option to BC (I love BC and NZ is pretty damn close!)

There you go! I don't know who I can tag, but if you haven't done this yet........ give it a go!

Well, then......

So, there are a few of my knitting companions. We knit at a local cafe.........not the 'bucks. ours is a bit more, homegrown, LOL.

We knit we talk and we enjoy each other's company. It's nice to be able to access a fantastic community of like minded individuals. That night was paticularly nice, Amie had just come back home from visiting in Nelson and she was kind enough to pick us up hemp! (see it on the table at the base of the first picture.......I shall be making socks!) It is lovely stuff, and it seems to be a local company. Well, local to BC anyhow!

Let me see, I wonder if I can find the link again.....oooo, I remember now! http://www.hempforknitting.com//

YAY! I am so excited, this means that I not only get to try out bamboo fiber, but now also a hemp-wool blend and a hemp-cotton blend. We got the fingering weight so I can double them when knitting, I hope that this will give the socks all the great qualities of these fibers: warmth from wool, breathability from cotton, and durability from hemp. We shall see, I have a few WIP's at the moment and I am working on getting them gone! So I finnished a baby blanket today........so that is one done! I have to get that eco-fil sweater done! I really want to wear it! If it works, then I will make another for sure!

I had the privelige this week to also knit with another group. (My regular companions knit on Tuesday) So on Thursday my friends wanted to go out to a new wool shop, but unfortunatally we were not going to make it out there in time, so we checked on a few more stores that we don't usually frequent (especially if we are all broke and trying to stash diet!) One was closing too soon for us to get there too............ but would we like to come by and join their knit night? wow! would we ever! It just ended up being me..........that was okay. I love yarn stores! This one is called Knitopia and is run by a wife/husband team, they stash together! YARN! Glorious yarn in all colours of the rainbow! Bamboo, wool, hand spun and dyed..............even shellfish. No really! they make it out of crab shells! Talk about recycling, the owner was starting a demo sock with it........................... it felt soft! I will get the name next time! LOL

I think that it was a great experience! they were all around my mothers age (over 45) and that is a new thing for me, I knit with people my own age generally! (between 20-30) I felt so young, but I pulled out a project, asked questions, answered questions, listened and laughed! I was thrilled when a couple showed up..........because she sat down to start a pair of socks....... and HE started spinning! It was fantastic, I want to learn how to spin, last year I was given the gift of fleece, and I want to use it! He was just using a drop spindle, but oh, how facinating! He was happy to answer my questions too! I will definatally be back there this week! wow!

In other news..................... well, I guess ther really isn't much. Let's see what happens tomorrow....LOL.

Working away.....

Wow, this stuff is all a bit hard to get used to......
I am trying to join a web ring and I am having problems with the graphic
So I'm trying to get it to a place where I can access it and then use it.
I have asked for help, but I am not really getting any, other than generic info from this site.
Not that I don't appreciate it, but sometimes I wonder if I am missing one specific step that would make it all easier.

I am working on my resolutions! I have a purple sweater in Eco-fil yarn that I started a while back. I finnished the back and I am casting on the front. YAY! I stopped due to Christmad knitting and monotomy! I love the stitch and the patten, but ah le sigh................... 50 cm and I too get a bit bored! LOL So I will try to get photos of it up today. I really do like it. The yarn got snatched up on a trip to WM sometime back. It is a recycled yarn. How cool is that! I love that! washable, 75% cotton and 25% acrylic. It came in a load of colours, but I look best in Jewel tones so I picked the dark purple and went to work. It is a simple pattern and it seems to be working out.......... I am thrilled that I can knit in a recycled fiber that didn't break me to purchase. They seem to have more colours now, and I have to tell you that if this works out well, I may have to pick up some more in the summer and knit one without sleves! LOL

That is not all I am trying to get done, I have a baby blanket and a full sized afghan that I am knitting for a friend. I have a few other projects that are on needles, but I can't get to them all!! aaaaaaaa! I really need more hours in the day to knit! I have a bag that I am working on for a KAL and I can't get pic's up for it on the site so I will put one or two here. As well as a picture of other purses that I have knit before. Just to show my KAL pals, first a detail of the wool, then a pic of the progress last week. As you can see the detail is a lot longer than the last weeks' picture! Thankfully! LOL And finally some purses that I have made in the past with a size reference! LOL

My friend J and I are thinking of heading out to Abbotsford today to check out the yarn shop there.................I will be good, I swear! I have a resolution.....................but there are these cute clogs that I saw on Yarn Harlot's site, and the pattern can only be bought at a store........ I think that I can buy a "pattern" and that won't be a break of resolution........ I have the yarn at home. So it can help me bust my stash! (How's that for some fancy justification!) LOL

Pictures to follow soon, I promise!

Happy knitting!

Begin the year!

Well, here we go again! Another new year.......

So many projects and exciting things to do. I am participating in my first swap online at craftster http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=143014.0 I am so excited! I have never done this befor and already I have been picked and picked someone myself! I will be trying to send out my packages this week if I can.

I have to get some resolutions in place though. I have a crazy crafting habit........

1. Stash Busting. I have yarn that I have bought for specific projects and I should get those projects done. So I will only be buying more yarn if I need it to complete a project that I have started, and I will be only starting things from my current stash. I am going to work hard to keep this resolution as long as I can!

2. Creating things for myself as well as others. I try to make sure that I get my fair share of things from my needles, but I really don't. So I will create things that I can wear proudly!

3. More involvement in swaps and KAL's (knit a-longs) to keep me involved in my online community as well as my home community.

4. To invite more participation in our Knit Nights. Post notices and invite new people to join in with us..........to learn for free and maybe become part of our group of friends. (Anyone wanting to knit or crochet in the Langley BC area come to Ethical Addictions coffee shop on Tesday nights after 7:30........... you will see us)

5. To learn to spin, shoot and use a bow. ;)

6. To organize my crafts so I can access them when I want but, so that they don't over-run my living space!

7. To keep this blog and all my online contact recent.

8. To always ask myself "Why Not?"

I guess I will keep you posted!
We shall see.............

New Years Fun!

Yes it was wasn't it!

Good friends and easy-going times....... James was away though. Glad your doing well my friend!

Let's see what we can get up to this year!