American Folk Festival

I went to the American Folk Festival in Bangor yesterday. It's held on the waterfront the last weekend in August each year and there are performers from all over the world, craft tents, and lots of food. The music and food are great, but I spent most of my time in the craft tents. There were only a couple of fiber booths - Crows Wool had wet and needlfelted wool framed art, which facinates me and is something I want to try someday, and Done Roving Carding Mill, where I spent a lot of time petting wool. Maybe it was the heat (the weather here turned hot and sticky after a week of fall weather), but all of the yarn felt stiff and scratchy - and suspiciously like kool-aid dyed yarn. I hope no one caught me smelling it! Another favorite booth was the Lucinda pin booth. Lucinda spent two years being homeless, and created these pins as a fundraiser for the homeless. This particular booth was raising money for Habitat for Humanity in Bangor. They are actually made on a cardboard base, which is coated with layers and layers of varnish. The detail on them is amazing. I bought these two which I absolutely love!

They are $15.00 ea. and you can order them in bulk for fundraising or individually on line here.

I love pins and have a large collection of them. Because I teach young children most of my pins are whimsical - the kids love them. So in addition to the Luncinda pins, I couldn't resist this pin by Lisa Bess. She makes the most amazing pins, badge holders, eyeglass holders and other adornments out of new, found, and recycled objects. As with the Lucinda pins - the detail in her work is amazing. You can see more of her work and check to see if she is going to be showing at a craft fair near you here.

Those are actually real rocks from the Maine coast that the lighthouse is sitting on.

In other booths there were all kinds of yummy lotions, soaps, herb mixes,maple syrup, fudge, jewelry, way too much to name.

It was a long day and the heat finally got to me, so I headed home with my treasures, listening to the Red Sox beat the White Sox 14-2 - and stopped to do some food shopping - see below!

Share Your Chocolate

Food shopping is not my favorite thing to do. I guess they know that where I shop and that's why they put a reward at the check-out counter for me. I'm sure that the raspberry counts as a serving of fruit - right?


And this was the message in the wrapper

So, this is for you!

Galway Striped Bag Pattern

For those of you who asked - I wrote up the pattern for the Galway Striped Bag.

Braided Neckpiece

This is the braided neckpiece from the Loop-d-Loop book. It was a really fun knit, once I figured it out. I didn't care for all of the ends I had to weave in though! I would have loved to knit it from the yarn called for in the book, 3 balls of Karabella Yarns "Super Cashmere" (100% cashmere), but at $55.00 a ball it was just a tad over my yarn budget! So I used some bulky LB Wool-Ease instead, because I had some in my stash (who knows why I bought it - must have had something in mind). It needs to be blocked, but with an acrylic yarn, that's not going to do too much for it. I am going to make more of these, the Knit Picks catalog that arrived today has the perfect yarn - Panache - @ $4.99 a ball, and Quarry @ $3.99 a ball both would be perfect for this scarf. Well, yes, of course I know I'm on a yarn diet (you don't have to remind me that my ticker at the top of my blog is not moving along very quickly), but the exception to the rule is that I can buy yarn for gifts, and these scarves are going to be gifts (and one of those gifts is going to be to me!).

Galway Striped Felted Bag

Here is the finished sling bag. I forgot to take the measurements before I felted it - but it's about 11" x 10" now, knit with Galway wool. This is a gift for my DD's anniversary. And, yes, I know it's her hubby's anniversary too - so I put a Home Depot gift card in the bag. Actually my DD can be found in HD more often than her hubby!
This is not exactly my own pattern, it's a combination of several different free patterns I found on the internet, so I think it's okay to post the pattern I came up with. I used Plymouth Galway 100% wool in five different colors - dark torquoise, light torquoise, dark pink, light pink, and purple. The stripes are random - wider stripes are 8-10 rows, and narrow stripes are 2-4 rows. You can make up your own stripe pattern, or use the radom stripe generator.
Using size 11 circular needles, cast on 100 stitches and join in the round. Place a marker at the beginning of the row. Work in desired stripe pattern for about 20". Next Row - Knit 19, knit 12 and place these 12 stitches on a stitch holder, knit 38 and place these 38 stitches on a stitch holder, bind off next 12 stitches, knit 38 and turn (you will now be working back and forth on one handle side) Keep working in the stripe pattern as you work the handles.
Handle: Row 1 (and all odd rows) Purl
Row 2(and all even rows) K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts. K2TOG, K1
Repeat these 1 rows until you have 12 sts. left on the needle. Place these 12 sts. on a stitch holder and tie off yarn leaving a tail.
With wrong side facing you, pick up the 38 stitches from the stitch holder for the other side of the handle and repeat the two rows above. When you reach the 12 remaining sts., keep working in st. stitch (keeping stripe pattern) until your handle is as long as you want it (remember it will shrink about 40-50% in the felting. I made my handle about half as long as the pre-felted bag. Then graft it to the other side of the handle.
Tab: Pick up the 12 sts. remaining on the stitch holder and knit in st. stitch (I made my tab a solid color) for about 5", then decrease (K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts. K2TOG, K1) on each knit row for a couple of rows to round off the tab.
Turn bag inside out and sew up the bottom. Felt bag (Galway felts pretty quickly so watch it) until it is the size you want. Mine was about 11 x 10 (not counting the handle). Stuff with plastic bags to shape while drying.
When bag is dry - cut a slit in the tab, and sew a corresponding button on the bag.
I also made this solid color, needlefelted, version of this bag for my ITEIV pal.

Pay It Forward

Jopal, Marysaline, and MaryLynn will be receiving a 'pay it forward' surprise sometime in the near future! Thanks for playing - and don't forget - don't pay it back - pay it forward!

Priceless

Ten packs of Kool-aid :$2.00, One skein of white Paton's Classic Wool: $4.99, An afternoon of fun with my granddaughter: Priceless!


Mixing up the kool-aid


We tried painting the yarn first Then we tried pouring

The third one (on the right) was dipped.


The painted one was her favorite - I think it's beautiful too!
Yes - she's a Red Sox fan too!

I mailed out my package to my KVVS Pal Nancy today. To find out where she is going (she already knows!) Click here. To see what was in her package, click here. I still don't know where I am going! :(

Pay It Forward

I found this on Donna's Blog and thought it was pretty neat. It’s based on the movie with Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey in it called ‘Pay It Forward’.. Here's how it goes:

I will send a handmade gift to 3 random people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this Pay It Forward exchange. This isn't a huge gift, just a little something to lift your spirits. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do if you like, is in return pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

TGIF (NOT)

Funny how when you are on vacation you are not so thankful for Fridays!

It just brings you a little bit closer to going back to work. Here is the Patchwork bag from Easy knitted accessories after felting. I really love this bag and think I will be making different versions of it. It's about 11" x 11" after felting. The handles are felted braided of yarn - much faster than I-cord!

Front

Back

Over on Shut Up I'm Counting, Cass is celebrating her 222th post with a contest. All you have to do is answer a few easy peasy questions. You can even get some bonus points - go find out how.

Thank You Vicki!

Isn't this cute? It's a wrist wallet that Vicki sent me from Canada. Vicki was my upstream pal in the ITEIII swap and we have become good friends. She knit this from handspun yarn (she raises alpacas) and even lined it and put a zipper in it. And can you see? I'm a Rockin' Girl Blogger (private j0ke) It will hold a cell phone, credit card, and some cash - all the essentials when you don't want to carry a purse. Thanks Vicki - I love it!

I Love Alpacas

I think I want to raise alpacas when I grow up! They are such sweet, gentle, animals. And...their fleece is the softest and warmest ever. Alpaca farms seem to be sprouting up all over Maine. I visited this one today and met the sweetest alpaca! My friend Vicki on Purple is a Fruit raises alpacas and spins their wool. Alpaca people just seem to be the nicest people, and they love their alpacas like their own children!

Mandy over on NH Knitting Mama is having a little contest She has a free pattern for her "Mandy's Candy Bag" which is really cute. Go on over and check it out. I plan to make a few of these! And you know what else? She's a Red Sox Fan!!!!! Gotta love her.
Progress on my DDs yellow tomato from Knitting Daily:

And my Patchwork bag from "Easy Knitted Accessories" - pre-felted it's 13"x20". I still have to make the handles, which are braided.


Tonight I am casting on for the Comfortable Felted Sling Purse from Knitty Chick, also for my DD.
I'm using these colors, and probably I'll add a little purple too. This is the same bag I made for my pal in the ITEIV Swap except that I made it in a solid color with needlfelted flowers. My DD loved it, but wanted it done in stripes.

Christmas Around the World Knitter's Swap

I try not to join too many swaps at one time. To be honest, I get confused about which pal is which! But my dear friend Vigdis from Norway lured me into this swap. And since ITEIV is just about over, and the KVVS and Whoduknit Summer Swap will be over soon, I joined up. It's the Christmas Around the World Knitter's Swap and sign-ups are open now. Maybe I can lure you in too??

To MY KVVSP

So good to hear from you! I do make socks with the 'magic loop' and I agree it is very easy to do and I love the socks I have made. I don't know why I have this thing about learning to knit socks on dpns - I think it's because everyone else can do it!
So - are you all ready for the new contest on the KVVSP blog? It's supposed to be up this weekend and sounds interesting.
Can't wait to find out where I am vacationing!

Easy Knitted Accessories

This is another one of the books I got on sale from the Crafter's Choice Club (they were all under $10.00 ea. by the way). This is a great book for beginners. Each pattern teaches a new skill. At first glance through the book I didn't think there was anything in it that I didn't already have a pattern for someplace else and I would probably be gifting it. But after reading through it I have found some things I would like to make and some new skills I would like to learn! The first project I'm making is the felted patchwork bag. For beginners it teaches slip stitches and beading. I have been wanting to try beading and this was a very easy way to learn, not to mention a great way to use up yarn stash.

It's knit in strips, with different blocks of patterns on each strip. Here is my beaded heart - which was really fun and easy to do using large beads. I'm really curious to see what will happen to the beads when this is felted. I'm already planning my next project from this book, now that I've mastered beading, which is the beautiful beaded scarf on the cover.

DPNs and I (Continued)

See- I'm doing it. And you were right - after the first inch or so it gets easier and just goes around and around! I really think I've got it!


So, why have I stabbed my yarn to death with my dpns? It's really not as bad as it seems. The label on the yarn said size 3 dpns, but it was obvious to me that the stitches were way too lose. I need to either use smaller needles or thicker yarn. So, the sock went to the frog pond. To be continued.............

40 Years Ago

We brought our first born son home from the hospital. We were stationed in Washington D.C. and Scott was born at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

Oh my, were we ever all that young! (or that thin!) Happy 40th Scott!

DPNs and I

Okay, I admit it. I am dpn challenged. I've tried and tried and used language you wouldn't expect a grammie to use. All these needles sticking out all over the place - how are you supposed to knit. I've read all the books, seen the tutorials, and watched it done with ease on Knitty Gritty. But I just couldn't do it. They tell me - you are only knitting on two needles at a time - ignore the other needles. How can I ignore needles sticking into my hands with stitches falling off them? They said it would get easier after the first few rounds - I couldn't get past the first few rounds! I did learn to knit socks using one long circular needle - it worked. But there is still this 40" cord twisting every which way and curling up when you are halfway through with the socks.

How I envy people who consider knitting socks on dpns to be mindless knitting. They can do it while watching t.v.,reading a book, driving a car, giving birth. So, I decided, today was the day. I'm going to do it. And LOOK!

Can you see? Those are three needles with two pointy ends- the fourth is empty for now and I have a whole inch done! Now mind you, these are what you call 'vanilla socks' - one inch of ribbing and then just straight knitting around. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can! I'm using Patons Kroy self patterning yarn and size 3 dpns. Wish me luck!!!!

Loop-d-Loop

This is definitely not your plain, ordinary knitting book. If you are looking for something different you should check out Loop-d-Loop by Tea Durham .
There are quite a few patterns in this book that I don't think I would ever make. But, there are a few cute things I might try. The corkscrew scarf is cute, and so is the octagon purse. But knit a chair cover - I don't think so! The child's ballet t-shirt looks like an easy knit for the kids, and I do want to make the choker collar, but probably not the cuff. The felted tweed hat is cute, but I don't know who I would make that for. I do love the adorable child's earflap hat and the braided neckpiece is very interesting, but the yarn-over steek vest - nah, I don't think so. The basketweave scarf is cute - and of course the loop-d-loop scarf on the cover, for which I suppose the book was named. And, maybe that paisley carpetbag for the next ITEIV swap? I think this book is a keeper!

Morehouse Farm Merino Knits

I read this book from cover to cover last night - and I just love it! (My Vegan friends may not want to read this!). But to me - raising sheep, shearing them, spinning their wool, and knitting something warm and wonderful from it, is fascinating . The patterns are not anything fancy. They are mostly plain, basic knits. There is a lace section, but again it's very basic with the yarn itself making the beauty.
There was one disappointment though - there was a great knitting bag pictured at the end of the book - but the pattern is not in the book. Then again, it's pretty basic, and I'm sure I could figure it out. What's really cool about it is that the straps are measuring tapes - how handy!
The author adds personal stories about their farm and their sheep and their wonderful yarn, which can of course, be ordered from their website! Oh - and on a completely different note - stop by and visit Donna's blog
and leave a comment by midnight July 25, and you could win a prize!

Christmas In July

From me to me! The Crafter's Choice Club was having a special - and I'm on a yarn diet not a knitting book diet - so.... these books arrived today. I'll review them after I have had a chance to look through them!

ITEIV Bag Arrived!

I waited for the mailman this morning because I was sure he would bring my ITEIV bag and he did! This is the cute bag that Vange made for me with yarn that she dyed herself. There was also a cute little pouch, and some other goodies, including this beautiful pin and pendant also made by Vange. They are made with fused dichroic glass and are just beautiful! Thanks you Vange - you have been a great pal!

New and Improved Clutch

Thanks for all of your advice! I felted the flower and I do like it better. (The color is still not showing up right). Anyway, I made it a pin so it can come off and another pin put on. I made a cowl out of the same yarn as the flower - so it might look pretty on that too. So many options LOL. And my knitting needle bouquet is growing!

Ravelry

So I finally decided to go over and see what all the fuss about Ravelry is about. I signed up for the waiting list, and this is my place in line. ROTFL.

You are #17971 on the list.
11886 people are ahead of you in line.
5 people are behind you in line.
32% of the list has been invited so far

Are You Knitting Daily?

Knitting Daily is Interweave's new blog with free patterns, tips, etc. Since everyone's been talking about the "Tomato" I decided to try it. Except, because I am on a yarn diet and have to use yarn in my stash, mine is going to be more like a lemon! I received this bright yellow Lion Cottonese yarn as a prize for a project I made for a Knit The Classics book (The Joy Luck Club). It might be a birthday present for my DD if it comes out okay. She even likes yellow! So far, it is a very easy knit - and is made in the round with no seams - love that.

I got this book in the mail today. I ordered it from the Crafter's Choice Club - you know the club that tempts you with 5 books for 99 cents each and then you have to commit to buying two more in the next two years. Well, my two years were up and I had to order one more book. I should have looked at this one more closely. It seemed to have such cute patterns in it - but they are actually all made from knitting flat pieces on a knitting machine, felting them and then cutting out the patterns and sewing them.

I think I can use some of the patterns for embellishments though - and of course I can always handknit the flat pieces and make one of these cute totes. Thank you for your comment on my clutch Dipsy! I'm flattered that you visited me all the way from Austria!

Another Clutch

Lately I can't seem to make just one of anything! I'm on a clutch kick and a flower kick so I combined the two in with this one. The bag is made from my kool-aid dyed yarn (Knitpicks bare bulky in variegated shades of 'grape') and the flower is made from some leftover yarn. The flower is a pin from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Flowers. The color actually matches the color of the clutch better than it shows in the photo. Do you think I should felt it? The pin in the book is not felted - but mine is made from 100% wool, so it will felt.

Everything's Coming Up Roses

I just love these felted roses. The stems are knitting needles! You can easily slide the needle off the rose if you should happen to want to knit with it. Wouldn't this just be a perfect way to present a gift of knitting needles? I have to give Danielle credit for this inspiration. She made a Peruvian Rose, from Berroco for her project for last month's Whoduknit book, Maisie Dobbs. And, wouldn't my jar of knitting needles look so much prettier if they all had roses on them? I'm working on it!



I finished my mobius and didn't realize until it was off the needles that it was twice the diameter it should have been. I did use a different yarn than the pattern called for but I did get the gauge. The only think I can think of is that I must have misunderstood the mobius cast on and CO twice as many stitches as I was supposed to! Oh well, it's a scarf - and I can wrap it around my neck twice if I want too. This was made from a Cat Bordhi pattern that she demonstrated on an episode of Knitty Gritty.

But look! It's Lace! And I dyed the yarn myself! So who cares if it's twice the size it's supposed to be. No wonder I ran out of yarn and had to dye some more!

And I finally felted my larger version of Jayne's AP Bag. I put two pockets inside - one on each side of the bag. I really like how this one came out.

Oh - and Hi KVVSP if you are reading this - leave me a comment, I'd love to hear from you! Anonymous of course!

Dyeing Dilema

I'm really fascinated with this mobius pattern. I've made some 'fake' mobius scarves - just a scarf twisted and sewn together. But this is knit all in one piece on a 47" circ. which is looped around. I don't know if you can see in the picture - but it is actually knit from the inside out and you just keep knitting the pattern around and around but you are actually knitting two sides. So, anyway, I'm down to the last three rows and the bind off - and ...can you see how much yarn I have left? UGH! This is yarn that I dyed with kool-aid - not something I can go back to my LYS and pick up.

So, what to do - dye some more yarn. I think I came pretty close. Fortunately it's variegated so I think it will blend in okay. Now I have to wait until it's dry to finish the mobius. I love to knit and I love to felt - but it's the finishing that always stalls me.

Here is the 'Clutch You'll Never Give Up" from the One Skein book. It is supposed to have buttons as an embellishment (don't I hate to sew on buttons!) So I found this pin in my jewelry box - and I think it looks great!
And, no I'm not selling cleaning products - but if you have never used "Simple Green" you have to try it - it cleans anything - even kool-aid stains on kitchen counters!