An Everyday Fiber Obsession

February 8, 2010

I Struggle with the Art of Crochet -

Posted by junepot under Uncategorized
[2] Comments

It isn’t my strong suit – I mean, look at my sister in law Carol’s Crochet: (Hey, that’s catchy isn’t it?!)

Baby Blanket Center

Isn’t that just gorgeous? Look, here is more:

Baby Blanket Gift

Being the lovely person that she is, she is making this for a co-worker which I think is really nice venture – and then on top of that she made this one for us!

Gorgeous Afghan by Carol

I wonder sometimes, why it is that all my closest friends can manage this art form and I have to struggle like a banshee to get it right?! I guess it’s all what you are comfortable with. Maybe my favorite crocheters aren’t comfortable with two sticks? Yah, I know it’s like that, but let me show you what I did with two sticks:

Spring Blossom Shawl - Almost

That’s Caryn’s Spring Blossom Blanket, and to knit one row at the end was taking on average 30 to 45 minutes, the instructions say you should have 712 stitches at the end, but I think I went further and had something closer to 750. So, anyway, this blanket has a crochet cast off, which is really pretty cool, and really makes a pretty edge:

Spring Blossom's Edge

But, I worked on finishing it through the whole Super Bowl Game, and still couldn’t get all the way around! It’s really simple too, Ch 8, yo and pull loop through 3 stitches on left hand needle, repeat.

Maybe just the fact that my left hand sucks, I have tension issues (MS related I think) and so I am slower than molasses going uphill in February! So, after all that crocheting I am only 75% finished with casting off!

Crochet Cast Off

So, I guess you will all have to wait another week to see this baby blocked out!!

January 25, 2010

Spindles are Accumulating

Posted by junepot under Spinning
[6] Comments

Before we moved to Berea, I had put out a call on Ravelry looking for a Janet Yost Spindle. See, I had seen one that a nice lady from the Friday knitting group had been using and I just fell in love with it! I had made this request before, and I had even e-mailed Ms. Yost. All was to no avail, previously, but this time I got a really nice note from Amelia Garipoli, aka The Bellwether owner, that she was down sizing. So Yeah!! Here it is, it is a Figured Eucalyptus Whorl, with a Macassar Ebony Shaft, .75 ounces, labeled #645

Artsy Picture of Yost Spindle

Here is a better one of the whorl alone, the fiber is some Falkland that I dyed last summer:

Yost Spindle Whorl

Before the end of the year I also obtained a Flame Elder Spanish Peacock spindle:

Flame Box Elder aka Red River Maple

She is a 3″ Flame Elder Whorl set on a 10″ Lignum Vitae shaft. She weighs in at 26g/.9oz she spins forever. It is rim weighted and the light in this house is impossible to get good pictures. I am working on that. She is sitting on some BFL that I dyed last summer.

The last spindle I have to share today is an Emily, from Adam’s Workshop and Mielke’s Fiber Arts, LLC :

Emily from Adam's Workshop

I am rather clueless on this one right now, I can’t find my work up on her, so, we will need to simply say that she is ok, but certainly not my favorite of the three. The shaft is rather large in diameter and not exceptionally smooth as I have gotten used to, actually the whorl is not smooth either, (I guess I am spoiled) but, I am spinning some merino silk on her, and that is what really makes her lovely! :)

February 1, 2010