Original skein:
Close-up:
With handles lying open:
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Kismet Prototype #2 The Elation Bag
This bag, knit from my new Kismet Bag Pattern, was made from one skein of Kraemer Mauch Chunky in Raspberry and my Elation Skein, which has sparkles and iridescent salmon pink and clear beads.
Original skein:
Close-up:
With handles lying open:
Original skein:
Close-up:
With handles lying open:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Kismet Bag~
Announcing the release of a brand new Material Whirled pattern!
(drum roll...)
(drum roll...)
Since you can click the image to learn the pattern details I will entertain you with the story of how this bag was named....
When visiting PA in May, dear Angela picked me up for a soirée at Panera's. When we arrived we were in the parking lot admiring each other's knitting projects. We looked across the parking lot and there was our friend Kim! Complete coincidence. Lotsa hugs and happy-to-see-you conversation ensued.
After lunch, Angela and I went out to the patio to knit and catch up. Not long after, my friend Dayna and her girls came across the parking lot. Another complete coincidence!
When hugging and talking to Dayna, my friend Nicole drove past and stopped! Coincidence #3!
A this point it was no longer a coincidence, it was pure Kismet! Hence the bag's name. My friends all felt my presence and were drawn right to me.
Miss you all! Smooches to my sister friends!
NOW-- more pics!
Symbiosis bag, knit from the Symbiosis skein, which had strips of a silver glittery lycra fabric spun throughout. Very fabulous.
More bags pics in upcoming posts.....
When visiting PA in May, dear Angela picked me up for a soirée at Panera's. When we arrived we were in the parking lot admiring each other's knitting projects. We looked across the parking lot and there was our friend Kim! Complete coincidence. Lotsa hugs and happy-to-see-you conversation ensued.
After lunch, Angela and I went out to the patio to knit and catch up. Not long after, my friend Dayna and her girls came across the parking lot. Another complete coincidence!
When hugging and talking to Dayna, my friend Nicole drove past and stopped! Coincidence #3!
A this point it was no longer a coincidence, it was pure Kismet! Hence the bag's name. My friends all felt my presence and were drawn right to me.
Miss you all! Smooches to my sister friends!
NOW-- more pics!
Symbiosis bag, knit from the Symbiosis skein, which had strips of a silver glittery lycra fabric spun throughout. Very fabulous.
More bags pics in upcoming posts.....
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday painting~
I painted today! For the mere sake of painting. Art painting, not the walls, those are done.
Here is painting #1- almost finished. Pics are meh.
I will shoot better pics once they are completed.
Close ups:
Painting #2, just started really.
Painting #3, very just-started.
Here is one wall of the LR, just starting to get it put back together. I have to work at it in spurts as I get frustrated moving things in circles.
Here are some shots I took at our 'Twilight Hike' we took on Tues. evening. I shot these from a blind they constructed to view wildlife on the pond. Not to hunt, this was a wildlife refuge.
Tired- bottle of strawberry wine calling my name (made by Paul).
night!
xo
Here is painting #1- almost finished. Pics are meh.
I will shoot better pics once they are completed.
Close ups:
Painting #2, just started really.
Painting #3, very just-started.
Here is one wall of the LR, just starting to get it put back together. I have to work at it in spurts as I get frustrated moving things in circles.
Here are some shots I took at our 'Twilight Hike' we took on Tues. evening. I shot these from a blind they constructed to view wildlife on the pond. Not to hunt, this was a wildlife refuge.
Tired- bottle of strawberry wine calling my name (made by Paul).
night!
xo
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Hazy week~
I can hardly believe tomorrow is Friday. meh-
The week sucked by. haha- Sucked by? Sounds nasty but seems appropriate.
We seem to be in a constant state of adjustment with Paul's work schedule, wonder if we will ever adapt? Seems like we get used to him either being gone or here when it is time for one or the other. Planning anything is an impossibility. Odd since we have spent the majority of the past 14 years together more than not. I usually just feel sad when he is gone.
All of the changes the past year + have brought have been worth it though. Life seems more peaceful and 'right', in spite of leaving family and friends 3,000 miles away. I feel like I am supposed to be here, struggles and all.
Enough profundity. This week I knit knit knit. Finished up prototypes for new designs and knitting for knitting sake.
Today I put the LR back together - well mostly. I still have to decide on a few things and wait until the dude is back to move some more heavy furniture. I will take pics to show you once everything is up and sparkly clean.
The 'playroom' downstairs (for lack of a better name for it-'junk hole' may be more appropriate?) has been the thorn in my side this week. So much crapola came with us on our move, and most of it has not been touched since we moved (which was one year ago yesterday!!). Time to purge it. pfft. Of course each thing is precious to the girls so there are 3 levels of deciding what goes. Like quicksand sometimes. unhhhhhh
I come from a looong line of hoarders. hoarders. OCD hoarders.
It's a struggle to part with some things. I like to give things to everyone when I purge, but decided this time there are 3 options. 1- trash 2- Goodwill or 3- Scrap. Books are going to the library for their collection or book sale. Hard to not go to the other extreme and get rid of everything. But it feels good to clean out. Next hurdle shall be the studio. bah! I lurv my fiber and doodads.
Sorry no pic today- just conversation.
I am off to stare at the boob tube --tired and waiting for Paul's plane to land before I zzzzzzzz.
xo
The week sucked by. haha- Sucked by? Sounds nasty but seems appropriate.
We seem to be in a constant state of adjustment with Paul's work schedule, wonder if we will ever adapt? Seems like we get used to him either being gone or here when it is time for one or the other. Planning anything is an impossibility. Odd since we have spent the majority of the past 14 years together more than not. I usually just feel sad when he is gone.
All of the changes the past year + have brought have been worth it though. Life seems more peaceful and 'right', in spite of leaving family and friends 3,000 miles away. I feel like I am supposed to be here, struggles and all.
Enough profundity. This week I knit knit knit. Finished up prototypes for new designs and knitting for knitting sake.
Today I put the LR back together - well mostly. I still have to decide on a few things and wait until the dude is back to move some more heavy furniture. I will take pics to show you once everything is up and sparkly clean.
The 'playroom' downstairs (for lack of a better name for it-'junk hole' may be more appropriate?) has been the thorn in my side this week. So much crapola came with us on our move, and most of it has not been touched since we moved (which was one year ago yesterday!!). Time to purge it. pfft. Of course each thing is precious to the girls so there are 3 levels of deciding what goes. Like quicksand sometimes. unhhhhhh
I come from a looong line of hoarders. hoarders. OCD hoarders.
It's a struggle to part with some things. I like to give things to everyone when I purge, but decided this time there are 3 options. 1- trash 2- Goodwill or 3- Scrap. Books are going to the library for their collection or book sale. Hard to not go to the other extreme and get rid of everything. But it feels good to clean out. Next hurdle shall be the studio. bah! I lurv my fiber and doodads.
Sorry no pic today- just conversation.
I am off to stare at the boob tube --tired and waiting for Paul's plane to land before I zzzzzzzz.
xo
Monday, July 21, 2008
Free Preemie Hat Pattern~
My lys has been collecting preemie hats to take to the local NICU (neonatal intensive care unit).
I knit a few up on Sat. and wrote down how I made them so YOU can make them too.
Great stash buster project and a quick knit. Use a washable yarn, preferably a non-synthetic fiber.
*For now the pattern is just gauged for a heavy worsted yarn, I will edit is as I work out gauge variations. For now you will have to swatch for a different weight yarn or wing it.*
Embellishments are cross-overs from my Baby Pip hat pattern, to which I will also be adding a preemie version.
I will also link this from my Free Pattern page on the site.
I am working on a Kitty version and a Christmas version also..... what else- Elvis version? Troll?
Heavy worsted yarn
Size 10 1/2 double point needle
Stitch Marker
Yarn needle
Crochet hook (for flower)
Instructions:
~ Cast 30 stitches onto 3 dpn
~ Place marker at beginning of round
~ Knit in the round until hat measures 3 inches from the edge
~ Decrease round *Knit 8, K2tog*, repeat around hat (since the hat is so tiny I did not place markers at each round, do so if you need to )
~ Knit 1 round normally
~ Decrease round 2 *Knit 7, K2tog*, repeat around hat ~ Knit 1 round normally
~ Continue to rotate between the decrease rounds and normal knit rounds until you have 12 stitches left.(For a pointier hat, continue to decrease until 6 stitches are remaining)
~ Cut yarn and thread through remaining stitches, pull opening closed and secure.
Leave hat as-is or embellish as desired.
To make bear ears:
I used a single strand of a dk to worsted weight yarn on size 8 needle.
~ Cast on 4
~ Row 1, Knit
~ Row 2, knit increasing 1 st in front and back of each stitch (8 st)
~ Knit 6 more rows
~ Bind off loosely
~ Attach to hat
To make a crochet flower:
~ Ch 5 and slip hook through first chain and sl st to connect, making a ring
~ Ch 3, dc 9 times more into the center hole of the ring
~ Connect to first dc
~ Ch 3, in first dc tr 3, * skip 1 dc, in next dc (sc, ch3, 3 tr)*, rep from * 4 more times around edge of ring, making 5 petals.
~ Attach to hat
I knit a few up on Sat. and wrote down how I made them so YOU can make them too.
Great stash buster project and a quick knit. Use a washable yarn, preferably a non-synthetic fiber.
*For now the pattern is just gauged for a heavy worsted yarn, I will edit is as I work out gauge variations. For now you will have to swatch for a different weight yarn or wing it.*
Embellishments are cross-overs from my Baby Pip hat pattern, to which I will also be adding a preemie version.
I will also link this from my Free Pattern page on the site.
I am working on a Kitty version and a Christmas version also..... what else- Elvis version? Troll?
Preemie Hat Pattern
Finished size is 10 inches around and about 5 inches in height.
Heavy worsted yarn
Size 10 1/2 double point needle
Stitch Marker
Yarn needle
Crochet hook (for flower)
Instructions:
~ Cast 30 stitches onto 3 dpn
~ Place marker at beginning of round
~ Knit in the round until hat measures 3 inches from the edge
~ Decrease round *Knit 8, K2tog*, repeat around hat (since the hat is so tiny I did not place markers at each round, do so if you need to )
~ Knit 1 round normally
~ Decrease round 2 *Knit 7, K2tog*, repeat around hat ~ Knit 1 round normally
~ Continue to rotate between the decrease rounds and normal knit rounds until you have 12 stitches left.(For a pointier hat, continue to decrease until 6 stitches are remaining)
~ Cut yarn and thread through remaining stitches, pull opening closed and secure.
Leave hat as-is or embellish as desired.
To make bear ears:
I used a single strand of a dk to worsted weight yarn on size 8 needle.
~ Cast on 4
~ Row 1, Knit
~ Row 2, knit increasing 1 st in front and back of each stitch (8 st)
~ Knit 6 more rows
~ Bind off loosely
~ Attach to hat
To make a crochet flower:
~ Ch 5 and slip hook through first chain and sl st to connect, making a ring
~ Ch 3, dc 9 times more into the center hole of the ring
~ Connect to first dc
~ Ch 3, in first dc tr 3, * skip 1 dc, in next dc (sc, ch3, 3 tr)*, rep from * 4 more times around edge of ring, making 5 petals.
~ Attach to hat
Saturday, July 19, 2008
About testing the Delilah scarf
I have a scarf pattern I plan to release here in the blog.
Anyone wish to test it for me? It's um... girlie.
Respond and I will email it (with some pics) to the first three responders.
Written for a bulky yarn.
Anyone wish to test it for me? It's um... girlie.
Respond and I will email it (with some pics) to the first three responders.
Written for a bulky yarn.
About Naomi
Material Whirled is proud to announce the arrival of a new spinner to the handspun shop!
Naomi Ryono's (knottynaomi) creations are soft and delicious.
Grab them up- they won't last long...
Naomi Ryono's (knottynaomi) creations are soft and delicious.
Grab them up- they won't last long...
Friday, July 18, 2008
About witchy-ness~
cackle cackle
seriously.
I dyed black over my green yarn and it came out so Hagatha-esque it is hilarious. While it does have it's own witchy beauty, I think I will over dye it yet again with some more green. Just to see what happens. It's all about the brew.
Here it is.
seriously.
I dyed black over my green yarn and it came out so Hagatha-esque it is hilarious. While it does have it's own witchy beauty, I think I will over dye it yet again with some more green. Just to see what happens. It's all about the brew.
Here it is.
I leave you with pics of the witch's cat- Stella Ezmaralda. She is such a diva- she loves the camera!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
About Avocado~
Wow- What a glorious green!
LOVE it, but a bit too green to wear as much as I plan to wear this sweater.
So I will be over dyeing it black shortly. Wanted to capture the green-ness first.
Original natural tan color:
Green!
LOVE it, but a bit too green to wear as much as I plan to wear this sweater.
So I will be over dyeing it black shortly. Wanted to capture the green-ness first.
Original natural tan color:
Green!
About yarn, parties, sunsets and tree frogs~
How about a short, bursty blog post?
Today I am dyeing. I bought 4 skeins of Cascade Ecological wool in tan from Stitch Craft. I decided to finally make my sweater I have been itching to knit for the past 2 years.
I am dyeing it avocado, then over dyeing with black. Here it is before the avocado.
The girls surprised me with an afternoon fruit and muffin party yesterday. They made the table fancy. It was wonderful.
Last evening the sunset was amazing- Eve took these pictures- they are not doctored at all. First pic is Mt. St. Helens. Second pic is our tree tops.
We have had a lot of tree frogs in our planters on our deck. I love the little critters, they are alien to us as there are no tree frogs in PA. One was in my dye pot this morning when I opened it. It jumped up and made me scream a bit. Click here for info on the Pacific Northwest Tree Frog.
Back to the dye pot! More pics to come.
Today I am dyeing. I bought 4 skeins of Cascade Ecological wool in tan from Stitch Craft. I decided to finally make my sweater I have been itching to knit for the past 2 years.
I am dyeing it avocado, then over dyeing with black. Here it is before the avocado.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
truthful things about being an artist and a mother
Go here and read this, by Keri Smith of Wish Jar.
Well said. And it applies no matter what age your kids are.
This made me cry a bit as it is something I struggle with (balance?) daily.
So Paul is on his way home until Monday morning, then is gone again for about a week? phew- good opportunities are always so far away.
Today? Portland Farmer's Market! wheeee! I will take pics.
Off to pack orders before he gets here.
I leave you with some Rex Ray delights.
xo
Well said. And it applies no matter what age your kids are.
This made me cry a bit as it is something I struggle with (balance?) daily.
So Paul is on his way home until Monday morning, then is gone again for about a week? phew- good opportunities are always so far away.
Today? Portland Farmer's Market! wheeee! I will take pics.
Off to pack orders before he gets here.
I leave you with some Rex Ray delights.
xo
Friday, July 11, 2008
Soiree
Yay!
Last evening I finally made it to a 'Thursday Soiree' at Stitch Craft, a new(ish) yarn and fabric shop in Vancouver.
We had a blast. I forget the bond that forms immediately among yarn ladies. I miss it.
Nicholette (the owner) is just dear and so welcoming. The shop is fresh and crunchy with bins of the best yarns on the market as well as luscious fabrics.
Here is a peak in the windows (and door).
Last evening I finally made it to a 'Thursday Soiree' at Stitch Craft, a new(ish) yarn and fabric shop in Vancouver.
We had a blast. I forget the bond that forms immediately among yarn ladies. I miss it.
Nicholette (the owner) is just dear and so welcoming. The shop is fresh and crunchy with bins of the best yarns on the market as well as luscious fabrics.
Here is a peak in the windows (and door).
I showed tremendous restraint and only bought one skein-- a third skein of Claudia Handpainted for my Aunt Toot Scarf (just in case).
Turns out Paul has to leave town for the weekend (again). :(
I plan to second coat the LR and move as much furniture as I can. (I will take pics once it is done) and dye and spin and perhaps update the yarn shop.
I would love to go to this.... but not sure I want to venture to the city alone on the weekend with the girls. I know. whimp. Just feeling a bit blue right now, I miss my man.
Holing up in my studio makes me feel better.
I plan to second coat the LR and move as much furniture as I can. (I will take pics once it is done) and dye and spin and perhaps update the yarn shop.
I would love to go to this.... but not sure I want to venture to the city alone on the weekend with the girls. I know. whimp. Just feeling a bit blue right now, I miss my man.
Holing up in my studio makes me feel better.
Monomaniacal?
monomania
Pronunciation[mon-uh-mey-nee-uh, -meyn-yuh]
1.(no longer in technical use) a psychosis characterized by thoughts confined to one idea or group of ideas.
2. an inordinate or obsessive zeal for or interest in a single thing, idea, subject, or the like.
Well now-- that just about sums up my brain- ya think?
I just love Judy!
Pronunciation[mon-uh-mey-nee-uh, -meyn-yuh]
1.(no longer in technical use) a psychosis characterized by thoughts confined to one idea or group of ideas.
2. an inordinate or obsessive zeal for or interest in a single thing, idea, subject, or the like.
Well now-- that just about sums up my brain- ya think?
I just love Judy!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Hiya!
I seemed to have gotten sidetracked by domesticity lately and am not blogging as much as I want to.
What I have been doing with my time:
1- Gardening. I have always had a bit of a brown thumb, not because I cannot grow anything, but because I don't take the time to nurture and water and feed my green babies. It takes time to keep everything fed and watered and weeded. time.
2- Knitting- been dabbling at my knit projects, trying to not start NEW projects. I still have startitis. LOVE to start new things. Here is the Toot scarf! FINALLY-- here is a pic.....still in progress. I may need to get a 3rd skein.
3- Spinning. Been spinning thin. Thin for me anyway. This works well with the knitting startitis.
The bottom skein is intended to become a lacy scarf for ME, made from the same stitch pattern I am using for the Toot scarf- see above. (Toot rhymes with book) May not have enough yardage though.
4- Domesticity. Been cooking and mothering and painting and cleaning and purging. I got a coat of the new LR color on the walls. Taking the girls swimming as much as possible. I love the sun and water but do not like to be wet (must be the cat in me). So I sit and watch and knit. Today we are trying out an indoor pool for the first time.
5- Felting. Jackie came over yesterday and we wet felted. It is fun enough, but I burned out quickly. Need to experiment more with techniques. Dunno how I felt about it. har har har
The pink is my favorite.
6- Working on a new FREE with purchase pattern for the site. I may make it a free tutorial on the blog. Still thinking about it. hmmmmm Here is a teaser...
7- Brainstorming a knit/crochet/project gallery to sell finished items on the site. I have so much knit stuff hanging around. I may put it on the MW etsy shop. dunno.
What I have been doing with my time:
1- Gardening. I have always had a bit of a brown thumb, not because I cannot grow anything, but because I don't take the time to nurture and water and feed my green babies. It takes time to keep everything fed and watered and weeded. time.
2- Knitting- been dabbling at my knit projects, trying to not start NEW projects. I still have startitis. LOVE to start new things. Here is the Toot scarf! FINALLY-- here is a pic.....still in progress. I may need to get a 3rd skein.
The bottom skein is intended to become a lacy scarf for ME, made from the same stitch pattern I am using for the Toot scarf- see above. (Toot rhymes with book) May not have enough yardage though.
5- Felting. Jackie came over yesterday and we wet felted. It is fun enough, but I burned out quickly. Need to experiment more with techniques. Dunno how I felt about it. har har har
The pink is my favorite.
9- The girls hit the fiber room this morning, including the rotten cat. Been calling her Stella lately, even though her given name has been Ezmaralda. Maybe her full name is Stella Ezmaralda? She seems to respond more to Stella. See her 'helping'?
Ann's batt, inspired by 'fire'.
Eve designed and carded this batt, inspired by the decorative paper it is lying on. Trying to figure out how to steal it from her. >:)
Off to the pool!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
What's UP?
Been a bit immersed in life and domesticity. Paul had off most of the weekend and we dipped around the house and got things done. You know, housey stuff. Nothing riveting.
Sunday my baby turned 12! Eve is turning into a beautiful young lady and I can hardly believe she is so tall! Just under 5'5, she's gonna be tall like her daddy (he is almost 6'6).
Monday Paul hit the road again for work so the girls and I gave our veggie garden a looong overdue weeding and feeding. It's looking much better now and I am getting used to having one more thing to keep fed and alive. haha.
Tues. we went to the lake again with Jackie and Rachel and ended up staying longer than we had planned. My legs got burned as I did an ADD application of sunscreen. Weirdo patterns all over me.
I have been knitting a lot, I bound off the Toot scarf I was knitting in the "Branching Out" pattern and started a rippled soft chevron scarf instead. The leaf lace pattern was lost in the variegated yarn. I found the ripple pattern in Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 1
and doubled the repeat. LOVING IT! I will post pics soon.
I am also finishing up prototype#1 of my "Halloween Kit" and "Christmas Kit" for the site. Still have a lot of logistics to work out so no pics yet. Still in top secret mode.
No new yarns for the site this week. Next week I will do an update. I spun for myself this week, have some sculptures in the workings. PLUS there is a new spinner coming to MW! I will post an announcement once her yarn babies arrive.
Sunday my baby turned 12! Eve is turning into a beautiful young lady and I can hardly believe she is so tall! Just under 5'5, she's gonna be tall like her daddy (he is almost 6'6).
She chose to go swimming for her birthday so we went to Vancouver Lake, which is a mere 3 miles from our house and has a view of all 3 mountains. (St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood). We basked in the sun and tuned out. sigh. We came home and Paul grilled salmon and we decorated Eve's cake.
Monday Paul hit the road again for work so the girls and I gave our veggie garden a looong overdue weeding and feeding. It's looking much better now and I am getting used to having one more thing to keep fed and alive. haha.
Tues. we went to the lake again with Jackie and Rachel and ended up staying longer than we had planned. My legs got burned as I did an ADD application of sunscreen. Weirdo patterns all over me.
I have been knitting a lot, I bound off the Toot scarf I was knitting in the "Branching Out" pattern and started a rippled soft chevron scarf instead. The leaf lace pattern was lost in the variegated yarn. I found the ripple pattern in Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 1
and doubled the repeat. LOVING IT! I will post pics soon.
I am also finishing up prototype#1 of my "Halloween Kit" and "Christmas Kit" for the site. Still have a lot of logistics to work out so no pics yet. Still in top secret mode.
No new yarns for the site this week. Next week I will do an update. I spun for myself this week, have some sculptures in the workings. PLUS there is a new spinner coming to MW! I will post an announcement once her yarn babies arrive.
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