Sunday, March 21, 2010

New Babies!!

We have new babies!  They were born March 1 and have already tripled in size.  Meet Gertrude and Gladys - those are the girls on the right.  Shiner is the Blue Healer looking at them, trying to decide if they are toys and what the heck are they doing there.  Since Houston has been so cold, we have their coop in the house, but they will be moving outside as soon as it is not so cold at night. We do take them outside during the day, and they mostly just run around in circles.

The next picture, 'the girls' are a few days older and feathers are popping out all over.  It is amazing how fast they are changing.   They say that chicks will bond to 'big' things, and I think they have bonded to hubby.  They certainly like to climb all over him when he gets them out of the coop.

Everyone has heard of PLARN, which is yarn made from plastic bags.  Not sure what I would ever use anything like that for, but have seen some interesting pictures.   However, I ran across an article from the Green Upgrader about handspun recycled newspaper yarn.  What a cool concept. I think everyone would have to agree that this would be a dying art as newspapers are going the way of the buggy whip.   I know a few peple (mostly older folks) that still get a newspaper delivered, but I find I can get pretty much everything I want to know from the Internet or news channel (Uh, yeah - that would be FoxNews). Anyway, back to making yarn from newspapers.  What is interesting here, is that they actually SPIN the paper, making it stronger and into a material that can be knitted (or crocheted).

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Free Knit Scarf Pattern for Beginners!

This is a great scarf for beginning knitters.  I have made several of these for gifts, and my friend Nita makes and sells these at craft shows.

SKILL LEVEL: Beginner


SIZE: One Size (About 5 x 66 in.)

MATERIALS:  1 hank Farmhouse Lumpy Bumpy Wool Yarn or similar
Size 15 Single point Needles
 
GAUGE:
Exact gauge is not essential to this project.
 
SCARF

Cast on 12 stitches.
Row 1 (RS): Knit across.
Row 2 (WS): Knit across
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until Scarf measures about 66 in. (167.5 cm) from beginning.
Bind off.

FINISHING
Weave in ends.
Add Fringe if desired

NOTE: Boucle yarns work really well with this type pattern.  Combine more than one yarn to create more interest.  Use larger needles for a looser weave and more drape.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Finally unloaded the camera, and found pictures over the last month or so.  I really did plan to get pics loaded here, so there will be a variety of subjects today.
First - just a preview of our Donation Quilt for West Houston Quilters Guild (WHQG).  We're just finishing the last of the applique in the borders and it will be ready to go to the quilter.  Our quilt show is April 2011, so there are lots of details still being worked on.  The batiks almost glow against the black background.  The colors in the picture don't quite do it justice.  What looks red on my screen is actually more of a HOT PINK.

I think I mentioned earlier that I've started knitting.  It's about as addictive as quilting.  Afterall, it is fiber, and both are Fiber Arts!   One of the best ways to learn to knit is to just get in there and do it.  Now, you need to get in your rhythm and learn knit and purl stitches, stitching in the round and so on.  Well, the BEST thing to do with those first projects is to FELT them.  That way, no one sees your mistakes (what mistakes??)  Because, when it is felted, all those little goofs just melt away!  Gotta love it.

My favorite peice that I finished is a little basket. It's done with 100% wool, then washed in the washing machine with hot water.  This is made from Cascade 200 wools.  You can't really tell after it felted, but there is a stripe of varigated green/brown where the knobbie things are.


I have also made several of the obligatory Knit Cushion to hold Knit needles, and other tools.  I did add a 4th layer to the one shown, and made one in reds for my friend Michelle who is also learning to knit.  Nita - you don't get one until you learn to PURL! 

And last but not least, I have to show what NOT to use when felting.  If something says Super Wash, or is not 100% wool, it's not going to be successful.  The dark red is Cascade 200, the pink part is Lion Brand Wool-Ease.  It does not felt at all, and I have a beany sort of hat.  So, I would suggest the Wool-ease for Afghans or anything you want to throw in the wash.  I threw this in twice on HOT. 

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

January UFO Finished

This little Texas Pine tree star is my first UFO finish for 2010.  Just barely in under the wire, and only because I had to turn it in on the 28th for the  Tri County Quilt show.  Nothing like a deadline to get things done!  (That's weird, this new camera I have dates the pictures to the date you download not the date you took it.  Probably need to read the book.)

Can you believe it?  This is actually HAND QUILTED!!  There is a little bit of blanket stitch and the applique is fused.  A first for me, as I usually do needle-turn.  Oh well, finished is better than perfection.  Did most of the hand quilting in the car on various road trips, which is why it fell into the UFO pile.  Started it a couple of years ago, and found it on a shelf in the closet.

Been doing a bunch of knitting.  Caught that little bug at Quilt Festival of all places!  Anyway, finished several 'little' crafty projects, and am working on a felted rug right now.  It is a quilt pattern (HST - half square triangles) and will show pictures when it is done.  Another of my quilting friends has also started knitting and has already finished a hat and a shrug.  Way to go Michelle!  I realize now that my ambittion to make socks last year was a bit much, but am confident I can do it this year.  Next year I plan to join the sock club at Twisted Yarns in Spring, TX.    Guess I'll have to start a UFO KNIT project list as well.  .

No new fabric purchased this week, didn't cut any fabric or use any, but did work on several swaps where I cut the fabric last week.  Most of the swaps are due later in February.  Will show pictures after we swap.
More later.