Freeform Crochet

My favorite kind of crochet--freeform
Something to play around with while waiting for pies to come out of the oven!

Spinning Wool

A couple of days ago, I was in the mood to spin something on the wheel. But I wanted to do something fun, so I dyed some roving with Kool Aid. I used lemon Lime, Iced blue Raspberry and some grape to tone it down. I poured the lime and blue on first and then splashed the grape around. I was afraid it was going to be rather dull, but it turned out pretty! I spun it into a single (thick and thin because I am not that good at keeping it even) and then plied it with some blue alpaca in a "racing stripe". I have about 5 oz of it. Now what shall I make?

One Red Leaf--Hanging On

 

Christmas Treats

This morning I have been filling cones with Christmas treats. First I needed to make the cones and it took a lot of trial and error to figure the easiest way to put them together. I finally decided just to tack them with yarn, and that works all right. I found some circular Christmas napkins in a drawer (still in the package) which makes a nice liner. The cones are filled with homemade candy--toffee, peanut brittle, fudge, peanut clusters, and candied nuts--tucked in little bags. Just a taste of everything. And now, I think I need to make more candy!

Merry Christmas To Me

My husband had my Christmas present delivered yesterday!
My heart's desire.
Made by a local craftsperson... 

Tick Tock

 

Totem

 
Totem
3.25" x 14"
Watercolor and ink collage on paper

Red Tree Lights

I need to explain that the red Christmas lights in my header photo are not in front of my house! It would be nice if they were and I do have nice lights on my house thanks to my husband, but the photo of these red lights was taken in Johnson City in 2008. Johnson City is known for their beautiful Christmas lights. Right after Thanksgiving, they have the Lighted Hoof and Wheel Parade, an event well worth attending. This photo and some others were taken while at this parade. To read about the parade, check out this link http://johnsoncity-texas.com/whats_happening/parade.html



Johnson City Courthouse



Act Now

"Act Now-- before it is too late" was on an insert in a magazine renewal envelope. I had a lot to say about that along with a good whine about recent trials and tribulations--uselessly spinning yarn, "frogging" knit socks, going round and round with no real purpose. Don't I have GOALS? Anyway, you lucked out. I hit the wrong key and the whole post disappeared. You don't even get to read about how my little dog Tess had a seizure in the middle of the night and threw up on me. Ah well. You are better off with this abbreviated version. Here is a photo of the piece I want be working on. It is pinned to the design board along with a lot of other stuff. It is the one in the middle with my name across it. It will be titled, The Green Hat.

The Green Sail

The Green Sail
12"x 12"
Silk collage on watercolor paper with machine and hand embroidery

Rakestraw Spinner

I am a sucker for gadgets. I inherited this from my Father who ordered every new gizmo that hit the market. He was curious about how the new tool worked and so am I. This one, the Rakestraw Spinner is not new, but it is new to me, so I ordered one ( http://fibers.downinthecountry.com/) and spent some time yesterday learning to use it. It took me a little while to get the hang of it, but the web site video helped and by the time the televised National Dog Show started, I pretty much had it down and happily twirled away while watching my favorite dog win Best of Show.

Thanksgiving Day 2012

 

Happy Thanksgiving

 

What If

Trying some things out.
Two shawls
The brown one made from some of my hand spun yarn,
the other made from a re-purposed sweater.
I am thinking I might applique the circles onto the openwork background.
Experiments with
modular knitting
and,
Two balls of yarn spun on a drop spindle.

Birthday Girl

 

Christmas Socks

I finished these socks lickity split! They are the ones I made from the unraveled sweater--the oatmeal color. Then I dyed some of it raspberry and some of it jade. Inspired by some reading on Bohus knitting, I threw in some pearl stitches, but I wasn't too regular about it. I also tried making a heel with the purl stitch on the outside. I am not showing it here because I am not all that pleased with it. It is OK, but I would have liked it better done in the normal way.

Baby Quilt

Yesterday, I finally finished baby Sam's quilt.
He should put in an appearance any day now and when he does,
his quilt will be waiting!

More Pictures From the Great Felted Soap Making Adventure

In case it has crossed your mind to wonder what Robin K, is wearing on her head---
It is a circular knitted piece she found on the table in the studio.
It had not been blocked and so made a perfect hat!  

Busy Week

Last week was full of friends and family. My daughter and her family were here visiting from Italy. Perhaps you saw my blog about the great felted soap making adventure. Five year old Robin asked me to show her how to make felt. She saw people making felt in Italy, but she was too young to join the workshop, all those sharp needles you know. Like me, having been denied, she became determined to try, so we made felted soap and then a small "picture". I wonder why I didn't take a photo of that? Anyway, between eating and visiting, my daughter, Bonnie also helped me unravel a sweater from the thrift store which I then dyed--two skeins in red, two in green. We visited a favorite yarn shop and went to The Kid and Ewe Festival where we took a class in spinning on a hand spindle. Big fun. But then, their last night here, I suddenly came down with some sort of stomach virus. There I was, happily watching A&M  win a football game, when I had to take to my bed. My visiting family left yesterday and I am just thankful that the mystery illness didn't strike until the last evening.

Robin Kay Makes Felted Soap

My visiting Granddaughter learns how to make felted soap.

A Foggy Morning

 

More Knitting

Two other shawlettes and a scarf

A Fine Line

Do I like this?
I don't think I like all the blank space around it.
The urge to cut it up is starting......

A Time To Be Knitting

I have been doing some knitting, finishing up projects starting new ones and so forth. it is that time of year. I have finally finished all the socks in work except one pair. This shawlette is made from some handspun wool that I made at the beginning of the year and forgot all about. Yesterday, I bought some size 35 needles. They look too big to hold! More shawls? Maybe a curtain?

Finished

I am finally finished!
3 days of steady work
3 days of concentration
Was it worth it?