Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Quant. The new Calorimetry? Panta?

Why are we so drawn to festive little pieces of headgear? Not really going to keep us very warm... (Although i must say, a Panta out of Patons SWS keeps me toasty here in Texas)

I have made Knitty's latest little addition to the headbandesque craze - Quant. Entrelac, easy, satisfying.

I altered it a bit, making it for my daughter. I used Panda's Cotton, fingering weight, on size US 1's

Enough sock yarn leftover to make some American Girl Doll Socks. Pictures to come...
Very poor picture....
And my Harry Potter. I mean, Harry poter for the kids for Christmas. Kimberly Chapmans "Little Dudes" pattern. too tired (lazy) to hyperlink,
Oooh, now I'm artsy...

Friday, December 14, 2007

And getting ready for Christmas more...

Ah, the classic, electric Yule Log....burning in the fireplace.Bodhi's newest longies. Yes, I am knitting these instead of Christmas prezzies. I work well under pressure.
Hazel and some Handspun
A festive dining room. Actually we have a new table. When the camera's batteries are charged up I will add a pic. New *gorgeous* wrought iron and glass table. Yum
A wee tree is all we have this year, less temptation for 8 month old grabby handsS


And me. Crap, I can't take off the strike... shit.

Getting ready for Christmas!!!

Hey look! Pictures! This is The Holly King. Hand dyed, handspun, 2 ply domestic wool. I like how it "candy" stripes!

A bunch of roving. So far I just plan on spinning it, but if anyone is interested in buying it I can list it on Etsy. There are some YUM colors...And JAMBERRY handdyed worsted wool. The colors in this skein are amazing!!! I kettle dyed it and the colors just swirled together...
And my son, smiling weirdly for the camera... in front our uber-cheesy christmas table in the kitchen
Addison listening to Jason read "the Hundred Dresses" by the fire.

I love it when i can actually post pictures... ;-)

Monday, December 10, 2007

Tatto talk... and more camera troubles.

Why oh why does technology fail me!? My lovely father works for IBM, I get free tech support, nice techie gifts, etc. But HOLY HELL everything effs up on me. My camera card reader (that would be the brand new one, folks) was fried my one of the ports on my laptop, dammit, and now I need another one. So no pics for a while.

But I have tattoo art! Kristin of Silver's Sock class fame, KBelle on Ravelry, designed me an ambigram Knit/Purl tattoo. *swoon* I love it! I just need to go get it done now.

I am not posting a pic of the art, cause, well, I don't want you to steal it. lol.

Mwah!

Monday, December 3, 2007

...on going Gluten Free

Ah. French Bread. Bagels. Whole Wheat toast when you are sick. A Reuben sandwich. Beer.


Or, being able to order out at restaurants without an intimate knowledge of the kitchen.....


Apparently I must say goodbye to (most) of these things. At least without a lot of prep and alterations. I have recently come to the realization that I am at least gluten intolerant. (Lets face it, I am willing to be in the dark on whether I am intolerant or actually have Celiacs Disease. Damage is Damage, and gluten causes it in me)

So the past month or so I (and my family) have been on this little foray into the world of Gluten free cooking, gluten free living, and gluten free outings. It's been interesting, to say the least. I have, in about a month...

~Discovered that two local liquor stores carry a gluten free beer that is made out of sorghum and tastes delish.
~Discovered that approximately 50% of the gluten free breads out there available to purchase taste like crap. But, thank the bright stars above us, Whole Foods has an entire line from their Gluten Free Bakery (they have a Celiac baker, guess they didn't want to lose him...) that is amazing! Cheddar biscuits, scones, mmm. I can't wait to try the pie crust.
~Fumed and flustered about over the fact that while my dear son flourishes on a GF diet (behavior problems, gastrointestinal issues, and skin "stuff" led us down the path to gluten free in the first place) he backtracks quickly when he has consumed gluten (among various other lovely food choices) at my ex husbands house...
~Hosted a dinner, and a girls night "in" at my house with entirely GF menus, to the delight of all. Apparently Brie and Fig Jam on crackers doesn't need gluten injections, no matter what hubby says.
~Made acquaintances with some new and old friends, like Quinoa, Teff, Millet, Tapioca, and Rice .
~Stumbled deliriously upon a GF alternative foods store literally less than a mile from my house, that has been there for ages. I think the owner there is a little worried for me, as I hugged her with teary eyes the first itme I went in...
~ Felt better than I have in years and years.

My list of heroes now include Danna Korn, founder of R.O.C.K. (Raising Our Celiac Kids) and the author of several books, including Gluten Free Living for Dummies. Along with The Gluten Free Girl.

It isn't nearly as hard as it sounds, and sometimes it is every bit as hard as it sounds. But I feel great, and more than that I know that even a "little cheat" can cause damage, leading to other immune problems, disorders, even cancers later in life.

So, my house is now gluten free. (except for hubby's shelf. And the gluten injector I promised him for Christmas. He feels his apples may be tastier with a little glutenization)


Shell

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Christmas List,,,

So I have a list a 60 in circular needle long to knit, for the kids, the spouse, and friends. I thought I would type it all out and keep a bit organized...

Addie -

1 pair LTK felted mocs - DONE
1 pair Knitty Knucks in Lion brand wool ease
Hermione doll with Crookshanks (if not more HP characters. If anyone has a pattern for this so I don't have to cobble my own thing together, I would love to hear it!)
Head wrap, maybe a calorimetry, or something

Riley -

1 Pair LTK Felted Mocs
1 pair Knitty Knucks in LB Wool Ease
Hagrid Doll, a dragon (He wants Norbert to be able to come out of an egg. Yeah, my kids think I am super wonder knitter....) and Fluffy the three headed dog. Sigh. They would like a whole slew of characters, but I want to at least give them a bit to get started with the promise of more to come.
That hat with the face thing on the latest knitty. What the hell is it called? Riley LOVES this.


Bodhi -

1 pair LTK Felted Mocs - Halfway done
A wee gnome in Peace Fleece or handspun scraps
Maybe a bulky sweater, if I have the time. But as he won't really "get" Xmas this year, I am more focused on the older two. Jason and I decided to wrap a couple of empty boxes with shiny stuff and that will be more fun than anything I could knit. lol


Jason -

LTK felted mocs. Jason has these old, worn Homer Simpson slippers that he loves but they are so holey. He wont give them up but I am going to make some anyway for when he actually needs something warm. I might even try for a Homer face on the top. Because I, apparently, am crazy
I don't know what else he and I are doing for each other for Xmas. Money is tight and I just don't think we need to really spend money on each other. We plan on using Xmas money to buy a family membership to the Frank Buck Zoo.

Lindsay and her fam

Neener. I am not telling, because Lindsay, you are probably the only one who actually reads my blog. So there



Seriously if anyone has a pattern for the HP characters I would LOVE to know. Right now I plan on Kimberly Chapman's little dude pattern, modified. But Norbert? Crookshanks? Fluffy? Holy Hell.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

A Wee Little Sprite




I knit this little gal for an MDC mama. I am thinking about selling then on my Etsy store, waddya think?

I have in mind needlefelted artwork on the hat, stars, flowers, vines. hmmm.

Oh and apparently, this little elflet liked my spinning wheel.

Friday, November 23, 2007

The Mullet Hat

Awww. Well, it wasn't supposed to be a mullet, so much...

I used Caron "Black Magic" I think.
Top down, Magic Loop, made it up as I went along...
And, um, a Short Row Mullet
Cute little top knot head
Gratuitous Tooth Picture.


***No part of this post is meant to endorse the use of Mullets, knit or otherwise***

LTK Picky pants.... Again






Yes, more cloth diapering stuff... Awww. look at his cute tushie!

I knit these in (kind've) a size medium, 1x1 rib waist with crochet drawstring (yarn held double for cord), icord bind off and a simple cable running down the leg. Used just a hair over 2 skeins of Peace fleece in the Ancient Fern. Took me forevah to complete them as I have been spinning a lot, and babe doesn't want me to do housework, let alone knit!

Monday, November 12, 2007

Hey look ma, I'm Spinning!

So, I've been busy....
This is my current favorite.... "Fresh" is a navajo plied domestic wool. I first acid dyed the top, then spun a freakishly large amount of single, then navajo plied it. This is my bestest navajo ply ever. The color changes stayed true and separate through the whole thing with occasional wisps of twisting together. It's gorgeous! "Nagini" is a bulgy, thick and thin single, domestic wool

"Berry Sweet" is a two ply, domestic wool, very squishy! Mmmm.... BFL..... This Stuff Is AWESOME. Super silky, hand dyed in my "Harvest" colorway, then spun into a two ply skein of gorgeousness....
"Rainy Day Tweed" is a tightly spun two ply sock yarn. I plied a charcoal single with a blue/silver/ivory single to make a shadowed semi varigated. It's so cool.

What else. Mmmm. I knit Lindsays daughter a wee little gnome. Its her favorite birthday prezzie apparently. And she named it after my husband. LOL. Jason the Baby Gnome. Classic.
I will see if she has a picture, because I (ahem) knit it up the day before her party. Crap, where did that pattern go???

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

I made yarn on a wheel!


It's craptastic!

No, not really. Probably going to be knit and then felted, I don't know. I just used some brown domestic wool top, navajo plied. I am purty proud actually.

Although lord have mercy, I need more bobbins, and a tensioned Lazy Kate. Or make my own, whatevah.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

She's Here! ~ And a WIP

Woot! Now I *thought* she was going to be Clementine. But now that she is here, and I have been playing a bit today, I think she is actually supposed to be Hazel. She seems more wise than impetuous. ;-)I have a bobbin nearly full with some slightly nobbly wool single. But honestly? I think spinning on a spindle for a couple months really has made a huge difference in my learning curve. Although i took the same approach to spinning as I did knitting, (You know, "keep on knitting past the mistakes because keeping the mojo is more important") I feel like I could actually make a smooth, even, decent yarn now on the wheel, if I wanted to go slow enough to do it.
And my single...(Don't look too closely...)
And now the KPS hooded pullover. Yknow, minus the hood and sleeves. And on the wrong child. (It's for Addison, but she was at my moms this morning.) I must take a break before finishing this up because Bodhi needs woolly pants, and lets face it. I'm going to be spinning

Friday, October 19, 2007

Wah. My wheel isn't here yet...

Arg. So I spent my pent up energies dyeing fiber yesterday...


crap, blogger won't let me upload pics. Go here instead - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellaknits

Well, at least my etsy store will have new offerings over the weekend.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Dah Dah DAH!!!

I bought a wheel. Found an AMAZING deal on it. She should be shipping to me tomorrow!!!

I will wait to post a pic until I have her sitting in my living room

Pic of Bodhi.




My cool dude...

Monday, October 8, 2007

What have *I* been up to, you say?

First, some FO's
A ~* Medium *~ Soaker for Bodhi. He is sooo huge. Seriously. And some handspun I made on my drop spindle. I hand dyed the roving, and then spun it. I am so cool.
I am saving for a wheel, I want one SO bad, but must make money for it to justify the purchase.


Well, lets see. I am now staying at home mostly full time. I do work a couple days a week at the family store when the older two are at visitation, but Bodhi comes with me mostly to that.

And.... drumroll please... I opend up an Etsy store. I have some fun handdyed yarns, beaded stitch markers, etc. Also look out in the future for artsy tee shirts, handspun, possibly some jewelry... you just have to wait and see!

OK, so Bodhi needs me now... More later. Mwah!

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Curl up and Dye

I am officially addicted to dying fiber.

So are my kids. Addie wants me to do a lot more and sell it. That's my girl. we are such entrepreneurs.


We have dubbed Riley colorway "Hagrid" We have HP on the brain. This is on KP Wool of the Andes. He wants a dragon tail ish pointy scarf like Mama.
All wrapped up nice and tidy. I love center pull skeins.... Although it would be a lot faster if I had a ball winder.
"I" named this Fleur. Again with the HP. Addie has named it earth. This is on Galenas from IBK and is super soft.
Ooooh. Shiny.
I didn't let them dry the whole time on the sun, just about 10 minutes at the endto bake out the last bit of moisture.

Woo hoo! I love fiber dyeing now! Yay!

Some things I have learned....

I posted this for some friends on MDC, and thought I was very clever. I might not actually BE clever. But humor me all right?

Bella's Rules of Lace Knitting

Rule #1 - If you need to, it's perfectly acceptable by all knitting goddesses for their ardent followers to lock themselves in a happy little room away from all children, spouses, pets, and well meaning neighbors. Mother's and Mother in Laws as well. It's even more important if you like these people. you will end up talking and not paying attention. Ask me how I know.

Rule # 2 - Only you know what you need. Use it all if need be. Lifelines. Moving a post it/magnet/what have you along every 4 or 6 or 8 stitches. Highlighters. Turning the pattern upside down. You won't ever have to count back more than a couple stitches to find where you got all flustercated. Although this may possibly be avoided if one follows rule number 1.

Rule #3 - If you make a wee mistake remember the galloping horses (or Lady Godiva...) theory. If either the aforementioned was wearing your creation, would anyone notice your mistake? I have several little mistakes in my stole. Will I notice them? Sure. Will anyone else? Not likely. I went and fixed the mistakes that would bother me and fudged on the rest by a sneaky little yo or k2tog. It's all about you baby. Keeping the knitting mojo is, in my book, way more important than ripping back hours (days, weeks, etc) of work to fix something minor.

Rule #4 - Stitch count is really not the most important thing. Learn to read your lace. You can have the perfect amount of stitches on the needles and have them all be wrong due to a missed k2tog or something early on. Only time can give you this so keep knitting! (Maybe remember rule #1)

Rule#5- Enjoy it! Relax! Lace can offer such a bounty of knitty time on a budget. Where else can you get a couple months of hobby work for 3.99?

Rule #6 Know, Learn, and Love Rule # 1

Tuesday, July 24, 2007