The Universe rescues my Monday

I was having one of those days. You know, the icky kind. The kind that could only be a Monday. Nothing in particular was wrong, but I was just crabby and would have preferred to stay in bed all day.

The universe knew this, and decided that it likes me (for now). After recording my podcast, I checked the mail and found this:

That is 3 packages (2 containing letters!) and a card (the kind with a letter in it!)!!!!!!! The letter and square package came from some pen pals from rav, the medium package is from my Pooks, and the large package is some stuff I bought from a destash.

Are you super excited to see what lived in the packages? OF COURSE YOU ARE!

Package 1: 

This came from my sister, and it was full of things to mend. I knew there was going to be carnage, so I opened this package first. You see, I made a friend a pair of socks at the beginning of the month, but I must not have woven in my ends very well on one of them, because there is a small hole where I changed yarn. Easy fix. Probably less than 10 minutes.

A less easy fix: I knit socks for my niece. My sister's dog chewed the backs of the legs off both socks. Luckily neither heel is damaged, so I don't have to deal with short rows, but... I have to amputate the legs and knit new ones. Still faster than knitting new socks.

Package 2:

For the in-between times for Nerd Wars, Team 1-Up decided to send letters (or things that would fit in an envelope). My partner went above and beyond. She sent me a letter, and:

Why yes, those are mushrooms. She made me a magnet and a key chain. If you love them, you can head over to her etsy shop. The thing that made me squee the most though was the Howl's Moving Castle keychain. I am waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay in love with it!

Package 3:

One of my 1-Up teammates is battling a wicked infection, and the medical bills are piling up. She decided to destash some of her yarn/fiber to help with costs. I had a little bit of yarn money, so I scooped up 3 things:

I've never worked with the yarn on the left, or the fiber on the right. I figured it would be okay to try new things. The fiber in the middle is from one of my favorite indie dyers, ScienceMonkey. (P.S. if you love the socks I made for my friend that I now need to fix, ScienceMonkey just put up 2 skeins of the pink yarn in his shop. Go scoop it up!)

Weekly Check in

Happy Sunday! Did you have a good week? I hope so; I did.

Blog Stuff: How did you like the week based on a theme? It was really fun for me, but I'd love to hear your opinions.

New from the babies: Mara's high chair has been cleaned and put away, waiting for one of my pregnant friends to claim it for their own. It was just becoming more of a nuisance than anything. She still can't jump, but she will knock herself over trying.

Gabriel can put his straw in his juice box all by himself. Maybe you are not impressed, but I can remember fighting with those stupid straws when I was older than he is now.

Crafty things:

I did not make any CAL squares, and I still have an inch to go on both socks before I can start the toe decreases. They should have been done, I know, but... I got distracted. With this:

I found the pattern for these ADORABLE Owl Puffs by Jenna Krupar on ravelry, and I needed to make something with them. I immediately thought of my friend Katie, who is having a baby in February, and is decorating the nursery in owls. I asked if she had a mobile yet, and she didn't. So I made this:

Much more important than socks and squares, right? This week, though, the socks will be finished. Because I want to start a pair of for myself, and I need the needles. I will also try to squeeze in a few CAL squares. And a unicorn shirt/dress for my niece whose birthday is next month.

Books:
I finished reading "Sock Innovation" by Cookie A. This book has definitely found its way onto my holiday wishlist this year. The first half of the book is all about how to design a sock - discussing the components of a sock and how they can be manipulated with new ideas. It is brilliant. After reading it, I kind of want to design a pair of socks for myself... Maybe in the new year, when all the personal sock yarn club yarn belongs to me.

Also, I am in love with the Kai Mei socks. I will definitely be using that pattern for me.

I am in various stages of reading four of my other library books. I am pretty sure I will finish two in the next week, but maybe three.

Ravellenic Games roundup

Did you miss the weekly check in post yesterday? No, I didn't forget about you. I was saving all the information for today.

With the closing ceremony of the Olympic games yesterday came the closing of the Ravellenic games. You may recall from this post that the games started on July 27, 2012, and ended on August 12, 2012. I challenged myself to do three projects - a full pair of lace socks, a hat with color work, and finishing a blanket that had been languishing in a project bag for a very long time.

I am very pleased to announce that I finished all three projects, and that they all qualified for medals. Yay!

My first FO was Mandi's rainbow hat.

A few days later, I finished lace socks for my mom.

And a full day and a half before the games ended, I finished my last project. The Blue Baby Blanket:

You might recall that I finished the blanket with no recipient in mind. Well, it turns out that my brother just met his two month old son on Friday - and I found out I have a new nephew this evening. The blanket will be traveling with me to Michigan at the end of the month to be given to him. 

Also, you might recall that I played the Games as part of Team Yarn Therapy Zone.

Much like we did for Le Tour de Fleece, we donated prizes to be drawn for those team members who crossed the finish line. I donated a custom project bag, which I plan to start tomorrow. There were many prizes on the list of 37 that I was quite fond of, but one that I had particular longing for. Every time someone mentioned the prize listing, I would look and always stop at the first listing. I was so sure that my name would be called near to the last, if at all, and that the prize I really wanted would be gone before it was my turn to choose. 

The first name was called - it was not me. Kevin picked a book on learning to hand spin. The second name was called - BunniPhish! Me! I got to choose second! I didn't even have to look at the list to know what I wanted. Perhaps you recall my tutorial about making a Turkish spindle? Perhaps you even remember the picture of the two Turkish spindles next to the Russian spindle. Well, those spindles were listing one - whoever chose that prize got to choose either the gorgeous walnut spindle or the fanciful key lime spindle.

Which one would you choose? Leave me a message on your choice, and why.

 I will keep my choice a secret until the Sunday after it comes in the mail.

Weekly Check-In

Hello, Sunday! It is time that time again. 


Blog Stuff:
I started Sewing Tuesday, and I liked how it turned out. The next installment should be pretty good, too. I am mulling over having a regular Saturday piece, too. Undecided on whether to have three days a week scheduled, though. I need to do a little more research on my idea first.

New from the babies: 
I saw Mara, almost 2, decide to share without prompting. I set down a handful of cherries for each child on the coffee table. Gabriel was on the couch playing with a helicopter and didn’t notice. Mara picked up a cherry, brought it almost to her mouth, and then looked at Gabriel. She walked over to the couch and said, “Here,” holding the cherry to Gabriel. My heart melted a little bit. 

Crafty things:
This area is going to be a little stark this week... Next week's should be more full. I have started several projects since the first.

Finished the project bag - more on this on Tuesday.

Two Ravellenic challenges completed! Mandi's hat and mom's socks:

For the coming week:
I need to finish the blue baby blanket. I will finish spinning the blue merino singles. I need to do two of the squares for Rachel's afghan. I want to finish a project bag that I am crocheting. I started the skew socks and want to get past the toes for both.
In the mail:
For Tour de Fleece, I was on a team that decided to do prizes withing the team. I donated the above project bag; Bobbie Joe donated alpaca. I won a one-pound lot of alpaca!

I think it will look beautiful spun into a single to be plied with the white alpaca Peta gave me a few weeks ago. Now I just need to get a metal cat/dog brush so I can flick card my fiber.

August Crafting

For the past few months at about this time, I have been writing what WIPs I want to finish during the month. This month, I am going to to it a bit differently. I have quite a list of projects to tackle, but not all of them are WIPs. Some of them are just ideas. I'll put the things without pictures first:

-I need to finish that project bag A.S.A.P. Hopefully tomorrow.
-I will be making another project after the Ravellenic Games end.
-I would like to piece together half of Steve's quilt top.
-I want to cut the pajamas for Mandi's kids.
-I am making a mitten garland for a barter, and would like to finish that this month.
-I need to finish my Nerd Wars dissertation. In other Nerd Wars news, I have figure out 4 of the 6 challenges today: my Ravellenic WIPs for one, a bag I am making for a swap for the second, a market bag for the third, and a pair of toe socks for the forth.
-Make a quilt top for Craft Hope - Project 18 so i can finish the quilt and send it in September.

There are 3 new square patterns for my CAL, which means 4 more squares. If I can manage to do one square a week, I will be great. The patterns are Shape shifting in 12, Moon Granny Square, and The Crocodile Flower.

I am going to participate in a KAL during August and September to make non-vanilla socks with self-striping yarn. I plan to use the pattern Skew with this yarn, and will be casting on sometime this month.

For the Ravellenic Games, I have two projects to go - Diagonal Lace Socks for my mom, and the blue baby blanket.

Hopefully all will go well, craft wise, even though I will be travelling at the end of the month for a wedding. Wish me luck; I will need it.

Weekly Check-In

Hello, Sunday! It is time that time again. (I can't believe it has already been a week!)


Blog Stuff:
Last week, I said I was going to write a few things this week. I didn't. Don't worry, I will. They are on my list of things to write about. Sorry for being a flake this past week.


I want to start something this week - "Sewing Tuesday". I have A LOT of sewing to do - for the holidays, for some prizes I donated to competitions. I would like to start pulling my sewing machine down once a week and start putting a dent in these projects. This week, I will be sewing a bag. I don't know yet if this is going to be a "how-to" thing, or a show off thing - possibly a bit of both.

New from the babies: 
Mara learned that wearing a super hero cape does not make her indestructible. Gabriel learned the color "gold". 

Crafty things:
I finished all 4 squares for Rachel's afghan - I am all caught up! Just in time for the next batch to come out in the middle of this week... 


 

I made 2 can cozies for Bryan. They are the same pattern, but with different techniques.

Mandi's double moss socks

For Nerd Wars, I caught my dissertation up. Also, I used helping Becka move (see the rest day in this post) for the Giving Geeks challenge. For the other two challenges:

Mittens for the Geek Pride challenge

And the Heart toe socks for the Nerd Culture challenge

For the coming week:
I plan to spend the next couple days working really hard on Ravellenic projects. Tuesday I will start sewing a project bag. Wednesday, I will get a whole slew of challenges, so I will figure out the rest of the week from there.

In the mail:
Look! I made a new section. This probably won't happen every week, but this week I got some awesome things in the mail.


Remember the arm warmers I finished last week? I sent them to my barter partner on Monday, and she sent me her part of the barter - hand made buttons and stitch markers! Aren't they gorgeous?

Remember hearing about a my fiber-fairy godmother? Well, she struck again. When I checked the mail on Monday, there was a huge box outside my door. Inside I found a letter

and a LOT of fiber (that white rectangle is a piece of printer paper):

From Nistock Farms

Blue mystery fiber:

Purple mystery fiber

Babydoll Southdown

I felt so grateful when I opened the package. It is just amazing that someone would send me so much fiber, just because I mentioned I had run out. Thank you, Carrie.

Weekly Check In

Hello, Sunday. Seeing you means it is that time again.


Blog Stuff: People went crazy for the podcast post. I will keep that in mind, and do more of that sort of thing. Also the spindle-making post was quite popular. Next week I will have a follow up post to the generosity of fiber folks, and probably a Nerd Wars related post.


New from the babies: Gabriel says "your welcome". I like these manners he has. Mara made a valiant attempt to say llama ("nah-nah" is pretty close) and kitty ("kee"). The kids have a book with a little girl that you tuck in to bed with a little piece of fabric; Mara kisses her goodnight. 


Crafty things:
The Tour de France had it's last ride today, and so the Tour de Fleece ended, as well. I met my goal for the tour: to spin 20 minutes a day, and finish my starter fiber. I took a roundup picture of everything I spun during the tour (except the plastic bags).

The mug cozy and chair pad are made from my test fiber. The pastel fiber on the toilet paper tube is 1/3 of the corriedale fiber; I started the next third this morning. The teal turtle is the first half of the merino, with the second half started on the Turkish spindle. My BFL spindle snack is trying to hide under my CD spindle.

I made a couple squares for Rachel's afghan, and started the third. I failed at meeting my goal of 3 for the week.

I made 3 can cozies for Bryan (sorry for the super horrible lighting)

I also finished the rest of the arm warmers for my barter partner

Not as many finished projects as I would have liked, but not horrible, I guess...

This week, round 2 of Nerd Wars ends. This means I need to post 3 challenges by 11:59pm Saturday. Two are done - one, I am trying to figure out the tie in. The last is a pair of socks that I just need to do the toes on - but they are toe socks, and I've never made toe socks before. Wish me luck. I also need to catch my dissertation up to the halfway point... Ugh.

I also plan on finishing the rest of the squares I need to do to get caught up on Rachel's afghan, finish Mandi's double moss socks, and make the rest of the can cozies.

How to Make a Turkish Spindle on the cheap

I am a pretty new spinner. I started out with a CD spindle that my spinning mentor gave me. It is really easy to use; she teaches middle school students how to spin using them. As I started looking around on Ravelry at all the pretty spindles my friends had, I decided that I when I start collecting spinning tools, other than the wheel I want someday, I would like to have a Russian spindle (left) and a Turkish spindle.

 

Unfortunately I have the dilemma that a lot of people have when picking up a new craft: I only have money for the materials or the tools, not both. I choose the materials, because I can't make those (well, I keep looking at the cats and the cat comb, but that is a different story). What I can make are tools. Not lovely ones like in the pictures, but inexpensive, serviceable ones that I won't cry over if one of the children destroys them.

And now... A photo tutorial on how to make (and use) a Turkish Spindle.

You will need:

3 bamboo skewers

Something to cut them with (saw, utility knife... bread knife if you can't find a better cutter)

Sand paper (optional)

Scrap string

Some fiber to spin

Other than the fiber, this project is practically free. If you don't have skewers, you could probably use carryout chopsticks, old knitting needles/crochet hooks, some straight sticks from the backyard (as long as they don't flake bark). And if you mention to someone that you are thinking of taking up spinning, the fiber could be free, too. Or at least pretty cheap. Plus, for a first go you could try spinning scraps of yarn together.

Part 1: Prepping the sticks

Pull three skewers from your package. Set one aside. 

From the two remaining skewers, carefully use your cutter to remove the pointy ends. Cut these two pieces in half. If you would like, gently sand the ends of the skewers to remove any rough bumps. If I had sand paper, I would do it.

Lay the four short sticks two across the other two to make a cross (1). With your scrap string, wrap across the diagonal of the juncture one way (2) and then the other (3). With the point push the long skewer through the center of the wraps (4). Wrap the scrap yarn around the center a few more times, until it is only about 6 

inches longer than the part of the skewer that is sticking out. Use a half hitch knot to secure the yarn near the tip (5).

Part 2: I have a spindle! Now what?

This part is variable, but I will show you how I do it.

Find some fiber (6). In this example, I am using merino. I drafted out a short length to get the spinning started (7). Overlap your leader yarn (the piece that is sticking off the end of the spindle) a couple inches with your fiber (8). Fold the fiber over the leader yarn (9). Holding the join, pick up the spindle and spin clockwise. When the twist has traveled into the join (10), begin drafting and spinning the yarn. When you run out of arm,  watch this fantastic video my friend made to show how to neatly wrap onto a Turkish spindle. 

Part 3: My spindle is full!

Awesome. Now we have to take your new yarn off your spindle. This part is super easy.

Pull the long skewer out of the ball (11). Pull one set of arms out (12), and then the other (13). Turn the turtle onto its back (14). Pull out the leader yarn and remove it from the center of the yarn (15). Ta da, you now have a center pull ball perfect for plying!

Note: If you drop your spindle, be sure to move the arms of the spindle back up.