Going through my stash

So, today I decided to try and organize/go through my yarn stash. I have a front living room that is becoming my craft area and right now things are just sort of stored there so to speak. I am notorious for buying one or two skeins of yarn just because I like it's color or texture or just because the wind happens to blow a certain way on that day. Needless to say I have a bunch of yarn that by itself is good for little else than scarves if I just use that yarn alone. After an hour of trying to organize and categorize I gave up and decided that a trip to Lowe's is in order tomorrow to pick up another organizer and I'm grouping all my yarns by color. That way if I want to make a shawl or scarf with different yarns I'll at least have it all separated by colors and can choose that way.

While going through the yarn I also found bags that I had stashed unfinished projects in. One of the things I uncovered was a piece I was designing as I was knitting it. Originally it was supposed to be a sleeveless top that I was making in the round from the bottom up that would have a cowl neck at the top. The bottom part would be done in a semi lace pattern then below the bust it would turn to a stockinette stitch and finish up in the cowl neck.

First off my original gauge I did was either different then what I ended up doing on the piece itself or I just measured it wrong. I'm betting on the latter issue. I got to the place where I thought I would be changing to the stockinette stitch and put it on waste yarn and discovered it was HUGE. After all the work I had put into this ripping it out was NOT an option or it would never be done. So I decided with the shape it was and the size it was it would make the perfect caplet. Instead of a stockinette stitch at this point I change to a k1,p1 rib pattern to help cinch in the top as well as some k2tog around. It was going well and I tried it on again and really wasn't happy with it and knew I needed to do a couple more rows of decreases. I was tired of working on it as well as putting the multitude of stitched on the needle again so it just got stashed away.

All of this was before I got my bust that I use for taking photos of my scarves and shawls. When I found it today and put it on my bust and realized that it isn't as awful and I thought it was and really turned out quite nice. It does still need about 4 or 5 rows with some spaced decreasing but when it's done I think it will be quite nice. Here is a photo of it in it's current state.

Knitting in the Sun Review

I am a sucker for knitting books and magazines. My magazine collection got so large I had to break down and go through all of them tearing out the patterns I really loved and thought there was some chance of me actually doing and putting them all in a binder sorted by type, like sweater, top, scarf, shawl, etc. Honestly it's the most organized thing about my knitting which is sad considering how much yarn and projects I have stashed around the house.

This weekend I picked up a new book that came out this month (May 11) called Knitting in the Sun by Kristi Porter. Living in Florida I thought this might be a good book geared for our usually warm weather. It retails for $22.99 but I got mine at Borders using a 40% off coupon. There are 32 projects, so even at the retail price I feel it's a good value.


First off, let me tell you that my rule of thumb for buying a knitting or crochet pattern book is that if there isn't at least 4 patterns in the book that I like, I don't buy it. My thoughts on this is that your average, individual pattern sells for between $5-7 and your average knitting book costs about $21. So, if you can find 4 patterns in it you'd want to make you're doing good. Now, on to the review...

Obviously, the patterns in this book, for the most part, appeal to my style and what I enjoy to knit because I bought the book. If you like the layout of Interweave Knit books like Wrap Style or Scarf Style then you will like how this book is laid out as well as they are very similar. The range of levels for the projects in the book is a nice balance as well. There are things that would be good for the beginner as well as the everyday knitter.

These are the patterns I love and hope to be casting one of the on in the near future.

• Windansea - This is a cute looking sun hat which I find intriguing because you need to use millinery wire to actually form and shape the hat and I've really been wanting to make something like this. I bought a book about a year ago with a similar pattern but this one is just a much simpler pattern to do something like this for the first time.

• Queensway Bay - The pattern is listed as a "tunic" but this really would be perfect as a swimsuit cover-up or a cute dress for a stroll on the beach. I can totally see myself using one on a trip down to Sanibel Island.

• Bridgetown - A really cute long sleeved cardigan sweater with a leafy lace panel along the sides and as a border along the bottom.

• Coronado - A lovely shawl collared cardigan that uses a ribbed eyelet type pattern. This will most likely be the project that I do first. It was between this one and the Bridgetown and when I showed my husband he liked this one the best and I have to agree.

• Santorini - A short kimono style jacket that uses a great Wavy Lace pattern around all the edges. I don't think I would ever wear this but I'm contemplating making one for my mother in law because it looks her style.

• Haleakala - Have an old beach chair frame or an old beach chair that could use a revamp? This is the perfect update. The back piece is a great star/flower pattern that is just lovely

While these are my favorites there are some pieces in this book that are absolutely stunning but just aren't my style. I don't "do" knitted skirts but there are two long skirts in this book that are absolutely beautiful. There is also a very feminine wrap around top that has these great ruffle like sleeves and very romantic styled neckline. And yes, like all "summer" knitting books there is the knitted two piece bathing suit, but this one is a cute boy short and bandaeu like top that is a nice change from your typical triangle two piece suit you typically see.

The biggest dissapointment of this book for me was the short sleeve and long sleeve sections of the (the above mentioned wrap around top being the exception). They just didn't stand out and in my opinion were too similar to tops I've seen in knitting magazines over and over. There was also a lightweight hooded sweater that I really wanted to make based on just photos I saw and then when I looked at the pattern it covered 9 pages and in general I felt I could achieve a similar look with a much simpler pattern.

All in all I really do like this book and if you live in warmer climate area and looking for a book that caters to that type of knitting then I definitely recomend it.

The Eve of a 3 Day Weekend

I am so looking forward to this three day weekend. The only thing I have planned is to take new pictures of practically everything in my shop. Or at least the shawl pins and the wire wrapped pendants. I've been working on my website and decided that I need to retake ALL the pictures for it so I'm hoping the weather holds out this weekend and is nice enough.

Other than the photo taking I have a couple of earring orders to work on as well as catch up on some of my jewelry. I have the neatest wire wrapped pendant/necklace but it's sort of an odd color so getting a matching stone/bead for the drop is proving to be sort of a pain. I'm serously considering making a glass bead myself that would go with it. I also plan on getting my kiln up and running and get the multitude of beads that I have made annealed. I have quite a few bracelet ideas for them and am just waiting for this one step to get done.

Speaking of glass I got larger mandrels in the mail this week and some new glass. I'm still getting used to the larger mandrel, they're the size that you use to make beads that fit a Pandora style bracelet. I love working with the larger mandrels just quite haven't got my rhythm using them down yet. I did make two last night that turned out pretty good size and even wise though so I'm making progress.

Rain, Rain and More Rain...

It has been raining what seems like non-stop all week. It's nice because we need the rain but after about 4 days of it constantly I'm tired of it already. Apprently there's some front that was moving through that has stalled out so we're getting all of this rain from it.

When I first moved here after getting married it was the end of August. It rained every day at 4:00 for almost a month straight I think. You'd have beautiful weather in the morning and then it would get about 4:00 pm and it would be a downpour with high winds and whatever else. I used to kid my husband that if Florida was supposed to be the Sunshine State what gives?!

I have been busy lately working on different things. Practicing some glass techniques of which I'm waiting for some new glass and mandrels to come in today and tomorrow. I've also been working with my PMC clay some. Have a couple things done up that I'm anxious to get fired but Dave hasn't gotten a place in the garage done up yet. I think he's working on that today. I also did three new pendants this weekend and have been working on some clay earrings. All have been listed in my etsy shop.

Last night I worked up this wonderful piece of larimar I got in on Tuesday. I love the tie-dye effect that the crystals formed when this stone was created so, I'm really happy with how this one turned out. It will also be added to my shop shortly.