Month: July 2009

My Apologies

/ LDSVenus / 2 Comments

Venus5ab

I apologize that I have had to put up some security measures for comments. 

I was getting a horrible amount of some really ugly spam that I had to clear out every day.  So to prevent that, you will need to register as a user to post comments.  I do apologize, I know it makes it a pain for you to have to sign in to post comments to my blog and I do love your comments, so I hope it won’t inconvenience you so much that you won’t post.  But I really did have to do something to cut the spam out.  

 

click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

I am going to be plying the green and red single either tonight or Saturday.  I spun some of each color together side by side rather than carding to blend first.  This technique made it looks like a red and green candy cane striping effect.   I should have a skein to post in a couple of days or three :).  I’m curious how it will look when it’s plied. 

Then I will choose my next fiber to spin.  That is always exciting, so many yummy fibers to choose from.  If one isn’t calling my name by the time I’m ready to start, I will just have to close my eyes and point to choose.

Scarves Re-visited

/ LDSVenus / 1 Comment
hand painted merino roving

hand painted merino roving

 

 

 

This was a beautiful hand painted merino roving that I bought from The Fiber Denn on Etsy.   I loved the color of the roving and the color of the yarn was just as wonderful, full of all my favorite colors.

 

 

hand spun merino

hand spun merino

 

 

 

I had the opportunity to wash and re-block the two scarves I knit from this yarn (one for my daughter and one for my grand daughter) and thought I would get some better pictures. 

 

 

Grand-daughter's Fan & Feather Scarf

Grand-daughter's Fan & Feather Scarf

 

 

I did this with an old Shetland lace pattern called Fan & Feather (aka Old Shale).  There are many versions of this pattern out there and all are beautiful and oh so easy to knit. 🙂  I really loved the way the color striped on the scarves, I wish I had gotten more of this hand painted color.  Maybe I can talk her into doing more of it ;P. 

 

 

Daughter's Lace Scarf - Branching Out

Daughter's Lace Scarf - Branching Out

 

The lace pattern I chose for my daughter is called Branching Out and it is a beautiful lace pattern.  It’s a bit more difficult than the Fan & Feather but only because you need to pay attention to the row you are on.  Most lace is really not difficult to knit, it’s just a series of yarn overs, knit two togethers along with knits and pearls all placed at strategic places. 

I think the colors of the yarn really brought out the lacey patterns.  I was pleased with the results and I felt they deserved better photo shots. 🙂

Harry Potter & Other Things

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

 

I got to go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with my daughter and grand daughter last night.  It was great!!!  The hat that Hermione is wearing in this picture is the pattern that I knit earlier last year for my daughter and grand daughter, you can see it on my Jan 7th entry.   You can find the pattern for free on Raverly if you are a Ravelry member or the pattern creator’s blog here .  If you are a knitter, crocheter, etc, Ravelry is a great place to check out, it is a free membership.

 

click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

This is a little shawl I am working on.  It is called Wisp .  I found it on Knitty and was intrigued with this light and airy lace pattern.  It looks complicated but is very easy.   This one is for a friend as a surprise.  She rarely reads my blog (she’s in her 20’s and has more important things to do :P) so I don’t live in fear that she will see this and spoil the surprise :).  Pink is her favorite color so I am sure she will enjoy this in the milder fall and winter temperatures there in TN.  I should be finished with it this week.  Then I will just have to find some light weight buttons that will match the yarn.  The yarn I’m knitting with  is some very pretty heavy lace weight my mom bought in Korea when she was there and sent to me.   I did the burn test and it appears to be an acrylic rather than natural wool fiber.  I’m sure my friend will be happy that it won’t take special care to wash. 🙂   I will make another one with some fiber that I will spin for it.  Something to wear to church for myself for a change.  Right now, I’m thinking maybe some white alpaca I bought a month or two ago, but some other fiber might be calling to me by the time I get ready to spin for it.  I’ll just have to see.

Hand Crafted Soap

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CD Spindles

CD Spindles

 

 

I decided to, as a fun project for the Activity Day Girls in my ward, to teach them to spin using a spindle.  I bought these from one of the vendors on my spinning list who makes and sells them.  The Activity Day Girls range from 8 to 11 years old and I thought this would be a fun activity.   I am sure the girls will enjoy them. 🙂  Hopefully I am training new spinners for the future :P.

 

Custom Soap

Custom Soap

 

It was time to reorder my smell good soap (one of the luxuries I decided I needed :P)  and I have to say that  Autumnoak  makes the most wonderful soap!!  She will even custom make soap for you.  She  loves what she does does and it shows!  I love her Sandalwood & Rose and the Lilac & Lavender soaps .  What wonderful smells and the soaps lather so nicely.  I also love the way the soap lasts and doesn’t dwindle away quickly.  You will have to go check out her etsy store and see all the wonderful soap smells she has for sell :). 

 

Punta/Wenslydale Wool & Mohair rovings

Punta/Wenslydale Wool & Mohair rovings

 

She also sells roving and I bought some of this wonderful Punta and Wenslydale Wool roving (the beautiful blue and white roving).  She also sent some very lovely Mohair roving for me to play with, I have never spun or handled any Mohair before and it is an interesting texture.  I am excited to see what the yarn will look and feel like when I spin it.

If you spin you should check out the very nice rovings she lists on her etsy site.  She is wonderful to do business with.

4th of July

/ LDSVenus
Let Freedom Ring!!

Let Freedom Ring!!

Happy Independence Day America – Let Freedom Ring!!! 

Please make your voices heard and count with your congressmen to keep the government from changing and distroying our precious Constitution that was written to keep us from being enslaved to a government, thus losing the precious freedom the founding fathers fought for and many died to put in place.  If our congressmen are not hearing us and we have little voice in the government, then those that we elect are not serving us, but we are serving them.