Grrr, argh, and proof that I have no sense.

Okay, so first the grrr, argh part of things. You see, my birthday is coming up on Tuesday, and I want to treat myself to... something. The problem is, I can't decide on what to get. Unless it's a super yummy scrumptious yarn I absolutely cannot get at Spin a Yarn, yarn isn't going to cut it. (And since I work in trade for yarn there, really, what's the point? Besides, the only thing really tempting me at this point is the Coral Reef Sampler at KnitPicks.) I thought about a pattern book, but same problem, and I never seem to use my vastly growing collection anyhow. Tee shirts are cool, but I couldn't find one that really screamed "BUY ME!" anywhere. So, I'm at a loss as to what I want. I hate being so danged indecisive.

And why do I have no sense? Because I agreed to knit this:

Yes. Knitted candy underwear. Nancy asked me to knit this for her to give to a friend as a gag gift for a bridal shower. It didn't take a lot of time, but man... Let's put it this way. Nancy asked me what she owed me for knitting it, and I said "Never ask me to knit with candy again and we’re square." Red Laces are no substitute for good yarn. (If you'd like to make this thong for yourself for some unknown reason, you can find it here at knitty.com.)

Yee-ikes!

First, I just wanted to say thank you for the kind welcome backs and kudos on my hat. I've missed my little blog quite a bit, and it's good to be back in the saddle.
As for the yee-ikes... Last night I realized that I've been knitting wrong. I've been working through the back loop, and that explains so many things. It's why I couldn't visually tell the difference between a ssk and a k2tog increase, why my attempts at lace were failing, and why the pictures were confusing me. (I figured it out when I'd forgotten how to do a m1 increase and had to go back into my books to find the instructions, and when that looked funny I looked up the knit stitch instructions.) I feel like the world's biggest doofus. Ah, well. I'm frogging the Jaden sweater again anyhow, and I'll finish off my three pairs of GIP (gloves in progress) as started as I've come too far with them all to stop now.
One day I'll get it all figured out. :D
By the way, have you seen Regretsy yet? It's definitely NSFW, but one heck of a laugh. Trust me. ;)

Hats off to ya.

I present my latest FO, the Campus Field Cap from the latest Interweave Crochet (and designed by the lovely Jennifer of Jaybird Designs).

I love love love it. (And I just noticed, any hat I make for myself comes from one of her designs. Odd, but neat.) It was fairly easy, although working BPsc when one is using black yarn is a whole new kind of torture. I contemplated making the crocheted buttons called for in the pattern, but in the end laziness won out and I just grabbed some out of the button box.
I'm also working on a new knitting pattern (what, me?), and finishing up my first pair of knitted socks. Still have much to do for the holidays, but hopefully I'll get most of it done. Cross your fingers on that one for me.

The Slave isn't dead.

Pretty close, but not quite. Between moving, moving back, life, work, and everything else, I've let my little blog slide quite a bit. But, dear little blog, Mommy is back and better than ever.
Updates:
1. Moved to Greensboro. Things went to s***. Moved back.
2. Knitting skills are growing, hook skills still rock socks.
3. New job at Spin a Yarn, and I get paid in yarn/patterns/tools. You know you're jealous. ;)
4. New patterns coming soon!

25 Things I Love About Crochet and more exciting stuffs

First, as started by the lovely Fearless Leader of the CLF, a list of twenty five things I love about the grand art of crochet:

1. First and foremost, stress relief. No matter what sort of insane stuff happens to me, I can crochet it all away.

2. Although I like knitting, it's limited in the directions it can go, and with crochet I can go up, down, sideways. I can stack single stitches onto each other, make so many different shapes, turn circles into squares and vice versa. (Not to mention when I'm done, I'm done. No tedious casting off business.)

3. Along the same lines as crochet compared to knitting, I like the fact that I can finish something twice as fast with half as many tools.

4. Crochet is something my mother and I can do together, and I love working on projects with her. I also love teaching her new things that I've learned.

5. I've made so many new friends since I took up the craft again, both here and online, and while most are knitters, we all share a passion for our craft.

6. I like calling myself a hooker without cracking a smile, then watching other people's reactions. ;)

7. I love that I can follow a pattern to make something, or that I can just make it up in my head as I go and still love what I come up with. (I can't do that with knitting at all.)

8. It's a bit superficial, but I love my pretty hook collection. So many colors!

9. I love that I can get really into a project, completely focus on it, and lose myself for hours.

10. I love how the hooks feel in my hand, so natural, almost like an extension of myself.

11. I love that even when I'm using my pointy sticks, my darling Haytham still calls it crocheting.

12. And yes, I love the tacky and wonderful things people associate with crochet, like gaudily colored granny squares and hippy clothes.

13. I love that I'm carrying on a family tradition of needlework of some kind. (Although Mom and I are the only hookers, her mother embroidered and quilted, while my Grannie Georgia made things with plastic canvas and yarn, and my dad's youngest sister cross stitches.0

14. If we ever have a baby, I'll be able to clothe it and give it toys that I've made with my own hands.

15. I like writing patterns, even if I'm not very good at it yet.

16. I love the look on the faces of my family when I give them whatever I've made for them.

17. If it hadn't been for crochet, no one in my family would've gotten a Christmas gift last year (I was flat broke, but luckily Mom had a bunch of RHSS and some hooks stashed away in a closet, so I was able to craft Christmas after all).

18. I love playing with yarn.

19. Every time I get out my hooks, I'm stealing a little time for myself, and I love being that self-indulgent.

20. I love crocheting at my LYS, mostly because I think it still dumbfounds them that while I've learned to knit, I still love my hooks best. ;) (You know it's true, Deborah.)

21. I love making myself beautiful things to wear and have, and know that no one else has something exactly like them.

22. I love having fun being silly and making freeform nonsense. I mean crocheted big chain bling? that's just awesome.

23. All the different kinds of crochet fascinate me. Crochet, broomstick lace, hairpin lace, thread... So many possibilities!

24. I love when my friends who are learning crochet ask *my* opinion of how they're doing. (A tad ego-centric, but I can't help feeling proud of my own skills in those moments.)

25. An aluminum hook, a skein of yarn, and I'm entertained for hours.


And now, the exciting stuff!
First, I'm so totally psyched about how well the Booga Bag turned out. Mom is actually using it, and i'm in love with the idea of felting now. (Luckily, I have a lot of yarn left over from her bag, and I'm thinking about making myself one, too.) It took me nearly a month to knit, but it was seriously worth it in the end.
Second, I've been commissioned by local musician Holden Bare to make hats, scarves, and whatever else I can think of for him to wear onstage at the Chetola Resort Headwaters Pub. I am so severely stoked over that! I finished my first creation for him this past Thursday.

Custom made one of a kind beanie, cotton-silk blend in a natural taupe colorway. (I know it looks pink, but that's due to the cell cam's craptastic quality.) He bought the yarn for me, which is awesome because the stuff was nearly $15 for a 98 yard ball. I've got another ball of fingering weight superwash merino he bought, which is going to be a hat by next week's gig, and I'm also making covered buttons for his vests. This is teh awesome, I'm tellin' ya.
Third, and most important of all, yesterday was Haytham's 28th birthday! I wish we could have spent it together, but I'm going to make up for that when he gets home. (Thanks to Holden, I'm getting to take him to Chetola for dinner and a show for free. Schweet!) He's coming home soon, and I can't wait!

Okay, enough for today. I'm getting to the point of random babble.

Oooo, felty!

Mom's Booga Bag is FINALLY done.

More details, along with other awesome news, tomorrow night. ;)

Oh, and Michelle... Slytherin's got the early lead... ;)

Another attempt to pay it forward, since the last one bombed...

The first 5 people to respond to this post will get something made by me.
This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. (No refunds... no exchanges!!!!)

2. What I create will be just for you, with love from me.

3. It'll be done this calendar year (2009).

4. I will not give you any clue what it's going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. I may even create something totally unbelievable and surprise you!! It will be handmade and may be any medium I choose. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange...or awesome...or lovely!

6. In return, all you need to do is post this text into a note/post of your own and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to it.

7. Send your mailing address if you don't live close to me!

Still got the hook skillz...

Finished these yesterday for my dad's wife for Mother's Day. Blue silk chenille yarn that was a swap gift, some Lion Brand Suede for the edging, and two buttons from my button box. Simple, quick, and not exactly my best work, but they'll do. :)

And yes, they were also a project for the HPKCHC Defense Against the Dark Arts class. One down, two to go. ;)

Slither on!

Yes, I am letting my geek side show. I've joined the Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House Cup group, and I'm far too excited about it. Don't ask me why.
I've even been sorted into Slytherin, so yay!
Which, by the way... Gryffindor's goin' down, Michelle. ;)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I finished these tonight as a birthday gift for my mom. (Her birthday was Friday, and while I had the first one done, I didn't get the second finished until tonight.)



She saw the glove I'd made for myself, and wanted a pair, too. So, I gave up on mine and made hers. :) (I'm weird like that. It's always more interesting for me to craft for someone else.) She loved the final results (as well as her card and dinner at her favorite restaurant last night), so I'd say her birthday was a success this year.

I'm starting to like these pointy sticks. Of course, I still love my hooks best, but I like not being tied to one kind of pattern. I've even started a new project, which is a purse to give Mom for Mother's Day. Let's hope I actually get it finished on time. Ha!

Since Tanya asked...

Here's a picture of the glove I got finished tonight.

It fits weird. Wrist and arm part feels good, thumb feels kind of tight but wearable, and around the hand it's too big. Still, I like it.
See?

Holy crap!

I actually knitted something. Crazy, huh? But, I started and finished a knit fingerless glove, with cables no less, and I've started the second one. Mind you, I still love my hooks best, but I may just be getting the hang of these sticks.

Speaking of getting the hang of things, I'm sort of getting the hang of spinning, too. The corn fiber I bought to spin up and ply with my merino isn't cooperating as nicely as the merino did, but I shall conquer it.

Oh, and I promised to show you my rockin' PVC niddy-noddy. Here it is.


And, here's the merino blend with a penny for size reference.


I don't know if I'm getting the hang of it, or if that was sheer luck. But, let's hope I can figure out how to make the corn behave as well. (And, man, it smells SO good! Like Karo light syrup or candy. Yummy!)

Squoosh!

Here's the merino/silk top, half spun up.



It's so squooshy! At this point, I'm actually about 75% done with it, which is good because I'm running out of room on the spindle. I just hope I can fit the last bits on there.

I also made myself a PVC pipe niddy-noddy. It's not much to look at, but you'll get to see it once I've got the merino single wrapped around it.

Today at the LYS I bought two ounces of corn fiber, which, if I can make it as long as the merino, will be the second ply of the yarn. I think they'll look faboo together! Also wound up with a batt of what I think is Rambouillet wool, but I'm not sure. Still, it's HUGE, and I'm hoping to spin that up into a plied worsted that I can dye and make a Booga Bag with. We'll see. :D

As for the first yarn, here it be!

And, since that picture doesn't show the color really well...

I decided just to leave it as a single, and dyed it with three packs of Lemon-Lime Kool-Aid. Like I said, it's useless, but it's mine and I love it. :D

And yes, I'll start playing with yarn again soonly. Right now, though, I'm having a little too much fun making it. :D

Spinning Out of Control

I finally, FINALLY, got my hands on a drop spindle. I bought someone's destashed learn to spin kit that included a bottom whorl spindle and I'd say about two ounces of unknown quality wool. It came Thursday, and I found it waiting for me when I got home from taking Haytham to the airport. It definitely took a little of the edge off of sending my Bubby on his way again, but the problem was I couldn't spin a lick with it.
At all.
I tried everything. I tried spinning the whole big mess of fiber that came with it. I tried pulling it apart. I even tied the fiber to the leader yarn and just ran it across my leg. Nothing worked.
So, I took a trip to Spin a Yarn yesterday, and begged Christy to help me figure the darned thing out. She showed me how to pre-draft and draft the fiber. She also suggested putting a hook in the top (it didn't have one) to help guide and hold the yarn rather than relying on a half-hitch and groove. (I also got to try a wheel, though VERY unsuccessfully, but hopefully if I get to go to Fiber Folks on Wednesday I'll get another chance and do a little better.)
When I got home, I tried to put a cup hook in the end of the spindle. The wood (pine, I think) split. Luckily, the split wasn't too long, so I grabbed some duct tape and hallie-rigged it.



Worked like a charm. Inspired, I spun as much as I could before my arms got tired.
I got it out again this morning, and spun some more of the wool.



I put it down long enough to go visit my dad, and take a nice drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I got home about 6, and I've been spinning ever since. End result?


Forty one yards of single, now stretching out and drying in my bathroom. (It took about half of the fiber to spin that much, so I'm going to spin the rest of it up to make a second single, then ply them after I dye them.) It's too thick in some places, and nearly laceweight in others...

But I don't care. I love it.
The plied yarn will be pretty much useless as it will be too short and will have too many variations in weight (though I may turn it into a swatch, just to be contrary). Doesn't matter to me, though. I made it, and I like it. And, once I get a little better, I've got two ounces of gorgeous turquoise merino/silk blend calling out to be spun. Ha!

Or maybe I'll dye after all...

I was reading the directions on Knitty, and it said you could brew the yarn in a ziplock bag like sun-tea. So, I fixed up a bath for the mystery yarn (which started out a light beige) before I left for work, and this is what I came home to.







Pretty good for a first try, I think. :) I used two packets of Flav-R-Aid in Kiwi Watermelon, and one packet of cherry. The yarn is unknown fiber, unknown amount, unknown weight, but it took dye like crazy. The color is losing intensity a little as it dries, and it took better in some spots than others, but I'm still happy with it.

Phew.

No dyed yarn yet. Probably won't be until next weekend. Why? Haytham's coming home for the week on Monday. Hooray! That means not a lot will be happening here on Slave to the Hook as he'll be getting all of my attention. ;) Don't worry, I'll be back.
As of now, I'm off to check on my Howrse horses. Anyone else wanna play? (Seriously, please, someone sign up. I get cool stuff if you do. Pretty please?)

Sweet...

Many many many thanks to Tanya of Starry Eyed for the blog's butt-kickin' new header graphic. :D I think it absolutely rocks.
Speaking of rock, I bought the stuff today to work on learning to dye yarn with Kool Aid. Even got two skeins of wool yarn. Yes, wool. I've noticed I can play with wool yarn now and not wind up with the reaction... I'm also thinking part of it was how Jojoland is processed. But either way, I'm going to see what happens when I throw Kool Aid at Louet Riverstone (and the mystery skein I got out of the scrap basket). And of course I'll post pics of whatever I get out of it. :D

ACK!

Sometimes, I think my yarn habit is taking over my life. I have yarn, hooks, knitting needles, pattern books, magazines, you name it, strewn all over our bedroom. My Ravelry queue has grown to seven pages worth of projects. I have more WIPs than household members (INCLUDING the animals). Have I completely and totally lost my mind?
Seriously and no joke, I need to:
1) STOP buying more yarn until I get the stuff I have used up.
2) STOP starting new projects until I finish ones already in progress.
3) START using the things I buy, and actually make buying them worthwhile.

As for the WIPs themselves, I'm not going to get anywhere close to finishing all the ones I set out for goals at the beginning of the month, but I did my best. I wish I could've gotten more done, and I'm not satisfied with my production, but maybe next month will be better.

Hopefully.

Oooooooo, pretty!

I'm not sure if this counts as striping or pooling, but I'm loving the spiral effect the yarn has going on so far. See?

I'm calling these my Strawberry Sundae Sox because the colors remind me of strawberry ice cream.
More tomorrow, maybe. ;)

Rock my socks...

Thanks to an incredibly lucky find in a destash style swap box, I have indeed been bitten by the sock bug.
Two, count 'em two, full skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd sock, in Flamingo Stripe...

Just begged to be turned into my very first pair of foot coverings. How could I resist?
I just started them tonight, and already I'm loving them. The yarn is striping so nicely (but will probably end up pooling later...don't care though ;) ), and I'm really liking the simple pattern I found (which you can get to here). We'll see what happens, but so far so good. (And that may mean Haytham gets a pair of brick red socks made with the Berocco Ultra Alpaca Fine I got a few days ago.)

I also finished another BAMCAL block tonight.

Sorry for the crudtastic picture, but that's the best I could manage tonight. It's a lot prettier in person, I swear. Done in RHSS Dark Orchid and Soft White (mostly because I'm trying to use up the last of the purple), and even though the flower is bulky as all get out, I like it. :)

Now, I'm going back to my SIP (socks in progress).