Friday, September 23, 2011

The Worlds Most Expensive Ball Of Yarn

What is the worlds most expensive ball of yarn??

Is it this stuff?


Vicuna Yarn at $299.85 for 217 yards(!!!!)


Nope. I have the most expensive yarn in the world. 

Check it out......... 


The yarn you see in the picture cost a whopping $1020.00!!
For 191 yards.

What is it made of you ask??

Cotton.

Where did I get it and what drugs was I on when I bought it?? 

I got it at the feed store. sorta. No drugs...promise. 

It came off of my feed sacks. Feed sacks are sewn together with this stuff. When you open it you have 5'9" of perfectly good cotton thread. 

Ive been saving it for a while. I started saving it when I saw a pattern for some garden gloves in a Workbasket circa 1952. 


Back then, feed sacks, flour sacks, sugar sacks, ect, were made from heavy fabric(with designs on them) and used to sew dresses, aprons and other sewing projects and the string to sew these sacks together was saved for a variety of knitting/crocheting patterns. My MIL told me that she and some neighbors used to trade sacks so they could have enough of the same fabric to make a dress from. (would love some of yalls stories if you remember when they did this!!)

Now, these sacks are not made from fabric (sad isn't it?)but they still use string to sew the sacks together. This is where I got mine. But I don't have enough yet, so I'm gonna save some more string and then begin making the glove pattern. Im guessing these gloves would be seriously tough!! And Im buying the feed anyway, I might as well have something to show for it....

If yall are interested in the pattern. Let me know, and Ill type it out...I think the copyright is out on it...not sure tho. 

Pretty cool the stuff that went on "back then".......

TTFN


Sunday, September 18, 2011

Its Christmas time!!!

Yes I know, but really, we should get on it, shouldn't we? We only have 98 more days till Christmas.

So I thought I would create a post that shows what I've got lined up and hopefully get you guys to put in your two cents on some good crafty gifts to make for this years gift giving. (see the middle of the post)

For My 2 Nieces:
Nordstrom Crochet Hobo Bag. One in blue and one in pink. Ive got them crocheted and lined, just cant decide what kind of straps to put on them...stay tuned, Ill need your help.

For SIL #1:
Braided Cable Handle Tote.  I've got this one knitted, just need to felt it and line it.

For SIL #2:
Lotus Bag  Im currently knitting the handle on this one as we speak...Ive got the front and back panels done tho...

For Daughter #1:
Palindrome: A Reversible Cable Scarf I got this one started..
Multi Strand Afghan from Lion Brand. Got the yarn, haven't started it yet.

For Daughter #2:
Carmen Shawlette. I've got this one started too.
French Press Felted Slippers

and Im taking a bunch of pictures that look like the letters in her name and putting those in a frame and giving that to her...I think she will love it. Ill post about it when Im done.

For son:
I prob wont make him anything. maybe a pair of socks. He will get stuff bought for him.

For Hubbs: He loves my socks and tells me he looks forward to Christmas cuz Ive made him a pair every Christmas. Well, at least I do something he likes...LOL

I let hubbs take care of the the men we buy for and I think I have the women taken care of...except my MIL...havent made any decisions there yet. Maybe yall could help me. She had a stroke and she lost use of her left side. She lives in a nursing home now and her kids try to keep personal belongings to a minimum due to theft. I bought yarn for a Entrelac blanket for her 2 years ago, but then this happened and didnt make it because I didnt think she would be able to have it with her. I've made her one of my Utilitarian Shawls and she wears it when she is at home, (she gets visits) but she doesn't want to take it with her when she returns to the home. She thinks it will get stolen too. She has all her photos with her and so theres no room for picture frames or anything...

So wise folks....what do you think I can do for my MIL??

Making a list of what your gonna do for Christmas crafting is simply sanity saving. really. you should do it.

Now heres where yall come in:

Give me all kinds of suggestions(with links) as to what you think should go on a list of Christmas gifts to make. These ideas dont have to be fiber related.

Ill start:

CRAFTY CHRISTMAS GIFT GIVING IDEAS

Knitting:
Pay for patterns:
Utilitarian Faroese Shawl (yes this is my pattern...i can give myself a shameless plug i think. I also make these for anyone that doesnt have time to. Check out the listing in my Etsy store. )

Free patterns:
Either/Or Cozy (these things go in the adult stockings every year...they love them!!)
Urchin ~ hat
Alice ~ fingerless mitts
Swirled Wine Bottle Cozy
Cables and Lace Christmas Ball
Cable Braided Necklace (you can make bracelets with this pattern too!)
Schwartz' Stocking Cap (I may make one of these for my son)


Crochet:
Pay for patterns:
Crocheted Utilitarian Faroese Shawl (again, with the shameless plug...)
Doily Rug

Free patterns: 


Other Crafty Ideas:
(please help me fill this up??)
Check out Wytchies post in the comments...pretty cool!!!

Danish Christmas Star for decorating with paper


I hope to have a very nice list of some good Ideas spanning across the crafty world so that everyone can pass this list around to help them decide(and maybe add to it?)!! Please help me fill this thing up??

I look forward to yalls ideas! I will keep adding to this list...so check back often! And if you run across something, don't forget this list we are building!


TTFN

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Double Knitting

More Knitting Magic to play with!!

I love this stuff. This is multitasking at its best here. Where else can you do both sides at the same time and make some cool stuff that mysteriously switches colors on the flip side??

Check out this stuff on my Lotus Bag. (but dont tell my SIL, this is her Christmas gift. Yall think the colors go together??)

This is the front side of the strap.

Hold on to something......this is amazing!!!


WHOA!! It completely flipped colors on the back side!! Or is this the front? Who can tell? Who cares??They are both stockenette!



Seriously, the potential here is just amazing! Don't be surprised if you see a pattern from me that includes double knitting in it in the future! (any suggestions?)

I made some videos to help out a bit. (Hopefully)

Casting on invisibly(sorta)

Doing double knitting

Some pretty cool edging

And the bind off that matches the cast on


Don't you just wanna go grab some random yarn and knit you some Double Knitting?? Here's a pattern to check out that uses double knitting and is a pretty good practice piece. I think a person needs to knit double knitting for a while to get a real good grip on how to hold the yarn and learn how to maintain tension.

This is very fun stuff to knit!! Yall should try it!

Im still working on my hexis...im up to 30 now. I'm trying to hurry so yall don't forget me!!

TTFN