Friday, November 30, 2012

FO Friday: Spin to Knit Success!!

Happy Friday everyone! It's been one heck of a stressful week,and next week will be worse. I'll spare you the story of me and my art troubles though and let you hear something more pleasant.

I just realized I never showed you all my lovely golden cowl that I finished at the beginning of my Thanksgiving break.

You may all remember this lovely yarn I spun up during Tour de Fleece last summer, from a 50/50 Merino and Tencel blend.


It's definitely my favorite and most proud handspun, and I couldn't let it sit in my stash for long! But what do you do with 110 yards?? Not much, that's for sure. So I started hunting for patterns and decided a cowl/infinity scarf would be my best bet, and that whatever it was it would be pretty skinny and more decorative than anything. 

Eventually I decided on the Infinitude Scarf, and figured it was my best bet for this yarn. Super basic and easily adjustable to my yardage. I decided to make the small size, and  changed the ribbing to 10 rounds instead of the 15 it calls for. From there I just worked the pattern until I ran out of yarn. I think I got about half as many repeats as it called for. 



 When I first started working on this, I wasn't sure if it would be warm or not because of the huge amount of Tencel in the yarn, which made it really slick.  But it has quickly become a favorite accessory of mine! I love having something I can just throw over my neck and the way it curls and twists is so fun too. I don't even mind that the back side tends to make an appearance quite a bit -- it looks pretty too. I think it's the yarn :) This is probably my best spin - to - knit project to date, that's for sure!

Well I hope the weekend treats you all well. I'll be in studio for most of it. Everything is due in a week and a half; YIKES!

~Lisa

For more FO's Check out Tami's Amis!


Sunday, November 25, 2012

Cuteness Overload

Well, it's back to class and studio tomorrow. But I'm enjoying my last night of freedom while I can.

I spent the last week at home and it gave me a chance to get to know our new kitty, Max, or as I call him "Maxie Cat!"

Hi Max!

Turkey Feast :)

My attempts to winding off my spindle led to a frisky Sasha!

2 of a kind

Stop taking my photos!

I hope you have a great week everyone!

~Lisa

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

My Evening in Photos

Hi all! I wanted to share a quick update with you on all I've been doing today! :)

100% wool!

MAX! (Got fixed yesterday)

Slowly but surely.

Hense the reason my shawl is slowly but surely.

BRAVE

Looks like I'll be ordering some AVON soon!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

~Lisa



Saturday, November 17, 2012

Saturday Evening Book Review (it's been awhile...)

Well, it hasn't been a while since I posted, but it has been awhile since I did a book review. Which is funny, because I've had these books sitting on my living room floor for 3 weeks waiting to be picked up. Proof of how busy I've been!!

French Girls Knits by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes

Likes:
-The intro is written really nicely.
-The photos are gorgeous!
-Tips are scattered throughout to help with things that you may have issues with.

Dislikes:
-Honestly, I love the French theme, but it goes a bit far...
-I wish it was more than just garments (sweaters).

Favorite Patterns:
-Cybele - WANT

Overall, well there's another book I want in my library. I can seriously picture myself wearing almost all of these sweaters!!!! It's a super cute book and the author really has a passion for French style.

Boutique Knits by Laura Irwin

Likes:
-The authors says that these patterns use "Uncommon Techniques" -- that's a nice refresher.
-The photos include close ups of the cute details of the items.
-Most of the patterns require hooks and buttons and therefore there are detailed explanations of how to use these. 

Dislikes:
-As mentioned above: Most patterns require buttons and hooks and I just think that these make them look kinda showy and gaudy. 
-Most of these are a just 'too pretty'

Favorite Patterns:

Overall, this is a cute book, but most of the patterns are just too fancy for me. There really isn't anything I could see myself wanting to knit and wear.

So I hope that those reviews weren't too opinionated  I hope you don't base your choices off of the stuff I say, they are my personal opinions after all. 

So in other news, I have the next week off. I am actually not super excited about this, mostly because I finally was getting into my painting and now I have to take a week's hiatus to be home :( 


I'm not kidding guys, I haven't been this excited about a painting in the three years I've been in college. I am in love with this painting and I'm in love with oils and I am just in love. Why must Thanksgiving break be here? Why must I be stuck at home working? Ahh the life of a college kid.

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend and have a great week!

~Lisa

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

WIPs, FOs and New Yarn! Oh My!

Happy Wednesday! It's been a weird yet successful week on my end, I hope it's been treating you all the same. :) Today I have so much to share with you I don't even know where to start! It's funny because I feel like I have gotten nothing done on the knitting front lately, and yet here I am showing you all the progress I have made. Isn't it funny how life works out that way sometimes?

I guess I should start with my WIPs, since it is WIP Wednesday after all! I have 2 to share this week, the first of which is my mom's wrap. I hate to admit that this poor thing has been getting the shaft lately. I can't figure out why? Maybe it's the fact that it takes so long to finish one section of the 10 row repeat, or that it isn't really a mindless knit? Or that it's just so big I get bogged down? Either way, I thought I was doing pretty good, and then I read the instructions, which say: "Continue in pattern until work measures 84 inches". Ok, not a big deal, shouldn't take that long, right? Out comes my tape measure and about 1 minute later I'm huffing in frustration. FOURTEEN INCHES! Yup, that's all I have done so far.  Safe to say my mom will be getting this still on the needles at Christmas, and maybe even next Christmas as well.


Now that that is out of my system, let me share you the culprits that helped contribute my lousy 14 inch wrap. First up is my other WIP, which is a cowl made from my 50/50 merino and tencel handspun.  I don't expect to have enough yarn to completely finish the pattern (infinitude scarf), nor do I expect it to be super warm, but it will be gorgeous none-the-less, and lately I've been really into decorative scarves anyways. The more the merrier!



And then there's the headband I showed off last week. Well I finally got some super cute buttons and finished it! Safe to say it's my new favorite of all the headbands I have for winter, and will definitely get worn many times as the weather gets colder. The yarn is Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted, held double and I love how warm it is!


Just when I thought I didn't need more sock yarn, and believe me, I don't, I caved this past weekend and picked up a skein of Berroco Comfort Sock, 50/50 Acrylic and Nylon.  It feels sooo squishy and the color choices were so pretty. I couldn't decide between this one, the orange one, or the more denim blue, but this one ended up winning. And guess what? IT STRIPES! YAY! I will finally have a pair of striped socks when I break down and cast on.



Whew! That was a mouthful. I really hope you all enjoyed reading about my adventures as much as I enjoyed writing about them.  There is something really freeing about letting it all out in a blog.  Have a great week friends!

~Lisa



Friday, November 9, 2012

FO Friday: Headband Hubbabaloo!

You will never believe how hard it was to come up with a catchy title!

Hi everyone, hope you all had a great week! I know I did. Between a painting that is finally going right, some great news regarding my spindle drawings and a painting society show, and just feeling really good about the way my diet is going, this has been one heck of a week! Oh and I finished some projects!

You can probably guess by the name of today's post, I have been crazy busy making headbands lately, and thus I have finished quite a few.

First, I finished up all of the handspun headbands I plan to sell next week at a craft show for Relay. Ten in all, and all are simply gorgeous!

I'm thinking between $15 and $20 for each, is that too high? How much would you pay? Which is your favorite!? I really like them all :)

Next on my list of headbands is the Ribboned Headband I made to match my Berry-boned wrists that I finished back in August. At first I hated this project, because it was curling and tedious and annoying and well yea. But now that it's done, and blocked, I LOVE it. And it keeps my ears super warm!

Excuse the bad lighting, once again my camera hates me!

Finally, I have another one that I started for myself. After finishing up the ones for the sale, I wanted one similar to those for me and decided to stash dive. I cam out with one of 3 skeins of Plymouth Encore Worsted and decided to cast on. I am loving the color, which has flecks of pink and blues in it and how warm I know it will be! I can't wait to get this bad boy done.


Just to humor you guys, I'll share a photo of my painting in progress too, which is in the very rough stages, so ignore the mess :) I am still loving this more than any other I've done this semester, simply because it's in oils!



Happy Friday, and for more FO's, check out Tami's Amis!

~Lisa




Sunday, November 4, 2012

Feeling Artsy

Good Morning! I hope everyone remembered to change their clocks back like I didn't! Otherwise, I'd probably still be in bed....

This previous Friday I had a great opportunity to hit the road with some fellow painters and attend a First Friday in Kansas City. These things are kind of a big deal.  All the galleries in the Crossroads district have their openings and there are street performers and live music and so much fun to be had; I really enjoyed every minute of it! I found some amazing artists and art and realized that I really am making the right decision in being an artist. Take a look for yourself.








(WORLD'S LARGEST KNITTED TREE!!!)

If anyone would like artist names, I will gladly send them your way, I just don't have my list in front of me right now to put captions on these. 

I hope the weekend is treating everyone well. I am heading to Topeka today for a Relay For Life Retreat, then back here to get some work done. I started a new painting yesterday! And guess what? I am back to working in oils! I'm so excited! I feel like a real artist again, that's how much I missed them.  I'm going to leave you all with a photo of my newest still live set up, which Ivy calls "Moody"....


~Lisa