Tuesday, January 24, 2012

And Now in Crafting News

1. There is a hat. My cable and seed stitch pattern, plain wool. It didn't make the deadline for the collection, so I'll toss it in the bin to wait for the next one. (Just as well, it can keep the blue mittens from getting lonely while I'm still knitting the sweater. )
Blue seed and cable hat

I tried something different with the decreases this time and am quite pleased with the result.
Hat decreases

2. The sweater is still infinitely charming. I knit most of a sleeve over the weekend. Today, I started the second one.

3. I finally got around to blocking the Charlemont Scarf. I'm looking forward to wearing it this week! (Photos once it's dry.)

4. I was able to strike a planned carpentry project (a wall mount jewelry rack) from my vast to-do list by applying money to the problem. A novel solution for me, but I practice carpentry more out of utility than the passionate love of creating in wood. Given the cost of materials, additional tools needed, and time I'd spend doing it myself; this was a good value. Not to mention that it was pretty much exactly what I wanted.
New jewelry case

With a sister in the business, I have a large amount of gorgeous jewelry that I wear often. Or at least I wear often when I don't have to disentangle it from a pile of other jewelry, and can find two earrings that match. Also, Biscuit thinks that batting things off the dresser in the morning is an excellent way to wake humans up and make them do something more interesting than sleeping. And with my jewelry box so full it won't close completely, I was in severe danger of having jewelry flung around the room in the wee hours of the morning.

5. I am sewing. Weekend before last, I dealt with a large chunk of the huge pile of mending in the sewing room, because cleaning up the piles of cruft was a necessary first step to doing anything else in there. Biscuit is helping me. He was so 'helpful' in cutting out fabric that he almost lost some whiskers. Since then he's adopted more of a supervisory role. (I'll save a project photo for when it's further along.)
Biscuit supervises
Biscuit supervises.

6. I finally got around to installing a wall hook for my yarn swift. (see item 5, re: first steps to doing anything in the sewing room). I have a plentitude of vertical space, which I definitely need to utilize, as the sewing room tends to accumulate vast amounts of project materials of all sorts.
overhead mount for yarn swift

7. I haven't completely kicked the cold, but I think I have it on the run. Hence the greater productivity! (Besides- seven in a list is traditional.)

8 comments:

  1. Poor Biscuit! Being a helper can be a risky business!

    Great hat!!!! I love how the top looks so smooth with all the decreases. And LOVE the new jewelry cabinet!!!!

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  2. I have a cat that like to "help" whenI'm sweeping the floor. I would prefer he'd supervise from afar. Biscuit is lovely. And I totally relate to having to clean off surfaces just to get sewing underway.

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  3. Wow. Cool, and, seed stitch for fun? Patient woman! (Wish I knew anything about woodworking.) Glad you're getting better!

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  4. Very productive! (Biscuit, too - supervising is hard work, heh.) The hat is lovely, and the jewelry cabinet is fabulous - did you find it anywhere in particular?

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  5. I'd say I was sorry about setting you off on goals and lists, but really, it seems to be working for you! I, too, in spite of lack of blogging, have a few FOs for 2012, including one book. :-)

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    1. And? And? Pictures, please! Enquiring minds want to admire the results of your industry!

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  6. Wow. If you ever want to go into the business of making transportable jewelry displays for vendors, I'll hook you up with VERY interested customers. :)

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    1. Whoops- not my case, Kate! I got it off the to-do by buying it. Also it weighs a ton- definitely not portable. Still- talk to me. I might have an idea or two about that.

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