would it freak you out to receive this in the mail?
2006 @ 9:09 pm
I admit, i was scared to open this. I didn’t remember ordering anything particularly “medical”. This proves, yet again, that I watch far too much Law & Order. I immediately assumed that a drug company was attempting to get me hooked on something or another. Really though? It was something wonderful I won off Ebay 
Miles and miles of bias tape, twill tape and hem facing! Plus, a bonus:
While I was taking photos, I thought I would share the stash enhancements. I don’t know how it happened, but I am drowning in new yarn over here.
A long coveted skein of Blue Heron yarn is now MINE!
and Sandra’s Spider gift is some loverly Yarn Pirate sock yarn… you can’t tell, but it’s shimmering with sheen.
Last, but not least, a bunch of Swish and some sock Solids from KnitPicks for production of Highwater Helpers (baby leg warmers) for commercial resale. The pattern (in size 6-9 mos) is available for free.
Spiders Swap!
2006 @ 10:14 pm
Last year, the Spiders had our first annual White Elephant gift swap. I made out great and have been looking forward to this years party. I really wanted to come up with something good–something that would get stolen.
I was confident, but the day started out rough. I decided to walk over to the store with MJ–a brisk half hour. Sans deodorant. Nice. All was going well at work though, if not busy. My parents came in to take MJ away about half way through my shift, which I was definitely looking forward too. When they arrived, I took MJ out of her carrier and discovered that we were both soaking in pee. Fun fun fun. So, MJ was on her way home and I was smelling awesome. Ready to party! Big props to Carrie for loaning me an awesome shirt upon my arrival at her kick ass duplex.
The swap was a great success–lots of cool books, a couple of neato project pouches and many skeins of fabu yarn. I wound up getting Sandra’s gift–an funny thing since she got mine last year! I am the proud owner of a skein of Yarn Pirate sock yarn. Yay! Pic to come. I’ve been wearing my Jaywalkers and love them so much. It’s time for another pair! And this from the mouth of “not a sock person”. Wearing them makes all the difference I guess. Any pattern suggestions?
So, here’s what I gifted:
Inside the pouch, which I made with help from my friend Lulu last night, was one skein of Sheep Company wool and a pair of rosewood needles. Fancy-pantsy. I picked these things up at the Katonah Yarn Co last weekend. (Oh man, i just realized I haven’t posted about a few yarn purchases. eeks. Stash enhancement post to come soon!). I also tied this ornament on to the booty:
I’ve been cranking these things out and not putting them on Etsy. I guess that’s because marketing an Etsy shop can be very difficult. I email blasted friends and family, but it’s not really making a difference in my hits. I will most likely just give them as gifts to my extended family. I think that was the plan when I bought the materials anyway! I really like the ones I’ve done this year much better than last year.
Lastly, Spideys, I am sorry I bailed on the cookies and that I had to break out early. I was part of the exchange in spirit! I’ll make it up to you
three hour strap
2006 @ 11:40 pm
My god, it literally took me three hours to complete ONE strap for the bag I am working on in sewing class. It’s Amy Butler’s Arts & Crafts Tote.
Lots and lots of cutting people. I spent about five hours cutting the fabric. To be fair though, I am apparently a more anal seamstress than knitter. Lots of pressing and pinning went on here. And some cutting and resewing. See, one of the fabrics is a stretch corduroy and there were some annoying tucks in the seam. It’s been remedied; hopefully it won’t repeat itself in the next strap.
The skull fabric is my current fave–i had another one picked out, but ditched it when this was delivered to the shop. Before the skulls appeared, I was even more madly in love with the stretch cord apple fabric.
Veronique is green with envy, i can feel it from here.
This morning I said something to Mr. Sassy in passing about, “having too many projects going on”. I think we all know that was meant to be rhetorical. Agreeing was not necessary. Now I not only feel I have too many projects, I also feel guilty about it. *sigh*
so far, so good…
2006 @ 5:25 pm
I’m knitting and blogging about it. Score 1 me… oh wait, score 2–i also got over the i-cord hump. I had never technically tried making i-cord before, assuming that it would be as tedious as most other finishing used to seem to me. I am definitely getting better with completing things. Just don’t try to tell that to the enormous pile of WIPs in my living room. I have photographic evidence…
Here are a few baby hats in various stages of completion.
All the way to the right is MJ’s winter hat. It’s a plain roll brim hat made from Artful Yarns Serenade (cotton angora). My mom has requested a duplicate so more yarn is on the way! At this time, the hat makes MJ’s little head sweaty, so we’re waiting till it’s really cold to make it her daily hat. She is currently sporting something more like the middle hat in red, which gives her the irresistible appearance of a garden gnome. This is the Pixie Hat by Erika Knight from Knitting for Two. Note I-cord. I highly recommend this book–or another baby book by Erika Knight if you aren’t into the time pressures involved in knitting yourself maternity wear (sheesh!). I prefer her over Miss Bliss, although they are similar. The last little hat on the left is the Vintage Bonnet from the same book. You may recall that I was making one of these sweet things in pink angora for a co worker. Well, angora is NOT what you want to put on a baby. See what a little experience can teach you? Yes, I heard all the people who told me, I just didn’t listen. A remarkable skill I possess.
These are the WIPs. I hope you feel better about yourself. In my defense, the large basket showcasing my Denise needle set are projects for Handmade Brooklyn, the craft market that I’m running at my hub’s restaurant this fall/winter. If you are in NYC and would like to be a vendor, please visit the Red Bamboo Brooklyn blog for details! I’m really excited to get it going. I’ll be out there every weekend manning a table made up of my own knits and things made by friends. Nothing fancy from me… just large gauge scarves non-knitters go nuts for!
And last in the knitting category: proof that I am working on the Breton Jacket (IW Fall 06).
And now for the sewing. I should have taken a picture of my completed PJ pants, but they are in a ball under my covers. Instead, here’s what I’m working on now–a Boppy cover! While there are some free patterns available, I wanted to make a cover that included the gusset piece that older Boppies don’t have. It makes it a lot easier to fit the cover over the oddly shaped pillow and just looks better. So, I set about making my own pattern with help from my sewing instructor over at Brooklyn General. And then I dove into the fabric stash–comprised of fabric from my mom and gleek. How kick ass is this cotton???
I used some pattern paper to trace my own Boppy and I’m about to start cutting. This shot includes the tracing paper–it’s got 1″ dots to help you along.
And since someone is bound to ask… here’s the fabric info in all it’s super-seventies-sassiness:
PHEW, that post felt good. It’s so nice to sit down and do a whole post at ONCE. To what do I owe this? MJ is with Daddy at work. AHHHHH. What I didn’t get into in this post is that my embriodery supplies (for my Quantum Futura) have arrived. Now all I need is a PC… so close, yet so far from custom embroidered… um, everything!
Before I go, a little administrative biz. If you are compelled to use the words penis, mortgage, homeowner or poker in your comment, think twice. You will be banished from the Kingdom of Sass!
