the art and imagination of Jen Minnis
I was having so much fun fondling and photographing this months kit that I decided to make a bunch (and I do mean a bunch) of desktop wall papers from it. click over to flickr to get the full sized wallpaper or to see the rest…
be on the lookout soon for a post on 1st plane rides and yarn acquisitions…
it’s that time. time to draw the name of the winner of my “what to do with my handspun” contest!
Sorry, Abigail, i’m excluding you from the drawing… i’m going to use your suggestion and make a Mobius Cowl! so you’ll be receiving a set of row counters already!
it was a very hard decision which suggestion to go with. i went back and forth daily… but i just kept being drawn to the mobius cowl. something about the drape of it and the combination of lots of stockinette, but still some lacy detail. and the challenge of learning a new knitting technique is very appealing.
Sooz, even though your handspun cowl inspired me, it isn’t what i ended up picking for the pink stuff… so i left you in the drawing… sorry, you didn’t win. however, since you did inspire the project i’m planning with my other handspun (a feather and fan cowl of a christmas gift) i’m going to make you a 6 row pattern counter as a thank you.
and, now i think i’ve made you all wait long enough….
…. names go in the bag….
*shake*shake*shake*
*shake*shake*shake*
and for good measure *shake*shake*shake* some more…
and the winner is…. Northfield Kathryn!
i’ll be sending out emails to you guys to get your addresses so i can send you your prizes!
i’m still trying to figure out how to add the code for a blogring to my sidebar in wordpress… i’m good with link buttons… but i can’t seem to find out how to add the extra code for the additional links and have it not go wonky. in the mean time, here it is:
Join|List
another completed object! it’s been a great few days.
here’s a pic of the preblocking ugliness….
this is the free pattern called Marnie’s Scarf available from SpinDyeKnit. i ended up charting out the pattern because there was no chart. it is knit on size 7 needles from 2 50g balls of Austermann Acapella ( 50% Kid-Mohair 50% Acrylic) that were a birthday gift from a friend a while back… just waiting for that perfect project! this is going to make a wonderful Christmas gift for my mom. not bad for my first lace project.
believe it or not, this takes me down to just 2 knitting projects on the needles at the moment! # 1 is Paul’s cabled sweater and #2 is a pair of languishing Fuzzy Feet for Paul. the next Rockin’ Sock Club package comes soon… and i’ll be making a decision on what to make from the rose handspun soon… but for the moment, i’m down to just 2 projects!
well, i finally finished the tide walkers! ugh, toward the end there i was so bored with them it was an effort to get through a round at a time. i really should have kept going for another inch or so… but then they never would get done.
of the 3 pairs of socks i have knit so far, this is by far my favorite.
it is HOT here. really. HOT.
i’m wilting under the the heat… but that’s fairly normal for a heatwave here. we get a couple every year that make me become a puddle. but today i had a new experience…
i walked to the mailbox. we’re in a complex and the mailboxes are all together about 500 feet away from the bottom of our stairs.not a long walk. i’m used to making the quick run down to the mailbox barefoot. it’s just my normal habit.
the pavement today was so hot i literally burned my feet! i have BLISTERS! it didn’t register with my brain that the “ouch hot!” was more than the normal bit until i was almost there. by that point, there was nothing for it but to sprint to the tiny square of shade at the mailbox. catch my breath. and sprint back.
the carpet hurts to walk on. *whimper*
and on Saturday, we’re going up to Tahoe with my dad and we’ll probably need to walk around all day!
The Pessimist curses the wind.
the Optimist expects it to change.
the Realist adjusts his sails.
(0)thanks to some wonderful suggestions for the contest yarn, i’ve been crawling around all kinds of lovely pattern pages…
and i’ve become completely obsessed with the idea of knitting a cowl out of my *other* handspun… the stuff i did just before the pink stuff. (but that doesn’t mean i’ve decided against a cowl from the pink.) it’s 80% merino and 20% tussah… and so soft and lovely it makes me sigh. and it’s been waiting for the perfect project too.
this picture does it no justice. it’s dark, so hard to photograph… plus the silk makes bright highlights that give my camera fits. (actually, this was taken with my old camera… i should see if the new one can do better…) it is much less bright and much more subtle.
i left it singles, because 1. it would be much too bulky if plied. and 2. i only had 2 oz of this… so the yardage is not much. but i think it will make a lovely short cowl that will be a perfect gift for my step mother for christmas.
and with that in mind, i started testing the feather and fan pattern. i’ve loved the look of feather and fan… but i hadn’t done it before. i decided to make a washcloth out of cotton while getting the hang of the stitch and seeing if i thought it would work out… i gave it to Paul so he can have something to give good ex foliation… it’s probably the only lace he’ll every let me make him, lol.
and while the camera was out, i snapped some shots of the contest prizes. keep those suggestions coming and these could be yours!
Materials Needed:
Step 1:
layer the quilt batting between the 2 main body fabric pieces with the right sides facing outward. i highly suggest pinning this sandwich together in several places through out to prevent shifting of the layers while quilting. using your choice of decorative stitch (or plain, if you prefer) quilt vertical lines into this quilt sandwich. i did not plan placement of my stitching lines… but you may want to for a more grid-like finished appearance. remember that there will be additional lines added at 5 1/2″, 11″ and 16 1/2″ for the pocket seams. i chose to just play using the decorative stitches on my machine and a variegated rayon thread. set aside.
i’ve decided i’m having too much fun making pattern row counters. i need to share the joy….
and i also need your advice on pattern sugestions for my rose handspun.
so, tell me what you think my latest handspun should be, and i’ll put your name into a hat. each pattern suggestion gets a draw (not just each person). on sun. june 24th, i’ll pull a name and the winner will get a set of pattern row counters (one each of 2, 3, & 4 row counters). if i end up using a pattern sugestion, the the person who suggested it (first, in case of multiple suggestions) will also get a set.
(i’ll post the prize sets soon…)
