More Steampunk

More of the projects I made for the Steampunk Swap.

Wire, beads, ribbon, and pearls what’s not to love?


The pattern is Sweet Nothing a knitted wire and bead choker.


Being my first time knitting with wire it came out a little derpy. And by a little derpy I mean fantastic but not quite even and that bothers me. I love it anyway and I will be making more.

Checking up on Ethereal August

More projects that I made for the Steampunk Swap.

These turned out great. However, if I had noticed the Elm Leaf lace pattern was the same lace as the Zokni I might have picked a different lace cuff.

The pattern is well written and clear, after all it is a KnitSpot pattern, it’s just a person failing on my part that I don’t like knitting these particular lace leaves. At least it’s over quick

What did I like knitting? The handspun silk cocoon strippings yarn. The yarn turned out even better than I could hope. It has a subtle rustic shimmer and a nice crisp hand that loosens with use and comes back with a wet blocking. I bought the bag of cocoon striping as Midwest 2005? when I took the silk weaving class from Karen of Treenway Silks. I've been spinning it off and on ever since.

I made a matching Lace Choker. I knit it the night before shipping so I loosely followed the pattern not having time to master new techniques. Picot Cast On wasn't hard but as my first try it was coming out with tension issues. Instead, I knit it from the top down and did a crochet cast off. I'm going to knit one for me following the pattern

A delicate set, refined and rustic with a hint of dystopia about them, perfect for the refined space pirate.

Single Skein September

Right, I'm posting the theme when the month is almost over. Steampunk swap has been all consuming of my crafting time and it was super secret. It's now been safely received so I can share.

My Cog Lily Fascinator made from one skein of M&K Linen.

I just eyeballed it and knit it not using a pattern. Crocheting around the wire was a challenge. Even more challenging was tucking all the wire ends away. I have nightmares of them getting caught in the hair. The pose-ability of the petals is worth it.

I attached it to an alligator hair clip and embellished with a flower pin and a cog. I’m quite pleased with how it turned out.

I'm going to have to make more hair things since it's impossible to buy a small bag of alligator clips.

Steampunk

Ethereal August was all in the preparation for Steampunk epicness. I'll get to that later. Maybe next week.

And now onto the epic box from senjiva.

The first thing I opened was a beautiful project bag

I was distracted by the loot and didn’t look at it closely so more on it later.


Next was a cheerful small project bag and it was just stuffed full. Thank you for the Burt’s Bees lipbalm. I’m wearing it now and it smells delicious.

I clapped my hands with glee when I pulled out the chatelaine. It holds a locket, scissors, needle case with darning needles. There is also the sweetest hand made with love charm. senjiva I’m truly touched that you made me this. The chatelaine alone would have been enough but there is so much more in the box.

I love to read. This is a steampunk zombie book. Steampunk Zombie! I’ve only started it but the main charter is my favorite type, an ordinary woman. A factory worker, maybe poorer than most. I can’t wait to get to the burning dirigible. It’s about here in the unwrapping that I notice the ordinary woman theme of the package. senjiva did her stalking well.

This bookmark pleases me to no end. When I use it I feel special and fancy. Thank you. It’s little luxuries like this that brighten a day.

More small luxuries in not one, but two embroidered hankies. They are as delicate as air and perfect.

A needle threader which is so useful since my morning tremors are starting to become afternoon tremors and small tasks like threading a needle aren’t as easy as they used to be.

Buttons! Cog Buttons!! I’ve wanted these ever since the teaser photo went up. I even looked for them locally but couldn’t find any. I’m going to use them on Dimorphous Mittens and I’m very excited about it.

I let Kiddlet open this package and the first thing he did was this.

It took some doing to convince him it’s worn like this. I love the newsboy brim. The faded indigo blue is beautiful. The copper buttons are wonderful. It fits me like a dream in every way, my head, my style, it’s perfect!

a top hat for me to decorate. I see some goggles here. And maybe silk roses.

Wonderful tea in the best packaging.

Gorgeous cards! I love the gilt. I’ve already used them. Thank you

Tea biscuits barely show because I needed a close up. First is the Mango Ginger candy. I love mango and ginger I didn’t know I could have both in a candy. They are wonderful. Sweet and chewy with a kick at the end.

Finally, and this one made me laugh senjiva you won the day. You found a foot cream with hand knit socks and cogs. Cogs! Hand knit socks! I love it! Love.It.

(update, senjiva is friends with the publishing house that distributes this foot cream to yarn stores and cogs were put on one just for me)

We have to come back to the project bag. It wasn’t until everything was unwrapped that I truly looked at it. The simple drawstring bag is deceptively cool. First off it has a pocket on the inside. This is a most useful feature and I appreciate it. There is the sweetest little tag inside too. The top has a neat closure. senjiva I’m so impressed!

Because I love the chatelaine so very much.

Thank you senjiva everything is perfect.

Howtown Swap

A great big thank you to Wyndfire for sending me this most amazing taste of Arizona.

I opened a large box that was so full that it was bursting with the State seal on top so I knew where I was visiting right away.

First is a jar of the Absolutely Delightful the most aptly named Prickly Pear and Mesquite honey. It starts with a light floral and fruit notes, explodes with mild sweetness, and ends with a smokey bitter finish. The taste is just dripping of the wild west.
Next is balsamic vinegar made by Queen Creek Olive Mill. Balsamic vinegar is a weakness of mine and I'm exited to add it to my collection. I haven't opened it yet but I'll reach for it first when I make my chickpea chorizo salad this weekend.
At this point I was sensing a theme and right I was. Next out of the box came Arizona grown chilies, a hot pad with an Arizona map, Arizona cook book (I'm making Calabaza Con Queso tonight!), and the sweetest crochet hot pad in the sate colors made by Wyndfire!

As much as I love cooking sometimes a person just wants to snack. The potato chips disappeared so fast that all I have is the empty bag to document they really existed. They were good like a dream and gone just as fast.

The Cactus Candy is made just down the road from Wyndfire's office.
It's deliciousness coated in sugar
(arty photo to make up for the bad one of the vinegar)

Now onto the state with maps and brochures and native flowers. I was flummoxed by Chocolate Flowers until I read Wyndfire's description saying there really are flowers that smell like chocolate. How cool is that? And just now I realized such a brilliant way to send chocolate in the 100 degree heat. Over in the corner is a mixed CD of music. How thoughtful. I'm touched in the care Wyndfire took in making it.

Now that my insides are fed to decorating my outsides. Stunning earrings in my FAVORITE gem amethysts which are found in Arizona along with the state gem turquoise. I lovelovelovelove them. The state mineral is copper represented in the bracelet. Finally, the coolest jade buttons made by the local company Greenbeans.
An Apache Tear (obsidian) and the story to go with it. I have a small display of very special rocks that I added this to.
Pima cotton yarn because pima cotton is native to Arizona named after the Pima Indians that grew it. It's a beautiful color and I can't wait to use it.
Remember the earrings? If anything could be better than those fabulous earring it would be this! Amethysts and turquoise stitch markers!!! And not just the regular stitch markers, oh no, but movable counting stitch markers! You know those patterns that say
repeat pattern 4 times and do decrease row, and about half way through line 11 of the pattern you've forgotten is this is your second or 3rd time through? No more going cross eyed while counting rows because these markers do the counting!!!
Patterns by Arizona designers. Too cool! I can't wait to knit them. (and crochet, although that one looks scary hard)




Looks good, doesn't it?

Thank You Wyndfire for a fabulous swap box.

Ethereal August

Christmas in July is over and all the knitting is super secret so nothing to show. I have a nice dent in the list but it isn't finished. There will be another big push in November.

Also, I maybe need to pair down my list of people I knit for. It just might be out of hand. 15 doesn't sound like too many until I'm actually working on the projects. I need to get it down to 10 or even 7 or learn to sew. People tell me sewing is faster.

Since July was about knitting for other people here is a project I can show. This is what I knit for my spoilee in the zoo swap.
It's Giraffe from Itty-Bitty Toys. Itty-Bitty Toys is the best knitting book I've run across this year. The patterns are easy, well written, and just fun to knit. The cute in that book is unbearable.

I knit the whole thing out of stash yarn. The body is Mission Falls 1824 cotton that I stocked up on the first time they went out of business. The hooves are Brown Sheep Cottonfleece I've had since about 2004. The spots and mane are Knit Picks Crayon and as such are just so soft and fuzzy and pettable.

The best part of the whole thing is he is bigger than Joey! That tickled me to no end as I knit.


Now onto Ethereal August. It's too hot to knit. It's really too hot to have a large project in my laps. So this month will be lace. Wispy, airy, little bits of nothing lace.

Pet Platypus

My Zoo Swap box came in the mail and look at what waddled out...

My very own Platypus!
Isn't he the cutest?
He came all the way from Idaho

First out was a skein of 100% recycled silk yarn. It's so pretty. The colors just glow.

Next out was a skein of hand dyed sock yarn in the colorway Playful Playtpus. Everything about this yarn is perfect. The colors are my favorites. It's a tonal variegation so will look great in a patterned sock. It has tweed flecks!!! A yarn couldn't be more perfect.


Next out was the spinning fiber. A fabulous pure white Corriedale. It's so clean with a nice crisp hand and beautiful crimp. It was the wonderful heady smell of clean wool. Soap and lanolin and sunshine and sheep. I'm just back from a 3 day spinning workshop and I can't wait to use what I learned on this fiber.
And the most wonderful, cuddly, sweetest, knit Platypus. I love him.

sheltiemama you nailed it. Everything is just right and so me. Thank you.

Christmas In July

Not wanting a repeat of last year I started my Christmas/New Year's knitting early this year. Of the 10 people I knit for 5 are already finished. July is dedicated to finishing more. Wouldn't it be great to finish all Christmas knitting in the summer? The best part it's super secret knitting.

This is a good time to pull out the photos of last New Year's sweaters. Icelandic sweaters from The Best of Lopi knit in Encore Worsted.




The patterns call for a bulky weight yarn not worsted. I did a little math and cast on the size with the right stitch count and then knit the length to fit.

Mid Year Review

I'm writing my midyear review at work and what an unpleasant task. So I decided I should take on a quick fun review of life. A review of New Year's Resolutions.

1. Empty my storage unit. It took 6 months but it is done.done.done. Done after a trip or 3 this weekend to gather the last bit of debris and detritus. I said it was going to be hard. I didn't even know. Financially, emotionally, and logistically. Nothing ever goes smooth but I like having all my stuff available to me. With it locked away it felt like I was waiting for my life to begin again. I have books again. A loom in the living room again. It feels wonderful.

2. Be wound just right. I started strong. Jan, Feb, and March A+. April B. May c-. June F.

A month that involves paying overnight shipping for a deadline, staying up late and getting up early to finish knitting for a deadline, asking for an extension on another deadline. Taking 3 scissors with me to a conference; one in my purse, one in my totebag, and one in my suitcase and yet with my taking my purse and totebag with me everywhere I go, not once did I have scissors with me in a class that called for them on the supply list. Loosing every pen I touch, and writing a check for Two-fifty instead of two.50.

Pretty much to be expected with the work load I've taken on and I love it. Everything was dealt with and nothing bad happened but it's time to regroup. As much as I can with Midwest 2013 looming on the horizon.

It doesn't need to be said that Vestune is spilling over into other months. I did knit up 3 of the 8 balls of the Tailored Vest but it's going into time out since the knitting load in July is high enough without it.

3. Knit 6 pairs of work socks each to match it’s own particular work shirt 1 pair done


4. Knit 6 balls of stash sock yarn knit into anything 9 done

Not bad for 6 months.

Vestune

Mittens in May is over. What a busy month and not busy with knitting.


I did finish a little mitten Christmas tree ornament.

One adult sized mitten started.

Now it's onto Vestune when I knit a vest in June. June is going to be even busier than May. I tried to think of a different project for June but I just like saying Vestune too much. I'm going to go cast on now. We will see how it goes.

A Platypus and a Hedgehog Walk Into a Bar

Every have one of those days when you feel like you're really good at everything?... No? Um... ok, then... me neither...But really? No?

This whole weekend is awesome sauce on toast!