Monday, May 23, 2011

Collections

After I organized my yarn stash a few months back, I realized how HUGE my stash really is. During the past few months, that stash has only grown. I was gifted a $50 yarn shopping spree for my birthday, Upcycle Exchange opened (see my most recent finds there to the right), and next weekend I'm visiting my grandma who wants me to help organize her stash, and give me even MORE yarn.

Clearly I have become an addict.

Yarn isn't my only addiction collection, though. I also have an affinity for globes/maps, a shelf of antique cameras, and a collection of die-cast pencil sharpeners. Not to mention the now hundreds of books I have that are overflowing out of my three bookcases... I have started on a mission to clean up these collections, and to organize my crafting space and get to work!

So what about all of you out there: What are your addictions/collections?

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Ball Winder

A couple weeks ago I ordered the Boye Electric Yarn Ball Winder. At 40% off I justified the cost against the hand winders that I'd previously had my eye on, and when it arrived on my doorstep this past weekend I couldn't wait to test it out. I've only used it on two small skeins so far, but plan on going through a lot more bits and pieces over the next few weeks.

In testing my new winder out, I did run into a few issues. Even the lowest setting seemed too fast for my liking - at least for starting out. At the speed it went, the yarn tangled more easily and came out from the guide, which caused it to periodically stop and need to other be tapped or turned back off and on. Besides those minor setbacks, I'm happy so far and hope I can work out some of the kinks. My hope is that some of the issues I'm having are my not being used to the winder versus a problem with the winder itself.

If anyone else has this winder and has any tips/tricks or just general comments on it, let me know. Below is the before and after of my first skein, the left over yarn from my phone sock.


Wednesday, May 4, 2011

From muck-up to phone sock

This past weekend I started this pattern for some pretty hand-warmers. Midway through the pattern I realized I'd mucked something up as it wasn't quite matching up with the image. So I altered the pattern a bit, hand sewed up the bottom and side, and ended up with a sock for my phone and/or iPod. All in all not a bad day for a mucked up project.

The yarn I got from a recent raid of Upcycle Exchange (an amazing group you fellow St. Louis crafters should consider joining, or just popping by their new store front for some craft supplies).

Below is the pattern I ended up with:

Phone/iPod Sock Pattern

Yarn weight: Light (yarn didn't have a tag, so I'm estimating)
Suggested Needle Size: 4.00mm

Cast on 34 stitches

Row 1: *k1,p1*
Row 2: *p1,k1*

Repeat Rows 1-2 three times.

Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl

Repeat Rows 3-4 fifteen times.

Row 5: *k2,p2*
Row 6: *p2,k2*

Repeat Rows 5-6 three times.

Fold in half (back of stockinette stitch showing), sew bottom and up side, fold inside out(outside in?) and you're done.