Day 7.....

We have hit the motherload of crafting in Hunstanton. It is a great little seaside town with lots of amusement parks for kids and stuff, but under the surface lurks the heart of crafting! I wanted to come here because I had found through some research that there was a quilting store here. As I'm so jealous of all the gorgeous fabric I've been seeing on all the weblogs I had to have some! I've actually found that there are two really nice fabric stores here and a craft store where I bought some great beads! I can't wait to get to work on them. It is the only pain really of not going home at the end of the day...I don't have everything I need to get on with some crafts I get the ideas from. I'm writing everything down though! We shall see how it goes!

Day five of vacation....

doing well. We have had 2 days of doing NOTHING! Which has been great. Rich has rested, I've kept the cold sort of at bay, and I've managed to get a book read and a project done! So I feel pretty good. We are in Norwich at the Beautiful Library here. There are actually books!!! It is gorgeous...glass etc but done in such a way the books are protected...which is important to me!

Anyway, done with my blanket for Tobin...even have the ends woven in. It turned out that I had stitched the one side wrong, so I didn't have to re knit any of it...but I did have to restitch it 4 times before I finally made it work! It looks fine, and truefully he will never use it because they live where it is way to hot for a wool blanket. Hopefully he will enjoy it a bit anyway.

I've started doing a gauge swatch for my socks so that I can figure out what that is. I had read the the best way to do that with double pointed needles, was to carry the yarn across the back and knit only in one direction, since that is how you work the stockingette in the round. So I didn't that. It wasn't as easy as it sounded, but I think it was ok. I've rinsed it out with water and I'll block it and see what the count comes out to be....we shall see!

I also plied my yarn that I was doing and it has turned out ok. I started spinning again last night, but I got fed up because there was a storm coming and the wind was making my headache.

Anyway, tomorrow is Rich's b-day and we are going to go see seals on Blakeny Island and probably Shire horses in the morning. He is really looking forward to that. Today we shopped some and we went to the yarn shop where I'm having the workshop on Sat. Didn't have TONS of yarn...but all was top quality. I will photo and tell all when I'm at home.

Vacation

I will be on vacation from the 27 of June through July 2nd. I will probably still post, but not as often. We are having a quiet trip to Norfolk where I plan on doing lots of crafting, birding, and reading! I've already scoped out the libraries that have internet and we are taking our laptop (well I had to have something to put all my podcasts on....), but I'm not sure how many WiFi places we will come upon!

I hope to have lots of pictures of finished or close to finished projects when I get back!

Check every now and again, I'll post how my vacation is going....especially the crafts!

Interesting Websites....

I've been doing some research on recycling textiles and on craft websites...here are a few thta I've put on my Watch list.....

A communal weblog that has some of the best ideas for crafts that I've come across is:
http://whipup.net/
I found a lot of really cool things under recycling! Actually most of the following I found there!

She has a tutorial for bags that is fab!
www.tinyhappy.typepad.com

This is one of the best recycling textiles sites! It again is communal!
http://wardroberefashion.blogspot.com/

These shows how to recycle yarn from old sweaters...
http://community.livejournal.com/recycledyarn/
http://www.squidoo.com/recycled_yarn/

Lots of great ideas for sewing at her blog...where do they get all the great fabric!
http://cheekybeaks.blogspot.com/

She posts cute stuff!
http://sweet.typepad.com/sweet/

Combination of great stuff!
http://housewife.splinder.com/

German gal that does great kids stuff especially....she writes in english.
http://mangetsu.blogspot.com/

There, that should keep you all busy for a bit!!!!

Sari Bag

Finally got my biased sari bag done. It was a pattern off of Knitty.com. I really enjoyed making. I've had it done for about a month but I hadn't managed to get the lining done. I decided to recycle some muslin that we get our mill worms in. Yes, I did wash the bag! It worked perfect, being just the right size and everything. Just a bit of cutting and sewing and the bag is ready to be taken on our vacation. The only problem is...the handle is too long. That is really strange because I did measure it...but these things happen!

The reason I was able to sew in the lining is....Rich got rid of those stupid computers off of my table in MY craft room...and I can now use my sewing machine and leave out my projects!! I almost wish we were staying home for vacation!

Hot hot hot....here! My hubby has come down with a cold on top of his bad allergies, so he is doing a lot of vegging in front of the telly watching footie....(there I go begin British again!)

First spinning lesson....

So there it is! The first product of my drop spindle! Not half bad. I enjoyed it, liked feeling the wool between my fingers and couldn't stop myself playing with it a bit. Can't remember what wool I used for the grey...but on the spindle....
is Blue Faced Leicester (BFL). (Isn't that cute???) I actually had some more help with the BFL because I was wearing out...and didn't realize it. I was enjoying it so much, I didn't realize we had been going at it for a couple of hours. They just flew. My right hand, which gives me more problems then the other, hurts tonight. I will have another go though, and more tomorrow...and more...well you get the idea.

Thanks so much Julia for all your kindness and help. I really enjoyed my day and will continue to spin my way through the wool you kindly gave me!

I started packing my crafts for the vacation (no clothes yet....not even books yet!) I've got a clear box that is quite large and everything is going in there. If I can't fit it in...it ain't going...to bad sewing machine!! I've contacted a yarn shop in Norwich though that does some workshops and I will have a go there.

Well, it has officially started...I came home to find my hubby sitting watching without even picking up the mail! At least he opened the windows since it is so blasted hot!

What is it about shoes??? I thought I would buy a few pairs of cropped pants for my vacation. So I found three really nice ones, one cheap the others expensive...but it is difficult to get any that fit me so I was happy. Thought I would just take a peek in Shoon a shoe store in Winchester....and what did I do...bought Two pairs. I was saving my money for the vacation...but I couldn't resist. I got a pair of Think that are so comfortable..I hope...I have a pair for winter that I just love....but this pair has lots of straps across the top...and my feet are soooo wimpy!!! I hope I don't end up with blood feet! The others are espidrills(sp) and I love them...but they usually don't go around my ankles! But this pair do! So I had to buy...didn't I???

Anyway, go USA...and England...and Wales...and Scotland...and Ireland...etc etc etc etc..........Actually! Go Knitting World Cup Participants!!!!

Knitting World Cup

Tried to post this last night, but Blogger was not work!

So I've decided that I'm tired of socks that are too big...and too small....(mostly too small....) so I'm going to make me a pair that actually fit for the World Cup. I'm going to use the book I bought "Cool Socks Warm Feet". It has good directions. I've not started the math or anything, I figured that was part of the process. I've got some Opal self striping yarn that I bought at the Quilt show that I will use. If I make a pair that I like, I'll then use the nice pink yarn my secret pal sent me to make another pair. We shall see......I don't like math....but it will be a good experience for me, and will encourage me to work on my knitting math! Stay tuned!

Another finished item...

As promised here is the finished present from my friend Karen's b-day, that is her coffee maker. She really seemed to enjoy it and it matched her kitchen pretty well. The sun bleached out the picture a bit. We had a lovely BBQ at their house on Sat and enjoyed their wonderful backyard. We didn't go in until 9:30 or so. I couldn't believe it was so late! Thanks Karen and Rich for another wonderful evening at yours!

On another note, I've now have another weblog. I decided it would be good to keep this as more of a fiber art/craft blog and so I've made a book blog. I hope that you visit me there if you would like sometime! I hope to include what I'm reading, mystery series information, etc.....well I am a Librarian in training after all! The blog is at www.roomswithbooks.blogspot.com

Thanks Secret Pal!

They are absolutely beautiful! Thanks so much!

Finished and sort of finished projects...

Just in case you think from my last post that I have to many projects to get any of them done?? Well, this should show you that I do manage a few. Above is the washrag from Melanie Falick's book "Weekend Knitting". This will be a gift for my secret pal. I've got a few more of these to make. I'm going to use a smaller needle for the next one, because that is actually HUGE!

I also finished another present that I'm giving today...so there will be a pick of it on my next post!


This second picture is of Tobin's baby blanket...and if you notice that the inside is TO BIG for the border...so the border that I so painstakingly saved a few blogs ago...now has to be resaved! I'm finishing up the other side of sewing first and then see what happens....UGH!

Oh well...hubby is watching the football so it is time to put on the podcast and start doing some felting I think......

Oh...I also bought my drop spindle today. Carole from Webbs Green Farm Wool was so nice on the phone. She suggested that I started with an Ashford but that I will soon want to go see her and buy something a bit nicer. Looking forward to my lesson next weekend!

Trying to prioritize

Hmmm.....lets see. I've got a cabillion things I want to do....so lets see what they are...

*Learn to spin on spindle.....(buy spindle...buy fleece....) Done...now just more practice!
*Finish blanket for Tobin....trouble there...stupid middle is to big for the border....UGH!!!!
*Work on presents for two people (washcloths that should be quick...but still) Done, just need to send one off!
*Make 2 bags out of fabric I've bought
*Work on blanket for Wesley (a nephew who has arrived yet..Aug...must be done by Aug.)
*Learn how to needle felt Done, more practice workshop in October
*Figure out what I'm going to make for Knitting World Cup....probably going to use book I have to make a pair of socks that ACTUALLY fit Have deicded on the socks
*Work on toothbrush rug I'm making with hubby...need more fabric
*Work on knitted Art project
*Do embroidery art project
*make tote bag out of recycled plastic bags....I find myself eyeing colorful bags now...I picked up two bright pink ones left to float around outside!
*do free form vest
*do free form motifs for my pink bag from last year!

Gosh I'm sure there is more!!!! I'm just so jazzed to do things at the moment. I know I should probably calm down and do one thing till finished....but it is very creative to keep the ideas coming. That is what the embrodery project is...it is off the website Inspire me Thursday.

http://www.inspiremethursday.com/

It is basically art, but I think that there ideas are so good and they give you a week to do them. You can't always produce something that quick...but if you check on Sunday or Monday they set the challenge for the Thursday. I'm working on getting myself to be more arty and not rely so much on others patterns. I'm not really a sweater maker anyway. So I will continue to try and have fun.

Another good website that I love look at is www.whipup.net They have lots of inspiring craft ideas and I'm doing some research through their recycled section. I'm still really interested...as I always have been...in useing old clothes etc to make new cool products! So we shall see how it goes.