ZOMG huge post!!!

So how long has it been?? Like, what over a month at least. Since I have been really preoccupied with this huge remodeling project happening in my kitchen, I have been really uninspired in every other part of my life. I promise the next post will show kitchen progress shots... I just have to take them first. My husband has been kicking ass in there. Today he is tearing out the baseboards behind the dishwasher and fridge so everything can sit closer to the wall. He found some loose plaster back there and he went on to fix that too. What a man!

So anyway I have a lot of stuff I make and actually take the time to photograph, but never makes it to the blog. I guess I'm too lazy to write about it. A lot of this stuff was made up around the time of the spring craft fair at Triad High School.

I made a big bad ton of these crocheted hats. I picked out some cool spring colors and went to town on them. I can get one done in about two hours. Kinda basic... kinda mod.
I also came up with this sweet hippy style sling bag based off of this one.
http://stephblue.blogspot.com/2008/04/sling-bag-tutorial.html


I did modify this one a little besides the corduroy patchwork. The base is squared off so you can stuff even more goodies in here. Check out the sweet little string hanging off the left corner. I totally missed that one.

Here is a pair of fingerless mitts I knit up from some of the yarn that I kool-aid dyed. So sweet and bright! I love em.

and once again that darn cat has made it into another pic on the blog. Here is Gypsy just before she dumped over that tin full of seed beads. Stinker.

dye fest continued

Here is Gypsy... she is contemplating all of the animals outside. Why am I here? Why are they there?

Back to business.
Here is what became of all of that stuff I dyed on that Saturday morning oh so long ago...
Sock yarn.

The fourth ball of sock yarn turned into broomstick lace... maybe a scarf someday?
Lovely braids of merino roving.and then some awesome handspun.

I posted the last two on craftster.
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=305977.0

branching out as always

I have been screwing around more and more with my bead stash. Here's a little necklace that has some keltic flavor. The leaf dangle drives me a little crazy, but it really did need something.

well loved and spoiled rotten

I can't believe it!! Joe bought me a Blythe for my birthday. She actually has dark curly hair and everything. He hid the package so I would open it last. I tackled him when I opened it. It has probably been twenty years since I even wanted a doll for my birthday. What a great man to listen to my juvenile ramblings about how I want one of those super rare dolls that were made in the 70's and totally tanked because they are creepy looking, but they have these awesome eyes that change color when you pull a string on the back of their heads and would cost at least 90 bucks for a repro off of ebay because they are not sold in stores anymore. Gorgeous. I think I'll name her Scarlett. Here is a little awesome blythe history...
http://www.thisisblythe.com/blythe_history.php

Saturday morning dye fest

I was off this past Saturday (a rare occasion) and I got out of bed before 9 (an even rarer occasion for a free Saturday). The whole dying process takes about four hours for me.... I know I know I must have OCD with all of the soaking and applying dye and mopping my mess over and over. Why do you put yourself through it all??? I have no answer. Here are a couple of pics of the process. I painted up some commercial yarn and some roving. I'll have finished photos when I go out and get some batteries.
Here is painted green to pink sock yarn with way to many cups. Every time I experimented with mixing a new color it just ended up looking like burgundy. I think about five of those cups are some shade of burgundy.
You gotta steam the stuff to hold the color. Big pot.

Triad Craft Fair

Here are a couple of pics from the Triad High School craft fair. The turn out was kind of slim. I had kind of low expectations anyway since the weather was warm. Everybody out in their yards instead of indoors like I was all weekend. I don't have another event for a while but I am ready for break from this stuff. Here's the booth. I have a lot more inventory this year than last year. I'm really proud of what I came up with.
Here is a quick pic of last years booth. I have mostly the same items, but more to pick from this year.

The past week or so

Here are some of the things I have been experimenting with lately. While the mister was out at one of his poker games or something, I got up the nerve to dye up some roving. I used this tutorial and it actually turned out the way they describe. http://gfwsheep.com/rov.inst/rov.inst.html


This stuff is merino. It wasn't hard to spin. I just came up with the awful realization that I really should have a bigger flier on my wheel so I can spin up more yardage of the bulkier yarns. The kit I'm going to need for that is around $150. Geez. For now I'm going to have to deal with the smaller sections. Here is what happened with my handspun roving. I'm still pretty happy with it.
Yep. Pretty awesome.

I still sew these days. I constructed some patchwork pouches for the upcoming spring craft fair at Triad.

I really have a thing for bright colors on black backgrounds. Yet again I have another shameless cute cat pic. Gypsy is getting a little slower now that she is less of a kitten. I love those eyes.