Ollie's Mom Knits

Kool Aid Experiment: Part 2

2009-08-12T14:42:00.007-04:00

Okay, so I had a tie between combo 1 and 3 and ended up trying 3 (since I didn't know if I could pull off red). I also over dyed a skein of Trekking in yellow and orange. So here are all the pics and a description of what happened. Let's say things didn't turn out as expected!!

Here is the Trekking XXL that I overdyed. First yellow all over then orange in spots.

This is the Trekking after dying, while it is cooling.

And then with the variegated, things didn't go as planned. I read in several places (and some of your comments) that purple was hard to do. But I had heard mixing flavors could lead to a decent purple. So the plan was dye a pink all over and then do one end purple and the middle a brighter pink. This was to be my variegated. So the pink and purple went alright. Thought the purple got a bit carried away and the yarn sucked it up like crazy. At this stage things were more marbled (not intended, but liked and I was forewarned by Rowena that this would occur). So I liked the yarn here and should have stopped. The way the yarn sucked up the purple should have told me things would end badly.

So I didn't listen to my instinct yelling stop, I was having too much fun. And I tried doing a darker pink middle section. I put the yarn in for a second (I swear!!) to see what would happen and didn't like it at all. So I dyed the majority of it the red/hot pink. So the end effect was more of a tye dyed reddish pink and purple. I think next time I will try hand painting any 'variegated' yarn ideas I come up with.

Overall, I learned a lot. I learned that lighter colors need more than one pack to 50gm of yarn. That variegated isn't good unless you do a color study or hand paint. That overdyeing a yarn can be fun. And that you really can't predict the end results. Or at least I can't. Those of you who do this for more than fun and with more experience can...

I will post more pics when the hanks dry. And I will be doing much more yarn dyeing soon!! It was so much fun. Even if I did get carried away.

Kool Aid Experiment: Part One

2009-08-11T14:45:00.003-04:00

I know I have been absent for awhile. I have been blogging over at my Hogwarts site this summer. However fall term is coming to an end in few weeks so you will be seeing more of me here.
Today, I am totally obsessed with the idea of dying my own yarn. I ordered some Knit Picks Bare Superwash in the fingering weight and picked up some colors of Kool Aid. I have been reading and watching videos about this process and am feeling confident that I can do this!! Part two of this experiment will be conducted later this week, so stay tuned for the dying process. Right now I want to take a little poll on which colors you want to see me dye. Here are your choices:
Combo 1 - Yellow, Orange, Red
Combo 2 - Pink and Blue
Combo 3 - Light Pink to a Purple Variegated
Be sure to cast your vote by noon tomorrow. Since I will be dying the yarn as soon as the mailman brings the yarn!!!

Magical evening

2009-06-18T14:31:00.007-04:00

What a magical evening!! For those of you who don't know, the picture above is of Ysolda Teague, myself, and the Elijah's. I stopped by Wonder Knits yesterday evening, on my way to Knitters' Connection, to see how crazy things were for Ysolda's book signing. To my surprise, Ysolda was sitting on the couch, knitting away with staff from the shop!! Unfortunately, I did not get to stay too long, but did get to chat with Ysolda for a bit. I bought a copy of her book 'Whimsical Little Knits' and had it signed. I also got a chance to look at all the wonderful samples she brought with her. Can I say that I was completely shell shocked and felt like I kept rambling on to fill any silence that occurred. I felt like if there was any silence I might freak out a bit. Ysolda was so nice to talk with. She has a nice soft spoken kind of voice with a little hint of a Scottish accent. She said she had gotten to go to Jen's for some ice cream earlier in the day (which is the best ice cream in town I must say). I told her how sad I was to have to leave and we talked a bit about Knitters' Connection. She said she had gotten a chance to meet Cat Bordhi (who's class I am taking tomorrow) and that Cat recognized her! She said that Cat also tried to drown Mousie!! When I left only one other person had stopped in to meet Ysolda and I so hope more came through the evening!! It was such a delight!!

After I left Wonder Knits, I headed to the Convention Center for my lecture with Sandi Wiseheart. I got there a bit early and got a chance to look around the Knitters' Market. There were lots of new vendors this year. I stopped in Ivy Brambles, where I fell in love with a cute little toddler vest!! It only uses one skein of yarn and I bought the color that the sample was made in. Their website tells about how they use nature as the inspiration for their colorways and they do a wonderful job. I only wish I could have purchased more!!

In the lecture, Sandi Wiseheart talked about making sweaters that fit. She did a wonderful job. She told us that really no one can knit a garment exactly from the pattern. We talked about measuring ourselves as homework, ways to make mock garments from the schematics (if they are done accurately), and that we all knit something that will need frogged (even Sandi Wiseheart who made Rogue for her hubby and the sleeves were too long). Lots of other wise knitters added to her presentation at the end as well. It was a very educational and magical evening indeed with knitting celebs all around!!

Can't wait to fill you in on all the excitement in store for Friday and Saturday!!

Curly Stuff

2009-06-05T13:49:00.005-04:00

Lots has happened this week. First off, I went to Shag Hair Studio this week to get a curly girl cut. I had a good portion taken off to get my hair to one length, instead of all those layers. I learned lots from Maria. So I've been practicing new techniques and trying new things. The biggest thing is using conditioner on my scalp once in a while. I have been worried this would be too much for my hair and would leave me looking really greasy. But I tried an exfoliating version of it this morning and my scalp feels clean and my hair is softer! The book, Curly Girl ,talks about using a mix of brown sugar and conditioner on your scalp once a week to exfoliate it. Well, I have been super itchy and have had dandruff since I stopped washing my hair everyday. So far this mix has helped, if the itching persists I am going to try the heavy whipping cream on my scalp, which is recommended in the book for itching in particular. The other thing I have been trying to get right is using clips on my hair to give it some lift at the root and to help encourage more curl/wavy. I feel like this makes the curls a bit looser in the front, but it helps the back. The back of my hair has always been a big problem for me. When I wore it straight it was wavy, now that I want it wavy it wants to be straight!!

In terms of knitting, I did some reorganizing of my stash this week. I stopped at the Container Store and got some cheap stuff (a three drawer plastic organizer thingy) to hold the yarn that was sitting in boxes and bags. I also did the unthinkable and pitched some things. Little bits of scrap yarn that wasn't going to be anything, some unfinished projects that were not ever going to be finished (like the first sweater I started making for Ollie that was in pieces and weird gauges). It felt good to let go of that stuff. Freeing. I still have a box of acrylic to use or donate and I need to make bookshelf space for my books (which are lining the wall now, instead of sitting in piles). I also still need a bigger binder to organize all my patterns which at least are all together now.

Well, that is all the news. I am off to finish my Crazy Monkey sock. I am ready to try out EZ's bind off on it. I'll have to take pics to post next time as I work on it's mate. I have a week and a half to finish it up before Knitters Connection and my Cat Bordhi class!! Can you tell that I am soooo psyched!!

Back again

2009-05-28T14:00:00.003-04:00

Now that the HP swap is over I am back to my regular space. I should have been blogging a few weeks ago, but I suck at it. I pledge to do better. With this pledge I should also add that I might ramble on about things other than knitting frequently too. Let's start with my day...

So, let's start at the beginning. Ollie is signed up for preschool this fall. It's only two days a week for like 2 and 1/2 hours. The catch you ask! He needs to be potty trained. Need I say more? I had been thinking I'd take the doctor's recommendation of 'he'll do it when he's ready.' But I am not sure if that will occur. So with talking about it with several people and everyone seeming to think I should do more to help him out, we tried a diaper free morning. After lots of juice, milk, and salty foods I knew this kid had to go. Around 9:30am the puddles started coming. Each one joined with an 'uh oh' from Ollie. After 6 of those and lots of sitting on the potty I didn't see us going anywhere fast. Then he decided he wanted pants on, so we got some pull ups on (which I was thankful for secretly). So I started suggesting visit to the potty. Well, then came the fits. Ollie hates getting changed and dress, so of course he didn't want the pull ups off and only wanted to sit on the potty with them on. Finally, after both our moods went south, I gave up for today. I continually wonder is he ready, what method should I use with him, and will he ever be ready for preschool this year??? Suggestions are more than welcome. Offers to potty train him for me accepted too!! Ha ha!! ;)

On the knitting front: I have lots of projects on the needles. Three prominent ones. The Funky Monkey from Blue Moon Fiber Arts where I just need to finish up limbs and ears. My toe up socks which aren't going anywhere fast and I need to have completed before I take my class with Cat Bordhi at Knitter's Connection. And my latest cast on of the Pinwheel Blanket. I got antsy and cast this on with some stash yarn. I love the pattern, so easy and calming. So it has been what I have been working on the most, which is so horrible, since I need to finish the other two!!!

Harry Potter Swap anyone?

2009-01-10T14:00:00.004-05:00

I have decided that I need to blog more so that I can get in on this Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap. I found out about the swap on the Ravelry news this week and it sounds like something I would love to get in. It is a 2-3 month long swap. You swap one package with lots of goodies, play games, and get to know some new people. What is not to love about that. My only concern is that too many people will want to be a part of the fun and I won't get in! :0
Here is a link to the swapping fun!

Other than looking forward to swap fun, I also finished my Clapotis this week. I am currently blocking it for a second time. The first time I blocked it way too flat (I wanted to reduce the curling and wash out the color that bled all over my hands when I knit it, but I went way to overboard). So I made it wet again and kind of pushed the dropped stitches together so I hopefully bring back the waviness it had. UGH! I'll post pics soon!

Preschool, snow, and knitting....

2009-01-08T15:34:00.007-05:00

Well let me start by saying that time is flying by. Not only because I haven't updated my blog in forever, but also because I have to think about preschool for Ollie already. He is only two and yet I have to decide if I enroll him for next fall or wait another year. The decisions are driving me crazy. For starters, I really am not ready to think about how fast my baby is growing up and that he might be in kindergarten in two years. And also because I don't know what all I really want in a preschool. So that is my rant for today, since we went to visit our first preschool today.

After that we had to go out and play in the snow. Of course it was only for a minute but it was fun anyway. We would have stayed out for longer, but Ollie's mittens would not stay on his hands and I was not going to let him try to play in the snow with out them!! Here he is running around and lovin' it!

One of my resolutions this year is to knit a bunch of socks (the other to knit the sweaters I just got yarn for) and I am off to a good start so far. I signed myself up for a sock class on how to knit 2 socks on one needle at a time. So the supplies I ordered from Knit Picks came today. I got the book and needles I need for the class and some yummy yarn. The Knit Picks Felici in the Gelato colorway. I am thinking of making some Jaywalkers or cable ribbed socks with this yarn. I have to add that it is so soft!

I also have been working on the Waving Lace Socks from Interview's Favorite Socks book. I am knitting them up in Regia Silk which Hubby got me for Christmas. I have to say it is also a lusciously soft yarn!

I also finished my first pair of sock weight yarn socks this week. I knit them up in a simple ribbed pattern to show off the Harry Potter yarn I scored from Nextvangogh. (Thanks again by the way!) The colorway is Dumbledore. So in love with these!

Well, I will end by saying a sock knitting addict has been born!

Updates galore

2008-12-03T16:25:00.007-05:00

FO's

Some things that I finished a while ago and never took pics of:

A simple ribbed hat for my dad

And a mason-dixon washcloth for my grandmother (which I ended up knitting in cotton instead of the cotton chenille).

Another WIP

The Lanaloft I bought was screaming my name and I had to start knitting with it. The girls from Knit Knite talked me into the clapotis (instead of the bag, and not that I really needed much convincing). I have to say that I am totally in love with knitting this and am so behind on my Christmas knitting! (Sorry mom but those slippers might not get finished before our family Christmas and they might end up being a birthday present instead...)

Sesame Street Live

Even though this was a few weeks ago now, I had to say that Ollie loved seeing Sesame Street! He was glued to the stage the whole time!! Here he is totally into the show and wearing the wonderful wallaby I knit him!

Hedgehogs?

2008-11-19T15:53:00.005-05:00

Well, I finished the Huggable Hedgehog yesterday. This was my first felted item and I was surprised how well it went. I had been worried because I have a front loader washing machine, but it all went very well. I love the hedgehog and plan on making more. I think Ollie likes it too and he is surprisingly good at saying hedgehog.

I started on a Mason Dixon washcloth in cotton chenille yesterday. I am not sure what I think about it yet. I feel like the pattern is easy, but I think I should have gone down a needle size and gotten a plain color yarn instead of the print yarn that I got.

I also am super excited to say that I won tickets to take Ollie to see Sesame Street Live today from 'Good day, Columbus', a local talk show on channel 4. It isn't something I typically watch, but I usually put on channel 4 for the news and tabloid type shows at lunch time. Well, we had an early lunch today and this show was on talking about Sesame Street Live coming this week. At the end they gave away tickets and low and behold I was caller 5!! Can't wait to go!!!

When it rains, it pours...

2008-11-12T13:38:00.006-05:00

Well, let me start with the fact that I waited two hours for my dentist appointment yesterday afternoon. I don't know exactly what happened. The waiting room was full when I got there and a whole family went back with my hygienist a little after my appointment time. Well, two hours later they still had not come out! So, needless to say I left. That was where my bad luck started, with the loss of two hours.
Then this morning, when I went to take a shower, I noticed a soft spot on the floor. Yes, water is getting in under the flooring in one corner by the shower. So, I am freaking out thinking that the whole floor needs replaced. I go in the basement to see if there is a water spot, where the water got all the way through the floor. Fortunately, there is not any water coming through the floor, but I notice something else. Lint all over the back of the crawl space. And a piece of venting hanging down. I think 'where is THIS coming from?' The dryer of course. Which we just replaced no more than 3 months ago. Thank God the house hasn't burnt down before now.
So now I have calls to make about the shower and the bathroom floor, plus the dryer vent. So, what happens... my phone line goes out! Thought the problem was fixed last year when the phone line went out anytime you used it (or so it seemed).
Well, all I have to say is when it rains around here, it really does pour!! UGH!!!
On the bright side, I scored some beautiful Brown Sheep Lanaloft yesterday. 3 skeins of Turquoise Magic (it's a bit more on the green side than the picture shows). But I can't decide if I should use it for a felted bag or a scarf of some sort (maybe a baby clapotis)? What do you think?

First Post

2008-11-09T06:29:00.016-05:00

So I decided to give this blogging thing a try again. Hopefully I can keep up with things better this time.

Lots going on to tell about. First I wanted to post some pictures of Ollie from Halloween. We took him trick-or-treating for the first time this year. He was really excited about it and we went with our neighbors and their two girls. We went to a few houses on our street and Ollie was not scared of some of the neighbors who put masks on (one even dress as the family guy.) Ollie now associates the term 'trick-or-treat' with candy and says YUM, when he talks about it!

I have been knitting like crazy lately. I have a full plate for the upcoming holiday season. I did manage to get some hats finished before starting on gifts. Here is my first fair isle project, a Norwegian star ear flap hat for who else but Ollie.

I also got my hat attack hat in the mail yesterday. It is knit up in some luxurious Malabrigo (now I have to say YUM). And the package had four skeins of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes and two skeins of Palette! I couldn't have imagined death would be so sweet!