Even though I've been posting a lot lately (for the 30 Days of Knitting meme), it feels like it's been a while since my last "real" blog post. (Partly, this is because I tend to write those meme posts in batches and just wait to upload them until the right day...)
So, time for a little yarn-craft chat. ;o)
I don't think I ever blogged about how I found another mistake in my Multnomah shawlette... Well, I did. (g) It was pretty far back in the lace section, unfortunately. I tried to fix it, but I just couldn't figure out how to do so. (That's a big part of why I prefer crochet to knitting.) In the end, I ripped it back to the lifeline at the end of the garter stitch section. (I didn't cry, but nor was I particularly happy. This project has been taking me forEVer, seems like.)
Well, I'm finally back past where I was when I found my mistake. (I put in another lifeline toward the end of what I've knitted so far. I can learn; it just takes a while.) So, it's all smooth sailing again, but I'm seriously low on steam as regards that project. I've set it aside in favor of another project, which means this project may be finished in time for autumn to roll around again.
The last time I took a break from Multnomah, I was going to make a lengthwise linen stitch scarf from some variegated yarn I've had since before I really learned to crochet. It didn't take long to realize that I hated knitting with that yarn. (It's wrapped in a strand of shiny white fiber, and that kept getting in the way, splitting.) By that point, though, I was set on using some of the darn yarn, so I made an impromptu crochet scarf, instead. I worked rows of half-double crochet lengthwise, alternating between the variegated yarn and some solid dark grey yarn I had (almost the same line of yarn, but without the shiny thread). To give it a more finished look, I worked a combination single crochet / picot edging around all four sides. It's alright, but not my favorite thing ever, by a long shot... and I still have quite a bit of that yarn left. (I may have another idea for what to do with the remainder, though...)
I've set aside my Scraptastic Novelty Yarn Afghan for the time being. It's just too hot this time of year to crochet a heavy blanket, and this one is turning out to be very heavy and thick. It's more of what I think of as a "rug"-type blanket than a typical afghan.
Last week, I went on a thrift store shopping spree with my mother, grandmother, and one of my aunts. Goodwill was having one of their "10 Items of Clothing for $10" sales, and I went with a special yarn-seeking mission in mind. I was looking specifically for felt-able sweaters, and I found a few-- including one that had already been felted. (By accident, I'm sure. (g))
There was another sweater in a gorgeous pink that had also already been accidentally felted-- but it also had several small holes. I wondered if it might have been moth damage. I don't know how to tell, really, but I put it back (along with another 100% wool sweater with similar holes) just in case. I know very little about the sort of moths that damage wool, but I've read that if you see signs of possible moth damage in thrift store sweaters, you should run away (preferably screaming). I wonder if the felting process (hot water, soap, hot air) would be enough to kill any possible moth eggs/larva. I suspect it's possible, but I was afraid to bring them home, this time. (Since writing that, I've done a little more reading, and it sounds like felting it/washing in hot water and detergent might have been enough of a precaution.)
I also ended up bringing home some non-feltable sweaters that I plan to unravel for the yarn.
I'm going to be busy felting / unraveling for a while. I've already started, but there's still a lot of unraveling ahead of me-- and two sweaters still to felt. (And then I need to decide what to make with the felt. I have a few ideas, but nothing definite.)
Oh, and I picked up a vintage sheet, too. Compared to the $1 sweaters, it wasn't such a steal at $3.??-- but I liked it, and it's still not a bad price for vintage fabric, so why not? It's a pretty small splurge. I'm not sure what I'll do with the sheet. I have another (mostly pink, green, and white) vintage sheet that I bought from a thrift store a long while ago-- and some other fabric (that I'll maybe write about another time) that I might use together in a simple quilt. But I already have a couple of rag quilts "in progress"-- and I have that string quilt kit my mother made for me over a year ago (that I really would like to make)...
I wonder if I can convince the sewing machine to cooperate? As much as I love crochet and knitting, sewing is much more of an instant gratification type of craft, isn't it?
Here are the two vintage sheets:
Ok, enough chatting. Time to be productive (and figure out what to photograph to fit the "Craft Tools" description for Day 2 of the Month of Craft Photos)!
So, time for a little yarn-craft chat. ;o)
- - - - - - -
I don't think I ever blogged about how I found another mistake in my Multnomah shawlette... Well, I did. (g) It was pretty far back in the lace section, unfortunately. I tried to fix it, but I just couldn't figure out how to do so. (That's a big part of why I prefer crochet to knitting.) In the end, I ripped it back to the lifeline at the end of the garter stitch section. (I didn't cry, but nor was I particularly happy. This project has been taking me forEVer, seems like.)
Well, I'm finally back past where I was when I found my mistake. (I put in another lifeline toward the end of what I've knitted so far. I can learn; it just takes a while.) So, it's all smooth sailing again, but I'm seriously low on steam as regards that project. I've set it aside in favor of another project, which means this project may be finished in time for autumn to roll around again.
- - - - - - -
The last time I took a break from Multnomah, I was going to make a lengthwise linen stitch scarf from some variegated yarn I've had since before I really learned to crochet. It didn't take long to realize that I hated knitting with that yarn. (It's wrapped in a strand of shiny white fiber, and that kept getting in the way, splitting.) By that point, though, I was set on using some of the darn yarn, so I made an impromptu crochet scarf, instead. I worked rows of half-double crochet lengthwise, alternating between the variegated yarn and some solid dark grey yarn I had (almost the same line of yarn, but without the shiny thread). To give it a more finished look, I worked a combination single crochet / picot edging around all four sides. It's alright, but not my favorite thing ever, by a long shot... and I still have quite a bit of that yarn left. (I may have another idea for what to do with the remainder, though...)
- - - - - - -
I've set aside my Scraptastic Novelty Yarn Afghan for the time being. It's just too hot this time of year to crochet a heavy blanket, and this one is turning out to be very heavy and thick. It's more of what I think of as a "rug"-type blanket than a typical afghan.
- - - - - - -
Last week, I went on a thrift store shopping spree with my mother, grandmother, and one of my aunts. Goodwill was having one of their "10 Items of Clothing for $10" sales, and I went with a special yarn-seeking mission in mind. I was looking specifically for felt-able sweaters, and I found a few-- including one that had already been felted. (By accident, I'm sure. (g))
There was another sweater in a gorgeous pink that had also already been accidentally felted-- but it also had several small holes. I wondered if it might have been moth damage. I don't know how to tell, really, but I put it back (along with another 100% wool sweater with similar holes) just in case. I know very little about the sort of moths that damage wool, but I've read that if you see signs of possible moth damage in thrift store sweaters, you should run away (preferably screaming). I wonder if the felting process (hot water, soap, hot air) would be enough to kill any possible moth eggs/larva. I suspect it's possible, but I was afraid to bring them home, this time. (Since writing that, I've done a little more reading, and it sounds like felting it/washing in hot water and detergent might have been enough of a precaution.)
I also ended up bringing home some non-feltable sweaters that I plan to unravel for the yarn.
I'm going to be busy felting / unraveling for a while. I've already started, but there's still a lot of unraveling ahead of me-- and two sweaters still to felt. (And then I need to decide what to make with the felt. I have a few ideas, but nothing definite.)
Oh, and I picked up a vintage sheet, too. Compared to the $1 sweaters, it wasn't such a steal at $3.??-- but I liked it, and it's still not a bad price for vintage fabric, so why not? It's a pretty small splurge. I'm not sure what I'll do with the sheet. I have another (mostly pink, green, and white) vintage sheet that I bought from a thrift store a long while ago-- and some other fabric (that I'll maybe write about another time) that I might use together in a simple quilt. But I already have a couple of rag quilts "in progress"-- and I have that string quilt kit my mother made for me over a year ago (that I really would like to make)...
I wonder if I can convince the sewing machine to cooperate? As much as I love crochet and knitting, sewing is much more of an instant gratification type of craft, isn't it?
Here are the two vintage sheets:
- - - - - - -
Ok, enough chatting. Time to be productive (and figure out what to photograph to fit the "Craft Tools" description for Day 2 of the Month of Craft Photos)!