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my creative space

wendy johnson toe up diagonal sock

Is it any surprise that knitting is in my creative space today? I finally cast on the sock that was on my to-do list. When I took it to knitting group tonight, I think everyone was shocked that I didn’t bring a crochet project. I was shocked that most of them had brought crochet projects.

While we’re still on the subject of knitting, let me tell you a little gauge story. A few weeks ago when I had a lot on my mind and life was kind of crazy, I did a gauge swatch for this sock. I got the proper amount of stitches and then abandoned the sock until I was on retreat. Last weekend was so relaxed and peaceful. Can you guess what happened when I cast on? Yep. The sock was huge! I had to go down a needle size and eliminate four stitches. (I refused to go down to a size 0 needle.) Just an example of how our mood and emotions can affect our craft.

progress report: In case you are following along, I’m almost finished that to-do list of mine. The two linen skirts have been hemmed and the drawstring has been converted to an elastic waistband so they hang more evenly. I also took pictures for some etsy listings. Just need to find the time to get them listed. Maybe Friday?

pattern notes: Yarn is Sockittome by Cherry Tree Hill Yarn. Pattern is Diagonal Lace Socks by Wendy Johnson from Socks from the Toe Up. You can download the pattern for free, but make sure to check the errata on ravelry before you start knitting.

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retreat recap: contemplative knitting

contemplative knitting anne ginn

Our Sunday class at retreat wasn’t really a class, but more of an exercise. Anne led us in a morning of meditation and contemplative knitting. I wasn’t sure how this was going to work for me. I’ve never been good at meditation. Things are always popping into my head — what’s for dinner, need to email that file, got to finish the laundry. When Anne suggested we try for 10 minutes I didn’t think I would make it, but she offered a tip that really worked for me. You pick a word — something with no emotional attachment — and when a random thought enters your mind, you say that word to bring yourself back to meditation. It worked. I was really surprised. I went the whole 10 minutes.

Then we tried contemplative knitting. It’s the same type of meditation, but this time with a few balls of yarn and needles in hand. We knit for 15 minutes: any amount of stitches, any stitch pattern. The key is to be aware of the yarn in your hands making each stitch. This time something amazing happened. The random thoughts that went through my mind were no longer about mundane things. They were creative ideas about patterns, designs, projects, color and texture. I still used my word to shake them away, but I was excited that they were there and that I remembered them afterward.

I’m so glad Anne came and shared this with us. I’m hoping to incorporate contemplative knitting into my daily life and creative process. Now I just need find a quiet time in which to practice it.

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retreat recap: fair isle

I usually don’t write about retreat experiences because my mind goes to such a peaceful and relaxing place that a small blog post doesn’t ever seem to do it justice. But there were a few things this weekend that I need to share. First up: the fair isle class.

knitting retreat fair isle class

Thank goodness this was the first class on the schedule because it took a lot of brain power. I knew I was going to be knitting with two yarns, but hadn’t really thought about the how: with two hands…at the same time…picking and throwing. I have never knit the English/American way before!

The teacher was great. She showed us how to do it and somehow we all did—just like that. Following a chart helped keep my mind off of Oh My God I’m Knitting With Two Hands and it just clicked. Once I got the tension in both yarns correct, it was smooth sailing.

knitting retreat fair isle class

My mind is already racing with design ideas. Plus, there’s a whole new world of patterns that are now possible. First on the list is a new fall hat for Bella using the chart we used in class. I can’t wait!

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thrifty thursday: father’s day edition

I could have posted this last Thursday, when I actually found it, but that would have ruined my Father’s Day surprise. There are very few surprises around our house where gifts are concerned, so here it is a week late.

A few weeks ago my husband was looking for some shoe polish and I told him to check the pink wicker basket in the linen closet. Yeah, I know. A pink wicker basket doesn’t seem appropriate for black, brown and cordovan polish, wooden brushes and buffing rags. Then last week, while I was wandering around a church sale not really looking for anything in particular I saw this:

ronson roto shine

Now that’s proper shoe supply storage! I checked it over briefly. It looked ok from the outside. The inside appeared to be filled with old polish tins. I figured I’d throw them out and clean it up later. When I got home and had a closer look, guess what I found!

ronson roto shine

Not only was everything there, but it worked! I was pretty excited. I think for once I actually surprised my husband and he seems to really like it. Now the question is: how well does it work?

church sales: This year church sales have been mostly a bust for me. Usually they are filled with garage sale leftovers. I don’t know if people are holding on to things longer or they are selling more at their sales. I still go to them because they’re inside and it’s much easier to keep an eye on my daughter while I look around. Plus, there’s always such a wide assortment of things that get donated. You never know what you’ll find!

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my creative space

messenger bag refashion

In my creative space today I’m finishing up a messenger bag refashion for a friend. This was a really cool project and I’ll have lots more photos for you once it’s delivered.

farmers market sandwich

Also a quick update on the Kind Diet. I haven’t been trying hard to avoid meat and dairy, but I’m finding it pretty easy and fulfilling to eat other things. I also loaded up on lots of wonderful veggies from the Farmers’ Market last weekend. Lunch today was tomato, hummus and grilled zucchini on whole grain bread. Yum!

I’m looking for more reading material on how the food we eat affects our planet. Any suggestions?

What’s in your creative space today? Join the fun over at Kirsty’s blog!

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wardrobe refashion: another t-shirt

I have not abandoned my dream of many refashioned t-shirts. On a recent 99 cent thrifting spree I found my favorite style t-shirt in my size. Luckily the color didn’t look that great on me, so I took it apart to make a master pattern.

t-shirt pattern pieces

I’ll admit I was feeling a little over-confident when I tried this refashion. Here are a few things I need to pay attention to going forward.

  • Check the fabric! The original shirt is a 1×1 rib, the refashioned shirt is plain knit and has a lot less ease.
  • Make a paper pattern! No matter how hard you try, knit fabric is not easy to trace.
  • Err on the side of too big! Just a tiny bit extra seam allowance would have saved this project.

bmw corral shirt

Honestly, it turned out pretty darn good. I was most worried about the sleeves and shoulders and they are just fine. It’s the rest of the body that’s a little tight. Too bad I didn’t baste and try it on before serging the edges. Doh!

bmw corral shirt

stash: Sadly, I really did like this t-shirt. It’s from one of the worst Formula One races I ever attended. (The front reads “What Race?”) Ha! Guess it’s destined to be a tote bag now.

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wool on a spool

Hey, y’all. Sorry for the blog silence. I didn’t mean to disappear. Last week was filled with Serious and Important Decisions. Some were planned, others were not. I was surprised that it affected my blogging because creativity and writing are usually how I deal with those kind of things. I did a lot of mindless crafts — thank goodness for charity blanket squares — and a lot of reading.

spool of wool from pendleton woolen mills

Since my last post, I’ve received some questions about my granny bookmark yarn. I can’t think of a better way to start up the blog again than to tell you about The Big Spool of Wool.

  • It was gifted to me by my friend Lisa. I believe she bought it secondhand. (She’s a thrifty thrill seeker, too.)
  • There is a lot of it.
  • The label says it’s from Pendleton Woolen Mills.
  • So far I have only wound off three colors: tan, navy and red.
  • It smells a little sheepy, but in a good way.
  • It’s rough to the touch, but after working with it for awhile, the lanolin makes my hands feel soft.

spool of wool from pendleton woolen mills

I have used it for packages, gift tags, bookmarks, flowers, vases and little boxes. I’ve just scratched the surface with this stuff. I wonder how long I can go before it gets passed on to someone else. Like I said, there is a lot of it!

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granny bookmark and the kind diet

the kind diet alicia silverstone

My little granny bookmark is finished. Actually, this is my second one. I gave the first one to my mom and now I’m working on a third. I went down a hook size since the first and I think I prefer the tighter stitches for this wool.

The book I’m reading is The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. I just happened to pick it up at the library because it was on display next to the knitting books. I had to give up beef and dairy once before when my daughter had an intolerance. I remember thinking how hard it must be to go vegan because you had to give up even more!

Her book got me thinking, though. Here I am trying to save all of these things from the landfill for a better earth. Then I go out and order a hamburger for dinner. The dairy and beef industry are definitely not nice to our planet! I might have to rethink how I spend my food dollars.

in search of: currently looking for an inexpensive, used version of this book for my home collection.