Finally done

The Eggplant sweater... done, finished, over with. Guess what? Liza D.V. said she thought it looked oriental so I played with the idea of Frogs instead of buttons.. but the more I worked the more it looked like a Gi. So.....after all that yatta yatta.....no buttons. I'm going to use a stick pin instead. Will post pictures tomorrow.. ahem.. after I make the pin. :)

Button Band

For those of you keeping track. The button band was completed and as I bound it off I realized it was total crap!! It was to soft and fell and hung and was really ugly. Talked over solutions with some friends and decided to Rippit (frog speak) all out and knit it in garter stitch on slightly smaller needles but the short way.. horizontally. Then sew it on. I'm still praying the buttons work but if, for some reason, they don't I've been reminded, Pffft, that I'm a potter... I can make my own freaking buttons...lol

Spindle Spinning

I've been recently asked how to spindle spin. I won't bore you with the long explaination but I thought the resources I gave this lady might be helpful to people cruising my blog.
I'd like to recommend the book:
Connie Delaney, Spindle spinning Novice to expert.
also this website: I can spin
which has quicktime videos on several methods of spindle spinning.
There are tons of sites but these 2 things helped me the most. Terri Shea was also a HUGE help making everything make sense.
See..even Dark Crystal spins... she weaves too..all over the house!!

Eggplant Diagonal Sweater

Well its almost done. Half way threw the button band. Had to take a picture now!! Couldn't wait!!
The yarns are both handspun. It started out to be a vest.. but somewhere along the line I realized..HELL, I don't wear vests!! So, I had to design sleeves. I had to find a yarn that would compliment the body.. I RAN OUTA YARN!! Thats why it took 2 years to finish. While I was moving my yarn in to Marshalls old bedroom (now known as the Blue Room) I ran across my very first roving (God, I love Ebay). Marie and I had nicknamed it "The Bloodclot" its actual name is "Midnight Rose". Either fits it. It has bits of the same eggplantish color in it. So, I spun up the rest. Its hard after spinning for 2 or 3 yrs. Perfecting my thin and uniform yarn to have to go back and spin like a Noobie.. fat skinny. But thats what I had to do. You see I'd spun up about half of it already. It had to match.. didn't it?
I worked a little chevronish pattern up the sleeves. To make it match the diagonal knit body .. which was actually knitted diagonally. I thought that it would be a challenge but turned out to be real easy.
The Buttons in the top picture are VERY old. I'm not certain how old. They are Plastic or Bakalite (spelling). My mother told me they came off Great Aunt Goldies Mink coat when mom cut it down to a Jacket. I still have some of the mink. I made antique doll coats out of it. I used to collect dolls. Anyway, Goldie would be 105 now so...who knows how old the buttons are. I checked them with the Magnifier and they look solid. Cross your fingers they don't disintergrate or burst into flames or something.

This is Marie- who also Knits and Spins

Entrelac Sweater to start on Monday... I hope!

This is what I hope to be starting this week in the yarn below in the multicolor with the lime for the sleeves. It will be much more pastel then the picture. All colors are Plied with white..lol. But, I was playing with the dumb little Paint program that comes with windows and this is what I came up with.
These are the actual colors I'm working with.

For the last several weeks I've been working on the sleeves for a Grape colored diagonal sweater that I knit 2 years ago. I've been having to spin the yarn as I go. I think that part of the work is done but the knitting is only about 95% done. I will post a picture when its done.

Also, this week, my husband Bill and I worked on a dresser for our Grand daughter Eryka. Bill found this for $15 at a local junk store. It turned out beautiful with fresh paint and new gold trim. The Mirror was on Wyatt's dresser when he was a child. It looks really nice all painted up.