crafty update

[snugglekitty]

Recently I've been wanting to spend a whole day working on craft projects. That hasn't happened, but I have spent several afternoons working on them, and I'm feeling pretty good about that.



First, I had 7j try on her vest. At that point, I had finished the front and back but not started on the finishing. I'm really glad I did that, because in spite of fitting the measurements I had made, it didn't fit HER correctly. Creating garments is challenging! Anyway, I frogged back the front of the vest so that the v-neck will go down far enough, and I may also make it longer, per her request. I just have to figure out how much extra work that's going to be. Still, it's nearly done. mrpet made me sad when he reminded me of the Pareto Principle - 80% of the time and resources needed for the project will go into the final 20% of getting it done. Weh. Very likely true, though. I've never been a big fan of finishing knitted projects - I like starting them better.

Second, I washed and hung some lightweight burgundy wool that I'm planning to use to make a vest for myself (and possibly a matching bag). This yarn is variegated in a really pretty way, similar to Cascade 220 in Garnet (9341. I frogged it from a Goodwill sweater, so the washing was muy importante. Now it's ready to be swatched. I'm planning to use an openwork stitch pattern so that I can wear the vest in the spring, too.

Third, I went in for another round of felting. I decided to make a small bag in order to swatch for the swash-busting felted striped tote featured in Alterknits. I thought that as long as I was going to swatch for felting, it might as well be useful. It turned out pretty well, in my opinion, although it took suuuuch a long time. It only shrank a few inches the first time, and a few more inches the second time. It created a bag that is long and skinny, instead of just rectangular. I don't know whether I'll use it as is or cut it down. But in either case, it will help me to make better predictions about what the yarn will do in the bigger project, and allows me to start that project whenever I'm ready, now. I'm thinking I might wait until the vest is done so I can use the same set of needles.

Finally, I swatched for a project for mrpet. I have been owing him a project, with some yarn he bought me, for a while. It was very nice sock yarn in a colorway called Black Purl. While in the skein, it looked charcoal gray with bold purples. Alas, swatched it looks pale grey with pink. Not exactly pet colors. He's going to try to swap it for something different that I can use to make him socks, after all.

I really wish I could find the digital camera. I miss posting pictures of my crafts.



What are you all working on?

Comments

[cheekymama.livejournal.com]

oh YAY for craft days! I've been working on alot of belly dance costuming recently. Tassel belts, cowrie falls, and the like. I'm going to do some beaded medallion work soon too, since I can't afford to buy antique pieces...I can make my own hmff! LOL

Subject matter.

[any-contingency.livejournal.com]

Well, I've got a couple fun projects, the biggest being a bicycle project for Clara_girl, it's a classic style cruiser with a 7-speed coaster brake rear hub, and a 6-volt, 1/2 amp front hub generator powering LED headlight, tail/brakelight, and potentially, blinkers, with rechargable battery backup. The others are my 72 Triumph Bridgette, and my truck, who I've renamed "Lollette" since the addition of her new landau bars.

[abilouise.livejournal.com]

I got 3 great sweaters from the Central Square Goodwill in one shot that I'm frogging right now, which is exciting because I have never found good ones at Davis Goodwill. I think you buy them all before I get there!

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

And when you make your own, they'll be exactly what YOU want, too!

Re: Subject matter.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Mmm, bikes! What fun!

I love it when people name their vehicles and houses.

As a non-car-geek, what are landau bars?

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Heh heh. Maybe I do - the only time you wrote about finding one there, I had seen it and rejected it. But I haven't been there in almost a month now - I have a big pile of frogging sweaters and I don't want to be greedy.

Landau bars

[any-contingency.livejournal.com]

Well, landau bars are the "S" curved chrome trim on the back of a funeral coach. They source back to the horse-drawn funeral coaches, which often had canvas roofs, with intricate polished linkages for support, which were replicated when motorized hearses came into popularity.

Re: Landau bars

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. Sexxxy.

Wish I knew you when I was a goth chick. *grin*

craft boston

[trouble4hire.livejournal.com]

There was a lot of fiber art at the Craft Boston Exhibition, and a ton of that was felted. There were some neat techniques that made me want to felt stuff. I will tell you more in person, but I wanted to tell you that the world is felting.
Also, I have a digital camera for you borrow. I'm not sure what the loan period will be, since I carried it around with me today and had a lot of fun taking pictures of the mit campus. Maybe M-F you, S-S me?