yarn

Break Out the Pom Poms! Eye Candy from a (Mostly) Knitting Show from Gefilte Quilt

Stressed out by the upcoming election? Here's some eye candy from a fabulous yarn show, to distract you while waiting in line to vote, and/or awaiting election results. What could be more enticing than this?

From The Yarn Guys booth

Or these:

Or this: (It's a wall of beads from Bead Biz, of Guilford, CT):

The nice thing about beads sold at yarn shows, I discovered, is that the holes are relatively large - one could conceivably attach them to quilts by machine.

Or this joyously geeky tableau at the Dizzy Blonde Studios booth (creative hair color was ...

added by Cathy Perlmutter 1 week, 3 days ago. under crochet , dye , gradation dyed , knitting , novelty fabric , purse , tote bag , wearable , yarn

Vertices Unite and Knitting Update from Becca's Crazy Projects

The first time I tried to knit Vertices Unite didn't work out very well. I think that was because of my choice of yarn. This time, I grabbed a bunch of superwash worsted (Knit Picks Swish) that Aunt Betty left me. This is great yarn.

I didn't pick the colors before I started. I mostly grabbed what I thought would work for each section. This is the somewhat lumpy shawl before washing.

While this blocking might look extreme, it isn't. Very minimal pulling and pinning but the shape is still pretty awesome. For the record, I still ...

added by Becca 2 weeks, 3 days ago. under 2018 , adventure , aunt betty , craft , crazy , fiber , knit , knitting , maryland , md , project , projects , wool , yarn

Dye Lots Studio from Random Thoughts... do or "di"

It's official, I am a business woman! I have opened my Etsy Store and have had my first few sales. I know it takes time to develop a following, but I am so excited about this new chapter in my life. I wake up every morning with a new idea in my head for a way to dye yarn or a new color combination. I have ideas for collections and color stories, too.

I love the label and logo that my sister helped me create.

Here are a few of my most recently dyed yarns. I really think they ...

added by Diane Stanley 2 weeks, 6 days ago. under crochet , dye lots studio , etsy store , hand dyed yarn , indie yarn dyer , knitting , yarn

I made some little dreidels. I made them out of scraps. They spin like... from Gefilte Quilt

(Sung to the tune of "I had a little dreidel")

I made some quilted dreidels...

...I made them out of scraps (batik scraps, stiff interfacing scraps, gold lamé, etc.)...

...And when I tried to spin them....they spun like cr#p. [End song.] My husband, a physicist, explained that because the buttons and beads are not glued together, they dissipate the energy from the spin, not to mention angular momentum, a phrase I always wanted to type. Oh well. On the brighter side of physics, the lids open and shut...

...one of them has a bobbin at its base ...

added by Cathy Perlmutter 3 weeks, 5 days ago. under applique , batik , chanukah , chanukkah , embellishment , fabric postcards , hanukah , holiday , jewish , judaica , postcards , tutorial , yarn

Hearts And Yarns For October. from Sunburnt Quilts

It seems to take a little longer here, but Spring has arrived. This year it has been gradual with the days steadily warming up but a few cold ones still being thrown in. My trees like to announce the arrival of Spring and the warmer days.

It is time for The October Bunny Hill Hearts to be ready. We have done well with Joan, Shez and Jeanette all working on our little snowies.

My two are ready to show their faces.

As always, one completely in felt and the other with a fabric background.

In the originals they are representing ...

added by karen 1 month, 1 week ago. under felt , work in progress , yarn (Comments)

Springtime Small Fan Crochet Shawl from Becca's Crazy Projects

This is the Small Fans Shawl, a free chart available on Ravelry. This is the second time (at least) I've made this pattern. It's easy to memorize and a good travel project if you can sit quietly to count. Not so great if you're looking for mindless crochet because you do need to keep track of what you're doing.

This is the pre-blocked shawl. I wanted to capture the difference between before and after blocking. While is it perfectly acceptable not to block your work, it can change how the work looks. It depends on what ...

added by Becca 1 month, 2 weeks ago. under 2018 , block , crazy , crochet , maryland , md , project , projects , shopping , wool , yarn

Knitting Update from Becca's Crazy Projects

This is an unnamed shawl. I had an idea of a design I wanted to try. I also had 200 grams of superwash worsted. I decided it was time to test my idea. I worked on this when I didn't have to think too much about the knitting. Stitched in garter stitch, with simple short-row shaping, and a size 8 needle, it was a quick knit.

Here is the shape of the shawl before blocking. A somewhat wing-like shape.

I expected it to grow, but not by as much as it did. Still, a very satisfying finish. I have ...

added by Becca 1 month, 3 weeks ago. under 2018 , adventure , craft , crazy , custom , dye , fiber , knit , knitting , maryland , md , project , projects , tool , wool , yarn

Travel Knitting Holey Chevrons from Becca's Crazy Projects

I like to start a project at the beginning of any trip. This time I decided to make Stephen West's Holey Chevrons. I didn't want serious knitting and this qualifies. Simple garter stitch is perfect for travel knitting. No (or little) counting and you don't have to focus too much.

I grabbed two cakes of striping yarn I dyed in June. I just went with whatever color I wanted to use next.

I made good progress by the time we had boarded for the outbound flight.

Once we reached our destination, I had make excellent progress.

I ...

added by Becca 2 months, 1 week ago. under 2018 , adventure , craft , crazy , custom , dye , fiber , knit , knitting , maryland , md , project , projects , travel , wool , yarn

Making Progress. from Sunburnt Quilts

Bits and pieces are coming together so it is good to see progress being made.

The first bit of progress is with the blog itself. Several times I have tried to add a subscribe button on the side but because my site is a mix of blog and web page it just didn’t want to play nice. After a little prod from Nancy I tried again and to my surprise it worked!

So now those you prefer to have email updates can use the new follow by email button.

There has been more knitting happening but this time it ...

added by karen 2 months, 2 weeks ago. under embroidery , knitting , quilts , stitcheries , work in progress , yarn (Comments)

Travel Knitting: Holey Chevrons from Becca's Crazy Projects

Last week I did some traveling for work.

Like usual, I prepared a project to start at the airport while waiting for my departure flight. I paired some fingering yarn I dyed a couple months ago with Stephen West's Holey Chevrons pattern.

From such humble beginnings. This is how many shawls begin, just a simple garter tab. The pattern is designed to be done in alternating stripes, but I wanted to use my long color-change yarn. Easy enough change.

I made pretty good progress waiting for my departure flight.

By the time I had reached my destination I was ...

added by Becca 2 months, 2 weeks ago. under 2018 , adventure , craft , crazy , knit , knitting , project , projects , shawl , shopping , travel , yarn

Knitting And 90. from Sunburnt Quilts

I had to get my skates on as I wanted to finish this jumper and hat for our 3yo grand daughter to be able to wear during this Winter.

I had started it well before our holiday, but had to get myself back into the knitting routine after our return. Thankfully it was done and given to her last weekend. It fits and looks like there is plenty of growing room for next Winter as well. It suits her perfectly with her blonde hair and blue eyes.

Now I will jump from the youngest member of our family to the ...

added by karen 2 months, 4 weeks ago. under cards , yarn (Comments)

New Ball Winder from Becca's Crazy Projects

I've had this plastic ball winder from Knit Picks (affiliate link) for a few years now. I wanted one (along with the beautiful swift from Knit Picks (affiliate link)) since I borrowed the tools from a friend to wind up some hanks of yarn. The plastic ball winder had started to give me some issues and I was frustrated by it more often than not.

It seems it had slipped some internal gear and wasn't winding correctly. Here is one of the resulting winding sessions. I even took it apart a time or two and just couldn't ...

added by Becca 2 months, 4 weeks ago. under 2018 , adventure , craft , crazy , knit , knitting , maryland , md , project , projects , shopping , tool , tool tip , wool , yarn

Ocean City Maryland from Becca's Crazy Projects

Since our last trip to Ocean City Maryland was rained out, we decided to take a day during the week to go and people watch. I grabbed my current crochet project for the drive. This is a free design on Ravelry called Small Fans Shawl. It is really just a chart, not a pattern. If you are comfortable with charts, then you should check it out. Easy to memorize and quick to work with a great finish.

Last time we were there we discovered that if you park at the Park and Ride near the outlet mall in Ocean City ...

added by Becca 3 months ago. under 2018 , adventure , craft , crazy , crochet , project , projects , shopping , travel , yarn

Marled Dotted Rays Shawl from Becca's Crazy Projects

I've been working on this shawl for what seems like forever (it wasn't forever). On Sunday morning I made it to the bind-off. The pattern is Dotted Rays from Stephen West. I knit it using two strands of fingering held together (more info on the yarn at the bottom of the post). This meant it knit up pretty quickly on size 8 needles. I also blended the colors together like in the Marled Magic Shawl.

During the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild meeting I continued working on the bind off. I was pretty pleased when I made it to ...

added by Becca 3 months ago. under 2018 , adventure , craft , crazy , fiber , knit , knitting , maryland , md , project , projects , ravelry , shawl , wool , yarn

Trees, Bits And Bobs …..And Castle Views. from Sunburnt Quilts

There was a hiccup or two here and I had a few days where I could not leave comments on your blogs. All fixed now so I am having a session of posting, commenting and replying all in one day.

Another Christmas UFO. This is a string of Santa sitting in felt mittens and stockings. It strings up over a metre.

Now I have to find somewhere to hang them!

This next one is a crochet blanket I have worked on for a while. It was the Spicier Life CAL. Mine is made in Bendigo 8 ply cotton.

As you ...

added by karen 3 months, 1 week ago. under christmas , embroidery , yarn (Comments)

Stitches from Sorrow, Neatness Doesn't Count: Outsider Art in Lausanne from Gefilte Quilt

In my last two blog posts, (1, 2), I talked about quilt-ish inspiration from a week in the mountains, streets, and, of course, the cheeses of the French Alps and Lausanne, Switzerland. Along with ancient sites, one of the most astonishing places we went was Lausanne's Art Brut Museum - "Collection de l'Art Brut."

Art Brut is a term coined by French painter Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985) - in English, it's called Outsider Art. Here's how the museum explains it:

"Art Brut is made by self-taught people who often live on the margins of society....Among them are prisoners ...

added by Cathy Perlmutter 3 months, 1 week ago. under art quilt , artist trading cards , jewish , upcycling , wearable , yarn

Bubblegum Pink Shawl from Becca's Crazy Projects

During the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival this year I picked up entirely too much yarn. I'm constantly looking for new projects to use some of that yarn. This project uses the two sock blanks you see above, from Flat Feet.

I grabbed two cakes of yarn, my crochet hook, and did a couple test pieces to decide which fabric I liked better. In the end, the one on the bottom won.

I used that sample to get started on a new shawl. I crocheted in the car.

I crocheted at breakfast.

I tested out edging and ripped it ...

added by Becca 3 months, 2 weeks ago. under 2018 , crazy , crochet , maryland , md , project , projects , sheep , shopping , wool , yarn

The Random Update from Becca's Crazy Projects

It seems I haven't managed to finish much in the last few weeks, so this post is just a mash up of a bunch of stuff I have been working on.

I received my order of goodies from Strapworks.com. I made a small error when placing my order, so now I have 1/2" strapping and 3/4" hardware. It won't slow me down one bit, but it did teach me something about checking the cart twice before checking out.

My Rise of Tribes (Amazon affiliate link) game from Breaking Games came in. It is a fun ...

added by Becca 3 months, 3 weeks ago. under 2018 , craft , crazy , crochet , gaming , knit , knitting , project , projects , shopping , superior threads , thread , yarn

Baby Blanket Top Done from Eric the Quilter

Ta-da!!!! The first part is finished!!! Now just to add the back! The back is going to be all shades of blue! I even started embroidering it already!!! Now just to find the time to finish it. The county fair is fast approaching! Wish me luck!

Follow the jump for more photos!

added by Eric The Quilter 3 months, 4 weeks ago. under acrylic , baby blanket , factor waste , reclaimed yarn , uncategorized , yarn (Comments)

One Layer Down – Reclaimed Yarn Baby Blanket from Eric the Quilter

It took quite a bit of stitching, and quite a bit of yarn scraps, but the first layer is done!!! When I started, I took two pieces of water soluble stabilizer, and put yarn scraps from the factory between them. Then I stitches them down a bit, and then just threw it in my embroidery machine and let it go! After about 4 hours of embroidery time, I simply washed out the stabilizer. I have one more layer for the back, which is going to be gorgeous, and then that will also form the binding.

Next time, I have a ...

added by Eric The Quilter 4 months ago. under baby blanket , scraps , uncategorized , water soluble stabilizer , yarn (Comments)

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