I'm a machine, baby!

I've got some sort of mojo back.  It might be the walking.  My sister started the 10,000 steps program, and I got motivated.  Before I retired, I'd go for good walks during lunch or break times, and really did 10,000 steps/day.  Then I retired and turned into a sloth.  And I have felt slothful for about 6 years now.  Enough already.  I'm walking again, and loving it.  Starting off slowly, I'm up to 4700 steps in a walk.  Every day I'm adding a bit, and should be at 10,000 pretty soon.  And it's paying off:  I have energy again.  Plus, I make sure that I don't sit for hours.  I get up and move all the time.

Of course it helps that we're having the most glorious spring weather around.  Wait until it rains; then I'll have to go back to the gym or use an umbrella.  But right now, it's so beautiful outside, and I can't wait to go marching.

Quilting is now a walking activity.  I stand up to iron and go downstairs to cut or trim.  All the time.  When I was assembling my Floating Squares quilt, I had the blocks laid out in the bedroom, and walked there every time I needed to sew each block together with the rest.  I figured out that a row took about 100 steps.  

I'm turning into a motion machine.  I really like it, too.

So, on the design floor in the living room (a level down.  We live in this dopey split-level house) is Rose Chevrons.  At the moment, I'm going with the chevron layout.

 

Then, yesterday, I went down to the Dyeing Dungeon, AKA the cellar (2 levels down from the kitchen), and did a bit of dyeing.  I found some long-lost yarn in one of my yarn tubs, and I want to use it up.  So here you are.  (I also did a dye-up for a mystery crochet project, but it's a mystery so no pics yet.)

This is Shelley yarn, a fingering weight (despite that lofty look) with a soft twist to it.  Very nice.  I think I have about 16 more skeins, and then that's it.

Where?

http://fritzl.etsy.com

Gotta go and walk.  Yay, walking.

Heigh Ho, heigh ho, it's off to dye I go.

OK, it's off to dye I went.  Yesterday.  I had a yen to dye up some pretty colorways.

Top row, the first two and the second from the right are all Heather Yarn, a lovely yarn that dyes 2 values at the same time.  How?  A couple of the plies are in non-superwash wool, and the other ply is superwash.  Superwash takes up dye immediately, the regular wool take a lot longer to take the color, so you get a barber-pole effect.  However, it knits up as a marled yarn.  Very interesting and complex.  Fingering weight, no nylon, and perfect for scarves and such.  You can make socks, but you'll have to hand wash them in cold water.

420 yards of fingering weight yarn that's lofty and lovely to knit or crochet with.

Here they are:  Orangeade, Jenny, and Candy. 

This next batch are Rachel yarns.  100% SW (superwash) merino with a neat little twist that really shows off your stitches.  400 yards of delicious woolliness.

Clown, Grete, Lemon, Parrot, Tropical Fish., Vermillion, and Wood Grain

  

Where?

http://fritzl.etsy.com

What's on my design floor, needles, hooks, etc.

 
Crazy busy week last week.  Between yarn dyeing for Sock Madness 7, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and feeling generally lousy with the acid reflux from hell,  I went nonstop.  I was so happy when Saturday rolled around and we had a lovely field trip to Warwick, NY. 

Sewing news:  I've fallen in love with the Scrappy Trip Around the World that's sweeping the blogosphere.  As you know, I'm not the greatest machine sewer in the world (or for that matter, the greatest hand sewer, either), but I kept looking at this neat quilt, and decided to go for it.  Mine is not scrappy; I'm using a Marmalade jelly roll from Moda.  It's such fun to do it.  First I get to pick out the strips, put them in order (all color work that I love), and then the machine work is easy.  I'm in love!

No EPP went on.  Just no time for hand sewing.  It really was a crazy busy week.

Knitting news:  So, here are my current knitting projects.  Yep, I have a bunch more, but these are now on the frontline.

1. Baby sweater and hat for Benjamin Bunny.  My own hand-dyed SW merino DK yarn.  Softer than you can imagine.  Cushy, cuddly, and perfect for a Frozen Northland Baby.  It needs the buttons sewn on, and a good blocking.  (And that's why the front edges looks so odd.  It's the nature of knitting, but wool sorts everything out.  You'll see.)

2.  Garland Shawl revisited.  I made this about 3 years ago, and it never photographed well.  I wanted a shawlette in soft avocado, rust, etc, etc.  In real life, it's very pretty, but the photographs made it look very dull. 

I am playing with this incredible singles yarn, and so I decided to reknit the shawl.  WOW!  That's all I can say.  If you follow me on Ravelry (ruth), you'll see that I'm over the moon with this yarn.  I don't like commercial singles, but this yarn is beyond gorgeous.  Yep, it's a singles, which means that it wants to get this little kink in it, but the yarn is of such quality, that the kinks just disappear as you knit.  The yarn glides through your fingers. 

Here's the original followed by the singles version.  Non-knitters:  it will block out into lacy wonder.  This is just what knitted lace looks like in progress (an old tatty bag).

I should finish this today. I hope.

Dyeing:  3 different colorways for the Sock Madness group on Ravelry.  Lots of work, but very satisfying. 

AND, take a look at this singles yarn.  This is the same yarn I'm using for the new Garland Shawl, but in a different colorway.  See that bit of sheen?  That kink?  Yep, this is a singles yarn.  And you don't feel the kinks as you work with it.  Now, that's a singles!

Next time I order yarn, I'm buying 3 kilos of this. 

Crochet news:  This is another version of the singles above, only this one is a bit softer, and with virtually no kink.  They are both beautiful yarns.  This one is not yet available for me to order; this is a trial skein.

And that's that.  Now if i could get this acid reflux thing solved.......  Going to the gastroenterologist tomorrow.  I'm pretty nervous about it, but I feel so awful, and this simply has to get taken care of.

Ya think I had a busy week? 

Card Tricks

Here's what's on my design floor as of this morning:  Card Tricks.  As usual, I'm doing this with English paper piecing.  Yep, I know, it takes forever and sewing it on the machine would just zip along, but I love this method, and can do it any place and any time and am not dependent on the machine.  It's sort of like knuckle ballers in the baseball world:  we EPP folk love our weird little method.  We're not the norm, but who cares?

Dyeing:  I'm doing a large job for Sock Madness 7.  Three colors to choose from, and priced very very well.  Unfortunately, first class international shipping is going up drastically on Sat, and that affects my international customers.  The rates are doubled, which is just awful.  Domestic is fine as it is.  If you're on Ravelry and are in the SM7 group, you can buy in my Etsy shop.  You know the password for the good price.

Knitting:  Making a baby jacket for the Bunny Child.  No pics yet.  But it's very cute.

A new block

Here is my Rose Block.  It's an EPP block.  My points are not perfect but then I'm not perfect, so we get along just fine.  I have enough material to make more blocks, so I think I'll expand it.  Right now it's a 12" square.

Yarn News:  The Blues, a PennyRose Penny yarn.  75% superwash merino/25% nylon.  450+ yards

Blues, teals, and (what you can't see) a bit of purply blue tossed in.  Most of the hues are of the same value, with a little lighter values here and there.  It would make splendid socks, as well as shawlettes, baby gear, whatever you like for fingering weight.
As with most of my yarns, this is a one-of-a-kind colorway.  That's how I like to dye.
$21.00

Where?  http://fritzl.etsy.com

Ah ha!  The Blues just sold!

The Yarnarian (remember her?) gets prolix.

Remember the Yarnarian?  She who dyed yarn and knitted obsessively?  Remember her?  Nah, I didn't think you did.  Well, she's still dyeing and knitting, but now seems to be working on secret knitting projects.  It would be so nice to show you pics of socks and shawls, but I can't do that.  Everything is a mystery.  (Sometimes I think the projects are mysteries to me. )  I've become the invisible knitter!

On the dyeing front, I'm slowly scaling back from all the activity.  I'm still interested in it, but less so.  Everything changes and moves on.  I still have lots of stock, so will continue dyeing, and when I'm finished with my stock, then we'll see where I go from there.  Mostly I'm interested in OOAK yarns, yarns that I can dye without writing down formulas (formulae?).  Just playing is what I'm saying.  I also have tons of lace yarn, and will gradually use that up, too.

What really calls me these days is designing lace shawls.  I can't get enough of them.  I love finding a pattern in one of my stitch books, and then totally changing it to something else.  I love working on transitions from one pattern to the next.  I adore Never-ending Borders (NEB).  I love charts!  Love making them and following them.  Always have, too.  There's something about a grid that calls to me.

So what's in my brain besides lace?  Sewing.  I am not very good at it, but I plod ahead, try not to be a perfectionist and just enjoy the process.  I'm wild about making project bags, and keep giving them away to admirers.  I'm even thinking of selling a few in my Etsy shop, just for a change.  Here are the latest 2 bags, made yesterday. This is a bigger project bag, perfect for shawls as they get bigger and even for sweaters.

This is a sock project bag with a change in proportions to highlight the lining.  I wanted more of it to show, so I put the tie band a little lower on the bag.  Makes for a smaller bag, but it's so cute and pretty that I don't care.  Besides it comfortably holds a ball of yarn, the needles and the socks.

The other thing I did with with these 2 bags was change the proportions of the top band to the main exterior.  I wanted a bit more of it to show.  I'm not completely happy with it yet.  Have to find the perfect spot to sew in the tie band.  The bigger bag needs more fruffle showing from the lining, and the little bag needs a tad less.  But I still love them.

I think I've made at least 10 project bags since I started this lunacy.  And here's the best part, I showed our MA daughter, who is a brand new sewer, how to make them.  We bought her the pattern and I think I've created a mad bag maker.  She can't get enough of them either.  Such fun! 

That's enough babble for today.  Gotta go work on something mysterious and secret!

Yippee!

The dyeing mojo is back!  There was a long spell of me not dyeing much except for specific groups and projects, but all of a sudden, I just want to dye up neat colorways for the fun of it.  All are individually dyed and one of a kind.  This latest bunch is not pastel!  Shocking, I know!  But vivid and colorful, and delightful to look at and knit with.

Cool Jazz! 

Hey, There!

Promise!

Are they not pretty?  You can find them in my Etsy shop:  http://fritzl.etsy.com

Pattern recommendations (all available on Ravelry):
Escalator
Slip-Zig
Diamonds Modular Scarf
Taos Scarf

Chit chat

Look what I dyed yesterday for a Ravelry group. The colorways are exclusive to them, and the second two are clearly influenced by my fabric collecting. Isn't it neat how one activity can lead into another?

There is a color sensibility in quilting fabrics that isnot seen in yarn dyeing, at least not by me.  I never would have put together the middle colorway had it not been for a batik I used.  I wonder where this is all going to lead me?  I seem to be back in variegated mode after a long spell of almost solids, and it's good to be there.

Want a good freebie pattern for variegated yarns?  This one works with everything!  You can get it on Ravelry.

Picture? I can't fine one. bizarre, I know, but if you click on the Ravelry link you'll get both pic and pattern.

Sewing news: The lastest blocks from the FWQAL:

They're laid out on point because that's how they will appear on the quilt.  Eventually.  Sometime in the far far future.

A couple of cutie outfits for the girls.  The one on the left has the most adorable little pleated skirt.  Not hard to sew at all, which surprised me.  Now I want to do lots of them!  The one on the right is wearing the top made for the pleated skirt.  Hey, these things are interchangeable.  I spread out the pleated one so that you could actually see the pleats, but it does lay nice and flat when I'm not fooling around with it.

And now I'm off to finish the dyeing for the Ravelry group. Yes, the back is considerably better. Still twinges, but after Thurs and Fri, this is a piece of cake. I could do without it entirely, but this is tolerable. By Fri it should all be gone.

Gotta run. Talk to you soon.

Wall-to-wall books - I don't call it playing with dolls 'cause they'd all think I was daft.  I call it "sewing for the grandkids' dolls".   Sneaky, aren't I?  I know someone who makes the most wonderful doll clothes and she donates all of them to a local charity.  She gets the fun, some kid gets a treat and everyone is happy.  So, you can do it too.  Tell people that you are making them for your daughter.

Kate - Thanks, Kate.

scrapperjen - Thanks.  You know I'm having fun here. 

Do the Day - I based that one a new fabric I bought.  This fabric buying is neat for new colorways! 

I dye for you.

I truly do.  And the dyeing mojo is back, thank goodness.  It sort of disappeared over the summer, but now my fingers are itching to dye a lot, so, I'm happily dyeing for you.

Here's this week's collection: A Potpourri of Penny Yarns. All are OOAK, and Penny, as you now, has over 450 yards of 75/25 SW merino/nylon goodness. It's soft, durable, and takes dyes beautifully. Penny is my go-to yarn for everything from socks, to scarves and shawls to sweaters to tops for American Girl Dolls. And it feels so nice when you knit with it, too.

The 3 greens on the left are Highlands, Lowlands and Terrain.

You can see how they progress from dark to a nice medium set of greens.  They are not pure green; there are blues of varying kinds tossed in.  Fun for me, and fun for you to knit.

The two in the middle are Heather and Citrus:  Heather sold immediately.  Sorry, all you Heather lovers.

And the final two are Peachy Keen and Butterscotch.  Peachy Keen is done in a new type of dyeing for me that produces a very neat yarn.  Butterscotch reminds me of butterscotch and vanilla ice cream with caramel on top.

Where?  In my Etsy shop:

http://fritzl.etsy.com

I'm off to sew some more.  Between the sewing and the knitting and the crochet, I barely have time to read, and I have the latest George Martin book and keep falling asleep over it.  This may be a great book that I've slept through.

Wall-to-wall books - Boy, do I ever understand!  I'm not this way with yarn anymore, but now that I've rediscovered sewing, I'm buying frabric like it's going out of style.  We're both serious fiber junkies, no?
Do the Day - Alas, Heather sold instantly, and I can't do it again.  It was a mish mash of colors that looked awful, so I added a bit of other colors and this is what came out.  If I could do it again, I would.

I'm a day younger.

Ruth's Fountain of Youth

And how did I manage to accomplish that?  Easy.  When I got up today, I was convinced that it was Wednesday.  Why I thought so it beyond me, but for the entire morning I thought I had somehow mucked up the days and lost an entire day of work.  Surprise!  This drove me so crazy that I finally had to resort to the Web to find out the day and date.  So, I'm so happy to report that instead of being a day older, I'm now a day younger.

It gets even sillier.  Monday is usually a dyeing day.  I'm always at my best at the beginning of the week.  The energy flows, the body wants to move, the ambition is there.  So yesterday I dyed and planned to mail out the lace yarns today.  Now here is a woman who thinks it's a day later, but the yarns to be mailed are not mailed; they're on the drying rack.  And the envelope to pay my nice cleaning lady, who comes on Tues, is on the kitchen counter.  I saw the envelope; I saw the yarn; I knew I had not mailed it off.  I mean, there it was happily plopped on the rack in the bathtub.  So how did I lose a day?  Methinks I need a vacation.

Wanna see what I dyed?  No, not the lace yarn.  The skeins are at the post office.  Nope, these are a few skeins that I played with one day last week (and not on a Monday), just for the fun of it.  I seem to be back in pastel land, except for one skein.  Every time I go back to pastels, I remember just how much I love dyeing them.

 Candy Apple

Gum Drops

Sweet Treats

Mint

I'm feverishly working away on my heathery shawlette, and another scarf that I might just turn into yet another triangle.  Finished a pair of socks, and am doing another auto-pilot one in my Basic Ribby pattern.

And that's my story.  And if I'm a day younger, does that mean that my birthday comes a day later?

pencraftco and pendie - It's nice to know that I have company.  If we keep this up, we'll be younger than we were when we were born.

The Yarnarian chits and chats.

Those Autumn Pine Needles!

 What a great 3 days I just had!  Fri, I went to a S&B group, where I got my knitting jollies on.  It's so pleasant to knit with other folks, and I so rarely do it.  Then BFF and her Hubs and the 2 of us went back to that amazing Persian restaurant, and had yet another incredible dinner.  Sat, the Hubbo and I took a very long field trip to Harney's in Millerton, NY.  I bought one tea, Eight at the Fort, which was fine.  We were all over the area, from Millbrook, where we always have lunch at the diner, to a little festival in Copake, and then home, 9 hours after we set out.  And then good TV.  Yesterday, we went into Brooklyn and saw the kids and the grands.  Little Lili is a master at saying NO, and she is beyond adorable.  And the Benster!  What can I say?  I adore kids from 5-12, and he is almost 5 and a pistol.  He makes me giggle, he is so cute.

Friday we had a huge windy rain storm, and the combo did a fascinating number on the pine needles in the driveway.  Take a look at how it all swirled those needles around.

Isn't that pretty?

And I'm off to dye some creepy, scary, howlie colors!  Mwahahahaha!

Big News tomorrow! 

itsJUSTme   - Isn't it amazing?  Almost 1/2 of the driveway covered in these swirly pine needles.  All this because water accumulates at the top of the driveway, and then we have to pump it down the driveway.  So the needles just swirl as the water moves?  I don't know.  I've never seen this before, but I think it's so cool!
busybusybeejay - I wonder what the odds are of this ever happening again.