This one is a lot of talking.

Need to get some thoughts out of my head so I can think about them, it's all good stuff, no complaining, but it is rambley.

I've realized something in the past week or so... I've reached a new point in what I know about knitting, my confidence in what I can do with two pointy sticks and some yarn and what I'm willing to try, mess up, and fix.

I'm making my mom a present. It has a lace-type panel in the center and at one point I forgot what I was doing, looked at the stitches that I had just knit, the row below it, and read the stitches correctly!!! I knew what they all looked like, and was able to figure out where I had gone wrong and found my place again. I'm sure that I've been doing this for a while, but actually realizing that I can read stitches was amazing. It is a huge boost of confidence to know what I can do.

Then we went to the book store, specifically to buy a book ( not just browsing!), probably on knitting, and I realized that none of the books that this store had were any that I needed anymore. I can work out my own patterns, I look at what people are wearing, have knitted, sewn, and go home, figure out how to make it fit me best, change this and that and make it... this new realized freedom from patterns was exciting, but at the same time I was left feeling a bit ... sad... I'm the type of person who just can't buy stuff to buy it, I have to use it. ( so i can buy yarn and fabric without knowing what i will do with it, but knowing that i can make something with it means i can buy it, heehee). So this kind of meant that I don't need books anymore. At least not pattern books. Now I need reference books, full of images that are inspiring, that don't necessarily have directions in it, well, except for techniques... but even then I like figuring them out on my own and tend to refuse to look it up until I'm ready to scream.

Anyways. Lots of good things to figure out, lots of good things are happening in my life. I can feel things falling back into balance and I have to say, its kind of exhausting getting back on track. :) I can't complain. I just got a job at a local yarn store and i can't wait to see what will happen then! I'm selling my buttons, going to start seriously pounding pavement to get my other art out there, and I have met so many amazing fiber people already, I am thrilled to pieces. I am a lucky, lucky thing.

WiPs

So... I went from working on only one project, finishing it, grumping over my next project for a few days to picking up a forgotten mesh bag made of green hemp, starting a thank you present for my mom, spinning a bit of the fleece I have (you know, just to see what it will look like now that I know what I'm doing with my spindle) and itching to start... oh... let's see... two or three more projects...






Wheee~ I'm back in action!


(psst, wip= work in progress for any of you non-knitting folks :) )

Yellow Yarn for Friday

Here's my latest handspun yarn!



I've had the roving since last spring, dyed it with dandelions, spun singles, made a tam:



I love this color! and really, I'm not that into yellows on my body, but heck, it works and I'm not arguing. It is the most buttery soft yellow, and the wool is pretty soft too.

i finished something!

The Candle Flame shawl is finished! I bound off yesterday with NO yarn left! It got a little hairy in the end, had to pull some rows out so I could finish with enough yarn, but there's no more! And I love it, it's so comfy and warm (yes, I am wearing it right now!)


All of the necklaces are old projects, I haven't wanted to make another in a good while, though I'm starting to feel the need to pick up beading again. We'll see. Mostly I just felt like taking pictures of pretty things.

And this lovely shelf is my craft shelf!!!!! I told you I felt like taking pictures of pretty things...



Well, I'm off to get ready for lunch with one of my newest friends!! Man, Charlotte is full of crazy awesome people, especially the fiber obsessed kind!!! ( I'm talking yarn, not Metamucil) I think I'll fit in fine here.

Spring in the City

I admit, I was worried that after being inundated with nature, a city would seem... well, full of buildings and concrete. There's plenty of both in Charlotte, but the good news is that most of the neighborhoods have lots of trees, and I live right by a little park. So there's plenty of naturey goodness to keep me satisfied before I'll feel like I need a hike. ( The top flower is Evergreen Clematis and it has such a lovely sweet fragrance! )

In art news, still working on this shawl,

almost done with the last skein of yarn, though I cheated and made the skein smaller by using it to make a hat for my friend. Hahahaha!!

And I updated my Etsy shop the other day too! So now there are a few bags I've made up there as well, check it out maybe you need something, it's in the link section of my blog. And check out the rest of the site as well, it is chock-full of awesome craft artists who all need some lovin' patronage! :)

A new view

Love.


I friggen love Charlotte already, I've been here since Sunday officially and have already made a deal with a wonderful lady to sell my buttons at her store, I'm going to drop them off today... oh, i should take pictures of them too.... hmm. we'll see. She turned me onto the weekly local knitting gathering, the knitting guild ( WHEEEE a fiber guild AND knitting?!?!?! too sweet!!) and was just generally friendly and great.

So of course I went to the knitting night (at books a million= BAM/ BAMers for future knowledge). And everyone was so nice, and some of them already knew about the buttons and sounded quite excited to check them out, which made me excited, and I ended up staying untill 10:00, so that was... oh, like 3 hours of knitting with great people. I can get used to that.

Here's a couple pictures of knitish things, a new pair of fingerless gloves, and some Australian wool from Henry's Attic that I dyed ( commercial dyes and a crock pot) and spun on my drop spindle. Not sure what will happen to it, but it will be something good.




I am as happy as I could be. Love to all.