27 September 2006

time to knit

Thank goodness I actually had a chance today to go to the knit shop (Deluxe yarns) in between my classes to sit and knit and play yarns with the ladies. I needed it bad! I am going to the University and working on a second career for those of you that do not know this. I was able to finish may semi-made up pattern idea for a cell phone/ipod bag. Its a semi-made up pattern because I got ideas from several different ones that I saw and incorporated a bit from each and some of my own idea into it. I just have to make the I-cord (here is a link to knittinghelp.com that shows a video of making an i-cord, scroll down towards the bottom). I also have made it so that I can use a bead or a button to close the flap. I am going to use beads on the bags I am making because one of my minor addiction is beads and want to use them in my yarn projects. When they are all done with the cords and bead closures I will post pictures. I will try to write a knitting pattern for my semi-made up bag. There is a cute cell phone pattern that I found on the Opal website. I have made several cell phone bags following the pattern and then modifying it to try out new stiches and got some interesting affects. I used self stripping/patterning yarn (mostly opal yarn). They have come out really nice. Can you guess what everyone is getting for Christmas???? lol

Anyone out there watch Knitty Gritty on DIY Network? I think Vickie Howell is great! She is so fun and presents an image of playing yarn that is hip and for any age. The show's website post patterns and help tips for everything that they present on the show. Vickie Howell also has a personal website where she blogs, post patterns and advertises her books.

Well going to do some yarn playing before its time to hit the sack.

26 September 2006

books and patterns

I am trying to setup a list of all the knitting, crochet, art and bead books I own so that I can share them with others. I have also collected a HUGE...and I do mean HUGE collection of free patterns from online. I would like to be able to share these links in some orderly fashion so shall see. If anyone has patterns to share, links to free patterns, or good books that fit into my themes let me know.

I actually do have thousands of patterns. Half of them I want to make myself and this is why I will have to live to be over 150 years old. :-)

Fun Happenings

I just came across this really super fun idea on a blog, a group of yarn addicts are having "Sock Wars", its too funny! It also sounds absolutely great! They have a forum set up for all the fun with rules and guidelines. The "wars" go like this all who sign up to particpate have to knit a pair of socks from a specified pattern, each person is given a target to "attack" (knit a pair of socks for), then they mail the socks to their target, when the target recieves their sock of "doom" (Yarn Monkey's word lol) that person is now dead and their death is posted. LMAO! Is this Great or what? High five to the person who thought this up. I am going to have to add the Yarn Monkey to my links list.

Last night I sent out an email to friends and family announcing the addition of a new blog to the internet (there just aren't enough blogs out there, wink) and recieved a reply from lovely aunt, Titi Toni ("titi" means aunt in spanish, my family background is Puerto Rican, there will be a mix of spanish and english here, I will try to remember to translate lol). Yarn addiction is genetic, I'm sure of it. She said "I have yarn in every room of my house..." yeah! Too bad she lives so far from me. I bet we would have a great time playing yarn. Too cool!

My Mom is a fantastic artist (I wish she would make a website), she makes Japanese dolls, one sister is a great photographer and my other sister sews and is a great interior designer (I can't even figure out how to hang curtains, ugh). However, none of them seem to share my addiction for yarn. sigh lol.....but they have been reciepients of my creations. This Christmas they will be recieving more hand made gifts. :-D Poor them! lol

I am going to try and remember to take pictures of the things I make. I have very little of any of the items I have made in the past because I seem to make them and give them away. One Christmas I made about 60 pairs of crochet socks from a free pattern I found online (matched colors to each person who was getting a pair, of course!). Did I make a pair for myself? Nooooooooo. Did I take a picture of any of them? Of course not. sheesh. I have made scraves, shawls, doilies (funky ones, they weren't my grandmother's doilies), purses, and anything else you can imagine. Any pictures? nope not a one. LOL I have a few purses left and some other bits and pieces but the only evidence of my past projects is left over yarn. Which of course is not a bad thing, it has added to my stash and as every yarn artist knows there is no such things as a stash that is to big. Now that I have picked up knitting my stash is growing exponentially (I am a math teacher and student so math terms will be interspresed through out lol).

Well time to go be a student. Yuk! Work and study is a conspiracy to keep me from playing yarn. I just know it. It also keeps me from my drawing and painting. Its evil. Sigh! Must go to work. Work is a dirty four letter word.

Knitting Classes

I live in the Reno area of Northern Nevada. A local library (Spanish Springs Library)hosts a knitting class the first and third Sunday of each month, from 1:30 pm to 3 pmThe classes are taught by my friend who keeps at blog called Reno Yarn Artists Club. If you are in the area and need a teacher or to hang out and play yarn with other addicts this is a good place to come on a Sunday afternoon.

Also, there is a GREAT and fun yarn shop in Reno called
Deluxe Yarns, Etc. owned by Florrie Kersey. Florrie hosts a meetup club the first Monday and third Thursday of the month at her shop (Reno Knit n Rip Group). This is a great group! Really fun! You can go into the shop on any day of the week and just sit and play yarn. If you need help Florrie and some of the other expert yarn addicts there are happy to share their knowledge. Its a great place to relax and do some yoga of the mind (playing yarn is yoga for the mind imho) or if you need a laugh. The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm.
Hope to see you there!

(picture is from the August Knit n Rip meetup, thats me in the light green shirt)

25 September 2006

Hello everyone! I am new to blogging but not new to art and my addiction to yarn. I have been crocheting on and off since I was 7 (am now 41). This past summer I decided to jump in feet first into knitting and now I wonder "WHAT WAS I WAITING FOR". Geez! Now I am off and running. I am more addicted then before which I thought would not be possible. I also used think that my "stash" was huge but have learned that its nothing compared to some of my local fellow yarn addicts (more about them soon!).

I have always had several yarn projects going at once and now that I have picked up knitting its getting really crazy (is there such a thing when it comes to yarn? I say NO). I have realized recently that I have to live to be at least 150 in order to create all the yarn art projects that I have in mind. That is of course if I do not add any more projects or keep my mind from coming up with any new ideas (YEAH RIGHT!).

I hope to share some pictures, projects and patterns (its only been since July 2006 and I have already created my own pattern, just need to learn how to write it properly so it will make sense to others). I will setup links to everything yarn, knitting and crocheting.

I would like to communicate with others like me. I know you other yarn addicts are out there, hiding with your stashes, outwardly laughing at Stephanie McPhee's (Yarn Harlot) newest book but inside saying "OMG! Thats me she is describing. How can she know me so well".

Also not to be left un-mentioned. I am also an artist. I paint and draw and will share these as well. My wheels are always turning over new creative pursuits.