Christmas Show Prep 2009

The school's annual Christmas Show is in just over one week, and am I prepared? Well... no. My plan is to wow with my glass oil lamps that are totally unfinished and my work that I completed last semester that was inspired by delicious North Carolina poetry. I still have to design the displays and print out the poems that will coincide with the pieces. It will be done, I vow it.

I have, however, just finished designing (with my friend, Louise Sanderlin) the promo postcard that we'll be putting out around the town (and apparently attaching to people's cars in Chinese buffet advertising fashion.)

Front:

Back:

I taught myself to use Gimp, which is a free software for download and use, by the way. They have free tutorials online, which I will start reading... someday. For now, though, I can manage with the basics. More on the show later though.

Time Off

The ocean washed over Hwy 12 this week, so I've been cut off from my workplace. Excellent. So what to do to make up for not making $70 doing mindless work? Broom casting!!! Well, actually I've been doing pine straw casting. This is where one melts metal in a crucible and pours it into a bunch of pine straw tied together with a rubber band. You can get these really cool shapes and then make jewelry out of them... so here is the first ring, which is going to my sister. There will be many more where this came from... I'm still choking on all the fresh pine smoke that I inhaled while casting in my damp garage tonight.

See where the metal slips through the straw?

and here's a new lace cowl I'm making with clear beads that look like rain droplets... very pretty. I might keep it.

Some Fiber Love

Here are some finished projects and some WIPs that I captured finally.

First, my completed Rambling Rose Cardigan, which I happen to be sharing with as many people as I can because, dammit, it's my first cardigan and my first lace project. So there.

I also have the hat that I've knit for my sistah for Christmas. The pattern is called Who? and I'm knitting the Owlet baby sweater for her baby, so they will match! Oh my God, can you get any cuter? Okay, no.

A bit of a sock that is crazy complicated and promises to be gorgeous... pattern (by Cookie A. who is a fantastic designer of knitwear) called Ellington.

I also have been using my drum carder to blend some super beautiful superwash fiber that I bought at the N.C. State Fair this year, which I attended with my sister and niece. It was super fun. I'm really happy with how this is turning out. I think I'll spin lace weight yarn from it and knit a shawl or maybe some wrist warmers.

(blended at the top, not at the bottom.)

This is some roving that I dyed:

and blended:

I'm going to try for sport weight yarn which hopefully will become a sweater. The fiber is superfine merino wool from http://www.helloyarn.com/

Health

Banana Bread with Wheat Flour Substitution DELICIOUS! (and fiber has superpowers.)

I'm taking a health class this semester, and I'm really enjoying it. It's on the internet, so instead of remembering what my professor wants me to remember, I'm learning and memorizing everything in the book in the form of two chapters and a test each week. (This class is jammed into half a semester.)

So I'm learning so many things about health that I really didn't know. I mean, there are the basic health facts, but about those, I wasn't even sure. The thing I really love about this class is that it takes the most interesting things about all facets of health (psychological health, drugs, smoking, drinking, relationship health, cardiovascular health and cancer to name some of my favorite chapters) and explains the information in one concise chapter. For example, all the most interesting things about psychological health- the different types of "crazy," the how and why they occur, and the treatments and myths of them, are contained in one beautiful chapter.

Anyway, I've learning a lot about myself through this class. (I mean, I am an alcoholic, an ex-smoker, a verbally and physically abused middle child, (for God's sake, does anyone have a violin handy?) and I'll just say that although I feel I have made leaps and bounds in the last 2 1/2 years that I've been sober, there is always room for improvement.) This class is helping me move forward.

Rant and curse alert!
Let me pound into your brain that I am so happy and grateful that I don't smoke anymore. Every other page of this book seems to say something about tobacco. I will never smoke again... even though I want one about every day still (and after 1 1/2 years already!) Those bastards that run cigarette companies put G.D. carcinogens (the DNA mutagens that cause cancer) in the tobacco and paper of their products just to make it harder to quit. Yes, they add cancer-causing mutagens to tobacco and paper, not for preservation, or to make it hurt less to smoke.... (although they do that too,) but to make it more addictive so that people like me almost murder people when they try to quit. They give people extra cancer just to make more money. They don't have to add it, but they do. So, I will use my anger for my own benefit and my future self will thank me. No, bastards, you won't get anymore of my money!


Moving along, some lifestyle changes that I'm making are:

-Replacing white rice with brown rice
-Replacing delicious potato bread with whole grain bread (and I may start making my own bread... wholesome fun fo sho!)
-Replacing white pasta with whole grain pasta
-Same for cereals
-Eating almonds, walnuts and other nuts
-Eating more and different kinds of veggies
-Eating way less red meat
-Exercising EVERYDAY (yes with Wii Fit, but who cares I'm off my a$$!)
-More Water
-Moderately more 100% Juice (no more fake/flavored fruit drinks.)
-No More Fake Sugar Supplements!! (no more Diet Coke, Splenda, etc.)
-No More Soda
-Replacing regular coffee for Half Caffeine Coffee (yes they make this, it's good)
-and Replacing all dairy for non or low fat (except my cheese for heaven's sake)

I feel confidant that I will feel better and live longer because of my changes. Knowledge is power.

If you want the book that I've been reading, it's called Core Concepts in Health.

Where I've Been

So I have been super busy with my classes, and will have to make up my metal hours later in the semester, so my glass lamps and bases are on hold for a hot minute... or two weeks. Lately I:



-Designed and had printed my first business cards through overnightprints.com (pictured below)

-Have volunteered to design/get printed our annual College of the Albemarle Christmas Show postcards for publicity

-Have been working on a Presto Chango for my adorable neice

-Have been knitting a blue and green Tempest

-Started a new Rambling Rose in a solid color

Mind Change

So I've changed my mind about this fall. I am still going to use minerals, rocks, gems, and their countries of origin for my inspiration, but I'll mostly just use the colors and maybe textures of the gems. After drawing and thinking a bit, the design will look and work better this way.

India is to be first in line. I want to create a copper polygon base with enamel work inspired by Hindu art. I decided to go with Russia next. Russian architecture will be an inspiration for the design. I'm pretty excited about this.

Ramblings

My notes from my Rambling Rose Cardigan project on ravelry.com were too long so here they are:

I splurged and bought this yarn the day that my stepdad died- not so much to make myself feel better... I don't know why, I guess. Well anyway, it feel so beautiful and I'm really in love with it. I think I'm going to like this project; I've never knit lace before.

Okay, have become quite intimidated by the pattern as I can't understand it. ha- but love google as it has explained everything except why it doesn't seem like it will work numberwise. I also wish I knew more about, and felt more confident about addidng stitches to make it a bit bigger; so I'm going to play with some cheaper yarn and see what happens.

Okay, I have, I think, figured out what was wrong with my math. It has something to do with the bold red outline in the scallop rib chart. What? No, that big red line couldn't actually mean anything.

I have decided to knit with size 7 needles, because I am bigger and longer than the pattern calls for. We'll see.

Alright, I have figured it all (almost) out to knit a size that will work for me. Because the armhole shaping is the same for both sizes, I'm going to knit the size small for the back and the size large for the two fronts. To fix the armholes, I'm going to bind off, (instead of 4 sts beginning at back, left front and right front's armhole shapings,) 2 in back and 6 on the two fronts, putting my side seams nearer the back. So, will line up arm seam 2 sts forward from sweater side seams on each side... RIGHT?

I have again changed my mind. I have decided to cast on 43 for the two fronts (in between the two sizes) which will change the scallop pattern as it calls for 16 uninterrupted sts. So, at the front edges of the two panels, I will just add 8 sts garter stitch.

I love blocking so very much. If I had to work this over again, I might not add any stitches or fret about sizes, as steam blocking and pins make everything perfect. I hope it won't be too big with my added stitches... ONE SLEEVE, THE YOKE, AND BUTTON BAND TO GO!

Am almost finished and I just ordered more yarn to make another but in a solid color. I think it's going to fit well; I did change some things, which may work out perfectly.

okay.....

Should have added stitches to the sleeves as I did for the two fronts. The sleeves are too tight. I’m taking the seam out to reseam less tightly and with less bulk. It will be borderline… GRRRfingers crossed.
If it doesn’t work out, I’ll pick up stitches and add some stinky rows.

I did pick up and knit rows along the sleeve seam. It worked pretty well, and I’ll make and add buttons and I’ll be done!

I have decided not to make buttons, but have ordered perfect ones from this etsy store.

........................

So, I frogged and restarted so many times... I didn't give up and finally finished.