Crafty Andy

Northshore Cardigan by Lion Brand

2012-01-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

Here I am finishing the pocket as we speak and those will be the last ends to weave, wash and dry. Mission accomplished. I first started this project on October 5, 2010, what a long time and I did not frog it ,lol . I finished one pocket which is holding the ball of yarn, then went to my Monday Night Knit Group to finish the other pocket which I am working on the photo! I got to do 34 rows while at the Cove Cafe.

Pocket was made on the go. I just put the sweater on and hit the street. The needles where on the sweater and the ball of yarn on the other pocket. Some strange looks on the street, but is San Francisco, nothing out of the ordinary.

I will have to say, that I am very pleased with the Cardigan. It is warm enough for our weather, cozy, but light at 700 grams, not including the 18 grams of the buttons. This was a great knit and lots of learning making it . It is done and now I will continue to finish my boat neck sweater. I am hoping to make a scarf and a hat for this Cardigan, something close in the cables department that will make this a nice set. Mattress stitch in reverse stockinette will no longer hold me hostage and afraid, lol. Thanks for stopping by!

Pockets for My Cardigan

2012-01-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

I have to say that from the start of this Cardigan I wanted pockets. I think that the pockets could have been made easier if I thought about it while I was making it. I have never made after thought pockets or pockets for a Cardigan for that matter, I discussed it with my friend John Silowsky and he gave me the right idea, still I did not know how to accomplish this easily.

The first thing I did was decide where I was going to make the pockets. I knew ahead of time that I had to make some accommodations for the row I was going to unravel and to put the live stitches on two dpns or a piece of contrasting yarn. I found it was easier than I thought and I moved from dpns to circular needles. Now I will proceed to make the pockets . Once the pockets are done I will weave ends and make it more presentable. I really needs to be washed and dry. acrylic/wool blend 80/20 no problem. I am very excited, I am now confident to make any Cardigan and more than that make after thought pockets, thanks for stopping by!

A Tablet and A Cardigan

2012-01-19T17:26:00.000-08:00

The Tablet is making my life a lot more interesting and I am enjoying it a lot. I am not using it as much as I use my laptop. It is just a tablet, lighter than a laptop, and you can get your mail as well. I just don't know that I would see a movie on it, yet it may happen. The main purpose of this post is to tell you about the adventures of my Cardigan Making. Only a bit of the journey.

This pattern is by Lion Brand and it is a fantastic pattern. Guys like me who are short and beefy , do have a problem making most of these garments. I Made the body for the medium size, but I should have made the sleeves for the smaller size. What has happen with the sleeves as I have attachments is that I will have some funky shoulder pads. I will have to show you in another post with other pictures. This will get pockets, and I am at the point of making the button band. I learned how to make the mattress stitch for reverse stockinette and it looks fantastic, it is so simple and easy. I hope you have a great rest of the week. Tomorrow I have a dentist for cleaning, I had no cavities, which is fantastic. Thanks for stopping by!

Sleeves on the Make

2012-01-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

It is Tuesday and it is cold here at Starfleet Headquarters or should I say Caprica. I am wearing my dog tags and my make believe uniform. I wish we had more worlds to share life with and travel and meet more people. Today was a great day for knitting and I did some of that, later I will be helping a friend to get things into storage as he is making his way back to the city from Texas. I am still working on this Cardigan, and it is coming along fine. These are the sleeves, I am done with increasing.

The next step is to shape the top of the sleeves. Making two sleeves at the same time is not only a time saver, it is the best. I am going to make afterthought pockets to the cardigan and I hope to make a video to give you an idea I got from my friend John Silowsky.

This is my favorite place to craft in the house. It brings many memories back. It brings memories of my friend Buster, the chocolate Lab who is here in spirit. I miss my friend a lot, he was a very sweet dog that put up with my impatience, yet always loved me. Anyway life goes on and with Life so does Crafty Andy. I am hoping to finish this sweater this month. The next pictures will be of the Button hole band, and then the fun pocket adventure. Thanks for stopping by!

An IPhone Cozy or two

2012-01-14T17:57:00.000-08:00

Ambrosia from the Imagined worlds of Battlestar Galactica is Mountain Dew for me, sugar free by the way, lol. I got asked to make an IPhone Case, I made two, and I bet I could make more.

The one on the left is is Crochet on the back loop only and it makes a great case. The one on the right is done on a 1/1 twisted cable. This produces a gap every two stitches that I ended up utilizing. I weaved some black yarn through the spaces all around and the case had a great look. I would definitely do that again. Use the 1/1 twisted cable and then weave yarn through the gaps between rvery two stitches. This case is for and IPhone 4S and it is 18 stitches in a double cast on as if for toe-up socks, so that makes it 36 total. I then went on a 1/1 twisted cable, you skip one stitch, then knit the second st through the back loop, then without dropping the st you knit the first stitch skipped, you dropped both off the needles. The bind off was knit 2 together through the back loop, and making sure it is very loose, you put the resulting stitch back in the needles and k2tog the next two until then end.

The it was time to celebrate as the Forty Niners won the Game with the Saints. Go Niners! Thanks for stopping by!

Cardigan Sleeves

2012-01-07T10:44:00.001-08:00

This cardigan is a great project and it has been on my WIP for a while. Sweaters and Cardigans , because of the nature of the repetitive stitches become boring. I decided to make the two sleeves at a time. I could have made them on the round and thus not worry about joining, but this is a learning experience and what is to come. I will be making pockets on the cardigan, but that is another posting. I am still working on the sleeves, and then I will be working on the buttonhole band. I just wanted to share this with you on a Saturday , before I begin working on the sleeves again. The Christmas tree still needs to be taken down, and ho ho ho. I really enjoy the festive atmosphere that the Christmas tree provides. This is all for today, thanks for stopping by!

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-31T17:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011 has come and now is gone, but it was lots of fun. I have to say that this holiday was a very good one indeed. Since long ago, I decided to be Happy during the Holiday even when I am not a Christian any more. I like gifts and celebrating love and friendship. I don't give what I can not afford and I definitely buy myself a gift every year and wrap it. I know that no matter what happens there is a present for me.

There are always fantastic gifts that I receive, a lot of what I want and always everything I need. I learned a long time ago that I want a lot of things, but I can deal with my wants as they come along. I am more into the things I need, and few things I want lol.

Is always nice to get some fiber magic and this year was no exception.
This was something I really wanted and I am hoping to play in the new year with friends.

I got a Nook Tablet and it is amazing to use, very fast. If you are looking for a Tablet in the Market, you are better off with an Android tablet by itself. Barnes and Noble as of Today does not allow any applications that are not from their market. I was a bit disappointed as I wanted to get stuff from the Android Market, but maybe they will change this policy and add the Android Market to the Nook. Otherwise unless you are looking for a very powerful E-Reader, this tablet is not for you. There are many Hacks to make this tablet a Rooted Tablet, but I am not Interested in doing that just yet. Maybe when my 1 Year Warranty ends, but in the meantime, I am enjoying this Tablet Reader for what it is.

This is a Vanilla Extract from my friend Kyle, WWW.KyleWilliam.com what a thoughtful gift, something I am planning to use a lot. Along with a tasty (yes I already had some) Citrus Marmalade from my friend John, nothing like homemade gifts to say Happy Holidays.

This was one of my gifts to Mike and to Myself from RickShaw Bags which you may find at http://www.rickshawbags.com/ . These bags are made locally and they are called zero waste, because there is almost zero waste when making the bags, locally in San Francisco. Thanks to my friend Kyle that alerted me to a great LivingSocial deal. I got two bags about 3 or 4 months ago. My Christmas was fantastic.

The best gifts are my friends and most of my family lol. Amazing as you can see that most of the cards on my door are from my Galactica Group on Ravelry, a bunch of fun people that make me laugh all the time. Nonetheless, my Internet friends always count, people I have known since I started blogging about 8 or more years ago. Thanks for your friendship and may you have a Happy New Year 2012. It may be the end of the World once more, but just in case, keep calm and carry some yarn with you at all times.

Thanks for stopping by!

Nook Soft Touch Bag

2011-12-24T10:19:00.000-08:00

Here you have the finished project. I enjoy weaving a lot, but more than weaving, I enjoy the finishing touches. I am learning as I go. Stitching by hand is another story all together.

This is the stitching that is hidden inside the bag liner and below you have a band at the end of the bag to hide some of the would be fringe. It was stitched by hand as well. I am as pleased as possible, given the fact that I am learning a lot. I made a small I-Cord for the loop.

Below you have the Nook as it looks without the stand case that I got for it. The bag is a bit roomy, but is perfect. I like the color and the fact that it is machine washable and dryable. I say the HiKoo Simplicity behaved fantastic for a weaving project.

I put a button to help with the closure. You see the liner as well. Below you can see the Leather Stand that I got. Is not an overkill, because when you are knitting, the stand is holding the Nook. If you have seen this Stand-Case on the Net and wonder if it is worth the money. You bet it is. It is the perfect companion for your Nook Soft Touch. Have a great Holiday and there will be more bags to weave and more projects to come. I am hoping to have a Crochet and Knit Pattern for the Nook touch in the near future for free, but as always it takes time and inspiration, and I have the time, but the inspiration is focused on hats at the moment. Happy New Year and Thank for Stopping by.

HiKoo Weaving for the Nook SimpleTouch

2011-12-21T14:29:00.000-08:00

So here is my entertainment today as I am relaxing. I am using some of the HiKoo Simplicity to make a case for my Nook Touch. I am hoping to test some of my finishing techniques on the hems.

I made up the pattern inspired by the pattern from the Simple Summer Scarf from Schacht. I am hoping I can finish the weaving today. I am also hoping to do a nice hem, following Jane Patrick's instructions on her DVD. As they say, anything is possible. Thanks for stopping by!

Nook Touch Review

2011-12-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

I am very happy to promote this device, from the Colonies of Men. It is a good technology and you can cut the wireless before the Cylons hack into it. Seriously, if you are looking for a good E-Reader, the Nook Touch is a basic yet fantastic e-reader. It is not an IPAD, nor it is competition for the IPAD, but it is a great pocket size E-Reader. I can tell you that given the latest software update, version 1.1, the e-ink is more crisp and the system is very fast. If you look at some of my previous posts you will see my old Nook ,(1st Edition), which I traded in for an upgraded Tablet, but that is for Xmas. This Nook has a touch screen, it weighs a bit less than half a pound, or 8 ounces. It feels like a paperback novel and at night with a bit of light you can read your book under candle light. No email, no ads, you have access to the Barnes and Noble shop, It is easy to bookmark, search and I am very happy with the device. I am hoping to make a nice cover so that I can take it with my and know it is protected. I am hoping to make a pattern in the next few days. I hope this review helps you with the selection of your E-Reader. I do like paper, but I am more happy with the idea that no paper is ever getting lost, I can archive my books once I am done and they are still available in other devices. I think this is the best compact, pocket size, E-Reader on the market. Thanks for stopping by!

A new Hat is born

2011-12-13T16:37:00.000-08:00

The hat above is a modification of the Solstice Arrow to show that Andorians can wear the hats with Pride. Even if you are not Andorian, with a few modifications you can create the same hat and blend among the Andorians. Benjamin even has a Spock Doll. The true reality of this post is the hat below. I have started the Philosopher's hat and hopefully will be publish in the new year. This will be a magnificent hat as it will have some very challenging features that will incorporate many techniques that are Tapestry Crochet, yet it will be easy to make. I am not sure if I will be able to make it for many sizes, but I will do my best to accommodate the whole family. It will just take a bit of thinking and just some thoughts, no need to fold the Space-time continuum, but I may have to travel to the past if not satisfied. I hope you are having a great week and there will be more fun coming up , maybe weaving or spinning. Thanks for stopping by!

"Solstice Arrow" A Crochet Hat

2011-12-10T22:44:00.001-08:00

"Solstice Arrow" A Crochet Hat by Crafty Andy ©. I want to give special thanks to R. Buffalo Jr. for helping me with the testing and proof reading of this pattern. His help is always appreciated, along with the other testers that happen to want a challenge of color and texture. This is a hat to celebrate the Solstice and to bring some cheer into your life. It is a very simple Tapestry Crochet Hat. You can use almost any kind of yarn, but dk weight is the yarn suggested. The yarn featured here is HiKoo Simplicity, but any dk weight yarn is acceptable. I like superwash merino like HiKoo, it makes it easy to wash, dry and wear.

The Techniques used in these hats allow for some breathing at the crown and it allows you to block it to size. The technique makes a dense fabric. If you are making a hat for an infant you can add chin straps to hold the hat in place. When you block this hat, it may grow in circumference 2 to 4 inches, and 1 to 2 inches in length. I block my hats by getting them wet in warm water and allowing them to dry over a bowl. The bowl may be plastic or stainless steel.
This is another hat that is perfect for the family and you can make different sizes taking advantage of yarn weight, hook size and tension, thus creating a gauge that will allow you to make the perfect hat. You need to know your Front Post stitches and the basics of hat construction. Weaving the ends should be a breeze. Color combinations is limitless. This pattern is PDF format and it has a video link to a demonstration. Great for the Holidays!

Culebra Holiday

2011-12-01T09:15:00.001-08:00

Isla Culebra (Spanish pronunciation: [kuˈleβɾa], "Snake Island") is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately 17 miles (27 km) east of the Puerto Rican mainland, 12 miles (19 km) west of St. Thomas and 9 miles (14 km) north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra (Dewey) Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). The island is also known as Isla Chiquita ("Little Island") and Última Virgen ("Last Virgin", reflecting its position at the end of the Virgin islands archipelago). Residents of the island are known as Culebrenses.

The trip was about 1.5 hours for such a short distance. The ferry is ok, but could use some upkeep. People writing with markers on the seats is sad, but mostly ignored. Otherwise clean, the Ferry is the one connection to the outside world. There is a freight Ferry that brings merchandise on Wednesdays and Fridays, Produce on Fridays and Milk on Wednesday, but like the past week, no ferry , so no Milk or Produce for a week. It is a nice place for vacation, I just would not like to live there. Too small in many ways, yet friendly and cozy.

The houses are colorful, lots of bottles and cans around, plastic and such. I believe tourist and natives need to keep a better record of putting trash where it belongs. There was no visible pharmacy, or any kind of store besides tourist stores. Local Convenience stores called Colmados are around for groceries and such. Lots of businesses close by 3 PM. Definitely good for vacation. Internet and Cell service is fantastic and Taxis are cheap. One Post Office below someones house.

The Flamingo Beach or Playa del Flamenco. Flamenco Beach Ranked # 2 in the top 10 most exotic beaches in the world.This is a great beach and there are showers, bathrooms and changing rooms. There is also Food Establishments with great local cuisine and of course hot dogs and hamburgers to order if you like.

We finally departed the coast at 5PM and saw an interesting group coming back from the Main Island with Cakes, TV's and other things like diapers , furniture and other toiletries. The round trip is $4.50 at the time of this posting. If you go to Puerto Rico, this Island is a great place to visit and stay. There are some nice Hotel areas, which I believe is a great destination. There are plenty of bars and restaurants for the size of the Island, but I would rather stay in a hotel , so no cooking or cleaning, lol. This was my first time to this Island, maybe next time I can take a Snorkeling tour, Thanks for stopping by.

A bit of History

2011-11-25T14:43:00.001-08:00

The patio of the Serralles Castle has a fantastic view. It is full of beautiful flowers and trees. You can see the Caribbean Sea from the house. The house is an actual museum and it is a fun place to visit. We had a great tour this time as well, this is my sencond time here.

Butterflies , from all stages of their metamorphosis from pupae to butterfly.

Second picture from Below, you will find a butterfly from the butterfly conservatory. The lst time I visited there were no Butterflies in the conservatory. We also got the opportunity to see some Guaraguaos or Puerto Rican Hawks, looking for prey. The day was very productive and tomorrow is another adventure. If you come to Ponce , this is a must see. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T14:44:00.001-08:00

This year we went to Puerto Rico to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday and defrost for a change. I was fortunate to be able to spend a Thanksgiving with some family.Michael came into the fold and embraced the dark side, he is part of the family now. The picture above is in the old city of San Juan. This is a must do walk if yu come by. I also had a Glass of Mavi which I have not had in years. I have almost forgotten how good it tasted

Below Crafty Andy Nephew and Niece and my mother as elegant as always. She is such a sharp dresser and always wearing her jewerly and make up. She is like Marie Barrone from "Everybody Loves Raymond", in many ways, but today, she behaved like a saint. lol!

We were very fortunate to find a great restaurant with the ability to take a group of 10 for Thanskgiving, lots of places were closed for the Holiday. It has been the best Family Thanksgiving that I have had in my time. I was glad to see and spend time with my loved ones. The food was fantastic and the Sangria was very refreshing. I hope everyon had a good Thanksgiving and more to come , so stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by!

Knit or Crochet in Public

2011-11-22T17:38:00.001-08:00

In Purto Rico a man Knitting in Public or Crocheting in Public is a wonderful sight. People ask me if I am an Artisan, and I have to say YES!

Here In the picture above you find me knitting in public. At the bottom you find me crocheting in public . I had to hide the item I am crocheting as it is the new hat that will be coming out soon. Tonight I went to Punto Reves again and what an experience. I enjoyed the company of the creative people that surrounded me. I am so glad that I found this place and I will tell you that I would go every day if I could. There is something wonderful happening here and I got so much inspiration. Thanks to CUca and Merce for their hospitality and fantastic Coffee. The coffee, the conversation, the sharing of ideas and techniques, it is really what Knitting and crocheting is about. Thanks for stopping by!

The Winter hat secret is...

2011-11-21T04:59:00.001-08:00

There is a Secret this Winter! It is to be revealed soon, and it is a Hat, perhaps a scarf or two, maybe even a shawl and another hat as well. The Lords of Kobol have been kind to me and flooded my imagination with plenty of inspiration for a creative endeavor in the taking. This Winter you will have More than one Crafty Andy hat to work on , that is a promise!
The picture that you see is the wrong side of the hat and it is a very interesting hat in the making. I say stay tuned, as I reveal the gifts of Winter on Tapestry Crochet and creative Crocheting. Trully my inspiration, my followers and my friends, have influenced me for my patterns. Thanks for your patronage, and know that I am very grateful to all of you for the support. I am a simple Artisan with one thing in mind, "Renew the Art of Crochet" . Yes you may not call yourself an artisan, but once you have made one of these hats, I you have become the apprentice on the road of becoming an Artisan of the Art of Crochet. May your Thanksgiving be Full of gratitute and joy, no matter what life conditions you have, there is always reason to celebrate something. Thanks for stopping by!

Punto Reves, Man knits Pink, reviews

2011-11-16T12:42:00.001-08:00

Life is yours for the taking and there is so much to do and to see while on this plane. I went to Punto Reves Yarn Shop in Altamira, and what an experience it is. I am still glowing from the fun I had with the group. I learned to knit Left handed. What a hoot. I am making my niece a scarf on this wonderful yarn from Katia called Temis, is an acrylic,cotton,nylon blend, perfect for the tropics and ver washable. This yarn is thick and thin and it is a lot of wfun to work with. I recommend the yarn for lacy work with minimal knitting or crochet. This scarf is all in Knit Stitch on US 13. I am hoping to visit the store again next week. Their website is WWW.PuntoReves.com . If you are ever in Puerto Rico this is a must see. They have classes of lots of different crafts that are needle related. I was very impressed with the service , the friendliness and the vast knowledge of subjects in the arts that they have to share.
If you think this is the only project I have during my vacation you are mistaken. I am working on a Tapestry Crochet Hat . It will be a very funky Winter Hat, I hope people enjoy making it as much as I enjoy designing them. Can't show you a picture yet, but I can tell you there is a Knit hat in the works as well. It just struck me like a rain in the rainforrest. Hope you are having a great November, I believe this has been the most fun time I have had in Puerto Rico, while visiting. It is nice to sit and crochet or knit with fellow crafters. Pina COlada por favor, stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by!

Aibonito 2011

2011-11-13T16:29:00.001-08:00

So today , I have been taken to the town of Aibonito. This is my first real outing after arriving to the Island. Toro de Piedra is a fantastic Restaurant, with a great view and great cuisine. There will be more to come, but right now I am just posting for you to see where is Crafty Andy. It is a balmy 74 degrees and I think is like 102. It takes a while to get into the weather.

The Restaurant has a balconey with a view, a simple wine cellar and fantastic friendly staff. The shimmer at the horizon is the ocean or rather the Caribbean Sea. We are in the Middle of the Sierra that divides the Island North and South. I had some Chicken brest, grilled with rice and beans. My sister had Chuletas Can Can, and my niece and her boyfriend had a beef churrasco. My great niece had some chicken strips, the child size. We had a great time and the view was magnificent. Hope to share more of the journey with you as I get inspiration to creat a pattern or two. Thanks for stopping by.

"Slipstream A Crochet Scarf"

2011-11-11T09:26:00.001-08:00

Slipstream is a scarf pattern about color work and manipulation of stitches. I wanted to make a trendy scarf that had vertical and horizontal lines as options; With or without fringe, with or without a border. The subject is stripes vertical and horizontal. You have choices! Two Scarves 1 Pattern. I am following mi intuition and following my heart when it comes to crochet. I have a mission to bring crochet to a new level of fashion with color and textures that is wearable. This pattern has a video supplement to assist you in the making of the border for the Vertical Stripes Scarf and weaving the ends in.

I want to thank my friend “R. Buffalo, Jr." , for his suggestions , swatching and helping me with the proof reading of this pattern; Thanks to Naomi Balint for her Photographic Design Input and Michael for his devotion to me and helpful assistance.

Featured yarn:
Simplicity dk by HiKoo (Horizontal Stripes) 2 Skeins of each color.
Crochet Hook: 5.00 mm (US H) for DK

This HiKoo Simplicity is great because you can put it in your washer and dryer. I have done it, so I know it is true. It takes 2 skeins of each color and it makes a long scarf. I would have made it about 6 stitches shorter, and blocking it would make it longer. The Horizontal stripes is constructed lengthwise, so the ease is not much, yet it will grow some in length.

Featured yarn:

Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool Worsted MC 190 yards CC 150 yards (Vertical Stripes)
Crochet Hook: ; 6.50 mm (US K) for Worsted Weight
Lionbrand Fisherman's wool is one of the most flexible wools I have seen. great for projects like this one and it blocks like a dream. You can also use Cascade 220 superwash worsted weight and you will have a fun washable scarf. Just one skein of each color and you have a deal.

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There is more to come in the following weeks as I take some time to make new patterns, with HiKoo Simplicity and Cascade 220. I am in the motions of making the Gryffindor Philosopher's Hat into a pattern, this will be coming out within this month if the muses stay with me. There is a Winter hat coming as well, so stay tune. Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Rib Scarf by Schacht

2011-11-10T16:28:00.001-08:00

Simple and elegant and fast to make. This is a pattern from Schacht that deals with mohair. How many people have I come accross that have mohair and have no idea what to do with it. Wwell this scarf which I started last night is about and hour or so from being done. Weaved in about 8 hours, you will have a beautiful masterpiece. I made this on my Cricket Loom. I am impressed with the quality of the Schacht Family looms. Thanks for a great pattern. I hope you enjoy the picture, I promised I will have a better picture tomorrow along with a new scarf pattern from Crafty Andy that is coming out. Thanks for stopping by!

November 11 WIP and more

2011-11-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

I am aiming at finishing this scarf this month. I am enjoying the making of this Tunisian Crochet Short Rows Scarf ,by Kim Guzman, a lot. It is just fantastic and believe me if you want to test your knowledge of Short Rows in Tunisian Crochet this is your pattern. You also get to make Reversed Tunisian Knit Stitch and Regular Knit Stitch. This is a fingering weight sock yarn. I really can't wait to finish it , then block it.

The picture below is the fuzzy image of the swatches I have been making for my newest Scarf Pattern, I am using dk weight yarn and it is a great looking scarf. I am hoping to have it finished by the end of Monday or Tuesday and publish it. It is thinking outside the box for me and creating a scarf with two options of making it, is all up to you. I like them both, but more to come.

What you are seeing in the picture below is a crochet chain. I am about to make a Double crochet. If you look carefully there is a little bump that comes up. I am yarn over and put my hook through this bump ready to make my double crochet. This is what they call the Purl Bump. At any rate, when you are done crocheting or casting on in the Knit fashion like this, the bottom of the Row has two parallel bars, very tidy and very nice to work with. I am creating a new Scarf Pattern on worsted weight and on DK weight and I hope that you enjoy the pattern as much as I have been doing making it. Welcome to November 2011, thanks for stopping by!

Happy Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T19:55:00.001-07:00

Trill2011 (18), a photo by Crafty Andy on Flickr.

Another Halloween comes and goes and the fun never stops. I thought we had more fun costumes this year and more kids. I am so happy to participate in this silly, but fun festivity. We never had this in Kobol. Happy Halloween from the Bajoran Sector.

Risa Awaits

2011-10-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

Risa Awaits, that is the name of this mission. I will use these puppies to walk on the beach at Risa. I used two materials here and I can say that I liked the Wollmeise a lot more than the cascade heritage.So if I was making these pair of socks again I would probably go to dk weight or even light worsted and go down to the small size. I made the Large size with 72 stitches and it looks like I could have gone down maybe to small with different yarn. At any rate here is one project I started in June 2011 and done Yesterday. My next project is going to be a scarf on my cricket. Thanks for stopping by!

Almost done Qa'plaH'

2011-10-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

I think that one of the most rewarding and frustrating features, of Ravelry.com, is the fact that you can see how long you have spent in your projects. I say it is good, sometimes it actually gives me motivation to finish things up. Sometimes it gives me the conviction to frog them if I need to. I think is all good , because you can always restart or redo a project. These socks I started in June 4, 2011, and I am really looking forward to finishing them today. This project is a free pattern and it is worth your time. I would try the sock every two or three rounds, but I made sure that I was leaving enough play in the rounds. A sock that is Fair Isle will be too tight to wear if you are not careful. At any rate, I am glad I am ending this project , so that I can start my Portuguese Style socks later on. I am looking forward to starting socks using the Andrea Wong method. Thanks for stopping by!

The Mirror Universe

2011-10-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I love Star Trek more than anything. The positive influence it has had on my life is very apparent to me. I belong to a Ravelry Group that is is a Starfleet Corps of sorts and this mission was to create something to disguise us in the Mirror Universe while we looked for our Evil Twin. I thought that my evil Twin will not care to have the ends weaved on his hat, therefore the tail, I did weaved it in once I was back into my own Universe.In the picture below it gives me the impression of a Hirogen Hunter's head.

Hirogen adult males are quite large, standing above the average height of other known humanoid species. They also posses greater physical strength than most humanoids. Their sensory perception is acute, a feature that serves well as the Hirogen are an aggressive hunting species.

This actually was a very fast knit and I enjoyed coming up with a pattern to make a set. I will still in the making of scarf with this yarn and create a set, maybe for charity. Thanks to my Friend Tanya for the Yarn. In the end I weaved the tail, thanks for stopping by. The universe is in balance once more. From Starfleet Headquarters this is Crafty Andy!

Mirror Universe Mittens A review of yarn

2011-10-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

Ironstone Yarns has a yarn called "FUN". Is it really fun? This is not a bad yarn if you have the right project for it. It is thin and thick and that is no problem. The thin and thick is done very evenly space that you can actually count on it and use it for your pattern. I decided to make my own pattern for these mitts and it work out fantastic. I did make a swatch to find how it was going to behave. My review of this yarn is good, it knits up very quickly and you can have a lot of potential projects with it. I say weaving is a good choice and knitting in big needles. I personally did not like to crochet with it. I have to say that it holds very nice, it is a great blend of silk and wool. I also think that you can make great projects with it if you have a second more even yarn to go along with it in your project.

This is the Mirror Universe fingerless Mittens project and it was done with 85 grams, I will have a pattern some day, but for now I can say it works with this kind of yarn, no problems at all. I like the fact that I made these mitts in less that 3 hours, and that my friends is a very quick knit. I used 6.5 mm needles or 10.5 US. I can suggest that a scarf, a cowl , a nifty hand bag, and a hat are examples of projects to make with this yarn. I did not like to crochet with this yarn, it gets too dense and heavy. I will post a picture of the hat tomorrow . I am getting the designer bug, as these are patterns I am making on the go. Thanks for stopping by.

The gusset is done!

2011-10-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

Yep, I am done with the gusset and now I am on easy street until the toe, where I will change colors and double the yarn. I am way excited and wanted to share this work in progress. I am also working on my Geo Scarf , what a fun experience and if you have not done Short Rows in the Tunisian Crochet way, you do not know what you are missing. Ha ha ha. I am serious, I feel the creativity coming along as I work on the WIP that I have. I want to finish some of those unfinished objects, or like we call them UFOs, I have been behind a bit and now I want and need to feel like I am ahead., Why? Because I want to start with my designing of a Triangular Shawl and another Hat. In the meantime I am hoping to make a pattern or two on Tunisian Crochet. There are some patterns coming out , but I don't know when, they will be through a yarn company that has been very supportive of me. I hope you have a great week and there may be more pictures and even surprises during the week, keep your fingers crossed. Thanks for stopping by.

naDev 'oH wIj A work in Progress

2011-10-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

naDev 'oH wIj means in English , Here are my socks.As translated by Google translator from English to Klingon. I am very excited when I get over Second Sock syndrome and pick up the sock and go for it. Socks and specially fair Isle socks are very hard, but very exciting to make. There will be more to come in the future as I am enjoying making them, but this pair was kind of difficult for a while. What you are seeing on the picture is the Second Heel being started and after I turn the hell the instep and foot will be easy as pie. I am hoping to work on some weaving next weekend, I shall see if that is possible. I am moving along with my projects and that is very positive news for me. The creative process takes strange roads, but I know myself and I know that when I get to start to design whenever that is, it will be a lot of fun. For now suffice it to say , I have swatches and ideas. Thanks for stopping by!

Luscious Athena From Kollage

2011-10-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

Athena is my pattern and I can tell you that is one of the most fun pattern I have. It is simple, yet not boring. You have to pay attention to what you are doing and count stitches. Sometimes the Yarn Overs get lost. Kollage Luscious was given to me as a prize at the MFKR 2011. It is a cotton 63% nylon 37%. It is stretchy and works well on the needles, yet when it comes down to weaving in the ends is a bit tricky. I got two 50 gram skeins, the yarn comes on 100 grams skeins. I was able to do a Russian Yarn join successfully and that is impressive. It is a great choice for non wool people.

Using The Kollage Luscious yarn was an excellent choice. I will say that to finish off the Athena, you should do a little crochet cluster on the corner of the yarn tails. Leave about two or three feet and make a 3 to 5 single crochet in the corner stitch, then you can weave the ends inside the crochet stitches. I had plenty of Luscious left, so it can be made bigger.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and like me dare to use different yarns for different things. I say that this is a very successful yarn alternative for the Athena's Shawl. It is after all a Shawl for the Woman Warrior and the Daring Man. I want to thank Erica from Kollage yarn for the great yarn. Thanks for stopping by!

Geo Scarf Adventure

2011-10-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

I think the Geo Scarf by Kim Guzman is a fantastic scarf to learn Tunisian Crochet. The bonus is to learn Short rows at the same time. Os far I had to undo the second wedge twice,because it was not coming out nice. If I was using Mini Mochi it would have been a bit different. Why? That kind of wool is more forgiving than super wash merino lol. This is what I have until now, tonight I will be continuing on the dance with the pattern. Yep is a dance and you and your partner have to be on the same Page to make the dance a success. I am using the Eye of Jupiter colorway, and this is going to be a fantastic scarf, I can tell from the way it looks. I need to make 23 wedges and then I will tell you what is going on. I am working on rive or six projects, some knit, some crochet and some weaving. That is how I open my creative mind to the possibilities of Life and designing. I hope you have a great rest of the week and there may be a posting or two in the near future. Thanks for stopping by!

It's Tunisian Crochet

2011-10-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

October finds me in the middle of Tunisian Crochet, well the beginning of the middle, lol. I am working on two different patterns to start. The Shades of Sage "MoEZ" Afghan. Which by the way is an insane cool way to learn how to make fabric in Tunisian Crochet. It is suppose to be made in one piece, but I can't handle the ends floating around. I decided to make it in strips and then join then. I got gauge, but let me tell you one of the yarns , which I got as a gift , is not the best yarn in the world, Galway is the yarn, I would never buy that yarn, I don't know if it was just the batch I was given or if it is in general, but from my experience I will not spend a penny on this yarn, which I did not. I am mixing the yarn with some of my homespun and that is working perfectly.

The other pattern is the "Geo Scarf " on your left. It is a Tunisian Crochet Short rows scarf. It is another great way of learning what you can do with a Tunisian Stitch hook and the various possibilities. The link is for Ravelry, but I am sure you can get it through her Website www.crochetkim.com . I have admire Kim's work for a long time and do own some of her patterns. I am aiming to get inspired by these and create a great Shawl under my name that will be a fantastic design to wear. I am taking a break from designing as sometimes you need to do, so that I can get inspiration to make more beautiful things. There are some videos coming, one with a locally made Turkish Spindle, and some weaving for charity. I hope you have a great week and may your fall be full of wonder. Thanks for stopping by

Welcome to October 2011

2011-10-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

I had no idea whether I was going to Lambtown or not this year. The Month of October came like a cat, silently and fast upon us . I got the chance to go to Lambtown which is a Fiber Festival in Dixon California. It is mainly Alpacas and sheep, all kinds of vendors with silks, weaving, food, and more food. There are spindles and looms, and lots and lots of fleeces. It is a fun venue of healthy fun.

So there is music and lots of contests, from shearing sheep to dogs herding sheep, to the best Suri Alpaca .

The is a small petting Zoo this year and the animals and children are just adorable. This Kitty cat was playing with a piglet.

There were all kinds of things for children to do and things for parents to do. This year we had square dancers and some not so good singers. Sometimes the music was WAY too loud.

The BBQ was fantastic let me tell you, but not from this booth, we got it from another place. Here we got a link and we split the link in two. The serve too much food in my opinion.

The skies were blue and almost clear, the weather was perfect. I was fortunate to have some of my friends joining me at this venue, most by chance as we did not plan it as we did last year. Even my partner went with me and had a good time. The Monday Night Knit group was represented by a lot of the members, even the crocheters from the Monday Night Knit group were there. Some could not attend due to other circumstances and were missed. John, Kyle and Kate you were missed.

It came to and end and we came back home from the country side and back to the city side. The trip was worth the time and the weather was nicer than last year. It was cooler. Below is what I got from there. I bought a Turkish Spindle, American Made by Clemes & Clemes, Inc from Pinole, California, their website is http://www.clemes.com/ . Making AMERICAN MADE PRODUCTS, just in case you were looking for that. I will have another posting about the turkish spindle later this week. I also got some fiber fun which will mean a video as well. I got a silk hanky to spin from Tactile a Fiber Arts Studio, and got to meet Maia the owner. Maia has been a contributor to the Men Knitting Retreats. Her store is http://www.tactilefiberarts.com/ , she has marvelous stuff. I hope you enjoy my little excursion and thanks for stopping by!

Addi Crochet Extension Tips for Clicks

2011-09-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

I have been quiet, but not without been busy. I am working on creating a nice Tunisian Crochet Shawl , maybe a scarf as well, maybe both, but one for sure lol. I am understanding the Tunisian Crochet techniques more and more. There may be some Intarsia Techniques, maybe none. I am hoping to make an afghan soon of my own design, but not really ready for sale yet. Here in the picture above and below you have the simplicity HiKoo yarn, Addi Heart Stopper and Addi Crochet Extension Tips for Clicks or The Crochet Click Extension Tips from Skacel . The advantage is that you can use the Addi cables. The Heart Stoppers can be used to hold your stitches in place in case you need to do that. If you like to do Tunisian Crochet this is fantastic investment, the cables and heart Stoppers are extra.

Talking about Skacel , there are going to be lots of Patterns from Men designers coming out some time in the near future. The Men are from the Men Knitting Retreat Website and mostly from the MFKR 2011. Some patterns are knit and some are crochet. Anyway that is what I am up to and hopefully I will be creating more Tunisian Crochet Patterns combined with Tapestry Crochet. I am hoping to turn the Crochet World upside down and give you choices you never thought possible. In the meantime , Thanks to Skacel and the Skacel Family for their generous spirit with the Men Knitting Retreats. Thanks for stopping by.

Hikoo Simplicity Yarns a Skacel Adventure

2011-09-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you find a yarn that is the perfect yarn for the craft you are doing. HiKoo Simplicity happens to be a really nice yarn for my crafting needs. What a Palette of Colour , oh so inspiring. This is what I have to play with for the next few weeks to bring you some Fall Magic to you. I am hoping to design some cool stuff .Simplicity is machine washable merino , acrylic and nylon blend, great for socks for also for bags ,scarves and hats, what else can you ask for ? Color? You bet, the Simplicity Colour Palette is getting richer by the day, I do have my favorite colors, yet I like them all.

In the works in progress, there is what I believe will become a triangular Shawl-scarf inspired by West Knits designs; there may be 3 hats or 4, some fingerless mittens, maybe even a bag. Hopefully they will be on Tapestry Crochet, Crochet color work or Fair Isle Crochet if you want to call it that way. I am hoping to bring texture and fun color combinations to you for the Fall season, in expectations of Holiday Gifting. I hope you have a great rest of the week and there is more coming during the weekend as I test yarns and make things for gifting. Thanks for stopping by!

Athena's Kollage WIP

2011-09-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is the Athena A Goddess' Shawl using Luscious from Kollage. So far I enjoy using this yarn for this project as I am looking to see how many different yarns I can use to make this possible. This yarn will allow me to have very little blocking as it has a lot of drape, but until I am done I won't know for sure. Thanks to the Kollage People and to Erica for the yarn. I have never knitted or crocheted anything with Kollage and Luscious is a good introduction. Even though I got two 50 grams skeins, this yarn comes in one 100 gram skein. Is a cotton / nylon blend, great for sock knitting for those who want an alternative to wool. Care has to be taken that you don't take twist out as you knit or crochet. This is the progress so far and I am hoping that I will have this baby done by the weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Athena's Fall Shawl

2011-09-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

Just ready for the fall. I decided to make this shawl on a DK weight and I was very delighted with the results. Athena's is my own design. It is a very short design no chart involved, but it recreates the essence of Spider webs in the shawl. I really love this shawl made on a 12.00 mm or size 17 US needles, from the Addi collection.

I am showing you the best shots I consider shows you the delightful and playful characteristics of this shawl. It is modern, yet it has enough lace to keep you busy and some challenges along the way. I find it is versatile enough that you can wear it as a scarf if you so desire. I used almost 100 grams of Knit Picks overspun DK/Sport yarn and it works like a charm. There are enough place for the torque to travel and no bias at all. There is another one coming on a different weight and different yarn, stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by.

Athena's Shawls

2011-09-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

I blame it on Franklin Habit. I just got the Lace Bug. I am going to make my "Athena A Goddess' Shawl ", My aim is to test my pattern on Knit Picks dk weight and Kollage Luscious which is a sock yarn, that was my swag and donated by Kollage Yarns to the MFKR 2011. Why? I have the Lace bug and unless you experienced it , you will not know what you are dealing with lol. The Kollage yarn was one of the gifts or swag for me from the MFKR 2011, thanks you Kollage and you my followers, thanks for stopping by.

Franklin Habit's Sahar

2011-09-12T16:32:00.000-07:00

I am finally done with the Sahar Stole. This pattern is by Franklin Habit. I enjoy doing lace and sometimes it becomes repetitive and that is fun. It is also something that you get use to it and then you become bored some times. The Sahar Stole is a pattern that will teach you about lace. You can see what wonder stitches like SSK and K2tog do on a stole like this one. The selvedge is your friend and if you follow the instructions without fear, you will get an amazing stole. I made this baby on US 4 , I committed to make it relaxed. I was happily surprised at the blocked size. is A bit over 88 inches length and 16 inches width.

I say this is a great lace project, it will teach you plenty and you get to graft the two pieces together. I used a sports weight Knit Picks overspun yarn. I can tell you that it was a fantastic choice. My stole does not have a bias. I figured that a lot of the torque from being overspun would dissipate in the Yarn overs and it did. That tells me that the Sahar Stole is a great Pattern for hand spun yarn. Thanks to Franklin for this wonderful adventure in lace. Thanks for stopping by.

MFKR 2011 3rd and 4th day

2011-09-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today which is Saturday is the day I teach the Portuguese Style Knitting class , using Andrea Wong's method. This is the second time of me teaching this class. Everyone got it! I wish I had more time, but at least it gives them, the students , the basics about PK and some information to challenge themselves later on. On a previous post you saw the MFKR 2011 Portuguese Knitting Class video link here --->; Crafty Andy: MFKR 2011 Portuguese Knitting Class

As you can see by the picture below I was very happy to see one of my students going and practicing after the class. I actually saw more than one. I will say it was a success. Franklin Habit was among my students and I felt honored to have him attend the class. He is a very quick learner, Dolores was right by his side coaching him along while she was nursing a drink.

Right after my class, a bit later after lunch we have the guy that makes Pocket Wheels give a demonstration, his name is Jon McCoy , and yes he is the real McCoy. He is a very honest guy who tells you like it is. This is not a whee for someone who is looking to make a lot of yarn, but rather a compact wheel, that travels well. All made in America and with the option of a Woolee Winder. John Wise and Keith Daniels here are posing by the magnificent wheel that has a cup / beer/ drink holder. You can get those online I have to ask John where he got it from so that I can share the link. I think if you google Spinning Wheel Acrylic Cup Holder, I am sure you get it, he has an Etsy Shop I believe.
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Here is the Pocket wheel and all it's instruments of spinning fun. It is a very portable wheel , $200. down and at this time ELEVEN months waiting list.

Later in the afternoon I took a class about short rows, which I am hoping to take again some other time. The photo below is our last day and it was taken with my phone camera. It was a difficult day. We enjoyed each others company a lot and spinning , felting, crocheting or knitting with your friends is very nice. I really did not miss, TV, Facebook, radio at all. It is nice to enjoy the time you spend together with the guys. Queer Joe's competition was Mark Ellis as he was the chatty one in the group. Mark gave is a great conversationalist and very funny. We missed some of the guys and they were asked about. John , Kyle could not attend, but maybe next year. I consider this my personal vacation and being able to learn and teach is a fantastic experience. I hope you enjoyed my little tale about the Men 's Fall Knitting Retreat on the West Coast of our beautiful U.S.A. , thanks for stopping by.

MFKR 2011 Skacel

2011-09-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

On the Second Day, a Friday, we went to the Skacel Company to do our tour. The Staff at Skacel are always happy to see us. The Staff at Skacel and it's Owner , Karin Skacel, have been very kind to us, very giving and always happy to help us learn or challenge ourselves. I look forward to seeing Karin every year and this year we did something that I don't think ever happened before, lots of guys had kilts and sarongs while visiting. It was a fun venue that is for sure.

The visit also coincided with the challenge from Skacel to the MFKR to submit patterns for men. There was a winner and all the patterns were accepted as well. The above booklet with the Chartreuse Ensemble is filled with MFKR Patterns, so the men submitted their patterns and Skacel listened to what men want in patterns, mainly because we are making the patterns, just a point of view that is different from other, nothing out of this world, but fantastic for the guys and Skacel. AT the retreat there where at least 10 to 15 patterns made by the guys that Skacel liked, in fact they liked all the patterns. We shall have a booklet of MFKR patterns for distribution . Men creating patterns for men, the Worlds of Men are changing, beware of the sleeping giants.

When I was in the Military in 1980 I lived in Tacoma for about 6 months. This is the Skacel Art Studio, where as you see below, we got into Art Felting. It was fun and very interesting. I say I enjoyed the learning experience and some of the guys did beautiful samplers.

I created the below Art felt object. It is a glass case and I will have to sew it and make it more like in the picture. I got some interesting silk leaves in the mix , I learned what to do and not to do. I truly enjoy the experience and look forward to learning some more.

That night we had the Show and Tell where we get to show what we have been creating. I brought my Earth and Sky Shawl from WestKnits and there were 2 or 3 more from other guys that were very nicely done. I will have some pictures in my flickr, but I have to look through them to make sure I am not showing something that is going to be published and can not be posted.
This is the Bag I weaved and was part of my Show and Tell and Kilt and Sarong parade. I did not win the Show and Tell, but I don't really participate to win, just to share. I hope I gave you a view of what went on here on the second day, there were other classes and things going on, but suffice it to say, people were learning lots of fancy things.

Before the Show and Tell there was a Kilt and Sarong Picture. Thanks for stopping by!

MFKR 2011 First Day

2011-09-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

The first day of the Retreat and we got the Introductions by everyone. Guys from across the world came to visit and be a part of the MFKR 2011. Chinese Take out boxes ? Yes it is where we would put raffle tickets of the items we liked. We get 8 tickets and we get to put it in a box in front of something you like. Everyone is ensured to have something cool. People started arriving early in the day and up to 6 PM . I have to say that the kindness of our MFKR men to go and pick guys at the train stations, airports and such for free. I went to bed late, but I did not have any classes scheduled next day, just the Skacel Tour and the Skacel Art Felt, but that is for tomorrow. I am so proud of the way we embraced the lambkins. Lambkins is the name we give to the newcomers to the retreat. They were nervous as we told them there were initiation rules and contests, but it is not true at all. The MFKR is a place of Dignity and acceptance of all kinds of men. I will leave it up to your open mind to see without seeing. We got our first ADA knitter and we were prepared for him, what a difference a place that is ADA ready does for a guy like Jeremy. He was in a wheelchair and had an ADA Bathroom and Shower facilities. Our first day is over and we stayed up way too late, but all will be up early in the morning to start the day with knitting, spinning, crochet and spinning. A total of 43 Guys!!!! Thanks for stopping by.

MFKR 2011 Portuguese Knitting Class

2011-09-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

The MFKR 2011 was a total success and I do have more to share with you. The month starts with a You Tube video about the class I was teaching at the MFKR or Men's Fall Knitting Retreat. I used Andrea Wong Teaching Method for the Portuguese Style Knitting class. Here Website HERE. The guys were great and learned very fast. There is more to share later on during the week, but today I have a lot to do. I have to catalog the pictures and get pictures of the prizes and such. Thanks for stopping by!

Knitting and Weave the ends

2011-08-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here you have a way of weaving the ends while knitting. It is a bit different than the Crochet option of weaving the ends. I hope you find it useful. Thanks for stopping by!

Earth And Sky

2011-08-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

When I first signed up for this Mystery KAL , I did not know how much fun it was going to be . If there is another one, which there is going to be, I am definitely joining in. I was able to do Intarsia and even dare to finish the project in a way that is not really according to the pattern,m yet it is. This is a medium size shawl and I am very happy with it. The pygora/ BFL blend makes this a very nice choice for this project. I am a loose knitter and blocking will be accomplished by steaming the piece. This is not a hard project and I was able to complete it in 4 weeks, but I am sure I could have done it in one or two. The most difficult area of this pattern is the yarn choices. Thanks You Stephen, you really did a good job! Thanks for stopping by!

Mystery KAL Shawl WIP (1)

2011-08-23T08:47:00.001-07:00

MysteryKalShawlWIP (1), a photo by Crafty Andy on Flickr.

The Mystery Shawl came out to be a very interesting shawl indeed. It has various way for you to finishing your shawl and you can come up with your own way. Thanks you Stephen West for a fun KAL. More pictures later as I need to continue my Shawl finishing and weave in the ends, then comes blocking. I am very excited. Thanks for stopping by!

Sahar WIP Chart C

2011-08-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

This is the WIP of the Sahar Stole. The yarn is a Knit Picks overspun DK/Sport weight. So far the yarn is really behaving nicely with this pattern. I think hat the lace nature of the pattern will allow the yarn to really relax in a way that will enhance the pattern. Franklin Habit is a mischievous fellow. but oh so clever. If you are using Stitch markers to maker the repetitions, you can still do it on Chart C by minding where your marker should be. What I like about this pattern is that is not boring, it is easy, and it will keep you entertained and mesmerized. I have not dislike anything about this pattern. I will be finishing this half, hopefully this week. I am also working on the West Knits KAL, another mischievous fellow. This is what I know Today , thanks for stopping by.

Another Secret Hat Pattern

2011-08-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to be designing my hats. I am frustrated as I can not show you what I am designing. I can not show you the patterns , but I can tell you is hats. The hats that are coming are for the whole family and they are wonderful Crochet Hats with Tapestry Crochet and some Color Stranding Techniques. I have never seen hats like these on the Internet or for that matter on any one's heads. The hats have bold colors and great visual excitement. The hats have Textures and are like a sensory stimulating experience. I have to say that my inspiration comes in spurts and I have in queue about 6 to 10 more hats, I have already designed 4, I am almost ready to publish one for sale and the other ones are not for sale yet. I will be making my Philosopher Hat and a Fall Hat or Two available in the next few months. They are in dk weight and very sturdy, machine washable if you choose the right yarns, but I tell you I like hand washing my hats myself, it is exciting none the less. I want to thanks my proof readers and testers for their input and feedback. I always test my patterns on myself and read through them plenty of times before I publish them. At any rate hope to have a picture of my newest hat next week, but until I have the child size done and photographed, it won't happen, so it may be another week or so, I am not in a hurry anymore. This was an old post that I have to repost because of spam, people have nothing else to do.Thanks for stopping by

A Vulcan Sahar , WIP

2011-08-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today I started the Sahar stole, the link to the pattern follows, Sahar Pattern , from The Panopticon, a friend of mine. Actually we kind of know each other , we have a friendship, we do get along and have a good time together and have things in common, I say we are buddies getting to know each other. He is a very funny guy, that I can tell you. I get to spend time with him at the Men Knitting Retreats and he is a fun guy to be around. The only part of this pattern that scares me is the grafting, but I am going to go for it. This pattern is very intuitive so far. What do I mean? It is easy to follow. I am hoping to take it with me to the retreat. I enjoy a lace challenge once in a while and this is going to be my challenge for a bit. I think it will knit quicker than fast. I am using Knit Picks dk/sport yarn, this yarn actually is over spun, so I am hoping that is not a problem. In the ends is the experience that counts. I am hoping to have more pictures later this weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

I-Cord Bind off

2011-08-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

I made this video a while ago . It is a small tutorial attempt at helping people understand the I-Cord bind-off. Once in a while I refer to it and watch it myself, because it is helpful. I made it when I made the Baby Bath Wrap pattern. I hope you enjoy it and that is of help to you. Thanks for stopping by!

Intarsia a Journey

2011-08-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

Many people don't realize how cold it can be in San Francisco in the summer, but it is cold most of the time. The shawl is the same as in the last posting , but it has gotten bigger and I decided to go for the medium size. I am actually working on clue # 3, yep is a mystery shawl by Stephen West aka West Knits. There is nothing I dislike about this pattern, It is fast and simple and you get your feet wet in Intarsia. I think this young man is an Artisan with a refreshing bold taken on knitting. As a man who knits I look for men who design patterns, just because most of them have a different take. I like all the patterns West Knits , some I would not wear at this moment in life, but I would have definitely worn them when I was young. He pushes the envelope and is a breath of fresh air. I am hoping to buy more of his patterns, I have my eye on the vest he designed and the blanket he designed and some other patterns that he is offering. He is coming out with book #3 , let's see if I decide to buy the whole E-Book. This is all for today, thanks for stopping by!

Klingon Bird of Prey Decloaking

2011-08-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

I am always comparing things from our timeline to the Star Trek timeline. Believe me I wish I was there in the 24th century dealing with more interesting challenges than as of today. I definitely like triangular shawls like this one because they remind me of my Klingon friends. I do have Klingon friends! Qaplah! No matter that time travel is not here yet, we have to own the now. We have today, I will live the day and Own it. I will have to say that Stephen West is to Shawls as Crafty Andy is to Hats. I salute you my friend you have outdone yourself once more. Mister West Knits has come up with this Mystery KAL that he calls Earth and Sky , it is on sale for now at $4.00, it will be going up in price at the end of the month. It gets a clue every Monday, we are on clue #2. If you want to try some Intarsia, this is the project for you. It will be better if you belong to Ravelry so that you can join the group discussion and get ideas . Don't let this get away as he is helping you along and the benefits from the group is fantastic. Thanks for stopping by!

Pygora please

2011-08-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

I was thinking of spinning this by drop spindle, but the wheel is a great way of testing myself for this kind of yarn. I am making use of the fast flyer to make a very thin single of pygora to use on a two ply or a three ply, I don't know yet. Pygora is very strong, just as I thought, this has been sitting in a bag for a while it needs to breathe a bit before I continue spinning. The fiber need to be opened and that is what I am going to do later on. This is my Saturday project, but I do have a hat to finish. Thanks for stopping by!

The Steins Collect

2011-08-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

The Stein Collect is at the San Francisco MOMA. I tell you that it was a very stimulating visit. 2.5 hours of Matisse and Picasso, Juan Gris and the Parisian Avant-Garde. I got to understand so much about the Cubist Picasso and Juan Gris. It was a window into the artist mind and a very interesting tour. I will get great inspiration for hat making, well not like the one on the picture, but definitely getting bold in colors and forms. This picture was Matisse's wife, but she was wearing all black, yet he saw her in colors. What was bold about this picture was the idea of using colors like these to paint a lady at the time. Today we think nothing of it, but then it was a shock. I want to thank the Steins for having the foresight in collecting these pieces of art to share it with us. There were other Picasso's and even though I have seen three or four different exhibitions from Picasso, it is always nice to see different works by the man, from bronze to ceramics he had a vision. If this happens to go by your city , go and see it, it is worth it. Thanks for stopping by.

Armando In Jacob

2011-08-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

I always like to take a picture of a hat almost done. This is where DPNs shine beyond anything else.I am done with the hat and I can tell you that is the most wonderful Lace hat for a man. The Jacob takes a suede look and it looks very masculine with a touch of femininity or a delicate touch for the hunter in you. lol. I love this pattern and if you want to make it is a free Ravelry Download. Thanks for stopping by!

Rose Grey Alpaca

2011-08-02T19:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes what amazes me about spinning is how things turn out. This Rose Grey Alpaca was perfect, some vegetable matter, twigs only, but clean very clean otherwise. The water that I used to set the twist with was clear and that made me happy. Alpaca is one of those fibers that is perfect for the beginner spinner, longer staple and very forgiving of mistakes. This is a two ply with 178 yards at 112 grams, which is perfect. This is half of the 8 ounces I purchase on EBay. There is another 4 ounces that I am hoping to spin sometime this month, maybe next week. I say August started with me Finishing projects left and right and accomplishing goals and that is a great way of entering a month. I wanted to share this with you before I went to my crochet and knitting, they need some time as well. Thanks fro stopping by.

Welcome to Agust 2011

2011-07-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

Just a short video to say goodbye July 2011 and Hello August 2011. Welcome to a month of exciting things and some spinning. I am hoping to finish lots of projects this month and Make the Earth and Sky Mystery Shawl from West Knits aka Stephen West. Thanks for stopping by!

A Klingon Ambassador

2011-07-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

The first sock is finished and the second one has been started. I guess I did not know what to expect from fair Isle Socks, this is definitely a great pattern to really push these techniques to the front of the line. The reason behind is that some floats may be longer than 6 stitches, so this gives you the opportunity to practice hiding them with the yarn wrapping technique. Nevertheless I can tell you that I am not very happy with the blue-black Cascade Heritage as far as color goes, but is OK. The red Wollemeisse is vibrant and rich, a great yarn to handle I can see the attraction people have to it, great quality, big amount of yardage and colors that are to dye for. So here is my first Sock and I will leave you to your weekend. I am going to a Picnic I did not know and I will take my camera and my yarn to design some kind of hat that is simple , or maybe not that simple. Thanks for stopping by.

Klingon Socks et Painsticks

2011-07-29T12:10:00.001-07:00

KlingonSocksetPainsticks (2), a photo by Crafty Andy on Flickr.

I am almost done with this pair and will be done in a few hours. Once I am done I will start the second sock and hope to make it through the weekend. air Isle sock and is not easy. Ihave learned to make sure I have slack on those floats and try it on every four or six rounds. It has ben a great fit and a fun experience, I hope to finished sock number teo by Monday. The pattern is a free pattern on Ravelry and it is a must do for Trekkies lol. Thanks for stopping by.

Pythagoras Hues

2011-07-26T00:24:00.000-07:00

Here is another Pythagoras hat. This was done with a bit different yarn from Toots Leblanc. Sometimes the yarn is more WPI than you want, but you can still make the hat beautiful. The buy now link will take you to Ravelry which will deliver the pattern after your payment. You can always reach me here for pattern support.

Once I finish the hat and weave the ends, is time for a bath and I swat the hat around a bit, because it makes it bloom. I am in a hat frenzy so bare with me. Thanks for stopping by.

San Jose Tech Museum

2011-07-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

The San Jose Tech Museum was a great venue to go. We went the same day as the Quilts and Textile Museum. We spent hours in here, being able to take pictures and have the opportunity to be a participant. It has like three floors, and is in the same building that some cinemas are. I think this is a great addition to the San Jose experience.
This place is definitely interactive and a place to children , young adults and yourself. I had a lot of fun being able to be interactive with the exhibits, take pictures and then coming home online and see some of the things I got to do. In my opinion this is a great experience and something to be enjoyed by the whole family.

There were lots of great gadgets and technologies that I was not aware of. There is a green technology and sustainable technologies section. This is a place to go and visit again some time in the future. I was very impressed with this great museum. It is a most see. Our Sunday was full of excitement and discovery. Thanks for stopping by.

San Jose Quilt & Textile Museum

2011-07-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

As you know I won the tickets to go and visit this place in San Jose. It is very small, I will say is a small gallery. Some day it may become a big museum, it has two or three rooms for display and a store that sells some yarn and fabric, books and patterns. I am very grateful for the opportunity that I had to visit this place for free. They have lots of exhibits during the year and the Ladies that manage the place are a delight to talk to. I saw my friend's Pattern, "The Four Directions", From Kyle William. You can see the whole place in thirty minutes . Sunday there is free parking. I enjoy my travel to San Jose and I was glad to have been to the exhibit. "Primary Structures", it was something interesting. They don't allow pictures in the Museum. All I can say is, I was able to take pictures inside the British Museum. I don't understand this American obsession with no photography. They said copyright, but I say is not. The Art that has been done for centuries by the Native American Indians can be seen anywhere. They do sell pictures in the gallery, so that tells you what the real reason is behind. No big deal, just the way things are. Thanks Fiber Beat, thanks to you , we had a great time!

On another note, we saw the little movie about knitters. There were some nice Yarn bombs in front of the place. Knitters and crocheters rock this world, spinners and weavers too! Thanks for stopping by!

Spirals and Tangents

2011-07-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Spirals And Tangents is a new Family hat by Crafty Andy, that's me in the picture with my two models side by side. It is Tapestry Crochet that is intense to the touch and stimulation to the eyes. It has texture and the ability to transform itself with a flip of your hand into a hat with a brim and thus another hat. The nature of hats is spiral and I wanted to take advantage of that in a Tapestry Crochet Hat. The picture shows you examples of three sizes. It is for sale now from Ravelry or through Ravelry and my Website if you follow this LINK . I want to thank the testers and proof readers. Tanya and Tom for their time and help as volunteers. Thank you and Thank You for Stopping by!

Crafty Andy Updates July 2011

2011-07-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy , this video was going to be the first one, but it happens to be the last one released, nevertheless it is what I am up to in July. I have been fortunate to have some local friends help me with the testing and proof-reading of one or two of my patterns to be released this month. My other sources are very busy doing other things, Naomi and QueerJoe have helped me in the past and they have my total appreciation and gratitude for their help. The other Three patterns have already been proofread and are ready to be submitted to the Yarn Company for approval or not. One thing is for sure, the new hats are hot, hot, hot, but wait a minute, there are more hats coming out still. I believe 2011 will be the biggest Hat Pattern release from Crafty Andy to date, that is a good thing.

On another note about the modified single crochet stitches that I am showing on my other videos, I make or made no claim to their invention or copyright, I believe no one can copyright stitches. I wanted to share something I learned to the rest of the world, because I thought more people will benefit from the knowledge and I have not seen a video about that kind of technique, so I made one. Now to Mister P F , next time email me privately, instead of leaving a comment on the video like if you were a stranger talking to another stranger. I guess I thought you knew me better , but it's like you were talking to a complete stranger. I guess you really don't know me Sir, and I saw that clearly, won't make that mistake again. Well enough of that subject as I clarified it in the posts and video where the stitches came from, because I felt it was the right thing to do, and I did not like your comment, because it felt accusatory, it felt like you were accusing me of claiming the technique as mine, well I don't do that. The video explains very well that someone shared something that they learned with me, it was taught to them, I chose to share it in a video, end of story, it was not because of You! This is Crafty Andy , thank you for allowing me in your home!

Modified Single Crochet

2011-07-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when you finish a hat with lots of front postings or lots of post work like mine are, you want an alternate way of finishing them . I like using the FPsc most times, but sometimes I like to bring the last 2 Rounds of the hat together. This stitch that I am showing you here is the perfect way that I finish some of my hats. It gives it a professional look and a tidy finished look. I hope you find this useful. I have a passion for hats as you know, and a passion for Tapestry Crochet. I think crochet is a vibrant art form and I am doing everything in my power to demonstrate that crochet is fun , colorful and has texture. Thanks for stopping by.

Crochet Finishing touches

2011-07-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

Whether you crochet or knit, you desire nice ways of finishing your garments, accessories et all with a nice edge. I have enjoyed the FPsc and the Reverse Single Crochet for a long time. As I was talking to my friend Tom Belunis the other day at the Ravelry Meet up, he show me two alternate ways of making a sc that looks like a reveres single crochet. He learned these from a Lady named Marian Nelson. So the stitches she learned from some Japanese Crochet Technique I believe. I am happy to pass them along and make them in a video that can be share with a lot more people. I added the clockwise and counterclockwise, because is how I look at things. I have been designing hats like crazy and later this week I will have a new hat published. I will have to say that my passion is to make Hats in Tapestry Crochet and I really enjoy doing that. Enjoy the video and thanks for stopping by!

I am Pink

2011-07-08T13:16:00.001-07:00

Iampink, a photo by Crafty Andy on Flickr.

This is what this plant tells me, I am PInk. Today is Friday and I am so glad it is, very confusing week when you have a Holiday on Monday. This picture is about playing with the camera features, there is so much to play with with the camera and I think this weekend I will take a bit of a break and enjoy the camera with some of my spinning friends. No matter how grim life seems, it is all temporary and lasts but a short time. Live life to the fullest and without regrets and enjoy every minute you are able to express yourself and your creativity. Have Hat number 4 on the burner, Hat number 3a is waiting for yarn to arrive, ha ha ha. Peace and happiness always. Thanks for stopping by.

Fiber Beat Contest

2011-07-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

The other day after listening to WonderMike's Fiber Beat Podcast, I entered the contest hoping to win the tickets for this venue and I did. The San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, in San Jose of course. Thank You Deborah Corsini and WonderMike for this wonderful gift. I am hoping to go and visit the exhibition and have a great time. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

A great year has started for me. I am in the process of releasing a new hat that I believe people are going to like a lot. Is very simple and with the HiKoo yarn is a breeze. This yarn will make it easy to wash, not too hot and very colorful. There are more Hats in the burner, but I wanted to make one for release soon. I will be Crocheting in Public tomorrow and making a Hat for my Benjamin and I am hoping to have some nice photos for the pattern. There is also a nice video supplement to the hat that will be released as soon as the hat is released. I feel blessed and honor to be able to bring you so much fun with the Art of Crochet.

I make hats because when I wanted to wear a crochet Hat, I did not find anything that I really liked, My new hats are family oriented, so you can make the hats for the whole family, from the little one to the biggest head of your family. lol. I am creating Hats for people to be able to wear beautiful Tapestry Crochet Hats and learning to push themselves with the hook and the yarn. I hope you have a great 4th of July and that we celebrate safely and with lots of great Barbecue. Thanks for stopping by!

When It rains is so refreshing!

2011-06-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

I am in such a creative mode in my crochet that for relaxation I turn to other crafts, knitting, weaving and spinning. I aim to have a new hat pattern next for July. It is in my opinion a very simple Tapestry Crochet hat, but definitely something that will be fun to make and wear. I have to say that when it comes to the craft of making hats with textures and colors, Tapestry crochet gives me such freedom. I enjoy making hats so much, and my newer hats are really for the whole family. I think that Tapestry Crochet offers such a great advantage to manipulating the stitches, I never thought I could create so many different hats. Sometimes I start the hat the same way I did the previous hat, but on the road of making the new hat, I am thinking on innovation. Tapestry crochet is a bit more about commitment than about skill, yet to make many of my hats you need to know your front and back post stitches.

Gauge is really not that important as far as making a hat, yet you should be able to approximate the size of the hat you want by how many stitches per inch you are making following the pattern. Whether yo want to really relax your stitch or tighten the way you close the stitches, it is amazing how much difference you can make by relaxing your tension. At any rate I hope you have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

Tripp NYC Kilt

2011-06-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting a Kilt for some time you know. I think that this one from www.findcoolclothes.com from Tripp NYC was the perfect one for me. I have a latent Goth Spirit in me lol. I find that it fits perfectly and that IO am very comfortable wearing it. It is made in China, but I can tell you that is what I wanted to try. The www.Utilikilts.com is a great Kilt as well, but personally I wanted to try something like this and see if it was what I was going to wear. I can tell you that I really like the Goth Look of this Kilt, more so than the others. I even got a new belt today to go with it at the Gay Pride 2011 San Francisco. I got a lot of compliments from people, even from the guy from the Utilikilts.

In all reality the price is like 1/3 of the American made one, but it is great for people who want to try a Kilt and see if it is something you want to wear. This kilt for example has two cargo-saddle pockets , it has a great Zipper in front. The Zipper is very sturdy, it has a button inside and it is made of a great 100 % cotton fabric. Now for the Holidays , meaning Christmas Holidays I may buy myself a Utilikilt, I will tell you that this is a nice piece of clothing. To answer the obvious question that some people have, I do Wear Underwear. At any rate I wanted to share with you my Kilt and I am working on those Klingon socks to go with it. Thanks for stopping by!

Tapestry Crochet Myster Hat 2

2011-06-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

So you have been wondering what I am doing these days. I have been busy designing hats for the Family for someone a great Sponsor. I wish I could show you the things that I am working on, but I don't know that I can. This is the first time I am working as a designer for a big company and I am hoping to create some for myself at the same time. Nevertheless the hat you see above is the wrong side of the pattern I am working on, and what is very exciting about these patterns that I am working on is the fact that you can make them for the whole family. It is the easiest sizing I have come up with that is very simple. At any rate I will keep you posted as I go along. I will say that some time this week or next week I will have a bit of a tutorial about how I make hats and some tips and tricks about making hats that I am hoping will benefit a lot of people. Not really fancy, but very to the point and professional. Thanks for stopping by.

The Instep is born, Risa

2011-06-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is the instep of the sock and I have slowed down a bit, not because is boring, but because I am busy making patterns and testing them. I will be working on it a bit more maybe a couple of hours a day on the sock then continue my pattern testing. I have had great help from the Intwined Software as I try to translate the patterns I create at random with color. Hope you have a great Friday, I am hoping to visit the Picasso Exhibit at the Local Museum, we got some free tickets. Will see you during the weekend, hope is a great weekend for all. Thanks for stopping by!

The Risa Heel has turned

2011-06-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

I think this pattern is very easy for those that want to learn a simple, yet clever Fair Isle pattern. As you see , I have decided to make the heel red and I will also make the tows red. I have a lot more red than black. This is a sock that will last me for a long time. I am hoping to make a pair of socks a month in my self imposed Sock club. Some of my friends started that, we want to make socks with the yarn we purchased. I think the economy has brought out the utilitarian spender on all of us. I have always been that way, I don't like to have things sitting around that are just for decoration, unless of course is sock yarn, ha ha ha. Thanks for stopping by!

The Heel Flap for Risa

2011-06-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

I am enjoying making this sock as I am learning more about socks in general. Socks in Fair Isle are not the easiest thing in the world, yet they are. The red is a Wollmeise Vamp , which is very rich and depending on the light you get more red or orange. It is definitely very red. I decided to make the Heel in Red, it is easier on the eyes and I have plenty more Red than I have black. Given this is sock number one, sock number two will be a breeze.

I think one of the more tedious parts about socks is the fact of the monotony of the repetitive work. I pace myself and have little goals for each day. The chart is 33 Rows, I aimed at making 11 Rows each day and maybe 17 if I am motivated. The Heel flap I have done 10 rows at a time. I was searching for the formulae for the heel flap and it seems to be pretty much the same. For men is about 3 inches, but it is defined also as half the stitches of the circumference. I say at least half the stitches as the circumference, but for a man, between 2.5 to 3 inches is good. I am almost done with the heel flap and will start to turn the heel, which is in my opinion the most fun part of making a sock. I doubled the yarn for the heel flap and the turn and will do so for the toe as well. My toes will be red. Thanks for stopping by!

A Fair Isle Socks is just not a sock

2011-06-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

This Sock is an interesting example of something that shapes and reshapes itself as you wear it. My friend Nigel suggested that I turn it inside out and do it in reverse, this would definitely make the floats better. I try the socks on every two or three rows, nothing like a pair of socks that does not go over the ankles. I am planning to do a double strand on the heel and on the toe. I have not decided whether it will be black or red. This sock is being done with Cascade Heritage superwash merino and Wollmeise. I am loving every minute I am spending. I am definitely learning a lot about this Fair Isle in Sock Fashion. I have another pair of Socks that I am really wanting to make, they are green and black, Lizard Socks, but that is another story. I am glad you stop by today to see the progress I made. I had one of my patterns proofread by a friend and it's a go. I will start to work on the Other New Pattern maybe Sunday or so. Thanks for stopping by.

Risa is rising

2011-06-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

I have never done Fair Isle socks and I can tell you is a lot more difficult than I want to admit. Nevertheless if you are accustomed to make socks in this fashion , you will find it a breeze. I started this project on DPNs, but quickly decided to go on two circulars. The circulars are US 1 as well , but 2.5 mm instead of 2.25 mm. I had to rip to the beginning of the Color pattern, because I was not able to let the floats relax. Actually with two circulars I can wear them after a few rows or every row and see how they are fitting. I say it is better than making socks that do not fit. I am enjoying the pattern more, and now that I figured how to update the file on Ravelry, I am a lot happier. It came with the right amount of stitches. This is my relaxing project and I can tell you it is fun. Hope to have more pictures as the week comes along. Thanks for stopping by!

Relax it is just socks

2011-06-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

To me the ability of making my own socks is amazing. This pattern that I am starting is amazing and not for the faint of heart. It is a Starfleet Fair Isle Socks kind of sock knitting, and it almost follows the rules when it comes to stitches. It is a big challenge and I am hoping that I can take the challenge along. I am going to put a safe line on the top before I start the pattern, because I can go up to 80 sts if it is too tight, but will enjoy the 72 at the cuff. It calls to go up a needle size, but if I played my needles right and my tension right , I should be able to knit lose and mimic going up a needle size. The cuff was knit in the way I knit when I need to apply tension to the yarn, so it goes by the gauge I was asked to have. It is all in the fun and is what I am doing.

I am also very busy with designing and some will be posted here and some is for a Yarn Company that I am hoping they will embrace the crochet bug. The first hat is definitely a family hat. All the members of the family can have their own hat, following the same pattern, from the baby to the grand father, it will all be possible with these patterns, I am sharing the news, the rest is a secret that I can not share with you for now. Thanks for stopping by.

Fair Isle to Crochet by Leisure Arts

2011-06-03T17:48:00.000-07:00

Fair Isle to Crochet by Leisure Arts , 5 Afghans for the family by Karen Ratto-Whooley is an interesting book if you are looking for charts. It will not teach you Fair Isle, nor will it teach you to crochet a proper Color Stranded gauge swatch. When I first saw this booklet I thought it would enhance my knowledge of color work in Crochet, but it did n't and it can't. There is value in buying a booklet with 5 Afghans patterns with some colorful charts, but even at that, there is a lot that could have been done, that was not done in this book, to really teach people about color work in crochet. I want to rename this booklet after I read it and call it Pretty Charted Ideas for Crochet Afghans. Even the finishing techniques are just simple, but does not tell you that you can choose to finish this afghan in a different way. It assumes you want to make an Afghan with tassels or fringe at the ends. I think the author should have added that you could add a frame around the afghan in single crochet as well so that you can hide the end by making weaving easy. I shall say to all of you that this is not a book I recommend for it's instructional value on color techniques, it uses graphs that are public domain, and is not what I thought it would be. If you want to do some advance color work in Crochet I do not recommend this book for you, but if you are new to color in crochet a beginner that does not have any idea how to make charts or colors in crochet, this will be a book that is worth looking at. I had to revised my review because it sounded harsher than I wanted it to be. Sometimes things get lost in translation when is late at night. I intended no offense to the author, but I needed to express my personal opinion.

Well as of today June 17, 2011, I had the honor of having the author of the book comment on this posting. This book is not what I wanted, but will definitely point you into the direction of Fair Isle Crochet as the Author commented below. Would I make the afghans in it? I bet you I would, but I would find a way of not having the fringe on the sides, I personally don't like it. Those ends can be weaved in and the fringe will be gone. Thanks for stopping by!

Alpaca Fibers for me

2011-05-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

I just got this in the mail 8 ounces of each cream alpaca fiber that you see below and the Rose Grey which this photo shows nicely. I am hoping to spin it all to make yarn for the Great North American Afghan from XRX in different shades of alpaca yarn, some of which I am making myself. I just wanted to do that because I think it will be very meaningful to me.

The picture below is the one Alpaca fiber that is rare to find, and I was lucky to find it on EBay. I am a bit quiet because I am designing for a company that wants to carry some of my hat patterns under their name, and Crafty Andy is very busy making hats , testing hats and creating hats. I had a Writer's Block for about 3 months and few days ago while I was chanting I go the answer I was in search of. Thank You Universe for allowing me to remove the obstacles. So to a happy end in May 2011, they World did not end, but even if it did , I would have been busy doing something. I am not the type of going crazy if the world is going to end, some day it will, but not because of what people think. Sometimes I wonder if they are talking about the God from the Bible or a God from one of those TV or Movies I have seen. Those vengeful Gods that only get happy when you sacrifice virgins on an altar. I will leave it at that. Thanks for stopping by!

Homespun Alpaca Yarn

2011-05-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

This was a fun project to do on the wheel. My Kromski Sonata still making yarn after the fix with the Gorilla Glue. I am always afraid it will com apart, but now I have options to repair that I did not have before. I will have to say that I am looking at Lendrums a lot and will be probably sit down on one some day and see wat it feels like. I have seen a lot of great reviews on Lendrums. I was also looking at the Side Kick from Schacht it looks very intriguing again I will have to sit down and give it a spin sometime. I guess I was not satisfied with the "New Voyager" note that it only happened to another person, they changed the manufacturing, and on and on I really felt left out in the cold. I will leave it at that for now.

I tell you how much the Kromski incident has affected my purchasing anything Kromski, is really not going to happen for a long time if it happens at all. As a matter of fact I am not going to buy my next loom from them that is for sure. I think that I rather spend more money on s Flip 25" loom and stand than get something cheaper that may not work as promised. Very dissappointed KROMSKI, every time I get on my wheel I am watching it for signs of Failure!!!! ANyway hope you liked the yarn and I am hoping to make more yarn in the next few days along with some other great Hand Dyes, some with natural things and some with almost natural things like Kool Aid, and some with Jacquard Dyes. I am hoping to have some nice videos to post as well.Thanks for stopping by.

iDye my Yarns please

2011-05-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

Here is the great Trio that I played with during this weekend. It was a fun experiment in dyeing.

I went to dye yarn and used a fisherman's from Lion Brand and some Rit Dye, iDye and the fun began. The iDye black or any black dye are tricky dyes and it wanted to give me a gray color, Sometimes Black dyes are a deep Navy blue or a deep eggplant purple, but is not black like the rit black or the food coloring black. When I first dissolved the iDye it looked like the purple black from the eggplant, I knew it was not going to work. Rit did a great job and so did the black food coloring from Mc Cormick. Below you see how clearly black the Rit addition made it, still has some bleeding, but nothing to write home about. Since it has to be hand washed anyway, I believe is acceptable.

I then decided to use more food coloring and enhanced the purple with neon purple. I used vinegar to help the binding of the color to the wool and some grape flavored kool aid, because I could not resist. I like kool aid for yarn dyeing a lot. So while the world was going to end, I decided to go chemical and dye yarn, the result of the chemical experiment is below, the black was definitely adding Rit to the mixture, the middle skein is more or less the color of the iDye with Fisherman's wool, I guess it would have been a lot darker, but I did not chance it. The purplish was a fun yarn to dye, with the colors I chose, there was no Rit black involved at all, just the iDye , kool aid, and neon purple. This was such fun and the world did not end, the GODS were pleased with my yarn and so was I.

This was the color I started with, with a soaking of the yarn in warm water and vinegar. Lion Brand yarns is one of my favorites to dye and over dye. Thanks for stopping by there is more to come!

Zinio and Knitter's Magazine

2011-05-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

I just bought this magazine or rather e-magazine from the Zinio website. AM I glad I did not buy a subscription at this time. Did you know buying from Zinio is considered a Foreign Transaction by most US BANKS and thus you will get a foreign transaction fee? Use one of your credit cards that does not charge Foreign Transaction Fees and you will be fine. The payments are processed in the Netherlands. I told one of their customer service guys that they need to tell people in their CART or E-CART that there may be a foreign transaction fee by the issuer of the credit or debit card for the transaction. I don't mind paying such a fee, but I want to know that it is going to be charged. I have travelled enough and purchased enough things online to understand that. The fact that is puzzling is that I was charged US dollars. I guess next time I will use a different Credit Card. Now you Know, If you buy things from the Zinio Website you may have an extra charge, not from them of course, but from your bank. The customer service rep that answered my email was very sweet, and try to make me feel like an idiot. In the end he understood that I know what Foreign Service Transaction Fees are, I have paid them before, but I knew I was going to Pay them, is very different than when you don't know. A big whatever right? I told him I was going to blog about it, because I don't want other people to find this as a surprise either. Now you know!

I was totally surprised and did not expect this. I have many times purchased things in the Internet and when there was a foreign currency , I expected the currency fee. I paid in US Dollars. Well my Bank knows Best. Thanks to the Gods I have other Credit and Debit Cards that don't charge these fees. Be aware if you purchase from Zinio that you may be charged a Foreign Transaction Fee by your Bank. Thanks for stopping by!

Poseidon's Dream

2011-05-19T18:57:00.001-07:00

PoseidonDream204yds160gms (2), a photo by Crafty Andy on Flickr.

I call this colorway arenas, Spanish for sands. It is so pretty and it is fuzzy as I thought it would be. This was such a fun project in spinning. I am very proud of myself as there were like half a yard left of a single in one of the bobbins, the rest was actually completrly spun and used without much loss. I would definitely make more Art Yarn like this one. It was a great learning experience and a lot of fibers included. It is rich in texture and it feels fantatic. Maybe it will be for sale in a store near you or online, I have not decided yet. Is about a60 grams and about 204 yards. Stay tuned there will be some Alpaca spinning soon. Thanks for stopping by.

Yarn Art

2011-05-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

The art of making yarn. I never thought about making yarn in the ways that I am making yarn these days. I am kind of carving the yarn, it is like a sculpture waiting to be revealed. Yarns that are artsy for me are hand blended or hand crafted. So what have I done with this single is blend of pygora, mohair and merino into the single. I am really liking the way it looks and the more I look at it the more I want to keep it. That is when I know I am making something good.

I am hoping to mix it with a plain single of merino and submit it to a very hot bath so that it can bloom. I am hoping and aiming to make about 250 yards, let's see what happens. I hope you enjoy the pictures, the yarn single is coming along slowly, because I am taking my time crafting this yarn. It is also the fact that I am understanding what it is that I am doing with the fibers. Making a yarn thick or thin on purpose is not the easiest thing in the world. You know you are getting the use of your experience in spinning when you are able to will some yarn by manipulating the fiber. It is then that you can realize the muscle memory has taken place and that your body , in this instance your hands, is really making the yarn you want. I think that is what I call success, because I was not able to make yarn like this before, it is due to practice, practice does make perfect, and I hope to inspire you to make some artsy yarn. Thanks for stopping by!

Alpaca Carding Sunday

2011-05-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

Just a lazy Sunday and trying to get some of the last alpaca fiber that a friend gave me into rolags. My hope is to spin some more and make a nice blanket afghan like the North American Afghan, but using alpaca colors. Thanks for stopping by!

Bamboo with a Twist

2011-05-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

My work for today is done. I was able to work with this roving and after plying the bamboo, I guess I would not mind giving it another try another day. My friend Naomi suggested to put hand lotion on my hands before spinning, so I will have to try that with some more roving in the future. I am definitely all for spinning wooboo or wool-bamboo blend, which should be easy to draft and spin. Here is the 129 yards with 150 grams of beautiful bamboo. Right now the twist is getting set in some very hot water. I like the tweed look of this baby . One thing is for sure, this yarn is very strong! Thanks for stopping by!

Bamboo a review in fiber

2011-05-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

A while ago , like almost a year ago , I ordered some sample fibers to see what I wanted to spin. What you see below is the regular bamboo spun on the fast flyer of my Sonata. I have to disagree with people that say that bamboo behaves like silk. I did not find that to be the case when I spun my bamboo. It is a bit slippery and it blooms like silk in a way. I did try to wet my fingers to grab the fiber, which it helps in the spinning , but is not the best thing to do. I spun it from the fold, that seemed to be the easiest way to spin it, but I also had a long thin piece of roving and was doing a worsted spinning with this fiber. I think I would love to spin a wool-bamboo blend, or maybe a bamboo-silk blend, but bamboo by itself is not something that I care to spin from the get go. Perhaps a chance to fall in love with bamboo is in the future, if it is the only fiber I spin, I know I can master it. Nevertheless, Bamboo by itself as yarn is not very attractive to me, in blends I go gaga over it, well not lady Ga Ga, but you get my point. Bamboo is something that I would definitely spin on a drop spindle, rather than a wheel, it is almost like the camel down which I rather spin on a spindle as well. I will have to see how this project ends when I research how to set the twist on bamboo. It is a good candidate for Navajo plying or perhaps to be the third ply in a 3 ply yarn. Maybe I can make a tweed looking yarn with the other bamboo that I am showing you below.

Here this black looking single is a carbonized bamboo single. I have seen yarns with this material and not all of them are black , I saw a brownish type, which I am sure can be overdyed and give you some heathery colors. The black fiber below, behaved a bit more like wool. It was grabby and drafted very nice. I enjoyed spinning the carbonized bamboo a lot, and will continue to do so. I may just finish the project and then ply these two guys together and see what comes out of it. I hope this posting helps you in getting to know bamboo fiber-roving. There is a milk roving that will be my next in line, and that I know I can dye like wool. Thanks for stopping by!

Just in Case Our World does not End!

2011-05-11T10:53:00.000-07:00

Since I was very young I heard people talking about the end of the world. I say respect that, because I know people have different believes and different ideas. Just in case the world does not end, be prepared to be kind beyond the call of duty. I am sure some people will not pay their mortgage and some will be selling or giving away their stuff. They forget that There are many instances in the history of the World and of the Christian religion that people thought they were sure the world was going to end, like in like in 1843 or 1844 The true Millerites prepared with their usual thoroughness. Many families bought ascension robes (sold by Miller) and waited in carefully dug family graves. Nothing happened. Unperturbed, Miller simply moved the date up to Mar. 21, 1844. There are many accounts. There there is 2012 still to come.

I guess I just think different. Be nice because you want to be nice, not because you will go to heaven. If the God of the Bible is all knowing He knows what is truly in your heart . People see in the Bible what they want to see and they read what they want to read. I don't think the Bible was written with such elasticity, but maybe it was. as a friend said one time, the Bible says is ok to have slaves from some bordering nations, why don't we do that today? My point is that Religion is a basic human right and need. Nobody can deny there is something beyond us that seems to make this Chaotic Universe work in some kind of chaotic order, yet an order none the less.

Whether the world ends today or ends in my lifetime or not, I choose to live life passionately and with kindness. I won't allow bigotry of any kind . I guess to ask people to pray for the happiness of all mankind and all living things is too much to ask, but give it a try next time you are ready to complain. Sometimes we have to complain, it is in our nature, but what is more important is that we don't stop loving and living. People will always talk about you, and thank them for that, otherwise you are ignored or insignificant. In the end who cares what they say about you, only you know the real truth about who you are and what you are. Only you know what it is to walk in your shoes.

There are Basic Universal Rights and and in my opinion they are not found in any book on this planet, but they are universal.Is my opinion and not necessarily meant to make any religious believes not true. I guess I am trying to be pragmatic and agreeing to disagree with many or some. Like the freedom of expression, the freedom to worship, the right to clean air and water, the right to medicines and healthcare for all no matter how evil or good you are, how rich or poor. Is not socialism to give everyone the medication they need or the medical care they require, it is humanistic necessary and compassionately human. I think that Religion is misused by people that want to control and want to have power over other people. They are as power hungry as the politicians, don't fool yourself. So to close this note, be kind to each other, and maybe we will discover the real meaning of life or maybe not. One thing is for sure any Religion that Claims to hold the Only truth is a Religion to be skeptical about. Since I don't like to live in fear, I choose to live life to the fullest and be a nice person , as nice as I can muster that is, yep we all have limitations lol. I encourage you to look for similarities and things in common with other people and to work for global justice. Be kind to the planet there is definitely no Stargate that we know available for the Exodus of Mankind. The Cylons are not coming to get us, and we all have to go through the cycles of birth, life, sickness and death, make your life a success live with honor. Thanks for stopping by!

The Borg are Here

2011-05-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

Against all odds as they say and with the help of Gorilla Glue I was able to spin and ply this baby. Mike had a lot to do with is as he suggested the Gorilla Glue. My Sonata is working for now and I will enjoy the wheel as long as I can enjoy it. I asked some of my friends for their favorite wheel choices and some interesting choices came to be. I am not very happy with the Kromskis at this time, but I am almost happy with the New Voyager People. I am done wasting my energy with this situation and know that I am kind of on my own, which is not a bad thing to happen. I know myself very well. I will be very happy to continue using my Krosmki for four or five more years then get something different. I have looked at Schacht and at Lendrums, Louet is not a bad place to look at either. Enough! Let the Borg go and take care of them, maybe assimilation will bring better craftsmanship and quality control.
This Mission has been accomplished the Borg yarn is finished. This is definitely Borg Green for my dearest of friends the Borg. It is done and hand dyed with the technology of Kool Aid and Food coloring, the Borg will have a bit of an upset stomach. It is a targhee/clun Forest blend. It was a project that section 31 engaged me about. Let the Tongo wheel spin and spin. Thanks for stopping by!

Kromski Sonata Screw Nut Knob No. 2

2011-05-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

The Kromski Sonata is a great wheel, but let me tell you the screw nut that is in place on this stud that holds the Mother of All has been a Royal Pain. That piece of metal that you see in that post below comes loose. Why don't they glue it from the factory and that way we don't have to freak out that we broke the wheel. It is not a cheap wheel, I just don't understand the reasoning behind not gluing it. I can now understand the allure of the fixed height wheels. Needless to say I am not a very Happy Camper, but I will survive, I have written emails in the middle of the weekend and expect a responses later during the week. Kromski has a Five year Craftsmanship warranty, this is a craftsmanship problem if I ever saw one. I found some solutions through a yahoo group, in which other people are or were having the same problem. I believe is a craftsmanship flaw that needs to be corrected, maybe an oversight, maybe it never happened before, but it is happening now. Why do I have to repair this? Probably because Kromski or The Dealer in the U.S.A. does not want to deal with the issue. This is a practically brand new wheel and I expect it to last at least 5 years and one day. I was going to buy a Kromski Loom, but not with this experience, if they don't stand behind their warranty and tell me to fix it, I don't think so. This may need to be updated later, we shall see.

I had the problem like some of you with the Screw Nut from my Sonata that holds the Mother of all. This is a shortcoming of their thinking and thus their craftsmanship suffers. I would glue this sucker in place. The first time it came loose I freaked out, lol, but I fixed it back into place. My wheel is less than 1.5 years old, maybe two at max. I use it with care and I treat it with lots of care and respect. It has given me a lot of pleasure and entertainment. Without being able to hold the Mother of All in place, you , I CAN NOT SPIN. The wheel becomes an expensive piece of wood.

I started thinking with my partner of things that I would do after reading on the net. What we did is, we used some 100 % bamboo dk yarn and wrap it around the outside of the screw nut to give it some girth, yet not make it impossible to screw it back in the hole that it came out of. I then used Gorilla Glue, you heard it right, Gorilla glue on the outside of the nut and after wetting the inside of the wood with a Q-tip, I spread a thin layer of the glue on the outside of the Screw nut, including the bamboo yarn, with a Q-tip as well. I screwed it in place and allowed it to dry for an hour. The glue expands and is my belief , because is bamboo yarn, a kind of wood material, that it will hold there for ever.. I am going to give it a test drive and if I don't report back anything, is because it has worked. The glue expands a bit, and I am hoping that the yarn will make a good conduit and embrace the glue through it's fibers, making it impossible for this screw nut to ever come out again.

There are more options like getting a bigger screw nut and making a new Knob no 2. There is also a drilling a new hole on the other side of the post idea and filling the old hole with a peg. I can now see the lure of the fixed height orifice wheels, I bet they have no problems there . I encourage Kromski to fix this problem, because I can tell you right now if I ever replace this wheel is not going to be with a wheel that I have to adjust the height of the Mother of All, it may not even be a Kromski for that matter. Another solution is to get a bigger Screw Nut and have to get a New Knob no.2 re made to fit the new size. Another solution is to fill the hole with a wooden peg glued in place, re drill and re screw the screw nut. Dear Kromski is like having a Car with a door that does not close, you can not drive with an open door, is against the law, you can not spin without the Mother of all being secured in place, lol.Here it is in place, and let's see how long it holds, I hope for ever.

I am hoping to have some feedback from the distributor. I don't think that we as spinners have to worry about something like this happening. It is something that needs to be corrected. I am posting this on my blog so that others that have this problem find solutions. I tell you this much, I am not getting a Kromski again. Thanks for stopping by!

Cardigan Seams and Sleeves Start

2011-05-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

I finally got this cardigan joint at the shoulder seam. I guess if I was making this again I would have left the stitches live and join them in some kind of grafting. I am not super happy with it, but I can live with the results until I get it assembled completely and then do like a duplicate stitch kind of touch up at the seam on the shoulder. Is not really crucial, I can live with it, but this is so much cable work that it would be a shame to not really make it more beautiful , ha, ha, ha.

Today I did the cast on of the the two sleeves, I have a feeling that I will need to improvise in this pattern and make a gusset for the sleeves, but it is too early for me to think about that. I have not made that many sweaters or Cardigans to say that I have the experience that tells me it will fit. We shall see once the sleeves are done. Thanks for stopping by.

May WIP Cardigan

2011-05-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have picked up where I left and it is going well. I am working with Wool Ease, which is not one of my favorite yarns, yet it feels good. This is a Cardigan that I am aiming to finish this month. I am hoping to give it pockets, yes somehow I will make it possible to have pockets by cutting holes in it and knitting the pockets. I may also pick my loom and make pockets with the fabric in the loom, but it is most likely I will be knitting the pockets and I have to find a cool felted fabric to line the pockets with. This is a gorgeous pattern and is well written.
I will tell you that being able to pick up a pattern after being sitting down for a while is amazing to me. I think what is also amazing is to get motivated to continue, the pattern is exciting I can tell you that much. So this is what I am working on today along with the Retro Caprican which is a mindless knitting. One of the good things about having circular needles is that I will be making the two sleeves of both sweater and cardigan at the same time, making for as even as possible knitting and even as possible in length. My commitement to de-stash is going on as scheduled. I am hoping to have some natural dyeing for next month and have some instructional videos to share with you and my Ravelry Group. Thanks for stopping by!

Birthday Cakes 2011

2011-04-29T22:06:00.001-07:00

BirthdayCakes2011 (2), a photo by Crafty Andy on Flickr.

This is my first cake, then I made the second cake. I had a wonderful day full of greetings and salutations. Few gifts from the heart, no that gifts make much difference at this time in my life. I find gifts cute, but I find people wishing me a great day more valuable a gift. More to come of my WIP , but today is all about my 51 st Birthday, many more to come, may the Lords of Kobol bless my life forever.. I will be editing this to add my own cake, meaning the cake I made for myself, the one above is the one I was given which is a wonderful cake given by people who love me and made my day very special;.

Of course I ate some of my own cake, the cake I always make for myself. It is a regular yellow cake with about a cup of organic cocoa, it has organic olive oil and free range eggs. Having the best ingredients possible is the best of gifts.

Thanks for stopping by.

Retro Caprican Sweater WIP

2011-04-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

I am a child of the sixties and I am very glad that I was born at the time I was born. This is the back of a sweater that I am working on . I found this cool Bernat Company from 1960 at 75 cents! I think sweaters once you get to the right length that you desire, they are a breeze to make. I am definitely planning to make the two sleeves at the same time on a circular, lol. I have to say that I enjoy blogging a lot, Facebook is something of a game place for me. I have a lot of Game friends that is for sure. So here I am with my Galactica outfit and giving you the sign of Peace. I have loved my life and the time I have lived. This brings me to the fact that Friday while Prince William and Kate are getting married, Kate Mulgrew, Yep the Captain Janeway you and I know, and your Crafty Andy will be celebrating our birthdays. It is a very powerful day with a Stellion in Aries and the World is ready for the Change that is coming. I need to continue for about two more inches for this sweater before I do the ribbing to finish the top of the back. I hope to engage the front as soon as possible and have this sweater done by the end of May 2011. I hope you have a wonderful week and I will definitely be making a posting on my birthday, Friday 29th. Thanks for stopping by!

Tweeds from Caprica

2011-04-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks for indulging me in my Battlestar Infusion of names. I loved the Series and have gotten a lot of inspiration from it's actors and writers. This is my idea of a pretty tweed. At 155 yards and 130 grams. I could have made it more even, but I like the way it looks as homespun and not very even. A while ago I bought some samplers of different wools so that I can try and see which I liked the best. It is so difficult. I guess Alpaca is so simple to choose, the Suri so soft and beautiful, yet any alpaca fiber is great to spin. Sheep wool is a different story, there are so many breeds and so different from one another, some are wiry , some are like cotton candy, some like a soft Brillo pad, some like spinning a cloud, all of them worthy of your time to test them. I can now confidently buy some fiber knowing what to expect from what I have spun. I still have some other fibers to spin, some targhee and some alpaca, and even mohair. Thanks for stopping by!

Rebellion Mittens

2011-04-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

The mittens are finished, and even though is not the easiest of patterns I accomplished my desire to spin yarn and make these mittens. I used less than 125 grams or 112 yards of material. The glove on the right has been blocked and is very soft, the one on the left is the one I finished today and definitely very rough. This pattern is from Harry Wells aka the Knitting Ninja and I would recommend it for experienced knitters. It is a bit confusing , but worth the time in making the mitts. I did change the termination of the fingers as I don not like 1 by 1 rib on the fingers. Thanks for stopping by.

Leoben Yarn, a Jacob-Alpaca blend

2011-04-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

This was my spinning for Friday afternoon with some friends and Saturday by myself. I was able to spin the fiber with ease. A Jacob/ Alpaca 50/50 is a blend that is fantastic to spin by spindle or on the wheel. The yarn that you see is done on my wheel. It is 195 yards and weight 168 grams, it is a two ply and it was a lot of fun to spin. This is another blend that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a good blend of alpaca to spin. It had some vegetable mater, but not too bad. I present you Leoben a yarn with some twist and more to the eye than you see. The yarn will lose some of the twist when it is set by being wet in hot water. There is more spinning in my future, I am just done for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Baltar's Rebellion Mittens

2011-04-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

This pattern is not the easiest to read, I believe it can use clarifications, but perhaps it is me. Is not a bad pattern, but could use some housecleaning I found it difficult to read, but I got the mitten done. It actually assumes that you know how to set the stitches on DPNs or Circular needles. If you did not make mittens or gloves before, this will not be the best pattern for you. I don't know how my gauge got so crazy, but the pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, I am using my homespun. There you have to be careful. My homespun made me drop the needle size from US 6 to US 3, and it works for me, I got gauge.

I used DPNs because I have found them very useful when making the fingers on mittens and gloves. Two circulars are two messy and Magic loop can get crazy when making the pinkie , lol.

Anyway my friends, these gloves are very substantial and I am hoping to make another one in the next day or two. I made this fingerless mitt over night, fast and easy; now to make the Left Hand . I did change one thing on this pattern ad that was no ribbing on the fingers, I find that unattractive. I am hoping to use this yarn to make a hat for these mitts, stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by.

Polaris A Weaved Bag

2011-04-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

The Polaris or North Star Tote Bag. I don't want to call it my Knit Bag , because when I go into a shuttle craft or a regional transport it is one of my traveling bags. I am very proud of the end product and there was a lot of experimentation with yarns and techniques. I used the "Cricket Loom" . I can tell you right now that I would want a bigger loom, but I am not interested in a Floor loom. Weaving is fun and is a great hobby. I like this Loom because you can make scarves very easy and use a lot of yarns without having to knit or crochet. I guess the hardest part of the weaving is the warping of the loom by yourself, but you can do it.

Warping the loom to make the handles taught me a lot about how the warp threads go in the warping peg. I did different things and started at different points of the heddle to warp my loom and quickly learned that the weaver's cross has more than a purpose. It is best if you start at one end of the loom and finish in sequence, otherwise you will have to manipulate the yarn on the warping peg and reposition it as if you were warping it all over again. On a small loom like the cricket is no problem.

I was able to create two pockets. I called them Natural pockets, because they are born from the length of the material and my unwillingness to cut the fabric, not after I weaved it. Ha ha ha, but by cutting the fabric I learned so much about weaving the ends without fringes and with practice I believe I can master the technique.

Below you see two pieces of fabric that may become pockets for the inside or the outside, but they are more than pockets potential. I was able to pull threads out of the fabric to create a pattern, I removed some warp threads at the end to see how the edge looks, there is a lot of potential for that edge in ways of how to secure it and play with what was created. I am planning to work and play with this fabric and learn more about finishing techniques. This is my Travel Bag when I go on trips , is roomy, sturdy and made by me. I hope you allow me to show you more of my adventures in weaving, this bag is called "Polaris" or North Star. May my life be always guided in the right direction. Thanks for stopping by!