Silk Wrist Warmers, Bottle Swap

Thanks again to my SMAT pal who sent me some of the most wonderful hand spun silk yarn I have ever felt! They just screamed to be made into wrist warmers...something I had never before considered making. They is soft and warm, like socks for the hands! I made these with the help of wrist warmer generator. I know! A generator for these? YES! Found here.

I sent off my bottle to my bottle swap person. This was definitely interesting to stuff and plop into a mailbox!! I included some coffee sample packs because her profile said she likes coffee, some of my own roving (blended on those wonderful combs!), two skeins of merino sock yarn, and a Lilac candle tin because she is a lilac lover like I am! I could never have enough sweet smellin lilac candles! Speaking of the combs, someone left a comment on one of my instructional videos that they were not working for them. Uhhh, okay. Not that that tells me much more than the person didn't listen very well to the videos, but how do hand combs "not work"?? Sounds like operator error to me! If you are having a problem, and you are reading this...leave me a bit more detail than that because although I do consider myself a pagan, I cannot read your mind. How are they not working for you? What are you doing/not doing?

As for the new move...I think I may just stay on blogger as wordpad takes sooooooooooooo long to load! Cripes. I am not paying for a slow loading server!! Blogger is faster, easier, simpler....and FREE!

Until next time...

A new Move...

Well,I am trying wordpress for a bit. I think I will try these folks out for a while. It's nice to be able to customize and change the template without loosing formatting. Looks nice...feels nice...smells nice...oh wait...that's the pizza cooking...LMAO!
The new blog can be accessed here: crowcallingwoman.wordpress.com

Until next time...

Adopting Lotti: a Merino/BFL lamb!

Her name is Lotti and I hear she is quite the character. Lotti is the black yearly on top of the hay in the photo. Forget the crowds, go to the top of the mountain! She has a Merino Mum and a BLF father so her fleece should be soft and crimpy!! I've never delt with natural colored fleece before so this will be something new for me to try. Her adoption fees are $15 a month, or $150 for the year and this includes washing of the shorn fleece and shipping! Wow!

I was a little late on the adoption so there were not many sheep to choose from that live at a local fiber farm, Windridge Farm, here in Wisconsin. Turns out the farm is only about a half hour away, so I can pick up the fleece and save on shipping come sheering time! The lady who I was talking through email about Lotti says she always could use an extra hand, so there is something I have yet to try! So I offered to come out sometime during spring break to help out. I've never worked on a farm before so this will be interesting! Another adventure...another year! YIPPIE!

Until next time...

iBlinds - New generation iPod accessory

iBlinds, the new generation of iPod accessories. Who knew idiot blinds could be so much fun!

Thank you-Spin Me a Treasure

Video to thank my SMAT pal for the goodies she sent me! Thank you!!!

Dyeing and the trippy results, Mystery Skien Swap

WOW! Look at these colors! The purple tablet separated ( as in the red dye floated while the blues remained suspended) and it produced this stunning pink tips, slightly purple coloring! I love it and I wish I could reproduce it! Then we have the aqua blue and the nuclear green.

Mystery Skien Swap! I finally got someone who came through! I asked for something felted and that is what I got! I love this bag! It so coming with me to knitting on Sunday. :)

Until next time...

Dyeing-dyeing-dyeing...today is a good day to dye.

As Worf always said on Star Trek the Next Generation...today is a good day to dye...well, die not dye...anyways...
I tried out this dying recipie found on the Dyepot blog for Cirtine Curry and I followed the directions and I didn't get the shading I was hoping for. The color is a really cool burnt orange...but all the jars came out the same color! *faint* I dunno how that happened but it may depend on what brand of egg dyes you use. It is still early yet for most stores by Jo-Anns had some off brand of dyes for a buck, so I got three packages. I'm gonna need more come payday at this rate!! I love the INTENSITY of the egg dyes, which you can see in the picture of the three jars and then on the finale product. I have been combing and blending these to make a "Peaches and Cream" kinda color. I just need a little purple in it and it will be that roving I saw on ebay that I loved sooooo much...but didn't have the money for. Humph! I think that one was called Tropical Paradise.

So now for experimenting. My poor hands are so dry from washing the wool pre-dyeing.....ow...I haven't used this much lotion in years!! I plan on dying several small lots of wool with plain english breakfest tea, then a half tab of orange, then a half tab yellow...and see how they all compair.

I cought Zar lounging away under his lamp, so I had a shutter-bug moment. He is so cute!!

Now I have to get working on that pixie purse as I plan to give it away this friday!!! EEEEP!

Until next time...

SP10 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Favorite: anything soft like alpaca, LLama, merino, silk, silk blends, soft wool. I do not like mohair all that much. I've gotton hives from working with the raw fleece of mohair so I think I'd better stay away from it. It's not all that soft anyways.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a beautiful butterfly patterned sewing box that was a Big Lots find for a whoopin $5! I love it and it smells like cedar!

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?I've been knitting since Summer of 2006. I learned how to knit at the LYS down the street (Off the Beaten Path, www.knitmeone.com) who offered to teach me for free. My first project was a pair of socks that ended up being too small for my feet. I try to take my business there first before hitting the chain BOX stores because I want to support the smaller, independently owned stores. I consider myself to be intermediate as I am almost done tackling my first lace shawl (Wing-of-the-Moth). It's made out of my own yarn of suri alpaca and silk plied together and died a beautiful golden yellow. I am almost done-FINALLY! Some parts of it have been a challenge, but my gauage as loosened up and now I tell others "If your knitting is tighter than it really should be, knit some lace and that'll loosen it right up because you HAVE to knit loose for lace." Live, learn, tell others about it.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? My wish list is mostly here on my blog. I do have a gadgets wishlist on Froggle but I usually can't find everything I'd like to put on it off Froggle. I have a wishlist up on half.com but I don't think it is a public one. I will build one on Amazon.com under username tribbles2000ad.

5. What's your favorite scent? OOOO I love Lilac...but it has to smell like lilacs and not perfume. I am sensitive to alcohol based perfumes. I also enjoy rose, sandlewood, sage, sweetgrass, and wood scents (smells like burning wood).

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Oh boy...who doesn't? I love Reeses Peanut Butter cups, white chocolate covered pretzels, yogurt bars, anything with multi-grains (like Oats and Honey). I love multi-grain foods. Organic milk chocolate is always a nice treat! Dark chocolate makes me sneeze!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I do all kinds. I have crocheted, woven, wood worked, lamp-work (glass beads), worked with clays, paints, making paper...basically anything I can make that I need, I will attempt to do so. I have even made my own knitting needles! Those are on here somewhere...just click the tags crafts or needles. Yes I do spin! I have a Kiwi as it was all I could afford when I wanted a spinning wheel. After I get my drum carder, I plan on getting a Louet spinning wheel. So far my favorite fibers to work with are alpaca, llama, Shetland wool (or Shetland Crosses), and silk. I love silk! It's sooo shiney and sparkly! Me loves shiney and sparkly things! I try to take my buisness to Susans Fiber Shop (www.susansfibershop.com) first before purchasing online. She is another one of those local independent shop owners.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I am all over the board there too. I mostly listen to techno/house/party (no vocals), hard rock (Favorite is Rob Zombie), some tribal ( as long as there is plenty of drumming) and some oldies-but not many. My favorite podcast for music is Podrunner on iTunes. Yes my computer can play Mp3's. I've been trying to get myself a new MP3 player as mine is so outdated that the software that came with it never runs correctly on XP, and Creative will not give me any assistance because my device is so old. Stinkers! I have a Creative MuVo 528 MB...I want the 1 gigger Creative MuVo. I do play the Native American Flute and have built my first CD of 12 songs of flute music. I like to mix the flute music with a techno background loop. You can hear them here: http://www.geocities.com/rexenne/wiccan/NAflute.html
I also play the Djembe and I am currently trying to weave a back strap for that (which is not going very well). I want it to have crows, diamonds in black and turquoise, with the words "Feel the Beat-Create a Rythum-Rejoice" on it in the middle. I am trying to card weave it but I don't think I know enough about cardweaving to do this complicated of a belt. I am gonna have to do some samples to get reaquainted with card weaving (did some when I was a kid but that was sooooo long ago). I also play a Digeridoo and Violin.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I can't stand neon colors...they hurt my eyes. Earth tones are OK, although not something I purchase very often. My favorite colors are the colors of fire and ocean. Course the encompasses most of the color wheel but I like those colors together. So fire colors together would be red, orange, yellow, possibly with a spit of blue and white. Ocean colors together would be most of the blues and greens together. As long as the colors are bright it'll all be good. :)

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I live with the BF of six or so years. We met on the net in 1997 and I moved to live with him in 1999. Been together ever since. We are not married yet as he has some debt issues to work out first as I don't want nor need to be stuck with them. I have many pets: Luna (Dove-female-2), Merlin (cockatiel-female-4), Zarnan (Russian Tortoise-male-exact age unknown...around 3-4, have had him for about 8 months), Nibbler (African water frog-male-6), Skye (Blue and turquoise Betta-male), various smaller animals like worms (to recycle the garbage), Brine shrimp for treats for Skye and Nibbler, Water Fleas for the same thing, and of course I garden and have some houseplants as well. I have several Optunia cacti for Zar as a treat, and one of those big flowering bulbs that I have had for around 4 years. It's making baby bulbs! I'd like to have a small house dog someday along with a Parrotlet. Oh yes and the RoboReptile...that's a fun toy! In the summer I take care of silkworms (for the silk they spin).

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? No so much scarves...although I could use one this week....brrrrrrrrrrrr. I do use hats, mittens, and ponchos. Lets not forget socks! I wear size 9 1/2 wide shoe!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks, shawls, and lace shawls. There is always a sock on the needles as they are small and convienent to take with me.

13. What are you knitting right now? Wing of the Moth shawl AND scarf (several actually to gift to several friends from my own spun yarn), a pair of mittens made out of my own spun yarn lined with icelandic yarn (also yarn I spun), Cross over ribbon shawl for my Mum, socks, afghan for Mum, crocheting a charm pouch for a friend out of silk for letting me prune her mulberry trees for my silkworms last summer.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, of course!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer circulars, and preferr aluminum. I'm wierd, I know. I've been wanting the knit-picks options set for the longest time. (Big-grin)

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have a yarn winder, and I really need/want a swift. I made one that is functional, but could use one of those fancy stretch-out-to-the-size-you-need-ones. I could use a yarn meter too.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? About six months.

18. What is your favorite holiday? OOO I love Halloween/Hallows! It's a time to try something different, be someone different, and have no fear of being made fun of. This is also the time of year when I honor my Ancestors.

19. Is there anything that you collect? Unicorns, goddess figures, griffin figures, semi-precious stones (IE fire agate, amnythist, rose quartz, clear quartz, onix, hemitite...etc)

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I don't subscribe to any knitting magazines...I just don't have the money to spare on them. I am DYEING for the knit-picks options. LOL I'd love the Twisted Sister Sock Workbook and I could use something on needle felting fantasy creatures, and knitting teady bear sweaters (or teady bears too). I'd love to get my hands on some Cherry Tree Hill Maple colorway yarn...OOOOooo fire-fire-fire!! Some more sock yarn would do me well. I love knit-picks Shimmer yarn in the Turquoise Splendor colorway. I think that would make a fantastic shawl! I am dyeing for the Crayon box jacket pattern. I can't seem to find it anywhere!

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I dunno...I don't have enough knowledge on this subject to really know. I knit what speaks to me, screams KNIT ME!!!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yep-yep! My feet are 9 inches long and 9 in circumference, 9 1/2 at the ankle. I prefer 5 inch cuffs if you plan on knitting socks for me. :) I knit my socks 7 inches (heel to toe decreases) long, and 60 to 70 stitches wide-depending on the yarn I am using. Sock wieght-60 stitches. Worsted-70 stitches.

23. When is your birthday? March 22nd and I'll be 29 this year! WEeeeeeeeee! Where do the years go?? You can learn a lot about me through my blog as I blog on a fairly regular basis.

Using Indigo Hound Combs Pt3

Video 3

Using Indigo Hound Combs Pt2

Video-by me.

Using Indigo Hound Combs Pt1

Video-By me.

Diamond Sketch-Double weave

Diamond Sketch-Double weave
Originally uploaded by crafting4goddess.

Here is the diamond. I want this one double-woven. I dunno if I can do plain weave and double on the same peice, but I do plan on finding out (hopefully NOT the hard way).

Until next time...

Planning a Djembe Strap

Crow Sketch
Originally uploaded by crafting4goddess.

Here are the beginnings of a beautiful strap for my Djembe. Envision a black and turquoise with this crow motif and diamond motifs along it with golden borders along the edges. EEEEeeeeeeeee! I am so excited about it but at times I tend to get brain-farted over it. I've done card weaving in the past, but it was when I was in middle school...and that was a long time ago. I've never planned my own pattern but now I am doing just that AND trying to recall how I did the card weaving when I was a kid! Both feet much?!

Until next time...

Monster Wool Combs!!

With the help of the BF-Mike who was happy to horse around with the new pointy objects as long as I didn't show his face (he's wierd that way), and with me behind the camera making all those wierd sounds. :)

Until next time...