tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88799704517277266122024-02-07T19:40:34.545-06:00Messy BeastsA creative stewBeth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-55903574050487568912010-10-12T14:48:00.000-05:002010-10-12T14:48:08.873-05:00And so it's time...My blog has really changed direction and tone and I felt it was time for a fresh start. I wanted a new name and look and so I have transfered all the old posts to a new blog, with a new layout and name Cotton Gin and Tonic, which I felt better expressed, well, me. So I'll thank all of you for coming here and supporting this blog and I'll see you at the new, improved version - <a href="http://cottonginandtonic.blogspot.com/">Cotton Gin and Tonic, Fanciful Knit for Ladies and Gents</a>. <br />
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This blog will stay up for a little while, so everyone can update their favorites, but will be coming down soon. Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-154602200227123982010-10-01T14:10:00.001-05:002010-10-03T16:53:13.300-05:00Susie's Long StockingsThe test knit for these socks finished on the 19th and it has been a looong ride. It started when I saw these socks in the Christian Dior Fall show by John Galliano. I had to make something similar, I just loved them.<br />
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I bought the yarn way back in March and began swatching, which did not go smoothly. I had an good idea of what I wanted the finished product to look like, I just didn't know how to get there. I also had the idea that I wanted to do some of the shaping with needle size changes. I wanted a lot of verticality like the Dior socks. The Dior socks had faggoted rib obviously but I didn't think it would look the way I wanted at the gauge I was going to get out of sock yarn. I tried a lot of lace patterns that had vertical orientations but they all seemed too stretched out on larger needle sizes, I needed it to be polished looking, smooth and sophisticated. After another failed swatch of star-mesh lace from one of the Barbara Walker Treasuries I sat stumped. My knitting buddies liked it but it had too much air, and too much bias to be what I wanted. The ribs on it looked too messy for my taste as well. Then it hit me that a twisted rib might be my answer. It pulls the rib in tight and attractive when stretched out and when you do the purl stitches plain it gives and orderly but slightly lacy look in between. I made a few swatches and KNEW I had it. I also had a pattern that had a sort of diamond orientation going up the side of the legs to get a similar look to the Dior socks. I chose the Vandyke Leaf Lace from the Second Barbara Walker Treasury.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDjPcC6wYnZ0gRuJMdHVji7cFB0NX7pGIlQ7Hwxcjvx7itx2fONMv7EWcLz97ivR2OUzd5sP_P599pS8UfpYyLrvejm_ZOTalvxh96t-IvY_z6dEzeqFMczlcE9zS0GGnff-Mmoh_PXlP/s1600/R0011357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDjPcC6wYnZ0gRuJMdHVji7cFB0NX7pGIlQ7Hwxcjvx7itx2fONMv7EWcLz97ivR2OUzd5sP_P599pS8UfpYyLrvejm_ZOTalvxh96t-IvY_z6dEzeqFMczlcE9zS0GGnff-Mmoh_PXlP/s320/R0011357.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I had to make charts for the beginning of the lace, the ending of the lace and the repeating portion. The difficulty was in writing the chart on a background of twisted rib. I did accomplish it well though and I changed some of the clunkier looking portions of the Vandyke Leaf Lace so that the pattern flowed better to my taste. I used Open Office's spreadsheet program and a knitting font I picked up on the internet. I was also going to do these socks toe-up as it is usually my preference but the leaves on the Vandyke Leaf Lace looked weird going from the bottom up. This probably worked out for the best as the back of the calf decreases I used look really stunning in the twisted rib.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-bGNd_l2g3OMCYXW6EVtXRoxFiWDB11q___tchrd8_s8TVvq_BomA7RTc5_drIOf70sgpirDIUeCrUqZlJOSGcCxXtXTqPrT95jutNU-52XIGbuRv-Y61lnwC29P1inGrFjSz4TdISMU/s1600/R0011358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-bGNd_l2g3OMCYXW6EVtXRoxFiWDB11q___tchrd8_s8TVvq_BomA7RTc5_drIOf70sgpirDIUeCrUqZlJOSGcCxXtXTqPrT95jutNU-52XIGbuRv-Y61lnwC29P1inGrFjSz4TdISMU/s320/R0011358.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I decided I would make 3 sizes so that almost anyone can make a wear these socks and I also made a video explaining the double decrease I invented so the the decreases stayed in pattern.<br />
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<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZlzXYNrUsAw?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZlzXYNrUsAw?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
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I decided that since there was going to be no way for these socks to stay up on their own I should make a hem for some elastic to be inserted. I had seen a folded over hem done on a child's skirt so I just used the same idea, and in pattern. It worked surprisingly well. So I had all the elements I needed and I knit the first sock, and it looked wonderful! I started the test knit after writing it out and doing a preliminary layout. I stalled on the second sock. I had terrible second sock syndrome. I'd already done it, why wasn't I finished? There were other things I wanted to knit! Why did nature give me 2 legs? But I eventually got around to it and took photos in wool thigh-highs when it was 90 degrees outside. I'll tell you though, the sweat really held them in place!<br />
I have to give kudos to my wonderful test knitters who found all the mistakes in my written version of the chart (boy writing that sucked) and various other problems with clarity and and suggested what photos would be most helpful to them. This pattern wouldn't be nearly so great with out them. <br />
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Here is the relevant info if you are looking to make these socks:<br />
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Yarn : Trekking Pro Natura - 3 skeins<br />
Needles : US 4, 3, 2, 1<br />
3 sizes, s, m, l - Medium will fit almost everyone, small is for size 4 and lower and large is for size 16 and up. <br />
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It was really important to me to be inclusive with my sizing, I want as many people as can be to show off their awesome gams in my lovely socks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rJ61BnPdIJoeyXq2zfDmJeFnOw8NGf813r526Lu6a-JYlUXGVwt7MLeYP0IOwltbgb0d5ZNFNX3srgTmrWBWGQMseE69cRpaxwWQu5wezRw0T5_xyRnJAXer32wl_PIwK3ZWZt1B8p0r/s1600/coverpage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rJ61BnPdIJoeyXq2zfDmJeFnOw8NGf813r526Lu6a-JYlUXGVwt7MLeYP0IOwltbgb0d5ZNFNX3srgTmrWBWGQMseE69cRpaxwWQu5wezRw0T5_xyRnJAXer32wl_PIwK3ZWZt1B8p0r/s400/coverpage.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/elizabeth-wolden-designs/44064" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.ravelry.com/images/shopping/buy-now.gif" /></a></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-86590503779176103882010-09-15T15:06:00.001-05:002010-10-11T01:21:37.688-05:00Meta Mittens<div class="value"></div> On our way home from Buckhorn State Park last month Eli suggested we stop at a yarn store in Madison. I am not one to say no to that so I did a google search on my iPhone and came up with <a href="http://www.knitmeone.com/">Off the Beaten Path</a>. It wasn't too far from the highway and their website said they had locally produced yarns. I ended up with some crochet thread and some rough, rustic wool that immediately said "make mittens out of me". The yarn was Yaeger's Acres 2ply medium weight wool. I got the natural and the black-brown I felt like I wanted to have something related to knitting or wool on the mittens but I decided a yarn ball would be too abstract. I decided on sheep and did a big google image search on sheep so I could get a handle on what they look like and for illustrations of sheep so that I could understand how they are generally abstracted. I knit up a swatch in the round later in the week. This swatch lied horribly, I must have been knitting incredibly tight because I ended up with 7 sts/inch on US 3 needles which I was never able to replicate. Swatches Lie. Do them anyway. Always make a swatch especially if you are working with a yarn you have never used before, if only to get a feel for what needle size will go with it best.<br />
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So once I had my horribly off gauge I went and made some graph paper from my favorite graph paper making website (What? You <i>don't </i>have one?) <a href="http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/asymmetric/">Incompetech</a> (see it even has a punny name) and input my gauge. The website makes a pdf of the graph paper which I then opened in adobe photoshop. I marked out the parameters of the mitten using the dimensions of a pair of Norwegian mittens I made a few years ago and liked. Then I spent about a day or so dinking around with the chart. The palm was easy, as was the thumb, but making sheep that looked like sheep and made a good composition on the back of a mitten took a bit longer. Once I was satisfied with the chart I knit up a prototype. Which was sized for a child.<br />
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Good thing it doesn't take too long to knit a mitten, I thought, I'll just go up a needle size and add a little length and it'll be fine...<br />
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Nope!<br />
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Still Tiny! Urg! I felt pretty frustrated with myself, but luckily I had plenty of yarn so I didn't have to frog either of them. I went back and counted how many stitches were in that old Norwegian mitten I mentioned earlier and went with those stitch counts. I finally <i>finally</i> got it the right size, yay! Here is a prototype progression photo with a 5" ruler at the side to show how tiny the small ones really are.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OZEXybOPf-hxExGJGYs_VAmSJXefIj4fVz35ea0t1JRAaESjv513OtjkmuSzCHwtXbUWLyLOMTX6iXEWvMVH5rWeDSa7qU7TdrVzACkEAbxrlKy8JZ0QwiNwYYgwbieUSVAracUOA-Wl/s1600/photo(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OZEXybOPf-hxExGJGYs_VAmSJXefIj4fVz35ea0t1JRAaESjv513OtjkmuSzCHwtXbUWLyLOMTX6iXEWvMVH5rWeDSa7qU7TdrVzACkEAbxrlKy8JZ0QwiNwYYgwbieUSVAracUOA-Wl/s320/photo(5).JPG" /></a></div><br />
So, after knitting 4 mittens, only 2 of which were any good, I was ready to take some photographs. It was 90 degrees outside so bundling up and going outside were a bit out. I didn't want to get heat stroke, even for my work. So I plopped on a matching hat and sat on my workroom couch and used the self timer gratuitously. I think they came out pretty well all things considered<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images4.ravelry.com/uploads/BethWolden/34059690/R0011264_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4.ravelry.com/uploads/BethWolden/34059690/R0011264_medium.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I really upped my game with photoshop on these photos. I generously used the dodge tool to brighten and emphasize the mittens and to make the eye in shadow more visible. Plus I was having a <i>really </i>good hair day. So I wrote and laid out the pattern, I went with a vaguely German, 70s medieval revival sort of style that I think went really well with the mittens and made the pattern pretty to look at. It's for sale, if you'd like to <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/elizabeth-wolden-designs/42338"> buy now</a><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/elizabeth-wolden-designs/42338"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6RMigKZz59aE9sxP4KphkCHM884zXJXT8AzKB-flkfELmCUljbtjtiDmAp7Qzfgv6qvBJC8WRKF9jGAOgJpyw4I4CCgsmOsgkrF2QVY_-Ba4eINowv9xboS5Fd13Xrbo5UQXAslM1V6Se/s320/pattern+picture.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="247" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/elizabeth-wolden-designs/42338"> buy now</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6RMigKZz59aE9sxP4KphkCHM884zXJXT8AzKB-flkfELmCUljbtjtiDmAp7Qzfgv6qvBJC8WRKF9jGAOgJpyw4I4CCgsmOsgkrF2QVY_-Ba4eINowv9xboS5Fd13Xrbo5UQXAslM1V6Se/s1600/pattern+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-5920932111577354362010-09-13T13:42:00.001-05:002010-09-13T13:45:37.253-05:00Gilly's Big BowWay back in July I was sketching out an idea for a superbulky cardigan and the lady I sketched needed a big bow in her hair.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-g02J4JKmmzXPOyP0o0XzTKcu4wRPAAjwbKp1DmyESgPxWxxSLM8QviNcwF87hbLD4VeXM6bAVc7ZAgG79kT5nFN3hRriVtSXXEKAFkaIZP86WfM-NFVAM_UJUJVaUHXFrFboDjB49Jd/s1600/photo(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-g02J4JKmmzXPOyP0o0XzTKcu4wRPAAjwbKp1DmyESgPxWxxSLM8QviNcwF87hbLD4VeXM6bAVc7ZAgG79kT5nFN3hRriVtSXXEKAFkaIZP86WfM-NFVAM_UJUJVaUHXFrFboDjB49Jd/s400/photo(2).JPG" width="300" /></a></div>The next night, deep in the night, something silly was born. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs043.snc4/34509_1530620026214_1256156714_31445549_1962667_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs043.snc4/34509_1530620026214_1256156714_31445549_1962667_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I went overboard. Waaay overboard. The thing weighed like a pound and would barely stay on the headband I put it on. I decided I needed to downscale a bit. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I finally ended up with this</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs085.ash2/37566_1535138299168_1256156714_31455724_5495831_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs085.ash2/37566_1535138299168_1256156714_31455724_5495831_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yay! It only looks slightly silly! I wrote up the pattern, had it tested, and put it out as a fun little free pattern. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu9njEu80VnYeL7OtuPagr6C-2-XnocdonxtIvJdhAaoCUBmhmcmohIVhCcu2CR8k39WH1_cbT61Qt9NxOcL1LxYhxGuZkKBM7mvB0lbbU4e1YaqFjdWC4tr04UO5gRI3eGxu6C2epYSx/s1600/R0011034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu9njEu80VnYeL7OtuPagr6C-2-XnocdonxtIvJdhAaoCUBmhmcmohIVhCcu2CR8k39WH1_cbT61Qt9NxOcL1LxYhxGuZkKBM7mvB0lbbU4e1YaqFjdWC4tr04UO5gRI3eGxu6C2epYSx/s320/R0011034.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>You can download the pattern for yourself here:<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/dls/elizabeth-wolden-designs/40339?filename=Gilly_s_Big_Bow_Patt.pdf"> download now</a>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-6636347006172593272010-08-03T17:46:00.000-05:002010-08-03T17:46:00.781-05:00Camping at Buckhorn State Park, WI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Last Monday afternoon we took off for Buckhorn State park. This is a fabulous place to camp with many campsites having their own private beaches. When we arrived we set up our campsite made dinner and jumped in the water. I think I spent the most time swimming since I was a kid. The water was lovely and warm.<br />
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The next day we rented a canoe for the morning and explored the shore. There were a lot of interesting fungi and tiny moss and lichens. I love taking pictures of little things the best. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely Grassy Forest</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBRPITEkW_F4pf2VTE4Pc7rLJu9HqQN9DnnNce3fgbzkUlgDv3B2TKHMpEySIQdQGKkGRMGOzPfDb9WwDmLdREB0Pgt8ipPUrF1RYOlk1ASC_VwxfJOaWBVPEiOCjQ_VtSTA3IoarlPSc/s1600/R0011142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBRPITEkW_F4pf2VTE4Pc7rLJu9HqQN9DnnNce3fgbzkUlgDv3B2TKHMpEySIQdQGKkGRMGOzPfDb9WwDmLdREB0Pgt8ipPUrF1RYOlk1ASC_VwxfJOaWBVPEiOCjQ_VtSTA3IoarlPSc/s320/R0011142.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little red Canoe where we beached it to explore</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl1vtKThMlCVIgOs2b5dF3NOVLpYQron4RUQ7l6z4dp_0Jv5PdEINhOC7T-r_nfF1SpTz8puITl_LaNmP7JF5OLuP5bRMNe5C7ANVN7PTYIdz2LCVuxikLJPdeIFUGt9DPDGyAXSsLehb/s1600/R0011147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl1vtKThMlCVIgOs2b5dF3NOVLpYQron4RUQ7l6z4dp_0Jv5PdEINhOC7T-r_nfF1SpTz8puITl_LaNmP7JF5OLuP5bRMNe5C7ANVN7PTYIdz2LCVuxikLJPdeIFUGt9DPDGyAXSsLehb/s320/R0011147.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My silly sun hat! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4gi7hr0UzAkvIl0sftjx9s2SSTrRmdtWGQk8vuAFlrpwATfSgmJh7xwXsEfVuaEghUvLEPUY7yjodxQzWRpxToTCdx2AsyvIs9PSmRh0EzKzrRleYPDCFewUx3kLqF6PW6XIW4ccty9F/s1600/R0011152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4gi7hr0UzAkvIl0sftjx9s2SSTrRmdtWGQk8vuAFlrpwATfSgmJh7xwXsEfVuaEghUvLEPUY7yjodxQzWRpxToTCdx2AsyvIs9PSmRh0EzKzrRleYPDCFewUx3kLqF6PW6XIW4ccty9F/s320/R0011152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable mushroom in the moss</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaB2L97_WkE8uIbAoE6T05RieBktSzvtRM-r1eaGjoJq7GrofVxw9Us0euGYJkCHGC10pHCrU5CuRmWonvrqqGkbi4wS_gnwOfev4ui3mdl-CsZNh_hfKtvNxPlyPIGbehRdXX8UwgiuQ/s1600/R0011153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaB2L97_WkE8uIbAoE6T05RieBktSzvtRM-r1eaGjoJq7GrofVxw9Us0euGYJkCHGC10pHCrU5CuRmWonvrqqGkbi4wS_gnwOfev4ui3mdl-CsZNh_hfKtvNxPlyPIGbehRdXX8UwgiuQ/s320/R0011153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one has grass growing through it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNLIHDdhyxI9JEyOjbppZIA1XmKA0zh7c15LvhrPH0unyVjw7zSsgGU_qHWVmL6-rBgvIzeNVd5SBBgMSyc0JrBU5D-M2M-B2N3uYDL8bDEYf-s0imCgYeLcFeLC0vgeV1HaStkKzpfoi/s1600/R0011157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNLIHDdhyxI9JEyOjbppZIA1XmKA0zh7c15LvhrPH0unyVjw7zSsgGU_qHWVmL6-rBgvIzeNVd5SBBgMSyc0JrBU5D-M2M-B2N3uYDL8bDEYf-s0imCgYeLcFeLC0vgeV1HaStkKzpfoi/s320/R0011157.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phallic</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5duqQOONZCV24hTRwU2gwcn27bXNqhZM8eQClC2Xoio3q1HHSGIW7jk-V1qyDKNcHmMX-MK8xdYTHFFEcDxUyFToTA_Id5fqNeOh4Ndo0CHPVRZ3MUQwIIYHt_BKQMxuPHIf7G7SnEO4/s1600/R0011160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5duqQOONZCV24hTRwU2gwcn27bXNqhZM8eQClC2Xoio3q1HHSGIW7jk-V1qyDKNcHmMX-MK8xdYTHFFEcDxUyFToTA_Id5fqNeOh4Ndo0CHPVRZ3MUQwIIYHt_BKQMxuPHIf7G7SnEO4/s320/R0011160.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the ur mushroom</td></tr>
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It was really really windy when we were out on the lake so we didn't get far and it started to get really hot so it wasn't the best canoeing time ever but it was still fun. Eli didn't like it as much as me, he made faces.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3L2hy8qA4uak_9f8iuFsVjTXY5b3ZBhLu04ZI4qrF5MeUv2xxfP32XWnxUyrwgUsaOtigMTi6oc5fEi3oSePs1RJW3FDPvXnV8y8ERqZ0gOS6QoPS3SeWCBoBR-l0WaCo_HW4GQsnU-x/s1600/R0011131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3L2hy8qA4uak_9f8iuFsVjTXY5b3ZBhLu04ZI4qrF5MeUv2xxfP32XWnxUyrwgUsaOtigMTi6oc5fEi3oSePs1RJW3FDPvXnV8y8ERqZ0gOS6QoPS3SeWCBoBR-l0WaCo_HW4GQsnU-x/s320/R0011131.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh Eli!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'll post about the rest of the trip in a later post, there are lots of lovely pictures to share. Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-1068352201568077182010-06-23T15:19:00.002-05:002010-06-24T22:16:31.322-05:00Lady Jane GlovesSo I heard back from <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/">Knit Picks</a> today that they are going to publish my very first for-pay pattern! I went ahead and uploaded it to <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a> at the 1.99 price point. I was waiting to upload it until I heard from them so I could decide what price to place it at. The whole experience ended up being really fun. My pattern testers were great, my model was awesome and things just really clicked with the whole project. I think I've learned a lot and have really gained some confidence in my skills. I have also sent 2 proposals to Twist collective that I'm really excited about so I'll get working on them either way once I know if they are interested. So anyway, without further ado, here are some of photos of the lovely Michelle wearing the Lady Jane Gloves.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFvAGgtAylh2KxSM2uM34j3ASmp2KptivZe13Kh8m7H7wX0xr3CigVUQcQjDMwxMK_szfWmfn9WCP_3jrDBOEXArl77F5xAfejkU0QldgL28Mto7QfiItsV1Eva5gpMFc4uswtC9JbIya/s1600/glove+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFvAGgtAylh2KxSM2uM34j3ASmp2KptivZe13Kh8m7H7wX0xr3CigVUQcQjDMwxMK_szfWmfn9WCP_3jrDBOEXArl77F5xAfejkU0QldgL28Mto7QfiItsV1Eva5gpMFc4uswtC9JbIya/s400/glove+crop.jpg" width="193" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjiWcUvmRxkVhFNd6gDYSTW3RAE0j-h-ms4y3G3-btfVsnisbPaZn8eEUw9BLYazArAExZTEtXCmeXZqhQWdY-vnE2_vZr30rjqT_O9q-_TixaOBuLljyDlrRKsXDlHSu1U8_HWDhuwgu/s1600/R0010773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjiWcUvmRxkVhFNd6gDYSTW3RAE0j-h-ms4y3G3-btfVsnisbPaZn8eEUw9BLYazArAExZTEtXCmeXZqhQWdY-vnE2_vZr30rjqT_O9q-_TixaOBuLljyDlrRKsXDlHSu1U8_HWDhuwgu/s400/R0010773.JPG" width="273" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDXoMe_HygvTZmywmQGZBNj5LQRFDmzfEpMeUmnq1lhn9qozfEElLVXhiItQKfdX2E9xWNWwSObq74xOLGZX47ZU_MtNyQVC3eYM8Ja_upn344HGMUKDlBlr8RRqOIYEHOM6ZReQ5-fge/s1600/R0010767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDXoMe_HygvTZmywmQGZBNj5LQRFDmzfEpMeUmnq1lhn9qozfEElLVXhiItQKfdX2E9xWNWwSObq74xOLGZX47ZU_MtNyQVC3eYM8Ja_upn344HGMUKDlBlr8RRqOIYEHOM6ZReQ5-fge/s400/R0010767.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmo8-RcX37ARGalKOM9gSfhHeXcA7gBNmut_fRs3twbMi3JmGlupfruGFuAi5h-VqtNv0B8OGrWfntYrzI6e4_thgzrLzUeGsoBzGARwT9uIVH64ipKerJyq4RfefUpRa7jNUHnlL177G2/s1600/R0010757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmo8-RcX37ARGalKOM9gSfhHeXcA7gBNmut_fRs3twbMi3JmGlupfruGFuAi5h-VqtNv0B8OGrWfntYrzI6e4_thgzrLzUeGsoBzGARwT9uIVH64ipKerJyq4RfefUpRa7jNUHnlL177G2/s400/R0010757.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The photo shoot was fun but it was so hot and humid. I'm glad I didn't do a heavier makeup on her because it would have just run everywhere. The wind was a bit high too, but that just ended up giving the shots some drama. These were taken in the area right outside my back door. I love it because there are so many interesting buildings and alleyways to photograph. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/elizabeth-wolden-designs/38648">buy the pattern now</a>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-59985116778889663052010-04-23T19:35:00.000-05:002010-04-23T19:35:08.864-05:00I'm Turning Japanese Story and (limited) TutorialSo a while back I watched <a href="http://www.twitvid.com/4E77A">this</a> video produced by artist Takashi Murakami and directed by McG. The video starred Kirsten Dunst dressed like a Sailor Moon type character complete with magic wand dancing and singing "I'm Turning Japanese". (with sparkles!) I have loved the work of Murakami since being introduced to it about 5 years ago by Eli. The colorful characters that seem happy and silly, but always with just a bit off about them that makes it all a bit creepy. The highly graphic and commercial aspects of his work simultaneously revel in and poke at anime and fan culture in Japan. The light bulb went on in my head as I'd been thinking about doing a new project since my McQueen tribute was on hold due to back-ordered yarn.<br />
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I decided I <i>really</i> needed to make a Murakami inspired sweater. (Also watching the video about 20 times) Fresh off the toil of Eli's vest I was ready to take on another intarsia project and I thought the graphic flowers that populate Murakami's work would make an excellent motif. So I sat down and began to plan. I did a gauge swatch in some yarn I had left over from Eli's vest as I wanted to use Brown Sheep's Lanaloft Sports weight again. I've been a bit obsessed with this yarn and the colors were too perfect so I went with it. The gauge came out at 6 sts and 8 rows per inch on size five metal needles. So I went <a href="http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/">here</a> to get some proportional graph paper to plot out the sweater and make the charts for the flowers. I particularly like this website because you can make the paper vertical or horizontal, can have 2 different line weights and make paper exactly your gauge. My grid was exactly half size of my gauge so when I plotted the shaping of the sweater it was exactly half size. Before I did that with any degree of accuracy I sat down and spent and entire day making the 2 color charts for the flowers. Using photoshop and a googled reference image I made full color charts for myself to work from. I made 1 extra chart of the big flower without the black so would know where to put the colors exactly as I intended on embroidering the black in after. <br />
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After making the charts I went to Interweave's <a href="http://www.interweave.com/Waist-Shaping-Calculator/">waist shaping calculator</a> (which is awesome) and made the required measurements of myself and input them. The calculator is for knitting in the round so I had to do some fiddling with the numbers to make them even so the corrugated rib worked nicely. I also input no ease into the calculations as I wanted this sweater to be fitted. I knew it would relax over time and be very comfortable with a small amount of positive ease. Taking these stitch counts and two pieces of graph paper I printed off I set to work plotting the back and the front onto the graph paper so I could place where and how many flowers were going to go on the sweater. I had a few false starts. I had printed the graph paper wrong the first time so the squares were taller than wider which started to shape up into a very tall sweater. Oops. I'm glad I caught it. When I finally had the back plotted out to the bust I started thinking about the shoulders. I recently bought Ann Budd's book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Handy-Book-Sweater-Patterns/dp/1931499438/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272068717&sr=8-1">The Knitters Handy Book of Sweater Patterns</a> and I chose the set-in sleeve sweater size that was closest to the stitch counts from the waist shaping calculator. This was a mistake! The ease and size of armscye were huge! The chest size that was the same as mine had a 9in armscye. I'll get to how I fixed this later.<br />
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I dutifully plotted out giant arm holes and placed the flowers on the sweater. For the small ones I cut out their size square out of some extra graph paper and traced them onto the sweater until I was happy with the placement. Then I drew some leaves in as the sweater looked a little bare and I didn't want to add more flowers. With the stems and leaves the front and back looked good and I cast on. I finished the back and realized looking at it and holding it up to my body that the armscyes were way too long! the waist shaping wasn't hitting at the right point the sleeves would have had to be HUGE. So I took my favorite and best fitting hoodie and measured both the armscye length and the shoulder rise and calculated that into stitches and revised my graphs. Then I fixed the back. The back flower is too close to the top now because of this, but it wasn't bad and I didn't want to reknit half of the back with some of the more difficult color work. I decided I could live with it. If I had it to do again I would have moved down out of the way of the collar. <br />
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Another thing I did when plotting out the back of my sweater was to make the back narrower than the front by increasing 4 fewer stitches after the waist than the front. I find that if I do this my sweaters fit better and after some measuring I have figured out that my back is narrower than the my front. Your mileage on this may vary of course, but having a good knowledge of the size of various parts of your body to other parts and of how this may be different than "standard" is really helpful in getting a good fit. <br />
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And so I finished the front and the back and sew them together for a fitting and it was good and I was happy. I was feeling flummoxed by how to make the puff sleeves I wanted as I couldn't really find any good info on what <i>shape</i> they needed to be in order to look the way I wanted them to look. So I started on the embroidery and it took what felt like forever. I think my knit buddies wanted to strangle me. I had this terrible compulsion to whine about it, all the time. Silly me!<br />
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So I eventually got bored bored bored of embroidery and decided to tackle the sleeve o' doom. Seriously folks I think by the final edit I had done the sleeve about 7 times. Really. I had knit the entire stupid cuff about 3 times and after trying it on deemed it wrong in some way. <br />
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So for those of you skimming this for the tutorial here it is. How to make a puff sleeve in a set in <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">armscye</span> by picking up and knitting and short rows. ( Make sure all your seams are sewn before hand)<br />
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1. Starting in the middle of the underarm pick up and knit a stitch for every row all the way around the arm hole. For the underarm this will be 1 stitch for every underarm stitch. This is going to give you a lot of stitches and allow the sleeve to "puff"<br />
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2. Knit back to the top of the sleeve (in the round) and knit to about 1.5 in after the shoulder seam. You are now going to begin short rows by wrapping and turning every row until you've consumed enough stitches to be just short of halfway down the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">armsyce</span> measuring from the shoulder seam to the underarm. <br />
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3. Now you are going to continue to knit back and forth but instead of wrapping and turning you are going to <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ssk</span> on the knit side and p2tog on the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">purlside</span>. Do this for about 1.5 in or so. This will give the sleeve some length. You may want to do this more or less depending on your arms and where you wan the sleeve to end. I did it 8 times. <br />
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4. Now knit plain in the round for about 2 inches.<br />
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5. Place marker for underarm stitches and decrease all other stitches by half by k2tog. I used a trick I learned from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sweater-Design-English-Maggie-Righetti/dp/0312051646/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272068795&sr=1-1">Sweater Design in Plain English</a> to wrap the ribbing from the bottom of sweater around my arm at the tension I wanted and count the stitches to know how many to have for the ribbing. Mine was 64 which was about 4 stitches less than I got by halving the stitches not part of the underarm so I decreased the extra in the next row. Regardless of weather you need to decrease a few more stitches you should do another row before starting the ribbing so the great number of k2togs don't interact badly with the ribbing. It can look like there are holes.<br />
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And that is how after much trial and error I finished the sleeves. I did a nifty little i-cord bind off that prevent the corrugated ribbing from curling and kept it tight. If you use one color ribbing this wouldn't be necessary. <br />
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After finishing the sleeves I picked up stitches in white around the neck to start the collar. I picked them up from the outside in so that it wouldn't show when you look at it. I decided on reverse stockinette with garter borders because it would curl over the neckline nicely <i>and </i>lay flat (because the border) I knit it flat with a circular needle and slipped the edges to make a little bit lacy decorative edge. I increased every fourth row every ten stitches with a lifted increase so it would be as invisible as possible. Its about 2.5 inches long with 4 rows of garter stitch at the edge and 2 edge stitches in garter stitch. I bound off a bit too tightly and make go back and fix it at some point but for now I'm pretty happy with the way it came out overall and it fits like a dream. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULXXzVtiBHluthZaSuUSpXKFwkodSq3FkH0o11TiUghPssncFaFs6JRFKMH5OLH1YbqQWsEku3PFiiJZBiThL8hcscJIhsAVL9fV6caS8Dx7ogYhRriEq-qCW21sOiQNA6X6JsDjUuGHl/s1600/R0010524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULXXzVtiBHluthZaSuUSpXKFwkodSq3FkH0o11TiUghPssncFaFs6JRFKMH5OLH1YbqQWsEku3PFiiJZBiThL8hcscJIhsAVL9fV6caS8Dx7ogYhRriEq-qCW21sOiQNA6X6JsDjUuGHl/s400/R0010524.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-87666305205878295472010-03-22T19:38:00.000-05:002010-03-22T19:38:05.139-05:00So I finally finished that vest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD1kh5fRTJgRhpsp1VejS_-DKtEJYhfYsgA_9q3tIwJTzWMjrg4w_xvN6zl97j9oVmrtVcQ8NxIJDD0ZHmCtlpjtmkiw0eEXdlJ7s14RQ0VxV5M_mOpbfgXBAbNEKO9cdSwvtISprMk9x/s1600-h/R0010263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD1kh5fRTJgRhpsp1VejS_-DKtEJYhfYsgA_9q3tIwJTzWMjrg4w_xvN6zl97j9oVmrtVcQ8NxIJDD0ZHmCtlpjtmkiw0eEXdlJ7s14RQ0VxV5M_mOpbfgXBAbNEKO9cdSwvtISprMk9x/s320/R0010263.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> So I finally am totally done with the argyle! After finishing the first vest and having it come out 4" too big in the chest, and doing it all again in a different color, I am very happy with the result. Eli doesn't like having his picture taken but I explained it was the price he had to pay for hand-knits. For what it's worth <i>I </i>think he's handsome but he loves to make put-out faces for the camera. Here is a nice close up of the vest.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y91C5HR7s4RVnLxpkr5Oc_YFwAdnVTjMauu8oRgCFdXCi7W0l9k8k0QswcLgTRAq3id9j3DMG9zc5TpiWl9K49jZRXYcarg2U61Xb0BFL9Cd_19wQBKi7wHfyMv8XoiHm5E0D3GyDakD/s1600-h/R0010270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y91C5HR7s4RVnLxpkr5Oc_YFwAdnVTjMauu8oRgCFdXCi7W0l9k8k0QswcLgTRAq3id9j3DMG9zc5TpiWl9K49jZRXYcarg2U61Xb0BFL9Cd_19wQBKi7wHfyMv8XoiHm5E0D3GyDakD/s320/R0010270.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The crisscross lines on it are duplicate stitch embroidered after the knitting and sewing together and pretty much everything was done. It was a bit of a slog, that last bit, I just SO wanted to be done with it! And so I am. I really think this was one of the nicer things I've made. I did make a big modification to the pattern by making it 6 stitches smaller on the front and the back. I basically followed the directions but just decreased the size. The pattern was nicely done but I don't know why you'd want a vest like this to have 4" of ease. My vest of fail showed that clearly it isn't very attractive. Who knows? Do most men really like everything 2 sizes too big? Anyway here are a few more photo's of Eli hamming it up. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-4922416707880088022010-03-10T22:19:00.000-06:002010-03-10T22:19:15.716-06:00Busy busy!So I've been obsessively reading the forums on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry </a>and ordered 4 books through inter-library loan and all of this has been about learning to be a designer. I really want to beef up my skills on designing my own garments and learning to make the things I knit fit better. The books I got from the library are Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop, Reader's Digest Knitter's Handbook by Montse Stanley, The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques by Margaret Radcliffe, Sweater Design in Plain English by Maggie Righetti, and The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPF0A7ECq9QUATy8WphBTxBraErteRwhyphenhyphen3kOvmAQJw8-b6HhkZh5zaEhn7va96ajVaNFZGNrd_lT8ncOfhuJlGOkqXC7ScY7hj9mbKye2D9adgay8Jx7bBeOp-vqu3nVfektig-qah4hOh/s1600-h/R0010172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPF0A7ECq9QUATy8WphBTxBraErteRwhyphenhyphen3kOvmAQJw8-b6HhkZh5zaEhn7va96ajVaNFZGNrd_lT8ncOfhuJlGOkqXC7ScY7hj9mbKye2D9adgay8Jx7bBeOp-vqu3nVfektig-qah4hOh/s320/R0010172.JPG" /></a></div>I spent the afternoon browsing these books and I think the most helpful one is going to be the Sweater Design in Plain English. It seems like a really straightforward guide to making garments that fit and work the way you want. The other books certainly have value (The principles of Knitting had 30 types of cast on) but turned out to be in short supply of the things I really wanted to know. I used reviews on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a> to decide what to get from the library because I think I'll likely want to buy the ones that seem most useful. <br />
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The Principles of Knitting is out of print and very expensive to get so I feel lucky that another library was willing to send it here so I could take a look. It was very talked up but it seems persnickety (she is convinced that there is only one right way to knit) and somewhat dated. It has a lot of information but most of it I already know and or have for reference in other books. I'm glad I didn't shell out for in all honesty. <br />
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Of the books I got I think the Color knitting book is the most useless. There is a little info in there but I think I'd much rather have a book of stranded/fair-isle designs. A lot of what is in the book is god-awful ugly and will make me not want to use it. To be fair it did give me the idea to use shaping to make intarsia patterns more than cross-stitch looking. That was worth walking it home from the library anyway. <br />
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On other fronts I've finished the back of Eli's vest and have a few inches done on the front. <br />
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I have a few ends to weave in on the back still and of course the argyle lines to embroider on but this vest is very much actually the right <i>size</i> this time. I measured. And measured. The first one I made came out 4" too big and looked like a really ugly argyle sack on the poor man. Maybe I'll feel ok enought about someday to take some funny pictures. <br />
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The Alexander McQueen tribute is on a bit of a hold while I wait for more yarn to arrive. I'm terrible at estimating yardage, but it usually works out ok because I work at the Yarn Exchange and live a block away so I just run and get a bit more. This time though I bought all 3 skeins that we had of the Lanaloft Bulky in Cottage White so I'll have to wait until we get more in. I did have to frog a bit of it because of an irredeemable and complicated-to-explain mistake so I took some pictures of my progress off the needles. Its coming along just like I planned! What a good feeling despite the mistake. It was a bit fun to frog it on the floor like that. <br />
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I decided I would take it apart and see if I could see what was wrong. I finally got it apart (after taking out about 100 screws) and saw nothing wrong but dust and cat hair so I vacuumed it out and spun the fan around a bit and screwed it back together and then it worked fine. *shrug*. Who knows?? The power of randomly taking shit apart I suppose. It's out of warranty now so I figured I couldn't mess it up worse.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26646863@N08/4411764998/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4411764998_2c8a18a24c_m.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" border="0" height="209" width="281" /></a></center><br />The object of irritation! <br /><p class="blogpress_location">Location:<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Illinois%2038,DeKalb,United%20States%4041.930510%2C-88.753153&z=10">Illinois 38,DeKalb,United States</a></p>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-41734295384306615432010-03-03T16:05:00.004-06:002010-03-03T16:42:30.966-06:00Nifty Thrifty<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">So I went thrift shopping this afternoon and was rather productive. Uh well I spent a gob of money anyway. I got this lovely tea service with 6 cups and saucers for $15. The only thing missing is the lid to the sugar jar sadly, but I couldn't leave it. Its gorgeous and I didn't have a whole one. So mod. The mark is Melitta, Germany. I got this from Lavish Thrift where I'd been wanting it for nearly a year. It started out at $40 so I don't feel like I've done too badly.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2CdCFtWstnjKh2jw3HZPQt8aOsyuR7FNyGZLDx6y0IZFQcaaSGzRG5cfGYw_Rt6xaHWYRMUGDNCar5gVtyNUwC-bSTjFuN19snHh1flUP1a0KyE4FZanmjiLIwFKUXmKl1-UpIa-aZik/s1600-h/R0010153.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2CdCFtWstnjKh2jw3HZPQt8aOsyuR7FNyGZLDx6y0IZFQcaaSGzRG5cfGYw_Rt6xaHWYRMUGDNCar5gVtyNUwC-bSTjFuN19snHh1flUP1a0KyE4FZanmjiLIwFKUXmKl1-UpIa-aZik/s320/R0010153.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444537658673604978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I also went to the new consignment store 2 doors down from me. Its still pretty empty but they had a table full of fantastic jewelry really cheap. Oh I went I bit nuts. I promise I did leave some behind. First up is this lovely pair of gold plated filigree earrings with jade that were $6. I am currently wearing them. They are light and darling. <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHoTscwLVhPrWl3bViPI1pkCCp3j-4dQ5odxl2jXeje1gBakcnkF91_mv4riXqJbMMGAAQJ3r_C8aEGTcrL0jAmmJI-N_Xocwoan6k5Ue9qQEpL-vEx_wZJFrIboATMThWu-4uCp1vfgt/s1600-h/R0010151.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHoTscwLVhPrWl3bViPI1pkCCp3j-4dQ5odxl2jXeje1gBakcnkF91_mv4riXqJbMMGAAQJ3r_C8aEGTcrL0jAmmJI-N_Xocwoan6k5Ue9qQEpL-vEx_wZJFrIboATMThWu-4uCp1vfgt/s320/R0010151.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444535531331674722" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Next up is the lovely mid century modern sterling fish pin. This guy was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">sooooo</span> cool. I think he's going to go on my pink cape. He was $7<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipby2_LOUVCiH2znFVMHVjdBO0my_Orjr3ZMIu-OPVLH78Y52AnOe3Fy7_w3Z24O8p25nM5h4Q3-PPb5GeT-2W5OiXWU9VH3bbw593liEZz5dqyicMci9Y7mPsczsJH-mcUXrJE3D_dn9_/s1600-h/R0010149.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipby2_LOUVCiH2znFVMHVjdBO0my_Orjr3ZMIu-OPVLH78Y52AnOe3Fy7_w3Z24O8p25nM5h4Q3-PPb5GeT-2W5OiXWU9VH3bbw593liEZz5dqyicMci9Y7mPsczsJH-mcUXrJE3D_dn9_/s320/R0010149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444535526074972562" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is a lovely brass enameled pin that looked really sharp on my green coat. $6<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbKkivwGeKJm-VsraVMijyna6Grd4VBUlfKKgltlm8ziRL_74O4vxiryJMr6WRazQ9a1hTt2ou-cnbRNx6tTyYNP9M4GYwHLNLmNKOoOWfPOp1TA4XD9Z7YZXgJTIzPWUm0_jmmj4HRN2/s1600-h/R0010147.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbKkivwGeKJm-VsraVMijyna6Grd4VBUlfKKgltlm8ziRL_74O4vxiryJMr6WRazQ9a1hTt2ou-cnbRNx6tTyYNP9M4GYwHLNLmNKOoOWfPOp1TA4XD9Z7YZXgJTIzPWUm0_jmmj4HRN2/s320/R0010147.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444535513647950642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The the most awesome thing was this brass and pearl lapel chain. Oh jeez I saw one of these in a magazine a while back I wanted one <span style="font-style: italic;">bad.</span> Now it is mine! 8$<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBciNda_aFG4l_uYqz5l9pvy3lqrQUjBq5pMNvmThSTNA9TdqIPqlCJxuOV0AvP8EQS2rRhkiULaF3zsc4nFEqt-kjq4GD7DFXuOc9vCE4-OB1NHW_eMOX4pbEHJy5QhwiVzVOyM8k_-bz/s1600-h/R0010145.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBciNda_aFG4l_uYqz5l9pvy3lqrQUjBq5pMNvmThSTNA9TdqIPqlCJxuOV0AvP8EQS2rRhkiULaF3zsc4nFEqt-kjq4GD7DFXuOc9vCE4-OB1NHW_eMOX4pbEHJy5QhwiVzVOyM8k_-bz/s320/R0010145.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444535504368004450" border="0" /></a></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQentASjSLpI8SByWACYC-rlAyQUYZ65m7rNIcMeyUHIb3_PwJglo8udfF3Aj-oXYfSP2Wgne5zr3edud2ozY0UoYNEcp5zk-JBP40f6_7RFf9ShJ5m1rJC2BRa9omdWJfHrp4EXtZDKg/s1600-h/R0010146.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQentASjSLpI8SByWACYC-rlAyQUYZ65m7rNIcMeyUHIb3_PwJglo8udfF3Aj-oXYfSP2Wgne5zr3edud2ozY0UoYNEcp5zk-JBP40f6_7RFf9ShJ5m1rJC2BRa9omdWJfHrp4EXtZDKg/s320/R0010146.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444535510359695794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then I bought an assorted set of mid century mod drinking glasses and a carafe. They were too much but they make me happy. Plus we've broken a few glasses lately so I think we needed a few that weren't the ugly POM ones. $25 for the set.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVc11vv-qA4OCUHfmjXfhtmZNHfkNykx5O8fLVYf1n_3uGsE-hehyphenhyphenUWhl0kRQb0W6qMuFT9NilK4-JfJGyDulZS255bDAmOj2K6Q9j-C-9Vq-F3qgWP_d3GruLjfQKtW3qwS_i6q9zSsCs/s1600-h/R0010143.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVc11vv-qA4OCUHfmjXfhtmZNHfkNykx5O8fLVYf1n_3uGsE-hehyphenhyphenUWhl0kRQb0W6qMuFT9NilK4-JfJGyDulZS255bDAmOj2K6Q9j-C-9Vq-F3qgWP_d3GruLjfQKtW3qwS_i6q9zSsCs/s320/R0010143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444533471185266402" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ARse4ZCj6smCCoOHyHK0R0yMDT1XCp4DhcvKDj2snqwfo_Q-BLk3C0JOdmB_oN_lLBdOaNM_p-JxErTBU96bRIkoeFX7dDx6ADhz-reW4Gz1F8Q5WBov2aehr1kPY_J_ep2r9MEON_37/s1600-h/R0010142.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ARse4ZCj6smCCoOHyHK0R0yMDT1XCp4DhcvKDj2snqwfo_Q-BLk3C0JOdmB_oN_lLBdOaNM_p-JxErTBU96bRIkoeFX7dDx6ADhz-reW4Gz1F8Q5WBov2aehr1kPY_J_ep2r9MEON_37/s320/R0010142.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444533464984222322" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nuVaQUpvE23LZ4bRvn3VL-9XJcH0g8eIvOV8fKjJhSf9i_RFXRjOvEhoo08PWGGXN_G_P6a7f_JYY5nvLxLy61tr5QVE8O6L_-qvZy63VjT_lFBfZjYAiuNoXmlPk8kXmLuESoeQoLdb/s1600-h/R0010141.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nuVaQUpvE23LZ4bRvn3VL-9XJcH0g8eIvOV8fKjJhSf9i_RFXRjOvEhoo08PWGGXN_G_P6a7f_JYY5nvLxLy61tr5QVE8O6L_-qvZy63VjT_lFBfZjYAiuNoXmlPk8kXmLuESoeQoLdb/s320/R0010141.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444533454635239090" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fYM8ZjD1SPlssxLcFH8sB0gKMgPrp9d-pk9I7_8SPEXDIaXjZ85fS8A-N-OsnLZaV6SKOkzwaLuen4MKS56kDQxgoEzYkpv1OdTNdPIA3amwDfH5ZPMGaTxoa07DADJOuD6J7DJ245YA/s1600-h/R0010140.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fYM8ZjD1SPlssxLcFH8sB0gKMgPrp9d-pk9I7_8SPEXDIaXjZ85fS8A-N-OsnLZaV6SKOkzwaLuen4MKS56kDQxgoEzYkpv1OdTNdPIA3amwDfH5ZPMGaTxoa07DADJOuD6J7DJ245YA/s320/R0010140.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444533446424550690" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemvBoUhHjeY170Bx5zJuR3VNkPLUNbk4iUQaiUKDt3EExow5wF3tGjh6T7ZGyosLd-tlAcdnRb305MTshuxY42R4ZdFo97pci_dQL8NkdspAmKPWCI5CXlPjmNIRXgSU3_9mHZ8kSnurd/s1600-h/R0010134.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemvBoUhHjeY170Bx5zJuR3VNkPLUNbk4iUQaiUKDt3EExow5wF3tGjh6T7ZGyosLd-tlAcdnRb305MTshuxY42R4ZdFo97pci_dQL8NkdspAmKPWCI5CXlPjmNIRXgSU3_9mHZ8kSnurd/s320/R0010134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444533433145369698" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-27786859016207630732010-03-02T22:31:00.002-06:002010-03-02T23:00:23.010-06:00Swatches swatchesI've been working pretty hard on getting everything ready to start the Idea. I've done my calculations wrote a chart for the stitch pattern and made some really large swatches.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4403198460_ff3767a2f6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 285px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4403198460_ff3767a2f6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4403199802_1ca967a904.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4403199802_1ca967a904.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2715/4402434515_9c7f034805.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2715/4402434515_9c7f034805.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The really large swatches were necessary to see how the worsted and bulky weight yarns handled the stitch pattern. I went through my stitch pattern book several times and found patterns that were close to what I wanted but I ended up writing one that was similar to others, but did exactly what I needed it to.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I've also completed the yoke portion. I don't know how happy I am about it. I'm not sure that portion is going to work, but I'm willing to sit on it until I get the skirt done. I just don't know how it is going to look when it gets sewn to the side. Also I need to frog a bit of the back and make it shorter as it somehow got too long.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4403205550_325604b62a.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4403205550_325604b62a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I've made 30 lower portions of the leaf motif as a cast on for the skirt. I realized at some point yesterday that I was really going to need to buy a 60" circular. OMG. The poor thing is <span style="font-style: italic;">stuffed</span> on it. Good thing it has to decrease pretty quickly. One round takes about an hour at this point so I think this thing will take longer than I was thinking. Also I'll probably need more yarn. Oi. I should have known this would get out of hand. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4403202646_b10dca1015.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4403202646_b10dca1015.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-57936454490204761582010-02-25T12:24:00.001-06:002010-02-25T12:24:20.361-06:00Testing testing<br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/02/25/709.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/02/25/s_709.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I am testing this blogger app for my iPhone. I took this picture of Eli and Asuka a couple of weeks ago. Asuka decided she needed to be on Eli's shoulders. Hee.<br /> <br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Illinois%2038,DeKalb,United%20States%4041.930496%2C-88.753151&z=10'>Illinois 38,DeKalb,United States</a></p>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-73884544925616018562010-02-24T23:06:00.010-06:002010-02-25T00:01:11.106-06:00It's been such a long time...Lately I've been lured away by facebook, getting out all my little thoughts and dramas in succinct and slightly thoughtless blurbs. But I have had an Idea that will not be quelled and I think the process of working through the Idea is worth documenting in blog format. Anyway the genesis of the Idea began with Alexander McQueen.<br /><br />As you all may or may not know Alexander McQueen <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/13/MNI01C0M1F.DTL">killed himself</a> on February 11th 2010. He was one of the most visionary and artistic fashion designers ever to send a dress down the runway and I actually cried when I heard he had died. I found his work challenging and beautiful and was continually inspired by it. I felt moved to examine my grief for his genius by trying to replicate his aesthetic in a knitted work of my own. I felt very driven to do this and haven't had this fevered a desire in a long time. I began by googling for retrospectives of his work and a few images really grabbed and stood out to me.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaoFR-KwBy0ULiBUS3QJipem0I0FqGouDmCGAHnHym7fPKkMx8Lt4NZPsqXluRdJRZiE8V99gS3DQauxlRpwSi4pcHWt1sTYkrWlXYeQMSDmt5RwHsK-V5IX781iHfRHoddKot9ulMUWQ/s1600-h/00340m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaoFR-KwBy0ULiBUS3QJipem0I0FqGouDmCGAHnHym7fPKkMx8Lt4NZPsqXluRdJRZiE8V99gS3DQauxlRpwSi4pcHWt1sTYkrWlXYeQMSDmt5RwHsK-V5IX781iHfRHoddKot9ulMUWQ/s320/00340m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442047059256245010" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0wzhFRkoNDIfkcj53pg9Ad6PJgkHbwl9o_9e0AxZAT8QVKJsuMZNYpHi5MqyfAxmcLvo0Sc5BSqvPHdHro7Z4haOqhwfMAeXy9jU5TT_j76o4ohw05qaKiAToUxHwuGWz88_p2UE_Nt7/s1600-h/00130m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0wzhFRkoNDIfkcj53pg9Ad6PJgkHbwl9o_9e0AxZAT8QVKJsuMZNYpHi5MqyfAxmcLvo0Sc5BSqvPHdHro7Z4haOqhwfMAeXy9jU5TT_j76o4ohw05qaKiAToUxHwuGWz88_p2UE_Nt7/s320/00130m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442047539394919522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDG02Wt8_-i3RdZPiDiVFwoghtJDnV0j6qaTVyHFjqyb_pcsdcSjHpo3WMycIPnjV_VVxQWJi4n8K52ueaNm08hPVmKVfk5BfWeXf9frAA6Z7Vkhyphenhyphen9x5D5lePKDfNtp8qF3QEbysLE0Ep/s1600-h/00230m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDG02Wt8_-i3RdZPiDiVFwoghtJDnV0j6qaTVyHFjqyb_pcsdcSjHpo3WMycIPnjV_VVxQWJi4n8K52ueaNm08hPVmKVfk5BfWeXf9frAA6Z7Vkhyphenhyphen9x5D5lePKDfNtp8qF3QEbysLE0Ep/s320/00230m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442047843756088258" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEwgabcD3mFcD64PHrRSPHOwyyAA_HP2KQgRFeNuAKPbtX9-NdPX1UNVXP4jdWqws_Ozgphz2KCFnhEx3ECPGiKnGL6f3CR788IDKd9wTP2oJP_xDjZmwbRn0uPm2i6blyzoD3M1RiFZs/s1600-h/00210m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEwgabcD3mFcD64PHrRSPHOwyyAA_HP2KQgRFeNuAKPbtX9-NdPX1UNVXP4jdWqws_Ozgphz2KCFnhEx3ECPGiKnGL6f3CR788IDKd9wTP2oJP_xDjZmwbRn0uPm2i6blyzoD3M1RiFZs/s320/00210m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442047709552204274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibm7VCUJcPAwXM9jNn6aFsRSmPvgZdeZAm-__ZkdcTmd4YE3ji4NQiyyEnaEkdR1Bk3D0vkwYTCLbFcE4ODU5_K26b5xFW_FJY5L8VbmN8HWPN1B9DZkONyIuN4XSoqlVBRLeo8lNWXfK_/s1600-h/00450m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibm7VCUJcPAwXM9jNn6aFsRSmPvgZdeZAm-__ZkdcTmd4YE3ji4NQiyyEnaEkdR1Bk3D0vkwYTCLbFcE4ODU5_K26b5xFW_FJY5L8VbmN8HWPN1B9DZkONyIuN4XSoqlVBRLeo8lNWXfK_/s320/00450m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442048163612325666" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />What really struck me as overarching theme in lot of his work was a certain historicity, body consciousness and emphasis on texture. I played these ideas around in my head and came up with this sketch.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNICsKBxN6tlPZmTwCxpxVIlj-kdPb9hjfNAoJW62Cm-_LSz1dlLcRrEiYwmI2IyG1CwW6-jgcoVxu7pVg6doG2ElkHDKwnV2c6yA4Cg3Gn-d2J3Lx8ccxnlDo9PX47UTEhG070h8QuTXo/s1600-h/R0010116.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNICsKBxN6tlPZmTwCxpxVIlj-kdPb9hjfNAoJW62Cm-_LSz1dlLcRrEiYwmI2IyG1CwW6-jgcoVxu7pVg6doG2ElkHDKwnV2c6yA4Cg3Gn-d2J3Lx8ccxnlDo9PX47UTEhG070h8QuTXo/s320/R0010116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442049034408447986" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">You'll have to forgive my drawing ability, I'm terribly rusty as I haven't done any real drawing or sketching in years. But the idea is there. I feel like the Idea captures the body consciousness and the textural elements that I was going for. I don't know if anyone but me will ever see Alexander McQueen in it, but if I can pull it off I think I'll feel mighty proud of myself.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I have picked out the yarn and have done some swatching. Here are some photos of the yarn and my work area. I'm really wishing I had a dress form these days. <br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlt8NWxrimuC-dSRbo3FFLfihyphenhyphenDpPxbUSZO3qJTuExdBDH4VjlneC87NqyoPhmqjGJC6hQ6U71kBo3VV2n4e6RxIMiPI742qQ5MgKakkSb0R-DEwOgzIxDyeSR3FNvijBbfOXAuWK_FdpY/s1600-h/R0010115.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlt8NWxrimuC-dSRbo3FFLfihyphenhyphenDpPxbUSZO3qJTuExdBDH4VjlneC87NqyoPhmqjGJC6hQ6U71kBo3VV2n4e6RxIMiPI742qQ5MgKakkSb0R-DEwOgzIxDyeSR3FNvijBbfOXAuWK_FdpY/s320/R0010115.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442050681631252162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdZcKvSQFWZ2zxFp2DxZMPIziVCR4yFxXJGTx4woW13M3eykX2b0QMIMZpxacTikhV11Xcq7NzKHRtLt7dfUaAnV-KY2xRMUxts6SUFtmdkUUq6l-au1zBcepE-IARx-4Lppk-P6N6bxq/s1600-h/R0010117.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdZcKvSQFWZ2zxFp2DxZMPIziVCR4yFxXJGTx4woW13M3eykX2b0QMIMZpxacTikhV11Xcq7NzKHRtLt7dfUaAnV-KY2xRMUxts6SUFtmdkUUq6l-au1zBcepE-IARx-4Lppk-P6N6bxq/s320/R0010117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442051421881691810" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>So the yarn I'm using is Brown Sheep's Lanaloft in Bulky and Worsted. Its a soft single ply wool with a lot of stitch definition and loft. The dark grey will be for the yoke and the cream for the lace portion. I think this dress will need some heavy duty foundation garments but I've been angling for a reason to buy the fancy pair of <a href="http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2990122&cp=2992553.3010022&parentPage=family">Spanx</a> I've had my eye on. I'm currently in the process of charting stitch pattern that will be what I want because despite having a pretty comprehensive collection of stitch patterns I couldn't find one that was just what I wanted. It gave me a lot of ideas to make what I wanted after I swatched a few that were similar. I think that this dress will need a lot of negative ease for the lozenge shapes to really pop and It will need a good amount of blocking. The yarn I'm using is pretty thick though, so I think it won't take too long to knit once I've planned it. But oh the planning!<br /><br />Thinking about making this dress leaves me feeling like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff. The yarn was not inexpensive and I'm afraid to fail to accomplish what I want to do. I've had a lot of trouble lately with large projects not coming out the way I wanted or anticipated so I hope this goes well. I'll need to buy a petticoat for this dress too, and I don't know where or why I'd wear it but it wants to exist so badly I can't help but move right along with it.<br /></div></div></div><br /></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-74728715374371480412009-10-31T19:48:00.009-05:002009-11-01T00:56:20.300-05:00Halloween fun!So I had a pretty good Halloween I'd say, we carved up some pumpkins, which rotted rather quickly, but were cute while they lasted. I made one a kitty and one a face and Eli managed to get the rotten pumpkins so he spent a lot of time cutting the rotten bits off so his pumpkins looked pretty weird.<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULkJupESo6twZE_B7OQCMDU9AWAOH2eHWxLpX1zWTZ00VMAhzffeU72Z_RrVlnkkhBm1U8xZvpuWLaTDMd0b0ZAilgRFH0_22fzXP76vB30XWTQ69FEiOWw8dmtIgqp9vMNuCjsmdPxoA/s1600-h/R0011982.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULkJupESo6twZE_B7OQCMDU9AWAOH2eHWxLpX1zWTZ00VMAhzffeU72Z_RrVlnkkhBm1U8xZvpuWLaTDMd0b0ZAilgRFH0_22fzXP76vB30XWTQ69FEiOWw8dmtIgqp9vMNuCjsmdPxoA/s320/R0011982.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399001418863178834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFfwW9AgJN7g5HIp6baY4OHZ6VOLr0ogvBob2YBeFnUJ5YWSRR-4Yy8T2E3pPm8FFhzWW267H2gjhbTJWB-PmWec7HMVk8LUgjubhajkl6U63V6h6GCbfrvC-g9jiSxXOrRaxD6W1l0W8/s1600-h/R0012000.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFfwW9AgJN7g5HIp6baY4OHZ6VOLr0ogvBob2YBeFnUJ5YWSRR-4Yy8T2E3pPm8FFhzWW267H2gjhbTJWB-PmWec7HMVk8LUgjubhajkl6U63V6h6GCbfrvC-g9jiSxXOrRaxD6W1l0W8/s320/R0012000.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399005536602764498" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRApjRw-sOygMoOJOuczTH5VGVDFfh6T8ObcfsqWSHIwKOFj5iSJHTEfRAjVHicebqoRru_TXKGbgZUxA6H3ZY1-NCUcgQOZosguQh-V2QrIJZGtqRm2KAcJ6K4wNV2yQ3-eiuvKO67To/s1600-h/R0011997.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRApjRw-sOygMoOJOuczTH5VGVDFfh6T8ObcfsqWSHIwKOFj5iSJHTEfRAjVHicebqoRru_TXKGbgZUxA6H3ZY1-NCUcgQOZosguQh-V2QrIJZGtqRm2KAcJ6K4wNV2yQ3-eiuvKO67To/s320/R0011997.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399002146623966818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /></div>I dressed up as a woman from the 60's minus the torturous undergarments worn then. I bought some <a href="http://www.bumpits.com/">Bumpits</a> to get some nice big 60's hair which I would not have otherwise been able to do myself and some false eyelashes and some black eyeliner. I normally wear brown so I didn't have any. I worked at the yarn exchange and gave out candy to little kids. When I came home I had Eli take some pictures<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacrzxn8vaveJGLHaslvKTnVJJfkIpxv_-tUwbLm26Vz-DzMjiVeZs6WwJ30PgubU0x6mA20NJU7qutgsDU1R6vQ_oHFDDhwA8YeNkz3EN5LD29UrZHb7mIvN-mSHkQIP-89xUCODpe7jo/s1600-h/R0012046.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacrzxn8vaveJGLHaslvKTnVJJfkIpxv_-tUwbLm26Vz-DzMjiVeZs6WwJ30PgubU0x6mA20NJU7qutgsDU1R6vQ_oHFDDhwA8YeNkz3EN5LD29UrZHb7mIvN-mSHkQIP-89xUCODpe7jo/s320/R0012046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399007510605277378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ijkKrc7BFQ6-Gk7NpL5BSic0SLsUK_GNPJuavL9WTSLE06Q8Q96QI_Zs1f-Ss9TnkHTnnA_jA2ZO6CFC8d3jqiooCtsdpInT5llfiKfEi_ifi7MeFt1Pak96kX81SyjErCYVsG3gL06k/s1600-h/R0012054.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ijkKrc7BFQ6-Gk7NpL5BSic0SLsUK_GNPJuavL9WTSLE06Q8Q96QI_Zs1f-Ss9TnkHTnnA_jA2ZO6CFC8d3jqiooCtsdpInT5llfiKfEi_ifi7MeFt1Pak96kX81SyjErCYVsG3gL06k/s320/R0012054.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399009137362147922" border="0" /></a>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-84668192973460929722009-03-27T02:27:00.003-05:002009-03-27T02:56:52.167-05:00Two women walk into a consignment store...Sometimes when I am at work, I feel like I'm living behind two way glass or that I'm invisible or a robot or a child or otherwise not considered an adult citizen worthy of notice. This is not to say I disapprove entirely. Mostly I like it, I don't <span style="font-style: italic;">want</span> people to notice me, I'd have to give up some of myself, my resources, stories or sympathy. I am selfish and they are mine to keep.<br /><br />Having this state of semi-person-hood I tend to overhear or eavesdrop on various conversations going on in the store. It isn't very large and isn't a place for private conversations but they happen anyway. Sometimes I get really struck by the things they say, one time in particular it was two women who came into the store. They were late 20s early 30s and were chatty in a way I don't normally pay much attention to, but then the shorter stouter one mentioned to the taller prettier one that she was in 14 weeks pregnant.<br /><br />The pretty one told the stout one that she was so happy and excited and jealous because she just so wanted another baby but right now wasn't the right time for her. They went on to talk about the various merits of different shirts and other things I don't care to remember and then came the bit that struck me the most and made me remember these women. I had managed to gather that they both already had more than one child and the pregnant one said to the pretty one that her pregnancy wasn't planned but that she was very happy because she was already 30 and her and her partner had agreed to not have children past the age of 30. The implication being that it was much too old. The pretty one agreed emphatically and added that it was because of her own advancing age that she was so jealous of the stout one's pregnancy.<br /><br />First I thought they were small minded and a bit ignorant. Then it sort of dawned on me like a blow to my head. Here I am working in a shop like I was when I was 17, sitting on the edge of my 27th birthday, no plans for marriage or children in sight. I began to feel a keen sense of loss for a life I would never have, a choice I implicitly made without realizing. Later that day I thought about when I was 19 and I dreamed of a life where I was married by 22 and had all my children early and well. I would have a little house with a tree swing where the children's father would push them. I had a man in mind, but not in body and that dream and many similarly romantic dreams of my future passed away amid the ashes and smoke that was the year 2001. <br /><br />More than the twin towers went down in flames that year, my family life and personal life also spectacularly exploded in ways I'm still paying for and trying to clean up after. I switched schools to be closer to a home I would never be able to grasp again and to be present for people who no longer wanted me. I changed majors because I found out I wasn't going to be Indiana Jones, I was going to be underemployed, underpaid and bored out of my mind. I had imagined I would be telling stories. Reality was I would be endlessly sifting data desperately, endlessly trying to come to no conclusions at all.<br /><br />Those women brought me to a startling clarity that I will never have a life where I am young and married with children. I will probably never have a life where I am married with children at all. It isn't to say that I want these things, in the past 8 years I've become harder and more selfish, perhaps more aware of my damaged and self centered nature, resigned that no good would come of me having children to care for when I more than occasionally resent the responsibility of the cat. So I grieve a little for the loss of those choices that used to be so brilliantly shining in front of me. I think about the choices I made without thinking I was choosing. There is a little mourning, too, for a person who could want those things, by the person who runs screaming afraid from them.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qid7YtHki9v8WMAuPCvv450Ktcr83iaH_qgG2Jlejbx0pYnqwgg2H3nLo0YC9xbmmydPmQtBBg5eTGlNow_plBaFdFF7xbl296IbDvnvBA_wvXe30Z2kWzr9_NZD4aViQB7H_cPo8DTQ/s1600-h/Photo+279.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qid7YtHki9v8WMAuPCvv450Ktcr83iaH_qgG2Jlejbx0pYnqwgg2H3nLo0YC9xbmmydPmQtBBg5eTGlNow_plBaFdFF7xbl296IbDvnvBA_wvXe30Z2kWzr9_NZD4aViQB7H_cPo8DTQ/s200/Photo+279.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317772918082667634" border="0" /></a></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-31304835393130569232009-03-10T22:59:00.003-05:002009-03-10T23:48:25.760-05:00On LyingSo I promised myself that I would write some thoughts on lying today. <br /><br />So. Lying. <br /><br />Bad thing right?<br /><br />Well... everything is relative. <br /><br />Good lies I have told:<br /><br />~ Comforting a woman about her color choices for yarn even thought I thought they were hideous. She just wanted to be told that they were good, so I did. I do this all the time. These people don't really want my opinion, they just want someone to tell them they've done ok. I'm alright with this, just another part of life as a shop girl. Having tact is better than being honest most of time.<br /><br />~ I embellish stories, make up details I don't remember. I'm not even sure that this counts as lying per-se, but I'm usually very aware that I'm doing it. Sometimes I tell about things that didn't even happen to me, but could have, or happened to someone I know, when it is easier to explain that it was me rather than who the person was or is to me and what happened to them. First person experience is more powerful than second-hand so I occasionally take shortcuts.<br /><br />~ I told an ex that I wasn't cheating on him when he specifically asked me if I was with the specific person I was, about five times. I knew it was kinder for him to think that I hadn't. I think he believed me. The man I was messing around with was a wake up call for me to end that abusive tragedy of a relationship. Not that is was right precisely but I'm still sure it was better to lie to him. He always believed in rainbows and soul-mates and happy endings and it was better for me to prop him up a little then tear him all down. There are other things about the end of that relationship I regret doing, other truths I wish I had shared but that was never one of them. <br /><br />Bad, no good, stinking lies I have told:<br /><br />~ Repeatedly constantly, every other week at least faking I was sick so I didn't have to go to school, sometimes for days at a time. I don't think my mother wanted to deal with me so she just let me and I was quiet and spent most of the time reading or sleeping so she wouldn't really know. I did this for all 12 years of my public school education. I also constantly lied about why I didn't have homework or papers done to get extensions. I was clever and bold at it and it was terrible. I played this game with somewhat less success with my professors in college. I was the Queen of bullshit. I did this when I worked for the phonebook too. I invented relatives with horrible problems and medical conditions to get out of working. I don't think the boss believed me but he didn't care enough to scold me. I hated that job. I've left all this behind and have called in sick I think exactly one day since I started working my current jobs. I just can't not work, there isn't anyone to cover for me since there are so few of us, I think the fact that I'm not a replaceable cog, that I'm important and I need to be there keeps me honest. Also I don't hate it so much I feel sick at the thought of being there. I actually quite like my own little corner of retail. <br /><br />~ When I was 18 I had a little red convertible car that I would constantly pull into the driveway too fast. I parked in front of my dad's old decommissioned pickup. My mother would tell me all the time not to pull into the driveway too fast. One day she was right, I hit the truck and smashed the fiberglass on the front of my car. I told my dad what happened and my younger brother. I told my mother that the car had been hit in the school parking lot. She wanted to call the cops and couldn't figure out why everyone wasn't as upset as her about what happened. Eventually I convinced my dad to tell her the truth and I have a very vivid image of her sitting quietly on the stairs telling me how disappointed in me she was etc. I still think it would have been worse if I'd just told her. I felt pretty terrible for dragging everyone else into lying to her but its still pretty funny to me now. Really funny actually. <br /><br />~ Being given checks to pay university bills and then just sitting on them for months while fees piled up because I I let it go so long I didn't know how to fix it. Then lying to my father about what I'd done and why, putting him off for any and every reason I could think of. It was some pretty fucked-up behavior I still don't really understand. I was depressed and having anxiety attacks and wasn't functioning. I didn't get help for 3 more years after that. It probably would have been better for him to call me on my bullshit but he had enough to deal with in his immediate vicinity with my younger brother off the rails much worse than I.<br /><br />A lie I should feel bad about but don't:<br /><br />~ Telling my parents that I was late or couldn't make it to some family function because of Eli. I know, that sound terrible, but believe me it goes down a lot smoother if they really think that things are beyond my control. I don't do this much anymore because I don't need to. They don't try to control me as much anymore so I don't need to put them off. I feel a little tiny bit bad because it bothered Eli, but that is really the only reason. <br /><br />So... lying:<br /><br />I think we all tell them sometimes. Well except Eli, he can't lie if his life depends on it. Even when he should. I don't tell the whole story, I misdirect and I embellish. Sometimes objectively I think I can't be considered a 'good' person. I try to spare people mostly, protect and smooth my way in the world. It might be mercenary, but I think it works mostly.Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-47452923380205898262009-02-23T02:37:00.002-06:002009-02-23T03:05:30.544-06:00I've been awaySo much has happened since I last posted. I'll get to it but I'd like to mention that while I haven't been updating my etsy store I have been doing a lot of thinking and have been doing quite a bit of writing. It used to be my way of dealing with the world and with my emotions and I stopped and some point and I'm trying to get back, because it was, and is, very helpful. <br /><br />So the point being that I'm going to be posting some of that writing here since this is sort of a log of the creative goings on in my life and I've rather neglected my readers (all 5 of you) <br /><br />So without further ado here is my first blog-piece. It has to do with memory and grief. I tend to mull these things over a lot. I may revise it some more and some point because it is a little rough but I feel like I like it right now and will loose it upon the world for at least a little while. <br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">It wasn't the Scissor Sisters was it?</span><br /><br /> I asked him if he remembered what the song was, because it was important and I had forgotten and it <span style="font-style: italic;">meant</span> something. He remembered the sombrero, the toy guitar, my impromptu karaoke and the soggy foos-ball table but the song, even the <span style="font-style: italic;">band</span> is lost to history now I guess. I spit it all out in a rush, my question too specific with faked casualness and poor reception on my cell. I knew he wouldn't remember since I had always loved him more than he loved me, but it was ok, it was always <span style="font-style: italic;">so, so</span> ok, because when you were with him it was like you were his only and best friend in the whole world. I never felt jelous.<br /><br />He would introduce you to everyone, tell you things about them, tell you hilarious stories and he would listen too. He was just so <span style="font-style: italic;">there.</span> He tried to look out for me, he really did when I started going crazy and alienating everyone with wantonness, carelessness and a selfish drive to try very desperately to feel alive while my insides went numb. I was careless and he fought with me and I pushed and chaffed and then he was gone. He moved and so very far in thought and space. In estimation too, I believe. I feel a dull ache in my chest when those happy memories of silly, destructive. and oh-so-drunken behavior come to mind. They were so brief and I miss him and our friendship. <span style="font-style: italic;">Neither of us remember the song anymore.</span>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-42450206551224717332008-12-10T12:48:00.005-06:002008-12-10T12:55:45.364-06:00So I've gotten myself a new camera! I've been playing with it a lot and it is much better quality than my previous camera. The shutter response time is really quick and some of the pictures I've take are lovely. The camera is a Ricoh Caplio GX100. Its small, light weight and incredibly powerful. Also has a wide-angle lense, which no other compact digi cam offers. Anyway, enough tooting the camera's horn, here are some photos!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa_EfF4GWcXwSX9h5Vui-SnYo9BVY0Qu0RFws3YctwTVnj8Pbyd3uedmadd4np49Ac5enk31RyigZKADpIWxmUhVN4BgyY5Mzjr_K8TCUkanhvwCHkbzwjwRHTXzFVv5SRzPM6dimECrT/s1600-h/Kitty+Face%21.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa_EfF4GWcXwSX9h5Vui-SnYo9BVY0Qu0RFws3YctwTVnj8Pbyd3uedmadd4np49Ac5enk31RyigZKADpIWxmUhVN4BgyY5Mzjr_K8TCUkanhvwCHkbzwjwRHTXzFVv5SRzPM6dimECrT/s200/Kitty+Face%21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278236085259777010" border="0" /></a><br />This is a macro of Asuka's face! The detail is great and the color is really perfect.<br />Here is a black & white photo of our dining room. It was taken at a higher ISO so its a little grainy. I think it adds something to it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUqTkIjD2dnAsgcSR2ro7Hlh3tV75GNOUszEouaSPC9P2Xe_bO4r8Q2MC4W_QFhZgLtZ5_gIDwNLfk6M-x7pYos54Y0KJNf07YFIXp4R024KIjEnwT8q3HJ_aePNjKVwAGVUDsXL2duBW/s1600-h/This+is+Dining.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUqTkIjD2dnAsgcSR2ro7Hlh3tV75GNOUszEouaSPC9P2Xe_bO4r8Q2MC4W_QFhZgLtZ5_gIDwNLfk6M-x7pYos54Y0KJNf07YFIXp4R024KIjEnwT8q3HJ_aePNjKVwAGVUDsXL2duBW/s200/This+is+Dining.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278236663569882210" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Also I went and took photos of all my recent projects and uploaded them all onto ravelry. Some of them aren't the best photos I've ever composed so I'll probably redo a few. Yesterday was really really dark and cloudy all day, not the best photography day.Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-16054452308985316732008-10-15T11:53:00.009-05:002008-10-15T12:08:27.365-05:00Having been busy!So I just bought two foam wig heads off of ebay to create, display and photograph the hats I've been making recently. I think they are some of the best things I've ever made. Some times when I make things I get outside of myself and what I'm doing and when I finally finish I can't believe I've made it. I stare at the object and think over and over "I made this?" "I MADE this?" " I made this!" I am most definitely strange.<br /><br />Here are some photos of Castle Rock State Park from when we went there a few weeks ago.<br />It was lovely and this post needs photos.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDjjYG6XbqufUzDL7JBJ-_KcUXtzlXAnsiPybbHK-oqKIPdpnm5JbY0zZPPICZezzHSqWJTgyeTNUnLsIzvvQsTE_PN5-_bfPDXuJAw34KdtFTL2IWIuwAPM8t0r1AzqPtNli4y6EC_JP/s1600-h/P1010127.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDjjYG6XbqufUzDL7JBJ-_KcUXtzlXAnsiPybbHK-oqKIPdpnm5JbY0zZPPICZezzHSqWJTgyeTNUnLsIzvvQsTE_PN5-_bfPDXuJAw34KdtFTL2IWIuwAPM8t0r1AzqPtNli4y6EC_JP/s200/P1010127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257426408767445874" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lKrTU4WMn4Y2yJL4_hC6YKu1SWm6Cr1l8DuhgQVGBYJ46E2iNVMMAtfezm0lPujxzlKOszbvmP5kx7zK_HXGmimCt6Kd9z3eW4jCYZDOluIcl9EDlRaDoxtANWPCpZDSYLBhARk4xSsi/s1600-h/P1010131.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lKrTU4WMn4Y2yJL4_hC6YKu1SWm6Cr1l8DuhgQVGBYJ46E2iNVMMAtfezm0lPujxzlKOszbvmP5kx7zK_HXGmimCt6Kd9z3eW4jCYZDOluIcl9EDlRaDoxtANWPCpZDSYLBhARk4xSsi/s200/P1010131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257426690398850386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholH4PJH0kdbxXz5Bvw4324-Nn3ToVwo5SVXcTdG6gi7K8Nf8F8TpT8fm2QDDUZxTOlh2Mgqa5EaZur62Tv5Eym_P8YpG6dL6bKSjiqQDdO7fqLJYco8FF4JOySTEWo78ySR0nugNlT1Nf/s1600-h/P1010187.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholH4PJH0kdbxXz5Bvw4324-Nn3ToVwo5SVXcTdG6gi7K8Nf8F8TpT8fm2QDDUZxTOlh2Mgqa5EaZur62Tv5Eym_P8YpG6dL6bKSjiqQDdO7fqLJYco8FF4JOySTEWo78ySR0nugNlT1Nf/s200/P1010187.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257426985920449426" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL9umoyTvnsgCCioIc0_ap01-XcH_driS9ssanFhgD9w_QRkWGASLfDm1xio3ngFaOMPZrStdcs5RKWpn7ZPDxuOlm5lEc9Cz3e1ae1v6JoyBSNlw8Nnm0sIn0i7M9GyNQdlRvSDNtfhu/s1600-h/P1010185.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL9umoyTvnsgCCioIc0_ap01-XcH_driS9ssanFhgD9w_QRkWGASLfDm1xio3ngFaOMPZrStdcs5RKWpn7ZPDxuOlm5lEc9Cz3e1ae1v6JoyBSNlw8Nnm0sIn0i7M9GyNQdlRvSDNtfhu/s200/P1010185.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257427320046930882" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic27xf235nizHDgocEgkW-MGXT0r5Jr5E4X4OtU1-I0widF5J8JgYPjGXzzqlOUiUMx5kbt3ZY0HayCYNiESpOape9j4Zzmw2pjCd471F2ui79kF7Klqkf25enuXHz5spB6bK7jNQLBMEy/s1600-h/P1010172.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic27xf235nizHDgocEgkW-MGXT0r5Jr5E4X4OtU1-I0widF5J8JgYPjGXzzqlOUiUMx5kbt3ZY0HayCYNiESpOape9j4Zzmw2pjCd471F2ui79kF7Klqkf25enuXHz5spB6bK7jNQLBMEy/s200/P1010172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257427988997548674" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6d_rBkDUsrqf3XQr_KTnPMntGImrh2ngDJeiaImDSXjCGRwdPWuMJ_n-TVBZkq1_dyCYuZ8zBQEspfO1mD4ICBg7-3aTkEyoYiCDOSxG23Mse7aKLQJd6PvhqjdmsIakmTMVIXUDGp6aT/s1600-h/P1010149.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6d_rBkDUsrqf3XQr_KTnPMntGImrh2ngDJeiaImDSXjCGRwdPWuMJ_n-TVBZkq1_dyCYuZ8zBQEspfO1mD4ICBg7-3aTkEyoYiCDOSxG23Mse7aKLQJd6PvhqjdmsIakmTMVIXUDGp6aT/s200/P1010149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257427621735948034" border="0" /></a>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-1145331904317883632008-09-22T12:38:00.002-05:002008-09-22T12:45:44.529-05:00So we movedSo we finally moved out of the duplex half we were renting from Eli's parents who lived next door. It was getting too stressful for everyone. It has taken up way more time and money than I could have imagined and I feel like I've lost my balance, my equilibrium. The old hopeless feelings are creeping up on me and the sinus infection I've been battling is just making it that much worse. There are just too many things that need to be done, and not enough time. I'm going to be a vendor at YarnCon on Oct 4th. I have to have product ready to sell and I am just not getting enough done, I want to cry when I think about it!<br /><br />I probably shouldn't have moved right when starting a new job. It really feels so destabilizing. I liked doing my work for myself and not haveing anyone to be answerable too. It helped me controll my anxiety. Now I have a good job, working for and with really nice people but the act of having to be responsible and not forget things and get myself in order feels really really hard. <br />I hope I feel a little better once this sinus shit clears up, I think it will help.Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-7627182666259932222008-08-08T11:58:00.003-05:002008-08-08T12:06:30.232-05:00CrowingOoook so I was a big braggy yesterday wasn't I? Something I should mention is that I didn't actually make any sales from this front page listing. My prices were too high I think. So I lowered everything a dollar or so and bam, I've sold 3 items today. Its good to know where the limits are though, I know I couldn't actually be selling things for more make me feel like I'm not ripping myself off. I don't want to do that, I'm trying to make a living. <br /><br />On the accounting side of things I downloaded a really great <a href="http://www.mdmproofing.com/iym/products/etsy/sellers-worksheet/">spreadsheet from Its Your Money</a>, a blog I randomly found a link to. I'd been looking for something along these lines for a while and I'm overall pretty happy with it, though it is basic, it helps me keep track. It has a catalog section where you keep your inventory and a way to keep month by month sales records that also calculates your gross profit. It also will keep track of any sales tax you've collected, though you have to manually imput most info, its a good way to keep track if you don't have a huge volume of sales. I'll keep looking for some free software for accounting that works on a mac, but I haven't had any success so far. All the good free ones are for windows only. SUCK!Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-71687566414466419952008-08-07T11:20:00.002-05:002008-08-07T11:21:43.848-05:00Front Page!!!I was in a front page treasury at Etsy today! I didn't actually get to see it but I know it was because one of my items got almost 200 hits and I have 20 new hearts and holy crap. I'm pleased as punch. I knew those pretty photos would get me noticed!<br />Yay!Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-68681211308549602722008-08-02T17:52:00.002-05:002008-08-02T18:03:33.174-05:00Vintage BeautiesSo I've been looking for some vintage 1950s cotton shirtwaist or sun dresses. I like the style and it fits my curvy body better than a lot of things made today which are make for women who look like adolescent men. I have boobs, hips and butt. I have a smallish waist. Voila, 50s. I was looking on etsy but the sellers mainly had things that wouldn't fit me (TINY waists) that were too expensive so I headed over to ebay. Which had a lot more things that were too small and expensive, but also several things which were not. I bought 2 dresses<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i1.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/00/d8/2528_1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i1.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/00/d8/2528_1.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This one is my size and will look much better on me than on this too small mannequin. I'm rather excited about this one, it has so many cute details. I was the only bidder bc I think the pictures were bad, but I trust my judgment. I am reasonably certain it looks off because the mannequin is much too small. If I'm totally wrong than y'all can laugh at me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i13.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/00/c6/037b_1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i13.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/00/c6/037b_1.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This one is a little more demure but it also quite nice. I like the muted color palette of the stripes. It also has darts in the front to give the fitted appearance I prefer<br /><br />Some day I hope to get good enough at sewing to make my own dresses like these. For now I'll buy used vintage though. They are very nice.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8879970451727726612.post-84244555408408795772008-07-29T14:35:00.007-05:002008-07-29T14:50:24.314-05:00Navajo Plying<div style="text-align: left;">Today I taught myself how to Navajo ply using the joyofhandspinning.com's video tutorial. Its easier than I thought, and fun. I was very excited yesterday when I unraveled a sweater that was a silk, nylon, and angora blend and it was a lace weight single. I almost never get singles. This presented some possibilities. To the left is a photo of the unplyed yarn on my huge bobbinsand on the right is a a good view of the single before plying.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRuG-Yyf73YNNZgUqc9dLjOXE0SKSQ1Q8mgRG1zm150TTMUd8eDDXOqdTbfDJf-o5PzAjBOgpqkTNSH10Z7j8AqiY7tFYDPtezv70NXJXegpGtXFJCA78GBAccfPZYWBehhfPR0Tynxbf/s1600-h/P1010089.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRuG-Yyf73YNNZgUqc9dLjOXE0SKSQ1Q8mgRG1zm150TTMUd8eDDXOqdTbfDJf-o5PzAjBOgpqkTNSH10Z7j8AqiY7tFYDPtezv70NXJXegpGtXFJCA78GBAccfPZYWBehhfPR0Tynxbf/s200/P1010089.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228524985646538226" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnNim8RFamU5ZPwHo6JMRZTatXkJr2mEPYXTBcg6VJufBwwtMiYTSzxf5YQ7ziPYayxfFe1tY_fRugmYTTqrCZVRPagxbm-UkmJ-C8_HtDp7X2_ho317t_MTlNWuGu5vyN-fkE4Df4ATX/s1600-h/P1010090.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnNim8RFamU5ZPwHo6JMRZTatXkJr2mEPYXTBcg6VJufBwwtMiYTSzxf5YQ7ziPYayxfFe1tY_fRugmYTTqrCZVRPagxbm-UkmJ-C8_HtDp7X2_ho317t_MTlNWuGu5vyN-fkE4Df4ATX/s200/P1010090.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228525132231428514" border="0" /></a></div><br />I decided to give it a bit more spin as it was a little fragile and to make a tighter ply. So I ran the whole bobbin through the machine last night and gave it a bit more twist. Today I plied it and it came out great. I love only having one bobbin to deal with and the balanced nature of the 3ply yarn that results. So here's the skein of the yarn I've made. Its so purdy. The yarn is a really soft and nicely drapey fingering weight now and can actually be used. I think I'm going to do this with the rest of the sweater too. Yay, I love unraveling singles. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7srrzR-vUXxfSWwYuCbl_-oCUoDYVydYfQhySrCNiZkFicwshXRvJtfJT5m2laZD-6hDPhWHQXH2tngcIpYAnnjnnyFUxD3ollSWmsdZ9RA8cOO8fGQUqKjzNaXAA3at-BcVxC3RVseLM/s1600-h/P1010087.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7srrzR-vUXxfSWwYuCbl_-oCUoDYVydYfQhySrCNiZkFicwshXRvJtfJT5m2laZD-6hDPhWHQXH2tngcIpYAnnjnnyFUxD3ollSWmsdZ9RA8cOO8fGQUqKjzNaXAA3at-BcVxC3RVseLM/s200/P1010087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228524643104413138" border="0" /></a></div>Beth Woldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16904054328405757221noreply@blogger.com1