Stacyverb

UFO sightings

Recently, while digging around in the closet to select some yarn for my Summer Games Challenge project, I found myself face to face with several lonely UFOs.

For anyone not up on your artsy-craftsy lingo, that stands for UnFinished Objects.  UFOs are not to be confused with WIPs (Works In Progress).  WIPS are projects that are actively being worked on, actually progressing.  UFOs...well, they're languishing in a state of abandonment, confusion, disinterest, and/or rage.

 

Exhibit A: Autumn Rose

Date started: December 2009

Status: About 20% completed, then shoved into a cardboard box because of two problems I didn't know how to deal with.   1) The corrugated ribbing at the bottom is not supposed to roll.  And yet it does.  I don't know why, and I haven't figured out how to fix it. 2) I'm at the point where I need to calculate where the armholes (actually steeks-- eek!) will go, but since the length is all wonky due to the rolling bottom edge, I can't tell how long this thing really is so far.  Is it time to make armholes yet?  It's anyone's guess!

 

Exhibit B: Viper Pilot socks

Date started: August 2010

Status: I got about halfway through the first sock, then realized it was way too tight.  Traumatized by how much pointless work I'd done on this--one of the most complicated things I've ever knit--I stuffed the project into a bag until I could face unraveling it so I could start over.

 

Exhibit C: Handspun sweater

Date started: 2008??

Status: Oh, who the hell knows?  I haven't been able to go to a PHG meeting in almost two years, and that was where I used to get most of my spinning done.  I probably have about half the yarn spun.  Well, maybe.  Since I don't actually know what pattern I'm using, I don't know how much yardage I need.  Also, I don't know how much yardage I currently have.  Wow, this sounds like a totally half-assed project, doesn't it?

 

Exhibit D: The Project That Cannot Be Named

Date started: Sometime in 2007

Status: No photo available, due to this project being top secret.  It was supposed to be a Christmas (2007) present for someone who reads this blog, and then I realized that I was delusional and there was no way I could finish it in time for Christmas (2007), so I lost my motivation, not to mention my mojo. So this poor thing has been in the closet for years, with more and more stuff getting piled on top of it.

 

Now, these are only the UFOs that were in the closet.  My sewing stuff is in another room, and believe me, that's a whollllle other can of worms. 

I know, a lot of people have waaaaay more UFOs than this.  But I really hate having these things lying around, taking up space, reminding me of the time, effort, and money I've already put into them, with nothing to show for it.  It's not just physical clutter, it's mental clutter, too.  Argh!

Okay, folks, you all are my witnesses: BY THE END OF 2012, I VOW TO FINISH TWO OF THESE PROJECTS.  Two--that's totally do-able, right?  Feel free (please!) to nag me about this periodically.

How about you?  Any UFOs you'd like to finish once and for all, artsy-craftsy or otherwise?

Weekend Countdown: Project to-do list

Most people with creative-type hobbies have certain UnFinished Objects (UFO's) that just kinda hang over their heads.  Maybe you started something but then got distracted (by a new project, probably), or maybe you've reached a point where the next step is something less than fun.  Well, I have quite a few of these types of projects in my life right now, and I've decided to take advantage of this rainy weekend to make some progress on them!

5. Spinning wool for future sweater - I'm still working (sporadically) on the  spinning project I showed here (yes, over a year ago).  My current plan is for this handspun yarn to grow up to be a cozy cardigan like this eventually.  That's Wendy Bernard's Indigo Playmate sweater from Custom Knits.  I'm still a looooong way from the point where I can start the actual knitting process, though.

4. Speaking of knitting, I have a bad case of Second Sock Syndrome.  Using this hand-dyed wool/silk blend yarn, I started sock #1 on March 2 and raced right through it.  Now that the weather is warm, wool socks aren't really on my mind, and sock #2 is mocking me.  I need to make progress on it before I lose interest completely!

3. As you've probably noticed, I've been very focused on sewing lately.  This red linen has been in my stash for two years, and this weekend it will finally take the first steps in becoming an actual garment.  Stay tuned for details and a progress report.

2. On the subject of stash-busting, for well over a year I've been meaning to make some pajamas out of the pink flannel print shown on the left of this photo.  Last week I finally started working on them, and this weekend I intend to finish!

1. The more people can see my jewelry, the more people can buy my jewelry.  So I've decided to try setting up an Etsy shop for Stacybeads.  This is my top priority for the weekend.  It'll be a lot of work, but hopefully fun as well!

Mid-year resolutions

Recently my friend Rachel H. shared a list she called "10 Things I Would Like To Accomplish Before The Year Is Done."  I really liked this exercise, especially at this time of year.  Why should the start of a new year be the only time we think about goals we'd like to achieve, or changes we'd like to make?  Putting these ideas in words helps to focus on those goals, reminding us that they exist and that aren't going to get accomplished all by themselves.  (Plus, I just really like to make lists!)  So, here's my version of Rachel's list. 

1. Do a major purge and re-organization of closets, workspaces, cabinets, etc. in my house.
2. Re-design my blog (new banner, new color scheme, maybe new layout).
3. Do at least one writing exercise a week (not counting blogging).

4. Have a new collection of jewelry designs ready for fall.
5. Have another new collection of jewelry designs ready for winter.
6. Finish the *BLEEP* I started for *BLEEP* in, what, 2005?  (This entry has been censored because it is supposed to be a surprise for someone who reads this blog!)
7. Go to the doctor and get a real, complete physical.
8. Design and knit a sweater entirely from my own handspun fiber.
9. Teach at least two knitting lessons per month.
10. Go on--or at least have definite plans and dates for--an actual vacation, preferably to a place I've never been.

What would your list look like?

Spinning wheel got to go 'round

Saturday I spent a very rainy afternoon with the Peachtree Handspinners Guild.  While the showers came down outside (and, in some spots of the leaky roof, inside), I accomplished quite a bit of spinning.  It's a good thing the Guild has monthly meetings, because lately that seems to be the only time I get out my wheel.

These bobbins are slated for a long-term project I'm vaguely thinking of as a sweater.  On the left: Blue-Face Leicester wool (my favorite!  yes, I have a favorite breed of wool--so what?) from Gale's Art in her "Pumpkin" colorway.  I started spinning that in January and finally finished it on Saturday.  On the right: Blue-Face Leicester (aka BFL) dyed by Dicentra Designs in their "Autumn" colorway.  I started that on Saturday and spun about 25% of what I have.  Don't these bobbins look lovely together?  And won't they look lovely with...

...these?  On top: Gale's BFL in "Pot Luck," which I bought from her at Guild on Saturday.  Her Pot Luck colors are sort of random, so when you see one you like, you need to grab it.  I knew this one would coordinate nicely with the ones I already had.  On bottom: Gale's BFL in "Cherry Blossom."  This is dyed over the gray BFL wool instead of the cream, so the colors are very rich and beautiful. 

How will all of these wools work together in a sweater?  Will they be plied with each other?  Will they be striped?  Will the sweater be a cardigan?  A pullover?  All of these things have yet to be determined.  Right now I'm just spinning and hoping the yarn will tell me later what it wants to be when it grows up!

A day at the fair

Today was a beautiful fall day, and AdVerb and I both have Mondays off now, so we took advantage of our only chance to head out to the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia. (Click any pic to enlarge it.)

First stop: sustenance.  What would a fair be without overpriced junk food?  It was yummy, in a semi-disgusting way.

Next up, a visit to the Miller-Murphy-Howard Building to see the fiber arts exhibits.  Loyal readers may remember from this post and this one also that I'd been busy this summer finishing up some projects to enter into the competition.  Did my efforts pay off?  See for yourself.  (The second pic looks wonky because the scarf was in a glass case.)

 

 

 

Yes, indeed!  All of my overwrought Olympic metaphors served me well.  After doing my victory lap around the MMH Building, we continued our tour of the fairgrounds.  We encountered many wonderful animals.  It's not clear in this photo, but this sheep was being vacuumed (yes, vacuumed) after a shearing.  I've often joked that vacuuming the cats would be the most efficient way to groom them, and this pic seems to back up my theory.

 

Last year I was thwarted in my attempts to pet an alpaca.  This year--success!  Meet Blue:

 

This is just a small sampling of the fun times to be had at the fair.  Truly, you could spend several days there and not see and do everything.  Alas, we only had one afternoon to spend, but we had a great time.  The Georgia National Fair runs through October 12.  Check it out for yourself if you're in the area, or if not, find a fun fair near you!

Are you feeling...Sheepish?

Recently, after about three years of fun times, I lost my job when Nease's Needlework closed its doors.  Susan made the decision to reduce her overhead by closing the physical shop and no longer dealing in knitting supplies.  She has taken the needlepoint and cross stitch aspects of the business to the web full time, so if you ever need those types of products for yourself or a gift, please visit her web site!  I enjoyed working at Susan's shop so much, and I wish her all the best with the new web business.

Meanwhile, life goes on for me as well!  I've ended up not being unemployed for long (um, four days, I think?).  What do we have here? 

Vast stretches of empty pegboard?

Freshly painted shelves?

 
Naked mannequin?

Yes, these are the tell tale signs that a new shop is coming!  Carrie, one of my Nease's co-workers, has leased the former Nease's space (aka The Yarn Shop Formerly Known As Nease's Needlework) and is opening a new business.  It will be called Sheepish, and we're all very excited about it.  We'll have lots of wonderful yarn (some of our vendors will include Lorna's Laces, Brown Sheep, Mountain Colors, Cascade, Classic Elite and Schaefer, just to name a few), books, patterns, and other goodies for all your stylish hand-knit and crochet needs.  Plus, we'll have spinning supplies and (eventually) weaving supplies.  As far as I know, we'll be the only local source for weaving supplies.

We've been very busy the past few days getting the space ready, ordering merchandise, etc.  Sheepish will open its doors starting Tuesday, September 2, for a Preview Week as we unpack all the deliveries, set up, and show everybody around (yes, you can shop during Preview Week, too!).  On Friday, Sept. 5, we'll be having an Open House from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, including wine, cheese, sweets, and music provided by DJ Lopi (aka AdVerb!).  All my local friends--I hope you'll stop by and celebrate with us, whether you're crafty or not.  Wish us luck for what is sure to be a very busy and exciting week!

Citius, Altius, Fortius

   

It seems like everyone I talk to has Olympic fever.  At work, customers come in yawning, saying how late they stayed up watching obscure sports they never cared about until last week.  The other night at dinner with some gal pals, conversation quickly turned to the Games, the personalities, the skimpy uniforms.  It's compelling, this Olympic thing.
    I'm gearing up for a competition myself.  It's the Georgia National Fair, which, in addition to such awesome fair attractions as funnel cakes and piglet racing (don't miss the biathlon--those piggies can swim!), boasts a gorgeous and inspiring arts exhibit.  Last year some of those instigators at the Peachtree Handspinners Guild encouraged me to enter a few of my creations and, if I may say so, I kicked ass.  Compliments were bestowed, ribbons were awarded.  It's fabulous to see such a prominent venue giving props to spinning and weaving as fine arts, instead of lumping them into the ghetto of "crafts" (which is a whole other rant for another post another day.)
    The deadline is fast approaching to turn in the projects I plan to enter in this year's fair and, as often happens, I am possibly in over my head.  Oh well.  My reach exceeds my grasp, and I'm weirdly proud of that.  But I'm making daily progress.  The red item up there is the cashmere/silk yarn I was spinning in my August 6 post, dyed with a mixture of Jacquard dyes in Vermilion and Fire Red.  It is gradually turning into Veronik Avery's Lace Ribbon Scarf.  And over here is the beginning of a pair of socks, the yarn handspun from Miss Babs space-dyed Blue-Face Leicester roving (colorway: Woodland Viola). 
    These items need to be done and delivered by Sept. 4, which is totally do-able, especially since I have some time off work next week.  I'm "on pace" to get them finished by then.  Yes, with all the Olympic-watching I've been doing, I've noticed lingo like this creeping into my fiber arts vocabulary.  I mean, no doubt these projects would go quicker if I had chosen something with a "lower degree of difficulty."  As one of the gal pals pointed out the other night, I've really set an "aggressive program" for myself.  But that's just because, as a defending champion, I feel like I have "a target on my back."  Let's just hope I can stick the dismount!

A tradition with a twist

    A few years ago, AdVerb and I were cruising the Tennessee Valley Fair, where I met a woman who was demonstrating a spinning wheel.  I sat there for quite a while, transfixed, staring at this amazing process that turns an unassuming pile of wool into knittable (or wearable, or crochet able, etc.) yarn.
    Long story short: AdVerb (always willing to support me in whatever my latest obsession might be) got me a spindle for Christmas that year, and I visited the Peachtree Handspinners Guild to learn how to operate it.  A few months later, I bought my own wheel.  And I’ve been happily spinning up a storm ever since.
    No one could be more surprised about all this than I am.  Before that fateful day at the fair, my awareness of spinning wheels was basically non-existent.  Occasionally I'd see one in an antique store window.  I was vaguely aware that there were people who do historic re-enactments, and that some of them might spin.  But that is not my style at all, and I never could have guessed that I would end up a member of a contemporary spinning group, and that it would be such an incredibly cool bunch of people.  At first glance, I probably wouldn’t even have recognized my very modern wheel, the Majacraft Little Gem, as a spinning wheel, because it looks so different from any wheel I'd ever seen.
    There’s something kind of decadent about spinning.  Feeling the fiber, listening to the wheel’s gentle whirrrrrr, watching the colors of a dyed roving change as they spin…it’s a feast for the senses.  And it appeals to my practical side as well, because I’m making something useful.  This gorgeous cashmere and silk yarn I’m currently spinning, for example.  It’ll soon be transformed into this little number.  This is about as far from my previous perceptions of spinning --which had nothing to do with luxury or style--as possible. 
    You just never know where a random encounter at the fair will lead you!