70's Embroidery Jeans and a New Floss Collection

Embroidery was a BIG thing in the 70's when I was in high school.  Where you one of the girls (or guys) that embroidery all over their jeans from top to bottom and especially on the pockets...I totally was.  My jeans had Peace signs, "Love", a cat face, birds...Oh, how I wish I still had those jeans.  It started with a hole in the knee and then I pretty much covered them in embroidery.  I'm wondering if my mama has a picture of me wearing those jeans (reminder:  call mama and ask about those jeans...)

Today on Craft Gossip there is a post for a giveaway for a brand new floss.  Click on the Craft Gossip link to enter a chance to win some of this floss for yourself!  

This is not your mama's floss - click this link Sublime Floss to see the collection for yourself. 

Jenny Hart is offering delicious colors: Frosting, Fruit Salad, Taffy Pull and others Prism, Portrait, Flowerbox, Breakdance, Parlour, Mingles and Metallic. The collection of beautiful floss is not expensive - it's very reasonably priced for $6 dollars for a collection of six skeins and available at Sublime Stitching website.  I hope you win the giveaway!  I have entered to win myself but I will be buying my own collections very soon. 

I Love Yarn Day

What will you do Friday to honor I Love Yarn Day?  I have been crocheting with a vengeance preparing for an upcoming craft show.  "Honor?"  Yep, anything you love so  much that you spend hours and hours thinking about and the last thing you have on your mind before falling asleep is worth honoring!  I hope you have a great "I Love Yarn Day!" 

Happy Fuzzy Yarn Interview

 It's not secret that I am a big fan of Riin Gill and her yarn art.  I have blogged about being a loyal member of her fiber club.  Monthly, in the mail, I receive happy fuzzy fiber.  It reminds me to slow down and do what I really love to do - spin yarn.   Riin is the featured artist on the Spinartiste blog.  What a treat to read her story.  Click this link:   http://www.spinartiste.com/featured-artist-riin-gill-of-happy-fuzzy-yarn  Riin could write a book about her fiber experiences... wink-wink Riin.  

Crochet Challenge

Crochet 50 pair of fingerless gloves for the fall craft shows; that's my challenge.  I crocheted a pair and then sold it.  So, started again and now I have 3 pair done - 47 pair to crochet.  I created the pattern myself and I have to say it goes pretty fast.  Some yarns do much better showing the stitches than others.  Since it's a one-size-for-all pattern, I hope to be successful in selling them at the craft shows.  Here are a few pics I want to share with you. 

 

Dyeing Yarn - My First Experience

During a recent trip to a fiber festival, while there, I bought a couple packages of fiber Cushing's Perfection Dyes from W. Cushing & Company in Kennebunkport, Maine, USA.  I bought the colors strawberry and chartreuse.  I chose strawberry to try for my first experience dying fiber.

  I chose a grey sheep fiber and a white merino fiber.  Both fibers are very soft.  I was curious to see how each fiber would take the strawberry dye. 

 With the pots full of water, I sprinkled in the dye being careful not to breath in the dust from the dye.  Next I added the 1/2 cup vinegar for each pound of fiber, then put the presoaked fiber into the dyebath.  The instructions said to keep the fiber in the dye bath until all of the color is absorbed into the fiber.  

 

 This is the results of each fiber in the strawberry dye.  The grey fiber (above left) has grey bits going through it, turned out to be kind of a raspberry color.  The white merino (above right) took the dye in a bright strawberry color.

                                                                                                      

 

Waiting for the fiber to dry was the longest it seemed, but I had a very good day with the weather a slight breeze was blowing.  The lavender smelled so good drying next to the fiber. 

I spun the bright strawberry fiber on my Kromski Sonata spinning wheel.  I think it turned out pretty good for my first experience dying yarn and it was really fun too! So don't be intimidated by the fiber dyeing process; you can do it too!  If you love it, that's all that matters. 

 

Sandal...Flip Flop Socks

A pair of sandal socks!

Sandal sock with my sandal!

Why didn't I think of these?  When you see a great idea like these, don't you wish you'd been smart and inventive enough?  Sandal socks weren't just invented though; the Japanese having been wearing them for many, many years.  I first spotted a pair on Pinterest.com 

I crocheted my pair using my own pattern and stitches and using my own feet for the fit.  They are comfortable and stylish! There are many free patterns for "flip flop" and "sandal socks" on the web.  Measure your mid-foot around.  Begin with a front post for the band and single and double crochet until you have your own pair of sandal socks! 

Knitting Needle Sampler for my Birthday

For my birthday, my daughter Candace, gave me a birthday card with an order confirmation from Knit Picks.  She ordered the sampler of the interchangeable knitting needle tips from Knit Picks.  I received one set nickel-plated, one set Harmony Wood and one set Zephyr Acrylic.  And two 24-inch interchangeable knitting needle cables with caps.  What a great gift! 

 

My First Pencil Roving

On the way home from our trip to the Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival in May, I was lucky enough to be able to stop and visit Blue Mountain Spindle & Needleworks shop in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.  While there, I purchased 100% Fine Merino in fabulous colors: spice, green and lilac. 

 On my homemade hackle (see post "Hackle DYI Discovery" on this blog or click link to see instructions for making your own hackle  http://yarnzombie.net/Travis/?page_id=87)
 

I placed each color across and then another across until the hackle was almost full.  Then with the fender washer a.k.a. "a diz",

I pulled the fine merino colors together to make a pencil roving, my first pencil roving.  It was not easy but eventually got the hang of what I was doing and made three very nice balls of roving.  

As the evening grew on though, I made a huge mess.  I got tangled up somehow and the merino would not slide out of the hackle as it previously was.  I'm ready to try again.  I hope to make enough pencil roving to spin a single ply with it to knit or crochet something pretty and unique. 

Berroco - Enter to Win

 http://www.berroco.com

 

Berroco yarns are wonderfully soft and of very good quality for your knit and crochet projects.  Click the Berroco link for your chance to win a Free Sweater Kit.  You'll take a survey with only 7 questions and then enter your contact information. It's that easy! 

I hope you win! If you do, please comment on this post to let everyone know.  

And don't miss the Friday Free Pattern for the sweater shown in the picture for the contest! 

Sheep Dogs and Sheep

In Lexington, Kentucky at Masterson Station Park just over the hill from the Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival the Bluegrass Classic Stockdog Trials were happening.  After a brief shuttle trip and we were in puppy dog land and even more vendors.  This was a real treat because neither of us had seen anything like it.  

Sheep Dog Working

Sheep Dogs Resting

Third Annual Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival

What a blast for only $3 admission (and a 5 hour drive to get to Lexington.)  I really wanted to attend the Ky Sheep & Fiber Fest in 2011, but my family was very uncooperative.   A few days from now I'm going to be 50-years young.  I was pretty persistent about making the trip to Lexington, Kentucky this year.  So, my mom and planned the trip together. We had a very nice mini-vaca with no fussing or disorder!  Lucky us!  Back to the festival...located in Lexington the venue for the fest was the Masterson Station Park Fairgrounds and was so easy to find - mom was driving - she found it!  The previous day - Friday - the workshops were scheduled and unfortunately I was able to attend any workshops but maybe another time.  We did visit the classrooms.  The ladies and men were creating some beautiful handmade baskets and brightly colored dyed yarns.   

Lunch was a priority when we arrived to the festival.  Our breakfast was a stiff cup of Wolfgang Puck coffee provided by the hotel.  We spent the early morning visited a subdivision hosting yard sales.  We needed fuel to continue on our journey.  Greek salad with fresh goat cheese and marinated chicken for me and mom chose a Greek Philly steak on a hoagie with fresh veggies. Thank goodness for the shaded picnic table.  The heat was hot with a slight breeze.  

This building hosted the workshops and skein contest and the necessary rooms.  Behind the building under the canopy were vendors, and the Llama and alpaca brought to the festival by the Kentucky Llama and Alpaca Association. They were very cute and welcome being petted and fed out of the hands of small admirers.  

 Look at the colors - all so beautiful together.  I collected quite a few business cards from the vendors.  I recognized some of the business names on the cards from websites I have visited on the web and most have brick and mortar yarn stores.  So going to a fiber festival has the advantage for you to visit stores that have gathered in once venue and they did the traveling instead of you.  There were vendors from near and very far from all over the United States. 

This little mom bird was probably quite surprised to have a sheep & fiber show right where she laid her eggs.  There were chairs and ribbon warning folks not to enter the area where she was sitting.  Many,like me, stopped to photograph her with her family. She squawked at everyone all day in protest.  

This large tent held the roadside market and bistro Kentucky Proud local food vendors.  Mom enjoyed  strawberry and rhubarb sorbet after she ate the mint leaf and pansy.  It was served with the cutest little clear spoon too. 

This was a very large tent and buzzing with activity.  On the right, looking at the picture, was the Sullivan University (Cooking School) sheep cooking contest.  The chef students were wearing their Sullivan University embroider chef's coats.  I could hear the announcer asking for the presentation of the plates.  On the left of the picture there were spinning wheels lined up one next to the other with children sitting on quilts watching the spinners spin.   

Crochet Storage & Recycled Jars

When I was cleaning up the kitchen I washed out the jars, like always, but this time it was different.  I felt the need to recycled.  So for the love of all things yarn I thought why not crochet the jars - kind of a yarn bombing on the jars.  Even though cleaned thoroughly, the jars still smelled of salsa, spaghetti sauce and even more salsa.  I placed one dryer sheet in each jar with the lid placed and they smell much better and not all all like food.  And while I thought this was an original idea - it certainly is not.  I Googled "crochet jar" images and found many photos of jars covered in crochet.  
 

And what a gorgeous trio they turned out to be.   Just eyeball the diameter of the bottom of each jar, crochet in the round using the back stitch only until the height reaches the size of the jar.  I kept trying the cover on as I went to make a good fit.  Once the size you need, use a big-eyed needle and cinch up the top around the neck of the jar, give it a good pull and tie-off.  Work your yarn tail in.  To cover the jar lid, crochet a circle large enough to cover the top and the side of the lid.  Use two-sided tape on the top and around the side to secure the crochet cover to the lid.  

 

Bernat Mosaic "Optimistic" is the yarn used for this project.  It is 100% Acrylic, but doesn't it look like hand spun?  I think so too!

Colors of the Forest

Falkland Combed Wool Top

The blended colors of this combed top wool remind of the colors in a forest when you're walking through on a path with the sun shining through the trees and you can see the sky peeking through above colors of gold, green and blue.  This is yet another fiber from my Happy Fuzzy Yarn fiber club.  The fiber weight was 4 oz.  It spun up to a WPI of between 12 and 15 and 112.8 grams.  It's soft and you just have to pet it, but not too much so it doesn't felt.  As you can see from the picture, I'm still spinning kinks and I need to learn how to slow down and keep them out of my yarn. 

Sophie's Fine Yarn Shoppe

"Come browse and be inspired" is the invitation on Barbara Franc's business card for her yarn shop Sophie's Fine Yarn Shoppe.  Sophie's is located in Louisville, Kentucky and has been in business for eight years.  The shop was named after Barbara's mother she told us.  Sophie's has a nice selection of well-known yarns.  There is a wall of knitting and crochet notions and another wall with yarn project totes.  The swift and yarn winder were both very busy readying customer yarn purchases.  I purchased three skeins of Alpaca with a Twist in the color Kentucky blue (color #120) (not really the name of the color from the company, but it is the color known for Kentucky University).  This yarn company is located in Georgetown, Indiana.  If  you live in the Louisville area and Sophie's is your LYS, LUCKY EWE!

Crochet Camera Strap for Anna

My daughter who is 30-something has become crafty.  I've been crafty all of  my life; my mother says I got it from my paternal grandmother who always had many projects going at the same time.  She called me to say "I need to learn how to crochet."  And my response to her was "Why?  Do you have something you want to make?"  She tells me that "Anna" saw a crochet camera strap with a flower and wants one for herself.  I recommended to "Candace" (my daughter) to find a beginner crochet tutorial on You Tube and get started.  Meanwhile, I crocheted the camera strap for Anna so "Candace" could gift it to her.  I used Vanna White "Vanna's Choice" in Black for the camera strap in all single stitch in the round (25" x 2.5"), the yarn for the cabbage rose is Stitch.Rock.Love Sheep(ish) in bright pink by Caron and the green leaves (actually four-leaf clovers left over from St. Patty's Day) are dark green,Simply Soft also a Caron yarn. 

Her husband bought "Candace" her own tools. She has made a wooden child's table and one chair to match.  She's also just finished one of her two daughter's headboards for their beds - lined with upholstery foam, lining and fab-fabric and some talented stapling.  She is a late crafty bloomer but "wow" she is good!

Enchanted Yarn and Fiber Closing

Last year my mom and I took a road trip to Nashville, Tennessee.  On the way, I was lucky enough to stop in Clarksville, Kentucky to visit the Enchanted Yarn and Fiber Shop.  The shop was delightful, full of yarn and spinning wheels.  The Owner, RoLynn, was just as nice and welcoming as the atmosphere of the store.  Unfortunately, I just received an email that Enchanted is closing.  It is so very important to support your local shops.  If you enjoy shopping at a local shop you must not drive by and go to the big box stores.  The local shop will not survive.  Best wishes, RoLynn.  

Falkland "Rain Forest"

I ordered six more months of Fiber Club from Happy Fuzzy Yarn.  I was feeling a bit down and really wanted to treat myself.  And then when I got home from work there on my kitchen counter was a familiar package from the Riin of the Happy Fuzzy Yarn.  I had my third installment of my yarn club.  It's called "Rain Forest" and it's a Falkland fiber.  

I think the fiber colors are much richer in person.  Check back with my blog Fiberista, I'll have Rain Forest spun up in no time. 

Rug By The Fire Single

 

There were plenty of "chic" movies on TV and a very cold weekend for perfect for staying in a spinning the weekend away.  This is my single "Rug By the Fire" the fiber from Happy Fuzzy Yarn.  I've mentioned in previous posts how much I enjoy receiving 4 oz. of fiber each month in my mailbox.  This was the second installment of my three-month club that I was gifted as a Christmas gift from my step-dad.  Because I never have to deal with any bumps or vegetable matter in the fiber is it a joy to spin. The colors truly do remind of me of the blue, green, and gray flames to a fire.

Formally Three Wooden Spindles.blogspot.com

"Fiberista" used to be "Three Wooden Spindles."  I changed the name of the blog to "Fiberista" a couple of days ago.  I hope you visit "Fiberista" often.   

A Pair of Fingerless Gloves

 

Crochet front post stitch for the wrist bands, V-stitch for about 3 to four inches and then slip stitch 2 rows around the tops to keep the material from stretching when being worn.  Chain stitch about 10 inches and knot both ends, then weave the chain just above the wrist bands through the V-stitches for securing the fingerless gloves when worn.  I used Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) in the color Cocoa.  My friend that I crocheted these for has horses and will be able to machine wash her fingerless gloves in cold water when needed. 

Happy Fuzzy Yarn Fiber Club

For the month of January fiber club, I received Shetland Combed Top Wool "Rug By the Fire." Come back soon to find out how it spins up.  

 

Stitch.Rock.Love. in Pink(ish)

My co-workers ask me to crochet or knit things for them and I really enjoy the challenge.  I was asked to crochet a "very pink hat with a big flower" who is 20(ish).  I was feeling the pressure to get this right.  Vickie Howell Stitch.Rock.Love. Sheep(ish) yarn is single-ply,70% acrylic and 30% wool making it machine washable in cold water and dry flat.  This yarn comes in remarkable colors and cost $4.00 for a 3 oz skein.  Pink(ish) is the perfect "very pink."  When it was time to crochet the "big flower" I added some eyelash fiber to give the hat something special.  My co-worker loves the hat and has been seen wearing it.  Give Sheep(ish) yarn a try available at Jo-Ann Crafts.