lost posts somewhere

There is snow falling gently outside, a good thing, considering the 3 days of 80 mile an hour gusts drove all the snow off the ice baring it to our detriment and dismay.  Its slippery and cold out, but the snow is promising a warmer time ahead! perhaps some more cross country skiing this weekend.

Some things I have worked on lately are the Nordstrom Hobo Bag, which EVERYONE loves!

Tunisian Crocheted Washcloth

Tunisian Wristlets

I also made some washcloths for the gals at work for Christmas.  A IV Team nurse keeps asking me if I have ever done craft fairs or bazaars, and is really pushing me to do so.  Its been on my to do list, I have a problem mass producing my designs unfortunately.  But it is one of my new years resolutions.  I have some ideas in my head about these Tunisian stitches I am learning and some cute things I can make with them.

I am quite bad at this blog thing... one would think that no one reads this much because its a might bit boring at the moment... that and I really have NO IDEA how to market myself!

I am in the midst of workers compensation claim drama, perhaps its my own drama really.  But isn't workman's comp designed in such a way as to make a person give up on their claim before they actually ever get taken care of?  I had one in 2002 and I gave up and left the whole situation frustrated really.  I am crossing my fingers hoping that this time the company I work for is much more supportive.  I have worked in Rehab for two years and not hurt my back bad enough to quit work for one night.  I called in to work the next day and went to a chiropractor.  First time ever.  We shall see how things go.  Sometimes I am curious as to what the point of all the visits are if you only see them for a minuscule amount of time.  The techs do more with me than what he does.  Interesting.

Destashing madness

I am up late, doing my Night Nurse Insomnia craftiness and internet browsing.  I randomly ran out to the garage to my very sweet but neglected of late, crafting area, to retrieve randomly mixed yarn media.  Novelty yarns galore with some Lion Brand Landscapes (previously washed from a dog induced mess in the garage last year, so it is slightly fulled to itself... oops  My dogs literally climbed a shelf, tore down a tote and started spreading my yarn everywhere... by mess I didn't mean stinky mess...just rubbed into garage floor with the dogs... so I threw away or washed and dried what I thought could be salvaged) and I grabbed a large crochet hook and viola... destashing baskets... Basket one in progress, I feel many more to come...

Finally a Camera! Yay for holidays!

DH bought me a Canon PowerShot camera... not my fave in size or looks but it has some nice features and 10x OPTICAL zoom, 12 megapixels... So I can finally add pictures to my posts.  I am currently knitting my second sock, technically.  The first I recently frogged.  I quit knitting it mid foot last year because when I went to get out of the car at the high school for my daughters track meet, I lost my needle and didn't have any more that size at home. Luckily I found the needle last month in the pocket of the door of my car. Needless to say, since I frogged my sweater a few weeks ago, I feel liberated enough to rip out other WIPs that could sacrifice their petty non-knitted existence for the use of the yarn... haha.

So, I picked up my book Sensational Knitted Socks (previously thought of by me as being confusing as heck ...) picked out Garter Rib Socks (eyed up on Ravelry) and am mid way through the instep of my sock with Regia variegated sock yarn.  I have big calves and big feet. I  followed the instructions but it seems the heel and instep are too wide.  I would probably decrease the stitches in the next set.  I do love the colors of this sock though!  I can't wait to finish so I can actually complete the second one and contemplate knitting up some hats and such.  I might take a break between socks but I would fear my tension would be off if I don't knit one after the other.

But my  head is swimming with ideas for spats, for lacy wristlets, and hats! I stopped at sports authority today and swooned over the knitted hats... trying to remember ideas for patterns.  Hence my sordid desire to throw down my sock once its done to do the hat...


Random image to prove this is my blog may appear here<--

Alas I long for a camera again

I broke our camera this summer on this beautiful trip to Cooper Lake in Cooper Landing Alaska. When we were at the waterfall across the lake my hubby tossed  handed me the camera after coming down from the top of the waterfalls.  It landed on a rock, it works but the screen is broken and there is no viewfinder so...

I am focused on stash-busting.  I drool at my WEBS catalog and the only thing I think I will allow myself to buy is a ball winder.  My thoughts are that if I can wind all my totes full of yarn into nice balls in symmetrical sizes it might help my storage and my knitting in the long run... but I am staying away from buying more yarn.  Thrift shopping doesn't count however! I just nabbed four skeins of Classic Elite Bubbles the other day. 

So I frogged the nearly completed back of my cardigan sweater I was working on.  I discovered that it was far too large, believe it or not!  So I used the yarn (Northampton from Valley Yarns: Dark Grey) to make In a Twist Wristwarmers (Claire Compton in A Knitters Bible).  The only thing is? The yarn is SOSOSOSOSO elastic, it stretches to gargantuan proportions.  I don't know whether I knit it too loosely or just that this yarn is that way.  I bought a front load washer last year, which kinda ruins machine fulling for me... So I attempted hand fulling to no avail. Boiling hot water, tons of swishing and scrubbing and swishing... it still stretches to beat heck.  Tempted to wash and throw in the dryer...

Otherwise on the stash-busting and Christmas Season front, I am making Korknisse!  I come from a Strong Danish Heritage and so these really appealed to me, but not only that they are so cute!  I am using yarns that I got at the thrift store and never used!  I wish I had a camera... When I do get one (DH should take the hint and get me one for Christmas if the DD#1 and DD#2 do a good job helping him shop...haha) I will take pictures and edit these posts.

I am finding myself wanting to make several things for this stashbusting.  Bags crocheted with odds and ends of yarns.  Leg warmers in multicolors.  Wristwarmers in multicolors.  Crocheted hats, knitted hats, dishcloths, dishtowels, facecloths, etc etc...

Also on the warm and fuzzy home front, we decided to can the after thanksgiving turkey soup I made.  We canned four quarts.  I don't know why I didn't do this sooner in my life?  Saves wasting soup after people get tired of having it for days! A gallon put away for a rainy day!  I still have to redo my failed jelly, though I think I will sample a small jar and perhaps it will serve well as syrup!

Well time is winding down and its my day to start the work week.  I work nights at a hospital in Anchorage, so I usually nap at this time but since I slept in I think I will retire to the couch and my korknisse knitting...

I never seem to remember that this exists

All summer I decided that crafting would take a backseat to all the more important summery things to do in Alaska!  I hiked, biked, canoed, camped, took road trips, visited with family, enjoyed the fair, planted and harvested my first garden, soaked up the many days of sun, played at the Alaska Raceway Park and just forgot that I knew how to do anything with my hands other than fish, eat, and hold a paddle or an alcoholic beverage on occasion!

Now winter has set in, and boy has it ever.  The snow hit and stayed, a first in the many years I have lived here.  The bitter cold has already gotten us down to -20 and its not even December yet! I really wonder what our new year will bring if this is how our winter has begun.

As for crafting, I have several things going on right now.  I feel defunct I guess.  I have a caliormetry in Noro going, a sweater in Valley Yarns grey merino wool (when I realized it would be huge on me, I set it aside), a nylon corded purse in black but it is a bit misshapen and hence must be frogged, some socks that I think I will have to pick up again, and some cotton dishcloths.  I have plans to do some sewing, but right now my house projects are taking up a bit of my downtime. 

Instead of spring cleaning I am winter cleaning.  I did my living room, and have cleaned out and rearranged every cupboard in my kitchen.  The pantry and storage under the stairs I will save for later.  My room and bathroom and walk in closet are the biggest project.  I bought red paint, its delicious! for the living room, I plan on a plum/eggplant type paint for the kitchen... I want to paint leaves, trees and birds against the crimson in a pecan/light taupe/tan color in the living room, I am redoing an old mirror we found at the thrift store, that turns out to be oak for above the mantle of the fireplace.  I want to paint ravens and ribbons and stars in my kitchen, and I have plans for a Native blue/purple tone bathroom with symbols and bear tracks on the walls.

My room, I want to paint red as well.  My bathroom upstairs I am not sure of the color scheme I want to go with, but plans exist to redo that and the girls bathroom as well as their rooms.

I have Christmas looming on the horizon, but never seem to be able to sit long enough to knit anything.  Time used to be that I would be knitting all the time, in the car, in line anywhere, sitting at an office, at a friends house...waiting at the restaurant... my husband thought I was crazy... made me leave it in the car once, and when we got in the bar/lounge, a woman was knitting AT THE BAR! I eagerly pointed that out to him... haha.

Well, I really want to keep this blog up, I dropped my Olympus camera on the edge of Cooper Lake this summer when we were canoeing/exploring... it was supposed to be shock proof but the rock proved the claims wrong! So I don't quite have the ability to take pictures until I buy a new camera at some point.

back of baby bib

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

new bib

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

My sister is pregnant, and I am practicing making some things for her. The back is shown above

baby booties

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

Here is a different set of booties

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

these are more newborn sized and oh so cute!

A new pattern I tried

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

Here are some thrown together in scraps, I don't quite care for them, but they are still a bit cute.

Pattern

Rebellious Wristlets Part Deux 001
Originally uploaded by faemystique

Make 2

Hook: J10, Yarn: Lion Brand Jiffy

gauge: 4 stitches and 2 rows per 1 inch for hdc stitches

Chain 23.

R1: Skip first chain, sc in next chain, sc to end, ch 4 turn (counts as first dc)
R2: (dc in 2nd ch from hook, ch1) 10 times, ch 1, dc in last stitch, ch 1 turn (12 dc)
R3: sc in 1st dc, (sc in ch 1 sp, sc in dc) to end, ch 2 turn (22 sc) ending wth sc in last dc
R4: hdc in each sc to end (22 hdc) ch 4 turn
R5: (dc in 2nd ch from hook, sc) 10 times, ch 1, dc in last ch, ch1 turn
R6: sc in 1st dc (sc in ch1 sp, sc in dc) to end (22 sc) ch 2 turn (ending with sc in last dc)
R7-8: hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in each sc to end (22 hdc) ch 2 turn
R9: hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next 3 ch, chain 4, hdc in 5th ch from hook, hdc in each ch to end ch 2 turn (19 hdc)
R10: hdc in 2nd ch, hdc 11 times, (hdc in ch 4 sp) 4 times, hdc to end, ch 2 turn
R11-16: hdc in each ch to end, ch 2 turn, leave 10" tail to sew sides together.

Place wristlets in front of you, be sure to position thumb holes correctly before seaming together. Essentially you will flip one of the wristlets. this is an important step. I had to redo one of each my daughters, due to watching tv at the same time...haha.

Next use ribbons, or chain a length of contrasting Jiffy yarn (as seen in pic), I used a 21" length of chain for the lacing.

To finish off, sc in contrasting color evenly spaced around the top of the wristlet. For bottom, do the same, or as I did, evenly spaced around the bottom do this pattern: sc, picot, sc, picot.

Viola!

Please do not sell these, use this pattern to give away as gifts and if you show them please place a link to the pattern on my blog! Thank you,
Carey 2008

Rebellious Wristlets Part Deux

Rebellious Wristlets Part Deux 002
Originally uploaded by faemystique

I revamped the wristlets I made for Xena, and these are for DD Breanna. For these, I have written a pattern!!

Owl swap goodies

owl box 010
Originally uploaded by faemystique

Here is what I created for a recent Craftster Owl Swap, she should receive in the next day or so so I thought I could finally post these!

back of lotus cozy

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

Angel Ipod Cozy

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

Swap angel ipod cozy

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

Felted Slippers for stepdad

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Originally uploaded by faemystique

I made these for my mom's longtime boyfriend, who is Ojibwe. I wanted the flowers to look more traditional but they look more like ginko leaves...lol. Chippewa beading have traditional flower motifs... now I thought they would be too femme, but mom says they should be fine, and if not she'll gladly take them...haha.

Crappy Acrylic on Canvas

picture 001
Originally uploaded by faemystique

Here is an attempt at painting after years of not doing it anymore. The paint sucked because it was walmart craft acrylic, which is very hard to make it do what you want on a canvas and the colors are so muted, and when you mix them, they are no longer vibrant, as you see with the flowers. I plan to revamp this when I can afford to go out and purchase the real acrylics I need! For now it hangs in my stairwell.

Lyra's Hat

lyras hat 009
Originally uploaded by faemystique

I whipped up this hat in one evening. It was so quick on big 1/2" needles and four strands of bulky yarn held together. It's cool that it fits both my head as well as the girls, which is awesome.

Holidays are over, crafy updates have been minimal

Sorry for being out of the loop. We spent a couple of weeks in Homer over the holidays. I am 75% finished with a pair of felted slippers for my stepdad, I finished several other items like hats and scarves and goodies that I never took any pictures of... not used to visually chronicling everything though.

I am in an owl swap on Craftster, and I completed one of the items, which though I thought was a medium, timewise ends up being a large item...and it is so very cute!! I can't wait to finish work on the other two smalls and the other one, but possibly two larges tomorrow.

Then I can send out sooner and not worry about the deadline.

I am still looking for a job. No luck so far, and I am starting to feel very out of the loop. UGH. Need to find one that works with our schedules. No stress anymore, I don't care if its just a clinic job, if it works for us and the kids to spend time together, thats whats important to me.