Just Pictures

Crocheted Shawl using laceweight alpaca yarn bought from West Valley alpacas. I used about 500 yards and added beads to the edge. The pattern is from Fiber Trends "Crocheted Cobweb Capelets and Shawls" which I tweaked. I got bored crocheting plain single crochet throughout. So I added several rows of lace and changed some of the stitches to double crochet.





Knitted Moebius scarf from Cat Bordhi's First Treasury of Magical Knitting. Interesting construction! I ran out of the cream yarn so, I added a Moorit colored wool/cashmere blend yarn. I guess it worked out okay.





Danielle's Crocheted purse pattern. I used 2 skeins of Plymouth Fantasy Naturale in a blue/lime green variegated colorway and a small yardage of blue cotton yarn for the trim. This yarn (Fantasy Naturale) has a sheen to it, strong, and cabled. I would say, just perfect for anything crocheted.





And finally, socks. The pattern is my own Snake and Ladders. The yarn is Regia's Nation colorway. The Nation colorway depicts flags of several countries and forms wide stripes. I don't think it sold very well. My little Emily picked this colorway because it reminded her of peppermint sticks.



The sock and bag went on display at Knitique. They provided the yarns for the samples.

I have been lazy and have not blogged for a while.

I have been knitting like crazy, samples of my patterns for Artyarns.

Joel and I took the kids to Six Flags/Marine World and had a ton of fun. Even my hard to please teenager said she couldn't believe she had fun with her family, he, he.

The CA State Fair is on but we haven't gone there yet.

West Nile Virus is at epidemic proportions here and still, they haven't finished spraying because of the windy weather. One good thing is that it has been a lot cooler lately.

I went crazy and dyed some more spinning fiber. It's a lot of work but you're rewarded in the end when you hang up the colorful fibers to dry. My backyard is rainbow colored.

I need to finish knitting these samples.

I have to visit Knitique and finalize the crochet class I'm teaching this fall.

arghhh... I have oral surgery on Tuesday. Now, why in the world did I think of this one. I am really really trying to forget it.

hopefully, some pictures for next time.

Ahh...Peter Jennings (no knitting news today)

I will miss him. I missed him the past few months he hadn't been on the air. He's one classy dude. I watched him all the time. He was the only one I watched because I trusted what he reported. He exuded honesty and trust and humor. He was real and he put people he interviewed at ease.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Jennings. And may God comfort his family during this time. He will be sorely missed.

Colors

Some samples of my handyed fiber. Babetta
sells them in her store.



and some more:



Those silky things running through the fiber is viscose or Rayon, a plant fiber. The blend is Merino/Rayon. A few on the right are Corriedale Cross rovings.

It's about time...

...we had our own yarn store in Elk Grove.

Knitique is located in the Williamson shopping center on Elk Grove Blvd in Elk Grove, CA.



Just check out the yarns inside:



The store is wonderfully hip, with lime green and fuschia walls, and huge soft and pink couch and chairs just inside the store, beside the huge windows. It just invites you to come in, bring your knitting and sit and chat. They also have a little play area for kids, in the back. But my kids are drawn to the pink sofa.





I say hip but it not only draws the younger crowd but the mature knitter as well. The owner, Danielle, and the other people who work there (I've met Teresa and Nancy) will make you want to stay. Talk about friendliness and helpfulness. Thanks, Danielle, for letting me take pictures.

More next time... a visit to other LYS in the Sacramento area.

Check out the new Crochet pattern, Lattice Lace Scarf.





I used a G hook, 2 skeins of what else but Misti worsted weight alpaca yarn. The pattern calls for only 220 yards of soft worsted weight yarn.

Knitique in Elk Grove, CA was the first store to carry this pattern. West Valley Alpacas will also be selling it at the TKGA Convention in Oakland.

Knitique's owner, Danielle , has mentioned that a lot of her customers crochet but there's not a lot of crochet patterns out there. I might have found my niche. I will also be teaching a crochet class come this Fall. The store is way too close to my house that it's scaring my husband, he, he.

If you're interested in purchasing this pattern, just click over to my website. It's found here .


...more later...

More on Aran Obssession

As part of my Master Knitting Level 1 education, I have this urge to knit an Aran sweater. I've been reading up on it, the history of Aran knitting, etc, etc and have been fascinated with Aran sweaters and designs.

I have started, a month ago, the Cafe Cardigan, from the July/Aug 2005 issue of Cast On magazine. A mix of lace and cables. I finished it this month. Here's a picture of the finished back. I will soon post a picture of the completed cardigan, washed and blocked. The pattern is riddled with errors. Do check the TKGA website for all the corrections, if you do decide to knit it. It's a very easy pattern and I do plan on knitting it again. Yarn used: Shine from Knitpicks. 8 skeins.




Another one I started (and have not finished yet) is the Honey Bearan sweater, a freebie at the Knitting Beyond the Hebrides website. It's an Aran sweater for a Teddy bear or an 18" doll. A very enjoyable experience!




Last but not least, also started, is a cabled cardigan from an older issue of Knitters magazine.




Yes, I have, once again, started several projects at the same time, he, he.

I love it!

The Wonders of Blocking

Here's a picture of a lace scarf I just finished.

Before:




See how it curls into itself. I used a superfine merino yarn that I kettle dyed a while back. I have discovered that nobody likes yellow . I added a few spattering of cherry red which turned into a light orange color. The yarn is very soft.

After:



Blocked and dried. The lace opened up, the yarn overs beautifully defined. The way I block might be different from others but it works for me.

I wash the item by hand in warm water with a little dollop of shampoo, which really works well with wool and wool blend yarns. I squeeze the item gently making sure it is thoroughly soaked with the water/shampoo solution. Never rub or roughly agitate because it will FELT (unless the yarn is superwash).

Rinse the item in warm water (same temp as the shampoo solution) until all the soap is gone, gently squeeze, and place in the washer in the final spin cycle (the one with no cold water spray-just spin) for 10 - 20 seconds. This leaves the item damp, not dripping wet.

Take out and block with pins, lots of them. I usually spread a huge bedsheet, doubled, on the clean carpet and block it there.

More coming on my adventures in the Master Knitting program.

Obssessed with ARAN

Yup, that's me. I get this new idea in my head ...and I'm like a dog with a bone. I joined TKGA, The Knitting Guild of America (or is there an association in there somewhere?) with the plan of becoming a Master Knitter. I immediately sent for my Master Level 1 binder. I kept reading the requirements for number 2. Well, okay, I can do that. On to #3. Holy cow! I have to design an Aran sweater and a Fair Isle hat (or vice versa)? One has to be Aran, and the other, Fair Isle.

Ooooh, how does one do that? Several emails later to some members of the Knitlist in Yahoogroups, my fears were confirmed. But the other Master Knitters said it can be done... not really that hard. It's like saying having a root canal is not really that painful. arghhh...

Okay, I'll quit whining, he, he. At least, I have to pass level 1 first.

For those interested, here are some websites where you can learn something about Aran Knitting:

Flory Knits. Flory is a Master Knitter and was a judge/reviewer for future Masters. She's got some tutorials and free patterns there, too.


Knitting Beyond the Hebrides. One of the free patterns include a small one for a teddy bear or 18" doll.


Son of ARAN Project, Esther Bozak's website. Lots of wonderful info and free patterns.


Big Sky Knitting, Janet SZabo's website, the publisher of Twists and Turns Newsletter. Patterns for sale.

O-ke do-ke. I'm off to surf some more.

THE Knitting Guild

I just realized now, after reading Lynette's comment, that she has a valid point. Being a newcomer myself, I've only been attending the meetings for 5 months. And... 4 out of the 5 meetings were contentious (to borrow lynette's word). Picture a group of about 30 ladies and one gentleman, with sharp sticks, who can't agree to disagree. Pretty scary picture.

Most of the problems stem from scheduling conflict. Work hours, families, extra curricular activities and the desire to sit and knit together. How does one prioritize?

Poor, dear Lynette. Don't worry. It gets better. Let's sit together in our quiet little corner and learn from these people, he, he. Or we can join the fray. These ladies do real beautiful work, though. And the hundreds of years of combined knitting experience. Wow!

I love your Diane top though. I will knit that one of these days. No bellies or cleavage to show , however.

I didn't have much time to read blogs today. I visited Lynette's blog. I again enjoyed her adventures, knitting or otherwise. Unlike her, I enjoyed last week's Knitting guild meeting. It was actually peaceful. Some of the ladies told their knitting adventures, most were very funny. People were able to do Show and Tell without being rushed. And, a couple of ladies who were screaming at each other during the May meeting, were not present. Blissful peace.

Another blog I visited was Vera's Crafty blog. She reviewed Melissa Leapman's new crochet book Cool Crochet. I don't have the book yet but I do have her Hot Knits book. What's funny is, it seems that both books show a lot of cleavage --lol! What's the deal with that? Is that needed to sell the books? Maybe to emphasize the "HOT" part. Why not call it SEXY knits instead or is that already taken?

Just call me conservative...

Socks, Beads

Hi, I am Vicki and I'm a lazy blogger....

I must admit, it has been a while since I last blogged. I have been busy knitting and designing. Plus, the year is almost over. Finals for DD and all.

Two of the socks I finished recently.





One is this pair of socks from the book 'Cool Socks, Warm Feet' by Lucy Neatby. This is called the Mermaid socks. Very fun to knit. I used Millenweit sock yarn by Lana Grossa, wool/cotton/nylon blend. I've lost the ball band and can't find the exact color code. (Note: my little Emily wanted her feet included in the picture, he, he).




This second one is Jackie E-S's Anklet Coronet pattern, with beads, using Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Purple Club colorway. Another fun pattern to knit.

I have finished lots of projects but just haven't taken any pictures. I can do more hand dyeing. I just got my delivery of Knitpicks yarns, including Shine (cotton/modal blend). Such a beautiful yarn!

More yarn stores...yeah

Sacramento used to be a 2 yarn store city but not anymore. A fellow blogger and knitter, Violet, is opening a new yarnstore in Citrus Heights (Sacramento area) called Frogpond Knits. I am so looking forward to it. I might be teaching a class or two in crochet, depending on schedules and the like. We'll see.

The other 3 yarn stores are:

1. Rumpelstiltskin, on 10th and R Streets in Sacramento (downtown area). My favorite store, love the people, love the yarns. Owner Linda gave me my first chance at showcasing my designs. She was the first store to carry them.

2. A Time When...., on San Juan and Greenback. I have not been there for a long time. I wonder what has happened to them? The store has moved several times. I love the yarns too but some are a little overpriced compared to other stores.

3. Babetta's Yarns and Gifts, on Winding Way. Her's is a newly opened store, extremely nice and helpful owner. She carries some yarns that the other stores don't. She's also a homeschooler. Also carries spinning supplies and offers classes.

So inspired

I enjoy reading lots of knitting blogs but there's a few that I read regularly. One of them is Vera's. I find lots of inspirations in her blog, with the projects she has, both knitting and crocheting related.

One time, I saw her doilies. Wow! I've sworn off doilies. I started with doilies. My very first crocheted piece was a doily and I got a special award for it. (That was during my high school years, centuries ago, he, he). Anyway, I thought I have already retired my metal hooks and my size 10 threads. But like I said, Vera inspires me.




Here's my Crinoline Lady. She's a pattern by Cylinda Matthews from Crochet Memories. There's very few thread crochet designers that I trust and Cylinda's one of them. I trust that her patterns are easy to follow with little or no errors. And I get them emailed asap upon payment. Instant gratification!

My little lady is still missing some ribbons and flowers , to be added later, but I love the way she looks. I'm on a hunt for more Crinoline lady patterns.

Here's a second one: Flowers!





I found the center motif in one of my old hardback books, made some changes on the edges, and will crochet me a summer shawl. We'll see how this one turns out. I'm using size 10 cotton crochet threads.

Nostalgia:
I still remember the rectangular tablecloth and full-sized bedspread I crocheted in high school. Back in the Philippines, we never heard of wool or acrylics. Being a hot and humid tropical country, we used cotton crochet thread we called bedspread cotton. It took me one whole year to finish these 2 pieces, with my mom's help. I don't know what happened to these 2 works of art since that time we immigrated to the US in the 80's. I wish I had been more careful and brought them with me.

Nandia, beads and knitting

I didn't expect to hear again from Nandia but Soyola (Nandia's owner) emailed me. She offered to refund the postage for my last purchase or give me a discount for the next one. I told her that all I want is the original of the Heartstring's pattern and a positive feedback on Ebay since I paid promptly. She said that she'll mail me the original and will leave positive feedback. It seems that she's trying to fix things, make them right, etc, etc. I also asked her to be fair to other buyers who paid promptly and waited 5-8 weeks for their packages by retracting her negative feedbacks on them. We'll see. No harm in asking.

On to more enjoyable stuff....


Beaded Ascot, pattern from Handjiveknits.com. Truly fun and easy to knit. The yarn is my own handdyed Gems Merino Pearl yarn, one skein.



Pattern from Swallowhill Creations in Canada. Very easy lace pattern with beads. I only added the beads to the bottom of the scarf and not around the neck portion.(..arghh, I can't see the beads. Will get better close-ups). Another handdyed Gems Merino Pearl yarn.


More blogging notes:

I'm glad I found some fellow Sacramento area knitters and bloggers. There's Violet's blog with her recently finished Shoalwater shawl. Very lovely! Love the view too. Where in Roseville do you find such perfect setting?!

And there's Lynette's blog and her adventures in the snow. Beautiful work, ladies!

Beads and Knitting

A new fiber friend from NYC, Michelle, has sent me these goodies:



Beaded stitchmarkers! I love them and can't get enough of them. Pretty soon, I will teach myself how to make them. She also has a fabulous invention called fiber clips. The one she sent me says "I Love Fiber". She also carded some Romney with silk and Romney with Cashmere and sent me some samples. You can see that I already spun some of them. Thank you so much, Michelle!

More in Beads!



What can I say? Bead or beaded knitting is so addictive. I took a bead knitting class offered by our own Sacramento knitter, Kaedean, and learned so much from it.
I immediately bought some kits from The Knittingzoneand Earthfaire. The 2 beaded amulet bags in the center and on the right are Sivia Harding's designs, highly recommended for a beginner and easy to follow. Like Kaedean's class, Sivia teaches you different ways of adding beads. However, Kaedean's class offered more. I think K was able to include ALL of the techniques available.

In the next few days, I will post more pictures of my adventures in bead knitting.

Nandia Cashmere

If you're thinking of buying from Nandia Cashmere, DON'T. Heed my advice. The yarn price might be tempting but the aggravation is not worth it. I bought from then on their Ebay store before a whole load of negatives were posted. I thought it wouldn't happen to me but it did. I paid promptly on 2/21; she shipped on 3/19. In the meantime, I sent a lot of emails, made a phone call, notified Ebay and Paypal, even emailed the designer, Jackie E-S. I got NO response from Nandia at all. Won't reply to emails. I think the Paypal dispute and emailing Jackie helped.

I received my package but, as part of the kit, the shawl pattern was a black and white photocopy of the original. I notified Jackie E-S immediately and she's now taking steps. Definitely illegal on Nandia's part.

Alison gave me a very good advice. Be careful when I leave my feedback. Nandia retaliates by giving you a negative feedback if you give them a negative one. One of their feedbacks read: "I will withdraw my negative if you withdraw yours!" What the heck?!

I doesn't matter if you paid on time. Nandia will call you impatient if you can't wait 5-8 weeks for your package to arrive. One buyer comment states that they also cheat on the yardage, stating 800 yards but only gives you 600 yards. What the heck?!

I have 100% positive rating. Do I want to jeopardize that by leaving Nandia another measly negative when they have so many already? I know I will get one even though I don't deserve it. But I have to let others know. AHA! That's why I'm doing it on my blog.

Here you go: READ Nandia's feedback rating on Ebay HERE. You be the judge. Buyer beware!

Kids Knitting

My 4 yo daughter,Emily, saw her friend, Gracie, knitting. A few days later, while at Joann's Fabrics, she saw the same 2 color bunny needles (Lion Brand) and commented that those are Gracie's needles! A few more days later, Emily says that she wants the same needles and she wants to learn to knit too, like Gracie (who's about 5 or 6, I think?).

Of course, I had to buy 2 pairs, the other for Matthew, my 8 yo son, who has also shown some interest. He's more of a spinner, who likes to experiment with my wheel. Plus, I don't want a fight on my hands over a pair of needles--lol!

With the short attention span that most kids have, Emily preferred to just hold on and admire these cute bunny needles. Matthew, however, caught on really fast! Being a continental knitter, it took me a while to teach him the English way. By the way, he's also left-handed, he, he.

One night, Emily sat on my lap and said,"Mom, I want to knit!". Well, so, now, she's done a small 3x3 garter stitch square. Matthew is on his way to a garter stitch scarf. Simply amazing!

Next time we see Gracie, I'll bring my camera and take a picture of the 3 of them knitting. And maybe, she'll teach us her little knitting poem as well.

Sunday, March 6th was my birthday. The day before, Saturday, turned out warm and sunny. We spent the whole day in Berkeley. Joel and I love the ocean and we love to eat at Emeryville's Market place. It's like a food square from all nations. Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Jamaican and American Cuisine. Ahh, I can stay there the whole day.

I planned it all, so we can get a chance to visit some yarn stores while we're there. Kill 2 birds.... you know the saying.

Well, this is going to turn out like a yarn store review but just my own opinion based on my likes and dislikes.

The first one we visited was SKEIN LANE in El Cerrito. Smallish store, rustic looking on the outside, hard to find parking, lots of yarn, with NO PRICE TAGS. This makes a whole lot of difference to me. I don't have time to ask for prices. Apparently, they have lists posted on each shelf but you have to hunt down the name and find the price. Also a little bit disorganized, yarns spilling from shelves and baskets. Patterns were in binders (that's good) but if you see one you like, need to ask for help finding it.

But, to be surrounded by yarn... heavenly. Came out empty handed. Surprising indeed!

Second store, DEEP COLORS, in Kensington. Not really a yarn store even though they had some yarns, but geared towards spinners and felters and fiber lovers, like me.

Small store, easy to miss, but my hubby saw the sign immediately. Rustic looking as well, located in a semi-residential area, very shady, lots of trees. Parking might be hard but we found one immediately.

They had 2 sessions going on, a spindling class and a wet felting class. I felt very welcome. The owners and helpers were very friendly and I ended up with some merino/silk roving in 2 colors and a handpainted cotton roving. I loved this store!

The last one was LACIS. Second time I've been there and bought some tatting needles and a book. Lacis is lacis- museum quality display and a ton of books on every craft and hobby invented by man. The ladies were wonderful and helpful. Parking was hard to come by but my husband was resourceful.

A wonderful birthday it was. I got presents that I really wanted.

Freebie pattern and Spring Colors!

Big Net Lace Pattern

This is a freebie pattern that I will put up on my website but it's not there yet. However, if you're like me, can't wait, gotta have it now, send me an email and I will send it to you in MS Word format.
Email me

This pattern used one 100 gm skein of Chunky Misti alpaca yarn. I believe it has 110 yards (lost the skein band) and is more than enough to make a long scarf. You can substitute any chunky or bulky weight yarn. It is very easy and based on BW's Treasury of Knitting Patterns.




I have been playing with colors. These are Spring-bright! The wool is a superwash nylon/wool blend, fingering weight. The yarn took the dye really fast. That's what I have noticed with superwash yarns. Regular wool yarns sometimes turn out muted in color but not the superwash ones.

New website

Ebay has increased its Store fees and commission percentage once again, on Feb 15th, 2005. I've made a decision to close my store. It's simply not affordable anymore for a small time seller like me.

I also opened a new website, SuanKnits.com. It's very plain right now, but easy to navigate (I hope!). This is where I will sell my patterns, handpainted yarns and wool rovings and offer more free patterns. I do plan to offer kits in the near future.

Goodbye, Ebay!

Well, maybe not. I still plan on auctioning off some of my stash.

Here are my replies to my 2 day shawl entry:

Kimberly: I do agree with you. I would be crying too, having had to start over. But I didn't have time to cry--lol! I'd be wasting a few precious hours, he, he.

The yarn used was fingering weight Gems Merino yarn that Handjive Knits sells. She dyes them using natural plant dyes. The color used for the bottom of the shawl was a mishap color which worked out pretty well for the end product.

And, thank you also, Vera and Rebecca, for the other comments. This is not something I normally do, finish something big in 2 days' time. I usually take my time and savor the experience . That's a nicer way of saying,I'm a procrastinator. I have the startitis syndrome. I also suffer from Second Sock Syndrome.

I needed a week to recover from Stitches West. I found myself buying spinning fiber like cashmere and a lot less yarn. I have never spun cashmere before and wanted to experience it. Qiviut was another fiber I wanted to try but wayyy to expensive for my budget (what budget??).

It was a wonderful experience , as usual, and wished I could have stayed for another day and wished I had more money to spend, he, he.

Two-day Shawl

This is the picture of the unblocked shawl that I finished in 2 days. My dear friend, Darlene Hayes, of Hand Jive Knits has requested me to knit a lace shawl for her to be worn in the fashion show at Stitches West 2005 in Santa Clara. And, we had 6 days to get it finished. She gave it to me on Thursday afternoon, to be picked up on Wednesday.

I had doubts that I will finish in time but according to Darlene, she can also use it for display in her booth in its unfinished state. Well, so, okay.

Sunday morning, after knitting 75% of the shawl, I realized that there was a huge mistake and there is no way I can rip it back because I did NOT use a lifeline. You see, I'm also testing the pattern. I just about died.

I had to start over, from the beginning. With total acceptance of my impending doom, I started over, Sunday morning.

Well, I finished the shawl on Tuesday morning. I really did. I now know I'm capable of finishing big projects if I put my mind to it. Suffice to say, I impressed my dear friend, got generously paid for my efforts, and sent Darlene happily along to her long drive to Santa Clara.

woo hooo!

I'm heading to Stitches West tomorrow.

I have been too lazy to make a blog entry... or maybe just too busy finishing some stuff. Stitches West is almost here and I can feel the excitement in my bones. There are some rovings I want to buy from Carolina Homespun but will wait 'til I get there.

I've been delving into bead knitting. Currently knitting a beaded lacy scarf from a Swallow Hill pattern and I like it. Heartstrings Fiberarts has tons of neat beaded patterns and Elann carries most of them. The Knittingzone is another online store that sells Jackie E-S' patterns.

And of course I can't have just one project at a time. I'm crocheting Lily Chin's Top down Mock Faroese shawl for West Valley Alpacas. The Crochet Guild Convention will be held in Oakland, CA in July and Pat will have a booth. I have been "commissioned" to design some crochet patterns for her using alpaca yarns.

And tonight, I have decided to join the local Knitting Guild. It's about time, I think. I've been wishy-washy long enough and I can't use the excuse of the long drive, can't leave the kids with hubby or missing my favorite Thursday shows. Egad! I will miss some of my shows!!

Well, so, okay, I can tape them.

Diamante

I am really addicted to lace: socks, shawls, scarves, mitts (where else can you incorporate lace??). If I can knit a lace sweater, I would. Will I finish it? Probably not.

This new sock pattern in very stretchy. The string of diamonds is flanked on each side by purled ribs. The red one, which my hubby says is very sexy (arghh), was knitted with Gems Merino Pearl by Louet (fingering). This yarn feels like Koigu and comes in solid colors. By the way, the one pair of Koigu socks I have is still going strong, no holes. Everytime I throw it in the washer and dryer, it shrinks a little but stretches back to normal size.

The cream colored sock is Kroy yarn, which I love also. The yarn is very versatile and oh so affordable. Wash and wear, baby!

I am so looking forward to Stitches West (Feb 11-13) which will be held in Santa Clara, CA, this year. A blasted 4 hour drive for me. ROAD TRIP!

Hubby is driving and we're bringing the kids. He'll drop me off at the Convention and he'll take the kids to the MEGA mall, only a few miles away. I promise to call them when I'm done shopping, he, he.

Climbing Vines

My latest pattern for 2005. I used 2 skeins of Misti Int'l Baby Alpaca yarn, worsted weight. Heavenly soft yarn and wonderful to work with. Each skeins has 109 yards, 50 gms, and very affordable at $5.95 per skein. I find myself working more and more with Alpaca.



I'm finishing up the pattern and will get it typed up in the next few days. I'm knitting up samples for Pat at West Valley Alpacas. She's bringing my patterns to Stitches West in Santa Clara, CA in February. I am very excited because this means exposure!

Some upcoming patterns:
1. Diamante Lace Socks
2. Lace Fingerless mitts (no name yet).
3. A sock pattern for Tongue River Farm

I have been emailing Susan Mongold at Tongue River Farm and she's very excited about the designs I've planned for her Icelandic sock yarns. These are wonderful yarns that are strong yet soft. Here's her website. Go for a visit.

Last December 10th, 2004 was our 10th Wedding Anniversary and I wanted to get something to commemorate the occasion. Joel gave me a Golding Ring Spindle, exquisite in design. This spindle is named the Tsunami, where the intricate design resembles ocean waves. It is memorable in more ways than one.


This is a 10" Beka Rigid Heddle loom, also called a "toy" loom, that I got for Christmas for myself. I've always wanted to learn to weave with a rigid heddle and this one is affordable enough to learn from. I enjoyed weaving immensely; it uses up an unbelievably small amount of yarn, like, for a scarf, and very gratifying since you finish the project really quickly. What I don't like is warping the loom.


Here is the scarf I wove two nights later.

I was admiring Mary's loot from her last trip to NY and all I can say is, "You did good, girl, you did good!". You can see her yarn adventures here. So, Mary, did you like New York? (he, he).

I myself am not a city person. I live in the suburbs and would love to live in the country, a farm, or a ranch, where I can raise my kids and some sheep.

I worked in San Francisco, at the Transamerica Pyramid, for 4 years and hated it. The morning rush, the evening rush, fighting for a seat in the train, cars everywhere, men on bikes, people walking 8 blocks, one way, to get to work (that was me!), walking with high heels for 8 blocks (until I learned that I can wear tennis shoes with my suit--yeck-- ugly picture).

Anyhoo, I'm glad that was over.

I'm teaching myself to weave with a rigid heddle loom and I can see another addiction coming. Pictures to follow.

I'm a Christmas kind of girl

I was watching a show last night on the PAX network called "Faith Under Fire. Somehow, there was a mention of being politically correct when it comes to the Christmas season, and how people greet each other "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" instead of how it should be, "Merry Christmas". December 25 is when my Savior was born. It's Christmas! I use no other greeting except Merry Christmas! It doesn't diminish other people's religions and how they celebrate their holidays. Christmas is my holiday as a Christian and that's how I prefer to call it.

People are so afraid of offending other people of different faith but I'm sure they will understand. In fact, they have their own holidays and we respect them by greeting them their way.

One note: Before Arnold became Governor of California, Gray Davis used to call the Christmas tree at the Capitol, the "Holiday Tree". Aww, come on. It is a Christmas tree. This year, Gov Arnold brought back the "Christmas Tree".

No knitting content today. Maybe tomorrow.

I'm done with scarves! Finally! Final count is 36 eyelash scarves just this month. Dani made a valid comment-- knitting by request can suck the fun out of it--lol! The good thing is I got paid for them, enough to buy more yarns or deposit into my kids' college fund.

I've got some pics from my last visit to West Valley Alpacas:

These alpacas were so gentle and shy that even my kids were able to pet them.


Here are some of the yarns they offer and the beautiful diplays up on top.


The blue and gold socks are mine, prominently displayed. Pat Meade, the owner, called me a local Sacramento designer. I was able to answer some questions while I was there, not only on knitting but also on spinning.

Of course, I went home with yarns and some fiber.

To those people who read my blog, you might remember that I have been commissioned to knit those eyelash scarves. I am so SICK AND TIRED of knitting these scarves. I might have knitted about 30 of them so far and after this last batch, I don't want to see any more eyelash yarns or size 19 needles again. Bleckgh....

I admit they are so mindless that you can knit them while watching CSI. I long to go back to knitting my lace socks and scarves. I miss those teeny tiny needles and super skinny yarns. And the challenge of lace!

Speaking of yarns, I got the hemp/wool yarns I ordered from Rachel Greene. This yarn has lots of possibilites, specially for socks. She says they get softer the more you wash them. It's 55% hemp and 45% wool, sport weight.

I have 3 more designs in the making, a lace sock pattern and 2 lace scarves. I'm at the point of even considering knitting a sweater just to get away from these eyelash scarves. argh...

During our last Thanksgiving party with my in-laws, I brought some of my knitted eyelash scarves and was able to sell some of them. Two of my sisters-in-law brought theirs to work to show them off. As a result, I got several orders for Christmas giving. That's really exciting. Much as I like knitting lace scarves more, these eyelash yarns knit up quick.

One more yarn store is carrying my patterns! West Valley Alpacasin Esparto, CA is having a Holiday Sale this weekend, Dec 4-5. Pat ordered several copies of my pattern just in time for the sale.

Happily knitting scarves, I sign off.

The Design Process

Two new designs finished, as scheduled! I love designing and creating new patterns. I find it exciting , rewarding and very involved. I can say that I owe a lot to Mary McCall, who got me seriously started when I began pattern testing for her. And there's Jonelle Raffino of Southwest Trading Co, Darlene Hayes of Hand Jive Knits and Myrna Stahman, author of the lace knitting book, Stahman Shawls and Scarves, who, by the way, has an upcoming book, Variations, still in the publishing stage.

You start by having this idea in your head, a picture of what you want to do. Pencil and paper comes in handy. Pull out your knitting and crocheting reference books, pattern stitches, research some more, then graph it out. Yes, I do graph them out! This is how I picture the design, how it will turn out.

Then, I go search for yarn. This is where it pays to have a huge stash. Whether it be lace or texture, you search for the right colorway, the right thickness, the right needle. Grab the needle and start knitting.
Oh, and take lots of notes.

The tedious process comes next, putting your idea into paper or on your computer. Having speedy fingers help a lot, and having the right software. Type it up, print it out, and knit it again, using your written directions. This is where you find errors and glitches, and make the necessary corrections.

This may not work for others. Each one has his or her own unique process and this is how I do mine. Now. to more fun stuff. Pictures!


A crocheted bag, done in one piece, from the bottom up. I used Reynolds Saucy worsted cotton yarn, 2 skeins, approximately 300 yards.




Snakes and Ladders socks, a simple knit and purl combination, no cables. It works well with self-striping yarns like Regia.

Patterns now available on my my website.

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting
and do it all the time. While finishing a piece
is the plan, you still love the process, and
can't imagine a day going by without giving
some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation
involves leaving ample space for the stash and
supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn
ends and you begin.
http://marniemaclean.com


What Kind of Knitter Are You?
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How true, specially the vacation part--lol!

Thank you to my crochet and knitting sisters for your comments and congratulations on my new venture. I was so antsy that I started a new crochet bag pattern and a textured sock pattern geared towards self- patterning yarns. I have too many of that and knitting them with plain stockinette stitch is just too boring. I love texture and lace.

I had to go back to Rumpels to exchange a Lorna's Laces skein. The yarn has cuts! This is the second time this has happened to me. And I was so careful untying the knot. Yes, I untie knots, you know, those knots that hold the skeins together? I don't cut them, for fear of cutting thru the yarn. And I still get cuts. Luckily, Linda can return them to Lorna's.

Crochet Guild meeting tonight.

Moi, a Designer?

Today, I went to Rumpelstiltskin (LYS here in Sacramento) to see if Linda (the owner) would be interested in selling some of my patterns in her store. I tried not to have any expectations, came prepared for rejection, but still a little shaky with excitement.

She bought my patterns! How cool is that? I brought my knitted samples with me, as well as half a dozen of each pattern already printed. She's one cool lady. She even asked me if I would be willing to sell the sample scarf I knitted if anyone wants to buy it and gave me a rather good price for it. She said that my asking price was $20 too low, he, he.

After learning that I crochet too, she suggested that I design some purse patterns for the store, using her yarns. Apparently, it's in huge demand. I went home with yarns and my head filled with some of my patterns waiting to be written down.

This is one great, fulfilling feeling. I have been crocheting for so long and knitting socks for so long, that I know I will be able to make this work.

Crochet Fantasy

I have gotten comments from my fellow crocheters that Crochet Fantasy will no longer be published? When did that happen? I read the Dec 2004 issue and there was no mention at all. I just renewed several months ago for another year. I know I said that I won't be renewing (I still stick to that decision) but it's sad to see another crochet magazine go. I guess not a lot of people are into crocheting garments, like what Crochet Fantasy offers.

The other crochet magazine, Crochet!, doesn't do anything to me either. Too many weird new stuff, too bland.

For some reason, I like Crochet World. It has toys in it, some cute doilies, some cute little easy and fast stuff to crochet. It has variety.

I take back what I say about Vogue Knitting (VK). After reading the latest issue, I found some stuff that I might knit one of these days. It has purses and a cute lacy poncho. I'm afraid the knitting and crocheting fashion industry is getting overrun by poncho patterns! argh.....

I'm for old fashioned lace shawls, socks, and purses. Lots of purses, felted or not.

New sock design

I finished another lace sock pattern, "Ribbons and Lace". I used Gems Merino Pearl fingering yarn in Terra Cotta color, using US size 0 dpns.

The heel is Eye of Partridge pattern which I thought looked really nice, a change from my old boring Sl1, K1 heel pattern.

It is now available for sale on my WEBSITE.

Subscription Pile up

I hate to admit it but I am oversubscribed with knitting magazines and I have to cut down. Here are some of the ones I won't be renewing:

1. Vogue Knitting - too vogue for my taste. I don't think I'll be knitting any of its patterns soon.

2. Inknitters - I love this magazine for the techniques but the patterns have been changing and they don't look very attractive anymore. I like the modular patterns it contains though. Well, I have to think about this one.

3. Cast On - aughh. Some of the patterns are very unattractive, although it comes with membership to TKGA.

4. Creative Knitting - way too many fun fur scarf patterns.

5. Knit 'N Style - too many errors and incomplete instructions.

6. Crochet Fantasy - going downhill. The last issue was horrible. Same color scheme using bulky yarns, oversized coats, yada, yada, yada.

These are the ones I'm keeping:

1. Spinoff
2. Interweave Knits
3. Knitters
4. FCEK

This should be good enough. I hope I stay focused.

Joann's

A brand spanking new and HUGE Joann's Fabrics store re-opened here in Elk Grove, CA after being in a bad location for years. It's now located in a newly built strip mall. Well, I was there last night and went home happy happy happy!

It's way larger than Michael's, and has more yarns than Michael's and Walmart's combined. Prices are very good too! And of course it has a ton of fabrics PLUS many other crafts, just like Michael's. And I think it also carries ALL the knitting and crochet magazines. A little bit low on Knitting books though, not like my favorite LYS, Rumpelstiltskin.

Joann's also carries their own line of yarns called "Sensations". Right now, it has 4 or 5 different types of scarf yarns, the fun fur variety. It has Lion Brand, Coats and Clark, Patons, and Bernat yarns and threads. Yes, I sound like an AD but can't help it. We need more yarn stores in Sacramento!

Emma's Lace Scarf

Coats and Clark came out with a new supersoft yarn, Cara Mia (TLC line). It's a blend of acrylic/angora/rayon. I designed a one-skein lace scarf named after my daughter, Emily . Yes, we call her Emma too! Here's a close-up:

I knitted it with US size 9 needles. It's available for sale in my Ebay store.

More on designing, I just finished the "Peekaboo socks". I'm still finalizing the pattern. I used Opal sock yarn for this one.


My experience with pattern testing for other designers like Mary McCall, Handjive Knits and Southwest Trading has taught me a lot on designing my own patterns. Plus, the availability of knitting softwares like the Sole Solution really helps a lot. And never forget Barbara Walker's Treasuries of Knitting Patterns. Each desginer should invest in her books.

I recently bought a CD from Lisa Gentry containing several of her patterns for sale. She's at Caneyladys-Creations. I originally paid $14.95 for the first 8 patterns. But, a great thing about it is that everytime she publishes a new pattern, you get an update, for FREE! Wow! I'm impressed.

Just finished a baby sock out of a new yarn from Coats and Clark. It's called Sassy stripes under the Moda Dea Collection. It's 100% acrylic and very very soft. It creates a self striping pattern similar to the other sock yarns. Here's a pic:



I've been handpainting some Merino Superwash fingering yarns. They're so similar to Koigu in size and yardage. I'm selling them in my Ebay store.


Peppermint Colorway


Jungle colorway

Ponchos, my dear...

Two ponchos, one for me and another for Emily (3 yo).



Crocheted poncho for my little one. Very simple pattern from the Candy Tots book. I love the flower specially.


This one is for me, knitted, using the Straw.com pattern. I was able to use most of my smaller skeins of handspun yarn. Lots of ends to weave in-lol!

I have decided...

that I will stop feeling guilty everytime I start a new project. I refuse to be stressed out by feeling that I have to finish an old project before I start a new one. It's my project, my time, my yarns and my needles! So there! I can start as many projects as I want as long as I have needles available. And when I start feeling guilty, I will use it to motivate myself to finish that UFO. I know I am my worst enemy. And I plan to take lots of notes in case I forget.

CA Wool and Fiber festival:
Rather small gathering, not a lot of vendors, very little choices. Total driving hours is 7 hours from Sacramento to Boonville on narrow zig-zag 2-lane roads. I wonder why they hold it there? Lambtown is bigger and more accessible. I came home with some handpainted Tussah silk roving and one prize winning Cormo fleece from Merry Meadows Farm in Willits, CA. Beautiful, clean and inexpensive. There was one vendor selling 4 rather expensive drop spindles. That's it!

Well, I won't be going back next year.

Susan Bates Socks set. This pack contains 4 different sizes, US size 1, 0, 00 and 000. The needles are color coded and measure 7 inches long. There are 5 needles in each size. I've always wanted to knit those tiny socks that people make into earrings or lapel pins. Now I can play with them.

Picture of the Simple Elegance stole from Soysilk thread.


close up of the lace stitch.


Blocking another crocheted lace shawl. I used hundreds of pins to block this one. Makes me wish I had some of those blocking wires.

I am crocheting the Triangular Shawl by Doris Chan, page 91, in the latest IK magazine CROCHET. There is an error on Row 1. The pattern repeat enclosed in brackets [...] that needs to be repeated 15 times is missing one step. After the last "ch 3", you must include "skip next 2 sc" or your work will end up crooked. For an advanced crocheter, it only makes sense to do it but to a beginner who is following the pattern word for word, that one ommision screws up the pattern.

I will try to email Interweave Press. My past attempts in emailing magazines have not been successful. Vogue Knitting has the worst customer service, in my opinion.

Totally, utterly lost

I can't believe it! I'm lost without the stole. It's kinda like I don't have a purpose anymore ( ha, ha!). Good news is that Jonelle loved it even with the changes I made to the pattern. And without a project to finish, I'm wandering aimlessly between the piles of wool in my craft room. But wait, I almost forgot the last sock I have to knit for Mary. I'll get that finished and out to her soon.

I also finished Teresa's socks and with the leftover yarn, I'm knitting her a lace scarf. Teresa Simons (Mountain Shadow Ranch)is my spinning mentor. She has taught me a lot on spinning, wool preparation, sheep breeds and has been very generous with her time and awesome fibers. I love hanging out with her.

I have been thinking a lot about designing my own patterns. In the works right now is a lace scarf pattern from one skein of Cara Mia yarn. The pattern is already written up. Just need some sprucing up. Second is a pair of lace socks. Third is some lace fingerless mitts. Yes, I am addicted to lace!

I finished the stole!

It's over! It's finished! No more lace stole! What an utter relief! I'm going to miss the blasted thing. I don't remember anymore when I started the Simple Elegance Stole (designed by Debra Chinn) that I knitted for Southwest Trading Co. (Soysilk). I washed and blocked it and it's drying upstairs. Very tedious but ended up being breathtaking. But I can't knit another one for myself. Once I send it back to Jonelle, I really don't see myself knitting another one. It's not the pattern. It's me. I don't see myself knitting the same pattern over and over again. That's why we buy so many patterns. So we can knit a brand new pattern everytime.

The CA State Fair ends today. I had a wonderful time helping Teresa do a demo on Spinning Cotton. People were amazed to see that we still spin on handspindles. Very antiquated, they say. Teresa and Corwyn spun on spinning wheels. I spun with drop spindles. I noticed that more kids crowded around me. They were fascinated with the toy wheel spindle I made. The adults were more interested in the spinning wheels.

The fair was a success. Only 1 hitch. When the fair people cancelled Black History day last Saturday and closed the fair early at 9 pm instead of midnight. There was some protest but I guess they had to do it because they didn't want a repeat of what happened last year. Oh well.

I'm happily off to new project and finishing off old ones (yeah, right).

I have been experiencing the blogging "blah" lately. Haven't posted for a while; haven't read any of my fave knitting blogs; haven't taken any pictures; haven't finished any projects. Well, actually, I lied. I haven't finished any of my already started projects from long ago. But I finished 2 baby layettes that I just started last week. Crocheting baby things is a breath of fresh air. Because they get finished fast.

BUT, I have been spinning a lot! Our California State Fair is the happening thing right now. I spun some cotton at the fair with my friend, Teresa Simons of Mountain Shadow Ranch. And I used a drop spindle. I can control the twist a lot more and we all know cotton fibers need a lot of twist!

I have 2 lace scarves that are almost finished. I just have to focus. FOCUS!

My latest Creation

I just finished this babyset for my SIL. The pattern is from Crochet for Babies and Toddlers. Of course I had to make changes and add-ons, like the edging. The hat is also my own design, using the main lace pattern on the sweater. There was no matching hat or bootie provided.

Not much to report. I'm still plodding away on the Simple Elegance Shawl for Soysilk. Almost had a major disaster. I snagged the lace on my working needle and thought I might have to rip the whole thing. Brought me to tears. But I was able to fix it with no problems. And I was being so careful!

Almost finished with a new project I just started, a Summer Shardigan by Terri Ranck. It's different and fast.

I've been spinning a lot, both with spindles and my wheels. I just bought some raw wool from Jean Near here in CA. I've heard so much about the quality of her raw fleece that I have to try it.

I will be teaching our Crochet Guild members next month on how to crochet from charts. This will be interesting and challenging.