Color Overload

Look what I've been up to -


I'll have a nice big update next week! Thanks to Virginia and my sister Lauren who both helped me dye up this crazy bunch of yarn - over 30 lbs of it I think.

Here is Lauren after washing a LOT of yarn.


Isn't she cute?

I've also had one sock fly off the needles - my mom's baby cashmerino sock - one down and the next one to do. I started knitting this sock last friday and I finished on Saturday - I love knitting on size 3US needles it goes so fast. I didn't cast on for the 2nd sock till last night and I am almost at the heel. Hopefully by tomorrow the pair will be done and my mom can stop hounding me (you hear that mom? I know you are reading this, they are almost done - I promise).

See, here is proof of the first one done!


Oh hey - here is a painting I did like 2 weeks ago. I was cleaning before having the spiders over and in the middle of cleaning I realized I needed to fill a space on my wall and I just HAD to make a new painting. So I put all the cleaning down and broke out the acrylics, the metallic powders and canvases and proceeded to make more of a mess. But I really like the way it came out. - check it out larger you can see the sparklies in it better.

Fun with Photos

So, I've had this fancy new camera since Christmas and I've been having a lot of fun learning about Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO speed and all that interesting stuff. The only problem is the weather - yes the weather. I'd like to go outside more often to experiment, walk around and take pictures but it's way too friggin cold. Although I can't really take the pics I want, I have been keeping myself busy taking pictures inside and from my window.

First here is a picture I took with Sandra in mind. She takes the coolest sock and shoe pics, although her shoes are way fancier than mine. Here I am sporting my finished socks and my brand new danskos.


I've been hearing about how comfortable these for so long from a bunch of the Spiders and they are so right! I love them.

Here is another shot of the socks where you can see more of them - and of Gary. He says they smell good! I swear that's what he said :)

Here are the specs:

Pattern: Lace Top Toe Up Sock
Yarn: BH - Soft Spun, Cool Beans colorway
Needles: Size 1 addis - magic loop
Time to complete: less than 2 weeks! - Personal best
Modifications: I didn't really look at the pattern till I got to the leg, I did a figure 8 cast on, increased to 72 st. and then did a simple short row heel using Misocrafty's method for no holes - thank you Steph for showing me!

I've already cast on for another pair of socks - this time using baby cashmerino...mmmmmm These are for my mom.

So I got this macro filter lens for my camera and I just had to show you how cool it is. Here is a picture of a poof of fiber nice and close.


And here is the crop - check out how close the baby gets!


I promise this is the last picture - this was taken from my window the other night after the snow - I Love the color of the sky.

Spin Spider, Spin

This past Sunday was the 2nd annual Bay Ridge Spider gathering....I figure I'll make this a yearly thing from now on. This year the theme was spinning. As you can see in the following picture I have more than enough supplies in my craft room for us all to spin!


Here are a few of the girls in action -


And check out Melissa on the Lendrum!


While some of the girls were spinning the rest were enjoying food, drink, and the Money Pit...what a great movie...lol.



I'm so glad everyone trekked out to Bay Ridge - Thank you! I had a great time and I love having everyone over.

I was so tired by the time everyone left - but that didn't stop me from continuing to work on my socks. I have got one down and the 2nd is almost done. I'll have these done in under two weeks - a personal record. Here is the 1st finished sock -



This is a pattern I randomly found online - the picture was so small I really couldn't tell how it was going to come out but I'm glad I decided to go for it. I'm back in the sock knitting mode - I've already got some sock yarn put aside for my next pair - I'm thinking Monkey.

Meme time!

Thank you everyone for the Birthday wishes - I had a great time and all your comments really made my week!

I have knitting but - it's mainly secret knitting so I can't show ya. I'm also knitting a pair of socks but I forgot to take my cf card so I could upload it. I'm using Cool Beans. While I was reskeining I had a bit of a tangle issue and eventually got impatient and had to cut a big chunk of the yarn out so it was too short to sell, I figured I'd keep it - there is still plenty for a pair of socks.

Since I have no pretty pictures for you to look at - other than maybe a random sky picture



I'm going to get to the two memes that I think I might have been tagged for!

The first one is 6 weird things about me -

1: I adore cheese - all kinds of cheese, I must - at all times - have at least 5 different kinds of cheese in my refrigerator!

2: I love to cook but only for 2 or more people, I have no problem cooking for 20 (ask the Spiders!) but when I come home from work I really don't want to cook just for me, so I put together strange combinations of what I have around the kitchen. A little seasoned plain yogurt (makes a great dip), some pita bread, a bit of cheese, an avocado...this list constantly changes and can at times get very strange.

3: I have a strange obsession with Swirls - if you've been reading this blog for a bit you'll have noticed that I enjoy swirls in my jewelry, paintings, and sewing projects When I see swirly fabric I'm compelled to buy it, I'll take pictures of swirls and I've even designed a tattoo of a swirl tree for myself!

4: I research - a LOT. When I become interested in a particular topic I research the hell out of it and learn pretty much all I can (I think this is why I have lots of crazy facts rolling around in my head) and the topics are varied from all sorts of crafts to holocaust studies - and many topics in between.

5: I enjoy inventing contraptions out of stuff around the house like the home made icord maker and yarn skeiner. Even if eventually I'll get the commercial one I still enjoy trying to do my own take on it. This is helpful when you get ideas very late at night and must improvise.

6: I don't drive - you heard me I don't have a license, I had a learners permit but that expired ages ago. You see, I'm a New Yorker - born and raised. My family didn't have a car while I was younger so I never had anything to learn on and well, you really don't need a car in NYC. I know the subway system very well and, to me at least, the map is quite easy to understand - even the bus maps. One day I'll get my license...one day...

The second Meme -

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

Right next to me I have my latest read - The Good Fairies of New York - Martin Millar

Mairi had the second sight. "Not much farther. I can sense a very strange land only a little way away."

very strange land indeed this blog land of ours!

Have a great weekend!