From The Craft Room

Archive for the ‘Celebrity Crafters’ Category

So, I finished the seams on my clogs while on the road to Clarksville, TN last week. I felted them on Sunday, but after several trips through the washer, they were just too darned long. I gave it another go today and while they were in the wash, the string I had tying the pillowcase closed broke and when I went to check the progress, I saw a hint of purple in the basin. Dang it, one of the clogs escaped the bag!

Just as I feared, it was waaaaay smaller than the other one, which was still too long. I put the other one back in the bag and ran another cycle while I put the small one on my foot and worked it until it finally was big enough to fit. The other one finally shunk and I think I finally have a somewhat matching set of felted clogs. I’ll let them dry a couple of days and they’ll be ready to wear!

I finally got photographic evidence that I met Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka The Yarn Harlot) at the book signing in Indianapolis, IN. She was just as funny the 2nd time around and so nice, even after several hours of signing (I arrived a little late and was one of the last dozen or so in line). She even remembered having met me Denver. She’s the best!

I found a cool site advertised on Ravelry called Kanine Knits. In addition to selling a yarn that is part Samoyed, there is a pattern for an Alaskan Malamute sweater that I want to get.

Well, I’ve finally have a banner close to what I had in mind for this site. It still needs some tweaking, but it will do for now. I’ll deal with the rest of the design at a later date. Once I get back from vacation next week, I’ll write up a post as to why very little crafting has been going on on my other blog, Domestic Geek, and link it here. Let’s just say that major suckage has been going down lately.

One good thing is I’ve finally knit up the felted clogs I started weeks ago. All that’s left to do is to actually felt them. Huzzah! I may try to squeeze in time to do it tomorrow, but with packing and getting ready to leave for Tennessee early Monday morning, I don’t know if I can. I was really hoping to have them done so that I could take them on the trip, but alas, that was apparently not meant to be. I had also intended to have a crochet sun hat I’m working on completed, but like I said, not a whole lot of crafting lately.

A happy note:
Our travels this week will take us to Indiana. While inquiring on a Ravelry board as to a good area yarn shop to visit, I learned that the Yarn Harlot will be speaking in Indianapolis on Tuesday. Marcus agreed to accompany me and I get a 2nd chance to not only meet her, but perhaps even have photographic evidence, as well. Yay!

The Yarn Harlot was in town last night and I had an amazing time. She was so funny — I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. I’d share the pictures I took last night, but THEY SUCK! Once again my crappy camera decided it was going to be unable to focus. Also, I must’ve accidentally changed a setting, because the pictures are SMALL! I am so done with that thing. I also closed my eyes in the picture I had taken with Stephanie. I really wished I had asked Marcus to borrow his for the evening. I hope she comes back next year after her new book is released and I can try it again. By the next time, I will be making socks!

I made some good progress on my Mistake Rib Scarf I’m working on. I’m into the 2nd skein, so over 50% complete! I tried working on a dishcloth, too, but trying to follow the pattern with so much fun and excitement around me was impossible.

I’m so glad I finally decided to get off my duff and join the knitting world. Of course, Ravelry has been a huge help to entice me to leave my comfort zone and put myself out there.

Today I need to do some housecleaning and some much-needed web work so I can get Domestic Geek back up and finally finish the header I’ve been working on for this blog. I’ll try to sneak in some time on my clogs, though, and read a little bit of Things I Learned From Knitting (Whether I Wanted To or Not) that I got signed last night.

Over on one of the groups I belong to on Ravelry, the message was posted that the Yarn Harlot is going to be at The Tattered Cover in Highlands Ranch on April 4th. w00t!

If you have no idea who the Yarn Harlot is, she is Canadian Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. She writes a blog called Yarn Harlot and has authored many books on life and knitting. I just love her blog…go check it out.

I totally missed her visit last year when she was here. I saw it on the news, though. I decided, while watching that news segment, that I would learn to knit no matter what and would see her next time she comes to town. I did and I will. Yay!

I drove to the Highlands Ranch Tattered Cover one day after work a couple of weeks ago to see where exactly it was. Turns out there is a yarn shop in the same shopping center called String, A Knitting Boutique. It was an awesome store, the woman working there was so nice and I found the most beautiful royal blue alpaca yarn. Now I have to decide what I want to do with it (after I roll it, of course).