Monday, January 31, 2011

Never go to Ikea alone.


Trust me on this. You WILL find more than you should buy, and you WILL drag it off a shelf that is at higher than eye level, even if it weighs almost your body weight. Then you WILL truly believe that you can turn into the Incredible Hulk and heave a box of furniture that weighs nearly your body weight into the back of your car. And you WILL suffer for it later.... I survived the trip, thanks to a very nice Greek stranger in the parking lot who helped me heave the heavier of the boxes into my car.... He kept saying "Is ok." I think he thought I was crazy, but he helped me nonetheless.... Perhaps to give his wife and children time to escape.....

On a happy note, however, see my new Malm-in-progress above! That was yesterday, and while it resembles more a piece of furniture rather than an angry black octopus now, it is still in progress. It came with 14.8 million pieces, and I didn't have the fortitude to finish in one sitting. Pathetic.

However, I DID finish something this week! Ariel Shawlette, finished but not blocked!


Not only do I love this shawl, I LOVE MY NEW CAMERA. I am a happy crafter. Sigh!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Oh, by the way....

Finished object! I got distracted by doggie cuteness earlier, but better late than never!! Here is Damask:
I absolutely love the pattern. I absolutely love the yarn. I really like the the finished shawl.... But I have a sneaking feeling that probably I shouldn't have made this pattern in this yarn. I think that this gorgeous shawl would have shown better in a semi-solid yarn. So I bought more yarn to make it again when we went to Charleston yesterday! I do like it. I just feel like I could have loved it. Sigh.

Anyway, that was shawl 1 of 2011. Done in 11 days, amazingly enough... It is looking good for 11!!

Here is a look at number 10 from last year, all blocked and pretty:


I have already worn it twice, just blocked it two days ago. Shawl love. Knitting makes me smile.

Story of a photoshoot...

Ariel in progress....



Maggie loves the Shakespeare in Lace club!

Monday, January 3, 2011

10 Shawls in 2010

Everyone is doing 2010 recaps, and suddenly I got jealous. I have decided to recap by gathering together images of dubious quality of my shawls crafted all within the bounds of the year just past...

Here they are! Ten shawls in various stages of completion.... I didn't get to keep them all, some went to good homes, but they are all my babies!!

Citron- soft, gossamer and wearable.



Swallowtail- Julie's wedding shawl.


Haruni- the most complicated thing I had made to date. Why haven't I worn this 100 times already??


Hanami- would have passed through a wedding ring if not for the beads. Wore it today!



Aeolian- award-winning, what more can I say?


Annis- most worn shawl of 2010, at least at my house....


Skuld- I ADORE this shawl, if only I could figure out what to wear traffic-cone orange with!! What will make it look NOT-Halloweeny?


Little Arrowhead- turned out so much better than I ever expected. Nobody deserves it more than Roberta!



Saroyan- fun construction, blocked so well.... So HEAVY here in the land of sweating in the wintertime.... (And sideways. Don't ask me, I only work here.)


Arabella- last but not least! Seriously, need to block this. I already love it and it can only get better!!


And the first of 11 in 2011 has already begun! I have broken out the luscious Malabrigo Sock in Stonechat for Damask. I hope this pattern and this great yarn work together! I love the pattern and don't want the variegation to obscure its complexity.... Or the patterns complexity to take away from the beautiful color pooling taking place in this rich color combo.... We shall see!

I am feeling pretty excited about the possibilities!

In this economy!

I emailed a media/graphic design firm here in my little berg the other day to ask for a quote on some work.... Got a cupcake catering company to launch, after all. They emailed back to say that they weren't taking new customers at this time. Who is not taking new customers??? They seriously have so much money, so much work, and so much reputation that they don't need little old me?? Or was that a judgement on how valuable a client I would be for them?? I couldn't believe I got brushed off as a customer!

Anyone know of any graphic artists who AREN'T too good for me in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina?? I gotta get a logo!!!!