Flint Knits

My friend Michelle likes kitties. (She also likes potatoes, but I’ve yet to see potato-themed fabric out there … if you know of any, please do let me know.)

Anyhoo, Michelle requested that I make her a special wristband. We’ll probably go through several versions before I get it right, but for this first prototype, I used kitties.

See, it holds her Chicago public transit pass for when she’s out and about and not carrying a bag.

She runs marathons, and spends a heap of time training for them, so ultimately I hope to make a version that’s sweat and chafe-resistant. I am a clueless lump when it comes to outdoor exercise, so any suggestions re: fabric, construction, etc. would be very welcome. (Angela, I’m looking at you!)

In other crafty news, I ripped out my 2 feet of crocheted ripple afghan. I took this photo mid-frog.

I thought I was a ripple gal and, aesthetically, I still am. But I guess I’m a process crocheter, because I’m bowing to the fact that I’ll have much more fun making granny squares with all those scraps. So goodbye ripple-along, hello granny-along!

Oh, and I finished a Zokni!

I changed the cuff from rib to twisted rib, and did an eye of partridge heel. Otherwise, I stuck to the pattern, which is fabulous fun to knit — it never got boring. Thanks Minty!

But you all were right. Knit Picks Gloss is crappy. I wasn’t even past the heel when it started to pill like a Forever 21 cardigan. And I don’t have high hopes for its durability.

Perking me up from that disappointment is the drop spindle that Bethe so generously sent to me this week. Thanks Bethe!! I can’t wait to start learning. Any good suggestions for how to learn to spin on a drop spindle?

So, to sum up: Wristband. Ripple. Sock. Spindle.

Also, begging for advice re:
(1) potato fabric
(2) runner-friendly materials
(3) drop spindle spinning

Thanks all! xo

I’m moving up in the Single Sock Movement, though I can’t compete with some people! I’ve got a Zokni and a Monkey done, and another modular Tiffany sock ready to cast on.

In the meantime, I made a quick little bag for my friend Alisha.

My first bag like this, it was more different from garment sewing than I expected — so much teensier! Maybe now I’m ready to get started on some sewn baby clothes for my sister.

THANK YOU for all the sweet birthday wishes, and for the kind (and hilarious) comments about my camera loss.

I had a spectacular birthday. And some kind soul found my camera right where I left it amid the quilting fabric at Jo Ann, and turned it in. Amazing. My faith in humanity? Not restored, exactly, but maybe a bit more robust than it was a week ago. My faith in crafters? Unshakable.

As much as I would love to share all of the Santa photos (which, by the way, are fully clothed and fully ridiculous), you’ll have to settle for a couple of the tamer ones here on my Flickr account. Trust me, it’s better this way. And there’s a knitters’ treat: Check out what I’m holding in that first photo! And if you look very closely at the second one (you know, in the middle distance, just past where I’m sitting on Santa’s face), you can see a Baby Surprise Jacket-in-progress poking out of my purse.

I’m in Chicago for a week, staying with friends in their Lincoln Park condo, which has an entire wall-o-windows and an amaaaaazing view of both downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan. I’m hoping to steal a few moments to photograph the finished Baby Surprise in all that gorgeous natural light.

And I started a new pair of Monkeys for my Sockapalooza pal, with the gorgeous One Sheep Hill yarn from Yarnzilla.

Sadly, they’re knitting up too small for her, so they’ll be frogged soon.

Happily, I’ve also cast on for Minty’s Zokni socks. How do folks feel about Knit Picks Gloss yarn? I’m using it for the Zoknis, since it’s been languishing in the stash for ages.

There will be more posts from Chicago, I’m sure. And when I get back home, look what’s waiting for me!

Just got a $1700 car repair bill (despair!), but I also just finished grading (euphoria) and am sitting in a cafe in San Francisco (bliss), where I’m visiting to celebrate my oldest and dearest BFF’s 30th birthday (perfect). So things are balancing out. Kind of.

The birthday girl, whom I’ve known since we were wee first-graders, is a fan of smocks. So I made her a birthday smock:

I’ve realized that I really enjoy sewing. In June when I get back to Michigan and have more space for it, I’m going to indulge the quilting bug more thoroughly. How could I not, with inspiration like this and this haunting my Bloglines?

Yesterday afternoon, I had a fabulous meet up with Angela/YaiAnn at Imagiknit where, after much debate, she bought some perfect buttons for her Malabrigo cardigan. Also after much debate, I bought some green Louet Gems for the i-cord edging on the Baby Surprise Jacket.

We then had a few lazy hours of coffee and nonstop chatty conversation — turns out she’s smart and funny and wicked cute besides being a super talented all-around crafter. Thanks for the awesome afternoon, Ange!

Unfortunately, tight schedules and my short visit meant that I couldn’t get to Berkeley to meet up with Desiknitter like we’d planned. Do you know Desiknitter? You should. Besides making gorgeous knitted items and creative patterns, and being a superstar academic to boot, she’s currently rocking my world with her clever, clever chevron eye shade.

Enjoy your weekends!

I’m calling this my “practice quilt.” I bought some Amy Butler charm squares for cheap, and am using them for a super basic first quilt. I also added 3 scrap squares — can you tell which ones?

Here, all the strips are sewn together. Now I have to press the seams, and sew together all of the rows.

And pick out backing and binding fabric (suggestions welcome).

And learn how to quilt.

Oh, I love a new project!