Terrapin Creations

Knitting for public awareness

2012-01-06T01:10:00.002-05:00

Jonelle from www.soysilk.com had a great idea. Rick Santorum wears knitted vests. What a wonderful way to bring hand knitting into the public eye then for us to band together and make him some. No matter what your political affiliation, this is a way to get our work seen nationally.
Contact Jonelle at jonelle@soysilk.com, or join us on Ravelry-www.ravelry.com/groups/knit-for-rick.

9/11

2011-09-11T11:21:00.001-04:00

Thank you to the firefighters, police officers and Port Authority officials who sacrificed their lives to try to save the innocents in these awful attacks. May you rest in peace with the knowledge that you did everything humanly possible to save lives that awful day. Your bravery will never be forgotten.
Thank you everyday for being the ones who run into the emergencies that everyone else runs away from. And shame on every politician who looks to cut the budgets of the police, firefighters and EMTs who pay the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe.

Cmon Irene

2011-08-30T03:21:00.001-04:00

Yeah, I know the song is Come on Eileen, but hey, it fits. I had to share this video because this hits the mass hysteria media whips people into nowadays. Its good to be informed and prepared, and I'm glad to see officials learned SOMETHING from Katrina, but really? This
was hyped for over a week. Whenever we in the Northeast turned on any news station, it was all about Irene. And then it slammed Vermont, not even taking the track through Maine it was forecasted to take. Keeping
my friends & family in the path of devistation in my thoughts for a speedy clean-up.

Anywho, while the "tropical storm" dumped rain on us, we enjoyed our first tomato from the garden. DH made a wonderful snack.
Simple Bruschetta:
1 lg heirloom tomato
1 pkg mozzarella cheese
2-3 tsp olive oil
2-3 tsp balsamic vinegar
Crushed red pepper
Black pepper
Oregano
Salt
Pesto (or fresh basil, chopped and fresh crushed garlic)
Kalameta olives (we didn't have any this time, but they would have
been yummo on this)

Toast points, crackers, or anything else you may want to stack the
tomato and cheese on.

Slice the tomato, cut the cheese into pieces the same size or smaller than the tomato. Place tomato and cheese on a plate, sprinkle the dry ingredients over the top. Pour balsamic vinegar and olive oil on top. You may need more or less of them, depending on how much tomato and cheese you have. Allow to sit as long as you can, it lets the flavors blend nicely. Also, if you include any type of italian ham or danish ham, it can be considered an antipasto appetizer.
Enjoy!
ETA: For some reason, I can't get the video to load. I'll work on it more, but may just need to share the link when I find out where it's posted. I got it via a friend on Facebook.

Lucky

2011-08-23T23:56:00.000-04:00

Now a days, a little luck on your side is a good thing. And, as we're having a bad day at work or with the kids, it's always good to remind ourselves there's a lot to be positive about.

My DH is a hard working guy who loves his family and our gardens. He's a painter and a musician, and has been very supportive of my blossoming knitting career. As a matter of fact, he gave me the gentle push into knitting that hasn led to this point. I'd been a crocheter, and admiring his mother's knitting. I'd dabbled in it some, but never felt that it fit. For Christmas 2002, he gave me a gift certificate to buy some good yarn (the $9.00 per skein kind) to do a sweater I'd been admiring in a Berroco pattern book. Plain stockinette stitch with garter edges, an oversized sweater done on size 13 needles. And when I got lost on the sleeve shaping, I called Berroco, and the designer herself called me back to walk me through it. And I haven't looked back since.

Fast forward a few years. SWTC put out a call for knitters that knew how to do toe-up socks on their Ravelry forum. I replied, and was sent yarn and the pattern. 4 more socks followed, all for the gallery in Socks A La Carte 2, and I've chronicled other items I've done for them in this blog. Last spring, Jonelle emailed me about some colorwork sock ideas, and the collaberation that became Socks A La Carte 3 was begun. And this book has finally made it to bookshelves, and I've included pix of some of the socks I knit for the book. The fair isle braid is my own design, and Persimmon I did in collaboration with Jonelle. Dad was able to see 3 of the socks for the book, Skullie, Steppin' Up, and Persimmon as I designed them. As much as I wish he had lived to see this finished, he did see my name in Socks 2, and he was so very proud.
I've also designed other patterns for them, and so far have been published in Knit 'N Style, with another design coming soon.

Why am I telling you this? I was lucky enough to be married to a man that indulged me and began me on the road to one of my passions. He also started me spinning, but thats for a later date.

I was lucky to be chosen by Jonelle, and to have kept her confidence in me. She's allowed me to spread my designer wings, much like a mother bird, watching and giving wonderful advice along the way.

And I'm lucky to have friends that know knitting isn't just for grandmothers anymore.

Bad Blogger...

2011-07-18T14:08:00.000-04:00

It's been 3 months since I blogged, and bad me. Some "excuses":
1. I started working overnights, and believe me, that can be ROUGH.
2. I've been doing designs for SWTC, the first one being released is Antique Lace.
3. My DH was a great man, and for. My birthday he gave me handcarders. So, I've been teaching myself the long draw after making rolags.
4. Right now, I'm working on 3 new designs. One for Knitters Magazine, one for For Love of Knitting magazine, and one for SWTC.
5. Baseball and softball. 2 boys playing baseball and DD playing softball. Softball has not ended yet.
6. I'm working overnights. I know I said that before, but I get out at 6 am, and try to sleep for 5-6 hours.

Photos will be posted as soon as I'm organized, promise. I'm also going to try to be a better blogger. Promise.

Dogs and yarn

2011-04-06T09:33:00.000-04:00

Or should I say puppies and half used skeins of Wollemise? It's probably more than half. I'm using it to make a pair of Rick socks by Cookie A for a good friend of mine. Her patterns are brilliant. Anywho, this is what I found when I got out of the shower this morning. It was all over the living room, I've gathered it together for this shot.

You can see Bert in the background clearly saying "It wasn't me, Mom. It was all her. Honest!" I'm thinking it was all Dehlia, maybe a bit of Bert since I could hear them wrestling around. Must be because spring's in the air.

More reveals!

2011-03-30T11:14:00.000-04:00

SWTC has released 3 of my sock patterns for their yarn Infatuation. They can be bought separately, or with a 4th pattern here. Each of the sock names will take you to the separate patterns. They are:
Mardi Gras, Jesamine, and Mossy Diamonds. Their photography is so much better than mine! Plus, I can't seem to find where I put the pix I took of each sock.
Some knitting that I did for myself, a hat and some warm mittens. There is also a sweater, but I still need to get good pix of that before I post them.

This is another pair of the Fox and Geese mittens, but they're mine. I did them in CTH's Possum worsted. So soft and fluffy!

This is Dream Big Verve-a REALLY fast knit. I started Sunday night, and was done not even 24 hours later, and that includes time to sleep and go to work totaling 15 hours of down time.

And a bunch of fun stitch markers I made. If you like any of them that you see here, let me know. I also do simple earrings. Just email me!

Twinkle Shawlette

2011-03-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

Since the magazine is now published, I can share the pictures of it. Look for it in the June 2011 issue of Knit 'N Style magazine. Jonelle sent me this skein of Little Star, and I loved the colors. I worked the trial run in Tofutsies, as you can see by the modeling of the DD.

I didn't have my model the day I needed to send this in, so all I have is it on the blocking mat. This is a fast and fun project, I can't wait to see what people do with it!

Super Secret knitting revealed

2011-03-14T12:39:00.000-04:00

Jonelle of SWTC released a sneak peak of my very first published pattern. Yes, I've self published before, but this is in a magazine! Knit 'N Style, to be exact. There are 2 other great patterns in SWTC yarns as well. Follow the linkie to read on (for those of you who saw it on Facebook, sorry for the repitition-can you tell I'm super excited?):
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/SWTC-Yarn-news-and-free-pattern.html?soid=1101272952566&aid=BVXZy1vfN3k

In spinning news, I picked up some merino/tussah silk at Nezinscot Farms in Turner. They're an organic working farm, the store is GORGEOUS, and they are some of the nicest people around. Plus, they deal in Ashford spinning supplies. I try not to go in very often because of this fact. A knitter can never have too many knitting needles, a spinner can never have too many bobbins.
The fiber is called autum; I'm thinking a Helix Scarf from the newest Spin Off is in order for this yarn. It may even become a gift or a giveaway...

In like an arctic blast

2011-03-02T10:50:00.000-05:00

Spring is supposed to start in 19 days. Tomorrow we're expecting temps in the teens. Again. And more snow Sunday/Monday. This is why rodents should not be allowed to forecast the weather.
I have a design that is coming out in next month's Knit 'N Style that I did for SWTC. I can't wait for it to be published.
In other fronts, I did spin up a braid of BFL from serenknity.com in the colorway mums. I got a 3 ply, 378 yds. Enough for socks, maybe a shawlette. We'll see. I just needed some spring colors. I'm itching for my lillies to poke their heads through the garden. Enough snow.

Welcome February!

2011-02-01T13:31:00.000-05:00

We're expecting more than a foot of snow by the time this storm moves out tomorrow night. Isn't March supposed to come in like a lion and out like a lamb? Anywho, I have enough projects to keep me occupied, and the DD wants me to spin up some angora before I do anything else. Even the beautiful mohair sent to me by J. Or the silk hankies sent by L. She wants bunny yarn. And since I have an abundance, I think it's time to try this out. Hopefully we will be dug out by Friday, and will have some postable projects (some of them are still secret knitting). Stay warm everyone!

January 2011...

2011-01-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

snuck up. Fast. And when the arctic north opened the door, it was COLD. So there was mitten knitting. Believe me, I have this pattern down. These are quick, knit with Cascade 220 and size 5's. One skein of each color made 2 pairs of mittens. Anyone looking for these just email me. They can be 2 or 3 colors, are 100% wool, and are $17.00 for 2 colors, $20.00 for 3, plus $3.00 for shipping in the US. I know it sounds expensive, but they will last and are so much thicker and warmer than the ones at certain box stores or gas stations. And the pattern can be modified if desired.

I got inspired by SWTC's latest yarn, JAZZ. It's bright, sparkley and surprisingly soft. The colorway that I used is A002. I had some Louet Northern lights in Meadow Trail, and well, I'll let the pics speak for themselves:

(DH made the tensioned lazy kate as a christmas present-LOVE it!)

And a close up:

It's approx. 267 yds, 18 WPI and 3 plies.

When I ran out of the JAZZ, I just plied the 2 little singles togther until they ran out (actually, one ran out, I need to ply up the 2nd one into more 2 ply.) It's approx. 241 yds, 21 WPI.

In other knitting, I did finally seam up my Tofu Tee. It's done in SWTC's Tofutsies yarn, and I love the way it turned out. Head on over to the website to purchase the pattern here.

A cowl done in SWTC's Inspiration (alpaca and soy). I'm sad that this has been discontinued, I love the blend. I have more in another color that's destined to be a jacket.

And a close up:

And lastly, a pair of knee-highs for DD's wonderful doctor done in Araucania Ranco Multy. It's Bettie's Lace Stockings by Hana Jason; from Interweave Knits Spring 2009.
I will not tell you her name, because I want her to stick around here. DD really likes her, and when it comes to making sure all bases are covered, she does a wonderful job. They look skinny, but that's only because they aren't on sock blockers.

And a close up of the pattern:

I've been doing designing and secret knittting that I can't post pix of. Once it's published this summer, I will. Pinkie promise.

We held Dad's memorial/funeral service on the 15th. I would love to thank my bestest friend for being there to lend me her support along with DH. He was a well-loved man who lived life to the absolute fullest he could, even when he was sick. He made the decision to go thru chemo and radiation 4 times to prolong his time with his family. As the BF put it, "Think of it as closing a great book that was so asesome, but because you know the ending you just can't read it again."

Oh, and a gratuitous shot of Dehliah and Bert:

Life and death

2010-12-23T14:12:00.002-05:00

Yesterday my dad passed away. It had been expected, he'd been sick for a while. And although we all know that our parents grow older and die, it doesn't make it any easier. He loved much, laughed loudly, and cared deeply. He was proud when SWTC graciously asked me to design socks to be published as a part of Socks a la Carte 3 and was fascinated to watch me spin. He enjoyed reruns of Angel and Charmed. Every Christmas Eve he gathered all the kids and grandkids around him to read "The Night Before Christmas." He battled and beat cancer 4 different times with the stubborness and determination he was know and loved for. These battles weakened his body, but never deterred him from pushing on. Although he will be greatly missed, we are at peace knowing he is free of pain. I love you always daddy. Frederick C. Copeland Sr. 6/7/1944-12/22/2010.

November Rain

2010-11-08T11:52:00.000-05:00

I love this song, by Guns 'N Roses. Plus, that's what the weather has been like the past few days. It feels like spring, only it's so much colder. Since most of my knitting is super secret, I can't say anything other than I can't wait for the book to come out.
On the needles, still sitting there is my Jewels Cardigan by Amy King. It was meant for handspun, but I have some yummy Dream Big by South West Trading Company in a lovely charcole grey color. I'm hoping to have enough to make the sleeves a bit longer. I know it's going to be so warm, which makes it perfect for this time of the year. There's also a free pattern on this page that I would make if I didn't look like a dork in hats.
Life with a new puppy is much like living with a new baby-no sleep at all. She's adjusting quite well, even if Bert doesn't always like the fact she's around.
No photos for this entry, hopefully the cardi will be done in the next few days.

Dehlia

2010-10-25T09:59:00.002-04:00

We went to our nephew's birthday party on Saturday. They had 8 puggle puppies (pug/beagle mix). Dehlia came to me, put her head on her foot, and gave me a puppy look that just melted my heart. She came home with us.

I also got some spinning done while I was in between super secret knitting. The first is merino/tencel laceweight singles; 2.7 oz/348 yds. Dyed by Highland Handmades. The second is Ruby Red rayon (bamboo) by SWTC. The rayon is super slippery and sheds!

Also, I got a couple of wonderful gifts. First is from rwest81, as a thank you for her orchid socks.

Tofutsies in a wonderful green/purple, a free pattern, candy corn (YUM!), a great little travel knitting bag, darning needles, and squooshey socks I had to steal back from DD.
Second, is another pug swap, this from shorty3boys. Bert loves his toys, and the yarn is so yummy. The patterns are wonderful! I loved the stitch markers too, they're just amazing.

Finally! Knitting!

2010-09-15T10:06:00.001-04:00

rwest81's socks, originally uploaded by TerrapinCreations.

I was a part of a swap on Ravelry, and here are the socks I knit for her. Very quick knit, it took me a total of 2 days. I used the new SWTC book Socks A La Carte 2: Toes up for the toe/heel combo. Check it out; I'm listed as one of the sample knitters! I'll post the photos of the socks soon, I promise!

Processing fleece

2010-08-18T09:30:00.003-04:00

After washing this once, I'm now combing it to open the dirt encrusted locks. I'll wash it again, then comb it again. Hopefully it will then be ready to spin. It's a jacob fleece I bought from the DEW Animal Kingdom. I'm planning on donating the yarn back to them. They keep a lot of animals that would otherwise be destroyed, and rely on donations from the public. Sheep are very dirty critters, indeed.

Blueberries and Apricots

2010-06-04T10:06:00.002-04:00

This is my donation to the Girl's Talk basket for the Wilton Blueberry Festival. It's done in 50% Merino and 50% Tencel. It was splitty to work with, but other than that, the pattern was awesome. It is Not A Drop, written by Arlene of Arlene's World of Lace. It's reversible, and I loved it. I may make myself one, but wider. Or make a door curtain (regular curtains?) for the daughter. Of course, I'd have to add beads to the end, and while we were at Enchantments for my birthday she expressed much interest in the beaded door hangings. We'll see.
All 25 of my lily plants have poked their heads out of the garden. I can't wait for them to bloom.
Should be an interesting weekend; rain off and on, which will make the humidity unbearable. Hopefully I will be able to make it to the Fiber Frolic on Sunday. Have a great weekend everyone!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2010-05-26T09:57:00.002-04:00

Here's my latest item for sale: the chocolate covered strawberries. It's for sale here at my etsy store. It's made from Cascade 220, hand knitted and felted by me. Socks & pencil case are not included.

Come and go with me

2010-05-07T10:53:00.007-04:00

I finally sucked it up and finished sewing up my Reversible come and go sweater. Deborah Newton designed it and I fell in love as soon as I saw it. I love the color on this; Cascade 220 for those of you who are wondering; depending on the light the yarn is either gray or lilac. I finished in time, today it's windy and in the 50's. I haven't taken it off yet today. It feels like a big, warm wooly hug. If I modify this at all, I will rip back the button band & button-hole band to redo. They're kinda floppy, not sure what that's about. It could be as easy as the buttons are too heavy and need a stablizer on the back, but the button hole band gaps. Plus, I got all excited when I did them and didn't read the directions all the way thru. The bottom buttons shouldn't be that low, but hey, that's why we knit and make our own. Because it can be a design element and makes it our own.
Speaking of buttons, aren't these FABULOUS! I bought them at Pins & Needles, as soon as I get her permission I will post the lady's name who makes these. She hand makes all her buttons, and I love them. I've got another stashed away for my Sipalu bag that has mother of pearl in it. She's a genius.

In pug news, Bert learned to drive!

Not really! We were waiting for baseball practice to end & DD snapped the shot. She thought it was cute.Happy Mother's Day to everyone out there!
**UPDATE**
The lady who made the buttons is Mary McFarland. You can contact Cheri at Pins & Needles to inquire about the buttons; Mary also does custom orders. You should also ask about her quilted art wall hangings and jewelry.

Goodbye April

2010-04-30T10:40:00.002-04:00

We've had a crazy month of April this year when it comes to weather. Snow one day, 80 degrees 2 days later. Today the wind is blowing extremely hard, just getting all the snow out of here. Tomorrow, garden weather. I'm hoping May is a bit more even keeled. At least it's lilac month :).

In spinning news, I finished a skein of 2 ply fingering weight yarn. It's just under 4 ounces, and was dyed by Pippi Knee Socks. The colorway is Lost Sailor. Any of you Deadheads know that's a great song, usually followed immediately by Saint of Circumstance. Anywho, I bought 2 braids of it, and this one has way more yellow in it. The second braid has more of the blues and purples.

I also finished off my second baby surprise jacket. These things are so easy and fun. Done in Jeannee yarn, it's cotton and acrylic so it can be machine washed. The buttons are paw prints, so cool!

Lilac Socks

2010-04-30T10:33:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite flowers is lilacs. When I saw this yarn by Cherry Tree Hill, I knew what it would become. These socks are done toe up with a short row heel and a cute picot cuff at the top. These are a very quick knit and so customizable with the color of yarn you choose. Puchase the pattern here:

Supplies needed:

1 skein sock yarn
US # 2 (2.75mm) dpns
Tapestry needle

This is an easy intermediate pattern. Knowledge of lace and toe up socks needed. Enjoy!

Wow...

2010-04-02T10:36:00.004-04:00

I can't believe it's been 3 months since I last posted here.

It's finally beginning to feel like spring here, maybe I'm just waking up out of my winter sleep.

I've been spinning some, and finished my first 3 ply yarn. Can I just say how much I love my Ashford Traveller? Since tomorrow is supposed to be around 70, hopefully I will be able to take it outside and try to spin up some angora. Pretty good for the first time, huh? The dime is there for size reference so you can see how fine the yarn is. It's a darker color than this, but you can see all the heathers better this way. I'm hoping to make socks from it.

During the winter Olympics, I was team captain for Team GoPugYourself on Ravelry. I was able to knit a 30" x 68" lace stole in 17 days, showing here:

I did take 3 days out to go see Further in NH and MA. DH and I had our own mini vacation. We hope to hit the Natava Festival this July in Oxford. On March 25th we went to Porland with the in-laws and caught Keller Williams doing a solo show at the Port City Music Hall. Highly recommend getting VIP seating if you go there. The set list was great, and fun was had by all.

I also did up a hat in Karaoke by SWTC, and of course Cheri took possesion of it immediately. She loves hats, they look wonky on me. To be honest, I knew she would, and I had her in mind when I made it. This stuff is so soft, and it felts, so I'm thinking a couple of little bags for stuff.

Have a great weekend all!

Maine Mitered Shawl

2010-01-20T13:37:00.002-05:00

Maine Mitered Shawl, originally uploaded by EeyoreknitsinME.

Here is another one of my self designs. I named her the Maine Mitered Shawl, and she's for sale on Ravelry. I was inspired by the mommie routine of going to baseball and softball games, and having a really bad, cold, rainy summer. One minute it could be sunny, the next cold and dreary. This is done out of sock yarn doubled. Supplies list:

1 skein color A, B, C, E, F
2 skeins color D
US #5 needles
Tapestry needles
Size F crochet hook.

It is an intermediate skilled knit, with basic crochet knowledge.

If you are interested in buying this pattern, here is the link for it:

Happy Knitting!

Happy New Year

2010-01-06T09:24:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year to one and all! I'm going to try to be better about posting, but with all the stuff going on, I can't promise it =).
DD and I are working on some chemo caps to donate to the local breast cancer center. The yarn was given to us by Cheri at Pins and Needles. I really think this is a good cause, and it gets us into volunteer work.
I've also been spinning on my new Ashford Traveller-what a difference from my other wheel. Although I love them both, I think this is my favorite. Can't wait to spin my angora yarn to make lots of fluffy scarves for everyone.
Also, I've entered my mitered shawl into the Cherry Tree Hill design contest. If I make it into the top 10, it will be voted on by the knitting community. Believe me, I will be posting links everywhere! Pics will come soon, I promise ;).

Mittens

2009-12-14T13:57:00.003-05:00

I finally completed a set of mittens to sell in my Etsy store located here. They are made from 100% wool, and before you say that $25 is too much, realize that it cost me almost $24 to buy the yarn. Not much of a profit margin there. I do also take custom orders.

Knitting & Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T11:17:00.002-05:00

So I went to the parent's house for Thanksgiving, got to spend some time with my sister, brother, nieces, nephews, and most importantly, Dad. He keeps telling everyone this is his will be his last Christmas. He can't shake the constant pneumonia. We also invited their next door neighbors over. There was plenty of food, and these people were going out for chinese because one decided at the last minute they weren't going to bother cooking, so the other two were SOL. I also took in my niece's cheerleading uniform. I understand that she's a freshman, and they don't get the choice pieces, but I had to take the side in 2 1/4". The skirt had been taken in before she got it, so I could only do one side, the solid colored side. The opposite side had been taken in at least an inch. This girl is tiny, and she was giving a HUGE skirt.
Christmas is at my house this year. I will be invaded by no less than 7 people. I wish I had a double oven.
Here's some of the knitting I've been doing. Some are samples for SWTC, others are gifts.

This is the starfall shawl; a new pattern just published by SWTC. It is done with one skein of Tofutsies. Isn't it great?

This is the latest hat for my nephew. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a shot of him with it on. We tried. Cascade superwash.

Another pair of mitts for Em. Moose, the English mastiff introduced earlier, decided the last pair tasted yummy.

This is the back of a shrug I made for my DD using Saphira by SWTC. Love the yarn to pieces!!! Great bulky single ply yarn, soft and yummy! I have some that I'm going to make into a cardigan for myself, when I get a chance to knit for myself (yeah, right. A girl can dream, can't she?)

This is a cashmere scarf I designed for my mother in law, and gave to her as a birthday present. It almost didn't leave the house. Cashmere is so sinfully soft.

This is another sample for SWTC, it's their Comfy Coat done in a georgeous olive green Saphira. Unfortunately, the camera would not cooperate to show the beautiful color. You can check out the back on Flickr or Ravelry.

And last, but not least, the Vilai socks from Cookie A's book Sock Innovation. These are done in Cherry Tree Hill's Northern Lights colorway. They are beautiful in real life.

Now, back to the needles. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I realized how thankful I am that I still have my dad, and that we can share a wonderful day with people we love. It's not about the food, it's about the company. I also am thankful for friends and family long gone, at least I knew they for a brief, shining moment and each of them touched my heart and taught me a life lesson. Joe, Ray, Grandpa, Grandma, Dave, and everyone else here and gone; I love you. On to Christmas...

Giants, angora & secret knitting

2009-11-03T09:24:00.002-05:00

Wow. November already. And my beloved Giants have dropped their last 3 games. To whomever kidnapped the real Giants, please let them go. We want them back. NOW!

One of the generous ladies that I work with asked me if I wanted some angora rabbit fur. It's raw, needs to be carded and spun. I don't have hand carders, but I said sure, why not. It'll be a good learning experience, you have to use a different methon spinning this than other yarns. She and her husband raised angoras years ago, and he had stored some of the fur they had not sold. One of their sheds needed to be removed, and while cleaning out another shed, he discovered this treasure trove. I thought they probably had a little, no more than 6 oz. I was WAYYYY wrong. I receieved a 5 gallon bucket full of black/white, and about 12 other buckets (the kind used to hold hamburg; probably between a half gallon and a gallon sized ice-cream tub). Holy angora! I have all kinds of colors, fawn, chocolate, pure white, black, you name it. All needs to be carded (there are some matts in some), and spun. Now, I am a beginning spinner and a quick learner. But instead of receiving ounces, I got pounds. The generosity of folks amazes me. I also bought an antique yarn skeiner from a co-worker at a steal.

I'm still doing my secret knitting for SWTC, can't wait to be able to reveal them to you. If you like bulky superwash yarn, try out their Saphira. For cotton/bamboo blends-Terra. Sock yarn-Jezebel for those pure wool lovers, Tofutsies for those who like to walk on the wild side. Infinity for those cobweb heirloom lace pieces. Or you could double it to make up a lace scarf (pattern to be developed as soon as I'm done knitting & spinning, maybe sooner!) Therapi is just that, yarnie goodness. Soon I'll be trying out Karaoke. Check them all out here.

Off to knit again!!

Where in the USA have I been?

2009-10-06T13:50:00.001-04:00

visited 21 states (42%)
Create your own visited map of The United States
I saw this link on a fellow Raveler's info page, and thought it would be cool. I guess I need to do more traveling...

I'm still here...

2009-09-29T10:13:00.002-04:00

Wow. September flew by, and I realized that I haven't posted in a while. I promised pics of my stargazers & casablanca lilies when they bloomed, and I apologize to my one reader (me). I've been doing some secret knitting for a company; when the patterns are published I will post pictures. I've also been working on some of my own designs and the Lilac sock pattern is now available to purchase on Ravelry.
Summer was one month here in Maine. August. That was it. September has been nice, but we had so much rain during June & July that I'm praying for a mild winter. I don't know how much more moisture the ground can take. On a positive note, at least I don't have to worry about my well running dry.
So, right now my life is composed of kids after school activities, secret knitting and regular housework.
I can't wait to get back to spinning...

Flowers

2009-08-18T10:53:00.007-04:00

My liles have begun to bloom, I got 3 kinds from Maple Crest Lilies at the Bangor Home show in March. We put them in the ground, and I've been a mother hen over them to make sure they bloom. The Red asiatic bloomed first, and the stargazers have begun. The casa blanca will open last.
We have also discovered that begonias do well at our house, we have 2 red, 2 yellow, 1 white and 1 pink.
And our butterfly bush.

And 2 of the pansies.

In knitting news, I finished the original design of the lilac socks

and my daughter's bookbag.
It's really too hot to do much else other than socks right now. The humidity is horrible right now. I can't wait for it to break.

Catching up.

2009-07-30T09:29:00.004-04:00

Whew, it's been a while. DH and I attended the Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, CT over the weekend-what a great show! The venue was beautiful. The only downfalls were that there was a horrible thunderstorm on Thursday and Friday, so the concert field was a bog. The town of Bridgeport tried their best to suction up the water and lay down hay to make it better, but the ground remained muddy and the venue smelled like a barn. At least the music made up for it. On Sunday, Buddy Guy came out and introduced us to Quinn Sullivan, a 10 year old guitar prodigy. If you get a chance to look him up on Youtube, the first link that comes up is him at age 8 playing "The Trill is Gone". Keep your ears open, as long as this kid follows the right path he'll be playing until he's B.B. and Buddy's age. It was also my first time seeing George Clinton and P. Funk-what a stage show they put on!
I know some people will look down their noses and say "You must be a druggie", or "I can't believe you'd go to a dirty hippie event". Really, there were some of the nicest people there. There was a OD that occured Saturday/Sunday, but it was in the middle of the camping venue and all the drug action was in that area. We were on the very outside of the entire thing, and to be honest most of the kids offering us hard core drugs looked like they just walked out of an Abercrombie & Fitch ad. I was astounded!
Another thing I learned is that when you are one of the very few that does not imbibe in alcohol or drugs, the people who are tripping along in outer space come to you for a safe zone. They know that you are grounded to reality and can be a lifeline to them. Actually, DH explained this to me after the same kid kept returning to us time and time again. At least I could offer him support in a way.
I love going to outdoor concerts, whether they are a folk festival, music festival, or an outdoor concert on the 4th. Being outside with nature and music lets your inner child out. I intend on going to this show again, and maybe in a couple of years exposing the kids to it-but we'll be in a hotel and not camping around all the drug drama.
Not too much knitting went on, still working on the same old stuff. The Lilac Aeolian is worked on very fine soysilk yarn with seed beads. Thanks to DS for getting me a 0.65mm (yes, that's right-a 0.65mm) crochet hook to help with this. I had bought a 0.75mm, but that was still too big for 90% of the beads. It did help it go quicker than using a piece of beading wire as a hook, and I'm hoping to have this done soon to show everyone.

SPIDER

2009-07-13T14:00:00.005-04:00

Ok, so we were doing outside stuff, and while the DH was changing out a porch light fixture, he pointed out this little guy:

He's between the size of a quarter & half dollar. I'm not sure what kind of spider he is, other than he's big. If anyone has a guess as to what he is, I'd love to know.

I did get some knitting finished in between running back and forth to Home Depot & the doctors. First off, a half sock for someone who broke her leg:

This is knit in Boku by Plymouth yarns, 95% wool and 5% silk.

Secondly, I got a present pair of socks done:

And a close up of the stitch pattern:

The pattern is Swirly Girl by Deby Lake from SWTC. The yarn is Tofutsies, which I love. I also did get the blocks baby blanket 95% completed, hopefully it will be done tonight.

Gatherning of the Vibes

2009-07-08T09:57:00.003-04:00

We got our tickets yesterday to the Gathering of the Vibes in Connecticut. I can't wait, 4 days of music by the coast, and there are so many great bands playing! Just the DH and I, camping out.

I've spent the past few hours trying to figure out how to put this next statement:
To the news organizations who insist on replaying Paris Jackson's breakdown-STOP! It's so tormenting to see that little girl sobbing over the loss of her father at least 4 times every hour. I'm sad that he's gone too, but we have lost other great people recently as well. I didn't see this much coverage when Koko Taylor, Farrah Fawcet, or Ed McMahon died. I know that MJ was a great entertainer who gave the world much, but let the poor man & his family have peace. Just my little rant here.

Any who-GOTV here we come!

Rain, Rain

2009-07-01T10:18:00.004-04:00

What a month June was! 95% rain. I had to check between my toes to see if there was any webbing growing in. My SIL was in from California, I think she may have had 2 tops days with minimal rain. While she was here she scoffed up the Eunice socks I was making.

The yarn was Plymouth's Happy choices. Its knitted into a scarf of natural colored yarn, and then it's hand painted. You then have the choice of wearing it as a scarf or making something else out of it while unraveling the scarf at the same time. I picked it up at Pins & Needles. The yarn bloomed nicely after washing, but if I ever used it again I would probably wind it into a hank to get the kinks out first. Off to Cali they go!

While DH was hanging out with his sisters L & C, niece A & C's dog, a baby/adolecent squirrel decided to charge the dog. The dog promply grabbed the squirrel in it's mouth, bit down, and spit it out. The following is not a verbatum of the converstation, but you'll get the gist:

DH: " Guess the dog killed the squirrel. I've never seen something like that."

C & L: "It's not dead! It's still blinking!" (I'm guessing it was in it's death throwes.)

DH: "C-take A away. I'll take care of it." And he promptly dispatched of the squirrel.

Fast forward back to C's house. DH is now titled "Squirrel Killer". Ain't family grand?

Blueberry Triangle Shawl

2009-06-25T10:04:00.003-04:00

Another FO (finished object) and another project cast on. I know a few women who are having babies, and so far the known sexes are boys. What's going on? I love blue, but there are so many cute lacy patterns to give, and they do not belong on boys. Oh well.
Here's the finished blueberry triangle shawl. The name comes from the fact that the yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Merino lace in the blueberry hill colorway, but also because this is being donated to the Girl's Talk raffle that is held during the Wilton Blueberry Festival. My DD has done the girl's talk program the last 2 years, and it is wonderful. 5th and 6th grade girls team up with a mentor from the community (including UMF students) and they both read the same book. Once a month, there is a dinner where the girls & their mentors discuss the book and do activities together. This year the DD had a chance to go to the Margaret Chase Smith museum with 3 other girls. This is a wonderful program, and hopefully the shawl helps raise a lot of money.

(notice the daughter's new haircut from the relay for life!! 12 inches gone to locks for love! I know I said this before, but I'm really proud of her for following through with it, eventhough it was nerve racking for a minute. She really loved having long hair, but knew it was for a good cause and that it would grow back.)
And a closeup:

Updates

2009-06-23T09:45:00.004-04:00

First off, we did the Relay for Life event in Farmingdale on 6/18. While there, DD decided to donate 12 inches of her hair to Locks of Love. I promised her that we will both work on growing out our hair together and donating it next year. One more softball game this week, and then playoffs next week.
DS is done baseball-his team went from 2nd to last to first place this year, made it to the championship gaem and unfortunately lost, but it was a good effort by all the kids. Much respect to the team that won, they were in last place last season.
Hubby had a good time fishing and brought home brookies-fish fry tonight!
I've linked my Flower Meadow Scarf as a Ravelry .pdf download to make it easier for people to find. Just look for Terrapin Creations. It's also for sale at Etsy under the same name.
I've finished the Blueberry Shawl to be donated to the Girl's Talk program at DD's school, will post pics as soon as it stops raining and I can get a good shot.

Nancy's Scarf

2009-06-17T10:26:00.002-04:00

Nancy's Scarf Done, originally uploaded by EeyoreknitsinME.

I made this as a thank you to the middle boy's 5th grade teacher. She has done a lot for him, and has gone through a lot personally this year, losing her husband to cancer around Thanksgiving. I really think that good teachers are hard to come by, and she has been one of the best. This was done in Nobo Josephine, on size 11's, and is based on the Yo! Drop it scarf from Stitch & Bitch Nation. In other news, the DH has gone fishing up north (Allagash way) and promises to bring home trout. He promises this each time he goes fishing, so far no trout =). This is his Father's Day getaway with a bunch of friends. Too bad it's not a vacation for me, the DD is still in softball, and the DS has a championship little league game tomorrow. I never imagined I would be a soccer mom...

Men's hunting socks

2009-06-08T09:21:00.004-04:00

Ok, so living in Maine, I have a lot of hunters/fishermen in my family. And those who do so, also have friends that do. Hunting camp, fishing camp, etc. I came up with these socks for them, and offer it to you to make for the men in your life. The picture is sized for a size 13 shoe. No, he isn't a Yeti, but pretty close to it. You may gift these socks to the people in your life, but may not sell them unless you get written permission from me. Enjoy! (sorry for the bad pic; this was before I got my new camera!)

Man's Hunting Sock

Materials: 2 skeins Christopher Sheep Farm 2 ply Sport Weight (350 yds. each skein) One skein may be enough depending on what size you need to make.

Set of 5 size 3 DPN (or set of 4, or circs, whichever you prefer)

Stitch markers

Gauge: 28 sts=4". Row gauge is not important.

Abbreviations:

k=knit

p=purl

pm=place marker

pwise=purlwise

sl=slip

ssk=slip, slip knit

p2tog=purl 2 together

N(#)=needle number

C/O 72 sts. Distribute evenly over 4 needles; join being careful not to twist. PM for beginning of the round Work K1, P2, *K2, P2*. Repeat between * around to last st, K1. Repeat this row until sock is 7", or desired length. K1 round even.

Heel is worked over 36 sts; instep is not worked.

Row 1 (rs): Sl 1 pwise w/yarn in back, k1. Repeat across.

Row 2 (ws): Sl 1 pwise w/yarn in front, p across.

Repeat rows 1 & 2 13 times (or until heel measures approx. 3.2"), end ws row.

Turn the heel:

Row 1 (rs): Sl 1 pwise w/yarn in back, k 22, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 2(ws): Sl 1 pwise w/yarn in front, p 11, p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 3(rs): Sl 1 pwise w/yarn in back, k 12, ssk, k1. Turn.

Repeat rows 2 & 3, increasing the number of stitches worked by one on each side until there are 24 stitches left on the needle.

Round 1: N1-K 12 stitches, pm for new beginning of the round, k 12, p/u 16 sts along side of heel flap for gussett. N 2 & 3-k across instep sts. N4- p/u 16 along next edge, k 12. (You should now be at the beg. row marker with 92 sts. on your needles.) Work 1 round even.

Decrease Gussett:

Round 1: N1-k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. N2&3-k across. N4-k1, ssk, k to end.

Round 2: K around.

Repeat rounds 1 & 2 until you have 72 sts. Continue to work even on 72 sts. until you are 2 1/2 " from desired lenght.

Toe:

Round 1: N1-k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. N2-k1, ssk, k to end. N3-k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. N4-k1, ssk, k to end.

Round 2: K

Repeat until you have 36 sts total, and then work round 1 only until you have 20 sts. Cut yarn long enough to graft toe closed, weave in ends, and work 2nd sock the same as the first.

Starry Night

2009-06-01T08:55:00.002-04:00

Here's a quick shawl that was really fun to make. It used a little over one skein of Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome in Silver Streak. The pattern is Gail on Ravelry.

Here's a close up:

On the rock out back:

Birthday goodies!

2009-05-18T11:09:00.003-04:00

Birthday goodies!, originally uploaded by EeyoreknitsinME.

I love swaps on Ravelry!! I'm a part of the Gemini knitters, and received this great package from bdegar! She sent me sock yarn that probably will become something in Cookie A's new book (either Kai-Mei or Vilai), roving, wool wash, buttons, and a great bag that is already in use. I love the handmade card as well. I know I wasn't supposed to open it until my birthday, but since I'm a Gemmi, I can blame it on my evil twin.

Flower Meadow Scarf pattern finished and for sale

2009-05-08T13:34:00.004-04:00

flower meadow, originally uploaded by EeyoreknitsinME.

These pictures were taken by Cooper for Susan at Abstract Fiber, she has been so wonderful to work with through the design process. You can purchase the pattern here:

Supplies needed:

1 skein abstract fiber sock yarn
US #5 needles
Approx 200 E beads
Tapestry needle

Flower Meadow Done

2009-04-28T09:17:00.002-04:00

Here's the finished scarf for Abstract Fibers, modeled by my daughter, M.

And a close up of the bead pattern:

I also got the pedal pushers done; and have been designing a shawl for the upcoming Cherry Tree Hill design contest. I've gotten my 6 skeins of supersock at Pins & Needles-Cheri was great in helping me with the color scheme.

American Cancer Society Relay for Life

2009-04-22T13:58:00.004-04:00

I just wanted to say that I'm proud of my DH for meeting his fundraising goal. Our family has been hit hard by cancer, with 10 members diagnoosed with different types and in different stages, and he's walking this year in the relay for life. If you are able, please visit his page here and donate. Cancer is a horrible disease, and the cure isn't much better. Even if you can't donate, please try to join a team in your area, or create something to donate to your local hospital. Thanks!

Back from Vacation

2009-04-22T09:24:00.003-04:00

Back from vacation-sometimes it feels like you need a vacation from your vacation! I got to meet my BF's new English Mastiff, Moose. He's 5 months old and is a big sweetheart!

At least him & Bert get along. Good thing, too. Bert would be a 2 bite snack for Moose!

I got my Diamonds & Pearls socks done on Monday while watching the Boston Bruins beat up on the Montreal Canadiens. Man, do I love hockey! These were made from Tofutsies, and the pattern is Diamonds & Pearls by Deby Lake.

I also picked up Cookie A's new book, Sock Innovation. This is a must have for sock knitters!
In order to unwind yesterday after the rainy drive home, I cast on the Calorimetry, and finished it 6 hours later. This was done in Plymouth Boku on size 5's.

Next post, the blocked Flower Meadow Scarf!

Bert!!

2009-04-15T09:20:00.002-04:00

I just had to share this:

Flower Meadow Scarf

2009-04-13T09:47:00.004-04:00

Edited because I'm an idiot and accidentally removed the pics from my Flickr page. Duh!

The colorway is Glen Jackson Bridge.

Abstract Fiber Design

2009-04-06T09:51:00.004-04:00

I received a package from Susan at Abstract Fiber on Saturday; it is a lovely supersock that I will be designing a scarf from. Just by touching, this is a very soft yarn and will make a great scarf.

On a different note, I've begun Deby Lake's Diamonds and Pearls as the April Sockdown Challenge for the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry. This month's challenge is to knit an underappreciated or knee high sock. I was #6 to knit this pattern on Ravelry:

Spinning Away

2009-04-01T09:11:00.006-04:00

For our 5th wedding anniversary last year, my DH bought me a Babe's spinning wheel. I've been knitting so much that I haven't gotten too much spinning done, but I did make this hat from start to finish last year:

The roving was give to me by a co-worker, and so I spun it and knit up this Unoriginal hat by the yarn harlot. This weekend I got the spinning bug again and got lost in my own little fiber world:

I'm going to ply these together; it will probably be a DK or worsted weight. The roving is corridale bought from The Purple Fleece in Searsport Maine. They are the folks that sold me the spinning wheel. The fam was at the Commonground Fair and I was looking at the wood Ashfords and Louets she had out. Then I noticed a box with the description of the Babe wheel on it. Since these wheels are made from PVC pipe, they weren't allowed to be on display. The fair is all about organic/natural living-coffe isn't even sold inside! The ladies from the Purple Fleece were so nice, I highly recommend seeing them if you are at the Commonground or in Searsport!
Next roving up: Cherry Tree Hill merino in blues & purples bought at Pins & Needles in Farmington Maine.

Flow Motion Done & Pedal pushers begun.

2009-03-27T09:43:00.008-04:00

Here are my flow motion socks done; this was a fun & quick knit. I used Kollage yarns Yummy, colorway Overseas & size 5 dpns. The yarn is bamboo & wool; we'll see how it holds up.

I always have at least one pair of socks on the needles, so I began the pedal pushers by Deby Lake using Tofutsies. I love to use the Tofutsies!

Leaf & Tendril done & Flow Motion Begun

2009-03-23T09:50:00.014-04:00

Leaf & Tendril done, originally uploaded by EeyoreknitsinME.

Leaf & Tendril socks by Cat Bordhi; knit in Kollage Lucious, colorway Asparagus, needle size 1.5. Once I figured everything out; they moved along pretty quickly. I shortened them by 1 repeat; I hate knee socks. This yarn was a pain, very splitty. Instead of keeping these, they will be gifted.

I also started another Cat Bordhi sock with another Kollage yarn-figured I give them both another shot. These are the Flow Motion socks found in either Vogue Knitting Fall 2006 or Vogue's ultimate sock book. I must say, this is a very quick knit, and I'm liking the yummy better than the lucious. My only complaint is that I found 2 knots in the first skein. Quick rant-I wish yarn companies would sell partial skeins instead of knotting a skein to make yardage/weight. Just a personal pet peeve!

Fire Walk Socks

2009-03-19T11:22:00.003-04:00

Fire Walk Socks Done, originally uploaded by EeyoreknitsinME.

My very first design! The color of these socks (Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in Sugar Maple) reminded me of a campfire, so these are knit in a modified flame lace with a short row heel. The flames lick all the way to your toes. Other variations could be blues for waves, or greens for blades of grass.

Cleo & Ant

2009-03-19T11:17:00.001-04:00

Cleo & Ant Done, originally uploaded by EeyoreknitsinME.

This is the second pair of self-designed socks that I've done. My daughter was doing a report on Cleopatra, I had this Tofutsies from SWTC that reminded me of swirling water and presto! Cleo & Ant was born. The front of the sock is a modified Cleopatra cable, flanked by her egyptian asps. The back is Arrowhead lace bordered by identical ladders. The Arrowhead lace is continued through the heel flap.

Heya!

2009-03-19T10:15:00.000-04:00

OK, so I'm new to this. I've read a lot of friends blogs, and have decided that I need to jump on the bandwagon. Just because it's the in thing to do, ya know?