bee creative

knitting just for the process

Last summer I had a huge need to just knit.  I didn't really care what I was knitting, it was just helping me make sense of my world.  It was helping me create order.  At one point during that time I grabbed a couple balls of wool and decided to just knit a square.  I didn't know what it was going to be and I didn't have any plans past thinking I would felt it.

A couple of months ago I felted it and added some dots by needle felting.  Somewhere in my mind I wanted to make them into flowers.  After looking at Alabama Stitch Book by Natalie Chanin  I decided to do some beading.  It's still in progress but I think it's going to end up being a square in my wool quilt or a pillow.

All this made me start thinking about the creation of fabric and about how often as a knitter or a crocheter we have a project in mind before we start.  This generally makes sense.  But  sometimes what if we just create fabric?  That is essentially what we are doing when we work with yarn.  Creating a fabric. 

in response to a book read

I'm kinda thinking it would be fun to do a journal page in response to books that I'm reading.  Sort of like this one.   

Inspire Me Thursday- Fold

This is the beginning of a larger project.  My next scrap quilt is going to be made from my wool stash.  To get started I cut a heart on a fold.  The bottom square (the red/green one) might be the center of the quilt.  I was playing around with photo filters and liked the way it created shadows for the photos.  I might use the top one for a card.  Another nice thing about the filters is that it hides the cat hair.... 

lunaria = moon plant = money plant

It's growing like a weed in my garden...

Looking out the window right now, the full moon is just high enough that I can see it.  It's clear as can be, but there is supposed to be snow tomorrow.

This morning there was just enough cloud cover to give the moon a veil. 

It's nice to know that the moon is something the whole world shares. 

thoughts on beginning to knit socks

I was asked on my last post about socks what I'd recommend for beginning to knit.  Here's a few thoughts: 

I think most of us need someone to show us the basics.  That means finding a friend that knits or taking a class.  The danger of learning from a friend is that you might learn a non-standard method of knitting.  I've been told by a friend that knits that I mix the two most common styles of knitting into my own "weird" style.  It works for me though because when all is said and done, my finished product looks the way it's supposed to. 

I knit this way because I was taught to knit when I was seven, didn't knit for many years (probably 20 years), and then re-taught my self to knit by looking at books.  I started with a scarf and then dove right into socks, 'cause that's what I really wanted to knit.

I use the pattern in Hip to Knit by Judith L. Swartz.  It's a basic pattern that's easy to follow except for one section in the heel.  This will probably only make sense to knitters but here's my problem with the directions:  the instruction is to knit a section of stitches, but I couldn't figure out how you did that when your working yarn was seven stitches away, so I just slide the stitches where they need to be.  If someone knows how to knit, I think they could easily figure out how to make a sock using this pattern.  Also, I've made several other projects out of Hip to Knit and been really pleased with the results. 

I'd really, really recommend not doing your first pair of socks with a thinner sock yarn.  It's much harder to work with than a heavier wool.  I'd go to a yarn shop and ask for advice on what yarn to use. 

Knitting socks won't save you any money, but it sure is fun!  It's a great conversation starter on the bus too. 

yep, another pair of socks

I think I'm going to get a reputation on the bus as that lady who is always knitting socks.

This would be  pair number twelve, using the same pattern.  One of my goals was to get to know the pattern so well that I would be able to make a pair without referring to the pattern.  I'm definitely there.  The yarn for this is a wool and hemp blend. 

I did try something different with this pair.  Did the toe a little different.  I followed the directions given at Knitty for doing a different decrease for the toe and then just pulling the thread through the loops to finish off.  So much easier than Kitchener stitch.  If it wears as well I'll do all my socks this way. 

Pair number thirteen is a stripped pair of socks using sock yarn.  Not my favorite yarn to use for socks funnily enough. 

Inspire Me Thursday- Soup

I think the quote by Alice Waters applies to living life too.

intersections and nests

This morning I went to check out one of my favorite blogs, Spirit Cloth.  After reading Jude's post today I went over to my shelf and scooped up one of my all time favorite things.  I went outside with it and placed it on a piece of the apple tree I cut down last year and took a picture:

This is a hummingbird's nest made from caulking from an old wood boat (that's what the fuzzy stuff is) and lichen from a tree.  It's about 20 years old.  My father found it and gave it to me.  I've always loved it for being the combination and now, I realize, the intersection between all the things it's made of. 

I've decided blogs are a kind of intersection.  A place where ideas can meet and mingle.