"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

4/30/13

Of Dolls, Cabochons, and Gardens

I have a couple FO's to share today. I'll start with the knitted one.


Modeled by Penny

Little Black Dress

Pattern: Little Black Dress by me.

Yarn: Nomi Lee Lorraine
Content: 100% Acrylic, lace weight
Color: Black

Yarn: Boucle' (unknown brand name)
Content: 100% Acrylic, lace weight
Color: Black

Needles: Addi Turbo Circular size 0 and size 000

Cast on: April 21, 2013
Completed: April 29, 2013

Comments: This dress is a prototype for the design I'm planning on selling. I am quite pleased with how it has turned out. I will make some changes though. I didn't like using such thin needles, and I don't need to use needles that thin. The fabric is just a bit stiff. I'm going to rework the pattern using size 2's. It will be a little easier on the hands.

Detail photo of the neckline and sleeves. Neckline is 1x1 rib.

Modeled by Penny

I embellished with a bit of bead embroidery. I used size 15 seed beads. The hem is also 1x1 rib.




Yes, I think this will do. Maybe make it just a little more 'shapely'. The boots don't quite work with this dress but it's all I have at the moment. I do have shoes on order that will be better.

Modeled by Penny

Now on to the beading!

I have finished the bead embroidery part of this months Seadbeadersters challenge. I'm calling it Peaceful Lakes for now.

 

I used 3 glass cabochons. They are connected to form one focal pendant. I used 3mm firepolish crystals in blue, copper, and green, size 11 matte teal and lime green color lined seed beads, size 15 silver lined turquoise blue and silver lined royal blue seed beads, and some pale green leather for the backing.



Detail photo of the edging, which was fun to do.



There are little bushes growing by the lakes.



The colors are very soothing to my eyes.



This will be a necklace. I haven't decided what kind of chain to make. I'm kicking around half a dozen different ideas.

Yesterday was very productive for me. Besides finishing the above projects, I started the garden. On Sunday I talked my husband into roto-tilling the garden for me (which wasn't easy). I'm planning to have a successful garden this year come hell or high water. Usually I would not plant anything until Mothers Day, but after looking at the weather predictions, I decided to go ahead and plant Sweet Peas, Carrots, and Beet seeds yesterday.

Part of the 'arguement' I had with Sweet Hubby over the roto-tilling job is that he didn't want to help weed anymore. He hates gardening (this is news to me) and doesn't want to do it anymore. I was trying to figure out what he's talking about cuz he doesn't help weed. But he sees roto-tilling between the rows to keep the weeds down as weeding. Funny, I never thought about it that way, but he's right. Technically it is weeding. So, basically, he'll roto-till for me to start the garden but he wants nothing else to do with the garden the rest of the season until it's done, then he'll roto-till it again. I countered that it was gonna cost him money if that's the way things were gonna be (I need proper tools). He said spend the money. So, an agreement was reached.

The points are very sharp. Almost killed
myself getting it in the car.
First thing I did yesterday was go buy a new hoe (cuz the old one is not fun anymore). We have a new hardware store in Rathdrum so I popped in there to see what they have. Lo and behold! A Garden Weasel! I've been wanting one of those for ages! Sold!

When we first moved here, before we had our own garden, I used to help out sis-in-law Sue with her garden. She has a Garden Weasel. I used it and loved it. Been wanting one of my own ever since. They are so hard to find around here.

My new hoe is fancy. It has a padded handle. Luxury! It was nice to use when I dug the trenches for the seeds.

To keep the weeds down between the rows I plan to get some kind of commercial mulch. I'm thinking maybe paper mulch because it can be roto-tilled into the soil at the end of the season and becomes fertilizer.

So, that is the plan so far. I'm getting the things I need to make gardening easier on my back, and more fun. So new tools. Hurray!

Live long and prosper. \\//

4/25/13

My New Girl

The package I was expecting today arrived. Yay! Inside is my new Great Depression Ellowyne doll.



I love this doll! She's so pretty.



Her little hat is so cut with the little silk roses, and she has a pearl necklace.



Even her shoes are cute!



She has made friends with the other 2 already.



I am making good progress on the little black dress. I have one inch left and then I can bind off.

Today the weather was gorgeous! After Yarnies, and lunch, I came right home so I could spend time out on the deck. It was 69F degrees! I worked on my bead embroidery project. It now looks like this.



Live long and prosper. \\//

4/24/13

WIP Wednesday for April 24, 2013

How about a WIP Wednesday post?

I have been beading this week, as I mentioned yesterday. Here's where I am in the project.



I'm making a necklace. These are the cabs I bought when I went to Bead Stamped last October. I've got a ways to go yet. Haven't quite figured out how I'm going to do everything that's in my minds eye either. But I'm making progress. Originally, I was gonna do all kinds of fringe, but the cabs just didn't seem like the fringe kind.

I am knitting a little black dress for Ellie.



It's a top down project. I'm using 2 strands of lace weight machine knitting yarn-one plain and one boucle'. I knit an awesome pleated skirt out of this yarn many moons ago that won Grand Champion at the fair. I still have plenty of leftovers. I'm knitting with size 0 needle.

I finished the mittens I've been working on. I'll post more about that later.

We had a gorgeous sunny day today. I was beading out on the deck until about 3pm when the clouds and wind moved in and it got bitterly cold. My hands got so cold I could hardly hang on to the needle, so I came back indoors.

Tomorrow a package is supposed to be delivered to my house. I can hardly wait. It's another doll.



If you're interested in participating in WIP Wednesday, please join us.

Live long and prosper. \\//

4/23/13

Simple Womans Daybook for April 13, 2013



FOR TODAY
April 23, 2013

Outside my window...
Its cloudy and grey, but there's lots of green too. The lawn is looking wonderful, the the buds on the flowering plum are starting to plump up. It won't be long before they open.

I am thinking...
about Cable. She had a rough weekend, poor thing. On Saturday we went over to Dan and Sue's for dinner. Of course, we took Cable so she could play with Tripper. They play very hard. In fact, I stay out of the way because they have knocked me down from banging into me while wrestling around. Anyway, they were rolling around on the lawn when Cable let out a loud yelp. I just figured Tripper had stepped on her foot and didn't think much about it. But when we got home that night, instead of laying down and conking out from exhaustion like she usually does after time spent with Tripper, she was restless and whiny. All day Sunday she was the same way. I could not figure out what she wanted. Then we went to bed and she got worse. Soon it became apparent to me that she was actually in pain. Quite a lot of it. She didn't sleep at all during the night. Then I realized she wasn't wagging her tail.

On Monday morning I took her to our vet. Her tail is badly sprained right at the base. It was pretty swollen yesterday, so they gave her a shot of an anti-inflammatory. Thankfully, nothing is broken or dislocated. So a few days of painkillers and she'll be back to herself. I feel so stupid for taking such a long time to realize she was in real distress.

She's doing much better this morning. She had a good nights sleep and woke up in a very good mood. She's even wagging her tail a bit.

I am thankful for...
Spring! Yay!

From the kitchen...
I'm not making this today, but I tried this recipe last week and it was absolutely scrumptious! So, here's a link to Bacon Wrapped Chicken. It is soooooooooooo good!


I am wearing...
jeans and a pale teal blouse with a lacy crocheted yoke. One of my new tops I recently acquired for spring.

I am creating...
a beaded wearable art piece. This months challenge in the Yahoo beading group is bead embroidery. Since I know the basics of bead embroidery already, and we are to challenge ourselves, I'm doing something larger using 3 cabs. I have worked on it for 2 days (yesterday I sat out on the deck in the sunshine and worked on it. 'Twas lovely.)

I am going...
to Rathdrum Knitalong later today. I will take my knitted black dress project I started for Ellie.

I am reading...
Tarzan the Magnificent by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

I am hearing...
a train that is going by on the tracks near our house.

Around the house...
a lot of cat toys. I wish I could train the boys to put them away when they are done.

One of my favorite things...
Cake. I made one over the weekend. It was chocolate. I decided to give the new Cool Whip frosting a try, and it was delicious. Better than anything I could have made myself.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Yarnies, knitting, beading...the usual.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing...

While searching for another pic, I ran across this one. I miss Tommy.





If you want to join the Simple Womans Daybook, click here.

Live long and prosper. \\//

4/20/13

Tiny Teal Outfit

So, the other night I sat down and thought for about 10 minutes on what kind of skirt I wanted to make Ellie to go with her little knit tunic. The book with the tunic pattern in it has a pattern for matching pants. I didn't have enough yarn left to make pants. So I decided I could probably get a skirt out of what I had left of the yarn. Then I just--- knit it. I did hardly any planning or math. It just came to me out of thin air exactly what to do. I love the results.



Tiny Teal Skirt

Pattern: Basic skirt by me.

Yarn: Mary Lue's Solo (A fingering weight knitting machine yarn)
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: Teal

Needles: Addi Turbo Circular size 2

Cast on: April 18, 2013
Completed: April 19, 2013

Comments: The skirt fits her perfectly!



It scares me a bit how easily I came up with it.



Here are close up views. I knit the whole thing flat. I did the waistband in 1x1 rib.

Front

I put 4 darts in to fit over her curves properly (2 in front, 2 in back).

Side

As you can see, there is a center seam in the back. I could probably knit in the round to eliminate it I suppose.  There's a garter stitch hem.

Back

Today I thought about jewelry and stuff to go with the outfit. I remembered a tiny little bead knit amulet bag I made a few years ago.



 It's a necklace, but I shortened the chain for these pics.



I should probably remove the larger crystals in the chain part. They look a little silly for a purse.

I am having way too much fun making things for my new dolls.



Live long and prosper. \\//

4/19/13

Ellowyne Wilde Positively Negative

I said I'd post pictures of her today, so post pictures I shall. I am going to call her Penny.



She arrived clothed in a black and white (Could that be where the "Positively Negative" comes from in her name?) knit outfit of tights, a dress, a sweater vest, hat, scarf, and boots . She also has on a pair of pantyhose under the tights. Her hair is rooted (no wigs) and her blue eyes are painted. I think they're beautiful.



From the back. Her red hair is super long! Kind of shaggy too.


I love the little zippers on the boots. They really work too!

She's no longer available from Wilde Imagination. I found her on Ebay at a very reasonable price. All in all, I'm very happy with this doll.

It's raining today. It's supposed to clear up in a day or two and temps soar into the 70's. I expect we'll be mowing the lawn soon if that happens.

Live long and prosper. \\//

4/18/13

A Teal Tunic

I've knit a lace tunic for Ellie.



Tiny Teal Tunic

Pattern: Knit Picks Tunic Top by Claire Henesey

Yarn: Mary Lue's Solo (A fingering weight knitting machine yarn)
Content: 100% Acrylic
Color: Teal

Needles: Addi Turbo Circular size 2

Cast on: April 11, 2013
Completed: April 15, 2013

Comments: I was relieved that it fit the doll when it was done. I do not care for the shaping in the back. I'm mystified as to why it was done that way. It's cute though. I put snaps in the back opening, then sewed tiny little antique pearl buttons on top for decoration.




I had fun posing Ellie for the photos.



She needs pants, or a skirt. I suppose I should get busy knitting.

Ellowyne Positively Negative arrived yesterday, just in time to get in on the session.


More pics of her tomorrow.

Yesterday was national doll arrival day, I think. Cuz all the dolls I ordered arrived. It was kind of exciting getting packages throughout the day.

The sun shone all day long. It was gorgeous out, so I sat out on the deck and knitted for a couple hours, soaking up that much needed vitamin D. I knitted on St. Brigid. It felt good to be able to work on her.

I also toured the yard looking for sprouts. Found bad news. The moose chewed the bark off in a narrow band all around my flowering crab apple. I hadn't noticed that before. Consequently, the tree has died. I want to cry. It was so beautiful when it bloomed. Goodbye sweet Crabapple. I loved you.

Stupid moose!

From spring 2007

All the irises I dug up last summer and tossed in the woods around the border of the yard are sprouting. That is so cool! In time I will have irises blooming all over the place. Looking forward to it. The daffodils are opening up now, and some of the wild flowers are peeking out.

I love spring!

Live long and prosper. \\//

4/17/13

Essential Ellowyne Wilde Five - Blonde

That is the official name of my new doll. She's 16 inches tall and has 12 joints for posing her. She came dressed as you see here, and with a stand.



I'm gonna call her Ellie. She's got a pretty face.



The detail in this doll is amazing. She even has real eyelashes over her blue eyes.



Her hair is removable so you  can change it. I purchased a platinum blond curly wig for her. It came with it's own wig stand.



Here she is with it on. (The wind gusted just as I snapped this pic.)



I am very happy with her.

For more information about this doll, visit Wilde Imagination.

Live long and prosper. \\//

4/16/13

Schist Happens

I have completed the Schist Happens necklace.



I decided to go with a simple netting stitch necklace to hang the cab. I used size 11 seed beads in matte black and beige lined clear. I used black 6lb. fireline for the beading thread.

 


I made a beaded toggle clasp with peyote stitch. I incorporated some 4mm firepolish beads in a picasso color.



And a 3-bead peyote stitch bail.



All in all, I'm quite happy with it.



My Ellowyne Wilde doll arrived today. I'll share pics of her tomorrow. The little sweater I knit for her fits. She needs pants to go with it. She came with just underwear on. My baby needs clothes!

Live long and prosper. \\//