Derby Time!

My little space in the kitchen where I usually have all my fiber fun has been taken over this weekend...by the Pinewood Derby! Jitterfrog, my oldest son, is a Cub Scout Wolf. And as any Cub Scout parent knows...it's Derby Time! :D

This year, however, Thing 1 and Thing 2 want to get in on the fun. They've asked for cars too. And I said OK. Some may say that's being a good Mom, but in reality, it's just an excuse for me to make a car to race cause I love it too. LOL

Here's what my space has looked like so far this weekend...





Can you guess which car belongs to my daughter? ;)

For anyone interested, we sealed the cars using an all-purpose sealer (frequently used in tole painting), base coated in Titanium White and then followed with the lightest color to be used in the design (multiple coats were required, especially for the pink one). After all the detail painting is done, we'll seal it with a gloss varnish to make them nice and shiny. And we're using all water based products...easier clean-up and more color choices. Finally, if more weight is needed, we'll use those zinc weights to get us as close to 5 oz as we can.

I know we could use more weight for the twins cars since they'll be racing in the "open" class, but I'm thinking of theirs as practice cars for the future. But don't worry, Jitterfrog is doing most of the work! We've only helped him when absolutely necessary. I really can't wait to see it after he finishes painting. He's made a sketch of what he wants to do and it's pretty cool looking.

So, until the race for our Pack is over this weekend, I won't be doing much fiber related stuff. Except maybe sketching. I can do that just about anywhere. Swatching will have to wait a little bit though. I do have a few new designs I'm working on...including one that's knitted! I'm hoping to be able to get them done soon and to some wonderful people that have agreed to test them for me.

See, I told you I did other stuff besides just crochet and knitting! :D

Happy Crafting! :D

A Little Fiber Therapy

Ever had one of those days when simple things seemed complicated? I've had a couple of those lately. And then I realized I didn't have any "brainless" projects to work on. What was I thinking? One should always have a few projects ready just for those days.

I finally decided to give the Everlasting Bagstopper a try. It's been in my queue for a looong time. I've even had the yarn in stash for about a year. And the garter stitch bottom, for sure, seems as brainless as it can get. So no problem! Apparently, the night I decided to cast on it was. I only got this far before problems started...



Yeah. Pretty sad. But hey! It takes a lot of work to screw those needles onto the cables...and figure out how much yarn you need to cast-on the right number of stitches using long tail cast-on...and then of course, the slip knot doesn't just make itself! ...yeah, still pretty sad.

Good news? I was feeling much better the next day. I got about a third of the way through the bag yesterday (between all the other things going on). And I think it's just the fiber therapy I was needing!

You see, I've got two new designs I'm working on (including a knitted one!) and ideas for another five or six that I'm itching to get working on. I think all of that plus the real life stuff just overloaded my brain. I've had problems sleeping cause I just can't seem to shut my brain off! So I figured, I just needed to take a little time off to relax the brain so I can focus and get all these things done! And brainless fiber therapy seems to be working! I think by the time I finish this bag I'll be able to jump right back in and knock out at least one of those designs. Then maybe, I'll make another bag so I can knock out the other one before Valentine's Day. Hmmm...could that be a possible theme? Stay tuned to find out!

Happy Crafting! :D

2010 Fiber Resolutions

But first a look back at my 2009 fiber resolutions...

So here was my list for 2009:

• I’d like to get my WIPs under some sort of control.


• Make a least one sweater/cardigan thingy for Me ME MEEEEE!!!! And crochet/knit for me more in general! LOL


• Learn knitted fair isle/stranding or at least attempt learning it.


• Start Christmas gifts NOW!


• Write and offer at least 3 new patterns.


• Spin more!

I didn't do tooooo badly. LOL I didn't get my WIPs under control at all. They actually got worse! Unless you count the number I put into hibernation as getting under control. ;) I never did finish the cardigan for myself either. In fact, I think I'm going to frog it and start over. It's been so long since I've looked at it now that I doubt I could figure out where I was on it, so better to start again. I think. I did at least start a lot more projects for myself...even if I didn't finish them. I didn't get anywhere near close to knitting fair isle. I did start Christmas gifts early, but didn't finish any. I got a new spindle and did start some more spinning, but again, didn't get very far. And I officially only offered 2 new patterns. Sooooo, I didn't do as well as I thought after all! Humpf!

But I think getting a pattern published in Interweave Crochet...and on the cover!...more than makes up for my other fiber failings. Non? LOL

OK, maybe my goals were too lofty? So this year I should be more reasonable...right? Nah! That wouldn't be very Hopelessly Overcommitted of me would it? ;)

So let's see...for 2010...

• I think I should try the WIPs thing again. Maybe I just need to go through all the WIPs and hibernating projects and decide...frog or finish!


• I would still like to make a wearable piece for myself.


• I want to finish the big Christmas gift I started last year, but never got to finish. If I get any other Christmas gifts finished, it'd be a bonus.


• I'd like to spin at least half of the fiber stash I currently own. I don't have a big stash, so this shouldn't be too hard. And it would give me an excuse to buy more pretty fibers! ;)


• And write and offer at least 3 new patterns. (What can I say, I like the number 3!)

Still a little lofty when you consider how crazy my non-fiber life has become over the last year. And this year, it will likely get even crazier. I'm still teaching Art Awareness for Jitterfrog's class for the rest of this school year. The twins may start preschool sometime this year (still haven't decided). Plus our Cub Scout pack has just had another pack merge with us, so we have more than doubled our pack size in a year! Thing 1, my daughter, wants to start gymnastics or ballet...she hasn't completely decided which yet. Jitterfrog is thinking soccer this year. And I'm still hoping to reclaim some space to get back to my other non-fiber crafts. So, even without fiber, it should be a pretty busy year! Can't wait to see! :D

Happy Crafting! :D