Archive for December, 2009
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Bookish Thursday: Fun Upcycled Bags!
Got an umbrella with a broken handle? A pair of pants with a hole in the knee? An old out of style suit? A bunch of plastic shopping bags?
Don’t throw them out! Turn them into some great bags!!!
Refashioned Bags: Upcycle Anything into High-Style Handbags
by Faith and Justina Blakeney is a fun book full of great recycling and upcyling ideas to make bags out of just about anything!
The directions are clear and easy to follow. They have included a lot of great illustrations to help with constructing the bags!
Peppered throughout this book are bio’s of other bag designers who use interesting recycled materials to create designer bags!
Overall this is a terrific book. If you are interested in making neat unique bags you will love it!
Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
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Finished on Friday but Forgot to Tell You!
I finished a scarf for my friend Kim in Canada. Known to Rhett and Link fans as Kim the Canadian call screener!!
It’s really fun because you can roll it up in a little packet like this!
Hopefully she will get it before next year! I put it in the mail today!
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Bookish Thursday: 400 Knitting Stitches
400 Knitting Stitches: A Complete Dictionary of Essential Stitch Patterns
is the latest stitch dictionary offering by Potter Craft. As any typical stitch dictionary it includes sections on Knit-Purl Stitches, Crossed Stitches and Cables, Lace Stitches, and your knitting basics as well.
What sets this stitch dictionary apart is that it also includes sections one Double Stitches, Slipped Stitches and Cast off Stitches which you don’t always see.
The other feature that sets this dictionary apart from others is that it includes a chart for every stitch. This makes it easy to follow for those, like me, who prefer a chart over written directions on occasion.
Over all this is an excellent stitch dictionary, and I would recommend it as a great go to book. The photos are clear, the directions concise and easy to follow. The charts are a great feature!
The only complaint I have is that it is missing what pretty much every stitch dictionary I have come across so far is also missing.. a good index that lists the stitches by name! When I am looking for a stitch pattern I would love to be able to flip to the back and look it up and hone right in on it and get going with my needles, rather than searching for the pattern I need! But since this feature is missing in most of them I will just browse.. on occasion I find something even better that way!
Disclosure: A review copy of the book was sent to the author from the publisher.
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Mission Monday: Clearing some magazines off my shelf!
Hey there! I am working on clearing some magazines off my shelf.. Please let me know if you need any of the following:
Any Cast Off magazine in the last 2-3 years. If you do I probably have em’
I will unload those for $5.00 each which will include shipping in the US.
Name any Vogue magazine from the last 2-3 years.. I probably have it.
These will go for $7.00, again shipping included.
If you are interested in any Interweave Knits Magazine from 2006-2009 you might be in luck. Just ask..
The regular issues will go for $7.00 the special holiday issues are negotiable..
I have a Verena Fall 2008 $5.00
I have Rebecca #36 in English $8.00
I have a bunch of Crochet! magazines from 2006-2008 ask and I will check to see if I have an issue you want.
These will be $4.00 each.
Pretty much all of these are in gently used condition, generally with some shelf wear and a few wrinkles here or there.. just like us right?!
Leave me a comment and I will get back to you!
Oh.. if you want to see for sure what I have you can look on my library page on Ravelry! I am also destashing books so inquire or make an offer on any books you might be interested in too!
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Bookish Thursday: Book of Wool
When I first heard that Clara Parkes was coming out with another book I was excited. Then when I heard it was The Knitter’s Book of Wool
I thought briefly, what.. didn’t she already do that? Then I thought about all the questions I had after her last book came out. Sure I had learned alot about different sorts of yarn from her last volume but I did find that still had questions about the different sorts of wool.
I mean what’s the difference between Merino and Cheviot? My friend has a flock of Cheviot and she keeps telling me their wool is no good.. so really is that true?
I also have been dabbling with spinning and was curious what the different wools would result in when spun and which would be good for a beginning spinner.
If you find you have these questions then this new book is definitely for you. Clara covers all the bases. She discusses all the breeds out there and what the qualities of their wool are. She also talks about the ‘itch’ factor of wool and ways to handle it.. something important to me!
If you work with wool, or plan to in any fiber art I encourage you to grab a copy of this book and educate yourself on your fiber!!
Not to mention there are some cute patterns in there!!
Like this:
And this..
and this one the Hill Country Hat which is available online!
Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher.
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Life Trumps Blogging
I sure have been missing in action lately! At least here anyway! I have been knitting, and wish I could show you my projects but it seems the TSA may have killed my camera on the way back from Texas.. that would be.. TSA 2 My cameras 0.. sigh.
I have the Knitting Guild Christmas dinner tonight.. so I have a pretty dishcloth ready for that.. I made myself some nice long fingerless gloves, and I have a scarf for my friend in Canada nearly completed.
Next up a little surprise project for our Loom Knitters Circle subscribers.. can’t tell you what it is then it wouldn’t be a surprise would it..
Generally I have been swamped with life.. what with some serious business at our church that is pretty time consuming and emotionally consuming, with helping one of the youth there with some difficult times, and with some obsessing over looking for a new pup.. I have been busy… Thats not mentioning the usual stuff.. homeschooling and the like..
oi! How DO I do it all? Dunno.. don’t ask.. can’t tell you..
I can tell you to look for some book reviews and giveaways in the upcoming weeks! Perhaps a little destashing. too! So stay tuned!!!
Paying the bills…
Coming April 13th
