Necia Of All Trades

Here’s to hoping everyone had a great time bringing in the New Year! Im hoping for a drama free year, with plenty of crafts to envelop me.

So, I should’ve gave myself more credit, because I was able to finish the glove that I cast on, just the day before.

So, now for the very beginning of 2010 I have 2 matchless gloves

With any luck today, I will be able to finish my stockinette glove. Then it’s right on to the Knotty glove. I also want to start thinking about how I will spin my Falkland fiber, from the Crown Mountain Farm fiber club. Don’t worry, it will make an appearance here, before I spin it.

Ok, let me get off to it.

Happy Crafting
Necia

So, I had these GRANDIOSE plans of completing my current wip, and then finishing 1 I started way back when. Well folks, that’s not going to happen. For my current wip involves stuffing, and your’s truly failed to buy enough stuffing. Not only that, I don’t plan on looking for another bag or 2 of stuffing tomorrow. I just want to take it easy.
So, my current wip will be a wip for the new year. Here’s my cat cushion to be

That’s 14 different color wedges almost sewn up. It’s just waiting for the additional stuffing. Im upset, but whatever, its not like the cats knew it was coming to them.

As far as the other wip, well lets just say the yarn is still drying, so I can’t even cast on yet. Now, it will probably be dry by tomorrow, but I can’t see a glove with 5 full fingers coming to fruition in 1 day. I mean, I have lots of coquito to consume.

I have no other choice but to cast on, another project. Oh well. It could be worst.

Happy Crafting
Necia

As the year comes close to an end, I’m working on things that truly make me happy. I love my family, and I love being a homebody, especially when my family is all around me.

Ive been focusing on the little things in life that make Necia smile. It should come as to no surprise to you, that should also include my spinning wheel. Without further adieu, here is the latest Neciaspun.

I’ve had this cormo roving in my stash FOREVER. It was my first cormo purchase, and back then I though all cormo was created equally. Thank goodness, I found other sources, and I now know better.
So although this roving was a LONG TIME coming into yarn, I finally spun it, just to be rid of it. This is what I got

I spun a fairly thick single with thoughts of navajo plying from the very beginning. Too bad I didn’t take into consideration how the roving was processed. Cormo is a short haired fiber, and must be handled with care. Many spinners love cormo because of it’s softness and how truly beautiful their finished objects are, if they started with a good prep to begin with. This unfortunately wasn’t the best prep. It was indeed roving and not combed top, and it was dyed, so it went though quite a bit, before it even reached my spinning wheel.
Still I tackled it, and what you see above is what it is. Im not as disgusted with it as I was spinning it, but I did have a WTF was I thinking moment as I spun it. So here are the details:
Singles ~18 wpi give or take
Navajo ~13 wpi
Yardage ~35y
Weight: chunky/bulky

Here is some yarn that I thoroughly enjoyed spinning. It’s superwash merino from crown mountain farms. I can’t remember the colorway, but you truly can’t go wrong with any of crown mountain colorways. This too has been in the stash a long time, yet I spun it because I wanted to finally see it as a yarn. Sorry, I don’t have a pic of the fiber, but I do know I started with about 4ozs.

376 y of a heavy fingering weight. I can’t wait to get this yarn on my needles. I may even deviate from my standard stockinette sock.

I had a little left over on my bobbin so I n-plyed that as well

Here I have a 20y sample skein. This was enough to wet my appetite for more of this kind of plying, so look out for more n-plyed yarns to hit this blog. Im curious as to how a project will knit up.

And, then almost 2 months ago, while I was on maternity leave, I spun this

Sadly, I have NO details whatsoever about this yarn. I THINK I may have even knit it up already, but Im not too sure about that.
As i attempt to become more organized for the new year, I’ll see if a fo is found. If so, I’ll try to post it to the blog.

In the meanwhile, I’ve been spinning. If there is 1 thing I would like to do before 2009 leaves, it’s complete my handspun knotty gloves. I’ve been working on this for a year, and I’m only 50% done. 50% of the yarn has been spun and 1 glove has been knit. My incentive will be this cold weather we’re experiencing, and the mere fact that I received my 1st crown mountain farm fiber club shipment. So, if fiber will be coming in, some needs to be going out.

With that said, I’ve spent enough time yapping, and need to spend some more time crafting.

Happy crafting!

So I know I said my next posts would be all about my crafty endeavors, and this one is, but it’s not what you’re thinking. Before the knitting, spinning and sewing, your’s truly was a soapmaker.
In addition to making soap, I played around with all kind of chemicals and oils, and dibble and dabbled with making personal care products for my family. I had a ball doing it, but eventually took a hiatus for this or whatever reason.
Well, lately I’ve been feeling an itch to get back at it. Especially with the soapmaking.
My specialty was all vegetable based milk soaps. My family liked it, and my skin LOVED it. So, I knew I just had to give my skin what it was asking for.
I headed straight to my lab, whoops, I mean kitchen and I came up with these


What we have here is an 100% vegetable based milk soap, with oats for it’s exfoliating qualities. Between the moisturizing milk and the exfoliating oats, I really didn’t need to scent it, but I had a ton of scents, so I blended 2 together, and came up with a foody, warm scent. Yummy! My skin LOVES it.
So, yes I’ve been a knitting and spinning, but I will fill you in on that later. Oh, and here’s another picture of finished objects

And finally, before I sign on out, here’s a pic of me since I’ve cut my hair

Ok I’ll holla.

Happy Crafting
Necia

Since my last post, ALOT has happened. For starters, a few days after, I had my baby.  Never mind the fact she was due in November and came in October, but in general life has been hectic to say the least.  So here, is the new additon to our family

Her name is Treasure!  This is her on Day 2.

Here she in on Day 5, with her eyes open!

And, here she is on November 9th which was my due date.

Naturally my life has changed since having her, but it’s been all good!  The transistion period has been non existent. It honestly feels as if she was meant to be here all along!  Even better, her brother (Cee) absolutely adores her, and I have had no issues with jealousy.

Im hoping to post more frequently now that Im not pregnant.  Im still knitting and spinning, and dreaming of quilting, so there are some wips, fo’s, and the neverending pile of ufo’s around.

Next time around there will be more craftiness for ya’ll to read about.

So, thanks for sticking with me and as always,

Happy Crafting

Necia

Until I welcome our newest member into the family, and that’s if she decides to stick with the program.

I’ve been a knitting and a spinning,and I have a lot of goodies to show you.

This post will be all over the place, but if I don’t get it out now, it’s a good chance I won’t get it out at all.

So without further adieu, just sit back and enjoy the show

Little Sister’s Dress made for my little Miss. This is pre blocking, and pre buttons, which I need to remember to buy. I was 1/2 way into matching booties, when I realized I didn’t have enough yarn, and Im not even disappointed, because the truth of the matter is, I can barely keep socks on, so I know it will more then likely be the same with an infant.

Here are a few bibs I made for her. I really prefer the rectangular bibs for catching anything, but this pattern was too easy and too quick. This is crochet by the way. I still have quite a bit of kitchen cotton left, so as I get bored, or sleep deprived, Ill make up the rectangular ones.

Cutesy baby hats. There will probably be a shrug knit to match the purple one. We shall see.

Oooooooooh, Ive been spinning. But first I had to do some carding.

Loose Superwash Merino Mill Ends. I desperately want to knit Colonnade, and this fiber is gonna get me there.

These were spose to be the batts that enabled me to finish this sposed quick knit. But nope, I ran out 4 rows before bind off.
This weekend I will be carding, and spinning more just to complete the shawl. Next week, Ill post up.

Oh a pic of the handspun yarn. These are singles, my first time working with them, and with superwash to boot. Im hardpress to see how the finished object wears. Only time will tell.

Ok, so that’s all the pics I have. Ya’ll have a crafty weekend, I know I will. AT LEAST TRY.

Lol.

In lieu, of not being able to make it to Rhinebeck this year, I knew I would need something to get me by in a fiberly way. This past Sunday, my knitting group and I headed to the NJ Sheep and Wool. I’ve currently attended this festival a year or so ago, and it was quite small, and vendors were minimal, and the pickings were OK.

Well in the year that Ive missed, it has grown by leaps and bounds. So many talented artisans. I managed to keep my purchases small, after all I have tons of fiber at home.

I bought 2 bags of Coopworth roving. I’ve never spun coopworth, but I knew I had heard good things about it. Considering I knew I wanted to make mittens, from what I’ve heard, the coopworth was a good choice. Here’s a photo of 1 of the 2 bags I bought.

Here’s the gorgeous yarn I’ve spun from it

I went stash diving and pulled out a deep hand dyed blueish purple shetland that I had dyed and spun last year. Im thinking combined with the coopworth, I should have the lovely makings for some mittens.

What do you think?

I have a few things currently on the needles, that are in that I”m so close to finishing stage. I plan on focusing on that over the weekend, and then its on to my mittens. I also have 1 more project in mind to spin for, but more about that once the wheel is in motion.

Happy Crafting
Necia

And I can do what I want to. Including go off the deep end (last post). Change names, and now post out of nowhere.

I figured it was better like this, because the longer I stayed away, the easier it got, and I HAVE way too much to update you on.

So working backwards, here’s some spinning I completed yesterday.

It was fun reuniting myself with the wheel, although my little girl didn’t like it one bit when I leaned forward. Oh well. Not the first time I’ve been kicked by her. In any event, I do see more spinning in my very near future.

I’m working on a baby knit. Wow, I never thought I would need to work on one of those for myself. Here’s the start to Little Sister’s Dress.

I’ve actually finished knitting this dress by now, but I need to add some finishing touches. I plan on getting to that this week. So once, I have it done completely, I’ll post a better pic.

Then, to make sure I don’t leave Cee out of the mix, I knit him a monkey. I figured a monkey for a monkey.

His sister’s monkey is currently on the needles. In addition to that, I have a baby blanket, that I’m gifting, and a pair of booties, that I think are so ridiculous, but they are cute, so I’ll suck it up and make at least 1 pair for my own little one.

Ok, so I’m back. Thanks for sticking around with me.

Hello July, and Goodby June.

I’ve had the worst June EVER, so I’m glad it’s gone. Back in February, I came to the conclusion that I was pregnant, and after 6 years, I would be doing the mommy thing all over again.

Hubby was ecstatic from the very beginning. I, on the other hand was excited, scared, and I questioned our sanity.

Needless to say, it is what it is, and I will be having a jane bad ass to join my billy.

With pregnancy comes a bunch of tests to make sure mommy and baby is doing well. Some are optional, some are not.

Well I took 1 of the optional screening blood tests, and imagine the emotional turmoil I went through when it came back positive. Positive for potentially carrying a child with spina bifida. WTF?

In this case, google was not my friend. I was a hot mess. All in the month of June, I had to undergo genetic counseling, a repeat blood test, which came back Positive again for spina bifida and Down’s Syndrome. I also had a Level 2 scan which assured me despite the blood test, nothing was physically wrong with my baby.

From there, my woo ha will get checked every 2 weeks, along with a monthly ultrasound to check the growth of my baby.

Finally because the blood tests and the ultrasound didn’t agree with each other, I finally agreed to have an invasive procedure called an amniocentesis.

It sucked as much as I thought it would, but so far everything came back normal.

So that was my June. An emotional whirlwind. Im hoping my July is much better, and now perhaps you guys can understand my previous silence.

I will be back soon with crafty goodness.

That Is All.

I had plans that went on for days. I think it’s safe to guess, that I GOT NOTHING done. I just KNEW I would catch up on my 9patch blocks. I think the magic # is 30 something right about now. But, nope, not Necia. I rest and I ate, and I spent time with my family, and that was good enough for me! So check out the 15 blocks I have done so far(warning craptastic photo to follow)

55 more to go. And, if I were to be realistic with myself, I know I have at least 60, because not all 55 are measuring right. But we shall see. As long as I’m still having fun, that’s all that matters right?

Well, how was your weekend?