Travel Projects

I have been spending many hours digging out my craft boxes and searching for the materials to make projects from our Camp Aloha Friends activities. Currently I am yo-yo crazy! 100+ and counting. I think I have enough to do the suggested shadow box project, but I'm going to make two of them. One for a gift. It's a lot of hand sewing but...I'm traveling to Niagara Falls next week and it's a 6 hour ride for me.

In addition, I have two summer KALs that I'm currently trying to finish. A knitted tee and a feather and fan shawlette. Hopefully I'll be able to finish at least one project before we return from our long weekend.

Until next time...enjoy your needle crafts...whatever they may be!

Busy, busy, busy...

So May 2014 is gone and most of June for that matter. No excuses, just didn't have enough hours in the day to post. Anyway, hopefully that won't happen again.

The fun news I have is that I joined the Camp Aloha Friends craft camp for the next 2 1/2 months. It started two weeks ago and I have been so ensconced in the preparatory assignments and the first craft activities.

Camp Aloha Friends offers craft activities from numerous teachers from all over the world, directed by Mel Singlehandedknits website. Crafts include knitting, crochet, tatting, paper crafts, cooking, sewing, embroidery, nature crafts, bead making, Chinese knotting, reading and so much more!

Here are a few of the paper projects I have done so far! I'm not a scrapbooker or paper crafter but I am having so much fun.

Until next time...

Martha

MD Sheep and Wool Fabulous Finds!

My first time at the MD Sheep and Wool Festival and it did not disappoint. It was like Christmas Day for me! It was a bit overwhelming but my plan was to attend both days. My husband Mark (he's my package holder), and I got there on Saturday by 8AM and there were hoards of people already. We got started right away searching for spinning resources and some special yarns. Well...after 2 hours I was spent and hurting. My hip and leg just wouldn't comply so we left. But...not without sampling many booths. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get back on Sunday as I had wanted but made many contacts that I will contact for spinning education. I was a little disappointed I didn't even find a spindle or travel wheel which was what I was in search of.

Below is my stash from the show. I am so excited to get started on some summer projects as I will be traveling quite a bit in the next 4 months. Numerous wool/cotton blends from Autumn House Farms, A few hanks of 100% merino wool from Socks that Rock in Saltwater Taffy, Marmalade Skies and Pineapple Express. That dark one is Black Magic-shades of purple to black from Hobbledehoy Yarns. Then I bought a kit from Carodan Farm. The pattern is by Oat Courture-the Curlicue coverlet using Mini Mochi yarns from Crystal Palace. I can't wait to get started on that.

I am now trying to match patterns to all the yarn! That's the hardest part for me. Though I have many patterns ready to try, it's hard to choose which yarns will fit best. I'll at least have a lot of fun trying them all out!

Ok, so I've decided I really want to learn to spin yarn. Having said that, I'm so excited to attend the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival this weekend. I intend to go both days. Saturday to score some fiber, yarn and accessories. Sunday, to try to get some assistance in choosing spinning education and spindle and/or wheel choices. I feel so fortunate I live only 45 minutes from the festival!

I did finish my yellow Shawl of Erminia. It was a total pain to block but I think it turned out great! Will wear tomorrow at the festival!

I'll report early next week after the festival and share all my new found information! Knit every day!!

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed as I currently have way too many WIPs to feel comfortable that I will complete. Physical therapy is dragging on and taking more of my days than I had anticipated when I started. I'm making this shawl for myself and completed months ago to take on our Hawaii trip in late May. As usual, life gets in the way and I'm dragging along still trying to complete the edging. Though this has been a really fun pattern to do, including the edging, I'm far from done. The yarn I used on this piece is Moda Dea Baby Talk, Nylon/Acrylic in Lemon Yellow. I am trying desperately to use my mom's and my own stash as much as possible.

I would like to shout out to Danni from Wesport Yarns as this wonderful pattern is her design. While traveling through New England we stopped at her shop and I purchased the pattern and some beautiful Juniper Moon Farm Findley Dappled yarn.

Next week...Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. Come hell or high water (my mother's saying) I'm going to learn to spin, dye and use my own yarn. I have no idea how but I plan to stop at every booth and demonstration til someone guides me as to how to start spinning. :)

Physical therapy for me is so time consuming with a lot of waiting from treatment to treatment. I'm so impatient!. I decided to choose a few projects that didn't require much thought to work on. This vintage shrug is nothing but a 2 x 2 rib so no thinking about pattern. At least I feel productive while laying there. I think I even got one of my therapists to pick up the knitting needles again. Yay!!

My husband and I are going to Hawaii to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in May. I found this basic dress with a crochet overlay and it came with this wide, plastic belt that I don't like. I thought maybe I would knit or crochet something, maybe 2 1/2"-3" wide to use in it's place. I have been searching the web but wondered if anyone out there has seen a pattern that would work to replace the existing belt.
Thanks...