A story I can’t tell
Feb 22, 2010 Uncategorized
Each day I think about blogging, but don’t. I have nothing to blog about. What I do want to talk about, I can’t here so I hold it in. I leave it as a story I can’t tell….
Skyler got a haircut the other day.
As much as I love his older kid look, I miss his longer locks and the bangs in his eyes. It made him look younger, more toddler like. I miss my baby. I don’t want him to look older when I can hardly stand him growing up. And it certainly doesn’t help when all of my friends have new babies. Or are pregnant.
Work is still work. My life is just as simple as ever. I love my friends dearly, so I can’t complain when things aren’t perfect in my eyes. I’m still sitting on the feeling of content. Maybe teetering is more like it. But that’s another part of the untold story.
And I am still knitting. Because it relaxes me and makes my quiet nights semi enjoyable. Soon spring will be here and then at last summer. I can’t wait for the sun, the heat and the longer days. I need a little vitamin d to bring my dreary spirits up.
just a simple update
Feb 9, 2010 Uncategorized
I wish I could say that the reason for abandoning my blog is my exciting life. I wish I could say that I just simply don’t have time to get online and share all my blog worthy stories. Truth is, I have nothing to blog about. My life is spent at home with Skyler and my family, at work with my friends and nights are just by myself. and my knitting. Sadly, I’m content this way.
And since Kimberly told me I had to blog about it, I splurged a little on myself and got an iPod Touch. And it’s fun and addictive. Especially the apps. Like the ShakeItPhoto app I found that turns your photos into polaroids.
So here are a couple of my “polaroids”
the yarn.
Jan 15, 2010 Uncategorized
Remember my yarn dyeing tutorial?? Well, I’ve got photos of the finished yarn.
Because I couldn’t come up with anything better, this one is called Twilight. Different shades of blue with just a touch of white and purple to give it the pop.
And then Crayola Crayons. I love how bright the red, yellow and blue are.
Yarn Dyeing Tutorial
Jan 10, 2010 Uncategorized
I was asked to put together a yarn dyeing tut. Full of pictures, because that’s the easiest way to understand what to do.
So I took photos of my yarn dyeing adventures this morning. What a wild ride!
Step 1 – Soak yarn in water. It needs soak for minimum of 1 hr, but I wouldn’t recommend going over several hours. I wouldn’t be able to wait that long.
Step 2 – Ring out the excess water from the yarn. It still needs to be pretty wet while you are dyeing it, but it doesn’t need to be soaking wet. I usually pour the yarn into a colander and let it drain out that way. Usually 30 min – 1hr.
Step 3 – Set up the work area. I have a couple pieces of plastic wrap laid out, then an old tablecloth that I use to paint the yarn on.
You don’t have to use the old tablecloth, but it keeps the plastic wrap cleaner so there is less chance of accidental coloring where you don’t want it.
Dyes and cups. I like the Jaquard Powder Acid Dyes. You will need one cup for each color. I use 3oz cups. Go larger cups or bowls if you desire. Just make sure that they are disposable. You don’t want to use a bowl or cup that you will later be using for food or drink. And a cup of vinegar (I’ve read two sets of directions that you do and you don’t need this. I play it safe and use it) You won’t need much vinegar but it’s easier to pour from a 3 oz cup than from the bottle.
Stirring sticks, 1/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp & paintbrushes. I bought skewering sticks and cut them in half. Regular cheap painting brushes from the hardware store. You don’t need to go expensive. And make sure you keep the teaspoons separate from your cooking ones. You don’t want to use these again for foods or liquids.
Clear Plastic wrap and towel. You will use the plastic wrap to wrap the yarn and the towel has it’s obvious reasons.
Gloves. The dyes stain. Trust me on this one.
Step 4- Mix the dyes.
I use 1/4 tsp of dye for almost 3oz of liquid.
Stir it up.
Some colors you will need to use more of the dye powder for. You will be able to tell when you need more or less.
Now the vinegar.
Mix in 1/2 tsp of vinegar and stir again.
Step 5- Now get ready to paint. You should have put on your gloves before you started mixing, but if you didn’t, but them on now.
Get your paintbrush and dip it into the cup.
Now paint it on to the yarn. Make sure you saturate it really well.
Paint the skein of yarn to your desired colors and patterns.
There is no right or wrong way. Every time you will get a delightful surprise of coloring! Once you paint the first side, flip it over and paint the other side.
Step 6- Remove the skein of yarn carefully from the tablecloth and move the tablecloth so you can lay the yarn on the plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap around the yarn. Fold it over once.
or twice. I just really liked this photo.
Step 7- Pop it in the microwave for up to 7 minutes per 200 grams of yarn. It’ll burn if you put it in too long and it won’t heat set if you don’t put it in long enough. I have found that 2.5 minutes for 100grams of yarn has worked well.
If you have to open the microwave to let steam out halfway through, go ahead. It won’t hurt anything.
Step 8 – put into a pyrex pan and let it cool. Since it’s the dead of winter, I let it sit outside. It airs it out since it gets stinky! I will most likely do the same in the summer time.
(this was a different skein of yarn I dyed today. I forgot to take a photo of the first skein after I took it out of the microwave ;)
Step 9 – Once it’s cooled off, give it a nice bath in the sink. This will remove all excess dye that would bleed out normally in the first washing.
I throw in 1/4 tsp of wool wash. It gives it a yummy scent.
Very carefully wash the yarn. You want to make sure to remove all excess dye. If it was heat set correctly, very little dye will bleed out. Some colors bleed more than others. Blue’s don’t bleed much, but purples, reds and yellows will bleed a lot. It’s normal.
Ring out the water, lay it on a towel and pat dry. Hang to dry. Wind in a ball, and knit. Fun!
Good luck with your yarn dyeing experience!
Snow Day!
Jan 10, 2010 Uncategorized, photography, the boy
For a week they were reporting a big snow blizzard to hit Tennessee. First it started as 2-4 inches. Then 4-6 inches. I think eventually it got along the lines of people swearing it was going to be huge. The biggest snow storm since 2003! For the record, there are parts of Tennessee that got 3/4 of an inch of snow in 2009. Most likely the same amount the past few years. It doesn’t snow. And when it might flurry, it barely sticks. And whatever does stick, sticks to the road where it melts and then freezes overnight. We get ice. Damn ice…
Anyways, so we actually got about an inch of snow this past Thursday. They were warning everyone that it was going to start around midnight Thursday morning. It started snowing 10am where I live. They had started calling off school Wednesday night and I found out that the kiddos daycare was closed Thursday morning. So he stayed home with Grandpa. And when I got home from work, he went to play in the snow.
And he loved playing in the barely an inch of snow. It wasn’t the right kind of snow to make snowballs with. So instead he just picked up handfuls and flung them at me.
But he did have fun. Until he was completely covered from head to toe in snow, frozen and exhausted. At that time I announced that it was time for hot chocolate and a snack.
Yeah…. he was ready to go inside. But being cold, frozen and tired didn’t stop him from talking about how he played in the snow. Now if we could just get one big snowstorm so he can REALLY play in the snow and build a snowman and throw snowballs. The puny one inch of snow that we got that day would be just a thing of the past.
the funk of reality
Dec 3, 2009 Uncategorized
The funks are becoming more frequent. They are to be blamed for my sporadic blogging. The truth is that I can’t blog. I have nothing to write about. My life is a monotonous and boring. I need a change.
I want to move. I want to be done with Tennessee. I want to be done with the cold weather. I want to move to California. Correction, for the past 10 or so years I’ve wanted to move to Cali. Since I first visited a little over 10 years ago, since visiting last year in November, I have known that it’s where I want to set my roots. And I’m frustrated because now more than ever I want to move and when I think it becomes a possibility, reality hits me harder than a sack of rocks.
Emotionally, mentally and physically, I can handle the move and I can handle living there. Just Skyler and I. Alone. On the adventure of life. Financially is a different story. And I’m frustrated because I feel that while I’m here in Tennessee, my life will continue to go nowhere. I’m plagued by bad memories, bad decisions and negativity. The cold weather brings me down. The icy chill in the air kills what little spirit I have left.
I need to get the fuck out of here. And I keep thinking that no matter what, I’m stuck here.
I want the fuck out. I want to do whatever I have to do. But how can when all the negativity in my life keeps telling me that it won’t work and I can’t do it. And what happens when I believe it?
I have to brag.
Aug 28, 2009 Uncategorized
Can I brag for a moment?
About how cool my kid is?
Seriously, most rocking toddler on the face of this earth.
At least I think so ;)
And he’s got a pretty mean jump to.
a little addicted???
Aug 15, 2009 Uncategorized
I had something very lovely waiting for me when I got home on Thursday.
Which means I now have the yarn to complete the next two baby presents. I’m excited but also a little worried I won’t be able to complete all these projects.
6 baby presents, scarf (client), 2 hat/glove/scarf sets (client), longies (client). A couple of the sets I haven’t gotten the yarn for yet, but it won’t be long.
The extra money from the client projects will be nice, I’ll just have to make sure that I’m knitting every chance I get…
something of an update
Jul 27, 2009 Uncategorized
I’ve been meaning to blog for the past several days. Each day I will have something new I want to share. Each day I will have rants and raves. And each day passes and no blog post. Then finally when I do get a chance to blog, all I have to share is this….
what a bookworm! and other ramblings.
Jun 9, 2009 Uncategorized
It’s happened…. Skyler has more books than we have room for. I can NEVER pass up buying more books for him. We made a random stop at the goodwill this weekend and picked up several books for .99cents each. I was especially happy about the Dr.Suess book we found. The woman who rang us up even told me that people bring in Dr. Seuss books a lot. Who is crazy enough not to save those books!! So now I have to come up with another shelf for him to put his books on. I’ve been contemplating getting rid of some of my books, but I hate that thought. I guess it’ll be the solution if I can’t come up with anything else.
Skyler has decided that since I’ve taken away his pacifier, he’s taking away his nap time. The past couple weeks he has napped at daycare, but not at home. It’s very frustrating. Even more frustrating is that he’s not falling asleep as well at night. Instead of the 5 minutes it used to take him, it’s not taking him 1 to 2 hours to fall asleep. Which means I am losing mandatory rest and relaxation time.
I knitted up Skyler a Grumpasaurus. He is still faceless, which I hope explains why Skyler doesn’t like him :/ I will eventually put a face on him and if Skyler still doesn’t like him, he’s going to turn into a pin cushion. Or a yarning needle cushion. Or a cushion of some sort.
I am in the process of knitting a blue/white striped stocking cap & some blue/white booties for a friend’s baby shower. The baby shower is Saturday. I *might* get the hat done in time. The booties? No F’ing way. But it’s the thought that counts, right?
Done rambling for tonight. I guess with how long it’s been, I should have more to say. Maybe next time…
