Ideas and Inspirations

So I thought I was over my "crafting block"... I think I'm just too exhausted recently to do any creative thinking to get me back INTO crafting. Sure, I made a couple of tentacles and a pig, yeah I made myself a purse and a skirt, but these were now several days ago and all I have to show for the past week is about 2-3 inches of a knit hat.

Oh, and why haven't I posted any pictures of these things?

I've come to realize that my camera didn't come with a cord to download pictures onto a computer. However, I had to send it in for repairs because I was taking the memory card out of it in order to upload the pictures. So. I have to find a cord... A lot of cell phone chargers work great, except that all the ones I have don't have USB plug ins for a computer. This camera is proving to be a LOT of trouble!

I've made these cool little Wallet Gloves, that you can keep money in at events when you don't want to carry a bag around. I showed them to people, who then complained that you can't fit an I.D. in the pocket. Well, of course not... You can't fit an I.D. on the top of your hand.

My Wallet Glove

Friends Wallet Glove

However, a friend had the idea that I could make arm bands that wrap around your upper arm, and put pockets on those! Well! Lots of people's arms are big enough for I.D.s! I'm definitely going to work on making up a prototype, but my problem is, arms are so different for so many people. I'll just have to find measurements online and make up a bunch of these... Wallet arm bands? In all sizes. Maybe I'll have a naming competition and send someone a free one.

I'm also thinking that I might as well sell Wallet Gloves in pairs. Everyone wants one for both hands, so why not make it easier to do that? I also need to work on making the pocket itself more FINISHED. All I ever do is cut a straight line, sew some trim to the bottom of it, then sew the top of the line to the back of the glove. So the top starts fraying. However, sewing trim all the way around seems very tedious to me. I think I'll just have to get over it. People want nice things and I'll have to give it to them!

On to the inspiration part of the post. I want to get better at making things. I also want to make useful things. So how do I inspire myself to do better? Looking at other peoples things that are much more professional looking and "finished" than mine. Example. I make clay cthulhus, this woman makes realistic looking faces on her beautiful faeries.

You can find her profile here. 

Jealous. Example of USEFUL things. I would love to make up furniture that suits specific needs, as I recently read about in a magazine. This woman had a chance to convert a room into her craft room. Since I can't remember what magazine this was I can't try to find the article online, but she knew exactly what she wanted for her sewing table: Lots of storage space. She knew that she would stand at the table, so instead of having a table that she could sit at and have her legs under, she used the entire thing as storage space. The closest I have gotten to making customized furniture is putting blocks of wood underneath the legs of the table I am sitting at now, to make it high enough for my legs to be underneath it comfortably. 

So I have a ways to go, but at least I've got plans for my future crafting abilities to be put to good use. For the longest time I made things that nobody wanted because it was useless. I'm trying to change that! Well, except for the clay things. Those are obviously just decoration, but they're just too fun to give up! 

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Yeast, interrupted.

So, I went downstairs today and my yeast water is gone. So I guess I'm not going to be able to "experiment" any farther here at my dads house. I was really excited about learning more about my yeast water, and posting it here.

I mentioned before that I considered myself a "prepper", or someone who is sort of preparing for an "apocalypse" or some sort of survival situation. I also mentioned how at the same time I don't really believe there's going to be an apocalypse, but I wanted to share a list of skills I'd like to learn. At the end of this post, I'd also like to share a story a bus driver told me...

First, let me explain why some of these skills would be useful to me: I want a farm. I want cows and chickens, probably goats, and my boyfriend wants sheep. I also want some what of a large garden, growing enough food to provide for the whole year.

• Shear sheep, and spin wool into yarn. 
• Butcher my own animals. 
• How to make all sorts of food from scratch. 
• Knit and sew USEFUL items, such as scarves, blankets, hats, clothing, etc. 
• Grind wheat into flour. 
• How to grow all sorts of food and how to protect it. 
• Preserve food for winter. 
• How to care for and breed farm animals. 
• How to build all sorts of things from wood. 

I'm sure I'll think of more later, I'm sort of sleep deprived today! My bf is studying to be a mechanical engineer, so he will help in that department. He hates working with wood, but I like it.

I still enjoy my crafts that I do now but not all of them will be useful in the long run, such as wood burning. Wood carving, however, is something I'd like to do more often. It seems a hell of a lot more useful, to shape things instead of decorate them.

Anyways... I overheard a bus driver telling some spooky stuff a while ago. It seems much too... obscene to be real. Basically, he says that Obama has authorized the use of guillotines again, in FEMA camps dotted throughout the U.S. This driver said that pretty soon, the U.S. is going to start killing people who aren't useful or adding anything to the community. Apparently, right before this happens, there's going to be no food stocked in stores, I'm assuming because farmers are smart enough to realize to gtfo or something... I don't know. But the driver ALSO said that if you are smart and do stuff with your life, you'll also be killed because you might lead a rebellion. So, we're all going to die here in the U.S... Sometime soon, evidently. I guess the U.S. has also been secretly considered under martial law for quite a few years, too.

What gets me, is how many people the driver managed to freak out. They're asking, what can we do? How can we prepare for this? What on earth do you MEAN? How can you prepare? Move to Canada if you're that freaked out! Because this guy is saying we're all going to be killed and there's nothing you can do. How DO you prepare for that? I guess you could kill yourself before it happens!

Anyways. I've had this story stuck in my head for a while now, and decided to share it. He said a lot of other stuff too, but it's been a few months and I've forgotten all the details. Scary, right? Yeah, if you believe it. I honestly just think this guy was lonely and started making up stories to pass the time. What do you think? 

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Yeast and other craft stuff.

I used my yeast water to make pretzels, and it worked just fine. For those of you who are interested in the yeast, basically I took 2 big spoonfuls (Like the big silverware ones that you eat with, not measuring spoons) of flour and put that in a jar of water. The jar has oz markings on it, so I filled it to about 20 oz of lukewarm water. I mix the flour in, but it will settle and that's fine, you can leave it like that. Leave it in the kitchen windowsill. If you have cheesecloth, you should cover in with that and use a rubber band to secure it, but I didn't, so I just put the metal lid balanced off kilter so it's sorta covered, but still has air coming in. Remember, yeast is a living organism so it needs air. It will have small bubbles when it's ready to use, although they will go away. It will also smell kinda funny.

I think you're supposed to put it in the fridge, so I think I will try that now, since it's ready to use, but I'm not sure if it's going to kill it or anything. Also, you're supposed to be able to just add more lukewarm water to it when you use up some of the water, but I used so much of the water that I just dumped the rest out and started over again. So, I'll try just adding water to it next time.


My "craft block" is still going strong, although I have managed to make myself a purse and a skirt. Honestly I think I just need to make myself a few items at a time before getting back into the swing of making other people stuff. I'm talking about xmas stuff, but I've downgraded the blankets to probably socks, or hats, or pot holders, or rags... I REALLY do like knit rags but my BF used his as a pot holder and it worked really well, so I think I'll make a few friends some of those, since they will be needing them...

My stepmothers mom just ordered me a knit picks interchangable needle set! I'm really super happy about it because I've been wanting them forever and I will have so many needles now!!! She and I also just listened to a friend rave about their prices and quality, which was one reason I hadn't really thought about asking someone for a set yet, but now I can just hope that it'll be awesome! The only thing is knit picks doesn't offer a 16 inch cord, for hats. The smallest is the 24 inch, which I supposed I could make hats on but it'd be a bit tight. I've measured several heads and I've found that male heads are generally 23 inches in diameter where the edge of the hat will hit, and females are 21 inches. Yes, I've measured peoples heads. I'm not a freak, I was just making them fleece hats.

I made a "down syndrome cow" recently, and people absolutely love his retarded face, so I'm thinking I will do several more of those, to give away, not sell... Keep in mind when I call this cow all kinds of slanderous, mentally disabled names, I'm really giving myself a bad time for how he turned out. I DO have a developmentally disabled brother, so, please don't think I make fun of ACTUAL people with mental or physical issues. Here is a picture of the masterpiece:

Down Cow

Isn't he adorable? Can't really see his tail, but it's there. The sad truth of it is, I hate working with white clay because it got so dirty! So, I stopped working on him before I added a snout. I plan on making a down pig, down sheep, and maybe a few others. 

Anyways. Here's to a hopefully more productive week! I've got everything that I need to start making stuff! Although I still do need some other things. I have a bus pass now, so I can go ANYWHERE that the very limited bus system will take me! 

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"Making" Yeast.

The other day, I was hit by a strong wave of soft pretzel cravings. Well, I've made them before, so I head downstairs to check out the available ingredients. Well, yeast wasn't one of them. We have some, but definitely not enough to make any one thing. This saddens me. However, I've heard about people "making" yeast (It's a living organism, you can't actually MAKE it) with several different techniques.

The first of which was chopping up an apple and soaking that in lukewarm water for a few days in a warm area. I read the reviews on this particular tutorial and found that if you make yeast with fruit, whatever you make with it will taste like the fruit. Well, I don't want my pretzels to taste like apples, OR raisins or grapes or whatever else...

You can also make yeast with vegetables. Same thing as stated above, do not want vegetabley pretzels.

There is also the use of a sourdough start: When you make sourdough batter, take a small piece of the batter and store it in a warm, dark place. It will expand and expand... Then, when you make bread again, you can take a piece of it off and use that in place of yeast. You're also supposed to cut the start in half and give half to a friend, who will then wait until it expands and do the same thing...

So, I found another tutorial... It wasn't a good one since it didn't have good measurements, but, I just put some lukewarm water and a bit of flour in a glass bottle, with a tiny bit of yeast, and set that on the kitchen windowsill for a couple of days. During the day I will set it out in the sun, because it needs to be warm. I was hoping it would yeast itself faster that way, which is why I also added some yeast... It makes it go faster. You can do this with just water and flour. Once it starts bubbling, (I think), it's ready to use!

To use this yeast water, you replace the water in a recipe with the yeast water. I.e. in a recipe for bread, it will tell you to use perhaps a cup of lukewarm water and to stir the yeast into this. Well, that's what you already have... Yeast water!

What my problem is, is the fact that every how to on making yeast is not very clear on when it's ready. When it has bubbles? Well, mine has bubbles alright. But, big bubbles? Small bubbles? Mine has both now, but I don't know if they'll get bigger. Also, I think I'm also supposed to eventually refrigerate the yeast water... but when? So, I'm going to experiment with this, because yeast is expensive; water, flour and an empty pickle jar are not.

Hopefully I will get some answers to share. I recently learned a term that I can apply to myself: I'm somewhat of a "prepper". Preparing for things. More specifically, preparing for the apocalypse. Which is strange, since I don't really allow myself to seriously believe that zombies are going to pop up out of manholes and come running out of the wilderness. At the same time, I feel that it's inevitable that some angry scientist will decide to fuck humanity over, though. If there are highschool shootings...

So, it'd make sense that I'd want to learn how to make yeast. I'm a prepper. This also explains my dream of owning a small farm, with cows, goats, and chickens, and enough of a garden to feed my family and guests.

Anyways...

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How crafting made me.

I've decided to write a condensed version of why and how I started crafting, because I've been thinking about my life lately and honestly, I'd like to move on. Typing things out often make me feel better more than talking things out, plus I think my friends are a bit bored with my complaints anyways. I wish I had some pictures to show for this post, maybe of things I've made in the past, but I live with my dad and my mom was the one who documented things with cameras.

Recently, I got the chance to visit my mom. This is a rare occurrence, and we ended up talking a lot about why I didn't end up living with her after the divorce like we planned. I told her how moving from one school to another, even though the school districts were literally right next to each other, fucked up my education. My first district taught division in 4th grade, the second one taught it in 3rd grade. I learned how to divide in 6th grade. She told me how, at the time, she didn't have a place to stay, and wasn't financially stable. My dad had a job opportunity in Oregon, and took it, and took me with him. I didn't do any school work that year, and yet was moved on to the next grade because it was "understandable" that I didn't do anything.

I managed to graduate high school on time, regardless of the fact that I spent most of my time between 4th and 10th grade not doing any school work. My relationship with my dad bordered on friendship, instead of father and daughter. My stepmom seemed to stop trying to care for me when I stayed holed up in my room for years.

I was always encouraged to draw. My entire family would draw. So, I drew. I still do, but I don't like my particular style of art, and I can't draw realistically. So I don't do that as much. When I lived with my older sister for a while, I got a bracelet made of shoe laces and pop tabs. I started making those out of boredom and even sold them at school. During one spring break, I was taught how to knit by my stepmoms mother. I knit one short scarf and then stopped because I didn't have any more yarn. After a while, I somehow found craft websites, such as craftster.org and cutoutandkeep.net. These inspired me to start reconstructing my clothes. I made a few cute things, but ended up ruining others. Then, I started to get bolder and go to Joannes for fabric. I mostly ruined that too.

Then, I found a website that sold chainmaille rings for cheap. I decided I wanted to try that. I got my dad to order some, and I made some bracelets and a choker. Then I started realizing that I wanted to learn how to make all kinds of things. I threw myself into crafting because I didn't have any friends in my neighborhood to ride bikes with, as I had in the past. I was a loner, because I had a hard time thinking of words to say to people.

I started knitting again. I learned and learned and learned. I didn't have people to help me, I just had the internet. Then I started connecting to people because I would be making something, and they would ask me about it. Or, I would be wearing something I made, and they would compliment me, and all I had to say was "I made it" and it would start a whole conversation.

I don't always make the coolest things, or things that look interesting, or even functioning things, but people loved it all because it was something they couldn't do. They would be amazed at my talents. I had something in me that was worth working on and improving! So, I brought that into the rest of my life and improved that too.

So. that is how I started crafting. I was depressed and alone, and needed something to do. It brought me out of my depression enough to connect to people when they spoke to me. I still have a hard time with thinking positively a lot, but it's better than it was before. I'm really trying to let myself be happy. I can lose myself in crafting and come out with some kind of productive work to show for it. That's better than wallowing about, letting myself get down.

Does anybody have an inspirational story about crafting to share? I'd like to hear it! Hopefully there are some out there that isn't as sad and annoying as mine is.

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Crafters block.

For the past 2 days, I haven't been doing anything but getting on the computer, reading, eating, and sleeping. See, what happened was, the blanket that I've spent over 20 hours knitting, has a twist in it. The only way to fix this is to unravel 20 HOURS of work and start over. So, I kind of hate crafting right now...

The twist is there on the right... 

So what I'm going to do, is start over, and knit the blanket from the inside out. The amount of stitches I cast on  wasn't going to be big enough for a fully grown man anyways. This way, I can stop knitting when I can tell it'll be big enough. I can only hope I can do this in one month. Which I bet I can, it will just be a month full of agony and "why did I decide to knit BLANKETS?"

I haven't even been working on clay, which, I REALLY need to for my shop. I also REALLY need to buy some boxes and shipping supplies in order to ship things for cheap. I personally hate shipping things because it usually ends up so expensive! So, I've decided to buy the boxes online, for cheap, and not have to pay for boxes at the UPS store, keeping the cost down for both me and my potential buyers. Because seriously, paying $10 for just a cardboard box and then another $20 for shipping is ridiculous. I need tiny boxes, for tiny things. That is all.

I've also decided to do that whole adsense thing on my blog. So, click those ads, please! It nets me some $$. Which we all need, right?

Anyways. I still have the KAL set up, and I've added a link to a regular pinwheel blanket (as opposed to reverse pinwheel blanket) so those of you who want to knit up an awesome blanket, go ahead and join me here.

Hopefully, I'll start working on some other xmas presents, as well as getting my shop set up better than it is now. I've got some sewing to do, and some clay things to work on for xmas. Maybe I'll be able to do some tutorials! Or at least enough pictures to help one figure it out if they want too.

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Work in Progress

Knitting a blanket is taking me a longer and shorter time than I expected. I'm not sure how to explain myself on that point, but it's the truth.

When I first began, I cast on 450 stitches and it was taking me 40 minutes per round on the garter stitch border. Then I finished the border and started in on the stockinette stitch, I cut that time in half... But it's still taking me 15-20 minutes per round. Which is too be expected!

I think why I feel like it's taking longer is because I haven't been working on it diligently. There's been a couple days where I haven't worked on it at all, and a couple of days like today where I didn't have the time to just sit and work. I haven't even finished one row today!

I started on the 10th, so it's been 9 days. I have until the 28th of August, though!

Here's a progress pic:

About 24 rows in

If you feel like joining my Knit A Long on this blanket, you can here! The pattern is posted there as well. I've got one other person already joining me, it looks like. I have quite a few of these too make, so, it'll be open for a while. Please feel free to post any pictures! I'd love to see your work and variations! 

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Getting Started on Hell.

I'm not sure why I decide to do things like knit blankets, but I'm still happy that I'm doing it. I've casted on, and I'm on row 7 already, soon I will be done with the garter stitch border and things will go faster, I hope. I seem to have more trouble knitting when the previous row was purling. Has anyone else had this experience?

Row 7 so far

I also would recommend using a longer circular... I believe mine is a 32 inch aaaannd... I hate having to stop every minute or so to move the bunches away from one needle and closer to the next. It is just making it take that much longer, you know? 

Anyways, the pattern says to use size US 6 needles and cast on 450 stitches. I'm not sure how big that blanket turns out, but I'm using US 9 with 450 stitches. This is for my 6 foot tall boyfriend, but it's also for his car so during the winter he won't freeze while working. Unless he gets a new job. Then... I guess he will just have a knit blanket. 

I'm also using one pound(16 oz) of yarn... The pattern didn't specify how big of skeins to use, so I just got a big one. Hopefully, it will only use this one, but I doubt it... 

Anyways, my camera is back! Plus, it's working! Now to never remove the memory card ever again, plus get a years warranty in case it happens again! Now I should be posting somewhat regularly again. 

Oh! Also. I started a Knit-A-Long on Craftster for the above blanket. If you would like to join, please do. I will probably be posting every blanket I make from now until xmas, so it won't be too late to join anytime soon! 

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Blog Changes

I just looked at my blog a half hour ago and realized that it still reflected my preferred dark background with bright letters. I've heard tell so many times that this is difficult to read for other people, so I took some time and switched up the colors on my blog. I hope the boring white background with black words help! I'd rather my posts be read in enjoyment instead of given up on halfway through because of the way I set it up... Everything else is still colorful and pretty anyways.

I'm hoping later this month I'll be able to get some yarn to start making blankets. My goal is 3 blankets for xmas, possibly 4, since my boyfriend has taken an interest. Then again, maybe I should make him a blanket for his birthday since he wants it for his car for winter.  Leather interior gets hot during the summer, sure, but it also FREEZES during the winter!

I'm sure a lot of people will end up being jealous, but I'm not going to knit blankets for EVERYONE! That's a lot of yarn! Plus, not everyone gives me enough for xmas to warrant a blanket. I'm still a slow knitter! It'll take a while. I'm just hoping my bf's mom won't see his blanket and demand one for xmas. She's already asked for stuff.

See, that's the problem... I have to keep it a secret from almost everyone. Or else they will get all bitchy about what I made them. Then I hate xmas! This is what happens every year. Then I get over it because that is what happens to almost everybody, and we all get over it. Sometimes.

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It's not too early to be thinking about xmas!

Since I am (1) a crafter and (2) saving more and more money every month, I have to start thinking about what I'm going to do for xmas presents. Like NOW. I'm saving a dollar per number of week in the year, i.e. the 1st week I save 1 dollar, second week I save 2 dollars and so on. Well, this month I'm hitting triple digits. I'll have a lot of money by the end of the year, but at the same time this is all money from donating blood plasma. I'm doing this without a JOB.

If you're confused about the part about me being a crafter, I mean that it's going to take time to MAKE gifts, instead of buying them. Especially since I have just decided to KNIT BLANKETS for several people. Yeah. I'm hoping I might get away with buying yarn from a couple of friends of mine who ended up not using their yarn. Aaaaaand looking out for coupons. Plus, sales. So, there's that to look forward too.

Then again, the blanket I've decided on isn't really anything complicated. It's a reverse pinwheel blanket... I was looking for something that is SUPER easy, but looks really good (No stockinette stitch blankets for me, no, it has to at least look pretty) and the pinwheel blanket fits the bill. I love knitting on circulars, plus the pattern I found on ravelry knits from the outer edge of the blanket in (hence the "reverse"). I'd rather finish on DPNs, not start on them.

My favorite one is this one:

Reverse Pinwheel Blanket

But I'm sure everyone I'm going to make one for will prefer something different. Oh well, I plan on making myself one, eventually!

I also found some other striped blanket I'll probably make for my newest nephew... Just because I feel obligated to make him something, since I DID convince my brother to have a kid. 

Other xmas gifts that aren't as important as my decision to start knitting blankets include a fancy scarf(also knit), a market bag(also knit), soap cozies(also knit), clay things, a pretty wooden box, wine coasters, regular coasters, and some corset bags. 

Anyone else starting on xmas early? Because we all know I need to! 

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