I Am Pathetic

Really? How hard is it to post a little entry in a blog? I never stop talking in real life - why is it so challenging for me to share those words here?

We've done the zoo, forts in the bedroom, a sixth birthday, random fun and finished a bag.

Guess what I'll show you now?


Yup, the bag. This has two smallish handles because the one long one made little Frank really floppy and I didn't dig it. This does fit on my shoulder, but it is snug. The handles will stretch with the weight of the bag contents.

I will be listing him tonight...if all (boys) go as planned.

Frank or Snaggle or Vampaggle?

Fresh out of the washer. This is my first attempt at a mouth. The detailing in the lips are totally lost after felting. I'll try that again, though. I love the bottom lip! The ears came out nicely, too.

This is the first machine knit base that I did. I have been challenged by this AS Seen on TV product. I only frogged this red base 3 times. The biggest problem is that when knitting, it is so loud! If my kids were making the same sound I'd have stopped them after the first minute. Everyone complains about the noise. So, I set it up at night and at my lunch, I run to the table and crank it out, still having time for lunch, it is so fast.

I have learned that knit shrinks much more than crochet, but takes less yarn. Go figure. I have a mustard yellow piece that will become the next monster...growth begins tonight!

Hopefully, I will be able to list both (Olistrum below) of these tomorrow.

Update: Olistrum is moving away, he packed hiself and he is leaving for greener grass. Frank is having some issues...after he was fully dry, he couldn't keep himself steady. I need to fix-remake-reinvent the way he is carried.

7 Days

Olistrum

Since my last post...I'm getting better!

This guy came out of my washing machine late last night...he seems a tad angry. This is my biggest bag ever! It is three and a half skeins of yarn instead of my usual 2-3 skeins. We are talking 15" by 9" at this stage (drying may shrink a little, I may tug on it and get it a little larger). Either way, this is no itty bitty handbag.

I have another I am trying to get in the washing machine, it is rich red and is the first experiment on my new toy knitting machine.

Maybe next time, my post will be 6.

8 Days

That is how long it's been since my last post.

I think I fell into that blog slump. The one that makes oneself feel there is absolutely nothing to write about. Which makes me sad, because I started this blog with nothing to say and still managed to come up with a couple posts. If you are looking for a blog with daily updates, this one isn't for you. If you stop by every week, I'm more your speed.

Yesterday, I purchased a knitting machine. It will be here, hopefully, within the next three days. I am very excited at the potential increase in production. I look at my shop and sigh. If only I had more monsters.

Speaking of monsters...it was a busy morning for the boys. Today, this little guy left for his first day of preschool/daycare. I am fighting every urge to call the school and see how he is doing. But there are only two hours left and they would have called me if there was a problem.

And then his brother had a "Sing a Long and Author's Tea" at kindergarten today. We have learned that Sam isn't a singer. He stood there, behaved nicely, but didn't really participate. Some of his faces were pretty funny. The cafeteria was crowded with standing PTA moms and grandparents all standing up to take a photo of their pride and joy. I tried to hang low, peeping between heads and elbows.

Sam wore a white polo type shirt with his clip on tie. (Sam, you are a very handsome boy!) He wrote some amazing things in his writing portfolio.

I am very proud of both my boys. Wait, all three. The big guy's pharmacy intern license came today.

We are a third of the way through June and I feel as if it just started. The calendar is filling up, the summer is approaching and I hear monsters in my head, begging for life.

Assembly Line

Nameless Nellie

Wash My Cloth is perhaps headed in a different direction. One not planned or seen a year ago, or even eight months ago. The monster purse business seems to be an untapped market. Who would have thought that such a varied array of customers would appreciate a monster on his/her (I don't discriminate) shoulder? I have been concentrating on the monsters as nothing else seems to be moving out of the shop. Since each bag is made by hand crocheting, each purse can take up to 10 hours just to create the bag itself, without the personality of a face.

Etsy.com (please shop there!) has a section called 'Custom' where one can request a special item from an Etsy seller, imagine them as want ads. I placed an ad for a couple swatches of Machine Knitted wool. This gal bid, I accepted, and she had the swatches done in a matter of an afternoon - amazing. I am considering purchasing a machine to create the base of the bag. I estimate that this purchase could cut down my production time to nearly a quarter of the current time it takes me to create the base.

I have my fingers crossed that when I test these swatches, they work with my technique perfectly. I'd be happy to accept other fingers and toes crossed, if you don't mind.

Am I cheating if I use a machine to do the dull part?

Eyeless Pictures

A picture tells a greater story when you are missing information. Like a book, a picture without eyes leaves the story to the viewer.

And when you are at the beach, remember your watercolor paints, paper and of course, yarn to make it all happen.