Tag: yarn

First Day of Crafting

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

I made it to my daughter’s with no traffic issues at all.  I stopped and got gas and of course the next three places I saw were all less expensive.  We talked till 2 in the morning.

At her work, I sat and crocheted while she worked.  I finished one dish towel and started another.  I am hoping to finish it before we go back to her apartment.  I don’t have buttons for them but we are going to Joann’s tomorrow.

We went out to lunch and in the same mall, there was a Michaels.  She still had over 30 minutes before she had to be back so we went to look at yarn.  I got some on sale and a crochet magazine which she grabbed before I could look at it and tagged it already.

I have the material to make her one more dish towel and will try to finish those tonight.   Tonight we are going through all the yarn she has claiimed and I plan to make a detailed list of what she wants from each yarn.  

She fed me lunch and now I just want a nap.  She’s offered her keys for me to go back to her apartment but that just seems silly.  I will either put my head down on her desk and nap or I will be a good mom and work on her dish towel.

When I got here she had goodies for me and I LOVE the blanket she made me.  Apparently people have offered to take it and I said absolutely not.  Well okay I said fuck no and if they try I’ll chop off their hands (it is that nice of a blanket).

Hopefully tonight will be an earlier night but I’m not holding my breath.  We always stay up late talking.

Craft Focused Day

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

After meeting my mom and sister to get our paperwork signed and notarized, I contacted my niece.  While waiting on her to arrive, I worked on all sorts of writing administrative things.  I got a lot done and then she showed up.

We played in my craft room for a little bit before we wandered off to Michaels.  I enjoyed – very much enjoyed – our time shopping at Michaels and the other stores.  Both of us needed stuff from Staples.  Since it’s two doors down from Michaels we hit there first and then Michaels.

I love sales.  I love yarn sales and I love wandering up and down aisles and touching different yarn.  I didn’t buy a single full priced item at Michaels.  It was all sale items.  I found pretty yarn both crochet cotton and regular yarn.  I filled in colors for my crochet cotton I didn’t have and even found some blues to make Stephanie happy for the items she requested.

  
We found good stuff for an afghan for my niece.  Her old one fell apart (it’s only about 20 years old) so rather than fixing it, I’ll be making her a new one.  Don’t worry people who are in line ahead of her – she isn’t butting in line.

While at Michaels we wandered the bead aisle so my niece could get some beads for some of her projects.  I’m hoping this means I will get the stuff she promised to make me.  It is always fun to wander through the bead aisles.  I like beads, I just don’t have a lot of skills when it comes to making the jewelry.

JoAnns was our next stop.  We wandered around quite a bit.  I actually didn’t spend a lot there.  Got a small package of yarn and a single skein.  My niece however spent a lot more there and got lots of goodies.

Picking up lunch, we came back and chatted the afternoon away.  After she left and Ken went to bed, I worked on daisies for the girls in Georgia.  Virginia requested purple and gray.  I was tired after all the shopping but I still tackled some more of her daisies.  I listened to Witness in Death and started working.  I was tired to begin with and after two I just wanted to go to sleep but I stuck with it and got the last six done for her.  Now I have to move on to Stephanie’s color choices.  I have a list and will be tackling them today.

Ken and I are watching Justified, since there is no football he plans to watch today, we may finish off season 5 and switch to Babylon 5.  At least that is my hope.  While we do that, I will work on the daisies for Stephanie.  I also have two infinity scarves to make so if I get bored with daisies, I can switch over and see what I come up with for the infinity scarves.

It was a good day yesterday.  I enjoyed the time with my niece.  I enjoyed making the daisies and listening to an audio book.  Today will hopefully be as productive and as enjoyable.

Bad Book

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

I barrelled through the bad book.  It’s done.  I’m annoyed and will never read the author again.  I posted a review on Goodreads and Amazon.  When I was on Amazon, I discovered she’s continued to write in that same town but with new characters. 

I read some of the reviews of the first one and it reaffirmed my belief that I wouldn’t be reading her again.  She took a character from the last book – the bad book – who stood by while the main character was raped and tortured and made him into the love interest in the new book.  How is he supposed to be romantic and loving? 

At the end of the last book, she put in a bit about how it was the brother of one of the sister’s love interest.  He said his brother was undercover.  The whole spiel was you do things that are wrong while you’re undercover.  Can you just imagine the meeting – hey bodyguard, you stood by while I was raped and torture but come have Sunday dinner with your brother, sister-in-law and the rest of our family.  I don’t think so.

Of course, realism was not anywhere near this book with the rape victim having sex, lots of sex, within a few days of being rescued.  Of all the things in this book, that is what bugged me the most.  There’s just no way, no matter how much healing – magical or otherwise – that a woman would be ready in that short of time. 

It’s behind me now.  I’ll stop complaining – maybe.  I won’t be reading anymore of the author.  I’m going back to JD Robb tonight.  I’m going to try to finish the scarf and the book I’m listening to.  I’m going to work out a schedule for all the things I want to get done including the writing.  I also want to look at yarn to see what I will need to buy (there’s always room for more yarn – it’s squishy!)

Beware the Exploding Head

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

I spent my night reading a manuscript and editing it.  I see the weaknesses in it and know where I need to improve the story.  I did some minor edits but I’m at a stage where I need to do my searches and print it for a thorough editing. 

I have no name for the book.  When I started writing it, I just called it murder.  Now I want to think about the story and what I want to call it.  My test readers have suggested it would be good to be part of a series.  I don’t know.  I’m not confident in the murder mystery arena. 

I could not face my books last night.  I needed to work on editing / writing things.  I am still working on that scarf for Vicki.  I just made a list of the things I need to make over the next semester for student workers who are leaving me (sadly).  When they grarduate, I make them something.  I have four who are leaving, this makes a lot of crocheting for the next semester.  I got one done already but I still have three more to do. 

Plus I have three afghans on my to do list already.  It’s a good thing I have audio books galore to read.  I can crochet while I listen to all the books Vicki’s been telling me to read.  I’m going to have to juggle my time and energy. 

Part of the problem I am having is I need to write.  If I’m not writing, I get grumpy.  There are times I take a break from it to give my brain a break but they are few and far between.  I will have to balance out what I want to do.  This is an ongoing struggle for me – balancing out all the aspects of my life.

I guess for this it will be a matter of prioritizing and scheduling so I get everything done in time.  I already have the yarn for two of the three student worker gifts.  I also have a baby gift to make.  I have some of the yarn for that and if I go to my stash I probably have the yarn needed for the blanket I want to make.  I have a ripple book that would take stripes. I could make something nice from that. 

Ideas are just flooding my head.  I may have to write them down so I don’t forget.  That way it is just a matter of grabbing the material and getting to work. 

My Atlanta girls have requested coasters so that is my next project.  I have a LOT to get done before Ken flies out and can take them all their goodies.  That will be next week and I have until the 29th to get the stuff done.  Once I’m done with their stuff, I’ll turn towards these other projects. 

Plus I have three afghans on my list for family members.  I have the yarn for two of them.  I just have to make the time.  It will be an interesting spring while I juggle all these different projects with my writing projects.  Let’s hope my head doesn’t explode with all that I have going on. 

A Box of Yarn

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

I’m obsessed with yarn.  I love yarn.  I came home tonight and here was my order from Herrschners.  A friend gave me a gift card from there so I handed it to Vicki and said, I need crochet cotton, you know the colors, and whatever is on sale.

This is the result.  Now most people see just a bunch of yarn.  I see smiles, hugs, and appreciation.  I see hours of enjoyment as I listen to a book and crochet.  I see dishtowels, pot holders, dish cloths, scarves, make up pads and more.

There is so much potential in this one small box and so much happiness for me and for others.  I am sitting here saying I will not pick up the new yarn and make stuff because I already have four projects in progress and I need to finish at least one or two of them before I start new ones – right?  Maybe…

The colors are exciting.  The textures are exciting.  The hours of just enjoying myself with the goodies in this box are exciting.  One might assume I am a little excited about this box.

It’s a little box and a little thing but I know it will bring a lot of happiness.  The items made from the yarn in here will be useful and appreciated.  I can’t wait to dive in and play around with the goodies.  I have to wait … I keep telling myself I have to wait.  I have other projects to finish before I start with the new yarn.  I must resist the temptation – am I convincing anyone else?

Tonight I’m supposed to be working on a manuscript.  I have two I’m working on that are in progress.  I should work on writing and not crocheting.  I could pull up the next JD Robb book and listen to it while I work on one of the projects.  Maybe I would finish the project so I could play with the new yarn tomorrow.  But I have those two manuscripts.  Oh the war of responsibility and the desire to play with new yarn.

I’ll be good.  For now.  Maybe…..

New Crochet Patterns

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

Vicki has been encouraging me to put my crochet patterns up for sale.  It makes sense.  I make up the patterns and then I forget them.  This forces me to write them down and document them so when someone says they like something I can easily (I hope) create the item again.

Dish Towel with Hanger:
This is a good one.  I’ve made countless ones and get requests from certain people for more.  It is great to make for housewarming or wedding shower gifts. I’ve made these for most of my nieces and nephews who I hope are using them.  It takes a couple of hours and is fairly easy to create.

Woven Winter Scarf:
This turned out really well.  I’m very pleased with this one.  It is a gift and I hope the person doesn’t visit my blog to see it.  It’s made from worsted weight yarn so it is warm.  Additionally I made it with Wisconsin in mind so it is wider and longer.  That way when the arctic blast hits us, the person can wrap it around her face and try to stay warm and protected.

These are available on Smashwords and Amazon for only 99 cents.  I’ve also posted them on my web site if you want to take a closer look at them.

I’m working on three or four new patterns so there may be new patterns showing up soon – it just depends on how nice they turn out.

On another note, I started organizing all the gifts I have done and I’m about half done so that is a good thing.  I still have to do the wrapping which is never my strong suit.  I have them organized, it is just a matter of getting them done.

I also got a package from Herrschners on Friday.  It had such lovely things in it.  I’m looking forward to working with the yarn I got and seeing what sort of mischief I can cause with it.  Is there anything better than a bag full of yarn?  Probably but not to a crafting addict like me.

Disabled Shouldn’t Mean Unable

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

First let me say, I don’t like to burden people or even businesses.  Part of the reason I don’t go shopping is because it is too hard in a lot of stores for me to get around.  I use a scooter to move around.

I went to one of my favorite places to shop and I don’t think I’ll be going back there.  This makes me sad.  JoAnn in Janesville is a nice store, carries a variety of items I like to wander through, has a different variety than Michaels or Hobby Lobby.

I have two difficulties.  Their doors aren’t automatic so when I go by myself, I have to struggle to open the door to get in and out.  Now I’ve found that the people who go to craft stores are really nice and I’ve almost always had someone offer to open the door for me.

The second difficulty happened today.  I’m always concerned about the aisle width as I’m riding on a scooter.  Today the aisles were so narrow Ken had to move things so I could make turns and even get down the aisles.

In fact, if Ken hadn’t gone with me (which is what we both prefer – he hates craft shopping and I hate craft shopping with him), I wouldn’t have been able to get to the items I wanted to purchase.

I called the manager and got a “we’ll work on that” and “all you have to do is ask” response.  I felt like she fobbed off my concerns.  If you want my business, you will make it so I can get around in your store.  I can manage the door but I can’t manage or don’t want to have to rearrange your damn store so I can get through to what I want to look at.

I’m not a big shopper in the first place but this just makes it even harder for me to think about shopping.  If I can’t get around in your store, I can’t buy your products.  I thought stores wanted me to spend my money in them.  Apparently not in some cases.

New Project

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

Finished the second afghan I was working on. It was a quick one with a large hook and large lacy pattern. I think it turned out nicely with the pattern featuring the beautiful yarn. Next I’m moving on to the afghan for my oldest daughter.

I started it last night but may have to tear it out as I think the hook is not large enough to meet the gauge. The two rows I did are only about three feet wide. This will make it more shawl like than afghan.

I’m using Patton Metallic yarn which I had a hard time getting and cost a fortune. However, it is worth it because the yarn works up beautifully.  It is a silver color and looks like spun silver.  It is soft and beautiful. 

Every time I start a new project I’m excited to try something new.  I think this is why I don’t often do the same pattern twice for the larger projects.  I do for smaller projects because they just work up nicely and multiples are more likely to be needed (like for dishtowels and other household stuff).

There is an anticipation and excitement of whether I’ll like the project, be able to do it, and how it will turn out.  It is exciting to see it develop.  It is generally only the projects that take forever that I end up getting annoyed with.

After this afghan I have one more to do and when they are both done I’m going to work on a project I’ve been wanting to do for myself (hopefully) as well as the smaller projects I need to start for gifts. 

The Frustration of the Neverending Afghan

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

Last night I worked on Vicki’s afghan.  I made good progress with getting a row and a half done.  I went to start the next row and discovered that I didn’t have enough yarn to complete the row.  This is the one variegated skein I didn’t get over the weekend.  I was all set to keep crocheting but unfortunately I didn’t have the yarn to do it.  I was very annoyed. 

Tonight after work I’ll be stopping to get the skein of yarn.  Hopefully they have the variegated I need to do this one freaking row.  I grumbled at Vicki about it and she said to just skip the color.  However, it would look odd if I just skipped it – it would ruin the whole pattern. 

There I was last night in the mood to work on it and I couldn’t.  The yarn failed me.  In most cases I typically buy extra yarn so I don’t have this problem but with this afghan we didn’t buy extra – probably because the yarn was sort of pricey.  It is beautiful yarn but a little pricey.

Once I have the yarn, I’m hoping to get that row done and start on another of the rows.  I’m to the point in the afghan where I just want it done.  For most normal rectangular afghans if I had five rows left, I would just finish it.  I’m frustrated because I can’t just rush through the end of it to have it done and because I ran out of yarn. 

I’ll have to be patient because there is nothing I can do about it – that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.

On the writing front, I’ve been working on editing.  I finished editing a fantasy novel.  I need to get the changes into the computer now.  I also have a poetry book edited.  I’m going to work on production of both of these so I can work on getting them out soon.  Then I will look at the third poetry book and the second fantasy novel.  They both have a lot of editing to go on them. 

With all of these I have to work on artwork / covers as part of the production.  I have wonderful people who help me create beautiful covers.  I’m looking forward to working on these covers and other artwork for the fantasy novels. 

Secret Past

Moon Affirmations  Daily Meditations Using the Moon Phase to Focus Your Energy

Moments in Nature

Yarn and Customer Service

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

I’ve waxed poetic about yarn and how much I enjoy working with it.  I recently bought a skein of yarn to make an order fit a minimum to get free shipping.  I looked at it online and said well that looks interesting and it isn’t too expensive. 

When my order came in and I got the yarn in my hot little hands I was pleased with the texture and the feel of the yarn.  One small skein I used to experiment.  I have been playing with making lace by the inch.  I picked out one of the patterns from the book I got on Amazon and started making it.  It was a thicker yarn so the pattern was going to work up into a scarf. 

Loved the pattern, worked up quickly and easily, I could mindlessly work on it while watching tv.  Unfortunately, I got several rows in and discovered a break in the yarn.  Here was another end – generally for a skein you have two and this one had more than that.  I ended up cutting off a large length of yarn as it was frayed and joining. 

One skein scarves – particularly lacy designs – don’t always work up nicely to have joined material in them.  Too often you can see where the yarn was joined and it is a blemish in the scarf.  Fortunately I was able to hide the join fairly well.  

In talking to my daughter, I told her to remind me not to buy the yarn again.  She told me to complain to the company.  I did but thought nothing will come of it.  After all we are talking about yarn which can and often does break and has flaws.  

I was surprised when I contacted the company and got a very prompt response.  They had questions which I shot off answers to as soon as I saw the email.  Within an hour or two of contacting Lion Brand company (http://www.lionbrand.com/) they put in an order for a new skein.  

This good customer service is surprising – not because I’ve had bad experiences with the company but just because I feel good customer service is declining in general.  The promptness of their response and their willingness to address the issue has made me willing to go back and try more of their yarn.  

Good job Lion Brand Company and thank you for all you do.