Knit Picks Website and Podcast

One of my favorite places to shop online is Knit Picks, whose slogan is "Passionately committed to affordable luxury knitting"

They have a wonderful assortment of yarns in many colors, fibers and sizes. A great collection of books, knitting needles, and other supplies can also be found on their site. I have made many purchases, and I have been happy with all of them. This picture (and the next one) come from the Knit Picks website.

Their descriptions of yarns and colors are quite reliable. New products and colors are introduced all the time.

There are also many amazing knitting needles, including circular, straight, interchangeable, and sets, which are made of various kinds of wood and metals in all sizes.

The Knit Picks podcast is my favorite crafting podcast. First of all, the woman who does the podcast, Kelley, has an incredibly soothing voice which is a joy to listen to. The content of the podcasts is always informative, there are interviews, information about yarns, book reviews, and much more. Summaries of the contents of each podcast can be found on the website. You can download the podcast from iTunes, or at the Knit Picks' website. You can also listen to the podcasts directly from the site.

Crayon Scarf

This is my latest crochet design:

Since I made this one, I have made ones in green, yellow, and purple. I am making them about 4 feet long, to fit children from about 4 years old to 12 years old. I have perfected the design and hope to write up the pattern to sell on etsy. I'm also planning to make some to sell through my etsy store.

I'm sending the first batch of scarves to OAK in Boston. OAK is a wonderful store which opened recently. It's on the corner of Newbury St., and Gloucester St. It is stocked with all hand made things, thus the name is an acronym for One of A Kind. OAK also has a blog which shows pictures of the store and displays of the unique items carried by the store.

A Great Homeschooling Picnic

A quote for today: It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it. ~Jacob Bronowski

Today, while other young people were returning to school, my daughter and I went to a "Not Back To School Picnic". I have been homeschooling my children since my oldest daughter finished first grade. That makes this my 15th Not Back to School Picnic! I haven't missed any since we started homeschooling.

It was a beautiful day today. We have always had our picnic at Great Brook Farm in Carlisle, Massachusetts. It is a state park with a working dairy farm, and many trails for walking, bicycling, horse riding, and - in the winter - cross country skiing.

Here is a picture of the dairy barn:

And these are some pictures of students with their "barefoot irreverence" to studies:

A great time was had by all!

If you want more info about homeschooling, one of the many websites to check out is Jon's Homeschool Resources

A great source for information on homeschooling in Massachusetts, is the Massachusetts Home Learning Association website.

Finally, I would be glad to try to answer your questions, just email me at alysamerle@dudleyzoo.org

PLARN

A quote for today: "Knitting is very conducive to thought. It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles, write a while, then take up the sock again." Dorothy Day

I've been making a lot of PLARN lately (PLastic yARN). I go through spurts where I convert plastic bags into a form that I can crochet with, and then I don't feel like it for a while. There are a variety of tutorials on line that show how to make PLARN from grocery bags. A friend of mine made this one on YouTube

This is a picture of some of the PLARN balls I've been making:

The red, clear, and bright blue balls are made from newspaper bags, the rest are made from a variety of grocery bags. Sometimes I sort the bags by color, other times I combine a variety of bags. The brownish ball on the right was made from a variety of dark bags; I think it will make an interesting pattern when crocheted.

Many of my friends know that I use plastic bags to create PLARN, so they save their bags for me. I am often greeted with "I have some bags for you". Following is a picture of the plastic bags I have that are waiting to be transformed into PLARN:

In addition to grocery bags, I use bags that are somewhat thicker. The thicker bags are cut in a continuous spiral and wound on pieces of recycled cardboard. I often use them as accents to creations that are made primarily from grocery bags.

I learned from Etsy that the items I create from the PLARN are called upcycled. Something is upcycled when you take one item that has already been used, and turn it into something different

This is one of my recent completed PLARN projects:

I'm pleased with how it came out. For more pictures and a more complete description, you can check out my website at Etsy.com

Cats and Plarn bags and basket

It's been a while, I've had a crazy and busy few weeks. Amazingly it will be September tomorrow!

We are owned by four cats. You can see Inanna in my avatar. Here are pictures of another 2:

The one on the left is Cassie, short for Cassiopeia, and the cutie on the right is Luna. And, yes, they are sisters.

I recently finished a custom order. Using Plastic Yarn (Plarn) I crocheted three bags to use for picking produce. Each one is a different size, and a different color scheme.

This first one was made for the mom.

The red and pink one (on the right) is for a 5 year old boy, and the one with blue and purple (on the

left) is for a 2 year old girl.

l

There were a few special features for these bags. I used plastic canvas to support the bottom and one side of the bags

And the straps are totally adjustable, the button fits anywhere on the other handle. They can be worn around the neck so the bag is centered, or across the chest so the bags hang and the hip. There is also a button in the front, as well as one in the back so it stays open when needed.

And, finally, I made a multifunctional basket, which can be used as a fruit basket on the table.

• 

The quality of these pictures is not the best, I was in a hurry to take them before I went out to deliver the bags and basket.

Elephants, Kippot and Colors

Today's Tip: A newborn baby's head is about the size of your fist. So, if you're making a hat for a newborn try it on your fist! The baby will outgrow the hat quickly, but it is a hat they can wear right after they are born. It would make a great baby shower present. Also, there are many dolls with a head the same size as a newborn.

This is Bella. My 16yo daughter made her for me! She usually sits on my bookshelf, right across from where I frequently sit knitting and crocheting, and watching TV. That way I can see her when I look up from what I'm doing.

These are two kippot I recently made. I put them on bowls to spray starch them. It helps them hold their shape, but they are not too stiff and crunchy. I plan to put one for sale on my Etsy Site, and bring one to a local store on consignment. I have some others that need to be sprayed.

On Sunday, I did some field market research. I found myself spending time at a mall in New Hampshire, while my daughter was at a rehearsal. As I was sitting there crocheting I started people watching. It occurred to me to make a note of what colors people were wearing. I also took a walk and checked out what colors were being sold for fall wear.

I saw a lot of black and white on all ages. Young girls seem to always like pink and purple. I also saw a lot of muted colors - greens, orange, blues, etc. And some boys had red on. I have since learned that there are some websites that have previews of the colors for upcoming seasons. One Useful site is fashiontrendsetter. Pantone is another useful site to see what colors are currently in style

I did realize that rather than matching these colors, scarves and hats should be designed to complement and contrast to these colors. A bright scarf might be just the thing to spice up a black and white outfit. But I'm glad I took a look to see what's in style.

Eighteenth Birthday Presents from Etsy

Today's Tip: An average sized scarf equals the height of the person wearing it. Why does this work? Generally people want a scarf that falls about halfway on their body. To get it to fall halfway, the scarf is the same as the height. So, a long scarf would be more than the height, and a short scarf would be less. If you look at the last tip, you'll see that you can get a quick measurement by holding the scarf between your outstretched arms.

Yesterday, August 2, was my daughter's 18th birthday. In addition to her main gift (her own guitar for Guitar Hero, and new programs), I bought her some wonderful gifts from Etsy. I thought about what she can do now that she is 18. She will be able to vote for the first time this year, so I purchased some fun things about voting. I got these two buttons from rvw2005This journal from ivylanedesigns

and this t-shirt from coolchirts

The other thing she can do is buy cigarettes. Although she has no interest in smoking, I thought these charms would be a fun gift. This one came from heartbreakjewelry

Sorting and Storing Yarn

Today's Tip: This is another measuring tip. If you stretch out your arms, for most people, finger tip to finger tip is equal to your height. Not sure I'm right? Most people are familiar with DaVinci's picture, Vitruvian Man (ok, I didn't know the name of it before now, but I was familiar with the picture). Look at the picture to the right, there is a square inside the circle. The man's arm span goes across the square, and the height is head to toe in the same square.

How do you organize your yarn? First of all, I use a combination of clear plastic bags, and storage bins. I leave the bags with at least a little opening, so that any moisture doesn't get trapped in the bag. Putting the yarn in clear containers helps me to remember what I have and makes it easier to find things if I want a particular yarn.

My sorting system is one that reflects the way I use yarn. Another method may work better for you. I have all cotton threads and yarns in one bag/bin. Anything with wool in it is also sorted out; although I can work with wool I can't wear it, so I like to keep it separate. Some yarns I separate by their weight - worsted, bulky, and sock weight in different bags. However, I also separate out "novelty" yarns - one bag for ladder and ribbon yarns, and another for fuzzy/furry and sparkly yarns.

Additionally, I organize my projects. I have one bin of unfinished projects. There are bags that need linings, buttons to be sewn on, and ends to pull in. I often finish the knitting or crocheting but don't have the tools handy to do the finishing. Other times I take out the items I need for finishing and take care of several projects.

One bin holds things I have posted on my Etsy site - AlysaMerle.Etsy.com. There are items that I have taken pictures of, but have not posted yet. I keep them handy so that I can make accurate descriptions in my listings. Also, I have bags holding things that are completed which have not been photographed. Finally, there are plenty of projects in progress - on my couch, and in various bags. I just purchased some medium sized clear plastic boxes, to hold things I am working on in the living room - so the cats can't get into them!

Do you have ideas about storing and sorting yarns? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Lowell Folk Festival

Today's Tip: A nail clipper works as a simple tool for snipping yarn and threads. Sometimes you don't want to use scissors. Perhaps you are worried about little hands being injured, or you don't want a scissors poking through your bag. Although some scissors are allowed on airplanes now, you may prefer to play it safe and take a nail clipper (see http://www.airsafe.com/danger.htm). And, if you need a scissors and don't have one with you, it's more likely that someone else will have a nail clipper than a scissors.

Yesterday, I spent most of the day attending the Lowell Folk Festival. It features folk music, ethnic foods, and crafts demonstrations. All the performances are free, and there are many food stations run by non-profit groups. There are events going on in There were also children's activities and local businesses and museums had sidewalk sales and information.

The craft area featured demonstrations by expert artists from Massachusetts. Since I am most interested in crafts involving fiber, my favorite was rug hooker Jeanne Fallier.

She doesn't just hook flat rugs. Above is a picture of a hooked turkey!

There were two kinds of basket artists featured as well. Milt Lafond's, New England Pounded Ash Basketry:
and Aquinnah Wampanoag Twined Basketry by Julia Marden:

Other crafts included Puerto Rican Vejigante Masks, Wildfowl Decoys, Ship's Wheels, Puerto Rican Santos Carvings, Polish Pysanki, Quill Work and Native Regalia, Wooden Boats, Metalsmithing, Hand-Carved Signs, Sheet Metal Workers, Chinese Seal Carving and Calligraphy, and Cambodian Ceramics.

But the best thing of all was seeing so many people enjoying themselves. All of downtown was blocked off to traffic and it felt like a huge neighborhood party!

The Folk Festival ends today, Sunday, July 27. It is an annual event, generally held the the 2nd or 3rd weekend in July.

Enjoy the Process

Today's Tip: Remember to enjoy the journey. Sometimes we forget to enjoy the process because we are focusing on the product. Whatever craft you do, slow down and enjoy it.

How do you choose a yarn to work with? Find a yarn that you love. If you don't love it you may find that you don't want to work on the project.

If you are new to knitting or crocheting, however, I suggest that you choose a yarn that is not fuzzy or furry. It can be difficult to work with and it's hard to see your stitches if a mistake is made. It can also be difficult to undo. There are many lovely and soft yarns that are not fuzzy or furry. Pick one that feels good to you, in a color that you like.

The yarn you love may be a bit more expensive than other yarns. Some may consider it an extravagance, but I think about how many hours of pleasure it will give me. Not only will I enjoy making something, there is a product at the end that you can keep or give to someone else. Think about other things you spend money on. For example, eating out is enjoyable, but when it's over what do you have? What do you spend for a few hours at the movies?

On the other hand, there is a wide range of prices for nice yarns, and there are some reasonable ones. I have found that Lion Brand has a lot of yarns that I like and are not too expensive. Another brand I like is Patons. And don't forget to shop at sales, and use the coupons that some stores provide. Once you know what yarn you like, there on online stores that you can purchase from. There are often more colors available on line, stores don't always have room to stock every color.

So, find a yarn you love - and enjoy using it! If you find yourself rushing, remember the words of Simon and Garfunkel - "slow down, you move too fast".

Projects In The Works

Today's Tip: At the risk of sounding like a parent, today's tip is to wash your hands. This should be the first step, before you start working on any project involving fibers and/or textiles. Even if your hands look clean, there are oils on your skin that can transfer to your creations.

I'm still in the middle of several projects, but I'm working on finishing a few.

This is a scarf that I've been working on for a while. It takes more focus than some of my projects so I leave at home to work on. It's a little hard to see, but it's a knit 3, purl 3 pattern in which the stitches move 1 place each row. I have to check it on each row; on one side the stripe is moving to the right, but when I turn it to work the next row the stripe is going towards the left. It makes an interesting texture that looks good with this solid color yarn. Once I get the row started, it's an easy pattern to follow.























These cute little piggies are being connected to make a child's scarf. I have the crocheting done, and just need to finish the embroidered features. I'm also thinking of making one into a kippah - then it'll be a kosher pig!















I call these "Tiny Treasure Pouches". I've been making them to send to another Etsy crafter who asked for cards and promos to put in gift bags at a show. I'm going to put a wrapped candy in each one. I'm thinking of putting some in my store - they would makee good stocking stuffers, small gifts, or promos. They can hold a lucky penny or a special stone or charm. A tooth would fit in it for those expecting the tooth fairy to come. And, I'm getting to use up the little leftover balls of yarn I have collected!

A thunder storm just swept through here. Inanna is afraid of thunder, and was hiding in a box. I know she's happy that it's over.

Kippot Made With Very Special Crochet Cot

Today's Tip: Some crochet patterns have you place a marker and then move it several times. This is especially true for motifs that start in the center, such as granny squares and doilies. I have found that it is easy to use a bobby pin, paper clip, or safety pin. They are inexpensive, I can usually find one ;), they are easy to move, and I'm not upset if I lose one! If you want something nicer for yourself or for a gift, there are artists at Etsy who make them. I found them with a search for "crochet, marker, not knit". You can also find lots of lovely stitch markers for knitting. Markers for knitting generally slip on the needle and get passed between needles as you work. Crochet markers need to be hooked onto the piece you are making and moved with each row or round.

I recently received some lovely crochet thread from Snappish on Etsy. Check out her shop at http://www.Snappish.etsy.com

It is hand-dyed #10 crochet cotton, also referred to as bedspread cotton.

These are the 3 skeins that I received. The pink and purple is "Pizzaz" colorway, the blue and white is "Flax" colorway, and the blue and pink skein is the "Alyssa" colorway. I couldn't resist getting that one (even though it is spelled wrong!). Each skein has 300 yards - enough to make several small projects.

The first thing I made was a kippah (yarmulke) from Pizzaz:

Even though it still needs to be blocked/shaped, you can see how lovely it is. There is plenty of thread left. I am making some bun covers for dancers, and more kippot, including some with more openwork.

I love making kippot, especially for women. Some are completely designed by me, and others start with a pattern for a doily or another crochet motif . I have also made some large ones that are appropriate for men which will be posted my store shortly.

I welcome custom orders! Kippot can be made in many colors, sizes, and patterns. It is fun to have to match different outfits. They make great presents, especially for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony. Wouldn't it be lovely to have matching kippot for everyone in a wedding party, or in the family of someone celbrating a Bar or Bat Mitzvah? Kippot can be made to match the color scheme chosen for the event. Feel free to contact me for information or to order your own one-of-a-kind kippah.

Knitting as Therapy

Do you find knitting to be therapeutic? I know I do. This morning I had a Doctor's appointment and I purposely brought a soft, furry yarn, and needles to make a scarf. Texture can really make a difference. Also, the yarn is so nice, no special pattern is needed, and garter stitch will look good.

Just after we started talking, the Dr. suggested I finish the row and then I could put it down. And I said "No, I can't". In response to her quizzical look, I said that I needed it to keep me calm and to fidget out my nervousness. I was knitting furiously as I said it. She let me continue, thank goodness.

I got a package from KnitPicks today - I'm such a yarn hog!


You can see the yarns in this picture. KnitPicks has great yarns and great sales! It's almost impossible for me to resist. Their descriptions are wonderful, and I've liked everything I've received from them. I also love their podcasts (I'll review podcasts in other posts).

But, it gets even better - all books were 40% off.
If there's anything I like as much as getting new yarn, it's getting new books. As you can see, I mostly bought books that have stitches and motifs in them. I plan to incorporate the designs in new items to make and sell. I have lots of ideas for things to make, and I love trying out new patterns.

Today's Tip - Do you ever need a ruler or tape measure, but there aren't any to be found? Sometime when you do have a measuring device, use it to measure parts of your hand. I know that each joint of my thumb is 1 inch. My full hand span - pinky to thumb - is about 8 inches, and from pinky to pointer is about 5 inches. Even though it is not totally precise, I find this to be very useful information. For many items, exact measurement is not necessary. Knit and crochet items always have some stretch to them, so "about" is good enough for many items - such as hats, bags, and scarves. If you're making something that needs more precise measurement, you can use your hand to check if you're almost there, if it's time to get out that ruler.

30 years ago - Etsy Treasury

Yea! I did it! After a lot of failed tries, I was able to load a page from Etsy!

This is an Etsy Treasury I created this week. July 16 was out 30th anniversary, and this treasury is to commemorate it.

So, what do these images mean? Well, my dh is Gary, and his hobby is marine biology. He had fish in his dorm room when we met. I'm Alysa, and this was the only image that had my name in it, spelled correctly. Actually I was surprised to find it at all. The wedding topper is obvious. We met in Boston, Gary went to MIT and I went to BU, thus the various images of Boston. One of our early dates was to a Boston Concert. The year was 1978. On our honeymoon, we took a bunch of pictures of baby ducks, which seemed pretty funny when we looked at them later. Gary was from Long Island, my parents lived in New Jersey and that's where we got married. Our song at our wedding was "I Love You Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel. And finally, St. John in the US Virgin Islands is our favorite vacation place (oh, and the photograph was taken by our daughter)

Today's Tip: When you need to sew pieces of crocheted or knitted work together, use round toothpicks instead of pins. They hold it together nicely and don't get lost in the fabric.

Taming my yarn and projects

Today's Tip - A travel toothbrush holder is useful for holding crochet hooks and double pointed needles. Use it at home, or put it in your project bag so you can easily find your needles.

In case you're wondering, the gorgeous creature pictured here is our cat, Inanna. She is named after the Sumerian goddess of Love and War, and Queen of the heavens and earth.

I just spent over an hour untangling the projects and yarn on and around my couch. To help keep future tangles down, I put rubber bands around all the balls of yarn. I also have to actually finish a few projects. I found about 10 things that I have started. I keep on getting new ideas or seeing a new yarn I want to work with. Then I put one thing aside and start another. I sometimes have to make a deal with myself to finish at least 2 projects before I'm allowed to start another.

But there ARE some good reasons for having so many projects ;) First of all I have some crochet projects and some knit projects. That way if my hands get tired, or I get bored with one, I can do the other. Then there are some projects with big needles and some with small needles; and there are simple projects and more complex projects. There are also some projects that are more portable than others, so they're easier to carry around. This way I have something for different moods and situations. (Note: I'm good at making excuses). Now, if I could just get myself to stop buying yarn...

My New Blog

Sometimes you have to hold your nose, shut your eyes, and jump!

I'm just beginning to learn about this blogging thing, but if I wait until I understand the details I might never get it done. I'll learn as I go.

Knitting tip - When you are working with circular needles and a lot of stitches, work one row before you join. It is much easier to get all the twists out, and you can make a stitch to close the little gap when you sew the ends in.

Check out my Etsy Store at AlysaMerle.Etsy.com

I started my Etsy store about 6 months ago. I now have 80 items listed. I have a lot more things finished, and I'll be adding them gradually over the next few months.