tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19439995815840383742024-03-14T08:21:15.451-04:00minimegminimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-45718607621261059732015-12-08T12:47:00.000-05:002015-12-08T12:47:02.376-05:00Gift Wrapping: Christmas 2015I've been really busy at the store the last couple months. I bought the yarn portion of a yarn and fabric store that was closing, so I spent much of October moving furniture, assembling displays, and unpacking boxes. More on that in the next post! In this post I want to talk about gift wrapping.<br />
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Many people don't know that all the gorgeous paper that I use for bookbinding can also be used as wrapping papers. In fact, that is how these papers are marketed by the manufacturers. This Christmas I decided to explore all the ways I could combine different papers and ribbons to have THE BEST wrapped gifts under the family Christmas tree. (I am also giving fewer gifts this year, so I want to make them look extra special.)<br />
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I started with some of the Christmas-specific papers. My absolute favorite is the Fa-la-la Llama paper my paper source. (It has puns and llamas, two of my favorite things!) I paired it with a sheer red ribbon that looks darker any place it overlaps itself. This is a fairly standard gift wrapping technique with a plain bow, but the silly paper and sheer ribbon really makes it stand out. I wrapped another package in a red and white lokta paper from Paper Connection International. This is another one where the patterned paper makes it stand out. I could see using several papers in coordinating colors to to create a cohesive "look" under the tree. And finally, a gift bag from Paper Source because sometimes you need a nice looking gift and don't have the time to wrap it. Add some green tissue paper and you're done!<br />
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My next set of wrapped gifts used paper that is not specifically "Christmas wrap" for some interesting gifts that could be for Christmas, or any other gift giving occasion. The red, green, and yellow paper is a 100% cotton paper from Black Ink. I used a thin yellow ribbon and wrapped it around the corners to show off more of the paper's pattern, and tied a layered bow. The package on the right is wrapped with an Italian paper that has script writing. This one is all about the ribbon- a lovely hand dyed silk, with an oversized decorative key ornament tied into the bow.<br />
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For the last few gifts, I used Paper Source's plain rolls of red and green wrapping paper. The plain paper is great because it is thicker than your average rolled wrapping paper, and it is solid colored on both sides, not just the front. To make these gifts simple yet elegant, I tied them with contrasting silk dupioni ribbon from Midori. The ribbon is two inches wide, and SO gorgeous. Even a plain bow is just stunning!<br />
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I have so many gift wrapping ideas with this one. I could see wrapping all the gifts in the same roll of plain wrapping paper, and tying a large bow around just one or two of the packages. It would make your Christmas tree look like something out of a magazine! <br />
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minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-28493082704498590602015-10-07T13:00:00.000-04:002015-10-07T13:00:18.321-04:00Halloween InspirationIn the last few weeks I have been doing some experimenting with new materials and was inspired to make some Halloween tags and backgrounds. I have access to a photocopier again, so the first thing I did was blender pen image transfers! The three images I used are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_card">cabinet cards </a>from the store. The transfer process is really easy:<br />
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1. Photocopy the image . I usually make multiple copies while I'm at the machine.<br />
2. Cut out the image- this step is not necessary if the background of the image is white with no toner.<br />
3. Place paper image side down on tag (or whatever you are transferring to.)<br />
4. Color the paper with a blender pen that contains xylene to saturate the paper. <b>Do this in a well ventilated area.</b><br />
5. Rub with a bone folder or other tool to make sure the entire image transfers.<br />
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I love using this technique for image transfers because it can be imperfect and unpredictable which lends an element of spooky-ness that is perfect for Halloween tags. The old clothing and imperfect transfer brings to mind ghosts and haunted houses. After doing the image transfers, I added color with Dylusions ink spray and Faber Castell Gelatos. The Gelatos are still new to me, so this was a great chance to experiment with different techniques. I mixed the gelatos with water in mini spray bottles to create my own color sprays, drew directly on the tags and blended the colors with a foam blending tool, used the gelatos with a waterbrush like paint...<br />
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Afterwards, I added washi tape and other embellishments. The keys are tag board cut-outs from Coffee Break Design, and the "Boo" banners are my own creations. Then I added some of my favorite ribbon in coordinating colors.<br />
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My other Halloween experiments used alcohol inks, stencils, and Golden Soft Gel in gloss. I was inspired by the Tim Holtz <a href="http://timholtz.com/12-tags-of-2015-september/">tag tutorial</a> for September. I tried his method of dribbling different colors of alcohol inks and blender solution onto a craft mat and "swiping" the cardstock over the surface of the craft mat to get a unique background. Then I applied the Golden gel over a spider web stencil to create a glossy raised image. The Golden gel took a long time to dry, so I worked on these backgrounds over several days. Later I added distress ink to darken the background, leaving the areas under the dried gel the original background color.<br />
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I tried this technique with Gelato backgrounds too and it worked great. For the purple spider web in the upper right hand corner of the photo, I tinted some of the gel with a few drops of acrylic paint for a completely different look. Overall, I had a lot of fun experimenting and got a few cute Halloween decorations out of it!<br />
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minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-37830214738178327742015-10-01T13:08:00.000-04:002015-10-01T13:12:05.945-04:00Dyeing Yarn with Goldenrod<div dir="ltr">
This is a blog post I started last year, when I was in a yarn dyeing frenzy. It sat as a draft with pictures for months and months... But last week I dyed with Goldenrod again (but forgot to take pictures) so I thought this would be a fitting post. I have talked about yarn dyeing a few times on the blog, including <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2014/09/dyeing-yarn-with-zinnias.html">this post</a> with a more detailed description of the process.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-4yVskOw2paDnlLRXLqLqYYE58J_PMUDBtJDzkawDIonQe1bhUOtMKqk9ozeeMx9dYFKFvOCUpzw9rDpw0XwGJWra2LjsIgNpEJvEDAn1N6LBT4zqHLQcmu3PUXC7dnnGwop5-NsBrzD/s640/IMG_20140829_183650562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-4yVskOw2paDnlLRXLqLqYYE58J_PMUDBtJDzkawDIonQe1bhUOtMKqk9ozeeMx9dYFKFvOCUpzw9rDpw0XwGJWra2LjsIgNpEJvEDAn1N6LBT4zqHLQcmu3PUXC7dnnGwop5-NsBrzD/s640/IMG_20140829_183650562.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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Goldenrod is a wildflower (or weed, depending on who you ask) that grows in empty lots, along highways, and pretty much everywhere in Ohio in the late summer and early fall. Last year a coworker filled a trashbag for me with the Goldenrod plants growing in his backyard. This year I was able to scavenge some from an empty lot down by the railroad tracks. Last year I used the flower, stems, and leaves to make the dye bath, but you can also get nearly the same color from just the flower heads.</div>
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I simmered the plant for about an hour before straining out the plant material. I bought a big mesh ladle thing from the Chinese grocery store and it works great for this! Meanwhile, I prepared my yarn by mordanting it in a solution of alum. The yarn came out a beautiful, bright yellow.</div>
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I made a TON of dye that day, so I also dyed two additional skeins of yarn and treated them with an iron afterbath. To get the iron solution I soaked a bunch of rusty nails and other metal bits in a jar with water and vinegar. Then I put the solution in a pot and heated it to almost a boil. One skein I dipped from the dye bath into the iron bath for about 20-30 seconds (the color changes right before your eyes, it is amazing.) That one came out a lovely light green. The next skein I put into the iron bath for longer, probably 1-2 minutes, and it came out a dark forest green.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhng8BpvTrTFVngr236RYT9257NHx35V6lrHjh_gf1ACMLq9zs8a7pz4k46r6RPIyWq06_rUj6aFkh1H9rPnBMqAzF_Np-VcHVKJrn2x_tWDqG1fnAc-_Ew_S-Orc4CXvBzHsWiBxwbi4zP/s1600/IMG_20140912_150145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhng8BpvTrTFVngr236RYT9257NHx35V6lrHjh_gf1ACMLq9zs8a7pz4k46r6RPIyWq06_rUj6aFkh1H9rPnBMqAzF_Np-VcHVKJrn2x_tWDqG1fnAc-_Ew_S-Orc4CXvBzHsWiBxwbi4zP/s640/IMG_20140912_150145.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div>
minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-3400131952065508402015-05-28T12:31:00.001-04:002015-05-28T12:43:40.845-04:00Fun With Gelli Plates<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A couple weeks ago I decided to experiment and play with using a Gelli Plate. The Gelli Plate is a brand of reusable, non perishable gelatin printing plate. It allows you to do monoprinting at home without needing a printing press. (Remember when I did <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2011/03/textural-monotypes.html">monoprinting</a> during my printing class in college?)</div>
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I used colorful craft acrylic paint, a brayer to apply paint, and a variety of stencils to create patterns. The process is similar to the monoprinting I had done before, but using a variety of colors instead of only black ink makes a huge difference. Using the gelli plate was a lot more experimental. I would often mix colors using the brayer, and print multiple times on the same piece of paper to create depth.</div>
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I used one of my favorite prints to cover a small paper mache box from the craft store. I traced the top of the box and cut a circle of paper for the lid, and cut two paper strips the same height as the side of the box. Before covering the box with paper, I painted part of the lid blue to coordinate with the print. I brushed Glue N Seal onto the back of the paper and pressed it onto the box to smooth out any bubbles. Once all the paper was on, I brushed on another coat of Glue N Seal to protect it.</div>
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Every month at my store, I have a group of ladies from a local senior living center come on an art "field trip." This was their third time out, and I wanted to do something a little different. So I showed them how to use the gelli plates, and then they covered boxes with their prints. The ladies had a great time and the boxes turned out just darling. They are going to use the boxes to hold their "bingo money." How cute! I want to go play bingo with those ladies, they are a ton of fun.</div>
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minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-91018359576018669222015-04-24T14:13:00.000-04:002015-04-24T14:13:19.374-04:00Collage Greeting Cards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqw8otoxYW4cxGHJVY5HnUsk4KQR1giqZqlXj39HRORKWmokojQ5FODhmhyphenhyphenSZh9eHPM07gIao7ohRBtSifSPdQ3WiraqBjLj6c0MeNe-exmSdwgFPntRaFD0L1pKdMJPZ014Vh4ZOZvOZ/s640/IMG_20150424_131742.jpg" height="400" width="400" /> </div>
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It has been a busy few months getting the store set up, planning classes and workshops for the spring, and hosting a Grand Re-Opening Party. I have fallen behind on several things like laundry, art projects, and blogging. While I can't make any promises about the laundry, this week I have been getting back to the art and blogging parts</div>
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I am working on making collage greeting cards for my Kickstarter supporters. The campaign I started to help fund Small Studio ended in December, and now I need to get my creativity flowing and make the rewards! This is the start of the 140 cards I will be working on.</div>
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Sometimes collage is like a puzzle. Start by gathering interesting papers, cutting out images, then piecing things together. And when all else fails, I remember the wisdom of Portlandia and "put a bird on it."</div>
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Hello readers! If you have been following along on my 14 Art Books in 2014 challenge you will notice that I do not have posts for all 14 books I had hoped to make. That is because I got busy, and distracted, and lazy, and even more busy! To recap, these are the 5 art books I completed last year, and my original "challenge proposal."<br />
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Out of the five books, three were for exhibitions, one was a benefit donation, and one was made to try out a new book structure. (I will also add that one of the books made for an exhibition sold!) With that being said, I have three partially completed art books that did not count towards the challenge because they are unfinished.<br />
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Instead of making excuses for myself about why I didn't finish the books, or why the challenge was too hard, I am going to do a quick "year in review" post as it relates to my artwork and artistic career. Things have changed tremendously from Jan. 2014 when I created the challenge.<br />
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<b>Last year in art:</b><br />
- Participated in an invitational exhibition at Heights Arts<br />
- Had one piece of artwork accepted to (and purchased from) the Morgan Conservatory's juried exhibition<br />
- Taught two bookbinding classes in Midland, MI<br />
- Taught a short bookbinding workshop for Art Books Cleveland<br />
- Attended 4 amazing book and paper arts workshops at the Morgan Conservatory<br />
- Participated in 8 art/craft festivals (12 days total)<br />
- Had an artist bio published in the local newspaper<br />
- Participated in Art Books Cleveland's exhibition at the Ingalls Library in the CMA <br />
- Made the decision to <b>quit my job and buy an art/paper store</b><br />
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YES, friends, you read that last line correctly. I now own a store for paper, art supplies, and vintage goods, with a huge classroom space. If I am going to blame any particular life event for getting in the way of my challenge, it would be this one. I got the idea over Labor Day Weekend while taking a book arts workshop with the former owner of the store. She had planned on closing the store and retiring at the end of 2014. Several people had expressed interest in purchasing the business, but they all fell through. The former owner always joked that I would be taking over the store someday when she retired... And I thought, "Why can't I?"<br />
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I talked to several close friends and family members about the idea, and did some research before making the decision in mid-September. The last few months of the year were a whirlwind of meetings with the bank, accountants, a lawyer, the lease company, the former owner... TONS of phone calls, pieces of paperwork, and negotiations later, I finally secured a loan for the business in late November. (Talk about cutting things close!) The loan was much smaller than I needed, so I funded the rest of the project through Kickstarter with the help of many friends, relatives, and complete strangers. I got the keys and officially took over the store on December 31st, 2014. I am proud to say that I am now a <b>business owner</b> and <b>my own boss.</b><br />
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I'm sure you will see a lot of posts about the store, and new products I will have the pleasure of testing.minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-55440300228469450722014-11-20T15:35:00.001-05:002014-11-20T15:35:51.501-05:00Fiber Rituals - Art Book 5/14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I finished this book in late September for an Art Books Cleveland exhibition. The exhibition just ended, and I was finally able to take photos of the book. The theme of the exhibition was rituals. I thought about it for months, came up with several ideas, but never actually started anything... I kept getting distracted by spinning wool and dyeing yarn. That is when I realized that my book should be about the rituals involved with fiber- the things I had become obsessed about this summer!<br />
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I came up with seven different rituals associated with wool, and illustrated each one of them. Scouring, mordanting, dyeing, carding, spinning, plying, and knitting. The whole book is only about 4 inches tall.<br />
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To make the cover, I dyed strips of kozo paper with leftover plant dyes. Then I spun the paper into thread using a drop spindle, and knit it into a rectangle. It was my first time spinning paper and using it for a book. It is a little tricky to get a nice thread without breaking or tearing the paper. Compared to spinning wool, it is almost easier because you don't need to worry about drafting the fibers, you just need to give the paper twist.<br />
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I know I am way behind on my 14 Art Books for 2014. It has been an interesting year to say the least, with several big changes in my life. I have two unfinished art books sitting in my studio, and the ideas/materials for at least three more... Time to get back in my studio and do this!<br />
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Another one of my natural dye experiments this summer was with Queen Anne's Lace. In the summertime Queen Anne's Lace is a wildflower that flourishes in empty lots, along highways, and any other green space that does not get mowed. These flowers remind me of spending summer "up north" at my grandparent's cottage as a kid. They grew everywhere and where my favorite flowers to pick. Now that I am making natural dyes, I knew I had to use Queen Anne's Lace somehow.</div>
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I started by going down to the railroad tracks one August day and cutting giant handfuls of Queen Anne's Lace like I was making a bouquet. I needed at least 4 oz. of flowers to dye one skein of yarn. Then I went through the cooking process, strained off the flowers, and dyed 3.5 oz. of wool mordanted in alum. (You can read more about the <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2014/08/dyeing-yarn-with-turmeric.html">dyeing process</a> on my these <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2014/09/dyeing-yarn-with-zinnias.html">previous posts</a>.)</div>
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So far this has been my favorite dye as far as aroma. Since Queen Anne's Lace is in the carrot family, it has a kind of spicy carrot scent while cooking. The final product ended up being a light, bright yellow. Stay tuned for more posts about ecodyeing! I've dyed about 30 skeins of yarn this summer and fall, and now that the weather is cooler I'm catching up on my blogging.</div>
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At the beginning of the year I set a challenge for myself to make <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2014/01/project-for-2014-art-books.html">14 Art Books in 2014</a>. I got a little sidetracked by my job and other projects, but I am still plugging away at the 14. I finished three art books for events and exhibitions in the month of October. Here is the first of the books I made for October.</div>
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Art Book 4/14 is called the Kozo Book. I made it for the Morgan Conservatory's annual benefit and silent auction. The organization gives sheets of handmade paper to artists, and asks them to make a piece out of the paper to donate for the benefit. This year the papers were handmade kozo paper with chiri, and a kozo/gampi blend.</div>
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I decided to continue my theme of books with stick bindings, and used kozo branches for the binding. The pages ended up being too flexible for the book to stand up on its own, so I created a stand for it out of book board. Finally, I added kozo leaves cut from some of my naturally dyed papers. </div>
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I made the dye bath using a 1:1 ratio of berries to fiber. In this case, the blueberries had been left behind in the fridge at work and had started to get wrinkly and soft. Instead of throwing them in the compost, I took them home for dyeing. To get the maximum amount of color from the berries, I added a small amount of water to the pot and crushed the berries with a potato masher. (I did this without the water at first and ended up squirting berry juice everywhere...) </div>
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After keeping just below a simmer for an hour, I strained out the berry pieces and added the wet fiber. The dye bath looked like a gorgeous pink/purple, and I was really hoping that would transfer to the fibers. When the fiber was rinsed and dryed, it ended up looking more like a blue-ish lavender. It is still a lovely color, but definitely shows how unpredictable natural dyeing can be. </div>
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minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-27732148995333349272014-09-03T15:25:00.002-04:002014-09-03T15:25:34.030-04:00Dyeing Yarn with Zinnias<div dir="ltr">
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As I mentioned in a previous post, my interest in natural dyeing has been renewed. I have kind of gone crazy with dyeing yarn (which you will see in my next five... or ten... blog posts) starting with zinnia flowers from the garden.</div>
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I started out by weighing the flowers and getting a 2:1 ratio of flowers to fiber. My skeins are 3.5 oz, and I also dyed a small amount of wool for spinning, so I used about 8 oz of zinnias. Then I simmered the flowers in my dye pot for about an hour to extract the color, and strained out the flower pieces so it doesn't tangle with the yarn. </div>
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The yarn is 100% wool, pre-mordanted in alum so it will accept the color better and be more light-fast. Before adding the wool to the dye bath, I soaked it in water so it will dye more evenly. After an hour or so in the hot dye bath, I removed the yarn, let it cool, and rinsed out the remaining dye. The zinnia dye turned out to be a gorgeous buttery yellow, much more subdued than the turmeric. </div>
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Part of what fueled my renewed excitement for spinning is this large trash bag full of raw wool! I made friends with a woman named Diane that had come to Cleveland to take workshops at the Morgan Conservatory where I work. She has a flock of sheep and three herding dogs. (I have not seen any of her sheep but I met her dogs, they are adorable and very well behaved.) On her second visit to Cleveland, she brought me a bag of raw wool from her Leicester sheep, half white wool and half black. Now that I have the raw materials there is no excuse not to spin!<br />
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Before I could start spinning, I had to learn about processing raw wool. Raw wool has a combination of dirt, grass, and lanolin embedded in the fibers. Lanolin is a waxy substance secreted by sheep to help protect their skin. Lanolin helps make the wool waterproof, but it also feels oily and is more difficult to work with than clean wool. To clean the wool I filled a bucket with very hot water, added several squirts of dawn dish soap, and let a bunch of wool sink into the water. It is necessary to use very hot water so the lanolin can melt out of the wool and get absorbed by the dish soap. Once the wool is in the water, <b>don't touch it.</b> Heat and agitation together will felt the wool into a blob. After 15-20 minutes, remove the wool from the bucket, pour out the dirty water, and start again. I soaked the wool 2-3 times in hot soapy water and 2-3 times in clean hot water to remove the soap.<br />
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Once the wool is clean, use a towel to gently squeeze out excess water. Don't wring out the wool or it will turn into a blob. I spread my clean wool out on a folding drying rack with a mesh top so air can get above and below, and help it dry faster. If that is not available, a towel on the floor will work fine. After the wool is dry, there are still a few pieces of grass and dirt tangled in the fibers, and a little bit of lanolin holding the ends of each lock together. To help clean and detangle the fiber I purchased a set of hand carders. The hand carders basically brush the wool and loosen the fibers so the remaining dirt particles can fall out. After carding, I remove the wool and roll it into a cylindrical thing called a rolag. These rolags can be used to draft the fibers for spinning.<br />
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So there you go! That is how I got from a bag of raw wool to being ready to spin. I have cleaned 3-4 buckets of white fiber, 2 of black fiber, and I have only made a dent in the amount of fiber left to clean. Needless to say, this will keep me spinning through the whole fall and winter. I have enjoyed using the clean wool in my natural dye experiments. Pretty soon I will have my own hand dyed and hand spun yarn.minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-73483464861854992882014-08-25T20:46:00.002-04:002014-08-25T20:46:54.268-04:00Dyeing Yarn with TurmericSo I actually dyed this yarn almost a year ago. I had been putting off taking photos of the yarn and finishing the blog post... But now that I am getting back into natural dyeing and will be posting more of my experiments with natural dyes, I figured it was time to actually post this. <br />
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I participated in a local CSA program (community supported agriculture) which gives members a bag of fresh vegetables every week. One week the bag included fresh Turmeric grown in the hoop house. The turmeric root is bright yellow and usually used in curry and other similar dishes. I already had a container of good ground turmeric in my spice rack, so I decided to use the fresh stuff to dye yarn.<br />
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I started by cleaning the roots and chopping them into small pieces. The more surface area that is exposed, the easier it is to extract all the color available into the dye bath. I added the chopped pieces to a pot of water and simmered for an hour or so to extract the dye. (Note: I have a special pot set aside for dyeing, that is<b> not used for food</b>.) I noticed that the dye wasn't very strong, so I supplemented the chopped roots with a teaspoon of ground turmeric from the pantry.</div>
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Luckily turmeric does not require a separate mordant to dye effectively. Mordants prepare the fiber for dyeing so it can accept color from the dye bath. Certain natural dye stuffs have a natural mordanting agent, so the fiber does not need any pre-treatment. I took my ball of Paton's Classic Wool and wound it into a large loop so it could move freely in the dye bath. After securing the loop, I soaked it in cool water in the sink to remove any bubbles or air pockets from the fiber (this helps the yarn dye more evenly.)</div>
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I turned the stove down and added my fiber to the dye pot so it could simmer for an hour or more. I also added some wool roving to the dye pot, so I could use it for spinning later. As an experiment I dipped one section of roving into an acidic solution (vinegar) after the dyeing process, and one section in an alkaline solution (baking soda and water.) Treating dyes fibers in different pH solutions will change the color. One section of roving turned brighter yellow and the other turned a little redder, and shifted towards orange.</div>
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Apparently I fail at documenting my process in photos... Because this is all I've got. Don't worry, I've done a lot more dyeing since then and I (sort of) got better about taking photos. Stay tuned for more posts about natural dyeing! </div>
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I learned that the "secret Belgian" binding is Belgian, but not actually a secret. The creator of the structure prefers to call it the Criss-Cross Binding... But in America, the other name stuck. The book uses three pieces of book board and is sewn in two parts.<br />
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We started the class by folding signatures, and sewing together the textblock. Then we covered the boards with decorative paper. While the boards were drying, we sewed a practice card for the second part of the binding.<br />
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I am so glad we practiced the second sewing before attaching the textblock! It was pretty tricky to keep all the parts of the book in the right place during the sewing process. The "criss-cross" part comes from sewing back and forth over the spine piece at each set of holes along the spine. I really enjoyed the class and I'm definitely going to make more books like this in the future!<br />
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This month I have been experimenting with folded book structures beyond the basic accordion fold. One of the new techniques I tried is called the Turkish Map Fold. It is a fold that can be done from both square and rectangular pieces of paper, and opens up to reveal the entire piece of paper.<br />
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I made this Springtime Folded book from two square pieces of paper. I started by decorating the flat pieces of paper with image transfer, colored pencil, and a quote about spring by Ruth Stout. Once the decorations were done, I folded each piece into a Turkish Map fold.<br />
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Next, I cut one long piece of book board to fit beneath the two folded pieces, and two smaller pieces of book board for each side of the front cover. Then I glued the boards to decorative papers, leaving space for the front covers to hinge open, and attached ribbon closures. Finally, I glued down the top and bottom sections of each folded piece to the finished covers.<br />
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After finishing the book, I thought it would be nice to have a matching box to put it in. I've been getting more into box making recently, so it was also a great opportunity to practice what I learned in the cartonage workshop I took last summer.<br />
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The box has a tray for the book and a hinged case that wraps around the tray and ties shut. I made the entire box by hand using scraps of book board, patience, and a little bit of math. This book and box are number 3 out of 14 Art Books in 2014.<br />
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<br />minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-31790646603254771952014-05-07T09:38:00.001-04:002014-05-07T09:46:24.141-04:00Paradise Fibers Yarn Club: February<br />
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I've been done with this project for a while, but was waiting to get the January yarn club finished and posted first. The Paradise Fibers Yarn Club for February was a skein of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/mountain-colors-merino-ribbon">Mountain Colors Merino Ribbon</a> in the colorway Harmony Aspen. The colors in this one are absolutely gorgeous! It is a really subtle blend of tan, blue, and green. Also, remember how I said there was only one of the Mountain Colors novelty yarns I would consider using again? This yarn was it, and it is much nicer to work with on its own (away from the weird fuzzy yarns.)<br />
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I decided to make a little shrug for spring and summer. I found an <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/shrug-this">easy pattern</a> on Ravelry from the book One-Skein Wonders that was perfect. It worked up fairly quickly and didn't have any seaming or grafting. I added several rows beyond what was called for in the pattern (or else it would have been super short.) This is the kind of pattern that can be extended until you run out of yarn.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13206124953/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13206124953/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9h5Q2b0AiPf9tMZj7-FqkFd9Rj3EKb0CL3VvqZQSCagNWCm_LFOuMzX1fVtDV33d8lPvNLd9YzqT7To-oOs_aNieAx02Fyz4AYkAorfh5VLlzTGMJPSL6qWgEGxgLWU20cODKczGEsvzy/s320/0316141732a.jpg" /></a></div>
Overall, I enjoyed working with the Merino Ribbon yarn. The color was perfect and it made a nice light fabric. I would probably buy this yarn again for a summer sweater, or other warm weather knitting.<br />
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minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-85716734329454486752014-05-01T11:55:00.002-04:002014-05-01T11:55:45.885-04:00Paradise Fibers Yarn Club: January<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12597215963/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12597215963/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUj1grIbnrXB-qbo6yuT_nOEEU_J5aQ7vOZXZqIKuQPPb0M27QVbK1J4ItyfH7QKmodKOC4Er0X4SXtHxcr_VBFhqYxhyphenhyphenfmG4xH1tO6yxWiAZqVMrWePVgikiN8LDwkJdznm38mRzC8wt/s320/0203141915.jpg" /></a></div>
I have been participating in the Paradise Fibers yarn club since last summer. The yarn for January was Mountain Colors <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/mountain-colors-twizzle">Twizzle</a> in the color Evening Star. It is a lovely worsted weight Merino wool with a strand of silk plied in. The silk adds a lovely pop of color to the yarn. Evening Star is a black and purple base with orange and blue accents.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12597205423/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12597205423/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFWdP266dt07o3Ry99LWNgHhjqp9QLV8_LCTh5YDB6U4EvHegdw_-af7WeliSolFtGBKMs1Dq348bgOfLzZW6Wh_Ss-6uP6Erte4UW1TGtMQ95G0nWIm6O5vKSSsEP2G1V7dNrEAGjEst/s320/0204140955a.jpg" /></a></div>
Since black and purple are my cousin's favorite colors, I decided to make a triangular scarf for her as a birthday gift. I used the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ashton-shawlette">Ashton Shawlette</a> pattern that I made for myself in the fall. Unfortunately I didn't check the yardage before I started, so I ran out of yarn less than a week before the project deadline! So I ordered a second skein and finished it later.<br />
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I had to keep setting this project aside for other things (like yarn club projects for February and March, and both of my big ice skating competitions this year...) but I finally finished the shawl over the weekend and got it blocked. Now that this is done, I can post about the other yarn club projects I finished in the meantime!<br />
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minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-43391973298304103122014-04-18T13:33:00.000-04:002014-04-18T13:33:56.106-04:00The Solar System- Art Book 2/14<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13925346055/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13925346055/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpW9NH_sMvveL5eli5PBbAsN7bzW0a2z2VOu7uKMowhSgS-88BnCSvPvpM6Mu18-bt15sCSs2yPXTBbOzJsh2gIjDQqHDiMMsByPbGKUDdABAX6KESg3TWyXpywHeX-lMfIhqHKP-U4RQ/s1600/DSC_0298.JPG" height="280" width="320" /></a></div>
My latest art book is an accordion book of the Solar System with a matching clamshell box. This is art book 2 of 14 for my 14 in 2014 Challenge.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13925818584/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13925818584/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFzr78fTh5QgSNNdJfWZVKamLrJG0Cj0DqfsYENf-kz9hEwqTkFFe-yqYxXS-fKoNgHUAOvv6Tf2PYb8roRvKRSCkLT4Ykc5jdblG-2tZWlxDXkLJmhyphenhyphenVSibYQVJh6DMmqxC2xeEc3LKC/s1600/DSC_0300.JPG" height="217" width="320" /></a></div>
This book is a follow up to the Astronomer's Alphabet and the Aurora Borealis books I made back in 2012. The accordion is a lovely navy blue cardstock with a different part of the solar system on each panel. The book starts with the Sun, and ends with Pluto. (I know Pluto isn't technically a planet anymore, but I still consider it to be part of our Solar System.)<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13925815794/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13925815794/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CNATHlmAwRu5G7lwcWyIMz9VtfIUyPlcIcq8JdCHJEF2Q1eh9kAI_ZaZlZOrUbrHr5xal-cSmPvkHOEcgjYiIoB5SgCEZw9-1NSZGOvkOENQCFpE1_pZG3zSXN0oiPyGMCdXGBDa_oUI/s1600/DSC_0302.JPG" height="249" width="320" /></a></div>
I started by folding the accordion, and using pencil to draw the outline of each planet. Then I painted each planet using several layers of acrylic paint. I referenced photos from NASA to try and get an accurate representation of each planet. Then I added dots of white paint for the stars. Finally, I wrote the name of each planet at the bottom of the page.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13902242631/in/photostream/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13902242631/in/photostream/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qzSIyjbXd38ItrxViW88y7s_inw1v5T1RFjGz2IE6s0AxCZg4tKfFYwSpWaATUaydme5jiUA_zRwEU8V1GnuTy6h2heEXti_i5_GeXeoPxOe7-See0lElFXNcwzbFxAfhI3rjADA_M_4/s1600/DSC_0306.JPG" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
This was my first time making a custom clamshell box for an art book. I found a very useful <a href="http://crafts.tutsplus.com/articles/build-a-custom-made-clamshell-box-for-your-book--craft-11754">tutorial</a> about how to get the measurements correct, and combined that with my previous box making experience.<br />
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Since this book is the same size as the Aurora Borealis book, I made a box for each of them at the same time. Both books are going to be part of an exhibition in April.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13925362355/in/photostream/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13925362355/in/photostream/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93tKmf6O-OpSccIeXUyIv1ypUx3TanLj1g3JSXezgc3LvFdjTilSxCEvtGvfUaX6SvFY_XuSndp6z8qr6bFNN1SWOSJdenpC6qq9nIvb7VN88RufZA9BSKnuHmz6R-xq0ABTEdVXdSrXs/s1600/DSC_0308.JPG" height="270" width="320" /></a></div>
minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-67643969306471106142014-03-22T12:03:00.002-04:002014-03-22T12:03:18.047-04:00Knit Colorwork SocksEarlier this month I finished knitting the <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2013/02/current-knitting-projects.html">colorwork project</a> I started last year. I know it seems like a really long time to spend on a pair of socks... But I finished the first sock and started the second one right before summer hit. The whole project got set aside in my "works in progress" basket by the couch, and it just took me a while to get back to it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13331717694/in/photostream/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13331717694/in/photostream/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqFTExnwaU2eknzqx69P7Jr2So7iIrSajqc2gTD4fjGmEQbomwAa06ufJ_52MSaZ2X9jBR175GhkXEgsA31q4gpPKo3n5MYLpCzeOx2uMZxmoN-nH1t7oZ6O1G0WhfNMKqMNElzcI0ft4/s1600/DSC_0262.JPG" height="268" width="320" /></a></div>
The pattern is called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/0-860-christmas-socks-in-fabel">Christmas Sock in Fabel</a> by Drops Design. I started the project on a whim to have something to work on during a Valentine's craft show, and also because I had new yarn I really, really wanted to use. I combined a teal "main color" with a blue/orange/red "contrasting color" instead of the traditional red and white or other solid color combination. I wanted to experiment using a self-striping yarn and a solid for colorwork, and I'm definitely pleased with the results.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13331712974/"><img alt="https://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13331712974/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbUFWiejHXcvXnqXquJ814_E87ZzmKKxbZIXkeFf_qAscCvLD_g_xKo3Y7zVqlQu1-51VKheGsRoDB6ZyfZ-C64oR4XmtzxUxwBjKxIGQu3QN-_v_BV6SiVhZoGfAPZsJjydbdGUMy6ow/s1600/DSC_0266.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
The finished socks are warm and squishy, but still thin enough to fit inside a pair of boots or shoes. But somehow, I managed to make the second sock slightly larger than the first...? Oh well, that's what I get for waiting a year between socks. On to my next project!<br />
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minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-32200391526182256382014-03-18T16:32:00.001-04:002014-03-18T16:32:33.986-04:00Making Skating CostumesWhen I'm not knitting, binding books, or blogging I am usually out on the ice practicing ice dancing. Last year I competed for the first time at the US Figure Skating Adult National Championships with my ice dancing partner. This year we competed at the sectionals competition in Cleveland in early March, and are getting ready for Adult Nationals again in April. I needed a new competition dress (or two) this year, but they are expensive and difficult to find locally. So, I did like any good crafter and made the costumes myself!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqO7kQ6-L_6fO4jcmSK273OhZU36L1VRCjknp_TnPjmVdQnfBIxRxp6pPxZsQFLgKgQvzJe07eL8VCjC_3ciQFBe_U1E5Nr_ZMDtjHweK3oWdXRj5CY8rLMHd6g885ZRj83HeIqYREhHM6/s320/0227141809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqO7kQ6-L_6fO4jcmSK273OhZU36L1VRCjknp_TnPjmVdQnfBIxRxp6pPxZsQFLgKgQvzJe07eL8VCjC_3ciQFBe_U1E5Nr_ZMDtjHweK3oWdXRj5CY8rLMHd6g885ZRj83HeIqYREhHM6/s320/0227141809.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old wrap skirt I used as a pattern</td></tr>
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For the competition I need one outfit for the choreographed free dance with my partner, and a second outfit for the pattern dances with my partner and my solo pattern dances. I decided to use part of an old costume for the free dance and make a wrap skirt to go over it. For the pattern dances I made another wrap skirt and bought a plain leotard to go with it. I actually got enough fabric for two different wrap skirts to go with the plain leotard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiela9DWZ3Mh3CVRjor2xOO4y3wRlSKL0Odr3FSbxYWNKYl6E65NnZJIsW-ZgwE9W0dq7fNEHD7-yvqTG6-ASl4S5P7WQ7ft1xZzZdeoIhZvW9AFohvsoI2LtbUWzeZSx5iOudUrizkyhHW/s320/0227141909a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiela9DWZ3Mh3CVRjor2xOO4y3wRlSKL0Odr3FSbxYWNKYl6E65NnZJIsW-ZgwE9W0dq7fNEHD7-yvqTG6-ASl4S5P7WQ7ft1xZzZdeoIhZvW9AFohvsoI2LtbUWzeZSx5iOudUrizkyhHW/s320/0227141909a.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting out the fabric</td></tr>
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I bought fabric and flat back rhinestones from Carol's Fabric Shop in Brunswick, OH. It is a tiny fabric store that carries tons of stretchy dance and skating fabrics, and is the only store in the Cleveland area with a decent selection of skating fabric. I based my new skirts off an old wrap skirt I had from my old synchronized skating team practice uniform. I needed the skirts to be "dance length" which means to the knee- so I had to add some length compared to the old skirt.<br />
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Once I had everything cut out, I went to my sewing machine and did a lettuce edge for the hem. That is when the material has a wavy, curly edge instead of a normal hem. It is a simple and attractive hem for stretchy fabric. Basically all you do is stretch the fabric while sewing a dense zig-zag stitch. Then I took a long strip of fabric and sewed it to the top for the waistband. The waistband needed to have extra length so it could wrap around my waist and tie together on one side.<br />
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Finally, I took the leotard and glued on a line of rhinestones. This was my first time stoning a dress, and I think it went rather well. Only one minor glue spot on the fabric. However, next time I would not put the stones over the elastic edge. I accidentally killed most of the stretch on the neckline because of how many stones I added. Before the next competition I plan to add another row of smaller stones below the bigger ones. I am also planning on sewing the third skirt- a black fabric with a wavy, glittery pattern of blue and white dots.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJCH1w_5jAodPq1ACy2bA8KzrhiypkYmEHQB8BHN_RgC04eP5TO3tlbjkZJyeKF-ZuxeTkWftaxGrgjsDrgETOIKUuws1s8CHEIxwCLZx-jD9WahCYLWdPOH73rKS2h3VMwY6AdH4FGZ8/s1600/1377953_10152113827539842_426183841_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJCH1w_5jAodPq1ACy2bA8KzrhiypkYmEHQB8BHN_RgC04eP5TO3tlbjkZJyeKF-ZuxeTkWftaxGrgjsDrgETOIKUuws1s8CHEIxwCLZx-jD9WahCYLWdPOH73rKS2h3VMwY6AdH4FGZ8/s1600/1377953_10152113827539842_426183841_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The whole ordeal still ended up costing around $125, but I now have three different outfits I can use for skating competitions. By comparison, one off-the-rack <a href="http://www.delarbour.com/product_p/d13b3d.htm">skating dress</a> without stones could have easily run me $200 or more. Hooray for being able to do-it-yourself!<br />
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Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today, I'm featuring handmade books in a variety of greens.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/182912759/plantation-mint-tea-recycled-book?ref=shop_home_active_1"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/listing/182912759/plantation-mint-tea-recycled-book?ref=shop_home_active_1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggA1iZikpdIDFHIIHPhtPFzipyYJEYt_88_1jQi5wAi1kydZ16JYNS8DbenQ5pz7nkxJs3qCJv9JsfehRTF9x94nFbkpUcWj1XQ-Kkn0XPIuPrkP9Zc3kdn89phUrDi_SEi0i1RLJRVVkA/s1600/DSC_0244.jpg" height="320" width="312" /></a></div>
These two recycled book are brand new. One is made from a green Plantation Mint box of tea. The other box is from a variety of Green Tea. Both books are available on Etsy!<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/182912955/honey-lemon-green-tea-recycled-book?ref=listing-shop-header-1"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/listing/182912955/honey-lemon-green-tea-recycled-book?ref=listing-shop-header-1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitU7lfiKDfnpEEYtcblEBCD-2yiOMO8OEUS5H0YaK7bAKhjbZn80OKVTCqssVDr6F9TP2bO-ULu2m7y0kVuPUeytE9aNrVH-Se26vRkyUC-0ReQDkCPFenSe48RHddgKEbQJzZ8Pm_nnGr/s1600/DSC_0254.jpg" height="304" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEiLuY7OsXwTFRxLAMfijCWUC0EuxHUT4WBUAS76kg72J_utw9L-o-vjPWd76oXeLGvS9Kiup3t9Ifwql6_hlM7oVeYJSquLFwLFOfUAe3ENeSDrN_CjWzaBFvr1O5MMfhTeknFXyBZaO/s320/0305141934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEiLuY7OsXwTFRxLAMfijCWUC0EuxHUT4WBUAS76kg72J_utw9L-o-vjPWd76oXeLGvS9Kiup3t9Ifwql6_hlM7oVeYJSquLFwLFOfUAe3ENeSDrN_CjWzaBFvr1O5MMfhTeknFXyBZaO/s320/0305141934.jpg" /></a></div>
This month I am really kicking things into gear with art books. I have been invited to be part of a gallery exhibition of book and paper artists that opens in late April. The artwork deadline is fast approaching and I only have one piece ready for the show! Yikes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSK8XZ8cuxnIfDjauWiEVtdiWc8pZ2_FfAYgzHZQpyGJs7p5hq1ZCxvLkJDu00FUJaBvKDfxw3GCK24JBZ1hksuQyBrebqHaj47YoxZ2J5w_xsOlX9_gF55fcaBsyR9-MKpwtkhyphenhyphen53q-V9/s320/IMG_20140307_154238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSK8XZ8cuxnIfDjauWiEVtdiWc8pZ2_FfAYgzHZQpyGJs7p5hq1ZCxvLkJDu00FUJaBvKDfxw3GCK24JBZ1hksuQyBrebqHaj47YoxZ2J5w_xsOlX9_gF55fcaBsyR9-MKpwtkhyphenhyphen53q-V9/s320/IMG_20140307_154238.jpg" /></a></div>
To get ready for the show, I made a list of pieces I already have and pieces I would like to create for the show. I want to continue the two themes I've already started with my art books: <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2013/09/curly-willow-book-191.html">curly willow branches</a> with ecodyed papers, and <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2012/04/sneak-preview-astronomy-book.html">Astronomy</a>. Last week I spent some time after work dyeing papers for future books. On Monday I had the day off and spent most of the day in my studio.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13104976704/in/photostream/"><img alt="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13104976704/in/photostream/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiiPlwEGd9bhleeGekiib48uWUzdA4RwZ06q50x-ZiL2IQE4yKN2JQ3ZmkkM4hbUo1paaColv0ImRHmRJjyu0HznvCN7ADdlRv_KxVh4YsLzocz2-BA9AGKGwQbeLgQxSQIkR-7qAX1SZ/s1600/DSC_0229.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></div>
I started by spraying down my new ecodyed papers with water and pressing them under weights to flatten. I had two sheets of dyed paper from last fall that were already flat, so I used those for the first book. Then I sorted through my stick collection and found some lovely, skinny, wavy ones. The idea was to create a multiple signature stick book with one stick for each signature.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13104705335/in/photostream/"><img alt="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/13104705335/in/photostream/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNsCSUh11rgB9ukFuwO-JexXay8rsbzqYoNQuV0YGyftiyFqf8JdTORzS6lkCxz7_hjbE1io-jogaVaFJOxwtkynIs1NQAomlD8y8U8bf_s4Sgz1cobN2-cuWVixVqhCtUAuCIN8z6KrV/s1600/DSC_0233.JPG" height="316" width="320" /></a></div>
Once I had my 5 ideal sticks, I tore down the two sheets of dyed paper to 4 1/2 x 6 inch pieces. I supplemented that with 5 sheets of handmade abaca paper that I made a few years ago. Then I leafed through my old dictionary and cut out several botanical images for transfers. Normally I use a blender pen to transfer images that have been through a copy machine, but this time I used the original image and rubbed very hard for a light transfer. For the covers I used embroidery floss in complementing colors to sew together two smaller pieces of dyed paper. (Two pieces for each cover.)<br />
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The hardest part about this book was sewing the signatures to the sticks. It was tricky figuring out where to attach each stick and how to get the signatures connected securely without much wiggle. I ended up just winging it, and I think it added to the organic look of the whole book. I'm very excited with how the book came out, and I think I like it even better than my original <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2013/09/curly-willow-book-191.html">Curly Willow Book</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/minimeg?section_id=10015474&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/shop/minimeg?section_id=10015474&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_e1dAmRReETjCtWqbVxNlnbkrckRZ6iZZHqDKbp9dJVz7AtTg2Ovc5ruFkt4htBM2Ti1mHYbnYEWlA9nBf7II34uHLJ8kD_o0bwroTrjURopmOnQ2wk4y87ucI3mKTCN9lW6TeOfAdOt/s1600/DSC_0225.jpg" height="320" width="282" /></a></div>
Over the course of the year I get several requests for lined journals instead of my normal blank journals. This year I decided it was time to put on my thinking cap, get in the studio, and develop a line (no pun intended) of lined journals. It took a few weeks of planning, but I'm very excited to share my new product for 2014: lined journals and notebooks!<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181446250/lined-journal-5x7-in-green-basket?ref=shop_home_active_5"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181446250/lined-journal-5x7-in-green-basket?ref=shop_home_active_5" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FOv9H6EYZ-gXjFVVRRKzvY6DsDckTCvf3a2owiaIz1XeSdpGRLujYWS31jrWjaSoVuLgKEODFXgLbt2XwWQMWUjawoKYZXbe9FtNgMw6AqjcKMOrr3v9Dlurqz0yaWO0av2acqarllXP/s1600/Lined+Journal-+outside.jpg" height="275" width="320" /></a></div>
The 5x7 inch journals have hard front and back covers with decorative papers and ribbon closures, just like many of my unlined journals. The paper is a lovely text-weight paper called Mohawk Superfine and each page has dark gray printed lines on both sides of the paper.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181446250/lined-journal-5x7-in-green-basket?ref=shop_home_active_5"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181446250/lined-journal-5x7-in-green-basket?ref=shop_home_active_5" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-rKsPnqejC6taAEpH_vijYRi6YF8ayjYn_R6f6e8vQbrabAQO04MOW5VI9bqqYEF71EnuSh9_AsE4MNjwmtlH8-IGn5mj3Ery8NwlSjpQO1nkTYYVAE-NvZNQrK5GVw54yypjS_A6Gs4/s1600/Lined+Journal-+inside.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></a></div>
The binding is a coptic stitch sewn with colorful waxed linen thread. Each book has 120 pages front and back, and is a great size for journaling! Right now the journals are being <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181372410/lined-journal-5x7-in-green-and-yellow?ref=related-4">sold exclusively on Etsy</a>, but keep an eye out for them this summer at craft shows.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181590310/lined-notebook-5x7-in-tan-and-aqua?ref=listing-shop-header-1"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181590310/lined-notebook-5x7-in-tan-and-aqua?ref=listing-shop-header-1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NSsUpjsve2C5mCqMD9h3aeWFYr3En4ZBPKg1bgwjwhF3yQo_mbu3l_plrvhQdOk0w_JvaeFiPFVZG8-FtvHf3rcKscI8yl-IbnTNTAODwCzfVY7W75PJGWq7yKbQgYrIsK47z76u-Ii8/s1600/DSC_0199.JPG" height="291" width="320" /></a></div>
The lined notebooks are also 5x7 inches, but have a soft cover and only one section of pages. This is a design completely new to Minimeg! Each notebook has a section of decorative paper framed on a colorful background.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181590310/lined-notebook-5x7-in-tan-and-aqua?ref=listing-shop-header-1"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181590310/lined-notebook-5x7-in-tan-and-aqua?ref=listing-shop-header-1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUYlBNA2sKwGVjt4siVoownvNQP_dLIEtecM-ZBDCP8ypkPuGLu4Enzehzj_ArDG7OUrpAxKTCSugNqAneN_QfrWHaC_D4dlZxlNrPwiXXw61EFmGtaIc18_3LGB9SsmoJMMPM9dzDlt2/s1600/DSC_0201.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
The single section of pages is sewn to the cover using a simple pamphlet stitch. With only 20 pages front and back, the lined notebook is a great size to stash in a day bag for taking notes or using as a travel log on a short trip. The notebooks are also <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181374304/lined-notebook-5x7-in-purple-w-feathers?ref=listing-shop-header-3">exclusive to Etsy</a> for now.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181601051/lined-notebook-5x7-in-red-and-aqua?ref=listing-shop-header-0"><img alt="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181601051/lined-notebook-5x7-in-red-and-aqua?ref=listing-shop-header-0" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemIrzC2x6MlrE-gqNyUM7oQcyOHqNLUOGeHx0muv8G15SK5vvlbz2qRxFVouxysOVC5UXZtkDzR9N-CjBasg1vYmgyePHJiAovGHa3rtJSqZj2Cll1w2NuvWrhLQZJoP8QHhjwi89kfGr/s1600/DSC_0213.JPG" height="286" width="320" /></a></div>
Right now this <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181601051/lined-notebook-5x7-in-red-and-aqua?ref=listing-shop-header-0">Aqua and Red</a> notebook is my favorite of the lined books! Which one is your favorite? Stop by my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Minimeg/108825619287899">Facebook page</a> to see photos of all my new lined journals and notebooks.<br />
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<br />minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-65997669234547941582014-02-28T17:10:00.002-05:002014-03-04T22:57:25.348-05:00Paradise Fibers Yarn Club: DecemberThe Paradise Fibers yarn club project for the month of December was a scarf kit with 5 one-ounce skeins of natural fiber novelty yarns. The yarns in the kit were: Merino Ribbon (a flat open ribbon), Wooly Feathers (sort of hairy like fun fur), Missoula (a springy textured yarn), Mohair Loop (a curly yarn), and Mohair. All the yarns were in the red/magenta color family with a few touches of purple.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12842880494/"><img alt="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12842880494/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5hwCCO61jE1WReZVt9aJaO9XKVvLFfTFRT8RQ0FoWqjevw01n-GiLiIRH9PJ_IQTGcTiyK0u5gTe4NrJV_0cnHLCYhmc98Z-5lkaWUdQg_ByqAZtwEogtwaG2wDGrhanusD_gXuLuTEn/s320/0107141207.jpg" /></a></div>
Honestly, this is the first month of yarn club that left me unhappy with the yarn choice. I hate novelty yarns, and the colors this month are my least favorite. The project was a chunky scarf that basically alternated rows of all the different novelty yarns. I knit the entire scarf in one day while the city was shut down during the first "polar vortex". It was something like 13 degrees below zero, before windchill... So knitting was the perfect distraction. Out of all five yarns, the only two I would consider buying again are Merino Ribbon and Missoula. They are the least weird out of the bunch.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/11951684044/"><img alt="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/11951684044/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9QgY5N5EdNDZ098tM_K1Pc9jSCb0vs5NWI_WHLbGOhVeaTVlvkFV9GvL4FEsbr7odlj8-1dOUyZGokimtfdyhm1lVX5utU0VFvRer5bANgsuTBr2tN3qzcgVsc9fVQxI7Kjq6VZ1GKEP/s320/0111140934.jpg" /></a></div>
Like I said, this is my least favorite yarn so far... And I mostly knit the scarf to get my $10 in store credit. I'm hoping to find a friend, family member, coworker, (or even a random stranger) that loves red and can rock this scarf. It is not really my style, but I know somebody out there would absolutely love it. <strike>Leave a comment if that somebody is you! (Seriously, I'll send you the scarf.)</strike> <i>Edit 3/4/14- I found an owner for the scarf! My good friend Fenna from <a href="http://honestbadger.blogspot.com/">The Honest Badger.</a> Hopefully I can get a picture of her wearing the scarf to post here. </i><br />
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minimeghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571836631921060059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1943999581584038374.post-39459760188715800132014-02-18T11:01:00.001-05:002014-02-18T11:01:29.702-05:00Paradise Fibers Yarn Club: November<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12549648774/"><img alt="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12549648774/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmnIZBAgLtREuqh62bhgkFs2SWGYiCupRu2z71FSHynnNRx7RZjVf01uOGpItycz3nrwokViyZaNEqZNKfkc_xFgzyJMNhmxgamnL0dqOnwRh3LlwajNoIgKHM0u-XaW2R1YTw3HeA2VU/s320/1204130934.jpg" /></a></div>
I realize this post is way overdue, but I finally finished my yarn club project for the month of November. The deadline for the project was the night before my last holiday craft show. Between creating inventory for shows and making Christmas presents, this project just didn't get done in time. The yarn for November was <a href="http://mountaincolors.com/colors/rivertwist.html">River Twist</a> by Mountain Colors in the colorway Rock Creek. It is a lovely 100% merino that is plied with two strands that change colors. Rock Creek is a blend of dark gray, blue, green, and purple. It almost looks black at first glance, then you notice all the muted colors.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/11310987486/in/photostream/"><img alt="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/11310987486/in/photostream/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PI4CkZrPtQLodw5VxwKleYJa50vzaMKDjouAdf5M8OWgANGhSiWHrP2OXHsqiUac4uzdnoUS_FESg0hKG-mLfpRXa8JrN1uWEbjGQrEgK9dTvRIK_FAQ6-90v87JZWCet3fp3FRA7Ace/s320/1210130949.jpg" /></a></div>
The project for the month was a hat with cables called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/intersections-break">Intersections Break</a>. I like working with cables and the pattern was easy to follow. The only thing I didn't like about the pattern was how they figured out the sizes. My gauge was correct, so the circumference of the hat was fine, but the number of cables for the "small" hat wouldn't have even covered my ears. I realized this after starting the decrease rows on the evening of the project deadline. After ripping back a few rows it became clear that I wasn't going to finish 2 more cable repeats and the decrease that evening so I set the project aside.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12549138365/in/photostream/"><img alt="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25370403@N08/12549138365/in/photostream/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLi0BZNf6_j4fnEE8g4xQZby4UhSInk6Dz4Db5SOA8enI_xCrw3NvRiGafqfCQGPP9_SqI80WlInaijMyAaAb_E1ZrVXHiJu-xNzq_Th9BvQu68KEYtOyzWJOnVPNZ06E5iB61Pk6rq1k/s320/0214142119a.jpg" /></a></div>
In the meantime I finished knitting my <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2014/01/echo-lodge-sweater.html">Echo Lodge sweater</a> and picked up again on my <a href="http://craftyminimeg.blogspot.com/2013/02/current-knitting-projects.html">colorwork socks</a> from last year. I also finished the yarn club project for December, which will be posted soon! This hat ended up being a Valentine's gift for my guy. Overall, I like the River Twist yarn and would probably order it again for another project.<br />
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