Mailbox Love

I'm pretty close to finishing some projects but am not there yet. (And still hoping to finish my Drunkard's Path quilt before the BQL is over!) Over the weekend I will be sharing my final projects from my photography class as well as drawings from this first week of summer drawing. I also got my final grades and am happy to say that I got two A's and a B (would have been another A if not for one too many absenses) in my studio classes. Not bad considering how much I worked too. Definately made my day yesterday.

As for today, I got a few things in the mail (and I guess one package did come yesterday). There are a few more things coming to me, including my class kit for Rachel's Handstitched class, which you can see photos of on her blog. The other package is my monthly mixed media kit from Christy Tomlinson. I'm not sure how many of you are interested in mixed media work (or scrapbooking; she has a monthly kit geared towards that) but it is fun to get new things to play around with. You will see these things used in my drawing projects and I will talk more about my proposed work for that over the weekend.

I do want to share the things that landed in my mailbox though, in case you may be interested. I do have to say that no one sponsored this nor did I get these items for free (well, there were a couple of freebie gifts that anyone can get). I just love these items and know that some of you also embroider and/or knit/crochet.

First of all, I got my May shipment from the Year of Color Club from Tanis Fiber Arts. This is the second year I've signed up for the club and love getting a surprise in the mail every other month. Each month, Tanis sends a skein of her hand dyed yarn (usually a color/fiber combination not available for purchase) and a pattern for it. I do admit that I haven't knit any of the other projects (very, very bad of me!) but in my defense, it is because I lack small needles. I'm trying to remedy that but may have to order some online.

I do have the right needles for this month's project though, so I wound the skein into a ball so I can cast on soon. I don't have a ball winder so it takes time to do this by hand (and foot) and after yesterday, think it may be a good investment.

This club is a great deal even though it is one lump sum to pay at once. The yarn is beautiful and every pattern so far is something I do want to make up. If nothing else, take a look around her site and drool over the vast array of colors she has available. Yarn dyeing is something I would love to do one day but not until I get fabric dyeing down. I also would love to dye yarn that I spun myself, which may be something I start doing later this year.

The second package I got was also yarn. This time, it was my skein for Camp Loopy, hosted by The Loopy Ewe. The freebies here were the pin for participating and a handy knitting needle inventory. I was just thinking the other day that I need some way to keep track of what needles I have, so this is perfect. Now to gather up all of my needles and fill this out.

My project for the first month of Camp Loopy is the CashSilk Fern Scarf. We can't start until the 27th so I have plenty of time to wind this yarn into a ball to prep. I just realized that the yarn I picked out is pretty similar to the photos in the pattern. That was not intentional at all. Just great taste. ;)

Finally, I got some handspun embroidery threads in the mail from Dragonflylotus Designs. I am a member of Liz's thread club, but this package was another order I had placed. Liz recently celebrated her 30th birthday and as a bonus, if you ordered on a certain day you could get a few mystery threads. I didn't separate this order from all of the threads I have received so far, but here they all are. I do also have more threads coming to me, but not until my next monthly shipment. (Thread club members get free shipping if other orders are shipped with the monthly threads.)

There are great bonuses in her thread club and my favorite is the sample card she sends every month. There are swatches of the monthly threads as well as any new releases coming up. This is great for anyone who likes to see something before ordering online. Members get access to a presale of the new threads as well as a discount (and the free shipping option).

I am a believer in supporting indie businesses and would love it if you would check out any of the three here.

See you over the weekend with some artwork. I will also be finally catching up with everything here and checking out the submissions so far for the BQF! We are expecting very hot temperatures (for us and for this time of year... almost 100 degrees F today) and rain. Summer classes mean no homework either. Yay! Plenty of time to finish up some lingering projects.

Have a great weekend!

TTT: Picking a Pattern

One reason why I shouldn't be allowed to buy new fabrics or yarns is because I immediately want to use them. This wouldn't be an issue if I also didn't abandon the other projects I have going on. So it is taking all of my will to not cast on both of the new yarns that I bought.

Both are deliciously soft and if I could manage, I would wrap the silk/camel blend around me to wear always. I forgot to mention yesterday, but my local yarn shop also carries a buffalo down blend that almost made it's way home with me. However, the over $50 price tag kept it in the store. For now.

I know I want to make a hat with the Madelinetosh. The Marrakesh is where I'm not sure. I haven't worked with lace weight yarn before. So I spent some time searching on Ravelry to see what other people have made with both of these yarns.

It didn't help me decided yet, but I thought I would share with you the possible patterns I may use. I do intend to knit or crochet these up in the coming months.

First, the Madelinetosh...

Crooked Paths hat. Image source.

Lace Leaf hat. Image source.

Rosebud hat. Image source.

Sourwood Mountain gloves. Image source. I am thinking about going back to get a second skein just so I can make these to match whichever hat I choose.

And now my beloved silk and camel...

Fern scarf. Image source.

Indian Feathers shawl. Image source.

Sezession I shawl. Image source. This one is standing out as the frontrunner.

Any of them stand out for you?

Linking up to Making Rebecca Lynne for her Thursday Think Tank. Hopefully I will have a finished item to share with you tomorrow.

This Past Week

Yep, my job kicked my butt all week long. You see, I usually get done between 10 and 11 at night. It's a little late for my taste, but I have to earn money too and do like my job. Because of some technology issues, I've had to stay there until 1, sometimes 2 in the morning. That means I slept in most days, waking up with enough time to get ready to either go to class or work again. I did miss class a couple days. Not really a biggie, as it's the end of the semester. I just feel like crap and hope that next week the issues have been fixed so I can go back to normal.

My point? Making anything has really suffered. I did get my ornament out in time, and really can't wait to share it with you. First I want to make sure my partner receives it. I love what I came up with and have plans to make more!

Other than that, I only had time to work on small, portable projects during my waiting time at work. That meant some sketching and a little embroidery. One embroidery project is a gift, so that will have to wait until I finish it. It's not a Christmas gift though (actually, it was supposed to be a wedding gift that was due a few months ago, oops), so who knows when it will be done.

Oh, and I did some brainstorming at work about what I could do with some stash items. I'm not really adding these to my Out with the Old list, except if that happen to be finished as an extra project. Just mentally assigning them to a project. Anyone else do this?

The first item I (finally) finished is this puzzle ball from Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts. I pieced it together at least a month ago, pinned it together, and then just let it sit by my machine. I knew if I worked on it at home I would have to keep pushing two dogs away from me. It was pretty easy to put together and I would make others in the future to give as baby gifts or something. This one is just for me though.

These kits from Alicia Paulson are a long term project. I know there's no way I could finish them for this Christmas, so I'm going to set my goal for next year. I did just buy them recently, so it's not like they have been lingering in my stash for years. ;)

My progress so far. The mitten is by far my favorite one and I could see making more of them in different colors. I also would love to knit mittens in this style too.

This yarn was acquired from my local yarn shop on Black Friday. I bought it without really knowing what I wanted to do with it. I think I have settled on this cowl.

Another acquisition from Black Friday. My Joann's had a sample necklace made from it on the display, which is what I bought it for.

My ceramics class finished up and we had a little show and tell party on the last day. I took some photos of some pieces that I like the most, except for Cheeto, who needed his legs glued back on. I'm the one that broke them off though. I will share what he looks like glazed sometime next week.

What are you working on this weekend?