First yarn bomb for Taos

I made my first yarn bomb for Taos! This is made from donated yarn.

This is on a vega in front of Weaving Southwest.

Here’s what the back looks like:

To insure we don’t harm property we’re not using any nails or staples. Instead we’re using ties and making sure the tag is snug around the object. I put ties every few inches and it worked well.

A close up of the ties:

Teresa, from Weaving Southwest, and I have started a new blog called Yarn Blog Taos to chronicle the Great Taos Yarn Bombing of 2012.

ABQ visit

The Ram is on tour! Village Wools in Albuquerque agreed to host him for awhile.

Village Wools

Here’s me and Abbey posing with him:

How exciting to have the Ram there! If you’re in ABQ and want to see him in person please stop by and let me know what you think.

Later on Abbey and I posed with our monster bags.

My ABQ visit was short but we had a good time hanging out.

Truffles

I’ve been on the GAPS diet myself for the last few months. It’s helped immensely with my Endometriosis and since I’ve cut gluten out I’m not getting violently ill anymore. But GAPS can get boring. I was getting tired of just eating cooked veggies, meat, nuts and fruit which are some staples of the diet.

So I cracked open the GAPS Diet Cookbook and made myself some truffles.

These are ghee truffles rolled in coconut and walnuts and are vegetarian.

These are so delicious and really help when I’m craving something that’s fatty. Though next time I’m planning on rolling them in bacon crumbs.

These are pistachio date truffles.

These are yummy too but not as good as the ghee ones. They’re good for when I’m craving sweet and crunchy and are vegan.

Source: Internal Bliss cookbook

Yoga Socks

Evelyn’s birthday was last month so I made her some yoga socks. I didn’t use a pattern. Instead I did a gauge swatch and measured around my foot to figure out how many stitches to cast on. I based the design on the yoga socks Abbey made me. Basically it’s a sock without a toe or heel. We have similar sized feet but I went with a 1×1 ribbing to make them stretchy.

That picture doesn’t reflect the color quite right. Here’s another.

They fit and she likes them. Yay!

Pattern: Yoga Socks
Source: me
Yarn: stash
Needles: 4.0 mm needles
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: Dec 2011
Finished: Dec 2011

Strawberry Purse

Leila, my friend Sera’s daughter, has a birthday this month. I have a tradition of making her a handmade item as a gift. On Facebook Sera had posted a picture of her in a Strawberry Shortcake dress and she was ecstatic. As soon as I saw it I knew she needed a strawberry purse to match.

I found the Girl’s Strawberry Purse Pattern on Ravelry.

It’s super cute! I altered the pattern some-I knit a row of k2tog, yo to create holes for an I-cord drawstring. And I lined it with cotton fabric from an old tshirt.

Sewing the yellow yarn into little seeds took awhile but it was totally worth it. A pic of the innards:

Leila loves her new purse! Yay!

Pattern: Girl’s Strawberry Purse
Source: Ravelry
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: N/A
Modifications: some, see above
Started: Jan 2012
Finished: Jan 2012

New hat and scarf for a new year!

I have been wearing my REI wool hat for years. It’s cute and warm but as a knitter I wanted to wear something I made. So at the end of December I decided I needed a new hat and scarf for the new year.

I bought this Noro Iro several years ago at a big yarn sale. The colors are fabulous. I was in one of my moods where I didn’t want to follow any patterns and wanted near instant gratification. I wanted ribbing for the cuff in a complementary color. The pink Lamb’s Pride just kept calling to me. Though I’m not normally a pink girl I trusted the Knitting Muse.

After the ribbing I just knit stockinette until it was tall enough. I used Kitchener stitch to bind off. Then I added big tassels in and ode to Red from Fraggle Rock.

To add more flair I crocheted a flower and sewed a recycled button in the center.

For the scarf I decided to knit a Noro striped scarf. I alternated between two balls of Iro. Watching the colors stripe was so fun while knitting. I added fringe to match the hat tassels. If you look close you can see Sieben’s nose.

Granola joined us for the photo shoot.

I love my new accessories! I’m calling them the Pinktastic Hat and Scarf.

Pattern: Pinktastic Hat
Source: me
Yarn: Noro Iro, 1.5 balls
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: Dec 2011
Finished: Jan 2012

Pattern: Pinktastic Scarf
Source: me
Yarn: Noro Iro, 1.5 balls
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: Dec 2011
Finished: Jan 2012

Monster Bag will eat you!

I’ve been wanting to make a Monster Bag for years. In December I saw another one on Craftster and got re-inspired.

RAWR!!!

This is definitely one of the most fun projects I’ve ever knit. After looking at pictures of monster bags on Ravelry and Craftster I decided to make up my own pattern as I went along. I used acrylic and fun fur yarn for the body and knit it in the round.

Knitting in the round pushed the fun fur to the inside of the circle so before starting the flap I turned the bag inside out.

Abbey loved the monster bag idea when I told her so we decided to do it as a knit along. She’s making hers out of brown yarn. We decided the purse straps should be the monster’s arms.

It was her idea to use kids gloves for the monster’s hands. Brilliant! I found the gloves stretched so before attaching them I decided to put a piece of felt inside for stability. I put a snap on the gloves. I suppose I could have just sewn them together and may do that in future versions. (How could I not make another?!)

For the teeth I cut out two pieces of felt, sewed them together and turned them inside out.

I did the same thing for the tongue.

I sewed the lining, teeth and tongue to the knit fabric.

For the eyes I used buttons. I sewed them on with the flat side up and super glued the wiggly eyes onto them.

Monster Bag tastes the kitty…

…and decides he tastes so good he needs to nom him. Granola seems unperturbed.

Monster Bag also gives Sieben a lick:

For the lining I used polka dots. I love polka dots-they’re so cheerful. I put in plenty of pockets and have room for all my purse goodies.

It feels like I have a Muppet on my arm. I can’t wait to debut it around Taos!

Pattern: Monster Bag
Source: me
Yarn: green acrylic and green fun fur yarn
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: Dec 2011
Finished: Dec 2011

Making presents

Last month I made some presents. I made my friends Grant and Megan reusable grocery bags. I used my own pattern for them.

Grant gave me upholstery fabric that used to be part of his late father’s living room recliner. His Dad Ralph was an awesome guy. So funny and so sweet-just like Grant though he’d never admit to the sweet part. I used one of our old pillowcases for the lining so the whole bag would remind Grant of people who love him.

For Megan’s bag I used recycled fabric. She sometimes goes by Bee so I put a flower and bee detail on the bag for her.

Megan’s father recently died. As is often the case around death the family was in a state of stress. So in addition to the grocery bag I decided to make her son Logan a hat. And I let him pick the colors.

They’re in MO so I couldn’t try it on him while knitting. I went with the Hothead pattern since it’s nice and stretchy. It fits him great and he loves it.

Here’s Granola helping with laundry again.

Pattern: Grocery Bag Gifts
Source: my own pattern
Medium: sewing
Started: Nov 2011
Finished: Nov 2011

Pattern: Hothead
Source: Stitch ‘n Bitch
Yarn: stash yarn
Needles: 4.5 mm needles
Size: medium
Modifications: none
Started: Nov 2011
Finished: Nov 2011

Xmas Stocking

I made this Xmas stocking for a knitting class that ended up not happening.

Bummer about the class but still it was a good exercise in design. The pattern is my own.

The toe and heel are both a short row construction. The cuff is seed stitch with an I-cord loop attached.

I plan to officially write this pattern up soon.

Pattern: Xmas Stocking
Source: me
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride Wool, 3 skeins
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: NA
Modifications: none
Started: Nov 2011
Finished: Nov 2011

Occupy Denver

As political activists Thebes and I were immediately interested in the Occupy Wallstreet movement. Last month we bought camping supplies and got donations from fellow Taosenos to bring up to the Occupy Denver protesters. That weekend they were having a march and we wanted to participate.

We drove up Friday night and got to Denver around midnight. While looking for a cheap hotel we drove by the protesters huddled together and some sleeping on the sidewalks. They looked cold so we decided to stop right there and donate our supplies. We had sleeping bags, wool blankets, a tent, warm clothes and emergency blankets. I handed a -20 degree sleeping bag to a young man and he started crying which made me cry. Then we both laughed and hugged. It felt so good to donate supplies.

Afterward we found our cheap hotel and settled in for the night. Since Thebes has Crohn’s we decided it was best not to camp out. The next morning we prepped for the march. Here’s me in the hotel before the march writing phone numbers on my leg in case I got arrested. You’re supposed to write numbers down where you can call for bail money and the local legal aid number.

Occupy Denver

The protesters were occupying a park near the Capital building. There were about 2,500 protesters in the march.

Occupy Denver

We marched through the financial district. People in high rises opened their windows and watched us. At one point we were walking down a sidewalk weaving in and out of weekend shoppers.

Occupy Denver

Thebes decided to document the event so didn’t dress up. He put up a Flickr page for his pics.

Occupy Denver

I on the other hand went in full costume as Lady Liberty. My outfit was quite the hit and lots of protesters wanted to take my picture.

Occupy Denver

Thebes came up with the slogan for the back of the sign.

Occupy Denver

There were several sculptures in the downtown area that I found inspiring. Here’s one that reminds me of a flower:

Occupy Denver

This Black Block Anarchist climbed up a ton of stuff to give marchers the fist of solidarity.

Occupy Denver

I wasn’t the only one in costume. The Robin Hoods showed up.

Occupy Denver

After the march protesters gathered in front of the Capital building. The scene was pretty mellow. People were taking turns speaking and talked about different upcoming actions like Move Your Money Day. The police had been nearby the whole day but it was during this part where they really amped it up. Riot police started showing up. They had tear gas, mace and rubber bullets. They were guarding the steps of the building. Some protesters argued that their permit let them on the steps but the police disagreed. Though the mood was tense nothing happened at this point and the protesters eventually moved back across the street to the park.

During this time some of the protesters decided to do an act of civil disobedience and set up tents. Protesters are allowed to sleep on the sidewalk but camping is not permitted. It’s getting cold so protesters want this rule to change.

The illegal tents:

Occupy Denver

They don’t look too scary do they? Well the proverbial shit hit the fan when the police realized there were tents set up. Cop after cop showed up and started putting on full riot gear.

Occupy Denver

One of the protesters. Doesn’t look threatening does he? Well apparently the police thought we looked like a threat because about 200 of them got in formation to tear down the tents.

Occupy Denver

Police tore down the tents which legally they could do. But then they maced the crowd, beat protesters with batons and shot rubber bullets.

Occupy Denver

This man was in a tree taking pictures of the mayhem when he was shot down with rubber bullets:

Occupy Denver

Photo courtesy of this Daily Kos post.

Thebes and I missed the violence. We had gone back to the hotel to rest and eat. We checked Twitter and saw shit was going down so hurried back. By the time we returned the shootings and beatings had stopped and the police were standing guard around the patch of park where the tents had been erected.

The police then took the various camping supplies off the sidewalks (remember they legally could be there) and hauled them out into the now blocked off street. They claimed it was all “abandoned property” and could legally haul it away. During this protesters were claiming their property-that’s my sleeping bag, that’s my guitar etc. but their claims were ignored.

Occupy Denver

The scene was intense. Police dressed up as stormtroopers are mighty scary looking and knowing that any minute they could just choose to give you a beat down is even scarier. But I believe in this movement so am glad we came.

This protest sign sums up my feelings of the trip:

Occupy Denver