More on Polyvore

So I have been there for three weeks... and I don't seem to be able to do anything else.

Well, there was the summer vacation and 10 days in Finland, fancy dress party with the theme "Arabian nights" or in Finnish "1000 and 1 Nights" - the stories in the book are not all Arabian, you know. Aladdin, for example, was Chinese. We were very Turkish, Persian, Arabic anyway. I spent the first week in sewing clothes :-> Photos? Sure... when I get my camera back. Perhaps there'll be a CD with everyone's photos... I hope.

But back to Polyvore. I've been there actively for 15 days and managed to create 133 sets... that's almost 10 sets a day. I sit by my laptop almost the whole day and do nothing but create personas and combine clothes into outfits. I have been horribly neglecting Ravelry and all my obligations and duties, the only thing I do is to go shopping for food, as quickly as I possibly can; meeting my doctors; making me a cup of tea every now and then; walking the dog - also as quickly as I can - and going to the toilet. I neglect my tv shows, my books, my knitting, my 100 things in 1001 days, my email, my groups... basically, my life. I don't like that at all, but... I'm addicted to Polyvore. *sigh*
As with any addiction, I refuse to acknowledge that it is a problem and that I'm paying for my time in Polyvore with everything else in my life... Not worth it, that's for sure.

Then the peeves... every time one gets involved in something, one starts peeving about things.

There are these teenagers who are so horribly childish and stupid... and the worst part of it is, that I know they'll never grow out of it! They are exactly the same in 30 years and in 50 years. I know, because I have met their older versions.

There are the aspiring writers who make grammar errors in their writing - and English is supposed to be their mothertongue! I mean, I'm Finnish and I would NEVER make such mistakes. (I make my own, wrong articles, prepositions and word order, and my vocabulary is not as big as it should be, but this is a foreign language to me! When I was 17, my Finnish was impeccable! I think I have the right to expect that of any 17 years old who wants to be a writer.

There are the horrible RPGs... with unbelievable characters and settings, that are NOT supposed to be fantasy or alternative reality... I know it's easier to skip all the troublesome props like relatives, friends, former schoolmates and servants and make a closed, miniature society, but why would a 17 years old American girl marry her American 17 years old boyfriend in the school chapel in England with only her schoolmates present? Why aren't the kids' parents protesting? I would not allow my 17 years old child, girl or boy, marry, and as far as I know, 17 years olds need the parents' permission to do any such things. But - hey, the kids are having fun with their RPG, and all kinds of creativity is creativity and in such a good thing... but on the other hand... creating such romantic illusions as some sort of ideal of life... what good will come of that? They say people now-a-days aren't prepared to take life as it is. Marriage is supposed to be happily-ever-after and these romantic geese will move back to mommy the first time their beloved, only love, mr Right gets annoyed and says something stupid - that is, the first time they argue. In my mind, arguments are a natural part of ANY relationship, be it marriage, friendship or family... but not so with these bunnies. But, never mind.

Another thing that peeves me in Polyvore, is that people have difficulties in understanding concepts and instructions.
"Only 5 items or less" is interpreted to mean "only 5 items of clothing - you can use limitless amount of jewelry, accessories, backgrounds, words and what ever in the set." And the "only 5" is just words... if it's 6 or 7 or 15, it doesn't really matter.
"Steampunk"...

"I usually think of Steampunk as 19th century earth but with anachronistic technology, or rather, modern devices created with 19th century technology. Usually steam-powered, hence steampunk. It is what would have happened if the Industrial Revolution went wild... ...I tend to believe that the punk is derived from the rebellious, swashbuckling element of the genre. Adventure. Defiance. Many stories of the genre defy established social mores, religious dogma, and government philosophies. Punk also embodies the do-it-yourself anthem of the Steampunk culture."
-- MadBrew

well... I interpret it quite loosely, as I am illustrating an entire world, not just the part of the mechanics and adventurers. I have always been... different. So, when Fantasy genre usually is about adventurers, the heros and heroines who all are princes and princesses in disguise and David against Goliat fights where Good always wins and everything is Black or White - I want to write fantasy about the people who stay at home when the boy next door goes on to his adventure to become the King Who Saved The World, and the servants in the castles and the people behind the scenes. So, my interpretation of steampunk is about the sisters of the girl geniuses and their small lives, the town people, the mothers of the adventurers... what the temporary novels would be about in this alternative and fantastical reality. Sure, I'm Medievalist, I love the Victorian time, would love long skirts and corsets and frills and the life of Little Women with the modern comfort, like plumbing, automobiles, cell phones and computers. I love clockwork and mechanical toys and all that. But, I am not an engineer, a pilot, an adventurer, an explorer or a long lost heiress to a magical kingdom. I'm just a nobody, living with my cats in my English cottage wanting to be left alone. So - my interpretation of steampunk is more like... "let's add a couple of gearwheels in the background" sort of... but my outfits would fit in the steampunk world. Now, some people have the "let's add a couple of gearwheels in the background" interpretation, but the outfits... the contemporary celebrities are NOT wearing outfits that would fit steampunk world! So, make a contemporary, fashionable interpretation of Pride and Prejudice, but DO NOT CALL IT VICTORIAN!
And if the group is called "elaborate backgrounds" HAVE ELABORATE BACKGROUNDS! It is NOT an elaborate background when you have used 50 objects scattered on the background. It is NOT an elaborate background, when you take a photo of your celebrity idol and decorate it with stars, flowers and butterflies.
Also, taking a photo of your idol or a pretty artwork and add a little sparkle, so that the original artwork or photo is almost unchanged IS NOT ART. Now, some people participate in competitions with this kind of things... and WIN... I think that's offensive to the whole community, and even though the originator of the set shouldn't be punished for being unimaginative and stupid, the judges of the competition should know better and remove the set from the competition the second they see it, in stead of REWARDING AND ENCOURAGING such behavior...

*sigh*

Anyway... THIS is what I waste my time doing! How stupid can a woman get? :-D

Rant on Copyright

I have found a new toy, Polyvore. It's a place where you can create collages or inspiration boards of images found on-line.
Now, most of the members of Polyvore (if any) don't OWN the images they have "imported" to the collection, so 90% if not more of the site is copyright violation.

Some people are VERY upset about this... and I think they are HUGELY overreacting.

No, I don't support myself with my art.
Neither do the people creating these collages. They are creating a little beauty to this world. They don't consider themselves being artists, even when they label their collages "art". They don't think they own the artistic copyright, even though in fact they do... You see, when someone takes pictures and combines them into new pictures, it is that someone's art. Whether one created the images to start with or not has nothing to do with anything.

Andy Warhole didn't own the copyright to Munch's Scream

Edward Munch's painting and litograph of Scream


Andy Warhol's copies of the work

The Edward Munch Museum is PROUD of their artist being copied and has BOUGHT Andy Warhol's "art"!
Obviously he didn't do much creative work... he took a photocopy of Munch's graphic, printed it on plastic, painted the "wrong side" - with some hideous color combinations, I have to add - and that's it. If that is not "misrepresenting" an artist's work, I don't know what is. The art world is nevertheless EXTATIC by Warhol's "creativity" and "imagination" and "ability to renew art" and what not. Some of the people at Polyvore are more imaginative, creative and show much more ability to create new things with "old" things than Andy Warhol ever did. But, sure, they don't CALL themselves artists, they haven't f-d the whole art community with their blatant and rude arrogance and self confidence and had art exhibitions with their creations... They are many... and, yes, most of them are girls.

So - if it is ok for "artists" to rip the copyright, it is frankly unfair to demand that girls having fun putting pictures together to create new pictures would know that what they are doing is "dubious", theft, violating someone else's personal space and "blatantly wrong".

That it would be blatantly wrong to use a painting of a "young child" in a collage when painting the "young child" was not, especially when the artist's style makes it impossible to even recognize the child, or even if a live model was used, sounds to me extremely hypocritical and oversensitive - sounds more like the artist is trying to use children as leverage by insinuating that the people at Polyvore were bordering to pedophiles...
Well... to be fair, some of the artist's portraits are actually photographs that are manipulated in some fashion, but it's in no way differentto use those images than to use any photos of children, for example children's fashion models in fashion magazines and catalogues.
Also, children in antique photos that are being used by many collage artists, were real children when the photo was taken, and it was VERY personal and the photos were ABSOLUTELY NOT meant to be used in artwork. If it is "blatantly wrong" to use images of "young children" in collage art, why isn't this artist attacking all the "legitimate" collage artists? (like, for example Heather Murray, who is actually SELLING this "blatantly wrong" art...)

"...another one had covered up the watermark on the Morgan Le Fay and people, jessica galbreth's watermarks are BIG. it can't have been done with anything other than intent and malice."
Intent, yes, malice, no. If you are a teenaged dabbler - which 99% of the members of Polyvore are, of their minds if not by the numbers on their birth certificate - you don't KNOW anything about what it means to an artist to have her painting altered. To you the image is just "pretty" and you use it for such reasons as "the colors fit my intentions". A copyright watermark does not fit anyone's intentions. To be able to use the image, one MUST hide the watermark with other images, that are usually chosen because the colors, forms and message fit the creator's intention. There is no malice there, just practical solutions to a practical problem.

Now, Jessica Galbreth and Amy Brown are REALLY popular, and their art... well...
Norman Rockwell thought he wasn't an artist. He thought he was just an illustrator, while his wife was the real artist of the family.
M.C.Escher thought he was just a skilled copier, not an artist.
Rudolf Koivu hated his work as an illustrator and dreamed of being a "real" artist.
I love all these persons' work, but... frankly, I cannot say their work should be sacred and using it in collages would be "butchering" it. (Frankly, no art is. They have done "worse" things with Mona Lisa and Botticelli's Venus, and none of that can diminish the original art work one bit. On the contrary. So that's just another hysterical overreaction to what is happening at Polyvore.

Come on, now, most of the collages are nothing more than inspiration boards, like those in ANY fashion magazine, using the artworks to enhance the desired impression.

For example, here's Art&Ghosts' "bedhead" (I don't know what it was originally named, but people like Yasmina at ffffound isn't very imaginative in inventing new names, so I assume it's the correct name) and four Polyvore members' treatment of it.

The fashion boards are made by Alex and Laura, and the art is made by "Gardenfairy" and "Googles". In my mind none of them mars the original artwork in any way. In fact, I like Gardenfairy's and Googles' version better than Art&Ghosts' original.
Of course, most of the collages where this painting was used weren't this good, but the original artwork is so strong it infuses the whole collage with its essence and overpowers all the possible scratches, spots, dots and ripples one might add to it. In only one the essence was covered, and it was done to such extend the original couldn't even be seen - the creator of that had used this image for its colors. Not even Art&Ghosts could have recognized her work in it.
BTW, that splash of color wasn't bad, and it was very impressive use of the tool (Polyvore).

The Copyright Fanatics tell us that we are not to admire these people's capacity of using the tool, which isn't that simple - I am worthless in making collages :-D - and we are not to admire these people's artistic expression or artworks, because they are using "someone else's" colors and forms... We are not to give them credit for their eye of composition, proportions and color, but we are to send a LAWYER after them, because they are abusive, malicious thieves...

My husband makes collages of images. He can't draw people, and it is people he uses in his artwork, them being very personal and expressionist. He is basically illustrating his life experience with the art he does. I think he is a really good artist, but as we are poor, we cannot afford a good camera nor models, and as we both have different socially incapacitating problems, we don't have many friends we could use. So, he uses images he finds on-line. Most of them are stock images made for the purpose, the Deviant Art community is very generous in that way, and those that are not stock images, he asks if he may use. He also tries to give credit to best of his ability. There are times though when he does violate the copyright. He doesn't use anything but photos, but photos are photographed by someone, and photographers have copyright to their photos.
Because I know him, and I know he doesn't have malicious intentions and that he isn't stealing photos to violate the artist nor their artwork, but because he has the urge to create and he needs those colors and those forms... Of course, my husband has a way out of the copyright trap - I am a very good copiator, and if I copy your photo by painting it, I am in no way violating your copyright, even though I use "your" colors, forms and composition - but what about all the others like him who do not have that privilege?
I cannot and will not condemn the creative people at Polyvore, because they are violating the copyright.
I think the copyright is a good thing, but it can also be used to limit people's creativity.

Now, Jessica Galbraith, Amy Brown, Kelly Vivanco and Art&Ghosts all are rather popular and sell their original pieces. I cannot see in what way the usage of these images as part of collages at Polyvore violate their rights or artwork, or damage their economy in any way. I just cannot see it. They all have a very specific and recognizable style, which means that if a person sees part of their artwork in a collage at Polyvore, and like it, they will seek the original up, but they wouldn't go looking for it without having seen it in a collage at Polyvore... which only means more publicity to the artist, more fans and more income.

To me this Copyright Fanatism is incomprehensible and what I would define as greedy meanness. At Flickr there's another fun little thing called Mosaic Maker. You choose photos from the ones at Flickr and put them in the program which makes a mosaic out of them. Most people use someone else's photos, but there too are some who "would be very upset if people were using their photos in their mosaics without asking". I don't get it.

Copyright was "invented" at the 18th century, because the publishers were printing authors' works without giving them any part of the income, which lead to "their very great detriment, and too often to the Ruing of them and their Families".

Frankly, I don't take from you anything. I am being called a thief even when I haven't taken anything from you...
My using your photo in my mosaic or collage doesn't harm your original photo, what ever I do with "my" copy.
It doesn't diminish your income or fame, even if I wouldn't give you the credit.
Frankly, in most cases, you don't even know when anything you have uploaded online is being used, as "print screen" exists, and there are thousands of ways to go by the protective measures. Everyone uploading their art online knows this and still uploads their art. I don't know if my art is being used somewhere. I suppose I'm not good enough. I'm no Jessica Galbraith, that's for sure. But not even she knows where her artwork is being used and what is being done to it. In spite of that, she lives on her art and the products that are being made decorated by her artwork. So - what is being stolen from her?

The people who print a copy of her artwork to glue it on a notebook wouldn't buy her notebooks anyway, because they can't afford it, but perhaps someone sees that notebook with "stolen" art, and wants one herself, and perhaps this someone CAN afford to buy a REAL one, and believe me, I would much rather support the artist than "fake" it. For one, the mass produced things Jessica sells herself are a bit better quality than my homemade copy, and when the authenthic merchandise still looks good after a couple of years, my decoupage notebook will start to wear and - as I cannot afford a good quality printer either -the ink will fade and smudge and spread and what not.

The same way, making collages or photo mosaics with your images, doesn't take anything from you. It might not GIVE you anything, but it doesn't TAKE anything either.

I am a craftswoman, so I knit and crochet by patterns, most of which are shared freely online. I can understand if a copyrighted pattern is ripped and used, because that does takes something from the creator of the pattern, so I have some understanding for people doing the Queen's Work. But I also understand the consequences of poverty. If you can go to a public library and borrow the magazine, why not copy it and put it online so it's handier to use, and others get an access to it too.
What bothers me most is that the Copyright Fanatics assign all kinds of motifs to these people - to us. I use Picasa and "steal" copyright too, and if you sued me, I'm sure there would be enough evidence in my home and my computer to punish me. You wouldn't get anything for that either though. I don't "steal" because of disrespect, malice or because my morals stink. I "steal" because I'm poor.

Also, some people try to copyright STITCHES. I'm not talking about some fancy lacework or aran animals and such, but "1.row K3 P1. 2. row P1 *K1 P3* K1 P1" stitch patterns... AS IF ALL OF IT HADN'T ALREADY BEEN INVENTED LONG AGO! It's like trying to copyright words or using strawberries in cooking or watercolors - or genes... :-> "You may not have babies, because that might violate my exclusive right to copy your genes". Such BULL!

I really, truly think that some people take the copyright way too far.

To see more of Mona Lisas, among others Andy Warhol's version, go to Mega Mona Lisa

Btw, only half a year to Yule...

What Can You Learn from Crafts You Dislike?

"Choose three crafts or creative projects that you have very little or no interest in. Then spend just five minutes researching each of these, just enough time to find out something you didn't already know."

Hmm... What ""creative project" am I not interested in? Quite a many, actually, and I am not intersted, because I have tried and found out that I am not interested. I have no interest to learn anything about them. But then there are a couple that I haven't even tried, because I think those are waste of time. For example:

Decorating flower pots. Decorating mirror frames and other such things with fake jewels and such.
Making things by gluing stones together, painting stones
Making things by gluing beads and pearls and sequins, or fabric on styrofoam base.
Making plaster figurines in ready-made molds.
Making paper clay figurines with ready-made molds.

I really don't want to learn anything about that.

But, here we go.

When painting flower pots, it's important to seal the pots from inside to stop the water damage on the surface. I thought one SHOULD not do this, so that the pot would "breath".

If I would decorate flower pots, I would do something like this, I think...
These are... well... kind of cute...
It might also be fun to paint simple patterns with the same colors, like stripes and polka dots and so, to have in a group with simple, colorful flowers like geraniums, African violets or such.

About painted rocks.
These "Stone Books" are pretty interesting.
Actually, I have a stone my sister has painted, and it means a lot to me :-)

This is something new I learned about this:
"If a smooth surface is preferred wood filler can be used to even out pits or imperfections in the rock."

I actually like these rock projects by Martha Stewart...
And this is what I learned there:
"Use little cushions of nondrying clay to support parts while the glue sets"

Huh... I am actually enjoying myself LOL

I learned that one must use water based paint when painting styrofoam, or the styrofoam will melt.
I also learned that styrofoam shrinks rather nicely in oven and becoming hard plastic.
And even though this is an interesting idea, I still hate styrofoam.
I like these styrofoam gumdrop trees...

I learned that plaster of Paris doesn't like cold and should not be applied on frozen surfaces.
This is rather interesting.
I know how to make molds of clay and cast plaster... and it's not bad... Hmm... I'm sure one could make molds for paper clay too. It really isn't the craft itself that I hate, just the readymade horrible figurines, kittens and angels... Brrrr.

Barbie dolls

I have been knitting and crocheting Barbie doll clothes lately :-) I have made bikinis, a bath robe with Elizabeth Zimmermann's "surprise jacket" pattern, I have made towels, a skirt, pretty blouse and a dress. I plan to knit a pair of trousers and a sweater too.

But to other matters... When I was about 5-6 (~1975) I got a Barbie doll from my Godmother. Her face is smudged and I removed the make-up all together about 20 years ago. I also cut her hair, because it had been twisted up and had a permanent hook... She has been nibbled by a dog, so her body has a couple of holes and dents. I would like to replace her, but I have serious problems in finding out who she is!

She is the one in the middle in bikinis, flanked by Malibu PJ (standing) and Malibu Barbie (sitting). If you click the picture a bit larger, you can see the color difference of their skins in the middle, where Malibu PJs arm disappears behind my barbie's waist.

She looks like Malibu P.J. but isn't... because she isn't tanned. This is what her face looked like before she got... well... when she was new. Except that mine has lighter skin. This one is Malibu P.J. Mine isn't. (Yes, I keep repeating it, because I have been asking around the internet for some 10 years now, and everyone says "that's Malibu PJ", and leaves it to that. Yes, I know, THAT is Malibu P.J. MINE IS NOT. Unless they made them untanned. Which, to my knowledge, they did not.)
Here's the technical details: "Steffie head mold, long, blond hair, parted on left, no bangs... I don't think she had ponytails... But that was like 35 years ago, so I might remember wrong.
blue eyes, painted eyelashes, pale salmon lipstick, almost peach.
she was wearing one piece aqua swimsuit (Yes, it was aqua, turquoise, not pink, purple or lavender). It wasn't the halterneck model, but a straight model. I don't remember any sunglasses or towels. She had no shoes and no stand.
her legs are straight, non bendable and her waist turns. "TNT diagonal slit" She also has rather narrow hips.
And, as said, she isn't tanned, so she is NOT MALIBU PJ. She is pale, pink skinned, as any other "normal" Barbie would be.
Marking: ©1966/Mattel, Inc./U.S. Patented/Other Pats. Pend./Made in/Japan
-----------------------------------------------------------------

So - if you know which Barbie this is, and if you know where I could find one, I'd be very happy to know too :-)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lilis y Barbie alemana
Originally uploaded by FORGET ME NOT!!!

I think this is her...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yeah, this is her. She's a Barbie made exclusively for European market. I found my replacement from Germany.
Thanks to no-one for help. :-)

Tiny needles :-)

My preciousssss..... Click on the picture to see it better - if you want to, that is.

All the needles in the picture are thinner than 2 mm. If you have been following my blog, you remember that the whole May went whining and venting about the lack of small needles in my life. This is the result of what was done to correct this lack ;-)

In right three packages of Addi steel needles, in sizes 1 3/4, 1 1/2 and 1 1/4 mm (2/0, 3/0 and 4/0) and on the left, under the Vaasa wristwarmers, two pairs of Addi steel circulars in 1 1/2 (000) mm in one package. Those I ordered from Helylle.

Vaasa is being knitted with the 1 1/2 mm steel needles of German label "Heureka" my hubby found for me in my LYS, Dominiques garn och handarbete. It seems like Heureka doesn't exist anymore... the folder is of paper, all printed in red, and it looks old, at least 30 years old... I wonder where she got them :-D
(You can also see my genious husband's invention to help me with fleeing tiny needles - a needlekeep made of two syringes and a rubber band :-D Works perfectly. It doesn't look especially nice, but I plan on knitting two fingerpuppets and glueing those over the syringes.)

In the middle the newest member of my tiny needle family - arrived already a week ago, but somehow the package card was lost and I received a reminder today... I have been waiting for those needles for a month now, so you can guess I a) wasn't very happy to find out that they have been waiting for me already a week and b) ran straight to the post office to fetch my preciousesssss. These beauties are steel needles from Purse Paradise and I bought them through ebay. They are of sizes 1 mm (00000 0r 5/0), 3/4mm (000000 or 6/0) and 1/2mm (00000000 or 8/0) - that is half a millimeter! I use that size lead in my mechanical pencil! I know I bought them to be able to reach the gauge in socks, but I will not knit socks with half a mm needles! My Dearest Husband was happy, "now you can knit bookmarks that aren't too thick!" he said :-D

4 AM and I'm awake...

My sleeping is way out of order now-a-days... But I got up 8 AM today and went to leave some tests to hospital. I do hope they find something this time... *sigh* Then I got back and took the dog out and had some breakfast and went to bed again. I suppose I do the same today again.

I'm participating in the new 52 pair plunge. A pair of socks every week. It's not a problem if my hands don't hurt (and if I don't need to knit them with 1.5mm needles ;-)) Anyway, someone said in a group

"I agree with you ladies that two pair a month is a bit much. Which makes me wonder about those 52 pair a year KALs. I’ve considered them…but …a pair a week for a year? I could MAYBE do a pair a week in some sort of sock emergency but who are these amazons that are cranking them out week after week?"

So... I'm an amazon :-D Well... those weeks I'm fine, at least. I suppose that makes me normal the weeks I'm not feeling well... er... Oh my, what an overachiever and workaholic I am!

On that note:

A couple of rows of Cookie A's Marlene

A couple of rows of horseshoes

A couple of rows of Goddess Anniversary Mystery Shawl

a couple of rows of Absinthe

Fingers aching again...

Might it be the thin needles? I'm working on Absinthe socks from Knitty and to get the gauge I have to use 1.25 mm needles. Yes, US size 00000 (5/0). They are very fine needles...

It's not quick to knit, and I start understanding why people take a week or so with knitting a sock... with my loose hand, I only need to knit half the stitches to get a pair of socks.

I also started my Goddess Mystery Shawl.


It is a pretty shawl and I love the rainbow :-)

The third project I'm knitting doesn't have illustration. In Ravelry I'm knitting Cookie's socks in a sock-a-long. We are knitting through Cookie's new book, Sock Innovations. The first project is Glynis and I don't like it. So I am knitting Marlenes from Knit.1. magazine. I think they are exciting :-) I think it's interesting to form the pattern with twisted knits.

But my hands hurt. Probably not much knitting today. Perhaps the shawl... that's bigger needles and it's quick :-)

Doomgrass...

I have had a really bad luck with socks this month...
First, I ordered some needles... I have extremely loose hand, so I need sock needles that are smaller than 2mm to knit socks with right gauge... Yes, yes, I know, I haven't spoken of much else this month.
Anyway, I started knitting Dune grass socks. The gauge is up the walls, but I adjusted the pattern. Really, not rocket science. I made one mistake though... it should have been 7n+1 and I made 7n+1 for both needles (I knitted two at a time on circular needles). Then, after the heel I should loose the +1 and have 7n stitches... I had 44, so I went down to 42. In the forming of the nice, nifty triangle in the back of the socks, 7 stitches are decreased. So I ended up with a sock with 35 stitches... for a grown man. Not even I knit that loose! So I tried to add the stitches, up to 49. Well... I suppose that would have worked, but I kept making mistakes, knitting wrong, dropping stitches... it was as if the sock was cursed! I have used two days to try to knit one effing sock leg! This morning I decided to give it up, and just knit the sock in pattern, no fancy heels and such. It took me like 5 hours to knit the legs to both socks. :->

I also made my dearest husband Hubby House Socks of cotton. Cotton is not very nice thing to knit socks with, it's way too sloppy and so, but he likes them just the way they are... too loose to my liking, with the stranded pattern too tight. Wool would be more forgiving... But - he's happy, I'm happy :-)

Now off to next sock project :-)

Sock summit...

Sock Summit 2009

I really would love to participate... It is going to be magnificent, fun, lovely, educational... a once in a lifetime moment. I will be having fun with my family in Finland... *sigh*

But - alas - I have to do it another way.
So I will knit the arch shaped knee socks from Vogue's ultimate sock book.
I will knit argyle socks in flat. Argyle socks are intarsia, you see, and that is best knitted in flat, because it's hard to knit intarsia in round... not impossible though. You just do it as if it was rose inlay... you move the yarn from left side to right side, knit it, tighten the stitches and carry on... ;-) Here's a stranded argyle pattern.
I will knit a pair of beaded cabled socks.
I will be testing different toes, heels, gussets and bind-offs and cast-ons, toes up and down. I'm especially interested in "toe chimney".
I will be experimenting with different color knitting ways.
I will be experimenting with the different knitting styles and try to speed up my knitting.
I will knit socks sideways.

I wish I would find Eclectic soles and New Pathways somewhere... And Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Around. (2010 it's 100 years since Elizabeth Zimmermann was born... I can tell you, there will be a LOT of Zimmermania going on...) And Anna Zilboorg's Socks for Sandals and Clogs.

I wish I could participate in Lucy Neatby's double knitting class... Clara Parkes' finding true sock yarn happiness sounds like a great class too... Well... all of the classes sound great!

But, it's like...

"Our Luminaries:

* Cat Bordhi
* Nancy Bush
* Priscilla Gibson-Roberts
* Judith MacKenzie-McCuin
* Lucy Neatby
* Deborah Robson
* Meg Swansen
* Barbara Walker
* Anna Zilboorg

The panel will be moderated by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and Tina Newton."

Wow. All these people in one place at the same time... Oh. These are people who are... whom I idol worship LOL
And just look at the list of teachers! OH! Even more idols! And all in the same place at the same time!!!

I will be knitting socks and wishing I was there...

More on rose inlay

Now I have tried this technique.


I have some observations:
Firstly, it looks better if the knitting is tight. Mine isn't.
Secondly, one has to be really careful to organize the yarns - the background yarn has to go over or under the pattern yarn, the same way all the time - I made some mistakes in that, sometimes the pattern yarn was over the background yarn and sometimes under... and it looks a bit messy.
Also, I had one red yarn and two blue yarns, doubled. The blue is thinner than the red, and should have been tripled.

Basically, what you do is to "embroider" the yarn in the knitting while you knit. It's not difficult.
I made mine in flat, but when you do it in round, you lift the pattern yarn on front of the knitting on the second row, yank it longer, knit and then tighten the yarn. You can have it a bit tighter than in stranded knitting. It's not as elastic, but looks really nice.

Interesting knitting techniques

Some years ago there was a Japanese book out, "Nordic Knitting; 10 Amazing Techniques". About a year later the second book in the line came out. "Nordic Knitting; 7 Miraculous Techniques".

The first book presents
Korsnäs tapestry crochet and fur tape from Finland,
Domino knitting and i-cord from Denmark
entrelac from Sweden
"Kihnu vits" and Estonian spiral from Estonia
Tubular stitch (double knitting), bead knitting and "crown" (short row serrated edge) from Norway.

Now, all these techniques are more or less universal, the Finns knit just as much Kihnu's bands as in Kihnu, and the fur tape is more Swedish to me than Finnish, but that doesn't matter much.

The second book is more about interesting "tricks" - like what can be done with short row knitting (now with the Danish name, "vendepinne") and modular knitting.

It has shortrow zigzag, frills and spiraling circles, "rose", which is cable knitted "in air", carter stitch socks knitted sideways in a long strip that is then sewn together into a sock; dropped stitch and pearl necklace; moebius cowl and chain made by knitting stockinette in round around each other - stockinette stitch will curl itself, and when knit in rounds it will turn itself around itself into a pretty bangle. To me the most interesting things are the "Four Knitted Rectangles" and playing around with buttonholes.

Now... I'm not too fond of the patterns in these books, but I'd take them anyway, even though I know all these techniques - and a couple more...

Someone reviewing the books said that if there ever is Nordic Knitting III in the series, she'll take it immediately. I wonder what would be in that then... I think they need to have stranded knitting and steeks; Viking cables that go round; twined knitting; Sapmi aurora borealis color knitting... bohus knitting...Delsbo jackets, felted with "fur" on the sleeves... estonian roositud
Perhaps some more modular knitting for the Danish :-)

I like this dropped-stitches-and-cable pattern :-)

argh!

I'm waiting for my needles... I found needles in 1 1/4, 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 - American sizes 00, 000 and 0000 - needles size 2 (0) are too big for me to knit socks with 60 stitches around... I should be knitting socks, but I'm tired of calculating and adjusting the patterns to my loose hand, I want to knit socks "just like that", following slavishly the pattern without needing to do anything about it. Most patterns loose that "something" when adjusted to 2/3 of the stitch count. Of course!

I would like to knit my stockings too, but I don't want to have rude, thick woollen stockings. I want nice, thin knit, like the stockings were still in 40's.

There's also a "mate, ohoy" theme in one of my sock groups, and I just found the cutest pattern:That would make really cute socks :-) BUT the gauge must come down a lot!

So - I'm really frustrated right now.

The fact that I am having a 24 hours blood pressure testing going on, and I am so fed up with this ---- thing that I just want to rip it off and throw away... and I have had it only 7 hours now... *sigh* It measures the blood pressure 3 times every hour at daytime and 2 times every hour during the night... I can't take it off, and I can't take off the t-shirt nor my bra this whole day... I can tell you that tomorrow morning when I go down to get it taken off, I will not be very fresh... or in a good mood :-D I suppose I won't sleep well tonight.
It also seems that there's nothing wrong with my blood pressure... It's about 130-140/80-90 90% of the time. That's quite normal for a 40 years old woman. So - all this trouble and discomfort and occasionally PAIN (yes, it tightens up and it feels as if my arm will soon fall off...) for nothing. But at least they can wipe that out of the possible reasons to my joint ache and fever attacks.

Time to update :-)

The last couple of days I have been at Ravelry... I started a new group called Belle Epoque.
It is supposed to be of all things Edwardian and BEish. Like Art Nouveau, Jugend, Arts and Crafts movement (a little early but well fitting), Mucha, the great illustrators, like Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac, Kay Nielsen, Rudolf Koivu, John Bauer; the couple Mackintosh and the couple Larsson; Ballets Russes and Leon Bakst (a little late, but ok), Erté etc. connected to crafts; knitting, crocheting, dyeing and other crafts.


So - I have already designed a jacket inspired by Leon Bakst's costumes for the ballet Firebird; a sock pattern by Mackintosh rose; a crochet jacket inspired by pines; a variation of a free jacket pattern online... I want it fitted and with open neckline.

I have also got tons of things on my "want to" list...
Horst Schulz' African Adventure;
Meg Swansen's Giant Latvian Mitten Cardigan - why didn't I think of using the mitten patterns on sweaters? I don't use mittens, I don't like mitten, I won't knit mittens, but the patterns are great. I love Norwegian type sweaters though... I want the fox sweater as well...

*sigh* I also joined the Village Hopelessly Overcommitted... So much to do, so little time...

Some socks

Very orange post :-D

February Lady Socks
Arthurian Anklets

I am a horrible snob...

I was reading the messages in a group of people who hate acrylics, and someone asked what we have used acrylics for... and someone said she has knitted A PONCHO of acrylics... now, I don't know about you, but ponchos are like a swearword in the knitting community... at least in the snobby better-than-though knitting community I am a member of. (Not proud of that though... I am really ashamed of that, but - at least I'm being honest.) Anyway, I almost screamed of horror. Someone in yarn snob group admits having knitted a PONCHO of ACRYLICS and she didn't seem to be the least ashamed of this confession!!!

In fact, she shouldn't. But I should... just for thinking that she should, just for thinking that she shouldn't share that kind of information, or another member shouldn't be sharing her projects which are not very well done nor advanced... I should be ashamed of myself. These people are doing things! That's reason enough to be proud of oneself, reason enough to be sharing that fact. It's wonderful! These people are doing the best they can, they should be proud of that and sharing that!

To another thing. I have almost constant pain in my joints, I should be walking to get more exercise and better condition than I do, but it hurts too much. This morning I was thinking that it feels as I was being hit on my legs with an axe, and then I thought that I don't know what that feels like, so I can't say that's how it feels. It feels as if I had training pains, growing pains AND I have twisted ankles and knees. And then something else... possibly sciatica. Though I can't tell because I have never had that either.
I have also occasionally fever, just a little, just enough to make me feel sick, just enough to strain all energy... and it is possible that I have Lupus. I might have hypothyroidism. I might have high bloodpressure due to sleep apnea. I have something... and something I DO have is pain.

*sigh* The doctors are working on trying to find out what it is. As for now, no-one knows.

Anyway, I love you all as always :-)

Ket

I very much want to do the following things:
little sheep
Little Cotton Rabbit's free patterns - the tiny animals are cute :-)
wee tiny elf sock
Alla's garden shawl
North Roë
Laura Martos' Serenity (see the list of free patterns on right)
Nutty Irishman's Juniper Mitts and Sourwood mountain mitts
Roman Sock's square chicks
Monkey Toes' socks and paraphernalia socks (you find those too in the right side link list - or at Ravelry)

BTW, here's Duduza dolls... I was talking about those some time ago :-)

Happy birthday to me :-)

I got a laptop to birthday present! YAY!!!
One of the biggest and best blessings in my life is my family :-) It's the best family anyone can have, and it's MINE! YAY!!! YOHOO!!! YIPPEE!!
I really love them to bits, and not just because they gave me a laptop :-D I would love them to bits even if they didn't give me anything but their lovely company :-)

My knees hurt like hell and I am not going to walk tomorrow, but it was worth it. I spent a lovely day with my sister, cousin and mother in the city, we saw the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition at Nationalmuseet and visited a little chinese shop (I'll add the link when I find it), and yesterday the whole family was here - or my parents, my sisters, my cousin, two nieces and a nephew :-) I love them so much :-) It was lovely and I am full of love to them :-) And I love my laptop too LOL (my preciousssss....)

Anyway, here's some freebies I like:
chick bookmarks
cat eating fish pouch
teahouse
magazine reed box
how to make paper straw stars

Two weeks to Beltane

and here's some crafts for you:

paper bird mobile - translated from French
Cinnamon bird ornaments

bird's nest

bird's nest earrings

eggs in the nest felted centerpiece

paper flowers on a tree branch

flower pen

fascinator - curly felted dahlia

pretty flower doily or tablecloth

"turn your used light bulbs into hanging vases"

tutorial videos on how to make paper flowers

crochet pattern central list of free flower patterns
ditto for knitting patterns

Robin Foot slippers

Paper is fiber too

Now follows a little whining and ranting.

I have been looking at some inspiration for ATCs (Artist Trading Cards - miniature art works in size 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. I have been at Flickr and most people there make their ATCs in collage and using many different techniques and mixing different media. Most of the people are very creative and produce art. I am really bad at this sort of art. My collages just don't work. My Dearest Husband is very good at this. He just throws together a bunch of pictures that don't seem to have anything in common, and the result is amazing... my sister has this talent too. I don't. I am really envious to all these people, simply because I don't have it... And I have been sitting here, looking at the wonderful collage ATCs and feeling poor, untalented and miserable...

Then I got the idea of looking elsewhere... I googled "ATC" and "ACEO" and found out that the original form of these little artworks was indeed a miniature artwork. No, I don't do collages, but I can draw and paint. Now I feel relieved - and very stupid :-D
I have also made my first ATCs :-)

But - even though the majority making ATCs ARE artists, there are people who are not. I get angry when I see the "ATCs" made by taking a picture of an existing artwork, fitting it into the format and then claiming that's "my" ATC. Some people do "try to hide" this fact by embellishing the picture a little, but one of the worst examples of this I have seen was a picture cut from a calendar, glued on a 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 piece of cardboard and that's it. The person didn't even glue on any flowers, rhinestones or glitter... At least she admitted that that's what she did.
I also don't think it's art to cut a person from a picture of a well known artwork and glue it on pretty paper, but it's better than not even do that. Nevertheless, there are some copyright issues with this too... It's one thing to do that with 19th century (and older) art and a totally different to do that with a contemporary artist who's trying to get a living with her art...
I am not sure what I think when a person prints the picture on fabric and enhances it by embroidering the flowers and adding some beading and such... I suppose it is skillful and the cards are very pretty, but... I'd still want the person to create an own picture.
I also don't think it's art to cut a photo from a magazine, glue it on the cardboard and add a quote or something to it. Unless, of course, it's your photo - meaning, you photographed it.
Also, taking some pretty paper and stamping a pretty stamp on it... that's really not art either.
Or just whacking some color on paper and writing with your own handwriting the color's name on it... Er... That might have been art like 40 years ago. I really wish people would put a little more effort on the things. Especially if it's a question of a swap. Some people actually do a lot of work and try to make the receiver happy. Now, if the taste is different, that cannot be helped, but don't send anything you wouldn't be overjoyed to receive. I wouldn't even bother making such an "ATC". (On the other hand, I know how to make calligraphy as well... such an ATC made by me would be worth it... ;-))

The thing with ATCs is that they are supposed to be ART.
*sigh* But I suppose there's room for everyone and every idea. If making "ATC"s make people happy, go ahead. I can fully understand that some people create very beautiful images and it would be lovely to have them with one in a handy pocketsize version. I also understand that some people are more creative, artistic, imaginative and inspired than others, and when it takes a lot of work for some people to embellish a pretty image taken from a magazine, it really IS one's "own work" after that... I shouldn't be using myself as a measurement on others' creativity and work. Besides, I'm not supposed to be some art police and tell people what is good taste and art and what is not. If they are happy with their work and publish it, good for them.
Nevertheless... *sigh* Sometimes I wish people would take art a little bit more seriously and allow the artists to get the appreciation they deserve and leave the art making to artists.

Stones might break my bones

but apple streusel cheesecake bars will break my diet :-D

I am thinking about Project Spectrum and green stones. There are so many green stones...
I have tried to find the different stones from Etsy to give some advertisement to the sellers.
I don't necessarily think the item is pretty, you might, and you might find other items you like.
Also, check who has the item and the seller as favorites, you'll find other things you'll like, and other sellers :-)

1. Row:
1. Grossular Garnet - judithguajardo's necklace
2. vesuvianite - JPGemJewels' earrings
3. Andalusite - BebesBaubles' earrings
4. Green amber

2. Row:
1. Olivine and green turquoise - fantcastle's necklace
2. Lemon Magnesite - fantcastle's necklace
3. Prehnite and tourmaline - JenniferCasady's necklace
4. Labradorite - HillCountrySilver's pendant
(There is an especially colorful and fine variety of this stone, Spectrolite, which exists only in Finland :-)

3. Row:
1. Turquoise - SilviasCreations' necklace
[I think the green turquoise is interesting... of course, it's not turquoise (which BTW means "Turkish" ;-)]
2. gaspeite - ljmoreau's bracelet
3. Pyromorphite - CreativeByNature's pendant
4. Seraphinite - BroadwayBeads' necklace

4. Row:
1. Verdite - RainbowRiver's earrings
2. Gaia Stone - green vulcanic glass, from Mt. St. Helens also called Mt. St. Helens' Emerald
3. Green Kunzite (Hiddenite) - mandalarain's pendant
4. rainforest jasper (rhyolite) - bijouxbead's necklace

1. Row:
1. Moss Agate - pacifixe's prayer beads
2. Aventurine and African Jade - The BeadingBestLLC's necklace
3. jade - mcrdesigns' earrings
4. larimar stone - bpdesigns7

2. Row:
1. Nebula stone - peacejewelrydesigns' pendant
2. Moss Jasper - DnJDichroicArtGlass' earrings
3. Kambaba Jasper from Abetterbead
4. Amazonite - starsb117's pendant

3. Row:
1. Vericite - RosemaryLane's necklace
2. Ajoite
3. Malachite - CreativeByNature's pendant
4. Zoisite - MaggieMcManeDesigns' necklace

4. Row:
1. Smithsonite - Nomeworks' pendant
2. Unakite - AnneMarie1025's necklace
3. Zinkite from Crystal Tech Creations
4. Epidote - blindeyeboutique's necklace

1. Row:
1. peridot pebble, teal green apatite and chrome diopside - bellajewelsII's sculptural pendant
2. peridot and tsavorite garnet - bellajewelsII's sculptural pendant
3. Andamooka matrix opal from opalgems
4. green amethysts (green-quartz, prasiolite, vermarine), vesuvianite garnets, emeralds - alittlebitvintage's earrings

2. Row:
1. Central emerald from the Spanish Inquisition Necklace at Smithsonian Institute
2. Uvarovite - Master69uk's pendant
3. Mawsitsit - AccentsbyDave's pendant (which, btw is NOT jade)
4. Aventurine and Green Topaz Quartz - JillMcCrystalJewelry's knottet necklace

3. Row:
1. tsavorite garnet - handmadethings' necklace
2. Variscite - sandrawebsterjewelry's necklace
3. Emperor Stone from wlj beads
(I don't know what this "emperor stone" is supposed to be... is it jade in matrix or variscite? Or aquaterra jasper?)
4. Peridot - glassgoddessjewelry's tree pendant

4. Row:
1. fluorite - CoryellDesign's bracelet
2. Green Peruvian Opals - jdeandrade's bracelet
3. Green African Amber and Kyanite - BondsJewels' necklace
(it seems that this "African amber" is actually vintage faux amber, bakelite or something similar, not real amber, but some sorts of African Amber ARE actual copal, naturally polymerizated resin, not just as old as Baltic sea amber.)
4. ruby fuschite and malachite - BroadwayBeads' bracelet

1. Row:
1. Aquaterra Jasper - MangoTango's Anklet
2. Dioptase - GlobalPathways' pendant
3. Chalcedony and Aqua Quartz - Jenalynscreations' necklace
4. Green Russian Serpentine - AnneMarie1025's necklace with pendant

2. Row:
1. Infinite Stone - Verdasmuse's pendant
2. Hemimorphite - glitterbug's stitch markers
3. Afghani Turquoise l. Mystic Jasper - jewelrywirewrap's necklace
4. Apatite - catrocks' bracelet

3. Row:
1. Maw-Sit-Sit - squawisland's necklace
2. Chrysocolla - catrocks' bracelet
3. Mosaic Turquoise - febrarose's earrings
4. Peru Chalcedony with Apatite - yanis07's earrings

4. Row:
1. Emerald - Loreleisatelier's necklace
(there's very little real beryls; emeralds and aquamarines, in etsy. Naturally, due to the high price. These are quite raw and flawed, but still real emeralds.)
2. Tourmaline - Philip Crow's pendant
3. Aquamarine - selinavaughan's necklace
4. crazy lace agates - wlj beads
(also, most blue agates are dyed. It's irrelevant when you use the stones to make artwork, crafts and jewelry, but not if you wish to use the stones for their magical properties.)

I keep forgetting...

I have actually made some stuff. I just keep forgetting the updating.

This guy is Judah Maccabee. I started knitting him for Chanukkah, and finished him a couple of weeks later, so you can understand that he has been sitting there on the shelf for a couple of months.

He is made by a pattern of knitted family father from a book from 70's, the moles, clothes and kippah (of course he has one) I knitted "free hand" and I have stitched him some toes, kneecaps, buttocks, breast muscles and nose ;-) Eyes, eyebrows and hair are embroidered.
(Behind him are Boris and Doris, my stoneware "staffordshire spaniels", the Chanukkiah, on right is an art plate with Russian lacquer box art and on the left is a moon landing memorial plate. I was born 1969 and I feel very connected to that event :-)


This is Manta. It was supposed to be in my Beloved Husband's Pesach Egg Surprise Calendar, but I didn't manage to finish the egg shells. I am making them of papier mache. I have three egg shells that need to be sanded, painted and decorated. I need like a dozen more.




This is my green camisole. It looks better on me, but I need a skin colored top (or a top of a color that goes with this green) to wear it. I am not comfortable showing my bra to everyone, and my tummy skin is rather private that too. But it's very nice :-)

Martha Stewart (yuk) has published an idea of yarn covered styrofoam eggs. I am thinking of temari eggs... I know which counts higher in my book. Yarn covered styrofoam eggs are so 70's.

Bakerella has a problem. She can't stop making cake pops. Good, I say. I love her cake pops.

Kate gives a tutorial on how to turn a small tin into a helper tin and here's a perpetual calendar. Wonderful idea. My Dearest Husband keeps wishing for somekind of a clock where he could see which mood I'm in. Now, that would be a solution :-D

Pretty checkerboard scarf.

April

Here's a little bunnyrabbit for you as an Easter gift.
(Here's a knitted bunny toy and here's a crocheted bunny toy in PDF file)

I don't sleep well nowadays. Yesterday I slept like 4 hours, then I went to bed at 7 and slept 9 hours. Now - 3 hours later - I'm still tired. Well... I've been awake since 3 A.M.

Here's a Japanese site... I can't make heads and tails of it, but the photos are nice and her work is inspiring.

Hard Rock Zombie has some interesting blog entries about knitting. Among them I found this other Japanese site.

"CAT PRIN -- the tailor for a cat you know -- it is -- fact which will become dearer than former if a cat has clothes on

Don't you doubt? "Although I want to dress with dress extravagant with my cat, doesn't a cat dislike having" clothes on?
It is impossible that continue for time long to be sure, and you continue dressing a cat. But about [ to which you dress a cat and take a commemorative photo on special days, such as a birthday of a cat, ] is OK.

1. You need to dress a cat. And you will say to a cat together with a family. "It has changed just for a moment". [ "it being very dear" or ] You will pass pleasant one time.

2. If a family and a cat become fortunate, you will take a commemorative photo! Therefore, please photo your cat lovelily with much trouble.

3. If it finishes taking a photograph, you will make it remove clothes from a cat immediately. You will say then, without forgetting the language of gratitude to a cat. "-- be flooded -- a way -- good -- having done one's best -- ! -- " "

Frankly, having a cat collar that looks like a frilly blouse isn't too bad... but - I think the Scottish Fold Cat is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen. I know that the Scottish Wildcats have folded ears to protect the ears, but why - OH WHY - did some idiot cat breeders need to promote that feature on a breed?

"It's very important to only breed fold ear cats to straight ear cats. This produces litters with 50% straight and 50% fold ear cats. If a fold ear cat is bred to another fold ear cat, this can lead to kittens with degenerative joint disease."

DUH! If your cat is born with folded ears or bulldog bite it HAS a degenerative genetic problems!
Frankly, the Persian cat and the shorthaired variation, modern British Shorthair, are ugly. Cats SHOULD have "noses "rather long than short"; "long and slender" necks; and "narrow. . . graceful" bodies" - like the European Shorthair has today. The original Persian Cat, the Angora, looks still today what the Persian Cats are supposed to look. Looks like a proper cat, with "long" nose, slender body and neck, with silky, soft hair... But one can go too far on the other side as well. Siamese should look like a cat, not like a coathanger spook. Sure, it's not the cat's fault how she looks, it's the breeders' fault. That "new style" Siamese in the second picture must have health problems due to the excessive breeding. It cannot be good for a cat to have so narrow face - and if it does have a narrow face, what other problems does it have? Cannot give birth naturally due to too narrow hips? Breaks bones easily? Reminds me of Ekhnaton.
Enough with ranting :-) Make yourself a siamese coat hanger in stead :-D

Smariek knits has really nice patterns.

Knit something green...
Pretty tatted shamrock I, II and more
Shamrock washcloth
Why shamrocks? Well... It's the green bimonth at Project Spectrum, and I'd like to knit me a shamrock lace shawl. No, I don't know what I do with it, I don't use my huge red silk shawl either, nor my beautiful white silk butterfly shawl, and I just gave the mystery shawl to my sister - because I don't use it. But it's fun to knit and very posh :-D The main thing is that I happen to like clover. It's friendly.

BTW, here's Heather's Mittens by Spillyjane, Latvian mittens from distric of Kurzeme (graph 117) by Lizbeth Upitis and mittens from Jalasjärvi (graph 81) by Eeva Haavisto

Here's some patterns you can use to knit mittens. (click the "cimdi" on the list on left, and click on the tiny images)

Nezumi world is always interesting

A reality check...

The World's Largest Collection of Smalls

Finnish blogs I visited, but that's not much fun for the non-Finnish speaking audience of this blog. Nevertheless, Henri, the knitted bear, seems to be very popular... (My Dearest Husband is Henric and he loves bears... Guess what is going to happen in this household soon LOL)
Also, shopping totes made of fabric are quite popular too. "I'm not a plastic bag" was fun :-D I liked the "Farewell to Plastic Bags" too. One could use the Sublime Stitching's bag and embroider the message ;-)
(Earth Day Market Bag)

Some fun German sock patterns.

Lacefreak - who introduced me to a very striking eufemism: Conga-Line of Death (AKA future projects)

At Kayray.org P.G.Wodehouse's Sally is being read. You can listen to it and knit some of Kay's projects :-)

I love Kayla coo's embroidery and Jackie's embroidery

Little House in the Suburbs has really nice tutorials and instructions... like for liquid soap and stick deodorant... I really should start doing soaps and stuff. *sigh*

Sharon's Pin Tangle

Tottie talks craft

I really like this columbine square, these popcorn pillows, frog tongue bookmark (well... I don't actually LIKE it, not that I dislike it either, I think it's really funny :-)), this felted snowman, this card pocket (no, I don't play this specific card came - but I used to play Magic the Gathering, and if not straight out, then with minor modifications, this would make a very nice pocket for Tarot cards or ATCs.) and this backscrubber.

And I really, really, really LOVE these knives... Well... I'm a Jensen too :-D

BTW, we switched out all the electricity on Earth Hour. Earth Day is April 22nd and there's some projects being done for that too... Fits well for the Project Spectrum idea too. ;-)