| WORD PRESS |
[Jan. 28th, 2009|01:25 am] |
Jennifer told me to try wordpress. i'm going to try it out and if I don't like it, I'll keep the LJ. I just feel like I gotta try some new things. How empty my life would be if I never tried sushi EVER. Would be a sad sad existence.
ANGRYOLIVE'S NEW JOURNAL VIA WORD PRESS!!! |
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| my word.. |
[Jan. 26th, 2009|11:20 pm] |
Due to a mix-up of unknown origins, my Orange Twist Cowl class won't be taking place on February 1st, but on April 11th. Which means I've got a little time... and it also means that people will most likely not be signing up for a class on how to crochet a wool cowl in the middle of the Spring season.
I decided to crochet a cotton version, in a worsted weight instead of a chunky, but with the same hook size. I chose Blue Sky Alpaca's Organic Hand Dyed Cotton and not only do I get a little more length out of one skein of it, but it's GORGEOUS. Amazing yarn really does speak for itself. I am sincerely hoping the class will fill. I love this thing so much, I want to bring it to a friend of mine who jsut opened a shop. He told me he's waiting on me to bring some things for him to pick out to sell in his shop. These colors are so vibrant, so amazingly perfect for spring and summer, and I would be an idiot not to make a ton of these for his boutique. I was able to get 25.5" rather than 22", and I think with the cotton's added drape, it'll look beautiful as a Spring/Summer accessory.
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| A Big Plate 'O' Projects |
[Jan. 22nd, 2009|01:18 am] |
I sat down and put together a list of things I need to do in a timely manner, and where does that leave all the other, more "important" things in my life? I don't really want to answer that question. I've got straight A's (so far) in both my classes, I've been getting dinner on the table and the house is immaculate, so, uh, yeah... ANYWAY..
I made something crazy and weird and I LOVE it. I call it my Mama Cord Scarf because it's late and I'm not feeling any more creative than that. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.. I"m trying to stay away from any real anatomical names. That would just be kinda gross- and not in the good way.
So, here it is, yo!
Before I added the fancy crochet thing thing around the i-cord, it was originally intended to be a hat. But once I cycled through my colors just once, it was already so long and bulky that.. well.. a hat just didn't seem practical. I'm all about artistic approaches, but if practicality is completely thrown out the window, I can't bring myself to go through with the project... And this thing is not your typical scarf or cowl or hat or umbilical cord. Sebastian thinks it's something else entirely. He's obsessed with a game called Left 4 Dead, and he thinks I'm Zoey (one of the characters). There is a particular zombie that shoots out a long tongue at its victims and wraps them up with it and proceeds to do zombie torture on said unfortuante soul. Sebastian asked me why I made a smoker tongue. I thought it was a reasonable question.
I just can't bring myself to actually name it smoker tongue, though.
And it's lame pictures like this that make me wish I had someone around here at my disposal to model my stuff. GOOD lordy.
My hamchop and a half. He's not really keen on modeling for me these days. He's been the posterchild of Angryolive for way too long. He runs when he sees me with something knitted in one hand and a camera in the other. Unless it's the webcam. Then he's ALL over it. Unfortunately, he won't let me put things on him during his photoshoots.
They're gonna kiss!
And while I was typing about practicality, I could help but think about my nevernude and how it's anything but.. BUT.. it fits, it's comfortable, and it's too effing funny NOT to make.
C'mon. You know you wanna wear it. |
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| As I Mentioned Before.. |
[Jan. 19th, 2009|01:38 pm] |
I have been pulling some serious inspiration from my friend, Jennifer aka my sweet C_C aka ROSETUNG with this cowl stuff. My aunt sent a cowl to me in 2006 and at the time, it seems so confusing to me. I was just learning how to knit and it was a simple pattern of checkerboard stockinette, alternating the knit side and the purl side. I'm sure there is an actual official name for the pattern, but I'm just too lazy to look it up in the stitch bible. Anyway, at the seam, it had been twisted, much like the cowl I posted earlier. I was perplexed.
So, once I gained some experience under my belt, and upon seeing all the beautiful pieces Jennifer had been popping out left and right, I decided to pull that cowl out of my closet to examine it with new eyes. It was so simple!!
So, while organizing yarn at Hill Country Weavers a few months ago, I stumbled upon Mira Sol's Sulka yarn and fell instantly in love. When I initially purchased the yarn I had ideas of cables or lace, but ultimately ended up making a similar piece to the one my aunt sent:
Except that I opted not to twist it in a mobius style, and instead attached an AWESOME button and crocheted a loop for it.
I love the way it feels and sits on the neck, and as much as it pains me, I might very well post it on etsy.
Also, the other piece that is directly inspired by Jennifer, but has done little to NO justice to her work, was this piece:
I was hoping that it would be more elastic and I'm seriously thinking it needs some bigger buttons. Jennifer's was actually worked entirely in the round, and much to my surprise had been something she was not too happy with. 'Twas one of her "rejects". Mind you, this is the second reject of her's that I've fallem completely in love with. I think everything she makes and hates, she should just give to me by default. ha.
Anyway, I really didn't know what to do with this yarn. I didn't have enough of either color to make anything substantial, yet it's quality stuff, and needed to be showcased somehow.
I still have mixed feelings about this one.. It may very well be frogged and reworked into a hat, of COURSE. I'm trying to step out of my comfort zone, folks! |
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| oh, it's taking forever.. |
[Jan. 19th, 2009|01:21 pm] |
but i must finish this! it's the largest garment i've embarked on. maybe. it's going to be a dress, but perhaps the hoodie and the dress will be roughly covering the same amount of area. i don't know, but here's the progress so far:
the lovely lovely lovely yarn. calssic elite's miracle, berroco's inca gold and rowan's bamboo soft. *drool
the camera, no matter how much i tweaked the settings, just doesn't do justice to the color of these yarns. it picked up the differences and you can clearly see them in the images, but to the naked eye, the yarns are virtually the same exact colors. i can't wait to finish it. but i have some other projects going on first. |
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| been a busy little mommy bee |
[Jan. 16th, 2009|12:57 pm] |
Or should I say Fox? I started this a couple of months ago and asked a lady named Renata about some seaming techniques. I have some books at my disposal, but she's basically the GURU of seaming here in Austin. She took one look at my seams and said, "Take this out and let me do it."
At the time, I had no power to disagree. It was almost like she used the Force on me. "Yes. I will do what you ask," I replied in a monotone voice. Before I knew it, I was packing it into a bag and sitting it in the "Renata" cubby hole. I went by Hill Country Weavers to drop off a sample and stuff when they told me my hoodie was ready. I tried my best to put it out of my mind, otherwise I'd be dreaming about having it in my hands. Practicing patience really payed off because here it is, snug on my torso and the seams couldn't be more perfect. I couldn't believe how beautiful it turned out. If any of you live in Austin and want to have your worked seamed up by Renata, go by Hill Country Weavers and drop it off. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. If you had something that you thought couldn't be more beautiful.. Renata can make it so.
Anyway, I have it now, and last night I couldn't wait to knit the ears and sew them on...
This is among the first attempts at faire isle, so I picked a simple pattern to follow. I didn't want to make the transition from black to orange a clean cut. i wanted something gradual or something to make the seam look.. I don't know, more interesting or natural. I wanted it to flow more than just stacking the colors ontop of one another.
I this is right where my digital camera conked out. it really sucks up these cheap batteries, and I know I shouldn't be using cheap batteries anyway, but if you could please find where I put the rechargable ones WITH the charger, I'd be very grateful.
And of course, the back up web cam images.
I sweaar I'm so happy about this, I'm never taking it off. I have yet to photograph the first EVER garment I finished for my mommy, but I keep forgetting to photograph her in it every time i visit her. So, I believe this is officially the second garment. made lotsa mistakes, learned from them, but OVERALL, I like it enough that I'll be wearing it non-stop for the next several months until it's too hot to bear. |
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| Twisted Cowl |
[Jan. 15th, 2009|12:04 am] |
Twisted Cowl
This cowl is simply crocheted as a rectangle, twisted and seamed together.
150 to 170 yds chunky yarn of your choice
Size N/P hook (10 mm)
Gauge: 2” = 2 rows, 5 sts
CH 24.
1TR in 4th ch from hook. 1 TR in each ch to end.
CH3; Work all sts in BRTR to end.
CH3; Work all sts in FRTR to end.
Keep alternating BRTR and FRTR every row until piece measures 22”. Lay the piece flat and twist. Bring edges together, maintaining the twist in the middle and seam together with a Sl st.
FRTR- Front Raised Treble
BRTR- Back Raised Treble
FRTR and BRTR are worked around the post of the stitch rather than in the top of a stitch.
*Tip: I personally like to work in the back loop only when crocheting the first row from the foundation chain. I discovered that it makes working into the foundation chain and seaming a little easier. |
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| save the crafty world! |
[Jan. 14th, 2009|10:54 am] |
http://www.playthings.com/article/CA6629247.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a0Xr2Iw1Vi_8&refer=us
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lead7-2009jan07,0,6917858.story
http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/36263864.html
check out more links and information at http://blog.buyhandmade.org/
i'm all about regulating toy making standards in efforts to keep our children safe, but i don't believe that is what the driving factor is in all this business. the good news is we as individual toy makers are making a huge impact on consumers, creating a buzz and an appreciation for all things handmade. i think what they're forgetting is that people will find a way to abide my the law- no matter how strict they make them, and artists will continue to thrive and create. the huge manufacturers are getting desperate, the economy is bad, and this christmas was probably a reflection of it. small businesses like mine and so many others are merely casualties of war. even though we may not have the big bucks in our pockets, we most certainly have the smarts and awareness to take these obstacles on full force.
people don't buy handmade goods because they're cheaper. people buy handmade goods because they're one of a kind and special. people are again beginning to appreciate the time and effort that is placed into each item, each stitch. manufactured items are literally a dime a dozen, and absolutely no love goes into them. worst possible scenario, we'd be completely shut down. we can't let that happen.
i mean, c'mon.. what could POSSIBLY be dangerous about THIS little guy?
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| oh pooty. |
[Jan. 8th, 2009|10:47 am] |
i wanted to take some photos of the blue tubby two ton i knitted for a customer, but i brain farted. i was so eager to get it in the mail before the recipient's birthday, i forgot! i mostly wanted to make a record of it becasue it was the first knit blue tubby and not crocheted. oh wellsies. guess i'll have to make yet another..
some of my things have expired at parts and labour, so i think i'll either send them to jeff or take them over to Hill Country Weavers.
i've been itching to make a lot of things, but upon looking back at these babies:
</i>these were knit from peruvian cotton (can't remember the company right now) for my sister in law (but secertly for my brother, ha!) and i kinda loosely based them on some leg warmers i saw in a Knit.1 magazine.. i saw that they had cables all around them, originally made in a wool/acrylic blend, but wanted them to fall loosely if she wanted them to, to sort of immitate the japanese style. yellow is her favorite color. Plus, i was a newbie to the world of luxury yarn, so i opted not to add to the acrylic stash.
they’ve been in her closet for three years now, but she swears that she loves them so much, she’s afraid of messing them up by wearing them outside to be exposed to the elements. thoams (my brother) happily claims that she wears them indoors, “where it matters most.” they’re weird, i DON’T even want to know..</i>
i know the last thing i should do is get distracted by something else. guess i'll go work on some sketches for a little while before i have to start laundry and school. woooo. |
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| where is the time going? |
[Jan. 3rd, 2009|12:56 am] |
so, i start school on the 7th and i'm freaked. it's been quite a while since i've done any form of school work, and two classes might be what it takes to ease me into the flow of things.
also, i want to find some time to deplete my fabric and yarn stash, but i somehow managed to tack on a few more projects to the list, and bought more yarn today. is that even POSSIBLE?!
this is just a very small fraction of my entire stash, but this particular shelf is one of four (or maybe five) shelves of extra special AMAZING yarn. i could sit and stare at it and knit it up and frog it over and over again, not because i'm masochistic, but because i love it THAT much.
enough of that. so, at hill country weavers the yarn tends to get a little out of control during the winter, in more ways that one:
i'm trying my hardest not to go back over there for any reasons other than teaching a class. it's difficult. especially when i embark on a project where i surprisingly don't have a color i need.
i'm almost finished with the STARWARS hat. i made the lining again and alternated yarns every two rows. the fur and then a handspun wool much like lamb's pride. it worked really well and didn't come out too bulky, and at 28 bucks a skein of that fur, i'm glad i did.. granted i bought it on sale, but that's besides the point! all i have to do is tweak some things here and there, minor touch ups that i'm just too tired to work on right now.
THEN i get to work on a blue tubby two ton. he'll be the first blue to come from the crocheted bulky to knitty malabrigo. i should be done with him in a day and it'll be ready to ship on monday. i'll be sure to make pattern notes and take fancy pictures.
i'm gonna embellish it with these little guys, except they'll be yellow or orange since blue's already BLUE.
that will be one more project of rougly ten (that i can come up with off the top of my head) finished. if only i could knit in my sleep. |
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| yay ribby slippers! |
[Jan. 1st, 2009|04:47 pm] |
so easy, i wish i had designed them. i found this awesome pattern: Ribby Slipper Socks by Cathy Carron in the holiday 2008 issue of interweave knits, which also has an article on the talented ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) kimberlychapman and her awesome DNA toy and other knits. i discovered her back in the summer of 2007 while looking for knitting patterns and was blown away.
ANYWAY.. these slippers. they rock. they call for yarn that's more or less WAY out of my price range, but i managed to knit them from lamb's pride bulky, and they fit well enough. and i still have half the skein left!
also, instead of knitting the sockish part of the pattern, i picked up the stitches and crocheted two post stitch rows to give it a nice, clean border. it also gave the appearance of two extra stockinette stitches along the edge. rock!
i reaaaaaaallly wanted to add little pom poms to these, because the cuteness would be overwhelming, but perhaps too overwhelming. and when i think of my mom, i don't think of pom poms. i think of.. well, not pom poms. i'll just have to make some for myself with the pom poms. my toes are freezing in this place, anyway.
yay for toes! |
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| STARWARS MANIA (wip) |
[Jan. 1st, 2009|03:12 pm] |
i've been obsessing over making my nephew the perfect starwars hat for christmas. i'm on my way over to my mother's for the tail end of the holidays, and i'll be seeing him. i've started on the second hat (the first one was too small) and i think it's a little too big. i originally had inteded to make it in the russian bomber style of hat, but something's not coming together.
also, as this is a WIP, things are subject to change. although i frogged the fur lining last night (it hurt!) i may re-knit it tonight.
to line or not to line?
so anyway, back to the starwars theme.. he's really into the darkside. BIG TIME. as i was perusing the internet and mustering up the courage to knit another one of these, i couldn't seem to a chart for darth vader himself. the lovely sarah bradberry was so kind as to share her very own star wars pattern charts with everyone on the internet- for free!- but i needed vader. the hat just wasn't complete without him.
so i made this yesterday morning:
so once the hat looked like this, i decided not to line it..
but when i finally made the vader for the front flap of the hat...
i realized that it wouldn't be a bomber and the front flap would look foreign without the fur. i am really struggling with this decision! it shouldn't be difficult!!
and since i have a significant amount of space and it doesn't look TOO busy, i decided that i wanted to add two red light sabers on either side of vader's head:
but i'll have to fake isle that, yo.
lordy, this has turned into an ORDEAL! |
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| I've been a bad girl |
[Jan. 1st, 2009|02:15 pm] |
a.d.d. is not my friend. i haven't posted in here for 27 weeks. i have an alternate lj, koyolxauhqui, that i post in every so often, so i don't do much here. i realized that i mostly post about knitting and crocheting these days, and those readers aren't really that interested. it's time to start a crafty journal for REAL.
my plan (now that i have taken my site down) is to sell from etsy and post free patterns and anything related to yarn, to spare my other readers and to share what i've been up to.
i made this mesh beret because i wanted to play with a more open piece rather than my standard, solid crocheted fabric. this is what i came up with. simple and to the point. i'm thinking of naming it hairnet paradise, because it reminded me of a luxury hairnet beret or something. that makes no sense, and PLEASE don't let the term hairnet send you away!!
(please forgive the poor quality of the photos. i'm using my laptop's web cam for now until i can get a thing thingie for my memory card.)
( click here for the HAIRNET PARADISE BERET pattern!!! )
you can wears it all slouched in the back..
you can wears it all traditional-like..
i personally don't reccommend you wear it in this fashion.
so there it is! |
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| they're finished!!! |
[Jun. 22nd, 2008|07:26 pm] |
here they are. done deal. they're entered into the pool and there's no turning back now. i had so much fun making them, they're going to be a permanent part of angryolive. now onto the rest of them (as if i didn't already have a big enough to-do list.)
enjoy!!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/705076@N20/
here's hoping for a new sewing machine! |
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| ok, i've finally done it |
[Jun. 20th, 2008|10:33 pm] |
i done did decided to finally ACTUALLY make baby booties. i've always wanted to, but never got around to it.
so, the other day, i did and this is what happened:
so ther eyou have it. i'm hooked. they're really fun to make, i managed to keep the design simple, and i have sketched out a ton more animals and such to add to the site. basically, they're all going to be bootie versions of the hats.
foxes and pandas are next on long loonnnnng list. oh joy! |
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| busy busy |
[Jun. 18th, 2008|03:42 pm] |
ok, so i didn't get to post later on the same night like i had planned, but there really wasn't much more to tell, anyway.
oh yeah.. i have an etsy shop now and a flickr account.
i've also been at work on sewing fleece hats. i've been wanting to knit the car hat, but it's still way down close to the end of the bottom of the knitting to-do list, but i managed to put it up close to the top of the sewing to do list.
i've also been distracted by a contest on craftzine/flickr to design the cutest booties to win a sewing machine. i'm up against some really taleted people, but as a first time bootie maker, why not go for the glory?? i'm not expecting anything out of it but a good time. i made baby blue kitty cats, but i think i want to turn them into orange little foxes for the contest. they're so much fun to make and so cute, i think i want to sell them on my site and/or etsy shop. weeeeeee'll see. |
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| how i've neglected you so.. |
[Jun. 13th, 2008|03:44 pm] |
when i stopped updating my journal, it was a most pivotal time in my life. i don't imagine it would be too appropriate to go into the details of it all, but let's just say.. i went on a creative hiatus for a while.
so here's a quick update on everything pertaining to angryolive.
i started crocheting with acrylic yarn for all the angryolive hats, but at some point after i moved to houston a dear friend of mine introduced me to natural fibers, or better yet "luxury" yarn, and i have become quite the snob since then. it is much easier to work with, not to mention the feeling of merino and alpaca is like butter or water slipping through your fingers. it's amazing. i quickly swithched, and along with the move i realized something very important: my hats needed to have more elasticity, not only for comfort, but for longevity.
and that was something that crocheting acrylic did not offer.
so i wrote patterns out for each size for every hat. i fell in love with knitting and converting and seeing the final product of every hat was like creating something new all over again.
and then i started having acute pain in my left wrist over the holidays, but ignored it.
that is, until the pain became quite difficult to ignore.
i went to the doctor to figure out what was going on, and he diagnosed me with tendinitis. he basically said that if i didn't stop completely or at least for a few months at a time, that i would do irreparable damage. this was a HUGE blow to my endeavors.
this was around the time i started to work on pieces for the art star craft bazaar, and luckily it was mostly sewing.. but when it came to knitting and crocheting the claws and wings for the owls, by the end of the night, my wrist was throbbing and i had it in a brace (upon doctor's orders).
while at the craft bazaar, i talked it over with my mother and she suggested that i sew the hats. fleece, of course. not only does fleece feel like heaven to touch, it keeps heads all over the world nice and warm. had she suggested this a month or two ago, i would have shot the idea down while wallowing in self pity, but since this was after i attempted to sew bomber hats and bonnets from woven cotton fabric, i felt like i had a chance to keep it alive.
(it's so wrong to put my son in a bonnet.. but i rationalize it with his irresistibly cute face.. and the fact that i can use it to blackmail him later on in his teenage years.)
so as soon as i came home, i went straight to the fabric outlet to purchase fleece (a yard of each color they had available) and set to work on measurements, patterns, etc. i've just now gathered the pattern pieces to fit every size, infant to adult, and this week i have been able to sew six new hats (old designs) from the fleece. i'm feeling very good about this.
panda in progress photo..
i also want to explore plush making, and while i'm very, very new at it, i feel that it can be a rewarding and amazing creative outlet.
so what of the knitting? is it gone with the wind? noway. i'll keep knitting, but mostly for the joy of it and i'm tackling a new project: a book.
it may take me years, it may take getting rejected time and time again, and i may even explore the self-publishing route, but i've been working on my proposal and an outline, and i hope and pray that i can and WILL find a publisher to publish a book of my designs.
so, that's that. everyone is all up to date. i'll post more tonight. must go have coffee with ball and chain. |
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