this week has gone by too fast...

i'm really enjoying spinning with the drop spindle. i've been experimenting plying with a commercial lace yarn and i like the way it turned out. you can see from this picture that i'm getting better with practice.

i think this thinner yarn might be good for a pair of socks

i've cleaned out the small garden bed, added some new ingredients and planted lettuce, radishes, spinach and peas. the radishes are already up in record time.

added some trellis' to allow the pea vines to climb

i found this great idea for making market bags from old t-shirts on Instructables.com. there's no sewing involved and it takes about 15 minutes. here's the link if you want to try it.

just cut off the sleeves and part of the neck and fringe and tie the bottom edge

still working on the socks...not too crazy about the afterthought heel. i didn't like doing the Kitchener stitch...kind of fussy.

working on the second sock

and there are a couple of things waiting in the wings:

this crochet pattern from Piecework magazine---just for the challenge

and this shawlette pattern from craftsy.com.

i'm hoping this yarn will be the right weight

i also have several stitching projects in the works but haven't done much stitching this week. i ran out of time. wishing you all a good weekend.

choices...

lots of choices this week on which project to pick up...
just finished a class on craftsy.com with Drucilla Pettibone and i'm getting better each day with my drop spindle. it's an excellent class if you're interested in learning how to spin your own yarn.

learning to spin

still working on my second pair of knitted socks. this time with the afterthought heel.

toe up sock

and dyeing with the purple carrots and the green tops...not much purple but the green tops gave nice markings, the copper pipe gave some green color and there are rose leaves scattered here and there. decided to embellish with some tatted bits and crochet an edge.

tatting and crochet edge

have a great weekend.

and the winner is...

click on the image for a close-up of the tag

It is past 6pm Central Time so I decided not to keep you in suspense. Judy of Judy in the Dyes is the winner and I have e-mailed her.

Some of you requested a close-up of the tag so just click on the image above for a closer look.
Thank you all for participating and watch for future giveaways.

A BLOG GIVEAWAY...just because...

thought i'd do a weekend giveaway to thank all of you who give me so much inspiration as well as encouragement. just leave a comment and tell me your favorite magazines. you have until 6pm Central Time on Sunday, August 19th, to enter.

i'm giving away the current issue of Fiber Arts Magazine and one of my needle felted tags.

Summer 2012 issue and a hand made tag

  wishing you all a good weekend.

the purple carrots are a disappointment...

but i will try and use the little that is there to overdye some silk pieces.

purple carrots and 2 unknown pods from the garden

my first pair of socks turned out well and fit perfectly. i've started the second pair trying a different type toe and heel this time.

i'm becoming more comfortable with the dp needles

i've also done a bit more on the piece i started in Karen Ruane's Ledger Class. a couple of more additions and then i'll start embellishing with stitch.

i go through periods of hating and liking this piece but am determined to finish it.

and finally, i've started a Fabric Journal. i'm just adding bits of fabric from projects i'm working on. haven't decided yet how i will do the labeling. i always love looking through Jude's threadcrumbs on her blog so that was the inspiration.

i really want to go out and plant seeds for a fall garden but it is just too hot. hope you're all staying cool.

it's a sock...

it's been a struggle and i ripped out the heel 3 times until i got it right but i've learned so much from this 'toe-up class' on craftsy.com. this is my first sock ever and this is not exactly a beginner's class but i think i'm going to make it work.
who would have thought that this...

the gauge swatch and the beginning of the toe

would actually start looking like a sock...

just a few more inches to go

and then, of course, i have to knit the second sock but that will be easy now.

i've also added several borders to the busy looking piece i started in Karen's Ledger Class.

not sure how big it will get and then there will be embroidery embellishments

i need to move along quickly because my to do list is growing daily.