So I got my violin strings changed yesterday... and now I have four strings with which to craft! Not sure exactly what I can do with four long things of metal yet...

Tapestry needle? Psh...

I don't have all those fancy materials. I just don't. I don't have a tapestry needle to weave in ends. I've been using one of those cheap plastic ones with the little ball on the end that comes with sewing kits for kids who are 5 years old. And it's worked fine--after all, I've been knitting with worsted weight yarn. And then I decided that I would knit some glittens with fingering weight. It's not annoying--until stitches have to be slipped on hold, until the ends have to weaved in...until the yarn has to go somewhere other than a knitting needle. So I devised my own tapestry needle. It's called a piece of wire folded in half. Unfortunately, it often splits the yarn, or each end of the wire goes somewhere different and I end up breaking a ply--or, I almost do. Then I pull the "needle" back out and try fifty more times to weave in my ends nicely... But is it worth a couple of dollars? You sure bet. I like being resourceful. Yes, I know, I just ranted about how unwieldy my "tapestry needle" is. But hey... desperate times call for desperate measures. I translate that as, If you don't have the tools, make some tools. Resourcefulness at its finest ;)

T-Shirt Quilt?

T-Shirt Quilts. Whoever came up with the idea is a genius. Honestly. I mean, what else am I ever going to use all my old t-shirts for?!?

So I started my own quilt. Unfortunately, I still need my t-shirts for gym class. (Side note: has there a worse class ever invented? It's forced physical activity, for goodness' sake!) Anyway, but I have t-shirts that are too small, t-shirts that I probably won't ever wear again... I've made up so many excuses to cut up yet another t-shirt. Really.

I did endless research... there is a huge controversy over the use of interfacing, though. I went with Pellon 911F interfacing. However, the only quilting experience I've ever had is one week at a summer camp four or five years ago. So I have no idea if it makes the t-shirt too heavy or what. But I like the feel of it--it gives me security knowing that when I start to sew (which will probably be in another five years or so--gotta stop wearing my t-shirts, come up with a layout, etc. etc. etc.), none of my hard sewing work will go to waste (Yes, it's just pressing a pedal on a machine, but so what?) Sadly, interfacing costs money. Not that I'm going to have time (or t-shirts) to work on this for a while yet...

I just wish the quilt were done already. Do I? It's an amazing concept (as I've already expressed). But sewing's not really my thing... not even pedal-and-let-the-machine-do-the-sewing-for-you sewing.

Only the future can tell... I should get back to homework now.

Glittens!

I'm on a knitting craze right now. And my current project? Glittens/Broad Street Mittens/Convertible Mittens... fingerless gloves with a flap that turns your glove into a mitten! I'm almost done the pair--my first major project on dpns!

But why glittens? They're just so awesome--I mean, glove and mitten in one. But also, I'm a musician, and musicians cannot practice with cold hands. Fingers don't move, and it's a mess. So originally I wanted fingerless gloves to possibly increase my practice efficiency. But then I thought of these... Well, why not? More dpn practice!

I used Deborah Norville sock yarn...
My basic numbers I got from here... http://www.angelaspearls.com/?p=258
Although the actual pattern came more from here... http://dawnknits.livejournal.com/1325.html
And the upper hand inspiration from VeryPink.com.

I love the Internet.

And I love knitting. Because when I'm just working rounds (like most of this was), I can study and knit at the same time! No bad nail-biting habit... productive study session... and productive knitting session!