Yarn, Beads and Bedlam

There's a shortage of craft and fabric stores here in the middle of nowhere. So when I was in Florida with my father, I browsed in a Joann's Fabric store. What a relaxing time I had!

I was very restrained. I did choose some fun items for a special girl's sewing basket, but that's a secret gift so I can't share what I picked up.

I did, however, come home with a thing or two. Want to see?

The awareness color for leukemia is orange so I wear an orange bracelet every day. Any awareness I can raise for the monstrous disease just makes me feel that perhaps somehow we'll all come closer to finding better ways to save precious lives. Anyhow, I've been on the lookout for some pretty orange beads, thinking I'd whip up a new bracelet or two so I can change things up a bit.

I found these ceramic beads. A lovely shade of orange. I was psyched.

Picked up some stretchy thread and made the bracelet. So simple, right? So pretty, isn't it? So sweet.

I was smiling when I slipped it onto my wrist. Grinning as I headed outside.

Not smiling about an hour later as I crawled through the grass looking for the beads. Yes, that's right, my first attempt at jewelry making was disasterous! String broke, beads scattered. Didn't find all the beads but I did locate a glass of wine when I came back inside!

All that crafty jewelry-making stuff is more difficult than it looks. Either that, or I'm an idiot! Jury's still out on that one.

Moving right along...

Sock yarn! I am tickled to actually find sock yarn. I've always wanted to knit socks. Bought books, needles and have had the ambition for years but it's near impossible to find sock yarn in the middle of nowhere. Since I've never made socks before, I didn't want to spend a mint on what will undoubtedly be two mismatched first-attempt socks so when I spotted this on sale I snatched it up.

Hoping socks go better than bracelets.

Finally, I came home with this. Why? It made me laugh. The label says it's enough to make a scarf so I figure that'll keep me busy for a few evenings. Plus, don't you think a scarf made with these little puffs will be silly? And silly? Not a bad thing these days!

Beware, if the scarf is simple--and silly--enough, this could be a big gift idea. Just saying. Beware!

Any crafting projects going on in your house lately?

Tangled

One of my personal New Year’s promises involves needles and string. Well, not string, precisely…it just feels like string since I’ve got the present length miserably tangled. Yarn—it’s yarn but I assure you it feels like a hank of boat rope as I try to mimic the motions in the knitting books Santa left beneath our tree. You see, I’ve always wanted to knit socks. I know, it sounds deceptively simple but I assure you it’s harder than it looks. Either that, or I’m hopelessly inept at sock-building.

I know the rudimentary stitches, and can whip up a respectable scarf in no time flat. But socks? That’s a whole other story!

A sad, tangled, frustrating story.

One of my Christmas gifts was the basic sock stuff: books, needles and yarn. Unfortunately the yarn isn’t “sock yarn”—which, if I may add, the book says I can get at my local “yarn shop”—so it’s fine for practicing stitches but it won’t work for making actual socks. And the “yarn shop” the book refers to so blithely? Ridiculous! We live in the middle of nowhere—I could search high and low and would be more likely to find an Agway or Quick Mart before stumbling upon a yarn shop.

Sheesh.

So here I am, knitting needles in hand and determination stiffening my spine as I ponder the best way to purchase sock yarn on line. I’d love to be able to feel the yarn, but since that’s not an option I suppose I’ll just have to wing it and take my chances. I may either have the softest or bulkiest socks this side of the Mississippi, but one way or another I’m going to have handmade knit socks.

I should hold book on how many toes and heels these socks are going to have. You know they’re going to be pretty funky, don’t you? I mean, it took me…well, I won’t say exactly how long it took me to learn to knit a rectangular scarf. Let’s just say the first try didn’t turn out perfectly. Or the second…or the…well, you get the idea.

Do you knit? Any sock-making hints you’d care to share?