I wasn't doing SSP right, are you??

So I'm in the middle of a travelling sock.  Late, mind you, so I'm hurrying.

You might be asking, what, pray tell, is a travelling sock?  So, I'll digress to explain:

The traveling sock is the brain child of Wendy Gaal, proprietor of The Knittters Brewing Company.  Each of those is linked below.  Basically, a group of knitters from anywhere, agree to cast on their toes, fit them to themselves, and then send them to the next knitter, in a round robin pattern.  The next knitter in line does 2" or so, depending on the number of members in the group and the total length of the sock (foot plus ankle height).  The knitters keep receiving someone's sock, knitting their section   in their choice of yarn and patterning, then send it on.  The owner gets their toes back finished into a funky sock!  Here are my finished products thus far:

My matchy traveling socks

My funky pair

I am finally at the point to  decrease the heel gusset back down to my original stitches, looking at the pattern to remind myself how, when it says to SSP.  I proceed.  I get to my SSP and think, huh, slip knitwise or purlwise?  I do it, take it out, redo it.  I decide to look it up quick just to be sure I'm on track now.  And see that I'm wrong.  up.  May have always been doing it wrong.  All along until now!  Oh my.  Below is my link to Knitting Daily's guide to doing it the right way...

Basically, you slip knitwise, put the two stitches back on the left needle and knit through the back loops.  I was doing it almost like a ssk, but purlwise.  Oh my!  So, now I learned the right way and I doubt that'll leave me.  If I knew once, I forgot.  The hazards of being self taught.  But, the beauty of the internet, such as it is, that I can search any old question and find a quick answer.  :)

Travelling Sock pattern on Ravelry
Knitters Brewing Company

Knitting Daily's SSP

Yarn dying with Kool Aid

I have knit and crochet for years now.  There are two pieces of this craft that I haven't experimented with yet.  I was intrigued, but intimidated by dying.  I have little desire to spin because I can't possibly fit a wheel in my house and I think it will kill my thumb joints, they already holler when I purl.

But, in searching for summer activities for my girls, 12 year olds, I went by a little shop in Hayesville, NC called Two Busy Hands.  The owner, Roberta, hosts classes regularly.  My girls and I decided to take a yarn dying class.  Using Kool Aid.  Sounded fun!  What sold us was the vibrantly colored balls of yarn in cupcake paper wrappers that looked so enticing!

And, so we went.  Not quite knowing what to expect.  The girls were moderately excited to create their very own pattern on yarn.

I was, meh, happy, to participate and learn.

http://www.ravelry.com/people/PickandPurl/stash/bare---merino-wool-silk-fingering-weight/slideshow?fullscreen=1&start=41424516

But, once I got started and realized how limitless the possibilities are, and how easy, and how much FUN it is, I was hooked.  I just have to do this again.  HAVE. TO. 

Our teacher was fun and knowledgeable.  The owner of the shop was hospitable, with little snacks and drinks.  The prices are reasonable.  I would recommend the experience to all ages and stages.  And they don't even know I'm 'reviewing' them, let alone compensating.  

And the technique is easy.  Depending on what outcome you want.  The 'ingredients' are natural fiber yarn, water, Kool Aid and heat.  The heat can be a microwave or the sun.  It's easy.  And fun.  

F. U. N.

The yarn needs to be wet.  Submerse it in water alone.  Then, gently squeeze excess water out and you can start adding color.  Place the yarn on a piece of Saran Wrap on top of a towel.

You can either submerse the yarn and heat it or you can 'paint' the yarn and heat it.  Painting is more stippling than brushing so you don't make the yarn frizzy.  When you put the painted hank in the microwave, it needs to be wrapped in Saran Wrap.  If you are submersing, you put the jar or glass baking dish of water and yarn into the microwave, or let it sit in the sun.  You can heat it multiple times to get the yarn to take up all of the dye.  The water actually turns clear or milky, but the color is gone!  Be careful when squeezing water out of the yarn, it can be hot! And do not wring the yarn!  We then hung it in the sun and let the water dry and drip out of it.  

Now, I give you the basics of how to do it, because it is all over the internet but it is so educational and fun to go to class.  There are tips and tricks to it.  And techniques that you may not think of.  I still recommend going to class.  I wouldn't have tried it if I hadn't gone.  Very helpful to see it and have helpful instruction.  I understand it so much better now and yet, I might even venture back for another class to try out other techniques!

All of these opinions are mine.  Although, our instructor took some of the photos, those ones are hers.

Any questions, feel free to ask!

Change of pace.....

After a very long hiatus I am changing things up a bit.  First let's update on where we are today.  I am a 911 dispatcher with my EMT-B certification in NC.  My dear woodworking husband is still driving a propane truck and working towards being a service tech someday.  Our girls are growing into fine young ladies who continue to amaze us with their school work and character growth.  Can you tell I'm proud?!  Lol.
But, for the main purpose of my resurrecting this blog: tech editing knitting patterns.  I am not opposed to tech editing crochet, but haven't done any to date.  I have edited several knitting patterns and have references available by request.
I check spelling and grammar and formatting.  I check to be sure you are consistent all the way through so the pattern appears uniform, also.  I check math and make sure the charts match the written instructions, as well as any other clarifications that I think might be helpful.
According to my research my rates are more than reasonable, so email me at: pickandpurl AT gmail DOT com. If that doesn't work (I've had gmail cause me some angina before) my personal addy is: animalengineer AT gmail DOT com.
Or contact me via Ravelry by clicking this link: PickandPurl

I look forward to working with you!!!
Michelle

We are SO proud to announce a new product in our shop.  It is so unique and so gorgeous!  Each one is made to order.  The listing is for White Cedar, but the pictures below are Red Cedar and Black Gum, which are both more expensive cuts of wood.

click here to see them in our shop: 
CUSTOM Family Tree Wood Mirror on Etsy

New items in our shop!!!!!

I just listed 5 new items in our BlackBeanCrafts shop in Etsy. Go to www.blackbeancrafts.etsy.com to see them. We will be continuing to list more for the holiday season so keep checking!!!!!

Scrub cap project

Going to finish up my scrub cap today. I get to scrub in on a surgery Thursday and I'm so excited!!!!!! I have been knitting on my niece's year overdue baby blanket now that cooler weather has arrived. Hasn't everyone felt a resurgence of excitement about their projects and started planning the gift list?!
I went to the fall festival at the folk school last weekend and felt bad that I still don't have enough crafts prepared for a table rental. :(
Ah well. I'll get there someday if it is meant to be.

The Pioneer Woman

I want to be Ree Drummond. With one exception. I would want to have ranch time with the hubbie and kids! One more exception, I'm not fancy. No fancy billowing shirts for this girl. I would dress much like her DH and kids do b/c I'd be out on the ranch with them! Oh, one more exception, I try not to use as much butter as she does. DH's stomach couldn't handle it, nor could his cholesterol. I've as much as halved the butter in one of her recipes and been fine! Otherwise, I'd say she's my role model! :) I want to live like they do. How awesome is that life I ask you?!?!?!?