Renee Blixt's Blog
Posted by Renee Blixt
I trust everyone had a wonderful holiday so far. Two more to go for many of us…New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Do you have any plans yet? I do…
I’m staying home with my wonderful husband and terrific daughters, and we are all going to knit and crochet. I even got my husband to agree to try. Now, he did say this at 3am under the influence of Benadryl, but I’m holding him to it.
Roundabout where I live, there aren’t many “traditional” things a family can do together to ring in the New Year; or perhaps I should rather say, there aren’t many places a family can go to do so. Midnight is not usually a child-friendly time.
So, we decided to spend this New Year’s Eve with our family at home. I hope that doesn’t mean I’m stodgy, but if it does, well, I’ll be a curmudgeon for those two days.
We’re going to work on, and with any luck complete, a throw. If it’s tiny, then it will work for my daughters’ Barbie dolls. If it’s not, then maybe it will be a usable item. No matter what, it will be something to keep, to cherish, and to fondly remember for the rest of our lives.
That’s more than I can say for some past New Years’ Eve celebrations where I don’t remember a thing—except for the headache the next day.
Posted by Renee Blixt
Last week, I told you all about my change in plans for the CGOA Design Competition. The problem is…I don’t have anything to change TO.
So, I’m back to my original thinking—the bridal purse. I’m pretty sure no one else will do this. It’s elegant, it’s original, it uses nice thread, and it will have at least a couple of nice stitch patterns.
However, I’m not using the epi-thread again. It was too heartbreaking having to throw it away after the knotty incident. I need to accept my limitations, and deal with the fact that a thicker thread is the way I should go. Besides, it made my blood pressure rise 50/50 points.
I don’t know. I’m so confused. It could just be the spiked eggnog.
Whatever the case, I’m off to the store to see what’s available and appropriate. And since I’ll be out anyway, I do have one more gift to pick up for someone I rarely knit or crochet for…it’s a bit too stressful to open my sensitive creative side up for abuse…so, perhaps my mother-in-law would like some epi-peace thread!!!!
But, please--if anybody runs across a gang of those epi-worms, would you please tell them I’d like a few words with them?
Posted by Renee Blixt
I’m not one to complain, but I thought I should pass this on to my friends in yarn.
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was going to enter the 2008 CGOA Annual Design Competition. It is, after all, its inaugural year, and I always like to be in at the ground level of things when possible.
I also mentioned that I purchased heavenly silk Epi-Peace Thread (1500 yards of it straight from the worm). This simply means that the silk thread was taken from a well-treated worm. Since I wanted to design a bridal purse, this beautiful and peaceful image of the worm seemed to fit perfectly; peace, love, weddings, and all that…
That was until I unwrapped the hank.
Now, a hank of yarn is one thing—a hank of thread is something else entirely. For a short while, I allowed myself to luxuriate in the thread’s softness and to marvel that it came from a tiny worm. But eventually, I realized I could not work with a hank. The tangles would be immediate and severe. So, I thought to wrap it into balls of thread. I started by locating the beginning of the thread.
Or so I thought.
I did find AN end (I don’t know which). I got about 1/150th of the way before the hank turned into what looked exactly like cooked angel-hair pasta. This process took about one hour. Epi-peace or not, I did not feel peaceful. There was no chance for repair, and the thread is no longer with us.
Needless to say, I’m not making the bridal purse. I wonder how many scarves will be submitted…
Posted by Renee Blixt
Yes, the holidays are upon us.
All year long, albeit sporadically, the Fiber Fairy reveals to me wonderful ideas, and imbibes me with the grand ambitions to not only turn these ideas into gifts, but to match these visions to their rightful and worthy recipients. So, I collect yarn, patterns, embellishments, and good intentions, and stash them all together in the spare bedroom’s closet.
Right around December 1st, as these aforementioned treasures are sliding over each other onto the tinsel-laden floor, I realize I once again do not have one final mandatory ingredient—time.
This year, I decided to take a less stressful way through this most wonderful time of the year, and I hope you’ll join me if you care to.
Since I’m out of time, and I have wholeheartedly accepted and embraced that fact, I’m going to take my own advice, and give out I.O.U.’s this year. Whew! That sure takes a lot of pressure off.
Boy, I feel much better. And WOW! I still have a couple of weeks to get that done, then…plenty of time…I think there's a yarn sale down the street, and it's certainly important to give people choices...
…now, where did I put my hot chocolate? I wanted to have some while I catch up on all the recorded knitting shows I haven't had a chance to watch...
Oh, yes--Seasons Greetings and Happiness to You and Yours!
Renée
Posted by Renee Blixt
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that The Crochet Guild of America was holding its first crochet design competition. I decided to bite the proverbial bullet and enter.
My plans are to design a bridal “purse.” It needs to be very elegant, understated, easy to carry, and of impeccable taste. I chose to use a gorgeous white silk thread called Epi Peace. Peace thread is thread that comes from a cocoon cruelty free. The worm not only lives through the process, but is allowed to take as much time as it needs to make its silk. At $35.00 per small skein, I certainly hope the worm wasn’t rushed.
I’m also planning to use small faux pearls. I envision them shimmering atop a background of white silk so beautiful it can make you cry.
Such tiny thread warrants the use of a tiny crochet needle. I’m planning on making a rectangular body lined with silk fabric, and a long I-cord strap. That way, the bride can loop the purse cord over her head, shoulder, and arm, leaving her hands free on this most glorious (and busiest) of days.
I’ll be using a Cross-Stitch Double Crochet pattern all the way through. The thread should be featured. I’m going to double it all the way through, as it’s so very thin. Doubling will also add shine and detail.
I’m going for an antique-doily-laid-upon-silk look. I’d be happy if you have any suggestions! And if you want to join, please do!
I’ll let you know how it's going along the way.
