Hey look! I've got my own nostepinnes!

Well, ok, they're not your regular nostepinnes. Actually, they're wooden spinning mill bobbins that have been repurposed. These are longer than most nostepinnes, which is good if you're trying to wind up a skein of chunky yarn (i.e., most of my stash).

A few years ago I started to make a sweater in Antique Homespun, but got stuck. Since then it's been sitting in my stash waiting for me to frog it and start over. I kept putting it off because winding a pull ball by hand was such a chore. Then I heard about nostepinnes and watched a video. I searched on Etsy and found these. They were longer than any others I found (7.5" - 10.5"), and a much better price. It took me a few months. . . ok, several months. . . to get around to ordering them, but I finally did it. Two days later (!!!!) they arrived and I've been playing with them for the last couple days.

My first attempt looks rather like a corny dog. It didn't help that the ball I was trying to work from was still attached to the sweater panel, so I got to fight multiple twisting strands. Unwind from one ball, wind, onto the noste, disentangle, repeat. Over and over and over.

For my second try I grabbed a hard ball of Bernat's Boa in Bluebird. Let's just say that things did not go well. It looked like I had a very small, very hard, dark blue feathery lollipop.

So today I found a small odds and ends ball of Homespun in Tudor that I could play with, and went back to the video. This time I watched it as I wound my yarn, pausing it at times to catch up. And voila! I have my first fairly flat-ended ball that will pull from the center without rolling everywhere. Yay!

Tomorrow I plan to take a shot of the sweater panel before I frog it (so I can post it on Ravelry.com), and then I'm going to try again to wind a bigger ball. I just hope it doesn't turn into a giant bagel. LOL

Look what I got today!

For the last year I've been thinking about learning to knit socks, since it's almost impossible for me to find kneesocks that fit. (I want some to wear to church in the winter, because stockings are just too thin to keep me warm.)

Last week I finally bit the bullet and ordered some sock yarn, along with various needles, from Knitpicks. I've eagerly awaiting my package, and it came today!

I got 4 skeins of a cotton/wool/elastic yarn called Risata in Cocoa, some double-pointed needles, and a couple circular needles in different sizes for various projects. The yarn is very soft, and is so yummy looking. I might not need all of it for my socks, but I can always make another pair. :o)

There's a method of knitting socks called the Magic Loop that I'm going to try -- it allows you to make two socks on one long circular needle. Hope I can figure it out!

Giftcards Galore

Several months ago a friend on Etsy was making things from used-up giftcards. i offered to collect them at work for her. I'd mark them as void and put them in my apron pocket to bring home. After I sent her a couple batches she seemed to lose interest, but I kept on collecting the cards. And collecting and collecting . . . . .

Last week another Etsyian showed off the earrings she'd made with cards from Michael's, so I asked if she'd like some more. When KatieAnnCreations said sure, I started rounding up the cards I'd brought home. At first, I thought I'd have six or seven. Then it was 10. The final total is 15! Needless to say, most of them are from work. :o)

I've got several Christmas designs, including 5 of the blue bow. Then there are the year-round designs, like these. (I love the yarn cones design.) I even brought home a couple of the cards we use for no-receipt returns! LOL

Finally, I have some cards from bookstores. I got them for Christmas, but I guess they were out of everything but the birthday cards at Barnes & Noble.

Tomorrow morning I'll send this batch out to Katie, and start replenishing my stock, ready for the next inventive Etsyian. ;p