The Naughty Nymph

Spring has finally sprung, so this is a perfect time to spring this new post.

Several years ago I was taking belly dancing classes, yes I did say belly dancing, I designed a few costumes.  One costume in particular was very whimsical, flowery, with a goddess touch.

About a year ago while visiting San Francisco, I went to a Yves St. Laurent show at the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.  I was walking thru the exhibit admiring his creations and there it was my belly dancing costume!!  The only difference was mine had tons of sparkle and his was a wedding dress.

Now my head was spinning with inspiration!!  I immediately started sketching only this time with knitting in mind.  I channeled fairies, flowers, white, lacy and gauzy fabric all with a bit of naughtiness. 

When I got back to NJ I started going thru yarn stash for inspiration colors and stitch pattern books for the stitch.  I found the colors, the stitch, and another book filled with flowers, leaves, and butterflies called "100 Flowers to Knit & Crochet" By Lesley Stanfield.  The stitch I found is from the book "Knitting Lace of Estonia" By Nancy Bush.  I immediately began swatching and fell in love!  I mean how could I not with a stitch called "Double Fig", the forbidden fruit of all things.

Now that I had the swatch and gauge, I decided to make a hat.  Why you ask, cause they are cute and flirty.  Also, it was going to be a great challenge to keep the pattern going while decreasing.  Needless to say it turned out beautiful!!  

Next I moved on to the top that I designed based on one of my pj tops, which just happened to be similar to my sketch.  After beginning the top, I realized I had to modify the design.  The decreases at the sides weren't looking right.  I finished the top by adding adjustable straps.  The bottom came next, a tie at the sides g-string.  It only seemed right, right?

My next move was to take my "inspiration colors" to Michael's to get embroidery floss for the flowers and such.

I made flowers, leaves, butterflies and bees!  After making a lot, I started the painstaking process of placing them on the hat, top and bottom.  Once all the adornments were perfectly placed I sewed them all in place.

Are you ready?  Good, but first you must look at this door.  Close your eyes and imagine the 

"The Naughty Nymph"

The Hat

The Top

The Bottom

The End............

BBB = Big Bulky Blanket

 Well, it's been almost a year since I started and mentioned BBB, and i've finally finished it!!!

Let me give you some history, so you do not think I was being a lazy ass!!

I lost my job in May 2009 and I had been commissioned to make a blanket in March 2009.  I did speak to my customer several times before I lost my job.  I gave my card and specifically told him how he could/be able to get in touch with me.

The summer goes by and I've made several calls to him leaving messages with info and that i'd like to get the project done but final dimensions, please call me.  Well after many times I decided not to call anymore.  I mean look, I gave him my number too many times plus I gave him my card.  Basically he can call me..

January 2010 comes along and I'm looking at this huge box of yarn thinking i'll call him one last time in March 2010, that would be one year, and if didn't hear from him I would try and sell the yarn.  Well, wouldn't you know he got in contact with me,  He told me he "forgot" and that it was his client that asked him "where is my blanket"?

I hauled ass and got it done.  I even took a bad spill down my stairs.  Yes I was doing too much, but if I didn't have a heavy ass blanket piece I might not of fell.  Needless to say, despite the massiveness of the blanket/decorative bedspread I got it done!!!!!!

Yes I suffered physical injuries, allergies, and constant fluff everywhere.  I mean everywhere blankets, rugs, couch, face towels, etc...  It's everywhere!!!  It is the blanket that gives the gift that keeps giving, LOL!!

I truly am proud that I completed this HUGE/MASSIVE project.  It is King size and more, knit on #17 straight needles!  I'm just so happy I can finally clean and be free of a project that lasted too long!  Thank God I can be back to my "tiny"needles!!!!

I can say now that i've knit a king size bedspread on #17 needles.  Not too many many people can say that.  Not to mention it took around 72+ skeins of yarn and weighs 20+ pounds!!!!  Oh yeah, and it was a natural color, cream.

These are 2 panels, and they use whole ironing board!

All I can say is that I did it, completed it, got paid, and it's gone from my home!!!!  No more fuzz/fluff,   no big needles, no heavy panels!!!!  Praise God!!!

            

These are the panels I put together right after my fall!  The bruise was much worse, sensitive to the touch and swollen!  My tail bone is still recovering!!!

This is the final product!  Doesn't it look like a huge area rug?

Rolled up it doesn't look so massive, but let me tell you it was a cardio work out!!

Now that's a stuffed box!

                                                                 That's The End!!

One Thing Tho

It is so annoying getting the picture position right, especially since the draft and preview show them differently.  Who knows maybe one day i'll get this computer crap figured out.

So No Story This Time Just.....

One

  Two

                            

Three

                    

Are you ready?

Bloody Tah Dah!!!!!!!!

                 

Poison

Ya'll are lucky you're getting two posts in a row!

A few months back, I was told by an old customer that I was "poison", but in a "good way". She continued to say, like the beautiful apple in Snow White. Tempting, but once you take a bite you never know what you're gonna get. Hmmm, am I naughty or am I nice? I'd like to think i'm both, like yin and yang.

Oooh, why does Nina Simone have to be playing in the background "I Put a Spell on You"?

I can tell you that one thing my customers got from taking a bite, was me challenging them to find their true knitting potential. None have been privileged to my naughty side, LMAF!!!! Just teasing! That's what you get for reading spicy!!!

Anyway, while my customer was telling me this, she was holding a skein of Alchemy Bamboo, a gorgeous yarn. She suggested that I should make an apple hat.

I took this into consideration. Well, don't you know my creative and overactive imagination came up with this.

Do you like how I did the twist with the snake? It's got the Adam and Eve vibe, I think anyway.

Now having said that, my brain went into full speed. My "poisoned" mind decided to take it one step further and designed the matching pasties and thong!! Do you like? Poison Apple, Snow White, and the Garden of Eden. How Tempting!!!!

For you knitters one skein made the set and I used scrap yarn for the rest. I hand beaded the veins in the leaves, and all beading/sequins. The snake eyes are swarvoski crystals. I also made the snake and leaves on the thong using needles ranging in size 0-0000.

I took this picture on my last trip to San Franciso. Do you think this is poisonous?

Bloody Bloody Bloody Update!

Just a quick update for those you who have inquiring minds. I am now about 7 inches away from completing the skirt portion of this bloody dress. I can't tell you how much I want this done. I had put it back down for a while, picked it up again oh lets such say recently, and now i'm hauling ass!!!!! I just thought that i'd fill you in. Oh and i'm proof reading my next blog entry. I'll be introducing another level of spiciness!!! Tsss

Those Summer Days

     Let's see, one summer about 8 years ago I saw this fabulous bikini in a spring issue of a magazine.  I loved it!!!  It was a string bikini (tie top and bottom).  Red, black, beige, and white camouflage.  I needed to have this!!! I immediately went to the back of the magazine to see who made this suit.  It was from Burberry.

     I knew my local mall had a Burberry store, so I decided one day to go, hoping they would still have the suit being it summer and all.  I walked into the store straight to the swim wear, and didn't see the bikini.  A sales person saw me searching.  I was searching as if i'd find it magically.  She came over and asked if I needed help.  I told her of the bikini, and she said they had put out the new collection, but would look in the back for the bikini because she thought she had seen one.  She also mentioned that she thought it was a small.  I was so thrilled, that I said please find it even if it's a small.

    I just knew I wouldn't fit it, designer and all, but what the @!?*, right?  She came back with the small.  I rushed to the dressing room praying it would fit, and like Cinderella and her g

lass slipper it was a perfect fit!  I got dressed and told her "I'll take it".  I didn't even flinch at the price.  The most expensive bathing suit i'd ever bought, but wouldn't you know I still have it.

    This bikini is still one of my favorites, the cut is great, even with my weight fluctuations.

    I've always wanted to knit or crochet a bikini, but never found a pattern that I liked.  So, I guess about 2 summers ago I decided to make my own.  I was going to base it on my Burberry. It me a minute to figure out my approach.  Was I going to knit or crochet?  How was I going to measure the shaping, especially the bottom?

     First I laid the pattern out on pattern paper and pinned it down, so I could get the exact shaping without the elastic pull.  I traced it, then put it on foam board, so i'd be able to pin down my fabric as I was going.  I tried knitting, cause that usually isn't as bulky and looks pretty.  Wow, was that a pain!!  Trying to pin it down to see if I was getting the shaping.  I then decided crocheting was my best bet.  Bingo, I was right!!

     Now that I got that down, I picked my yarn.  It needed to be fabulous, so picked from my stash "Star" by Tahki/Stacy Charles.  It's a multi colored metallic, it is so beautiful on my sk

in. 

    While working on it I got a lot of compliments, except for one person in her snotty and jealous way said "That's going to be itchy", I replied "No it won't".  Haters need to stop!!!  BTW, the suit is far from itchy!

     Needless to say the bikini turned out perfect in every way!!  I do have to say although the yarn was nice in the hand, once cut it unravels like crazy!  I had to make knots at the ends until I could weave in the e

nds.  

     The moment you've been waiting for, Ta Dah!