Unventing

Necessity is the mother of invention.  Especially to crafters.  We have our core stash of materials that we may spare no expense, however, if there is a crafting emergency or away from our supplies, we can get downright creative.

There are tons of tips and variations of yarny accessories out there, and I have done a few myself. I have learned that a pair of Chinese takeout chopsticks are the equivalent of a size US 8 needle, bamboo skewers equal US 7's, loom bands can be used as stitch markers or wrapped around needles to secure them in transport, cutting the corner of a zippered plastic bag and threading the yarn through the hole will keep yarn tidy and clean and my favorite needle & stitch marker holder is a metal mint box that is also perfect for doing something with those magnetic business cards and using them to keep needles from shifting.

One of my most recent homemade tools I've utilized is the bread clip bobbin. Bobbins are mostly used for colorwork such as intarsia when bits of color are needed. Yarn bobbins are easily accessible at yarn and craft stores, but if you're like me, the time I need these are at 10 o'clock at night in my sweats. Most of the time you see these homemade bobbins used with one clip, but I'm here to tell you that two works wonders. If you use one and is wrapped full of yarn, the risk of the bottom exploding for all that hard work winding will make you sadder than an umbrella on a sunny day. Use two clips by winding a bit around the center to secure and then lock the yarn into place by winding between the clips. 

These are my tips for today!

Back To The Office

The kiddos have headed back to school today!  Are they excited? Meh. Am I excited?  Yes I am!

The beginning of the new school year is a mid-year fresh start. Like New Years, resolutions begin again as well as excuses.  I have more free time so I can hit the gym, work on that novel that's always been in the back of my mind, clean the kids rooms while they're not home to whine and pull out everything I've thrown away...

There are those wonderful parents that homeschool their kids. While I love my children dearly and we do fun,  educational and stimulating activities on a regular basis, the kids and I both need time away from each other so we don't drive each other crazy. They're getting old enough to take care of themselves to a point, but my youngest has a new standard phrase that is on continuous loop every 90 seconds: "mom, can I ask you something?"

What does this have to do with yarn you might ask?  Nothing really, except now that the kids are gone for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, there is a soothing peace in the house.  No Disney channel playing the the background, no blocks tumbling, no light saber swishing sounds, no arguing who gets the last cocolate pop tart. Just silence.

With silence comes a dedicated concentration on my yarny projects.  I can sit on the couch, uninterrupted and finish that complicated cable row without losing my place. I can finish my projects faster and more efficiently.  I can listen to my audiobooks and zone out in my zen of yarn and needles. Is this selfish?  Not at all. While this is a craft that I love,  this is also a source of income and customers rely on me that I do my best work.  This happens in silence. This makes me a more productive person and parent all around.

So, while the kids grudgingly drag their feet to the car to head off for knowledge and new experiences,  I gleefully skip to the couch, turn on my audiobook and nestle a beautiful colorway on my lap and create a work of art.