Author: Annie

Scarf Struggles

Scarf Struggles | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

I have this yarn:

Red Heart Boutique Treasure in Watercolors | Webster Fiber Arts

This is Red Heart’s Boutique Treasure in Watercolors. I really like the colors in this—two variegated strands are plied together. It is soft and wonderful. I am having a terrible time with it.

The yarn itself is fine. I want that to be clear. This is a me problem. I can’t seem to settle on a stitch pattern I like, one that does justice to the pretty color changes. I have started and ripped out at least 10 different pieces. This is a little frustrating, though I do have a plan for some other yarn in my stash because of the stitches I have been playing with for this piece. Here are a couple that I started and just cut off because the yarn was starting to get a little fuzzy:

A Couple of Cast Offs | Webster Fiber Arts

And here is where I am now. This scarf uses a V stitch for a few rows, then a really long V stitch for a row. One of the things I really like about this yarn is the way long stitches look with it.

The Struggle Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts

When this piece was sitting in my “in progress” pile, I thought I was going to be frogging this one too, but when I laid it out for the photo above, I really started to like it. I think this might be the one. I’m not sure I have enough yarn to make a decent scarf at this width, so there may still be one more round of frogging, but this time it will only be to adjust the size, not to start all over again. Woo-hoo! I’m so glad I decided to write about this one. I might have continued to struggle with this piece had I not taken that photo.

Until next time,
Annie

New Piece: Metallic Mesh Wrap

Metallic Mesh Wrap | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

I have a new wrap to show you today. This is the Metallic Mesh Wrap:

Metallic Mesh Handmade Wrap | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

There is just a little bit of gold mixed in with the fibers in this wrap, so it isn’t overwhelmingly shiny or glittery-just a hint of the good stuff mixed in with a lot of softness. I used a huge crochet hook to make this piece, which turns stiches that are normally small and close together into these large, loose stitches and creates the meshy pattern. This is a lightweight piece.

See more photos and purchase in my Etsy shop.

Until next time,
Annie

A Scarf for Me: Forever Summer

Forever Summer Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

Let us take a trip back in time, to August of last year, when I started working on this brightly colored scarf:

WIP: A Brightly Colored Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts

I dyed all of this bright yarn for my donation for the Mandalas for Marinke Project.

#MandalasforMarinke Piece | Webster Fiber Arts

I finished the scarf sometime in early September, and wrapped it around the dress form I use for photos (her name is Bea, by the way). I was putting off blocking this piece because blocking is not super fun, and I put off blocking most of my pieces. So this scarf sat around Bea’s neck for a while, and it made me happy to look at it each day. These colors are just so…me. It didn’t take me very long to decide that this scarf was going to be living with me.

Forever Summer Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts

I will admit that when I went to block this piece, I discovered that the yellow dye was not staying in the yarn very well, so this scarf got a second bath in some vinegar and sat in the oven for a while. There was not nearly as much yellow run off when I rinsed it after this second attempt at setting the color, but it is still not as colorfast as my other hand dyed yarns. I must have left something out in the original dying process. No matter. It works for me.

Forever Summer Scarf Close-Up | Webster Fiber Arts

These colors remind me of the shelves of brightly colored plastic plates and cups you see at stores heading into the summer months. Since this scarf is something I would wear in the cold weather, I’m calling it “Forever Summer,” as a way to remember those summer shades when it is gray and cold outside.

Until next time,
Annie

New Piece: Cornucopia Scarf

Cornucopia Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

New piece! This is the Cornucopia Scarf:

Cornucopia Handmade Scarf | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

This scarf is made with yarn I got on our trip to Silver Dollar City last fall. It is an awesome handspun yarn by Kathleen D. Brewer.

I’ve tried a little bit of drop spindle spinning in the past. It did not go well. I know it is just a matter of needing more practice. One of my sisters-in-law has a couple of alpacas on her farm, and she gave me a bag full of fiber at Christmas, so I have plenty of fluff to work with as I continue to learn about spinning. Knowing how much I am struggling with it makes me appreciate the work spinners do all the more.

See more photos and purchase on Etsy.

Until next time,
Annie

New Piece: Bit of Magenta Cowl

Bit of Magenta Cowl | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

It is an unseasonably warm day here in Kansas City. Today I am going to head outside to take down the Christmas lights (no sense in doing that when it is very cold, I say) and fill up the bird feeders (I can almost hear little birdie tummy rumbles from inside the house). Before I start my outdoor chores, I want to show you my newest piece! This is the Bit of Magenta Cowl.

Bit of Magenta Handmade Cowl | Webster Fiber Arts | Etsy

I had a little bit of yarn left after making my mom’s Christmas scarf, and I just started crocheting with it. I went around and around the piece changing my stitches here and there, without much of a plan. I stopped when I was almost out of yarn—I saved enough to do the picot edgings on top and bottom. The result is a fun little cowl with lots of texture.

See more photos and purchase in my Etsy shop.

Until next time,
Annie

What I Made for Christmas

Monsters | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

The gifts have been distributed, and now I can show them off!

I made this scarf for my mom:

Mom's Scarf 2 | Webster Fiber Arts

This is made from my beloved Lion Brand Landscapes yarn. I love the colors in this one (Tropics) and I knew my mom would, too.

Mom's Scarf 1 | Webster Fiber Arts

My favorite thing about this one is the edging. I’ve used this one a few times, but the way it worked up in the thick Landscapes yarn makes me really happy.

I made these guys for my brother and his girlfriend:

Monsters! | Webster Fiber Arts

I learned how to make these monsters in Stacey Trock’s Amigurumi: Design Your Own Monster class on Craftsy. This class was awesome because I learned to make these stuffed monsters from my own little monster doodles. So much fun!

The blue guy took on more of an alien form as I worked on him.

Blue Monster | Webster Fiber Arts

And greeny has bumps on his back, kind of like a toad.

Green Monster | Webster Fiber Arts

Until next time,
Annie

WIP: Stitch & Slash Progress

Stitch & slash Progress | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

I’ve made some progress on my Stitch & Slash piece.

Progress on Stitch & Slash | Webster Fiber Arts

I’m using flosses in cyan, magenta, and yellow on this piece. There are some standard six-strand flosses, some ombre pearl cotton, and some metallic floss. I’m rotating through the colors and using back stitch, French knots, chain stitch, and seed stitch.

Here’s a closer look:

Detail - Stitch & Slash | Webster Fiber Arts

I am really enjoying this one!

Until next time,
Annie

WIP: Stitch and Slash Class Project

Stitch & Slash | Webster Fiber Arts
| Annie

Hi folks,

I have made an important discovery. I like making things more than I like writing about them. This is a little problematic as the way I show off what I’m doing is to post it on the internet. I may need to become a bit more disciplined about posting in the future. Maybe.

I have been making a bunch of things lately, many of which I’m not going to show you yet because they are Christmas presents. I’ve also been doing a lot of learning. I’ve started the Crochet Guild of America’s Master’s Program. The program involves making a bunch of swatches without errors. I’m excited about mastering all of the swatches, but I won’t be able of show anything I’m working on for the program (that’s one of the rules—no posting pictures or describing swatches).

I’ve also been watching some Craftsy classes. I bought Carol Ann Waugh’s Stitch & Slash class some time ago, but I didn’t watch it until this week. Wow! It is so cool and inspiring. I’ve started my project for the class.

Work in Progress for Stitch & Slash Class | Webster Fiber Arts

There are four layers of fabric here, with the top three layers cut away around the stitching. For the design, I just drew some wavy lines on the fabric in pencil and backstitched over them. Here’s a closer look:

Work in Progress for Stitch & Slash Class | Webster Fiber Arts

Most of the stitching demonstrated in the class is done with a sewing machine, but I’m a hand embroidery kind of girl, so I’m going that route.

Next up for this piece is embellishment. I have a bunch of fun flosses and stitches to add to this one.

Until next time,
Annie