Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Photos

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Blogger still won't let me post photos and it finally dawned on me that I could use photobucket to post. The sweaters above were knit in 1986. I found them in my attic in a box. The were knit with Phildar Prognostic (I think). The pink and yellow were Catie's and the blue was Kellys. Now all I need is a grandaughter to pass them down to!

Below is the soap. Not bad for my first attempt in about 5 years. All of it turned out much to my surprise. I can't wait until it cures and I can use it. I do need to get better at cutting though. I had a nice wire cutter that I can't locate now.

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Lastly, the progress (or lack thereof) on Meghan's sweater. I'm so stuck. Figuring out the decreases in the middle of the lace pattern is going to be so difficult for me. I can't "read" the pattern like most people can. I'll figure it out. Eventually.

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Holly! The soap looks wonderful and I know that you'll love using it! I've been soaping for about 8 years. In answer to your question about gel, no, you do not need to reach trace or gel to have soap. When I first learned soapmaking, the information out there stressed reaching gel stage, insulating your mold, not peeking, yadayada. I read and read and read about soapmaking and all stressed the same information. I soon joined the RedBarn Soap list and discovered lots of free thinkers and people willing to think outside the box and consider the chemistry of what makes soap and why. The list mom is Suz, owner of Oregon Trail Soap. That's where I discovered soap without gel stage. Gel stage and or heating the soap like in oven hot process etc, - any application of heat speeds up the process but those molecules bind on their own eventually, with or without heat. I questioned reaching trace when I purchased Irene's swirling tape. (I forget her last name - I'd have to locate the tape)She's the swirling goddess, lol, and I couldn't believe that she basically stick blended that stuff for a minute or two, just barely getting it emulsified, made her swirls, and called it a day. Give me a holler sometime and we can talk soap. My e addy is carol.whitmore at comcast.net.

Nonna Rose said...

WOW, Holly! The 80's sweaters are gorgeous. I'm so impressed too w/your soap making. A couple hand knit wash clotes or mitt w/a bar of soap and you have an awesome gift for someone special....Great Job!