New Stuff

For the last 2 weeks I have been so sick. Sicker then I've been in years. I even had a fever, and I never get fevers. I feel like I'm only working on 80% health right now. I wish I would hurry up and get better! I need to do my christmas shopping. All I've gotten done is 1 present! I know I've got some time before the holidays, but I am already feeling the crunch. This year I am only making one christmas present, a stocking for my niece. Myself and my siblings all have the same type of stocking, a felt and sequin appliqué stocking. I've been "nominated" to make a matching stocking for my niece.



There are 100 pieces to be cut out, sequined, embroidered and appliquéd. I'm on piece 22. I will get this done before christmas!

I've finished my stocking swap, so I can finally post some pictures of the things I sent out.



Pattern: Lengthwise Garter Stitch Scarf
Yarn: Random bits and pieces from the stash in blacks and greys
Needles: US 10
Modifications: I just cast on 300 and knit while randomly changing rows. It came out really long, so next time I think I could do like 250 and it would be alright.


Pattern: Raisin Beret
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in black
Needles: US 3 and US 10
Modifications: I made some mistakes in the top decreases. I think it still looked ok. No pictures of me in it because I made it for a swap.




Pattern: Molly's Headband from Interweave knits
Yarn: Knitpicks Totem
Needles: US 6
Modifications: No modifications, it was easy to do and an easy chart to follow. No pictures of it on, because again it was for a swap.

Pattern: Sugi
Yarn: Knitpicks Shine Sport in Coral
Needles: US 4
Modifications: I changed the legs and just did them as I-cords. I also used a thinner yarn and smaller needles.

I'm still working on my tree jacket, but I'm almost done. I am about 1/2 done with the second sleeve and then it is done baby! I cannot wait to wear it. I think it fits really nicely. It feels like I have not made something for myself in so so so long. Maybe I'm selfish, but I've had enough for awhile of knitting for baby showers and swaps. I think I need to focus a little bit more on me me me!

One last bonus picture, Bud in the first snow of the year. He loves the snow. He likes to sit outside with his head up in the air just letting the snow land on him, until he's covered in white.



I wanted to get a picture of his face, but he was more interested in watching the snow fall then in getting his picture taken!

It's my birthday!

Well not quite yet, it's on Wednesday. I'll be old (sorta old). I'm gonna be 27!

I haven't gotten much knitting done. I don't know why. I guess it's just that I have not been in the mood. I don't know what's been stopping me. Creative block I guess? Well not really creative block (since I've been doing other crafts) just knitting block.

Here's something that I made recently of a non-knitted nature:

You can click on it to make it bigger to read. It says one sheep, two sheep, red sheep, blue sheep. And then it has the sheep on it. I think it's kinda cute. In case its not totally clear, its a note card. Yup.

Here's another item I made:
A thank you card! Blank inside! What can I say? I've been having a lot of fun playing with paper lately.

And that's about it. Life seems to be at a standstill lately. Nothing exciting going on. Nothing bad going on either. Makes for a boring blog. Hopefully I'll have some exciting news soon!

what I've been up to...

This is an ATC, my first one! I just thought I would give it a try. It's made out of a picture from an old book, scrapbook papers, handmade paper, stamps, ink. The quote is from a Violent Femmes song. It might be kinda hard to tell from the picture but she is carrying little wicker suitcases. (Click on her and you can see it in Flickr, and it'll be bigger!)

I've been sick. Terrible Horrible Cold. It was pretty much totally gone, and then, this morning I work up feeling stuffy again. Sneezing. I'm hoping this is just a minor set back!

I've been working on some crafty things. First off, knitting. I finished the little baby blanket I was doing. I also made 3 washclothes, one with a heart, one with a little duck, and one with a paw print. All the knitting needs to have the ends woven in and need to be washed/blocked. But the baby is not due until September, so I've got a little bit of time for this. They have yet to be photographed. Now I am kinda lost in that no man land of what the hell will I knit next. I cannot really make up my mind!

Has anyone read the Knitting Circle? So sad! I loved the book, but wow was it emotional! Made me cry. As I read about the descriptions/reasons behind knitting, it really made me think of what knitting is to me. Knitting is therapy. Knitting is an escape. Knitting is an addiction!

Other crafty endevours:You can click on any of these pictures to read a little bit more about them!

Yarn contest is still in effect--contact me!

I finished some things in February!

So I did finish one of the sweaters I was writing about in my last entry. Of course all it needed was a bare minimum to be finished, darning the underarms and sewing in ends. Really I do not know why I procrastinated so incredibly long! I don't have pictures of it on, but here are some of it laid out.

Pattern: Minisweater, by Glampyre.
Yarn: Cotton-ease
Needles: US 8?
Modification: I joined the body and made it a full length sweater, and I added full length arms on to it. I haven't worked too much on the other sweater that has been languishing on the sidelines for a long while. I started a sleeve, and I've done maybe 2 inches. I did start one item that I had not planned on. One of my cousins has just announced that she is pregnant, so I started a baby blanket. I have a while to work on it (baby is due in September), but I thought I might as well start it now. I am doing a "dishcloth" blanket. Like this pattern, with yarn that was on sale at Hobby Lobby last weekend. It is going super fast so far!

Another thing I've been working on is putting a few items on Etsy. I put up some jewelry and little things that I've made. I already sold one beaded knit bracelet that I made! I have a couple more that I've finished that I think I will be adding either today or tomorrow as well. I completed the earrings below yesterday. They are made with Czech Glass Beads. I think they are simple and elegant! Click on the picture to see some other items I have made.


I am feeling so tired! It was a trying morning (already). I had to take the dog to the vet for an ultrasound, which will hopefully figure out some problems he has been having. He hates hates HATES to ride in the car, so it was fun in morning traffic to be driving a big crying baby dog. And he hates that I had to leave him there alone to have the tests! Hopefully they will figure things out and it won't be anything serious.

I am working on figuring out how to do things a little better with this blog. For example, I now made it so clicking on the pictures of the sweater will take you to my Flickr page, and clicking on the picture of the earrings will take you to my etsy shop. Really, I know it is such a little thing, but I feel all kinds of proud of myself!

Creativity has left the building...

I’ve been thinking of a new post for awhile now. That was the title I was going to use, “Creativity has left the building.” Then I realized it was not exactly true. The truth was I’ve been doing a lot of creative things, just not writing about them. So really the desire to write about and document my creative outlet has left the building. Sometimes I just think, what’s the point? Who really cares? I’ve finally gotten over that little bump in the road and I’m ready to share some of my recent projects.

Pattern: Fern Lace Wrap
Source: The Little Box of Scarves by Melissa Matthay and Sheryl Thies
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft (less than one skein)
Needles: US 8
Modifications: I increased the needle size to go with the substituted yarn I used. Increased the pattern repeats to make this more of a lap blanket size. This was for my sister and she wanted a little blanket to bring to her constantly freezing office. She specified a size (something that could be tucked under her legs on the sides, covered her knees, but didn’t hang down the legs). This was my first time blocking acrylic. I know, people say it cannot be done. But they are WRONG! I used the whole kill it with steam approach and it worked pretty darn well. The final dimensions on this were about a 26” square.

Pattern: No real pattern just a 1 X 1 ribbing for the scarf.
Source: none
Yarn: Super Bulky yarn from Handpaintedyarn.com, the color is apple cinnamon. About 2 skeins
Needles: US 11
Modifications: None since I made this up as I went.

Current Work in Progress:

Pattern: Colorful Waves Throw
Source: Knitpicks
Yarn: A variety of yarns from Knitpicks, following the recommended yarns, plus some extras from the stash that I threw in there. If anyone actually cares about colors and such I can list them.
Needles: US 10 1/2
Modifications: Just the addition of the extra yarns and my own color choices. I originally thought that maybe I would give this to one of my brothers as a present, but I think the Suri Dream in it is too delicate. The yarn is so thin, and the fabric of the blanket is really thin where this yarn is used. I would be worried that they would tear it, so I guess I’ll keep it for me. By the way, working with the Suri dream is HELL! I wish I would have made this blanket wider.

Here are some additional pictures of more bracelets that I made (look for the details a couple of posts back). Just varied the colors and such from the previous ones.

I also have some non-knitting objects to show:

Pattern: Crystal Snowflake
Source: www.Interweave.com
Modifications: For the red and the gold ones I used the beads and wire I had on hand which was much larger than recommended. The smaller silver and blue one uses the recommended wire and bead sizes. I found these to be a little fiddly, but I haven’t done any work like this in the past. Each one took me about an hour to do. I like them enough that I’m sure to make more, in both the little and big size.

I’ve also joined my first swap in Craftster! I really hope the person I sent to likes what I chose for her. It should be there in a few days!