Moving to a new site

I'm moving the blog and various assorted ventures over here. I still haven't decorated the place or even picked out half of the furnishings. Be patient, and go ahead and laugh at the process as it unfolds.

One more star blanket done

This may be my favorite yet, at least until the black/white/red one is done. Heh. I have a true addiction to these things and have at least two color schemes planned in my head while working up the current blanket. I might need an intervention.



No new picture of the Lucy bag, because it looks much like the last picture, only longer. Really long, and I still have 20 rows to go before the handle and stuff. If this were my first felting project I might be a little bit panicked about now.

This is a little baby sweater done in Lily Sugar Babies cotton on size 6 needles so it will come out nice and small. Hard to tell from the picture, but the yoke is done and I am currently doing the left sleeve. These are fun sweaters and so quick to knit.

I know my sister loves me

'Cause the mailman told me so. Ok, I don't talk to the mailman much. He seems like a very nice guy and all, but I have a secret paranoia that he hates me because I get a lot of mail. Hey, nobody claimed to be normal here.

Anyway. Yeah. I got this in the mail from my sister today. That suede is a gorgeous dark purple and I have no clue what to make with it. Yet. Those double pointeds? Rosewood, baby. Rose. Wood. Gorgeous needles.



There was a lot more cool stuff in the box, but nothing else knitting related, and I am all about being on topic today.

Yesterday a friend of mine had her baby. She and the baby are doing great, but this wasn't supposed to happen until early October. This is the hat/bootie set I made for her this morning. So teeny!



Now I could lie and say I'm going offline to have a productive night, but I'm not ready yet. I'm going shopping for yarn at KnitPicks. A perfect Friday night.

Just a couple more slings

I couldn't help myself. Hobby Lobby had all of last year's fleece prints on sale and look how cute they are!


And here is the Lucy bag, which looks like a big gray blob but will improve with time and felting, honest.

Girly star blanket almost done. I want to do four rows of pink to finish it. I still love the way it looks with the variegated in the middle.


Haven't touched the red/white/black star blanket as I want to get this one in the mail by the end of the week. I have my eye on the felted backpack pattern at KnitPicks, but need to unload two more of these freaky needle cases to place the order. Hard to feed an addiction sometimes, you know?

At least I finished it

The asymmetrical baby sweater, in doll size. I hope the Bitty Baby likes it, because I'm not so very fond. Also, buttonholes are evil and to be avoided at all cost. Yuck. This looks a little off, but I didn't block it or anything yet.



Still plugging away on the star blankets, need to start a Lucy bag today, and got caught up in the Herrschner's yarn sale yesterday (but only a little).

Tomorrow is the craft fair, so I'll be bouncing off the walls until tomorrow night when the verdict is in.

How I spent my summer vacation

Or what passed for vacation, anyway. The needle cases are done. They are so out of here. I ended up with about half of them that I felt were craft fair worthy, the rest I am keeping, giving away, or selling at low, low 'factory seconds' prices. I am really glad to see the end of this project.



Got a little further on the red/white/black star blanket. I've mostly been crocheting at night while watching TV, and the black is hard to see. I'm staring at it wondering if it should just have black and white stripes, or maybe some more red? I don't know.



This is the asymmetrical baby sweater, extra asymmetrical! Yes, I bound off one side too soon. Now, I could pick up those stitches and salvage this, but you know what? I don't want to. I hate Jiffy. Hate it. Goodbye, bad sweater. I did learn buttonholes and casting at the end/beginning of rows, so all was not lost. Here is the stupid thing.



Hopefully I will learn from my mistakes above and this doll sized one will turn out well. It's ok so far, except doing the math to scale it down sometimes makes my brain spin.



Finally, one more star blanket. This one is for a baby girl, and I am really loving the variegated center here. It will have a few more rows each of pink and purple and be done.



That's enough for now. I'm taking these needle cases to the post office, chortling with glee the entire way.

Have you ever wondered

What 84 needle cases in progress looked like? Well now you know. Would you believe the hard part is actually done? These will be finished and shipped out by Wednesday, you'll see.



What. Look at that picture, I have no time to write a longer entry. Goway.

Today I am a triple threat

This is the pile of sewing. Ok, to be specific, this is the pile of needle cases that are cut, but not sewn yet. The sewing has to happen while the big kids are up and the baby is asleep, never mind about all that other household stuff that has to be done somehow. If you think this looks scary, pretend we don't have a basket of fabric still waiting to be cut.



These are sewn, but need to have their seams pressed and be prepped for topstitching and pocket creation. That prep work can be done while everyone is asleep. Well, I don't iron while I am asleep, but everyone else is asleep. Ideally this pile will be much larger than the first pile by late this afternoon.



That lovely star blanket I did in the yellow/blue and white? My spousal unit stole it for a baby gift to a co-worker. Which is fine, because I got to start a red/white/black one. This is either going to be really cool, or really fugly. Yes, it is all curled up and stuff in the picture. Look above, do I have time to be posing my wips all that carefully? Nay.



Baby sweater is coming along, I think. I keep forgetting which set of measurements I am going by, so I have no idea what size it might end up being. This is a fun pattern but I am never using Jiffy again after it is finished.



When I can't stand working on either of those but my hands still want to knit, what happens? Cast on time! This will be a doll size version of the above sweater.



Now I must chain myself to the sewing machine for a bit.

I should be sewing

But I'm not. Later today, ok? I will. Definitely.

The star blanket from the crochet along is finished, ends weaved and all. It wasn't that bad, and I like the striping better than just a plain 3 colors.



With that, there was not a single WIP in the tote. The horror. So, being bored, and having just had a frapuccino that I am quite sure was not the decaf I ordered, I started the asymmetrical bulky baby cardigan (scroll down that page for pattern). I really like the pattern's lack of row counting, it is a great tv watching project. I don't really care for this yarn (Lionbrand Jiffy) on the aluminum needles, next time I'll use something else and my bamboo 10's. You can't stop me. I'm crazy like that.

Are we still having fun?

Getting ready for this craft fair? Yes, yes we are. Finished two dozen sets of marble magnets last night. I knew I'd have trouble capturing this in a picture, but here you can kind of see how cool the fibers and patterns like cabling look with the magnified effect of the glass marble.



Those are packed up and out of here, so now I am concentrating on the needle cases. I've got the design (very simple) all worked out and I can even get the lines straight for the pockets. That's exciting in my world. This is the test one I made this morning using some scraps. There is a big stack of them cut out and ready to sew sitting by my sewing table. Guess what I'm doing this weekend?

You might be a yarn freak if...

...your first priority in vacation planning is which projects to take with you. But come on, a two week road trip? The family can't demand my attention that entire time. Shut up. A girl can dream.

Anyway, I just ordered some yarn from KnitPicks to make a couple of Lucy bags on the road. I will also stick the supplies for a star afghan in the tote, it is my new always going project.

I finished all of the stitch markers for the craft fair, cut out a few of the needle cases to sew, and immediately got distracted. My excuse is I can't sew while the kids are in bed, the machine is too loud. So I'm making a couple dozen sets of marble magnets featuring, yes, yarn. I'll try to get a good picture of how cool these come out tomorrow when the glue fumes have cleared

Put down the beads already!

This is absolutely the last day I am making stitch markers for the craft fair. I mean it. Seriously. I have to put this stuff away so I can sew needle holders and make birch needles. Running out of time here! I thought last night was the very last, but I needed to pick up one small pack of 12mm jump rings to finish one more set of markers. Well, the craft store had some beads on sale, and now...



The star blanket crochet along project is getting to the final rounds, which are not as fun as the inner part, but they still go pretty quickly. This will probably get a few more rounds of blue after this white on I'm on now. I think. When it looks great or I am bored to death, it will be done.



Hat, this is a hat. A simple roll brim hat I made from the left over bib yarn. It reminded me of how I do enjoy the feel of cotton on bamboo needles. I may rethink my stance against the baby socks when my rosewood double pointed needles get here.

Progress, yay.

I finished the mutant bib. Yes, it certainly does look like some kind of halter top. Those triangles actually go at the neck though, so it only really looks bad in this picture. You buyin' that? It's only a drool catching device, no sleep lost over it here.



I am making a little hat with the rest of that yarn as my tv-watching, no brain involved project. I guess the baby could pull the hat over their face if the bib actually were too humiliating to be seen wearing.



Here is the star blanket for the crochet along. After this round I'm going back to white, and doing a bit of blue/white striping. Which will avoid the image of a star shaped fried egg on a blue plate special that invades my head every time I look at this, but will be a real pita when it comes time to weave in the ends. What are you gonna do. I'm not sure if the crazy helps or hurts me with some of these projects.

Two, count 'em TWO socks

I frogged the messed up sock back to where it was time to pick up around the heel, and managed to finish it. Can I just say that the Kitchener stitch is evil enough without trying it at one o'clock in the morning? It's nice that they are completed. We are in no hurry to make another pair anytime soon. Not everyone is cut out to be a sock person.



The Star blanket crochet along is going well, today I get to switch colors, whee! Sorry about the fuzzy picture, the camera was set for micro-closeups or something. I'm too lazy to reshoot.



Today I have to relist 3 sets of stitch markers on ebay, along with 7 new sets. I always feel a little sad when I relist, like the poor things weren't good enough for first string. This will be an interesting auction this week, since nobody seems to know exactly what is on these:



I think I will get all ambitious and make my ebay page a permanent link over there on the side. Today is just more star blanket, and maybe sewing the last two slings if I can get in the mood for it. Must also find a knitting project to start.

Let's talk about hooks

Why? It's my damn blog, and I want to talk about hooks. Go away if you don't like it.

Which kind do you prefer? I love the type on the left, I think that is a Bates. The one on the right is really hard for me to work with for some reason. I even like that they are aluminum, the one bamboo hook I have feels so light I can't keep my gauge right.

I am blaming my non-start of the eggplant hat/mitt set on the fact that it wants a G hook, and my G hook in the style I like is too small (4mm) and the larger G hook (4.25mm) is in the icky style I don't want to use. Now what?



Yeah, that was thrilling, wasn't it? Well, sock #2 is sitting here while I decide to either frog it all or try to get back to before picking up around the heel, because why? Because I am an idiot, and started the toe shaping when I should have been doing the gusset. Durrr. The knit bib that turned crochet still hasn't figured out exactly where it wants to go now, so it is also waiting.

The butterfly fabric is now a lovely butterfly tube sling. It was my first time sewing a knit fabric like that. Kind of fun. Kind of not fun.

The star blanket is coming along nicely, but I'm not ready to settle down on the couch with it just yet.

I don't want to talk about it

That whole craft contest involving Chauncey was just really, really traumatic. Let's just focus on the future now, shall we? Put all of that ugliness behind us. Yes.

I started my first every crochet along today. Yet another alarming sign of my increasing sociability. We're doing the star afghan. Here's mine as of this afternoon:



I ditched that other star blanket I had started, because I was doing it wrong. Also? The mint green color makes me a little sick to look at for long.

Sock #2 is almost to the heel, again just waiting for a few solid minutes in a row to work on that without interruption. Hah.

Still keeping up ye olde stitch marker factory, ten sets ending on ebay tomorrow. Go get them!

Don't even try to act surprised

I told you it was cute.



Now go away. I have some sewing to do. The beading is running a little bit behind. Please don't bring up the three small crochet projects that need doing by tomorrow night.

I said, shut up.

That wasn't supposed to happen

Honestly. I didn't mean to. Things just got out of hand.

Today when the husband got home from work, I left him and the two boys to play in the pool while the girlbaby and I went to Joann. I had a 50% off one item coupon, and they are having this big sale this weekend, and you know where this is going, don't you?

So all I wanted to do was see some knit cotton fabrics and maybe get one single cut with my one coupon and try making a sling out of it.

So I found this:



Which turned out to be on sale anyway, so I still had my coupon to use on this:



Enough! Let me get out of this place! Wait...30% off all jewelry making supplies? All of them? Maybe just a quick browse. Got some absolutely darling fish shaped beads, and some silver cross pendants. Now we're finished. Going home. Right now.

Then, well, the lines to check out were just really long you see. Really long and slow. Not to mention, lined with clearance bins with these big evil signs screaming ADDITIONAL HALF OFF MARKED PRICE! You have to look. You at least have to look. I found a pair of size 10 bamboo straights for $2. Don't even tell me you could have left without them. Your pants will immediately combust, liar.

There was a definitely no pink knit jersey fabric with an angel print that I'm absolutely not going to go over in the morning and not buy with tomorrow's coupon. No. That was all in my imagination. No need to go back and see it again. None at all.

Am I convincing you there? Because I'm not convincing me. Not even. *sigh*

Bless my little cotton sock

I finished the sock. Actually, it was finished a day or two ago, but the whole owl fiasco distracted me from posting about it. These are easy, and even though I'm still having hole at the gusset corner issues, I'll make the other one to go with it.



I started another bib out of sheer boredom, it was just a simple stockinette with a garter stitch border, and suddenly last night I decided I was done knitting it, bound off the last row, and started crocheting instead. I have no idea why or how this will turn out. Talk about living on the crafty edge.



The eggplant hat/mitts are pretty much the only thing sitting in the tote waiting to be started. I vow to not put any more projects in there until I do that.

Right after I do some cleaning in here.

I don't like birds

Ok, I hate birds. I don't hate ducks, because they are cute with the big fluffy butts and all, but all other birds, I really can't stand. Wait, penguins are ok too. Anyway. I recently took out my avian hostilities in a craft contest. Meet Chauncey. He's a macrame owl. Sort of. In a way that would probably bring the inventor of macrame back from the dead to kick my ass.



Today I made some more stitch markers. These are the perfect project for those days when you get a couple of hours to yourself - five seconds at a time. I even managed to get them on ebay again. That's three weeks in a row of having my act together. Yay me.




Tomorrow is Project Clean the Pit. If you don't hear from me by Thursday, send in emergency help - maybe those ladies from How Clean is Your House?

Did you know this blog has a grand scheme in the works? Being moved to my permanent URL and all kinds of fun things? Well, now you do. I'd tell you more, but, well, you know.

No really, she needs them

More slings. A baby can't go around in the same sling day after day, now can she?

So today I made her this one, to honor her royal nature:



I made this one because the fabric is so cute I could just scream. Yes, I am a freak. Get over it.



Back to knitting and crocheting now. Honest.

It's called the Craft Pit for a reason

So, I'm very fortunate to have this entire room for my crafty endeavors. I have storage, workspace, and most importantly, a place safe from little curious hands. I call it the Craft Pit.

Well, during the whole pregnancy and postpartum thing, the Pit got a little...cluttered. In a scary, scary way. I'm slowly recovering it to the beauty and efficiency it previously had.

This morning I was making some stitch markers, because I'm trying this new thing, you see. It's called - getting things done ahead of time. Amazing, really. Putting together a few sets a day and I have an inventory to work with, rather than staying up until 2 am twisting wires and trying to list auctions.

Well, an enameled handbag charm tried to make a break for it as I was putting it on the eyepin. Do you know how well a little enameled charm can hide in a cluttered room? Very, very well. I crawled, I dug, I poked, finally found the thing.

New goals for the upcoming week, work on clearing out the Craft Pit a bit each day, enough to be able to show off some pictures of it next weekend.

Oh, the baby socks, yeah, I'm ready to shape the toe on the first one. I find things like heel turning and toe shaping are best done when the children are in bed, since they involve using all of what remains in my brain power regarding counting and such.

An entry in a crafty blog looks nekkid with no picture, so here is the wee hippy girl in her new sling yesterday at the park. Yes, she is wearing a tiedyed dress. She is also a little mad that I took her paci out for this photo.

Scraptastic, or craptastic?

A little bird told me a certain favorite 6 year old girl of mine would love the colors I used for the sling yesterday. So I took the bit of fabric left over and attempted to design a bag. Considering how infrequently I work with fleece, and the fact that I made this up pretty much while it was being sewn, it came out ok. I think. It's ok if you don't agree. I do not live for your approval. I live for caffeine.



I did work on the sock a bit last night, but Her Royal Babyness did not wish to go to bed until 10 pm, so I didn't finish it. I turned the heel and started the gusset. It doesn't suck.



Thanks to a crafty and resourceful friend, I learned that you can use these wipes containers to hold your yarn skeins. You could also order some specifically for doing this, but who wants to spend good yarn money on a container? Yeah, nobody. Now the star blankie is a much more portable project. My twisty little brain is already working on how to decorate the container and perhaps incorporate some kind of hook/needle holder to the outside of it...