Mommisquare

You Can't Always Get What You Want

2012-02-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

This is the sweater I made for the new baby. It's a 3-6 month size from this pattern. I didn't add the lace on the sleeves, to give it a more unisex feel.

The lacy-leaves going down the front are a little feminine. If the baby is a girl it's no big deal. If it's a boy...well, at least the sweater is blue, and boy babies can be dressed in sweet little things when they're tiny. I don't think it's a big deal.

The sweater gave me a little consternation only b/c of how I arrived at the pattern.

I originally saw this Pea Pod Set on Ravelry and added it to my queue over a year ago. I was so excited to make it but then I found out that the pattern was no longer available.

Say, what!???!!! I searched everywhere for it online. I was willing to purchase it--but it was a no go. Do you know how frustrating it is to have your heart set on making something, when tons of other people have already made it, and then all of a sudden it's not available anymore? Also, there is no information about why this is so, or if it will ever change.

I'm not the only one who feels this way in knitting land either. I read a bunch of posts from people who are in the same boat as I am. The designer has not really mentioned changing the status of this pattern either, and there hasn't been any mention of it from her in several years time, so I'm not very hopeful about it being offered in the future. At one point I even wondered if maybe she had died and that's why there was no response about it. Seriously!

Needless to say, not being able to knit it really bummed me out. I have no idea why it is no longer available, but that's life. I can't speculate or judge because I really don't have any information about it/ her. Me whining about it is pretty pointless.

That's where this other sweater comes in. I thought about trying to re-create the Pea Pod cardigan, but it was a challenge I really didn't feel up to with my current pregnancy fog. The second sweater is cute in its own way (even though I made several mistakes while knitting it), and I'm thinking about adding a little hat to go with it once I find a pattern I like. Oh, and before I get too excited about it, I'll make sure it's available first!

I CAN be Precise! Quilt Block of the Month: January

2012-01-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

A little while ago I made a mini quilted table runner for Christmas. Even though I'm proud of it, it was basically a major fail. I didn't bother with pressing, or even measuring everything by the end. I don't really know what I was thinking. However, it taught me a very valuable lesson about precision. Maybe I can fudge some stuff when it comes to knitting, crochet, painting, or cooking, but if I was ever going to dive into quilting I was going to have to have the precision of a surgeon.

So basically I figured my commencement as a quilt maker would never happen. Or at least not at this juncture in my life. Who has time to be precise with a demanding toddler all over you, and another little one on the way? Not me.

But the quilt gods have been guiding me toward quilting ever so gradually over the past few years. A few things happened since I made the mini quilt that truly inspired me jump right in. First, I noticed that a quilting blogger I follow was going to start a quilt block of the month series for 2012. The quilt block for January was eye-catching, I loved the colors she chose, and her tutorial looked beautiful. Then a little later I saw another blogger I follow decided to participate in this quilt-a-long. He (yes, it's a he) made his own quilt block following the tutorial; I also loved his color choices. I was impressed with his block because he's new to quilting too, and I figured if he could do it, I probably could too. (Also, he's a dude! If a man can do it, I can do it too; I am woman, etc...and all that banter).

Then the final straw? I was out to tea (we're really not that gentrified but we did have a lovely little tea outing a few weeks ago) with the girls and P. brought up how she wanted to do a quilt block a month this year and was looking for patterns. I emailed her the link to the blog and didn't think much about it for a few days. But the seed had already been planted and it started growing, and growing....

I literally feel like I woke up one morning and was all, "That's it! I'm doing the Quilt Block a Month-along. Let me order my fabric." I notified P. who also decided to participate and then we asked K. to join us and she obliged.

I can't explain enough how great this project is for me:

I committed myself to measuring everything precisely--no eyeballing on this one.
having an entire month to complete 1 square is perfect for my lifestyle. A whole quilt would be overwhelming for me to contemplate, but one little quilt block is easy to accomplish and focus on.
Following a step by step tutorial takes all the guesswork and uncertainty away from me, a newbie.
It's exciting to anticipate what the next blocks will look like--she has not revealed them in advance. So the compulsive in me can't jump ahead. It forces me to practice patience and pace myself. This is such an important lesson for me--I'm always in a race.

I'll have to say a thank you to those quilt gods for directing me to this place. I'm really enjoying working with fabric and learning something new. It's so fun to have the girls on the same journey too (there's already been a handful of emails going back and forth about fabric lines, pressed seams, and selvage). And finally, the thought of having a full quilt in a year's time is really amazing to me b/c it always seemed so out of my reach.

Flurries

2012-01-22T06:58:00.000-08:00

I promised my sister a "blizzard" of crochet snowflakes this year, but due to the ridiculous number of colds, etc. my family and I have been experiencing this little collection of flurries were all that I could muster.

This one is from here and wound up being the most successful.

This is from this pattern. I'm pretty sure my counting was off somewhere.

And this is from here. Again, I'm sure I miscounted somewhere.

I've obviously been in a craft slump because of lack of energy. Would you believe that we're sick again??? Little C. is overcoming an ear infection and I apparently have another cold (my 4th or 5th one? or just the same one over and over?)

It's pretty rare for me to get sick like this; being a teacher for a number of years strengthens your immune system. After that type of exposure to germs I went years in a row without having a single cold, but I'm pregnant this year and I guess my immune system can't keep up. I'm thrilled to be pregnant, but I'm not thrilled about being unable to take any cold meds!

Anyway, before I started to feel lousy again, I was starting to get into the craft game again. I'd been working on C's big boy blanket, knitting a sweater for the new baby, crocheting the Flowers in the Snow blanket, and even attempting my first real quilt block. Hopefully this cold doesn't knock me down for too long so I don't lose momentum.

Gap-tastic Cowl

2012-01-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

Here is the finished seed stitch project I talked about before Christmas. It's the enormously popular GAP-tastic Cowl pattern on Ravelry.

As of today over 4000 people on Ravelry have knit it and over 17000 have favorited it. I guess you can count me in that number now too.

Despite my dislike of making seed stitch, I do love the result. The texture is fantastic.

I'm not sure when this pattern first came out, but I know it was around last year b/c that's when I added it to my queue. I also noticed online that the Gap is selling this cowl again this year. So it must be a big seller for them. Here's the Gap version (they were selling black and cream this year):

I made mine with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Chunky in oatmeal (I think).

It was a labor of love for me, but definitely worth it. And I might even be persuaded to try it again next year if cowls are still stylish. What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment.

Most Used Items of 2011

2011-12-29T15:28:00.000-08:00

Well, December has certainly come and gone in a flash for me. Despite my best planning (I shopped for presents starting in Oct., decorated the weekend after Thanksgiving, mailed out cards on time, and even made a calendar/ itinerary of Christmas activities I wanted my family to do throughout the month) Christmas snuck up on me and then was gone like a thief in the night. No one is to blame for this situation; it just turns out that nearly everyone in the family was struck with some sort of lingering illness starting at the end of November. Whether it was bronchitis, sinusitis, croup, or a really bad cold, these minor illnesses made us pretty miserable for the month of December. It's hard to make merry when you're feeling sick.

Fortunately, everyone seemed to be on the mend the week before Christmas--just in time to get my baking butt in gear for the annual cookie swap with the girls.

There were so many delicious treats it's hard to remember everything but P. made sugar cookie cutouts, spritz, those yummy cookies with a hershey kiss baked in, and chocolate chip. K. made tri-color cookies, rugelach (from Barefoot Contessa), and Santa Party Mix (which my husband inhaled). I brought snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, and pecan snowballs.

Anyway, I'm already on a diet after eating way too many Christmas cookies and cakes, but before any more New Year resolutions can be made, I thought I'd reflect back on some of the most practical items I made from the past year. So without further ado....

C's Nursery Blanket . Since the width of the blanket was the length of the crib, I decided to just use it with the stripes running vertically. Little C. LOVES this blanket. It's probably the most-used, most-loved thing I've ever made. So rewarding! Many a nap I go into his room to wake him up and he has this blanket curled around his head like a turban. And the pink is not an issue for my modern Little Man. He thinks it's funny. It's been thrown in the wash a bunch of times and still looks great- gotta love machine-washable acrylic for that. Since this blanket was such a success, I've been thinking about making another. He really should have another, especially since we're going to try potty-training soon....Gulp!

Basket weave Throw. Another blanket. Excuse me, another AWESOMELY WARM blanket. I don't know what my problem is, but I have never been so cold as I am this year. I'm always freezing; my husband can be sitting next to me in a t-shirt and shorts perfectly comfortable, and I'm shivering in a heavy sweatshirt and sweatpants. It's times like these when I snuggle under this heaven-sent blanket and immediately warm up. I can't tell you enough how much I love it; it gets used almost every other day.

Anthropologie-inspired Scarf . I wear this all the time. I love everything about it. The color perks me up during gray, dreary weather and it's incredibly warm, which as I just established above, is of the utmost importance to a cold-blooded being like myself. I like this enough to knit it again in a different color. We'll see for next year. I am pretty partial to the red, however.

Little C's Modern Rib Hat . Out of all the hats I made the little guy this year, this is the one that's always on his head. It fits and looks the best. Again, this is a pattern I will definitely return to next year.

C's Goodnight Mittens. I really didn't know how well these would go over with my son, but every time he puts these on (almost every day) he giggles and recites "one mitten...two mittens." This goes back to Good Night Moon which we used to read over and over to him. (Now we have moved on to Good Night Gorilla). Like the matching hat, I will definitely use this pattern again and again.

There are other items from the past year that saw a lot of use, but nothing like these top 5.

I always think that the things I knit or crochet will be used a lot, but the truth is sometimes they're not. Sometimes they're never used/ worn at all. It's definitely a good feeling when something you've spent hours on has a life beyond the actual creative process. That's something I'll try to strive for in 2012.

Seed Stitch Stinks

2011-12-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

I've been laboring through a project lately and my heart isn't exactly in it. The finished product is really cool and I think the gift recipient will like it, but the process of knitting it has been kinda rough.

I'm over the big needles, for one. And two, if I ever have to knit seed stitch again I will probably have a breakdown. I can see myself purposely avoiding any pattern that features seed stitch in the future. It's slow going, monotonous, boring...

I finally finished this project last night and the result is worth the monotony of knitting it, in my opinion. I had planned on making another one either for me or someone else but hell will have to freeze over first!

Ok, seed stitch does produce great texture-I'll give it that. And it probably wouldn't have even been that bad if I was using smaller (more comfortable) needles.

I'll show the finished product once it's been gifted. Now, it's back to crocheted snowflakes for my sister for Christmas.

Girls Night: November

2011-11-23T12:40:00.000-08:00

K. hosted Girls Night last week and it was the perfect opportunity for me to finish adding C's name to his Christmas stocking using duplicate stitch. I had planned on lining the stocking so gifts don't get stuck on the floats inside, but there's a 50/50 chance that I will actually get around to doing that. At least the name is finished though.

Another project that's finished? P.'s Koigu Ruffle Scarf.

The yarn colors are so pretty on this--of course my camera does them no justice. If I recall correctly, P. said she had to cast on something like 600 stitches for this? I have a headache just thinking about that.

After dazzling us with her scarf, P. whipped out this ongoing project she's been working on: a cute punch needle design.

It was interesting to watch her work. Punch needle looks fun. I can definitely see myself getting into that in the future as well as embroidery. *

I don't have any pictures of K's projects, but she was working on some applique letters for personalized towels (these are great gifts) and she is still struggling with that knitted cupcake hat. It's very cute, but it might be a love-hate relationship at this point.

Hopefully I also can finish up some projects that have been hanging around too long over the Thanksgiving weekend.

K. was a lovely host as usual and the food and company were a wonderful break before a crazy holiday week.

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*Painting, knitting, sewing, embroidery...what am I? A reincarnated Victorian lady?! I can't carry a tune though. So I definitely don't possess that Victorian skill. That's a real bummer too, b/c in every Jane Austen novel (or movie adaptation) there comes a pivotal scene where the heroine impresses the man she loves with her singing skills while accompanied by the pianoforte. Thank God it's 2011 and I didn't have to impress my husband with the sound of my voice. Yeah, it must have been my knitting that did it. What guy isn't impressed with knitting?

Good Night Blue Mittens

2011-11-12T11:39:00.000-08:00

Our Indian Summer is long gone now, and it's time I made some mittens for Little C. to keep his hands warm on our walks.

I think he likes them because he kept trying to snatch them away when I was taking the pictures.

I made them from the leftover scrap yarn from two of his hats, so they match nicely.

I've been sort of thinking about knitting mittens for him since July. Remember the unnatural influence of Good Night Moon on me? And the repetitive phrase "Good night kittens. Good night mittens" which echoes throughout the book? Again, after reading this classic hundreds of times...I broke down and had to knit some mittens for C. already!

These are from a vintage pattern from 1953, which can be found here. I had to use tiny (to me) 3.5 mm double-pointed needles, which took some getting used to. The pattern was straightforward, fast, and easy to follow; I will definitely be revisiting it again--there are sizes listed for toddler all the way to adult men/ women so the options are endless. You could also easily add a pattern, cable, etc. I think I might try a striped version next time.

I've just moved on to a project which requires gigantic (to me) 9.0 mm needles. It definitelyy feels odd to switch between the two sizes, but it also keeps me on my toes/ keeps things interesting.

I am Not Precise

2011-11-07T13:25:00.000-08:00

As I finished my quilted mini-table runner it became very apparent that I am NOT a precise person at all.

I do tend to eyeball things, instead of relying on the easier, truer, more fool proof way of doing things, which would be measuring. Rulers. They are our friends!

Never has it been more clear to me. Society at large owes me a huge thank you. You're welcome, Society, that I am not a surgeon, an architect, an engineer, or an accountant. You wouldn't want any of those professionals "eyeballing" their work, would you?

I learned the hard way that from now on, so help me God, I will always square off and always use a ruler when it comes to quilting.

Despite the crazy Dr. Seuss-like lines/ angles of my table runner, I still think I'll be able to use it this Christmas. It was a great learning experience and that's the most important thing. (I used this tutorial to learn how to sew on the binding.)

And dare I say it--despite the lack of precision, I am a little proud of the thing.

Fair Isle Finish

2011-10-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

I finished my Fair Isle-inspired hat for C. this week and just in time too. There's a Nor'easter in my area and we even have snow on the ground. That's early for these neck of the woods.

It was an involved, but fun project to make. Here's the original inspiration hat again:

Early on I decided that I wanted it to have earflaps. And I decided to minimize the orange color (C. has red hair so I love orange on him, but he has an orange winter coat this year and I didn't want to go overboard.)

The darker gray top was made one night a little impulsively; I wasn't really following the pattern and I didn't have the original picture in front of me. Turns out I had to rip it all out the next day b/c the top was way too long and C. looked like a conehead.

Instead I added a multicolor pom pom.

Here's a peek of it on the Little Man.

It's definitely a departure from the original, but I really like it and it looks cute on him, so I'm pretty happy with the end result. I would like to try more fair isle or stranded knitting sometime soon. It was also really fun to play around with the knitting graph software too. Maybe I'll even design my own original designs at some point? Who knows.

Modern Rib Hat Take 2

2011-10-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd give the Modern Rib Hat another try in a bigger slouchier version.

I knitted the child's size this time instead of the toddler. These are all stash yarns.

My model wouldn't cooperate this time, so this is the best shot I could get of it on his head.

It's such an easy and enjoyable pattern that knits up so quickly; I definitely recommend it.

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I think I may be getting over hats now that I've made three in a row, though. (I'm doing some finishing work on the Fair Isle Hat as we speak). I've got some WIPs to work on, and snowflakes to make but other than that I'm feeling a little uninspired. Not quite sure what I want to make next...I'm sure the craft blahs will pass soon enough.

Anthro-Scarf

2011-10-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

I finished my Anthropologie-inspired-ruffled scarf and I'm so excited to wear it this winter!

It was a little monotonous, as I mentioned, but overall it's a very interesting design. After knitting the middle, cabled portion, you use a crochet hook to create the broomstick lace around the edge.

I had never heard of this crochet stitch before so I used this video to learn how to do it. It was easy once I got going, but it really is quite an unique method. There are so many different ways you could use this technique. It's always good to learn something new!

I used Cascade 220 wool, so it's pretty thick and warm. I'm hoping the vibrant red color (I couldn't get an accurate shot of the true color at all; it looks different in each picture) will be warming in the coming frigid temperatures too. It was Red #9404.

We've been having an Indian Summer in my area, however I know it won't last. I'm not looking forward to the cold, but winter and knitting kind of go hand in hand, right? So maybe it's not so bad after all.

Homework

2011-10-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

I've been such a good student this past week! I've been doing lots of studying and working hard on my homework.

I've been putting tons of thought into the Janie and Jack-inspired fair isle hat for C and plotting out possible designs on knitting graph paper. (I printed mine out from here.)

I studied the Norwegian Star hat pattern and followed its design.

After playing around with graph paper and pencil, I turned to the Internet for a quicker design solution. I found this great website, TricksyKnitter, which allows you to graph your design and print. Much easier to add or delete things you don't want that way.

Here's one of my changes: an all white background.

Or gray background.

I still wound up making a mistake on my final print though.

I started the actual knitting this week, and I'm still studying and thinking about the design as I go. I am probably going to keep it on the simple side, but I'm not 100% sure.

I also completed my sewing homework from P. I entered into this activity completely clueless so this was a big step for me. Above you can see my quilt sandwich and basting pins. Again, I have no clue if I did it correctly.

Here are the strips of binding I made.

And here's the finished binding I ironed, using this cool little tool P. loaned me. I didn't know it's name so I looked online; it's a bias tape maker. It's awesome! Makes it so much easier.

All in all it's been a pretty productive week even though I haven't really finished anything. Again, I'm trying to focus on the process and enjoy that as much as the finished product.

Girls Night: September

2011-10-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

P. hosted a sewing-intensive Girls Night last week, which gave K. and me a great opportunity to dive into some projects that normally might be a little scary to tackle on our own.

I find that martinis, especially cotton candy-esque ones, really help one deal with fears-craft related or otherwise.

A couple weeks ago I spotted some cute Christmas fat quarters at a local craft store. At $1.49 I couldn't resist snagging a few, even though I had no idea what I was going to do with them.

I threw around the idea of making wine gift bags, but P. suggested a little quilted wall hanging or table runner. I was kind of nervous b/c of my mediocre sewing skills, but P. helped me do the whole thing--from the measuring and cutting to laying out the squares. (By the way, that telephone-looking suction cup thing above? What an awesome tool! It makes cutting so much easier).

Again, I know very little about quilting (so far) but P. told me this is a log cabin design.

While I labored with my log cabins, K. went to work on a Cat in the Hat hat for her daughter for Halloween. (I'm not sure, but I think she was following this tutorial).

Unfortunately, there was a slight mishap: sewing in the lining backwards. I once sewed the hem of my workout pants backwards three times, so I can totally relate. She had to rip out all those stitches, and they were made with a serger! Not fun. I can't wait to see the finished product.

I'm hosting Girls Night next and I have a lot of homework to do before P. shows me how to attach a binding and finish the quilt. I have to sew strips of binding, sandwich the quilt, and quilt it before our next meeting. Gulp. I don't know if I'm ready for this. I feel kind of freaked out. Where's that martini?

Round and Round We Go

2011-09-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

I finished one of C's new winter hats this week. I figured out why I'm finding scarf knitting so tiresome--it's because I love knitting in the round so much. The row by row stopping and turning of the scarf isn't as fun as the continuous circle of hat rounds.

That made this hat a very fast and enjoyable project. Here it is on the little man. He was a perfect model for me. I think because he was watching his favorite show, SuperWhy.

Here is the inspiration picture again. I prefer the red-orange and royal blue colors of the hat in the ad, but I had limited yarn color choices; mine are more pumpkin-orange and navy.

The pattern was very easy to follow. The hat can be folded over (as I intend it to be) or it can be worn in a slouchy style which looks really cool too.

Here's my model again. A couple things about the slouchy version: C has a big head (as we established here), and I probably should have gone up to the next size for him (I used the toddler size). The slouch would look/ drape better that way. Also, if he was going to wear it this way I would not have striped the hat the way I did. Without the cuff (brim?) the scale is completely off--too much orange vs. navy.

I had only intended on making this and the other Janie and Jack inspiration hat for him this year, but truthfully, the slouchy version is so cute I think I'm going to make another one of these too! Every 2 year old needs at least three hats, right? I'm not sure of the color combinations yet though...maybe some greens, grays, blues...? It's such a quick/ fun knit. I see myself revisiting this in the years to come too. That way I'll get plenty of chances to experiment with color.

Inspiration Love

2011-09-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

Scarf Love

I am still working on my scarf. I estimate I'm halfway through. As much as I really love the pattern/ yarn/ color I have to admit that scarves are kind of boring to knit. That's too bad b/c I feel like there are a million scarf patterns out there that I want to try. I'll have to just get past that.

I'm still in love with this design though and I'm looking forward to actually being able to wear it.

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Book Love

This is an awesome new book I got online. I had a gift card for Borders (which just closed its doors forever) and thought I better use it up before it became void.

When this came in the mail and I opened it for the first time, I'm not kidding, I actually felt awestruck. I even sucked in my breath for a second-- like in a gasp. I am truly a knitting geek. It's official.

The patterns and stitches are amazing to a novice like me.

I never even knew such stitches existed before.

As thorough as this book is though, I know there are many other stitches out there that I want to learn about. Not sure what I'm going to do with all this stitch information, but it's certainly handy to have as a reference tool.

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Hat Love

After I'm done my scarf, I plan on making a couple hats for Little C. this year. One source of inspiration is a Janie & Jack hat I saw from last year:

I would really love to use this as a starting point, alter the design by adding earflaps, and maybe incorporate the Norwegian Star Earflap Hat pattern from Ravelry. Little C. has an orange winter coat from Janie and Jack and this would look perfect with it.

Janie and Jack always has such charming designs, but sometimes inspiration comes from unlikely places--like junk mail. Last year I got a mailer from Tiny Prints about Christmas cards. I had already bought mine at the time, but before I threw the ad in the trash I ripped out these pictures of a couple of adorable kids with the cutest knit hats ever.

I'm going to make C. a ribbed hat following this pattern in the orange, white, and navy stripe color scheme.

And should I ever have a baby girl, you can bet your money that I will be making this cream-colored baby cable hat. I might even force a baby boy to wear it though if there is no girl!

And finally, I also love this Missoni for Target knit hat that my sister emailed me a picture of the other day:

The whole world is mad for Missoni, so you have a better shot of being struck by lightening than finding this hat in a Target store right now. I don't plan on making a hat like this, but I still love looking at it.

I'm trying to focus and finish things, taking one step at a time when it comes to all this craft inspiration, but I have really been distracted lately with all this beauty. Two bad I only have one pair of hands to knit with. The fall is such a busy time anyway; I'm really going to try to slow down, and enjoy the knitting/ crochet process this season. I don't plan on knitting/ crocheting any Christmas gifts this year (except for lots of snowflakes!), so I should have the luxury of time. We'll see how I do.

Not My Knits: Simple Baby Blanket

2011-09-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the lovely baby blanket I received from an old coworker. It matches the baby kimono sweaters I posted about a few months ago.

It's a simple little pattern--just knits and purls. But the texture it creates along with the stripes is very pleasing to the eye.

It's a good reminder that "simple" usually wins out when it comes to design.

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In personal WIP news:
I've put blankets on the back burner temporarily while I knit an Anthropologie-inspired Scarf for myself. I have been making progress but it's slow-going. My craft mojo is still a little sluggish lately. I also can't help other knitting distractions from creeping in: I'm starting to get a wicked fair isle obsession, and the thought of that is kind of terrifying! I'm not sure if I could tackle something like that right now. We'll have to see if it passes or not.

MIA

2011-09-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I have not been MIA due to a fabulous tropical vacation, or even--God forbid--because of the rare earthquake, hurricane, and tornadoes my region has experienced as of late.

Nope. It's only because of running out of yarn with only about 10 inches left on the border of my basket weave throw. Don't you hate it when that happens? You're almost to the end of a project and then your momentum totally stalls. Truthfully, I still have not made it to the craft store to pick up more yarn. Hopefully sometime this week...

Anyway, I'm calling this blanket 99% finished.

It wound up being about as long as me-around 63"- and about as wide as a twin bed. (You didn't really expect me to measure it, did you?) I used the same ribbed border technique that I discovered from the Crochet Shrug I made earlier this summer. The blanket part is very thick, heavy, and extremely warm. The border definitely has a different weight to it, but it doesn't bother me too much. If I was making it again, that's something I would consider changing; it's the right look I was going for, but it doesn't have the same heft as the rest of the throw.

Now that we are getting ready to move into autumn, I know this blanket will start getting a lot more use. I'm also happy to be checking one more blanket off my WIP list.

It's Not a Blanket

2011-08-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a little blanket break and finish up the Oh, Handsome sweater I started for Little C. a couple of months ago.

This was the leftover Cascade Superwash I had from his hooded sweater vest. Back in March I impulsively started knitting a yoked Shalom cardigan for myself with the extra yarn.

Then I realized I had made it way too big, and the gauge was totally wrong. I was just excited to be knitting something, I guess. I decided not to make it after all and pulled it all out.

And I'm really happy I did, because I love how the Oh, Handsome sweater turned out. It's much better than the one I made last year for a number of reasons: 1. I have a year's more experience; 2. I used a higher quality yarn; 3. I did not run out of yarn on the collar this time.

I think it might even be my favorite thing I've ever knit so far. It turned out almost perfectly.

The part that isn't perfect? The sleeves are a good inch too long. I'm a little relieved about it though, because C. has long arms to start with and if he has another growth spurt this year, he'll still be able to wear this all winter.

Not My Knits: Not Your Average Baby Blanket

2011-08-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

What's your commute to work like? When I was working (outside the house) I had a very long commute, which was a con, but the pros were that some of the ride was in a beautiful, semi-rural setting, and I got to listen to relaxing or fun music in the car. It was an excellent way to center myself before beginning the day and decompress after work was over. There were times when I definitely felt my blood pressure lower during these rides (as long as the weather was good, obviously).

Two of my pals from college J. and R. live near and worked in New York City for a long time. Their commutes can be summed up in one word: HELLACIOUS. That's my word not theirs. When J. described her daily morning commute to me one day I felt my own blood pressure going up and I didn't even have to go through it myself. I'm talking about waiting in the cold for an over packed train, fighting and clawing for a space to call your own, more fighting and clawing on the subway, more freaking walking, maybe more pushing into an elevator...etc, etc. Ugh. I totally would not be able to deal. R. had a similar awful commute but even had a ferry involved! No thank you; I am too claustrophobic and grumpy in the morning to be able to handle something like that.

Fortunately for them, they didn't seem to mind the commute very much. Maybe they had just gotten used to it. J. did tell me though that she kind of liked the excitement--how it got your adrenaline going. That's a good way of looking at it.

Knowing all this, I stare at the blanket R. made for Little C.'s baby shower in utter amazement. This blanket (which she assures me is "easy") was made during her commute. I would be such a mess from all the travel stress that I would have to breath into a bag, and yet this girl whips out her knitting and gets to it. I am so not a city girl as it turns out.

This is an interesting diagonal design in garter stitch. I also like how R. chose unusual colors for a baby blanket (they actually match my family room). Hooray for out of the box thinking! I searched Google and came up with
this site for a pattern.

I'm getting ready to declare August "Blanket Month" around here. I'm still not sick of them yet. I'm sure I will be though, once it starts getting chilly and one actually needs to use a blanket.

Make That 4

2011-07-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

I did say that I was "obsessed with blankets", didn't I?

Now I have four blankets that I need to finish. I guess three wasn't enough pressure for me so I had to add this one into the mix.

I swear this was such an impulsive move...I wasn't planning on making this ripple blanket at all. I didn't even have the pattern in my queue on Ravelry.

But maybe I should have seen this coming: I kept talking about wanting to try a zig zag pattern here and here. If you add in my strong desire to use up stash yarn and my current infatuation with blankets I guess it all makes sense.

These are all acrylic yarns from my stash. Most of them have been used for various baby knits over the years. This blanket will be for the crib in Little C's room. He does need a blanket this year, so it will be a useful item. I debated adding the pink, but I'm sure he doesn't care about those things yet. It's more of a "nursery blanket" than a blanket specifically for him anyway. Plus, I had a lot of pink that I wanted to use up.

The ripple pattern is strangely addicting; it's hard to stop once you get going. I followed an excellent tutorial to learn how to do it, and after a couple of rows it was easily memorized. I love seeing the blanket grow and changing the colors. I probably made the blanket a little too wide (it's more twin bed -sized, than crib- sized) but if I ever do have a girl (again, with the baby girl talk! Sheesh.) then it would always look cute on her hypothetical big girl bed.

Anyway, before I get way too far ahead of myself, I need to finish this new project (as well as the other 3). I probably have to add 30 or so more inches in length. Hopefully I don't spontaneously start any more projects. I can't trust myself to be sure though.

Obsssed With Blankets

2011-07-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

It's really hot around here right now. So, of course in contrary madness I want to crochet or knit blankets all the time. I have three blanket WIPs currently in my closet.

Here's the roundup:

Little C's big boy blanket:

I started this in the summer of 2009 and it has made several appearances on this blog. I am starting to get that anxious and panic-y feeling about it, which usually means that I MUST complete a project as soon as possible. Two years is a little too long to languish. I'm going to try very hard to finish this up in the next few months.

Basketweave Throw:

I started this in December (2010) and am really close to finishing it! (this is an old picture). Finishing it in almost 6 months isn't bad at all. I only have to add on about 8 inches in length and put on a border. I'm hoping to finish this by the end of the summer.

Flowers in the Snow Blanket:

Ok, confession: I have made very little progress on this blanket which was started in January 2011. I think I made one more circle and that's it. This was supposed to be my longterm craft for Girls Night. That didn't really happen b/c as it turns out, it's hard to focus on counting the stitches while under the influence. Another non-alcoholic impediment to my progress is my lack of incentive. The blue stripe blanket is definitely for Little C. and I know it will go at the foot of his bed. The Basketweave Throw will definitely be used in the family room during TV-viewing. As for this? I have no idea who it's for or where it will go. I keep thinking that it would be very pretty in my daughter's room, but I don't have a daughter!!! Ha! So I'm sure this lack of purpose has hindered my progress. I will probably keep adding a circle here and there until I figure out what I'm doing with it.

**************

I definitely already have my hands full when it comes to my blankets...and yet I can't resist this beautiful throw (Ravelry link). Like the Flowers in the Snow blanket, I have no real reason to make this, other than for aesthetics. I love the original happy yellow, but it wouldn't go with anything in my house. I've considered going with a slate blue-gray or chocolate brown and using it in my own bedroom, but so far I haven't committed. If or until that happens, I'm sure I'll just continue to daydream about it and other blankets. It's about 100 degrees out. What else would I be doing?

You Know You've Been Spending Too Much Time With Baby When...

2011-07-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

1. You're thinking about redecorating a bedroom using Goodnight Moon as inspiration.

2. You start eating fish more, not because Dr. Oz recommends it, but b/c Sally Sheep from Sally Sheep's New Nibbles has heard "that fish is good for you."

3. You start obsessing over knitting Christmas stockings because of the subliminal knitting messages in Good Night Moon and Counting Christmas.

Little C. loves books and these three are definitely his top favorites right now. They are also directly responsible for inspiring me to knit a Christmas stocking in JULY! (well, except for Sally Sheep. Unless you want to make a huge leap and connect sheep to wool to knitting).

Clearly I've been heavily influenced by Little C's reading material lately, especially Good Night Moon. Like a gazillion other parents, we read this book to our child every single night. We've been doing this for at least the last 365 days. So yeah, it starts becoming a part of you.

Because of this I've contemplated making a nursery that looks like the room in the story. When you've read the book over a hundred times this begins to seem like a good idea. But truthfully, who could really live with green walls/ ceiling and a red carpet? I know I'm not the only person who has thought of doing this though. Here's an interior design scheme and also a real-life couple who created it for their child here. (It's the third picture down on the link--note: no red carpet in the room though). Thankfully, my nursery is already finished, so I can abandon this idea completely.

But that knitting bunny-granny? bunny-nanny? seems to speak directly to me. What's she knitting? A scarf? Hmmm...maybe I should knit a scarf...

Did she also knit the socks and mittens that hang by the fire? Hmmm....maybe I should knit Little C. some socks and mittens too...The old noggin started cranking up, but I continued on with life as I know it and tried to get the subliminal knitting messages out of my head.

Goodnight Moon may be the nighttime fave, but the daytime favorite of Little C's that is read often in my house (and holds too much influence over me) is Counting Christmas by Karen Katz. In this story we see a couple examples of Christmas stockings.

Socks...stockings...knitting...my mind started whirring again, but I pushed the thoughts away and managed to continue on with my usual routine.

*****
HOWEVER, after months of having these images in my face (and trying to eat more fish), I finally succumbed and searched for stocking patterns on Ravelry. I love the rustic look of these stockings and ordered the snowman pattern right away.

It wasn't long before I plunged in to short rows, and heel/ toe confusion. I still have no idea how to make the heel or the toe. The toe part is actually on kind of sideways, but it doesn't bother me too much. I have never made socks before so it was all new to me. I'm even thinking of making a regular pair of socks just to understand heel/ toe construction. So, this stocking might wind up being a test knit. If not, I think I can live with it looking like this for a while. The tentative goal is to make one for me, my husband, and any other little ones we may have, but I'd definitely like to do a better job knitting the next ones.

Another error I made was pulling my yarn too tight across the snowman scene. When doing colorwork and carrying a color across the back of your knitting, the tighter you pull your yarn, the tighter the fabric becomes. Anyway, there's barely any stretch to the fabric there which isn't good when putting presents in a stocking. Live and learn.

I started using duplicate stitch to add Little C's name to the top. This was also a new technique for me. I learned how to do it here. I'm sure I'll finish it the week before Christmas or something.

I also would like to line the inside with fabric to help make stuffing it with toys easier. And I have to add a little crochet loop so it can hang from the fireplace. I did enjoy making it and it went very quickly (except for the heel/ toe). They were a total mystery to me!

The best thing of all? I feel liberated from the hold of Goodnight Moon and Counting Christmas now! (I think I will stick with Sally Sheep's suggestion to eat more fish though, since it is so good for you.)

Better Late Than Never

2011-07-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

I've been without my camera for several weeks (left it at a family BBQ) so I am a little behind the eight ball when it comes to posting anything. I finally got it back this week, just in time for Girls Night at K's! But then I forgot to bring it with me. Boo. K was a great hostess, but not a lot of crafting went on: she organized coupons, and P. and I probably only knit a row or two on our respective projects. I blame the lazy days of summer for the craft slump. I personally haven't been finishing much when it comes to crafts either.

One thing I did manage to complete was this patriotic shirt for the the 4th of July.

I had an extra white shirt hanging around, and I thought it would be fun to make a shirt for Little C. Instead of a plain red, white, and blue flag, or the shape of the U.S. in flag colors, I chose the Seal of the United States for my design.

Ironically enough, inspiration came my way after watching a lot of the festivities leading up to the Royal Wedding. I saw an interesting segment on TV about William and Kate's Coats of Arms. I love symbolism in general and hearing about what the colors and images meant was pretty cool. The U.S. Seal is sort of like the U.S.'s coat of arms. So, my 4th of July inspiration came to me by way of England. The very country the colonists declared indepence from back in 1776.

My transfer method was pretty primitive: the usual file folder and I used tape to create the stripes.

Little C. wore it on the 4th and it looked cute on him. To make it a REAL 4th of July shirt, maybe I should have removed the olive branch and 13 arrows in the eagle's talons and replaced them with hot dogs and firecrackers?

Not My Knits: Baby Blanket in White

2011-06-28T10:01:00.000-07:00

This blanket was given to me at my baby shower by my friend J. She commissioned her grandmother-in-law to make it. Later I placed it on the nursery floor and used it to take Little C.'s baptism photos. It made such a stunning backdrop with the little guy in his christening gown lying on top of it.

It's folded across the back of the chair in the nursery still, probably because I love looking at it so much. I really love this design and it is made so expertly. Nobody really knits/ crochets like a grandmother does!

I've tried to find the pattern for this online but I can't find anything exact. This pattern (from Ravelry) was as similar as I could find.

I do have a crochet book though that shows several variations on this "spider" stitch. (It reminds me more of a sun than a spider.) After flipping through the book and studying the designs I finally narrowed it down to the right stitch. I decided to give it a go and make a short swatch using scrap yarn to try it out. I'm always up for a learning experience!

One of the first things I learned was how to make a treble stitch, a stitch I've never encountered before. Another thing I was struck by was how involved this pattern was. God bless J's grandmother!

The final thing I discovered was that this pattern was not made up of granny squares. When looking at the blanket I had mistakenly thought that each of the sunbursts (or spiders) were made individually and then joined together. Not so. The pattern is made of a series of stitches row after row. What a surprise!

*Contented sigh*

I loved the blanket to start out with, but I have an even deeper appreciation for it now that I know how it was made.

Nautical Stripes

2011-06-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

Little C wore his Boardwalk Sweater a lot last year so I really wanted to make him a new version for this summer. I thought about it a lot. The thought process kind of went like this:

I'll make the same sweater in a bigger size!
--nah, too boring. However, I really want to use white cotton again.

Oooo, I love white and navy blue together! I'll make a hooded tunic with navy blue trim all around the neck and bottom.
---hmmm, that's kind of girly. And it's making me think of the Real Housewives of OC for some reason. Forget the tunic.

Oooo, wait a minute! How about a french sailor uniform? Let me go research sailor uniforms from the 1900s-1940s on the internet.
-----um, I think I'll just make a striped sweater. With a hood. Using a pattern I've used a million times before.

I do tend to complicate things. I wound up wanting to make this very common striped design (I've seen it everywhere, especially this spring); I even have a striped top that's slightly similar to this. We can wear them together and be twins.

I didn't bother blocking the sweater; I wanted it to have that relaxed, summery feel to it (and I was too lazy to block it!) It's soft and cool, like a terry cloth towel. The hood is extra big and floppy, and it looks so cute on Little C. I can't wait for him to wear it on the boardwalk on an evening stroll, or on a windy day. It makes me think of the sounds of gulls calling to each other, the dry creaking wood of the boardwalk, and the surf breaking on the sand. Ahh, summer!

Girls Night: June

2011-06-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

It was my turn to host Girls Night last week and P. showed up just in time to give me a refreshed interest in sewing again.

While K worked on her cupcake hat and I barely worked on my blanket, P. managed to whip up this skirt with ease. She still has to add a zipper, but it was really cool to watch her work.

She used this pattern for an a-line skirt--perfect for summer.

Action shot of her working with the pattern. (I've never seen this done before. K and I were mesmerized).

And the coolest thing was checking out this fine piece of machinery! A serger which P. brought over!

I kind of just sat there with the crochet blanket in my lap, and my mouth open, staring at P. work.

I also took breaks to shove these brownies and shortbread cookies in my mouth.

The chocolate chip cookie/ brownies were from a Betty Crocker mix (they were very good though) but these shortbread cookies I made following a recipe I found here. (They look much better in her photos so check them out). And they were incredibly easy. I will definitely be adding them to the Christmas Cookie list from now on. (I'm imagining them rolled in red and green non-pareils or raw sugar). They could easily be rolled in red for Valentine's Day, green for St. Patrick's Day, red white and blue for July 4th, orange and black for Halloween...ok, I'm sure you get it.

Even though I didn't get much work done on the crochet front, I found a keeper cookie recipe and learned a lot by watching P. P. also said she'd make K and me a skirt now too. That would be a good Girl's Night activity, actually. Maybe she could help us make our own skirts? I'll have to discuss it with the girls.

Anchors Aweigh!

2011-06-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

I have to make a confession.

I think I hate sewing.

I really want to like sewing because it's really cool (in my world at least), you can make awesome things, and be super creative. And I so admire the people out there who are good at it. In fact, they are so good at what they do that these people make me think it's easy.

It's not. At least not for me. I'm sure this is because I need lessons, or at least a lot more practice. So far the only thing I can really do is sew a line. And it's probably not going to be a straight line either.

Sigh.

My confession emerges in light of a recent reverse applique experience. Like the octopus tee, I had an idea for an anchor shirt (anchors are on everything right now for boys' clothes) for Little C. for a few months now.

I drew out an anchor after looking at different images online, cut it out, and followed this tutorial for reverse applique. There are other ways to do it, like here, but I chose the former because it required fewer materials.

I turned the shirt inside out and attached the navy fabric to it (wrong side facing up) and pinned it in place.

Then you're supposed to sew around the anchor. I tried pinning it to anchor it in place (ha! get it?), but that wasn't working for me because the shirt was getting all bunched up when I was sewing. So mother's ingenuity struck and I decided to use this:

Little C's sidewalk chalk. Remember when we made these for Girls Night? I use mine all the time for crayons, etc.

Anyway, I used the chalk to lightly outline the drawing and then sewed around it.

Not exactly perfect, but I gave it a good shot.

I turned the shirt right side out. You can sort of see the outline that I sewed.

I used small scissors to cut away the white fabric to reveal the navy beneath.

Then I trimmed away some of the excess navy fabric on the back.

Here's what I learned:

1. Sewing circles/ curves is really hard.
2. The ideas I have ALWAYS look much better in my head.
3. When sewing the front of a shirt or onesie, it's really hard not to sew over the scrunched up fabric on the sides/ keep the knit flat and not pulled taut.
4. There appears to be a delay between the time my brain tells my foot to get off the foot pedal and my foot actually obeying. This made me have serious issues trying to sew an outline. Who knew my reflexes were so slow?

Oh, and here's an actual tip and not just another example of me complaining/ whining:

5. Draw your design larger than you want it, because you will lose width when cutting it out. (This didn't make much of a difference for my anchor because it was large to start with).

***********
Conclusion: I must practice more on the dreaded sewing machine, and I need to look up basic sewing tutorials online. There's just no other way around it. I don't want to hate sewing and I'd really like to learn to be better.

All in all the anchor shirt is not that bad, and Little C. will definitely get some wear out of it this summer. It also cost next to nothing to make (the navy blue fabric was a dollar, and the white shirt was on sale for 2.99). $3.99 for a new shirt and a good learning experience? Now I call that a deal!

If I Knew Then What I Know Now

2011-05-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

After making a fall sweater recently, I've been making more of a concerted effort to get my crafting mind to focus on the season at hand for once. There were a couple applique shirt ideas for Little C. floating around up there (you saw the octopus tee last week) and also an idea for an orange crochet shrug for me.

I like to wear tank tops sometimes in the summer, but I usually want to throw something on over them if I'm heading out in case I'm cold or want to cover up. Orange is on trend (this is completely unimportant to the Little Man, and probably also to the pediatrician, and the average person at my local supermarket. And since these are the people with whom I spend the most time it seems kind of pointless to care about it but I do), and crochet is also big for spring/ summer. Why not marry the two into a little shrug, I thought?

I found a pattern that seemed easy and got started on it using Lion Brand Cotton Ease in terracotta.

It was smooth going at first; I was whizzing through the pattern. You start out by making granny squares. I had to make 10 for my size. It probably took a week of on and off crocheting. Wow, this pattern is so fast! I thought as I finished the last large granny.

I looked back at the pattern. Let's see, what was next? Oh, you just make some smaller ones, and a couple half grannies. No big deal. Oh yeah, and then, like, you just sew 'em up, and slap on a collar. SO EASY. I wish I had taken more pictures of "in the making" but I was on a roll and couldn't stop for it. I was going to be finished the shrug in no time. Woo hoo!

After finishing the first 10 granny squares in, like, no time flat, I started on the smaller ones. Then I started on the halves. I started to feel like the project should be close to completion, but all I had were a stack of grannies in different sizes.

Now it was joining time. Ok, now I was nearly finished, right? Maybe I'll be able to wear the shrug tomorrow, I thought, as I searched for the diagram in the pattern that was going to help me put the whole thing together.

No, I wasn't going to be able to wear it tomorrow. Or the next day, or the next...I was in for even more "starts and stops" (as a fellow Ravelry member put it regarding this pattern) as I searched online for the diagram. The link was broken on the original site and it took some detective work on my part to find it on a different website (eventually found it on coatsandclark.com).

Anyway, back to joining the pieces. I knew this part wouldn't be fun. And it wasn't. I don't even have the energy to elaborate on why. When this was finally all finished there was still work to do: I had to tidy up the borders and make it even so I could begin the cuffs/ collar. And after trying it on I had to sew the neck up a little too, so that it fit. It seemed oddly big/ wide to me.

Finally, the end was in sight! Hallelujah! I started the first cuff. I worked on it for about a half hour before I realized that I was doing it completely wrong (I had picked up stitches and started crocheting. FYI: no picking up stitches required). I had to pull it out and begin again.

After the cuffs were mercifully completed, I began my truly final step: the collar. It was slow going (took a couple days) but I kept at it and persevered.

I stepped back to wearily admire my handiwork. Upon closer inspection, I realized I added 3-4 stitches to the width as I got about 1/2 way around. I stared at the imperfection with bleary, bloodshot eyes and considered ripping it out and fixing it.

I considered doing this for approximately 1 second.

Do you think I did ?

**********************
My issues with this pattern mostly have to do with "my issues." I can see some other crocheter enjoying the process and not being impatient with it. I think I expected it to be a pretty fast project, so I kept wanting it to be done already. Also, I'm not the most intuitive knitter/ crocheter and there were some parts of the pattern that weren't spelled out enough for me. That being said, it was also very detailed in some parts. I'm calling it "The Contradiction Shrug".

I definitely think I will be wearing it this summer, so my struggles were not in vain. If I were to make it again (shudder) I would probably make the ribbed collar smaller in width--and not just the part I messed up! I think it will look pretty cute with a white tank top under it (and not the navy shirt I just worked out in).

Attack of the Giant Squid

2011-05-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

When I was making this shirt I kept thinking back to an early assignment I had during my first year of teaching when I was completing my education classes at night.

The science lab teacher at my school was also taking this Integrative Curriculum class with me and we teamed up together for the final assignment. It was a weekly 8 o'clock class. It was across the street from my workplace which was close to an hour away from where I lived. This forced me to stay at work until 8 after teaching all day, attend class until 10, and get home close to 11. Then wake up the next morning at 5:15 for work. Needless to say it WAS NOT FUN!!! Looking back I don't even know how I managed to do it (I had to do the same thing with other classes, and committees as well over the years and I always hated it). The thought of having to do something like that now makes me feel kind of nauseous. Let me repeat: IT WAS SO NOT FUN.

Anyway, despite this hellishness, I loved working on our final assignment. We decided to integrate three subjects into a lesson plan the Science Lab teacher already used about squid dissection. Since I taught English, it was my job to plan how to incorporate it. I knew immediately that the students would become instantly engaged with a multi media introduction to the Giant Squid. We planned to show historical illustrations, and sailor accounts of these enormous sea creatures attacking boats, etc. on the SMART board. Then the students would read the squid description from Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I think the third member of our group was a math teacher, which is probably why I do not remember her contribution at all. You know I tend to block out anything math-related.

Since the students would have already studied about the squid in Science class, they would then have to discuss and write down what was correct or incorrect about the physical descriptions. What was myth/ fact...etc, etc. There was a lot more to the lesson but this was the general thread. By then the students would be really fired up about getting their hands on a real squid and dissecting it. It was always a big shock to them to see how tiny the squid was that they were working with (they were usually about 6 inches long). I'm sure they were expecting the Science Lab teacher to roll in some giant sea monster on a trolley from the hallway.

Trust me, they forgot any minor disappointment they may have initially had as soon as they were able dissect the ink sack; they were to use the ink to write their names on paper and hang it up outside the classroom. Looking back I find it gross and barbaric--and exactly what kids would find fun.

Unfortunately, I never got to use this lesson plan with the Science Lab teacher. I had observed her regular squid lesson that year but she left for a different job the next year and we never got to collaborate. I still think that it would be a great lesson all these years later. And I guess the child-like excitement/ wonder of "sea monsters" hasn't left me because I've been wanting to make Little C. this octopus shirt for almost two years.

I'm not the Science teacher so I can't go into detail about the differences among squid, cuttlefish, or octopi. Although, I'm quite certain that an octopus has 8 tentacles, not 4. I'm calling it artistic license.

This long-in-the-making shirt started with an octopus sketch on a discarded piece of Little C's drawing paper. I made a variety of designs to start with. I initially was going for a mod-vector art-ish look, but my husband liked this illustration better. I really trust his eye on color/ design. I can get way too caught up in those things and complicate matters for the worse, so I almost always go with his opinion on those things.

Then I appliqued the shirt. I have only done this once before, and I definitely need practice. This was also the first time I changed the foot on my sewing machine/ used satin stitch.

I did practice a lot before hand, but I still had some difficulty with the fabric puckering, etc. I should have put some kind of stabilizing fabric on the other side of the shirt, but I was too impatient. Live and learn.

I knew I wanted to use buttons for the suction cup tentacles. When I saw these in the store I knew they were perfect; what a great find!

I'm glad I finally made this idea concrete, and probably just in the nick of time too, while Little C. is still little and into wearing a mom-made shirt with pink buttons on it.

Not My Knits: Blue Zig Zag Blanket

2011-05-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Here is the other zig zag blanket made by my grandmother. Again, all parents know that you can't make a special gift for one child without making one for the other one, or two, or three. My grandmother also adhered to this Even Steven Rule with my sister and me. This blue zig zag blanket was the pair to my pink one, and it spent its time at the foot of my sister's bed.

Just like the Pink Orchard sweater theory for my nieces, my grandmother used the exact same pattern (even down to the variegated yarn as the third color) for both of us.

I know I will be making a zig zag blanket at some point too. Come to think of it, it's not a bad way to use up stash yarn either. Here's some zig zag Flickr inspiration that I've been looking at lately.

But before I get carried away with starting yet another project, I really need to finish the stuff I'm already working on. I am so close to finishing a few things; I really need to buckle down, focus, and complete them already.

Whitewashed

2011-05-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

Human beings tend to follow routines. Even when given the freedom to make alternate choices, the familiar routine seems to win out.

Case in point: when I was in college and FINALLY had the chance to sit wherever I wanted in class (no assigned seats for most classes) I always sat in the same exact seat. If someone took "my seat" before I walked in, I was mildly annoyed about it too, maybe even huffing and puffing a little bit as I sat down, like I'm the Queen of England or something and somebody sat on my throne.

Likewise, when driving to work for seven years, I always drove the same exact route. If there was a detour I'd have a near panic attack about it too, although there were numerous ways to reach my workplace. My anxiety was always so magnified you would have thought the detour was taking me to outer space.

Even now on my daily walks with Little C, I always follow the same route around the neighborhood. I'm a stalker's dream. Why the same route all the time? It just seems like the best route. Because it's the most familiar I guess.

So, what I'm trying to say here is that I'm a pretty routinized person. And it's even starting to show up in my knitting. Remember the Spring Fall Sweater I knit two years in a row? Well, here I go again with the Essential Cardigan-- 2011 edition.

When my sister and I were little I remember we both had delicate, white knit ponchos in a pretty eyelet pattern. We wore them to church a lot over our dresses in the spring when it was still chilly outside. The Essential Cardigan is kind of like my version of that for the Little Man. If he's dressed nicely I prefer a sweater over his outfit, rather than a sporty-looking windbreaker or sweatshirt. Last year's sweater was worn multiple times, so I knew I had to revisit the idea again.

I didn't really follow a pattern again, so it's not perfect. Oh well. I'm not in a contest. I added a little patch pocket on one side for a little interest and also to hold the Little Man's car keys. I can't even imagine those days yet, but much to my dismay, time is already flying by--I'm sure he'll be driving before I can even blink.

Girls Night: April

2011-04-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

Last week we met at P's with husbands and children in tow for Girls Night. I worked on my flower pillow (and finished it the next day--hooray!) and K. started working on a knitted cupcake hat for her littlest one.

P. really put us both to shame because she has been going crazy lately with crafting at her house.

Here's a fun scarf she's knitting with novelty yarn. It produces a very soft and fluffy texture, but takes a little getting used to when knitting; you have to knit in between the puffs of yarn and P. said the stitches didn't always match up with the amount of space she had, etc.

And here's a beautiful ruffled scarf that I love. P. got this kit at the yarn store we all visited together. I hope she's able to finish it. Unfortunately she's had a lot of issues with yarn breaking on this one.

Hopefully she can continue it.

And if that wasn't enough already, the girl went and made herself a dress too!

It's Simplicity Pattern 2369. Now that she's played around with it in brown jersey knit, she's going to try it again with this print:

As K. remarked, it's very Diane von Furstenberg. I'm so impressed. Now she's getting me inspired to try my hand at an actual sewing pattern. I don't know though. The sewing machine and I don't always get along.

I was so excited by all the craftiness going on. But I was even more excited about this cotton candy vodka drink (left) and whipped cream vodka (on the right). Who knew they made vodka in those flavors?

I can't forget my hastiness to eat these desserts either (the scale certainly didn't forget). Gotta love Cowboy Cookies and chocolate covered pretzels.

It was a very fun craft night and good to see the girls. I was so inspired afterwards that I was determined to finish my flower pillow. The next day I added strips of leftover yellow flowered fabric from C's baby quilt. I then top stitched it to the flower top, stuffed in the pillow form, and sewed it closed.

I presented it and the doll blanket to my nieces on Easter.

They really liked them and that made me most excited of all.

Spring Stash Cleaning: Twister Doll Blanket

2011-04-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

I'm a pretty ~~stubborn~~ determined person. When I have my mind set on something I'm probably going to do EVERYTHING (legally speaking) possible to make it happen. It sounds nice when you call it perseverance or determination, but truthfully, it's really just about stubbornness. I'm like a donkey that won't budge when it comes to certain things (like maybe about using up my yarn stash). Unfortunately the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The Little Man has been starting to show this trait with a vengeance since he entered full fledged toddlerdom and man, am I getting a taste of my own medicine.

Little C. and I have been battling over his emerging values. These pillars include:

drinking water ONLY out of the blue plastic cup--not the green one! For the love of God, not the green one, so help us!
reading Little Quack Dial-a-Duck (the sequel to Little Quack Hide and Seek) no less than 10 times in a row.
"sweeping" (and I use that term expansively) the floor anytime he catches sight of a broom. This is fine in our own home, but he had a fit in the fabric store over the weekend when he saw a maintenance man with a dustpan and broom and wasn't allowed to "sweep" the floor himself.
watching Guy Fieri on the Food Network when he is eating his lunch/ snack as well as Ina Garten during dinner (God help me when they change the lineups).
only eating food that is smothered in tomato sauce or apple sauce.

While coping with the development of my son's determination and perseverance, I have been doggedly going through my stash and trying to use up yarn. I'm making progress on the flower pillow for my niece, but red warning lights and sirens starting going off in my head when I realized that I couldn't give something to one little niece without giving something to the other one. (this post of mine pretty much covers that topic). Thankfully, that's when I spotted these forgotten Circles in the Square that I made for her two years ago.

When I made the "Twister" throw for her back then I overestimated the number of squares I needed. Hence, I was left with 3 strips of joined granny squares and about 5 that were unjoined--all sitting in a bag in my closet. I didn't have any idea what to do with them until I remembered how much my niece loves her baby doll. All baby dolls need a blanket, don't they? I merely had to join the strips and assorted squares, sew in a bunch of ends, and block it. Voila! A doll blanket for my niece that matches her throw.

I have one odd square left. Now what do I do with that? A washcloth? A coaster? A book cover for Little Quack Dial-A -Duck?

Maybe I'll just keep it as a stash busting memento. I'm almost as excited to be lightening my stash as I am to be giving this to my niece. Hope her baby doll likes it.

April Flowers

2011-04-14T11:08:00.000-07:00

These flowers are very addictive.

And they're another way to use up stash yarn.

This will eventually turn into a pillow.

I'm going to try to get a pillow form this weekend so I know how many more to make.

Until then I guess I'll just keep making them.

Like I said, they are really addictive.

The pattern is from here. I love all the different color combinations other crocheters used on Ravelry and would love to make one in a wide variety of colors, but I have this earmarked for a special little someone already and these colors match her bed spread (mostly). I'll probably revisit the pattern again later and go crazy with color. Wouldn't this make a great throw at the bottom of a little girl's bed in a bunch of pinks, greens, oranges, lavenders? I've been yearning to make some girly things lately and this pattern fit the bill. I used a 3.75 mm hook and a mishmash of acrylic yarns.

Not My Knits: Newborn Sweaters

2011-04-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I loved about my old teaching career was the creative environment that was always present. No matter what subject (even math!) there were numerous creative possibilities hanging about, only waiting for the teacher or student to grab them.

The school where I worked thrived on creativity, and I remember many a workshop tapping into the creative side of the faculty's mind. There were many challenges associated with my pre-baby career, but there were also a lot of psychic rewards like this.

One such creative outlet was started by the school art teacher. One year she thought it would be a good idea to participate in Warm Up America. Like Crochet a Rainbow, participants knit (or crochet) squares which are then joined together to make blankets. Warm Up America benefits various people in need.

The students and some faculty members set to work making their squares. A lot of us didn't know what we were doing and came together as a community after school to learn this new skill.

I had a little experience with knitting (not much) and a little more with crochet. I remember the school librarian asking me for advice on her knitting. She had never picked up needles before in her life. I offered the little knowledge I had and didn't think much more about it. The Warm Up America project had ended, and we all moved on with different things.

The following year I noticed the librarian carrying around a tote with knitting needles sticking out of it. I asked to see what she was making and she shyly showed it to me. It was a gorgeous pink baby blanket with cables and bobbles (in a beautiful cashmere-like luxury yarn, I might add). The blanket was stunning and I was overcome with awe. "Wow, you made this?" I gushed. She nodded proudly. It was for her soon-to-be-born, first grandchild. I was shocked that this woman who had never knit before the year prior, had taken to the craft like a pro. It was very inspiring. It made me want to knit like never before because I had clearly seen how far she had come in so little time. People learn how to knit, I finally saw. It wasn't a skill people are just born with, I told myself, so what was stopping me from trying it too?

All throughout that year I saw the librarian's prolific work: a knitted shell and cardigan set she wore to work, a fisherman's sweater with aran cables for her husband, a felted purse...Everyday she toted in her bag of knitting; it was a daily reminder that I wanted to do it too.

Our roles reversed as I questioned her about her needles, her yarn, how did she know what she was doing (she asked the ladies at her local yarn shop), when did she find time to knit (in bed at night or early in the morning), how did she keep her place in the pattern (she wrote down notes and pinned them to her actual knitted rows). My old co-worker doesn't know it, but she was a huge influence on me and why I wanted to start knitting.

For various reasons, I never quite made the time to delve into knitting wholeheartedly until after I had Little C. and left teaching. Maybe this is part of the reason I have so much stock-piled yarn. I bought the yarn back then with the hope that I was somehow also buying the time to use it, much like buying books you want to read from the bookstore and then having them sit on your shelves at home unread.

There are things I miss about teaching, but one thing I don't miss is the prep work and grading that filled many of my evenings. Not having that looming responsibility has freed up a lot of time and allowed me to jump into this hobby and finally learn about the craft. It feels good to be the student right now instead of the teacher.

About the pattern:

These sweet little garter stitch sweaters look like they are made from the One-Piece Baby Kimono pattern in Mason-Dixon Knitting. My old coworker graciously made these for me and presented them, along with a matching baby blanket at my work baby shower. They are made in a soft (organic?) cotton and fitted with cute little bow ties at the side. One is tan and the other a steel blue. It's hard to decipher the colors b/c the pictures are so dark. It has been pretty overcast lately, and the light has been terrible.

The first days of having Baby C. were kinda rough (he was wonderful; I was pretty beat up though) so he never got to wear these. He spent his first weeks in comfy sleepers and play sets; I did not have the ability to play dress up with him. Instead these sweaters hang over his changing table as part of the nursery decor. Incidentally, I've been able to see and enjoy these little sweaters every day--a daily reminder of knitting inspiration.

Ah Spring! When a Young Knitter's Fancy Turns to Fall (2011)

2011-03-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Last year I wrote an identically titled post about a fall-ish sweater and hat that I made for Little C. I called it his Fall Stripes Sweater. This spring I realized that I did the same exact thing and made another fall-like sweater for the little guy. I guess this is in keeping with my natural tendency to think around 6-12 months ahead: you know, the usual wool blankets/ Christmas knitting in July, fall colors during springtime, etc. I may think contrary to the season but at least I'm consistent.

Whenever I have a creative flurry of inspiration in my brain I usually don't act on it right away. I sort of let the ideas sit and percolate, marinate (or some other "-ate"). I feel like if an idea is worth doing, then it will stay in your mind. I either forget the lesser ones, or dismiss them if I'm not feeling it. Sometimes an idea is over a year old by the time I wind up getting around to implementing it.

Other times an idea is sort of a sleeper. That is the case with this sweater. Last September or October I received a Janie and Jack postcard in the mail with a 20% off coupon attached. I noticed a cute little boy on the front of it wearing a brown sweater with pumpkin-esque colors in a raised garter stitch. Then I threw the postcard out with the rest of junk mail and went on with my life.

The image must have been lying dormant in my mind, however, because a couple months ago I became obsessed with this sweater when I realized that I had these colors in my stash yarn. I searched for images of the original online but could not find it ANYWHERE. Oh, Internet, how you have failed me!

I tried to remember what I had liked so much about the sweater. What were the features that jumped out at me and made me pause? I had to go on just a quick glance I had taken at the postcard.

The sweater was brown--Check
It had a raised garter stitch in varying colors--Check
It had pumpkin colors of orange and green--Check

That was it. And I'm not certain about orange and green being the only colors of the garter ridge either. I was initially going to add tan, but changed my mind. I don't think the original had a zipper, or a collar like the one I made, but I truly can't remember. I'm pretty sure that what struck me the most about the original sweater was its pumpkin-y feeling. Being the pumpkin lover that I am, I know that's what made this image stick in my head.

I used the beginning of the Toddler Raglan Hoodie pattern, just as a starting point to know how many stitches to cast on and to follow the beginning of the raglan pattern. And one final thing: the zipper was a royal pain! I could not find the right length, so I bought a long one hoping to shorten it. I'm pretty sure that this is totally possible, but I don't know how to do it and I didn't bother to look up a tutorial online (b/c I'm lazy). Hence, the zipper is totally jerry-rigged. Ugh.

Is it silly to make a sweater 6 months in advance for a growing little boy? Yes, of course. But I just had to make this idea come to fruition. Hello, it's spring time, people! Time to get out the fall fashion.... Anyway, it's out of my system now and I do have some fun spring/summer ideas floating around in my head. Can't wait to get them started.

Fixed Knits

2011-03-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

As you can see by the sweater's tag, I did not make this. But I noticed recently that I have been looking at sweater patterns to knit for myself that are very very similar to this design. I bookmarked this pattern in particular a month or so ago and fantasized about making it. (Yes, embarrassingly, I have fantasies about knitting). It really has become a sickness.

Anyway, it finally struck me that I had this purple sweater upstairs in my closet. I love these easy, drapey cardigans because you can mindlessly throw them on with a casual outfit, they allow you to stop sucking in your stomach 24/7, and they're as comfortable as wearing a robe. This purple sweater rarely got worn, however, because it didn't just feel like a robe; it looked like a robe, mainly because of these wing-like, kimono-style sleeves:

I have held on to this sweater--every so often taking it out and putting it on, somehow thinking it would look different--because I really wanted to wear it. It would be perfect if it weren't for those sleeves. As much as I like the knitting pattern I've bookmarked, I feel it's too ambitious for me right now. Again, I'm having a hard time concentrating on reality TV; there's no way I can concentrate on a lace chart. So, I thought I'd give it a shot at altering this existing sweater. If I destroyed it, no big deal (I never wore it anyway b/c of the elephant-like arms). And if it turned out then I could stop thinking about knitting one.

It should be noted that the only reason why I even thought to do this was because of an extremely creative and talented sewing/designing blogger, Kathleen Frances of Grosgrain. She devoted an entire month to sweater alterations/ embellishments recently. I saw her cut up and sew a ton of sweaters (something I never thought to do before) during her Embellish Knit Month tutorials.

What I did was super easy. I put the sweater on inside out, pinned along my arm and side (to get rid of the elephantitis), took the sweater off, sewed alongside the pins, then cut the piece away.

I worried that there would be a lot of fraying (I don't have a serger or anyway to enclose the seam), but it has not been an issue after all. I know there is also some glue-like thing you can buy to prevent fraying, but I don't know the name of it.

This was so easy and vastly improved the sweater. It's wearable now!

Because this project went so well and I had the sewing machine out, I thought I'd finally hem the new work out pants (yes, I'm still in my sweatpants rut) I just got. One leg went fine. The next leg I had to rip out and sew three times because I kept hemming them backwards. I'm not exaggerating either. Three times. I'm still shaking my head about that one.

***
Other knits that were fixed this past week:

I sewed in Little C.'s zipper--a navy blue one. I sewed it in by hand this time and that worked out better than the machine.

And here's his completed striped cardigan with the buttons on. Also hand sewed by yours truly:

After sewing some buttons on my husband's clothes this week too, I'm totally over sewing; the sewing machine has been banished to its corner in the spare bedroom once again.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

2011-03-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

I knew that once I started bragging about keeping my resolutions (of using up stash yarn) I would take a serious tumble into yarn-buying oblivion. It is not entirely my fault: It was a couple weeks ago. I was on a pleasant Saturday outing with the girls. We visited a local, genuine yarn store that I didn't know existed. It's all a blur now, but I remember getting out of the car with the sun pouring down on my unsuspecting head. The wind blew through my hair as I opened the door of the little shop, the tiny bell above me tinkling merrily. It took a second for my eyes to become accustomed to the light. When they did I saw that I had walked into heaven! The luxurious yarns sat blinking innocently at me from their shelves in an array of colors and textures that joyously overwhelmed me. Everywhere I turned were beautiful yarns that I have tried to ignore ever since I started knitting. Gorgeous, high-quality yarns that were made from diamond-encrusted alpacas that graze on Mt. Olympus, and spun into gold by Rumpelstiltskin. Yes, they were that beautiful.

I felt myself spinning around, my senses overloaded. I couldn't resist touching the soft, silky ball of mohair sitting right in front of me. I could have sworn that the yarn purred lovingly under my hand. Everywhere I looked was another wonder. There was no way I was walking out of there without something. I knew it. The yarn knew it. The store clerks knew it.

Despite losing my senses, I did manage to keep my cool enough to buy a good value yarn--220 yards of washable wool. This is very necessary and practical for a child's garment. I somehow came away with buying a pattern, however, that I didn't ever expect to make? Also, because I had to hold the yarn double-stranded for the pattern, I needed to buy double the yarn amount, which was not a good economical choice. Again, I was overwhelmed.

I have justified my resolution-breaking guilt by telling myself that this is a special gift for Little C. His birthday is coming up soon. This sweater vest is pretty versatile and the color looks so handsome on him; it's close to the color of his eyes. All parents know that it's much easier on the conscience to splurge on your child than it is on yourself. I am still looking for an appropriate zipper. I can't find a color match, so I'm still considering my options. I'm hoping to sew one in sometime in the next week or so.

The "pattern that I did not intend to buy" turned out to be really enjoyable, fast, and a pleasure to use. I would definitely recommend it. It's called Bulky Hooded Vest for Children from Knitting Pure & Simple. It also has instructions for a variety of sizes, so I can see myself revisiting this again. The vest is also unisex, which is handy in case I ever have a little girl.

In spite of my guilt, it was a wonderful experience. I am left with some problems now, though.
1. I have almost 2 whole skeins left of this yarn and I have no idea what to do with it
2. I have become mercilessly spoiled by working with this yarn
3. I can't stop thinking about some of the luxury yarns I saw at the yarn store, like Rowan Lima (so soft and squishy!), and Aslan Trends del Sur (slubby, thick and thin) among others.

Since I don't even know what I would make with those yarns if I had them, it's back to stash-busting and some stripey sweaters for Little C.

My Nemesis

2011-03-06T18:02:00.000-08:00

When I was in second grade I stopped writing down my math assignments in my homework planner. I figured if I didn't write it down, I would not have to do it. And somehow math would sort of just disappear from my life.

After a day or two of my mother asking me why I did not have math homework at night and me responding that we "don't have any" (what a deceitful child I must have been!) my teacher scheduled a conference with my parents about why I was not doing my math homework.

The adults looked at me questioningly, accusingly, perplexedly during the conference. "S--, why aren't you writing down your math homework????" they wondered.

The answer was simple. "Because I don't like it," I responded in my little girl's voice. Psychiatrists could have a field day with this response, especially how it relates to the rest of my life events! Ha! God forbid I should ever have to do something I don't want to do.

Anyway, sadly I had to start doing my math homework. Even though I really really really didn't want to. Also, math did not disappear from my life. Even when I got into my major (English) in college and didn't have to take any more math classes. Even after taking GREs and teacher certification tests. Math was still there. And ladies and gentlemen, even now. MATH IS STILL HERE.

Math is like a rash or a fungus that keeps coming back. I need it to halve a recipe I'm making, to know how much paint to buy for a room, and I even needed it to knit this sweater.

This sweater is not knit from a traditional pattern. It's called the Incredible Custom Fit Raglan. Basically, there's a worksheet that you use in order to calculate how many stitches you need based on the measurements you've taken. In other words, this is really math-y. There was measuring, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division involved with some fraction work. Even just using the word "worksheet" makes me think of math. Which, in turn, makes my armpits start to sweat.

Somehow I suffered through all of this just fine. It wasn't even that complicated, and I'm really not as bad at math as I like to paint myself. (I remember even enjoying calculus in high school--even getting A's in it). I guess I tend to just shut my brain down at the thought of math because, well, ~~I don't like it~~ I prefer other things.

The sweater did turn out ok in spite of my math-resistance. The v-neck has a crocheted border; I intended on adding 2x2 ribbing to the neck, but I had to pull it out because it wouldn't fit over C's gigantic head. The color is extremely vibrant in person and was picked out personally by my father for C. It makes me think of lush green grass after a rain. Or leprechauns and pots of gold. Little C. has red hair--a lot like a shiny copper penny. He will look just like a leprechaun when he wears this. He's totally wearing it on St. Patrick's Day.

The Jewelry Party

2011-02-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I was invited to a jewelry party at a neighbor's house. It was a rare occasion where my husband was out on his own, so I had to stay at home with Little C and didn't get to go. I consoled myself by eating mostly everything in the house and watching shows I normally don't watch when my husband is around (like cold case, forensic files-type stuff). It was actually kind of fun.

In between stuffing my mouth with food and following the tales of twisted serial killers, I had my own private jewelry party at home and made this necklace. People, if you have not started making your own costume jewelry yet, get out there and do it! It is so fun and easy and inexpensive. Plus, you are not limited to what is in the stores; you can make exactly what you want, in the color you want, etc.

I like to look at Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and Anthropologie online sometimes and see their jewelry designs/ trends. This entire year I have been struck with how "DIY" it all looks. The prices do not reflect that, of course. I have basic jewelry-making skills. So if I feel like I can make a necklace or a pair of earrings when I see them in a store, there's no way in hell I can buy them. I am physically unable to buy them.

Anyway, I spent under 10 bucks for the materials for this necklace (of which I still have plenty left). It also took under 20 minutes to make. I bought gray pearls, and smaller charcoal pearls and strung them on to clear elastic cording. When I had one long strand of all gray and all charcoal pearls, I folded it in half at the color break and knotted off the other ends. I took a twisted trim (silky gray cording and silver) that I got at the craft store for about 2 dollars and also folded it in half with the beads. I then braided the strands together and tied off the other end. Full disclosure: the end that was not merely folded over, was a little messy. I just wound the black sheer ribbon around it a couple times to cover it up. I added the ribbon to the other side and that's it!

I wore the necklace the very next day (with the bow on the side). Much to my delight, it did not break and send beads flying all over the place. I really liked the way it looked on; it made the outfit.

I had so much fun and am so happy with the results that there has got to be more jewelry-making in my future. Maybe inspiration will strike if I spend another night home alone.

Update: I attended a different, real-life jewelry party just a couple days ago. We were shown a really cool trick using ribbon to create a similar effect to the necklace I made. So easy! All you need is a long necklace and ribbon. Here's the Youtube link illustrating it.

Every Monday is New Year's Day

2011-02-21T09:25:00.000-08:00

They say that most people abandon their New Year's resolutions by the second week of February. Because I made so many resolutions this year that was bound to happen to me, right?

Well, not exactly. Fortunately, I manage to see every week as a little year in and of itself. For example, when it comes to diet and exercise? I seem to diet strictly and exercise every day until, oh, about Friday afternoon, when my Id takes over and starts wrecking havoc on everything. The weekend is a hedonistic blur of food and drink. The only exercise that occurs (like getting up to walk to the refrigerator) is done by accident and with disdain. By the time Monday rolls around, I have had my fill of excess and need to detox. It's New Year's Day all over again, my resolutions are fresh, my soul is wiped clean of its sins, and my saintly determination is ready to begin anew with a fervor never before seen by humanity. This feeling lasts all through the week, but then before you know it it's Friday again and my Id takes over and....yeah, yeah, you heard this part already.

I may have to start over every Mon. when it comes to diet and exercise (at least I keep trying, right?) but I am happy to report that my stash-busting resolution is still going strong. I made Little C this striped hoodie completely from scrap yarn. This is probably my favorite thing I've ever knit even though I had to weave in a TON of ends. I basically followed this pattern but knit a second hood in navy next to the striped version so I could line it. I also added some clear plastic buttons later but didn't get a picture.

Unfortunately, Little C grew a lot in the month and half it took me to make this. I thought he would be able to wear this in the spring though he'll probably only be able to wear this for a short time. Oh well. Maybe I'll use this pattern again in a bigger size for next year.

***
Also finished my other 6 squares for Crochet a Rainbow

Charity in Focus: Crochet a Rainbow

2011-02-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

It has been well over a year since I have participated in a crochet or knitting charity. This had been nagging at me periodically off and on, but I always seemed to push the feeling aside or get busy with other things.

I managed to keep puttering away with things...then the terrible flooding in Australia was all over the news (and then they were hit with a cyclone on top of everything else!) I felt very badly for the people suffering there as I always do during a tragic event. With this particular event, however, I was also personally worried because my favorite crochet designer/ blogger (Sarah London) lives in Australia; I hoped that she and her family/ friends were not affected.

Fortunately Sarah London was not affected in the way that I had feared. However, she was affected in a charitable way that will hopefully bring a little hope and comfort to the people who are suffering.

Sarah started a crochet group called Crochet a Rainbow. Crocheters can make brightly colored granny squares which she will then sew together to make blankets for the people who are experiencing this tragedy.

I've always admired Sarah's modern crochet designs and brilliant color combinations; looking at her work can't help but brighten your mood. I hope the blankets provide that same feeling to these poor people.

I had never made a granny square like this, which is a traditional square (I have a crochet book that calls it an "Old American Square"). This is also another great way to use up stash yarn. I've made 6 so far and plan to make some more. Then off to Australia they go!

Girls Night: January

2011-02-08T13:11:00.000-08:00

It was my turn to host Girls Night the last week of January. Even though we had decided not to do small crafts for awhile, I had to make these pom pom flowers when I saw them featured in Country Living Magazine under Valentine's Crafts.

Since this is in keeping with my stash-busting resolution, I thought it would be nice to make the pom poms with the girls. The stems were also recycled from some of those "stick thingies" left over from Christmas. This time in green instead of gold.

The magazine showcased their flowers in antique glass bottles along a mantel. I do not have any antique bottles hanging about, so plain flower vases had to suffice.

It was definitely a fun and easy craft. And it's provided little pops of color in the house during an especially dreary Jan.-Feb.

And the best thing of all about these flowers? You don't have to water them!

Girls Night Long Term Project: Take 2

2011-01-25T08:45:00.000-08:00

I've been diligently working on my basket weave blanket which, as you may recall, was supposed to be my long term project for Girls Night. I abandoned it as an idea for craft night because I was crocheting it so quickly. I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with another idea that I could work on during these meetings. It had to be something easy, fun, and practical. I normally don't make New Year's resolutions (this year I made so many I had to write them all down. I just counted and there are 22 of them--don't ask!) One of the craft-related resolutions was to be more resourceful with the materials I already have. For knitters and crocheters this means "stash-busting."

I really hate waste. Whenever I knit or crochet something I always look at the little ball of yarn left after a project and think, 'Now what am I supposed to do with that?' I always figured I would eventually make a scrap blanket of all these leftover yarns, but I hadn't found a pattern that I wanted to use. Until now! This pattern was exactly what I was looking for.

These little circles will eventually have a white (or cream, or beige, or gray) square border around each one. And then I'll sew them all together. Right now I'm just having fun making the different colored circles though. They're fun, provide instant gratification, and they're helping me meet my resolution to be more resourceful.

They're perfect for the meetings with the girls. I have a lot more yarn to filter in, so I can see this being a very long term project indeed.

Not My Knits: Pink Zig Zag Blanket

2011-01-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

The other day I got to thinking about where my crochet/ knitting obsession originated. It feels like it was an overnight thing: one day I was a normal young (ish) woman, minding my own business, and the next thing you know I was tackled by this tremendous urge to crochet/ knit. All the time.

I started to feel victimized by the power of this addiction. And if it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone.

Then I realized that I'm probably not that "normal" in the first place (but who is?) And that the obsession wasn't an "overnight thing" at all. In fact, the groundwork had been laid in my childhood. Maybe even in my very DNA.

I mentioned before how craftiness is in my blood. Clearly being surrounded by such talented ladies--or more truthfully--being surrounded by the finished objects of such talented ladies had a huge influence on me and my appreciation for handmade things. You can't spend years under the blankets that someone has spent literally hours and hours crocheting for you without thinking about the artistic decisions and skill that went into them.

This is one such blanket. The Pink Zig Zag blanket that spent some time at the foot of my childhood bed, and spent much time in my parents' TV room. It's a blanket that both of my childhood pets loved (by the way, ever notice how cats and dogs are instinctively drawn to knitted or crocheted throws? It's like a magnet) and I have vivid images of them curled up on top of it. I borrowed it from my parents this month to take a photograph of it. As it sat folded up in my house while I waited to give it back to them, I was astounded to discover how much it felt like "home" to me. It was such a comforting object and had such a nostalgic "home" feeling to it. Some things can be very powerful like that. But I hadn't really ever experienced that feeling to such a degree before with a physical object. It's fitting, I suppose, because this is a blanket that was made by my own grandmother's hands. Each stitch crocheted by her.

I know that this blanket is one of the stops along the way on my crochet/ knitting journey. Now that I know more about the craft I can appreciate my grandmother's sense of color (she stuck to a pink hue and alternated three colors, one being a variegated yarn which brought in a touch of light brown); her consistency (I can't see any mistakes, her gauge doesn't change, and she single crocheted a border around the entire blanket using a pattern instead of just going about willy-nilly, which I unfortunately tend to do); and her pattern choice. I know zig zags or chevrons have been very popular in the past. They have a more modern feel to them today (sometimes softened into ripples instead of zig zags). They could even be considered quite fashionable since they are always visible when it comes to the design house Missoni ( a beautiful, Missoni-inspired, knitted chevron blanket pattern can be found here). It's a pattern that I know my grandmother must have enjoyed making because there are several more of these blankets at my parents' house that I grew up with. From my own experience with the earflap hats, I know that you only revisit a pattern if you really like it.

I plan on showcasing these blankets here in the future. I've decided to periodically highlight some of the crocheted and knitted pieces that have surrounded me as a child and as an adult in a series of posts titled "Not My Knits." It's a way for me to pay homage to the people--both living and deceased--who have made these items, and it's also a way for me to understand how they influenced me directly or indirectly.

Who knows, but after studying my grandmother's blanket for so long I'm kind of wanting to make one myself now! Remember, it's in my blood.

Forgotten Hat

2011-01-16T09:53:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in the hustle and bustle of the new year, I forgot all about this little hat I made for Baby N.

I had been half-heartedly sorting some photos on the computer and came across these. I totally forgot I made this for her for Christmas. Lethargy + Mommy Brain+ Fatigue+ A Mild Cold= ....wait, what was I talking about? Anyway, I've been in a bit of a slump and have been having trouble focusing.

I do remember that when I was crocheting it I kept referring to it as the "Snow bunny Hat." She is quite the adorable, plump little thing-the kind of baby where you want to pinch their cheeks all the time; I bet she looks every bit the snow bunny in it. I used my all-time favorite pattern for the hat as always.

Despite feelings of inertia, I have actually been working on some things lately. It's not that I am lacking inspiration; I'm kind of in inspiration overload and feel like there are a million things that I want to make all at once, and all right now, this very minute! Sometimes this feeling winds up making me immobile instead of being the catalyst to get my butt moving. But I'm sure I will slowly get myself together once I kick this cold.

Warm and Cozy

2011-01-06T10:49:00.000-08:00

Even though I have fallen into the mom rut of wearing sweatpants most of the time (in my defense, watching after Little C. is pretty physical work; I am always crawling around on the floor, squatting to pick crap up, struggling to put him in his car seat, crib, or grocery shopping cart. Why not wear work out clothes?), I still have my finger on the pulse of what's in fashion, even if I, ahem, choose not to follow the trends.

From the fashion sidelines, I witnessed cowls make their debut last year. I was excited to see that they were still relevant this year, along with moebius scarves and plain, long circular scarves. I had noticed a great pattern over the summer for a designer-inspired cowl, and I was excited to make it as a gift this Christmas.

It was a quick knit, fun to make, and a good learning project (I learned the kitchener stitch and provisional cast on). I made a little gift tag to go with it using Picasa and Picnik too.

I had planned on making another cowl, but I didn't get around to it. There are a number of cowl and circular scarf patterns that I'm interested in knitting, but it occurred to me that I wear sweatpants ALL THE TIME! These will not be enhanced at all by a trendy scarf. Oh well, maybe I'll clean up my act this year and get off the fashion sidelines. Maybe I will resolve to stop wearing fleece 24/7. And maybe I'll even get around to knitting a circular scarf for myself. But I'll have to check first to see if they're still trendy for Fall/ Winter 2011.

Even Steven: Why I Got a Bike for my Sister's Birthday

2010-12-26T15:31:00.000-08:00

Anyone with kids close in age, especially of the female persuasion, knows that you can't get a present for one without getting one for the other too. Preferably the exact same gift but maybe in a different color.

Because if one of the children gets a gift and the other one doesn't, a melt-down will happen approximately 98% of the time. (The other 2% of the time, you might be able to distract the kid with candy or ice cream or something, but this is only if you are a very lucky type of person).

I knew this before I even became a parent because I was a child who had a melt-down on my sister's 9th birthday. Because she was getting a bike and I was getting nothing. Because it was her birthday, not mine. I remember being in the bicycle store with my family. I watched my sister pick out a shiny white 10 speed with an innocent and joyful smile. Hooray for the birthday girl!

Covetousness filled my veins, encompassing my body, filling my entire being with the desire, no, the absolute NECESSITY to have my own bike too. As my sister chose her rightful present, I spotted a peach, Huffy dirt bike (it was the 80s). It beckoned coyly to me from the corner of the store, the fluorescent lights overhead reflecting off the mesmerizing, polished metal. Plastic streamers dangled alluringly from the gleaming handlebars. I had never seen anything so beautiful. I had never wanted anything like I wanted this bike.

I immediately burst into tears and tried to negotiate with my father. It could be my birthday present--an early birthday present--I slobbered with snot running down my face. Looking back, I know I was being completely sincere. I truly felt that I could just have a birthday present 6 months in advance and then not need anything else when my birthday finally rolled around. Maybe I could get advanced all my future birthday presents?

I must have been pathetic enough for my parents to take pity on me (or else I'm just a spoiled brat) because I did get that perfect, wonderful, beautiful bike. Even though it was my sister's big day and not mine. Of course I got a birthday present later in the year as well. I'm sure I forgot all about my gift-advance by the time my birthday arrived.

Because of this experience I have always tried to be very even with siblings when giving gifts. Maybe it's because I have a deep sensitivity to how the children feel, or it could be a way to atone for my past childhood sins. Whatever the reason, I knitted my nieces nearly identical sweaters for Christmas.

I loved knitting these, although the lace pattern was a challenge for me at first; I had to rip it out three times (that was a lot of wasted time!!!) before I got it right. The pattern is called Pink Orchard. I followed the pattern's colors for the first sweater and then changed them to raspberry and electric blue for my younger niece. It was fun to knit something girly for once. There are so many pretty patterns for girls. Boy clothing can sometimes be a little boring. I hope the girls like them, and I hope the sweaters fit ok.

The fit is not the important part though. The important part is that they both have the same gift! Melt-down averted. Although I'd like to think that my nieces are above the sibling jealousy that plagued their aunt.

Christmas Odds and Ends

2010-12-23T12:19:00.000-08:00

So I think I finally got my Christmas mojo back after our annual Cookie Swap this week. The girls all made their favorites: K made chocolate dipped macaroons, and her famous tri-color Italian cookies. P made yummy spritz and delectable chocolate chip,as well as her coconut macaroons. I made snowballs, peanut butter, and snickerdoodles. K was a wonderful hostess and it was a great way to begin Christmas week.

Most of my cookies are bagged or boxed and ready to be handed out as treats to some neighbors, etc. I still have a little baking magic left in me and plan on making some more chocolate chip cookies and a childhood favorite of my husband's: kipfels. I get such a cookie-baking sickness at this time of year. I don't know what it is, but I have this insane compulsion to BAKE, BAKE, BAKE. And the more variety the better.

Besides cookies, I've made some other little food items to give as gifts. Hope this Country Soup warms the gift recipient. The ingredients look pretty all layered together too.

I also made some "Mommy and Me" cookies for K and my sister-in-law. I know their children are into baking right now; this could be a good activity if it's snowy or rainy and the kids can't go outside to play. Although, um, it might be more of an activity for the mommies than the kids. Sorry, Moms!

Well, it's pretty enough to use as a decoration if they don't want to make the cookies.

This idea is from Bakerella. These are her Cowboy Cookies. I loved the idea so much when I first saw it. And guess what? So did K. She also reads Bakerella's blog, and she made me a gift jar for Christmas too! Very funny. Great minds think alike. It is such a cute idea; I guarantee there are thousands of these jars floating around this year!

My final Christmas treat is Snowman Poop. I saw the idea on the web a couple months ago and knew I had to make them for gift toppers--I am really immature. Last year I crocheted pretty snowflakes for gift toppers. This year? Poop. Unfortunately my printer ran out of blue ink, but here's how the label was supposed to look:

And on that scatological note, I hope you have a very merry Christmas!

Feeling Scroogey

2010-12-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays. I really do. Each year I get really excited about all of the Christmas activities I want to participate in: the holiday events, light shows, Christmas villages, decorations, cookie swaps...all while listening to songs by Andy Williams and Bing Crosby and smelling cinnamon and nutmeg wafting through my kitchen.

Somehow, this year Christmas has snuck up on me though, and I'm suddenly realizing that I have probably missed my chance to attend the majority of these extravaganzas. Note to self for next year: the second weekend in Dec. is the best time to take advantage of the above. It's probably not a huge loss because Little C. isn't really big enough to know what's going on this year. However, I definitely have to be more organized about it for next Christmas.

Even though I've been thinking about Christmas since July and doing my Christmas knitting/ crocheting since then, I have been pretty lethargic about holiday decorations this year as well. I was unable to put out my usual decor because Little C. would have pulled everything down like a rabid monkey. Due to my husband's prodding we did put up a tree, but it is surrounded by a plastic, circular gate (courtesy of my sister-in-law). It does a fantastic job of keeping Little C. from rappelling off this evergreen wonder, but it does sort of kill the holiday mood to have such an eyesore sitting in the middle of the living room. It's kind of reminiscent of a dog kennel but without the accompanying pee-smell.

Anyway, I have been trying to get out of this miniature pre-holiday funk by getting my cookie-making supplies ready (I have a cookie swap next week), wrapping the gifts, blasting a little Bing on Grooveshark, and by making this beaded crochet star for the top of my tree. I used to use a big pink and gold bow as a tree topper but I can't find it anywhere in the bins of decorations, and now that I have a son, I've been rethinking my gold and pink color scheme. I thought I'd change it up this year by making a new topper. Nothing says "manly" like crochet beads, right?

This technique is the same used for the crochet necklaces I was obsessed with this summer. First, take embroidery floss (preferably the kind on a spool so you'll have enough length) and string a ton of beads onto it. You can always take them off at the end if you have too many, but if you run out of floss or beads while crocheting, you're basically out of luck.

Then crochet whatever design you want. I started off with chaining 10 and joining in a circle, then double crocheting 20 sts into the circle. From there I chained off the center, and then came back using double crochets into the center. Then I started off another spoke, alternating long and short lengths. The final step was crocheting the border around the edge.

I just eyeballed it (which is why it's not very symmetrical). I didn't know if this would even work out so I didn't really bother with figuring out how to make it work mathematically. Also, I'm feeling lethargic! And, I'm not a very mathematical person anyway.

I starched it and pinned it like I did with my crochet snowflakes last year. Even though it was stiff, it was a little floppy still when it dried; it wasn't working out so well as a tree topper.

So I decided to reinforce the back, just using those "gold thingies" sticking out of the tree. That is their official name, you know.

I just cut them to support the long spokes going to the center and used a glue gun to attach. It's one of the first times in my life I've used a glue gun and have not burned myself. Hooray!

The supports were definitely necessary. Even though the topper is only one dimensional, it works with the tree for now. Maybe I'll think about switching it up next year. I'll add it to my list of things I'd like to accomplish for next year's Christmas.

Girls Night Longterm Project

2010-12-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

So, remember how I mentioned that instead of working on small crafts for each Girls Night, we decided to individually pick a long project to work on each time we meet instead? Well, this is it.

This is the beginning of a throw blanket, crocheted in a basket weave pattern. The basket weave effect is produced by using front and back post double crochets. The pattern can be found on lionbrand.com, but you have to register to view it, I think. I'm using 3 double crochets; the pattern calls for 4.

Recognize the yarn? It's the yarn that I've attempted to use for a couple different projects over the last 10 years. First for a lacy throw (undocumented) and then for crochet pillows . This time, I know it's the right project; the pattern calls for this yarn (Lion Brand Homespun), and I've been wanting to make a cozy throw for myself for awhile. Something warm to throw on (ha, get it? puns are fun) while watching TV at night. This will be perfect.

The yarn texture, as well as the pattern, makes for a very thick and warm result. At this time of year when it's rainy, windy, cold, and possibly snowing, crocheting this blanket is a welcome refuge. I kind of get to snuggle under it while I'm making it! Get me a steaming cup of hot cocoa and a good movie and I'm good to go.

***
The are a couple drawbacks to this project, however:

I must finish my Christmas knitting/ crocheting ASAP and this is making me procrastinate
This is supposed to be a long term project, but I'm probably going to finish it really fast and not during Girls Night

Maybe I'll have to come up with a different idea to work on this year with the girls. Maybe hand stitching something? I'm definitely not likely to ever hand stitch something on my own. And the meetings with the girls would force me to do it. Hmmm...I'll have to do some research.

@$%*&!!!!!!!! or Reflections on Making Pajama Pants

2010-11-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

Creating art can be a very therapeutic experience. There have been studies done about how art can dramatically improve a person's mental state; art therapy has been shown to help many individuals work through traumatic experiences and help them recover emotionally. According to the University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center website, art can also reduce a patient's physical pain:

Research has proven that art making has a positive impact on pain management, depression, anxiety, and stress reduction. For centuries, art has served as a healing tool, fostering self-awareness and coping skills.

I have definitely experienced this myself over the years, albeit in a much, MUCH less dire situation. I recall one instance in particular when I was 25. I had all four impacted wisdom teeth taken out at once. Though not nearly as painful as what most art therapy patients would be experiencing (and not even in the same universe of pain when it comes to what cancer patients undergo), I was very uncomfortable and found it difficult to escape from the throbbing in my head. For whatever reason, I decided that this would be the perfect time to take on a large drawing. I chose to sketch a picture of Michelangelo's The Dying Slave out of an old art book I had. Why did I choose this particular subject matter? In my own tortured state I must have been drawn to this figure, although I can't remember why this sculpture called out to me.

The drawing experience was pretty amazing. I definitely entered "the zone." You know, when you become so absorbed in an activity that hours pass by without you knowing, or you cease to experience anything outside of the activity that has you enthralled--even pain? It's very powerful. It was a life-changing realization for me. We all have to experience physical or emotional pain or suffering somewhere in our lives; I was excited that I had "discovered" one more tool that would enable me to persevere through it. And my parents got a great piece of artwork to hang in their front hall to boot.

According to researchers you can experience "the zone" through any activity that completely absorbs/ engulfs you, like working on cars, fishing, maybe fantasy football? Needless to say, I've definitely gotten into "the zone" through craft-making too.

So after that nice intro (yeah, that was just the intro.--are you even still reading?) let me tell you that THIS WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the name of all that is holy: making these pajama pants was most definitely not one of those times. If you are biting your tongue, sweating, and cursing profanely during a crafting experience you will most definitely not enter "the zone." Sewing these simple little pants caused me so much strife it was the complete antithesis to the zen-like experience mentioned above.

I saw this easy-looking tutorial about 6 months ago online and really wanted to make Little C. these pants. I even bought the elastic I would need from Jo-Ann's way back then because I figured I would make them right away. As usual, life got hectic and the pj pants didn't happen, but the idea of them would pop into my head at random times, always keeping the possibility of them on my radar. I finally broke down and decided to make them when I got a winter L.L. Bean catalogue and saw these cute pj ensembles:

They have a lot of other cute designs, too, however these are Women's. They don't make this exact type for kids. Regardless, they got my creative juices flowing, and I was finally motivated to make Little C. his pj pants. And I even had an idea for a little matching moose shirt to go along with it.

I must have known somewhere in my subconscious that sewing these pants would be a struggle. Maybe that's why they kept getting shoved to the back burner, and also why I decided I would practice making them using a pair of my husband's pj bottoms first. I wasn't ready to commit to buying a fabric if I knew it was highly likely that I would mess it up.

Upon going through my husband's closet, I had uncovered a pair of plaid pajama bottoms that he had never worn because they were too short. Instead of sending them off to Goodwill, I thought I'd try to recycle them into lounger pants for the Little Man.

So long story short (and man, this is getting to be a long story...) I totally screwed up the pattern: I was using black thread on a dark fabric= total blindness; I wound up using a chopstick to stab the freakin' elastic into the waistband (don't ask); and I made the crotch so short that when I put it on Little C. his whole diaper was hanging out and he looked ridiculous. My husband said he looked like Britney Spears with his diaper-clad hips sticking out of the pants. The poor little guy even fell down because he couldn't walk freely in the constricting things. So off they went, out came my seam-ripper, and with more cursing I was finally able to fix the @#$%&*# pants. Done.

I had planned on appliqueing the moose with the extra plaid fabric, but by this point the thought of using the sewing machine for anything else related to this project made me feel homicidal. So I went back to my reliable and easy fabric stencil technique and called it a day. (The moose is a sketch from some online clip art)

I still plan on making more of these pants, though. But I'll probably have to follow it up with art therapy to handle the stress.

Sibling Rivalry

2010-11-10T10:39:00.000-08:00

Here is the big brother version for P's older son. It's quite stretchy, so hopefully (crossing my fingers over here) it fits.

I used this pattern for the hat and added a multicolor pom pom to the top. It's very easy to make a multicolor pom pom: just double up your yarn when winding around your fingers (or triple up, etc.) Here's how to make a pom pom using your fingers again. I know I posted that before sometime.

So the baby will have his crochet hat and the older brother will have a knitted one.

I think I like crocheting hats better than knitting them, only because crocheting them is so easy. With crochet you start at the top and then keep going around and around, increasing until you have the size you want. With knitting (at least with the hats I've made so far) you start at the bottom of the hat and decrease to the top. This means that you have to get out your DPNs (double-pointed needles) so you can knit a small circular space. Here's an example from a little hat I made last year:

I find DPN's pretty unwieldy, but I'd like to think I'm getting better at using them.

We are heading into hat weather (ha, I love spontaneous puns!) so I'm sure I'll be getting some more practice with them soon. I'd like to make another hat for Little C. and maybe for another munchkin here or there. We'll see.

In the meantime, I hope P's little one's are able to keep their noggins warm with these finished hats...and show school pride!

Rival Hats

2010-11-05T06:18:00.000-07:00

Most of my adult friends are pals I have from college. Some of these crazy kids even married their college sweethearts, so there's never any question about who to root for when it comes to sports.

P. attended a rival college and has had the misfortune for a number of years to listen to very energetic (heated) sports conversations regarding the majority alma mater and her school. Sometimes these discussions (diatribes) become extreme; Outnumbered P. sometimes has to put up with a lot of sports nonsense.

Soooooooooooo, I thought one way to extend an olive branch would be to fashion a couple hats for her two boys in her alma mater's colors. Much to my surprise, my knitting did not burn up in my hands as I made this hat for a rival school.

This one is for her youngest son. I used the crochet earflap hat pattern I always use and just added a pom pom to the top. I'm working on the big brother version now which is knitted, without earflaps.

Ah, bringing peace to rival schools, one knit and purl at a time.

The Mister and I Cook Up Some Fun: Kitchen Date- October

2010-10-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

BC (before Little C), my husband and I were always out and about heading to the movies, dinners, or travelling. We also dated for six years before we got married and during that time we probably had
hundreds and hundreds of dates. We must have been subconsciously filling our date quota for the future, b/c since the little man showed up, we rarely go on dates anymore.

This can be hard for me and for other parents of young children in a similar boat, but it does have some benefits.: 1.) When we do get the opportunity to go out alone, we always have a great time. Before, we went out so much that we took it for granted, and it wasn't always as fun as it could have been. 2.) It forces you to find other ways to have "date"-type fun at home.

A couple months ago my husband randomly brought up the idea that we should bake something together. I love cooking, baking, oh, and definitely eating! And I thought it was really sweet that he wanted to do something that was clearly more in line with my hobbies than his.

We made a really simple recipe (on the back of the canned apple pie filling) for Caramel Apple Cheesecake . It was really delicious; the cheesecake was light and creamy and the sugary caramel-apple filling added the perfect amount of gooey sweetness. After sampling it to make sure it wasn't poisonous, we wound up bringing most of it to a family dinner for dessert.

Even if it tasted rotten though, the whole baking experience was so much fun. It felt like the perfect date (even though the Little Man was napping upstairs and my husband and I were only in our kitchen and not at a trendy restaurant eating a gourmet meal). Some parts of it were even like scenes out of a romantic comedy: there was witty banter, lots of laughing, and there even might have been some dancing in the kitchen with a few kisses here and there. I know, gag me, but it's true.

So with the success of our first Kitchen Date, I knew we had to try to make this a bit of a tradition. Obama and Michelle might make date night a monthly priority, but even though we're not running the country, my husband and I will be lucky if we get a chance to do this every few months or so. We just don't seem to have the time to do it with more frequency.

Anyway, I figured a quick and easy Kitchen Date idea would be to combine my husband's enthusiasm for rice krispie treats with my love of Halloween. I thought back to when I was a kid trick-or-treating at a childhood friend's house. There was one woman in her neighborhood who always made popcorn balls. As a kid I had ambivalent feelings about these treats. When it was early in the evening they couldn't compete with the alluring peanut butter cups and and crunchy butterfingers, but after noshing on such sweet candies for awhile the popcorn balls beckoned attractively to us--almost offering us the palate cleansing promise of a real food as opposed to a sugar and corn syrup concoction.

These modern day popcorn balls are made from real air popped popcorn with a hefty dose of M&M's and salted, mixed nuts thrown in. They're held together with the same butter and marshmallow mixture used for rice krispie treats. The recipe can be found here.

I wouldn't go as far as to call them healthy, but compared to peanut butter cups and butterfingers, these sweet treats contain healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Just the right touch of healthiness on Halloween night.

If, of course, they make it to Halloween night. In lieu of dancing during this kitchen date, my husband and I kept shoving these in our mouths instead. Hey, we had to make sure they were safe to eat!

Girls Night: October

2010-10-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

What's more festive than fabric stenciled Halloween shirts?

Well, ok, probably lots of things, but it was pretty festive at the past Girls Night with stenciled spider webs,

pumpkins,

candy corn,

skeletons,

and googly eyes scattered about

After the usual conversation and hors d'oeuvre gobbling we retired to the kitchen to drink some blood

And cast some craft spells. Oh, but mostly to eat this monkey bread:

Who doesn't like monkey?

About the craft: It was easy and practical; the kids can wear their shirts this week to school etc. About a month ago I drew out some designs on manila folders and then used a razor blade to cut them out. I had some ideas for a Frankenstein head, black cat, haunted house, and scarecrow, but I ran out of time and there were plenty of choices for the girls to choose from in the end anyway.

I wish I had done a better job selecting fabric paint colors. Ahem, yellow would have come in handy for the candy corn stencil. I recall Little C. being antsy in the craft store when buying them. Or it could have just been that I didn't think of it. Nah, I'll just blame Little C.

P. turned that little spot at the bottom of her spider web into a spider. I don't have a picture though. This "mistake" actually turned out really cute.

I know I ate way too much (time to get back on the perpetual diet) and some people may have drunk too much (not saying any names here!) but it was a fun craft night. It's P.'s turn to host next, but instead of crafts she will be having a dinner party where we all pretend to be mature adults. I'm going to recommend that we unveil our individual, long-term craft project ideas then. I already picked out what I'll be working on. It will be a nice monotonous and easy project to work on once the Christmas knitting sweatshop closes at my house.

WIPS RIPS

2010-10-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

It's starting to get a little chilly where I live, time for the bears to head into their respective lairs, get under their covers, turn out the lights on their night tables, and snuggle into their pillows for a long hibernation.

But these WIPS have been hibernating already for quite some time in a closet in the spare room. I thought I'd pull them out of their slumber and decide whether or not they're worth keeping around.

First up: Little C's Big Boy Blanket. I love the colors, it will be perfect for Little C to cuddle with on the couch, or look cute when it's folded up at the end of a big boy bed. (Which I don't want to rush at all. Why do kids have to grow up so fast???) I definitely want to continue making this. This WIP is free to return to it's lair.

Next up: Little C's yellow cardigan. This was my first real foray into knitting. There were mistakes all over it. So I turned it into this:

RIP, little WIP. I'll have to find something else to do with this yarn.

Third up: Crochet Beach Tote. I had the best intentions when making this. I could totally see myself sporting this circular hemp crochet tote on the beach, but I lost interest and then it wasn't beach weather any more. And then I realized that I hardly even went to the beach this year, and that when I did I had to carry a huge bag to lug all the STUFF a mom has to carry. So, my cute, dainty little hemp tote was 100 % impractical.

In spite of all this, though, I'm not ready to give up on this yet; I'm not willing to give up on the beach dream--the one where I actually relax and read a book, with a tropical drink in my hand. Okay little WIP, you may return to your lair unscathed.

Final WIP: Light and Airy Crochet Nightgown. This was an attempt to merge crochet and sewing together. I gathered some materials together and started to crochet some circles using a tiny metal hook.

These were going to be the straps to my Light and Airy Nightgown. I figured I would also use some crochet trim to embellish it. When I look at this now I want to ask only one question: Was I smoking crack?! The amount of time needed for me to make this would be ridiculous. I also have no idea how to sew a garment and did not have a pattern to follow. Oh, also add to the equation that I would be spending a ton of time on a garment that I would never wear outside the house. I won't even mention the fact that I do not wear nightgowns (Light and Airy or otherwise) at all to bed. I wear my husband's old t-shirts. That sounds really cute, but it's, um, really not; It's all about comfort over fashion these days. I'm ready to forget this project and fast! RIP, Light and Airy Crochet Nightgown.

Ah, that feels better. Cleaning craft house. If your heart isn't in a project it's either not going to get done or it won't be done well. Now I can concentrate on the other projects I'm excited about.

First Taste of Lace

2010-10-07T05:17:00.000-07:00

This has been quite a year of firsts when it comes to Little C.; we tackled first steps, first teeth, first words ("Mama", "Daddy", and my favorite: "Good boy!")--but I've encountered several firsts when it comes to knitting as well.

I learned a lot (how to M1, other increasing, decreasing, SSK, K2 tog, provisional cast on, kitchener stitch, long tail cast on, three needle bind off, how to use DPNs, how to make an I-cord, etc.), but it seemed like there were certain levels of ability that I felt challenged to pass. In my head, if knitting were a video game then Level 2 would be cables and Level 3 would be lace.

Even though I've barely made it to Level 2, I feel compelled to try my hand at level 3. Armed with my tokens of acquired stitches, extra lives, and game hints/ codes from Ravelry, I decided to try an easy beginner lace pattern called Matilda. It was a journey that Mario or Zelda would be proud of. (This is how long it's been since I've played video games; My point of reference is from about twenty years ago!)

I cautiously entered into a realm of thin yarn (yarn thickness is called "ply"). If you want something to look light and lacy, you can't use a chunky yarn. The craft store I went to did not have anything available except for sock yarn and mohair. Although I love the feel and look of mohair I am extremely allergic to it; I always find it floating around in the air, getting sucked up my nostrils and stuck on my eyelashes. It's torturous. So I went with a variegated sock yarn with beautiful blues and greens instead.

This pattern calls for chart reading. It is a very simple design, but any chart requires some concentration. I muddled through it without too many mistakes, however it has become increasingly clear that I really don't have the lifestyle right now to concentrate on much of anything. There's a cute website called Petite Purls that features some child and baby knitting patterns. They have a level of difficulty key for all their patterns which takes a new mom's lifestyle into account. Instead of just using a key with Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced, they give these type of details:

"Beginner: Projects for first-time knitters using knit and purl stitches. [Totally do-able for a mama while breastfeeding or snuggling with baby]

Easy: Projects using basic stitches, as well as repetitive stitch patterns and simple color changes. [A simple knit when time is limited and you want everyone to ooh and ahh at that baby shower you were invited to next weekend]

Intermediate: Projects using a variety of stitches, including cables and lace and perhaps some simple color work. Use of circular needles as well as knitting on double pointed needles. [This isn't for when Grandma is knitting while babysitting. Unless Grandma is babysitting and mama is knitting!]

Experienced: Projects using techniques such as short rows, fair isle, and intricate intarsia, lace and cables. [Seriously? Wait until the kids have been dropped off at college to take on this project]"

---from Petite Purls

Even though this is a beginner lace pattern, peace and quiet would have made it infinitely easier to accomplish. I don't know if it required Little C. to head to college, since I knitted it when he was sleeping at night. I guess I have to blame the tv and my husband for distracting me while knitting it. Because the rows build on each other, you must have the exact number of stitches on the previous row. Almost every one of my rows had a missing or extra stitch. Sometimes I had a LOT of extra stitches. My mind was definitely somewhere else while knitting it, I guess. Good thing the pattern and yarn are very forgiving. I don't think you can see too many of my mistakes. It's a triangular scarf/ shawl that is worn kerchief-style. Here's another glamour shot so you can get an idea:

I think I want to return to a mindless knitting or crochet project now, something very Level 1-like in video game world.

Girls Night: September

2010-10-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

K hosted Girls Night this month and decided to make....drum roll, please....PUMPKIN decor.

She was inspired by the lit grapevine pumpkins she saw in Grandinroad. (I love their fall and Halloween decor. They have the best decorations I've seen, and Martha Stewart has partnered with them too.)

*from Grandinroad.com

I have to give K props. I would have thought this craft was too hard to do and wouldn't have bothered (especially with having her hands full with two little ones, working, and taking care of the house. Go K!) Anyway, you need a rolled up grapevine, gardening gloves, 2 small strands of lights, scissors, grapevine twine, and regular green wire. After soaking the grapevine (K filled up her washer to soak all of them), head out to a porch or somewhere where you can get messy, throw on your gloves so you don't hurt your hands, and start making loops around a "stem" that you've made with one end of the grapevine.

With each loop you need to use green twine to secure it in the middle. The gloves come in handy when you remove each of the little metal closures found all along the vine. When you're done looping, start fanning out the vine, and then add lights. We only used one grapevine strand, but using two or more will give you a fuller effect like the ones from the magazine.

I had a serious case of pumpkin envy when I checked out P and K's pumpkins. Mine didn't look so hot in comparison. Um, that might have had something to do with the large amounts of Pinot Grigio I consumed. (Boy, did I pay for that later, too!) Thankfully, P tried to help my sorry-looking pumpkin out.

I'm going to add some faux leaves to the top. This will look perfect on my front patio, nestled in between a real pumpkin or two, and some colorful mums. K has two black urns on her front steps; she's going to put the two she made on top of each urn.

It was a great craft and fun night with the girls. The kiddos were well-behaved, and the food and wine were too too good. I'm up next for hosting. I'm thinking about some more fabric stencils (these really are addictive). Halloween shirts, anyone?

Pumpkin Patch

2010-09-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

It's that time again!!!

Pumpkin time!

It was only a year ago when I last wrote about my love of all things pumpkin.

And here we are again already. Where did that year go? Time flies when you're having fun!

Can you tell which pumpkin is the real one?

This crochet hat was made at K's request for her own little pumpkin, Baby N. N is round and adorable and she will look so cute in it. All the hat details can be found in last year's post.

This has only whet my appetite for pumpkin season. I'm a bit of a pumpkin addict. In fact, here's my October To-Do List:

Head to the local farm/ orchard and get my fill of Pumpkinland while simultaneously taking pictures of Little C. in a variety of cute poses (e.g. sitting on a pumpkin mountain, holding mini pumpkins, sitting next to a pumpkin on a bale of hay, etc.) like the hundreds of other parents at the facility taking pictures of their kids.
Make my favorite Pumpkin Spice Cake (recipe will follow, I promise)
Roast pumpkin seeds in the oven and sprinkle with sea salt
Decorate the house with pumpkin paraphernalia
Carve a big toothy grin into my Halloween Jack-O-Lantern

I can't guarantee that I will clean my spooky, haunted house-like basement this month, but I GUARANTEE you that I will complete each of the above tasks joyfully.

Silk Purse Out of a Sow's Ear

2010-09-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

I love this cardigan. It's made in the season's hottest colors for boys and features a bold and modern design. I even saw a similar sweater on one of the Beckham kids. Get yours now--only available for a limited time!!!

Did I sell you on the sweater yet? Nothing is true about the above, but I figured a good sales pitch complete with celebrity endorsement would make Little C's cardigan seem more attractive. The real truth is this: I planned on making a solid yellow cardigan for him, but I only had one skein of the yarn. I didn't think it would be a big deal to find this color, but OH HOW WRONG I WAS! This yarn is around 10 years old and who knows when they discontinued it. Here I was with 75% of a cardigan completed. I tried to add in the second color without it looking so obvious that I ran out of yarn. Although I would never normally pair these two colors together it has kind of grown on me. Coincidentally, Little C. has a couple long sleeve t-shirts in these colors; the cardigan will look pretty cute over them.

I didn't follow a pattern for this sweater, but I've made this pattern so many times that I organically followed the same construction technique used in it. I've also never sewed in a zipper before. That was fun.

Ok. I'm lying again. It wasn't fun. Confession time: I bought the wrong kind of zipper. The zipper is for a garment like a dress or something; it doesn't open at the bottom!!! Not a good zipper choice for a cardigan, which is supposed to open. I'm pretty sure it said "all-purpose zipper" on the packaging, but maybe it really said "multi-purpose zipper" instead?I had already sewed one side of it, and I just decided to run with it. I'm really very adaptable. Or lazy.

Part of the reason for just going with the flow on this one (besides laziness) is how much time it took to get to this point. I feel like I've been messing around with this sweater forever. I bought the zipper awhile ago too while Little C. threw a fit in the craft store, and he wasn't very happy with me this morning when I quickly sewed the zipper in at the kitchen table. He's cutting teeth, poor little guy, and he wants momma's undivided attention.

After all that, I'm happy with the final product though. I thought about buying the right kind of zipper and doing it over, but I don't think I would ever have Little C. wear the cardigan all the way open anyway. So it'll stay and it will just be our little secret.

Bella's Hat

2010-09-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is part of a present I made for my sister's birthday. She is a HUGE Twilight fan and that is the understatement of the year. She is also my older (not by much) sister. So, as everyone knows, Twilight is not just for tweens.

This is the hat Bella wore in the "tent scene" from Eclipse. This means absolutely nothing to me because I have never seen the movie/ read the book. I actually haven't read any of the books or seen the movies. I haven't deliberately gone out of my way not to read them, I just haven't had them cross my path, or gone out of my way to get them. I'm sure I would probably read it if it was sitting around. Then again, I might not be able to sit still long enough to read it. If I sit still too long nowadays I promptly fall asleep. This is a side effect of child rearing, I guess. It may cause drowsiness. Use caution when driving motor vehicles or operating heavy machinery.

I do know a lot of the story, however, because I used to be a teacher of tween girls. Once a student wrote a three point essay about the plot of all the novels. I guess it was the 12 year old Cliffs Notes version. She didn't write about this particular "tent" scene, though. So I'll have to ask my sister what all the hubbub is about.

The pattern is from here. The designer saw the movie, jotted down notes in the theater, and then wrote up the pattern. It's very easy to follow and knits up quickly. I used cream and grey yarns from my stash.

Go Team Edward!

Vintage V

2010-09-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of vintage sports logos/ mascots. I like the artistic renditions of the various mascot animals and objects; they seem more detailed and grittier than modern versions (which tend to be flat and streamlined). And I like the vintage designs, of course, for the nostalgic feelings they evoke. Certain well-known designs take me right back to when I was a little kid in pig tails, chewing Hubba Bubba bubble gum, and running around V's sport stadium in my keds.

I'm lucky enough to still have copies of these images on a couple old vintage tees from the early 80s. And I really mean lucky, because I have searched ebay and the internet for other AUTHENTIC vintage logos to no avail. (Lots of sellers claim to sell "Vintage" tees when in fact they are really just ringer tees, with faded writing, and the modern mascot/ logo on them).

So what's a crafter to do when she wants a certain item and can't find it anywhere? That's right, she makes it herself.

I took the wildcat image from this vintage tee and turned it into a stencil. I drew out the image on a manila folder, used a razor blade to cut it out, and then used my handy marine blue fabric paint and a cheap sponge brush to stencil the image on a shirt for Little C.

This was a very delicate operation; unlike the turtle stencil, this has a lot of detail which increases the screw-up quotient considerably.

I started drawing up this image a couple months ago. Like with my crochet hook roll, I started to think that I would never actually finish this project. Like everyone else, I seem to have no time to do anything. I'm finally learning that I can actually accomplish things, I just won't be able to do it all at once. Maybe I can apply this perspective to cleaning my basement? I'm never going to get a whole weekend to devote to it, but maybe I can start chipping away at it minutes at a time.

This was much more fun than cleaning my scary basement, though, and Little C. looked like a real fan when he wore it to V's first football game last week.

Girls Night: August

2010-08-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

Have craft. Will travel.

Our old crafting friend, A, and her husband invited us to the beach this past weekend when they were in from across the country. Since it was P's turn to host Girls Night she thought it would be a good idea to bring craft night to the shore so A. could participate too.

P. came up with a great magnet idea. You take the flattened glass marbles/ stones used in the bottom of flower vases,

attach patterned cardstock to the back with super glue,

then glue on a heavy-duty magnet.

That's it!

A. had some extended family also staying with her, so it was fun having more gals joining in the crafting mania. At one point, even one of the guys got sucked into the crafting vortex. P.'s husband wound up making a magnet too. Crafts aren't just for girls, people! One time I forced my husband to go to a bead store to make bracelets. It was purely for revenge b/c I was tired of attending so many sporting events with him. So, I figured, 'Fine. Now he's going to have to do something that he doesn't want to do.' To my amazement, he had a great time, yukked it up with the ladies at the shop, and made a really beautiful bracelet. It was unique, out of the box, and way better than what I made. So much for getting back at him. I bet there are a lot of other men who are keeping their crafting skills hidden in the closet.

I'm really excited about my magnets, especially b/c I always forget to buy them and I really need them. Yay for practical crafts!

The girls and I discussed how much of a challenge it is to come up with good craft ideas each month. We brought up the idea of maybe picking one long-term project to work on instead of all these smaller things. We sort of did this a couple years ago when we were all working on individual quilts. We're not sure what direction we'll go in, but it sounds like a plan.

Mommisquare Shrugged

2010-08-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

This is my reward for working so hard lately. Ok, I know what you're thinking, "You knitted yourself a rectangle? That's a reward?"

Well, it is sort of a knitted rectangle, but when you fold it like this, it slips over your shoulders and becomes a shrug! I noted my friend J's cute shrug several months ago and when I saw this pattern, I decided I would make one for myself.

This is the first thing I've ever made for myself (when it comes to knitting or crochet). I thought it would be too ambitious b/c of my lack of time, but it was the perfect project for my current lifestyle; it's TREMENDOUSLY EASY and relatively fast--the entire thing took about 5 weeks of on and off knitting. I followed a fellow Ravelry member's modifications: knit the first 12 inches in the round (which means only knitting and no purling=super fast) and then leave 136 stitches on a stitch holder and knit the other 136 stitches flat for 14 inches. Then join to the live stitches on the stitch holder using the kitchener stitch. Voila! You're done. No seaming, no sleeves...AND this was all yarn I had in my stash from about 10 years ago. I don't know why I bought the yarn back then, in fact, I don't know why I bought any of the yarn I currently have in my stash back then. Maybe I just had a premonition that it would come in handy at some future date.

It's hard to truly see how the pattern looks without wearing it...so here are some glamour shots I had to take of myself in the mirror. Little C can't work the camera for me yet.

Work it!

A bit more attitude, please...

Show that camera who's boss!

I'm really pleased with the outcome and would love to try making some other things for myself at some point. Right now I have other things on the radar, however. I also need to catch up on my sleep. That seems to be where I'm finding my new craft time.

More Fall Love

2010-08-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Baked sweet potato casserole with scorched marshmallow topping,
pumpkin spice cake,
freshly grated cinnamon,
moist pumpkin bread,
cider donuts in waxed paper bags from the local orchard,
hot mulled cider with nutmeg,
pumpkin pie,
stuffed apples baking in the oven oozing cinnamon sugar...

I LOVE the color of this sweater. It reminds me of fall and it's triggering a lot of fall associations for me like the list above.

Yes, I do realize that this yarn makes me think of food. The color just seems so similar to my favorite fall foods.

I really am not trying to rush the summer away, but there are subtle signs that fall is around the corner (despite the extreme heat wave in my area). I take Little C for a daily walk and I was shocked to see acorns already on the ground yesterday. I haven't seen any leaf color change yet, but it's just weeks away.

I love the change of seasons. There are times when I think about living in an area with static weather (namely constant sunshine, in the 70s), but I don't think it's for me. There's something very comforting and exciting about the cyclical changes forever happening outside.

When the temperature starts to drop a bit, and I'm starting to stock up on Pumpkin Spice cake (and other favorite fall food) ingredients, that will be the perfect time for Little C. to break out this sweater (which I titled his "Rustic Rust Sweater") and strut his stuff on our fall outings.

I used a pattern called Oh, Handsome which is an adorable name for a little boy's sweater. And Little C. certainly looks handsome in it.

I saw this pattern about two years ago and always wanted to make it. I have to admit that it turned out more rustic than I imagined. I think I'd like to have it more streamlined, but that has a lot to do with my yarn/ needle choice, as well as my skill level. I had a lot of trouble with the arms and I think I might like to make another sweater in this pattern using a different technique for them. I also followed some modifications that other Ravelry users recommended, namely using the kitchener stitch to graft the shoulder seams and leaving live stitches on the back neckline before knitting the shawl collar.

This was my last knitting project before I started a new job. It's part-time, at-home work, which is wonderful because it doesn't interfere with any time with Little C. It does, however, interfere with knitting/craft time. I have a completed project here and there that I have yet to post about, but I don't think I'm going to have much time to craft/ post on a regular basis after that. We'll see. Maybe I'll surprise myself.

V for Victory

2010-08-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

When the sun and heat have just about scorched the grass and flowers to a crisp, straw-like hay in August, and the still-green trees have started to droop their limbs under the weight of their baked leaves, I start to get excited for football season. College football (especially our alma mater's) is a mammoth family tradition.

My family has been attending these football games since I was a little child. Before the game even starts there's the necessary tailgate rife with extended tailgate family, beer, and the savory smell of hot dogs and sausages roasting on multiple grills. There are always the tailgate aficionados who have perfected tailgating to an art form: It's not uncommon to see exotic meats or elaborate table displays showcasing their food, which, by the way, is almost always shared with everyone else. I love the give and take of this little tailgate community. What is it about drinking and eating out of the back of your trunk that is so appealing? I don't know. IT JUST IS!

After a couple hours, with a cold beer in hand and a belly full of hot dogs or kielbasa, your ears pick up a sound over the din of laughter and chatter.

It's the sound of quads (drums) in the distance. First it's faint and faraway, and then it becomes louder and louder. You start to feel the beat of the bass drum in your chest. Your heart actually starts keeping time with the rhythm. Eventually you can feel the drum beat in your head, behind your eyeballs. It literally becomes a part of you. And then you begin to see the college band and cheerleaders come into view, the sun gleaming off their brass instruments and metallic pom poms. They ready themselves to march through the tailgate area and play a few songs before entering the stadium. This is the signal to pack up ship, down the beer in your hand and head in for the big game.

What better way for Little C. to participate in this awesome tradition than to sport his very own varsity sweater and hat?

I used this pattern again for the sweater. The V on the front is a type of knitting called "intarsia." Intarsia is when you have a large area of color change in your work. I wound up drawing out the V on graph paper and followed that as a guide. The knitted ear flap hat is from this pattern. I used more acrylic yarn from my stash. This is more that was leftover from the crocheted throw I made my nephew a couple years ago. (I bought way too much for that blanket! I still have more left.) But it's certainly coming in handy now.

Although I don't want to rush summer away just yet, I'm so excited for football season to start! I can't wait for Little C to show his team allegiance by wearing this to the first cold weather game. Go V!

Girls Night: July

2010-07-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

It was my turn to host Girls Night last week and I felt pretty confident that the other ladies would enjoy my crochet necklace craft that I experimented with a couple months ago.

I had beads, thread, and crochet hooks on hand. Along with the necessary chips and chocolate. P supplied my favorite: rice krispie treats. For a crafty touch she cut some into the kids' initials. And K. made a little piece of deliciousness that I have never had before: compost cookies. Here's the recipe. They're real winners, even if their name kind of turned me off--all I could think about was trash. But they taste awesome!

My old friend J came quite a distance just to visit and craft with us, which was another treat to enjoy. I really wanted everyone to enjoy the craft and walk away with something they could wear. So there was a little pressure to deliver.

We enjoyed some libations and snacks with the boys/ kids and retired into the kitchen to begin our craft. Everyone was festive. Most of us were relishing a slight margarita buzz. Our tastebuds were eagerly sampling the different snacks. The gossip was fresh. Everything was going great...

...Until my craft killed it.

This craft required 1. previous crochet experience. 2. serious concentration. 3. sobriety.

If we were happily buzzed when we started, this craft quickly sobered us up. I can't even describe the number of problems I should have trouble shooted before introducing this technique to the girls, but let's just say that our "necklaces" wound up being bracelets instead.

P and I also had to start over because we ran out of length while crocheting. K's bracelet was too mauled to even talk about (and it had nothing to do with her talent/ effort). It was really a failed, nightmare craft night. Thankfully the girls are too nice to say so.

Anyway, I really need to think of an easier, more user-friendly, more thought-out, quicker, alcohol-friendly craft for the future.

The above necklaces were made by me later, after Girls Night. I've actually worn the silver and purple beaded one a couple times already, so all is not lost. Oh well. You can't win them all.

Cable Guy

2010-07-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

So, you want to hear a secret? Knitting cables is really easy! At least the cabling I have done so far has been really easy.

I never thought I would ever be able to do it. It always seemed way out of my skill level. But, let me repeat: it's really easy!!

I started thinking about all the other things I've thought were too hard for me to do (sewing clothing, learning another language, mountain climbing, running a marathon,...etc) and now I wonder if I really could accomplish them. As crazy as it sounds, I think I probably could conquer a lot of them. I guess knitting and certain crafts (among other life experiences) have taught me that the only thing between me and accomplishing a goal is the time/ dedication necessary to make it happen. Although running a marathon/ climbing a mountain would certainly produce MUCH more sweat than knitting these cables, it's exciting to know that even in my "old" age, I shouldn't put limits on myself or cap my own potential. Who knew that knitting could inspire so much confidence in oneself? From knitting cables to mountain climbing cables...I love it!

The sweater pattern is from here. It comes with two videos that explain parts of the pattern, which is really helpful. This is the first time I've had to knit from a diagram, or in this case, two diagrams. Although I initially found it pretty annoying, I started to feel neurons growing in my brain from the mental exertion and that's always a good thing after living in a constant state of "mommy brain" for the past year and a half.

I also really like this color which is officially called "Bluebell." I keep calling it periwinkle, though. It even matches the WIP bag that I made a little while ago. It's a good color for Little C; It really makes his eyes stand out. I guess he's a Spring? (I'm an Autumn). People don't talk much about "their colors"anymore, do they? My husband would be content wearing a blue shirt everyday for the rest of his life. And he refuses to wear certain colors too. Men's clothing is so boring.

Anyway, Little C. is still just a little man, so I can dress him in colors he won't be caught dead in when he's an adult. This sweater could easily be unisex too if I ever have a little girl in the future.

As Little C. chomps noisily on his cheerios next to me with an impish grin on his face, I feel pretty confident that somebody'll be doing some climbing in the future. It might not be a literal mountain, but climbing up the stairs (his new trick) probably feels a lot like scaling Everest to him.

Toddler Mutant Stenciled Turtles

2010-07-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

Remember back when you were a little kid and everything seemed larger than life? Maybe your house or school seemed huge to you or maybe your older brother seemed like a giant hovering over you?

Events always seemed larger than life too. I have certain memories burned into my brain that are actually pretty mundane, but as a child they seemed so big and important.

About a month ago my nephew "discovered" a large turtle in his grandmother's backyard at the shore. Her house is between the ocean and the bay. Though not exactly a far distance in either direction, it would be quite a long journey for a turtle to make. How did the turtle find itself in her yard? How long did it take to get to her house? How did it manage to avoid being hit by a car in this busy summer season? This out of the ordinary experience was exciting to me as an adult, I can only imagine how magical it would seem to a child.

Since I had already made a turtle stencil, I decided it was only fitting that my nephew have a shirt of his own to commemorate this event. These photos are of Little C's romper. I didn't take a picture of my nephew's, but it looks exactly the same in t-shirt form.

I used plain fabric paint from the craft store (in marine blue--how fitting!) and one of those 15 cent throw- away sponge brushes. Here's a tip: use a straight, up and down motion when stenciling.

I find myself checking my mother-in-law's yard whenever we visit, hoping to see that turtle, or another turtle. If I was my nephew, I would feel convinced that grandma's yard always contained turtles. These events are so big in our imagination because they're not likely to happen again. And that's what makes them so memorable.

Christmas in July

2010-07-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

Q: What do knitters and magazine editors have in common?
A: They have to plan their projects six months in advance.

For magazine editors right now it means thinking about pecan pies, roast turkeys, and stockings hung by the fireplace with care. For knitters and other crafters it means creating a list of possible presents to make for a small queue of special people.

I have to confess, I think I started thinking about this year's Christmas presents on Dec. 26th of last year. Ah, so much I want to knit and so little time...

I did find a pattern I am VERY excited about. SUPER EXCITED, actually. It's top secret, but this is a peek.

I can't say much more about it, but it did force me to learn how to make cables, using a cable needle.

It reminds me of the One-Armed Man's hook from The Fugitive or less dramatically*, a plain old fishing hook. Anyway, it's easy to use and I'm having fun making cables now.

I also learned some other new techniques from the pattern, but I'll have to unveil them later...much later. How does Dec. 26th sound?

**************************************************
*On whether a fishing hook is dramatic or not? I guess it depends on who you're talking to...

(a little cartoon sketch made while eating lunch).

Girls Night: June

2010-06-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

It was K's turn to host Girls (Boys) Night. She had us applique onesies and shirts. Even though it was very new to me, I'm really happy with how they turned out.

I made a cupcake onesie for my husband's cousin's baby. It was part of a gift for her baby blessing.

K and P helped me choose the fabrics and these really fit perfectly. I love how the striped fabric gives the appearance of a fluted paper cup.

I also made Little C a fish shirt with bubbles.

The bubbles are made out of a batik print.

K and P worked on some adorable initialed tees.

Here's a cute onesie for Baby N.

And another for Baby M.

And one for P's new neice Baby K.

I think we all could have kept making more and more of these, but, alas, Little C was pretty upset because it was waaaayy past his bedtime, and he was starting to turn into a pumpkin. Ditto for all the other little ones.

Mommy duties come first, so we put the crafts away and headed home.

I really loved this craft: you get the instant gratification high, you can make something really cute for a child, the possibilities are endless when it comes to designs...I do need to practice the sewing part. I'm still not completely sure how to use my sewing machine.

A special thank you to K for hosting such a nice gathering; We had a wicked storm trample through our area (downed trees, hail, 90 mph winds) and K had been without power for about 24 hours beforehand.

Happy Birthday

2010-06-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

K's birthday was last week so I decided to make her a crochet necklace using gold embroidery thread. It was definitely harder to thread the beads on because of the metallic threads, they tend to unravel. Also, the holes in the beads are too small for a needle to pass through, so it takes much longer to thread them on. I do like the finished product, but it is definitely fragile. I'm probably going to revisit this idea for my Girls Night in July.

It feels good to finish some things since it seems like I have a bunch of unfinished projects going on right now: crochet beach tote, crochet nightgown, tailgate sweater...I also have been thinking about Little C's "Big Boy Blanket" a lot lately. Without fail, as soon as the temperature hits the 90s, I feel compelled to crochet a blanket. I don't get it.

Even though I have made some progress on the beach tote, I don't see myself finishing it this summer. My heart isn't 100% in it. Since I like making wool blankets in the summer, maybe I'll feel an urge to finish the beach tote this winter when it's 30 degrees and snowing. That would make sense in Mommisquare land. Ditto for the "light and airy nightgown."

The tailgate sweater is right on track; I know I will finish it. I've also been trying a new pattern I'm very excited about for potential christmas gifts. Who doesn't start thinking about Christmas when it's hot and humid outside?