Frog Is A Four Letter Word

I totally forgot to mention that I'm donating 15% of my etsy sales to The National Hospice Foundation. Depending on how many items I sell, I may change up the charity once in a while. But for now, that's the one on my mind.

Tomorrow...a new vintage toy and the things you can make with it!

Labels: charity, links

Hey gang! I've finally joined the cool kids and opened my etsy shop. I have so much fabric and trim that I don't want to haul to Chicago with me. And besides, my xmas shop job is over now, so I have to feed the dogs somehow.

Right now, there are several tassels and fringes shown. Hopefully this week I'll be able to photograph and list the rest of the trims and fabrics I want to sell. I may even add some handmade coolness to the shop when I have more time.

Enjoy!

Labels: links

I really like to travel, but I don't always do well when I travel with other people. In fact, if that other person happens to be my mom then I totally lose it. You know how it is. You could have the most patient, least annoying mom on the planet but you'd still get fed up with her soon because she's your mother.

Well many moons ago, before I learned this Most Important of Lessons, I went to a textile conference with my mom in Northampton, Mass. By day three I wanted to weave a parachute or hanglider out of the silk we were studying so I could fly out of there. But instead I went for a walk and found a yarn shop.

Right? Of course. It's Massachusetts. They're pros about this whole cold weather warm clothing thing. And although Northampton is home to Webs and Valley Yarns, it was tiny and cozy Northampton Wools where I found some peace. I picked a ball of handspun, handdyed wool whose label was in German so I can't tell you what is was. I then bought a ludicrously large plastic crochet hook and sat down to destress.



This hat is what I had in an hour. I know, it's no museum piece. But I wasn't going to let lack of a pattern or internet access keep me from relaxing. I sent the hat off to Nibling #4 who looks to be one and a half or two years old in this picture. Well she's like seven now so that tells you how old this FO is. And both my mom and I lived to travel again.

But not together.

Labels: FOs

I keep forgetting that two friends of mine have buns in their ovens! My oldest cousin and my best friend from kindergarten are both expecting their second offspring soon. Next time I dig through the stash that isn't packed, I need to pull out some mini-people appropriate yarns.

My needlecrafty SIL gave me the Stitch-n-Bitch page a day calendar yesterday and I've already found the first pattern I want try. It's called Gary (which is a really odd name for a fuzzy baby sweater, but whatever) and it's on the February 16th page. It reminds me of Spongebob's snail--the name, not the sweater.

I just remembered I have some fuzzy orange yarn I bought on clearance. It would work perfectly for this sweater and the color would be good for either a boy or girl mini-person. I think I have until March or April, but it's going to be difficult for a cute little baby sweater to wait its turn to be started.

I could always shop for buttons until I'm ready to cast on another project. What is your favorite source for buttons?

Labels: links

Hey gang! Hope you had a nice holiday. Mine was dandy and now I'm stuffed like a Christmas goose. I had fun yesterday, too, when T came over to knit with me. She brought goodies such as Nicky Epstein's Knitting Beyond the Edge and this awesome One Skein Wonder.



I'm pretty sure it's Cotton Fleece mixed with some other cotton. She made it for herself, but doesn't really wear it. So she's working on a Hug that I think will make her happier. Meanwhile, this OSW is making me happy and check out how well it matches the shirt I happened to be wearing!

Another groovy gift from a friend was this set of stitchmarkers. Yes, I cheated and opened them early. Here I use them on the black hat from the previous post.



Well, I have to get to bed early so I'm rested for working the hell that is an After Christmas Sale at a Christmas shop. Thank god my flask fits in my apron!

Labels: goodies, links

...or Good boys do fine always.*

My bf has a couple teenage sons who are seriously the best boys in the world. It always seems, though, that around their birthdays or xmas I am short on cash/time and can never get them the kind of gift I wish I could. Well, you know, they're teenagers. The kind of gift they want is green and folds.

My knitterly soul cannot just give them cash, though. I have to make something and put the cash in it. So a couple simple hats in chunky yarn will do the trick!



There wasn't really a pattern for this, I just cast on a reasonable number of stitches, ribbed some, stockinetted some then decreased by 8's. This yarn (more like roving) is some super-yummy Handpainted Wool from Plymouth. My mom gave me two skeins a while ago and this just barely broke into the 2nd skein. I'll use the rest of it for a Nik's Republic Hat. I even bought a button already! And I included my hair in this pic to show M what a redhead wannabe I am.



This hat is even more basic, but that's what guys like, right? The yarn is Chunky U.S.A. and again no pattern. This is the third hat I've made out of one skein of that yarn and it cost $2.50! So I'll just pin some bills to the inside of the hats and everyone will be happy.

Happy Xmas Eve! If this isn't your holiday, then enjoy your weekend!

*Get your sheet music on here.

Labels: FOs, links

I knit at work almost all day today. It wasn't even like getting paid to knit--it was better. Because I was getting paid to stand there but the knitting was a guilty pleasure. I almost finished a xmas gift, so maybe I'll show that to you tomorrow.

Today we have another old FO--a crocheted hat and scarf set. In case you couldn't tell, I used to be all about the crochet. I still enjoy a good ch 6, sl to form circle, 8 dc in circle as much as the next gal. I'm just waiting for the patterns and designs in crochet to become as appealing as knit ones.



This pattern was from one of those "97 Hats and Scarves to Crochet" booklets. Maybe you can't see it in the pic, but it had alternating rows of cute little bobbles. The yarn is Lion Brand's Imagine in some sort of blue. Oh sweet, sweet Imagine. Why have they stopped selling that? I still hear rumors of it floating around, but it's not available in the Mid-Atlantic. I suppose that is why we have eBay, but I don't want it that bad. I gifted this to someone, maybe one of my SIL's.

Tomorrow I might have two real-time FO's to show you. It depends on my success at finding my last couple gifts after I get done work. Til then.

Labels: crochet, FOs

Here's a cute little idea for stocking stuffers that are quick to make--camp soap! It's soap and a washcloth all in one!



I got some unloved soap from T and grabbed some of the fibers I bought at MDS&W this year and made this little bar while watching the previews before a movie. You might think that needlefelting into soap would junk up your needle, but for whatever reason it doesn't. But you know what does slow you down? When you get too engrossed in the movie and "needlefelt" your hand or thigh by accident.

This particular bar is for a young friend of mine in California who loves camping and fiber arts, but doesn't really love soap. Maybe this will change her mind! Or maybe you just have to grow into an appreciation for soap.

Finally, I'd like to thank all you guys who comment on my projects and, today especially, Jenna who was my 1,000th commenter! I really like hearing from everyone almost as much as I like leaving silly comments on your blogs.

Labels: FOs

Is there anything that says "Here's hoping that you don't freeze to death but if you do, your corpse will look stylish" better than a handknit scarf? I doubt it. Especially when that scarf is knit in a subtle yet clever bamboo stitch with some yummy angora yarn.



The yarn is TLC's Cara Mia which, granted, only has 13% angora, but you can feel it, my friends. The pattern is the bamboo stitch scarf from the Holiday 2006 knitsimple. I love the craft magazines this time of year. They break it down for you. "You have one month to finish your holiday shopping. But since you probably picked up this issue while you out shopping, make that three weeks. You're going to be unrealistic and want to knit everyone a sweater. But guess what--we didn't put any sweaters in here. It's all scarves and baby booties since that's all you can handle right now. Now pick one and get knitting."

So this scarf is for N#1's girlfriend who lives in the GREAT STATE OF ILLINOIS and hence needs a 68" scarf. But she also has a bitchin' job in the bridal fashion biz so I know she'll appreciate a pink fuzzy scarf. I'm going to gift it with the Not Spring Yet hat I made earlier this year.

I washed the scarf after I took this photo and it is currently blocking. As a knitter, one advantage of my textile work is that I have a gigantic padded table at my disposal for blocking such things. I doubt my 4' by 8' table will fit in my new apartment, but I'm taking it with me anyway.

Of other knitterly interest, if you're in the mood for some gorgeous colorful inspiration, check out Cosmicpluto's Log Cabin blanket made from her own hand-dyed, handspun yarn! A few other things that get me in the mood to knit are: the calorimetry pattern by Kathryn Schoendorf; the awesome yarns in my own stash; the cinnabar scarf by Angela Hahn; and the weather report for Chicago.

Labels: FOs, links

I'm amazed by the knitbloggers out there who are cranking out handknit gifts every day. Amazed... and a little suspicious. Did you really whip up a Manos scarf during two movies or did you make that back in August and only just now revealed it to us? And a pair of socks in three days? More likely a pair of socks and three child laborers.

Haha, I kid with you because I have only managed 2" on a scarf all week and that makes for blasé blogging. The fabulous reason for that is that my house has been shown 12 times in the past week!! That's excellent but it also means just when I get home from work, I have to go find something to do elsewhere for an hour. Then yesterday a young fellow (eep! Who let my mother write a blog post?) in a very large truck smooshed my little car. Now my back hurts and my head hurts from all the paperwork ahead of me. But of course the only way to fix my car, mend my back and sell my house is to sit here and knit while I watch movies.

While I'm doing that, why don't you meditate on the lush softness of a scarf in afternoon light. This was a gift for either M or one of my SIL's a few xmases ago. It was dark green Noro something held together with the tanned carcass of Oscar the Grouch worked in garter stitch. Incredibly soft but not entirely cruelty-free.

Labels: FOs

It was a busy week here and before I could sit down, it was time for the company party. Now, where I work is a Christmas shop and we've been decorating trees and playing carols since September so when we have a holiday party it's all booze and rock-n-roll. In fact, none of the gifts we exchanged with each other were even remotely holiday-themed. Which is fine, because we're all pretty much holidazed and we still have two weeks to go.

I made a little basket for my recipient and then filled it with winter survival essentials (although, not booze). But really the container was the special part. I like to call her Helena Handbasket and it would be so much fun to make a million of these. In reality, I'll make at least a couple more so I can write and photograph a tutorial for you guys.



If you're lucky enough to have lots of silk lazing about, this is a great way to use up some of it. If you don't have silk leftovers, you really only need about a yard and a half of drapery-width silk to make one of these beauties. Stalk the remnant table at your nearby fabric store or just buy half a yard of various colors when they're on sale!

So the gift was well-received and I got a great idea for future projects. But not until after the holidays. Haha, as soon as I typed that I remembered I was going to make another of these silk baskets for a hostess gift for next weekend! Crack open the booze and pass the silk.

Oh, postscript! I'm trying the Blogger Beta so I can FINALLY have categories (or "labels" as they call them) so let me know if anything looks fucked up.

Labels: crochet, FOs

Wow, these old projects pictures are like a trip down memory lane. That is, if you're memory lane is full of potholes and bridges out and you're driving a '72 Ford pickup whose gearshift just fell off in your hand. I have no idea what that means.

This old gem is no more--that's right, I used to frog things. It was a tank top of my own design that I crocheted...get this...with sock yarn while I was pregnant. Jesus, I really did have nothing better to do. Not only did it take forever, but WHO designs a tank top while you have a thirty pound hood ornament? Someone who was thinking with her hormones and/or was caffeine deprived. Yeah, because did I mention?, it was not a maternity tank. Just plain old street clothes.



The yarn is Sockotta in some blue/green/yellow and it's still floating around here somewhere. I think I used an "F" hook or something. Oh, it fit so poorly. I know it doesn't look horrible in this picture, but that's because I stitched up the side seams on my sewing machine. It also required holding perfectly still lest the straps fall out the driver side and passenger side simultaneously.

There is a back view of this beauty, but it is even more bland and double-crochety than the front. We don't need to go down that dark alley. You know what I do like about this picture? My manicure.

The bamboo-stitch scarf is mostly complete. The front looks great, but it is not a reversible pattern so I thought the back looked like ass. And not pro football player in uniform, either. Just plain ass. But the more I look at this picture, the better the back looks. Like it's a varsity player who hasn't grown into his ears yet, but when he puts his helmet on and runs out to the field, he's not so bad.



I should know better than to think I'd be pleased with a one-sided scarf pattern. But it's a gift and you never know, she may love it. It also reminds me that there is a reason they photograph scarves a certain way. On the brighter side, it IS almost done. Then I can devote my time to finishing grandmom's shawl.

Do you have a scarf pattern you love? Or hate?

You guys are in for a groovy treat today. This project from the past happens to be my very first knitted item ever! Drumroll please...



I realize it's just a garter stitch rectangle which I then felted beyond recognition, but it was a finished project nonetheless. The "pattern" (quotes with fingers) is from Fiber Trends and the yarn was Lopi Lite. This was a xmas gift for my friend A who graciously did not burn it.

There was nothing wrong with the bag, but I should have shaved the yarn and the strap was amateurish. But hey. Just wait until you see some of the other winners I plan to unveil this month.

I'm about 30% complete with the Bamboo (stitch, not fiber) scarf so I'll take a pic of that during daylight tomorrow. I crocheted a really simple necklace for my SIL, but I've already wrapped that, so no pic. And of course the Get Well Shawl moves along slowly.

What was your first knit project?