Wow, Two Years Later...

No, I wasn't referring to how long it's been since I have posted, even though the months have certainly flown by.  I finally finished the Clapotis I started two years ago!  This has been my "between projects" project for quite some time.  It has accompanied me just about everywhere I have gone the last couple years, has been worked on in cars, planes and even on a train from Atlanta to New York.  I have to say my most favorite place that I knitted on it was in France, overlooking the Dordogne Valley on a beautiful French day.

Lots of memories are knitted in to this project, and most recently that I completed it when I was five months pregnant!  Yep, we are expecting our third little girl and this project was the one I wanted to get done before starting on all kinds of cute little baby projects.  I think my first pair of little baby booties will be cast on this evening...

Yep, I will be wearing this one pretty much every day this winter and fall.

Yarn:  Mountain Colors Hand Painted Yarns in Twizzle (Marino Wool and Silk)
Size 8 needles

Alpaca Birthday Love

Ever since we met these handsome fellows on a trip out to Idaho...

... there have been many attempts to convince my mom she needs alpacas of her own.  She really wants alpacas of her own, which makes it all the more fun to try to get her to commit to the adventure, especially when everyone has had a few rounds of vodka tonics.  Seeing that there could still be years of cocktail induced cajoling left on our part, I decided to knit her an alpaca, and maybe he could help convince her she needs the real thing. 

(I mean, when you see this face, don't you want a real alpaca?)

This is my third Rebecca Danger pattern, Zeke the Aloof Alpaca, and every time I knit one of her patterns I am delighted with the outcome. 

Zeke actually became Stewart after being presented to my mom at a recent birthday dinner.  I can't say I was sad to see him go, he has QUITE the sweet tooth and he and I almost came to blows over the samoas on more than one occasion.

Chalkboard Paint Valentines

I'm sure that the obsession with chalkboard paint will subside eventually, but my desire to put it on EVERYTHING definitely influenced our Valentine's day craft this year.  I think this simple idea turned out great even though I'm a little scared of what phrases will show up on the one residing on our fridge (there's a lot of twisted humor that goes on around here).

I set out for Michael's looking for the same wooden hearts that we used last year, but they didn't have enough of that size this time (we have to make 50 to cover both classes) so I went a little larger, which probably was for the best because it is really hard to write legibly in chalk really small.  My main advice for painting the wooden hearts with chalkboard paint is use primer, I didn't and it took several coats to get them black enough because the paint soaks into the wood.  We added button magnets to the back, then the girls signed them all in chalk for their classmates.  The signed hearts went into little cellophane baggies with candy and a piece of chalk.  I was worried about the baggies rubbing the chalk off, but the cellophane was actually stiff enough that it didn't rub against the hearts at all.

The first post I ever did on this blog was on our first handmade class valentines, so happy blogiversary to me!

2008 Valentines

2009 Valentines

2010 Valentines

Rotini Scarf - Video

As promised, here is a quick video to show exactly how to start and knit the rotini scarf.  Hopefully this will clear up the confusion surrounding short rows and get everyone who has had questions knitting away on this fun scarf! 

Snow Knitting - Gap-tastic Cowl

I can only think of one activity that can keep me continually entertained for 6 days of being snowed in.  I don't know what I used to do in such situations before I learned to knit!  Last week I started the Gap-tastic Cowl as the first flakes began to fall and bound off as most of the snow finally melted away. This great big scrunchy cowl is listed on my 2011 Crafty Resolution list and there are quite a few reasons I became instantly enamored with it:

1) It was posted on Ravelry and quickly had hundreds of knitters knitting it. I'm a sucker for knitting crowd mentality.
2) It is a pattern written up after someone went into the Gap, said "I can make that", counted the stitches and went home and knit it up.  I have the desire to do this very same thing all the time, but rarely follow through, so it felt good to mooch off of the same sentiment from someone else.
3) It can be worn several ways.  I can never resist versatility.
4) It promised to be quick and simple. Even for a slow as molasses type knitter like myself.
5) There was a buy one get one free sale on Lion Brand Thick and Quick yarn at Michael's. Free Yarn!
6) Did I mention there was a forecast for a huge snow storm?

I simply didn't stand a chance against all of these factors and had to start on it immediately, even though I have several projects STILL waiting for my attention.  Like a rotini scarf perhaps.  Or a Clapotis for goodness sakes.  Or, shame of easily distracted knitter shames, Melissa's socks, which were for her birthday last July!!!  I have to admit that there was a very large sense of satisfaction after finishing this up after 6 days, which means a knitter that knits at more than a snails pace could make this in a day or two.  It's warm, it's smooshy, and it is marked off the list!

Rotini Scarf Update



(How we spent New Year's day. We had so much fun it may need to become a tradition.)

The most visited post on this blog is my "A Scarf by Many Names" post from last November.  Apparently rotini scarves or potato chip scarves or ruffle scarves or whatever you want to call them are quite popular.  There is even a forum on craftster concerning my post for people that don't understand what I mean by the "knit 8, turn and knit back" directions.  Isn't it funny how the simplest things can somehow be so hard to understand?  I truly feel for these knitters since I read patterns all the time and think "what the HELL are they talking about?", but once I am shown whatever it is I can't believe I couldn't figure it out.  I think I will try to film a little video this weekend on short rows, it is the only way I can take the befuddled masses, sit them down, and show them what I mean.  It will be easy to film this video since my scarf is still a little over halfway done, unlike my mom who has knit, I think at last count, five?  Maybe six?  Two of them were Christmas presents for the shrimp, modeled above.  Here are some more pics for your viewing pleasure, I still love how the noro yarn makes them so colorful! 

You'll notice that on these she sewed the tips together at each end and added a big, lovely flower button.  I'm pretty sure I will do something similar on mine, when I get around to actually finishing it.  The one below she knitted for herself... it is from a slightly thicker noro yarn and she reduced the number of stitches in a row to compensate.  It is just as ruffle-y, but has a little extra squish to it, which is nice.  Wouldn't these make a wonderful Valentine's day present for someone you know?

Spud and Chloe Scrunch Scarf

Atlanta saw more snow last week than it had in well over a decade, 1993 is the last time anyone remembers the city being shut down by snow for a week.  This posed the perfect opportunity to snuggle into the new scarf my mom knit me for Christmas and I can report that it is a very warm, squishy scarf.  She knit The Scrunch Scarf (free pattern from Spud and Chloe) with yarn she picked up at Purl Soho when we were in New York a few weeks ago.  She says it is a super fast knit, which must be true since she has already whipped up another one for herself.

2011 Crafty Resolution List

I have been miserably sick with strep, that my dear daughter shared with me, for the last few days and pretty much all I could muster the strength to do was catch up on blogs.  This time of year everyone is busy posting their New Year's resolutions and as I laid there sick, feverish and delusional I had time to think about the type of resolution I wanted to make this year.  Not something boring like exercising or eating right (those especially don't sound appealing when the room is spinning and your throat is on fire), but something fun instead.  Something I want to do instead of something I feel like I need to fix.  Maybe this misses the point of resolutions, but it sure was a nice diversion to think about things I would like to do when I felt better.  I am resolving to take the time to accomplish some of the online tutorials/patterns/recipes that I have had starred and on my list for quite some time (some of them since I started reading blogs in 2008).  I guess it is sort of like resolving to do more of the things I like to do, or resolving to get off the computer and make stuff, or resolving to narrow my focus since I chose from hundreds of starred items in google reader to come up with the following list of fifteen things I would like to sew, knit or cook in the coming year.  These ones stood out in particular because they are all things that I have thought about doing several times, have most likely already subjected my husband to descriptions of their cleverness, and quite likely have already bought the supplies for, but just haven't quite made the time in the past to complete them.  So, this resolution will also clear out some mental clutter upon completion.

2011  Crafty Resolution List

Drafty Door Thingy from Not Martha

Doorstop from Wipster (via the long thread)

Buttercup Bag from Made by Rae (I even bought fabric to make this well over a year ago)

Gathered Clutch by Skip To My Lou

Zippered Pouches by Flossie Teacakes (via How About Orange) or These by Sew 4 Home

Reusable Snack Bags by I Have to Say

Granola - Soule Mama's adaptation

Butter via Angry Chicken comments on the subject - Have been thinking about this since she first posted it, we love butter!

Elf Hats - ok, this one is from a book, More Last Minute Knitted Gifts, which I own, but after seeing SouleMama knit a bunch of these for Christmas presents I can't stop thinking about them.

Gap-tastic Cowl - This one is on Ravelry.  I love it when something so incredibly simple becomes rampantly popular as soon as someone takes the time to write a free pattern.  It is taking all my willpower to not start one of these immediately, and it doesn't help that Lion Brand yarn is buy one get one free at Michael's today, or that it is supposed to snow starting tonight.  At least now I have the excuse that it is part of my New Year's resolution!

French Press Felted Slippers - top left pattern.  I own this pattern, I have watched almost every knitter in the blogosphere knit up a pair, it is time to get over my fear of all those seams and trust in the magic of felting!

5 Minute Skirt by Angry Chicken

Felted Knitting Basket from Martha Stewart

Bunny Nuggets by Rebecca Danger

Figure 8 Scarf by Anna Maria Horner - already have the fabric, should be a quickie!


Do you have any long-thought-about craftiness that you want to accomplish this year? 

Handmade Gift the Fourth - Aiden Hat

If you have been reading my blog for a while you may remember that my husband got a nice, manly wool scarf for Christmas last year.  This year he finally got the hat to match.  A very basic ribbed hat from the Rowan Coulorscape Folk book (ravelry link).  The hat pattern is nothing exciting, but the yarn has nice changes of color to make it interesting and enough weight to make this hat go very quickly, definitely knittable in a day if one had a chunk of time to devote to it.

Pattern:  Aiden Hat from Rowan Colourscape Folk
Yarn: Rowan Colourscape Chunky in Storm
Needles: Size US 10 1/2  straights (could easily be knit in the round too)

Handmade Gift the Third - Ponytail Hat

About two weeks before Christmas, while taking a knitting break and browsing Ravelry, I came across the cutest hat.  One should absolutely not, under any circumstances, log on to Ravelry two weeks before Christmas, especially if one is a knitter working on a long term project with a deadline; who is easily distracted by super cute quick projects using big yarn that can be finished in a day or two.  I think we all know that within a few short days I had appropriate yarn and needles in hand, with a plan to add just one more hand knit project to my gift list.  The teenager next door has a love of knit hats and very long hair, so once I stumbled across the Hannah ponytail hat I couldn't get the idea of her having it out of my head.  Luckily the pattern was very fast and it turned out just as I imagined (it is quite hard to take a picture of the back of your own head, hopefully you can tell that the clever hat buttons under your ponytail so that you don't mess it up putting the hat on and taking it off). 

It is always a bit harrowing to present a hand made gift to someone you have never knit for before, but I think she liked it.

Pattern:  Hannah Hat on Ravelry
Yarn: Misti Alpaca Chunky in Seafoam Green
Needles:  Size US 10 straight for button flap and then Double pointed to knit the rest in the round

Handmade Gift the Second - Olivia

Sammie the Sock Monster's friend, Olivia, finally got stuffed and pieced together on Christmas Eve Eve. This pattern is such a quick and easy knit, far faster than Sammie and I have to say she is all kinds of cute. Both monsters were a big hit Christmas morning and both girls kept asking me, "You knit these mom? Really? All by yourself?".

I Couldn't resist taking Olivia out for a photoshoot in the snow, we have never had snow accumulation on Christmas in my lifetime, and I attribute it all to the 8 year old that lives next door who put snow on her Christmas list for Santa. It was such a treat, just the right amount and so pretty.

Did you get your holiday knitting projects completed?
Pattern: Olivia the Audacious Monster by Rebecca Danger
Yarn: Cascade 220 in Magenta
Needles: Size US 5 (I used double pointed instead of the magic loop suggested by the pattern)

Current State of Christmas Knitting

One project complete.
One project almost complete, just needs stuffing and sewing together of various body parts.  Oh, and a tiny tutu.
One project not yet started (eek!).
One project started Friday and almost complete, must run to yarn store for buttons and double pointed size ten needles for finishing today.
One heart attack yesterday morning after discovering this:

Sunday Status Report

I am all the sudden very pleased with my holiday knitting progress, amazing how much monster you can knit when your butt rarely leaves the couch the whole day!  Just keep knitting, just keep knitting...

    Olivia in progress.

Sammie for my Sammy

Christmas knitting is in full force around here, and as of this morning my first present is complete!  Isn't he handsome?  This fabulous Sammie the Sock Monster (pattern by the super creative Rebecca Danger) is quite a knitting accomplishment (he even has little socks!!!), but the fact that I have to whip up another whole monster in just a few weeks makes me hyperventilate slightly.  Very similar to the position I was in last year I do believe.  Even though I start on my Christmas knitting at the end of summer, I still find myself procrastinating come Thanksgiving.  The rest of this weekend will be devoted to knitting, so hopefully I can make some good progress on Olivia.  Of course I keep looking at Sammie and thinking he needs a monster quilt... doesn't he look cold?  No, must focus on next monster!

Chattahoochee Evening Stars Quilt Show 2010

Last weekend was my guild's quilt show. I think I am now far enough away from all the work and stress that goes in to such an event to show some pictures!  I only had one quilt in the show, which means that is all I have completed in the last two years. That definitely shows how going back to work full time effects quilt output (not to mention planning a wedding/getting married, having a second child start school, and becoming obsessed with knitting).  Excuses, excuses, I know there are plenty of people out there doing all that and more and producing quilts like crazy, I'm just in denial that I am really slow. Mom and Melissa had several quilts in the show, and they both won ribbons!  Here is my Butterfly Garden quilt on display:

Mom's ribbon winning quilt:

Check out all that embroidery!

Two of Melissa's 9 patch quilts... I love 9 patches:

I better get to work now so I have something to enter in the 2012 show!