How to De-Stress...

Or better yet.... how to avoid stress period and just have some fun!
It's moving time again here at Cupcake Land. Another move from one side of the country to the other is in the works. In fact... it starts 'working' in a mere two weeks. Gasp! OMG! That means an awful lot of prep-work for Schi-Schu and a whole lotta stress for the rest of the Cupcake Crew. Yikes. Today was supposed to be the first day in CRUNCH TIME... but...
How about a little spinning? Maybe a little plying? And then a little action with the knitty knotty and a whole lot of water! Woohoo!! What better way to spend the first day of CRUNCH TIME than just plain ol' NOT DO IT!
I hand dyed some roving last week with my favorite Aunt.  I don't know what kind exactly, but I do know that it came from a sheep, was already carded and clean(ish) and needed to be changed from white to a lovely green, blue, purple, teal combo! How fun! We used some acid dye, a little vinegar and warm water! Oh... this time we even used the rubber gloves!

 This is what I did today.... rather than a whole lot of *yawn* cleaning and getting ready for pre-inspection tomorrow. *sighing loudly* BUT this was way more fun! I finished up the roving, wound it into a center pull ball and then plied from each end of it to get this lovely stuff over here on my bobbin! **green really isn't one of my most favorite colors, but... I do like this yellow, green, turquoise, purple combo**

I decided that since I was having so much fun plying rather than cleaning I would go ahead and finish up two bobbins of the dark brown I had in my basket.  It's really soft but I can't remember what it is. I do know that I got it from Stonehedge Fiber Mill near my house in Michigan.  It worked up into approximately 96 yards of some.... let's just say 'funky' and let it go at that. My spinning skills are still in that 'novelty yarn' aka 'funky' stage!
Not a bad way to spend a Sunday huh? Now I'm off to put away our stuff from our trip home.... just so the pre-move inspection doesn't make me look like a total slob!!

Eeegads! More Socks!

I seem to have gone from, 'no. I don't make socks. Socks are dumb," to an overly obsessed, knitting nothing but socks kinda girl. Eeegads. Just how many pairs of socks does one person need anyhow?
It's all good though because I seem to be cruising through my stash of sock yarn.... or at least that's the impression I'm giving Big!!   Big doesn't seem to notice (maybe he pretends not to...?) the sock yarn that suddenly shows up and I'm hoping that he wouldn't guess that it came from someplace other than the stash bin upstairs.  Well.... that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!  We just won't talk about the other yarn I've bought had stashed. As long as every so often, a pair I'm knitting ends up on Big's feet. He's really happy when that happens!
When I sit and actually add up the numbers.... just since Christmas 2012... 3 pair for Big, 1 for me (another on the needles) and 2 pair for Boy.... that's only 6 pair. Ha! Seven. That's not so much I guess. I sort of lose track because I work on different pairs at different times, so it's a little hard to tell just how many I've made....  Another story I shall stick to I think, because what I didn't count is the travelling sock KAL I've recently joined AND the test knit of yet another pair that I'm doing as well.  Sigh. At least I've admitted that it's a recent obsession so cut me so slack huh?
 Honestly though, if I look into my knitting bag (and corners of the room(s) where I knit) there are only 3 on needles right now. One of those is the pair for the Travelling Sock Circle.  I work on a small part of each sock in the circle (8) and then send it on to the next person.  Every couple of weeks I should get another pair to do something on and then send it. Fuelling the obsession? Maybe. Also it could be a way for me to knit socks without really having to spend too much time (and probably money) on more socks! Winning!!  The other two pairs in that bag are a pair for me I started almost a month ago. It's the pair I work on while waiting or when I don't really have to think about what I'm doing. **Did you get that? ME saying that socks have become easy. Um... yeah. They are. I can work on a pair without really spending a whole lot of thought! My kind of stuff!!  The last pair in the bag is only one lonely sock right now ~ which sort of confirms my thought that some socks are dumb (in this case the method of knitting the sock). Top down, one at a time socks are kinda dumb, I think. I much prefer ~ and so does my attention span ~ knitting two at once! No second sock syndrome!  This most recent pair is a really lovely sock. It has cables and the self -striping yarn makes those babies really pop. I should be done with this pair sock in the next couple of days and maybe, just maybe, having to finish that second sock will ease my obsession for a while!

Yarn Dyeing with a Jr. Mad Scientist

A few weeks ago I went over to a friend's house to dye some yarn. Loads of fun and smelled great! *We used Koolaid* I came home with my two hanks of yarn and Boy was excited. Really. He looked at my yarn, looked at me and said (with a smirk of course) "I could do that." Oh yeah kiddo? Game on.
I ordered some blank yarn and bought all the Koolaid I could find, just for him! He was really excited. He kept coming up with colors that he needed... yellow/green for ****, purple/green for ****, cherry/red/purple for ****.    ***Can't put the names in there because he's worried about copyright infringements; Not that he is infringing upon anything, but 'what if someone steals my names Mom?' Sigh.... this kid is killing me. He does have awesome names for his yarn already!
I'm serious. My kid has been super stoked about this. He's watched YouTube videos on how to dye yarn, looked at yarn online, watched other tutorials and even tried to convince me to spend $100 on some cold water dye. Um. No. Let's start with the Koolaid. I'm going to need a coupon or something here soon........

Today was the day! We pre-soaked the yarn before he went to bed last night and soon as he got his math and science done this morning.... we were on it!

I let him do three 440 yard hanks of sock yarn and one of worsted weight... oh man was it fun!! I let him do one all by himself and although I kept telling him 'if you add too much, the colors will muddle...' His answer to that one.. "it's okay, I'll just name it Muddle something or other." Whatever dude.
Our hands are messy, our kitchen is a disaster zone ~ thank goodness for magic erasers!!
But.... when yarn is hanging in the tree outside to dry... who cares how messy it is! We sure had fun!

This one is something very special he made for our favorite Aunt at home in Michigan. **IF she sees this I know she won't tell him! It's a surprise so he says I can't even tell you what koolaid he used! Secret formula or something I guess!

The yarn to the left (fingering yarn) didn't turn out exactly how he wanted so he said I could tell you the name.... are you ready?  Unicorn Barf!

How cool is that? Yarn dangling in a tree? Such a nice wind today to dry these babies right up!

Off we go to the store for more Koolaid.

Sighing loudly....

maybe I should just suck it up and order him the dye.

A little word to the wise here...

wear some gloves!

 

**Mine look soooo much darker in real life. Purple to my knuckles!

 

Knitting on the Run

Even though I have at least two (more?) projects going at one time I still find myself grabbing the same little bag with the same little project in it every time I leave the house. My kid laughs and thinks I can't leave the house without yarn, but... guess what?! He's probably right! What if I get stuck in traffic? What if I find myself with a wait and gasp! Nothing to do? Better take that project with me when I leave the house... be prepared!
What is your go-to ~ or in this case, your 'go with' knitting projects? The one project that you take with you when you have to wait in the dentist office? The project that doesn't require a whole lot of concentration to work happily away on while you are waiting or just plain stuck? I don't know about you, but for me this has to be something I really don't have to think about and can just knit.  It just has to be something that will take my mind off of my wait and keep my fingers and brain happy.
Now is the part where you get to laugh at me. Yep. Laugh away......
My go-with project lately has been.......... socks. What?! Socks?! Um yeah.... socks. Not just any old socks, but two-at -a-time socks, hand knit by me. Yeah. Me. I know, I know... I did say it, I admit it. I said "socks were dumb and I wouldn't make them".  Laughing? I knew you would. I'm laughing too. Every time I need a new little project to keep me busy.....without a whole lot of thought and/or effort.... I pick up that 40 inch cable needle and some sock yarn. I make socks. I admit it. I do something I thought was dumb and guess what else? I like it. Yep. I do. I like making socks!
I've made socks for me, the kid and for Big. Guess what?! They like them! ! Guess what else?  They laughed  when I said that I was going to make them socks.  Big even said he thought I wasn't ever going to make socks.  Zip-it Big and enjoy those socks I see on your feet every night! 
I'm almost to the point where I don't have to look at the pattern (too much) when I make a pair of toe-up, two at a time socks, and I totally agree. Me making socks (without following a pattern line for line) is super funny considering where I was a year ago! They were dumb remember?
Here is a picture of my most recent socks... these are for ME!!

I'm also a bit of a yarn snob... but this 93% Acrylic, 7% Polyester(elasthane) yarn by Plymouth Yarn (Diversity) is super soft and slightly elastic. It's going to feel really nice on my tootsies!!  The price tag for 420 yards was less than $10 so it fits into Big's budget pretty well, but now I just have to figure out how to convince him that he isn't really seeing another skein of yarn and definitely isn't looking at yet another pair of socks being knit up by me!

Look What I Made!

Remember when you were a kid and you would bring your school papers home from school? Holding them tightly on the bus so they wouldn't get smooshed?  Then waving them in front of your parents faces while yelling (loudly of course!) "Hey! Look what I made!"
Remember that? That's what I'm doing right now......... so .....wiggle your computer around a bit and think (out loud please) Hey! Look what she made!  Thanks!   Now that that's out of the way.... LOOK WHAT I DID! *insert giggles here*

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rowan-moon-socks  This is the link to the Ravelry page where you can see the actual sock pattern!

These are the Rowan Moon Socks (originally Rowan Tree socks) that I made for Big!   The designer for this pattern needed testers to test it and I thought I could. So I did!  The patterns I've been using are posted in a forum (Ravelry)  prior to being published to ensure no errors and that it works.   The bonus for the tester (ME!) is that you get to test yourself (time limits, and some other minor requirements) and then keep the pattern. Did I mention.. for free!?  The requirements on this one were fairly simple,  I just had to post updates of my progress, report any mistakes and then link my project to her pattern page when it was all done. Easy~peasy!  It just happens that I am super (duper) happy with the results AND the pattern AND the socks but....  the designer, well.......  **insert more computer wiggling here.....she liked my socks (or at least the picture of them) sooo much she asked if she could feature it on her page and in the pattern itself!!!Whoop! Go Me!! I thought the socks were pretty rockin' when I was done with them, but now......

I'm all jumpin' up and down' waving my computer and yellin' "Look what I did!"

I know, I know... this is a repost of something I already did... but hey! Did you see what I did??

Just in case you missed it....... I'm a tad bit stoked about this!!

 

 

I Like It!

 

I love how I can knit this kid anything and he'll not only wear it, but will usually wear it out!

 

He picked out the yarn for this hat...looking at the color swatch online it didn't look quite so purple, but... he loves it! He truly doesn't care that it turned out to be more purple than grey! I think he mostly loved the name...'Misty Morn,'  While I was knitting,  I kept asking to make sure he was going to wear it, and he insisted and kept saying 'yep. I like it."   In fact, he likes it so much that it's the first picked out of the basket when he goes outside.    Gotta love that!!

That's just one of the many interesting things about this kid. ~ other than his obvious love of handmade stuff made by Mom!!   He likes what he likes and it doesn't matter if someone else doesn't like it.  Just the other day, a friend laughed when he wore this hat outside, but Boy just shrugged and said... "my ears are warm and I like that."  

 His ears were warm and he had picked out the color himself so that was that!

I often let him choose colors of yarn for other people... he usually goes for the bright stuff and so far everyone has been happy (or at least they are smart and say they are happy!) with what the gift is!  He never seems to go for the obvious gender choices... blue for a boy, pink for a girl... he just goes for what he likes and what he thinks the other person will like.

 

Take for instance this....    it's 'Cartoon', a hand-painted sock yarn that we just recently bought. Boyo picked it out for himself (looking online) but when it got to our house...

"Hey mom! Let's make Dad socks out of this too!"  So... that's just what we did...

 Boyo wearing his socks~ aren't they huge? He loves his new sock and although I don't have a picture of Dad's Cartoon socks.. he does wear them and really likes them too! They really look a lot like Boy's socks. Just a bit bigger!

Obviously there are a million reasons why I love my kid... but... this need of his to wear what he wants AND wear something Mom knits for him.... just makes me love him more!

 

 

 

Happy Feet

All of a sudden, totally out of nowhere.... I've been hit by the Sock Bug!

 *Fair warning... Sock Bug may be contagious!!*

It seems that socks, socks and more socks are on my needles AND poking out of corners in the couch!  I think right now I have at least 3 pair on the needles and getting ready to start another. Yikes! And to think... *yes CS this one is totally for you*... I used to think that making socks was well... kinda dumb.  Maybe it still is, but I suddenly have this mad obsession with them and I like doing it.
My current obsession is getting blamed on my favorite Aunt Gaily.  THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT.  True story.  She made me sit down last year and make a pair for Big.  Made me.  Gee thanks Aunt G. Now I'm stuck! 
It became fun when I could do it all by myself (without running crying to Aunt G that I was stuck!) AND then even more fun when I realized that I don't have to follow the pattern.  **this may not be a good thing because if I have the pattern memorized it might mean I've been doing it too much**  Sigh..
Either way... I like socks. I do. I like knitting socks BUT only two-at-a-time!  I like the toe-up method the best too because it means I get to fit the socks to the feet I'm knitting them for and the toes feel really nice when I'm all done. I don't mind the Kitchener stitch toe, I just like this one better.

I've even been stretching myself a bit and (insert loud gasp!!) NOT sticking with the same pattern... (more gasping!) trying something new!! I made this pair last month for Big as part of a test knit over on Ravelry and guess what... I think I will make them again! They only took a week!
Big must be digging this new obsession because he seems to be the recipient of most of these socks! *It' been easier to find 'guy' colors of yarn too so that really helps! He's gotten three new pair in just the last few weeks!

Boyo is getting his second pair ~ hopefully I will finish them today! Just a few more inches, some ribbing and wa-la! Striped socks for the kiddo! Don't you love the bright rainbow color he picked out from Knitpicks? It's 'Cartoon' in Stroll hand painted fingering yarn.

  I'm also getting ready to start another pair for me!  Going to try this pattern next : http://www.ravelry.com/projects/CrustyCupcake/irregular-stripes-sock and I'm using this yarn (I just got it today!)  Plymouth Yarn's Diversity in Deep Sea. It's 93% acrylic and 7% elasthane, but it feels really dreamy! My toes will be so happy!  I wonder what 'memory yarn' is....

 So.. wait... if I finished Big's Cartoon pair and am almost done with Boy's... that means I ONLY have one pair currently on needles... until of course I start mine and that makes two...
oh phew. That's not so bad is it! Not so much of an obsession after all!!  Any way you look at it.... my family and their feet certainly are happy with my latest craze!

This is Supposed to be Fun!

Knitting is fun! It is! It really is.... until you start slapping a deadline on the knitting project AND you hurt your hand AND it's kind of a complicated pattern. **sighing loudly**
 It seems that my current lace project is rapidly becoming a 'not so much fun' project for me. This is a total bummer because, it's not that hard, it's a  nice pattern ~ I watched it in the knitting lab and when it was put on the forum... I pounced!! I really like it and I want to be able to wear this lovely, blue, lacy scarf.......... someday.  Someday....
Right now it's not so much fun. Nope. Not much at all. My pinky on my right hand is swollen and painful. Don't know why, it just is. I took a break from knitting and guess what?! Ha! No. It didn't help at all. I can knit... sort of... I just have to hold my pinky out like I'm holding a tea cup and well... my whole hand gets tired pretty fast and the knitting is slow.  Slooooooow....
I keep plugging away because a) I want to finish it *Did I just say that?* and b) I have a deadline to meet. I'm hoping that I will be able to meet it, but... tea cup holding, pinky stretched out sort of knitting is very awkward and it makes my family giggle.
I've been learning a lot of things about lace knitting (in the whole whopping 3 days I've been working on this) and thought maybe I would share them.
#1 and foremost... use the right yarn. If you don't......... you won't get gauge. Sighing again... that was a whole day own the drain right there.
#2 NO INTERRUPTIONS... must concentrate. Must. Concentrate. What was that? A squirrel? Jeez...
#3 Use a lifeline. Run a contrasting thread through your pattern somewhere in the pattern so when you frog it all back... you don't have to go to the beginning. Note* only works when you get past the first three rows....... more loud sighing....
#4 Pay attention to the chart! Duh... on this particular chart the odd rows (right side) are worked from right to left and that pretty much means the even numbered rows would then be worked from left to right.... Pay attention to the chart and no interruptions... damn squirrels!
#5 Decorative markers. Helpful indeed! Between each of my gold markers there is a number of stitches... these numbers should remain the same always. A L W A Y S. Um... yeah...
#6 Practice your pirate talking because boy oh boy are you going to need it. Aaaargh seems to pop up an awful lot.
So off we go... pinkies up!! This is supposed to be fun remember?
#7 Sticky notes ~ love these! Plus it meant I had to go on a field trip to the office supply aisle at the store! BUT they are really helpful in keeping track of where you are at in a pattern/chart ESPECIALLY if squirrels, kids, TV, life, etc... keeps getting in your way.

Charts & Deadlines

I've recently joined a free pattern testing group over on Ravelry. It's cool, but it's making me stretch myself out of my happy little, comfortable (all right... boring) place. It's made me try new things AND finish them!  How funny is that?  Me getting excited about finishing stuff AND being held accountable to a time limit?  Stop laughing.
That's been one of the biggest challenges I've had while knitting... finishing. Oh! Gimme a break! I finish stuff, just um... sometime way (waaaay) later than when I start. Christmas presents need to be started in July; that sort of thing!  Knitting is enjoyable and I'm kind of good at it, but time limits... well... yeah...
BUT now that I've joined this free testing group, I have to be accountable. I must complete the tests I sign up for within set time limits. Must. So far it's been easy. I've completed the few I've done way ahead of time and now I'm ready to begin another one.  I've signed up to make a scarf. Say What?
A scarf?  Yep. A scarf.
Ha ha.... it's a lacy, lovely, huge thing and it has to be done by 10 March.  AND guess what?! I haven't started yet. Go figure.
Hey! I was waiting for my yarn (it arrived yesterday) and when I printed out the pattern... oh no!!  Wait! Whoa! It's a chart. C H A R T . Wow. No k2,p2,k47 kinda thing ~ which is what I'm used to. Nope. This one is all little squares with weird symbols. WTH?
Okay... checking another "trying something new" square on my resolutions box... how in the heck do you read a chart?!
I had to spend some time online to figure this one out and guess what?! It's pretty intuitive. You read it just like a regular ol' knitting pattern except it's more of an 'I don't know how to read actual words' sort of thing. Like a picture menu at a restaurant. Point to the picture of what you want dearies! Each little picture, in each little square means some sort of stitch. *more sighing loudly* I guess I'm going to go slowly until I get all those little symbols memorized... hoping for sometime before row 442.... omygosh I certainly hope I can meet the time limit!

Wallaby Sweater KAL

Another Wallaby KAL is in the works!
 

 We started a couple of weeks ago and I don't have a lot of progress to report, but I've been getting hints that my friends are zipping along!  I really need to catch up!

** the pictures are from Big's sweater that I made him over a year ago.. almost 2 actually.. but I needed pictures to illustrate a few points for my friends that are making this sweater now. 

 I've made this sweater four times now and each time I do it, I realize stuff and even change some of the ways I do the pattern. It's made it easier for me and I'm hoping that it helps you now. 

 

The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn and although I had my eye on a few nicer (read $$) yarns, I  ended up with this Lion Brand Wool Ease.  I liked the soft grey color and the fact that it was washable almost as much as I liked it being less than $4 a skein! Winning! 

One of the hardest parts of this pattern is deciding whom to knit said sweater for.  Once you decide that, the rest is fairly simple!  Now that you know what size you are making, cast on using the smaller of the two needles (24" circular needles size 6 & 8).  I chose to make the 'Wilbur Wallaby' ~ size large so I cast on 146 sts using my size 6, 24 inch needle.   The ribbing is simple K1, P1 ribbing done for 3inches for this size. *check pattern for your particular size. 

 

 Once the ribbing is done, change to the larger needles (size 8's) and increase evenly across on that first row AND mark your halfway point with a stitch marker.  You have 2 markers now.. one at the beginning of your round (my green marker) and one halfway (the pink hanging on the left needle). *use a different color especially for the beginning of round**

  On the SECOND row of the body... place a marker 3 stitches in from your beginning of round marker.... knit over to 3 before the midway marker and put another one in. You have to use a locking stitch marker on the stitch itself because it stays here and doesn't travel around like a regular marker. You can also use a safety pin if you don't have any locking markers.  These markers form the 'line' where you begin your pouch and just stay here until later. THIS IS WHERE I MADE MY FIRST CHANGE....

I went ahead and ran a thread between those pouch markers AS I WAS KNITTING across to place the second marker. I figured that if I ran it along now I wouldn't have to fight with it so much later! **the pictures are from the sweater where I followed the directions exactly! I just don't have a picture to show you of the changed up version!

Once you do that... that whole marking thing... now you just knit your body for 6 inches (*check your size again in the pattern!) and then you will go back to that pouch spot!

This one I stitched a gold thread between those two pouch markers so I would have a straight line to pick up stitches along. It totally saves your butt so I suggest you do it!! !  BUT instead of going back and doing it, just weave it along with you as you knit that second row!  The contrasting string and the markers will just stay here waiting for you to knit up the body for those 4, 5, 6inches.

Now just park your body stitches on your needles - use something to keep them on there! Don't want anybody falling off!! 

Take a second ball of your yarn.........go in from the back on the left side (at that marker you placed earlier and that contrasting thread line) and pick up stitches. You reach in from the front with a crochet hook and pick up the yarn from behind. The pattern says to leave at least a 5" tail on the inside, but it's okay to leave more.  You stick your crochet hook into the center of the V of each stitch and reach in and just hook a loop of yarn from that second ball.  Once you have a few on your hook, you just slip them purlwise off the back onto your knitting needle.  

Another little hint.... pay attention and follow the directions... *If you work left to right like the pattern says... you end up on the right side to start knitting.  If  you look closely at my picture... yeah... I didn't.

I used another size 8 needle to work the pouch. I thought about putting the body onto waste yarn for safe keeping, but nah. I just pulled out my straight 8's and went to town! I've even used another circular needle here, it doesn't matter. You just need two more pointy sticks of the same size.

 

Now just follow the  directions here... pick up 46, 50... however many stitches you are supposed to until you get that line going between the two markers.  If you are off ~ have too many or whatever, you can fudge it so no worries! JUST make a note of it somewhere because if you forget to adjust for it, you have to work it in when it comes time to fuse with the main body.  The pattern says now to remove the pins (markers) but I didn't. I liked the reference point.

Now you just knit the pouch! Just like the pattern says. K the first 5, purl across, K the last 5 ~ that's the first row. KNIT THE FIRST and LAST 5 STITCHES in every row! Makes a really cool edge! BUT if you mess up... and I may or may not have... You can just leave it or pull it out. It's up to you. I have a sweater with a mistake on it and one without, but on the one with, I can't really tell!

The first row or so is kind of tight, but after a bit it gets better. Don't forget to do your decreases!

You will knit flat so now you have to purl the return rows! You want the stitching to look just like the rest of the body! Keep going until you have the right amount of stitches after all your decreases and your pouch is the same size as your body... the pouch may be longer here, but that's okay. Just knit some more on the body until both are the same size!!

Now.... eek! It's time to fuse the pouch with the rest of the body. Go ahead and read page 21 in the pattern book and look at pages 12 & 13.

It's not going to be that bad.... just hang on & I'll catch up so we can all do it together!

 

Here's the link for the pattern....

http://cottagecreationspatterns.com/Sweaters/Wonderful-Wallaby.php

 

 

 

 

Testing....

Ever been stuck on one row in a knitting pattern and no matter what you do, it just doesn't make sense? Or it just will not work and no amount of fudging is going to make it better? Yeah....been there. Sigh. It sucks. I don't often spend money on patterns (too much free stuff out there!) but when I do, I really want the dumb thing to work! I don't mind tossing things aside and waiting for the smoke to clear, but when I pick it up again... it had better work! Which makes me think.... somebody needs to step up and help a designer out! Enter me.... into the realm of pattern testing. Yikes.
There is a really cool forum over on Ravelry ~ that anyone can join BUT you better follow the rules~ it's exactly what the name implies... Free Pattern Testing... A designer makes up a pattern and then asks YOU, yeah you... average knitter to 'test' the pattern. 
All you do is sign up in the forum to become a pattern tester and then the fun begins!   A  designer will post a thread with just enough information to pull you in! Usually there is a picture and a little bit of information about the pattern, but... you don't get the pattern UNTIL the designer emails it to you.  Once you get the pattern you have to follow the directions and the rules of the group from start to finish. No fudging & no changing things! ~ I'll admit that this little part has been a bit of a challenge for me because as I'm knitting and I find an error... I want to correct it all on my own and get the thing done, but.... I need to send a message to the designer and let them do it. It's their pattern and their design after all.
 For me, it's not only been a test of a pattern, but a test of my patience and how I read and interpret patterns.  I'm a total direction follower so that helps, but when I can clearly see an error and how to fix it... sighing loudly... I have to put on my patience hat and well... you all might know how that goes.

Eyelet Fingerless Gloves 1/13

So far so good.... I've done three 'tests' so far and the results have been nice! I get to keep the patterns too which is pretty cool. What I'm really hoping for is that this stretches me and my knitting... I've already been working on that whole patience thing :)

Night at Big White ~ 2/9/13

Winter Wind Cowl - 2/13
Don't you just love Boy's face!!
 

Mid-Winter Motivation

I don't know about you, but the grey days of midwinter not only have me wishing Spring would return in a hurry, but that my motivation would hurry up and return as well!
I do seem to be knitting, but it seems that not much is really getting accomplished ~ I finish up my projects, but really don't have a whole lot to show for it. Which makes me wonder... what in the heck have I been doing?
Here's a list...
I've organized (partially) my stash and my stuff. Purged a bit here and there so I've  sort of already begun Spring cleaning. I've started AND finished projects completely out of the stash which is directly in-line with my resolution for the year. I've been working on test knitting some projects for designers and making all of my deadlines so how can it seem like I'm not on track and nothing is getting accomplished?  Wow.
Doldrums. Winter blues. Winter blahs? ~ yep. All of those and then some!
 I needed a little motivation to get me back on track! A little pick me-up...
so that's what I did! More than once actually....
I went to the yarn store!
 I didn't buy much, but what I did buy was directly related to how much of the sunshine and Spring I've been missing ~ everything!
Just look at this...
isn't it lovely? The picture doesn't really do it justice.. it has a lot of light and dark greens with some yellow in it and reminds me of Spring and Summer! ~ green grass, sunshine.... mm mm....
It's 'Rustic Fingering' 100% Superwash Merino by Neighborhood Fiber Co. here in D.C.
I think it's going to be some cabled socks for ME!
How's that for a little inspiration? Now I'm off to knit!

Confessions of a Yarn Hoarder - Day 5?

Obviously I skipped a few days between Day 4 post and today... and No! It's not because I was super busy destashing and debunking the yarnstoragesystem.... ha! Just the opposite. I've taken a step back and re-assessed things...
#1 I don't have time to deal with all that yarn right now *sigh* and #2, it really does work for me. It just may need to be revamped a little in the future if it keeps growing but for right now it's okay.
I feel like I was able to accomplish a lot in the four days I pretended to worked on it and I honestly think it works! I was able to really clean up and clean out a lot of the things I have lying around.... the tools, the patterns, the bits and pieces of yarn and yes... my little friend K got herself a good start on her own stash!! I cleaned out some of the stuff I had and gave it to her! It feels good to help someone else begin a hoarding stash collection! Her parents will thank me someday.. I'm sure of it!! Hey! I'm saving them money!  It was a good way to clean out some of my stuff!
I know.  I know... I was going to pull everything out, assess it, sort it, clean it out, but I didn't. Okay? I didn't. Once I looked at the yarn condo I realized that it was a pretty good system right now. Sock yarn is one drawer, cotton in another, funky bits in yet another so I didn't feel I needed to.  Just doing the stuff I did... sorting through the tools and patterns really spiffed things up! I was able to put it all [ more or less] into one (okay..more than one) spot so it's not overtaking the house as much!  Geez. Big hasn't stepped on anything or had to move yarn in several days so it must be a WINNING situation!!  AND he hasn't said anything about yarn that may or not have been purchased within the last week. Shh....

This is an old picture of the "condo" ~ I would like to expand it at some point. Some of the bins have craft supplies and fabric in them *yeah.. that's a separate issue* and I may have to do some sort of system for that stuff first. I still have yarn tucked away in various places throughout my house... in boxes on the bookshelves, in a bowl on the fireplace mantel and even on the back of a closet door! Those over the door shoe pocket thingys are marvelous places to store yarn!

Now that I've managed to organize a bit I can get on to the point of this whole experiment.... Making it all accessible so I can happily knit without being overwhelmed by my stuff!

I'm really trying to shop the stash first ~ rather than heading directly off to the store for a yarn for a project I head to the condo! Wish me luck with that one huh?

 

Confessions of a Yarn Hoarder - Day 4

Oh okay. You busted me. It's actually Day 5, but since I didn't post yesterday I'm sticking to  Day 4! Yesterday nobody felt well here in Cupcake Land and I think the rapid barometric pressure changes were the issue.  Our waking up with sore throats and I don't wanna's has got to be totally related to the roller coaster weather we've had.  In the last three days, temps & weather has changed from snow to 70's and then back to snow and 20's. All in 3 days! 
I'm blaming the weather for not getting much done this week!  I didn't do much yesterday, but I did manage to get all of my tools into one spot ~ I sort of (ha!) took over the entire dining room table for the last 3 days!!  Big wasn't too happy about that, but... now that it's all tidy and into  pretty much one spot, he'll survive.  My inner OCD is a little happier as well because I not only managed to corral the stuff, but I realized I don't really have to go buy more stitch markers! I even found some in the car! I'm not sure why I even found some in the bathroom.... but I found a bunch!!  Once it was all piled up on the table... no picture because I forgot! Honestly... I couldn't believe the amount of stuff I had!  Oh wait..... yes I can! EVERY stinkin' time I go to the yarn store I eyeball the chachkies like they were chocolate!  Gotta get me some more of that!!
So... what to do with all that stuff!! I really didn't have all that much ~ it just sounds so much better to say that it COVERED the ENTIRE dining room table top rather than just.. gathered everything together on top of the table... See?  I know, I know... more justification which does imply that I have a bit of a problem. *sigh*

Once you've gathered all of YOUR stuff what are you going to do with it? Do you have a little bag that it goes in to? A drawer, a box? I initially bought a little bag from a 'little personalized bag company' that had 2 zippered pockets that folded into half with a handle. Nice. BUT my friend thought that was better for her than the loverly bag I now have.. so we traded!

At first I wasn't sure about it, it is really big... but... once I really started to use it AND I realized that my interchangeable needle set would fit into one of the pockets.... I was hooked!

Just look at all of those pockets ~ ignore the stuff, just look at the pockets! Awesome right?!! AND another bonus is that the pouches can be taken out and go where I go! The big one has all the stitch holders, highlighter tape, cable needles...etc. etc. that just gets lost if it isn't in one place. The smaller pouches are basically GO bags! I have my scissors, tape measure, some stitch markers, needle gauge, needles and a crochet hook (for fixing stuff!) all ready to go in one little bag and that's the bag I'm putting with my current WIP and my daily knitting.

It holds a ton of stuff and I love it!! Only problem with it so far.... where do I put all those pesky DPN's and my many million circulars?

  Big 'allowed' this purchase as a birthday gift (snort!) a couple of years ago, but after those couple of years and multiple trips to the knitting store, I couldn't close it anymore! It usually looks like this...

So I had to take some out. I put the circulars with 16" cables into Ziploc bags, put some cute designer tape on the bottom, punched a hole in one side and stuck them all on a ring! *I used to do this with my DPN's but the little buggers kept poking their way out of their bags!

 My DPN's still live in zip bags, but... I found this cool worm bag at a big sports store and it already has bags! Better, thicker bags... with grommets!!   I just replaced their little rings with bigger rings, used some of my already hole punched zippies and stuck ALL ~ I think it's all... maybe it isn't... ANYWAY.. most of my DPN's in there! It even has little zippered pockets to store even more stuff!

My OCD thinks I'm amazing!! Zippy bags, storage bags, ALL IN ONE PLACE... oh my!!

 How could you not just love it?

Next up...... *sigh* tackling the yarn stash.......

 

 

 

 

 

Confessions of a Yarn Hoarder - Day 3

So it's Day 3 in the series of debunking, destashing and re-organizing the yarnstoragesystem!  This is my adventure in how to get from piles of stuff hidden in baskets, on bookshelves, under beds, chairs and right out in the open to nicely organized, easily accessible ~ which then means easily used~ piles of stuff!
What have I accomplished? Well....
I've talked about it.  I've considered it.  I've looked up lots of lovely storage, organizing ideas on the Internet....
Yeah okay, so really.... not much.  That's a bit disappointing considering it's Day 3, but considering the amount of stuff I have, well... this is gonna take a while!
I could take this day as a reflection day. A day to re-organize the plan for destashing and debunking, but... that sounds a bit like a cop-out doesn't it? Um.. yeah.  BUT it's probably a really good idea to rewind a little bit. MAKE A PLAN  so I have something to stick to!
Day 3 is now PLANNING DAY. Cut me some slack would ya? I know I should have done it the first day, but... let's regroup and make our plan now okay?
#1 Look at your storage space as it is now. Is there anything you would like to change? Make it easier to get to and then use? Is your hubby happy with that great big pile of stuff by his favorite chair?
Break it down a little.... a) assess what you have now and how it works, b) is the system you have capable of expanding or does it need a face lift? C) What would your dream system be....NOW spend hours online looking at available OCD organizing options *sigh* Oh wait... I did that yesterday :)
#1 was really Day 1 for me. I looked at my stuff. Got tired of  trying to cram it all into the yarn condo and then having to dig around in different places for different tools. That was annoying enough to make me want to spruce it up a bit. I started there and then I moved to...
 #2 Organizing the paper! Day #2 for me!  I pulled out all (almost all) of my patterns. Paper printouts from the Internet, patterns I bought and the books. I didn't have a ton, but some of it I wasn't ever going to use and I had duplicates on my Ravelry page so I was able to spend just an hour or two yesterday purging.  I now have a nice pile to share with my friends and some went into the recycle bin! Sometime in the future I'm going to scan the rest in and make them into nice tidy pdf's, but for now I'm happy with three binders made down into just one!
 #3 ~ yeah. That's today my Day #3.  I'm planning out my POA (plan of action), setting my time limits, ignoring the budget (shh!) and hitting the bricks running! Man do I talk a good game or what?!! **This should be really in the #1 spot**
#4  Tools! Look at the tools you have (needles and everything!) Do you have one place to put this stuff? I'd like mine all to be together and easily accessible so this is going to be my #4 Day. I'm going to start by gathering it all into one place, maybe the dining room table? I don't know about you, but I have stitch markers, cable needles, scissors and rulers EVERYWHERE!  It will be a project to just get it into one spot! 
 #5 Yarn!!   This will be my #5 day I think *however many days it takes! See? I've saved the best for last! The ultimate stop on the tour of my stuff! Organizing the YARN!! I plan on pulling it all out ~ from the dining room, the living room and every room I find it in and putting it all into one spot. **Has to be a spot where it can be out for a couple of days because I want to make sure I have it all!  Once I get it all together I'm going to sort it and this is personal. I can't tell you how to sort yours because it's all about you at this point. How you like it and what you have.  I have my yarn in bins now separated by type. Sock yarn in one bin, cotton in another and acrylic (gasp!) in another. It's worked so far but I may need to add some categories and I'm sure that once I get into the pile I will work that out.
Once it's sorted....... sort it again! Any of the stuff that you know you won't use give it away! It's okay. Somebody else might love it and need it! Yarn should be used not stored forever. That's the whole point of this trip through my stuff right now! 
Now bag it! I've got extra large clear bags for this! Twins, triplets, quads, etc. will all go into one bag. Those bags will then go back into the bins. Yarn for specific projects (Wallaby Sweater) will go into it's own bag and then go into the WIP bin! 
Phew... it already sounds overwhelming doesn't it! AND it's not even Day #5 yet. Yikes. I think another important part of the plan here is to include sustenance. SNACKS and drinks to keep your energy up!!
#6 Documentation!  Pictures are a beautiful way to show your progress! Posting said pictures on your blog or even facebook will not only validate what you did and what you accomplished BUT you can look back on it later *when it gets all messy again* and your dream yarnstoragesystem won't be so far away!

Confessions of a Yarn Hoarder - Day 2

Figuring out how to start and where to start debunking!

I've accepted the fact that I  have yarn. Lots of yarn. Lots of tools, needles and just plain yarn type stuff. *more sighing* I've also accepted the fact that once again I have to make my yarnstoragesystem work better for me. NO! Not as a way to hide the stuff so Big doesn't see it all.... but as a way to make it more manageable and useful to allow my creative being a chance to be free!  Okay, okay...Yes. I brought my OCD out of the closet today!  But seriously, a little organization will make it easier for me to use my stuff and the organization of it will just make all of me happy! Add the extra bonus of hiding it better from Big and it's a WIN-WIN!!
Only problem is that I'm having a very hard time starting this whole debunking and reorganizing the yarnstoragesystem. I'm motivated *how could I not be with the bonus of hiding it from Big?!
I've been spending hours and hours online (Pinterest) looking up ways to make the whole process easier. Ha. Killing time, avoiding the whole situation.... that's the truth. That's the confession; I can't start. I don't know where to start which makes me basically shut down. I'm stuck. I need a quick kick in the pants to get my butt out of this rut and get moving!
So? What do I do.......
head back over to Pinterest and the good ol' Internet! Someone somewhere has obviously been in the same situation as me ~ maybe not with as much stuff as me, but I know they have got to be out there! Research! That's what I'll call the time I've spent online!! *Just another manifestation of a problem... justifying it.  Believe me, I see my own pitfalls here! I'm my own worst enemy and I know the next time I move the bag of yarn, WIP's and whatnot away from the chair in the living room to vacuum... I'll remember why I'm doing this.
So here's where we're going to start..... oh? You didn't know you were going to do this as well? Ha! You most certainly are!!
Today is officially Day 1! Re-organizing and debunking the yarnstoragesystem AND the yarnimplementtoolstoragesystem (yes.. those are all one word) NO MORE talking about it. More action!
I've picked a small place to start; Patterns! Paper patterns more specifically! I'm going to debunk and de-clutter those paper patterns using the following criteria:
1. IF I have an electronic version of the same pattern I will toss it! *recycled and/or gifted of course!
2. IF the paper version is one that I have a WIP attached to, it will go in the bag with the WIP.
3. Any duplicate paper patterns will be tossed.
4. ALL patterns will be placed in the appropriate section of the notebook... i.e. baby, blankets, clothing, etc.
5. The three notebooks of paper patterns currently on the shelf will be condensed into no more than 2. *gotta give me some room for my obvious obsession with these patterns!
6. I will play LOUD music while doing all the above!
7. I'm going to try and work in baby steps. One small project at a time so tomorrow I will address those books.

**I seem to debunk and declutter every year... sort of a Spring cleaning if you will. Today the sun is shining, it's warm outside so I'm opening the windows to get a breath of fresh air in here... which hopefully will inspire me to get on the ball and get this stuff done!

Confession of a Yarn Hoarder

I'm totally defending myself here ~ alright.... I'm making light of the fact that I have a yarn stash. A serious yarn stash. I've defended myself many times by saying things like 'it's not that bad', "I don't have as much as others', but my favorite is "it's under control."
I have yarn and/or yarn tools everywhere! Everywhere! I even have yarn catalogs beside the bathtub!  ~Hey! It's for when I get a chance to take a bubble bath and I want some reading! *do not tell Big that there are order forms inside those catalogs!  There is yarn in the bedroom ~ where I'm sure it isn't supposed to be. I have yarn in the living room and GASP!  I found some in the kitchen this morning! I laughed right out loud when  I opened up the cupboard and found this.....
How funny is that!  How amusing to find a lovely little blue yarn ball peaking out of a coffee cup?   Honestly,  I have no idea how that got there! Truly I don't.  Last time I saw it it was sitting on the computer desk waiting to be test knit into fingerless mitts. AND why oh why was it in my coffee mug? Hmm... I'm thinking that Boy must have moved it because it was obstructing his computer screen view. It's seriously funny to find yarn hidden in the cupboard!  Which totally makes me wonder..... do I have a yarn problem and I'm just afraid to admit it? Yikes. Probably.  Big certainly thinks I have one every time I drag him to the yarn shop!  Boy Wonder definitely does, he periodically bans me from storing yarn in the living room because he's usually the one getting yelled at for moving it!
I don't know. I thought it was all under control, the yarn was organized, stored away (out of Big's prying eyesight anyway!) and I don't have too much.  Seriously! I must not have too much because I just had to buy some the other day!! Shh.. don't tell!
I've talked about this before HERE and again HERE and that's just in the last few months. So... I think we can safely jump to the conclusion that I have might have a problem.  Which then we may safely jump to the question... whatcha gonna do about it? Well....
ORGANIZE IT of course! Ha-ha! I seriously think that had I said the words... purge some of it... I would have had my local friends on my doorstep within the hour! Sorry girls. Not happening yet!
I've decided that today will be the start of the newandimprovedyarnstoragesystem! Yes. Please read that as all one word! Over the next couple of weeks I will be organizing, re-organizing the yarnstoragesystem to make it more efficient and dreamy! Stay tuned!  This of course means that there will be yarn everywhere and I may be in trouble with Big and the Boy. They are going to have to see the complete stash. Sigh. It's a necessary evil I'm afraid. Big will be made aware of the extent of the yarn stash. My yarn budget may be taken away, BUT.... if this works he will never see it out in the open again AND it will be much easier to shop the stash!! AND the best of all... if Big doesn't see it.... he won't mind so much next time we go to the yarn shop???
Keep your fingers crossed that this works!!
oh... did I admit the true reason for doing this? I think I did... I'm totally doing this to make it all more manageable and accessible!

Sticking to my Resolution(s)

Remember when I said that my New Year Resolution was to shop my own stash first?  To see what I had in the yarn condo PRIOR to purchasing anything new for a project?  Yeah? Well..... I DID IT!!  I stuck it to my New Year Resolution!!  Not only once!  But twice!!
I've done it twice in the past two weeks! Go me! *I did however purchase a skein of yarn for a project ONLY after starting said project with one yarn and deciding I didn't like it... that counts, right?
I'm sure it does. It must! It has to!
You decide... look at the top picture... lovely right? Nice orangesicle. Looks warm. Just lovely. Um yeah... now look at the next picture.  Rainbow!  Sparkly!  It's Plymouth Yarns Stiletto.  Much lovelier!  Right?!!   Right!!! AND it's got a better name!
The top mitten was the first in the test knit and I was totally going to make the second mitt... until.... Oh Hello Sparkly, rainbow sock yarn!!  You can't really see the sparkles in it, but if you check it out HERE you can see them a lot better. *NOT where I bought my yarn, but it's the best picture of it*
What was I to do? Of course I was going to stick with the orangesicle color and finish that pair, but oh how I had to have a pair made out of the Stiletto! I like it so much I might even make  socks out of this lovely stuff!
I gotta give it to me on this one.  I did stash shop first!  I did!! I know, I know, not exactly what I meant, but... how about I make it up by making a pair of fingerless mitts for Boy Wonder ~ totally from the stash?

I started these today! An easy peasy pair of fingerless mitts for the boy made COMPLETELY from the stash! Some Cascade 220 Superwash (black) and some Berocco Comfort (red). He likes this one and is giving me the stink eye so I'll get off the computer and complete the second one!!  So looks like another total win for ME!!

Starting Toe-Up Socks

I've been trying to convince a friend to turn her current sock obsession into two at a time, toe up socks and today she asked for help! Yay! My skills of persuasion or maybe my incessant babbling about it? Either way (insert evil laughter) now she's sucked her in! Bahaha! She's going to try it today and I have a feeling she's going to be hooked!!  I've even managed to draw Big into the project ~ he had to help me with a quick video this morning to show TW how to get started!

Big's 1st Pair *before sewing in ends!

When I was home this summer (Michigan!!) I spent time with my favorite Aunt Gaily (she's the bestest) and she has been after me for quite a while to try making socks, but I pretty much tried to ignored her because I've always thought socks were a pain! I mean really! Spend hours on making one sock and then have to do it again? Pffft.. not happening. BUT Aunt Gaily's powers of persuasion coupled with the fact she knows me all too well... I ended up doing it.  I not only did it once, but now I can't quit!! My family is rockin' their socks!! Or? I'm rockin' their socks? Either way,  Two at Once, Toe Up, Magic Loop Socks is the only way I'm making socks from now on! Not only can I make two at once (duh! Read the title huh?), they fit so perfectly! AND it becomes a project with the recipient of the socks because I can't make them without said recipient being somewhere nearby! Ha Ha! Now neither Big nor Boy can give me crap about bringing knitting with me (wherever we go) because I'm usually making socks for one of them! Go Me!!
The pattern is pretty easy to follow - once you've done it, but if you do what it says exactly it works out okay! There are a couple of parts in it that are a bit trying and you may need to just see it. That's why I had Big help me this morning ~ we needed a quick video to help TW get on her way! I also needed a blog post so I'm putting it here for all to see as well!
**excuse the poor video - I've got to train Big to do these as well as the Boy :) 
I'm not knocking any other way to cast on - especially Judy's Magic Cast-On because she really does rock! AND her cast on is really cool, but the way my Aunt G showed me and how this particular pattern says to do it... well... it's a lot easier for me!

Hope this helps! AND you don't get too obsessed with sock making!

*high-lighted text is a link*

Learnin' Something New

How to incorporate a lesson for the home school kid AND a little knitting time for mom? Hmm... how about a new cast-on!
Said kid was sitting at the table, working on an assignment and I was at the computer typing in 'stretchy cast-on' when I noticed kid peeking at what I was doing. I reminded him to get working and I just kept at it too. When he heard my frustrated grunt (probably more like a bad word) he pops up and says.. "Mom! I can show you how to do that." Okay Boy Wonder, go for it. He did try and he ended up grunting like me, way too frustrating. We kept at it for a few minutes but pretty soon we were laughing too hard to accomplish much of anything.
I know, I know,  the kid was all into helping me because it kept me distracted from making him get his language assignment done, but.. sigh... it sure was fun! AND how often do I get a boy to be completely interested in what you're doing?  In my house, that's pretty much a big never.
Boy and I ~ tossing the language assignment aside ~ plugged away some more and came up with a cast-on that seems to be stretchy and is fairly simple. Thank goodness for you tube videos or we might still be goofing of! In the end we decided that we should make our own YouTube video using me and my knitting as the actor and Boy as the director! **If you listen closely you can hear him yawning!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEZa0XsALaA&feature=my_favorites&list=FLoUQdToma8NlIfs9MjYVp9g

Warning! It isn't a wonderful video and I leave a few things out.. like when I'm saying... "you wrap IT around.." Wrap what? Sorry.. you wrap the working yarn around. I had a limited time budget with this video ~ Boy Wonder was ready to go back to his work after boring ol' knitting!

New Year Resolution(s)

Now that Christmas is over and all the racing around finishing up of things is over... it's time to start it all over again!! Oh boy, oh boy!! No... I'm not really doing a happy dance ~ just trying to figure it all out so next year I'm not rapidly trying to finish up seventeen bazillion things all at once!
I've often thought and tried (not that hard obviously) to get started on Christmas projects right after the holidays. Right during that lull in January which lasts through the end of winter and uh oh... oh no~ somehow it's Fall once again and I haven't gotten much (if anything done). Now the crunch time starts all over again and it really is time to start thinking about what to make the family for Christmas. *Sigh*  No matter what my intentions are, it never seems that I have enough follow through to get me ahead of the game.  I make resolutions. I do. I try to follow them ~ Hey! I even write them down on paper so I won't forget.... now what did I do with those papers? Geez.......
Everyone around me seems to have their stuff together and never seems to be as frazzled as me at the end of the year ~ how come!? How did they do that? They either fake it really (really) well or they make resolutions at the beginning of the year and STICK TO THEM. Like I said... how do they do that?
Every year I start out the same way. I say I'm going to stick to my resolutions. I make them, I do. Every New Year ~ just like everyone I know!  I plan it all out and I try. I do.  I work really well on them for about a month (sometimes two) but then... pffftt. They're gone. Like a puff of smoke ~ gone.
So why should this year be any different? Because it ends with a 3?   How about just BECAUSE. My kid loves that one, let's try that... Just  B E C A U S E.
Better yet, how about because I want to.   Really. I want to be ahead of the yarn game and have all my stuff in a group.  I want to make things for my family that I know they will love AND not have to run around like a reindeer at the very last minute trying to make things!
How about I start simple? Yeah... that might be a good idea! Why not start with a resolution that isn't impossible to keep... I mean c'mon. I can't possibly start knitting up things for the family for next year now can I? What if the GIL's favorite colors change? What size is the Grand going to be anyway? Do my parents really need seventeen (or thirty) more hand knitted dishtowels and washcloths? Probably not a good idea to make a resolution I couldn't possibly keep. Right?
I think I shall start small. I could even start right here and right now.  I'm going to try... I really will....  Here goes...
a good resolution for me to make and that will have even a small hope of being kept......
I will (try?) shop in my own yarn stuff first!  I will try my hardest to not immediately head off to the yarn store for inspiration~ I'm pretty sure I could find some in all the yarn I have at my house.
What do you think? A good one huh?   I think I might be able to keep it AND an even bigger score here... I'm thinking Big will agree!!  I think he would totally agree with shopping the yarn stash first!
 Let's start with that then ~ a resolution that will (maybe?) stick. I'm not even going to write this one down! In fact.. I'm going to implement it right now! I'm thinking of another pair of socks to make, this time with some sort of pattern on them so I better get heading off to the yarn condo to find just the right yarn!
*IF I look there first and I don't find something I like.... that means I get to go to the store, right? Right?  This may be harder than I think........

Christmas is Complete

Merry Christmas Everyone!! This little guy was more happy with the wrapping paper and eating it than anything else! I made him the bat-hat (pictured below) but obviously it's too big. Oh well... he'll grow! In the meantime it looks like it works pretty well for his dad.

Jax's dad wearing the bat-hat! This is all pretty funny because the hat I made for my son (Jax's dad) didn't really fit him so it went to my brother, and the hat I made for Jax didn't fit him so it went to his dad. Follow all that? Ha-ha! All it means is that I now have to make one more hat for my son so he doesn't wear out the bat-hat!

The Capitan hat I made for GIL 2 (granddaughter in-law #2) sure looks cute on her! I whipped up her mitts while driving from Detroit to home so they  took less than 4 hours to make! I like using bulky yarns and big needles!

I made the Shatki hat in this lovely pink for the DIL! Aren't the girls cuuuuute? I think so!

 

Even the teenager GIL seems to like her hat! This is the Shroom hat pattern I found over at knitty.com
 

Judging by these pictures I think my Christmas projects were a huge success!

 

**if you click on the high-lighted text it will take you to either Ravelry.com or Knitty.com where you can find the patterns **