MASSIVE catch-up: Days 48 to 61!!!

It's Oscar Sunday!

Game on!

Rich and I have not seen any of the nominated pictures.  We're betting on mostly posture and gumption.  It's 9:45 p.m. and I'm up six to four, but there are about 15 awards to go.

So, where have I been the past two weeks?

At the orthopedist, mostly.  My wrist tendinitis has plagued me enough to sideline me from knitting or crocheting.  I've plotted and schemed for my brother's baby shower.  He's finally having his boy.  We love the girls, and his boy is an expected event (Gram's psychic reading four years ago) but we also are pitching in for a vasectomy for Christmas.

I'm still knitting the baby blanket.  I haven't started the 4th block for the Moogly Crochet-A-Long but judging by the pattern it won't take long.  I'm spending next weekend hosting as many friends who will show up for a jewelry making party.  I have more supplies than I have plans for.Thrilled to host friends & family!!

Day 47: right yarn, wrong pattern.

right yarn, wrong pattern

Sometimes we have yarn and we start a project that realistically looks like shit.  At this point we have some options.  Cut (the yarn) and run.  Unravel and try again.  Use the same yarn for a different pattern.  With this yarn I have, I ended up with the third option.  This yarn was not meant for a granny square pattern (on the right).  It looks much better with a knitted option.

The happy news is the cowl I crocheted in this yarn was the perfect fit for the lady who asked me to make it for her.  We got to the part about paying for my time and I asked if she had any plans for the leftover yarn.  She didn't so I told her if she's fine with letting me have the rest of the yarn, she gets the cowl with my thanks.  It was a mutual success.

This is my 1st shot at a diagonally knitted blanket (on the left).  first attempt.  The pattern is made with a bulky boucle but I downsized the needles enough to accommodate a garter stitch blanket.  I don't care much for the garter stitch but I'm looking forward to the final result.

I can proudly say (although it's a sin) that I've so far been 47 for 47 days of my resolution to craft something every day this year.  It's a luxurious goal to have.  I'm sorry, I have to go knit something.  Crap, that should be a t-shirt!

HUGE recap: days eleven through fourteen!!!

Prepare for LOTS of photos, because I've been busy!

Day eleven: traveled from Liverpool to Utica for Rich's official pinning ceremony.  He's received his promotion, so he's now a sergeant and a NCO.  The drive is just over an hour, and since Rich is driving, I have plenty of time to work on crafts.

Trek bracelets

Working on Trek bracelets

Before you question, NO, I was not driving while crocheting.  Rich had some down time at the armory, so I took the opportunity to work on some gifts.  These two bracelets crocheted with cotton yarn are in a pale turquoise color, my niece's favorite color.  She's almost 10, and on 1/11/14 the family celebrated her birthday since my parents are leaving for Florida before her actual birthday.  This is the Trek bracelet pattern link.

crochet cotton bracelet & earrings

Sergeant Walters!

I kept going with the crochet cotton, and after much hemming and hawing, came up with this set for her.  I was unsure about the size vs. the clasp, and reworked the bracelet more than once to come up with something that met my satisfaction.  I made matching earrings as well.  This is the crochet flower bracelet pattern.


After such a productive day, we went to my parents' house for the birthday celebration.  As it was also my oldest niece's mom's birthday celebration, I made her a matching bracelet also.  She didn't care for the huge clasp, so I made her one with the smaller heart clasp while the cake and ice cream was consumed.  My 10 year old niece has twin 6 year old sisters, who both at different times silently sidled up to me while I was crocheting the bracelet.  Neither would say anything, but I knew what they wanted.  30 minutes and a smaller crochet hook later, we ALL had matching bracelets (I kept the big clasp bracelet for myself).

bracelet power unite!

Day twelve: Sunday.  VERY tired this day.  Worked on the cowl for about 10 minutes.  Well, more like five.  I kept my commitment, and that's what matters.  No pictures, no need.

Day thirteen: Monday.  I am cat sitting for friends.  They have two cats, one of which is in remission from intestinal cancer.  I brought the cowl with me, and spent about 45 minutes at their house.  The cat in remission still needs medication twice a day, and both cats are on wet food only.  After giving meds, feeding both cats, scooping the litter box, I sat for long enough to remind both cats that humans still exist, and I finished the cowl.  This is the cowl pattern.
I didn't take a picture of it.  It's a bit big around, but that's because I added extra stitches, thinking I have a fat neck.  Turns out I really don't.

Also on day thirteen, discovered a realistic CAL, a Crochet ALong hosted by mooglyblog.com.  Tamara is taking the full year to construct this afghan, which for me is realistic since I have so much else going on.  MooglyBlogCAL link  I have a good amount of yarn on hand from when I had planned a blanket with 13 or so colors, so I see no problem working up this afghan.

Day Fourteen:  BLOGGING!  I found my yarn for the 1st afghan block.  I don't think I will get very far with the block, but blogging and planning is enough to satisfy me.  Happy crafting!

Day seven: earrings = mission accomplished!

Day seven!  Made earrings to match the bracelet I made yesterday.  Just for scale, the left picture shows the project against a ruler in millimeters.  Yep, it's that small.  I may need a magnifying glass and/or reading glasses to keep this up.  The bracelet was well received.  Looking at the earrings, the middle isn't the same.  Snap, I may make a 3rd earring to try to match one of the already made ones!

Day six: working on some new projects

Day six is a day of new projects.  The crochet thread I bought goes well with a bracelet pattern from PetalsToPicots: flower bracelet.  This one is for a co-worker who could use a bit of happiness in her life.

I'm going to make earrings to match.

This bracelet is for another co-worker.  This is for her daughter.  The picture is pretty crappy.  The yarn is a dark denim blue.  The pattern is from Felted Button:
Trek Bracelet pattern.Crocheted with cotton yarn, it has the flexibility to enlarge or shrink depending on the situation.  All together, it's been a productive evening, and I can say day six has been a success.  If I can keep from freezing on my way to work tomorrow, I have two items to give away which makes me smile.

Day five recap: I tried to knit.......

Day 3: day 2 recap, and a day of regret

airborne snowflake!

 

quick knitted snowflake

 Day 2: 1/2/14.  I still have Christmas patterns on my mind, so I decided to try to whip up a knitted snowflake with a Red Heart yarn pattern.  It calls for regular yarn but all I could find in white was cotton.  It doesn't look as fluffy as I'd like, and I did it in 10 minutes so it's not perfect, but at least it took care of day 2.

As a bonus, I gave it to my coworker who LOVES snow and she liked it so much she hung it up at work.

Day 3: What a bummer.  I've been avoiding it for weeks now, but I have to admit that I don't have enough yarn to make a shawl big enough to be enjoyable.


Almost 3 skeins!

I'm quite sad.  I REALLY like this pattern: Kristen shawl, Fiberflux blog.  It's beautiful, and it's a simple pattern.  As I said yesterday, I've already purchased a 3rd skein of this yarn to try to finish it, and it's not going to be enough.  So, what to do, what to do?

Ah hell, I'm going to tear the whole thing out and make an infinity scarf: Gelato infinity scarf. This is also from the Fiber Flux blog.  It's a great blog, and I've made a few items from her site.

I think the pattern is at least very similar, if not the same.  I know I'll have enough yarn for this.  I did crochet a few stitches before I made up my mind today.  I'm bummed.  At least I have an idea of how this will look when it's worked up.

Now to figure out how to wind the yarn without a swift or a winder.  They're really expensive and I don't buy enough high end yarn to even come close to warrant purchasing either one.  So now I know what day 4 will have in store.....stay tuned!

Day one recap

Top: I must organize:
Bottom: eyelash scarf

So, 2014 begins.  Rich & I spent the last night of 2013 at home watching movies.  I chose Tombstone with Kurt Russell & Val Kilmer.  Rich chose Pathfinder with Karl Urban.  It was a nice quiet night at home.  We stayed up until well after midnight.

The Christmas tree didn't come down until 1/1/14.  After that process, I had room to reorganize the projects & yarn I want to keep at hand, because I find that I am much more productive when it's literally right next to me.  This picture is only a small sample of what I have for goods.



Malabrigo yarn in Rios

After making some sense out of chaos, I settled in & worked on two things.  I finished weaving in the ends of an eyelash scarf I had finished a month ago (duh), and when that was done, I worked on the crocheted shawl I'm making with Malabrigo washable wool.  My parents bought me two skeins while on vacation in New Orleans, but I quickly realized I needed at least one more so I placed a call to The Quarter Stitch in New Orleans and ordered one more.  It wasn't the exact same lot number as my original two, but the yarn is so heavily varigated that it looks fine.  Here's the pattern I'm using:

Kristen shawl pattern as seen on Fiberflux.blogspot.com

So, this is how I ended 1/1/14.  I'm one for one with my resolution!  Yay for consistent crafting!

inaugural post! 2014 will be the year I craft EVERY SINGLE DAY come hell, high water, or Hitler!

OK, so Hitler may be a bit drastic, but you get the point.


My cat has laser beam eyes

I spent much of 2013 knitting & crocheting & beading.  There were several reasons behind this. 

The most obvious is lack of finances.  I can spend my free time and less money crafting with raw materials than I can buy the finished product.

The second most obvious is that I'm vain.  Let's face it, I'm a great crocheter.  I'm a great knitter.  I'm an AWESOME beader.  I'm terrible with humility.

2013 has been a trying year for me.  I've tried a bunch of stuff, but not everything has stuck.  I've tried balancing work and home with iffy success.  I've tried new crochet & knit patterns with better success.  I've tried to maintain my sanity with a crazy home life (unsuccessful fertility treatments) and a crazier work life.

Through all the insanity, all the joy, all the madness, the one thing I kept coming back to with the expectation of some normalcy has been crafting.  The click of the needles is comforting.  The feel of the yarn between my fingers is better than the feel of the silky of a blankie woven between my fingers at bedtime. 

I have many reasons for appreciating the crafting arts.  One of my goals in 2014 is to share my love and where it comes from.  It's only 7:30 p.m.; I think I have time to work on my shawl.  Stay tuned; I will post every day!