Tuesday's Temptation

It's Tuesday so lets get tempted.  Today I want to point you in the direction of Yoola.  Yoola offers Unique Crochet Wire Jewelry Patterns kits in PDF and VIDEO!  As you may have noticed from my previous post, I am very interested in beading and jewelry making at the moment, so finding this site is very exciting for me.   Best of all, she has some on sale!

Happy Creativity to you all!

Beads!

Recently I have been having a blast with beads!  I have been making spiral crochet bead necklaces and bracelets and loving it.  It takes me quite a while to string all the beads so that I can make them, but it is so satisfying to create.

I think I will have to invest in a bead spinner to speed up the bead stringing process.  Also, I need to get some better display props for taking the photos of the pieces for this blog, Ravelry, and my Etsy shop.

Once I became proficient at this technique, I started looking for more beading challenges.  I found an ebook on Amazon that demonstrated a wonderful beading method for making rings:  Simple Seed Bead Rings You Can Make by Janis Websdale.  It is very easy to follow with good photos and it only cost $3.99 to download to my Kindle Cloud Reader (this is a free Kindle app from Amazon).  This pearl and blue ring is my first attempt at a project from the ebook.

Now, just in case you wonder where the yarn went in my life, have no fear.  I have several WIPs of yarny goodness in progress, so stay tuned for more.

Happy Creativity to you all!

Tuesday's Temptation....a day late!

I'm so sorry that I forgot what day it was yesterday!  Especially since I have found a fabulous fiber artist that I want to share with you.

Claw Tree Fibers has some amazing colorways that I just adore.  Her spinning fibers look yummy and the prices are right.  As an added bonus, if you don't spin, she sells her handspun for your knitting or crocheting pleasure!   Check out her shop and be prepared to pull out the plastic.

Happy Creativity to you all!

Do you wish you could chart?

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while probably know that I have written a few patterns.  I certainly don't consider myself a real designer.  I am just a person who will try creating stuff and share them if it accidentally works out.

Recently, the wonderful man in my life gave me a book, 400 Knitting Stitches: A Complete Dictionary of Essential Stitch Patterns.  With all these stitch patterns at my finger tips, I was itching to put it to use.  Many of the stitch patterns are charted and I have been personally challenging myself to become more comfortable at working with charts by knitting a few shawls.  (I will share pictures of the shawls as soon as my blocking mats are delivered and I get my camera to work again.)

Sooooooooo........How do I take the charts from the page of the book, combine them in a cohesive manner, and make them usable?  ♫ Hello Google my old friend, I've come to search you once again. ♫  I found KnitChart.  This is an extremely basic, free online thing-a-ma-jig (I just don't know if it is an app, or software or just a customizable website or something completely unnamed) that will help you to chart whatever you can imagine. Scroll to the bottom of the page for instructions.  It will not save your work for you, but you can take a screenshot of your design and save it in Word or whatever your preferred word processor is.  

I was able to take 2 stitch charts from the book, combine, adjust, repeat, expand, and mirror image them into a pattern for a sock that I am now knitting.  I am using my favorite sock toe and after-thought heel with the charts.  Easy-peasy!  If you have knit a sock before, then you can do this too!  Please stretch your creative wings and try making your own charted design, then let me know how it went for you.

Happy Creativity to you all!

Tuesday's Temptation!

Get ready, I am going to lead you to a bargain bonanza today!  I don't know how this Etsy seller makes money at these low prices.  The shop is In Stitches by memarcierenee.  She has stitch markers, row counters, needle holders and circular needle markers.  All are at amazing prices.


I love that the needle holders also show you what size the needles are!  Happy Creativity to you all :)

Tuesday's Temptation

I am going to be very selfish with this Tuesday's Temptation post.  The shop that I want to share with you is my sister's new Etsy shop, Gail's in Stitches.

Gail is an extremely talented crafter and I adore the bags that she makes.  I think you will too if you take a look.  Please see what she has to offer and pass the link on to others.  Here is a little example:


     



















Happy Creativity to you all !!!                                                                                                                                                  

AWOL...sorry.

Hello fellow fiber fanatics.  I'm sorry it has been so long since I last posted.  I have been frantically working on a multitude of projects to prepare to do my first craft sale.  The sale was today.  I sold a total of .......wait for it.......ONE HAT....ta da.

It was not a true craft fair, it was more like an indoor yard sale with a few crafters along for the ride.  As a result, most of the shoppers were looking for steals, not creations.  When someone mentioned that my $3.00 baby booties were over priced, I knew it was going to be a long day.  Fortunately for me, my sister was by my side with her wonderful creations, to keep me company.  Unfortunately for her, she was with me at the same dismal event.

My sister and I are planning to attempt selling at a true craft fair at the Airport Mall in Bangor, Maine on April 7rh, 2012.  On the bright side, since we didn't sell much of our inventory, we won't have to prepare much for this craft fair.  Hopefully, this will be a better market for our items and we will be more successful.

If I have any readers who are knitters and/or crocheters out there who do craft fairs, could you advise me about what sells well?  What should I be designing and creating?  What should I produce for the summer market?  I will greatly appreciate any advice you can share with me for a successful craft fair.

Happy Creativity to you all!

The Give-Away...Revisited.

Unfortunately, the previously chosen winner of my give-away didn't include any contact info as I stipulated in the entry instructions and she didn't get in touch with me by the Feb. 14, 2012 deadline after I announced the winner to let me know how to send her the prize.  I truly wish I had heard from craftycrafter so that I could have sent her the prize. 

So, I shall now draw another winner from the previous entrants.  Let's keep our fingers crossed that I have some way to contact the new winner.  Here we go....the original entrants are:

1. Cheryl
2.  rancidgirl3875
3.  craftycrafter
4.  serenova
5.  Theresa
6. eboni j.
7. Karin
8. Bev Love
9. stacie
10. Leslie
11. Mary
12. LaBean
13. Anonymous: bgudroe@yahoo.com
14. rectangularnomore
15. Carmen

 YES!  There is an e-mail addy!  Congratulations to Anonymous!  I will send an e-mail out to you today asking for the mailing address to send the give-away prize to.  Thank you to all who participated and who support my exploration of all things yarn. 

Happy Creativity to you all!

Tuesday's Temptation

Lady Danio's shop is full of fun, imaginative and useful stitch markers.  Can we ever get enough of this little gems to designate and decorate our WIPs?  I love her creations and her prices are nice too.  Just take a look at a few of her items here or better yet, head on over to her shop and browse.

Happy Creativity to you all!!!

Busy Needles and Hooks

I know I haven't been posting everyday, but I assure you that I have been very busy with my yarn projects.  Here are some of what has been completed in the past week.

The first project that I completed this week is the Cotton Candy Haze Scarf/Wrap is knit with Berroco Mohair Classic.  I started this a couple years ago and it has been just sitting in a project bag.


It isn't from a pattern.  I just cast on 40 stitches on size 9 needle.  Knit 4 rows of garter stitch. Row 1: Slip 1st stitch purl wise, *yo, k2tog, k1, repeat from * to end of row. Repeat that row 1 until the scarf is as long as you desire. End with 4 rows of garter stitch and bind off loosely.


I like it worn as a wrap or folded in half lengthwise and worn as a scarf.  The mohair and wool makes it super warm.

The next photo is of a Spiral Scrubbie, crocheted in Peaches & Creme stripes Sail Away colorway, and pattern written by Judith Prindle.  It is a very quick crochet and works like a charm and I see many of these in my future :)

Next I made dishcloths from the pattern Dish Cloth on the Edge, written by Rita Maria.  I did change many things in the pattern, so I guess it is more inspired by the pattern.  Essentially, it is a mitered square that is crocheted in the back loop.  I have made several already and love them.  This one was made with the same skein that the Spiral Scrubbie, pictured above, used.







Finally, Ihave been crocheting some little pals!   This guy is so cute and fun to make (Pattern by Kj Hay).  I found him because I decided to start using more of the pattern resources that I already have on hand, so I did a pattern search of my library on Ravelry and he was in one of my Crochet! magazines.  You only need to know how to ch, sc, sl st, and work a magic ring, in order to be able to make one of these cute creatures.  


In the photo I don't have the ends of his hands finished off because it calls for a magnet to be placed inside so he can clasp the hands in a hug and I don't have the magnets at the moment.  I have decided to use hook & loop instead so that he will be more baby friendly.  I like him so much that I am already working on a buddy for him!  


I do have a few more finished objects to share, but they will be saved for another post.  Happy Creativity to you all!  

Tuesday's Temptation!

I love, love, love this shop:  KNITTING ACCESSORIES FROM SCARY TO MERRY by scarymerry.  She has the most adorable stitch markers and knitting needles that I have ever seen.  They just make me smile :)

Take a spin around her etsy shop and you will smile too.  Happy Creativity to you all!!!

Part 2 of the Afterthough Heel Adventure

For the past 2 weeks I have been spending a lot of time in a VKH.  A VKH is a Virtual Knitting Hangout.  We meet in a hangout on google+ every day and I love it!  They inspire me, motivate me and cheer me and I hope I do the same for them.

In the VKH this past week we have had a Week of WIPs, to inspire us to clean up some of the WIPs that have been sitting around for way too long in our project bags, baskets and closets.  I completed FIVE!!!  It was such a great way for us to clean up WIPs that we decided to have a WIP weekend in our VKH on the first weekend of every month.

One of my WIPs that was completed this past week in my Nanner Socks.  This pattern is by Wendy Johnson and was inspired by the dancing bananas on Plurk.  The yarn is Ripe Nanners by thechickswithsticks.  Unfortunately her shop is inactive at the moment.  I started these socks back in 2008, but only got the toe on one sock done before I set them aside and ignored them.


When I picked them up this week, I had just completed the socks from the last post with the afterthought heel.  I decided that I would do a "true" afterthought heel on this pair.  The difference being that with the previous pair of socks, I inserted a waste yarn as I knit the sock so I could go back to remove the waste yarn, pick up the stitches and knit the heel very easily.  This time, I didn't use a waste yarn.  I just knit a tube and then went back to snip the yarn (yes, I cut my knitting!!!), pick up the stitches and knit the afterthought heel.  It was liberating and the resulting heel is wonderful.  I am so happy that I tried this and I need to give props to my VKH ladies who advised me, and insisted that I could do it!  Thank you so much!

Are you challenging yourself with your knitting?  Do you take any challenges with your crafts?  I am determined that this year I will challenge myself to knit, crochet, spin or whatever, outside my comfort zone.  It is so rewarding when it works and educational when I fail.  I promise that I will let you know about my failures too.  My next challenge is to knit a shawl.  I have crocheted shawls, but never knit one.  Check back to see how it goes.

Happy Creativity to you all!!!

I Love Afterthought Heels!

I don't know where my head has been in the sock knitting universe, but until a few weeks ago, I had never heard of an afterthought heel.  When someone told me that I would have to cut the yarn in the sock, I decided I would never be making one! 

Then I recalled my resolutions for the year, one of which was to learn to steek, and I decided that this would be a small first step in cutting my knitting.  Be brave Beverly.  Take a deep breath.  Watch some youtube tutorials.

My first attempt at an afterthought heel wasn't a "true" afterthought heel.  I used the Knit Girlls tutorial  for  adding a waste yarn where I wanted the heel to be as I knit the sock, and then going back to insert the heel afterward.  I know what you are thinking... I didn't cut the yarn.  Hey, I'm taking baby steps.

This sock was knit from the top down, 2-at-a-time, on US size 1 circs.  I just cast on 80 stitches and worked a k2, p2 rib for about 6 inches, switched to half of the stitches ribbed and half stockinette stitch.  Added the waste yarn where I wanted the heel and knit on.  Super fast and super easy.  (The yarn is Regia Galaxy Saturn.)

Going back to work the afterthought heel was super easy and stressless.  I love this technique!  I don't ever want do work another short row heel in my life.

Ok, I had some success, but I didn't really cut my knitting, did I?  Time to be brave, take the next step, yada yada yada.   Tune in tomorrow for more adventures with afterthought heels.

Happy Creativity to you all!

And The Winner Is...

Fifteen people commented on the Give-Away post and I am very excited to see who will be the winner.  Since blogger doesn't number the comments, I have copied them in order and numbered them for the random number generator. 

1. Cheryl
2.  rancidgirl3875
3.  craftycrafter
4.  serenova
5.  Theresa
6. eboni j.
7. Karin
8. Bev Love
9. stacie
10. Leslie
11. Mary
12. LaBean
13. Anonymous: bgudroe@yahoo.com
14. rectangularnomore
15. Carmen

The winner is number 3, craftycrafter!!!  Congratulations!  Unfortunately, you did not leave your email for me to contact you so I will leave a message on your blog.  If I do not hear from you by February 14th , 2012 (2 weeks), I will let the random generator select a new winner. 

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and as always:  Happy Creativity to you all!

Tuesday's Temptation & Final Chance At Give-Away

First, I want to remind everyone that the give-away ends today at noon US eastern time.  To enter you must leave a comment on the Give-Away post before noon, don't wait!  I will announce the winner on the February 1st, 2012 blog post.

Now for my Tuesday's Temptation:

Isn't it gorgeous???  I just love the greens in this skein! This Sock Garden Party Cake is by ArtByAna.  It is 75% superwash merino and 25% nylon; approximately 463 yards in 100 grams.  I can see a shawlette in this skeins future.

You can find several more colorful cakes for you to choose from, along with much more in her shop.  I have a zippered pouch by her in my cart at the moment.  I am trying not to let that pretty green cake jump in there too :)

Happy Creativity to you all!

Tuesday's Temptation

Do you spin?  I do! Check out the spinning supplies at GrandmaVee's.  She has fiber, orifice hooks, and niddy noddys.  There are even some quilts to see.  The orifice hook pictured below is about to become mine!

Check her out and see what needs to come home to you.  If you haven't entered my give-away, you can still enter until Jan. 31, 2012:  Enter Here!  Happy Creativity to you all!

A Rose By Any Other Name...

This beautiful crocheted rose was delivered to me yesterday.  My Aunt Connie made it and sent it to me.  I am waiting (impatiently) for the pattern, so that I can make some too.  I think it is brilliant.  She is making them to sell as a fund raiser to benefit a local organization against domestic abuse.  My Aunt and my Grandmother were my crafting inspirations when I was a child and my Aunt still amazes me with the beautiful creations she makes.

Tuesday's Temptation

Let's take a look at the shop, Sheeps of Egyptian Cotton, home of Isis, Nile, Scrapsody and Sheeps Clothing yarns.  All Isis and Nile yarns are fingering weight cottons.  Yes, they are cottons!  Not everyone can wear wool, unfortunately, nor is it winter year round.

She also creates some lovely items for those who prefer to have others experience the joy of knitting while they get the joy of wearing.  Just look at this lovely, hand-knit, silk lace scarf.

So, head on over to her shop and see what else she has to tempt you.  

Happy Creativity to you all!

Give-Away!

I just realized the the number of followers for this blog has gone over 50!  This amazes me because I find myself to be one of the most boring people in the world.

When I started blogging, it was mostly as a creative journal for myself, as I had not heard of Ravelry and all the ways they provide for recording my creative exploits.  After joining Ravelry, I continued blogging because I found it cathartic in some ways and the occasional comments are so very nice.  Now, my blog has become even more, in that I am able to promote my Etsy site and I can promote other creative people with my Tuesday's Temptation posts.  I do hope that I make a difference.

In celebration of reaching over 50 followers on this blog, I am going to have a give away.  The prize:  a Beverly Is Yarn Crazy tote bag, a skein of Opal fingering weight yarn and a copy of Knitting Circles Around Socks!

How do you enter?  Leave a comment on this blog post before noon eastern time on January 31st, 2012.  Only one entry per person and please include your email for me to contact you.  I will use a random number generator to pick the winner and announce the winner on the February 1st, 2012 blog post.  This give-away is only open to residents of USA and Canada (I'm sorry, but I can't afford to ship elsewhere).  

I hope you will share the news about the give-away with your friends and family so that they can enter too.  Happy Creativity to you all!

Knit and Crochet Magazines...the decision!

Thank you for all the responses, here on the blog, on Facebook and on Plurk!  You have made some interesting suggestions and given a myriad of reasons.  I really do appreciate the time you took to respond!

After reading all of the comments, one in particular stood out to me.  Poppet, had mentioned that she doesn't subscribe to any magazines.  She flips through them before purchasing to make sure she will actually want to make something from the magazine.  Although I like the convenience of subscriptions, I do find that I get the occasional magazine that I don't want to make anything that is in it.  Now, I don't only buy the mags for the pictures (hehehe), I also like the articles.

What I have decided to do is to forego subscribing to anything for about 6 months and only purchase magazines after examining them, so that I can see which ones I tend to gravitate to most.  Then I will decide which 2 magazines to subscribe to, one knitting & one crochet.

Thank you all for taking a little time out of your day to read my blog and respond.  I love hearing from you and hope you will feel free to make suggestions of what you would like to see me post about here.

Happy Creativity to you all!

Tuesday's Temptation

Knitting Geisha is having a sale!  It is for a short time only so rush on over to her shop.  She has the cutest project bags and who doesn't need more of those?  Happy Creativity to you all!

Knit and Crochet Magazines

Suddenly, I realized that all of my magazine subscriptions have expired.  This left me wondering if I should renew what I had before or if I should try some new ones.

What magazines do you subscribe to or purchase on a regular basis?  Why do you like them?  What ones don't you like and why??  Please help me to decide how to best spend my subscription money.

Happy Creativity to you all!

Finally Finished

As some of you may recall, last spring I had 2 hip replacement surgeries and spent a significant amount of time rehabbing in a local nursing home.  My sister worked at the nursing home and helped to cheer me up, watch out for my best interests and wouldn't let me get away with anything.  She also spent a lot of her own money in making me feel as comfortable as possible. 

When I would offer to pay her back she would just shrug it off, but eventually, she told me that I could make her a pair of socks as repayment.  Well, I have been slow about it, but I have finally finished a pair of socks for her.  They are not perfect, but neither am I.  They do express my gratitude and love for her.  I hope she will like them.

The pattern is Be Mine, designed by Melissa Morgan-Oakes.  It is published in her  book, 2-at-a-time Socks.  The yarn is Knit Picks Gloss fingering weight in the Doe colorway.  I love this yarn!  It is 70% wool/30% silk and 100% lovely.

Now I need to get ready to leave as today is my family's belated Christmas party.  I hope you all have a great weekend!  Happy Creativity to you all!

Jan. 8, 2012 ETA:  My sister has informed me that the socks fit perfectly :)

Crocheting with Cotton

I was checking out a new shop in my little town that has a very eclectic stock and found some Red Heart yarn hidden around a corner and one lonely cone of Peaches & Creme double worsted cotton.  I had never heard of double worsted cotton so I just had to buy it. (Through Ravelry I found that it has been discontinued)

Once I got it home, it seemed to be too heavy for dishcloths so I just started swatching with it to see what size hook I liked with it and what I might dream up.  This Easter-like basket is it.  I think the color may have influenced me.  I knit it quite tightly on a J-hook so that it would stand up on its own.  I believe I have enough yarn left on the cone to make another basket.  I will write the pattern down this time so I can share it with you. (Peeking out from the basket is my current sock project, but my sister might read this so I won't say any more about it).

Last night mamaslittlemonkeys (from plurk) posted a link to a dishcloth KAL/CAL that she hosts each month on Ravelry.   I had been working on the socks in the basket above and the chart was messing with my head, so a dishcloth sounded wonderfully relaxing to me.  I joined her KAL/CAL, and the picture to the left is this afternoons result.  It is Peaches & Creme Stripes in the Stars and Stripes forever colorway.

I almost exclusively reserve cotton for dishcloths, but the basket has got me thinking of other things to do with it.  What do you make with cotton?

Happy creativity to you all!

Cabled Hat Pattern in Progress

So, I have this hat that I made and I have written up the pattern, but I am not completely happy with the plaited cable.  I think I need to tighten it up by reducing the number of rows between the twists.  On the plus side, I am very pleased with the way the decreases on the crown appear.  What do you all think?

Happy creativity to you all!

Tuesday's Temptation

I just stumbled upon an amazing designer while browsing around Etsy.  Denizgunes Knitting has unique and fabulous designs that bowled me over.   I really wish she sold her patterns, because I would love to make what she makes!  Please take a moment to check out what she has to offer.  

Happy creativity to you all!

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the new year, a time to reflect on the past year and a time for new beginnings.  I want to remember and be grateful for the good in the past year, let go of the bad, and make plans for the new.

Overall, 2011 was a very good year for me!  I had my left hip replaced in March and my right hip replaced in May.  That may not seem like cause for celebration to many people, but my life is so much better for it.  I have so much less pain and I get around  much better now (not perfect, but better).  Also, 2011 is the year that I finally took the step to start selling some of my handmade items and original pattern designs!  I won't be making it to the pages of Forbes anytime soon, but I am enjoying the experience, and that counts for a lot to me.

As for the not so good things that I will be leaving in the past year, there is the very slow and painful recovery of the 2 surgeries.  I have to give credit to the Angels of Hibard Nursing Home, who did their best to give me comfort and encouragement as I healed.  I can't really think of anything else bad to try to get over, so I will again state that it must have been a very good year!

Moving on, I have very high expectations for 2012.  I am working with a vocational rehab program to try to get back to working.  I am desperately looking for a car that is reliable, safe and within my meager price range.  I want to keep selling on Etsy and see what else I can learn or develop in my crafting repertoire.  Also, I want to go back to school.  Going back to school is probably a long shot since I don't have transportation or money, but it doesn't cost anything to dream!

Now, you may have been expecting a list of resolutions in this blog, so I will try not to disappoint you.  I really dislike that I usually fail at these, so I am going to try to make them "reasonable" resolutions.

1. Lose 25 more pounds. (I'm trying to be reasonable here)
2. Blog at least 3 times per week. (realistically, once per week would be an improvement)
3. Learn to steek! (it scares me)
4. Complete my SIL's afghan that I started around 3 years ago.

I guess that is as much as I am willing to list and possibly publicly fail at.  So, how was the past year for you?  What are you hoping for in the new year?  Please leave me a comment so that we can all work together toward our goals!  Happy Creativity to you all.

Puff Stitch Hat

My most recent finished project is a Purely Puffs Hat designed by Sarah Arnold.  This is a super easy, super fast project to do if you need a gift fast as it is worked with 2 strands of yarn held together.  This gives you more color options than just what a single strand of yarn offers.  If you have a yarn that is a bit too loud in color, you can tone it down with a solid mute color or you can make a dull solid color more vibrant by combining it with something more exciting.  I really am pleased with how this turned out and how wonderful it was to crochet, so I know I will be making more!  Happy Creativity to you all.

My Favorite LYS

I used to live in Waterville, Maine and they are blessed with the most amazing LYS (Local Yarn Shop), the Yardgoods Center.  I am like a kid in a candy store when I get to go there.  It isn't local for me anymore, unfortunately, but today I was in Waterville for an appointment with a specialist and you know I had to go visit that LYS!  They were having an awesome sale ... look what I scored!

1. 2 skeins of Lambs Pride Bulky in periwinkle colorway
2. 2 skeins of Regia sock in the partie colorway
3. 1 exceptionally squooshy skein of Plymouth Ampata - Baby Alpaca (no colorway listed, but it is a lovely twist of natural beige with natural cream)
4. Finally, a skein of Cascade Yarns Epiphany in an emerald/teal colorway,  my description since no colorway was named.  (60% Royal Alpaca, 20% Cashmere, & 20% Silk= 100% YUMMY)

Thank goodness that I had an appointment forcing me to leave, or I would have bought out the entire shop!  Happy Creativity to you all :)

Tuesday's Temptation

River's Edge Fiber Arts has colorways that I love.  My favorites are always greens, blues, and purples, but there is more to choose from than just that.

This Michigan fiber artist is having a shop grand opening special.  Through January 3rd, 2012 use coupon code REFA15 at checkout to receive 15% off your order.  Now you know what to do with all that cash Santa left in your Christmas stocking.

Happy Creativity to you all!

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!  I hope today finds you and your loved ones enjoying your time together.

I'm sorry that I haven't posted for a few weeks.  I'm sure you have been as busy as I have with all the holiday hooplah and preparations.  I have been busy crafting so I will try to get some pics up in the next few days of some of the projects I have completed.  Until then, be safe and may all your days be crafty ones ♥

Tuesday's Temptation

Hectanooga Pattern Shop has hundreds of patterns and they are having a sale!  You can purchase your choice of any 6 of her patterns for only $19.88!  Don't you just love the sweet hat on this baby.  Rush on over and check out what she has to offer.  I bet you find some patterns to love.  I know I did.

Happy creativity to you all!

New Free Pattern

In case you haven't noticed, I added another page tab to this blog.  It is beneath the header that you will find a HOME tab and a MY FREE PATTERNS tab.

Under the my free patterns tab I have added a new free pattern that I designed.  I have called it Team Colors Reversible Cabled & Ribbed Scarf.  The colors pictured to the right are for Iowa State University.

The pattern has a long name, but it is an easy knit.  If you haven't done reversible cables before, they are wonderful.   The trick is using ribbing in the cable, so there isn't a stockinette side and a garter side.  Just ribbing on both sides.  The pattern uses a bulky yarn so it knits up fast and is super warm.   So check out the new Free Patterns Tab and try a reversible cable.  Please, contact me with pics of your teams colors too!  Happy creativity to you all!

Tuesdays Temptation

Fabulous fibers, yummy yarns, and sparkly stuff can be found at Julie Spins.  Click your way over to peruse her wares and you will find this glistening hank that I want so much!

I love her colors and she doesn't over do it with the glitz.  To me it looks like a light sprinkling of star dust has been applied to it.

Please take a moment to show her some love.  Also, I hope many of you will leave a comment on this blog to let me know of any other sellers who should be featured in this weekly segment on my blog.  Happy creativity to you all!

On The Needles and Wheel

Wow, I have been busy!  This week I received two custom orders through  my etsy site, so I am knitting like there is no tomorrow.  The hat below is part of the first order.  The colors are for Iowa State University.  The hat is a basic k2, p2 ribbed hat in Plymouth Yarn Encore Chunky.  I am working on a reversible cabled & ribbed scarf to go with it before I start on the coordinating mittens.

I have been taking 15-30 minutes per day to get back into the habit of spinning everyday.  My beautiful sister and her handy hubby switched my wheel over to double treadle for me and it has made spinning even more of a pleasure.  

The fiber is from Highland Handmades in her Neptune colorway.  The content is 50% SW merino and 50% tencel.  It is spinning like a dream!

This is a picture of the single, spun on my Ashford Traditional.  I think I will be 2 plying it and putting it up on my Etsy shop.

Lastly, I would love some ideas of what to feature in my Tuesday's Temptation.  Do you have a shop or know of a deserving shop that could use a little love and attention focused on it.  If you have any ideas, please leave a comment.  I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Tuesday's Temptation

While wandering through Etsy, I saw this and I want to know how to make it.  I am intrigued and inspired.  I hope you will be too.

The artist is Radlana of Warm Hands.  Her designs are simply amazing and imaginative.  I hope you will go investigate her shop.  I know she has me investigating felting techniques.

On The Needles

I was awoken by sirens this morning.  Once I calmed down and realized that it was from the KoC (Kingdoms of Camelot) game that I play on Facebook, I nearly threw my laptop across the room.  Gaming addiction is a very sad thing.  

Once I lost about 250 thousand heavy cavalry in the game, I settled down to some serious knitting.  I had ground to make up after a big boo-boo yesterday.  Somehow, I knit my thumb gussets upside down...Silly ME!  When I realized it I had already been knitting for over an hour.  

I am thrilled with being able to knit the mittens 2-at-a-time on circular needles.  The pattern that I designed means that either mitt can be left or right, and will be double thickness.  If you are interested in making a pair of mittens you can purchase my pattern or other items through a link on my Facebook page.  I will post a picture of this pair of mittens once I finish them.  I hope that will be tomorrow, but who knows what kingdom I will have to defend tomorrow!!

Black Friday...Stop The Insanity!!!

Shoppers pepper-sprayed in California!


Shooting outside a California Walmart, 1 wounded.


Reports of gunfire at Cross Creek Mall, in Fayetteville, NC.


These are just a few of the many incidents reported in the national news today.  Who thinks this is fun?  Why is big business permitted to instigate this feeding frenzy?  Do people realize that their children see them acting like this and think it is normal or even desirable behavior?


I know that this blog is typically about my crafts, but I am so upset to think that anyone I care about might think that they should either risk their life, or commit a crime to get me or anyone else the "perfect gift".  NO!  I don't need any item in the world that much. No one should need a big screen tv, laptop, or gaming system that much.  Where are our priorities?  Have we forgotten what this season is really all about?


I must be getting old. I remember Christmas shopping as fun, not dangerous.  It didn't involve adults having tantrums or committing criminal acts.  Holiday shopping was local, and involved thoughtfulness about the people you were going to give gifts to.  It was the thought that counted, not the number of gifts or amount spent.  I knew I was going to get the hand knit mittens from my Grammie every Christmas (no surprise there) and I was taught to be grateful, say thank you for all the hard work and time that she put into making them.  They probably cost less than $2, but they meant something to me.  Why isn't this being taught to our children now?  


I'm sure that someone will tell me that Black Friday's insanity doesn't preclude children being taught appreciation of what they get, but I just can't agree.  The violence is becoming the norm.  Everyone seems to be desensitized to it and thinks "isn't that a shame", even as they make plans to participate in the insanity.  I observe on television that people are out there with their children, putting them in harms way and teaching them this so-called "competitive shopping". 


Let's try something different.  How about we all go to local small stores and casually shop while we really think about who we are buying for?  Lets make some of the gifts with our own hands or better yet, with our families!  If you really need some savings, don't pile the gifts so high.  Who says more gifts equals more love?  

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday!!!