HOLY COW! Has it really been that long?

I am stunned!  I can't believe that I haven't been over here since August!
time flies when you're having a baby

anyway....

this new year is going bring with it the desire to finally write down a couple of new patterns.

I'm thinking it's time to write out my mitten pattern.  I've been making mittens and more mittens for my kids that I'm getting more confident about writing it out.  it's really easy so beginners can make simple mittens and I think it will be a $3 pattern.

I am also thinking about writing out a pattern for a scarf that I have made a few times and have had requests for a written pattern a few times.  not quite sure if I want to free pattern this one yet.  we'll see how difficult it is to write out the pattern and then I'll decide if it should be for sale

Happy New Year

these ARE the droids you're looking for

my boys love the hats that I made for them two Winter's ago (find the link to a graph through this post).  I also have run across a nerd here and there who love these hats and I have now made two hats (and need more blue) and think I might make a couple more.

I've been working off a graph but I not exactly.  I've had to make several adjustments to the way they would be made if they had been knitted vs. crocheted (as I have done.)

perhaps I'll write out the method/pattern so it can be more precise and easy for others to make their own.

(it depends on how much energy I have left after the sale and my pregnancy)

but they're coming with me to the craft sale in 2.5 weeks.
I hope they sell quickly.  that would be a real joy for me

I've signed up for it

and I'm hoping it wasn't a mistake.

but I am tentatively on the list for sellers at the Amboy Art's N More craft sale.

I know that my daughter is going to want to share a booth again.  but I am hoping that I will have much more help this year.

I made some totally cute barefoot sandals for my youngest daughter and have yet to get a tie on them so she can wear them, but I will have them ready for the sale so she can model them.  but I feel that the timing might be a little off for our area being that the sale is in September and after summer vacations are done.

but I am still going to give them a try.
I am also going to have several snowflakes.  I have to pull out my old patterns from last year as well.... I want to make sure I have a nice wide selection
then I need to print a few pictures of items for my portfolio in case there are any orders for items I don't currently have made. though sadly my favorite pumpkin hat is now discontinued because my yarn for that item has been discontinued and I have not been able to find a suitable substitute.

so wish me luck.  it's going to be the last sale I do (apart from my shop) for a long while - perhaps an entire year - since I'll be having this baby only a month and a couple weeks after this sale.

and I just realized today that the sale is also my husband's and my anniversary.

my fiber foe

curse you, humidity!  you have foiled my plans again and again!

I have been making some plans for my annual craft sale in my husband's home town.  I've been somewhat on the fence about even attending this year because I am going to be 8 months pregnant at the time and I'm not really sure if I want to be out in the sun all day long with the possibility of hot weather and customers that really don't want to buy anything.  I'll be enormous and hormonal and people not wanting to buy will just hurt my feelings.... not to mention I'll be enormous

but on the chance that I do decide to go through with it I need to beef up the inventory a bit.  not a whole lot, but some.  I want a few new things for the town because it does me no good to take the same things every year.  people get bored of seeing the same old thing, not to mention I get bored of making the same old thing.

but the hot weather and humidity is again high (just like it is every summer) but in order for me to have anything  made I need dry hands and cool weather to I don't melt away and never crochet again.

I thought this year I would try some more lacy items.  spiderwebs for halloween and snowflakes for winter decorations or Christmas trees.

this woman is a wonderful person.  she has many many many snowflake designs that she shares for free and allows the sales of the finished product.  this link goes to her blog, Snowcatcher
just the thing to get my lacy juices flowing.  I can work a bit on them while the humidity and temperatures are a bit lower in the morning.  I wish it were completely gone so I could focus on making more than one snowflake in a 24 hr period of time...

turtles!

I've been making the most adorable key rings. 

originally I made them for the fund raiser but they didn't sell at all there.  I was kind of disappointed because they are the cutest darned things you will ever see - with, perhaps, the exception of your own children.

but since the fund raiser I have sold a few of them and continue to make more.  I have a craft sale coming up in September and I am debating attending that one this year.  I have been there the last three years, but this year I will be 8 months pregnant and I have yet to decide if I am going to want to be stationed for 6 + hours in the sun getting burned and thirsty hoping that my crafts sell.
maybe being so pregnant people will take pity on me and buy anyway?  but either way if I do go I need to build my inventory again.  but if I don't go, everything will make it's way to my etsy or to another craft sale after my baby is big enough to not need to eat every few hours.

if you are thinking you may have seen turtles similar to these, you might just have.  I adapted them from Wibit's adorable turtles (found at RomanSock)  You can get her pattern at her site.   I don't sell my adaptations of her turtle pattern out of respect for that amazing designer.

I've been promising pictures and you've been thinking "yeah, right" but today I have some pictures!  I know, right?!

so earlier (a long time ago) I mentioned my sister is working to set up a fund raiser for an Autism advocacy group that she has found in her search to find adequate housing for her son.
I have made some new pieces that I have high hopes for.  they are small pieces that I am adding to my already decent craft sale inventory that I will be taking to the sale. 

 I've seen these adorable cacti pin cushions here and there and I don't have a pattern for them, I just wing it.
totally cute!  I have my hopes set pretty high for these to sell FAST.   I think I'll be a bit heartbroken if they don't sell at all.
fingers crossed

 I am working on a second Minion and I'm sure I will be making another for a friend really soon for her boy.  they are really fun and funny.  mine never come out as wonderful as the creator of the pattern I use, oh well.... but if you are interested you can get the pattern for free by following this link.

I've made these owls before having had the pattern/technique from wibit at RomanSock

she has wonderful patterns that she has offered for free.  I learned my amigurumi from her.  I'm a huge fan.

I also have made some new Frisbees.  I have a free pattern here on my blog if you are interested.  they are a quick and simple way to get rid of spare yarn.

also, new listing in the shop for a baby hat.  check it out.  I love it, I'm sure you will too. 

goodness has it been so long?!

I have been gone on the blog front for quite a while. I have had a few things going on that have kept me from writing much lately. first I'm expecting and it has come with some slow and nervous mornings. ugh. scared to eat.
second I've been working on a blanket commissioned by a friend. it's coming along, but I'm still nervous that she will end up hating it. isn't that always the way it goes. (Mrs. you know who you are, I really hope you will love it)

but I have also been working on bits and pieces (I will have pictures soon) for a fund raiser that my sister is holding next month. She is setting up a garage/bake/craft sale to raise money for the organization called End of the Spectrum: Residential Options for Autism. I am donating some of my crafted items, toys and hats, etc. for the cause.
for more information on End of the Spectrum go to www.endofthespectrum.org

it's done

I did put it down more than I should have over the last couple days, but it's done now and I really do like it.
it's a 0-3 months size. what do you think? should I make more?

Oh My Gosh!

I just realized that I have neglected ever having a post about one of the happiest hats I've ever made. and yesterday I decided I am going to revisit the design and make another or a few.... but in searching here I have discovered that I haven't shown it or anything here on the blog!

well, without further ado, I present my Cherry Blossom hat

I love this design. two years ago I had a special order for two of this hat and then I haven't made anymore since then. I have been busy but that's not the only reason... I just kind of forgot about it since I had been making more things in Tunisian in the round. it's a little tricky to embroider on Tunisian knit.

so I am doing this one again. baby size this time and then I shall see how well it goes over.

I've just realized

I have omitted a project or two or 10.

last fall and this winter I have made many pairs of Owl Fingerless Gloves. I love them. they're beautiful. I made them over and over but I never wrote down the pattern for them and I feel that I had better for fear of forgetting exactly how I made them. I know that I started jotting down, but never wrote out anything for them.

at any rate. I sold several pairs at etsy and at craft sales.




I did have a few pairs that I didn't get pictures of before they were claimed.

for an extra special girl

recently our family has had a new addition. My husband's cousin and his wife had their first baby. this also means that my husband's aunt and uncle are grandparents for the first time.

this calls for a celebration and a very special blanket.

I had to make some minor adjustments to the pattern because I had a devil of a time finding yarn in the called for size, so I settled on a yarn that has always appealed to me and worked the pattern according to the adjustments that needed to be made because of the difference in yarn type/size

it's so beautiful that I have already started another for an upcoming baby for a great friend of mine. (inverted colors)


if you are interested in buying a copy of this pattern you can find it by following this link here.

a wise old bird, if not a little bit crazy

way way back (4 years ago) when I started learning /relearning how to crochet I came across the most completely wonderful blog for crocheters that there ever has been

The Roman Sock is my very favorite. she has free patterns that I have worked on. in fact I've made most of her free patterns and I love them so much.
she has other patterns for sale. and everything is just down right adorable. give her a try, she's awesome

so I've been noticing all these wonderful critter hats and I've made a sock monkey hat (I have yet to photograph) and I've wanted to make an owl for a long time, but I just couldn't get the inspiration. I don't really like the color scheme for the trendy hats (lime green and hot pink) to me that just doesn't say 'wise old owl'
so a couple of weeks ago I was looking through my yarn stash, trying to make some more room, and these colors just leapt out at me but the eyes and beak were another story.



I really the eyes make this baby hat and more silly grown up hat. I love it, even though I somehow made the eyes look a little maniacal.

a little more crocheting

Finally I have two more crocheted items listed.


I thought it was about time to pick up the hooks again.
having taken a short trip to our nearest Red Oak trees a few months back I still have quite a few beautiful acorns left. I made a small handful of these acorns for the craft sale back in December and I was a bit disappointed that they didn't sell. I think people were more in a Christmas themed mood as my Snow Flake ornaments disappeared .

but I have sold a couple of the acorns through etsy. that was satisfying. even though I really enjoy having a unique piece like my acorn necklace, it's fun for me when others enjoy them as well.

I still have a couple of acorns in the store and I just listed a new one this morning. I love them. I think you would too.








I'm not really into hearts. even as a little girl I really didn't care for them. Sweetness and sugary love just isn't my thing, but I have a daughter that is as girly as they get and so I know I'm sort of the odd one out. I did it. I succumbed to the needs of girly girls all over the world and I made this scarf. if it sells soon I'll be very willing to make more. maybe a goth one... black hearts with one red heart or something like that :)

seriously!

it's almost two months since I updated here. well, I'll just have to fix that.

I must say that these last two months have been a giant blur. I haven't gotten much done at all!
(okay, I do have to admit that I did do a craft sale, and I made a million Christmas treats for the family, and I actually managed to get a small number of cards sent out to friends and family - with the small caveat that I didn't have a letter or remarkably personal note added to them - but they left my hands with postage on the envelopes, so that's a HUGE deal for me)

I feel a lot like I've hit a brick wall, crochet wise. and really crafting in general. I put the hooks down about three weeks ago and didn't pick them up for any serious work until a couple of days ago when my son lost his mittens. new pair whipped out lickety split and he really loves that I used the same colors as his missing pair.

my youngest girl and I have been collaborating on some rings as of late. I have a few listed on etsy, but we do have several more. a couple of them I've been waiting on the adhesive to set fully before going any further and so, although I've caught up on a lot of laundry over the last week, I really feel like I haven't done anything worth while.

button rings are becoming a big deal and so we've been having fun making them. I just need to photograph some more of them.
but if they don't sell on etsy I will have them along with for my next craft fairs. and the next one I will be bringing my youngest too, she did help make these rings and I am allowing her to have the profits from the sales of the rings.

I've made nests before. I've turned them into earrings and a necklace that I kept for myself. I just think they are adorable.


current
I am working on some new lace. I know I said I was going to do that last year but I gave up. really I don't know that I totally gave up. more just researching laces and finding my own lacy zen, ya know

so I am working on a piece right now. moving ahead and pulling apart and moving ahead and again pulling apart. I'm going to get this and it's going to be breath taking. (I hope)