Last post of the year!

Love this gift from Gretchen! Just what I need when Chips starts playing with my yarn!

Awesome gifts from a kick ass friend!

Well, look at what came in the mail the other day. A boxful of goodies for a yarn nut like me!

This soap is unscented yet still smells very yummy!

The yarn that Gretchen spun from just a bag of fiber. I got lots of bright colors cuz I think I'm going to be going through a crazy colored scarf phase soon...

More of Gretchen's handiwork.

The last bag of fiber turned into pretty, pretty yarn!

Is there anything Gretchen can't do with yarn???? How cute are these socks? There is also one other gift I left out and will post about soon! It's so cool and functional!

Sewing up some loose ends...

The finishing touches on some Christmas gifts.

Crochet cartoon

http://www.nataliedee.com

In other news, I am making a sweater vest type thing for myself in violet colored yarn. It's got a boxy shape to it which will make me look cute or accentuate the fact that I'm pregnant. Speaking of which, I added more baby patterns to my queue now that I found out the sex. Bring on the little dresses and cute sweaters!

The Tunic Project

The tunic project is finally done! Whoohoo! The only thing that's left is to sew on the pockets at some point. I would've modeled this but the baby bump would just make the tunic look weird.

Some close ups of the straps, neckline, and arm holes.

The pockets which will be sewn on when warmer weather comes around and I can wear it.

The whole project made from Lion Brand Cotton-Ease yarn in the color of taupe.

The hat turned cowl project

It started out as a winter hat for Michael but towards the end of the project frustration set in. I don't know if it was the fact that Mad Men was on and I couldn't concentrate but as you may know by now I really detest the finishing process. I had to somehow weave yarn and pull to create the top of the hat but it turns out that the hat was too big for Michael's head anyway.

So, I remembered this cowl project I was reading about on Julia's blog and decided to rip out the sewing job on top and keep the project as is - a cowl. Michael thought this was pretty cool. Made from Lions Brand Wool-Ease in the color mink.

Casting on...

stinks! I am trying to knit but at this rate it's looking pretty sad...

I've tried watching tons of videos but as I'm learning there's a zillion ways to cast on. Maybe during Christmas vacation when I have the patience I will try to tackle this again. But for now, I need to step away from the knitting needles.

Scarf for Michael - Take three

Made to get Michael in the Christmas spirit!

Lion Brand Homespun yarn in the Holiday colors of wreath and mistletoe.

Keeps the hubby toasty. At least that's what he tells me. Hopefully, I won't see this on the floor of the coat closet with the other ones....

Rhinebeck, New York

Ginormous pickle anyone?

Some pictures from the Sheep and Wool Festival from Rhinebeck, New York. I spent way too much money but got some awesome yarn and roving that Gretchen will be spinning into yarn. She showed me a sneak preview and it looks hella pretty! Will post more pictures later!

Acting like a knitwit.

BOOOO! Hopefully learning how to use knitting needles won't be a scary process.

I have no idea what the heck to do with these things. It feels so weird to hold two needles.

Here are the rest of the purchased knitting needles to get me started. I bought a book and now I'm just figuring out what to begin with. I'm trying to remember how I went about as a newbie with crocheting projects and such and cannot remember. Details to follow....

Flowers for me and my friends.

Just a sneak peek at what I've been working on for Christmas.

This tunic is killing me...

I'm so close to being finished yet just can't get there. I am ONE strap away from finishing this damn tunic project! I'll be so glad when it's done. I have this thing lately; I like starting projects but absolutely despise the finishing process. What does that mean?

Done

...with Maria's hat.

Here's what it looks like on me.

Here's what it looks like on the floor of my room.

Presents

What am I doing in the wonderful world of crochet? Well it's a secret because both of my friends read this blog and it would spoil their surprise. I got a jump start on a couple of Christmas gifts for my two best friends. They (one in Jiffy silver heather and the other in Jiffy grape) will be way better than the scarves I made that one year! Rest assure, I'm hooking away and the gifts are almost done! I even made one for myself in a dusty pink color. I'm also using this book to help embellish their gifts.

I'm also working on this cotton tunic for moi. I'm using the cotton-ease yarn in taupe. I've got about half of it done and am looking forward to figuring out how to make the straps.

There are two other projects on my agenda for the sister. The "Twilight" hat using my Lion Brand Jiffy yarn in grape and the same object that I am making for my peeps in the Jiffy brand using the color avocado.

PLUS, I have a whole queue of projects I want to do when I'm all set with these ones. Some involve clothing others involve holiday decorations. I'm doing pretty good with trying to crochet a little each night and I'm seeing a lot of progress and things are moving fairly quickly! It also helps when you have Iron Chef or CSI playing in the background.

I <3 LOL Cats.

Hats off to me!

I am finally done with that damn winter hat pattern. No joke, I must've ripped it out about ten times before I figured out the problems. I wasn't reading carefully and plus I figured out a mistake in the pattern. Anyway, the hat is done and I love it, even if the hat does point out a little on top and makes me look like an elf!

I may make another one like this, I'm not sure. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn in the color of seaspray. Michel and Genvieve helped me pick out the color at Lion Brand studio in the N-Y-C.

My second attempt at a different winter hat pattern is the PDQ hat which I found out of my Stitch N' Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker book by Debbie Stoller. I used three types of yarn here: more seaspray Wool-Ease, an unknown yarn in a camel color, and Wool-Ease Thick N' Quick in a creme color.

Got some ear flaps going on here. Will sew some cool buttons on them at some point, maybe.

I really like the pattern and I wish I used more of the same types of yarn because then you could see the cute little stitch pattern going on here without the thicker yarn taking over.

I'm not sure if I like this hat at the moment. I could sew some buttons on it and sell it or I could just rip it all out and start on something else. What do you think?

On the road

Although I got nothing done as far as crocheting goes on this road trip I did see some cool crochet related things along the way:

1. Woodstock, New York: In Stacy's (our best bud!) kitchen hangs a filet crochet tapestry right above her kitchen sink made by her mom. Vintage cool!

2. NYC: While visiting Jen in the Bronx, we made a trip into the city and went to the Lion Brand Yarn studio where I saw one of the chicks that hosts the YarnCraft podcast that I listen to. I had a totally freaked out moment trying to decide whether or not to say hello and I ran out of the store while Michael and Jen tried to get me to go back in. I did make purchases, a book called Hooked for Life - Adventures of a Crochet Zealot by Mary Beth Temple along with two skeins of Lion Brand Wool Ease yarn in the color of Seaspray along with three crochet needles.

3. Just missed by a day (Michael was so sad) the Sock Summit in Portland, Oregon but also learned there is a yarn event that goes on in Buffalo, New York so I will plan on trying to catch that the next time around.

The road trip/honeymoon was a success and now the goal is to keep up somewhat of a crochet schedule as I planned before my world travels. I must conquer that damn winter hat pattern!!!

Fasten off

So here's what I've been doing the last few weeks in the world of crochet. Tied up some loose ends and finished Mr. Funky. As you can see, he's chillin' by the window and in my basket of yarn.

I also want to take a moment to say goodbye to yet another crochet needle that perished while finishing the legs of Mr. Funky. I guess I'm just going to have to stop buying plastic needles!

Then I made a towel out of the rest of my cotton yarn in sage and blue care of Lions Brand.

Ohhh, wave patterns make me want to go swimming!

Then I made some washcloths from a pattern on Lions Brand Yarn.

Here's a close up of the stitching that's going on. Just working out of one loop rather than two nothing too fancy.

Still working on the hat for myself. The next few weeks I'll be on the road so not sure how much I'll be getting done but I'm planning on making more wearable items in the near future.

Travel Project

I have about three different projects going on so I decided to toss another one up in the mix and make this cute hate inspired from the movie "Twilight." I'm not into the movie and read the first two books after deciding I just can't relate to whiny, star-crossed lovers anymore.

I will be in France for the next week so I thought this could be an interesting plane/layover project!

What addiction looks like...

Used and abused.

Brand spankin' new!

I got plans for these too.