last day

Happy new year to all my followers and friends!  Hope it's a cozy one!

Ready for MOI :-)

And just like that my scarf was reduced to the above in practically minutes.  I did realize two things as I was taking apart this scarf:

1. I could've used this scarf as a gift for one of the female kiddos saving myself a little time and pattern choosing agony.
2. If I ever have any doubts that my projects will unravel one day, I just need to think of the tedious minutes spent trying to take this scarf apart.  Those stitches weren't going anywhere!

Now, because this Hip Cozy is pretty random, I took all the partial skeins of yarn I had hanging around and I'm just figuring what colors should go together and what shouldn't at all.  I think it's also quite possible that I could get two Hip Cozys out of the deal but I am not gonna push it.

Why not push it for me?  Well, I just joined another group on Ravelry that helps to test out crochet and knit patterns.  This seems pretty darn cool and I'm just awaiting a crochet pattern that needs some testers.

This is going to be a really yarny year for me...  but I'm up for the challenge!

2011 Resolutions

It's that time of year again!  I swear, this time I'm gonna lose some weight, work out and go to the gym... HAHAHAHA!

That's for another blog.  

It's that time of year again when I decide what will be my yarny resolutions.  I did pretty well last year.  I managed to destash a lot and make five items for the baby before she was born that May.  So, riding on this wave of success....

This year I will:

• learn one new stitch a month in regards to knitting
• make one thing for ME a month

That last idea came out of joining a group on Ravelry called 12 for me in 2011.  I rarely keep anything I make but this will be MY year... especially now that the crazy Christmas crafting of 2010 is now over.

As usual, I will keep you all updated on my trials and tribulations.  I've already started to feverishly perfect my garter stitch and I've already picked out my January for ME project.  It involves me frogging a scarf that I made a while back for me but never wear.  

Yea!

So, to my relief, everyone loved their handmade gifts!  I even got a few requests to make some crocheted wavy cowls!  I am so relieved.  You never know how people will react to handmade gifts.  It's like a love-hate thing.

In other news, Hazel had a great 1st Christmas.  I do believe that most of the gifts under the tree were for her!  She was content just playing with the tissue paper and string..ahh the life of a baby!  

One skein scarf..

It was all wrapped and ready to go...then I realized, shoot!  I didn't take a picture!

After some careful unwrapping, I got it out of the tissue paper for a photo.

This was a pattern from the book: Stitch N Bitch Crochet - The Happy Hooker.  I cut the chain in half because it needed to fit a little girl and added an extra row of double crochets.  Last Christmas gift done just in time!

I do have two other gifts to post but that will be for after the receiver's receive them!  Sometimes they take a look at this blog and I would hate to spoil the surprise!

A button scarf for Connor

Using some left over Lion Brand yarn in their wool-ease and suede line, I improvised this little button scarf for my cousin's son.  I held both strands together and did half double crochets throughout.  

I added a button to give it a different look.  What I like about crochet is that you don't necessarily have to make a button hole.  You can just wiggle the button in between the stitches.

This almost concludes my Christmas crafting for the season.  I have one more gift to make which brings the total of handmade gifts this holiday season to: 12!

A cowl for Dawn

I used this pattern from the Lion Brand website.

I used two types of yarn - Lion Brand Jiffy in silver gray and Vanna's Choice in silver blue.

EXTREME CLOSE-UP!

yummy

"What is this?  Cotton?"

"These are delicious, Mommy!"

Hazel and her toys

Like the blanket?

A scarf for Jacob

Another Christmas gift is off my list!  I improvised this scarf a bit and it was, of course, quick and easy to make!  Now, I have two more kiddos to crochet for and I want to do some amigurumi but I'm afraid they won't like it.  Any suggestions?

Somebody's got a case of the Mondays...

I made another corporate zombie for my sister's friend.  He liked hers so much he requested one from me!

This little guy came out smaller than the first one.  I'm not sure why but I think he still looks cool.  Actually, this one is closer to guage than my original.

I used Lion Brand Cotton-ease yarn for everything except the little details.

A cardigan for Kalista

I've been chugging along with handmade Christmas gifts for members of my family and friends.... and here's another!

It's the BeBop Cardi from the plethora of free patterns at Lion Brand.

I decided to sew in a button for extra flair.  I'm thinking I should've went and added a few more rows along the top but I was following the pattern for a 7-8 year old.  Ah well, it still looks pretty cute to me.

I used Wool-Ease in the colorway of dark rose heather.  This particular yarn has gone a long way for me.  I used it here and here as well!

Swap #3 - What I got

One of the first swaps that I participated in was a color swap with my partner from Massachusetts.  It was  color swap based on our partner's interests and of course, their favorite colors.  This is what I got:

Four skeins of wool-ease yarn in blue heather and gray heather along with two notepads, garment labels, a book about cheese making (very interesting), plus some cookies that didn't make it into the picture!

Also, this beautiful lap blanket in a blue homespun yarn.  Thanks, Victoria!

Swap - What I got

Hazel was inspecting the package.  She approved and gave me the go ahead.

Even though the word fragile was stamped all over the box, this winter mug perished en route.  

Here are the goods!  Stephanie got me some bamboo knitting needles, chocolate, two skeins of wool-ease yarn in gray, garment tags, a book called Holiday Knits, and a sheep that poops brown jelly beans (ha!).

But, most importantly - the handmade good.  This awesome knit bag.  

Thanks Stephanie :-)

Lion Brand Swap #4

Stephanie's swap package

Spring Fling clutch

 3 sets of notecards

 Gingerbread spiral notebook, stuffed gingerbread and magnets

Candy note pad, magnetic note pad, and snowmen trinket boxes

Pencils that look like knit sweaters (COOL) and printed tape

3 skeins of Vanna's Choice yarn

1 skein of Lion Brand Alpine Wool

I had such a great partner and I plan on keeping in touch with her for a long while....

Stephanie's Scarf

 I made this North Pole Ruffle Scarf for my swap partner, Stephanie.

I know she lives in Cali and I thought this would be cozy on chilly nights, especially around the holidays.

I used Lion Brand Holiday Homespun in the colorway of Starlight.  I will post more pics of what was in the package soon!

Thanksgiving leftovers

Me and the Haze  

Photo by Ammerican Photography

Bombay Love Sweater by Rima Arinha

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Hazel says, "Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!"

Hazel is wearing Bombay Love by Rima Arinha.

My stash

One of my goals for this year was to do a lot of stash busting and I'm proud to say that I did accomplish my goal.  I'm getting creative with what I have, which I'm also proud of.

Then today, I get an email from Joann Fabric telling me that all this yarn is on sale... it's a good thing I don't have a whole lot of money to spend on myself but I'm secretly hoping this sale goes on through the holidays in case some cash comes my way...

Here's the link.

http://www.nataliedee.com

mmmm...brains....

Someone at my sister's work really liked my zombie; so much in fact that I got a request to make one and they're going to throw $5 my way!  Sweet!

Wouldn't it just be grand to crochet or knit for a living... ahhhh dreams...

Odds and ends..

 Buttons from Rhinebeck.  Will I use them?  Or will they just be admired forever?

This is still all greek to me.... but I'm working on it!

 Is anyone else obsessed with cute post-it notes?

What's in here?

These are useful in making amigurumi faces.  I don't trust buttons or plastic eyes with my strong baby.

You wouldn't know it by looking at this Body Shop cosmetics bag but it is filled to capacity with buttons.