I’ve Been Real Busy – Promise!

When I think that I haven’t even gotten to read so many of your blog posts the last few days I have to sit and think…why? Well, my needles are steaming so I guess that means I have been keeping pretty busy!

Also, just before we get to picture-y goodness, I have also:

• Redone my About Page for the Blog.
• Am getting all the Stitch Patterns into their own drop-down menu on the blog – hopefully I will finish that tonight.
• Major amounts of photo editing.
• Updating my Etsy Store with things that most likely won’t sell – I still have hope.

Okay friends and neighbors, now to the pictures!!!

** THE LINK HAT – LONG STRIPED STOCKING HAT **

THE LINK LIKE HAT!

So I have made two of these in the past week, one for Sheri whose package never arrive on our swap (UPDATE: I just got an email that her package has finally arrived in Germany!! It only took one and a half months – God Bless the United States Postal Service). So now both hats need to be put up on the store.

Full Frontal Heavy Goodness.

For Gloria

The Back

So Heavy I Had to Hold It.

Covering the Face in Shame.

Right Side

** BOBBLES AND LACE AND SLOUCHY HAT GOODNESS **

 

So after starting down the road of super adventurous (and time-consuming) knitting, I needed a quick fix. This hat knit up very quickly and has all sorts of yummy bobbles, lace, ribbing, dimension and super fun stuff. I highly recommend it!

Top of the Hat

Face Left

Face Left – Up Close

Flat

Face Right

Another Face Left

** SWEET AS HONEY RIBBED HAT **

I forgot that I had started making another one of these after the first one – because I gave the first one to a friend. This may be the biggest hurdle in running a business for me, I love giving things away! So when I saw it all lonely at the bottom of my knitting bag I went ahead and finished it.

Face Left

Face Right Up Close

Full Frontal

Profile

Back of Hat

Nice and Flat

** THE RUFFLE SCARF FROM HELL – WELL… TWO RUFFLE SCARVES FROM HELL **

Okay, this baby was born from the very sweet gift from a friend. It is Patons Pirouette Yarn and it is pretty when it is finished. Working with it though made me want to punch a wall and pull out my hair. Oh well, the two skeins are gone and I have two scarves to show for it.

I Hate You Ruffle Scarf Yarn….Even Though You Are Beautiful

** MY NEW ADVENTURE IN LACE KNITTING!! **

This has been the project taking up the majority of my time here lately, my very first attempt into lace knitting! I am so excited….like a kid at Christmas. The lace yarn (Patons again) was found at the bottom of my yarn stash so I just dug in. Size 3US circular needles and a nice, simple pattern for a beginner. I cannot wait to finish my precious!

Humble Beginnings

At About 120 Stitches

It Keeps Growing!

Close Up of the Lace. LACE

 

Alrighty, that about catches me up I think. I need to go work on my store, organize the pages for the Stitch Patterns a week, need to do the stitch patterns for this week and last week, work on my lace….

Sorry, I got distracted there.

Okay, plan B. I am going to knit then I am going to catch up with all my delicious blogging friends. I’ve missed you and cannot wait to see what you’ve been up to!

 

Oh SO Many Goodies

Sitting here with my Sweet Tea and contemplating how to go about all this information, I have come to conclusions that I will do it in quick bursts. Otherwise I am going to be here all night and bore you to tears with a post resembling an epic tome.

So let’s get to the goodies!

˜ The Sweet As Honey Hat ˜

Frannie in the Bar

This is where the Sweet As Honey Hat got placed today to my utter amusement, there is nothing quite like seeing a Styrofoam head in your liquor cabinet. Also, Gloria and I have named her Frannie – in case you are curious the male head is Stu and the dressmaker dummy is Beverly. That’s just how we roll in the Folk Household.

The slouchy beehive hat was so much fun to work up with super shiny aqua yarn, this hat is begging me to wear it, although I know I can not. It should be posted on the Etsy store within the week, as soon as I get the okay from the designer on Ravelry.

Frannie in the Bar

Face Right Please

Back of the Hat – Distance

Full Frontal

Back of the Hat – Up Close and Personal

Face Left Please

Sweet as Honey Beanie

Top of the Hat

˜ I Am Making Socks…..No Really….I AM TOO!! ˜

This is a very condensed version of the conversations T and I had this morning as I pulled out size 2 needles and very, very fine yarn. I know it was out of concern that he questioned my choice of knitting but I will sooner eat my fingers off than deem them worthless.

Before the accident I was one of those super scary-fast knitters, and I could handle any size or any type of needle with ease. I took it for granted of course, now with a hand that is absolutely stubborn I have to go much slower and it still turns purple when overused. I remind myself to laugh at this, as if I had consumed forbidden candy from Willy Wonka’s Factory instead of intense swelling – otherwise I would pull my hair out.

The process is slow but I will keep all of you updated on the progress. I am really quite excited!

Cast On – CHECK!

Finish Cuff Ribbing – CHECK!

Sidebar: I may be sending out desperate requests at some point. So far I have frogged one row, and dropped….oh dear me….14 stitches. This is something I haven’t done in years, I actually had to go on Knitting Help’s website to figure out how to use a crochet hook to fix my goofs. I remain undeterred.

˜ Knitting Bucket List & Facing Reality ˜

A long time ago (this morning) I thought I was a pretty advanced knitter, until I sat down and thought about it. I have mastered the basics and even some of the higher skills, but there are so many things I have not done that keep me from claiming what is rightfully mine…damn it.

There are only so many times I can complain about my hand before it gets annoying, so I will just skip it. Anyway, a lack of confidence has kept me from trying the more advanced techniques and skills that I am now currently lusting after, thus starting a pair of socks that scare me more than a centipede in my shower. So here is my “by the end of 2013” to-learn/try bucket list:

• Socks.
• Double Knitting.
• Lace Work.
• A Garment – probably a cardigan – and assembling the pieces.
• A Shawl.
• Looming – My uncle wants to make me one he saw on a retreat, God love him!
• Weaving.
• Spinning.
• Dying yarn.
• DUH DUH DUH….Try to learn how to crochet…again.

Okay, HUMONGOUS list of things to learn knitting wise but I am ready to branch out from my comfort zone. I am going to need to return to those things occasionally to retain my sanity anyway. I just feel like life is too short to say I haven’t tried all I can try.

RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LOVELY IF YOU CARE TO SHARE!

˜ My Mom and Dad’s 30th Wedding Anniversary ˜

Here is the a few pics of the progress thus far. There is way more going on but this is what I have stopped and taken pics of – more to come!

First Trail Vase…Needs Work.

Assembly Line.

Loads of Flower Stems.

First Attempt at Construction.

I currently have around 60 stems done and the pom-poms are very easy to make. Another 40 and I should be done.

** Thank You for Hanging In There…How About Some Pictures? **

Truthfully I should have spread this out a bit but I wanted to share it all so badly, plus my mind is busting with all sorts of new things I want to write about. Thanks for hanging in there friends and neighbors, until tomorrow!

Holy Crap Batman! I Need a Swap Re-do….STAT!

Oh Sheri, I feel you are about to get majorly screwed by my swapping inexperience!

I was approached by Sheri over at Confessions of a Refashionista: Life on the Zig Zag a few weeks ago with the idea of a swap. I was thrilled, especially since she wanted the Link-like hat that I had so worried over. Her boisterous spirit and enthusiasm for the swap was so infectious – not to mention the fact that I would be sending something I made to Germany! Everything about this sounded like an amazing idea!

The Link-Like Hat for Sheri!

Too bad I have never done a swap before. I was woefully unprepared.

I received my package today and was floored by the enormity of the gifts and goodies inside this unassuming package. I will lay it out for you:

My Lovely Signed Book.

My SIGNED Copy!

Family Eggy-Nestlace for Me and the Hubby, and Max!

Gorgeous Rosette Earrings

Tassen Teppich-Mug Rug2

Tassen Teppich – Mug Rug – Back of Mug Rug.

• My very own copy of Confessions of a Refashionista: Life on the Zig Zag
• Oh Yeah – My Copy is SIGNED!
• My family eggy-nestlace where each egg represents a member of my little family (Me, The Hubby and Maxwell)
• An incredible pair of rosette earrings
• A “tassen teppich” – or Mug Rug – for both me and the hubby to stylishly enjoy or coffee.

I was blown away by the kindness and thoughtfulness of this gift – I also feel SO GUILTY my head is about to explode. Do you know what I sent Sheri?

• A Hat.

Yup, ladies and gentleman I have epic-ly failed my first swap. I am ohhing and ahhing all over my goodies and poor Sheri is just getting a hat – I even forget to post the damn thank you card! So what is there to do? Do I send more things? I am definitely not at talented as Sheri – knitting is my main creative outlet besides painting and they are ridiculously hard to get through customs.

Here. Let’s look at bigger pictures of all this awesomesauce before I pose my question:

My Lovely Signed Book.

My SIGNED Copy!

Family Eggy-Nestlace for Me and the Hubby, and Max!

Gorgeous Rosette Earrings

Tassen Teppich-Mug Rug – Front

Tassen Teppich – Mug Rug – Back of Mug Rug.

I want to thank Sheri from the bottom of my heart, this package was amazing! I have learned an invaluable lesson from this swap – if you’re going to do it, do it up right!

I want to do this up right…so friends and neighbors…what the hell do I do?