birdsandtrees

Warm and Toasty

The good news:

• It snowed today.  When it's this cold outside, you need something to keep your hands all warm and toasty, right?  Which leads me to...
• I taught myself how to knit using double-pointed needles 
• I'm no longer scared by the words "double-pointed needles"
• I started working on this pattern for fingerless gloves a few months ago.  I think it's  supposed to be a quick project for the real knitters out there. 

The bad news:

• I can't knit very fast. 
• I haven't even finished one of the gloves. 
• These will probably get finished by the time it's summer.  So just be prepared to see me wearing these in 95 degree weather.

my chunkie knit beanie

This past weekend I finished the chunkie knit beanie that I found from a friend to knit with's blog- you can download the pattern for free on that post.  All you need to have is one ball of chunky yarn (I just went to my local knitting store and found the chunkiest yarn I saw in a color that I liked), size 15 circular needles, a knowledge of basic knitting stitches, and a couple of hours to knit.  It seems like a great basic hat pattern that you could then change/tweak by adding a button, flap, etc.  In a nutshell, if I can knit this hat, you can definitely knit this hat!  So if you're looking for an easy knitting pattern where you feel accomplished fairly quickly, I highly recommend this pattern.   

And the best part is, I finished it just in time for almost 70 degree weather!  Perfect timing on my part! [Please note heavy sarcasm.]

And for my next trick...

Last night I was flipping through Vintage Crochet: 30 Gorgeous Designs for Home*Garden*Fashion*Gifts by Susan Cropper.  This is a beautiful book, and I think I'd be happy even if I never made anything from it- the pictures alone are worth it.  But I did stop at this picture:

How cute is that!?!  The dog even looks like Molly!  It's called the "Woody" Dog Coat, and it may be just what Molly needs for this winter (or so she told me).  I can just see her working it on our street.  It only calls for 3 balls of yarn, which is good, because man can crochet become expensive!  Now hopefully I can figure out the pattern...and yes, I have just become the woman that makes things for her dog.  But I promise you- this is the first time.  For real. 

Who knew?

You can finish a crochet project in less than two years! 

I found a pattern on Ravelry for a simple crochet hat...I had to watch one instructional video on youtube to figure one thing out, and I was off!  I could have made it in one afternoon, but I worked on it Friday, then had to redo some rows, so then I finished on Sunday.  The pattern has three buttons sewn on the lower section, but after dumping my button collection all over the coffee table last night, I couldn't find ones that I liked.  So I think I'll add those later.  But I'm still happy with it!

Where my stitches at?

Ever since I finished my granny square blanket, I've been thinking about what to start working on next.  I'm hoping to knit and/or crochet some gifts for Christmas this year, and it feels even better to crochet when it gets a little cooler outside.  There's something about the fall air that makes you want to find a cozy spot where you and your crochet hook can spend some quality time together. 
Soulemama has a really cute knit hat pattern on her website that I'm thinking about, and I also went to Ravelry which has thousands of ideas.  If you've never been to or heard of Ravelry before (and you like to knit and/or crochet), you need to check it out.  You have your own page where you can keep track of all the projects you've done, all the yarn you've bought, etc.  And you can look at all the amazing projects that other people have done (and connect with local knitters in your area).  I searched for a crocheted hat and found a cute (and free!) pattern from a ravelry user.  So today, while the kids had a break in the backyard, my crochet hook and I started working.  And I can think I can honestly say this project won't take me two years!  That is very hopeful indeed. 

Cue the Hallelujah Chorus.

I finished it.  I finished the Granny  Square Blanket.  My gosh it feels good to type that! I actually finished something I started.  I started this blanket almost two years ago and have slowly been working on it.  I reached a point where I felt like I just had to stop somewhere...I could have made it a lot bigger but I know I probably would have never finished it.  It's not perfect, and it's hard for me not to look at its imperfections, or to keep thinking that it will start unraveling somehow.  But I'm happy with it.  

It's a perfect small blanket/throw for laying on the couch or an extra layer in bed.  My grandmother made crocheted blankets for our family growing up and we called them our "magic blankets," where if you were sick, you just cuddled up with the blanket and you were sure to feel better.  So I think this will be our magic blanket. 

Yep, I think this blanket will work quite nicely around here. 

Day 15

Most crafters I know have a bag where they keep projects they're working on in it- whether it's cross-stitching, crocheting, embroidery, whatever.  So when you're in a crafty mood, you have your bag and you can pull from it and start working.  I got this bag during my trip to Portland at Knit Purl (which I highly recommend if you're ever in Portland and you need yarn, which will pertain to a lot of people reading this, I'm sure), and I love it.  For me, you have to really like your craft bag if you're going to use it.   I like to bring mine on road trips, but for the most part, it stays in its little nook next to the couch.  And lately I feel like I've abandoned this little guy.  I think my craft bag has turned into a place where all my "work in progress" projects go to die slowly.  I have this horrible habit of starting these projects (see: Granny Square Blanket) and never completing them. 
 But I recently got a new crochet book, Vintage Crochet, and that's given me the crochet kick in the rear that I needed.   I got really excited about making the blanket on the cover, but then quickly remembered, "Oh. Right.  I started a blanket.  A YEAR ago.  And never finished it."  So instead of starting a new project, I'm going to try to finish my granny square blanket.  I'm just going to start crocheting the squares together and see how big the blanket it.  Maybe I can use it for just a calves, ankles, and feet blanket.  Or just drape it over one arm that's colder than the other arm.
Tomorrow this bag will join me on a trip home to New Orleans, where we'll celebrate the 4th and my birthday on the 5th.   I won't be able to post pictures from there, so this "thirty days" thing is going to have to take a mini-vacation until Monday.   But the good news is that I'm taking my cameras and hope to have some pictures to share next week.
 I hope you all have a Happy Fourth of July! 

A Wee Scarf

I realize I haven't posted much this week, but that's not for a lack of crafty effort...on the contrary, I've been busy this week knitting.  I taught myself how to knit a couple of years ago, but lost interest in it soon after (and I then found crocheting much easier).  A friend (who is very creative and crafty) was having a birthday this weekend and I thought I'd go the handmade route...and knitting seemed to be the answer.   

I picked up some really nice Alpaca Yarn from our local yarn shop in two different colors.  I gave myself a refresher course in knitting and just went with the easiest stitch...and just kept going and going.  I had an idea to make a shorter "neck" scarf that you can tuck under your coat or sweater, and to secure it with a button.  The yarn shop had these handmade wooden buttons which I thought were perfect.
 
The hardest part was definitely the button hole.  I've never done one before, but the biggest help was a video on youtube.  If you're new to knitting, I would strongly recommend watching videos to help you.  They've got hundreds on there.  And there's nothing like watching someone else show you (with the pause button at your fingertips)- reading it in a book is too confusing (in my opinion, anyway).

With the help of some Jane Austen movies that I've recorded on Masterpiece Theater (every Sunday night...if you're not watching, you need to!), I finished the scarf today.  I hope she likes it!
Have a lovely weekend!   

Granny Square Love

After being inspired by other crafters out there in blog land, I taught myself how to crochet.

It came easier to me than knitting, and pretty soon (with the help of some crochet how-to books and videos on you tube), I had learned how to make a granny square.  If you're not familiar with granny squares (or g-squares as James likes to call them), they are basically just going around and around in a very simple pattern until you're happy with it.   I decided to do 10 rounds on each of my squares.  I picked up some of my favorite yarn, and just started crocheting like crazy.  I started this last December, and after a lull in the granny sqaure department, I've picked it back up again....maybe it's the feeling of fall in the air.  There's nothing like cool breezes and leaves falling that makes you want to start knitting or crocheting again. There's just something about it. 

I laid them out today.  Molly thought that would be a great time to test them out.  :)

I think she likes them! 

22 down...a LOT more to go.  Let's hope  I can finish these by the time  James and I qualify for senior citizen discounts.