Ole-Talk

What’s on my needles | My Self Imposed Yarn Embargo and UFOS

At the beginning of this year I made a vow to not buy any yarn for at least the first six months of 2017. I just heard the collective gasp from all you knitters and crocheters out there...simmer down! Before you call the padded wagon for me I have a very good reason. I really want to finish all my UFO’s (for you non-fiber people that is Unfinished Objects) and also actually use the yarn I have bought, collected over time.

The thing is that I really like all my UFO’s and I want to finish them. So not only have I vowed to not buy yarn but also to only knit for myself (well with the exception of baby things for the two friends who just had to go and get pregnant – love you both) until I put a dent in these projects. I am sure that I will throw in a few new projects but I will only make them if I can ‘shop” from my own stash.

So starting this week with an effort to keep me motivated and honest I will be sharing my journey over the next few months.

I decided to start with this awesome Cabled Autumn Dress that I started in 2015 (hangs head in shame). My goal is to wear it in the spring...yes this spring! The pattern is from Knit Picks and I am using CotLin yarn from Knit Picks as well. I am almost finished with the first half of the skirt.

So far it is a really easy mindless knit so this part should go fairly quickly (famous last words).

Of course I can't work on just one thing...come on now what kind of knitter/crocheter would I be. I always have at least one smaller, quicker, project going. For now it is this pair of crochet socks by Lakeside Loops that I absolutely adore. I am making mine in cotton yarn from my stash...see I am shopping from my stash. I only started them this week so I haven't gotten very far as yet.

Francine is also working on a pair so now that I have called her out maybe she will share hers when it is finished. I am determined to amass a nice selection of knitted items for me by year end. So I hope that you will stay on this journey with me and check back in a couple of weeks to see my progress on these projects and what’s next on the list.

My Latest Obsession

It all started when I linked to this from Pinterest!

Source: The Purl Bee

I have found so many that I like and want to make that I had to create a separate board for them on Pinterest!

Snapshot of my blanket board

Well if you haven't guessed by now, yes, my latest obsession is crochet blankets.

I can imagine myself all cuddled up with my colorful, warm blanket on a cold winter's night while reading a good book! It's actually making me look forward to winter!!!  Of course if I want this dream to come through I had better get cracking on actually making one of these.  Time to dig through the yarn stash to see what I have.

Have you ever made a blanket?

2013 Holiday Crafting in Review - Knitting and Crochet

Now that the holidays are over and life is settling back to its normal pace I can share some of what I accomplished over the season. I was determined this year to give as many handmade gifts as I could and think I was pretty successful in my endeavor.

Toys of course for my cutie pie of a nephew. I crocheted Max and Carol from Where The Wild Things are using this pattern from Alison Hoffman. He will get the other two for his birthday later this year.

See more details here on Ravelry 

 I also went on a cowl making binge and produced these beauties.

I had initially planned to follow a pattern but ended up just winging it an making it up as I went.  More details here.

Mid December Cowl by a Crafty House.  Details on mine here

"Striped" Cowl

Bubblegum Cowl by Jennifer Dickerson and details on mine found here.

Ushya Hat by Jane Ellison and cowl based on this pattern for the One Row Handspun Scarf by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.  More photos here and here on Ravelry.

And finally this cable scarf by Jenny Wilder which I absolutely love. Details here.

I was very proud of myself that I stuck to my decision and did not fall back on just going to the store (aka Amazon.com) and just buying stuff.  Did you do a lot of handmade items?

Up next, my sewing projects. 

 

My New Yellow Cowl

I seem to have a particular love for making things for my neck. I think it is because I hate having a cold neck in the fall and winter. So when I saw this cowl that my sister had made I just knew I wanted one too. I loved the bright color that she used and after digging through my stash (yes I used my stash..woohoo)  I found the perfect bright yellow yarn to use.

I only had one ball of this yarn so I was hoping that it would be enough to make a decent size cowl and thankfully it was.

I love the detail on this and it was very easy to make.  You can find the pattern for the it here.

Now onto the next thing...I am thinking sweater.

Luv Bot Part II

As you may have figured out by now I love making knitted and crochet toys! You may remember this one that I made for my nephew for his birthday earlier this year.  The original plan was to make and send him two but as we all know the best made plans and all that jazz.  Yes, I ran out of time...so what else is new.  Well it just so happened that I knew another little boy who had a birthday coming up and I knew he would love a Luv Bot and heck I already had the yarn so why not!

So I give you Luv Bot II.

I actually finished him at a spa while getting a pedicure and he went home from there to his new owner hence the photo setting.  I just loved the saying that was on this poster.  How fitting for a spa.

I wonder if the two Luv Bots will ever get to meet!  We can only hope so!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stash Buster Birthday Gift

Remember a while ago I had posted that I had found a way to use up all those ends of yarn (see post here). Well I put this idea to good use a couple months ago and made this adorable little bag as a birthday gift for the daughter of a friend of mine.

I used some bulky yarn and worked in a seed stitch pattern. I decided to also line the inside of this one with pink fabric from my stash.

I found these great rings at my local craft store to use as handles instead of bracelets like on my first bag.  Then I thought it looked too plain so I added the ribbon and bow to the front.

And of course what's a birthday gift without a matching card.

So there you have it an adorable bag and matching card for a very special girl on her birthday!

Thanks for stopping  by!

WIP Wednesdays

Welcome to another update on my projects! I wish I can say that I have a lot to show but it has been slow going here.  Probably because I stopped to make a couple gifts...you can see them here and here. However, I am slowly making progress on my halter top...it is coming along nicely.

Two more inches of the ribbing and then I can change to the next color and start working on the cable front.

In other news I finally did some much over due sewing.  My ironing board got a new cover based on this tutorial that I had pinned almost a year ago to my Pinterest.

It was a very easy tutorial to follow and I am thrilled with the results.  My ironing board now looks like new again.

Over the next couple of weeks I will be working on trying to finish my halter top, and also the crochet top that I showed in my first WIP post. I also want to get some new things on my needles including a toy for a first birthday coming up! Oh and if you are wondering what happened to that pink scarf from the first post, lets just say love the yarn hate to work with it and leave it at that!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Doll in 48 hours?

Why yes!  It's amazing just how much you can accomplish in less than 48 hours if you ignore Facebook, Pinterest and other internet time sucks...LOL!!

My friend's daughter's first birthday party was this past Saturday and after much pondering I decided that I wanted to make her this doll.  I knew that I had the day off on Friday and after consulting with my sister she confirmed my belief that I could have it completed in a day.  So Friday found me sitting in my craft room, watching a marathon of Star Trek Next Generation and Law and Order SVU on TV, crochet needles in hand.  By Friday afternoon I had all the pieces for the doll completed.

Then came the task of putting her together, giving her a face, making her hair and making her dress.  All was going well and I had her all assembled with a face by night time.

Then I hit a snag with her hair.  Let's just say that if the instructions say use a sewing machine to do something, please do and don't try sewing by hand...again, just saying!  So at 2am I gave up and went to bed figuring I could finish her hair and dress after I came back from the gym and before we headed out to the party that afternoon.  As they say the best laid plans and all that jazz. In any case to make a long story short I got her hair completed but not the dress so I had to bring and IOU to the party.

As soon as I got home I worked on her outfit before I lost the momentum and motivation.  But enough with the suspense!  Here she is completed!

I dressed her in a different outfit than the one in the pattern and since I had an extra day before delivery I decided why not whip out another dress for her.  Every girl needs more than one outfit after all. You can find the pattern I used for the doll plus other versions of her here on Sugar'n Cream, search the free patterns for Lily Doll.  Just note that you need to create an account.

I even had time to whip out a card. So now you know just how much you can accomplish in less than 48 hours if you put your mind to it!  And guess what...Facebook, Pinterest, and all the other internet stuff was still there waiting for my return.  Imagine that!!

Thanks for stopping by!

WIP Wednesday

Happy Hump Day! So let's see what I have accomplished since I posted two weeks ago!

I have made some progress on my halter top but clearly if I want to wear it before next summer I need to pick up the pace.

Does my scarf look different to two weeks ago? Well maybe it's because it is a completely different pattern. I am having a complete love hate relationship with this yarn. I love that it is so soft and pretty but it is so slippery that it is a pain to work with. I have started over twice already and I just give up. So I am trying it with a different pattern.  Third times a charm...or at least that is what they say!

I got no further with my crochet sweater but I swear I have a really good reason for my slow progress with these.  I had to stop to make a gift for a friend  Here's a peek of what I did and the full thing will be revealed in Friday's post.  Gift will be delivered tomorrow and I don't want to spoil the surprise in case she see this.

So anyway I am hoping to have lots more progress to show you in two weeks time and I may even have something new on my needles.  You will just have to wait and see.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Work in Progress Wednesdays

Luv Bot and Chick

Work in Progress Wednesdays

I have decided to start a new series about the knitting and crochet projects that I am currently working on, hence forth known as WIP Wednesdays.  I figured if I put it out there and promise to share updates from start to finish that I will keep myself honest and actually finish stuff before casting on something new...a condition known as castonitist!  I also think that this will motivate me to work on them more often and thus finish faster as I won't want to be blogging about the same projects for too many weeks in a row and thus boring you my dear reader.

I currently have three things on my needles that I am actively working on - two knitting projects and one crochet!

One Row Lace Scarf - this is my carry around project as it is small and easy to work on during knitting group at the Museum and my lunch times.  I am making it from this wonderfully silk yarn which is oh so soft to the touch but also oh so slippery to work with.  I have already had to stop once to untangle the ball.

Dolman Sleeve Crochet top - I already have one side of this completed and plan to start working on the other side this weekend.  It was surprisingly quick and easy to work up.  I am actually using an acrylic yarn that I got at Michael's but it is super soft and I can't wait to finish it and wear it.

Petite Cables Halter top from the summer issue of Love of Knitting magazine - I came across this magazine as I aimlessly browsed in a book store this weekend and it had such cute summer patterns that I just had to buy it.  I knew the cotton yarn that I had recently got would be perfect to make this halter top.

I am actually making mine with three colors of yarn in large stripes of color.  I am using a different weight yarn to what the pattern calls for so to get the correct gauge I had to go down in needle size.  Started on this last weekend and it is an easy enough pattern to work on while I watch TV and will alternate working on this and the crochet top.

So thanks for stopping by and check in with me next week to see how much progress I have made on these.