Snow Daze

About a week ago we had two snow days at the university.  It is rare enough to get one snow day - but two in a row is nothing short of a miracle.  So, we made the best of the situation and walked down to the local coffee shop to knit for a good portion of the day.

We got about 14" of snow over the two days.  I wonder if we'll even have 'spring' this year, or if it will just go from snow to summer.  

Downtown Madison - piled with snow. 

Can you spot the car?

Nate and I decided to go on an adventure/walk during the snowstorm to get out of the house for a bit.  

I think I've had my fill of winter now though - bring on the warmer weather please!

Knitting!

Now that the weather has cooled off and my schedule has become a little less insane, I finally re-started our knitting night!  I started knitting when I was in college and haven't stopped.  It has been a great way to meet new people.  When I moved to Sycamore, IL for grad school and when I moved here to South Dakota - some of the first people I met were fellow knitters (who I found through Ravelry.com - a great resource for fiber artists!).

Last week I had the honor of teaching my new friend Kacie how to knit (and she's already halfway through her first scarf!) at our Stitch & Bitch.  It is fun to teach people a new craft.  I've probably taught about 50 people how to knit in my lifetime, and I really love seeing the directions they go with their craft!  Making things with your hands can be so rewarding and relaxing (once you get the hang of it).  

{Jacy looking pumped!}

I also love how craft can bring people together!  :)

I worked on a pair of legwarmers made from some recycled wool yarn - they are finished now, and I've worn them almost every day since then!

I've also been working on dismantling a few other sweaters to 'harvest' their yarn.  

It is my favorite way to get yarn. :)  

Well, I better get back to my grading!  I've got another day's worth then I am done!!!

On the Hooks and Needles

Cold weather is knitting weather!



I started these legwarmers Saturday night while knitting with some good friends.  I'm thinking of writing a pattern for these.  I love the little houndstooth design. :)



I also took the time to (finally) weave in all of the ends on this beast.  I think it took me longer to weave the ends in than it did to crochet it!



It is a cowl made from an acrylic/cotton blend I picked up earlier this summer.  It is so soft and cozy!



It is nice to be knitting and crocheting again.  Especially with all of the looong car rides we have ahead of ourselves this holiday season!

Knitting - Mittens and Cowl!

This cowl is my first real finished project from my new (to me) knitting machine.

The main yarn I used was recycled from a cotton sweater - it is a marled black/grey/white mix.  That is the part that was done on the knitting machine.  For the white part, I picked up the stitches and knit with some spare yarn that I had left over from another project.  I really like how it turned out.

Second up is a project I started while watching the NFC Playoffs.  They are gold mittens - in honor of the Packers. :)



They've got a chain cable running down the center.  I think I'll call them the "movin' the chains" mittens.  I've got to work out the kinks a bit, but I think I may write up a pattern for these as well.

Recent Aquisitions

I haven't done too much thrifting lately, but I do have a couple little things to share that I picked up at the thrift store in town here.
Firstly, there is this strapping bunny:

I have an affinity for white ceramic forest animals! :)  I'm sure he'll be featured in a painting in the near future...
And then I found this beauty:
It's a sweater knitting machine.  At first it wasn't working - it just chewed up the yarn, and the needles weren't moving at all.  I cleaned it out really well, fixed a few of the prongs that had been bent or broken, and now it works just as it is supposed to.  I paid $20 for over $200 worth of equipment!
I hope this will encourage me to get a few more sweaters done.  It just does stockinette stitch, but it leaves raw stitches at the top and bottom of the work, so you can just pick them up and rib stitch, or finish off the edges.
I've already knit a cowl - there will be pictures soon, I promise!

Wristlet

After my favorite wristlet/clutch bit the dust, I was determined to replace it with something handmade.  This is the solution to that conundrum:

I'm working on writing up a pattern for this little beauty.  It is done with a combination of knitting and crochet, and has very little seaming.  The most challenging part of it is the lining, but even that isn't so bad.  I'm thinking of making a version with a button flap too for those people who cringe at the thought of sewing in a lining.  

I was hesitant about the zipper at first, but now I love it.  

Also, there is only ONE end to weave in with this.  I think I may be the laziest knitter/crocheter ever!

Progress shot:

Pinning in the lining: 

Done!

Making Things

Once the snow and cold sets in each year, the crafting/knitting bug starts to take over.  There is something about sitting in a sunny window with your tea, a blanket, and a crafting project that can't be beat.
This weekend I picked up some supplies for necklaces.  I've been seeing some simple geometric jewelry in a bunch of stores, and so I thought I'd try my luck at recreating them on a far less expensive scale:

They are made using brass and pewter mostly.  I've been a fan of brass and copper lately, so I may try to purchase some more supplies for these soon.

They are all long enough that they can slip over your head, so they don't need clasps, and they don't get tangled in my hair!


I've also been chugging away on my sweater that I've been attempting to make without a pattern.  Here is the progress so far:

It is made from a fingering weight super wash wool that is really soft.  I wanted to use a lightweight yarn so that it would drape a lot better.  I am going to try to write up a pattern for this sweater as well. :)  The neckline is crocheted and then you pick up the crocheted stitches and knit the body and sleeves.  The pattern is surprisingly simple, and fits really well so far!

Recent Knitting Projects

It is cold and snowy outside today, and on top of it, I seemed to have picked up a head-cold that has kept me wiped out the last few days.  So today, I am drinking copious amounts of hot tea, sitting under a warm blanket, and knitting.
First off, I finished this project about a couple of weeks ago - It is another scarf loosely based on this pattern - Gathered Scarf - made from 2 skeins of Omega Sinfonia.

Here it is modeled by my little sister Molly - We did a quick photo shoot while I was home for Thanksgiving as a precursor to doing her actual senior pictures over winter break in Milwaukee.  Isn't she pretty!

Here's my favorite shot from our 10 minute quickie session:

Over break we also got a chance to head in to Mineral Point, WI, and I picked up some 1/2 off malabrigo yarn (yum!).  I love mineral point, it is such a quaint little artsy town with a pretty little downtown.  We love to eat there as well - my favorites are the Brew Pub, and Cafe Four.  

This is the project I'm currently working on - it is a clutch to replace my current clutch which I have been using for about 6 years!

Hopefully I'll finish this today, and have a zipper in it soon! 

On Hooks and Needles

I've been neglecting the crafty roots of this blog a little bit recently, so here's some crafting to fill that gaping hole!
First off, I've been working on this gem for a while.  It is a handspun crocheted blanket.  I am maybe 1/5 of the way done with it.  I usually just leave it out on the back of one of the chairs in the living room even though it is only part way done because it is so pretty.

Bo loves the blanket, it is his favorite spot to cuddle up.  Sometimes he knocks it on the floor too, and he'll still curl up on it.

I'm also almost finished with the scarf I started a few weeks ago.  It is made from a mercerized cotton yarn (I like scarves I can just chuck in the dryer!) and I just improvised the pattern as I went along.  It is really similar to another 'gathered scarf' pattern that I saw on Ravelry.

Last but not least, A new project!  

It is a sweater I've been wanting to make for a while.  I finally sat down, took some measurements of other sweaters I own, and hacked out a rough pattern.  

It is going to have a crocheted neckline, that fans out for the body of the sweater.  I wanted something I could knit without having to pay attention to it.  I've already got the neckline done, and about 4" of the body knit.  I may even gather the enthusiasm to write a pattern for this one! 

Do any of you know any good resources for figuring out sizing of knitting patterns? 

Summertime.....

Last week we had some friends over for a barbecue,

We had DIY shish kebabs with chicken, pineapple, red and green peppers, onions, and mushrooms with corn.  I was really proud of myself for saving the pineapple top to use as decoration.  I am usually not so fancy.  haha...

Nate and Courtney putting together their kebabs.  Surprisingly, no injuries resulted from this meal.

Pre-grilling...

Nate and our sad excuse for a grill.  Notice the flower pot holding up the leg, it rusted off over the summer...  Instead of standing around the grill shooting the shit, you've got to crouch down by it, trying not to fall into it.  Note to self: we are getting a bigger grill when we move. 

But it did the job!

And after our gluttonous feast, Courtney and I had a chance to bring out our projects.  I love having knitting/crocheting friends. 

And Darren with his 'too much food' face. :)

It was a wonderful night!

Remember when I used to knit??

Well, I still do!  Even though I don't get much quality knitting time in, I've got something to show for my efforts -- I finally finished the sweater I had started in July when Nate and I went on our road trip out west!

It is made from yarn that I recycled from a (suuuuuper ugly) thriftstore sweater and then dyed with acid dyes.  It is really great to finally have this finished!  When I remember to bring my tripod back from my studio I will make sure to take a picture of me wearing it.  It was knit in one piece, and has simple shaping for the waist and hips.  I have dreams of someday having a closet full of handmade sweaters. :)
I also picked up a few nice things these last few weeks at the thrift store.  First off, I spotted this chair at the goodwill for $10 and my heart skipped a beat or two -- here are my cats posing on it for you:

I am obsessed with mid-century furniture right now, and this chair calmed that obsession, at least for a little while.  It has a couple of small/easily fixable little scratches, and totally needs to be reupholstered, see:

Midcentury furniture + 90's floral upholstery = awful. 

I'm thinking of covering it in a simple grey or muted green fabric, but maybe I'll search through my stash and see if there is anything else that would work.  I'm thinking that just about any other fabric would be a huge improvement!

I also picked up this little purse thinking it might be a cute camera bag, but my camera sits a little funny in it, so I think I'll put it up in my etsy shop sometime this week.  It is sooo cute that I am really tempted to keep it though.

That's all for now.  Hope you are all having a great weekend!