Felted Bag

I found this cute little pattern in a book I got. I used Rowan Chunky Print yarn -- a really thick, bulky wool, and on fairly large needles, it knit up really quickly. I knit most of it while I was waiting to hear back from my sister - they'd taken my niece to the hospital/doctor for an allergic reaction. I was worried and needed to pass the time. I meant to take a picture before felting, but I forgot. But the magic happened in the washing machine. I love how the colors of the yarn meld together now. I would have liked for the strap to be a little longer, but I used every little bit of that ball of yarn. It still works, though. I rather like it. Can be used for quick gifts.

My First Swap

Swap package
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

Here's what I received from my swap partner in a group on ravelry.

I've been dying to make the sweater pictured in the pattern and can't wait to get started on it!!

Consolation Prize!

Stacy sent me a consolation prize for not getting the blog candy (didn't link back to her blog -- which I'm still trying to figure out how to do -- lol). And it is so sweet! She sent some chipboard tabs, a clear stamp (flower), these adorable ballerina slippers and sentiment "twinkletoes" stamps and some ric-rac! She shouldn't have done that! My sister is going to fight me over the ballerina stuff -- good thing we live so close to one another -- I promise I'll share! : ) Here's a picture of my goodies!

Random Crafting

This is the reason I don't get things accomplished that I need to get accomplished. Or why it takes me forever to finish a project. I get sidetracked so easily. I may be knitting something and an idea pop into my head about beading, so I go pull out my wire and beads and needlenose pliers... My sister has me experimenting with card-making. I'm no good at it, so no one will probably ever see my gaudy creations (I don't have an eye for color and layout like she does -- I just like sparkly things and pouring glitter on cardstock fulfills my need for bling-y stuff for the moment. Either that or I put on sparkly-sparkly eyeshadow, but we won't get into that...) And while I'm in the middle of something else, the paint bug bites me -- I like to paint glassware. (I guess I need to start taking pics of some of my other stuff -- don't know why I only get shots of my knitting.) I've also decided to try hand-dying/painting my own yarn, and my first shipment of those supplies will be in this week. I only have 2 weeks before I have to go back to work, so I have a lot to do!!! Well, I just had to get that out. Because it is insane, the number of projects I have started and are in waiting...

Do I look pretty?

Ethan is at that stage where he wants to pretend to do everything he sees mommy do. He loves to stand in front of the bathroom sink and pretend to put on makeup. He usually does this while I'm putting on mine. I give him an old brush and an empty makeup container. Because if it doesn't look like what I'm using, it's no good, you know. If, on a whim, he decides to "put on makeup" at random times throughout the day (i.e. when I'm not looking and he finds an opportunity), he is coloring his face with markers in front of the mirror. Good thing I only buy washables! The other day, he picked up my eyelash curler and I just had to get some pictures.

Mermaids

We all went to the aquarium yesterday -- they were having mermaid shows. It was so crowded that you could hardly breathe! Just thought I'd share a picture of Ethan with one of the mermaids. He was, of course, more interested in the water than anything else. He's giving the water a taste test in this picture.

COZY!!

Comfy Mary Jane Slippers
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

I got frustrated with a hat that kept twisting on me, so I put it down and made myself some slippers! I used a silk and wool blend and they are incredibly soft!! I am so loving them!! And in the process of making them, I got to learn a few different techniques. It was my first time with the provisional cast on, attached i-cord, and kitchener stitch. I'd heard horror stories and was dreading that cast on as well as the kitchener stitch, but they weren't bad at all.

And looking at this picture makes me want to go get them and put them on...

Woodland Gnome

Woodland Gnome
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

My first project with Noro Kureyon. I'm sure that anyone who has ever bought this yarn has made this same pattern. But I just had to make one for Ethan. It is quite stretchy -- fits me too. Which was surprising given my stupidity regarding which cast on method I used. I love the end result -- and the reverse side looks just as cute!

And yes, it was 90-something degrees out this morning and I had my son model a wool hat for a picture!

Silly Slippers

Silly Slippers
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

My aunt's friend had a fit over her pink furry hat and wanted a hat and socks. This is the best I could come up with for socks with fur. Slippers instead of socks. They definitely won't fit inside shoes. I'm making the hat just like the one I made for Dianne -- pink fur sprinkled with rainbow-colored "confetti."

I like the way the slippers turned out, and I'm going to have to make some for the kids -- maybe "monster slippers" or something.

Well, time to refill my coffee mug...

Knit a Hat, On The Double!

Hat for Adam
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

First double knit project. I was joking with Adam about the Fancy Fur hats I made for Granny and Dianne. Told him that if he wants one for Christmas, to let me know what color he'd like. He said "camo." So... It ought to keep his noggin toasty warm (on those few days it gets cold) when he's on his motorcycle.

Heather - help me decide whether or not to stripe it -- with a stripe of orange on the camo side and vice versa. Or just to leave it solid.

It is a bit of a slow progressing project, but it's really cool how you work/slip stitches and the colors stay on their respective sides. I am already thinking about future double knit projects.

Strawberry!

100_3488
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

Just had to add a picture of the hat after I added the strawberry embellishment. : )

Chemo Cap

Chemo Cap
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

I joined a group to make and donate hats for cancer patients and here's my first one. It's crocheted. I was looking for some buttons to embellish one side along the green part, but the hat told me it wants a strawberry on it. So when I can look at the car again, I'll be going to find some red yarn.

Rain, Rain...

Well, guess I really don't mind the rain since I don't intend to go anywhere today. After that trip to the eye center with Ethan... The trip Thursday went by super fast. I was a bit disappointed when I found out that his arrival time at the hospital on Friday was to be 10:30 -- which meant he probably wouldn't be taken back to the OR until noon. Then Friday morning at 7:00, the hospital called -- there was a cancellation, would we mind coming in at 9:00 instead -- WOO HOO! We'd get home earlier!! Not so. After sitting in OR waiting area - where he gets his gown and pre-medication and all (a little 7x7 foot room with chairs and computer/monitors etc) for over 45 minutes before anyone ever came by... Then we're finally told around 10:45 that he's next, get ready... Whirlwind of events and nurses scampering about chaotically... Um, sorry, he has to wait. Gotta do a cataract surgery first and it will be at least 2 hours. So we sat in that tiny room for over 4 hours. Ethan wasn't taken back into the OR until almost 2:00. He hadn't eaten since 6pm the night before. He kept asking for ravioli and crying. We didn't pull out of the hospital parking lot until 4:11. But they let us have free parking because of the wait. Gee, thanks. Traffic was rough for a while. We stopped at one place to eat - all we could find on the interstate - a chicken and BBQ place -- thinking they'd have something Ethan could eat. But no. So I had to put the starving child back into the car as he screamed asking for potatoes. We finally find a Bojangles 30 miles down the interstate and get him some mashed potatoes and a biscuit. Poor thing. We didn't get home until about 9:45 last night. And he didn't go back to sleep until a little after 11. But we're doing okay this morning -- and when I asked him what he wanted for breakfast this morning, he said ravioli. : )

Knit-at-Night

Pink stripes
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

My sis got me a pair of Knit Lites for my birthday, and I just got to try them out last night. Here's what I got done as I was knittin' in the dark. They are so cool!!! I didn't have to strain or go sit directly in front of the TV to be able to see the stitches. (Ethan is usually asleep on the couch until I go to bed.) Neato-Knito. And pardon the stupidity--- had a migraine this morning and the medicine I take makes me a bit loopy.

Knitty Kitty

Fur Ball
Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

Made a cat for Hannah yesterday. So soft and furry!! The picture didn't turn out so great. And in the pics, it looks more like a dog than a cat. I have to finish something for Tommy Ray before I give her the kitty. We'll have to see what she names it.

Owly

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Originally uploaded by iloveyarn

I have been knitting different things. Got started on a cable project -- a cute bag that I absolutely love!! Have to add a handle and lining and then I'll add pics.

This picture is Granny wearing a headband I made for her. It's also cabled. Found this owl cable pattern --she has always collected owls, so I had to make it for her. It turned out great, and it looks so good on her. I was afraid it would be too wide, but I really like it on her.

Got my first Noro yarn today. Now the hard part will be deciding what to make with it...

Scatterbrained

I get all these ideas or find these really fun yarns and can't just work on one project until it's done. My poor little swimsuit cover-up... on the needles, and hasn't been touched in at least two weeks. My corset tee has been sitting idle since Thursday. But I have made several things in the meantime -- a tote bag crocheted from grocery bags, a headband for myself, a coffee mug cozy, a hair scrunchy, a scarf (almost finished -- have to decide on how long to make it) -- and I have another headband in progress. That doesn't count the projects I've started and frogged.

The pictures really don't do justice to the projects. The pattern on the mug cozy is really textured. You can't see the squares very well on here. And the headband is made from the same yarn, but the two items look so different. My "Midnight Raspberry" scarf is so incredibly soft. I could sleep in that yarn! I just love it! And I really like the contrast of the pinkish sparkly yarn mixed in there.

And despite the projects I have lying around begging to be completed, I just can't stop myself from casting on new things...

Haven't had much computer time lately. I did get a good bit of work done on my corset tee. I have maybe a few more inches of ribbing and then the border/button holes and sewing on the buttons... That is, after Heather goes with me to help me pick out some buttons...

Ethan is doing so great with the potty training. By the end of summer, he may just be out of diapers!

Yesterday morning was really nice, so I took him to the park. When we got home, he wanted to play in his wagon, so I took him for a walk around the neighborhood. Then he pulled me across the yard in it -- wish I could have gotten a picture!

He's interested in the alphabet and is learning new letters consistently. I have made up some songs with letter sounds and he wanted to sing about "F" yesterday. So after I finished the song, he looked like he was trying to copy what my mouth was doing, so I asked him if he could say /f/. He signed "fish" -- he's recognizing beginning sounds!

I got a picture of him in the middle of spelling his name -- He was on the letter "h" here.

Defying Gravity

Not much to say... but I thought it was funny when Ethan put this coffee canister on his head and then it wouldn't fall off. Not that he was trying to get it off, but regardless of how he moved, it stayed there.

We went to the park yesterday and had the place to ourselves. He wanted to practice going up and down the steps. When it was starting to get too hot to be out much longer, he decided he wanted to slide.

Well, I thought I was going to be able to finish this before he woke up. Guess not. I'll just add one more thing... Most kids want to sleep with a stuffed animal or something. Mine kept asking to take a can of soup with him to bed. : )

I've heard of Christmas in July, but snow in June?

I've had to be out of the house some while work's being done to the ceiling. And when I've been home, there've been thunderstorms. I haven't been on the computer much. There weren't any storms yesterday when I got home, but it looked like the inside of my house was hit by a snowstorm - : ) There was sheetrock dust everywhere! From a little tiny strip down the middle of the living room ceiling. I spent the rest of yesterday wiping down virtually everything I own, every surface in the house, and vacuuming like crazy. Ceiling isn't finished yet, but I get a break from the work today.

I've been working on my corset tee some more and I think it just might fit. (Sorry Heather. Seriously, though, when you see it, if you want to pick out a color/colors for yours... I'll make you one. When Mama saw how it looks so far, the first thing she said is, "Heather's going to like that!" ) I'll get a picture of it on here later. I was in the middle of trying to get a pic of my progress on it when Ethan had a potty emergency. Then he saw the bathtub and wanted a bath. Which he needed anyway because we were all covered in sheetrock dust....

He's seeming to get this potty thing. I've found him a couple of times (when he didn't tell me that he had to potty) when he'd go and pee in the floor next to the toilet. A mess for me, but it shows me that he's making a connection. He can't climb onto the toilet himself, so that may be why he gets the floor.

We had a horrible night last night. Ethan kept waking up screaming. So I'm glad I don't necessarily have to get out of the house today. I was certainly happy when I was able to get up at 5 a.m. without disturbing him and make my much-needed coffee.

Now it's time to see what adventures today holds for us...


Okay, so here's some progress on my shirt I'm making -- the top part is the neckline and the sort-of off-shoulder sleeve. (Actually, it can be worn like a tank as well, only it will button up the front.) When I get more done on the body, I'll try to get a pic of what it will look like on. I'm not the best photographer, and the shirt is a little bunched up on the needles, but you get a general idea.

So little time...

Ethan is doing so well with lots of things. More consistent potty success this weekend. He wanted to put his shoes on himself before church this morning -- and got them on the wrong feet, but he insisted on keeping them that way. : ) Not long after I fixed them, he had them back on the wrong feet again. He also has some of these alphabet magnets on the fridge, and he'll bring me one for me to identify what letter it is. He brought me an "F" this morning and signed "T." For him to be just learning, and for his vision to be not-so-great, I was rather excited!

I've done a little more on my swimsuit cover-up, but I found yet another project to try. It's a cute little knit corset-tee. It's knit from the top down, and I have the lacy neckline started. Here's hoping it fits.

Who stole my motivation?

Looks like I'll be taking care of yesterday's stuff today... I just felt *blah* all day. I got a few things done, but spent a good bit of time working on a swim suit cover-up I'm knitting for myself. I'm determined to finish it before summer is over!! I'm about half-way there. Then I got side-tracked. I always have a zillion projects at once. So I put that down and experimented with some other things and made two little gifty things. I think the cloudy weather had me out of sorts. It finally started raining about 4 p.m. Ethan wanted to play on the porch all afternoon, and I had to drag him inside. Just in time, too, because it started pouring. He put on his hat, stood at the window and held his hands out, cupped as though he were trying to catch the water. You can see that he's practicing to become his own tattoo artist.

I basically got nothing done around the house. After I cooked dinner and cleaned that up, I really began to crave the chocolate chip cookies Heather made for Father's Day, but didn't feel like making them. But I got myself up and did it anyway... And managed to get all the ingredients into the bowl without any accidents - little hands kept grabbing at bowls and such... I was really close to having 3 3/4 cups of flour all over the floor! But the end result was definitely worth it all!!

Ethan has just become successful at putting his shoes on by himself. He came walking out of his room this morning with shoes on his feet -- they were two different shoes, and they were both left shoes... but they were on!!

I've made my first attempt at felting a knit project today. I knit a swatch to see how much this yarn shrinks. It's drying, now, and I'm not sure if it did what it's supposed to, but we'll see. I thought the stitching was supposed to "disappear" more than it did. I'm waiting for it to dry, then I'll block it and "groom" it a bit. Here's how it looks now.

Guess that's enough rambling for one day.

Got Dirt?

Took Ethan to the park this morning because it actually didn't feel like a sauna when we walked out the door. He preferred to run through the grass and dirt instead of slide. So he was filthy when we left. But we ran to Wal-Mart, despite the dirt, before heading home to clean up. And on top of having a can of Coke explode in the car the other day... I have a mess on my hands.

My nephew has been asking me for months to make him an airplane, because I'm always knitting things for my niece. He's three, and I am hoping he doesn't get upset because it won't fly. But I finally found a pattern for a plane, and finished crocheting it today. And it looks really dorky.

Ethan has used the potty twice today!!! The second time, he actually came to me and signed "potty." He usually sits there willingly, but doesn't go. But he did yesterday once, and today twice!! Maybe the Oreo reinforcement is key... : )