Wip Wednesday... I'm back!

Hello!

Sorry I disappeared for awhile there, things have been crazy busy. And... I just kind of felt like hiding. Maybe it's the lack of sun, or the fact that I've been sick for a little over a week now, but I've been kind of down lately. I've had a hectic work schedule (nothing new there) and I've just been coming home wanting to do anything other than look at another computer screen.

I've also been really busy working on the late Christmas present for my mom- it's finally almost done. Just need to sew it together.

Cowl

Hood

Stitches!

Now that the most time consuming part is over with I'm kind of procrastinating until I finish putting together presents for my siblings. It's been a tough year money wise, so I'm sure they'll understand. Better late than never.

With the Crocodile Stitch Hood finally done (or done enough for now,) I've been focusing on knitting. Specifically the Moss and Bluebells scarf by Tiny Owl Knits, you can find it on Ravelry.

Look how cute it is! Isn't it adorable? It's kind of small width wise, but I'm planning on making another one out of 100% wool so that I can block it. Maybe it will stretch out a bit? I might go up to slightly bigger needles to see how that looks too. This is the second knitting pattern that I am actually following (the first being the Irish Hiking Scarf,) and it's going really well. The stitch pattern is explained wonderfully and it's actually fun to knit, I love it!

Ooh! Look at this pretty yarn bowl my husband got me for Christmas! (I know this is late too... I seem to be quite the procrastinator lately.) He went to one of our local yarn stores and talked with the owner and everything. (Heehee, she tried to teach him to knit, for free!) Apparently he was looking for MadelineTosh yarn, seems he does listen to my constant babble. He didn't find the yarn, but that's ok. This little yarn bowl is actually really handy, and I would never have been able to justify buying it myself.

Little symbol the yarn comes through

Back of bowl

This little guy lives inside the bowl. I've decided he's a praying mantis, and needs a name asap.

Hope you've all been doing well!

break

I am taking a little break from all things internet related, but don't worry. I'll be back soon!

WIP pictures, as promised

I missed the light again, but woohoo! I found a way to take pictures in my dark apartment!

My little start to the Irish Hiking Scarf (pattern can be found for free on Ravelry.) I used this pattern to learn to cable, and I think it's working pretty well.

 Close up of the scarf.

Close up of one cable.

My only problem with this pattern is that it gets kind of boring. It was fun at first, but I'm not really loving the back of it (this is not a reversible pattern) and there's so many other things I would like to knit. Not sure if I will actually be finishing this one or not. But look! I'm not lying! I really can knit. (A bit anyway.) I had to take a break from this to start the Crocodile Stitch Hood for my mom. 

Cowl is done! I had a hard time capturing the color of this yarn- it's a deep purple with specks of blue and red running through it.

This pattern (crochet) can also be found on Ravelry, though it's not one of the free ones. When it first came out I was so entranced that I just had to have it!

Heehee, one of these stitches looks like a tongue sticking out. Maybe it's just me.

I love this pattern, I really do. I'm just finding it really really tedious to try and make it for the FOURTH time. As soon as it's done, I'm going to be working on knitting. Maybe for the rest of the year, I really want to explore and find out what I can do.

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend, and happy crafting!

WIP Wednesday and an update

Hello!

I haven't disappeared, or fallen off the face of the earth, promise. With all of the holiday running around, and the frantic attempts to catch up at work as the consequence, I have had little time to craft or blog. I'm hoping things will settle down so that I can update more frequently soon.

I leave for work in the dark and get home in the dark. I sit by a window and actually see the moon come out right after my last break most days. I think I've mentioned before that the lighting situation in my apartment is less than ideal... so rather than post poorly lit photos I will just tell you about my projects for now. I'll attempt to actually create a new post with pictures this weekend, if the weather and the timing cooperates.

Right now I am currently working on an Irish Hiking Scarf, which is coming along nicely. This is the pattern I've chosen to learn cabling, and it is much easier than I expected! (Admittedly, I had to YouTube a bunch of how to cable videos to get everything to stick in my head, but now I am having no problems whatsoever with this nice easy cable.)

I'm also working on another Crocodile Stitch Hood scarf as a late Christmas present for my mom. It's coming along, but it's a little frustrating! I've already crocheted this same pattern 3 times, it gets a little tedious for me when I try to do the same thing over and over again. Hopefully it will be finished quickly.

My goal is to finish this hat, and then work solely on knitting for awhile. I really want to figure out how to use dpns! I am having a bit of trouble finding a video (for continental knitting) that really helps it click. I think that part of the problem is probably that my set only came with 4... and they're metal... but I will. figure. them out. And it better be soon, they're driving me nuts!

Happy crafting!

Oops!

I had every intention of writing a real blog post today, I swear. Somehow, that just didn't work out.

I got home from work late and ate dinner. Then I had to go out and buy a light bulb for my hallway which has been out for a week or so, and get some gas in my car so I can get to work tomorrow. Then I started watching YouTube videos, like this one and this one. Then I checked my email, Ravelry, and Twitter. Then I drew a stickman.

(PS yes I know this post is full of links. That was intentional and they're all normal, you should be able to see the urls at the bottom when mousing over.)

Anyway, I got distracted, and now it's dark, and I don't have good lighting in my apartment, so writing a blog post with pictures like I originally intended is pretty much impossible. (I am also aware that the preceding sentence is pretty much ridiculous.) Plus, it's bedtime and I need to get some sleep.

I will post again later this week, but I can tell you for now that I am currently working on this pattern- http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/irish-hiking-scarf, though I may have to interrupt that soon to make this one- http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/marte-a-crocodile-stitch-hood for my mom.

Happy crafting! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas/holiday/long weekend <3

WIP Wednesday!

Finished my little knitted gift, and decided... I don't like it. Will have to try again, it doesn't take long and I do have Friday off so I might have time. Maybe. If I knit really fast! Otherwise, there's always next year. (Note to self- start EARLY this year. For real this time.)

I've also decided that the time has finally come to cast on for my "first knitted project." I knit this swatch what seems like forever ago, as soon as I was confident in my ability to knit and purl. It's not a gauge swatch or anything, more of a curiosity swatch. I wanted to find out if I could cable.

Those look like cables to me! A little off maybe, but nothing a little practice won't fix. It's getting more winter-y here and I need a scarf either way, I seem to have lost all of mine in the move. I have a lovely emerald green color to knit it with too, I would take a picture but the light is so bad in my apartment at night that I would never do it justice.

Wish me luck, and happy crafting!

WIP Wednesday- sort of

I have a new project! I do, I do! I don't think I should post about it now though, because I decided to knit a small holiday gift for someone who may or may not read this blog. (Why do I do this to myself?! December is not the time to start holiday presents!) More on that will be coming soon.

In the mean time, please enjoy these pictures of my lovely kittyfaces.

Smudge aka Mudge/Mudgie

Chirper aka Chirps

Aren't they cute? I might just be a sucker.

Or maybe you'd enjoy some easy baking inspiration? Cut your brownies into shapes!

Ninja brownies!

My next brownies, or cookies, or any shape-able baked goods are most definitely going to be cut into moose, squirrel, and whale shapes. My mother in law found the cookie cutters in Ikea awhile ago and sent them my way, woohoo!

Sorry this post is so short and scatterbrained, but real life got in the way. Apparently I'm convinced that today is Tuesday AND Thursday, but somehow definitely not Wednesday.

Good luck to all of you attempting to finish homemade holiday gifts!