Free Printables: I Love You More Than Yarn Valentines Card

I have decided to try and make free printables a monthly thing. After all, I am obsessed with them and I love finding fun ones, so why shouldn't I offer some too? This month's freebie is coming at you a little early, but there's a good reason for that which I will explain later.

Happy February!! The month of looovveee. I'm not a big fan of the commercialism surrounding any holiday, so the amount of stuff I already see in the stores for Valentine's Day makes me a little grumpy. But still. I find it to be a fun, light-hearted, happy day amid some of the coldest months of the year. And there is nothing bad about sharing a little lovin' with those you hold dear.

This printable is a spin-off of a valentine's day card I made for Sailor while we were dating. He got a little laugh out of it, and said, "Oh, gee, thaanks. I was really worried," very sarcastically. Little did he understand (after only having been with me for a year) the full compliment of the sentiment I had expressed. I think he is FULLY aware now of my yarn nerdiness, so perhaps this year the card will mean a little more.

Especially considering he has lived with me and my yarn stash for closing in on two years now.

Find the Download Here!!

It prints on a full sheet of paper, so if you want smaller cards, you will have to resize it. It would also be super cute printed on kraft paper or glittery cardstock! Alas, I do not have either of those right now and I am too lazy to do what I normally do in want of kraft paper: cut up a paper grocery bag. But it looks cute on white still.

You could even make banners out of the card!! Too cute right? I love holidays and coordination and cute things.

Speaking of cute things....

Dat Bunny. Check out Tara Lea Photography here!

My sister, the very clever photographer, took some stinkin' cute pictures of Arlo while we were visiting family at Christmas. This is one of my favorites! He was so intrigued by his gift from my parent's dog, Roxy. Spoiler alert: It was a sweater. How cuuuttee is thaattt??

On to the last bit of business before I close out this post: the reason why the free printable for February is a few weeks early. There are some big changes going on here at the Carrot Cottage. Boxes are everywhere I look, and the sound of packing tape cannot be escaped. You know what that means...

We are moving!

I can't give all the details now, but I wanted to post a bit of a disclaimer as to why my posts are going to be pretty sporadic throughout the next two weeks. By February, we should be all settled in to our brand new (albeit still temporary) home. This is not a forever move, but rather a nine month to a year long move. After this...we will begin the adventure of looking for a house to own.

!!!!!!!

I am so excited. Baby Z is on the way, moving is underway, and I am currently in the way. -flees to dodge couches and boxes being moved-

Hopefully I'll sneak in a few more posts before we go, but do not be surprised if I suddenly become silent. This also means that Last in Line Shop on Etsy will be closed in a week or so until we get all set up in the new place.

Happy -early- Valentine's Day! Can't wait to get back in the swing of posting and show your our new home!

-Carolyn
Linkin' up at these fine sites!

WWII Watch Cap: Free Pattern and Reflections on the Past

If you follow me on Deviant Art, then you have already seen a little blurb about this free pattern. I was so excited to stumble upon it! I'm a major nerd when it comes to history, so when you add knitting to history, I'm all up in that.

Both of my grandfathers are interested in history, so I knew this would be the perfect project to work up for both of them. I used the same yarn for each of their hats, and included a note regarding the history of this pattern. It went over quite well at Christmas, so I am very pleased.

This pattern is the Classic World War II Watch Cap, derived from Beanie No. 212, Bucilla Yarn Booklet, Volume 318, dated 1940.

Nineteen forty!! I know there are many recorded knitting patterns that are much older than that, but the fact that I followed a pattern that was followed by dedicated women during a time of great worldwide conflict strikes me as amazing. It is estimated that the pattern was knitted at the very least a million times during World War Two. As I was working on these hats, I could not help but feel a connection to the women and girls who had labored over this same hat in hopes of warming up a soldier off fighting overseas.

You know you are jealous of my ammo trunk and med kit

 That's what knitting is all about, right? A connection to the past, as well as a hope for the future. You don't make a sweater for a baby and hope that it never gets used. You hope that the child will outgrow what you made them, and that the sweater will get tucked away for another baby to use when they are born. A piece of the past, and a prayer for the future, all in one.

In the 1940's, factories were dedicated to making uniforms, weapons, and vehicles for the war. Women had to become the machines that cranked out the hats to warm the boys out in the field. How many of them were thinking of one or two men in particular while stitching? How many of them prayed that, in the future, their beloved husbands, sons, and brothers would find their way home? These were the questions that rattled around in my head as I worked on these hats.

 My Grandfathers taught me so much: how to grow anything in your garden, how to make a fishing pole out of a stick, how to treat other people with respect and polite teasing, how to set up a tent and build a campfire, how to work with wood to build a new door, a new bed, a new wall- the list goes on. While I was knitting these hats, my hope for the future was that they would both understand the love, honor, and respect I have for them and their life experiences. I hoped they would see the joy I find in understanding the past and how that joy came from the importance they placed on history when I was young.

I think they understood. <3 br="">
You can find the pattern here.

Happy Tuesday!!
-Carolyn

Linkin' up at these fine sites!

Handmade Knitting Needle Case

 As you may recall, I give a lot of handmade gifts for Christmas. I love giving handmade gifts because I love getting handmade gifts! It's a "do onto others as you would have them do to you" kind of thing. This past Christmas, my Aunt totally surprised me with the most fantastically crafted knitting needle case.

 When I first learned to crochet, my maternal Grandmother (who taught me to crochet) made me a crochet hook case. I still have it, even though it is in shreds. She replaced it on my 21st Birthday with a new version, but I can't get rid of the old one. Too many feels.

Since I started knitting, I have been trying to cram dpns and circs into my crochet hook case. Each time I struggled to close it, I vowed I would actually get on top of my life and make myself a case for my needles. I'm a big girl, I can sort of sew. It shouldn't be too hard, right? So, I started doodling plans for the needle case I would make after Christmas for myself.

 But low and behold, I didn't need to! My Aunt (my mom's sister, so my crochet-teaching grandma is her mother) is an incredibly talented seamstress. She would be all "Oh nooo, it's nothing, I just mess around" if she was reading this (which...she might be?), but let me tell you, she is so precise with her stitchery. Everything she makes is so sturdy and beautiful. She often makes purses and tote bags out of placemats. I am lucky enough to have one that she made. I've had it for 4 or 5 years now, and it is still in tip top condition. (And that is really saying something, because I abuse my bags.)

This case is going to last forever.

 Another surprise: it was full of circular needles when I opened it!! There is this spectacular shop on ebay that sells high quality, yet affordable, bamboo knitting needles. She scored me a full set!!

 The fabric she chose was "home decor" fabric. Aka upholstery. Aka Carolyn-proof. Seriously, it was a miracle that my first crochet hook case lasted from when I was 7 until 2 years ago. Bags tremble at the sound of my name.

 For even more ridiculously awesome detail, check out those labels!! My Aunt does not have a Pinterest account (though she occasionally peeks at the site), but I tell you, her projects that she undertakes are pure Pinterest gold. She took regular hardware-store washers and some number punches and put the sizes on each washer. Then she rubbed some black ink into the indented numbers to make them even easier to read. -swoons over the details-

I love gifts that are cool, but useful. Not just useful like, "Oh thanks yeah, I needed toenail clippers," but useful like "this is so pretty I want to keep touching it and I forget why I got it out in the first place." I think this needle case wins. Especially now that I have a whole slew of projects that I will need a whole slew of needles for. I'll know riiiiggghht where to find them.


Happy Monday, loves!!!
-Carolyn

Linkin' up at these fine sites!

Arsenal Socks and Scarf

 You may have already spied this scarf in my post on Monday about giving handmade gifts, but let me tell you, this set needs a post of its own. Because reasons.

My cousin (who is 13 years old and incredibly fancy) requested socks for Christmas. Handmade socks, even. A boy after my own heart! I was more than happy to oblige. After some reconnaissance, I discovered that the colors he requested for the socks were the colors of a certain London soccer team known as Arsenal. High class, this kid.

Since scarves are winners in the world of soccer swag, I decided I'd make him a scarf to go with the socks. I ordered the yarn from KnitPicks and got ready to rock.

"Make the scarf first," I said to myself, "It'll take longer"

 What do they always say? Best laid plans of mice and men? Yeah. Well...the scarf did take longer. So much longer that I finished it two days before Christmas and had to do an I.O.U. note about the socks. Opppps.

 But, I think, they are worth the wait!! They are washable thanks to KnitPicks' awesome selection of sock yarn, and they are everything I imagined they would be. I have forbade myself to try them on, because I do not want to know that they also fit me. Because I may keep them. Sooooccckkkssss.

 The heel is a No Wrap No Gap heel from this tutorial. I was told it would be soooo easy, and it looked like it would on the first read-through. Then, while attempting to knit it, I forgot how to math and had to restart a few times. Then the baby stole all my focus so I had to write out the entire pattern and mark off rows when I finished them. But, I am pleased with the outcome! And I will certainly make heels with this method again.

While setting up this photo I went a little nuts when the book matched perfectly to the colors of the socks. I feel so pro.

Texture, yo

 The toe is a star toe. Is that what they are called, for real? I read the name in a sock book once, and it seemed legit. I just evenly spaced the decreases over several rounds. Star toe sounds magical. So it's a star toe, at least in my book.

Hipsteeerrrr. It had to be done. I regret nothing.

I really need to make myself some socks. It's been so cold here!! -30's is not okay. Not okay at all.

Happy Thursday!!
-Carolyn

Linkin' up at these fine sites!

Giving Handmade Gifts for Holidays or Any Day

As you may have guessed, I gave a lot of homemade gifts for Christmas this year. I could go on and on about the merits of giving handmade, but I'm guessing if you are reading my blog that focuses mainly on crafting you probably don't need convincing. Today I'd like to talk about the etiquette for giving handmade things.

Even though the Christmas season is over, I still feel that it is a good time to chat about giving handmade. The tree may already be on the curb, but it's never too early to start planning for next year! Or...thinking about all the other potential handmade-gifting opportunities that'll spring up before Christmas time comes around again. Birthdays...Flag Day....I don't know. Just go with it.

The Art of Giving Handmade Gifts
I feel that the etiquette of giving handmade can be broken into three areas of attention:

1. The proper recipient
2. The proper project
3. The proper care

Rule One: The proper recipient

My mama's mohair scarf also makes a nice earwarmer, apparently.

The hardest person to craft gifts for: Sailor.

But I had victory this year. Republic of Georgia Hat FOR THE WIN.

When deciding to give someone a handmade gift, you must consider the person first. How well do you know them? If it is a distant relative or somewhat casual acquaintance, tread with caution. Putting a lot of time and effort into a gift for someone you do not know very well is risky business. Even if you plan to make a simple scarf or some hair clips for this person, keep in mind that your efforts may not be used at all. Perhaps you may consider saving the supplies and time to make something for someone you know better. I am speaking from experience here.

In the past, I have labored over handmade gifts for everyone I knew with the thought that it will be the ultimate sign of love and care to those who get the goodies. I spent quite some time working on everyone's gifts. While nobody was rude about what I made them, most people's reactions were mild. "Oh that's nice" and the gift was set aside. I wasn't looking for fireworks and tears of joy, but it dawned on me that I need to really think about who will appreciate the effort I made, and thus get more joy out of the gift.

But, then again, maybe you have unlimited free time an pile of free supplies to use up and you just want to wrap every passerby in handmade love. That was not meant to sound sarcastic. I'm serious! I don't know your life. But most people (like me) probably do not have this kind of time on their side. For the best homemade gifting experience, I say give to the people you know well so you can make something you know they will love. Which brings us to the next point...

Rule Two: The proper project

Daddy loved his do-rags. He even wore this Dr. Seuss one to a party later Christmas day, and wore an entire outfit that matched it. Blue shirt, red tie. Looove it.

 Not all gifts are created equal. I believe that whether handmade or store bought, the best gift is one that the recipient will use and enjoy. Giving your uncle a hand-crocheted wedding gown probably isn't logical, though he may appreciate the effort you put into it, it's kind of doubtful he will use/enjoy it. (Though, your uncle might. See above. I don't know your life.) But that is all pretty obvious. With handmade gifting, you need to put extra consideration into what the giftee will use and enjoy.

Sometimes, this task is super easy because your aunt straight up emails you a pattern of a scarf she wants. Sometimes, it's tricky because you started a hat in the color your cousin liked a month ago, and then she texts you saying she now hates yellow. If you are really stressing picking the proper project for someone, do some sneaking! I had my mom help me on reconnaissance this year for my sister's gift. If you don't think reconnaissance is possible, just ask the giftee. Better safe than sorry.

Another tip for this rule is to try not to let your own desires get in the way of selecting a project. Some of you might be like, "What are you talking about, Carolyn?" I'm talking about the mental image you have of your husband in a tight Aran knit sweater you made him pulling the nets back onto his fishing boat off the coast of Maine, when you live in a land-locked state and your husband hates wool sweaters. Maybe I'm just talking to myself here, but just make sure that the project you choose is something they want to use, not something you want them to want to use. I have a serious problem in this department.

Aunt Harriet lives in California, and while she may go "Ohhhh myyyyyy" at the thick wool bedspread you made her, it is probably not going to get much use. Uncle Glenn does work in a butcher shop, but knife cozies are not a thing, no matter what pinterest tells you. Though your mom laughs at possums, she will not wear a possum-shaped hat. Be real, yo, and your gifting will go much better.

Excuse me while a tuck this sweater pattern back into my folders before we move on to the final rule.

Grandma and her neck warmer.

 Rule Three: The proper care

This might have been a risky choice, giving my cousin a wool hat. But I think he can be trusted, since his mama is super crafty as well and probably does most of his laundry.

 Now that you know who you are going to give a handmade gift to, and what you are going to make, it's time to talk about care. The care of what you made, that is.

Handmade things have the potential to require a bit more attention to care than store bought products. When giving handmade be sure to include care instructions for the materials you use. And again, consider the person you are making the project for. Does your cousin have a habit of being really bad at following directions? Well, maybe you should give him a pre-felted wool hat instead of one that will turn to a barbie hat when he inevitably throws it in the washer despite your warnings. It is also probably a good idea to make sure nobody on your gifting list has allergies to anything you might make.

Grandpa can be trusted with wool, because Grandma does his laundry. And she knows what's up.

My cousin got a scarf made of cotton, because it's easy to take care of. And it's so soft, so he can wear the scarf year-round. Maybe.

So, there you have it! The best rules for giving handmade gifts! Hope you found this helpful or at least somewhat readable!

Yours craftily,
Carolyn

Linkin' up here!

Winter is Coming Direwolf Cowl

When it comes to nerdy crafting, I am the first on to jump aboard. In my adventures of Christmas gifting, I knew I was going to get my nerd on with one particular giftee: my sister in law, Kori.

The year was 2012. The month, October. The place? A car on the highway headed to Tennessee. In our adventures to go pack up the rest of Kori's belongings and move her up north. She was reading the fifth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series (aka the Game of Thrones books, for all you non-readers). Every now and then, while she was reading, she would go "oooohhh snap" or something like that. It was an exciting book. On that very same trip, Kori bought me the first book of the series and sparked my love for it.

As a tribute to her introducing me to the GoT universe, I had to get nerdy for her Christmas gift. I used the Double-Knitted House Stark Direwolf Scarf chart by Katie Dawson on Ravelry. I only took a segment of the pattern and used it to embroider the direwolf after I knitted the cowl.

Funny enough, she got Sailor and I Game of Thrones themed shirts for Christmas. He got a Night Watch shirt, and I got a "My Little Dragon" one. Too perfect.

Dat wolf. I really, really, REALLY wanted to keep it for myself. Maybe I'll make my own. After all, winter is coming. I mean....winter is already here. It's cold.

Bark baaaarrrrk.

The pattern for the direwolf is free at the link I posted above. The cowl itself is just knit on circular needles. I think it's 170 sts for 44 rows. Math.

I have a few more nerdy knits coming up, so keep your eyes peeled!
Love,
Carolyn

Linkin' up

Happy New Years!!

A Very Last in Line Christmas

My in-law's tree. Note Spock in the lower right.

Making homemade pizza for lunch on Christmas Eve

Sailor, playing pizza chef.

That darling sister-o-mine

Smeesteeerrrrsss

It was so snowy at my parent's house!

Because holidays require board games in my family.

Daddy, making a Prime Rib Roast for dindin

My mom and cousin reading the Christmas story from the bible before our prayer

Dat meat.

Christmas morning

Christmas morning gluten free pancakes by yours truly.

Dat ornament. You know you are jealous of my skillz.

Grandma's Christmas tree

Christmas Lunch at Grandma's

She made me a personal pan of gluten free cheesey tates. Be still, my heart.

The pickle!!

Not only was our holiday full of busy, family joy....but Sailor and I got to announce some thing very very exciting that we learned just before going to visit family....

Our first child. I'm so excited!!!!! It is such an exciting time for us. I'm sure you can expect to be bombarded with craftiness for Baby Z in the near future.

Hope your holiday was beautiful and full of family and love!! And...I hope that you are all recovered from the festivities. Because I'm not. So sleepy!

Yours from the couch,
Carolyn