Unfold the Fabric: A Public Service Announcement from Last in Line

Once upon a time there was a girl named Carolyn and she went shopping. She went shopping in a big city while her husband was busy at a meeting. She felt proud of her ability to drive a large van around the big city and not hit anyone or anything. She was also proud of her ability to write out directions for herself to the places she wanted to shop.

Burning with all this pride, Carolyn set out to +CraftyPlanet to see what she could find. To her joy, she found a cute shop filled to the gills with cute fabric. She decided to buy a lot of it.

She mostly bought fat quarters: some plaid, some raccoons, some polkadots, some flowers. Then a section of bagged yards of fabrics caught her eye. There was some very pretty colors all folded up in those glossy little ziplocs. Maybe she should buy a yard! Make something bigger!

So, carefully, she selected a color pallet that suited her. Then Carolyn wondered, "Should I open the bag and unfold the fabric?" She could only see a small section of the pattern from the way it was folded, but she really liked what she saw. All paisley and filigree. Not wanting to be THAT customer who opens up packages and makes everyone angry, she decided to just buy the stuff.

And that's just what she did.

Fast forward a year (A YEAR??), Carolyn got pregnant, moved out West, had the baby, moved back, and finally settled in to a new, more permanent apartment with her little family. The bagged fabric came out West, but sat untouched. The bagged fabric came back to the Midwest, but sat untouched. Until two weeks ago when at long last, Carolyn decided to take stock of her fabric stash and plan projects for what she had amassed.

With joy, images of cute sleeping shorts and pillow cases danced in her mind as she at last unfolded the fabric to find:

 Skulls.

So many skulls staring back at her with their dead, flowery eyes. Carolyn is not a fan of skulls. Not at all. And her dislike of them is strengthened when she is expecting a lovely floral pattern to pervade the fabric she bought long ago.

Had the selvedge been showing, surely the name of the fabric alone would have put her off. But no. No such luck had she. Let this be a lesson to her and all crafters of her kind:

Always unfold the fabric.

My mistake is your gain, if you are into skull fabric. I listed the yard on my Etsy. You can find the listing here! I am hoping it finds a happy new home where it'll be used for a great project and I won't have to see it every time I open my fabric drawer. Heh.

The Specs:

1 yard "Indigo Skull" in Pool & Aqua by The Alexander Henry Fabric Collection

Happy Tuesday (and St. Paddy's Day!) y'all!!

-Carolyn

Custom Order: Mini Plush

I've said it before and I will say it again: I love taking custom orders. Especially from my friend Kataoi. She always has the nerdiest and most fun projects for me to work on. Here's the latest: some stinkin' cute mini plush of her friends' fave characters. She gave them as x-mas gifts.

Ned the Pie Maker from Pushing Daisies

Three Peter Capaldi as the 12th Doctor plush

Two Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker plush

And Kirby

They were quite fun to make. I may be working on the patterns for these if I can decipher my own handwriting. I'll keep you updated!! Who wouldn't love some sweet instant gratification nerd-plush?

Stay warm kids! It's like a billion below zero here. BRRR.

100th Post and a Sad Story

 So, this is my 100th blog post!! I kind of feel like I need to jam out about this for some reason. Even though my posts have been very very sporadic and I know fo sho I ain't krumpin' yet.

As the title states, I have a sad story to relate to all ya'll out in blogland. Once upon a time I felt really spiffy and on top of stuff. I had all these posts scheduled for the week before Thanksgiving leading up to a grand rendition of #GlutenFreeFriday in which I was to discuss all of the various ways to make your Thanksgiving meal safe for Celiacs. It was all typed and had pictures and a slideshow and a jet fly-over and glitter and yes. It was scheduled. I swear it was scheduled! But then.

Fate.

For some reason I went back in to the post to edit a picture. After editing, the post unscheduled itself and went to draft mode. And I didn't notice until, oh...Thanksgiving Day. Oops. Big old fail. I was so bummed and distressed by this turn of events that I decided I was clearly to distracted to work at the blog until the holidays were behind me.

And now they are. So. Here we go! New year. New adventures. That's going to be my theme for the next year, I think. Trying new things and pushing forward into new realms. Blah blah blah feelings.

In other news, The Narwhal Hat continues to be my most popular pattern in the shop. Who can resist this dapper fellow??

This particular hat was made as a custom order and just finished up yesterday. I really never get tired of making these for people. They are so fun. Even though my shop only had instant download patterns right now, I am always open for custom orders of finished objects. 

Oh, another sad thing: Sewinique Boutique is no longer opened on Etsy!! My label maker that I raved about. Guess it'll be time somewhat soon to find a new one. Shoot me some reccomendations, if you have them.

Pensive about the year ahead, a girl and her Narwhal Hat inspect the snow.

Hope your holiday celebrations were lovely and full of joy. Looking forward to another year of crafting with you!!

Love&blessings,
Carolyn

New Pattern: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Last week was very rough. I am quite excited to move forward from all the cold and sickness with a cute fun announcement today: there's a new pattern in the shop!! I'd like to introduce you to the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. They are quite elusive, so you are lucky to be seeing one right here on my blog!

This idea started back when my sis in law was visiting us out here. In all our travels and adventures, she was very bent on seeing a Bighorn. Unfortunately, we did not spot hide nor hair of any type of sheep on our travels. She suggested that I crochet us some Bighorns to soothe the sting of not seeing one in real life. 

Fast forward a few months, and it's her birthday! I decided to actually get to work and make a RMBH and ship it off to my sis in law. Despite the fact that he was a very very late birthday gift, I was quite pleased with the outcome. Innit he ca-uuuuteee??

 I have decided that I ought to make him some cousins. If you are a hunter and you hunt all four of the North American Sheep breeds (Dall sheep, Stone sheep, Bighorn, and Desert Bighorn) it is considered a Grand Slam. Since I don't intend to do any major sheep hunting any time soon, a crocheted Grand Slam is much more in tune with my skill set. I plan to get at it after the craziness of the Christmas season passes.

Until then, you can get started making herds of RMBH sheeps using my pattern. The pattern is available for instant download via Last in Line Shop for $5. The pattern is quite easy, if I do say so myself, which means you've really got yourself an instant sheepification type of deal here. What could be better?

Well, one thing could be better: a grumpy baby to snuggle with your sheep! But hey, you aren't all lucky enough to have the cutest, most bestest little photogenic babu hanging out at home. (Warning: insane amounts a parental bias, here) 

Mr. E was not too pleased that I had to take his new friend from him so soon. But hey! That just means I have to make him one, too.

Happy Monday!!
-Carolyn

New Item: Made-to-Order 12th Doctor Plush

I am happy to announce a fun new item has been added to the shop!! Made-To-Order plush of the 12th Doctor! Complete with removable jacket and vest. Originally, I made this plush as a custom order and wrote out the pattern to allow myself to recreate this cuteness. So now, you can order your very own 12th Doctor plush! Check out the listing in Last in Line Shop on Etsy for all the wonderful details.

Feeling crafty and want to try your hand at making your very own Time Lord? The pattern is currently in the testing phase and should be available for instant download through my Etsy shop in a few weeks.

Looking Forward: 5LCBWDAY7

Since I did not participate in the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week last year, I have no project aspirations to look back upon. But I have plenty of things the look forward to!

My hope is that in a year from now, I will be a much more accomplished knitter. I hope I will continue taking risks and trying new techniques. I also hope that in a few months, I will be able to say that I have completed (since I have even yet to start) the Christmas stocking for my first child. I want to knit one for each of our kiddos.

For crocheting, and I do hope this gets done sooner than one year from now, I'd like to finish my Hexagon blanket. Because really, it's been over two years since I started it, and that's just sad. It's so pretty, and it's be nice to have it done, so that I never have to do it again. Hahah. I wish I were joking. So many ends to weave in!!!!

Additionally, since this blog is partially about my etsy shop, I'd like to have more consistent new-creations for the shop. I love the challenge of making new things and writing new patterns, and I really want to keep the items in the shop fresh. New stuff is fun stuff.

Some other projects I'd like to have under my belt:

-More knitted socks! I want to feel comfortable making them. Like, "oh I'll just make some socks no big deal" comfortable. Not "oh I'll make some socks and freak out half way through the first sock and have a nervous breakdown about the type of heel I'm going to put on it." That's where I'm at right now.

-A knitted sweater for me. I don't know what kind. I don't know when. I just feel like it is something that ought to happen.

-And I am certain that my babu will inspire me in ways I cannot predict, so hopefully in a year from now, I'll be telling you all about the things I made that my 8-month-old gets the most use out of.

As far as blogging goes, I have absolutely no goals for my blog. I have no idea where my life will take me in this next year: whether blogging will still be a welcome output for creative ramblings, or it will have become more of a chore than a joy. I don't want to plan and push and set limits and goals for this derpy blog, I'd rather see what it becomes as time goes on.

Who Lives Here? A New Design by Last in Line Shop

My, what a charming little house in a little log. I wonder who lives here!

The door is closed, perhaps I should knock. 

Oh! Hello! A couple of Rabbits seem to be at home!

"Hello!"
"You knocked?"

Mr. and Mrs. Rabbit, you both dress so nicely! And your house looks so quaint.

"Why, thank you!"
"You are too kind!"

Could I come inside for a visit?

"But of course!"
"Let me get the door for you."

 Look how lovely your home is! A yard, a toadstool, and so much room inside to decorate and play!

"We love our house!"
"It's perfect for us!"

It certainly looks cozy!

"But there is always room for friends!"
"We love meeting new people!"

So do I! I love going out on adventures.
"Can we come too??"
"Just carry our house with you, and we'll always be ready to play!"

How perfect! Let's go!!

I present to you, Mr. & Mrs. Rabbit's House, a carry-along playset. I am quite proud of this creation!! Keep your eyes opened, the pattern will be coming soon to Last in Line Shop!!

The Narwhal Hat Pattern is LIVE!

It is finally available!! Now you can be the envy of all your friends with your very own Narwhal Hat that you made yourself!! Joy of joys!!

The pattern is available for instant download via Last in Line Shop on Etsy.
(Also, look! I'm a big kid now with a Ravelry Designer page!!)

I was very hesitant to jump in and finally offer patterns for one of my most popular hats, but I am incredibly excited now that it is finally up! It's especially invigorating since I've been working on updating my Ravelry page, and now I'm a bonafied designer! With a pattern available!

In other news, I'm working on another pattern. It is a LOT more intricate than my beloved Narwhal Hat, which makes me even more excited to offer it for sale. Soon. Ish. Once I get it all typed up and edited and pretty.

That's all. Just wanted to let you guys know that I feel pretty spiffy with this pattern up for sale.
Hope your day is warmer than mine! After a weekend of 50+ degree weather, it's snowing today.

SNOWING.
IN APRIL.

-sigh-

Regardless, happy day to you all!

We Need to Talk.

We need to talk. We really do.

No, you aren't in trouble. We need to talk is scary. Don't those words just make your stomach churn? Like some adult authority figure has discovered the fact that you did the thing.... The thing you were under no circumstances supposed to do? Yeah. I probably should have said, "Hey, can we chat?" Chat is nice. Chat is friendly. Chat means they didn't find out about the plate you broke.

So let's chat.

I've been gone a while. Well, I've been gone for....a few weeks? Heh. Yeah.

In my absence, my real life has been changing more rapidly than you can say "wireless access point." I've been thinking a lot about my life in general and my choices and how I spend my time and blah blah blah adult chores. I've come to two realizations:

1. I'm having a baby in 4.5 months.
2. No matter how clever you are at planning, if it's not God's will, it's ain't gonna happen.



While obvious, these two things alone have driven me to inspect various areas of my personal life with a new lens. I won't bore you with a weird tale of self discovery or emotional breakdowns, but I will fill you in on how my view on my blog has changed.

One of my long-distance crafty buddies had mentioned to me a week or so ago via la texting that she could tell I was super busy, since I hadn't updated my blog in so long. It suddenly struck me that I was busy, but not that busy. I mean, I was busy before and I still managed to churn out several blog posts a week. I then, staring blankly at her text, began to think about why I hadn't been posing things on my blog? Really, why hadn't I?! Things have happened! I've been crafty! I could share stuff!

So....why not post?

Every time I logged on to blogger to start a post, I felt drained. I know, I'm pregnant. Tired is my day to day life. This tired was more a mental tired than anything. Doing a blog post meant making sure I update Facebook and Google+ and put all the fancy tag words in it and posting it to link parties and Pinterest and watching page views and numbers climb and drop and and and -sigh- nope, I'd rather watch Netflix. And knit. Or scrub toilets. Anything but blog.

I took a break, because I was looking at blogging the wrong way. I was comparing myself to big-name bloggers who have bazillions of pageviews a day. The ones that companies beg to write reviews of their products. The ones whose projects show up on thousands of Pinterest boards instantly. The ones who make moolah off of their blog. I had started to idolize them. To study their habits, and their tips on the best way to be seen, develop a following, and create great content...while making money doing it.

This is my personal opinion. I am not hateful of the peeps who have mad blog-money-making skillz. That is great for them, for their families, and whatnot. I do not think that any blogger who reaps money from their blog is a sell out, or evil, or anything like that. For me, however, the blogs I love to read and the ones I follow most closely, are not the big-name mega blog queens. They are people who share interests with me. People who inspire me with their creative outpourings and silly tidbits on life. People who answer my comments and who I feel I can develop a real relationship with, albeit online.

It all dawned on me with that one text. Why was I writing a blog that I hoped would become a big blog, instead of focusing on being the type of writer that I would love to read? Why was I feeling angst about not having thousands of page views a day instead of relishing the people who did take the time to read my nerdiness? It was crazy, I tell you, crazy. And incredibly selfish. And it made me avoid writing on my own blog. Well, no more, I say!

I am not going to monetize this blog. Though the thought still delights me, it was kind of the reason I started to hate what I was doing. Again, I am not writing this to try and bash on people who write sponsored content. If you can make money off your blog, good for you! I don't hate you or think what you are doing is dumb. I just hate how I felt when I realized the reason I was avoiding my own blog was because I wasn't having fun writing it when the goal at the back of my mind was "more pageviews" and "someday making money off my blog."

So how is this new direction going to change things? Really, the biggest changes are going to be behind the scenes things. Mostly things that happen up in my brain. The result will be more frequent posts and more sassy commentary. And more belly pictures. Because I love my belly and I don't care who hates belly pictures. Sorry I'm not sorry?

16 weeks (aka 3.5 weeks ago)

So, three cheers for having a silly outlet for your crafty musings! Three cheers for being true to yourself! Three cheers for probably overthinking this entire thing, but not caring!

Has anyone else been feeling similar angst? It would be nice to know I'm not alone on this crazy train of thought.

New in the Shop: Darling Deer Baby Hat

 There's a new item in the shop, and it is ohsocute. I had juuusstt enough yarn left over from the adult-sized Darling Deer Hat I was commissioned to make to whip out this little piece of adorable. A pint-sized version of the big hat!! I am pretty smitten, and I think I may require more yarn so I can make one for Baby Z.

 I really love how it turned out. Baby-sized earflap hats are too cute. And a baby earflap hat with antlers? Come on. You know it's adorable.

Those widdle antlers!!! I love.

My hand looks so weird in this picture. The hat measures about 7.5" across.

Pop on over to Last in Line Shop on Etsy to see this hat and other adorable goods!

Linkin' up at these fine sites!

Darling Deer Hat: A Custom Order

Oh deer!

 An adorable custom ordered deer hat for a return customer! Nothing warms me up more than having a customer come back for more. Except perhaps, when they come back in want of a custom order!

Right before the move, a customer contacted me on Etsy in want of a deer hat. This was in fact, the same customer who ordered this unicorn hat before Christmas. I was a bit wary to take on an order, considering the high rate of possibility that I could completely lose the project in the midst of packing and chaos. But this dear lady assured me she was in no rush to get the hat. So we settled to details and I got some yarn and started cracking!

Oh, and you get a sneak peek in these pics for tomorrows post! Hehe. Guess what it is?

 I cannot tell you how incredibly pleased I am with the outcome of this hat. She wanted the antlers to be felted, which I thought was super fun. I got to pop them in the washing machine and let the wool work its magic on the spin cycle. Easy peasey, with a super cute turn out. I could not help but take a few pics of the hat at this stage. I love it so much just plain like this!!

Such a cute lil Bambi.

The customer wanted some flowers as embellishments, so I may have gone a bit overboard. Not really, but them are some bold blooms, yo! The big one is deep purple with a faded pink center to match the two little flowers. I think it is super whimsical and romantic. Which is good. Yes.

I feel like you could wear this hat to a tea party. Flowery and cute.

I made up my own pattern for the flowers. Too fun!!

Dem antlers, yo. I love.

I really didn't want to take it off.

Hopefully she is just as smitten with it as I am. I love lovelovelove LOVE custom orders! Never know what sort of adorable things my customers will dream up. This hat has inspired me to work out a lil baby version of this Darling Deer hat. Keep your eyes peeled!!

Linkin' up at these fine sites!