5th Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week

 

I just heard about this exciting crafty blogging event, thanks to Cyprienne over at Big Knitting Trouble, and I cannot wait to participate!! Maybe I'm a bit behind the times, as this is the Fifth Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, but better late than never, eh?

For those of you who have not heard of this spiffy event (don't worry, you are in good company; like I said, I only JUST found out about this deal) it's pretty nifty. There is a topic to write about for each of the seven days during this week (May 12-May 18). There are also special tags to use for each day to make your post pop up amid Google searches for the event. Knitting and Crochet Blog Week is all about meeting other crafty bloggers, as well as being involved in a community-wide event.

It's going to be a fun, new, interesting way to blog for a week, all while celebrating what makes fiber bloggers special. The topics are creative and enticing. I seriously can't WAIT to get writing, or to see how other people interpret the writing prompts. I'm a big fan of writing exercises, and this is exactly the sort of brain-juicing, bloggy, creative thang I can't wait to sink my teeth into.

SUPER EXCITED.

It's like creative writing class. But for bloggers. Bloggers who crochet and knit and junk. So glad I found this before it started!! Wanna join in? It's pretty much a free for all. You can read more info on Eskimimimakes's blog. She's the genius behind this fun!!

Springtime Socks

Since I tackled socks over Christmas, I've been pining to make myself some. Handmade socks are by far the most best things you can put on your feet. My poor feet were jealous of all the baby socks I've been making lately, so I decided it was indeed high time I whipped out myself a pair.

It's a little bit nutty that I just now got to making myself some socks, considering the weather has finally turned spring-like only within the last two weeks. Why didn't I make some when I'd really need them? Like when it was 50 degrees below zero? Because. I'm insane.

Clearly.

Regardless of the seeming lack-of-timing in making myself socks, it's really not all that crazy. After all, it'll be winter again someday, and I have chronically cold feet so thick, cushy, handmade socks are not out of the question until perhaps July. And even then, if I'm inside, I'll probably still wear socks.

My concern about not having enough yarn to make two whole socks drove me to shorten the cuffs of these a little. I really love tall socks, but my yarn-use-calculating skills are still getting re-calibrated for knitting. It's crazy how little yarn knitting uses!!! I'm still in awe!! But my miscalculations this time left me with a little less than 60 yds of this yarn, which means: MATCHING BABY SOCKS!!! 

I may be a bit obsessed with socks.

Check out my Ravelry project page for all the yarn-nerd stats on these socks.

Super Stash

I've been doing a bit of yarn sorting lately. Kind of like a Spring Cleaning for crafty people, but more like an excuse to pile all my yarn on the table and gaze at it lovingly.

Despite what you may assume from the pictures, my stash is a lot smaller than I thought it was. I got rid of a lot of stuff before we moved, so I'm really just down to the "good stuff." The wools. The pretties. There's not too much junk acrylic to be seen.

It's kind of a thrill to have all my yarn out in the open. I feel like I should just start at one end of the table and knit/crochet my way to the other end. Like a glorious fiber buffet.

In my sorting, I even updated my Ravelry Stash for super easy viewing. It makes planning projects a breeze, since I get almost all my patterns from Ravelry anyways. All my info is right there! Weight, yardage, dyelot...all ready to be paired up with patterns, hooks, and needles and whisked off into Projectland.

How do you tame your stash?

Miss A Learns to Crochet

One of the things that constantly amazes me about crafting, is the share factor. Crafting is not like chocolate: hoarding it does not make me feel more satisfied. No, crafting is something I love to share, it's something I need to share. But simply giving someone the end product of my crafty efforts is not what brings me the most joy.

Sure, I get all giddy when people ooh and ahh over the scarf I made them. And yeah, if someone tells me that the hat I made them makes them smile every time they wear it, I'll probably cry. But nothing compares to sharing my passion for creating by teaching someone how to do it themselves.

Maybe it's the whole "teach a man to fish" thing that makes me so excited. Maybe it's the fact that I'm giving someone new a glimpse inside a whole new part of creativity. Maybe I just love passing on skills to other people, perpetuating the love for making things with one's own hands. Maybe I just want more people to hang out with at the yarn store.

Regardless of the reason, I love teaching people. Especially kids.

She liked my hat a lot, so I had to let her wear it. Who could say no to that face??

On Wednesday, I had the honor of teaching one of the cutest seven-year-olds I know the basics of how to crochet. We started with the chain stitch, and Miss A was absolutely thrilled to stitch along with me.  She was the perfect student. When it was time for me to go, she informed me that I had to come back next week to "teach her the next part." Be still, my heart! I remember when this little lady was a mere infant, and now she's stitching along like a pro.

It reminds me of myself, when I was a little kid: begging my Grandma to teach me to do the magic stuff with the yarn and hook. It's something my Grandma and I still bond over, and something I look forward to bonding over with my kids. While it might not be crocheting my kids are excited about, the anticipation of passing on some skill to my own little ones is indeed thrilling. All the things I have learned from my elders are treasures; treasures I love to share with anyone willing to sit and learn.

Can't wait for next time I get to hang with Miss A and teach her "the next part." Passing along these skills that were passed along to me is a great investment. Plus, she is too dang cute, is she not? Look at her with that rainbow yarn. Can't even handle it.

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!!

Blooms and Bumps

Dat baby bump!!

Betchya can't guess which one is me! Oh right, you've seen pictures of me before. And I'm the pregnant one. Right.

My sweet sister takes some pretty amazing photos, and yesterday since it was finally warm out and flowers were blooming and whatnot, she decided we should have a sisterhood/baby bump photoshoot at sunset. This was her fave shot of us, sitting in the scilla in the front lawn. So pretty, and such a nice end to a festive Easter Day.

Hope you had a beautiful day on Sunday and could celebrate the Resurrection with your loved ones!

Shout out to Tara Lea Photography! If you want to see some spiff-tastic pics of people doing things, check out her page. She's great. Love that girl.

DIY: Make Your Own Buttons with Sculpey or Shrinky Dinks!

You can make your own buttons??  You heard me right! Trust me, I was just as excited as you are when I made the realization that yes, indeed, you can make your own buttons to adorn whatever project you choose. Think of the possibilities!! You just need a few simple supplies and an oven. Easy peasey. You'll be a button-makin' machine before you can say "whose got the button"!

Buttonbuttonbutton. Don't think I've said 'button' enough yet. Button.

Two weeks ago, my dear friend Becca from Halfway to Hipster came over to hang with me. We had a smashing crafternoon, and I thought I'd share with you all the efforts of our activities! And give you a few instructions so you can jump on the button wagon with us.

You'll need:
-An oven
-Some Sculpey (or other oven-bake clay) in any color you desire (I did white so I can paint them later)
-Some Shrinky Dink plastic
-Sharpies, watercolors, colored pencils, or other art-devices to color on your Shrinky Dinks
-Scissors
-Hole punch
-A toothpick or skewer

Becca got clever and stuck some buttons to a newspaper to lift the ink and get a cool wordy effect

 For Scupley Buttons:
 Pinch off a little nubbin of clay. Work in in your fingers until it gets soft. Form it carefully into a ball, then flatten it onto some wax paper with your thumb. Rub out as many thumbprints as you can (or leave them for a very rustic look) and poke as many holes as you want into your button with a toothpick. Flip the button over and make the holes clean on the other side as well. Follow the direction on the clay package to bake your button, let it cool and admire your work!

You can get really crazy with the size, shape, texture, and hole placement on these buttons. Be wild!

Becca made some cat buttons!!!!

 For Shrinky Dink Buttons:

Trace a circle approximately 2" in diameter. Cut it out , and go nuts with decorating the button. When you are done, punch some holes with your hole puncher (standard size hole punch results in perfect button holes). Bake your Shrinky Dinks according to the directions on your package. I love to act like a small child and sit on the floor of the kitchen to watch them shrink. MAGIC YO.

All my Shrinky Dink buttons I did with watercolors. They turned out so spiffy! I prefer the way they look from the "wrong" (aka, shiny) side of the button once shrunk. So vibrant!

The blue one looks super cool in person, but crappy on my camera

 A quick disclaimer, I have no idea how these buttons stand up in the washing machine. My bet is you should PROBABLY handwash any project you use these on.

Nekkid buttons! Can't wait to paint them.

Are you going to make some buttons??