Sew buttons on your underwear

Why is blogger underlining everything? (oh, ok seems to be fixed now...)
So.
Sew buttons on your underwear.
Did anyone else say this as a kid/pre-teen?

I've been taking some classes at Hayes Sewing- the BEST place for classes evah'. I have NO sewing background and have always just sewn by the seat of my pants (and not well). So to have something like this:

just thrills me to no end. Plus it fits (bonus). Its the KWIK START Learn to sew pattern 3302 and I used a cotton fabric. I only had to stay after once to rip and re-sew (RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, duh)

Next I took the Carol's Zoo class and made this poka-dot puppy:
The boy picked the pattern AND fabric. Dottie came out pretty well, I must say. He is very soft and cuddly and has spent every night in bed with the boy. I think he is a success. In fact I was asked if I was "working on the next project for him". huh?


I did some crochet recently too... this is a Snuggle Bug. Mom needed a gift for a co-worker and I did NOT feel like another pair of booties.

Its really different- I wish I had one when the boy was a baby.

Can you guess what this is?

more evidence in my defense when I murderlize puppy boy.... it WAS a 3 ply handspun light fingering weight yarn for socks. I cannot turn my back for a SECOND. You can imagine what it looked like before I untangled..... sigh. He is going to be the death of me. Anyone want a dog?

one month later....

in no particular order

a test knit Hot Chilly Hat in Plymouth Encore (left over from the boring blanket). Fun pattern, quick hat. Great for gifts.
a Devious Bunny. He was supposed to be an Angry Bunny as all my embroidered faces look angry, but this guy just looks devious. I guess my skills are improving
an Amigurumi Candy Corn because I had leftovers from the hat below and thought it would be fun to wear 'inside" the hat and pull it out as a suprise. I know I'm weird, but the preschoolers LOVED it
a Candy Corn Hat because it was sold as a kit by Material Whirled and I thought it was way funny. Again with the weird...

a crocheted Ninja. Unfortunately, ninja guy is deceased after a run in with the bad puppy boy. Luckily for puppy boy, the ninja stars came out the next day. So I guess you could say it was *all right in the end* (the sense of humor of a 10 yr old, that's me)a *real* Ninja

and various test knits that I cannot blog yet.

Happy Halloween!

Wednesday catch up

Finally a post without puppy pictures!

I really wanted to show you this: I got 1/2 lb of raw alpaca from Granny Maple at North Star Alpacas and O.M.G. is it nice. I just reached into the bag of "Silver Samurai" and grabed a hunk and it spun like 'buttah. Not washed or carded or nothin. The finished yarn is so nice that Knit Boss kept petting it and rubbing it on her cheek!

Alpaca Granny sent a card with Silver Samauri's picture too. How great is that?

I've been spinning and finshed up this yarn a while ago. 2 skeins are one strand of Belly Dancer (Bamboo / Merino / Firestar / Angelina) and one strand of a dark blue merino.

The other skein is 2 strands of belly dancer. Its all about 16 wip- sport, 2 ply and the skeins are 200, 223 and 150 yards. I think thats pretty good yardage for a project. I like the idea of having the blue and maybe striping with the lighter color.
I'll be listing this on Etsy later today.

I finished up a crochet project a while ago too and don't think I blogged itA Queen Anne's Lace scarf crocheted out of Tess' Sock and Baby yarn. Its 5" x 75" and the colors are really really great.

I'm putting this on Etsy too. I'll never use it myself and someone else may love the FO as much as I loved the crocheting.

Last week I got some yarn from Schaefer and knit up this cute little baby sweater-

Its Elaine Child's Cardigan and knit up with just one skein of Schaefer Yarn Company Elaine. This is the Emily Post colorway. I totally forgot to take pics after blocking, but you get the idea.A sweet little baby hoodie and it only took me maybe 4 days. Definately a keeper pattern. The reverse stockinette really looks neat with the thick/thin of the yarn.

As for WIPS, I'm still working on my Mara shawl, the swirl shawl, the Steelers socks and I've some Liberty Fibers "Tartan" on the wheel (hoping for a 3 ply sock yarn)

I may also have purchased a small triangle loom to try weaving. whoops. Didn't see that rabbit hole coming ;) It should be here soon. Will keep you posted.

Random Wednesday

Today for your pleasure, a bunch of pictures and unrelated things:

1. I kinneared Santa at the Phantoms hockey game last week. Who knew he was a fan? The boy was too freaked out to go say hi and ask for a photo, hence the kinnearing. 2. craft mo-jo is coming back. I've spindle spun a bunch of samples from the Phat Fiber March box. Can I tell you how much fun the Phat fiber box is? Seriously, I love samples. So.Much.Fun3. I'm crocheting using the Queen Anne's lace (named after the flower, not the person). This yarn is Tess' sock and baby that I got at MDS&W in 07. Sorry for the blurry, but take my word for it, coming out way cool. 4. Speaking of the Phat Fiber box, I got April's box today. I could spend hours jsut fiddling with the samples.

5. I got a spindle in the April Phat Fiber box from Zebis Designs (awesome!) and immediately spun up one of the samples:

6. also in the mail I received the awesomest Earth Day card evah' - from Noolie's grandaughter Clover. Much cuteness on the inside too! Thanks Clover! 7. ooh lucky 7! I didn't even plan this. Anyway, Charity was asking for some green in her post today so here ya go kiddo! The acre of green green grass out the front door, plus the cherry tree. 4.5 hrs on Saturday just cleaning it all up. I was a hurting pup.

Happy Random Wednesday and Earth Day!

Can't talk now

Here is the Moncia top with Tulip skirt on the model at the shop. The felted ballet slippers are missing buttons in this picture.
The Ballet slippers with buttons-
3 squares test knit for Susan at knitalittle.com
2 pairs of Ruby Slippers crocheted fora pre-k friend and a hockey friend.
The Mr. is sick (again) and the week has been crazed (again or as usual). I have tons more to show and even more to knit (knit boss loaded me up with jobs). If you sent me an email this week, I'm really sorry I will get back to you. eventually.

Stay tuned for the March drawing winner and the April prize announcement! (Spare Squares, remember?)

Luv U, buh-bye

Catch the wave

Have you seen these? I lovelovelove them. Really. So many variations, so classic.

While waiting for my official KAL join up, I started 2 ripples. Yup 2. The first will be primary colors-blue, red, green & yellow. Small size for display at the shop (and hopefully enough to do a ripple in knit too)
The next is a bit larger and done in Caron Brights, seven colors! So.Much.Fun. It just makes me smile each time I work on these fun colors. It will eventually go into the AI duPont charity bag. I'm using the pattern from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns book called "Smartie" and an H hook for both.
I finished the Tulip Skirt in Cotton Fleece and started the Monica top too! I need to get these clothing items done by the end of the month when we change the window display. The ripples will by my AI knitting.

BTW, has anyone ever done/participated in a yarn swap? How does it work? We are thinking of doing something similar at the shop and wanted a better idea of how it works.

**Mindy makes good points... maybe we should do this "live" at the shop instead of shipping stuff. That could be a fun event! Just a swap table type of thing? More ideas?

The Trouble with Tribbles

I'm totally ripping off Abigail's post from yesterday. She made them look so cute, I could NOT help myself! I did these all yesterday with leftovers from other dishcloth projects. Quick and easy, just how I like'em! (plus great knitting for the doctors office... the Mayor has "The Cough" so off to the pediatrician's office we go)

Here are some Spa Slippers I crocheted for the Spa Knit on Saturday. Everyone who came into the shop got to put a ticket in the bowl and a random winner was chosen at the end of the day! Fun!
I really need to get my WIPs organized and prioritized. I have way too many projects going on right now and feel like I'm spinning my wheels. Plus I need to knit a Christmas stocking for my mom to give as a gift it needs to be done in the next 2 weeks.... I guess I should start working on that first...
Just one more tribble........