The Long WIP Update

Since I was off for “Easter Break” last week (hooray teacher perks!), I of course rather than finishing my WIP began several more. Here is an update on what since has been completed, is currently being finished, and has ended up in the purple basket of doom. Let’s begin with what is currently on the hooks & needles.

I received the yarn to begin working on the Knit Picks sample for my Wicker & Braids Scarf pattern. I have never worked with Preciosa before and now I am wondering why I have waited this long. This scarf feels like a cloud!

On the hook I currently have a corner to corner crochet blanket. This is made with the same yarn as my ombre blue baby blanket that was finished last month. I love corner to corner because it grows so quickly.

Now let’s move to in the basket of doom.

Projects usually end up in this basket due to frustration or boredom. Because of this, I have not photographed these projects so I will give a quick listing. There’s a chevron baby blanket with bright blue, coral, mustard yellow, gray and white. I am thinking about frogging and making it a corner to corner. I also began another amigurumi project. I have never successfully completed one, but I thought I would give it another go. Needless to say this one has ended up in the basket. I also have a lace weight alpaca cloud corner to corner blanket that may become a shawl.

And the finished projects:

I cannot wait to deliver this one in person on Monday morning! Stay tuned, I eventually plan on writing the pattern for this one.

Although this photograph is not of the finished blanket, I have finished the knitting part. Now I am just dreading weaving in the ends!

The Move is OVER!

It only took about 3 months, but the new yarn room is FINALLY organized! Pictures will come later, I am sure many of you understand the exhaustion of finally deciding to unpack. The mental anguish of removing myself from binge watching House of Cards may have been the most exhausting part. The yarn room, or as I like to say “studio” was the last room I chose to unpack for several reasons. The primary being the amount of yarn, books, furniture, etc. that was supposed to fit in the room neatly. It appeared to be impossible.

Unfortunately, due to us renting for the year, the yarn wall did not make the trip. Hopefully this time next year there will be a new and improved yarn wall in a larger yarn room. I will say that Target’s cube storage, hand-me-down dressers did make the job easier. The full size bed that also had to fit in the space made quite an issue.

I am now catching myself stopping to take a peek at the studio every time I walk down the hall :). The fiancé, however, is looking forward to not finding yarn scattered all over the living room.

Fixing up the Etsy Shop

I’m considering changing how I list items in my Etsy shop. As a knitter, most of my items are made to order so that the buyer can customize their items based on their color preferences. This is where I need your help. Should I have a separate listing with a picture for different color options, or should I continue to have one listing for each item with a link to view all of the color options. As a buyer, which would be best for you? I would really appreciate comments with your feedback!! 

The end of the hiatus

Sorry I have been gone for so long! It seems like student teaching got the best of me this semester. The blog should be back in full swing now 🙂  

Happy knitting!  

  

WIP Wednesday!

My 3rd Aidez sweater this year! (Btw it’s a free pattern on Ravelry.. Hooray!)  

3 Weeks and Counting!

It has been a while since the last post, but with the school year beginning I have been running around like a crazy person trying to get things done! Today I received some exciting news: two of my patterns, the Pembroke Scarf and Interchangeable Flower Baby Headband, will be available for purchase on KnitPicks at some time in the next three weeks!!!! (Don’t worry there will be another post when they are up because I won’t be able to contain my excitement.) But here are some photos from the Knit Picks photographers:

FYI: HARRY POTTER FANS

So if you have not seen The Crochet Crowd on Facebook today, here is a little gem you missed:

Yes, I know it is incredible, but what makes it even BETTER is the fact that this pattern is absolutely FREE, yes FREE!

It can be found here: http://totallee.net/ujackcal.php (click on the Hogwarts bunch blanket tab)

You’re welcome.

Yarn Review: KnitPicks Billow

First of all, this is the softest yarn I have ever worked with. Also, note that I am a college student so pricey yarns are out of the question. That being said, I have used this yarn to make several knit sweaters for myself and as gifts.

Yarn Weight:

This yarn varies extremely in terms of weight. At one point in the yarn it will appear to be a super bulky yarn, but several yards later it will be lace weight. This can be a problem for projects that need a very consistent, neat looking stitch. The sweaters I have made with this yarn have a lot of cable detailing and a sort of haphazard look to them so this hasn’t been a problem for me.

Shedding:

A piece of advice: yoga pants are a magnet for yarn fuzz. I have made the mistake of knitting with this yarn too many times while wearing yoga pants or leggings and get up from my seat looking like I took a roll around in the lint trash can in my laundry room. Also, a lint roller is no match for the amount of fuzz that will be shed unless you plan on wasting 5-10 of the sticky sheets that come on the roll.

Softness:

As I stated earlier, its basically knitting with cloud fluff. It is amazing and I constantly pet the yarn to take in the softness. Hands down 5 stars for the way it feels. Also for how inexpensive the yarn is it’s incredible.

Overall it’s a good yarn to work with for certain projects. I think an afghan would be the ideal project to make using this yarn because gauge isn’t really a factor there. Otherwise, I would think twice about using a yarn with so much variation in weight. While the softness is a huge plus, if you’re going for a neat look this yarn is not the answer.

Knit Tea Cup Sleeve

My latest spur of the moment creation! It fits both a grande & venti Starbucks cup and will protect your hand from the hot drink. The sleeve reads “tea” and even if you are purchasing your drink from a coffee shop, no one will mistake you for a coffee drinker again! It is super easy to clean, just throw it in the wash with your dirty clothes. It can be customized with any color scheme you want. If you would like to purchase a cozy please click here.

If you would like to knit your own version the pattern is available here.

Product Review: Juelp Oxygen Bonding Base Coat

In addition to being addicted to knitting, I also may have a slight obsession with nail polish. It drives me crazy to have chipped fingernails. Because of my crafting, I have always had a difficult time keeping a manicure longer than 2 days (with a base and top coat, sigh).

BEHOLD I HAVE FOUND THE SOLUTION:

But first let me back track, several years ago I subscribed to the Julep Maven monthly box. I loved their products and the polishes have people names (and of course I make up a whole little story in my head of the person each color was named after). Being a college student without a job, I had to cancel my subscription after acquiring enough nail polishes to last me a while.

Back to now, I recently renewed my Julep Maven subscription, and after getting some awesome deals I came across the Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. I used this polish when painting my nails Monday afternoon,and I expected chipping to begin Tuesday morning. No, it is Thursday night and I shit you not my nails look practically the same as they did right after I painted them. If anything, my nails have gone through more wear and tear this week than my last manicure, being as I am not on vacation, and it has already lasted twice as long! Yes, it seems a little pricey, but when you are a Julep Maven, you can add this to your monthly box meaning I received this base coat, a skip the brush blush, and a nail color for the regular price of just the base coat. Plus it is completely worth not stinking up your house/apartment every few days.

Yes it sounds like I’m trying to sell the product to you, but I know I can’t be the only nail obsessed knitter/crocheter out there who is looking for a solution!

UPDATE: it’s Saturday and they haven’t  chipped!