In Time for Winter

Daniel requested a new scarf since the one he currently has is now a ratty brown thing that I crocheted a couple of years ago. I'm knitting this cowl using fisherman's wool and a herringbone pattern. My new love is herringbone, though I still fall head over heals over anything striped or chevron patterned.

A couple more podcasts and Ted Talks and this cowl will be done!!

Fall Ready Knits

Is Fall coming, or what? Well, whatever. I went ahead and knitted a scarf anyway. The pattern I used for this super easy, chic scarf is on Ravelry.com. You can click here for it, but you might need to sign in and make an account, which you should because it's free. Besides, when do you think you're going to learn how to knit? When you're old and gnarled?



I'm telling you it was easy to knit this thing! And if you need help, I am here to help you with your knitting pattern conundrums.



Look! I even made it into a turban. Wala! I pulled the bow back and pinned it against the sides of the band with safety pins.

Post Item on Etsy-Check!

Finally!

I did it!

After several motivational conversations I've had with different people over the coarse of 2 years, I posted my first quality, hand-made products on Etsy. The one conversation that sticks out in my memory the most was with my husband. He told me if I was as creative as I think I am, I should make something without a pattern, without a book, without directions from another source. I should gather all my knowledge I already have and unleash my creative juices.

The last conversation I had was with two Sarah's. Both Sarah's also wanted to make income from home by making crafts. We talked in circles, continuously bringing up the success tips we've heard and things we would do if we started an Etsy shop. This is how you take nice pictures...Networking is important because...I want my shop to look like...

But in the end we concluded, JUST POST SOMETHING!! JUST DO IT RIGHT NOW!! This talk really got my gears going. I feared If I wait too long for everything to be perfect, another couple of months would go by accomplishing nothing.


The weekend ended, and the Sarah's went back home. And I got craftin'! I was inspired by tea and tea parties. How delightful it would be to have whimsical accessories at a tea gathering. Teapot cozy was at the top of my mental list of things to make. I found red wool yarn and started knitting a cozy that would not be overly flowery, but simple and chic. It took me a couple of tries to get the pattern right, but it paid off. I am quite pleased with the result :)



Felting helps the knitted cozy to have less holes, thus being better insulated. It also gives the cozy a more modern and professional look.


That is all for now! The craft room awaits me for more creating and crafting!

The Macro Setting is Our Friend

So I have just discovered the powers of the macro setting on our camera. I don't know how to use Photoshop so I'm stuck using Picasa, which has been fairly easy but mediocre. And edited pictures on Picasa never look the same when you post them somewhere else. I spend so much time getting it to look somewhat decent. I'd rather take a good picture from the start and not waste time editing. Macro setting + natural lighting = one hot picture. It is perfect for showing off your handmade goodies. I love how you can see all the strands of yarn in the pom pom. No more blurring the picture to add fake depth either! That depth is the real deal...

Library Love: Hat Heads by Trond Anfinnsen

5 stars!
I love the library! I can't believe something like this institution exists and citizens are allowed to take advantage of all it's benefits. My favorite is when I can make an account on the library's website and request books. Then I wait for an email saying I can pick them up. It's like Christmas! Or shopping! Except everything's free! And you don't need a receipt to return it, even though you've used it.

I borrowed this book a couple of weeks ago. It's Hat Heads: 1 Man + 2 Knitting Needles = 50 Fun Hat Designs by Trond Anfinnsen. I read some reviews online that were mixed, mostly complaining that all the instructions were for the same style hat just with different stripes, circles, colors, etc. I, however, have no complaints. I feel like Goldilocks finding the right chair. If you're a semi-beginner at knitting, this book is just right when it comes to following directions that venture you into that world and it's terminology, like "k2tog." Whaaaaat...? Yea, that's right. And there's also "p2tog." Not to mention "CC," "MC," and "yo." "Yo" is no longer a greeting to me now that I used to say in high school, it means "yarn over," as in to wrap the yarn around the needle.

Back to the book...Great pictures. Great designs. Great idea (The Norwegian author, also known as the "Knitkid," made a different hat for people he knew in his hometown of Stavanger. Every other page features a big picture of the person wearing the hat, a description about him/her, and next to it is the directions on how to make it.) If I was this creative, I would loooove to make a special hat for everyone I know too!
The trial: I let my husband pick out his favorite design in the book (which is the picture above), and I made it for him! The bottom picture is the finished product. I tweaked some directions because I was missing one of the size needles, but it still turned out satisfactory. Handsome handsome! mmuah!