toast

i know...i know... this is a goofy modely pose, but we were in a HUGE hurry to get a few pictures and my smile was all goofy in every single one. this was the solution. plus my husband thought i looked hot...so there!

on to the knitting! i made these wrist warmer's for Jess' birthday and i LOVE how they turned out.

I continue to struggle with knitting in the round on dpns and i also bound off too tightly, but luckily this yarn is very forgiving and blocked up nicely. i did have to go back on a few spots and reinforce the stitch because it was too big, but mostly it was just fine.

this is the nicest yarn i have ever knit with and i LOVE it. it is really, REALLY soft. too bad i can't afford it for everything i make!

gotta have one in-progress shot...

details:

pattern - toast free on ravelry!
yarn - Sublime Yarns Extra Fine Merino Wool DK in dusty grey (18)
...also detailed on my ravelry page

christmas came early!

i might have peed my pants a little when i opened this package...

out came some pretty amazing fabrics. a friend with self - diagnosed SAS (stash acquisition syndrome) needed some help. i was obviously more than willing to do whatever i could to help her condition. now my stash has practically doubled!!!

new thrifty finds

i love new treasures! my mom and i found this quilt while i was in Oregon for $5 at a garage sale. its a little worn, but there are enough good squares to make a pillow or something small.

its all hand pieced and hand quilted. isn't that insane? it makes me wonder who made it and who they loved enough to spend so much precious time on this quilt.

this might be my favorite new find. Grant doesn't like it so much, but i ADORE it. we both use bar soap to wash our faces and it gets the side of our sink all mucky. i had been looking for a pretty plate to use, but then i saw this. it had to come home with me.

i also love this plate. its so sweet and simple. it is enamel with a few rusty spots for good character. i bought it to start a collection of plates to hang on the wall in our dining room, but for now it hold our keys and other junk.

this is another oregon find. i just think its so cute and funny. its from the 1940s so its just interesting to see the things they focused on having the little girl scouts learn.

things like how to set a proper table (something i should probably learn) or how to be a good homemaker.

sunday morning rolls

these are a fantastic way to spend a sunday morning...

birthday beanie

So... I decided to tackle a hat.

This is for my bro's birthday... I'm only a week late! Grant was nice enough to model for me...his eyeball makes me smile.


first off... if you teach yourself how to knit and then take several months off be sure you are doing the knit stitch correctly. yup... figured out that i've been knitting wrong since i started back up this summer. everything turns out fine, the stitches are just bigger and bumpier. which is why the shrugs are so textured. who knew?!

second...maybe you should practice before you try double pointed needles (dpns) on a project you actually want to look good. especially when your friend tells you they suck...

this is the top...where the pattern gets its name. turn a square...there is a square. get it? genious, i know! anyway. see the 'seams'? they are where i had to transition between the dpns. they are loose and its annoying, BUT i'm over it.

all in all its a pretty cute hat. right? hope he likes it!

here it is in progress...never got around to posting it!

details:

pattern - turn a square free on ravelry!
yarn - cascade 220 wool in colorway 9465 and noro yuzen in colorway 1
...also detailed on my ravelry page