Craftylilly

School's out for summer!

PQL had her last day last week, but RR gets out today.  The first graders are going to have Olympics this morning, and then pizza at school.  A classmate has then invited everyone over for a swim party.  There's only one bummer on the day, it's a cloudy and cool day.  I don't think that's going to keep the kids out of the pool though. 

Although I've been caught up in the end of school goings ons, I have been crafting quite a lot.  I'm completed three washcloths, and am working on a fourth.  I've also sewn a simple skirt.  I'm having so much fun with my sewing machine, I plan on trying my hand at a few more skirts and another summer top or two.  The skirt I just completed I just winged, but I just picked up a book called Sew What Skirts that goes over how to draft differnt skirt shapes.  I'm especially interested in drafting an A-line skirt.

 I also completed my February Lady Sweater.  It's been cool lately, so I can still wear a sweater, but I think this little pink number will be spending time in storage until next fall.  I really love this sweater though!  It's so soft due to the yumminess of the malabrigo, and the shape is very flattering.  Here are the specs.

Pattern:  February Lady by Pamela Wynne

Yarn:  Malabrigo in Geranio.  When I first got this colorway, it was a bit of a stretch for me.  In the skein it's a very bright, vibrant pink.  After knitting it up, the color becomes a very rich purpley/pink and is just lovely.

Needles:  Size 8 Addi interchangeables

Thoughts:  This is a simple and cute pattern.  It went pretty quickly aside from being distracted by other crafting pursuits while knitting it.  The lace pattern is easy to memorize, and I like the style of having just a few buttons at the top.  I'll get a lot of wear out of it next fall/winter.

I hope to be around the blog and the blogiverse much more this summer.  I've got lots of crafting planned, and kid crafting in the works.  The kids are working on Pom-Pom creatures, friendship bracelets, decoupage boxes, and we may tie-dye some shirts.  I've got weaving, spinning, sewing, knitting, and I'm going to try my hand at some bead crochet as well.  Too bad summer is only 3 months long, eh?

I'm more active on Twitter (craftylilly), and on Facebook.  I also am having a huge on Ravelry.  I've got a bunch more to put up by the weekend, sweater quantities and several skeins of Kureyon, so if you are interested check that out too. 

Blankie making

There's nothing like comfort knitting when one's life is super busy.  I recently finished a super easy mistake rib baby blanket for my soon to be born goddaughter.  I held two strands of Red Heart Designer Sport together to make a marl effect.  I decided to go with the nontraditional baby colors of teal and chocolate brown.  The colors go quite well together, I think.  This acrylic yarn is actually quite soft and easy to work with.  It didn't feel squeaky at all, and it's machine washable, a must for a baby knit.  This blanket is more of a blankie size, to be used in the stroller and car seat.  I hope my friend likes it!

I also completed my crafting T-shirt quilt.  I'm quite pleased with the results.  The T-shirts are ironed onto fusible interfacing, the borders are quilting cotton in a solid purple, and I decided to go with fleece to back the quilt.  I found super cute print with cats and yarn balls.  The theme went perfectly with the theme of the quilt.  I also decided to tie the quilt top and backing with buttons instead of yarn ties.  I think the small purple buttons I got pulls the quilt top together quite nicely.  It's not a perfect first quilt.  There are a lot of  mistakes, but it's comfy and has charm.  I'm not sure I'll be quilting again any time soon, but I'm glad I gave these T-shirts a new life.

It's been a while

Life has been super crazy lately as I've been trying to juggle too many things.  The blog reading and blog updating has suffered, I'm afraid.  I've been trying not to let it hit the crafting time, though.  My little creative time is needed for sanity reasons, something I'm sure you all understand.

I went ahead with my T-shirt quilt.  My fellow craftizens, I don't think I've got what it takes to be a quilter.  I don't think I've done a bad job with my first quilt top, but there are some very wonky parts.  I've got some polar fleece on order to finish the quilt off with, and I still have to sew a border around what I've got here.  I'm planning on tying the quilt together with yarn instead of hand or machine quilting it.  When the whole thing is done, I think it will be quite warm and snuggly and will certainly be a large craft geek flag.  I'm looking forward to be warm and snuggly under it soon.

I also finished up my Noro striped scarf.  I used Silk Garden for it (check out my ravelry project page for the actual colorway).  It was cool enough to wear to the Red Ranger's baseball practice yesterday, and I can attest to its warmth and snuggliness.  I like how the colors mesh together as well. 

As for what I'm going to knit next, I've got a baby blanket that needs knitting, and I'm thinking a lace scarf would be nice.  I've got 5 skeins of Malabrigo that are begging to be a February Lady too.  Oh, and I've have kidlet requests for a knitted item, and some leftover Silk Garden from the scarf that would be make very smart arm warmers for little 4 and 6 year old arms. 

It's back to the couch for me, as I'm trying to recover and recharge from all the life juggling I've been doing.  I miss reading all your blogs, and reporting on my neck of the woods.  Hope to be back to full strength soon, but until then, rest assured, my knitting needles at least will be clicking and clacking.

Cassidy's debut at the Stitches West

Cassidy had her debut at the Stitches West Market yesterday, and what a debut it was!  I went to Stitches with my mom, and met up with our long-time family friend.  We had so much fun!  I think I had the most fun at Stitches since I took a class with Sally Melville two years ago.

First let me share the Cassidy details:

Pattern:  Cassidy by Bonne Marie Burns
Yarn:  Black Water Abbey 2-Ply worsted in Ocean Colorway
Needles:  Size 6 and 8 circs
Mods:  None.
Thoughts:  I love this sweater.  Of course, every design I've ever knit of Bonne Marie's I've loved and wear all the time (Ariann, Twist).  Her patterns are always well written, and the designs are classic and always so wearable.  I'm slowly working my way through her portfolio.  I also really like the Black Water Abbey yarn.  This Irish yarn is so pretty.  It's a rugged yarn, and not for next to the skin wear, but perfect for a sweater that will be worn over a long-sleeved shirt.  Living in California, this yarn makes a perfect sweater that can be used as a jacket, which is how I wore my Cassidy yesterday.  The Ocean colorway is so gorgeous too!  It's a dark hunter green with a blue tone that runs through it.  So pretty.  Another cool thing about Cassidy's debut, is that I got stopped in the market about 4 times by other knitters who complimented my sweater.  It was fun to have my sweater noticed by other knitters.

I didn't take any classes at Stitches this year.  I just didn't have the time or funds to do it this year.  I never miss the Market though.  The Market is big and can be overwhelming, but this year I went with only one goal, to browse.  I wasn't looking for any vendor in particular, or any fiber/yarn in particular.  Not having a real goal let me just wander, talk to people, fondle yarn, peruse patterns, and dig through buttons.  It was so nice!  I ran into some blog friends (Carrie K, Melissa), and met some new people for the first time (La, the ladies from Purlescence).  Very fun!

I didn't buy a lot.  I did get a fantastic deal on an Offhand Designs Fiona Tote, bought a couple of patterns from Cocoknits, three skeins of yarn from Habu (Cotton Gima), two shawl sticks in bloodwood and Purpleheart woods from Knitting Notions , and 4 oz of Crosspatch Creations blend in Country Girl which reminds me of a Monet painting.  All in all, the real success of the day was the visiting with knitting/fiberloving friends, and seeing all the beautiful yarn and fibers. 

Choices, Choices

I've been working slowly on my Cassidy hoodie for the past couple of months.  When I work on a more involved project like Cassidy which has a lot of cabling, I like to break up the knitting with other WIPs.  So, a couple of days ago, I finished up one of the front sections of my sweater, and decided to cast on for a small project to work on for a week or so before casting on for the other front sweater section.  I chose the Luxe Neck Warmer from Knit2Together, and some lovely Malabrigo, and cast on. 

 At this point in my story, the knitting cosmos started sending me a message.  I knit along happily for several rows before I realize that I've twisted my cast on.  No problem, I think.  This cowl is a small project.  I rip it out, and cast on again.  I knit again for several rows, and start thinking, "Gee this cowl is looking rather small, like PQL small."  I take my measuring tape out to see and sure enough, it's way too small.  The yarn gets ripped out again.  The casting on begins again, but this time I cast on another lace repeats worth of stitches.  Before I knit in the round I carefully check to make sure I haven't twisted my stitches.  Satisfied, knitting begins.  Several rows in, I start noticing that one section of the cowl has way more stitches than it should.  I carefully start looking at my knitting and realize that I've done twice as many YOs are needed for the lace repeat in one section. 

Friends, I've was brought to my knees by a feather and fan stitch motif. 

So, I cast on for a Noro Striped Scarf.  K1P1 ribbing... Ah, a stitch pattern I can handle, and mesmerizing color changes to amuse me. 

Addi Click Set mini-review

I've been using my Addi Click interchangeable needles for a little over a week now, and have finally put together a small review.  First, let me say that I'm just a humble knitter with my own likes and dislikes when it comes to the materials I enjoy using for my knitting.  Your results and opinions may vary.

Realistically, I like using different needles depending on the project.  I'm an equal opportunity knitting needle user.  I find that I prefer using bamboo needles for slicker yarns, Addi turbos for most projects using wool, and my Denise plastic set for acrylic yarns, and travel knitting.  I own three sets of interchangeable needles, Denise, Knitpicks Harmony, and now the Addi Click. 

First, I'll share the positives about the Addi Click set as I see it. 

1. The needles themselves look, feel, and work like my beloved Addi Turbos.  They are slick, have a nice feel in my hands as I work with them, and have a slightly blunted tip.  The tip is sharp enough for most of my knitting except for lace (and let's face it Addi lace needles are a must for me when it comes to lace).
2. The cables are pretty flexible.  They are as flexible as Addi Lace cables, but not as much as Addi turbo cables.  I don't see myself using magic loop with these needles, but if I had too, I could get away with it with no problem.
3. The joins are smooth.  I had to fool around a bit with how to connect the needle tips to the cords, but once I did, the joins are fairly seamless and have not caught on my yarn.  The join is a very solid one.  Once the needle tip is connected, they aren't going anywhere.  My main gripe with my Knitpicks set, is that the needle tips unscrew from the cord as I work with it.  I haven't had any problems like that with the Addi Click.

There are some negatives to the Addi Click set.

1. The set is expensive.  It retails for $150.  The Denise Set and both Knitpicks sets are less expensive, certainly a consideration especially in the current economy.
2. The Addi Click set only comes with three cables.  More lengths are to be released soon, but of course purchasing these will come at an additional cost.  The cable lengths included serve most purposes for sweater knitting, but I'd love a 16" for hats, and 60" for blanket and magic loop purposes. 
3. A US 5 is missing from the set.  I guess in European needle sizing a 5 doesn't exist, but I've heard that they are coming out with a 5 for the set. 

Other nice details of the set are it comes in a really nice sturdy black case.  Also, the set comes with a cute little heart pin with a small crystal in it, perfect for putting on my knitting bag.  The set also comes with a needle size gauge made out of a sturdy black plastic. 

 

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the Addi Click Set.  If you get some holiday money, and are in the market for an interchangeable set, I say check it out!  Here's a picture of RR's lap blanket in progress that I'm knitting with my Addi Clicks.  It's turnign out quite snuggly and warm, like a blanket it supposed to be. 

May all of you who celebrate Christmas get all your last minute chores, errands, and crafting done!  I'm off to do the same.  May all who don't celebrate Christmas enjoy the next week, and stay warm!  It's cold out there.     

I'm back! At least my body is...

  Our family trip to Disneyland, and other So Cal points of interest went well.  Our car, and RM clocked over 1,000 miles in the car, and we experienced a lot of togetherness, sleeping in the same room as each other for 5 out of the 6 nights, but we survived and enjoyed our time together.  Disneyland was a blast.  It was the first experience there for the kids, and they thouroughly loved it.  The Red Ranger loved the Haunted House ride all done up like the Nightmare Before Christmas, and the Monster's Inc. ride in California Adventure park.  PQL loved Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Monster's Inc. ride as well.  I also appreciated the climb and play area in the Brother Bear area at Disney California Adventure.  I almost fell and humiliated myself on the rather extensive set of rope walkways, but the kids loved rock climbing, swinging on the ropes, and just being able to run around without standing in line.  We were lucky as well, as it was supposed to rain our second day there, but it never did, but rather stayed cool and temperate.  Gotta love that!  After we left Disneyland, we spent a morning at Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, Thanksgiving with friends in Carlsbad, and an afternoon/night with relatives in the San Luis Obispo area.  It was a tiring, but very fun trip.  I'm not feeling quite back in the swing of things though.  I'm not quite ready to be in everyday life mode, you know? 

Although I'm not quite back in the swing of things yet, I thought I'd show the infant cap I knit for Knit One Save One.  I winged a basic roll bottom cap out of some Sirdar Domino that I had in the stash.  One cap is for the campaign, and the other is for one of PQL's friend's mother who is expecting a little girl in January. 

I also found a place to send the chemo cap I knit a month ago.  I'm sending it off to Hat Box Foundation.  The basic mission of the group is to gather and distribute handmade hats to cancer patients and other patients suffering from illnesses who would benefit from a warm handmade hat.  If you don't have a local charity to send a chemo cap, then I think this foundation is a perfect place to send it too.

I hope to have more to share soon!  Much knitting needs to occur in the next few weeks.  Eeks! 

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween

Through Bloglines, I subscribe to the Whip Up blog.  A few weeks ago Whip Up did a post featuring a Halloween ribbon wreath.  The picture was so pretty, and the directions looked rather easy, so I ordered some ribbon, and found a couple of wreath forms at my local Dollar Tree and whipped up one of my own with my kids help.  I really like the result, especially the added pumpkin bell detail.  I'm feeling downright festive now.  The kids and I are planning on making Pumpkin pie for Halloween as well.  I'm going to use this recipe.  Sounds delicious, no?

I also knit a cap for Birdsong's Chemo Cap KAL for the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness month.  I used Berroco Comfort which is surprising soft and nice acrylic blend.  I used the Urban Urchin pattern  and I think the mistake rib pattern looks really nice.  The finished hat is nice and soft, however, I'm at a loss at where to send the hat.  I've been looking into finding some local places who take them, but haven't had any luck yet.  If anyone has any leads or ideas, let me know.  My next knitting for others will be a baby cap or two for Knit One Save One.  I'm still perusing my stash yarn for what I'm going to use.

I'm rather behind on blogging and things I'm finding.  A couple of weeks ago Chris gave me a very nice blogging award.  I'm flattered!  I'm especially flattered as Chris makes gorgeous shawl pins and is an accomplished knitter.  As a (knitter's) jewelry designer, to receive praise from other jewelry designers is high praise indeed.  I'd like to pass the love along so here are the rules.

1. Please put the award on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you

3. You must nominate at least 4 fellow bloggers for this award.

4. Add links to the recipients.

5. Leave a comment so the recipients know they have received an award.

There are so many blogs that I love.  Here's a small handful of blogs that I think are fun to read.

Bookwyrm

Behind the Smile

PieKnits

Cooknknit

Wonderful blogs all!  Of course I sub to over a hundred blogs that I love. 

Dropping in on Color: A Fiber Festival

Many knitbloggers made the trek out to Rhinebeck this past weekend.  I made the short 30 minute trek to Berkeley to see what Color:  A Fiber Festival was about.  Color is a spinning and knitting small event with classes and a small but fabulous marketplace.  I didn't take any classes, nor did I pack up Eve to spin under the tent on the lawn, but I did dop in on the marketplace.  The marketplace was a wonderful, albeit small wonderment of handspun, handpaints, and roving.  I did manage to pick up some lovely roving.  The orange and brown wool came from Girl on the Rocks, and the natural wool rovings on the left and right are from Flynn Creek Churros.  The roving is from Navajo Churro Sheep and the wool is soft and lovely.

The other fun part about dropping in on Color is that it was held at the Pacific School of Religion, one of the consortium of seminaries that make up the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.  Why is this fun?  Well, it's because 10 years ago I graduated from the GTU with my graduate degree in Theology.  Yep, I attended seminary.  While I was at the GTU I dropped in at the library to see my Master's Thesis on the shelf.  It was quite exciting to see my little volume on the shelf!  It's even been checked out a handful of times in the decade it's sit on the shelf.  Wonder if I've been quoted is someone's paper... 

Why won't this phone work

The Knitting Archeologist has tagged me with a meme, and I thought I'd play along.  I actually think I may have done something like this before on this blog, but as I keep doing silly and inexplainable things, I thought I could add a few strange and random things for your reading amusement.  I'm not going to tag anyone in particular, but I give you the rules in case you choose to play along.

Link to the person who tagged you.
* Post the rules on your blog.
* Write six random things about yourself.
* Tag six people at the end of your post.
* Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
* Let the tagger know your entry is up.

1)  Since RM and I got new handset phones, I've been trying to make calls on our TV/VCR/DVR remotes.  I swear, when they are back up, I have trouble figuring out the difference, especially when I'm in a hurry and not paying attention.  I mean look at this picture. The phone is the second from the right.  You can see the problem right?  Sure, the phone is a bit smaller than the remotes, but honestly, mistakes can happen right?  The sad thing is that I've done this more than a couple of times. It doesn't help that the remotes have a number keypad like a phone.  It doesn't help at all.

2)  I have a tendency to state the obvious in regular conversation.  I'm fantastic at summing up a conversation, not as a closing, but as a conversational tool.  I've been informed that my 4 year old daughter also has this trait.  Who knew it was genetic?

3)  I'm a person who likes to get involved and be a part of things.  I don't particularly like to be in charge.  Therefore, I have no excuse or explanation for the two Ravelry Groups that I run, or how I'm serving as Board President for my daughter's preschool. 

4)  I have several cubby holes from my wide variety of crafting supplies.  The knitting projects that I'm working on now inhabit a corner of the piano.  All my projects live in their own project bag.  I tell people that I do this to keep kids and cats out of the project.   The truth is, I'd do this even if I didn't have kids or cats. 

5)  I used to keep all my purse contents organized by small cosmetic bags.  Tylenol, cosmetics and hand lotion in one bag, wallet, cell phone in another, kleenex in a tissue holder.  Bags within a bag, the illness runs deep.

I can't think of a number 6, although I'm sure there's more.