WIP Wednesday

I hope everyone's been enjoying the cold weather!! It was zero degrees yesterday when I got up for school, and it barely got warmer than that.

My students are taking exams all week, so my teaching is minimal, and I've had a little bit of spare time to crochet. I started a Juliana again, this time with the proper yarn. It is definitely turning out better this time, and I love the colors. I'm using Knit Picks Palette in Mulberry and Chroma in Gossip. I doubt I will use all the yarn up, so I'm planning what to make next. I really love this Chroma colorway, and I'm sad that it was discontinued. You can't tell from the photo, because I hadn't gotten far when this photo was taken, but the pink in this colorway is AMAZING!

When I need something a bit more brainless, I go back to working on infinity scarves. I'm in the middle of my fifth this month. Making infinity scarves is an ongoing project, and I really hope to finish up many more between now and graduation.

My fiance was over this past weekend, and brought a book with him-- he thinks I have time to read. Oddly enough, he's right, as I've been able to read nearly 3 chapters of Service, by Marcus Luttrell. Luttrell is a Navy SEAL who lost his team and wrote about it in his first book, Lone Survivor. This second book is much more palatable for me- one, because my fiance is no longer deployed, and two, because I'm not walking into the book knowing that everyone dies. E keeps bringing around these military books for me to read, to help me understand what he went through. It's eye-opening and sometimes scary, but we really do need to face what our military personnel go through to defend our freedoms.

Linking up with Tami for WIPW and Ginny for Yarn-Along.

Another Wednesday

If I posted a picture of what I was working on today, it would look really similar to last week's picture. I made a second light green baby hat, this time a bit shorter (no rolled brim) and with ear flaps. During craft night last night, I made two little green "ears" though they may morph into horns/fins/something. I'm still debating about the overall design, but I'm leaning toward dinosaur/dragon.

An acquaintance who does photography for a living did some maternity photos for us back at the beginning of May, and we're planning on having a newborn session as well. My sister, while being a talented photographer, is not good at people pictures. So at this time, I am content to hire a local photographer.

The whole point... LOL... I'm attempting to have some crochet pieces- hats, diaper covers, sweaters- made for this newborn photo shoot. The biggest problem is guessing the size of the baby. Hence multiple sizes of hats. I'm totally in love with the Leaping Crochet Baby Hoodie, have considered the Puerperium (which may be hindered by my poor knitting skills), and have downloaded several diaper cover patterns.

As my school year comes to a close, I'm hoping to have more time to work on all these ideas that I have. However, it's likely that between school moving and home moving, it will be a while...

Check out Tami's & Ginny's

Not Wednesday Anymore

My crooked cast-on (later ripped out)

Planning for summer

Newly dyed sock yarn

This week has been a bit hectic, and it shows through in my lack of crafting time. Easter weekend was busy, filled with family, church, traveling, being pregnant sick, and sleeping. I really needed the weekend to decompress, so Monday morning I was not as prepared as I would've liked for classes. But it is Thursday now, and I've nearly made it through. I'm attending a retreat Sunday and Monday with the high schoolers, so I need to have substitute plans put together before I leave. It's a relief, in a sense, since this retreat gives me another 4 day week. After this, the next one doesn't come along until the end of May. The teacher who shares my middle school classroom optimistically has the note "7 more Wednesdays" on the board, as a reminder for all of us that the end is coming closer. I will never begrudge a teacher their summer again. It really is needed.

Speaking of summer, my summer plans include some lighthouse visits. The books are my heavy hints to E for a birthday trip. Nothing too intense, just an overnight visit, but a getaway nonetheless. 

I've been really enjoying the sock blanket as a project, because I am able to take it with me, and it doesn't take up much space in my school bag. My goal for Friday is to have my 7 squares finished, and I'm halfway there--- 7 is the number I decided on for getting enough width from the blanket, about 36" across. My only worry is running out of yarn. But I suppose running out will encourage me to start and finish other sock yarn projects, in order to have leftovers :-)

Exploring Wednesday

A Shawl, A Book, and a Scarf.

I'm exploring a number of things this week. First, I'm adventuring into new book territory- theology!! The book is Signs of Life, by Scott Hahn. Before my marriage, I read a book by Kimberly Hahn, which I really enjoyed, so I'm hoping her husband is as skillful a writer as she is. Even though I'm nearly done with my stint as a religion teacher, I'm hoping that this book will give me some insight into the material I'm teaching, just on the off chance I teach it again. 

My second adventure this week is another self-designed pattern. I couldn't find was I was looking for in a rectangular stole pattern, especially something crocheted, so I am totally winging it. The heart motif is from a scarf I made for my sister a month or two back. During the crocheting of that scarf, I toyed with the thought of adjusting it, but felt that adjusting in the middle of a piece would look funny. So here's the start of the results. The yarn is Knit Picks Gossamer Lace, in colorway Sunrise. It is a discontinued line, but I find it very similar to Shadow Lace, except in the coloring. As I watch it develop, I've been brainstorming ways to make the FO more versatile, and I think this may be an experimental FO dye-job. I really love the colors, but the blue seems to pop out too much for my tastes. However, I am open to opinions and suggestions. :-)

Third in my adventuring is a previously used pattern with a new type of yarn. Shallow Waters, by Anastacia Zittel, is perhaps my most worn scarf/shawlette. When I first crocheted it, I used Shadow Lace in colorway Summer Blooms. My subsequent attempts have been in Felici, but the striping always seems to turn out funny. This attempt is in Stroll Fingering, colorway Blue Topaz. The plan is to have it done before next week, as it is meant to be a birthday gift for my sister. However, because I know myself really well, I did buy a back-up gift, just in case.  

I'm still contemplating baby items to make, though I do have a few on my list. Large (or what seems like large to me) quantities of Bare Wool of the Andes in Worsted and Bulky weights seem to be hiding out in my stash. Those skeins might get some experimental color so I can get started on a few of my projects. If only there was such a thing as a weekend for teachers...

WIP Wednesday

Yarn-Along

How Summer Flies.

You can see some happy butterflies!

I finally got the butterfly section to work on my summer flies. After frogging twice, I was ready to give up, but I gave it one more shot, putting more space between the first row of eyelets. It isn't perfect, but it's much better than before. The picture does not do this Candy Skein yarn justice. It's the June colorway, from my brother for my June birthday. Because my gauge is a bit different from the pattern's, I'm working additional butterfly and eyelet rows to make the most of my yarn. Besides, I *love* the butterflies, and I think that section showcases the yarn best. 

The weather has been cool; we're hoping it stays this way through my wedding next weekend. 

E's sister and family get into town sometime this weekend, and I expect I'll see a bit of them. Between moving and getting ready for the new school year and getting ready to get married, these next few weeks may be too busy for new yarn projects. With most of my stuff packed up, it'll be hard to start new projects anyway. I'm hoping being exclusive to one or two projects will help me finish them sooner. 

Linking up with Tami and Ginny!

Wednesday

I did not realize how horribly blurry this photo was until I looked at it properly on my laptop. I'll get a nicer one up tomorrow. 

In progress- a shawl design. 

I'm trying something, attempting a narrower crocheted triangle, without the pointy bit. We'll see what it looks like in a few days. It's been a bit slow going, but with fingering weight yarn it always seems to be slow. It's mainly double crochet, which works up a bit faster, but again, we shall see. 

Love this book

On my shelf- a book I actually finished! I read this book from start to finish yesterday, and found it really enjoyable, especially compared to my most recent books that got returned before I was halfway through. It is enough of a true story to appeal to my historical side, and the characters, though fictional, felt real and realistic. 

Having been disappointed with the last three books I checked out from the library, I started my week out reading Harry Potter. Harry's always consistent. I love reading the language, especially with the British terminology thrown in. Yesterday though, this book came in for me. It was among the ones I had ordered based on Amazon's historical fiction bestsellers. Due to my previous disappointment, I was reluctant, and didn't even open the book until I came home from errands after work. I sat out in the sunshine and opened it. Absorbed would be the best word for it. The world in this book absorbed me. I couldn't put it down. Part of me just wanted to have a book that was new and different, and I wanted to savor it, but the other part of me wanted to know what happened next. It was definitely a quick read, but definitely an adult book. And the history's good too. 

Linking up with Tami & Ginny today!

New Home WIP

While I have been working on some crocheting and knitting, this weekend I've been working on a piece of furniture for my/our new apartment!!!

There are no before pictures, just halfway to step one pictures. 

On the first day, I got to play with paint stripper, a power sander, and ended with really sore hands, arms, and back. Being liberal with paint stripper (not that I have experience) was difficult, and I ended up probably doing more work than necessary. 

All the white paint is gone, but still needs work!

Day two was work on the drawers, as well as paint that I missed on day one. I also put stain on the top (the only bit that is completely sanded and stripped of paint), which is helpful in motivating me to work harder on the other bits. 

The reason for this dresser makeover? Fiancé really dislikes painted furniture. It was in a little girls room, and it needed either a new coat of paint or a complete overhaul. I counted at least 4 layers of paint, plus the most recent color. If I slapped another coat of paint, it would've needed to be touched up the next time we moved. So I'm striping all the paint, sanding, staining, and then topping it with a coat of poly. It's a lot of work, but I enjoy it. 

Even though I've been busy with home projects, I do have some yarn to share!!!

Decorating my books: a scarf and a shawl

My stack of books increased yesterday, as I decided to pursue the historical fiction section on Amazon. I didn't expect to get them all at the same time. Titles, in case you can't read them: The Age of Ice, The Light between Oceans, The Kitchen House, and Red Templar. It Starts with Food is obviously not fiction, and I'm still working through it, a bit at a time. 

And here's a close up of my crocheting, Hitchin' a Ride. 

Lovely self-striping Felici!

Linking up with Tami & Ginny!

More Shawls than I can count

Shawls have been the order of the day with me, as I have been trying several new patterns. I'm nearly finished with my Michele's Lace, and am planning on starting on another of Julie's designs, either Kendall's Lace or Leah's Lace.  I'm also working on a First Love, and just cast on a Summer Flies. And there's a lace shawlette that might be in progress.... So both my hooks and needles are flying!

Being bicraftual definitely has an advantage, as the yarn I'm using for Summer Flies is Candy Skein's June colorway Bubblegum Ice Cream and it is VERY variegated. Now, variegated yarns dont always play well in crochet patterns, so I switched to the knit pattern, where it does not overwhelm the pattern too much.

Summer Flies
using US size 5 circular needle
Candy Skein Yummy fingering Bubblegum Ice Cream

First Love
using US hook size H
Knit Picks Palette in Mulberry

Michele's Lace
using US hook size H
Serenity Sock dyed by me (shades of blue & purple)

Linking with Tami & Ginny for WIPW & Yarn-Along

Flowers & Wraps

Finishing up my wedding flowers! Pardon the Instagram pic, I'm  trying out my birthday phone. :-) yep! Fiancé bought me a new phone for my birthday. 

I'm also working on Michele's Lace, a semi circular shawl. It has really great texture. The yarn is Serenity Sock, a wool/bamboo/nylon blend. I dyed it myself last weekend. 

Linking up with Tami & Ginny for the usual Wednesday link ups! 

Sick of Petals!

Yes, today I am definitely tired of petals, but not in the way you may think. While thoroughly enjoy the warm spring weather and the flowers that accompany it, my hands have been busy making little flowers for hats and hairclips, and they've about had it!

In the midst of my moving and cleaning operation, I sat down to take stock of my craft show wares. Hovering comfortably between a dozen and 20 of each of my main items is a safe place to be in May, especially when I don't start attending craft shows until September. However, I wanted to bring all of my totals up to 2 dozen before tackling the quicker projects or the better selling projects. So I grabbed a few small balls of yarn and some hooks, and spent a lot of time making flowers- which I use both as embellishment on hats and on hairclips.

Add caption

Even though I over-dosed on flower making, I have not had my fill of new books yet. I'm still reading Jasper Fforde, this week One of Our Thursdays is Missing. Kathy Reichs just recently released her third Virals book called Code, and I finally have it in my hands. A few months ago, one of my students was reading it, and I was insanely jealous that their small-town library had a copy in before my library even ordered it! Along with those 2 books, I finally have a copy of Around the Corner Crochet Broders, to finish my parents' autumn colored afghan. I've browsed, picked a couple, and now just need to establish a stitch count before adding on the border. If nothing works out, I'll wing it, but having the book reassures me and makes me feel like 'at least I tried'.

Joining up with WIP Wednesday and Yarn-Along!

Changing Progress

I definitely dropped the ball on KCBW. Those weekend blogging days kill me, plus my fiance was over... I definitely could make the list longer.

But I am making some visible progress in the cleaning & moving of my possessions to my fiance's home-- less than 4 months now!

You can see a bit of the border/join here

Due to that steadily nearing deadline, I have been compelled to work on several of my larger projects. The afghan I was supposed to have done for my parents' anniversary/Christmas/etc is finally in the finishing stages. I had 6 groups of four blocks each, which I joined using the JAYG method from Edie Eckman's Connect the Motifs (LOVE this book!), and decided that it probably should be a little bit bigger. So I made 6 more squares, and am joining them together the long way, to go in between the sets of joined squares.

The new squares I added

Joining the last group

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the extra yarn-- I believe JoAnn's takes exchanges, but I'm not sure how long ago I bought the yarn, etc. (It has been within the last year).

New colors: Olive, Sweet Pea, Sapphire, Aqua, Baby Aqua

Even with all the other stuff I am doing, I had to give myself another project, as about a month after getting married, I will properly be an aunt! My fiance's sister is due a few weeks after we get married, and I really want to make a baby blanket. So of course, I have the yarn already... 

On the book front (finally!!) I am reading Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series, which is really funny and fairly decent.

Linking with Tami & Ginny!

Always a Work in Progress

I love this pattern, and I wish my camera would capture the colors better.

There are 2 big WIPs in my craft basket, and they've been there for 2 weeks and many months. The one above is the more recent of the two. Below is a creamy knitted poncho. Both are using KnitPicks yarns. 

5 sections out of 20

One is for me, one is a commissioned item. I really need to get on task and work on the knitted poncho. Friday night, it was the only project I worked on. I love the mindlessness of the knitting, now that I've figured the pattern out. I mentioned this in my Friday post, and a visual will probably help-- as you can see, it is knitted in sections (well, the lace part is) and each lace wedge has 7 yarn-over "ladders", I guess you could call them. So instead of keeping a tally, I now am able to just count the ladders to check my progress. It's a pattern that the friend who commissioned it picked up at a LYS "up north" as we say in Michigan, and I don't think the pattern is written well. Not trying to insult the designer, just saying it could be easier to understand if written better.

If nothing else, I like working on the knit better than my Steph, as the rows are over 100 stitches and take pretty much forever. I'm not even on the short rows yet!

You can see a bit of the size difference here. 

Even though I'm in the midst of KCBW, I wanted to share what I've been working on. And its not too late to get in on the fun!

Linking with Tami & Ginny for WIP Wednesday & Yarn-Along 

Making New Things!

I am so excited to have pictures to share of the new things I've been making.

Both of my WIP shawls

Ananas Crocheted Shawlette

testing new settings on my camera- B&W except for blue things :)

Stephanie's Wrap

My hand-dyed tonal pink.

I had all the yarn for my Steph wound into balls on Thursday last week, using my cousin's eldest daughter M for my swift. (Note to self: KnitPicks makes their skeins small. Drill new holes on Lazy-Susan swift.) M is really great, and she loves helping me with yarn-y stuff (I sense a new student as soon as my schedule slows down). As much as I wished I had, I didn't officially start crocheting until Sunday night, when I alternated between 3 projects.

Sunday night, my "Ananas" were just starting to appear on the shawl. But the rows were really long! So, I didn't get as far as I had wanted to, but finally added the second skein. The pineapples are starting to be visible too-- I totally love watching these sorts of patterns develop.

This was my afternoon- popcorn, tea, Rav & crocheting

With Spring Break ending and classes starting back up, my crafting time diminished. However, I will be done teaching this week, and finish all the student teaching paperwork, etc, next Friday. So, crafting time will again be a large part of my day.

Joining Tami's WIP Wednesday & Ginny's Yarn-along!

If the internet actually worked.

Of course, the internet gets super frustrating when I am home for a whole week, on and off my computer for school and crafts. Its slowness can't even be blamed on too many laptops using internet in the house because neither of my brothers are home, and my sister and I are only doing super basic stuff with our internet. All this to say that I am super sorry for no pictures today. I uploaded a few to Rav early today, but forgot to grab my WIP pics.

So, in progress this week I have Ananas Crocheted Shawlette, a LB Homespun infinity scarf (color Tulips), and yarn drying for Stephanie's Wrap. Also, a few plain hats for fall craft show stuff, but those usually get pushed to the end of the list. I am honestly trying to stash-down, and all of the projects are using stash yarn-- I even had to make do with what I had on hand so I could start working on Stephanie's Wrap. Both of the shawls are part of CSW's Support a Designer CAL, where all those participating in the CAL pick a pattern made by a member designer. A few of the participants are crocheting the same pattern, but the idea is more to get project pages attached to patterns that might not have as many projects.

My Cold Sheep progress for March was pretty good, especially with help from the CSAL. I was able to use up 2400 yards of stash. I'll admit that some of it was new yarn, but the out was greater than the in. My goal for April is to only use stash yarn, no purchases at all, and to beat my yardage total from March. Since I'm already nearing 500 and it's only April 3, I think my chances of surpassing 2400 yards used are pretty good. We shall see.

I'm linking up with Tami for WIP Wednesday and Ginny for Yarn-Along, as both share lots of yarny goodness on Wednesdays!! :-)

another Wednesday

I'm grateful for Spring Break, which is just around the corner.

My busy school schedule has been keeping me from crocheting as much as I'd like, but in these last few weeks, I'm thinking my schedule will get back to normal.

Slow progress...

Last week I was working on fingerless gloves to go with my slouch hat, but on Monday, I decided that I just wanted a scarf. So I'm making up a pattern as I go for an infinity scarf that almost matches the hat.

I'm tired of the crazy weather, and am hoping that spring will finally come our way. Not much else around here.

Linking with Tami & Ginny!

One Wednesday Closer

Getting closer to the end of my student teaching! Teaching the 3 branches of government and Renaissance & Reformation for the next few weeks, cut in half by Spring Break. Woo! Going to read some Shakespeare with my World History kiddos-- wish me luck!! :)

Working on the Pineapples for Everyone CAL, in Caron Simply Soft Paints. I just finished up the first skein, and am starting on the second. Hoping the yarn will be enough. Love the yarn, might be too busy for the pattern, but feels so soft!!

My little hands for size comparison

I shared another project earlier this week, a slouch hat in Chroma & Bare (KnitPicks), and have since started to make a pair of fingerless mitts to match.

Not true to color

This is closer to accurate color. 

I'm still trying to keep up on the Cold Sheep Along, as it runs through April. So far, I've crocheted almost 1500 yards! (My monthly best so far this year is 2070 yards, and I'm hoping to surpass that this month.)

(Anyone in the Midwest sick of the snow yet?!)

Head over to Tami's & Ginny's to check out more progress & happy yarn-y things!

WIP Wednesday Again!

I feel like several WIP Wednesdays passed without me noticing them. Being busy with student teaching and musical rehearsals and work and wedding planning has left little time for blogging and crafting. But I am still managing to work on a few things here and there.

I have so many pictures to share, but for today, I'll keep it to one.

Quite a mix today

I'm reading the World History textbook in preparation for my next round of lessons-- Kingdoms of Africa. Hopefully the students will take to it, as it is not my best area of knowledge.

There are 2 different hats in progress, both commissioned items. The black is the start of another Toothless hat, and the pink is a new design. To the far right is my finished Citron, which I will share on Friday. The green smack dab in the middle is my second Snowdrop, in Knit Picks Chroma.

I've finished my first audiobook of Lent-- CS Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Definitely one of my favorite books to read, and easy listening, especially when knitting or crocheting.

Linking with Ginny and Tami today!

Snowdrop

I am not usually one of those people who gets sick. Some years I'll get a bit of a cold, and I always have a stuffy nose during allergy season, but this time I think it's the flu. Or really close to the flu. Yesterday I called in sick to school, because I did not feel well enough to drive. I slept most of the day, so my early imaginings of making lots of progress on some of my projects was not realized.

However, by midafternoon-- three naps and lots of liquids later-- Mom thought it might be alright for me to go into my library job. I sit at a desk for a couple of hours, and only talk if patrons have questions, so I mostly agreed with her. I spent some time on lesson planning for the next few days of my government class, then moved on to a more relaxing activity-- crocheting.

My Snowdrop has progressed quite a bit, and when I got it out yesterday afternoon, Mom was quite taken with it-- definitely a good thing, as it is a planned gift for her (which holiday, I'm not sure yet). She has a sensitivity to pure wool products, but I've had her wear some of my other scarves made with sock yarn-- Felici and Stroll-- and she seems to think they aren't as scratchy. I'm making this Snowdrop as part of the Crochet Shoulder Wrappers CAL for February, and hopefully, I'll have time to make another this month.

Working on... Mittens!!

Even though the weather's been pretty crazy here in the great Mitten, going from freezing temps to thunderstorms and flooding, I've been encouraged by several Ravelers to go ahead with my plan to make a nice pair of wooly mittens.

A lovely cuff. 

I've had several pairs in my queue for a bit, and last night I settled on Mrs. Murdock's Mittens, a very basic pattern. I really wanted a pair of wooly mittens for the cold drive to school in the morning. But the weather's been weird, and I haven't had time... You know the drill. Hemming and hawing, and not getting anything done.

But, since I did make some progress on my parents' afghan over the weekend, I felt like I could start a new project. I'm working these mittens in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes, originally bare, but dyed green by me with Kool-Aid and food coloring.

I'm still working on my Snowdrop(s) but they're already at the point where progress doesn't look like much.

Linking up with Tami for WIP Wednesday!
Being busy with teaching leaves only small amounts of time for blogging and crafting, so even though I am hopping around and checking out all the cool stuff, I don't always have time to comment. I hope you still feel the love :)

WIP Wednesday

It's been a week or two since I've linked up with Tami's WIPW, but I have stuff to share this week (And I've prepped in advance!)(but it's still short. and lacking photos. Sorry loves)

I've been slowly working on a Mezzaluna, but am now nearing the end. If only it was portable for taking to school. I love how the pattern looks though, and with my new Knit Picks Chroma yarn, it looks awesome!



I have a few rows lefts on another Shallow Waters scarf-lette.

There are two crochet mitten patterns being mulled over in my brain right now (Friendship Mittens and Mrs. Murdock's), and I really want a chance to work on them, but don't know when I'll be able to.

Besides that, I have a few long-term WIPs that I want to get out again and work on. But, again with the time thing. Teaching is a busy business. One ripple afghan and at least one block afghan, both hoping to be resurrected this weekend... Maybe.