Frog & Toad

 I'm working on a new project.

Acrachne

 The story goes, that the weaver Arachne boasted of her weaving skill to the extent that Athena herself came to challenge her to a contest. When Arachne's weaving (depicting the Gods' mistreatment of mortals) was in fact more beautiful than Athena's, Athena was so insulted she tore the piece to shreds. Arachen then hanged herself. And Athena said "Live on then, and yet hang, condemned one, but, lest you are careless in the future, this same condition is declared, in punishment, against your descendants, to the last generation!"

And so Arachne became a spider.

I love spiders.

I find that they represent Patience. Creativity. Cleverness.

I always feel a bit like a spider, in that a lot of people may find me repulsive and want to squish me but that I have some good qualities and really the world is better off with me in it.

Hope you are finding time to craft. This one is almost done.

Mittens mittens mittens

I bought several skeins of this Big Twist- Twinkle in Mulberry from Joann a while back. I think I was planning to make a sweater for either myself or for my niece. But come Christmas-time I ended up wanting to make a present for my 7-year-old daughter's best friend. I still think I have enough to make a sweater because I used so little for the mittens.

I like how they have just a little sparkle. The pattern is just a basic one I have used for many kid's mittens over the years. I decided to make Chloe a little matching hat as well:

Then a friend of mine posted on Facebook that she was freezing cold. Living on the US East Coast they were getting lots of snow and under 30degree faranheit weather and so I offered to make her some mittens too.

This pattern, Martinique Mittens was 4.50 Euro and well worth it. I am loving how the Patons Classic Wool knits up.

I should have used a smaller needle, though. The pattern calls for a 4 but I thought it called for a 6 and used a 5. (I usually knit looser than others) However, the first mitten (though a wee bit long) does fit well enough that I'm making the second one.

The only problem is that stress & the winter weather is making my psoriatic arthritis act up.

The other night I sat on my bed and put on a movie just to sit there with the four skeins of yarn and my mitten in progress on my lap. Not a stitch worked; it just hurt too much.

Hopefully I can finish them and send them off to Casie Jo sooner than later. :(

FO's: A pair of Mittens and an Xmas Sweater

 Ahhh December 13th.

So many fond memories.... This day 8 years ago was my last drink of alcohol. This day 8 years ago I said my marriage vows. This day 5 years ago my Father-in-law shot himself in the head in the backyard and took his life.

I, too, struggle with depression and can understand why he did it. Sometimes I think if I could go back in time and change my life ... where would I go back to? Before I got married? Before I had my first son? Before I got suspended from school? And I settle on, nahhh I would go back to when I was 12 years old and FIRST considered suicide and fucking go ahead and do it and save the world all the misery I have brought upon it. 

So.

That's what's on my mind.

Nonetheless she knits.

Mittens for my daughter, to keep her 7 year old hands warm in the snow. Made with Knit Picks Wool of The Andes, and stranded so they should insulate well. It's a free pattern, and one that I've made before. I made the same pattern for my son when he was 4 years old. Heaven only knows where those went off to. These will probably be lost soon, as well.

And then for my niece, a sweater for Xmas.

Is that me wearing a 10-year-old's sweater? Well yes. Hopefully I can get a pic of her wearing it that is more flattering. This one was made with a Joann yarn called "Big Twist Reverb" and I actually quite liked it. It's got 311 yds per ball and took only 3 to make this sweater. It's soft, it's washable, and there were no knots or major inconsistencies with the yarn as I worked it. I may have to purchase some more of this... (Like I don't already have enough yarn- let alone sweaters! How many sweaters do I think I can wear?)

The pattern is Magnolia Bloom JR and, though you can't tell due to the yarn I chose, it has a gorgeous yoke pattern with bobbles and yarn overs. Hopefully it will show better on her smaller frame. But either way. It's there. I did a thing. I made it.

As for my house & craft room.... well... 

Things may turn out pretty poor soon. Nobody in my personal life reads this blog so I guess I can say: I'm fairly sure my husband has been using Meth and a divorce may be in my near future. That would lead to a big upheaval of my whole family/life. And knitting, of course, falls by the wayside.

Still.

She knits on.

Hoping you also have courage to keep making things.

Sadie's Sweater!

Last year I finally crocheted the "Habitat Cardigan," out of some Cloudborn Fibers Wool Bulky Naturals that I bought on sale from Webs. Although I like the look and feel of the yarn in the skein, when worked up it just wasn't super cozy on me, and I had 3 balls remaining when the sweater was done. Into the stash they went.

Then later this year as it started to approach October I started thinking: WOULDN'T IT BE CUTE TO BUY A SWEATER SET TO MATCH MY DOG??????? I mean, she's a black German Shepard (we got  her in April so Sadie is new to The Blog, say hi) and I do wear black nearly every day but wouldn't it be cute if we like, Dressed Up Together???

I scoured Etsy and found some LOVELY ideas. A seller named "FitFrenchie" had some especially cute items, and I ooh-lah-lah'd at this one for quite some time:

Do you see this amazing set???? I am IN LOVE!!

But I was not in love with the cost, as at the moment I'm trying to conserve on my spending. The sweater set is $80.00 which is completely reasonable and if I wasn't being careful with money currently I would absolutely snag it. But... Alas.... Sadly I closed the computer screen and pouted about our lack of matching outfits until I remembered the three forgotten skeins of Cloudborn!

I knew it would be enough to fit Sadie! There was even a partial ball left over too.

So I wound the skeins and found several cute crochet patterns that would match the look of the habitat cardigan. I started the project and got about 5 inches in before realizing I really didn't WANT to crochet a dog sweater. So I unwound it and went looking for knitting patterns. I settled on this adorable candy corn costume (Which I absolutely want to re-make in the appropriate colors, yes with one to match for myself also- but in the future lol) which had a great looking shape for her and matched my gauge.

Then it was time to start working it up!

Look at her little face as she watches me knit the collar instead of throw the ball for her. So cute!

This pattern had a convenient way to do the legs. You just knit in some waste yarn and then later cut it, pull it out, and pick up and work the sleeves downwards. Very easy and convenient for me.

I think it took me around 3 days to complete, so it was also a quick project which is enjoyable. Then we took a picture of us in our matching sweaters!

I think she likes it.

I didn't change the pattern, other than the colors. Well actually I did misread the short row shaping portion but not with a noticeable enough change for me to unravel and re-do it and I definitely couldn't repeat the mistake so it's really not worth mentioning.

When it starts to get snowy later in the year (earlier in the year?) I will have her wear it when we go on walkies. But for now she just wore it the one day for some pictures outside.

I think the only thing I would redo (besides actually following the proper short row shaping haha) is make the collar section longer so it goes up her neck more. Otherwise it turned out pretty nice. And she definitely didn't complain about the yarn lol.

I can't wait to make more outfits to match my dog! I can already envision several. And then Knitty came out with this pattern with yet another way to match your dog. I can imagine so many fun patterns to either knit into the sweater or duplicate stitch or embroider on afterwards. I just wish I had more time to knit :)

Happy Knitting!

CEFALU Jumper - Work in Progress

Not too long ago I was browsing eBay, like you do.

And I ran across a lot of Cascade Venezia. It was 6 skeins in a dark green colorway called, "Shamrock." It was only about $5 per ball, which I considered to be a good deal and so into the cart it went. I had no plans for this yarn. And it wasn't until I was doing some math later on that I realized that actually 6 skeins might not be enough for a sweater for myself. I ended up casting on for my 12 year old niece instead.

The pattern is the Cefalu Jumper by Evgeniya Dupliy. I chose it because of its relaxed fit and seam-free design. The way this one works out is you start at knitting in the round from the bottom, work up to the armholes and then split the garment. Work back and forth to create the front and back pieces and neck shaping. Then pick up and knit the sleeves down toward the cuff.

So at this point in the sweater I have 1 full skein left, plus a mini-skein's worth left over from the prior ball. And one complete sleeve left to knit. I believe that the first sleeve took me an entire skein plus about the same size mini-skein. I may or may not have used that same skein to knit the collar. Hopefully I did because that would give me some wiggle room. I have shortened the sleeves by about 2" due to lack of yarn.

There are two reasons I'm low on yarn. 1) The sweater measures larger around than I thought (it was on a circular needle and it looked like it would definitely not fit me, but it absolutely does.) and 2) I lengthened the body by an inch or two because I don't like cropped tops.

I actually very much do not want to give this sweater to my niece. I like it very very much.

I told that to my daughter and she said, "well, you can just knit yourself one in a different color."

I mean. 

It's true.

One year in our new home~!!

Wow - I have had a busy year! Changing jobs, switching insurance & trying to find a good medication for my chronic illnesses has been challenging. But throughout it all, one stitch at a time, I did complete a few projects.

The first one I want to share is Gowanus. This fun, bulky collared pullover by Sandi Prosser was quick to work up in Big Twist Natural Blend Solids yarn in "Peony Pink" colorway.

I did modify the sleeves, because the garter stitch edges didn't sit right with me. I ended up pulling out the cast-on and re-knitting in a K1P1 rib.

I made this sweater as a gift for a friend, and I do hope she likes it! She likes pink. The Collar is kind of a reach- not sure how that will go over, but I'm sending it with a note that basically says: "hey I am NOT hurt if you never ever wear this and end up donating it or selling it as a 'handmade item'."

Personally, I would keep a sweater if someone made it for me. But for me, the important part was making it, thinking of her, and making the gesture of giving it to her.

I have more to share, but again I'm so busy!!! 

Hope you are making time to craft something beautiful ❤