h o o k e d *o n* f l o w e r s

So, I've always wanted to learn how to make cute little crochet flowers. Crochet has always hurt my hands a bit, so I never learned how to crochet. But, my desire to learn how to make the flowers took over.

So, one night I downloaded a free pattern and crocheted a few flowers. The flowers were cute, I learned how to do a few crochet stitches, but something about the flowers weren't how I had always hoped.

So began the experimenting. 

First I played around with the center stitches until I found a stitch combo that I liked the look of. 
Then came the petals. These took a little more playing around with. How long to make each chain for each petal to be crocheted onto. Finally got that right. Then the final size and shape of the petals themselves. I change them a little for each flower, and I think one stitch is not really a proper stitch (but it's what completes the look of the larger petals, so I do it anyway) but have my formula down. 

My first crochet design! 

Ok, so it's just simple flowers. But I have become addicted to making them. 

And yes, making them make my hands hurt. But, still, I have made a small army of flowers.

Now to just figure out what the heck to do with them all, lol.

Stuff for my Feet

So I've been knitting for almost 3 years now, but never took up sock knitting. I didn't get it; I don't like making things twice (even gloves feel like a chore) and I didn't want to make something that will hide in boots or shoes and get wore out and abused. 

But a wonderful yarn dyer, Pandia's Jewels decided to host a Sock-A-Long for January, so I decided since I own some of her lovely sock yarn, why not? Might as well give it a try.

But first I decided to make some fun slippers using Lion Brand's Amazing yarn to see what I thought of making things for my feet. I chose Bea's Slippers, and I knit these just in time for the cold weather that blew through the midwest (our wind chill temps here got down to -48, brrrr! That's booger-freezing temps. I went out around midnight to look for a cat I heard crying by the house... which I unfortunately couldn't find, and every breath I took I could feel my nose hairs freezing up, horrible feeling, lol).

Bea's Slippers on Ravelry

I enjoyed making them, the construction was interesting (you start from the center of the sole and work your way out and up). They are simple but look very interesting. I love the look of Lion Brand's Amazing yarn, though I don't enjoy working with it.

So after finding out that I didn't mind too much knitting for my feet, I moved on and started my socks.

I picked out an easy, but cute pattern, Hermione's Everyday Socks. 
The pattern was well written, and I felt a perfect choice for a first time sock knitter. I didn't get bored with making two, they went quicker than I expected, and ooo... hand knit socks, sized just for my feet, feel oh-so-good. They feel much more comfortable than I ever expected them to, and I think I am on my way to becoming addicted to knitting socks.

h e r m i o n e  on ravelry

w i c k e d   s t o r m

And for anyone that follows my blog, 

I did finish my sweater last month, huzzah!

My First Hat Design

Decided to challenge myself (ever so slightly) by designing a hat. I went with a simple textured slouchy hat. I'm happy with it.

Katniss Cowl/Vest

Katniss Vest, knit in Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick

Since September I have been slowly knitting a very pretty sweater pattern. I got to the point after finishing the first sleeve (with one sleeve left to go before finishing the sweater) that I needed a break and I needed it now. And I needed an instant gratification project. 

About a month ago I bought the yarn and pattern to make Anaid Designs Katniss Cowl Vest. I decided to make that.

Unfortunately, joann.com sent me the wrong needles (I ordered US 35, they sent me US 50, which isn't even listed for sale on their website) and never responded to my messages to customer service, so I sighed, and began knitting anyway.

After 3 nights of work, and some very sore hands and shoulders thanks to the huuuuge needles, I was finished with my most awesome, fashionable item. I wore it for a day out and felt fabulous. 

I have plans to make a second, in nicer 100% wool yarn, with the proper sized needles, which I ordered off of etsy.

I love this pattern, and recommend it to any knitter coveting Katniss Everdeen's (Jennifer Lawrence) interestingly constructed (albeit hers is weaved, not knit or crocheted) cowl-necked half-vest.

For those wondering, this is the 

sweater I am making, right 

before I started the sleeves...

Textured Soap Pouch

Wow, is this poor little neglected blog is dusty!

I've been very busy knitting during this cold and snowy winter.

                        I guess I will share my latest creation, just a simple soap pouch.

Textured Soap Pouch

I bought some yummy beeswax soap yesterday (from Morning Song Gardens in case you are curious), so decided to knit up a quick little cozy for it. I had a little bit of left over Green Mountain Spinnery Maine Organic yarn, so decided to use that, as I didn't want to use a new ball of anything for it. 

I don't typically write patterns, if I make things up as I go, I just do it and don't keep notes. This soap pouch is pretty straight forward, though, so hopefully my notes make sense if you'd like to make one as well.

It's a very simple pattern that can easily be adapted to fit your choice of soap. Just the same, in case you wonder, I was getting 4 or 5 stitches per inch, I didn't measure closely, just held a couple fingers up to the stitches to get an idea.

Using US 5 DPNs, I cast on 30-ish stitches using Judy’s Magic Cast On (I cast on 30)... I just kind of stretched out the stitches on the needles, then held my soap up to it until I decided it was wide enough to comfortably go around the bar of soap. 

Work in seed until slightly longer than bar of soap, but not enough to fold over the top, I went about one round past the top of the soap in seed stitch. 

Note: With Judy's Magic Cast On, the bottom is done, so you can just keep putting the bar into the pouch to check the size, no guessing needed! And, no seaming!!

Switch to contrast color [CC] (if wanted) but don't break the yarn on the MC, just carry it up the inside of the pouch. I didn't want to wind up a ball of my darker Maine Organic and had no scraps, so I just used some scraps of Cascade Eco Wool.

Purl 3 rounds

Switch back to MC, and do whatever you choose, break the yarn on the CC or carry it inside. I chose to break it off.

Knit 4 rounds

This round (5th), Make holes in preferred small button hole method, however many you want, evenly spaced. I made 4, with a yo, ssk.

Knit 4 rounds (on the first round after the "button" holes, when I got to the yo’s, I ktbl)

Switch to CC

Purl 2 rounds

Bind Off

Weave in ends

Make rope, long enough to hang from. I did a 3 stitch icord. 

Weave through holes. I then grafted the two ends of the rope together and left that part inside the pouch.

Stick soap inside, and enjoy! You'll have a nice textured, scrubby, reusable soap pouch. 

If you use wool, as I did, keep in mind it will felt from use.

Enjoy! 

If it Could Only Last All Year....

Ah, how I love Autumn. Most certainly, my favorite time of the year.

Words seem to fail me when I think of how to describe how I love crunching through the leaves on a brisk fall day, with one or all of my dogs toddling along with me (covered in leaves themselves because they are a bit short and their hair is like velcro). I just love it, and make sure to take a long weekend at some point every October to soak in the weather and color.

Anyway, since words fail me, I invite you to take a look at some of the pictures I've taken the past couple days:

Visit here to see more :)

Why Do We Clothe Our Cups?

Like many people, simply stated, I love coffee. 

But why do many people feel the need to dress their coffee? I mean, sure, people tend to like clothes. We like to dress in clothes, we like to dress our pets (I mean, what's cuter than a little fluffy dog in a little cozy sweater?)... but why do we also feel the need to dress our coffee cups?

I mean, sure. Cup cozies keeps our hands from burning a little when we hold the hot cup. They also probably keep the cup a little insulated. 

But, that isn't the only reason I make cup cozies... I like them because they look cute, too. 

Example: I made this one last night for my new glass travel mug.

I mean, it slides around on the cup, even though I made it smaller than the cup so that it wouldn't fall off. But the superwash (and super soft!) wool has no grip on the cup. But man is it cute, and will make all the other coffee cups jealous. 

I think that when I walk past other people with coffee cups in had, little naked cups, that the little cups get a little embarrassed. And they have no hand (no hands!) to cover their little naked selves. So they just blush and try not to make eye contact with my snazzilly clad cup.

So, please, don't let your coffee go out in public naked. 

Yarn is Knitpicks Swish DK in Lava Heather.