Skip to main content

Friday Fun, Inaugural Edition

I know I haven't been blogging as much as I used to, but I don't want to get out of the habit since it's something I've always enjoyed doing. I've been working on a lot of long-term projects (some of which are secret) and haven't had an FO in quite some time, so that made it easy to skip Friday posts...and then I didn't want to keep posting the same projects with very little noticeable progress each Wednesday - basically, it was a slippery slope.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to start sharing what's new/interesting/noteworthy, especially when I don't have a finished project to share. For example, here's what's been tickling my fancy lately:

Enamel Pins
Has anyone else noticed the enamel pin craze? I've been following this trend for a while (mostly on Instgram) but only recently hopped on the bandwagon. I was super excited when one of my clients, Bijou Basin Ranch, came out with a cute Yak Knitting enamel pin earlier this month (it's the first in the series!). It's joined my small but growing pin collection:

Untitled

3D Printing
Here's another trend I've been following, and quite honestly, I am surprised that this hasn't found more of an audience in the knitting world. Turtlemade's 3D printed Turkish spindles have been quite popular for a few years now, but I figured that someone would be selling 3D printed knitting needles or hooks by now (if you know of someone, let me know in the comments!). Anyway, my friend Julie sent me this link about a 3D printed sweater and I thought it was rather interesting. Perhaps this is the perfect answer to the constant question we're always asked as crafters (that is, if they reach their Kickstarter goal).
Image via Kniterate

Amazing Billboards
I can't imagine how much this cost, but one clever artist has been replacing ads on billboards with photos of the landscape they're blocking. It's genius! I would absolutely love to see one when driving down the highway.
Image via DesertX.org.
Rally Cats
I am delighted whenever animals run on the field during a sporting event, and secretly hope it will happen at one I am watching. The closest I got was last year's Rally Mantis for the Royals, which was fun, but not as fun as this cat that ran on the field during a Marlins game earlier this week! He looks just like a tiny Robin, and the commentators' play-by-play makes it even funnier to me - and I love how the Marlins social media team handled it in the Twitterverse:

DonCattingly
I'd love to hear about what's inspiring you this week, too!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends,  so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with  this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks).  The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels?  I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my  taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b