handmade by stefanie

Recently, I came across a Raveler who used my Mustachio Nosewarmer pattern to create a clever Mustache for the Baltimore 'Stache Bash , a mock beauty pageant celebrating the brave men who have spent a month growing mustaches and raising money for Baltimore City Schools! KaceyJH oh-so-cleverly knit the mustache & used the i-cord ties to affix said mustache to her face, no nosewarmer needed!  Looks like some mustachey fun to me - be sure to check out more photos by photographer Margaret Hart by clicking here and here .  Photos by Margaret Hart, used with permission.  Oh yeah, before I forget....happy new year, everyone!  Here's hoping 2012 is a good year for all. 

Consider this an addendum to my preview last month - now that I've had more time to absorb Clara Parkes' latest effort, I have much more to say on the subject! I still maintain that no matter how many sock books you have on your shelf (I clock in at about 13), you need to buy The Knitter's Book of Socks , too.   First off - awesome patterns.  There are several socks I'll be making out of this book - and at this point of my sock-making life, I feel as though that's saying something.  As I mentioned before, I've picked up many of the new sock books, flipped through them, and determined I could live without them on my shelf (no, I'm not naming names!).  The patterns were fine, but nothing earth-shattering - I felt as though I could approximate them via the many other titles in my collection.  The layouts were, on the whole, well-done, but graphic design is not enough.  The Knitter's Book of Socks surpasses its contemporaries in one important area: the &q

At least, not for us.  We are heading down to Kansas City next week to celebrate with our families, since Tyler couldn't get time off over any of the three holidays this year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.  That's the way it goes in the hospitality industry.  We had a nice, quiet Christmas yesterday - curiously, they gave him yesterday off (of course, we didn't find out about it til 2 days prior, but I'll take what I can get)!  We made pancakes in the morning, opened presents and stockings, and spent the rest of the day eating food, drinking beer, and watching DVDs.  Works for me!  We also had a great Christmas Eve with our friends & landlords who invited us upstairs for a pizza party.  Tyler got off work in time to join us for board games and present-opening, and we managed to squeeze in the traditional Christmas Eve Ritter Family Stocking Shopping that evening!  There are only two projects I can share with you so far - for Lauren, I knit a mons

The Rule of Threes paid me a visit recently.  The mildest case involved a monster do-over caused by a simple miscalculation of yardage while using leftover skeins from my stash.  Not the end of the world, admittedly, but I did find myself frogging an entire monster body on Tuesday night - not how I'd hoped to spend the evening! I also recently knit the Brier Toque (from Weekend Knits ) with a gorgeous skein of Neighborhood Fiber Company Watershed Sock yarn that I bought at Article Pract several years ago on our west coast 'tour.'  The colorway is Glover Park, and I've been saving it for a special occasion.  The hat started out well enough, but after a while my bamboo needles (and fingers!) started to turn a deep forest green.  Uh oh.  Yet I pressed onward! Once the hat was done, I tossed it in a nice bath of a bit of Eucalan and some cool water.  And the water turned green.  So I put it in another bath.  And another!  By the time the fourth bath rolled around,

Alcaucil Sock: Tough to Photograph! Since successfully destashing a good 75% (possibly more!) of my Malabrigo collection for Stockpile in October, it seems as thought just as much has found its way back into my life.  Not that I'm complaining....there are far worse problems than having luscious skeins show up on your doorstep! I was randomly selected to win this skein of sock in one of my favorite colors, #805 Alcaucil - apparently, I properly tagged and classified all of my Stockpile projects.  At last, my anal-retentiveness and ability to follow directions have been rewarded! I've got big plans for this yarn - I think it wants to be the model for the Heliotrope Stockings when I re-release this pattern in January...which reminds me:  if you want to knit this pattern in the next couple of months, I recommend you purchase it from The Sanguine Gryphon this week.  They are in the process of winding down operations, and  come Dec. 24th (or thereabouts), this pattern will b

Mercourier has whipped up another adorable Button Bunny - this medium-size bunny only took a day from start to finish! If you're having any last-minute gifting emergencies, the fastest toy in the midwest is just what you need (and it's not too late to get 20% off your pattern purchase - just enter "GiftCute" at checkout!) Pattern:  Button Bunnies Yarn: The Wool Dispensary Greater Poison in Aerial Ballet (MC) and Georgia Building Castles (CC) Hello there.

First off, thanks to everyone who entered my contest and checked out my blog.  I enjoyed reading all of your comments and stoking my own startitis (meanwhile, I keep adding to my holiday gift knitting list - what is wrong with me?!?!). Our two Bonfire Fingerless Gloves pattern winners are: Carmen said... I intend to finish a short-sleeved sweater I started for myself a couple of years ago. If I start in Jan, maybe I'll have it done by summer! Julie H. Rose said... I plan on making myself a make-it-up-as-I-go-along fine gauge shawl, BUT as I got a big gift certificate for my LYS recently, I'm thinking I just might make a fair isle sweater. Unfortunately, I keep thinking about the unfinished projects in a certain closet. . .maybe it's time to finish them? On the other hand, I could rip 'em all out. . . And of course, the moment you've all been waiting for - our grand prize winner of 1 lovely skein of sock yarn from Kitchen Sink Dyeworks & a

Sock Yarn Mini-Skeins: Mysteries & Mayhem Two blog posts in one day?! WHAT??  This news flash just couldn't wait til tomorrow: I've marked down the last 5 sets of miniskeins in my shop - each one is ten bucks a pop, get 'em while they're hot!   Click here to start shoppin'! I'm not sure if I'll be doing more miniskein sets in the new year - while it was fun and thoroughly addictive - almost addictive as hexipuffing is! -  I think 2012 is going to be incredibly busy in other aspects of my life, and I don't want to let my faithful hexipuffers down with spotty customer service. At any rate:  once these sets are gone, they're GONE .  I'll be using the same shop address to destash extraneous craft supplies for the remainder of this year - yarn, buttons, beads, etc.   So please bookmark it and check back, or follow me on Twitter - the best way to get shop updates & tomfoolery.  On a slightly unrelated note, I've been orchestrat

Mr. Nubbins by Mercourier I don't want to stress you out by saying how many sleeps we have til xmas or anything, but it's go time!  I'm all about fast gifts I can make in a day (or two), and in the spirit of panicked last-minute knitting projects, I'm offering 20% off ALL of my patterns - just enter "GiftCute" at checkout! Then get ready to Gift Cute for real - because it's Mr. Nubbins to the rescue!  He and his counterpart, Lady Nubbins , are knit out of big 'ol bulky wool and fly off those US#13 needles. Button Bunnies I made all three Button Bunnies in a weekend's time, and you can make the whole trio or just knit one up for gifting purposes.  They're sure to delight no matter what!  Alien Hand Puppets are an adorable quick gift for young nieces and nephews.  If you make some out of cotton or bamboo and embroider eyes instead of using safety eyes, they'll double as fun washcloths for bathtime! Alien Hand Puppet Then

I wrote a longer review for this book once I got to spend more time with it - for those of you who don't receive the Windy City Knitting Guild Newsletter , here is the full version:  Dreaming of Spring Mittens by Elli Stubenrauch Yarn: Mountain Meadow Wool Candy Image © Sixth&Spring/Tanis Gray Interlocking Rings Cowl by Danielle Romanetti Yarn: Alpacas of Windswept Farm 100% Alpaca Image © Copyright by Sixth&Spring/Tanis Gray Knit Local by Tanis Gray Tanis Gray's tome about American-based yarn purveyors is nothing short of remarkable.  There are lots of companies you know and love - Brown Sheep, Brooklyn Tweed, and Quince & Co., for example - and several that are new to the scene that may have escaped your notice til now.  The book's introduction sets the tone and has plenty of food for thought in its two pages.  The remainder of the book is comprised of profiles for each yarn company grouped by region and including patterns using that com

Yes, the panic is beginning to set in....no matter how early you begin your holiday crafting (and I usually start mine in the summertime!), it simply can't be avoided.  It's crunch time, and besides having a ton of gift knitting to finish, one more pattern to put out (ha, ha!), holiday shopping to do, and of course, the work that pays the bills, I find myself coming up short in the "time" department.  Plus, there's just so many fun things to do this time of year - the Christkindlmarket , about 3,000 craft shows, and holiday parties!  I'm only going to one holiday party this year (when you telecommute, there's not such thing as a holiday staff party - unless it's via Skype!), but we are playing two shows that will be vaguely holiday-ish, in that we'll play a few of our Christmas Songs....though they don't really sound Christmassy.  But never mind that...at any rate, so I'm filing them under "holiday party."  Chicago peeps, hope t

I've just received word from Donna at Sister Arts that the Malabrigo trunk show has landed!   I'm so thrilled to be taking part in their upcoming knit night event this Thursday, December 8 from 7-10pm.  I'll be bringing lots of fun models (from Book 3 and otherwise) for you to check out.  The Stuffed Ostrich Toy , Kitchy Pleated Bag , and Quick Draw Socks will all be there in person along with the many other fantastic patterns by fellow contributors Stephen West, Julie Weisenberger, Kristen Rengren, Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark and Bree Miller.  As an added bonus, you'll enjoy 15% off your total purchase of any in-stock yarn & copy of Book 3.   Click here for more details on the Sister Arts website.   Hope to see you there!

The theme of today is Minneapolis.  Why, you ask? Button Bunnies! Reason #1:  The Button Bunny Kits I made in conjunction with The Wool Dispensary will be at the Sweatshop of Love booth at this weekend's No Coast Craft Fair ! Reason #2:  Earlier this week, I was the guest blogger/resident indie rock nerd on the Vegan Craftastic blog!  Click here to check out this fantastic Minneapolitan's blog (is that the proper term for a person who resides in Minneapolis?).  She has invited various guest bloggers to share their top picks for holiday gifting this year.  If you're scratching your head wondering what to get that hard-to-buy person in your family, let one of the many gift guides on the Vegan Craftastic blog point you in the right direction! Everything you need, just add stuffing! I've only been to Minneapolis a handful of times, and it's a lovely city (though unfortunately, we've never had much luck playing shows there for whatever reason - but

Recently, I've been starting various small projects since I need a little instant knitting gratification!  I've been having fun making little scrubby tawashis using this easy free pattern and various cotton and cotton/bamboo yarns I have in my stash.  Here's the one I finished over the weekend in Araucania Patagonia Nature Cotton: I don't think I've posted much about the Travel Shawl from Knitting 24/7 that I've been making since Malabrigo Stockpile in October.  This warlock of a shawl is almost done - and it was turning out beautifully, until I dropped a stitch and didn't notice it for ten flipping rounds.  Oops.  I picked it back up, but it's not exactly unnoticeable - and since I was knitting it as a gift for someone, I am now having to trot out Plan B.   Thankfully, Plan B is a much easier project to make, but I'm still pretty bummed that this shawl isn't going to work out.  If we ever kiss and make up and I finish this thing, it will b

Apparently today is Pay a Blogger day - finally, a cause I can really get behind!  In all seriousness, think of all the awesome blogs you read on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.  We don't do it for money or glory (well, usually....neither has really found its way to me so far, anyway!), we just really like to write about the things we love to do.  Even if you don't have money in your budgets throw a little monetary support our way, leaving a nice comment or sharing your favorite blogs with your friends is a great way to pay us back.  Not that I speak for bloggers everywhere by any stretch of the imagination, but appreciation and word-of-mouth promotion can go a long way.  So, if you feel so inclined, check out my patterns and buy a few via Ravelry or Paypal .  Treat yourself to some mini skeins!   Purchase anything from my etsy shop for 25% off using coupon code "CyberMondayHangover."  Like my page on Facebook and share it with your friends.  Please also visi

It's Black Friday, or Buy Nothing Day if you prefer.  While some of you are sacrificing sleep to get a bargain at any number of big box retailers, I will be lazing around the house in my pajamas, drinking tea and admiring my handiwork from yesterday.  I apologize if that sounds overly smug, but I am just not into the insanity of Black Friday, no matter how good the deals are.  This is the first year we're not heading to Kansas City (our hometown) for the holidays.  As previously mentioned, Tyler will be working throughout the holiday season (six day weeks!  11 hour days!  at least he's union, so that's some nice time-and-a-half - cha-ching!).  To make up for the fact that we won't be upholding any of our usual holiday traditions, I am decorating the house like crazy.  Ok, maybe not that crazy...but I am definitely stepping up my efforts in the holiday decor department, which in years past has been fairly lackluster (we didn't have a tree til last year - to

...a Zombie Bunny with a pom-pom tail.  NOTHING. (this is my way of saying "Happy Thanksgiving," apparently) Rav user Mercourier - aka my buddy Sam, proprietress extraordinaire of The Wool Dispensary - recently made this zombie bunny who uses its snuggliness to its advantage so it may feast on your brains.  She used the Button Bunnies pattern, The Wool Dispensary Greater Poison in a new mystery colorway for the MC and Riverpoet Fiber and Yarn in "Blood Orange Massacre" for the CC....not to mention pink safety eyes and a cool skull toggle button to great effect! Hope you have a wonderful holiday today - and remember, tomorrow is BUY NOTHING DAY (for real).  On Saturday, be sure to support your LYS and other small businesses, tooo (such as The Wool Dispensary , or perhaps an independent designer whose blog you enjoy reading??)!

File under "as though my queue isn't long enough already"....I got a treasure trove of books for my birthday!  There have been some really interesting titles published this fall - many featuring my clients, which necessitates me talking A LOT about how awesome said books/patterns/yarns are.  We all know what weak sales resistance I typically have in these situations, and I've done a great job of convincing myself I need these books on my shelf...and so do you, because if I'm going down with the ship, I'll need a little company. Here's my birthday book booty: 1. The Knitter's Life List - I actually hadn't heard of this book, so I was really delighted to start flipping through it.  While drinking tea this morning,  I learned all sorts of interesting little factoids.  It's kind of like an encyclopedia for knitters - overviews of types of fiber & yarns, interviews with influential knitterati, a comprehensive listing of every fiber show,