Skip to main content

The Kismet of Giveaways

Malabrigo Stockpile presses on!  Since my last update, I've cast on for a Button Bunny in Rasta and made some progress on my Travel Shawl.  My non-stockpile sock projects are inching forward, too - last night I started the toe decreases for colorwork sock #1!

I've also completed one more project from my Stockpile list - the Robin's Egg Blue hat!  This fun little hat knit up super fast - two days, in fact! I think I spent more time agonizing over which button to use from my stash.  This is my absolute favorite Malabrigo colorway (charrua) and I can't wait to wear this hat over the winter!

I also want to revisit the recently-completed Madison Mitts - this pattern just happens to be by none other than Alysson from The Sweatshop of Love, and it truly is total dumb luck that my knitting this pattern and her hosting a Mr. Nubbins giveaway on her blog just happened to occur at the same time.  I promise, we didn't plan it this way, but it's great because I actually won her entire Hello Winter! e-book last January by entering a giveaway on her blog....we've come full circle!  I'm really excited to be able to pay it all forward - I remember how thrilled I was to have won some cool free patterns.

Back then, I was still slogging away at the salon, with only my smartphone and some knitting to keep me company.  The thing that sucks the most about working in the beauty industry is that you don't get paid if you don't have clients (and quite often, if you have clients and they don't show up - booo!).  You have to be at work, but all you can do is wait and hope....and enter contests, apparently.  So even though I had a lackluster day at work wherein I didn't make much money, I at least had something to show for my efforts!  

There's still time to enter the Mr. Nubbins giveaway, incidentally.  Sidle on over to The Sweatshop Of Love blog to leave your comment, then cross your fingers and hope that the Random Number Generator will pick you as our lucky winner!

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