handmade by stefanie

After spending the last year knitting tons of cowls and triangular scarves, I have upset the ratio of hats to scarves in my house.  Luckily, it's pretty easy to even the keel - just make a ton of hats this summer!  This coincides nicely with the arrival of the Knitter's Pride Cubics Special IC Set I've been drooling over (yet again, I have enabled myself  in the course of doing my job*!).  The deal with these is that they have shorter tips that, when used with the enclosed cord, produce a 16" circumference....perfect for hat-making. Roscoe Village Hat! I don't think they were in the house a full 24 hours before I had to cast something on to try them out. I've been meaning to make the Roscoe Village Hat from Breean Elyse Miller's Hot Child in the City collection for a while now, so I grabbed my handspun yarn I'd set aside for the project, assembled my needles, and cast on! This hat was a nice, easy knit, though I'm not sure the dark-colo...

Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!  I promise I'm working only a little and spending the rest of my time crafting up a storm.  I'm working on crocheting several display containers for our TNNA booth, am still (!) finishing my Beulah Cardigan (more on that later), have a never-ending pair of toe-up socks on the needles, and just started a hat.  But, on the bright side, I finished my first Star Wars amigurumi and a monster recently! R2D2 by Lucy Ravenscar Yarns Used: Berrocco Vintage in White, Stitch Nation Bamboo Ewe in Mercury, and Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Navy Hook Size: G/6 Geet the Garage Monster by Rebecca Danger (from The Big Book of Knitted Monsters ) Yarns Used: Cascade 220 in Herb, Pick Up Sticks Small Balls in Chocolate Needle Size: US #5

Seaming the Fir Trees Cowl took very little time, surprisingly.  As you can see, I'm loving my brand new lacy cowl... ...Perhaps a little too much!

I finished my second May KAL project this week, the Fir Trees Cowl by Marly Bird.  It's blocked and ready for seaming this weekend - all in all, it turned out pretty well!  I had a few false starts and some bumps along the way, yet somehow my mistakes are not as visible as I feared they'd be.  Not that I'm complaining!  This was my first time knitting with angora yarn ( Seraphim from Bijou Basin Ranch) - it was incredibly soft and held up quite well to multiple froggings.  The Fir Trees Cowl is classic example of a deceptively simple pattern that I just can't seem to stop messing up - I think my final count for re-starts was 4. Even though it's going to be quite hot this weekend, I'm looking forward to wearing my pretty new cowl since I worked so hard on it.  And it was worth it! I also whipped up a trio of Tiny Gnomes from Teeny-Tiny Mochi Mochi  this week.  A simple, fast knit - the perfect project to start after finishing a lace pr...

A few finished projects flew in under my radar, which is a shame since this first one especially would have been timely if I'd shared it on here when it was still fresh.  Presenting Zipper the Easter Bunny , who was knit in a day on March 28th (see what I mean?) by Rav user mimulus .  Oh so adorable! The main color is Plymouth Encore Worsted Tweed with some mystery yarn for the contrast pocket.  Take note for next year, I suppose! (you should also check out mimulus' blog - there is an awesome pattern for a Distinguished Gentleman's Wig awaiting you!) This second finished project was  the March Monthly Mystery Project for Tangled Purls in Salem, OR .  A while back, they contacted me for permission to use my free pattern for the Reversible Cabled Wrist Warmers in a class - and naturally, I said yes!  Then, as is my wont, I completely forgot about it til I came across BlueDragon 's finished project on Ravelry.  Hoping to see more finished wrist w...

It's been a while since I've shared the latest knitter projects from Ravelry.  Here is the latest crop of Kitchy Pleated Bags from Malabrigo Book Three . First up, Rav user annedonn  made a spring-y version with Cascade yarns, fancy purse handles, and some seriously rad buttons: Rav user Kelly0706 combined 1 skein of Rasta in Lettuce with a pretty color of Cascade Bulky to make this cute bag.  The super-cute buttons are the perfect finishing touch! Finally, I can't resist a project photo with an animal in it - here is Rav user Knotjustknits ' destah version using Kraemer Yarns Bear Creek .  I'm a little intrigued by the yarn/colorway; it looks like the lighting in the photo is a little off, but it's a cute Kitchy nonetheless!

Last week, we watched Soul Power, which was a documentary about the Zaire 1974 concert featuring James Brown and BB King (among other notable musicians) leading up to the famed George Foreman/Mohammed Ali Fight.  Besides featuring some really awesome music, I got a dose of unexpected knitspiration from the Pembe Dance Troupe - check out their amazing costumes, which appear to be totally crafted (knit? crochet?) out of grasses.  Truly incredible!

I'm still convinced that this whole scarf/cowl combo needs to be commonly referred to as a scowl. I'm probably alone on that one, but at any rate, I have finished my second Zuzu's Petals .  As you can see, it got a little out of control: That tiny cowl is the first Zuzu's Petals I knit (using US #4 needles and a skein of Finito for a closer fit, i.e. more cowl than scarf), which I've included it for scale.  What happened with Zuzu the Second , you ask?  I'm not sure how this is possible, but I used the wrong needle size.  Like, REALLY wrong.  Four sizes too large wrong, in fact.  It puzzles me that I didn't think at any point "hey, these needles are awfully big!"  Actually, I think think that a few times, but instead opted to knit away blissfully.  Go figure. So, long story short, kids:  6mm needles and US #6 needles are NOT one in the same.  I do, however, like the finished product - it's probably the closest thing to a poncho I'...

Remember those pillows I knit for my cousin who got married last year ( here's a refresher if you haven't memorized every one of my blog posts)?  She recently sent me this photo of her cat Marley enjoying a nap: Few felines can resist the prime napping real estate a hand-knit pillow provides (mine certainly can't).  Happy upcoming first anniversary to Alex & Derek!

After a weekend filled with knitting, here's where I stand on my many WIPs: Zuzu's Petals KAL for MadMay & Doodlebug Yarns: Prior to the start of the weekend, I was all set to join for the round when I noticed two botched stitches I knew would bother me if I left as-is….so I ripped out half of my work, also known as the entire evening's progress.  So frustrating!  The beginning section is probably the easiest part, too - stockinette with a few RS increases. Nevertheless, I got back on track and had a finished scarf/cowl by the end of the weekend.  Fir Trees Cowl KAL: I had to frog and restart a few times because I kept twisting the cast-on.  Why is it that, in my many years of knitting projects in the round, I am only now becoming prone to this annoying problem? WHY? I finally gave up and decided to knit flat - which is how the pattern is written anyhow....quite possibly for a reason!  I will say, though the angora laceweight seems delicate, it he...

I am participating in two KALs this month - both for cowl projects!  Finally, I found the perfect way to combine my Mad Cowl Disease, Startitis, and new-found addiction to KALs into one perfect storm. Both KALs involve patterns I've been ogling for quite some time.  The Zuzu's Petals KAL was the perfect excuse for me to finally knit with Madelinetosh yarn.  Yes, you read that correctly:  up until this very point in time, with some eight-odd years of knitting under my belt, I HAVE NEVER PURCHASED, STASHED, OR KNIT WITH ANY MADELINETOSH YARNS.  Even I don't know how that is possible, but alas, it is so. Fortunately, it has also been remedied, as I cast on May first with a gorgeous skein of Tosh Sport in Cousteau.  Here is a very early progress shot: My second KAL cowl project is a lacy cowl design by Marly Bird using one of Bijou Basin Ranch's newest yarns, Seraphim.  A hazard of my job is self-enabling, and I confess that this is a prime exam...

April's Tightrope Socks KAL has resulted in a few new lovely FO's using Wool Dispensary Yarns!  Two Ravelers from the Fans of Doodlebug Yarns Group successfully completed their Tightrope socks last month: Gayla's Spring Tightrope in Miss DeForest  Pambill's Tightrope Socks in Circus Popcorn So nice to see some fresh FO photos in the wild!  If you're feeling particularly inspired, you can purchase my Tightrope Socks pattern on both Ravelry and Craftsy !