handmade by stefanie

I have a few projects that I've been meaning to share, but just haven't gotten around to posting due to all the fun and excitement of VK Live. First, I finished my Gradient Serendipity Scarf in Himalayan Trail , a heavenly blend of merino and yak: I also crocheted some slippers that actually fit me! Holy crapazoids! I used the skein of Manos Wool Clasica in Forest Floor that I snagged via Craftsy deals a while back and paired it with some Berocco Peruvia that was lurking in my stash (sale alert! Craftsy is having a pre-Black Friday sale this week which includes some amazing deals on Manos yarn !). The pattern is available for free here on Craftsy and is super easy to whip up quick. Tilly approves of these slippers immensely - she kept rubbing her face on them like a weirdo. This was the best photo I could get of both her and  the slippers! I finally finished re-knitting the toes on Tyler's Cure nerd socks. Now that they're washed and blocked, they'...

I took five projects with me to Kansas City; four FO's returned with me, and I started the fifth project on the train back to Chicago! I was halfway to the heel on sock #2 for the Jelly Beans Sock KAL before leaving for KC; about halfway through the train ride down, I realized I'd left the instructions at home . Genius! Luckily, I had sock #1 to use at a reference. I'm not terribly experienced with short-row heels, but I have to pat myself on the back and say I did a pretty good job with reverse-engineering sock #2, which was completed sans instructions. I can't tell which one is the off-book sock, can you? One note about the yarn ( Spinnery Sock Art - Forest  in Natural Gray): it bloomed quite nicely once I blocked it with a little Eucalan .  I'll have to give some of their hand-dyed colorways a try next! I know I shared a photo of my finished Tarragon Swan Cowl  earlier this week, but I wanted to share a photo with an actual humanoid (even if it is just m...

As you may recall, I recently purchased a few skeins of Manos Wool Clasica via Craftsy Deals .  Once I saw them in person, I knew they wouldn't remain in my stash for long! This discontinued colorway, Lily Pad , was the perfect choice for some cabled boot toppers - I love the way the neutral tones allow the splashes of red to pop. I also like the way it knit up; I usually avoid variegated yarns because I'm not a fan of the way they tend to pool, but as you can see, this colorway knits up as more mottled than pooled. I used this free pattern from Manos on Ravelry for Wavy Cable Boot Toppers . It's super-fast and easy, and you can easily customize it to fit whatever boots you like! Earlier this week, there were several more Manos Craftsy Deals in varying colors of  Wool Clasica ,  Rittenhouse  and  Silk Blend . Hopefully you were able to snap up a few skeins for yourself (I know I had to resist the urge to buy more)! Thanks for joining me for F...

I know I've posted several times about Craftsy Deals , but here are my latest acquisitions: 1 skein Manos Clasica in Olivewood - natural blues, browns, yellows and grays 2 skeins Manos Clasica in Lily Pad - soft reds, calming creams and earthy greens I couldn't resist the offer for Fair Trade yarn + free shipping. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I have never knit with Manos' yarns (and only recently acquired at skein of Maxima while in Columbus earlier this year). None of my LYSes carry Manos, so that has always been roadblock #1. I suppose roadblock #2 is that they don't have a sock yarn, which I view as the gateway drug to a yarn line. However, in the course of my work, I have learned so much about the Manos Co-Ops, yarns and colorways, it's about time I gave them a try! As Craftsy noted in the product description : Manos del Uruguay helps empower women in Uruguay's countryside by generating income for themselves and their families. T...