handmade by stefanie

It's a little late, but I still wanted to post my resolutions on this blog since I apparently neglected to do so last year (maybe I didn't make any??). You can probably guess my first resolution - learn how to weave! I took the plunge and bought myself a Schacht Flip loom and am starting to learn how to use it. I plan to share periodic updates on here, you can catch my first Weaving Wednesday post here if you missed it ! And since knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving clearly aren't enough to keep me occupied in my free time.....I have a gorgeous vintage sewing machine that needs fixing up, and I would like to sharpen my very rudimentary sewing skills this year. Isn't this vintage Singer totally gorgeous?? My next resolution is to work out more regularly (or at all - sadly, I don't think playing Pokemon Go counts). I feel better, sleep better, and - let's face it - look  better when I exercise regularly. Don't we all? I'm also determine...

As I may have mentioned in an earlier post, my husband thoughtfully bought me a WEBS gift certificate for Christmas. After much internal debate, I placed a carefully-chosen order: 3 bundles of handpainted Targhee Top from Abstract Fiber in "The Gorge" colorway (the idea is to have enough finished handspun to make a large project of some sort!) 2 skeins of Terra from the Fibre Company in Blue Spruce (to make this cabled hat from Vintage Modern Knits) 2 skeins Valley Yarns Northampton Sport in Gray (this is for a top-secret  design project I'm currently working on!) After a small delay due to the insane weather this month, it arrived and I am dying to dive in! Alas, I find myself heading to Orlando today for business while Tyler holds down the fort. I'm pretty sure I'll be busting out the spinning wheel just as soon as I return home and get unpacked.  I also purchased a pound of Louet Dorper Top ; I'd spun some during Spinzilla last October a...

If you're new to knitting (or feeling a little rusty as you return to crafting), my free Keyhole Scarf Pattern is a great project to get you started.  Rav user jowet recently knitted this project as part of her return to knitting and said, "looking at the ravelry projects here, i saw several lovely knitting projects that i wished i could do, but the only knitting i remembered were the words “knit” and “purl” - i’d even forgotten how to actually do them. so for 2012, my first new year’s resolution was to learn to knit. i bought a learn-to-knit kit at mary maxim, and while waiting for it in the mail, i practiced knit and purl (via you tube knitting videos) using … chopsticks! by the time i got my kit, i was all set -- and here’s my very first knitted project :-) thanks for your lovely pattern, stefanie!" I couldn't be more thrilled to enable someone to carry out their new year's resolution...much less, have my project be their first FO of 2012.  There is...

Happy New Year!  Here's hoping 2012 is filled with considerably less turmoil than 2011.  Tyler and I both changed jobs, me for the better and him for about the same old BS, just with better pay and ruder customers.  We've been struggling to get back on our feet after both of us began last year being underemployed (he kept getting his hours cut by the evil boss at his former place of employment, my massage business died off once Massage Envy moved into the Gold Coast). We lost a friend because of a ridiculous misunderstanding.  My grandfather was diagnosed with dementia and has been rapidly declining ever since.    On the plus side, Robin continues to hold steady and remain healthy; we're staying healthy, too, as are most of our family members (the exception being my grandfather).  Our apartment still rocks, and the friends who have stuck with us this year are super-awesome.  All good things to focus on.  I still feel compelled to make som...

1.  Learn entrelac! Armed with Gwen Bortner's latest book, I am confident I can master this technique.   2.  Get my teeth cleaned.  For serious.  Like many people, I hate going to the dentist more than anything else, but I can put it off no longer.  3.  Get a physical.  It's been a while...longer than I'd care to admit.  Not a good thing to put off! 4.  Start working through the design to-do list in earnest....because it keeps getting longer. 5.  Knit Tyler a sweater.  Finally, after ten and a half years of us being together, he will finally have a hand-knit sweater!  Albeit, it will look like all of his other sweaters (a black V-neck, perhaps with some ribs, but nothing fancy - he's just a basic guy.)  But this one will be extra warm and made with love!!  6.  Master colorwork knitting.  I've made several colorwork projects that have turned out quite nicely, but specifically, I want to be able...