handmade by stefanie

After finishing such a long-term project as the chevron socks of doom , I decided to embark on some instant-gratification projects by making lots of tiny toys. There really is nothing more satisfying than a project you can make in a day or two that is also incredibly cute! I started out by mining my leftover yarn bin to make a Compact Cat in Pajamas : I also made a Little Luchador with some leftover yarn; I modified the pattern a bit to match a photo of a Lucha Libre wrestler I found online. I crocheted a stripey slug , which was - spoiler alert! - this month's FreshStitches Kit Club shipment. I love how it turned out! Last but not least, I finished my handspun squirrel late last night! Instead of using floofy yarn to knit the tail (as the pattern called for), I just made it with the same yarn I used for the rest of the squirrel. Some people on Ravelry added fringe to it afterwards in lieu of eyelash/novelty yarn, but I think I might just leave it as-is. Thanks fo...

The Tour de Fleece came to an end on Sunday! I managed to spin through a ton of my fiber stash and spun pretty much every day the tour rode (and even on one of the rest days), which were basically my only goals for this year's event. I spun on Team Sasquatch and here is all of my finished yarn from the entire tour: I spun a total of 1,103 yards (2,315 yards if we're counting each ply's yardage separately)! Not bad for trying to take it easy during the event. Since I've been spinning so much yarn lately, my handspun bins are quite literally overflowing, so I decided to start some fun new projects with handspun yarns this week! First, I used one of my TDF yarns (spun from a crazy batt ) to cast on for a Small Squirrel from 50 Yards of Fun (my latest book obsession): Then, I got inspired to cast on for a squishy hippo using another book from my knitting library, Itty Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson: I'm using a pre-TDF skein of handspun; the fiber ...

I'll try not to be mushy, but it just so happens that today is our six-year wedding anniversary (side note: we've been together for 11 years total!  I can't believe it either!).  How does one find the perfect gift that conveys exactly how you feel?  It can be a tricky business.  This is probably the part where I say something super cheesy about making him something from the heart - and I do tend to knit lots of gifts for Tyler, and they are from the heart, it's just that....we're not terribly traditional people (I did insist on having the wedding march played on kazoo in our backyard, poolside wedding).  Our collective idea of a 'gift from the heart' is usually a record (him) or a knitted creature (me).  If we overspend, it's because there were too many covetable records at Reckless (that could be either of us!), or someone (not me) wanted to get a gift certificate to Nina so I could get a sweater's worth of yarn.  No expensive jewelry, swanky din...

R.I.P., donut It's been a while since I've posted any WIPs (or FO's, for that matter!)  I assure you, I have been knitting - there is no need to fear for my well-being.  I just happen to be knitting a lot of top-secret projects at the moment. For example, I'm working on my first xmas project - yes, yes, I start my holiday knitting in June.  It's true!  I'm also finishing up a new summery sock pattern to be released later this month - I keep meaning to post teaser photos here, but so many other blogworthy items keep giving them the bump (you can, however, view a teaser photo in my Ravelry group! ). I've made a little progress on Tyler's sweater, but I can't say that it would be a terribly interesting photo to post - it's a big, black, stockinette-stitch, v-neck sweater.  'Nuff said.  above:  monster parts.  below:  ostrich butt! I have, however, been knitting a LOT of toys - it is the Summer of Toys, after all!  So what have...

mmmmm...malabrigo. The Summer of Toys KAL series continues - this time, I'm asking you to break out your Malabrigo and ready your needles...the time for knitting Ostriches is now!  Can you think of a better way to beat the heat of July than staying indoors and knitting a cute Stuffed Ostrich ?  I can't....but I am probably biased (and I finally live in an apartment with central air).  At any rate, come July 5th,  I'll be making mine using Malabrigo Twist in Sunset and Malabrigo Rios in Solis.  What will you be using for yours?   Leave a comment here, or join the fun in my Ravelry Group !

Things are happening faster than I can craft blog posts for them!  Since I'm going to TNNA this week (which I imagine will be a few blog posts unto themselves!), I will have to fill you in on the bullet points: 1.  Mustachio May:  I made a total of 5 nosewarmers from a single ball of Knit Picks Comfy Sport - and I still have yarn left over!  I'm guessing I'll be able to make two or three more.  I did create two new mustachio options, which I'll be including on a more official PDF version of the pattern, to be typed up whenever next I get a chance - hopefully sooner than later... 2.  Last week I finished a project that's been on the needles since JANUARY 15 (sorry for the all-caps, but that is just madness) - the languishing Stalagmite Socks (by Cookie A) are at last languishing no more.   It's a great pattern, and though the cable pattern is a little daunting when you look at it, it's not too difficult once you get into it.  However, it does h...