Keep sane this semester

On Monday, I'll be starting my graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh.  Woo hoo!

And I'm trying to overcome my ADD, non-structured, completely random nature but actually scheduling a crafting event on a regular basis.  There a super little coffee shop in my neighborhood called the Sugar Cafe.  They are really supportive of community based groups and so I'll be hosting a yarn-in every-other week there.  Maybe every week if I can find a co-host.  Yay! Community yarn-ins!

Two-strand variegation baby blanket

I have to admit that I’m a lazy crafter.  I usually have more yarn, ideas and patterns than I have patients or time.  Therefore, anytime I can make something squishy, yummy, and cute, I’m there.  I don’t recall my first introduction to the two-stranded method of knitting/crochet, but it’s a great time saver.  I believe my first experience in a multi-strand work was in making a charity scarf.  The Three Rivers Crochet group had been given a number of yarns and not all of them were great scarf material.  However, if the novelty yarn was mixed with a regular weight yarn, a very cool item could be made for a person in need.

Several novelty yarns crocheted together.

 

Some more examples of how yarns were combined.

However, if you were to mix two regular weight yarns together, the result is a lovely, squishy material perfect for cuddling.  My first blanket was knit and took me some time to complete.  It was for my friend, Louis’s, newest grand-baby and I wanted to get it done quickly and creatively.  My friend is a prolific and awesome knitter/crocheted, so I needed to create something she wouldn’t do (aka something super simple).

Louis's work.  My baby blanket photo is lost...oh well.

Now I have realized I have a bunch of baby yarns gathering dust in my collection.  This is what I came up with.  Two-strand, variegated pastel strips of double-crochet.  My original plan was to sew them directly to one another as my friend Rose did.  

Diane and Rose from Three Rivers Crochet donating a blanket.

However, the colors are different enough that I’m now unsure if that’s the best method.  Ah, the pains of impulsive creativity.  I also had an idea of embroidering a simple design over the panels to unify them even more.  What should I do?

Now what?

Bring the joy of yarn to my hood

Now that the semester is over, I need to build in a little more structure to my "free time." So I'm resurrecting my hopes for a local yarny group in my neighborhood. I had one meeting (pre-football season) last fall and we had a lot of fun. However, we lost our location to the football game and the restaurant's big-screen TV. I needed a new home and thankfully Sugar Cafe opened just down the main drag in my hood of Dormont. After getting approval, Kelly James, owner and yummy-food-creator, has open her doors to this "crafty idea." The first gathering will be on June 5th at 2pm.

If you are interested in coming (yet, may not be free on Sunday), leave a comment so I can add you to the mailing list for future events.

Holiday Redemption

So the holiday season of giving is coming to a close and I have good news. Actually, great news - I finished several projects! One of these long-in-coming projects was the Lion Brand Pond Friend toy. The main problem for me was the lack of yarn. This project required NINE different colors! It took me over a year to gather all of the correct yarn and then there was the gage issue... My lack of patients , I'm sure, played a small part in this. So I came out of the project with an enormose bee ring which may come in handy as a hemoroid pillow. :)

But the whole reason for this gift was, Jude, a sweet little guy with an extremely talented knitting mom. She saw the crocheted toy and exclaimed, "Oh, how cute!" Knowing she is not likely to become a "hooker," I stepped in and made the toy instead. I was delighted to present the toy to Jude this week. He was thrilled and it made all the craziness worth the effort.

The other project was a spontaneous one of a child's knit, top-down hat. I decided to use two wool yarns at the same time to make-up for not having the correct yarn. Therefore my gage was wrong again - I just won't learn. However, after 5 ripping sessions, I finally finished it and love it.




What have I learned from these projects and the gage issues? If I want to share the joy of giving, I gotta' get gage!

Knitting guilt

Oh, I had such grand dreams of knitting my way through a Christmas list; creating items of superior quality and with individuality for each of my loved ones. [sigh] This is not to be. Instead, I still have several partially finished items and no relevant knitting/crochet gifts for anyone. Errrr! As each weekend comes and goes, I attempt to eek out a few more rows here and there. Oy!

Maybe I need to set another holiday as my goal... From now on all of my family will be getting yarny presents on President's Day! Yes! That works for me. It's an under appreciated holiday, in the middle of winter when a little warmth is just the thing to "make spirits bright."

Here I come February!

My new Scarf-lette

Here it is. The pattern's directions will follow soon - stay tuned...

the Birdies emerge!

I did it! I finally made a version of the bird mobile. This one was modified to be used in various locations like a car seat or a stroller. It was fun combining the ideas of various crafters into one product. The birds come from the bird mobile pattern. The vines with leaves come from a book called Amigurumi two! : crocheted toys for me and you and baby too. by Ana Paula Rímoli. Attachment ring is inspired by one of her other crafts with my own spin of using a large wooden button. I think Joy and Joe liked it and hopefully their little girl will too.

I'm back!

It has been far too long. I have been thinking to my self, "Oh, I should be sharing this" "Oh, I need to take a picture of this - it's so cute!" etc... And I have done nothing!

In reality I have been a busy student, worker and wife and a sometimes knitter. With this new year I decided to begin exercising in earnest - and I did! I was trucking along and doing over two miles a day on the treadmill and belly dancing (in the privacy of my own home, of course). And then a few weeks ago my leg started hurting - really hurting. I thought I might have shin splints from running or perhaps a fracture. Oh that would be too simple for me...no...I have an (as of now) unknown nerve issue in my ankle.

So, now I am on a restrictive diet of sitting around and that energy has to go somewhere - back to the knitting/crochet addiction! (Hee Hee Hee Hee).

I have been planning on writing more and so that is what I shall now do...more to follow...

4th annual yarn ball

Yeah! Another party! This time it is the Three Rivers Crochet fundraiser - the Yarn Ball (pun intended). If you are free on Novemember 14th and looking for some great gifts or just some fun come on out! Here are a few items up for auction...

Location and special information...

Host:
Three Rivers Crochet
Location:
Bridgeside Point, 5th Floor100 Technology DrivePittsburgh, PA 15219 US View Map
When:
Saturday, November 14, 7:30PM Add to my Outlook Calendar
Phone:
412.521.1918

Yes, it's that time of year and we are getting ready for our Fourth Annual Yarn Ball. Join us for an evening of fiber fun, benefiting Rwanda Knits and the local VA Hospital! We'll be in a new venue this year, with great views of the Monogahela River and downtown Pittsburgh. You won't want to miss it.
There will be raffles, door prizes, live music, handcrafted items for sale and lots of good food (you can sign up to contribute to the potluck when you RSVP). You can see some of the raffle, auction and sale items at www.threeriverscrochet.blogspot.com--one special prize this year will be a knitting machine! An impromptu fashion show will be the highlight of the evening featuring your knitted and crocheted items. Wear something you've made and show it off! Some people dress up for the ball, others dress casually--whatever is comfortable for you is exactly what you should wear.
We will have a collection basket for hats, scarves, preemie hats and afghans, and as in the past, you may also donate unworked yarn from your stash. We will use your yarn to make items and donate them to the VA Hospital or other local charities. We may use your yarn to make items featured at next year's Yarn Ball. So get stitching and we'll see you at the Ball! Karen, Diane, Rebecca, Becky and the rest of the 3RC gang

Gamers/ Yarnies

Well, I don't know why I'm surprise but I had a friend comment on my latest project -

I knew that "katamari" seemed familar, but I could not place the name. So I Googled the word and found I was already familar with it - a video game of the oddest making. My husband had been playing it over Spring Break - "Katamari Damancy." I remember the music mostly as each level has the same cheesy Japanese pop song repeated several times till you finish that level.

I was suprise to find so many crafts connected to this one game. If you go looking for more game inspired knitting/crochet/sewing you will be consumed in an avalache.

I know that my husband did envision some old-school Atari characters on pillows for his game room. He is not the only one...I saw this scarf with PacMan ghosts all over it... they're everywhere!

Baby patterns

Ah!!!! There are babies popping out everywhere! So I'm feeling like I should really get going on making some presents but I like to do something other than socks this time. How about a toy!

So here is what I found a nice site called the Daily Knitter. some of the patterns are okay or too complicated for my taste but I did find a little jem at MyBootee Knits. This turtle is so cute!

Then there is the always useful Crochet Pattern Central. This site has scoured most of the Web for free patterns. This includes patterns from yarn companies to the average blogger. It's a must have in your favorites.

But one of my favorites is Berroco's free patterns. They are so differnet and fun and hip! In fact I'm currently working on two pattern I got from here.

Baby Blanket for My Cuz

Well I've actually been making stuff instead of writing about it here. The older project was for my cousine Steff and her first baby Boris. He was late in coming but I've been even later in getting this blanket to them. It turned out nice and squishy. It is my first zig-zag crocheted blanket made from the BabySoft acrylic yarn. I actually made it too wide. I knew that I wouldn't have enough yarn to make the length match so - I cut it- and re-sewed crochet together. Yes. I know you might be weirded out by that, but it worked out fine.