Happy Father's Day

Wishing all the dads out there a spectacular day! We gave my husband his father's day present last weekend since we knew we'd be sharing a good chunk of father's day with his dad tomorrow. My hubby received PlayStation gift cards. I feel like everyone is on some screen in my household while I knit or crochet. Sometimes I even have a screen in front of me for a digital pattern.

A family friend wanted to learn to knit over the weekend, and she learned very quickly. I take no credit for that. It was fun seeing the beautiful tools that were being handed down to her from her grandmother. I had never seen the style of yarn swift that she had, and I can't locate a picture of it. 

If you're looking for a beginner knitting class there are some great ones locally here in Portland:

The Knitting Bee: classes and circles

The Starlight Knitting Society: Classes

The internet is an amazing source for learning, especially if you know the specific thing you're stuck on. Here are great links to an intro to knitting and crochet videos. These are just a starting point. 

How to Knit by ExpressionFiberArts

How to Crochet for Beginners by the Crochet Crowd (this has a great video list, check it out)

I commonly use the YouTube to help with a special stitch or to simply remember how to make one left versus make one right. I'm also appreciative of designers who include videos of any techniques in their pattern or links to great examples.

I'm so excited that I've wrapped a test crochet and I've done the minimum to be considered complete on a test knit. Now to focus on a lovely sweater and then I'll be done with the test-knitting/crocheting for a while. This top turned out great:  Pine Cross Summer Top

I'll share more pics of the other pattern when it's available for sale. 

I'm posting early and keeping it short this week. I'm hoping to get a lot of crafting done along with some prep for a case study that I'm hosting this week. There is always so much work :).

Have a great week! I'd like to post a little solstice note this week, but we'll see if I succeed.

Knitting Group Time!

Thankfully, I was able to see several of my crafting friends today at the knitting group. Now that I've attended two meetings in a row I'll be skipping again for a few weeks. Hearing life updates and seeing you all has been fantastic :). Hopefully, I'll be back late in June. Here is a picture of Margaret and Ellie from today.

I'll be showing my mother-in-law and a family friend how to knit next weekend. Wish me luck because I'm not an expert at teaching and I get frustrated if I'm not helpful. Sharing my love of crafting is always fun.

I'm wrapping up my two test projects and starting a third...bad bad me :). I put together the crochet top, and I knew that it would be too small. I was able to successfully pull it over my shoulders and put it on. Once the borders and straps are added, I don't think I'll have a chance. I'm thinking of sending it to a cousin's daughter who could wear it. She is much slimmer. The joys of youth.

I was trying to clear out a few boxes that haven't been emptied from moving months ago, and I found a sweater that I knitted that I can't get myself to wear in public. It's cute, but I don't wear much of my knitting beside hats, shawls, and scarves. Here it is. It's a modified pattern from an old copy of knitscene.

I spent a pretty penny on the yarn, and I think it turned out great. Maybe with the new pattern that I'm testing, I'll feel like sharing my completed knitting.

Time to gear up for another week of work and hopefully a fabulous Father's day weekend.

Wishing you all the best

Crafting with Friends

It was very nice to see some of my crafting buddies today. The Tigo Knitting group started almost six and half years ago. We met at the original location of the group, a Starbucks in Tigard. The purpose of the group was to get to know other people and share something in common...crafting.

Although the Meetup is named after a shortened version of Tigard = Ti and Lake Oswego = Go, a meeting hasn't been in either city in a long time. The truth is that the group has never met in Lake Oswego. Since the early days of the group meeting in Tigard, we've bounced around a bit. As much as a Starbucks can be a great place to hang out, the noise of the people and espresso making can make chatting difficult. Now, most of our meetings are in Beaverton, to find nice quiet locations.

The crafty folks in this group have been a real blessing even when I haven't made it to a meeting in a long time. Building that sense of community is helpful especially when I had moved to Portland a couple of years before. With a little kid and a new job, there wasn't much time to get out and meet people. Feel free to join us if you're in the Portland area. Also, consider starting your own Meetup. You can curtail it any way you'd like it to be.

Thank you to Margaret and Shar who've been a big part of keeping the group going. I couldn't do it without you.

Ok, so here's what I've been looking at...Modular patterns to make chair covers for my dining room chairs. In my lack of forethought, I didn't consider that cream color seat cushions would not hold up well with two kids. After a night of pizza and a night of spaghetti, it's clear that the cream won't stay pristine. Of course, Ravelry has the answer!!! Atty van Norel has some great free crochet modular designs. Some openwork while others are solid. I hope to use a few different designs to make the covers. Machine washability is also a plus. Att.y's patterns feature join as you go, which I live. Having to sew things together later can make it difficult to finish a project.

Hopefully, I'll have a great picture or two of some things I'm knitting/crocheting. Have a wonderful week.

A Nice Long Weekend for Crafting

Unlike typical Memorial Day weekends, the weather is spectacular in Portland. It's been in the 80's all weekend. I'm not a big warm weather person, but I do love the sunshine.

Friday was a nice start, Sammy and I had an early dinner and bought a some sweets in Multnomah Village. We ate at Casa Vaca Taqueria for the first time and here are some great pictures of the fudge we purchased.

The little box has Sammy's flavors, orange cream and milk chocolate. The box that I share with the kiddos has mint chocolate, cotton candy (the pinkish-bluish one), lemon meringue, and milk chocolate. Hattie's will change the specialty flavors regularly. They have a special that if you buy 4 flavors of fudge you get two free. They do have boxes that hold six, but they're always out. Thank you for the yummy treat, Hattie's Sweet Shop. We're still enjoying the fudge.

Thank you to Sammy's parents who asked to babysit. It's amazing how little we do date nights...or how often one of us has to work late so the night is diminished.

Ok, back to crafting. I'm excited to announce that I finished one of each of the three shapes that fit beautifully to make a blanket. Here is the picture of them roughly fitting together. I'm hoping to make one to two shapes each week. I plan to keep the ducks as either white or cream, the turtles will mostly be a rust color and the fish will vary. I do intend to make four that are the burgundy color. I have a bold blue as well that I was considering. Each of the shapes is so beautiful and they each have their own texture.

The other fun crafting note is that I'm test knitting a pattern for a Raveler, Suzie Sparkles, who lives in the UK. It's a modular shawl pattern and I'm excited to see how it shapes up. The pattern is designed for self striping yarn. As some of you might know, I have had an addiction with Noro yarn. This yarn brand boasts some of the most intriguing color combinations all in one ball of yarn.

They've discontinued several of the lines that I've enjoyed, but Noro Silk Garden sock yarn is still out there. I've made some beautiful things with that yarn.

For the test knit I found a couple skeins of the same color way of Noro Taiyo Sock (a cotton based blend). Based on my calculation, I will come close to using all of the yarn. Here is  the pretty colorway I'm working with.

 

The reality is that I bought this yarn a few years ago at a discount from Little Knits. This is another great shop to fill up your yarn stash. I've learned my lesson and am not buying random bits of yarn all of the time without a project in mind...That's a once in a while thing now :). I'll be happy to share the completed project and help the designer market. Not all of us like shawls or modular knits. I'm on-board for both right now.

If you're interested in test knitting/crocheting here is the Ravelry group to check out: Free-Patter-Testers. It's fun to help others out and try new things. Be sure to read the group rules.

I'm trying to talk myself into fully drafting the patterns for my summer tops....need help with the model, photography, and patience to write the pattern. Any ideas?

Thank you all for reading. I'm super excited to share more crafty inspiration and hear about yours.

May has flown by...and I can't keep up

The good news is that I made progress on the dark blue sweater and I started the animal shapes for the afghan I want to make for my boys. Here is a picture of the turtle that fits with a fish and duck to make a beautiful tessellation.

I think it would be fun to make the other tessellating pattern I saw from the designer. It's only one shape, which might be better for my sanity ;):  Tiling Fish Pattern.

I've finished to the turtle firsts and have completed a fish (not pictured). I started the duck, but I probably won't get to it until the weekend. Hopefully, I can get a picture of all three shapes on Sunday for your viewing pleasure.

Knitpicks is having a fun sale through May 24, that if you buy 5 or more skeins of the same type of yarn, you get 20% off:  Pick Your Pack Sale. For a sweater, blanket, or another large project...this is a great opportunity. This is an unsolicited advertisement :).

Last Sunday, I found a sweater that I want to make just for me. It's knit in Shine, a KnitPicks yarn that is so soft: KnitPicks Shine Yarn. I put a link to the pattern in my last blog post. What is it with stripes and chevrons that I love so much? I'm not sure when I'll be able to sit still and start that sweater, but it's on my list. It seems like I get crafting done when I'm feeling under the weather, which was how it was this weekend.


I flaked out on all of my weekend plans. We have an unpleasant cough going around, and I had stomach issues. Maybe that's why I have some crafty items completed ;). This isn't whining, but I missed out on meeting with a friend/colleague for "grunging," a term meaning thrift shopping along with a happy hour/dinner; going to the knitting group...finally; and attending a committee meeting for my son's cub scout pack. I feel the worst about the last one. When did I become one of those parents who never shows up to stuff? Thanks to Caroline who always fills in for me. I just show up for the off times when she can't.

Wish me luck...I have some big projects that really need to get moving this week. Maybe I'll get the bug to design something again ;).

Another Mothers' Day

I hope all the moms out there feel appreciated. This weekend was a bit tougher than planned, but I've survived :). Now if only I could feel rested tomorrow....so exhausted.

Progress was made on the Isla Cardigan that I posted about last week. I finished the back and have started the right front. The color is dark blue with a turquoise undertone that shows up well in natural light. I added the turquoise for the edging. I might use snaps for the closure. Some cute buttons would be nice too.

For fun, I tried starting a mosaic crochet pattern. I was excited to see how easy it was. For this block, I used a Size E hook with fingering weight yarn (a deep purple and a pale buttery yellow). Check out this pattern, it's free, and so far it's been easy to follow:  Southwester Mosaic Cross Throw. I've barely started, but it's really fun. I wish I were using thicker yarn, but for trying it out, I'm very pleased.

Ethan was home sick for a few days. While I did my best to work, I ended up taking a bit of PTO. He had a cold and had horrible mood near nap time. When I took a little break, I found a few awesome patterns. As a treat, I bought one...eek! Here is a picture link from the designer. I'm hoping to knit an animal each week. Each animal is over 100 rows. Instead of using fingering weight yarn, I'm using sport weight yarn and size 6 needles. We'll see how far I get. I've only done 9 rows, but I'm very hopeful. I was good and did a gauge swatch. I wanted to make something interesting for my kiddos. Let me know what you think:  On the Shore. Below is another Raveler's beautiful version.

Ok, one last pattern that I'm excited about. It's a KnitPicks pattern from a few years ago. I saw a picture in a recent KnitPicks catalog. Darn, my love of chevrons and stripes Turnstone Pullover. I also love the yarn they used for the sample...Shine. It's so soft, and I'm planning to use it for the blanket above because it's so soft and washable.  I started a fish...so excited!

Hope you all have a great week.

How are we already a week into May :)

It's been a busy wild week. I tried to take some time off on Monday and then again on Wednesday from work, but nothing quite goes to plan. I'm happy to say that I'm picking up more clients and I seem to be busy in the office. At the same time, I'm trying to let myself take a break. Apparently, I'm not finding a balance.

We had a family birthday, and I saw how big the baby nephew has gotten. The little guy is over six months old now.

Since I'm not frantically trying to design a pattern or two, I cracked open a library knitting book I checked out last weekend. It's Cirilia Rose's: Magpies, Homebodies, and Nomads. It has some lovely patterns and notes. A pattern that I noticed on Ravelry a few years ago led me to check out the book:  Isla Cardigan. I like the vintage charm of it, and we'll see how it knits up. I'm putting a turquoise edge at the bottom and then a very dark blue for the body. We'll see if I have enough yarn. I was thinking of putting the turquoise where the shoulder joins are just to draw attention to them. I'm not sure what I'll do about the buttons. I'm sure there is something lovely out there that will work. Since we plan to return to the library next weekend. I'm in a hurry to make progress. I might renew it if possible :). There are other lovely patterns in the book as well.

Cirilia has designed many popular patterns. Here is another one of my favorites:  Harpa. I found her work through my early love of Stephen West's designs. I could also see myself making some of her designs from Berroco's Vintage and Vintage Chunky book from 2010:  Berroco #302. She is so adorable that she often models here designs as well.

I was also eyeing my 20th-anniversary Interweave Knits magazine. I remember having breakfast with a work colleague last year and showing her the various things I wanted to knit from it. Although I don't have the best yarn for the project, I was contemplating making this fabulous cardigan from the magazine:  Kathe Cardigan. I think the closest yarn weight and the necessary amount my only color option is yellow. Not the best fit, but the project could be fun to knit. I could also play with the gauge to use something else.

I like the idea of me checking out library books in part to give myself deadlines and make me focus on one project at a time. We'll see how long I can stick with it.

My seven-year-old had a blast picking out books last week, and we're going to try to go every other week. I like the library we found near the Markham Elementary School. It feels like there are more kid books and it has more character. The kid graphic novel section was bigger than the other library that is a tad closer.

Ok, I didn't get as much work done today as I had hoped...eek! Hope you all have a great week.