Not buying yarn...not buying yarn...wait, did I buy yarn???

I'm one of those crafty folks that collects yarn and my insatiable appetite for it can complicate things. To help, I purchased a mystery subscription from Hedgehog Fibers for June - August to receive two mystery skeins each.

Then, I purchased a 20g Christmas Advent Adventure Mystery Package from Yarn Over New York on Pre-order. I'm so excited to see the variety of mystery skeins. I'm hoping to make a blanket out of all the mini skeins. Now that it's already the second half to September, there isn't long to wait.

With the 10th Anniversary MKAL from Stephen West, I purchased the two fabulously curated kits from Undercover Otter. I plan to use some of the yarn, but the other vivid colors should go in a cropped sweater...at least that's what's on my mind. This is the duo that I pan to use later:

Oh, what to do with these lovelies? The MKAL starts on October 4th, I believe...so excited!!!

Another MKAL starts on October 16th. The YONY Halloween in Space Mystery Sock pattern should be a blast and a great stash buster unless you want to buy one of Jessie's lovely curated mini skein kits. Here is one of my favorites and this is Jessie's image (Martians and Astronauts in Space):

I can't wait to see socks knitted up in these fab colorways.

After this MKAL fun and the test knitting there won't be enough time to get much holiday crafting done. The items higher on my queue below are planned to be the last minute things to make. Take the time to check these out.  Sadly the list doesn't show the designer's name. Feel free to find me on Ravelry:  LizzieHutch and check out my queue.

Happy crafting and have a great week.

1	Puppy Hand Puppet
2	Sugar Skull Amigurumi
3	Death Star
4	Ragdoll Unicorn
5	Land and Air Pattern Set 1: Biplane and Police Car
6	Hubble the Squid
7	Dissent Cowl
8	My Inner Wanderlust
9	Easy Puzzle Blanket
10	Halloween in Space Mystery Sock
11	Crochet Northeasterly
12	Christmas Stockings
13	Trevi Top
14	Taroko Sweater
15	Sprouting Brioche Baby Blanket
16	Shawl Shirt
17	Chevron Shrug

Coming back to the blog...

I've taken a lengthy break from the blog. With moving, an unplanned kitchen renovation, busy summer things...secret test knitting. The list of excuses and delays are available. I had planned to post the weekend after the 4th of July, which is Independence Day here in the US. With everything going on, I didn't feel so celebratory.

Although there hasn't been a ton of spare time, I've done quite a bit of soul searching to figure out how I feel about lots of matters (both inside and outside the world of crafting). After completing Foundations training, which is required for foster care or special needs adoption in Oregon, I felt pretty exhausted. There is so much to unpack.

Getting back into blogging, I decided to start with a fun post about test knitting. I'm in the midst of two "secret" test knits so I can't share what I'm working on in much detail. I can say that I'm working on a cropped sweater with puffed sleeves and a tunic, both featuring color work.

Testing has been a great outlet for me to make fun and beautiful things while helping designers and the knitting community in general. Below are the items I've completed so far for 2019. I've included link for the ones I can share currently. I'll update and share more as different publications go into print (some will be next year too). I'll share some photos too :).

• Silver Linings by Jennifer Tipton

• Scarf featuring large intarsia circles
• Cocoon shrug with lace ribbing
• Cocoon sweater with distinct mosaic pattern
• Confetti by Jennifer Tipton (Free and just released!!!!)
• EveryBody Shawl for Yarnpeople Issue 3
• Lifepath Shawl for Yarnpeople Issue 3 - This was a super fun lace, texture, and cable sample

• Queeng Hat for Yarnpeople Issue 3
• Hirahira Shawl by Christy Furlan
• Painted Plains by Faye Kennington of UkeeKnits
• Tūmanako Pullover by Francoise Danoy - I loved the fun quick cables. I still want to make one for me
• Armorica by Irina Anikeeva - Second sweater that I completed in 2019!

Yarnpond has been the main place that I've gone to for finding patterns to test. I like the tracking and chat room set up. I've tested via e-mail, Ravelry, and Facebook too. They all have their pros and cons.

I need to get better at photography and modeling. With each project, I'm working to improve.

I'm working on the Gnome MKAL and am planning to give myself a little time to get caught up this weekend :). The clue that went out today is thankfully very short so I can catch up from Thursday's clue...

We're only a few weeks away from Stephen West's next MKAL. I succumbed and purchased a kit or two. Such gorgeous yarn from Undercover Otter... It's fun getting yarn from other countries. This year I treated myself to yarn from Ireland and the Netherlands in additional to my domestic yarn purchases. So many lovelies.

Next week, I'll post about my bottomless yarn appetite and my recent acquisitions. Be ready for color and project ideas!!!

Happy crafting.

Crafting and the Oregon Coast

Each year we plan for two trips to the Oregon Coast. We love Lincoln City and choose another city to enjoy. Our first trip to kick off summer is to Seaside.

I always have high hopes that the kiddos will be on their best behavior and that my partner and I are rested and ready for anything. Not surprisingly, our trip was off to a tough start. We were all tired. There were some really great moments in between the unpleasant chunks. A nice family hug when we all had a great view of the beach was great.

My treat was to stop by Seaside Yarn and Fiber, and my older son picked out a skein of yarn for me.

A couple of toy shops, a candy shop, and a nice walk on the Promenade, we settled in. The little guy and I stayed behind and enjoyed the quiet, while the other half of the family enjoyed the arcade.

Sunday is our full day in Seaside. We spent the morning and lunchtime enjoying the beach and yummy fish. After a little break we were back on the beach and snagged some lovely handmade ice cream.

I'm frantically testing three patterns this weekend. I'm 75% done with a quick shawl and I'm making steady progress on the two other patterns. The hat needs to be done by Wednesday and the others by next weekend.

Lastly, HiraHira, a shawl pattern by Christy Furlan of Yarning for Whimsy was launched last week. This was a real blast and I'm always honored to test patterns for fabulous designers. My hubby loves to take pictures when I'm not ready...

Have a great week and happy crafting!

How to feel better when things suck (or at least what I've been doing...)

In reality, this how I deal with tough times...Not a guide, but maybe some inspiration for you.

The last couple of weeks at work have been tough and feeling secure in my career has been tricky. Technology and other pressures have made what I do for living seem less bright 10 - 20 years in the future. How do I stay in a competitive spot? How do I create a premier professional service line? Neither of these questions sound fun, but there is definitely room for creativity.

I've needed to unwind on my time away from the office. Knitting and spending time with kids only so much. One bright moment was a networking lunch with an inspiring attorney who has been out on her own for about a year. Speaking with someone who is out making things happen in a way that is effective and rewarding is wonderful. She makes things work as mom and as a young attorney. When I asked her what would be her preferred client, she said "Good people." This make me happy because having good clients is so important. Money isn't worth having to deal with people who don't treat you or your staff well.

I don't want to jinx it, but I've attended my knitting/crochet group two weeks in a row. I miss these fabulous people and there are always new ones to meet. Chilling out and sharing our love and crafting is fabulous. They're helping me pick an iron, so I can try to get going on sewing again... :)

A date night this week was a nice escape. We spent time at a bar near us that we hadn't tried. My husband said that the Philly cheese steak was considered very authentic, so he had his chance to give it a try. Fish and chips are cheap on Fridays, so I had an order with a margarita. That's a big treat for me. We topped it off with finally watching Captain Marvel...I still need to see the last two hours of End Game.

I started doing barre classes from YouTube this week and my abs are so sore today. clearly I need to work on them (my abs) more. I'm excited to try classes that are focused on the upper body. When it only takes 5 minutes to feel the burn on my legs, I know it's a good workout.

Doing something for myself can be a big help. I finally went in to see the optometrist for first time in couple of years. I had to replace my last frames several times because my younger son snapped them. I ordered a nice new pair with a newer look...I hope look fine. You can be the judge.

Lastly, venting sessions have been helping. Although I don't like to complain or cause a fuss, sometimes I need to express what's bugging me. Venting can go too far, so I keep it going until I feel like I'm at that teetering point of saying more than enough.

On the crafting front I'm wrapping up a test knit. Next week I get the feature on of my recent finished projects (I'm hoping to feature two). Next, I'm hoping to work on a collection I recently found. My goal is to make all of the pieces. Which one would you start first?

Renée Callahan's Recollect Collection (all are her sample photos)...checkout her YouTube episodes too.

A Sweater For Lucille

Hazel's Stripes

Jo Shawl

Josephine

Mabel's Maze

Pat Hat

I'm excited to see some yarn come my way for the next three months...a short term yarn club should be a blast.

Have a great week and happy crafting.

So much fun in the Knit-Crochetverse

Besides the current testing of some patterns for some fabulous designers, there is a lot of fun out there.

Having three shawls on my needles has been making me feel all shawled out. This should not dissuade you from the Aroha Knits KAL that will be starting. Frenchie is running it for several weeks and you can choose any of her shawl patterns. Frenchie re-released her Wheat Fields Shawl pattern this week, which was the idea behind a shawl KAL. I've been lucky enough to win a few prizes.

Merethe of NaasKnits has released a pattern today! It's a lovely lace cowl. Be sure to check out My Inner Wanderlust. Her sample looks amazing and I have a skein from one of Aroha Knits KAL that would be perfect. Here is an image of Merethe's sample. Buy it this weekend to get a discount and check out her newsletter for upcoming patterns!

The #kmoonkal ended today and sadly mine is not finished. The great part is that I plan to finish before the end of June. This is Brenda's Kimono Moon Shawl listed under Brenjsknits. I'm very fond of my Captain Marvel themed colors and can't wait to sport it upon completion.

Andrea Mowry is doing a fun challenge during this long weekend to knit one of her mosaic hats for her Shiftalong KAL. She released the gorgeous hat this week. I'm trying not to buy patterns, so thankfully I had one of her other mosaic hat patterns in my library. I cast on today and we'll see if I can have it done by Monday.

The next KAL that I have to tell you about is the My Favorite Murder Mystery Wrap which started today (5/25/18). This is going to be an intense project, but I really want keep up. I need to get the yarn wound. It is a mystery along, so I hope I like it! Also, a portion of the proceeds for the pattern sales is going towards an organization helping with the backlog of rape kits. The inspiration for this pattern is the My Favorite Murder Podcast, which was started back in 2016. I love true crime, so I'm giving this podcast a shot :).

We're getting settled into our new home and only have a couple of boxes left to unpack. I'm definitely planning to get through a chunk of my stash this year. Feel free to comment any projects you recommend. I want to continue doing garments and accessories for family, friends, and myself.

This post is light on the crochet, but I'll report back on that more soon.

Have a great week and happy crafting.

Personal Growth and Kick Starting Designing...Again...

I wanted to start with my favorite Dr. Who quote, which comes from the twelfth doctor:

"Human progress isn’t measured by industry. It’s measured by the value you place on a life. An unimportant life. A life without privilege. The boy who died on the river, that boy’s value is your value. That’s what defines a age. That’s what defines a species."

With everything going on in the world, I always like to reflect on our love for one another. Those we don't know and will never meet have value. We should strive to treat others better.

After that little note, I'd like to whine about defiant kids and not getting the Friday night off from my family. Those free nights come along so rarely that losing one is extremely disappointing.

I still made time for myself by getting a haircut. Beyond that, it looks like no quiet or peace for me... Upon that note, I'd like to say I'm thankful for my boys. They might drive me crazy, but I can't imagine my world without them.

On the knitting/crocheting front, I decided to start designing again. I wrote down 6 ideas that I have in mind and I'd like to have both knit and crochet patterns for each sketch. My goal is to spend on average about 30 minutes a day on designing until I'm done with my current test knitting.

I'm working on two shawls and I'm not really a shawl person. One is designed to use mini skeins, so it's a fabulous stash buster. The other is all one colorway with a lovely lace edge. The goal is to see how many pattern repeats I'll do and the overall measurements with two full skeins of yarn. I'll share more as I get closer to the end.

Lastly, did you see the awesome yarn clubs from Hedgehog Fibres? I've been in love with their yarn for so long. A squishy surprise in the mail for three months sounds wonderful. Check it out!!!

Happy crafting! Have a great week.

Moving, working, test knitting...Happy Mother's Day!

Once again I skipped a weekly post. We were readying for our big move to our first house. This is a defining time in our lives, and somehow it's not easy for me to relish the moment. We're so thankful to have the opportunity to own a home. We bought modestly and don't expect to trade up anytime soon. Here is a picture of a lovely surprise from our new home...roses!!!

One thing you learn when you move is how much stuff you have. Oh...too much stuff. My yarn addiction was clearly reflected. I moved all of the yarn bins myself and after 10 bins later, I realized I needed to knit/crochet more and buy less. I still want to support yarn dyers and producers, so I'll be sure to feature things I've finished with my great love, yarn.

Buying electronic patterns doesn't have the same sting, but I'm realizing that I have more than I could ever make. And, what shiny new thing will catch my eye next? I did purchase Boyland Knits' most recent pattern in her Knitaly series Navelli. Isn't the sample lovely!?!!

I've enjoyed working on the Kimono Moon KAL, which I intend to knit while finally viewing the Avengers movie this weekend. I've used a navy blue and golden yellow from Yarn Over New York, so why not add red and make a Captain Marvel Shawl?

I'm testing patterns as well, which I definitely need to take a break from doing. This summer will be knitting fabulous sweater patterns and crocheting produce bags and blankets.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there! Whether you're grandmother, dog mother, teacher...any kind of mother, I wish you a wonderful day.