Spring Cleaning

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Kri

I got this intense urge to clean and organize the kids’ toys and play area in the living room. So glad I did. Hopefully I’ll have more motivation to get into a routine of picking up regularly with the girls. Now that everything has a home it will be easier!

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They have lots of little things with pieces, and I finally found a way to keep them all in their place. I even filled a bag with some travel toys that we can take out when we go places to keep them occupied. Those girls are so lucky for all they have.

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In other news, Elowen has become quite the talker! She’s still working on her pronunciation of certain words, but she’s speaking in several word sentences, and repeating things like “All aboard the choo-choo train!” It’s so exciting to watch them learn and grow.

Then of course Katie is drawing recognizable shapes and figures. I love her people drawings. It was like an explosion of interest in drawing in the last few months.

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Spinning…weaving…not knitting

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Kri

So, a bad thing has happened in my life, that has really turned out to be a good thing. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. About two weeks ago I developed a pretty bad case of self-diagnosed carpel tunnel. Numb hands off and on all day at its worst. It started off fairly mild and built up to being pretty all-consuming by the end of the week.

All knitting stopped. Well, it mostly stopped as much as I can cut knitting out of the picture. I kept myself away from the computer as much as I could over the weekend, and tried to spend two days to recoup. You see, my job involves a lot of typing and I was pretty desperate to find a way to keep doing it because you know..I really enjoy it.

Strange things have been happening. My house has been cleaner. My laundry got done and folded. I’ve never been a very good housekeeper, and I’m still no great example. Still, I have been forcing myself to do other things.

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This has been a good lessen in moderation.

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Long forgotten skills have been remembered.

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I have been forced to do this against my will but…It’s not so bad. I’m still grappling with the depressing realities of this issue, and I don’t want to go too far into detail. Let’s make a quick mention of a languishing hat design and leave it at that just now.

For the moment I will stick with doing what I can to keep busy and happy.

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Growing Up!

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Kri

My youngest has reached a milestone. Her own bed! She’s so excited.

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In other news, 20% off all my patterns for the month of March! (Price will be discounted at checkout)

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Hats

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Kri

I don’t do hats. Oh I’ve done hats, but I don’t do hats. I can’t tell you how many hat failures I’ve had. Sure, there have been successes (the plurality of that word is a slight exaggeration). The failures outnumber the successes to an embarassing degree. OK sure we all fail sometimes, and we learn from it, and we move on. But I’ve always been a competent knitter, adventurous, inquisitive. Sure I make mistakes here and there, but I’ve never had a whole category of knitting to drag me down. Well, except for hats of course.

Until of course this happened…

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I know a little baby who is going to receive two of them, because I couldn’t decide which yarn I really wanted to use. I got quite far on the yellow one that I couldn’t rip it out, but felt it was a shame that it didn’t have the softness and drape of the others. So I started the purple one because it’s the mother’s favorite color.

I don’t think I’ll stop there.

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Are you counting?

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Apparently I should be crocheting my hats.

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Crochet Obsessions

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Kri

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This is what happens when an obsession comes on. I finish something like this in one night. Then I dream about all the others that I can make with my various stash yarn.

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I put some ribbon on the first one, and start another one. I’ve already got plans for four more including this one. It’s just like crocheting dish cloths. I just go and go and go…It’s relaxing.

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Please don’t ask me about the state of my house, OK?

Details @ Ravelry

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Catkin

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Kri

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Details @ Ravelry

What can I say about this one aside from WOW! Made from Cascade Heritage Silk (brown) and Ella Rae Lace Merino (green) using the Catkin pattern. this pattern is wonderfully designed. I think my gauge was ever so slightly smaller, so the shawl is a bit shorter than intended. It’s still beautiful, and I want to wear it all the time.

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New pattern: Tree Bark Mitts

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Kri

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I’ve been working on this one for months. First, I wanted to make several samples (Christmas presents that still need to be sent!), and then I wanted to have some testing and editing done (thank you to those that helped!), and third I’ve just been so busy!

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These are really cozy and warm, and I love the Valley Yarns Northampton Sport used. The texture is really fun, and pulls in nicely to hug my cold wrists.

I’ve included written instructions as well as a chart for the pattern. The skills involved are really quite basic, just knit and purl and some increases and decreases. You do have to keep track of where you are in pattern or on the chart, but stitch markers can help with that.

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Chocolate Pucks

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Kri

Fudge! AKA Chocolate Pucks.

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A tasty (healthy) treat that I found on Pinterest. I’m only sad that I didn’t have enough cocoa powder to make a full batch, so we only had 5 not the 10 the recipe makes. I will be making more that’s for sure.

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Preview: Tree Bark Mitts

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Kri

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New pattern to be released very soon! I’m a total convert to the fingerless mitts. No longer do I scratch my head in bewilderment when I see others making/wearing them.

Posted in Knitting, Patterns | 1 Comment

Fingerless Mitts

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Kri

I never used to really be interested in them. Did I mention this before? I started work about a month ago, and find either my fingers get cold with my sweater off or my body gets hot with my sweater on. In come the woolly mitts!

These are the Longmeadow Cuff by Chicken Betty, and I just added 2 more repeats at a suggestion of a co-worker. They’re kinda fun, and I love the buttons. Taken from a ratty retired shirt of my husbands, they compliment these humble mitts well. Don’t ask me what the yarn is, because I can’t remember. Some kind of worsted weight wool in a beautiful heathered green.

The pattern for my design of fingerless mitts is almost ready. Lots of yarn left over though. One pair each in the orchid color and the ocean blue. Can’t wait to show them! I’m thinking of knitting at least one more for Christmas. They’r a fairly quick knit which is nice.

Posted in Knitting, Patterns | 2 Comments