A Scarf for Whit

I have been pretty much exclusively making presents for my friends and family  for nearly a decade now. My skills have vastly improved since my beginnings crocheting scarves for all my fitness in high school. That being said, I know that my taste and choices for gifts aren't always on par with the recipients. It's a game of chance making instead of buying, there are no returns or exchanges and there's the added knowledge that the gifted spent hours if not days weeks or months salving away on your gift. It's intimidating. And I know I get it wrong a lot. There are a few people I have no problems finding things to make for- my brother and husband wears holes in the socks I make for them. My mom has her scarves on. Seasonal rotation. I've given up on my dad, but he's impossible to shop for too so that's a wash. Then there are my friends. I know I'm always a color or pattern choice away from something they will love or put on that fake smile and say/ "wow, how neat!" (You know you've done it too)

We'll, I think I nailed it this time. I decided to ask what Peoria wanted this year (not the first, but I usually get: "oh you know what I like." (No I don't, I wouldn't be asking if I did!) and this particular birthday girl said "I want something like a scarf or hat so I can wear your art!" Well, I made her a hat before but I will admit that 'art' is not an adjective that applies to it. And so I decided against what I initially was going to make her (which I now may make for myself because I like weird nerdy things) and did as asked, and I think I nailed it!

And I'm glad I did because I love the pattern and yarn so much I may make one for all my other friends too! I picked a stitch from my stitch book (which I almost changed because it's been a rather warm winter and I was afraid it wouldn't get much use) and I am in love with the effect! It almost looks like cables, but it's only knit and purl stitches. And it was So. Easy. I mean really easy. I could knit in the dark! (Which was nice since a little someone won't go to bed if it's not dark) and it took me less than an hour a night for roughly a week. Which is how long I had to get it done, since I started knitting it so late.

And that yarn! It's nothing fancy, Simply Soft in Harlyquin I bought at Michael's. But let me tell you, it's so soft and cozy and that COLOR! I fell in love when I saw it and knew I would make something out of it. And since it's acrylic I can be sure that of she tosses it in the wash and dryer it will not be ruined! And I have to say, I think I hit the 'art' part on the mark!

I also did something I usually don't do- I added a crochet border.  I think that if I had used a rib or other border on it it wouldn't have turned out so nice. It adds a bit of fancyness without taking away from the beautiful simplicity of the stitch!(at least I think so) I think I'm going to try and turn this into a pattern (I have a few knots I want to do that to) and see how that goes!

What do you think? Anything turn out surprisingly good/easy/beautiful for you? 

Late Night Updates

I'm sure you don't know this, but lately most of my posts are written in the middle of the night. Something to do while the wee one eats, and since it's about the only time I have free to blog anyway it just works out.

I have two new items in my shop:

A pokeball phone cosie and:

A soot sprite one!

They're both designed for IPhones, but there is some give so they would easily fit over another similar device. I am working on a few other ideas rolling around in my head, so hopefully I can get those out and onto paper then into yarn/fabric! :)

edit: I've been having issues updating my listings on Etsy, so they should be up soon!

WIPs

It's been a rough week of the little lady not taking naps unless she is on me… so I haven't gotten a ton done like is like too. But here is an update on some things I'm working on:

Paper piecing for my sewing machine cover:

 

The running joke with my good pal Robin is that I cant start a new-to-me craft like a normal person who picks a pattern and follows directions.  I don't tip-toe, I run full speed into it by making my own patterns and ignoring any and all directions! Lucky for me it usually isn't a total disaster (usually). This is definitely wasn't one of my disasters! I am pretty proud of myself. While I cannot claim these as my own ideas/patterns, I didn't use the patterns available and drafted my own instead! I used Pinterest to gather ideas and use what others had done to make it myself! (I used this, this, this and this as my inspiration/spring board for my own patterns) There has been a bit of hand sewing involved due to my lack of forethought in some instances, but overall I'm pretty pleased! I can't wait to get it all put together and sewn up for I can leave my new sewing machine out full time!

Mystery Sock KAL:

 

So I kinda messed this one up. I didn't switch to the smaller needles like the pattern says 

because they're being used on another project and I'm too lazy to make notes to remember what I'm using) So I haven't decided if I like them enough to rip it and re-knit it to the cuff and do them properly, knit the second sock the same and deal with it or just frog it all together and use the yarn for a different pattern (because I LOVE this yarn color! Glorious!!!) So we'll see what ends up happening.

And something I'm working out that will eventually make it into my shop:

Can you guess what it is? :)

More DGS!

True to myself, I have not been actually getting one a day. More like every 1.3 days. The boss has had some weird sleep patterns lately, so I don't always get a chance. Anyway, here are some more!!

 

What do you think?

DGS

Here's what I've done so far. Now I haven't done one each day, some took 2 days because I screwed up the pattern and had to start over.

What have you been up too?