The Two Year Cross Stitch Project

by Kelly

I have finally, finally finished it. I started this project way back before I even learned how to knit or crochet, so you can imagine how happy I am that it's finally finished.

This is a kit from Dimensions, called Garden Door. I customized it a little, but the changes were very minor. All I did was use different colors in certain places. And since I have a super abundance of extra embroidery floss on hand, it wasn't like I had to go shopping for those extra skeins of floss.

Here's the original, so you can see what it's supposed to look like.

I changed the flowers in the left corner to Black-Eyed Susans, changed the ribbon on the hat to yellow, and changed the kitty to look like our late cat, who was always outside sleeping in the garden somewhere. Or at least, if he wasn't in our garden, he was in a our neighbor's.

I'm really happy with how it turned out, but mostly I'm happy that it's finished, washed and ironed, and ready to be stored until I can find a mat and frame and all that.

Whew! Now, where did I put that knitting...

Ruffles, Ruffles, and more Ruffles

I've finally managed to post one of my current projects in the store. It's a ruffled scarf that I just think is so cute. I made a thicker one for myself too. :) And to model these works of art....my little work of art. :)

I actually made two different versions because I was playing around with a few different ideas. I have one that is just the two solid colors and then another that has the two colors and then an edging of the opposite color. I kind of like them both.

I'm thinking of my next one being just one color all together for both sides.

Also, upcoming.....baby hats. I actually came up with my own design that has these hats coming out to look like little tulips or roses. (I know those are probably totally different but I'm not a flower person. :P ) I have some hats with a stem and without. I'm also thinking up some ideas on how to add leaves to it.

Must Have Crafting Kits

by Kelly

When I want a simple, mindless knit that I can do while watching TV, I usually turn to scarves. This explains the sudden surplus of scarves that I'm currently experiencing. At the moment I even have the lead on my husband, who has three - one Dr. Who (Tom Baker) scarf, one random scarf from his childhood, and one piano key scarf. I refer to this last one as his 'David Hasselhoff' scarf, which makes him wrinkle up his face and say in a haughty voice, 'It's a 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' scarf, thank you very much."

FT@RH

Regardless, this is off topic. What I really wanted to talk about is knit and crochet kits.  Kits are the next step up from scarves - you buy everything in one simple package, and when you're ready to start crafting, you open up the kit and follow directions. No searching for patterns or yarn required.

With this in mind, here are some of the most interesting kits I've found...

Knit Your Perfect Boyfriend Kit

Puppy Paws Mittens from the beloved Morehouse Farm

Knitwhits Elfin Booties
these are sized for kids, but there's an adult version, too.

Crochet Bracelet Kit


Icicle Angel Crochet Kit from Annie's Attic


And here's another luscious crochet bracelet kit, from essentialelementsbeads. They have quite a few of these kits, and they are simply beautiful.

via EssentialElementsBeads

At the moment I'm working on my cross-stitch backlog, so knitting and crochet is taking a backseat. But maybe my next project will be a kit. I'm feeling partial to the that crochet bracelet above, only I've never had much luck working with teeny little beads.

Caron Yarn Review

by Kelly

A few days ago, our camera went to the camera shop. (Yes, there are still people who repair cameras. We were surprised, too! )We're hoping it's repairable, but in the meantime I can't take a picture of the cross-stitch project I'm currently working on, so instead let's talk about yarn.

Mostly my yarn habit is fed by Donna. She buys great big bags of random yarn for me at garage and estate sales, she invites me over to take my pick from her stash, and she occasional buys something that catches her eye and gifts it to me just because.

But sometimes I have to buy yarn. And because I am extremely cheap, I want quantity for my money. So I succumbed to the lure of Caron One Pound Yarn.
And I was kind of really happy...and kinda not really happy.

First of all, one pound of yarn is actually pretty impressive. It's about the size of a cat or a small dog. And it's 826 yards of yarn, which is more than enough unless you're yarn bombing the Brooklyn Bridge.

 And best of all, the yarn is acrylic but it feels and looks more like the expensive cotton yarn I've bought in the past. So as far as the quality of the yarn goes, it's worth the money. If I was making a bag, this is the yarn I would choose, because it really is very sturdy, almost more like a cord than a yarn.
 

But here's the catch - I'm not sold on the color quality.

I ordered one skein of white and one skein of black, since those are the colors that I am chronically short of. I used the white for my Broomstick Lace Shawl and I was really happy with it...but the black, not so much. In a dark room, the black yarn looks fine. Once you take it out into the sunlight, however, it has this unpleasant greenish tint to it that makes it look really cheap. Which it is, in all honesty, but still.

I know that black is a tricky color, and maybe I just got a bad dye lot. But will I try this yarn again? Maybe. Maybe if I can find a local yarn shop that will let me take a skein outside to see the yarn color in the sunlight, without fearing that I will abscond with their merchandise.

So if you hear about someone being jailed for stealing yarn, rest assured that it was probably only me, and that it's all just a big misunderstanding.

Easter Goodies

by Donna

I'm always looking for holiday goodies to crochet. I found some for Easter and I thought I would share. I found this basket and decided to try it. It is very simple. It uses a cool whip bowl for the inside of the basket. After I made this one I started thinking of other uses for this basket. If you left the handle off you could use it to put a plant pot in, you could put potpourri in it, use it in the bathroom to put bath oil beads in or decorative soaps. You can find the pattern here.

The pattern for the blue egg with the cross is here. The other eggs I made without a written pattern. Someday I will write down what I did and post them here on our blog.

Here is a link to a web site that has lots of Easter patterns. I'm sure you can find something you would like to try.

Here is a link to an e-book with Easter crafts.

You still have a few days til Easter. Make something colorful!

I Could Do That - Crochet in Stores

by Kelly

Have you ever come across something in a store and think to yourself, "Well, I could do that." ? Well, Uncommon Goods has embraced crochet items in a big way...

via Kid Crave via Must Have Cute

Panda Rug Only $65.00. But hey, it's handmade.


Also see Black Cat Headphones and  The Isle of St. Marie Tote. 
at Uncommon Goods. Also things that I could make myself...

Crochet Risqué?

by Kelly

Crochet has lately made great strides back into the fashion industry, after languishing unloved in thrift stores since the '70's.  I've seen crochet bags in Eddie Bauer stores, cardigans in the teen store Forever 21, and shorts, swimsuits and full blown dresses in Victoria's Secret.

And while it's great that crochet designers are shattering the granny stereotype, some of the items that I've seen are a little too daring for me to actually wear. Check out this halter top, for sale at Craft Is Art...

or this erm...skirt for sale at Tags.com...

The skirt is available only in size XS, which lets me out anyway, even aside from the price, which is a 'gosh price' if ever I saw one.  Would I wear this even if I had the build of the model in the picture? Ahhh...no.

 But the most risqué item I've seen by far isn't actually for sale in stores...it is however, available as a free pattern at Knitty.com. This is a knit pattern using red liquorice ropes which is quite ingenious, actually and...well, you'll just have to see for yourself here. I'm not sharing the picture, but there's nothing especially offensive about it...it's on Knitty, after all. I just don't want to ruin the surprise.

I'm wondering what future generations will think of crochet, when they have these items to look back on...