Presto! Chango! And I'm Finally Finished With This Baby Sweater

I started the Presto Chango baby sweater back in November for my friend Mindy's daughter, Gabbi. It didn't take very long at all to finish the sweater or the sweet removable front panel. What took me forever was finding buttons to use. It's been so long I can't even remember where I got the buttons now. I love this sweater though. It's made from Dream in Color Classy. I purchased it from one of my favorite online knitting stores, Eat.Sleep.Knit (LOVE!). I want to make one for myself. The coolest thing about this sweater is the front panel is removable. There isn't a need to worry about washing the whole sweater. Just unbutton the front panel and clean it up. You still have a super cute cardigan!

This has been a major block for me in my knitting. I've been feeling like I can't start anything new until I finish this. I leave for Paris in two weeks and I'm trying to figure out what I can knit (and finish) in that time. I love doing embroidery but I still feel drawn to doing my knitting. Oh how my heart is tearing!

Embroidery Too?!?!

I just couldn't stand it anymore! I had to try something new. A very long time ago my aunt taught me to cross stitch. I loved doing cross stitch. I loved the floss and (at the time) it was only $.25 made me very happy! I loved being able to create something. I've always had that need to be creative and do something. As I got older the thing I didn't like about cross stitch were the designs and the feeling of being restricted to just what I could find. I hated that the designs seemed so old fashioned. There didn't seem to be anything out there for younger people. I quit cross stitching some time in my late teens.

I started researching embroidery. Okay it's kind of (not really) like cross stitch. I get to use the floss which I like. The designs and patterns can be anything I want them to be. Freedom! What I can embroider on can be anything. Freedom! Basically, only my imagination is the limit here. Hello embroidery my new craft for the summer when my knitting is on hiatus due to the extreme temps.

This morning I could hardly contain myself as I got dressed and decided to go to Joann Fabrics. I kind of had an idea of what I was looking for after researching and stumbling upon Sublime Stitching. Oh my goodness! I ordered but I couldn't wait until it came in.

My stash of goodies from Joann Fabrics

I spent the rest of the afternoon watching Camelot and Game of Thrones and embroidering a placemat. I did it all in backstitch and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I only have 5 more to do!

 

 

Socks helping out

Crafting--Ideas Beyond Knitting!

I know it's absolutely crazy that I would even try to do anything crafty beyond knitting (please note the sarcasm here), but I think this summer I'm going to try and do some other things. With knitting I sometimes feel I have to be so invested in it since it does take quite a bit of time to do. I have many projects that are "hibernating" and may never see the light of day. I just know I have Adult ADD (undiagnosed of course) and that doesn't help the lack of interest in finishing projects.

I was looking on Etsy's Facebook page and saw the link on there for a Craft Party. Yes!!! Maybe this is what I need this summer to entertain me, my friends, and keep me busy. I can imagine it now- girls, crafts, food, and wine. That sounds pretty good to me! Since my dear husband is going out of town this week, next week, and up until I leave for Paris I need something to keep me busy. So the Craft Party might just be what it is. May the planning begin!

Summer's Here! Now What?

Summer's finally here! I haven't blogged since...?? I've been able to get some knitting done but not much which is probably mostly why I haven't blogged. I've been so busy this school year that I haven't really even thought about the blog-sadly. 

One of my friends from work is having a baby very soon. I knitted her up this Super Easy Baby Blanket . It took me approximately a month but I could have finished it within a week if I had actually sat down and worked on it. I honestly wanted to keep it and wrap myself up in it. I've had requests for more so we'll see how that goes!

Baby Blanket- and yes those are desks in my classroom

It seems as though I'm going to Paris, France in July! I've never been to Paris let alone out of the country and I'm really excited about this opportunity. Although, I will say I know absolutely no French. I want to knit something to wear but at the same time it's going to be July and I'm not really sure I want to wear something knitted in July. Maybe it's different than here in Texas. I've heard so many different things about the weather that I'm not sure about anything at all right now. Every time I go in my closet and I just sigh and think how awful the clothes look. Ugh. I think my husband is tired of the phrase, "I have nothing to wear." Anyone out there have any suggestions, advice, help?? I'm a little desperate right now. C'est la vie!

Thansgiving Break Hooray!

Today is the first day of my week long break from teaching. Of course, this means I have a week to do nothing but knit. My Grapevine Lace Scarf is coming along but as with many of my projects I have put it on hold to work on other stuff. I finished a scarf called Openwork Scarf. The pattern is from Knitting to Go.

The biggest thing I'm working on right now is the Presto Chango Sweater. I'm already half done with it and started it yesterday. It's so easy and I think I could spend the rest of the time knitting these over and over again. I'm using Dream in Color Classy for it. This yarn is so soft and smooshy.  Love it!

So, since the rest of the week is mine with a short break for a feast at my mom's house I hope I can get finished with this sweater and maybe even add a hat. I have a ton of people left on my list to knit for and one project done. Oh my!

Christmas Knitting Begins

It's the end of October and it's time to start thinking about knitting for Christmas gifts.  It seems like every year someone wants something knitted- a scarf, a hat, fingerless gloves, etc. I end up just knitting these items and figure out who gets what later on.

Right now I'm knitting a scarf. It's the Grapevine Lace Scarf pattern. I started it yesterday and knitted off and on. Super easy pattern to memorize and not boring due to the increases and decreases along the way. I have an idea who this will be for. Here is an in progress pic.

I wish I could remember what yarn I'm using. Since we moved into our house my yarn became a jumbled mess and I lost tags and labels and it got all mixed up.

I should be getting some more yarn this week for more projects. I just spent some money (I know my husband will be thrilled) for some new yarn from Eat.Sleep.Knit so I can get some more projects done. If I didn't have to work I would be able to get these things done so much quicker. Stupid bills!

Yeah...Moving On

Well that "scarf" I'm working on is officially on hold. I'm probably going to rip it out and do something else with the yarn. Every time I look at it I think "Yeah it's definitely too wide for a scarf. Rose was right." It doesn't help when I showed my husband my progress he says, "Isn't that kind of wide for a scarf??"

Yesterday I was reading the Mason-Dixon Knitting blog and came across the Buncha Squares blanket from 2007. I LOVED the way it looked and garter ridges are so easy to do while watching TV. While waiting to watch the beat down of Penn State by Alabama (Folks, I'm a Penn State fan) and in honor of Penn State I decided to use some leftover blue cotton yarns and start. Here's what I have so far.

The whole block isn't done but that's due to a certain naughty puppy as well.

I guess we'll see how this goes. Maybe I'll be able to work on this some after work this week- just a few minutes here and there. Back to the naughty puppy AKA Roxy.