My Fiber Addiction

Big News!

2009-08-31T11:17:00.005-04:00

FOUR of my patterns will be featured in the Etsy Pattern Showcase tomorrow, September 1st!

Go HERE to see the Patterns Showcase tomorrow.

Patterns featured are my One Skein Ruffled Scarf (knit), Peas & Carrots Slippers (Knit), Zowie's ZigZags Afghan (crochet) and my Isabella Hat Pattern (crochet).

The XOXO Coffee Sleeve (knit, joint design with Emma) is for sale on Ravelry.

'Tis The Season for Charity Knitting & Crochet

2009-08-27T18:45:00.003-04:00

Read all about it at Knitzengiggles:

http://knitzengiggles.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/tis-the-season-for-charity-knitting/

I have a new Wheel!

2009-08-27T11:25:00.009-04:00

Well...new to me, anyhow! See, I had this Ashford Traveller wheel and while I loved it, it hurt me to spin with it. The bottom of the wheel was to narrow, the angle was wrong for my back, etc....So it just sat in my living room, making us both sad.

Then a friend from a knitting meetup and my spinning guild said that she had an Ashford Traditional, and she wanted a double treadle wheel. They're almost exactly the same age, price, etc. We decided to meet this morning, introduce our wheels and see if a trade would work out for us. It did - I loved her wheel, and she loved mine! Here is my new wheel (Squeeeeee!):

And the Lazy Kate:

Close up of the flyer:

Close up of the wheel:

I am SO happy! It is SO much more comfortable for me to spin with! Now I need to buy some new fiber to go with the new wheel!

I don't see a problem here....

2009-08-25T12:26:00.002-04:00

Ramadan Kareem, Mr. President!

2009-08-24T14:06:00.001-04:00

Oh baby!

2009-08-23T14:02:00.008-04:00

Here's my latest FO - a baby set! A friend of mine is expecting a grandson this winter and she's asked me to make a set for him. Here's the result!

First, the blankie:

The details:
Pattern: Round or Pinwheel Baby Blanket
Yarn: Oh My! by Plymouth Yarns, color #1
Needles: Size 9 (5.5 mm)

Next, the sweater set:

The details:
Pattern: 5 Hour Baby Sweater, Baby Boy Variation, Cap to Match 5 Hour Sweater & "toes-ty" baby socks.
Yarn: Joann Sensations Rainbow Classic, color unknown.
Needles: Size 10.5 (6.5 mm)

It's In The (knitting) Bag!

2009-08-18T08:42:00.002-04:00

Knitting or Crocheting on the go: what's essential equipment in the travel knitting bag? Purl Girl lists hers:

http://knitzengiggles.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/whats-in-your-bag-baby/

Stop by & tell us yours!

A new blog is born!

2009-08-16T13:52:00.007-04:00

A joint project with my multi-talented daughter Emma. I give you:

Knitzengiggles!

Join us for fun debates, articles and reviews of the latest gadgets for knitting AND crochet!

This week:

Knitting vs Crochet

The Great Debate

In the crochet corner: Knit Wit! (Yours Truly)

and in the knitter's corner:

Purl Girl! (Emma!)

Go check it out and tell us where you stand!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

2009-07-28T10:27:00.007-04:00

Kaffe Fassett's designing sock yarn! Kaffe Fassett's designing sock yarn! Kaffe Fassett's designing sock yarn!

GO GO GO!!!!

I WANT SOME!!! (Now all I need is money!)

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

(Sorry, but I am a Yarnivore, after all!)

Announcing....

2009-07-26T10:52:00.006-04:00

The return of my free patterns! YAY!!! You can find them in the right sidebar....

My assistant is exhausted now!

New FOs

2009-07-19T14:19:00.022-04:00

The Crocus Bud Shawl: Liz made, Izzy approved.

This weekend, I finished a shawl, a pair of sox, and a giant fuzzy granny! Photos of which can be seen at my Flickr Photo Stream.

It's been a very productive weekend, to say the least!

P.S. Love ya, Tigger!

Details of the completed projects are on my Ravelry Projects page, look me up under "auberginecow"!

New Free Pattern: Beanie & Cecil - CORRECTED AS OF 7/6/09

2009-07-05T22:22:00.015-04:00

(CORRECTED AS OF 7/6/09)

Here's the pattern for Beanie & Cecil. Enjoy!

Beanie & Cecil by

Liz Lafferty

(You may share and copy this pattern, provided you leave this notice intact)

please do NOT sell caps you make from this pattern!

Please DO make some for your favorite charity!

Materials:
Worsted cotton yarn, about 3 oz. (Striped cap in photo used Lily Sugar'N Cream in "Violet Stripes", pink cap used Moda Dea Washable Wool colour #4473, "Rose Pink")

Size 7 (U.S.) circular (16") and set of 4 dpns
stitch marker
tapestry needle

To Make:
-CO 80 sts, join, being careful not to twist
-Work in garter stitch for 3/4" (garter stitch in the round: K1 rnd, P 1 rnd).
-Switch to stockinette stitch and work 8 rnds.
-purl one rnd.
-next rnd: YO, K2tog around
-purl one rnd
-knit 5 rnds
-purl 1 rnd
-next rnd: YO, K2tog around.
-knit 3 rnds

NOTE: If you want more of a longer skully type thing, do a few more knit rounds, like 7 or 8 more. When you're happy with the length, begin decreases:

-k4, k2tog to last 2 sts, k 2
-knit
-k3, k2tog around to last 2 sts, k2
-knit

-k2, k2tog around to last 2 sts, k2
-knit
-k1, k2 tog around to last 2 sts, k2
-knit
-k2 tog around twice (You will have an uneven # of sts after last rnd. It's all good.)

-Cut yarn, leaving about a 10" tail, thread through all sts twice. Pull yarn to inside of beanie, weave in end.

If you find a mistake or have any questions, you can email me at: muslimah.knits@gmail.com
Enjoy!

COTW - Superhero time!

2009-06-22T13:24:00.004-04:00

This made me laugh so hard I almost snorted seltzer out my nose!

A New Way to Say, "You're Crazy!"

2009-06-21T11:06:00.004-04:00

Do you know someone who's not just normal "Ha Ha" nuts, but seems to have an infinite capacity to be a crazy SOB? Well, I am here to help you tell them, and the world, just how crazy they are.

I give you: Spandex Crazy

Definition: A person who is not the quirky, amusingly eccentric type, but rather full on crazy, no matter which way - or how far - you stretch them.

Useage: "Ted Turner wants to marry a goat? That dude is spandex crazy!"

Thank me later.

And another one down...

2009-06-16T19:41:00.007-04:00

Finished a round baby blanket today - the last few rounds took FOREVER! Anyhow, here it is:

And finally, HRH The Duke of York taking a test-nap. (It passed!)

Three New FOs

2009-06-14T16:46:00.005-04:00

Here are three projects I finished this week, and one spinning WIP. First up is the knitted Feather & Fan stole:

Next up, the crocheted pastel green (I call it mint, Red Heart calls it "Honeydew") triangle shawl:

This is a star baby blanket, crocheted for little Michael:

Finally, this is some cashmere/silk roving just under way in my Golding spindle:

The picture doesn't really do it justice - it is actually very shiny and oh-so soft!

COTW Bonus, Just for Emma!

2009-06-04T13:40:00.003-04:00

Enjoy, Pussycat!

A new look!

2009-06-01T11:42:00.004-04:00

My blog has a FABULOUSO new banner, courtesy of my daughter, Emma. In addition to being a talented jewelry maker and knitter, she is also a creative and gifted graphic designer! You can commission graphics, Etsy banner sets and much more, as well as see other samples of her work at her Etsy shop. Click the Aloha Accessories banner in the right sidebar to go directly there!

P.S. Emma originally created this banner for my Etsy shop. To see how great it looks there, click HERE.

A little giggle....

2009-06-01T11:33:00.003-04:00

....for all those with IBS and related conditions (You know who you are). Enjoy.

COTW For Emma!

2009-05-22T12:40:00.001-04:00

One of her fave KITH sketches. Feel better soon, Pemma!

A Happy Mother's Day To All Mums!

2009-05-10T12:05:00.005-04:00

And a HUGE thank you to my hetero lifemate, Dan, and my two wonderful kids, Emma & Jay, for all of the faboo loot! Here's a pic:

The beautiful roses and the box of Godiva goodies are from Emma & Jay. The Kill Bill DVDs, the Ped Egg and the rubber T-Rex are from Dan!

And now I'm off to spend the rest of my Mother's Day pulling a Zowie:

A Word of Thanks....

2009-05-07T10:26:00.008-04:00

....To my wonderful daughter, Emma. She reminded me that I have both a brain and a spine, and that the mother SHE knew used them both. And use them both I shall, pronto.

Thanks, Pussycat. THE best Mother's Day gift I ever got.

Please accept this virtual rubber T-Rex as a token of my thanks.

Rrrar.

COTW - 1st Church of Starbucks?

2009-04-28T13:44:00.004-04:00

2 Hot & Grouchy Kitties

2009-04-26T15:40:00.006-04:00

It's horridly hot here today in Connecticut - just ask Their Royal Highnesses The Duke of York and Queen Isabella of Spain (Izzy & Duke, for short).

"Wanna play?" "Meh."

Hey! It's my turn to lie under the ceiling fan, Izzy!

It means there's a fan inside the box, yes?

Ok, tile is cool....now bring me some iced tea with a sprig of catnip!

Plum Pudding Goodness

2009-04-24T09:19:00.005-04:00

This is just a basic Feather & Fan shawl/stole. The name comes from the color of Red Heart I'm using, "Plum Pudding". Yes, I know it's acrylic but I wanted this for a house shawl and that means repeated washings. Add to that the fact that I loathe blocking anything, let alone a 72" long stole, and that equals acrylic.

Here it is after two repeats:

And here it is about a foot or so along:

I'm using size 10 (6 mm) needles. The exact feather & fan pattern I'm using, easy for even a beginner, is Lion Brand's "Very Easy Ripple Shawl", knit version, of course.

A Fuzzy Little Quickie

2009-04-14T13:03:00.003-04:00

A friend asked me if I would make her an eyeglass case, so I sat down today with hook in hand, and here's the result:

(The photo is a wee bit blurry, sorry!)

I used some left over Homespun, color "Montana Sky", and some left over Fun Fur in "Kelly Green". Hook was a size "H" (5 mm). The pattern I just made up as I went along. If you're interested in my offering it as a free pattern, leave me a comment and let me know!

Can't....Stop....Making....HATS!

2009-04-05T17:02:00.014-04:00

After making the pink & white hat, I realized I didn't really like it. It wasn't droopy enough for the snood/rasta hat look I was going for, I didn't like the alternating double & half double crochets, and I thought it needed a band to finish with, to make it look neater and stay put better. (You can see in the photos of me wearing the hats that the pink one has a wider band than the blue - the pink is the final version.)

Sooooo....I took hook in hand and designed my own, and am VERY pleased with the results! The pattern is quick and easy enough for all but an absolute beginner. I made the blue one Saturday, and the pink variegated one today. I will be writing the pattern up to sell on my new site at the end of this week, so stay tuned!

Here are the two I made this weekend:

And here they are on me:

I'm going to call the pattern "Isabella" after HRH Isabella of Spain:

P.S. Will be frogging the edge of the blue one to put on the wider band today. (Monday, 4/6/09)

COTW Bonus - I am SUCH a nerd!

2009-04-03T22:52:00.010-04:00

This is the opening for one of my favorite Japanes anime series, Saiyuki. I have the whole (extended) version of the song on my iPod, too. I am SUCH a nerd.

P.S. Cho Hakkai is my guy ;-)

COTW - Fine Ham Abounds!

2009-04-02T22:06:00.001-04:00

WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE!!!

New Hats

2009-04-02T19:42:00.005-04:00

I've spent the last 2 days crocheting hats! The first is for a friend of Bill W.'s:

Yarn: Peaches & Creme in White

Hook: Size "G" (4 mm)

Pattern:"Solid DC Skully" (Twin Stitch variation)

The next is for yours truly, modeled by the same:

Yarn: Peaches & Creme cotton, white & mixed pinks

Hook: Size "I" (5.5 mm)

Pattern: "Textured Slouch Hat" by Abby Tamar

Changes are coming...

2009-04-02T09:49:00.003-04:00

As of next Friday, April 10, my original patterns will no longer be available for free. I am disabled and not able to work outside the home, and need to help my husband pay the bills. So I have decided to set up a site to sell my patterns. I hope that all of my readers can understand and support this. You will have from now until next Friday to download any patterns you wish.

I will also be publishing a new pattern very soon, as well as a collection of all of my patterns up to this time.

Thank you all for reading and supporting this blog!

Peace,
Liz

P.S. On a personal note, I ree-hee-heeely need to stop getting horked off at God and spouting off about being an atheist. I'm not, really. Just Bipolar & Irish. And as any good Yarn Ho would, I feel really sheepish. 'Nuff said.

Diabetes Alert Day!

2009-03-23T09:09:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow, March 24, is the 21st annual Diabetes Alert Day. Please go and take the risk assesment test and learn more about why this is such an important day. I found out that I had type II diabetes purely by accident 9 years ago. I hate to think about what would have happened if I hadn't found out when I did!

COTW - Holy Sheep, Batman!

2009-03-18T08:33:00.002-04:00

This is just incredible - although, in MY opinion, the credit should all go to these AMAZING Border Collies!

Pink Camo Sock Update

2009-03-07T18:35:00.003-05:00

I finished the first pink camo sock today. HRH Isabella was napping, so I took advantage of the beautiful background:

Now if I can just get the 2nd one made without falling victim to the dreaded SSS (Second Sock Syndrome)

A special day for me..

2009-03-04T14:36:00.007-05:00

...In which I receive some birthday loot, Duke & Izzy take a nap and Zowie is boxed in. Here is my birthday loot from Emma & Jay - Thanks, guys!

And here are Duke & Izzy (shhh! Don't wake them!)

And finally, as promised, a Zowie in the Box:

Spanish Lace

2009-03-03T15:24:00.006-05:00

I was going to wait until my birthday tomorrow to start a project with the yarn Dan gave me, (honest!) but I didn't make it. The heathered red reminded me of a Spanish dancer's shawl, so I decided to make one! Here it is just getting started:

The details:

Pattern: "Faux Spanish Lace" by MMario

Needles: Size 4 U.S. (6 mm)

Yarn: KnitPicks "Shadow" in "Hot Rod" (#24206)

Sock in Progress

2009-03-01T13:34:00.009-05:00

A quick pic to update the pink camo sock I started last week. I've also started the orange strip of the pride afghan, but it's not quite finished yet. The sock leg is about 4 rows short of starting the heel:

The details can be found here. I am loving this yarn! So easy and non-splitty to work with and SO soft to the touch!

New yarn alert! My birthday is Wednesday (the 4th). Dan's gift got here early, and he let me open it, silly man! He bought me 3 hanks of a yummy red heather 100% merino lace yarn! Thanks, honey! Here is a piccy of it in all its yumminess:

The details:

"Shadow" - 100 % merino wool from KnitPicks

Color "Hot Rod" (#24206)

Lastly, I just started a wonderful book I am enjoying and learning so much from! It's called. "The Places That Scare You" (ISBN 1590304497) by Pema Chodron, an American Buddhist nun. In a nutshell, it's about a better way to deal with all the challenges life throws at us. I highly recommend it.

Go me!

2009-02-26T13:52:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow, I will celebrate 1 year of sobriety! I am very proud of myself and very grateful for the fellowship of AA and for my wonderful sponsor, Joani M. She sent me flowers with a teddy attached to celebrate! Here's a piccy of them:

And a close up of the wee bear:

Thanks, Joani!

Actual fiber related content!

2009-02-19T18:56:00.009-05:00

I currently have three WIPs (works in progress) - four if you count the lace shawl I've been working on for 18 months now, but no pic of that one today!

First up, strip one of six for a rainbow afghan:

Needles: Size 9 U.S. (5.5 mm)

Yarn: Red Heart Acrylic, "Cherry Red" (#319)

Pattern: The Envelope Afghan (See my free pattern list in the right sidebar)

Next, a round afghan for ME:

Needles: Size 10.5 U.S. (6.5 mm)

Yarn: Jo-Ann's Sensations Rainbow Boucle, "Pink Rainbow" (#1064, now discontinued)

Pattern: Round or Pinwheel Blanket from The Knit List

And finally, a new pair of pink camo socks, also for me - I should add, in all honesty, that I almost never keep anything I make for me, but there's always a first time.

Needles: U.S. 3 (3mm)

Yarn Bernat Sox in "Pink Camouflage" (42416)

Pattern: My own (not published - yet!)

Clip Of Cuteness!

2009-02-17T10:29:00.003-05:00

Many thanks to Dan for being up early enough to capture this:

By popular demand...

2009-02-15T14:40:00.012-05:00

...I give you three fresh pics of our oldest kitty, Zowie! A few people have asked if she's ok since they hadn't seen pics of her lately. We were kind of caught up with HRH Isabella for a while, picture-wise!

Without further ado, here she is:

Looking this good is exhausting.

In case anyone was wondering...

2009-02-09T08:44:00.004-05:00

...why I'm bald: I have a condition, courtesy of my diabetes, called Severe Chronic Folliculitis. You can read all about it HERE. Meanwhile, here's a piccy taken yesterday. I was trying to convince myself that I don't look that bad:

At least my eyebrows are still here!

Some new tatting goodies

2009-01-30T17:49:00.008-05:00

My hetero life-mate Dan indulged my fiber addiction today - here's the loot:

The book, "Tatting Farm Animals" is by
Christel Weidmann and the shuttle is a pink "Sew Mate" Shuttle (with point)

And now for your daily dose of cuteness:

HRH Isabella of Spain having a wee nap on Mummy's bed!

New glasses!

2009-01-22T17:50:00.002-05:00

I just got new glasses today - here I am in them!

Photo Op

2009-01-22T11:18:00.010-05:00

A fresh bunch of piccies I took during the past week...

Fiber related first - Another All Shawl, made for a birthday gift:

The Details:
Pattern: The All Shawl by Doris Chan
Yarn: Red Heart Acrylic, "Candy Print" (#0706) and "Cherry Red" (#0319)
Hook: Size "K" (6.5 mm)

Kitty related next:

HRH Isabella's paw print in the snow

HRH The Duke of York's paw prints - can you tell he's a Maine Coon Cat? It looks like he's wearing snow shoes!

Here is HRH napping. Dignity - always dignity.

HRH Isabella, Queen of Spain napping in her royal cubby.

And the Hello Kitty madness continues - this time on my boo-boo!

And finally, 'tis meself!

For Squirrel Haters Everywhere..

2009-01-10T18:32:00.003-05:00

I HATE those twitchy little noses:

...and be sure to read Me Maifesto!

Christmas Loot & Izzy's Cute!

2008-12-30T09:10:00.013-05:00

First, the loot:

I have a Hello Kitty sparkly light up phone, and you don't. Neeners. (Thanks, Daniel!)

I also, after 30 years of asking for one, have my very own Hess Truck! (Thanks, Geej!)

This is a tool tote, but I am going to use it for spindles, fleece & the odd cute kitty. (Thanks again, Daniel!)

And this is THE coolest gift, hands down! (Thanks Emma & Jay!) It's an Aero Garden, and it'll be growing lovely flowers very soon. This pic is just after the planting.

And finally, here are three gratuitous Izzy cuteness shots:

In actual fiber news: I have started a lace afghan and will post progress pics later!

Last Minute Preparations

2008-12-24T14:31:00.005-05:00

Sorry for the blurriness of the pics, but my eyes are pretty bad today and I didn't want to wait for Dan to take them!

First up, our Christmas Cake:

(It's a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting)

Next, a new Christmas centerpiece doily:

Thread: Aunt Lydia's Fashion Crochet, Size 5, colour #410s "silver/silver"
Hook: U.S. "H" (5 mm)
Pattern: LC106, "Spider Web Doily" free at the Coats & Clark site

And here's the doily as part of the centerpiece:

Christmas Eve-Eve Bonus: Solar Powered Cuteness!

2008-12-23T09:49:00.002-05:00

Happiness is a warm kitten:

Equal Opportunity Cuteness

2008-12-16T20:39:00.005-05:00

Here are new piccies of all 3 kitties - savor the cutie-goodness:

The latest kitty pics

2008-11-21T12:55:00.004-05:00

First off, two pics of HRH Queen Isabella, aka Izzy, aka Izzle Dizzle Fo' Shizzle:

Next a pic of HRH The Duke of York, aka Duke, and Zowie, aka Zowie The Wonder Kitty, proving that new kittens make strange bedfellows:

Our Busy Little Izzy

2008-11-19T20:30:00.003-05:00

Enjoy some fresh cuteness courtesy of HRH Queen Isabella, aka Izzy:

Need a great gift idea?

2008-11-18T15:08:00.004-05:00

My daughter Emily, a very talented craftswoman, has just opened a shop on Etsy. She is offering unique handmade jewelry at very reasonable prices! She draws inspiration from her surroundings in beautiful Hawaii, and her pieces compliment a wide variety of styles and tastes. Click on the link below to go directly to her shop:

Aloha Accessories

There is also a permanent link in the right hand sidebar, under my original patterns.

Introducing...

2008-11-16T15:54:00.002-05:00

HRH Queen Isabella, or Izzie, for short:

She's 8 weeks old, and a rescue adoption. More pics coming soon!

A New/Old File

2008-11-14T21:38:00.003-05:00

I didn't realize that the One Skein Ruffled Scarf wasn't in the list of my patterns over there on the right, and with Christmas coming up, I thought it should be! It's quick & easy (No, really - a day or less!) and takes only ONE skein of yarn - perfect for last minute gifts!

Here's a pic:

Enjoy!

New Mitts Part Deux

2008-11-14T20:45:00.006-05:00

I made another pair of mitts today. HRH was off having a well deserved nap after modeling the 1st pair, so I filled in for him. Here is the pair:

And here is one modeled on my un-furry paw:

The details:
Pattern: My own (If there's any interest, I may offer it as a freebie)
Yarn: My handspun, roughly worsted weight (I have NO idea what breed of sheep, and there may be a little llama or alpaca in there as well)
Hook: Size "G" (4 mm)

Duke's Mitts

2008-11-13T21:31:00.003-05:00

I finished a pair of crocheted mitts this evening, and HRH was kind enough (and sexay enough!) to model them for me:

Modeling is vurrry tiring work, doncha know.

Shhhhhh!

2008-11-11T17:05:00.002-05:00

You'll wake him...

Oh Christmas Tree (And a new afghan started, too!)

2008-11-11T10:17:00.007-05:00

Well, I always festoon early for Christmas, and this year is no exception. Here's our silver & black tree:

And here is HRH The Duke of York snuggled next to Reginald, The Light Up Plastic Sheep:

I've just started a Christmas afghan for my couch - here it is on the needles:

The details:
Yarn: Red Heart "Dark Sage", 2 strands held together.
Needles: Size 13 (9 mm) circular needle.
Pattern: "One Row Blanket" by Mimi Davis. You can find it here.
Only one row for the pattern - great mindless knitting!

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T13:21:00.003-04:00

I decided to channel Groucho this year - say the secret woid and win $50!

New FO & Fiber Fest Loot

2008-10-21T10:39:00.024-04:00

I recently finished a stole for my internist. She's been terrific with my bipolar meds, and I wanted to do something to thank her. She saw this yarn in my bag and loved it, so I decided to make a stole with it for her. The pattern is the basic Prayer Shawl Ministry pattern, and the ends are finished with crocheted Strawberry Lace, from Doris Chan's All Shawl.

Here's the finished stole:

Details:
Pattern: Prayer Shawl Ministry's Basic Shawl Pattern.
Edging: Doris Chan's Strawberry Lace from her All Shawl Pattern.
Yarn: Red Heart acrylic yarn, color #318, "Watercolor".
Needles/Hook: Size 13 U.S., Size "K" hook.

Here is a close up of the Strawberry Lace edging:

This past Saturday, Dan and I went to the New York Sheep & Wool festival. It was great but verrrry crowded! Dan fulfilled one of my longest fiber wishes: to own a Golding spindle. They are the Cadillac of spindles, and grogeous to look at AND to spin! Here is a pic of the spindle on top of some hand spun, hand dyed wool I picked up at the fest as well:

And here is the Golding with some yummy raspberry colored mystery fiber:

A big thanks to my hetero lifemate Dan for the prezzies!

New WIP

2008-09-22T18:15:00.003-04:00

Here's a new stole just starting out:

I had a heck of a hard time finding the "right" pattern for this yarn - it tended to either stripe or pool, neither one of which showed off the gorgeous colorway of this yarn. I finally went with a basic, classic pattern, and the results look good to me so far...

The details:

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver color #318, "Watercolor"
Needles Size 13 (9 mm)
Pattern: Prayer Shawl Ministries "Prayer Shawl Instructions".

This Jacket's For You!

2008-09-19T15:36:00.001-04:00

...that is, if you're Emma! My friend Joani found this on our consignment shop expedition this afternoon, and thought it would be perfect for Emma - I think so, too! Add to that the fact that it was a steal, bargain-wise, and it's even MORE perfect! I hope she likes it!

Equal Opportunity Cuteness

2008-09-16T10:31:00.002-04:00

She isn't showing off any new project, but I thought she deserved equal time - here's Zowie begging for a tummy scritch:

All together now: Awwwwwww

A hard workin' kitteh!

2008-09-14T21:29:00.005-04:00

HRH The Duke of York hard at work modelling my latest FO (finished object), an "All Shawl" in scrummy autumn colors:

Here's a close up of the Strawberry Lace Edging:

Here's HRH unwinding after his fashion photo shoot:

Shhh...he's had a busy day!

'Night, Duke!

Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl Strikes Again!

2008-09-04T13:44:00.008-04:00

This time in white! When my friend Joani saw the pale purple one I made, she loved it - so I offered to make her one. She picked white so that it would go with a lot of things in her wardrobe. Here it is, all finished as of this morning

And here's a close up of the center:

The details:
Pattern: Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl by Doris Chan
Yarn: Red Heart Soft Baby, Color #7001, "White"
Hook: K (6.5mm)

Faux Spanish Lace Done!

2008-08-13T10:58:00.003-04:00

The Faux Spanish Lace (FSL) shawl is done! Here it is on my patio:

And here is the wonderfully kind & helpful lady that I made it for, Mary Jane, modeling her FSL Shawl:

I even had her strike the obligatory finished-shawl-bat-wing pose:

FSL Mulligan

2008-08-10T15:32:00.003-04:00

I wasn't happy with how dense the lace looked in the Faux Spanish Lace (FSL) shawl I started this week. So I frogged it (rip it, rip it - get it?) and restarted on size 13 (9 mm) needles. I am much happier with the result:

And a close up of the tip:

Think Pink!

2008-07-28T13:23:00.005-04:00

I finished an All Shawl for ME!!! The details of the pattern can be found in this post. The yarn is Red Heart acrylic in "Petal Pink" and "Black". The hook is a U.S. "L" or 8 mm.

Here's the shawl:

And here's a close up of the border - the designer calls it "Strawberry Lace". The previous shawl I made with this pattern did not have the final row of the lace border because I ran out of yarn. This time, I had enough to put the lovely picot points on:

I really love how it turned out. Simple yet elegant! BIG shout out to Doris Chan for an amazingly versatile, gorgeous and FUN pattern!

A Moving Experience...

2008-07-24T13:59:00.005-04:00

Okay, I know, bad pun. I spent the weekend laid up with a bad back while Dan and some friends moved apartments...well....the contents thereof, at any rate. Thankfully it was just downstairs in our building. We're downsizing from a 2 bedroom to a 1 bedroom and right now, it looks like a bomb went off in here. Luckily, the Sassy Cats Movers were there as well! Here they are in action during the move:

HRH inspecting a new closet:

Zowie trying out the new computer hutch:

HRH surveying his vast domain from high atop Mount Bookshelf:

And finally, resting on the daybed after a hard day's work:

The final verdict? As movers, they leave a LOT to be desired. As cats, they're the best (and cutest!)

He's too sexy for his fur.....

2008-07-13T17:14:00.003-04:00

So sexy he purrrrs!

Here's HRH The Duke of York's latest poses:

I think he's trying to get a Dell endorsement gig...

On the bookshelf - file under "R" for "Rowrr"

In other news, I have almost the entire apartment packed. YAY!

I finished an "All Shawl", Y'all!

2008-07-06T11:41:00.014-04:00

This is a shawl for the Elders at Pine Ridge Reservation. The pattern is Doris Chan's "All Shawl", which she very generously offers as a free download! Doris is also the designer of the Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl that I just finished. Here's the All Shawl on my deck railing:

And here is HRH The Duke of York testing it for comfort:

Here is a close up of the Strawberry Lace edging: (Note: I left off the very last row as I ran out of yarn!)

And here is HRH trying hard to convince me that I made a cat snuggly and NOT a shawl:

The details:
Yarn: Red Heart Acrylic in Dark Brown & Carrot
Hook: Size "L" U.S. (6 mm)
Pattern: "All Shawl" by Doris Chan
Sexy Cat: HRH The Duke of York

I am starting another All Shawl today, and then my first box of shawls, scarves, socks, slippers and hats will be ready to go to Pine Ridge. I know it seems early, but the people who distribute the items like to have an idea of what they have and what they will need for winter.

My next box will be socks and scarves for the Christmas At Sea program, which distributes hats, socks, scarves and slippers to merchant seamen who have to be at sea or on the rivers for the holidays.

Dignity....always dignity.

2008-07-04T13:36:00.004-04:00

Or not:

I guess HRH does have a regal bearing...sort of....but somebody should really tell him that cats usually can't/don't/won't do that...

Oh well, onto a cat who simply oozes dignity:

Although the Spongebob sticker between her paws kind of ruins the Sphinx-like decorum she was going for...

CTS is Finished!

2008-07-02T19:05:00.002-04:00

And at 840 stitches around the outside edge, I thought I would NEVER finish that last round! Here it is, hot off the hook:

If you're wondering, the plant on the left is chocolate mint, the one on the right is catnip.

And here's a close up of one petal & the edging:

I am rather proud of the final result, and you can quote me on that!

Oooh! It's a moving cube...

2008-07-01T09:16:00.004-04:00

Just for fun, here are the WIPs/FOs for the summer so far...

More CTS Progress

2008-06-29T14:37:00.003-04:00

The petals section is done:

(Round 20 in the pattern has been completed.)

Here is a close up of one petal:

I'm very pleased with how quickly it's working up, and I love how it looks! The date has been fixed on my digital camera, too! :-P

Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl Progress

2008-06-27T18:01:00.000-04:00

The CTS is coming along nicely! Here it is after completion of Round 16. The petals are almost done:

Tatting is kicking my butt...

2008-06-26T10:17:00.004-04:00

I don't know WHAT is going on with my tatting lately! The piece I started a couple of days ago turned out to be 10X bigger than it should have been. Grrrrr.

So, I decided to tat a bookmark that I have made probably a half dozen of. My mistake here was tatting while watching William Shatner chew scenery in "The Andersonville Trial". Jack Cassidy was giving as good as he got, as far as scenery chewing went. I finished the bookmark with a sense of pleased accomplishment. Then I spread it out to start blocking. The horror. The horror.

The middle section isn't bad at all, it's the ends, man, the ends! I have NO idea what I did wrong. At least it will still work as a bookmark, although I sure as heck can't give it to anyone now!

I am determined to tat something right today. I have won ribbons for my tatting in the past, darn it, I CAN SO tat!

But I won't be watching Shatner chew scenery while I do it today.

Some tattting in progress...

2008-06-23T11:21:00.004-04:00

This is a clover bookmark - or rather, the first side of one. The pattern is Kelly Luljak's "Clover Bookmark". I am using a #5 tatting needle and size 10 cotton thread. Here is the start of the 1st side:

I'll post another pic when it's finished and stiffened.

CTS Update

2008-06-22T14:14:00.003-04:00

Already 17" across, and only 8/27 rounds done! The finished shawl will be about 48" across. The "mesh" section is now finished, the "petals" section comes next. Here it is so far:

Yes, ANOTHER shawl!

2008-06-22T11:13:00.004-04:00

Can one have too many shawls? Perish the thought!

This one is from Doris Chan's wonderful book, "Amazing Crochet Lace" . In fact, it's the shawl on the cover. It's called the "Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl". I've been dying to make this shawl ever since I first saw this book! Dan bought the book for me a couple of weeks ago, and the budget allowed for the yarn yesterday, so off I went!

Here's the very center:

The details:

Hook: Size "L" (8 mm)
Yarn: Red Heart "Soft Baby" acrylic yarn in "Lilac" (#7588)
Pattern: "Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl" by Doris Chan, from the book, "Amazing Crochet Lace".
Started: 6/21/08

Easy Does it - Even the cats get it!

2008-06-16T11:24:00.005-04:00

My latest FO (finished object) is a fillet crochet piece I did for my AA home group. The design is my own, just message me if you would like a copy!

The details:
Pattern: My own design
Thread: DMC "Traditions" thread, size 10, "Delft Blue" (#5798)
Hook: Size "C" (2.75 mm)

So, how easy do my cats take life? See for yourself! These were taken last week during a horrendous heat wave:

Zowie, belly-up (not literally, thank goodness!)

And:

HRH The Duke of York

Special Clip of The Week

2008-06-05T21:21:00.002-04:00

Haven't done this in a loooong time! This one goes out to my sailor-scholar, Emma!

Up for a little haiku war?

2008-06-04T20:02:00.002-04:00

Then head on over to A Whaleful of Petunias and jump into the 5-7-5-based fray!

Every Kitty Must Get Stoned!

2008-06-03T18:01:00.008-04:00

(My apologies to Mr. Dylan)

Dan's Mom gave us a catnip plant today, and HRH The Duke of York wasted no time getting...well...wasted. Check out the face of utter bliss:

(HRH is currently sleeping it off)

Star Spangled Baby Blanket + A Bonus!

2008-06-03T14:50:00.004-04:00

Here's my latest finished Star Baby Blanket. I made it in patriotic colours for a brand new "Navy Kid" which a friend of my daughter just had. Here's my Sailor doll striking a pose on the finished blankie:

And here is the blankie all by itself:

And here's a furry little bonus! Ever wonder what a cute and cuddly kitty does when she needs a cuddle? She snuggles up with a stuffed moo-cow, of course:

The kitty is named Zowie, and the moo-cow is named Melchett.

Lace in bloom!

2008-06-02T13:07:00.003-04:00

Here's the Oasis Wrap, all washed, dried and blocked:

(See? Lace really "blooms" when you block it!)

And here's a close up of the stitch detail:

Not a bad piece of work, if I do say so myself!

They're Baa-aaack!

2008-06-01T11:52:00.003-04:00

All of my free patterns are now available as direct downloads! You'll find them in the right sidebar. They are all PDF files. If you don't have Adobe Reader, you can download it HERE.

Please read and respect all copyright notices. As a general rule, you may copy and distribute the patterns freely, but you must include the copyright notice, and you may not sell the patterns. Some of the patterns allow items made from them to be sold, and some don't - the individual patterns will tell you which are which. If there's any doubt, or you have any questions, you can email me at shifty DOT frog AT gmail DOT com

Enjoy!

Lace Blocking Made Easy!

2008-06-01T10:49:00.015-04:00

Blocking lace (knitted or crocheted) is an essential part of finishing. It opens up the stitches, and makes the lace "bloom". It is also esssential for achieving the size called for in the pattern.

If you look at the photos of the azalea pink shawl from yesterday, you will see that it is much more narrow than it is now, after blocking.

It is a also a very tedious, labor intensive process when done the "old fashioned" way. It involves dozens of pins and a very sore back.

Here's the Oasis Wrap stole blocked the "conventional" way:

(Yes, I know it isn't straight...sigh)

The curved end

Fortunately, there are now "blocking wires" which you slip through the edges of the piece then pin here and there to anchor them. MUCH quicker, and they result in a much more uniform finished piece. The problem? A set of these puppies will set you back $30, and that's at a reasonable store!

The solution? Weed Whacker line!

A 200 foot spool cost me $3 at Walmart. It's rust proof, comes in various thicknesses, and you can cut it to any length you need! The line is started at one long end, continues out and across the short end, down the last long end, and out and across the 2nd short end. The remainder of the line is left on the reel. When it's dry, just wind it up and it's ready for the next time! Here's a pic of the whole stole with the "wire" in place:

And here's the end - pins are still in place here to ensure a uniform curve to the ends:

Thanks to my husband, Dan, for the photos and for threading the line through for me!

A Pink Azalea!

2008-05-31T19:13:00.010-04:00

Stole, that is! This yarn was originally going to be a pair of socks, but I didn't like the pattern about halfway in. Then I saw the "Oasis Wrap" pattern on the Naturally Caron web site, and I knew what that yarn really wanted to be!

Here's the finished stole, before blocking:

And here's a stitch detail pic:

The yarn is Wool Ease by Lion Brand Yarn, colour #620-195, "Azalea Pink". The hook is a Susan Bates "Luxite" hook, size "I" (5.5 mm). Blocking photos to follow tomorrow.

My cat's weird habit..

2008-05-31T10:56:00.005-04:00

Has anyone ever seen a cat lie down like this? I never have, and I've owned cats for almost 40 years. Here is HRH The Duke of York's typical carpet lounging posture:

See what I mean? Legs straight out behind him - weird, isn't it? Nevermind how he "sits" to bathe:

To be fair to HRH, here's a much more flattering - and cute - picture:

Wish upon a star (afghan!)

2008-05-30T13:11:00.016-04:00

Here's my latest Star Baby Blanket, off this fall to the Pine Ridge Reservation to keep some precious little bundle warm:

And a close up of the center:

The Details:

Pattern: Beth's Little Star Afghan by Beth Parsons.

Hook: Size "H" (5 mm)

Yarn: Red Heart Acrylic in "White" (#311), "Light Raspberry" (#774), and "Light Blue" (#381)

Note: All of the Star Baby Blankets I have made so far are 25 rounds, in "stripes" of 5 rounds of each colour.

Anniversaries make me spin!

2008-05-25T13:53:00.007-04:00

It's my 13th wedding anniversary today. Dan is O.D-ing on PS2, and I am blogging, crocheting and spinning. Here is the Border Leicester roving that I dyed earlier this year with grape Kool Aid on the flyer:

Newest Spring Crochet FOs!

2008-05-25T10:27:00.002-04:00

For more details, check out my PictureTrail albums at http://picturetrail.com/penguindreams. The baby blankets are for the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, to help keep people warm this coming winter. The doily is described in this blog post.

Mail Call!

2008-05-14T16:02:00.018-04:00

My Mother's Day shopping spree gift package came today! Emma & Jay gave me a gift certificate to Yarn Market (See the post before this for details). They both work weird hours, so I took pictures of the box opening so they could sort of be with me for it...

Here's the box (Address cleverly covered by my phone):

And here's the box opened, minus packing list:

Here's the Berrocco Pattern book, showing front & back covers (and a little bit of glare, sorry!):

Here is the Pink Tofutsies (colour # 735, "Twinkle Toes"):

And here's the green Tofutsies (colour #854):

The yarn feels sooooo soft and the colours are very vibrant & I love them! I am already plotting which project from the book to make first....drooool.

Thanks again, Emma & Jay!

Mother's Day, Part II

2008-05-11T12:51:00.020-04:00

I woke up this morning to find a gift in my email inbox from Emma & Jay - a gift certificate to Yarn Market! They sell absolutely scrummy yarns from scads of famous designers, and I go there regularly to drool. Today, I got to go there and shop! I bought 2 skeins of Tofutsies yarn (a blend of soysilk left over from the tofu making process, chitan, made from shrimp & crabshells, as well as cotton and wool) and a Berrocco pattern book I'd been coveting.

First, here are the two colours of Tofutsies:

This is #735, "Twinkle Toes"

This is #854. No cute name for this one.

Here's the Pattern booklet, Berrocco's #273, "NaturLin":

I bought it because I like all of the patterns in it, but this one in particular:

It's called "Salem". The booklet has a good mix of knit and crochet designs, and household patterns as well as clothing patterns.

All in all, a wonderful shopping trip. Thank you so much, Emma & Jay - I love you!

MOING!

Mother's Day Loot & A Card for Joanie

2008-05-10T12:57:00.008-04:00

Dan took me to Michael's today and let me go wild - lucky for him, I have a low budget view of what constitutes "going wild"!

Here's my haul:

Left to Right: Steel lace hooks (Sizes 0-10, Lace hook size 12 (yes, that's very, very small) and a new knitting gauge/needle sizer.

Then I spotted this tatting shuttle and fell in lurve:

Isn't it beautiful? And on clearance for $3.00!

Now on to the card for Joanie. Joanie is my AA sponsor and a really great lady. So, I made her a little vase/trinket doily as a gift, and a card as well. I don't have anything to do with my mothers (yes, plural - one biological, one adopted, both nightmares), so on Mother's Day, I pick one or two women who have been positive, loving influences in my life and honor them instead. I do the same thing on Father's Day, for the same reason.

Here's the doily:

And here's the front of the card:

The inside stamp:

And my little heart/signature I finish every handmade card with:

(Sorry the card pics are a little blurry - my eyesight is getting pretty fuzzy.)

Well the people have spoken...

2008-04-28T13:02:00.000-04:00

And back to Elizabeth/Liz it is...I tend to agree, I changed it to my middle name because I hated the name Sherri in the first place, and now it seems foreign to me. So, heads up, world, Lizzie's back in town!

Downsizing...

2008-04-24T16:17:00.004-04:00

I am discontinuing my geocaching blog ('Round the World & Home Again) and my free pattern blog (French Vanilla Patterns) effective immediately. All future original patterns will be available for sale only in my Etsy Shop. I'll post notices here when/if they are available.

I'll give you all a moment to collect yourselves...

A sock Mulligan

2008-04-14T15:52:00.007-04:00

You may remember me blogging about starting some plain stockinette socks with some Patons Kroy Socks yarn that I received as a birthday gift. If not, the original post is HERE. I decided I didn't like the pattern in stockinette, so I frogged it and started a new pair today.

This pair is using the "Anne Lacy Cuff Socks" a toe-up, "Magic Loop" pattern designed by Rebecca Hatcher for Schaefer Yarn. Just click on the name of the pattern to download it for yourself! I am using a size 2 U.S. (2.75 mm) 40" circular needle (An Addi Turbo, which I hate, but it was the only 40" size 2 I had!). Here's a photo of the toe:

We'll see how it works out - the top of this sock has, as its name suggests, a lacy top, so that should help to hide this yarn's weird pattern.