Stash Saturday - Yarn Tasting

Have you ever been to a yarn tasting event?  I've been to a couple of smaller ones....and many events will feature a form a yarn tasting....but I ran across these last week...and well they are a brilliant way to promote their yarns...I have been a=using a lot of Madelintosh lately, and realized I didn't have to many of her greens...so I ordered Mojito Mint Green....and oh boy I can't wait to try these!  I'm thinking a chevron cowl.....or even a plain stripey one...

It comes with a trial Biscotti (not my favorite) and some yummy mint green tea...

I am loving these colors....

Yarn Along..and a few WIPs

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?~

I have mainly been working on two projects this week....The Scarf, started on the night of the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary....and my Creekbed.....my Creekbed is so messed up, but I'm going with it...it's going to be a wonky scarf for sure....but I know I'll enjoy it....what a difference these two projects are!  The yarn, the amount of stitches....but still they both are going to take me forever!!!!

I've also been reading Chickens in the Road by Suzanne McMinn.  I don't know how long I've been reading her blog, but it's been a couple of years...she is very funny...so I bought her book when it came out earlier this year....it's not just rehashed blog posts, there are things that she did post about, but written in a different way...and lots of stuff she didn't write about.....

Pretty much all school districts around us had a snow day today...we did not...but I had a personal day...I had to go to Social Security to bring them my father's death certificate and do some paperwork for them....

But I also enjoyed seeing the birds flocking to our driveway...the Hubs feeds the birds in winter...he has a bird feeder, but also sprinkles it on the ground..

This was while it as still snowing....and later...the cardinals came out...

The female is in the upper left and male bottom right...we actually had about 6 cardinals, but they were spread out...and the Hubs had shoveled at this point...

The Hubs also made yummy chocolate, chocolate cookies for dessert....

They look burnt...but were so good!!!!  I only ate one....and will be bringing the rest to share tomorrow at lunch....

Joining up with Ginny and Tami....no links up yet

Game of Thrones Snowflakes

How cool are these?  I've only made the House Lannister one so far, but plan on making all of them.....too much fun!!!!  Especially if you are a Game of Thrones fan...

The patterns are free from Krystal Higgins...go here

YOP: Week #49

After the desire to CRAFT ALL THE THINGS of the past two weeks...this week I slowed waaayyy down....I started and finished one student hat, and started two others, but ran out of yarn....I worked on my Creekbed for a bit on Wednesday when I was home sick, but mostly I slept....and Saturday I worked on The Scarf....it is longer than a foot (12 inches) now.....oh and I also received a picture from a friend...made her baby a hat awhile ago and it finally fit....

It's the Noodle hat I completed on March 24....isn't she beautiful?


I did cast on for something for my swap partner, but then realized I'd used the cast-on tail, so I have to tink it back...I put it aside and then got an email that she was dropping out of the swap...since I had not sent my package yet, I just told them to take me out of the swap too...

I don't craft many Christmas gifts...I do have the hat for my Mom and I'll make a big cushy cowl for my friend...she loves cowls and wears them all the time...

YTD Completed:
Crown for Natalie: 1/5/2013
Sparkie the Monster: 1/21/2013
Casseiopia Shawl:  2/9/13
Crikey Cowl: 2/10/13
Feet Blankets: 2/12/13 
Eros the Owl: 2/16/13
Ladder Up: 2/20/13
Chocolate Peep: 2/26/13
Czech Republic flag: 2/27/13 NW
So Cazh Socks: 3/9/13
Deep Blue Seas 3/23/13
Spock bear  3/23/13 NW
Stargate Keychain 3/24/13
Noodle Baby Hat 3/24/13 NW
Bunnies, It Must Be Bunnies 3/30/13
Beaded Camo Sock 4/7/13 (technically done, but need some fixing)
Green Spring  Dissertation for T7  4/21/13
Daffodil 4/27/13
Cotton Baby Hat 4/25/13
Citrus Flower Hat 4/28/13
Cute Critter War: Dragon, Mameshiba, Monkey and Mike (May 2013)
Demented Owl and Mameshiba (CCW2 May 2012) 
Monkey for Alexis  6/8/13 (NW)
Car blanket for me  6/15/13 (NW)  
5 Monkey Head Keychains (June 19, 2013)
Snorkle (June 19, 2013)
Wilkey's Cowboy Hat  (June 27, 2013) NW
Spring Lariat (June 27, 2013) NW
Plum Pudding Starghan (June 25, 2013) NW
Christian's Beanie (July 18, 2013) NW
Jello Flowers (July 21, 2013) NW
Black Beanie (July 31, 2013)
Bag Hat (August 6, 2013)
Cedar Leaf Shawlette (August 2013) NW
Spring Buds (August 2013) NW
Eyeglass case (August 2013)
Charity hat (August 2013) NW  
Lacy Mitt Gloves (August 2013)  
The 8 Beanie (August 2013) NW
Ice Cream Cozy (August 2013) NW  
Mice (September 2013)
Ali Winter Hat (9/21/13)
Phillip Beanie (9/25/2013)
The Lucy Hat (9/29/13) 
Monkey Hat (10/5/2013)
Age of Brass and Steam (10/6/13)
Really Big Bag (10/13/13)
Todd the Wraith (10/27/13) (NW)
Aurora Mitts (10/27/2013)
Minions (11/17/13)
Simple Hat (11/17/13)
Lucy Hat 11/23/13 (NW)
Katniss Trial Cowl (11/21/13)
Dragon's Egg Bag (11/29/13) (swap)
Mom's Lucy (11/27/13) (NW)
Red Bow Headband (11/27/13) (NW)
Katniss Cowl/Vest (11/30/13)
Stargate Keychains (11/30/13) (swap)

WIPS:
Crochet:
Mission Falls Poncho: (Started 2006)
Round Ripple: (Started 2006 (?) Aiden)
Aran Blanket: (Started 2009): two panels done
Around the World Afghan: (April 2010): about ¼ done
Betty Shrug: I don’t know how long I’ve been working on this, but it only has an arm and a border to go.
Sunrise Sunset Afghan: this has been hibernating awhile, 6 squares done.
The Trellis Shawl (February 2013) - frogged 3/9/13
Orange cotton wrap (started ?)
Stashbuster cowl
1/17 Hats for students completed
 
Knit:
Learn to Knit Afghan: (started 2010): 3 squares done
Yellow Brick Road (11/17/13) - frogged
Dr. Who Scarf (11/23/13)

Socks:
Kai-Mei: (April 2012)
Hermione's Everyday Socks (January 2013)
A Heart Full of Love: Johnny's Socks (January 2013)
Adele socks: (April 2012)
Faces in the Wallpaper (Sept 2013)

Scarves/Shawls:
Splashy Flowers: (May 2011)
Larry Stashbuster Scarf (2012)
Breath of Fresh Air Scarf: (April 2011)
Creekbed: (Feb 2012) ( restarted 10/20/13)
Bedford Springs Shawl   

Bags:
Beach Bag: (started May 2010)  Just needs lining sewn in

Charity: 
  Hats: 

Misc:
Sunflower: (August 2012) Need a back and to felt
Water Bottle Cozy

Gifts: 

Owl for Rose

Hats for Beckett 

2 Stargate keychains 

1 pair Stargate earrings  

17 student hats
 
WIMs: Projects I have the yarn and the pattern
  Sweaters:
Baroque Tabard Tunic
Test Pattern Sweater
Car Coat
Cowl Vest
 
Shawls/Scarves/Cowls 
Rockefeller  
Wholehearted
West End Scarf 
Gathering Leaves
Alhambra
Petal Edge Scarf
Filippi Scarf 
Firefly Scarf   
Fraxinus   
Danube Cowl
Simple City
Fire and Ice
Multnomah
Leylines 
Holden Shawlette 
Daybreak
Trellis Shawl
 

Hats and Mitts  
Hermione Hearts Ron
Nehalm Hat
Felicity
Stellar
Cabled Headband
Fetching    
Cayunga Hat and Mitts set
Preposterous
Ruffled hat and mitts
Evergreen Gloves
Sheepy Cuffs
Twisted Rib Mitts and Hat

Socks:
Memento Mori
Rubus
Siren Socks
Hey, Have I Ever Steered You Wrong?
Savory Lace Socks
Autumn Flame
Firebird
Rescue Me, Chin Boy and Show Me the Stars
Twin peaks

Bags:

Sarape Shopper
Pleated Purse  
Circular Felted Bag 

Stash Saturday!!!!

Or I should say...what I got on etsy!!!!

First off..thank you all so much for the comments about the Katniss cowl!  I really do love it!  I just finished rereading Catching Fire and want to reread Mockinjay, but left it at school...bummer....

I have 2 swaps I was involved in and with Small Shop Saturday and Cyber Monday...I have been ordering quite a bit from etsy.....one for you...two for me...kinda thing....

First up....from GirlFaceCreations, this for me..something for the Hubs and something for my swap partner....oh my gosh...love this bag!

Then...LittleMonkeySnS, a shawl pin in copper, Poison Apple Sparkle yarn, and a Lorax bag

And some small square stitch markers..(already in use)..I also bought a sock pattern from her...The bag is a Lorax bag, it's reversible..and has a square bottom so it sits! All for ME!

This is from Quaere, whom I have bought from before....It's called Christmas...I love the lighter green in it.

From HappyEverythingElse...some very cool Santa earrings for me....and a gift for someone else...

Today I received this....

This is my custom made crochet hook from Stephen Willette in Purple Heart...It is gorgeous and feels so beautiful in my hand.....

I also received my yarn clubs this week....From NerdGirl Yarn Random Fandom:  The Devil is in the Details on Foxy, inspired by Hannibal....

From MadColor Mad Posse is Necessary Qualities..inspired by Nymphadora Tonks!   So much love for this colorway!!!!!  And for Tonks!

I also re-ordered the last two skeins of the dye lot from Tess Designer Yarns...I bought the originals at Rhinebeck...made fingerless gloves..and promptly lost one...so going to remake them...she only had two left, so I got them both... Absolutely fantastic customer service!!!!!!!

I also received some other small things for gifts...and one other thing coming for the Hubs...and I wasn't done shopping...I just ordered this...and will be ordering this

All I can say...is it's been a good mail week..at chez Gracey......

Katniss Cowl/Vest

When I went to see Catching Fire last week, I was struck by how many knits there were in the movie.  I had heard and seen the famous Katniss cowl/vest and was even determined to make one...

The pictures are still shots from the movie.

I found several patterns, and was going to make the Lollyknits one, but then decided I didn't really want the rolled collar, as I felt it might be heavy on the shoulders....plus hers was knit and I knew I could crochet one....so I used the above picture and created my own cowl.  I did use her suggestion of yarn though and made it with Lion Brand Thick and Quick.

Obviously mine is much bigger than the one in the movie, as I'm quite larger than Jennifer Lawrence, but I think it turned out pretty good....it is very warm!

The other knit that I fell in love with during the movie was a cowl/scarf.  It looks to be knitted and woven...I think it is beautiful...

On the train with Peeta, she is wearing another cowl...it was hard to find a decent screen shot of it..

It reminds me of the Wellscroft cowl from Harrisville.  I own the pattern and yarn to make this, so I might be making it soon.

Another of Katniss's knits that I loved was this sweater..

I LOVE this!!!!

She also wore this..

Finnick wore a gorgeous fisherman sweater

And even her mom and sister wore some knits...

I know the book mentions yarn and knitting..and in the first movie, she buys yarn at the Hob (possibly in the second one too, but I've only seen it once),  So you know that there were crafted items in District 12.

It seems lots of these post-apocalyptic books/movies include knitting/crochet.  I know it is mentioned in Wool...and also in The City of Ember....it's nice to know that the craft will never truly die...even if it does fade from time to time...

YOP: Week #48

Wow, my year of projects is almost up.....and while I have made lots of varied projects over the year, not sure how many of them came off my original list.

This week I frogged Yellow Brick Road, the pattern calls for a thicker yarn than I was using...but I used the yarn to make a sparkly hairbow

I worked feverishly on my Creekbed to get it to the halfway point for check in at Nerd Wars...

I finished my Lucy  hat and started and finished Mom's Lucy hat.

I finished my Katniss cowl yesterday

Made a dragon's egg game bag for a swap partner...and two Stargate keychains

And worked on my Dr. Who scarf....

Today I will work more on my scarf, work on my Creekbed, cast on for a swap gift....I also need to start the hats for my students...(17 of them)...

Tomorrow starts the three weeks back at work until holiday break...not sure how much time I'll have to craft....and round three of Nerd Wars started today....so I'll be adding some projects on with that...

YTD Completed:
Crown for Natalie: 1/5/2013
Sparkie the Monster: 1/21/2013
Casseiopia Shawl:  2/9/13
Crikey Cowl: 2/10/13
Feet Blankets: 2/12/13 
Eros the Owl: 2/16/13
Ladder Up: 2/20/13
Chocolate Peep: 2/26/13
Czech Republic flag: 2/27/13 NW
So Cazh Socks: 3/9/13
Deep Blue Seas 3/23/13
Spock bear  3/23/13 NW
Stargate Keychain 3/24/13
Noodle Baby Hat 3/24/13 NW
Bunnies, It Must Be Bunnies 3/30/13
Beaded Camo Sock 4/7/13 (technically done, but need some fixing)
Green Spring  Dissertation for T7  4/21/13
Daffodil 4/27/13
Cotton Baby Hat 4/25/13
Citrus Flower Hat 4/28/13
Cute Critter War: Dragon, Mameshiba, Monkey and Mike (May 2013)
Demented Owl and Mameshiba (CCW2 May 2012) 
Monkey for Alexis  6/8/13 (NW)
Car blanket for me  6/15/13 (NW)  
5 Monkey Head Keychains (June 19, 2013)
Snorkle (June 19, 2013)
Wilkey's Cowboy Hat  (June 27, 2013) NW
Spring Lariat (June 27, 2013) NW
Plum Pudding Starghan (June 25, 2013) NW
Christian's Beanie (July 18, 2013) NW
Jello Flowers (July 21, 2013) NW
Black Beanie (July 31, 2013)
Bag Hat (August 6, 2013)
Cedar Leaf Shawlette (August 2013) NW
Spring Buds (August 2013) NW
Eyeglass case (August 2013)
Charity hat (August 2013) NW  
Lacy Mitt Gloves (August 2013)  
The 8 Beanie (August 2013) NW
Ice Cream Cozy (August 2013) NW  
Mice (September 2013)
Ali Winter Hat (9/21/13)
Phillip Beanie (9/25/2013)
The Lucy Hat (9/29/13) 
Monkey Hat (10/5/2013)
Age of Brass and Steam (10/6/13)
Really Big Bag (10/13/13)
Todd the Wraith (10/27/13) (NW)
Aurora Mitts (10/27/2013)
Minions (11/17/13)
Simple Hat (11/17/13)
Lucy Hat 11/23/13 (NW)
Katniss Trial Cowl (11/21/13)
Dragon's Egg Bag (11/29/13) (swap)
Mom's Lucy (11/27/13) (NW)
Red Bow Headband (11/27/13) (NW)
Katniss Cowl/Vest (11/30/13)
Stargate Keychains (11/30/13)

WIPS:
Crochet:
Mission Falls Poncho: (Started 2006)
Round Ripple: (Started 2006 (?) Aiden)
Aran Blanket: (Started 2009): two panels done
Around the World Afghan: (April 2010): about ¼ done
Betty Shrug: I don’t know how long I’ve been working on this, but it only has an arm and a border to go.
Sunrise Sunset Afghan: this has been hibernating awhile, 6 squares done.
The Trellis Shawl (February 2013) - frogged 3/9/13
Orange cotton wrap (started ?)
Stashbuster cowl


Knit:
Learn to Knit Afghan: (started 2010): 3 squares done
Yellow Brick Road (11/17/13) - frogged
Dr. Who Scarf (11/23/13)

Socks:
Kai-Mei: (April 2012)
Hermione's Everyday Socks (January 2013)
A Heart Full of Love: Johnny's Socks (January 2013)
Adele socks: (April 2012)
Faces in the Wallpaper (Sept 2013)

Scarves/Shawls:
Splashy Flowers: (May 2011)
Larry Stashbuster Scarf (2012)
Breath of Fresh Air Scarf: (April 2011)
Creekbed: (Feb 2012) ( restarted 10/20/13)
Bedford Springs Shawl   

Bags:
Beach Bag: (started May 2010)  Just needs lining sewn in

Charity: 
  Hats:

Misc:
Sunflower: (August 2012) Need a back and to felt
Water Bottle Cozy

Gifts: 

Owl for Rose

Hats for Beckett 

2 Stargate keychains 

1 pair Stargate earrings  

17 student hats
 
WIMs: Projects I have the yarn and the pattern
  Sweaters:
Baroque Tabard Tunic
Test Pattern Sweater
Car Coat
Cowl Vest
 
Shawls/Scarves/Cowls 
Rockefeller   Wholehearted
West End Scarf 
Gathering Leaves
Alhambra
Petal Edge Scarf
Filippi Scarf 
Firefly Scarf  Fraxinus  Danube Cowl
Simple City
Fire and Ice
Multnomah
Leylines 
Holden Shawlette Daybreak
Trellis Shawl
 

Hats and Mitts  
Hermione Hearts Ron
Nehalm Hat
Felicity
Stellar
Cabled Headband
Fetching   Cayunga Hat and Mitts set
Preposterous
Ruffled hat and mitts
Evergreen Gloves
Sheepy Cuffs
Twisted Rib Mitts and Hat

Socks:
Memento Mori
Rubus
Siren Socks
Hey, Have I Ever Steered You Wrong?
Savory Lace Socks
Autumn Flame
Firebird
Rescue Me, Chin Boy and Show Me the Stars
Twin peaks

Bags:

Sarape Shopper
Pleated Purse Circular Felted Bag