63x53 = awesome

I finished this Granny Stripes blanket a few weeks ago. I started it around Thanksgiving. It was meant to be 45" x 45", but due to a newbie mistake I made the chain way too long, so I just hooked until I ran out of yarn. It's a great size for snuggling under on the couch and it is definitely my largest fiber project to date. I used the Debbie Stoller Washable Ewe. It's soft and while I haven't tired washing it yet, it's nice to know I can. I learned a lesson about why blankets are usually done in acrylic. Not only is it cheaper, but the static that this thing generates is epic!

Crochet is so much faster than knitting, I'm having a hard time picking up my needles again. There are so many WIPs at this point I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. That coupled with my usual late winter blues leaves me with little motivation to knit and even less to blog. But I'm daydreaming of Spring and planning my garden and I know that this is all temporary!

Happy Hooking

This have been busy around here lately. A birthday, a craft fair, the usual life stuff. But I have managed to find a bit of time to do some of the Crochet School lessons...I'm woefully behind the class, but I can actually crochet things! Like that happy green pear for Ben's new play kitchen. It took less than a day to make, even with my newbie skills. I want to crochet a whole cornucopia for him to play with now.
Find the pattern for the pear and other fruits and veggies here. This guy has some holes in him where you can see the stuffing, but I imagine that's from needing to use a smaller hook. I used some random worsted weight cotton for both the body and the stem (which is navy blue, but oh well!) I apologize for the less than gorgeous photo, but well, it's cold today, I'm tired, and I can't be bothered to find my camera right now.

Awesome Books - First Art

I discovered this book browsing on Amazon...I can't remember what, exactly, I was shopping for that it came up in my recommendations, but I'm happy that I clicked the link and even happier to borrow it from the library.

This book is chock-full of great ideas. All of the suggestions are given a messiness rating and almost everything can be done with items you probably already have. There are recipes for multiple kinds of play clay, paint, and other entertaining and creative goops. There are so many ideas in here for process-oriented art making that we could get to kindergarten. The author helpfully explains what the child will learn from the activity, ways to adapt it to the children at hand, and keeps the supplies largely limited to things that are easy to find and non-toxic.

The first thing we tried was water painting. It seemed too easy. A bucket 1/4 full of water and a paint brush. Really? Really. Entertained him for a looong time. For days, he demanded to play the "new game". And since it was so hot when we did this, the water evaporated quickly. Clean slate every few minutes!

Of course, the inevitable happened:

But so what? It was just a little water and he and I had fun making wet footprints from the puddle. I think even the most mess-phobic mamas can enjoy this one.

We also tired an aluminum foil activity that was a fail. I was to inspired to buy him an enormous newsprint pad with my Michael's coupon and that has also been a huge hit. That's the other great thing about these projects. Because they are about the process and not the product, the activities can be done for extended periods of time or repeated day after day.

If parents could give parent gifts rather than Melissa and Doug puzzles at birthday parties, I would be giving this book to anyone with a toddler. This book, and a bottle of wine. : )

The Best Little Yarn Crawl in Texas 2011

This was my first year participating in The Best Little Yarn Crawl in Texas. I only made it to 4 of the 9 stops, but it was so much fun! I came home with a head full of project ideas and all kinds of knitting goodies.

I beefed up my stash with some sparkly sock yarn, beautifully heathered alpaca lace weight, and malabrigo lace weight in the best dark green color. Yarn with a bit of glitter in it seems to be the trend this fall, a trend that I was happy to indulge in!

We visited all the shops in the Austin area: The Knitting Nest, Hill Country Weavers, and Gauge. Then, my yarn crawl buddy and I got adventurous and took our toddlers out to Old Oaks Ranch Monday morning. Oh man, do I love me some alpacas! I have to say, as much fun as we had at the ranch, I was disappointed that I didn't get to touch an alpaca even though their ad in the passport says "Come touch an alpaca!". We also didn't get a free gift there, but taking pictures of the kiddos running around the sculpture garden was a great souvenir.

Everyone we encountered along the crawl was super friendly and helpful. I think it's great that they changed things up a bit this year so there's a giveaway that you can enter for each store.
Hopefully next year I can make it to all the stores so I can be eligible for the grand prize! Now if you'll excuse me, I have some serious knitting to attend to. :)

It Takes a Village Baby Blanket

A member of Knitters Anonymous, the awesome knittin' and drinkin' group I'm in, recently had a little boy. While she was busy growing a human life, the rest of us made her this blanket.
We used two colors of Naturally Caron Spa and each member contributed a panel.
The only instructions given were to CO 36 stitches and knit in your chosen stitch pattern until your piece measured 32". I gathered up all the panels, stitched them together, and did a single crochet border around the edge to tie it all together. I think it looks very sweet and it is silky soft, perfect for delicate baby skin. Sorry for the blurry, picture, it's the only one I have. I think my camera is starting to lose it. : /
Anyway, I think this is a great project for a gift from a knitting group, but were I ever to do it again I would go with a cotton yarn.

Crochet School? Awesome!

*Thanks, I think I will.*

I am totally signing up for this. I know how to do a couple of things, like chain and double crochet, but I can't read a pattern well and I am light years away from re-creating any of the awesome crocheted goodness on my pin board. Holy smokes, am I ever addicted to Pinterest right now. So many great ideas on there! Like Crochet School! It starts October 1st.

I do not need another hobby. But another SKILL, well, that's a different story.... right?

We Are Safe

After a scary afternoon with no power and a fire burning way too close to my husband's office and 3(!) of my friend's homes, things seem to be under control again. That particular fire was started by some IDIOT throwing matches into a dry creek bed. As if mother nature wasn't enough. Anyway, as you can see from the video above, these fires are not to be trifled with. And not to be gross and political, we have Rick Perry to thank for making it so incredibly difficult to get the resources in place to fight these fires. Texas Cut Fire Department Funding by 75% This Year

For those of you not living in the state and find him an ideal candidate, please dig a little deeper and see how he has taken our schools from bad to abysmal and slashed public services. His own family doesn't even like his politics.