Beaded bracelet book from Klutz

Here's my first attempt at beading a new kind of bracelet. It is fairly easy now that I understand the logistics. Now I can make the cool wrap bracelets I've been seeing everywhere.

Ribbon--Still!

Here's today's creation. I discovered a new way to fold the ribbon and then hot glued them to the super skinny headbands I found. The one on the right is glittery!!!!

Ribbon!!

It's gotten a little out of control here. I've made 10 headbands and went out and bought even more ribbon and headbands. I'm setting a limit at 35 and I'll see how they sell.

Yay for new books from Klutz!

Here's my latest craft book purchase. I've been admiring these types of bracelets and thrilled to find a Klutz book to help me out with kid-friendly directions!

Headbands

Here's my latest crafting adventure-- woven ribbon headbands in a multitude of colors. I do believe I've found my new craft show item!

New Sign for my Classroom

Nit really, but I do indeed wish I could hang it prominently.

Pretty!

Today, I finally figured out how to do the woven headband. (The trick is not to watch tv at the same time....). AND I finished my beautiful 3 hour cowl that basically took 3 days, but only because I got assaulted at work and didn't craft for a day and a half while I moped around the house like a little kid. (I'm ok--no damage, just tired of teaching in the inner city.) how beautiful is that cowl? I love Hobby Lobby yarn.

Three Hour Cowl

Found this pattern for a three hour cowl and finally decided to try it. It definitely takes longer than three hours, but it is very pretty. I modified the design to give it more substance, but I'm pretty sure it is still just a lovely. Check out those elongated and then twisted drop stitches. Yum!

I have a sickness, it seems.

I have a yarn addiction. Most knitters and crocheters do. I need to stop buying. Seriously. I stopped in Hobby Lobby for one skein and ended up with 9. I blame it on the child screaming "moooommmmmmmmmy!" repeatedly. Who wants to stand in line with that? So I kept shopping.

Sockhead Hat

Sue me--I'm knitting. Cast on the sockhead hat and love it, so,far. You can't tell from the picture, but the yarn has a pastel rainbow running through it. Old yarn finally used!

This yarn drives me crazy.  I only bought one skein and I want more so I can make something very awesome with it BUT it was a limited edition and only 10 were made.  I just stalked the 4 other people on ravelry who have it and perhaps over time I can convince them to give it up.

String art

Great concept. Cool crafts for kids. BUT, as you see in the second picture, I gave up when the spool fell apart and the string escaped for its life. Fail. And I really don't have the patience to untangle it. Garbage can!

Drat!

So, I finished my really awesome book on my lunch break. You know that little bubble you are in when you finish a really awesome book and you don't want to start a anew one right away? I'm there. So I came home and hung some pockets, did dishes, took out recycling, started a craft and then decided to knit. I know. Don't say it. I didn't even make it 24 hours.

Still sticking firm to my decision to take a knitting vacation.  Of course it has only been 12 hours, but still.  Perhaps it's this lovely little book I'm reading or the fact that I hate casting on a project.

Perhaps I'll actually get some things done around the house that needed to be done that I had been neglecting.  Or perhaps I'll daydream about the wonderful lunch Andrew and I had at this little restaurant in St. Maarten.

The Wall

No, not Pink Floyd--my creative wall. Or my motivation wall. Or my inspiration wall. Either way I've hit a wall and seem to have gotten no where in the past 36 hours. No pattern that I start is working. New stitches are confusing me. I hate my chair and my couch and my floor. And no matter what I start, I hate it and I unravel it. Perhaps I need a yarn break for February. Just do simple crafts for the next 18 days. Or just read. Who knows? I'm just befuddled...

Calla Lily Yarns in Wooster, Ohio

It is with great sadness that I watch another local yarn store close. Today I visited Calla Lily Yarns and Gifts in Wooster, Ohio for the final time before she closes her doors and moves to Dallas, Texas. Below is a picture of my purchases: Misti Alpaca, Mountain Colors Hand Painted Yarns, and (my new favorite) madelinetosh. I came home and wound all my yarns and stashed them in ravelry and then I hit a wall. What to make? Too much yarny goodness and too many choices in patterns. The pattern I picked looked easy enough, but after two tries and learning two new stitches (sk2p and m2), I frogged it and am calling it a night. I'll start fresh tomorrow.

Le Fleur

Le Fleur (the flower) yarn is working up pretty nicely. Working in stockinette in the round is actually making the little "flowers" bloom in a spiral around the cowl. Weird yarn making a pretty unique little item. I. Like. It. And since I had to unravel 20 yards of my 198 yards of heaven and start over, I decided to finish this and start over Sunday...

Lucy!

Finished my hat! Yay! Can't wait to wear it tomorrow!!

Variegated yarn!

Mom sent me a picture of the scarf she's knitting. I'm a sucker for variegated yarn and this one is coming out pretty awesome. Almost like argyle. I'm happy to also know I have some of the same yarn in my stash, but a different color!

198 yards of heaven

That's the name of this shawlette I'm making with my pretty madelinetosh yarn. It is going to be yummy! (AND I pimped out my new phone case!)

Sundance Le Fleur

I bought this yarn on a whim and decided to make a cowl out of it after a scarf went horribly wrong. This is the progress I made during my meeting today. Not bad, eh?

Progress on Lucy

Finished the band this evening. I love the woven stitch! Will have to keep it in mind when I need to add texture to another scarf or hat.

Lucy Hat

I started my Lucy Hat and am almost finished with the band. It's a quick project and pretty easy, too. If I didn't have to work tomorrow, I'd stay up late to work on it. But it's been a pretty hectic day, so I'm calling it an early night.

Simple Cowl

Finished my simple cowl in stockinette stitch. I used the Red Heart Boutique Changes yarn. This project shows the pretty changes in the yarn and makes it look more complex than it is. Cast on 85 on size 11 circulars and knit every stitch until you like the length then bind off using a size 13 needle to make the bind off loose. Can't wait to wear it tomorrow!!!

Herringbone Cowl

Finished the cowl today. Now I get to,start all my new projects this week!!! Yippee!!

Almost finished!

Lucy Hat

This is my next hat. I'm tres excited. Ok, very excited. I sounded stupid using French. The exact yarn came yesterday and I gauge swatched today. Ready to begin AFTER my weekly homework is finished. Gah! I hate waiting.

Finished!

10 rows too many. Never ever follow a NORO hat pattern exactly as written unless your head is shaped like a cone. Third DIFFERENT hat with the same result. Meh! At least it's finished. And..... I'll still wear it!