Yarn Tainers!

Tame that yarn from having a life of its own! OK, so I'm on a DIY kick these days but there are just some things I can't see paying a ton of money for,,,,,sock blockers, yarn tainers, etc. So, here is a yarn tainer from JoAnn's! Yes, we can make our own!

So some ideas to make your own, ya'll know you have containers in your cupboard to do this with, especially those sock knitters like me - butter tubs!

http://kimberlychapman.com/crafts/knit-tutorials.html#yarnholder

How about those coffee creamer containers! That would be perfect for sock yarn!

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/blog/2007/08/02/crafty-ways-with-coffee-creamer-bottles/

What ideas do you have or have you found to contain your yarn while working with it?

DBS and DBB!

I am finally to the toe of my death by sock of sock #1! That work, it sure gets in the way of a challenge. LOL I should have this one done tonight and move on to sock #2. Can see all of the progress at the DBS5 post here!

Bet ya wonder what DBB is hey, think it is another challenge - NOPE! It is Death by Burger. Actually Kristen created her own version of a Triple Bypass Burger that she saw on the food network. It is a quarter pound burger (she used turkey burger), 3 cheeses, a fried egg, bacon, tomato, and grilled bread. You won't believe what the original recipe calls for - like 3 fried eggs, 1/2 pound of bacon, etc. Glad she downsized! LOL Here's a pic of her version from last night.

Sock Blockers!

I have been checking out sock blockers for my handmade socks and was shocked, yes shocked at how much a set of sock blockers cost - anywhere from $15 to $25! Smokes, that is a chunk of change just to block socks. So my buddy Google, yup I google it all the time, found me a way to make my own relatively inexpensively - with a coat hangar! WOO HOO! Click the images to get the instructions.

From the The Knitting Zone

From Little Sesame Knits

Valentine's Fling and Reading!

Check here for Death by Socks Updates, keeping all under same post! Progress is much better than the last DBS I was in but still no speed knitting here! LOL

The Sloanie Secret Valentine Fling has kicked off! Have 35 players this go around and it should be a blast!

Diane Chamberlain, Diane Chamberlain, Diane Chamberlain! OK, if you didn't hear that I'll say it one more time DIANE CHAMBERLAIN! LOL Diane is one of my new favorite authors. Friday night I started reading "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes" and I've been extremely hard pressed to put it down (or shut off my reader) since I started reading it! Talk about a series of twists and turns in CeeCee/Eve's life. Oh my world! Diane is an excellent author and gets you into the head of the main character so deeply you wonder if you are reading or actually thinking the thoughts yourself! Excellent, excellent read!

A little pampering for me!

Death by Socks Updates are under yesterdays post!

Those of you who know me know I seldom if ever get myself anything. Well I did! LOL A friend of mine mentioned that I really shouldn't be wearing the jewelry I still do and for a change I had to agree with him. I have two sets of rings that I've worn for 20 years, my wedding set and my Dad's birthstone. I got to thinking one evening, yup it is time to put that jewelry away as it doesn't represent the person I am now. I got a set of blue sapphires that I absolutely love and then had my nails airbrushed and gel coated so my hands were kind of pretty for my new ring! LOL So here is the set and what the ring looks like on. The blue in the image really doesn't do the stones any justice as the real pieces have a much deeper blue stone.

I finally got Kris to let me take pics of her "eye art", that is what I always call it when she puts makeup on because she does some way kewl things with her eyes. So here are her eyes and then her jet black hair all curled up ready to go out.

I saw this book advertised on one of my knitty newsletters and had to get it, I'm always on the lookout for seamless knitting! French Girl Knits

Death by Socks Begins!

WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO! Let the battle begin. Pattern was posted at 3:37 a.m. Eastern time this morning, mine is printed, swatch is done, cuff of sock 1 is started. The fun of this one, no pic so you are flying blind! How fun is that challenge! Will update this post with progress as I go! Off to knit my heart out!

Sunday, February 1 - 7 a.m. - Sock 2 underway!

So what am I doing until the SuperBowl starts! Working on my Death by Socks competition socks. Have sock one done and well into sock 2. I have not heard word from my assassin or my target as to their progress but I'm still alive in the competition as no weapons (socks) have arrived yet to assassinate me! Bonus! So here is my progress.

Thursday Morning - 5 a.m. - Foot Finally Done, now onto the toe!
I am finally to the toe of my death by sock of sock #1! That work, it sure gets in the way of a challenge. LOL I should have this one done tonight and move on to sock #2.

Monday Morning - 5 a.m. - Foot Rolling Along!
I worked on the foot of the sock a little after working a bit yesterday afternoon and picked it up again this morning while babysitting systems (you know, the job that keeps me in yarn LOL) I opted to seperate the instep stitches across two needles as having 34 stitches on one small DPN was really slowing me down and killing my hands and wrists. So I have gone from a 3 needle sock to a 4 needle sock for the foot. My victims foot is 9.5 inches and the foot is 7.5 inches, I have 4 inches from the back of the heel on so far! Not bad. I'm no speed knitter but doing OK with my work schedule the way it is.

Sunday Noon - Gussets Done!
I'm not sure what took me so long to finish the gussets, seems to have taken forever but they are done. Have to work this afternoon for a bit so won't be working on the foot until later this evening or tomorrow morning.

Sunday 8:30 a.m. update - How I pick up gusset stitches!

This is my favorite way to pick up gusset stitches - shows with needle and with crochet hook, I prefer crochet hook method.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-pick-up-the-gusset-of-a-knitted-sock-176528/

and to be sure I have no gusset holes!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWne5ZKzvXo

Sunday 8 a.m. update - Heel Turned!

Sunday 7:30 a.m. update - Leg and Heel Flap done!

Sunday Morning Update - 4:30 a.m.!

I was thwarted by work yesterday afternoon and didn't get to knitting as much as I wanted. I did get the leg done tho so I'm going to try again today!

Saturday Noon Update
I have to head into work as there are issues between my sites and servers but wanted to post a couple of videos for how I did specific stitches for the sock.

K1F&B (K1 through front and back loop) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILcTB5hc0XM

M1 (Make 1 increase - between cuff and leg) - I opted for the M1A (Make 1 Away) so there wasn't a hole left, although it would be small and unnoticeable to all probably I would know it was there. LOL http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/increases ( I knit English style so click that link for how I did it).

Saturday 8:05 a.m Update
Chose a ball of Lion Brand Sock-Ease in Rock Candy colorway and size 1 Harmony Wood DPNs as my weapons of choice.

12 rows of cuff done

First repeast of leg pattern done, a version of feathers and fan and real easy to work up!

Fun, Fun, Fun!

Check out making perfect applique circles from Linda M Poole!

Checkout Linda's Quilted Fairy Tales as well at her web site!

Another site I always find fun and informative is that of a friend, Jaye, ArtQuiltMaker!

Jaye sent a link to Craft Sanity yesterday and I love, love, love the treeapkin here, isn't it so clever!

My Cowl Fascination!

I have yet another knitting fascination! The Cowl! I've been searching high and low for knitted cowl patterns but specifically ones that button on rather than the over the head style. Can't muss up that hair once it is ready! LOL I got a new winter coat last year that I absolutely love but the top stays open much more than I like exposing the neck area way too much and a long scarf is just to bulky and uncomfortable to tuck in and since the coat is hooded it makes it a bit difficult to wrap around the neck. So I went on the search for cowl patterns! What I've found so far:

From Getting Purly with It blog - Seed Stitch Cowl - my favorite so far

From Knitty Gritty Thoughts blog - Spiral Cowl


From Tidewater Knits - Blackberry Cowl - another favorite

Plum Spooky and Winter Knitting!

I was so psyched yesterday to get Janet Evanovich's next installment of the adventures of Stephanie Plum "Plum Spooky"! How totally fun!

Then I spent my weekend babysitting systems, of course, and knitting while watching and managing frozen water lines. My back room was a nightmare last week as the below zero temps and wind swirled around the northwest side of the house freezing up the south end of the house. Luckily I managed to maintain the temp in the backroom to keep the lines from bursting and as soon as the temps went above zero they freed up! Lucky!
The Horcrux socks are turning out even better than expected and I love them and then Sunday I started another hat from Knitting for Peace as I love this swirl hat. Did it in the large size this time and I think it will almost fit an adult, we'll see. Used the Red Heart Stratta yarn so I didn't have to change colors and it worked up awesome. Started the brim this morning.

Solid Horcrux Socks and New to Me Author Love!

Here is what the same pattern from the other day looks like in a solid fingering weight yarn. I just love how this pattern works up so nicely!
I started reading a new to me author the other evening and I am so in love with her writing style. The author is Casey Daniels and I started with her first book Don of the Dead. She has a way of writing that makes it real, a lot of the things that Pepper (main character) says I find myself laughing because I'd have probably said the exact same thing in a situation. Just a good fun read, I will definitely be downloading and reading the rest of her books.
Have a great weekend, we're at -22 wind chill, -5 air temp, and 5 inches of snow on the way. Needless to say, I will be inside most of the weekend.

-9 air, -21 windchill! What do you do?

Play with yarn and think warm thoughts! That's what I do anyhoo. I have been wanting to try this Red Heart Strata yarn out for some time now and have now gotten around to it. I absolutely love how the colors work up together. I started this sock around 7 p.m. last night, slept a little, and got to the heel turn this morning before work! They are going to be a great pair of bed socks! I'm using the Horcrux (Harry Potter) Socks pattern from I'm Knitting As Fast As I Can and the colors just seem to go along with the HP look! LOL

I think I'm going to try this pattern in a solid fingering weight yarn as well so the pattern shows up better. It is just such a neat pattern!

Another 2009 Resolution!

Remember my one and only New Years 2009 Resolution, well I have had to add to it. See my original post here:
http://maverickcrafter.blogspot.com/2009/01/primary-goal-of-2009.html

I've resolved to steer clear of pathological liars as well, but then again being a narcissist and being a pathological liar pretty much go hand in hand. For more info read what WikiAnswers has to say on it!
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_can_you_tell_if_someone_is_a_pathological_liar

On top of everything else, I'm not enjoying my snow as much as I should! mmmm, but then again it might actually bring out Brutus with the snowblower! WOOOO HOOO! Gotta love that idea! I'll have to take a pic the next time I catch him snowblowing for me at 10 p.m. Tricky buddy of mine!

It's over already - the weekend that is!

I can't believe how fast my time off goes these days, geez, seems like I just got home Friday afternoon and here it is the morning to get back at it again! Will time ever slow down enough to really enjoy it! I won't hold my breath, LOL!
So let's see what the girls have been up to since the holidays have are over and college has started again, still thinking they have too much time on their hands. Both are artists and both feel their body is the perfect canvas. I will leave my opinion out of all that business and just show you their latest artwork

I also got a couple of so neat surprises this weekend. First, my buddy Nancy gifted me with this too kewl basket full of fabric and a pattern for a way too kewl tablerunner that I have got to get after just to see how it turns out because there is no picture! WOO HOO! I love mysteries. LOL

Then in the mail, my beautiful niece Bobbie Sue sent a key chain of charms of my great nephew and nieces - Tyler, Paige, Sarah, and Anna. I will cherish this forever, it is the most beautiful I have ever seen especially with my babies in the charms!

And of course I knitted this weekend. My friend, Little Mary, needed a pair of slippers for her MaMa. And Mama didn't want to wear the white ones she received because they would get dirty, isn't that just the sweetest. So I took her white ones and replicated them in purple! I think they turned out pretty kute if I do say so myself. I found another pattern on the internet that had a seamless bottom and a kute button closure so decided to try them out as well.

Sloanie Valentine Fling Secret Swap 2009!

We're getting the new year kicked off with a Sloanie Fling! WOO HOO! Join in the fun, a one on one swap with none other than the Pat Sloan yahoo group! WOO HOO! If you are already a member of the groups see the signup links below, if you are not a member please join both groups, main and RR and Swaps, then sign up for the Fling!

Main Group Sign Up: Pat-Sloan-Quilts-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

RR and Swap Group Sign Up: Pat-Sloan-RR-Swaps-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Pat-Sloan-RR-Swaps/photos 09 Valentine Fling Photos

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pat-Sloan-RR-Swaps/files/ 09 Valentine Fling Files

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pat-Sloan-RR-Swaps/database 09 Valentine Fling Participant Database

Valentine Fling Details:
Join us for this Secret Valentine Fling. This will be a one on one SECRET swap. A moderator will email each person privately with the name and address of the individual you will send your Secret Valentine packie to. Keep your mystery person a secret until the swap is over.

The theme of the swap package is a “Valentine Fling, in a good way". So what is IN the packie you ask? Some how I KNEW you'd ask! You'll include one decorated and finished t-towel or set of 4 fabric coasters that you make.

The database will have a place for each person to answer a question or two about themselves so you know what color they like and that kind of thing. Applique the t-towel with something VALENTINE like. Hearts, cupids, etc. that kind of thing. If you are making coasters, use VALENTINE or RED/PINK/WHITE fabrics. THEN add in some additional goodies to the package that are VALENTINE like. Shop the $1.00 store. Shop the bargains. Put in a FQ of VALENTINE like fabric, buttons, stickers, a notepad, VALENTINE color candies... etc. The total cost of the goodies and t-towel should be $10.00, no more.. no less.

Deadline for signing up for the swap is January 24, 2009.

The Secret Valentine Fling needs to be mailed to your secret friend no later than February 6, 2009 for arrival on or before February 14.

HOW TO MAKE COASTERS:
http://www.sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=393
http://www.quickquilts.com/golden/qg67_pattern/
http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts/2006/11/crisscross_coas.html

IDEAS FOR TEA TOWELS:
XOXO (with hearts)
XOXO
Hearts
Basket of heart shaped flowers

For more information be sure to sign up at both group sites and then the Fling itself.

Family and Friends!

Isn't Addy just the kutest little peanut in the world! It is so much fun to have a little one to make cute things for. Doesn't she just bring that kutie swirl hat to life! WOO HOO! You go Addy girl!

I got on the girls the other day because we always have tons of pics of them and Bryan, well I decided it was my turn to have a pic of Bryan and me! So here it is. The poor guy is finally getting out of here today (Jan 6) and was scheduled for Sunday (Jan 4) but hey, MI weather and Momma Nature don't always cooperate,,,,as well as Kristen doing happy snow and ice dances to keep him here! LOL

Crafting away a cold weekend!

UPDATE: no party bag! We spent Bryan's last day here eating (a lot) and napping and chatting!
Maybe this morning after getting back from the airport!

I'm hoping that by the time this post actually posts I'll have a couple of "Party Bags" aka "Grab Bags" from Pat Sloan's sEw AloNG done, the pattern can be found here APQ "Grab Bag".
I did get a pair of short socks done so they can wing their way out to Bryan's Mom in Arizona. I really love this pattern, the cuff is so stretchy and so soft that it makes you just want to put them on! LOL

Mug shots of the gang, Bryan flies back to Hawaii this morning providing the ice storm that is due to roll in around 3 a.m. doesn't. Could be an extra day in Mid MI for him,,,,,mmmm,,,,that's what he gets for bringing that warm weather in and melting all my snow! Ha!

Kris and Bryan Angel and Bryan

Kris and Angel with "Tude" Ruby trying to take Dusa's Spot