Losing Track

I am not doing such a good job of keeping track of projects started and finished.  Well, I know what I've finished and what I've started, but I don't think I'm sticking to that "finish 2 before starting 1" resolution I made.  Whenever this kind of thing happens, I get frustrated with all the things I have started already, decide I'm completely bored with them, and start a whole slew of new things.  This time isn't any different than all those other times.  I think I've started 4 new projects this week alone!  They are fairly simple and small projects, which is a blessing, but they are projects nonetheless. *sigh*

I did finish one of them, so that's good huh?  I've had this little guy in my Ravelry queue for some time and I decided it was time I crocheted him.  I love the hair!  He sits on my desk at work between the red high heel shoe tape dispenser and the shipping crate post-it note thingy.

I finished up my biscornu pincushion last weekend.  I love this and am planning to make a lot more.  Tiny ones to use as scissor fobs, small ones as ornaments for the Christmas tree, medium sized ones for pincushions, and large ones as pillows!  I had never heard of these before, and you can't tell on my photos of this one because of the lacy edging, but the construction is really nifty.  They are not little square pillows.  They have 8 sides, created by sewing them together with the corner of the bottom square lined up with the middle of a straight edge of the top square.  This may sound confusing, but trust me it's cool.  Look it up on Google.

When I had to cut the top out and had those scissors so close to the stitching, I felt like I did when I cut my first steeks.  Scary!

Another new project, started this evening in fact, is another prayer shawl.  This one is crocheted, and I'm using up some Noro Kureyon sock yarn that was repurposed from a project I decided to let go of.  Because, let's face it folks.  At some point, you get to an age that you decide striped sock yarn is not going to look good on your butt no matter what skirt pattern you decide to knit lol.  Since I got rid of a project to start this one, does it count as a new project?  Hmmmmmmmm.

I really enjoyed the cross-stitch and embroidery I've been doing lately, so decided to start a new project once the biscornu was complete.  Hopefully I can keep this under control and not start a gazillion embroidered projects like I do knit/crochet.

This is going to be a cover to cover my ugly Nook cover.  Haven't decided exactly how I'm going to manage to make this cover my existing cover and still get the Nook in there, but I have plenty of time to get it all figured out.

Ok, I've just checked the Ravelry projects page, and I currently have 16 projects in progress.  Rather than try to remember what I've finished and whether I'm allowed to start something new, I'll just make sure that the next thing I start does not make my count go above 15.  Let's see if that works!

Happy Humpday

I finished up the Dream Stripes Prayer Shawl with more than a week to spare before the next meeting of the group.  I still have another skein of the white yarn left, and since this worked up so quickly, I will get some more in a contrasting color and make another one for the next meeting.

I really like this pattern and may have to make one of these for myself later this year.

Amanda talked me into joining a dishcloth group on Ravelry and I made one of their patterns.  I've had this pattern in my library for awhile, but never got around to making it.  I was originally going to make a scarf with it, but it does work up quite nicely for a hot pad.

More fun craftiness from Pinterest!  I used pages from a knitting catalog to make a woven coaster.  Too lazy right now to track down the tutorial url, but I will do that another day.  This took mere minutes to make and was a pretty mindless project.  I will be making more of these to store around the house.

I started a baby blanket for my hairstylist, who is expecting her second this July.  I have wanted to make this pattern since I bought the magazine back in 2008, but didn't think about it when she had her first 2 years ago. It is working up fairly quickly (when I actually work on it), and I'm hoping to have it all completed by the end of March.

St. Patty's Day Pincushion

Amanda and I decided to start another project.  No knitting or crocheting this time.  We are each making a pretty cross-stitch pincushion.  I finished the backstitch, cross-stitch, and Rhodes hearts last night while listening to an audio book.  I hope to have the Kloster blocks and buttonhole stitching done this week so I can do the sewing and stuffing next weekend.  This is a quick project that will add a nice pincushion to my ever growing collection.

I have not finished the Dream Stripes shawl as I had hoped this week.  I wound up starting it over after my last post.  I didn't like the way the edge slip stitches were working up in this yarn.  I opted to use a 3-stitch garter edge instead and it is working up much nicer.  I am finally done with the stripes and have started the lace border, so should be done in a couple more nights of knitting.

It is time to pull out the quilting again.  I have let them languish too long and need to get back to them.  Hopefully I'll have some time to devote to them this week.

Salt Scrubs, and Prayer Shawls, and Pincushions, Oh My!

I tried a new scrub.  Citrus salt scrub this time.  Loved it!  Will be using this one many more times.  Bought a little mason jar and made a batch to give my sister for her birthday.  Added a coconut scented bar of soap in a hand knit lacy bag and a hand knit face cloth and called it a spa set.

I also finished a bit of embroidery this month.  I made a pincushion and coordinating needle book for a swap on Ravelry.  Also crocheted a lacy edging on a hankie.  I fashioned the pincushion after one I'd seen on Pinterest, and it just seemed to want a companion.  My partner seems well pleased with them so the endeavor was a success.  In the same swap I received a nice fat quarter that I plan to turn into a pincushion and needle book for myself.

Both of the previous projects were completed as gifts for others, so I excused myself from my "finish two before starting one" resolution.  As such, even though I finished both, I am not allowed to start another one.  I've gone a bit off the wagon with that resolution however.  I think when all is said and done I am ok, but I quit paying attention to how many I started vs how many I finished.

I did finish a silk shawl last week that has been on the needles for a few months and am very pleased with it.  I've worn it a couple of times now and have gotten some nice compliments on it.

A new prayer shawl is on the needles and is going quite quickly.  I started it yesterday, and if I continue at the pace I'm currently on, it should be finished next week.

Not much completed on this project yet, but I envision it going quickly once I decide to make it my main project.  This will be an adorable baby blanket for my hair stylist, who is having her second this July.

I am on a mission to reduce my sock yarn stash this year.  I really don't need a bunch more hand knit socks, so I'm planning on making shawlettes with as much of it as I can.  I cast on this one last week and it's a pretty mindless knit while I watch television, or listen to an audio book.  I am using 2 skeins of Noro Silk Garden sock yarn.

Along with finishing projects, I am taking a good look at all of the ones currently in the works to see if I really want them.  Several of them have hit the frog pond this month.  One such project was a sweater I had started for my husband a couple of years ago.  I decided to repurpose the yarn as a jacket for myself.

Hopefully, I'll get better at updating this new blog as time goes on.  Bad habits die hard I guess.

Brown Sugar .... Mmmmmmm

Yesterday I went to a local health food store in search of ingredients for a homemade brown sugar scrub.  I do love me a good sugar scrub, but they are pretty dang expensive and I was looking forward to saving a few dollars by making my own.

I tried this recipe.  I am not going to lie and say that by making this you will save a ton of money, because quite frankly, I had sticker shock when the cashier rang me up!  Those essential oils are expensive and this recipe calls for 3 of them.  If you already have essential oils, then by all means mix away.  If you have unlimited funds and are making the scrub yourself instead of buying it because you enjoy making your own stuff, by all means mix away. If you are making the scrub yourself to save money and don't already have the essential oils ...... try something else!  Or perhaps buy one of the oils for your first batch, add another next time, and so on.  I don't actually think the essential oils did much for me.  I would have been just as happy with just the carrier oil (I bought sweet almond) and the brown sugar.  I also thought the scrub was too dry, even though I used about 4 times as much carrier oil as this recipe called for.

Verdict:  This one wasn't for me, but in clicking around on links I found a version that I plan to try next time.  It calls for avocado mixed with the brown sugar then enough carrier oil to bring the whole mixture to the texture of your choice.  There's something about the thought of rubbing avocado all over my skin that just sounds decadent.  May even add some of those expensive essential oils now that I have them.

DIY!!

I don't normally make New Year's resolutions, but this year I made a couple.

In 2012 I resolve to:

• Finish 2 existing WIPs before starting something new (this was aimed specifically towards my seemingly never ending list of knit and crochet projects)
• Learn a new craft (I am currently saving up to buy a loom so I can start weaving my own kitchen towels)
• Turn the TV off and read more often ("read" includes listening to audio books while I work on my craft projects)
• Find ways to save money and use more natural products

So far (yeah, I know 2012 is only 3 weeks old, but still) I am doing pretty good on all counts.

I have finished 3 of my WIPs, and although I did start a new knitting project, I decided I didn't really like it and frogged it.  I plan to make scarves for the kids and their SOs for Christmas this year and I've finished the first for one of the guys.  Don't look at me like that, I'm not insane.  Although not a New Year's resolution, I did promise myself to be finished with Christmas crafting early in 2012 so I'm not stressed and can enjoy the holiday.

I'm also doing my own version of Project 333.  I have decided that accessories like shawls/scarves do NOT count towards my 33 wardrobe items.  It is my way of making a basic black long-sleeved top go farther.  So, I finished up a shawl I've had on the needles for quite a few months.  I adore it!

And lastly, I finished up a beaded eyeglass case.  This thing is super heavy for such a small item.  It lives in my car and protects my sunglasses from scratches.  Lots more projects in the book this pattern came from that I intend to make.

So that takes care of the first item on my list.  I don't have the money yet for all the things I will need for weaving, especially since I don't plan to buy a tiny loom.  I want to be able to make some larger projects so I'm going to hold out for a loom 24" or larger.  I am looking at rigid heddle looms and not a floor loom.  No need to go overboard lol.  I've been doing some reading and following weaving groups on Ravelry, so I'm getting an idea what to expect when I get my tools.  Hopefully I can get started in April.

The reading is coming along too.  I have a goal of reading 24 books this year.  I recently finished "The Hunger Games", and am currently reading "Catching Fire", "One For The Money", and "A Clash of Kings".  Anyone else read several books at once?

I'm really excited about the last item.  I have always found these great ideas online about making your own this or that, but I've never attempted them.  That is going to change this year.  I got myself a Pinterest account to organize and save all those great ideas, and I will be trying them all.  I started off making my own laundry detergent.  Wish I had tried this years ago!  It may just be my mind playing tricks on me, but I swear my clothes feel softer now.  I will be saving a ton of money by using this, and I like the smell.  So simple and quick to make.

This week, I am making my own body scrub.  Review on that to come.

Sometimes I Can Be

... a total and complete idiot! I have spent the past several days reposting 3 1/2 years worth of photos to my Ravelry account. Why? Well, I was getting annoying emails from Flickr on a regular basis. Since I no longer use my Flickr account, I decided to delete it last week. Ummmmm completely slipped my mind that until recently I was uploading photos to my Ravelry projects from the Flickr account. Every photo I had was replaced with a horrible Flickr "this photo is currently unavailable" graphic! This little project did force me to clean up and organize the photos on my computer, so all was not lost; however, I do not want to do anything like this any time in the near future. What a pain in the butt!

I have been working so much on finishing up my WIPs, I was beginning to come down with a slight case of startitis. In an attempt to head it off at the pass, I allowed myself to knit up a cute dishcloth. 1 project complete for March!



I have only worked on the first of my March blocks for the 2011 Block A Month Afghan. I will work on the others this weekend. This is about the time of year I got behind on last year's afghan. Really going to put effort into not letting that happen this year.



I have completed all the pieces for Paul's Daring jacket. Didn't get a photo of the sleeves, but since they don't have cabling on them, you aren't missing much. I got a zipper today and plan on sewing it in and finishing the jacket this weekend.






Cast on a cardigan for Max and quickly got the elephants complete. This shouldn't take too much longer to finish up. I can have this done in a couple of days if I put my mind to it. I plan on having it done by next weekend. Just need to find the perfect buttons for it.



Finished section 6 of the Babette blanket and got it sewed on this afternoon. I've been working on section 7 this evening and should have it finished tomorrow. Hoping to have this afghan finished this month.