Kathryn Estelle

Catch Up Post: Works in Progress

2011-07-22T13:06:00.000-04:00

I currently have three crochet projects in the works, several of which have been in progress for some time!

First, there is Great Granny, which is a pattern from Crochet Today. I am making this for my stitching chair, but the project is on hold for now while I finish up some gift projects.

Next, there is a prayer shawl that I have been making for my dear friend Amy. She picked out the yarn in March, so it has been slow going. I had to set it aside recently to work on a baby gift for an imminent arrival. Besides, who needs a shawl in South Georgia in the summertime?! :)

Finally, here is the baby throw. I started this project using another pattern, but it was too complicated for a movie watching project, so I frogged it and started over with a mindless pattern. Actually, I like the way the painted yarn works up in this pattern much better, so the change was a good one for more than one reason!

I am expecting an extremely rare evening to myself tonight, and I am hoping to get to a new stitching endeavor, if all goes according to plan...

The Hope Project

2010-12-29T15:28:00.008-05:00

This was my entry in an art show that was held recently in our community. It was called The Hope Project, and the proceeds from the show benefited the ministry I direct.

I covered a square canvas with brown fabric for the background, and the crocheting was done in size three crochet thread. The pattern is from Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks—with a slight modification.

This is an edited version of the original post. 7-21-11

WIP Wednesday: Autumnal Afghan

2010-10-27T01:10:00.003-04:00

After nearly four years in hibernation, I pulled this afghan back out to work on while watching the occasional weekend DVD. Sunday night, it was Robin Hood.

I am anticipating it taking all fall and winter to finish. :-)

Update 7-21-11: I ended up giving this project to one of my crochet students. The large hook and stiff yarn hurt my hands too much to continue working on it!

Autumn Inspiration Board

2010-10-25T12:56:00.004-04:00

I updated my inspiration board last week with the subtle autumn hues that I love so much.

A Couple of Things to Share

2010-10-04T15:49:00.009-04:00

First, the card I made for a wise friend's birthday...

In addition, I finally finished the granny square afghan I have been working on for some time. I am pleased with how it turned out. I originally planned to keep it for myself, but I decided to give it to a friend who needs encouragement.

We are headed to the mountains this weekend to enjoy the autumn weather and the change of seasons. I'm planning my travel stitching projects...

My Stitching Chair: A Poem

2010-05-22T10:07:00.002-04:00

I long to sit in my stitching chair
To spend peaceful hours sitting there
Meditating alone with needle and thread
As anxious thoughts are expunged from my head.
As I pass my chair on the way out the door
To my daily calling that must come before
The sitting and stitching that I so adore,
I look at my chair
Thankful it's there
Waiting for me and my burdens to bear.

Katy Sammons
May 22, 2010

Stickin' with Stitchin'

2010-05-15T16:39:00.004-04:00

I've decided that during this busy season in my life, there is no time to practice and to develop skills that I do not already posses (i.e. drawing, painting, etc.)—at least not in my very limited leisure hours! Therefore, during my free moments in the car or on the sofa while watching a Friday evening movie, I'm going to focus on what I know best, the needle arts. I am pretty confident in my crochet, knitting, and embroidery skills, and I can easily pick up and put down those projects as my schedule permits.

I started a new embroidery project recently. I am stitching a pair of dishtowels for my MIL for her birthday. I found a great set of chicken transfers at a craft store during a recent trip to Washington state (for work!), which are in keeping with the theme of her country kitchen.

I also scored a good deal last week on Ebay on size 12 Valdani perle cotton. I'm stitiching the rooster in size 8 DMC perle cotton, which is comparable to the size 12 Valdani, and I really like it, so I decided to invest in some more threads. I love the subtle colors of the "Muddy Monet" collection.

Little Glimpses...

2010-04-29T20:09:00.003-04:00

... of creativity.

And lots of thinking about my hobbies and interests and how to fit them into my new schedule.

(Granny square throw Raveled here.)

A Stitch Here and There

2010-04-01T10:48:00.007-04:00

Well, I did have an FO very soon after my last post some weeks ago, I just didn't post it! (I did upload photos to Flickr, however.) And even worse, I have yet to deliver the baby afghan to its recipient!

I'm still attempting to adjust to this new phase in my life. It's not easy for me. Women who work from 8 to 5 everyday, do the laundry, keep the house in some semblance of order, and have time for their families and their hobbies...you are cut from different cloth than I am! I'm trudging along, keeping my head above water. I haven't given up my creative interests, I just haven't been very successful at working them into my new schedule. Hope springs eternal!

Still Here...And Crocheting

2010-02-05T16:57:00.005-05:00

Regardless of appearances to the contrary, I haven't dropped off of the face of the earth. I am behind on commenting and responding and all manner of online activity. Please forgive me if I haven't gotten back to you. I've worked about thirty hours a week for the past two weeks, and while it is going very well, it is going to take some time for me to adjust to my new schedule. I fall into bed every night exhausted and able to read only a few pages before falling asleep.

I haven't been doing much crafting, but I did finish up last night teaching another session of crochet classes, and I am slowly but surely weaving in the ends on the baby afghan I have been working on for months. My big goal for the weekend is to get that project checked off my list.

I realized a while back that I had never shared with you one of my favorite things, my Lexi Barnes crochet hook case. I bought it using a MasterCard gift card I got for my birthday a couple of years ago, and I have never regretted the purchase. It holds all of my hooks, even the largest ones, as well as a pair of small scissors, darning needles, stitch markers, etc. If you are a serious crocheter and like to be well-organized, it is worth it!

With many hopes of having an FO to post here next week...

New Year, New Venture

2010-01-05T14:15:00.006-05:00

Sorry it's taken so long for the big reveal. Things didn't quite go according to plan, but that has worked out for the best. So what's the big news, the life change, the announcement?

After more than nine years as a stay-at-home mom (with some part-time work thrown in here and there), I am going back to work full time! I have been hired as the executive director of a brand new ministry to women in crisis. Our building is currently being renovated, and we are preparing to open in the Spring. In the meantime, I have much to learn and much to do. I've set up a temporary office in my dining room until the building is finished. I have to write procedures, create a database, raise funds, attend conferences and training... The list goes on.

I wasn't looking to go back to work. I had settled in at home content to keep house (Well, I do the laundry regularly and cook sometimes!), to pursue my creative interests, and to volunteer at church and school. However, over the course of the several months that it took for this development to come to fruition, it has become very clear that I didn't choose the job; it was chosen for me, and that is a great comfort as I contemplate the coming changes around here. I can be confident that I will be equipped to handle what is come.

I don't know how my hobbies will be affected. I certainly won't have as much "free time." But like most people I've talked to about it, the more free time I have, the less likely I am to use it well. My husband thinks I will enjoy my creative pursuits even more because they will be something I do for fun and relaxation rather than with professional ambitions in mind. I hope he is right.

New Inspiration Board

2009-12-28T12:11:00.005-05:00

My mom gave me a new inspiration board for Christmas. We hung it over my work table, and I love it! (You can click on the image for a larger view.)

UPDATED: For those of you who are interested, I FINALLY found an online source for the bird cage memo board, Nell Hill's in Kansas City. And the price is better too!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T15:23:00.002-05:00

Seasons greetings from my home to yours!

Now may the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that you will abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

Sea Island Girl

2009-12-18T15:46:00.006-05:00

I have been reminding myself lately that it is the "most wonderful time of the year." The busyness of the Christmas season is not my favorite part, and, thankfully, the busy part is almost over!

In between Christmas parties, online shopping, and running here and there, I have been helping my fabulous Aunt Chris set up her new blog, Sea Island Girl. Chris is one of the most talented and interesting people I know, so I encourage you to stop by her blog and to leave her a few words of encouragement as she embarks upon this new venture. Here's a peek at her blog banner, designed by moi. (Just letting you know that all creative endeavors have not ceased completely over here!)

My First Award

2009-12-08T12:33:00.003-05:00

My friend Deborah, awarded me with my first ever blog award! Thank you, Deborah!

The way it works is that I answer the following questions in one word, and then pass the award on to five other bloggers.

Here are the questions:

1. Where is your cell phone? purse

2. Your hair? brown

3. Your mother? loving

4. Your father? forgetful

5. Your favorite food? Thai

6. Your dream last night? prophetic

7. Your favorite drink? tea

8. Your dream/goal? contentment

9. What room are you in? greatroom

10. Your hobby? crochet

11. Your fear? pain

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? present

13. Where were you last night? home

14. Something that you aren’t? quiet

15. Muffins? daily

16. Wish list item? books

17. Where did you grow up? Georgia

18. Last thing you did? Flickr

19. What are you wearing? pajamas

20. Your TV? off

21. Your Pets? dog

22. Friends? wise

23. Your life? blessed

24. Your mood? contented

25. Missing Someone? Brenda

26. Vehicle? Camry

27. Something you're not wearing? bra

28. Your favorite store? Barnes and Noble (Not one word, I know.)

29. Your favorite colour? Mauve

30. When was the last time you laughed? morning

31. Last time you cried? forgot

32. Your best friend? Brent

33. One place that I go to over and over? church

34. Facebook? no

35. Favorite place to eat? Moe's

And paying it forward...
Debbie
Tracey
Elizabeth
Gretchen
Beth

Times Flies

2009-12-08T11:45:00.007-05:00

Even I of erratic posting habits am amazed that more than two weeks have passed since my last post. Good things are happening around here, and I plan to share more about that with you later this week.

Good things that are not art and crafts, I'm afraid. But I do have a couple of projects to show you...

First, I went on a brief granny star making binge. I purchased Sarah London's patterns before I knew I could get free instructions here. I had visions of making a garland for Christmas, but I lost steam and got distracted with other interests. (Imagine that!) I've decided that I'm definitely more of a small project girl, and the timing of this realization is especially important. (I'm trying to build suspense... I AM NOT pregnant!)

I also finally got around to doing a little piece of artwork for my friend, Tracey. When she saw this journal page, she indicated she would like a version for herself. In true Kathryn Estelle fashion, I had all kinds of grandiose plans for a mixed media masterpiece, but I never got father than painting a honeycomb background. In a moment of inspiration, I decided that I would make it postcard size (4x6), and all of my design quandaries were over! The cute little bee stamp came from Michael's. I hope you like it, Tracey!

By the way, I want to mention that I haven't been doing the "Follow" thing because I wasn't exactly sure how it worked, and I never got around to taking the time to find out. I subscribe to tbe blogs I read in Bloglines. However, I am gradually "following" as I visit my friends, favorites, and others who are following me.

WIP Wednesday: Rearranging and Organizing

2009-11-11T09:09:00.007-05:00

Monday evening I was overcome with the urge to rearrange my living room, and that urge was brought to fruition yesterday afternoon. Of course, the cabinet that fit perfectly to the right of the windows HAD been storing some of my art supplies, so that lead to my needing to reorganize my creative space closet.

Thankfully, after all of this work, I am extremely pleased with how everything is turning out. I'm only showing you the part of the project that is done. My dining room table, guest bed, and kitchen island are covered with stuff that still needs to be put away!

Now I just need for my husband to make me one of these. I posted a photo on the fridge to help him remember. ;-)

In other news, the weaving-in of the ends on Brady's blanket is now in progress! An FO is imminent!

Autumn Welcome

2009-11-09T20:50:00.004-05:00

We went to visit my parents this weekend, and this is the view that greeted us when we pulled up to the front door. The photo really doesn't do it justice. I took it in the morning as we were about to leave. The evening light would have been much better. My mother is quite the artist, isn't she?

WIP Wednesday: Brady's Blanket

2009-10-21T16:10:00.004-04:00

I had no intention of taking a fall break from blogging, but that's exactly what happened, isn't it? There hasn't been much crafting going on. Other good things that I hope to tell you about soon though.

The blanket that I planned to show you a month ago still isn't finished, but it is high on my list of priorities for the coming days. I'm pleased with how it is turning out, and I'm enjoying working on it, but there hasn't been as much DVD watching going on lately, which explains my lack of progress. Now that the days are cooler, I'm planning to sit down with a cup of tea and some music to get it done.

Thank you for all of the nice comments on my last post! I really enjoyed hearing from some new readers!

WIP Wednesday

2009-09-16T13:58:00.007-04:00

Today begins the second new feature I'm planning to post regularly—WIP Wednesday. For those of you who are not crafters, WIP stands for work in progress.

This week's featured WIP is a knitted feather-and-fan scarf that I begin months ago with the intention of it being my travel knitting. It has traveled to North Carolina and to Montana and Wyoming as well as on shorter trips within my home state. Unfortunately, I finished traveling before I finished the project! I haven't picked it up in weeks as I have been occupied with other projects, but now that I know who I am knitting it for and for what occasion, I am more motivated to get it done. For now, at least.

This is the second feather-and-fan scarf I have knitted. This one is different from the first one in that it uses one skein of sock yarn rather than three balls of a heavier weight yarn—perfect for portability. It also includes a purl row within the pattern repeat. IF there is a next time, I will not purl that row!

I am using Tiennie's Old Shale Scarf pattern and Sweet Grass Wool Toe Jammies yarn. Isn't it pretty?

Update 7-21-11: Pretty or no, I finally frogged it. I am not a scarf knitter! :)

Homemade Bath Salts

2009-09-15T09:08:00.005-04:00

Last week, I made a lunch date via email with a friend that I haven't seen in months. Later that day, I realized I had missed her birthday earlier in the month. She is the type of person who can appreciate a handmade gift because she makes them herself, so I decided to make her something. Because I was short on time and resources, I decided on bath salts.

I Google'd, and there is an abundance of recipes. From looking at a number of them, this is what I came up with:

Ingredients:
4 cups of Epsom Salt
10 drops of lavender essential oil (I got mine here.)
1/2 cup lavender buds, optional

Place Epsom Salts in a bowl, and add essential oil. Mix thoroughly. Add lavender buds, and mix again. That's it! This recipe makes enough for several gifts.

For packaging, I filled up a mason jar and wrapped it in lavender gingham. (To learn more about wrapping with fabric, see Sonia's post here.) I was very pleased with the result, and I hope my friend is too!

Added bonus: I'm still enjoying the scent of lavender in the kitchen!

"Good Weekend" Defined

2009-09-14T16:25:00.011-04:00

It was a good weekend. For some people, a good weekend may consist of a great trip or some special adventure, maybe shopping and a movie; but for me, a good weekend is one wherein I am able to stay home, accomplish much, AND enjoy myself and my family. I had hoped to complete a crochet project that I have been working on for months, which would give me a much needed FO to share here, but it didn't happen.

A few things that DID happen:
(1) Lots of housework on Saturday, including dish washing! I must have exorcised some kind of dish washing demon with my confession on Friday because I washed dishes BY HAND three times on Saturday! This was prompted by my frustration with the dishwasher. Not only has it never worked really well, but I have never been able to master the flow of loading and unloading. There was a never-ending accumulation of dishes on the counter waiting to be loaded, and I rarely seemed to be able to run the dishwasher fewer than two times a day—definitely not green! I decided that to maintain the kitchen as I would like, some hand washing would be required, so I invested in a dish rack. It says a lot about how much I have cut back on my consumption when the purchase of a dish rack can bring so much pleasure! LOL

(2) We made homemade dog treats. Easy recipe. Four ingredients. Lots of fun for the girl. And the dog loves them. Highly recommended!

(3) We had a visitor. He was in the back yard when we came home from church on Sunday. His timing was perfect since his photo is needed for the reptile section of my son's animal notebook for school. Isn't he/she cute?

I hope your weekend was just a nice as ours!

Cookin' from Scratch

2009-09-10T12:08:00.006-04:00

My life has continued to revolve around food this week. I am taking charge of my health and striving to live more simply and frugally, and all of this requires a great deal more attention to food than I have been accustomed to for some time. Bascially, we are eliminating processed and convenience foods and trying to eat whole foods as much as possible. (I am also currently forgoing sugar, caffeine, and most starches.) Therefore, I have been thinking about food, shopping for food, cooking food, and cleaning up the kitchen much more than I am used to, and it has taken up a great deal of my time.

I generally enjoy cooking, and have had periods of intense interest in cookbooks and watching Food Network. But my passion subsided with the realization that the other three people in my home are very picky eaters and often do not appreciate the things I cook for them. This limited my motivation to cook, and we gradually began eating out more and relying on convenience foods.

Two other factors I am up against are my lack of enthusiasm for grocery shopping and for dish washing. If I lived somewhere with a farmer's market and a well-stocked grocery store, the shopping thing would not be so much of an issue, but I live in a rural area where tomato paste in a tube is unheard of, and I can count on one hand the organic vegetables that are available.

The dish washing aversion is most likely due to the fact the I had to wash dishes as a child. My mom had excema on her hands, so it was my job to wash the dishes every night after dinner. I do have a dishwasher now, but that doesn't seem to make much difference. For me it doesn't appear to be the time involved but the task itself. We all have these types of aversions, I suppose. (For the record, among home keeping tasks, I also dislike dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, and ironing.)

For inspiration and information, I have been reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle in the evenings before bed. As I revisit the issues I originally familiarized myself with years ago by reading Wendell Berry's essays, I hope that the changes I am making are for good this time, and that I will not allow myself to fall back into the typical American mode of mindless consumption.

Top photo: Breakfast focaccia from No Need to Knead. (For my children!)
Bottom photo: Lentil stew based on the recipe from The All New Joy of Cooking (1997).

Puttin' Up Pears

2009-09-03T12:40:00.007-04:00

Right now, there are pear preserves on the stove. Earlier this week, I made pear honey. And later today, I'm making peach jam.

I haven't done any canning for the past couple of years, but this year I was determined to take advantage of the abundance of Kieffer pears from my in-laws' trees. Kieffer pears are common in older Southern gardens. They are very firm and little bit gritty, so a long slow simmer is required to make good preserves. Recipes are hard to find, but I think I have the confidence now to experiment a little bit. If my efforts are successful, I will report on it here and provide a recipe.

My first canning lessons were more than eleven years ago with my friend, Debbie. She came over to my house and walked me through the process of making strawberry jam. Since that time, I've put up blueberries and peaches, in addition to pears.

Canning is one of those things that the thinking about is actually harder than the doing. Once you get the necessary equipment and practice needed to determine the setup that works for you, all it requires is time and the availability of good produce. To get started, get a copy of the Ball Blue Book. Follow the instructions, and you will be fine.

Do you do any canning? If so, what is your favorite thing to put up? Do you have any favorite books or other resources on canning and preserving?

Crochet & Aromatherapy

2009-09-02T10:46:00.006-04:00

Yesterday during piano lessons I finished the little crochet project I started over the weekend. It is a tumbler cover from the book Vintage Crochet. This was my first project using beads and Paton's Grace, and I plan on working with both again.

Crocheting with beads is simple, as long as you count out the correct number of beads, which I did not do, and follow the pattern correctly, which I also did not do. This resulted in my having to make some adjustments towards the end, but it being a small project made it an easy task. Paton's Grace is a DK weight cotton yarn that is relatively soft, doesn't separate too easily, and provides nice stitch definition. I highly recommend it for projects like this one, especially for anyone like me who wants to do thread crochet type projects without actually working with thread!

Months ago, the lovely and very talented, Anna, sent me some lavender from her home in the South of France. I had intended to use it to make sachets, but since one of the issues I have been dealing with recently is sleeplessness, I thought that perhaps some lavender at my bedside would help.

I emptied the buds into a vintage Ball canning jar whose lid is no more, placed my little crocheted tumbler cover on top, and, voila! Aromatherapy! I don't know if it's helping me sleep, but it sure is pretty! Thanks again, Anna!

For My Children

2009-08-19T13:20:00.003-04:00

I was recently inspired to make these totes for my children's piano music. I purchased the bags more than a year ago for half price at Hobby Lobby. I made a template using clip art I found online, and the fabric for the notes was from my stash. I secured the notes with Heat n Bond Lite, and I embroidered around the edges using DMC size 5 perle cotton. I used a blanket stitch on my daughter's, but I was running out of time when I got to my son's so I used a straight stitch for his. I am pleased with the results, and my sweet little ones were delighted with their gifts—delivered just in time for their first piano lessons of the school year yesterday afternoon!

My Artwork...

2009-08-18T12:04:00.002-04:00

... was featured online at Blue Ridge Country magazine. I didn't realize it had already been published! Check it out here!

Some Knitting

2009-08-18T10:15:00.008-04:00

I made some baby wash cloths for Laurel last week using Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton yarn. One skein made four wash cloths with about two yards left over. I used the Grandma's Favorite Dish Cloth pattern repeating row two until I had thirty stitches on the needle. Throw in some Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash, and you have a green baby gift! I hope you like it, Laurel!
Now I've got to go work on a little something I'm making for the kiddos. It includes some embroidery

A New Era Begins

2009-08-09T19:47:00.008-04:00

For the first time on Friday, BOTH of my children went to school. My mom was here, so I had a fun day with her.

We spent some time sewing, and I finally made a pillow for which I had done the embroidery months ago. I think my aversion to the sewing machine may be waning ... a little bit.

We went out to lunch, and then we went to one of our favorite shops. I picked up a few things including some vintage buttons.

With the potential for so much more crafting time, I've really been inspired in recent days, and I anticipate much more frequent blogging in the future!

Thank you, Mom, for all of your encouragement and inspiration! I love you!

Forty

2009-05-15T01:15:00.008-04:00

I am forty years old today. It is surreal. I clearly remember my mom turning forty when I was in college. I will be forty when my youngest child goes to Kindergarten. I'm not the least bit depressed. I wouldn't go back to twenty for all of the money in the world!

Rippling Along

2009-02-18T11:51:00.007-05:00

Well, I finished another project I've been working on for months. As I was finishing it up in the car this weekend, my husband even said that he would be glad when it was done!

This is my first round ripple, which I made for my cousins baby...born in October! Thankfully, it's way too big for a newborn, and she should be able to use it for many years to come. I used Bernat Softee Chunky and a L hook. The pattern can be found here. Raveled here.

I am raring to go on my next ripple project, but it is somewhat hush hush as the recipient has been known to read this blog from time to time. ;-) I usually always have a crochet project going for watching videos and riding in the car, but I'm going to have to work on this next one at other times as well so that I can finish it in a more timely fashion!

Also, in crochet news, I'm in the midst of teaching a beginning crochet class. The class is small, and my students are doing very well. So far, over the past few years, I've taught more than twenty people to crochet. It's not a very lucrative gig, but I enjoy teaching and perpetuating the craft. I'll try to do a post on my classes...some time.

Edited to add: By the way, we did celebrate Valentine's Day this year! A few photos are here.

Embroidered Art: Walk

2009-02-11T14:22:00.006-05:00

This past weekend, I finally completed a project I have had in progress for several months, and since there has been some interest expressed in how I did it, I wanted to share the process here.

First of all, inspiration: The design was inspired by Isaiah 30:21—Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it, " whenever you turn to the right or to the left. There are also numerous other verses that encourage walking with God that come to mind, but this is the verse that prompted the project. I decided to make it as a belated birthday gift for some like-minded loved ones who I know will appreciate it.

Next, the drawing: While I am working on improving my drawing skills, I was not confident enough in my own abilities to draw the sandals without some help. I took a photo of my Birkenstocks, and I rendered the photo in my photo editing software to produce an outline. I then traced the outline onto tracing paper using a transfer pencil and ironed the design onto my chosen fabric. The word, "Walk," and my intials were written freehand with a water-soluable marker.

Materials: The fabric I used is a linen/cotton blend that I purchased at the local discount store. It was okay, but I'm still searching for my perfect linen or linen-blend fabric for embroidery. The stitching* was done in dark brown DMC size 5 perle cotton, my thread of choice. I like the thickness and texture as well as not having to separate threads as you do with stranded cotton.

Mounting/Framing: I purchased an inexpensive art canvas at the discount store for mounting the project. I sprayed the canvas with Elmer's Craft Bond following the instructions for a temporary bond, and then placed the embroidered fabric on top smoothing it as best I could. I flipped the canvas over and folded the excess fabric over, then glued, taped, and stapled it on the back of the wooden frame.

I am very pleased with the finished project, and I hope the recipeints will be too. I had considered making a pillow, but I'll do whatever I can to avoid the sewing machine!

* I used size 8 black perle cotton for my intials.

Tagged

2009-02-07T15:53:00.005-05:00

I was tagged by Doda, to post the fourth photo in the fourth folder on my PC. I told her I would have to fudge a bit due to the way I have my photos organized, so here's what I have to offer...

This little bird was made from a felted, thrifted sweater by my friend, Elizabeth, who owns a wonderful store, AND she is in the process of setting up her Etsy shop, Greenhill Handmade. I bought this bird for my cousin's new baby girl whose nursery is decorated in brown and pink. While I'm at it, here's another one of Elizabeth's birds...

This one was purchased for my son for Christmas. Aren't they wonderful?!

If you would like to play along, consider yourself tagged. Post the fourth photo in the fourth folder on you computer, and tag four friends, or take the easy way out like I did.

Welcome February!

2009-02-02T14:23:00.008-05:00

I am so glad January is over! I had two colds and a sinus infection, and apart from the brief cleaning out frenzy that commenced as I was recovering from cold #1, the month was not very productive. Two bright spots last week were in the from of packages from France! I received these goodies from Sonia...

And this Etsy order from Anna arrived the same day!

Thank you, ladies, for brightening a dreary week!

I've been crocheting some, and I made a birthday gift for a friend from an embroidery project completed several months ago. I started a knitting project and promptly frogged it when I realized I was being too optimistic as to what I could accomplish feeling as I did. Last week, I picked up a book that I put aside a while back, and now I find it hard to put down. Finally, this is the season for Masterpiece Classic, so it wasn't a dreary month altogether. However, I am hoping for more crafting in February, which should mean more posting as well.

The Gentle Arts

2009-01-23T14:52:00.007-05:00

Last night, I finished reading The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket. It's been my bedtime reading for several weeks now, and I loved it. I feel like Jane is something of a more erudite and sophisticated English alter ego. She knits, crochets, quilts, does embroidery, and bakes.

The book is interesting and beautiful, and while I have read some reviews that accuse Jane of intellectual snobbery, I think she's being authentic. She is who she is, and all of her experiences have clearly shaped her domestic life and interests. I'm looking forward to trying most of the recipes, and I have already been inspired by Jane's love of tulips...

Yes, I Still Knit...

2009-01-15T14:06:00.004-05:00

... and the formula for easing back into it after recovering from a seemingly never ending project is:

My completed Dolores Park Cowl...

My Handyman

2009-01-13T09:33:00.005-05:00

My handyman helped fix my broken heart, AND he's handy with a pencil and rule!

Handyman

by James Taylor

Hey girls, gather round
Listen to what I'm putting down
Hey baby, I'm your handy man

I'm not the kind to use a pencil or rule
I'm handy with love and I'm no fool
I fix broken hearts, I know that I truly can

If your broken heart should need repair
Then I am the man to see
I whisper sweet things, you tell all your friends
They'll come runnin to me

Here is the main thing that I want to say
I'm busy 24 hours a day
I fix broken hearts, I know that I truly can

Come, come, come, come, come
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Come, come, come, come, come
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Theyll come runnin to me

That's me
I'm your handy man

If you're not familiar with the song, you can listen here.

An FO!

2008-12-31T11:34:00.003-05:00

Finally! A finished object! I completed this pillow for my mother on Monday in preparation for her visit yesterday. I was pleased with how it turned out. Many thanks to Mary Corbet for providing the patterns for this wonderful alphabet!

Tomorrow being New Year's Day, I'm going to spend as much time as possible on creative pursuits. You know what they say...what you spend your time doing on New Year's Day is what you will be doing all year long.

Have a wonderful 2009!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T19:38:00.004-05:00

There has been very little online activity here at chez Kathryn Estelle. There has also been very little crafting. I feel the stirrings of an FO frenzy coming on as I prepare to undertake a new project in January, so hopefully, there will be some items to post in the coming days. In the meantime, Merry Christmas!

The Winner of the Redwork Giveaway is...

2008-12-08T11:24:00.002-05:00

Lovestitches

Appropriately enough, she has a redwork blog banner!

Congratulations, Steph! Please email me your mailing address so I can send you your goodies.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment!

My First Giveaway!

2008-12-05T08:11:00.003-05:00

I have been the recipient of a couple of giveaways recently, so I thought I would share the love and have one myself. I am giving away PatternBee's Redwork Christmas iron-on embroidery pattern set, a red and white kitchen towel ready for stitching, a white fabric bookmark, and three shades of red DMC embroidery floss. (Click on the link to see all of the images included in Redwork Christmas.)

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post. I will close comments and select a winner at random on Monday morning at 11:00 a.m. EST.

Have a great weekend!

November Report

2008-12-03T09:36:00.004-05:00

November 2008 Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Kathryn Estelle

Hello, my name is Katy, and I am addicted to the Internet.

I had no real struggle avoiding blogging or uploading photos to Flickr during my "month off," but I couldn't stay away from reading my favorite blogs and looking at photos in my favorite Flickr groups. I've thought a lot about the possible reasons for this, and I think it is because these sources are where I get so much of my inspiration. I have only a few artsy friends, and I'm not able to spend much time with them, so I get this particular need I have met online.

I wasn't as productive as I'd hoped to be. I finished the chicken embroidery for a pillow top, and when I completed it, I resumed working on my Birkenstocks design. The quilted table runner didn't get finished as I'd hoped. However, I did resume doing some drawing and art journaling (I have not posted ALL of my efforts!), which I didn't necessarily plan to do, but I'm glad that I did. Also, I made a little progress on my knitting and crochet projects. The last week of the month, the kids were out of school AND we got a new puppy, so anything I intended to accomplish THAT week, didn't happen!

Anyway, I'm glad to be back, posting as I'm inspired to, and interacting more often with my online friends who motivate me so much!

Edited to add: You can click on the mosiac to see larger photos, or you can go to my Flickr set here.

Her Name is Biscuit

2008-12-01T21:27:00.003-05:00

I'm here, and I want to blog about my "month off," but I'm a little under the weather with a cold or something right now, so I just don't have the energy. I'll try to get something posted in the next day or two.

In the meantime, we named the puppy Biscuit—the one name everyone in the family could agree on. In the South, a biscuit is an unsweetened baking powder roll, not what we call a "cookie." My son is especially fond of them.

Now, off to bed.

Is November Over Yet?

2008-11-24T15:31:00.005-05:00

I haven't been very good about staying away from other people's blogs and from Flickr. And I couldn't resist showing you the newest member of our family. We still need a name, however.

Edited to add: Thanks for the reminder! It's a girl!

November Break

2008-10-30T13:27:00.003-04:00

My current embroidery WIP is my own design:

I'm also knitting and crocheting and working on an art journal and doing calligraphy! Needless to say, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.

I've been thinking about taking an online break for some time now, and I think the time has arrived. No blogging or Flickring from now through the month of November. Thank you to everyone for your comments and encouragement! I will try to check my gmail account at least once a day, but otherwise I will try to keep my backside out of this seat as much as possible! Online Christmas shopping, alas, cannot be avoided!

Blessings,
Katy

Happiness is...

2008-10-13T19:25:00.003-04:00

Seventy dollars worth of size 5 perle cotton for $20 (shipping included!) via EBay.

The Birthday Crown Mystery

2008-10-09T17:54:00.005-04:00

Last week, my baby, affectionately referred to by me as "Roo," turned five. I was determined to make a birthday crown for her, and I did. I was able to successfully attach the trim using the sewing machine, but when it came time to sew the front and back together, I experienced the one hiccup in my new found sewing success. I had contemplated blanket stitching around the edge anyway, so I decided to go ahead with it—despite the fact that the only blanket stitching I had done was on my beginning embroidery sampler.

The blanket stitching left a lot to be desired, but I knew the recipient had not inherited her mother's tendency towards perfectionism, so I overcame my misgivings about the final product and gave it to her on the afternoon of her birthday. She loved it! And she wore it that day and the next day as well. When it came time to have our family party a few days later with my parents who came from out of town, the birthday crown was no where to be found. We searched everywhere, and it still hasn't turned up! Needless to say, I am very disappointed. Thankfully, I had the presence of mind to take a photo immediately after I presented Roo with the crown!

On a happier note, I have perfected the cupcake. I use a Duncan Hines yellow cake mix, which makes 24 cupcakes. (I know, I know, but I tried baking them from scratch, and they just aren't as good!) The frositng IS made from scratch using the Easy Buttercream recipe from the King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. Finally, I sprinkle a little decorative sugar on top in colors that will please the honoree. These cupcakes have gotten rave reviews from everyone who has tried them.

Just Because

2008-10-08T10:43:00.004-04:00

I bought these teacups last weekend just because I love them. Eight for $6.50. I feel like I've already gotten my money's worth.

Making Peace with the Machine

2008-10-06T19:34:00.008-04:00

One of the reasons I resumed this blog was that I was inspired to begin sewing. However, my first efforts were less than satisfactory, so I allowed myself to shift my focus to drawing and later to embroidery. BUT last week, I was determined to make my daughter a simple doll quilt for her birthday, and I was successful! I used the instructions for the Easy Baby Quilt in Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts. My mods were to make it smaller and to use regular ties since there is no risk of a baby eating the ties. I would have preferred a different fabric for the top, but if you know a five-year old girl...

My success with the quilt led me to make a pillow out of an embroidery project I was working on for my very wise friend Michelyn's birthday. I had already done most, if not all, of the stitching (I can't remember!), but I couldn't decide if I should frame it, mount it, or what. Once I felt comfortable with the sewing machine, I decided to make a small pillow, and I was thrilled with the result. The taupe linen I used is from a size 4X shirt I bought at the thrift store for $3! (I only used a piece of a sleeve for this project!) For the back, I used a dark red and taupe gingham, and I added a dark red grosgrain ribbon for hanging. The embroidery was done with my new favorite, #5 perle cotton, in dark brown (DMC #938). I made up the design myself using a vintage owl pattern I found here.

My sewing machine success inspired me to lay out a new table runner design using the "Fabulous Fall" Moda Charm Pack I bought during our trip to NC. I love the colors! I've never done any patchwork before, and I am shooting from the hip here (no pattern), so this could be an adventure.

Update 7-22-11: Looking at those beautiful fabrics makes me sad to have to say it, but I recently gave away most all of my sewing and quilting stash to someone who will make good use of it. Sigh...

Two More Reasons to Love Embroidery

2008-09-27T15:52:00.006-04:00

1. It's really fast! I completed this project in a few hours.

2. My kids can do it too! They are not ready to knit or crochet yet, but they have had no problem learning to embroider!

Why I Love Embroidery

2008-09-26T09:28:00.006-04:00

I can't remember exactly what inspired me, but a few weeks ago, the embroidery bug bit me, and I am hooked. I have been crocheting for more than three years and knitting for more than two, so maybe it's just time for me to try something new, but I think it was a natural progression for a crafty type like me. I haven't had the time to do nearly as much embroidery as I would like, but I have been thinking a lot about what has attracted me to this medium. In no particular order...

After teaching myself to crochet and to knit, learning to do embroidery was extremely easy.
It is easy to pick up and put down and to transport.
You can do a lot with a few basic stitches.
There are a limited number of inexpensive supplies required for the craft.
The color and design possibilities are endless.
There are hundreds of free patterns available. Here are a few of my favorite sources: 1. Needle'n Thread and 2. Needlecrafter.com, and 3. the Hoop Love Vintage Transfers Flickr group.
Simple line drawings can be traced and used for patterns. This is what I did for my first project. I Googled "fleur de lis," printed a clip art image, sized it using image editing software, printed it, and traced it onto my fabric using a water soluable pen.
The supplies are generally readily available. I say generally because in the town where I live, I CANNOT PURCHASE EMBROIDERY FLOSS. Yes, you understood me correctly, and I am not mistaken. I live at least an hour-and-a-half from the nearest craft store! However, as you probably guessed, there is a Wal Mart in town, and it still sells fabric, so for that I am thankful. I got a really nice muslin there this week.
Because I do a little drawing and lettering, I am inspired to create my own original designs, and I already have several in mind.
Embroidery can be combined with quilting and sewing and other types of mixed media such as artist trading cards and art post cards to create wonderful, interesting artwork. Take a look at this!
There is a great Flickr group with lots of inspiration.

I'm sure I will come up with more reasons to love embroidery. If you embrodier, WHY DO YOU LOVE IT?

FO: Anne Scarf

2008-09-11T14:54:00.006-04:00

Here is my latest FO—a crocheted scarf I made for my friend, Angela, for her birthday. It's the Anne pattern. Raveled here.

Sneak Peek

2008-09-03T11:15:00.004-04:00

Just a quick look at what I've been working on...

My first efforts at embroidery!

Crocheted FO!

2008-08-14T11:10:00.003-04:00

I haven't knitted a thing since I finished the feather and fan scarf, but I have steadily been crocheting this blanket for a new baby, primarily while watching our Friday night DVDs. I used Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in Blossom and a J hook. It's half-double crochet with a basic ruffled border. Great yarn. I think it will be my standard baby blanket yarn from now on. Now I'm itching to knit something, but I have some more small crochet projects I need to complete first. Details forthcoming!

Recipe: Banana Bread

2008-07-04T13:01:00.009-04:00

I have loved Banana Nut Bread for as long as I can remember, and I have tried many variations of the recipe, but this one is still my favorite. It is an adaptation of a family recipe that I have modified enough that I am comfortable calling it my own. I have often substituted pecans for walnuts, but I prefer the walnuts. I give this to people for gifts, and they always rave over it. I often bake two loaves at a time. Enjoy!

Kathryn Estelle's Banana Bread

¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
¼ cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts

Peel bananas, break into pieces, and place in bowl of an electric stand mixer. Use mixer on low speed to mash bananas. To bananas, add sugar, canola oil, and eggs, and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the flours, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Add the walnuts to the batter, and fold them in gently by hand. Do not over mix the batter. Pour batter into a greased (I use canola oil spray.) 9 x 5 inch metal baking pan, and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before turning out bread onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Fiber Update

2008-07-03T10:41:00.003-04:00

Since I finished knitting the feather-and-fan scarf, I haven't been able to motivate myself to knit anything, but I have several projects in mind. One is a Baby Surprise Jacket for my cousin's baby expected in October. Are you game, Happy Hands? I'm going to use the Cherry Tree Hill DK, I think.

I have been doing some crocheting. I made a washcloth for a friend's birthday gift, and I am working on a simple baby blanket. It is very basic, but I'm thinking of making the pattern available when I'm finished. It's the type of thing I was looking for when I was a beginning crocheter, and its the kind of mindless project I need for DVD viewing.

Knitting FO

2008-06-17T20:01:00.007-04:00

I finally finished the feather and fan scarf that I have been working on for months. It is Wendy's pattern (No purling!) and the yarn is Brooks Farm Four Play. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and the recipient seemed to love it as well. Raveled here.

Hiatus FOs

2008-06-11T01:05:00.003-04:00

I took a break from blogging for a while because once I got onto Ravelry, the intended purpose of this blog had been met through that wonderful medium. However, I eventually returned here so that I could document some new found creative interests. During my time off, I completed several knitting and crochet projects, as you can see in the photos above. For more info on these projects, visit my Ravelry page.

Post edited for clarity 7-22-11.

Put a Fork in Me...

2007-09-01T11:03:00.000-04:00

...I'm done with the Umbilical Cord Hats. I don't think I could knit another one if my life depended on it. I don't know how some people knit or crochet the same thing over and over again!

This one was knitted in Cascade 220 Tweed #7608. I added the flower to cover up a mysterious hole. I have no idea what happened.

Can You Date This Photo?

2007-08-31T08:35:00.001-04:00

Me and my first car: a 1969 VW Beetle Convertible. August 1987. University of Arkansas at Monticello.

I wish I still had that car.

Plodding Along

2007-08-29T15:55:00.001-04:00

Another Umbilical Cord Hat for charity:

One completed sleeve on the Easy Baby Cardigan:

Itty Bitty FO

2007-08-18T13:05:00.001-04:00

Pattern: Umbilical Cord Hat from SnB

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool #021

Needles: Size 7 24-inch Addi Naturas

Modifications: None

Thoughts: Fast. Easy. Cute. Gauge came out to five spi rather than the called for four, but this is fine for a charity hat. You only really need five inches of I-cord for the top knot. I'm going to try to make several of these before the deadline.

I've also made progress on the Easy Baby Cardigan. More on that when I finish. Surely the sleeves will go quickly.

I'm trying to resist casting on for a Monkey. I started a DK-weight sock, but the larger needles seemed cumbersome after using twos for the baby socks. I bought some size two Sox Stix, and I'm chomping at the bit to use them on the Monkeys.

I realize that my posts lately have left a lot to be desired. My enthusiasm for blogging has waned since I joined Ravelry. It seems redundant for me to blog now because Ravelry accomplishes all that I intended for the blog to accomplish, and then some!

Introduction to Lace

2007-08-10T08:19:00.001-04:00

Pattern: Cabled Lace Bookmark by Sivia Harding, 2007 Knitting Pattern-A-Day Calendar (The calendar has been a great disappointment, on the whole.)
Yarn: Claudia Handpainted Fingering Weight in Baby Girl (Look familiar?)
Needles: Size 5 Lantnern Moon DPNs
Modifications: None

What else can I say? Now I get the lace thing.

Crochet Interlude

2007-08-08T12:42:00.000-04:00

I haven't knitted a stitch in a week, and I'm having withdrawals! The reason being that I've been preparing for the beginning crochet class I began teaching last night. My preparation included making the Shelly scarf from CrochetMe. It will be our final class project.

Pattern: Shelly

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue (less than one skein)

Hook: K/6.5 mm

Modifications: 78 rows rather than 68, and it still could have been longer.

Easy. Fast. Inexpensive. Impressive looking for a beginning crocheter. Free pattern. Large hook. Met all of my criteria for a class project.

I WILL KNIT TODAY!

Buttermilk Pound Cake

2007-08-04T15:24:00.001-04:00

Earlier in the week, Alicia mentioned a Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe that I was inspired to try, and I finally had my chance this afternoon. I've been looking for a simple, delicious pound cake recipe that I can make with ingredients I have on hand. Since I usually have buttermilk for making our weekly pancake dinner, this recipe seemed to meet at least one of my criteria.

The cake WAS simple to make. It turned out beautifully after cooling fifteen rather than ten minutes, and the use of almond extract rather than lemon extract made it taste...

Mmmm... Exactly what I've been looking for!

FO: Basic Baby Socks

2007-08-02T12:57:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Basic Baby Socks by Theresa Gaffey (Pattern purchased at LYS. I could not find a web site for Ms. Gaffey.)
Yarn: Claudia Handpainted Fingering Weight in "Baby Girl"
Needles: Size 2 Brittany Birch DPNs
Modifications: Rather than have a turned down cuff, I knitted 18 rows of ribbing per Miriam Felton's baby sock pattern. (The Felton pattern is free from her online store. Go here to get the pattern.)

The pattern is excellent—extremely well-written, and I am pleased with the looks of the finished product, but they do look a little large for a newborn. I am sending them to the intended recipent today, so we'll see.

Once I got about halfway through the first sock I began to enjoy myself, but it may be some time before I attempt to knit an adult sock using fingering weight yarn. I just don't have that much knitting time at my disposal!

(After viewing the photo again, I think I'll block the socks first before I send them on.)

Progress Report

2007-07-29T22:42:00.000-04:00

Slow and steady progress...

I have completed one baby sock, and I am halfway through the ribbing on the second one. I actually enjoyed knitting the second half of the sock, but I still can't imagine knitting a pair of adult-sized socks in fingering weight yarn!

I have about three inches of stockinette left on the body of the baby cardigan. I'm expecting the sleeves to go more quickly sans purling. (I hope I am not disappointed!)

And I am moving along on the ripple blanket. I work on this primarly during our Friday night video watching time. At the rate I'm going, I should be done in a couple of months. However, it is more likely that as I near the end, I will be motivated to finish it, and I will kick the crocheting in high gear.

Despite all of this activity, I'm trying to resist the urge to cast on for a pair of socks for myself!

NH Knitting Mama Contest

2007-07-29T22:35:00.000-04:00

NH Knitting Mama is having a contest. She has designed an adorable knitted bag called "Mandy's Candy Bag" and has posted the pattern on her blog for free. Check out the pattern and related contest details here.

Ravelry and The Truth

2007-07-27T11:13:00.000-04:00

One of the things about Ravelry, if you embrace it and take advantage of all of its features, is that it lays the truth before you. You can no longer live in ignorance as to how much yarn, needles, and patterns are at your disposal. My own personal assessment follows:

I have 33 different yarns entered in my stash. This does not include my stash of Mission Falls 1824 Wool, my cotton dishcloth yarn, nor a variety of crochet project yarns and remnants that have been collected in a giant Ziploc bag.
I have the yarn, needles or hooks, and patterns to complete at least ten projects.
I have the yarn and patterns to complete at least six additional projects. I'm just in need of more needles, primarily circulars.

At the rate at which I complete projects, I have more than enough supplies to keep me occupied for at least two years. The realization has been sobering for me, and I have accepted that what I intend to be an enjoyable hobby that I can use to bless others through handmade gifts often morphs into an unhealthy obsession. I had gone so far as to commander the guest room for yarn and supplies storage with the view of making my own "studio," as I often see mentioned in fiber blogs. I have selfishly used my family's resources, both financial and otherwise, for my own ends, and I am sorry for it.

My confession here is BY NO MEANS and indictment upon anyone else. Everyone's circumstances are different. I have been convicted only about my own behavior and attitudes, and as a result, I have made and will continue to make some changes.

I relocated the majority of my supplies to my bedroom (The remainder is in the guest room closet.), and rather than expanding my supplies and related materials (i.e. books, magazines, patterns, etc.), I intend to maintain what is for me a reasonable accumulation.
I do not intend to buy any more yarn in the near future, with one exception: yarn for Christmas stockings for my children.
I will use the resources I currently have available to make as many Christmas and birthday gifts as possible.
If I do come into some "mad money" I will use it to purchase the needles I need to complete the projects for which I currently have yarn and patterns but no needles.
I will use the time I spend on the Internet in knitting- and crochet-related activities more judiciously. I have already scaled back my online time considerably in the past week.
I will maintain a record of my purchases.

This post is for my own benefit so that I can revisit my goals as needed. It is not self-flagellation. I have learned an important lesson, and, so far, I am happy with the results.

Surprise... Rip-it! Rip-it!

2007-07-20T16:09:00.001-04:00

The evening before we left to go to the beach, I got ten rows into my BSJ, and I realized that my gauge was way too tight. Clearly a gauge swatch knitted with Clover Takumi Bamboo straights does not indicate the size you will need in Addi Natura circulars, even when you are NOT knitting in the round! I had to quit because I was knitting the newborn size, and I didn't want it to be too small. I do not have the next size needles, and I can't afford to order any more right now, so the only thing to do was to begin a project for which I had the yarn and the needles: Knitting Pure and Simple's Easy Baby Cardigan, a free pattern. It is going very well. Several hours on the road along with a couple of rainy afternoons, and I am ready to divide for the sleeves.

The CTH Supersock DK will be used for...socks. I have the needles for those. If only the budget would allow ordering three sizes of needles for every project: the size called for, one size larger, and one size smaller! I still hope to make a BSJ one day, but for now, I intend to make every effort possible to knit with the yarn, needles, and patterns I currently have on hand. Ahem...

Upon returning home, there were some goodies in the mail.

Two new KPS patterns: Children's Neckdown Bolero and Easy Christmas Stocking.
A Wonderful Wallaby pattern.
And a skein of Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Brown Berries.

There's no place like home!

Another WIP: Baby Surprise Jacket

2007-07-13T16:38:00.000-04:00

The BSJ is in progress! And, as I predicted, my aversion to circular needles ended with my using the right kind: Addi Natura. GO AND GET YOU SOME! (I ordered mine from here.)

The intended recipient of the baby socks will be getting diapers instead. I have a another friend who is having a girl in September. I should be able to get the baby socks done by then! The project is going fine, but I am not very enthusiastic about it right now.

Tomorrow morning, the family and I are off to the beach, so I won't post for a least a week. In the meantime, happy knitting and crocheting!

Donut, Anyone?

2007-07-12T10:04:00.000-04:00

To encourage people, I often bake for them. However, what to do to encourage a friend who is dieting? Crochet her a donut! (Of course, I hope it doesn't send her running to the donut shop as my husband predicted it might!)

Pattern: Donut Pincushion

Pattern available here: http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=32761

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool

Hook: H

I've never made anything like this before. It was a quick (less than two hours) and fun project.

Fun with Fingering Weight Yarn

2007-07-10T23:01:00.000-04:00

I got through the heel flap on my baby socks this evening. This is my first time to knit with fingering weight yarn, and I don't know if I will be able to make it through a pair of adult-sized socks knitted with sock yarn. I am glad to see there are excellent alternatives!

Coming Out of Hibernation

2007-07-06T12:28:00.001-04:00

At Ravelry, you can classify projects that you have put on hold as "hibernating." My Classic Ripple Blanket from Melissa Leapman's Cozy Crochet has been in hibernation for some months now, but it emerged from the cave yesterday after I completed my rug, resuming its status as my movie-watching project.

If only I could be so inspired to finish the Irish Hiking Scarf...

FO: Crocheted Throw Rug

2007-07-05T17:51:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Throw Rug from Crochet Today (December 2006/January 2007 issue); Pattern by Drew Emborsky.

Yarn: Moda Dea Tweedle Dee in Cinnamon, Sahara, and Sagebrush

Hook: K Susan Bates aluminum

Modifications: Three extra rows of green to meet the specified dimensions and to make the bands of color uniform. (Was there an error in the pattern as printed?)

This was a pleasant project, and I am pleased with the final result. If I had known how much yarn would be left over, I would have made the rug bigger. The yarn is not great, but I didn't really mind it either. It is rather lightweight. I suppose this is due to the added acrylic. Some time in the future, I would like to try this basic design in wool (Lamb's Pride Bulky?) using more colors.

Note to anyone who may be interested in making this rug: Before adding the edging, it may appear that the rug will not lay flat. The edging helps to accomplish this.

Knitting Fever...

2007-07-02T14:53:00.000-04:00

...has hit chez Kathryn Estelle.

Number One: I finished the second sock in my first pair. I'm thankful AL talked me into it. They are nice and warm on this girl whose feet tend to be cold. I highly recommend the pattern for first-time sock knitters. See previous post for pattern info.

Number Two: The bug has bit to knit the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I bought the pattern on Saturday during a visit to one of my favorite yarn stores, and upon reading through the pattern, I realized that I have the perfect yarn in my stash: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock DK in "Old Rose." Unfortunately, I didn't realize I needed circular needles. They are not required, but they were strongly recommended here. (Thank the Lord for Ravelry!) I went ahead and knit a swatch on straight needles to check my gague (Of course.), to see if I liked the yarn (I did.), and to see if I can handle the garter stitch (I can.). I have not thus far been a fan of garter stitch, but one of the things I like about all of the BSJs I've been seeing is that they are often knitted in handpainted sock yarns, which makes for a very attractive FO. My gague swatch also showed me that I need to downsize my needles, so upon gathering all of this information, I placed an order for some size 4, 24-inch Addi Natura circular needles.

Number Three: While I wait for my new needles to arrive in the mail, I will cast on for Theresa Gaffey's Basic Baby Sock. I'm using some lovely Claudia Handpainted yarn from The Loopy Ewe that I purchased using the gift certificate AL gave me for my birthday. (One hank in "Baby Girl" and one hank in "Baby Boy.") I cannot find a link to a web site for Ms. Gaffey nor (in my brief search) did I find a link to this specific pattern. I bought the pattern during a recent visit to my other favorite yarn store.

Number Four: I have made progress on the crocheted rug. I hope to finish it this week.

Number Five: I started a charity baby hat, but my gague was off, so I frogged it. I'll either begin again on smaller needles, or I'm thinking of using another pattern. I'll mull on this for a bit.

Now, off to do the laundry. Believe it or not, the housework is getting done around here!

Coming to a Decision

2007-06-28T19:12:00.000-04:00

Since I let go of the idea earlier this week of making a mitered square whatever, I've been comtemplating what to do with my modest stash of 1824 Wool. To make a ripple blanket, I would have to a aquire more yarn, and that I do no want to do. What can I do with what I have? Granny squares? Too many ends to weave in. A child's striped sweater? Too many ends to weave in.

Let me rephrase the question: What can I do with one ball of 1824 Wool? Baby hat. Baby socks. Child's hat. Child's socks. Mittens. You see where I'm headed here? During the past year, I have intended on two separate occasions to make items for charity, and I have failed to follow through. It won't happen again. Afghans for Afghans has posted on their site that they need baby hats and socks for a Kabul hospital, and they anticipate collecting the items in September, which gives me plenty of time to make some items for the current drive. In fact, I'm willing to share my stash with anyone committed to using the yarn to the same end. AL? Just let me know, and I'll be glad to share.

Hang the socks! (For now.) I'm off to cast on for a hat! I get to use my Lantern Moon size 7 DPNs!

Ravelry

2007-06-26T11:12:00.000-04:00

I received my invitation for Ravelry last week, and I have been working a little bit here and there as I have time to set up my notebook. My stash has been recorded as have several of my recent projects. I love the fact that the yarns in my stash are linked to projects other Ravelers are working on or have completed, making it much easier to answer the question: What to do with THIS yarn?!

New WIP: Crocheted Throw Rug

2007-06-26T10:05:00.000-04:00

I've had the yarn for this project for some time. I was just waiting for the inspiration to begin. It's a throw rug crocheted in the round. The pattern is from the Dec '06/Jan '07 issue of Crochet Today. I'm using the yarn called for in the colors called for: Moda Dea Tweedle Dee in Cinnamon Twist, Sahara, and Sagebrush. Size J hook.

You see... I'm not a total yarn snob. I like this yarn just fine.

Over It

2007-06-19T19:09:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I last posted. Life has been a whirlwind: swimming lessons, VBS, house guests... Much to distract me from my hobbies.

Last Saturday (6/9), AL and I got together to work on squares for the Larger Than Life Bag. I made a mistake in my choice of yarn. The square looks fine, but I'm so over this project now after making ONLY ONE square. Perhaps if I had the unlimited resources necessary to buy the Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe the pattern calls for I would be more motivated, but right now, I'm just trying to figure out how to unload umpteen balls of Sugar and Cream. Perhaps I will have a drawing.

In the meantime, I made some progress on my sock (while watching this movie), and I made a wash cloth for a belated end-of-year teacher gift. For the body of the cloth, I used the stitch pattern in Alicia Paulson's Tiramisu Baby Blanket. I intended to use the edging as well, but when I got to that part, I was away from my pattern so I got off track. I just went with an old standby. (The handmade soap was made by a friend, and it can be purchased here.)

I've also been thinking about resuming work on the Classic Ripple Blanket or possibly making more miters. I. Just. Need. More. Time.

Another FO!

2007-06-05T22:00:00.000-04:00

Pattern: "Cozy Kerchief" from Cozy Crochet (I call it my "Granny Shawl.")

Yarn: Misti Cotton (83% Peruvian Pima Cotton, 17% Silk) in black

Hook: Size G aluminum

Modifications: The pattern is written for a small scarf, but I just kept going until I ran out of yarn.

What I learned: (1) When it comes to wraps, I prefer a stole. Not because I have "Jemima Puddle Duck Syndrome," but because a rectangle shawl provides more coverage for the wearer, which is ultimately a more efficient use of yarn. (2) Misti Cotton produces a great deal of lint. Keep a roller handy at all times.

I reached my FO goal! As of this moment, I have only two WIPs: the Classic Ripple from Cozy Crochet and the Irish Hiking Scarf. I will probably not resume the ripple until cool weather returns. I don't think I can handle that much Wool-Ease Thick and Quick piled in my lap during the summer months. As for the scarf, I keep hoping to be inspired to knock it out but I'm just not feeling it. Even several hours riding in the car with nothing else to work on couldn't motivate me to complete it.

I will cast on for the other sock ASAP, and I plan to begin the Larger Than Life Bag soon. However, I want also to begin another knitting project. Should I resume mitering? Or should I make on of these? I have some yarn in the stash that would work beautifully, I think. (I am committed to knitting from the stash right now.)

FO: Baby Tiger Ripple

2007-06-05T10:47:00.000-04:00

Over the past several days, I traveled more than 1500 miles by car with my family, which afforded me plenty of time to finish the Baby Tiger Ripple Blanket I have been working on for months. I was also motivated by the fact that a visit to the recipient's home was included in the trip, so I wanted to finish the blanket to avoid having to ship it!

Pattern: Soft Waves from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns by Jan Eaton
Yarn: Blue Sky Dyed Cotton in Poppy and Indigo
Hook: Size I
Modifications: I included a border of two rows of single crochet.
What I learned: I do not like weaving in ends. The task of "weaving in" is not the problem. What I don't like is the potential for all of that yarn to unravel. I would like to try a round ripple some day, but I think that I may use a hand painted yarn rather than changing colors. Perhaps three skeins of STR heavy weight would do for a baby size round ripple?

Joiner

2007-05-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

I have succumbed. Supplies for the Larger Than Life Bag...

I decided to use cotton to make it extra sturdy. The fabric for the lining is corduroy. I paid only 1.99 per yard!

But first, more FOs.

First Completed Sock

2007-05-27T18:50:00.002-04:00

Pattern: "Starter Stockinette" from Knit Socks!
Yarn: Cascade 220 The Heathers #2449
Needles: Brittany Birch Size 5 DPNs
Modifications: None (As if...)

This is my third attempt at a sock. My first attempt was the "Class Sock" from Sensational Knitted Socks. Then I tried an Ann Norling children's sock pattern. I kept getting hung up on the heel flap: the pearl bumps would end up on the outside rather than the inside. My friend AL recommended I try the pattern from Knit Socks! because the directions are step-by-step and very specific. Finally, a successful result!

At present, I do not intend to knit the mate to this sock. First, I undertook this project as a learning exercise for knitting socks. And second, worsted weight yarn makes for a very thick sock. I don't know that I would get much use for heavy wool socks where I live. However, I now feel confident to embark upon my next sock project: the Campfire Socks from Cider Moon...as soon as I complete a few more WIPs.

Update 6/5/07: AL, who has a new blog, talked me into knitting the other sock. I hope to cast on later today.

Twenty Years Ago Yesterday

2007-05-23T09:32:00.000-04:00

Last night, as I was turning off the computer, it occurred to me that it was the twenty year anniversary of my high school graduation. If someone had told me then that in twenty years I would be a stay-at-home mom with two small children, and that I would be knitting and crocheting in my "spare" time, I would have told them they were crazy. There's a lot to be said for getting older.

I spent a few hours in the car yesterday (as a passenger, of course) and was able to make some progress on my sock. The end is in sight! My knitting and crocheting have lately been hampered somewhat by my being engrossed in reading Drums of Autumn, the fourth Outlander series book. I've had to remind myself lately that I knit and crochet for fun and that there is no need for me to put pressure on myself. It's hard being Type A.

Distractions

2007-05-19T22:26:00.001-04:00

As there is very little knitting and crocheting going on at chez Kathryn Estelle, I thought I'd post a photo I took yesterday that I particularly like: eggs from my friend Debbie's hens. Aren't they lovely?

Bows and Arrows Stole

2007-05-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Bows and Arrows Stole by Dot Matthews
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Pink-a-boo
Hook size: Susan Bates K
Modifications: None

One of the reasons I got so far behind on my projects is that I devoted the month of March to making this stole to wear with a pink dress I bought to wear to a family wedding. The dress is short-sleeved, and I tend to get cold in the air conditioning, so I was inspired to make a wrap. I looked at the patterns at Crochet Pattern Central and chose this one—even before I realized I had yarn in my stash that I could use! I really enjoyed the project and love how it turned out. Thank you, Dot, for a great pattern.

FO Quest

2007-05-03T11:08:00.000-04:00

For the past several days, I have been feeling very anxoius to finish the many projects I have in the works, primarly because I am eager to begin new ones. It seems like every day I have the urge to cast on for another project (Yesterday, it was the linen hand towels from MDK.) However, I know better than to start any more projects when I have so many already in the works. Here is list of my current works in progress:

Classic Ripple Blanket from Cozy Crochet (Started Fall 2006. Haven't worked on it in months.)
Irish Hiking Scarf (Started December 2006) (See photo, above.)
Soft Waves Ripple Baby Blanket, a.k.a. Baby Tiger Ripple (Started February 2007)
Starter Stockinette Sock from Knit Socks! (Started March 2007)
Crocheted Triangle Shawl (Started April 2007)

And of course, there is the ongoing knitting of miters, which has progressed not at all in recent days.

Part of the problem is that I have all of these crochet projects in the works, but now I am very eager to just knit. Takin the "Oops" Class increased my confidence considerably, and I'm ready to try more challenging knitting projects.

My plan, for now, is to concentrate on the Baby Tiger Ripple (The recipient was born last Friday!), the sock, and the shawl. We'll see how it goes.

Art Appreciation

2007-05-02T13:59:00.000-04:00

I was at an air show this past weekend when I spotted a young girl carrying around a granny square afgan. A friend volunteered for me to borrow her camera, so I asked to take a photo of the afgan. The girl told me that her grandmother had made it for her, and although you can't see it in the photo, the girl's name is embroidred on the bottom. My friend, who observed from a distance, thought it was a quilt rather than an afghan. Wow.

Miter Update

2007-04-23T10:21:00.000-04:00

My mitering has been on hold for more than a week. Last weekend, as I neared the end of my third miter, I realized there were too many stitches on the needle, so something wasn't right. Even after frogging back a bit, I couldn't figure out the problem, so I decided to take it with me to the Oops Class I would be attending the following Saturday at Main Street Yarns in Watkinsville, Georgia.

Well, the Oops Class was this past Saturday, and it was great! I feel so much more confident as a knitter now. I learned how to recognize and to fix a number of mistakes and how to prevent them in the first place. In addition, my instructor had knitted her own mitered square blanket last summer, so I was able to confer with an expert on the problem with my miter.

We thought we figured out the problem, and we frogged back several sections, but when I got to the end again as I knitted on the (three hour) drive home, the stitch count still wasn't right. It's okay though, because I decided just to frog the square in the interest of my new plan.

After checking out the Cotton Classic at the yarn shop, I decided that I prefer knitting with the Mission Falls 1824 Wool. Since I can't afford to purchase a blanket's supply of 1824 Wool at one time, I'm going to pick up balls in colors I like as I can afford them and accumlulate miters over time until I have enough to make a throw. Above is a photo of the colors I bought on Saturday. I can't wait to cast on for a miter using the blue and brown yarn!

First Foray into Thread Crochet

2007-04-19T13:26:00.000-04:00

I made my first attempt to crochet with thread last weekend, and it turned out pretty well, I think. I used Aunt Lydia's Fashion Crochet Thread and an F hook to crochet the "Eastern Star" in the Spring 2007 Interweave Crochet. The pattern is included for embellishing a sweater, and while I have no interest in crocheting the sweater featured, it occured to me that I could crochet the flowers and leaves and applique them to the plain, inexpensive jean jacket I use in the spring and summer for when I get too cold from the air conditioning.

I have had virtually no interest in thread crochet up until now. And I still can't imagine enjoying working with materials smaller than size three thread and an F hook. However, the idea of adorning pillowcases and towels with pretty crocheted trims is beginning to appeal to me.

Rippling Along

2007-04-16T10:25:00.000-04:00

I joined The No End in Sight Ripple Along. I have been a fan of rippling for some time. I crochetd my first baby ripple afgan (white and blue) more than a year ago, and I made another (light blue and navy blue) last summer. Both were made using Bernat Softee Chunky, and I used the open ripple pattern and the closed ripple pattern, respectively, from Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet.

I have another ripple afgan in progress that has been put aside for now. It is the Classic Ripple Blanket from Cozy Crochet. I'm using the Wool Ease Thick & Quick called for, but I'm using different colors. More on this with photos when I resume working on it.

I am currently crocheting a soft waves (from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns) ripple baby afgan for my brother's new baby using Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton. The orange (Poppy) and blue (Indigo) colors were selected becuase my brother is a basketball coach, and these are his team colors. I didn't think about it until later, but his team is the tigers, which makes the ripple stripes especially appropriate.

When I finish the "Baby Tiger Ripple," I want to begin working on a more colorful, full-size afgan. I've especially admired the ones I've seen made from Caron Simply Soft Brites. Of course, I'd also like to try a round ripple. Decisions. Decisions.

On Dishcloths

2007-04-16T10:04:00.001-04:00

My appreciation of dishcloths came some months into my fiber hobbies. In fact, I used to be quite a snob, thinking why in the world would anyone want to crochet or knit a dishcloth? Several months into my new crocheting hobby, I had reached a point where I was discouraged because I had not had any recent successes, so I posted to that effect at Crochetville. I remember only one response. Someone suggested I crochet a dishcloth. I dismissed the suggestion immediately, and moved on.

Many moths later, after learning to knit, I became familiar with Mason-Dixon Knitting and I acquired their book. I had read enough to know that a scarf was not necessarily the best project to begin knitting, and these ballband dishcloths seemed to be all the rage, so why not? My first two knitted items were MDK ballband dishcloths. I finally got it. Quick, easy, almost instant gratification, not to mention useful. What's not to like?

I have since crocheted several dishcloths, and I actually prefer crocheting them, as it doesn't seem to be as hard on my hands as knitting with cotton "string," as my friend, AL, calls it. Pictured above are three dishcloths crocheted from leftover Peaches and Creme cotton that I made for AL. Below is a photo of my MDK ballband dishcloths.

Flower Power

2007-04-13T11:30:00.000-04:00

I went on a crocheted flower binge recently. One evening, I printed a bunch of flower patterns from Crochet Pattern Central and the Lion Brand web site. Then a few days later, I started with the flower pattern in Cozy Crochet, and then I worked through the stack of patterns I had printed. The photo above displays some of my efforts.

I used scrap yarn, and interestingly, even when crocheting flowers, yarn quality affected the enjoyment factor and the outcome for me. My favorite flowers are the ones I made with Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes and Dyed Cotton and Missions Falls 1824 Wool.

I had never crochetd a flower before, and I can't remember what inspired me, but crocheting flowers is a great instant gratification project. Plus, after I crocheted the flowers, it occured to me that I had a couple of hats that could use adornment. Then green one was an early crochet project that I had set aside because it lacked something. With the big pink flower, I love it! The read hat is a simple K2P2 hat I knitted for my son that turned out to be too small. However, with the addition of a crocheted flower, it is perfect for my little girl.

I now have a big glass jar for yarn scraps and crocheted flowers. I'm thinking of eventally making a wreath for my daughter's room.

Miter Town

2007-04-11T09:33:00.001-04:00

My friend, AL, said that we appear to be headed to Miter Town. Here is evidence of the early stages of the trip, per Cara's request.

While I am becoming more adventurous with color in my middle age, I am still somewhat reserved, and my decision as to how to design my first square (four miters) was limited by the yarn I had on hand: four balls of Mission Falls 1824 Wool, two in Crocus and two in Aster. My original plan was to accumulate more 1824 Wool and make a baby blanket or throw. However, I am now considering making a simple pillow out of my first square, and following the leader. If all goes as planned, I will be having a mother's day off tomorrow, and I am headed on a 90 mile trek to the yarn store, where my intention is to begin accumulating Cotton Classic for miters. Cara's post yesterday has inspired me to be more adventurous.

Technical note: I am using size 8 needles, but I probably could have used size 9s.

Update 6/29/07: The trip to Miter Town ended prematurely. It initally stalled when I had to frog miter number three not once but twice. This prompted me to put the project aside, which gave me some time to think about it, and I concluded that I do not have the time, financial resources, or wherewithal to continue this project in my current phase of life. It is a blessing to realize one's limitations and to act accordingly.

100 Things About Me

2007-04-10T17:45:00.000-04:00

I live in a small town in the Southeastern United States.
The nearest yarn store is ninety miles away.
I have been married for nearly 12 years.
I have a six year old son and a three year old daughter.
I am a stay-at-home mom.
I am a former business woman and college business instructor.
I have an MBA.
I spent 36 years looking for a hobby before I discovered yarn. (Well, maybe not quite 36, but you get the idea.)
Knitting and crocheting meet my need for creativity and achievement.
And I like being able to give handmade gifts.
I taught myself to crochet in the summer of 2005.
I learned to crochet primarily from the Internet and from Crocheting for Dummies.
I taught myself to knit in the winter and spring of 2006.
I learned to knit primarily from Knitting for Dummies and from The Art of Knitting DVD.
I also referred often to Maran’s Illustrated Knitting and Crocheting. The photographs were very helpful.
Then I found the videos on knittinghelp.com.
I have had some knitting instruction, but I have had no crochet instruction.
With crocheting, I dove in and made a scarf right away.
With knitting, I swatched for months before I attempted to knit anything.
My first knitted FO was a Mason-Dixon Ballband Dishcloth.
I was inspired to finally make something after months of swatching thanks to the Mason-Dixon Knitting book. I looked through it over and over again.
My first crochet projects were primarily from Lion Brand patterns and yarns.
I crocheted many, many things in Homespun before I learned it doesn’t hold up well to machine drying.
When I first started crocheting, I was addicted to Crochetville.
I learned a lot from Crochetville.
However, after several catty comments were made in response to one of my posts, I lost interest.
I have an account at the Knitter’s Review Forum, but so far, I’ve never posted.
After I began knitting, I learned to appreciate quality yarn, and more specifically, wool.
Right now, my favorite yarn is Mission Falls 1824 Wool.
A close second is Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes.
I love Blue Sky Dyed Cotton too.
I do not like textured yarns or novelty yarns.
I am currently knitting mitered squares using 1824 wool.
I was inspired by Cara to knit miters.
I LOVE knitting miters.
I am also knitting my first sock using Cascade 220 and the “Starter Stockinette” pattern from Knit Socks!.
Before I completed my first dishcloth, I attempted to knit a sock on two size 1 circulars using fingering weight yarn.
I gave up pretty quickly.
Another WIP I have had going for some months is the Hello Yarn Irish Hiking Scarf, which I am knitting in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.
I love the scraf, and I get lots of compliments on it, but I don’t think I’ll be knitting many scarves. It takes too long.
I am also crocheting a rippled baby blanket using Blue Sky Dyed Cotton.
I’m using the Soft Waves pattern from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns.
This will be my third rippled baby blanket.
I really enjoy rippling.
I subscribe to the following magazines: Interweave Knits, Knit Simple, and Crochet Today.
I have signed up to be a charter subscriber to Interweave Crochet.
I rarely buy Vogue Knitting.
I usually buy the BHG and Family Circle crochet and knitting mags.
I have already accumulated quite a library of crochet and knitting books and magazines.
I love books in general. The only disadvantage of my new fiber hobbies is that they have taken away from my reading time.
My husband may be able to come up with other disadvantages such as financial ones.
So far, my best online yarn ordering experience has been with KPixie.
I also had a very good experience with The Loopy Ewe.
I order online a lot since I live so far away from a yarn store.
Therefore, I have my own swift and ball winder.
My favorite yarn stores so far are: Main Street Yarns, Creative Yarns, and Knitch. (This gives you a clue as to which state I live in.)
Thus far in my knitting experience, I have not gotten on well with circular needles. I much prefer DPNs.
This is perhaps due to the quality of the circular needles I have used. In my next attempt, I will use Addis.
After knitting two ballband dishcloths for my first two projects, I proceeded to knit a hat in the round on DPNs.
I have since knitted four more hats and one Fetching mit.
The mit is too short for my long fingers, and I ended up with a hole in the thumb area. I know I picked up the correct number of stitches!
I knit this hat to learn cabling.
It turned out newborn size. I have NO IDEA what happened.
My favorite straight needles are Clover Takumi bamboo. (I don’t own any Lantern Moon straights…yet.)
My favorite DPNs are my Lantern Moon size 7s.
I also like Brittany Birch DPNs.
I use Brittany Birch cable needles. I’m too risk averse to cable without a cable needle. In fact, I LIKE using the cable needle.
I have yet to find the perfect knitting bag.
I currently use a nylon tote bag with my husband’s bank's logo on it.
I also have a small fabric bag for my sock.
I cannot begin to count how many projects I have begun and frogged in the past year since I have been knitting.
I am a perfectionist. Therefore, I am a very slow knitter.
I think crochet is much easier than knitting, especially as it is much easier to fix mistakes.
When I get frustrated knitting, I often go back to crocheting.
But most of the time, I do one or the other as the mood strikes.
I am willing to crochet with yarns I wouldn’t consider knitting with.
I have crocheted several baby blankets using Bernat Softee Chunky, and they turned out very well. (One MUST be able to machine wash and dry a baby blanket.)
I also like to crochet using Peaches and Crème cotton...
...and Wool Ease Thick and Quick.
However, I hate knitting with Wool Ease (worsted weight). Go figure.
For a long time, I didn’t really know anyone else locally who knitted or crocheted, but last fall, I made friends with a more experienced knitter (AL), and it has been a great blessing.
AL is actually the local knitting instructor. GREAT blessing.
Most of my friends (non-knitters) think I’m a little different, but they seem to love me anyway.
There are a handful of us in our area who knit, and we meet once a month at a local coffee shop for a “knit-in.”
AL and I seem to be the only “hard core” knitters in our group.
My husband and I went to NYC for our anniversary in September 2005, a few months after I started crocheting. I went to Purl, and I didn’t buy a thing! I didn’t know enough about yarn yet to know what to buy.
Since I began my fiber hobbies, I am much more drawn to color. I’ve started incorporating more color both into my wardrobe and in my home decor.
I like to read knitting blogs, but I rarely comment.
This is probably because, up until now, I did not have a blog.
My stash is pretty modest based on what I usually see and read about in the blogs.
I tend to buy yarn for specific projects.
Sometimes my plans change. For instance, I originally bought the yarn I’m using for the Irish Hiking Scarf to make a baby jacket.
I decided not to make the baby jacket because it is in garter stitch, and I have decided that I do not like garter stitch.
I would, however, like to try log cabin knitting.
At this point, I have no interest in intarsia or enterlac. There are too many simpler beautiful things to knit.
I need to knit things that I can pick up and put down rather easily since I have two small children.
I have yet to felt anything.
I used to hate casting on because I used the knitted cast on.
Then AL taught me the long tail cast on. That was a happy day for me.
AL says that I am the neatest knitter she knows. (Remember what I said about being slow?)