Guest Blogging

Greetings!

I know it has been a while since I have updated this blog, but I am still knitting things like a crazy person.

I have some good news for you though.  I have been hard at work blogging as a guest on my sister Madalyn's blog: Home Hearted.  Every other week I introduce you to new knitting techniques, as well as loads of free patterns and knitting inspiration.  So, if you are interested you can check out all the posts below.

Intro

Introduction to Knitting: Part 1

Introduction to Knitting: Part 2

Knitting in the Round

Hats, Hats, and more Hats!

The Anatomy of Socks

Feel free to explore my sisters blog, she offers recipes, crafts, DIY's, and lots of fun stuff.

Thanks

-Gracie

Update

Greetings!

Now, as usual it has been a long time since my last post.  I have been living life and much to lazy to update this blog on a regular basis.  Although, I am still making things like a crazy person.  I don't think I will ever run out of creative energy.  Some times it seems like I have hit a wall, but by the time I lay in bed my head is reeling with new ideas.

One of those ideas is update this blog weekly. 

Now, to catch you up on all these wonderful new things in my life.

I have conquered my fear of patterns and am now writing them on a regular basis.  There is a long list of patterns that I am drafting, as well as patterns I am rewriting.  So, keep an eye out, there are many more to come. Right now I have a variety of patterns for purchase, as well as a few for free. Here is a sample of a few:

Tiny Star

                                                                       

Belles On Their Toes

You can find all of my current patterns on in my Ravelry shop, as well as a few on Etsy.

The next new thing is my sewing machine.

I found it at the Goodwill.  It is a Kenmore from the 60's or 70's and it is in fabulous condition.  It has all the pieces and parts.  The only problem I had with it was a sticky bobbin winder.  But that was a really easy fix. Other than that it is flawless.  The best part is I bought it for only thirty bucks! 

So, you will soon be seeing my sewing projects as well as knitting and embroidery.

The final new and wonderful thing I wanted to share is that I am currently unemployed.  Now this might sound like a terrible thing to some.  I am young and need to be working or going to school etc. etc. But leaving my job was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  Not everyone is blessed with the opportunity I have.  I am only able to do this because my husband is amazing and has a job that can support us well. It was hard to leave, but I decided to become more committed to my art and hone my craft.  My goal is to become more professional and to create a better business.  In the hopes that my knitting and my hands can take me somewhere. 

It will be a long and intense road, but I am excited for it.

Here is a BIG THANKS to all you wonderful people who follow me and encourage me in my pursuits.  As well as my family and friends who love and support me so much.

Thank you!

-Gracie

It's Been A While...

Well...

I am sure that many a blogger has had to use that title for a blog post.

Yes, it has been quite a while since my last update.  I have had a few changes in my regular schedule since the last post.  So, I haven't dedicated to much time to writing on this blog (or any of my other various social media outlets.) But I am back, at least for now.

To catch you up on what has been going on.

I have been making things.

Lots of things.

Such as:

#1: This was a small attempt at broadening my crafting skills.  I learned how to back stitch and became obsessed with embroidering everything I came across.

This was a note for my husbands lunch box.

#2: I worked for ages on this pair of socks. 

I decided on an extremely complicated twist stitch pattern that I made up all by myself.

There was far to much frogging involved with these socks.

But they are finished and I wear them quite a bit now.

#3: Since the weather has cooled down some what, I have ventured to make some more hats for my Etsy!

Here is the first.

I decided on just your average ski hat with a pompom with varying color work on each one.

#4: Here I collaborated my knitting and embroidery for a 21'st birthday present for my best friend.

Beer Cozy.

I loved it.

She loved it.

We are all happy.

And being 21 myself, I feel that this question is asked more than I ever thought it would.

#5: As far as exciting projects go... I made another moth.

A lunar moth.

I was pretty happy with the outcome.

I have hope of detailing it further, with some embroidery, as well are lining the underside of the wings and adding some wire to make them stiff.  

My plan is to make a few butterflies next.

A note to all of you who are dying for a pattern:

I apologize, but writing patterns for these is far beyond my skill.  I do hope to write them up someday, but it will take a lot of time and a huge headache to get even one wing onto a page.

#6: The next in my line of fun stuff are these little hand warmers.  I hemmed the top and bottom rather then ribbed them.  I think they look adorable.

I am hoping that they catch on in my Etsy... but who knows :)

#7: I am also way looking to improve my knitting skills, so I am always trying out new things.

Such as the daisy stitch.  It was very painful.  A lovely stitch, and I would do it again.

But purling 3 together (or even knitting 3 together) is excruciating on the hands.

My fingers were rather bruised.

I got as far as this little headband/cowl thing. 

I actually love that it looks like a piece of a crocheted afghan.

#8: This is the second hat in the great hat escapade (or hatscapade!) I love it.  Though working the decreases and trying to keep the color work straight was terrifying.

I am approaching the same issue with my third hat.

It is going to be so fun... not.

#9: Ahh, my last project so far.  Some wonderful gloves that I whipped up for my mother in law's birthday.

I think they turned out darling, for the fact that I made them in about two days...

I have a lot of pride in these.

And I can only pray that they fit her hands!

Ok.

Phew.

So thats everything folks.

Maybe if I continue to blog regularly I wont have to spend so much time on long blog posts ;)

Oh well.

I do love sharing my work with people.

And speaking of sharing... 

I was really hoping on doing a craft show this year, but most of them are all happening with in the next few weeks.  And sadly I don't have enough finished work to have a table.

I would love to set it as a goal though.

And maybe I can make it...

Maybe...

Haha!

Anyway, best of luck to all you crafters who are doing craft shows this holiday season!

As for me, I am off to reorganize my knitting stash, and see what I can order with the rest of my gift card!

Peace.

Moth's and Beaches

Well, it has been a while.

That's because I took a little holiday!

First to visit my family and then to the ocean.

Can I just say that is was lovely, but I am completely tuckered out, and I have been home for three days already.

I had some time before I left to finish up something new... (hint, its not a sock!)

I was inspired by a new series of books to make this:

It is a little moth of death!

Ha ha, ok, maybe that is not very funny.  But in the books I was reading the moths represent a fairy's curse. 

And they just sounded so cool that I had to try to knit one.

I think it turned out super neat.

Hopefully I can figure out how to write up the pattern.

I would love to put it up on ravelry.

It would be amazing to see what people would do with this design.

Now, on my trip I finally got around to finishing my pink socks.

I still haven't figured out what to name them, but they remind me of those pink shells you pick up on the beach.

I thought they turned out rather nice.

It took me ages to find the right design.

Everything I tried just looked tacky, or to much the same.

But I found a nice lace, and a nice twist stitch pattern and they came together nicely.

This twist stitch goes all the way to the bottom of the heel.

I am once again kicking myself for not writing anything down while I designed this pattern.

It makes actually writing the pattern a huge pain.

Because I have to try and figure out all the little tricks I added to get everything to form so nicely.

So, both of these designs will be a real treat to write up.

But they were lots of fun to knit.

The twist stitch pattern was so entertaining that I started knitting up another pair of socks with my own twist stitch design.  They are turning out well, just lots of frogging :)

That all I have for now!

I hope you are all doing well.

Tootle-pip.

Stuck On Socks

Socks.

Socks.

Socks.

It has become my mantra.

I am completely enamored with knitting and designing socks.

I just can't seem to get bored with them.

The possibilities are endless.

Plus, I still have a good deal of sock yarn to work with :)

Oy.

Only one problem has arisen with the whole sock ordeal.

I find myself knitting only one.

And then I am on to designing the next pair.

I'm pretty sure that is not the best way to go about things.

But then again, I have found it works itself out.  I can knit the sock fast, design the elements I want, then write up a mock pattern, and when I knit the second sock fix any imperfections.

So, all in all, it really isn't a flaw.

Here is the next pattern I hope to have up in Ravelry soon.

The Tree Of Life.

I think its a pretty neat design.

I really wanted to elaborate on the cabling, but I found that sticking to a simpler design brought more to the sock.

They are knitted toe up, and I kept the ankle on the shorter side, because I am fond of shorter socks.  If they come to a certain part of your ankle it can look very unflattering.

I thought I would hate the k1, p3 ribbing, but I think it looks great, and it gives the sock a cozy quality that is really nice.

I am sure that I could recreate this design to make a cleaner, sharper cable.

But once again, I feel like taking the safe road and not going crazy is a good idea.

So, if you like these, check out my Ravelry shop in a few weeks, a pattern should be up.

At least as soon as I can decide on how I would like to lay out the cable pattern. 

I am stuck between written and a chart.

It might end up being both.

And now for a shameless promotion:

Here are the little bows I added to my Etsy!

They are cute and adorable, go check them out :)

And now for an update on other stuff...

(note: if just want to see quick updates on what I make just go to Tumblr.)

A little piece that I frogged.

I had planned on making some Dr. Who themed hand warmers, but decided against it.

The mosaic pattern is totally awesome though, I hope to incorporate it back into another design, something along the lines of "Bow ties are cool".

Look more socks!

Recreating an sock design (in pink!) 

Wheat ear cable... some shnazzy lace...

Only, I am stuck trying to figure out how to make them amazing, rather then just mediocre.

I will get back to you all on that.

Alrighty

Thats enough.

I better start writing my resume so I can get a real job and stop obsessing over socks.

Peace.

P.S. I started reading the second installment in Cornelia Funke's series "Mirrorworld"

It is even better then the first.

People who enjoy fantasy/fairytale books, check them out!

I am trying to not finish it in one go.

Savoring books is so difficult.

Dr. Who?

For as long as I can remember I have known about Dr. Who.  I have no idea where or when I was first introduced to the show, I do know that it was during the time of Dr. #10.  So, it hasn't been that long.

But, it wasn't until recently that I actually sat down and watched the show.

Needless to say, I have no idea why I waited so long.

During my foray into the fandom of Dr. Who, I have stumbled upon something wonderful.
There are a lot of knitters who like Dr. Who.
And they make amazing things like this:

A crazy blanket pattern that is FREE (whaaaat) on Ravelry.

Or this scarf

Which has been recreated many, many times.
It has also probably slain more knitters than we can count, with its length and never ending rows of garter stitch.

I decided to join all of these brave knitters.
Because, you really can't expect to be a knitter and not have made your self some sort of Dr. Who memorabilia.
My attempts have currently become my favorite knitted piece I have ever crafted.

I had to frog this hat several times.
But it was worth it.
It is a perfect fit, length, color, everything!

I borrowed the TARDIS, weeping angels, bow ties, and cyber men from this fair isle chart.
I did the words myself.  They read "I'm the Doctor"
Yeah.

I used a stranded color method.  I did not wrap my floats... shame on me.

I don't really care all that much though.  It is a hat on my head, the likely hood of the floats catching on anything (even though they are miles long) is very slim.

To block, I went the dangerous route.  Since I don't have a blocking board, or pins, or anything really.

I use the steam mode on my iron.

Yep. I iron my color work.

I suggest never doing this.  It is a huge risk.  Your yarn could hate the heat and moisture, it could stretch out too much, you could snag your work with the tip of the iron... I don't know! A lot of things could happen.

But I have found that it works for me.  I have an amazing iron and my color work is usually not on a sweater.

Plus, the huge bonus to ironing is that it flattens and holds all the floats neatly in place.

No sagging, nothing.

It is great.

So, there you have it.

My very lovely Dr. Who hat.

Now onto other things. 

As you can see I have posted an Etsy "Mini" on my side bar.

Go take a look!

I am trying to get more into making smaller things, such as hair accessories and pins.

Stuff like this:

It is a little bow!

See! I think it is very cute.

I also posted another sock pattern in Ravelry.

Nannerl

This one does cost money.
I am not quite sure how that is going to go down.
I do really like posting things for free.
But I am also interested in seeing where I can go with designing and getting something in return (I mean other then the amazing feeling of seeing other people happily knitting some you came up with!)
Plus, I really like the idea of selling patterns, rather then knitted items.
And Ravelry is such an awesome community for knitters.
If you don't have one.
GET ONE.

Alrighty.
I think that is it for now.

Allons-y!

The Great Mystery of Shawls.

So the other day I watched this movie

Mozart's Sister.

Good movie over all, French, period drama, fictionalized life story of a real person etc.

Yup, the whole entire movie was fiction.

Based on about two real facts of Nannerl Mozart's life.

It kinda made me upset.

But I don't want to discuss a movie...

I want to discuss what I saw in that movie.

I saw this:

This light and airy shawl that seems to come from another world.

I have no idea what it is made from, there is no good photo or scene in the movie to tell if it is knitting or spun by fairies or something.

I have been dreaming about making this.

No matter how hard I try to just forget about this shawl I can't.

Usually when I see pretty hand knit shawls I'm like, "Well, thats cool, a lot of hard work, that person is a talented knitter, because lace can suck sometimes, but when would I ever wear a shawl?"

I would wear this.

I would never take it off.

I would sleep with it.  No matter how hot I got.

So, I guess you get the idea.

I am a bit obsessed.

Since the movie is so small budget and French finding anything online is impossible. 

So, if any of you know anything about shawls, TELL ME.

Just look at its perfect frothiness.

Ok. While we are on this subject of Mozart's Sister.  There were a few other pieces in that movie that caught my eye.  She also wears this little crocheted or knitted night jacket/bolero that is really adorable.  I don't know if I would ever want to make it and wear it, but it has excellent shape and thats what caught my eye.  Sadly, there were no good pictures of it online.

As well as the bolero, I caught sight of some lace edging on some bed sheets.  

They had used something that looked like the honey bee stitch.

I thought it looked darling, and if I ever make curtains or fancy pillow cases I am going to use that stitch.

Granted not in this terrible color.

Well, other than my obsession with French design from the 1700's, I am still working on the Dr. Who hat.  

I have progressed slightly farther then this.

I have my worries about when it comes time to block the thing.

I have this deep sense of dread that some of the stranding on the back wont stretch enough and it won't block well and its just going to be a mess.

Here is to crossing my fingers.

It has been a great distraction from writing any socks patterns!

Lastly, I reopened my Etsy shop a few days ago.  

I have a lot of work to do if I want it to be successful in anyway, so I am trying to learn as much as I can this time around.  Reading articles, and figuring out ways to improve on my business skills and what not. 

Here, Check it out.

Cool. 

I am off to research knitted shawls for another evening.

Tootles!