Matt's Yoga Mat Bag!

Back in July I introduced my best friend to hot yoga...and of course he loved it! (Seriously it is addicting...if you haven't tried it yet, I really encourage you to go take a class.)  After his first class he was so excited about yoga!  I had made myself a bag for my mat a while back.  Matt asked me if I could make him one as well in blue.  So I searched my stash and I found some organic cotton by Patons and got knitting!

Here's the finished product.  I made his strap shorter than the one I made for myself and also a bit wider since it will stretch due to the weight of the bag.

Just for reference...this WIP picture shows the color most accurately :).

WIP Wednesday: Staggered Squares Blanket

One of my works in progress, as there are many at the moment, is the Staggered Squares Blanket.  This is the second part of the gift I'm giving to my cousins who are expecting their first baby.  The other part is the orange-and-blue shelled Sheldon the Turtle.  

I usually crochet baby blankets, but I fell in love with this pattern.  I believe it is a Bernat patter that I got free from Michaels.  The yarn I'm using is something that I had in my stash.  It's an acrylic sport weight yarn that is VERY soft.  I was hesitant about using the lacy pattern with this yarn (even though this is one of the yarns that is recommended for this pattern) because I thought that the pattern might get lost among the colors of the yarn.  The larger it gets, the more I like it.  I'm knitting it on US 8s, which is making it go a bit faster than I anticipated.  I can do about 1 pattern repeat (16 rows) during my daily commute (8 rows each way).  I should have this blanket finished by the end of the month if I can keep this pace or make it a bit faster.

I also think that I would make this pattern again because it's fun to do!  I would also probably use a yarn that I could block--perhaps one of the sock yarns from Knit Picks.  I am really happy with this blanket--it is soft and light weight--perfect for this soon-to-come baby!

Sheldons!

I've been a very busy crafter lately, even though I have not been blogging about it. Tsk tsk on me.  One of the patterns that I've just fallen in love with is Sheldon the Turtle from Knitty.  Sheldon is a pretty quick knit and makes an excellent gift.  One of the best things IMO about Sheldon is that you can remove his shell and make him other little outfits to wear instead! How fun is that?  Anywho, I went to my bf's niece's 1st birthday party in August and wanted to bring a little gift for her.  I figured that something hand knit would make a nice gift, so I knit her a Sheldon with a pink and purple shell.  Since this was a gift for her first birthday I embroidered they eyes rather than using safety eyes or buttons.  It's totally child friendly!  It was really cute when she opened her present because she gave Sheldon a big kiss! :)

So...Sheldon is *such* a great pattern that I decided to make another one as part of a gift for my cousins' who are expecting their first baby.  This one took even less time to make.  I really love making the shell!  They expecting a baby boy sometime in September (I think).  I'm also making them a baby blanket and I picked colors for Sheldon that match the blanket.  I've also embroidered the eyes to make it totally safe for a baby.

I also really love that I've used yarn that I've had in my stash for both Sheldons!  I love making use of things :).

Are you ready for some football?

It's that time of year again, football season!  Now, I have to be honest...I'm not much of a football fan, but I don't mind watching games (in fact, sometimes I really enjoy it!).  My bf, however, is quite the football fan.  He LOVES his Giants!  So what better to make for him than a football hat?  He was so happy with the hat :).

I also recently met his 11 yr old nephew, B, and when I met B he asked me to make him a dog (because I made his sister a Sheldon the turtle)...well I was told that he's too old for a stuffed dog (which I'm not sure if I agree with).  I don't want to ruffle any feathers, so I knit him a football hat too (and I'll probably knit the dog later :)).  B's hat is a surprise and I haven't given it to him yet.  Hopefully he'll like it!

New Fall colors announced!

Every season Pantone announces the new colors for the season.  I honestly find this to be very exciting...and mysterious!  Isn't it interesting that they can predict the colors that will be popular?  Or perhaps they just set the colors that will be popular and everyone follows along!  Regardless, I still think it's fun.

You can view the color announcement here.

Pantone also lists the women's

 and men's fashion colors of the season.  Both of these images are not mine, they are from the Pantone website.

Both of the previous images do not belong to me.  They are from the Pantone website and can be found at the following two links: Women's and Men's.

I also think it's fun that Lion Brand matches up their yarns with the new color palette.  You can read all about that in this blog entry.

My favorite has to be "Rhapsody" (I know...it's purple ;)).  I've been eying Vanna's Glamour in Purple Topaz for a LONG time now...probably since it was first released.  I think this will be the season to make something out of it.  I also really like the Ultramarine Green (which is the teal color in both the men's and women's color palettes)

So, what is your favorite color for the fall?

FO: Summer Vest

In the middle of July I knit myself a summer vest in an orange color.  I'm super happy with the way it turned out.  These photos are pre-blocking, but after it was blocked it REALLY opened up and no longer rolls (and is much more flowy).

FO: Spring/Summer Cardigan

Back in the beginning of July I finished crocheting myself a spring/summer cardigan.  I found the pattern free online from DROPS and I used Cotlin yarn.  I'm overall very pleased with how it came out.  It was a very quick project to make!  I think it might be a slight bit large, but that's ok.  Without further ado, here it is!

Ta-DA!!!!! Owls is done!

So the Ravellenic Games have been going on since the start of the Olympic Games.  Like I said in a previous post I was going to knit myself the Owls sweater.  Well....last night I finished it!!! I actually knit myself a sweater in just over a week!!! I'm SO very excited and proud of myself!!

A post without pictures...

...is not that much fun.  I have been a little absent from the blogosphere lately, so I feel the need to post an update.  Let's see...my last post was about my crocheted summer sweater which was a WIP at the time...now it's a FO! I ended up finishing that sweater on July 8th, but I've yet to take proper pictures of it.  In fact, that is actually the theme of this post...the lack of proper pictures.  I crocheted a set of lotus earrings in a deep purple the other night...but I still need to weave in the ends and take a picture or two.  (Although I think they sort of get lost in my hair because of the color...but I'll see.  They were quick and easy to make, so perhaps I'll whip up another pair soon.)  I'm also working on a summer style vest for myself in sort of a burnt orange color (pictures to come...:)).  I've also been invited to my boyfriend's niece's 1st birthday party this August.  I've decided to make her a Sheldon with a green body and a pink and purple shell.  So far I've the body and legs all finished and just need to make the shell.  This is such a cute turtle!  Annnnnnd I'm knitting a yoga mat bag for Matt!  He joined me at hot yoga on Monday and fell in love with it--it is awesomely wonderful and addicting!  So of course he needs a nice knitted yoga mat bag to hold his new mat! :) (It's blue and in organic cotton...pictures to come :)). 

Finally, back on 6/25 I had finished the ruched tee that I had started the year before (during the interim of the CPH KAL).  It took me so long to finish it because I kept getting distracted with other project.  Well, I wore the tee for the first time on 7/2. I got so many compliments on it!  The only complaint I have is that it grew a I wore it.  Meaning it is now sort of tunic length!  Also the back is a bit saggy and baggy, which I'm not the biggest fan of.  I think that I'm going to crochet a round around the neckline to try and strengthen it up.  I've also read about slip stitch crocheting on the inside of a knitted garment to give it more strength and structure.  I think that I might do this on the ruched sections.  They sort of got less..um...ruchy as the day went on.  So, hopefully that will improve it a bit.  After I do all of that, I plan on washing it in warm to hot water and throwing it in the dryer on a hot setting, in an attempt to shrink it some.  The yarn is 60% cotton 40% modal, so hopefully the cotton part will shrink when I do this.  If not, I'll make it work as a tunic over leggings or skinny jeans.  I'm definitely not frogging this project!  I love the yarn and the look of it on me...I'm just not a fan of the sag.

I guess that's it for now.  I promise to post some pictures of all of these projects! I need to either set up my tripod or get a friend's help to take a picture of me in the sweaters I made!

Oooo and the Ravellenic Games are starting next week!! Hurray!!

WIP Wednesday

One of the things I'm working on is a light-weight crocheted cardigan for spring/summer.  I had started working on this back in April when I was flying to Vancouver.  However it was coming out too small, so I didn't touch it after my flight there.  This week I ended up frogging the progress that I had made during that flight and started again using a larger hook.  This sweater goes SO fast!  I've been trying to only craft on my commutes to and from work/school and on only two commutes I've finished the back and half of one of the front panels!  I think this will be finished really soon and I can't wait to post FO pics!