FO Friday, 8.31.12

Last FO of the month! Where did September come from? Finished Miss. Daisy last night, was hoping to get a real photo shoot in with her this afternoon/evening however it started to storm just as I was leaving work. Figures. Perhaps tomorrow will be better, plus I will have a few more hours of daylight as I am out at 3 tomorrow.

i couldn't find a pattern that I liked so I made up my own. I think she's pretty cute... for a skunk! Of course after I attached the legs I had an idea to add circular hips to make it seam like a real skunk sitting on its hind legs. Oh well, maybe next time! Another pattern I have written down in my book that maybe I will someday publish, but right now I'd rather spend my free time actually crocheting than writing up & proofing patterns. Although my very list oriented, somewhat anal brain would probably enjoy pattern writing and editing.

Hooking up with Tami's Amis for another FO Friday! See what everyone else has going on!

WIP Wednesday, 8.29.12

Sooo.... what's wrong with this picture? I'll tell you what's wrong, I have more than one WIP... that hardly ever happens. I have been a bit ADD in my crochet this week, I started the skunk last week, but as I am not going from a pattern and am going to concentrate on the next two parts of it -- tail & stripe -- I have put her down when there is something else to concentrate on and picked up something more mindless. Like when watching a movie or tv with the husband. I wasn't going to start on something other than Liam's blanket but as the yarn had yet to arrive Monday night when we were watching some tv I started on the Pappilion Scarf although there was a bit of concentration when I started as the pattern isn't as clear as I would have liked (I try to follow what patterns I use to the T). So...

Row 2    Chain 3, 2 double crochets, chain 6, skip 4, 3 double crochets, chain 6, skip 4, 3 double crochets. Row 3    As row 2

...leads me to 3 dc starting at the 5th chain from the last row but that's not what you actually want, you want to start those 3 dc in the 3dc's from the last row. Easy to figure out once I got to the end of the row and things just didn't look right. Also easy to memorize the repeats and just go from there. This will be one of my Purple Stitch Project donations. I am using Cascade Pacific in colorway 37 -- some of the special yarn I bought just for the PSP.So the PSP donation is part of my Year of Projects, go me! I finally started on my list, only took me 10 weeks.... Oh, but lookie here I got my yarn in for Liam's blanket yesterday so I have started not one but TWO Year of Projects projects! I am doing the Retro Circle Blanket for Mr. Liam. As skeins I was unsure of how the colors would go together, but stitched up I really like them! Hopefully Liam & Sonia (his momma) will to! Bernat still has baby yarn on sale until tomorrow, maybe I can figure out colors for Carson's blanket and purchase by then.

That's it for me this week! Check in with Tami's Amis for more WIPs!

To-Do Tuesday, 8.28.12

A very happy birthday to my husband today! Celebrating his birthday is #1 on my list today.


An update for the To-Do Tuesday, gives an idea of what's on the list, what is slow going, what is getting done, and what I need a kick in the ass to get working on! What's on your To-Do List?

Crochet Queue
• Skunk (In Progress)
• Liam's blanket (In Progress -- Frogged old one, ordered yarn for new one)
• Kira's Birthday Present
• Giraffe
• Hippo
• Owl for KK
• Elephant for Drew
• Pink & Purple Giraffe for Dani
• Monkey for Conrad
• Rag Rug (from t-shirts/sheets)
• Crochet Clock {like these}
• Square Curtains (will have to find the pattern for these again...)
• Wool Eater out of my scraps {found here}
• Floor Poof from scraps to use at the Studio for Infant Poses
• Post Patterns?

Home
• Clean out Fridge
• Laundry
• Dishes

Business

• Work on Melinda & Chad's Wedding Photos (In Progress)

• Post Crystal & Bryan's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com
• Make a coffee table book for Crystal & Bryan
• Post Melinda & Chad's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com
• Work on Charest Family Photos
• Post Charest Family Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com

Other
• Mara's Birthday Present -- Got a new idea for this, it includes a doily, now just need to find one.

Finished Items
• Boy & Girl Baby Stuffies, only requirement is cute (See them Here)
• Mosquito (See Him Here)
• Lion (See Him Here)
• Cheese from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (See Him Here)
• Owl (See Her Here)
• Pig (See Her Here)

• Pack
• Stop Mail
• New Orleans Itinerary
• Owl #2
• Hat for Sage
• Laundry
• Dishes

• Lobster (See Him Here)
• Post Joe & Julie's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com (See them Here)

• Headband & Scarf for Mara
• Duck (See Him Here)
• Groceries
• Work on Crystal & Bryan's Wedding Photos



What's on your To-Do list? I will check in next week to give an update!

Like Lists? Check out my Year Of Projects List!

Huevo the Duck

Huevo crossed the Mexico (Maine) boarder into Rumford where he jumped into the Androscoggin River and floated down to my backyard. He quacks in a spanish accent but I don't have the heart to tell him that he is probably more closely related to a Canada Goose than a Spanish duck. 

He sits 9" tall. I couldn't find a duck pattern out there that I liked so I made up my own. I will post the pattern if there is interest. Used yellow & carrot Red Heart Supersaver yarn. You can have your very own Huevo the Duck by visiting my Etsy Store

Year of Projects, Week 9

Year of Projects List

• Crochet Purse

• Floor Poof

• Mom's Wrap (Christmas)

• T-Shirt rag rug

• Crochet clock

• Yarn bomb something

• Crochet dress for Adult Prom 2013 (June 2013)

• Purple Stitch Project

• Akita Amigurimi

• Liam's Blanket (June 2012)

• Carson's Blanket (November 2012)

After feeling like I haven't done much towards my YOP list I was able to get a little bit of something done this week! As some of you may remember I was unhappy with the blanket I had started for my nephew Liam and decided that frogging it may be the way to go. But then I had another bright idea, use the partial blanket towards one of my other YOP goals, Yarn Bomb something!!

Now I didn't just come up with this right away, it was only after frogging half the blanket and getting frustrated with the super soft variegated yarn that I used. Super soft means super frizzy (for lack of a better term)... Nice to work with but a bitch to frog as all those little frizzy soft fibers want to cling to other frizzy soft fibers and catch and make knots while frogging. UGH!! So to keep my mind busy I was reading about yarn bombing while frogging and then **AHA** why not use this piece of a blanket to yarn bomb something??? Genius, however delayed. Now to just figure out what to yarn bomb, I've got some ideas brewing.

Some more progress on Liam's blanket. I decided on the pattern and ordered the yarn! Yay! Hope to start on it once the yarn is in. It's my first time ordering yarn online so it will be interesting to see what the yarn feels & looks like in real life opposed to on the computer screen. Fingers crossed the yarn will be in tomorrow and next week I can actually show something that I have worked on for my YOP!!

Come blog-a-long with us!

FO Friday, 8.24.12

I have a few projects to share with you today (gotta love having three productive days off in a row!)

We have Huevo the Duck

And of course I didn't get any pictures of the headband, flower shawl pin & scarf/cowl that I made for my sister. Good thing it is still in my possession, wonder if Kevin will model them for me.....

That's it for me today :-)

 Checking in with Tami's Ami's :-)

WIP Wednesday, 8.22.12

Good morning, good morning!

Guess what I have to share with you today? That's right, another Ami! Had I not been so productive on two other projects for my sister you would have seen those today too, but you will have to wait until friday to see what non-ami's I have been up to!

A duck has been on my list to make for a while now, I have looked online for patterns quite a few times but never really found something that I liked. So finally I jumped in and am just making my own pattern by taking parts from other patterns. So far, so good.

Will try to work on him a bit today and tomorrow and hopefully have him done for Friday. However no promises as I need to work on some photo editing for a wedding.

Checking in with Tami's Amis to see what everyone else is up to.

Caviar the Lobster

Straight out of the rocky coastal waters of Maine crawled Caviar the Lobster. A distinguished little lobster he is absolutely confident that he is a much better friend than a meal, so don't try to convince him otherwise, it will be an argument you are destined to loose. 

He is 10" from nose to tail and his clawspan (think wingspan) is about 14". Caviar is crocheted with Red Heart Super Saver in Cherry Red & White using a G hook. The pattern is by Stacey of Fresh Stitches.

You can have your very own Caviar by visiting my Etsy Shop

To-Do Tuesday, 8.21.12

An update for the To-Do Tuesday, gives an idea of what's on the list, what is slow going, what is getting done, and what I need a kick in the ass to get working on! What's on your To-Do List?

Crochet Queue
• Headband & Scarf for Mara (In Progress, Headband is done, working on finishing the scarf)
• Kira's Birthday Present
• Duck
• Giraffe
• Hippo
• Owl for KK
• Elephant for Drew
• Skunk
• Pink & Purple Giraffe
• Monkey
• Liam's blanket (In Progress -- Frogged old one, ordered yarn for new one)
• Rag Rug (from t-shirts/sheets)
• Crochet Clock {like these}
• Square Curtains (will have to find the pattern for these again...)
• Wool Eater out of my scraps {found here}
• Floor Poof from scraps to use at the Studio for Infant Poses

Home
• Clean out Fridge
• Laundry
• Dishes
• Groceries

Business
• Work on Crystal & Bryan's Wedding Photos
• Post Crystal & Bryan's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com
• Make a coffee table book for Crystal & Bryan
• Work on Melinda & Chad's Wedding Photos
• Post Melinda & Chad's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com

Other
• Mara's Birthday Present -- Got a new idea for this, it includes a doily, now just need to find one.

Finished Items
• Boy & Girl Baby Stuffies, only requirement is cute (See them Here)
• Mosquito (See Him Here)
• Lion (See Him Here)
• Cheese from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (See Him Here)
• Put Lee Auto Grand Opening on KaitLavinPhoto.com

• Work on Lee Auto Sales Breakfast Photos
• Owl (See Her Here)
• Pig (See Her Here)

• Pack
• Stop Mail
• New Orleans Itinerary
• Owl #2
• Hat for Sage
• Laundry
• Dishes

• Lobster (See Him Here)
• Post Joe & Julie's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com (See them Here)



What's on your To-Do list? I will check in next week to give an update!

Like Lists? Check out my Year Of Projects List!

Year of Projects, Week 8

Year of Projects List

• Crochet Purse

• Floor Poof

• Mom's Wrap (Christmas)

• T-Shirt rag rug

• Crochet clock

• Yarn bomb something

• Crochet dress for Adult Prom 2013 (June 2013)

• Purple Stitch Project

• Akita Amigurimi

• Liam's Blanket (June 2012)

• Carson's Blanket (November 2012)

Sorry I missed last week, we were headed home from New Orleans and it just didn't come together. Really didn't miss much as I still haven't started anything :-(

However as you will see I have put some due dates next to some of the projects above. This helps -- now I know what project to start on! Liam's blanket! No that isn't a typo, way back when I taught myself how to crochet I started a blanket for Liam and wanted it done for his 2nd birthday which was June 13th, 2012... I've since looked at the blanket I started and am really not a fan of it, it's obvious to me it was done while I was still a beginner and I think I will frog that one and start from scratch. Bernat has a sale on baby yarns right now so I'm going to go check that and see what colors I like. I also have a pattern in mind that is a variation of a stitch pattern that I am currently using to make my sister a headband and scarf. I think it will translate well into a blanket. I am still debating in my mind if the pattern will get too tedious if I do the entire length & width in the one pattern as one large block or if I change up the colors and do small blocks then join at the end. I am leaning towards the latter as it will be my first motif connecting experience but it really depends on the yarns/colors I end up using. Headed over to Bernat.com right now to check it out!

FO Friday, 8.17.12

Short and sweet seems to be my motto lately with blog posts. Sorry about that, I promise I will get into more detail when life slows down a bit. I am in the midst of changing jobs (stress) and playing catchup from vacation (more stress) and worrying about my pooch -- she keeps almost clearing her throat like a human does while she's sleeping -- dont know if its just post nasal drip or she is actually sick. She hasn't ever been sick before other than eating something she wasn't supposed to have and having to have a few days of boiled chicken and rice to settle her stomach. But she was just at the vet for a week when we were in New Orleans so maybe she got something there. It hasn't effected her appetite or her silliness so I think I am just being an over worried mother.

So maybe not so short after all, get me going and I will ramble :-)

I do have a finished item to show you all today YAY!
Meet Caviar the Lobster

I will get some "real" pictures once its a bit less wet outside. 

OH! And I am writing this from a brand new computer too :-) My old iMac's screen has started to go, first it was one line of pixels, then another, then all the pixels on the whole left half of the screen will randomly quiver and shake. So we went computer shopping last night and came home with a beast!

Old iMac, meet new iMac! 17" to 27". The last one came to me used from my last job and is at least 5 years old. This one is brand spanking new!!! YAY!

That's it for me as I want to play around with my new supermac before heading into work :-)

Linking up with Tami's Amis as always.

WIP Wednesday, 8.15.12

My WIP this week is the same as last week, as I only crocheted for a little bit on one of the flights down to NOLA. Once we were there it pretty much stayed in the closet as we explored the French Quarter each day & night!

I was able to work on him a bit yesterday as I had the day off so now I have two antennae, two eyes, two claws and the beginning of a tail/body. May have had more done but running out of stuffing seemed like a good reason to rest my hands for the remainder of the day.

Lobster Bisque Anyone?

That's it for me this week, hopefully he will be all done for FO Friday! Want to see other WIPs? Check in at Tami's Amis for a whole bunch!

To-Do Tuesday, 8.14.12

I'm back from vacation so I guess it's time to tackle my to-do list once more....

An update for the To-Do Tuesday, gives an idea of what's on the list, what is slow going, what is getting done, and what I need a kick in the ass to get working on! What's on your To-Do List?

Crochet Queue
• Lobster (In Progress)
• Kira's Birthday Present
• Duck
• Giraffe
• Hippo
• Owl for KK
• Elephant for Drew
• Skunk
• Liam's blanket (In Progress)
• Rag Rug (from t-shirts/sheets)
• Crochet Clock {like these}
• Square Curtains (will have to find the pattern for these again...)
• Wool Eater out of my scraps {found here}
• Floor Poof from scraps to use at the Studio for Infant Poses

Home
• Clean out Fridge

Business
• Post Joe & Julie's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com
• Work on Crystal & Bryan's Wedding Photos
• Post Crystal & Bryan's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com
• Make a coffee table book for Crystal & Bryan
• Work on Melinda & Chad's Wedding Photos
• Post Melinda & Chad's Wedding Photos on KaitLavinPhoto.com

Other
• Mara's Birthday Present -- Got a new idea for this, it includes a doily, now just need to find one.

Finished Items
• Work on Joe & Julie's Wedding Photos(See some favorites Here)
• Lego Mosaic of Detroit Lions Logo (See it's Progress Here)
• Birthday Present for Charlie 

• Boy & Girl Baby Stuffies, only requirement is cute (See them Here)
• Mosquito (See Him Here)
• Lion (See Him Here)
• Cheese from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (See Him Here)
• Put Lee Auto Grand Opening on KaitLavinPhoto.com

• Work on Lee Auto Sales Breakfast Photos
• Owl (See Her Here)
• Pig (See Her Here)

• Pack
• Stop Mail
• New Orleans Itinerary
• Owl #2
• Hat for Sage
• Laundry

• Dishes



What's on your To-Do list? I will check in next week to give an update!

Like Lists? Check out my Year Of Projects List!

WIP Wednesday, 8.8.12

I started this little guy on the plane but haven't touched him since. Can you figure out what he's going to be?

Linking up with Tami's Amis.

To-do Tuesday, 8.7.12

There is only one thing on my to-do list this week:

- Enjoy myself in New Orleans (in progress)

Year of Projects, Week Six

Short & sweet as I sit in the terminal at laguardia as I write this. Have I started on any of my projects? Nope, however I did use some of the Cascade yarn I had purchased for the purple stitch project project for something else and OH MY! It is soooo nice to work with, I am going to have to find a special pattern to make something for myself with this yarn! I have been thinking of what projects have a due date and which ones don't I will look more into this and it will hopefully help me get more of an idea of what to start on NOW and what can wait.

FO Friday, 8.3.12

Short & Sweet today as I have an Owl to finish before my vacation starts tomorrow at 2pm....

I have for you another Charlotte the Pig (who I think turned out better this time than last time) and  a little hat. The multicolor stripe in the middle is some of my cascade yarn for the purple stitch project, just using this little bit makes me want to do a whole project in it, it's so niiiiice! May have to splurge for more in different colors to make something special for me, but need to find a pattern first :-)

That's it for me! I appologize in advance if next week is slim on blog posts, we will be enjoying ourselves in New Orleans for the week!

PS TSA says crochet hooks & scissors with blades smaller than 4" are ok! Now I just need to figure out what project to bring, I'm thinking one of my YOP projects.

That's it for me, linking up with Tami's Amis to see all the other FOs out there!

WIP Wednesday, 8.1.12

August already? This is awesome in the fact that Mumford & Sons concert & vacation is just days away but not so awesome when I think that summer is almost over! Good thing I'm not in school anymore otherwise I'd really be bumming.

Only one WIP today as I had some FOs yesterday. (One of which I used some of my Cascade yarn and I am itching to work with more of it! It's a dream to work with, feels amazing!)

While on our mini vaca with the family last week I made a bunch of hats for the kids in the family. The DH thinks I will sell more of these than the stuffed animals come the holiday/winter season so I will try to make one in between every stuffie so that I have a bit of an inventory.

So one of my FOs yesterday was a softie so its on to a hat! I am using the Divine Hat pattern I found on Ravelry. So far so good!

While I was working on the other hats and especially the wine cozy last week I noticed that when I crochet in the round I go counter clockwise while a lot of the video tutorials go clockwise. Does this make a huge difference when getting into more complex patterns?

This current hat uses fpdc and what I have always thought as the "wrong side" seems to be the side that is getting the texture in it. Hmmmm will have to see how this turns out. Maybe the next hat should be identical but going clockwise and I will examine the differences.


Also --- any suggestions on airplane safe hooks & scissors?


That's what I'm up to, check out other WIPs over at Tami's Amis.