WIP Wednesday, 6.26.13

At first this morning I didn't think I had anything (asside from those super secret projects that I am STILL working on) but then I remembered I had worked on Liam's blanket this week. Still not finished but so close! I finished all the squares and have the first three rows connected in one direction. This is my first pieced blanket so I am learning as I go :-)

Here are some photos:

Checking in with Tami's Amis.

WIP Wednesday, 6.12.13

Day one of my 29th year!
Still working on a few super secret projects. Seriously thought I would be done with them by now but life happens, and seems to happen more in the summer time. Have also had a few shoots that I have been working on, I will share some from a shoot I just completed editing on Friday. Also thinking of doing a photo project this year.

Time to put the phone down and work on a super secret project so I can cross something off my list and get it to its recipient so I can then show you the pictures and spill the beans!

Checking in with Tami's Amis.

WIP Wednesday, 5.22.13

Haven't worked much on either of my super secret projects this week, however I did get my yarn in for the order of Cheese from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Started him yesterday just minutes after the postlady dropped off the yarn :-)

Going to finish this post and get back to working on it :-)

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

WIP Wednesday 5.8.13

As promised... I'm back!

Working mostly on my super secret project and about to embark (aka go buy yarn) for a second super secret projet. Sorry -- no pictures...yet.

Also have a monkey in the works but need more yarn for that guy too.

A bowl of Monkey parts

Boring post, I know, but I've got to start somewhere right?

Checking in with Tami's Amis.

WIP Wednesday, 3.20.13

Yes it's Thursday and I'm a day late. Was out of the house all day and away from my Crochet.

Working on a sea turtle, I hope to have him complete for Friday but I don't know if that will happen. Fingers crossed!

Checking in with Tami's Amis.

WIP Wednesday, 3.6.13

Good Morning all! Do you like a good mystery? Well I hope so because I am feeling spunky this morning and am going to keep my WIP a mystery for you. I know what it is, and it's not a surprise to the recipient either, but can YOU guess what it is going to be?

Have some fun with me and leave your guesses in the comments :-) He/She/It will be done for Friday so check back then to see if you were right!

"Hooking" up with Tami's Amis to check out all the other WIPs!

WIP Wednesday, 1.23.13

Well we've made it to Wednesday, and I've made it to the blogisphere, hooray for small victories!
I have three things I've been slowly progressing towards completion.

First and nearest to finality is the wrap I am making for my mom. Her birthday was Monday,and I feel slightly bad for not finishing her gift in time. I say slightly because I made a choice after getting halfway through her wrap. I chose to change the yarn and colors completely. The yarns I WAS using were totally her colors, gold, rust orange and dark brown. However put together in the pattern I was using looked like you were looking at an afghan straight out of "That 70s Show" while tripping on acid. To make my decision to start over a little easier (like I needed to...) The yarns I was using was mystery yarns that were probably hidden in some corner of a warehouse SINCE the 70s. So to the yarn store I went on the Thursday before her birthday and bought Lion Brand Wool-Ease in wheat, light raspberry and a soft pink rose heather & blush heather. These colors together remind me of black raspberry vanilla soft serve twist, much better than an afghan acid trip. To say the least it wasn't finished for her birthday, but I am happy with my choice. (This is actually a project from my Year of Projects List)

The next project is a little monkey. It's one of three I have on order and is a fiberdoodles by k4tt design.

Lastly is a valentines themed tapestry. It's my first step in am idea I am developing that needed some tapestry crochet practice first. The design is actually a cross stitch pattern that I am translating into crochet. I am really liking the results.

I appologize for no photos ATM, remember small victories... I will try to post some as soon as I can get some quality time alone with my camera and computer.

Checking in with Tami's Amis.

WIP Wednesday, 1.9.13

A Plea to my Readers:
In the middle of February I will be jumping into a lake. No big thing if you are somewhere warm, but I'm not, I am in Maine. The average temp for that day is a cold cold cold 23º.... and that's just the air temp!

A group of my friends make up the team "Crazy for a Cure" (Crazy is right!) that will be jumping into a hole that they cut through the ice with chainsaws all as part of a fundraising event for the Maine Children's Cancer Program. Cancer sucks, and it sucks even more when you are a child dealing with it!

I urge my readers to help out and donate, every dollar helps! And to make it even sweeter for the children who are seen at this facility for every donation made via this blog I will donate a hand crocheted item to a child that visit this center.

How to donate: Visit this link click on the "Give Now" button on the right side. Feel free to comment on the blog or the page that you are visiting from Katesie's Critters. And THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!

PS I am cold already thinking about jumping in!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

I have two things that I have started this week. One is a gift for my mother so I will have to wait until after she has received it before I can show it on here. Don't want her to know what it is before she gets it now do we?

The other is something a co-worker asked me to make. The store I work in is only open for 5 more days (including today) so I am trying to get things done for co-workers before the end of the week as I probably won't see them after that.

Any guesses to what this little guy will be?

Linking up with Tami's Amis this morning! Happy Wednesday everyone!

WIP Wednesday, 1.2.13

Here's to the first Work-in-Progress Wednesday of 2012!

It's a wonder what two full days off in a row can do! Monday, Kevin had the day off as well so while he was outside clearing the driveway of the snow we got earlier in the week I was doing some chores inside. Then I got bundled up and went outside with him to play on the sleds. He must have been thinking the same thing because when I got out there he had just started them up and were letting them warm up.  We can get on the snowmobile trails right from the house which is pretty convenient! Last year he traded his old truck for two sleds and a trailer. Before that we have only ever had one sled, which meant I rode on the back. I didn't grow up riding like he did and with the poor winter we had last year & my sled having issues, we only got out once. That was when the trails had been groomed, this year we were breaking trail -- a little rough on the bodies to say the least! We only went about 8 miles and in that 8 miles I managed to hit a little tree (nicked it with the ski) and get stuck off the trail in deep snow three times. Fortunately Kevin was there to help, I definitely won't be going out on my own!

We went out to Kevin's Dad's house for NYE and had a really good time! Was able to finish a stuffie in between eating, playing with the nephews, sledding & lighting off fireworks. Two of Kevin's step brothers are firefighters so they had a whole show set up for us, they even got cheers from neighbors we didn't know were watching. We set them off at 9 because the little ones probably wouldn't make it up until midnight. After we had all been back inside for a while one of Kevin's brothers noticed that the fireworks table had caught on fire and was setting a few remaining fireworks off. Oops! Fortunately they had been smart enough to put the table in the middle of the big field away from anything else!

I spent yesterday cleaning & crocheting and was able to start & finish my first project of 2013. Makes me wonder how many I will complete this year, any guesses?

Here are my WIPs for today:
Zombie Kitty:

Just the top of his head for now, started this just before bed last night. Using a lighter/brighter green than I have in the past for the Zombie Kitties but I am liking it so far.

Purple Shawl:

This is a pattern from the back of a yarn label. I really like how it is coming out and can only imagine how it will look once blocked! Which means I may need to be getting some blocking pads pretty soon here. I am slightly surprised at how easy I found this intermediate pattern to be. Makes me excited for more difficult projects! Oh if only I could sit home and crochet all day!

That's it for me today, on to do some quick house chores then get ready for work! Have a happy Wednesday!

Checking in with Tami's Amis to see what everyone is working on.

WIP Wednesday, 12.19.12

Good Morning! Anyone else feel the Christmas crunch? The last few years I have been so busy with work that Christmas seems to sneak up on me. I really don't know how that is possible since they start playing Christmas music at work on November 1st (way too early in my opinion).

Anyway it is almost here and I have been spending most of my non-working hours fulfilling orders and making gifts.

Today's WIPs are orders. One is the first of a boy & girl pair of penguins, the other is a hat, do you remember the hat that gave me so much trouble before with the bulky yarn? Yeah well, it's back, and I have already frogged it once...

This little guy just needs wings and feet and an accessorie to make him either a boy or a girl. I'm not even going to bother showing you the hat as it has just as much a chance being frogged again as being finished.

Checking in with other WIPs over at Tami's Ami's.

WIP Wednesday, 12.12.12

Short & sweet as I have a to crochet list that seems a mile long... Gotta love the holidays!

Working on a gift for my mother, a Fresh Stitches Hippo and a hat for my bowling teammate.

Now to check in with Tami's Amis & back to crocheting!

WIP Wednesday, 12.5.12

Have a long list of orders that need to get started & finished. So this will be short & sweet so I can get back to crocheting.

Right now I am working on a big owl for my friend Sarah. It is a FreshStitches design that I have added a few rounds to in the body to make it even bigger than using a bulky yarn did. This will be my first Amigurumi using bulky yarn. I am using Brava from KnitPicks and really like the feel of it.
Here is my owl so far...

Linking up with Tami's Amis and getting back to working on my owl. 

WIP Wednesday, 11.21.12

Good morning and happy Thanksgiving-eve! Headed to my in-laws tomorrow for dinner at 4, which means LOTS of crochet time in the morning/early afternoon! Which is good because I am still trying to build up inventory and this last week was a slow one.

I have a little owl in the works, another Fresh Stitches design. The two major parts -- head & body are done so now it's just the little details that make him an owl to finish. Should be done tonight, that's my goal anyway.

I also have another project that needs a boarder and to be blocked, but I am not going to show that just yet as it is a gift. I will show you soon enough don't you worry.

I guess it would be considered an FO but I re-organized my studio yesterday and now has more room for yarn and a spot for shipping supplies. Most of this is thanks to the fixtures & boxes I got from Sears while it's in liquidation. It went from this:

To this:

Much more yarn storage as the shoe holder (white plastic thing on the left in the top photo) could only hold 24 skeins. Now I can stack the skeins & balls and get much more in the same area with the new shelving. I also used two metal risers on the back of my work table which gives me much more working area. Now to just use it! Which is actually where I am heading once this post is complete and posted on Tami's Amis with all the other WIPs in our yarny blogasphere :-)

WIP Wednesday, 11.14.12

Good morning! Working on a moose and a hat this week, will have some other FOs to show you on friday besides these two as well. Been cranking right along with the crochet!

Here is the beginnings of a FreshStitches moose, once finished it will be going to one of my previous bridal clients.

I haven't started this one yet but plan to today, that's a WIP right? But it will be a hat like the one I made the husband last week. A relative of mine saw it and wants one to gift. Not going into detail about who because the giftee may be a reader of my blog :-)

So for right now you get a picture of some yarn. This is Lion Brand Woolease that I will be using for the hat.

That's it for today! Now time for some crochet!!

Catch up with other WIPs over at Tami's Amis!

WIP Wednesday, 11.7.12

Good morning all! I was hoping that I would get this little guy started and finished in one day, but that didn't happen so you all can get a WIP post today after all!

A little dino. He will be headed to Nova Scotia once finished. He is a Fresh Stitches design. I was asked to do sewn eyes and still haven't decided on how to do those. Guess you will have to wait until Friday!

Also almost forgot about this, but seeing as I have worked on it recently (should have been on the WIPW post last week) and it still isn't finished I will show you my tshirt rag rug as well. I'd say I am about 1/2 way there. I am wondering if it is something my parents will sell in their shop....

I have a special treat for you guys on Friday, something that is finished, but not necessarily crochet. However, something I am really proud of and has been on my to-do list for a looooonnnnngggg time!

Until Friday! Have a great rest of the week! Checking in with Tami's Amis to see all the other WIPs, you should too!!

WIP Wednesday

A pictureless post for you all -- I left one WIP at work w/o having taken a photo and the other one hasn't really been started yet, but it will be started, if not finished, by the end of the day!

Picked the Elephant back up and am working on getting her finished. Also was asked to make two plain black beanies for my cousin, one regular, one slouchy. The regular one is done, now to start on the slouchy one.

Be sure to check back on Friday as I certainly will have plenty to show you!

Maybe the guys & gals over at Tami's Amis will have more interesting posts than mine.

WIP Wednesday, 10.17.12

I've been really slacking on the WIP & FOF posts and I apologize! It's been a rough couple of weeks. But I'm back!

A friend of my sister's asked me if I could make this for her. Her son is going to be a golfer for Halloween. She wanted me to match a certain green in his sweater. Because of this I wasn't able to use or find a matching green in the acrylic that I usually use. However my local craft store had a bunch of Ella Rae Classic in the colors that I needed, and it was on sale! I am enjoying working with it and am toying with the idea of using it more for my Amigurumi. For those Ami pros out there... What yarn do you use and why?

I have been working a lot lately and been sick and had photos to edit/enhance so it's been busy and not too much crochet time. I am house sitting for the next few days so I'm hoping to have some down time to crochet then, which is good since I have a list of projects/orders to finish up!

I guess it's time to quit typing and get back to crochet & photos. Hopefully will see you all Friday for a finished golf bag!

To see more WIPs visit Tami's Amis!

WIP Wednesday, 9.19.12

Only a little bit of crochet ADD this week....

From left to right:

• Pieces of an owl, feet, eye circles & top of the head.

• The first few stitches of a scarf for myself using Poems Silk yarn that I got on sale at Craftsy.

• The first motif of my purse. Bought the pattern ages ago, finally starting it. The pattern is written poorly and I find myself having to guess as to what I think she means. I should do the second motif as written in her pattern and see how that comes out...

• Worked a bit more on motifs for Liam's blanket. 

So what does this all mean? It means I need to get off the computer and actually crochet so I can finish something :-)

Checking in this week with Tami's Amis.

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!

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.