A Pinterst Service Post...

I haven't written in a really long time and I don't really feel like writing too much now.  I just can't deal with all the pink and pastel nurseries out there in Pinterest-land anymore, so I thought I'd write this so I could pin it and help everybody out.

 

If you're going to be lazy, you had better be creative.  This room was originally the office.  That's why it's green.  Really green.  British racing green.  I had a bunch of green and white fabric left from a queen-sized quilt I didn't like and decided to see if I could get away with being too lazy to paint.  I think it worked out.

That's scrapbooking paper (that was on clearance, by the way) in square frames.  That's it.

 

 

Add some yellow and some white and presto!  You have a nursery that doesn't look like it was painted in Pepto. 

The remains of the former queen-sized quilt became the wall hanging.

Wooden letter + Mod Podge = Filler for smallish walls.  The paper is from the same set as what's in the square frames.  Easy peasy.

I'll admit it.  It is difficult to find the perfect green rug.  It mimics the back of the wall hanging and the quilt.

The curtain that was also once a quilt.

And, of course, the actual quilt.

There you go.  A very not-pink girl's nursery.  You're welcome.

Still Water

This is it. It's officially done. Let's take a minute to bask in the glory.




Ok. That's enough. Now, on to the lace.

Grand Rapids

It's finally finished. This is the first knitting (maybe the first anything) that I have completed without having started anything else in the middle. Attention deficit crafting is just how I usually roll.

This time, though, I couldn't wait to get it blocked. I think it's because I like the way it looks flat.


As before, the full effect of this scarf cannot be felt in one picture. I'm not even sure that eleven do it justice, but I'm willing to try.












It stopped being a scarf awhile ago. I think that it has become some sort of wall hanging. Once I figure out how to stabilize it. After it dries.

In the Red

Well...almost. The yarn is getting redder.



It's getting there...


I've spliced the orange back together and it's not noticeable. It was a lot harder than it should have been with 100% wool yarn, but it went together pretty well. I'm actually looking forward to finishing it and getting it blocked...which is highly unusual for me. I often put off finishing things because I like the process more than the thing. Hmmm...

Orange You Glad?

I'm finally getting into the orangish part of the yarn. The next trick is figuring out where to splice the yarn. It cut off at the orange and, although I can just re-attach it to another part, the yarn changes so gradually that it's difficult to tell where to pick back up again.


It's pretty much impossible to get the full impact of this scarf in a photo no matter what you do...so I figured that I'd try five.






If I can manage to finish it without starting something else, it will be the first time that has ever happened. That's not to say that I haven't been looking...

Rapid Release

Things were going very well on t he Fair Isle Rapids scarf. I was starting to get into the yellowish end of the green part of the yarn. I blocked it. Took a few pictures. Felt pretty good about it. This is the back.


This is a picture of the big mistake that I made. If you're like Ryan you can't see it, but the top center diamond is missing two rows. That shortens the black part between the outer diamonds and messes up the outer black portion, too. The best part is that it's 30 rows back.


So, because I'm one of those people, I ripped out the 30 rows. All the way back to the last row that was right. I got not one, but two strands of yarn back on the needles and started knitting again.



I guess I should be happy that now I know I can successfully rip out stranded knitting without losing the whole thing. But even though I have re-knit the 30 rows (and then some), it hurts a little .

White Water Knitting?

While browsing my new favorite social networking site, Ravelry (it's like FaceBook for knitters, but way more helpful), I came across a photo of another knitter's interpretation of this pattern.

I had to make it. So I got yarn for Valentine's Day. Pretty, rainbow colored, wool yarn. I already had the pretty black merino/silk yarn, but had to buy an extra ball (actually, I might need a little more...ugh!)...and some needles. Darn.


So far, so good. It's definitely a pattern you have to block before you feel the full effect. It must not be too bad since the gentleman (yes, gentleman...from Ireland) who designed it asked for permission to use my photo on the Ravelry page for the pattern. This is the first repeat or so. You can see why it's Fair Isle "Rapids."


The beauty of this, besides it being a fairly clever pattern...the increases and decreases are what make the straight lines look wavy...is that this yarn is variegated. It's colors change very slowly, too. When you knit it, you barely realize that it's changing until you set it down and take a good look at it.


I'm waiting for the lighter colors. There will be a much better contrast between the black and, say, the yellow or the red than there is with the purple.

Hot-headed

I started to make a hat shortly after we moved in to the apartment here on Liberty. For those of you keeping track, that would make it March. I finally finished that hat the other day. It looks very nice with the cable and lace scarf.

I'm not really a hat person.


It's the same pattern as the hat that Ryan stole shortly after we met. It's actually the same kind of yarn. According to him, it looks tighter than his. I think it might be because I have more hair.

Block for Me

My birthday present finally arrived in August. It is a bunch of squares that connect in numerous ways to block your knitting. There are 9 blocks that you can lay out however you want...3 by 3, 9 by 1, or anything in between. They have a napped side to help hold your knitted fabric in place and the other side is waterproof. They are smooshy so you can stick pins in them. They're heat resistant so you can steam block right on them. They're pretty much brilliant. They come in their own bag with a press cloth.

They work very nicely one at a time for little baby stuff. Here's the sleeves to the brown sweater (finally) blocked. Next...the two pieces for the front of the cardigan.


Now, I just need more pins so that I can block more pieces at the same time. I swear I had more, but of course I can't find them anywhere!

Mad Dash

This is the Churn Dash quilt that I started a little over three years ago. I don't know why I didn't finish it. This picture is the halfway point of the top of the quilt. I didn't have far to go. I had to put one more row together and sew these three.


I even have the parts to two more rows of blocks. There are enough strips here to make all but one of the blocks for the fourth and fifth rows. Already cut, pieced, and sewn into strips. Jeez!


I even had sashing ready to go between the rows. I'm really not sure what was holding me back.


I think it's because I like to make things rather than have the finished thing. Once I finish it, it becomes boring. You can't do much with a finished quilt.

Sock it to Me

Another thing I started months ago...really, before the wedding. I have two-thirds of a sock done.

I finally understand the physics of socks. It makes sense now. No problem. Turning the heel was pretty cool. Makes you feel smart.



I mostly like the nifty little thing that keeps my needles from getting broken. That's really smart. Especially at $25 a set...that are the size of toothpicks.


I'm going to finish this sock soon. Then, I'll make the second one. Brilliant!

Update: Daddy Pants

So, I never got back to the pants a couple weeks ago. I did yesterday, though. I got everything done except for the snaps. They kinda look like pants.


I decided to quit while I was ahead and figure out the best way to do the snaps. I decided to work on some other things...like the quilt I started 3 years ago.


At this point the look a little like they did before I cut them apart...totally blown out in a very inappropriate place.

UFOs

I am finally finishing things!

The Fair Isle sweater and the blanket are at school and are being worked on from time to time.

I cleaned out eh craft room and found all of the UFOs (un-finished objects) and have started working on them...it's impressive how fast things go when they're halfway done already.

Olliver

So, the bear finally has a face...and a name. He is Olliver...Ollie for short.

His nose is a little funny, but I've been told that it's ok. It's been established that it is highly unlikely that baby is ever going to say, "No, mommy, I don't want your stupid bear." So, I just need to get over my perfectionist streak and move on with my day.