Steppin' it up

Today I published my first pattern.  Moving from Crazy Crochet Lady to Designer has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding things I've attempted so far.  Much like having kids.  I just kind of created the thing, tossed it out there to the world, and am hoping for the best.  Although unlike having kids, this pattern went through testing for accuracy and coherency before being released to the wild.

Meet Carousel, the easiest, most adjustable sweater pattern you'll ever find.  

Something Fishy

Last week I received a commission for a fish hat.

No joke.  The guy wanted a custom fish hat for his wife's birthday. People ask for the strangest things.

Halfway through creating this hat, I found out the intended recipient was expecting her first baby.   I couldn't resist using the leftover yarn to make a wee baby fish.

No pattern.  Made it up on the fly, loosely guided by some Google pictures.  I have a friend who calls this kind of made-up crochet McGuyvering*.    I like that.

*No bubble gum or duct tape was utilized in the creation of this project.**

**Unlike in sewing.  Day before yesterday I realized that clear tape can be used to hold the dang button in place while sewing it on with the machine.  Eureka!  No more swearing!  No more shifty buttons!  Why didn't I figure this out years ago?

Fabric Frustrations

This ring is causing me angst.

See, I have a purse idea.  It's been in my head for almost a week and it won't. get. out.  I don't need another purse, and I certainly don't really have time right now to make one anyway, but it's taking over my all my spare thoughts lately.  The ring you see here is one I got years ago.  The thing is huge!  So huge that I rarely wear it, because it catches on everything and is quite annoying.

But it would make the perfect purse clasp accent!

I've been doing this long enough to know that the only way to cure the obsession is to cave to it.  I know exactly what I want in my head, but it doesn't seem to exist in the real world.  I want something geometric and symmetrical that includes all three main colors in the ring.  I've been to three fabric stores so far and searched online without success.  The chase is only making me crave it more.  

I will not concede.  Eventually, Perfect Fabric and I will find each other.

Showing you my ugly hand for scale.  This ring is enormous!

Decisions, Decisions

In just a few short days it will be March.  MARCH!   Wasn't it just two weeks ago we were putting the Christmas decorations back in the closet?  Feels like it.

Anyhow.

It's almost March, which means I need to shift gears away from heavy bulky winter wear and into lightweight, layerable spring stuff.  I've been stockpiling ideas for a couple of weeks now and I've paired up some stash yarns with patterns.  Here's what I'm thinking:

Vintage gold yarn would make this lightweight summer top stunning.
So cute with capri's and wedge sandals!

Picture this dress in hot pink, about 6" shorter.      

This is 100% bamboo yarn which is light and perfect for summer.
Imagine this white top, but with shorter sleeves and longer body - about tunic length.  That's what I'm going for.

I like the idea of this top, but I'm not wild about the bell sleeves.  Who can wash dishes with sleeves like that?  This might stay in the idea bin until fall, and them maybe do a sweater dress to wear with leggings and boots.  Plum-colored yarn with a hint of silver would work, and it would go wonderfully with charcoal leggings and tall black boots.

I love the shape of this, but not so much how it looks like a giant red heart at the top.
I have some beautiful apple green yarn in the stash that might be just the thing (esp. paired with  cute leather sandals)

By the time I get these done, it'll be time to haul the decorations back out again!

I'm also planning some quilted pillow shams to match our new bedding.  The fabric I want is no longer available at the quilt shop (go figure) so I need to track it down online.  I'm also felting some 100% wool sweaters, which I'll chop up and make into decorative pillows.  Our new bedroom will be beautiful!

My daughter is excited about her new room too.  On Saturday we took her old bedskirt, cut it in half, and made it into two window valances.  In about a month we should have everything assembled and the sewing projects done, and then I'll post before/after pics.

Stuff and Things

Roses are Red

Violets are Blue

I can't keep up

How about you?

Life has been crazy busy these past two weeks!  I have things to show you, but I have been unable to get good photos.  Soon, I promise.

What's happening?

1 - Selling lots of furniture, because we're going to do some upgrading over spring break.  New beds for all of us, and a transition from childish room to pre-teen room for my daughter.

2 - My youngest child turned 8 yesterday.  How did that happen? 

3 - Valentine's day came and went.  I managed so snag one of the very last boxes of fancy chocolates on Feb 15. (my annual tradition.  Half-price chocolates taste SO much better than full-price ones)

4 - I found a new knitting/crochet group!  They're wonderful ladies.  Right now I'm the only crocheter in the group, but I intend to convert at least one of them to the dark side.  :-)

5 - The pattern testers finished working on my sweater design.  It went very well!  I have to do some editing of the pattern and take good pictures, and then it will be ready to publish!

6 - Hubby's birthday is Monday.  I'll be baking a scratch cake (chocolate with orange marmalade).  Should be delicious!

7 - My Nook Color bit the dust.  Fortunately I had purchased an extended warranty so it could be replaced for free, but they don't make that model anymore so it took a lot of time to dink around with choosing a new model and getting it set up.  Very happy with my new Nook Tablet.

8 - Germs Germs Germs.  Seems like someone has constantly been sick this winter.  Right now it's me.  :-(

9 - Allergies.  Took my son to the allergist, and he is allergic to Everything on Planet Earth.  The upside is that we don't have to get rid of the cat like I'd feared, because the cat is the least of his worries.  The downside is that he will be miserable for nearly every season of the year.  I'm hoping Zyrtec is a miracle drug.   

Looks like there might be ONE thing he is not allergic to - the spot above letter D didn't swell.
Lucky him.

Today

Today I should have put the laundry away.  It's still sitting in baskets. (But the day isn't over yet!)

Today I should have worked on my son's sweater, since the pattern design is scheduled to be done with testing in 7 days.  I didn't.

Today I should have cleaned the house, or at least made the beds.  Husband did; not me.

What did I do?

I spent 6 hours building a Lego house for my kids.

Welcome!

Front porch with gardens and lighting.

Tennis or skateboarding, anyone?

Back view.

Hinged, so it opens like a dollhouse.

Home office with balcony door; living room below.

Bedroom with table lamp and wall sconces;
kitchen complete with oven and red hot burners.

Outer view when it's opened out.

The kids are still working on the city.  When it's done, it will have a downtown area, the 'burbs, and a super hero HQ where batman and the Justice League help the local police fight crime.  :-)

Show N Tell

I am so excited to share this new design!  It's called Recipe for a Sweater, because the instructions are written as a base and intended for the creator to customize it for their unique size and shape.

Recipe for a Sweater V2.0

I made the second one as a pattern test along with seven lovely volunteers from Ravelry who are also testing this for me.  They're testing it in different sizes from baby all the way up to mens.  It will be interesting to see how the formula works for such large differences in scale.  So far so good!  I'll keep you all posted.