MCP.28, 29, and Girlie Girl Re-Release

Hi there! Was off line for a couple of days-- amazing how reliant we are on this doggone internet thing now. Was watching a tv show and about died the other night because I could not immediately scratch my "who is that guy?!" itch by jumping on IMDB! 

But anyway, I'm back. :) Lest you think that I pooped out on the last two days of A Month of Craft Photos, here they are:

Day 28, Simplicity:

Knitting Simplicity: Two sticks and some yarn.

Day 29, Your Latest FO:

Jorie's new spring top knit from my Girlie Girl dress pattern. This is the artistic version that I post processed in Lightroom for a vintage, washed-out look. Below is the straight version I used in the updated pattern:

Yes, yes, yes! The updated pattern is finally available,just in time for spring knitting! Hurray! The sizes now range from 3-6 months all the way up to a girl's size 10! I've also included revised instructions for adding cap sleeves and altering the pattern to make several styles of tops, tunics, and tees. 

I wanted to wait until a sunny day to take pictures, but I finally decided I would be waiting until June or July, and by then everyone would be thinking about fall knitting projects. One day last week I did my best to turn my living room into a portrait studio, dragging in every lamp in the house and hanging white butcher paper from the ceiling to reflect the light. 

Being just this side of four years old, Jorie was pretty cranky about the whole operation at first, but once she got into it, she was striking poses like a little model! Here are a couple more shots from our session... have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

Hello Tuesday!

It's Tuesday, so that must mean it's time to Keep Calm and Craft On! Oh, how I wish I had a little more to show this week, but, alas, except for some internet fun, this is really just going to be a w.i.p. update post, so here goes!

I'm almost to the decreases in the little hat I'm working up in Knit Picks yarn for their IDP program:

Just one more inch to go until the decreases!

I posted about this hat last week, and I'm not too terribly much farther now, but getting there. This is fingering weight yarn, and while it will  make a perfect little hat for spring, it is taking a bit longer to knit up than the original hat this pattern is based on.

This hat started out as a whim. Last spring I realized that my daughter needed a cute hat for spring, so I dug into my stash and found a skein of hand dyed hand spun yarn that I'd purchased on Etsy without really knowing what I was going to use it for-- what can I say? The yarn spoke to me & I obeyed by clicking the the buttons and bringing it home! Instead of a traditional pom pom, I decided to knit a little flower as a topper for the hat, and then when I was putting it up in my Ravely projects, I name it "Posey". 

I took a couple of photos of Jorie a couple of days ago & she just happened to be wearing the original hat:

As you can see, "Posey" has more than one meaning! 

I think the hat I'm working on for Knit Picks will have a cluster of three small flowers at the top instead of the one big one here... hopefully it will be finished by next week so I can show you!

Hopefully also the the weather will warm up a bit so I can get some good outdoor shots of Jorie in her spring top I knit from the Girlie Girl dress pattern! It's finished. We're just waiting for a chance to take pictures & then I will be re-releasing the pattern with the new photos and including sizes 5-10! 

Other than those updates, I still have 47.5 unfinished sweaters on the needles... okay, 4 and one that is only notes, sketches & some swatches.... still too many!

Finally, I want to announce that Nicole has given me permission to set up a flickr group for Keep Calm and Craft on Tuesdays! If you have more pictures than you want to post on your blog, or if you just want to hang out with other crafters and see all their pretty photos, come on over and join up! Hope to "see you" there!

Okay, then. Until next Tuesday, Craft On! 

MCP.24-26 and Tattoo Musings

Day 24, Close Up:

My favorites: Knit Picks Harmonies

Day 25, When You Craft:

Click the pic to go to flickr & read about Zumba zombies and zombie yarn!

Day 26, Organization:

My awesome ottoman that I use for project storage... and for resting my feet while I knit.

I spent some time today finishing up the bits & pieces of my Girlie Girl dress pattern-- the new release will include sizes up to 9/10! I really want to take some photos of my girlie in her spring top I knit from the pattern, though, and the weather has just been too cold for that as of yet. Soon, soon...

* * * * * 

My tattoo is in the final stages of peeling/healing since I got it last Wednesday. I really do love it. The first day it kept catching my eye unexpectedly & it felt very conspicuous, but now I just like seeing it there. I don't know how many of you have tattoos, but this is my third. I didn't get my first one until I was 34... 2nd one at 37 (which was a cover for the 1st one.... long, ridiculous/funny, but personal story), and now this one at the ripe old age of 45. 

The funny thing about tattoos is that once you get one, you almost immediately want another. Not sure what that's all about, but I've been thinking about another. BUT... I've also been looking at older ladies all weekend & trying to imagine what I will look like at 60 or 70 with tattoos all over my arm... I can't decide if I will stay committed to being one of those funky/cool old ladies who can pull it off or if I'll just look kind of pathetic with my comfy sweaters, sensible shoes, and wrinkly old ink. Like I see these women who are in their 50's now who have very obvious 1970's tattoos (you know, dragons, butterflies, faded flowers & the like)... I haven't really seen it worn well yet. 

Bah. I worry too much. I'm pretty sure I spend an unusual amount of time thinking about getting/being old. I don't mind, per se, but I worry about how to redefine myself gracefully as it happens. You know those unfortunate women who still wear the same hairstyle, makeup & clothes they wore in high school but they're now 52? Yeah, that will never be me. But at the same time, I find the "Costco moms" who wear the same jeans & stick straight hair as their teenage daughters equally ridiculous.

I'll be 57 when my daughter turns 16 (this was her on my back in 2008!). I don't think she'll have to worry much about her mom stealing her jeans. No doubt she'll find my tattoos terrifically embarrassing, though... but hopefully she'll still want to sit and knit with her old mom, despite it all. 

MCP.22 (a tattoo), 23 and a Knitting Related TILT

Hey there! Goodness. Tomorrow is Friday! That is the best news... 'nuff said.

Yesterday's theme for A Month of Craft Photos was Contrast. I interpreted the challenge differently than one might expect, contrasting two images of knitters-- the dusty old granny & the hip chick hangin' with her hip friends:

Anyone who knits has been confronted with the former by people who obviously have had their heads stuck under rocks for the past decade... and we all, of course, strive to be the latter. Ha. Seriously, when did the rosary come back as a fashion statement?!

While I like the idea of my photo, it was a quickly composed shot, as I was home rather late yesterday evening & was rushed for time. What was I doing, you  might ask? Oh, you know, hanging out in a place where a painting like this is just what you'd expect to find:

Getting this:

I never saw a discontented tree.  They grip the ground as though they liked it, and though fast rooted they travel about as far as we do.  They go wandering forth in all directions with every wind, going and coming like ourselves, traveling with us around the sun two million miles a day, and through space heaven knows how fast and far!

~John Muir

That's me, folks. Gripping the ground as though I like it. Doing my best to dig my roots fast into the second half of my life and live the hell out of every minute of it! I know, I know. Middle age + tattoo = laughable cliche. I never claimed to be original. But I kind of love it anyway.

As for today's MCP photo, Inspiration from Clothing, here 'tis: 

Hop on over to flickr if you want to read my commentary. :) 

Finally, today is Thursday, which in flickr-land means TILT, or "Things I Love Thursdays"! Today I put together a tilt mosaic of my favorite photos from the group I recently started, Knitterbugs Unite! Some amazingly talented knitters/crocheters/photographers have joined. Just look:

Wow, right? Come join us!

It's Tuesday!

Today is going to feel like Monday all day, though, and for the rest of the week I'm going to feel a day off. Add that to the on-going list: You Know You've Been Doing the Five Day Work Week Grind for Too Long When...

No matter, it's Tuesday, so that means it's time for Keep Calm and Craft On! Once again, I managed to combine two projects in one. Day 21 of a Month of Craft Photos is Craft Accompaniments. A frequent accompaniment of just about any of my knitting projects is a conversation with Jorie. This is a photo of the baby/child's hat I'm knitting up in Knit Picks sock yarn, Imagination for a pattern I will be submitting. Here's the chatter that accompanied it:

Jorie: Mama, what're you knitting?
Me: I's another flower hat.
Jorie: But Mama, I already have a flower hat.
Me: I know, but I need to knit it in this yarn for the pattern I'm writing.
Jorie: Can I keep it?
Me: How about when it's all finished and we've taken pretty pictures, we send it off to your cousin Riley? Don't you think that would be nice?
Jorie: But Mama, I want to keep it.
Me: But you already have a flower hat.

Jorie: I know, but I want two flower hats! (laughs)

Me: But Riley needs a hat too.

Jorie: Can't her Mama knit her one?

Me: Riley's Mama doesn't know how to knit.

Jorie: (laughing like I'm too silly) Yes she do!

Me: No, honey, she doesn't.

Jorie: Why her Mama don't know how to knit?

Me: She just doesn't. So can we send this hat to Riley?

Jorie: Mama! How about if I keep it, and you can make a new one for Riley?

Me, (in my head): How did I not see that coming a mile away?!

Craft on!

MCP.19, 20, and A New Flickr Group!

Hey, all. Happy Presidents Day (note: after a few moments of debating where to place the apostrophe, I decided it's plural and not possessive. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it)! I love extra days off. Makes a little room in life to breeeeeaaaaathe... and make peach cobbler for breakfast... and catch up on laundry... and maybe get started on that little hat pattern Knit Picks says they would like...

Anyway, here are my latest shots from A Month of Craft Photos.

Materials:

A collage of my yarn cabinet. More commentary on flickr.

Finishing:

The girlie holding up her Girlie Girl spring top... which I recently finished.

Yeah, so I've been having so much fun with this month of crafty photo challenges, I went and started up a new flickr group-- Knitterbugs Unite! (Get it? "knitters" + "shutterbugs"? I'm SO clever!) Here's the description: 

This group is for those who love to knit (and/or crochet) AND who also love to take artistic photographs of knitted and crocheted objects. Please only submit shots related to knitting or crocheting and only shots that show an attempt to follow the basic rules of photography as an art form.

In other words, you like pretty things made of yarn and you like pretty photographs of pretty things made of yarn. :)

So... if that sounds like you, or if you just want to be inspired and maybe learn a little from other folks' photos, come join!

And here's a shot of that peach cobbler... yum...

Enjoy your day, my friends... and knit something, for cripes sake! 

MCP.16, 17, and 18.

Ah, Saturday. Some time to breath and check out of the daily grind. I spent the last three days of last week fighting some sinus thing that made me very tired, but I seem to be on the mend now. Although there are still two baskets full of clean laundry in the living room that need to be folded and I've been honestly too drained to accomplish much knitting this week, I have managed to keep up with A Month of Craft Photos.

I'm really enjoying the challenges & the daily excuse to play with my camera. I've met some cool fellow crafty types as well, so that's been fun! I linked to my new favorite bloggers at the end of this post.

Day 16: Texture

From left to right, 3x3 cables, 1x1 ribbing, puckered stripes, and bramble (or blackberry) stitch.

Day 17: Last FO Used

This is my Harmony Stripes vest. I wore it yesterday to work over a charcoal gray button down shirt (untucked) & a pair of Calvin Kleins & some boots. I knit this vest during the summer of 2008 (omg, I've aged so much since then!!!). It's one of the items I designed myself, loosely based on a pattern I had, but mostly I just jumped in & figured it out. It was knit from the top down, which is actually quite a trick when you factor in the stripes.

It's starting to look a little pilly, I need to give it a shave, but I still wear it quite a bit.

Day 18: Craft Books

Go to Flickr to read my notes about this selection of my favorite knitting books. 

* * * * * 

Here's a list of new knit bloggers I've "met" during the course of this photography challenge:

Kelly at Celtic Cast On. Knitting, books, every day life as a mom. I was pretty jealous to see the light her husband installed for her craft nook! :)

Iz at Izznit. She didn't manage to keep up with the photo challenge, but the shots she did contribute were might pretty (love those tattoos!), plus she has a rockin' etsy shop where she sells absolutely drop-dead adorable aprons!

Kessa at Kessa in Stitches. Really sweet girl (and cute as a button!). She's learning how to knit backwards, and she has a little pet hamster named Bon Bon. :)

Robbie at knitxcore. Funny, quirky, VERY crafty. Great photographs & modern/retro/so nerdy it's ultra-cool styling.

Go check 'em all out & tell 'em I said hi! 

MCP.15 and Addendum...

I finished that heart:

"A New Skill"

I know I keep carping on about crochet... but it's still new to me & barely counts as a skill. I can do slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, and shell stitch. I haven't attempted to actually read a pattern yet. 

But I finished Jorie's valentine heart this morning & added a little crocheted edging. A day late, but a belated heart is better than no heart at all, right? :)

If you want to make one of these little sweeties, go here. If you want to join us in A Month of Craft Photos, there's still half a month left! :)

We decided to put a string on it & wear it as a necklace! 

MCP.14, Tuesday Crafts, and a Facelift!

Your Crafting Companion:

Come join us in A Month of Craft Photos on Flickr!

I mentioned that I turned 45, correct? :) Yes, folks, it's come to this. I need reading glasses to knit. 

I had fully intended to cast on and finish one of these little knitted hearts to share with you for Keep Calm and Craft On Tuesday, but life got in the way. Candy & flowers & a romantic dinner out, you may ask? Uh, no. More like hubby had to work tonight & I had to get dinner on the table, his lunch made & see him out the door, all while catering to the million urgent demands of the littles. This is what romance leads to, my dears-- a busy life with little time for playing with hearts. Oh, and reading glasses. 

Speaking of reading glasses, I spent some time last night giving this old blog a pretty extensive facelift. It was time. I needed wanted bigger type pictures. I think I like it. Let me know what you think!   

MCP.12 and 13

Crafty Gifts:

My beautiful solid wood swift from Hornshaw Wood Works given to my by my husband Christmas of 2010, a skein of delicious hand spun BFL from Sherrill given to me the same  year, and my daughter's  bunny (its appearance here was a last minute addition when she tossed her up on the table!) that I knit for her... also in 2010. Obviously 2010 was a good year for knit-related gifts! 

Hoping for an equally awesome year this time 'round!

Inspiration Indoors:

For anyone who knits, this picture needs no explanation. For anyone who does not, think Craftsy meets Facebook meets the complete database of all knitting patterns currently available meets Wikipedia meets the best personal craft project organizer you could ever (seriously EVER) imagine!

Really. A knitter could (an often does!) get lost there. Flickr? Flickr could take some lessons from Ravelry. No. Joke.

Come join the fun at A Month of Craft Photos!