Crafty Rantings

I'm Crafty. I Rant. These are Crafty Rantings!

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Projects for Gifts






OK, I don't know if you can see the designs in these or not. Someone email me and let me know if you can't and I'll try to take other pictures.


The yellow is a happy flower dishcloth. The red is a happy home dishcloth. Both are for my mom. I bought the patterns and am happy with them. Big cloths. Easy patterns but you definitely have to pay attention!


Then here's what else I made...



These don't take too long, thank heaven. Ally picked the colors. One is for her and the other I am giving to my mom's best friend Cil. I try to make something for her, too. It isn't a lot but it's cute. I have a pattern for a knit one from the Monthly Dishcloth KAL Yahoo group which I want to try but there are so many things I want to get to that I'm going to have to make a list. I need to buy the yarn to make Amy's hat but I haven't found the color yet. She wants something closer to a coffee color (like cafe au lait - a bit darker than the tan in the dresses) so I will have to keep looking. The scarf for me is almost done. When I cast off later tonight I will put a picture in a different post. I also want to start a scarf with the yarn I bought in NH last year and I haven't decided if I will use a different pattern or the same one I used for the rose. I admit the appeal is that it's a pretty scarf and easy pattern - 1 row repeated over and over. We'll see how I feel once I finish the rose one later.

Anyway, these were the gifts for vacation. I will post a picture of the scarf when done and then in a separate post, a list of projects I want to do (or have promised).

Oh yes, I think while I'm in NH I will make a tie blanket or two, too, if I can find the colors I want. I made just one last year and hardly did any knitting but that was because I was so sick the whole two weeks. This year I can get more crafting done. And a trip to Joann's and elsewhere to pick up crafting materials for more projects for gifts... ok... and one or two for me. :)

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Sadness

I am very sad. My dear friend Brooke seems to be the only other person left from the KC who posts. I know it's supposed to be fun and it does take time. I'm in a swap that requires weekly postings and I know Brooke is in the Secret Pal Swap which requires you keep your blog updated but Linda, Julie and Roni have stopped. We haven't been able to find a time we can all get together again, either, since, well, probably all year. I admit that I keep my blog going as my own knitting/crochet journal and a way to keep in touch with people. And I like to show what I've been working on. I have been a very busy penguin tonight. I finished the second dishcloth I wanted to make to take with me for my mom, made the entire crochet dress dishcloth for Ally that I promised her, made a Grandmother's Favorite coaster for the new gal at work to match the ones I made everyone else and I worked on my scarf. Oh yes, I also started a dishcloth, ripped it out, picked a new pattern and will try again. The scarf is long enough to cast off but I just am not ready. I'd really like to use as much of the yarn as possible but that's a lot of yarn! So I think I will cast off and save it to use with some other yarn to make a stashbuster scarf sometime.

But I had to post to say how sad I am that my local knitty friends seem to have spread to the corners of Chico, Paradise and Oroville. I miss getting together with them and getting advice and help and sharing patterns and the motivation and inspiration they gave me. They certainly made me stretch my skills. Back about a gazillion years ago I did something very small with cables (I'm old - I can't remember what it was). I have some cute patterns in a pamphlet I bought that call for using cable stitch holders and twisting to the left and right and ... well, I'd like to give it a try. But with no real in-person support it's going to be hard. I will end up going to a video tutorial on the net and keeping at it until I get it right. This is also why I will probably never try socks again. (I'm sighing)

I know our lives change and we move in different directions. I know we are all still friends. We just have other things going right now. But Brooke, Roni, Julie, Linda and Heather, if you want to get back together sometime to knit or chat or just hang, let me know. I miss you all. I wouldn't be the crafty lady I am today if you hadn't helped me.

I miss the KC and I am sad.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Fall Into Autumn Topic of the Week - Last Week of September!

Autumn has now officially begun here in the States!! What is your favorite thing about Autumn/Fall? Why?

This is totally unfair. There are TWO favorite things about fall for me - the leaves and my birthday! Don't make me choose! Kinda like asking me if I want hot fudge or marshmallow on my ice cream sundae!

(Yeah, I know Jo... don't worry... I won't eat more than one scoop on my birthday - promise!)

As for WHY my favorite? Well, geez, who doesn't like their birthday? And who could possibly not love the yellows, oranges, reds, greens and browns of autumn?

But here's something I'm really fond of too - seeing those beautiful leaves on crisp white snow. Now *that* is a birthday treat!