a new book and… yarn

*shame face* I broke my resolution to not buy yarn already.  Well, sort of; I said I wouldn’t buy any unless I was commissioned, which I was, but I still feel bad.  Gonna do a 5th Chunky Circle Scarf for a coworker, and she wants a giant one!  It’s gonna be fun.  Got some Berroco Vintage in Smoke for it.

And I never said anything about not getting books, so I don’t feel so bad about this:

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There are lots of cute things in here and it really sparks the imagination.  Can’t wait to do some pixel crochet!  Chris will love video game themed items.

a look back on 2015

2015 was a much more productive year for me than 2014 was, so that’s already awesome!  Here’s a recap of the [finished] projects from this year!

And there are a couple items I forgot to post about. I knitted a Fuego hat with some spare Berroco Vintage:

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And then there’s a secret project that I made as a Christmas gift for someone, but they might see it here so I’ve left it out and I haven’t been able to give it to them yet, so a photo will have to come later!

All in all that’s 13 crocheted projects (counting the Christmas gift) and 11 knitted projects.  Well now that I’ve totaled it up it doesn’t seem like so much, but it’s still better than 2014.

2 of those projects were my own patterns that I released, and I guess I’ve got the bug because there are SO many ideas I’ve got all of a sudden — there are definitely going to be more pattern releases in 2016!  I’ve already got the yarn and everything for almost all of my ideas, and can’t wait to get started!

Also of course there were some big life events this year!  I started working on my LPC licensure (to be a super-fancy licensed counselor) and, best of all, I got married!

I hope that 2015 was a good year for you, too, and of course I wish you the happiest of New Years and a great 2016!

Thanks for stopping by, see you soon!

free pattern: not your granny’s granny square clutch!

not your granny's granny square clutch

The clutch I made is complete and I’ve written down the pattern and typed it all up for anyone who’s interested (for free, of course)!

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It utilizes the flower stitch sampler granny square I made recently (4 of them, stitched together in a special way) and pairs them with a fabric lining and a 7″ zipper.  A sewing machine is nice but isn’t absolutely required.  The clutch holds a checkbook or an iPhone 6 in a case.

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If you’re interested in finding out more, like the specifications, click here.

If you’re ready to download the free pattern in PDF form, click here!

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comment box below or contact me using the contact form in the menu bar.  There will be even more awesome patterns coming up soon (I’m starting to get on a roll with this pattern thing!) so stay tuned!

I hope you all have the happiest of Holidays, wherever you are, and stay safe if you’re traveling!  See you soon!

ready for Christmas 2016!

Well, almost…  I got this Annie’s Attic pamphlet for about $8 counting shipping on Ebay:

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Springtime Schmingtime (does that work?), I’m using these for Christmas ornaments that I will give as gifts next year, since I’m too late for this year.  I was inspired by these gorgeous creations and I aim to get close to those, although I still have some supplies to buy.  Well, all I have are the pins, actually, so I’ll need the beads, ribbons, crochet thread, and ornaments.

And speaking of, where on earth do I buy 3″ satin ornaments?  I found some old ones for sale on Etsy in a gold color and I found some on Wal-Mart’s website, but that’s it!

Another question: these patterns call for size #30 crochet thread and a #11 steel hook.  Well, I have a #12 steel hook and a 1.15mm steel hook, do you think one of those would work?  Also there’s some really pretty #10 crochet thread that I’d like to buy for this, but would that be too much of a difference?  I’ve never really done thread work before so any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks a bunch, and thanks so much for stopping by!  See you soon!

finally, wedding pictures!

I got married on October 17th and we have our pictures back!  I wanted to share just a few here.

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My cousin took this one.

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We had a variety of pies and mulled cider instead of cake and punch.

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The dress belonged to my mom. We didn’t alter it much; the biggest change was taking the long sleeves off.

And remember when I was talking about crocheting a wrap for the wedding?  Here it is:

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It’s kinda hard to see the ends, but you get the idea.  The pattern is the Izumi wrap and it worked up surprisingly quickly.  I used 1255 yards of DyeForWool’s Merino/BabyCamel (sock weight) in the colorway Burning Fuchsia.  I’m totally gonna wear it again for formal functions or even as a scarf.

Well, that’s all for today.  I’m so excited to share these photos with you!  See you again soon!