Typhoid Mary up in here.

Okay so I've had a cold since the end of October...of last year. It's not the same cold. It was swine flu and the regular flu and a sinus infection and then another cold and another one and perhaps allergies that I'd never had before but really some terrible sinusitis something or other that never seems to end. I've started referring to myself as Plaguebearer and Typhoid Mary because all the people who work at the company that makes Nyquil? Huge Xmas bonuses this year thanks to how much Nyquil I've been taking for the past year. Thank goodness I can actually stay awake and function on Nyquil because otherwise I'd also be referring to myself as Rip Van Winkle. I hate Nyquil so much at this point that I'm now back to tactics of childhood to avoid taking it. I'm all better! I'll take it later. I'll take it after I destroy all my tastebuds so I don't have to taste something that awful all the way up to my eyeballs any more. MOM NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I've been through the entire cold and flu aisle trying to find ANYTHING else that works, and I now have nasal steroids (that don't work) and an inhaler (which I'll defend to the death if someone tries to take it) as my new best friends.

I've been sick so long I don't even complain about being sick any more. I thought that was impossible. Instead I complain that I can't leave the house because I'll just get something else atop what I already have. I feel like that kid at school who never gets to play with all the other kids because they're too sickly and all the other kids make fun of them, and the doctors I've seen so far have been more disappointing than helpful. I quit smoking, which didn't help. I started smoking again, which didn't make it worse. I'm a hopeless mess at this point.

All of that is to say: I don't post much because I spend much of my time blinking slowly thanks to the Nyquil I have to take to breathe. And crocheting. Seriously.



That's only the first of two afghans I've been tearing through.

Since I'm spending so much time in the house, I've started focusing more on proper storage solutions and organization, and making it a nicer, more functional place to live.



The bookcase is from IKEA, and it's perfect for yarn storage. I debated between my fabrics and my yarn, but I have so many fabric scraps that wouldn't look nice if stored this way that I decided to go with yarn storage. Emptied out a bookcase and 3 large plastic storage tubs that were taking up space for something that displays my yarns in an accessible way, and I just love it. My craft room looks like a yarn shop, and I'm looking forward to finding the perfect solutions for other areas of the room. I still have to get the drawers for the bottom row. I can't put yarn on the bottom row because Chuck would think it was Christmas.

Pets are fun :)

Today I'm getting one of my long-term goals completed. In like an hour, an antique treadle sewing machine is being delivered. I'm not sure where I'm going to put it yet for it to be a functional display piece, but since I don't have to plug it in anywhere, my options increase drastically.

I'm really excited about the machine. I've wanted one for years, and while I haven't seen this one yet, I have it on good authority that it's functional, well maintained, and comes with tons of accessories. There will be photos, and while the cost wasn't unreasonable, the joy it will bring me for years is likely to make any cost an utter steal.

My grandmother (a quilter) found it in a local antique shop she sometimes works in. It's from a local museum. She knows how bad I've wanted one and contacted me straight away to give me the heads up. I'm unbelievably excited and she's excited for me, which is always fun. I'm sure we'll cause tons of trouble with it.

Causing trouble with my grandma usually involves finding great deals and/or quilting.

I have the best grandma ever.

Upcoming tutorials...

I'm taking up ATCs (artist trading cards)...not so much for the trading aspect, but because using such a small canvas has a surprising number of advantages.



Okay maybe we're having a little TOO much fun. I invited a friend over and we each made one. Mine's the one on the left.

Other tutorials in the works:



Using a pattern from Urban Threads to make a cover for the giant book I'm using to catalogue my embroidery stitches. It's going to take a while to design the cover, put together the pattern, quilt it, embroider it, and then teach other people how, but it'll be so worth it when it's done.

Last but not least...



Did you know it's almost fall? I'm sorry to be the one to break the news. At least I'll be celebrating it with a centerpiece?

Zombie Fight Club and Other Crafts for Kids

I should totally make the post title an actual book. For kids. No? Don't crush my dreams!

Why the talk about Zombie Fight club? Well...



It all started, as the best stories do, when I was hurrying through making presents for someone's birthday party I was going to be attending in a few hours (Yes, they appreciated the zombies actually. I know some spectacular people!). I finally got the peices done for the 2nd zombie but I was feeling a bit of animosity towards the hair I was making for him (not part of the original pattern) and as I looked at all his bits I had a terrible, awful idea.

So, I had corporate zombie eat him. Problem solved.

I tweeted it. The owner of the book I got the patterns from was amused. They were amused at knithacker.com and actually blogged about it, then it got tweeted everywhere. Meanwhile...



I was busy putting a wire mohawk on him, wrapping them separately in their packaging (putting an end to the fighting) and going to a birthday gathering.

How do crafts for kids get involved in this mess?

Fortunately for all of us, they're separate.



Yesterday, a tutorial was published telling people how to make this handy (and cute!) organizer to hold pencils, paintbrushes, or whatever else your heart desires. Want one? The tutorial is right here! And, there are more pics if you need help on my flickr.

I've not gotten much of a chance to publish (or blog) lately because I've been working so hard at getting my company off the ground. I'm surprisingly close! The finish line is in sight so I'm trying really hard to pull everything together for the launch. Got some great ideas coming through and I can't wait to unveil my kits. They'll be going to my Etsy store but if you're a shop (or you know a shop and would like them to carry my kits) or a teacher, you can contact me for discounts once my product is launched so stay tuned for that upcoming information! I can hardly believe it's finally coming together! It's nice when plans come to fruition.

Haiku

Fingering weight yarn,
One hundred grams for a pair.
Can't stop knitting socks.

While I admit, I do love talking about crafts, today's haiku was for a reason. Why? Oh...Lion Brand is having a haiku contest.

Are you less weirded-out by me now? No? Oh well...I tried.

Holy...

Well, I dropped off the face of the planet, eh? Sorry about that. I caught the swine flu from a student (no joke) in November and then the regular flu and I've been sick ever since. I never get sick. I'm not thrilled and it blew my Xmas to pieces.

It all came to a head about 2 weeks ago and I ended up in Urgent Care (which was fun). After 2 weeks on antibiotics (bleh) hopefully I'm back from the dead. I haven't been able to get off the couch for the past two weeks and I've gone through the entirety of several shows thanks to netflix's instant play (thanks, netflix).

I also managed to knit 3 socks and a pair of fingerless opera gloves, and crochet tons of scrubbies and almost an entire afghan. Idle hands are the Devil's playground, or some such.

Just before I ended up in Urgent Care, I went a little bonkers over the lack of productivity in my craft area and realized two things:

One: Ultimately, I'm a designer. I like to knit, and crochet, and quilt, but what I really like doing is my own embroidery patterns. Everything else is a hobby. Embroidery is my passion (hardanger in particular), and I can't cope without an endless supply of threads passing through my fingers and through fabrics. I'm not sure what my problem is, but it's less terminal than the brutal sinus infection I'm recovering from.

I've been trying to design on the PC, with the help of PCStitch...but not only is it not set up for hardanger (I constantly have to stop and input new stitches, then search the library to find them), but...as much as I love my PC (and I do...I really, really do), I can't design on it. I'm a real-world person and I need the ability to see my pattern in full, to touch it, to turn it and see my notes and calculations on the same page as my work. I need the graphs and rulers and pencils. Sorry, PCStitch...I like you but you're not cutting it for my needs.

I'll still import all of my patterns into PCStitch when I'm done, but I can't create with it. I don't know why I have to be so stubbornly old-world, but if it works, it works. My productivity is nil when I'm relying on digital creation and I need to go back to basics, pick up the calculator and pencil, and get to it. I'm clearing off my huge cutting table to put it to better use than keeping all of my recent finishes and supplies away from Chuck.

(Speaking of which, Chuck is doing just fine, but I'm convinced a full 7% of his diet consists of yarn and fabric scraps he stole.)

Two: While trying to tackle my craft table, which is an ever-rotating pile of craft insanity, I realized that I just can't deal with my ADHD ways and I need to micro-organize. The entire living room is taken up by my PC and craft areas, which is fine...if things can be put away. When people come over and have to walk through my actual living room to get to where the living room is (in the dining room), I shouldn't have to smile sheepishly as they gawk at piles of fabric and half-used skeins of yarn in order of use or acquisition. It's clutter, and it needs to be dealt with.

I've scoured my pattern collection for covers for the milk crates I'm storing half my stuff in, and I'm going to see what I can do to make the absolute best of the space and storage containers I can. I want my living room back (still as a craft room, of course) and I want there to be space for all the newer crafts I've picked up in the past year (clay, jewelry, lace, etc.) and fabric I'm using...and I intend to use some of my fabric to make organizers. Fabric is really the only thing I know how to use besides thread/yarn, so it'll have to do. Covers for milk crates, pockets, wall organizers, etc. Something desperately needs to be done and I have yards of fabric up for the challenge. Now I just need time and energy.



Determination, I has it.

I also finally come back with pictures (I was sick/lazy), so you can see what I've been working on.









Almost done with this afghan.

I also made kitchen stuff:





These crochet scrubbies were kind of a nightmare. I had to cut up heavy craft mesh, twist it, and crochet with it. My hands haven't forgiven me.



I also got the thread in from The Caron Collection for one of my kits. The new dye lot doesn't match the fabric exactly like my old sample did, so I'm trying to see if it matches well enough to go to production. Any ideas? Obviously the new sample is on the right.

I'll be adding stuff to my etsy store soon, hopefully...patterns and goods, as well as some fabric. It's a matter of finding time and the energy. Still recovering from the plague.

I did get the nicest compliment last month about my hardanger designs. I still have the warm fuzzies from it.

I'll leave you with this cuteness. He was part of a Christmas present I made last year.



He was twice as cute before I told you he's an amigurumi devil, wasn't he? Yeah...I might could have left that part out...

Influx

My craft room is overflowing with new supplies. It's going to take days to reorganize all of this stuff. Most of it is for work or gifts in some fashion, sometimes both. They're pretty much coming in from every direction. It's a good thing I just organized everything? Now I get to do it all again.

First off:



Organization. I wrote an article on how popular bags are becoming for storage, outlining the uses and bonuses of using bags to make projects portable, as well as tips on what you'll need in the bag if you incorporate them into your crafting.



A recent finish, (actually, two finishes but I suppose it counts as one?) a pair of socks. I've got single socks done, which doesn't do me a bit of good, but this is actually my first pair ever. They're a wee bit loose, but I'll wash them up and I'm sure they'll shrink a bit. As a side note, however, I have to say I'm quickly becoming addicted to knitting socks for many reasons.

If you want a good recommendation on a sock book, I learned with this one, and it is AWESOME.





A couple things I was waiting for from Amazon.com (thanks, swagbucks for being my enabler) showed up but with some recent finishes I was starting to relax a bit and start some Christmas presents.

This just goes to show the fool I am because then this arrived:



and then this:



These are the rest of my square rulers that make quilting so much easier. I now have all the ones I currently need, thanks to swagbucks and amazon.com. Unfortunately, getting these tools in means I have to start working again...and I'm gearing up for a BUNCH of stuff for November through February.

Bunches and bunches and bunches, which led to the craftsplosion currently taking over my desk.



Money shows up, money leaves again. This stuff is for the fleece fringe classes...



NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I have to learn to make jewelry???



What?



You might call these tools, but they are actually torture devices for wire. One of these is 'all of the tools in one', which is why it has a different handle. If the first ones look slightly bizarre and painful, the 'all in one' is obviously from a fevered mind.

Back into more familiar territory, which probably looks like torture to some.



JoAnn's is having their Columbus Day sale this weekend and Simplicity patterns are only 99 cents apiece (limit 10), so I stocked up. I like to stockpile patterns for when I need an idea or have some time, so I did just that...



Cute little gift ideas...some Christmas-specific...



Bags of many types/sizes and other organizational goods. These will DEFINITELY come in handy.



These serve no purpose at all. However, I rarely collect anything that could be considered 'cute' but baby shoes? I could see myself stitching and keeping some baby shoes. Not for actual babies, but because I can't think of a cuter canvas for some awesome embellishment.

The one on the right is a vintage reprint. Look at the back!



They don't make pattern requirement lists like THAT any more! Nowadays you practically need a degree in pattern reading to even make sense of the thing. I can do it, but only because I've been doing it for years. My students have a lot of problems trying to decipher them though.

Most of these patterns will be going into the ideas bin, basically...but they'll see he light of day again I'm sure. Some perhaps sooner rather than later.

Man...I start to breathe a little easier because I'm getting on top of things and life senses a disturbance in the force and fixes it by swamping me in one fashion or another. Good thing I've learned to thrive in chaos. It's much easier when the chaos is of my own choosing, but as Gibran says, much of our pain is self-chosen.

I bet you thought...

...that perhaps I wasn't crafting.

This would be a ludicrous assumption. I am currently up to my eyeballs in knitting and crochet, and once I get this cranked out I get to start on embroidery again. I was giving my hands a rest and doing things that involved less fine motor skills for a while. Less fine motor skills would include socks? If this confuses you, you haven't seen my embroidery.



This is actually 2 things I'm working on. The colorful thing is the start of a hat that I'm doing in Fair Isle (Intarsia). I'm learning that, but I'm sure it'll take time.

The white spool atop it is some silk I'm spinning up. I think I'll dye it, but I'm not sure if I'll ply it before I knit something up with it.



I'm teaching cables at work, which has been fun. The pattern I'm teaching is based on this new pattern from Lion Brand for a cabled afghan. I think it's very interesting, but I'm not sure if it's as cool in practice as in principle. I guess I'll find out?



Other things I'm learning: toe up socks. I wish I had some really easy instructions for a pattern that has lace. I don't know...perhaps I'll come up with something when I have some time.



Two socks ready for the heel turn for 2 different classes I've been teaching. One was Sunday, and one was today. I teach week 3 on Sunday again. Fun!



Ah, educational materials. My favorite! I have to learn this by January. Oh sure...I'll get right on that! ;)

I'm still trying to get Xmas presents done. I've been so busy with work and it shows no signs of letting up so I'm starting early. Of course, it's almost October now so it's no longer that early. I'm almost done with several projects but have many more to go. I'm still researching and organizing my projects to make sure everyone gets something. I enjoy it, but mostly I enjoy seeing the looks on their faces when they open their gifts.

I shot myself in the foot on this one. Since I can make ridiculous amounts of things...people expect handmade. They'd be disappointed if I bought something from a store.

Khalil Gibran says much of your pain is self-chosen. He was right.

Talk of quilts...

I may inadvertently become a good hand-quilter. Three things can be blamed for this. The first is obvious...I embroider by hand and have for years. I trust my hands. Then come the second two points.

The first of these points is that I'm lazy. Since I'm dragging my sewing machine to work several times per week and my other 2 sewing machines need parts, I don't want to pull out and set up my sewing machine every time I want to use it. The 'punishment' for this kind of lazy is that I have to do things by hand. You can see how this punishment pains me...I mentioned years of embroidery by hand right?

The second is odd. I don't trust sewing machines. I've used them since I was 14. Almost all the women in my family use them. My grandmother's a quilter, my mother's a seamstress...and yet I lack the natural talent with a sewing machine and inevitably it goes haywire on me and I can't troubleshoot. Combine this with the fact that I use old machines (they break down), my fear of the new machines (a computer? In my machine? After years of experience with Windows, I know better than to trust a computer.) The irony of course is that I use Windows, and I'm on my PC all the time, and I trust it more than I trust "one of them new-fangled computerized sewing machines". Honestly, if I can't troubleshoot an old-style machine (I lack the magic touch), how on earth would I handle a new machine? The ones at work keep beeping at me. They can tell I don't appreciate them like I should...

In fact, the only reason I'm using a thimble (I NEVER use a thimble!) is because a sewing machine attacked my finger yesterday when I was trying to move threads under the foot (it wasn't even sewing) and everything was fine and dandy today until I pushed the needle into my quilt top and the back end went right in the hole created yesterday by the sewing machine needle. Do you know how many nerves must be connected straight to the pad of that finger? I'm guessing "all of them".

Now that you know about my crippling fear of motorized needles, I should probably let you see what I'm stitching together, huh?



This is the Drunkard's Path. Did you know that this quilt square was used by the women of the Temperance movement? I didn't either until I started googling to figure out how to lay out these blocks to put them together (there are many variations, but I'm stuck with the traditional I think...I'm too lazy to undo the center square to do something different). I had no idea why it was called the drunkard's path before today, though I'd guessed it was due to the way it looked assembled.



I'm also putting this together for a class I'm teaching. Of course, the center strip is crooked and the bottom strip isn't much better, but if you'd seen how these fat quarters started, you'd realize I at least tried. They were crooked as all get-out. I don't know how that happens...oh wait, yes I do. There's no selvage edge on these fat quarters. I don't know how they were cutting them, but wow. Just wow. I imagine there's a lot of very crooked wasted fabric on that cutting room floor.

In less lazy and/or fail news...



Almost done with my homework for Sunday. I need 8 inches of sock so I can teach students how to make heels and gussets. I have 7 inches, so it looks like I'll be done in time. WHEW. Considering everything else I've had going on this week, it's a miracle I got it done and I'll have to do it all over again for Thursday's class.

Also, I taught a granny square class. They've changed the yarn requirements for the class several times but I had the materials for the old class, so...



This is Lion Brand's new Wool Ease Thick & Quick. I have to say I'm not a fan.

My opinion can be taken with a grain of salt, however. I'm not a fan of chunky yarn to begin with. It doesn't help that I had one color so I had to pick colors that went with it, and I don't like any of the colors. It also doesn't help that the colors look like insulation (what with all the flecks of other color in them), so I'm all itchy just looking at it.

I'm not a real fan of all the new colors I'm seeing though. The mustard yellows and weird oranges...it's all too 70s. I'm all for 'natural' colors but it can be done well...and it can be done in a way that leaves emotional scars. I was born in the 70s. It left emotional scars, okay? That's all I'm saying...

I haven't really been updating but I have been working on craft stuff every day. It's kind of cheaty because I get paid to work on craft stuff every day, but I am throwing in my own colors and ideas as well.

The Purple Placenta

This is what I got done for my craft a day september (cads) work today. It's almost half a side of a purse.

I was given some Lion Suede and I hoped I'd have enough for this round crocheted purse project for a Christmas gift. The purse isn't bad looking in the pictures, but it's flowery and girly and not really my style.

I crocheted it up...and realized it looks less than attractive. I have to go buy more yarn now to finish this monstrosity.

Bets on whether it's doomed to be a craft fail? I'm leaning towards yes, but then I never liked frilly flowery crocheted things anyway.

Dear Lion Brand: This is not your fault. I firmly blame Ravelry for this nonsense.

Speaking of quilts, afghans, and other blankets...

Making progress on the store sample. I have to iron it, make the quilt sammich and quilt it all together, and then make bias tape and attach it. Then I'm done. Woohoo!

I also had an article published today. It's a crocheted afghan pattern that's fairly adaptable. If you want to make an afghan this fall, check out my Harvest Afghan. The picture at the top of the article gets larger, and it allows you to look at other pictures I've uploaded. The 3rd picture shows assembly instructions.

Yay free patterns!

A day late and a dollar short, the TUSAL

Why am I always one day late taking a picture of my TUSAL jar for the Totally Useless Stitchalong? I do not have the answer. Other things I can't explain: not following the TUSAL rules. The jar now contains even more quilting fabric strips. My justification for this is that I actually intend to use the stuff in this jar when the year is up. This should surprise no one that knows me. If something is around and has no purpose, I will give it a purpose.

In the background is some little project I'm whipping up in the closest thing to 'fall colors' I could find. Orange would have been good to add to that pile of mess, but I generally ban orange from the house.

One of my many quirks...hatred of orange.

Drowning in yarn

First off, I've worked on and finished a bunch of things...



The cabled mug cozy from knit picks is done. Finished it at work.



Unfortunately, though I'm a coffee hound, I have no use for a cabled mug cozy...so I upcycled it by wrapping it around a box and turning it into a post it notes holder...which I desperately needed.



Since I'm obviously an organization junkie, I also finished felting this knitted basket (pattern at ravelry), and now it's holding all my sock yarn. It's not round because I have a giant book stuck in it.



I've made some progress on the design for Smac. I have to rip out some stitches, but I'm further ahead now than I was in this picture. Still hoping to make my deadline.



My grandma came over today with ALL OF THIS. I don't even know what I'm going to do with it all yet. I still haven't cataloged it. What a stash, though.



Much of it will be going into my secondary stash of yarn for granny squares for my charity of choice, Heartmade Blessings.



She liked this yarn so I'm making her a lace scarf. I hope she'll like it.



We headed to Hobby Lobby where I picked up some free patterns and a measuring tape. Then I went to Michael's and picked up something interesting...



This appears to be a kumihimo wheel, packaged as a kid's craft. I'm going to try it with the packaged gimp and then switch to cords to see if it will work. It was on clearance for $2.99 and you can't beat a deal like that.

I'm going to be running like crazy tomorrow, but hopefully I'll have time to work on the design for Smac some more. I'm really enjoying tearing through these projects, but I have so many to go. It's how I like things, but I don't think I could put this much on myself if I didn't finish projects as often as I do. I need that sense of accomplishment.

I also put those mini cakes up on Etsy here if anyone wants them, and I'm getting ready to put up some vintage fabric.