All right!! Lets start this with a lovely, lovely, LOVELY, wonderful pattern.

The Sunday Shawl!

Click any picture to view my Ravelry Project Page

 Lets get this started with the bees knees of patterns.  The Sunday Shawl by Alia Bland!   Now i've been stalking this pattern for weeks... No, months... Maybe even a year?  Probably.  I love it. I love everything about the design. I love the colour options, I love the way you can make a hundred different Sunday Shawls and they all look completely different from one another.   Infatuated.  Obsessed..  Either way, when I was given an Etsy gift card for Christmas from one of my best crafty friends, this was the first thing I purchased.   

Lets start with what I refer to as my "secret shame".   I ordered wool.   My wool stash is huge, I know, I mean, well its not big enough of course, but its big.  I went to one of my favourite shops to order wool from and bought out all the supplies.   This pattern requires DK weight yarn, and quite a bit of the main colour, the alternate colours of your choice can be good for stash busting.   

Personally, I used Patons Special DK (oh the shame of acrylics!) in Cream tweed,  Cherry, Canary and Petrol (which is kind of like a blurquoise. haha figure it out).  I bought a new 5.5mm Hook, because thats how I roll (aka, i couldn't find my regular.  Thank god i work at Michaels. Employee Discounts!!!)

I blasted through this pattern.  It was extremely easy to follow, and it houses a photographic step by step so that all crocheter levels can make this beauty.  I'm wearing my first one now as i write this, though to be fair I haven't sewn in the ends yet.  Bad me. Bad. No ordering more wool until I sew in all my ends.  

details

 Being the person I am, as soon as I was done, I made another one.  This time with Caron's Simply Soft in Sunshine, Navy and Black.  You see, I have a five year old daughter and she is obsessed.  Completely and entirely obsessed, with Minions. 

chiquita banana

  
She got a minion Sunday Shawl.  I modified the size, since she was small enough to wear my shawl as a full on dress. Lucky girl eh? Bopoyyyyy!!!
 

smiles and pink eyes

 Lord, excuse my ends.

 

Yea i suck at blogging..

I know.  I'm so sorry.  I have completed so many projects thusfar, and I have blogged about none!  None at all!

I promise now, that I will do a brief catch up, and continue in to the new year blogging about my experiences in the knit and crochet world.  Just to know what is upcoming,  I have made 4 shawls, a blanket, an infinity scarf, a quick headband, some hats... You know, everything and the kitchen sink.

I currently have in the works a "loom hat" which i'm probably going to abandon, and a baby blanket for my friend who is FINALLY HAVING A GIRL BABY! I am no longer going to be alone in the girl babies club.

Anyways, thats unfortunately all I have for you right now.  Hope you all had a magnificent holiday and see you in the new year!


xoxo, Janet

Sleeves

The bane of my existence.   Sleeves.  I am not sure why they feel so complicated to me.  I'm sure I will figure it out.  In other news, exciting super news,  I finally have received a job interview after a year of being ignored everywhere I went.  I am beyond excited.  Wish me luck!

REVIEW: The Cade Cap from the Velvet Acorn

This is a PAID pattern, so I will not be sharing the pattern itself, moreover I will share the outcome and my feelings on the ease of instruction.  See bottom of post for the links.

As I was perusing the Velvet Acorn's mountain of absolutely gorgeous patterns, this cap stopped me.  I don't know why.  Of all the adorable and intricate patterns here, this relatively plain (comparatively) pattern just called out to me.  So it quickly went in to my list of patterns I purchased.  The price I found to be very fair as well, tho I bought a bulk set of patterns.

Just a nice, quick working basic slouchy, I didn't have much trouble at all.  To be honestly, the worst part was when I realized that I had forgotten how to make a magic circle! Of all things.  Oh the sacrilege.  So I just chained. Like a good little chainer.    I used my gorgeous gorgeous Lakefront chroma worsted yarn from Knit-picks, and this hat took about 98% of the ball (100 grams).   It would probably have taken around 95% if it weren't for my two or three failed attempts at the magical circle.  I still have no idea why I had problems with that. 

The pattern is very short, and very simple to read.  Beginners, have no fear.  This is perfect, and I am absolutely in LOVE with this hat.   I am going to add a bit of personal embellishment later, if I can find the right type of button I picture in my head.  I also see exactly who would LOVE to recieve this hat.  This quick working pattern would be perfect for gifts.

LINKS:

Velvet Acorn Etsy shop

Knit Picks yarn 

My Ravelry

The Cade Cap!

So, my very first WIP for this blog is something I splurge-purchased last night; the Cade Cap!

Ok, I have to admit more.  I may or may not have purchased more than one pattern from the Velvet Acorn last night.  But we will eventually get to those after my lovely friend and I raid the local yarn barn (not really sure what it's called, I will let you know when I get there!).   I am using the Knit Picks Chroma worsted yarn, in Lake Front.


The yarn is ultra soft, and it is kind of fraying in places.  I need to be a little less heavy handed with it.  I'm about 50% of the way thought the design. 

That's all the updates I have for you now! Consider this a teaser I suppose.

welcome to my blog!

As you can see, this is brand spanking new!   Welcome crafters, old and new alike.   I am Janet, I am an amateur crafter.  I am self taught in crochet, and guided by one of my dearest friends in knit.   Join me as I test, revue, and sample everything I can get my hands on.