Keep Calm and Craft On

It has been a while since I have posted what I've been crafting, but being as crafting time has been very few and far between, I'm not surprised at my lack of posting about crafting.

But that as it may, I have been working on a "semi-super-secret" project. no photos, as it's a surprise for the gifter, who may or may not read this blog. But I'll be finished and have it shipped off by the beginning of next week, and hoping to post photos soon there after about it.

So, for lack of my photos and details on what I've been working on, what have all of my reads been working on?

Keep Calm and Craft On

I maybe quiet possibly the SLOWEST knitter ever!

I am still dragging my way through knitting Elizabeth's Wonderful Wallaby (rav link). I'm about 2/3rds of the way through knitting the first sleeve. I know, not much progress since i last posted about this project back before Thanksgiving! Of course there was some Girl Scout SWAPs, a Dog Sweater during that time, but given it seems that my people on rav do these sweaters completely in less then a month... yes, I'm a slow knitter.

I'll blame the perfectionist part of me for that!

But none the less, we're getting a move on things and I'm hoping to have it finished in time for spring weather (and to cast on one for the eldest, since she's itching to have one herself now too)

 

I'm joining Nicole and the rest of those linking up over at the Frontier Dreams blog.

Keep Calm and Craft On

It feels a while since I shared any of my crafting, I was on "super secret mode" for holiday gifts... which sadly, didn't work out the way I wanted. Perhaps because I waited too long to start them?) However, I did get a bit of crafting time in over the holiday week, making a very special doggie his own warm sweater for winter!

I used a free pattern from the Lion Brand yarn website called Flower Garden Dog Sweater (ravelry link). I obviously left the flowers off of it from this dog (male), but I could see how they would be a nice addition for a girl dog sweater. I went with acrylic yarn for this, as I imagine it will be washed frequently! The yarn color is Lion's Brand Hometown USA, super bulky weight in a color called Forth Worth Blue. The photos makes it look weird, as I used flash for the 1 photo, and not the others!

Since Jumper is a Jack Russel Terrier, a sweater is pretty much a necessary here during upstate New York winter (of which we have some real snow for this year!). And since it's a nice dark color, I won't "lose him" in the snow! While a "tight" fit in these photos, it has stretched a bit since then, even though I used 1 hook size smaller then called for. I imagine if I make this again, I would take it in further still, esp on the back piece.

No linking this week, but I wanted to share this so I can move onto a non-holiday crafting posts next week! You can see Nicole's fabulous mama made gifts will over to Frontier Dreams!

Keep Calm and Craft On

There has been quiet the bug running through our home this week. Alexis has some sort of infection, that, with exception to having clear lung sounds, would other wise be pneumonia. And poor Elizabeth actually has pneumonia. Then I have some sort of viral bug that makes me wish I could just stay in bed all day.

Sadly, this has sidelined much crafting this week, to my dismay. Thankfully, some knitting has found it's way into my hands this week, a perfect little project for this time of year.

A simple winter hat, being made for Elizabeth, who apparently outgrew the wool one I had knit a couple years ago (umm, it maybe have felted and shrunk in the wash). This one I'm making with acrylic yarn, doubled up, so we can avoid any further "oops" with wool items.

The giraffe fat quarter behind the knitting is there not just to hide my desktop, but will also be made into a couple of gifts for the eldest for Christmas. What, i can't share quiet yet... I'm not sure if she has found her way to reading this blog yet for gifting clues - lol.

Once again, I'm linking up over with Nicole and the rest of the gang over at Frontier Dreams

Keep Calm and Craft On

"The act of creating, in one form or another, preserves my sanity amongst the chaos of life. This explains why I always have more than one project going at a time as well as why my housework tends to fall behind. I enjoy seeing what others are working on and keeping calm with, too. What are you creating? What is keeping you going? Snap a picture and share it with the rest of us by leaving your link below." - Nicole of Frontier Dreams

 

Girl Scout SWAPs. For those not in the know, SWAPs are Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned somewhere. Girls trade them whenever them get together it seems in larger groups. Since our Service Unit is meeting to go caroling around the neighborhood, and join back up for hot cocoa and cookies, we're going to exchange SWAPs (rather then try to do a gift exchange, which can get a bit tricky and leave a lot of feelings hurt).

Lizzy (with a bit of help from me) is making winter hat Swaps from some of my extra bits of yarn and the plastic ring from soda bottles. I love a craft that recycles what we already have!

1 down, just 28 more to go!

I wonder what Lexi is going to try and make for a winter/holiday themed SWAP?

I'm linking up over to Frontier Dreams - where you can find more links to crafty goodness!


ps - make sure you check out my giveaway for the digital scrapbooking software, My Memories!

Keep Calm, Craft On

So my knitting hasn't seen much action in months. Lizzy's Wonderful Wallaby is currently sitting at the "started sleeves" section of the pattern, but I've been slow to get moving on from just doing the cuffs.

I had been hoping to try and knit both sleeves at once, but I'm quickly learning I'm not quiet up to that kind of difficulty yet. I'm also thinking I'll need 1 29" circular needle. Right now I'm using a 24" and it's a tight fit, adding the sleeves will make it impossible for me to knit! Won't my husband be excited I'll need to head to the craft store! tee hee

 

So there it is, very much in the spot I got to just before the back to school craziness began. While I was hoping to have it done in time for Christmas, at this point I'm hoping to have it done in time for Easter! That should be able the time we can start wearing more sweaters and keeping winter coats at home more.

Besides the knitting, I've been also starting to think about, and gather materials for, Christmas gifts. I won't say here, in case any family reads this, but the kids should love what I'm making for them this year. :)

Today I'm linking up with Nicole over at Frontier Dreams

Keep Calm, Craft On

What started out as an innocent little knit horse for my daughter may soon turn into a stable full of horse, each looking in particularly like ones at the stables she takes riding lessons from.

Here we have Nutmeg... who will finally have a finished mane and tail tonight as I was able to wrangle this back from said daughter to work on while I'm wide awake overnight.

And this would be Buzz, in the making.

And I'm still plugging away at that first sweater of mine. Last week I had just started the placket, and now I am half way done with the hood! About 6 more inches of knitting, and all I'll need to do is seam the hood and the 2 underarm area (and a big of weaving in ends). The seaming is done with the kitchener stitch, something I haven't done yet. Maybe that is why I am dragging my feet to finish this...

Linking up for Keep Calm, Craft on with Nicole over at Frontier Dreams.

Keep Calm, Craft On

Progress on my first every knit sweater is coming along smoothly now. About 2 weeks ago I had just started the placket and didn't pick up my knitting for awhile (and before that, I hadn't touched it since before Christmas!). Now, we've made the split in the placket and are nearing the neck before moving onto the hood.

I have high hopes I may finish this before his birthday yet!!

I used a  keep-calm-o-matic to make the logo at the top of this post - if you are interested in doing one yourself. 

Linking up with Nicole over at Frontier Dreams.

Keep Calm, Craft On

This post has been sitting in my drafts for 3 days now, so I figured I may as well finish it up - right?

I am sorry to say that I have no photo of my project this week, as we have had rain the last 5 days straight. No complaints, we really needed it.

Anyways - I am slowly but surely working on a Wonderful Wallaby for Andrew (link is to my Ravelry project page)

I'm finally to the part where the placket is forming, but we haven't divided to create the opening yet that will lead into the neck and then hood. I've pretty much been at this point since early October (I always seem to have a post-holiday lull in crafting, I just can't do it)

At any rate, I hope that MAYBE I will have to done for his birthday... in mid-June (that's just shy of 2 months, do able - right? maybe....)

Sadly, the knit horse I was working on my last KCCO post is sitting unfinished - i keep getting distracted while sewing the seams and am only about 1/4 of the way done sewing the seams so i can stuff, make ears, add the mane... Elizabeth knows what is coming and it's for her, maybe I'll have hers done for her birthday too (late-mid June)

That's it - hopefully I'll have more progress (and pictures!) next time!

Linking up with Nicole from Frontier Dreams

Keep Calm, Craft On

It may not look it now, but by Easter morning this bit of yarn will transform itself into a lovely horse for my sweet Lizzy.

Sadly, Andrew's wonderful wallaby hasn't seen much action since last fall (I did knit a couple of rows, a couple of weeks ago). Thinking I should get on top of that after I finish this horse.

Joining Nicole and the rest of those linking up over on the Frontier Dreams blog