Earthwhisper Fiber Arts

Happy New Year, everyone!! This was my last project of 2007, a baby hat and pullover for a coworker.

Pattern: Caron Baby Caftan (without girly embroidery, added white stripes for boyish look.)

Needles: Size 7 & 8

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft - Country Blue and some misc white acrylic baby yarn doubled for contrast.

This was a fast, easy weekend project.

The hat is from this pattern: TLL Basic Knit Hat Pattern, though I increased the length of the hat a few extra rows.

Also, I started the decreases at Knit 4, Knit 2tog, because with a cast on of 54, 6 is easily divisible. The pattern starts it at Knit 3, Knit2tog…and well, 54 isn’t divided evenly by 5.

Also in December, I knit 2 pairs of wrist warmers (not shown) and in early December I crocheted the Sweet Pea Shawl from the Happy Hooker book.

I took the picture in the evening, right before I gave it to my friend for her birthday, so the picture/lighting isn’t the greatest.

I have also been working on a few other projects, but that is all that I finished.

In 2008, Tony and I have both decided to work on our health more, exercise more, eat better, get more organized, work harder on our finances so we can buy a house, be nicer to each other and the kids…you know, all of the usual things. Probably things everyone can hope to do better. Maybe I should add, be a better blogger in there…

Tony added, may we not have to visit the ER more then once in a month…and I added…may we not visit the ER at ALL this year.

I finished another Fat Bottom Bag. It is done with Classic Elite Imagine and Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille. I took the picture at night, so it is hard to see that the yarn colors compliment each other, but they do. I lined it with a rayon material that I had. It was really silky and hard to sew in, but once I did, it looks perfect for the bag. I made it for my sil for her birthday and she loves it.

Larger than Life Bag:

Side 1

Side 2

I need to buy some bright fabric to line the bag and am still contemplating on how I will work the handles. I took this picture at night in my house with the flash, so the colors aren’t exact, they are the old cotton-ease colors.

I crocheted the squares using dc, in red. For me, it was easier than sewing them together.

Sidewinders: (I was intrigued by this pattern by other knit bloggers and had to try it. I am going to try again, real soon…really, really soon.)
I worked the gauge swatch and was excited I got gauge. I cast-on on Friday and was addicted to this pattern. I had half of the sock done Saturday and decided to measure gauge, on a whim and wasn’t getting gauge, which is suppose to be 30st/4 inch and I was getting 26st/4 inch. Since I was knitting these for my sock-A partner, I decided I am going to frog this and look for another pattern. (I will post the pics, just so you can see how odd and cool the socks were looking before I realized I had to frog them.)

I want to use this yarn as my sock partner has purple shoes and green shoes. However, this yarn is so busy, it is hard to find a pattern that will work. I tried RPM, but they were coming out too large, too. Though I can easily change it. I might just cast on less stitches on the RPM and start over, I don’t know. I am so indecisive on this and the clock is ticking.

Askew:

I casted on, and worked up a few inches and wasn’t getting gauge. The cast-on stitches are small, so I figured it wasn’t worth making a gauge swatch. I am this way. I think I need to work with size 9 needles, instead of 7

I finished one set of squares for the Larger than Life Bag. This is part of a Crochet-Along with the Fiber Freaks.

I am making two sets. I didn’t start out doing that, but when I first started to crochet them I was just picking random colors from my cotton-ease stash (the “old” colors.) Well, I had 12 colors and my squares were looking too disconnected. So I decided to do a primary color bag and a pastel colored bag.

I finished the squares of the primary bag. After I get some more Pistachio colored yarn I will finish the pastel squares.

I had a great weekend! I got to see some friends, my cousin’s new baby, and got a lot of sun. It is amazing how the sun on your skin makes you feel (even if it isn’t good for you.) I also got a new pair of shoes. I wanted them in the light brown, but they didn’t have my size. I bought the black. Ignore the price…I pay a lot of money for shoes that help my back. I think they are worth it.

Crochet:

Because I feel I can never have too many projects. I started another one:

Knitting:

RPM socks for my sockapalooza swap partner. I knitting with size 2 needles. I love the pattern. I wish my needle didn’t have a splinter in the middle of it where the Brittney name is stamped. I am constantly wondering if these are going to be too big…

Fourth of July Top for kids

The yarn for this is discontinued.  So, I am offering it as a free pattern.  Happy Crocheting!  Enjoy!

I posted my Brick Wall Dishcloth Pattern.   I was going to submit it somewhere to be published, but then thought what the heck, online is good, too!  I will admit, this isn’t an easy pattern, but it is fun and interesting and really gives your dishcloth some scrubby power with those front posts.

If you have any questions about the pattern, let me know.

So, my birthday present to all of you is a free pattern.  :)  Enjoy!

First, I need to say…I love Patons SWS!  I just love it!  I love the stripes, I love how soft it is!  It is a happy yarn.

This Sunday I attempted to organize a knitting/crochet group for this area.  I advertised at Knitter’sReview, Knittyboard.com, Crochetville, I left my email/blog address at meetup.com and then on several of the Yahoo lists I am on.  I also did a google search for knit blogs in my area and spammed a few people.  After my efforts, I was able to meetup with one person, Annie Elf.  She is a new crocheter.

I had a fun time with her.  She is doing some really nice granny squares.  I think the yarn she was using was Lang Mille Colori.  The yarn is gorgeous and I love how the grannies were looking.  I mentioned to her the yarn looked similar to Patons SWS.

Tonight, I remembered I had some small leftover balls of the SWS in various colors.

So, here are a few grannies in the Natural Pink colorway.

These Grannies were fun!

This weekend, I finally finished one sock.  I quickly casted on the second sock.  It is my way of making sure a mate gets made.

On Friday I had to do a class demo.  I worked on an Entrelac scarf in Patons SWS Natural Earth.

People were interested in learning this technique, so I am going to add that to my class schedule for this summer.   Every time I knit or crochet or display something in Patons SWS it draws attention.  Did I mention I loved Patons SWS?

Well…minus the buttons, which I will pick up later today.

Pattern:  Light N Lively Tank

Hook:  Bates G

Yarn:  Cotton-ease - Violet

Pattern changes:  Well, I had a bit of a problem with the wording on how to do the bodice.  You can find all of that here.  In addition, mine has a pretty visible hole in the front of it, whereas I don’t see that in the picture on LB’s site.  So, I am assuming there is some type of problem there.  I don’t know if I will leave it or close it…I might see if Michaels has a large bead I can put there.

I also need to find some nice buttons or something…

I am going to make this for myself, as this is just the store sample.  However, I am going to change some things…like the front tank part.  The bodice part is cute…hopefully a top like this won’t look like a maternity top on me.   (not yet…anyways…)

We had a nice weekend!  I hope you all did, too.

I am crocheting my way on the LB top.  I think I have about 9 or 10 more rows on the skirt part of the top.  Though I am not counting, I know where I am at (I know that doesn’t make sense, but it does to me and I guess that is all that matters when you are crocheting…)  Round and round I go…sure seems like it is taking forever.

I want to finish this by Friday, so I am trying to work on this as fast as I can.   Maybe I will take a progress pic tomorrow so I don’t completely bore you.

I did knit a little bit on my sock and it is almost to the toe.  Again, I will take a picture tomorrow.  I have been lazy about that.