I'm Not Dead, Just Tired

I finished my spring classes! YES! I'm super happy to be enjoying a small break before the summer session, even if I have been kinda sick the entire time (*cough* thanks, Mom *cough*).

I'm relieved to be finished with my biology class, because my professor wasn't particularly nice. At all. Currently, all unfriendly and unpleasant professors I've had have been women, which is a disheartening trend to observe. I'm hopeful that my experiences have been based on chance and aren't an accurate representation of my future time in the workplace.

I've essentially finished the Ginny Cardigan, lacking only buttons, pockets, and seams, but I haven't felt any inclination to do anything with it, so it's been set aside for a bit. I occasionally look at it and think, "Oh, I should work on that," but then I go and make scones with coffee or something.
Speaking of coffee, I have gotten into this terrible habit of making a cup, taking one glorious sip, and then leaving it on the table for five hours while I work on other things. WHY DO I DO THIS?!? I like coffee.

Oh, crap. I just realized I'm continuing the habit right now as I type, because my coffee is still on the other side of the room. One second, I'm going to go get it.

Okay, everything's good now. Crisis averted!

Remember that gorgeous lace crocheted shawl that I started working on back when I was a fetus? No?? Oh. Well, I COMPLETED IT! I'm actually very happy that I made it, because I was using an ivory hook from Grandmother, and I wanted it to continue being used to create things, rather than being locked away in a box somewhere.

My, my, look at that lovely toe. Foot fetish people, this is for you.

I made a sort-of impulse buy (sort-of, in that it was only vaguely premeditated) on Friday, and I got a blanket's worth of Bernat Blanket Yarn (blanket pattern here). It's not for me, and I have to finish it before my first summer class begins on the 30th, so I'm not sure why I thought making it was such a brilliant idea!
Thankfully, I'm good at meeting deadlines, and if I somehow don't, I can always use a later date, although it wouldn't be as smashingly impressive.

I also joined the Pokemon Go crowd this week and made a character. I'm pretty pleased, and I can see why the game became such a widespread success!

Just Monkeying Around

I craft in class. It's fact, and it's also a nice ice-breaker, because (so far) no one in my classes have any idea what I'm doing (NEITHER DO I).

Last week, one of my classmates asked me what kinds of animals I could make. I haven't yet encountered an animal that wasn't on the internet already, so I told him that I could make pretty much anything. He then asked me to make him a monkey, which I have now done.

I've got to tell you, it was immensely satisfying to see a full grown man light up over a stuffed animal.

You can get the free pattern here: Chinese New Year Monkey pattern by Stephanie Jessica Lau.

There Are No UFOs

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if needlecrafts were a form of cardio, I would be the most fit person alive... BECAUSE I HAVE GOT FOUR FINISHED PROJECTS!!!

I made another Winter Mouse, which is very snuggly and sweet-looking in his DK weight scarf.

Then, I made a baby dragon. This li'l dude had a billion different parts to sew together, but it was completely worth it.

And now my brother Caleb has some socks! The pattern was easy to memorize, which made them practically fly off of the needles.

Last, but not least, I finished a toddler sweater! In just four days! You may have noticed the tiny little sheep buttons on the button band. I got them from The Sated Sheep, my local yarn store, and I LOVE them. I really can't wait for it to be officially fall, because I want to see this worn!

Warning: Contains Whale Puns

Whale, whale, whale, what have we here? *laughs at my own hilarity*

*ahem* Anyway, the inspiration for this project came about because of a family friend who is horribly afraid of whales- seriously, he hates them. So naturally, when I spied some blue yarn in my stash, I thought to myself, "What whale I make next?" And then I laughed, because that's what I do.

The pattern calls for a super bulky yarn, but I just used worsted and it turned out pretty great. I ended up playing yarn chicken with the main color, but salvaged the whole project by making the fins in two darker blues! 

I'm still on the fence as to whalether or not he needs a mouth. XD Tell me what you think. 

If you'd like to make a similar whale, it is now a paid for pattern at:Whale pattern by Suzy Wool

Never Tickle A Sleeping...

I've always been a fan of The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (and also Harry Potter, hence the title, but, for now, I'm going to just gloss over that). The idea of dragons, magic, and, ya know, medieval death intrigues me. It should be no surprise to anyone, then, what happened soon after I finished yesterday's snail.

When I dug through my stash, searching for something to make another amigurumi with, I noticed that two of my greens complemented one another. Wait... I thought. Isn't there a green dragon in some story I've read? ... Oh, HECK YES.

Here he is in all of his plush glory! I feel like the tiny ears on top of his head really give him some character.

I thought about making his wings larger and more believable, but in the end I decided that it would be better to have him look more soft and cute rather than accurately sized.

If you would like to make this fearsome beast, the pattern is free at: Fierce Little Dragon pattern by Lucy Collin

Escarg-ewwww

Ah, snails. These delightfully slimy and disgusting creatures are best known for destroying all but the most hardy plants (read: cacti), and leaving even seasoned gardeners wailing with despair.

What better object to turn into a plushie? 😜

Honestly, though, this was fun to make. As far as I know, I haven't ever done crocheted short rows before in a pattern and that's basically all that this one comprises! I also got to use up what remained of an old tan skein of... I think it was an angora-wool blend??? I don't recall; although, whatever it's made out of, it's machine washable, so there's likely some acrylic in there as well. 

If you'd like to make this cute li'l dude, the pattern is free at: Snails pattern by Smeddley

Peanut Buttah JELLY

Some undetermined time ago, I decided, "You know what? It's been staring at me for a while now. I'm going to use up that single skein of really colorful novelty yarn." 

It was quite a challenge to find a pattern that I didn't think would make someone's eyes bleed if they looked at it for too long but, after what felt like years of searching, probably only 30 minutes or so, I finally came across this beauty on Ravelry.

OHMYGOSH A JELLYFISH! He's so fun and sparkly. I didn't know I had an affinity for sea creature plushies, but apparently I do! 

If you'd like to make this fabulous creature, the pattern is free at: Jellyfish pattern by Charlotte W.

Sock Sweater Survives Sweltering Summer

I'm DONE *maniacal laughter*! 

It took me six months and a good deal of my attention (I can't say ALL of my attention, because I'm hardly a monogamous crafter), but I am finally done. I am so happy with the finished project! The hoodie is awesome, and it all fits so perfectly!

Part of me never wants to make another fingering weight top (it just takes so long to complete!), but another part of me loves the drape and feel of the thinner fabric. Only time will tell which part will win!

 One thing I hadn't expected as a result of knitting this sweater is that it has made me excited for fall to get here. I can't wait!

If you'd like to make a sweater similar to mine, I made the smallest size of the Brooklyn Bridge Cardigan by Melissa Wehrle from the book Metropolitan Knits using Hawthorne Fingering Kettle Dye Yarn in the Blackbird colorway.

Minnesota Mishaps

     Does anyone else initially read the word mishaps as mi-shaps? I dunno. That's what I read when I first look at it. 

     Anyway, I have been super busy for the past month or so (could I wish for anything else? :P). On June 10th, my sister Mary's birthday, Emily (pictured below) and I went to a Panic! at the Disco concert! Brendon Urie was absolutely astounding live; his voice is positively angelic. I could say more (especially about his cover of Bohemian Rhapsody!), but I'm moving on before my inner fangirl gets out of control.

I finished a bulky seed stitch hat with some yarn that I got from The Sated Sheep, and it is delightfully soft and fuzzy!

     The Tuesday after the concert, I took a chemistry test and got an "A" (thank goodness, because I felt ill-prepared). On June 30th, I took another chemistry test (this one I felt more prepared for, and got another "A", for those of you who wish to know.), and finished packing some clothes and all of my essentials (read: works in progress). Early the next morning, all 13 of us piled into the Party Van and headed toward our first stop: Oklahoma. On the way there, we stopped at the Wichita Mountains and stared at some relaxed buffalo and super fat prairie dogs. 

     Saturday, July 2nd, brought us to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, where we  posed on the toy saddles like the happy people we are (from the left: Emily, me, and Zachary).

     I also got put in jail for the first and final time in my life, which was pretty cool.

Me trying to look like a seasoned criminal, but looking kind of sunburned instead.

     Then, on July 3rd and 4th we went to two different Laura Ingalls homesites: one in Kansas and the other one in Minnesota. These next two pictures are from the Independence, Kansas, homesite.

A replica of what the Ingall's house would have looked like.

Emily, half of Victoria's face, Caleb's back, and Hannah's arm at the post office. :' D

     After driving through Nebraska and Iowa, which involved A LOT of staring at corn, we finally arrived at Plum Creek!

From left: Zachary, Emily, and Caleb standing on the rock that might be the "table rock" in On the Banks of Plum Creek.

     If you're still reading this, and aren't yet bored, I commend you. You're now about to find out why I began this post with the word "mishap".

     The Party Van broke down on our way to the Mall of America! 

     So we sat in the grass next to the busy road while Dad examined the car, and I began putting the finishing touches on my pink shawl.   

From left: Natalie, Hannah, Jonathan, Zachary, Gabriel, Caleb, Emily, and Victoria.

     Which I have now completely finished, by the way!

     Thankfully, the tow truck got to us in about an hour, so we weren't waiting very long. In fact, it was pretty nice, because Minnesota isn't nearly as hot as Texas. ;)

     After we rode in the car ON THE TOW TRUCK, we were dropped off at a repair center (which was closed because it was the fourth of July) and hired some Lyft drivers to take us to our hotel. 

     The next two days were full of walking! I know people say that the Mall of America is big, but you can't fully grasp the size of it until you're in there and gaping.

From left: Zachary, Emily, baby Tabitha, Victoria, Hannah, Mom, and Dad.

Seriously, the place is huge!

     The first day we spent mostly at Nickelodeon Universe, which was really fun. It was nice riding a roller coaster in air conditioning! On our second, and last day there, July 6th, we went to a ton of stores that we'd never heard of before, including Alpaca Connection and Sox Appeal.

There was a sign on the window that said, "How's your sox life?" Lol.

     We separated the return trip into just two days, driving all the way back to Oklahoma on the 7th, and then back to Austin on the 8th.

Much Basic. Such Hat.

Hello, again, peeps!

I've finally published the pattern I made for the basic bulky beanie that I made a couple of months ago! I had already written all of it down, I just needed to actually publish it... Yeah... So, here it is!

The pattern would be easy for even the newest of knitters, and I knit it up in less than half a day!

For those of you who care to know, my sweet little model is my younger brother, Gabriel. He really liked the hat, even though it was hot when I made him wear it! 

If you would like to make it, you can get the pattern for free at: Much Basic. Such Hat.

When Knitting Attacks...

Whew! WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS YEAR?!? It's flying! 

Before I delve into my usual knitting chit-chat, I'm going to quickly tell what's been going on lately. I finished my first-ever semester at a school with an 'A' in each class. I signed up for General Chemistry over the summer term, and it's already time to apply for fall classes, which is a bit frightening to me. The Yarn Yetis booth at Dripping Springs' Founder's Day Festival was a success! :) And last, but not least, I spent the past three weekends in Arkansas visiting my grandparents! I got a good deal of knitting done while I was there, but, sadly, I also got a LOT of un-knitting done. Which brings me to my first project...

This, my friends, is why smart crafters avoid playing Yarn Chicken. I'm going to have to rip back (for the second time!!!!) and restart the lace panel. Somebody cry with me, because this hurts.

I'm not going to completely scrap it because 1) I've been working on it so long that I'm almost morally obliged to finish it, and 2) LOOK HOW PRETTY THE LACE PANEL IS!

Guess what project I finally pulled out of the woodwork (or navy blue bag, as it were)! After an admittedly rather long hiatus, I brought back out my fingering weight sweater and finished the right front! I also started the left front last night, and have already completed one repeat of the leaf chart. :)

For those of you who are wondering, my sweater is not as tiny as it looks in the photo! Its edges are just rolling because I haven't blocked it, yet.

I also finished a sock! Technically, it's not entirely finished because I haven't kitchener stitched the toe together or blocked it but, in my mind, it's done.

Here's a nice view of the cable pattern all over the leg!

You can get the pattern for the shawl for free here. The patterns for the sweater and the socks are from books.

KNIT ALL THE THINGS!

Wow, the past month has been crazy! I started college (which, so far, has been meh for me), I found a yarn shop that is only about 20 minutes from where I live, I won yarn (that's enough to make anyone's day!), I began tutoring a 14 year old in math, and I also started a ton of knitting projects and *one* crocheting project. This post is going to be long. ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? Here we go.

The first project that I'm going to talk about is the Royal Flush pattern from my Joy of Socks book.

I cast it on with the RainCityKnits yarn that I got in my Yarn Box. So far, it has been a blast to knit up! I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Next, is my lace crocheted (someone should document this) shawlette. You know, I don't think I'll actually have enough yarn to finish it. I started it with some of my little sister's stash yarn, and it's using up WAY more yarn than I originally expected. Oops.

I almost forgot to mention this- I got a new book! I bought Metropolitan Knits from Half Price Books, and immediately bought yarn for a fingering weight sweater. I know. I've got a serious sock yarn problem! ;P

The pattern is the Brooklyn Bridge Cardigan, and I've already finished the back! I'm currently working on the right front, but it's still really small. *squints at the photo*

In case you were wondering what happened to the second Cables Party sock, I'm still working on it. I mostly work on it during class while my professors talk. Since I look at my professors while I knit, they don't mind. :D

My last, but not least, project is my finished chevron scarf! I made it using the yarn I won at The Sated Sheep, and it is fabulously long. I love how the green and ecru yarns had beads and rocks sewn into them; it really added some *sparkle*!

Here it is drying on the school room floor:

Now for a mild change of subject-

I was digging through my, admittedly rather large, pattern collection, when I stumbled upon this beauty. It's an almost-complete pattern for a sweater! All it's missing are the gauge and how-to-sew-the-sleeves-and-body-together instructions! Now, I didn't write it. According to my mom, my great-grandmother did. THIS IS A BIG DEAL!!! So, being a lover of history, knitting, and procrastination, I decided to write this pattern up and publish it. Which I did. You can find the free pattern here on Ravelry.