Stripes and Dollies

I'm a real stasher/hoarder of craft supplies, and I'm on a quest this year to make use of what I have rather than purchasing more. It's a real treasure trove, very exciting to brainstorm ways to make use of my materials.

Among my sub-stashes is an incredible collection of felt. I have inexpensive big-box craft-store felt (which, honestly, I don't like), as well as the wonderful saturated colors of real wool felt from the Purl Soho sewing store. I don't know how to use a sewing machine, but I do enjoy sewing by hand, and I'm completely self-taught and therefore not a pro by any means. But it's fun anyway.

So my latest de-stash felt project is this dolly, made for my daughter from a remarkably simple and clever pattern found on the Purl Bee website:





These were fun to make, and lovely to look at: the legs are even jointed with buttons at the hips so that she can sit!

Next up in my de-stash is the world's easiest blanket. Somehow I have managed to collect skeins of Vanna's Choice yarn in nearly every color! I had easily enough for two generous afghans, and have finished one already for my husband:



The pattern is absolute beginner crochet: chain as many stitches as you like, with even tension (not too tight, not too loose)--I did around 100 maybe--then two rows of each color in half double crochet, switch colors, another two rows of the next color in half-double-crochet...etc etc till you have the length you like! I did two rows of half-double-crochet edging all around the blanket, and it was done in a week.



It's warm, machine washable, colorful, and everyone likes to snuggle with it on the couch. I've already started a second, which will finish up my stash! Go Vanna!

Scrap Projects

This winter my favorite project has been fingerless gloves and mitts. I've made so many pairs! It's a perfect way to use up half-skeins, and you can make them as long or as short as you like. This pair was from leftover Lion Brand Amazing, and a simple pretty crochet pattern, "Fingerless Glovettes" by Sandi Wiseheart:



Also on the needles was a chevron scarf (pattern from Interweave Press' "Scarf Style"), using some lovely sock yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts:




As the proud owner of a massive stash of appealing single skeins, many of these sock yarns, I must recommend the wonderfully creative variety of projects found in "Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders".

A Mouse Tale

I'm not much of a sewer, but I do like to make little bits of things when the mood strikes. My mother got a sudden hankering for a little felt mouse and so I obliged. I found a good pattern HERE, though I had too much trouble turning the tiny arms inside out, so I decided flat felt arms were good enough for her.

I raided my not insignificant scrap stash for her skirt, and quilt and pillow pieces (still in the process of making her bedding). When I'm done, she'll reside in a 250-count matchbox, cozy as...well, a mouse.

Stitch Markers

I love beads almost as much as I love yarn...

luckily, there is a knitty use for them:

stitch markers.

A Beautiful Contest!

Oiyi, over at Oiyi's Crafts, has a wonderful, magical contest going. You have to see the prizes to fully appreciate them! I suggest you check 'em out and enter!

xo Leah

A Plethora of Works-in-Progress

First up, two finished projects, made for my soon-to-be-in-this-world niece, called, for now, Snoopy. A Baby Surprise sweater made from Dale Ulla in several shades of pink, and red and cream. I chose the buttons at Brooklyn General Store, where they have a small but very choice selection. I also added the pink single-crochet border to try to correct some of the natural wonkiness of the pattern:








Also completed for Snoopy, a cheerful baby ripple made of Knitpicks Shine Worsted:



In progress, a Giant Granny from remnants of Elizabeth Lavold Silky Wool (looooove those saturated colors, and the yarn works up beautifully on a little size C crochet hook):





And finally, granny squares in Rowan Cotton Glace remnants, very muted oranges, greens, and creams:

Palette Ripple

A new ripple has been a long time in the conceiving stage. I'd wanted to make one as interesting and fabulous as my Rowan Ripple, but couldn't find just the right yarn. Along came Knitpicks Palette, originally purchased for a finicky colorwork purse. At around 2 dollars a substantial skein, this fingering weight yarn comes in an insane range of saturated colors and is a fabulous bargain. I'm using a size E Clover crochet hook with ergonomic handle, and the whole experience is delightful--the yarn isn't splitty, but moves along the hook with speed and ease and shows the swoops and peaks of the ripple pattern very nicely. I'm in deep like with Palette, I can tell you. And I'm really happy with the crazy color combo of this blanket. All in all, a satisfying project.