Some New Crafty Endeavors…

Listing a couple things on Etsy.

Stash Busting Log Cabin Baby Blanket

Done, blocked, and gifted.

Stash Busting Log Cabin Baby Blanket

Been A While…

It has been a while, hasn’t it?   Updates…

The seamless cardi is hibernating.  I decided the collar and button bands need to be redone and that was enough to make me want to work on something else for a while.

There’s been no spinning or sewing to speak of, which is a shame because I really want to get back to it…just can’t seem to make the time right now.

I have been working on this: (and I’m currently on the borders)

And that’s about it.

Keep it Quiet

I just finished this for my grandparent’s Christmas gift:

I wasn’t sure I was going to get it done, but I finally just sat down and started on it, and it didn’t take too long.  Around 2 hours? The photo was taken at the Richmond Fall Festival, I had it printed on fabric and I picked up 3 fat quarters from the fabric shop…The back of the pillow case is just 4 squares sewn together and it also has a zipper so the case can be removed.  For my first pillow case, all in all, not bad if I don’t say so myself.

As for the sweater. I’m working on the second button band right now, after that I need to do the sleeves and throw it on the blocking board.  The button bands are iffy and I’m waiting to see if blocking will help them…if not, they’re coming out.  Do-over!

New running shoes. When I first started running, I didn’t buy a good pair of running shoes because I wanted to wait and see if it was something I believed I could stick with.  I told myself, after my first 5K if I still liked running, then I would buy a good pair of shoes. 

Then I told myself, after I become a “real runner” then I would buy a good pair of shoes. My idea of me being a real runner is running in the rain. In. The. Rain. People.  So that’s what I did.

Then this past weekend I went to a running store where they watch you run (gee, that isn’t remotely uncomfortable, people everywhere, watching you, feeling self-conscious) but they showed me what kind of shoe I’m supposed to have since I slightly over-pronate, etc etc…and I finally got what I felt I earned.

I haven’t tried out my new gear yet,  I think I might be coming down with something and I didn’t want to make it infinitely worse by going out to run in 25 degree weather.    Maybe after Christmas.

Who Woulda Thunk It?

Brussel sprouts.  Who woulda guessed that they were actually GOOD?!

I had knitting group tonight, but I didn’t stay long because I had some grocery shopping to do before it got too late.  When I got home I made dinner and had a nice glass of wine…or two.

Grilled Cheese with homemade bread and colby jack ala Foreman Grill, and brussel sprouts blanched and then sauteed with a little olive oil, shallots, and bacon.  It was good.  I never thought I’d say that…especially not about brussel sprouts, of all things!

Little Gnome

Pattern: korknisser

I used some scrap yarn for this.  It knits up super-quick, and it’s cute.  Besides, I have a gazillion wine corks too…

I see more of these in my future.

Because They’re Good For You

Yum….I stumbled across this recipe for chocolate chip bars and I happened to have everything it called for (don’t you love when that happens?)   I made a half batch in a glass 13 x 9 inch dish and let me tell you, these are yummy.  Moist and soft and bursting with chocolate…my kinda treat!  These are going to work with me tomorrow, I want to get some reviews.

Here’s the recipe from the site:

Pat’s Chocolate Chip Bars (15×10 inch pan)

8 oz butter (regular)
1 1/4 cup of white sugar
1 cup of brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon of pure vanilla
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (Spoon and level)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 (12 oz) packages of semi-sweet chocolate chips (don’t cut back)
2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Cream the butter and sugars, beat in the eggs and vanilla.. Combine the dry ingredients and blend in. Add chips and nuts. Spread in a greased 15x 10 inch baking pan. Bake at 350′ for 15-20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. (Anna’s Note — My half batch took about 20 minutes, Janet’s full batch took 30, so watch the bars and check at 20 minutes.)

Progress on the Sweater

A quick shot of my sweater progress…I should probably try it on…or something.

sweater progress

I got a little careless with the waist decreases/increases because my measurements were slightly off somehow. For example, instead of decreasing at 14″ it ended up being at 13.5″.  I must have had too much wine that night.

I’m still only up to 5 or so miles with the running, but maybe tomorrow I’ll try to push it to 5.5 miles.  I’ll have to see how I feel once I get out there, because I’ve been feeling so BLAH the past couple days.  I haven’t been drinking enough water, so I think that’s the reason.

Back to the wine and knitting! Water can wait. 

Owie!

I’m going to be volunteering a couple hours on the weekends at a local hospital.  But before you can volunteer, you have to get a TB test.  I stopped looking when she pulled out the needle.  Okay, so it didn’t hurt THAT BAD, but still.  Don’t I get a cartoon band-aid?

Yarn Ramen, but Salvageable

I hosted the knitting group potluck at the house tonight, and got some help salvaging some of the yarn from this sweater I knit a while back.  I should have knit the smaller size because I didnt’ realize the cotton would grow so much.  Ahem, lesson learned there…

Yarn Ramen

It’s Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece and it was such a shame to let it go to waste if I couldn’t unravel it…I wasn’t able to get all of it, but maybe half?  Still have one more sleeve to undo the seams on…

Here’s progress on the scoop neck cardi.  I’m also using Cotton Fleece for this, on US 6’s.

Scoop Neck Cardi