Socks to Share!

What has happened to me?!? I think it all started with those Christmas socks and now I can't get enough. Besides the obvious benefit of using fabulous yarn, I love how convenient they are to tote around. And they knit up so fast! And the patterns are so fun to watch appear!

These socks are the SO popular Monkey pattern knit in Malabrigo yarn. They are so delicious on my toes! Soft and cozy, and the color is so gorgeous!

These socks are the Zigtagular Socks knit in yarn I had left after making a pair of little slippers. The yarn was from Sock Yarn Cinema and it was from the Titanic month...the colorway is called "Heart of the Ocean"...love it!!! These are super comfy too!!! I kind of thought of waves when I saw the zig-zag...so the pattern went well with the yarn!

Fitting in Knitting!

When you get busy you need to get creative when it comes to getting in your knitting! For me, one of the best ways is some gorgeous spring morning knitting outside while I watch my son play soccer. The air is cool, the sun is bright...and a sock project is the perfect small project to work on while I watch goals and sip some coffee.

In the evenings while I watch a movie or Outlander episodes with Hubby I work on my projects some more...being careful to stop if I start feeling tired...I don't want to mess something up!

Right now I'm working on the Zigzag Sock pattern. The pattern on the sides of each foot remind me of waves...and since I'm using the remainder of my Heart of the Ocean sock yarn from Sock Yarn Cinema...the waves are perfect!

A Gift and Some Leftovers Put to Use

I'm here with a head cold which makes anything requiring too much movement too painful for my sinuses, so what better time to post on the blog?

While getting ready for the holidays my needles have been clicking and I finished up a gift for Hubby and a little something for me.

Since Hubby is a fan of the Carolina Panthers when I ran across some limited-edition yarn by Lorna's Laces at a local yarn store dyed in Carolina Panther blue I snatched it up...that and the free pattern for the Simple Guy Hat.  It was a quick, simple knit.  The yarn is bulky so that helped.  The funny part? I wanted it to fit without a fold-up brim.  But to accomplish that I had to have Hubby try it on...which was awkward since it's for a gift.  So I had him close his eyes for the two fittings, silly, right? At least I know when he unwraps it it'll fit right!

After that, I cast-on for these little Comfort Slippers.  I've had the pattern for a while.  I cast-on the first one on Thanksgiving because we were going away and I wanted to take them as a project.  I finished the whole thing the following day and it was way too big so I had to frog the project and start over.  I also realized that I wouldn't have enough in the peachy yarn (you might recognize it as Flesh...it's the JAWS yarn and I made another pair of slippers in it before).  So , I decided to use the leftovers from the Gone With the Wind yarn called Tara for the strap and heel, then changed to Flesh for the foot, and then finished with a cap toe in Tara.  The changes were almost perfect in the first slipper, but it could have been 2 rounds longer for the perfect fit.  So the second slipper has that extra little bit..and voila...a pair of slippers made from leftovers :)

What's on my needles now? A hat.  Because I don't have one and I need one.  And because duh, I knit, so I have no excuse to not have one!

My Own Little Titanic Theme Night

Way back in 2011 I received a Titanic Sock Yarn Cinema shipment.  When I received it I instantly thought I would make a shawl.  Fast forward to 2013 and I have more shawls than what I really use...and I have sock yarn I want to actually use, and see! So, on a slipper-sock roll, I decided that yes, I would make some little slippers for around the house that I can see and use often. I had some projects I wanted to finish before I started them (like that Ocean Waves Lizard Ridge) so I looked forward to knitting them at some point, but didn't cast-on. 

Then in August, we learned my aunt in Florida was ill and we went to see her at home before she passed.  She liked the movie Titanic too, and when my mother, sister and I were able to choose items of hers to remember her, I chose the Heart of the Ocean necklace.  I decided that it would be perfect to wear it and have a Titanic theme night...because I love a theme. And I thought maybe if my aunt was looking down, she'd be happy I was thinking of her, and that her necklace found a happy home with me.

 After the titanic undertaking of the lizard ridge was behind me...next up was the Titanic night...and I did it up right y'all. Hubby said I was cute sitting and knitting wearing my necklace (I didn't have him take a photo though...I wasn't wearing an evening gown).

 

Midway through the movie I stopped for some mini quiche and sparkling wine (I told you I did it up right!)

 

By the end of the night I had half of the first slipper done. I had such a good time..sitting, knitting, and sipping...while wearing a very substantial necklace.

By the end of the week I had two perfectly knit, perfectly fitting slippers.

I used the Ripple Sockie pattern and the only thing I changed was that, not having a size 1.5 needle, I used a size 2 but made the small size.  Because you can customize at the toe area (knitting until you have 2" before the end of your foot before decreasing) this approach worked perfectly.  I love the shaping, the fit is great (I like mine to fit snug) and I'm so happy with them I'm thinking I may have to make them in another color :)

Slippers!!!

I love walking around the house with barely there slippers on my feet.  I've found I can make a super cute pair of pleated ballet slippers with just one skein of Sugar and Cream cotton yarn.  That's less than $2! And they hold up well and can be thrown in the washer and dryer...awesome!  Also the bottom has a tiny bit of traction because of the garter ridges so I don't slip all over.  I made a blue pair a while ago and recently made a hot pink pair...love them!

Another pair of slippers came about because I have a lot of my sock yarns from Sock Yarn Cinema and the idea of actually knitting socks is daunting...plus I don't really wear socks unless they're white athletic socks and I'm wearing sneakers  And I've already made quite a few shawls and shawlettes.  And then, it came to me...slippers!! There are tons of patterns for little slipper-type projects that I can use my gorgeous yarns for...and actually use the FOs!  So, here I made the knotted slippers  which were designed by Cocoknits who also designed the pleated ballet slippers above.  I love her designs...pretty straight-forward with interesting elements.  I had my own little KAL because this gorgeous colorway was from my JAWS Sock Yarn Cinema shipment...the color is called Flesh.  Kind of icky, but the color is gorgeous!!!  The shipment originally came with a bright orange project bag and gummy sharks.  I watched Jaws remastered while I started them...super fun! And it made me so happy that I've finally found the perfect project ideas for these gorgeous yarns!

Crafty Happenings

So, we may have been traveling, working, enjoying the summer, and buying a new house...but the Craft Chick household had some crafting going on too!  I can't show you one project I made because it's a wee little something for someone who may see it here, but, there's plenty else to see!

First, I whipped up a little lighthouse rattle for my nephew's first birthday.  I even used glow-in-the-dark yarn so that it will really light up his nights just a bit.  It didn't turn out the way I had hoped, but, if it puts a smile on his face for a few minutes, I'll consider the project a success.

To go with the gifts, I made a dinosaur card with my Cricut machine, and a computer kit from SVGcuts.  Pull on his tail, and his mouth opens and closes.

I got a little giddy making the dinosaur card, so I made a few more cards. That was such a fun few hours!  I cut all the pieces and then assembled them while we watched a family movie downstairs.  When the movie was over, I had some cute cards done!

I loved this Charleston-themed card.  It's called a step card and it gives great multi-dimensionality to the card.  I have no idea who I'll give it to yet.  Maybe myself for the new house?

Then, after the success of the dinosaur card, I decided to go a little further with the waterfall card possibilities.  With a waterfall card, there's a tab that you pull, and it flips images.  So, I came up with a True Blood-themed thank you note for my friend who we stayed with in Switzerland (she LOVES True Blood and was headed to Comic-Con).

Then, to thank my former host family for their hospitality during our visit in Germany, I made a waterfall card with some photos from our visit.

And, while I crafted with paper and loved it, I also was able to finish the Budding Shawlette that I started in May.  It was made with Sock Yarn Cinema's My Fair Lady month yarn in "Loverly."  Since Eliza Doolittle sells flowers, I thought Budding Shawlette was a great pattern for the yarn.

A Budding New Project

There is a peacefulness that knitting a beautiful project brings me.  Today I was completely jerked around by a client and it feels so good to feel the smooth yarn and needles in my hand while I knit something beautiful.  This yarn is called "Loverly" and is a Sock Yarn Cinema yarn inspired by "My Fair Lady."  The pattern I chose is...what a surprise...a shawl pattern.  It's called the Budding Shawlette pattern and I thought it went well with the movie since Eliza in the movie is a flowergirl.  And what a beautiful spring-inspired project to spend some time working on.

As Blue as the Deep Blue Sea

When I was younger, my favorite color was purple (or lavender).  Then for quite a few years, pink was my favorite...especially in my clothing choices since I had been complimented quite a few times that pink looked nice on me.  Basically, my color favorites come in phases.  I can tell you that my Mother's favorite color is blue, and my Father's favorite color was blue...but I have no idea what my own absolute favorite is.  It's almost like I'm a walking mood ring I suppose.  Recently I've been loving blues.  Pale tranquil spa-like blues...and dramatic peacock blues.  So I was very excited when I received my Sock Yarn Cinema shipment this month.  Remember, I don't order from Knit It Up for every movie featured...just for favorites.  And Titanic is one of my favorites!  Along with the yarn are some sketchbooks as extras.  Kate described this month's shipment with the following:

"When I watched the film looking for a color inspiration, the 'Coeur de la Mer' sapphire and diamond necklace was perfect!  It captured all the themes of romance, intrigue, and above all, the mystery of the ocean.

For extras - what better than some sketchbooks you can keep in your knitting bag to draw or chart your project inspirations? (I suppose you could sketch French prostitutes too, if that's your thing.)  These Bon Voyage themed beauties fit the bill, and they're 100% recycled too."

I'm thinking this yarn is destined to become a shawl, like so many of my skeins will ultimately become...because, well, they just seem to PRETTY for my feet...to be hidden by shoes...I want the gorgeous color where everyone can see it!

And, like I said, I'm liking the peacock blue right now, and so, I chose it for a pair of felted slippers, the pattern for which I found through French Press Knits.  I'm hoping to finish the last small pieces tonight and sew them up so that tomorrow..YIKES....I can felt them.  Felting is not a technique I enjoy, so I really need to jump in and get to it before I talk myself out of it...it involves my washing machine, hot water and agitating the knitted pieces until they felt and shrink...not fun...but hopefully, if all goes well...they'll be really cool slippers!