This is what happens…

…when you keep a momma in the house with sick kids, in the middle of a frigid and snowy February, for a few days too long…and then finally let her out, without kids, to go to a yarn sale.

…this is what happens when she chickens out of knitting a whole sweater in colorwork, and makes mittens instead.

…and this is what happens when she tries to grow a baby sourdough starter. It looks…scary.

…and this is what happens when she wonders how to make beer prettier.

…and realizes it also works quite well for sippy cups. Go figure.

February was quite the month, I have to say.

Knitting, Crocheting & Sewing — oh, my…

Sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t. I’ve been on a crafty binge the last couple days, and had some of each. The pillow likely would have worked better if a) I hadn’t had wine before attempting to sew it together and b) I had sewn the crochet block onto the cushion BEFORE it was stuffed.

But you know, I’m new to this whole sewing thing. Live and learn. (And, as an extra bonus, the project cost nothing. I used leftover wool, a fabric remnant, and stuffing from an extra pillow.)

Thankfully, this wee wine baggy (cozy? caddy? carrier?) knit up super quick and easily. It’s a variation of my Gully Green giftbag. I rather like it. It only used about 65 yards of DK-weight yarn, so it’s a great way to use up remnants of yarn.

And that’s a quick little round up from the weekend. Currently on the needles are a Top Secret Project, a lace shawl for a pregnant friend, and a chunky lacey cardy for me. But I’ve got to run and make supper, so I’ll update with links to patterns later.

Happy Monday! Hope you survived yours OK.

Gully Green

Well, I’ve done it. Swallowed a million and one excuses, and am listing a pattern…for sale. (Gasp. Shock.) I’ve been procrastinating a long time, but in the past week had no fewer than three people tell me to just DO IT, so I’m going for it.

Ahh…life on the edge.

I’m calling it “Gully Green”. The idea was originally born during my post about upcycling holiday wrapping — I initially planned on knitting a plain-jane bag. But then I got to thinking…why not combine the sturdiness of crochet with the loveliness of knitted lace? Why not make a pretty marketbag, that could be used as gift wrap?

That got the wheels spinning. Then I started thinking of all the different variations — maybe a small one, made in mercerized crochet thread, to hold little trinkets. Perhaps a tall skinny version in wool as a wine cozy…perhaps…well, you get the idea.

The pattern is tested and ready, and I’m looking forward to seeing what people do with it.

Happy hooking and knitting!

(And now I’m going to go breathe. My heart is pounding and hands are shaky…who’d have thought this would be such a rush?)

Simple Goals

Well, the holidays are over. In a blur of last-minute baking, visiting, white-knuckling it through snow squalls and icy roads to get together with family…add in a 15 hour power shortage, school break, and a hubby working over-over-time, and you have the reason for the blogging lapse.

So, happy 2009! May it be an amazing year for you.

I am actually a big fan of the New Years Resolution. In years past, it has been the impetus I needed to overcome the post-holiday-dark-dreary-winter-day blahs. The key to making resolutions work for you is simply to pick things that matter to you — and are reasonable, simple goals.

I would love to be a runner…I gaze in admiration at the faithful who run down my street, daily, in minus-ouch weather. But jumping into a jogging routine in frigid January, kids in tow? Not likely to happen! That would be a foolish resolution, and would only set me up for failure. However, if I continue with my recent exercise routine, then I could likely start a walking-then-running routine come spring.

So, my goals for the year are as follows:

a) Continue to exercise for at least 15 minutes a day. (Small and consistent pays off.)

b) Knit through Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitter’s Almanac. I adore these patterns, and knitting through the book will be a great motivation to tackle a few skills I’ve been avoiding getting serious with (hello, colorwork!).

So go ahead, pick something simple, and DO IT. You’ll thank yourself.

Not quite Ma’s shawl…

…but I really love how it knit up. The pattern is Forest Canopy Shawl and is available on the designer’s website or through Ravelry. I knit it using Manos Del Uruguay Silk Blend, and I’m completely smitten with it. Manos is a cooperative that provides a fair working wage to village women in Uruguay…so if the softness and sheen of merino and silk aren’t reason enough to swoon, you can feel good about where your purchase money went.

I have a feeling this is one of those finished items that will see a lot of use…so versatile! It’s a scarf, hood, wrap…and I’m only starting to play with it and see what works.

More pictures on my Ravelry page…you know, I think I need to knit a nice, big, warm version of this for snuggling on the couch reading.

Otherwise new on the home scene — I’m on a sock-monkey-sewing binge. I hope to have my own “barrel of monkeys” (well, four anyway!) for the littles…I think they will be great Christmas gifts. Pictures to come soon.