Every Monday is New Year's Day

They say that most people abandon their New Year's resolutions by the second week of February. Because I made so many resolutions this year that was bound to happen to me, right?

Well, not exactly. Fortunately, I manage to see every week as a little year in and of itself. For example, when it comes to diet and exercise? I seem to diet strictly and exercise every day until, oh, about Friday afternoon, when  my Id takes over and starts wrecking havoc on everything. The weekend is a hedonistic blur of food and drink. The only exercise that occurs (like getting up to walk to the refrigerator) is done by accident and with disdain. By the time Monday rolls around, I have had my fill of excess and need to detox. It's New Year's Day all over again, my resolutions are fresh, my soul is wiped clean of its sins, and my saintly determination is ready to begin anew with a fervor never before seen by humanity. This feeling lasts all through the week, but then before you know it it's Friday again and my Id takes over and....yeah, yeah, you heard this part already.

I may have to start over every Mon. when it comes to diet and exercise (at least I keep trying, right?) but I am happy to report that my stash-busting resolution is still going strong. I made Little C this striped hoodie completely from scrap yarn. This is probably my favorite thing I've ever knit even though I had to weave in a TON of ends. I basically followed this pattern but knit a second hood in navy next to the striped version so I could line it. I also added some clear plastic buttons later but didn't get a picture.

Unfortunately, Little C grew a lot in the month and  half it took me to make this. I thought he would be able to wear this in the spring though he'll probably only be able to wear this for a short time. Oh well. Maybe I'll use this pattern again in a bigger size for next year.

***
Also finished my other 6 squares for Crochet a Rainbow

Charity in Focus: Crochet a Rainbow

It has been well over a year since I have participated in a crochet or knitting charity. This had been nagging at me periodically off and on, but I always seemed to push the feeling aside or get busy with other things.

I managed to keep puttering away with things...then the terrible flooding in Australia was all over the news (and then they were hit with a cyclone on top of everything else!) I felt very badly for the people suffering there as I always do during a tragic event. With this particular event, however, I was also personally worried because my favorite crochet designer/ blogger (Sarah London) lives in Australia; I hoped that she and her family/ friends were not affected.

Fortunately Sarah London was not affected in the way that I had feared. However, she was affected in a charitable way that will hopefully bring a little hope and comfort to the people who are suffering.

Sarah started a crochet group called Crochet a Rainbow. Crocheters can make brightly colored granny squares which she will then sew together to make blankets for the people who are experiencing this tragedy.

I've always admired Sarah's modern crochet designs and brilliant color combinations; looking at her work can't help but brighten your mood. I hope the blankets provide that same feeling to these poor people.

I had never made a granny square like this, which is a traditional square (I have a crochet book that calls it an "Old American Square"). This is also another great way to use up stash yarn. I've made 6 so far and plan to make some more. Then off to Australia they go!

Girls Night: January

It was my turn to host Girls Night the last week of January. Even though we had decided not to do small crafts for awhile, I had to make these pom pom flowers when I saw them featured in Country Living Magazine under Valentine's Crafts.

Since this is in keeping with my stash-busting resolution, I thought it would be nice to make the pom poms with the girls. The stems were also recycled from some of those "stick thingies" left over from Christmas. This time in green instead of gold.

The magazine showcased their flowers in antique glass bottles along a mantel. I do not have any antique bottles hanging about, so plain flower vases had to suffice.

It was definitely a fun and easy craft. And it's provided little pops of color in the house during an especially dreary Jan.-Feb.

And the best thing of all about these flowers? You don't have to water them!

Girls Night Long Term Project: Take 2

I've been diligently working on my basket weave blanket which, as you may recall, was supposed to be my long term project for Girls Night. I abandoned it as an idea for craft night because I was crocheting it so quickly. I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with another idea that I could work on during these meetings. It had to be something easy, fun, and practical. I normally don't make New Year's resolutions (this year I made so many I had to write them all down. I just counted and there are 22 of them--don't ask!) One of the craft-related resolutions was to be more resourceful with the materials I already have. For knitters and crocheters this means "stash-busting."

I really hate waste. Whenever I knit or crochet something I always look at the little ball of yarn left after a project and think, 'Now what am I supposed to do with that?' I always figured I would eventually make a scrap blanket of all these leftover yarns, but I hadn't found a pattern that I wanted to use. Until now! This pattern was exactly what I was looking for.

These little circles will eventually have a white (or cream, or beige, or gray) square border around each one. And then I'll sew them all together. Right now I'm just having fun making the different colored circles though. They're fun, provide instant gratification, and they're helping me meet my resolution to be more resourceful.

They're perfect for the meetings with the girls. I have a lot more yarn to filter in, so I can see this being a very long term project indeed.

Not My Knits: Pink Zig Zag Blanket

The other day I got to thinking about where my crochet/ knitting obsession originated. It feels like it was an overnight thing: one day I was a normal young (ish) woman, minding my own business, and the next thing you know I was tackled by this tremendous urge to crochet/ knit. All the time.

I started to feel victimized by the power of this addiction.  And if it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone.

Then I realized that I'm probably not that "normal" in the first place (but who is?) And that the obsession wasn't an "overnight thing" at all. In fact, the groundwork had been laid in my childhood. Maybe even in my very DNA.



I mentioned before how craftiness is in my blood. Clearly being surrounded by such talented ladies--or more truthfully--being surrounded by the finished objects of such talented ladies had a huge influence on me and my appreciation for handmade things. You can't spend years under the blankets that someone has spent literally hours and hours crocheting for you without thinking about the artistic decisions and skill that went into them.

This is one such blanket. The Pink Zig Zag blanket that spent some time at the foot of my childhood bed, and spent much time in my parents' TV room. It's a blanket that both of my childhood pets loved (by the way, ever notice how cats and dogs are instinctively drawn to knitted or crocheted throws? It's like a magnet) and I have vivid images of them curled up on top of it. I borrowed it from my parents this month to take a photograph of it. As it sat folded up in my house while I waited to give it back to them, I was astounded to discover how much it felt like "home" to me. It was such a comforting object and had such a nostalgic "home" feeling to it. Some things can be very powerful like that. But I hadn't really ever experienced that feeling to such a degree before with a physical object. It's fitting, I suppose, because this is a blanket that was made by my own grandmother's hands. Each stitch crocheted by her.

I know that this blanket is one of the stops along the way on my crochet/ knitting journey. Now that I know more about the craft I can appreciate my grandmother's sense of color (she stuck to a pink hue and alternated three colors, one being a variegated yarn which brought in a touch of light brown); her consistency (I can't see any mistakes, her gauge doesn't change, and she single crocheted a border around the entire blanket using a pattern instead of just going about willy-nilly, which I unfortunately tend to do); and her pattern choice. I know zig zags or chevrons have been very popular in the past. They have a more modern feel to them today (sometimes softened into ripples instead of zig zags). They could even be considered quite fashionable since they are always visible when it comes to the design house Missoni ( a beautiful, Missoni-inspired, knitted chevron blanket pattern can be found here). It's a pattern that I know my grandmother must have enjoyed making because there are several more of these blankets at my parents' house that I grew up with. From my own experience with the earflap hats, I know that you only revisit a pattern if you really like it.

I plan on showcasing these blankets here in the future. I've decided to periodically highlight some of the crocheted and knitted pieces that have surrounded me as a child and as an adult in a series of posts titled "Not My Knits." It's a way for me to pay homage to the people--both living and deceased--who have made these items, and it's also a way for me to understand how they influenced me directly or indirectly.

Who knows, but after studying my grandmother's blanket for so long I'm kind of wanting to make one myself now! Remember, it's in my blood. 

Forgotten Hat

Somewhere in the hustle and bustle of the new year, I forgot all about this little hat I made for Baby N.

I had been half-heartedly sorting some photos on the computer and came across these. I totally forgot I made this for her for Christmas. Lethargy + Mommy Brain+ Fatigue+ A Mild Cold= ....wait, what was I talking about? Anyway, I've been in a bit of a slump and have been having trouble focusing.

I do remember that when I was crocheting it I kept referring to it as the "Snow bunny Hat." She is quite the adorable, plump little thing-the kind of baby where you want to pinch their cheeks all the time; I bet she looks every bit the snow bunny in it. I used my all-time favorite pattern for the hat as always.

Despite feelings of inertia, I have actually been working on some things lately. It's not that I am lacking inspiration; I'm kind of in inspiration overload and feel like there are a million things that I want to make all at once, and all right now, this very minute! Sometimes this feeling winds up making me immobile instead of being the catalyst to get my butt moving. But I'm sure I will slowly get myself together once I kick this cold.

Warm and Cozy

Even though I have fallen into the mom rut of wearing sweatpants most of the time (in my defense, watching after Little C. is pretty physical work; I am always crawling around on the floor, squatting to pick crap up, struggling to put him in his car seat, crib, or grocery shopping cart. Why not wear work out clothes?), I still have my finger on the pulse of what's in fashion, even if I, ahem, choose not to follow the trends.

From the fashion sidelines, I witnessed cowls make their debut last year. I was excited to see that they were still relevant this year, along with moebius scarves and plain, long circular scarves. I had noticed a great pattern over the summer for a designer-inspired cowl, and I was excited to make it as a gift this Christmas.

It was a quick knit, fun to make, and a good learning project (I learned the kitchener stitch and provisional cast on). I made a little gift tag to go with it using Picasa and Picnik too.

I had planned on making another cowl, but I didn't get around to it. There are a number of cowl and circular scarf patterns that I'm interested in knitting, but it occurred to me that I wear sweatpants ALL THE TIME! These will not be enhanced at all by a trendy scarf. Oh well, maybe I'll clean up my act this year and get off the fashion sidelines. Maybe I will resolve to stop wearing fleece 24/7. And maybe I'll even get around to knitting a circular scarf for myself. But I'll have to check first to see if they're still trendy for Fall/ Winter 2011.