I've been toying with the idea of doing a skullies Etsy shop ever since I've been getting so many requests to knit hats and other items with skulls. But since I can't knit fast enough to keep a shop filled (especially with so many side projects going on), I thought I'd add my skulls to non-knitted items in addition to smaller knit items. So here's just a taste test of some of the things I'm thinking about.
Call it the winter blahs or the fact that the scary economy will probably hold us in our apartment for a little longer than we thought, but my bedroom is looking pretty bare. Over the past week, I've made some changes in there that has helped to add color and warmth to the room (and once the room is "done," I'll be sure to share photos), but right over my headboard is a big ol' blank spot that needs something. I have high ceilings and white walls that can dwarf some art. And I need to keep it on the frugal side, so I think using a wall decal, which is something I had considered for the living room, will work really well. Now it's just narrowing it down. Etsy has TONs, so it's not an easy decision. So far, here's what I'm leaning toward (most likely in a brown color).
byrdiegraphics
Sometimes when you donate something to charity, it just goes away, never ever knowing where it's path ended. When I donated the scarflette and fingerless gloves to the Mattaponi tribe, I won't lie, the thought did cross my mind that the $46 I was hoping to sell them for on Etsy would be gone the moment I gave them away. I made myself OK with it because winter was coming to an end (or wishful thinking anyway) and the need for such items would be dwindling. Plus, I like the way giving to someone who needs it makes me feel. But once the items were in the mail, I never thought I'd see or hear about them again.
Boy, was I wrong!
Dee, the woman on Ravely who helped set up this service knitting project, shared the following picture and story with me. Words can't describe how moved I am by this little girl'story...and smile.
This is Aris.
Two of my favorite ladies are celebrating their special day today! Enjoy!
No...this is not my positive affirmation for the day. I actually won something. A book...a craft book...this book (which I posted about here)!
I've been catching up with some old friends through Facebook, who saw my skull hats and started placing orders. I've knit two adult caps for a husband and wife and a baby hat for another friend's son. I also knit a black cable hat for Mandy at work. It's a whole lot of black, but it's still been fun.
I thought I'd share the first package that I sent out for the Mattaponi tribe, because what I was originally planning on sending isn't what actually went out. Why? Because I'm a moron. One of the two baby sweaters I was planning on sending had actually been sold on Etsy...by me...months ago. Yeah, who knew? Obviously not me!
So I quickly pulled the Orange Crush scarflette and fingerless gloves from my Etsy shop that hadn't sold and added it to the donation pile. I also added a black men's hat that I knit for something else, but came out a little too big. The last item added was a teeny baby hat I made when I first started knitting. I had given it to Camela before her baby was born in the case that he was born a she. But alas, he was born, and the hat was given back.
Shelley donated a whole bunch of drugs....no, not those kind. Things like aspirin and tylenol were on the list of needs by the local clinic.
I saw this Love Letter craft over at LucyKate Crafts. She gives a whole tutorial on how to make it. So if you need a last minute love note for your Valentine, head on over there.
Camela introduced me to the super sweet kids site: Blabla Kids. Their stuff is absolutely adorable. I don't have kids, but I'd still like to have some of these items just for me. Check it out.
KlarinetteGal on Ravely sent me the sweetest pattern for this Christmas Robin. Sure, Christmas has passed, but we all know how quickly it'll creep up on us again. I didn't knit this robin, but I wanted to share. This one was knit by bluesocks'. Too cute!
After the bleak post a few days ago, the big guy in the sky (aka Jerry Garcia) must have heard my cries. Because on this past Saturday, not only was the sun out, but it was also warm. Like near 50 warm! (All of you non-Midwesterners laugh away, but this means something to a Sconnie in February). It was like a little taste of spring (aka hope) for all those people standing on the ledge waiting to jump if one more negative-degree day comes along. (A tad melodramatic, I know. But it's the truth).
There was just no way I was sitting inside and letting this day pass me by. So Shane and I headed out to Cedarburg (about 2 hours away) after we heard about the winter fest. And this wasn't just any small town festival...no, this one had bed races on ice. Say it with me...awesome!
And what was even better? We were picked out the entire crowd to be costume judges. It was such a great day. I wasn't freezing, I could feel the warmth of the sunshine outside of the car, and we got a lot of good laughs throughout the day. That Saturday may have just helped me hang on for another few weeks without escaping to Mexico. (But we'll see.)
Here are the costume contest winners. Yes, that is a man in a tutu on the left. He's what clinched the $250 prize.
This little girl was sitting on the sidewalk by me when the parade went by. She saw the different sausages (who race during the Milwaukee Brewers games) come by, and she ran right out in the street, grabbed one of their hands and started walking with him. (I think that's the Bratwurst...or the Polish Sausage?) Too cute!
She also greeted the Chorizo.
Here is one of the beds...yes, that's a bed. The theme of the festival was Knights of the Roundtable (or something like that). This actually moved quite quickly despite the immense size.
Here's another bed. Those are ten-speed wheels sans tires. It was very fast...but not the winner.
And another bed from the Anvil Brewery. We ate there for lunch...good food!
This poor guy was the snowball target for all the kids before the race started. I swear he got pelted by at least 100 snowballs.
Two more sausages: Italian and the hot dog.
I have a confession to make: I've been holding out on you. But I swear it's only because I wanted to get some good pictures to share. In the year of the hat, I made another hat for me a few weeks ago that put my two-color work to to the test. I'm happy to report that I'm getting more and more comfortable with fair-isle knitting, and actually find it to be quite fun. The pattern is called Opus Spicatum, and you can find it here. I just used inexpensive Lions Brand Wool-Ease yarn that I got on sale for $3 a skein. And from those two skeins, I made this hat and a pair of mittens...but you'll have to wait a little longer to see the mittens. I know, I know. Sorry!
The Knitters for Obama decided on the next service knitting project. We will be knitting and crocheting a variety of items for the Mattaponi Native American tribe in Virginia. According to the KFO post: "There is a staggering amount of poverty and need among many Native American tribes. The Mattaponi tribe lives in Eastern Virginia, and for some unknown reason are not recognized as an official tribe and therefore do not receive federal funding. This is shocking considering that the tribe was here before the first European settlers arrived in the 1600s."
The nice thing about this project is that there is a wide range of projects that people can work on, because items for everyone from babies to adults are needed. I haven't started any projects yet, but I will be donating two baby sweaters that were in my Etsy store but never sold.
If you'd like to donate but aren't crafty, you still can! Contact me or leave a comment with your contact info when you post if you'd like to donate yarn to the group for knitting or a variety of essentials from Mattaponi Healing Eagle Clinic Wish List:
As I mentioned, the sweater is done. Yay! And this time I actually have pictures! I'd like to retake the photos outside, but it's been so freaking cold out that I'm unwilling to risk hypothermia just for some nice shots. It's hard to see the detail of the cabling and bobbles. But trust me, they're there. And I'll try to take some better pictures when it warms up...so plan on June-ish.
I'm on a total craft book kick lately. I can't seem to get enough of looking at new books that are out, or coming out. So don't be surprised if you see more books being promoted on my site. Until I can buy them all up and spend all my time looking at them instead of blogging and knitting, you're going to have to hear about them here. But it's all good...look, I give you cute puppies and kitties and bunnies!
Want to try and win a copy? Of course you do! Head over to The Craft Gossip Blog Network and say "enter me." Not me...you!
My sweater is done...but I don't have pictures yet (I'm such a tease). And since I can't go more than ten minutes without something on my needles, I started up a new top that is all lace knit. We'll see if I actually finish this one. Why? Well, first, I'm supposed to be knitting for all of those babies that my friends will soon be birthing. Second, it's a whole lot of lace, and after knitting for hours and hours, I have only about two inches of just the back of the shirt. However, because this is just knitting the same pattern over and over again, maybe I can start it and stop it, even though that's not normally my thing. We'll see how that goes. Anyway, here's the start:
And here is the finished top that MizzBritta on Ravely knit. It's so beautiful. I hope mine can be even half as great as this one.
Kristin Rengren, who's known as RetroKnit on Ravelry, is someone I met at the Knitters for Obama meet up in Chicago. Well, I didn't know it then, but she has a knitting book coming out in April called Vintage Baby Knits. The projects in this books are super sweet! I now have another reason to look forward to spring (as if I really needed one more). And the bonus: I have six...yes, count 'em six friends who are each having babies by the end of the summer. Let's just say I won't be drinking the water...heck I'm sticking with wine (and lots of it!).
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