Friday, December 28, 2012

New Year, New Blog!

I've been waiting a while to make this official announcement: effective 1/1/13 (or thereabouts...), the blog will be moving to http://k8erpillar.blogspot.com as part of a "re-branding" and consolidating of several accounts. I will do my best to move all of the content over and make the transition as seamless as possible, but do please update your bookmarks and let me know if anything goes wonky.

I'm looking forward to doing more reviews, starting the year with an exciting giveaway (!) and continuing to update with lots of photos of knitting, hexipuff updates, and other adventures in yarn.

Thanks for coming with me, and I wish everyone a very prosperous 2013!

Monday, December 17, 2012

MOM Monday

I finally have anew piece to share for MOM Monday! It will be part of my Mom's Christmas present, but she has promised not to read the blog until after the holiday so that I can share my newest creation.

Behold! An angel of the LORD among us!
This is the angel for my Mom's "Knitivity" set. I have also finished the Baby Jesus, but you'll have to wait to see pictures until after Christmas, because I forgot to snap a photo before I wrapped him up (oops!).

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Saturday Sewing/Shameless Self-Promotion

I've been working the craft show circuit recently, peddling my hand-sewn wares. As craft show season has drawn more or less to a close for the season, I'm working on adding some of my stock to my etsy shop. Today I added some really fun Ka-choo! Tissue Cozies to the shop. Here are a few of my favorites:

Cute owls!
Whimsical Birds
Take a look - they would be so sweet to put in a stocking or wrap up for that "co-worker who has everything but loves birds/owls/polka dots." Come on, we all have one of those!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 303 hexipuffs! Only 81 more to go!

So close, yet so far! I've been focusing in on a ton of Christmas knitting over the past few weeks (er, make that months). There's light at the end of the tunnel, though, as I only have a few gift projects left to finish before I can focus back in on hexipuffs. I made three more last weekend while I was out of town visiting family, and I hope to take advantage of more little bits of time like that as the holidays roll on. Puffy was grumpy this morning and wouldn't let me take his picture... something about a "bad feather day." Maybe he'll be more cooperative next time!

Friday, December 7, 2012

FO Friday

Holiday knitting is in full swing, and alas, though I have finished several projects over the past few weeks, I can't post them all lest I spoil some Christmas surprises. Here are a few things that have already been gifted:


A coworker of mine has an Elf on the Shelf named Buddy who is spying on her three kids for Santa Claus. Poor Buddy was getting cold during the trips back and forth to the North Pole, so I made him a sweater to keep him warm! The sweater is knit in three colors of Knit Picks Palette.


Another coworker (who happens to share an office with the coworker who got the Elf sweater) is expecting a baby boy on Christmas Day. She found a photo of a little baby in a hat with big pompoms on it, and was really excited about it. Naturally, I had to make one for her! I don't know who was more excited about the finished product, her or me! I couldn't wait to give it to her, and she can't wait to put it on Baby Boy when he makes his appearance. This hat was made in Knit Picks Biggo, in the Wonderland Heather colorway.


Thursday, November 15, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 300 hexipuffs! Only 84 more to go!

Despite having reached the major milestone of 300 puffs, I have fallen woefully behind on my hexipuffs over the last several weeks. Perhaps it was the hurricane, perhaps it was the looming deadlines of holiday knitting, or perhaps I just finally got sick of making hexipuffs. Whatever the reason, the result is that I'm no longer on pace to finish my blanket by the end of the year. And you know what? I'm okay with it.

I started on this crazy hexipuff journey at the very end of last year when I knitted up my first few "swatch" puffs to get an idea of whether or not I was really interested. Here we are 10 1/2 months later, and I've made 300 of them! Finishing in 2012 was always a self-imposed deadline, and helped keep me motivated and on track for the majority of the year. I'm certainly not giving up now; I will finish the blanket. For the immediate future, however, my focus is going to be on all of the gifts that I want to knit my loved ones for Christmas, as well as the sweater that I'm so close to finishing.

Look for more updates soon! Thanks for joining me on this crazy hexipuff journey!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update!

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 290 hexipuffs! Only 94 more to go!


It's crazy to think that I have fewer than 100 puffs left to make for this blanket. I'm a bit behind my pace, but still hanging in there, and I have some good knitting time coming up in the next few weeks, so I'm confident I can catch up again as I have before.


Once again, the puffs have outgrown their storage and have moved to a bigger bag:


Poor Puffy is drowning in puffs!

Friday, September 7, 2012

FO Friday

I have another finished object this week for FO Friday! This week, it's the Honey Cowl by Madelinetosh. I used one skein of Tosh Merino DK in the Steam Age Colorway. Mostly, I worked on the cowl in the car to and from Hersheypark with TMG, and while keeping up with the Dizzy Sheep Labor Day Spin-off. I really enjoyed the pattern and the yarn, and I'm pleased with the finished project.


Thursday, September 6, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 266 hexipuffs! Only 118 more to go!


I'm keeping up a good pace and I'm still right on target. I'm looking forward to getting past the 100-puff-remaining mark in the next few weeks. My puff bag runneth over!


We're gonna need a bigger bag!

Monday, August 27, 2012

MOM Monday

I finally finished another piece for my mom's Knitivity set over the weekend. This time, it was an animal: an ox. I had some difficulty with the pattern on this one, but I made it work. My mom is really happy with it, and that's what counts!

Friday, August 24, 2012

FO Friday!

I have a bunch of FOs to share this week for FO Friday!

I knit this bear for the Mother Bear Project during the Ravellenic Games. I really enjoyed knitting it, and what a warm fuzzy feeling to know that it will brighten the life of a child in need!





Also during the Ravellenic Games, I made this Turn a Square Hat for TMG. He chose the yarn (Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted Multi) when we were at WEBS this summer. I have half the skein left over for another project, maybe a coordinating neck warmer.




Finally, I am very excited to have finished the Freyja Hat. I have had this on my "to-make" list for three years, and finally got up the courage to tackle the colorwork. I am so happy with the final result!





Thursday, August 23, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 251 hexipuffs! Only 133 more to go!

It has been a great feeling to be back on pace and I've been working hard to keep it up this week. I passed the 250 puff mark this morning which is another nice milestone.

I caught Puffy swimming in the hexipuff "pool" this morning...


Thursday, August 16, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update: All Caught Up!

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 244 hexipuffs! Only 140 more to go!

It's been a few weeks since the last update, because I've been knitting hexipuffs instead of typing blog entries! I participated in the 2012 Ravellenic Games on Ravelry and one of my events was the Modular Relay, in which I aimed to complete 28 hexipuffs during the 17-day event. I set this goal because that put me back on track for the year, after having fallen behind. I succeeded, and completed all 28 puffs, as well as a few other project. Here's a picture of my 28 "Ravellenic Puffs":


 By completing the puffs, I earned a medal in the Modular Relay event! I'm so proud!


Finally, here's a picture of what 244 hexipuffs look like. Puffy is in there somewhere...



Friday, July 13, 2012

FO Friday: Abalone Cowl

One of my favorite groups on Ravelry, the Karma Yarn Swap group, is having a fun KAL this month encouraging people to knit with their handspun yarn. I worked up this cowl in one day from the pattern Askance Cowl by Shelby Dyas. The yarn was a perfect match for the pattern: a mix of 80% merino and 20% tussah silk that I two-plied to a DK weight. Here are my before and after pictures:

Before... 
...and after!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update - Milestones!

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

I hit two major milestones in the past week, puff-wise. On Saturday, I hit the halfway point of 192 puffs, and last night I completed my 200th puff at knitting group! There has been much rejoicing on both accounts! I am still about 7 puffs behind pace, but I am closing the gap and I believe that I can get back on target soon. 

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 200 Hexipuffs! Only 184 more to go!

Puffy, delighted as always, is playing "King of the Mountain" today.

Monday, June 11, 2012

MOM Monday

This week is a double-dose of MOM Monday! It was brought to my attention that I never posted the finished pictures of Mary (whoops!), and I recently finished Joseph as well. Here they are:

Mary (please excuse the poor image quality)

Joseph
My mom is really loving the way that these are turning out, and I'm having fun with them as well. I have found the bodies to be a bit tedious, so I think next month I may make an animal instead of another doll. Stay tuned!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Saturday Sewing

Last week at my Wednesday night knitting group, the topic of conversation migrated to the world of sewing. My fellow knitter, blogger, and dear friend April (a.k.a. Domestic Knitter Designs) always has such beautiful projects underway, and I was finally inspired to dust off my Singer and sew something myself. I went to the fabric store and picked up a few yards of cotton fabric and a few patterns, and set to work. In the span of about six hours spread over two days, I managed to make two lovely little project/notions bags. I'm looking forward to making more and featuring them in my etsy shop.

Bag number one, outside.
Bag number one, inside.
Bag number two, outside.
And bag number two, inside.

Friday, June 8, 2012

FO Friday

A few weeks ago, I got the urge to cast on something small and simple that I would be able to knit and finish quickly. I settled on the Super Simple Baby Tunic pattern by Little Gunn, and found some appropriate stash yarn (actually, I decided on the yarn first, and then found the pattern, but this isn't the time or place for a chicken/egg discussion).
I knit the tunic up in four days, and then it languished for a while awaiting the perfect buttons. I was delighted to find just the right thing at the Memorial Day sale at my LYS.

Here's the front...

...and here's the back.
And a close-up of the PERFECT buttons!

Now all I need is a baby to wear it... all in good time!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

I recently acquired a bunch of new yarn, which has really helped to reinvigorate my hexipuff energy. Most of the new 'puff yarn came in the form of mini skeins from Ravelry swaps, but I did splurge on two skeins of Koigu KPPPM at my LYS's Memorial Day sale, specifically for making into hexipuffs.
Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 167 Hexipuffs! Only 217 more to go!
 
Maybe this basket will be big enough for all of the 'puffs!
 

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Saturday Spinning

A week or so ago, I finished spinning and plying the yarn from the fiber I bought at the PA Farm Show back in January. I am tickled pink about the results; it came out soft and fluffy and beautiful! I think it's about a DK weight but I haven't put it on the WPI tool yet to check. The larger skein has 426 yards and the smaller "seconds" skein has 93 yards. I'm calling the colorway "Dr. Seuss" because it reminds me of the colors of Thing 1 and Thing 2.

The colors aren't quite this dark in real life; they're rather tricky to photograph.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

I spent the last few weeks playing catch-up with my hexipuffs. I'm now only about 2 1/2 hexipuffs off my pace, which is a relief after falling pretty far behind.

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 152 Hexipuffs! Only 232 more to go!
Today I grouped matching hexipuffs together to see how which yarns I had used most. The one-of-a-kinds are the border.

I got more minis in a swap yesterday! Which will I knit into puffs first?

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Saturday Spinning

I seem to have finally recovered my spinning mojo over the last few days. I put my treadles to the metal today, and finished spinning the singles of some beautiful merino that I got at the PA Farm Show back in January. I'm hoping to ply them up next week after they get a chance to rest.


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

My hexipuffs had to compete with a few other projects this week, including the stitch markers I was working on for my etsy shop. I still managed to complete one puff per day, and I hope to play catch up some more this weekend.

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 119 Hexipuffs! Only 265 more to go!
Puffy's getting comfortable, but that basket is getting pretty full...

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Owls for Sale!


Warning: Shameless Self-Promotion forthcoming!


I have been working hard lately to get my etsy shop up and running, and this morning I was finally able to sit down and update my shop with tons of new goodies! I've been making stitch markers like a madwoman, and I'm hoping to earn enough to reinvest in some new charms and beads so I can make even more!

Here's a sneak peak at a few of the goodies that I put up this morning:

OWLS!!
 
Ooooooh shiny!
Wee little ladybugs!

I'm super-excited (if you couldn't tell)! If you're excited too, head on over to my shop and check out all the goodies. If you use the coupon code "BLOG10" at checkout, you'll save 10% on your purchase!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

I worked hard to get caught up this week. According to my calculations, I should be up to 117 puffs today, so I still have some work to do, but I'm gaining ground.


Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 112 Hexipuffs! Only 272 more to go!
Puffy still thinks the hexipuffs are his. Should I tell him?

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.

It has been another crazy week. Lots of unpacking, some holiday traveling, and fortunately, lots of knitting time. I am still behind on my 'puff count, but I am making progress and I hope to be back on track by the end of this weekend. The big news, though, is that I hit a milestone this week: I passed the 100 'puff mark!

Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 103 Hexipuffs! Only 281 more to go!
It looks as though Puffy the penguin is trying to make a rookery out of my hexipuffs!

Friday, April 6, 2012

FO Friday

I finally have an FO to share! I have been working on my Crevasse Socks for almost a year now, on and off (mostly off). After a long period of hibernation, these socks went with me to a conference that I attended a few weeks ago, and I managed to knit almost the entire second sock during those three days. If only every day could provide so much excellent knitting time! As a bonus, I also met several other knitters and crocheters who approached me when they saw me knitting.



I am happy with the finished product, even though it's not the best combination of pattern and yarn. The yarn is very special to me, as it was a wedding gift from my husband. Tiffany blue and chocolate brown were our wedding colors, and this colorway of J. Knits Superwash Me Sock is called "Connecticut," where we lived when we got married.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update!

I'm baaa-aack!

It has been a wild and crazy past few weeks as we have been going through the process of packing, moving, and now unpacking. I'm happy to say that we are now 90% settled, and I have resumed knitting. I even have a sweet new knitting/spinning space in our new place, of which I'll post pictures when it's finished.

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.



Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 93 Hexipuffs! Only 291 more to go!
 
The striped puff in the top center is a sneak peek at tomorrow's FO Friday project!
 
 
I am hoping to hit the 100 puff mark before the next post.  In order to stay on pace to finish by the end of the year, I need to keep up a pace of approximately 1.04918 puffs per day (or 7.344 per week). I fell off this pace with my traveling and moving recently, and am only averaging .9789 puffs per day at this point. I am hoping to catch up over the next few days, as I have a four-day weekend involving traveling to see my in-laws.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Monday Madness: MOM, Mary, Music, and Moving!

Another Monday, another update on the Mary figure I'm making for my mom. I've made some progress this week; her body, hair, veil, and cape are now completed, and I've started on her dress.

I'm going to let Mary knit her own dress for a while.

The bigger project underway in our household is our impending move. We are getting packed up and we ship out on Thursday.

That's our back door... pretty sure we're in violation of the fire code. Don't tell!

Finally, I missed last week's Hexipuff update because I was in Timonium, MD, attending the annual conference of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Music Therapy Association. I got a lot of knitting done on one of my WIPs while I was there... any guesses which one? I'll reveal it on Wednesday (if we haven't packed up the computer and camera by then).

Monday, March 19, 2012

MOM Monday

Just a quick update on my latest MOM project...

Mary now has a full body, hair, and a veil. I'm working on her cape next, then she'll get a dress, face, and shoes. I'm aiming to finish her by April 1st, but with the upcoming move, I'll be happy whenever she gets finished.

I know it looks like a voodoo doll, but it's really the Virgin Mary!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update!

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.


Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 82 Hexipuffs! Only 302 more to go!
I am still making steady progress toward my goal. My pace suffered a bit over the past two weeks due to the old "life gets in the way" song and dance. To keep it short and sweet, TMG and I are in the process of packing up and moving yet again, this time on account of having the worst, loudest, drunkest neighbors known to man. Once the dust settles, I'm hoping to get back into full-scale puff production. 
Next week I'm heading to Baltimore for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Music Therapy conference. I'm hoping that this trip will afford me some much-needed knitting time, and allow me to make progress on both my puffs and a few other languishing projects. Updates to come!

Monday, March 5, 2012

MOM Monday

This weekend, I finally got started on the first piece of the Nativity set that I'm making for my mom from the book Knitivity by Fiona Goble. My mom gave me this book as a gift this past Christmas, and I decided to try to make her one piece per month so that she will have a complete (or nearly-complete) set in time for Christmas 2012.
The book offers two options for making the dolls, the "traditional doll," which has separate legs but cannot stand on its own, and the "standing doll" which is cone-shaped and stands independently. I decided to start with Mary, and I'm making her in the "traditional doll" style, as she will likely be seated in the scene, and this way, she can also sit on the donkey.

Here's a picture of my progress on Mary so far:


The construction is very interesting, but easy enough so far. I don't want to divulge the designer's secrets, so I will leave it at that! Stay tuned next week to see what progress I make on Mary between now and then.

Friday, March 2, 2012

FO Friday

I had hoped to complete this project in time to post it for last week's FO Friday, but I ended up finishing all the little bits and pieces on Friday night of last week. So, without further ado, meet Patty!

Patty O'Owl is ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

Patty is made out of kitchen cotton yarn and stuffed with plastic beads and polyfil. Patty was commissioned by one of my mom's friends who saw my mom's owl,  Valentina, and just had to have an owl of her own.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update!

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.



Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 69 Hexipuffs! Only 315 more to go!
I completed 7 puffs this week, which keeps me on pace to finish by the end of the year. The big news is that the puffs overflowed the owl-print basket this week, so I moved them to a larger basket for photos. Eventually I'll need both baskets and a few more to hold all the puffs, but this is the first step.

Look at all those happy little puffs!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Thursday Hexipuff Update!

It is my goal to update the blog with a running total of my Hexipuff count each Thursday. I'm aiming to complete my Beekeeper's Quilt (a total of approximately 384 puffs) by the end of 2012.


Today's Tally:
As of this posting, I have completed a total of 62 Hexipuffs! Only 322 more to go!
I completed 8 puffs again this week, which has been my average pace over the past few weeks. If I can keep up at this rate, I should be able to easily complete my blanket before the end of 2012.

This week I laid them out adjacent to one another so I could get an idea of how much area they would cover. So far, so good!

62 puffs and still going strong!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

WIP Wednesday

It's WIP Wednesday, and I have been busy with some WIPs over the past few weeks. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Little Owl #2
You might recognize this pattern, as I recently finished knitting one of these little owls for my mom. One of her friends thought it was a real hoot (sorry... couldn't help myself), and so I'm making a second one for her. It just needs wings, feet, and stuffing. She requested it in green for St. Patrick's Day.

Just call me Patty!
2. Moosejaw Hat
This is a hat that I'm making for a friend of mine. He asked me oh-so-nicely to make it for him about 2 years ago, and I forgot all about it until my husband reminded me a week or so ago. I'm designing it to feature his nickname, "Moosejaw" in colorwork, along with a moose. I'm working it in Plymouth Sockotta yarn, which is a blend of cotton, wool, and nylon. It has, unfortunately, been discontinued.

Don't worry, that's not the infamous "naughty moose."
3. North Whales Road Sweater
This sweater, which I'm making with Malabrigo Worsted in the Lola Gilet pattern, got put on the back burner when I was away over Thanksgiving and needed to sit down and make up a spreadsheet for the left front decreases. It was languishing in its project bag until this weekend, when I decided to take action. I feel so foolish now for letting it linger so long; it took me only a few minutes to work out the decrease spreadsheet, and not much longer than that to work up the 40-ish decrease rows. Worsted weight yarn on size 9 needles just flies by, as it turns out, especially when each row has so few stitches.

The back is finished, and I'm working on the left front.
4. Finally, I recently pulled my Cabled Quasi-Crew socks out of hibernation. I made the first sock as a test-knit back in October of 2010, and never got around to making the second one. I have to admit, though I love the way that cables look, I find them rather tedious to make, which is probably why this has been unloved for so long. They are made out of Knit Picks Essential sock yarn (the old version of Knit Picks Stroll) in African Violets.