Craft Addict

"Everybody got their somethin'...." ~ Nikka Costa

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Baby Girl Booties


These are photos of the baby booties I finished last week for my sister-in-law's baby shower. I made them from a Debbie Bliss pattern insert that came with a British knitting magazine I like to buy every month. I should really subscribe and save myself a bundle of money, but it is always sold with freebies in the store that I wouldn't be able to get as a real subscriber. Does that not seem ridiculous? That you, as a paying subscriber, wouldn't get all the goodies that come with the magazine? I guess it's because it's from the U.K. and they can't ship the extras here. It's a bummer anyway. But at least it gives me another excuse to buy coffee and browse around in Barnes and Nobles every month.

I was pretty happy with the way these turned out, except for the backs (the last photo). All the instructions said about the back was to "sew up the back seam". That's it. Yeah, that's what I thought too - real helpful. They also didn't show a photo so I had no idea what it was even supposed to look like. When I took the pattern down to the knit shop to see what they thought, they passed on some purls of wisdom that I'll have to try to remember for next time: if the pattern doesn't include a picture of the back of the finished item, then you probably don't really want to knit it. Hmmm. Good thinking.

Anyway, the yarn for these was Debbie Bliss's own Baby Cashmerino and I must say, it is the softest stuff imaginable! Cashmere, wool and microfiber. Cuddly and warm. Just right for little baby toes. I can't wait to make my new niece some more things. I'm looking at sweater patterns right this moment trying to find the right one for a Christmas gift. She's due in October so she'll be bigger than newborn by Christmas so I've got to find something cute to make. I'm checking out my vintage collection, hoping for that perfect mix of girly but not tear-my-hair-out complicated to make. I'll be back with an update soon.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Groovy Hats


Yay! Yet another fun little item brought to me by eBay. I couldn't resist the little blue hat in the upper lefthand corner. I love hats and groovy vintage stuff, so I just had to add this one to my collection. Luckily, there were some other cool hat patterns inside this booklet besides that one. The photo of the blue hat that goes with the pattern inside looks a little more 60's/70's dorky than pictured here (there's a pompom and some other weird features that I will have to omit if I end up knitting it) but I think it would still be cute. And then there's some other funny little hats that might be fun to knit up or alter. Maybe this winter sometime when I'm actually indoors a little more. I should have more time to knit then. I always think I'll find the time at lunch but end up playing Sudoku instead. It's addicting! But then again, so is knitting! I should really learn to stick to one addiction at a time. But what fun would that be?

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Happy Garden

I have a happy garden! This is a picture of the beautiful lilies that are now displaying their gorgeousness in my little plot. I am especially fond of these whenever they appear, because they have such a sweet origin. My husband brought home a bountiful fragrant pot of these for me about two summers ago. Just because they were pink and just because he was thinking of me and is the sweetest man on the planet (I don't like to brag, but he's worth bragging about!). Well, they died back in their pot and I was so sad because I was sure I'd killed them and what a waste that would be! I put the pot with the dirt and dead stalks outside and forgot about them until I finally was able to put in a little raised garden bed on the side of our house 2 springs ago. While I was cleaning up, I saw the pot on the porch and figured I'd just dump the dirt into the new bed. When I turned the pot over, the bulbs inside had little green shoots. I couldn't believe it. While I had been thinking I had killed my pretty gift, they were instead just taking an extended dirt nap. Yay! I planted them and was rewarded with 2 huge pink blooms the first year. And this year I've got 7! I can't wait until I've got masses. They smell wonderful and whenever I look at them I think of my sweet hubby.

Not only do I have beautiful lilies to brighten my day.... I saw a little green frog sunning himself on my gigantic rhubarb leaves the other day too. I hopped around and squealed like a little kid, running to get my husband so I could show off our little visitor. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of him and I cut the rhubarb back so he kinda lost his house. But I hope to see him again soon.

On another wildlife note, this morning when I came back from my walk I had 3 young male deer in my driveway! We looked at each other for a few minutes and I would liked to have stayed a little longer to exchange some pleasantries, but I had to go in and get myself ready for work. At least this time they left my tomatoes alone. They've nibbled some of the leaves and apparently don't like the taste much. I just hope they'll leave the fruit alone once it ripens! I know everyone around here thinks they're terrific pests, but I'm still enchanted whenever I see one in the neighborhood.

More on crafts at a later date....