An Update... Finally!

I realize that I have not been doing well keeping up with this blog, but the good news is that I have been busy and now have some projects to share.

Lately I have been obsessed with this mitten pattern. It is nice to have a pattern that turns out as expected and does not contain any mistakes.

So far I have made three pairs for Christmas gifts and am about to make a pair for myself. I have been using Stitch Nation's Full o' Sheep yarn (which is pretty inexpensive and can be found at Michael's) with #9 needles, and the mittens have turned out perfect. The nice thing is I can get a pair done in about a day or two, so I was able to get them done in time for Christmas.

Here is the pair I made for my mom:

I think my big goal for next year is to complete a fairisle project (maybe some socks?) and actually do a sweater. I found the pattern for this great cardigan.

Even though we haven't gotten any snow, the chilly weather has made me want to cozy up and enjoy hot cups of coffee and tea. I found a basic recipe for biscotti and doctored it up a little bit by adding slivered almonds and dipping the bottoms in milk chocolate. YUM!

Although the Anise extract was good, I think next time I make it I will experiment with different flavors (maybe almond extract, vanilla, cinnamon?).

I also made some truffles over Christmas that went over pretty well. I used this recipe but added walnuts to the inside mixture and added red and green sprinkles on top for a little flair. I have tried using the sea salt before and while it is very good, it is a little different and I didn't think everyone would like it.

I am going to try a little harder to update this blog more regularly, and it will probably push me to explore more craft projects as well. Happy New Year!

Spurs and Scarves

I realize that it is a little early for Christmas talk, but this year I really want to plan ahead and give some nice knitted items as gifts this year. It seems like every year I intend to make something nice but I wait until it is too late to get anything done in time. I am making a nice scarf for the boyfriend and am almost done. It is difficult to find a scarf pattern that is cozy and manly enough for my boyfriend's tastes, but the blog Cotton and Cloud had a great pattern that was free.

It is a little bit challenging of a stitch, but not bad once you get the hang of it. I was a little frustrated at first because the yarn she used has been discontinued, but I used Shepherd's Wool from Stonehedge Fiber Mill (color: Berries) and it is quite soft and beautiful.

I learned a new way to cast on (tubular cast on) and I really like it. I will probably use this more often when I am doing pieces with ribbing.

In other news, I finally went to the doctor yesterday to figure out why my right heel has been hurting so much lately. It turns out I have a bone spur that is pushing into the tendon, and I may have to have surgery to get it removed. That means I would have to wear a full leg cast for at least 6 weeks. Ughh! This also makes my job search a little more difficult, since most places do not need someone in a full leg cast to work for them. I won't know anything for sure until Tuesday, but until then I have brainstormed a list of jobs in which spurs would be useful:

Cowgirl

Basketball player and/or Cheerleader (but only for this team, of course)

A professional sheep rider (tempting, I know)

Or, Wonderwoman (where does one acquire a Lasso of Truth?)

Either way, I am sure things will get figured out, and if I get surgery soon, I could have a sweet mummy costume for Halloween :)

Jcrew Inspiration

The weather has finally started to show hints of cooling off, and I am excited. Fall is my favorite season not only for the changing leaves and the perfect weather, but also for the great outfits I get to wear. I love layering and knits, and this is the perfect time for them. During a recent shopping trip, I found a gorgeous fisherman's sweater at Jcrew. Unfortunately, it did not fit my body or my budget, so it was time for a backup plan: I will make one myself. I found a pattern on knitty.com that was pretty similar to the Jcrew sweater, but will fit better and be more cost-effective to make (depending on the yarn I choose). I think I will make it in purple, and I am still eyeing a skirt at Jcrew to go with it.

Here is the original sweater:

Here is the sweater pattern that I found:

I might make it a little longer than the pattern calls for, but I would say it is pretty close. Hopefully I can get it done quickly so I get a chance to wear it :)

And, how great would it look with this skirt: