Pattern Tester Needed

I finished the Butterfly Kisses scarf and I need a pattern tester.  If you are interested, please email me at  cayscrafts@gmail.com.  I found this scarf fun to make but a little challenging to assemble.  But once I got the hang of it, I think it worked up nicely.

 

Better and Better

I am so excited!  Several month ago, I designed a baby ghan that I donated to Project Linus.  Very simple pattern but it makes a real cushy blankie.  Anyway, I talked to Alice, my local PL coordinator, about submitting the pattern to Project Linus.  She got the info for me, and I sent it in to them a couple of months ago.  About a week ago I heard from them and they accepted the pattern.  And, today it is posted on their site!  Baby Bobbles Afghan  So very exciting for me.  I hope everyone who gives it a go donates one to Project Linus.
For more info on them, go here: http://www.projectlinus.org

Fun, Fun, Fun

Friday I went to PYA with Peter so I could show Bente my newest creations and talk to her about the washable wool that I want.  We found one wool that is perfect, but it comes in 50 g balls.  So many ends!  Bente is going to contact the manufacturer and see if that is the only option.  She says sometimes it is available on cones, but they do not advertise that little fact.  We shall see!
And, I sold a felted messenger bag that I had there on consignment.  Yea!
I showed her the Pinwheels scarf and she set it aside for display as soon as the pattern is tested. No pressure, Diane!   I also showed her the beginning of Butterfly Kisses made from sock yarn that she personally dyed.  She handed me a ball of Noro sock yarn and said, can you make a scarf with various size flowers out of this.  Oh, yea! 
I also turned in 2 baby ghans and a lapghan for consignment.  Then I sat myself down and joined the Fiber Artists Friday group and worked some more on Butterfly Kisses.  Before the evening was over, we had a surprise trunk show from a local spinner and dyer.  So much yummy yarn and not enuf money.  There was one alpaca there that I really wanted.  Maybe next time.
Here are a couple of pics of the baby ghans and the newest scarf, for your entertainment.

UFOs

Recently I have been very good at starting projects but not finishing for one reason or another.  So, I have decided to post them all as WIPs on Ravelry.  Maybe that will shame me into finishing these.

I have an 3 color afghan that has gotten too big to carry around.

A mam that needed more green and I bought the wrong one.

 Squares that I work on in my spare time.

A Teddy-ghan that needed more pink than I had.  Thanks, Laurie.  I think I can finish this one now.

Another ghan from squares in cotton-need more yarn

A diagonal box stitch ( I actually did not know what was in this tub).

And, this does not include the WIW bags and in a tub in the garage.  I have no idea how many are there, patiently waiting their turn to come in the house.

Patience

This is a lesson that I am still trying to learn!  It has never been one of my strong suits, and right now it is being tested to the max.  I have this fab idea in my head that I want to do.  I have sketched, done some very rough estimates on the yarn yardage and it is a lot.  Probably between 3 and 4 thousand yds of sport wt or maybe light DK wt yarn.  That is a lot of yarn!  But it is a substantial piece.  And I really want to do it.  But right this minute, that is cost prohibitive. But I can see it in my minds eye and I want to wear it!  On top of that, I took pics of my latest project this morning, went to transfer to my computer, and the %$^^%$ batteries are dead.  So now waiting for them to recharge.  Patience, my child, patience.

So, to entertain myself a couple of evenings ago, I was flipping thru one of my Harmony guides and found some really cool motif patterns.  I have never been real fond of motifs cuz you have to attach them somehow to each other to make anything.  But a couple just kept drawing me back.  So, I picked one and some really pretty wool fingering wt yarn that was gifted to me by a good friend and gave it a go.  I was right.  Attaching them to each other was the challenge.  I tried sl st, sc, a faux braid and none of them gave the right look.  Amazingly, the old stand-by, whipstitch, was just what this needed.  The yarn I used made all the color variations seen in the scarf  I think it turned out very pretty.  Anyone want to test the pattern?

So, now I am playing with the other motif that was calling my name.  I am also crocheting it in a beautiful hand dyed wool sock yarn gifted to me by the same friend.  It has a different contruction than the first, so I am actually able to attach them in the crochet process, kind of a join as you go. Not sure where this is taking me yet, but it sure is a fun ride!

PYA
My new fav place to buy yarn is Piedmont Yarn and Apparel in Oakland.  It is on Piedmont Ave, which is a cute street and has just about anything you want there.  I saw a used bookstore, my other fav place to spend money, but have not had a chance to stop in there, yet.  There is also a Fentons Ice Cream Parlor, which I understand is sinful. Cute clothing stores, antiques, etc.  You can spend the entire day and not see it all.  And so many restaurants that making a choice is very hard.
Anyway, I digress.
Peter Franzi teaches classes at PYA and we had our guild meeting there last month.  The owner, Bente, helped me find a coordinating yarn to go with the Musette from China, so I can crochet "MY" Musette Vest. Also picked up the yarn for our one skein challenge.   I went week before last to the Crochet Circle on Tues.  Saw more yarn that I wanted, always, but need to wait.
But, Bente is on the search for yarn for my next project.  I really want it coned, sport weight, washable wool, in a red tweed.  I mean, if you are going to dream, get what you want!  I am sure there will be compromises in what I actually get because so far her search has not met all the criteria.  So, they may have to change some.
One of the reasons for wanting coned yarn is the size of the project.  I am guessing it will take approx 3,000 yds of yarn, but I am not sure that will be enuf.  So, on cones, better yardage, fewer ends to tie in, and usually most cost effective.  We will see.
Piedmont Yarn takes finished items on consignment, and I have several things there.  They sell original patterns designed by their customers.  Mine will be there soon, and Peter already has a portfolio in the store.  They offer lessons in knit, crochet, spinning, maybe others. They have a nice clean store with such a variety of yarns. Prices are quite reasonable, compared to other LYS I have visited.  So, if you are in the area, take a trip to the store.  I am sure you will not be disappointed.

Temptation!

Three weeks into the non-smoking, and I'm dying here! The last 3 or 4 days have been pure, unadulterated hell. Usually, the urge to have a cigarette will pass in just a few minutes, if I get myself busy. But the last couple of days, it has not been that easy. Even eating or crocheting isn't helping. But, I have gone this far, and I will not give in. The nicotine should be out of my system by now, so am not sure why the urge is so strong. I should be down to just breaking the cycles that are left over from years of having a cig in the car, after meals, etc.   I AM HEALTHIER AND WEALTHIER WITHOUT CIGARETTES!

Women's Health Awareness Month

Most folks think of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month but there are other diseases out there that use October to bring awareness to their situations, also.  I think it is wonderful that enough people have gotten on the wagon and promote breast cancer awareness, but let us not forget the ladies suffering from other, just as debilitating diseases.  The one closest to my heart is the Lupus Foundation (link in the right column, just below the Breast Cancer site).  No one knows what causes lupus, it cannot be cured and ruins the lives of countless numbers.  It is diagnosed only by eliminating many other things.  This is a process that can take years.  The meds to help control it can cause organ damage.  But, uncontrolled, it will eventual lead to organ failure and death.
So, please, add a purple ribbon to your pink ribbon this month to help increase awareness of Lupus.