Hey Friends,
So in addition to last week being a crazy week of tech, some unforeseen circumstances kept me from finishing Knitting & Crochet Blog Week.
I had that crazy morning of running downtown to get an Illinois driver's license so I can get a firearms card (needed for work).
And then Friday night I made my first trip to the ER...and Friday was first preview too, so that was fun.
And lastly, today was spent calling EVERY FAMILY PRACTICE IN THE CHICAGO-LAND AREA trying to find someone to take my insurance and see me for a follow up. And then getting a new prescription filled. And now I have to go to the laundromat to wash EVERYTHING I OWN (for reals) before my new mattress comes on Thursday morning.
Good news is I'm ok. Majorly uncomfortable, but ok. I either had a small scratch on my forearm that got bacteria in it, or some sort of bug bite that caused an infection under my skin--cellulitis--and then it started snaking up my arm--lymphangitis. The ER gave me a round of IV antibiotics and then sent me home with the rest in pill form. And the doctor today said it looked to be getting better, and he gave me a prescription for the itchy-burny-ness of it. So that's all good. And I'm going back on Friday to have blood drawn to do a comparison from the blood the ER drew to confirm that I'm healing.
So, as I said. Dramatic Week.
Hopefully when things settle, I can catch up on those blog posts, because I love the prompts I missed!
Showing posts with label 2kcbw. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2kcbw. Show all posts
Monday, April 4, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Second Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week: Day 4
Day Four: 31st March. Where are they now?
Whatever happened to your __________?
Write about the fate of a past knitting project. Whether it be something that you crocheted or knitted for yourself or to give to another person. An item that lives with you or something which you sent off to charity.
This is gonna be a quick one because I'm headed off to tech/first preview...
This one's easy! Last fall, I knitted my mom a headband with some BEAUTIFUL Malabrigo. And then for Christmas...a pair of handwarmers with the rest of the yarn. And I KNOW she wears them, because whenever she comes to Chicago, she brings them with her and wears them! Hooray! And these are special because they were at the beginning of my Yarn Phase 2 (phase 1 being just garter stitching for months, phase 2 being when I finally learned to purl, and phase 3 being crochet), and one of the first things I made with the purl stitch in them.
Whatever happened to your __________?
Write about the fate of a past knitting project. Whether it be something that you crocheted or knitted for yourself or to give to another person. An item that lives with you or something which you sent off to charity.
This one's easy! Last fall, I knitted my mom a headband with some BEAUTIFUL Malabrigo. And then for Christmas...a pair of handwarmers with the rest of the yarn. And I KNOW she wears them, because whenever she comes to Chicago, she brings them with her and wears them! Hooray! And these are special because they were at the beginning of my Yarn Phase 2 (phase 1 being just garter stitching for months, phase 2 being when I finally learned to purl, and phase 3 being crochet), and one of the first things I made with the purl stitch in them.
 |
| Me modeling said headband. |
 |
| mitts! |
 |
| Momma with her headband in the Grand/State Red Line station! |
Second Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week: Day 5
Day Five: 1st April. And now for something completely different
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Second Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week: Day 2
Whoa. A long day of tech. The other floor manager and I did a taste test between Samoas, Caramel DeLites, and Coconut Dreams (Keebler) on our dinner break. A photo recap to come soon.
Day Two: 29th March. Skill + 1UP
Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year. Have you learned any new skills or forms of knitting/crochet (can you crochet cable stitches now where you didn’t even know such things existed last year? Have you recently put a foot in the tiled world of entrelac? Had you even picked up a pair of needles or crochet hook this time last year?
This is an easy one for me. I learned to crochet this year. I learned to knit over Thanksgiving 2009, and I was pretty much a simple knitter (square things in garter stitch) until this summer. In summer 2010, I learned to make a diamond with my garter stitching, and my roommate and I made tons of them for a baby blanket. Then, in September 2010, I FINALLY learned to purl. WHOA!
But the most important thing I learned? Crochet. I had wanted to learn how to crochet from the beginning, but my roommate taught me to knit because that's what she knew, and it was free.
My Grandma Deeter was a champion crocheter. She crocheted my coming home from the hospital sweater, booties, and blanket (I asked my mom why there was no pants...she said I wore a diaper, and that was all the answer I got). She made hundreds of afghans over the years for my parents and I, and her other two kids & their families. Rumor has it that before she lost her ability to crochet b/c of arthritis, and before she died, she made a baby blanket for each of her grandchildren's first born. When I learned this for the first time, damn straight I cried. Honestly, some of my most cherished items in life come from my Grandma Deeter.
I spent summers and holidays at my my Grandma and Grandpa Deeter's house as a kid. She tried teaching me to crochet a couple of times, but all I had to show for my effort was a super long chain. Let me tell you, I kept those chains of yarn for YEARS.
So, sometime in November I found out that Allyson from The Sweatshop of Love was teaching a free crochet workshop at one of the libraries really close to me. I JUMPED at the chance to go, got myself out of bed EARLY on a Saturday morning, and headed to the library. It was wonderful. Allyson is so unbelievably talented and PATIENT. She was able to juggle a big table full of first time crocheters, and I came out of the class feeling like it had been a one on one session. AND she emailed extremely detailed notes out to us to boot!
In the class that day, I started making a black beanie for backstage. Let me tell you: it gets COLD backstage at a lot of theatres, and I didn't own a black hat (we wear all black) to keep me warm. So making a black hat was at the VERY TOP of my yarn-to-do-list. Priority number one. And today? Today I got to wear it for the first time for its INTENDED PURPOSE. I mean, yes, I wore it all winter outside in the snow. But today? Today I got to wear it to keep my head warm backstage in the freezing dark.
Now, I consider myself an avid crocheter. Sometime later this year, I plan to try making my first sweater. And last week, I opened up an Etsy Shop -- deeter's yarnings.
To relate this post to today? I spent my down time backstage (which, let me tell you during tech [and ESPECIALLY during THIS tech], there's a lot of it) today crocheting up some cute little Easter Bunnies & Chickies for both my shop and for a personal order from my Aunt/Godmother for her granddaughters.
Day Two: 29th March. Skill + 1UP
Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year. Have you learned any new skills or forms of knitting/crochet (can you crochet cable stitches now where you didn’t even know such things existed last year? Have you recently put a foot in the tiled world of entrelac? Had you even picked up a pair of needles or crochet hook this time last year?
This is an easy one for me. I learned to crochet this year. I learned to knit over Thanksgiving 2009, and I was pretty much a simple knitter (square things in garter stitch) until this summer. In summer 2010, I learned to make a diamond with my garter stitching, and my roommate and I made tons of them for a baby blanket. Then, in September 2010, I FINALLY learned to purl. WHOA!
But the most important thing I learned? Crochet. I had wanted to learn how to crochet from the beginning, but my roommate taught me to knit because that's what she knew, and it was free.
My Grandma Deeter was a champion crocheter. She crocheted my coming home from the hospital sweater, booties, and blanket (I asked my mom why there was no pants...she said I wore a diaper, and that was all the answer I got). She made hundreds of afghans over the years for my parents and I, and her other two kids & their families. Rumor has it that before she lost her ability to crochet b/c of arthritis, and before she died, she made a baby blanket for each of her grandchildren's first born. When I learned this for the first time, damn straight I cried. Honestly, some of my most cherished items in life come from my Grandma Deeter.
I spent summers and holidays at my my Grandma and Grandpa Deeter's house as a kid. She tried teaching me to crochet a couple of times, but all I had to show for my effort was a super long chain. Let me tell you, I kept those chains of yarn for YEARS.
So, sometime in November I found out that Allyson from The Sweatshop of Love was teaching a free crochet workshop at one of the libraries really close to me. I JUMPED at the chance to go, got myself out of bed EARLY on a Saturday morning, and headed to the library. It was wonderful. Allyson is so unbelievably talented and PATIENT. She was able to juggle a big table full of first time crocheters, and I came out of the class feeling like it had been a one on one session. AND she emailed extremely detailed notes out to us to boot!
In the class that day, I started making a black beanie for backstage. Let me tell you: it gets COLD backstage at a lot of theatres, and I didn't own a black hat (we wear all black) to keep me warm. So making a black hat was at the VERY TOP of my yarn-to-do-list. Priority number one. And today? Today I got to wear it for the first time for its INTENDED PURPOSE. I mean, yes, I wore it all winter outside in the snow. But today? Today I got to wear it to keep my head warm backstage in the freezing dark.
Now, I consider myself an avid crocheter. Sometime later this year, I plan to try making my first sweater. And last week, I opened up an Etsy Shop -- deeter's yarnings.
To relate this post to today? I spent my down time backstage (which, let me tell you during tech [and ESPECIALLY during THIS tech], there's a lot of it) today crocheting up some cute little Easter Bunnies & Chickies for both my shop and for a personal order from my Aunt/Godmother for her granddaughters.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Second Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week: Day 1
So I read about this over on The Sweatshop of Love's Blog -- Allyson, the knitter/blogger who runs said Sweatshop -- is the wonderful, talented lady who taught me to crochet! I took a free workshop she was offering at one of the libraries here, and I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for her class! And she's a brilliant designer/knitter & wonderful/hilarious writer!
I will say that I begin tech tomorrow for my next show at VG, so if I don't get my posts in on time, that's why. But I do plan on responding to all of them!
So, without further ado: The Second Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week!
Day One: 28th March. A Tale of Two Yarns.
Part of any fibre enthusiast’s hobby is an appreciation of yarn. Choose two yarns that you have either used, are in your stash or which you yearn after and capture what it is you love or loathe about them.
Well. Where to start. Honestly, picking yarn is ALL ABOUT the way it feels to me. I literally walk around yarn stores touching every possible skein or hank. I'm a very tactile person to begin with, so for me to use a yarn, even if it's for a project for someone else, it has to be super soft. If I come across the prettiest, most perfect yarn ever and it's rough & scratchy? Nope. No way. Sorry, but it's not going to happen.
That being said, there are some yarns I turn to time and again. Berocco's yarns are some of my favorite. They're pretty decently priced for quality and how much you get in a skein, and they're soft! Some are softer than others, but in general, they're all pretty great. Berocco does a lot of yarn blending -- currently I'm making a cowl for my BRAND NEW ETSY SHOP using their Vintage yarn, which is 50% acrylic, 40% wool, and 10% nylon. It's machine washable, and is still amazingly soft once it's washed!
I also love Lily's Sugar n Cream yarn. I loveLOVElove making wash cloths with this 100% cotton yarn. Some of it is softer than others while you're working with it, but once it's washed, it's all soft and feels so good on your face! I'm making tons of wash cloths for my Etsy shop & for a friend of mine in Indy who is selling them in her home & garden store! Oh yeah, and it's super cheap!
Yarn number last for this post, is Plymouth Yarn Company's Baby Alpaca Grande. This is the softest of the soft & coziest of the cozy in my opinion. And it's chunky. Who doesn't love a good, chunky yarn. Two down sides? It has to be hand washed. And it smells kind of funny when it's up by your face (I've made a cowl & a neck warmer out of it). Oh yeah, and it's kinda pricey. But generally worth it if for 1 or 2 skein projects.
Well, there you have it! See you tomorrow for day 2!
I will say that I begin tech tomorrow for my next show at VG, so if I don't get my posts in on time, that's why. But I do plan on responding to all of them!
So, without further ado: The Second Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week!
Day One: 28th March. A Tale of Two Yarns.
Part of any fibre enthusiast’s hobby is an appreciation of yarn. Choose two yarns that you have either used, are in your stash or which you yearn after and capture what it is you love or loathe about them.
Well. Where to start. Honestly, picking yarn is ALL ABOUT the way it feels to me. I literally walk around yarn stores touching every possible skein or hank. I'm a very tactile person to begin with, so for me to use a yarn, even if it's for a project for someone else, it has to be super soft. If I come across the prettiest, most perfect yarn ever and it's rough & scratchy? Nope. No way. Sorry, but it's not going to happen.
That being said, there are some yarns I turn to time and again. Berocco's yarns are some of my favorite. They're pretty decently priced for quality and how much you get in a skein, and they're soft! Some are softer than others, but in general, they're all pretty great. Berocco does a lot of yarn blending -- currently I'm making a cowl for my BRAND NEW ETSY SHOP using their Vintage yarn, which is 50% acrylic, 40% wool, and 10% nylon. It's machine washable, and is still amazingly soft once it's washed!
I also love Lily's Sugar n Cream yarn. I loveLOVElove making wash cloths with this 100% cotton yarn. Some of it is softer than others while you're working with it, but once it's washed, it's all soft and feels so good on your face! I'm making tons of wash cloths for my Etsy shop & for a friend of mine in Indy who is selling them in her home & garden store! Oh yeah, and it's super cheap!
Yarn number last for this post, is Plymouth Yarn Company's Baby Alpaca Grande. This is the softest of the soft & coziest of the cozy in my opinion. And it's chunky. Who doesn't love a good, chunky yarn. Two down sides? It has to be hand washed. And it smells kind of funny when it's up by your face (I've made a cowl & a neck warmer out of it). Oh yeah, and it's kinda pricey. But generally worth it if for 1 or 2 skein projects.
Well, there you have it! See you tomorrow for day 2!
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