FO: Dad's Hat

Hi,
Here is a pretty old FO that I forgot to blog about.  Here it is!

Sorry, I don't really have much to blog about, but I will give you an update on my design.

Design Update: I changed the name to Cranberry because it seemed to fit the design.  Sweet winter didn't really relate to my creation.  It's a cowl.

- Emily

Goodies

Hi,

Okay, so I'm super duper excited right now.  Why?  Because I will be receiving

this...

and this...



and one of these...


oh, and don't forget this!


For Christmas!

What kinds of things are you expecting/hoping you'll get for Christmas (or other holidays)?  Lemme know in the comments!

Sweet Winter WIP Update: I got the pattern stitch down, and it looks very sweet and wintery.  I love the yarn choice and color, it reminds me of holly berries!  It looks very darling so far and I can't wait to share it with you.

Happy Knitting,

- Emily

Emma's Saroyan

Hi,
Things have been a little crazy around here.  Christmas is right around the corner, and I still have a fairly long to-do list of things to knit!  Luckily, I started to knit another present, and here it is!

The pattern is called Saroyan, and it's a lovely triangle-ish scarf with a pretty leaf lace edge.  I'm making one for my friend in NJ, Emma, and I will also make one for my friend Erin, too.  

Here's a close up of the "leaf" edge. (It hasn't been blocked yet)

Another close up for you.

Emma's Saroyan Scarf!!

Oh, and I'm also designing something!  I can't tell you too much about it, but it will be called "Sweet Winter".  Try to figure out what that means, post in the comments telling me what you think it will be!

~ Emily

WIP: My First Sock

Hi,
I've been busily working on my very first sock, and it looks nice, quirky, and mismatchy so far.  For this project I'm trying to use up my scrap yarn, so the socks aren't going to match perfectly because they are knit of different colored scraps skeins.

Here's some pictures of my WIP: My First Sock.

I think it's turning out quite nice.  The pattern was well written, and easier than I thought.  Socks aren't as hard as they look!

The yarn I'm using is from my scrap box, and it's all Caron Simply Soft.  I had to change colors because I ran out of the blueish teal color. 

 I'm started to finish off the toe part.  Wish me luck!

I've changed up the blog as you may have noticed, and I'm still experimenting with new looks.

Happy Knitting,

Emily

Sometime soon...

Hi,

I have a "Sometime soon" post for you today!

Sometime Soon...

• I will release a FREE pattern!  Who doesn't love free patterns?  If all goes well and smoothly then the pattern will probably available this month!

• There will be a GIVEAWAY!  Yarn, hand knits, and other random things.  Estimated time: sometime in January

• My Birthday!  On December 17th I will be turning 13.  Sniff, I will miss being 12.

Stay tuned for these events (except my b-day, that's not really important)! ;)

~ Emily

Unofficial Sock-a-Long

Hi,
Guess what?!  I'm knitting socks!  The pattern I'm using is called Easy Peasy Socks for First-Timers by Stacey Trock.  It was the captivating title that caught my attention.  When I saw this pattern on Ravelry my thoughts were, "Hey, easy peasy socks for first-timers, why not?"  So here I am, knitting socks!

I finished the heel flap for my first sock, and after I finish writing this post I'm going to turn the heel.  Since I'm trying to get rid of my "cheapo" yarn and replace it with "yummy" yarn, I chose to use a 1/2 skein of Caron Simply Soft Solids.  I always remind myself of my goals (which you can see on the 13 in 2013 page in this blog) whenever I pick up my needles and yarn.

Here's a picture of the sock (not mine, the designer's) to the right.

If you would like to participate in this "Unofficial Sock-a-Long" please just post in the comments and download the pattern... for free! :)  This Sock-a-Long is very unofficial and unorganized so yeah...









Sorry for the kind of short post, have a wonderful day!

~ Emily

A Totoro for Two

Hi,
So, I started this project during the summer and I've finally found the dedication to finish it!  This project was going to be for myself, but I know two very special people that will appreciate and love it more.  Now presenting... Totoro!

Yes, it's crochet, and I just finished it up, besides the nose.  I still need to fire up the glue gun and cut out a little piece of black felt and place it on Totoro's face.  He looks cute even without a nose!

I haven't crochet in a really long time so it was kind of awkward handling the crochet hook.  When I was chaining for the arm, I actually started doing a long-tail cast on, like I would for knitting!  Eeep!  Maybe I should practice my crocheting skills every once and a while, so I don't forget.

I made this Totoro originally for myself, but there are two other people who I think would cherish it longer then I will: My cousins, Millie and Cora.  They are 5 years old and 7 years old.  How cute!

Oh!  And the Design it! December challenge has begun!  I've been playing around with different techniques lately, and I'm planning on designing a crochet toy.  I can't hint too much about it, but I will tell you that it is a bird.  ;)  Stay tuned for more hints!

Well, I better start my math homework!  My math teacher decided that the class "wasn't behaving" so he gave us a lot of HW.  :P

~ Emily

A Yarnful Life

Hi,
Okay so I've run into a pretty big problem... there is another blog with the name "Twist Knits".  I found this while trying to search twistknits.blogspot.com , but instead I wrote twistKNIT.blogspot.com .  Even though the URL isn't specifically Twist Knits, the actual title of the blog is called Twist Knits.  That is a problem for me and my designs if I wish to expand my blog to a wider audience.

It took a while to come up with a good name for my blog, and there will probably be a bit of shifting and moving around.  My mom actually came up with the name A Yarnful Life.  Isn't it clever?  Well, it was way better then MY ideas (The Turquoise Knitter, Dreaming in Yarn, Knitbits, ect.)  I was quite sad to give up Twist Knits, but I guess it's better to have a name that is unique then to have one that is very similar to other blogs.

Anyways, the blog has changed whether you like it or not, so I'm sorry for those of you who like Twist Knits better.

Back to business!  I just picked up a "kind of new" hobby!  Over the weekend I rummaged through my closet and brought out my chain mail rings and beads.  It really is quite awesome what one 12 year old girl can make just out of a few rings from the craft store and a handful of beads.  Here's my first stitch markers!
Cool huh?  I love the maroon one, it turned out the best of the three.  What do you think?  Which one is your favorite?  Write me a comment!

I also went to Twisted, a yarn shop in Portland, Oregon.  It's by far my favorite shop, and it has such a wide variety of yarns to choose from!  Sadly, I was on a budget ($30) because I'm trying to put myself on a "yarn diet".  A goal for this year is to use up all my cheapo yarn and replace it with nice, good quality fiber.  Here's what I bought at Twisted!

This one to the left is a skein of Berroco Vintage DK.  The color looks really funny in this picture because I couldn't get the lighting right.  It's actually a deep blueish green color, which I love!  It's pretty soft, but nothing super amazing.

This one here is a super soft and super wonderful skein of malabrigo worsted!  I love it so much and I cannot wait to knit it.  This is my first skein of malabrigo and I love petting it.  My brother actually tried to use it as a pillow last night!  Luckily I caught him before he could do any real "damage"!  Love love love!



Did you guys like the TOKland Interview?  It was a lot of fun to come up with the questions, message Stephanie, and get the great and interesting answers.  Let me know if you liked the interview in the comments!

~ Happy Knitting,
Emily

♥ A TOKland Interview ♥

Hi Everyone!
Today we will be joined by Stephanie Dosen, the designer of the adorable and magical Tiny Owl Knits patterns!  Thanks for joining us today!

When did you learn to knit and how long have you been knitting?
I learned to knit lots of times before it really stuck!  Several times as a little girl I tried, but I was much better at crochet, so I mostly did that.  I didn't really begin to knit until I began working at a knitting store as a crochet teacher.  Most of the customers had knitting questions, so I had to learn pretty fast.

Describe your perfect knitting setting.  What is it like?

I am in a cabin or a lodge with huge windows in front of a fireplace in the mountains of colorado.  I'm on a huge comfy couch with tons of pillows.  There is a coffee maker right next to me, and a little white kitty on my lap. (She's not playing with the yarn, she's just sleeping and having a dream.)  There are candles lit and christmas lights everywhere.  The woodsmoke smells like Yuletide, and sweet music is playing.  A few good friends are there, too, and we are all working on projects that NO ONE is stuck on!  We know the patterns by heart and knit and chat into the evening.  (AND I'm working with cashmere.)

How did you come up with the idea for Tiny Owl Knits?  What inspired the name for it?

It was really a progression.  When I worked at the knitting store I used to come up with sweet little projects and share them.  It helped sell the yarn, so the shop owners were really gracious about letting me take yarn home for free so I could experiment.  (Which I was so thankful for because I never could have afforded all of the yarn I wanted to design with!)  

Then I started a blog in 2004 and titled it "Tiny Owl Knits" because I had a feathery which owl on my bookshelf and he seemed to be peering down at me all the time.  The style is basically an extension of 

what I'm into at the moment.  It could really change at any time!

What is your favorite yarn?  Why?

I'm sort of a fiber junkie so I can't even answer that question!  :D

Which one of your Tiny Owl Knits designs are you most proud of?

I'm proud of the beekeeper's quilt because it is hundreds of tiny little pieces that make up one whole.  Just like drops of water make up the ocean.  It seems like you are doing nothing by knitting one little hexipuff, but then before long they spread out into a quilt.  I love the way it has brought so many people together and how I get letters still all the time about how it has inspired people to start knitting again!  I really can't ask for anything more than that from a project.

Any words of advice for beginning/aspiring designers and knitters?

Be exactly who you are, and design and knit exactly what you want.  Work as much as you can and be positive.  Don't ever give up and the universe will give way for success.  If you are a beginner knitter, don't get down on yourself and be afraid to experiment.  The worst thing that could possibly happen is you have to rip back and knit again, and that's not so terrible, because after all, you get to KNIT more!! :D

Tinyowlknits. wordpress.com (blog)

My First Hexipuffs & Yummy Yarn

Hi,
I'm been hexipuffing for a bit and I wanted to show you my first batch (no cookies involved) of hexipuffs.  Let me tell you, they're not gorgeous, or perfect, or adorable; okay, maybe a little bit adorable.  Some of these are a little lopsided, twisty, and look kind of like some sort of concoction but don't worry, I will improve over time (hopefully).

Here they are altogether!  The three on the left side of the picture are already connected.  I wasn't sure how to sew them together so I experimented and found a way that looks nice.  Whenever I finished a hexipuff I would go around to my family members saying. "I made another one!!  Isn't it adorable??"

The yarn I'm using is called Felici Finger Self Striping Sock Yarn in Tiki.  I love the colors but sometimes look a bit muddy.  I also found some "mystery" sock yarn in my stash (greenish and purplish) and tried to make a hexipuff out of it.  It looks super ugly and I won't be knitting with it again.

I also have some YARN to share with you.......

Here is one skein of Crazy Mill End.  It's really colorful and and bright.  The colors don't really go together but I like the yarn anyways.  I love the blend: llama, wool, and alpaca!! Oooh!

Here is some wonderific Cascade 220 Eco Duo.  I love, love, LOVE the colors, and when you knit it up it looks gradient, SO COOL!!  This yarn is very soft, a like to stroke and pet it (that sounds weird).  I was making a scarf out of this but I frogged it.

What are your favorite yarns?  Leave a comment below this notebook entry and let me know!  Have a wonderful rest of your day!

Happy Knitting,
Emily