off-season

What have I been up to lately?





Hats, hats, and more hats.  These are all size 6-12 months. 

I know that winter is over and everyone (including me) has spring fever.  I've decided to dedicate more time this spring and summer to my winter inventory though, just because I felt like I was a little behind all winter, trying to keep up with demand and orders.  So, will I be working on dishcloths and flowered hairbands in December and January?  Only time will tell. 

it's so easy, being green*

Success!

I was able to turn my large supply of grocery sacks into:

• 1 medium-size ball of white with black & yellow trim (Macey's grocery store) 
• 1 medium-size ball of white with red trim (random no name bags, usually they say "Thank You" on them)
• 1 medium-size ball of white with blue trim (Wal-Mart)
• 1 medium size ball of white with dark green trim (Lee's Marketplace Grocery Store)
• 1 small ball of brown/tan with red trim (Smith's Grocery Store)

  Then I took those balls of yarn, and crocheted them into this messenger bag, using a "J" size hook, and a large bead for the closure. 

Obviously, I'm pleased with how it turned out.

(I mean, let's be honest.  If I wasn't pleased, it certainly wouldn't be posted here for anyone to see.)

As I was working, I decided that if the bag turned out at all, I'd put it up for sale in the etsy shop.  However, now that I'm finished, I've found that I'm quite fond of it.  So, I've decided to keep it for myself.  I think it will make an ideal farmer's market bag.  It's just the right size (since I tend to make just 1-2 purchases at the farmers market whenever I go, I don't need or want a giant bag), and having it makes me feel more environmentally conscious than I actually probably am.

In short, I'll feel like I fit in better with the Farmer's Market crowd if I have this baby over my shoulder.  What's not to like about that? 





*Actually, truth be told, it wasn't that easy. By the time you consider all the effort that it took to make the plarn, this bag probably took me as much time as 5-6 hats, a full scarf, or several headbands. But, it's all good.

Plarn

I'm over-run with plastic grocery bags. Now, before you get after me, telling me that I'm not doing my part to save our planet, let me say that I do own cloth grocery bags, and I use them regularly.  However, I often make quick drop-in/spur-of-the-moment trips to the store, and on those trips I don't generally have my cloth bags with me.  So, I've been saving my plastic guys (I use them for liners for the bedroom and bathroom trash cans around my house--probably like most of you), and I've reached the point where I've got too many to deal with.

It's definitely time to make some plarn.

I did a little research to find some plarn-making techniques. For future reference, and for any of you who are looking for the same, I've posted the links that I've found to be the most helpful:

Instructions from My Recycled Bags

How to make Plarn and Crochet an Eco-Friendly Tote Bag from Etsy.com

 

(I think these instructions are my favorite )

Here's a video that's pretty good too:

Finished!

Remember the Newsboy Cap I was working on?

It's done!



To be honest, as I started work on this, I wasn't all that confident that the colors would work together very well.  Looking at it now though, I think it's kind of fun.  It's not a color combination that you see every day, and I think that's what I like most about it.

Incidentally, getting this picture was harder than you might have imagined.  It was a very windy day, and my Styrofoam head kept falling over and rolling away.  Pretty frustrating, but somehow I managed to get a few shots in between gusts.   (Here are a pair of out-takes, just to prove my point.)

Feel better about your own photography skills?

(Yeah, I thought so.)

Newsboy Update

Well, I got all my brown Newsboys done, and I talked my sister into modeling one for me earlier this month.  The pictures turned out really great, in my opinion.  I just love the way Becca's hair and coloring and warm smile combine with the cap and the evergreen tree behind her to make a setting that is just so much fun.

Here, I'll show you what I mean:



On another note, I'm working on a red variegated newsboy cap for the same customer that ordered the red cap that I talked about in this post.  I found some Peaches & Creme yarn that I liked, and since I'd heard that Pisgah was going out of business, I went ahead and ordered a whole bunch of my favorite Peaches & Creme colors, along with some of the variegated red for the cap.  When the order arrived, there was a note with the information that Pisgah had been acquired by Spinrite, and that Spinrite was in the process of analyzing what products would continue to stay in the Pisgah line.  Then it referred me to the Lily's Sugar and Cream website to look at the offerings there.  I'm just wondering if any of you have heard definitively one way or the other whether or not the Peaches & Creme cotton balls and cones are going to be continued.  The thing is, as far as the quality of yarn, I haven't noticed a whole lot of difference between the Peaches & Creme and the Sugar and Cream offerings.  BUT, I like the color selections in the Peaches & Creme much more. 

Anyone heard anything? 









I'm linking to:

a gorgeous etsy treasury

I'm just tickled pink to have one of my scarves featured among all this beauty.  Wow! 

(Check out that Embroidery Hoop Art with the Stacked Houses!  Isn't that amazing?)

 

'~ whisper of eternity ~' by Ki3m

760x100 banner logo f... simplydoodles $6.00	Handmade Chunky Scarf i... salutationscro... $43.00	Three Soda and Wood Fir... khphillips $91.00	Sheets 8 X 10 inch Sign... gildinglilies $20.00
Decorative Damask Throw... DelindaBoutiqu... $19.00	Stacked Houses - Origin... saysthetree $50.00	dreamy song sparrow, a ... ORphotography $23.00	Upcycled Chunky Frames ... cottagehomedec... $25.00
Softly - 8x12 Fine Art ... Lori411 $27.00	Single Freshwater Pearl... LexiandGem $26.00	Brooch Felted white ros... Baymut $24.00	Set of 20 - Butterfly -... MamaTita $30.00
Coconut Craze Olive Oil... dennisanderson $5.50	Custom Monograms FineEmbroidery $30.00	Berry Bowl - Linen - La... vesselsandware... $56.00	Japan Relief Efforts - ... HoneysHive $15.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

and as long as we're talking about flowers . . .

Check out this post at Skip to my Lou.  CindyLou has found ten great (FREE) tutorials/patterns for beautiful crocheted flowers.  From peonies to poinsettias, she's got it all listed and linked.  What a gift!

Picture from rosehip.com, which is where you can find the pattern for these dainty treats.

Thanks to CindyLou, and thanks to my cousin Tasha, who clued me in to the post in the first place!