Oma's Winter Bonnet

Well, I have had a couple false starts with the Ravellenic Games, but I am making some progress on some projects that are unrelated.  This project does not count for the Games as I started it prior.  I am test knitting another Raveler's pattern.  The story is so sweet, as this is actually her Oma's pattern.  Her Oma has Alzheimer's and so she wrote down a lot of notes to remind her how to make the bonnet.  The current designer decided to take those notes and turn it into a bonafide pattern.  The pattern is not yet released.  I believe this is the "designer's" first attempt at writing a pattern, so there were a lot of questions that had to be asked before it was perfectly clear.  Nothing an intermediate and beyond knitter would need to ask, but a beginner who has just finished a couple projects including a hat might get tripped up over some of the details that were missing.  The pattern is written in 4 different sizes:  baby, toddler/child, small adult/teen, and adult woman.

I decided to test the "teen" size and love how it's coming out.  I have tried it on, and, alas, it fits, but is snug.  There goes my dreams of wearing this around my non-existent garden pretending to be a farm girl... And just to clarify, it's my fault for choosing the wrong size, not the pattern's fault.  I typically would choose a 20" hat to get some negative ease for a beanie.  I should have realized that a bonnet is not the same as a beanie.

I'll update with links once the pattern is ready.  :o)  Happy knitting and/or watching the Olympics!

Opening Ceremonies

I spent the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games at the Knitting Nest.  They are doing a KAL for the Color Affection Shawl for the Ravellenic Games.  There was a nice potluck dinner with TONS of delicious food.  I brought the drinks, so no pics of that.  Otherwise, I'd totally be toting my baking prowess.  ;o)  I got to meet some people from around the neighborhood.  I have heard from many of the knitters around town that there are three main LYS in Austin proper, and so I'm trying to get myself acquainted with them all.  :o)

My boyfriend won a doorprize.  He won a beautiful skein of Socks that Rock Mediumweight in the colorway:  Fire on the Mountain.  Oh, and a pattern too!  My made-one-garter-stitch-scarf-ever boyfriend.  The pattern has some cables on it.  He'd better get to learning how to purl and cable fast!!  ;o)

I did not cast on my Ravellenic Games project tonight because I couldn't print my pattern.  So, I worked on a coaster.  I'm using various fingering weight yarns in various colors.  Mine aren't quite as adorable as the designer's, but I still quite like them.  I'll get pics up when I have more done up.  Planning on casting on tomorrow for my Ravellenic project.  Can't wait!!

Ravelry - Going Out with Friends

Outfit 1:  I'd wear an outfit like this out to dinner with friends or on a date with my boyfriend.  I can see this outfit being worn clubbing also, with a little more dramatic make-up.  If I had found it, I would have accented using silver jewelry instead of gold, but the crocheted earrings and bracelet was too cute as a reference to Rav that I couldn't help it!

Outfit 2:  Boho chic with a cute headband accessorizing this outfit.  It's hard to see, but a ball of yarn with needles charm is clipped into the latticework on the dress.  Very discreet craftiness that makes this outfit super fun.  I would love wearing this to the farmer's market, going shopping, or to the movies!

Outfit 3:  While I like the look of this outfit, it's not one I would personally wear.  I think if I did wear it, I'd take it out to lunches with co-workers on non-work days or maybe pair it with a large brimmed sun hat and wear it to have tea outside!  This one was the most subtle of all the outfits, and so I chose earrings that are molded to look like a miniature knitted piece.  Super adorable!

Again, I am still playing around with this site, and this time tried to make my own collage.  I hope to find a good style that suits me, but I have not do any sort of visual graphics, really... so this is a work in progress.  I just hope you enjoy them for now as I work through the kinks!

Ravelry - Going out with friends by norichan featuring a tank dress

Rebecca Minkoff boho dress / LnA tank dress / Skunkfunk dress / Valentino peep toe shoes, $665 / Minnetonka fringe sandals / Steve Madden ankle wrap sandals / Shoulder bag, $660 / Colorblock handbag / Tiffany & Co. clutch handbag / Post earrings / Crochet jewelry / Crochet jewelry / Mimco fine sterling silver jewelry, $15 / Diesel sunglasses / Deepa Gurnani beaded hair accessory, $62

A Nod to Ravelry

This is the first of a set of outfits that I decided to try making based off of my favorite website:  Ravelry! Today's outfit is a casual outfit.

Those of you familiar with Ravelry and their color scheme will quickly recognize the use of colors with the shirt and pants.  You may even understand the nod to the Ravellenic Games with the bag (and that style bag being a great and simple project bag!)... I decided to tie it all together with comfy flats that are crocheted to complete the casual image painted here today.

For those of you not familiar with Ravelry, if you don't play with yarn or fiber in any way, I suppose this is just a fun casual outfit to enjoy then!  If you do play with yarn or fiber, please take a look at Ravelry for a whole new world of information and social networking with people who share your hobby!  :o)

Just so everyone knows, this is my first polyvore experiment, so I tried one of their templates.  I plan on working on it more, but really wanted to get started and see how it worked in the first place.  So, sorry for the "Weekend Getaway" that I could not alter.  But, hey, it kinda works.  Ravellenic Games start this weekend!  Good luck with all your projects crafty folks!!

A Nod to Ravelry by norichan featuring toms flats

Sleeveless top / Skinny fit jeans, $85 / TOMS flat, $70 / Radley shopper handbag, $14

Polyvore/Fashion Posts

Note:  this post is kinda boring.  Sorry!  This is sorta a "heads up" for a few of my future posts, and some disclosure that I wanted to make.

I have been seeing a lot of use of Polyvore lately on other blogs.  Namely:  b for bel and Console to Closet.  (Both blogs that I commonly frequent, love!)  I decided to try it out and inspired by b for bel's social media inspired fashion, I went with a nod to my favorite website:  Ravelry.

I have mixed feelings about using polyvore versus other methods, but for this non-web/graphic design oriented girl, it is much easier to use than finding images, cutting and pasting them into a program like Photoshop, then being sure to link to all of the sites to ensure I give credit to all.  I hope to be able to eventually do some of that sort of thing, but until then, I decided to go ahead and go with the easier option.

One of the reasons I have hesitations is because these are fashion pieces that are not modeled or if they are modeled are displayed with true models wearing them, not real people.  The other is that designer wear can certainly be expensive, and I would love to do outfits that are reasonably priced.  These are the two biggest reasons that I plan to also do other types of fashion posts.  For every "theme" I do, I will include a "modeled" post.  My "Ravelry Theme" is going to be my inspiration for the rest of this week.  So, I plan on finding clothes in my own wardrobe and show you how Ravelry can be interpreted in real life also.  The last thing that I hope to do is a "Thrift Store/Bargain Store" post every once in awhile.  These posts will try to help those of you on a budget figure out how to be inspired if you don't have the right clothes in your closet right this second!

And for sake of full clarification, the links are for me to feel that I am crediting the correct person for anything I may find.  This is my personal blog, not a blog for profit in any way.  So, whether they be links to purchase something (like the polyvore links for the clothes and accessories) or links to other people's websites for patterns, other blogs, etc... I have no personal affiliation with them, unless I say otherwise.  My intent is to explore new crafts, introduce people to things they may not have seen before, and share things that I find interesting with you.  I hope that you do enjoy these things, because I can't wait to create more themed outfits, "show off" my knitting/spinning/crochet projects, and share cool new things!  Thanks for making to the end of this looong post!  :o)

Chrysanthemum Baby Headband (For Adults too!)

Tested this beautiful headband for someone on Ravelry.  I think it came out super cute!  Took the pics while moving, so not the greatest, so there's your warning.  At least the headband looks amazing!  I think it works great in variegated, but also in solids.  I chose to not use decorations, but it'd look super adorable with a flower or other decorative piece as she has it demonstrated on her page.

YES!  Another project completed!!  Now, to make some headway into this sweater I'm testing and this shawl I had hoped would be designed by now and ready for testing.  Hmmm... unpacking sure does eat into your time, doesn't it?  Well, better get back to it then!!  

Day 2

Day two started out a little later than we originally expected.  I guess we really should have expected to have been that tired, but it still surprised both of us.  Also, MAN those black out curtains with sound reduction they have at motels really work well, don't they??  I could not tell what time it was at all when we were rudely awoken by a phone alarm.  I guess if you don't check out by 9:30am, this place gives you a ring to make sure you're awake?  No one answered the phone when I groggily picked it up, so that's what I assume, at least.

 Call me weird, but I had never seen a real water tower until I moved to Georgia (about 8 months ago).  And then out here, they are apparently not only shaped differently, but have school mascots painted on them!!  I've seen more of them for different mascots all over!  I have asked B so many times what they are, and every time he looks, blinks, and says "a water tower..."  I guess I've asked a lot.

 Yay, the end is near!!!  Driving with a purpose is tiiiiring!!

 Yes, we have to go up steps to get to our place.  I don't mind now.  I did then.  >.<  Up and down the stairs with so many boxes.

Our front door!  Yay, Bomb, we're home!!