Off to a good start

Piano Scarf
Originally uploaded by imafundork

Last year, I had a lot of goals set for myself. I started off doing really well in the beginning of the year, but lost steam fairly quickly. I've set pretty much the same goals, but in addition to them I think that if I blog about my progress it will help me stay on track.

My goals for this year are:

*Write two blog posts per week (Friday Fill In and another)
*Complete at least 52 craft projects from stash (hopefully a pair of socks and a shower curtain will make it on the finished list!)
*Do not buy any yarn until after Easter (I stopped buying yarn sometime in October- so this is roughly six months)
*After April, I can only buy one skein for every two that I knit (But I'll gladly accept gifts of yarn!)
*No purchasing fabric, unless I've sewn an equivalent amount
*Only participate in swaps that will help me to destash, not add to it!
*Destash other areas of my condo, so that my mother will get me new flooring!
*Read at least 25 books
*Save enough money to visit Tara in Honduras with Kate sometime in the fall!

Reading 25 books shouldn't be a problem. I know I read close to 50 last year, but I lost track sometime in late Spring/early Summer.

Saving money should be easier this year, because one of my major loans is almost paid off and I make tips at my new job. I better start brushing up on my Spanish!

The crafty goals are going to be the hardest, because I think I like buying craft supplies as much as using them! I completed 52 craft projects within the first few months of last year. However, most of them were with new materials. So far this year, I have completed two stash craft projects. I knit myself the Lavender Lace Beanie from the 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book in a nice slate gray color. I still need to get a picture of it. Today, I sewed this piano scarf as a belated Christmas present for my brother-in-law, Jay. It's the first sewn scarf I've made and I have to tell you, sewing a scarf is A LOT faster than knitting one! ;)

Introducing Roslyn

Pretty Girl
Originally uploaded by imafundork

I have been enamored with Blythe dolls for quite awhile now, but never seem to have the money to purchase one. Those who know me, know that I am horrible at saving money and shop on impulse frequently. My lust for Blythe grew so strongly that a couple of months ago, I decided that I would begin saving for her. It also helped that I worked one day a week at the Marina during October. The marina staff make tips...all of my tip money went into the Blythe jar! After countless hours of research, I decided I wanted Urban Cowgirl Blythe as my first. She'll be released at the end of this month. Of course my impatience got the best of me and I went ahead an ordered an ADG Aztec Arrival instead. She was considerably more reasonably priced than Urban Cowgirl and I had just enough saved to get her.

So that is the backstory and now I introduced to you, Roslyn. Isn't she beautiful?! Roslyn also has her own set over at Flickr.

I knit her hat and dress. Both the hat and dress were free patterns and are on Ravelry as well. I do believe an entire knit wardobe is in her future and maybe she'll even inspire me to put my sewing machine to work again.

Roslyn is named for my late grandmother, Rosalinda. In my research of names I discovered that Roslin means "Red Haired" and Roslyn is Spanish derived and means "Beautiful; pretty rose". It's perfect and a lovely way to honor my Nana.

I'm hoping Roslyn will give me the push I need to update my blog more frequently as well as to learn how to take amazing photographs!

MYB Round 11

I totally forgot to post pictures of what the lovely Kimberly sent me in the Magic Yarn Ball swap.
She sent two MYBs complete with two patterns. One for an Owl Dishcloth that I have already made and the other is for a Hermione Cabled Hat. I still need to purchase circular needles for the hat and I keep forgetting.



Full of all sorts of goodies, including the best gummy bears I have ever had (and they're vegetarian!) and the tiniest turtle that has become a friend for Goldie.







Goldie is only about 4 inches tall and the turtle is about the size of a quarter! I can't even imagine crocheting something that small! It's has gotten me somewhat obsessed with tiny things lately though. I think Goldie is going to need a proper home soon to house her new playthings!

DRT Update

It's been awhile since I've written. I am so bad about keeping this updated. Oh well.

Anyway, Dish Rag Tag is in full swing and my team is rockin'! We've been tied for second place with about half of the other teams pretty much since the beginning. BUT we just stolen the lead! Woohoo! Three more people need to get the box before it heads home to Emily, but I'm feeling more and more confident about it now! Our fearless leader, Amanda, has been incredible. My first DRT experience has been great thus far.

My one hesitation is that I'm going to hold up the team somehow as I have yet to receive the box. Enough with the negative and back to the positive...

Needling Ninjas are wickedly awesome and stealthy!!! And I'm happy to be one!

Needling Ninjas

Ninja_Knitter
Originally uploaded by imafundork

Dish Rag Tag is getting ready to begin. My team decided to call ourselves, "Needling Ninjas". Our team captain, Amanda, had her husband design this logo for us. How fun is that?!

I'm feeling really good about this and think we have a great team. We have a good mix of veteran taggers and some newbies. As it stands now, I'll be second to last in the relay. I do believe that it's a lesson in patience.

Team #2 is going to be #1 in the end!

Son of a Dish Rag Tag

My partner in the MYB Round 11 Swap, Kimberly, tweeted about something called Dish Rag Tag a few weeks ago. I had no idea what it was, but decided to investigate. It's a swap/race organized by Emily of Yarn Miracle. There are twenty teams that set out to knit dish rags and pass them along relay race style. It sounded like a lot of fun, so of course I signed up! This is the third year Emily has organized the race. Teams were assigned on Wednesday and I am on Team #2. I have my yarn and box already. I also have an idea of what I'm going to make for the extra treat to send to the person I tag. This will be my first non-Craftster swap other than the traveling scarf swap I organized with my girls from college. Which reminds me, I need to post pictures and share about that...

First Pair of Fingerless Mitts

First Pair of Fingerless Mitts
Originally uploaded by imafundork

I participated in the Craftster Magic Yarn Ball Round 10 Swap back in March. My partner sent me this yarn and a pattern for crochet fingerless mittens. Apparently, she overlooked the fact that I said I had tried to learn to crochet, but never could grasp it. So anyway, the yarn has been sitting here for months waiting to be turned into something fun. Since my partner had intended for the yarn to become fingerless mitts, I felt it was only right to knit them. I had never used DPNs before, but found a pattern that seemed really simple so I gave it a shot. I think they turned out well. The yarn really isn't to my taste so they will probably be a gift for someone.
Despite MYB 10 being rather disapointing, I decided to give it another chance. This time around I'm the organizer so I got to choose my partner for Round 11! About a week and a half left until send outs and I'll post pics of what I send and receive then.

Stalking her prey.

Going in for the kill.
Originally uploaded by imafundork

I bought "Wendy Knits" by Wendy D. Johnson this morning at Border's. In the book, Wendy has a pattern for a very simple catnip mouse. I decided to make it this afternoon with some random acrylic yarn I had in my stash. Mischa wasn't too sure what to think about the mouse, but Brody was all over it!

More pics here.

I learned how to cable knit!

Since learning how to knit five years ago, I've wanted to learn how to do cables. I always thought it was going to be difficult so I've stuck with basic stitches. Over the New Year's holiday, I was talking to Tara about it because she was working on a cabled scarf. She told me it really wasn't that hard once you got the hang of it and knew how to hold your cable needle. After I got home, I purchased some cable needles and set out to find a beginner pattern. I found a pattern for dishcloths here.

I made one in Bernat Organic Cotton in Muslin. I made a few mistakes, but overall I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. It turned out to be much smaller than I anticipated. Instead of a dishcloth, it seems more like a baby washcloth to me. I was so excited with cables that I modified the pattern and made another washcloth in Bernat Organic Cotton in Cactus.