Stash Dash 2016

I have finished my first project for Stash Dash 2016! I'm not sure which category I will be able to best utilize, so I have made a ticker tracker for each--by the end, I will make sure I know which group to post in. For now, I will just update this post with my numbers. YAY! I'm excited to finally get through this knitting debt!

3K


5K


7K


10K


15K

Bombshell: And Sew It Begins

Sewing. I am trying to expand my horizons and learn new skills! Last summer, my mom purchased a Bernina 817 for me at a yard sale. It cost her THREE FREEKING DOLLARS. Yeah--you read that right--$3. That is unheard of! So I took it to the shop for a tune up, and $75 later, I have an excellent sewing machine that will probably outlive me. I love it. My first project was a denim quilt--this machine is a WORKHORSE! It goes through 4 layers of denim plus 2 layers of quilting fabric like NOTHING. 

Anyway, enough bragging. For now, anyway. After my blanket, I spent some time making knitting bags, which I am quite proud of! They are completely reversible and can hold 2 balls of yarn easily. 

I pieced together a tankini and a bikini top because the tankini didn't quite cover enough skin to make me feel comfortable in public... The suit fit me perfectly everywhere EXCEPT where it REALLY counts. I love that top, but I wanted a suit with more of a support system and that fit me even better. 

I decided to make another tankini! So I did my research, bought a couple of bikini tops on sale from Victoria's Secret, and went in search of a tutorial of the perfect suit. I have had the bikini tops for a few weeks now and I have been looking since before I ordered them for the perfect match. 

These are the two I ended up picking. I really like them! I bought some black fabric to go with the teal suit, and if it works well enough, I will probably make a white bodice for the paisley suit! (Keep your fingers crossed!!) 

I surfed the internet for hours upon hours searching for the perfect tankini pattern. I didn't find one. So I went to the draft store, looked through the catalogs, and saw a disappointingly small number of swimsuit patterns. Ugh. And the ones that were cute would have cost me an arm and a leg. I finally stumbled upon the Bombshell Swimsuit pattern AND see along (which is PERFECT because I am fairly new to this whole sewing thing) and I fell in love. This way, I won't have to worry about a swim bottom! It comes included with the suit! 

I bought the pattern, read through it, read the blog, then researched all the projects I could (I still have a few to read--there are so many good tips out there!!) I went and printed the pattern at the copy shop yesterday, washed my fabric, and today I embarked on the making of the suit. 

I decided on the "B View". I didn't cut out the bodice pieces or the straps, because I already have one ready made! 

I am lengthening the lining about an inch. You like my paper weights? I love the rotary cutter. But can I just tell you that cutting this fabric is SO not fun?! It is stretchy and amazing, but wow. That just makes it more difficult to cut! I can't IMAGINE what it is going to be like to sew it...don't tell me. I might cry. Especially if I am going to have to rip any seams...(KNOCK ON WOOD PLEASE!!!!!)

I finally got all the pieces cut out. They are looking excellent. I am so excited to start sewing the basting stitches!

But now it is bedtime. It will have to wait. I feel like I have made some excellent progress today!! 

I love learning new things. SO much. Especially when they look like they are turning out decent. 

Aaaaand...I'm back!

Wow. I am sorry it has been so long! I am SO bad at blogging this year!

I will show you what I have been doing while NOT blogging! 

1. I went so Seattle for the first time, went to so many AMAZING yarn shops, bought a new spindle, roving, and spun the yarn for this glorious new shawl! I love it!

 2. I decided to join a KAL for the Afternoon Tea Shawl on Knitty.com. I added a hood and a clasp to this brilliant red shawl and now it has 112 favorites on Ravelry! (THANKS to everyone who have made such nice comments!) I also entered it in the Utah State Fair and received a blue ribbon! I recommend this pattern. It is awesome. Easy. and looks excellent!

 3. I finished a red sweater. It is made from Madelinetosh Prairie in Tart. Oh. My. Gosh. This yarn is SO BEAUTIFUL! Doesn't it look like the sweater is glowing? Because it is. The yarn is just...I don't know. SO worth the Big Bucks I had to fork out to acquire it. I started knitting this in June or July, took a small break, then just finished it this month. I used size US 5 needles (which is why it probably took so long) and Prairie IS laceweight, so it is super lightweight and totally awesome for layering. I love this sweater.

 4. I have finished my first SUCCESSFUL pair of socks. They are so soft. So warm (even though they are lacy). They are my favorite!

 5. My sister had a baby! Her name is Lydia. She was born 30 June, and she is SO adorable! I knitted her a blessing dress, and added pearly beads around the yolk. She looked so cute and I am so glad to FINALLY become an aunt! I was able to babysit her for a week while her mommy worked and her grandma was out of town meeting Lydia's new cousin. I do love her sweet face! 

These are not ALL the things I have knitted this year, but they are my favorites! 

On another note, I have decided to add some actual knitted things to my Etsy Shop. My Owl Cowl Knitting Pattern has proven to be my most popular pattern for sale, so I have decided to sell already-made cowls in my shop. I have 6 colorways:

Brown Owl, Grey Owl, Smokey Owl, Tawny Owl, Snowy Owl, and Black Owl.

As of today, I have three of the cowls finished and in the Etsy Shop. I hope to be able to sell these cute scarves! (And not get sick of knitting them!) I will put photos of each owl cowl when I have all 6 colors knitted up.

Thanks for reading! I will hopefully have another update soon! I ordered something exciting that will get here in about three weeks. (I will probably feature this exciting new purchase with a photo shoot!) It is kind of a big deal. (!!!)

Spring!

Spring is definitely here! I am so excited. I love seeing everything wake up from the deep winter slumber. The days start getting longer, grass starts getting a little greener, trees start budding flowers, and the tulips start coming up from the dirt. The daffodils beat the tulips to the punch this year in my yard--photos for proof!

Daffodils

Tulip Leaves

I LOVE SPRING. It's just going to keep getting more and more beautiful from now on! (At least until after fall--which is the MOST beautiful.)

Dog Grooming

I don't know why I never thought to put this up here, but it is another thing that I love to do. I groom dogs! This post is mostly to be informative, but if your dog needs a haircut, call me!

I have been grooming dogs for several years. I started when I was about 12 years old, grooming my American Cocker Spaniel, Lady. She died, and I now groom my current American Cocker Spaniel, Jinnybee (pictured above). I have a couple of regular clients with Poodles and Schnauzers. I have groomed Shih Tzus and other breeds as well. I am confident that I will be able to groom any dog breed if I am given the chance!

I am gentle with these animals and try to make them feel as comfortable as possible while they are being groomed. One grooming session includes a bath, nail clipping, clipping the fur, and brushing the fur of the dog. If the brushing takes longer than an hour, the owner of the dog will be notified. If this happens, the dog will usually need to be completely shaved.

If you are near Bountiful, Utah and need your pet groomed, please send me a message with details about your pet and I will give an estimate on the cost to you.

Thank you for considering my services!

--Lindsay

Precious.

My cousin, Patricia, had a beautiful little girl today! (So naturally, I had to get some last minute knitting done...)

I have been knitting a blanket for the baby ever since I found out Trish was having a girl. I had dyed the yarn (Berroco Vintage in light yellow originally, now colored pink) several months previous with food coloring. The pattern is Ann Norling's Baby Blocks pattern that I first learned about after I read "The Shop on Blossom Street" by Debbie Macomber. (Pretty good read--clean--you might like it, I don't know. I'm pretty easy to please.) Anyway, the pattern looked simple enough that it could be done while watching movies and other things, but keeps the brain working enough to stay awake with the basketweave pattern.

I finished the knitting this morning, weaved in the ends, took pictures, and washed the blanket. It looks so cute! I love it--hopefully it will keep Baby Nicole warm.

Welcome to the world, Nicole!

New Pattern Up For Sale!!

Just a short blurb about the Tamara Hat Pattern--It is now available for download ($4.50) as of TODAY!

Buy Now!

This pattern comes with detailed instructions for either a beanie type of hat or a slouchy type.

ENJOY!!

Tamara Hat

I think it's time to post a couple more pictures. I just finished writing a new pattern, I'm calling it Tamara. I love it.

Sometimes pictures are worth WAY more than words...

I just love knitting! And I love showing it off. So here are some things I have finished and worked on since last time.

The List...Again

I'm knitting through my list like a madwoman! I am so excited to give these things away! (My absolute favorite part is when I see these people I love wearing the things I love to make.) It makes it all worth the time and hand cramps I get when I work on my "speed-knitting" skills. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this season because of the need to GIVE. It just makes me feel so good inside.

Here are some of my in-progress works:

These are the Ringwood Gloves, pre-dyed. They are now purple! (See below.)

Ringwood Gloves, dyed purple!

This is going to be a triangular scarf, it is the Baktus pattern. Super easy and amazingly cushy, simple, and just...ahhh. Relief.

Duffers, curled around my ping shoes! ADORABLE. I will felt them with all the other slippers I'm making! I modified the pattern to knit these in the round, and SEAMLESS!!! YAY. Much better, I say!

Gray Duffers. Love them!

I guess now I can do a pattern review for the Ringwood Gloves, Duffers, and Baktus (even though I'm not completely done with that one!)

Ringwood Gloves:

Really good pattern. I've made 3 pairs now, and they all look GREAT. The pattern is very easy to follow. I would recommend knitting them! I will probably knit this pattern AGAIN even! I used sock yarn all three times, twice using Sensations Kashmira, once with Knit Picks Gloss. I believe the needle size was a 3. Possibly a 4, but I think a 3. This pattern would be really good for a knitter with a couple of other projects under his/her belt--I wouldn't use this for a first project. Still, it is awesome!

Duffers:

These slippers are SO CUTE. I love the pattern. It's FREE, it's easy, and it's FREE. I don't particularly love seaming (it's just one more tedious step after all the knitting is done!) so I decided to make a seamless version because of it. I think I like my version better--it stretches a little more (or maybe I was just more relaxed--I don't know.) For the yellow slippers, I used a figure 8 cast on, which worked WONDERFULLY! I would definitely recommend using a really long circular needle (magic loop). It makes everything go smoother (in my opinion).

Baktus Scarf:

I can already tell that this is going to be an amazing scarf! I am so excited to get it done, wrapped, and given away! I purchased a yarn scale from Knit Picks, which is an EXCELLENT investment. Probably one of the best purchases I've made all year!

Anyway--I think that is enough talk--now for a little action! Happy Knitting!

Little Balls of Yarn

I have decided to add some new items to my Etsy Shop. I wanted some earrings that would express myself a little bit, and decided to make a pair. They were so fun to make that I just had to make more! I have their titles and a link to the store below each picture.

Cotton Candy

Deep Marine

Goldenrod

Amethyst

Aqua

If you would like a pair, they are $6.50 (Free shipping to the US!)