Happy Easter- Don't eat the Peeps 

Sock Monkey baby hat 

Boy beanie 

Happy Hooker- boy beanie

My first finished project from the SnB crochet book is the boy beanie. It is sort of a warm up for the sock monkey hat.
For some reason my pics aren't working so I'll have to post those some other time.
I haven't started the Sock monkey hat yet because I am working on a Winnie the Pooh crossstitch. I am very close to being done with the pooh bear part and then I'll get to move on to the border and then all of the outline stuff.

Crochet

This weekend I bought Debbie Stoller's new book Stitch and Bitch Crochet The Happy Hooker.
I've never crocheted more than a chain and so it is a little weird to try to figure out what the patterns are telling me to do. The abbreviations could be confusing. Like the one for double crochet(dc) makes me think I need to decrease.
My Gram Madora made many a granny square blankets but one of my favorite creations of hers was the set of three bears that she crocheted. I have to learn how to crochet so I can make cute bears too.
I think I am starting with the Sock Monkey hat. A couple of my friends are having baby boys this summer.

I have new items on my Etsy store. Carrie's Craft Fair

Stitch and Bitch

Ok so last weekend I went to an SnB. I have to admit that this was the first SnB I had ever been to despite always looking at the SnB meetings around town. It was fun. I think I came in at the end of the "bitch" portion but I started another pair of little kid mittens. I think it was the only thing that I could think of last week when I went.
But my friend said some nice things about me and my talent and stuff and basically I am thinking of starting a sweater or at least some sort of sweater tank top thing. I may not be ready for sleeves yet but I think I am ready to graduate to sweaters. It really is a big step though. I mean it took me a year and a half to make socks and what if I make a sweater and it takes me 5 years or something outragous like that.
But no really I am going to make a sweater.
And I am going to finish all of my other crafty projects like the Winnie the Pooh crossstitch projects I have to finish.

In other news my kitty may need to have lab tests done to see if something is wrong with him if he keeps getting sick. So keep your fingers crossed that he stops getting sick.

And Check out my Etsy Store Carrie's Craft Fair

Red Scarf project

My current project is Knitting a Red Scarf for The Orphan Foundation's Red Scarf Project Red Scarf Project

Here is a little something about it from their website
Earlier this fall, 2,500 college students without families across the nation received care packages assembled on Capitol Hill by members of Congress, their staff, volunteers and caring individuals who know the importance of feeling connected to others. On Valentine's Day, those same college students will receive care packages containing individually hand-knitted or crocheted red scarves. For young people without loving families and homes to serve as a practical lifeline, the scarves send a powerful message of hope.



I think they are collecting them at Einstein Bros. Bagels

I have also been busy working on stuff the sell at my Etsy store. Today I listed a super cute skirt.

Cute baby hat 

Stop and Go Mittens 

Carrie's craft fair

OK so in looking for a place to sell my needle cases and bags and stuff I stumbled upon something and I listed a few things.
It is really great cause it isn't an auction so it is listed until it sells and the fees are much cheaper than Ebay so we'll see.
So here's the link to Carrie's Craft Fair. Carrie's Craft Fair

Stash reduction the Christmas way. 

Reducing my fabric stash in a totally useful, creative and fun way. I am making stockings for local organizations that give them to people living with HIV and AIDS. My neighbor made 11 stockings to use up some of his fabric. I will be making some at a holiday stocking making party at work tonight so that should be fun.
I did see some of the ones that the people at work had already made and I was quite impressed with the museum quality stockings that were on display.
OK peace.
C

Take that consumerism

My Mom came to visit this weekend. On Friday we went to The Crafty Planet where my mom picked up a Knifty Knitter. It is this knitting loom in the shape of a circle and it is a great way to whip a a quick little hat.

On Saturday she was going to go to the Mall of America with the rest of the world but then she decided that she would rather just stay home and work on her hat on her Knifty Knitter.

It will be fun to see what hats she whips up for every one this Christmas.

OK peace

Finally finished socks 

stitching not knitting

After working on my sock the other day I realized how much I miss sitting down and knitting. During the summer I had copious amounts of free time and made the decision to use my free time to make tote bags, needle cases and crochet hook cases. So now when I have copious amounts of free time I sit down and work on that. My closet is getting full of knitting totes and all my projects sit unfinished.

knitting and TV

OK last night for the first time I mixed these two activities. Watching a movie and knitting. My socks are still not finished and so that is what I was working on I am fairly sure that if I can master this skill of knitting and watching TV that I will be able to finish some more of my projects. This may also not help at all because I really don't watch that much TV.
I may try it again on Wed. or perhaps I will bring my knitting to my condo association meeting.

cute kitty 

bags just listed

Hey all
I have a couple cute little purses listed on ebay. check them out. Carrie's bags

What I did on my summer vacation

In the tradition of the offical back to school writing assignment this is what I have been up to for the last week and a half.
Last Satuurday, Aug. 27 I drove to Iowa to meet my Mom because we were helping my brother move to New York. He had gone ahead to get an apartment before all the other students got back.
Upon arriving in Iowa I headed to Whitey's Ice Cream to get a Smurf ice cream cone, my childhood favorite. Then I went and had a visit with my Grandma Berry.
My Mom and I left on Sunday afternoon and drove late into the night and then woke up and drove into NYC the next day. We get there at about 4:30 and my mom drove like a pro in the city.
We checked out my brother's place which was on the 5th floor and then helped him move in. I'm glad I'm in shape, 5 floors is rough.
The next day we helped my brother register and participated in a lot of Welcome to College activities at Cooper Union. I didn't know anything about the school other then that it free. But I guess a lot of people have spoken there in the Great Hall including Abraham Lincoln.
That evening we went to go see March of the Penguins which was a really great movie. I'm glad we got to see it since we had all wanted to see it but none of us knew anyone else who would want to see it until we were talking about it and realized that we all really wanted to see it.
Then next day we went to breakfast with my cousin Katie before leaving NYC to head to Utica, NY. We saw my Aunts, Uncles and cousins. My Uncle Rick took my on a tour of the the Sturges factory where he is the President.
While we were visiting my Mom's childhood neighbor we walked over to look at the goldfish pond that is in the backyard of the house my mom grew up in. While we were there the current owner came out and invited us in to see the place and tell him what it was like when my mom grew up there. It was really exciting to see the rooms that I had heard my Mom talk about but had never seen. It was like walking into someone's childhood.
We got our half-moon cookies at Gingerbread Bake Shop and we ate them at the cemetary. Then we headed out to see my family on my dad's side of the family in Mt. Morris, NY. We had a great time seeing everyone. We went garage saling and to the farm market and for dinner we had fish fry at a place over in the next town. It was a great time. I was really excited to be eating something good and familiar because we ate some not so familiar food in NYC.
The next day we headed home to Iowa, making wonderful time getting there in 12 hours. In Iowa I was able to see my best friend from high school, Kerry. Kerry and I have been friends since 6th grade. Her friend Brandon came with us as well. We went to Maid-Rite because when you are from Iowa nothing says home like a loose meat sandwich.
Then for old times sake we went to see The Metrolites. Scott and Neal had been in our high school and college favorite The Kabalahs. Their klezmer polka evolved into "the hardest rocking lounge band". We table hopped until we got a table right up front. After awhile we decided to go back to Brandon's and play board games but since Kerry and I had a hankering for Candyland we had to go to Brandon's parents house to get the game.
I returned home yesterday and was back to work today.

2005 fringe pony 

Fringe shows

I have been absent from this blog that I keep because for the last 11 days I have been keeping a Minnesota Fringe blog keeping track of all the shows that I have been seeing. I should have brought my knitting to Fringeville last night gut the only thing that I have started and not finished currently is my sock and the spiderweb capelet but the capelet has a stitch pattern that I need to pay attention to. I am also afraid that knitting in public makes me unapproachable. I think that other crafters will come up and talk to me but non-crafters think that I am busy knitting and avoid talking to me.