Brownie Knits

Cooking Through the Kimchi Chronicles

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love to watch the Today show in the morning. Having it on in the background as I pick up the house, start the day, and work on pattern and projects keeps me in touch with a variety of topics. Late last year I saw a segment with the author of The Kimchi Chronicles. My hubby and I used to love our local Korean restaurant, but it closed several years ago. I was intrigued by the segment and book (and there is a tv series on PBS). We bought an ebook version of the book and decided to make one recipe from the book each week.

Off PK went to our Asian market. After LOTS of time in the store he found someone who could point him in the right direction and translate the labels. He came home with all the staples we would need and I have to say it was really cheap. Two bags of stuff for $25, and all of it would last us months and months for our recipes. Our first dish was the BBQ chicken with eggplant...amazing. I can't wait to try this one on the outside grill. I think it will just improve the taste. After that, I get a little fuzzy on the order. We have tried the fish pancakes, pork stir fry, and homemade kimchi. We haven't tried anything that we didn't love and many of the dishes have entered the regular rotation.

Then, we tried the seafood stew. YUMMY and BEAUTIFUL! The resulting broth of the soup was so yummy and great for your sinuses, too. If you are someone who likes Korean food or wants to try and be more adventurous, go out and get this book. If you don't have an Asian market near you, we have found ordering off of Amazon to be a great option.

Click here for link to Amazon

Review of Brava Worsted from Knit Picks

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love merino wool. I love soft wool. However, wool doesn't always love me. Sometimes, I end up turning to cotton or acrylics because of allergies and such. I know that some knitters/crocheters swear by wool. I just simply cannot because my body rejects it. So I'm always on the lookout for alternative yarns that will perform well and be SOFT. The recent launch of Knit Picks Brava got my attention because of the yardage, price, and colors. I read some online reviews that raved about how soft it is. I have a new design in my head that would require a lot of yardage, colors, and easy care. So, I put together an order and waited for the box to arrive.

The colors are so nice and vibrant! Each ball is 219 yards and it is SO soft. Retailing at $2.99 a ball, you really cannot beat the price. Often times I find acrylic to be like working, well, with plastic. Does this feel like wool, no. Am I happy to crochet with it? Yep. With the softness and machine wash and dry instructions it is a no brainer for baby, pet, home items, and gifts.

Stay tuned for the release of my new pattern in a few months!

Oh my...

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Kennedy has started standing on Riley's back. I caught her twice in the span of 20 hours. He just acts like it is nothing. I feel somewhat like I should make her stop, but I suppose if it bothered him he would move or at least give her an evil doggy look and growl. They do make for some pretty cute pictures!

Welcome Home, Little Plants!

2012-01-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we were out and about and decided to stop in our local nursery on our way home. It is in a very convenient location as it is at the start of the road to our house. They had a sign up advertising their house plant sale of 30 to 70% off. Excellent! After looking around for a bit and peppering the helpful staff with questions, I settled on these four new additions to our home.

Norfolk Pine...I wanted to get one of these after noticing my MIL and a friends. I also wanted a tall tree like plant for the corner of the plant room (commonly called Riley's room in our home as he loves to sleep in there). Isn't it pretty?

Aloe plant...reminds me of ones my mom, grandma, and great aunt had when I was a kid.

Hoya plant...This will probably be known in our house as Kennedy's plant. After I bragged on the blog that the dogs show zero interest in the plants, that little stinker went crazy sniffing this plant. It is listed on the ASPCA site as safe for dogs, so at least she picked a safe one to find intriguing. I love the curly nature of this plant.

Ming fern...Wispy and fun!

I also found out that the plant I couldn't identify earlier is a hypoestes. Mystery solved!!! I was told they are sometimes called the polka dot plant. The nice lady was also able to confirm I correctly identified all the other plants I have. I was all proud of myself! She gave me a quick air plant tutorial and I can't wait to put one of those together and a terrarium. Dropped a hint to PK that those would be great Valentine's gifts that are pretty cheap, too! We also picked up a few bulbs to try some paper whites. These are in the warmest and sunniest spot in PK's office to force them to bloom. Then they will be our kitchen table centerpiece.

What are your favorite house plants? I'm working on building a jungle!!!! But, it sure helps to pass the cold winter days...

Time for a Dog Blog

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Riley being super cute...

And these are dark, but J and E got the dogs Christmas gifts. They LOVE them and have been fighting over them constantly...just like kids...

Squiggle Hat Finds a Home

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Also in E's stocking was her squiggle hat. As I originally feared, it was snug, but I think she will get some use out of it over the next month or so. According to mommy, she got lots of compliments on a trip to IKea.

I just love her little nose and lips!

Hey Little Sister!

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Back in March I blogged about making the Little Sister Dress/Vest. It was one of the items in Miss E's stocking, so I finally get to share a picture of her modeling it. She is 9 months in this picture, so I was right on with the original post that said even though I used the 6 month instructions, I was a little off on gauge and thought it would be more like 9 months. I love that because it buttons at the top, it can be a dress for a bit and then worn as a top as she grows.

Don't you just love her fuzzy hair?!?

Pattern: Little Sister (free download in Ravelry); not my design

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Milled Wine

US Needle: 3

Size: Followed 6 month directions but it is more of a 9 to 12 month size

From the original post: I started this on a Tuesday at knit night and finished by lunch on Thursday. I was really tight on yarn, so I used my handy dandy yarn scale to measure of how much I had left. I figured it took 3 yards to knit one row and the bottom. In fingering weight yarn, 1 gram is 4.4 yards. So, as I worked I knew exactly how many rows I could squeak out. If you don't have a yarn scale, I highly suggest investing in one. Santa purchased mine from Knit Picks. It measures in both grams and ounces and has a conversion on the back to help you figure out the yardage per yarn weight. So nice to have!

When I first finished the Little Sister it was the same size as the Sock to Frock dress. Then, I blocked them both, and you can see how much longer the Sock dress grew in the skirt area due to the ribbing. I thought I'd include the layered picture to show how much of a difference blocking can make!

Back to the Little Sister pattern...this is a great concept because the little girl can wear it as a dress and then when they grow up a bit, wear it as a vest. I used some silk buttons from my button stash. They don't match perfectly in color, but I liked that because it added character and depth. I'm also on a mission to use some of these buttons I've collected so that I can buy more!!!

Giraffe for E

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

One of the major projects I worked on in 2011 was a giraffe for E as her main Christmas gift. I started this project in the summer and then worked on it here and there until November. It was a labor of love as I ended up making 18 pieces total. He turned out super cute and I'm really happy with how she looks and that E seems to like her.

Yarn: Plymouth Jeanne Worsted

Needles: US 5

Pattern: Itty Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson

Here she is with her new buddy. I only stuffed it with fiberfill so the giraffe is nice and soft and ready for hugs. I did use the straws for the horns as suggested in the pattern. I didn't really make any modifications except that I put some extra poms and dots on to balance out my particular giraffe. I know several other knitters who made this guy. One used a washable wool and one used a cotton. The yarn I used is a cotton/acrylic blend. I'm really happy that I went this route. The yarn is holding nicely and there is not a scratch factor. As you can see from the picture, this is not a tiny animal! I hope that E and whatever she decides to name her giraffe have many fun years together. I'm on to making some other toys from this great book. As with all of Susan's books, they are a must in my opinion!

CLEARANCE!!!

2012-01-13T10:44:00.000-05:00

We are having a BABY, IT IS COLD OUTSIDE Clearance sale at the Brownie Knits Etsy shop. Stop by and check out the select items on clearance. Some great deals are waiting for you!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BrownieKnits

One Final Christmas

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we had one final Christmas celebration, along with a birthday party for nephew J.

They boys had fun hanging out together. Lots of cousin love!

Patrick got Pete's name in the sibling drawing and we got him wine. I got a chuckle out of J helping to open that package. He lost interest after ripping off the paper!

J and E in their matching hats. E's was a little short (even though I made it 2 rows longer than the pattern instructed!). So, it came home with me to fix it up and mail it back. I can't wait to see some of Meg's pictures of them in their matching hats.

Total accident picture, but my fav of the day! A well-timed yawn looks like Pete is ready to eat E's head!

E in her squiggle hat. Pretty snug, but I think she'll be okay for the month of January at least.

E seemed to find her petticoat interesting. Can't wait to see the photo shoot of this one either. She also received a few knitted dresses I made last year and tons of clothes from Grandma and Grandpa. She is going to be one well-dressed little girl over the next few months. I don't know how mama will select which outfit each day.

Katie received a Colvin hat as one of her gifts. I secretly hope that the weather stays so nice and warm that she won't get to use it for a bit.

It was the year of the hat! Patrick in his stylish new cap from Katie.

These two snapshots were the pictures of the day. The Kanouse kids...

What a Slouch Hat Available on Knit Picks

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited that Knit Picks IDP has picked up my latest design. You can see the information and purchase the pattern download from the Knit Picks site here. It is knitted using Knit Picks Swish Worsted in three different colors. This is a fantastic machine washable yarn that knits up with great stitch definition, is soft to the touch, and NOT scratchy at all. I love to use it for kids items, blankets, and everyday items. It washes easily and doesn't pill or anything.

Gina's House of Plants

2012-01-08T06:00:00.002-05:00

One of my goals this year that I forgot to put in my 2012 list earlier is to set up a little indoor garden and keep the plants living and healthy! For the first time in my life, I really enjoyed my plants in 2011 and kept them green and healthy. This year I want to expand my garden. I also think it will help to brighten up the winter months that I dread so much. Off to Lowe's I went to hit up the clearance plant area from the leftover Christmas plant gifts. (I had heard about this online in a plant forum and boy are they right! I found several for $1 to $3 and a large planter for $5. When you don't know if you will kill the plant or not, it is nice not to have to invest much! I was a little worried that they might be ready to die plants, but they were all in great shape.)

The cast of characters includes:

Spider plant that from my MIL

Orchid

Purple Waffle

Christmas Cactus

Sago Palm

Bromeliad

Luseane Scheflerra

So far I have repotted them with some fertilizer, identified them all, and put them in their new locations. I have also learned that the Purple Waffle is a demanding little guy. He requires LOTs of water or else he starts to collapse and the little leaves feel paper thin. With watering they stiffen up and feel 5 times thicker to the touch. I also learned that the Sago Palm is poisonous to pets, so I have it away from them and will be sure to keep high from any children, too. This also led me down a path of researching what I want my next plants to be and where to put them so that we all stay safe. (I will say that my dogs show 0% interest in my living plants, but they sniff my fake floral arrangement in the half bath on a regular basis. So much so that we named it Riley's flowers. What is up with that?)

This pathos I got about 1 1/2 years ago and it is going nuts!

My bargain bin planter fits nicely in the wrought iron plant stand I found on my visit to my mom. It's like this planter was made for this window. It LOVES this location. Perked right up and has happily been growing along...I'm amazed at how much in just a week. It has a Dracaena (the tall one), but I'm not so sure about the other three. Anybody have suggestions? I was wondering if the light green one is an arrowhead plant and the dark green with a yellow center either a dieffenbachia, pothos, or hosta? I haven't found anything on the small green with white spots one. I'd love any help you all can offer as I learn my way through.

Along with my various spider plants, the house feels fresher and less like a dreary winter grey. I have a huge list of plants I want to try out so that when I am in a bargain bin and hunting around, I can pick from this list. What plants do you love?

My "Famous" Models

2012-01-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

My little dogs on the wall of the month at the vet's office.

Knitter's Holiday

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

We scaled back our gift giving a lot this year so that we could do home improvements and save some. But, I still got some fantastic knitter's gifts!

Signature Needles!!! It's okay to plan your projects around the needle size, right? :)

Some fun sheep stitch markers arrived in the stocking...

Yarn Ball Spinner from Kerri Shank's Etsy Store

Sheep in Ireland from Lastof9Designs Etsy shop run by my friend Mary. She has beautiful photography of all sorts if you are looking for artwork. (For those of you who read the blog regularly, this year was my year to search for the pickle ornament on the tree. This framed art was my reward. Pickle gifts are always remembered around our house as the special gift from that Christmas. Gotta start shopping/thinking about the pickle gift for next year as it is my turn to buy it.)

I also received some honey for my herbal tea and a KnitIdiot tea cup. You can imagine that in the days after Christmas I was curled up on the couch with my tea and some yarn and needles.

Christmas Day

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

After crashing on Christmas Eve from that day's celebrations, we got up early (but it wasn't yet bright)! We exchanged our gifts for each other and then rushed to get ready and on the road. We drove down to my brother's house and enjoyed some more yummy food prepared by my SIL. I felt both guilty and relieved that we weren't asked to bring anything. So nice of them to prepare everything. We all got some good laughs out of watching R play with his new toys and jibber jabber as a baby does. He has just started walking, so that was exciting to watch, too.

This picture was PERFET timing as he was walking by Patrick and randomly looked up and let out a scream of delight.

Aunt Gina got to play horses for a bit...

Woohoo!!!

A little blurry but cute all the same...

R really enjoyed Uncle Patrick on this visit. He would give him high fives and Patrick would talk to him in his language...blabber blabber...R would toss his head back and laugh like they had just shared the best joke ever. It was so adorable. Nicki, Matt, and I weren't in on the joke, but we found it funny just the same.

After leaving we swung by to leave some flowers for my grandma on her grave. I was happy to see how many others were at the church to remember their loved ones, too. We drove home and had grandma's dumplings to end off the day. (Well, on the way home I treated Patrick to all the twangy country music I could find on my iPod. We laughed ourselves silly singing "Friends in Low Places" and "The Gambler." I had NO idea PK could sing that low!)

It was such a nice holiday season and we get to do it all again in January to round out seeing the Magnussons. I'm thankful for the few weeks break to recover!

Christmas Eve

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

This year we spent Christmas Eve at my in laws house in Lafayette. We started the prep the day before as we were to bring the bread/rolls, cheese, and a desert I wanted to try out. Off to the cheese shop we went (before taking in a movie as a side trip). We got a few different ones to try and then your standards. The cranberry chipotle cheese was a surprise hit, and pretty, too. I made little flags with the names on them using some leftover Christmas address labels. PK made the yeast rolls and I set out on making the bottom of the pavlova.

I wanted to try a tradition from another country for Christmas and settled on this dish that New Zealanders have. To my surprise a high school friend's wife's family (following?) are from New Zealand and she shared her grandmother's recipe with me. Thrilled and scared I was going to mess up the dish, I bought everything and started by making the meringue bottom the night before so that it could cool in the oven that night without having to worry about the additional oven cooking the next morning. These pictures are pre-baking. I used a spring form pan to get the bottom round. After it baked, it had spread out much larger, but stayed round. It was a light brown and the outside was dry and crisp. The inside was like a marshmallow.

I sat the bottom aside and made that evening's meal of my grandmother's dumplings. (I made enough so that we could have them on Christmas evening as well.) After all that cooking was done I was exhausted and we hadn't hit Christmas Eve yet!!!! The dumplings were amazing and I found out Patrick had never had these before. He LOVED them and we decided that our little two-person holiday meal each year would be the dumplings.

I also made up the centerpiece for the next day's get together. I saw this on Pinterest and thought it was adorable. I hot glued the candy canes to the glass vase because the rubber band they suggested was unstable. It turned out festive and cute.

My BIL and his family were at Christmas Eve and we all had fun watching A open his gifts. Patrick was super excited to give him the gifts he picked out this year. Lots of super hero items and Star Wars!

This was a gift Patrick made A. He took family photos and some super hero sketches and converted them to outline drawings. We paired it with trace paper so that he can draw all of them.

Of course, in addition to the comic book stuff, he had to get a hat from Aunt Gina. (I did a simple 2 x 2 ribbed hat on a US 7 with worsted weight yarn. Decreased fast at the top for a gathered finish.)

That morning before leaving the house, I made homemade whipped cream and cut up the fruit. Right before we were ready for the pavlova, I put the whipped cream and fruit on top of the meringue bottom. Isn't it pretty? It tasted SO good. We were all talking about how you could make it for various events with different toppings. I think that it will be a request for Fourth of July with strawberries and blueberries. I also know that it will be part of our Christmas celebration in one way or another. (Patrick informed me that it would be a must for after our dumplings. :) It is my new favorite desert and PK wants it for his birthday cake. Yummy...

Goals for 2012

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Another year and more resolutions? As I started to look to this new year, I wondered just how well I did in 2011 with resolutions...I discovered that I didn't post any! Guess that means I hit them all, right? :)

For 2012 I would like to...

1. Enjoy life more...I want to make sure we have at least one new travel adventure this year. I love to see the world and you only have so many years to do it!

2. Read more. Read more. Read more.

3. Finish that damn Babette blanket that has been in the works for what like 4 years?

4. Continue knitting out of my stash to use what I have!

5. Yeah...work out, eat healthy, drop weight...

6. Knit more finished items for the Etsy store.

7. Knit more finished items for myself.

8. Get my pattern collection into electronic format on my iPad.

9. Get old photos scanned into electronic format so that I can use them in my electronic photo frame.

10. Watch all the knitting DVDs I have and LEARN something from them. :)

I'm sure there are a zillion other things I want to do, but it is a start! And if I actually finish 2012 with them done I'll be a better healthier person/knitter.

Reflections on a Year Gone By: 2011

2011-12-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's unbelievable that 2011 is done and gone. I remember in the 80s when 2011 sounded like some far fetched idea you would see as futuristic in the movies. In a flash it was here and, although there are a lot of advances, we weren't invaded by aliens or flying in our cars. So what will I remember from 2011?

1. We added Ella Bella to our family in April. She is such a precious little one and fits right into our hearts with Aidan, Jack, and Raleigh. I was both thrilled to have a little girl to spoil with pink and frill and terrified because I had become very used to being an aunt to boys and treasure them!

2. Probably the biggest change for me personally came just days before E's birth. I resigned my corporate job to take the plunge into staying at home and working on Brownie Knits full time. I also switched from teaching to making and designing. This was a tremendous change for me in so many different ways. I missed the interaction with my work friends a great deal, but didn't miss the going into the office and some of the down sides that go with it. I missed the extra cash, but I adjusted fast and learned to use up that stash I've been building for years. I miss (and still do) leaving the house more than on the weekends, but I'm concentrated on the fact that a potential move to Florida in the next two years would make that a lot easier. :) I LOVE being able to knit and crochet each and every day as much or as little as I want. I am forever grateful to Patrick for his love and support of my dream. (Picture was taken during one of my first days after resignation and I love that I look so relaxed already! It was like a weight was lifted and I had already managed to finish up writing the Ella sack pattern, which turned into my best-selling pattern.)

3. This time last year, PK was wrapping up writing a technical book. We went into it with pretty wide open eyes having working in the industry for over 30 years combined. Boy were we surprised when the thing took off like wild fire. It hit bestseller lists and I have a picture of it on the bestseller shelf between Stieg Larsson and Bethenny Frankel. PK went on to write a second edition midway through the year. I'm so super proud of him.

4. Because of all the other changes in our life, we didn't get to travel much this year, which is unusual for us--a definite negative that I hope to remedy in 2012. We did sneak in a trip to my dad's side of the family in September to Ashley's wedding. It was great to see everybody and enjoy the day.

5. A week prior to that trip, PK had to work in the Glenview office so I invited us to my SIL's house for a few days and then we went over to Chicago for a night. I think I will always remember this trip when I think of 2011. I had so much fun hanging out with Meg, playing with Jack, and cuddling with Ella. It was great fun when Pete and Patrick would get home and how will we ever forget the crayfish party!?! What a blast!

I'm sure I have forgotten so many special things to record here, but these were the 5 that jumped at me first. (Now as I add photos to this post, I'm remembering HUGE things I forgot to mention: Easter egg hunt with Jack, Bloomington visits with my brother/Raleigh/Nicki, a trip to the zoo with Raleigh, dinners with Aidan/Doug/Katie, walks with Katie in the spring, getting accepted to Knit Picks for 3 designs, Raleigh's 1st birthday party, Aidan's football game, lake with the gang, knitting days with the girls, and on and on...thank goodness for pictures!)

Sure, there are some "bad" things from the year, but who wants to live in the bad past!?! Not me...onto to 2012 we go with good thoughts of 2011 to spur us along.

Headbands/Neck Warmers

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

My SIL requested a headband that could be worn as a neck warmer that she saw on Pinterest. It was a free pattern so I pulled out some stash yarn and casted on one for myself to see if there was anything to change up for Meg's version. Nope. Didn't change a thing! I really like how they turned out. I wear mine more as a neck warmer, but if I were outside playing with kids I would be putting in over my ears to stay warm!

Here they are as they were drying after washing...The pattern is Center Row Lace Headband / Neck Warmer by Mary Shaw.

Meg's was made to match her mittens out of Berroco Vintage I had in my stash. I used a size US 7 needle.

Mine was knitted out of the Madelinetosh Tosh Merino DK in Thoreau to match my fingerless mittens on US 7 needles. I used buttons to match on both. Mine had more stretch to it than Meg's so I took advantage of the fact that you can button it anywhere along the lace section to fit your head. Genius! It is nice and cozy on my neck and I don't have to worry about it falling off like a scarf. On a side note, I was thrilled to get my mittens and neck/head warmer out of 1 skein of the yarn. I have another one left over for some other fun project.

Fingerless Mittens

2011-12-27T16:18:00.000-05:00

The few weeks before Christmas I got in a fingerless mitten knitting frenzy. I ended up making a pair for my SIL, her SIL, my BIL's girlfriend, and myself. I had a lot of fun knitting them all and adjusting the pattern each pair to improve upon the last.

First, I made a pair for myself. I used a free Knitty pattern by Stephanie Sun: Commuter Fingerless Mittens. I grabbed my Madelinetosh Tosh Merino DK in Thoreau (a club yarn) and a set of size US 5 DPNs. I knitted them up in an afternoon and the following morning. I LOVE that you can wear them three ways!

I sewed my front button on in a slightly different spot than the pattern called to do. I wanted to show off the cable more. I have to say that I am SUPER impressed with how the designer thought of everything with this pattern. Every angle looks finished, no matter how you wear them. So clever!

After I finished up my mittens, I casted on this pair for Meg out of Berroco Vintage, also on US 5 DPNs. I used the free pattern Susie's Reading mittens. I made this pair per pattern except that I used the thumb technique applied to the Commuter Mittens.

Then I made a pair in a dark gray for Camilla and Katie. I used the same pattern/needles with the altered thumb. However, I also made these pairs a little longer in the arm section...not by much (a few rows). BUT, these were knitted out of a wool (Paton's Classic Wool) so I was able to block longer when I washed them. I've posted before that for an economical box store yarn, Paton's Classic Wool is not bad at all. I find that it works up about the same as a Cascade wool does for me.

Fingerless mittens are a great addition to your winter outfits and they are GREAT for those of us addicted to smart phones! The designer of the beige/gray mittens grants rights to make and sell these. If you would like to order a pair, hit up my Etsy shop and convo me. We can customize your size and color.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! We will be celebrating with PK's family on Christmas Eve and again after the new year and with my brother's family on Christmas Day. I hope that you get to spend some time with family, friends, and enjoy some good yarn.

This little Santa was whipped up a few days before Christmas. It was a kit sent to me from my knitter friend, Carol. Such fun to make. I used a red and white from my stash so that his red matched the rest of my tree ornaments. I'll use the yarn from the kit for some sparkly mittens! So far he is on the tree and free from little dogs treating him as a toy.

US needle: 5

Pattern from Universal

Yarn: Some Universal Classic Worsted, Miss Babs Yowza, and Plymouth Oh My, and some fluffy Tahki yarn for the beard

Christmas Cactus

2011-12-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

At Thanksgiving dinner I noticed my MIL's plant near her back window. It was so pretty and I hadn't seen it flower before. She told me it was a Christmas Cactus and that they are super easy to keep alive. I reminded her that this was me...the plant killer! She assured me I could keep one alive. When we set about getting our holiday lights, PK looked for a plant for me but didn't see one in a color I wanted. We got a cheap one via Amazon of all places. I was a skeptical to say the least, but it arrived healthy and with lots of buds on it.

Notice how the buds in the back look like a dark pink? When the plant was first delivered, we reported that we didn't get the right color. The lady assured us that when the blooms opened, they would be red. Sure enough, a week or so later, they started to open and turned a true Christmas red.

This little guy was added to the festive fireplace decor for the holidays. I planned to re-pot it after Christmas when the flower pot selections were a bit better. However, I went to visit my mom earlier in December because she has to work on Christmas. She found out that I had started collecting Longaberger and was starting to keep house plants. She ran into the kitchen when we got back to the house and gave me a little basket with three pottery pots in it. Perfect! I potted it in this special hand-me down (not pictured).

I have also discovered that I now have 11 living plants in my home!!!! Maybe I've gotten a bit better at this plant thing. I want to create a plant corner or wall in our home. We'll see how that goes...

Classic Newsboy Hats

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

I went in search of a pattern for which I could make matching ones for brother/sister Jack and Ella. I came across the Classic Newsboy Hat crochet pattern from Adrienne Engar in Ravelry. I thought it was perfect! After reviewing the worsted weight options in my stash yarn, I settled on this cinnamon color as being suitable for both boys and girls and picked out classic leather-style buttons from my button jar. They will be part of their stocking for Christmas 2011. I hope they both fit well enough so that we can get a cute picture of them together.

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy

Hook: US G

Sizes: 6 months to 2 years for Ella and 3-8 years for Jack

Then, I sat down to pick out what I wanted to make for my nephew Raleigh for his stocking. I knew I wanted to make him two hats and one would be an improvised Mickey Mouse hat. After working up these two hats, I thought I'd make Raleigh a newsboy cap, too. This time I went for a green color to bring out his beautiful blue eyes. He loves his boxer, Hank, so I selected these paw buttons from the stash jar. Although Raleigh is only 1.5 years old, his head measures along the line of my nephew Jack (who is near 3), so I chanced it and went with the 3 to 8 years size. Worst case, he wears it next year.

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy

Hook: US G

Size: 3-8 years but .5 inch shorter in length

For all your crocheters out there, you can purchase a copy of the pattern in Ravelry. It took me a few hours for each hat.

Mickey Mouse Hat

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

My nephew Raleigh LOVES Mickey Mouse. His first birthday party had several Mickey influences and his eyes get big when he sees him. So, I knew for one of his stocking stuffers this year, I wanted to make him a Mickey Mouse hat. I found some sport weight superwash yarn on my recent girls trip in the PERFECT colors. (You would be amazed how hard it was to find these three colors in a washable yarn.) Anyway, I didn't have a pattern for sport weight so I just decided to crochet a hat following my instincts.

Raleigh is only 1.5 years old, but his head typically measures closer to my almost 3 year old nephew, so I went with an 18 inch around with 3 inches of stretch if needed goal. After making a lot of crocheted projects lately, I decided that I don't use enough half double crochet. So many patterns use single crochet, which can make a garment hard and stiff, or double crochet, which is too open. HDC is the perfect stitch. It is close enough together to create the necessary warmth, but not so packed giving it a softer touch. I just went with staggering my increases to the desired width and then crocheted down to an estimated length, figuring the hat could be turned up if it is too long in the immediate future. I changed colors by where I thought it would look best. The ears are simple circle crochets with staggered increases and I held the yarn doubled to add stiffness. They don't 100% stand up, so I'll be playing with starch or something. Either way, it is cute and I hope that it works for him this winter and maybe next.

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash Sport (1 skein each)

Hook: US G

Ruffled and Ruched Scarf

2011-12-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

After a few afternoon sessions, and working between Christmas gifts, I finished up my neck warmer. It was so hard to put down because of the lovely yarn that I ended up finishing it in three knitting sessions. What do you think? Maybe I'll see Carol this winter and we can take a pic of us both wearing them!

Pattern: Ruffled and Ruched Scarf (pattern available in Ravelry)

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage (1.5 skeins)

Needle: US 9

Notes: I followed the worsted weight instructions. Be sure to use at least a 32" circular. For the flower portion, I left long tails and then ran one tail up the CO edge and pulled it tight. That caused the flower to curl up for me. I then stitched it down using my own method from my Sunflower pattern. I seamed it to a pin backing from my stash and attached it to the finished scarf.

After our little photo session, we went to lunch and there was a consignment shop next door. I took a look around and got a formal camel winter wool coat for CHEAP and it is in perfect condition and designer. I still keep looking at it to figure out why it was so cheap. Anyway, it goes GREAT with my scarf. BONUS!!!!

Christmas Ornaments

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

I saw this idea on Pinterest and made them up in about 30 minutes. I must admit that they were supposed to be a stocking stuffer for Patrick and I didn't even make it to December! I ended up giving it to him Thanksgiving night so that we could put them on the tree this year.

Gather your wedding invitation or program...

Cut the pieces and roll around a pencil...

Stick them into a clear glass ornament...

Tie a ribbon at the top...for our invitation one, I used the ribbon on the invitation...

I put together four of them...an invitation, one from our program page 1, one from our program page 2, and one of the poem PK wrote and had read at our wedding. Like I said, the idea was from a crafter on Pinterest. Thanks for the inspiration!!!!

Blog Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-14T06:00:00.003-05:00

And the winner is...Darlene!

What did she win? A custom order What the Slouch hat. Knitted to custom size and color she selects and a copy of the pattern. Didn't win but want a hat or the pattern? Check us out and send us a message at the Brownie Knits Etsy site: www.etsy.com/shop/brownieknits

Matching Neck Warmers

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Several weeks back I had the rare chance to spend lunch with two of my girlfriends. Years and years ago when we all lived in the same city and were single (or dragged poor Greg along), we would hang out every weekend...usually most of the weekend and lunches through the week. I look back on those times and wish I had treasured them even more. We had a blast together and those friendships got me through some years of my life that would have been tough and lonely, otherwise.

Now...we see each other 2 or 3 times a year and the moments fly by in a flash. Looking back on the lunch, I think about how funny we must have sounded to those around us because we were talking so fast to try and catch up as much as possible. After lunch, Carol and I made a quick run to the The Village Yarn Shop. We ended up buying a project to make together. The yarn? Madelinetosh, of course!!!

I started knitting mine over Thanksgiving week and thought about how thankful I am that after all these years I still have Carol, Tonya, and Greg as friends and that we added Sam and Patrick along the way.

What Story Does Your Christmas Tree Tell?

2011-12-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Every year as we put up our tree, we think about what each ornament says. What story does your tree tell?

This year added the tree skirt...one of the funny things I will remember about this is that I watched Twin Peaks while I was making it. A new holiday show? Ha! :)

A few knitted ornaments and some knitting-themed ornaments adorn our tree...

There are ornaments with pictures from over the years, ones with years on them, and this little yorkie one from our friend Sarah when Riley was a puppy.

Shell ornament from our Turks and Caicos trip, one from our London trip, and a handmade one from PK.

I hate lots of little things sitting around, so on our trips we often buy ornaments as a souvenir. It makes them all very special to us.

This is our one from Greece. Not really sure it was meant to be an ornament and for all we know it says awful things since the language is unknown. We laugh about that each year.

Our 2011 ornament and our most special ornament on the tree...the one from our honeymoon trip to Venice. Every year you can find this little guy in a special spot of display in the front top center.

As the kids grow we have some they made us, like this stocking from Aidan...

...and this picture one from Jack...

There are ornaments with our dreams like this one from Florida of the palm tree.

There are ones of special memories...our wedding program...

Snowflakes from my MIL and glass globe ones from a shopping trip with my mom...

Some ornaments from friends, including this clay singer ornament from Karen some 14 or so years ago...

Joke ones like this gnome one PK gave me one year. I loved the "Oh NO! Don't back up!" commercial.

All my precious moments ornaments from when I was a little girl...

Another joke one from PK about my love of crab when we go to visit the Klunk family out east...

Hallmark ornaments from Patrick as a little boy...

This year my MIL gave us her Norman Rockwell 12 days of Christmas ornaments. Aren't they cool?

And like a good alumni, I have an IU ornament or two...

We also have these two little trees that don't really have a story, but they make me smile.

Here is our finished tree...the tree we bought our first year together. I remember telling my mom when we went to get it that Patrick was the guy I was going to marry.

Our stockings that were $1.00 each when we were barely surviving with paying college bills and such. They will always be super special to us...along with our Christmas picture of Riley and Kennedy.

Thanksgiving: Part II

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

What would Thanksgiving be without some kid pictures?!? This year, we missed seeing Aidan and Raleigh a ton but thought about them both lots that day. We did get to enjoy cuddles and giggles with Ella and laughs and hugs with Jack.

She is SO close to crawling. You can tell she wants to in a bad way! I see her chasing after Jack by Christmas! Good luck, Meg! :)

I just love her fuzzy hair! She was such a good sport. She didn't cry at all during the meal and sat at one of the ends of the table so we could all enjoy her cuteness.

JOY!!!

All BOY!!!

Thanksgiving: Part I the Cooking

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

This year Patrick and I took on cooking a large portion of the Kanouse family Thanksgiving dinner. Being in Martha mode that week, I decided to get creative with a few dishes. While PK cooked the turkey and cornish game hens, I worked on the vegetable tray and stuffing. I found the vegetable idea on, you guessed it, Pinterest. The muffin cup stuffing idea was something I saw for a different side dish and thought it might work well with stuffing.

I used raisins for the eyes instead of black beans. I also didn't soak the legs in water. Instead, I cut them as instructed and then I broke the toes to get them to curl. The true test was when I asked our almost 3-year-old nephew what it was and he said, "a turkey" right away.

There are two different stuffings that I like to make. One is my mom's oyster dressing and the other is a recipe from a former co-worker. PK and I will have the oyster one for our Christmas day meal, so I went with the other one for Thanksgiving. You toast the bread and tear it apart, add some raisins, cooked celery in butter, some carnation condensed milk, broth, and bake it. I cut down on the bake time because they were in muffin tin. Even with reheating them after the transport to my MIL's house, they were still very moist, but not mushy. Best dressing result I've ever made! I baked them without the foil cups and then put them in the cups as they cooled. We did reheat them in the oven in the foil cups.

We also made yeast rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy from scratch, and pinwheel appetizers with ham/cream cheese/green onion/olives/mayo/in tortilla rolls. We were also pleased with the selection of wine we went to three stores to track down as it went SO well with the Thanksgiving meal--red Malvasia Don Bosco. With the dishes made by my SIL and the pumpkin roll from my MIL, we were all stuffed. Jack illustrates...

Enter the Blog Drawing!

2011-12-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Don't forget to enter the blog drawing!!!!

As we enter the holiday season, I thought we would do a little blog giveaway. To enter, simply become a follower of the blog. (See that little Follow area on the right-hand side of the blog?) If you are already a follower, you will be automatically entered. I'll random draw on 12/11.

What will you win? A custom order What the Slouch hat. I'll knit it and deliver it to you in the color and size you select! (If you are a knitter, you will also get a free PDF copy of the pattern.)

Ella's Stocking is FINISHED

2011-12-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's done! IT's done! IT'S DONE!!!! The stocking is all finished, blocked, and even already stuffed for delivery. I think it is my favorite one that I made, but maybe that is just because of the number of hours I put into it...

Victorian Stocking pattern knitted on 0 and 2 needles with sock-weight yarn. Used crochet hook to place on the beads. This picture doesn't really show it well, but the cream yarn has glitter in it. The teal yarn is Ella Rae, which I thought was cute because the stocking is for Ella. Although the Latvian braid was a little frustrating because of the twisting of the yarns, it was well worth it and a fun technique that you don't get to do very often. The result is also very pretty.

The toe portion was interesting to complete. The designer did a great job of incorporating the fair isle look into the decreases. (For those of you who are looking to make the stocking, I placed the K2tog decreases into the solid white sections in the middle of the toe chart. Also be careful to put in on the right or left side of that section as there are both used to keep the fair isle going.)

A closer look at the top section including the Latvian braid.

The heel was an interesting construction, as well. It is knitted flat and then the underside of the heel is put together using the kitchener stitch. Be sure to knit the first stitch of each heel row with both colors held together. When you pick up the stitches later to knit the foot, it really does make it sturdy and seamless.

Overall, the pattern was one of the best thought out designs I've ever used. She thought of everything! My alterations were really ones out of being lazy or worried about having enough yarn: I left off the very last row of the beads because they were close to the end and I was trying to wrap up the project before bed; I didn't knit the inside lining at the top because I was using stash yarn and didn't have enough total. I blocked the heck out of the top and it lays fine without the lining.

Brown Paper Packages

2011-12-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

If you couldn't tell from my recent posts already, Pinterest has become an influence in my life. While searching for tree skirts, wrapping of packages came up in the results. They were so cute with the brown parcel paper and a simple decoration. Here is my version!

Brown Parcel Paper for $3.99 from Office Max

Little Decor Items from Hobby Lobby on Clearance (CHEAP, CHEAP)

I wrapped the packages and then hot glued the decor on so that they don't fall off as they would with tape.

I skipped tags this year and simply wrote their name on the back in pencil.

Don't you love how they look against the new tree skirt?

Christmas Card Display

2011-11-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

After making my Christmas tree skirt, I had some leftover materials. I grabbed a $1.99 piece of thick poster board and my leftovers from the skirt and the K wreath I made. Hot glued some batting and fabric around the poster board and made a little silver bow with the red berries. Tada...a Christmas card display board. I plan to pin cards to them as they arrive in the mail.

The hardest part of the entire thing was getting it hung up. We used little silver picture hangers that you just push into the back of the board. Getting them just right to hang on the existing nails in the wall was a trial. It took longer to do that than it did to make the entire thing!!! For this project, the K wreath, and the tree skirt I used a low temperature glue stick. I highly recommend this so that you cut down on burnt fingers. I was surprised by how much of a difference they made from the normal to high temperature ones.

Christmas Tree Skirt

2011-11-27T08:39:00.000-05:00

Last year our tree skirt bit the dust. It served me well for 19 years, so I can't really complain. That meant a new skirt would need to be acquired for Christmas 2011. I searched on Etsy and found so many that I loved. As much as I wanted one of those, I just couldn't use that much of the holiday budget for a tree skirt (some were close to $200). Off to Pinterest I went in search of a craft project I could do myself. Like many others on the site, I was hooked by the skirt from this blog. The idea that it was no sewing was what drew me in.

The beginning look...

Many people made their skirt to match the original (burlap and linen). I strongly considered this option and then saw PK looking at me out of the corner of my eye. I knew exactly what he was thinking. I love shine at Christmas. Off I went to Hobby Lobby to shop for my fabric and I kept hearing silver and gold decorations on every Christmas tree ringing in my head.

You start with an old skirt. In this case, I found a $5.00 skirt at Target. It had scallops that I trimmed off to make the skirt round.

Armed with my glue sticks and glue gun, I sat down to do this thing. I folded the fabric and cut them all to be 3 inches wide. Initially, I pinned the first row. 3 hours later I was ready to give up. I took a break for lunch and then decided not to let this thing beat me! I tossed the pins aside and went freehand. MUCH faster and better.

I worked my in sections versus the entire row first and then the next row. I found this to provide more immediate satisfaction, which was important in keeping me going!

I ended up running out of fabric and had to make a second run to the store. The original blog used 4 yards total. Mine ended up using more like 8. I believe my skirt is larger than the original and I put in A LOT of ruffles.

When all is said and done, I ended up spending $30 and 2 days on the skirt. I'm really happy with the end result and hope to enjoy it for years to come.

Hey Mom, I Need a Haircut!

2011-11-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Kiki looking a bit unkept...but cute!

A Holiday Project

2011-11-19T16:11:00.000-05:00

Recently I've become addicted to Pinterest. The other day I came across a letter "wreath" for the holiday season that I thought was super cute. Too cheap to pay the $53.00 for it, I found a blog where someone else had decided to make their own, too. Off I went Saturday morning to Michael's. All of my supplies were 50% off, so I only spent $10.00!!!

A foamboard K...

Sparkle berries...

A glue gun/sticks from my stash and an hour later...tada!

Other people are hanging their letters with ribbon, but I'm not lucky enough to have a letter where you can easily attach ribbon. So, I'll be using the command strip picture hangers to attach it to the front door. I ended up using 7 of the berry bunches in case you are looking for an estimate on how many to buy.

Now to figure out the tree skirt problem...

KnowKnits.com Bag

2011-11-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

As much as I love bags and purses, I was never much of a small knitting project kind of girl. Then, I started working from home 100% on the knitting business. I found that I used my Keep Calm and Carry Yarn small project bag to death. It is perfect for carting around the house as I move from room to room throughout the day. I can toss my notions, yarn, and needles in there and head downstairs or up to the studio. On the rare occasion when I do head out of the house, I can toss it in my purse or in the car seat and I'm off.

The poor thing has seen better days. It is still usable, but it needs some down time to draw out the life span. So, I came across this little number and it matches my purses and 1 knitting bag that I kept in my recent bag destash. It has a fabric (almost sweatshirt like) lining and the outside is like a faux leather print. The combination keeps my needles and scissors from coming through the fabric, which can sometimes happen with my other project bag. The pulls for closure are great and 100% secure so I don't have to worry about it coming open in my purse.

Although small in size, it fits a lot! I put three full skeins of sock yarn into it for the above picture (about 1500 yards). Here is a picture of the tag in case you want to check out the other options. I believe this one is a newer design, so they may have other new releases that you haven't come across yet in your LYS.

Girls Trip to Simply Socks

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we loaded up Bonnie's car and headed to Fort Wayne for a visit to Simply Socks. Christina had given us a rundown of sorts based on her trip last month, so we were all very excited to check it out. It was fabulous! The lighting in the restored building was fantastic for showing off the gorgeous colors. I must have picked up and put back and then picked up other yarns a zillion times while I was trying to decide what to get. In the end, I settled on two skeins of Madelinetosh, one from Three Irish Girls, and one from Pagewood Farms. I can't decide which one I love the most. I'm currently tossing around project ideas for them.

For some reason, I keep thinking about making leg warmers out of this skein. Not sure about the yardage though, but I do have super short legs!

The beautiful custom Madelinetosh color just for Simply Socks. LOVE it.

After I got home, I realized that this color is called Aidan. As much as I love the kid, it will probably be knitted into something for me instead. :)

And this just screamed at me from the shelf. I'm thinking about some fun mittens/gloves and matching cowl to go with my red coat. Something a little bright for the upcoming Indiana winter days.

In addition to the yarn shops, it was just great to spend 4 hours in the car chatting away. We didn't have one moment of quiet and we covered so much catching up. One of the things I miss the most about Stitches having closed are these ladies that I worked with. I think it says a lot that so many of the staff continue to get together for a knitting day each month. Not to mention the fact that getting out the house helps to restore my sanity!

So, if you live in the Midwest, check out Simply Socks. She has an online store, but is open a few days each week. (Be sure to check the store site for specific dates.) Even this non-sock knitter found more than a few reasons to be excited about this store!

Giveaway!

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

As we enter the holiday season, I thought we would do a little blog giveaway. To enter, simply become a follower of the blog. (See that little Follow area on the right-hand side of the blog?) If you are already a follower, you will be automatically entered. I'll random draw on 12/11.

What will you win? A custom order What the Slouch hat. I'll knit it and deliver it to you in the color and size you select! (If you are a knitter, you will also get a free PDF copy of the pattern.)

Freshen Up

2011-11-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

In addition to some fixes here and there, we have been updating flooring and paint. My yarn studio got a face lift, as did the bathrooms. I love that everything looks and feels fresh and clean now.

The yarn studio...all organized and cozy.

Patrick's bath...he even let me toss in a little pink in the shower curtain. What a secure guy!

My new bathroom floor courtesy of my hubby. So much better!

I went for a clean and white hotel feel. The only color is my needlecraft project from 1st grade and a matching daisy painted soap dispenser. Ahh.......

Okay, here is a HUGE pet peeve I developed over the last year. I HATE towel bars. The stupid things don't stay on the wall right and I got so tired of fighting them. No more towel bars in this house! We went with hooks everywhere. Mine are the straight ones pictured here. I put some curly fun ones in PK's bathroom. AND, I mean I put them in!!! All empowered by all my newly found toolkit skills.

New Brownie Knits Pattern: What a Slouch! Hat

2011-11-11T12:39:00.000-05:00

I am excited to release this new hat pattern from Brownie Knits: What a Slouch! It is a adult sized hat with Small/Medium and Large/Extra Large sizing. It can be knitted out of one solid color or as a striped version with three colors. The pattern provides you instructions for stripe set up and how to make the hat as slouchy as you want. You can purchase the pattern from my Ravelry shop or my Etsy store (see the Etsy tab or Pattern & Pattern Support pages of the blog). The pattern retails for $1.99.

Not a knitter and want a hat? Email me at brownieknits@yahoo.com or convo me via the Etsy shop. Prices for finished hats vary on yarn selected.

My SIL modeling her hat...knitted out of Dream in Color Classy with a US 7 needle (S/M size)

Patrick modeling his hat...knitted out of Berroco Vintage on a US 7 (L/XL size)

A full view of the Dream in Color Classy hat...

Madelinetosh DK on US 7 (S/M size)

Progress on a Stocking

2011-11-09T10:22:00.000-05:00

In between house updates, I have been working on some Christmas gifts and Ella's stocking. When Ella was born in April I thought, "I have all this time before Christmas that I should do that stocking I've been looking at for ages." Well, you guessed it. Here I am in November and the darn thing still isn't complete. However, I am making lots of progress and finally made it past all the fair isle and beading. This pattern has it all...

Fair isle (round and flat)
Beading
Latvian braid
Size 2 and 0 needles
Sock weight yarn

I was overheard saying that I was glad this was the last niece or nephew stocking since it is burning me out. (I'm sure if a surprise came along I would instantly be game again!) But...it is beautiful!!! And, it is from stash yarn and beads!

Pattern: Victorian Christmas Stocking by Donna Kay (Knitting Daily pattern store)

Yarn: Ella Rae is the teal and Sterling is the cream with silver threads

Needles: US 2 and 0

Beading: I am using seed beads with a crochet hook (because the pattern is written to use beads pre-strung on the yarn, so you would place the beads on the following row if using the crochet hook method).

I'm off to knit my remaining 5.5 inches on the foot before working the toe. Hope I have enough yardage!

Hey, Little Cowboy!

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Way back in the spring, a friend of mine from grade school/high school asked if I could whip up a cowboy hat for her baby to be. I thought that sounded like fun since it was a bit different from most of my daily projects. Little Hank joined the world in the summer and he wore the hat over the Halloween weekend. Isn't he adorable?

Pattern: Child's Cowboy Hat from Rainy Day Crochet

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy

Hook: US G

Where the Heck Have You Been?!?

2011-11-02T09:29:00.000-04:00

I know I've been AWOL from the blog for the last week or so. In this case, I have some really good reasons. As previously posted, we started some work on the house and that wasn't isolated to a weekend. We've had lots of workers in and out of the house doing little fixes and some major work, too. The most exciting for me was new carpet in the upstairs. It was seriously needed. Of course, our upstairs is where all the yarn and books live, so that meant packing it all up to be stored during the install. I could have gone my entire life not knowing how many trash bags it takes to hold my yarn stash. Alas, I now know it is 12!!!! I feel like a drug addict admitting that on here, but I know that many of you can relate and might even beat me.

So the carpet is installed, along with fixtures throughout, and fixes, and paint...So that meant all the workers left, which is both bad and good. While I was happy to have my house back to the four of us, it also meant all the rest of the work was for Patrick and I to do. PK had a lot of unused days of work, so we scheduled a few and plotted how to get all the rest of the updates out of the way. Sunday and Monday were painting the yarn studio, trim in the office and hallway landing (LOTS of trim with 5 doors and it took forever!), and Patrick put in a new floor in the master bath. I felt like a horrible wife when I asked to see the floor midway through and PK got stuck with a rusty staple trying to move for me to see. This led to a tetanus shot...bad wife. Friday is set aside for painting the two upstairs baths and the master bedroom. After that, we have agreed to stop until spring. Our friends at Lowe's might send out a missing person alert given how much we have been there the last month.

Between the fall weather and the dust that has been stirred up in the house, my allergies have been keeping me down. I wake up with horrible migraines and my eyes severely swollen. I take meds and they make me sleep. Ugh. In an email yesterday I wrote that the month of October was a blur and that I missed most of it. It really was a missed month and I am determined not to let life take November from me.

On the knitting front, I have worked and finished many a project in the last few weeks but most are of the holiday gift variety. : ) But, stay tuned because there are other projects, a new pattern, and a stocking update upcoming in the next few days. AND, because the holidays are soon upon us, there will be a giveaway as well!

Weekend of Work

2011-10-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

This past weekend felt like the first official step of preparing our house to put it on the market in the spring. I am not someone who likes change all that much, but I'm getting used to it with everything that has adjusted in just the last 6 months. As I was standing in Lowe's to select new light and door fixtures, I had a mini anxiety attack that we are taking these steps. That lasted about 30 seconds before I thought and said out loud in the middle of the store, "How do you pick these things out?" I realized that on the one hand when you are making house updates to sell your house it is different than your own style. On the other hand, I want to make sure I like it too since I have to live with it for a little bit and I have to trust that what looks appealing to me could be appealing to others, as well.

When we moved into our house we discovered that the previous owner (the owner who had it built), had low-cost fixtures and appliances put in throughout. Over the years we've updated lots and lots (all the appliances, in fact). After talking to my MIL a few weeks back about how light fixtures can date a house, I started really really hating all the gold-colored pieces everywhere (always disliked them, but now they REALLY bugged me). So, while Patrick worked on Friday, I spent a few hours at the hardware store and then came home to install the doorknobs and some front yard work. Sunday I installed the rest of the doorknobs and started on the hinges. Patrick went about installing all the new light fixtures. Now, this was all an investment, but I have to say that it was not nearly as expensive as I thought it would be and it LOOKS like it cost a heck of a lot more. Wow, the difference is unbelievable!

Old ugly gold with tarnish on lots of them. Yuck.

New brushed metal...easier to clean and more current, too.

Of course, all these updated and bright lights show how much we need to paint and replace the 10+ year carpet! Good thing that was already planned. :) While PK is working this week, I'll be coordinating with our contractor to get the downstairs ceiling painted and installing the rest of the hinges.

Went with nickel and a brushed white theme for the lights. Patrick was so great to install ALL inside and outside lights on his day off from work. He's so patient and such a hard worker!

Updated doors...

Updated outside lights with complete glass coverage so...

NO MORE birds nesting at in our open bottom lights!!!!

I am so glad that this portion is done. I managed to cut both of my thumbs in the exact same spots, slammed my foot into the closet door while trying to avoid our dog, and cut up my wrist (looks like a cat attacked me). While none of this really relates to knitting directly, I did tell PK at one point that putting the fixtures on was not all that different than following a knitting pattern. He looked at me and chuckled...

Pickin' the Pumpkins 2011

2011-10-16T18:22:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday, we ventured out to Russell Farms to the pumpkin patch. Because of a sinus migraine, we didn't get them carved that night as planned, which means more to do this week... BUT, before said migraine took complete hold we did manage a hay ride, a corn maze, and a scarecrow pose.

HELP!

One of my new favorite photos of us...

and I got to wear my Shalom cardigan for the first time this season.

Seaming Knits on the Sewing Machine

2011-10-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

I knew a knitter who hated seaming a sweater via traditional finishing methods that she just tossed them on the sewing machine and seamed them with thread. This always amazed me. How didn't it just rip the knitting? How did it move the knitting along? How do you keep the seam even? Is it strong enough? And on and on my doubts went. At the root of every question really hid my fear of the sewing machine.

I've been taking some online sewing courses and I started using my sewing machine to stitch in my Brownie Knits labels on my hand knits. A few nights back, I announced to Patrick (liked he really cared!) that the next project I knit flat would be the one I tried to seam on the machine. The next day, I came across a Baby Surprise sweater that I knitted years ago.

A short history of this sweater...

I originally purchased the yarn before my now 8-year-old nephew was born. I planned to make a neutral colored sweater for him/her. That was the beginning of my knitting career and I quickly became sidetracked and he was 4-years-old when I found the yarn again.
When my SIL was pregnant with my nephew Jack, I knitted it up thinking it J was a girl. I was 100% confident. Well, what do I know?
So...I then needed a purpose for the sweater. I wrote up some class materials and decided to teach it at my LYS. I did that for several years. I left the top of the arms unseamed so that students could practice on it.
Cut to last year when I was in a clean out mood for my yarn studio. I got rid of the partial ball of yarn thinking there wasn't enough to do anything with it. Forgetting that I still needed to seam the arms of the Baby Surprise sample.

You can see where this is headed, right? I tried to find a yarn in my stash that matched well enough, but that didn't work out. I thought, why not try this on the sewing machine? It is the right size for Ella to wear it during this fall/winter.

I threaded the machine, pinned the right sides of the sweater together, and went for it. It turned out okay, but I did learn a few things...

Do not use a foot that has any little pieces sticking out that can get caught in knitting. I switched from my standard A foot to a quilting foot and that worked MUCH better.
Go slow... really slow...
I need to figure out how to be more consistent on how far in the seam is. You can see that my seam shifted drastically. Given that this is a baby sweater out of garter with lots of room in the arm, I didn't worry about it and left it. However, for an adult sweater out of St st, I would want a consistent 1 stitch seam.

Verdict: I WILL be giving this a try. If I can make the seam consistent, it will be much faster than traditional finishing. AND, the seam was super strong. This little sweater that started a journey some 8 years ago is now headed up to Ella.

A Knitting Stitch Book

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of helping out on a book that was just released. My copy came in the mail this week and I was all giddy to flip through the book and dream of projects to design. It is a gorgeous book that will come in handy for anybody who wants to design their own projects. Super simple to follow instructions and charts and great pictures of the finished samples.

Knitting Stitches Visual Encyclopedia and Sharon Turner

You can pick up a copy from Amazon right now!

Having a background in publishing, I am used to seeing my name in a book. BUT, this still made me all excited because it was a knitting book and I loved working on the project.

This was my favorite swatch that I knitted.

So this summer when I kept saying I couldn't really post about all that was going on, I was knitting on this project, some stuff for my Knit Picks patterns, and some Christmas gifts. Thanks for sticking with me through my non-crafting posts during those weeks!

Sunflower Girl!

2011-10-13T11:29:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things about designing is seeing pictures of projects that other people make. I fell in love with these pictures from jules138.blogspot.com. Doesn't the hat look fantastic!?! I think she not only did a great job with the hat, but also with the photos. Do you have a Brownie Knits design project finished up? I'd love to see pictures. You can email them to brownieknits@yahoo.com!

Baby Booties

2011-10-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

These cute little baby booties were knitted up as a custom order for a customer. Don't you love them? I tried to pick a color that worked for both the little girl and little boy. They are underweight, so the sizing was adjusted to fit them and grow with them.

Knitted on US 1s with Koigu KPPPM

New Hair Pins Available on the Etsy Store

2011-10-11T13:41:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I took a day and made up some more hair accessories. These were all made from vintage buttons and vintage clip-on earrings that I found at an antique market in Hanover, Pennsylvania. I especially love the flower ones. Well, I love them all! You can purchase them from the Brownie Knits Etsy site. They make great gifts for birthdays, holidays, or a just because gift! Or, get one for yourself to spice up an outfit.

Red Shawl

2011-10-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The red shawl is SOLD. However, if you would like one in a different color or my own creation of colors, let me know and we can whip one up!

This shawl is available on the Etsy site. Don't you love it? Clearly my love of red yarns led me to this creation. Only one is available and due to the yarn combination, it is a one of a kind. Want one like it in a different color? Message me and we can make one up for you.

Click here for Etsy site link.

This beautiful handknitted shawl is the perfect accessory to keep you warm and stylish. It can be worn in a variety of ways and measures 15 inches deep, 56 inches along the shaped top, and 73 inches along the bottom. The upper portion is shaped to keep it on your shoulders. Made with coordinated wools of different forms, the texture adds lots of interest to the garment. The deep red color is perfect for any day, the holidays, and Valentine's Day.

Care for garment is dry clean or handwash in tepid water and lay flat to dry.

SALE!!!!

2011-10-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

We are running a sale on the Etsy site on our women's winter hats. Click here to see what's available. Most are this 2 button style. They are machine washable and nice and warm for those upcoming winter days. Excellent holiday gifts!!!

Button and Fabric Ad

2011-10-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

When I was visiting my dad, grandmother, and the rest of the family, we took 30 minutes to look around an antique market in Hanover. I found this button/fabric ad for $2.00 and thought it would be kinda cool framed in my craft studio. It is from Life Magazine in 1957. The text talks about how the company's fabric will not shrink, but only buttons are pictured.

Envelope Pillow with French Seams

2011-10-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

One of the things I've been working on lately is a Craftsy sewing class. I wanted to take the class to improve my ever-lacking sewing skills. I'm pleased to say that it seems to be doing the trick! I hemmed a punch of jeans a few weeks back and they all were the same length and fit! The class for beginners on Craftsy is instructed by Diana Rupp and uses her book Sew Everything Workshop book. After listening to the basic videos, you dive into your first project: The Envelope Pillow with French Seams.

The class pillow is 20x20, but I only had an 18x18 form so that it the size I made. The pillow used a cotton fabric on the front and muslin on the backside. The back closure teaches hemming and then you sew the 4 sides of the pillow together using a french seam technique (which provides a finished inside seam). In addition to these techniques, you lean a lot about measuring, cutting ironing, setting up your workspace, and understanding instructions.

I'm pretty happy with it...it has 0% extra space (i.e. the cover is 18x18 and so is the form). The next time I make it, I will probably add a 1/2 inch around. I think my pillow form is fluffier than the one in the instructional videos. Next up will be a skirt for myself, which is covered in the Sewing Studio class. After that, I plan to sew up most of the projects in the book to get more and more experience.

If you are interested in enrolling, you can do so at www.Craftsy.com. In addition to sewing classes, they also offer knitting and crochet. Keep an eye on the prices because they seem to run discounts and deals often.

Ella's Flowers of Spring Hat

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Here is Ella modeling her Flowers of Spring Hat. She is just a cutie!

Pattern: Flowers of Spring Hat from Brownie Knits

Yarn: Jeanne DK

Needle: US 4/5 (but you probably will need 5/6 for same gauge)

Hook: F for flower

Pattern can be purchased from my Etsy site or Ravelry store.

I also have a few made ones for sale on the Etsy store and can complete custom hats, too. Hats can have as many or as few flowers as you desire and in the colors you select. Sizing is from newborn to large adult.

Unique Sheep August Block

2011-10-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

I managed to fall behind on my crochet block of the month club during the late summer. I had so many other commitments and projects to work on. So, when PK was on a business trip, I dedicated a day to getting caught up. I like the color combo for the August block. It will look great in the finished blanket against my melon-colored sofa.

Yarn: Unique Sheep Luxe

Hook: C

I really enjoyed the middle section. So pretty. Clearly, they need blocking in a BAD way.

Fall Goodies

2011-10-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Fall is a love/hate relationship for me. My worst allergies are in the autumn months and it also means that dreaded winter is not far off. (PK gets a chuckle at my, "Everything just die already" comments as I pray for a hard frost to kill the allergins. It's usually followed by, "I wish it were summer already.")

BUT...on good allergy days, I do have some fall favorites. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, so I like to dress up my "kids". Last year Riley was a banana split and Kennedy was a bundle of grapes. When the kids come to our house, they love to see the dogs dressed up. Kids LOVE Kiki and she patiently lets them pet her. We also enjoy a trip to the pumpkin patch and carving our pumpkins and being creative. That's on the agenda in a few weeks.

This past weekend we tried out a recipe that is sure to be a new fall tradition. OMG...these cookies were phenomenal! Found on Pinterest.com and linked out to the recipe...click here. They are super moist and yummy yummy. We used fat free cream cheese and splenda to cut back on calories where possible. They would be fabulous for all those pitch ins!

Interview Part 2: Let's Talk Computers Air Date

2011-09-30T12:12:00.000-04:00

The 2nd half of my hubby's interview with Alan Ashendorf for his radio show Let's Talk Computers airs on October 1st.

Petal Hat

2011-09-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

I found a great pattern named Garden Party Hat from Be Still and Knit. So cute! I went out and bought the flowers for the petals and then sat down to knit the hat. My gauge was different from the Garden Party pattern, so I made up my own stitch count. (I was on the road and only had certain needles with me.) Then, I somehow missed a page of the pattern on my iPhone app and ended up deciding how often to place the petals on my own. I ended up placing double the amount called for in the pattern. I also followed my Flowers of Spring hat pattern for depth and decreases. Wow. Thanks to Garden Party for the inspiration...I seriously can't follow a written pattern in a car. At least I can wing it!

Yarn: Plymouth Merino Worsted

Needle: US 5

I recommend buying at least two "bunches" of flowers in two different tones. I feel that the variation in purples really add a lot of interest to the hat. If you follow the directions in the original pattern, your hat will result in a more floppy flower and you will be able to see the flowers more. Either option has their own pros. I can't wait to see Ella in this little number!

Quick Little Flowers of Spring Hat

2011-09-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Brownie Knits Flowers of Spring

Size: 6 month

Yarn: Plymouth Jeanne DK

Needle: US 5

Hook: F

This color will look so great on Ella with her cute little face!

Brownie Knits on Knit Picks!

2011-09-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

I submitted two of my designs to Knit Picks Independent Designer Program and they were accepted. I was SO thrilled. They both went live this past week and can be purchased from their site now.

Pattern: Petal Baby Afghan

Needle: US 9 circular

Yarn: 7 skeins of Swish Worsted

Link: Buy here

Pattern: Choo Choo Train Blanket

Needle: US 9 circular

Yarn: 8 skeins of Swish Worsted

Link: Buy here

Brown/Pink Hat

2011-09-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

Tis the season to start my holiday knitting and crochet! These past few weeks I've been traveling a lot and working on some projects for other companies a lot. So, in between, I have picked up some personal projects to make for holiday gifts. The primary recipient this year will be Ella, as the boys are getting older and I don't want to be "that" aunt who makes them knitted things they hate for the holidays! :)

This little crocheted hat was whipped up in a few hours to keep her little ears warm. Although it was initially supposed to be from a pattern I purchased, I wasn't happy with some of the construction. I switched to DC to soften the hat, adjusted the earflaps to make them wider for warmth instead of just decoration, and made my own flower since the flower instructions were missing from the purchased pattern. I'm really happy with the final product.

Yarn: Berroco Vintage

Hook: H

Size: 6 months

Pettiskirt

2011-09-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

When I stayed with my SIL a few weeks back, one of the things we did was pick out projects for me to make for Ella. Many of these will serve double duty as some of her Christmas gifts, but she isn't old enough to read the blog so I can go ahead and post!

First up was this crocheted pettiskirt. How adorable is this?!? It is primarily for use as a photo prop, but Meg and I thought she might be able to wear it over leggings in the cold air of the Midwest winter as sort of a blanket.

Pattern: Pettiskirt by OhSoCuteDesigns

Technique: Crochet

Hook: H

Yarn: 1 skein each of pink, light purple, dark purple of Plymouth Merino Worsted

Mods: I did not do the full top edging on the skirt--I only did one round of SC in darkest purple.

I played with the color arrangement until I was happy with it. I ended up layering from lightest to darkest. I also really like that you can sort of arrange the ruffles to get as much or as little of the pink and light purple as you want. The waist is a rib with a tie, so it is made to fit newborn to 1 year. Megan was initially planning this for Ella's 1 year pictures, so we will see.

The designer does, graciously, grant rights to other knitters to make and sell these, so if you would like to order a pettiskirt, let me know. We can customize the colors. So CUTE!

Ellie Headband

2011-09-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am loving making the little headbands for all the girlies that are being born to friends right now. Here is Ellie on her way to day care for the first day. She's a cutie!

Here we go!

Pattern: I used the headband portion from my Walking on Sunshine Headband Collection and the flower is from my Flowers of Spring Hat pattern.

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy (worsted)

Hook: H

I also make the headbands for purchase in sizes newborn to adult. Most range between $4 and $6, so they are excellent shower gifts or add ons to a store-bought gift. Colors and flowers can be customized.

A Trip East: Part III The Yarn

2011-09-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Well, did you really think we would have a trip with no yarnie goodness? OF COURSE NOT!

The halfway point of our trip out is Washington, PA. There was cute little shop about 15 minutes from our hotel named Bloomin' Yarn. Such a cute little shop. She had lots of Madelinetosh and other lovely yarns. The back was full of new arrival boxes ready to be tagged and displayed. Two skeins of a lovely green will transform to a shawl very soon. How perfect is that for a St. Patrick's Day shawl?

A great little shop if you are in that area!

I was most excited to grab these two little booklets: West Knits Book One and Math for Hats.

A Trip East: Part II WWII Influences?

2011-09-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

We had an interesting morning on Saturday of our trip. We stayed at a B&B that we really enjoy. As always, the room and food was great. It is always enjoyable to meet people at breakfast and is a big part of the travel experience. We had been at a cookout the previous evening and I got about 2 hours of sleep. I SO wish that I wasn't so out of it at breakfast that morning.

You see, one of our breakfast mates that morning was a survivor of Auschwitz. He is a public speaker now and shared some of his perspective on life, the war, and the world with us. It was fascinating. I'm still processing what he had to say about the days after being freed and the personal stories of what he heard and saw. The thing that struck me most was how he was able to laugh about some of the things as he looks back on them. He went on to live life fully and become a successful businessman.

After breakfast we ventured up to an antique store...well...we tried. Instead, we stumbled upon a WWII reenactment. It was SO strange to walk around the corner and see a guy in full uniform carrying a HUGE gun toward you. Then, we came around the corner to see what was actually going on. It was freezing, so we tried to get some tea, but the line was huge. However, talk about being transported back in time at this scene!

We got a chuckle out of the German, American WWII, and the Civil War solider chatting on the corner and the WWII soliders discussing the lack of an Internet connection. Remember, I was walking on 2 hours of sleep with a sinus headache. It all really felt like a strange dream. I walked into the antique shop to find it pitch black (despite the open sign). I was the only one there with all this creepy stuff around me (PK was moving the car). All of the sudden the song White Wedding comes over the speaker. Yes, no lights and I hear "Hey Little Sister" all of the sudden. Then, the lights come on and a man pops around the corner. By the time PK arrived, there were all kinds of people in the store. I think he thought I was making up the experience. If I hadn't been so sleepy, I probably would have be scared to death and screamed. In the middle of it all, I looked down and had a large cut on my heal.

All of this, breakfast through WWII and the freaky store/cut, happened over a period of several hours. At this point, I looked at PK and told him to take me back to the B&B so I could take a nap before the wedding. How strange it all was!!!

A Trip East: Part I the Wedding

2011-09-19T09:49:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, PK and I made the 10-11 hour drive out to PA for a family visit and a cousin's wedding. It's always a good time seeing the extended family and celebrate. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

Congrats, Sean and Ashley!

Aunt Dory...I adore all of my aunts on both sides of my family. They are each unique and I can name something about each of them that they taught me about life. From as early as I can remember, Dory was someone I looked up to. She lived on her own, was independent, and beautiful. She always made/makes extra time for each of her nieces and nephews. I hope I can be even half the aunt to my nephews and niece. If so, they will be lucky kids!

Uncle Andy being, well, Uncle Andy!

Adam...Uncle Andy is training!

Grandma watching Ashley's first dance with Sean.

PK wearing my scarf...silly boy!

Joe and Ashley on the dance floor...

Dance circle...I missed out went I was in the bathroom. AFTER I started to go into the men's room! Can we say open bar?

Love this one. :)

Grandma, aunts, cousins...well, a few of us anyway!

Sunflower Scarf Pattern and Ready to Wear Scarf

2011-09-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

I'm obsessed with sunflowers and they appear in a lot of my patterns. Over the last two years, I've made a lot of these little scarves that have sold on the Etsy store. I finally got around to writing out the pattern when asked by several crocheters. ; )

The pattern is available on Etsy and Ravelry. The ready-to-wear garments are available, too, on Etsy.

The pattern is 100% crocheted and uses worsted weight yarn for the scarf and petals/center of the sunflower. The center of the sunflower also uses an eyelash yarn for effect. A size H crochet was used and the entire project can be completed in an afternoon. Can be worn as a scarf with a coat or as an accessory to your outfit.

Frosting...Yes, Please!

2011-09-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

We recently sold this little sleep sack via the Etsy store. I just LOVE the colors...pink, cream, and brown. It makes you want to run and get some ice cream!

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll in Frosting

US Needles: 2 and 3

Pattern: The Grady Sleep Sack from Brownie Knits

(Full pattern name: The Ella and The Grady Sleep Sacks)

If you are a knitter and want the pattern, it is available for purchase on my Etsy site and in Ravelry. Not a knitter and want to order a sack? You can purchase one via my Etsy site for $35. I have some current colors up on the site, but we can customize colors for you, too. Click here for the Etsy store.

Life's Ruff

2011-09-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

Are You Ready for Some Football?

2011-09-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yes. I. Really. Posted. That.

I am not much of a football fan. Enjoyed going to games in high school, but after that it was all over and I NEVER liked watching it on TV. BUT...there are three little boys in this world who can get me to watch football. You guessed it. My oldest nephew is in a youth football league and who can turn that down!?!

So, Saturday morning off we went to a little school nestled in a corn field. (Insert all your Indiana jokes here.) We really had fun watching the boys interact with each other and we had more than a few chuckles at the coaches trying desperately to keep the attention focused on the game at hand. At one point there were at least four players off the field over the by the stands. A coach gathered them all up and said, "We can't coach you off the field." Off they went...

Pre-game...go 77!

Post-game huddle

A did a great job! He had a few really good kicks and when he was on defense he held off two players at the same time. When I asked him at dinner if that was tough his reply was, "I stayed on my feet, didn't I?" HA! Those kids didn't move him an inch. Great job, A!

Signature Needles

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

On my Chicago trip I broke down and purchased a pair of straight Signature Needles US 9 and a US 7 20 inch circular. I've wanted these for years, but resisted. I'm not a big straight needle person, but I thought I'd give it a go because my options were so limited. I knitted the bottom of my Bobble Bag on the 9s. LOVELY needles. The tips are fabulous and the feel of the metal in your hands are great.

They are super great needles. I keep trying to figure out now projects that need a 7 or 9 so I can use them! That can only more Signatures in the future. If only there was a needle fairy to ask. :)

We All Have a Story for This Day

2011-09-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today is 9/11/2011. Like anybody else who was alive on 9/11/2001, I think about where I was and how I felt. How that day changed my world and those around me. The unusual thing about my memory of the day is that even if these events hadn't occurred, I would have remembered that morning.

When I was in high school I had a boyfriend whose mom once told me to make sure that I stopped in life and took mental snapshots of things that were important, no matter how small they might seem. It was one of those pieces of advice that stood out in my mind as a 16-year-old, and still does all these years later. There are the moments I captured that most would guess (birthdays, weddings, etc). But, there are just normal moments that I thought were what made life worth it. Standing at the sliding glass door of my apartment watching it rain one afternoon. Watching a child help another stand up after a bike fall. Seeing a crystal blue sky out my work window on a morning in September.

There was one small tiny cloud that was shaped in a curl that floated by my window and then there was just a beautiful blue.

The next moment a co-worker ran down the hall screaming to turn on the radio.

I hold onto the perfect sky memory of the morning each year when this anniversary comes up. It is that early morning moment that got me through watching all the horror for weeks on tv immediately afterward. It is that moment and all the other snapshots I've taken in my life that I want to remember, not these horrible scenes. But, like everybody who was alive that day, I do remember. I do think about those who perished and those who loved them. I do think about how life and the world changed. And then, I think about all my snapshots...

New Sheep for the Flock

2011-09-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

As part of our Labor Day weekend adventures, we came across this little guy tucked in an art store. Isn't he cute? I love how he is raised up, too. The only artist signature is MMC on the bottom-right corner. If anybody knows more about the artist, I would love to know. I feel like I need to give the sheep a name!

When Yarn Shops Attack

2011-09-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

Or maybe that should be when I attack a yarn shop! Okay...I know that I have some LYS that are not far from me. However, I haven't developed the same comfort yet to just go hang out just yet. So, I don't frequent a standing shop that often and instead head to the Internet more than ever before. After we left my SIL/BIL's house, we went for a overnight in Chicago. I seized the opportunity to swing into a few yarn shops. The lack of buying yarn for over two months was all I could take and I ended up getting some treasures.

First up was Wool & Company in St. Charles. I have to say that I LOVED this store in Geneva. The atmosphere and location had such a great vibe. I was worried when it moved that I wouldn't find it as charming. Judging by the bill, it is just fine! And, I really liked the St. Charles area. There was a little consignment shop down the street with great deals and the ladies were such fun (and can you say vintage high end designer handbags for GREAT prices?) The little gem store next door had fantastic pieces and the art shop was full of interest. We will stop there again, I'm sure.

After talking on the drive over about how I am going to thin out my purse collection and sell them off, what did I do? Picked up this kit to knit a purse? Complete with handle and bottom. I think it will knit up fast and is a great color for fall/winter.

This will become a project for Ella that Meg and I picked out. I can't wait to get it started!!!!!

Next up, we mapped out the drive to Loop Yarns. I've wanted to visit this shop for years and was excited all week about the visit. My goal...finally buying 2 pairs of Signature Needles. I plan to knit with them this week and will let you know my view, but I imagine it will line up with all the other stellar reviews. Loopy also had yarns that I hadn't seen before, which is what I love most about going to various LYS.

Anzula Hand Dyed Yarn Cricket

5 sts = 1 inch on US 5

Superwash Merino/Cashmere/Nylon

1 Red Shoe

250 yards

SOMETHING FOR ME!!!!!!

Alisha Goes Around Marmalade of Ponies Lace

950 yards

13 to 8 sts = 1 inch

US 0 to 6 needles

Parthia

www.AlishaGoesAround.com

Plan: Design a new shawl

Swans Island Organic Merino Yarns

Purple

8 sts = 1 inch US 3

Plan: Not a clue, but it was pretty!

Really liked the set up of this shop and all that it had to offer. It was also great to see men in the shop and a large variety of age groups. If I lived in Chicago, this would be my go to shop, hands down.

Now the down side...the yarn shop that DID attack. We stayed in the area later on Sunday JUST so that I could check out one more shop in the area that didn't open until noon. We drove north, out of our way to get there. The set up was beautiful. The yarn was all high-end and good quality stuff. However, I left without buying a single thing. As a matter of fact, I put things back that I really wanted because of the absolutely rude owner. She was bothered when we asked for a particular yarn for which she had a shop sample prominently displayed. "Oh, we don't have that anymore and it is discontinued." (BTW: It is NOT discontinued.) I asked if she would be willing to sell the shop sample. Her reply was you couldn't afford it. (Note that I had MORE than that in my hand to buy already.) Then she went on to chat with her friends. I was so pissed. No matter what business you are in, you should never treat your customers with assumptions, bad service, and disrespect. I am showing her 1000% more respect by not naming her store here.

A Little Get Away

2011-09-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

As mentioned a few posts ago, I got to spend several days with my SIL and my nephew Jack and niece Ella recently. It was such a nice visit! We had so many adventures that it is hard to remember everything I wanted to blog about. Where to start!?!

First off, I had a dental visit the morning of our drive up and if you are regular reader, you know that is like an out-patient surgery for me in terms of my mental state and drugs. I will say that even though I was awake and functioning on the 4-hour trip up, it felt like a 15 minute drive. How fantastic is that?

Patrick and Pete had to work the next day and Jack was at day care, so we had our first girls day with Ella. Meg recently started sewing and I had a list of projects to show her of items I thought about making for the kids. It was SO nice to just sit on the couch and chat about life and projects.

(Aside: I LOVE working from home on Brownie Knits, but with the recent closure of the LYS I find that I'm crawling the walls here. It was WONDERFUL to share a bit of life with Meg. She is always such a great supporter of mine and a good all around person. Between talking with her and my walks and talks with Katie, I feel really blessed to not only count them both as family but as friends.)

Armed with ideas, we set out to shop a little at a craft store. I can't wait to get started on some of the projects for Miss Ella, one that will include the flowers pictured here.

After our trip and Ella's nap, we put the poor girl through a quick photo session for the headbands. She was a great sport about it all and looked adorable! I thought this one was funny. I imagine she is thinking, "What is wrong with you two?" When Jack got home for the night, he was so excited to spend time with us.

The next morning I got to spend some one-on-one time with Jack in the playroom. We played I Spy, looked at photos on the computer (he LOVES Kiki), and started to play hide and seek. A few funny things occurred during this play session that still make me giggle:

After seeing a picture of Uncle Patrick with facial hair and glasses, Jack wanted to know who it was with Aunt Gina? He TOTALLY didn't believe me and I think he was confused as to why I'd be with another guy!
I was promptly corrected by the 2-year-old when I forgot to give him his turn at I Spy.
We were each told what we would be when we grew up...Jack and Ella would be Spider Turtles, Meg would be a Queen Turtle, Uncle Patrick and Pete would be Crows (actually Scarecrows), and then he said about me, "IF you grow up you will be a Queen Lion." I was the only one in doubt of growing up! :)
And...my favorite...I decided to hide under all the sheets for my hiding place to get in a bit of a rest. I had the cover over my head, but I could see through it to tell when Jack came in. All of the sudden I see a much taller figure and Meg starts laughing at me and asks what I'm doing. Now, she had been upstairs tending to Ella and getting ready. It was really funny to have an adult discover you this way. We both got some laughs out of it.

After that we were off to the little beach where Ella was decked out in her swimsuit and Jack had fun water time and a good lunch. Love his beach hair and smiles.

THEN...we had some drama. As we drove back there was a large grasshopper on the front of the car. It managed to stay there the entire time. When we were getting out we showed Jack this little interesting creature. I went to catch it for him to set it free from the garage and show it to him. Well, it was one that can jump and fly a bit. The thing flew right onto Jack's forehead. I heard it land with a thump and Jack went CRAZY. It was all so comical and I am not all that accustomed to thinking like a two-year-old so I started laughing and then realized he was seriously freaked out. He grabbed mommy and said Aunt Gina get it out of here. The story stuck with him as he told the guys when they got home from work. He went to the park with Uncle Patrick that night and PK said each time he saw a grasshopper on the walk he would back up and his eyes would get large. The image will be one I remember when Jack is 40 and beyond.

To wrap up our fun visit, we celebrated my BIL's heritage. He moved here from Sweden not all that long ago and we are always peppering him with questions about his culture to learn all we can. He was very excited to have a Swedish Crayfish party. On his way home from work PK stopped at IKEA and picked up the crayfish and the crayfish party kit (in case you want to have one of your own)! Set with all the decorations, songbooks, hats, crayfish, and even a Swedish flag, we were ready to eat, sing, and drink. What fun! When we told Jack it was a party with songs, he assumed it was a birthday party so we all sang happy birthday to Jack, Mama, Pappa, Ella, Aunt Gina, and Uncle Patrick. Hilarious!

So...you eat crayfish and sing songs. The songs are drinking songs, so you take shots of Vodka.

Pete and Patrick drank the Vodka!

As you can see, we had a blast. Thanks Meg and Pete for being such great hosts!

Hair Accessories

2011-09-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

New hair accessories for sale!!!! I sold a bunch of my stock directly to various people, so I made up some new items and loaded them to the Etsy site. They are all in the bobby pin location of the site. Here is a tasting...

Headbands

2011-09-06T08:48:00.000-04:00

I had a dreaded dental visit last week, so the day before I decided to calm my nerves with some fast crochet projects. For a bit now, I had wanted to make some of my Walking On Sunshine Headbands for Ella, so it seemed like a great fit. Patrick had to travel the next day to the Chicago area for business, so I tagged along and stayed with my SIL (more on that visit in a later post). That, of course, gave Meg and I a chance to put Ella to modeling!

Pattern: Walking On Sunshine Headbands by Brownie Knits

Pattern can be purchased in Ravelry or from my Etsy store

US Hook: H

Yarn: Vintage Berroco with a little Crystal Palace Fizz in the center of the sunflower

Size: 3-12 months; Ella is 5 months right now and it fits great with a little stretch left to grow!

Not a crocheter? I also uploaded both of these headbands for sale to the Etsy store. You can order them in custom colors and in sizes from newborn to adult large. Don't be left out! They make great shower gifts, matching mom/daughter or sister headbands for photos, and stocking stuffers! Sunflower link...Rose link

And because she is SO cute, here are some additional photos from the day...

Interview: Let's Talk Computers Air Date

2011-08-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

Patrick's interview for his new book is coming up soon! The interview for Let's Talk Computers airs on September 3rd. You can listen to the original broadcast on these stations.

Buy here!

A Little Cook Out Fun

2011-08-28T13:08:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday we had a short visit with PK's family. It felt like an "end of summer" cookout. Ugh. Fall. Winter. Ugh...anyway...

I realized that I didn't take one single photo of Ella on my camera! Oops. I am awaiting some photos from my SIL and MIL of me holding Ella. Maybe that's why I didn't snap the photos of her myself. :)

After visiting with them, it threw me into hat mode. I think I'll go cast on all those hats for the stocking stuffers now!

Baby Yoda

2011-08-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Made for him to grow into it for the fall, but he still looks adorable wearing it now!

Picture Organizing

2011-08-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

One of the non-knitting projects I've been working on is getting all of my photos organized. First, I am starting with the electronic ones. I have lots and, somehow, thousands of them were duplicated on my computer. It's crazy! I chip away at it a little each day. After that portion of the project is done, I plan to scan in old pictures that I only have in print form.

It is both fun and sad to go through all these old photos. I try to concentrate on remembering all the good times when I see pictures of loved ones who have passed away.

Here are a few fun ones of the dogs that I uncovered in the organization.

His little face cracks me up!

DCI Championships

2011-08-17T13:44:00.000-04:00

High school marching band was a HUGE part of my life in my teen years. Every year we would get to go watch a Drum and Bugle Corps show. I remember the first time I heard a corps play. I sat there amazed, thrilled, excited, and impressed. Every summer, it was a highlight to go on this trip. I haven't played since I graduated, but I still love to go and watch the local bands each fall.

We kept seeing the Fathom Events advertisement of the DCI prelims at the movies. Now that I no longer work each Thursday night, we had it open to go. Patrick had never watched a corps before. I kept going on and on about how excited I was to see it. Well, the contest happened to be in Indy, so my WONDERFUL hubby ordered tickets for the Finals!!!! I was like a child all week waiting for Christmas to arrive. They didn't disappoint!

My personal favorite shows were The Madison Scouts, The Cavaliers, and Crown. Although I enjoyed the top two shows that won, as an audience member I found them not to be the most exciting. I wasn't able to get very good pictures, but here are few. Now, I'm all ready to watch the high school bands in the coming months!

More Pictures of Rings

2011-08-12T12:07:00.000-04:00

I admit that this first one is staying with me. :)

Rings Gallore

2011-08-11T06:00:00.001-04:00

I hit the jackpot with some fantastic button finds. Now, you get to benefit! They have been transformed into rings and hair accessories. Aren't they fun? I haven't yet loaded them ALL to Etsy, so if you would like to grab one up ahead of time, email me at BrownieKnits@yahoo.com and I can provide pricing and a check out link.

THE FOLLOWING ARE CREATED FROM ANTIQUE BUTTONS AND THE RING PORTION IS ADJUSTABLE SO IT IS SURE TO FIT YOU! THIS IS JUST A SAMPLING OF THE RINGS I HAVE NOW. I'LL KEEP POSTING AS I PUT MORE UP ON ETSY.

THE FOLLOWING RINGS ARE HANDMADE FABRIC BUTTONS ON ADJUSTABLE RINGS. THE FIRST TWO ARE PERFECT FOR THE WINTER HOLIDAYS!

Miami Beach Shawl

2011-08-10T18:36:00.000-04:00

I just LOVE Madelinetosh! I knitted up a Miami Beach Shawl out of some Tosh DK that I picked up. Isn't it lovely? This is for a loved one, but I have to make myself send it and not keep it!!! The pattern was also lots of fun to knit and made up in about three days of knitting here and there. The crescent garter stitch area flies off the needles with the short rows. Pattern definitely requires blocking to get the right scallop.

2 skeins of Tosh DK in Rosewood

US needle 7

Ella's Stocking

2011-08-09T20:00:00.000-04:00

One of our traditions is that Santa fills a stocking at our house for the nephews, and now niece, each year. So one of the projects I'm working on right now is Ella's stocking. Being the only girl, I decided to go with sparkle and glitz. I am using Kraemer's Stirling Silk & Silver yarn as the main color and Ella Rae Merino Lace as the secondary color. It is also embellished with beads that I am placing with a crochet hook. I hope I can find the time to get this thing done in time!!!!!

This is the top section. I believe that is a Latvian braid above and below the fair isle section.

It's a lot of work, but it is all worth it for this little girl!

Little Jack

2011-08-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

Remember those pillows that I made for my nephew Jack? I think he likes them. :)

I seriously almost cried when I saw this. He looks so peaceful!

Truly Wonderful, The Mind of a Child Is...

2011-08-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

One of PK's friends just became a daddy. Without hesitation, I knew what I wanted to make for this new little one. When Patrick and I first started dating and I was introduced to the "guys," I was also introduced into the world of Star Wars. They were nuts about it! This was also around the time that the prequels were released, so I remember going to see those with the gang. I had flagged this pattern from Sunshyne LeLand.

Pattern: Free in Ravelry and named Felted Baby Yoda Hat

Needles: US 11

Yarn: Cascade 220

Hat is knitted in the round and then ears are knitted and sewn onto hat. This IS a felted hat project.

Mods: I was using a partial skein of yarn and was just shy on yardage. I left off the ear flaps and crocheted the cord.

Welcome to the world, little Matty! May the force be with you!

Handmade Fabric-Covered Button Jewelry

2011-08-05T12:57:00.000-04:00

In addition to the vintage button jewelry and hair accessories, we are also expanding into making our own buttons. First up, these two fun numbers! Stay tuned over the next week if you are a knitter, crocheter, or seamstress. We will be uploading buttons that you can use on all your projects!

This ring is adjustable so it is sure to fit you!

Features orange and white colors and is mounted on a gold-colored ring.

Ring retails for $6.00 and can be purchased by clicking on this link.

This handmade fabric button is a one-of-a kind! The button was made by me and mounted to a sturdy silver-colored bobby pin. Great for little girls to grown up girls! This hair accessory retails for $2.50 and can be purchased by clicking this link. I can't wait for Ella's red hair to get longer so I can make her tons of hair accessories! Let me know what colors you need for you and your little ones.

Need or want a specific themed button ring or hair accessory? Let me know what you need and we can custom-make you an item.

Hoot Hoot!

2011-08-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

My newest sleep sack creation knitted in a worsted weight yarn and embellished with a crocheted owl face. This sack is for sale here. You can also order it in custom colors by emailing me at brownieknits@yahoo.com or convo in Etsy. The pattern is in final edits and will release shortly!

Start Your Engines...Sewing Machines!

2011-07-31T15:05:00.000-04:00

The other day my nephew Jack popped into my head. I kept thinking about him all day. Recently, his mommy told me that he has become attached to some of his toys from Cars. I just so happened to see a "sewing for idiots" type of project with Cars on it. So, I went for it.

As an aunt, I also feel SUPER guilty because Jack's bad dream state that all children have, involves the dreaming child from a book that I gave him. Ugh. I know all kids have something that frightens them at night, but I still feel awful for introducing it into his life. (Although he did read the book for months on end before he fixated on one of the characters.) SO...I thought making him some pillows with Cars on them might help me, um Jack, feel better.

Kiki had to check them out...

I did cheat and, instead of hand-stitching the pillows closed with a whip stitch as instructed, I tossed the final few inches under the sewing machine and finished them off that way. I like that he has some different shaped pillows now that he can use wherever he goes. Aunt Gina loves you, Jack!

Button Rings

2011-07-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

We have added new product to the Brownie Knits shop, including button rings! These vintage buttons have been turned into adjustable rings. So much fun...visit the Brownie Knits etsy shop to see all options and place an order.

Button Box and Hat Stand

2011-07-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

As I dive into the button-themed expansion, I was finding myself collecting jar after jar and those take up too much room. PK and I decided to go walk around some antique malls in downtown Indy on Sunday. One of them didn't have air conditioning and was in an old warehouse. It was easily over 100 in there! We kept looking any way and I came around a corner and saw this little wooden box hidden by lots of other items. I doubt that it is worth much, and I paid very very little, but I loved the colors. You guessed it. It is now the new home of all the rescued buttons!

Isn't it fun? Makes the crafting more fun, too.

And...I had completely given up on finding a wire or old-style wooden hat stand. We looked for YEARS. Then...tada...one that was FINALLY for purchase and CHEAP! Can't wait to take pictures of all the hats on this little guy.

Miss Little's Class?

2011-07-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Okay all you Blackhawks...does anybody remember making these in 1st grade? I had just been talking to PK about the earliest "thread/yarn-based" activity I remembered doing. I tried, not so successfully, to describe to him these flower projects we made for mother's day in 1st grade. That weekend, we went to visit with my mom and she was doing some cleaning of old keepsakes and photos. You guessed it! Here is the VERY first needlecraft I remember doing in my life.

It hasn't aged very well, so I put it in a frame to keep it from getting worse. It has character now, right? :)

Zoo Trip: Part II

2011-07-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

Some more fun pictures from our weekend trip...

Splash Zone!

Train ride with daddy...

The baby

Nap time...

The new tiger exhibit with only glass between you and the tigers was cool!

Zoo Trip: Part I

2011-07-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

This past weekend we met up with my brother and his family to take my youngest nephew to the zoo. It was BLAZING hot. Despite the weather, we still had a good time and enjoyed watching Raleigh look at all the animals.

This was taken after I held him over the shark tank. I don't think he had recovered!

We walked up to the meerkat exhibit and saw this, um, little guy. At first, I watched to make sure he was alive! Then, I cracked up. He was totally chilled out. Then...he woke up and saw us all watching him. He looked like Riley in the middle of the night with a WTH? look on his face!

OMG...I laughed so hard I thought I was going to cry. He was my favorite animal all day.

The birds inspired me with their colors. I have a new worsted weight baby sleep sack in the works for all your knitters out there!!!! Bird-feather inspired...

"Mom, are you crazy? Is this thing real?"