With fall here and the holidays right around the corner, let me make your custom items/gifts! Pretty much anything you see knit/sewn/crochet I can make for you! My pricing is very affordable and I work hard to get you exactly what you dreamed!
I have done custom embroidery orders, scarf/cowl, baby bibs, kleenex coozies, crochet people/objects, dresses, skirts, blouses! Don’t forget about the pets either – I can make any costume idea or fun accessory for them too!
In preparation for my Harry Potter KAL with socalmeaghan, I traveled down to The String Theory Yarn Company in a village outside of Chicago. I love that the little towns/suburbs call themselves ‘villages’ by the way. I was super impressed with the little main street and will go back in warmer weather to wander around.
The shop itself was super nice, cozy, and bright. All the good measures of a fantastic knit shop. The selection and breadth of fiber was also top-notch. I discovered several new brands that were just lovely and their knitted patterns from Ravelry were very original and cool. I get tired of seeing the same scarves and ‘trendy’ stitches. Plus the lovely lady who was working was the perfect amount of friendly. She checked in on me and then let me do my thing, but was available and ready for questions. Unlike a few Chicago knit shops that you have to try to steal yarn in to get a second glance. *Chicago yarn store rant*
Well the time has come my friends! A while back I shared with you this adorable Heliopath Vest from the Unofficial Harry Potter Knits book and me and a superb fellow knit-wizard SocalMeaghan over at The Unapologetic Knitter are hosting a KAL!
Here are the BRIEF details.
1. The start date is March 1st.
2. We will have 6 stopping/check points along the way over 6 weeks. (Scroll down for exact details)
3. There is a Ravelry page as well as our webpages to share information, tips/tricks, or ask questions.
4. There WILL BE A PRIZE!
Okay now let’s expand on those brief details. The calendar for the KAL is six weeks. That means that by Easter you will have a gorgeous new vest!
March 1 (Sat): Knit swatch and measure gauge.
March 7: Cast on and work 2″ of rib (per pattern)
March 14: Begin working Cable and Lace Chart for 7″
March 21: Continue working Cable and Lace Chart for 7″ more (to the split for the armholes
March 28: Shape Armholes and neck.
April 5: Finishing and armbands and buttonhole row
Here is pattern information. I bought the digital one and I suggest you do that too – message me here in the comments or email me if you are having any questions or issues about the Unofficial Harry Potter Knits 2013 pattern book.
In terms of what yarn to use, you can follow the pattern suggestions of course. Meg and myself will be using the lovely Ewe Ewe yarns! If you haven’t heard the buzz about Ewe Ewe then please do yourself a favor and head to her website or IG (eweeweyarns) to be marveled and awed.
Finally, and the part you wanna know…. THE PRIZE! Well we decided to award one lucky knit-alonger with a skein of Black Market Wool!
Anyways! If you have questions about the KAL or want to join please feel free! I have the info on the side bar to the right and you can play along with us on Ravelry and Instagram!
Instagram you progress at #heliopathkal
We are so excited to start this super fun and adorable KAL! Join in on the fun!
xxx
GFK
Before the holidays, we had a secret santa at my work. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a Mastering Colored Knitting book for my gift. I still in fact have no idea who gave this book to me! They won’t fess up, but when I finish my more intricate pattern I’ll send an email thanking/inquiring again. Anyways, I’ve been just practicing a few little projects and I love it. Just like most knitting techniques, I’m mad I didn’t learn this sooner. SO FUN.
After my ‘finishing faux paw’ (harhar) on Boris’s new sweater of sewing the arm holes closed I realized I’ve knitted too many pet sweaters to be making such a silly mistake! So I’ve been inspired to share a few of the patterns I’ve made here.
Obviously I knit a lot. I knit for people and of course animals. I have talked a little bit about the knitted items I’ve made for the animals before, but without a doubt all the patterns are from Pet Projects: The Animal Knit Bible. I can’t even tell you how many sweaters I’ve made for mine and others’ pets, but here are a few of the patterns and a lot of sweaters I have made from this book. (PS If you click the book link it takes you to the Ravelry page with other knitters’ works too!)
They have a LOT of wonderful color pattern knits in this book too. I think I’m gonna turn the page from the sweater section and start making a few other fun animal items. Coveting it now? Buy it here.
Gee Whiz, it has been quite the week here in ‘Chiberia’ and it’s only Tuesday. First let’s just get it out of the way – it’s so cold I can’t even believe it. Second, Chicago has really sucked it up on being ‘prepared.’ The CTA (our transit system HA) ran yesterday with MAJOR DELAYS – that meant that instead of waiting an average of 5 minutes for a train or bus (even less most days) the wait for the bus was 15 minutes each way to work (exposed mind you) and 15 minutes for the train. The only saving grace yesterday was that a lot of people stayed home. This morning we were not so lucky because the buses are back to business as usual but the train still for some reason is running incredibly infrequent and late.
Regardless, the crap weather didn’t stop me from taking an amazing class at The Needle Shop on Saturday to learn the famous Amy Butler Gumdrop pillow. I had a blast. I met some great women and learned some awesome new patterning and hand sewing skills.
I also started a new sweater for my sick kitten Boris.
My neighbors and I exchange little ‘trinkets’ from time to time and this was what I made for their pup Lola.
I made some ‘winter shorts’ notice I’m wearing long underwear under them haha.
Sewing is interesting with two nosy sphynx cats.
Finally – a chuckle at how ridiculous Leopold looks in his winter outfit.
Well, all the knits have been gifted and received so here are some of the items I made this holiday season. Notably missing is my holiday sweater (ribbing done ha ha!), Harry Potter Knits (again HAHAHAHA), and Vintage Knits (a giant haha). I am excited now that ‘gifts season’ is over to work on some color switching patterns, vintage knits, and then embroidery/sewing. I’ve been incredibly knit-biased for the past few months and it will be great to get back into some fabric arts.
If you didn’t take the hint about FiberHound do yourself a favor and check them out. Best yarn ever…… EVER.
Over the weekend I went to KNITXMIDWEST in Des Moines, Iowa. It was the most fun weekend I’ve had in a long time and I always have a blast on the weekend so that’s saying it was OFF THE CHARTS FUN. The knit event took place in an adorable little lodge in a state park outside Des Moines. When I walked in on Saturday morning… I LOST IT. First, I finally met Jen at MakexDo – who’ve I have been following on her blog for years. Then I looked around and there were porcelain kittens, and yarn, and crafters, and candy, and pink, and just oh my glob. I kept feeling like I needed to run into the woods and scream ‘I AM THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN ALLLLLL THE LAND!!!!!’
Anyways, I’ll do a few more blogs about the weekend and the awesome awesome awesome knitting friends in Des Moines coming up – here are some pictures that made me barf rainbows. Again a HUGE GIANT KITTEN/RAINBOW BARF/GLITTER FILLED THANK YOU goes to the gals at Hill Vintage and Knits and Jen.
It is Friday! Also I’m so excited because today I get to go to Des Moines to meet up with Lois and my aunt for a knitting weekend! Sayyy whhhhhaaaat? You heard me! A KNITFEST!!!! Anyways, I packed last night (sort of) and am set to be there this evening. YIPEE.
ghostfaceknitter.com 