A new bag

Um. (tap, tap, tap) Testing. 1..2..3? Is this microphone on?
Well, hello there blog. Um. It's been awhile. How are y'all out there in internet land? Me? I'm fine. I apologize for not calling you for awhile. I've been... busy? (blushes.)
But, I'm back momentarily to share with you a bag I made last week. I love it with the fire of a thousand suns. Yes. That. Much. So, I just had to post a picture or two of it.

I love it because it is a remake of a bag I had for years. A bag I used until it came apart at the seams. I fixed the bag once, and then it died again. The owl material on that bag was stained and coming apart. It was time for a new one. So, I took that bag apart, made a pattern, and sewed this new one. (go me!)
I also love this bag because of the material. I went on a fabulous trip to Paris last year, and thus I love anything that reminds me of that. And let me tell you - on that trip I stared at the Paris map for a long, long time.
I love this bag because, well, I made it. Not only hat, I made it and it didn't make me want to scream. Sewing normally does. Maybe I'm finally growing up.

... maybe.

Too small

A few weeks ago, my niece noticed some cute lilac yarn in my stash and requested some mittens. Sure. I had no plans for that yarn.

So I started them, and I finished them. But when my niece tried them on... WAY too small. I guess that's what you get for not checking her hand size, AND not following a pattern. (also why they don't totally match.)

Best part was her trying them on and laughing hysterically that I'd made them too small. Then asking if she could keep them for her younger brother. I hope that boy likes light purple!

Who me?

Hedwig? Is that you?

Nope. Just a knitted owl. But a cute one!

I can't begin to tell you how long this hat has been in my queue of things to make. YEARS I'm sure. It wasn't until Steph requested one for Christmas (... um yes. Christmas. You aren't wrong in thinking it is now March... Late deliver?) that I finally put my needles towards making it. 

Now I feel even sillier that I hadn't made it before. The pattern is free, and super easy to follow!And making the owls is kinda fun. I hadn't done cables in a while so it was a nice change. 

Love the owls. I might just have to make something else with them.

Offset

 I love me some baby sweaters!

Aren't they just the cutest? And that is even without a cute little baby in them!! And this one is for a baby who I am soooo excited to meet! (When she is ready to join the world out here, that is. No rush!) I'm sooo excited for my friends and their Appleseed!

I made this sweater from an awesome free pattern. Super easy to follow! And such a cute result!! Who doesn't love the repurposed vintage buttons I found in my mothers stash? (best place to look for buttons!) I have no idea what they came off of, but it's fun to imagine sometimes.

Oh. And does it look familiar to you? That's because I made one WAY back in 2008 for my niece. And I would definitely make another one.

So, this sweater and a cute little dress are on their way, along with a seriously cute moose from steph to their new home. (Go check it out!)

once forgotten

Itchy hat? made by me. (pattern)

Awesome cowl? made by Steph. (Thanks!!! Loves it!!) (pattern)

I actually made this hat almost 9 months ago. I started knitting it on the flight to Italy last April. I'd hoped to finish it and while sitting in St. Peter's Square and get some pictures there. No dice. Once I was in Italy there were just too many awesome things to see and do. No time for knitting! Then I finished it on the flight home.

After that, I sort of forgot about it for awhile. But I brought it this past weekend on my trip to see Steph. And if anyone can get a good pic of something, it's her. Thanks again! For the pics, and the great weekend!

mittens by the seat of my pants

Pretty much the first thing I ever learned how to make is mittens. (well, if you don't count that scarf I made for my teddy bear when I was 6. ... and I don't!) 

So, when I saw this pattern, I figured, EASY! I'll just make up my own version. FAIL. Well, not really. Sure, I made two sort of matching mittens that are cute. But they didn't turn out quite the way I wanted them to.

What did I do to make these mitts? Um. Can't tell you. I seriously was just knitting by the seat of my pants. And in the end, I'm pretty sure they are different. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who would notice they are different, but different they are.

But all in all, I like 'em. Hope Steph likes 'em, too!

x72

It's not raindrops on roses or a bright copper kettles or even warm woolen mittens, but this scarf is my newest favo(u)rite thing:

Isn't is such a fun scarf!? (Well, cowl? Infinity scarf? Thing to keep neck warm... Whatever it is... I love it!) Ravelry link.

Best thing about this scarf? Everything. I loved making it! It had been so long since I've done colo(u)r work. I love that it used up scraps of old yarn. I loved getting to make up a few charts of my own. I love how bright the scarf is! I loved that there was always something new coming. New colo(u)rs, new patterns. I loved planning it! And I even loved doing the kitchener stitch at the end to weave it all together.

I also love the math. 72 stitches. Fabulous number! 2x2x2x3x3=72. So many possible divisors! You just cast on 72 stitches and go! Use any of chart that is 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 32 wide. What's more simple?

Note: When I was making it, I tried to switch up the width with each new pattern. For example, after using a x32 chart, on the next one I would use a x9 width. I didn't want the patterns to match up. 

I love it so much... I just might have to make another one.