Jenn Likes Yarn - The Knit and Crochet Blog

officially the worst blogger ever

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:44:00 +0000

I think the title says it all.

Why? Because I barely blogged last month. I think I had one entry throughout all of April. Dry your eyes, though, because I'm updating now :)

With what, I'm not sure. I joined a 10,000 meter challenge on Facebook where we have to knit or crochet 10,000 meters by the end of June. You know how much I've done? 68 yards. Pathetic. Luckily, I have a few custom orders coming in that will help with that number, but my motivation is lacking.

I blame it on the weather. And also the fact I just invested in a Nikon D5200 that's been keeping me entertained. Exhibit A:

Yes, that's my puppy and yes, he's wearing a bow tie. We've been having fun being outside taking fun pictures together, just experimenting with my camera's features. I only had to take 42 photos to get this frontal shot of him.

I also can't tell if I'm suffering from allergies or a wee bit of a cold. I've felt disgusting all week and haven't wanted to indulge in crafts, so there's been a lot of reading and watching the first three seasons of "Arrested Development" in preparation for Season Four on Netflix. Exciting, I know.

But I did get a huge box of yarn yesterday, so I plan on taking some artsy photos and updating with a haul in the coming days.

I hope you've all had a great month since my last post and are enjoying the beautiful weather that May has brought with it. Summer is right around the corner and I, for one, am looking forward to what that will mean for my life.

finished: crochet easter bunny for mom

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Remember when I posted awhile back asking you to guess what I was making?

Well here it is: a little guy that I was making as an Easter present for my mom:

Project Description: I posed this pattern on my Facebook page a few weeks ago and mother oh-so-subtly hinted that she'd love it if I could make one for Easter. So I did! I chose the colors that most appear in my parents' house and then added sparkle - of course - with the green accent color.

This was the first time I had ever used safety eyes. Here's the thing: I always wondered why safety eyes were fine on toys given to children. I thought they'd just be easy to tear out and chew on and I guess it's still possible. But my fingers almost fell off trying to get the stupid things in. I love how they look, though, and wouldn't have done it any other way.

PS: I got that amazingly pink feather wreath for 40% off at Michaels. Totally worth the investment.

Yarn Used: I used four yarns to complete this pattern:

Pattern Used: Easy Crochet Bunny - A Green Dragonfly Tutorial

Life Updates:

My world is a little crazy. My mom was admitted to the hospital unexpectedly last week, so I've been trying to help out as much as possible.
I'm leaving for San Francisco on Friday, so I'm trying to take care of stuff around the house and need to do a crap ton of shopping in preparation.
Easter was really nice, even though my mom couldn't be there physically. I got lots of candy - how could you go wrong?

That's it for today? I'm hoping to update at least once more before traveling to Frisco - I'm excited! It should be a great time and productive because it's work-related. I'm planning out my travel knitting projects as we speak for optimum efficiency :)

Hopefully nobody tricked you yesterday!

my craftsy class wish list

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

If you follow my Facebook page regularly, you'll know that I'm obsessed with Craftsy classes. I've purchased a few and, due to time constraints over the past couple months, haven't been able to fully indulge.

But last summer, I was able to work my way through most of a spinning class. I didn't have much luck and I blame it on the fibers I was using. Still, I had fun and plan to master the art of spinning my own yarn.

There are still tons of classes I'd like to take, including the smaller workshops. Below is my wish list. If you've taken any of these classes, let me know what you thought of them. I need to prioritize, so I'd really appreciate the feedback :)

My Craftsy Wish List:

Amigurumi: Design Your Monster -Learn pattern design by doodling a monster and bringing it to life. Combine body shapes and parts to create wild crocheted creatures.
The Seamless Artemesia Sweater - Worked from the top down, the Seamless Artemisia Sweater features set-in sleeves, knit-in pockets and lace details.
Handknit Garment Design - Shirley Paden, author of Knitwear Design Workshop, brings her concepts to Craftsy! Learn her comprehensive yet simple process for beautiful fabric and knitwear.

Make sure to check out all of the other great Craftsy Classes by clicking here. If you're not into the fiber arts (which - I can't imagine you'd be on this blog if you weren't!) or if you have other hobbies, there are classes like pizza making, sewing (beginners and advanced), baking, paper crafting, and more.

Have you checked out Craftsy yet? What have been your favorite classes? What projects have you made? Let me know in comments - I'd love to hear what you have to say.

custom order: custom mommy/child pilot hats

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

I'm going to try something a little bit different for my project posts in the hopes that I'll be able to update more (and communicate clearly instead of babbling like I usually do :P). So let me know what you think!

Project Description: These hats are a custom mother/child order for my etsy shop. My customer, Tamera, requested pilot hats in both baby and adult sizes; over course, I was more than happy to oblige!

I hadn't made a pilot hat before, and the pattern I found needed severe tweaking for both worsted weight yarn and an adult head circumference. I spent the better part of an evening figuring out the math and making swatches until it just worked! I'm pleased with myself - it was actually quite easy and I'll be able to adjust the hat for a variety of sizes now. Made-to-order pilot hats, anyone?

Yarn Used: I used three yarns to accomplish this fun zig-zag look:

Pattern Used: Baby Pilot Hat Modified by Gerda Porter

Life Updates:

Fritzy ate a foil candy wrapper the other day, so Hubby and I kept a less-than-entertaining vigil for the next 24 hours to make sure he was okay.
I've started getting into baking doggy cookies, which I love because I've always enjoyed baking, but never kept up because I didn't want to eat everything myself - so now I can just make my dog fat! (Not really).
I can't believe Easter is this coming weekend considering we still keep getting snowed on
I'm traveling to San Francisco in just over a week for a marketing conference/a little girl time at some delicious wineries. I'm trying to figure out which project to take on the plane with me and might leave it up to a vote by my loyal readers :)

That's it! Let me know if this format works for you guys. I feel like it's more organized, so my thoughts are put together a little bit better than normal. Also, you can skim to the areas you actually want to read.

Hope you're all having a great week and have a lot of spring projects to work on!

ridiculous yarn haul from tophatter

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:35:00 +0000

By now, we all know I have a problem. An addiction, if you will. To yarn.

I suppose it could be worse, but it's to a point where someone who loves me may want to stage an intervention.

Exhibit A: My latest yarn haul from Tophatter:

I purchased a grab bag, which pretty much means the seller took a bag and stuffed as much yarn as possible in there before shipping it out. The yarns would be random (although she did contact me to see if I had a preference - I didn't, but that was sweet) and I would have no idea what I'd be getting.

Obviously, I made out pretty well since I only paid $10.

I can't believe that... and I can't believe I'm even promoting it because I love the fact nobody's there to bid on the yarn auctions. Try bidding on jewelry - it's not easy! But I love going there for craft supplies because I've found some adorable, unique things to add to whatever it is I need to make.

Check it out if you'd like and let me know how it goes! I used to have some issues with the site's load times, but it seems to have fixed itself. They also changed the interface around slightly since the last time I purchased anything, and I found it pretty easy to use.

Also, congrats on the two winners in my weekend giveaway of Inspired Crochet! I've sent over your contact information and will be in touch as soon as I hear back :)

giveaway + "inspired crochet" magazine deal

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 15:30:00 +0000

A blog post on a Saturday? That must mean there's something special going on - if you guessed "giveaway", then you'd be right!

You might not know it from the snowy weather lately, but spring is pretty much here. A time for cleaning, planting, romance, and our favorite - crocheting in spring-inspired colors.

Not inspired? Then make sure to check out "Inspired Crochet", a magazine with crochet patterns from your favorite online designers - all in one place! If that's not enough, it also includes special articles, tips, and anything else your heart desires.

Click on the images below for some sneak peeks:

Is your interest piqued yet? If not, then check out what's coming up in April:

Subscription Deal

That said, here's where the fun comes in. I've been working with "Inspired Crochet" to offer you an 8-month subscription for the price of 6. If you're like me, nothing brings you more joy than getting crafty little goodies in my mail, so this is perfect. Click here to subscribe if you're ready to take the plunge.

Enter the Contest

That said, I'm sure some of you would like to "try it on for size", so to speak, before investing. That's why they're letting me offer two winners a FREE issues of their choice. Sound good? Then just follow the instructions below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, everyone, and I sincerely hope you take advantage of this great offer. And thanks to "Inspired Crochet" for letting me help spread the news and promote their fun publication :D

super secret crochet project in progress

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:21:00 +0000

I started this super top secret project last night. Can you guess what it is?

Let me know what you think in the comments below. I'm still waiting for one final supply in the mail, but will reveal what it is after adding the finishing touches ;)

Notice the hint of sparkle. Will I ever complete a project without shimmer? NOPE!

Who doesn't love a good guessing game?

the one in which i whine about cabin fever

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:53:00 +0000

I don't know what to write about, but feel compelled to update. So here's a photo of a hat I made for the craft show I went to back in November:

It's my own pattern based off a design I created for a custom order back in the day. I had always wanted to try the pattern out with hot pink and black, and I think it came out pretty swell. You can add this pattern to my list of "patterns I've been promising to type up and post for your enjoyment" that grows longer by the week :)

My crafting mojo is still in the toilet. Fun imagery, I know. I've been drawing and painting a lot more lately, which isn't helping the cause, plus I've been working diligently on the Laera Shawl knit-a-long over at Craftsy. It's been my TV-watching project while I catch up on ever season of "Merlin" on HuluPlus (Bradley James is apparently my new guilty pleasure). I hope they get Season 5 soon because I'll be done with the whole series within the next couple weeks.

Otherwise, I have no motivation. I thought I'd jump all over craft time once I graduated from my MBA program, but I guess I needed an extra long vacation. My energy is zapped - really, truly zapped. At least my fascination with craft beer has returned - this has led to some fun nights out. Then this weekend, we'll be visiting some friends near Baltimore, which should be fun and help battle my cabin fever. I think that's my problem - I can't wait for the weather to get warmer so I can sit on our porch and get some sun!

stolen pattern alert - lots of WAHHHH

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:58:00 +0000

Over the past 24 hours, I've received several messages from some fellow crafters notifying me that Los Angeles Needlework Patterns has not only stolen two of my free patterns, but they are also selling them. This goes for a bunch of other indie designers in the fiber and sewing industries.

I don't know who I feel sorrier for - +Dixie Champoux for making money off other people's work, or the customers she's ripping off by selling free patterns.

But if I've learned nothing else, it's that the crafting business community is one of the best to be in. The way we've all rushed to each other's aid, notifying other designers that their work has been stolen, and sicking our legions on the site's Twitter account has been amazing. I mean, I don't normally advocate fighting on the internet, but this one has me peeved. I'm not even concerned about someone else getting credit for my designs - it's annoying, but whatever. The part that irks me is... how many people are paying for patterns that they can otherwise get for free?

Okay, enough ranting for a Monday morning. There are already enough things to rant about on Mondays without questioning shady people's motives. I just wanted to put this out there in case you've ever purchased anything from that website and to warn you to never purchase anything from them. Ever.

in progress: stamped cross stitch project

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Hats) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:59:00 +0000

Hello, crafty friends!

It's been a few weeks since I've updated the blog and I've received a bunch of messages - some kind and some not-so-kind - reminding me that I've been absent. I apologize.

The good news is my life is returning to some semblance of order. I've graduated from my MBA program, the new puppy is settled into our new home, my car is finally repaired, and I have my crafting mojo back. After school and the holidays ended, I wanted to do nothing. So I read a couple books and got addicted to the game "Heroes of Order & Chaos" on my iPad. As fun as that was, being unproductive gets old.

I've started working on crocheted bookmarks for a swap, which I'm almost done with. It's a hairpin lace project, so it's been fun and different. Plus, I'm using sparkly yarn - you can't go wrong!

I also started a cross-stitching project. Here's where I am with that:

Photo of stamped cross stitch kit purchased at ACMoore

As you can see, not very far. I don't think the cross-stitching world is my forte. I just don't have the patience, I want immediate results, and I really dislike having the pull the strands of thread apart every time I change colors - which is often.

I don't hate it, though. I do have fun when I sit down and work on it; however, I need more than just an hour here and there to make any progress, and that's all the time I've had recently.

I have more projects to share with you in the coming days. I will try to respond to all your messages and comments quickly - thanks for your patience as I get to each of you :)

new in the shop! MADE TO ORDER - Custom Knit Headband Headwrap with Flower in any color