Peanut & Purls and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SOCKS!

They're done! The godforsaken socks have been knit!!! All of my Christmas 2013 obligations are fulfilled!!!!!

2012 in Review: Part 4

1. DIY Skeleton Garland 2. Fantastic Mr. & Mrs. Fox Costumes 3. DIY Skeletor Skin 4. DIY Spirit Animal Masks 

5. DIY Cat Toys 6. Make a $5 Dress 7. Black Beauty Bookends 8. DIY Holiday Garland 

9. Glitter Pinecone Garland 10. Knitted Coffee Cozy 11. DIY House Silhouette Wrapping Paper 12. DIY Rorschach Prints 

Thanks for the wonderful year, everyone!

2012 in Review: Part 3

1. DIY Eraser Stamps 2. DIY Etched Glasses 3. DIY Branch Jewelry Display 4. Deathly Hallows Plaque 

5. Montana Trip 6. DIY Beach Battle 7. DIY Animal Toppers 8. DIY Cat Cottage

9. Knitted Wrap 10. DIY Embroidered Merit Badges 11. Embroidered Wedding Favors 12. DIY Ombré Necklace 

Up tomorrow: October, November, December...

2012 in Review: Part 2

1. Friendship Necklace 2. Berry Necklace 3. Felted Sandollar 4. Mushroom Rattles

5. Ceramic Wolf 6. Painted Beads Necklace 7. Bruttles 8. California Trip

9. Knitted Baby Hoodie 10. Galaxy Clutch 11. Felted Art 12. The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee Fundraiser 

Up tomorrow: July, August, September...

Peanut & Purls: Coffee cozies

I wanted to knit up a quick gift to include in a gift exchange at work. I turned to Ravelry and found the perfect thing--coffee cozies! I only needed one, but why stop with one cozy when you can make a several variations?

Peanut & Purl: Completed baby sophisticate sweaters

I finished both of the baby sophisticate sweaters. Just in time too...

Mt. Pillow

Take a look at those pillows! Now, all the pillows are fantastic in their own way, but the point of this post is to showcase the monumental mountain pillow. I handcrafted that puppy from scratch, and I'm tickled pink as to how it turned out. I wanted to make something else for Christine's birthday but I wasn't sure what. I had been thinking about a knit mountain pillow, but I didn't have a pattern, so I made one...

It just felt so right.

So for a while now I have had a pretty little bowl filled with knitted wool balls sitting on my coffee table. I always mean well and yearn to finish the project for which they were intended, but that day never seems to come, and it never will. As time went by the project was upgraded to full-on felted wool balls, and boy are my fingertips sore.

Both frames have a little touch of color--it's not as aggressive as color blocking, but since I plan on

hanging them in the bedroom I figured I'd go neutral to sing me to sleep.

The final project, I'm in love!

Both frames were originally just plain gold frames from a thrift store, no glass and no backing. Which was

fine for me, and I do like gold, but for this project I decided to go cream with some light grey accents.

As I just mentioned, glass wasn't necessary, but for the backing I made a card board insert and
painted it a matching neutral tone, with a little bit of a kick.

Instead of using the knitted wool balls, I decided to take the yarn and felt the balls.
I used an undyed fisherman's wool so it felts nicely.

I rolled it in a loose ball, neatly so I could save the texture, and tightened it up with my coarse felting needle. 

It was much faster than knitting and gave me a cleaner finished product.

After the hot glue gun was all warmed up from gluing the backing to the frame,

I was ready to arrange my felted spheres.

Typically, I would have filled the entire frame space with balls, but since I added the accent color

 on the backing I wanted it to show through.

The finished project. <satisfied sigh>

For the second frame I decided to mix it up again. I felted a couple small balls and a little woolen ornament.

I used the entire frame space on this one, something about how they all fit together really sits well with me.

This one reminds me of holly, but not in a Christmas-y sort of way.

Even though I didn't use my original knitted balls, I feel very accomplished to have finally gotten this

 project out of my head space. Here's to Sunday projects gone right!!

Presenting another knit lace thing.

You may remember (let's be honest, I'm sure you don't) that I have been working away at a lace scarf pattern from Vogue knits. This project took a long time and made me very bored. I really like lace, but I think I'm over the whole leaf-lace pattern. I find myself getting really annoyed with it.

Mom was pleased though, so that's good. It's a nice enough drop-stitch scarf. I think it would look pretty in white. 

Are you a knitter and want to check out the Ravelry project? Of course you are/do. Here's the link.
Let's be Ravlery friends!

I love Murder She Wrote!

We sisters love to watch shows and movies while we craft. I am now dedicated to watching Murder She Wrote. I love it. I am on the fifth season, episode four and am comforted constantly by the fact that I still have six seasons left. I will even go so far as to say that I often am able to solve the crime before the big reveal. Also, I like that a lot of J.B. Fletcher's facial expressions remind me of our mom.

Angie Lansbury, isn't she lovely...

 

Here is what else I have been up to... (I don't have instagram like the other sisters).

Cotton necklace project.

Puppy paws.

Urchin cleaning for sisters' visit.

Painting Miniatures.

Lovely weekend light.

Notice The Doyle Diary, it's this amazing book I got for Bennett with sketches by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's father... he was insane. We sisters also love Sherlock Holmes. Jeremy Brett is my fave.

My continuing knitted ball obsession.

knitted ball headboard

felted ball necklace

fruit and veg, of the knitted variety

Every once in a while, Monika will knit us some amazing fruit and veggies. And surprise: they're actually cat toys! Just imagine several happy kitties bunny-kicking the heck out of what you see below.

a peach

and a turnip

I love the sweet rosy colors--they make me think of spring.

I would like to put in a request for a parsnip, two blood oranges, and a pomegranate. Stat!
You can check out more knitted fruit and veg on Monika's ravelry page.  

P.S. We're well aware that we've been doing some major slacking lately.

We'll try to do better...especially that Monika. Sheesh.

Sunday Succulents.

 Months in the making, very sore fingers have produced my knitted succulent prototypes.
These were first attempts, some hits, some misses and some strains that I just plain made up.



string of pearls



I decided to incorporate them with a small terrarium I made in a glass candy dish that sits on a pretty pedestal. I got the planter at an estate sale in Washington when I was with my Mom.



undisclosed succulent



They aren't anything too fancy or too complex. I start by knitting a basic ball with double pointed needles and then just decrease to size and shape. 

Back drop courtesy of Kate Spade stationary. Sisters you haven't seen it yet, but you will.