i didn't disappear...

but i wouldn't blame anybody for thinking such a thing. my camera program is still installed on our "retired" laptop and so everytime i am on the computer and think about updating my blog, i say to myself "i don't feel like it right now since i have to get out the other laptop, so i will do it tomorrow" and of course the proverbial tomorrow never comes. so i'm doing it today, better late than never.
i have a few new projects, some which are surprises though, so this is the only one i can share right now. one of my friends just added a little boy to her family and this bear had to come along. it's a debbie bliss bear pattern that i've been wanting to try, a lot smaller than my other favorite bear pattern (see my february 28th post), but still big enough to squeeze well. washable and dryable if necessary.i am headed to my little brother's wedding in salt lake in a few days, and hopefully will be finished with and be able to post my other projects upon return... until then.

mr. monkey

one of my coworkers is expecting a little girl in july. i was excited to give her this little monkey this last weekend, and admittedly a little sad to see it go, i liked it so much. two different recycled sweaters contributed in the yarn category, both being very soft and fully washable/dryable...which i'm sure will come in handy with a little one.my "etsy" shop is only days away from being updated! i've got a few turtle rattles, some hats, a doll and some jewelry to post. i don't know why it always takes me so long to get an update together, but i'll let you know you when you can check it out. in the meantime, enjoy the end of may!

it's a bird, it's a plane....

it's SUPERMAN! batman is no longer the only soft, stuffed superhero in our home. tonight i finished up superman's cape/lining and got him all put together. there is something uniquely satisfying about finishing each one of these toys.the superman symbols on his chest and the back of the cape are partially embroidered to get better detail in the shape.the yellow shield shape underneath the embroidery and superman's hair were my first efforts with intarsia knitting... which i have to admit always held some degree of intimidation for me, but upon completion made me supremely happy. the cowboy's head (see previous post) was not knit with the intarsia technique and i felt it could have been better, so i made it a goal of mine to try it on this doll, and it worked awesome! a definite must for any larger chunk of colorwork. on the needles now: a baby shower gift for one of my coworkers who is due in July... but the baby shower is in a few weeks, so i will be able to post the completed project then. and after that...who knows?

batman makes a friend

i recently got an order to make a cowboy for a friend of mine in Utah. upon completion, the cowboy seemed to make himself right at home and chum up with batman... this is the way they looked on the morning i mailed the cowboy off to his new owner (my husband is the prime suspect in this "match" seeing how they were not left in this position the previous night). but the end had to come and the cowboy is now on his way to be a little boy's birthday present, hopefully he likes him as much as we did. here are just a few shots to remember him by.the handle-bar mustache was nate's genius idea, as well as the main design for the cowboy hat, which was somewhat of a knitting-engineering dilemma (the key is pipecleaners...) and the rest of the details just kind of fell into place. yeehaw!!!
i really love making these toys. for anyone out there reading this, i'm always up for custom orders! in other knitting news, my lone mitten also got a mate. i am all finished with another great project (well, finished except for the blocking). thanks again to my mom for the book of patterns. i can't wait to make another pair, and i really can't wait for winter to roll around again so i can actually enjoy them out in the real world.what's on the needles now? well, since batman lost his cowboy buddy, i'm whipping up a suitable superhero friend to fill the void. check back soon.

making my return to blogland...

even if this post doesn't amount to much, i am sure that anyone actually reading it will just be silently thrilled that it is something new... i did not fall off the face of the planet i assure you, i just became a really bad judge of how quickly time was passing. this cute bear has been keeping me company for a few weeks as i've sewn up his seams and made sure he is sufficiently stuffed, but he will soon be shipped off to a new home and hopefully become a fast friend of a new baby girl in my husband's extended family. this is one of my absolute favorite knitted toy patterns from toys to knit, and i've made him several times. also happily eating up my time has been the following mitten (soon to be mittens) from a pattern book that my mom gave me for Christmas. the patterns are so fun and it's the first time i've knit with laceweight yarn and size 0 needles (which is basically the equivalent of string and toothpicks). the process has been a little slow, but so fun and satisfying to see the end product!this little girl is another trial of my doll pattern that i wrote last fall. the same pattern as the batman, but obviously with girly variations and i think it turned out pretty fun.i again must apologize for subjecting the few of you that check this blog to "the last post of 2009" for a few months now. i will try to be better about not letting my posts become rare and stagnant. in the next few months i hope to get around to so many of the projects that i have had my eye on for awhile... and will attempt to not get sucked into the void of time again. maybe i should make a rule for myself that i have to post something at least once a week, if only a single snapshot of something that happened! i will try this out and see how i fare. (feel free to censure if i am slacking)

the last post of 2009!

first of all merry christmas! and happy new years too! i have been a little lax as of late in the blogging world, trying to finish last minute projects for Christmas. so after last weekend, the whirlwind subsided and i'm getting around to a more recent post for all of you that are tired of seeing that turkey picture from last month. i have just a few projects to share at this time, first of all there is batman!this was knit for my husband, and finished on christmas eve, right at the last minute!
this little hermit crab came from a knitting book given to me by a friend for christmas and i cast on the day after, i couldn't wait to try the complicated patterns. it turned out so great, with pipe-cleaners in the legs to make it poseable! now who wouldn't want a knitted hermit crab!!!these little turtles are some of my favorite toys to knit right now! they fit in the palm of your hand and there is a rattle in them (actually a cat toy with a bell in it), so they are really fun!and for the future...oooh, cashmere. 400 yards of it just waiting to become something amazing and soft and heavenly...i just have to decide what. there are so many projects to be made this year, and i will keep you updated on all of them! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

happy thanksgiving!

What a wonderful holiday! first of all i do want to say how thankful i am for the best family and friends a girl could ask for, i just wish we were all a little closer... for those of you that couldn't make it to Indiana this year (and that was all of you :) i wanted to share our meal with you through pictures, it was delicious if i do say so myself.
the menu was: sage roasted turkey, homemade gravy, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, apricot-ginger cranberry sauce, cornbread and cranberry stuffing, brown butter and almond green beans and sausage stuffed mushrooms. nate doesn't really care for the stuffing and cranberry sauce, so the mushrooms were especially made for him. and to top it all off, our favorite apple pie recipe that has granny smith apples, a crumb topping and the most amazing custard filling.


we saw the stuffed mushrooms on one of food network's holiday specials, here's the recipe, they are delicious. i hope everyone's day was filled with good memories and good food. maybe next year everyone can come here?