Goodies!

I could not resist the fabric serving as the backdrop in this picture at yesterday's supply show held by the Chicago Craft Mafia. I have no idea what I'll end up making with it, but I thought the combination of purple, shades of brown and red was so lovely, I'll have to think of something. It's a nice heavy weight I like a lot. Also the black and red fabric was too interesting to pass up. Most especially the $10 bag of 11 balls of rowan cotton rope. It may be yellow, a color I'm always skeptical of pulling off, but a whole bag that will equal a nice size project for $10? I was doomed. As a side note, I did use Chuck's G1 to get on ravelry and look up what project I was thinking of that used this yarn. (it was the Frontier Blues Jacket from an issue of knitscene, scroll down about 1/2 way.) Further proof that I need my own.

Like the Winter Renegade Handmade show, this event also took place at the Pulaski Park Field House, though this event only took up one room. It's an interesting building, and I was tempted to spend more time taking pictures, instead I only took a few snapshots before getting down to business stocking up on supplies. I'm sure we'll be back, since all kinds of stuff happens there year-round. In the next room, for example, the Chicago Swordplay Guild was practicing.

Bus rider watching

I saw someone with this purse on the bus a few weeks back. I tend to like ideas like this, where somewhat silly and somewhat practical meet. Anyway, I didn't really find anywhere on the net selling it, but I did find this picture and that it's from Zambos & Siega. Which is fine, I wasn't shopping for a bag and this one is leather anyway. I just thought it was an interesting idea, and could be fairly simple to do a handmade take on it. One thing I have seen on the bus recently that I am now coveting as a result is the Kindle 2. I've come to think it might be a great way to multi-task, get some reading and knitting done at the same time. A little easier to push a button than to hold a book open and flip pages perhaps. Toni Morrison likes it. Though, I probably should lean toward a bike, with spring coming. Of course I'm not really planning on getting any of these things at the moment...just sort of a major item wish list. Though, I might get a G1, there's a bargain on amazon. It takes me a while to decide these things so we'll see.

In a few moments we're off to check out a supply show, as if I needed more stuff to play with, over at the Pulaski Park Field House called Do It Your Own Damn Self. I have no idea what I might bring home, if anything, but if I do, I will post! Should be fun regardless.

Yipes!

It's been a long time since my last post. I guess I definitely have blogging spurts, times I'm into it and times I'm just not. Sorry about that! (Wish I could figure out what triggers the pro-blogging spurts!)

Anyway, just a general round up of things. Knitting-wise, I finished a Rapunzel stocking. It comes up just past my knee. I had a bit more yarn and could have kept going I suppose, but I have to be motivated to finish sock two....which so far hasn't happened yet. Instead I've been poking around some other projects with my knitting needle:
- Nob Hill from knitty, which should be a quick project, has been stashed for and in my queue since roughly the time that issue came out, last spring. I finally settled and decided I was getting a decent gauge and I'm trying to adjust for it. Quick knit, but I think I must redo the sleeves (fortunately they are small) lest I look like Servalan from Blakes 7. (who is awesome, btw, I just don't think I could pull it off day to day, and in knitwear...unfortunately.)
- And I made sort of a large swatch for the lacy dolman from Glam Knits using the yarn my aunt sent me for my birthday. There's not enough yarn to do the full sleeves per the design, so I sorta swatched big trying to figure out how a short-sleeve/sleeveless version might work.

Oh and I've nearly finished a cabled cuff from that last issue of knit.1. That actually spawned another project, making or finding a cool button. I picked make. Recruiting the help (a lot of the help) of the boyfriend and his access to a laser cutter at school. These are in progress, many more than I need have been cut out and are ready for some sanding & finishing. They may turn up in the etsy shop in one way or another.

Which, goodness knows, the etsy shop could use some new, non-renewed items. I have a lot of ideas bouncing around in my head and I just haven't gotten to them yet. The current level of my knitting addiction could have something to do with that, though there's pleanty else to distract. Anyway, I may start to try to bring some of my knitting addiction into the shop, which may or may not involve these buttons...I've got a bunch of ideas. Plus, a few weekends back I constructed a new collapsable light box per this tutorial. This is all pretty likely to lead to some spring cleaning in the shop! Pictures of various things in progress should be forthcoming.

Thanks tweeters!

What is it that is supposed to mean people are talking about you? And is there a modern day equivalent for blogging? Well, thanks to Google alerts I don't have go on superstitions. The EtsyTwitter team members have been so nice, blogging and tweeting about me as shop of the week! Here's a list of some of the very kind tweet-bloggers who have posted about my shop this week.

http://mysweetthree-kristin.blogspot.com/
http://tamdoll.blogspot.com/
http://lelephantrose.net/content/
http://www.ginamstudio.com/
http://threepeats.blogspot.com/
http://jenco13.blogspot.com/
http://sumikocreations.blogspot.com/

If I missed anyone, post a link in the comments. Thanks team! Oh,and there's a fun Scavenger hunt happening in several EtsyTwitter team members shops this week to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Find out more on the blog!

P.S. the 10% discount in my etsy shop as shop of the week continues through the weekend. Just send a note to seller upon check out letting me know you heard about the etsytwitter team discount, and wait for a revised invoice before paying!