Knitting and Other Notes

Hi Sunday, funday!  This weekend's craftstravaganza is best recapped in pictures.  Enjoy!

Mister donned an old failed crochet beanie.

I re-learned how to knit, courtesy Brooke.

I practiced some new knit stitches.  

I think this one has a real name, but it's just 1 row knit, 1 row purl.

Uneven-ness makes me embarrassed.  Must practice!

I attempted to teach Brooke, Christine, and Ingrid how to crochet.

I forgot how hard it is at first!

Finally, this might be the last you see of my long hair.  

I decided I am going to call up my girl to get a chop tomorrow!

Hope everyone had a fun weekend!  I got to see my girl Monica, and go for some running in gorgeous weather.  Also got some brunch and did a little wedding planning.  Eeeee!!! 

Two of Us

Big news!!  I pretty much had the best weekend ever!  Marty popped the question to my TOTAL surprise right before we hit the road for winter beach trip!

Needless to say... I am on cloud nine.  So happy and so in love.

This is just a fraction of the ~150 pics I took!  I will definitely be crafting a scrapbook, and I will be sure  to share any crafty wedding things I do!

Pom Pom Beret Crochet Hat

Hellooo there!  I can't believe I have something to show you tonight.  I literally spent an entire craft day with Brooke working on hats with this yarn and created nothing.  Zip.  The yarn seemed easy, but it is so bulky, and nothing was working out as I pictured.  Therefore, I was shocked to bang out this hat in less than three hours tonight.  Inspiration struck in the form of some girl I see walking around near my office.  Better pictures to come once I weave in the ends and clean up the pom pom.  Pattern & initial pics below.

Makin' hats out of other hats:

 Hat head:

Flat hat:

Mister grabbing some yarn:

Materials:

- Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease (Grey Marble & Blue-?)

- 8.00MM/L Hook

Pattern:

This is not really a beginner pattern so I am using a lot of short hand.  Let me know if you have any questions!

- Adjustable loop

- R1: 12 dch

- R2: fpdch-dch in between dch around (24)

- Continue rows with fpdch and increase evenly by adding in dch until you have 64 fpdch

- I switched colors here

- 2fpdch-1bpdch around until hat reaches desired length

-Add in a couple rows of a new color if you like

- *2fpdch-1bpdch-2fpdch-1bpdch-2fpdch tog-1bpcdch* around (48)

- hdch in blo around (48)

- 1 fpsch- 1 bpsch around (48)

- Add a pom pom on top!

Crochet Sweater Dress in Action!

Finally I have some pics for you of me wearing my crochet sweater dress.  I haven't added any flare/ruffles/appliques/etc yet.  The cool part of making your own clothes is that you can just add that stuff whenever you feel in the mood to wear it.  Right now, I feel in the mood to wear the dress plain.  See details of pattern and materials below the pics.

I first saw the pattern that I used as the basis for this dress on CreativeYarn, which is probably what subconsciously planted the idea of purple in my brain because purple is so not my color and it's taking me a while to get used to.  I have used this pattern as basis for a dress twice before: dress 2009, dress 2008.  For the dress above, I used hook size H8/5.00MM and Lion Brand Micro Spun in color 147/Purple.

Thanks for reading!  Time to move on to some hats and some other fun stuff!

Crochet Today

Because it probably won't be trendy tomorrow!

Was doing a little online window shopping and happened upon this on UrbanOutfitters.com:

Guest Knitter: Brooke!

As any loyal Teabeans reader would know (cricket?), Brooke is a frequently-featured guest crafter!  Remember that gorgeous green scarf she made her sister that got lost in the mail?  So sad!  But nothing can hold down our crafting.  She made another scarf that eventually made it to it's destination, and then made yet another scarf in lovely blues!  Pretty pattern, no?  

In a few weeks she will teach me to knit like a pro too!

Crochet Sweater Dress!

Hi!  So I am basically done with my sweater tunic!  Just need to weave in the ends.  I think it actually looks pretty close to the sweater my mom sent me for inspiration.  I know my mom really liked the sleeves on that one, but they weren't really "me," and flared-sleeves get a little in the way.  Sorry, Mom! I can make a sweater with sleeves like that for you!

Anyways, I feel like the dress is a little plain so I did some quick mock-ups using Picnik to see what adding some flash would look like.  What do you think?  Ideas welcome.  I am going to mull it over and then upload some pics of me modeling the dress!

Dress

 With Asymmetrical Frill

 With Flower Appliques at Neckline & Hemline

With Rippled Ruffles & Border

Crochet Projects

Note to self.  Projects on my mind:
- Finish grey beanie for Marty I started in CA
- Matching headband/ear warmer for infinity scarf
- Bathing suit
- Floves for Molly
- Copy that giant beanie (navy blue/olive green) I keep seeing around my office/Duane Reade
- Another brimmed hat
- Net-type infinity scarf like I saw at Urban

Also, note to all:
I am learning to knit at the end of the month!  Ah - I know!!! Who am I?  How dare I?  Knitting is soo for chumps.  Or as Olek would say, knitting is for... nevermind.  I KID I KID.  I have many friends who knit, and now I will be one of those.  I think it will take my crochet projects to the next level (DORK!).

HAPPY FRIDAY!!
xoxo
Katiebeans

Cartoon source: nataliedee.com