just maryse

A 2010 Crafty Retrospective

the other day, i said i would look forward from now on.  no looking back.  but one aspect of my life that didn't suck ass was my crafty life.

 

i wasn't super productive, but i did try a few things.  i became obsessed with cross stitch, and i started my first quilt.  i knitted a few pairs of socks, spun some wool.  i self-published the very braidy cowl and the oh jamie, my jamie socks.  i had two patterns published in crochet today:  your nana's potholders and the petal pillows.  and the secret design projects i had been working on the summer of 2009, finally appeared this fall in Knitting It Old School:  sunshine day and the go go granny (my personal favorite).   and i had the opportunity to work with gale zucker and joan tapper on their latest collaboration as project manager, photo assistant and stylist, chicken wrangler, sample knitter and crocheter and mitten model.  it was great fun.  well most of it.  wearing wool mittens in 90 degree weather was a challenge.  heh.

i lost my mojo for a couple of months, but over all i had a crafty good time.  i plan on more of the same in 2011.

And It's Back!

for a couple of months, i couldn't focus on anything.  i just wanted to sleep or disappear and not feel anything.  i still don't dare to dream and i'm having trouble planning ahead more than just a week or two ahead.  (my therapist says that that's ok.)  but what has come back with a vengence is my crafty mojo.  my fingers itch with anticipation of carrying a hook or needle.  and my head is filled with colors and shapes that i want to experiment with.  my job is seriously getting in the way.  heh.

in the past 2 months i've made one pair of socks.

and started another (i'm on the second sock.  no second sock syndrome for me!)

 

i've got a cowl on the needles in this crazy turquoise color (my favorite color of the moment).

and i haven't forgotten about the insanity blanket.

 

finally, last but not least, i started a crocheted blanket. a nice break from all of the crazy color i normally work with. kind of like a palette (heh) cleanse.

if i had my spinning wheel with me, i'd probably be spinning too. 

it feels good to feel a little bit more like myself. and i have to admit when i'm knitting/crocheting i kind of forget what's going on in my real life.  and that's a good thing. 

 

 

 

Oh Jamie, my Jamie!

Phew! Just under the wire.  I think so anyway.  What you ask?  Well the Sock Revived Design contest.  The extended submission deadline was just a few minutes ago, but I think I made it.

If not, doesn't matter, I'm still going to show you this crazy assed sock I've made along with the pattern.  Because I'm a giver.

Anyway, as you may know, I've been rather obsessed with the Outlander series of books , and it seems that that obsession inspired a sock fit for a Laird.  Or a Sassenach. 

The crowned stags figure in the Fraser Clan Crest (the clan of the very sexy male protagonist) and the strawberry, which I've incorporated into the toe of the sock, has some symbolism in the story.  The Fraser clan is also originally from France, and the word for strawberry in french is "fraise" and a strawberry plant is called a "fraisier."  See how that works?

I have to say, the strawberry really is my favorite part.

Anyway, if you're interested, I've posted the pattern here.  And here on Ravelry.

A Very Braidy Cowl

Inspired by the cable-y goodness of the 16 cable hat, I created a cowl that is warm and comforting around the neck with its giant, fat braidy cables.  So in honor of the fact that SPA is just days away and I know some of you will need a relatively easy and portable knitting project to work on while drinking, I've published the Very Braidy Cowl.

i knit this with one skein of Plymouth Encore (i know i know, IT'S GOT ACRYLIC IN IT) but you could easily use Cascade 220 or any worsted weight yarn.  the pattern link is in my sidebar there and on Ravelry here.

i hope you like it.  Happy SPA!

Sixteen Cables

a couple of months ago, i jumped at the chance to test knit this adorable hat by circe belles boucles. but of course i got overwhelmed with other deadlines and commitments and got way behind finishing it. then i sat on it for a few weeks before taking pictures.  because i'm a horrible person.

anyway, all this to say that although you can't really tell from my photographs, this hat is fantastic.  and you need to buy the pattern.  because i said so.  heh.

the hat comes in 2 sizes.  i made the larger size which was perfect for my big giant head.  the pattern also includes instructions on how to make the hat just a bit slouchier if that's your preference. 

i raveled the details of my hat here. 

and again, if you want to buy the pattern (just $4.50) you can get it here

My 2009 Project Retrospective

before i looked at my 2009 project photos i didn't think i'd made all that much. in the spring i was obsessed with potholders and the summer was spent working on 2 secret projects so i figured that my normal yearly production numbers would be smaller than normal.  but i guess not.  i dyed more and my color palette was more subdued and varied this year than in previous years. i worked from the stash and did some test knitting/crocheting for friends.  but overall, it seems as if 2009 was the year of the hook. 

i don't have any crafty resolutions for 2010. i would like to spin more. and design more. and i'm definitely going to continue with the hooking. heh. and maybe i'll try weaving. and maybe i'll expand my crafting to sewing or embroidery. or maybe not. whatever i end up doing, i can guarantee that it'll be colorful. because in the end, that's really what inspires me. color. what inspires you?

From a Cafe in France

Just a quick note from France to let you all know about a couple of things.

One:  The Autumn 2009 issue of Twist Collective is up!  And it's fantastic! Seriously.  And this issue is particularly awesome since it features a couple of my knitnighter buddies -- Yarnbee Cheryl and Splityarn Caro. (I can't find her ad right this second, but it's in there.  and it's gorgeous).  Go see.  I'll wait for you here.

And Two:  Dudes!  I'm the "Notebook" in this issue.  Seriously.  Can you believe it?  Fan-freakin'-tastic. 

Anyway, that's all.  It's Tuesday morning here in France and J and I are sitting in a cafe drinking our morning coffee and using the Cafe's free wifi.   We're having a great time but I have to say I'm a little homesick.  No one knits here!  WTF!

Hi!

i have a work "to do" list, a home "to do" list and now a blog "to do" list.

1. award prizes to those who played along in my contest  almost 3 MONTHS AGO!
2. make my potholder pattern available (it's been tested.  now i just need to clean it up a bit).
3. post about the socks i finished a month ago.

let me at least get item 3 taken off of the list.  it's the least interesting of course, but it's all i can manage for now.  see, my day job has been kind of sucking the life out of me, so when i get home, i end doing crazy things like going to bed at 8:30.  or maybe it's just the incessant rain that we've been having that makes me want to cozy up in my bed with my cats and read a trashy novel (i'm on book 4 of the sookie stackhouse series.)

i've also been working on a secret project.  i would tell you about it except that then it wouldn't be a secret.  now would it.

so, enough with the blah blah.

i call these my troubadour socks because that's the name off the colorway.  i love these colors.  the yarn is sundara sock which i bought before sundara became super crazy famous and when she was still dyeing varigated yarns.  how i love varigated yarns like this. 

the pattern is my basic 2x2 rib pattern, top-down, heel-flapped.  i love the 2x2 rib.

i've raveled the details here.

have a good weekend everyone.  happy  and healthy july 4th.

And I'm Knitting Again

just checking in.  after what feels like months of crochet, i'm knitting again.  nothing too exciting.  just another pair of socks in my 2x2 rib pattern.  by the way, the yarn is sundara sock in troubadour.

yes, i know i owe prizes for a contest. 

also, some of you have asked about my potholder pattern.  i've written it up, but i'm not going to release it until after the potholder swap is over.  i'm also probably going to put it up for sale.  it's time to make a little coin from this hobby of mine. 

happy wednesday!

I Am Sometimes A Slacker

i try to live by society's rules.  you know.  i don't intentionally break the law (well except for the speeding ... BUT COME ON!  does anyone drive 65 mph on the mass pike? ).  i pay my bills on time.  I DON'T LIVE ABOVE MY MEANS -- (ie.  i didn't buy a house i couldn't afford or i didn't take out a home equity loan to GO ON VACATION), i try to do onto others as i would have done onto me and all of that happy horse shit.  and i try to live by my own standard of rules ... i don't call in sick because of a hangover (because if i indulged on a school night, i kind of deserve to suffer a little), i don't go through the drive through because honestly, if i can't get my ass out of the car then i've lost all self-respect (by the way, i'm not judging those of you who do go through the drive-through.  this is my rule for my life.).  i allow myself a big mac only on road trips over 4 hours.  and i try not to let people down. 

but sometimes i break my own rules because i am a slacker.

see, when minty asked for test-knitters for her gorgeous merion mitts, i raised my virtual hand and yelled "pick me! pick me!"

and she kindly did.  and i started knitting ... only to get distracted ... and not finish before she released her pattern for sale. 

until now.

these are beautiful and fun mittens to knit. once i got going, i couldn't stop.  my two favorite details are the twisted ribs and the seed stitch palm and inside of the thumb.  such a clever design.

i made the larger of the two sizes and used one skein of ella rae classic plus a tiny bit more (i could have probably gotten away with just one skein if i'd been a little bit more careful.)  i raveled the details of my pair here.

and since it's been freezing cold here in new england, i've actually gotten to wear them.

you know you want your own pair.