It's Spring Time

Since Spring is supposed to be here, I felt the need to create a change, to ....."lighten up", and I can't cut my hair anymore than I already have or Hubby would NOT be a happy camper!  Neither would Missyboo.  She wants me to grow my hair long like hers so she can see all my curls like I can see hers. 

So that's the reason you see this blog in a different "light".  :-)  I'll save the darker colors for winter.

Did it cheer you up a bit with the color changes like it did for me?

Oh, MY!!!

I didn't realize it has been so long since I last posted! Oh, MY!!!

I didn't have much luck keeping up with Dora Orhenstein's online class for Pattern Grading. By the time I had my top ready to start the sleeves, the class was over! Another Oh, MY!!! But I'm still plugging away at that one. Hopefully I'll have it done in time for the CGOA Conference in August.  She'll be starting another class soon, and I highly reccomment it.  She has a lot of information to offer for sizings!

I've been working on trying to re-make a top I had done for Missyboo a couple of years ago. I have had some interest in a possible pattern for that top, and I don't know about you, but I'm having a hard time re-doing something from a couple years ago that I never wrote notes on! But I'm slowly working my way thru it all. Since I originally made that top, I've done some contract crocheting work for a few people and some yarn companies, and I now know to keep notes for all of it since you don't know when you'll need or want them!

I've also been working on knitting up two pair of socks, one pair for Missyboo, and one pair for me. I should say that they're almost socks! I need another heel lesson from Priscilla, and we'll be getting together for that next month. For now, both pair are at the "time to add a heel" point, starting from the toe up.

My crochet guild, The HHCC, also had a crochet demonstration at the Bethel, CT library this past month.  It was my first time ever being able to attend a "demo-shop" that had been set up, and I had alot of fun meeting the really nice women who showed up to do some basic crochet and Tunisian stitching.  I even had my very first students that day!  Dee has a bit more posted on her blog about that day.

As for the CGOA Conference, this year it's in Buffalo, NY, and I just recently signed up for another full schedule of classes along with Professional Day.  Last year was my first time ever for going, and I had an absolute blast!  Another thing I recommend highly if you can go!  I met some amazing people, and participated in some amazing classes!  I fully expect it to be the same this year as far as that goes!

Have a good night!  :)

New Pattern

I recently posted a hat pattern I came up with on Ravelry.  It was an experiment all the way through!  I was trying to come up with a pattern I felt more men would be comfortable with wearing, and I think I succeeded.  My Hubby is very particular about "what a guy would or wouldn't wear", and after I showed him the hat, he said it was one he would wear.  YAY!  I then turned it inside out to finish off the ends, and I'm looking at it thinking: "I like this side too!"  So did he!  I've got a picture posted in the previous post.

So....thinks me, let's see if I can upload it on Ravelry.  The response to it has me absolutely flabbergasted, shocked and amazed!  Which was a lot of fun for me after the frustration of trying to figure out how to get loaded in the first place!  lol  I'm not a dumb person, I'm just not super tech savvy!  I was reading all about how to get the pattern loaded up, and thinking I had it down pat.  Then I realized I had everything in place except the "download" button.  I finally got taken care of too!  It only took me three hours to do it.  I think I can do it a LOT faster next time now!  LOL

I am now going to attempt to load that same button here on my sidebar.  hahahaha!

Edited to add:  ok, two hours later, I give up.  For now!  I've sent in a request for HELP from one who is a lot more computer smart than I am!  lol  So... If you're already a member of Ravelry, go to my project page (missyboo) and look for Reversible Strands for Men to get the download.  For those who aren't, please be patient - I'm working getting it available here!

Newest Edit:  I have the pdf pattern available under "Pattern Store".  Please let me know if that works ok for you to get the pattern.

Pattern Grading Class

Well, I bit the bullet and signed up for Dora Orhenstein's Pattern Grading class. I've made clothing before, but always from someone else's patterns as the starting point, then gone off on tangents of my own with them. Dora is attempting to teach us the mathematics involved in creating our own patterns from start to finish, and ranging over 5 different sizes. Am I intimidated? YES! But this class is an online group, so I don't feel quite so chicken as I would if I was trying to do it all by myself! My first homework assignment is some - reading!

I received my picture of little Gabby wearing her Baby Sacque Set. She looks like one of the happiest babies I've seen in a looonng time! Absolutely adorable! My girlfirend said Gabby was really sick the weekend she took these pictures, but you would never know it by looking at her, would you?! Mom and Dad both loved the set too! I'm glad I added the tie on the hat. It's just a bit on the big side for Gabby, and before they adjusted the tie, poor Gabby couldn't see because the hat kept sliding down over her eyes. From the sound of it, she didn't care for that one bit! Both arms waving in the air, and lots of "talking" going on! : )

Our monthly guild meeting ended up being canceled for the month of January due to weather problems. It was postponed by a week, then canceled altogether since it decided to be snowy both weekends. I missed going as I really enjoy seeing everyone, and seeing the different projects they've all brought with them. But it gave me a bit more time to make up some more chemo hats for the hospital's cancer center that we donate to. We were told that there was a need for more men's hats, so most of us have been trying to make sure we've included more. Here's a picture of a couple hats I made for the men. (hopefully they'll like them!) These two hats are the same pattern, just reversed! I've got a few more of them done in different colors, and I also used this pattern for some of the women's hats, just changed the "brim" area a bit more.

I have a few more hats done for my niece's friend Olivia also. She has three from September, and once I finish this last one that's on my hook now, she'll get another six. That should give her a bit of a change-up for the week! The original three were done in NaturallyCaron.com' Country, these others are done in Country, NaturallyCaron.com's Spa, and Lion Brand's Microspun. She should be quite colorful now - pink green, pink and green, royal blue, mango, claret, deep purple, a spice, coral and claret mix, and a natural. I still need to get a few pictures of all of them before I send them out this weekend.

As we're having another snowstorm today, and Missyboo isn't going to school because of it, I guess I should go get my "homework" done for my grading class before she gets up!

Stay warm and safe! :)

Pics of Commissioned Baby Set

Here's a couple of pictures of the baby sacque set I was commissioned to do.  The only picture missing now is one with Gabrielle wearing the outfit!  My girlfriend was sooo happy with this set!  I was very relieved.  It's the first time I've made something on commission with anyone at work, and I was kind of worried about it.  I know they see me all the time with yarn in my hands, but even still.........!

(I apologize for the bad lighting on these.  Sometimes I get really good pictures, and other times, they look like these!)

I used NaturallyCaron.com Spa for this set, and it is sooooo soft!  My girlfriend wanted something that would be of medium weight as her granddaughter lives in Rhode Island. and I think this worked up to be just right, not too heavy and not too light.  I should be getting some pictures of the baby wearing this by the end of next week.  I've got my fingers crossed!

On a different note, I've been making a few more chemo hats for my guild to donate the hospital's cancer center.  The word came down about needing more for the men.  So.......I've been playing around with a couple of designs, and came up with one that I really like.  Hubby says it's a style that he would wear.  Once he said that, I knew I had a hit!  He has to be one of the fussiest people about what a guy wears or not wears!  lol  Which is perfect for me doing this!  :D  Now that I've said that, I feel like I'm using the patients as "guinea pigs" for my designs!  I'm not, really I'm not ~ I'm experimenting!  (does that make it sound worse?!)  I know one thing tho, it sure has used up a lot of my single/partial skeins of yarn I had laying around here!  Now I'll have room for more to make more!

Have a good night.  :)