Crocheted Garland

I whipped up a crocheted garland the other night.

It was a great way to use up bits of worsted yarn.

The circle-in-the-square pattern was very simple - and it's so pleasing to me!

5-inch squares, all neatly piled, ready for the Etsy store, which I have just re-opened!

Cat Love

I made another project from the yarn Colleen gave me. She had some half-finished projects in there too, including this mystery piece:

It looks like maybe two sleeves or the front and back of a small item. The yarn was a mystery too - no ball band - but it was lovely and soft. Then I looked up some inspiration on my Pinterest Board about what to do with old sweaters.

I decided to rip back the two pieces so they were the same height, then bound off each one. I sewed up the sides, stuffed it, made ears, defined the neck, gave him ears and a face, and finished off with a scarf. Ta - da - a cat!

I called this blog post "Cat Love" because he's a nice shade of red and it's close to Valentines Day.

Stay-cation activities: Yarn cleanup

Last week my niece Bri came over to help me clean out my yarn stash. This was WAY overdue. Doesn't she look happy?? We pulled out all the bags and boxes of yarn and unfinished projects. This isn't ALL of it, but it's about 90%.

Bri on a phone break. Progress! We can see the floor again!

We packaged most things into project bags and "like" yarn. It's way more organized, that's for sure!

Two bags of yarn to donate, and two bags of clothes to donate (I tackled my closed the day before).

That's one giant vacuum bag full of yarn, and one plastic container of organized supplies and smaller balls of yarn. Feels GREAT to be so organized, let's hope I can stay organized, at least for a little while.

"Vintage" purple yarn

I got some yarn from my mother in law for my bridal shower. That was 9 years ago! Since then, I have made it into several different things, and then have taken those things apart for one reason or another. This was the most recent thing sitting in my half-finished pile:

I just love the colour and feel of the yarn, which is probably some kind of organic wool, but I am never happy with the finished product. So I took it all apart again.

I wound up what I could with my trust ball winder. It's ready for something new now. I'll wrap up the smaller bits and see if they felt well in the wash. Me and my almost decade-old yarn and my ever-changing mind!

PS I'm in New York, soaking up the sights and sounds of the city! I have lots of pics to share, but first have to find a better wifi connection and some time...

Using up yarn

Ok it's no secret: I have a lot of yarn. Sometimes that is my fault because I buy yarn even when I don't need it. Ok fine, that's what mostly happens. But sometimes people give me yarn, which of course I can't refuse! I love knitting and crocheting, but sometimes I come across other ways to use up yarn, like this simple and beautiful idea from evie s:

Perfect! So easy and yet very elegant! You're all getting one these year for your birthday. You're welcome!