Diamond Luggage Tag [Pattern]

THIS PATTERN HAS MOVED

Please click the link below to be taken directly to the pattern on the new site.

My apologies for the inconvenience.

http://iyarny.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/diamond-luggage-tag-pattern/

Google Reader

So.. with Google Reader going away here shortly - I have a question to those who use a reader to subscribe to all their favorite feeds: What reader do you use or what reader will you be switching to?

Making Stitch Markers

I rarely use stitch markers for crochet - I keep some simple plastic ones on hand but have also been known to use a paper clip, a safety pin, and little scraps of yarn. But now that I've been knitting more, I am finding need for something a little more sturdy - something not too thick like the plastic but something that isn't going to slip off.

After looking online, I decided to take a stab at making my own. This is what I came up with.

Squirt also took a stab.

The marker made with hearts was made by Squirt. She did a really good job - I was hoping she would make me more but she seemed to lose her momentum. The "eyeballs" across the top are mine. I kinda grouped them in the progressing stages of figuring out what worked and what didn't.

Squirt had trouble getting the loop around the ring snag free - and getting the ring closed all the way. Even I had difficulty in squeezing the ring all the way closed - but it works and its really cute. I'm glad to have a token like this from her.

The blue eyes, that are by themselves, I tried them in the same manor that Squirt tried - and it didn't work out too well for me. I had trouble getting the wire looped around and snag free. The middle "group" - the single pair of green eyes, was done a bit differently - I used a doubled up piece of wire around a smaller jump ring.... but in the end, I still shouldn't have used the thicker wire.

So that brings me to my last group, the group of three, that look a lot better - I think this will be my method.

Perhaps in the near future, I'll do a give away of some of my eyeball markers! (but let me make sure they work out ok first)

Have you ever tried to make your own stitch markers (beyond bending a paper clip just the right way) ? I'd love to see what you've created!

Christmas in March

I took a risk last week and ordered from Knit Picks - ya know, first order after the security issue with them putting customer info where it shouldn't have been. I figure now is the best time to order - I bet they are really watching themselves. I bet they are more secure now than they ever have been.

Anywhoozles - I needed a yardage counter and of course, its nothing you can buy in town.... per norm.

So, I wanted to share my order with you all.

You can see the yardage counter so we won't talk about that again.

I got two circular needles - US 2. One is the nickle plated kind and the other is that stripey wood/bamboo - what's that called again?

I decided to try the two circular method of doing socks so I wanted to get nice circs that were different visually - I like the nickle a LOT.

Then, those items aside, I got 8 skeins of sock yarn - 6 of the skeins are Felici yarn and the last two are Stroll. They are really squishy! I can't wait to make the socks. I think I'll be making one pair for each person in the house. I'm really excited but put them aside for the zauberball.

I will keep you all updated on sock progress with the yarn from this order - but just know that right now, I'm spending a lot of time just squishing it and gazing at the pretty colors.

Year of Projects 2: Update 22

Project Percentage Complete: 49%

Overall Percentage Complete: 70%

Number of Project Items: 98
Number of Added Items: 90
Total Items: 188

Total Completed Project Items: 48
Total Completed Items: 132

Crocheting My Life Back: Update 7

The Statistics
Current Weight: 292
Weekly Loss/Total Loss: -3/-8

Squares Allowed: 8
Squares Completed: 0

Finished 'em!

Just a quick note to say that I finished 'em.

They are plain ole vanilla socks with a ribbed top. The yarn is one of the Debra Norville colors - I think "chili" is what it was named.

My daughter is lounging here, making sure they felt ok.

They are not for her.

Toasty Toes

It may be winter outside, but my feet are toasty inside my Opal socks.

I don't think I ever shared a proper photo of the socks on my feet... well... there they are!

Hope those of you dealing with winter, snow, and ice are staying warm.

That is all.

WIP Wednesday

Whelp, here it is... we have moved into March (and definitely like a lion). It's just crazy how fast this year has gone by. I know years ago my dad said that the older you get, the faster it goes. It was hard to grasp when I was a kid because it seemed like forever until my birthday came... and forever until summer break... forever until Christmas.... so on and so forth.

But now, here I am, in my 30s and feeling the sentiment of my dad's words.

With that bit of randomness out of the way, here we are... Wednesday. I haven't done a WIP Wednesday post in a few so I figured why not. I have a couple things actively going (not the Navajo.. DOH!) so I figured I would share my progress in the creative images taken by the Man....

It may be 9:31pm, but it's still Wednesday!

Sushi Sadness....

First, I want to apologize for not posting anything in the last week. As always, things have gotten a bit hectic although I'm trying to reign it all in now. I usually try to have several posts scheduled at certain intervals since I know my writing tends to go in spurts - I update a lot then go through a week or two of drought - I do try to be sensible and not post everything as I write it, spreading it out a day or two in between the posts just to ensure my blog doesn't end up like an ole ghost town.

So what is pushing me to post today... well, this is going to be a no frills, no pictures kinda post - and its definitely not about crochet.

As many of my regular readers know, I'm struggling to lose weight. I am working towards the completion of my life-ghan, an afghan that represents each pound loss. In the end, my life-ghan should be 100 squares strong... 100 pounds lost.