when diyod knits...

If you've been following my crafty blog life for a while (a few different blogs ago), then you may know about a certain little free pattern gift set I designed for a special gamer geek in my life...The Link Hat and Triforce Scarf.  I spent a few months designing and knitting up the gift, and when I finally finished I posted it up on my blog for all other crafty gamer geeks to have and make for themselves or other gamer geeks in their lives.

Even today, a few years later, I still get messages from people that love the idea or the pattern.  It's for these very people that I posted my simple pattern on my blog.  I get so excited to see pictures of someone else's FO, or messages about how a loved one was so happy to receive the hat or scarf as a gift.

Recently I got an email asking for advice on converting the pattern into a crochet project, which is something I've been meaning to do.  I know that not everyone loves to (or can) knit.  I just want to let you all know that I will be working on a crochet version, and hope to have that posted in time for people to make it as a Christmas gift.  I'm sorry that I haven't gotten around to it sooner, crochet lovers!

Sorry for the long pause in posts.  Things have been a little hectic and stressful recently, so I've had little time for blogging or even knitting.  Luckily things are looking brighter, and I've casted on for a new "sneaky" project!

A friend/coworker of mine is getting ready to move on to their dream job.  While I will definitely miss her, I am so excited that she gets to do the one job she's been dreaming of for a few years.  I owe a lot to this person, and so I want to give her a little gift to show her how much I appreciate all she has done for me.  While I know she loves scarves, I couldn't decide which beautiful scarf to make for her...so i decided to be a super sneaky knitter and let her pick.  I took pictures in her office and asked for her to help me narrow down what to make for my next project (saying that the boyfriend was no help when I asked him and I couldn't seem to narrow it down anymore).  Out of all the beautiful choices, she picked the Phiaro scarf from the Winter 07/Spring 08 issue of Knitscene.

I was finally able to make a trip, this weekend, to pick out the yarn perfect for this project and the recipient.  I decided on a nice neutral taupe in a silky bamboo blend yarn.  Today I spent a good bit of my free time swatching for the project, which has not been the most enjoyable thing I've done today.  After many tries with a few different needle sizes, I've finally gotten the correct gauge!  Now to cast on the 195 stitches...and knit 22"...

I've only got a month to get this done, let's hope the monotony of it all won't slow things down...

I know that I've been away from the blog for a good bit, but I have to say for a short work week this has lasted for-ev-er!  I've not been super busy at work, but after work there have been so many things going on that I haven't had time to sit down and do any crafting (and sometimes I didn't even have enough time to think about crafting!).  Hopefully that will all change this weekend, if I have anything to do about it.

Although I haven't done any crafting, I have been trying to get a head start on Christmas gift planning since I make all the gifts I give.  The past few years I've always tried to plan my gifts out early and start crafting so that in case life throws some craziness my way I can still get the gifts done on time.  Of course the past few years have also had me staying up until 3am or 4 am Christmas morning trying to get the finishing touches done on some gifts.  I keep moving my start date for the Christmas gift creation up each year with hopes of finally getting things done without getting stressed that someone might not have something open Christmas day, and I hope I finally have it all right.

So, how do you do your gift planning?  Do you organize your lists?  Do you plan ahead or just wait until the last minute?

Since I'm going on my 3rd year of crafting all the gifts I give, I'm starting to see what works for me and what doesn't.  I've been making a few changes here and there to how I plan things out, and each year I actually make a little more progress (I was able to make more gifts last year, even though I stayed up pretty late putting finishing touches on them). 

Here are some of my planning tips for anyone else that has a difficult time organizing their gift crafting:

1.  Keep a spreadsheet to organize what you are making.

It can be as detailed or as simple as you want, but it definitely helps keep things organized for anyone that might have even the slightest of tendencies to forget something.  I try and put as much information on my gifting list as possible, that way I can keep track of my progress and see how I'm doing on my deadlines.  Here are some of the things I put on my gift list spreadsheet:

• Who is on my gift list
• What I'm making them
• What supplies are needed for this project
• Do I have to buy any of the supplies or is it something in my stash?
• If it's a pattern that is online, I try and add the link to the pattern somewhere on my spreadsheet.
• When is the deadline?
• Is it completed?
• Any special notes

2.  Start planning early, because you never know what life may throw in your way.

The past few years of gift crafting have definitely thrown some obstacles in the way.  If I hadn't planned months in advance, I probably would only have gotten about 3 or 4 people's gifts completed.  Plan ahead and give yourself enough time to leisurely work on the projects, this way you won't be quite as stressed at the end.

3. Don't wait until your gift list is complete to start crafting.

Some people are hard to gift for, and even harder to craft for, so don't wait until you have everything figured out to get started crafting.  Last year it wasn't until November that I had my gift list complete, and I started my gift list in July. 

4. Don't wait until you have ALL your supplies to get started.

Like I said before, you never know what life events will cause you to take some crafting breaks and take away from your gift crafting.  If you can at least work on part of the gift with supplies you already have, get started.  Taking advantage of every little minute of crafting time you can get can be very important, especially if you have a big gift list or plan on making quite a few difficult projects.

5. Be prepared for changes to your list.

Things are constantly changing, so be prepared to make changes to both who you gift for and what you gift.  My first year I planned all these great gifts, and then some ended up being a lot more difficult to get done in the time frame.  I was stressed out trying to find another gift idea and get it completed in time.  The same thing happened last year, but I was prepared to deal with unexpected changes to the plan.

Hopefully I'll start getting some spare time to work on my gift crafting this weekend, if not for Christmas at least for Father's Day.  If I come up with any other tips that help me this year, I'll be sure to let you know.  Well, back to work so I can get the weekend started...

I wish that weekends were longer, because there is obviously not enough time to really enjoy it the way I would like (with lots and lots of crafting time).  This weekend was definitely one that went by too fast!

On Saturday I went to see the Star Trek movie with my boyfriend and his uncle.  I am definitely not a Trekkie.  In fact, I have yet to sit down and actually enjoy a Star Trek movie or television show.  Yes, I have seen a few because of Trekkie friends but it just wasn't my cup of tea.  Well, this weekend I decided to go see the movie with two Star Trek fans...but only because of who all was in it (I <3 Simon Pegg!).  I was pleasantly surprised to actually enjoy the movie, but what was even better was the fabulous hat that Simon Pegg wears in the movie.

I've been thinking about that hat all weekend and wanting to roll up my sleeves, dig into my piles of yarn and start making one.  Of course, that could also be because my boyfriend is begging for me to make him one just like it.  Luckily I don't have to worry about creating a pattern because there are already a few up on Ravelry.

I also spent a good portion of the weekend attempting to work on Paula's birthday present, but I've gotten absolutely no where!  I bought this adorable pattern on etsy, but what I didn't know is the pattern is basically a chart and that's it.  I've never knitted or crocheted from a chart, so I spent a good bit of time trying to understand how to read/craft from these charts.  I think I finally have that part down, but unfortunately the pattern still doesn't make total and complete sense to me. 

I was all excited about getting some progress on my To Do list, but it seems like I took one step forward and a few hundred  steps back.  So now I'm sitting here waiting to hear back from the pattern creator and thinking that this gift will have to be moved back to being a Christmas gift...

Oh well, you win some and you lose some.  Guess I'll just have to find another project to keep me busy until I can figure it out.

Today shall forever be known as The Fabulous Mim-a-roo Craft Day!  From now on, every May 15th will be a day where I, no matter what, shall do everything I can to be creative and crafty!

For those of you that don't know, Mimmy was my grandmother who passed away in December of 2007.  She is one of the many wonderful women in my life that encouraged me to be creative and crafty, and is the whole reason I love to draw.  I have so many crafting memories with her, and I figure making a vow to be creative on this day would be something to make her very happy....well that and if I ate lots of candy, ice cream and/or milkshakes.

Unfortunately today is also Friday, and I have to work today... so a lot of the creativity will have to wait.  I will try and post some pictures later today of my creativeness and/or some of her beautiful artwork that I have.

Happy Birthday Mimmy...I love you (MORE)!

Well it seems like this year my crafting craziness will be starting sooner than I thought.  I've always tried to make sure to keep my Christmas gifts handmade, but now I'm trying to bring handmade to birthdays too.  My loved ones sure don't know how to spread their birthdays out very well, so it seems like I have so much to do and so little time to get it all done.

Here's what my To Do List is looking like right now:

1. Clean Apartment (a lot bigger task than it sounds)
   
2. Finish proofreading Murder in the Library
3. Work on Paula's birthday gift
4. Work on Olivia's birthday gift (a sweater)

Hopefully I can find a little spare time here and there to make some progress on my To Do List.  I'll try and post progress of the birthday gifts, if time will allow.  If not, then you will definitely see the FO!

Also, I usually start planning for Christmas gifts in July, but after the past few years and things cutting it close I have already started making lists so I can start crafting even earlier (if the birthdays will stop coming for a little bit).  I usually have a hard time for the guys on my list, so if any of you have some good guy gifts please share them!

Well, guess I better pull out my hooks and yarn and get to work...

Take a moment to remember your first crafting moment.  Chances are, some of you were taught by someone else or you saw someone creating something and were intrigued by it.  If they hadn't shared their love of crafting with you, would you be doing that one thing you love?

Growing up, I was surrounded by so many amazingly talented and crafty women.  I can remember spending time with my Mommaw, and watching her quilt by hand and make some gorgeous quilts.  I can remember spending hours upon hours with my Mimmy, drawing together and hoping that some day I could be as talented an artist as she was.  And I can remember watching my mom learn a new craft, and asking her to teach me how to do it.  I was always wanting to learn to do whatever my mom was doing.

That hasn't changed with age.  Now I am still going to my mom and asking her to teach me about something sewing related.

I think my first crafting moment (at least one I can remember), was when I was around 4 or 5 years old.  My Mimmy was teaching me about cross stitch.  She took out a plain white piece of fabric, and we brainstormed what kind of picture I wanted to make.  She took out a pencil and drew X's all over the fabric to make the design we picked.  Then she threaded the needle with thread I picked out, and she showed me how to cross stitch.  She gave me the needle, and it was my turn.  I don't remember if it was that very day, or sometime later, when we started calling cross stitch a game of peek-a-boo with the needle.

I've got so many fond crafting memories, but don't worry about me telling them all right now...we don't have enough space.  Since I have all those fond memories, I try and make it a point to teach others around me about the crafting I do.  It's too much fun to keep to myself!

In case you all don't know, in May 2010 Vickie Howell will be coming out with a book called Craft Corps.  I love hearing about peoples craft stories, and soon I'll be able to read them which is super exciting for me.  Just a few days ago, the Craft Corps website was launched and the first newsletter was emailed out.  Please go to the Craft Corps site, sign up and share your story....I would really love to read it!

Well, I broke down and frogged the sock again because I just can't be happy with it unless it's done correctly.  And after the past few days of frustration with my sock mistakes and some other things going on, I've decided to take a little break from the sock adventures and work on something that goes hand-in-hand with my decluttering/organization mode.

I've got a nice size stash of crafting supplies, and when I finally start putting my "craft room" together I'm going to need some help keeping it all organized.  Not too long ago I saw a pattern for some small baskets, and I recently got my hands on some beautiful country green colored cotton yarn that is perfect for this pattern.  Why not craft some storage solutions for my crafty supplies?

Over the years, I haven't pulled my crochet hooks out that often...but I see that changing.  It all started a few weeks ago with the Chuck Taylor baby booties, and now there are these baskets.  I've even found some adorable crochet patterns on Ravelry that are making me want to crochet more.  While knitting has always been my first crafting love, I see crocheting moving in as a close second.

Well, my sock knitting has hit another speed bump.  Somehow when I was working on the gusset, I ended up adding a stitch or two.  This is throwing things off a bit, and the perfectionist in my is going crazy over one tiny imperfection.  I've been trying to figure out all day if I'm up to reverse knitting, or just frog the whole sock.  While I hate to rip things out (again), I'm also nervous that I might not have enough yarn to have the second sock match the first (in length and pattern). 

Since I'm already nervous about the kitchener stitch, and having so many tiny problems before I even get there...I may just have to save my kitchener practice for another day.  It might be best if I wait until I finally get through a sock without any hiccups before I attempt to work on the one technique that has always given me issues.

I've always liked the idea of toe-up socks, so I might as well give that a go.  I've accumulated a nice stash of sock yarn, and I would hate for it to all go to waste.  Plus I'm very determined to master the one thing that just about every other knitter has mastered, sock knitting.

Oh well, I guess it's back to the knitting needles...

While I'm not a fan of rainy days, I think they are a perfect knitting opportunity.  Most people consider rainy days relaxing, and nothing is more relaxing to me than sitting in chair and going off into my own knitting world filled with lots of yarn goodies.

This week has been a mix of rainy days and beautiful sunshine, with a little bit of wind thrown in here and there.  Unfortunately I haven't had much extra time to sit down and relax with my knitting, so the socks are where they were this past weekend...in my knitting bag, almost ready for the heel.  I'm hoping I will have a little time tonight to sit down and get some progress done, because I'm anxious to work on my kitchener stitch skills.  That's always been my biggest problem with socks, and I'm determined now more than ever to finally master that skill!  I've got many family members asking for knitted socks, but the perfectionist in me isn't ready for that since I am not quite confident enough in my kitchener stitch.

I'm hoping to have a good bit of the weekend to myself.  It seems like the past few weekends have been nothing but constant going, and little relaxing.  I've got lots of ideas, projects and to-do's in my head...and I'm hoping that I can finally get some of them out this weekend.

I've started doing a little spring cleaning when I have a small chunk of time free, and while I haven't made incredible progress I do feel like something is getting done.  I'm hoping to check off a good little bit, and get that much closer to tackling the "craft room"!  Since I'm more clutterbug than I am neat-freak, I want to ease into it...and working on the "craft room" first definitely won't be easing into it.  I can definitely tell you guys that little 15 minute chunks get something done, and more than you really think too. 

diyod's decluttering tips:

• If you are just starting out, break things down into tiny goals.  Accomplishing a small goal can seem like a huge hurdle!
• Don't do a lot all at once, break it into small chunks of time.  It really seems to make a huge task get done quicker when you do it in small chunks.
• Take one room at a time.  When you make small goals for each room, it gets contagious!  Seeing one spot clean makes you eager to clean a spot next to it, and so on.

I decided to start with my bathroom, since it's a small room and one of the easier tasks in my apartment.  I figured I would break down my goals to one tiny area at a time, and started with the sink/counter.  Once I got the sink squeaky clean, it made me want to clean the mirrors.  As soon as I get one goal met, I take a break and think about what I will tackle next.  I've been trying to spend 15 minutes cleaning at a time, or until my goal is met (whichever comes first), and then taking a small break to sit down and drink a glass of tea or snuggle my dogs.  I usually dread cleaning, but so far doing it this way doesn't make it seem as bad...which is huge progress for me!

Well, I'm off to make my list of goals for my weekend cleaning...