You Go Girl!

Something Warm and Cozy...

Brrrr...it's cold outside. The temperatures are SUBZERO in my corner of Montana.  It takes your breath away, freezes your nose hairs together, and makes your hands feel like they are on fire if you are outside for more than a nanosecond without mitts on. The antidote to all this cold...Stay inside and crochet.

I found this super-cozy-oh-so-cute-insanely-soft-deliciously-warm-fleece jammie at Target. Just so happened that I had the perfect little baby to give it to and the perfect color yarn in the stash to hook a beanie to go with it. Yay! Look at that mustard yellow. Can you believe the match?  I love it when that happens. The thing is, though, I still can't crochet for very long without my thumbs hurting. Remember this? Silly girl. Crocheting will never be for sissies (or idiots). Will my thumbs ever be the same? 

That's all for now. I am off to find a box so I can put this prezzie in the post. Welcome to the world sweet Baby Elijah.  I can't wait to meet you. I hope this keeps you warm and cozy in the winter days to come.

Ready For Battle...

The weather is a changin'. Those glorious, golden days of sixty degree temperatures have packed up and moved on. [stifled sob] In their place is a wind with a bite, swirling leaves, nearly naked trees, and temperatures that make you reach for your puffy coat.  But I am ready for battle this year!! My power shield of protection against Ol' Man Winter blowing his stinky frosty breath at me are these cozy RAINBOW MITTS that are flyin' off my crochet hook this week.  How could I possibly be cold with rainbow mitts on my hands? I'll admit that they might not protect me from everything winter will dish out, but their magical, sunny cheerfulness will keep my heart warm. Now if I could just find a unicorn to ride throughout the short dark days ahead, my punch-out-winter plan would be complete...Unicorn? Anyone?

Out The Door...

This little pile of posh just headed out the door. I STILL like making these pillowcases as much as I did the very first time I made one. Tutorial is here. It is a four part tute. Give it a try if you haven't already. You won't be sorry. I promise. Not only will you end up with an amazing pillowcase but you get to eat chocolate every step of the way. Sewing, crocheting and chocolate. It doesn't get any better.  Unless, of course, you throw in a vacation too. But who takes their sewing machine on vacation? I don't. But I'd probably like to bring one along. Hmmmm...rambling...best go. Cheers! 

Target Practice

I saw this on Pinterest. It was love at first sight. I decided to have a go at making my own. The rules I set for myself included a stipulation to only use yarn that already existed in the stash. Oh, it is hard. There are so many glorious yarns out there that would only add to the beauty of these colorful little targets. I will follow my rules though. That's what I do. Follow rules.

It's about time to square up these pretty targets. I will post more progress soon. I PROMISE not to throw in the towel like I did here. Those little circles were driving me MAD. Maybe I will revisit them some day. But not now.  

Toodles friends ...I'm off to find my hook. It's time for some target practice.

Rosie Posie Headbands for Sale

Hi friends. I just listed six new headbands in my You Go Girl shop. Whew! I always forget how much work it is to list items. The photos...gah...I think it is exhausting to take the photos. My footsies are near froze off. It is a beautiful sunny day in my neck of the woods, but the temperature was 12 when I took my photos. The snow on the ground looks like glitter and makes a little tinkling noise when you walk through it. Magical, but oh so frigid.

I'm thinking Libbie, my very lovely headband model, is a very good sport! I wonder what else I can get her to do for a bag of Skittles. Thanks darling Libbie. You are my rockstar today.

Not For Sissies (or idiots)

Power crocheting is NOT for sissies (or idiots). Some of us learn this the hard way...

First I fell hard for this yarn. Then I fell hard for this Japanese Flower pattern. My original plan was to make a scarf. Said scarf was completed but, ummmm, not so much. The scarf was wearing me instead of the other way around. Try as I might, I could not make the scarf work. But, oh my, did I love those flowers all crocheted together. So I just kept making them, adding them one at a time to my scarf. Slowly my scarf started to take the shape of a blanket. I persisted. The hook was flying every time I had a tiny break in my day. I was a woman on a mission.

Well, I was forty six flowers and several days in to this project when the hand that gripped the flower that I so intently worked on started to feel a little stiff and fatigued. But I am a warrior. I crocheted on. Wait. I should amend that. I am not a warrior. I am an idiot and I crocheted on. I did not listen to what my hand was telling me and now I am paying. I seem to have a repetive motion injury to my thumb and some of the fingers on my left hand. I can barely bend them when morning comes each day. 

Seriously? I have a crochet injury? I thought crocheting was for grannies. NOT. I will say it again... Crocheting is NOT for sissies (or idiots).  I think I will have to put my hook away for now. I sure hope my hand gets better. I also hope that my sewing machine remembers who I am. I need her. :-)

It Feels Funny...

to give this as a gift...

when you are doing a lot of this...

and this...

and this...

and this...

and this...

Oh, summer. I LOVE you. I know you are thinking of making  your exit, but NOT. QUITE. YET. Pleeeease...I need a little more time with you. K?

 

Proof Positive

If the Mayan calander doesn't give you pause to consider that the world is coming to an end in 2012, maybe this will. I, Cassie Jones, the princess of procrastination, the leader of lame gift giving, the captain of Christmas chaos, have already completed my first handmade-with-love Christmas gift for 2012. This is an unprecedented event, people.

I'm certain it is proof positive that something big is going down. Proof. Positive. 

But if the world really is going to come to an end, which I'm not saying it will, I hope it doesn't happen until December 26th 'cause I REALLY want to give this gift on Christmas morning. That's all. The end. Not the end of the world, but the end of this post.

Oh wait. That's not really the end. One more thing. Yarn details here. Pattern details here. Bye now.

I'M SO HAPPY SALE!

Sun is shining. Birds are singing. Trees are blooming. Bees are buzzing. And this little slice of heaven is supposed to continue ALL WEEK long. I'm so happy I might lose my freakin' mind. Wait. I don't want to do that. Let's have a sale instead. All pillowcases in my You Go Girl shop are 20% off through Mother's Day, the best holiday EVER invented. Find my shop here. Use coupon code TWENTY at checkout. Happy shopping. Toodles. I'm going outside to frolic.

PS--Good light (a.k.a. a lovely spring day) really does make pictures better. Look at the lovely color in the photo. No photoshopping. Honest. My photos for my etsy listings are wanting for light. Pretend they are bright and lovely. Okay?

About that Blanket Stitch

About that blanket stitch...

Thanks so much for all your comments and suggestions regarding the blanket stitch on the Posh Pillowcase. I tried almost all your suggestions. Here's my take:

Skip Stitch Blade: Ummm. No thanks. Some people love this blade. My insane battle with perfection would not allow me to embrace this blade. I did not like the holes it left in the pillowcase. In fact, I have a pillowcase that will never leave the house. It will probably be repurposed into wallets or some such thing.

Sharp Hook: See Skip Blade above. 

Single Length of Yarn (photo above): This was a viable option. The yarn did not tangle and was easy to pull through the fabric even when it was a long length. A single length of yarn also seems to provide an adequate foundation. I personally do not like the look of the single length as well as the doubled yarn.

So what is my new solution? Sew the blanket stitch with a shorter-length doubled yarn in two separate pieces. Start your stitch as you normally would in the "pocket" by the seam. Sew around to the other seam ending in the "pocket". Remove your needle. Thread the second piece of yarn. Join your second length of doubled yarn to the first. Continue around the pillow case and join to your original yarn. You end up with two knots instead of one. I'm okay with that. This is probably only make sense to those of you that have tried the tutorial. So sorry if you are reading and wondering.

Now if your head is hurting from reading my drivel and you've decided to NEVER EVER EVER try to make a Posh Pillowcase, I have good news. I just listed ten new pillowcase in the shop. Woo Hoo!

Happy day,

Cassie