No self portrait post today

Unfortunately, our internet has been completely dead for most of the day. I couldn't get online long enough to do any sort of posting.

For the month of March, I am going to do a photo post every day from my phone. It might be what I am working on that day, something I made before and haven't photographed, or something else entirely.
I'm hoping that in doing this I will help myself get inspired by the things around me. I've had some trouble lately with motivating myself to make new things.

Do any of you want to join me in this? Not a whole lot of work to do!

Just a test!!

Just making sure my phone will cooperate on an upcoming project I have in mind!!

Blog Lovin'!

Follow my blog with bloglovin
Just wanted to let all of you know that I added myself to the Blog Lovin' database. If any of you use it, feel free to follow it on there!

The blue and white Shawl

Just popping up to say hello again!
I've been looking through some of the photos Rick took, and I'm realizing that they need to be shared. Some are on Facebook already, and others have yet to see the light of day.
I love this blue and white shawl. These shawls are a lot of fun to make. For some reason, I enjoy knitting longer and longer rows. I know there are some triangle shawl patterns that start at the widest edge and go to the point, but I don't like that idea. What if I run out of yarn? What if the point gets all stretched out because of the weight of the rest of the shawl pulling on it? Silly things, really, but things I still think about.

Now, I have a question for all of you. I want to start listing on Etsy (just going to sell there, for now, perhaps I'll sell on Big Cartel or Goodsie later on) The problem is, most of my stuff is winter stuff. Should I wait until the end of Summer to start listing them? Or should I get a jump start and promote in the southern hemisphere?

Self portrait Monday: February 21, 2011

Today's self-portrait is neither taken by me, nor taken today, but I am using it. I look like garbage today, and feel about the same. I've had an ongoing headache for a few days, and I slept horribly. I also had a pretty ridiculous nightmare which involved getting walked in on while using the bathroom, Sprawl*Mart, running from some terrifying people, breaking into a bathroom, and someone allergic to bee stings. Ridiculous and terrifying. I'm surprised I didn't wake Rick or Winston up.

Yesterday, Rick took a bunch of photos of me "modelling" a few of my knitted things. Most of them made me look completely crazy and unattractive, but Rick managed to get a few to look alright. I make some really gross faces when there are cameras around. I really don't know how to smile properly, as far as I am concerned. But, I really like this one, and this cowl is probably my newest favourite. It has one cable down the front and the rest is seed stitch. I'm really getting the hang of cabling, and I've already made another cowl with three cables on it, and it looks pretty nice, too. I'm going to make more cabled items soon. I love the technique, and it makes everything it's on look so much more luxurious. I'm so glad I learned how to do it, I don't know why I was so scared to learn before.

I tweeted yesterday about making some earrings. One of my followers, Crissi Cochrane, who is an awesome musician, and an awesome crafty person, asked if I could post some photos of them. I just took one of all of them with the built-in camera on my computer (as all of my self portrait photos are) and managed to keep my face out of it. I'm pretty happy. I made 6 pairs out of buttons I found at Value Village, the Salvation Army, and an et Cetera shop. I was looking for nice buttons a while ago, and I was super excited when I found all of these. I am going to keep these ones as my personal stash for now. I don't want to start selling them if they are going to fall apart. I did use really good adhesive, so fingers crossed, they'll all be ok.
It's a holiday here in Canada (maybe just Ontario? I don't know, Family Day is kind of a silly holiday) and there is a TON of snow on the ground that fell yesterday. It's going to be a nice day to relax.

New projects!

Hey everyone! Thought I should pop my head up to let you all know I am still alive. I haven't been blogging much lately because I haven't felt like I've had much of great importance to blog about.

I've been working on some new designs for some wintery accessories that I hope to be able to show on here soon. Some of them are going to have a cable. Some are going to have lots of cables. Some will be multicoloured. I'm super excited for these.

I've been watching a lot of House M.D. lately, and getting a lot of knitting done in the process. I have been alternating seasons on House and Weeds so I don't get bored of either. After I'm done these, I plan on watching Big Bang Theory. What do all of you watch while knitting/crocheting?

I am working on getting more motivated to get up and get active. I take the dog out for his potty breaks at the park across the street and I try to run around with him for a bit. I've also been walking more. To and from work, I have often been taking the long, winding way. One really lovely thing about living in an area that was established using the Seigneurial system is that all the roads are parallel. This gives me quite a few options for routes to take when I am walking anywhere. It really helps to make time pass by quicker, and I have been discovering lots of neat things along the way.

As most of you know, I launched my new site recently. Same URL as always, just a whole new look. There is a link on there for the store, which will be coming super soon, I hope. Rick and I are working on photographing all of my things, and I'll be posting them soon. I am still not sure if I want to sell just on Etsy, or if I want a Goodsie or BigCartel site, as well. Or all of them? Or something else entirely. I am looking for input here, if you care to share!

Self portrait Monday: February 14, 2011

Happy Monday everyone!

This past week has been pretty productive. I tidied up a large part of the office, where I keep my yarn. It's no where near being clean, but it's a lot better, and Rick is much happier.

I'd been having some issues with inspiration, and hadn't knit much of anything for a little bit. I knit some baby hats (more on this further down) and then a little while later, I saw something online (I can't remember what it was) that told me to make this neck warmer.

It's knit in Homespun (of course) and it's quite a bit different from what I usually make. The grey is ribbed and the yellow is seed stitch. It's long enough to wrap around twice, and wide enough to be wrapped up and over your head while still covering your neck. I'm working on another one in a different colour already.

I've been saying for ages that I need to post photos of my knitted things online, and I am really hoping I'll actually get around to doing it this week. I just need to bribe Rick into doing it. I'm thinking Pho, all you can eat sushi, or Mongolian Grill will be the way to go. (Are you reading this Rick? Or just skimming?)

Now for the hats.

I got a message on Facebook from a lovely lady named Jordyn whom I haven't talked to in ages. She recently had a baby named Jessiah, and asked me to knit him some hats. I happily obliged.

These are two of the three that I made. The third is all dark blue. I made them on my Knifty Knitter, so I'm really hoping they fit him, because there isn't any smaller I could go.

I am going to see them tomorrow to drop the hats off and catch up.

Life is good! Happy Valentine's day to those who celebrate.

A new skill learned

Late last night, I finished a neck warmer, and had no idea what to knit next. Rick has been bugging me for a while to make him a large cowl with cables. I've never cabled before, and had no idea where to start learning.
In comes YouTube. I searched for "cable knitting" and watched a few videos. It's way easier than I thought!
I grabbed my yarn, a circular needle, and  a plastic yarn needle to use as a cable needle until I go get some.
Cast on 20 stitches or so and get to it.
I decided to do cables 4 stitches wide, I figured it would be easier for me to manipulate 2 stitches on my cabling needle than anything more than that.
It went incredibly well! I did two columns of cables, crossed them three times each, and decided to cast off. I'm going to practice a few more times before I start Rick's cowl.
Overall, I'm pretty happy.

Have you learned any new skills lately?

New Site!!!

It's been a difficult trek, with some lost emails, crisis moments, and nearly some tears, but it's here!

This is the new look for my personal site! Go ahead, have a look around. Let me know what you think!

http://knitnicoleknit.ca

Self portrait Monday: February 7, 2011

Happy Monday everyone! I'm in a fantastic mood, and I hope I can spread it to anyone who isn't.
Last night, I finished knitting a hat for Rick's mom, Cindy. She bought a couple neck warmers from me the other day, and wanted a hat to wear when she goes out for her daily walks. Her hat is made from two strands of Homespun and one Red Heart Shimmer, which ads a little bit of sparkle. I did it on my green Knifty Knitter loom, and it only took a couple days of off and on knitting. The brim doesn't flare out when you wear it like it does in the photo. It's such an awesome snowy-white look!

Speaking of snow, this is part of the reason I am in such an awesome mood. I just got back in from taking Winston out, and it was ridiculous. We have to cross a boulevard that is covered in fairly deep snow to get to the park that we take Winston to so he can do his business. Lately, I've been able to walk across it and the snow was almost u to the top of my boot. No problem! Today, for whatever reason, the snow was deeper. It was fine a couple hours ago when I took him out! Both of my boots filled with awful, half-melted snow. I shook them out when I was standing on the sidewalk next to the park. Winston was an angel and waited for me to tell him it was ok to play. I decided to chase after him. We have a long retractable leash that we keep him on usually, and that's what he was on today. He darted back and forth and took off to the end of the leash. And then KAPOW I was down in the snow, shoulder first! It was hilarious! My boots refilled with snow, and I got quite a bit in my pockets, my hood and somehow, my bum. Winston came back to check on me, and sniffed a couple times before I grabbed at him and knocked him into the snow. It was great. Normally, I'd be a little upset over this, but just him coming to "rescue" me made it that much better.

In other news, Rick and I are working on a new site for me! We tried launching last night, and everything went KABLOOIE. I suddenly don't have email, and everything was down until almost 6 this morning. We're hoping the email issue fixes itself (as it should) today, or at the latest, tomorrow night. In the mean time, my email address is completely down, and I'm not sure if I will receive anything that is being sent to me during this time.