February Update

Here's what I've been up to the last month...

 

 I found this kit from Dimensions and made a cute peacock feather cross stitch necklace.

I bought some fantastic Noro Shiraito yarn (color 31) at Apple Yarns in Bellingham, WA on our way home from celebrating Elijah's 4th birthday, and made this hat for my aunt. The pattern will be available sometime in March.

I played around with some funky rainbow colored yarn from Loops and Threads Soft and Shiny (Fiesta). The hat is my Ruby Turban pattern, and the jellyfish is from Lalylala. (Be sure to click on the EN tab to get the pattern in English.) These are also for my aunt.

I made this simple cute mandala from Made in K-Town to hang in my kitchen, which has been rearranged and has gotten some new textiles.

Just this morning I made this cute little elephant for one of my coworkers. It's a bit bigger than the fingertip sized crochet elephant she jokingly posted on my Facebook page, but I think she'll still love it. I work the pattern using Loops and Threads Soft and Shiny in Gray with a G hook. I also left the wings off and added a bow and a simple sc scarf (ch 41, work 40 sc, extra sc in the last stitch, 40 sc along the other side of the beginning ch, extra sc in last stitch, join with sl st, fasten off, weave in ends).

 

We got our family pictures back from Cassandra Hamilton Photography. You can check out the rest of our pictures here.

 I read The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen by Syrie James.

All in all, it's been a good month. I hope your February was full of lots of wonderful things. Now, on to March!

New Pattern for Sale: Tears of the 12s

The 2014 football season was a pretty emotional one for Seahawk fans. We were up (beating the Packers in the season opener), we were down (losing at home to the Cowboys in Week 6), we were shocked (Percy Harvin trade), we were worried (6-4 record), we were excited (#1 Seed in the NFC), we were speechless and dumbfounded (NFC Championship miracle comeback), and we were crushed at the end of Super Bowl XLIX. This hat is inspired by the unbelieving tears of the 12s (Seahawks fans).

This hat is worked in two layers, so it is extra warm and cozy – perfect for those cold game days. It can, of course, be worked in your favorite colors or the colors of your favorite team.  It measures 24” in circumference and is sized for average adults. See notes for resizing information and other pattern options.

This pattern includes pictures for most steps and permission to sell finished items.

You can by the pattern here in my Etsy shop.

Fight Like a Girl Slouchie Hat and Infinity Scarf

Great news! My aunt's genetic test for the breast cancer gene came back negative! This means that I will not have to have genetic testing and my risk for breast cancer in the same as the general public. My aunt's cancer did not spread, and she had clear margins, so it was good news all around. She will definitely need to have radiation, and it is up in the air whether or not she will need chemotherapy, so prayers are still appreciated.

With Valentine's Day coming up tomorrow and my aunt being away from home, I wanted to give her a little something special to help her "fight like a girl" - her favorite breast cancer phrase. So, I whipped up this little slouchie hat and infinity scarf set for her.

The hat measures about 21" around unstretched and is 10.5" long. It is sized to fit the average woman's head (22-24"). The scarf measures about 40" around and is 5" wide. It is also sized to fit the average woman. The scarf pattern is a variation of the Crochet Pink Awareness Ribbon Scarf by Naztazia, which is pretty ingenious.

Materials:

• Anne Geddes Baby by Red Heart in Taffy (or other baby weight (3) yarn)
• G hook
• Breast Cancer Pin (I got mine at Hobby Lobby) or iron-on patch (optional)
• 3/8" Ribbon (optional)

Slouchie Hat Directions:

Round 1: 12 dc in magic circle (12) join with a sl st

Round 2: ch 2 (counts as dc here and throughout), dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each stitch around (24)join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2

Round 3: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next stitch, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from *  around (36) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2

Round 4: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 2 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from *  around (48) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2

Round 5: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 3 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from *  around (60) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2

Round 6: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 4 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from *  around (72) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2

Round 7: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 5 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from *  around (84) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2

Round 8: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 6 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from *  around (96) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2

Round 9: ch 2, dc in each stitch around (96) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2

Round 10-22: repeat round 9 (make this section longer if you want a slouchier hat)

Round 23: ch 3 (counts as dc, ch 1), *skip 1 stitch, dc in next stitch, ch 1, repeat from * around (48 dc, 48 ch spaces) join with a sl st to the 2nd ch in the ch 3 (this row is where you will weave the ribbon through if you use it)

Round 24: ch 1, sc in the same space, sc in each stitch and ch 1 space around (96) join with a sl st to the first sc

Round 25-30: repeat round 24, fasten off and weave in ends

Finishing:
Add any  embellishments you would like. The hat can be also be worn as a regular beanie by folding the brim up. It has a bit of a Downton Abbey feel to it this way.

Infinity Scarf Directions:
Ch. 23

Row 1: dc in 4th ch from hook, dc across (21), turn

Row 2-7: ch 3 (count as dc throughout), dc in each stitch across (21)

Row 8-10: see here for the pattern for making the awareness ribbons (5 ribbons)

Row 11-12: repeat row 2

Row 13-75: repeat rows 8-10 (at the end you should have 14 repeats of the ribbons and end with sc row (Row 9). Of course, you could make this as long as you want.

Row 76: ch 1, work 148 sc down the long edge of the scarf (two for each dc row and 4 in each space along the ribbon row), attach the two short ends with a sl st seam (21 stitches) being careful not to twist the scarf, then ch 1 and work 148 sc around the other long edge of the scarf, fasten off and weave in ends.

Finishing:
Add pin. If you are going to attach iron-on patch to row 2-7, you can use my method here

January Update

January was a good month.

I went back to work after a month long winter break. My class is good, but the work load my fellow teacher and I gave ourselves is a little overwhelming - for both us and the students. The Book Thief is a pretty hefty book to be teaching to students who have probably never read a book that long in their native language, let alone their second. Overall, it's only about 15 pages of reading each school night, but there is little room for getting behind which makes it stressful. It's an interesting book, though, so that helps.

The Seahawks did their thing in the playoffs...winning, winning miraculously, and then losing in such a heartbreaking way (technically in February, but whatever). Such an emotional roller coaster!

My maternal aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer in December, so she has been staying with  my mom during her biopsies and tests, is currently staying with her sister-in-law recovering from her surgery, and will be staying with my mom again for radiation. We are very happy that the results from her surgery came back saying that the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes. A full recovery is expected. However, what this means for me is that I might have some very difficult decisions to make in the coming years. My material grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 47, and died at age 56. My aunt is currently 47. My mom is 48, and while everything for her is all clear at the moment, genetic testing looms. My aunt has already had her genetic testing done, and we are waiting for her results. Should she come back positive for the breast cancer gene, my mom will get tested. If my mom's results come back positive, than I will be tested. All three of us understand what a positive result might mean for our "lady parts", so prayers for negative results would be appreciated.

On the last day of the month, we had some family pictures done by my friend, Cassandra. You can check some of them out at Cassandra Hamilton Photography.

As for my goals, I have been progressing well:

Stop fighting the texture of my hair: I wear my hair curly about 50% of the time. I have been trying out a couple of new products. Curly haired friends, check back later for a review of one of those products.

Take more trips: Nothing in January, but we do have a special trip planned this month for Elijah's birthday.

Design 12 crochet patterns to sell: 1 down (see Gemstones and Pearls Infinity Scarf), 11 to go. I've already got #2 on the hook!

Eat out less: For the last three weeks, we did not eat out on the weekends at all, and we did not go out for lunch during the week (except on Fridays). The weekends were definitely the most difficult part, but we survived. We don't have a real plan for this month yet, but I think we're going to continue with not eating out during the week (except on Fridays).

Actively seek out joy: There is not way to really quantify this, but I have been working at writing down one thing every day that made me laugh or smile. I keep the log in my phone and called it "January Joy". It reminds me to really think about the things that made me happy and appreciate them. This month is "February Fun".