Grandma Stash

Everyone needs a Grandma stash. You know for your own future grandkids. You give away so many things to other people and rarely keep anything for your own. I am changing that right now! A few items for the Grandma stash. I am saving back some things for "one day". I think these turned out cute. I used some easy care yarn for this one. And a free pattern on Ravelry: Caiden's Skirt.
Check it out. Super easy, super cute. One I made with a simple crochet chain tie, the other an easy I-cord tie.

Sidecar Jacket

This Sidecar Jacket is one I have wanted to do for a long while now.
Kind of a cute cropped one. I love the color I chose....

 However I did not love the weight of this yarn or the ply...too soft for this large-needled heavy sweater. I would choose a heavier gauge yarn if I did it again. Overall, it was fun to construct, with the cabled waistline first, then picking up stitches upward for the body. However, the picked up stitches are quite visible in this.

I used some extra snaps to try to hold the front flap down and tried to tack the collar down also...
Overall, cute pattern, poor choice of yarn on my part.
You may find it here on Ravelry: Sidecar Jacket

Wintery Garter Stitch Baby Coat

A cute little free pattern off of Ravelry. This one is  called Lino's Coat by Lili Comme Tout, modeled by Matilda Bear.
A garter stitch baby jacket done in Cascade Sierra in a Moss green which looks bluer here.

I looked up a U Tube on how to do a pom pom and took a few tries, but I made one for the hood. Shown here before blocking, of course!  One of my sleeves came out larger than the other, though I did try to mirror exactly the first sleeve. This resulted in a larger seam on one sleeve. Otherwise there are no seams except for the ones under the sleeves, and one on the hood. The hood is picked up from the neckline and then I did do a seam down the center of the hood, though instructions say you could do a 3 needle bind off to close up the hood as well.

This will look cute on a future grandchild one day. Into the stash it goes!

Punkin' Heads

The adorable Kurbis baby hat pattern, a free one off Ravelry. I did this one using worsted weight Wool-Ease with size 5 dpns to start the stockinette rolled hem. Then changing to size 6 dpns for the rest of the project.

 

 So cute! Finished in time for a photo shoot for Halloween. The hats are modeling atop of upturned bowls.

I made another one the next night since I really enjoyed making the first so much. The cute stems are made with an I-cord. These are the same size, just on different bowls.
Not blocked yet, of course....These will look better on some real punkin' heads!

Do It Yourself Chalkboards

I got inspired to make some of my own little chalkboards! I thought I would use chalkboard paint, though there is also a spray you can get. I used the liquid kind. It is available at any craft store. I painted many coats on this art board letting the coats dry in between each layer. The only drawback to using this paint, is you get the foam brush marks on the finished product. So a spray would leave a smoother surface. However it still worked pretty well.
I also chose a tiny art board with an easel for fun, as well as a few picture frames. For these, I painted directly on the glass.

 After letting these dry a good looong time, I put them back together and tried them out with some chalk. Pretty darn cute!

The large board I put in the kitchen to use kind of like a Bistro menu board. Dinner is served!

 One of the frames I took in to work and on this one, I decided to put some chalkboard vinyl with adhesive backing on the reverse side of the glass. This chalkboard "paper" is sold in a roll, and usually found near the white boards.
I got some chalkboard Bistro markers that are like a paint pen, and come in quite a few colors. They wipe off with a damp cloth. Voila! It really makes a nice changeable greeting for the counter.
Happy Fall!

Ciao! There's Yarn in Italy!

We started in Rome...

 Made our way via train to Orvieto, then rented a car and drove to Pienza. We stayed at Cretaiole Agriturismo. You can read all about the trip on my Italy Blog so I won't cover all the details here. You must go there and see all the pictures and videos I put up!

I did see a few small yarn shops in Lucca.

And a knitwear store in Montepulciano.

While in Florence, I was somewhat lost trying to find the Accademia museum to see The David. I stumbled upon a yarn shop when I came down this street. It was one I had looked up online prior to our departure.

 

It was Campolmi Roberto Filati Yarn

Right there on my little "lost" pathway. It was so comforting to turn and see this wall of yarn in front of me. You have no idea...

I of course went in and immediately got 3 skeins of sportweight merino, just because I could, and because it was only 2 euros a skein.

 The ladies there were so nice and pointed me in the direction of the museum...

 And since I had to get something from a street vendor, I chose this one in a lively stripe. It is cotton.

I actually was glad I didn't bring any knitting with me. We had absolutely no room in our bags since we carried everything on, and we had no elbow room in economy class, and our brains were just fried from the long flights that all we wanted to do was zone out and stare at our little screens and wait for them to bring us the next drink or meal on the flight. We could not sleep the whole way to and fro. It was a great trip, besides the travel part! Check out the Italy Blog!

What's a Knitter To Pack?

What's a knitter to pack when she is going to a warm place...but taking alot of airplanes? Yes, the Kindle to be sure, that is a given.

Getting ready for our trip to Italy. It is fun! And alot of work. All the planning and organizing. I have the required lightweight, quick dry clothes, travel shoes, a travel purse... really nothing frivolous at all. The bare minimum clothing and underthings. A few scarves. One dress.

Even though I am keeping it very light, I am at the weight limit already on the carryon...We'll see if I can squeeze any knitting on to the plane!

I am not sure what I would want to take and knit. I know if I see someone else knitting and I don't have mine, I'll be jealous...Whatever I decide to take, I will have to carry it all around. In case I get a mean agent, who demands my needles are dangerous and I must leave them behind...(not likely, as TSA says you can take them on board), I don't want it to be something very valuable. I suppose socks, yes, I know, I heard you said "socks",..I am not into socks, remember? Ha ha, I suppose I could start for fun. I already knit a mini shawl, which I am wondering now where it will fit and if it will seem too hot in the weather there. Unless I wear it on the plane. I do plan to try to visit a yarn shop while there in Lucca. I am not sure what to expect to find in the way of bringing any yarn back with me, however it will be interesting to see what they carry. It is not my primary goal of the trip, so I will just be pleasantly surprised if the shop has anything worthwhile.

Meanwhile I will continue to do suitcase "lift" exercises to gear up around the house and keep up with my walking, as I hear we will we be doing plenty of that!