Lovely Leftovers

My recent weaving project left me with lots of left over yarn.  When I realized how badly I'd calculated and how much was left, my mind quickly started brainstorming about what I could do with it.  The idea of a doily popped up and it seemed like the perfect use for this yarn.

I started crocheting one this morning and I'm loving the results...

I'm using a size "E" crochet hook and the "Summer Splendor" pattern that's free on Ravelry.

I love it when I find a project/pattern that's a perfect match for stash yarn!

Startitis

I think I have a case of Startitis.  You know...the uncontrollable urge to keep starting new projects?

Yup!  That's what I've been doing!  I've got an extra strong love of all things yarny.

Then, add to that our upcoming road trip that I need to plan projects for and I've ended up

starting project after project and I have several more picked out that I can't wait to start.

Here's one that I started last night.  It's the GAP-tastic Cowl pattern.  It's a freebie on Ravelry that I've made before and love.  I had a bag full of yarn I'd spun up several years ago that I thought would be perfect for this.  I wound the skeins into pull balls last week.  I'm using size 11 needles.  Here's a photo of what the roving looked like, the pull balls (there are five of them), and my started project...

I've been trying so hard to find the perfect pattern to go with this stash yarn.  I bought it in Sedona a few years ago.  I love the oranges and pinks in it.  I finally decided to go with the Claudia Scarf.

I've made one of these before too and I love it.  And, this time, I'm thinking of turning it into a cowl.

It's a 460 yard skein of Ella Rae Lace Merino.  I'm using a size "H" crochet hook.

I think this stitch pattern is showing off the colors and lovely texture of the yarn quite well.

I've made some progress on the toe-up sock I started last week...

I've even made a couple of tiny, knitted gift projects over the past week too.

I'm having so much fun!  And, I'm doing lots of stash busting!

There's something about going on a trip that fires up my yarny passion.  I always get so excited about the possibilities of all the time I'll have and projects I can work on.  It's like I think there will be more hours in each day and more days in each week.  It never works out that way.  But, it's fun to dream!

As you may be thinking....I will probably be taking a very large bag full of yarn and projects!

P.S.  We'll be leaving soon on our trip.  I'm wondering if anyone has any can't-miss suggestions of things to see or do in some of the places we'll be.....Taos, New Mexico; Memphis, Tennessee; New Orleans, Louisiana; Dodge City, Kansas; Tucson, Arizona; Austin, Texas; Conroe, Texas; and Fredericksburg, Texas.  Awesome yarn shops and antique stores are some of my favorite things
to find but I'm open to lots of other great things to see and do too.  Thanks!  :-)

Wine Socks

I made a ruffly bottle sleeve a few years ago and I love it!  I use it all the time.

It works great to catch the little drips that run down the bottle and can leave a ring on the counter.

Since it works so well, I wanted to make more.  I have some yarn left over sock yarn from my 

Zion hat.  It's the perfect color for catching drips of dark wine without worrying about stains.

So, I knitted one up.  Then, my daughter liked it so much that she asked for one.

It was fun and quick and the colors are perfect for someone else I know.

So, I now have three...

I decided to leave the ruffle off of these.

I like how they look with their cute little stripes.

I used size one double point needles and cast on 32.  I divided them onto four needles with eight stitches on each.  Then, I simply did a knit three, purl one rib for about 26 rows or about two inches and bound off in the same rib stitching.  I tucked in the ends and...voila...cute little wine socks!  

I was a bit short on wine.  So, I just HAD to buy a few bottles for the photo shoot! ;-)

Cheers!

Kitty Quilt

A few months ago, my parents decided to give up the RV lifestyle they'd lived for over 10 years and move back into a house. They needed to furnish their new home and I helped out by giving them an antique bedroom set that I had leftover from transforming our guest room into a craft studio. That meant I needed to empty out a dresser full of fabric. I loaded it all into plastic storage bins and was determined to keep it to three. But, they were a little bulgy...


There wasn't anything I wanted to get rid of. So, I needed to do some stash busting. The bulgy bins were just what I needed to finally get the inspiration to do something with some quilt squares my mom had made and given to me years ago. Since she had put time and effort into making them, she must have liked them. So, what about using them to make her a Christmas gift? Seemed like a good idea to me. There were 16 cat blocks, a little pattern book and a bag of buttons for eyes.


I went through my stash to try and find coordinating fabrics to finish it but had no luck. The fabrics were from the 80's and that made it challenging to find colors that worked. I ended up buying a solid blue that matched a blue in most of the cats. I used it to outline the blocks. I also bought some cute green print fabric from a local quilt shop that I had planned to use for a border. But, by the time I had put all the blocks together, it was so large that I didn't need a border. It would have looked adorable on the back with the leftover kitty block in the center but I didn't buy enough.


I found a thick, furry fabric that I used for the backing and batting all in one. It was wide enough that I didn't even need to piece it! I tied the layers together with white crochet cotton and bound the quilt with more blue fabric. The furry fabric feels really nice and it looks good too. I think this quilt will be nice for her to curl up with on the sofa in chilly weather. It's soft and cozy.


It's all folded up and ready for wrapping. I hope she likes it!


My fabric stash didn't go down with this project because the cat blocks were replaced with green print fabric and a little leftover fur. But, hey, I tried. And, I'm not giving up just yet. I have fabric for a couple of quilts and some garments that I'm anxious to get started on. I wonder if finishing those will lessen the stash enough to close those bins? At least, those kitties won't be staring at me anymore when I look through my stash!