SweaterBabe.com's FREE Scarf Pattern Download!

Can you believe it? Fall is just about officially here and who couldn't use a new comfy cozy scarf for the chilly days ahead? I know I could! Here's a gorgeous one that you won't want to miss! And the pattern is FREE!

Every month, a different knitting or crochet pattern will be downloadable for free for 2 weeks at SweaterBabe.com.

Only those subscribed to their Knitting or Crochet Newsletters will be notified of each month's free pattern offer, so go subscribe to take advantage!

ONLY 3 more days to download the free pattern for this month!

The Star Stitch Crochet Scarf Pattern - Click here to Download it now

Warm Up America

I've decided to participate in the WarmUpAmerica project this holiday season. You can find out more about it by clicking on this image to visit their site:
This is such a good cause, and I find it so relaxing and enjoyable to make the "squares"... It's also a great way to use all of those odds and ends of yarn that I've been accumulating! If any of you decide to participate in this ongoing project, I'd love to hear from you! I think their only rule is that the sections measure 7" x 9"... Kinda funny how I call them squares... I guess they're more like rectangles!

Are you knitting daily?

I just joined Knitting Daily this afternoon. It's the new online knitting (and crochet) community, pattern library, and newsletter brought to you by Interweave Press, publishers of Interweave Knits, Knitscene, Spin-Off, and Interweave Crochet magazines, as well as a lot of really cool knitting books. Best of all you can sign up for free!

They have tons of FREE patterns for members to download... and I found this humorous and all too true little article titled "Why Knit a Bag?" Now I LOVE handbags... so that caught my eye. I have already crocheted a handbag, so maybe I'll try knitting one next! They've got at least a dozen free bag patterns! There's even a whimsical "credit card bag"! So what are you waiting for? Sign up for your free membership today!

Monkey Baby Boutique Update!

I have been a "busy bee" lately... Staying up until all hours of the night... researching products, contacting companies, and working on stocking my inventory for my new online Baby Boutique! Nobody told me that this would be so time consuming! LOL But I'm loving every minute of it! And I can't wait to find the next "gotta have it" item to add to my store! I'm also definitely planning to incorporate my crochet into this project as well... I'm planning to list some of my crocheted stuffed toys (hmmm... wonder if I can make something similar to sock monkeys with my crocheting skills?), blankets, hats/caps, and more... (Time permitting!) Once I get my store a bit more stocked, I'll have time to relax a little and get back to working on some of my crochet projects!
I also started teaching myself how to knit, which I wrote about in some of my previous posts! Oh and by the way, I actually bought myself a pair of knitting needles yesterday! Yay! Bye-Bye chopsticks! LOL
Can you say I have a bit too much on my plate at the moment? Sometimes I wonder how I can even get half of it done! But, most of my work happens late at night after the kids are in bed. Anyways, I'm off to make lunch for the kids right now... I'll try to post more later today!

p.s. I received my first issue of Interweave Crochet magazine yesterday and there are some wonderful articles I'd like to share with you! If you scroll to the bottom of their page you can get a FREE TRIAL ISSUE! Until next time!

Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker

Lacy, sexy summer tops. Chic, cozy sweaters. Chunky, funky hats and colorfully crafty afghans— it all starts with the single, simple act of wrapping a hook around a strand of yarn. Then come the stitches, the flourishes, the unlimited creativity. Stylish, cheeky in tone, chock-full of information and inspiration, this is the indispensable guide. Learn the skills. Speak the lingo. Make the stuff. And give old granny square a chance. Click the image below for more info.

The Crochet Answer Book

This book has Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask! I highly recommend this book as it is one of my favorites and it has helped me countless times out of jams! Just click on the image for more info!






Wouldn't it boost your confidence to have an experienced and confident crocheter on call, day and night, offering assistance when needed? Most of us aren't fortunate enough to have that kind of aid, but now there is help available 24/7 with The Crochet Answer Book. Being a good crocheter is not about making perfectly stitched, elaborate, artful creations. It is rather a matter of confidence. You need to be confident in what you are doing and in how to figure out what to do if things aren't going quite right. Understanding why you do certain things and why they turn out the way they do increases confidence and leads to successful crocheting. This book answers some of the most common questions crocheters have, and anticipates some questions you didn't know you had. The Crochet Answer Book will lead you down the road to gaining the confidence that makes for good crocheting.

Crochet T-Shirts!

Show your love of Crochet with these fun crochet themed shirts featuring original artwork by Sheila of Sheila's Schnauzies! Sheila is a lifetime crocheter and designer. All sales of her items benefit her rescue dog work.

Just click on the images below to view buying details...

Knitting task completed!

Here it is! I did it! I know, it's only a 6"x3" rectangle, but what a feeling of accomplishment for someone that had never touched knitting needles before! I taught myself the "bind off" yesterday, and called it a night. I don't know what my first real knitting project will be, but I definitely want to try making something. Maybe I'll start with a simple scarf.
But until I decide on that, I've got plenty of crochet projects to keep me occupied! My step-mother's mom passed away earlier this year, and my step-mom inherited an antique crocheted afghan. Well, needless to say, it's seen better days! She called me to ask if I thought it could be repaired. When I saw it, I knew I had my work cut out for me. I'd never attempted to restore an afghan before. There are several gaping holes in it and lots of areas where it has come unraveled. The yarn is very old and heavy, probably wool. And there's no way that I'll find anything that matches perfectly to the colors. But I accepted the challenge. So we were off to Hobby Lobby with afghan in tow. It's a multicolored throw made of granny squares that have been sewn together. In my next post I will share some photos with you of my work in progress. This may take awhile! But my step-mom says that she has always loved the colors and the memories that the afghan holds. She definitely doesn't want to throw it out. So I'm on a mission to restore and preserve a piece of family history, and make it worthy to pass down to the next generation!

Knitting with Chopsticks

Okay, here are the pictures from my very first knitting attempt last night. This is my chopstick knit version (since that's all I could find to use at the time!) Does that earn me the right to display the The “MacGyver” Badge (Level One)?

"The recipient must demonstrate clever use of a non-knitting tool in a knitting-related scenario. For instance, recipient has used paper clips as stitch markers, or successfully whittled and then utilized bamboo skewers as dpns."

I may actually have to invest in some knitting needles! Who would have thought? This is really fun! As depicted in the top photo, I chose the Double Cast-on method. Took me a little while to get the hang of it, but now it's east breazy!
Then it was on to learning the Knit Stitch. I chose the English (right-hand) way as you can see below. But, I just can't get a good grip on the yarn using my right hand. It feels very awkward and I can't get the tension right. This may be because I'm so used to holding the yarn in my left hand when I crochet. I actually unraveled my work and started over several times. I may have to give the Continental (left-hand) way a try. It might be easier for me since it involves holding the yarn in the left hand.


Then I switched to some of my husband's wooden chopsticks, as you can see below. Progress was made! I like the feel of the wood alot better! But in the end I still wasn't happy with my results, so I unraveled it again! I noticed a couple of holes in my work which probably meant I had dropped some stitches somewhere. Needless to say, I haven't even touched Binding Off yet... First I want to feel comfortable and satisfied with my knit stitches. So, practice I will. Does practice make perfect? I hope so! I'll keep you posted on my progress...


I just want to add a thank-you to Debbie Stoller incase she ever finds this blog. Her book Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook is my guide. I actually tried to learn knitting with a couple of other books previously and never could understand the instructions. But she gives wonderful diagrams, drawings, and step by step instructions. I don't know if I would have given knitting a second thought if it wasn't for her! Kudos to SnB!

Crochet vs. Knitting

Is there really a war going on? I read an article titled The age-old battle continues: Crochet vs. Knitting. Who will win? at the Crochet Insider website. (click the link, then scroll all the way down to find the article)
I myself have always crocheted, but have been very curious about knitting... So is it okay for a crocheter like me to also want to learn the way of the needles? I've never actually known anyone that knits and it has always looked so difficult to me! Well, my curiosity got the best of me today... While at the library I went ahead and picked up Debbie's The Knitter's Handbook... I was already a fan of her Crochet book, but every time I've seen her knitting books I've felt a bit left out. There's something intriguing about the way she writes. Do the "chicks with sticks" have something that I don't? I had to find out! So... this evening I pulled out the only sticks I have! A pair of chopsticks! Can you imagine? I'll actually post photos tomorrow... I'm just too tired to download them right now... Using her book I taught myself to "cast on" (which is the first step and gets the first set of loops on your needle) and then I learned the knit stitch! I actually got really excited! I couldn't believe that I did it! What a feeling of accomplishment! So, I had my husband take a couple of photos of my very first attempt in action.
To be continued...