Yarngerie

So I started working on a thing last year and it's finally...FINALLY...live!! KnitCrate asked me to put together a beginning knit and crochet series for them, and they are available as of today!!

Stitch Starter Knit and Stitch Starter Crochet are each a 3-month subscription series that walks makers through their very first steps into each craft. Every kit includes everything needed for making your first projects: yarn, hooks or needles, notions, written instruction booklet, and a video series that accompanies it all. 

If you want to take a peek at the how to knit and ho...

The New Year is here and while I didn't accomplish most of my goals in 2019, I did manage to do several fabulous things, some of which I never expected to do (more on that coming VERY soon!!). As far as 2020 goals, I'm keeping them light. Actually...I'm keeping them flexible. They're so flexible that they're virtually non-existent. 

They are simply this:

Roll with what life throws at me and go with the flow.

Create.

Be happy.

That's it for me. Nothing more. We have loads going on in 2020 for our family. I have a few absolutely marvelous things that I'm involved with e...

I was recently thinking about my New Year goals and started to laugh and laugh and laugh at all that ambition I had at the beginning of the year. I stuck with my original goals for a couple months, but then I took a tumble off the bottom rung of a ladder* and it changed the trajectory of my year. But not all is lost!

This weekend was a blast at both YarnCon and Stitch Up Chicago. So now what? Now, I want to play with yarn. But I have so many things in progress and so close to being finished. And I have work projects to do. And work. And housework. And kids. Sigh... So this week, I'm focusing on finishing the 5 projects that are up on top.

As life usually goes for me, I blinked and here we are at the end of March. How it happens, I never know. It seems like it was just yesterday that it was January, and now we're already on spring break. YarnCon and Stitch Up Chicago are two weeks away. My WIP's are piling up as are my design ideas. And in the back of my mind, I whisper, "pace yourself...pace yourself." Through the busyness of life, I've had my yarn, hooks, and needles by my side keeping me centered.

January came to a close with a new design perfect for a beginning crocheter who knows how to chain, slip...

A new year with new goals, experiences, joys, unexpected surprises both good and bad, challenges, opportunities, and more. Who knows exactly what 2019 will hold for us all. As for me, I am hoping for some peace, balance, good times, grace during the less than good times, a whole lot of love and family, and, of course, yarn.

...and my not-so-nimble fingers have been working up ornaments and gifts. I have been trying to hand make as many gifts as possible this year. My queue has gotten deeper from the Indie Gift-A-Long, I published a new pattern a couple weeks ago, and I’m trying to sort out what my priorities will be for 2019. Not busy...nope...not in the least bit!!

This strong, amazing boy endured 22 rounds of chemo, hundreds of doses of steroids and other medications, and while the lasting effects of LCH will never be fully gone, he lives each day like no one I've ever known.

Coffee! Coffee! Coffee! is like a velvety cup of mocha with rich browns and tans. I was originally thinking of making a hat but thought that this would make a great around the neck accessory for Mary. Also, I was thinking knit instead of crochet because Mary is an avid crocheter, and I don't often see her with something knit. I finally decided on the Why Wait? cowl pattern by Susan Ashcroft. I couldn't wait to cast on!