In which I remember that I have less than a month until Christmas...

Ah- the Christmas season has begun! Time to start furiously knitting those last minute gifts that seemed to get put off until November. I still have half of my gift-knitting to finish (I hope I'm not the only one!) but I did manage to wrap up some projects. Here's my favorite- my purse!

The first step to making the purse was simply knitting. After I cast off my last stitches was where the fun started. I found cute fabric and made a makeshift pattern for the lining of the bag. I just pinned it down and stitched around the edges. My sewing could use a little work, but it was hidden by the edges.

Here's how the inside looked.

And now the final product. Voila! It was really easy and fun to make. The pattern I used was a free one from Lion Brand called Shimmer by Night bag. I stuck to the pattern except I changed up the decrease pattern at the end. Also, instead of casting on 160 st and knitting 3 rows for the strap, I cast on 5 st and knit until the strap reached about 2ft.

My nest project was a hat. At first it was going to be a hat for me, but let's just say I got my gauge a teeny bit wrong and it covers my eyes whenever I try to wear it! Oh well... But on the bright side, I now have another Christmas gift. I really loved the yarn, Patons Wool Tweeds in Chestnut. It kinda reminded me of M&Ms with the dark brown color and the bright flecks of colors scattered in.

Now time to make more hats and purses for Christmas! What have you guys been crafting this Holiday Season?

In which I find the ugliest magazine ever...

I finally got the pictures from the vintage knitting magazines I mentioned last month.

But be warned- some of these 'fashions' are quite scary!

Of course you needed a matching hat for that vest!

Four pages in color!

How did these guys become models?

What in the world? Again, how did that guy become a model?

This is a group picture of the Workbasket Magazine.

And last but not least is my koala! I love this little guy!

In which I create an adorable bunny...

I have fallen deeply in love with knitting toys and other cute things. While I was going crazy for my high school class schedule to be posted I finished up this little bunny.

It was a super easy pattern and it only took me a couple of hours. The shaping was very easy and the only part I had a little trouble with was the finishing.

I've started a new project. Can you guess it? It's starts with a 'k', is super-duper cute, and Australian. Do you know what it is?

In which I make an incredible discovery...

I was at grandma's house this weekend when I made the coolest discovery. It was amazing. I mentioned to her how I'm learning to crochet (which I can't seem to get the hang of-ugh) and she found a treasure trove of crafty things.

In her closet she found a bin full of yarn and crochet hooks. The most amazing part? Her mother-in-law was and avid crafter and always was buying knitting and crochet magazines. My grandma still has them! I was able to look through crafting magazines from as early as 1953. Some magazines boasted "4 full pages of color!, but the advertisements were even funnier. I need to get some pictures up.

So as I mentioned I'm learning to crochet. I found this adorable book for making amigurumi and I fell in love! I MUST make these adorable critters.

Well, until next time!

In which I discover Ravelry...

Today, my friends, I've discovered the most amazing ( in my opinion) knitting website - Ravelry. On the website you can find me as nifftyknitter33. So the first thing I see is that cute, colorful sign in page. I had to stifle a giggle as I saw all the yarn fiber animal in yarn. Is there anything more ironic and funny? Then I get all signed up and make my profile and explore the site. I have a feeling that it'll take me a while to get used to everything there.

I really made some progress on my knitted bag today. Also, after seeing my dad go out into this crazy Chicago blizzard of 2011 I vowed to make him a hat. And not just a plain-cheapo-buy-at-Walmart-for-a-dollar-hat, I'm talking about a warm ribbed wool hat and a big thick scarf. Hopefully, this will prevent him from looking like a man from the ice age when he comes in from shoveling.

In other new, school starts for me tomorrow. Gone are the care free days of being snowed in and knitting all day. Just like them good olden days! Hmmm.... I wonder if they would let me bring my knitting to school? Would that be fun or what? Half of the teachers just let us have a 'study period' while they correct papers. Or I could make a knitted book bag! That might be fun. Recently, though, it seems like I've been trying to tackle WAY too many projects. But it seems like I work better when I'm overwhelmed!

In which I get a snow (knitting) day!

For the first time in since 1999 my school had a snow day! That's TWELVE years! I also found out we get the day off tomorrow, too. But they would've been crazy not to give us a day off after all the snow we got here in Chicago. The wind got up to 70mph and it snowed over 12 inches, but in some parts it was taller because of all the snow drifts. On the positive side, I got to knit, knit, and knit some more!

I still consider myself a newbie so I started and easy project. It's a great big bag- 12x12 in- with a cute little pocket. I promise to post a picture once I get it done!

Well, happy knitting!

eat, sleep, knit, repeat

What is so magical about holding two sticks and a piece of string? How does creating fabric and inricate designs out nothing seem to soothe the soul? And why does the rhythmic clicking of needles transport you to a different world?

I've been asking myself those questions since I started kniting last year. I had an old how to knit set that included needles and yarn, but little else. I got frusterated at the diagrams and the dry and complicated instructions, and didn't get pass the slip knot. A few years later I saw a friend of mine knitting and was as fascinated by the knitting as a moth is of light. I searched my unorganized closet for the long-abandoned knitting set with the hopes of making gorgeous hand knit items. I dusted off the cheap plastic needles and stickly acrylic yarn and did a quick web search of how to knit. Slowly and painfully, I learned how knit!

Now I can't stop trying to learn the ways of the yarn and adding to my knitting collection. But, alas, I've encountered very few knitters on my knitted "journey". My family just rolls their eyes as I tell them about the new stitch pattern I've learned, or about that great new yarn brand.

I hope you'll stick with me on my knitted adventure.