Year of Projects- Week 27

I have totally fallen off of the project bandwagon  but I'm getting back on over the next couple of weeks. We are finally out of  Festival and Bazaar season and some how I thought that I would be able to craft, create and sell all a the same time It did not work out that way, unfortunately. August was my last post! I knew it had been a while but it's a  new year and time to get back on track!

I have taken a few minutes here and there to work on some orders and a few things for the booth but not as much as I had hoped. I'm really not sure where the time went. It's 2016 Already!!

Small things seem to be all that I have been able to accomplish lately, but I guess that's not too bad. Otherwise I would have a huge amount of WIPs hanging over my head..lol. I have a few things in a local store and the owner had stopped by a bazaar we were at and she spotted my "Diva Dishcloths" and wanted to know why I hadn't dropped any of those off at her store. Frankly I didn't think it was something she would have been interested in having in the store, so I am filling in my lunch hour with dishcloths.

Yes those are helping toes that snuck into my pictures. In all honesty it's her box but it is the best light in the house so we share for pictures..lol

I did have an interesting order this season. A coworker had gone to visit her sister in Arizona, we are in NC, and she had shown her some pictures of my work, So she called and asked me to make a hat for her granddaughter who is in Tennessee..It seemed kinda convoluted as an order goes but fun to make and I hope everyone involved was happy with it. Horrible last minute picture but I did get one this time, I've really got to do better with pictures.

The sidewalk Quilt has barely gotten any attention but it is being moved up on the list of to do's since I've run across a couple of blanket ideas that I'd like to start.. I needed 60 small squares which are completed and sewn together, then it's 25 medium that need to be completed and the final 10 very large squares to finish. So far I've completed 5 medium and I hope to get back on it today for a few more. 

The last project on my list that must get started this month is a cardigan for me. I've picked up the yarn and I think I have decided on the pattern but I'm holding out a bit trying to decide one of theses three the Ariane, Cap it off Topper  or this:

No way could I deal with those sleeves so there would be a bit of modification there to a 3/4 length, but it's number one in the running right now. Only because it would be my first sweater, I'd rather have something with more of a yoke but maybe for the next one if this goes well..

Happy Hooking Ya'll!

Year of Project -Wk 6

Not a very busy craft week but I did manage to add a couple of patterns to my list of projects and I did manage to get all 60 of  small squares sewn together for my Sidewalk CAL. Now it's just one to the next phase medium squares, of which there are only 25 but we'll see how long it takes me to get the correct sizing..

Here's the latest on the Sidewalk CAL, it's coming along pretty good so far.

Sixty small blocks together so far,,

I spent a bit of time on Ravelry this week while I made some phone calls, I had to pass the time while I was on hold right?! And I ran across this ridiculously cute lion.. So expect to see him added to the project list. There is just something about the toes that just do me in! Check out her Ravelry patterns she has a few more awesome stuffies.

Peach Unicorns Lion Pillow

I have also had a couple of requests for some Tams or beanies for the fall so I'll be looking in my pattern books and checking out Ravelry this week for those too. Do you have a favorite pattern you'd like to share? It's always something new to add it's no wonder I can't seem to catch up!

We're also coming up on the end of peach season and figs are on so I'm picking and canning too.

If you're interested in the Farm Side check out my other blog CluckCluckBuzz.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Work In Progress Wednesday

So this week one of the bigger items I'm working on and actually making some headway is the Sidewalk CAL. The pattern is based on  a quilt set up and starts with small squares which leads into medium and larger squares. Some other crafters who have joined the CAL are doing a tighter square so that it lends itself to look more like a "quilted" square. I opted for a more open square only because I didn't want the afghan to be "dense", or stiff.

The CAL is still in process if you are interested in joining. Check it out on Ravelry.

Sidewalk Quilt by Pippapatchwork.com

So far I only have one tip for anyone who is thinking about doing this pattern, I chose to work with four colors because I didn't want it to be too busy, all those small squares are super busy on their own and I thought adding more color wouldn't help it all. I also had the idea that I didn't want to have large patches of colors, so no duplicate colors next to each other. I haven't had to do that so far but I do have some that are corner to corner. Had I just added another color I think that would have taken care of that issue. So my advice is go ahead and splurge and add another color to your pile!

These are my four colors, should have added another, Burgundy perhaps..

So far I've been able to shop my stash for this but soon I'll be venturing out and picking up another skein or two of each to keep the progress going. I've been really good this year about staying on the cold sheep bandwagon and not adding to the mess in the craft room but these will be coming in and being used up right away so they don't count towards the stash total!

The 60 small squares are completed. The date is totally not right, I had to pull out the old camera and I had no idea that it was still posting a date much less one that was so far off!

Here's where we are now.. .

Pretty Good Progress and the remaining Squares

Lots of loose ends..

Books and Yarn my two favorite things.. squares not so much anymore..lol

 Once I get the smalls together I'll start the medium Squares, which might go a bit faster since there are only 25 of those. And for the final large squares there are only 10. Let's just hope that they all line up the way I plan!

Along with my crafting I am reading Nemesis by Catherine Coulter. This is the newest installment in her FBI thriller series. Likeable characters, great plot twists and the story moves quickly. I think this is installment #19 in the series, you can pick up from here or you can start at the beginning. Great series that I highly recommend!

Thanks for stopping by! This post is being shared with Yarn Along , Oombawka Design Crochet and Frontier Dreams. Be sure to check out all of the great links this week for inspiration and to share the love of crafting!

Year of Projects -Week 5

First of all I am having problems adjusting to the fact that it is already August! And now we are already into week 5 of the Year of Projects. If you'd like to join, you'll first need to be a member of Ravelry, and then check out the Group a Year of Projects. I can say it has encouraged me to get some things finished and get other projects that have been languishing on my list for a while out of the craft room, and on to a hook!

This week's work has been something I started a couple of weeks ago, the Sidewalk CAL. I finally finished the first 60 small squares and will working on getting them sewn together and then on to the middle size square.  I attended a NC Coastal Federation Seminar on Friday about off shore drilling and I had a bit of time while the pro drillers were talking to work on squares. So I guess something good came of it...

My normal camera is having issues so I had to pull out an older one, Please ignore the date..lol. I didn't realize it was printing the date much less so far off until I posted it.

I've completed the body portion of the Rabbit Stuffie and started the head. Haven't picked the  Yes Yes Shawl back up but I'm hoping that will be my TV project for next week. I think I'll be working on putting together squares during lunch this week.

I can 't believe how quickly the bazaar season is slipping up on me. I always start off the year saying that I will start early on won't have this last minute rush for booth items and Christmas gifts, this won't be the year that happens. I had high hopes but maybe if I stay on it and carve out some dedicated time I'll slide into the season with a few items ready..

Hoping every one is having a productive week!

YOP- Week 4

Here I am again running late with this post and It's gonna be a short one. I have started three projects, two that I am steadily working on, one that might be iffy and I have an ongoing project am a round away from a finish. So far I can say that joining the Year of Projects has been great motivator for me!
You can check out my list here. I have a couple of ideas that haven't been officially added yet but they are requests so I should add them to the list just so I know how many projects are underway and how many I've managed to accomplish.

The first start is one that was on my list, the Yes, Yes Shawl from Bernat. I'm using a really great hand dyed yarn from Unplanned Peacock Studio that I picked up at Carolina Fiber Fest earlier this year. I'm always glad to see Natasha at festivals because I know she'll always have a great selection and at least a few skeins that I can't live with out. I've just gotten started, really I've only had a short amount of time Sunday afternoon and I haven't picked it back up but I have high hopes for it to move along late this week.I can see the blocking board in my future..

The other two starts are both Stuffies, one is a rabbit and the other is a stegosaurus. I might or might not have been a bit too excited over Jurassic World this summer. I seem to have added a few dinosaur patterns to my favorites...lol. The rabbit is done in continuous rounds and I think it will go fairly quickly. The dino is my problem, it's in UK terms, which isn't a problem, my brain can do the adjustment easily. The problem is the directions and it's not the designer it's me. There are lots of breaks and restarts and skip stitches. It will take more time and attention than I have to give to it right at this point in time. 

My time hasn't been my own lately, we have a ton of farm related things going on right now that seem to eat away at my crafting minutes. It's not yarn or fiber but I it's a finished product!

Fig Strawberry Jam! With real Strawberries not that nasty Jello stuff..

Have a great week and sign up here for A Year of Projects! Lots of fun, encouragement and no pressure.

It was just a bump in the road..

I didn't actually fall off of the cold sheep wagon, just a minor mishap. But having said that I want to share with you a couple of skeins that I picked up at a local festival, Carolina Fiber Fest. I'm looking forward to SAFF in the fall but CFF is close to us and run by friends so I have to stop by and pick up something right?  I figure if I manage to empty a box of stash before October I can pick up a few things in Asheville, NC during the SAFF weekend, October 30th - Nov 1st, 2015.

One set is from my very favorite farm, Heelside Farms, the people are wonderful, the sheep are beautiful and I can always find something I have to have! Lucky for me they are only about and hour and a half from the house! My picture doesn't do it justice! I did pick up two skeins of this colorway and I'm on the look out for the perfect pattern. I've should have about 590 yards so a medium shawlette would be great.

 The other is from another shop that I seem to always find something I can't live with out Unplanned Peacock Studios, it's a good thing she's in Virginia, I might have a stash that is more out of hand than it currently is.

I did pick up two skeins of this also and I hope to use it for  the Yes Yes Shawl, which is on my 2015 Year of Projects List. The pattern calls for almost 300 yards and I think might slide in right around that amount.  This is in her turquoise colorway, and it just jumped right into my hands and had to come home with me.

I'm hoping to be able to post some progress on the shawl on Sunday for the Year of Projects weekly post. Wish me luck!

If you are looking for Gardening, recipes, chickens and silly dogs check out my other blog, CluckCluckBuzz  for great ideas. Thanks for stopping by!

WIP Wednesday

Today I'm working on a bright Spring Granny Square blanket, while reading a dark drama. Maybe they will even each other out a bit.

I've got just a couple of more rounds to go on the blanket then a scalloped boarder I'm thinking to make it a bit more girly. My only problem is this yarn..or the lack of it I seem to be having.

This is all I can find at the moment and did I keep the wrapper..no. Have I been all over creation looking for this yarn..yes..any luck..none. I haven't given up yet, I feel sure that I'll be able to put my hands on some. I do have two more boxes of stash that I haven't looked at yet and one more store to visit. If it doesn't work I'll have to make an executive decision and move on. No time to let it hold me back.  

Here's where I am right now.

On the reading side, I really like Karin Slaughter but this one was a bit hard to read in the beginning. It's based in Atlanta in the early 70's and deals with women on the Police force, men being 1970 knuckle dragging men but like most of her books they have a better ending.

Wish me luck or at least cross your fingers with me and hope for the best. I've got a couple of projects waiting in the wings and this UFO has been hanging around a bit too long for comfort.

Shared with Yarn Along, check out or join other crafters to see what we are working on and reading each week! Also check out Oombawka Designs for more great links.
 This project definitely a stashbuster check out some others over at Linda's crafty Corner.