60 Quick Baby Blankets

A couple weeks ago, I received a review copy of 60 Quick Baby Blankets. I had seen this one at my LYS and online, but I was excited to get a copy to take a closer look at. This book contains patterns where Cascade Yarns are featured. We all know Cascade is a great yarn and their superwash yarns in particular are perfect for baby items!

This book has pattern that will appeal to every knitter. There is everything from basic garter stitch blankets, to lace and intarsia.

There are lots of beautiful pattern in this book. Here are some of my favorites:

I mean, seriously? I mustache blanket...that's awesome! You can see all the patterns on Ravelry here.

The only thing I would like to see different in this book is more charts (you know me, I love the charts). Some of the cabled blankets I think the addition of a chart would be nice. People like me don't really like to read patterns. :) Ok, and maybe some more lace blanket patterns....those are my favorite to knit.

Overall, I think that this book is a great addition to my knitting library. With baby fever still going on all around me, I will definitely be reaching for this book in the near future for baby gifts!

Book Giveaway: Sew Red

A couple weeks ago, I was sent a review copy of Sew Red. I loved Knit Red, so I thought even though I do not sew, it would be fun to take a look at it.

There are so many beautiful sewing pattern in this book...it's making me want to run out, buy a sewing machine and learn to sew!

There are so many lovely quilts in this book. It was hard to chose a favorite.

The book also contains clothing and accessories. I think most people who sew could find a project that speaks to them.

Since I don't sew, I can't speak to the quality of the patterns, but I can say that the book has a beautiful layout and is spiral bound, making it very easy to use. I've looked at lots of books from Sixth & Spring over the years and the knitting pattern are always clear and well-written, so I suspect that this book would be made with the same quality and attention!

This book, just like Knit Red, benefits women's heart health. The book includes a section on "Heart Healthy Living" and includes some recipes!

So, since I don't sew (yet), I will be doing a book giveaway with this one! Yay! Just leave a comment telling me what your favorite thing to sew is. You know, so I can get ideas when I decided to take the plunge and start yet another hobby. Make sure you leave an email address or Ravelry ID so I can contact you should you win. I will be selecting a winner by random number generator on April 25th!

It's a Sale...My Way

It's time for another pattern sale! This time, it's the Any Way You Want It Shawl. Now thru April 30th, it's 20% off with the coupon code "myway" at checkout!

Any Way You Want It Shawl

20% off with coupon code "myway"

From Ravelry:

I love knitting shawls, but I can never figure out how to wear them. I always end up tying them around by neck and subsequently look like some weird cowgirl wearing a lace bandana. Now that I have discovered short row shawls, I am no longer having this problem. I can easily wear my shawl as a scarf or wrap it around my shoulders. Because the wingspan is typically longer in a short row shawl, I now have lots more shawl wearing option. The Any Way You Want It shawl takes it to another level. With a very long wingspan, this shawl gives me more options than ever before, which is good. The “weird cowgirl look” is generally not accepted here.

Of all the shawls I have knit (and trust me, it's a lot), this is the one that I wear the most. It's so versatile and easy to wear!

Any Way You Want It Shawl

20% off with coupon code "myway"

The Undefined Cowl

When I took beginning crochet class with Laura last month at my LYS, I did it because I have a goal in mind - learn to crochet lace (and maybe one day design crochet shawls!). Now that I have got the basics down, and can mostly crochet rectangles (as opposed to making a trapezoid from accidentally increasing or decreasing stitches), I decided it was time to try an actual crochet pattern. I chose the Undefined Cowl from the latest issue of Interweave Crochet.

I am obsessed with how it came out. I love the lace!

I added two extra repeats to my cowl. Came out nice and long, just as I had hoped.

I stitched mine out of Kollage Yarns 1/2 N 1/2, a wool/milk blend. So lovely.

I have definitely bitten the crochet bug. Can't wait to start my next project...most likely another lacy cowl.

Happy crocheting (and knitting)!

10/52

This last week was a challenge. All last week I was outside working in the pouring rain every morning, which kinda made me crabby instead of happy. But, there were good things to focus on, in spite of the soaking wet clothes and bad, frizzy hair days.

I didn't get a lot of knitting business work done last week, but I did get some projects off the needles/hooks. Every day when I came home from work all I could do was sit under a blanket on the couch and stare at the tv and knit/crochet. That working in the rain, while annoying, really helped my fiber arts mojo!

Crocheted Undefined Cowl from Interweave Crochet. Finally blocked!

In Threes Baby Cardigan. Knit it in one day!

I decided to knit the baby cardi after getting this adorable pic from my sister:

Lauren is so cute in the Baby Peapod sweater and Moc-a-Socs I had knit for Caitlyn before she was born. But I decided that Lauren needed a new sweater of her own.

Made some good "Pinterest dinners" this week (i.e. used recipes I have found on Pinterest). Including some Oven Baked Tacos. Yum!

And yesterday the weather finally got super nice. Alex and I did a little spring cleaning the backyard and then rewarded ourselves with beer and turkey hot dogs on the grill.

So, even though it was a cold, rainy week, there were still lots of things that made me happy!

What made you happy this week?

9/52

The last week proved to be another good one. The weekend especially was just lovely.

The start of the week brought a new pattern release, the Any Way You Want It shawl:

Any Way You Want It

$6.00

Alex and I went on a long hike on Saturday. It was great to get outside and enjoy the nice weather!

We also got to spend a lot of time this weekend with my sister, BIL and nieces. Seeing them always makes me happy.

Sunday I got to enjoy my first Lime-a-Rita of the year. So delicious. A great reminder that summer is gonna get here eventually!

I baked some Vanilla Pound Cake on Sunday from scratch. Sometimes I surprise myself with my baking skills. It was so yummy!

How was your week? Hope it was a great one!

FO: Timpani

Yeah, yeah, I'm a little late for my own KAL, but I finally finished up my Timpani shawl.

I knit this one out of 4 balls of Classic Elite Magnolia. It's a little splitty, but it's so so soft, I could look past its splitty-ness. :)

This shawl is headed over to my LYS to become a shop sample. I kinda want to keep it for myself though. I look good in pink and it's so soft. Maybe no one will notice if I just keep it and wear it instead.

As I was adding my photos to Ravelry the other day, I looked through all the projects for my book so far. I am so pleased with all the beautiful photos and shawls everyone is making. Definitely making all that hard work of getting a book published totally worth it. 

Happy shawl knitting!

The Way I Want It

This morning I released a new pattern. It's the Any Way You Want It Shawl:

Any Way You Want It

The shawl is a short row shawl with a super-long wingspan, giving you a ton of wearing options!

I got tired of looking kind of weird/awkward when wearing my shawls. This one is much more versatile...I can wrap it around my shoulders, or wear it like a scarf.

It takes just a skein of Hazel Knits Divine, so you can knit one up in no time!

I have been wearing mine for months (I don't know what took me so long to get the pattern out) and have been getting tons of compliments on it. It's a great accessory addition to my wardrobe.

Hope you enjoy it!

Any Way You Want It

8/52

I am loving this 52 Weeks of Happy thing. It's nice to focus on the good things. :) Lots more happy/good things this week....

I got new glasses! Yay! My old ones had been broken for some time. They would fall off my face constantly, which was starting to get embarrassing. The new ones are red and I love them!

Shopped for bridesmaid's dresses for my BFF Jenni's wedding. The one I picked has pockets! I was quite excited.

Spent some time finishing up my Timpani shawl this weekend. I finished watching Dawson's Creek and started watching Felicity. I may have a new obsession with late-90s teen soaps.

Alex's birthday was yesterday. Saturday we dyed eggs and went to dinner to celebrate.

Yesterday I made Alex a breakfast casserole in the crock pot (it's this recipe) before we headed to his parents house for Easter/birthday celebrating.

A great week! Hope your week was full of happy!