Hat Sizing

I always have a hard time with standard size hats. I am always paranoid that they won't fit or will be to short or long or tight. If you have not yet noticed, when it comes to my projects, I am SUCH a perfectionist. I know I have a ton to learn and always try and expand my skills in everything I do. But I still can't help but worry. Frequently.

I looked up websites that have to do with hat sizing and I found this one with a simple chart that shows average head circumferences. So now I feel much more comfortable starting new patterns and being able to accurately gauge out my sizes!

Home, Sweet Home

I am back from my wonderful, never long enough yearly vacation to Florida. Every year my family goes to Disney's Vero Beach Resort and going back there truly is like going home!

This year lived up to my expectations in almost every way. I read 8 books in 10 days while sitting on the beach or getting sun in a chair by the pool. I mean with views like these how can you complain!

My one downfall was a major lack of knitting. I didn't even make a dent in my projects. So this week it's back to work!!

We also got to see our friends that live in Orlando while we were down there. Us girls of course had to take a picture making the "Christina face." I sure can't wait until they get to move up to cold Michigan!

Well this should be a good week for knitting for me, despite the complete lack during vacation! I am starting my new job next week so there will be an adjustment time to work in all of my projects. So it's off to attack my to-do lists for this week!

Owl Hats

When I got the request for these hats, as I said here, I was very excited. I finished these quite quickly considering I had to write the pattern and then make both hats. I honestly LOVE these hats. I would make them again and again.

Now for the pictures....

When looking at these I couldn't help but think... make it pink!

Make it blue!

Make it PINK!

Make it BLUE!

For all those Disney buffs (like me) you will immediately be thinking of Sleeping Beauty when the fairies are changing the color of Sleeping Beauty's dress. Unfortunately, Jasmine was Aurora's understudy for this photo shoot.

The pattern for this owl hat is not yet posted. Stay tuned to find out how to get ahold of this jewel of a pattern!

Finished Yoshi!

Since my brothers obviously don't read my blog, I feel pretty safe posting this.

But, in case they do... HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOGAN!!

This is a picture of my brothers and I. Logan is on the right. He is the one with the sweet tie. Obviously.

This is Logan's yoshi. Finally completed. He is part of Logan's birthday present from me.

I must say once I got the eyes on, I liked the whole look much better. Still I am not totally in love with this pattern. I had to change a few things because I didn't like how they all looked pulled together. I may still add the white piece down the front and his white cheeks. The ones in the pattern didn't look right. I may spend time messing around with this even after Logan has received this.

As for now, here he is. Completed, which is sometimes the most important thing!

Why Haven't I Made This?!

Every knitter has a moment where they have thought or said this. I frequently do this. It's just choosing to do it. We all have the time to do it, it's just choosing how we spend our time.

This glorious little hat needs to be knit!

I have also seen this hat with ear flaps and ear warmers, which is also completely adorable.

Hopefully by the time I get back from Florida, I will have this hat completed!

Sweet Little Bows

Once again, my friend Nina found something adorable to make. She emailed me the link to these little crochet bows. Adorable, right?!

These are great to attach to a cute little hat or headband. The best part is... they only take about ten minutes to make.

Go ahead and whip one of these up to add to one of your winter accessories to give it a fresh look today!

Sneak Preview

Confession: when I get a project I get excited about, I put everything else aside and start on it.

This may not always be the best choice when it comes to time management and getting things done on time. But it's the most fun.

So the day after I got the order for baby owl hats to be used for photography props, I started on them. As you can see here:

I then decided to set it aside and finish up a few other projects....

Then came the "Snowpacalyse" which really wasn't the storm of the century. At any rate, it did provide me some extra time to get some knitting done. I ended up continuing to work on the owl hats hence:

I think this might be one of the cutest things I have made to date. The Bullseye, I believe, still takes the prize. In this picture though the owl is not fully completed. You will have to come back and wait until I get some good pictures of it and get the pattern drafted.

I am also considering making this the first pattern that I sell. I know many people go through the dilemma of whether or not to make money off of selling their patterns. I don't see a problem with it as there is so much time and effort put into it, not to mention purchasing the materials to make our prototypes. So while I am finishing up the pattern I will make my mind decide to sell or not to sell.

But I digress, I can't wait to get up pictures of the finished product as there are many fun things added to the hat to make it so much fun! perfect for a newborn shoot!

Stay tuned for the finished version!

Logan's Birthday Yoshi

After having such success with the Bullseye, I decided to do a little more exploring with the amigurumi area. With all the birthdays coming up in my family I knew I should find something that could be a gift. My little brother Logan loves his little Yoshi plush toys and I decided what a great thing to try and make.

I looked around for patterns and couldn't find anything I was in love with. I ended up using a pattern by Robotrish. I love my little Yoshi, although there are things that I might change when I do one for my brother Jace. His birthday is the lone November birthday in my family, so we agreed to do a trade for the Yoshi I am making for him. We agreed upon a pink Yoshi for 600 of his Wii points so I could get two new songs on Just Dance 2. Obviously I got the better end of that deal!!

The Yoshi is still in it's finals stages and I am pretty happy with it. I changed the hook size to make a 3.25mm hook to make the Yoshi smaller in overall size.

I will say that there was a TON of assembling with this! It got a little much for me at the end. And I would maybe change up how the legs are done. Overall I think this is a great project. So check it out!