28 Days

28 Days. That is how long my no-new-yarn resolution lasted. Just. 28. Days.

In my defense ('cause you know I have one), I really, really, really needed new yarn. See, I was working on a custom order of a poncho and a beret in a variegated blue yarn for a little girl. Everything was working up just fine. But when I was finished, I realized that the pieces needed solid blue to break up the variegated and I had none. (Ok, in fairness, that is not entirely truthful -- I have solid blue yarn. Lots of solid blue yarn. Trust me when I say I have every color of blue cotton yarn in Sugar 'n Cream: light blue, cornflower, mod blue, stonewash, blue jeans, indigo, bright navy, blueberry, robin's egg, and hot blue. And none, none I tell you, matched or coordinated with the variegated blue.) So I absolutely had to buy more yarn. Not my fault, really.

The good news is I ran over to Hobby Lobby and found the perfect matching colors in I Love This Cotton called Pale Denim and Stonewash. See?

So I finished the poncho and beret with the solid blues, added pom poms, fringe and a flower, and shipped them off to California. I think they worked out well.

Americana

Nothing says "americana" like red, white, and blue stars!

This is 48 stars in 2 different sizes that I just made for a special order. They will be sewn onto striped baby hats! I can't wait to see how they turn out -- I'll be sure to share photos.

PS If you'd like your own red, white, and blue stars (or any other color), visit The Lavender Ladybug. :)

Post #101

Today it was so cold here in south Texas -- I spent most of the day working on projects and photographing some new items (it was surprisingly sunny, despite the cold and wind.)

Here's one of the new items I photographed today in 2 different colors:

They are super-soft cuffs or wristlets. They're perfect year 'round because they give a little extra warmth in the winter, and they also look great as bracelets in spring and summer. I used Spa yarn from Caron -- it's a bamboo blend that feels so nice. They'll be listed this week at The Lavender Lizard. (They can be made longer and in other colors, so if you're interested in a custom order, please leave a comment here or click on Request Item at my shop.

Another project I've been working on is FRINGE, which I dread doing and usually put off until the veeeeeerrrrrrry last minute. I fringed these 3 scarves...

...and I still have 2 more to finish. sigh.

Another project is reworking this blanket. That means pulling out all of the stitches and starting over. It's wider now, plus I added the ivory color, which really balances out the bright variegated yarn. I'm much happier with the result:

I just wish I had started over before I had finished 45 rows. For some reason, it photographs better now too! Bonus!

My Poor Neglected Blog

Every day that I don't blog, I feel guilty. Lately, I've been feeling guilty a lot. :)

I have been busy shuttling boys back and forth to school and such. They're at 3 different campuses this year, and DS1 has parts in both the theatre and musical productions at his high school, so I'll play taxi mom for the near future. But I don't really mind -- I love to see DS1 on stage. He told me the other day that I didn't have to see all of the productions that he's in. I don't? Oh, yes I do. Wild horses couldn't make me miss him on stage!

I have also been busy with hooks and yarn, as always. Here's a sneak peek at an upcoming project:

Can't guess what it is? If you're a fan of The Lavender Lizard on Facebook, you may already know that it's the start of a sock monkey hat for a Halloween costume for a dear friend's daughter. I'll post the finished photos soon.

Speaking of hats, you may remember that I created three beanies for my cousin Meri, the photographer. She used one of the beanies in a photo shoot with a newborn baby girl about a week ago. Here's one of the photos she shared with me:

This baby is just gorgeous, and Meri has captured such a special moment! I'm honored to be a small part of this beautiful memory. (Photo courtesy of MeriBella Photography.)

A Special Request!

I often make special requests for friends and family that don't make it to Etsy, so I'd like to share a recent one.

Eight months ago, one of my best friends gave births to twins, a boy and a girl. For her baby shower, I crocheted little caps out of the softest bamboo yarn, one blue and one pink, of course. Everyone loved the softness of the bamboo (which, if you have never felt it, you would not guess came from a tree!)

After the babies were born, my friend called me to say she wanted me to make blankets for the twins out of the bamboo yarn. I delivered the blankets yesterday. The twins both loved their cuddly softness and fell asleep clutching them. (My heart sang!)

Here is Gabriella's:

And this one is Aiden's:

Sweet dreams always, little ones!