KnuttinButYarn

Review Drops Pattern 115-36 Granny Square Jacket

2012-02-03T03:18:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest things I love about Drops Designs is their willingness to support us shop owners on Etsy. They specifically state on their website that you can list their designs with their pictures as long as you use their yarn. Now I have been on Etsy and I have seen this isn't always what happens, but I will tell you that is what I do. Honestly, it wasn't that hard of a decision. If you haven't used any Drops yarn to date - you really should. Most of their line is of natural fiber and although at the time the price may seem like a lot - it really isn't. After comparing grams and price per gram at my local JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, and Michael's I found the retail price is comparable. Of course at those shops you can use coupons, but I digress.

Well this last Christmas I have taken them up on their offer. One of the first items I sold and then made was the granny square jacket pictured above. As far as the pattern it was okay as far as patterns go and I really loved how it all came together. If I had to do this sweater over again there would be some certain changes I would have made.

First, I would not use their suggested Alpaca for this yarn. Admittedly I had not done a lot with Alpaca before crocheting this sweater, and to be honest I probably won't again unless it is an Alpaca blend or a worsted weight Alpaca. The Alpaca they suggest is actually a "2" at best and they suggest holding two strands of the yarn together to make the entire garment. For one I am not a big fan of that especially when the yarn is so silky and fine like their Alpaca is. The best way I can describe is think of long, fine, straight hair. It doesn't want to curl, and it doesn't like to stay in place when you put it up. That was the issues I had with this yarn making this sweater. Each granny square had a color change. In the pattern they had you turn the work and then what I did was crocheted around the loose ends. In a regular worsted weight this hasn't been a problem before. With the Alpaca the more I worked with it the ends kept coming out. I even knotted them together and they would come out of the knots. For a garment that a person is going to want to wear a lot this is not ideal. My suggestion - use their Nepal. Nepal is a 75% wool and 25% Alpaca and is very soft. I have used it in the past on other projects and it is very nice. You might have to change up your colors a little but Nepal has a ton of colors to choose from. Also Eskimo and Alaska (both wool) are great.

The other change I would make is the sleeves. It was some kind of convoluted three dc and skip so many rows and so on. I really didn't like it when it came to do the decreases to make it cup around the shoulder. If I had to do it again I would change the pattern repeat to just double crochets, or the shell stitch that is used when making granny squares. Also instead of doing the decreases at the end of each row do them towards the middle of the row so you don't get that jagged effect at the ends.

Overall I thought this was a great sweater to make. It was more time consuming then I had realized and I felt bad for taking longer than I had anticipated to my client. There are 27 squares total that have to made. The actual construction isn't bad although it also can be tedious and there are 6 other separate pieces that have to be crocheted and attached. I slip stitched all of my squares together and my other pieces. For finishing I suggest a steamy iron and lay flat to dry. Steam ironing the seams helped them to lay flat and it also helped solidify the alpaca a little. Again I think Alpaca is a huge mistake for this sweater. In my shop I have re-listed this garment in Nepal. It was a huge headache to get the ends to stay and who needs that :)

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions feel free to contact me through this blog or at KnuttinButYarn@yahoo.com.

Happy Hooking!

New Items - KnuttinButYarn.etsy.com

2011-11-14T08:07:00.001-08:00

I got some new items I worked on over the last month or so. There are some neat new designs I have come up with and if I ever get the time will try to write up the patterns for but until then feel free to let me know what you think.

The Birth of a Poke Ranger

2011-11-01T03:00:00.001-07:00

Halloween this year was a hoot! Although we didn't do as much as we did in years previous I have to say this time it was quite pleasant. Previous we would always go with my friend and/or my sister to my friend's mom's house and trick or treat in her neighborhood. It was always special to get the kids together and let them have their fun while the grown ups chatted. This year my sister had to work, my best friend was out of town, and we no longer live in the same city as they do. With Halloween on a Monday night it didn't make much sense to drive all the way down there. So instead we stayed close to home and attended our first Trick or Trunk at the state fair grounds. It was actually very nice and as they advertised very safe. Ethan got plenty of candy and we had dinner afterwards.

This year Ethan did something really different with his costume. He designed it himself and then I put it together. He made a cross between a Pokemon and a Power Ranger and called it a PokeRanger. He drew it up on a notebook paper and then brought it into me and said "Mom you can sew this" as I was ready to throw my little Pixie sewing machine out the window just trying to sew together a drop in lining for a purse I had crocheted. I looked at it and told him "I think you have way more faith in my abilities than I do." He was still insistent and I told him to lay the picture down on the table and I would figure something out. That was in August.

For the next two months I keep hearing "When are we going to work on the costume?" I told him when it gets time to. Finally two weeks ago I crocheted the helmet, found the top and bottoms at Wal-mart, the felt at Jo-Ann's, and last Sunday a Poke Ranger was born. I thought it actually came out pretty good!

What I'm Working On....

2011-10-26T03:11:00.000-07:00

Well I have had a few orders come in. I tell you it is always a hoot trying to figure out exactly what people want based on what they describe to you. A girl I work with wants a turtle neck cable sweater. Okay I can do that - only in chunky yarn and in baby pink - okay I still think I can do that. After three trips to Joann's and two returns I think we finally nailed it down. Now I just have to make it!

I'm also working on another order for a person I work with. She won a prize during our customer service week and it was a hand crafted item by me. I made her a little pouch out of the Michael's Loops and Threads Impeccable Ginseng and now I'm making a bag out of the same yarn. The bag I'm making is featured and I have an original in pumpkin, white and black for sale on my Etsy shop. I also finished my first infant hat. They are so sweet. This one is also for a lady I work with who is expecting next month.

So that's me what are you working on?

KnuttinButYarn is Getting Healthy - Week 1

2011-10-25T03:12:00.001-07:00

And not just in my physical being but also in the business sense. But first a little on the physical aspect.

For more years than I care to admit I have been overweight. More overweight than I had ever dreamed I would become. I would love to sit and say "oh it's because of my under active thyroid," but if I was honest I would admit that wasn't the whole situation. Like a lot of people I do like to eat - and I mean I do like to eat all that junk we shouldn't be putting into our bodies - and no exercise is not my BFF. However, what I have come to realize is that it is a lot more than just not eating the right foods and not getting off the couch, it's mental - in my head. It is utterly amazing to me how I could rationalize things in my head. "Oh well I'm having a bad day so why not eat that McDonald's cheeseburger, fries, and diet coke. I deserve it." Or the best one of all "well they all said I was always going to be fat and it's not like I don't have a husband who loves me just the way I am so why should I have to change?" Then about a month ago I woke up in the most agonizing pain I had ever experienced - even worse than giving birth - and came to realize quickly just why I needed to make some changes.

It was a Friday morning and I had just put my son on the bus. My back had been hurting for two days prior to this, but all of a sudden I had these terrible spasms rocketing my body from my lower back down into my legs. I couldn't move. When I finally was able to get up the stairs I had my husband help me into the bed and I could feel every muscle in my body was completely tightened up. It was horrible. I had no idea what was going on.

The next week, and still waking up in pain every single morning which eventually faded to tolerable by the afternoon, I was visiting some members at my church. One of our church leaders has a PhD in holistic medicine. Sometimes I listen to him, sometimes I don't. Admittedly I was skeptical when he began to tell me he thought the reason for my pains was kidney stones. I adamantly refused such an idea. I had no symptoms and my pain was in my lower back not my middle back where I would have thought such pain would generate. Not to mention I had no problem urinating and there was no cloudiness or blood in my urine. He was insistent, but I told him I wanted to do some research.

I went home checked out a few sites and I was right - I did not have kidney stones. The next week I was at Bible Study and he was asking me again about my pain. I again was adamant I don't have kidney stones, and then he stood there for a moment and he said no but one is calcified. That is why the pain starts on the right side of your body. Again I was skeptical. Then I did some more research. Sure enough I had to call the man back.

Inflammation and calcification of kidneys can be the precursor to stones. A lot of times you don't even know it is happening because all you have is lower back pain and you assume you have slept wrong or something. Another factor I was finally able to admit to was I was a diet Pepsi junkie. It was all I drank. I didn't like the taste of water and it was all I drank all day long. It was finally making sense. Despite the no sugar content the diet Pepsi had a lot of other nasty stuff that my body simply did not want or was going to tolerate coming in. That next Monday - last Monday- I gave them up and started taking an herbal elixir called Stone Root. In addition I made a life style change of more fruits and vegetables, and as little processed food as possible - and hardly any or no soda.

It was rough. I did have a few sodas with meals - three total for the week, and we did eat out a few times more than we should, although not at fast food places. My breakfast was either eggs and a whole tortilla, or Old Fashioned Oats with honey, cinnamon, and fresh fruit. Lunch was carrots, celery, natural turkey lunch meat, and one slice of bread. Dinner was often low sodium soup or chicken breast with steamed squash, zucchini, and green beans.

During my research I read how some vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts in excess can prohibit the thyroid from producing the hormones it needs so I stayed away from these some. I am now incorporating them in at dinner. I mean you need as many leafy greens as possible. Not sure what excess constitutes as, however I am also taking Thyroid Activator by Nature's Sunshine and that should take care of that.

I don't know if I have lost any weight but I can tell you my pain has lessened, and I have no swelling in my ankles right now. I have been dealing with that for years. I looked down into my third day of it and was like wow I haven't seen these in a long time. So good to see you again.

My plan is when the pain is finally alleviated, which I am only to take the stone root for three weeks, then I will begin implementing an exercise plan. I also wanted my body to really acclimate to all the changes. That first week I was exhausted every night it seemed. I came home from work and simply didn't want to do anything. This week I am feeling more energetic and able to do more. I know by the third week it will only be better and I will be able to start moving again.

I wanted to share this because I know there are others out there going through the same thing I am. Granted there are a lot of these blogs out there, none the less I am still hopeful that at the end of my journey- which certainly won't be after 3 weeks - is that maybe someone else out there will read this and know I was a big disbeliever too, and didn't see the point and felt completely hopeless and unworthy - but I did get up and do something and so can they.

Why Do We Do The Things We Do To Ourselves???

2011-07-17T04:50:00.000-07:00

I'm asking myself this very question as I sit here with my burning patchy skin from the pool yesterday. Patchy because apparently spray on sunblock still has to be rubbed in, and because my white behind doesn't have the good sense that God gave her to know she can't sit out in the sun for four hours period!

Then again this is something we all go through. We eat foods we know we shouldn't be eating, sometimes say things we know we shouldn't say, and will associate ourselves with people we know in the long run are only going to give us trouble. Is it we have an insatiable need for drama- even if we swear that is not how we operate?? I hear people say that all the time I don't want the drama - yet often these are the same people are constantly in the middle of it.

My grandmother was one of these people. She would say that, and then be the instigator of it all. I think she often thought of herself as some mastermind behind the chess board of life and she was just using her family as the pieces.

As you can see I am kind of all over the map with this one but these are questions I ask myself all the time. As I am having a rough time at my job I wonder did I make the right decision in staying? Why am I putting myself through this? Then the same old tried and true responses come into my mind - You got to pay your bills, you have to support your family - and this is all true but is this the only way?

I'll be honest I don't have a clue as to why we do the things we do to ourselves but what I can tell you is that sometimes these things that we do to ourselves that we shouldn't can make this life just a little more worth living for. So don't loose hope and next time buy the sun block that you rub on rather than spray on. Peace out!

2011-07-16T18:33:00.001-07:00

Crochet Basket Weave Purse
Materials Used: 2 to 3 ounces of Worsted Weight yarn #4
Hook: Size I or 5.5MM
1 “D” Ring and two wooden beads for decoration
Special stitches: front post double crochet, and back post double crochet
Special skills to do pattern: ability to crochet in the round
Round 1: Start or make a magic ring or whatever process you do to begin crocheting in the round. Double crochet 8 stitches into the circle and join into the first stitch made.
Round 2: Chain 2. Now in this round you will do the two double crochets in each stitch although a little different. In the first stitch you double crochet and then you front post double crochet into the same stitch you just double crocheted in. Do this on all stitches and you will 8 double crochets and 8 front post double crochet. Join all rounds with the first stitch made.
Round 3: This round is where we start to make the spiral that occurs with the front post double crochets. Chain 2 as usual and you will do a front post double crochet around the last front post double crochet you did in the last round. Essentially you are going backwards and looping around that last front post double crochet made. After the first one you will double crochets 3 times and you will notice that you are in the stitch just after a front post double crochet. You will again go back a little and make that front post double crochet. This also gives you the exact stitches needed for increasing in the round because you are double crocheting in the stitch and then front post double crocheting around the stitch you just double crocheted into. Towards the end of the round you will double crochet two and slip stitch into your first stitch made. Your chain 2 acts as your third double crochet.
Rounds 4-7: These rounds are continued in the same way as round 3 always double crocheting as many as your round and then front post double crocheting after and back into the last double crochet.
Round 8: Now you’ve got the bottom of the bag done, and we need to start making the body of the bag. To do this we will continue working in the round and we will front post double crochet around every stitch and join with a slip stitch.
Round 9-10: In this round you will begin the pattern stitch for the body of the bag. Front post double crochet around four stitches, and then back post double crochet around four stitches. You continue in this stitch pattern until round 10 joining with a slip stitch.
Round 11-13: In these rounds you will do the opposite of rounds 8-10. You will front post double crochet around the double crochets, and double crochet into the front post double crochets. At the end you will join with a slip stitch.
Round 14-28: The rest of bag is made with these two sets of stitch patterns listed in rows 8-10, and 11-13. You are doing the same stitches for three rows, and then on the fourth row changing and doing the opposite for three rows. When you go to do the first row of the change on the double crochet stitches it might look like you only did two rows of those – Keep in mind this is because on that changing row you made front post double crochets in those stitches. At this point your bag should measure around 8 inches from the base. If you want to make the bag bigger just add rows alternating every third row with double crochets and front post double crochets.
Round 29-30: Chain 2. Half double crochet into each stitch and join with a slip stitch.
Round 31: This is the round where I made the eyelets for my bag. To do this I chained two and half double crocheted into the first four stitches, and then I chained 2 and skipped two stitches. I repeated this pattern into the last stitch and made a slip stitch into the first stitch made.
Round 32: I half double crocheted into each stitch. When I came to the chain two spaces I simply half double crocheted around the chain 2’s. At the end of the round I slip stitched into the first stitch made and fasted off my bag.
The cord which I threaded through the eyelets of round 31 was made by chaining the desired length of cord I wanted. I threaded my beads and knotted the ends.

The Strap:
I made the strap by chaining eight and then skipping the first two chains and then double crocheting into each remaining chain giving me a total of 6. I chained two before each row and then double crocheted five times across. I did this until I had the desired length of my strap. My strap measures about 32 to 33 inches across. I then made a smaller version of my strap ending in 6 rows. This was a loop for my D ring which once looped around the ring was hand sewn to the middle of the top of the bag just below my first round of half double crochets. The ends of the strap were sewn to the opposite ends of the back of the bag at Round 8 where you began to make the body of your bag. To make your bag more secure feel free to run a small line of fabric glue along the inside where you attached the straps and the loop for you D Ring.
If you have any questions or something just doesn’t make sense feel free to comment on this post or email me directly at KnuttinButYarn@yahoo.com.
Thanks!

Crochet Ridged Brim Cap - Newsboy Hat

2011-07-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

Materials:

Size H Hook

3-4 Ounces of Main Color (Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn – Cream) or any other #4 Worsted Weight Yarn (works best in worsted weight)

1 Ounce of Contrasting Color (Hobby Lobby I Love This yarn – Cranberry) or any other #4 Worsted Weight Yarn (works best in worsted weight yarn)

Special Stitches:

Fpdc – front post double crochet

Rsc – reverse single crochet or crab stitch

Dctog – double crochet two together

Fphdc – front post half double crochet

Hdctog – half double crochet two together

Difficulty –Easy to Moderate

Row 1 – Make a magic ring or whatever method you choose to begin crocheting in the round. Ch (4-6) join with slip stitch to form a ring. Ch. 3 (this will be your 1st dc. Make 11 more dc in ring and join with sl st in top of ch 3. Double crochet 12 into ring. End row with 12 st.

*Begin all rows with a ch 3 does not count as first double crochet

Row 2 – Dc twice in every stitch joining with first stitch made with a sl st – 24 st

Row 3 –Ch 2, then 2 fpdc in first two stiches, then make an increase putting a dc in the top of V of the second fpdc, continue in stitch pattern until you have 12 sets of fpdc ridges. See image below for increase:

Rows 4-11 –Ch 2, fpdc around the first two ridges and make an increase with two double crochets in the one stitch between the ridges. Stitch pattern will be fpdc around previous fpdc’s dc until stitch before next set of fpdc ridges and increase with two double crochets in one stitch always joining the rounds with a sl st to the top of first fpdc made in the round.

Rows 12-16 – Ch 2, fpdc around previous fpdc’s, dc until last two stitches before next set of fpdc ridges and make a decrease by dctog. Continue on in stitch pattern until the end of row 16.

Creating the Band:

Row 17-21 – Start with using the contrasting color and sc in back loop of stitch all around and join to first sc with a sl st alternating colors. You should have two visible rows of the alternating color. This method creates a stretchy and comfortable band. Once finished fasten off and weave in loose ends.

Creating the Bill:

Now you’re finished with the hat and you are ready to begin the bill. My bills are usually made with two pieces. The first piece will be made with the main color. To start bend the hat in half. Notice you will have six sets ridges facing and six sets ridges on the back. Once you have determined which side you like for the front (I usually use the side where I joined my stitches because it is easily hidden by the brim) you will fphdc between the first pair of dc ridges until the reach the sixth pair of dc ridges.

Then you hdc in every row across, on the next row you will make a ch 2 and hdctog in the first and second stitches until the end of the row where you will again hdctog in the last two stitches ending with a ch 2. The next row you hdc across ending with a ch2. On the next row you make another set of increases with the hdctog in the first and second stitches at the beginning and again at the end. I normally make seven rows ending with a regular row of hdc with no decreases. Or:

Row 2: (ch 2 - see above). (1st st) hdc in next st and across row ending with ch 2, turn.

Row 3: hdctog in first 2 stitches ([Yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up loop] 2 times, yarn over and draw through all loops on hook— 1 stitch decreased.) hdc in each st across to last 2 sts., dec by hdctog in last 2 sts. ch 2 turn.

Row 4, 6, and 8 - Repeat row 2

Row 5 and 7 - Repeat Row 3.

On the second half of the brim you make it just exactly the same as you did the top only you are now working with the alternating color and you are working beneath the flap of the brim you just made. This part is a little easier since you have already staked out the stitches you just now need to fphdc beneath the stitches you just made.

If you look towards the bottom where the cranberry is you can see how it was attached just below the area the top flap was fpdc’d around.

To bring the two flaps of the brim together use the main color and rsc the pieces together.

I like to leave the band just beneath the brim it makes getting the hat on easier and much more adjustable.

Now you have a very popular, unique, and fun ridged brim cap. Embellish as you wish!

Side Note- My inspiration for this hat came after seeing an attractive young woman on the cover of a fiction novel wearing a cap very similar. I believe the biggest difference between my cap and the one on the book was the stitches in between the fpdc ridges were made by back post double crocheting. This is an option although one I didn’t care for. When I make hats it is all about the instant gratification of it. I like for them to be challenging but quick and fp dc-ing and then bp dc-ing just didn’t seem like that for me. Not to mention I wanted something soft – not full of ridges. I also have found that the way I make the brim will make it stand up straight out better than if you attached the brim at the bottom of the band like a lot of these hat patterns do. I also just loved the contrasting color beneath the main color on the brim. Very unique!

I do not mind if you sell your items made off of this pattern but I do require you to mention and provide a link to this pattern when selling your items. Thanks a bunch!

If you have any questions about the pattern, or feel that a correction needs made to the pattern, please email me directly at KnuttinButYarn@yahoo.com.

Happy Hooking!

Jennifer Ryan

I also have a fuller version of this pattern with picture tutorials if this isn't as helpful as you need. Feel free to send me an email at KnuttinButYarn@yahoo.com and I can send you a copy of the file. Thanks.

2011-05-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

Handmade Crochet Bucket Hat - RTS MTO OOAK Loops and Threads Ginseng
Handmade Crochet Bucket Hat - Yellow Gold RTS and MTO OOAK
This is my version of a bucket hat! I had always seen these types of hats but wasn't quite sure what they were called. I didn't quite get the flair in the brim I wanted but non the less these came out so cute! Stitched out of Hobby Lobby's I love This Yarn, and Michael's Loops and Threads Ombre Ginseng it was so fun and easy to make. One of these days I am going to sit down and write out my patterns!
This was my inspiration:

I got close.... ;

2011-05-23T05:16:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! It is another fabulous rainy Monday here in Indianapolis but at my KnuttinButYarn shop it is nothing but sunshine and roses! Today I would love to tell you about this very cute and versatile bag. It is a back pack purse of my own design and it is stitched out of Hobby Lobby's blue and brown ombre. Ombre means a single yarn dyed with several different colors. The length of each color on the yarn is about the same. There is a slight variance of the length of each color on the yarn so the repetition of the colors forms a varying pattern on the finished item. They are also called space-dyed yarns. I love ombres in my projects. They have such great colors and bring a much needed flavor to a knitted or crocheted item. This particular bag I actually made for myself out of this yarn. Everywhere I went people complimented me on that bag. Where did I get it? Did I make it myself? Did I have anymore? So finally I made one and here it is! It features three bar slides on straps making them adjustable and the bottom is reinforced. Again this is my own design and it is one I am quite proud of, but if there are any suggestions out there on how to make it better feel free to suggest away! Thanks again.

New Hat - New Deisgn

2011-05-19T04:28:00.001-07:00

I had seen one similar to this in a pattern book and I wanted to make one of my own. I absolutely love this color. I call it my Mushroom Hat - how cute is that! It is from Micheal's Loops and Threads line and it is called Rogue Red. I started it in the round like I do with most of my hats but I used a size J hook for about 6 rows increasing each row. Then I switched to an I for two rows and then to an H for two rows with decreases. I made the brim wider and bigger than my other hats but then again this hat is bigger. It can be worn a variety of different ways. One way would be with the brim of the hat more towards your hair with the body of the hat slouching in the back. You could slouch the hat more towards the front as well. I didn't put a lot of embellishment on this one but the possibilities were endless. In my opinon another great hat!

Check it out at my shop: http://www.etsy.com/listing/73972865/handmade-crochet-mushroom-hat-made-to

Are Sales Down - Use This Time to Stock Up!!

2011-05-18T17:02:00.001-07:00

If you are a knitter and a crocheter like then I am sure you have noticed a significant decline in your sales figures since the weather got warmer. Traditionally when people think of knitted and crocheted items they think of sweaters, mittens, and hats - and they aren't too far off the mark. I would say right now hats comprise of nearly 90% of my inventory right now. So instead of getting upset that my sales are probably going to be really down this summer I am taking this opportunity to stock up. A lot of the inside information on blogs and websites for Etsy shops and Artfire shops is you should have atleast 100 items listed in your shop to be taken seriously. Now I can't say if this is true or not but I do have to admit how can it hurt? So do what I'm doing this summer - stock up!

I Dumped My Cable - and I'm Not Looking Back!

2011-05-17T04:17:00.001-07:00

Yes that is right I have taken the leap and I will no longer be feeding my money into the cable monster anymore. I was paying over $140 a month for regular cable - no pay channels, a home phone I never use, and internet. When I tried to at least down grade the phone they told me they would raise the price of the other two services and that I really wouldn't save any money. Then I see they are advertising to new customers my same services for only $99 a month. I ask them about it and they say that's only for new customers..... I see so the ones who are loyal and paying you for over two years don't get crap???? Well I fixed their ticket. I have an X-box and a Wii and for the last year or so we have been streaming Netflix that entire time. Two weeks ago on the X-box I found out we can get HuluPlus for 7.95 a month and it has nearly every show I watch on there. Also just about any other show I watch I can watch online for free! So there you go who needs cable anymore - I don't!

Don't Forget About You - The Curse of the Knitter and Crocheter

2011-05-17T04:07:00.001-07:00

So many times I sit with a fantastic scarf, crocheted poncho, soft and fuzzy back pack purse between my hands. Every little stitch loving created with my hands and my eyes paying attention to every detail. Then I sell it - and it's almost like a part of me has just left and is never coming back. I often will also think to myself I got to make one of these for myself - or I should keep this one. Then I never do it. As I sit here taking a break writing this post the air conditioning in my office work place is on and I am thinking like everyone else is saying why in the world is the air on when it's only 60 degrees outside??? Then I see the lady I made the poncho for and I am so jealous it isn't even funny. Then that same ole thought - I got to make one of those for myself. So today this very moment I have decided to take a stand. At least once a month I will make something for myself! I swear it! I'm gonna try! Really..... ;)

KnuttinButYarn is now on Artfire!!!

2011-05-14T04:34:00.000-07:00

Hi my name is Jennifer Ryan and I own KnuttinButYarn your one stop shop for all goodies handmade crochet and knitted with knuttin but yarn. I also have an Etsy shop at KnuttinButYarn.etsy.com.

My reason for coming over to Artfire was I kept seeing so many others writing about how much better it was. For now I am keeping both shops just to see how it goes. I love what I do and I get more pleasure out of others enjoying my items than anything else and I needed a new venue to get my name out there.

Mostly my shop is consisting of knitted and crocheted hats because lets be honest what is better than san fran fabulous hat? I also love making hats because of the versatility one can take with them. You can incorporate all kinds of stitches and colors. Not to mention the instant gratification of getting one done! I am all about instant gratification.

My dream when I finally am able to really achieve that ultimate success I want is to own a merino sheep and alpaca farm where I harvest, spin, and dye my own wool and alpaca yarn. How cool would that be??? I also do enjoy acrylic yarn. People I think sometimes read that and think oh gross Red Heart. Not so acrylic yarn comes in a variety of styles, textures, colors and is high in quality. I like to keep most of my items as affordable as possible so I do use acrylic yarns predominantly.

A good acrylic yarn can take a knitter or crocheter a long way. I have some favorites and I think Hobby Lobby's I love this Yarn is the best bang for the buck. Michael's Loops and Threads isn't bad either. To be honest any of those that you can get at Jo Ann's, Michael's, or Hobby Lobby I have tried in one form or another.

Knit shops are great don't get me wrong but their yarn is very expensive in a lot of ways. when you are trying to produce items for resale you don't want the most expensive. In our craft it is somewhat unreasonable to believe you can get your time out of it. You have to love this because time is something you have to put a lot of into it. If I charged for my time on these items some of it would have to cost US $300.00 and then who would buy it?

You have to love what you do. I think the part that is lacking in the internet sales forum is the person to person relationships you can build. I still have a full time job and recently put together a portfolio of what I have done so far and have generated a lot of interest. In fact I've got three projects to finish this weekend alone! But what's great about the person to person is you get a better idea of what exactly they want. You get to see them and get an idea of what is they would like. Then when it's done and you give it to them you get to see the utter joy and amazement on their faces. It's just wonderful.

I sometimes think too that knitters and crocheters can often take for granted what it is they do. We think of it as a tried and true art and that just as we did anyone can just pick up a book or take a class and hit the road running with it. I felt that way too for a while. Yes probably everyone could learn to crochet or knit but some don't want to. Some don't have the patience or the hand eye coordination, however they all love handmade items!

Well I think I said my peace! Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of Artfire versus Etsy and I always love to hear from hookers and stich n bitchers!

2011-05-05T04:35:00.001-07:00

This one was one of my more favorite to make. It starts out in the round like most hats and for a little definition and to give a ridge I added a sequence of twisted double crochet. The brim was made of a simple shell stitch giving it even more definition and texture. The color is called Lime Green and the yarn is Michael's Loops and Threads. Very neat hat!

I'ts Hump Day!

2011-05-04T04:26:00.001-07:00

Hump day or more often called Wednesday is here and I am ready for it! Yesterday was a bit of a emotional roller coaster for me. My son is slightly autistic and is having a lot of issues here in the Indianapolis school district. This whole year he has been failing math. His other classes he does okay in but this is his major weakness. I don't blame him for me back then it was too. So I have been trying to get him into a private school, thinking this might be the better route. The private school put him on a wait list and next year he's supposed to go to junior high. Junior high will eat my son alive. He's not way ready for that and it isn't even an idea I am willing to entertain. So I reported to the head of special education for a meeting when I went online and saw the multitude of K-8 schools there were in the IPS district. Hopefully something better will come of it.

On a lighter note spring is here and I have been working tirelessly on my spring hat collection for my Etsy shop. I love putting flowers on my created work and spring is for flowers. Currently I'm working on a cotton hat that will sure to please in this upcoming warm weather. It's hard to try to run a business and work full time. By the end of day I've worked over 8 hours, picked everyone up, made dinner and it is now about 7:45 and I can now work on something. Last night I was in bed by 9 - and my husband wonders why I want to knit or crochet all weekend! I've got to get caught up!

Now that hump day is here I have more to look forward to. I got through the rush of Monday, the emotional wreck of Tuesday, and despite the crappy day I know that God will see me through the rest of the week as he always does.

Scripture for the day - Ephesians 3:20

Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think according tot he power that worketh in us.

That's me today how about you?

Don't worry I am not Stalking you.....

2010-11-15T02:56:00.000-08:00

I just really like your hat! Have you ever found yourself doing this while out and about? I know I have. Wal-mart is an absolute breeding ground for this type of behavior. As a designer and creator you are always looking at other people and what they are wearing, and if you are a knitter and/or crocheter you are especially looking at their crocheted and knitted outerwear.

This poor woman a few days back was more than likely completely freaked out by me because I just kept staring at her beautiful knitted hat. I couldn't figure out if it was machine knitted or if she or someone she knew had made it by hand. As soon as I realized she was staring at me like she thought I was about to snatch the baby out of her cart, I assured her I was simply admiring the hat upon her head. Then she went on to tell me her mother made it for her. It was superb.

So when you are out and about again and you find yourself numbly following that awesome scarf wrapped around the poor woman's neck that you have nearly banged into with your cart, just take a deep breath and explain. More than likely they will understand! :)

Had a little bit of a scare this morning....

2010-10-01T04:14:00.001-07:00

I have two dogs. I love them dearly. Frankie has been in our family for a little over 3 years now, and our new addition, Pixie, has been with us for about 2 months. I don't have a fenced in yard so I put them on leads in the back. After about 20 minutes I hear Pixie barking like a banshee, so I go out to bring them in. I see Pixie but Frankie is AWOL! He had slipped completely out of his collar and was gone! So I have to send a shout out to my poor neighbors because I was the crazy lady running up and down the streets yelling in her pajamas for her crack head dog. I just thank God he finally came out of where ever he was hiding! I hope the rest of this day isn't as eventful.

Sugar N Cream yarn is scented???

2010-09-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

Apparently it is! My friend had a couple of skeins of a pink verigated yarn that she swore smelled like Vicks Vapo Rub. Now I had to agree the smell emanating from that yarn wasn't great. So she decided to take it back to the store. Once there they naturally asked her why she was returning the yarn. Her perfunctory response was smell it! They did and they all agreed there was definitely something not right about the yarn. Then one of the workers read the paper label a little further and lo and behold it was supposed to smell that way. What? Aromatherapy in yarn? Their idea of Lavender was a little lacking but the clean cotton, and vanilla were good enough fro me and I bought two rolls of each. To make matters a little more goofy was the two of us scanning the cotton yarn and sniffing it. We looked like a couple of junkies needing a fix! So the next time you buy some yarn and wonder where that smell is coming from sniff it!

Pattern: Hybrid Knit and Crochet Newsboy Hat

2010-08-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

I love newsboy hats. I think they are the best fun to make but honestly I was really surprised I couldn't find a lot of knit patterns for them. Well I was watching some old episodes of the Dave Chappelle show on my Netflix and saw a guest on his show wearing this really cool knit newsboy hat. I thought to myself yeah I can do that. This hat is knit in the round using size 13 circular needles, and is then turned inside out and a crochet brim is attached. For your viewing pleasure the pattern:

Pattern: Hybrid Knit and Crochet Ridged Newsboy Hat

Materials:

One skein super chunky yarn - #6
Size 9 double pointed needles- set of 5
One size 13 circular knitting needle
Size I crochet hook
Size K crochet hook

Stitches
Knit, purl

Gauge: 2 stitches per inch

Hat:

Rnd 1: Cast on 44 stitches for a 22 inch hat

Rnd 2: Make a Ribbing using K2,P2 across for 3 rows

Rnd 3: K10, P1 across until hat is 5 inches across

Rnd 4: Start to decrease your stitches by k2tog after each purl stitch

Rnd 5: When the stitches become tight slip the stitches purl wise onto your double pointed needles and begin decreasing that way always decreasing once for every needle.

Rnd 6: When you have one stitch for every one of your four double cut the yarn and slip the tail through the remaining stitches using your size I crochet hook

Brim:

First turn the hat inside out. Purling the stitches on the ws is what gave it the ridges needed. Now flatten the hat out until you have a ridge on each side and one in the middle. Start at the ridge on the left side and sc across 22 stitches. Ch 1 and sc across again. Now ch 1, and sc2tog at the beginning of the row and at the end of the row. Do this for two rows total and then bind off and weave in your ends.

You have now completed your super soft, little nubby hybrid knit and crochet hat!

Super easy, super fast,and a lot of fun.

Pattern: Circular Back Pack Purse with Intarsia heart

2010-08-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed doing these back pack purses and I have about four for sale at this time on my Etsy shop KnuttinButYarn.etsy.com, however I wanted to make one that was circular in design. So for your crocheting pleasure is the pattern for my fuzzy heart circular back pack purse!

Pattern: Circular Back Pack Purse with Fuzzy Heart

Materials:

Two skeins worsted weight yarn
One small skein fuzzy yarn
Size H Hook
D ring

Special skills: using a magic ring, intarsia crochet, and fpdc

Rnd 1: Using a magic ring ch 4 stitches into the ring

Rnd 2: Double crochet twice into each of the four stitches

From here you are making a large circular piece for the bottom. Whenever you are making a circle you always stagger out your double stitches in the same stitch by the number of the row you are on. For instance when you would do the third round you would dc once and then in the next stitch you would dc twice in the same stitch. Then on the next row you would dc into the next two stitches and then dc twice into the next stitch. Continue on this way until the piece measures 7 inches across.

Rnd 3: Now to get the piece to round off and to continue it up you fpdc in the next row. This is accomplished by yo and instead of inserting the hook into the “v” of the stitch like you would normally you actually go down and wrap the stitch around the post of the stitch just below the “v”. Once the round is finished you join with sl stitch, ch 3, and turn the work so that the working side is now facing you. If you don’t turn the work the working side will be on the inside of the bag and will give you a different look.

Rnd 4: Dc for two rows sl stitching after each row, and ending with a ch 3. On the third row you switch yarn to the fuzzy yarn and dc for one row changing the color on the last stitch and sl stitching into the next row.

Rnd 5: Dc for the next four rows

Rnd 6: This is where you start the intarsia heart of your choice. I do not have the chart I used due I used the chart in my copy of the Happy Hooker. I did this heart for about 12 rows alternating between my worsted weight and fuzzy yarn.

Rnd 7: Dc for one row joining with a sl stitch at the end, ch 3

Rnd 8: Now you need to make the eyelets. I did this by dc for three stitches, chaining two, skipping two stitches and then dc-ing for three stitches again until I had rounded the circle again.

Rnd 9: Dc across joining with a sl stitch, bind off and weave in ends

The cord is made by chaining a cord of your desired length.

The straps were made by chaining 6, and then hdc-ing across 5 stitches until I achieved my desired length. The D – ring is then attached to the back of the middle of the purse. I then attached one length of the bag to the edge of the bottom. I looped the strap through the d-ring, and then put 12 stitches between the other end before attaching it also to the edge of the bottom of the purse.

Voila! You have just made your circular back pack purse and doing it all in one piece!

Pattern: Nothin' Like Red Wine Drawstring Bag

2010-08-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

I got the inspiration for this bag roving through my yarn stash. I had a few colors that instantly brought to mind one of my favorite things - wine! This bag is called my Nothin' Like Red Wine Drawstring Bag and is for sale in my Etsy shop KnuttinButYarn.etsy.com. For your personal enjoyment is the pattern:

Pattern: Nothin’ Like Red Wine Drawstring Bag

Materials:

One skein of variegated worsted weight yarn – color of your choice
Size H Crochet hook
Two wood Beads

Special Stitches for this pattern:

Double crochet cluster
Twisted Double crochet

The Body:

Rnd 1: ch 30

Rnd 2: skip first ch and sc across until piece measures six inches wide

Rnd 3: now you need to round off the corners so you can start crocheting the sides of the bag. First chain three where you ended your last row of sc. Now edge the rectangle with double crochet stitches making sure to round the corners by making three stitches in each one corner stitch. Join with a sl to the first double crochet made on the side.

Rnd 4: Now you are ready to start going up from the bottom to make the bag itself. Here is where you will start doing the double crochet clusters. To start you ch 3then you will yo and begin a dc but do not finish. Leave two stitches on the hook and yo again starting another dc in the same stitch as the first once you have six stitches on the hook you yo and pull through all the loops – this makes a dc cluster. From here you will skip one stitch and dc cluster across joining the round with a sl into the first cluster.

Rnd 5: dc cluster, skip one stitch, join the rounds until the piece measures 5 inches

Rnd 6: sc across for four rows joining the rounds with a sl stitch

Rnd 7: Now you will do the twisted double crochet to make the eyelets. This is done by chaining 3 at your last joined round. Now skip the first stitch and make a dc. Then go back and dc in the skipped stitch. You do this all the way across joining with a sl stitch.

Rnd 8: Dc across the top joining with sl stitch. Bind off and weave in your ends.

Now the body of your bag is finished. To make the strap locate six stitches in middle of the short end of the rectangle, from here you will dc, twisted dc twice, and dc across until the strap is your desired length.

The draw string is a simple chain to your desired length and fastened off with two wood beads.

Lilith Fair Rocked - Another of My Passions!

2010-07-21T06:54:00.001-07:00

It was last week and I was going through my personal email when I saw I had received an email from the local blood bank stating they were giving away free tickets to Lilith Fair. OMG! I thought. I have wanted to go there forever. Now if I give up a little A neg I can go for free!!!! Woot woot! So I emailed my sister and my best friend and thought lets make a totally awesome girls night of this. Neither of these two hoochies could give blood. What the heck? Not to mention Sarah, my best friend, couldn't go because of school obligations. So I enlisted the help of my devoted and super wonderful husband to give blood on my sister's behalf.

We get there and everything seems fine. Travis and I do our paper work and are sent into individual rooms for testing. I've given blood plenty of times. To me there is no reason not to if you are healthy and able. Travis had not ever until then. I told him not to worry there wasn't anything to it. We end up next to each other and we are both chit chatting to the technician. Everything seems to be going okay. I get done first and I am directed over to the waiting area for my proverbial cookie and drink. I'm sitting there waiting and I realize Travis hasn't made it over. I look back to where we were and from where I was sitting I could immediately see he was sweating and white as a sheet. My husband has a tan I would die for right now and for him to be white was dramatic. I mouth to him "Are you okay," and he weakly shakes his head yes. After about ten minutes he is allowed to come back to where I am. He just keeps shaking his head. I asked him what happened? He said he didn't know just all of a sudden he felt weak. After a few minutes he was ready to go and I was immediately on the phone letting my sister know what my poor cream puff of a husband went through for her!

The day of the concert comes. The free tickets were for lawn seats at the Verizon Music Center in Indianapolis. I see a couple of women at a table offering upgrades to the pavilion for $10 a ticket. The weather for the day was calling for times of heavy rain. We were prepared to get wet, but why should we have to? We paid for the upgrades and waited to get to our seats. After we had been sitting for a while two concert employees ask us if we wanted to upgrade our seats again to eight rows from the stage! Of course we did. And the show was so awesome! Mary J Blige was one of the headliners and she did one of the most awesome covers of Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven I have ever heard!!!! Sarah McLachlan has one of the most gorgeous and breathtaking voices I have ever had the pleasure of listening to, and her music is just a beautiful accompaniment to it.

All in all it was a fantastic show with lots of great music. This has truly been one of the most amazing summers I have had ever. Lot of great music, great entertainment, and just lots and lots of great memories with family and friends. Another great thing about visiting places like concerts, and theme parks is the people watching and purse watching. I got tons of ideas and inspiration which will be forthcoming soon! Rock on!

What is the Determining Factor in Buying Handmade?

2010-07-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

Being a business owner in items that are handmade I have to ask myself this. Is it price? Is it quality? Is it the uniqueness of the item? Then I have to ask myself how does one determine one for their selves?

When I decided to venture out in the cyberworld of business and selling those items that I have made I decided to keep my cost down as little as possible. My goal is to keep my items under $30. My thinking was if you were willing to go out and pay $20 or $30 on lunch, then maybe it wouldn't be such a stretch to put out that much for a handmade hat or purse.

Another factor I took into consideration, after pouring over others wares, was quality. Yeah, you might be only paying $20 or $30 for something, but if you really like it you want it to last as long as you like it. As I am venturing out into even more unknown territory with my items, I am realizing just how important that is, and how important it is going to be for me to always be on top of my game in presentation, durability, and overall skill. Not to say you won't have some hangups or mistakes - that is okay- I keep telling myself because in the end it will just be another learning experience.

Lastly, you really do want to have something out there that is just a little different than everyone else. The market on Etsy for handmade crochet and knitting items is staggering. If you go on and just go through the categories alone you are looking at thousands, and I do mean thousands, of entries. I'm soon coming to realize that is about getting your name out there, your products, and then finally going a little different than everyone else. Follow the trends for colors if need be. Find out what the "it" color is for fall, winter, spring, and summer. Find out if the purses are carry on luggage this year, or just a little clutch. Another thing I do is just simply look at the people around you. What are they carrying or wearing on their body?

For instance I went to Kings Island in Cincinnati two weeks ago and I noticed right off how many people were walking around with those little nylon backpacks on. Not a lot of ornamentation just a large drawstring pouch with extra long strings for you to wear across your back. I did a mental head slap and though of course why aren't I making these things? So I got home and designed my own which I will be finishing up and showcasing soon.

So what is your decision process in buying homemade? Do you go the cheap route, or are you the savvy shopper who wants something no one else has? Or are you an individual who knows that often times with the right handmade item you are getting something so much better than what you pick up off the shelf at your local Wal-Mart?

Great New Bags and Purses to My Esty Shop

2010-07-12T10:34:00.001-07:00

Life Can Be Hard....

2010-06-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

We all know this to be true. When you are worrying about bills, and if congress is ever going to pass that unemployment extension - fingers are crossed - or if your items in your Etsy shop are ever going to sell, it is really hard to fall into that warm momentum that we enjoy in our creativity. What really works for me, and this is recent, is my faith in God. It truly has been a live saver in so many ways. For instance last night we found out my husband's unemployment runs out this week. At this time he has no extension, and his acceptance into the TAA program, which would ensure him unemployment benefits while he goes to school has not been approved. Our income has now dropped down by more than half. Oh my God right?!

Actually, no. What I did was I prayed about it, and said to myself you know God has brought you here for a reason. Up until this moment we had been happy, content, and really hopeful about our life in general. My husband was excited about school, I am totally jazzed about my new business, and our relationship couldn't be better. I haven't been worrying too much about that day job because I know God has my back! He knows my needs and he is going to ensure they are met.

I think those of us who are Christians, or of any faith for that matter, seem to forget if we truly let go and let God then nothing is impossible. So as I sit here and write this post not really knowing when and if my husband will get an extension, when that job is going to come around for me, I know that as long as I continue on the path God has set for me I'm going to be okay.

Birthdays, Birthday, Birthdays....

2010-06-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

It seems like every time you turn around someone is having one. Summer's seem to be the worst. In June alone I had seven birthdays amongst my family and friends. For my sister I put together this super cute shell stitch purse. It was super easy to make and a lot of fun to do. If you like this bag or are in need of a special handmade gift - feel free to check me out at KnuttinButYarn.etsy.com

New Item Added to KnuttinButYarn.etsy.com

2010-06-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

I've got a new item added! It's a beautiful cameo necklace. I made this necklace using a #3 cotton thread and a size D crochet hook. I then made a single row of single crochets measuring around 10 inches. On my second row I added a picot edging by sc in the first stitch and then adding a picot stitch into the next. A picot stitch is made by sc into the stitch, and then chaining three. Then you back into the middle of the sc stitch making a nice bobble. I did these in a sequenc of one sc and then one picot stitch until the end. Check it out!

Idle Hands Can Make Money!

2010-06-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

Today we are up in Lafayette, Indiana spending time with my father-in-law on Father's Day. Yesterday was a great day with the entire family going to see Toy Story 3, and then enjoying pizza after wards. Of course while I wasn't watching a movie, or eating I was knitting. I'm currently designing a big mouth bag with 10 1/2 circular needles. I'm using a great eco-cotton so this will be a great beach bag or tote for the pool when I'm finished. Will be adding pictures when finished. So remember just because you're sitting around visiting doesn't mean those money making hands can't be working!

KnuttinButYarn.etsy.com is Finally Alive and Kicking

2010-06-19T21:54:00.001-07:00

What seemed like forever is finally a reality. My dream of having my own online shop for my knit and crochet items is here and it is called KnuttinButYarn! Meaning I don't do anything but work with knuttin but yarn! Ahhh the relief that is settling over my body is delicious and I know that if I am up all night tonight it isn't going to be from worry! For your viewing pleasure are some of the items listed. Enjoy!