Randi, from I have to say, asked me to guest post on her lovely blog. You can find me over there today where I'm offering a few food photo 'tips' (or at least what I do when I take photographs of all the food my family likes to gobble up). Stop by for a visit!
Now onto Ginny's Yarn Along...
This week, I "finished" the Cuddly Cotton Blanket. Or at least I finished the stripes and wove in the ends. Still have to attach the i-cord edging. Aside from that, I decided to work a wee bit on 2 projects: my husband's Circle and Stripe scarf (about halfway through now ~ hoping that I can get that done very soon so it'll actually still be winter when he wears it) and the 2nd baby blanket.
At first, I tried a different blanket pattern because let's face it - the cuddly baby blanket stitch is boring. Just plain knitting back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Redundant! Perhaps that was why it was taking so long? Or maybe because I had to untangle the mess of yarns each time I switched colors? Who knows. Instead, I began the Waffle Weave blanket pattern using 2 colors rather than one. The way I envisioned the color placement was not the way the pattern was progressing. So I ripped it out and ...returned to the cuddly pattern again. This time, I'm hoping it'll go a tad quicker. I now have a deadline for the blankets which is just the nice little push I need. Why is it that deadlines make me work better? Hmmm..
Reading has been a mixture of cookbooks, homeschooling books and 2 new books from the library: House of Silk (saw this Sherlock Holmes novel on a yarn along blog and can't remember who recommended it!) and How to Sell Your Crafts Online. I've just begun both, so commenting on either is premature at this point. All I can say is I like a good mystery (non-gory gross kinds of mystery, please), and I hope to (in the far future) think about creating and selling online...
If you create and sell online (at Etsy or have your own shop), do you have any tips or stories or do's and don'ts to share?
To see more wonderful knitted & crocheted stuffs and read about some pretty interesting book reviews, hop over to Small Things.
I look forward to your review on the selling crafts book. x
Posted by: Greer | January 25, 2012 at 05:15 AM
I am with you on the non gory gross mystery, I think that's why I use to read all of Agatha Christie's books. Your book looks interesting.
Posted by: Tracey | January 25, 2012 at 08:32 AM
I have a professor whose wife is pregnant, so I'm pondering making a baby blanket...I'll have to take a look at those two patterns.
Posted by: Michelle | January 25, 2012 at 08:49 AM
I really enjoyed House of Silk....of course, anything Sherlockian is OK in my book (and I think it's because it's a good non-gory mystery!)
Thanks for the all photo tips!!! (I can use all the help I can get!!!)
Posted by: steph | January 25, 2012 at 09:21 AM
That blanket would be a challenge for me-using two different types of yarn. I have only used one color so far. Your blanket looks cuddly though. Good luck on the scarf and blanket!
Thanks for the food photography tips!
Posted by: Angela | January 25, 2012 at 09:37 AM
Thanks for stopping by! I love your blog also! i'll have to investigate more when I have more time later, but I think I'll be following from now on...
Posted by: Allison | January 25, 2012 at 09:57 AM
Hi! I just placed a hold at the library on The House of Silk - and I have 163 to go ... I am curious to hear what you think of it! I really like the colors of the blankets you are knitting for the babies - once they are all wrapped up in them they will be perfect! Sometimes it is just hard to motivate yourself for the repetitiveness of the stockinette and other times it is the perfect antidote; don't you love that about knitting. Please let me know if you try the bread at your house; I am hoping to give it a test run soon. I am also hoping I stumble across a bread machine at the thrift store. All in good time, I suppose.
Posted by: Kate @ Lady Bird | January 25, 2012 at 10:24 AM
Thanks for the great book recommendations and photo tips. I can always use both.
Posted by: Andria Green | January 25, 2012 at 10:26 AM
Love the photo so the soup. The colors work well together. Ahh simple knits can sometimes be such a challenge! Glad you do well with deadlines; they sometimes make me rebellious.
Posted by: Heather | January 25, 2012 at 10:26 AM
The boringness of knitting a baby blanket can be a blessing or a curse. I try to pair boring knitting with tv watching. It makes it much better. I always love a bit of pattern or a switch of color so I know I am making progress.
Posted by: swanski | January 25, 2012 at 10:53 AM