W.I.P. (after Christmas version 1.0)

Christmas has come and gone. What a blur it was at times! I found myself fairly busy finishing up presents as well as keeping up with the Marcel requests through Etsy. You could hardly find me without a crochet hook in my hand! It was quite a learning experience and I do need time to process and reflect on how I dealt with the holiday rush. But when Christmas finally arrived, I was able to put away my crazy crochet filled head and enjoy celebrating Jesus' birthday with my friends and family. It was a wonderful 3 days of Christmas eve (also the day my first born celebrated his first double digit birthday), Christmas day, and Christmas day-off Monday ^-^ There was glorious food, way too many presents, and a viewing of The Christmas Story. Classic.

In the holiday rush, (and I kick myself as I realize this), I forgot to capture on digital camera my crocheted creations. I made 10 scarves (two of them from this cute v-stitch pattern), 2 cowls (based on this convertible cowl pattern I found), and an ipad cover in a glorious red with the red angry bird's face sewn on in felt pieces (based on this ipad cover pattern). I also made one Hobbes the tiger. He lives in our home, so his photos and story will go into its own post at a later date. In the midst of all this gifting I whipped up 6 Marcel the Shells as well!

But even with all I DID accomplish, I am still mid project for at least 4 things! So without further ado, here's my W.I.P Wednesday pictures! The project are all now patiently waiting for me in my large new tote I got for Christmas ^_^

A first attempt at a double yarn project!
Hoping the Oregon Duck's fan in our family will like it come his birthday ^_^

Isn't it just obnoxious when you run out of yarn?
And then don't you just *HATE* it when the store ran out of the color??!
This is a soft red yarn from Deborah Norville's Serenity line and is working
up great for this cowl, but I just one more skein!

I am nearly done with this open lace style scarf.
I based it on Mary Poppins' scarf, but in a peacock
blue instead of coral. It should be finished with fringe
if it ever gets done!

The awesome large tote that now holds my W.I.P.'s!
Thanks, Babe!

And last I want to leave you with one of my favorite gifts of the 2011 year: A bird feeder! Yes, this bird feeder is going to be put out this spring, but with a unique purpose: as bird nest fodder for all the young birdie families in our yard. I saw this adorable idea on pinterest from fiberfarm.com and got this cutest bird feeder to stuff my yarn scraps in. I just think it will be so much fun to have the birdies build their nests with soft, colorful threads! It's like yarn bombing in disguise!

My bird feeder full of yarn scraps to be put out on the first day of spring!

Happy New Year to all!

~kari

The Pumpkin Bomb

I came down stairs this morning to see that my 7 year old daughter has, indeed, taken after her mother:

pumpkin yarn bomb

I'm so proud ^_^

International Yarn Bombing Day Has Arrived!

1 a.m.
Director Park

I feel like a ninja, dressed all in black save my signature fingerless gloves. Five bombs in hand. And a hook. I'm ready.

trying to figure out the best way to quickly secure the bomb

Tim drives me up to the park and I jump out having spotted the 5 lamp posts that would be the lucky recipients of my flowers. No sooner do I figure out how to attach the bomb than Tim warns that I have a police coming straight for us. Confident that I can persuade the officer that all is on the up and up,  I continue my work. "What's going on here, guys?" he asks accusingly. I look up and see that it's a night security patrolman. I explain we are decorating for the Grand Floral Rose Parade and Tim clarifies: "It's called yarn bombing," he says. And to smooth it over he adds "It's just crochet, I guess it's the new thing to do." Mr. Patrolman nods and walks away, leaving us under his watchful eye from across the plaza to dress the other 4 light poles. A few drunken people walk by making a lot of noise, but no one else approaches us. 

the tag

 It's funny how I had things planned this all out in my head and how different I ended up reacting! I had made the joining strip too long on purpose, figuring if I had measured incorrectly it's easier and quicker to undo rows than to make them. In my perfect vision I would calmly undo the rows and then fasten it up, however, in the heat of the moment I just wanted to be in and out of there as fast as possible so I just left the extra in a bunch near the back. I only hope they were secure enough on the smooth lamp posts to endure the night to be seen today.

working as fast as I could

We drove away after taking a few pictures and I said a quiet goodbye to the roses I know I'll never see again. I just hope they were secure enough to endure the night and not slide down the poles.

final result

First Ever International Yarn Bombing Day: Whoo-Hoo!

International Yarn Bombing Day - June 11th

Calling all Fiber Artists!! Want to be a part of history and contribute to the first ever International Yarn Bombing Day on June 11th? You know you wanna! Check out YarnBombing to get more information on yarn bomb sites being planned near you (or designate one for your city!).

I am happy to report that there is an approved site for June 11th in my neck of the woods:
☺ Portland, OR ☺. Check it...

Celebrate Intl' Yarn Bombing Day Sat, June 11 by yarn bombing Director Park in Portland, OR (www.DirectorPark.org). It's Rose Festival's Grand Floral Parade day so floral patterns encouraged. Recommended fixtures include silver pillars (40.5" circum, 22" high), light posts in park (16" circum), bike racks (4.75" circum), white pillars (40.5 " circum). Please, no tree yarn bombs. This is an approved site. 

~Taken from the International Yarn Bombing Day facebook page

 I am in love with the idea of beautifying our area with spontaneous yarn as previously mentioned here so as soon as I saw this my mind began racing with just what I could contribute! I'm already starting to whip up some ❁roses❁ to adorn a lucky light post. But I don't want to spoil the surprise, so here's just a GLIMPSE. 

 

Yarn Bombing in Bainbridge

One of my favorite recent pastimes (can a pastime be recent? hmmm...) is photo bombing. I have been successful 2 times at sticking my face into a picture not meant to be taken of me. Once was a few years ago in Seattle at a Mariner's game with my co-bomber Laura. The second was at a Dave Matthews Band Concert in 2011 at the Gorge in George, WA. It's definitely a rush when you've committed to the bomb and then walk away as if you did nothing out of the ordinary (and hope that they don't notice until you are out of sight!).  I laugh to think of them checking the digital view finder after taking the picture and notice a smiling face they don't know. HAHHAHAHA!

So YARN bombing has a somewhat similar idea behind it: secretly putting some yarn creation up where it isn't expected to be, all in good fun. But in yarn bombing the specific idea is to creatively & secretly beautify an area with yarn or other fiber creations.

On a recent trip to Bainbridge Island in Washington state, I was able to see a yarn bomb first hand. As a crochet nut, I can tell you that I was particularly giddy to see this "sock" adorning a sign post:

How warm and cozy this once cold metal sign post looked on a blustery day in early April! Not only is it fascinating to see such an abnormally long "sock" on a pole, but all the various hues excite my craze with colors.

It may not be such a shock to find out that this sign was on the corner next to a shopping strip in Bainbridge where this lovely store was located:

ChurchMouse Yarns & Teas is as darling inside as it is outside. I wanted to go through and touch EVERYTHING! The projects they had inside were nearly all knitting work and beautifully arranged to, again, play on my love of colors:

photos courtesy of Tim Denison Photography

Vancouver, WA doesn't have a specialty yarn store, but I know that Portland, OR does so I will be visiting those SOON because the warmth and atmosphere that yarn stores have is much more alluring than the rather sterile feel of Michaels and JoAnns. And of course there's no comparison as far as selection goes. The ChurchMouse boasts of having several goodies to fancy a person's love for tea and sure enough there were darling chinas and teas scattered among the fuzzy fibers and soft silks.

So if you ever are in Seattle and looking for a charming, out-of-the-way yarn shop that deserves your patronage, just hop on the 35 minute ferry to Bainbridge Island and go explore this lovely little yarn shop (you'll know you are close when you see the sign post cozy :)