love window shopping on Etsy

I know I posted yesterday, and posted nothing about my 2012 projects... BUT I did post about all the other projects I've been working on keeping me from 2012... so now I post like I'm on pintrest (which I do have... search taxikab87, you'll find me)

I once watched an episode of Martha Stewart while in the Poconos.  We don't have internet or cable up there, we just have the Satellite dish that gets channels from Philly and New York, and ONE DAY! I saw Martha Stewart making glass beads on her show and I went, "wow... I really wish I could learn to do that..." I enjoy learning those things.  If anyone knows where, tell me, I'd love to learn.  ANYWAY   I was thinking about that after I saw these little guys on Etsy

the seller is DragonLadyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/dragonladydesigns?ref=top_trail  <---- there's a link for their shop.  My boyfriend and I had this discussion, that we are truly fascinated by the things people can do.  I think they're reasonably priced too.  I see some stitch markers on etsy and I go, "why the hell are you charging 10 dollars for metal loops with a bead on them?  I can make those for less than 10 dollars at home..."  I'm too lazy to do it... so I've gotten into the habit of just tying ribbon when i don't have stitch markers.  I do plan on making my own at some point but not yet.  I need to do my projects first... 2013 will be the year of the knitting accessories projects, lol. 

See now I can get those stitch markers and these beautiful needles

the Seller of these Koi Fish needles is Dotdotsmile

http://www.etsy.com/listing/94190366/koi-fish-knitting-needles?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=fish&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=handmade <--- link to needles

I just felt like sharing some cute stuff.  Maybe later I'll do it again...

Happy Knitting!

taxikab

Summer, Summer, Summer time...

So graduation was fun.  Lots of driving... on the way home I knit, and watched Captain America, twice... because my dads never seen it.  The first time I watched it on my laptop and then the laptop died... and there was only about 10 minutes left!  BUT we stopped and ate seeing as it was Mothers Day... and we had been in the car for about 3 hours already...

Here's me at Graduation.  I look slightly cross eyed... lol.  No knitting here folks...

    You may be wondering... "why the bare feet taxikab?" Random yes.... I jokingly said to my father after my brothers graduation, "Daddy, my feet hurt... you should carry me to the after party..." and he went, "or you could take your shoes off... and just walk without your heels on..."  it took me about 4 more hours walking in my heels to actually take his advice..  I think wanders Boston without shoes on... my dad then realized it was a bad suggestion since my mom was insanely worried I would get glass in my foot.  I didn't notice a SINGLE PERSON who passed me, because I was too busy looking for objects that could puncture my feet.  While in Boston we went to Cheesecake Factory, where I have NEVER been before, but now love... My boyfriend Ironically went there the same day I did, but here in Philly.  We have come an agreement that we need to go back together... because its awesome.  While I was at Cheesecake Factory, this poor lady at the table behind us went to pick up her baby in its carseat from the highchair, and the baby wasn't locked in, and the handle wasn't locked right I guess, and the baby ended up falling out and right onto the floor...  like 2 month old baby right on the floor.  My dad said he saw the baby hit its chest before it hit its head so hopefully that helped a bit... they had a friend with them who was a doctor who almost immediately began looking over the baby saying he was going to be ok... so... I still hope that baby was fine...  ANY!

My life isn't even that hectic right now, but I can't seem to find time to sit and just KNIT.  I get more knitting done at work than at home... and I'm supposed to be working then...  I do teach a knitting group so I am TECHNICALLY working...  I think because its so nice out that I'm not getting anything done at home....  I tried sitting in my yard and knitting last week, but then things came up that needed to be done and I ended up nixing that idea...
Made a headband for a client at work.  It started as me practicing making leaf patterns in my knitting and trying to knit without patterns, just knit and see what happens.  A client saw it and said, "that's pretty" and so I asked her if she wanted it.

I knit the green part, which is supposed to look like leaves... but it didn't end up that way... oh well...  Then I took a crochet hook and crocheted the pink edge to it.  Now it covers my clients ears and she can use it as a winter head warmer...  I'm figuring out how to make a big ol' flower to stick on there too.  Her face lit up when I said she could have it and was even more excited when I mentioned the flower... lol

Here it is finished, the back seam anyway...

Here it is on my head. lol.  See, covers my ears! mostly...

Have I mentioned we have a sewing machine in my classroom too?  This results in me throwing easy projects together and going, "here you go guys".  Or finding projects that require minimal time and concentration so I can have them make them.  One client made a huge pillow, I was very proud.  Myself and a client made the bag you see with the owls on it.   BUT SHE NEVER USES IT.  I made it because she misplaced her change purse and was insisting that she keep her change in her shoes... but then no one wants to touch her money, haha, So I made her a cross-body bag (she helped) and she never brings it to program.

 I almost made this holder for the knitting needles at program.  It was an accident that there was a space for the circular needles on the right.  I measured wrong... BUT! it worked out, because I can keep them in their packaging and untangled from any future circular needles we purchase for program.  I insist that they learn to  knit on straight needles before they use the circular needles.  They disagree sometimes, but it wasn't an issue until one of them brought their OWN SET of needles to program and wanted me to teach her to use them... now we'll see how it goes...  Shes doing okay so far, I think shes making a hat... No idea.  they never know what they want to make until half way through, and by then I'm hoping I don't have to take the work out...

Happy Knitting!
Taxikab

Job interview tomorrow.  Fingers crossed, because its more money and REALLY close to my house, as opposed to my current job...

Driving and knitting

So I am driving to go visit my brother and watch him graduate from college. It's almost 6 and we've been driving since about 1045... We stopped briefly to eat lunch and go to the bathroom at 1 and 5. I was knitting before lunch then I drove from 2 to 5 and now I'm obviously not driving because I'm posting. I've started the blanket for me (or whoever wants it...). It's going to make a nice summer blanket. One you just put on because you're kind of cold or you just hate not having a blanket on you to sleep (like me).

Like all true knitters I've got like 3 projects with me haha. While packing last night I was going to pack my glove but could not find it... So I'm going to have to really clean my room to find it. I have the bear hat because I want to fix the ears and I've got the scarf and the booties too. Obviously I only packed on my knitting... Did I mention I also packed a pattern book and 3 knit magazines? Below is the picture of what I'm sure other "throw my yarn in my purse with my headphones" people have dealt with.

Happy knitting!

Beehives and Baby Bears

So i had the Beehive pattern written... and then left it at work...  I can't post on here from work, so I have to write them down and then type them when i get home.  I'm in the process of writing the bear hat, because I have to remember how I did it.  I am going to try and find a new way to make the ears... because frankly I think they look like pointy wolf ears rather than round bear ears... but the baby won't care, haha.  Plus I can always take them off if I can find a better way to do it WITHOUT crocheting the ears... which I may HAVE to do, but I wanted this to be a completely knit pattern... who knows I'll figure it out.  Whip out my books and find something similar.


This is the Beehive.  I found Fabric on my desk at work and laid it there so It would make the hat stand out. :)

And the teddy bear hat.  Like I said, I need to fix the ears.  Maybe i put fuzzy yarn around the edge of the ears to make them more round...

I posted on the last entry that I have 5.5 projects done, and then 2 started, I completely foot about my scarf I am making, so technically I have 3 started... I have a habit of starting projects and not finishing them.  I'm proud of myself that I HAVE finished 5 projects so far, and one glove...
Still need to make socks (which I am making the baby to match the hat :) but will make an adult size too...), a christening blanket for the baby, a blanket for myself, I want to spin and dye my own yarn at some point this summer.  If I am diligent I may end up making more than 12 projects... Which will be awesome... Lets do a head count!

1. Beret Hat (no picture... sad face)
2. Moms Scarf (short blue one)
3. Kids Scarf (Purple One)
4. Baby Bear Hat
5. Beehive hate
6. Gloves (half done...)
7. Taxi's scarf (MINE, partially started...)
8. Christening Blanket
9. My Blanket
10. Socks for me!
11. Socks/booties for baby (may make more than one pair... and some more hats)
12. Spin and dye yarn, make into SOMETHING.  Maybe some gloves

I am also working on trying to make FINGERED gloves, not mittens.  I had a client at work help me design these gloves by him telling me what colors to use.  They're blue, red and grey.  My boyfriend told me, "You should name them after the client, make a bunch, and then donate half the money to a Special Needs organization (like the Autism Awareness, or the Special Olympics or something).  I would do the same thing with the Beehive, but that was so easy to make and I'd want to put something extra on it for it to be sold for stuff like that.  I just don't think people would buy the beehive like they would these gloves...  WHO KNOWS.  Leave opinions, leave comments.

Happy Knitting.

Knitting is entrancing

So I was riding the train to New York from Philly to go see my brother in his Senior Showcase thing (did AMAZING too) and my mother is talking to my sisters, playing games on their phones with each other (we've all got Iphones, so they play like scramble or something together...) and my mother kept stopping mid-sentence and finally goes, "I'm sorry, I'm just so distracted by your sister knitting... how do you know what to do?"

NOW for a knitter, thats like, "how do you know how to breathe?"  I looked at her baffled for a moment and just said, "I don't, I'm just making it up as I go along...and changing from knit to purl with each stitch..."  I then proceeded to decrease a stitch and continue working on the Baby Bear hat, WHICH! I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE, is DONE.  I just need to pin the ears back slightly because they are seriously bothering me and I want them to stick up, not flop forward...

I am going to take pictures and write the pattern tomorrow.  It was really simply to do, I just need to count the cast on stitches.

As previously stated, I can't stand following knitting patterns... so I just made this one up as I went along and it is CUTE!  I may have to actually make those tutorial videos I was talking about for the ears though, because I can't easily explain verbally how I did it.  BUT! I am pleased to say that I will be posting the baby bear pattern on Ravelry when I get it written down for you lovely people.  AND! I plan to make it free, as I hate paying for single patterns...and it was incredibly frustrating looking for a pattern to follow for this hat (even though I despise following patterns...), because I knew in my head, "I won't really use it for the whole thing..." so I just made it up and tried to make it work.  AND IT DID!  yay!

So now I've got 5.5 projects done, one bootie and one glove started... so they will be projects 6 and 7.  The blanket needs to get started once I'm done the booties, and then my other blanket once I'm done project 8 blanket.  Project 9 will be a big old blanket for me.  I knit a client at work at hat, per his request... and his mothers insistence, which I wasn't thrilled about... because I told her I had other projects to finish first, then she showed up with yarn for me to use... and I've got 2 scarves that I promised other clients like last year to be done...  But because I knit the hat in 2012, I included that in my 12 in 2012 projects.  I also included it because I'm very proud how it turned out... lol  I'll take a picture at work and post the pattern for it later.  I've been calling it the Beehive hat.  I'll post a more in depth post about that hat later.

All for now, Pictures of the hats later this week (hopefully Tuesday night if not tomorrow)

Happy Knitting!