new x2!

one piece of fabric with two choices of print! mostly matched but there are a few that mixed and mingled together quite nicely. check them out below as they model both their easy, breezy tote style and their stay put, tied tight option.

these bags arrived just before the great fibre space black friday sale of 2010...so the current selection might be a bit limited.

a few of my favourite things

1. spelling the word favorite "favourite".

2. knitting.

3. knitting shawls.

4. pink, purple and gray. preferably in combination with each other.

5. this:

more specifically, this is the chickadee version of kirsten kapur's pattern, snow drops and snap peas (pattern available via ravelry). and it is made even more chickadee thanks to the pretty and perfectly named chickadee yarn from quince and co.

it isn't just the name of the yarn that is lovable, the yarn itself is some of the most delightful stuff to work with. it is springy, squishy and soft...everything a yarn should be! and it comes in quite a generous palette. these three were the ones that chirped the loudest to me.

in the bag

just landed in space...and already flying off the shelves

stocking stuff

this over-sized sock is on its way to join the ornaments in the fiercegrrl fund ornament shop. done up in wide stripes that feature nicole's favorite hue, hot pink, this stocking will brighten up your holiday and hold whatever treats santa decides to throw in it. unlike the auctions, the ornament shop is first come first serve and this giant knee-hi is the only one of its kind.

lightening the load

the possibility that there was someone or some organization out there that could make good use of some good yarn got this chickadee motivated. no corner, cubbyhole or crate went without investigation. and when the dust bunnies settled, these three boxes were packed full of skeins of yarn, supplies and the hopes that they'd find loving homes where they could inspire, soothe and entertain women in need...the way that only knitting can.

anyone out there with a craft or hobby probably also has an abundance of materials. there's that yarn that you save for years waiting for just the right project to come along. or the fabric scraps that you just can't bear to send to the circular file. a quick search online reveals that for every reason you can think of to hold on, there are equally as many organizations out there hoping that you'll let a little bit go.

it is pretty easy to take a look around and see that there is enough to share. but sometimes the hard part is finding the right place for it to go. here are two sites that were super helpful for me.

• interweave knits: a nice list of knitting charities including organizations that are requesting supplies and/or finished products. short descriptions of the organizations and web/contact information available.
  
• lion brand charity connection: search by supply/project and location and find someone in your area who is looking for just what you have. descriptions/contact information also listed.
  

next on the list, unused finished objects and fabric!


if you know a group in need or if you are a group with needs, feel free to leave a footnote in the comments below.

the fiercegrrl ornament shop

it is up! and already filling up with affordable and totally adorable ornaments that would make great holiday gifts...or look great on your very own tree. all proceeds from the ornament sales go directly to benefit nicole. so now there are two ways to help out (the auction continues on the blog as well).

the chickadee contribution is coming soon! so keep your eyes out for that. of course, it isn't exactly an ornament...but it fits with the theme....

the tools of the trade

in case you were wondering...

on the craft exchange, one custom sewn camera case can be traded for an absolutely gorgeous hank of hand dyed yarn, like this one from dragonfly fibers! pictured above is one skein of dragonfly djinni sock in the most amazing peach melba colorway. the djinni base is 80% merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon and 100% awesome.

thank you kate for the trade! the original intent was to actually use this sock yarn to make socks...but now that we've become acquainted it seems a shame to hide something so lovely in a shoe.

you can own your own piece of hand-dyed paradise by visiting dragonfly fibers on etsy. you can also catch up with kate on her blog or get up close and personal with her yarns at fibre space.

someone in baltimore loves me

this chickadee project bags were recently featured in the urbanite! awesome.

smile for the birdie

say cheese! here's another custom camera case from the chickadee central workshop. it is both sturdy and soft thanks to the combination of batting and fusible fleece. a velcro closure keeps the camera contained. there's a single slip pocket around the back for low profile photo excursions. and even a wrist strap that, when not in use, can tuck away into the a fore mentioned pocket.

this case was a special treat to make because of who it went to. more on that soon!

i heard it through the grapevine

the hawthorne pattern was added immediately to the knitting queue as soon as it was released in the fall 2010 twist collective issue. in the photos, it looked totally scrumptious and seemed like something new and different to knit.

hawthorne is a scharf...somewhere in between a scarf and a shawl. the construction is interesting too. it is worked from the bottom up (which calls for casting on a couple hundred stitches) and the garter section employs short rows.

the perfect yarn happened to be just steps away in the stash. manos del uruguay rittenhouse merino sold me upon first squeeze. it is a super fine, kettle dyed merino. it was gorgeous in the skein and worked up dreamily too. two skeins turned out to be more than enough to finish the project.