thrift store score!

take a gander at the gorgeous given-away items that this chickadee snatched up on a recent treasure hunt. a cute little container, a hand crocheted 5' x 4' blanket and lots of linens! this isn't even the entire haul. hooray for thrift stores! hooray for giving! hooray for getting!

all you need is warmth

this chickadee stumbled upon a heartfelt happening yesterday in dc, just off dupont circle. a small group with a grateful conscious gathered at the gandhi statue on 21st and massachussets ave to remember the life and celebrate the legacy of the peaceful leader....and to warm him up a bit!

they placed pom-pon garland at the base of the monument and laid crochet chains around his feet. he got a scarf for his neck and a hat to keep his head cozy. there was a sweet serenade by a few flautists and soft greetings and giggles from those who gathered.

there was also a spot to make a donation of hand knitted items to help those who are left out in the cold this winter. here's hoping that they made their way to cover cold hands and heads and keep out at least some of the chill.

for more information or to stay in the loop for next year, visit the gandhiwarmer page.

and to read a nice write-up on the event, click over to the 42.

instead of seashells...

on the way home from this knit-cation, the chickadee cases were with stuffed souvenirs spun of wool and silk! there were several great yarn stores to visit and it was impossible to come away empty handed. here's a look at the haul:

quince & co.
chickadee (made just for me!)
100% wool. 100% awesome.

purchased at: cozycute knitwit


manos del uruguay
rittenhouse merino 5-ply

100% extrafine merino wool.
kettle dyed and delightful.

purchased at: cozycute knitwit


jaggerspun
4/8 wool/silk dk
50% wool. 50% silk.
and an entire cone of it!

purchased at: halcyon (house of amazing) yarn

there was also a stop at purl diva in brunswick that was fabulous if not fruitful. maybe next time...

and so concludes this chickadee's yarn inspired tour of the maritimes. many happy returns expected!

summer lovin'

this chickadee took a little break from the day to day and disappeared for a wee bit. but don't despair! i'm back with plenty to share.

first, let's catch up with with the freshest fibre space project bags:

and coming up later this week, find out how much yarn one little chickadee can cram into a suitcase!

attention dc area artists and crafters!

here's a copy and paste lifted (with permission, of course) from oh meaghan about a new local art/craft happening. arts on n will be held the first two weekends of august in dc's shaw neighborhood. it is hosted by area awesome beth baldwin of tigerflight.

contact beth at the email listed above for more info!

on the blue ridge mountains / that's where i'll make my stand

in my mind i'm gone (back) to carolina

a spicy little sweater

and now back to our regularly scheduled sweater knitting!

what do we have here? a finished sweater? amazingly yes! this is the chickadee version of yellowcosmo's sage blouse (a free ravelry download). it is a sweet little sweater that she dedicated to the memory of her beloved canine companion who would return home from walks smelling like the sage that was growing along the trail. she's made this pattern available for free! all that she asks in return is that you take the time to care for or show some love to a little creature that you meet along the way. a great idea, and a great pattern to boot!


this particular version is more turmeric than sage thanks to the pretty pumpkin pigment of the unique sheep's pima petite. cotton yarns can be rather tricky to work with. there's usually little give to them which makes knitting a bit of a chore. but the pima petite was prima! the best cotton yarn experience to date. makes me want to knit more soft summer sweaters in the myriad of color options it comes in...all of them with lovely hand-dyed hues.

pretty much followed the pattern just as written. you can find more notes here on my ravelry page. and you can find me wearing this one when the thermometer decides to slip into something more comfortable.

the green green grass

last year was the summer of shawl knitting. this year it was shaping up to be the summer of sweater knitting. at least those were the plans. but those lovely little lace triangles keep calling...and keep getting cast on. if john lennon were a knitter, perhaps he would have said "shawls are what happen when you are busy making other plans." and so, from the needle arts corner of chickadee central, comes a surprise shawl.

the pattern is wandering the moor by celeste glassel. the sprawling stockinette section was perfect for recent times when the hands needed to move but the mind needed to be very still. in this case, the mind totally shut off and i'd actually gone over the prescribed number of stitches for the large size before i took a moment to count. knowing that there wasn't enough yarn in the ball to make the large (as noted on the pattern) i went ahead and tried for it anyway. and miracle of miracles, it worked out with only a wee bit of yarn to spare. this is not a recommended move for the faint of heart or those who fear ripping back.

follow this ravelry link to find the particulars including yarn choice and pattern notes.

one skein wondering

need some place to stash that single skein of yarn? somebody out there needed several! here's the first part of a custom order for fifty vintage inspired small project bags. they measure 8 1/2" x 10" and are perfect for smaller projects. the single drawstring closure ensures that what you have on the needles goes nowhere.

you'll be seeing some more in this style but different print(s) soon!

three's company

hooray for knitting! haven't talked about it much lately here, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't been going on in the background. there is almost always a wip (work-in-progress) to be found in these parts. right now there are three! two shawls and a summer sweater. take a peek:

blackcurrant shawl (ravelry link) by veera välimäki


arabella by kristen hanley cardozo


sage blouse (ravelry link) by yellowcosmo

your weekend, planned by me

so of course you'll be coming to the squidfire spring art mart in baltimore on saturday...but what about sunday? you should do something totally cute, something like this:

fabulous felt crafter, designer and author betz white is coming to the dc area to teach a workshop for fibre space. she'll be showing you how to construct this sweet little birdhouse with an equally sweet little tweet perched on top. it is mother's day...but it isn't limited to mother/daughter couples. anyone who wants to do something cute with their day and eat some yummy brunch (that's included too) can sign up. for more info, call the shop or check out the website.

the birds

remember these guys? they've undergone a stunning transformation with the help of some stuffing and stick-on googly eyes.

to save them from being grounded, my coworker kel (yep, i said coworker) built this magical mobile and they now spend their days happily in faux-flight in the front window of fibre space. you (yes you!) can make your own bird mobile with some scrap yarn and the (free!) flock pattern from knitty.


probably a good time to share that i've gone from dreaming of one day working in a local yarn store, to actually working in one. the business of this chickadee has slowed down a bit as more time squishing yarn and stocking shelves means less time in front of the sewing machine. but never fear, this chickadee will be here...and there...so if you stop in fibre space be sure to say hi. and keep an eye out for chickadee activities around town too.

they've earned their stripes

maybe one day they'll earn their wings...

flock (knitty, spring 2009) in progress...

konichiwa!

cherry blossoms, just beginning to bloom (tokyo, japan)

spring, eastern hokkaido style (lake mashū. teshikaga, japan)

a heartfelt "domo arigato gozimasu" to japan and all of the wonderful friends who welcomed us there. it was an amazing experience...a trip filled to the brim with spectacular sights, delicious dishes and an abundance of amity. thanks to those who opened their hearts and homes and treated strangers like an extension of their own family. and speaking of family, thanks to my brother for functioning as tireless tourguide and social director. your next shitake sando is on me. sugoi desu!

sayonara!

photograph by satoru tsuda

spring break, rising sun style
see you in april!

and now for something totally awesome

the second annual hello craft summit of awesome is heading west! this year they are holding their fun and informative craft conference in portland, oregon. pack your bags!

my girl friday

ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the latest member of the chickadee crew! she's going to be quite a big help and is already showing off her determination and work ethic. her resumé includes:

• ability to stand patiently and without complaint for hours on end,
• high tolerance for multiple pin pricks,
• adjustability,
• and modeling expertise.

we're still getting acquainted but soon her talents will be put to good use.

meet brandy!

she's a fine girl

snow leopard

...the elusive suburban species

carol's cat sanctuary © 2010

white-in

clouds so swift / rain snow won't lift
gate won't close / railings froze
get your mind off wintertime
you ain't going nowhere

( thank you bobby dylan )

giving back in baltimore

check out this post from the baltimore etsy street team and find out how your holiday spending can help those in need:

just click here to view the original post and get direct links to participating crafters. thanks ladies, you really are the b.e.s.t.!