love is in the air

make a date with craft!

this chickadee's first craft show of the year!

more information to come...

alice the camel

it is slow going with the sewing at the moment...a combination of too much hot chocolate and too much time spent watching snow fall. the white winter blanket outside reminded me of the warm indoor blanket just bound-off and bound to be a prezzie. the lacy chunky throw by wenlan chia of twinkle knits had me at "hello i look so very soft and warm and luxurious." knit with size 19 needles and yarn that looks like dreadlocks, the toughest part of the pattern was tackling the bigness of it. once you get used to the super sized silver needles and the creepy feeling of knitting with nappy dreads, the rest is a breeze. the lace pattern is quite forgiving and friendly for those of us who sometimes forget to yarn over.

and best of all, the pattern is free! classic elite manufactures the suggested yarn for the throw, twinkle soft chunky. and they are offering a free download of that pattern from their website. this chickadee wasn't able to track down the twinkle soft chunky around this town, so i settled for cascade magnum. four skeins and just about four nights later, voila! the lap of luxury.

finally finished

no new sewing to show you just yet, instead take a look at a knit project that seemed never-ending. the knit centerpiece treasure throw from lion brand was indeed a treasure to behold on their website. and early knitting was a breeze thanks to the small circumference. but as the stripes broadened the project became tedious, taking hours to complete one round! (also, the pattern wasn't too precise and there wasn't enough yarn to go around at least twice.) patience and perseverance won out in the end and now this throw is ready to be the belated wedding present it has always wanted to be.

heaven in a handbasket

it is back to the business of bolts and bobbins here at chickadee central.


i love the smell of freshly laundered fabric in the morning...

the united states of love

phew, so much excitement has already been packed into the week, and it is only wednesday! when the going gets tough, the tough get going. so this chickadee is getting tough and getting out of town. that means a little blog break until next week. you kids behave, see you soon.

daily chickadee

goodness gracious.
a feature in the daily candy? somebody please pinch me.

click on the article above to read more!

many thanks to erin from the daily candy who contacted me out of the blue with an interest in these pillows! she wrote the sweet little article seen above. to see the pillows for yourself, check out this chickadee's newly minted etsy shop.

little shop of chickadee

finally!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade thischickadee.etsy.com

nary a month into the new year and this chickadee is knocking out a new year's resolution. 2009 is the time for all good chickadees to spread their wings and branch out in the dot com world. in that spirit, it is with great delight that we here at chickadee central announce the opening of our very own etsy store. over the next couple of weeks the chickadee crew (bernie the bernette 65 and new friend joanie janome) will be working on stocking the virtual shelves and stitching together more items to showcase. stay tuned!

DIY textile design

scoot on over to hellocraft to learn more about spoonflower, an online site where you can create your very own fabric!

oh! you pretty thing

there are several reasons for this chickadee's current crazy knitting crusade. the craft show season coming to a end coupled with hopeful holiday present making and a growing addition to ravelry...that's one. the other culpable culprit is christianna of knitting pretty in dc. between peeking at the beautiful projects on her blog and absorbing her considerable knowledge at the monthly redeem knit night, she's been quite an inspiration. not only can she work up anyone else's patterns, she can also pen a few of her own. she's just starting to share them and her first foray fits this chickadee to a t.

the pretty bird neckwarmer is a cabled cutie that will chase the chill off of your nook. it fits close and comfortable and can function as a make-shift turtleneck under your winter coat if you aren't feeling like bulking up below. there was just enough manos silk blend leftover from the calorimetry to make a matching set. with just enough cabling to keep it interesting and not too much to be confusing, this is a fun, concise knit that buttons up without being buttoned-up.

icy hot

the calorimetry pattern from knitty has been making the rounds on ravelry since its release in the winter 2006 issue. seems like it is reaching its peak of popularity right now, and while this chickadee isn't much for band wagons, she sure is one for warmth in the winter. the calorimetry covers up the ears and keeps them cozy. thanks to the button in the back, it can go on and off without disturbing a perfectly placed ponytail.

it took some doing to get this headband done. the first time through with worsted weight yarn it came out too big and bulky. the second knit-through with dk weight yarn and smaller needles (6 us) turned out just how goldilocks would have wished...just right.

the manos silk blend yarn is also enough to make goldilocks pass on the porridge. another yarn out of uruguay that is hand spun and hand dyed by a women's cooperative, it is as smooth as its name suggests and a wonder to work with. the icy cool of the wildflower colorway caught my eye did not disappoint. you'll be seeing more of it soon...