Flower Scoodie {Crochet Pattern}



I wish that I had a better picture for this scoodie, but unfortunately, it was one of those projects that I finished and then wrapped right away.  I made this for my pre-teen neice, who I thought would enjoy the bright colors and unique design.

Flower Scoodie:

Hook Size: I
Worsted weight yarn, three colors

Chain 16, dc in third ch from hook and next 13 st (14 st)  *you can make this wider if you like, just add more chains and st across the row.
R2: ch 3, turn, sk first st, dc in next 13 st.
Repeat row 2 until your scarf is a desired length for your recipient.

For the hood:
Find the center stitch of the scarf and place a marker.  count from the marked stitch outward on either side and place a marker at 17 st.

R1:  Join MC with a sl st to one of the outer marked st.  Ch 2, dc in each st across to the other outer marked st, moving center marker up a row. Turn.
R2: ch 3, dc in each st until one before marker, 2 dc in next st, dc in center marked st (move marker up), 2 dc in next st, dc to end.
R3-8: repeat row 2.
R9: Ch 2, dc in each st until 2 before marker, dc2tog, dc in center, dc2tog, dc to end, turn.
R10-15: Repeat Row 9.
R16: Fold hood in half and either sl st across through both sides or FO and use a long tail to sew the seams together.  Weave in ends.

For Scallop Border:
Attach contrasting yarn to one of the corners of the scarf with sl st
*Skip next 2 st, 7 dc in next, sk 2 st, sc in next*  repeat around.  You may have to adjust the length of one of the shells depending on the length of your scarf.  Make sure that you finish a scallop at the corner, then turn the corner and start another scallop.  Work this way around the whole scoodie, FO and weave in ends.

Flower:
Round 1 : ch 2 , 6sc in second chain from hook, join in beg sc
Round 2 : ch 1 , sc in same sc as beg ch 1,ch 2 (sc in next sc, ch 2) around, join in beg sc
Round 3 : ch 1 ,( sc, 3hdc,sc) in each of ch-2 spaces around, do not join
Round 4 : working behind petals, bpsc around first st of round 2, ch 3 , ( bpsc around next st of round 2, ch 3) around, join in first bpsc
Round 5: ch 1 , (sc,5 dc, sc) in each ch-3 spaces, do not join
Round 6: working behind petals, bpsc around firt bpsc of round 4, ch 4 (bpsc around next bpsc of round 4 , ch 4) around, join in beg sc
Round 7 : ch 1 , (sc,7 dc, sc) in each ch-4 spaces, fasten off.


Sew buttons to center of flower and attach flower to scoodie.



My Pattern Experience: Bohemian Shawl




My Pattern Experience: Bohemian Shawl

I made this shawl in about three days, near the end of fall getting ready for winter wear.  I love it!  I get a million complements on it, no matter which way I wear it.  I used just one color instead of a variegated yarn to bring out the pattern and love wearing it with a greatly contrasting shirt underneath.  The pattern is really easy, and when I made it, I learned a technique new to me- a single crochet foundation row.  I love this technique now and often not only use it, but also double crochet foundation rows to start large pieces.

After you get the first five rows worked, it's just three rounds repeating which decreases as you go, which means that it gets easier as you go along.  When you're done, you just work the edging and you have this beautiful shawl to show for it!  

I used a larger hook, I think it was an "I", and I used Caron Simply Soft and love the way the shawl drapes.  The other great thing about this pattern is that you can wear it in many different ways and it is quite warm.

Long and Lengthy Cowl {Knitting Pattern}


Long and Lengthy Cowl
Use a medium weight yarn, size 8 circular needle.

Cast on for the length that you want it to be, in my case I made it extra long- I can wrap the cowl three times around my neck.

R1: K around
R2: P around
R3: K around
R4: P around
R5-9: K around
R10: P around
R11-15: K around
R16: *YO, k2tog* around
R17: *k2tog, YO* around
R18-20: Repeat R16-17
R21-25: K around
R26: P around
R27-31 K around
R32: P around
R33: K around
R34: P around
R35: K around
Bind off with last row using the three needle method.


This is one of the first cowls that I ever made, it works up very quickly and very easily.  This is a great beginner project.  Enjoy!

Encouraging Children in Crafts- No Sew Pillows and "Baby" Quilt for the Beginner


As someone whose life is so totally entrenched in the arts- from photography, drawing, printmaking to yarn art and sewing, I encourage my children on a daily basis to create and think creatively.  When they're bored, I try to set them up with arts and crafts.  Sometimes I have a lot of time and we make something elaborate, and others it's a fleeting learning experience made from popsicle sticks, toilet paper holders and glue.  

One of the most important things to remember when teaching your children (or other people's children) about art is that it is one subject that is totally subjective.  What is aesthetically pleasing to one person is not to another, what meaning I draw from a painting will probably differ from the meaning you draw from it.  This is not to say that either is wrong, with most art it is the reaction, the discussion, the feeling that determines the success of the art.

It is ok to make mistakes, it is ok to draw a purple ladybug (c'mon, many artists have had a weird streak!), and it is ok if it doesn't look like it could sell at a gallery, let alone a shelf at walmart.  It is the creation, the exploration and curiosity that make teaching art so much fun.

Here are two examples of where I had to let go of perfection (the kind I would expect from myself) and let my kids have fun with it.

Zebra Pillows


We were at the craft store one day and I always have to go to the clearance section- sometimes you can get great swatches of fabric for super cheap just because it's small or the last of a roll.  I found this awesome zebra fleece which I estimated from the measurements should be enough to make two small throw pillows.  I set this fabric aside for a rainy day and when it came, it was the easiest craft ever and the girls were both totally entertained.  

How it's made:  
Cut two squares of fleece about 4-5 inches bigger than you want your pillow.  Cut 1" strips about two inches in all the way around the squares (holding them together).  Tie matching strips together around three edges, lightly stuff with poly fil and tie knots around half of the remaining row.  Add more stuffing if needed, finish tying knots around.

How to encourage your children to help:
I have a 3 year old and a 7 year old.  I pretty much let my 7 year old do her entire pillow by herself.  She was able to cut the strips, tie all the ties and stuff the pillow.  (I think she did need some help with a few ties but she did 99% of the pillow by herself)  For my little one, I cut all the strips and it was a good lesson on how to try to tie knots.  She especially enjoyed stuffing the pillow.  They both love their pillows and display them on their bed, and it makes them proud to show someone what they made!


Simple "Baby" Quilt for the Beginner


I had been sewing up a storm and my 7 year old girl had been watching me begging to do a project of her own.  I set her down with some different fabrics, told her to cut some squares of matching sizes and that took her about an hour.  We packed everything up and the next day she began making rows.  It's a simple straight stitch to make a row of four blocks, three times. Then, she sewed the three strips together.  She picked a solid fabric for the backing and I attached the border for her.  Then, she picked a zig zag stitch and "quilted" all over the blanket.  (I think this was her favorite part)

No, it doesn't look perfect, but it's a great first try.  She loves it, and "gave" the blanket to her baby, who sleeps under it on her zebra pillow in bed at night.  


I love encouraging my children to develop themselves through art- Whether they want my yarn scraps from when I'm weaving in ends, or if they're using our old toilet paper rolls, I want them to explore their creativity, discover their likes and dislikes, and find yet another way to express themselves.

Is there a way that you encourage your children through crafting? Leave me a comment!

Two Ways Boot Cuffs {Crochet Pattern}



Two Ways Boot Cuffs {Crochet Pattern}

This is a unique pattern as you can adjust it for your needs, in fact, it's necessary to have good measurements prior to starting and if you're making them for yourself, try them out as you go to make sure that you get a good fit!

Hook Size: H
Worsted or sport weight yarn (go to a G hook if using sport weight)

Pattern:

Determine the height that you want on your ribbed section.  You can choose to have them short, as pictured above, or long, so that you are able to fold the ribbed section over.  Chain as many as you need to obtain the height that you desire.  For the example above, I chained 11.  Make sure to make a note about how many you used for when you make your second cuff.

R1: sc in second ch from hook and each ch to end, ch 1, turn
R2:  (in back loops only) sc across the row, ch1, turn.
Repeat Row 2 until you have enough length to stretch around your calf.  Remember that you want it slightly smaller than the place on your leg where you will wear it, so that it stays snug and doesn't slide.
FO, leaving a long tail for finishing.
join the first row with the last row to make a tube, sewing them together with your tail.

* If you just want a ribbed cuff, you can stop here. For the shelled side, continue on.

Join yarn to one of the sides and continue as follows:

R1: ch 1, sc, *ch 3, sk 2 st, 6 dc in next sc, sk 2 st, sc in next st*  repeat around, joining with sl st in top of first sc.  Pay attention to where you are, as you may need to adjust the length of one shell depending upon how many rows you ended with to fit your calf.  You don't want to make it too snug either as the shell doesn't stretch as well as the rib.
R2: sl st to top of 4th dc of first shell, ch 1, sc in same.  *7 dc in sc between shells from previous row, sc in 4th sc of next shell* repeat around, joining with a sl st in top of first sc, FO, weave in ends.

Make a second using the same chain amount from the beginning of the pattern to ensure they're the same.

Enjoy your new boot cuffs!

My Pattern Experience: Bernat Diamonds and Tweed Blanket



My Pattern Experience: Bernat Diamonds and Tweed Blanket

This was one of my first large crochet projects.  I started it YEARS ago.  Literally YEARS.  I enjoyed the pattern of the blocks because it was unique yet easy.  I remember getting through a large chunk of the squares and then putting it aside.  When I picked it back up, I finished the squares but never seamed them.  Then, about a year ago, I started seaming but I chose to be lazy and try and cover up a bunch of ends with my seaming.  It didn't work so well, so I ended up setting it aside. I pulled it back out when I was going through all of my WIPs that I had thrown off to the side, knowing that if I could just buck up and finish it, that I would have a complete blanket with minimal effort.  I ripped out all the seams, sewed in every end, and reseamed it.  I still don't like how the seams turned out, and if I were to start it all over, I know that I would be able to do it better this time around with many more years of experience under my belt.  I gave it away though, got it out of my house and hopefully the recipient likes it, because I don't want it back in my house!!  Pretty pattern, but so glad to be done with it! :)

Oval Pig Trivet {crochet pattern}


My mother loves pigs.  She had asked me a couple of years ago to make her an oval trivet and I kept trying to make one work, and finally got something I more-or-less liked with this one.  It really looked ok for a while, but I made it double thick(for heat tolerance), and when I added the second layer, I don't know if I just did a poor job of joining them, but I wasn't as pleased as I could have been with the edges.  Mom loved it though (as a good mom should), and all is well.  

This pattern is really rough, I didn't write things down as I went along and am now writing them from memory.  If you notice any errors or find any solutions to problems, feel free to leave me a comment and I'll make the appropriate corrections.

Oval Pig Trivet

Materials:
1 skein Pink worsted weight yarn- probably best to use a cotton or other heat safe yarn, but I knew my mom would never use it for more than either decoration or as a table trivet after things had cooled a bit, so I used Red Heart)
Small amount Black worsted weight yarn
Small amount White worsted weight yarn
Size H Crochet Hook
Embroidery needle (for weaving in ends)

Instructions:

Body (Make 2)

*For the body, think about working a circle, but you are inserting a straight section into the middle of two opposing sides of a circle.*
chain 11
R1: 4 dc in 2nd chain from hook, dc in each of next 7 ch, 5 dc in last chain. working on other side of chain, dc in next 7 ch, sl st in top of Ch2.
R2: ch 3, dc in same, 2 dc in each of next 4 dc, dc in each of next 7 dc, 2 dc in next 5 dc, dc in each of next 7 dc, join to top of ch3.
R3: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next *2 dc, 1 dc* repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc, 1 dc* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R4: ch 3, dc in same, dc, dc, *2dc, 1 dc, 1dc*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc, , 1dc, 1 dc* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R5: ch 3, dc in same, dc, dc, dc *2dc, 1 dc, 1dc, 1dc*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc, , 1dc, 1dc, 1 dc* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R6: ch 3, dc in same, dc, dc, dc, dc *2dc, 1 dc, 1dc, 1dc , 1dc*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc, , 1dc, 1dc, 1dc, 1 dc* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R7: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next 5 st *2dc, dc in next 5 st*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc, dc in next 5 st* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R8: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next 6 st *2dc, dc in next 6 st*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc,dc in next 6 st* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R9: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next 7 st *2dc, dc in next 7 st*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc,dc in next 7 st* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R10: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next 8 st *2dc, dc in next 8 st*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc,dc in next 8 st* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R11: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next 9 st *2dc, dc in next 9 st*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc,dc in next 9 st* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R12: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next 10 st *2dc, dc in next 10 st*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc,dc in next 10 st* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R13: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next 11 st *2dc, dc in next 11 st*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc,dc in next 11 st* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.  FO, leaving a tail for sewing two body pieces together.

Snout:
In pink:
R1: 4 dc in 2nd chain from hook, dc in each of next 7 ch, 5 dc in last chain. working on other side of chain, dc in next 7 ch, sl st in top of Ch2.
R2: ch 3, dc in same, 2 dc in each of next 4 dc, dc in each of next 7 dc, 2 dc in next 5 dc, dc in each of next 7 dc, join to top of ch3.
R3: ch 3, dc in same, dc in next *2 dc, 1 dc* repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc, 1 dc* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.
R4: ch 3, dc in same, dc, dc, *2dc, 1 dc, 1dc*repeat from * three more times, dc in next 7 st, *2 dc, , 1dc, 1 dc* five times, dc in each of next 7 dc, and join to top of ch 3.  FO, leaving a tail for sewing on to face.
Lines on snout- attach a strand of black yarn through the middle of the piece.  Surface slip stitch crochet two vertical lines for the nostrils.

Eyes:

Whites (make 2)
Using one size larger hook than you did for the body:
R1: 4 dc in 2nd chain from hook, dc in each of next 7 ch, 5 dc in last chain. working on other side of chain, dc in next 7 ch, sl st in top of Ch2.
R2: ch 3, dc in same, 2 dc in each of next 4 dc, dc in each of next 7 dc, 2 dc in next 5 dc, dc in each of next 7 dc, join to top of ch3.  FO, leaving a tail for sewing to face.

Blacks (make 2)
Using smaller hook:
ch 3 and join to make ring, ch 1, 12 sc in ring, join to top of first sc, FO, leaving a tail for sewing.  If you stitched over the starting yarn tail, you can pull tight to close the hole in the center.

Ears and Legs (make 4)

Chain 10
R1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and next 7 st. Ch 3, turn.
R2: dc2tog four times.  ch 3, turn.
R3: dc in each of 4 st. ch 3, turn.
R4: dc2tog twice. ch 3, turn.
R5: dc2tog, fo, leaving tail for weaving in.


Assembly:

Sew the black part of the eye onto the white part of the eye.
Position your snout, eyes, ears and feet with pins until you're happy with the placement.
Sew each piece on to the front piece of the body (not both pieces yet!)  When you place the ears and feet, sew them about 1/4" below the top/bottom of the piece on the back side.  When you join the back body piece, it will enclose them within.
After all body parts are attached, sew the front piece to the back.  I recommend also stringing your yarn into the center parts of the pig and tacking the front and back together throughout.








My Pattern Experience: Yes Yes Shawl Crochet Pattern Review


My Pattern Experience: Yes Yes Shawl by Vickie Howell

I had originally made this shawl for one person and then changed my mind and gave it to another at the last minute.  I regret not having taken a picture of it, it really works up beautifully!

The pattern is just 13 rows, which means that it works up pretty quickly, and I opted to use a larger hook- I think I used an I or a J rather than the G that the pattern called for.  I used Caron Simply Soft yarn, which I frequently use for crochet shawls because sometimes they don't have a very good drape with other similarly weighted yarns but the simply soft just has a gorgeous drape, especially when you go up a hook size or two.  My only complaint on the pattern is that it's a little on the smallish side, which means that there isn't much versatility in how many different ways that you can wear it.

Regardless, it's a beautiful shawl and I do have plans to make at least one more... if only for myself!

Machine Knitting- Day 2

The Ultimate Sweater Machine Saga, Day 2

So after working hard into the night trying to figure out this beast of a machine, I finally decided to pack it up and give up and start fresh in the morning.  I brewed a pot of coffee, put on the dvd and followed along with the lady as she set up the machine.  I was reassured I had been doing everything right.  Then, she goes and starts the first row of yarn and so do I.... WHOOOSH.  My carriage flies right across the needles, and doesn't knit a stitch.

WHAT DID I DO WRONG??

I rewind the video, go back.  Everything is the same.  Here goes nothing, I think.  WHOOSH.  This time, a beautifully knit row!  WHOOSH.  Another row.  WHOOSH.  and again!  I think I'm getting the hang of this.  WHOO-CRUNCH!  My carriage is jammed.  WHAT?  I was doing so well!  The video says to tug on the hem a little to wiggle it around.  The carriage is freed, I continue to the end, no problem!  Yay!  WHOOSH.  success again!  WHOOOOOOOOOOOOSH.  Whoa that went way to fast and I have half a row done and the other half not.  The video says to pull out the row.  (Which looks easier to the woman on the video than it does at my table)  Ten minutes later, I'm back to whooshing.  Then, WHOO-CRASH!  the hem and the whole piece drops of again.  I give up and bind it off.



I'm still pretty impressed with myself- here's the small sample that I ended up with.  More testing will definitely be required, but this is much farther than I made it last night.  Another attempt, or two or three will be made.

However, here are four freeze frames that I took from the video that are super helpful in understanding most of the written directions in the book.  (Maybe I should read that again now that I've watched the video)





These pictures show you the four different needle positions.  It's important to understand that unless the needles are in the Working Position or the Forward Working position, the needles won't knit.  Sometimes it's hard to tell which position that you are in, but these pictures can help you with getting going. 

 Well, I've successfully completed one swatch, now I'm off to try for some more.  I think with these, I'll work on some different binding off techniques too! :)




Adventures in... Machine Knitting!

So every once in a while I get a crazy mood going and I have to try something new.  I've been making some awesome new custom crochet hooks to sell and today I set myself down to try some machine knitting.  I've obtained "The Ultimate Sweater Machine" from some reviews that say it's the best hobbyist machine and if it works for my purposes I might upgrade to a fancy electric machine, but for now, this is where I'm starting.

The intent of this post (or series of posts, as it might turn out to be) is not to teach anyone how to use the machine... I'm hardly qualified for that after just one day of playing with it- but instead to document some of the coolness (or flaws) that I've found and either try to help you understand your new machine, or learn something new about your old machine or even just to encourage you to try to play around with something new.

For my experiments today, I've got the ball of Caron yarn that the machine came with, as well as several other balls of varying types of yarn that I want to test.  My goal today isn't to actually make something (though that would be nice) but to at least figure out how to set up and work the machine.  Hopefully it won't be hard and here goes nothing!!!




So I read the full instruction manual earlier while my kids were at swim lessons, and silly me, I also decided to skip watching  the informational dvd.... Even though there's several large warnings to not begin until you have.





After two hours, I managed to finally get a good panel going... when.... my whole piece dropped off the machine!!!

There's also no real paper instruction included on how to use the exchangeable plates for different yarns.  I read that I can use bulky yarns and would sometime like to try those, and also I noticed when I started using the lighterweight yarn I started dropping more stitches.

I had several problems where I was dropping the yarn or skipping stitches.  Then of course the coup de grace was when the whole piece fell off.  I had actually gotten to a point where I was feeling pretty good about the whole thing.  Oh well.  It was just a trial and I'm leaving that piece to rest until tomorrow so I can see how the gauge worked up anyway.






... and perhaps I'll watch the dvd.



Do you have experience with machine knitting?  I would love to hear your experiences!  Feel free to leave me a comment! :)








iBitz Activity Monitor for Parents and Kids - Product Review

There's been a lot of technical advances in the way that we track our activities and fitness in the past couple of years.  We have graduated from simple pedometers that you clipped on your belt into the realm of technology that you wear all the time and it tracks your steps, activity and even sleep.  Of course, this, along with other factors has lead to a push for a healthier society (which is good imho, as I think children spend too much time watching tv and not being active- which is partly in the fault of the parent!).  I have a Fitbit, as well as I have tried several other monitors as a tester and wear mine almost religiously (except for when I take it off to shower and one of my children makes off with it).  I find that it motivates me to get up and move, which is important since most of my ventures have me sitting down.  

Recently, my daughters teachers all started wearing pedometers and tracking their steps schoolwide.  The teachers all had a contest going on to see who could get the most steps.  This really encouraged my daughter to make sure that she was getting active and she kept asking me if I would buy her a Fitbit.  Not willing to spend that kind of money on something that she was more than likely to lose, I started doing research on buying just a simple pedometer but wasn't ready to buy anything for her yet.  

Then, as if by some cosmic force, I got an email from Best Buy asking if I would like to review a new brand of child/parent combo activity monitors.  Suh-weeeeeet!  Sure thing I said!  About a week later, my daughter got her wish PLUS a whole lot of fun to go with it!!   



The adult version came in black and the kids is this neon orange that my daughter loves.  It is iPhone/iPod 5/iPad specific, so make sure that you have one or more of these devices before you get it.  I personally wish it were on Android, as most of the devices in my life are android powered.  We own one iPod and we're lucky it worked for the testing of this device.  It's very specific on which versions it will work with.  I hope in the future that they expand this to allow for android and perhaps even some older versions of ipods.  


The adult version tracks your steps, distance and calories and you can wear it on your hip or your shoe.  It seems pretty accurate.  The kids versions tracks steps, and then uses these steps to allow your children to "earn" game time and power their Geobotz character.  The app for the adult monitor is marketed as "a unified family app", and will sync multiple devices so you can monitor your children's progress.  

Pros: 
 The kids device is pretty awesome.  I love the idea of earning game time through physical movement and the games are ones that kids will love. Parents can set the goals and rewards for the child and even allow for rewards of screen time, adventures with parents or even coins and content on Disney's Club Penguin. 
I also love that it will sync with the parent app, though I'm not sure how it works in terms of distance as we only have the one ipod and I am unable to test syncing across multiple devices. 
It's pretty accurate and the colors are fun for kids (7 different colors, in fact!) rather than just black like the adult version.  
Comes with an extra battery (though gives you no indication as far as how long these batteries should last)
Low cost in comparison to other models, such as the Fitbit or Jawbone Up.
wirelessly syncs to your iOS Bluetooth 4.0® (BLE) phone or tablet
Water resistant.  (I don't need to say more. As a parent, this is important)

Cons:  
Apple only products.  (I really don't like it when companies do this... so limiting!)
No display to show your progress without a device handy (like I'm going to let my 7 year old take the ipod to school)
I wish it came with a band to wear as a bracelet or other form of attachment.  I just don't think children can resist messing with them.  (though that would probably also be true of a bracelet)
No GPS is included on the kids monitor, which would be useful if it was perhaps only used as a locator?

Overall, the concept is so cool and it is a great vision of what is to come in the future to help keep adults and kids (and whole families) active together!

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

8 Months to Christmas! Kick into Gear!

With the start of the summer, comes outdoor activities, less crafting time and more heat!  Smaller projects are a virtue during the summer, so that you don't overheat.  This is the time of the year to make hats, mittens, socks, and all those other small projects!  That isn't saying that you shouldn't work on blankets, especially if you live somewhere that you have cool nights!  I myself have switched to working motifs for blankets since it's getting warmer!
Well, without further ado, welcome to May!  May should be a big time for finalizing portions of your list and knocking out a couple of projects!  Trust me, you'll feel better if you do!  Time to review our lists!

Here's how mine looks after April's work:

Must Craft For:
Queen Bee  -   Shawl like black and white one/snowflake  
Striker – single serving treats/pies in jars/something food/hotpads/snowflake {blanket 2013}
Lily – tiny animals, totoro set, a bed sized blanket/snowflake
Lucy – animals, aquabats anything, TMBG dolls, bed sized blanket/snowflake
MIL - snowflake/hotpads/socks{blanket 2012}
SIL - cowl/snowflake {blanket 2013}
Linney – socks/mittens/snowflake(something knit)
Hubs -  Extra big & long blanket/sampler style?

Would like to craft for:
Aud - snowflake/hotpads (something knit)
Kynz - fingerless mitts
Efan -  Creeper hat
Humph - mittens/cardi?
Shep - hat?
V -  snowflake/horse something?
FIL – Green Bay Packers Blanket/club covers?
STLM - club covers? {blanket 2013}
GGJ- Snowflake/hotpads
Soo- Snowflake/hotpads

In Progress:
club covers
sock testing
cowl for SIL
Testing for socks and mittens
Testing for blanket designs for the girls

Designs to do:

Completed:
All snowflakes for misc people

All of the items that are stricken out are finished, the blue highlighted items are in progress, the green highlighted items are ones that I have something in mind and the yellow highlighted items are in the planning phase.  As you can see, I've finished some of the bulk work that I wanted to do and have made some headway on both testing and work on projects for people.  I've also worked on refining my list to pinpoint people that I have figured out or ones that I need to work on ideas for them.  This month, my goal is to finish off the two projects that I currently have in progress and work towards the designs for several others.  

Goals for May: 

Pin down the final designs for all remaining people that you haven't started projects for.
Finish at least one small project and work on a larger project.
Be able to cross at least one person off your list!


As a bonus, here are some quick and easy projects that you can try to cross some people off your crafting list!

Lace Scallop Hat (Knit)

Unforgettable Hat (Crochet)

Sifu Soap Sachet and Scrubbie


Soft and Sweet Heart Sachet
Bulky Stacked Shell Cowl
Luxe Cowl

There's some quick and easy projects to get you started.  Here is hoping you can finish a project or two this month!!!  

(Oh and hey, shouldn't I get props for being on time this month??  *bows*)