Pugsley

 

Those of you that have followed my blog for a while are aware of how important the dogs are in our house. I'm always looking for a way to support our local Humane Society because living in a relatively metropolitan area means plenty of homeless animals and animals in need of low-cost medical assistance. So...

 

Even though it's supposed to be spring, I know in many (ahem most) places around the country it still feels like winter. What better way to keep your head warm than with a new hat?

 

Here is Pugsley, a beanie-style hat knit out of Spud and Chloe Sweater.

 

Pugsley is knit in the round with snout and ears knit separate and sewn on. Pugsley's eye patches are done in duplicate stitch, with buttons sewn on for eyes.

 

 

 

Pugsley is available in three sizes: Baby/Toddler (Child, Small Adult), shown in Baby/Toddler size on a 17.5" head.

 

Finished measurement: 16 (17.75, 19.5)" circumference, hat will stretch to accomodate a head approximately 2" larger.

 

Yarn:

Supd and Chloe Sweater in Toast (MC), and Rootbeer (CC) - 1 skein each.

 

Needles:

US 7 - 16" circular and set of 5 dpns (or size needed to obtain gauge)

 

 

 

 

All proceeds from Pugsley will be donated to PAWSibilities: The Humane Society of Greater Akron. Thank you for helping support our animals!

 

 



Bring Eli Home Hat

Knitters are kind and generous people (I'm sure you know that by now). My friend Mary is one of those people. Let me tell you a quick story:

Sara Edwards is the mother of a three year old Eli, who in March 2010 became the victim of parental abduction. Eli left the country on a planned trip to Turkey with his father. Only after they left did Sara find out that the father, Muhammed, had no plans to return to Ohio and had managed to secure a divorce only a few days after arriving in Turkey. Since then, Sara has worked tirelessly to fight for custody and to bring Eli home to Ohio.Of course this fight comes with a cost. Many events have been planned to help raise funds for this cause. 

So of course, Mary did what many yarn crafters would do: she decided to write a pattern and sell it with all proceeds going to the Bring Eli Home fund. 

The Bring Eli Home Hat is a slouchy hat worked in a crocheted seed stitch pattern. The detachable strap is used to cinch the hat around one's head. This fun and easy pattern and would even be a wonderful "learn to crochet" project. 

This pattern uses approximately 300 yards of worsted weight yarn on an H (5.00mm) hook. 

The pattern can be purchased here on Ravlery. I believe that the pattern can be purchased with or without a Ravelry account.

If you would like to donate to Sara's work to bring her son home, you can do so here.

Yarn Raffle Update

A great big THANK YOU to Margaret of JaNicki Photography for taking beautiful pictures of the yarn for the raffle! 

The Yarn Raffle is Now Open!

To enter, please visit my secure donation site. One raffle entry is a $5 donation. When making your donation, please be sure to enter "Yarn Raffle" as well as the number of the lot for which you are entering and a piece of contact info like your Ravelry id or an email (i.e., Yarn Raffle: Lot 2, SusieQ on Rav). Because it is a secure site I will be able to see your name, donation, and comment but no other information. If you are uncomfortable with this and wish to enter through PayPal, please contact me and I will send you the information. You may enter as many times and for as many lots as you wish. You may enter into the raffle through May 7. Winners will be randomly drawn on May 8. The yarn prizes will be sent to the winners within the following week. Good luck and thank you for your support!

This information will be posted in a page which you can find at the top of my blog, below the title bar.  You will also find there specific information on the yarns in each lot as well as additional items included in the lots.

Yarn Raffle Lot #1

Yarn Raffle Lot #2

Yarn Raffle is Open!

The Yarn Raffle is Now Open!

To enter, please visit my secure donation site. One raffle entry is a $5 donation. When making your donation, please be sure to enter "Yarn Raffle" as well as the number of the lot for which you are entering and a piece of contact info like your Ravelry id or an email (i.e., Yarn Raffle: Lot 2, SusieQ on Rav). Because it is a secure site I will be able to see your name, donation, and comment but no other information. If you are uncomfortable with this and wish to enter through PayPal, please contact me and I will send you the information. You may enter as many times and for as many lots as you wish. You may enter into the raffle through May 7. Winners will be randomly drawn on May 8. The yarn prizes will be sent to the winners within the following week. Good luck and thank you for your support!

Lot 1 

This lot will also include a set of two 2"glazed buttons that are yet to be photographed.

Lot 1 on Ravelry has all the specific yarn info.

Hand dyed 100% merino wool fingering weight

2 skeins of Aslan Trends Tango in Salt and Pepper

Koigu KPPPM in color #P217 

Play at Life Fiber Arts in By the Spoonful (sport weight)

Creatively Dyed Yarn Sock II in tonal greens

Araucania Patagonia Nature Yarn in color #201

Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Semi-Solid in Apricot

Hill Country Yarns Sweet Feet Sock Yarn in Chocolate Covered Kisses

Malabrigo Yarn Lace in Polar Morn

Malabrigo Yarn Sock in Turner

Home Knits pattern book

Lot #2

This lot will include a set of three 1" glazed buttons that are yet to be photographed.

Lot #2 on Ravelry with all specific yarn information.

TOFUtsies sock yarn 

Mountain Colors Twizzle in Moccasin Trail

TVYarn Sock Yarn in Gunsmoke

Ironstone Yarns New Wool in #102

Iconoclast Yarn Worsted in Elegy

Schachenmayr Goa in color #52

Berroco Mosaic FX in colors #4610 and #4607

Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend in Violetas

Rowan Cotton Tape in color #541

Hand dyed 100% wool, worsted weight, 220 yards

Home Knits pattern book

I'll be updating this as soon as I get the pictures of the buttons. Also, my friend Margaret has agreed to retake the pics of the yarn for me so I'll post those too! 

Yum

I just spent some time photographing some yarn for the raffle and I have to tell you, these skeins are so wonderful it's going to take a lot of self-control not to keep them myself! If you make a donation and win, you will most definitely be in for a treat. I guess I should also mention that you will not be purchasing an actual ticket, you will be making a donation through my fundraising site (or you can use PayPal) and I will ship the yarn to your home.

Another teaser....

Donated by Martha of Craft Akron

Donated by me

"You take pictures of your yarn."

My dear husband said this to me in front of his parents a few weeks ago. I was telling him to quit teasing me and he said, with the straightest poker face I've ever seen from him, that I really do take pictures of my yarn. As though I had forgotten. And yes, it is true. Like many Ravelers, I use the pictures to keep track of my stash. I like it that way.

Lately however, I've been taking pictures of yarn that has been donated for the Bark in the Park raffle. I've had some very generous donations of yarn and even some buttons from Landen Road (check out her recently updated etsy shop)! I'm really excited with all the yummy yarns that will be available. There's a great selection on hand dyed yarns too from Karin on Ravelry and Martha of Craft Akron.

Hopefully we have some sunshine tomorrow so I can finish the yarn photography as I plan on opening the raffle April 1st. In the meantime, I'd like to offer you a couple teaser pics of some donated yarn that will be available to win. Try not to drool too much...

Donated by Amy

Donated by Cher

Bark in the Park: One Last Howl-Out Before the Raffle

I would like to start by thanking all who have donated. I truly am amazed by your generosity. I would like to acknowledge Caroline (carolknits513 on Ravelry) who made a donation of gorgeous yarn. I would also like to acknowledge Judy from My Sister's Yarn Shop (mysisters on Ravelry) who donated as well. I was so full of appreciation that I'm still not sure that I thanked her properly!

Now, one last call for help. I'm hoping to collect at least one more skein of yarn in order to be able to raffle off two, even lots. I am so excited and grateful that you folks have been willing to donate as much as you have. To be this close to offering two full lots is beyond what I had anticipated. All donations need to be to me no later than March 31st as I would like to have pictures of the raffle lots up and available on April 1. If you are local, contact me and I'd be more than willing to pick up any donations from you.

Additionally, if you have other fiber or fiber related items you would like to donate (spindles, project bags, notions, etc.) please feel free to. I'm all about compiling two awesome lots that will have people drooling over!

Finally, I am pleased to let you know that I am registered for the Bark in the Park fundraising walk! You can visit my pledge page here or click on the button at the top of my sidebar. On that page you will see the status of donations made and be able to make a donation for the raffle. Raffle information will be posted on this blog as well as on Hazel's Story on April 1.

Thank you again for your willingness to help out a cause that is near to my heart. The pups thank you for it too.

Lazy Sunday

I'm finally starting to feel normal again after Wednesday's fiasco. I spent most of yesterday laying in bed and trying to get my amigurumi project for the Stitch 'n Bitch swap ready. I had a project planned, but the more of it I crocheted, the less I liked it. My swap partner is Andi, a fun, funky lady and I wanted something that would suit her. I finally settled on a project last night and got to hookin'. I crocheted for four hours last night and some this morning. I've assembled all the pieces and voila!

Any guesses?

Yarn donations are starting to roll in! Please consider helping if you can :Bark in the Park: Please Help

No Knitting

It's been one of those weeks. It didn't start out as such, but it's turned out to be one of those weeks. I haven't had much to post about because not much knitting has been done. On my way to meet up with my Akron Stitch n' Bitch ladies on Wednesday, I got into a car accident. Needless to say, I didn't make it to SnB that night. 

My little Ruby is mangled and I can't drive it because some sort of car business is rubbing against the tire which apparently could cause the tire to heat up and burst or the tire well to ignite. Neither are good situations. Since my car is registered and insured out of state, I have to wait until Wednesday to take it to the body shop. However, my insurance does cover a rental while it's in the shop so I won't be immobile forever. 

In knitting news, the SnB ladies are having an amigurumi swap on Wednesday so I need to get cracking on that project over the weekend, I have two midterms in my TESOL classes next week, and we're moving classrooms at work. Ugh. It looks like next week may be one of those weeks also. Hopefully not. 

Again, a great big thank you to those who have already donated to my Bark in the Park fundraiser. If you haven't and can help, please consider. Yarn donations will continue to be collected throughout March.  Bark in the Park: Please Help

Product Review

I was planning on updating you on some projects I have on the needles today but it's almost 7pm now and dark. Since I haven't photographed any of the projects, it'll have to wait until tomorrow. Instead, I thought I might do a little product review:

Knit Picks Nickel-Plated Knitting Needle Tips:

For Christmas, my dear husband bought me the Options Interchangeable Harmony Wood needle set from Knit Picks. I was very excited as this is what I had asked for (and had added to the basket on the website and then emailed him the link). All the Options sets come with needle tips ranging from a size US4 to US11. That was fine. However, for my Montana Tunic I needed a US13 and US15. So back to Knit Picks I went. I decided to order the Nickel-Plated version of the needles instead of sticking with the Harmonies, just to try them out (and because they were less expensive). They showed up at my door fairly quickly considering Knit Picks is based on the West Coast. When I opened up the box and pulled out the needles I was surprised by how lightweight they are. Very nice. I tried to learn to knit on aluminum needles that were heavy and too slippery so I was a little nervous, but these are not heavy at all. I was also concerned with the slip factor but to my new-knitter surprise, these were not too slippery. However, if you are a more experienced knitter or prefer super slippery needles, these may not be slippery enough. These needles felt comfortable in my hand and helped my knitting to continue at a slightly faster pace. I really love the Harmonies (a review for another time) but if you already own the set and need alternate or extra tips, I would definitely suggest the Nickel-Plated tips. 

Thank you to all that have already offered to donate yarn for the Bark in the Park fundraiser! Thank you also to those who have posted about this fundraiser on their blogs! I truly appreciate it. Donations will continue through the end of the month so if you can, dig into your stash. Perhaps there is a skein of lovely yarn that you know in your heart of hearts you will not get around to using? If there is, please consider donating to this cause: Bark in the Park: Please Help

Also, you can continue reading about Hazel's story here.