Everyone is wearing skull hats with flowers adorning them. I just found the perfect pattern! You'll also need this and this. I think we should do a crochet-a-long, Jamma. What do you think?

3 of them I like. 2 of them -  not so much! I'll get pics of them later. Gotta bug hubby... he has a system for uploading the photos from the camera and he doesn't want me to mess it up.

Once again I am inspired. This time I've been inspired to make potato-stamped note cards! Love them!

Ok, there is a lot of hullabaloo about making your own beaded stitch markers on all the knittiliscious blogs out there. Glampyreknits gave me inspiration while I was at Walmart.... I bought some memory wire rings and a bunch of yummy beads! I can't wait to get started!

I also bought 6 balls of Red Heart Cozy Wool in the green to make my sweater. The red was too red, the beige is icky, the heather grey looked not so grey in the store (ick!), no black and the cream - I have a couple of cream sweaters so I thought green would be a nice change :) I still want the pink and black, though!

Walmart sells big bags of yarn for $4.97. I bought 4 bags of the same variegated yarn for an afghan. I'm excited about starting it too. It should go rather quickly as it is knit with 2 strands held together and it's knit using 8mm needles!  YAY!

I also bought  myself one ball of Hemp Yarn! I bought the 4-ply as opposed to the 2-ply. I'm thinking dishcloths, but we'll see. It would make a great onion sack (only I didn't purchase enough).

Did I mention that my Walmart is HUGE? And the craft section - is HUGE!

On the way home, I had so many bags that I decided to take the bus (although it is really walking distance - prolly 'bout 15-20 min.). A lady getting on behind me said "Walmart is for people who make $20,000 per year and the rest of us who make real money can shop at Canadian stores."  After we were on the bus, the same lady looked at me with all of my Walmart bags rather condescendingly.... or sympathetically? I had the feeling she was thinking something like, "Oh, isn't that nice that Walmart opened up for this poor little dear who has no money?" I laughed and skipped all the way home.

She sells her crocheted items on eBay..... and they sell. Hmmm.... I want to too! I also want to figure  out my own pattern for the sock monkey poncho and hat and the scarf! :) Love 'em love 'em!!! I LOVE sock monkeys!

Although I haven't posted much in the last couple of days, I have been adding new links: more tutorials and more free pattern links. I have to finish that scarf still. I think I'm about 1/2 way done. Maybe I'll work on a cross stitch. Not sure! I'll have some more  pictures up soon. :)

I'm dying to know what the suprise(s) are on Knitty.com! They'll probably wait until February to give us a "lift" out of the February blahs! I still can't wait, though.

Yesterday was my birthday party which was nearly completely ruined by the snow storm we had. My in-laws weren't able to make it since they live so far. Oh well, how about a "birthday month"? My dad, Marian, Grandma, Tina and our cousin Dionne all made it.

I got up in the morning, cleaned the house, made birthday cupcakes, shovelled the snow and went shopping with Ross, then shovelled again!

My Grandma remembers things about my childhood that I was too young to be able to remember. She made me a chocolate birthday cake with chocolate icing. She told me that it was my great Auntie Louie's recipe and that she always made it for me when I was little. Gram told me that I loved those little silver ball candies and Auntie Louie always put them on cupcakes and cakes for me. So Grandma made a lovely circle and filled it all in with those little silver ball thingys! The funny part is that I made chocolate cupcakes and had looked for those little silver balls in my grocery store and was disappointed to discover that they didn't have them!

Grandma also gave me some money for my birthday. I now have enough to buy the wool to make the simple sweater from Knitting Pretty!

We all sang "You are my Sunshine" before everyone sang "Happy Birthday". I actually think "You are my Sunshine" is highly appropriate for a birthday! Fun fun!

What does this post have to do with knitting or crochet? Nothing really. I gave Marian her checkerboard set. Tina ordered a scarf for herself when she saw the one I am working on for Craig.

Can't resist. With the new Darth Tater out (isn't he cute?), what do you expect of me?

Make Star Wars Marble Magnets

Star Wars Fairisle Patterns (charts)

Star Wars Origami and some more and another cool one (he even folds Winnie the Pooh and Piglet!)

Crochet Star Wars Squares (Scroll down...way down...)(wouldn't it be fun to make an afghan??)

You must check out Knittingfool.com. You'll find free interactive sweater pattern generators! You'll also find a huge stitch catalog. There aren't pictures of the patterns, however. I'd love to knit my way through her site!

If ever you're feeling stumped or bored with a plain old pattern, spice up your life with a new stitch. What a gem this site is!

This is a .pdf file. You'll required Acrobat Reader to view it. Some people are very strange.

Interweave's Piecework. Check out the Table of Contents. I'm most excited about the "Knit, Felt, and Embroider a Backpack" pattern. It's really beautiful. There are lots of wonderful historical articles and an article entitled "Needleworkers of the North: The Inupiat and Yup'ik of Alaska" crammed with historical facts and museum photos. This magazine is jam-packed full of juicy crafty stuff. There is something for everyone in this one. Jamie, you need this magazine.

Creative Knitting Magazine. You can preview this one online on their website. I bought this magazine for the shawls, stoles and scarves. They are rather dreamy. The Fireside Comfort Afghan was the real kicker though. It's knit with 4 strands held together! 2 solids (2 different colours) and 2 variegated. It's knit with 12.75 mm circular needle! I also love the Entwined Squares Table Runner. This is not for the faint of heart. This pattern is rated 4/4, for the Experienced knitter. Interesting stitches are used: Double inc, 2yo, hide wrap, Ssk-p. I'm eager to knit this one up.

Here is a small note: I had already done this whole post. Then, my screen refreshed and brought me to my blog's main page. Lost the whole shebang. Angry? Damned right! Ok, on the post:

I love love love my Chibi. These are curved tapestry needles in a cute little holder. I find the curved needles make weaving in the ends and sewing things together much easier, particularly if the item is crocheted. They are nice and sturdy too. I hate those little blue plastic ones that split at the top of the eye. ARGH! I bought my Chibi at the CSNF in October, 2004.

This is the Clover "Kacha" Knitting Counter. It is really wonderful. So much better than those stupid little things you "slide" over the needle. They always come apart at the precise wrong moment and I hate that you have to have them in a variety of sizes to fit all of your needles!! Also, those "slide-y thingies" aren't very practical if you are circular knitting. I gave my kacha to Ross to use as a lap counter at the gym. Lap counters start at $14.99 and my kacha was really cheap. I thought I'd just be able to run over to Walmart or Lewiscraft and pick up another. Only problem is, they don't carry them anymore! Now I've only been able to find them online! If you see you, BUY it!!

Next on my list are these and these.

Other than the fact that I actually finished the skull wrist cuffs, there's not much doing. It's snowing hard. I have to go shovel. Maybe I'll knit myself a snow blower.

Last night I was completely spoiled by my hubby. Body shop yummy stuff (I love the Lemon Tea and Body Butter is my personal favourite), loose leaf camomile tea, 2 lbs of Costa Rican coffee, a big box of Maple Tea, and Witchcraft: A Secret History.

Dinner was my favourite. Fondue! He knows just how to spoil me!

The new issue of Vogue Knitting is on sale! Yay! A perfect birthday present to moi. I think I'm going to hit Chapters on the way home!

I think Her should hold off on all gift-knitting and crafting and maker HERSELF something for a change!!!

I want to make "simple sweater" out of Knitting Pretty. The wool I want to use is Red Heart Cozy Wool and I need 5 in Oxford Grey or 6 in red or cream or black or green or pink.... That's what I want for my birthday. That's it! The good news is, you can get this at Walmart!!

I'm in love with these Morehouse Merino Original Bear Paws Mittens. I may experiment to figure out how to make them. They look so easy, don't they?

We all remember the Alien Illusion scarf in Stitch 'N Bitch by Debbie Stoller, right? People are creating their own illusion knitting patterns around the web. Want to know how? Want to know what other people are making? Check it out!

Illusion Knitting How-To and Illusion Knitting: Another Sample

A Skull Illusion Scarf (link to pattern)

Picture of a Purple Hearts Handbag

Knitster Illusion Scarf and the Cardtrick Chart (both from the DIYNetwork)

Knitting Interrupted did a search too. Here's what she came up with! (list of links)

Favourite Quote of the Day: "You ain't shit if you don't knit."

Please check out Cogknitive! Love it!

Ross bought me this lovely phone and a lovely accessory kit which includes this stuff:

    A car chargerA headset

A travel charger and  A case!

I've been wanting & needing a new phone for a very long time! I love it!! I feel a knitted cozy coming on.....

iPod Tube Sock

Pics and Patterns on Craftster

C'mon people! Sheesh.