Mary Kate Vest

Another new and FREE pattern available from the Caron website.... I made this on the beach this summer and it was super quick. The yarn is so soft and the sparkles are not at all rough. I made one for the local yarn shop in 1 day, yup one day... it's that quick.

My sample is in Cascade Yarns Sierra, and it goes into the washer and dryer!!

Crochet vests are everywhere this season, go make your own!

Getting Loopy

Last night 3/28/11 I was the guest on a crochet podcast called Getting Loopy. To hear the podcast click here.... it's about 45 min.

Scroll down, it's about half way down on the right side of the screen, but I think it starts automatically.

Enjoy!

A Letter to Remember

Last week I recieved an email from Brenda:

Kimberly, you are everywhere these days, and I couldn’t be happier for you! My Spring 2011 issue of Interweave Crochet arrived today, complete with your Freesia Pullover.

So, once again, congratulations on having another of your designs featured. I am looking forward to crocheting this one (although considering the length of my “to be crocheted” list, it could be awhile!). Thank you for including, as Oprah might express it, us “women of size” in the pattern instructions. An XL often is a touch tighter than I’m comfortable with wearing.

Having read your blog from time to time, it is obvious you are a lovely, engaging, and incredibly self effacing woman. How wonderful it is to see such a nice person making her mark in a big way in the crochet and knitting world!

Brenda

My Response:

Brenda-

I am very sorry I haven’t responded to this earlier, but quite frankly I couldn’t come up with the right words to thank you.

Your note has made me so very happy, it will be one of the nicest gifts I will ever receive. I can read it when I am feeling low or when I need inspiration, or even when I get a nasty email.

Your note has touched me in such a way that I really am…… speechless (hard to do for a jersey girl like me!).

It makes me happy to know that there are still people out there that take the time to simply be……well, nice.

I will never forget your letter. Thank you-

Kimberly

I love Brenda!

Spring

It looks like Spring around the house, but it is snowy and gross outside! Looks like it is a good day for hunkerin' in and finishing up some Spring projects.... stay tuned for the finished pictures on Friday.

I made this prayer shawl over the weekend for our friend Patty who needs it.... I hope she enjoys the warmth it brings her and prayers that went into it - and I hope she wears it for a long, long, long time.

Yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy and I made it with 2 skeins, I just crocheted until I ran out of yarn. Pattern here. I threw the whole thing in the washer and dryer and it came out beautifully.

New Pattern

I just noticed this morning that a new pattern of mine is now available! I LOVED making this little girl's tunic this past summer, it was quick and fun to do. I hope you enjoy the pattern.... it's FREE! When I was making this for the little girls, I thought you know, I would make this for me without the flowers and ruffle bottom and make it a dress - with simply soft it wouldn't cost a fortune and would look really cute with leggings and boots (and easy to clean). Stay tuned, I may get on that soon!

Last night was St. Patricks Day and you would think with a last name like McAlindin (pronounced Mac a lindin) that this house would be smellin' like corned beef and cabbage, right?

NOPE!! Mr. Fantastic is not a fan (although I love it) so I made a first for us - a different type of "wet meat" Parppadelle with beef ragu.... it was fabulous. I used this recipe and while it takes a long time to make, it is so easy and well worth the effort. I also used packaged parppadelle because I had it in my pantry - but next time I am going to try to make it fresh. Speaking of fresh..... fresh baked crispy bread, holy cow it was so good and easy. Recipe here.

It wouldn't be St. Patricks Day without this!

Have a great weekend!

PS for all you followers of Otis, yes I did finish my deadline and I did not let the "miss fancy pants designer" comment slide.

The Difference Style Makes

Here is a perfect example of the difference styling makes in your life. I made this cardigan a few years ago and it was published in a crochet magazine. I loved this design, as did anybody who saw me making it. I thought it was a quick cute everyday sweater that could go over jeans or a sundress - a really versatile garment. And then, the magazine came out and to be honest? my heart sank. Here is the picture that was published in the magazine:

Yep, it looks like a cabled square box.... I couldn't believe how crappy the sweater looked. I really thought that the sweater looked better on my dress form than in the picture.

Today I was checking out my projects on Ravelry and noticed someone nominated this sweater for a Crochet-a-long. It was on the Red heart website and it was being offered for free. And better yet? It has a new fabulous pattern. Remember, this is the same exact sweater in all three photos - pretty amazing isn't it?

So, when you have a boring everyday outfit on (we all have them, currently I am in exercise clothes) put on a great necklace, scarf - wear a bright coat and see how much better you feel...... I know I do!

Friday Starts With F.....

Well folks, Otis here.... yes miss fancy pants designer is freaking out and is too busy to post, so I thought I would let you in on what's happening here.

My human it seems cannot figure out that March 15th is coming up pretty quickly, I thought it odd that she was extremely calm on Monday (1 week before mail date for the deadline) and she really hadn't done much work on a new design that's due. Now, my human? she can bang out a crochet garment in no time, I know, I've seen it... but this design, this design is knit.... and it has lace and it has some funky neck thing (I'm a dog, give me a break on the specifics)! She went to bed on time this week, no extra caffeine in the afternoon, nothin' so I thought, cool - this will be a piece of cake. You all know where this is heading, right?

It's 12:42 in the afternoon, she still has her jammies on - she did feed me, so that was good - glasses no teeth brushed, you get the picture she has gotten up and down about 50 billion times to measure her mannequin, come back rip something out - measure again, talk about how she wished she inherited her father's math brain instead of his legs.... and the cycle continues.

Actually, it's pretty comical for me and to really tee her up? Every time she gets up to measure, mumble and slap on that calculator thing: I swipe her spot....

Have a great weekend.... my human isn't going to !!

PS I also gave you a little sneak peak of the garment...... Otis out.

Chain Reaction

Chain Reaction is my newest self-published pattern. The idea came from the very talented and super-fly Meera of Knitknack (she is also the model). There is a Crochet-a-long starting at Knitknack tomorrow and I will be there to help with any questions and changes anyone wants to make.

Check out the AWESOME mailing that went out about this.....

I am so lucky to be a part of such a special shop!

Photos by Glenn Cho (the super cool ones that is, not the plain jane one I did!)

Spring is Coming!

Howdy! Yes, I have been busy, nope, can't show you a darn thing! So sorry about that, but I do have some news (actually I have quite a lot since I have been blowin off the blog!) I am going to spread out my news over the week so I will for sure blog on Wed and Friday of this week.

First news is that another one of my designs is in Interweave crochet this month! It is called the Freesia Pullover and I loved making this. It is done in herringbone crochet... all in one piece from sleeve to sleeve and then the ribbing is added after.

This design is written up to size 52" bust, and the directions for the larger sizes are a bit different with shorter ribbing around the middle and more herringbone in that so-cool slenderizing vertical line.

For a sneak peak at the rest of the designs in this issue, click HERE.

See you Wednesday!