Paper Platypus Esty Store

Die Cut Flowers website

My friend and fellow crafter just bought me the book ‘Printing by Hand’ by Lena Corwin. Her timing with this gift was perfect as I’m trying to find more activities that don’t involve sitting hunched over a glowing computer screen. So, here’s my first print, which was inspired by the yellow bobble flowers that I have near my desk. If anyone knows what these flowers are actually called, I’m very curious.

Gauyabera Apron

A couple of months ago I woke up one Sunday and decided I had to spend the day rummaging through bins of vintage mens’ shirts and then make aprons out of them. I have no idea where I got the idea – maybe I was having a very bizarre dream (we have been watching a lot of Dexter lately – Florida, Cuban-culture, Guayaberas…maybe?) But unlike most creative impulses I get, I actually followed through with this one and made 3 aprons that I’m pretty psyched about.  I got really inspired by the Guayaberas with their pin tucks and cool pockets, which could be mixed and matched on the aprons.

Wrangler/Guayabera reversible apron

Upcycled aprons

This pattern is so fun to make and not as hard as it looks. I picked up the pattern at Twisted in Portland, OR a couple months ago, but just started it a couple weeks ago. At first I was so confused how to do the dropped-stitch knitting, but found this visual explanation (warning: seizure-inducing website design): http://www.learntoknitcalgary.ca/articles/CYCA-22.htm

I can’t wait to make lots of things with this bubble wrap pattern!

This is my first hat with a foam insert. If I just keep my head turned a little bit it doesn’t look so bad. But head on, it’s a little wonky. I followed this Two Way Beanie pattern on ravelry.com

This sweater started in Boston and ended in San Francisco. It’s my first baby sweater and is for an expecting friend of mine in Colorado. The yarn is the Organic Simply Cotton yarn from KnitPicks. The pattern is free from f.pea

This was the culinary marvel that emerged when we combined camping, beer-drinking, expertly whittled skewers, fire, bacon, cheese, hot dogs and turning thirty. We submitted it to thisiswhyyourefat.com, but it didn’t make the cut.

I’m about halfway through my first sweater. This is a pattern by Zephyr Style. It’s a great pattern for a first sweater, because it’s fast and not too monotonous. The woman who sold it to me at Twisted in Portland, OR, told me that the sizes ran big, so I knit a size small. The measurements matched up, I even knit a swatch this time to make sure my gauge was right – all this and it looks like it will barely fit a petit 5-year-old. My other disappointment is with the change in yarn colors – I guess that’s a risk of working with hand-dyed yarn, but now there’s a big line running through the middle of my chest. I’m not giving up. Going to see it through to the end, maybe it’ll all work out. But I’m starting to worry that this will another one for the bottom of the knitting basket. Pillow filling?

One $2 box of fudge brownies + 1/2 an apple from the bottom of the fridge = LOVE!

I love this yarn – so many shades of brown. This is from Blue Moon, hand-dyed 100% merino. I tried to get away with not having double-pointed needles in the size I needed and knit it flat on straight needles, which led to a messy seam up the outer edge. Need to learn how to do nicer seams.