Hello, readers!  I've fallen away from much of the stitching in my life, but I'm still very active in the yarn world.  My good friend Ana and I have started a knitting podcast called "[censored] Double Decreases" - come check us out on YouTube if you'd like to see what I've been up to!

Finishes at the Topsfield Fair, Plus a New Cross Stitch Pattern

Hello, readers!  I hope everyone has been up to fun things since my last update.  It's October here in Massachusetts, which means it's time for the Topsfield Fair!  This is the oldest fair in America, and it's in it's 199th year.  I had never entered a fair before this year, so I was pretty happy with my finishes!  Here's how I did.

This first piece is the Whiteout shawl by Melanie Berg.  Mine is knitted in Shibui Knits Lunar in Ash, Fjord, and Blueprint.  It's a deliciously soft, sheeny, lofty extra fine merino and mulberry silk blend.  I was very happy with a second place finish.

My second entry was an adaptation of the Sunny Days Tank by Patons (free pattern!).   This pattern is written to be knitted as a front and a back piece and then seamed together.  I knitted two separate pieces for about 3-4" so the bottom edge is notched at each side for a little bit of movement, then I joined them in the round to avoid side seams and kitchenered the shoulders together.   I used about 5 balls of Knit Picks Lindy Chain yarn in Bluebell, which is a cool-to-the-touch, summery linen-cotton blend.  This one brought another red ribbon home.

My third and final piece was the Snowflake Fingerless Gloves by Cailyn Meyer.  Originally, this pattern is written to use a dark background color and a gradient of contrast colors.  Instead, I cut out all of those color changes and used Knit Picks Chroma Fingering yarn in Black and Lupine.  Lupine has a very long color change gradient that fades from blue to purple to hot pink.  I think they turned out pretty well, and the judges must have agreed, because these mittens won a blue ribbon!

I have some room for improvements next year, and I took in some inspiration from the dozens of other beautiful pieces on display.  All in all, I'd call it a success!

"All Things Bright and Beautiful" Cross Stitch Pattern - adapted from my original embroidery pattern

Before I go, I have one other thing I'd like to share with you - I adapted one of my embroidery patterns to be a simple cross stitch, because I thought it might be easier to read than the teeny-tiny stitches over a single thread on 28-count linen.  If you'd like to purchase a copy, head over to my Etsy store!

That's all of the updates I have for today.  Happy Stitching!

-Erin

Yarn Binge! Post-Travel Report: Bermuda and Washington, DC

Hello, followers!

I've just returned from a week long cruise to Bermuda, followed by a weekend trip to Washington, DC.  I didn't take my embroidery with me on the cruise, but I did make some headway on some of my knitting projects, and I found some *lovely* locally dyed yarn during my travels!

Starboard Shawl - original design.  Should be published within the month!

I'm working on an original design for a stashbuster shawl to use up the half-balls of sock yarn I had left from Joji Locatelli's Starting Point wrap.  I call this the "Starboard Shawl" for its nautical stripes and a few subtle sea-themed details.  I'm hoping to have this published to Ravelry within the next month!  It's a little over halfway done at this point.  The main color (gray) is Shibui Knits Birch in Ash, and it's SO SOFT!  The contrast colors are from Malabrigo and Skeinny Dipping Yarn - I'll go over them in more detail once I finish the shawl.  I really do love it - it's coming together so nicely, and I'll be happy to post my first "real" pattern!

"Veda's Peacock" - pattern by Nancy Marchant

This next little WIP is Nancy Marchant's brioche "Veda's Peacock" from her book Knitting Fresh Brioche.  I'm really enjoying it!  It's my first full brioche project, and it's going well, although it's slow.  The yarns are Madeline Tosh Dandelion in Grasshopper (green) and Black Bunny Fibers Bartram in Archipelago (blue).  I don't recommend this for a brioche beginner, though - it's better to start off with some simple stripes so you can really understand the construction.

Hue Shift Afghan in progress

Did a few more squares on my Hue Shift Afghan.  This is the fourth and final quadrant - I've got 80 of 100 squares done!  My sister is knitting this along with me from Ohio, too.  I'm using the Jewel Toned color kit.

"Bermuda Cedar" and "Teal" colorways from Sheepwrecked Yarns

 I stopped at The Black Purl yarn store in Hamilton, Bermuda while we were there and picked up two of her lovely hand-dyed yarns on a merino-cashmere-nylon base.  I can't wait to start something pretty with these!  The shop was lovely and cozy, and the owner, Cindy, was welcoming and friendly.  Definitely worth a trip if you're in Bermuda!

Left to right - "Laser Space Cat" by Tempting Ewe Yarns, "Acid Bomb" by Qing Fibre, and "Van Gogh Sunflowers" by Dragonfly Fibers

When I came back from Bermuda, we went on a quick weekend trip to Washington, DC to meet up with some friends and play some Ingress.  I stopped by Looped Yarn Works in Dupont Circle and bought a few more skeins to add to my stash.  The "Laser Space Cat" by Tempting Ewe Yarns is my favorite - it's sparkly and wonderfully bright.

"Claudius Fancius Maximus" - my new ragdoll kitty!

And finally, because I know a lot of you are cat lovers, I should share a couple of pictures of my new boy, Claudius Fancius Maximus, or "Fancy" for short.  I'm officially fostering him through his rabies quarantine (he came into our hospital as a stray tomcat with a bite wound abscess about two months ago).  He's a love - and super handsome!

Fancy and Julius are tolerant of each other.

He's getting along okay with my other cat, Julius.  They're not in physical contact with each other due to the rabies quarantine, but I take him out of his room every few days to look at Julius and to feed them both some treats.  Supervised physical contact will probably follow once the quarantine is up in another two months.

That's all for today - thanks for stopping by!

-Erin

Hello hello, friends!  I'm dusting off my blog space and my evenweave and getting back into stitching!  I have been focusing A LOT on knitting over the past couple of years, so you'll see some more yarn-inspired posts in here as well.

I received an Etsy commission to stitch something for a new veterinary graduate.  Here's a progress pic:

I'm going to try to have this out within the month; I'm making good progress so far.  I forgot how fun it is to stitch!

I've decided to work on building a brand, so I'm going to be working on more patterns to share with the textile world.  Watch out for more, coming soon - I've missed you all!

If anyone has any good knitting or cross stitching blogs that they'd like to plug, I'm open to suggestions.  Just leave 'em in the comments!

Ingress Enlightened Hat Knitting Pattern

Hello, again, after a bit of a hiatus!

I have still been knitting and stitching, although blogging has fallen a bit by the wayside in light of recent events (wedding, honeymoon, craaaaazy busy work/grad school, etc.).  I wanted to check in again to share something, though!

I have been playing a Google-sponsored game called Ingress.  It's basically Four Square meets Capture the Flag, played on cell phones and tablets.  There are two teams or "factions," the Resistance (blue, or "Smurfs") and the Enlightened (green, my team, the better team).  This game requires you to get out and walk around outside, and because winter is approaching I wanted to knit something to show my faction pride and keep me warm.  My solution?  A colorwork hat!  I posted the finished object on Google+, and it kind of "went viral."  I got a ton of requests for the pattern, so here it is!

(Who knows - if I get enough requests, maybe I can even be convinced to do a Resistance hat, too.)  :)

My new Ingress Enlightened hat!

Enlightened Hat Knitting Pattern

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Black (main color, MC - 9727) and Limelight (contrast color, CC - 9607)
Needles: tapestry needle, US size 8 (5.0 mm) 9" circular needles AND US size 8 (5.0 mm) double-pointed needles*

*you can also knit the entire hat on double-pointed needles, if desired

Gauge: 1" = 5 stitches

When knitting the colorwork, make sure to leave a good amount of slack in the CC while knitting with the MC, or else the hat will be too tight.  Tack the CC into place every 3-5 stitches on the reverse side by twisting it behind the MC.

Instructions (knit in the round):
Cast on 100 stitches in MC.  Join in circle, being sure not to twist.
Rows 1-8: *k2, p2 rib*
Rows 9-10: knit all stitches

Begin colorwork
See chart below.  Chart is worked from right to left and from bottom to top.  Repeat the pattern [between the asterisks in the written instructions (*)] five times total in each row (5 x 20 stitches, 100 stitches total).

Row 1: *k10 MC, k1 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 2: *k10 MC, k1 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 3: *k9 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 4: *k9 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 5:  *k8 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 6: *k8 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 7: *k7 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 8: *k7 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 9: *k7 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 10: *k5 MC, k1 CC, k3 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 11: *k5 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 12: * k4 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k1 CC, k13 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 13: *k5 MC, k1 CC, k3 MC, k4 CC, k7 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 14: *k1 CC, k1 MC, k1 CC, k3 MC, k2 CC, k6 MC, k3 CC, k1 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 15: *k4 MC, k2 CC, k1 MC, k8 CC, k5 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 16: *k3 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k4 CC, k7 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 17: *k4 MC, k2 CC, k14 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 18: *k5 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 19: *k9 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 20: *k7 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 21: *k8 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 22: *k9 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 23: *k10 MC, k1 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Cut CC only; secure and weave in end of yarn.
Rows 24-27: knit all stitches in MC

Shape crown
Repeat the pattern between the asterisks (*) 10 times total for each row.  Stitch counts at the end of each row are listed in brackets [].
Row 28: *k8, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [90 stitches at end of row]
Row 29: knit all stitches
Row 30: *k7, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [80 stitches at end of row]
Row 31: knit all stitches
Row 32: *k6, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [70 stitches at end of row]
Row 33: knit all stitches
Row 34: *k5, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [60 stitches at end of row]
Row 35: knit all stitches
*If using circular needle, switch to double-pointed needles at this step.
Row 36: *k4, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [50 stitches at end of row]
Row 37: knit all stitches
Row 38: *k3, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [40 stitches at end of row]
Row 39: knit all stitches
Row 40: *k2, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [30 stitches at end of row]
Row 41: knit all stitches
Row 42: *k1, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [20 stitches at end of row]
Row 43: knit all stitches
Row 44: *k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [10 stitches at end of row]
Row 45: knit all stitches
Row 46: *k2tog* (repeat 4 more times) [5 stitches at end of row]

Cut yarn leaving 6" tail.  Using tapestry needle, thread cut end through all stitches in Row 46.  Secure and weave in end on reverse side.  Weave in ends on cast-on edge.

Happy knitting!

==========================================================

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Finished my Fair Isle hat!

I finished my Fair Isle hat yesterday!  I love it!  It is warm and cozy and super-soft.  I wore it out last night because I just had to show it off.

Here is a quick pic.  That's all; I just wanted to share!

Have a happy Daylight Savings Day - I hope you all got enough sleep!

Cheers,
-Erin

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

I made this awesome slow cooker chicken tortilla soup last night, so I thought I would share the recipe.  My mom sent me this recipe a while ago, but I made some minor modifications to it this time around, and it turned out fantastically well!  It is full of lean protein and makes a hearty meal.  The flavor is chili-like, although the soup is more broth-based than chili-style.  I love it - and it's a good thing, because I live alone, so I will be eating it for the next week!

Slow cooker chicken tortilla soup - garnished with sour cream, a tortilla chip, and a sprinkle of chili powder

This recipe only has four "hard" parts:

1.  Chopping the onion
2.  Mincing the garlic
3.  Shredding the cooked chicken
4.  Trying not to eat the whole pot once it's finished!  :)

The rest of the recipe is just dumping everything into a slow cooker and waiting for it to cook.  I find the easiest way to make this soup is to start the recipe in the morning before I go to work.  Then, I shred the chicken first thing when I get home in the evening, and I eat it an hour or so later.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Makes 3.5 quarts
165 calories per cup

Ingredients
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 19-ounce can dark red kidney beans, including liquid
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, including liquid
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, including liquid
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15.25-ounce can whole-kernel sweet corn, drained
1 package taco seasoning
1 cup chicken stock
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total weight)

Instructions
1.  Mix onion, garlic, kidney beans, black beans, tomatoes with chiles, tomato sauce, corn, taco seasoning, and chicken broth in 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker.  Stir well until completely mixed.
2.  Place chicken breasts on top of soup mixture.  Push to the bottom of the slow cooker so the chicken breasts are completely covered with liquid.
3.  Cook on low heat 6-8 hours.
4.  Remove chicken breasts from soup.  Shred into pieces with two forks.  Add shredded chicken back into soup.
5.  Continue cooking for another 1-2 hours to allow flavors to soak into shredded chicken.
6.  Serve alone, or garnish with tortilla chips, sour cream, and/or a dash of chili powder.

Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!  Just the thing to warm you up on a cold wintry day.  :)

Slow cooker chicken tortilla soup - garnished with sour cream, a tortilla chip, and a sprinkle of chili powder

First quadrant of Celestial Dragon - FINISHED!

Well, THAT took awhile - but here's a pic!

"Celestial Dragon" by Teresa Wentzler - first quadrant finished!

I am going to work on the bottom right quadrant next.  It only took me a year to finish this one...

I also finished a fluffy afghan for one of my pregnant lady friends!  It is slightly less square than it should be, but hopefully some blocking will tighten up the corners.

Is anybody else working on any fun projects this weekend?  Please share if you are!

Oh, and thank you to everyone who left such nice comments on my Fair Isle piece - I appreciate your encouragement!  It's always nice to know people are popping in here to look.  :)

Have a great weekend!

-Erin

My First Venture into Fair Isle Knitting

Hello, readers!

Things have settled down in my Etsy shop lately (phew), so I have been taking advantage of the lull to work on some "for fun" knitting projects.  My officemate, Jassia, gave me some lovely dusty blue Debbie Bliss cashmerino yarn for a Christmas present, and I coincidentally had most of a whole skein of gray (also Debbie Bliss cashmerino!) left from  a brain hat, so I decided I would put them together and try my hand at Fair Isle knitting.  It is surprisingly easy!  I am knitting the Fair Isle Hat from Lion Brand Yarn's free pattern database, and it is going quite quickly.  I have finished row 13 of the pattern:

Fair Isle hat - my first attempt at this technique!

I am going to try to have this hat finished by the end of this coming weekend.  I really like it!  The yarn and the pattern are both gorgeous.

I also have quite a few pregnant lady friends (congratulations!), so I have been knitting baby gifts for them.  I would post photos, but then it would spoil the surprise!  I will just tell you that I have so much lavender, pink, and white yarn in my apartment, it looks like the Barbie aisle of a toy store after a bomb hit it.

And, last but not least, a bit of stitching...

I finished my first model sampler for Deb at The Stitching Bear, so as soon as it is published (March 4), I will post a lovely picture of it here!  She is sending me another piece to work on soon - it is from her "God and Chocolate" collection.  I can't wait to get started!  It sounds delightful.

That is it for my quick update - I have a busy day in lab today and have class this afternoon, but I will be in touch!  Thank you for stopping by!

Cheers,
-Erin

Quick V-Day Update from Boston Airport

Hello, readers!  Happy Valentine's Day!

I am posting a quick update from Boston Airport, because I am heading to Houston to spend the weekend with my fiancé.  We have been together for three years, but the first time we have ever gotten to spend Valentine's Day together, so I am pretty excited.  :-)  Tonight, we are going to dinner at a French restaurant in Houston, and then we are going to spend the long weekend relaxing and enjoying each other's company. <3  I am a lucky girl.

Thank you to all of you for your well wishes over the blizzard weekend! :-) We got about 30" of snow, most of which is still piled on the sidewalks.  Unfortunately, I did lose power, so my stitch-a-thon wasn't quite as productive as I would have hoped (stitching by candlelight gives me a wicked headache), but I did manage to almost finish the bottom left quadrant of Celestial Dragon, and I finished my last brain hat and mailed it yesterday.  I will post pics of Celestial Dragon next week after I finish that quadrant! I also finished and framed the owl from my last post; now, I just need to get him photographed properly and listed on Etsy.

I do have some wonderful stitching-related news!  Sunday, I signed a contract to work as a model stitcher for The Stitching Bear, a really awesome cross stitch pattern design company based out of Missouri. Deb, the designer, sent me my first design this week, and it arrived yesterday. I can't post any pictures until the design is published in March, but it is a very cute pattern called "4 All Seasons Sampler Part 1 - Spring." Aside from getting paid to stitch a really pretty design, I also get to keep the beautiful leftover threads from The Gentle Art for my stash!  There are 23 colors in all, so I will be looking for a fun project to use the rest of the floss in.  The colors are all shown in the bright and beautiful photo with this blog entry.  :-)

Well, my plane is boarding soon, so I have to run!  Take care, everyone, and have a great Thursday!

-Erin

First Finish of the Snowpocalypse - "Wise Owl"

Well, I have completed my first finish of the snowpocalypse - "Wise Owl" by Sandy Orton. Here he is, all stitched and framed!

"Wise Owl" by Sandy Orton - first finish of the snowpocalypse!

We are getting some serious wind and snow here - including a few flashes of THUNDERSNOW!  It is pretty intense.  There are about six inches of snow on the ground, with more coming down by the minute.  I went outside and took a picture so you can appreciate just how serious "Nemo" is!

Snowpocalypse 2013 - Wollaston, MA

I hope you are all staying safe and warm - I will be back tomorrow to check in!  Next up on my stitching list is a few hours of work on "Celestial Dragon."

Happy stitching!

-Erin

Snowpocalypse Stitch-a-Thon - and a Free Snowflake Pattern!

Brrrr, readers!

Here in the blustery Northeast, we are battening down the hatches for a good old snowstorm.  The snow started coming down at about 11:00 this morning, and it is already starting to accumulate on the ground!  The weather forecast says we should get about a foot of snow by tomorrow morning, with more to come tomorrow.  Gov. Patrick has declared a statewide emergency, there is a run on bottled water and batteries at the local Stop & Shop, cars are sliding all over the roads, and Beantown is in a general state of chaos.

So what does this mean for you, my loyal readers?

Well, my office is closed for the day, and the MBTA will shut down at 3:30 this afternoon, so I am officially snowbound!  That means... STITCH-A-THON!!!!!  I am quite excited, because I am building up half-finished projects more quickly than snow is piling on the sidewalks below.  So, I will be spending the weekend happily stitching away, by candlelight if need be.  I want to finish the owl and finish my current quadrant of Celestial Dragon, as well as finish the last (pink) brain hat in my order queue.

So, in the middle of this winter storm, if you need a new project, or if you are looking for an excuse to start something fresh, I have even put together a little free snowflake pattern to help you on your quest.  :)  Here it is!

Free Snowflake Pattern

Free snowflake pattern.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2013.  For personal use only.

Dimensions:
30 squares wide x 30 squares tall
14-count: 2.1" x 2.1" (5.4 cm x 5.4 cm)
16-count: 1.9" x 1.9" (4.8 cm x 4.8 cm)
18-count: 1.7" x 1.7" (4.2 cm x 4.2 cm)

You can stitch this in any color you would like, although I think whitework would look quite nice.  For the "dots" in the pattern, you can either use French knots or seed beads for a bit of shimmer.  You could also add some blending filament (try Kreinik #032 in Pearl!) for a bit of extra sparkle.

So... stay safe, stay warm, and happy stitching!  If anyone else is stuck in this wonderful winter weather, please feel free to link to your own stitch-a-thon below!

Cheers,
-Erin

Updates on WIPs

Happy Tuesday, readers!

I have been a busy bee, as usual.  I wanted to update you guys on everything I have been working on lately (hint: it is a LOT!).  I have been getting back into cross stitching as well as maintaining my knitting workload - the benefit to knitting being that I can do it on the train on the way to and from work without looking like that crazy lady sitting in the corner, sewing, pants speckled with cat hair.  :-)

So, without further ado...

1.) "Celestial Dragon" by Teresa Wentzler

"Celestial Dragon" by Teresa Wentzler

The cross stitches in this quadrant are almost finished - I just need to fill in some more turquoises and yellows.  It is such a lovely piece!  The picture really doesn't do it justice - there is so much SPARKLE in it due to all of the blending filament.  I will make sure to get some great macro shots once it is finished and beaded to really show off all of the bling.  I should have it finished in, oh, about three years at this rate.  :)

2.) "Wise Owl" from "Hold that Thought Bookmarks" by Sandy Orton

"Wise Owl" from "Hold that Thought Bookmarks" by Sandy Orton

I am stitching this one again because my fiancé bought the pillow ornament from my shop and now has it hanging in his apartment in Houston, and I have been meaning to re-stitch him for a while to restock.  I found a tiny little whitewashed white frame at Goodwill that will be the perfect size for him!  I will be sure to post pictures once he is framed and mounted.  You can never have too many owls sitting around!

3.) Knit dishcloth in "Playful Plaid" pattern

Knit dishcloth in "Playful Plaid" pattern

This pattern is a variation on the traditional ball band dishcloth pattern.  The plaid pattern is created by wrapping the yarn around the needle three times and then dropping the stitches in the next row, then you slip the loops in the next six rows thereafter.  It is a lot easier than it looks!  You can find the pattern over at Ribbed for Your Pleasure.  For this piece, I used Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn in Sunshine (MC) and Batik (CC) on size 8 US needles, and I really like how it turned out.

4.) Cashmere brain hat - now with improved packaging!

Cashmere brain hat - wrapped to look like a surgical pack

I have been knitting these brain hats since about November now (this was my twelfth one), and the buyer for this one is a human (MD) neurologist (I have to clarify, because I know more veterinary neurologists than I do human ones).  He requested that I knit his hat in cashmere yarn, so I knit it using Debbie Bliss's Cashmerino Aran yarn in silver.  While I was packaging it up for the mail last night, I had a great idea - I would wrap it like a sterile surgical pack!  I used tissue paper instead of surgical draping, of course, and I borrowed two strips of autoclave tape from our stockroom and filled in the indicator lines with a Sharpie (autoclave tape turns black under sterilizing heat and temperature conditions, so you know that whatever you autoclave is sterile until you open it).  I hope he appreciates the humor - I think I am going to wrap all of my brain hats like this in the future!

I had some yarn left over from the brain hat, and coincidentally, my officemate also got me another skein of the same kind of yarn in a different color (dusty blue) as a Christmas gift, so I am going to be working on learning Fair Isle knitting so I can knit myself a two-color cashmere hat!  Stay tuned for pics of that project - hopefully I can finish it before spring!

I also have a lovely little pink pair of baby mittens that I am working on getting ready for my Etsy shop (because God knows I have enough pink yarn in my stash from those brain hats).  :)

So... there you have it - a little peek into my WIPs and a couple of knitting finishes!  I hope you enjoyed it.  Thanks for stopping by and for all of your wonderful comments - I hope my new readers are enjoying my blog!

Cheers,
-Erin

P.S.  If you have a minute, go check out Heather's Stitching Story - Heather is having a giveaway for some wonderful Little House/Country Cottage Needleworks patterns!  Country Cottage Needleworks is the company that published the pattern for "A Day at the Beach" by Nikki Leeman, which I finished back in October.

Cupcake Keychain - GYB Giveaway Winner!

Hello, readers,

Just a quick update to all of you out in blogland!  First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who joined my blog after the Grow Your Blog party - it looks like there are about 30 new faces on my followers list!  I definitely enjoyed checking out all of your blogs and visiting a bunch of others through the GYB party.  I will post a quick WIP update tomorrow once I am settled in at home, but I just wanted to post the lucky winner of this cupcake keychain while I am thinking about it.

One of you lucky readers won this lovely cupcake keychain!

And the winner is...

Rai Rai from Rai Rai's Stitches!  Congratulations!

I will check back in this weekend with some pics of my WIPs.  I hope everyone had a great Friday!

Cheers,
-Erin

"Grow Your Blog" event - hosted by Vicki at 2 Bags Full

"Grow Your Blog" hosted by Vicki at 2 Bags Full

Hello, readers!  Today, I am blogging about something a bit different.  I am participating in an event called "Grow Your Blog," hosted by Vicki over at 2 Bags Full.  It is a way for bloggers to reach out and meet other bloggers and other readers.  So, to start with, since I (hopefully?) have some first-time readers here, let me tell you about myself and my blog!

My name is Erin.  I am a twenty-eight year old veterinarian living in Boston.  I work at a research institution in Cambridge.  My official title is a veterinary postdoctoral fellow, which means that I spend my days reading through research protocols and journals, writing papers, and performing benchtop experiments in our lab.  I am also working on a PhD, and I am in my third year of both programs.

That's the boring stuff.  The fun stuff is, I also love crafting!  My great-grandmother (who has since passed away) taught me how to cross stitch when I was about ten years old.  I remember going through her stash at her house in Green Valley, Arizona, and picking out floss colors for my first sampler - it was two anthropomorphized rabbits standing in a field, à la "American Gothic."

Since then, I have continued to stitch all sorts of things under the sun!  In college and in vet school, I used cross stitching as a way to relax after hours and hours of studying, but over the past year or so, my hobby has really kicked into high gear.  I made my favorite finish to date, Teresa Wentzler's "Egyptian Sampler," and I have branched out into designing my own patterns, such as this Byzantine-inspired Christmas ornament.  I have sent handmade items all over the place: to Boston, to Kansas, to Minnesota, and to Italy!  I have also spent a lot of time working on my knitting skills, and I have no qualms about taking out my needles and working on a hat in the middle of rush hour on a busy subway train.

This blog details my crafting life.  Here, I write about my works in progress and my finishes, and I throw in the occasional free pattern and photo shoot.  If you want to see some pretty stitching, take a minute and browse through my 2012 finishes!

To thank you for browsing through my site, I am also offering a free giveaway!  I will send a free cross stitched cupcake keychain to one lucky reader who comments on this post.  So, if you like what you read here, please let me know, and you could receive a little gift for your trouble!

Cupcake keychain - free to one lucky commenter!

And, finally, because I am a veterinarian, yes, I have to include an obligatory word about my cat, Orange "Julius" Caesar.  He is an eight-year-old male (neutered) domestic shorthair - and he is an orange kitty, and yes, they are the best kitties.  :)  Keeping him away from my needlework is a never ending battle.

Orange "Julius" Caesar - my orange kitty!

So, thanks for stopping by and checking out my little corner of the blogosphere.  I hope you enjoyed it!

Have a great day!

Cheers,
-Erin

Happy New Year!

Hello, readers!

Now, I should start this post off by saying that in 2013, I resolve to stitch more.  Toward the end of 2012, I got a little... overwhelmed... with knitting, and I kind of neglected y'all over here because literally ALL I was doing was making brain hats, so... I apologize.  Now that I am caught up on orders, I promise to keep you guys updated with juicy stitching tidbits again!

So, to ring in the new year, I am going to show you my favorite finish of 2012, now that I have had time to get it framed.  Here is "Egyptian Sampler" by Teresa Wentzler!

"Egyptian Sampler" by Teresa Wentzler - finished and framed!

I chose a green and gold frame for this beauty because I liked the way it looks with the papyrus leaf stitching in the border.  I framed this at an awesome shop out in Brookline called The Framers' Workshop.  You take your piece in with you, and the gurus help you pick out a matching frame and matting, etc.  Then, they cut the frame for you, and they show you how to assemble the frame and frame your piece - all by yourself (WAY cheaper than taking it to a traditional frame shop)!  I had a Groupon for $100, so my total for framing two pieces and getting a mat cut for my friend Jenn was about $40 out of pocket ($140 pre-Groupon).

"Two pieces?" you say.  Yes, two - because I also picked out a lovely little whitewashed/distressed frame for "A Day at the Beach."  Here it is!

"A Day at the Beach" by Nikki Leeman - also finished and framed!

The Framers' Workshop is really an awesome place to go for framing, and there were also a bunch of "real" artists there getting their work framed, so it's legit.  :)  My only suggestion would be to go on a weekday if possible - we went on a Saturday afternoon and had to wait in line for about an hour and a half because the employees can only help two customers at once.  But if you are reading this, and you are in the Boston/New England area, you should definitely check it out!

I also received my first Etsy order for the year - and I have been commissioned to stitch a beautiful Santa with a few majestic polar bears!  I am super excited to start this piece, so I will post pics as soon as I receive it from my buyer.  Check back for updates and for progress on my other WIPs - 2012 was a great year for my budding little business, and I am looking forward to 2013!

Until later,
-Erin
Less Bitching, More Stitching!

The Liebster Award - and Pre-Holiday Wishes!

Hello, readers!

First, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Andrea at Finish Friday for giving Less Bitching, More Stitching! the Liebster Award!

"Liebster" is a German word meaning "dearest," "favorite," or "beloved."  Liebster Awards are given by bloggers to other bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers to spread the word and help newer bloggers gain wider recognition.  Here is how it works:

1.  Choose five bloggers with fewer than 200 followers to whom you would like to give the Liebster Award.

2. Show thanks to the blogger who awarded you the Liebster by linking back to their blog.

3.  Post the award on your blog.  List the bloggers to whom you are giving awards, with links to their sites, and comment on their blog with a link back to your blog to let them know that you have given them the award.

Here are my picks.  I am trying to represent a variety of art styles!  :)

1.  Rambling Thoughts on Food, Firearms, and Fun - Wendy is one of the newer blogs I follow, and as a former Ohioan/Pennsylvanian, I always enjoy reconnecting with people from my home states who share my love for the 2nd Amendment.  :)  Plus, she is a "wicked good" crochet-er!

2.  ThirtyOne13 - Robin is a very gifted stitcher who has a fabulous collection of completed cross stitch pieces.  I met her on Etsy and have enjoyed reading her blog for several months!

3.  Hallbrook Designs - Missie is actually my neighbor from way back, when I used to live in Ohio!  She makes lovely quilts and also dabbles in day trading during her "free time."  :)

4.  Starry Nights Studio - Alissa has beautiful stitchery and paper designs, and she kicks ass because she also does all of her framing in house!  That is totally impressive.  Her stuff is GORGEOUS!

5.  Etsy Needle Arts Team (EtsyNEAT) - This is a collaborative effort from a bunch of stitchers on Etsy.  I really like this blog because there are frequently contests including members' needlework, so it's really nice to see what my teammates have come up with!

I am somewhat caught up on my brain hats - I finished all of my Christmas orders last night, so now I can work on my post-Christmas orders (4 total, plus a few extra for inventory if I get bored).  My stitching has taken a back burner to the Christmas frenzy, but I can't really complain.  I am still trying to finish up a few of my personal Christmas presents, but they shouldn't take too long.

I should add that today (Friday, 12/14) is the last day to place orders from my Etsy shop before I go on vacation for 2 weeks - otherwise, if you order later, you are going to have to wait until 12/28.  I have had a great first year; I met my goal of 20 sales, and the brain hats are really star sellers!  I also added a gray brain hat to my inventory yesterday, and it is already gaining favorites and has been featured in a Treasury.

New item in my shop - brain hats are now available in gray!

So, with that, I will bid you adieu - have a happy Hanukkah, or merry Christmas, or amazing Kwanzaa, or festive Festivus, or whatever holiday you choose to celebrate!  See you in a couple of weeks!

-Erin

BRAINS!!!!! a.k.a., My New Brain Hat :)

Wow.  I have been SWAMPED.

It all started back on about October 29, when my friend and co-worker asked me to knit her a "brain hat."  Quite literally, it is a hat that is knit to look like a brain - you knit a hat, and then you tack on 15-20 feet of i-cord artfully arranged to look like gyri and sulci.  I was intrigued, so I made her one.  Here is the finished product:

Knit brain hat - perfect for your zombie-phile friends!

Then, I figured, as long as I had one finished, I might as well take pictures and list it on Etsy.  So, I did... and HOLY CRAP.  The thing has taken off!  It is already in 10 treasury lists, and it has had over 300 views.  I got an order from Italy for another one right away, as soon as I finished this one, and I have had requests for a bunch more, so it looks like I will be knitting brain hats for the forseeable future.  That may not mean much for all of you stitching fans, but at least it is a passable excuse for why I have been neglecting my blog!

If you want to check out the Etsy listing (or if you would like to buy a hat - only $50!), you can click here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/114737296/pink-brain-hat-thinking-cap-hand-knit.  I can also knit them in other colors if the pink is too girly-girly for your taste.

I was hoping to get a bit more stitching done before Christmas, but I don't know if that will be happening or not.  I wanted to finish a big stitched piece (no specifics, it's a surprise!) as well as make a few more ornaments, but between Etsy and finishing up my project for the Handmade Holiday Gift Exchange, my stitching seems to be taking a backseat to knitting.  I guess that's okay - I tend to knit more in the winter anyways, and it's much more suitable for gift-giving because it's so much faster than cross stitching.  Plus, I still have about a month left before Christmas Day, so maybe I will have time to catch up.  I will just have to be that crazy lady knitting in the corner of the subway car every morning.  :)

I suppose I should get back to work - I traveled to West Palm Beach this past weekend to visit my fiancé for Thanksgiving, and I just got into the office this afternoon.  Lots of catching up to do - busy, busy, busy!

Take care, everyone, and thanks for stopping by!

Cheers,
-Erin

Bumping - Handmade Holiday 2012 Gift Exchange

Hello, readers!


Here is a link to Elfster to enter the exchange:
http://www.elfster.com/exchange/view/6974686/020ed2/


I wanted to re-post this once more as the deadline approaches. A few weeks ago, I posted a Handmade Holiday 2012 Gift Exchange and invited anyone interested to enter.  I have had a few responses, but I am extending the sign-up deadline to Sunday, November 11 and promoting the exchange more to drive some more interest.  This is a really great way to share your creative talent with a new friend - or, you could just use it as an excuse to de-stash.  :)

Just for a reminder, here are the rules:

1.) Make something handmade that you think would make a great holiday gift!  It can either be a craft made from a pattern or an original creation.
2.) Materials cost limit of $10
3.) Labor cost - no limit, up to your discretion, but please invest some time and thought!  Make something you can be proud of.  :)
4.) Sign up by Sunday, November 11, 2012
5.) I will select gift exchange partners on Monday, November 12, 2012.  This gives you approximately one month to get your project ready.
6.) Mail your gift by Saturday, December 1, 2012
7.) US and Canada residents only, please.  This is just so nobody has to pay an exorbitant amount on shipping or worry about customs - although if I receive interest from a few people from the same non-US/Canadian country, I will definitely consider changing this rule.
8.) If you sign up for the exchange, please subscribe to my blog - that way, if there are any updates, I can post them here for the participants to read.

I am also working on my wrap-up from my Trans-Con Stitch-A-Thon - stay tuned for details, including 5800 miles of knitting, In-N-Out burger, and great aerial pics of the Rockies over Salt Lake City!

Thanks for stopping by!

Free Banana Pattern and My Trans-Con Stitch-A-Thon This Weekend

It's FRIDAY!  Thank God; it has been quite a work week.

I have a confession to make.  I travel a lot (my fiancé lives in Houston, and I live in Boston).  I also like to travel.  As a result, I have low-tier Medallion frequent flier status on Delta.  There is an established ritual/rite of passage within the frequent flyer community known as a "mileage run" - basically, you buy a low fare to fly several thousand miles for the sole purpose of acquiring SkyMiles to earn or keep elite status.  If you have ever been to FlyerTalk.com, there are dozens of fora devoted to such endeavors.

Why does this matter?

Because I am crazy enough to actually be mileage running this weekend.

My itinerary?

Boston, MA to Detroit, MI
Detroit, MI to Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City, UT to Oakland, CA
Oakland, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA to Detroit, MI (redeye)
Detroit, MI to Boston, MA

All in all, I will fly 5800 miles in about 25 hours.  This includes about one- to two-hour layovers at each airport.  I have SkyClub access courtesy of my credit card, and I got upgraded to first class on both of the legs through Oakland, so I plan to spend most of the trip stitching and sipping cocktails (even if I have to pay for a few in the air).  :)  Not a bad way to kill a Saturday, eh?

If anyone wants to follow along on my Twitter (@LesBtchMoreStch), I will tweet updates and/or pics from every stop.  Look for #TransConStitchAThon hash tags!  I will also have a post-trip debriefing blog entry on Monday.  I may make a quick blog update en route, too.  I am really excited!  I realize some of you may think I'm crazy, but I have been looking forward to this ever since I bought the tickets in August.

Oh, and because it's been awhile since I posted a freebie, here is a free cross stitch banana pattern for you Internetters.

Free banana cross stitch pattern. For personal use only.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2012.

Use DMC 973 for proper banana coloring.  :)

Wish me luck!  This is my first mileage run, so hopefully I am back to normal on Monday.

See you soon, readers,
-Erin