The Whole Knit & Caboodle

Barely coherent ramblings of a yarn-obsessed stay at home mom

This Little Piggy..

Amis are your friends!  At least they’re my friends.  I’ve been making a LOT of amigurumi lately.  My most recent guy is modeled after a certain storybook pig you might recognize.  It all started when I was asked by a local photographer to make a Piglet hat and diaper cover that she could use in her newborn sessions.  I poked around a little and looked at some really cute sets but (and being an indie designer myself I hate to admit this) I didn’t want to buy a pattern if I could come up with my own.  I was so happy with the hat that I was inspired to create a Piglet “lovie” (a mini blanket with a head and arms).  “How adorable would those cheeks be if done right?” I asked myself.  SUPER ADORABLE.  After I finished the lovie, I went on to write up a pattern for the rest of his body.

Pork 2 ways?

Pork 2 ways?

The pattern was sent off to my group of testers today and with any luck the pattern (which includes instructions to make both the lovie and the stuffie) will be up in my Ravelry and Craftsy shops around this time next week.  As with any of the new patterns I release, there’ll be a chance to win a copy and I’ll have an introductory special running for a few days.

Another little friend I finished recently was Patchy Patch, the favourite stuffie of Binoo, the cat from the show Toopy & Binoo.  I kinda love him too, even though we don’t often watch the show at our place.

He's a happy little guy :)

He’s a happy little guy 🙂

If I’m not careful, I’m going to become one of those old ladies who drives around with a million stuffies in their car’s back window.  You know the ones I’m talking about.  😉

Patchy Patch is now available on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/stores/the-whole-knit–caboodle

as well as in my Craftsy store: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/toy/patchy-patch/45169

I’m also running a BOGO sale over in my Ravelry store, entere the coupon code MADBOGO to take advantage of it!  Sale ends Sunday night!

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Liebster Award!

Phew!  Sorry I’ve been MIA for a little while!  Things have been a little crazy around here the last little bit.  Everyone in the house was sick, I’ve been backed up with orders- it’s just been hectic.  I haven’t forgotten about my lovely little blog though and I have a bunch of tutorials and other goodies lined up for the next little while.

A little while back I was nominated for a Liebster award!  I’m kind of a born-again blogger (I used to blog quite a bit, it was actually how I met my husband) so I had never heard of this Liebster thing.. but it sounds like “Lobster” so it must be a good thing, right?

From doing a little research it’s a way of helping newer blogs or blogs with smaller followings (less than 300) get some attention.  A little background about the Liebster- it originated Germany (after I read this it made sense, liebe is German for love).  Liebster is “dearest” in German.

When you get a liebster from another blogger, there are a few things you have to do:

-Answer 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you

-Post 11 facts about yourself

-Nominate 11 blogs

-Ask your nominees 11 questions

Here are the questions I was asked by my nominator, http://stitchscience.wordpress.com/:

1. Why did you decide to start a blog?

I started this blog to sort of go along with my Facebook business page.  On my page I mainly post photos of the knitted and crocheted items I make but I also wanted a place where I could post the other crafts I’m working on as well as let people get to know the “hooker” behind the hats 😉

2. Tea or Coffee?

Tea.  Though I’m living in western Canada now, I was born and raised on the east coast.  I like my tea strong (strong enough you can stand a spoon up in it is a phrase I’ve heard more times than I can count) and though I drink mainly orange pekoe, I also like green and oolong teas and have been known to sip an herbal infusion from time to time.

3. What are you proudest of?

I’m proud of a lot actually.  I’m proud to be the mother of the most amazing little girl- she’s smart, polite and funny.. and just the right amount of crazy.  I’m proud of the little business I’ve started and the patterns and crocheted items I make/sell, I’m proud of the person I am- mother, wife, friend.

4. What is your favourite thing in the room you are in right now?

Though not technically a “thing”- I have to give this one to my husband.  We drive each other a little crazy sometimes but he’s loving and supportive and the best father I could imagine, he is tolerant of my crafting addiction and he makes me laugh a lot.

5. If you could have a super-power what would it be?

I don’t know if it counts as a super power but I’d like to have an answer to all the random questions that pop into my head at 2 am when I’m lying awake and humming Lips Inc’s Funkytown to myself.  Questions like “How long would my hair be if I’d never had a hair cut?”.  Not important questions, just ones I’ll never have the answer to because they’re silly.

6. What is your ideal way to spend a weekend?

Hanging out with my husband and daughter- shopping, lunch- just wandering around as a family and enjoying each other’s company.

7. What is your favourite book?

I have SO many favourites I couldn’t possibly choose just one.  The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, A Moveable Feast, Roots, White Oleander.. the list goes on and on and on.

8. If you could go back in time, when would you go back to?

The late 50’s/early 60’s to hang out with Audrey Hepburn.

9. What’s your favourite season?

Fall.  Hands down.  I LOVE it.  The coolness in the air, the smell of the leaves- I just want to fill my lungs with it.  It reminds me of the nervous anticipation I had as a child starting a new school year, Halloween ❤

10. Who do you admire the most?

My mother.  She is one of the strongest people I know but she also has one of the softest hearts.  I get my creativity from her and my love of books.  When I was living at home she told me every day that she loved me and though I live across the country she still tells me every time we talk.

11. What are your aspirations for the coming year?

This WILL be the year I finally get my driver’s license.  Almost 30 with no license seems a little sad, even though I’ve never really NEEDED it.  I can almost feel the freedom that awaits me and can see so many opportunities to do fun things with my daughter that I can’t do right now.

I also have plans to release a bunch of awesome new patterns I’ve been working on and build my little business.  Though small, it allows me to stay home with my daughter and express myself through my projects which is both fun and liberating.

 

Here are 11 facts about me:

1. Chocolate + Caramel + Salt= My MOST favourite flavor combination.  Ever.

2. My first name is Sarah.  My middle name is Lee.  I get a lot of cake jokes.

3. My favourite french words are Pamplemousse (meaning “grapefruit”) and Pantouffle (meaning “slipper”).

4.  I have a beauty mark on the palm of my right hand.

5. While not completely ambidextrous, I can write pretty legibly with my non-dominant (left) hand.

6. I love owls.. and mustaches.

7. I was born on June 12 but was due on the 18th.  My sister was born on September 18th but due on the 12th.

8. I am 10 years younger than my husband.

9. I can remember the lyrics to more songs than I can count but I can’t remember what I had for breakfast this morning.

10. I’d like to write a book someday.

11. I hoard craft supplies.  If you ever hear about a woman who was buried under an avalanche of buttons and scrapbook paper, it’ll almost certainly be me.

 

My Nominees:

I’m not sure if I was supposed to stick with just wordpress blogs but I have friends who have blogs at blogspot and they’re really great people with really great blogs.

Anyway, without further adieu, here’s my list:

Nicole’s DIY Projects (lots of cool stuff here, some great video tutorials!) http://nicolesfunblog.wordpress.com/

The Stitch Sharer (More tutorials, can you tell I love tuts?) http://thestitchsharer.com/

Hodgepodge Crochet (Near and dear to my heart, a good friend of mine) http://hodgepodgecrochet.wordpress.com/

A New Adventure Blog (A wonderfully talented lady, make sure you check out her business page at http://www.eatprayyarn.com)  http://www.anewadventureblog.com/

Wide Awake but Dreaming http://wideawakebutdreaming.wordpress.com/

Joyful Mama Designs (This talented lady REALLY makes me want to dig out my sewing machine) http://joyfulmamadesigns.wordpress.com/

Photography by Tracy Cook (One of my favourite people ever, she’s such a talented photographer) www.photographybytracycook.com

Drawings for Humans (The talent behind my gravitar, a very talented artist friend of mine) www.drawingsforhumans.blogspot.com

Jamie D Designs (More crochet yumminess!) http://jaimeddesigns.blogspot.com/

Briar Rose Photography and Boutique (Brand spankin’ new!  Keep your eyes open for some great stuff here!) http://briarrosephotographyandboutique.blogspot.ca/

Tiny Styles for Tiny Smiles (She crochets AND knits and is a super lady) http://tinystylesfortinysmiles.wordpress.com

 

Here are my questions to my nominees:

1. What is your favourite book?

2. If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world and if money were no object, where would you go?

3. If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be?

4. What are your goals for this year?

5. If you could stay a certain age forever, what would it be?

6. What are you most proud of?

7. Got a guilty pleasure?  What is it?

8. What is your favourite movie?

9. What would the movie of your life be called?  Who would play you?

10. At what age did you become an adult?

11. Is a picture worth a  thousand words?  Elaborate.
Thanks again to StitchScience for the nomination, please accept my apologies for taking so long to post!

 

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