Wrapping up 2013

Well it's been nearly a year since I last posted. In that year I've moved from one state to another and have gone through, and continue to go through, many life changes. All, I hope, are for the better. One of the great things that has happened since moving to California is the fact that I have paved my way back to knitting. With a vengeance. I've even begun teaching knitting at Michael's Crafts. I don't have many students yet, but I've come to adore each and every student I've taught. I just taught a cabling class, and here is the project that we made.

This is a really fast knit project and a free pattern from Red Heart. The pattern can be found here: www.redheart.com/free-patterns/big-cable-cowl Instead of using two strands of the recommended yarn, we just used chunky yarn. I also found that by choosing to knit one less pattern, it made a smaller cowl in diameter, thus it fits more snug around my neck to keep the chill out. When I don't need quite so much warmth wrapped around my neck, then I just wear the longer version. I just love this pattern.

Chipmunk Mittens

Once upon a time there were two little boy in the early 50's who loved to play with their chipmunk mittens lovingly made for them by their mother. Those were my brothers with the mittens, and I only have one single loan mitten as a reminder of those mittens long ago. When I can find that photo I will post it.

It fits a very small hand. Both my mom and I tried to find the pattern so that I could make these adorable mittens for my own daughters when they were young. In all, I've been searching for the pattern for about 20 years. Recently I directed the play, A CHRISTMAS STORY, and a little boy who played the lead character's little brother, would often be directed to be on stage and to keep himself quietly entertained while a scene was going on. To help him, I loaned him this lone mitten to play with. He became inseparable from the mitten, and it was so cute watching him on stage having imaginary conversations with his chipmunk. His mother told me she would give anything in order to be able to give him a pair for his upcoming 6th birthday. Once again, I searched hard...and thanks to all the new ways of locating vintage patterns, I found it!!! I couldn't believe it. I made one mitten only to discover it was HUGE. Well, it definitely fit an adult's hands. So I decreased the needle size in half. It is still twice as big as the original, but here is the result.

I put the original mitten in the photo so that you can see the size difference. Just in time for this boy's birthday. His mom was so excited when I told her that not only did I find the pattern, but I made a pair for him. I hope to post a photo of the little boy wearing his mittens. Happy ending!

New Crafts

Wow, over five months since I last posted. I haven't been idle either, let me tell you. Although I've been really busy, I have to admit I have not done much knitting. Right now I've really been enjoying making cards and getting into scrapbooking and rubberstamping. I love it so much, in fact, that I signed up to become a Stampin Up Demonstrator. If you are curious to see what it is that I am selling, you can just browse through my Stampin Up website at http://kayleenclements.stampinup.net

Oh, I also wanted to show an update of my two beautiful daughters. I'll bet you can't tell how proud of them I am. I am also pretty proud of me as I have lost 46 pounds and am still going.


Let me show you some of the cards I've been making. I'm very much a newbie at this, so I realize that I have a great deal to learn...but I'm having fun!!

This card was made for a secret pal that I am exchanging with through the summer.


Yep - another card going to my secret pal.


Okay, this one is definitely not my favorite, but I was playing around with some new techniques! It will probably go to my secret pal too.


A graduation card for my niece. Somebody gave me the idea of using her announcement as part of the card.


I totally took this idea from a book, can't remember which one. Don't know if you can tell, but there is vellum over the fish to look like a glass fish bowl. My calligraphy is pretty bad on this card -- but I'm working on it.


This card was made for my Mother-In-Law for Mother's Day. She loved it!


Here is another pop-up card that I made for a card swap. Can't remember which group.


Now this was a really fun card that I made for my secret pal. It closes into a little book that is tied with a ribbon.


Here is the front of the book/card.


Okay, this one is kind of silly -- but I had fun making it.


Yep, this is similar to the one above, but different. I made this for my dear friend's birthday.

Vanna's Legwarmers

I finished it! About time since the deadline for the Vanna White yarn project contest is February 1st. Luckily I was able to submit my legwarmer design by photo electronically. Technically, I have until February 1st, so I can work the other leg up to double-check my pattern. Once I know the pattern is without error, I'll post it here for anyone who would like to make it. My daughter has already claimed these so it definitely got the teenager approval.


Although I don't think you can see it clearly in the photo, what I really like about this legwarmer is that it flairs out at the foot with picot edging. I just think that's so pretty. I actually want to rework this design to move the large Fair Isle patternwork lower on the leg. Because the stitches tend to be tighter, I think having it placed right at the fullest part of the calve isn't such a great idea. If I lower it down the leg, then it won't pull so much at the buttons around the calve because the other patterns have so much more give to them.


Oh well, as a budding designer I realize that I still have oodles to learn, but I love to have something to inspire me (such as a contest) to get the creative juices flowing.

OTN: (1) The other legwarmer (of course), (2) 2nd sock, (3) short-sleeved sweater, (4) Ms. Beasley wristwarmers, (5) Beaded shawl..... and yes, I do want to start a new project!

Fetching fetching!

Well, I couldn't resist showing a pair of the fingerless gloves I made for another resident actor in my company. As you can tell, he was very excited to get them and told me he is already thinking about what to ask me to make next for him.

My leg warmer that I designed is still drying, darn it, so maybe tomorrow I can sew on the buttons and post a photo. We were told we don't have rehearsal tomorrow night (YAY), so I'll have an entire evening to knit!!!

Square Scarf

My daughter asked me to knit this particular scarf quite awhile ago. Although I finished knitting it on our way back from France this past summer, I only now sewed it together. Part of the reason is because our season at the theatre started up again and I don't have much free time. Another reason, and much bigger is that Hurricane Ike played havoc on my home and it was only until now that I was able to find it. I'm still unpacking from that mess.

It came out much longer than I thought, but she really likes it so that is all that matters. I've also finished two more pairs of Fetching fingerless gloves which I probably won't bother posting because practically everyone has seen those. The big news is that I have finally finished one of my leg warmers of my own design. I know, I'm a tease, but I can't show it yet because it is drying and blocking. I hope to be able to sew on the buttons tomorrow night and then post it. These are the leg warmers I am submitting to the Vanna White/Lion Brand yarn contest. This week will be our tech week so I may not be able to post anything until next weekend. I do have to get them photographed and e-mailed in before February 1st to be eligible for the contest though.

Another bit of news...I have begun the Methodist Hospital Liquid Meal program. I'm at the end of my second week and it is amazing how much better I feel already. I've lost (as of last Thursday -- my weigh in days) 11.6 pounds. Pretty darn good for 1-1/2 weeks. It is amazing how I am not at all hungry and I really have to watch to make sure to get in a meal about every 4 hours. I do begin to feel rather weak though if I go too long. I was really terrified of being hungry all the time but I really haven't felt much hunger at all. I'd love to hear from anyone else who is currently on, or has been on a liquid meal program.

Teaching knitting and UFOs

These past few weeks with our Australian daughter (exchange student), Katie, have been so much fun. She leaves in a little over a week and we are all dreading that fact. Apparently her sister, Gab, in Australia just learned to knit. Not to be outdone, we decided to teach Katie knitting here as well. It will be interesting to see how their techniques differ. My daughter (leaning on the left), Alex, had stopped knitting a long time ago. It was nice seeing her interested in picking up knitting again to knit along with her friend Katie.

We went to San Antonio for the weekend to visit family and also to show Katie the Riverwalk. It was beautiful, as you can see by the two beautiful girls in the photo.

Also, it felt good to pull out all my UFO's and actually finish one. I started this Harry Potter scarf a long time ago. So long in fact that I don't even remember who I started to make it for. Needless to say my husband swooped on it. I was very surprised because it just didn't seem like something he would wear, but he loves it. Now, as it doesn't get cold here very often, we will either have to wait for a cold day, or take it with us to New York the next time we go. It is knit in the round and then bound at the ends with tassels so it is double-thick and very, very warm.

This Harry Potter pattern (Griffindor) is a free pattern found at http://knit.atypically.net/scarves/hogwarts/pattern.shtml.