It's finished!!!! WHOO HOOO!!! 

I know I was completely uncreative with the naming of this one. But honestly, I've been working on it SO long and calling it the Dandelion Tank... here and in my head... that nothing else seemed right. So I went with it. 

This extreme racer back tank top is scandalously sexy if you want to wear it 'au natural'. Or you can be like me and throw a fitted tank underneath it. I do have children around me most of the time. So it's a good idea. But I just HAD to take some pics with nothing underneath... cuz it just looked so cool. So for all you young'uns out there... this would be smokin' hot to wear out to the club with some extreme skinny jeans or a nice little mini. Word to the wise... if you ARE planning to wear it by itself... size down for a nice tight (and secure) fit. ;)

OK enough about that... now on to the photos of how I'm sure most of us would wear it:

Still super cute, yes? Just not so Va Va Voom! ha! 

On a serious note, this is SO comfortable to wear. It is light as air... or a dandelion seed floating by. Yes, I went there. It had to be done. And the fabric just drapes so well. It did stretch more than I anticipated in the blocking process... so I'm listing this size as a Large on the pattern... but in reality I would probably make a medium to wear myself. It's pretty big on me in the bust area. Sigh. Maybe a nice padded bra to help that?? ha!

Nevermind my expression... what was I looking at?? No idea. 

Do you see the garter stitch detailing? It was hard to get it to really pop in the photos... but in person it's obvious. It starts with a border in the front and slowly angles up all the way to the racer back:

And then it shows back up on the top of the straps in the front with a nice angle to mimic what is going on below:

And a couple more random pics for you:

The pattern is going to be available VERY VERY SOON. Like in the next couple of days. I just need to go through it a couple of more times to check my math etc. Because I often do bonehead things with numbers! :) I'll let you know as soon as it is posted! 

Spring cleaning is upon us. And that goes for projects too! I have about a dozen unfinished projects lurking around. And now that I am done with the Dandelion Tank Top -- name to be determined -- I am focused on finishing up these projects. In one way or another. Even if it just means frogging the whole thing and re-winding the yarn! 

In the above photo (from bottom up) we have 1. a baby blanket 2. a hooded cowl with cables 3. a regular cowl with cables and 4. a crochet shawl/scarf

I also have these sweaters to finish and/or write the patterns for:

AND I have several other projects in various stages. But they are seriously SO OLD that I only sorta count them.... there's a purse, a kid's sweater, a laceweight top, a short sleeve sweater... and I'm probably forgetting something! 

So yes, all this is to show you how absolutely HORRIBLE I am at staying on top of things! ;) But I am determined and I WILL get this in order. And hopefully have lots of new patterns coming very quickly as I work my way through these! Plus, I have now shown you all my dark little secrets - so you have to keep me accountable! If there is one that you are particularly interested in... let me know and I'll try to fast track that one to the finish! 

Also I am writing the pattern now for the Dandelion tank top and will be doing the photo shoot soon too. Keep an eye out for that one. This is the perfect time of year to make a nice lightweight linen blend tank for the summer! 

Remember this photo??? Yeah... well I got even farther than that. I had the entire back done and only needed to do the front yoke/straps. When I realized that something I had done at the armholes didn't work out. Sooo I would need to tear it back (frog it) all the way back to there. WELLLLLL.... then there was the little matter of not liking how I had set up the seam. Meaning there was one. When really I'd rather it just be in the round to begin with. 

Now the question became... to frog it ALL or just back to the armholes? Keep in mind this is fingering weight yarn. And Many Many Many hours of work. 

I wrestled with the decision for about 2 hours before I finally started over. From the beginning. Grrrr! But better to do it right than half way. Especially since I am making a pattern for all of you lovelies. So you are welcome. :) haha. 

Now it looks like this:

OH and I'm a moron by the way. As if all that frogging wasn't bad enough. I got a pretty good way into the new knitting and realized I had placed the end of the round at center back. Not where I had wanted it at the side 'seam'. Soooo yeah. Frogging AGAIN. 

Here's how much I had to frog for a SECOND time:

Good times people. Good times. 

And it's a good thing that I have extreme faith that this design will be (eventually) totally killer. At this point, it better be or I will cry over how many hours I have put into this one! All because of my own lack of attention for the most part. Sigh. I gotta work on that! ;)

So enjoy my mistakes and make yourself feel better for all those times you maybe had to do it too. 

We ALL do it! 

That's why F-R-O-G is a four letter word!  

Lambie is done! She's actually been done for a few days but I'm just now getting back to the computer to post it. It took me two and a half days to make the lamb.... because I crocheted for about 5-7 hours a day! Yeahhhhhh.... I have a problem ... maybe there's a help group?! haha! 

My little one loves it... and started playing with it long before I was finished with it! My favorite moment was when the lamb was all done except the eyes. I was rooting through my odds and ends to find some suitable black yarn... when daughter walks in with Lambie. She was wobbling it around, bouncing it off furniture, and shouting "I can't see! I have no eyes! Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!" 

I thoroughly enjoyed this little break from my own designs. I didn't have to think! It was really fun to just follow the directions and BAM super cute toy! Plus daughter was so happy that I was making her something for once! ;) She even helped stuff the arms! 

I know I raved about this pattern before I even made it... and that was just based on the cuteness of the toy! But now I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this is a great toy to make. The directions are very thorough and with beautiful instructional photos throughout. I think the pattern cost a little over $6 once converted from euros to dollars. So worth it to me! If you have a special little one this is a great pick.

Lambie is very social and already making lots of new friends... here's one now:

Yes, Lambie is already a very special part of the family and is found throughout the house - she's lounging on my bed at this very moment. Daughter carries her around everywhere and Lambie hasn't missed being the bedtime favorite yet! I say that is a success! 

Once again, I'm side tracked from the real work at hand. No wonder I like to work at home - it's the only place I can get away with that! 

A sweet little lamb got me this time. 

So there I was minding my own business when -BAM- a cute little crocheted lamb is staring at me. From the screen of my computer of course. I was instantly in love. Which honestly doesn't happen that often. I had to click through to see what was going on with this little guy. 

It was actually an Etsy store that was selling the pre-made toys but luckily she gave credit where it was due and I clicked on through to the designer of the pattern! Yea!! The pattern designer is Lalylala. You can find her HERE on Ravelry. Or HERE for her .com store. You should click one of those links...  her toys are SO FREAKIN' CUTE! I had a moment where I couldn't decide which I liked best...but then that little lamb called out to me again and I was a goner.

And now here I am making a lamb doll for my daughter. When I should be finishing MY design to get a new pattern out. Dang. But look at this cuteness and tell me that I had any chance of resisting??

I picked out some stash yarn for the project. This is Morehouse Farms 100% merino wool. It's also worsted weight when the pattern calls for fingering weight. So my little lambie will be a larger little lambie. Which I'm totally down with since... hello... bigger lamb to squish and hug?? Yes please!!

After two hours of working... (accented by hollering at children to stop their bickering...ha!) here is what I have so far:

Basically I have the legs and butt done. :) Which is incidentally the shortest part of the figure... so yeah... this is going to take awhile. Although the arms and head should go faster since they are just single crochet. The dang bobbles on the body take awhile. But look SO cute. Totally worth it.

Wish me speedy crocheting so that I can get back to what I NEED to be doing!