Some Crafty Uncraftiness

It has been brought to our attention that most people who drop by the LostGirls site don't realize that we have a store (update: the store is gone as of 2019). It's not anything as wickedly awesome as an Etsy page (though we do hope, in the future, to have something like that). But we have a good time adding a few of our favorite things to the store categories via Amazon. Our "aStore" can be found here. The main page is devoted to anything we've recently written about, but there are many other categories to explore.

The LostGirls Music Mix corresponds (when possible) to our LostGirls Music board on Pinterest, which is an ongoing collaboration between Meg and Jess.

Travel (which really needs a more adventurous name) includes all of the travel products we can't live without, and a few we simply wish for.  I'll be adding a lot to this one in preparation for my Spring trip to Italy.


Get Your Read On is a really reigned-in version of our favorite books and our recent reads. The following are the newest additions, which started this whole conversation about the visibility of the LostGirls aStore:

The BUST DIY Guide to Life - It really doesn't get more hipster than this. I'm going to buy it anyway.  But then I'd buy anything that Debbie Stoller (of Stitch'N Bitch) contributes to.

And then there's Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People by Amy Sedaris - For those of you who are not necessarily into crafting but could use yet another fabulous coffee table book from the fabulous and equally hilarious sister of author David Sedaris.  


So now you know - we have a store.  An aStore, to be precise.  It's never actually brought us any revenue, but it's fun to work with and we're working on making it more savvy.  The good news is that it is no different for you than a normal visit to the Amazon site.  No pop-ups or those annoying floating ads.  And if you want to see different content on there, all you need do is ask.  Enjoy!

Every Other Day, Every Other Stitch

Evidently that's the best I can do this month - write every other day.  Still better than...oh...how many previous months?

Let's move on, shall we?


As I mentioned before, the lovely Mary bought me a knitting class (on Craftsy) and all that I would need in order to make it happen.  This interchangeable set of circular knitting needles from Knit Picks was perfect.  Unfortunately, I accidentally broke one of the wooden Harmony needles and the all-metal ones just - they just wanna go fast.  You know how some cars just wanna go fast?  Well, turns out that some knitting needles do, too.  If you're an expert knitter and you want to just crank out the craftiness, metal needles are where it's at.  However, if you're a beginner and you have issues with your yarn tension, metal needles are going to drive you insane.

So I asked Mary what kind of needles I can get that will allow me to take it slow and not drop every other stitch.  The answer is anything made of wood, which is great because they tend not to be too pricey.  Even better, are these Knitter's Pride Cubics.  Mary had mentioned to check them out because some people claim they're easier for beginners and help with wonky tension.  The woman at The Knittery in Renton, WA, said that it's mostly personal preference, but she has heard that they make your stitches more even.  Since I need something with a little bit of control, the Cubics

are for me.  I may never graduate to anything else, to be honest.

Now that I've actually knit with the Cubics, I can say it's going to be a hard decision (somewhere down the road) when I have to choose between a set of interchangeable Cubics and the Knit Picks ones in Harmony that I fell in love with originally (I blame Mary, of course).  

In other news, I have discovered a den of craftiness not far from where I live and I am afraid of it.  One look at the Maker's Mercantile site made me realize that I simply can't afford to ever. go. near it.  ...Ever.  Its cuteness might just kill me.  All those damn sheep.  And awesome buttons.  And they have social gatherings for crafty peeps.  And coffee.  It is a self-described "destination craft shop," for god's sake.  ...I'm totally doomed.

A Small Chance of Success

It's the worst when you haven't posted a damn thing for half a month and you log on to see people are still checking out your blog.  Oh, the guilt!  And thank you, as well, whomever you are.

I have a long list of things I've been thinking about writing up, but between being sick for two months, having some lovely oral surgery and planning my first trip to Seattle...  My head kind of hurts.  And then there's the I-haven't-written-in-so-many-days-that-it's-all-going-to-be-crap-now thing.  That does happen.  So, despite having only posted twice in the month of February, I have signed up LostGirls for the March NaBloPoMo on BlogHer.  I knew February might not turn out well for writing, but I don't want to get too far off track and I have enough in the works (with a little help from my friends) that I can actually promise some fun posts this month.

For The Thinnest Skin, a couple of my fabulous friends are having fun with nail polish and their iPhones so you will have some lovely pictures to check out with my post on Julep Nail Color (which we're obsessed with and have been for a few months now).

For Lost in DC, I'm examining all that I love and hate about the DC Metro Area while deciding whether or not I'll be leaving it for good.

For Uncrafty, I'm making the world's saddest crochet embellishments and hoping they'll get prettier as I go (there will certainly be pictures of that process to come).

And for LostGirls in general, this month's BlogHer NaBloPoMo theme couldn't be timelier:

So what is the NaBloPoMo theme of the month?

RISK

When was the last time you took a risk? I mean, honestly threw caution to the wind, said even a small chance of success was worth the possibility of failure, and took a big chance? If you can't remember the last time you took a risk, what are you waiting for? Don't you know that with great risks comes great rewards?

BlogHer Entrepreneurs conference happens March 21st and 22nd, so we thought we'd celebrate fierce, risk-taking women by making them the focus of our theme this month.

Obviously I'm not entirely unfamiliar with taking risks, having just moved to DC from California in 2011.  But part of the reason why we take risks is to get out of things that we know simply aren't working.  My situation here is certainly that.  It was a nice try and I don't regret having done it, but...well, I'll be writing a long post about that this week.  And Risk is something all of us here at LostGirls can sink our teeth into, so you will also be hearing from people here other than myself!

But let's start with today's prompt: "Do you think it's better to play it safe or take risks?"

In all honesty, there are appropriate times for each of those.  And only you can decide when those times are.  I think taking the risk to come to DC wasn't a bad choice overall, but I also see now how playing it safe for a few more months there and really figuring out where I wanted to end up might have been a wiser decision.  But a life without risk seems like no life at all to me.  If you don't take risks, large and small, you will be missing great opportunities.  Even those horrible mistakes that result from some risks are worth something.

The two times I've moved from the West Coast to the East Coast have turned out to be bummers, but I learned from both and those experiences definitely changed me in some very good ways.  I gained perspective that I didn't have before.  I grew up in some ways that were certainly needed.  I made new friends and had new experiences that I wouldn't have had if I'd stayed in California, where I grew up, surrounded by familiar surroundings and all my lovely long-time friends.  I don't like the idea of stagnating and it's one of those things that happens without you noticing!

My goal right now is to find a place to call home that I won't want to leave.  A place where I can spend the rest of my days without feeling like I'm suffocating in the sameness of it all.  Who among us is not looking for the right fit?  And how on earth could we find it without a little (or a lot of) risk?

Woozy Crafting

Several days ago I had oral surgery and have been on painkillers ever since - until today, that is.  Today I allow my bloodstream to detox so I won't be all wonky at work tomorrow (I really wasn't staring at you, Lora, it was the drugs!).

As a general rule, I don't like to post anything I've written while on any type of drug that makes me woozy.  And I didn't realize how long I'd need to stay on medication, as I thought I'd be fine by the next day (so, so wrong).  Since I woke up today without pain in my jaw, I decided it's time to wish everyone a happy Valentine's, write about what I've been up to this week (while in recovery) and let you know that Craftsy is having a Valentine's Day sale that you should absolutely check out if you think there's even a remote chance that you'll pick up crocheting, knitting, cake decorating, sewing, etcetera within the next few years.

Thanks to this sale, I've already purchased Crafty Crochet Embellishments and Amigurumi: Design Your Own Monster.  I started the embellishment class last night because I just finished a scarf and want to add a flower to it...this sounds really weird coming from me, just so you know.  Damn you, crafting!

Anyway, when I was trying to learn how to make structural crochet flowers via random YouTube videos this week, I was thinking it was pretty hard.  But the way the Craftsy class is taught, you really only need to know four stitches: single crochet (sc), half-double crochet (hdc), double crochet (dc) and how to do a slip stitch (sl st).  Patterns and diagrams come with the class, but when I start something new, I'm better watching someone else while doing the project (and Craftsy classes are easy to pause, have a 30 second repeat button and allow you to put your own notes in the video), just at the start.  Yup, I'm totally backward.  But it works for me.


So, this past week I've blocked one finished scarf (first time blocking); started, finished and blocked a second scarf; started learning embellishments so I can adorn the latter; and learned how to emboss paper using rubber stamps, inkpads, embossing powder and a directional heat tool.  I have long been a collector of cards and paper for correspondence and have spent far too much money on that collection.  Since I already had most of the materials, it seemed like it would be less expensive to create my own, not to mention a more productive use of my time than organizing random cards and stationery.

This goes back to the idea, once again, that the best way to find and/or show your own style and creativity is to learn how to make whatever you can on your own.  It is also why I started Uncrafty - to first prove to myself that with the right motivation I can learn some of these crafts, then to show other people who are unsure about their own talent that it is worth finding out if you like any of this stuff.

I have discovered that I suck at gardening and baking, but I really like crocheting and making my own stationery.  I'm still undecided on knitting and sewing and I need to get back into cooking again.

A year ago, I only knew how to cook.  And until a few months ago, I wasn't so sure about my future with crochet.  Sometimes you have to put something down and come back to it later.  I assure you that I've found it to be well worth the trouble so far.

Day 27: Zen and the Art of Making Knots in String

Several months ago I tried my hand at crochet, started several projects, then got busy and left them all in a bin with the hooks I'd bought and skeins of yarns I really liked, but felt sure I'd never end up using.  Then one night I'd had too much caffeine, but no money to go do anything and desperately needed to find some way to keep busy.  So I grabbed a crochet hook and some chunky yarn in a deep heather blue and started another project.  The difference was that I finished it this time.  I even added tassels to the scarf I made.  And then I gave it to my brother as a birthday present.  And I remember thinking that it was odd how easy it felt, since I hadn't felt it was easy before and had come to believe I would have forgotten how to do it at all.

Since then I have finished another scarf, am almost done with yet another that I'm sending to Meg's sister, and have promised one to a co-worker as soon as this one is finished.  I've discovered that Debbie Stoller's The Happy Hooker (the crochet version of her Stitch 'N Bitch series) is the perfect crochet bible for me.  I actually enjoy reading it and I love the way she has it laid out.  And if Mary hadn't already let me in on the fact that I was unintentionally do single crochet wrong (go through both loops, not in the center of the V!), I would have had an epiphany reading the foreword, where Stoller mentions that she did the exact same thing when she tried to teach herself.  I can't say enough good things about this book - everything is very clearly explained, including all the things people do wrong (think of it as America's Test Kitchen for crochet).  It is just technical enough to lay every detail out, but entertaining enough to make you want to keep reading.  It also has a bunch of great patterns (including a cowboy hat, which is a lot cuter than it sounds).

But on to the zen.  I was sitting on a bench today, outside of my work, crocheting before the start of my shift.  A stranger sat down near me and after a bit asked me about this craft o' mine.  He asked if it was calming and I said, yes, it's quite zen.  Then we talked about a Cookie Monster hat he saw on Pinterest, but that's beside the point.  It was the first time all the reasons I have for loving crochet came together.

First, I like making things with my own hands.  I know it's usually more expensive than picking up a scarf or sweater at the store, but I am a scarf collector not just because I like scarves, but because I can never find just the right one.  I crochet for the same reason Meg sews - you get to make a custom fit that is your style.  Not what they had at the mall or what is fashionable according to lord-knows-who.  Crafting means you get to take something you saw and liked and make it entirely your own.  How marvelous!

Next, it is yet another way for me to bond with a lot of the women in my life.  Not just my mother's generation, either.  Knitting and crochet have become more and more popular over the years, so a lot of women in my generation have picked one or the other (or both) up.  And at my work there is an even amount of folks who already work with yarn and those who really want to learn.  I work with very creative people anyway, so a craft night is certainly in our future.  Also, I was surprised that a young guy would ask me about the scarf I was making.  And kind of impressed.  He wasn't flirting, he just saw an opening to make conversation and took it.  Since I suck at making conversation, I should just carry crochet projects everywhere I go from now on.  And rumor has it men are also getting into crochet.  

Finally, I can do crochet anywhere and it is like meditating.  My focus is on the project (counting, counting, counting), but my mind feels nice and relaxed.  I'm being productive while reserving energy.  At some point, I feel like my brain has kind of powered down, but in a good way.  Today alone I crocheted in my car (while it was heating up), before my work shift, on my dinner break and after dinner while watching a DVD.

If you're interested in learning this craft, again I recommend The Happy Hooker.  I also highly recommend Craftsy (keep on the lookout for occasional free and discounted classes!) and Ravelry (to track projects and see what other people are working on).  I also urge you to join a knitting/crochet circle, whether it's at your local yarn store, with friends and/or co-workers or through Meetup or the like.  I learn better when I can watch other people, then have them check my work.  Maybe start by checking The Happy Hooker out at the library, trying some stitches with various crochet hooks and some inexpensive yarn, then you can decide if you really want to invest the time and money.

If you started to learn, then gave it up - pick it up again!  I keep telling people that if I can do it, anyone can.  I really mean that.  It is ridiculously easy and only takes a bit of practice (you'll learn to control the tension of the yarn to avoid loose and randomly sized loops and chains, trust me).

Oh, one more thing: Amigurumi.  Someday, you guys.  Some. Day.

Day 17: A Bit Crafty

The past few days, I decided to stay indoors, resting and taking care of little things that have fallen by the wayside.  There were some not-so-fun tasks I had to get out of the way, but once I was done with them, I could concentrate on trying to remember how to crochet.

I don't think I've even touched a skein of yarn since September, so I expected to be quite hopeless and have to go to Craftsy for instruction.  But it turns out that I do remember how to do single crochet and once I'd started doing it, I didn't want to stop.  The result is my first completed project.  I just finished it about fifteen minutes before sitting down to write this.  It is a long, thick and rather wide scarf with short fringe at the end (I've never added fringe before, but it's quite simple), all made out of a roving yarn.  I did, at one point, have to run out to Michael's to buy an extra skein of the yarn I was using, but otherwise I was happily hooking away while watching TV or sitting at the dining table while my friends got work and homework done on their computers.

It was wonderful to finally finish something crafty.  I have so many almost-finished scarves and other projects at home, it has become a bit depressing.  Of course, you get out of the habit and forget about crafting because you're busy, then you think it will take too much time to restart (assuming there will also be some relearning), so you just. don't. do it.  And you know it's a mistake because there are so many simple things you could do.  Things that wouldn't even take that long and would leave you with a sense of satisfaction.  There is also (at least for my personality type) the nagging in the back of the mind that every project needs to be perfect, which is ridiculous, especially when you're a beginner.

That was the good news.  Here's the bad: I am going home with a new craft.  Because I am just like my mother.  While at Michael's, I noticed a sale on rubber stamps.  I thought to myself that I liked the look of them, but not so crazy about using stamp pads.  Seems a bit boring.  Then I saw them...just hanging there...making me regret having walked down that aisle.  Markers made specifically for inking stamps.  I knew they existed, but actually seeing them...I just had to buy them.  It's not that they were expensive, but I'd really been trying to be good.  To not to pick up another craft which I might then neglect.  My god, I can't even blame Pinterest for this one.

I am so going to make my own stationery.

Day 8: Change is Afoot

I have an announcement to make.  I'm making it oh-fficial.  We are combining the four LostGirls blogs into one blog.  Home base will still be LostGirls, so for most people this won't be a huge deal.

With Mary writing a book, Meg writing a cookbook and me about to work two jobs, it just makes more sense to put all our creative randomness into one place.  The original concept was for Lost in DC, Uncrafty and The Thinnest Skin to be "sub-blogs."  But to have them fully-functioning, we needed to set them up separately because, hey, we're using free Blogger software here.  We had hoped that at some point we could move over to Wordpress and pay for webhosting and be all super-fancy, but Blogger really works for us.  It is fairly simple, user-friendly, allows us to be part of Amazon Affiliates and it's also where we've been since April 2012, when all this madness started.

The other three blogs will not be taken down, so you can still go to each one to read older posts.  And for those who either are or are not interested in one sub-blog or another, posts for those categories will include the original sub-blog's name in the title (i.e. Uncrafty: Someday I'm Actually Going to Complete a Project).

I would say that we're going to include some posts for The Black Thumb, but (1) it's too cold to grow anything here right now, and (2) I really do kill everything.

We will now continue with our regular programming.  Sort of.

Day 3: Add It to the List

I am officially adding another goal to my 2013 List o' Goals .  Inspired by the paper+ink happenings at Winnie's Inky Fingers:

Remember that one time I had a site where I was attempting to be somewhat crafty and I had a really good start and then I totally stopped writing altogether?  Yeah.  Uncrafty needs to make a comeback, as well as my crocheting.  It is the perfect time of year for having a project on your lap and I have so much on my mind that I could use the busy work for my hands.  While watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy, extended edition...over and over again.  I find it calming.  Leave it alone.

 +  = Perhaps a completed project?

I, of course, recognize that Uncrafty is not the only blog that got left in the dust.  I did manage a small post on Lost in DC that was inspired by the weather and I vow to put up my review of a few Rodan+Fields products that my lovely friend Andi sent me to try out last month.  I can tip you off that I really liked all of them, more details to follow.

In addition to a new goal, I have a new plug for ya.  My lovely friend Duncan is a very talented metal sculpturist and an all around fascinating guy.  He has a pretty big goal for 2013 that I plan on enjoying immensely.  He will be recording a video blog (or what the kids call a "vlog") every day for the entirety of 2013 at Duncansphere.  I commend him on this, I also have no doubt he'll be a complete success.  I've known Duncan for well over a decade and once had the honor of making music with him.  He is a truly multi-talented, superbly creative and undeniably unique individual.  And he has a great Southern accent, so why aren't you over at Tumblr watching him already?