KraftyKeri

I remember asking my grandma to teach me how to knit several times growing up… She would always cast on for me and show me the knit stitch, but I could never remember how to do it the next day. One time I knit a row so tight I couldn’t fit the needle in the stitches to do the next row. After a few times I gave up trying to learn.

Years later I taught myself to crochet from the internet because I heard it was easier than knitting. I made lots of gifts for my family and friends for christmas: hats, scarves, and even a pair of mittens and an afghan! Well, the afghan I kept for myself :-)

One year for christmas my little sister got Stich ‘N Bitch Nation from a cousin that knew we liked to craft. Well, I had taught my sister to crochet, but she doesn’t like following patterns- she just does her own thing (it really amazes me what she makes up), and she was really not interested in learning to knit. She asked me if I wanted it, and after leafing through the pages and seeing all the cool patterns, I knew I had to learn to knit- it was time!

So I bought “Knitting for Dummies” and found the book actually made it pretty easy to learn! I tried all kinds of neat things like color work and and crazy cables and lacey stitches… I just want to try everything! I love looking for a challenging pattern. There’s so much I haven’t done yet with knitting and I can’t wait to learn :-)

I don’t really crochet much anymore except for this strange obsession I have for crocheting snowflakes every xmas. I would love to incorporate some small crochet into my knitting projects. But I really prefer the look of knitting.

Green is my all-time favorite color! I love dark jewel tones, and earth tones. Also pale shades but not pastel. I love purple, any shade. And I like blue, but not bright primary blue.

I'm not really a fan of bright orange and I don't really like yellow. I like rust, or pale almost-cream yellow, but not super bright colors!

I LOVE knitting, but I also like to crochet. I like being creative with crocheting granny squares and tiny snowflakes, but not much else. I love quilting and sewing, but those are on hold because I'm currently in between sewing machines :-( I used to make jewelry but now I just make stitch markers. I still collect beads, though! I'd like to start making jewelry again eventually. I also do some paper crafts, like making cards and gift tags, but not scrapbooking. I'd love to learn to spin one day, but right now I can't afford the time and money to start another hobby.

Anything with cats (especially kittens!), beads, yarn, interesting buttons, pretty paper scraps, ribbon, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, anything chocolate.

I don't like things that are too "cutesy" (except kittens!) or girly or cliche.

I guess I'm kind of stingy about hearts: I will give a heart only if you go "above and beyond" or there is something extra (even if I don't really like the extra(s); it's the effort that counts!).

Anything that meets the swap expectations will get a 5, even if I don't like it.

I am super thankful for everyone that sends to me in a swap! Thanks so much for your thought and effort and know that it will be greatly treasured & appreciated :-)