some days you step in it...

I've made my way through sampling all the pretty yarn's Karen of http://sharing.etsy.com sent into hooking.

4 skeins of light weight sport and sock yarn dyed in beautiful and unique colorways. All featuring intense saturated hues, perfectly spaced.

(pictures coming soon)

These little guys finished just in time as I've been gifted with a crappy flu for the past few days. Achy joints just don't equal productive crochet (trust me I've tried).

With that being said the 50/50 project will be taking the week off, minus a few photo updates here and there.

Have a great week and hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend :)

'50 pairs from 50 shops' - midweek update

I'm learning as I go...

here is my one sad (still pretty to look at) almost finished shoe.


Not quiet sure how to organize this week in the blog so that it's easiest to read. Hope this doesn't throw too many wrenches in the works dear readers.

It's about 10:30 pm and I'm dragging through the week. The weather is icky... it is Ohio after all (read... hot, cold, hot, rainy, freezing, hot, cold) which is probably to blame for the most part.

I love this yarn (again thank you Karen), it's soft and perfectly dyed... even running the shoes through single strand using sock yarn is working up beautifully with a springy light weight feel to them, and the single strand method is producing a more defined tiny stitch. very cool.

So tomorrow or Friday night I will be caught up with any orphaned shoes.

Have no fear little shoes I will prevail... (with or without feeling completed defeated).

Each misfit shoe will eventually receive it's perfectly matched mate and in time a warm home all it's own to go to instead of the current cozy accommodations they share with 50 other pairs of shoes.

Thinking of the week ahead (all two days of it) ugh... though if I ever became an organized, even tempered and/or rational person ... I just wouldn't be me.

Special Weekday Long '50 pairs from 50 Shops'

Kinda of a unique opportunity this week. Karen of sharing.etsy.com kindly donated 4 skeins and skeinlets for this weeks feature.

soo... check back everyday this week for a new shoe variety made from her brightly dyed creations in sock and sport weight. I'll have additional details on the colorways soon.

For now here's a preview shot :)


and a few shoe photos...




Great light weight base yarn (between light sport and fingering wt.) crocheted up beautifully with smooth stitch definition. The colors are bright pink, true red, smokey gray and little bits of bubble gum pink. Perfect for spring.

Karen also sent a more boy'ish version of this colorway which will be coming up in the next few days. (message posted 3/18/2008)

Check out the 50/50 section of http://mysweetiepeas.etsy.com for more details on the shoes

Also check out http://sharing.etsy.com for project bags in feisty patterns... perfect for hooking projects ;)

'50 pairs from 50 shops'

Like a blur of city lights through the hard summer rain, the moody jewel-toned hues rhythmically working through my fingers...


In all actuality it's freezing here and a good hour drive to the nearest "city" through the middle of farm country. Smooth, flat, open land.

But enough about me, let's talk shop ;)

This week's yarn was purchased from Unwind Yarn Company.



The colorway name struck my fancy right away 'Cirque Barnum'. This yarn was very dark in appearance so I wasn't sure what would exactly be arriving in my post box.

What arrived was a 100% super wash merino wool dk weight hank of dark chocolate mixed with brief spots of natural yarn and pure colors, ranging from sapphire to golden citrus. Just pretty.



The yarn is an extremely soft merino and the dye work is complex and bright.

Dana, owner of Unwind, also offers playful brights and earthy blue/green colorways in her shop along with finished items and soon will also offer self-designed patterns. She keeps a great blog with updates on her current projects so be sure to check out "my tangled-up life" too.



An added bonus from this week's shop is a Coupon just for hooking blog readers :D
Unwind is chipping in a great coupon, 20% off the price of each hank purchased from their shop using the special hooking for charity code "HFKETSY".

Be sure to include this code in the buyer notes when purchasing from Dana's shop.

To purchase any of the shoes featured in this blog please visit my etsy shop at http://mysweetiepeas.etsy.com.

And now for the first ever 'hooking for charity blog contest'.
Enter by leaving a comment in the hooking blog, buying a pair of 50/50 shoes or purchasing yarn from any charity donors' shops. The prize is a set of "Oops" and "Crap" stitch markers (crochet or knit style). Winner will be drawn from the first 15 to enter (purchases count as two entries, so please let me know). Best of Luck, have a great evening.

'50 pairs from 50 shops'

All the pretty colors...

Sharon of Stitchjones graciously donated a yummy skein of Gelateria Worsted Wt. Merino yarn for this week's feature.

I first contacted Sharon about purchasing a stray skein for the hooking blog (hate to break up a set), she replied back with a picture and a offering :D




As soon as the skein arrived, I balled it up and began working through the soft, warm colorway.




The classic ice cream combo of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate is perfect for baby and toddler shoes and the quality 100% merino wool base yarn slipped right by making these some of the fasted shoes I've completed so far.




Stitchjones' shop http://mymommadethis.etsy.com is chucked full of playful hues, bright brights and cozy muted skeins.


Most of her freshly listed skeins hark back to the 80's bands for colorway names. (My fav colorway/name is 'Gene Simmons' it's a red, black and natural white mix.)

Sharon also offers PowerTrios Sock Kits which include a full hank of variegated yarn with 2 half hanks of coordinating single hues. Enough yarn for 2 pairs of design-your-own socks, plus a free vinyl/canvas carrying case all for $45 bucks!

As always please check out Stitchjones' shop for additional information or to purchase some great yarn ;)

To purchase any of the shoes featured in this blog please visit my etsy shop at http://mysweetiepeas.etsy.com.

And now for the first ever 'hooking for charity blog contest'.
Enter by leaving a comment in the hooking blog, buying a pair of 50/50 shoes or purchasing yarn from any charity donors' shops. The prize is a set of "Oops" and "Crap" stitch markers (crochet or knit style). Winner will be drawn from the first 15 to enter (purchases count as two entries, so please let me know). Best of Luck, have a great evening.

New Post and Contest Details

StitchJones at mymommadethis.etsy.com will be this weeks feature.

Complete article will be posted tonight along with details for entering Hooking's first blog contest.

Thanks.