Hello, Again!!

So I'm just going to jump in here like I haven't been AWOL for over a year. It's been a pretty busy year, but not THAT busy! I just need to manage my time better and I'm working on that. I now have a website-   www.yarntasticcreations.com    . Go check it out when you get a chance! Of course, like most things in my life, it is not where I want it to be yet. That's another thing I'm working on! We'll catch up more later, right now I want to share this fabulous giveaway with y'all. You could win a basket full of Yarn!!! Here's the link to enter-

http://www.favecrafts.com/sweeps/Sprinte-Basket-of-Bulky-Yarn

Hi! Hope everyone had a happy and productive week! I did not get a lot done this week as I was feeling under the weather. But I feel much better today! I got an order for a Valentine's themed photo prop, which I will be working on this week. I also have a couple of the "Mom" Tattoo hats in the works, so I'll finish them up this week. I am going to be at an event in Newton-Conover this coming Saturday (Feb 1).  I'm make this a short one today, and say goodbye. Hope you have a great week!

Beautiful Garter for my hairstylist

Hello! Hope you have had a great week! I have :) Nothing special going on, I just seem more productive lately and that always makes me feel good! I have a sense of accomplishment, I guess. I'll share some linky love later on, but first let me show you some things I worked on this week-

Pattern Test Results for The Hookeraholic Crochet

Camoflage garter for the groom to throm

Another view of the camoflage garter

As you can see, my hairstylist is getting married in about a month. I have made her two very different garters, one for only her and her husband to see and another for the groom to throw. I have named the Camo garter "The Deerly Beloved Garter" lol! I hope she loves them both, and they bring a little more joy to her special day!

Then I did a pattern test for The Hookeraholic Crochet, which is the hat you see above. Love that pattern! The pattern isn't released yet, but when she does, I'll link it on here, in case someone wants to get a copy.

I made other things in the course of the week, but they were mostly repeats of the last couple of weeks iterms. Also, I'm still working on what I thought was Alpaca. The grower told me the other day that it is actually llama! So, yay, my first time working with llama. I'm halfway done with the last skein. I'm not sure if I have put any pictures of this particular yarn on here, but it is showcased in the video I posted last week.

Now for some free pattern links. I would really love to make some boot cuffs, but it seems like the only way that's going to happen is if someone orders them, lol! So here are some bootcuff  patterns for you-

First, The Mariposa Boot Cuffs from The Crochet Lounge. These are at the top of my to-do list and there is a whole line of related "Mariposa" accessories.

http://thecrochetlounge.com/mariposas-boot-cuffs-free-crochet-pattern/

Then Moogly had a great roundup of 10 free boot cuff patterns last week-

http://www.mooglyblog.com/free-crochet-boot-cuff-patterns/?utm_source=moogly+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fd2f20d64a-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0b2d00989e-fd2f20d64a-33690769


Hope you find a pattern you like! While you're at it, make some for me :)

Have a great Martin Luther King Day. and try something new this week!

Well, three posts into my New Year's resolution and I forgot to post last night! That didn't take long to slip my mind! Anyway, good week for me, how about you? I finished the Hunter's Vest I was testing-

I know, he looks like I'm killing him! He cried every time I put the vest on him, for some reason he hates that vest! He's usually such a good model too. That is not the finished vest, I had yet to sew on pockets, pocket flaps and buttons. I just couldn't put him through another picture.

I finished several other projects, but the big news if that I made my first video this week! It is for a Kickstarter project that I am starting. I am trying to buy an electric Drum Carder. This video shows how I process fiber now.

So, a pretty busy week for me, but I got a lot of things done. Hope this next week is safe and productive for you as well!

OohLaLa Hat 

Front view of OohLaLa Hat

How were the holidays for you and your family?
They were good for my son and I, but, boy, am I glad they are over!

I had a pretty uneventful week, which is good! I have done a lot of crocheting, carding and spinning. I did design and make a great hat, pictured to the left here. I call it my "Oohlala Hat". I absolutely love it and now I need one in every color for myself! I made it as a customer request and have already had several more ordered. Which is great, because I love making pretty things! It can be made in any size/color/ribbon color or even without the ribbon.  If you want one (or two) you can order through my etsy shop- http://www.etsy.com/shop/YarntasticCreation ,
or contact me on my Facebook page-
https://www.facebook.com/yarntasticcreations

On the spinning front, I've been processing and spinning an alpaca/wool blend all week. One more week of this one and I should be finished with that particular contract, then it's back to making my
'Packer yarn. I am glad to be getting back into the swing of things after the holidays!

I'm going to try my hand at writing patterns this year. I have several in mind, starting with The OohLaLa Hat! There are a couple more I have in my head from making the items, it's just getting them down on paper that is going to be the hard part. I always change up items that I create a little bit as I go, trying to make improvements.

Here's hoping that the coming week holds good things in store, for me and you both!

Happy New Year!!  I'm very excited to see what's in store for 2014! I'm sure it's going to be good things (mostly, anyway)! This is my year, and I hope it is great for you too!
So.... here's what I was doing last night-

I got to see out 2013 doing something I love! I was carding and spinning a Suri Alpaca and Wool blend for a SAPGAP contract. Hopefully that's also what I'll be doing most of the day today also. I  have a new crocheted hat in the works also. I think that this year I'm going to start publishing some of my patterns. I'll just have to put them on paper first, lol! That's hard to do when you are so used to making up things as you go. That reminds me- 25% off all orders over $10 in my Etsy Shop all day today! Coupon code is-  NYE25  and my Etsy link is-
http://www.etsy.com/shop/YarntasticCreation

I hope you are able to take advantage of this great offer today! I am ready to start restocking my shop with all new things! First, I'll have to make them lol! That's ok, though, it's what I love doing :)

I am looking forward to making a lot of progress this year, business-wise. Right now I am working on improving my Pinterest account to make it more fun and educational! Please follow me on Pinterest-

http://www.pinterest.com/YarntasticPins/

It's going to be a fun year for me on Pinterest! I hope you can join me!

Then I have a couple of things I'd like to learn/improve about my craft- I want to learn Tunisian Crochet and improve my circular knitting abilities. I bought the Circular Knit Lab- Hats Four Ways class on Craftsy last year, but never got around to doing it. One of my goals for this year is to finish that class! I would love to be able to make some knit fingerless gloves! 

Hope 2014 is a great year for you! I would love to hear from all of you, so please leave a comment for me! Much love,

Natasha Hudgins

 Well, I already know what my New Year's Resolution is going to be, so I'm going to start on it now. I want to keep my blog more current! Maybe if I pick a certain night each week and aim to do it weekly, I will be able to get it done. Sometimes it seems like I can't keep up with all of the stuff I have to do, but let's face it, we're all busy. So here goes, I am going to sum up my week on here every Sunday night! So here's what's been going on for me-
I went to New York City for 4 days!! It was a very welcome Birthday present from my Mom and it was great! Here are some pics of  my Mom, Sister, and Me in the Big Apple-

View from the street 

This is as close as I can to the Statue of Liberty!

Judybug, Miranda, Me on our last night

Miranda posing

So, that was a pretty big event for me!

Since I've been back I've been working on processing Alpaca. I have some in the dyepot(s) right now! I am also trying to get all of my Christmas orders finished up. I only have a couple right now, but they are doozies!
I quess that's all for me, hope you all are well and having a great time :)