Button, Button Whose Got the Button?

     I caved and picked up some new buttons the last time I was at Wally World.  I was going for both washable and cute since all my items needing buttons are for children.  I then had a little button sewing party on my night off.  In no particular order:

I got a whole package of these, flowers are always a good choice for little girls. 

I originally got the daisy buttons for just the Solis Entrechat, but the yellow center looked so good with the browns of Piedras, I just couldn't resist.

Jordan was nice enough to model this for me.  This is Sassafras and its reversible!

So it can be worn as a slouch or a beanie.  I thought the design was ingenious.  It's a nice easy pattern and very pretty.  Christina had admitted that it does occasionally get cold enough for her to wear a hat and having a matching one wouldn't be too dorky.  I got a second button in anticipation that I could get another skein of the MadTosh DK in Hosta Blue.  I went to the open house at the Yarn Cupboard on Sunday with the intention to do three things.  One being to get the yarn for Christina's hat.  Sadly all the Hosta Blue in DK was gone :(  So I got this:

MadTosh DK in Chickory.  I think this is a better color for her anyway.  She's more of a true blue kind of gal.  (I hope she likes it.)  Of course now the button I had line up isn't the right color.  But that's okay.  I have a couple silver buttons that I think will look nice and will play off the gray undertones in this colorway.  I really like this color, so if she really hates it I can keep it for myself. 
     I took Earthen off the blocking board earlier this week.  I'm glad I checked it, the hat was still wet underneath the plate.  I think I should have used a bigger plate, but not bad for my first time out.

The texture actually shows up pretty well in this picture.

That's the inside texture I was rambling on about in my last post.  I think I would put that on the outside if it were me. 

     So I mentioned I had three purposes at the Yarn Cupboard open house.  Number two was needles for the other had that was commissioned from me, which is going well.  It's very high bamboo content and a bit loose and drapey for my liking, but that's what she wanted.  Reason number three is that Jennifer from Holiday Yarns was there with a stockpile of yarn.  I took the shawl I just finished, which is made from Flock Sock to show off.  Shameless self promotion is not beneath me.  I wish I would have had a bit more funds that day.  Jenn had an amazingly bright and fun colorway there, I think it was Unicorn Rainbow or something like that.  It was a neon rainbow and it was awesome.  I think it would work great for colorwork paired with black or another neutral tone.  I cant find a picture of it on Rav, I'm guessing its new.  Anyway, here are some finished and not-on-the-blocking-board-still pictures of the aforementioned shawl:

I also did the measuring and maths.  It took a total of 512 yards.  Before blocking it measured 46 inches across by 15 inches deep.  After blocking:  54 inches across by 19 1/2 deep.  I still need to tally up the beads.  It wasn't that many I don't think.  (At least not compared with the 987 I put in My Cassis.)  At some point here, because I'm insane, I want to break the 1000 mark.  That's pretty much it for truly finished items.  All of these are either gifts or commissions so I'll be having a gift wrapping party with myself here soon.
Until later.  Happy Crafting!
-Q