Podcast Players

I had intended to do a lot of work on my coffee cup sleeve patterns today, and when I craft, I usually listen to podcasts. Well, I'm pretty sick of iTunes, which is what I've been using to download and listen to podcasts. It isn't very customizable, and to download new podcasts you have to go to the Apple Store which is so bandwidth heavy that it often disconnects my internet connection, plus I sincerely hate the Apple company. So, today I decided to find a better program and start getting my podcasts through that. And I did. I had to do a little research and try several. I finally ended up getting Winamp, much to my surprise, as I associate that program with the mid 90s. It has a horrible directory too: the search function does not in fact function, and there are less podcasts listed in it than iTunes. That doesn't matter with Winamp though because you can enter the URL of any podcast you want and get it instantly. Plus the directory doesn't crash my internet, a big plus in my book.
How does this relate to crafting? Well, it took me until about 2pm to get it all sorted out and set up, so that was most of my day. Then I had to download new podcast episodes, so I ended up crocheting in silence as I waited for one to download. Ah well, I am no longer beholden to Apple for my podcast needs and will be able to crochet in smug satisfaction in the future.
Favorite Podcast: The Moth http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast
-Jennifer

My stuff for sale on Etsy

I finally posted a couple of things on sale at Etsy.com. I designed and knit these coffee cup sleeves myself, so I'm pretty proud of them. Here's the links:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/59682083/coffe-cup-sleeveholder-tan-with-flowers

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59683027/coffee-cup-sleeveholder-black-with
And some pics:

 -Jennifer

Submission Guidelines

I've been working on Christmas presents a lot lately so I can't really blog about what I've been making exactly. I have been doing some other productive stuff though. I can only really craft for about 3-4 hours and then my hands are too tired to do more. I don't stop the productivity there though. I have been researching submission guidelines now that my coffee cup sleeve patterns are just about ready. Got two good places to submit them, but I'm a little disheartened at how long it takes to get a response (6 months). That's kind of a bummer but it would be fun to be in a magazine. I still haven't decided whether to self-publish my hat patterns or try to get them published as a booklet. I'm thinking the booklet would be less work for me in the long run, but it's also more constricting as far as what kinds of things I can add to each pattern (tips and back story and such).
-Jennifer

Ran out of yarn Part 2

Well, the store was out of that color of yarn when I went there today. Lame!

Ran out of yarn

Spent the weekend at my brother's house and did a lot of crocheting while I was there. I'm working on some cup sleeve/holder patterns that go around paper coffee cups and some hat and purse patterns for girls. I got the cup sleeves done that I had brought, and I was working on testing the pattern I had written for the hat and purse. They are white with bright pink ruffles on them. I always test the pattern once I think it is done to make sure I haven't made any mistakes. Or, well, to fix the mistakes I made, because I always find some. Anyway, 1/2 way through the purse I ran out of yarn. The worst thing that can happen to a crafter! And I still had a 6 hour car ride ahead of me. So I had to just sit in the car and imagine the stuff I wished I was making. I mean, I could have talked to people, but brooding is more my style. Today, I'm off to the store to stock up on that most precious substance, yarn. -Jennifer