so much yarn... so little time!

new addition

2011-05-26T08:47:00.000-05:00

A new addition to the family has arrived. Her name is Maude.

She needs a little bit of work before we can work together, but I already think she is great!

fiber

2011-05-18T12:46:00.000-05:00

I've accumulated a stash of fiber... This is some delicious camel that I have yet to spin, but I plan on beginning work on this in July. :)

quick little bit

2009-12-21T11:43:00.005-05:00

Usually when I knit, I use the continental style. However, lately I've gotten the yen to do some stranded colorwork, so figured it was time to learn english style.

These fingerless gloves started out as socks, and then I realized that I didn't have enough yarn to finish them. So I ripped them out and did an abbreviated version of Fetching.

They turned out okay, and gave me hope that knitting english style wasn't beyond my skill set. (Do ignore any un-evenness in the stitches, pls!) :)

placeholder, sort of

2009-09-15T07:41:00.002-05:00

Just letting folks know that I haven't closed up shop. I have WIPs but nothing finished, except for a pair of socks that were lost but now are found. :)

I'll work on taking pictures of that pair, as well as doing some finishing on other stuff. Until then, I'll leave a riddle:

Thirty white horses upon a red hill
Now they champ, now they chomp
Now they stand still.

What are we?

clown colors

2009-07-20T13:52:00.003-05:00

I couldn't get rid of the desire to modify the heel on the Intuitive Shell sock pattern. So here is another go, using up some yarn that had been waiting for such a time as this. :)

This time, I did the heel completely separately and whipstitched it in when I got to that part of the foot, heading up towards the cuff. It wasn't quite what I had in my head, but it didn't do too badly.

I'll be doing this pattern again for the sake of the heel. ...The slight obsession with this pattern amuses me a bit. Happily, it is a fun pattern to work with. I do enjoy the variations that are possible. :D

bias work

2009-07-10T08:57:00.003-05:00

I was stashbusting again, and here is the result. I did have to buy some more yarn to finish this up, which means it wasn't totally stashbusting, but my end result was less yarn in my closet than when I started. Which means the goal of managing the stash before it manages me, is a bit closer. :)

The blanket was worked on the bias, using Caron Brites, and my trust J hook. That hook is a great tool; I love it!

Simple color changes along the way, and some random color bits thrown in for good measure. It is a cheery lap blanket, and I hope it makes the recipient smile. I certainly enjoyed putting it together.

eleanora of toledo

2009-06-03T08:04:00.006-05:00

I started this project in January, and finished it a couple of weeks ago. It was long going, but I enjoyed the journey. I'd do these again, but not immediately. :)

Here are the finished Eleanora stockings:

With the cuff turned up, full length.

On my foot, cuff turned down as will be worn regularly.

And for those curious about the foot detail, I offer the following shot:

One reason that it'll be a little bit before I do these again has to do with the sizing. The stockings fit, however I like my footwear to be just a tad more snug. So before I do them again, I'll have to do some math to drop the initial stitch count a bit and then have that decrease continue proportionately.

This pattern is not for the faint of heart, and I would suggest very strongly that you already have some knowledge of sock knitting/construction before starting. That being said, if you like what you are seeing, grab needles and yarn and do this thing; it is definitely worth it!

mental exercise

2009-05-08T10:07:00.002-05:00

Ahh, the joys of stashbusting!

I had some lovely washable wool left over from a previous project that was calling out to be knit into some socks. So I gave in to the call.

This is the post washing picture. The socks are soft and squishy, and if they were an inch shorter in the foot, it would have been so much harder to send them to their intended recipient. :)

The neat thing about this pair of socks (generic formula) is the heel. It's an afterthought type of heel, but not from steeking through a tube. Instead, I marked where I wanted the heel to be and knit in a different piece of yarn. Then I continued down to the end and finished with the normal toe. Once that was done, I went back to the stitches and the extra piece of yarn, pulled that yarn out and did another toe for the heel.

It's different, but I like it. I'll have to try it again, most definitely. :)

unexpected

2009-05-01T15:07:00.004-05:00

To follow up on the last post here, I used the pattern Intuitive Shell Socks to make the socks for the Sock-CAL at the 'Ville. I used the yarn I got from The Loopy Ewe (wonderful, beautiful yarn!), and the hook suggested by the author of the pattern.

I modified the amount of sc's before beginning the motif stitch so I could start it earlier, and all was going well until I hit the heel. It's an afterthought-type heel where you put the heel in after completing the rest of the sock, and it gave me absolute fits. So after a couple hours of messing around, I found a solution that worked.

I made the heel using the same stitch pattern as the foot, but I decreased in the round to make the heel cup. It worked, but was really messy, so I plan on using it again to see if I can make it more logical, or... intuitive. :)

The Sock-CAL was a blast, and I enjoyed the conversation during the process. Once again, a big hurrah for the organizers at the 'Ville. You ladies are the best!

bit o' yummy-ness

2009-04-20T20:44:00.004-05:00

I got sucked into a Sock-Crochet-A-Long over at the 'Ville, sponsored by The Loopy Ewe.

Here's the yarn I chose:

Isn't it beautiful? It's Schoppel Wolle, and the color is "Cranberries." The reds are so deep and rich! I'm very excited to be using it for the first time and to be crochet-ing socks with it. :D

fanciful

2009-03-31T15:08:00.005-05:00

Pictures of a work in progress, since I don't have any FO pictures to share, but don't want to leave my readers in the mist.
And I'm happy to say that I'm still stashbusting away. Slow progress but steady. :)

First, a view from the front:

Next, a view from the back, where you can see the calf decreases coming to a pretty point:

Finally, a view of the cuff, turned down:

The yarn being used is Zephyr, a merino/tussah silk blend, and the needles are a size 00 (1.75mm). The pattern is the Eleanora of Toledo stockings, courtesy of Lady Anne of Atlantia.

I really, really like the cuffs. :)

blue on black

2009-03-11T08:44:00.002-05:00

More stashbusting results. :)

A lovely garter stitch scarf, made on US 8 (5mm) needles with Caron's Simply Soft. I decided not to cut the ends of the yarn each time I changed colors and experimented with carrying each color up the sides of the rows when not in use. It wasn't a bad way (twisting the yarn and continuing on), but I still saw the not-in-use color pretty clearly. The recipient won't be looking as close as I did, but I'm still going to look for invisible carrying methods.

The front and back have a slightly different look, as you can see. I like both sides. :)

duo

2009-02-23T13:36:00.003-05:00

Ooooh, more stashbusting!

Here we have 2 hats that came from the recently productive push. They were done in Bernat yarn (a dk weight) with a 5mm (US H) hook. Simple circular work with double crochets and half double crochets, and made to fit newborns.

Good times with the hook and yarn. :)

small happy things

2009-02-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have new little cousins, and it behooved me to make them something as a welcome-to-here gift. So I made two pairs of baby socks.

They were done from a generic infant sock pattern, mixed with a feather-and-fan baby sock pattern. Both are available at Knitting Pattern Central if you do a search. That is a great site, by the way. You should definitely check it out.

I used size 1 needles and Bernat's Baby yarn (two different colors). Socks are lots of fun to do, and baby socks even more fun because they go quickly. That being said, I made the socks on a deadline and it kinda sucked some of the joy out of them. Lol! By the time I grafted the last toe, I was so relieved!

But the gift was appreciated, and that made my heart so warm. :) That's why gift giving can be the best in the world, that feeling when the person smiles back and says thank you.

warm hands cold fingers

2009-02-09T12:39:00.006-05:00

On a whim, the other day I made some fingerless gloves. Okay, okay, it was because I wanted to show up a friend; but in the nicest way possible, I promise. :) Plus the fact that my office gets so cold that my fingers stiffen up.

I picked Fetching, from Knitty's 2006 Summer Issue (their patterns are so excellent!). The changes that I made were to use US size 4 needles (3.5mm), to cast on 40 sts instead of the suggested 45, to put in an extra repeat of the cables, to shorten the hand part below the thumb, and to lengthen the hand part above the thumb.

Overall I like the way that they came out. They worked up quickly and the cabling got easier the more I did it. The yarn used was Patons SWS, from my stash.

And speaking of stash, I am happy to say that I have yet to buy yarn in 2009. :) The stash busting continues!

small things

2009-01-21T16:42:00.006-05:00

Suddenly my camera skills are not very good. But I'm not letting that stop me from letting you see what's been on the hook recently.

He's cute. Cuter when in focus, but what can you do? He's already left my possession and is hopefully being loved elsewhere.

And here he is from the top down.

He's not very big (maybe 4 inches across) and made from merino wool (his head, legs, and tail),

He's a favorite pattern. :) Very enjoyable.

better this way

2008-12-23T08:48:00.003-05:00

I like Patons SWS yarn. :)

Here are some socks made with it.

Needles were 3.5mm, and the pattern is my own.

The stripes get a big thumbs up, as does the slightly slippery feel against my feet and the kitchen floor. Yay!

scales

2008-12-17T09:23:00.004-05:00

Interweave Knit's Holiday Gifts edition in 2007 was quite good. There was a baby kimono in there that I very much wanted to do, but I got stuck in the increases and decreases along the line of the edge so I gave up on the kimono. However, the motif pattern stayed in my mind and wouldn't leave me alone. So I did a scarf out of it.

I used Bernat's Baby for the yarn, and a US-5 circular needle.

Here's the motif up close.

This scarf felt like it was never going to be finished. Lol! But now that it is, I think I may be ready to tackle the baby kimono. Now, if only I had a girl baby to knit for. :D

newer older

2008-12-12T09:23:00.004-05:00

Not too much text today. Just a couple of pictures mostly. :)

Here we have the pretty pretty princess, just having put on her tiara.

Later on that day, we have the same pretty pretty princess with her shrug on, ready to go outside and tell peasants that their taxes are once again to be raised.

The pattern is a slightly modified stuffed bear pattern, and the hook used was probably a 5 mm (US-H) or thereabouts. :) The shrug was made off the cuff, since princesses always need extra accessories.

a bit of lace

2008-12-05T08:58:00.004-05:00

I have no excuses for my absence. :) So here's a bit of lace to start the catch up, because I didn't stop crafting or anything like that.

It's a simple lace scarf, made with a yarn called Fragrance. The pattern is on the label and while I used needles not quite the right size (US 9, 5.5mm), it turned out quite all right anyhow.

The yarn is nice to hold and works up incredibly light and airy, but it is a bit scratchy on my neck at first go. It's also supposed to be hand washable, so I don't really want to give it away. A dilemma indeed.

But why did I pick the yarn in the first place you might ask? Well it didn't seem like it was going to be scratchy, and it was part of a class. What can you do? Besides, I don't like to pass up an opportunity to try new yarns. :D

crocheted critters

2008-11-04T11:26:00.004-05:00

We are at the tail end of an amigurumi swap over at the 'Ville. Yay for swaps!

I like making amigurumi, although I just call them stuffed animals. :) I like the fact that they are cuddly, and squishy, and that I can usually throw them into the washer if they get dirty. Most of all I like the handmade quality about them.

My partner sent me some fabulous amigurumi, shown above (along with some neat patterns and a magnet/keychain-thingy). It's kind of funny actually, because I had seen the patterns for the lemur and the frog, and had wanted to do them. I just hadn't gotten around to getting the patterns and eyes. So her gift in that respect was like she was inside my head.

My favorite though, is the mouse. :D I'm grown, but I still want to sit on my couch with it and tell it stories. Isn't that silly? Lol.

Karen, you're very very cool. And I'm glad to have been your partner. :)

full process

2008-10-17T09:40:00.005-05:00

Not an interesting title I suppose, but a terribly intersting reality for me. :) I decided to go full tilt and knit my first sweater, and used the 3x Chic pattern from Knitty. The first picture below is the swatch I did. I knew what yarn I wanted to use, and since it wasn't the right weight (worsted, instead of bulky), swatching was an inevitability. So I made one, and actually washed it as well, as I wanted to make sure of the drape. Happily it was a success! I show it to you below, because I am so proud of it. Lol!

The next step was to actually knit the thing, which I did with glee. Well, not quite glee, but it was definitely an organically joyful thing to see the panels taking shape in front of my eyes.

After knitting, I blocked the front and back panels (shown below), as well as the sleeves (not shown). This was my first blocking experience, by the way. I didn't have enough pins, but I could certainly see the difference in the post- and pre-blocked fabric. Verdict? Blocking is worth the time/effort.

Lastly I whip-stitched everything together, finished off the neckline, and tried it on. Joy of joys, it fit! Not only that, but I really really like it.

So out of one pattern, I have learned more than one thing: blocking, sewing inset sleeves while adjusting for different shapes, and picking up and kniting a neckline. Three for one is a pretty good deal, don't you think?

The only difference that I made in working with this pattern was the yarn. I used Wool Ease double stranded; two colors of yarn worked together gave a lovely variegated effect.

goodies!

2008-10-01T09:14:00.002-05:00

Behold the goodies that arrived chez moi recently! Aren't they fabulous?! Yes, I think so too.

I shall detail them for you. Lol!

Not shown are the catnip cat toys. They had already been taken out of the reach of the feline with which I share my living space; he rightly decided they were for him and was on his way to opening up the plastic on his own before I removed them. We shall play with them a bit later, never fear!

Shown are two packets of very pretty note cards (Cathy, how did you know I needed some?), some tea that I am so looking forward to tasting (berry flavored!), a lovely yellow bag (yay!) that I will use for carrying small projects in, and an extremely cute pair of tiger-in-the-fall-leaves socks (yes, I named them; do not laugh too hard).

I feel very pampered by my swap partner. She is wonderful!

stripes

2008-09-05T07:59:00.003-05:00

A couple of stripey hats for your perusal!

Crocheted:

Yarn used was Homespun, the hook was my trusty N (9mm?), and the pattern was sc's over and over again. Joining was by ss then ch 1 before the first sc, color changes were done by pulling up the new color to finishing the last sc of old color. It's an easy, fun go; I like these hats muchly!

Knit:

Yarn used was Bernat Baby Softee, needles were US 6, I think (size doesn't matter so much for these hats). The pattern was a 2x2 ribbing for the brim and then a k3 p1 for the rest of the hat. The striping was my own addition; I was playing with color.

The first hat was done entirely from stashed yarn, the second was mostly stash, but then I had to buy some more to finish it. So the stashbusting is still on track. Yay!

little bits

2008-08-25T08:47:00.006-05:00

Before other things, here's a detail shot of the baby afghan in the previous post:

It looks a bit bowed because I spread it over the back of my couch.

In other news, here are two pair of baby socks, patterns available at Knitting Pattern Central.

The one on the left is a standard baby sock, the one on the right is a feather and fan baby sock. I used the needles suggested, and Bernat's Baby (fingering weight) for the yarn. They were quicker than I thought they were going to be, and I found out that I really enjoy the feather and fan pattern. :)

Verdict: Thumbs up!

heirloom memory

2008-07-31T08:17:00.004-05:00

A long time ago, a pretty lady taught me a crochet pattern. It builds diagonally, with blocks, and can be used to make shawls, squares, blankies, vests, etc.

Below is a receiving blanket, made with baby acrylic, and a hook 2 or 3 sizes larger than what the yarn calls for.

And here's a quick & dirty description of the pattern:

*Chain 6, dc in 4th stitch from hook, 2 dc to give 4 total.* That forms the first block. Repeat from * to *. This forms the second block. Slip stitch to join the blocks so that one is vertically oriented and one is horizontally oriented. Now 4 dc across that first block. This forms the third block. Repeat from * to *. This forms the fourth block. Slip stitch to join new block to rest, remembering that blocks side by side will be polarized. After a few rows, you should see that you are making a triangle. Eventually you will finish a diagonal row and instead of chaining 6, you will turn the work and slip stitch back across the just finished block. Now you will make blocks to fill in the blank space to finish your geometric shape.

Sound confusing? Give me a shout and I'll give you a write-up.

Have you heard of it/done it before? Does it have a name? If you know a name for it, I'd love to know. The pretty lady was mum on that aspect.

back from the rim

2008-07-24T14:04:00.004-05:00

On the 28th of February, I posted about a project that was sucking my time and effort, without appreciable gain. I'm happy to say that a couple months ago, I finally finished and gifted it. The recipient wore it on her world tour and was very pleased by the reaction it got. While I'm still waiting to get pictures of her modeling it, here is what it looked like spread out flat.

The yarn is a Bernat fingering, 100% acrylic, the hook was an E (3.5mm), and the pattern is one that is floating around on the internet somewhere. If I find it again, I'll link it.

As for my re-writing the pattern... I'll get on that. Sometime. :)

-----

Regarding my silence over the past 2 months, let us just say that RL packs a wallop when she's ready. I'll try not to fall off the earth again any time soon.

Regarding my stash busting, yup, I'm still working away. I will not give up!

preeeeety

2008-05-14T07:55:00.004-05:00

Yea, and the destashing continues apace. I had some yarn (acrylic, worsted weight) lying about, I had some US 8, 5mm needles lying about also, and I had a pattern that, while it didn't match what I was looking for, it at least gave me a place to start.

The increases were done at the ends of rows, one per each row, yarn overs. And the decreases were done in the center of rows, one per each row, k2tog. Stitch pattern = simple garter. My beginning part was the more rounded end, and the ending part was the liver fluke end.

I was hoping for symmetry, but that was not the case, and while I think it has to do with where I placed my decreases, I'm not sure.

Survey says!: although surprising, I like the result, and I will wear the scarf in public.

cables

2008-05-06T10:23:00.004-05:00

I had some Blue Sky alpaca/silk sock yarn in my stash. It was given as a gift and I just couldn't find the right pattern to use it with. And then this past winter I got the Interweave Holiday Knits magazine. The Citrine Socklets caught my eye once I got past the Koolhaus hat.

But it had cables and short row heels/toes, and it kind of overwhelmed me.

As you can see, I got over being overwhelmed. :)

The yarn was a little different guage-wise than what the pattern called for, so I had to switch up the needles. (I'll have to check and see which ones they ended up being...) And the length before the heel was too long for me, so I deleted a rep. But aside from those changes, I followed the instructions, or tried to, as best I could.

It was definitely a learning experience, and if you look at the socks closely, you can see evidences of that quite easily. Lol! Which is one reason why I chose the shots I did. :D

I'd try this pattern again. Cabling was a pain! But the results... oooooh the results... Yes it was very worthwhile.

simples

2008-05-01T08:17:00.005-05:00

My old kitchen scrubbies were wearing out, so I knit up a couple more for the practice in stitching, and to use up some cotton that was lying about. I'm still working on the destashing kick. By hook or by needle I will get the stash down to what I see as a manageable level! I will!

*cough* Anyway:

Regular worsted weight, and size 8 (5mm) needles. The blue one on the right is garter stitch, and the multicolored one on the left is a k2, p2 alternating (if I remember arightly). Used for washing dishes (right), and cleaning counters (left).

After those two, I decided to get creative and do a body wash cloth:

Same size needles, with the pattern being k2, p2 for two rows and then p2, k2 for the next two rows. I liked the way it turned out, but for the next cloth, I'll go down one or two sizes on the needles for a closer fabric. This one becomes more holey than I appreciate when wet.

I like the way the fabric works up though, and my beta tester was impressed by how well it worked. I know its early, but I think I may keep it in mind for Christmas time. Or even birthdays/housewarmings. Ahh the possibilities!

mmm, very very cool

2008-04-11T16:17:00.004-05:00

Took part in a yarn swap over at the 'Ville. It was a whole lotta fun, picking out the yarns to go in my partner's box, and it was also a whole lotta fun opening my box from her.

Items involved a lovely note (thank you!), yarn of the most touchable variety (glee!), yummy sweet things (glee again!), a very nice notebook (thumbs up!), and, last and most excellent, a handmade crochet hook, plus a doily (awe!).

I am in awe of the doily and the hook, and the skill in the hands that made them both. I have no other words to express how fabulous they are. I will definitely be looking for a frame for the doily. As for the hook, wow, I think I will spend a lot of time just playing with it and running my fingers over it in admiration.

Maria, you are excellently cool! :D

I've taken part in a few swaps over at the 'Ville, and I must say that the swappers are very cool people. I'm proud to swap with them. Yes indeed. :)

quick fix

2008-03-06T10:25:00.003-05:00

This hat was a spur of the moment thing. It's my own pattern, a basic hat, but alternating spaces and hdcs. I haven't written it down yet, but perhaps I will. It's still in the testing phase actually. I've done this hat twice and they aren't quite the same. ...I'm not sure why...

At any rate, I had had the yarn in my stash for a while, and finally saw someone who I thought the colors would go with. And since I only had one skein of yarn, what better to make than a hat? Exactly.

The yarn is Yarn Bee's Mosaic, a bulky that works well with a N-hook (9mm). Not quite sure how it will wash up, since it is a wool/cotton/else blend, but I've learned from the last blend and will suggest it be hand washed.

black hole

2008-02-28T09:19:00.004-05:00

Certain projects are more time consuming than others. The one I'm working on at the moment is one of those for sure. I work at it and work at it, and the progress is sloooooow. And along the way I find more parts that irritate me. That being said, when it's done, it's going to be beautiful. And after I write up the corrections, perhaps I'll make another one out of very very light wool. Maybe.

Pictured here is the body, front and back panels. The sleeves are almost done, after which I have to widen out the body about 3 more inches and then put all the pieces together.

Hook size is a 3.25mm, and the yarn is Bernat's Baby, in antique white. The yarn is pretty friendly, and the repetitions within the pattern are easy to memorize.

The problem comes in the pattern. I've done this blouse before, and I had the hardest time working through the pattern. I got the guage right (or so I thought), but even so, the blouse ended up at least a size too big, plus the sleeves could have fit a small moose. This time I got a better guage, and modified the math, and it is looking to be perfect in length, sleeve, neck, but too narrow. Lol. Talk about frustrating!

I am definitely going to re-write this pattern after I'm done. Definitely. As for where I got the pattern, I'll hunt around and see if I can find the link. It was an old one that Annie's Attic featured as a free daily.

construction flag

2008-02-21T09:02:00.003-05:00

I figure if I begin to post on a regular basis again, it will help me get my WIPs out of that bin and into the FO bin. At least that is the plan. :)

Of course, it would help if I didn't have to frog. And it would also help if I crocheted faster. Lol!

Here's something that is currently folded away until I get more of the Patons SWS (nice yarn to work with, btw):

It's the raglan tee pattern that was posted over at CrochetMe. I'd link there, but they've undergone a format change recently and now you need to register to see stuff. I'm a little hurt about that. So, no link. Sorry.

visible progress

2008-02-13T15:37:00.004-05:00

I was going to say "audible" progress, you know, in contrast to the previous post. But then I realized that that didn't make any sense; most likely you're reading this, not hearing it.

At any rate, here's one of the projects I've been working on:

It's a laptop bag, my own design. The pictures are pre-felting, and yes I'm missing a strap. I haven't yet decided if I want to make it out of cotton, acrylic, buy a leather one, go cloth or plastic, etc. There are many possibilities for finishing this one up...

I like the colors. The lighting differed between the pics, in case you wonder about the shade change.

silent progress

2008-01-18T10:55:00.000-05:00

Yes, well, although I haven't posted pics this week, that is not to say that I have not been doing anything. Two projects are on the way off the hook, and by next week, I plan to have some pictures of FOs to share.

Until then... umm... craft well, my brethern (& sistren of course)! :D

sock attempts

2008-01-07T12:44:00.001-05:00

Well I see it has been too long since I've posted. Shame on me! All I can say is that the holidays came swooping out of nowhere and carried me off to the land of not-enough-sleep, bad-food, good-company, and now I return exhausted. All in all, it was a good ride though. But enough of the personal tripe!

Here are a couple pairs of socks. I used the pattern found here (courtesy of David Demchuk's article in Knitty), and it is a pattern that I highly recommend for new sock knitters. It made the whole deal actually kind of fun.

The green pair has already been washed and worn (very comfy), and the white pair has yet to be washed. I used Wool-Ease, and a set of size 4 dpns.

koolhaas hat

2007-12-18T09:02:00.000-05:00

I gave it a go. And it was good. Using a set of size 7 dpns and a size 5 circular, instead of the size 8 and 6 circulars respectively. I didn't have any yak yarn, so used acrylic from my stash (yay! for stashbusting!!).

It's too small for my head, and working the rounds with the dpns was giving me fits, so I will go and invest in the suggested tools to make the next one. :) That being said, I didn't really need a stitch marker when using the dpns, so that was a bonus.

I took pics, but imo they did not turn out as well as I had hoped. Trust me that the hat looks much better in person. :D

Enough text, here are the pics, no flash and flash respectively:

green karma

2007-12-11T15:01:00.000-05:00

I saw a picture on BrooklynTweed's blog of a hat. He had taken someone else's pattern and tweaked the crown decreases. I was taken by the picture and decided to give it a whirl. Didn't have the "good" yarn, and didn't have the right sized needles, but who cares! I dove into it anyway, using dpns instead of circulars.

Here's how it turned out:

Not that bad, I must admit. The next time I do this, I'll decrease a size or two on the needles for the ribbing. It reminds me more of a bell-type jelly than I can say. :)

blips and bloops

2007-11-26T16:23:00.000-05:00

I've been playing around with the yarn of late. I don't have any special projects on the hooks/needles, so I'm doodling about, trying to continue the stash busting.

First off, we have a dishcloth, done with size US 4 needles and worsted weight cotton. Can you see what the interior pattern is? It took me more than a while to decipher it myself. Maybe I'll try it again in a solid and see if the design shows up clearer, although I like the idea of shadow designs.

And here we have what happens when I don't completely read the instructions before starting to obey the chart. The general look started out kind of okay, but then I read what I should have been doing. When I changed my ways, the result was much different than the picture above. I ended up ripping the whole thing out about 4 or 5 vertical inches later when I lost track of where I was. That's what I get for trying to knit while doing laundry. Multi-tasking is not my forté, that is for sure.

success

2007-11-15T12:37:00.001-05:00

I caved and went searching for the Interweave Holiday Knits magazine. And my quest was successful; I managed to snag one of the last 2 copies at my local B&N. Color me very very happy about the purchase, especially since I was drooling over the Koolhaas hat that I saw on BrooklynTweed's blog. His photos are amazing!

In other news, not much on the hook except a laptop case that I'm out of yarn for. And on the needles I'm trying out a new dishcloth pattern.

Anywho, hopefully I'll have pics for the next post!

finally!

2007-11-12T10:48:00.000-05:00

I finally have batteries for my camera, and therefore here are a couple pics of the recently completed afghan. The first picture is a little dark, but something about it I like, probably the fact that it makes the textured squares pop a little more. In case you wonder about the colors, they are Caron Brites Lemonade and Limelight; I think the purple edging is Grape. It was a simpler edging than the book had, but I like the simplicity. And I enjoy those three colors together, so I might just have to do another piece with those them.

winnah!

2007-10-30T13:55:00.000-05:00

I hope there were no doubters among the faithful. Yesterday I finished up the 63-more square afghan! Yay me!

I arranged it to my liking and went to take a picture, only to be thwarted by the lack of functioning batteries. Which is why there is no picture of it gracing this post.

Instead, I give you pictures of the tote I did for my purse/tote swap partner, referenced a couple posts below. First pic involves the separate pieces, the second pic has the assembled pre-felted object, and the last pic has the finished beast. Yarn was Paton's Merino, pattern was a modified one (from LionBrand's website if I remember aright), and I can't remember what hook I used. Lol. Figures, right? It's written down in my notebook though, so if I remember, I'll find the note and post it here.

revisited

2007-10-18T08:38:00.000-05:00

No crochet pics today. I'm still slogging through the squares for the 63 More squares booklet. It has languished long enough, and will be done by October 31. This is my pledge to you. :)

Instead, behold the kumihimo!

I posted a picture a few months ago of a kumihimo loom that I was learning to use. Remember the friendship bracelets that were all the craze about 20 years ago? I thought I was so cool, doing those during lunch hours, and wearing them until they turned into ragged, ratty, bits of embroidery floss... Kinda miss those days...
But back to the now. Above is the loom, with a work in progress (4 bobbins, a counter-weight, and a chopstick to keep things in order when I take the pauses). A four-stranded braid made from size 10 crochet cotton. A small amount of thread makes an amazingly long braid. Apparently, in times gone by, kumihimos were used by the Japanese to make the intricate braiding found on kimono and other clothing.
As of this posting, thet braid has been finished. Finally! Lol. Working with the kumihimo is soothing, but it took a long time to finish the bobbins. When I get my projects back down to a manageable number, I plan to attempt a more complex braiding.

Oh, and lest you think I was rambling with the friendship bracelet comment above, that is one thing that the braiding can be used for. Since I have no kimono. :D

autumn purse/tote swap

2007-10-04T09:24:00.000-05:00

It was more fabulous than I was ready for! *dance of joy*

Celestial Seasonings teas are some of my favorites from my childhood on. Especially the fruit ones. And since I've been feeling under the weather for a bit, the Echinacea tea is perfect.

I've been wanting to try Drops yarn, specifically the Ice type, for at least a few months, and green is one of my preferred colors. I really enjoy working with cotton too.

My partner sent me a frog. A frog! A green one!! *sob* I love it!

And there was knitting paraphenalia included too. Needle protectors for the win! I have no clue how to use the knit counters, but daggone it I'll find out. They are too cute for me not to use them. :-)

Last and most beautifully, the tote! Ahhh the tote...

Words fail me... It is beautiful. It is wonderful. It is what I would have picked if I had known what I wanted. This is what I wanted. The little frog closures were an excellent choice!

My partner is the best ever. Theresa, you rock! And your felting skills have me in utter awe.

another hobby

2007-10-03T09:48:00.001-05:00

A fiber colleague taught me to spin using a drop spindle, and at the end of the lesson gifted me with a bag of roving so I could practise. Perhaps she knew that left to my own devices, I'd forget everything she took the time to demonstrate. A wise woman for sure.

And so I practise. I find it soothing, to drop spin. Plus, it's almost like magic having the cloud-like bits of roving turn into something that I can wrap around a hook.

de-stashing pause

2007-09-21T08:17:00.000-05:00

The destashing has taken a pause as I'm mixed up in yet another swap over at the 'Ville. This time it's a purse/tote swap. Swaps are cool. Lol.

The pattern I'm using involves rows and rows of scs. While I really enjoy making toys and hats with sc, doing a larger project with that is on the verge of getting to me. Happily I really like the yarn I'm using. I'd say more, but I want it to be a surprise for my partner. After she gets the package, I'll post a pic. ...Or maybe I'll grab pics of the pieces and post them as a teaser...

felting

2007-09-13T11:26:00.001-05:00

Before:

After:

I admit that I am a little pressed as to seeing the differences in the before and after shots...

The yarn is Patons Merino (worsted), the hook is a J, and the before vs. after dimensions are 5x6.75, and 4.75x6. <--All dimensions are in inches.

This was my first attempt at the whole felting experience. I ran the swatch with a small load of laundry using a top loading machine, and the hot/cold short cycle. Then I threw it into the dryer (hot setting) because I really couldn't tell the difference post- vs pre-washing. Final analysis: there was some shrinkage, and the stitches came together some. It didn't quite look like the felting that I've seen... and I'm not sure why...

Perhaps next time I'll use a smaller hook?

finally!

2007-09-07T07:28:00.000-05:00

The modules are put together, the edging is done, and all those little bits of yarn that I thought wouldn't be so bad to weave in (and turned out to be horrendously tedious) are taken care of. All in all, now that it is done, I like it more than when I started.

colors and other bits of info

2007-08-27T15:22:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't have picked pink and yellow to go together again. Lol! However, since those were the colors of Baby Econo (or whatever that is) by Red Heart, those went together. I did some edging in white that gave a different feel to the modules, one of which is pictured below.

This module measures about 6 inches from side to side, and yup, the beginnings are from the Grandma's Flower Garden pattern.

I used up the pink and yellow and put the hexagons together, and then I realized that the little bit of crocheted material was waaay too small for my liking. So I am now edging the entire thing with the white. Yes, I could have bought more pink and yellow, but I decided not to because I didn't want to end up with leftovers. Again. Lol. And, truth be told, I'm not overfond of this type of yarn. It says on the label that it is good for babies, but I don't know that I would want it on my skin too long. It might be good for a sun-shade though, or for throwing over a nursing infant to give that small one some privacy.

-------

In other yarn news, I finally washed the scarf made from the Dolcetto (one of Joann Fabric's brands). The results were not very much to my liking; I think that scarf actually started to felt! I am kind of disappointed, but oh well. I am learning learning learning, and that is good. I'm not sure what I want to do with the scarf now that I see how delicate it is. I wouldn't feel right giving it away (since it requires special attention to maintain), but I don't really want to wear it myself, for fear of getting something on it and then having to clean it. Ugh!

merry un-christmas

2007-08-16T07:41:00.000-05:00

Swaps are great because you give and get presents. It's almost like Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Ein, (insert fav holiday here). This picture is from a cotton yarn swap that I partipated in over at the 'Ville.

I like the colors. I like yarn. Lol!

And my swap partner also sent me non-yarn bits, which was very thoughtful of her. Thaaaank youuuuu! :)

multicolored

2007-08-10T07:47:00.000-05:00

Yes, the stashbusting continues! It feels like forever since I've gone out and purchased new yarn for a new project! I did buy yarn a couple weeks ago for a swap I was involved with, and it was fun, but it didn't quite have the same feel as buying for a new project.

The yarn was Red Heart's Gemstone (worsted weight), the pattern a simple basketweave, and the hook was an I (5.5mm). I ran out of the yarn near the end, and ended up adding a couple rows of sc in black to give it a bit more length. It feels lovely, and is heavy enough to block out a winter's gust. Perhaps a gale might get through, but a gust will definitely be blocked. Lol.

bags, of the carrying kind

2007-07-27T07:34:00.000-05:00

Two more bits of de-stashing evidence for your waiting eyes!
The first one is made from the Po-Boy pattern, found at the Berroco site. Well it's mostly from that pattern. I didn't like the outside pocket, so I ommitted that and put a cell phone pocket on the inside instead. I also went ahead and crochet-ed the strap, instead of using their strap suggestion. The yarn in question is Lily's Sugar 'n Cream (worsted weight), and I did use the suggested hook. I liked the way it turned out, and I'm looking forward to debut-ing it sometime soon. Green, or Hot Green to be exact, is a lovely color.

The next bit was made from a Bernat pattern. I'd link the location, but I don't know where to find it exactly, plus I think you'd have to register to access the free pattern, and that kind of thing doesn't really appeal to me. The black yarn is Caron Simply Soft, and the red yarn is Red Heart; both are worsted weight. The pattern here called for a chunky weight yarn, but that was not in my stash so it did not get used. Also, there were additional rows of increasing that I did not want, so I ommitted those. Furthermore, I didn't want handles of only one color, so there were modifications with them. However, I did use the recommended hook. All in all, it turned out well. It's not really my style, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, but it is pretty cute. I'm proud of it.

Both bags are about 8x9 inches or thereabouts. So you could fit a wallet, keys, a pen, and even a paperback book in there without bulging the sides. I like that size. Smallish, yet useful.

cotton blend yarn

2007-07-18T07:53:00.000-05:00

I was browsing through Joanns Fabrics and saw their cotton/wool/acrylic blend (I think it's called Dolcetto? I'll check on that) and decided that I'd pick up a ball and give it a try. It was a pretty light green color and it called my name. And then once I got home, it stopped calling my name and thus began its residence in my yarn closet.

But under the influence of the urge to de-stash, I picked up the yarn and made a scarf. It turned out lovely and light. I have yet to wash it, so I have no idea how it will do in the machine (on gentle of course).

The pattern was simply rows of (dc then ch 1) interspersed with (sc then ch 1). The yarn was a worsted weight and the hook was an I (~5.5mm), if I remember aright.

toe socks

2007-07-13T07:52:00.000-05:00

I like wearing my flip-flops to work, but I don't like the fact that my feet are freezing cold in my office. Here is one solution: split toe socks. These babies were done in a sport weight yarn, with an f-hook. I'm pretty sure the yarn is out of the Bernat 100% acrylic line.

The socks worked up pretty easily, except that I'm used to not having to worry about right vs left feet, and with these puppies, I had to worry about not making two of the same feet.

And if you were wondering, yes this is part of my de-stashing effort. This type of yarn usually goes towards my Stitches From the Heart work, but [whisper] I was getting burned out doing the hats and needed a change of pace[/whisper].

I do have a pattern written up for this, but it needs some work before I pronounce it good. If you're interested, let me know.

fingering scarf

2007-07-05T08:53:00.000-05:00

For a scarf swap that I took part in a while back, I made up my own pattern for the scarf. It was a simple repeat of triple crochets and a fan-type stitch (part of the mat stitch, if I remember correctly). Anyway, I thought I'd post a bit of it. The scarf worked up much quicker than I thought it would, I used an f-hook and the Bernat Baby yarn, and once I washed it, it was extremely soft. One of these days maybe I'll make one for myself.

update -- stash busting

2007-06-28T08:12:00.000-05:00

I looked in my yarn closet the other day and was appalled. Yes I like the yarn, it is true. I enjoy touching it, and rubbing it on my face, and even smelling it. However, the amount of scrap yarn present is beginning to give me the heebies. So at the moment I'm working on putting some of the Baby Econo (Red Heart) to good use by making another one of the hexagon module blankets. When all is said and done, I'll post a pic before sending it away.

...Although come to think of it, my friend is quite pregnant, so perhaps I'll give it to her. I'll have to check and see if the happy couple has specific colors picked out. They are very artistic, and although I love them and they love me, I totally believe that if I give them something not of their color scheme, it WILL be re-gifted. Lol.

cable tunic

2007-06-05T07:45:00.001-05:00

This tunic worked up quicker than I expected, and I enjoyed the cable pattern on the front. However, inspite of the fact that I did a swatch at the start, the tunic ended up being a size too big for me. I'm not linking to a pattern for this particular FO as I got the pattern online, and I'm not totally certain about copyright stuff. The design is pretty simple though, with the cabling on the front panel, and scs throughout the back and sleeves. The only thing that was odd was in the sleeve tapering, but I think that there might have been other, more basal problems than in the pattern itself (=user error. lol!!!).

...There is a small chance that I switched hooks along the way; there was a period of time where the back panel languished in my yarn closet. And there is also the fact that the projects being worked in the middle of this one may have encouraged a loosening in my stitch tension. I'm not quite sure what went awry here. But even with the largeness of the FO, I still like it a great deal, and wear it often as a lounging garment.

Once again, K modeled this for me. Thanks, K!

beta tester

2007-05-30T08:15:00.000-05:00

Yeah I wanted to be a beta tester for video games when I was littler...
But as that didn't really follow through, being an occasional beta tester for crochet patterns works almost as well. Lol.

Here is a picture of a pattern that I tested for Maria:

It's pretty cute isn't it? Yeah I think so too. I especially like the hair, although I kinda did it wrong. :D

Yarn used: for the hair, Baby Sport Econo (I'm pretty sure it's out of Red Heart, but I could be wrong); for the body, unknown fiber but definitely a sport weight. Hook used: f-hook, (or 3.75mm).

scarf swap

2007-05-10T12:38:00.000-05:00

I took part in a scarf swap over at the Ville. It was cool. I got to crochet a couple scarves for a stranger. Happily she liked what I sent her. :) But this entry is not about what I sent, it is about what I got.

Yesterday I got home and a box was waiting for me on my porch. A red, cheery box. I opened it to find 2 scarves, a journal (which I will use for my crochet notes!!), the most recent issue of Crochet Today (woohoo!!!), and 3 balls of yarn (yum!!).

Isabelbell did an excellent job on both of them, and I look forward to wearing them proudly! *happy grin* Pictures follow directly, along with detail shots on the scarves.

The fringe is very very very nice on these scarves. See how it's actually crocheted on the grey one? How cool is that! And on the green one, the fringe seems to be woven through the entire scarf, which looks very warm, btw.

vintage-type cardigan

2007-05-02T09:56:00.000-05:00

In the post from 08.03.07, I posted a picture of the unfinished cardigan and one of the modules. However I didn't post a link to the original pattern (which I freely admit I... would "butchered" be too harsh of a word?). So here's that link: Crocheted Cardi. Having finished the garment, the pivotal question is not so much how much did I change from the pattern, but how much did I keep? And the answer is not much. I changed the pattern of the squares, the size of the gussets, the collar, and the edging. I also added buttons, lengthened the sleeves, and didn't taper them much (the idea of bunching gave me the heebie jeebies). I did drop a hook size and change the squares slightly for most of the sleeve squares, but there wasn't much of a noticeable difference.

The yarn used: Red Heart Super Saver, Fuschia. The hook used: H (~4.75mm) for the body squares and most of the edging, and G (~4.5mm) for most of the sleeve squares and some of the edging. <--But that was a mistake, using the G-hook on some of the edging, because I planned to use the bigger hook for all of the edging.
Enough of the talk, the pictures are below. Both shots were modeled by my friend, the ever genteel, and deliciously lovely, K. Thanks, K!

spring

2007-04-18T07:31:00.000-05:00

I'm working on another afghan, the one from the 63 more squares booklet. It's number 2146, and here's a link to Leisure Arts.
So far, I have 9 squares done. I'm working them so that I can piece together the vertical panels as I get them done. The whole waiting until I'm done and pieceing everything together was not too fun when I did the 63 squares afghan, so I'd like to make the assembling process easier this go-round. My colors are Lemonade and Limelight (Caron Brites), and I plan to join and do the final edging in a bright purple, if I can find it. Alternately I might try an orange... we'll see how it goes.
And here is a sample of how the squares will look. They aren't in the order that they will appear in the final afghan though...

meme?

2007-03-08T11:05:00.000-05:00

One of the puzzle piece-types. The other piece-type has the last round made of hdcs instead of scs:

Most of it, but without collar or gussets or the last parts of the sleeves:

And yes it is fuschia. Aint that sumpthin! Lol.

wild wild wool

2007-02-27T10:25:00.000-05:00

Aaarrrgh mateys, tis time to share pics of the booty. Umm, and by that, I mean I am taking part in a wool swap and my partner is putting me to shame! She was quicker than greased lightning when it came to putting stuff in a box and sending it all the way east. All rise for the lovely lady C!

Not only content with sending delicious yarn (mmmmmm!), she also included a beautiful shawl, a delicate strip of pineapples (check out the detail below; wow!), gummi frogs, cocoa, crochet patterns, and fruity smelling candles (can't wait to set them ablaze!!).

*sigh* I am totally overwhelmed. *huge grin*

big city yarn

2007-01-04T08:51:00.000-05:00

Chicago is a fabulous place to visit. I highly recommend it. And if you've a yen for yarn, then definitely visit Loopy Yarns. The staff is great!! And the yarns just call out to be caressed and taken home. The little darlings that got my attention are above. The yellow is a simple cotton, and the blue is a soy yarn (my first time flirting with it). Over on the right, are 2 bits of sock-weight wool. The dye jobs represent different neighborhoods in Chicago, although that's not why I chose them; my familiarity with the city is very very slight, so I chose them on a purely visceral reaction: yum!

Another very cool thing about Loopy Yarns is that if you buy some yarn and the later find out you actually need more, the store will ship to you. Isn't that wonderful? Yup, I think so too.

...Some folk would travel miles for a haircut, I'd travel miles for yarn...

baby sweater

2006-11-16T10:17:00.000-05:00

There is a great pattern for a baby sweater over at CrochetMe. Go and check it out. They also have examples of how it turned out for some of the crochet-ers on staff.

I tried it, and sure enough it was easy and quick. A great holiday gift to anyone with a small one. And if you're interested in modifying the size, the good folk over at C'Ville can certainly help you out with that. Just search for BICO.

As the pattern suggested, I used homespun. But I used a slightly smaller hook (J), and I didn't use their buttons. And I added a third button hole. *sigh* I think I am incapable of following a pattern strictly. Lol!! But it turned out okay, in my most humble opinion, and I'm in the process of doing another one, this time with a K-hook. I think I'll keep my style of buttons though. They are easier. :)

63 squares

2006-11-01T08:55:00.000-05:00

I got involved with a CAL over at C'ville that involved making an afghan out of 63 squares, each different from the other. This sucker took forever! Most likely because I bought yarn as needed, instead of all at once, and because I had a couple of other projects going at the same time. I'm glad I did have multiple pots on the fire though because there were quite a few times when I was SO frustrated by the squares.

At any rate, it's done. And inspite of myself, I'm considering picking up the booklet for the 63 More Squares afghan and joining that CAL. What can I say, it's pretty fascinating learning new stitches. Lol.

So here are the pictures:

modular modules

2006-09-26T08:11:00.000-05:00

Over at the 'Ville, I saw this pattern. Being the lazy sod that I am, I didn't feel like doing the entire afghan; 189 hexagons are a heck of a lot to crochet! However I did want to play around with different shapes than squares, so I decided to do a baby afghan with the hexagons from this pattern.
The first shot is of an individual module, and the second shot comprises the entire thing.

In terms of more mundane details, I used a g-hook, instead of the h- or i-hook recommended, because I typically end up with a larger than suggested guage. But other than that, I followed the instructions for making the hexagon pretty closely, and lo, my modules turned out to be the correct size.
There ended up being 91 hexagons in this afghan, and the finished product measured approx. 3ft by 3ft.

small things

2006-09-15T09:23:00.000-05:00

Have I given a plug for this particular group yet? If not, then here goes. It's a cool group. They send baby clothes to hospitals so that every baby can go home in something handmade. And if you don't knit, crochet, quilt, sew, etc., they'll take balls/skeins of yarn so that their volunteers who may not have sufficient funds can nonetheless make their fingers fly. Also, if you don't have yarn to send, but want to contribute, they'll accept monetary donations. So. Take some time and peruse their site. It's a good cause.

I know I haven't posted to this blog in a while; it's not because I haven't been hooking along. I've been more caught up in a couple larger projects, and I've been plain lazy to take pictures of the smaller projects.

However, I'm trying to be better, so here are a couple pictures of hats I've made for the Stitches group. All three of the caps below fit on the end of a travel cup. So they are for preemies. All of them were crocheted with an F-hook. I'm not linking to any patterns because these hats were done from modified hat patterns; the exact patterns are only in my head for now.

I call this the Pagoda hat. I worked it from the bottom up, making one long rectangle, then decreasing in the round until a small hole was left. At first I wasn't so keen on it, but the little thing is growing on me. Perhaps I'll try this one again.

This one is worked from the top down, using a mesh stitch on the sides, simple scs on the top, and scs throughout.

Lastly there's this green one. It's in a beanie style, worked in hdcs from the top down. I like this one particularly. While the first 2 are in a soft worsted, this last one is done in a baby weight.

not fish

2006-07-10T07:33:00.000-05:00

I started this dolphin months ago. In one sitting I got the two main pieces, dorsal + ventral, done. Then the poor thing languished in my closet unfinished. A few weeks ago, I finished up the fins, and then a couple weeks ago, I finally sat down and attached the fins. Once again, I ignored the eyes as suggested by the pattern... Not sure exactly why this time, because I did have some eyes left over from the baby harp seal (posted 13.04.06).

All in all, I liked the way the dolphin turned out. I'd work it up again. But the next time, I don't think I'll start in the middle of the body when stitching the two halves together. Perhaps I'll start directly at the tail...

homespun hat

2006-07-06T08:39:00.000-05:00

Firstly, yes this is another catch-up installment. Secondly, here is where I got the pattern. I was searching for a pattern for homespun, and I was looking for something rather quick. This hat fit the bill on both counts.

However, I have a few bones to pick with this pattern. Bone numero uno: although the designer made corrections, the top still ends up a bit pointy. It does rectify itself once the hat is put on, but while it is waiting to be worn I get the distinct impression that once I put it on I will look like a conehead. ...The grammar in that last sentence is a bit odd, but passons! Second bone that I have with this pattern is that it doesn't specify a single-color homespun. I used a varigated, and once the sides were sewn together one could clearly see the seam, because 1. of the nature of the varigated homespun, and 2. my inability to choose the correct starting point. No. 2, granted, is my own fault. But no. 1 could have been avoided with clearer instructions. Bone number three is made up of a couple of questions to the designer: did you have to do this hat from the brim up?? & why didn't you think in the round?? & what is up with the incredibly long brim?? I had to sew the brim way up past the required 5 rows so that the hat fit. Otherwise I looked like that Fat Albert character! You know, the one where all you saw of his face was his eyes.

Are these bones large? No. Do they stick in my throat making swallowing difficult? No. Yet bones they are and bones they do remain.

Even so, I'm thinking of doing this pattern again. To see if when I'm more careful, things turn out better. And to see what happens if I actually work this pattern in the round, starting from the crown, and also decreasing the amount of brim. Would my modifications change the pattern enough so that it would no longer be proprietary to Lion Brand??

couple o' toys

2006-06-27T07:59:00.000-05:00

& Here's the 2nd installment of catch-up.

On the left is the "Little Boo-Boo Bear. I followed the instructions mostly. The differences being that I didn't embroider the nose, and I did french knots for the eyes. Hey, there was no time/money to go out and buy felt. Not to mention that I had been wanting to practise my french knots for a while. lol. However. Even though I followed the pattern otherwise, my ears turned out much smaller (proportionately) than in the pattern. Why? I have no idea. Personally, I like to think that the picture from the pattern didn't actually reflect the pattern.
At any rate.

Above on the right is the Amigurumi Snail. And again, mostly I followed the pattern. <--This is beginning to be quite a habit, eh? But seriously, although very cute, how many snails do you see with big googly eyes?? Eh? The snails I see don't really have eyes as such at all. They only have eye spots on tentacles. Which is why I gave my snails tentacles instead of eyes. ...I guess that if I had had the googly eyes on-site then I would have used them. But I didn't. And as I was in need of some serious instant gratification, going out to buy them would not have worked. So we have a little verisimilitude instead. Notice that I do not mention that the blue & pink combination are probably never ever ever seen in nature. lol.

Maybe next time I pass by the craft store, I'll lay in a supply of googly eyes...

cotton hat

2006-06-26T14:59:00.000-05:00

Okay. I've been hookin along, although I haven't been posting things here. And btw, I'm about to rectify that error!

I did hit a rough point along the way. An emotional/mental wall where I stood at the foot and wondered why I crochet in the first place. However, since this blog isn't about therapy, I will not go into the gory details. lol!

Over at the 'Ville, there is a wonderful Hat-A-Week CAL. I read more than I post, because basically I'm lazy. lol!! But finally I grabbed a pattern, for the Addison hat, and gave it a go. In cotton, worsted weight, because I am perverse. Other than that, I followed the instructions and the hat turned out decently well, if I do say so myself. It does look significantly different than the pic in the pattern. And I'm not sure if that's due to the color scheme differences, or my yarn choice, or what-have-you.

The picture on the left is of the hat with the brim rolled down, and in the one on the right, the brim is rolled up.

scrap gloves

2006-05-26T10:52:00.000-05:00

Apparently my wrists are un-proportionately small. Because the original cuffs were waay too big. But inspite of one hand finishing up with a gecko finger, I'm pretty happy with the way these turned out. Here's where I got the original pattern.
There was one problem though. Since I modified the cuff size, the rest of the hand was kinda off. But I think the problem is fixable. And yes I do plan on fixing it for next time. Because the gloves worked up pretty quick, and I'd like to try them again.

footies

2006-05-25T07:54:00.000-05:00

I modified a general sock pattern, and used some labeless yarn. I'm hoping this isn't a shrinkable yarn, as I used more than one type... But overall, I like the result, so I plan to write up the modifications and try the pattern again.

And what is very cool, is that these socks will be good for covering my feet, and separating them from my shoes, while not heating up my ankles; it is getting towards summer chez moi.

kitty

2006-05-14T17:02:00.000-05:00

Les voila! 2 pics of a pattern lent to me for testing, which is why I'm not linking to it. Done up in homespun; easier to work with this time around, maybe it's growing on me. Mebbe I'll comment more on them at a later date; I haven't the energy to do so now.

And yup, the two pics are of the same item. Just under slightly different lighting and placements.

one-pieces

2006-05-10T07:49:00.000-05:00

So my sister's friend is having a baby, and as a joint project, my sister bought the yarn, and I did the crochet-ing. Not a bad bargain in my eyes. It was a pretty sport-weight baby yarn, I'm pretty sure by Red Heart. (<--I like their yarn, specially their worsted weight.) And as shown in the first picture, I followed the pattern pretty closely.

But in the second pic, I did some modifications. Because I didn't really like making the diaper flap all that much. It required thought. lol! And I also wanted something that I could manipulate easy, if it was being worn by my baby. While the pattern's result isn't technically difficult to operate, babys are incredibly wiggly, and from my limited experience, putting clothes on them, or taking them off, or changing diapers (!!!!!) requires at least 3 arms/hands. So I ignored the decreases for the flap, and instead lengthened the one-piece so that when being worn, it would cover the diaper-clad areas, but not require extra buttoning. I also changed my yarn. Instead of the fine baby yarn, I tried a pompadour. True, it's not as soft as the yarn used for the green one-piece, but I think in the end it's a better deal because it'll last longer. Then again, due to the incredible speed at which babies grow... At any rate, I like this second result a little better. I think I'll write out the idea (my brain lets info out like water from a large-pore sieve) so I can try it again.

In case you wonder where the pink one-piece ended up, it took a voyage along with a purple hat over to the Pine Ridge rez.

yarn types

2006-04-13T09:49:00.000-05:00

P'rhaps the type of yarn used does make a difference. I got a pattern to make a stuffed animal, shown "below (or above, depending on where it actually ends up)," but since I couldn't find the Light 'n' Lofty, used a different (super) bulky yarn instead. My harp seal doesn't quite get the original flavor though... I'm not sure if it's the yarn I used, or because my pattern results are similar to my baking results; the finished object never quite ends up the way the pattern (either crochet or kitchen) says it will.

mail

2006-04-07T07:39:00.000-05:00

The shawl draped over the chair is what I received in the mail a couple days ago. Isn't it beautiful?? Yeah, I think so too. :D I like the colors, and especially the fringe. Mmmmmm, fringe.

And I've included a shot of the detail in the stitching. I've seen this pattern before, and wondered what it looked like up close. Now I know. Thankee muchly, Shelly!

puppets

2006-03-28T17:39:00.000-05:00

Finger puppets. I love their hair!!! Here's the pattern for 'em. As you can see, mine didn't really turn out like the picture. But that's okay. Because 1, I couldn't find the fingering yarn so I used 30 cotton instead, and 2, I didn't have similar eyes or noses; I had to embroider (word used loosely) those features. What a trial that was!!! I'm quite pleased that Miz Purlene helped me out with that.
What I'd like to know is, why does the 3rd from the right look so mad? Did it get up on the wrong side of the bed? Does it not like it's hair-do? Lol!!!

dye lots

2006-03-20T09:03:00.000-05:00

I started my project, and I bought the yarn. And 1/3 of the way through, as I was changing skeins, I realized that there was a significant color difference. Not a happy moment. But worse was to come. I went to the store searching for that same starting color, but all the skeins I looked at under those store lights looked mostly the same; no wonder my problem arose in the first place. I had an incredibly difficult time, even though I brought samples of what I was searching for. I finally bought a skein, hoping for the best. No luck. Instead of matching the starting color, it matched the newer color. Result: I'll be starting the project again. *resigned sigh*

I think that if the skeins say "no dye lot" then they should all be the same color. Is that too much to ask?

cloche

2006-03-02T08:47:00.000-05:00

I tried the homespun again. First couple of efforts left me a little dissatisfied. But I was motivated by this cloche pattern. A freebie from Lionbrand, recommended by those stellar folk over at Crochetville.
Following the pattern's guage and hook size (9mm, then 10mm) as best I could, my finished hat still ended up a bit long in circumference. And even though I only did 8 rows of increasing instead of 9, the hat fits a little loose on my head; I guess my head is smaller than the average bear, er, head. Next time I will only do 7 rows of increases.
The color I definitely like. And this time around the homespun wasn't nearly as aggravating. I think using the larger hook was a boon. Another good thing about this project was that it worked up very quickly. Talk about instant gratification!

But I would be remiss if I didn't say, the homespun used for this hat was part of the gift by the one who has gnawed a space in my dried-out-raisin heart. ...And now that I am understanding about large hooks & this yarn, perhaps I will try socks again with it. Thanks, babe!

head sizes

2006-01-27T08:38:00.000-05:00

I used this particular pattern, following it with the F-hook, Caron's Simply Soft yarn, and all. My FO comes remarkably close to the picture shown on the craftown page. But as to the size! The circumference of this hat turned out to be about 8 inches. 8 inches! That is tiny! Are premies' heads really this small?

Color me in awe.

yarn gift

2006-01-24T09:07:00.000-05:00

My s.o. gave me yarn for my birthday! How exciting. Yarn and sock/slipper patterns. The thing is that 3 skeins out of the 6 are homespun. Which I am not familiar with at all. So the other night I break out a skein and try to start a sock pattern. Bad news all over! I like the feel, but socks will not be made with this yarn! Nope, uh-huh, no way! Perhaps a granny square afghan instead.

But it was so sweet a thought!

pre-planning

2006-01-19T08:41:00.000-05:00

I'm starting a christmas list early this year, of what I want to give folk. I figure perhaps if I start now, I'll actually have stuff to give. Unlike this year, which, although merry, was kind of a bust.
For dad: a hat
For mom: a scarf
For sis: an amigurumi bear
For bro: a blanket
For Greta T: an amigurumi lemur
Of course, the amigurumi stuff is dependent on more than 1 factor. We shall see how it goes.

other projects

2006-01-11T08:39:00.000-05:00

Although I'm quite excited to be crocheting socks, a lot of my crochet time has lately been going towards making items for Stitches from the Heart boxes. Although the group is primarily directed towards premie babies, they do take all sorts of baby clothes and accessories.
I think it's an excellent idea!

cotton candy

2006-01-06T09:28:00.000-05:00

i used a TLC pink worsted for this pair of socks, and the pattern from
here. i liked the modular nature of this pattern, but the joining joining joining made me a little frustrated. my counting skills are less than excellent i must admit. :D it also seemed like it took more time to complete the project, although on looking at both pairs (winter's night & cotton candy) side by side, the pink ones look a bit smaller, with less yardage.
perhaps if i try the pattern again with a sport weight yarn, things will be easier? we shall see.

a winter's night

2005-12-12T09:21:00.000-05:00

Completed using the pattern from this particular site, with a J-hook, and red heart yarn, worsted weight.
my first pair of socks, made because i saw her site. and also because the idea of crocheting socks seems like such a cool idea.
turned out to be a lot easier than i expected, once i dropped the idea of stopping each round and beginning the next. instead i went ahead and continued my rounds without stopping.

crochet & me

2005-12-12T09:10:00.000-05:00

i like to crochet.

i don't like to show off my work so much. however the forum that i'm on won't upload photos from my computer, so i've started this blog.

and i think as time goes by, i'll appreciate having an on-line diary, so to speak, of what i'm doing. and hopefully i'll get to know other crochet-ers along the way. that would be neat.