back to basics

It's January 1, 2014, and I haven't touched this blog in years. Let's change that.

For Christmas I taught myself how to crochet, specifically to make a Hobbes for my nephew. Here's how it turned out:

He's a little bit askew here and there but he's loved. I followed the pattern found at sukigirl's blog. I used worsted instead of DK yarn but it turned out great anyway :) Especially for a first big project doing a craft I'd never really done before (aside from a hideous placemat I made when I was 12, which was big and bulky and not very good haha).

That's about it. I have a ton more stuff going on at Ravelry. You can find me there. Happy New Year, all!

Hello, is this thing on?

I keep forgetting that I have a knitting blog, mostly because I got all entangled in Ravelry and its many delights.

For those of you with ravelry accounts, I have recently been set up as a designer, woo! It's pretty exciting to me, although I am worried that what I wrote won't make sense to others - we shall soon see.

The knitting fair is coming up, I am super excited about it and doubly excited because my daughter is coming along with us - she has become a little knitter all on her own, with no prompting from me. It's nice to see her following my footsteps, however minutely.

Ok, time to get some rest as my head is pounding, just wanted a brief update about the Ravelry thing. Cheers!

Tons of things

So I am a slacker but I've made a ton of stuff since my last post. Ravelry has made me lazy to post here, it's so much easier to create and edit a project there than blather on about it here. Mea culpa. Here's an example of my latest work, a pair of mitts for my boy.



Later gater.

Something to crow about

I already posted in my personal journal about this, but I'm posting here as well. I got a crapton of yarn from a nearby yarn store that had Needlecrafts yarn on for 40% off - she was making room for more Noro stuff. Because I'm on her mailing list she sent info on it before the sale so a friend and I got there early for it. Italian silk and chenille for 40% off? Yes please. Worth the trip, in spite of pain and fatigue which I bit back and ended up napping the rest of the day for it. There's a knitting fair in September, which I am already gearing up for.

In other news:

My dear friend gave me my birthday present a little late. First off, it was wrapped in some beautiful fabric that I can make something out of, tied with real ribbon that can also be used.

Inside there was:

Knitpick Wool of the Andes Yarn - 3 of the Sapphire Heather, 1 Black Cherry Heather, and 1 Amethyst Heather. Gorgeous, gorgeous stuff.

There was also:

Sensual Knits by Yahaira Ferreira.

I have to tell you, this made my sucky day so much better, I can't even tell you. I have had so much crappy and when I get these little bolts of happy, I find myself fighting tears - grateful tears.

So now I am giddily considering the prospects of knitting a fab coat from my new book, and this gives me more incentive to go to the yarn fair in September (thanks for the tip, Karen @ Shall We Knit?).

I showed my sister in law the new book and stash (memo to self: take photos to update ravelry stash info) and now she wants to knit more than ever. My friend wants to coordinate some time with me her and my sis in law so we can both teach her how to knit. They both have more than that in common and I believe they'd get along famously, so I'm trying to figure something out that works for all of us (and then there's the equal challenge of finding a day where my health does not prevent me from enjoying my time with them).

Anyway, no need to get in that, I just wanted to crow about my treasures.

Amigurumi!

So cute! I especially love the zodiac ones. Hmmmm.

I love amigurumi, but I know nothing about crochet. But what a good way to learn, no? Tiny projects so that I don't go all batty, and if I make a mistake it's on something small rather than something big. Hmmm. Decisions...

Shrug

So I'm working on a gorgeous shrug to have something to cover my poor cold arms whenever I get back into office work, but also because I love shrugs. The pattern for this can be found here (Click on "Staff Shrugs", I'm working on the one called Minimalist Ribbon Shrug).

What's nice about this project is that it's finally giving me a chance to use just plain straight knitting needles again. That may seem strange, but up to this point a lot of my projects have involved either circulars or dpns. It's also giving me a chance to use a bulkier yarn, because again most of my projects have been using finer weaves.

So here are a few shots of the work in progress. I feel sad because I get tired so easily so it takes me forever to do the little I've done, but I'm pleased with it thus far.

wrist warmers

wrist warmers

Here is a photo of some wrist warmers I made for my daughter. She uses them ALL THE TIME so it was worth the effort. Made from this pattern. And it took me more than a day but only because I was a slacker who kept putting them down.

If you know me, are within personal delivery range, and want me to make a pair, let me know, ok?

GIR completed

GIR completed

Here he is, in all his glory! Isn't he cute???

GIR

GIR head done & body

I've been working on GIR in robot form for my sister-in-law. I have the head arms body & legs done, just need to finish eyes & stuff it. Here's a small photo of my progress in the middling stages.

Happy New Year.

The hero of canton...

Making another Jayne hat for my sister in law. Except in green! Photos below.

Eeee!

I'm so excited! I finally got my invite to Ravelry!

For those of you not in the know, it's like facebook, but for knitters/crocheters. Because it's still in beta mode, you have to sign up to be invited. It took about a week or so for me to get my invite but boy am I excited! LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Progress on my sweater!

I am dying to show y'all what I've been doing, so here are some photos:





Here's a close-up of the needlework. This is the bottom of the sweater.



This is the yarn I've chosen for the job.



Eee! So exciting!

Yarn-hunting adventure

So since Hammer would be unavailable for our little foray into wool gathering (due to funeral and her daughter being unwell), and Rose decided she needed some yarn, she and I went on a quest for yarn.

I have to tell you - I really fell in love with a LOT of what we found at Shall We Knit?, but a lot of it was just beyond my price range at the moment. This is definitely the place to go for high-quality yarn, as well as tons of resources and there is some more affordable stuff there as well.

After that, we went off to St. Mary's to check out McPherson's, which was more reasonably priced and they had a super sale going on as well. I got a bunch of yarn for super cheap - 2.00/skein!

I have more to say on this, but I'm very tired. I will say that I got the yarn I wanted to make this, hurrah!

Knock knock, is this thing still on?

I want to go knitting shopping this weekend, although my darling S would say that it is crazy talk, and why do I have to have all this damn yarn, etc. Except that this mission is actually a mission to help Hammer learn to knit fair isle style, and therefore this is a purchase for the greater good. Is it my fault that in the process I will end up with a kick-ass skirt at the end of it? The greater good.

S really loves it when I rationalize things like that. Our conversations like these usually ends up with him laughing at me because I say it so seriously, like our life is a sit-com and I'm just churning out the lines. And he's my personal laugh-track. I haven't taught him to go "Awwwww" at the really sweet moments yet, but I'm sure we'll get there.

We're probably going to hit Shall We Knit? in New Hamburg, mostly because I've never been there before and I'm dying to see it. The Record did up a nice article on the owner of the place, and I do love small businesses - so much more personal, and you can find the neatest things.

Ok, time to stop daydreaming and finish another baby blanket (a friend had a little boy, I'm using the same pattern I used to make my friend's baby girl a blanket.)

Woo! Also, I simply cannot wait for this site to be up and public!

Hello Mr. Sewing Machine... its been a few months...

So I've put my yarn aside for a bit. I've got some sewing projects on the brain right now.

I went garage saling with my mom on Saturday and picked up a box of patterns for like a buck or something.

One of the patters was to make this really cute wrap skirt, which doesn't seem that difficult at all. So I'm off to fabric land today to see if there is any material I might be able to fashion into a skirt. It's got to be something I can wear to work, because lord am I low on spring work clothes.

I'll also be on the lookout for that great material I saw there about four months ago. It's this colourful stripped canvas that would be absolutely perfect to make a beach bag out of. I love bags like that for just toting around my own crap from day to day. I had this bag from a wedding show that I went to with my cousin in the winter and I used that bag until it fell apart. And even then I sewed it back up and used it until it disintegrated.

New Week - New Project

I've taken my baby blanket for Jo off my list. She's getting a ton of other home-made things for her baby and it just wouldn't make sense for me to make one for her too.

Anyway, I've got such a collection of different yarns now I really need to get a big rubbermade container or something to put it in.

I'm starting a granny sqare blanket right now. I got the pattern from the Lionbrand website. (God I love that site) I'm not sure who this project is going to be for. I had thought it might be nice to make and give to my niece for her birthday, since the yarn has pinks and yellows in it. Then again, I could always do it for my own house. I finihsed the cover for my TV. Nothing special, just something to keep the kitten off.

Jeff has been bugging me to make curtains for our basement windows. I know it's probably not that complicated, but I'd better consult my mother-in-law for instructions. This will be a step up from what I've been doing on my sewing machine.

So I'm not the greatest knitter, but I have a feeling no one is going to step up and make me a Slytherin scarf. I want one so bad so it looks like its up to me. Poo on you saddest, poo on you. =)

Blanket 002

Blanket 002

These are the receiving blankets I made on my sewing machine. Really simple hem on a flannet material.

Material Girl

Blanket 001

Blanket 001

This is the blanket all finished and waiting for a baby to be wrapped in. The self stripeing yarn did a nice job.

Material Girl

I FINISHED!

I ended up being off work Thursday and Friday last week giving me the opportunity to finish the baby blanket and receiving blankets. I was in such a rush on Saturday though I didn't get a chance to take a picture.

So I've started crocheting the yellow blanket for Jo.

I've also got another project to get started. It's going to be a cover for my tv, to prevent kitten scratches. I'll be seeing T on Wednesday so I will make sure to take a picture of the blanket for posting.

scarf

So I'm working on the Slytherin scarf, have set aside the Dalek for a bit because I'm still troubled over what to do about the eye. We'll see. I'm also considering installing boning on the inside to give it a more pleasing shape. This will take some doing.

I'm proud of MG for getting her blanket almost done - remember girl, NEVER let the man be right. YOU CAN FINISH THIS!