Tag Archives: Crochet

Christmas Knitting

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Kitty hat & crocheted scarf

This is all the knitting, well, technically half is crocheted, that I’m doing for Christmas. My cousin wanted a black hat with kitty ears so I used the pattern in Stitch ‘N Bitch with some black (I know it doesn’t look black but it is) acrylic and made her a kitty hat. And since her favorite color is neon green (she’s 10) I whipped up a crocheted scarf. I used a pattern from Stitch ‘N Bitch Crochet for it. And that is all I’m making for Christmas. I’m sick, I’ve had a cold that I can’t shake, and I’m tired and don’t feel like messing with it. So there.

Busy, Busy

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Dyeing

I’ve been up since 7:30am and I’ve barely sat down today.  It actually feels really good to be so busy today.  The first thing I did was dye a big bunch of roving.  This is about a half pound or more of that mixed wool/llama/mohair/whatever that I got at the fiber fair last year, it’s all gone now.  There colors here are way off, I’ll get better pictures when the roving is dry.  I’m kind of afraid that I felted this batch like I did the last one, this stuff just seems to felt if you say “water” in the same room as the roving.  If it’s felted it’s not too bad, the roving will still be spinable but it will need carded first to fluff it back up.  I had planned on selling at leas some of this but if I did felt it I’ll probably spin it and sell the yarn or felt it and sell the felt.  I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to assess the damage.

I spent a little over an hour roasting tomatoes and eggplant so I could have some sandwiches like these from Vegan Yum Yum.  I’ve made them before but they turned out much better this time.  I used roma tomatoes and cut them in four slices and only roasted them for about 45 minutes.  And I used real cheese.  I was vegan for about two years but I always missed cheese and there weren’t any good fakes cheeses back then, so I gave up.  I have a weak spot for cheese, can’t live without the stuff.

While the food was cooking I finished plying and then soaked my ingeo yarn but my camera batteries died before I got to take a picture of it.  The yarn turned out about the way I figured it would, it’s stiff and scratchy, not something that I would want to wear.  But I think it would be good for something like a bag or, well, anything you wouldn’t have to wear.

Crochet Coaster

Yesterday I decided I need a coaster for my desk so I made this little crocheted one with some size 10 crochet cotton and a 1.65mm hook.  The pattern is from Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts!: Lacy Crochet it’s the round coaster.  It’s about four and a half inches across, smaller than I thought it would be, but the perfect size for a coffee cup.  And this was super easy, it only took about an hour to make.  Confession time:  way back before I learned how to knit, I used to manically crochet things like doilies and table runners, jewelry and hats, with thread and tiny hooks.  I was working doing telephone customer service and I would crochet like a mad lady all day at work.  I loved doing huge pieces in filet crochet with these ridiculously small hooks and thread that made this look huge.  I was also very stereotypically Goth, pale skin, black clothes, weird hair and makeup, piercings.  I got a lot of weird looks at work.

Tablet Woven Case

I took that card woven strap I made last week and sewed it up into a double pointed needle case.  This is about seven inches long and two inches wide.  The edges are a little wonky and there are parts were my weaving is just crap but it will work.  Last night I spent a few hours threading the cards for another little project but I haven’t started it yet, maybe later.

I’m off to finish cleaning up and I really need to make some coffee.

Wednesday WiPs

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Josephine

I’ve had some motivation issues today, I just haven’t wanted to do anything except sit on the couch and mess around on the computer. Here’s my progress on Josephine, I just have few inches to go on the back. I think this project has already taken longer to knit than just about anything I’ve made before and I have no idea why. I like the pattern, I like the yarn, I like them together, so I don’t know. I’m sure it has more to do with the fact that I’m not sure how it’s going to fit once I finish and wash the top than just general laziness on my part (though that is part of it).

You can see some shadows from my hair on the bottom of the picture. The curl has finally come back. I’ve had curly hair my whole life and then a few years ago it suddenly went board straight, no curl. It was really strange but the curl has been coming back slowly and now, even with the weight of my hair(it is officially waist length when straight) it’s very curly and I love it.

Ripple Blanket

Back on topic, here’s the ripple blanket. This looks like pretty good progress from last week, but Friday I ripped my original blanket and started over with a bigger hook. The new blanket is a much better size, it has more drape and is softer. It’s still small, it is a lap blanket, but it actually covers my lap now. And I’ve been getting cool at night so sitting with it on my lap while I crochet has been nice. And the cats love it.

That’s all for today. Since April is over now I put all my Project365 pictures for the month in a little slide show below, so if you’re reading in a feed reader you’ll have to come to the website to see it. Or you can just go straight to my photoblog, StuffIsNeet. Feel free to comment!

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A WiPs Post, Finally

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Ripple Blanket in progress

So now that my spinning series thing is done, I’m having a hard time deciding what to write about now.  Here’s a look at my works in progress to make up for being uninspired.

First up is the Shaded Ripple Blanket.  The colors are so far off in this picture, I’m using the exact colors from the picture in the pattern link.  I’ll try to get a better picture next week.  This is one full repeat of the colors and I really like it.  I didn’t realize how small this is going to be, I just didn’t even think about what the pattern says, it should end up 38″x44″ (96.5 x 112 cm), which will make a good lap blanket.

I’ve never really thought about crocheting a blanket before, I always thought it would be annoying and cumbersome and that I’d just get bored and put it away before I finished it, but I’m really enjoying making this.  I’ve been doing a few rows every night before bed and it’s coming together pretty fast.  I think I’ll tackle the Babette Blanket next, I’ve already bought the pattern and everything.  That will be a while, though, because I want to make it out of my leftover handspun sock yarn and I don’t have nearly enough saved up yet.

Josephine

And here’s Josephine, which has become my main knitting.  I’ve made a ton of progress on this this week knitting at the computer.  I have an inch or so to go before I start the arm holes but I’m really worried about it.  I know that my gauge was off but I washed my swatch and it shrunk down to the right size.  My gauge is about the same as the swatch but I have this fear that my full sweater won’t shrink enough.  I just keep telling myself to trust the swatch, it shouldn’t lie.  But I’m worried none the less.

Tomorrow is Fiber Friday and I have some pretties to show off.  Well, it’s the green yarn that you’ve seen and the bamboo that you haven’t.  And I got an email yesterday that my soy silk and faux cashmere has been shipped.  I can’t wait to start playing with them!