Doing It Again

Some friends are expecting their first baby this spring.  I had already made a baby hat, but haven’t given it to them yet.  My husband heard the mother-to-be talking about a handknit baby blanket which her grandmother made years ago, and how much she wished she had more like it (with a lament about how people don’t ‘do that anymore’ I believe) he made a point of steering my knitting in that direction.  Since I’ve just finished the Mantis it was time to buy yarn anyway, so that’s the next project.

Redo

I rarely work the same pattern more than once, but on occasion I come back to something.  I’ve crochetted two or three of Betty Saxon and Luana Nelson’s Dragon, all but one pre-ravelry days. I will quite possibly come back this critter. (I think my Mother-in-Law might need one).

I made Knitty’s version of the Hoover Blanket, doll sized, two and a half years ago, using Lion Brand Homespun.  It was a doll blanket for my niece.  I liked it, but didn’t find it particularly interesting to knit, and I wasn’t happy with the yarn choice.  Homespun is a fun yarn.  I love the softness, the interest, and the price, but it’s a bit overwhelming for some projects.

So it’s the Hoover again. This time in sport weight yarn, in baby-pale colors.

I got a gauge of 22 st/4″, so I cast on 121.  17st for the border left 87 to double knit.  I opted for three blocks of 29 stitches, which I will pattern in various pastel ways.  Five rows of blocks ought to do it, I think.   We’ll see how fast I can work this baby up…

Blog Contests and Giveaways

I didn’t win the Bernat Mosaic giveaway.  That’s OK, because I entered the Knit a While giveaway for “Knitting With the Color Guys” by Kaffe Fasset (deadline April 6), and the Lion Brand ‘most meaningful handmade gift‘ contest (April 16)

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Buggy Backbone

Here’s some more detail on the assembly of mantis limbs.  The first trick was to work the ‘chenille stems’, i.e. pipe cleaners, down to the very tip of the whip stitched end.  This was a bit tricky, and would have been much more frustrating if I didn’t have a pair of needle nosed pliers on hand.  The jewelry making tool set I have served me in good stead here.

I probably could have gotten away with just the pipe cleaners, but since I already had the 16 gauge copper wire, which I had used on the legs before, I added that as well.  This makes the pincers as strong as the legs are.  I’m planning to use the wire (but not the pipe cleaners) as a backbone for the body as well.

Blog Contests and Giveaways

I didn’t win the Ravelry book giveaway, and Cincinnati has guaranteed that I can’t win the March Madknits yarn giveaway.  On the other hand, I joined the Simply Sockupied Yarn Giveaway from knitting daily (30 March), and the Fandom Yarn giveaway from bluetooth toaster (8 April), and a pattern from Classic Cable Knits (26 March)

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Buggie Fun

I haven’t wound the brown skein of Cascade 220 into a ball for the Mantis yet.  Instead I’ve been merrily knitting away on the green bits.  Click on the picture at left for a (much) larger image, showing the stitch texture and the sheen of the yarn.

I’m currently ‘stuffing’ the legs, which means whip stitching them closed over both chenille stems and the 16 gauge copper wire I mentioned before.  I’m liking the results both for texture and stability, and holding the two together while I stitch is much easier than trying to ‘thread’ them through the finished legs would be. The same method would probably work really well for flower stems, should I ever be so inclined.

Blog Contests and Giveaways

Didn’t win the Patons Divine. I entered A Year at the Wheel’s March Giveaway (31 March) for a couple of skeins of Knitpicks Suri Dream.  She’s also got fiber up for grabs, but I’m so slow at spinning…  I also signed up for another Phat Fiber giveaway, this one for Wandering Wool sock yarn. (26 March) Not a blog contest, but Celeena Cree Creations Etsy story is giving away free patterns to people who blog about their store.

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A Little Bit o’ This ‘n’ That

WIPs

After reading through the Ravelry notes, I’ve picked up some 16 gauge copper wire for my mantis.  I also got a set of beading pliers and cutters and some stretchy beading cord.  I decided not to get the aluminum or silicone jump rings this time.  I’m holding off on another row counter until I can get hold of number beads, but one is in the future I do believe.

Past Projects

As I mentioned in an earlier post on Where’s George I had been having a little bit of trouble with the currency tracking project.  I invested in a couple more stamps, and got some less beaten up bills, and it’s going much better now.  At least, it’s going better when judged by the clarity of my stamps.  I’m still not getting a great record for actually tracking currency.

In Other Blogs

Vanessa has posted about an awesome Oriole FO, and how hard it can be to accept compliments.  In Cast-On, Brenda brought my attention to the Government Free VJJ Campaign. This led to some interesting conversation with DD#2, who is a bit of a prude at times.

Blog Contests and Giveaways

No news on the  Countess Ablaze yarn drawing yet.  The name the button contest has been extended until the 22nd.  I’ve entered the Ravelry library tour giveaway for 25 books (22 March deadline), and I’ve filled out my bracket for the March Madknits giveaway, and now that play has started I can say with some confidence that I’ve found my place in the middle of the pack.  I’ve also entered the All Free Crochet Bernat Mosiac giveaway (deadline March 28) as well as Truly Myrtle’s  homemade handbag giveaway. (March 23) and Phat Fiber’s Dawning Dreams spindle giveaway (March 26)

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Don’t Tell Mom

I had so much fun making the hermit crab for my friend Colleen that I just had to play around with a couple more of these little guys.   So now that he’s done there are a couple more knit amigurumi in the pipeline.  So I suppose it’s time to do a book review.

The Book

The source book for these little guys is “Amigurumi Knits” by Hansi Singh.  As I said before, these projects are all skill enhancing, they work on middling small needles with worsted weight yarn, and there’s plenty of fiddly bits involved. There are lots of different processes covered here, in a great deal of detail.  As I mentioned before, there is only one type of short rows detailed, and no description of kitchener for ribs, but that’s actually a pretty minor issue.

All of the patterns are written for smooth yarns in worsted weight, but it’s not actually that hard to use something with a little bit more interest to it.  Here is my go at the Earthworm, which I knit up in two days using some of my own (rather primitive) handspun yarn.  I think he turned out just fine, although he’s definitely more ‘fuzzy’ than slimy looking.   I’m giving him to my mother for her birthday.

The earthworm is one of the easier patterns in the book, it being a straightforward matter of short rows and grafting.  The hermit crab, which also involves picked up stitches, ‘chenille stems’ and sewing several parts together is labeled as being more challenging.  It was certainly more time consuming, but doable.  I’ve just started my third knitted amigurumi project, the praying mantis, which is listed as the most difficult project of the three.  We’ll see how he comes along.

I’d recommend this book for the adventurous knitter who wants to focus on small projects and who thinks that realistic, multi legged (or leggless) critters can be beautiful (or at least cute) too.

Blog Contests and Giveaways

I entered a drawing for 3 skeins of Patons Divine Yarn from All Free Crochet Afghan Patterns. (20 March)  One for the Munchkinland Socks pattern and skein – believe me, the pattern is every bit as exciting as the sock yarn.  I also joined a name the button contest at Nichols Buttons (deadline 18 March)

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You Can Always Find Me Knitting In Public

The Portable WIP

Last post was devoted to Wonton, the sit and think project. As per usual, I also have a less brain intensive project going…

Stockinette and dropped stitches

This is my Les Miserables shawl (the Ravelry project is named “Miserable Maiden Aunt” because of the yarn I’m using for it).  Most of the finished projects I’ve seen for this pattern have used solid yarns, but I really think it calls out for the variation.  I might randomize the dropped stitches a little bit too for a more tattered look.  12 repeats of 54 stitches, then felted.  Whee!

The KIPping experience

This has been my car-and-waiting room project recently.  I’ve been getting a lot of comments and queries on it.  So far, none of them have been ‘is that crochet’? which tends to be the most common KIP response in general.  Crocheting in public gets (you guessed it) ‘are you knitting?’  Honestly, it’s to the point where I’m pleasantly surprised when someone gets it right.

Have I been tempted to snark when it happens?  No, not really.  I guess the yarn in hand lowers the blood pressure to the point where I’m pre-mellowed.  It’s just a friendly experience, and I generally respond with a smile (as opposed to laughing in someone’s face), well, sometimes I may chuckle.

It’s not very common that I come across someone else KIPping, though.  Recently ran into a woman at a coffee shop struggling with a new cast on.  I might have been able to walk on by, but she was using such yummy chunky yarn – it turned out to be pure roving, and we’re not talking pencil lead width roving, I just had to say ‘Hi’ and see if I knew the CO she was trying (I didn’t).  Her children showed up and had that ‘oh no, not again’ look on their faces because here was Mommy, talking about knitting again.

Search Term Observation

I was thrilled to see that someone found this blog by searching for “crochet beholder”, and disappointed on the searcher’s behalf that there is not, in fact, a pattern for such here. I assume that the searcher was looking for an amigurumi version of the the D&D monster first published in the original Greyhawk by Gygax and Kuntz. I may put one up sometime, but there are already several of them out there.  A quick Ravelry search revealed these three, reproduced here in case the searcher is not a Ravelry member:

• The Anticraft’s Shoulder Beholder
• EpicxCloth’s Beholder
• Didzioba’s Beholder

They are all pretty awesome.

Success in Searching

If the above searcher was in fact looking for my Pokeball Tea Cozy she could now find it listed at Crochet Pattern Central!  Thanks for the link, guys. I can see my hits going up already (on that one page in any case) 

Blog Contests and Giveaways

I did not win the skein of handspun from Wool and Cotton,  I did put in for a Phat Fiber drawing for undyed local wool (results probably on Friday).  I’ve also joined the March Madknits NCAA tournament pool – for yarn! I passed on the Addison’s Yarn Giveaway (closes March 14) because I don’t love the color, but other people do. You might, in fact, so check it out!

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WIPping Along

Since I’m on a posting jag, and I have some yarn giveaways to follow up on (and new ones to link to) I think it’s time to get all my readers caught up on my current project list.

What I’m Doing Now

Yarn Work

Chuppah

Yes, it was used in the wedding.  Yes, it was beautiful.  No it’s not ‘properly finished’.  Yes, this is another example of me being lame…

As you can see, it was light enough to be caught by the wind, which was a good thing.  Now I just need to finish putting the little flower motifs between all the bigger ones.  Not difficult, but it’s large enough to be unwieldy and unportable.

Hopefully I can give it to them on their first anniversary!

Hermit Crab Amigurumi

My friend Colleen has hermit crabs.  Last fall, when she went on vacation, she asked DD#2 to crab sit.  She gave us all the instructions, and an isolation tank to use if one of the three was unwell or being bullied.

We ended up using it when “Wonton” began to bury himself.  Poor DD kept digging him up, and was eventually convinced that he was dead, but kept misting him daily because she didn’t want to admit defeat.  When Colleen came back she was impressed that DD had nursed him (successfully) through a molt!  I am making her this little guy,

It’s the Hermit Crab from Hansi Singh’s Amigurumi Knits (it’s a Goodreads link, you can use the Amazon link from within Ravelry and give them the referrer’s cut…)

Unfortunately, the tight gauge makes my hands hurt, and it’s definitely not driving knitting anyway, so I’ve got a third project.

Les Miserables Shawl

I’m using the  Old Maiden Aunt “Moody” laceweight yarn I won in a giveaway from Knitting Pipeline back in 2010, and I’m knitting Les Miserables (by Cynthia Parker, published in Handheld Knitting).

Useful Resource

I’ve found that the amigurumi knitting is both physically and mentally intensive, so that I can’t do it for too long at a go without my hands complaining.  So far I’ve just switched to the less intense shawl project, but thanks to a post I found at Knitfreedom, now I have 5 Stretches to Relieve Knitting Pain.  Of course, I first read this as “5 Stitches to Relieve Knitting Pain”, which was even more exciting, but I’m still happy to have found it.

Other Projects

March is National Novel Editing Month (NaNoEdMo).  Since I finished NaNoWriMo last year I’ve signed up for it.  Here’s hoping that in April I’ll have a draft I feel confident in showing to others…

Blog Contests and Giveaways

I didn’t win the Retrobaby giveaway, or the Twist & Twine giveaway, but Earthmama 101 has a giveaway which will be of interest to parents of young children.  Natalie Servant Designs is giving away a wonderful skein of yarn hand dyed by Indigodragonfly, but I’m not sure I can write a limerick for yarn, so I’m holding off on this one (I’ve tweeted about it though, that’s worth something, right?).  Also followed up on the Knitfreedom handspun giveaway and free pattern. I entered the Red Heart Yarn of the Month giveaway as well (after checking out projects made with it on Ravelry)  If I actually had any Malabrigo I’d join Mr. Yarn’s Malabrigo March giveaways – but you have to have some to win some. 

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Skill +1 Up

Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year. 

These kinds of questions are always a bit tricky for me. I’ve tried my first cashmere shawl, and I suppose I’ve learned a bit specifically about knitting with cashmere, and had a harsh reinforcement about lifelines. More than that, however, I’ve gotten more practice with improvising and changing projects as I go on. I’m more willing to frog back when things don’t work (excepting for that cashmere shawl, which is still hibernating in my freezer…) I’d have to say that I have improved a little in skill, and a lot in confidence, over the past year.

Blog Contest News

I did not win the Sylphia Shawl giveaway at Sunset Cat. Nor did I win Vegan Craftastic’s minimalist knitting pattern, but she has one for Twig and Leaf Botanicals which I entered (closes April 4). There’s another giveaway for Quince and Company yarn and pattern at Knitting Pipeline.

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Don’t Have That Here (I Wish I Did)

The square is coming along very nicely.  I really like how the ‘grain’ of the stockinette background is contrasting with that of the garter stitch H.  I think the seed stitch border highlights the effect rather than confuses it.  In other words, working just as planned:

According to my WordPress stats, people are finding my blog through web searches for “Beholder Hat”.  This would be wonderful if I had a pattern for “Beholder Hat, but I don’t.(much as the idea tempts me). So  here are some close matches that I’ve found – Shoulder Beholder (from the Anti-Craft). The Eyeballs Beanie is being sold by Candypop Creations. The Brain Slug Baby Hat and From the Brain-Slug Planet. One could probably pick and choose parts of these various patterns and cobble something together… Again, I’m sorely tempted, but I’d better knit a conventional hat for DH before I start work on one of these…

In other blogs, Vegan Craftastic has another great giveaway, this one for vegan toiletries and perfumes (deadline March 23).  There are also two charitable knitting posts I’d like to direct you to.  There’s a raffle to benefit Sue Nelson’s cancer treatment (from XRX, the parent company of Knitters Magazine), and PDX Knitterati is donating the gross (not the net, the gross) from online sales of her Pacific Shawl.

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Getting the Hang of This Camera

First of all, I’d like to thank Sunsetseasanity (of the artismysanity blog) for the advice on the camera.  I had to play around with it (and turn off the ‘idiot proof settings’) but I think I can find the right light level now.  Next step will be to replace my tripod (lost with the last camera).

Here’s the beginning of the square for the Chosen One project.  I’m using this to knit down stash, so it’s a hodgepodge of yarns.  I’ve got some old Lion Jiffy for the square, a little Cascade 220, Lion Trellis and some ‘mystery yarn’ held together for the letter.  I’m working a garter stitch border around the square, and a moss stitch border around the letter.  I’m knitting across the letter rather than bottom to top, so that I won’t have to break the yarn for the multiple parts of the H.  We’ll see if I’ve overcomplicated things, but so far, so good.  I’m half tempted to frog back and make the letter a bit bigger.  I’d better think on it a bit and keep working on something else  in the meantime.  I expect to be spending a chunk of time in a waiting room today, so I should get a fair amount done.

Current WIPS include the mini wrist warmers, the tea cozy and a cat bed made from recycled plastic bags.  The tea cozy is the most portable, so that’s probably what I’ll take with me.

Speaking of the Chosen One project, I just realized that I’d never posted the link to the KnitNotWar 10o0 project.  Check out the installation, it’s lovely.  My ten were all tan and brown.

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