Saturday, April 30, 2005

Frog

Yep, I frogged the knit sock. The farther along I got the more it looked like it would fit André the Giant *cringe*

Oh well, mistakes happen, I didn't like the k2, p2 ribbing anyway. I frogged it back and took out 8 sts and started over with a k1, p1 ribbing and that looks a lot better. I was only about 23 rounds into it anyway so it wasn't too big a deal to frog it.

Now to see how this will look as it gets longer.

Friday, April 29, 2005

A button

I was playing around with The GIMP and trying to make a button for my blog and this is what I came up with:



If anyone wants to link to me, save it to your own server, please.

The socks are coming along

I've finished the top ribbing, I went for 2" and it looks like it will be enough. Now I'm working on the leg, which could take a little while since I've decided I want knee socks out of this yarn. They'll be a little thicker since I'm using Simply Soft but they should be warm this winter. The color is striping fairly well, it's Baby Ombre and I think the pastel colors will look interesting on knee socks, we'll see. I may have to do some shaping down past the calf so the socks won't be too big around the ankle but I'll worry about that when I get to it, I'm a fairly good knitter so I should be able to figure out what to do.

Since I know I can work this method so far I'm putting it down for a bit so I can get to work on the other crocheted sock I started, I want to finish it by Sunday so I can wear the socks to church-should get some interesting reactions, doncha think?

After I finish the other crocheted sock I also need to finish the purple pillowghan and send it off, plus I need to finish the babyghan before the 14th so I better get a move on.

I was going to keep the pillowghan a surprise but I also wanted to be sure the person getting it would like it so when I caught him on MSN this morning I asked him if he wanted to see what I had so far and he said ok. He said he probably wouldn't be able to tell what it was anyway since he knew nothing about crocheting but I think he at least knows it's an afghan now and he not only likes it, he loves it (insert cheering smilie here) At least if the WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the red heart that popped up on my MSN after he got a look at it was anything to go by.

Anyway, I was curious about whether I could use this technique or not and since it looks like I can I'll put it down and it'll be my next project to work on along with the other rose afghan I'll be making. More on that when I get started on it, it'll be quite interesting to see how all the colors look together on that one.

Getting a start on the knit socks

I've gotten a start on the knit socks, I went to Wal Mart a little while ago and got 2 sets of #6 needles in 2 different colors. They're 29" and I wish I could have gotten 12" or even 16" ones but the 29" ones were the only ones Wal Mart sells. I'm using Caron Simply Soft to practice with since Wal Mart doesn't sell sock yarn.

It was a little clumsy at first until I figured out how they were doing it, now it isn't so bad and I actually like it better than using dpn because if I want to take it with me to work on I can just slide the stitches onto the cable and they won't drop off the needles. I'm not even using a marker for the beginning because of the different colored needles, I just remember which color needles I started with and that's all I need to remember.

We'll see if it's any easier doing the heel and gusset when I get to them, I'll keep you updated.

Knitting socks

I've been looking at How to knit with 2 circulars and it looks interesting. I might be able to handle knitting socks like that, I'll just need to get a couple of circular needles and give it a try, just reading it can be confusing sometimes. I have to get the materials and actually do it as I'm reading it so that it'll start to make sense, not that some of it doesn't already make sense, I just need to do as I read then I can comprehend it better, that's just the way I am. I'm looking forward to it, then I can knit and crochet socks, whatever bug bites.

I'll post later how that comes along after I get my needles and some practice yarn.

Finished a sock

I finished one sock out of the sock yarn my fairy sent me. I really like it, it'll brighten my feet up, that's for sure. I'm going to have to order some more sock yarn and experiment, I'd really like to try to make some knee socks too, I might get some WW yarn for that, it might hold up better for the taller socks.

I still intend to learn how to knit socks as well, I might try to find a 12" circular needle and do it that way instead of with the dpn.

A new yarn store has opened up downtown, I found out about it from someone who told me about it. I went to look and I'd have to have a bag full of money to get any yarn there, the wool/acrilic sock yarn was about $9 a ball and some of the 1.75 oz hanks of wool was around $14 a hank. I might save my money over the summer and get some, or I'll start ordering from Herrschner's, their prices are a bit more reasonable, they have a wool/nylon sock yarn for $2.56, I think I can afford that better if I want to make wool socks. Right now the Bernat Sox acrylic/nylon is quite soft and feels good on the foot. I did get a 24" bamboo circular needle in size 13. It was $12 but I have a pattern that calls for a size 13 circular needle so I got it. I'll try that pattern later, at least I have the needles. I think I might like them, they're really smooth-feeling and if I do like the way they knit I might get some more of them.

I'll post a pic of the socks when I get the other one done, it's just the basic sock pattern from the sock book I got in my package. I thought I'd better do the basic sock a few times before I try anything fancy, get it down first. I might be able to work my own patterns then.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

I do like these Crystalite hooks

They're much lighter than aluminum hooks and don't hurt my hand as much to use them. At first the yarn doesn't slide as smoothly as it does on aluminum hooks but after a bit it loosens up and slides fairly well. They're a little on the flexible side so you have to be careful with the smaller ones but I will be using these as much as I can, especially with big projects such as afghans. I can crochet just as fast or faster with them and don't have quite the strain on my hand as I do with a heavier hook. I'll just have to keep the thing they came it because it's hard to tell what size you're using and the size is marked on the package. Until I can remember what color is what size anyway.

Ok, back to trying to finish these afghans so I can play with my sock yarn and work on the other rose afghan that's been ordered.

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

My very first RAOK package is here!!

I got an email about a week ago telling me to expect a package and it's here!!

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It's 2 balls of Bernat Sox yarn in Hot Tamale-love the color, can't wait to try it out

A Learn to Crochet Socks book

A set of small Crystalite hooks to go with the large set my last secret pal at church gave me-I have a new one now, it's a new round of secret pals.

I absolutely love it all.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Darn it...

I tried my very best not to start on a cocoon sweater but everyone kept posting pictures of these gorgeous things at Crochetville and in their blogs and I couldn't help myself. I had bought 2 skeins of Bernat Softee Baby-one in soft lilac and the other in mint. I was curious what the 2 would look like if worked together and that sweater called me again so I started one. The 2 colors look wonderful together and I'm getting more just as soon as I get the rest of the yarn I need to finish my pineapple pillowghan. I just hope Wal Mart doesn't pull what they pulled back when I was finishing a granny afghan for a friend and stop putting either of those colors up because they only had 2 skeins of the lilac at the store I went to the other day and now I wish I'd bought them both. There is another WM fairly close by that I can also check so I'm not totally screwed yet, we'll see. I'll have to wait anyway because I really need to finish the pillowghan and a babyghan before I get on too many other projects.

Speaking of that, on the UFO challange I've decided to finish an arrowhead design MAM that I started God knows how long ago and I should still be able to get the yarn I need to finish it. I used Red Heart Super Saver in colors that aren't likely to be discontinued so as soon as I figure out how much I have on hand and how much I'll need to buy it's back onto the Arrowhead. I'm not sure what I'll do with it once it's finished but I'll burn that bridge when I come to it.

Anyway, I think I'm sinking in UFOs and Wannados.

Friday, April 22, 2005

Angel Piggy

Someone posted this pig in another pig thread at Crochetville's Show and Tell forum and I just had to try it. The pattern is here I used pink baby yarn for the main pig and lt pink baby yarn for the wings, 2 small buttons for the eyes and black button thread to sew on the eyes and make the nostrils.

Here's my little piggy:



I think I messed him up just a bit, forgot to crochet one rnd even on the snout before inc again so I'm making another one and am going to get some wiggle eyes for it. This one will go to my secret pal at church along with a bath pouf and some bath goodies in a Mother's Day basket I'm planning for her.

I'm going to make my mom a Mother's Day basket too-bath pouf and bath smelly goods. She'll get it a little late cause I'm waiting till she and dad come down around the 14th.

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Stitch/row markers

I had been reading up at Crochetville about making stitch markers with fish hook earring wires. Since Wal-Mart here doesn't carry the ones that latch so the marker doesn't accidentally slip off I wasn't sure if they would do. I had a couple of them from a kit I bought and crocheted some markers on it with some pony beads and they worked because I could slip the end of the wire in the top bead. These worked fine for stitch markers then I got to thinking about making row markers without having to get numbered beads. I saw another post where someone was using copper wire to make markers so I got some craft wire from Wal-Mart-point: don't get the black for these projects, it'll peel-and some large seed beads that will slip over the wire. I took some needlenose pliars and cut a small piece off the spool then curled one end so the beads wouldn't slip off. I threaded 9 beads of one color and another bead of another color onto the wire then curled the wire around at that point so thebeads wouldn't slip up the wire. I then curved the wire around into a loop at the other end which should help keep the marker from accidentally slipping out of your work.

Here's the the 2 I've finished-each bead represents 10 rows and the odd colored bead represents which row you're on. Starting from the top, you can put it on row 10, then 20, etc. as stitch markers it doesn't matter. The picture is a little blurry but you can see what I mean.

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I think I've got it

In the previous post I showed you an original design I was working out. It had some bugs in it that were easy to fix and I've completed another one with a hat and booties for my gift to my friend.

Anyway, here it is, the yarn is RH Baby Sport in Seashore:
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I'll post the pattern in my pattern blog as soon as I hear back from my tester.

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Sleeper

I just finished this a little while ago. It's a shortie sleeper, I still have to get some buttons for it but I just wanted to show it off.

The pattern will be in my new pattern blog as soon as I finish writing it out.

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This one was just a test, I still have a little refining to do on it then I'm going to make another one to add to the gifts I'm making my friend.

Trying something

All the onesie patterns I've come across and tried always turn out looking more like for preemies than for a term baby and I've even gone up as much as 3 hook sizes to a K before it looked like it would even fit a newborn. I know I'm not crocheting that tightly since I'm keeping my tension as loose as I dare.

I decided to try my hand at making a sleeper. It seems to be going pretty well, I wish I had a baby sized doll to see, right now I'm using a teddy bear about baby size just for reference so I at least know it's big enough. I'm writing the pattern out as I go so maybe I can share it when I'm done if it turns out right. It'll be short sleeved like the diaper shirts and onesies but it could also be made long sleeved quite easily.

I'll keep you updated on my progress and pictures will be forthcoming if it does what I hope it does.

Wish me luck, it's my first try at my own design.

If this works I might adapt it to a onesie and diaper shirt.

Monday, April 18, 2005

I found the cutest skirt pattern

it's a Lace Edged Skirt

It's supposed to be made with 2 strands of #10 thread held together and a #1 steel hook. The biggest size is a medium (12-14) and I need at least a large so I'm giving it a go with some baby yarn and a size F hook and following the directions for the small size. If it doesn't work I can always frog and try again, after all, it's only yarn ;)

Sometimes I wish I wasn't a BBW *sigh*

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Another Blooming Rose afghan

The lady I made the Rose in Bloom afghan for (see the My Prettiest Afghan entry)

This time she wants the roses in 6 colors-red, yellow, white, lavender, orange and pink. The second round will still be a medium to dark green for leaves and I was waffling with what to do for the outside 2 rounds-Either mint green or off white. I posted at Crochetville and ExIsle for opinions and most of them seemed to like my idea of mint green so that's what I think I'm going with.

I'll be working on this one in between a surprise I'm working on for a friend in Oregon and a baby ensemble I'm working on for another friend. At least I don't seem to be running out of projects, they seem to be multiplying.

The woman I made the pink poncho for absolutely loved it. She was at church this morning and I got the biggest hug and thank you I think anyone's ever given me. Her boyfriend was with her and told me I did an excellent job. A beginner could do the pattern I used, I've always thought the simpler a pattern was the better it looked. Not that I can't do complicated patterns and have on occasion, I just prefer simple, easy and fast patterns, I think most crafters do.

Anyway, I'll post pictures of the baby stuff and rose afghan when I get farther along with them, the babyghan is about halfway and the surprise isn't as far along as I'd like but I'm fixing that by working on it starting tomorrow. I've made a couple of onesies, a diaper shirt, hat and booties to go with the babyghan. The babyghan is lilac baby yarn and the clothes are blue baby sport yarn.

Enough rambling, on to crocheting.

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

A Little Experiment

I'd been reading at Crochetville about how to make stitch markers out of fish hook earring wires, pins and beads and an idea had been floating around in my head about maybe trying to crochet one so I took an earring wire, some baby yarn and pony beads and made one up:



It was only an experiment and I plan to get better at it. The next one will be out of thread and large seed beads as soon as I can get some of the large ones, I only have tiny ones right now which is too small for #10 crochet thread.

The other problem I've run across is the wire itself, it doesn't have the little latch on it to hook it closed around the work so it won't slip out. I think I've figured a workaround for that, in my next one I'll fix a bead close enough to be able to slip around the end of the wire and not slip off (I hope).

It'll take some more experimenting but I think I can do it. If I'm going to have stitch markers for my crochet they might as well be crocheted ones, eh?

Monday, April 11, 2005

My pillowghan is coming along

Since I've decided what I want to do with it I've been working on it part of last week and over the weekend. I've got 2 rows done and attached except for hiding the ends. I only have just over a month to complete and still have 20 more squares to make. They really don't take all that long, maybe 45 min at the most if I sit down and do one without being disturbed.

Anyway, here's what I have so far:



Just to clarify, it isn't blue, that's just the way my digicam sees it. It's actually RH Super Saver in Amethyst.

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Some other finished gifts

I thought I'd post some other finished gifts I made recently. I made the orange Fleuri bag for a teen at church and she absolutely loves it. I made the cross bookmark for my secret pal at church.




I'm going to be making all kinds of small crocheted things and putting them back to use as impromptu gifts later in the year when I have Christmas parties to attend. We usually play the Santa game and having a handmade gift to give saves money instead of having to buy something and fight crowds all doing the same thing. Good thing I usually only do a couple of parties where I have to do that.

Monday, April 04, 2005

Finished a couple of things

A poncho for a friend:

It was a simple pattern, done in two different shades of pink, light and dark.

A rose bath pouf:

Also quite easy, found that pattern online.

I'll be making some more of the bath poufs in different varigateds for the base and white for the rose. I'm using Sugar & Cream, the only cotton yarn Wal-Mart sells and not a big selection of colors. I might be hitting Herrschners later on if I want to try some other colors. I'll be making 4 and sending them out as ROAKs as soon as I get them made. I can't afford to buy anything from anyone's list right now but I can make things from the heart and send them to some who haven't received much yet. I like making things and giving them away anyway, whether it's to friends here or all over the US/World, doesn't matter.

I'm still working on the baby blanket and I've started a new pair of socks for the Feet Need Socks CAL. It's a pattern I'm working on myself and using some scraps from the poncho, I should have enough to do a pair and I'm really liking them so far. Picture will come when they're done.

I hope I don't have too much on my plate.



Okay, my pictures for these are no longer on ImageShack, Sorry folks.