Christmas Crafts and Baking

Since I learned how to make my grandma's Christmas cookies, my family has demanded that I make them every year. They're not hard to make but the recipe sure makes a lot of them. Fortunately, I have a lot of people to feed! I'm heading to my fiancee's family's place for Christmas this year, so I thought I'd bring cookies. So I also made shortbread, Mexican wedding cake (cookies), and regular sugar cookies. Today I also made ginger snaps. I think I'll probably gain 10 pounds over Christmas, which is not good but cookies are delicious and I gain weight every time I make them. However, I hope to give away most of them (already sent a bunch off to the rest of my family). Also, some pictures of our tree, just for fun. We put it up mid-November, and there were even presents under it by then!Lastly, I've gotten into soap making recently. I like to be as self-sufficient as possible, so this was a good thing to learn. It also makes great gifts for Christmas. Most of what I made is now gone, either because I used it or gave it away. The first batch I made was just oil and lye, and it made a nice plain soap. The second, I got a little more creative and added teatree oil and cloves. Both of these things are somewhat antibacterial/fungal, and are supposedly good for all sorts of things. I think they're good for a little extra cleansing, such as for acne, and the cloves provide a nice scrubby texture. For my next batch I'm trying cucumber melon.

A crafty weekend

Last week I went and knit with a friend in a coffee shop. She had a nice bag for her knitting while I had an ugly reusable shopping bag. I decided that day that I would make a nice one I can take for next time. So I went to Fabricland and got the supplies, which only cost about $13. I had found a nice design online so I figured out what to do, drew up a pattern and did some sewing. I added a pocket on the outside, which isn't done so well but it was the first time I had tried that technique. The zipper portion was a bit tricky and so it looks kind of messy but I'm quite happy with how the rest of it turned out. I didn't end up using the buttons which is too bad because I think they would have added a nice bit of contrast. Still, I have a cute bag for my knitting now.

The past month and a half in pictures

Sommerwind Shawl

This is probably the prettiest thing I've made yet. Not sure if I'll keep it or give it to someone who would actually wear it.

Pattern from ravelry.




Yarn used: 2 balls of patons sequin lace.

30: What’s your name on Ravelry? If you don’t have a Ravelry account, why?

I may have signed up for that once in the past. I don't use it because for a person like me who doesn't get involved in any online community, it doesn't matter where I post my stuff or what I do, I'm not going to get much feedback anyway. I look to real-life people for that.


THE END.

Now I can get on to posting slightly more interesting things.

Day 29: Do you have any tips, or things that you’ve learned from knitting?

It's always better to go back and fix a mistake than keep going thinking it'll turn out okay.

If you put care into your projects and take your time doing them, they turn out better than projects completed in haste.

Bamboo needles are too bendy.

Things usually look a lot more difficult than they really are.

Day 28: Do you do any other crafts besides knitting? What are they, and did learning to knit come before or after learning these other crafts?

I crochet, sew, make stuff out of paper, bake, sculpt things from polymer clay, and probably other things that I can't remember at the moment. I try new things all the time. I'm a crafty person, and always have been.

Day 26 & 27

(Losing the gumption to post here. I'm also going away for the weekend yay!)

Day 26: Have you ever been a part, or wanted to be a part of a knit-a-long? What was it? If not, why?

I've wanted to. I never have though. I fly solo.

Day 27: How do you acquire most of yarn? Online retailers, local yarn shops, swaps, or large chain craft stores? What’s your favorite?

Various places. Mostly walmart, michaels and zellers, sadly, but I go to local yarn shops when I can. I haven't tried getting yarn online yet, but that will probably happen someday when I have money.

Totally behind catch-up post. (Days 21-25)

Day 21: Do you knit gifts for friends and family for the holidays or birthdays?
Yep! I've knit my family christmas gifts two years in a row now, and I don't think I'll stop.


Day 22: Have you ever stricken someone off your to-knit-for list because they didn’t appreciate/take care of your last knitted gift to them?
No. But I know the people I make things for appreciate the things I make.

Day 23: If you had the supplies (and patience) for it, what project would you start today?
This. I will make it one day, when I have money for the yarn.


Day 24: Have you ever made your own pattern or dyed your own yarn? How did it turn out?
Made my own pattern, yes. I do that quite a bit. I usually have to remake it at least once to get it exactly right, but usually the things I make turn out pretty good. One day I will make my own yarn and dye it. I just need the money and time.

Day 25: Do you have a knitting book or a place where you keep patterns, ideas, size measurements? Post a picture of it!
Hmm, not really. I use my general sketchbook for that. I may take pictures when I get home but probably not.

Day 20: Do you knit in public? Was anyone offended/incredibly happy/curious that you were doing so?

(Oops, got a little behind on this.)

I usually take my knitting with me on the bus when I'm travelling. I don't really notice if anyone is gawking at me. They are more likely to be worried that I'm going to stab them with my needles or something. I think the only other time I knit in public is around family, and they just kind of watch what I'm doing with mild interest.

Day 19: Do you watch movies and/or listen to podcasts while knitting? What are your favorite things to knit to?

I watch TV DVDs. Most often I've watched Smallville, Stargate SG-1, Everybody Loves Raymond, Cheers, but there are so many others. Mainly sitcoms, I think. I can't stand just sitting there watching TV while not doing anything else. I have to be crafting or drawing or folding laundry, too.

Day 18: Do you knit English or Continental?

English. (That's where the yarn is in your right hand.) I crochet with the yarn in my left, though.

Day 17: Have you ever had a project that you loved become ruined? What’s the story behind it?

Not once it's been finished. Not that I can recall, anyway. I have ruined a couple projects by screwing up the pattern and had to frog it and start over, but that's happened to everyone at least once. A cat ruined some of my 100% wool roving. He just wanted to play with it... darn cat.

Day 16: Have you ever had a knitting related injury?

Ha! Yes, I have. I guess I don't have that good of posture when I knit, because sometimes I manage to hurt my back doing so. It goes away overnight, thankfully. I don't think I've ever stabbed myself with knitting needles, but that does sound like something I'd do. I think also my fingers have gotten sore from knitting too much.

Day 15: What was your least favorite pattern and why?

I can't say I have a least favourite pattern. I've seen boring patterns, poorly-written patterns, and just plain ugly patterns but for those, I've either figured out what to do or simply not made what the pattern was for. I will admit, though, that I dislike knitting lace from a chart. I'd much rather have a written description of what to do.

Day 14: What’s the worst yarn/fiber that you’ve worked with and why?

Baby Monkey Yarn. Don't get me wrong, it is the softest most wonderful feeling yarn I've ever used. Knitting it may have been okay. But crocheting it using a dark colour? Forget about it. I couldn't tell where my stitches were so what I made from it turned out to be not the shape I wanted. I'm pretty sure knitting it would have been fine, unless a stitch was dropped.

Day 13: Do you have yarn that you love but can’t find a project for?

Yes. Who doesn't! I'm bad and buy random yarn sometimes. Unfortunately, I don't have it with me and I don't quite remember what it is otherwise I'd find a picture of it.

Day 12: Where do you keep your stash? Post pictures!

Umm... I do not currently have access to my yarn stash. But the yarn I have with me is kept in a rubbermaid in a horrible state of disarray. I should take a picture of that...


Yep. Not so nice to look at, is it. I miss my other yarn :(

Day 11: Do you have a “Knitter Hero” or someone that is just way too awesome for their own good? Do share!

Hmm. I don't really know any other people that knit all that well aside from:

Elizabeth, a fellow grad student, whose work can be seen here: Twisted Bark Toques

and some relatives. I also have a few people I link to over on the right sidebar.

Day 10: Do you have a favorite pattern or designer?

Well that's simple. Nope.

Since that's a lame post, I will add that I go to these sites for their free patterns:

Knitty
Knitting Pattern Central

Day 9: What fiber or yarn do you love working with?

Currently I really like working with Bernat Mosaic yarn. Yeah it's 100% acrylic, but it's got some fun colours. I just bought some rainbow yarn ('Psychedelic') that I can't wait to make something out of.

pic from here


Aside from that, I loooove alpaca yarn. It is so soft. I want my own alpaca one day so I can make yarn from its hair. And a sheep! And a goat! Yes that's right, I want a farm.

pic from here

Day 8: What’s your most challenging project?

Well thus far it has been constructing my knitted dragon. Since I made the pattern myself, it was quite challenging to figure out how to get the shapes I wanted. The wings were particularly tricky, as I'd never attempted to do what I did for them, which was picking up stitches along each row. It was a bit fiddly but they turned out exactly as I wanted them to.


Now I just have to someday actually write up the pattern, and, oh yeah, maybe FINISH the thing. Since it hasn't changed since I took the above picture.

Day 7: Your least favorite?

That would have to be... oh, I can't think of anything.

*thinks*

Nope, I've got nothing. Maybe one of the hats I made without a pattern, but I still like those.

Day 6: What is your favorite piece that you’ve knit?

The shawl/poncho I made for my cousin, Kim! Even though it took forever to make, it was challenging and something I made for someone else. It had lots and lots of cables, and an interesting pattern. Since this is the only picture I could find of it, here it is modelled by her son:

Day 5: How long did it take from the time you learned how to knit, to finish your first project?

If I go by the first time I learned, that would be about 11 or so years. But once I relearned, probably only a few months. At first I didn't know how to hold the needles properly, but I was pretty fast at it even so. After a while, I forced myself to hold them "properly", and then from there I began knitting like crazy.

Day 4: How did you learn how to knit?

Well I don't quite remember this, but one of my grandparents taught me when I was very young (6, 7, 8?). My brain tells me it was my grandpa but that may not be right. Anyway, I knit a 3"x8" piece of garter stitch fabric from colourful christmas yarn and that was it.

Then, in 2004, I decided that I wanted to (re)learn how to knit. So I went and got a book (a Reader's Digest one) and read it, bought the supplies, and knit myself a scarf. I'm not sure whether to say I'm self-taught or not though.

Day 3: Do you have any other WIPs (works in progress)?

Yes.
I'm working on:

• an afghan (probably about 1/3 done). It has to be finished in June.
• Another amigurumi creature
• A cross-stitched stocking

As a side note, I merged this blog with my other one. I'm not sure why. Oh, and I updated the "finished projects" page to include pictures. Yay.

Day 2: What is currently on your needles?

Ah! Embarrassingly nothing. I am currently working on a crochet afghan though. I don't really even have a planned next project to knit, either. Wow, something must be wrong with me! Ha.

Day 1: What was your first finished project?

As with many knitters, my first project was a garter-stitch scarf, finished in 2004. It's easy and gives repetition to get the technique right. Except half way I decided I wanted to learn how to purl, so there's one line of stockinette. It's a fantastic scarf and I use it still.


(Picture not mine, but it is pretty much the same, same colour even.)

30 days of knitting

I found a 30-day knitting meme so I think I'm going to do it. Starting... the 1st of April, maybe. Or tomorrow.

Day 1: What was your first finished project?

Day 2: What is currently on your needles?

Day 3: Do you have any other WIPs (works in progress)?

Day 4: How did you learn how to knit?

Day 5: How long did it take from the time you learned how to knit, to finish your first project?

Day 6: What is your favorite piece that you’ve knit?

Day 7: Your least favorite?

Day 8: What’s your most challenging project?

Day 9: What fiber or yarn do you love working with?

Day 10: Do you have a favorite pattern or designer?

Day 11: Do you have a “Knitter Hero” or someone that is just way too awesome for their own good? Do share!

Day 12: Where do you keep your stash? Post pictures!

Day 13: Do you have yarn that you love but can’t find a project for?

Day 14: What’s the worst yarn/fiber that you’ve worked with and why?

Day 15: What was your least favorite pattern and why?

Day 16: Have you ever had a knitting related injury?

Day 17: Have you ever had a project that you loved become ruined? What’s the story behind it?

Day 18: Do you knit English or Continental?

Day 19: Do you watch movies and/or listen to podcasts while knitting? What are your favorite things to knit to?

Day 20: Do you knit in public? Was anyone offended/incredibly happy/curious that you were doing so?

Day 21: Do you knit gifts for friends and family for the holidays or birthdays?

Day 22: Have you ever stricken someone off your to-knit-for list because they didn’t appreciate/take care of your last knitted gift to them?

Day 23: If you had the supplies (and patience) for it, what project would you start today?

Day 24: Have you ever made your own pattern or dyed your own yarn? How did it turn out?

Day 25: Do you have a knitting book or a place where you keep patterns, ideas, size measurements? Post a picture of it!

Day 26: Have you ever been a part, or wanted to be a part of a knit-a-long? What was it? If not, why?

Day 27: How do you acquire most of yarn? Online retailers, local yarn shops, swaps, or large chain craft stores? What’s your favorite?

Day 28: Do you do any other crafts besides knitting? What are they, and did learning to knit come before or after learning these other crafts?

Day 29: Do you have any tips, or things that you’ve learned from knitting?

Day 30: What’s your name on Ravelry? If you don’t have a Ravelry account, why?

Flip Flop Socks!

These took hardly any time at all to make! So happy :D I plan on wearing them in my office when my feet get cold. I think the reason I didn't think they took too long is because a) I'm actually a pretty fast knitter and b) the colours were fun to knit.




Materials: Kroy Sock Yarn, Color "Summer Moss"

Pattern: Lickety Split from Knitty.

Run away, run away

Well I started to make these socks today and I've already got probably 1/2 of one done. They're toe-up socks, which I'd never tried before. I'm making them because I want to wear flip flops at my office but sometimes my feet will be cold. So... split toe socks.

That said, I feel like everything I do is just an escape. Because if I ever sit down and think about things, I feel too awful to do anything. Does it ever get better?

Crafts of late...

Sometimes I just want to make hats. They're fast and easy.

Pink and White convertible hat
I found this pattern in crochet form from April Draven (look in my links, I'm lazy for now), but I wanted to knit so I converted it into knit form. I might post the pattern later. It's pretty simple.




Slouchy Crochet Hat
Just a random crochet hat. It's a bit big.



And what's this? Another creature? We'll see. I may not ever finish it, poor little guy.

Swish, swoop, etc.

I forgot to post this a while ago. I drew this picture for my brother's birthday card. I hope he liked it. I don't think I'd ever tried to draw a real animal before, in this style. I think it turned out pretty good.

Works In Progress

So I've come a long way on this stocking in the six months I've been working on it, but I think this is where it will end for now. It needs a name for me to finish it further.



A blanket. Or, the beginning of a blanket. OOooh, aaaah.

And now, for some wintery pictures I took recently:

Amigurumi Creature

I made this guy on a whim. The pattern was for a lamb, but because of the colours and the modifications I made it looks like a random creature. I used a yarn called "baby monkey" (very very soft) that I got 90% off from a yarn store, and $1 yarn from the dollar store.