12.28.09
Flower Necklaces
Purple Flower Necklace
Blue Flower Necklace
Here’s another holiday gift. I found a flower necklace pattern that looked intimidating to this beginner, but I tried it, and it ended up being pretty easy! (That seems to always be the case, in my experience, so don’t be afraid – go for it!)
It’s, again, fun and fast… though the long chains made my middle finger a bit sore (better yarn might help?)
I think I’ll make myself a few… or see if I can make one chain part and a snap-in set of different flowers…? That would be more economical. 
And maybe a belt! With three flowers, or something. And a bag with this sort of thing around the edge! *schemes*
Trivets
Trivets/Hot Pads
These trivets were a holiday gift for a friend, too. They were pretty fun to make, and I love the design… kind of like Celtic knotwork.
The squares and chain links were pretty easy to crochet, and I got all four links out of a single little skein of cotton yarn (Note that acrylic is no good for hot pads… meltable/flamable!)
It was the tacking of the edges that took me forever! I made them reversible so the back looked as good as the front. By the end I was using stitch markers to mark the edges that weren’t tacked yet. I should have designed a systematic route along the edges, and maybe just used two stitches per edge to tack it. I just stitched along like I was sewing. On both sides. It was crazy! XD
But in the end I was quite happy with them (despite the girly colors of the cotton yarn selection at the craft shop, alas, no manly colors for my friend Dave the Chef… of which I know two. Hmm, perhaps I should make more for the other Chef Dave…)
Soap Socks
Soap Socks
On these soap socks I made for my friends’ kids, I learned how to double-knit (knit both sides at once), which I thought was terrific!
I also learned how to make an i-cord (the green one has the i-cord, on the blue I improvised a k3 and turn cord).
I’d like to see if I can do ribbing/checkerboard/etc. while double-knitting. I have an idea of how, but I need to try it.
Anyway, they were quick and fun, and I think my kids need some next. Maybe I’ll even have them make their own!
Adjustable Bookmark
Adjustable Button Bookmark
I whipped up a few of these for Yuletide gifts, this year. =)
They’re quick and pretty and useful. I want to get more fingering-weight yarns so I can do other colors. It might also be nice to pick up a 3.0 mm hook, which the pattern calls for, but 3.75 is the smallest I have. It still worked, but I’m curious to see what difference it would make.
For those on Ravelry, the pattern can be found here: Button Bookmark
For those who aren’t, you can find it here: Designs by Anna Waites
Banana Cone
Banana cone for a friend's Kindergartener
Banana Cone In Progress
I finished another amigurumi cone, so here it is!
My little friend loved it, and even carried it with him the next time they came over to our house. It was a hit!
These things are so cute. I have a cafe con leche cup halfway done… just needs a face and stuffing, then sewn together. Pics of that will come.
10.19.09
And Now For Something Completely Different
Ok, not completely… it’s pretty similar. Crochet!
My dear friend, Val, taught me how to crochet this summer, and loaned many books for my crafting edification. I did a few sample swatches to learn the stitches…
First swatch with different stitches
In the round!
…and even made a finger puppet to play with one she had made.
I made the red one
And then I borrowed her book, “Amigurumi World” and made the cute ice cream cone…
Cone with rattle inside
…which I made into a baby rattle by including a vending machine bubble full of coffee beans & pistachio shells. I’ll be giving it to my new nephew, when I see him around Thanksgiving. =) (I want to make the eyes less spider-like, by then, though! Curse my rudimentary embroidery skills! Val loaned me an embroidery book, though.)
I’m currently working on a second ice cream cone (banana this time!) for Val’s little boy, who requested I make him one, too (only without a rattle, please!) This one can have button eyes, since he’s old enough not to chew and swallow bits off his toys. I’ll post that here, too, when it’s done. =)
I’m excited to make more amigurumi and some clothing and whatever else! Thanks for teaching me, Val!
04.05.08
My Knitting Bag
I got a knitting bag!!!
I was shopping at Barnes & Noble and got this bag for $4.95 (!) because I bought (more than) two items.
Isn’t it gorgeous?! The picture doesn’t even do it justice… you can’t really see the blue pattern on the sides… It’s perfect… my favorite colors AND it has a dragonfly, and pretty flowers, and writing! I’m in love with this bag!!!
I already took my knitting to school with me (along with my fluteophone & music book) last Wednesday. It was fun to have this pretty bag, and convenient!
Now I don’t have to carry my knitting in my purse, and worry about it being snagged by pens or my hairbrush or keys!
Blanket Squares
Blanket Squares (+cat)
The school’s knitting club is looking for help in finishing the blanket they’re auctioning at the art stroll (proceeds going to a homeless shelter). So I made squares to contribute! Really more like rectangles, but they said to make any shape!
I did a dark sage checkered one(k5, p5), and another one with a similar basketweave pattern.
I’ll try to get a photo of the completed blanket so I can post it!
The Art Stroll is on April 18th!
02.24.08
Ren’s Dice Bag
I finally finished up Ren’s dice bag! I needed a project to work on during gaming, a couple of weeks ago, so the darling hubby suggested I make a dice bag for him. I asked him to pick some yarn from my stash, and he picked the zebra. =)
So I happily knitted throughout playing an Amber session with our friends, and one of them, Leo, was a bit fascinated, and I offered to make him a dice bag too. Ironic, since we were playing a diceless game at the time. XD So he requested it in shades of blue, which I don’t have yet, other than my precious blue/brown, so I get to make another wee stash run! Woot!
I just did a k2 p2 ribbed stitch for a long swatch. I stitched up the sides today, and added the drawstrings. Really simple & fast.
Ren likes the ribbing, and loves his new dice bag! He poured ALL his dice into it (see pic) and it all fit — the ribbing expanded to accomodate them… so it’s perfect! I don’t even think it needs a lining!
I still want to find some great ribbon and replace the yarn drawstring with that. Also, think charms. So it can be considered “finished” per se, but I still want to fiddle with it.
And hopefully Leo’s will be fabulous, too!
02.20.08
Stitch Markers by Me
Stitch markers, by me!
Here are the stitch markers I made for myself!
I adored the beads when I saw them at the craft store, so I grabbed ‘em! I knew they would become stitch markers, hehe. =^-^=
The wire’s a bit soft, but it’s what I had (I didn’t have pliers handy, either). The seed beads I’ve had for ages, and I used some very thin wire that my friend Michelle gave me a couple years ago (I haven’t been beading much) to thread the seed beads on. If they snag or bend or whatever, so be it, I can probably repair them, and deal with snags. I’ll probably end up with a collection of stitch markers anyway! *Ooo shiny!*
It was a quick, easy, and satisfactory project, and I can’t wait to use them!
