4 Facts About Crocheting: Number 3 Will Shock You!

      Some people would say that variegated yarn, despite its visual interest, should be used sparingly and carefully.

      I am not one of those people.

      When I use variegated yarn, I use it on EVERYTHING. Making some plain vanilla socks? BOOM. Throw some stripes at it. Making some super detailed socks that should probably be crafted in a single and very particular color so as to avoid excessive eyeball stimulation? BOOM. Slap some stripes on it.

      It's for this reason that my latest finished project, another pattern from the Joy of Sox book, is... A lot to look at. In person, it's just interesting to look at. In this photograph, it's like trying to wash an argumentative octopus in a bathtub with your dog; it's impossible to focus on, and you might just lose an eye if you stare for too long.

      Nevertheless, this project was a joy to make, and the pattern was easy to memorize.

      My next foray into variegation led me to what I can only term as a masterpiece of art. It's the ultimate beauty, surpassing even Michelangelo's David and Beautiful Squidward in its perfection.

      It's beyond comparison to anything I, a mere mortal, can conceptualize or articulate. It's a striped, two-headed monkey.

      You may be thinking, "Why on Earth would anyone in their right mind decide that making a two-headed monkey is a good allocation of free time?" And that's an excellent question.

      As it's made with sock yarn, I won't be able to use my cute little safety eyes to complete it. I may end up using buttons, but that always has the possibility of shaping my creations into nightmare creatures that bask in the glow of hellfire. I mean, they're still cute, but they aren't exactly something I'd want staring at me through the darkness at three in the morning.

      Now that I've concluded my descriptions of the projects that have given me no grief, allow me a brief moment to collect myself in preparation for this next one. I'll begin with some undeniable facts.

Fact #1: Acrylic yarn is bad.

Fact #2: Cheap yarn is bad.

Fact #3: I bought a combination of the above.

Fact #4: I feel absolutely victimized by the atrocity that is this color scheme. 

      This project is something that I started as a sort of "test run", if you will. I was asked to create a one-size-fits-all vest with the back being a bandanna, and the front constructed out of yarn.  I'm going to have to experiment a good deal with this, so I went to Goodwill and grabbed the cheapest and crappiest yarn I could unwittingly destroy without guilt. Or wittingly destroy without guilt. Fire is an option.

      I'm a bit concerned that the vest won't sit well, given that fabric made with yarn is considerably more dense and heavy than that made with thread. It's possible that I could arrange for the bulk of the weight to be distributed around the shoulders, but one small mistake with that method could bring back the shoulder pad look from the eighties, and I don't think the world is ready for that level of high fashion.  

I'm Not Dead, Just Tired

I finished my spring classes! YES! I'm super happy to be enjoying a small break before the summer session, even if I have been kinda sick the entire time (*cough* thanks, Mom *cough*).

I'm relieved to be finished with my biology class, because my professor wasn't particularly nice. At all. Currently, all unfriendly and unpleasant professors I've had have been women, which is a disheartening trend to observe. I'm hopeful that my experiences have been based on chance and aren't an accurate representation of my future time in the workplace.

I've essentially finished the Ginny Cardigan, lacking only buttons, pockets, and seams, but I haven't felt any inclination to do anything with it, so it's been set aside for a bit. I occasionally look at it and think, "Oh, I should work on that," but then I go and make scones with coffee or something.
Speaking of coffee, I have gotten into this terrible habit of making a cup, taking one glorious sip, and then leaving it on the table for five hours while I work on other things. WHY DO I DO THIS?!? I like coffee.

Oh, crap. I just realized I'm continuing the habit right now as I type, because my coffee is still on the other side of the room. One second, I'm going to go get it.

Okay, everything's good now. Crisis averted!

Remember that gorgeous lace crocheted shawl that I started working on back when I was a fetus? No?? Oh. Well, I COMPLETED IT! I'm actually very happy that I made it, because I was using an ivory hook from Grandmother, and I wanted it to continue being used to create things, rather than being locked away in a box somewhere.

My, my, look at that lovely toe. Foot fetish people, this is for you.

I made a sort-of impulse buy (sort-of, in that it was only vaguely premeditated) on Friday, and I got a blanket's worth of Bernat Blanket Yarn (blanket pattern here). It's not for me, and I have to finish it before my first summer class begins on the 30th, so I'm not sure why I thought making it was such a brilliant idea!
Thankfully, I'm good at meeting deadlines, and if I somehow don't, I can always use a later date, although it wouldn't be as smashingly impressive.

I also joined the Pokemon Go crowd this week and made a character. I'm pretty pleased, and I can see why the game became such a widespread success!

A Happy Little Doily

I've done it again. 

I have played Yarn Chicken... AND LOST.

This is why we weigh skeins of yarn to find out the yardage.

This is why we check gauge.

Remember that *cough* painfully pink *cough* doily I started on my birthday? Yeah, I messed up. Although it isn't as bad as I've made it sound- just as long as you don't know what pattern I used. }:-)

I was crocheting the last few rounds of this accursed doily when I realized that I definitely did not have enough thread to complete it, and by that time, I was already committed to the project. For a split second, I imagined unraveling the entire thing. The hours I had spent slouching over it in a corner when I should have been interacting socially would be meaningless; the days I spent looking at it and thinking, "I would very much like to burn this pink atrocity," would be wasted. No, I could certainly not dispose of the thing. I WAS going to finish it, and nothing as trivial as a mere lack of sufficient supplies could stop me.

So, I pulled a Bob Ross and made my happy little accident into a 3 pineapple-d doily rather than... whatever it was supposed to be that I'm not telling you about.

My, my. Doesn't that look intentional? ;)

HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR

Hello, again, all of you lovely people! I'm writing this post quickly before I finish packing for my family trip to Belize. 

The end of 2016 was a very hectic period for me, and it consisted of  Christmas parties, Christmas itself, and birthdays galore. The New Year has been just the same with a New Year's Eve party (I sound like I'm a party animal, don't I? Well, I can assure you that I'm definitely not; I love sleep too much), my parent's wedding anniversary, and, yesterday, my 18th birthday.

I haven't been working on that many projects since my classes ended because I was feeling rather burnt-out, and my hands were aching from the constant repetitive motions. Still, despite being weary of creating things, I managed to knit my friend a Christmas hat- of which I don't have a picture, oddly enough.

On my birthday, I started making a bright pink doily for the same friend's birthday  present. It's from a free vintage pattern, and I'm excited to see how it turns out.

Sometime before Christmas, I started a Ginny Cardigan for myself, on which I have knitted about 3 1/2 inches. I really like the yarn that I chose for it, a Knit Picks' Tweed DK. It's soft, and I think that it'll be comfortable to wear.

Now that I'm nearly packed and ready for the trip tomorrow, I just hope that my hook and needles won't be confiscated as I board the boat to Central America. XD

Seriously, though.

Just Monkeying Around

I craft in class. It's fact, and it's also a nice ice-breaker, because (so far) no one in my classes have any idea what I'm doing (NEITHER DO I).

Last week, one of my classmates asked me what kinds of animals I could make. I haven't yet encountered an animal that wasn't on the internet already, so I told him that I could make pretty much anything. He then asked me to make him a monkey, which I have now done.

I've got to tell you, it was immensely satisfying to see a full grown man light up over a stuffed animal.

You can get the free pattern here: Chinese New Year Monkey pattern by Stephanie Jessica Lau.

Knitting, Crocheting, and Cleaning. OH MY!

These past few weeks have been busy, y'all.
I haven't gotten as much crafting done as I would've liked, but I DO have two finished projects (and also a very clean bathroom- more on that later)!
I made the Tilson socks from my Yarnbox subscription. I've never made an afterthought heel before, and I'll admit that it is pretty frightening to cut my knitting. It feels WRONG, but I did it, and it's cute, so everything is alright.

I also crocheted an Amigurumi Elephant, and gave it some bright yellow eyes.

Now... If you are a bit of a clean freak (*raises hand and looks around*), these next few photos are probably going to bother you. My parents bought a farm on thirty acres 11 days ago, and the people who used to live there were hoarders who neglected absolutely everything. Because of that, my parents got a great deal on the property, but have an enormous mess to clean up. 

This is what the master bedroom looked like the day after they moved out. 

Fun Fact: there is an armadillo tail in the cream laundry basket [see picture below], and a rubber dragon in the master closet.

In the doorway to the left (where my mom is standing), there is a sitting area that is also filled with junk. The years of neglect show very plainly there, as you can see from the huge dirt spots on the walls and the cat litter sprinkled across the floor [picture below].

The sitting room next to the master bedroom has dirt spots all over the walls, although the one captured here is the most prominent.

If you thought those rooms looked awful, the bathrooms are worse. This is the floor of the master bathroom *hyperventilates*. I'm not even going to talk about the shower.

Yesterday, I spent about four hours cleaning one tub, one sink, and one toilet in the cleanest bathroom. Not floors, not walls, just those three things. I used strong and undiluted chemicals over every inch and then cleaned them each about three times over. Here's a nice comparison of what the outside of the tub looked like before and after I wiped it once. AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

If you're not grossed out yet, here's a picture of the dining room in all its glory. 

Those are some majorly impressive cobwebs, aren't they?

 Moral of this post: Clean your house. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS PURE AND HOLY, PLEASE CLEAN YOUR HOUSE.

There Are No UFOs

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if needlecrafts were a form of cardio, I would be the most fit person alive... BECAUSE I HAVE GOT FOUR FINISHED PROJECTS!!!

I made another Winter Mouse, which is very snuggly and sweet-looking in his DK weight scarf.

Then, I made a baby dragon. This li'l dude had a billion different parts to sew together, but it was completely worth it.

And now my brother Caleb has some socks! The pattern was easy to memorize, which made them practically fly off of the needles.

Last, but not least, I finished a toddler sweater! In just four days! You may have noticed the tiny little sheep buttons on the button band. I got them from The Sated Sheep, my local yarn store, and I LOVE them. I really can't wait for it to be officially fall, because I want to see this worn!

The Octopus With Blue Eyes

Octopi (octopodes? octopusses? octopeople?) are generally known for their eight limbs, their slimy skin, and fabulous ink-making capabilities. Thankfully, amigurumi can't spray ink everywhere (note to self: MAKE THAT HAPPEN), although they are adorable.

This little octopus was originally not an amigurumi; it was more like a finger puppet. So, I added a couple of rounds to the body to close it up (as you can see on my project page). It's such a tiny little thing that it can fit in your palm!

Then, I made a seal, complete with a pink tutu (no outfit is complete without the addition of a tutu)!

Its whole body was made in pieces and then sewn together, which was a total of only seven pieces if I remember correctly (I've made an amigurumi with more than thirteen before, and that was a beast).

A Pig That Is Not A Pig (Feat. A Cat That Is Not A Cat)

It's that time again, y'all. No, not Christmas time, although it's approaching rapidly. I'm talking about the time of the year where adults rejoice, and kids and college students (*cough* ME *cough*) alike mourn the loss of freedom so recently gained. *sigh*

Actually, despite that it's going to cut into my crafting time, I'm not really that disappointed to be going back to class. The main reason why is because I got a plethora of the same comfy V-neck t-shirt in different colors, so my school wardrobe is set! Now I just have to get some tennis shoes that I can wear with my skinny jeans and my *whispers* mom jeans. XD

But enough about clothing and school- let's get to the meat of this post: the finished objects.

I made a tiny guinea pig! He fits in the palm of your hand, and is so tiny that his front feet are made out of bobbles. Ugh, he's too cute.

Next up is a kitty-like creature in a tutu. I didn't give it any whiskers due to the high level of resentment I was beginning to feel toward its face after I ripped them out four or five times. 

The tutu was a breeze to crochet, although it was a bit fiddly at first to work around the stuffed body.

If you'd like the patterns to these projects, they're free at: Newborn Guinea Pig by Kati Galusz, and  Small Cat

Warning: Contains Whale Puns

Whale, whale, whale, what have we here? *laughs at my own hilarity*

*ahem* Anyway, the inspiration for this project came about because of a family friend who is horribly afraid of whales- seriously, he hates them. So naturally, when I spied some blue yarn in my stash, I thought to myself, "What whale I make next?" And then I laughed, because that's what I do.

The pattern calls for a super bulky yarn, but I just used worsted and it turned out pretty great. I ended up playing yarn chicken with the main color, but salvaged the whole project by making the fins in two darker blues! 

I'm still on the fence as to whalether or not he needs a mouth. XD Tell me what you think. 

If you'd like to make a similar whale, it is now a paid for pattern at:Whale pattern by Suzy Wool

Never Tickle A Sleeping...

I've always been a fan of The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (and also Harry Potter, hence the title, but, for now, I'm going to just gloss over that). The idea of dragons, magic, and, ya know, medieval death intrigues me. It should be no surprise to anyone, then, what happened soon after I finished yesterday's snail.

When I dug through my stash, searching for something to make another amigurumi with, I noticed that two of my greens complemented one another. Wait... I thought. Isn't there a green dragon in some story I've read? ... Oh, HECK YES.

Here he is in all of his plush glory! I feel like the tiny ears on top of his head really give him some character.

I thought about making his wings larger and more believable, but in the end I decided that it would be better to have him look more soft and cute rather than accurately sized.

If you would like to make this fearsome beast, the pattern is free at: Fierce Little Dragon pattern by Lucy Collin

Escarg-ewwww

Ah, snails. These delightfully slimy and disgusting creatures are best known for destroying all but the most hardy plants (read: cacti), and leaving even seasoned gardeners wailing with despair.

What better object to turn into a plushie? 😜

Honestly, though, this was fun to make. As far as I know, I haven't ever done crocheted short rows before in a pattern and that's basically all that this one comprises! I also got to use up what remained of an old tan skein of... I think it was an angora-wool blend??? I don't recall; although, whatever it's made out of, it's machine washable, so there's likely some acrylic in there as well. 

If you'd like to make this cute li'l dude, the pattern is free at: Snails pattern by Smeddley

Peanut Buttah JELLY

Some undetermined time ago, I decided, "You know what? It's been staring at me for a while now. I'm going to use up that single skein of really colorful novelty yarn." 

It was quite a challenge to find a pattern that I didn't think would make someone's eyes bleed if they looked at it for too long but, after what felt like years of searching, probably only 30 minutes or so, I finally came across this beauty on Ravelry.

OHMYGOSH A JELLYFISH! He's so fun and sparkly. I didn't know I had an affinity for sea creature plushies, but apparently I do! 

If you'd like to make this fabulous creature, the pattern is free at: Jellyfish pattern by Charlotte W.

KNIT ALL THE THINGS!

Wow, the past month has been crazy! I started college (which, so far, has been meh for me), I found a yarn shop that is only about 20 minutes from where I live, I won yarn (that's enough to make anyone's day!), I began tutoring a 14 year old in math, and I also started a ton of knitting projects and *one* crocheting project. This post is going to be long. ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? Here we go.

The first project that I'm going to talk about is the Royal Flush pattern from my Joy of Socks book.

I cast it on with the RainCityKnits yarn that I got in my Yarn Box. So far, it has been a blast to knit up! I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Next, is my lace crocheted (someone should document this) shawlette. You know, I don't think I'll actually have enough yarn to finish it. I started it with some of my little sister's stash yarn, and it's using up WAY more yarn than I originally expected. Oops.

I almost forgot to mention this- I got a new book! I bought Metropolitan Knits from Half Price Books, and immediately bought yarn for a fingering weight sweater. I know. I've got a serious sock yarn problem! ;P

The pattern is the Brooklyn Bridge Cardigan, and I've already finished the back! I'm currently working on the right front, but it's still really small. *squints at the photo*

In case you were wondering what happened to the second Cables Party sock, I'm still working on it. I mostly work on it during class while my professors talk. Since I look at my professors while I knit, they don't mind. :D

My last, but not least, project is my finished chevron scarf! I made it using the yarn I won at The Sated Sheep, and it is fabulously long. I love how the green and ecru yarns had beads and rocks sewn into them; it really added some *sparkle*!

Here it is drying on the school room floor:

Now for a mild change of subject-

I was digging through my, admittedly rather large, pattern collection, when I stumbled upon this beauty. It's an almost-complete pattern for a sweater! All it's missing are the gauge and how-to-sew-the-sleeves-and-body-together instructions! Now, I didn't write it. According to my mom, my great-grandmother did. THIS IS A BIG DEAL!!! So, being a lover of history, knitting, and procrastination, I decided to write this pattern up and publish it. Which I did. You can find the free pattern here on Ravelry.

The Yarn Yetis' Yeti

It's been a bit longer than I expected, but I've finally finished writing up the Yarn Yetis' Yeti pattern!
Gosh, that's fun to say. Yarn Yetis' Yeti.
Anyway, I have already posted the pattern to Ravelry ! Now, if you want, you can make it yourself for free!

P.S. If you have any photos, even pictures of it in progress, I would LOVE to see them!

I'm Bringing Bootie Back

I'm not sure if any of you even knew, but a few weeks ago, I finished a pair of baby booties. Somehow, I managed to completely forget about them until today ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.  BUT AREN'T THEY ADORABLE?!?

But everything else I finished this week! Including this baby bunny hat!I actually changed this pattern quite a bit, because I didn't check my gauge (a cautionary tale to all of you beginner crafters!). So, it isn't quite the same as in the pattern, but it's pretty close!

Then, last week, I think, I ripped out all of the blue variegated yarn that I had used and turned it into a dog sweater (I didn't really like it as part of the blanket). After that, I used an entire skein of Red Heart SuperSaver in purple and bound it off. 

Also, before I even started this blanket, I decided that I was going to make it in all of the colors of the rainbow (ROY G BIV), because I'm a little bit OCD like that. :P

Then, there is another cute headband.

I also whipped up this earflap hat in a day!

Plus, this adorable little shark hat (I almost typed Shrek the first time. Nope, Nope, Nope! I'm not opening that door! lol)!