omg! it's a purple bear!

Got this pattern from here, this guy's so cute!

I actually thought that I wouldn't get around to finishing one more knit project to complete my post-every-day-during-February stint, and this guy came up during a search via ravelry.

I was also bored with ideas. I had my mound of cotton that I've powered through most of, and was exhausted at the idea of making another dishcloth. DH said he wanted a bear.

I'm still waiting for a pattern book I ordered via ebay, which has yet to arrive - and my printer's out of ink, so the pattern for this bear was easy and short enough to write out by hand.

At the end of the day I realized I didn't have batting to stuff him with. So, guess what he's filled with? Socks! That's right, socks. I've saved up a bunch of (clean) socks where I've lost the second one to, knowing one day they'd serve some sort of crafty purpose, and today they have!

if you want to destroy my sweater...

Remember DB's cabled knit sweater that I originally posted here? As I posted yesterday, he needed it resized so it's not just 2 inches longer as he originally wanted, but the new length adjustment ended up being 5 inches longer.

Obviously I'm not a big fan of frogging projects, and the seams I originally sewn together were a pain in the behind to undo and then restitch, but it still turned out ok. I've photographed 'before' and 'after' shots of the new front and back that had been adjusted; the sleeves stayed the same length.

Since DB wasn't available to model the new length, DH volunteered to do it so I could blog the new sweater; thankfully it turned out alright! Phew!

the last of the pot holders - for now

This is the last of the pot holders for now - all the sets I wanted to/can complete, I have.

My brother's home for a few days, now - actually a week and a half, and will be leaving for work again, this time in Saskatchewan. Remember that sweater I knit for his birthay a while back? (Originally posted here.) Well, I come to find out that it's not long enough. More accurately, it's long enough according to the pattern, but he prefers something with a bit more length.

So, my fo's for the remaining few days of this month isn't going to be cotton dishlcoths, as originally planned. I've already frogged the seams, and in the process of frogging the back and front past the shoulder shaping to the torso, so I can add the needed few inches. Phew.

a matching pair

Two crochet pot holders done :) Another set of cottony cloths complete! Phew!

purdy in pink

This pink/purple variegated (shown on both sides) crocheted pot holder was completed this morning.

I realized how close I am to the end of the month, and my goal of both making-a-post-a-day throughout February this leap year and knitting/crocheting through my cotton & yarn stash is moving along quite well. I've got so many already completed gifts, I can't wait to start handing these completed sets out!

Oh, and it was a good morning too - Martha Stewart had a whole knitting themed episode of her show on this morning, so I'm glad I came across that. The marzipan knits were simly inspired, and now I'm craving sweets.

and another...

a purple crochet pot holder completes another set

Upon completing my second crochet pot holder, I decided to photograph and show both sides. This particular variegation better shows off the pattern's finished product, IMO, and should go well with the same coloured scrubbie and dishcloth I've made a few days ago.

All these cotton-kitcheny-things I think will end up making some good gifts come the holiday season; I'm glad I have this month to be able to power through my stash to get these complete.

from dishcloths to potholders

My cotton today was used to make this crochet potholder instead of dishcloths - and I love it. I cast on 32 ch's to get it started, and had to incorporate 2 stripes (can you tell?) of some leftover variegated of a different skein. This one will likely stay @ my house, but I'm making more that will better match my already completed dishcloth-and-scrubbie sets.

Spider Dishcloth (crochet)

Materials needed:
- 4.5mm crochet hook, or size recommended on skein band
- 2 skeins of dishcloth cotton, 1 black and 1 white.

Tension: not important for this project

Finished measurements: approx 7.5” wide, 8” tall

Terms used:
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
qc – quintuple crochet – do as a double crochet, but wrap yarn around crochet hook 4 times instead of once; crochet yarn through project then first loop, yo and through next two loops repeatedly throughout.

Forming body of spider in center:
With black, ch 25.
1st row: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), dc 8, twist chain row in front to form an ‘8’ and have 9 sts for the head, 1 hdc in first head ch, 1 dc in each of the next 3 ch, 2dc in 1 sc (top of head), 1 dc in each of the next 3 ch, 1 hdc in last ch of head, continue to dc down chain, 2dc in last chain, join.
2nd row: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in next stitch, 6 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, 1hdc, 1dc, 2 dc in same stitch, 2 dc, 2 dc in next stitch, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, 1 hdc, 6dc, 2 dc in last dc, join. Finish off.

Forming spider legs:
3rd row: Continuing with black, start yarn at previous row’s hdc just below the neck. Ch 5 for 1st leg; *ch3, 1qc in 2nd dc from last leg*, repeat btwn ’s two more times; ch 10; 1 qc in 5th stitch from last qc, *ch 3, 1qc in 2nd stitch* 3 times, ch 8, 1 hdc in center stitch of head, ch8, join at beginning (1st leg).

For dishcloth granny square webbing:

Join white, and continue with white throughout.
4th row: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), dc 2 more in previous row’s ch3, *ch2, 3dc in previous row’s ch3* twice, ch2, *3dc, ch2* three times over previous row’s ch10, *ch2, 3dc in previous row’s ch3* three times, ch2, *3dc, ch2* five times, centering 2nd dc in 3rd rep in last row’s hdc, ch2 and join.
5th row: ch5 (counts as 1 dc and 3 sc), *3dc in space, ch3* around, finish with 2dc, join.
6th row: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), *ch3, 3dc* once, ch3, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in previous row’s 3ch; *ch3, 3dc* three times, ch3 (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in previous row’s 3ch, *ch3, 3dc* twice, ch3 (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in previous row’s 3ch, ch3 and join.
7th row: ch5 (counts as 1 dc and 3 sc), *3dc in space, ch3* twice, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in previous row’s 3ch, *3dc in space, ch3* four times, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in previous row’s 3ch, ch3, *3dc in space, ch3* three times, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in previous row’s 3ch, ch3, *3dc in space, ch3* four times, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in previous row’s 3ch, ch3, 2dc, join.
8th row: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2dc, *ch2, 3dc in last row’s 3ch* twice, ch2, 4dc in last row’s 3ch corner, *ch2, 3dc in last row’s 3ch* five times, ch2, 4dc in last row’s 3ch corner, *ch2, 3dc in last row’s 3ch* four times, ch2, 4dc in last row’s 3ch corner, *ch2, 3dc in last row’s 3ch* five times, ch2, 4dc in last row’s 3ch corner, ch2, 3dc, ch2, join and finish. Weave in ends.

© 2007 by Sabrina Thompson - original design and pictures. Please do not sell pattern or materials made thereof, or copy my pictures. Pattern cannot be distributed for sale, or as a 'free pattern' promotional tool for selling yarn or knitting supplies. If posting Finished Items on personal blogs, please link back to this blog and pattern, thanks. :D

Spider Scrubbie (crochet)

Materials needed:
- a bit of white and black cotton
- 4.5 mm crochet hook
- blunt tapestry needle

Measures: approx 3.5" wide

Stitches used: dc (double crochet), sc (single crochet), ch (chain), dc2tog (double crochet two together)

How to:
with white, crochet 5 sts and join.
row 1: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 9 dc around (10 sts)
row 2: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 19 dc around (20 sts)
row 3: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2dc, 2dc in same stitch, *3dc, 2dc in same stitch* around to end, join. (25 sts)
row 4: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 3dc, 2dc in same stitch, *4dc, 2dc in same stitch* around to end, join (30sts)
row 5: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1dc, 2dc in same stitch, *2dc, 2dc in same stitch* around to end, join (40sts)
row 6: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), dc around
row 7: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1dc, dc2tog, *2dc, dc2tog* around to end, join (30sts)
row 8: ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), dc2tog, *1dc, dc2tog* around to end, join (20sts)
row 9: ch1, dc2tog around to end, join with 1st dc2tog (10sts)
row 10: ch1, dc2tog around to end, join with 1st dc2tog (5sts)
row 11: tie off, leaving at least a 1" tail. Bring yarn through both centers to bind in the middle, knot, and weave in ends. Sc a little handle (10-15sc) through the top if desired.

to make spider:
1) with black yarn, ch20 and join
2) ch1 (counts as 1sc), 9sc, 2sc in 1 stitch, 9sc, 2sc in last stitch, join (22sts)
Tie off and leave a 1.5" string. This chain will form an almond shaped body; use tail to join (in back) center of almond, about 1/3 of the way down. Stitch body to white scrubbie, and use tapestry needle to sew 8 legs from torso to through side of the scrubbie, through the center of it so the bottom of it is hidden into the scrubbie, and back through the torso to continue with the next leg. Continue around and tie off.

© 2007 by Sabrina Thompson - original design and pictures. Please do not sell pattern or materials made thereof, or copy my pictures. Pattern cannot be distributed for sale, or as a 'free pattern' promotional tool for selling yarn or knitting supplies. If posting Finished Items on personal blogs, please link back to this blog and pattern, thanks. :D

psychadellic granny square dishcloth

I just love the colours in this. Not sure which kitchen this would match in, but nonetheless, I love the colours. Quite groovy, n'est pas? ;)

well, not the best hat, but...

This is what I've been working on for a few days. Just experimenting with the rest of my Bernat Galaxy. I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but there are a few cables in there - 5 in total, one coming up from my left eye. It's warm, at least.

When I first saw Galaxy I thought it was fantastic, and couldn't understand why others didn't seem to like it. Now, not so crazy about it. I don't hate it - just not sure of it. But it does make some warm garments.

toronto's car show 2008

Granted these aren't knitting pictures, as my goal for this month was to post only knitting related finished objects. But, the hat I'm knitting is still a WIP and DH, DB and I spent the day yesterday at the car show in Toronto.

There are 60 pics all together of cars we all liked, but I thought to narrow it down to these few. There were a few cars I didn't get to photograph, due to the crowds around them and unable to get a clear shot.

DH got the opportunity to test drive the 4x4 track, which was his highlite of the day. I just loved the opportunity to sit during it, because we walked around 3 huge buildings full of cars! Even today my legs are still a bit sore.
My personal favourite cars there were the vintage ones, and I love flames, so those were my top pics, but DH and DB obviously were quite fascinated with the new models. Mike Holmes (from HGTV's Holmes on Homes) was there too, but the line up was much too long for a photo-op, oh well!

almost a vine dishcloth

This travelling vine dishcloth was to use up the rest of the green variegated that I used for the other day's green spiral scrubbies - I had run out and only made the cloth 2/3's of what it's supposed to be. I don't know if you can tel but even at the very end (top, towards mid-left) I even had to use a bit of light blue variegated to finish off the cast-off part. Oh well, still looks funky.

vine dishcloth

Just finished knitting this travelling vine cloth today. Would look especially nice in a solid shade of green, but since I've quite a bit of variegated yarns, this colourway nonetheless turned out quite nice.

breaking away from dishcloths a bit...

Just for kicks, instead of dishcloths today, I whipped up a pair of my Sock Monkey Fingers Popped Out fingerless mitts for the sake of using up the rest of the gray Patons Classic Wool I had left over from the last pair I made. By the way, still have a few yards of it left! Eeesh. This second pair got made. I used the variation in the pattern for this one - making them in the k1, p1 ribbing instead of the k2, p2 ribbing. Seems to be a better fit, I think, and when the gloves are off, they lay a little flatter than in the k2 p2 ribbing. (Flatter as in more true to their shape; the k2 p2 ribbing tends to narrow the hand a bit when they're not worn.)

Since it's Valentine's Day, in all its sappy cheesiness, I thought I'd make a cake. It's a Betty Crocker one, because I'm not one to bake, in French Vanilla with Cream Cheese flavoured icing. Not that you can tell from the darkness in the pic, but I've used purple, pink and red icing. I still manage the cliche 'I love you' in the cake's sentiment, but have a bit of fun with drawing

it out. (yay, sheep!)

My DH, as sweet as he is, bought me a few Birds of Paradise flowers, my absolute favourite. (I'm not one for roses, really.) They're quite beautiful, I think, although the packaging they came in apparently terrifies the cat.

green spirals everywhere!

I'm up to 3 green spiral scrubbies - it's the last of it, I promise. Two have already been given homes @ my MIL's, the third one is going to be paired up with a flat dishcloth, using the rest of the green ombred yarn. (Although I've yet to decide on the pattern...)

This scrubbie to match the first dishcloth I knit this month. Not sure where this pair is going to go, giftwise, but I've a matching set now.

backtracking to make more pairs

A few days ago I knit up a mock-cabled dishcloth in purple, and decided to make a matching crocheted scrubbie to go along with it. DH and I are going to the car show this weekend, and since we'll be in the city, we'll be stopping by to see a friend of ours, who happens to love purple. This set weill be gifted to her when we see her.

scrubbie-aholic

You'd think I'd be tired of crocheting these by now! But they make a good match to the flat dishcloths, and this one pairs well with yesterday's.

Oh, visited the inlaws this weekend - I gave my MIL the two green scrubbies I made, and she loved them. Shows that dishcloths are apparently well received. I had a bit of reservations gifting them, but love making them.

a second Rain Drops dishcloth

I like how the 4th variegated colour blends into this rain drops dishcloth, the pattern jumps out a bit more IMO. This is why I love variegated yarns, despite the occasional pooling. If you plan the pattern just right, something trippy and wavy comes right out.

A matching scrubbie to be posted soon...

scrubbies to complete a set

I adore these crocheted spiral scrubbies so much that I've decided to backtrack a bit and (since I have enough leftover variegated yarn in each colour) to crochet a matching scrubbie to some of the dishcloths that I've knit so far this month. That way, when I'm gifting them, it makes more of a set.

This one was made to match the dishcloth I made yesterday.

Rain Drops Dishcloth

size: 8" x 8" (20 cm x 20 cm)
materials needed: 30 grams of cotton for dishcloths, 1 pair of 4.5mm (US 7) straight knitting needles, something to weave in ends
tension: 20sts = 4" (10cm) in stockinette stitch

What you're mastering in this dishcloth is seed stitch, which is what makes the stripes between the eyelets. Seed stitch is fantastic because it avoids ends and corners from curling up.

1) CO 33 sts.
2) Row 1: *k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, yo, k2tog* 4 times, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1.
3) Row 2: *k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p2* 4 times, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1.
4) Row 3: *k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, k2tog, yo* 4 times, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1.
5) Row 4: *k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p2* 4 times, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1.
6) Repeat rows 1-4 until peice measures 8 inches.
7) For last set of 4 rows before binding off: Do rows 1-3, and bind off in pattern with row 4. Weave in ends.

© 2008 by Sabrina Thompson - original design and pictures. Please do not sell pattern or materials made thereof, or copy my pictures. Pattern cannot be distributed for sale, or as a 'free pattern' promotional tool for selling yarn or knitting supplies. If posting Finished Items on personal blogs, please link back to this blog and pattern, thanks. :D

another crocheted dishcloth

A second Lacy Crochet Squarish Dishcloth. Kind of reminds me of scrambled eggs.

another cabled dishcloth

I made another Lacy Mock Cable Dishcloth because I think they're just so fantastic to knit. Since today is Mardi Gras, I thought that this purpley blue cotton yarn (Bernat Cotton) was appropraitely coloured for today.

lacy crochet squarish dishcloth

(squarish because it looks rectangle once done, but squares after blocking)

terms:
dc - double crochet
ch - chain

Hook: 5mm/H
Yarn: any dishcloth-cotton worthy yarn, preferably variegated or ombred for kicks
Finished Measurements: 8" x 8"
Tension: 20sts = 4" (10cm) in stockinette stitch

1) Ch 32 sts. Turn.
2) 1 dc in second ch, dc across in each ch. (31sts) Turn.
3) Ch 1, 1 dc in each of the first 3 sts, *ch1 skipping over 1 dc, 1 dc in the next dc* across to last 4 sts, ch1, 3 dc. Turn.
4) Ch1, 1 dc in each of the first 2 sts, *ch1 skipping over 1 dc, 1 dc in the next ch* across to the last 2 sts, ch 1, 2 dc. Turn.
5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 until entire piece is 7.75 inches long. Every dc will be done in the previous row's ch through the center of the dishcloth. End with a row 3. Turn.
6) Ch1, dc across last row to finish.

© 2008 by Sabrina Thompson - original design and pictures. Please do not sell pattern or materials made thereof, or copy my pictures. Pattern cannot be distributed for sale, or as a 'free pattern' promotional tool for selling yarn or knitting supplies. If posting Finished Items on personal blogs, please link back to this blog and pattern, thanks. :D

more scrunchie scrubbies!

I love how these spiral scrubbies turn out, so I've made a second one (right) for my MIL, and added a sc chained holdy thing to each.

a scrunchie dishcloth

It's been a while since I crocheted, and missed it. Thankfully I came across this Spiral Scrubbie pattern which is just too cute, IMO. And, it's a great way to use up more of my cotton! I made this one in an ombred green with the intention of gifting it to my MIL, who loves green.

Pattern adjustment: I crocheted the entire thing in hdc instead of sc, because I loathe doing single crochet stitching! It's not much bigger than the one in pattern, around 4" across.

dishcloths! eep!

Well, I've got a wicked amount of variegated cotton, and I've finally started to put it to good use - I've started my dishcloths! Hopefully I'll have a few ready for Mother's Day and such.

Here's my first: it's a Lacy Mock Cable Cloth, where I've only done the 16-row pattern twice instead of 3 times as recommended in the pattern.