random things that I found, pt 2

The other day I posted a bunch of flickr pics that I found, mostly knit themed, so I thought I'd rummage through the site again to find some other really fun pics, just to see other people's really great creations.

Sundae Crochet is a cleverly made ice cream sundae - yum :) - despite the cooling weather, this I think inspired me to maybe make sundaes for dessert tonight!

Crochet Taffy Apples is another creation by the same artist, also looking decadently deeeelicious!

I love this crocheted Laughing Buddha - fantastically made!

The work that must've gone into these hyperbolic kelp and hyperbolic cacti must've been incredibly time consuming, but they look wonderful.

Now, I never knew this place existed, but there's actually a Crochet Museum out somewhere called Joshua Tree, which I assume would be in Arizona or California or something, which looks like a very fun place to visit! (For sure during the next road trip that DH and I take!)

Wednesday at the mall

I spent the day before yesterday finishing up a few Christmasy things I needed to get done at the mall - I bought a couple more gifts that remained on my shopping list (with the exception of my nephew, whom I still don't know what to get) plus I mailed out a whole bunch of packages.

Normally I only have one or two to mail, like for swaps or destashed yarn from ravelry, or a sale from etsy. But between the care package of gifts I was sending to France (for mom, dad, brother, and grandmother), the scarves for the Special Olympics, a ravelry destashing swap, and one other package that I was kind of ticked off of having to resend, my arms were full!

This package that I had to resend - it was an etsy sale I made, and thought I had packaged it rather well. It was sent mid October, and it should've arrived to its destination in the US long before Wednesday, but on its way down the packaging somehow broke open! I've no idea how, considering how well I always package things, but still. And it already made it to the state it was supposed to be mailed in! One would think it would've gotten delivered nonetheless, but it required so much effort to mail it back, and of course it was!

Luckily nothing was lost from the open package, but it ticks me off not only that I've had to spend another $30 to remail it, but it's taken so long to have to resend it, and I just hope the customer receives it before the holidays!

On another note, I'm a bit thankful that I knit this year for the holidays. I've got everyone taken care of except my FIL and DH. I've no idea what to knit either of them, but I've a sneaking suspicion that FIL won't wear anything that I knit anyway, based on past experience, so I may not bother.

I love putting together care packages as gifts, and it's what I've done for everyone this year. Each person got one knit item, plus a couple other things added to their gift bags. DH and I had no idea how to narrow the gifts down to one single gift per person, but figured that a few small gifts all together would hopefully be a treat!

I'm just waiting for my SIL to write me back on some ideas for my nephew, and we'll be done. I hate shopping @ the mall in December, which is why I've all my holiday shopping done so early, but now that practically all the gifts are bought and made, I can't wait to hand them out! eesh! I'm a little excited for the holiday!

2 more skeins finished, and out of my stash!

A month ago or so I blogged about starting to knit some scarves for the special olympics, and the two scarves I had in that post only consumed a little under half a skein of blue and white, but I mailed them nonetheless. Today I finally finished the two skeins into two more scarves, one knit and one crochet:

Phew! These'll be mailed probably wednesday or thursday, so I'm done with this project! Hopefully they'll be put to great use!

things that I've found randomly, that I love

When randomly searching 'my knitting basket' on google, I came across this fantastic basket-of-yarn cake that I would just love if someone could make this for me for a birthday or something! How scruptious!

It got me to thinking of all the pics on flickr that I have yet to search and observe, so here are a few of my favourites: (linked so that not to violate any photog copyrights, so click away!)

a knit-tastic tattoo - once I muster up the courage to get one, I'd love one similar to this!

this picture of green yarn has inspired me to artisitcally photograph my yarn, and hang it around my office!

a fantastic pic of a cat hugging yarn - and taken a bit off guard, it seems....

my first 'stitch n bitch' meeting

The group's been around for a while, apprently, but I went for the first time this past Tuesday. I was invited by someone I met via ravelry to attend; the owner of Linda's Craftique in Port Credit has a meeting every other Tuesday, that meets after her store closes - the group heads to a fantastic pizza place across the street, and just knit and eat pizza for a couple hours. Great fun. :D

I managed to work on these mittens, which I started the day before the meeting and finished the day after. Using nearly 2 skeins of Mirasol Yarn Sulka that I bought at Linda's Craftique, the pattern is simply called Cabled Fingerless Mitts, available here. (You need to look around a little - it's available as a free pattern that you have to 'buy' when checking out, and the pattern's emailed to you.) But I love the yarn, it's one that I've never used before and is super soft and wonderfully warm! You can't tell from my poor picture quality, but there are little red and blue fibers mixed in with the black yarn, which make them all that more unique.

snowflake dishcloths

I've adjusted the pattern from Strings And Things Yarn.com for their snowflake dishcloth... to a 7" square. I've also purled a few extra details around the snowflake to give the dishcloth a bit more texture. These'll be gifted to my neighbor for the holidays.

Fusion Scarf

Size: adult
Finished measurements: approximately 4.75” (12cm) wide, 26” (66.5cm) long, laying flat (in half) and unblocked.

Materials needed:
½ skein Patons Classic Merino Wool (100% pure new wool; 223yds/204m, 100g/3.5oz skein); colour: Forest
2 skeins Patons Classic Merino Wool (100% pure new wool; 223yds/204m, 100g/3.5oz skein); colour: Camel
8mm/US 11 straight needles

Tension in pattern: approx 18 stitches = 4” (10cm)
Terms used in this pattern: BO2 (bind off or cast off 2); m2 (make 2)

Instructions:
Hold together 1 strand of Camel, and 1 strand of Forest, and whole holding two together, CO 24 sts.
Next row: holding two yarns together, *k2, p2* across.
Repeat ribbing pattern, with these two colours for 13 inches (33.5cm). Next row: Switch Forest yarn to Camel, so that you are now knitting 2 strands of Camel together; continue in ribbing pattern for 3 inches (8cm).
Spacer Row: *k2, bo2 in pattern* across to last stitch, k1.
Next row: K1, make 1, *p2, m2* across to last 2 sts, p2.
Continue in ribbing pattern for 18 more inches.
Next row: repeat Spacer Row.
Fold scarf without twisting it, so that 1st rows of spaces lign up with second row of spacers; it’s going to be offset by a stitch, so that the stitches that remain on the second spacer row lign up where you’ve bound off in the 1st spacer row.
To weave together: k1, make 1, *bring left needle through next space, p2, m2* across to end. Continue in k2, p2 ribbing for 3 inches (8cm).
Replace 1 strand of Camel coloured yarn with Forest, and continue in ribbing pattern for remaining 13 inches (33.5cm). BO in pattern, 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

Yarn Karma - paying it forward

I've recently come across some very generous knitters on ravelry - there's a huge community of knitters and crocheters there that swap yarns and knitting supplies, and some are generous enough to send yarn or supplies one way w/o charging for them or for shipping.

Due to this, I've built a good collection of yarns and supplies. Most of which I was able to use for some design ideas I've had in mind and some other projects. Unfortunately, there was a stash of yarns I couldn't find a use for.

My neighbor is a high school teacher in Toronto, and we got to talking today on how there's a knitting club at the school he teaches. A knitting club! How lucky! I asked him if they could use yarn, and he said absolutely!

An hour later I showed up @ his place with a large Ikea bag full of the yarns I can't use - some were yarns shipped to me, others were yarn from my own personal stash - for this knitting club. He was so happy, and commented on how a lot of students are shying away from the group - despite the group being relatively new - because of the cost of yarn. Hopefully this bag of yarn will get a generation of knitters more enthoused about their projects!

Dashing is done

DH's modelling the pair of Dashing I made for my dad for xmas - made from Cascade 220 in a nice shade of purple. I've made it considerably shorter than the original pattern, but still long enough to cover a good part of his arm.

Mississauga mention on Regis and Kelly Live

This morning I was watching Regis and Kelly Live as I was knitting, and Regis mentioned that he was making another trip to Canada, visiting my hometown of Mississauga to attend and I guess talk at a ceremony comemorating our mayor, Hazel McCallion. Kinda neat to have Mississauga mentioned like that on tv! Neat.

Just putting it out there, is all.

finished Fetching

I think that this pair of Fetching that I made for my mom for xmas turned out rather well! I love the colourway of the yarn - it's Twilley's of Stamford Freedom Spirit yarn, 100% wool.

Although, trying them on for me, they had a bit too much stretch, but that's due to my having slightly wide hands... wider than normal I think. So, if I were to make these again, I'd add an extra 4x1 ribbing repeat. And because I just prefer a longer mitt, I'd add an extra cable repeat to both the top and bottom. Aside that, they fit really well!

Obama is President

Minutes ago, his acceptance speech hit the airwaves in Chicago.

I never thought I'd feel the sense of joy that I do over a non-Canadian election, but remembering my frustration as Bush got elected not only once, but twice, into office, I was almost in knots to think that the Republicans would somehow weasel their way back into the White House again.

When I first heard that CNN thought Obama would likely win office - dare I say it, I almost felt... emotional.

I - as most others, not only in the US but worldwide - realize that this is a huge step forward for not only my American neighbours, but for the world around us.

There is hope. Things will change. Sometimes, the right guy wins.

I've so many things running through my head right now, so many... feelings. I've no idea how to put them into words. This is not a political blog, nor am I one to normally comment on politics as a whole, so this faults my putting my sentiments here properly.

His campaign slogan, I think, best sums it up for us all: Yes We Can. Here's hoping he can.

Things can only go up from here.

another scarf done!

Finished the scarf for my grandmother! Spent the day blocking it, otherwise I would've posted it yeserday!

less than 2 months until Christmas...

I've done things a little backwards this year.

I've knit for the wrong family first.

I know this sounds bizarre, but let me explain: My parents live in France, my inlaws all live here. My husband, brother and I normally put together a care package to send to France with gifts for Christmas, something for each of my parents and my maternal grandmother; this care package needs to be mailed before December 1st to get there on time for the holidays. I haven't knit for any of them yet.

But, with the exception of my FIL, I've knit for my entire DH's side of the family.

I should've procrastinated with my inlaws, and knit for my parents first. Because now, I'm scrambling. I haven't even bought gifts yet, but my brother's coming home (from being overseas @ work) mid-November, so he'll help shop for my Dad at least. I've bought something for my grandmother, but not for my mom yet either.

Now, knittingwise, I'm planning to make the same scarf I knit for my SIL (posted here) for my grandmother, but using some nice fingering weight handspun I bought on etsy; these Dashing gloves for my dad and these Fetching gloves for my mom, with some yarn that I bought over at The Wool Bin store in Oakville yesterday. Hopefully these 3 projects shouldn't take me more than a couple weeks to complete!