One step forward, three steps back....

Hat Craze!

So I made two more hats. I wouldn't be surprised if I made more this week. They work up quickly and I get a great sense of accomplishment when they are done.

Now off to work!

Mmmm....fruit!

I'm in the process of making a bunch of crocheted fruit for the bowl that sits on my dining room table. Yesterday I tackled a lime.

Bonus! Here's the pattern I made up for it!

Lime Amigurumi Pattern

1. 6 sc in ring (6)
2. sc around (6)
3. inc around (12)
4. sc around (12)
5. inc every other (18)
6. sc around (18)
7. inc every 3rd sc (24)
8. sc around (24)
9. inc every 4th sc (30)
10. sc around (30)
11. sc around (30)
12. sc around (30)
13. sc around (30)
14. sc around (30)
15. sc around (30)
16. sc around (30)
17. sc around (30)
18. dec every 4th sc (24)
19. sc around (24)

I stitched the face, added the eyes and added most of the stuffing at this point

20. dec every 3rd sc (18)
21. sc around (18)
22. dec every other sc (12)
23. sc around (12)
24. dec around (6)
25. sc around and bind off.

Weave in ends and you're done! I also needle felted the rosy cheeks at this point.

I also made a pear from a pattern I found online. It can be found here.



I'm thinking I need to make more of the pears because they are just so bloody cute!

I'm on a hat craze!

3 hats in just over 24 hours. My fingers are numb!

Yes, there are dinosaurs in my bathtub. No, there are not any children living here. I just like dinosaurs.

Please ignore the time I am posting this. My sleeping patterns are screeeeewed.

So I started a hat without a pattern and just sorta went for it. I had to take it apart a few times because it was waaaaay too big. I'm getting more comfortable with making up my own patterns as I go. It feels great! Next time I do it, I'll do the beak a little different though. It sits too close to the eyes and can be quite distracting.

Also went out and saw Pirate Radio with my friend Chris tonight despite the fact that I am fighting another head cold. I've almost forgotten what it feels like to be able to breath out of your face! Oh yeah, the movie......I liked it quite a bit. It was cute and I saw like at least a dozen crocheted items in it! Viva la crochet! Plus, it had Nick Frost in it and I heart him. I also tend to like movies that have something directly to do with music which this obviously did. And speaking of music, Chris also burned me a disc with a bunch of music for me to discover. Yay! I love new music day!

I'm so gangsta', I felted soap.

First off, I'd like to say that I miss actually making soap. I made it for years when I lived in Calgary which makes sense considering I worked at a soap store. Unfortunately I haven't really been able to find the supplies that I need to make soap here in Halifax without breaking the bank. Second off, when I moved into my new apartment I had the chance to go through some boxes that I hadn't really looked at since I've moved to Nova Scotia. In one box I found a couple bars of cold process soap that I had made a few years ago. Score!

Hello Felted Soap!

I've decided to write a little tutorial on how to make it. It's easy. It's so easy that a kid could do it. And why might you want to felt a bar of soap, you ask? Because extends the life of your bar of soap and it's like having a self lathering washcloth to wash with each day.

Supplies

A bar of soap (obviously I used my own handmade CP soap)
roving
water
a pair of hands



Cut a piece of roving that is long enough to wrap entirely around the bar of soap. Cut a second piece of roving to wrap around the bar the other way.



You want enough roving to completely cover the entire bar. You may need to add an additional layer depending on how covered your bar is at this point. Use different colour roving to create different looks! I went with a pink and black scheme because it would match my bathroom.



Time to get the bar wet! Put it under as hot water you can handle and get the bar wet but not drenched.



Holy wet cat! Time to start the felting process. Carefully work the wool around the bar but be careful not to expose the soap underneath.



Now the bar should start to lather. Keep working the wool while adding small amount of water into the bar. The wool should also be shrinking to fit around the soap by this step.



Continue doing the last step until the wool no longer seems to shrink. Tada! Felted soap!

Just lay to dry and you're done!



Close up of the finished felted texture



I've also seen some people that used a felting mat, sushi mat or some sort of textured mat to quicken up the felting process by rubbing the soap against it once the wool starts to shrink around the bar. I just used my hands as I liked the process and it created a lot of lather. I like bubbles :)

Secret Project 2.0

Knit, knit, purl, purl.

A knitting project I'm working on. I really need to learn to knit better.

< / 3

Soooo easy. Kinda like your mom.

Hello 25 minute project. You make me happy.

Sigh ......

So I made a hat for my boyfriend's son. And then my boyfriend dumped me. Awesome. The hat is cute anyway so I've decided to share it regardless. My plan was to get better pictures but it's too late now! Oh, and it's fully lined in the red fleece that you see on top.

Greg & Lil' Greg

It's all about the hair. And the smirk.