End of the Year Post!

TADA! I have made a post with only two and a half hours left until the new year!

I have a could of things to post about before we begin a new year. I'm going to start with this.

Remember that green yarn I said I didn't know what I wanted to do with? Well, this is what I ended up making with it - though, sadly, I have a fair amount left over.

This is arm knitting, I stumbled across it while I was browsing the intarwebs. It was super quick to make, though it irritated the heck out of my skin! (I have sensitive skin to textures) Obviously this is an infinity scarf. Though, I made it longer than I probably should have, but I like it nonetheless. :)

Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with the left over yarn, maybe a hat? I don't know, I'm sure I'll find something. I've still got half a bin full of yarn I just want to be rid of, and I'm slowly finding things to make out of it all.

This, for example.

I had three balls of this Bernat Blanket yarn (Mallard Wood). I wasn't sure what sort of pattern would look good with it, but I saw on one of the labels a Brick Blanket pattern - http://www.yarnspirations.com/bricks-blanket.html -and decided that it couldn't hurt to try. I really like how it's turning out so far. The amount of blanket in the picture is how far I got with one ball - I have three more to use (I picked up a fourth ball because the pattern called for it).

I've been working on the blanket off and on, doing a couple rows a day in between working on other projects - and playing video games, and reading.

And now, for the project I've been so excited over!

Chilly, an enemy from Kirby! This is what I've spent most of the month working on. His bottom is full of stuffing beads so that he can stand on his own! And the top of his hat as plastic canvas inside so that I doesn't bulge with the stuffing. And, obviously, his eyes are needle felted on. I just love him!

Though, as simple as he looks, there was quite a bit of trial and error with him. Mostly just the eyebrows and collar. I couldn't decide if I wanted to use felt for the eyebrows and make the really big like they're supposed to be. In the end, as you can see, I decided on this, it's much cuter. <3

This is all I've really done in the last week since I posted. So, really, not a whole lot.

However, on boxing day, I did some shopping. At the craft store. And it was absolutely marvelous!

Michael's had a sale on yarn. Most of it was 55% off. Omg, right? There is a particular brand I've taken a liking, too. Loops and Threads Impeccable. I find it to be a bit thicker than Red Heart and it has a very nice variety of colours. However, it's a bit expensive. Except for boxing day. They went from $4.99 down to $2.79. And I had a coupon for the day - 30% entire purchase, INCLUDING SALE ITEMS!!

Needless to say, I spent about $70 stocking up on colours. A whole bin of just L&T Impeccable. It's magical. There are so many things I can make now and I no longer have the excuse that I don't have the colours for it. <3

However, between the baby coming - 12 days to go - and my determination to use up all the yarn that I don't really have a use for, I think it might be a while before I make another amigurumi - though I do have one on the go from ages ago (if anybody has read most of my blog, it's the project with the brown fuzzy yarn).

Anyway, that is all I have to post for now. That makes 32 blog posts this year! Hopefully I can keep up with it next year. Though, I'll be happy with just being able to post monthly!

Tata for now.

Happy New Year, everyone! <3

Here I am!

So, it's been well over a month since I've posted anything here. But, if anybody follows my DeviantArt, you'll know I haven't been completely inactive! I've been quite busy, actually.

In the last month, I've had Christmas looming over my head. And in that time, I managed to make a bunch of gifts for the children in the family - they are the only ones we got presents for this year, as money is a bit tight with the baby less than 3 weeks away (I think he's going to be early).

I'm the one on the left, in the awesome Cyclops shirt. The other lady is the mother of my sons cousin. :) She's only six weeks behind me in pregnancy.

Anyway, moving on. Aside from being weighed down by an ever growing baby, I've always been a bit lazy - and yet active - in my crafting. Not only have I been obsessively reading the Pokemon Adventures manga, I've been reading a bunch of other things. The Locke and Key series is phenomenal. But, aside from reading, the rest of my time as been spent either sleeping or crafting.

So, as I mentioned in my last blog post, I bought the circular knitting loom. Well, shortly after I posted about that, I went out and bought the long knitting loom of the same brand. And the Martha Steward loom set because it was 50% off. <3

So, having stocked up on fabulous new ways to use all that unwanted yarn in my stash, I got to work!

Having found out that Red Heart with Wool was discontinued - it made my life a bit harder because I found this out AFTER I was nearly complete a project - I decided to use the rest of it so that it wasn't taking up room in my stash anymore.

This is my first project with it, when I found out too late that it was discontinued.

I needed more grey for the scarf - I had some left over green - to make it longer, and that's when I found out that it's not on the market anymore. So, in a poorly thought up way to lengthen the scarf, I crocheted on black with Red Heart Soft. Double crochet, size 5mm hook. It worked out well enough. And if I mentally erase the black, it kind of reminds me of the Slytherin colours - maybe one day I'll make Hogwarts House accessories (even though it's been done to death!)

Here is the second gift set that I made using the loom set I bought. As you can see, it's not the greatest, either. I was experimenting with the brim sizes of the hats I was making and I was still learning how to work with the long loom and do colour changes. But, my niece was quite happy with it in the end! Of course, she's at that age, she loves anything and everything pink!

Here is the final hat and scarf set I made. This one is toddler sized. I didn't do the scarf striped for two reasons. One, I didn't want to do all those colour changes. Two, I didn't have enough to even bother. I really love how this one turned out. The two blues go together so well - they remind me of the blue candy canes!

Oh, I should mention that the first two scarves were done using 24 pegs of the long loom and the third was done using only 18 peg. I really think I prefer using 18 pegs to the 24, it's not as bulky on the shoulders and it just sits nicer all around. That, and you can get a longer scarf with the same amount of yarn! So, I think all scarves I make in the future on the knitting loom will be done with 18 pegs.

Except, this one I have started already that I've been working on for a while. There is a story to this.

Long story short, all the pictures I've taken over the last month of my progress on crafts are gone. I tripped over the cat and dropped my phone in the toilet, now it doesn't work. So, I've lost a lot of valuable information that I kept stored on my phone. I'm pretty irked by it all, especially because I can't really afford to replace it currently.

Luckily, my boyfriend upgraded his phone recently and we still have his old phone. Unfortunately, my SIM card doesn't fit in it, so I can only use it for internet when I have WiFi, and that depends if the phone wants to work or not, it lags so bad!

But, anyway. The scarf I've been working on. This is the yarn I've been using, except I think it's bulky. I'm not sure, I lost the label a while ago, though the pictures of it is on my destroyed phone.

I don't know how I acquired this beast of a yarn ball, but I did, it's been in my stash for ages and ages. I couldn't think of anything to use it for. So I thought, hey, why not make a scarf out of it, I'd totally rock something that green. I started making this in to a scarf pretty much as soon as I got the long loom. However, at the time, I didn't think anything of peg size or what that meant in the end.

So, not only am I halfway finished turning this in to a scarf, it's also done on 24 pegs, making it extremely bulky on the shoulders - though not so bad if you fold it in half. I had thought of restarting all that hard work and making it smaller on 18 pegs, but I'm not sure. It would be a lot thinner, and I'm also have a lot more yarn to work with. I had thought of maybe doing that and making a hat out of it, too. But, I'm really not sure. =/ Decisions, decisions.

Moving on.

I was recently given a bunch of yarn at my baby shower - yarn that I'm not likely to use, it's all baby yarn and such. It was a very lovely gesture from some friends of the family, though. However, there were also some half finished projects in with the yarn I was given - all knitting projects no less, so I'm hopeless there. I figured most of the yarn was going to end up useless to me, but in going through it, I found a gem.

Now, this is where I'd insert a picture before continuing, but those don't exist anymore, so I'll just continue.

Now, the yarn I found is rather rough and doesn't feel too nice, but that's mostly just because it's old and it's been sitting for quite a while. So, I decided to fashion it in to the most amazing hat.

Are the colours not nearly Joker perfect?! The best part? There was EXACTLY enough purple to make the brim!! I was so excited. I mean, I started making the hat, knowing that there might not be enough and I'd have to abort, but it worked out perfectly. And there was enough green, too. Of course, there were two half used balls of green and one half used ball of purple. So, I really lucked out in being able to make this. <3

I call it the "Are you joking?" hat. I know, lame, right?! I love it anyway.

And after I made the hat, I had the thought that maybe I should look up different loom patterns - this would have looked awesome as a slouch! When I had realized that all I thought was "C'mon, Synnie, have more forethought next time!"

And here's a thought. What if I take that giant green scarf I'm making, take it all apart, make a slouch hat from it and then turn the rest in to a scarf on 18 pegs?! I just might.

I still have a few balls of Red Heart with Wool to use. However, I already used Garnet and Cream to make a regular loom-knit hat - having done that before I made my Joker-esque hat - which would also loom amazing in a different style. I kind of want to make another hat with those colours in a new style, but at the same time, I kind of want to make it in to a stripped scarf. It would be similar to the ones I did for the kids, but all the strips would be the same thickness. Hmm. This is something I have to think about now.

Aside from the Garnet and Cream colours. All I have left are Cherry Red and Tangerine. I was thinking of just making solid coloured scarves out of them, as I really don't think the two colours would look nice together. And if I do that, I might look at different scarf patterns, too, if there are any. Though, I love just the basic scarf that my little instruction booklet showed me because it's so thick, warm and squishy! I don't know, we'll see what I can find. So many things I could do, so little time!

And now, moving away from all this talk of knitting looms..

I made one more thing as a Christmas gift.

You'll have to excuse the horrible picture. I had a bunch of progress pictures for this, on my other phone. This was taken on the crappy phone I'm currently using.

I made this for my toddler niece. She loved it. She started putting everything she could in to it. Oh, toddlers. This is what I have to look forward to in a few years.

Anyway, this is what I made the bag out of.

I remember where I acquired these. They were on sale for a dollar a ball back at the beginning of the year and they were just too soft for me to pass up. Making the bag took up just over two balls of the stuff. But, they're not very big. Also, I wrote out the pattern for this, which I shall post soon - I can't remember if it was on my other phone, or if I wrote it out on paper.

So, while I was googling a picture of this skein, I found out that it, too, has been discontinued. What the heck?! I mean, I've still got like 6-7 balls of this stuff, but still. Now I have to think very carefully of what I want to use it for. But, I do want to use it to get it out of my stash. Maybe I'll find something to make the baby out of it. I would try the hat pattern on it, but it's knitting. I don't really do knitting.

Maybe I'll find something very similar to it and fashion it in to a blanket.

And before I forget, I've always been working on an amigurumi. Normally I would post progress pictures, but, you know.

All that I shall reveal right now is that it is winter related and I shall be entering it in the DA Knitters contest. :)

Until next time (hopefully I can get in one more blog post before the baby arrives!)

Busy busy

So, here I am, posting again after almost three weeks. Things have been so busy for me, and I've just been so darn tired lately.

So, I'm sure you're wondering how went the Amigurumi-Challenge. Not so well. I lost to another Pumpkaboo. Now, normally I'm unaffected by a loss, but this one was a bit ridiculous. I have nothing nice to say at all, so I won't. Just know that I lost.

However, I did come in third in the Knit-and-Crochet contest. Above me was an amazing Leafeon and and a giant crochet Kyogre. You can find them both here: http://brookette.deviantart.com/journal/Pokemon-Contest-Winners-492767444

Moving on.

Shortly after finishing the Pumpkaboo, I finished working on another ! Block. The green one.  Metal Cap.

Just two more to go.

From here, I've had a slight decline in my crafting, I went almost a week or so without really doing anything. I think part of that is because of fatigue. And the fact that I've been so absorbed in reading the Pokemon Adventures manga. It's so damn good. I suggest reading it to anything and everyone.

Sadly, I'm waiting for my order to come in for the Rub and Sapphire arc of the manga, it should be in tomorrow!

In the meantime, I finally decided to purchase one of these niffy things.

 

I had no idea what I was getting in to when I bought this - on sale, no less! It seems I may have found a new hobby - at least, for over the holidays. I can be cheap and make a lot of people their gifts. Hehe. It's just a bit hard on the hands at times - though, probably because I went a better part of this month not crafting with them. I also think I might go and buy the straight knitting loom set to make scarves with.

Anyway. This is my first attempt at using the knitting loom.

I used the purple ring for this one, thinking that it would be big enough for a child, turns out that it might not even fit a toddler. Well, now I know! (Yes, that is a Darth Vader Pig. I won it in a vending machine ages ago. <3)

For this one I used that stash of Red Heart with Wool that I have - in abundance because Alex's parents bought it for me at the beginning of the year. I double stranded it so that it came out thicker and warmer - these Canadian winters can be quite brutal!

This one I experimented with a little. Remember that cake-like baby blanket I made a while back? Well, this is the left over white from it. I had enough to make a full hat, because I figured I'd try not only double stranding this, but almost folding it in half at the end to make a super thick, warm hat. Except, I ran out of white. I thought it would be big enough to be a hat, but it didn't cover my ears. It would be good for a small child, just too big around. So, I decided, because it's so soft and warm, that I'd make it a neck warmer!

And now, I'm off to make people presents, and use up all that yarn that I really have no use for, as I really prefer just making amigurumi.

I will say this now, there probably isn't a high chance that I'll be updating again this month. With my Pokemon manga coming in, the baby shower being this weekend and the week after that is just so packed with things to do, I'm not sure I'll even have much time for crafting once Saturday hits. X.x

So, until next time!

A completed project after much delay

Hey, everyone. It's been a while since I've posted - three weeks, wow! I will be perfectly honest by saying that it's been a bit of a rough month for me. I've been having off and on bouts of depression - I really think the season/weather change is just messing with me; this happens every year, though.

On the bright side, I've received a bunch of baby stuff over the last week or so. My boyfriends parents bought us a crib and change table, which we set up immediately! And my aunt drove all the way down here - it's about four-five hours away - just to bring me some stuff.

She brought my a bassinet with stand, a baby bath, a toddler stroller and a bunch of clothes and bedding. She also brought with her a small box of baby stuff from my grandmother and a giant box of clothes and various other baby things from my other aunt.

Receiving all these things was a giant weight off my shoulders. Now, all I just need is the baby's dresser and I can really start getting things organized, especially after the baby shower, which is in four weeks today. :)

So, anyway, after much delay, I finally finished the project with the pumpkin I had been working on last time I posted. There was about a week or so where I was pretty much a few pieces away from being finished; I just couldn't bring myself to sit down and do so. But, if you follow my Deviantart at all, you'll see I've made progress.

This part was interesting to do, I've never really done a piece quite like that before. 

Some progress here. Each little spike piece is done individually and sewn on. As for the top curl, well, that took me a day or so to really figure out and settle on a design I liked best. There were mnay failed attempts at this before I decided to just go with something rather simple. There is also several pieces of pipe cleaner to help hold its shape.

Here is the body completely finished.

And now, a few of angle pictures of the completed project!

Isn't he adorable?! He'll be entered in the Amigurumi-Challenge and the Knit-and-Crochet contest on Deviantart.

Oh, and in case anybody is wondering, that is Buddy in the background. He had been neutered the day before, and thus was stuck in the cone of shame. He's out of it now and doing pretty good, hyper as ever, even just after we brought him home. There is something seriously wrong with my cats. When they should be dopey and lethargic, they're wired and bouncing off the walls.

Anyway, I have written out the pattern for this guy, too. I think I'm going to be sprucing it up some and eventually putting it for sale on Etsy. :)

But, I think that's all I have to post for now. So, until next time!

Results and Pumpkins!

So, it's been just over a week since my last post - oops. But, here I am!

I'm sure some of you are wondering how I did in the Amigurumi-Challenge. Well, I didn't get first. I lost to an amazingly done fairy! I'm not complaining, it was so good, they deserved first! However, I did win the random feature draw, so that was pretty cool! My Sudowoodo and three of my other works - chosen at random - where featured in the journal announcing the winner.

http://brookette.deviantart.com/journal/Woodland-Creatures-Winners-Feature-485959119

Pretty cool, huh? I told you that fairy was amazing.

Anyway, after I finished Sudowoodo, I started working on that project I was talking about, the with fuzzy brown yarn. I got maybe one third of the way finished the body when Amigurumi-Challenge announced it's next theme - PUMPKINS!

So, as I'm sure more of you know by now, I dropped what I was doing, and started working on that. Hehe.

Now, I'm not going to reveal exactly what I'm making, but it's obviously pumpkin themed. ;D And today I realized that I don't have the right colour of brown I need to finish this project. I really don't want to travel all the way to the craft store that I usually go to, not for one ball of yarn. However, there are a couple of stores near me that sell yarn, just not much of it. I might take a gander at those and see what I can find. If nothing, I will have to take the horrible bus ride - it's the only bus in the city I dislike, well, everyone dislikes it, except for the people on it that make it dislikeable.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I also made a hat, but I really like it. I have a stash of Red Heart with Wool that Alex's parents bought be back in Febuary, I haven't really used it. I don't think I like working with it too much. It's soft and everything, but it's..not nice looking when you've finished a project with it. Like, I kind of like the style of the hat - I tried my hand at a cloche - and I like the colour I used, I just don't like the overall finished look. I really think I'm just so used to working with acrylic yarn and tight stitches that doing anything else just doesn't seem right.

But, after a bit of debating, I shall share the hat - just probably won't ever post it to my DeviantArt.

I dunno. Maybe I'm just being picky and critical of myself. But, I don't think I'll be trying to make a hat again any time soon. Now I just need to find something to use up all the wool-like yarn with. I'm sure something will come to me eventually.

Anyway, I should be back within the week with more to post about! Until then!

Kirby and Sudowoodo

I think I shall start off first my showing off my finished Kirby!

I'm very proud of how well he turned out - especially for a first attempt at needle felting. :) He's absolutely adorable. Sadly, I didn't have the appropriate colours to add some more detail to his face - mainly the blush.

However, there is this awesome guy that I finished.

Pretty good, right?

And now for the needle felt magic!

I didn't really bother taking any pictures of the process of needle felting him, there wasn't really much to it, really. And now to head over to my DeviantArt account and submit this to the Amigurumi-Challenge. <3

However, I think I might take the pattern that I wrote out for him and perhaps add it to my Etsy shop - which I have never used. I'm thinking it's a good idea. :)

And now, with my hands rested from crocheting, I can begin my next project, involving the brown fuzzy yarn!

Until next time!

Progress and a New Style!

So, there hasn't been too much going on this week.

Last week at TADA, I somehow got volunteered to teach the group how to make working paper clocks. Luckily, I managed to talk my way in to making it a Christmas event, meaning I have until December to figure it out. I have a general idea of how I'm going to do it, but need to fine tune it.

But, on to the more important things! My project that I've been slaving over. I'm nearly finished! And I made sure to take lots of progress pictures!

I finally finished this, the body, after so much trial and error - meaning the fail attempt from last weeks post. This little body only took me about five days to do - mostly because my hand was sore from the previous attempt. And from here, it was joyous, I'm most of the way finished!

Then I made this little cuties. No, they're not a single piece. The foot and the leg are two different pieces sewn together. And now, this is where the fun begins!

There is wire in both the legs - my first time using it! Let me tell you, wire makes sewing on the body part sooo much easier. There was next to no effort. <3

I forgot to take pictures of the little circle pieces that go on/above his legs, but they're just a simple, generic circle. Here's a side view of how nice it looks.

I just love how it's turning out so far! Only the upper body left to go!

This is the arm, wire and all! I've been really enjoying working with the wire. I'm sure you wondering about those three tips sticking out. Well, soon you all shall know what I'm working on - if you haven't figured it out already!

These. Are. Annoying. They also hurt my hands - of course, if I stopped for more than a day to rest my hands, they probably wouldn't hurt. I've had to make a few of these. Luckily I got it right the second time I tried making one of these. They go on the three wire pieces coming out of the arm.

Pretty epic, no? I found it was easier to sew the arm to the body first, then attach the green bulbs. Just one arm left to go, and the head piece!

And here is where I'm conflicted. Females have a longer head branch then males. But, I usually prefer my things to be male. I'm thinking, for the sake of my sanity - working with small things is maddening - that I'm going to make this a girl.

I'm hoping to be finished the arm and head piece some time tomorrow. I only have one green bulb left to make, an arm and the head piece. From there, I just have to do the details on the body. Which brings me to my next topic.

I finally invest in this.

Needle felting! I had already tried it out a bit before I thought to take pictures; my excitement got the better of me!

I knew I couldn't try it on my main project, that would just be a silly idea. Then I remember something I made ages ago, but never finished because it was so tiny and I just said screw it. A Kirby!

I don't remember where I got the pattern for it, as it was one of the first things I made when I started crocheting. But, it's tiny, and as no face. Until now!

Well, not really, I got the white of the eyes in, and then while I was trying to do the blue to the eyes, silly me went and broke the needle. D= I had only been working with it for maybe ten minutes before that happened. I'm not surprised, I actually saw it coming, and yet I didn't buy replacement needles when I bought this. -.-

The nice thing, though, is that I had two 40% off one item coupons. So, the needle - which was expensive - was no longer so pricey. And I used the other coupon on one of the roving felt kits. Even more good news, I have another two 40% off coupons! I just can't use them until the 25th - tomorrow. That is when I shall go out and replace my needles. No point today, as I don't need them yet. :)

But, that I all I have to post about for today! I just figured I should because it had been almost a week! I'll be back in a few days with more things to talk about! And hopefully more crafts finished. <3