TV and the Granny Square Afghan

This is a really good article about the Granny Square Afghan and it's presence in TV shows - read this now. If you are a crocheter (or a TV Sitcom watcher), I am sure you will enjoy it.

Although I like the black border on many of them, I do really like the fresh springy look when a white border and bright colours are used. Just google the words "granny square afghan" and you will see that literally thousands of variations have been done. The blanket has been made by many crocheters across the world of 40+ years.

There are two other styles of aghans that I really like. One, I guess, could be considered a variation of the granny square. It is called the Babette. I love it because of the large and small squares and the way the colours are exchanged from one square to another. If I was going to make an afghan, I think I would start with the Babette. Here's just one example of one still in the process. This is probably about 1/4 of a full blanket.

The second style I like, currently flying off people's hooks right now, is the 'graphghan". This is where an image is charted out and then the whole afghan is crocheted like a large pixelated image. Again, you have to google it to see the incredible pool of talent and variations that have been done - everything from Walter White of Breaking Bad, to Disney princesses, sports team and college logos, to images of pets or family members. Computer programs and/or apps can help you create your own personalized images and some will even chart out the colours you need.

Of course there are many, many other styles of afghans done including Tree of Life, Ripple  and the list goes on. Did you have one in your house? Or do you currently have one? What's your favourite TV afghan? 

(all photos courtesy of the web, for demonstration purposes only)

Almost Christmas (yup I said it)

Ha! As many of us in Western Canada are going through a heat wave, and thinking about swimming pools, lakes, boats, mojitos and sunscreen, I am thinking about Christmas.

Why you ask?

Well I have a little shop - check out the pictures and the link on the right side of the page --------->

Last year I knit my little heart out and continued to steadily fill orders until March. It was glorious!

After that, I took some time getting ready for my trip with my mom to Holland and France. Then I had a big dance show to prepare for and then I worked on some other projects - a sweater for my mom, some socks etc.

But now I must think about Christmas items. Since it is only 6 months away and I my selling cut of is around the beginning of December, so there is time to ship it. I would dearly love to bake in the sun all day but apparently there's this thing called skin cancer that scares the bejesus out of me. So I can only sit in the hot hot heat for a while and then I must sit in the shade. There you will find me knitting or crocheting.

I have some ideas I need to get working on - and fast. The last couple of ideas I had were scooped by others or something in the news happened that changed how people would receive the item - I shouldn't procrastinate. Creatives - do you have ideas like that? Some are time sensitive aren't they?

Well, enough typing I guess I'm better pick up some yarn and make something.

Don't forget your sunscreen!

Local Yarn Bomb # 3

Remember back in April when I posted about some local yarn bombing and again a couple of days later? Well the mystery person is at it again  - this time I was delighted to find this lovely scene at a local park:

I love this so much. I must write to the local paper to let someone know it's been seen and appreciated.

Yarn Bombed (Again)!

Remember the other day when I found some local yarn bombing? Well lookie what I just found (the pink and blue attachments to the park bench):

This one is about 1/2 kilometer away from the other one, but similar colours so it could be the same person. It's extra fun when you run across it on a rainy day when no one else is around)

Yarn Bombed

For years I've heard of,  and seen photos of, yarn bombing - sometimes in some very famous places, such as these:

And sometimes whole groups have put them together and you hear about a type of 'flash mob' descending upon a location to decorate a public place or space. A couple of times over the years, my sweet brother has clipped a photo from a newspaper and mailed it to me, showing me another inspiring knitting or crocheting story especially about yarn bombing and as a knitter and crocheter myself I've always enjoyed seeing them - mainly because they are usually so very colourful. Just google "yarn bombing" and see all the images that come up.

So then you can imagine my surprise that I came down a side street in my residential neighbourhood, in a little suburb outside of Vancouver to discover this walkway fence had been yarnbombed with multi-coloured hearts! So neatly done, in three little rows :

I love it - SQUEE! Isn't it fun?

            well I thought it was.

(ha! I didn't realize that Eco was in this photo too--she's probably 

wondering why I was standing there facing that fence) 

How frustrating!

Oh I hate when this happens! I look at some yarn and think I have enough for a project and then I run out! See this?

 These are wrist warmers. The one on the right is completed. The one of the left needs to be 7 1/2" wide  but it's only 4" wide. On the far left is how much yarn I have remaining. There is no way in H-E-double-hockey-sticks  that I have enough yarn to complete this project. There is no way, in it's current configuration, that I can suddenly change yarn on one mitt on one hand.

Nope.

It's just not going to work.

The only thing left for me to do is FROG IT! Oh, what does 'frogging' mean? In knitting/crochet it means to unravel your piece because as you pull the yarn you 'rip it, rip it'.... hence the name. Don't get mad at me, I didn't make that up. Any of it.

So here I go, pulling it all apart. I guess what's left will be turned into a baby hat.

Frustrating.

I hate wasting time like that.

Well this sucks

Remember those "City Gauntlets" I started last week - well I got busy finishing them but guess what?

Yup, that's right - I ran out of yarn.

Blast!


The instructions say 1 skein. I followed the pattern. I usually get gauge (although there is gauge, I don't think I've done anything too wonky). I'm about 2 inches too short - that's a lot - see?

So now I have to wait until I can get back to that store to buy another skein. No, I'm not going to rip them out and re-work them. I figure that the dye lot doesn't matter so much with this  mixed-n-matched yarn and so I'll buy another skein and then make a baby hat or two with the left overs. Maybe I can recoup some of my losses.

It still sucks though.

Little Brimmed Hat

I just finished this cute little brimmed hat with strap and even found the perfect matching buttons - with a little help... Jp's my resident expert button picker:

Isn't it just the cutest? It should fit a baby up to about six months old. I've just sent off some photos to baby photographers I know in case it's something they want for their prop collection and then it's off to my Etsy shop.

The creator of the pattern has allowed makers to sell their finished hats as long as you link back to her so if you are interested in making one yourself here is the pattern link (plus you get to see it on a real baby!)

Finished blankie

Here's the finished pom-pom blankie:

I'm  a little disappointed with the yarn as some of the pom-poms seem to go awry* and you don't really notice until later - also binding off is a real pain and 'hiding' the ends isn't easy. That said, I guess it's not that bad when you see it all together - sometimes the things that stick out like a sore thumb to the maker aren't as obvious to others. It's small because it's to be laid on top of another blanket and used in baby portrait photography. It's very soft and squishee. I haven't decided if I should put it in my Etsy shop yet - I don't really want to sell something I'm not happy with - what do you think? 



*Funny story - when I was a kid I didn't know how to properly pronounce "awry" and I thought it was said like "ah-wree", I made the mistake of telling Jp about that and he thinks it's pretty funny, whenever I see that word, I think of that story. Come on, I was, like, 9 years old - is that bad? 

Panda Baby

I couldn't resist making this adorable panda hat for babies for the next newborn photoshoot:

I think it's adorable.

My brother's going to get mad at me for saying this (too negative, he says) but I never like putting on ears or other parts like this as  I never seem to get them straight no matter how hard I try, but I think I finally got this one  - I only had to pick and resew an eye patch once, and remake the nose (it wasn't salvageable after I tried to unpick it). Now I can't wait to see it on a little baby's head!

And, if you'd like to see how to do it yourself, or compare what it should look like, then head on over the to the designer's blog KnitProCro (I just love that name!)

Finished piece is for sale in my Etsy shop, see sidebar at right for link and photo.

Moth or Myth??

Anyone who's a knitter/crocheter/fibre artist or knows one, knows that a moth within a 5 mile radius of their house is enough to induce panic and send them running to the freezer to protect their stash of wooly skeins. So I would like to know this - if moths like wool so much, do they nibble on it on the backs of sheep?

Please tell me you thoughts on this!

More Props for the Shop

I've been busy knitting and crocheting this weekend making some more baby photo props, here are two elfin hats :

I'm not entirely happy with these. I think I need to go back and practice changing colours in the round in crochet, so I consider them prototypes for now. ( see my last post, I did much better with the knitted one didn't I?) Also, I'm not sure if the stronger colours or the softer colours will look better in a baby photograph. The lavender one was made with a white sparkly yarn but it seems to look grey in the photo which I don't really like.  More research to be done!

I also made this bunny hat, which I'd also like to remake, perhaps with longer, better shaped ears:

I hate to a be Debby Downer, but I think they need to be near perfect if they are  going to be showcased next to someone's precious little newborn. I have lots more ideas of things to try - the only things slowing me down is my day job and my carpal tunnel, both a wee bit hard to ignore.

*********

It's been quiet around here since Jp had laser eye surgery earlier last week - this time he's not healing as fast and has also experienced some pain. Basically I just leave him alone because he's a wee bit grump (typical sick male, right ladies?). I did learn something though, this morning I asked him if he wanted breakfast and he said he didn't so I made myself some toast and eggs and then returned to the bedroom where I put my plate on my side of the bed, I then returned to the kitchen to put some things away and then went back to the bedroom to eat my breakfast in the comfort of the bed. But when I returned, the plate was empty and guess who was licking his lips? Gee it's not the dog I have to worry about, it's the husband!!!

Last Week's Yarn Purchases

Last Friday I went to the Abbotsford Fibreswest show and picked up a few skeins of wool. I decided I'd either knit socks or use patterns from One Skein Wonders - Luxury Yarn or One Skein Wonders - Sock Yarn especially because right now I just want quick, short knitting projects.

Here's what I bought:

Malbrigo (already gave it away so I don't know more details), Araucania Ranco Multy,
Madelinetosh Sock - Iceburg, Online Super Sock Yarn

Madeline Tosh Sock Yarn - Moss, Aslan Trends - Royal Alpaca -Palm, 

Malabrigo Lace Baby Merino-Green 203, Malabrigo Uruguay Superwash Merino Sock 

Ancient Threads Farm - Sockittomme, Aslan Trends - Royal Alpaca, 

Malabrigo - Silky Merino - Forest 470. 

As you can see, I've already wound some of them into cakes so I can get started right away. And yes, I gave up on the "2010 Craft Challenge" of not buying any new yarns.

And while we're taking about shopping, I also acquired this purse last week. I wanted something a little more spring-like instead of my black leather purse:

It's made out of hemp, I bought it on Etsy, it usually looks taupe, but more frequently is seems to be on the purplish side. Believe it or not, the yarn in the top photo second from the left looks quite good with it, so I think I'll be making a light scarf or shawl to wear with this purse.

Next I hope you'll be able to follow along as I knit up these fabulous yarns!