Amigurumi Cat

There was a birthday party on the weekend for my son's SIL, and I had made an Amigurumi cat for her.

Summer of Socks 2008

My first sock is on the needles. I started a day late, but never mind.

Here is the beginning.

The pattern is from Knitzi, and the sock is "Nutkin Sock"
I am using Austermann "Step" yarn. It has Aloe Vera squeezed in with 75% Virgin Wool, and 25% Nylon. Love the softness, but don't like the splitting too much.

More information on the challenge here.

Adding a picture of progress with Nutkin Sock.

Should be knitting

I am on vacation until Monday. I was planning to knit socks with my newly learned technique, magic loop. I started my socks, yes, using Marks & Kattens "Clown" yarn in variegated greens and blues and other colors. (Funny, it says it's Swedish, but the label says it's made in Italy.) My pattern is "Seduction Socks" from Interweave Knits, designer is Ann Budd. It's funny, every time I want to make socks, most of the time I end up choosing her designs.
Not that I have made too many, but I pick her patterns first.

Oh, yes, my socks are not for the vacation section in "Summer 2008 Socks". I have to make another pair for that, but I have not decided on those socks yet. This pair is just a practice with magic loop technique.

Ok, enough with the socks, I have not touched the needles yet, as I was doing some embroidery stitches. The new stitch to learn is "Lazy Daisy Stitch" or "Detached Chain Stitch" . This is the group program in Stitchin fingers,

Take a Stitch on Tuesday (TAST)

I have been playing with my threads and canvas, and here are some things I made today (I am at learning stages so I am slow)

Now that I have nourished my embroidery needs for the day, I think I will go and do some damage on those socks,

or

find a pattern for my vacation project. Which I am going to start either today or tomorrow. I promise, but the picture will not follow, until August, when this section of the summer sock program is over.

Sock knitting on Circular needle

I got the book on knitting socks with one circular needle. The book is "2-at-a-time Socks" by Melissa Morgan-Oakes.
After my first try, it was two different yarns, as taught in the book. Well, my brain could not handle that kind of a complication, and off came the stitches from the needle. TWICE. Then I got a smart idea and checked You Tube, but the only thing I found was with two circular needles. I had one needle on my lap, with one set of stitches.

Again, I tried, but this time with just one "sock". After a few tries, I got the thing staying put on my needle and cable, and here is the result:

It's time to test the two socks at the same time. It might take some time, since it's already after 9 pm.



I did it!

Kitting in Public

It was iffy, if I went today to that worldwide knitting event. My excuse was that I didn't want to sit on the grass, and if there were not enough benches, I would be then standing.
The other excuse was that my toe was hurting, but for some reason I found some antibiotic cream that helped. Also, I bought a lawn chair when I went to the mall. I had no more excuses. It was not even raining, the weather was quite nice.

I arrived to the park and settled down on my brand new chair. I donated the recommended $5.00 for breast cancer charity, and started crocheting pink ribbons. I managed to get 5 ribbon- look-a-likes and one freeformish swirl, that didn't want to form to a nice pin shape that these ribbons are presented. So I took that one with me and gave the other ones to Purple Purl that organized this location for the Worldwide Knitting in Public.

I am sure it was a fun event.

Here are some pictures:

More on embroidery

There is a needlework and woolshop in Scarborough. The store would be on my way home from work, if I took a detour.


Before I went there, I called the lady in the store, and told her that this time I will ask something that she will have.

(usually when I call her, if she has this or that, she doesn't). Sure enough, she had everything I asked, needles, canvas, the round thingy (hoof????), embroidery thread etc.


A friend of mine, in Sweden, had mentioned a book "Watermelon" by Marian Keyes. On the way to the needlework shop, I stopped in the bookstore that had that book. (I had called, to make sure they have it, so I wasn't wasting too much my valuable time that I was going to spend in that needlework shop).


I got the book, then drove to the wool shop. The lady had piled up some needful things for my new hobby. She was quite excited that I was interested in the embroidery field. She had even put a little Coats & Clarks Embroidery booklet for me. It has all kinds of stitches...just what I need.


I got some needles, thread, the booklet, a medium size (could be small) round thing, and then she gave me a mini round thing as a gift. I didn't buy any fabric.


It was stitching time then when I got home. And the picture on my post from yesterday shows what I did.

Stitching

Here are my first serious attempts to embroidery stitches.
The red stitch is "herringbone" and the green is buttonhole stitch.

I spent about two hours doing that, oh, I did same stitches on a practice sheet first. I am slow, much slower than in knitting or crocheting. Somehow I like this craft, for now, after I saw a freeform project done entirely with embroidery stitches. Hey, I could try that. First I should just sit down and start from the beginnig, not from the middle, like I usually do with my knitting and crocheting.

New interests

I joined another group

New stitch once a week, in embroidery. Can you just scratch your head?

Well, I have been surfing the net since joining that group. I managed to make three stitches. Of course I didn't have the right canvas, so WalMart here I came, saw, and bought, some canvas.
I didn't remember to buy the round thing that holds the fabric. I could swear I have one, for what reason, that would be one other mystery. I printed a lot of freebie stitches from the net, but that really didn't satisfy me. I had to buy something. So I did. It's an embroidery magazine, but it was packed in plastic so I could not check it out in the store. It did come with a free embroidery supply pouch. Maybe I was more interested in that than the magazine.

This morning, or better around noon, I went to a nearby mall, to check the books in the "leftover" bookstore. The store was gone. It was a sign: either embroidery isn't for me, or I should check what I have at home. Sure enough, I have three great books on my book shelf.

Since I have never done any stitching other than crochet and knit, and some buttons and pant hems, these books have had a restful time on the shelf, since they were bought.

This new hobby might not last long, since it involves healthy attention, and my attention isn't the best on anything. Perhaps that is why I love freeform crochet and knitting so much, and perhaps that is why I have such a severe case of startitis. In any event, I am going to try, so I can say I did.

Scallop Coaster

I made a coaster this morning, for my sweaty drinking glass. It's so hot and humid that I have to go to the mall. I need to wait until noon before the stores open, so I might make another coaster, or do the dishes.

For this coaster I used "Linha Pinguin Verao Bella Colour" cotton thread. Made in Brazil, bought in Argentina.
The hook was size 2, aluminum.

The pattern came from this blog: Crochet and Other Stuff.

Oh, I saw this scrunchie in that same blog, and now I must make one, before I go to the mall.

Here is the scrunchie I made, but I still have to do the dishes, and then hit the mall.

Friday Sky

Instead of Saturday Sky, I wanted to show you a Friday sky, in our warm afternoon. The temp. outside is now 33°C, 42°C with humidity. That is 91.4°F and 107.6°F

I really don't want this heat, but what can I do?




On the other side, I have made an Amigurumi teddy bear.