One Step Closer

I crocheted a golden apple!



Pattern:Apple Pincushion
Yarn: Sublime Pure Merino DK (sesame)
Hook: 3mm
Modifications: Non intentionally, though who knows what errors I may have made!
Verdict: I like amigurumi! But there's really no point. This one is meant to be a pincushion at least.

That's five down! Just my scrappy spinning to finish. And three days left of March! Wicked! Though tonight I'm out for dinner, so I'll probably not get any spinning done. Tomorrow night I should get some done, and hopefully some more on Saturday. The Cube, she will be liquified.

Spring Cubes

I’ve been working on a number of things since my last post.

Did I mention that in Nerd Wars T4R1 I melted the cube?



So I’m trying to repeat that feat for T4R2. So far I’ve submitted to the giving geeks challenge (a donation), scientific (a hat) and nerd culture (the slippers). I’ve now also completed the Freudian Shrug:



Pattern: Sagebrush by Hanna Breetz
Yarn: Sublime Pure Merino DK (sesame)
Needles: 4.5mm
Modifications: I used twisted rib rather than standard 1x1 rib on the edge and cuffs.
Verdict: Really nice, quite simple. I can see myself making more adaptations of this design in future.

I was knitting an Acanthus shawlette for the culture/Klimt challenge but I’ve decided that I can’t face using the yarn any more, so I’m going to switch to something else. I think probably a golden apple…
I’m also spinning some yarn for the technical (scrap heap) challenge. I’m enjoying that too, I like a spot of spinning every now and again!
Here’s the fibre I’m spinning for that challenge.



I’m using all those samples except for the rainbow one second from bottom. I didn’t feel like it worked with the other colours.

I’m so close to making it 6/6 again, but my dissertation is behind. I think I need to make less complex things for R3 if I’m to have any chance of submitting a completed dissertation.
The only definite thing I have planned is slippers for hubby. Otherwise, if there’s a WIP challenge I might finally finish off the spinning I’m still doing, and perhaps the vest I have on the needles too.

Hopefully I’ll have a garden update for you sometime soon. I’ve got lots of exciting things growing in trays, pots and grow bags.

Warm Feet

I finished the granny slippers!
I think the might need an additional cycle in the washer and dryer, but they look pretty cool.



Pattern: Felted Granny Slippers (Rav Link)
Yarn: Noro Kureyon (colour 183)
Hook: 5mm
Modifications: I made all the squares as per the "plain" square. I also made the 4-round versions to get the 10cm squares specified.
Verdict: It's a neat pattern, clever the way it folds. I liked it. I need to felt these some more though.

Progressing

I’m making some granny square slippers. In fact, I’m (excuse the pun) totally hooked on them! I’ve used two balls of Noro Kureyon to make these 12 squares:



Now I have to sew them together in a creative manner and felt them in the washer, and hey-presto!

It’s a cunning and interesting way of making slippers. I can imagine making more like this. Granny squares are such fun to make! And quick too!

Continuing and an FO!

Well, there’s a lot going on at the moment! I went to my sisters for the final bridesmaid fitting this weekend. My dress doesn’t need any adjustments. I guess that’s good – though I was trying to lose some weight! Still, it doesn’t matter because the dress looks really nice and will be comfortable too. It’s the hen party next weekend, which should be a lot of fun. We’re going to Manchester. So if you see a bunch of girls dressed in purple stuff in Manchester then it might be my sister’s hens!

In crafty news, I used the train journey to my sisters to cast on for Acanthus. It’s a pretty scarf / shawlette pattern where the edge is knitted and then you pick up stitches for the crescent shaped bit. I’m using some cashmere sparkle yarn which is a pain to work with though, so it’s not the most fun knit. It’s also lace on both sides, so it requires concentration. So it’s not a TV knit.

I’ve also been knitting a bit on my Nerd Wars dissertation project. The drawback of lacy yarn and small needles is that it takes forever to see any progress. It’s looking nice now though.

On the way back from my sister’s I finished off another cute little knit, a baby hat.

I’m planning on writing up the pattern for the hat and a new jacket I’m planning in a PDF. It’s likely to be a freebie, and it needs test-knitting first. Anyway, here’s the hat:



Pattern: I unvented it
Yarn: Stylecraft Life Aran
Needles: 5mm
Modifications: n/a
Verdict: I like it so much I’m going to write it up and add it to my pattern collection!

I’ve also started another project; some granny square crocheted slippers. I’m using some Noro that I have for these in green-grey-blue. I’ve almost made one square so far, I need twelve all together. They should be pretty quick! I’m probably going to submit these to a Nerd Wars challenge too, probably the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon challenge. I need to knit/crochet/spin at least two more items for Nerd Wars for this month. I’ve got some plans for spinning something, which will be nice. I also hope to possibly crochet some slippers for my hubby. Whether that will be this month or not is another question!