I’ve got blog posts, oh have I got blog posts, all stored away in my head, photos hanging out in my email in-box. And here is one for you now! Dissected wool frogs!  Long ago, way back in June 2010, my husband showed me a fun post on Web Urbanist with items they deemed to be “Knitty Gritty,” items outside of the traditional purview of knitting. I absolutely loved Crafty Hedgehog’s Knitting in Biology 101. As you might be able to tell from my little knitted animals, I love any pattern that shoots for realistic knitting. My mom, who has friends in every walk of life imaginable, has two lovely lady scientist friends who were both well deserving of knitted dissected frogs. I actually finished both frogs around Thanksgiving, and used that trip home to deliver them. We ordered real dissection trays from a science supply company. I’m very pleased with the results!  I know, I know, what do I do, just sit around making Amigurumi animals all day/night? Yes, yes, that is exactly what I do/would like to be doing. Well, here is the fiddler crab, one of those patterns I mentioned in the last post that aren’t in Hansi Singh’s book, quite tragically, but are for sale on her Ravelry page, quite fantastically.  I modeled my crab on this photo of a real fiddler crab. Turns out there are a lot of fiddler crabs out there with a lot of pizzazz, so actually it was a little bit of a challenge finding one in colors that still looked convincingly natural in yarn. Of course, like the mantis, he came out WAY TOO BIG. I mean, as it was, I did this guy on size 2s, and he still came out like some kind of hulking beast. But who wants to do a toy pattern for the first time in sock yarn? Even I shutter to think of some weird aspect of a pattern I haven’t even dreamed of that would be impossible somehow to do tiny, or to do with dpns instead of circular needles, or something. And so I will be fated to make all these toys normal sized at least once. When I had made a few legs I could see which way the wind was blowing, and as a pretext for checking out a new yarn store (The Swift Stitch in Santa Cruz) I got some blue and white and red lace weight alpaca. I looked for tinier needles than I have, but those don’t seem to have hit the general commercial market (imagine that!) I thought I could use the 000 needles, but you know what, they are too large (I say this with glee tinged with dread), and so I’ve ordered 0000, 00000, and 000000 needles. I’m pretty excited, and also concerned. If I start typing the blog in tiny sized font, someone should come help me. The next question would be which critter should really be the first to be the tiniest of all? The seahorse is a long time favorite pattern, and I’m always trying to make life-sized seahorse (more on that later). However, in general I’m worried about bending these tiny needles making toys, but even a bent needle knits straight, right? Isn’t that a Zen koan or something?  There really isn't much more to say. I think I will have to make a smaller one, because I intended to take this lady to work, and I feel she is just a little too big. I have started lots of new projects in the past few weeks, and that is why no new posts. I'll get on it soon enough. So much to write about! I know it has been ages since my last post, and actually I've been quite busy. Oldest projects come first I guess.  Here is a photo of a sweater I made for my mom. A very sweet friend chose to de-stash and gave me the proceeds. This fuchsia mohair was just screaming my mom's name, so I dug around a little and found this pattern. I have to say I was surprised how hard it was to find a reasonable mohair pattern. I mean, I know all the arguments against it, it can be scratchy, and too warm, and sheds, but come on. This was the only modern pattern I could find for worsted weight mohair. All other patterns are either from the 80s or the 60s, and in either case most closely resemble ottoman covers. Like I said, I get why mohair isn’t popular any more, but I also don’t get it. This was truly a weekend long project, knit on size 11 needles. It went so quickly, and after blocking, it has a very nice drape. It has been reported to me that it was a success on its maiden outing.  Next are some more little mice. These little mice, commissioned by my mom for a gift, are the country mouse and the city mouse. I used the same pattern I've been using from Fuzzy Mitten and then used guess work to create some little clothes for them. The country mouse wears a little hooded cape. I did try to make an apron for her first, but these little mouse bodies are not really set up for clothes that cover the waist down. The city mouse wears a little fancy hat.  I'm going to crow about the flower on her hat for a second. It was done with sewing thread and a 0.75mm crochet hook. I'm quite proud of it. The city mouse also wears a string of glass beads. These little mice represent my favorite type of project, riffing on an established pattern by making changes in yarn and embellishment. Next on the agenda for sharing are some repair jobs I did. Both projects were completed for the same friend about five years ago when I was still pretty inexperienced. I recently took them back to fix them after being unable to withstand the guilt of turning out lousy product any longer. As I tell everyone, my projects are guaranteed. If they fall apart, send them back. I’ll fix them or make something else.  First, pictured above are the ill effects of whip stitching a granny square blanket together that was made from soft acrylic yarn. The effects are quite ill. The poor thing was washed once or twice and went all to pieces.   Now here is my repair job. I took the whole blanket apart and single crocheted the squares together using a yellow that was pretty close to the original yellow. I think it looks better than before and I kind of want my own now. The second "repair" was blocking this poor scarf. This is really my first successful knitted garment. I chose the pattern and the boarder pattern from a book of 500 (or some such number) knitting patterns. I didn't know doodly-squat about blocking when I made this poor scarf though, and as a result, for the last few years it has existed as a kind of thick neck sock, all rolled up upon itself.   The blocking was really pleasant because I got to see the lace pattern open up. Due to the fact that the pattern is knit all the way to the edges though, I'm afraid it will always roll up a little, but it is much improved. The yarn is a cotton silk blend and was lovely to handle again.  Here is a quilt update photo. I’ve gotten a little farther than this, but not by much.  And finally, here is one of my kitties reminding me that if it is crocheted, no matter how small it is, it will be sat upon and kneaded by one cat or another. How could I have forgotten that? First off, a few little delicious tidbits from a few weeks ago. The combination of knitting gifts and having this blog can be an awkward one. I don’t want to post photos of gifts before they are given, and then by the time they are given, I’m too lazy to go back and post. Here, however, are some photos of gifts.  One is another little mouse. This guy was also made with sock yarn, but with size 00 needles instead of 000. The change in needle size made it much easier to make the little bobbles that are his feet and hands and don’t seem to actually have affected size all that much. And the stuffing doesn’t come through the holes in the knitting or anything like that.  The second gift is a little nest pin cushion. I have a friend who once told me how she thought the nest was a very nice symbol of home. Ever since then when I see nests on necklaces or screen prints, I think of her, but my bank account doesn’t really allow for random silver nest purchase, nor, do I think, she would appreciate me filling up her house with nests. However, when I saw this nest in Closely Knit by Hannah Fettig, and I probably saw it now about a year and a half ago, I thought of my friend and decided that some time, I would make it. So, after a year and a half, the stars aligned, I had dark brown and egg blue in DK weight. I couldn’t find all of my dp size 6 that the pattern call for, so I did try to make the nest on size 3 first (I’m sure if there is a way to use smaller needles and yarn then I will). The nest itself is done in a pretty simple K2, cable 2, K2, cable 2 cable stitch. You can’t really see it in the pictures, and you can’t even really see it on the nest, but it is ultimately worth it I guess. Using the size 3s and doing the cables made the nest very tight and tense and hard, not quite the effect I was going for. But then while doing a massive reorganization of my yarns, sorting by weight instead of date purchase J, I found the rest of my size 6 dpns, don’t ask me what they were doing away from their friends. The next nest was much more successful. I’ve seen on other blogs, that people felt the need to block the nest, but I did not feel such a need. Mine had good structure (and I hate blocking anyway). I used a little purchased bird as the directions suggested. I did ponder making a knit bird, but in the end, I wanted to be able to send off the project and the little bought bird does give the nest somehow a more homey, thrift store type feel that I like. Also, no offence meant to the author, but I could not stand the directions for making the eggs. I’m not sure if I’m just a sloppy provisional caster-oner, or if there is some other malfunction in my knitting, but casting on, and knitting in one direction, and then casting off and picking up the stitches in the middle and knitting in the other direction did not work for me. If you want an easy egg, here you go:  Easy Egg Materials: 4 size 6 dpns, a little stuffing, a little egg colored yarn Onto 3 size 6 dpns, cast on 6 stitches, 2 on each needle. Row 1: Knit 1 round Row 2: *k1, make 1, k1*, repeat twice more (9 total stitches) Row 3: *k3, make 1*, repeat twice more (12 total stitches) Rows 4-8: Knit 5 rounds Row 9: *k2, k2tog*, repeat twice more (9 total stitches) Rows 10-11: Knit 2 rounds It is a good idea to go ahead and stuff the egg now, as the next two decrease rows would make it hard to do so afterward. Row 12: *k1, k2tog*, repeat twice more (6 stitches total) Row 1: *k2tog*, repeat twice more (3 stitches total) Cut yarn, draw cut end through remaining 6 stitches on needles and pull tight. Use cast on end to sew any hole remaining at the bottom together. I’m not sure what else you could do with knitted eggs besides put them into little nests. They seem to make great, if short lived, cat toys, though this was not discovered on purpose. Also, I must say, the nest makes a great cat sized bowler hat.  Other updates include the quilt which grows when I grow board of plums   And the plums, which grow when I get board of the fact that you can’t carry a quilt around with you and whip it out at social gatherings. The back is all finished and I’m at present working on one of the arms, in order to feel like I’m making more progress, working with fewer stitches, and also to gauge the actual amount of yarn this project is going to take by working exactly half a sweater.  This little buddy is also made with sock yarn and 000 needles. I still have a strong desire to make a smaller one, but I'm going to have to discover smaller needles, which sounds like a bit of a task. I was poking around today looking for a pattern for a knit bird and came across this total gem of a free pattern. I will use the phrase "of course" now for those who know me. Of couse I had to make it tonight, of course I had to make the beret, and of course I had to make it on my now favorite 000 needles with sock yarn. Really, what isnt improved by making it with tiny needles and sock yarn? He is 2 inches tall with his hat and is all set for a fancy night on the town.  Here is a picture of a tiny sea seahorse I made recently. He is the same size as some of the larger ones I saw at the aquarium, but he is by no means as tiny as I could wish. I used sock yarn and 000 sized needles, and still he is like a giant. Also, as my husband’s fishing mittens are finally finished and he actually used them, here is an action shot. They now smell like stream, which I guess is appropriate.  First, an update on the quilt, slow and steady.  I have found that because I picked out these colors and combinations so long ago, as I build the rows I get to experience them all over again. Also, little hexagons sewn together look much different from squares on a table. I don’t think I actually wrote about the process at all in earlier posts. I’m doing the quilt traditional paper piecing style, except I’m using plastic forms for the inserts instead of paper inserts. The hexagons are about the size of silver dollars, each side is one inch long. I cut all my fabric into squares first, because I didn’t want to spend my life cutting out hexagons. The process is as follows: · Pin the plastic hexagon form to the fabric · Snip off the corners of the square so it is more hexagon shaped · Fold over and base the edges of the fabric around the plastic form · Then, sew the based pieces together with whip stitch and when all six sides of a form have been surrounded, remove the insert I’m working in rows because that uses the fewest amount of inserts at one time.  Next on the old agenda, another under the sea item. A lovely crocheted conch shell. I had the worst time figuring out the directions, especially for the point, but as you can see, I was finally successful. Also, it makes a good home for another under the sea buddy.  | MeCurrently working with three types of needles of various sizes to create all manner of soft objects Blogroll
a stitch in time
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