Catch Up Time

It's time to catch up on the projects that I've been working on since August. Mainly image heavy, but it's only the first of the month.


My Irish Rose Crochet Square. It was a lot easier to make than it looks. I'm a little tempted to make an afghan using these squares, but it might be too heavy. I'll think about this in more detail after I finish my current projects.


This is a 6 inch March Square. Pretty, right?


This is called Durango, a pretty quick project. I added a few extra rounds because I like my hats slouchy, and I decreased with the white yarn. The pattern calls for a few buttons to add to the hat, but I haven't added any buttons to this yet. I don't think I will add buttons, but I left a long end just in case I change my mind.


If I ever need a matching bag, this is Sao Paolo purse. The pattern was easy to memorise and it worked up really quickly. I've added lining and a button since taking this picture, but I think I'll add a handle to this, I'm not really a fan of clutch bags. I just need to go learn to I-cord now.


This pattern is called Mitt Envy. I completely agree with the name, I've had people asking for a pair since seeing these. I knit these for my mother's birthday, and soon after knit a pair for myself using the same yarn. I was originally a little uneasy about using this yarn: I usually don't have a thing against acrylic yarn but something about this yarn (Creative Yarns (UK) Rainbow Multi Double Knit accoring to Ravelry) made me feel that it wasn't a good yarn to have next to the body. Fortunately, I was wrong. The patten calls for a fingering weight yarn, but this yarn is a DK, so the mitts are really warm. Unfortunately, the pair I knit for myself tuuned out a lot smaller than the original (damn my gauge!) so I sent them as a Christmas RAK. I think I'll knit another pair but with a few more repeats.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!!

It's been such a long time since I last posted... I stopped crafting during September and October but I jumped back into it in November. Since then, I've been making slow progress on my two afghans:

1. The first afghan is made out of Hexagons. I'm using Cascade 220 in a variety of colours so I can use up odd ends and make it as colourful as possible. I know that this will felt in the future, but maybe it'll make a nice rug if it's thick enough. If not, I'll still use it as a blanket.
2. I'm trying to use up all of my acrylic DK yarns. I'm using the Quad Color Squares pattern to make as many squares as possible and then I'll sew them together at the end. I'm trying to use up each ball/leftover piece of yarn before adding on a new colour.

I tried to make these afghans in time for Christmas, but there was too much left to do. I'm going to try to finish at least one of these before January is over.

Speaking of Christmas, I didn't have much Christmas knitting to do. I opted to either buy presents or to not give presents this year. This has little to do with my current income - I just wasn't in a Christmassy mood this year. Maybe next year will pick up.

Right now I'm debating whether I should make any new years resolutions. I think I'll have too many to keep and then give up on all of them thinking that since I can't keep all of the resolutions, i won't keep any. Hmmm... no, that's not a good idea. I can already feel my inner sloth creeping through my fingers to make me stop writing.

I'll press on with the resolutions. Whether I keep them or not is another story, but having them written down will be a good reminder.

1. Top of the list: STUDY!! I have exams in two weeks but i haven't looked at my books yet. This is ridiculous. I've got to try harder with my studies and graduate with a good mark. How about after my exams I spend an hour per day going over my class notes (I'll do a little more on the weekend) so I don't get buried under messy scribblings when I'm trying to revise.
2. Lose weight. I'm not going to put a timeline on this. I'd just like to be in better shape this time next year, whether that means I lose 2lb, 2kg or 2okg. It's my birthday in February - I'll be turning the big two one! - so I'd like to be thinner, if only to look better in the pictures. Plus, a smaller size means less yarn for that sweater! (I'm currently craving to knit Snow White by Ysolda Teague)
3. Finish my UFOs (which currently include my previously mentioned afghans). I didn't think that I have that many UFOs but once in a while I find a project hiding under a pile of dust bunnies. Maybe I should go on a UFO hunt soon.
4. Knit my first pair of socks. This seems doable since on the Stash and Burn Groupies board on Ravelry, there's a new thing called the Sock Stash Knitdown 2011. Basically, people are planning to knit (around) 12 pairs of socks in 2011 to use up their stashed sock yarn. I joined but only signed up to do 6 socks considering I have never knitted socks before. I said 6 'socks' rather than 'pairs' since I'm still debating which to commit to; I might cruise through these socks (and find my new forte) but on the other hand, I might get stuck after the 7th row. Plus, I need to take into account Second Sock Syndrome: I might end up with 2 pairs of socks and 4 single socks. Anyhow, knit a sock!
5. Post more often on Ravelry. I think I spend more time than I should on Ravelry, but most of that time is spent lurking. More time spent socialising on Ravelry means less time knitting... so maybe this resolution is optional.
   

Can I keep these resolutions? You'll be the first to know.

Seductive Little Blighters

Three words, three outcomes.

Traditional Granny Square.




In an assortment of delicious colours, I am seduced by the ease and simplicity of the Traditional Granny Square.

Flower whaa??

I'm back at them...

It's like an alcoholic falling off the wagon and ending up drinking his sorrows away in a rundown bar in the middle of a bustling railroad town, complete with a rickety piano, poker games in the corner and two cowboys comparing gun sizes a little too loudly. No one notices you're there and you're left to drink in peace but there's a hollow sensation in the bottom of your stomach - you feel guilty but you're too drunk to wonder why.

Okay, I've spent the past week watching old Westerns but the point is the same.

I've fallen off the wagon and I'm back at making granny squares!!


This is called Flower Grannysquare, it was the 6" square for the July BAMCAL. I changed the last round to dc to bring the size up to 6".

Long Time No See

So much for my knitting/crocheting plans. The last month has been hectic for me, but now that it's all past, I can concentrate on my neglected WIPs. My afghan plan has been deterred, but I'm still planning on making an afghan... just not any time soon.

I don't have much to show for myself right now, except for two granny squares. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. I've only been making and showing granny squares since the start of this blog. I am working on other projects (like my Aestlight shawl), it's just that granny squares are so quick that I can update fairly regularly. I'm almost done with the Aestlight shawl, so expect an update on that fairly soon.

On to the granny squares.

This first square is the Raspberry Medallion Square. It is the 6" June square for the Block-A-Month Crochet-A-Long. I added an extra round of dc to bring the size up to 6". I'm not liking this square that much: I'm not sure why, perhaps it would look better if I had used worsted weight yarn instead of DK.


This square is the Moon Granny Square. This square was a little confusing at first, but it turned out beautifully. I really like the black and pale pink combination, though it does remind of French lingerie.


I've lost my photographing mojo. And my camera is broken... forgive me for the lack of inspiration, but I tried to take a picture of the Moon Granny Square from the side.


Somewhat pretty. Or perhaps I should just stick to my crochet and knitting instead of trying out photography.

Breaking Up The Silence

Sorry for being MIA; I'm stuck in the library with books and notes until mid-June.

I have yet another granny square to show you today. It's the Garden Granny Square, which is the 6" May sqaure for the Block-A-Month Crochet-A-Long. This was quite easy to make, I managed to finish it within minutes of starting, but I didn't have time to take a picture.


Sorry for the bad picture, I've lost my photography mojo. *tears*

Exams

Ah, school...

I've yet to complete my education and leave those dreaded end of year exams behind, but there's one type of exam that I'll always love: OWLs! On Ravelry, there is a group called the Harry Potter Knitting/Crochet House Cup, where you're sorted into a house at the start of the term (I've always been a Slytherin) and then choose various lessons to complete. Each lesson, hosted by a 'member of staff', is a take on the original Harry Potter traditional lesson with a crafting twist.

Each completed lesson earns your house some house points, which are tallied up at the end of the term. The winning house doesn't receive a prize but various projects are picked each month to receive a prize depending on its awesomeness. Not only are there lessons, but you can take part in the Quidditch Tournament (now split by the different years), Detention (where you finish WIPs) and OWLs (a particularly long and challenging project that'll take the term to complete).

Us Slytherins, have a list of 'quests' that we can do for fun. One of them is the 'Ultimate Quest' where you complete all the lessons, two OWLs and Quidditch - which, essentially, is the maximum amount of things that you can do. At the start of the month I was actually considering doing that, however my insanity has passed so I'm now aware that it isn't possible right now. However, I do want to complete as many lessons as possible (this will probably be easier after my exams) and one OWL. As for Quidditch... meh. Maybe next time.

I know what you're thinking. Why is she babbling on about Harry Potter? I don't even like Harry Potter...

Well, I have decided to make an afghan for my OWL. I'm intending it to be 80" by 80", using 8" squares. So that's 100 squares in total. In three months. Wow, that sounds crazy even to me...

I'm sure that in normal circumstances, I'd be able to finish that within a few weeks... However, it seems that right now I'd have to be crocheting in the library; not good.


This is another one of those squares I made a while ago. I'm expecting my afghan squares to be made out stash scraps with only 8 rounds. I guess I'd better get to it. Don't expect to hear from me soon ;)

Guess Who's Back

As soon as I start getting into the groove of blogging, I disappear. What is up with that?

The past month has been really hectic. May has just arrived, which means late night revision sessions in the library and fearsome exams. It's just one month that I have to deal with, because come June, I'll be on the beach with my yarns.

So what have I been working on for the past month?

Nothing. Nadda. Zilch.

I don't have any FOs to show off, but I do have a granny square that I completed a while ago. Yeah, a granny square...

I'm sorry...

What Now?

I was bored yesterday so I decided to bust out another Traditional Granny Square.


I'm making these for a stash-busting square swap on Ravelry - I need to send two squares per person - but right now, these are becoming really tedious. I suppose it's due to the lack of thinking required to create it.

I've just realised that even though I've learnt to knit in 2006, I've yet to complete a knitted project. I taught myself how to crochet a year ago, and I haven't given knitting a second thought. I guess it's time to dust the cobwebs off my knitting needles and put a little more variety into my crafting.

Family Friendly Square

This month's square for the Block-A-Month group on Ravelry is the oh-so wonderful Friend Family Square.

I got a little confused with this square - particularly when it came to the front post dc - but I persevered till the end. The square was smaller than six inches (since I used a 5mm hook instead of a 5.5mm hook) so I changed the last round of sc to a round of dc. That brought the size nicely up to six inches.


I'm considering sending this with my Haze square. This has some hot pink so it'd fit in with the swap's theme.

Swap Square

Happy April! I hope no one got any big scares yesterday, considering the general concensus during April Fool's Day.

I'm back with another granny square (big surprise!). This one is called 'A Square Called Haze', or just simply Haze. The pattern can be found here. I only used two colours here with a 5mm hook, and I changed the last round to some simple single crochet to bring the size up to 6 inches.


The theme for the swap this month was supposed to be 'Pinks and Purples'. Unfortunately, I only fulfilled one of those criteria. I might make another square in pink to make up for the fact that there's so little purple in this square.

Feeling the Blues

Another 8" granny square.


My blog is seriously beginning to look like yarn porn. There's just a whole bunch of pictures without much content. Then again, I guess the pictures can talk for themselves...

Anyway, I've decided to put a bit more content into my posts from now on.

*author prays that something witty and intelligent will come into her mind by the time she writes her next post*

It's Done!!

It's finally over! My Summer Garden Blanket is finished, all ends are tucked away and with a pretty border to match.



I don't know what's wrong with me, but I don't what to use my afghan... I just finished it and it seems too precious to use. Maybe I need to start on more bigger projects so I can fully appreciate the work that goes into it and enjoy the loving that comes from using it.

Yet Another One...

I'm popping these out without even thinking now...


I know that this swap is all about stash-busting... but I'm not liking the colours here.

Hmmm...

*post trails off while author is in deep thought*

Another One...

Here's the second 8" Traditional Granny Square. This will be sent off to the first person on my swap list, along with the first one I made. I'm thinking about throwing in something extra... but I don't know what yet. I'll have a think about it before I send off the parcel.

Six Inches of Love

I made a 6" version of the Traditional Granny Square. Why am I making a 6" square, you ask. I have no idea...

I used a DK weight yarn in a peachy colour, doubled with a DK weight yarn in yellow. It's a little too thick for my liking =(

Hooked on Hooking

What have I been doing?

I've been making granny squares, of course!

I've joined the Granny Squares group on Ravelry and I'm now participating in a swap that's lasting for a year (yay! That gives me a reason to keep crocheting). The swap calls for a stash-busting, unfussy, 8" Traditional Granny Square using DK or worsted weight acrylic yarn. Which is perfect for me because I mostly have DK or worsted weight acrylic yarn in my stash.

Here's my first square. I'm sorry for the bad picture... I need to find the time to take a picture during the day...

Lookie Here

Look at what I bought~



Hobbycraft has been taking a lot of my money lately. I don't have any green yarn though, so I guess my purchase is justified. Plus, I started using it right away!

I made the March 6" square for the Block-A-Month group on Ravelry. The pattern is called SmoothFox's Celtic Granny 6x6. I added an extra round to get my square up to six inches and then I made up the final round. I think the original calls for repeated sc and chaining, but I just used sc.


What do you think?

More Squares, Squares, Squares

Sorry for disappearing again... This time, it wasn't due to my internet connection, or anything technical. I was busy crafting!

I've completed 64 Summer Garden Squares! I'm going to join the squares using this method.


I hope I don't run out of yarn before the end of this...

Squares, Squares, Squares...

I have a bunch of acrylic DK yarn that I bought for about £1 per skein of 100g back when I first got into knitting and crocheting. The skeins I bought are called Premier Value DK (I can't find it on Ravelry) in baby pink, light yellow and light green. With regards to the colours, it only seemed suitable to uses these skeins when I came across a pattern called Summer Garden Granny Square.


I've been churning these out at an alarming rate! I think I'll be making an afghan out of these - I'll try to finish 50 squares by next week and take a picture.