Anteeksi!

Since I forgot to make a post last week, here's a bonus! I dug through my old photos and came across an old project of mine. About five years ago, I discovered the webcomic Scandinavia and the World, and I really enjoyed it. I particularly liked the sullen Finland character and his expressive faces.

This is about the time when a dear friend of mine tried to get me to learn Finnish. It didn't take, per se, but I did enjoy trying!

Anyway, Finland in SatW is usually portrayed with a distinctive green hat. Being the fledgling cosplayer I was at the time, I decided that it wouldn't hurt to make my own. And because I was (and still am) averse to photographs, I drew a face on a balloon and used it as my model!

This was one of my very first freestyle projects: no pattern for me! I toyed with writing it down but never got around to it. Tell me, would any of you like a Finland Hat pattern if I drafted one up?

Sweet as a Snail

Aah, sorry for forgetting to post last week! It was a very busy week, and honestly I'm still quite busy. So I think I'll have to go every other week for a little while, just so I can keep up with life stuff.

BUT that's not what I'm here to talk about! Whenever I get busy and stressed, I end up making cute softies, and this one is a whopper of a pattern. Let me introduce you to Laci:

Isn't she adorable? She's a banana split snail! Who even comes up with this stuff?

Apparently, Knot Bad does. His pattern is pretty darn good. It's got a lot of parts, but clear instructions and ample pictures make it fairly easy to put together. The one thing I will say is that this took more yarn than I expected it to, especially of the banana yellow color. Be careful of your yardage if you make it! That said, it's a super fun pattern with a super cute result. Laci sure brightened up my day when I finished her!

Lace! Again!

We're getting into another busy part of the year for me. Which, naturally, means that I should start another complicated lace shawl. The last one wasn't that bad, was it? No, I must be misremembering, exaggerating even. Besides, I have some pretty green alpaca lace that I bought ages ago, and it's just begging to be knit!

I didn't have a good shawl pattern in mind for the yarn, so I went searching for one. What I came up with was Argyle by Anna Kotsolainen. I'm a big fan of classic angled patterns like argyles and plaids, so I was excited to start it! It didn't seem too difficult from the pictures, anyway.

I'll be honest with you, this pattern was a bit of a challenge. I'm fairly certain that it stems at least in part from translation issues; the pattern seems to have originally been written in Russian, and I think some key details got lost in translation. Specifically, the pattern notes that the lace chart shows only "half" of the pattern, without elaboration. Half? Which half?? How do I figure out the other half???

Only after staring intently at photos of other people's completed projects did I learn what was meant by "half." The pattern is otherwise quite nice, so if you want to try it for yourself, allow me to explain:

When the pattern tells you to begin to work from the chart, you'll notice that the first row has significantly fewer stitches charted than you have on your needle. This is okay. First, knit 3 stitches for your garter border. Then, knit the stitches on the chart, ending with a yarn over. Next, knit one stitch (this is the center stitch). Then, knit all the stitches on the same row of the chart again, and end with another 3 stitches of garter border This is what was meant by the chart only showing half of the pattern. For every subsequent row, follow the same pattern: border, first pass through chart, center stitch, second pass through chart, border. It should look something like this:

Once you get it going, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. That being said, some people made just the "half" shawl without repeating the chart, so you could go for that if you'd prefer. It would make the pattern look rather different, but you do you! I'm going to keep going as intended, and I'll be sure to fill you in. With my luck, this thing will get done just in time for it to be too warm to wear!

Craft 'em All!

It may not surprise you to learn that I was a big fan of Pokémon as a kid. My first game was Emerald Version, and I logged a rather impressive number of hours in Diamond Version as well. I loved collecting all the different monsters, and to this day, I keep an eye on Pokémon news just to see the new designs (even if I don't actually play the games anymore). So it's no wonder that when I spotted a Pikachu crochet pattern from 53 stitches, I had to make it. I had to. My childhood self demanded it. And 53 stitches made it easy to give in with a clear pattern and plenty of photos. The tail was a bit tricky to pull off, but I got it after a couple tries. The result was certainly worth a few false starts.

And yes, I also had to pose it in front of my old Gameboy! I have to say, that thing is made tough: 14 years of use and no more than a few dead pixels to show for it. The game cartridges still work like a charm too!

"All right, now use thunderbolt!"

It's In The Bag

Hello again! It's time for another entry in my quest to learn to sew properly.

A while ago, I made new pillow covers for my mom's living room. Around the same time, I also decided to try my hand at another simple sewn item: a project bag. A wise friend and fellow crafter once said that you can never have too many project bags, and I agree. So I decided to make her one!

I wanted something that would be easy to sew and big enough to carry a sweater-sized quantity of yarn, and after a bit of searching I came across this Market Purse tutorial from Fabricworm. Super cute! A quick dive into the fabric bins yielded some nicely patterned blue quilting cottons, and I was ready to start.

In all honesty, I forgot to take in-progress pictures on this one. But really, if you want that then go to the original tutorial: the pictures are plentiful and informative! I found it really easy to follow; I was even able to adjust the size a bit with no problems. Because I was using medium-weight cottons instead of canvas and batting, my project turned out a bit less structured than the original. But I think it's just as charming!

I'm not usually a huge fan of florals, but I like this understated pattern quite a lot. It's more interesting than a solid without looking like a bouquet!

The bag pattern also helpfully comes with a pocket! It's always nice to have a place to put odds and ends like buttons or stitch markers, so that you don't have to go rummaging around when you need them.

And as Mannie is so kind to demonstrate, it's quite spacious! It doesn't look too big because it's soft-sided, but there's a hefty skein of yarn in it in that picture, and you can't even see it. Not only that, but there was room for at least one, maybe two more skeins of a similar size!

Overall, I'd say this was a successful sewing endeavor. I gave it to my friend and she seemed to like it (I know you read these, so feel free to weigh in!), and it gave me the confidence to look for something a little more challenging next. I'll put the rest of my adventures here in due time, so stay tuned! After all, it is about time for me to begin Halloween planning, and sewing opens up a world of possibilities...

Until next time, stay crafty!

Pining for Pineapples

Around this time of year, I really miss summer. Besides the obvious warmth, I miss long sunny days, getting wet without shivering, and sweet summer fruits. Sure, nowadays we can get fruits shipped from warmer climates year-round, but they're just not quite as good as when they're in season.

Great, now I'm thinking about fruit salad and getting hungry.

So, it shouldn't be surprising that a certain pattern caught my eye while I was scrolling through Ravelry a few weeks ago. I took a long look and decided that I had to make it. Immediately.

I mean, just look at it! The little face! The floppy leaves! The pattern, by Stephanie from All About Ami, is super easy to follow, and works up quickly. Shell stitch is surprisingly reminiscent of a pineapple's spines, so if you're an intermediate crocheter you probably already know every technique to use!

I don't have much else to say. Why wouldn't you want to carry your keys in a cute-faced fruit? Go! Go make this thing now! Maybe it'll make spring come a little faster!

Draw Like No One's Watching

Whoops, I nearly forgot to make a post this week. Things have been a little busy, but it's all good! I was in an artsy sort of mood the other day, so I broke out my tablet and started doodling a ballet dancer. The doodle quickly evolved into a full-blown piece of art, made wallpaper-sized so that I could use it as my computer background. Here's the result:

Something about fog filtering through a silent forest scene is so ethereal and otherworldly to me. Maybe it's how shapes fade into indistinction so much more quickly than usual, and how easy it is for something to sneak up on you through the haze. It seems like you could wander through a foggy forest for hours and end up in another world completely. And maybe this ballerina would be your guide.