Sunday, November 15, 2009
Moving!
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Sweater Saga and a Crochet leaf pattern
I wanted to share the little pattern I came up with to crochet leaves, its after my sweater rant, below.
- Place a slip knot on the hook, chain one
- crochet into stitch just created
- turn, crochet twice into stitch
- turn, crochet 2
- turn, crochet twice into each stitch
- turn ,crochet 4
- turn, crochet 1, crochet twice into each of the next two stitches, crochet one
- Turn, crochet 6
- Turn, crochet 2, crochet twice into each of the next two stitches, crochet 2
- turn crochet 8
- Continue in this manner until leaf is two rows shorter than desired length
- Turn, crochet 2 together, crochet to center, then crochet twice into each of the center 2 stitches, as in steps 7 and 9, crochet to last two stitches, and crochet last two together.
- Turn, crochet all stitches across.
This can be used to make leaves or flower petals, or rain drops, or anything you want!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
coin purse
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
I want to be the Marc Bolan of knitting
Over the past few months my obsessions have progressed in the following order:
The movie Velvet Goldmine: The soundtrack for Velvet Goldmine: The Song 2HB from said soundtrack: Looking into real glam rock bands: T-Rex (fronted by Mr. Bolan)
Wow, T-rex was amazing. I'm an American from the south so my education in classic rock was somehow completely devoid of this band, but now I've discovered them and I'm really glad. You should certainly do a you-tube search for the band to find some music videos.
How does this relate to knitting? I don't really know, but I think it has something to do with art. Knitting may not be a high form of art, but to avoid the dilettantism that I am so prone to I decided a couple of years ago that I was only going to express my creative drive through yarn-based activities. Its cleaner and more mobile than other such forms of self-expression. Although I certainly do manage to make a mess. I was never particularly good at any one of the hobbies I had taken up so I thought some focus may be just the ticket. I promised myself that if I wanted to make something that I would have to figure out how to make it with knitting needles or crochet hooks and other such fiber art paraphernalia.
I want to knit in a joyful individual kind of way that will make all of the frustrations of the craft totally worth it. That's the feeling I get from watching Marc Bolan perform...he looks like he's having a blast while being innovative and artistic. None of that Billy Corgan tortured soul stuff (ask me about the time I met Mr. Corgan). Sharing yourself through your desired medium can be joyful without being fluff, and that is what I strive to.
Is this whole thing a bit to grandiose? I'm just a girl who likes to knit funny little flowery shapes and try to make something useful out of them. But I think even if you're making piggy banks out of laundry detergent bottles (like that episode of Malcolm in the middle where the mom loses it) having such a motivation would still be valid.
Anyway...would anyone wear a scarf shaped like a lizard?
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Plarn!
I finished my thesis about 2 hours ago.
Wow.
Now I can knit again.
This is the only thing I've created since my last post (except for 15,000 words about plant disease resistance {Viva la RESISTANCE!})
I'm taking a current events course this semester, and all of the students are required to subscribe to the New York Times. The times, you see, is delivered to your doorstep in these lovely blue plastic bags. Now, back in my DIY junkie days I had seen patterns for making things out of plastic bags and as soon as I saw these things I knew I'd be saving them.
But
then
My pack rattiness went to the next level. In a fit of insanity I e-mailed my professor and asked her if I could ask the WHOLE class (and its a big 'un) to bring me thier New York Times bags.
And they did....
And I have a large amount of bags in our apartment.
And I have finished a single solitary bag because I've had a cumulitive 3 hours to make creative messes since February.
But it looks like my summer work schedule is going to have lots of bus riding so I'll have lots of time to make more plarn bags. They'll be posted to my etsy as I finish them!