WIPW: Week 29

Well...I havent been working on the WIPs from my last blog. Reason being....I went to the LYS a little while back and bought a BEAUTIFUL skein of Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton from Peru. It is soooooo luscious, and I have been dying to crochet with it. However, it has been sitting in my closet taunting me for weeks. I am sure some of you yarn junkies will understand this! It was almost too pretty to do anything with, and I wanted to make something for myself (for once....lol,) but it is really hard for me to pick something out for myself. Well...I FINALLY decided a nice light spring scarf would be something I would like, so I went for it, and that is what I have been occupying my crochet time this week with!

Here is the yarn before I started working with it:

Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton in Syrah

Gorgeous right???

I generally do not work with DK weight yarns...so it has been a nice switch of pace. I love how light & airy it crochets! The yarn is also so silky...that it just glides off the hook, and I havent had ANY issues with splitting! I also generally do not work with any hook above a size G (since I make mostly Amigurumi,) and this pattern calls for using a size K!!! I must admit it took a bit of retraining how I hold my hook, because it felt so foreign in my hands! It is funny how using a hook size out of the norm can trip your technique up...lol! I can't even fathom how those HUGE plastic hooks are like working with. I must give it a try one of these days! Anyone out there worked with one before??

Big Hook Size Comparison -- (from Google Images)

So...here are the details...

8th FO for 2011:
SHELL SCARF

Here is the progress of the scarf so far:



Shell Scarf

and...
Here is a close-up photo of the shell detail (the shell detail will continue around all sides of the scarf:)

Shell detail

I apologize for the blurry / dark photos (as I am blogging away from home, I only have my iphone ;) with me.

Hopefully I will finish the scarf in my spare time this week, and be able to share with yall the FO by next Wed!

Happy Crafting!!!!

Plush Team February Giveaway

Well...it is time for yet another Plush Team giveaway! This month, Anne-Claire, of HibouCards is hosting the Plush Team giveaway for February with a way too adorable teddy bear cuddling penguin! May I present, Mr. Martin the Penguin. Martin is a hand sewn wonder made from a mix of wool blend and eco-friendly felt, cotton thread, and polyfill.

"Martin is a sweet little penguin that always carries his teddy around with him. He moved from Antartica to Boston not so long ago and is really enjoying the snow here... although he likes nothing better lately than snuggling at home, drinking hot coco!"

 

Martin the Penguin

Here are the details from the Plush Team blog:
 
So what do you need to call Martin the Penguin your own? Just visit the HibouCards  shop and then fill out this form.

 

But Wait! You can earn even more chances to win!

• Become a Plush Team blog follower. If you're a new follower, let us know that you joined when you complete the form. If you're already following us, you can let us know that too and score one extra entry!
• Follow the Plush Team on Facebook and/or Twitter. Again, let us know when you fill out the form if you're a new follower or an old friend and you'll receive one extra entry for each follow.
• Tweet this giveaway. Make sure to give us a link to your tweet when you fill out the form to get one extra entry.
• Repost the giveaway on Facebook. Make sure to give us a link to your Facebook post when you fill out the form to get one extra entry.
• Blog this giveaway. For an extra TWO entries, tell folks about this giveaway in your blog. Please make sure to use the Martin the Penguin's photo in your post and leave us a link when you fill out the entry form to get your entries.
• Buy something from HibouCards or the Plush Team shop during the month of January. Get another FIVE chances to win by making a purchase from HibouCards or the Plush Team shop. Don't forget to let us know which new piece of plushie love you're calling your own!

 

Last day to enter is February 28, 2011 and we'll announce a winner on March 1. GOOD LUCK!

WIPW: Week 27

Hello everyone!

I have not posted in the last few weeks since I have not had much time in my schedule to work on my latest WIPs until this week. So thankfully....I have a few WIPs and FOs to share.















4th FO for 2011:
CAROUSEL HAT (SPORTY VARIETY)

I mentioned in my last blog post that my cousin Kims bday was Jan 18th, and that I had decided to make her a Bonita Hat. I frogged the 1st attempt at the hat due to a sizing error, and started again on the hat. I however decided half-way through that the hat style would just not be in her taste. Plus, I wanted to challenge myself and try another hat pattern out. I decided to keep the same color scheme (hotpink and white bands towards the band of the hat.) I found a new pattern on yes...Ravelry (thank the gods that it exists!) for a carousel type beanie by Sami Jo Fitzgerald. You can find the pattern here. I have a pic of the WIP, the FO, and a pic of my cuz proudly sporting her new beanie!

Carousel Beanie WIP

Carousel Hat (Sporty version) FO

Kim & her new birthday hat

Last week I mentioned a few future projects that I planned on starting. Here is the progress on those:

 6TH FO FOR 2011 (previously Future WIP #2:)
FILMSTRIP BEANIE

My brothers bday is coming up in March. He is a photographer/filmmaker. He has been requesting a film strip inspired beanie from me ever since I started crocheting. I decided to take a spin on the aforementioned Carousel Hat from this blog post. I think that it turned out OK, however I am not 100% pleased with how it came out. I may be tweaking this one a bit in the next few weeks (since I have until March.) Here is how it looks now:

Filmstrip Beanie

7th WIP for 2011:
SOCKS/HAT

7th WIP FOR 2011:

I started on the socks for my Dad today. This is my 1st venture into the world of crochet socks, and I must say I am a wee bit intimidated. I found a free pattern for some socks through a link on Ravelry for Mrs D Crochets that sound pretty straight-forward. The pattern is called Toasted Almond Crunch socks, and you can find the pattern here. The pattern calls for using:
Two 1.76 oz. skeins Red Heart Heart & Sole (color shown: Toasted Almond, thus the name)...
However, I changed up the color to Red Heart, Heart & Sole Blackjack, as I already had it in my stash.
Here is the progress so far:

Socks!

FUTURE WIP#1: 

My Father's bday was at the end of January. I had plans to make him a lush hat out of some beautiful Pima Cotton I have my eyes on at the LYS. I did not have time to start the hat for his bday (so now I am aiming for Fathers Day, or just an extra special surprise for being an awesome Dad. I still have my eyes on that Pima Cotton from the LYS.

Thanks again all for reading! Stay warm wherever you may be, and happy crafting :)

WIPW: Week 24

Well...it has been a while since my last blog post (which was the week before xmas!) I took a much needed break from the crochet world, as I felt I was overworking myself to finish soooo many WIPs in the weeks leading up to xmas. I tell you , I crocheted down to the wire, i.e., xmas eve! I have not stopped crocheting by any means, but I have been fair to myself, by not imposing too many deadlines that are stressful! That being said, I have a few WIPs and FOs to share with you all this week :)

1st FO for 2011:
BUTTERFLY HAT

Well...I can't believe that it is a new DECADE! 2011...wow! There are quite a few bdays in my family in January (including mine ;) and that being said, a few gifts that just had to be made. The 1st of the projects I started on and finished within a day to get them ready for my Sis-In-Law's bday, which was on January 8th.

Her fav color is HOT PINK, so it was easy to choose a color scheme. I used Red Heart Shimmer in Hot Pink #1715.














The yarn is 97% acrylic and 3% metallic polyester.

Now, deciding on what to make her was a bit tricky. She loves accessories, and has been trying out some new short hair stylings. I immediately thought that she would look adorable in a 30s flapper/cloche style hat. I researched the MANY, MANY patterns that are available on Ravelry, and finally decided on Olivia's Butterfly by Valerie Whitten. The little butterfly detail would be adorable! I read over the pattern and realized that the hat was made for a child, so I had to tinker with the pattern a tiny bit to make it large enough for an adult size. It wasn't too difficult, as I just added 2 more rounds of increase to the pattern. For the finishing touches I added a pink crystal bead to the center of the butterfly detail, to add a bit more bling to the hat.

Here is a pic of it:

...and I was right....

It does look adorable on her.

My 2nd FO for 2011 came about the same night that I finished the butterfly hat. My Mother loved it so much, that I just had to whip up one for her. I received a red/black ombre hand-dyed wool yarn for Xmas, and figured it would be perfect for her. To add a little bling to my Mothers version of the hat, she requested I add random red sequins throughout the hat. I really enjoyed the effect.

Here it is:

Mothers Butterfly Cloche

3rd FO for 2011:

GIRLIE BOT

I decided to make a 2nd gift for my Sis-In-Law, something a little bit fun, that she could keep on her desk at work. Naturally I decided to make her an Amigurumi. There is a funny story behind the Ami that I created for her. For Xmas, she and my brother, picked out an adorable Amigurumi book on Crocheted Robots. It is called Crobots, and is one I have been wanting for a while now.

Before I got around to opening the package, I opened a package from my Mother that included, what else, the Crobots book. My Sis-In-Laws face nearly sunk to the ground. I mean of all the books on Amigurumi in the world, and they had both bought the same one. I thought it would be a nice tribute to make her one of the Crobots from the book.

It was easy to pick which one...

The Girlie Bot!!!

It was a ton o fun to add all the sequins, and seed beeds as embellishments on this little cutie!!! Again, I used pink/hot pink as the color pallette.

Here is the FO:

'Girlie' Bot

'Girlie' Bot side view

4th WIP for 2011:

BONITA HAT

My cousin Kims bday was Jan 18th, so I decided to make another Bonita Hat. I am just in love with the simple, but intricate styling of this hat. I decided to make her a sporty version of the hat. I had to frog the 1st attempt, due to a sizing error, so I am starting over. But I plan to alternate bands of hot pink/white throught the middle part of the pattern. I showed her a sneak peak of the hat for her bday when we went out to lunch together. I think she will like it.

5th FO for 2011:/

XMAS GIFT #8: (WIP)

CROCHET RING BRACELET

I am so glad I finally finished this WIP! I blogged about it back in December here. I have been working on getting it finished since October! A while back I made a ring bracelet for my Mother. My Aunt Joann really admired it when she saw the one I made for my Mom, that I had decided to make one for her for her Bday. That was waaaaay back in October. (YIKES!!!) I just got so wrapped up in the XMAS frenzy, that it got pushed further, and further back. Well, I am happy to say that it is finished, finally! I can't wait to get it to her.

Here is a pic of hers:

Crochet Ring Bracelet

I am pretty excited about a few upcoming WIPs I have planned.

Future WIP #1:
HAT/SOCKS

My Father's bday is at the end of the month and I plan to make him a lush hat out of some beautiful Pima Cotton I have my eyes on at the LYS. If I have time I also plan to make him a pair of socks to go along with the hat. He is newly retired so it would be a nice jesture to make him some comfy socks to lounge around the house in.

Future WIP #2:

FILMSTRIP BEANIE

My brothers bday is coming up in March. He is a photographer/filmmaker. He has been requesting a film strip inspired beanie from me ever since I started crocheting. I have not written up a pattern for a beanie hat yet, so this will be a challenge for me. I have some rough sketches done of how I want the beanie to look, and I think it will be awesome, if I can figure out the measurements/technicalities. Hopefully I will have something on this WIP started soon.

Happy New Year to all, and Happy Crafting!!!

Thanks for Reading :)

Plush Team January Giveaway

Well...it is time for yet another Plush Team giveaway! This month, Inga, of SunnyPlum is hosting the team giveaway with a way too adorable Love Monster named Nibble! Here are the details from the Plush Team blog:




"Nibble stands 5 inches tall. Although a bit short in stature, his/her cuteness is quite potent. Nibble is the perfect gift for your sweetheart, and just in time for Valentine's Day!"

Here are the details on how to enter to own this cutie:

So what do you need to call Nibble your own? Just visit the SunnyPlum shop and then fill out this form.

But Wait! You can earn even more chances to win!

• Become a Plush Team blog follower. If you're a new follower, let us know that you joined when you complete the form. If you're already following us, you can let us know that too and score one extra entry!
• Follow the Plush Team on Facebook and/or Twitter. Again, let us know when you fill out the form if you're a new follower or an old friend and you'll receive one extra entry for each follow.
• Tweet this giveaway. Make sure to give us a link to your tweet when you fill out the form to get one extra entry.  
• Repost the giveaway on Facebook. Make sure to give us a link to your Facebook post when you fill out the form to get one extra entry.
• Blog this giveaway. For an extra TWO entries, tell folks about this giveaway in your blog. Please make sure to use the Lavender's in your post and leave us a link when you fill out the entry form to get your entries.
• Buy something from SunnyPlum or the Plush Team shop during the month of January. Get another FIVE chances to win by making a purchase from SunnyPlum or the Plush Team shop. Don't forget to let us know which new piece of plushie love you're calling your own!

Last day to enter is January 31, 2011 and we'll announce a winner on February 1. GOOD LUCK!