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 :)