Monday, October 26, 2009

Heh heh heh...

yesterday i decided that the yarny store is friggin off limits... no more yarny store til next MONTH! :) there. i put my foot down.
everytime i go there i spend at least 80 dollars :( and i never go there when i dont have the money but holy craps. like, no wonder i used to order mill ends online. i have a strange addiction to yarn :)(: which i'm sure every knitter/crochetier/fiber arts junkie can relate to. but i just recently got kind of picky actually. i've never been picky with yarn. it must be the K word (in case you're not hip to the scene i recently started knitting, after being strictly and exclusively a crochet nut). just sayin', cuz that's the only change in my diet.
ohhh yeah i gotta blog about my superawesome new circular knitting needles :) i have like two sets already but theyr aluminum. this pair is bamboo! !!!
omg. i've been bamboozled. i have NEVER knitted or crocheted with anything other than aluminum or plastic (remember, i'm cheeeeeap) but i "splurged" and got bamboo circs cuz they were the only ones in the store that were 16" around (i know, excuses excuses). they smell nice. they FEEL nice. they friggin GLIDE through all my yarns and yeenings (i tested them on literally everything i have). wow. and now for a pretty bad pic!

so lol on another topic, school is fun. funfunfun. i have school 4 days a week, 2 classes each term, 5 weeks a term, in an 11 month program (ya icky math eh). and i like both my classes.
in one i learn all about computers, like everything in and around them including the intarwebz and cool programs like Microsoft Office Word. Word. they're teaching me how to manipulate document-y and presentation-y stuff superprofessionally so i can get paidddd. i like that.
in the other one i learn how to succeed. yep. 100%.
we focus on feeding our brains the way they like to be fed so they can process crap and make it relative to the stuff thats already in there. it's a fun class for me but like everybody else in the class thinks its a boring waste of time. i love boring wastes of time, for reasons unknown even to me.
every day that i go to school i bring my knitting to work on during breaks lol. i haven't forgotten about crochet, i'm still working on a couple of my projects, but with crochet i always find myself needing to write my directions out (i don't usually use patterns) and then obsessing about something or other. with knitting i can just "work in pattern stitch for __ inches" and i dont have to count my rows because honestly i think your eyeballs are in danger of falling out of your head every time you try to count knitted rows. i dunno there might be ppl who disagree but that's how i feel.
i found that little monkey hat that i had made for paulie's sister's kid, and i turned it into a shopping bag. would we consider that recycling? or just frogging? it made me a little sad to think that i had actually made something for that girl. it wasnt honestly for her child, it was for her so she could put it on her child geez no baby goes around happy to be in a hat. or in clothes either in some cases. pity and prayer, but nothing will ever leave my hand to fall into hers. not because i'm mean but because in the heart of my mind i know this:
anything that is not given in love should never be given at all. especially a thing which is made with hands. it carries all the blessings of the Creator, and all the faults of the created.
be blessed.

Mari <3

Monday, October 19, 2009

I'm The Kid With The Huge Backpack...

again :(
i can't believe it but i guess there's no escape...
when i was in HS i was that kid with the superheavy backpack and always had said backpack strapped to my back... aww man.
it had everything in there. food, extra clothes, soap, screwdriver, car jack, jumper cables lol
i'm starting my first day of college today and i packed my bag (only with books!)
and it weighs a ton, and it makes me look EXACTLY the same way i looked in high school. minus the huge hair down to my knees and slightly askew black frame eyeglasses :)
i kind of resent the fact that when the bag's just laying there it looks kinda floppy and innocent... and then when i PUT IT ON it swells up and magically adds 50 pounds to itself somehow.
Aaanyways i'm excited to be going :) to school. i think this is the first time i've ever been excited to go there.

Besides that, i think i have some cute pictures
yep...

the one on the left is a sweater (duh) whose pattern is called "Chickiedoodles"... i didnt want the chickies. the picture on the right is from paulie on his way either to or from work. pretty and scary at the same time :)

these are moving shots from the road and i forget what state we were in :) but they're cute

Oh also i've been working on my knitting! lol shutup, i've rationalized that knitting is also yeening so it still pertains to the whateveryoucallit of this blog. yes.
and i'm doing pretty good i think. i joined this beginners knit group on Ravelry and the girl who runs it puts up links to easy patterns (of which i've only done 2 but thats because the first one wasn't free {i'm cheeeeeap} and the fourth one scared me with all the pointy sticks you need to make it {but once i get over my fear ITS ON, little toy monkey!}) which is awesome.
and if you wanna look me up on Ravelry i'm Mariface

:D

<3 Mari

Sunday, October 11, 2009

AmiCute?


He's the first ami i have ever put "real" eyes on :)
he has no mouth though, but i don't mind.
i used 2 skeins of peaches n creme cotton, i'm in a red phase right now cuz i have a lot of red yarn in my stash.
and i also used and aluminum size G hook (US) those clover hooks take time to get used to but they do make a pretty stitch
a yarn needle is great too, i mean i used to be like "why do i need that when a crochet hook will weave in and out of the work just fine?" but.. a lil straight needle is a lot neater and faster working than a crochet hook. you are gonna have to sew this guy up, and he's gonna have stuffed parts that might bleed stuffing if it's not done neatly. just leave long ends on all your finished body parts and you can thread and sew away on the final step.
The Body:
ch2
1. 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. join with sl st to top of first sc. (6 sc around)
2. ch1, 2sc in each sc around. (i guess here i will note that i never count my first "ch1" as a stitch) (12 sc around)
3. ch1, (sc in sc, 2sc in next) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (18 sc around)
4. ch1, (sc in each of next 2 sc's, 2sc in next) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (24 sc around)
5. ch1, (sc in each of next 3 sc's, 2sc in next) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (30 sc around)
6. ch1, (sc in each of next 4 sc's, 2sc in next) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (36 sc around)
7. ch1, (sc in each of next 5 sc's, 2sc in next) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (42 sc around)
8-21. ch1, sc in each sc around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (42 sc around)
22. ch1, (sc in each of next 5 sc's, sc2tog over next 2 sts) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (36 sts around)
23. ch1, (sc in each of next 4 sc's, sc2tog over next 2 sts) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (30 sts around)
24. ch1, (sc in each of next 3 sc's, sc2tog over next 2 sts) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (24 sts around)
25. ch1, (sc in each of next 2 sc's, sc2tog over next 2 sts) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (18 sts around)
26. ch1, (sc in sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (12 sts around)
stuff body while the hole is big enough to fit fingers into
27. ch1, (sc2tog over next 2 sts) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (6 sts around)
fasten off yarn, leaving a tail at least 5 inches long. use this tail to sew up the small gap at the top of the body. ya, use your yarn needle goofy :)

The Head:
work same as body for 5 rounds
6-13. ch1, sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (30 sc around)
at this point if you have safety eyes, pop them in wherever you want them, since they cant be attached after you stuff and close the head.
work Rounds 24-27 of Body
fasten off yarn, leaving a tail about 10 inches long. use this tail to sew up the small gap at the top of the head and then to attach to the body. try to match like the 15th round of the head to the 25th round of the body, which is totally easy whipstitch with a yarn needle

The Legs: (make 2)
work same as Body for 4 rounds
5-8. ch1, sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (24 sc around)
9. ch1, (sc in each of next 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (18 sc around)
10-12. ch1, sc in each sc around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (18 sc around)
13. ch1, sc in first sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc. sc in next sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc. sc in each of next 7 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc. sc in next sc, sc2tog over last 2 sc. join with sl st to top of first sc. (14 sts around)
14-25. ch1, sc in each st around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (14 sts)
sl st leg opening closed just by sl st'ing across top sts.
fasten off yarn, leaving a tail about 5 inches long on the first leg, and 10 inches on the 2nd leg.
when they are both finished, line them up next to each other so that the tail from the first leg is in the direction of the 2nd leg. sew the 2 legs lengthwise together so that they look like a pair of pants on a clothesline.
then sew the legs to the body using the longer tail

The Arms: (make 2)
work same as Body for 3 rounds
4-8. ch1, sc in each sc around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (18 sc around)
9. ch1, (sc in each of next 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc) around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (12 sts around)
10-20. ch1, sc in each st around. join with sl st to top of first sc. (12 sc around)
close arm openings by sl st'ing across as for legs,
fasten off yarn, leaving a tail about 8 inches long on both arms.
sew arms to sides of Body, about the 4th Round down from where the Head is attached.

And there you have it :)

This is my own original pattern. Do not sell this pattern or the products made from it. Do not copy and/or distribute in any form of publication or email. Link back to my pages to share. Print out a copy for your own personal use.

Mari <3

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Make Your Point



lol. sorry.
i finished this hat yesterday morning but hadnt gotten to post the pattern because of horrendous work hours :) it's made of peaches n creme cotton and i'm not sure if its the result of tight crocheting or cuz the yarn is stiff.. but the hat is kinda.. well not the squishy kind. it's not unyielding but it's definitely got self esteem.



i used about one and a half skeins i think :) i took a weird "over the head to the side" pic to show the shape of the hat while i was wearing it.. lol it turned out hilarious as you can see but i think it's cute. anyways you have to have like 5 eyes to see it the way it is in the picture. ok pattern is under the next pic, promise :P



i used hooks sized H and G (US), aluminum. it fits my head closely but not tightly. a note- wear this hat high and pushed up on your head, so it feels like a headband before you push it all the way up.

with H hook-
ch4 and join to form a ring.

1. 10 sc in ring, join with sl st to top of first sc. (10 sc around)

2. make 2sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (20 sc around)

3. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (20 sc around)

4. make (sc in sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (30 sc around)

5. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (30 sc around)

6. make (sc in each of next 2 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (40 sc around)

7. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (40 sc around)

8. make (sc in each of next 3 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (50 sc around)

9. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (50 sc around)

10. make (sc in each of next 4 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (60 sc around)

11. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (60 sc around)

12. make (sc in each of next 5 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (70 sc around)

13. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (70 sc around)

14. make (sc in each of next 6 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (80 sc around)

15. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (80 sc around)

16. make (sc in each of next 7 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (90 sc around)

17. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (90 sc around)

18. make (sc in each of next 8 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (100 sc around)

19. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (100 sc around)

20. make (sc in each of next 9 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (110 sc around)

21. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (110 sc around)

22. make (sc in each of next 10 sc, 2sc in next) around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (120 sc around)

23-29. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (120 sc around)

Switch to G hook at end of Round 29- (work in bl only)

30. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (120 sc around)

31. make (sc in each of next 22 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc) around. (92 sc around)

32. sc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of first sc. (92 sc around)

Fasten off yarn, weave in ends.

This is my original pattern. Do not sell this pattern. Do not copy and/or distribute via any form of publication or email. Do not sell products made from this pattern. Please feel free to print a copy of the pattern for your personal use. Link to my blog pages to share patterns.

<3 Mari