Sunday, November 24, 2013

Returning to "normal"

Hello all!
The wedding was wonderful, it went really well. It was exhausting, though, and I feel like I've just started catching up on life. Getting sick afterwards didn't help much.
I've missed this place. I've been crocheting like mad lately. I'm making a dress to wear to my brother's wedding in December, and I'm also making some special Christmas gifts for family members who will be here this Christmas- they're usually on the other side of the world. My nephews are getting an amazing sweater and a super cool blanket. I'm pretty excited- they're robot themed.

Anyway, here's some of the stuff I've finished in the last few months.

I finished my summer tee. I'm pretty please with the result, although it needs to relax a bit.

This little cardi thing was a nice quick project. It's comfy, and just enough to cover my upper arms from the intense AC in the mall where I work during the summer. I couldn't resist the sale yarn. I never can.

I love how this cardigan turned out. It's really comfy, and I am thoroughly enjoying all of the "that's CROCHET?" comments it gets.

My wedding veil! Shown here unblocked. It's really amazing blocked out, I am so pleased with it. I should have some good photos from the professional wedding photographer soon, I'm excited.

A crochetviatrix hat- I've always loved the Aviatrix hat and had to make a crochet version. It was fun, and I'm mostly quite pleased with how it came out.


I made two pairs of these amazing gloves (Blind Peacock, you should make them!). I made the first pair for a friend I promised to make fingerless mitts for ages ago. They were so quick and fun that I went out and bought myself some KPPPM and made myself a pair. Especially nice because they only take one 50g ball.
They're pretty addictive, I foresee more of these in my future.

And a few wedding photos for you all:
Yes, my train was ridiculous. I'm also very pleased with how we did making the bridesmaids dresses- and doesn't my veil look nice?

We did it! Yay! Now time to get back to real life.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Weding

So planning a wedding is the worst. Ok, it's also cool because it's going to be a lovely day filled with friends and family, but oh man. The constant pressure is hard to take. There is just this thing hanging over me that I have to do.
Combine that with how busy summer gets, and you get the reason I haven't posted in awhile. I have a lot of pictures on my camera, but I haven't taken them off in weeks. That never happens, I'm usually the type to put em right onto the computer.
I also haven't had proper time off in... months. I had a week off in January. I'll get it again in October. I do have a three day weekend coming up with nothing planned though. Oh man that's gonna be great.
I also have 4 more weddings to attend before ours, plus one I just attended the weekend before last. Oh, and I am making blankets for all of those. And I'm making my veil, and all the centrepieces (half done tonight thanks to my bridesmaids, but I still need to finish the doily for the next part) and we need to make the bridesmaids dresses. Thankfully my bridesmaids are awesome and coming over on Tuesdays for the next little while to help.
I went to the TTC Knitalong this weekend, and I have some photos to share and some awesome stuff I got to show you, but it'll have to wait.
I just realized I have to scan and send off the agreement with our caterer.
Sigh.
I hope someday I'll have enough free time to update properly!

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Being a Busy Adult with Many Responsibilities

I am so behind on... everything! I'm sharing these pictures and they are so out of date, but I wanted to share something with you.
I love these appliques- we all got into a bit of a crazy applique streak at work. They're to show off what you can do with some of the simple craft supplies and things we carry. I love that little squidy especially.

This has since become a nice blue spring/summer top. It's from the new Love of Crochet, which was full of surprisingly lovely things.

I've now blocked this little shawl. The middle is from Venus by Aiobhe Ni, and the outer part is ripe wheat lace, one of my favorite vintage lace patterns.

This blanket and pillow set is now sitting on a brand new couch in my living room, and we need another pillow for the other side. That one will be a diagonal rainbow, I think.

 
And this top went through the washer and then I accidentally put it through the dryer, which made it shrink instead of growing slightly like I wanted it too. Now it's waiting for me to do my laundry again. 
Oh yeah, I have to do my laundry, too.

Planning a wedding is not the most fun. Oh, it's not so bad, but the whole thing is just a constant pressure over my head. Soon enough I will make a list so that I will know what to do and when to do it. Right now we're in the final stages of booking a caterer, and trying to get invitations finished and on their way. 

I also had some extra responsibilities at work for the last little while, and was on a different and earlier schedule. It's over now, but while it was happening I was zombie-exhausted the whole time.

Today I had some time free, so I went and got my bike from our old apartment. I'd left it parked out behind, and had been worried that I didn't have the old key. Turns out the lock was broken and it was just sitting there. Well, at least it was still there!
Since it didn't actually work, I took the day to head out to an amazing little local bike non-profit that helps you repair your own bike. It was women/trans day there, and I had amazing help and fixed up my own bike with a lot of help and patience on the part of the awesome volunteers. I had to replace three parts, and the front shifter still doesn't quite work, but the back shifter does; more importantly, the bike now runs when you pedal it, and the chain isn't so rusted it can't really move.
It was really awesome to be able to get my hands dirty and fix it myself. It felt pretty amazing, I have to say.
I need to find a place to keep my bike now, other than my living room, but one step at a time. I think I might start biking to knit-night every week.

Anyway, I was dead tired and sweaty as anything after that, so I biked home and hopped in the shower, then napped. While I napped, Andrew ordered us sushi and so we had a lovely treat and got to enjoy our new couch, delicious food and an episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine. 

I should maybe work on one of the five wedding blankets I need to do this summer, or maybe my veil, or the doilies I need to make for centrepieces... Soon enough I need to get my bridesmaids over and start sewing their dresses, and bring over my friend Gabe who is going to teach me to make a dress that fits me so I can have something for the dancing part of the wedding, and I need to start the lace overlay for that dress... but all of that can wait. I want to do something relaxing and not practical- I'm planning on working on my current obsession, another top-down raglan cardigan to wear at work. Time for some relaxing crochet!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Long Time No See

I can't believe how long it's been since I've updated. It feels like no time at all, but it's been ages.
Life is moving quickly. We've had dinners and birthdays (including my Mom's, which was a great excuse to see the family more!), Easter and who knows what else. We're still trying to find a caterer for our wedding, I'm now officially a manager at work and full time, we have something scheduled for every week from now til I don't know when...
Being a grownup is a full time job. And it doesn't help that I had a one-day weekend as I transitioned to full time manager this week.
Yesterday was fabulous, though. I spent the day at Wonderland running around like mad with a few of my stitch n bitch friends, riding roller coasters and eating deep-fried delicious doughy things (Beavertails and Funnel Cake!) and just having a great time.
With the lovely yarn ladies, waiting in line. 

 With both my "spouses"... Alia is my wife through many bizarre jokes, and something about how her husband and I share a birthday.

 
 Andrew and I got "Wondermarried", aka he bought us some awesome cheap rings. 

Then I came home and took an hour long nap- and then an hour later fell asleep for ten and a half hours. I've been exhausted.
Now that I'm regularly Monday-Friday, I feel like I can finally get into a real schedule. I'm home by a reasonable time every evening, and even though our weekends are full to overflowing, I should get some relaxing time. Next weekend I have work, a party, a lunch, a convention, and a dinner and dancing birthday party for my best friend, all in 24 hours. Thankfully that's just Friday-Saturday,and I think we're wide open on Sunday. Thank goodness, I wouldn't have anything left after all that!

I have been crocheting like mad, too. I've even finished a few more things for my challenge. I've also got some pretty new yarns I'll share with you all soon. I have a few to show you today, though!

I totally fell in love with the green/blue semi-solid when we got it at work. Originally I planned to use the bright pink below with it to make Bel by the lovely Aiobhe Ni- and then the variegated came in and matched it perfectly. So now that's going to be the contrast colour.

This fabulous pink and mixed yarn has already become a cowl that really needs to get blocked. Can you believe that this contrast variegated and the one with the green are the same colour? I love hand-dyed.


This yarn- the colour, the fact that it's sockweight... it just screamed out my name. I had to have it! It's gonna be another awesome summer tank top.

These mitts are for wearing around the house when my arms get cold. They're fleece lined in some awesome fleece I got when I went with my friend to Fabricland. It matched perfectly.

 I made this sweet little sweater for a lovely woman from our yarn group who's moving away. She's 8 months pregnant with a little boy.

I'm up to 7 finished projects for the challenge- and am really close to a tank top being done!
Pictures of the new ones soon, I promise.
Finishing Challenge:
Blue Cowl
Block Party Mitts
Silk Spinning
Granny Shawl
Colourwork Cardigan
Central Command sweater
Rainbow Stripe afghan

Sunday, March 24, 2013

So Many WIPs...

This is my desk this morning. It's a mess of wonderful crochet goodness. I have so much on the go right now. I can't decide what to work on! I really can't wait until I have conquered this finishing challenge and have a reasonable amount of WIPs.
(Also, aren't my mug and ipod case just so cute? I love them!)

This tanktop I finished ages ago, but I never actually took any pictures of it. This morning I went on a photo taking binge and finally got a shot of it. I love it. It's super comfy and flattering. I have the same yarn in a blue/green mix and I'm planning on making another one that's basically the same.

I got a picture of this long time WIP- it's another tank top done in this totally crazy rainbow ribbon yarn.

These arm warmers are just about done, I only need to weave in the ends. I think I might line them with fleece, too. The multicoloured yarn is Sakura Silk I won at Pucks N Purls this year, and the lovely red is Noro Retro I got at my stitching group's 2011 Christmas party from my awesome friend Alia.

I also finished this project- another one started after the challenge, though. These socks are done sideways. Other than maybe needing a bit of knitting elastic at the top to keep them up better, they are super comfy. I love the pooling that happened!

I put my first Colourmart order in and got these beautiful cones of yarn. They're various combinations of silk, merino and cashmere. I was hoping they'd be white enough for my veil (they all looked white on the site and had no colour info...) but sadly, even the white looking one at the front is distinctly cream.
I'll still use them, and they were still a great deal, but I was disappointed. I will probably try dying them, though, which should be fun.

Luckily we carry one of the brightest white laceweight wool yarns I've ever seen at work. I suppose I should have just gotten this in the first place, but where's the fun in that? So I've started my veil with it. I'm using Aiobhe Ni's Honeymeade shawl. I love her tunisian lacework. I'm definitely adding beads to the picot edging.


I am really excited about this sweater. It's my own design, and it's gonna be so comfy! The pockets will be generous, and if I have enough yarn I will be making a hood on it. I mussed up the first part of the cabling by using dc/tc instead of hdc/dc, but it'll block out and there was no way I was pulling back that many hours of work!
I'm pleased that the way I did the pockets worked out, too. I did the sections before, after and in the middle of the pockets separately and then joined them in one row like a yoke. When I make the pockets, I'll join them with a round of sc or sl st that will give the pockets a nice even look.  
I'll be making it a zip-up cardi. I love the ease of zip ups, and having a classy handmade zip up... I can already tell it will be a go-to sweater.

I've been busy doing some spinning, too. I finished this super fast, really fun thick n thin merino. It's just a little skein, but I had fun making it and it was a nice in between project from things I was trying to spin really fine and even.

This is the new project. I'm finally starting on my lovely merino/firestar in it's fantastically bright rainbowness!
I unfolded the two batts and refolded them together. I want to make one long, continuous rainbow. I'm hoping I have enough for a shawl or a small cardigan. I'm really pleased with how fine I'm able to spin it. I'm spinning much more fine than I ever have before. I thought I couldn't do it, but it turns out I was just really nervous about spinning that fine. It seemed waaay too thin! I had a bit of trouble with part of it last night, but mostly it's gone well.

Speaking of yarn I've made, I've been trying to figure out what I want to make with my pretty silk. Something nice to go around the neck and keep me just a bit warmer inside, that's all I've figured out. I started this little shell pattern yesterday and I'm not sure about it, but it looks kinda promising.

 
Also, I made these the other night for dinner and OH MY GOD they were SO good. I keep eating them long after I was too full. They're pretzel rolls, and they tasted just like soft pretzels. Mmmm...
I got the recipe here: http://une-bonne-vie.blogspot.ca/2010/08/pretzel-rolls.html

Now off to get ready for the afternoon of DND with my friends! What project to work on, that's the question...

Monday, March 11, 2013

Quick Update

I finished more projects! This cardigan got pulled out more times than I want to remember. It had more ends than I'd like to think about and it just generally conspired to be a right pain for me.
But it's done! It's done and I love it! It's cozy and soft and I love how it fits. I'm really pleased that I got the fronts of the sleeves to line up with the front, the buttons I found in my stash were great and the button band is sitting pretty nicely.
I'm pleased that I finally have one of the big projects knocked off the list.

This is another of the smaller projects. It's a simple shawl pattern I wrote up to be a sample for work. I really like how the dark grey sets of the fantastic bright pink.

Yesterday we had some friends over for a session of Dungeons and Dragons. When you get a bunch of really creative people who are quick witted and imaginative together to play a game with basically no rules, it ends up as something really awesome. We always just about keel over laughing once or twice, and the bad puns and great jokes that get made are amazing.
I spent the day working on a super comfy sideways slip stitch sock. I'm really excited about it. I've long wanted a pattern for the perfect crochet "vanilla" socks- something simple and really comfortable. I think this might be it. I'm almost halfway through the first sock and very excited.
 
I've actually been doing some animating. I'm trying to get a really outstanding piece to add to my demo reel so I can apply for some jobs. I've been so frustrated lately. I like my job, but I feel really stuck in it right now. I don't want to work a retail job forever. I want a career.
Getting back into animating again has reminded me that I really do actually like it. Somehow I'd convinced myself that I just wanted to do it for a job, and that I really didn't care for it that much outside of being happy to do it for pay. That's not true, though. I like it. I find it satisfying and enjoyable- it's no crochet, but what are you going to do.  Nothing else is crochet for me.
Bringing something to life is challenging, yes, but I'm enjoying that challenge.
It's also scaring the crap out of me. Choosing the line to animate intimidated me. Opening up the program and finding a rig to work with scared me. Sketching my key poses and posing the rigs into them terrified me. Now starting to work on timing and breakdowns of poses is my next hurdle. This one I am going to get to today. No more delaying. I want to start making real progress. I want to start taking control of my career and doing something good for myself.
Alright, enough talking about it. Time to get back to work.

Finishing Challenge:
Blue Cowl
Block Party Mitts
Silk Spinning 
Granny Shawl
Colourwork Cardigan

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Two More FOs

I finally finished a few more things! This morning, I finished my fingerless mitts. I'm really excited about them- they're so comfy and I love the pattern on them.

I did the second one with a longer basketweave section. It looks a lot better. I also changed the thumbhole decreases slightly. I really need to get this pattern written up and tested.
Yeah, I really need to sit down and write out several patterns.

I also finished spinning my silk! It's exciting because I haven't finished a big spinning project before this.

I love how it turned out, but it's also a little disappointing to do all that work for 90-100 yards. I'll find something awesome to make with it, though. I'm still really proud!

I rearranged my stash a bit, too. I wanted the little shelves I had for a stand for the keyboard my parents brought me. I grabbed some more of the little white wire stands from the dollar store (2.50$ each, not bad!) and set things up like this.
It's nice to go through the stash and get a chance to actually see what you have. Once I finish some more projects, I'm pretty excited about starting some new stuff.

Finishing Challenge:
Blue Cowl
Block Party Mitts
Silk Spinning

Sunday, March 3, 2013

My Capelet!


I finished my capelet awhile ago, and finally got around to taking pictures of it earlier this week.

I am so pleased with how it turned out. It's cozy and wonderful and I am just searching for an excuse to wear it.


I'm also quite pleased with how the lace turned out. Little crowns!


This is something else I finished last week or so (before my challenge, of course). It's a double layered cowl. It's SO warm. It's better than wearing a scarf and a little cowl, which is what I had been doing.
It's not my usual colours, which is fun. I'm more of a bright jewel tone person. If I go pale, it's just pinks and blues and yellows. Oranges and greens are almost never on my radar. This project was two balls of Knitpicks Chroma I got intending to make a Noro striped scarf style project. It sat in my stash and stubbornly did not want to be that until I finally saw a picture and bam. That was it- that was what the yarn was for. I'm so pleased with how it turned out, and how it filled a gap in my accessories I didn't even know was there!

Here's a much better snap of the cowl I made my Mom. Still the only thing I've finished in my crochet project challenge, but I've made lots of other progress.
I sent the cowls off to Mom and they should get to her soon. Hope she likes them- my parents have a ski trip coming up soon. They invited me, but I sadly had to turn them down. Sigh.

Since this picture, I've finished this mitt and just need to do fingers and thumbs on the second one. You can see the changed stitch pattern in the fingers. I like it much better now, and they're much more comfy.

I must admit, I haven't done too much crocheting this weekend. Friday night I ended up digging into my fabric stash and doing some sewing. I made a very simple pair of pants. I like them- they're a nice dark charcoal grey, very slim fitted and while they are a bit too short I decided that I didn't care and with dark socks or boots, no one will notice. It's on purpose, I swear.
I also took in a shirt I made ages ago. It was lovely but shapeless, and that just does not suit my body. Now it's fitted and flattering. I'm really pleased with it. I need to take pictures of my sewing. It's lazy and poorly done, but I'm still kinda proud of it!

Andrew is out of town this weekend in Seattle. He's doing a con there with a bunch of his friends. It's pretty cool, and I'm hoping next year I'll be able to join him. It's strange being here alone so long now that I've started getting used to having him around all the time. It has been a good time to host a few girls nights, though.
Time to get back to the blankets I'm working on, and do a bit of cleaning from last night's party before some friends come over this evening.