Currently Creating - 18 March 2015

One of our cats has the nickname "screenkitty".  Screenkitty just came up and patted at the screen and turned on capslock.  He wants to help with the blogging.

An update on my crochet: The following is what I wrote on the Champagne and Socks Ravelry group last night:-

I’m on the third last border round of the Jabyblanket, and In what I can only assume is a fit of nerves relating either to whether I will run out of yarn, or a dislike of the large gauge and the current look of the border, I have rationalised setting that project aside for another repeat of the same pattern for a baby who is in fact due before the Jade Baby. This will probably be the final time I do this pattern for a while, but it works up very quickly and takes very little concentration, which is a benefit when one realises that there is a baby due around Easter, while the one whose blanket is finished is not due until June. Prioritisation, I suck at it.

This morning, while I was taking photos of yarn (I'm trying to put my stash into Ravelry as well as clearing up my craft room etc), I was looking at the photos of the Elphieblanket and realised that the problem with the Jabyblanket is that I've missed a treble in each group.  Sigh.

(Photo is of the stuff up of the border.)

On the other hand, it explains why I thought the border looked odd - it *was* odd.  And I'm glad I put it down because it means there's less to pull out.

Having sorted that out, I may in fact pick it back up tonight and frog back the mistake and get into fixing this, despite realising that I've been making up these blankets in the wrong 'birth order', so to speak.

So then there's the new project: yet again the same pattern, this time with a ply and hook in between the very small Elphieblanket and the very large Jabyblanket.  Currently using a very cheap hook, because I'm not sure where my tin of good quality hooks has gone (somewhere in the craft room, no doubt.)  Doesn't look like much at the moment, but it will grow rapidly, I'm sure.

Finally - one of the additional reasons why this may be the last time for a while I work on this pattern?  The pattern itself got attacked by the kittyboys last night and has a couple of rips in important places.  Oops.

Currently creating - 11th March 2015

As I said in yesterday's post - I actually did some Project Life this week!  OMG!  Yes, the exclamation points are necessary, because it has been so long.  Like since January long, and I haven't properly finished a layout since mid-November.

Part of my Trello checklist of 2014 spreads that need to be finished...

(I know this because I just yesterday went through and created a list of all the layouts from last year that need to be completed, and there are ridiculous numbers of them.  Plus my December Daily album. (Next listing project is to go through that and work out which days need to be finished, which I think is a lot of them.)  Plus Monday I finished Weeks 3 and 4 of 2015, which were the first 2015 layouts I have completed.)

I was beginning to worry that I was losing interest in PL, which would be a pity (understatement) given how much PL stuff I've spent good money on.  I don't think it's that, though: I think it's actually been a case of trying to adjust to a different work schedule, and recovering from last November's meltdown, and still trying to get into a good workflow with using the app to plan my layouts, then putting together collages and saving those to the Kodak app and then getting myself to Officeworks to print out the photos and then sitting down to put them all together...

Working on Week 2 of 2015 on Monday evening

Of course, the other thing that's been keeping me from spending time on PL, at least lately, is probably the effort I've been putting in to the Jabyblanket.  Which is now at border round 4 of six, where rounds five and six are the most complicated part of the pattern (there's hearts and picots and bits where you're crocheting trebles that look like nothing until all of a sudden you go "oh, so that's where that was going!" and then you do that again.  Hundreds of times.

Here it is, laid out on the floor so you can see the whole thing, and then a detail shot of the corner.  And in answer to Alisa - the pattern repeat was four rows: I'm using a 6mm hook so the stitches are large.

I'm desperately hoping that the yarn will hold out to the end: I haven't seen this one available again since the day I bought two huge balls of it.  If the yarn doesn't last (which I think is likely) I'll do the last two rounds of the border in a solid colour - probably purple - and hope that works out.

Currently creating - 4th March 2015

I've gotten really behind on my crafting this past week.

I'm also behind on my Craft Circle podcast listening, mostly because I'm trying desperately to listen to an eAudiobook before my loan runs out in six days.  It's Jung Chang's "Empress Dowager Cixi", which in treebook form is 436pg and in audiobook is 57 segments of an average of 20 minutes.

You'd think all this listening time would mean that I'd have got some crochet done, but apparently not.  I am going to make a big effort on Friday to do some Project Life, however, if only so that I have something to report next week.

Last week was a total failure as far as bento was concerned, as well - (hey, bento is creative!) - but this week I've done a little better so far, including trying Sho-yu Tomago (soy sauce eggs) for the first time, and baking a batch of carrot and zucchini muffins.

Oh, and when we were in Melbourne last weekend, I got a couple of rice moulds.  So our rice now comes in fun shapes!

Currently creating - 25th February

Wow - how did it get to the 25th of February already!

So - my weekly contribution to the Champagne and Socks virtual craft circle - this time with actual photos!

This week I intend to finally send the finished Elphieblanket on its way.  I really love the yarn I used for this one - Patons Rainbow in "Rainforest".  I bought some more of it while it was on sale, in a different colourway - I'll have to find an appropriate project for that.

On the Jabyblanket, I've so far kept to my intention to complete at least one repeat of the pattern per day, and I'm up to 19 of 27.

Our cat Bard insisted on being included in my photo of progress so far.

In other types of creativity - after many tries, and *just* before they officially discontinued the set (damn you, LEGO), we finally got our hands on the Research Institute set - this being the three female scientists set that was voted for by the public and was made in such ludicrously low numbers for such things... but anyway...

We finally got our Research Institute and had great fun building it.  Have a LEGO dinosaur.

Currently Creating - 19 February 2015

A friend of mine mentioned that she was going to be working on crochet as part of her Lenten practice this year.

I also began listening to Alisa Krasnostein's new podcast, Champagne and Socks, in which she mentions that she needs to create something every day.

These two things have motivated me to set myself a daily crochet goal: at least one pattern repeat (four rows) of the Jabyblanket, or one colour (two long, long rows) of the Ripple Blanket.

The Jabyblanket is the same pattern that I previously used for the Elphieblanket, but with a higher ply yarn and larger hook.  I loved working on the Elphieblanket, but it was really far too small.

That's not going to be the problem with this one.

Currently Creative: Christmas Tree Skirt in progress

I've had the last two weeks and this week off work unexpectedly, with doctor's (and partner's) orders to relax and take it easy.

On the second day of this break, I started two projects: another baby blanket for a friend whose baby is due mid-next year, and a Christmas Tree Skirt because I don't have one and I want one.

I'm using SmoothFox's Christmas Tree skirt pattern, which is based on her Round Ripple pattern, and you can find my Ravelry project for it here.

The photo above is from my first day of working on the tree skirt.  The one below is from last week, with some sort of instagram filter on the photo - sorry I can't remember which filter.

If you compare this to the picture in the original pattern, you'll notice that I've changed the colour order, and I'm going to change the non-green stripes a little more before I'm done, because I love the look of the white/red/white with a final row of green because it just looks gorgeous.

And yes, I will post again when I'm finally done.  Which I'm not yet.  (Photo below is from last night.)

At Chez Stutters lately

I don't quite know what happened, but I've been neglecting this blog in a way I never meant to.

On the other hand, I'm almost totally up to date with Project Life - okay, so there's some journalling to do here and there, but in general, I'm up to date.  (So up to date that I actually did last week's spread on Sunday, when the week hadn't even finished yet.)

But here's some news and photos from around the place.

Cats
It was our Bion's first birthday yesterday - he is officially no longer a kitten!  I love this photo of him, even though it's a few months old.

The Garden

OMG the garden!  Beans are sprouting, the zuchinni has the beginnings of flowers, the snow peas are growing like crazy, and even the cucumber has finally woken up.  

These photos were taken a week ago: the lettuce has grown *lots* since then.  We're able to make a salad every night now, I'd say.  And the perpetual basil is almost enough for a pesto.

Craft
I'm working on a purple and black skull slouch hat for M for Halloween.  She found the pattern and asked if I thought I could make it: it looked a little complicated, but it's turned out to be mostly straightfoward, and I'm really enjoying it.  It's actually much further along than this photo would suggest: I'm onto the fourth row of skulls and the first decrease.  It's a fascinating pattern because it begins at the brim and works up to the crown, where most hats I've seen work the other way.

And on Sunday I got out the sewing machine and started working on some Halloween bunting.  I'm planning a blog post on the bunting itself, but I'm now away until the 25th of October, which won't leave me much time to get it done (the bunting, not the post) before Halloween.  There are many more flags than I had kind of thought - which was my fault for the choices I made - but still.

Meanwhile - I'm at a work conference this week down in Melbourne.  I'm hoping to finish the hat and a bunch of poppies this week, as well as start working up some blogposts for the future.

Currently Creative - July 30

It's time for another linkup from Kellie Winnell's blog!

The main thing I've been working on this week has been a Kobo cover for M.  I'm using the same yarn and same basic pattern as for the one I made for myself last year, but with a larger hook and the original ribbed cuff from the pattern instead of the flap I did for mine. The ribbing is a challenge, and I had to rip it out once completely, but although it's not perfect this time, I'm okay-ish with it. I still plan to do some glasses cases for a couple of friends for Christmas presents this year.

In poppy-making news, I tried my own pattern with bobbles!

UFO challenge

Once again, I'm blaming the fabulous Kellie Winnell for this. Kellie posted about a number of her unfinished projects with the challenge of finishing them by the end of the year.

Well, I've got piles of UFOs (unfinished objects) around the place. Maybe one day I'll embarrass myself with a full list, but for now I'm sticking with those I want to finish by the end of the year. I'm also going to limit this to projects that have gone into hibernation, not ones I count as being current (ie the ripple blanket, the Elphieblanket, and the cat mat).

Dish towel stole

Dish towel stole - this was supposed to be a 'quick' version of my quilted stoles. I love the symbolism of the dishtowel, and the stole was inspired by a Maundy Thursday sermon; in 2009. It's meant to be more of a Lenten stole, but I'd like to get it to it's intended recipient before the beginning of Advent this year. (It's also in my June goals list, but there's precious little of June left).

Golden Teddy

Teddy bear - this little golden knitted teddy was only ever supposed to be a 'finish off' project. We found the teddy itself knitted and left (still to be sewn up) in the library store cupboard a number of years ago.. I've sewn him up and stuffed him: all he needs is a face, which I should be able to do with a mixture of surface crochet and wool embroidery. This wouldn't take long if I'd just pick him up and finish him. Then he'll go to this year's church fete in early November.

Tinkerbell Cross-stitch

Tinkerbell cross-stitch - meant to be a Christmas present last year, not finished in time.  We have a friend who is nuts about Tink, and this kit was on sale.  Since I picked up crochet in April last year, I've kind of dropped the cross stitch, which used to be my main form of crafting.  I have another unfinished cross-stitch that is a present for my mother, but that will go into 2015's UFOs challenge, I think.

40th Bithday album

40th birthday mini album - I have all the bits and pieces to put together a mini album of a friend's 40th from February this year.  Except for printing out the photos.  Again - the planned deadline is Christmas.  Obviously, although the picture shows two Core Kits, I won't be using all of them for a single mini-album.  But Blush and Maggie Holmes are the two I'm planning to use for this.

Chez Stutters (the house) album

Our new House mini album - Although I've been trying to keep up with

weekly PL spreads, the GF suggested a mini-album about the move.  There's a lot of work to do on this one, and of all the UFOs it's probably the lowest priority and the least fixed deadline.  But I'd still love to see it done before the end of the year.  This is using one of the new 6x8 albums, all the house and home-related cards from 5th and Frolic, some Ali Edwards digital elements, and Kellie Winnell stamps.

And if you're wondering what the heck it is I'm talking about here, July is going to be Project Life month here at Chez Stutters, so that I can finally get around to blogging my almost-a-year-long-now new scrapbooking method/obsession.

Purple Headband

Purple headband - earlier this year I went on a headband-making spree. I've completed two pink ones, but this purple one got somewhat lost in the house move.  This one matches my work uniform, so I'd like to get it done so that I can wear it next time I get my hair cut. Which really ought to be soon.

TARDIS blanket

TARDIS blanket - it was supposed to be a Christmas present for a friend last

year: I'm determined he'll be given it THIS year.  No, there's no pattern other than one I've vaguely drafted up after looking at various other people's TARDIS blankets on Pinterest. 

Kobo Cover

Finally, and most ridiculously, my Kobo Cover.  All it needs it two snaps, a button, and a chain loop.  I've had the snaps and the button for ages, and I've been using the cover on my Kobo for a good six months: it's just those final little things that need to get done.  This one I really ought to be able to get done *today*.

Currently Creative

Kellie Winnell has said that she's reinstating a regular "currently creative" linkup.  As you may have noticed, I'm trying to be more regular with this blog and to build it into an actual blog instead of just an occasional series.

If you're here from Kellie's blog linkup - welcome!  This is what I'm currently creating:


So, there's the Elphieblanket: I'm at 20 of 27 repeats of the main pattern before I start the multiple rounds that make up the border.  And I've read through the pattern for the border enough times that I think I almost understand how it works.

I'm slowly working on getting my craft room set up properly.

And I've created a Facebook Page for this 'ere blog and am working on graphics to use for it.

(For regular updates on posts to this blog, please "like" the Chez Stutters FB page, even though it's currently fairly bare.)

On the hook: the Elphieblanket

A friend is having her first baby, and is moving away from the area at the end of the month, and my GF declared that I was going to make a baby blanket.

Attempt No 1 - I chose a pattern via Pinterest - although I'm using a slightly smaller hook.

I'm using Patons Jet in emerald (which is getting used up ridiculously quickly) and Patons Rainbow in Rainforest.  The Rainbow is gorgeous yarn, comes in a massive 200g ball, and I was grateful that I got balls of both Rainforest and Horizon during Lincraft's sale.

It's a lot plainer than my other blankets, and the edges are no where near as tidy as they should be.

On the evening on June 17, I decided I'd had enough.  I began to frog.

The same day, I'd recieved my copy of issue 19 of Simply Crochet, containing an utterly gorgeous pattern for a baby blanket.  So attempt 2 is using that pattern.

With the second attempt I'll only be using the "Rainbow" yarn, putting the Jet aside for something else.  (I don't know what.)  It will also be a far smaller hook size.

Because either way the blanket will be green, and because we're going to see the musical "Wicked" this weekend, I've christened this particular project "the Elphieblanket".

You can find the appropriate Ravelry entries here (attempt 1) and here.